The music, it washes over me

August 13, 2012 6:50 AM

I find that songs like Caliban's Dream and Alone in Kyoto keep picking away at my brain. I'm looking suggestions for music that has that dreamy, ethereal or almost lullaby feel - something to just drift away on.

With vocals or instrumental - either is good.

Sort of related: previously.

posted by MuffinMan to media & arts (11 answers total)

Just about everything by the Cocteau Twins. Their three mid 80s albums, Head Over Heels, Treasure, and Victorialand are the best places to start. Especially Treasure.
posted by mcmile at 7:09 AM on August 13, 2012 [1 favorite]

Portishead can be quite entrancing.
posted by waving at 7:43 AM on August 13, 2012

You want the album Astral Weeks by Van Morrison.

Other good options:

Bluebird of Happiness by Mojave 3.

The Sky Is Broken by Moby.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 8:08 AM on August 13, 2012

Following up the Cocteau Twins suggestion, some of Robin Guthrie's solo stuff might of interest, especially the Carousel album.
More recently, I absolutely adore the album Love Remains by How To Dress Well.
Beach House and Purity Ring are other possible choices, although they might be a little beat-heavy for drifting.
Slightly left-field suggestions for ethereal or dreamy would be Leyland Kirby or James Blackshaw, but they're on the cerebral side of drifty.
posted by hydatius at 8:08 AM on August 13, 2012

hayling fc kahuna
tom petty night driver
jerry garcia band simple twist of fate
espers - byss & abyss

last but not least:
seahorse devendra banhart
posted by mrmarley at 8:10 AM on August 13, 2012

You'd probably like Air's first EP, Premiers Symptomes.
Here's the last track

You might like Your Hand In Mine's self-titled EP too

My favourite for this sort of thing is Jonsi and Alex's Riceboy Sleeps. Here's a track.
posted by nevan at 8:52 AM on August 13, 2012

Oooh, fantastic thread. I'd been meaning to have something like this.

Black Sabbath - Planet Caravan
Radiohead - Pyramid Song
Radiohead - Videotape
Jeff Van Dyck - Divinitas
Jeff Van Dyck - Lonely Strategos
SiLC - In Heaven
Health - Pain
Jesper Kyd - Dreams of Venice
Jesper Kyd - Istanbul
(Jesper Kyd's work has been described as 'ethereal' often)
Jim Guthrie - Under a Tree
(Jim Guthrie recommended like Kyd; but if you're interested in his soundscapes, you'd be interested in Superbrothers as well)
My Bloody Valentine - Lose My Breath
"Misato, Rei, Asuka" - Fly Me to the Moon
Nakaido Reichi - INFANiTY World
The entire album "Senior" by Royksopp, The Fear, Forsaken Cowboy
The Seatbelts - Space Lion
The Smiths - Asleep
Tei Towa - Emotional Driver
Tomas Dvorak - The Glasshouse With Butterfly
Susumu Hirasawa - Philospher's Propeller-2

Have to run now, be back with more later.
posted by Senza Volto at 9:11 AM on August 13, 2012

Continued:

Yoko Kanno - Where Does This Ocean Go?
Yoko Kanno - Velveteen

...well that was it, actually.
posted by Senza Volto at 12:05 PM on August 13, 2012

I love this kind of music and will come back to give you more if I have time, but the first thing that jumped to mind was Zero 7 - Somersault.
posted by lovableiago at 12:55 PM on August 13, 2012 [1 favorite]

Bless This Morning Year- Helios
Threnody- Goldmund
posted by Rufus T. Firefly at 3:48 AM on August 14, 2012

Try Progressive rock genre , explosions in the sky , Mogwai and Sigur Ros are some of the well known bands .
posted by radsqd at 7:57 AM on August 14, 2012