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