CLASSIC AMBIENT RECORDINGS: The 2001 Survey

 

Notes on Ambient Music, and The New Survey

 

     It was a huge amount of work, but here at last are the results of the latest survey to determine the favorite and most popular ambient recordings of all time. Since Jack the Tab and "Sasha E." collaborated on the previous survey here at Hyperreal, in May of 1999, tons of new ambient recordings have been released, with many of them already showing up on this list. Although ambient music has not necessarily become a more commercially viable genre in the past three years, the fans and composers who keep this unique music a living, breathing art form have certainly increased their presence on the internet, with many more sites devoted to individual artists and the growth of discussion groups devoted to ambient and its various sub-genres. "Classic" ambient recordings are more easily obtained via the net, anyway; most retail record stores carry precious few titles from the genre. The best stores will at least have an "Electronic Music" section where some of the discs may be found, and many artists, like Steve Roach and Robert Rich, seem to be filed under "New Age" in chain stores such as Borders. This, of course, is a subject of endless debate among ambient listeners: how does one truly define "ambient," and where is the boundary between ambient and new age music? Ambient fans tend to be passionate creatures, and achieving a consensus is difficult, if not impossible. One Hyperreal member remarked that ambient is more a "state of mind" than an actual genre; another amusingly stated in a post, "I don't know how to define it, but I know it when I hear it." What one hears in this music is clearly a matter of individual perception.

 

      The best ambient music allows you to immerse yourself in a particular sonic world or "field of sound," and if your psyche is tuned into those "frequencies," you may well experience the sort of rapture that the greatest music always aims to achieve. Ambient can take you to distant landscapes, remote reaches of space, or even to secret, unexpected memory-scapes that have been locked away inside your mind for years. This mysterious, often hypnotic music truly has that ability. Ambient "godfather" Brian Eno's definition of the form, when his manifesto accompanying MUSIC FOR AIRPORTS first appeared in the late '70s, essayed that ambient music should work as effective background music (ideal for reading, writing, taking a bath, etc.), but it should also have the ability to reward close listening (if one chooses to do so) by offering the type of sonic layering and musical complexity that would keep a listener coming back for more. Most would agree that to be truly successful, an ambient work should place the listener in a wide field of sound where they can experience many interesting little sonic details, or perhaps just a few prominent, continuous (but compelling) ones. There are drips, blips, waves and drones, frequently at the same time. The effect can be all-encompassing, or merely "in the background"; it's the listener's choice.

 

     In the end, there are few absolutes about ambient music, and when its admirers are hard-pressed to even agree on a definition, one wonders how the music could ever really become conventionally popular. But most fans wouldn't want it to. Ambient music is special. Unique. It's intended primarily to be experienced in private, as a personal soundtrack for each listener. Although some pieces of ambient/electronic music have turned up in TV commercials and films (in fact, movies such as Heat and Traffic largely used ambient soundtracks, and film music itself is arguably a "cousin" of ambient--witness the numerous soundtracks that turn up in this poll), the general public still remains largely unaware of the genre. But those who discover the secret sonic universe of ambient tend to find their listening habits changed forever. The sounds and sensations produced by classic ambient often inspire an entire world view, a greater awareness of one's surroundings (and the natural environment-- inherently part of ambient's aesthetic), and a heightened curiosity about the minutiae of everyday living. Perhaps ambient is, indeed, a "state of mind."

 

     The 1999 Hyperreal survey was an enormously helpful tool for those of us curious to know what recordings were considered "classics" by group members. Not long after I perused that list a few times, I purchased some of the high-ranking items myself such as the Robert Rich/Lustmord "dark ambient" classic STALKER, which I found utterly mesmerizing, and Biosphere's SUBSTRATA, a chilly series of evocative sonic portraits that some say is the finest example of arctic, or "polar" ambient. I returned to the list again and again for ideas. But by late 2001, after endless discussions on the Hyperreal site and reading reviews of hundreds of provocative new discs on several different web sites, it seemed that it was high time for a fresh new survey. When no one was eager to volunteer for the task, I did so myself, with the help of second lieutenant, Reginald Perrin. My intention was to expand the parameters of the previous survey. Members of the ambient group at Hyperreal were asked to submit their lists of all-time favorites, as before, but I also sought lists from members of a few other web-based discussion groups, music writers, and programmers at radio stations where ambient and electronica get regular play. About 130 people all over the world ended up contributing their "votes." These are listeners, composer/musicians, journalists, programmers and more. The results clearly establish that there are certain undeniable repeat "classics" as well as newer recordings that are finding increasing popularity. The high number of discs released just in the last few years shows that a terrific ambient work can develop a following quickly; the community of listeners is still small enough that word travels fast when a 14-karat gem is discovered. Hence, this survey is a real mixture of the new and the old, as well as a collection of discs representing many different sub-genres.

 

     It was my intention from the start to do a survey that would not only be fodder for discussion on the Hyperreal group from which it sprang, but would also become an informative tool for listeners arriving anew at the "Gates of Ambient," hopefully wide-eyed and curious about what the real favorites are. While no list should ever be considered definitive, I hope this one will serve as a helpful update for both experienced and inexperienced listeners, a wide-ranging survey of classics and personal favorites that may prompt a few new purchases and provide a bit of "chill time" comparing one's own list to the cumulative tally. As with the 1999 survey, the number in brackets is the number of individual votes a recording received, followed by the artist, then the title of the work. The "Big Ten" vote-getters are listed in boldface type, for emphasis. Artists with the same number of votes are listed alphabetically, but for ease of readability I chose NOT to put last name before first name, even though the sequencing is still by last name. There are so many collaborations and odd names that it seemed  much easier to simply list the names the way you'd read them in a review, i.e. James Johnson/Stephen Philips: Lost at Dunn's Lake, rather than Johnson, James and Philips, Stephen: Lost at Dunn's Lake. Well, at least this is how we did it for items of 3 votes and up. There were so many discs that received one or two votes that I deferred to my assistant, Reginald Perrin, for the hard labor at the bottom of the list. Items receiving only 2 votes are listed alphabetically by first name. Same with single-vote items, which I originally didn't want to even include here. But I put the question to the members of Hyperreal, and most members wanted the one-vote discs included. So they do appear, but in columns at the bottom of the list, in smaller type, so they don't take up so much room. This is a massive, massive list, and some concessions to space limitations simply had to be made. It should also be stated that every effort was made to ensure the accuracy of both artist names and album titles. Needless to say, many of these works are extremely obscure, especially at the bottom of the list. Again, I deferred to Mr. Perrin for much of the name-checking, although I ended up doing a lot of last-minute checking myself. There are probably still some mistakes here and there; apologies to any reader who finds one. But it took an unexpectedly long time to nail down the final totals and to check (and recheck) discrepancies. To the best of our ability, these names are accurate. And rest assured that the votes themselves are accurate; all lists were counted 8 or 9 times, exhaustively, to make sure the final tally is valid.

 

     At the very end of the list, there are some interesting "stats" based on the results, just for fun. I enjoyed conducting this survey and I hope all you ambient listeners out there will have fun perusing it. I'd like to heartily thank Reginald Perrin for assisting with the project, and remaining enthusiastic to the end. I also thank everyone who sent a list in. The sheer variety of items people consider favorites is staggering. But clearly, the more votes an item received, the more of a consensus there obviously is that the item is indeed a classic. We may not all have picked the same recordings, but boy, we sure do know what we like, and would be apt to recommend. So…let the dialogue begin! And may all your drones be lush…all-encompassing…shiver-inducing, etc., etc. Happy ambient listening!

