Index

 

An Elm (Germany)

A Nightmare, An Elm Street (2013) (S)
Coldness Remains (2015)
Fly Pan Elm (2016)

Synthesizer tracks inspired by vintage horror scores.

 


An On Blast (Poland)

Nothing Shapes Everything (2019)
Coherent Excitations (2020)

Hypnotic ambient compositions, sometimes with underlying throbs / sequences.

 


Ana & Ina (USA)

Analogue (2011)
On Dockweiler Beach (2017)

Minimal analog synth music.

 


Anache, Damian (Argentina)

Capturas del Unico Camino (2014)

Electroacoustic composer. Capturas... is a sparse, abstract work, with shades of Brian Eno, Roedelius and Invisible Connections by Vangelis.

 


Anadol (Turkey)

Çürüyen Yıllar (2012)
Hatıralar (2017)
Uzun Havalar (2018)
Felicita (2022)

A project of Gözen Atila who currently resides in Berlin. I am not sure about her previous works, but Uzun Havalar is very interesting for sure. It sounds like improvised, sometimes jazzy music, often based on nice, warm and cartoonish synth sounds, all having a Middle Eastern flair to them. Pretty unique stuff.

 


Analept (Belgium)

Dendrites (2021)
Cathedral (2021) (S)

Analept (aka A.N.A.L.E.P.T.) is a project of Guillaume Bacart. Rhythmic music with influences from Kraftwerk, Aphex Twin, Autechre and Boards of Canada.

 


Analog 80 (France)

The Dream Box (2013) (S)
Gymnophoria (2017)

Originally from France but currently residing in Brussels, Analog 80 uses synthesizers for a sound that is a mixture of Prog EM and electro-pop. Some tracks have vocals.

 


Analog Music Project, The (Portugal)

Odyssey (2015)
Shinobi III - Return of the Ninja Master (2019)

The Analog Music Project is a studio project and live group centered around J. P. Coelho's keyboards. Its purpose is to re-create some classic themes as well as create original compositions with a setup dominated by analog instruments (mostly electric pianos and synthesizers). Odyssey is a strange beast to say the least. Including interesting covers of Vangelis, Kraftwerk and Roy Ayers, the album is also packed with original songs that sound like old bossa nova / swing created on analog synths. Not necessarily progressive all the time, but an interesting find nonetheless. A curious note: J. P. Coelho must be one of the few artists who use a rare and somewhat underrated Soviet synth Aelita.

 


Analog Roland Orchestra, The (Germany)

1984 & 1997 (2011) (S)
Dinsync (2015)
303 And Chill (2017) (EP)

Deep techno / house producer from Berlin (real name - Michal Matlak). Of interest: the first side of the 1984 & 1997 single and several tracks off Dinsync. The rest is not prog EM. 303 And Chill has several ambient tracks as well.

See also: MPU101

 


Analog Sweden (Sweden)

Moments Lost (2014)

Music inspired by "Blade Runner" movie from the duo of Fredrik Segerfalk and Per Ronge. Yamaha CS-80 is featured prominently here.

 


Analog Synthesizer Ensemble, The (USA)

Center of the Universe (2007)
Invisible In-Betweeners (2007)
Stoned Space Jams (2007)

The Analog Synthesizer Ensemble consists of Hal McGee, Brandon Abell, Jay Peele and Jen Abell, all playing analogue synths exclusively to create noisy, raw and spaced-out textures.

See also: McGee, Hal

 


Analog~1 (UK)

Elements (2017) (EP)

Varied analog synth tracks, some with sequences / arpeggios.

 


Analogs of Morningside (USA??)

Analogs of Morningside (1989)

Alistair Mackenzie Macfarlane and Zackary Alecsandyr.

 


Analogue Kid (UK)

Live Science (2010)

Melodic and ambient Electronic Music.

 


Analysis (UK)

Surface Tension / Connections (1981) (S)

Two instrumental electronic tracks by this new wave / synth-pop outfit (David Rome and Martin Lloyd). Not sure it fits in stylistically, though, as it might as well be a mere dance crowd pleaser.

 


Anam Cara (Germany)

Celtic Wintersilence (1997)
Passion (1998)
Embracing Winds of Akash (2001)
Canhywallan Cyrth - The Everlasting Flame (2004)
Dunmore (2004) (S)

Ambient soundscapes from this German duo.

See also: Grassow, Mathias, Alien Nature.

 


Anantakara (Belgium)

Momentum Lapses (2019)
Trace of the Inmost (2020)
Amor Mundi (2020)
The Gift of Fire (2022) (with Jack Hertz)
Across A Veiled River (2023)

Sort of a classical / ambient EM hybrid.

 


Ananyev, Max (Russia)

Water Atlas (2018)
Midday (2020)

Relaxing Ambient with electronics, piano and some classical guitar.

 


Anapthergal (Finland)

Alghoulist Aproteasis Impair.Log .896 (1998) (S)
Complectus Misanthropologos (1998)
An Intracranial Disclosure (2000)
Luonnonjärjestyksen muistolle (2001)
Aaria kuolemasta (2006)

Mysterious Ambient with forest atmospheres.

 


Anar Band (Portugal)

Anar Band (1977)

Improvisational duo of pre-Telectu Jorge Lima Barreto and Rui Reininho. Nothing easy-listening here but fans of Experimental EM may check this out.

 


Anarchist Mountains (USA)

VHS (2019)
Generations (2019)
Macedonians (2019)
La terre et la force (2021)
A Balkan Spacewalk (2021)
Fire Waves (2022)

Soft synthesizer compositions by Jordan and Stefan Christoff.

See also: Christoff, Jordan

 


Anasisana (Tunisia)

Where Am I Standing? (2018) (S)
Untitled (2018) (S)
Caught Between Worlds Colliding (2018)
Sad For the Rest of My Life (2018) (S)
Promises Are Meant To Be Broken (2019) (S)
Perfect Stranger (2020)
Individuality Is Also A Fetish (2021)
Ever So Beautiful (2021)
Transmogrify (2024)

Melancholic ambient compositions from Anas Aissaoui (born in Tunisia, currently residing in Berlin). Some fantastic stuff here (like the second track from Untitled, for example, with its reflective and sad synth leads).

See also: Dunya

 


Anastasopoulos, Ilias (Greece)

No Smoke, No Fire (2022)

Greek keyboardist and ex-member of electro new wave band Clown. Pretty fascinating stuff - abstract, shadowy, pensive, reflective, with classical touches and lots of sparse, spatial stereo effects.

 


Anatolian Weapons (Greece)

To the Mother of Gods (2019)
Place of Imagination (2019)
Mantili (2021) (EP)
Earth (2023)

An amalgamation of Greek folk traditions and an open krautrock / EM attitude from Aggelos Baltas.

 


Anatolya (USA)

Mirror Messages (2016)

Ambient with a melancholic / tragic flair from this Florida-based musician and sculptor (Brian Phillips) born in 1982.

 


Anazgnos (USA)

The Sound of Everything (2020)

A project of Californian artist Eric Kempke. Flowing synths, slow rhythms and soft motorik. Often with a sort of a cosmic vibe and an Ashra feel (as on the closer).

 


Ancestral Voices (UK)

Night of Visions (2015)
Old Earth Voodoo (2016) (EP)
Divination (2017)
Mycelia (2018)
Navagraha (2019)

Manchester-based techno / dubstep producer Liam Blackburn opens a new chapter with Night Visions, released under the Ancestral Voices moniker. The music is slow, still with plently of bass sounds and broken beats. However, the real cream are the ambient tracks. Stuff like "Rebirth And Dissolution" or "Sleepless Night, First Light" will please all fans of the more dramatic Ambient (not the wallpaper type) or even darker forms of Space Music. Would be interesting to see him moving further in that direction. Notes 28.04.2017 - thankfully, he did so with Divination.

 


Ancient Greens (Canada)

Special Envelope (2019)

Droning or melodic ambient synth compositions. Somewhat static and lacking in variety.

See also: Kaufhold, Will, Form.

 


Ancient Mind (Switzerland)

Dreams From the Blue Planet (1996)

Ancient Mind is Stefan Wiesendanger who was born in 1977 and soon after discovering the music of Jean-Michel Jarre and Tangerine Dream started composing his own tracks where melody and atmosphere were the two key elements.

 


Ancient Ocean (USA)

I (2010)
Nico (2011) (S)
Through the Fear of Aging (2014) (S)
Wien (2014)
Blood Moon (2015)
Titan's Island (2017)
Neró: A Collection of Works 2010-2016 (2018)

Ancient Ocean is John Bohannon. Music ranges from guitar drones to very nice cosmic synthiness. Apart from these albums there are also splits with Expo 70 and Andrew Weathers.

 


Ancient Oscillator (USA)

The Lillerne Tape (2016)

Liquid and sequential modular synth compositions. Ancient Oscillator is Kyle Garrison.

See also: Divination Matrix

 


Ancient Plastix (UK)

S/T (2020)
II (2023)

A project of Paul Rafferty. Varied ambient synth compositions, mostly warm and playful. For S/T, he uses a cheap Yamaha synth and multiple effects pedals.

 


Ancient Technology Cult (UK)

Sacred Engines (2001)
Transfiguration (2001)
Decencus ad inferos (2003)
Architects of Heresy (2004)
One Amongst the Fallen (2005)
The Distant Light (2008)

One of Jim Kirkwood’s pseudonyms.

See also: Kirkwood, Jim, Lucifaere, Section 37, Violence In Eden, Emerald Eye.

 


Ancient Voice (Ukraine)

The Philosophy Of... (2016)
Forest Sorcery (??)
Path of Solitude... (2019)

Dungeon synth-related project from Mukachevo, with some cosmic / EM touches.

 


Ancst (Germany)

Stormcaster (2016)
Celestial (2018)
Anomaly (2019)
Desolation (2023)

Black metal band based in Berlin. Sometimes they release ambient works, which will be listed. In these, they create shadowy, droning compositions with electronics and sometimes sparse guitars. Pretty nice stuff if you ask me.

 


And Remain There Forever (Ukraine)

Silence (2019)
Nature Versus Industry (2020)
Chaos (2021)

Growling, post-apocalyptic ambience from Kramatorsk.

 


Andarctica (Canada)

Longview (2019)
Buried With the Bells (2019)
Sand (The Wandering Place) (2019)
Cyan Nori (2022) (S)
Basal (2022)

Ambient project of Brian Barth. Lots of processed acoustic sources here.

 


Andartak (Iceland)

The Pathfinder (2023)

Slowly evolving synth-sequencer with moogy leads. A project of Arnór Kári.

 


Anderegg, Brendon (USA)

June (2018)

Nice, warm analog synth work from member of Mountains. This is not his full discography, but I'm not sure about the other releases.

See also: Mountains

 


Anders Benson, Eric (USA)

Cow's Broken English (2020)
Compton's Highway (2021)

Aka Eric Benson (a Brooklyn-based noise artist). You should hear the heavy EM vibes on Compton's Highway - it's intense, it's cosmic and neurotic, like a mixture of the Berlin School, Heldon and noise music perhaps.

