The best ambient artists in the world that nobody has heard of...

[Rhys]

I am only going to start a ball rolling, one that may well founder in the marsh where the scintillation of my imagination flourishes. As we all know, with the dramatic advances of communication and technology music has undergone huge transformations especially in acoustic quality and availability in a number of formats, and immediacy. Also there seems to be more of it than ever before, more choices of rhythm for the different moods of the day. In this flourishing new plethora of sound architecture I wonder sometimes if a flower of infinite beauty is passed unnoticed. Recently, for instance, I was loaned some CDs of New Zealander Andrew Forrest and was blown away by the perfection of sound tapestry this artist could weave. I am sure many of you have heard of Andrew (though his CD marketing is limited) but there must be many artists out there that are even less known and yet deserve to be known. Gulan from Latvia for instance? Discussions have already highlighted that wonderful artist from Australia called Ashera (Anthony Asher Wright) who is perhaps not that well known.

Thanks to Atmoworks and those individuals who have got this thing up and running, there is opportunity not only to listen and absorb a whole new constellation of sound but to invite in the best artists in the world that no one has ever heard of.

[Rhys]

Wow, double-wow, thanks! What rikm posted has already started me on an exploration that has angels hovering around my ears. Sylken, sheiks, sylphs, salamanders, the sounds just keep getting better. I don't know what that link through Earth Mantra got me (except that it was free) but tuning in now to the download (Copal River by Ancara) am inspired to deeper moods and afloat with ecstatic reverberations!

Endoflogic said:

Continuing that last post....

Shrine: Some of the most soothingly disturbing music I have ever heard, and some well crafted art at that. This Bulgarian composer's work is available for purchase/download at his MySpace page (http://www.myspace.com/7604281404)

Sinke Dus: Markus Lonebrink is the sole architect of this Swedish dark-ambient act bent on releasing more than just the same old drones. His debut release "Akrasia" is phenomenal. You can find out more about the artist and sample his work at www.myspace.com/sinkedus

Telomere: Deep space ambient at its finest. They're 1998 release Astral Currents was impossible to top. 2005's "Zoetosis" did it. Available for purchase on eMusic or iTunes, along with the 2007 release "The Stellar Sea", which I just found while writing this post and am downloading from iTunes now!!!

There are others...many others and all worthy of mention, but these are just some of the artists that I have come to love over the years that deserve your attention. Hope you all enjoy!

[SAVO]

Rhys, I don't know whether u are into more sinister sounding stuff like Lustmord? "Others" album is pretty immense, very scary and dark.

[Rhys]

Hi Savo. It don't sound like me too much. I usually prefer the quieter, brighter or more spiritual side of ambient, and even Robert Rich's "A troubled resting place" is too scary for me. I see a few ghosts from time to time so maybe I will get braver :-)

SAVO said:

Rhys, I don't know whether u are into more sinister sounding stuff like Lustmord? "Others" album is pretty immense, very scary and dark.

[SAVO]

ok mate. no problemo. Dark Ambient is very much a genre which isnt to familiar with even a fair few ambient fans. Its nature is very much a world of its own. Wouldn't expect many to be into it.

Rhys said:

Hi Savo. It don't sound like me too much. I usually prefer the quieter, brighter or more spiritual side of ambient, and even Robert Rich's "A troubled resting place" is too scary for me. I see a few ghosts from time to time so maybe I will get braver :-)
SAVO said:

Rhys, I don't know whether u are into more sinister sounding stuff like Lustmord? "Others" album is pretty immense, very scary and dark.

[Rhys]

Hi Savo. I do get into the outer, friendlier realm of the dark ambient as I have a lot of Projekt produced CDs such as the brilliant Alio Die and Amelia Cuni "Apsaras" and several Vidna Obmana and Steve Roach on this label. Have you heard of Between Interval? (available from Peccary and possibly Hypnos). Their "Secret Observatory" is quite dark ambient but I like it. I must put "Stalker" on my list too, as actually when I am in the right mood (right now for instance) "A troubled resting place" is just what I like to hear. That CD is brilliant (after I get over the chilling opening) like most other of Robert Rich's.
Very excited because I have now downloaded Peter James' "Holding on letting go" and it is the next to spin after the troubled rest. I might get motivated into working then!

SAVO said:

ok mate. no problemo. Dark Ambient is very much a genre which isnt to familiar with even a fair few ambient fans. Its nature is very much a world of its own. Wouldn't expect many to be into it.

