Music to tie for.

May 11, 2006 7:31 AM

Music for bondage.

My partner and I are spending a long night in a rather old, expensive and very opulant hotel next weekend. Think four posters, venetian glass, tactile velvets, silk brocades, hand-printed wallpapers etc. OTT grand. While there we'll be indulging our kink for ropes and knots.

It turns out there is a nice Bose soundsystem in our room and I'd like to put together a little background music to cover the noise we'll be making ourselves.

So, music to tie one's lover up to? What would the Marquis listen to? Classical, baroque?? Or should we just drop in a Merzbow cd and really torture ourselves?

posted by brautigan to media & arts (49 comments total)

"Love Hurts", by Nazareth.
posted by cosmicbandito at 7:36 AM on May 11, 2006

"The Ties that Bind" by Springsteen
posted by horsewithnoname at 7:53 AM on May 11, 2006

Portishead
Type O Negative
The Faint
the pAper chAse
the second fiona apple
posted by nadawi at 7:55 AM on May 11, 2006

a nice Bose soundsystem

heh heh heh.

So, music to tie one's lover up to? What would the Marquis listen to?

I think if he were alive today, he would listen to Godspeed You Black Emperor.

See if you can find a copy of Ab Ovo's latest album. It has just the right amount of quiet, orchestral, structured, and slowly-building-to-chaos. I think it'd be perfect.
posted by Jairus at 7:58 AM on May 11, 2006

Ha ha ha. But go easy on the joke suggestions please, think atomospherics rather than word plays. Thanking you!
posted by brautigan at 7:58 AM on May 11, 2006

Mogwai?
posted by Leon at 8:00 AM on May 11, 2006

Atomospheric?? Oops.
posted by brautigan at 8:00 AM on May 11, 2006

I wouldn't even be able tie my shoes to Merzbow. How about something a little less distracting but still adventurous, like sunn o)))? Glacial doom-drone that will shake the paintings off the walls, if you don't first.
posted by (lambda (x) x) at 8:05 AM on May 11, 2006 [1 favorite]

Sigur Ros
posted by twistedonion at 8:12 AM on May 11, 2006

++ on the Godspeed also
posted by twistedonion at 8:12 AM on May 11, 2006

Massive Attack
posted by nekton at 8:19 AM on May 11, 2006

Twine. Also, Godspeed.
posted by everichon at 8:27 AM on May 11, 2006

Richard Strauss tone poems and symphonies:

Aus Italien
Don Juan
Macbeth
Tod und Verklärung
Don Quixote
Ein Heldenleben
Symphony in f Minor
Symphonia Domestica
Eine Alpensinfonie
posted by La Cieca at 8:32 AM on May 11, 2006

oh. and ++++ Godspeed.
posted by nadawi at 8:41 AM on May 11, 2006

So, this is more geared towards S&M than bondage, but why not consider the Velvet Underground's Venus in Furs.

I know, it's a slightly joke answer, but it might inspire you?
posted by carabiner at 8:46 AM on May 11, 2006

Portishead, Sigur Ros, and Godspeed are all excellent for both lovemaking and fucking.
posted by Ryvar at 8:48 AM on May 11, 2006

Coil
posted by hototogisu at 8:59 AM on May 11, 2006

Check out: Pleasure Bound
posted by juggler at 9:02 AM on May 11, 2006

I'm thinking movie soundtracks--plenty of atmosphere, changes in mood, overall dramatic arc. Peter Gabriel's soundtrack for the Passion, or the soundtrack to the movie Karma Sutra, & another vote for Godspeed, too.
posted by tula at 9:02 AM on May 11, 2006

I knew I should have waited to post until I remembered all the music I wanted to suggest...

Radiohead.
posted by nadawi at 9:03 AM on May 11, 2006

Nine. Inch. Nails.

That said, for a classier feel, you were probably spot-on with the Baroque. It has the driving rhythms, maddening crescendos, and cathartic conclusions that you're looking for.

As for the oxymoronic "nice Bose soundsystem," that is another post in another topic for another day.
posted by antiform at 9:05 AM on May 11, 2006

Venus in Furs isn't entirely a joke, though. The repetitive drony rhythm it has is great for this sort of thing. A lot of other songs from that album work too: Waiting For My Man and All Tomorrow's Parties are the two that stand out in my head.

If you want something that's more classicalish without being dainty or polite, look into Stravinsky's big early ballet pieces or George Crumb's "Black Angels" for amplified string quartet. They're sort of the classical equivalent of Downward-Spiral-era NIN: lots of strange buzzing dissonances and disorienting swirls of sound, but also a good beat and some gorgeous melodies.

Come to think of it, The Downward Spiral would work too. Or MBV's Loveless.
posted by nebulawindphone at 9:07 AM on May 11, 2006

high-five to nadawi for mentioning the paper chase!
posted by nitsuj at 9:11 AM on May 11, 2006

Oh god, please, I can not stress this enough:
Recoil - Want and Breath Control.

The most darkly erotic tracks I have ever heard in my entire life, dying to be put to good use...

I will go so far as to provide you with these tracks if necessary. (e-mail in my blog via my profile)
posted by slimepuppy at 9:15 AM on May 11, 2006

Yes, of course GY!BE.