 


Anders Jørgenson (Germany)

Greatest Hits (2015)

Not a name, but rather a project of Jörg Erren (of Erren, Fleissig, Schöttler, Steffen, Von Hallgath) and Andreas Kleinwächter. Rhythmic, improvised, sequence-full music in New Berlin School style.

See also: Erren, Jörg

 


Anders, Pascal (France)

Ghost (2021)

Paris-based artist. He tends to use shorter tracks and overall I found his album Ghost somewhat lacking in direction, although individual tracks are not bad.

 


Andersen, Tony (Denmark)

Horizon (1989)
Offshore Destination (1995)
The Sky Lab Tracks (2001)

Analog music in Tangerine Dream / Vangelis style. Tony Andersen started playing organ in the 1970's. Around 1981 he heard Tangerine Dream's Exit and this changed his music preferences forever. After parents bought him his first synthesizer (a Multivox) he started to combine this instrument with his organ playing to produce flowing electronic tracks. In 1986, Tony managed to expand his setup and acquired more synthesizers. By that time, his style had fully developed into a rhythmic, sequencer-based type, strongly influenced by classic Tangerine Dream. The first MC came out in 1989. Offshore Destination followed in 1995 and then The Sky Lab Tracks (2001) which was a sampler of previously unreleased material.

See also: Navigator

 


Anderson, Andrew (USA)

Post Mediated Intent 1 (2013) (S)
The Red Dream (2014)
Post Mediated Intent 2 (2015)
In Shadow And Ruin (2015)
Abuse Your Delusion (2016)
4rchtypes (2016)
From A Dead Tongue (2017)

Darkish soundscapes from Texas.

 


Anderson, Jon (UK)

Olias of Sunhillow (1976)
Song of Seven (1980)

Famous Yes singer. Jon Anderson is probably best known to Electronic Music listeners for his collaborations with Vangelis. He also sings on Kitaro’s 1992 album Dream. Of his solo works, the 1976 album Olias of Sunhillow may be interesting for EM aficionados.

See also: Jon & Vangelis.

 


Anderson, Tony (USA)

Immanuel (2023)

Cinematic, melodic, esctatic electronic / ambient compositions from this artist based in California.

 


Anderson-Kunert, Todd (Australia)

Conjectures (2019)
Now, And Then. (2019)
Cold (2021)
You Promised (2021)

Minimal ambient synth compositions from this artist. Pre-2019 releases are supposedly noisier, going beyond the range of sounds covered by EEM.

 


Andersson, Åke & Honkanen, Antero (Finland)

Reidarin sähköiset kuvat (1977)

Rare album on Love Records subtitled "Electronic music about paintings by Reidar Särestöniemi". Composed and created at the Finnish national broadcasting studio.

 


Andersson, Andreas (Sweden)

Aquaeum - Tales of Water (2009)

Melodic, slowly rhythmic, new-agey music inspired by the sea. More or less in the style of Oceanic by Vangelis.

 


Andersson, Peter (Sweden)

Music For Film And Exhibition (2007) (recorded in 1999 - 2006)
A Moving Likeness of Eternity (2009) (with Lars Johnsson)
Sculpturing Time Fragments (2010)
Music For Film And Exhibition II (2010)
Music For Film And Exhibition I & Natura Fluxus (2011)
Music For Film And Exhibition 3 (2013) (recorded in 2007 - 2013)
Timewaves (2018) (recorded in 2005 - 2015)

See also: Raison d'Etre, Bocksholm, Necrophorus, Nymph Faithest, Atomine Elektrine.

 


Andi (Iceland)

Andi (2016)

A pseudonym of Andri Eyjolfsson. The music is rhythmic, even dancey, but rather quirky and inventive at the same time. It's neither pop, nor disco, nor techno or synthwave, having a bit of each but ending up with a relatively progressive concept. The choice of sounds sometimes makes it sound like Tomita trying to compose dance music. Pretty entertaining stuff.

 


Andlace (USA)

Fabrik (2022)

Weird cosmic excursions with synth and processed violin from this duo of Mallory Linehan and Jessica Tucker. Somewhat Cluster-ish.

 


Andr0ider (Brazil)

Per aspera ad astra (2021)

Darkish cosmic synth music and drones. I guess, you could call it "Dark Space".

 


Andrade, Rui P. (Portugal)

Pânico​-​Ambiente (2015) (with Aires)
All Lovers Go To Heaven (2017)

Ambient musician from Porto. He has a subtle sound, relying heavily on electroacoustics and drones.

See also: Canadian Rifles, HRNS.

 


André 3000 (USA)

New Blue Sun (2023)

André Lauren Benjamin is an Atlanta-born rapper and member of OutKast. He also likes to play flute and New Blue Sun, his solo full-length debut surprises by being as far removed from any "rap" as possible, the humoristic title of the opener "I Swear, I Really Wanted to Make a "Rap" Album but This Is Literally the Way the Wind Blew Me This Time" pretty much preparing the listener for something really different. Influenced by spiritual jazz, new age and ambient EM, André set out to create a series of long instrumental exploration-type tracks with flutes, keyboards, synths and other acoustic and electronic instruments and effects. Nice relaxing atmosphere here. Apart from André, the album sees participations of Carlos Niño (all types of drums and percussion instruments), Nate Mercereau (guitar and guitar synth), Surya Botofasina (keys, synths), Deantoni Parks (drums), MatthewDavid (electronic percussion), Jesse Peterson (bass), Mia Doi Todd (vocals), V.C.R. (violin) and Diego Gaeta (keys, synths).

 


André, Dominique (France)

Evasion (1981)

A rare library release, Dominique André's Evasion features short and some longer tracks more or less in the style of Cluster's Sowiesoso - floating synths, guitars, odd noises, some ethnic touches...

 


Andrea (Italy)

Wintermay (2016) (S)
Due In Color (2023)

A one-track inclusion for this techno artist, with "Floating" being a nice synth... floater. Update: Due In Color is an ambient breakbeat record with also a few completely floating tracks.

 


Andreas, Ludger (Germany)

Harmonies II (1986)

 


Andréasson, Per (Sweden)

Mr. Gizmo (1982)
Grön Regn & Rosa Moln (1983) (S)
Air Romance / New Age Suite (??) (S)

 


Andreolina (Italy)

An Island In the Moon (1990)

Synth duo of Pier Luigi Andreoni and Silvio Linardi. Somewhat Idustrial-like and a bit experimental music recorded with Riccardo Sinigaglia as guest.

 


Andrew, Dennis (USA)

Concepts (1985)
Reflections (1986)
Quest (1987)
Visions (1988)
Sojourn (1989)
Pulse (1991)
In Between the Comfort Zone (1996)
Archives (2002)

Dennis Andrew (Dennis Young) is a marimba player / drummer of NYC-based Liquid Liquid. He is also a solo synthesist with a 1970's-influenced analog style. His albums are private cassette releases.

See also: Young, Dennis

 


Andrews, Guy (UK)

Our Spaces (2016)
Needle Six (2016) (with Masayoshi Fujita)
Tåke (2017)
The View (2023)

Techno producer with some EM-related works to his credit. Our Spaces is a mixture of (sometimes hard-edged) techno and more elaborate, definitely progressive, although difficult to describe, sound. Needle Six is an ambient collaboration with chromatic percussion player Masayoshi Fujita). The 2017 album is a  more diverse effort, with classical sections, vocalizations from Alev Lenz, ambient interludes, some guitar playing and a few rhythmic sections.

 


Andrews, Jack (USA)

Electrokinesis (2007)
Consciousness Evolving (2008)

Diverse electronic compositions from this musician and graphic designer from Tucson, Arizona.

 


Andrews, Holland (USA)

Wordless / Forgettings (2022)

Brooklyn-based artist formerly known as Like A Villain. She uses her voice, clarinet and gentle electronics to create emotional, feather-light compositions. Definitely worth a listen.

 


Andrews, Michael (USA)

Donnie Darko (2001) (soundtrack)

Ethereal soundtrack music, with piano, minimoog, mellotron, vocoder and a couple of other instruments. It features a Tears For Fears cover (in two versions) but the rest is original material. Michael Andrews is known mainly as a guitar player but the director did not want any guitars in the movie, hence we have this atmospheric music played on keyboards by someone who never played keyboards before. The score was fairly popular after its release, mainly due to the Tears For Fears cover song (performed by an old friend Gary Jules).

 


Andrews, Mike (Netherlands)

Project Zero (1999)
Synthopia (2000)
Neon Dreams (2001)
Science & Fiction (2002)
Tides of Time (2002)
E=Motion (2002)
2019 (2003)
Slaves To the Machines (2003)
Universe of Love (2005)
Hand On String (2006)
Serve Chilled (2009)

Vangelis / Jarre copyist. The music is very well done but very derivative.

 


Andrews, Robert (UK)

A Collection of Musical Curios (1982)
Schittinee (1983)
Man of Sinistra (1984)
Cumulo (1984)
The Tourniquet (1986)
Mute (1987)
Obligate Anaerobes (1988)
Harvesting the Winter Beat (1989)
Live (1989)
Music For Compilations (1991)
In Concert (1992)
On Stage (1993)
An Amnesty For Bonny Things On Sunny Days (2000)
The Host (2002)

Solo cassettes and CD's by member of The Land of Yrx. The first album features one side of guitar dominated music and another full of sequencer experiments. Dave Gate appears during these sessions, along with the other usual LOY collaborators. It should be noted that Rob's music was becoming more and more acoustic with the passage of time, with Mute being the first one where the experimental / electronic element did not play that much of a role. However, this brief diversion was stopped with Obligate Anaerobes - a very electronic-oriented effort. Surprisingly, Andrew Pinches appears on Harvesting the Winter Beat and Live (rhymes with "give"). This collaboration continued with Rob releasing a couple of cassettes (in 1991 and 1996 respectively) that featured solo tracks from Rob as well as those of Andy Pinches, Barry Christian, Steve Hillman and Kevin O'Neill. They are not included in the discographies of respective artists as they are basically just samplers and not albums. Rob's later CD releases on Cyclops label are either pastoral (An Amnesty...) or rocking (The Host) and are far less electronic.

 See also: Land of Yrx, Aerie.

 


Andrieş, Alexandru (Romania)

Ungra (1996) (with Georg Torz)

Romanian singer-songwriter. This album is supposedly in relaxing EM mould, though. Further investigation is needed.

 


Andriessen, Jurriaan (Netherlands)

The Awakening Dream (1977)
Hardware Software (1978)
A Knight At the Theatre (1981)
Portret van Hedwig (1983)

Juriaan Andriessen is a brother of academic / avant-garde composer Louis Andriessen. He didn't follow his brother's steps, instead releasing several unusual electronic prog albums.

 


Android (Netherlands)

Spaceman's Return (2022)

Instrumental italo-disco / spacesynth project created in the 1980's by Marc Hartman.

