/r/ambientmusic

Photograph via snooOG

A subreddit for fans of ambient music as a genre. Ambient music emphasizes tone and atmosphere over traditional musical structure or rhythm.

Ambient Music Overview

Here is a loosely organized overview of ambient music featuring some notable artists and releases. Huge thanks to this sub's ambient community and the book Ambient Century by Mark Prendergast which were extremely helpful putting this together.

Composers

  • Erik Satie - Gnossiennes (1893) - Trois Gymnopédies (1888)
  • Claude Debussy - Images Pour Orchestre: II Ibéria b. Les Parfums de la Nuit (1905-8) - Nocturnes I Nuages (1892-9)
  • Gustav Mahler - Symphony No. 5 in C-Sharp Minor: IV Adagietto (1901-2)
  • Maurice Ravel - Pavane pour une infante défunte (1899) - Ma Mère l’oye - Pavane de la belle au bois dormant (1908-10)
  • Frederick Delius - On hearing the first cuckoo in Spring (1912) - Irmelin Prelude (1890-2)
  • Charles Ives - The Unanswered Question (1908)
  • Charles Griffes - The Kairn of Koridwen (1916)
  • Albert Ketelbey - Sanctuary of the Heart (1924)
  • Fats Waller - Water Boy, The Lonesome Road, from At The Organ (1926-39)
  • Olivier Messiaen - Turangalila Symphony: VI Jardin du sommeil d’amour (1946-8)
  • John Cage - Dream (1948), In A Landscape (1948), Nocturne, (1947)
  • Ravi Shankar - The Sounds of India (1957)
  • Miles Davis - Kind of Blue (1959), Bitches Brew (1970), In A Silent Way (1969)
  • György Ligeti - 2001 Space Odyssey Soundtrack (selected tracks) (1968)
  • Morton Subotnick - Silver Apples of the Moon (1967), The Wild Bull (1968)
  • Alice Coltrane - World Galaxy (1972) - Illuminations (1974)
  • Wendy Carlos - Clockwork Orange ost (1971), The Shining ost (1980), Tron ost (1982)
  • Morton Feldman - Triadic Memories (1981)
  • Toru Takemitsu - Rain Spell (1982)
  • Kaija Saariaho - Maa I. Journey (1991)

Tape & Recording Manipulation / Musique Concrète / Early Electronic

  • Otto Luening & Vladimir Ussachevsky - Low Speed (1952)
  • Karlheinz Stockhausen - Studie I (1953), Kontakte (1958-60), Telemusik (1966)
  • Raymond Scott - Soothing Sounds for Baby (1962)
  • Pierre Schaeffer - Volumes from Musique Experimentale 1 (1962)
  • Daphne Oram - Pulse Persephone (1965)
  • Pierre Henry - Le Voyage (1968)
  • Mort Garson - Plantasia (1976)

Minimalism

  • La Monte Young - The Well-Tuned Piano (1964)
  • Terry Reilly - In C, Rainbow In Curved Air (1969)
  • Steve Reich - Drumming (1971), Music for 18 Musicians (1976)
  • Keith Jarrett - The Köln Concert (1975)
  • Brian Eno - Ambient 1 Music for Airports (1978), Discreet Music (1975),
  • Arvo Pärt - Spiegel im Spiegel (1978)
  • Jon Hassell - Possible Musics: Fourth World Vol. 1 (1980)
  • Philip Glass - Glassworks (1981)
  • Harold Budd - The Pearl (1984)
  • Pauline Oliveros - Deep Listening (1989)
  • John Taverner - The Last Sleep of the Virgin (1991)
  • John Adams - Hoodoo Zephyr (1993)
  • David Toop - Screen Ceremonies (1995)

New Age

  • Iasos - Inter-Dimensional Music (1975)
  • KITARO - Silk Road series (1980)
  • Laraaji - Ambient 3 Day of Radiance (1980)
  • Michael Hedges - Aerial Boundaries (1984)
  • Suzanne Ciani - Velocity of Love (1985)
  • William Ackerman - Conferring With The Moon (1986)
  • Andreas Vollendender - Down to the Moon (1986)