Rhys said:

Hi Savo. It don't sound like me too much. I usually prefer the quieter, brighter or more spiritual side of ambient, and even Robert Rich's "A troubled resting place" is too scary for me. I see a few ghosts from time to time so maybe I will get braver :-)
SAVO said:

Rhys, I don't know whether u are into more sinister sounding stuff like Lustmord? "Others" album is pretty immense, very scary and dark.

[Low Light Mixes]

Rhys said:

Has anyone heard of Marconi Union, representing British duo, Richard Talbot and James Crossley? The only CD of theirs I have got is called Distance (obtained long ago from eMusic.com) and it has got to be one of the best ambient/jazz CDs of all time! (in my unbiased opinion :-)

Rhys, I LOVE that Marconi Union album. I also have their previous one, I think it's called "Under the Searchlights" or something like that. I really wish they'd release something new. I'd heard they were getting involved in remastering all of Eno's back catalog.

adding a few names to the list...
David Tagg
emanuele errante
sonmi451
loscil
scott solter

[Rhys]

I found them, i found them, with a shop to purchase too! http://www.marconiunion.com/catalog.asp. Thanks for adding those other names, all up destined to make me broke and requiring a bigger house to contain my music by 2009 :-)

Low Light Mixes said:

Rhys said:

Has anyone heard of Marconi Union, representing British duo, Richard Talbot and James Crossley? The only CD of theirs I have got is called Distance (obtained long ago from eMusic.com) and it has got to be one of the best ambient/jazz CDs of all time! (in my unbiased opinion :-)

Rhys, I LOVE that Marconi Union album. I also have their previous one, I think it's called "Under the Searchlights" or something like that. I really wish they'd release something new. I'd heard they were getting involved in remastering all of Eno's back catalog.

adding a few names to the list...
David Tagg
emanuele errante
sonmi451
loscil
scott solter

[SAVO]

I do need to check Hypnos Label out to be honest. Havnt got round to it.

Pete James music is great. It has those dark and even distorted elements I like that he gets from his guitar. Nice

Rhys said:

Hi Savo. I do get into the outer, friendlier realm of the dark ambient as I have a lot of Projekt produced CDs such as the brilliant Alio Die and Amelia Cuni "Apsaras" and several Vidna Obmana and Steve Roach on this label. Have you heard of Between Interval? (available from Peccary and possibly Hypnos). Their "Secret Observatory" is quite dark ambient but I like it. I must put "Stalker" on my list too, as actually when I am in the right mood (right now for instance) "A troubled resting place" is just what I like to hear. That CD is brilliant (after I get over the chilling opening) like most other of Robert Rich's.
Very excited because I have now downloaded Peter James' "Holding on letting go" and it is the next to spin after the troubled rest. I might get motivated into working then!

SAVO said:

ok mate. no problemo. Dark Ambient is very much a genre which isnt to familiar with even a fair few ambient fans. Its nature is very much a world of its own. Wouldn't expect many to be into it.

Rhys said:

Hi Savo. It don't sound like me too much. I usually prefer the quieter, brighter or more spiritual side of ambient, and even Robert Rich's "A troubled resting place" is too scary for me. I see a few ghosts from time to time so maybe I will get braver :-)
SAVO said:

Rhys, I don't know whether u are into more sinister sounding stuff like Lustmord? "Others" album is pretty immense, very scary and dark.

[Rhys]

Yes, I had Peter's CD on all day yesterday with tracks 7 and 8 ("into the invisible" and "adrift") on repeat for hours. Now that is one work of art defying genre though i picked up on the dark ambient cleverly alternated with the light. Another masterwork! After Robert Rich's "Seven Veils" stops spinning "holding on, letting go" gets another turn, then Disturbed Earth...then who knows. Music never stops in my little den!

SAVO said:

I do need to check Hypnos Label out to be honest. Havnt got round to it.

Pete James music is great. It has those dark and even distorted elements I like that he gets from his guitar. Nice

Rhys said:

Hi Savo. I do get into the outer, friendlier realm of the dark ambient as I have a lot of Projekt produced CDs such as the brilliant Alio Die and Amelia Cuni "Apsaras" and several Vidna Obmana and Steve Roach on this label. Have you heard of Between Interval? (available from Peccary and possibly Hypnos). Their "Secret Observatory" is quite dark ambient but I like it. I must put "Stalker" on my list too, as actually when I am in the right mood (right now for instance) "A troubled resting place" is just what I like to hear. That CD is brilliant (after I get over the chilling opening) like most other of Robert Rich's.
Very excited because I have now downloaded Peter James' "Holding on letting go" and it is the next to spin after the troubled rest. I might get motivated into working then!