 


Android (USA)

In Tune With Tomorrow (1982)

This album mixes rhythmic sequences with lots of vocoder voices, somewhat between Kraftwerk and Tangerine Dream. Rare.

See also: Brock, John

 


Andromalar (Ukraine)

Nunquam (2018)

Static, monolithic, but rather hypnotic and a tad dramatic ambience.

 


Andrulian (UK)

Grains (2020)
Sunday Constitutional (2020)

Varied ambient electronics with touches of glitch and experimental.

 


Andromeda Spiral (???)

Paranoya (??)

 


Andromelos2 (Japan)

Electric Reincarnation (2020)

Electronic / kraut / space rock trio consisting of Kawabata Makoto (Acid Mothers Temple, guitar), Nakaya Koichi (synths, theremin) and Okano Futoshi (drums). Cosmic, driving, electronic... If you like your Ash Ra Tempel, Heldon and Tangerine Dream, this will be for you.

See also: Kawabata, Makoto

 


Anduin (USA)

Forever Waiting (2008)
The River's Path (2008) (S)
Abandoned In Sleep (2009)
Black River (2009) (S) (with Svarte Greiner)
The Bending of Light (2009) (with Jasper TX)
XXVII (2011)
Stolen Years (2012)
Richmond Tape Club Volume Four (2013) (S)
Richmond Tape Club Volume 4B (2014) (S)
Last Days of Montrose House (2015) (S)

Dark Ambient from Jonathan Lee, sometimes with an analogue feel.

 


Andy & Zeus (USA)

Andy & Zeus (2010) (S)
Tales of Power (2012)

Cluster-inspired kraut / electronic duo of Andy Plovnick (of Astronaut fame) and Zachary Wilson aka Zeus.

 


Andymian (Poland)

Archipelag wyobraźni (2002)
In the Garden of the Rainy King (2005)
Scarecrow - Passion of Survival (2006)
Tysiące wigilii - kolędy polskie (2008)
The Lords And the Paupers (2009)
Bezsenność Aniola / Spirit - Escape From Civilization (2010)
Ładna dla nieba, wredna dla piekła / Atlantis - Journey To the Abyss of Time (2013)
Rezerwacja na łyk powietrza (2016)
Renesans - A.D. 2017 (2017)
Podróże przez... Cztery pory roku (2018)

Electronics by Andrzej Mierzynski. The style is halfway between Ambient and melodic Electronic Music.

 


Angel (???)

Sleeping Souls (2022) (S)
The Great Sleep (2022)
The Moon Shone Darker Yet (2022)
Sunsetter (2022)
In the Land of Ghostflowers (2023) (with Ithildin)
Songs of the Return (2023)

Sort of a "comfy synth" / Ambient mixture.

 


Angel 1 (USA)

Galaxy Moods (2011) (S)
Purple Haze (2013)
Liberal (2013)
Angel Activate (2014) (S)
Allegra Bin 1 (2014) (S)
Fy (2014)
Rex (2015)
Terra Nova (2017)

Indescribable and at times complex mixture of UK Bass, "deconstructed club" and Progressive Electronic from this Los Angeles-based artist. A touch of vapowave on Terra Nova.

 


Angel Dust (USA)

Enabler (2015)
Rush (2016)
Surrounding (2016) (S)
Shallow (2016)
Post (2017)
Excavatum (2017)
Soft Shots (2017)
Cascading Failures (2018) (S)

Ambient project of Kenny Rakentine.

 


Angel of Decay (USA)

Covered In Scars (2005)

Dark Ambient drone from Jonathan Canady made on analogue keyboards.

 


Angel Provocateur (USA)

Angel Provocateur (1998)
Stars Below (2000)
Cloud Street (2003)

Once again we are confronted with a Mauve Sideshow offshoot. Once again we find ethereal and at times ghostly female voice and once again we hear electronics and tons of mellotron from Dusty Lee.

See also: Mauve Sideshow, Blessed Oblivion, Steeple of Fyre, Thistle, Minus Infinity, Mistress of Strands, Torn Curtain, Kangaroo Kourt.

 


Angelo, Rob (UK)

Astronomie (2016)

Well, one thing you don't expect is an ambient / EM / Space Music album from ex-guitarist of Iron Maiden and Praying Mantis. However, Rob Angelo's Astronomie suite is exactly that.

 


Angelo Taylor (Russia)

Other Worlds (1993)
Shambala (1993)
Zvyozdnyi Put' Shambaly (1994)
Doliny Shambaly (1996)
Planetary System (1998)
Chronos - Out of Time (1999)
Breath of Silence (2002)
Alone In the Universe (2006)

Born in Nalchik in 1973, Angelo Taylor (real name - Andrzej Kravtsov) started to take some interest in Electronic Music by the late 1980's. Inspired by the melodic sounds of Jean-Michel Jarre and Kitaro, he started creating his own synthesizer compositions, first as part of the duo Zov Kosmosa (later renamed to Aura) and then as a solo artist.

See also: Aura

 


Angelos, Roman (USA)

Spacetronic Lunchbox (2020) (S)
Music For Underwater Supermarkets (2022)

A pseudonym of one Rich Bennett used for vintage library-style music and ambient / synth interludes.

 


Angipatch (France)

Star (1982) (S)

A single with Electronic Music by this French theatrical prog band. The B side is "Le Voyage".

 


Änglagård (Sweden)

Hybris (1992)
Epilog (1994)
Buried Alive (1996) (recorded in 1994)
Viljans öga (2012)

I know I'm stretching the definition of EM here. Yes, right. But even if its not your typical electronic stuff and sits more comfortably next to the "progrock" releases, these are still great albums of instrumental electronic rock. The music has some resemblances to Schicke, Fuhrs & Frohling, but also to many other classic symphonic rock bands, with a unique "Anglagard" touch, of course. Very pastoral, flowing, mellotron-drenched instrumentals that can get it overdone sometimes but are generally a low-key affair.

See also: Molesome

 


Angling Loser, The (UK)

Author of the Twilight (2013)
Arena of Apprehension (2016)

Ambient duo of Lee Norris and Sir Cliff. Gentle guitar strumming and electronics. The second CD of Author of the Twilight contains remixes by other ambient artists.

See also: Ashtoreth's Gate, Ashes of Piemonte, Autumn of Communion, Abandoned Communities, Moss Garden.

 


Angophora (Australia)

Scenes (2017)
Together (2021)

Mixture of balearic compositions, warm ambient synths and some Australian folk elements from this Sydney-based duo of Max Santilli and Jacob Fugar.

See also: Santilli

 


Angst Sessions (Sweden)

Dunklet i dimman (2018) (S)
Här vilar vårt inre svarta hav (2018)
Sorgens aska (2020)
Evighetsträd (2021)
Fickor av mörker (2022)
Mitt Inre Dekadans (2023)

Dark synth music created with the help of analog instruments, like 1970's Tangerine Dream trying to compose dungeon synth.

 


Angstkiste (Germany)

A Body of Water (2020)

Ambient project from Berlin.

 


Anguila (Chile)

A Night In the Cave (2016)

Toto Friedlaender's ambient project in which he uses a lot of field recordings, water sounds and melodic, relaxing synths.

 


Anhidema (Armenia)

Conversation With the Cosmos (2014)
La retour du Anunaki (2017)
The Lamb's Book of Life (2018)

Electronic project of Abraham Mkrtchyan aka Michael Vermey. Cinematic sound, a bit influenced by Enigma perhaps, but without the Gregorian traps of that project, a bit of Amethystium, a bit of The Pels Syndicate, a bit of Frank Van Bogaert, a bit Debussy in there...

 


Anibaldi, Leo (Italy)

Cannibald (1991)
Muta (1993)
Void (1996)
94 - 96 (2016)
Pro Pop (2023)

Italian techno producer born in 1972. A collector of analog instruments, he would sometimes venture into deeper, beatless realms, one of his best ambient outings being the long second track from Muta. File under EM-related.

 


Ánicoc (Spain)

Teku (2023)

A project of Cádiz-based ambient artist Miguel Ángel Alba. Dominated by melodies, drones and pads, created on synths, piano and some guitar.

 


Aniello (Italy)

Torino la prima volta (2021)
Non bruciare tutto (2021)
Frana (2023) (S)

Slow, minimal, repetitive, melodic ambience, very Italian in spirit.

 


ANIHILA (Australia)

Kosmobushir (2020)

Ominous, foreboding soundworlds from Duncan Ritchie. Nice for fans of the Dark Space genre.

See also: Flowers For Bodysnatchers, Rosenshoul, The.

 


Anika (UK)

Behind the Glass (2017) (with Shackleton)
Eat Liquid (2023)

Berlin-based experimental artist, singer and sound collage devotee. Eat Liquid, recorded for and at Zeiss Planetarium, is a mixture of spoken word interludes, a bit of signing and instrumental material that ranges from guitar plinking / plucking to nice ambient synth soundscapes.

 


Anima Morte (Sweden)

Viva Morte! (2007) (S)
Face the Sea of Darkness (2007)
The Nightmare Becomes Reality (2011)
Upon Darkened Stains (2014)
Intertia of the Risen (2017) (with Fabio Frizzi)
Dagon / The Cats of Ulthar / The Music of Erich Zann (2019)
Serpents In the Fields of Sleep (2022)

Instrumental electronic / progressive rock hybrid from this Swedish trio. For fans of Goblin, Fabio Frizzi, etc.

 


Animafilm (Italy)

Observatory (2007)
Patina (2009)

Varied electronic tracks. Mostly rhythmic, sometimes menacing or lulling and melodic.

 


Animal Machine (Russia)

Сумрак (2010)

Supposedly, Dark Ambient.

 


Animal Spirits, The (international)

The Animal Spirits (2017)

A collective consisting of James Holden, Etienne Jaumet, Marcus Hamblett and Tom Page. The music is a mixture of Prog EM, jazz and "electronica".

See also: Jaumet, Etienne, Holden, James.

 


Animobo (Sweden)

Nocturnes (1999)
Solitudes (2001)

Melodic EM with a romantic flair by Michael Eriksson.

 


Anirálfs (Russia)

Failure (2016)
Coma (2016)

Moscow-based Drone Ambient project of Sergey Tikhonov.

 


Aniveuxlet (USA)

Aniveuxlet (2015)
Interpretations of Non Subjects (2016) (with Nigel Newton)

Dark Ambient with more or less a classic sound from Mark Thomas Sorrentino II out of Dallas.

See also: 663

 


Anjou (USA)

Anjou (2014)
Epithymía (2017)

Varied soundscapes, based on both field recordings / digital electronics and analog synths. Mark Nelson and Robert Donne.

See also: Labradford

 


ANN (Germany)

Certain Colors (2019)

Ambient soundscapes with sporadic subtle beats, glitches and lots of field recordings. A project of Marcus Block.

 


Ann Annie (USA)

Atmospheres Vol. 1 (2017)
Atmospheres Vol. 2 (2018)
Cordillera (2018)
By Morning (2022)

Varied ambient soundscapes from Denver.