Rock/Prog/Metal

  • David Bowie - Low (1977)
  • The Grateful Dead - Dark Star (1969) - The Other One (1971)
  • Pink Floyd - Echoes (1971) - On The Run (1973)
  • Popol Vuh - In Den Garten Pharaos (1971) - Aguirre (1975) - Nosferatu (1978)
  • Neu! - Im Glück (1972)
  • Ash Ra Tempel - Schwingungen (1972)
  • Tangerine Dream - Zeit (1972) - Phaedra (1974)
  • Can - Future Days (1973)
  • Robert Fripp - No Pussyfooting (1973) - Evening Star (1975) - Soundscapes Live Series (1994)
  • Mike Oldfield - Tubular Bells (1973) - Incantations (1978)
  • Harmonia - Deluxe (1975)
  • Manuel Göttsching - Inventions for Electric Guitar (1975)
  • Cluster - Cluster & Eno (1977)
  • Steve Hillage - Rainbow Dome Musick (1979)
  • Hans Joachim Roedelius - Wie das Wispern des Windes (1986) - Selbstportrait I, II & III (1979-80)
  • David Sylvian - Gone To Earth (disc 2) (1986), Approaching Silence (1999)
  • Bill Nelson - Chance Encounters In The Garden of Lights (1987)
  • Holger Czukay & David Sylvain - Plight & Premonition (1988) - Flux & Mutability (1989)
  • Peter Gabriel - Passion (1989)
  • Spacemen 3 - Dreamweapon (1990)
  • Earth - Earth 2: Special Low Frequency Versions (1993)
  • Boris - Flood (2000)
  • Sunn o))) - Monoliths & Dimensions (2009)

Synthesizer Music

  • Tonto’s Expanding Head Band - Zero Time (1971)
  • Klaus Schulze - Timewind (1975) - Mirage (1977) - Dark Side of the Moog series
  • Beaver & Krause - In A Wild Sanctuary (1975)
  • Kraftwerk - Autobahn (1974) - Radio-Activity (1975)
  • Tim Blake - Radio Gnome Invisible Trilogy w/ Gong (1973-4) - Crystal Machine (1977) - Magick (1991)
  • Jean-Michel Jarre - Oxygène (1976) - Equinoxe (1978) - Waiting For Cousteau (1990)
  • Vangelis - Blade Runner Soundtrack (1982) - Soil Festivities (1984)
  • Ryuichi Sakamoto - Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence (1983) - Esperanto (1985) - Cendre w/ Fennesz (2007) - Async (2017) -
  • Robert Rich - Trances & Drones (1983) - Bestiary (2001) - Somnium (2001) - Filaments (2015)
  • Steve Roach - Structures In Silence (1984) - Dreamtime Return (1988) - Soma w/ Robert Rich (1992)
  • Haruomi Hosono - Paradise View (1985) - The Endless Talking (1985) - Medicine Compilation (1993)
  • Hiroshi Yoshimura - Green (1986)

Electronic

  • Art of Noise - The Ambient Collection (1990)
  • The KLF - Chill Out (1990)
  • The Orb - Adventures Beyond The Ultraworld (1991) - U.F.Orb (1992) - Orbus Terrarum (1995)
  • Pete Namlook - Silence (1992) - 2350 Broadway w/ Tetsu Inoue (1993) - Air (1994)
  • The Irresistible Force - Flying High (1992) - Dreamfish 1 & 2 w/ Pete Namlook (1993-5) - Global Chillage (1994)
  • Thomas Köner - permafrost (1993)
  • Global Communication - 76:14 (1994)
  • Future Sound of London - Lifeforms (1994)
  • Aphex Twin - Selected Ambient Works Vol. 2 (1994)
  • Bill Laswell as Axiom Ambient - Lost In The Translation (1994)
  • Woob - 1194 (1994)
  • Tetsu Inoue - Ambient Otaku (1994)
  • Biosphere - Substrata (1997)
  • Boards of Canada - Music Has The Right To Children (1998)
  • Susumu Yokota - Sakura (1999)
  • William Orbit - Pieces In A Modern Style (2000)