But also, a little Kronos Quartet.
posted by quite unimportant at 9:17 AM on May 11, 2006

I would like to point out that the lyrics above are delivered in a breathy whisper by very desireable Nicole Blackman...
posted by slimepuppy at 9:17 AM on May 11, 2006

Here's a sample of the voice in action, with a similarish theme...
posted by slimepuppy at 9:20 AM on May 11, 2006

the rite of spring.
sigur rose ++
underworld.
posted by Tryptophan-5ht at 10:09 AM on May 11, 2006

Knots are not my scene per se, but I listen to a lot of this music at work to zone out. I'll suggest Explosions in the Sky, Do Make Say Think, and the slightly more obscure Polmo Polpo. I'll second the suggestions of Sigur Ros, Godspeed You Black Emperor (check out the various side projects like A Silver Mt Zion, as well) and Mogwai.
posted by feloniousmonk at 10:33 AM on May 11, 2006

Hmm. Butt Boy : "original dungeon music".
posted by Robert Angelo at 10:33 AM on May 11, 2006

Depeche Mode's "Master and Servant."

I especially like the cool-jazz version done by Locust on the For the Masses tribute album.

There are loads of other good DM songs with kinky overtones.
posted by Artifice_Eternity at 10:59 AM on May 11, 2006

Also, you might investigate Jocelyn Pook, whose work was featured on the Eyes Wide Shut soundtrack.
posted by Artifice_Eternity at 11:01 AM on May 11, 2006

I've been listening a lot to a Canadian band called Holy Fuck which is very percussive and noisy but with a steady beat. A little frenetic electronica-sounding but all done with actual instruments. And yeah the band name is sort of a word play but the think the music would suit too.
posted by jessamyn at 11:22 AM on May 11, 2006

Tool or Judy Garland.
posted by wsg at 11:37 AM on May 11, 2006

The album MCMXC A.D. by Enigma might just be the perfect music for this. Seriously. I can't recommend it enough.

if you wanted to be especially sadistic, you could always wait until your partner was tied up and put on something he/she absolutely hates! :) twisted monk would no doubt approve of this course of action.
posted by the_bone at 11:56 AM on May 11, 2006

a few of the things which work for us:

Tosca's Suzuki
Enigma's MCMXC a.D. (as previously mentioned)
Die Form's Suspiria de Profundis or Vicious Circles
posted by geckoinpdx at 12:21 PM on May 11, 2006

The Ubiquitous Mr Lovegrove from dead can dance. amazing amazing song. perfact for this sort of thing
posted by kantgirl at 1:09 PM on May 11, 2006

I can't believe no one suggested "Oh Bondage! Up Yours" by X-Ray Spex (or "Beat My Guest" and "Whip in My Valise" by Adam & The Ants in their early punk rock incarnation).
posted by scody at 1:21 PM on May 11, 2006

I imagine that I'd want to contrast with the civilized classic surroundings by having something passionately raw with edges. Having said that immediately brings to mind Patti Smith, especially the Easter album (though the 2005 live recording of Horses also has huge passion and lots of edges).
posted by jasper411 at 1:34 PM on May 11, 2006

Early 1980s-vintage Motorhead.
posted by runningdogofcapitalism at 1:56 PM on May 11, 2006

music to make love to your old lady by
posted by xod at 1:56 PM on May 11, 2006

I just have to say that for the most part these are fantastic music suggestions. I am lucky enough to be able to endulge in and share my similar interests in bondage (see my email address in my profile to figure out how and where I do this :-), and am so tickled (pun intended) that so many of you offered great suggestions and nary a negative word about the kinkful among us. Thank you all.

Just one point of order, because there is one thing that gets my panties in a knot ;-) :

brautigan said "bondage" and "indulging our kink for ropes and knots"

No where did he say "S&M" or "Breath Control" or "D&S"

I'm not going to assume anything about brautigan's interests other than that he enjoys being tied up, tying his partner up or both. The terms "S&M", "D&S", bondage and on and on, although somewhat related, are not interchangable terms.

(aside to brautigan: If you into any of those other things, that is SO awesome too!)

:-)

P.S. Gimme smooth jazz during a session and I'm in heaven.

P.P.S. My partner and I have a standing deal that whenever we are in the car together, when Seal's "Kiss from a Rose" comes on the radio, wherever we are I get tied up in the back seat for the remainder of the trip.

P.P.P.S. Happend once on our way to my parents house for Thanksgiving dinner. No kidding :-)
posted by sandra_s at 2:06 PM on May 11, 2006

No where did he say "S&M" or "Breath Control" or "D&S"

Um, who else in the thread did?
posted by desuetude at 4:05 PM on May 11, 2006

++ sigur ros

or Diamanda Galas, if you want to go the loud 'n' screamy route.
posted by kalimac at 4:11 PM on May 11, 2006

Well, different SM fans play the game in different ways. For me, it doesn't get any better than this. A good SM session should be protracted and subtle, with peaks and troughs. Incidentally, the idea of having any sort of sex to heavy metal just leaves me cold. Cold and staggered. But hey, different strokes.
posted by Decani at 4:33 PM on May 11, 2006

I can't believe anyone hasn't recommended Rammstein

Now that's some music to tie someone up to.
posted by plaidrabbit at 4:50 PM on May 11, 2006

Coil - Musick to Play in the Dark, 1 & 2.

Download a track here.
posted by DelusionsofGrandeur at 5:25 PM on May 11, 2006

Not my fave, but many find "Bolero" the cat (o'nine tails') ass. One can easily imagine sweaty thashing coupled with Ravel's juddering, intensifying rhythms, until the frenzied climactic spasms —

Where am I?
posted by rob511 at 12:46 AM on May 12, 2006

Thanks everyone. I'll investigate them all but at the moment I've packed Sigur Ros, GSYBE, Explosions in The Sky, Velvet Underground, Strauss "Don Juan", Mogwai, Portishead and some Arvo Part (Kronos Quartet). Will "best answer" more as I track them down.

Sandra: D/s, light S&M, some breath play, she gets tied, never me.

Thanks again all.
posted by brautigan at 12:50 AM on May 12, 2006