 


ANNA (Brazil)

Intentions (2023)

Anna Lidia Flores Miranda has a club / techno background, but with Intentions, she ventured into ambient EM, mixing rich synth sounds and some classical touches. Nice stuff.

 


Anna Själv Tredje (Sweden)

Tussilago fanfara (1977)

Swedish electronic duo. Anna Själv Tredje were Mikael Bojen and Ingemar Ljungstrom. The music is very much in the Klaus Schulze vein. This album was re-released in 2014 on Mellotron Records.

See also: Cosmic Overdose

 


Anna Vs June (Greece)

Proper Easter (2020)
Music For Cats (2022) (with Saber Rider)
Ersi (2023)

A project of Athens-based Anna Papaioannou. Music For Cats is a whimsical Prog EM record with lots of funny synthesizer sounds.

 


Annand, Sam (UK)

Cupar Grain Silo (2019)

Interesting record that makes use of natural reverb inside of an huge, empty grain silo, which is not so common in Electronic Music. The material itself is both atmospheric and sequencer-based.

 


Annapurna Illusion (France)

Heat of the Fire, Heat of the Sun (2008)
Matins of the Twelve Passion (2009)
Annapurna Illusion (2010) (S)
Aristoteles (2010)
The Fifth Veda (2010)
Dance of the Mesozoic (2010)
Life Is An Illusion (2011)

A project obviously inspired by "kosmische musik" pioneers like Ash Ra Tempel, Klaus Schulze, Harmonia etc. A mixture of guitars and electronics from Maxime Primault.

See also: Black Zone Myth Chant

 


Anno Luz (Brazil)

Anno Luz (1987)

Electronic Music in the vein of Tangerine Dream or early Neuronium. Anno Luz are Paulo Loureiro and Guilherme Orcutt.

 


Anocibar Lechêne, Sacha (France)

Le passage (2023)

Minimal ambience and nature sounds.

See also: ゆPlateformeゆ

 


Anode (USA)

Early Cassetto (1973)
Early Tapeworm (1975)
Floyd Cramer's Hall of Gold (1975)
I Can't Even Remember Her Name (1976)
A Month To the Day (1976)
Patternale (1976)
Music For the Deaf (1977)
Collapse of A System of Details (1977)
Roll Back To Zero (1978)
Low Key (1978)
Precious Episodes (1978)
The Faces of Memory (1978)

Minimal Spirits (1978)
The Acerbic Iconoclast (1979)
Downtime (1979)
Anode (1979)
Going To Vertical (1980)
Kinetic Experiments (1981) (recorded in 1974 - 1979)
The Bovine Medusa (1981)
Electro-Acoustic Music (1999)
Nittitunes 5 (2000)
Nittitunes 6 (2001)
Jupiter Maps (2003)
Music of Absolute Stillness (2004)
Peter Tipsy (2005)
Slippery Music (2005)
Detail Figures (2006)
Muscle Memory (2009)

Robert Carlberg has been dabbling with experimental music under the Anode moniker since 1972. He used tapes, field recordings, processing, early electronics and so on. He then went on to found a newsletter for electronic musicians called "SYNEX". He also wrote a monthly column for Electronic Musician Magazine. I am not sure how much of his output could be qualified as Prog EM. Supposedly, in the latter stages of the initial phase of Anode, the project acquired a group format with Carlberg recruiting James Keller and Charles Bronson. There is supposed to exist some Tangerine Dream-styled material from that time. Robert Carlberg is a representative of cassette DIY culture in the USA and is also known for his huge "Urban Soundscape" series of albums that contain only field recordings (not included in the discography). Kerry Leimer plays synthesizer on a lot of the early Anode productions.

 


Anomalous Disturbances (Canada)

The Spirit Molecule (2002)
HovR (2003)
Archive One (2004)
Portent (2004) (S)
Sadu Live (2006) (with Sylken and URM)
Archive Two (2009) (recorded in 2001 - 2008)
Inside (2009)
Archive Three (2014) (recorded in 2007 and 2008)

AD is Terry O'Brien, electronic musician living in Vancouver, Canada. Both albums contain great Ambient compositions and if you love the genre - be sure to check out Anomalous Disturbances! Despite the fact that the name of the project suggests something quite dark and spooky, the music is by no means Dark Ambient. In fact, on each album you will find only one track that can be considered Dark Ambient ("Disneyland of the Gods" from The Spirit Molecule and "Ploughing the Clouds" from HovR. Ok, the initial part of "Strange Fruit" is also dark). The mentioned tracks are done in the classic tradition of musicians like Lustmord. The rest of the music is not dark at all, although very atmospheric, at times comparable to some Steve Roach, or even Brian Eno. Pretty original Ambient stuff and comes as recommended.

See also: SADU, Wassonic.

 


Anomalous Leaf (USA)

Embers of November (2008)
Trapped In Time (2009) (EP)
Shines And Shadows (2010)
All Needles Point North (2010)
You Are Here (2013)
Ellipsis (2017)
Differential Light (2022) (EP)

North Carolina-based Ambient / Space Music / melodic EM / instrumental rock project.

 


Anonymous Query (USA)

Polski Acid (2014)
Pineal Transmissions Pt. 1 (2015)

Dark, resonant, electronic soundworlds.

 


Anonymous Unknown (Germany)

Drum In Peace (2017) (S)

 


Anosphere (Switzerland)

Field of Mutants (2007)
Timetraveller (2007)
Nation of Love (2009)
One And All (2011)
Flight To Planet 5 (2014)

Offering a different perspective on the classic space disco (sometimes also called spacesynth) sound, Field of Mutants features slower tracks than what this genre is known for. Anosphere is the project of Swiss musician Stefan Bieri, who had previously contributed material to several volumes of "Synthesizer Dance" sampler.

 


Another Green World (UK)

My Dreams In Your Hands (1984)
Boondocks (1988)
Adjusting the Mirror (1992)
Invisible Landscape (1996)

Psychedelic project formed by Paul Chousmer (keyboards, instruments) and Dan Carpenter (sax). They played in chillout zones of various clubs. Some nice ambient and / or cosmic stuff here.

 


Another Neglected Hobby (USA)

Remainders I (2016)

Missouri-based ambient artist Mark Cotton, whose releases to date have been mostly digital-only.

 


Another View (UK)

Look (1980)

Minimal synth project of Adrian Smith. Look, released on cassette on the legendary Mirage label, contains an instrumental track titled "The Body Value", which may interest EM fans. There may be more EM-related material on this or other releases. Further investigation is needed.

See also: Smith, Adrian

 


Anoxie (France)

Pastales (1997) (recorded in ??)

Anoxie was formed by synthesist Pascal Lachaize and he is helped by a cast of musicians on this release (Thierry Sportouche, Bernard Riboulet, Laurent Roche, Remy Soriano and Lionel Gibaudan). Pastales is more or less a collection of demos. The date of recording is not clear. Some sources say the music is from 1973 but I'm not positive. The information on the back sleeve also suggests otherwise (according to the source, Anoxie was formed in the 1980's). The production is not so great but is ok for a demo record. Take out the vocals and the rock instrumentation and you will have a CD-single-length album with several completely electronic pieces that sound like old Tangerine Dream sometimes.

 


Ansambl Medium (Serbia)

Muzika za Snove No. 1 (1988)

Ansambl Medim was led by Goran Romčević. The above album is supposedly ambient and instrumental, although the exact style is not known and may not be EM-friendly. One of those items I am not completely sure about.

 


Ansari, Salar (Iran)

Ambient Series Vol. 1 (2020) (with Rafael Leafar and Luis Resto)

What the title promises.

 


Ansatheus (Germany)

In the Constellation of Kesil (2017)
Motu-Kiwa (2017)
Mirador (2018)
Psychomental (2018)
In the Endless Space Paradise Vol. 1 (2019)
In the Endless Space Paradise Vol. 2 (2019)
Distant Worlds Vol. 1 (2019)
Distant Worlds Vol. 2 (2019)
Xalanica (2019)
Blue Electric Fields (2020)
Canadian Parks (2020)
Automatic Music (2020)
Star Travel 1 (2020)
Star Travel II (2020)
Tetagon (2021)
My Private Planet (2021)
Heimat ~ Home (2021)
Cambiamenti (2021)
Extrasolar I (2022)
Extrasolar II (2022)
Extrasolar III (2022)
Cosmic Objects (2022) (recorded in 2014)
The Invisible Factor Vol. 1 (2022)
The Invisible Factor Vol. 2 (2022)
Tangerine Time (2023)
Star Travel III (2023)
The Unvisible Factor Vol. 3 (2023)
The Unvisible Factor Vol. 4 (2023)
Space Waves (2024)

Berlin School music with great melodic sensibility.

 


Anschluss (USA)

Five Parts of 0 (1985)
The Mobile Plumb Bob (1986)
Flame du tort (??)

Experimental synth / rock duo of Rick Vrable and Scott Foust from Pennsylvalia that released a few albums privately. Has been compared to White Noise (Electric Storm).

 


Ansel Mountain (Israel)

Angry And Bitter (2017)

Varied ambient tracks here, mostly reflective and melancholic, but rarely angry or bitter ;) Keyboards and a few guitars.

 


Anser Flare (USA)

Gnosis (2022) (EP)
Apostate (2023) (EP)

Melodic, repetitive music on Gnosis. Ok, but sort of simplistic. The last two tracks are rather nice, though.

 


Antai (???)

Dreamscapes (2017)

Music clearly influenced by early Kitaro. I wonder why so few contemporary musicians actually venture into that territory.

 


Antalio (Russia)

Cosmic Nostalgie (2011)
Precious Pressures (2012)
US/SU (2012)
Neo (2012)
Heritage (2013)
LaSerpentina (2013)

Anton Talnov.

 


Antanas (Serbia)

Egregore (1992)
Terra Orthodoxa (1993)
Tribal Art (1997)
Magellan (2006)

Antanas is Nenad Antanasijevic from Belgrade. His music combines elements of Ambient, melodic Electronic Music and environmental sounds.

 


Anteloper (USA)

Kudu (2018)
Tour Beats (2019) (EP)
Pink Dolphins (2022)

This duo of Jaimie Branch and Jason Nazary combines trumpet, live drums and electronics for a sound that mixes hip-hop rhythms, jazz, dub and Progressive EM.

 


Antendex (Hungary)

Ask the River (2012)
Altered November (2013)
Windchill (2015)
Take Shelter (2017)

If you like Classic Ambient of artists like Brian Eno and Harold Budd (lots of piano), and especially the classical / Ambient hybrids of Tim Story, be sure to check the work of Tamás Olejnik aka Antendex (also known under various other psedonyms). Piano, cellos, electronics and field recordings.

 


Antenna 10 (USA)

The Ultra Soothing Sounds of the Alien Astronaut's Arpeggiator (2003)

Ambient, Space Music.

 


Antequera (Spain / UK)

Parallel (2023) (S)

Electronic Music from this trio of Aad Hinksey (Heeaad), Bran Russell and Maria Vasquez Iborra. Describing the world of dunes, this is flowing, analog, often Klaus Schulze-like music, complete with Arabic influences.