 

     --Kevin Renick, January 2002

 

 

THE POLL RESULTS

 

[34] - Biosphere: Substrata

[32] - Aphex Twin: Selected Ambient Works Vol. II

[25] - Brian Eno: On Land

[22] - Brian Eno: Apollo

[21] - Brian Eno: Music For Airports

[20] - Tetsu Inoue: Ambiant Otaku

[19] - Harold Budd/Brian Eno: The Pearl

[18] - Global Communication: 76:14

[17] - Future Sound of London: Lifeforms

[16] - Harold Budd/Brian Eno: The Plateaux of Mirror

[15] - Brian Eno: Thursday Afternoon

[14] - Tetsu Inoue: Organic Cloud

[13] - The KLF: Chill Out

[12] - Tetsu Inoue: World Receiver

[12] - Robert Rich: Trances/Drones

[12] - Robert Rich/Lustmord: Stalker

[12] - Woob: 1194

[11] - Biosphere/Higher Intelligence Agency: Polar Sequences

[10] - Jon Hassell/Brian Eno - Fourth World Vol. One: Possible Musics

[10] - Lustmord: The Place Where the Black Stars Hang

[9] - Autechre: Amber

[9] - Thomas Koner: Kaamos

[9] - The Orb: Adventures Beyond the Ultraworld

[9] - Steve Roach: Dreamtime Return

[9] - Steve Roach: The Magnificent Void

[9] - David Sylvian/Holger Czukay: Plight & Premonition

[8] - Boards of Canada: Music Has the Right to Children

[8] - Datacide: Flowerhead

[8] - James Johnson/Robert Scott Thompson: Forgotten Places

[8] - O Yuki Conjugate: Equator

[7] - Pete Namlook/Tetsu Inoue: 2350 Broadway

[7] - Pete Namlook/Tetsu Inoue: 2350 Broadway II

[7] - The Orb: UFOrb

[7] - Jeff Pearce: To The Shores of Heaven

[7] - Plastikman: Consumed

[7] - Robert Rich: Numena (by itself or in 2-CD set with Geometry)

[7] - Steve Roach: Quiet Music

[7] - Sun Electric: 30.7.94

[7] - Susumu Yokota: Sakura

[6] - Another Fine Day: Life Before Land

[6] - Ashera: Cobalt 144

[6] - Bola: Soup

[6] - Harold Budd: Lovely Thunder

[6] - Brian Eno: Discreet Music

[6] - Fripp & Eno: Evening Star

[6] - Pete Namlook/Dr. Atmo: Silence I

[6] - Vidna Obmana: The River of Appearance

[6] - Vangelis: Blade Runner

[6] - Various - Axiom Ambient: Lost in the Translation

[5] - Aphex Twin: Selected Ambient Works, '85-'92

[5] - Michael Brook: Cobalt Blue

[5] - Brian Eno: Neroli

[5] - Brian Eno: The Shutov Assembly

[5] - Robert Fripp: A Blessing of Tears

[5] - Gas: Pop

[5] - Global Communication: Pentamerous Metamorphosis

[5] - Jeff Greinke: Lost Terrain

[5] - Steve Hillage: Rainbow Dome Music

[5] - Human Mesh Dance: SecretNumberTwelve

[5] - The Irresistable Force: Flying High

[5] - The Irresistable Force: Global Chillage

[5] - James Johnson: Entering Twilight

[5] - Thomas Koner: Teimo

[5] - O Yuki Conjugate: Undercurrents in Dark Water

[5] - Steve Reich: Music For 18 Musicians

[5] - Klaus Schulze: Mirage

[5] - Skylab: #1

[5] - Stars of the Lid: Avec Laudenum

[5] - Stars of the Lid: The Ballasted Orchestra

[5] - Tangerine Dream: Rubycon

[4] - Autechre: Incunabula

[4] - Biosphere: Cirque

[4] - Michael Brook: Hybrid

[4] - Harold Budd/Cocteau Twins: The Moon and the Melodies

[4] - Brian Eno: Music For Films

[4] - Jon Hassell: Power Spot

[4] - Heavenly Music Corporation: Anechoic

[4] - Heavenly Music Corporation: Lunar Phase

[4] - James Johnson/Stephen Philips: Lost at Dunn's Lake

[4] - Thomas Koner: Permafrost

[4] - Alan Lamb: Primal Image

[4] - MLO Productions: Io

[4] - Monolake: Interstate

[4] - Pete Namlook: Air I & II

[4] - Pete Namlook/Dr. Atmo: Silence II

[4] - Vidna Obmana: The Subterranean Collective

[4] - The Orb: Orbus Terrarum

[4] - Stephen Philips: Desert Landscapes

[4] - Rapoon: Fallen Gods

[4] - Robert Rich/Alio Die: Fissures

[4] - Steve Roach: Early Man

[4] - Steve Roach: Structures From Silence

[4] - Steve Roach/Jorge Reyes: Vine, Bark & Spore

[4] - Steve Roach/Robert Rich: Soma

[4] - Paul Schutze - New Maps Of Hell 2: Rapture Of Metals

[4] - Shpongle: Are You Shpongled

[4] - Shuttle358: Optimal

[4] - A Small, Good Thing: Slim Westerns

[4] - Spyra: Phonehead

[4] - Michael Stearns: Planetary Unfolding

[4] - David Sylvian/Holger Czukay: Flux & Mutability

[4] - Terre Thaemlitz - Tranquilizer

[4] - TUU: All Our Ancestors

[4] - Vir Unis: The Drift Inside

[4] - Paul Vnuk Jr.: Silence Speaks in Shadows

[4] - Various: The Ambient Expanse

[4] - Various: Isolationism

[3] - Adham Shaikh: Journey to the Sun

[3] - Alio Die/Amelia Cuni: Apsaras

[3] - Alvo Noto/Scanner: Uniform

[3] - Arovane: Atol Scrap

[3] - Arvo Part - Fuer Alina

[3] - Baked Beans: Baked Beans

[3] - Bass Communion: Bass Communion

[3] - Kevin Braheny: The Way Home

[3] - Harold Budd: The White Arcades

[3] - Celtic Cross: Hicksville

[3] - David Darling: Cello

[3] - DJ Spooky: Songs of a Dead Dreamer

[3] - Robert Fripp: Let the Power Fall

[3] - Edgar Froese: Epsilon in Malaysian Pale

[3] - Future Sound of London: Dead Cities

[3] - Future Sound of London: ISDN

[3] - Peter Gabriel: Passion

[3] - Gas: Konigsforst

[3] - Jeff Greinke: Cities in Fog

[3] - Heavenly Music Corporation: In a Garden of Eden

[3] - Higher Intelligence Agency: Colourform

[3] - Hilmar Orn Hilmarsson - Children Of Nature

[3] - Mark Hollis: Mark Hollis

[3] - Howie B.: Music For Babies

[3] - The Illusion of Safety: The Illusion of Safety

[3] - Tetsu Inoue/Carlos Vivanco: Zenith

[3] - Jean-Michel Jarre: Oxygene

[3] - Thomas Koner: Nuuk

[3] - Brannan Lane: Sleep Cycle

[3] - Lull: Continue

[3] - Ingram Marshall: Three Penitential Visions

[3] - Miasma: Miasma (Em:t 1195)

[3] - Moby: Ambient

[3] - Monolake: Gobi (EP)

