Minimalist drone music?
October 4, 2010 7:27 AM   Subscribe

Music like these guys? I've been slowly making my way through the musicians on this page, but it's rough going. I'm looking for stuff that's droning (vocals and held instrumental notes), repetitive, minimalist, spare, but somewhat structured and not too experimental. If it "never gets going," "never takes off," and thus leaves me with a relaxed, alert, listening/reaching, even slightly incomplete sort of feeling--that's perfect.
posted by zeek321 to Media & Arts (18 answers total) 13 users marked this as a favorite
 
Response by poster: And slow. Droning, repetitive, minimalist, spare, and slow. Silence, spaces, too.
posted by zeek321 at 7:32 AM on October 4, 2010


Terry Riley / Steve Reich / La Mont Young are basically canonical. You might be into Eno.

Then there's more contemporary stuff like White Rainbow, Tim Hecker, Skaters...

Have you considered a Last.fm account? It's usually pretty good for finding artists that sound like other artists.
posted by Ted Maul at 7:44 AM on October 4, 2010


Response by poster: Have you considered a Last.fm account?

That's a good idea; thanks. I tried seeding some stuff in Pandora with mixed results.
posted by zeek321 at 7:45 AM on October 4, 2010


Boris's Flood sounds like that to me. What do you think?
posted by yaymukund at 7:45 AM on October 4, 2010


Most contemporary drone music you can find on that page. Or at least the major players.

When I want droning, I never look further than anything (from India to Bulgaria) played on a Tambura.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 7:47 AM on October 4, 2010


Response by poster: When I want droning, I never look further than anything (from India to Bulgaria ) played on a Tambura.

Mmm. Who are some artists that are solely instrumental, slow, droning on the Tambura?
posted by zeek321 at 7:53 AM on October 4, 2010


"Slim Westerns" by A Small Good Thing fits your criteria just about perfectly. Here is the sublime "Someplace South of Here."
posted by googly at 7:53 AM on October 4, 2010


Have a look through the albums listed at sleepbot.coms ambience for the masses project. Or listen to the stream.
posted by Ahab at 7:55 AM on October 4, 2010


Who are some artists that are solely instrumental, slow, droning on the Tambura?

Well a lot of traditional Hindustani Ragas fit this bill, but if you want pure drone...
Google "Raagini Digital Electronic Tanpura"
Find videos.
Enjoy!
posted by Potomac Avenue at 8:00 AM on October 4, 2010


Gouper (45 min track here--caveat, that's my friend's store)
Ilyas Ahmed
Concern (try the track Young Birth)
Dead Texan
Stars of the Lid
Jasper TX
Svarte Greiner
James Blackshaw
Greg Haines
Julia Kent
William Fowler Collins
posted by dobbs at 8:01 AM on October 4, 2010


Try soma.fm's Drone Zone for streaming music that should probably appeal to you.
posted by feidr2 at 8:32 AM on October 4, 2010


Seconding White Rainbow, Tim Hecker, Stars of the Lid.
Also check out Belong and Eluvium.
posted by naju at 9:49 AM on October 4, 2010


Lull. Continue, in particular, is a single 62min track.

Harris also did an album with Bill Laswell a while back titled Somnific Flux.

You also might like just about anything from the (free!) Dark Winter netlabel.
posted by Su at 10:54 AM on October 4, 2010


Oh, and the Endless Ascent netlabel(again free), probably fits here, too.
posted by Su at 10:55 AM on October 4, 2010


I would add the work of Pauline Oliveros (particularly the Deep Listening CD), Charlemagne Palestine and Phil Niblock toTed Maul's list of composers working in the contemporary classical tradition.

You might find other stuff to interest you at the The Deep Listening Institute and at dronerecords.de. The latter put out a series of limited release 7" drone records. Some of these were collected and released as a double CD compilation on tumult.
posted by tallus at 12:03 PM on October 4, 2010


loscil Plume and Stases are the two albums I'm familiar with.
posted by clockwork at 12:07 PM on October 4, 2010


I've recommended him a few times here on the Green, don't know if anyone's had a listen; but he surely fits your drone request: David Hykes and the Harmonic Choir.
posted by Paris Elk at 12:12 PM on October 4, 2010


Response by poster: Wow. Going to start going through these when I get home.
posted by zeek321 at 12:27 PM on October 4, 2010


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