See also: Vasquez Iborra, Maria

 


Anthares (Germany)

Carina Cygnus (1987)
Areas (1990)
Sidonia (1992)
Timewindows (1994)
Periods (1997)

Alfred Göbel. In 1969 - 1985 he acted as a drummer in various rock bands and fantasy writer. Since the 1980's, composes Electronic Music in his own studio. Currently records as Interstellaris.

 


Anthares (Poland)

Poczatki (1999)
Between Heart And Mind (2004) (recorded in 1998 - 2004)

Anthares is Polish synthesist Jacek Wisniewski, who makes rhythmic and melodic, Jarre-influenced music. Jacek started composing during the 1990's, first with a computer and then with hardware synths.

 


Anthéne (Canada)

Repose (2015)
Aurora (2016) (S)
Permanence (2016)
Black Carbon (2016)
Sleep Patterns (2016) (with M. Mucchi)
Fade (2017)
Orchid (2017)
Shifting Lands (2017)
Monument Echo (2017)
Astrid (2018)
Colour Fields (2018) (S)
All Things Pass (2018)
Divisions (2018)
Echo In the Memory (2018)
Reflections In Dust (2018)
Divisions (2018)
Weightless (2019)
Virtue (2019)
Asymmetry (2019)
Lost Channel (2019)
Skyglow (2019)
Long Formations +4 (2020)
Protection (2020)
Progressions (2020) (with Andrew Tasselmyer)
Collide (2020)
The Slow Wave (2021)
Rosewater (2021)
The Equation of Time (2021) (with Simon McCorry)
Held (2021)
Maritime (2021)
Mind of Winter (2022) (with Simon McCorry)
Listening Air (2022)
Into the Setting Sun (2022) (with Stijn Hüwels)
Hope Remain (2022)
Florescence (2023) (with Simon McCorry)
Shelter (2023)
Lost Under the Sea (2023) (with David Cordero)
Balance (2023)
Soft Octaves (2023) (with James Bernard)

Toronto-based ambient artist Brad Deschamps who uses guitar, synths and melodica.

See also: Bradley Sean Alexander, Deschamps, Brad, North Atlantic Drift, Still Harbours, Rosales.

 


Anthesteria (Russia)

Beyond Nimbostratus (2003)
I Killed (2004) (S)
Nebesnaya (2005)
Phobos 1953 (2010) (soundtrack)
Eis (2016)

Dark / Medieval Ambient.

 


Anthony, Paul (UK)

City of Wire (1999)

One of the lesser known British musicians. The music is very dynamic and melodic with strong themes. Hints of Jarre and, especially, Robert Schroeder. He has released only one album so far.

 


Anthurium (Canada / Romania)

Anthurium (2018)

Long, improvised electronic tracks from this duo of Jonathan Scherk and Stefana Fratila (a Romanian-born indie-pop artist living in Canada). Sort of sparse sound here. Mostly ambient, sometimes collage-like.

See also: Fratila, Stefana

 


Antibreak (USA)

Eleven Shades of Night (2010)
Advent Star (2013)

Although known mainly for techno / IDM music, Zach Ronstadt aka Antibreak was also heavily influenced by film scores which gives a certain visuality and progressive quality to much of his work. It's still not something for EM purists for sure but the influence is there.

 


Antikatechon (Italy)

Privilegium martyrii (2011)
Chrisma crucifixorum (2012)
Out Hunting For Teeth (2013) (with Nimh)
Woe Is the Reward (2014)
I Feel Nothing But Repulsion (2016)
The Sanctum of Saturation (2018)
Complaintes au bord d'un autre monde (2020) (with Day Before Us)
Sublime Ascension (2022)

Davide Del Col's Dark Ambient project ranging from noisy to dramatically melodic.

See also: Ornament, Molnija Aura.

 


Antiklimax (France)

Plus loin vers l'est (2006)
Aurora Polaris (2008)
360 Degrees (2009)
Green Largo (2011)

French artist (real name: Vincent Benesy), strongly influenced by the Berlin School of Electronic Music. His music is released on Musea's sublabel "Dreaming".

 


Antineutron2 (USA)

Zero Gravity (2023)

Long tracks with noisy synths, drones, etc. Rather austere and minimal.

See also: Pupin, Michael, Silent Cosmic Travel

 


Antiquus Scriptum (Portugal)

Compêndio do Mal (Ou Crónicas de um Mago) (2023)

Medieval Ambient release from this metal band. Slow pads, organs, Gregorian chants etc.

 


AntiZycle (Germany)

No Light (2001)

Ambient soundscapes, a bit dark.

 


Antlers Mulm (Germany)

Интеркосмос (2019)
Spring2020 (2020)
Weihnachtsfunk 5 (2020)
Ankh Aster Log - The Tentaep Recordings (2021)
Sailing Orders Given (2022)
Paranoid Blue + (2022)
Anchors (2022) (EP)
An Accurate Replica (2024)

Downtempo / industrial project formed in 2003 by Hans Johm. On Интеркосмос and Spring2020, he explores spacey ambient EM territory.

See also: Casia

 


Ant'lrd (USA)

Sleep Drive (2016)
Cherubian (2017)
Deck Amber (2018) (with Benoit Pioulard)

Alt'lrd is a lo-fi drone project of Colin Blanton from Portland (where else?). For Sleep Drive he seemingly eschewed the lo-fi / sample-based / electro-acoustic / whatever approach to concentrate on synth music of strange, monotonous, monolithic kind, a bit like a stoned version of Cluster. Two of the tracks have slow rhythms and then there's an ambient epic on side B.

 


Antone (UK)

In the Underground (1989)

Experimental electronic band consisting of people who call themselves Anton, Zazas, Penga and Electronique.

See also: Penga

 


Antonini, Federico (Italy)

ANY service – GENTLE GHOST can provide ANY service. Ring 603 8581 (2023)

Varied, abstract, collage-like electronics.

 


Antonini, Vincent Gabriel (USA)

Unforeseen (2002)

Ambient artist whose album sounds like a mixture of Tim Story and Robert Rich styles, with synth, some acoustic instruments and concrete sounds.

 


Antonius Rex (Italy)

Neque semper arcum tendit rex (1974)
Anno Demoni (1975)
Zora (1977)
Ralefun (1978)
Praeternatural (1980)
Magic Ritual (2004)
Switch On Dark (2006)
Per Viam (2009)
H.D. (2012)
Hystero Demonopathy (2013)

This is indeed a later incarnation of Jacula, with Doris Norton handling the synth chores. It's dark and doomy e-prog. Comparisons: think a mixture of Jacula, some Floyd, dark Tangerine Dream (circa Sorcerer) and Goblin. Not for the average synth fan, of course. Especially when there are also some vocals (mostly spoken or whispered voices sinked in reverb, but some singing, too).

See also: Jacula, Norton, Doris.

 


Antrilon (USA)

Mind Erase (2008)

Antrilon is Greg Kozlowski who is known for his spacey guitar contributions to the music of Architectural Metaphor and Secret Saucer. Here, he presents abstract electronic soundscapes, done in real time on analogue modular synthesizers. Some of the pieces are totally formless, others slightly melodic. It will appeal to fans of Experimental EM and 1960's sci-fi soundtracks.

 


Antunes, Lucie (France)

Sergeï (2019)

Classically-trained drummer and percussionist, member of indie pop / rock band Moodoïd. As a solo artist, she makes complex music where she combines her drumming and percussion with electronics and unusual instrumentation (such as the Ondes Martenot for example). Tempo changes, classical / cello interludes, vocalizations, synths and ambient compositions - it's all there, it's progressive and it's really good.

 


Anu (USA)

Nightwinds Return (2019)

Subtitled "Early Winter Ambient Works", this is a collection of ambient pieces from this black metal outfit. Melancholic sound, which, for some reason, gives me a slight Klaus Schulze feel on "Sorrowful Gates of Winter".

See also: Romannis Mötte

 


Anubian Lights (UK)

The Eternal Sky (1995)
Let Not the Flame Die Out (1998)
Live With Nik Turner (1999)
Naz Bar (2001)
Brainsquid (2002)
Crippled Dick Hot Wax (2002)
Phantascope (2004)
Distant Beacons: Unreleased Tracks & Rarities 2002 - 2011 (2011)

Should this be here? I say yes. Even if it's not always and completely electronic, the music has been described numerous times as a mixture of Hawkwind and Tangerine Dream. Anubian Lights are Adele Bertei, Tommy Grenas and Len Del Rio.

See also: Nik Turner's Sphynx, House, Simon.

 


Anutta (Thailand)

อนัตตา (1986)

This seems to be a rare LP with Electronic Music issued in Thailand.

 


Anvil Fx (Brazil)

Anvil Machine (2013)
Jolymod DIY (2014)

Started in the late 1990's, Anvil FX is an industrial / minimal synth group centered around Paulo Beto (aka Paulo Roberto de Castro). Making use of two Jolymod DIY modular synths (built by Arthur Joly), the 2014 album is a real electronic trip music created in this particular case by a duo of Beto and Pedro Zopelar. Fantastic analog EM sounds all over. Meanwhile, the EM tendencies had already appeared on 2013's Anvil Machine, on which Arthur Joly himself plays synthesizer. It is a mixture of the project's punk / minimal synth roots and krauty electronics.

See also: Church of Synth

 


Anxiety Machine (USA)

"Probably" (2018)
Mortality Awareness Day (2021)

Shorter tracks, mostly of ambient nature, often loop-based and lo-fi, sometimes synthy and analog.

 


Anzai, Fumitaka (Japan)

Juma Densetsu (1982)
Fly To the Future (1985)
Itihasa (1988)
Best In the 80's (1995) (recorded in ??)
Kyrie Canto Cybernetico (1999)
God Mars (??) (soundtrack)
Exclusive Sequences (2001)
Silent Night (??)
Mission Asteroid (2010)

Japanese cartoon music writer and owner of Anz's synth museum. Analogue electronics with some progrock tendencies (made with piano, synths, mellotron...). Interestingly enough, Kyrie Canto Cybernetico combines Electronic Music with female operatic vocals. You think it won't work? Well, it does in this case!

See also: TPO

 


Anzelm Zukrowsky, Marek (Sweden)

Tät a tät (1986)

The name of the artist sounds Polish to me. However, his cassette was released on a Swedish label, the titles are in Swedish too and apart from his name, there's no evidence whatsoever that the artist is actually from Poland. Melodic, tuneful music, a bit influenced by minimal synth, but also by prog EM. Alternatively melodic, rhythmic (with drum machines) and ambient or experimental.

 


Anzen Chitai (Japan)

プルシアンブルーの肖像 オリジナル・サウンドトラック (1986) (soundtrack)

Japanese AOR / pop band. The above is a soundtrack that contains some ambient electronic material.

See also: Kawashima, Yuji

 


Anzio Green (UK)

Autumn Honey (2008)
A Day Without Distance (2013)
Lygan (2019)

Ambient duo of Wil Bolton and Mark Streatfield. Experimental soundscapes, with something of a slight Cluster flair on Lygan.

