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