How Did You Discover Ambient?

[GaryG]

Classifying music is ultimately pointless so I just have fun with it really, to be honest don't really care.

However, I would argue 'ambient' is a kind of meta genre, you don't just neatly drop music into it at the exclusion of other genres, it will overlap most other genres too (I feel a venn diagram coming on...) So jazz (for instance) could be ambient but most jazz would be too busy to be really ignored in the way Eno suggests (sure, you can turn down any music and background it but not really ambient then in the spirit of this discussion).

[Mac of BIOnighT]

At this point Bachelor Pad music or the whole Space Age Pop and Exotica scenes would be ambient... I honestly do not feel that ambient is as hazily, confusingly, fakely characterized as, say, New Age. I feel it does have its own features.

[Pyne]

Death metal can't be ambient because, among other things, of growl, which makes it death metal.

There is "ambient metal". But I agree with GaryG, classifying music genres can be pointless.

[GaryG]

Death metal can't be ambient because, among other things, of growl, which makes it death metal.

There is "ambient metal".

I'd be interested in some examples, I know stuff like the early Earth LPs but maybe they're more drone rock or something?

[Mac of BIOnighT]

Burzum, perhaps? Anyway, I agree on the pointlessness of labeling every single piece of music, but there can be at least umbrella definitions. It'd be ridiculous to say that Mozart and Einstuerzende Neubauten are the same thing! Of course there are always mixtures or pieces that leak through the cracks of definitions, but general definitions for genres do exist.

[Pyne]

"Ambient black metal" such as Seirom, Darkspace, Paysage d'Hiver, and Spektr, to name a few off the top of my head. I've heard some as well too that literally have growling/shreiking vocals over just drones and synths.

[Negative Spectrum]

I suppose you could classify Sunn O))) as ambient in a sense although they are lumped into the drone metal genre and definitely 2 Burzum albums, "Dauði Baldrs " and "Hliðskjálf "

[Pyne]

and definitely 2 Burzum albums, "Dauði Baldrs " and "Hliðskjálf "

I just consider those electronic/ambient, and not really metal in any way. Daudi Baldrs isn't quite ambient in a way either...more faux orchestral made with a cheap GM sound set. :lol: Varg has a third "ambient" album out now. Heard the previews; don't like it. It sounds very uninspired...the first two were better.

[Negative Spectrum]

well i haven't heard the new one yet, i will try it. I remember reading that Daudi Baldrs was done while he was in prison with a cheap keyboard and tape recorder. God, i miss the old days :D

[IOK-1]

I think Death Metal can have ambient elements to it, as well as there are ambient black metal.
Portal has an eerie dark ambient feel to it.
But as some of you said, it's rather pointless to try an classify every piece of music.

[ambientsketchbook]

For me, the best ambient black metal album is Deafheaven's recent effort Sunbather. It's pretty much on a par with Isis for combining crushing heaviness with gorgeous ambient textures and melodies, but has added blastbeats. What's not to like? :rockon:

[Aurastore]

The first experience with ambient would have to be when my Dad got me Tangerine Dream's 'Exit' on Cassette. Best part about him getting me into ambient music was his excitement when I took him to see them play at the Mountain View Winery last year.

[Mac of BIOnighT]

I'd really hate to be thought of as monotonous, but TD up to the first half of the 80's is not ambient, it's Berlin School - really, I promise ;-)
I love this story, your dad introducing you to TD and you taking him to see them, for some reason it moves me

[Aurastore]

Well Yeah I understand. However it opened me up to the idea of electronic music. Which I came to find Brian Eno, and the list could go on into the dark ambient and space as well. It was just my first dip into this wonderful world!

[seismic1]

I don't know about that. I think Zeit has definite dark-ambient leanings. I like listening to it in the dark, with the volume set high.