See also: Bolton, Wil.

 


Aoki, Nozomi (Japan)

北斗の拳 Synthesizer Fantasy (1985)

 


AOOM (Russia / Ukraine)

Aequinoctium (2019)

Long, moody ambient tracks made with guitar, processing, loops and electronics.

See also: Uhushuhu, Creation VI, Petrograd Drone Gathering.

 


Aos (Sweden)

Den heliga ån (2018)

Melodic, hypnotic and rather ambient electronic compositions with sporadic rhythms.

See also: Graften

 


Aotūroa (New Zealand)

Aotūroa (2021)

Indie pop artist who is also into Ambient. The above album has both styles.

 


Aoyama, Michiru (Japan)

About Alice (2012)
The Sound Is Shining (2013)
Warm Season (2014)
In A Dream (2015)
Wetlands (2017) (S)
Winter Light (2018) (S)
Brilliant Days (2018)
Screen Shot (2019)
Blue Hour (2020)

Ambient musician from Japan with a shimmering sound.

 


Apaixonar (USA)

Bravelove (2020) (S)
Feitiçaria (2020) (S)
Vida e Visão (2021)
O Amor Dentro das Máquinas (2021)
Rehearsal Sequences 9-3-2021 (2021)

A project of Grand Rapids, Michigan-based Brandon Hill. Abstract modular soundscapes with a lot of relief and an almost 3D, physical feel sometimes. Intense, sometimes a bit noisy, at other times vaguely melodic and dramatic.

 


Aparicio, Emilio (Guatemala)

Los Visitantes de Sirio / El Nacimento Diario (??) (S)
Paren la Contaminacion del Aire / La Ceremonia (??) (S)
El Misterio de Tiahuanaco / Expansion Galactica (??) (S)
Transfiguración del Iniciado / El Optimista (??) (S)
Bo Bo Bo Beu / Tristezas Quetzaltecas y Juventud Antiqueña (??) (S)
Todo Cambia / Brujeria (??) (S)
Expansión Galáctica (Musica Electronica) (2017) (recorded in ??)

Emilio Aparicio "Moog" was probably the first Guatemalan artist to purchase a Moog synth back in the late 1960's. He then released a few 7" records with his wacky homebrew Electronic Music. These were never sold commercially, but rather given away in bars in exchange for corks. The recordings were salvaged by Mental Experience label and released on CD and LP in 2017.

 


Apart (Portugal)

Porcelana (2019)

Hypnotic electronic compositions. Ambient, but not really flowing, more like with underlying pulse or with a menacing feel most of the time. Cinematic stuff reminding on sci-fi soundtracks. Nice sequencing on "Saudade".

 


Ape Finger of the Stars (international)

Mountain, Forest, Ocean (2019)

Berlin-based improvisational collective with German, Finnish, Italian and Swedish members. Sort of a droning, kosmische sound.

 


Apeiron (Austria)

A Separate Reality (1995)
Stardust (1997) (S)
Music For Astral Projection (2017)

Ambient electronic side project of the leader of black metal project Golden Dawn. Cosmic sound, initially dungeon synth-related, then moving towards melodic EM on Music For Astral Projection. Nice.

 


Apeiron (Germany)

Circuit (1989)
Twilight People (1991)
Imagic (1993)
Originell (1994)
Mirror Images (2001) (with Vasudeva)

Apeiron is Andreas (formerly Konrad) Prinz. Melodic and rhythmic EM. Hints of the great masters are here, and the blend of these influences is very pleasant. Mirror Images is more ethnic sounding. Unfortunately, Andreas Prinz has abandoned music making completely after Mirror Images was released (or maybe even before that?).

 


Apel, Ted & Burr, Anthony (USA)

False Iguana (2018)

A lysergic trip with organ and electronics.

 


Åpenbaring (Sweden??)

Balance of Nature (2016)

Sort of a dungeon synth-related sound here, with piano and synth atmospheres.

 


Aperus (USA)

Tumbleweed Obfuscated By Camera Failure (2003)
Hinterland (2004) (EP)
Ecotone (2013) (with James Johnson)
Lie Symmetry (2018)
Archaic Signal (2020)
Weather Anomalies (2021)

Ambient / soundscapes by one Brian McWilliams.

See also: Remanence

 


Aphrodite’s Child (Greece)

666 (1972)

Aphrodite’s Child is a ‘progressive rock’ band formed in the 60’s. It included Vangelis and his long-time friend Demis Roussos. The early albums actually have nothing to do with Electronic Music, as it is simple pop-rock music with maybe occasional progressive touches and romantic (usually) lyrics. The most experimental album is 1972’s ‘666’. It was also their last one. On this record Vangelis is already showing his talent as a keyboardist and a few electronic manipulations are also involved. Hints of the famous sound that eventually would be born out of Vangelis’ studio/laboratory can already be noticed. Recommended for Vangelis completists and for those who are curious as to how he has arrived to his famous electronic sound.

See also: Vangelis

 


Apiary, The (USA)

Descent (1997)
Sketches (??)

Ambient comparable to Robert Rich by Michael Bentley (aka eM, aka Mollusk).

See also: Bentley, Michael, eM, Mollusk, Rhomb.

 


APigeon (Canada)

APigeon Is Born (2020)

A project of singer and multi-instreumentalist Annie Sama. Nice flowing vocal tracks and one Cluster-like electronic instrumental ("Miles"). File under EM-related.

 


åpne sinn (USA)

Espiritista (2011)
En Seier (2012)

Boston-based ambient artist who uses downtempo beats on some of his tracks. The purely ambient numbers are pretty good.

 


Apócrýphos (USA)

The Prisoners Cinema (2015)
Onyx (2015) (with Kammarheit and Atrium Carceri)
Stone Speak (2016)
Echo (2017) (with Kammarheit and Atrium Carceri)
Against Civilization (2020)
Phantoms Received (2022)

Dark Ambient from Robert C. Kozletsky.

See also: Psychomanteum

 


Apollo Eastman (Russia)

Ghost Letters (2021)

Ambient and melodic compositions with glitchy elements.

 


Apollo Noir (France)

A/N (2017)
Chaos ID (2019)
ACIE E R R (2022)
Adrien Pallot & A/N (2022) (with Adrien Pallot)
Yoga Power Love Connection (2023)

Paris-based artist with an absolutely unique style - a melodic and rather accessible mixture of modern club-related styles, IDM and melodic Progressive EM. Nice stuff.

 


Apollonius (Netherlands)

Wonder, Harmony And Embodiment (2018) (with Moment2Moment)
The Sea of Potentials (2018) (with Dronny Darko)

Ambient artist (real name - Eelke van Hoof).

See also: Human Metronome

 


Apollo's Harp (Canada)

Guardian of the Eternal Flame (2022) (S)
Born Under the Sign of Jove (2023)

One of the projects of London, Ontario-based musician Preston Lobzun. It's a weird one for sure. Essentially a "dungeon synth"-related project inspired by pre-Christian Roman religion, it takes in other influences and sounds, of which Progressive Electronic is one of the more prominent ones.

 


ApollyoN (UK)

Iscariot (??)
Strychnine (??)
Embracing the Shadows of Self-Doubt (2001)
Veror Aesik (2004)

ApollyoN is UK Ambient musician Roy Nash.

 


Apologist (USA??)

Houston (2017)
Underdog (2019)
Reception (2019)
Dirt Road (2020)
Anhedonia (2020)
Honking (2021)
Away (2022)
Turnout (2022) (S)
If They Remember To Write You Down (2022) (S)
Everything Feels Brighter (2023)

Ambient soundscapes with noisier bits and sort of a lo-fi feel. Apollogist is Rose Actor-Engel aka Rose Rae.

 


Aponogeton (Belgium)

And In That Fierce And Endless Night Every Star Burned Twice As Bright... (2016)
A Place of Solace (2019)

Varied analog-based music, mostly influenced by the Berlin School and to a lesser extent by Ambient.

 


Apoptose (Germany)

Nordland (2000)
Bluetopfer (2002)
Schattenmadchen (2007)
Warrior Creed (2008) (with Joy of Life)
Bannwald (2010)
Ana Liil (2014)
Die Zukunft (2018)
Bluetopfer (2023)

One-man project by a guy that goes by the name Rüdiger. The music ranges from pure Dark Ambient, to Martial Ambient (Bluetopfer), ambience with spoken words (Schattenmadchen) and something quite intense, melodic and symphonic.

 


Apoptygma Berzerk (Norway)

Exit Popularity Contest (2016)

EBM / electro-industrial band led by Stephan Groth. This unusual release gathers instrumental pieces from a couple of previously released EP's, adding a couple of unreleased tracks. 1980's synth soundtrack style and general Prog EM rule here, with allusions to Tangerine Dream, Kraftwerk, Vangelis and many more.

 


Apotek (Belgium)

Unknown Territories (2023)

Electronic project of keyboardist Elisa Di Riccio. Mostly instrumental material, ranging from danceable to flowing / progressive. Some vocal songs as well. Overall, it's only partly EM, though.

 


Apoxupon (USA)

Impermanence Throne (2019)
Revived (2019)
How the Garden Grows (2019)
Nameless And Formless (2021)
Avaloka (2022)
Mana (2023)

Austin-based project dedicated to various forms of ambient and melodic synth expression. The author describes the music on How the Garden Grows as "forest synth" (similar to dungeon synth I guess but with a different set of influences). The music is indeed quite interesting and unique, with lots of nature sounds and a strong neo-classical feel, without eschewing its "synthiness" like a lot of dungeon synth does. Revived is more diverse and also closer to "typical EM", often focusing on repeating sequences, but also showing strong new-classical tendencies. Impermanence Throne is the darker of the three.

 


Apparat Organ Quartet (Iceland)

Apparat Organ Quartet (2000) (EP)
Apparat Organ Quartet (2002)
Pólýfónía (2010)

Pretty fun band here, formed as a quartet initially, then joined by a live drummer. All sounds are played live by band members on different wacky instruments that include Russian synths, obscure transistor organs, old-school vocoders, "malfuncioting Hammonds" and circuit-bent home keyboards. Jolly "synth-pop" sound with lots of vocoders, melodic and Kraftwerk-ian in its essence.

See also: Jóhansson, Jóhann, Eldjárn, Úlfur.

 


Appelqvist, Hans (Sweden)

Swimming Pool (2017)

Sound collage / folktronica artist active since the early 2000's. Swimming Pool has some progressive elements, especially on tracks like "We Touch We Part We Tear Up".

 


Appleblim (UK)

Avebury (2015) (S)
Minus Degree (2016) (S)

Appleblim is Bristol-based dubstep / techno musician and deejay Laurie Osborne. He sometimes makes forays into electronic soundscapes. The releases containing this type of ambient, EM-related material, will be listed here.

 


Applescal (Netherlands)

Diamond Skies (2020)

Pascal Terstappen. Mostly upbeat melodic techno / house plus two ambient tracks. Of these, the excellent climatic closer "Air Miles" is the one that leaves hope for future EM / ambient releases from this guy.

