My office is not a rave, dammit!

August 11, 2006 7:59 AM

Can anyone recommend some good electronica Internet radio that has absolutely no vocals?

I enjoy listening to electronic music Web radio stations (usually via iTunes' listing) in the background while at my computer. However, I really dislike 99% of the vocals that show up in the genre, and no matter what stream I listen to, I'm pretty much guaranteed to end up with some irritating high-pitched woman's voice breaking my concentration at some point (er, besides that of my co-workers').

Has anyone found any half-decent streams that don't play anything with vocals?

posted by cyrusdogstar to media & arts (17 comments total)

I can't absolutely 100% guarantee no vocals, but they annoy me too and I like the Classic Electronica channel at DI.fm so there can't be that much of it.
posted by jontyjago at 8:07 AM on August 11, 2006

I usually listen to digitally imported over at www.DI.fm. Their trance streams are vocal free (or at least they always have been when I listen).
posted by cosmicbandito at 8:12 AM on August 11, 2006

[shakes fist]From the depths of hell, I stab at the, JontyJago! That'll teach me to walk away from the keyboard with a comment half typed.
posted by cosmicbandito at 8:13 AM on August 11, 2006

I third DI.fm - my fave is DI.fm Goa psytrance - barely anything in the way of vocals.
posted by zerokey at 8:15 AM on August 11, 2006

I can't answer it for streaming, but if you want absolutely no vocals, you're looking for electronic-themed netlabels: Epsilon Lab, Kahvi, Thinner/Autoplate. Some of them might provide m3u playlists, but it's not really streaming.
posted by aye at 8:16 AM on August 11, 2006

On the iTunes Radio Station list, Drone Zone, Secret Agent, and Bassdrive, for ambient, loungey 60s thru 00's tracks, and D&B respectively.

Mostly no singing. But I've yet to find a station that you can guarantee, 100%, free of vocals.
posted by Gordion Knott at 8:18 AM on August 11, 2006

Huh, I know about DI.fm, but I must keep listening to the wrong channels :D I'll try the specific ones mentioned so far, thanks! (Potential answerers: do keep them coming, please :))
posted by cyrusdogstar at 8:18 AM on August 11, 2006

Gordion Knott speaks the truth. DroneZone and Secret Agent are transmitted by SomaFM, an indie broadcaster that has 10 different stations and completely rocks. Seriously. Rocks. All of them for different reasons.
posted by SeizeTheDay at 8:25 AM on August 11, 2006

Check out www.hbr1.com
posted by gallois at 8:29 AM on August 11, 2006

I second soma.fm.
posted by bibbit at 9:09 AM on August 11, 2006

Ooooh, I am liking Soma, thanks!
posted by everichon at 9:28 AM on August 11, 2006

Radio IO's ambient stream is OK, but there are some interspersed ads. I haven't listened to it in a while, but it was fairly unobtrusive.

You could also try pandora, starting with your favorite downtempo artist or album.
posted by Mr. Gunn at 10:29 AM on August 11, 2006

I haven't heard any vocals on philosomatika.
posted by goo at 11:10 AM on August 11, 2006

And a favorite from Korea Happyday New Age Electro Channel - this is the Winamp port. They have other player ports available on their website.
posted by ptm at 11:14 AM on August 11, 2006

Calmscape was actually too 'instrumental' for me, so I made what I consider a mirror station of near-100% vocals (I won't be so vain as to link it).

Downtempo electronica, that is. Electronica is a big genre, thought, so what do you like? Trance? House? Breakbeat? Electro-pop? Nu-jazz? Trip-hop? Some sub-genres are totally without vocals and are more like techincal art than performance art.

A shoutcast search for whatever subgenre you like would be smart.
posted by cowbellemoo at 11:21 AM on August 11, 2006

SomaFM's CliqHop is good too. I listen to it frequently while studying.
posted by aceyim at 11:59 AM on August 11, 2006

i'm not sure how helpful this is.. but i really like listning to Digitally Imported's chillout stream while i work, sometimes it has vocals, but its rare

a good search also "progressive chillout" ;)

good luck on your struggles
-xteraco
posted by xteraco at 12:02 PM on August 11, 2006