[3] - Pete Namlook: The 4 Seasons

[3] - Pete Namlook: Silence III

[3] - Pete Namlook/Burhan Ocal: Sultan

[3] - Pete Namlook/Tetsu Inoue: 62 Eulengasse

[3] - Pete Namlook/Tetsu Inoue: Shades of Orion 1 & 2

[3] - Pete Namlook/K. Schulze/B. Laswell: Dark Side of the Moog 5

[3] - Bill Nelson: Chance Encounters in the Garden of Light

[3] - Orbital: In Sides

[3] - Jochem Paap: Vrs. Mbnt Pcs 1 & 2

[3] - David Parsons: Dorje Ling

[3] - Jeff Pearce: Daylight Slowly

[3] - Jeff Pearce: The Light Beyond

[3] - Pole: CD3

[3] - Raison D'Etre: Prospectus I

[3] - Giles Reaves: Wunjo

[3] - Reload: A Collection of Short Stories

[3] - Jorge Reyes: Bajo El Sol Jaguar

[3] - Robert Rich: Bestiary

[3] - Robert Rich/Lisa Moscow: Yearning

[3] - Steve Roach: Atmospheric Conditions

[3] - Steve Roach: Dream Circle

[3] - Steve Roach: On This Planet

[3] - Steve Roach: Slow Heat

[3] - Steve Roach/Vidna Obmana: Ascension of Shadows

[3] - Steve Roach/Vidna Obmana: Cavern of Sirens

[3] - Scanner: Sound For Spaces

[3] - Klaus Schulze: Timewind

[3] - Seefeel: Polyfusia

[3] - Seti: Pharos

[3] - Shpongle: Tales of the Inexpressible

[3] - Solar Quest: Orgship

[3] - Solea Amphibia - Stratosphear

[3] - Carl Stone: Mom's

[3] - David Sylvian: Approaching Silence

[3] - David Sylvian: Gone to Earth

[3] - Tangerine Dream: Atem

[3] - Robert Scott Thompson: Blue Day

[3] - Vir Unis: Aeonian Glow

[3] - Uzect Plaush: More Beautiful Human Life

[3] - Zoviet France: Shadow Thief of the Sun

[3] - Zoviet France: Shouting at the Ground

[3] - Zoviet France: What Is Not True

[3] - Various: Mystery of the Yeti 2

[3] - Various: The Other World

 

[2] - Aerial Service Area (Atom Heart & Victor Sol & Niko Heyduck) – 1

[2] - Alan Lamb - Night Passage

[2] - Aloof Proof - Piano Text

[2] - Alvin Curran - Songs & Views From The Magnetic Garden

[2] - AMP - Perception

[2] - Angelo Badalamenti - Twin Peaks (Soundtrack)

[2] - Anthony Manning - Chromium Nebulae

[2] - A Produce - Inscape And Landscape

[2] - A Produce - Reflect Like A Mirror, Respond Like An Echo

[2] - Ashera - Colour Glow

[2] - Atom Heart - Dots

[2] - Atom Heart - Jet Chamber 3

[2] - Basic Channel - Basic Channel

[2] - Bill Laswell/Pete Namlook - Outland

[2] - Biosphere & Deathprod - Nordheim Transformed

[2] - Bowery Electric - Beat

[2] - Bruce Kaphan - Slider

[2] - Chris Meloche - Recurring Dream Of The Urban Myth

[2] - Cluster - Sowiesoso

[2] - Coil - Worship The Glitch

[2] - Core - An Area’s Era Aria

[2] - Darshan Ambient - Darshan Ambient

[2] - David Hykes - Listening To Solar Winds

[2] - David Parsons - Sounds of the Mothership/Tibetan Plateau

[2] - David Parsons - Yatra

[2] - David Sylvian - Brilliant Trees

[2] - Dead Can Dance - Serpent’s Egg

[2] - Deep Chill Network - Dreams 2
[2] - dreamSTATE - Between Realities

[2] - Edgar Froese - Aqua

[2] - Edward Artemyev - Solaris, The Mirror, Stalker

[2] - Elaine Radique - Trilogie De La Mort

[2] - Fluxion - Vibrant Forms

[2] - Forrest Fang - Gongland

[2] - Francisco Lopez - La Selva

[2] - Future Sound of London - Cascade

[2] - Gas - Em:t 0095

[2] - Gas - Zauberberg

[2] - Gat/Sol - Gat/Sol

[2] - Gavin Bryars - The Sinking of the Titanic

[2] - Global Communication: Remotion

[2] - Harmonic Choir - Hearing Solar Winds

[2] - Harold Budd - By The Dawn’s Early Light

[2] - Harold Budd - Luxa

[2] - Harold Budd - The Room

[2] - Harold Budd - The Serpent in Quicksilver/Abandoned Cities

[2] - Isan - Lucky Cat

[2] - Isan - Salamander

[2] - Jalan Jalan - Bali

[2] - Jim Plotkin & Mark Spybey - A Peripheral Blur

[2] - Jon Mark - The Standing Stones Of Callannish

[2] - Justin Bennett - Cityscape

[2] - Kenji Kawai - Ghost In The Shell (Soundtrack)

[2] - Kiril - Homebound

[2] - Klaus Schulze - Cyborg

[2] - Klaus Schulze - Picture Music

[2] - Kraftwerk - Autobahn

[2] - Lightwave - Tyco Brahe

[2] - Liquid Mind - Balance

[2] - Lucid Dreams - Em:t 0096
[2] - Lull - Cold Summer

[2] - Lustmord - Heresy

[2] - Maeror Tri - Myein

[2] - Main - Firmament 1-4

[2] - Makyo - Yakshini

[2] - Mark Rownd - Painting Twilight

[2] - Markus Guentner - In Moll

[2] - Martyn Bates & Mick Harris - Murder Ballads

[2] - Masters Of Psychedelic Ambience - Mu

[2] - Mathias Grassow - Fragrance Of Eternal Roses

[2] - Matt Borghi - Huronic Minor

[2] - Meg Bowles & David Bilger - From The Dark Earth

[2] - Mick Harris & Bill Laswell - Somnific Flux

[2] - Moby - The End Of Everything

[2] - Modula Green - Shellground

[2] - Monolake - Gravity

[2] - Morton Feldman - Piano And String Quartet

[2] - Muslimgauze - Azzazin

[2] - Mychael Danna & Tim Clement - North Of Niagara

[2] - Nor Elle - Phantom Of Life

[2] - Numina - Recluse

[2] - Open Canvas - Indumani

[2] - Orbital - The Box EP

[2] - Oval - 94diskont

[2] - Paul Ellis - Into The Liquid Unknown

[2] - Paul Giger - Chartres

[2] - Pauline Oliveros, Stuart Dempster & Panaiotis - Deep Listening

[2] - Pete Namlook: Seasons Greetings - Summer

[2] - Pete Namlook & Richie Hawtin - From Within 3

[2] - Pete Kuhlmann (Namlook) & Rehberg & Mense - Sunken Road

[2] - Philip Glass - Kundun (Soundtrack)

[2] - Pieter Nooten & Michael Brook - Sleeps With The Fishes

[2] - Pole - Pole 1

[2] - Pub - Do You Ever Regret Pantomime

[2] - Pub - Summer

[2] - Rapoon - Easterly 6 Or 7
[2] - Rapoon - The Fires Of The Borderlands
[2] - Rapoon - Vernal Crossing
[2] - Robert Rich - A Troubled Resting Place
[2] - Robert Rich - Below Zero

