Ambient / New Age Anyone?

I tried this when I first got that album and I kept it intact for quite a few years. Very impressive room filling qualities, though it was not perfect for all music. Here's a link to the info from that album.

http://music.hyperreal.org/artists/brian_eno/onland-txt.html

Chris

Ahhh, yes Ben. I have Harold Budd's 'Lovely Thunder', which is excellent. I also have most of the Eno collection. Saw Boards of Canada and Pan Sonic mentioned in the other thread - will have to check it out. I have heard some of Sylvian's recordings were highly acclaimed, but haven't heard any yet.

And Tw1, I have something solo by Froese somewhere. Most likely on vinyl. Also have some of Larry Fast's Synergy stuff - Metropolitan Suite - which is good. Fast played on Peter Gabriel's 3rd album.

Chris

Rwwear - I agree that technically Tan Dream are not ambient, but for my own classifications I pretty much group all ambient/electronica together. Admittedly blurring the line a bit.

Rzemoski - I have a Stearns CD - M'Ocean which is good. Also, Eno/Hassell's Possible Musics is very good indeed. And I have heard of Serrie's 'And the Stars...' album, but never actually heard any of it - yet.

Ejlif - I know Steve Roach is highly regarded. For some reason, I have only heard a small sampling of his stuff and don't own any. Will have to rectify that, I suppose. What would be his 'definitive' work? I remember hearing something from an album called 'Dreamtime Return', and recently saw a CD in a shop called 'Streams & Currents'. I remembered that title because I am an avid fly fisher.

Chris

Robert, yes I have been a longtime TD fan. Love White Eagle, Phaedra, Tangram, etc. Will check out the Threshold. Thanks.

Slipknot1 - Do you know of Reich's 'Counterpoint?' - seems I recall hearing good things about that.

Chris

Serrie's 'And the Stars Go With You' is a classic ambient/electronic/space recording.

CD

Thanks Richard. I do have Stearns' M'Ocean, which I enjoyed, but haven't listened to in a while. Perhaps it's time to give it a spin.

Robert mentioned Dweller at the Threshold (why do I think of Piper at the Gates of Dawn when I see that?) and I checked out their site. They've got a good MP3 demo that I liked a lot.

Haven't been able to dig up much on Pan Sonic or Plaid. It seems I recall these being more toward the Techno vein.

Some other thoughts -

Kitaro. Have a few of his. Not a huge fan, but I enjoy from time to time. Can get repetitive IMO. I have a taped copy of what I believe is his best (or at least my fave) called Ten Kai. It was very obscure relative to his other titles when I got it about 15 years ago. Have never come across the CD, but would put that at the top of the heap of his stuff.

Also thinking about some other stuff -

Eno/Byrne - My Life In the Bush of Ghosts and Byrne's The Catherine Wheel, though I don't think these fall in this category. Just interesting music.

Chris

I have to give a word of thanks to all of your suggestions. I have been checking out much of the stuff recommended that I had never delved into before. I got a copy of Mark Pendergrast's "The Ambient Century" from the library and have been reading sections of that excellent book. Thanks to whoever suggested it. A great history and great recommendations of individual recordings. Also have to thank whoever mentioned Orbital and Chemical Bros. Cool stuff to be sure.

Chris

Thanks for your detailed comments Patrick.

I should share the unlikely way in which I got started listening to the genre. Bought a copy of XTC's 'Black Sea' LP, got it home to find the record inside the sleeve was Tangerine Dream's 'Tangram'. Had to check it out before returning to the store. I was amazed. Decided to wait until the next day so I could tape a copy of the album. And so it began....

I also have many of the same feelings as you on the discs you reviewed.

Stuntman is very good. As is Klaus Schulze's 'Dune'.

TD - love Phaedra, Rubycon, White Eagle, Exit, Tangram, Stratosfear...

Fast's Metro Suite and Hedges Aerial Boundaries also excellent.

Haven't been able to get my hands on Sylvian's Flux & Mutability or Plight & Premonition. Both highly regarded.

Several new ones I've 'discovered' include Constance Demby's Novus Magnificat and Michael Brook's Cobalt Blue. PG's Long Walk Home soundtrack is not quite what 'Passion' is, but that's a tall order. Worth a listen.

As for Jarre - Oxygene, Rendezvous, Zoolook...

Keep 'em comin'....

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