SAVO said:

ok mate. no problemo. Dark Ambient is very much a genre which isnt to familiar with even a fair few ambient fans. Its nature is very much a world of its own. Wouldn't expect many to be into it.

Rhys said:

Hi Savo. It don't sound like me too much. I usually prefer the quieter, brighter or more spiritual side of ambient, and even Robert Rich's "A troubled resting place" is too scary for me. I see a few ghosts from time to time so maybe I will get braver :-)
SAVO said:

Rhys, I don't know whether u are into more sinister sounding stuff like Lustmord? "Others" album is pretty immense, very scary and dark.

[Low Light Mixes]

Rhys,

Thanks for the Marconi Union link!!!!! I didn't know they had something new out. I just ordered it & it's downloading as I type this. Thanks!

A few more for the ever growing list...

Entia Non - some good glitchy ambient some of it available free on various netlabels.
Emeralds - some excellent drones, although it can be very tough to find. They used to release everything on cassette on small small Ohio label.

[Rhys]

I like all your suggestions so far. Had difficulty on that Spiderrecords site tracking samples of Akumu but you can stream a number of their tracks with good quality on http://radio3.cbc.ca/ (and that is what I am doing right now!). I agree that Sylken is really beautiful stuff. Cheers

rikm said:

Oh Wow! I love posts like this! I'm very fortunate to be in a position through my own net store and the associated net label to have a lot of people come to me to tell me about what they're doing. I'm constantly amazed at the talent that's out there, the simply amazing work that is being produced...

To that end here are a few suggestions you might want to check out;

1) Sylken: The work of Eric Hopper and a rotating group of collaborators, Sylken is flat out beautiful and gorgeous space music that is some of the best music I've heard in any genre. Trust me on this. I would particularly recommend his collaboration with Alan Bloor of Pholde called "Sculptor", a disc that literally stayed in my CD player for a year before I took it out and replaced it with another Sylken disc. If memory serves me correctly I think his first disc was released through Atmoworks. Check his work out at http://www.myspace.com/sylkenmusic

2) Akumu: Deane Hughes is a huge influence on my own musical ideal, having been the first person I ever knew to release his own CD back in the early 90s. Since then, Deane's project Akumu has released an inspired trio of releases that create fascinating soundscapes using processed field recordings. I've been truly honored to be able to collaborate with Deane for the last year on a new project that should see release in the next month or so. Find out more about Akumu at http://www.spiderrecords.com/akumu/

3) Sara Ayers: Sara is one of those amazing talents that used to hang around mp3.com a few years back, making truly wonderful vocal inspired ambience that was simultaneously otherworldly and intimate. I've lost touch with her the last few years, but I still pull out her old discs and I'm still amazed. I was lucky enough to do a show with her a few years ago where we did two improv pieces that have never been released and I would count them as two of the finest pieces of music I've ever had the pleasure to be part of. She also has a release on Atmoworks I think... Check her music out at http://www.saraayers.com/

4) Spatial Correlation: Ryan Hagerman is a fellow that I was introduced to a few years ago by a mutual friend that swore Ryan was one of the nicest guys he'd ever met. Not only was he one of the nicest guys I've ever met, he's also one of my very favorite artists ever. Unfortunately Ryan hasn't done very much to promote himself, so his work has gone relatively unnoticed which is one of the greatest tragedies in the history of music if you ask me. Sparse and minimal delicate melodic work that has brought tears of joy to my eyes more times than once. Quite honestly I started my net label specifically so I could promote his work to a wider audience, I feel that strongly about him. You can hear some of his tracks at http://www.myspace.com/spatialcorrelation

5) I would assume that all of you are already familiar with Austere, The Circular Ruins, Numina, dreamSTATE, and Aidan Baker. If not, let me know and I'd be happy to tell you all about them as well...

This totally makes me think that I should post some of my own music here...

BTW I remember John from mp3.com and I have both the Sub.terra disc, and the Fluidities Disc. I'm also quite sure that I have an Interstitial disc that I was sent for review in The Violet Collection, which I fully intend to pull out after I finish writing my response to this post.

BTW2 I find it particularly amusing to note that I've been listening to Beyonce's first solo album while I've been writing this...

[John Koch-Northrup]

rikm said: "BTW2 I find it particularly amusing to note that I've been listening to Beyonce's first solo album while I've been writing this..."

I meant to comment on this the first time around. We've got her B'day album - which grooves for most of it and only has a couple of not so good tunes - as well as Missy Elliot, a couple of Justin Timberlake albums, etc.... I was on a quest to find the newish Linkin Park album for my wife's birthday yesterday (but only found the censored version so bought her a fun book instead...).

Nothing wrong with non-ambient albums!