21st Century Indie ambient & Modern favorites

  • Sigur Ros - Von (1997) - Ágaetis byrjun (1999) - () (2002) - Takk… (2005)
  • Gas - Pop (2000)
  • Raison D’Etre - The Empty Hollow Unfolds (2000)
  • Fennesz - Endless Summer (2001)
  • Keith Fullerton Whitman - Playthroughs (2002)
  • William Basinski - The Disintegration Loops I-IV (2002-3)
  • Tycho - Past Is Prologue (2004) - Dive (2011) - Awake (2014)
  • Carbon Based Lifeforms - World of Sleepers (2006) - Interloper (2010)
  • Stars of the Lid - And Their Refinement of the Decline (2007)
  • Alio Die - Aura Seminalis (2008)
  • Loscil - Endless Falls (2010)
  • A Winged Victory for the Sullen - Self Titled (2011)
  • Tim Hecker - Ravedeath, 1972 (2011)
  • Grouper - A.I.A Alien Observer (2011)
  • C418 - Minecraft Volume Alpha (2011)
  • Olafur Arnalds - Living Room Songs (2011) - Re:member (2018)
  • Hammock - Departure Songs (2012)
  • Nils Frahm - Spaces (2013)
  • State Azure - So Long Eternity (2013)
  • Phobium - Oort Cloud (2013)
  • Kassel Jaeger - Toxic Cosmopolitanism (2014)
  • Max Richter - Sleep (2015)
  • Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith - Ears (2016)
  • Ian William Craig - Centres (2016)
  • Huerco S - For Those Who Have Never (And Also Those Who Have) (2016)
  • The Caretaker - Everywhere at the End of Time (2016)
  • Carmen Villain - Infinite Avenue (2017)
  • Sarah Davachi - Let Night Come On Bells End The Day (2018)
  • Skee Mask - Compro (2018)
  • Anna Roxanne - Because of A Flower (2020)
  • Flora Yin-Wong - Holy Palm (2020)
  • Mary Lattimore - Silver Ladders (2020)
  • Ulla - tumbling Towards A Wall (2020)
  • KMRU - Peel (2020)
  • Music for Space travel - The Space Cadet (2021)
  • Hilyard - Division Cycle (2021)
  • Siavash Amini - A Trail of Laughters (2021)
  • Nala Sinephro - Space 1.8 (2021)

r/ambientmusic's Top 10 ambient albums of 2022

r/ambientmusic Top 10 ambient albums of 2023

  • 12 by Ryuchi Sakamoto
  • Atlas by Laurel Halo
  • Colours of Air by Loscil // Lawrence English
  • Crépuscule I & II by Tujiko Noriko
  • Forgotten Melodies by The Space Cadet
  • Headlands by Fog Net
  • Mycelium Music by Matthewdavid
  • New Blue Sun by André 3000
  • The Notional Pastures of Imaginary - Softwoods by Imaginary Softwoods
  • Signs by Purelink

/r/ambientmusic

89,582 Subscribers

7

Unusual Find

I came across this on my travels today. From 1964, a quick search suggests that this may be one of the first new age records. Of course, that crams it into a marketing genre that didn’t exist at the time.

4 Comments
2025/01/02
18:22 UTC
1

Ambient Mix

Mix of tracks from my album, Ambient Structures Vol. 1. Retro inspired and very synthy 😃

0 Comments
2025/01/02
17:11 UTC
2

Rotating Tapes - "2". Album made 98% from the 'Lekko' VST by Felt Instruments.

Hi all,

I'm excited to share my new album, "2" by Rotating Tapes.

Rotating Tapes - "2"

I first posted here at the beginning of 2024 with my debut album, "1," a 6-track, gapless hour of synths crafted using the Arturia Microfreak. That record was steeped in multiple layers of reverb and delay pedals, creating repetitive, evolving ideas that became dreamier as each track progressed.

For this new record, I initially planned to follow the same format. However, downloading 'Lekko' by Felt Instruments changed everything! While I originally purchased the VST for its 'Felt Sustains' preset, I quickly fell in love the various articulations. Exploring these sounds filled me with fresh inspiration, and new tracks naturally began to take shape.

As an artist, I’m deeply influenced by Jon Hopkins, Nils Frahm, and Sigur Rós, though I'm not sure all these inspirations are obvious here (perhaps Jon Hopkins is?). Compared to my last album, which was more chord/pad-led, "2" leans into melody.

My setup includes hardware like Chase Bliss Mood II, Onward, and Generation Loss, alongside various reverb and delay pedals. I work in Ableton and use tools like Ozone, Gullfoss, and Soothe2.

I hope this album provides a relaxing, meditative experience and/or a soundtrack for focus, relaxing, or even sleep.

You can check it out on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/1XyzBJRRjIeZY02EoAFike?si=0l4tUZvgRvKSYo2m4e7OTA

If you prefer Bandcamp (free downloads codes in link): https://rotatingtapes.bandcamp.com/album/2

Thanks so much!

