Real music like Blob Opera

December 17, 2020 8:00 AM

I would like to listen to some real music that has the same attractive qualities as Blob Opera. As a non-opera acquainted person, I'm not getting there on my own. Maybe I just need the right term? Thanks in advance.
posted by HaveYouTriedRebooting to Media & Arts (12 answers total)

This is a pretty good playlist of operatic quartets, quintets and sextets, if "opera singers harmonizing" is what you're after. A quick glance at "operatic a capella" search results looks pretty promising too, though I am not at all an expert.
posted by mhoye at 8:23 AM on December 17, 2020

I was thinking the same thing! I loved Blob Opera! But the sound seems much closer to Gregorian (or other?) chant to me. Maybe because there's no instrumental component? I would love suggestions, too, not so much for opera, but for a similar chanty-sound.
posted by primate moon at 9:21 AM on December 17, 2020

I agree with primate moon - I definitely get Gregorian chant vibes from Blob Opera. One modern group I know of that does Gregorian chant is NY Polyphony, but sometimes I just ask Alexa to play Gregorian chant and I’m usually pretty happy with what she kicks back to me. It’s soothing!
posted by firei at 9:48 AM on December 17, 2020

I wouldn't call the Blob Opera stuff Gregorian (nor opera, as others have said), because the harmonies are more advanced than is typical for those. I'd suggest looking for choral ensembles (here's a nice one to get you started).
posted by Greg_Ace at 10:20 AM on December 17, 2020 [1 favorite]

I had to look up what blob opera is, and I'm not sure I understand it. But, both Kitka and the Benedictine Monks of Santo Domingo de Silos might be worth a try.
posted by eotvos at 10:20 AM on December 17, 2020

I think the monks vibe people are getting is from the reverb.

I’d love to hear something you’ve made with Blob Opera as I think different ways of playing with it might generate quite different styles of choral music. I’m getting very Russian impressions on mine at the moment - I’m afraid the only recommendation I have to hand exactly is Bogoroditse Devo by Rachmaninov, but there’ll be albums of best Russian choral music you can look into for free.
posted by lokta at 10:45 AM on December 17, 2020 [1 favorite]

A friend who got me into this suggests Rachmaninov Vespers and Rheinberger Mass in Eb (E flat). Bonus points on the latter because if you’ve ever heard a YouTuber use a tiny short sound clip to suggest angel music it’s very often a second from near the start of the Sanctus from that mass.
posted by lokta at 10:50 AM on December 17, 2020

You might try some Renaissance polyphony, performed by groups like the Tallis Scholars or Stile Antico.
posted by Jasper Fnorde at 12:02 PM on December 17, 2020 [2 favorites]

Maybe what you're looking for is not so much opera but works for small choruses and vocal ensembles.
Arvo Pärt - Magnificat, The Deer's Cry, Da Pacem Domine
David Lang - The Wood and the Vine

VOCES8 from above has a long youtube playlist.
posted by hydrophonic at 12:07 PM on December 17, 2020

Try Miserere by Allegri. Any recording should be fine. (That floating Soprano note gets me every time.)
posted by matildaben at 12:41 PM on December 17, 2020

Made you a quick playlist :)
posted by lokta at 1:21 PM on December 17, 2020

Response by poster: So much good music! This is going to take a while. Thanks all.
posted by HaveYouTriedRebooting at 8:03 PM on December 17, 2020 [1 favorite]