 


Appleton, Jon (USA)

Four Fantasies For Synclavier (1982)
Brush Canyon (??) (recorded in 1983 - 1988)

Avant-garde academic composer who's been under the radar of most EM fans I think. His extensive body of work includes symphonic and vocal works, as well as electroacoustic music. Starting from the late 1970's / early 1980's Jon has been fascinated by the possibilities of the Synclavier digital system. The above LP from 1982, includes, among other pieces, "The Sweet Dreams of Miss Pamela Beach", a surprisingly warm and accessible, melodic piece that will be enjoyed by Prog EM fans for sure. The same quality is felt in Brush Canyon's title track (1986), although that one is already closer in feel to typical academic electronic music. Ok, some of it does sound a bit like general midi music you'd hear in the Doom game from the early 1990's, but still pretty interesting overall. Further investigation is needed.

 


Appo Sound Project (Japan)

Dirty Pair (1983) (soundtrack)
SF Animethology '86 (1986)
Maps: Densetsu No Samayoeru Seijintachi (1987) (soundtrack)

Studio formation that seems to focus on anime / manga scores. Based on synthesizers and ranges from cheesy to nicely atmospheric.

 


Apprentice Destroyer (USA)

Glass Ceiling Universe (2015)
Permanent Climbing Monolith (2019)

San Francisco-based multi-instrumentalist with his own vision of kraut-influenced composition. Ranges from guitar-heavy motorik excursions to glitchy experimental stuff, to nice and warm analog electronics with hyperactive sequencer runs.

 


Approaching Infinity (UK)

En passant (2018) (recorded in 2012 - 2013)
Invisible Conversation (2019)
Triton (2021)
Substratum (2023)

Varied cosmic and a bit noisy electronics from Alan Freeman and Jim Tetlow.

See also: Freeman, Alan, Tetlow, Jim, Endgame, Eruption.

 


Appropriate Savagery (France)

Volume I: Negligible Grace (2017)
Agony of the Impenitent (2017)
In the Lands of Mercy (2018)
Despite the Splendor of Your Ideal (2018)
Elegant In Its Brutality (2018)
Praise & Shame, the Burning Heart (2019)
Spatters of Paint, Bloody Wrist (2019)
The Same Demons Drawn On A Crumpled Piece of Paper (2020)
Chaos As Inevitable Addiction (2021)
Behind the Rope, Your Treacherous Smile (2021)
Inneterre, Reborn (2022)
Only Autumn Returns (2023)

Poetic, melancholic Ambient with distant, ethereal pianos and noisy bits. A project of David Lacroix.

 


Apta (UK)

Tabula Rasa (2019) (EP)
Rainbow Islands (2020)
Sun (2020)
Dyskolos / 1Hr Walk (2020) (S)
Vignettes (2021)
Echoes (2021)
Starlight (2022) (S)

Tinkling arpeggios, sequences, cheesy uplifting melodies...

 


Apulati Bien (Belgium)

D'ap (2019) (EP)
RER Tracks (2020) (EP)
Ultimate Best of Live (2021)
Azone (2022)
Non masse (2023)
Exvivo (2023)

Rather unique experimental EM, with lots of inventive sounds and rhythms. I like this one.

 


AQi Fzono (Japan)

Phosphorescence (1988)
Echoes (1990)
Ruins (1993)
Cathedral (1995)
Cosmology (1998)
Chronicle (2003)

This Japanese artist fuses several styles together and mostly creates rather pompous and over-the-top compositions where one can hear influences of symphonic music, progressive rock, melodic Electronic Music of artists like Jean-Michel Jarre and trance / dance music. I am sure at least some of it will appeal to fans of Jarre and Oldfield. He calls his music "symphonic techno" but it's not like he is part of the techno scene or culture, except maybe for Aurora Heads - a band AQi Fzono was involved in prior to starting his solo career. The first solo album was released under the pseudonym "Siamese Twin".

 


Aqmoolator (Poland)

Jutro bedzie lepiej (2007)

Melodic music in the tradition of Jean-Michel Jarre and Marek Bilinski.

 


Aqua Dorsa (Italy)

Cloudlands (2009)
The November Earth (2013)

Ambient duo of Gianluigi Gasparetti and experimental guitar player Enrico Coniglio.

See also: Oophoi, Coniglio, Enrico.

 


Aqua Rock (USA)

Aqua Rock (1990)

Synthesizer rock with Tangerine Dream touches and some vocals. Music by Eric Steininger.

 


Aquachill (France)

<> (2014)

Someone who calls himself Théo B. (from Rennes) creates shimmering, cosmic, relaxing dreamscapes.

 


Aquarium (Japan)

Luxury Water Jewels (??) (S)

Deep house project from Tokyo. The above 12-incher, though, is largely ambient. Of the five tracks, three will be of some interest.

 


Aquarius (Germany)

Recalls & Illusions (1994)

Soft, melodic, almost melanchonic electronics from member of Nautilus.

See also: Weiden, Ralph, Nautilus.

 


Aquarius, René (Netherlands)

Universe (2020)

Massive, monolithic droning ambient tracks from this experimental musician, drummer and member of Dead Neanderthals.

 


Aquatic Slumber (Sweden)

Submerged (2019) (S)

Varied electronics, often using phasing and other effects trying to create the feeling of being underwater.

 


Aquavoice (Poland)

Water Music (2001)
Sound Chaser (2002)
Virus (2003)
Dream Designer (2003)
Electronic Music (2004)
I Remember Berlin (2006)
Cold (2008)
Memories (2009)
Grey (2013)
Nocturne (2014)
Silence (2018)
Zawieje (??)

Music In Berlin / melodic Jarre style by Tadeusz Łuczejko (some releases are more in Ambient vein). The project was formed in 1996 as a duo with Piotr Woltynski. After a while, Tadeusz went solo under the same name.

 


Aqueous (UK)

Tall Cloudtrees Falling (1995)
Meeting the Magus (1997) (with Hans-Joachim Roedelius)
Entertaining Angels (1998)
Arcadia (2009)

Ambient duo of Andy Heath and Felix Jay heavily influenced by Cluster and, especially, Hans-Joachim Roedelius' solo work.

See also: Heath, Andy

 


Aquilina, Calogero (Italy)

Draunara (2021)

Sicily-born artist currently residing in Rome. Varied ambient sound, mostly moody, darkish and analog. Pretty nice overall.

See also: Kalos

 


Aquim (USA)

Holding Out (2022)

Aquatic, cinematic electronics from Melissa Thyme Monroe.

 


Aquinox (Netherlands)

Heliosphere (2016)

Utrecht-based musician with a style between Ambient, Space Music and new age.

 


AQV (USA)

AQV (2011)
Blue Machine (2019)

A project of Brian Grainger dedicated to ambient drones and analog synth exploration.

See also: Milieu, Coppice Halifax, Occur.

 


Ar. Ma. (Poland)

Winter (2018)

A project of Artur Maciak with his brother (I think) Witold helping out. Ambient compositions on the theme of winter. Synths and field recordings.

 


Arabi, Osman (Lebanon)

Burning Sigils (2008)
001 (2009)
Destroying Symmetry (2014)
Intent (2017)

Dark soundscapes.

See also: Seeker

 


Aragües, Tomas (Spain)

Elektronikan (1975)

More a curiosity than anything else, this album features Basque folk songs arranged for synthesizer.

 


Arai, Riow (Japan)

Ambient Works (2012) (recorded in ??)

Techno artist from Japan, making music since the 1990's. It is that decade that the bulk of the material on Ambient Works seems to originate from. Relaxing, chilled, airy.

 


Arai, Yusaku (Japan)

A Two (2023)

Varied ambient and experimental compositions - a bit glitchy, with piano, synths, etc.

 


Aram 17 (Armenia)

The Vision of Death (2019)

Dark Ambient.

See also: 73 Miles

 


Arámbula, Paul (USA)

Towantowanto (2021)

Sort of lo-fi pop artist from Arizona, currently residing in Berlin. Paul Arámbula was a member of several no wave bands. His own material tends to focus on improvisation, has vocals to a certain extent, but is often instrumental, with sort of a jazzy, pastoral flow. File under EM-related.

 


Aran Elda (France)

Isilme Ilrealasse (2004)

Relaxing Ambient and keyboard music in sedate Burzum vein. A limited edition tape that clocks at 38 minutes.

 


Aran, Tomoko (Japan)

神経衰弱 (1981)

Japanese singer. This is her debut album that was produced by Yasuaki Shimizu. Amazingly, it closes with an instrumental electronic piece called "Meditation". Pity it's too short (under 3 minutes). As such, it's EM-related at best.

 


Arandel (France)

Solarispellis (2014)
Umbrapellis (2015)
Aleae (2017)
Turbatrix (2019)
InBach (2019)
InBach Vol. 2 (2021)

Hard to describe the sound of Arandel. He is a techno / "electronica" producer first and foremost, but he loves his analog synths and draws inspiration from generations of electronic artists, starting from the 1960's and well into the new century. File under EM-related.

 


Arash (Germany)

Corpus pineale (1991)

Arash Parsania is a German synthesist of Iranian descent who makes rhythmic, melodic, dynamic, orchestral Electronic Music, sometimes dancey and / or with an Oriental flair.

 


Arashnia, Kamran (Iran)

Bounds Elimination (2022)

Iranian artist. Bounds Elimination is a concept work exploring the idea of an error, technical or otherwise. Moody, atmospheric, glitchy, cerberal...

 


Arbadax (Italy)

A Sad Story of Blood And Love (2021)

Related to the "dungeon synth" genre, Milan's Arbadax creates minimalist, melodic EM with strong emotions and epic drama.

 


Arbee (Canada)

Libre arbitre (2012)
Variations verdâtres (2015)
Polysémie (2017)
Unified Formations (2018) (with Specta Ciera)
Surface (2018) (with Specta Ciera)
La place est prise (2023)

Quebecois ambient artist (Mathieu Lamontagne). Starting in a more IDM-influenced mould, has fully developed into Ambient by 2018 or so.

See also: Lamontagne, Mathieu

 


Arber (UK)

Arber (2019)

Ambient with a huge piano presence from Daniel Land out of London.

See also: Riverrun

 


Arbex, Fernando (Spain)

El Caballero del Arco Iris (1981)

Solo album by this late artist (who used to live in Madrid) and ex-member of Los Brincos, Alacran and Barrabas. This album contains music for ballet and marries symphonic and electronic music. It starts in the electronic mode then goes to full-on symphonic, only to return to electronic sequences near the end.

See also: Dawn, The

 


Arboglith (Bosnia And Herzegovina)

Promo Tape 2019 (2019) (S)
Space Odyssey (2021)

Using analog textures, Arboglith creates cosmic, repetitive "dungeon synth"-like compositions. Ok, although the range of sounds is rather limited.

 


Arboria (UK)

Arboria (2019)
II (2021)

A duo of Alec Wood and Jonathan Parkes. Pastoral kosmische electronics with some acoustic instruments. Sometimes with an "English Cluster" feel.

