| Revision as of 14:15, 18 October 2005 edit212.135.1.57 (talk) →Ambient electronic music← Previous edit | Revision as of 14:15, 18 October 2005 edit undo212.135.1.84 (talk)No edit summaryNext edit → | ||
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| {{genrebox|name=Ambient/ Space music | |||
| |color=silver | |||
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| |stylistic_origins=], ] | |||
| |cultural_origins=] | |||
| |instruments=]s, some ambient artists use traditional instrumentation of almost any variety | |||
| |popularity=Low. | |||
| |derivatives=] - ] - ] | |||
| |subgenrelist=List of electronic music genres | |||
| |subgenres=] - ] - ] - ] - ] | |||
| |fusiongenres= | |||
| |regional_scenes= | |||
| |other_topics=] | |||
| }} | |||
| '''Ambient music''' is a loosely defined ] that incorporates elements of a number of different styles - including ], ], ], ], modern ], ], ], ] and even ]. It is chiefly identifiable as having an overarching atmospheric context. | |||
| ==History== | |||
| ] | |||
| The term was first coined by ] in the late ] to refer to music that would envelop the listener without drawing attention to itself, that can be either "actively listened to with attention or as easily ignored, depending on the choice of the listener". Hence, Brian Eno is considered the father of ambient music: his ] release '']'' includes a manifesto describing this music. Although having coined the phrase "ambient", he is also quick to reference the works and influence of ]. Sometimes associated with ] and ], it is more often similar to ] or an ambient background in movie and radio ]s. Often listeners will forget they are listening to ambient music, which is one of the biggest attractions of the genre. It can be any musical style, including jazz, electronic music and modern classical music. | |||
| Retrospectively, some of the works of the ] French composer ], today best known for his '']'' suite, can be regarded as predecessors of modern ambient music. He referred to some of his music as 'furniture music' (or more literally, 'music for the furniture') and 'music to mingle with knives and forks', referring to something that could be played during dinner and would simply create an atmosphere for that activity rather than be the focus of attention. The invention of the ] in the early 20th century is also considered an important influence on the later development of ambient music. Similarly some of the works of the French composer ], who used the theremin extensively in his compositions as well as atonal techniques and non-standard time signatures, can also be viewed as predecessors of ambient music. | |||
| Early albums from the ] by ], such as ] (]), have greatly influenced the genre. Also the album ] (]) by ] has been important. Other early artists such as ], ] and ] in the ] and ], ] and ] in the ], all of which were considered ] or ], also influenced the growth of ambient electronic music. | |||
| Purely ambient music is traditionally beatless. In the late ] and early ] ambient music underwent a resurgence with the reconciliation of rhythm with the dreamy, meandering reverb of the first (late 1970s - 1980s) wave of ambient music. Under the guise of various styles, ambient electronic music (sometimes referred to as ambient ] or ambient ]) saw the birth of a new wave of ] in the works of artists like ], ] and the ]. | |||
| ==Styles of ambient music== | |||
| ===Organic ambient music=== | |||
| Organic ambient music is characterised by integration of ], ], and ] musical instruments. | |||
| Aside from the usual electronic music influences, organic ambient tends to incorporate influences from ], especially ] instruments and hand ]. Organic ambient is intended to be more harmonious with ] than with the ]. Some of the artists in this sub-genre include ], ], ], ], ] and ]. | |||
| Some works by ambient pioneers such as Brian Eno, which use a combination of traditional (such as piano) and electronic instruments would be considered organic ambient music in this sense. | |||
| ===Nature inspired ambient music=== | |||
| The music is composed from samples and recordings of naturally occurring sounds. Sometimes these samples can be treated to make them more instrument-like. The samples may be arranged in repetitive ways to form a conventional musical structure or may be random and unfocused. Sometimes the sound is mixed with urban or "found" sounds. Examples include much of ] '']'', ]'s insect music and ]'s '']''. Some overlap occurs between organic ambient and nature inspired ambient. | |||