[2] - Robert Rich - Humidity

[2] - Robert Rich - Inner Landscapes
[2] - Robert Scott Thompson - Air Friction

[2] - Roger Eno - Voices

[2] - Ryoji Ikeda - +/-

[2] - Sara Ayers - Sylvatica

[2] - Saul Stokes - Outfolding

[2] - Saul Stokes - Zo Pilots

[2] - Seefeel - Ch-Vox

[2] - Single Cell Orchestra - Single Cell Orchestra

[2] - Sounds From The Ground - Kin

[2] - Spacetime Continuum - Sea Biscuit

[2] - Spool - Spool

[2] - Spyra: Etherlands

[2] - Steve Roach - Origins

[2] - Steve Roach - World’s Edge

[2] - Steve Roach/Byron Metcalf - The Serpent’s Lair

[2] - Steve Roach/Vidna Obmana - Well Of Souls

[2] - Steve Roach/Vir Unis - Blood Machine

[2] - Steve Roach/Vir Unis - Light Fantastic

[2] - Talk Talk - Laughing Stock
[2] - Tangerine Dream - Stratosfear

[2] - Tangerine Dream - Zeit

[2] - Terre Thaemlitz - Soil

[2] - Terry Riley - A Rainbow in Curved Air

[2] - Tetsu Inoue - Slow & Low

[2] - Tetsu Inoue & Jonah Sharp - Electro Harmonix

[2] - Thomas Fehlmann - Good Fridge Flowing

[2] - Thomas P. Heckmann - Raum

[2] - Ulf Langheinrich - Degrees Of Amnesia

[2] - VA - Ambient Eclipse

[2] - VA - Basic Channel Compilation

[2] - VA - Dr Alex Paterson’s Voyage Into Paradise

[2] - VA - Manifold Sampler Endless 2

[2] - VA - Skydancing Nada Masala Vol 2

[2] - Vangelis - Opera Sauvage

[2] - Vangelis - Soil Festivities

[2] - Vidna Obmana - Crossing The Trail

[2] - Vidna Obmana - Memories Compiled 1

[2] - Vladislav Delay - Entain

[2] - Vladislav Delay - Multila

[2] - Voice Of Eye - Vespers

[2] - Web (Bill Laswell & Terre Thaemlitz) - Web

[2] - Wendy Carlos - Sonic Seasonings

[2] - Windy & Carl - Antarctica

[2] - Zero Ohms - Sweven

 

 

The following recordings received a single vote each:

 

 


#9 Dream - Rhythm & Irrelevance

Abstract Speed - The Grace Of Strange Weather

Adham Shaikh & Tim Floyd - Drift

Aeolian String Ensemble - Lassith/Elysium

Aerial Service Area (Atom Heart & Victor Sol & Niko Heyduck) – 2

Alan Hovhaness - Shalimar

Al Gromer Khan - Almost Blossom Day

Al Gromer Khan - Mahogany Nights

Alias Zone - Lucid Dreams

Alio Die - Incantamento

Alio Die - Suspended Feathers

Alio Die - Under An Holy Ritual

Alog - Red Shift Swing

Aloof Proof - Expo One

Aloof Proof - Inside The Quiet

Alphawezen - System

Alpha Wave Movement - Transcendence

Alpha Wave Movement & Jim Cole - Bislama

Alva Noto & Opiate - Opto Files

Alvin Lucier - I Am Sitting In A Room

Alvin Lucier - Music On A Long Thin Wire

Amaruvision - Light Energy Performance

Ambient.Com - AA001

Amir Baghiri - Bluebox Collection

Amir Baghiri - Rooms

Amir Baghiri & Mathias Grassow - Autumn

Amir Baghiri & Mathias Grassow - True North

AMM - Newfoundland

Amon - The Legacy

Amongst Myselves - Still Life

Amon Tobin - Bricolage

Amorphous Androgynous - Tales Of Ephidrina

Anonymous 4 - The Miracles Of Santiago

Amphibian Industries - Sideways From Reality

Andy Hawkins - Azonic Halo

Angelo Badalamenti - Lost Highway (Soundtrack)

Another Fine Day - Lazy Daisy

Anthony Boast & Christian Rother - Quiet Latitudes

Anuvida & Nik Tyndall - Healing Hands

A Positive Life - Synaesthetic

A Produce - Land Of A Thousand Trances

A Produce - Smile on the Void

A Produce & M. Griffin - Altara

A Reminiscent Drive - Mercy Street

Aqueous - Entertaining Angels

Arcana - The Last Embrace

Artemiev / Frohmader - Space Icon

Artemus Trine - The Celestial Railroad

Arthur Dent - Drift

Arvo Part - Cantarta For Benjamin Brittain

Ashera - Ambient Collection

Ash Ra Tempel - Ash Ra Tempel

Ash Ra Tempel - New Age Of Earth

Ash Ra Tempel - Schwingungen

Asmus Tietchens & Vidna Obmana - Syrenia 2

Atmosphere Collection - Thunderstorm

Atom Heart - Live At Sel I/S/C

Atom Heart - Orange

Atom Heart - Superficial Depth

Augur/Wilt - Navigations

Autechre - Garbage

Azusa Plane - Tycho-Magnetic Anomaly & FCOHH

Baby Mammoth - Swimming

Bad Sector/Contagious Orgasm - Vacuum Pulse

Baked Beans - Recycle Or Die

Baked Beans - Bean Me Up Scotty

Banco De Gaia - Last Train To Lhasa

Bang On A Can - Music For Airports

Bark Psychosis - Hex

Bass Communion - Bass Communion 2

Beaumont Hannant - Texturology

Bedrock - Beautiful Strange (Original Mix)

Bedroom (Daniel Pemberton) - Bedroom

Bernard Gunther - For Mark Rothko

Bern'd Friedmann - Leisure Zones

Bill Laswell - Ambient Translations Into Bob Marley

Bill Laswell - Divination: Ambient Dub 2

Bill Laswell - Lost In The Translation: Ambient Dub

Bill Laswell - Possession: African Dub

Bill Laswell - Rasa: Serene Timeless Joy

Bill Laswell/Tetsu Inoue - Cymatic Scan

Bill Nelson - Crimsworth

Bionaut - Lush Life Electronica

Biosphere - Microgravity

Biosphere & Higher Intelligence Agency - Birmingham Frequencies

Birds Of Tin / Mechanism - Votive

Bjork - Vespertine

Black Dog - Music for Adverts & ....

Boards Of Canada - In A Beautiful Place Out In The Country

Bobvan - Water Dragon

Brain/Mind Research - Symphonies of the Planets (5-disc set, NASA soundscapes)

Brannan Lane - Lost Caverns of Thera

Brian Eno - Another Green World

Brian Eno - Eno I (Instrumental Box) Disk 3

Brian Eno - Lightness: Music For The Marble Palace

Brian Eno - Music For White Cube

Broadcast - Echo's Answer

Bugskull - Crock: The Motion Picture Soundtrack

Burger / Ink - Las Vegas

Cabaret Voltaire - The Conversation

Carbon Based Lifeforms - The Path

Carlo Gesualdo - Responsoria

Caspar Brotzmann Massaker - Koksofen

Cathars - Amorpheus

Certain Beyond All Reasonable Doubt - Live Berlin 98

Chaos As Shelter - Midnight Prayer/Illusion

Chaos As Shelter & Ruhr Hunter - Same

Charlemagne Palestine - Four Manifestations On Six Elements

Charlemagne Palestine - Schlingen-Blängen

Charles Engstrom - Ulee's Gold Soundtrack

Charles Ives - The Unanswered Question

Chas Smith - Chas Smith EP

Chris Coco - All Of My Beautiful Friends

Chris & Cosey - Allotropy

Christian Hoy Knudsen - Hav

Chris Watson - Stepping Into The Dark

Cindytalk - The Wind Is Strong...

