last night i heard the breeze / it was singing through the trees
August 26, 2010 1:09 PM   Subscribe

Yet another "I am looking for some music" AskMefi. Looking for white noise-esque or vocalizations! (if that's the right word for it)

The Barenaked Ladies included a song called What a Wild Tune on their Snacktime album. I like almost everything they do, but I especially like this song because at the end they "sing" the sound of wind and wolves howling.

I am looking for more music like that. I'll go for recorded nature sounds if I must.. but would love any suggestions for music where "ooh's" and "ahh's" are featured in the song.

I'm looking for the kind of music you'd listen to while playing games or reading. Something you can enjoy without paying full attention.

[Bonus question: Is the a specific word for the oh's and ah's in a song?]
posted by royalsong to Media & Arts (21 answers total) 3 users marked this as a favorite
 
Justin Bieber slowed down 800%?
posted by hermitosis at 1:11 PM on August 26, 2010 [3 favorites]


Are you actually looking for singing based on dog barking/wolf howls? You're probably stuck with new-age ambient naturesounds stuff.

If you want "wind" type things then you're looking for the dreampop genre, such as Sigur Rós.
posted by Threeway Handshake at 1:20 PM on August 26, 2010


Maybe look for "choral works"? Here's a link.
If you're looking for more modern stuff, it looks like last.fm has a tag for wordless vocals, you might try browsing there.
posted by chaff at 1:24 PM on August 26, 2010


Also have a look for the Cocteau Twins, I sense you could be a potential fan of theirs.
posted by chaff at 1:25 PM on August 26, 2010


Response by poster: I'm looking to focus on the wind-like parts of that song. Could care less about animal sounds.

Thanks so far!
posted by royalsong at 1:27 PM on August 26, 2010


You might like Fleet Foxes; they're sort of folk rock with a lot of Appalachian influences and do lots of harmonic vocal singing with "oohs" and "ahhs," kind of like a dreamier, more impressionistic version of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young.
posted by infinitywaltz at 1:28 PM on August 26, 2010


The entire album From Here We Go Sublime by The Field feels windy like that, especially the first track.
posted by yaymukund at 1:53 PM on August 26, 2010 [1 favorite]


Oh uh, WOAH, the second link might be NSFW. Not really sure what's happening there. Whoops.
posted by yaymukund at 1:54 PM on August 26, 2010


You want The Plateaux of Mirror and probably a few others in Brian Eno's Ambient series (although not the first, it's a little dull IIRC). And the original instrumental tracks on the 3 albums by This Mortal Coil.

Also, what chaff said.
posted by K.P. at 2:03 PM on August 26, 2010


Pink Floyd's Shine On You Crazy Diamond (parts 6-9)
posted by chrisulonic at 2:26 PM on August 26, 2010


"I Heard Her Call My Name" by Velvet Underground, "Mea Culpa" by David Byrne/Brian Eno.
posted by lhude sing cuccu at 2:56 PM on August 26, 2010


I'm going to change your life: Tim Hecker, Harmony in Ultraviolet.
posted by four panels at 3:34 PM on August 26, 2010 [2 favorites]


Hmmm. Honestly the first band that comes to my mind is White Hinterland.

A lot of weird contemporary classical music does this, like the Kronos Quartet/ Terry Riley collaboration that featured the sounds of planets and such.
posted by Lutoslawski at 3:58 PM on August 26, 2010


Seconding Tim Hecker...more white noise than oohs and ahhs but great stuff. The Field and Fleet Foxes are great as well. That part of the BNL song reminded me of Bon Iver. Also, the Microphones a bit.
posted by saul wright at 4:44 PM on August 26, 2010


The soundtrack to Spirits of the Air, Gremlins of the Clouds. Lots of wind and breath sounds. Sample here.
posted by Ahab at 5:46 PM on August 26, 2010


Also, have a look at Sleepbot.com's Ambience for the Masses project. There's an internet radio stream in there, but it's also a fantastic source of info.
posted by Ahab at 6:01 PM on August 26, 2010


there's a guy who calls himself lichens, i think he may have been in tv on the radio. the album to preview is omns.
posted by lakersfan1222 at 6:22 PM on August 26, 2010


Cocteau Twins?
posted by Mertonian at 10:53 PM on August 26, 2010


David Hykes/Harmonic Choir.
posted by Paris Elk at 8:48 AM on August 27, 2010




Phil Minton "A Doughnut in Both Hands" is my favorite solo work in this style - http://www.discogs.com/Phil-Minton-A-Doughnut-In-Both-Hands/release/604639

Phil Minton's Feral Choir for group might do you too - http://www.philmintonsferalchoir.com/

If you want less art and more novelty, look up something by The Bobs.
posted by rubadub at 10:31 AM on August 29, 2010


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