Electronic Music Recommendation

October 17, 2011 11:29 AM

I'm looking for an electronic music recommendation. My past experience with electronic music has been Aphex Twin "Selected Ambient Works", The Orb "Orb's Adventures..." and "U.F.Orb", Orbital (first three albums). Any suggestions?

What has me going back is a recent album that I picked up. I've currently been listening to Milieu - Eufloria, (sound track to the video game, Eufloria, (please don't laugh at me)). I would really like to find similiar music to this. Basically, ambient with a beat, bass and hummable tune.

posted by crios to sports, hobbies, & recreation (27 answers total)

Sounds like you'd probably like Ulrich Schnauss.
posted by BobbyVan at 11:31 AM on October 17, 2011 [2 favorites]

I was literally typing the same thing that BobbyVan came in with. Com Truise does retro-synth music that's got a lot of spacy bits. Guy J is more progressive housey, but does big beautiful melodies with a lot of space in there, particularly on his latest album, 1000 Words.. Pale Sketcher's Seventh Heaven EP might hit the spot as well.
posted by beaucoupkevin at 11:34 AM on October 17, 2011

God Is an Astronaut. Boards of Canada. Tangerine Dream--classic stuff. Also, Juno Reactor (did the Matrix 3 soundtrack) and Daft Punk.
posted by tully_monster at 11:36 AM on October 17, 2011 [2 favorites]

Pantha du Prince
posted by lakersfan1222 at 11:38 AM on October 17, 2011 [1 favorite]

I highly recommend you continue your Orbital listenership with their fourth album, 'In Sides'.
posted by run"monty at 11:38 AM on October 17, 2011 [1 favorite]

Ulrich Schnauss, M83, Boards of Canada, Tangerine Dream, Biosphere.
posted by Jairus at 11:38 AM on October 17, 2011 [2 favorites]

Future Sound of London?
posted by elizardbits at 11:53 AM on October 17, 2011 [3 favorites]

Autechre

This Morn' Omina
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 11:59 AM on October 17, 2011

/mu/ has an excellent ambient essentials list. [imgur link]
posted by Sticherbeast at 12:05 PM on October 17, 2011

Bucephalus Bouncing Ball was always my fav Aphex song.
posted by 3FLryan at 12:09 PM on October 17, 2011

Trent Reznor - The Social Network OST
Cliff Martinez - Drive OST
NIN - Ghosts I-IV
Vangelis - Antarctica
posted by Sticherbeast at 12:10 PM on October 17, 2011 [1 favorite]

I bet you'd enjoy my all-time trance favorite, Everything Everything by Underworld.
posted by Lynsey at 12:17 PM on October 17, 2011 [1 favorite]

I loooooooooooove the albums you listed.

check out:

808 State
Psychic TV
Global Communication
The KLF
Kid606
Brian Eno
Ultramarine
posted by ghostbikes at 12:48 PM on October 17, 2011 [1 favorite]

Ambient Architextures is a free hour long mix that is my go-to for when I need to do some work. Lovely piece. The link has all the tracks listed, so that might send you in some good directions.
posted by Sebmojo at 12:54 PM on October 17, 2011

Also check out Airliner, a Com Truise side project.
posted by O9scar at 1:07 PM on October 17, 2011

Paul van Dyk, Out There and Back
posted by doh ray mii at 1:24 PM on October 17, 2011

Check out Sasha's "Involver" album too.
posted by BobbyVan at 1:34 PM on October 17, 2011

Chicane comes to mind. Some of his stuff is more dance/trance music but if you can find the "Behind the Sun" album there's a lot of the cooler more chilled-out instrumentals too. Also his classic tune "Offshore."
posted by dnash at 1:44 PM on October 17, 2011

A friend of mine said the new Amon Tobin is what Autechre should've been, so that's probably worth checking out (I haven't heard it myself)
posted by flaterik at 3:12 PM on October 17, 2011

Your list looks a lot like mine did a couple of years back. I could code for hours to those albums, but I needed a bit more structure than the average bit of Ambient could provide. So there's always Ambient Jungle:

LTJ. Bukem - Logical Progression

Chrissy Murderbot's Ambient Jungle Mix
posted by Kyol at 7:26 PM on October 17, 2011

I can't recommend Bonobo enough.
Thievery Corporation.
Hugo Maldoro.
Quantic.
Blockhead.
Underworld, though it definitely leans more pop than ambient.

This is just a start.
posted by erstwhile at 7:33 PM on October 17, 2011

And I forgot to mention, a lot of what BT has done, though he is also known to do a lot of progressive, hard hitting electronic music and even some club bangers. But it's all quality stuff. Check out his first three albums first.
posted by erstwhile at 7:49 PM on October 17, 2011

Early (pre-1978) Tangerine Dream, Heavenly Music Corporation...
posted by klausness at 3:07 AM on October 18, 2011

There's a ton more good stuff in The Orb / Orbital / Aphex Twin discographies, and on their respective labels. Here are some suggestions for other artists - these are mostly at the ambient end of the spectrum:

You might like the seminal 76:14 by Global Communication if you like the Orb. Here is 14:31, a pretty representative track off that album. You may also enjoy The Field, although they are a bit hypnotic.

Boards of Canada have a pretty distinctive sound which pushes the same buttons as some Orb tracks for me, although in a more downbeat way.

Plaid are another favourite who remind me of Orbital in places, who incidentally have a new album out.

Finally I'd suggest the album "Movements" by Booka Shade - it's more upbeat and housey than anything above, but the album as a whole is really fantastic. Here are a couple of tracks from the album, but I think it's best listened to as a whole. Their other albums are not so good, although "Momento" is OK if you like that sort of thing.
posted by larkery at 5:14 AM on October 18, 2011

To me, Boards of Canada is the ultimate in ambient electronic music. It touches a place inside me that is so profound it's uncomfortable. Try the songs "Music is Math" or "In a Beautiful Place Out in the Country" on YouTube.

Ulrich Schnauss is similar to Boards Of Canada, but more gentle and with prettier melodies.

Seconding Bonobo- especially their latest, Black Sands.

Seconding Amon Tobin as genius music- I wouldn't call it ambient though.

Future Sounds of London is old, but really interesting - lots of experimental sounds.


Finally, check out the website SomaFM - numerous free, commercial free, streaming music channels, very user-friendly website. Try GrooveSalad or SpaceStation Soma and write down artists you like. SomaFM is a blessing.


Also try Ratatat. They don't fit your description, but they're electronic, unique, and fun.
posted by mondotwistedmojo at 5:17 AM on October 18, 2011 [1 favorite]

At the time the Orb was particularly awesome (89-92), the KLF dropped this. It's one of my all-time favorites. Please listen with headphones.
posted by screamingnotlaughing at 3:21 PM on October 18, 2011

Thanks all! I still have a lot of listening to do but right now I'm really enjoying Bonobo. That wasn't quite what I was looking for but it was an extremely happy find.
posted by crios at 6:27 AM on October 24, 2011