Circular - Divergent

Circulation - Magenta

Cluster - 2

Cluster - Grosses Wasser

Coil - Love's Secret Domain

Coil - Queens Of The Circulating Library

Coil - Themes For Hellraiser

Coil - Time Machines

Controlled Bleeding - Inanition

Core - Chants Of Race And Emptiness

Coyote Oldman - Floating On Evening (Songs From Otter River)

Cyber Zen Sound Engine & Matt Borghi - The Intercepted Transmissions

Cyrus Rego - Cyrus Rego

Dan Hartman - New Green Clear Blue

Daniel Menche - October's Larynx

Danna & Clement - Best Of

Dark Matter - Seeing Strange Lights

Darrin Verhagen - Soft Ash

Darshan Ambient - End Of Days

Dave LaDelfa  - Dawn Planes

David Darling - Darkwood

David Darling & Terje Rypdal - Eos

David Helpling - Between Green And Blue

David Kristian - Room Tone

David Michael & Randy Mead - Mountain In The Sky

David Moufang - Solitaire

David Parsons - Himalaya

David Parsons - Ngaio Gamelan

David Parsons - Parikrama

David Parsons - Shaman

David Reeves - In Starless Space

David Sylvian - Alchemy

David Tibbets - The Fall Of Us All

David Toop - Screen Ceremonies

Dead Can Dance - Aion

Dead Can Dance - Spiritchaser

Dead Can Dance - Toward The Within

Death Cube K - Dreamatorium

Deep Chill Network - Cybersleep 1

Deep Chill Network - Cybersleep 2

Deep Chill Network - Cybersleep 3

Deep Chill Network - Cybersleep 4

Deep Chill Network - Dreams 1

Deep Chill Network - Dreams 3

Deep Chill Network - Dreams 4

Deep Chill Network - Heart Of The Tundra

Deep Forest - Savana Dance

Deep Listening Band - Ready Made Boomerang

Deep Listening Band - Sanctuary

Degrees - An Endless Search

Delerium - Karma

Delerium - Poem

Delerium - Spiritual Archives

Delerium - Stone Tower

Detroit Escalator Co. - Soundtrack 303

Digital Mystery Tour - Digital Mystery Tour

Dino Pacifici - Hallowed Ground

Djivan Gasparyan - I Will Not be Sad in This World

DJ Krush & Toshinori Kondo - Ki-oku

DJ Spooky - Nest

Dogon - Redunjusta

Dome - Dome

Don Slepian - Sea Of Bliss

Double Muffled Dolphin - My Left Side Is Out Of Sync

Double Muffled Dolphin - The Lions Are Growing

Dub Tractor - Delay

Dubtribe – The Tree, The Ladder, The Chariot And The Self

Durutti Column - LC

EAR - Data Rape

EAR - Phenomena 256

Ekko - Centripetal

Elaine Radique - Kyema, Intermediate States

Electric Skychurch - Outside

Electronic Eye - Closed Circuit

Elektro Nova - Electro Nova

Em - Djinn

Encomiast - Encomiast

Enigma - Cross of Changes

Environments - Tintinabulation

Era - Infinity

Erik Satie - Gnosiennes

Erik Satie - Gymnopedies

Erik Satie - Performed By France Clidat

EVA - Extra Vehicular Activity

Exotendo - Endorcism Process

Exotendo - Push Kara

FFWD - FFWD

Fennesz - Endless Summer

Fennesz, Zeitblom & Rantasa - Music For An Isolation Tank

Fibreforms - Treedrums

Fires Were Shot - Form The Hearth

Five Way Mirror - Transcendence

Flanger - Templates

Flesh & Bone - Skeleton Woman

Forma Tadre - Automate

Francisco Lopez - Untitled 1981-1983

Francois Tetaz - The Motionless World Of Time Between Or Drunken Taxicab of Absolute Reality

Fred Giannelli : Telephatic Romance

Fripp & Eno - Essential Fripp & Eno

Fripp & Eno - No Pussyfooting

F.S. Blumm - Mondkuchen

Garry Judd - Ambience

Gal - Defragmentation / Blue

Gas - Oktember

Gavin Bryars - Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet

Geinoh Yamashirogumi - Akira (Soundtrack)

Geodesium - West Of The Galaxy

George Wallace - Communion

Giacinto Scelsi - Four Pieces For Orchestra

Gilbert, B. C. & G. Lewis - 8time

Giles Reaves - Sea Of Glass

Glide - Space Age Freak Out

Global Electronic Network - Time Square

Graham Fitkin - Log/Line/Loud

Greg Long - 002

Greg Long - Entropy

Griffin/Fulton - The Most Distant Point Known

Harold Budd - The Pavilion Of Dreams

Harry Bertoia - Unfolding

Haruomi Hosono - Medicine Compilation

Hazard - Wind

Heavenly Music Corporation - Consciousness 3

Heights Of Abraham - Electric Hush

Hemisphere - Early Reflection

Hemisphere - Intruders

Henry Wolff & Nancy Hennings - Tibetan Bells 1

Hildegard Of Bingen - A Feather On The Breath Of God

Hoedh - Hymnus

Holger Czukay - La Luna

Human Mesh Dance - Mindflower

Hybryds - Soundtrack Of The Aquarium

Iasos - Angelic Music

Ibizarre - La Sirena

Index ID - Federflug

Infinity Project - Mystical Experiences

Ingram Marshall - Fog Tropes

Ingram Marshall - Hidden Voices

Instruction Shuttle/Mercy Killah - Controlled Chaos

In The Nursery - Deco

In The Nursery - Engel

Irresistible Force, The - It's Tomorrow Already

Jam & Spoon - Tripomatic Fairytales 2002

James Bernard - Atmospherics

James Johnson - Linger

James Johnson - Surrender

James Johnson - Unity

James Johnson, Vir Unis, & Chris Short - Aqua Culture

Jan Garbarek - Visible World

Jan Garbarek, Nana Vasconcellos & Terje Rypdal - Eventyr

Jan Jelinek - Loop-Finding

Jansen, Barbieri & Karn - Ism

Japan - Voices Raised & Welcome Hands Held In Prayer

Jeff Greinke - Changing Skies

Jeff Greinke - In Another Place

Jeff Pearce - The Hidden Rift

Jeff Pearce - Vestiges

Jet Chamber - Jet Chamber (Fax)

JFC - Once Upon A Time

Jim Cole & Spectral Voices - Coalescence

Jim Cole & Spectral Voices - Sky

Jim Plotkin & Gutzeit - Mosquito Dream

Jimpster - You Are

Jliat - When We Focus On Nothing...

Joe Hisaishi - Kikujiro Soundtrack

John Avery - Jessica In The Room Of Lights

John Cage - 4' 33"