0 Comments
2025/01/02
16:44 UTC
7

Any recommendations for Dark Ambient albums with a specific mood/atmosphere/setting?

Hi all! I don’t really know if anyone knows exactly what i mean in my title, so I’ll elaborate. I listened to Deep_Frieze by SleepResearchFacility(which has an arctic mood/atmosphere) last night, and i really enjoyed it. I’m planning on listening to The Place Where The Black Stars Hang by Lustmord(which apparently has a spacey? mood/atmosphere) tonight.

So, if y’all know what i mean now, could you recommend any albums that have a particular mood? You know, maybe Aquatic/Oceanic, Volcanic, or just generally Nature related? Thanks in advance y’all!

7 Comments
2025/01/02
15:29 UTC
34

Favorite Taylor Deupree album?

I’ve just recently been going through his back catalogue and I’m really enjoying it, especially some of the more glitch-oriented stuff.

For those of you that are fans, what is your favorite release of his?

27 Comments
2025/01/02
15:07 UTC
1

Fluoresz by Stewart Walker & Faru

0 Comments
2025/01/02
14:07 UTC
10

Rafael Anton Irisarri - New Interview

New interview with Rafael about his excellent new album, 'FAÇADISMS' (which also made the website's Top 50 albums of the year).

http://sun-13.com/2024/12/02/rafael-anton-irisarri-interview-theres-always-something-trying-to-break-through/

1 Comment
2025/01/02
12:15 UTC
1

what about your last FM ?

2 Comments
2025/01/02
09:31 UTC
3

Mediation music

I meditate every day, and while ambient itself can be very meditative experience. I was curious if there are any ambient works that were made specially with meditation in mind? Kind of like how Jon Hopkins has his album for ketamine therapy.

5 Comments
2025/01/02
03:01 UTC
1

it's okay, you can start over

0 Comments
2025/01/02
02:22 UTC
1

Does anyone remember this artist/know what happened to them?

0 Comments
2025/01/02
00:15 UTC
3

Temporal Drift: Reverie

I finally released my first track from my upcoming Ep coming out later on this year. It’s up for name your price. I hope you all enjoy and have a great new year.

0 Comments
2025/01/01
22:19 UTC
0

😼🙀🐸

0 Comments
2025/01/01
22:16 UTC
3

I released a free ambient track for the new year (no AI used)

https://youtube.com/watch?v=Wf9BQ8CwvWU

Free download link and a quick write up on how I made it in the video description. Hope you enjoy :)

1 Comment
2025/01/01
20:56 UTC
7

Found a nice track by this artist Willix. Does anyone have any recommendations like this?

3 Comments
2025/01/01
20:13 UTC
63

Music for Breathing Under Water - 50(ish) albums that help me find my centre in a sea of anxiety

Hello again my friends! I disabled my instagram last week and in the time I'd normally spend mindlessly scrolling I've been busying myself making lists of albums on Rate Your Music under very specifc/niche criteria, and I think this one might appeal to some of you.

I'm not sure what the rules are for leaving links to other sites like that. I'll leave a link for now but also made sure to write out all the albums so you can just look on here without clicking on anything https://rateyourmusic.com/list/ghosttropics/music-for-breathing-underwater/

I'll copy and paste what I wrote about the list below:

"So I guess this is unintentionally the 3rd and final part in a series of lists I made comprised of music that I turn to in times when my brain seems to be turning against me, and it's safe to say that this list is what I'd call the heavy hitters (despite ironically actually being the *softest* music I know of). In making these lists it has become quite apparent to me that, much like my life in general, my musical tastes are largely dictated or at least heavily influenced by my anxiety, go figure!

Unlike the other two lists, https://rateyourmusic.com/list/ghosttropics/mind-scrubbers/ & https://rateyourmusic.com/list/ghosttropics/rounded-edges-for-smooth-brains/ which focused on harsh textures and luscious beats respectively, this will be focusing on sparseness, spaciousness, and clarity. These are the albums I turn to when life has me feeling overwhelmed and overstimulated. The music that is there for me on those thankfully semi-rare occasions when anxiety has me pinned in place and everything feels like too much, even the majority of the music I normally love. These albums make me feel held, like I am floating in a warm embrace, and allow me to close my eyes and find my centre again.

At the risk of sounding corny, these sounds remind me less of *music* per se, then something naturally occurring, like water, like breathing."