| ===Isolationist ambient music=== | |||
| Isolationist ambient music is perhaps the darkest, least accessible of ambient music. Inspired by ], ], and ], isolationist may be rather ]-like: more repellant than inviting. The ] label is the primary purveyor of isolationist ambient, in particular with the "drones" compilation series. Some of the artists known for this style of ambient music include ], ], ], ], and ]. | |||
| ==Notable artists and works in chronological order== | |||
| ''Main article:'' ] | |||
| <table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="1" width=80% style="border-width:1px solid gray; border-collapse:collapse;" class="toccolours"> | |||
| <tr><th>Artist name</th><th>Influential works</th><th>Time period</th></tr> | |||
| <tr><td>]</td><td>'']''</td><td>]-]</td></tr> | |||
| <tr><td>]</td><td>''Ecuatorial''</td><td>]</td></tr> | |||
| <tr><td>]</td><td>''Sonic Seasonings''</td><td>]</td></tr> | |||
| <tr><td>]</td><td>]<br> ]<br> | |||
| '']''<br> | |||
| ''Stratosfear'' | |||
| </td><td>]-]</td></tr> | |||
| <tr><td>]</td><td>''Radio Gnome Invisible (trilogy)'':<br> | |||
| ''The Octave Doctors and the Crystal Machine'' (from ''Flying Teapot'')<br> | |||
| ''A Sprinkling of Clouds'' (from ''You'') | |||
| </td><td>]-]</td></tr> | |||
| <tr><td>]</td><td>'']''<br> | |||
| '']''<br> | |||
| '']''<br> | |||
| '']''<br> | |||
| ''Ambient 4: On Land''<br> | |||
| ''Possible Musics: Fourth World'' (with ])<br> | |||
| ''Apollo: Atmospheres and Soundtracks''</td><td>]-</td></tr> | |||
| <tr><td>]</td><td>''Call of the Unknown''.</td><td>] - | |||
| ]</td></tr> | |||
| <tr><td>]</td><td>''Compucircuit 0.008m/s''<br> | |||
| ''Ether''<br> | |||
| ''Mechanism of Thought''<br> | |||
| ''Music for Movies''</td><td>]-]</td></tr> | |||
| <tr><td>]</td><td>''Novus Magnificat'' | |||
| </td><td>]-</td></tr> | |||
| <tr><td>]</td><td>''Structures from Silence''<br> | |||
| ''The Magnificent Void''<br> | |||
| ''Quiet Music''</td><td>]-</td></tr> | |||
| <tr><td>]</td><td>''Echoes''.</td><td>]</td></tr> | |||
| <tr><td>]</td><td>''The Orb's Adventures Beyond the Ultraworld''<br>''U.F.Orb''</td><td>]-]</td></tr> | |||
| <tr><td>]</td><td>''Chill Out''</td><td>]</td></tr> | |||
| <tr><td>]</td><td>''ISDN''<br>''Lifeforms''<br>''Dead Cities''</td><td>]-]</td></tr> | |||
| <tr><td>]</td><td>'']''<br> | |||
| '']''</td><td>]-]</td></tr> | |||
| <tr><td>]</td><td>''76:14''</td><td>]</td></tr><tr> | |||
| <td>] AKA Voodoo Child</td><td>''Ambient''<br> | |||
| ''The End of Everything''</td><td>]-]</td></tr> | |||
| <td>]</td><td>'']'' <br> | |||
| '']''</td><td> ]-]</td></tr> | |||
| <tr><td>]</td><td>''Silence I<br>Air I<br>Air II''<br>''Outland''</td><td>] -</td></tr> | |||
| <tr><td>]</td><td>''Amber''</td><td>]</td></tr> | |||
| <tr><td>]</td><td>''Microgravity'' <br> | |||
| ''Substrata'' <br>''Substrata 2''</td><td>] - ]</td></tr> | |||
| <tr><td>]</td><td>''fLOW''<br> | |||
| ''SEELEWASCHEN''</td><td>] - ]</td></tr> | |||
| <tr><td>William Basinski</td><td>''The River''<br> | |||
| ''The Disintegration Loops''</td><td>]-</td></tr> | |||
| <tr><td>]</td><td>''Astral Currents''<br> | |||
| ''Zoetosis''</td><td>]</td></tr> | |||
| <tr><td>]</td><td>''Yellow''<br> | |||
| ''Solid Water''</td><td>] - ]</td></tr> | |||
| <tr><td>]</td><td>''Solve''</td><td>]</td></tr> | |||
| </table> | |||
| ==Sound== | |||
| * ] ] | |||
| * | |||
| * | |||
| * ambient works by American composers | |||
| ==Software== | |||
| *: ambient soundscape generator by Karlheinz Essl (Apple Macintosh) | |||
| *: ambient sound environment by Karlheinz Essl (Apple Macintosh) | |||
| ==See also== | |||
| * ] | |||
| * ] (IDM) | |||
| * ] | |||
| ==External links and references== | |||
| * dreamSTATE's anotated guide to the most relevant ambient music mega-sites. | |||
| * Guide to positive ambient music, including cd reviews and forum. | |||
| * David Toop ''Ocean of Sound: aethertalk, ambient sound and imaginary worlds'' (]) Serpent's Tail ISBN 1-85242-382-X ISBN 1852427434 | |||
| * Supporting | |||
| * Guide to ambient music style, including reviews of important ambient works. | |||
| * Retrospective on ambient music. | |||
| * electronic music community. news, reviews, forum, links. | |||
| * Portuguese chill out organisation. | |||
| * Portal for chillout, downbeat and ambient music. | |||
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