John Coltrane - Live In Japan

John Duncan - Incoming

John Foxx - Cathedral Oceans

John Renbourn - Lady And The Unicorn

John Shepherd - Libera Nos, Alva Nos

John Stanford - Deep Space

Jonathan Coleclough - Cake

Jonathan Coleclough - Murray One/Tunnel

Jonathan Coleclough / Andrew Chalk - Sumac

Jonn Serrie - And the Stars Go With You

Jonn Serrie - Century Seasons

Jonn Serrie - Tingri

Jorge Reyes - Comala

Jorge Reyes - Mort Aux Vaches

Jorge Reyes - Nierika

Journeyman - Mama 6

Kapotte Muziek - Vier Stukken

KDNR - Diorda

Keith Rowe, Taku Sugimoto & Günter Müller - The World Turned Upside Down

Ken Ideda - Tzuki

Kenneth Newby - Ecology Of Souls

Kevin Kendle - Aerial Vistas

Kevin Kendle - Clouds

Khan & Walker - Empire State Building

Kid 606 - PS I Love You

Kid Loco - A Grand Love Story

Kim Cascone - Anechoic

Kim Cascone - Cathodeflower

Kitaro - Silk Road

Kit Watkins - Beauty Drifting

Kit Watkins - Rolling Curve

Klaus Schulze - Blackdance

Klaus Schulze - Body Love 2

Klaus Schulze - Dune

Klaus Schulze - Historic Edition

Klaus Schulze - Mediterranean Pads

Klaus Schulze - X

Klaus Wiese - Dunya

KLF, The - Space

Koichi Watanabe - Electronic Music 1978-1979

Koji Asano - Quoted Landscape

Labradford - A Stable Reference

Labradford - E Luxo So

Labradford - Prazision LP

Lacoon - Immersion

Lackluster - CDR2

Lagowski - Ashita

Laika - Sounds Of The Satellite

Landing - Oceanless

Languis - Last Frequency Preset

Lanterna - Elmstreet

Laraaji - Ambient 3: Day Of Radiance

Laraaji - Essence/Universe

Laraaji - Flow Goes The Universe

Larry Kucharz - Harmonic Luminosity

Larry Kucharz - Unit 25 Dark Red

Leggo Beast (Murray Clark) - Meanwhile

Legion - False Dawn

Les Gilbert- Kakadu Billabong

Les Jumeaux - Feathercut

L. Gaab - The Sacred & The Profane

Liberator Dj’s - It's Not Intelligent, It's Not From Detroit

Lightwave - Mundus Subterraneus

Lightwave - Nachtmusik

Liquid Z - Apnoea/Amphibia

Locust - Weathered Well

Loop Guru - Catalogue Of Desires 3: The Clear White Variation

Loop Guru - Duniya

Loren Nerell - The Venerable Dark Cloud

LSG - Into Deep

Luigi Nono - No Hay Caminos

Lustmord - Monstrous Soul

Lustmord - Purifying Fire

Lux - 100 Billion Stars

Main - Ligature

Makyo - Rhasa Bhava

Makyo - Shringara

Manna - Manna

Maria De Alvear - En Amor Duro

Mark Deutsch - Fool

Mark Isham - Film Music

Mark Isham - Tibet

Mark Riva - DJ Mix The Silent Mix

Marumari - The Wolves Hollow

Mathias Grassow - Ambience

Mathias Grassow - Darklight Quest

Mathias Grassow - Dissolution

Mathias Grassow - Empty Sky

Mathias Grassow - Himavat

Mathias Grassow - Himalaya

Mathias Grassow - Lanzarote Concert

Mathias Grassow - Lanzarote Spirits

Mathias Grassow - Psychic Dome

Mathias Grassow - Sky

Mathias Grassow - Space

Mathias Grassow - Sphere

Mathias Grassow - Thodol

Mathias Grassow & Klaus Wiese - Mercurius

Matt Borghi - December Impressions

Matt Coldrick - Music For A Busy Head Vol 1

Matt Uelman - Diablo II (Soundtrack)

Max Corbacho - Far Beyond The Immobile Point

Max Corbacho - Vestiges

Media Form - Beauty Reports

Medwyn Goodall - Comet

Meg Bowles - Blue Cosmos

Michael Hammer - Gifts Of The Archangels

Michael Hoenig - Departure From The Northern Wasteland

Michael Peters - Ambient Veloopity

Michael Stearns - Ancient Leaves / Elysian E

Michael Stearns - Chronos

Michael Stearns - Encounter

Michael Stearns - Lyra

Michael Stearns/Ron Sunsinger - Singing Stones

Michel Huygen - Sonar

Michel Huygen - Ultra Cosmos

Mickey Hart - At The Edge

Microstoria - Improvisers

Microstoria - Init Ding

Microstoria - Snd

Mika Vainio - Ydin

Mike Oldfield - Ommadawn

Mike Oldfield - Songs Of Distant Earth

Mike Simmons - From Anelog To Barsdey

Mindspawn - Conversing With Zardoz

Mindspawn - Darkness Weaves

Minit - Music (Sigma Editions)

Mixmaster Morris & Jonah Sharp - Quiet Logic

M. Northam & J. Grzinich - The Absurd Evidence

Modell / Mantra - Sonic Continuum

Modula Green - Modula Green

Monolake - Cinemascope

Monolake - Hong Kong

Moodswings - Psychodelicatessen

Morthound - Spindrift

Morton Feldman - Everything Else

Morton Feldman - For Phillip Guston

Morton Feldman - Rothko Chapel

MSB - Elektrons At Work

Muslimgauze - Azure Deux

Muslimgauze - Veiled Sisters

Mystical Sun - After Materia Cloudland

Mystical Sun - Primordial Atmospheres

Naoki Kenji - Downtown Tokyo

Narcosis - A Dark Ambient Compilation

Neina - Formed Verse

Neural Network - Modernite

Neutron 9000 - Lady Burning Sky

New Composers - Astra

Newt - 273C

Never Known - Once In A Lifetime

Never Known - Twilight's Last Gleaming

NLC - Le Langage De Autres

NNC - Fosen

Node - Terminus, Live At Paddington Station

Noise-Makers Fifes - Cruelty Has A Human Heart

Not Drowning Waving - Another Pond

Novisad - Novisad

Numina - Evolving Visions

Nurse With Wound - Soliloquies For Lilith

Ojas - Lotussongs 2

Olivier Messiaen - Vingt Regards Sur L'enfant Jésus

Om (Tetsu Inoue & Ferrer) - Instant Enlightenment

Oophoi - Mare Imbrium

Oophoi - Mare Tranquillitatis

Oophoi - Spirals Of Time

Oophoi - Wouivre

Ooze - Where The Fields Never End

Ora - Aurem

Ora - Rosea

Orb, The - Cydonia

Orb, The - Orblivion

Orb, The - Pomme Fritz

Orb, The - Aubrey Mixes: The Ultraworld Excursions

Orbital - Orbital (2nd)

Osso Exótico - Cd 2

OST - Death Notice

O Yuki Conjugate - Peyote

O Yuki Conjugate - Primitive

Ova - Rosea

Oval & Christophe Charles - Dok

Pan American - 360 Business / 360 Bypass

Pan American - Pan American

Panasonic - Kulma

Pan Sonic - Aaltopiiri

Patchwork

Patio - Parallel Play

Patrick O'Hearn - Metaphor

Patrick O'Hearn - Trust

Pat Thomi  - Pyramids

Paul Baker - Ladder Of The Soul

Paul Baker - The Tranquil Harp

Paul Horn - Inside The Great Pyramids

Paul Schutze - Abysmal Evenings

Paul Schutze - Apart

Paul Schutze - More Beautiful Human Life

Paul Schutze - Second Site

PBK - Shadows Of Prophecy / In His Throes

Peatbog Faeries - Faerie Stories

Peter Benisch - Waiting For Snow

Peter Janson - Sometimes From Here

Pete Namlook - Air 3

Pete Namlook - Create

Pete Namlook - Kooler

Pete Namlook - Namlook 5

Pete Namlook - Season's Greetings: Autumn

Pete Namlook - Seasons Greetings: Spring

Pete Namlook - Seasons Greetings: Winter

Pete Namlook - Silence 5

Pete Namlook & Peter Prochir - Possible Gardens

Pete Namlook & Klaus Schulze - Dark Side Of The Moog 3

Pete Namlook & Klaus Schulze & Bill Laswell - Dark Side Of The Moog 7

Pete Namlook & Richie Hawtin - From Within 2

Pete Namlook & Steve Stoll - Hemisphere

Pete Namlook & Tetsu Inoue - 2350 Broadway 3

Pete Namlook & Tetsu Inoue - Shades of Orion 3

Philip Glass - Glassworks

Philip Glass - Koyaanisqatsi

Philip Glass - Low Symphony

Philip Glass - Music With Changing Parts

Phil Mison - Lula

Philosopher's Stone - Apparatus

Phlegm - Ashes

Piano Magic - A Trick Of The Sea

Piano Magic - Bliss Out V.13

Piero Milesi - Within Himself

Plaid - Not For Threes

Plaid - Restproof Clockwork

Popul Vuh - Affenstunde

Popol Vuh - In The Garden Of The Pharao

Popul Vuh & Florian Fricke - Aguirre (Soundtrack)

Porter Ricks - Biokinetics

Porter Ricks/Techno Animal - Symiotics

Pulse Programming - 2 Of 2 In 1000

Quietman - Shhhh (Disc 2 - Ambient)

Rachel's - Selenography

Radio Massacre International - Frozen North

Radio Massacre International - Upstairs Downstairs

Radio Massacre International - Zabriskie Point

Raison D'etre - The Empty Hollow Unfolds

Rapoon - Cidar / Fallen Gods (Twofer)