Here are the albums, in no specific order. Just flow of consciousness adding stuff as I think of it. Hope you find something in here that brings you some peace <3

Terekke - Improvisational Loops

Mark Banning - Journey to the Light

Jefre Cantu- Ledesma - Conversations with Myself

Ishq - Flowerin Mountain Earth

Alio Die - Aura Seminalis

Alio Die - Deconsecrated and Pure

Alio Die - Quot dies resurgo

Alio Die - Spirals of Light

Olli Aarni - Koko maailma

Olli Aarni - Nielu

Olli Aarni - Loput

Olli Aarni - Tuokioita

Olli Aarni - Yo nakyy

Rod Modell - Ghost Lights

Rod Modell - Music for Bus Stations

Rod Modell & Taka Noda - Glow World

Gigi Masin / Rod Modell - Red Hair Girl at the Lighthouse Beach

Waveform Transmission - V 2.0-2.9

Waveform Transmission - V 3.0-3.9

Shorelights - Bioluminescence

Son of Chi & Clara Brea - The Wetland Remixes

Kevin Drumm - Imperial Horizon

Theodore Cale Schafer - Our Blood for S.

Tu M’ - Monochromes Vol 1.

Loscil - Coast / Range / Arc

Les Gabriel Laheart - Moment of Heaven

R Beny - Cascade Symmetry

Taennya - Natural Serenity

Yasu Ether - All That’s Here Will Be Sunlight

Tenka - Hydration

Lindsheaven Virtual Plaza - Rainforest Hill (1 + 2)

Suso Saiz - Nothing is Objective

Suso Saiz - Distorted Clamor

Florian T M Zeisig - Music for Parents

Andrew Chalk - Time of Hayfield

Celer + Forest Management - Landmark

Xiphiidae - Pass Hidingly Seek 

Gray Acres - Gray Acres

Windy & Carl - Consciousness

Windy & Carl - Antarctica (The Bliss Out, Vol. 2)

Warmth - Parallel 

Joanna Brouk - Hearing Music

Laraaji - Unicorns in Paradise 

Mattrhewdavid - Mycelium Music

Bibio - Phantom Brickworks

Climax Golden Twins - Lovely

Simon Scott - Below Sea Level

30 Comments
2025/01/01
19:37 UTC
3

Various Artists - Small Melodies (2005) [Spekk]

A Spekk Japan Microsound compilation featuring Sogar, Taylor Deupree, Tape, Oren Ambarchi, Stephen Mathieu and more.

0 Comments
2025/01/01
16:56 UTC
1

Nostalgia - Video Created by Possedee - Music Matthew Florianz (Self - 2003)

1 Comment
2025/01/01
14:35 UTC
2

Fluoresz Remixes by faru

1 Comment
2025/01/01
13:38 UTC
1

Satchy - Fortune Baby [ambient, jazz] (2025)

jazz that embraces deep listening techniques

1 Comment
2025/01/01
12:36 UTC
1

Ambient music that sounds like Glass Animals ZABA?

I'm looking for ambient music that sounds like ZABA's woozy jungle instrumentals, preferably with actual natural ambience from a tropical ecosystem.

A good example of the ambience I'm looking for is the song INTRUXX (which doesn't actually have any vocals, so it's perfect).

The album is based on a children's book about a jungle, so much of the instrumentals are centered around reflecting that ambience.

There are sounds resembling animal calls in some of the songs, which I really like. The whole album feels like a trip. The songs are very tranquil and drawn out.

The album is something I could sleep to, which is why I'm looking for something without lyrics.

Thank you for the help if you guys have any! 💛

0 Comments
2025/01/01
12:07 UTC
13

Arushi Jain - Delight

So good. Ambient. Psychedelic. All of it.

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLW9iseQsi2-sol89ogOgI1s7VEwXQznLZ&si=DV_iPBAayaHRU9bu

2 Comments
2025/01/01
07:12 UTC
3

HEAL, by Pavel Milyakov & Lucas Dupuy

1 Comment
2025/01/01
02:39 UTC
11

Anybody know what happened to Ambient Sleeping Pill?

They haven't been streaming for several days now, and I honestly miss them.

5 Comments
2024/12/31
20:37 UTC
4

How to create a stutter effect like in this Textual track?

25 Comments
2024/12/31
19:41 UTC
13

Robert Leiner - Dream Or Reality (Original)

8 Comments
2024/12/31
17:24 UTC
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