Rapoon - Darker By Light

Rapoon - Dream Circle

Rapoon - Errant Angels

Rapoon - Just Say The Faith

Rapoon - Messianic Ghosts

Raventree, The - Thoughts Before Sleep

Ray Lynch - Nothing Above My Head But The Evening

Reinhard Voigt - Premiere World

Reload - A Collection Of Short Stories

Richard Bone - Ascensionism

Richard Bone - Coxa

Richard Bone - Tales From The Incantina

Richard Bone - The Spectral Ships

Richard H. Kirk - Virtual State

Richard Horowitz & Sussan Deyhim - Majoun

Riley Lee - Oriental Sunrise

Robert Carty - Darklight

Robert Carty - Gateway

Robert Carty - Horizons Call

Robert Carty - Nagual Heart

Robert Carty - Natural Wonder

Robert Carty - Plateaus Of Ether

Robert Carty - Silent Dreams

Robert Carty - The Inexplicable

Robert Carty - Timeless

Robert Henke - Floating Point

Robert Rich - Gaudi

Robert Rich - Rainforest

Robert Rich - Seven Veils

Robert Rich - Shambala

Robert Rich / Steve Roach - Strata

Robert Schroeder - Harmonic Ascendant

Robert Scott Thompson - Alchemy

Robert Scott Thompson - The Silent Shore

Robyn Miller - Riven (Soundtrack)

Rod Modell - The Autonomous Music Project

Roedelius - Diary Of The Unforgotten

Ron Boots - Too Many Secrets

Royksopp - Melody AM

Rudy Adrian - Kinetic Flow: Sequencer Sketches Vol. 1

Ry Cooder - Paris, Texas (Soundtrack)

Ryoji Ikeda & Carston Nicolai - Cyclo

Ryuichi Sakamoto - Love Is The Devil

Sad World (Dr. Atmo & Ramin) - Sad World I, II & III

Savath & Savalas - Folk Songs For Trains, Trees And Honey

Scanner - August

Scanner - Delivery

Scanner - Spore

Scanner - Sulphur

Scanner - Wave Of Light By Wave Of Light

Schallbau - Point Zero Vol. 1

Schloss Tegal - Oranur III The Third Report

Schottstaedt - Dinosaur Music

Scorn - Evanescence

Scorn - Gyral

Seed - Vertical Memory

Seefeel - Succour

Seefeel - Quique

Senking - Ping/Thaw

Senking - Silencer

Sheila Chandra - A Bone Crone Drone

Shifts - Seven Dots

Shpongle - Celtic Cross

Shpongle  - Eclipse

Shpongle - Mystery Of The Yeti

Shuttle358 - Frame

Sigillum S - Bardo Thos-Grol

Simon Fisher Turner - Blue

Simon Williams - Transicity (Inner City Mix)

Sketch - Abeyance

Skyray - Mind Lagoons

Sleep - Jerusalem

Sleep Research Facility - Nostromo

Slowdive - Pygmalion

SND - MakeSNDcassette

Snowcrash (Soundtrack)

Solar Quest - A+B=C In D#

Sola Translatio - Ad Infinitum

Sola Translatio - Mother Sunrise

Solitaire - Ritual Ground

Somei Satoh - Mantra / Stabat Mater

Spacecraft - Earthtime Tapestry

Spacecraft - Summer Town

Space Time Continuum & Terence McKenna - Alien Dreamtime

SPK - Zamia Lehmanni: Songs Of Byzantine Flowers

Spyra - Escalator To Heaven

Starseeds - Parallel Life

Stephan Mathieu - Wormloch Variationen

Stephan Micus - Athos

Stephan Micus - Koan

Stephan Micus - The Music Of Stones

Stephanie Sante - Inner Beauty

Steve Jansen & Richard Barbieri - Other Worlds In A Small Room

Steven McGreevy - Electric Enigma: The VLF Recordings

Stephen Philips - In The Moonlight

Steve Reich - Early Works

Steve Reich - Variations For Winds, Strings & Keyboards / Six Marimbas

Steve Roach - Artifacts

Steve Roach - Core

Steve Roach - Midnight Moon

Steve Roach - Streams and Currents

Steve Roach, Michael Stearns & Kevin Braheny - Desert Solitaire

Steve Roach & Roger King - Dust To Dust

Steve Roach, Stephen Kent & Kenneth Newby - Halcyon Days

Steve Roden - Crop Circles

Stuart Dempster - Underground Overlays From The Cistern Chapel

Sturm - Sturm

Subsurfing - Frozen Ants

Subvision/Guy Gross - Farscape Soundtrack

Sunkings - Hall Of Heads

Suns Of Arqa - Jaggernaut: Whirling Dub

Sushi Club - Koi

Sushi Club - Neo Sashimi

Suspended Memories - Forgotten Gods

Susumu Yokota - Magic Thread

Suzuki Keiichi - Satellite Serenade

Sven Vath - Accident In Paradise

Sylvia Nakkach - Ah, Healing Music

Sylvia Nakkach - Inside

System Error - Nothing

23 Degrees - An Endless Search

Taj Mahal Travelers - August 74

Talvin Singh - Calcutta Cyber Cafe, Drum & Space

Talvin Singh - Ha!

Tamaru - Karmaless

Tangerine Dream - Force Majeure

Tangerine Dream - Green Desert

Tangerine Dream - Phaedra

Tarkatak - Lyssna

Telepopmusik - Genetic World

Terry Riley - The Harp Of New Albion

Terry Riley - Persian Surgery Dervishes

Tetsu Inoue & Atom Heart - Datacide

Tetsu Inoue, Charles Uzzel Edwards & Daimon Beail - Audio

The Implicit Order - They Live In The Sky

The Infinite Wheel - The Infinite Wheel

The Infinity Project - Mystical Experiences

The Moog Cookbook - Ain't Talkin Bout Love

The Psychick Warriors Ov Gaia - Ov Biospheres And Sacred Grooves

Thomas Koner - Aubrite

Thomas Ronkin – Within Distance

Thomas Tallis - Spem In Alium

Thom Brennan - Beneath Clouds

Thom Brennan - Summer Town

Tim Story - Beguiled

Tim Story - Shadowplay

Tim Story - The Perfect Flaw

Todd Fletcher - Star

Tom Heasley - Where The Earth Meets The Sky

Tony Conrad - Four Violins

Tony Gerber - Blue Western Sky

Tony Scott - Music For Zen Meditation & Other Joys

Tor Lundvald - The Mist

Toshimaru Nakamura - No-Input Mixing Board 2

To Rococo Rot - The Amateur View

Transambient Communications - Mauve

Transonic - Downstream Illusion

Trey Gunn - 1000 Years

Troum - Tjukurrpa 1: Harmonies

Tulkinta - Tulkinta

TUU - Frozen Lands

TUU - Mesh

TUU - One Thousand Years

Twine - Reference

Ulrich Schnauss - Far Away Trains Passing By

Ultra Milkmaids - V/S Part 1

Uman - People Of Cloud Nine

Underworld - Dark And Long EP

Unexplained Transmissions - Unexplained Transmissions

U. Srinivas & Michael Brook - Dream

VA - One A.D.

VA - Two A.D.

VA - Three A.D.

VA - Ambient Cookbook (Fax)

VA - Ambient Dub 1

VA - Ambient Dub 2

VA - Ambient Dub 3

VA - Ambient Dub 4

VA - Ambient Landscapes 2 (Dark Duck)

VA - Ambient Spirit (Earth)

VA - Ambient Spirit (Water)

VA - Ancient Lights & The Blackcore

VA - An Introduction To A Cooler World

VA - Apollo Compilation

VA - Apollo 2 The Divine Compilation

VA - Archaic Modulation

VA - Atomic Weight

VA - Dali: The Endless Enigma

VA - Deep Net

VA - Divination: Distill

VA - Divination 2: Dead Slow

VA - Em:t 1197

VA - Em:t 2295

VA - Endless 1&2

VA - Excursions In Ambience 4

VA - Fahrenheit Project #1

VA - FAX Compilation 2 (Instinct)

VA - Freezone 1 The Phenomenology Of Ambient

VA - From Here To Tranquility

VA - Hacca Note 1004

VA - Hypnos Sampler #1 The Other World

VA - Invisible Soundtracks Macro 3

VA - Liminality (Digital Narcis)

VA - Liquid Dub Vol 7

VA - Narratives

VA - Nature Of Sand

VA - Return To The Source 2: Ambient Disc

VA - Run Lola Run (Soundtrack)

VA - Skydancing Nada Masala 1

VA - Soundscape Gallery #1

VA - Statics (CCI)

VA - Swarm Of Drones 1 (Asphodel)

VA - Swarm Of Drones 2 (Asphodel)

VA - Synoptics (Reflective)

VA - The Big Chill Presents: Enchanted 01 (Tom Middleton's Mix)

VA - Throne Of Drones

VA - Tone Tales From Tomorrow Too

VA - Twilight Earth

VA - Visor

VA - Wabi (Flying Rhino)

VA - Weightless Effortless

VA - X-X Section

Vangelis - 1492

Vangelis - Antarctica

Vangelis - L'Apocalypse Des Animaux

Van Morrison - Poetic Champions Compose

Van Zyl/Gulch - Regeneration Mode

Van Zyl/Gulch - The Sound Museum

Velocette - Sonorities By Starlight

Vidna Obmana - Landscape In Obscurity

Vidna Obmana - Motives For Recycling

Vidna Obmana - Revealed By Composed Nature

Vidna Obmana - Soundtrack To The Aquarium

Vidna Obmana - Surreal Sanctuary

Vidna Obmana - Tremor

Vidna Obmana - Trilogy Box Set

Vidna Obmana - Twilight Of Perception

Vincent Clark & Martyn Ware - Spectrum Pursuit Vehicle

Vir Unis/James Johnson - Perimeter

Visit Venus - Music For Space Tourism

Vladislav Delay - Anima

Vladislav Delay - Ele

Vladislav Delay - Live At WMF Club, Berlin, July 29, 2000

Voice Of Eye & Life Garden - Hungry Void 1& 2

Voice Of Eye - Mariner Sonique

Voice Of Eye - Transmigration

Voices Of Kwahn - Rebirth

Voov - Grau 1

Wagon Christ - Phat Lab Nightmare

Waterwheel - Panchroma

We - As Is

Wendy Carlos - Beauty in the Beast

Werner Dafeldecker / Bd Hegenbart - Eis 9

While - Even

William Basinski - Watermusic

William Orbit - Strange Cargo 3

Will Sargeant - Themes For Grind

Wish FM - 97.1

Woob - 0094

Woob - 4495

Yellow6 - Overtone

Yoshihiro Kawasaki - 4 Seasons In Japan

Zero One - Prototype

Zero One - Prototype 2

Zia Mohiudin Dagar - Raga Yaman

Zoviet France - Just An Illusion

Zoviet France - In Version

 

 


 

About The Results…

 

     The variety of recordings that earned votes in this poll is remarkable. It's doubtful that most people would consider artists like Steve Reich and Philip Glass to truly be ambient, yet here they are, receiving multiple votes. Likewise, early synthesizer pioneers such as Kraftwerk and Jean-Michel Jarre would seem to belong in some other category, but their inclusion here helps illustrate the fact that ambient music can incorporate discs from a wide variety of genres, if the overall experience of hearing the disc is deemed "ambient" by listeners. Arguably, the more "pure" ambient recordings are those near the top of the list, but no matter; these results show that what many consider ambient crosses the musical spectrum, from electronic to classical to film music to the progressive end of rock. Ambient is obviously a "flexible" concept.

 

     The 2001 survey incorporated far more votes overall than the '99 survey; that fact alone makes for considerable differences between the two lists. Yet the consistency in general between the high vote-getters on each list is impressive. Here's the Top 10 from each survey, side by side for comparison:

 

The 1999 Survey:     The 2001 Survey:
[27] Biosphere - Substrata
[22] Aphex Twin - Selected Ambient Works Vol. 2
[19] Brian Eno - Music For Airports
[19] Robert Rich/Lustmord - Stalker
[16] Brian Eno - On Land
[16] Global Communications - 76:14
[13] Thomas Koner - Kaamos
[11] Brian Eno - Apollo
[11] The KLF - Chill Out
[11] Vidna Obmana - River of Appearance
[11] Woob - 1194
    [34] Biosphere - Substrata
[32] Aphex Twin - SAW 2
[25] Brian Eno - On Land
[22] Brian Eno - Apollo
[20] Brian Eno - Music For Airports
[20] Tetsu Inoue - Ambiant Otaku
[19] Harold Budd/Brian Eno - The Pearl
[18] Global Communication - 76:14
[16] Budd/Eno - The Plateaux of Mirror
[16] Future Sound of London - Lifeforms

 

The lists are remarkably similar insofar as most of the high rankers carried over. Thomas Koner's KAAMOS and Vidna's RIVER OF APPEARANCE may have dropped out of the Top 10 on the new survey, but they still received plenty of votes. One of the biggest surprises is that the two collaborations between Harold Budd and Brian Eno, THE PEARL and THE PLATEAUX OF MIRROR, only received two votes each in the '99 survey, but they made the Top 20 in 2001. Additionally, Eno's THURSDAY AFTERNOON soared from 4 to 14 votes. There was also an amazing surge by Tetsu Inoue's AMBIANT OTAKU from only 9 votes in '99 to an impressive 20 votes in 2001, putting it in 6th place. In Inoue's case, one can theorize that his ambient gem was widely discussed at Hyperreal, and became newly available through several web sites, so more people may have sought it out and discovered its charms. In the case of the Eno discs, however, the reasons for increased popularity are less clear, since those discs had been out for many years. Perhaps the wider range of voter participation was a factor here. At any rate, many familiar names carried over to the new survey; the classics evidently are still considered classics. Newer discs such as James Johnson and Robert Scott Thompson's FORGOTTEN PLACES and Jeff Pearce's TO THE SHORES OF HEAVEN placed high on the new list, and one can predict they will continue to climb in future surveys, as will other newcomers. It's gratifying to see that ambient works can continue to find an enthusiastic audience, despite the relative invisibility in the marketplace of this genre.

 

     The most suspenseful part of doing the new survey was watching the race between SUBSTRATA and SAW 2. It truly was like watching a gripping sporting event. As each batch of votes came in, the totals would change, but the two ambient titans were never more than a few votes apart. For weeks, in fact, they were deadlocked at 33 votes each, until a newer list broke the tie, and a cautious recount discovered that a vote for SAW 2 on one person's list was actually for SAW 1. But a little over 25% of the respondents voted for these two classics. Following are some other interesting stats based on the new survey:

 

Artist receiving most votes overall: Brian Eno [164]

Artist with most discs in Top 20 (incl. collaborations): Brian Eno, 7

Artists w/most different recordings on list (incl. collaborations):

     Pete Namlook [31], Steve Roach [26], Brian Eno [18]

Artist with most impressive "jump" from last time: Tetsu Inoue (barely cracked the

      Top 20 in '99, placed 3 discs in top 20 in 2001).

Most collaborative fellow: Steve Roach, "placing" with 10 different collaborators.

Artists who really should collaborate again after their 2001 ranking: Harold Budd

     and Brian Eno.

Number of discs from '99 list that received fewer than 5 votes, but made the

     Top 20 in 2001: 5 (Thursday Afternoon, The Pearl, The Plateaux of Mirror,

      Inoue's World Receiver and HIA/Biosphere's Polar Sequences)

Number of discs in Top 20 in both '99 and 2001: 13.

Disc placing in Top 20 in '99 that dropped to 3 votes in '01: Pete Namlook and

     Tetsu Inoue's Shade of Orion 2

Number of discs receiving 5 votes or more in '99 survey: 26

Number of discs receiving 5 votes or more in 2001 survey: 70