See also: Korb, Mutante.

 


Arbre du Ténéré (Italy)

La pelle del fantasma (2015)
Quando gli uomini adoravano la Luna (2016)

Interesting Italian duo between free improvisation, psychedelia and Ambient, with strong kraut influences.

 


Arbre Noir (Germany)

Moments (1998)
Live (1998)
Beyond (2000)
Live (2000)
Traveller (2001) (with Polygon)
Serpent (2002)
Roam (2004)
Madurai (2006)

This is Tribal Ambient music in early 90's Roach realms. Fans of the American synthesist are recommended to check it out.

 


ARBRVTÆ (USA)

Bloom (2021)

Grand Rapids, Michigan-based project mixing field recordings and ambient synth composition.

 


Arbus, Karel (Australia)

Some Backland Plaza (2017) (with Eiji Takamatsu)

Originally from Australia, Karel Arbus is an artist who has been residing in Japan since 1997 where he has been working as a carpenter. Varied ambient compositions with a touch of other EM styles (a late 1980's Klaus Schulze feel apears in places).

 


ARC (UK)

Octane (1998)
Radio Sputnik (2000)
Blaze (2003)
Arcturus (2005)
Fracture (2007)
Church (2010)
Umbra (2014)
Fleet (2017)

Two well-known British synthesists Ian Boddy and Mark Shreeve collaborate under the name of ARC. Music of the duo is classic teutonic analog electronics. The emphasis is on sequences. Real fasten-your-seat-belts experience. Very good, indeed.

See also: Boddy, Ian, Shreeve, Mark.

 


Arc Rae (Germany)

Sacred Ground (2019)
Primitive (2021)

Nice atmospheric, cinematic EM in an individual style from this Berlin-based project. Focuses on various synths, with just a touch of glitchiness perhaps.

 


Arcane (UK)

Gather Darkness (1999)
Future Wreck (2000)
Alterstill (2001)
33 1/3 RPM (2004)
Pulse (2007)
Tomorrow's Wasteland (2009)
Jodrell Bank 22 April 2000 (2014)
Perihelion (2014) (EP)
Contagion (2015)
Automaton (2016)
Moon (2017)
Live @ E-Day 2017 (2017)

Classic analog Berlin School EM by Paul Lawler (aka Max van Richter). Tangerine Dream from early eighties comes to mind immediately. Early works are ok, but somewhat lacking in originality, later he developed a more individual style.

See also: Lawler, Paul, Richter, Max van.

 


Arcane Allies (Germany)

Saraswati (2019)
Sunra Oscillations (2023)

Krautrock-influenced band with lots of nice synthies and healthy doses of motorik.

See also: Ornamental

 


Arcane Device (USA)

Engines of Myth (1988)
100 Tapes Project (1988)
Improvisations (1988)
Feedback Music (1988)
Feedback Music II (1988)
Feedback In Turmoil (1989)
Half Live (1989)
Four (1989)
Fetish (1990) (with PGR)
Six (1990)
Also Sprach Zarathustra (1991)
Interstices (1992)
Diabolis ex machina (1992)
Arcane Device 6 + 4 (1993)
Trout (1993)
Envoi In Cumin (1993)
Dbl.Fdbk (1993) (with Asmus Tietchens)
Speiseleitung (1996) (with Asmus Tietchens)
Noise Matrix Mantras / Modular Waves (2014)
Ruins (2021)
N28: Omniscient (2022)

Experimental, at times dark soundscapes by David Lee Myers from New York, USA. I've seen comparisons to subtle Vangelis circa Bladerunner. Not sure he should be in this encyclopedia, because he uses mainly feedback devices, not synths. Besides, he is known more as an industrial composer. Nevertheless, this Vangelis comparison made me leave him in. For now. But I'm still not certain. After 1996 or so, David proceeded to release albums under his own name.

See also: Myers, David Lee

 


Arcane Earth Reboot (Austria)

Waves of Eternal Change (2022)
The Golden Abyss (2022)
Transmission From Brarth 85 Wr (2023) (with KLETtTERMAX)
Cirrocumulus (2023)

Arcane Earth Reboot is a solo ambient EM project of Austrian-born, Leipzig-based synthesist Josua Karlson. Flowing synths, cosmic moods, mysterious atmospheres...

See also: Die Rumpelwichte

 


Arcane Prospect (Colombia)

Última Floración (2021) (EP)

A project from Medellín. Ranges from beautiful sequencer ("Espérame") to techno ("Ilusión") and ambient EM ("Una Vez Más"). Nice cinematic feel to this music.

 


Arcanist (France)

Poseidonist (2021)
Hyperborea (2022)

Unique duo mixing EM with some elements of "dungeon synth" and black metal. Excellent melodic sensibility and a lot of nice and rich synth sounds here.

 


Arcanum (Germany)

Alaska - Behind the White Sea (1996)
Klang-Raum-Wort (1996)
Man In the Mirror (1997)
The Ancient Saga (1999)
Das Labyrinth (2000)
Klang-Raum-Wort X (2004) (with friends)

Arcanum is German musician Bernd Franz Moritz Braun. Rhythmic Berlin style Electronic Music, but mostly rather laid-back. Actually, very convincing. Recommended for any EM fan, but those who hate electronics better look elsewhere. And stop reading this encyclopedia! :-)

 


Archaïa (France)

Archaïa (1977)
1976 La bande perdue (2021) (recorded in 1976)
Harmonie solaire (2021)

Heldon fans take note. Hard boiled mixture of Heldon / Magma influences resulting in an extremely intense and powerful brew.

 


Archangelsk Jugend (Croatia)

Dokumentji I - XXVI (2004)

Moody, sample-laden Martial Ambient tracks.

 


Arche (Germany)

First Cause (2014)

Darkish ambient sounds from Berlin.

 


Archer, Nate (USA)

Wild Tigers I Have Known (2022) (recorded in 2006) (soundtrack)

Electronic soundtrack with a varied bunch of tracks.

 


Architects of Existence (Ireland / USA)

Architects of Existence (2017)
Three Deep Breaths (2020)

Ambient duo of Mick Chillage and Eric Taylor.

See also: Chillage, Mick

 


Architectural (Spain)

Metropolitan Opera (2017)

Dramatic, classically-inspired ambient compositions, sometimes even bringing to mind Klaus Schulze's "operatic" period (1993 - 1994). Architectural is a diverse musical project of Juan Rico. Further investigation is needed, as there are some other releases as well.

 


Architectural Metaphor (USA)

Odysseum Galacti (1994)
Creature of the Velvet Void (1997)

Space rock band from the USA consisting of Paul Eggleston, Bill Buitenhuys, Deb Young, Dave Gorrill, Pat Murphy and Andrea Aguayo. Apparently they mix space rock with some electronic stuff. Some examples of (primarily) electronic pieces by them are "Kairos" from Creature..., as well as the title track, "Cascading Foliage" and "Anu" from Osysseum Galacti. Further invenstigation is needed.

See also: Bionaut

 


Architectures (USA)

Textures 1 (2014)

Varied electronic compositions, mostly atmospheric but also with some pulses and rhythms.

See also: Daar, Chuck, Hexagram, Cathedrals of Sound, Vapor State, A.V.P., Return To Titan, Sky People, The.

 


Architexture (UK)

Architexture (2003)

Architexture was formed in 2003 and consists of David Gurr (C.H.A.O.S., The Omega Syndicate - synths, samplers & sequencers) and Stuart Jackson (synths & rhythm machines). The music consists of mostly short melodic instrumentals influenced by Mind-Flux, Jarre, John Foxx and some others.

See also: C.H.A.O.S., The Omega Syndicate, Gurr, David.

 


Architrav (Germany)

Marode (2013)
Panophobie (2021)

Architrav is a project of varied, mostly IDM-influenced artist Michael Belletz. Marode is an ambient work that describes the process of slow decay of an old building.

See also: L.iet

 


Archivio Futuro (Italy)

Archivio Futuro (2022)

Future jazz / improvisation / krautrock / electronic collective from Rome.

 


Archon Orchestra (Russia)

Pong (2010)
Cenotaph (2013)

Minimalist and classically-inspired organ compositions bringing to mind some Terry Riley.

See also: Sphere Rex, Cyclotimia, West State.

 


Archon Satani (Sweden)

Memento Mori (1991)
Virgin Birth (1991)
Beyond All Thee Sickness (1992)
Mind of Flesh And Bones (1993)
In Shelter (1993)
The Righteous Way To Completion (1997)
Of Gospels Lost And Forsaken (2002)

Quite legendary (in its own circles) Dark Ambient project from Sweden that was founded in 1990 by Tomas Pettersson and Mikael Stavostrand. Most of the time in the classic Dark Ambient mould ala Lustmord which means slowly morphing resonant structures, murky effects and low rumbles. At times approaches the territories of Black Ambient (in the more active moments) and Ritual Ambient (percussion!). Of Gospels Lost... is a compilation of their earlier material from the beginning of the 90's plus songs from the first LP.

See also: Desiderii Marginis, Inanna.

 


Arctic Surfers (Sweden)

Cirrus Facts (2019)

Another project of Petter Friberg. More or less same style as Motionfield, although Arctic Circles is slightly more IDM-oriented, almost non-progressive at times, but still with some ambient / Prog influence.

See also: Motionfield

 


Arctica (Ukraine)

Mystical Path (2016) (with DeepDark)
Satori (2017)
Annuminas (Extended Edition) (2017)
꽃 (Bloom) (2018)
Echoes of the Edo (2018) (S)

A project of ambient artist Evgeniy Topchiev. Mostly long-form works with a meditative feeling. Most releases to date have been downoad-only.

 


ARD (UK??)

Tintagel (2018)

Floating EM with sequencing and completely ambient pieces.

 


Ard Bit (Netherlands)

Six Scores One (2019) (S)
Amazing Bubble II (2021) (S)
Music For Delirious Episodes (2022)

Ambient-oriented artist Ard Jansses aka Ard Bit mixes field recordings, modular textures and varied noises.

 


Ardala (UK)

Halls of Antiquity (2023)

Driving, melodic electronics from Gavin Brick and Phil Heeks. Nice synth sounds.

See also: Metamorph, The, British Stereo Collective, The, New Electric Frontier, The.

 


Arddhu (Australia)

Lindsbo (2017)

Ambient artist from Tasmania, who on Lindsbo creates a nice melodic feeling, with flowing tracks, sequencer tracks and several techno chuggers.

 


Ardens Rejectio (New Zealand)

Demo MMXVIII (2018) (S)

Ambient soundscapes with ritual undertones.

 


Ardley, Neil (UK)

Kaleidoscope of Rainbows (1976)
Belief 1 (1977)
Harmony of the Spheres (1979)
Leap In the Dark / Summer Ice (1979) (S)
Evocations of the Peak (1979)
Song of the Universe (1996) (with Patick Huddie and Warren Greveson)

Now let's see if we can find something of interest in the archives of this British jazz musician. Kaleidoscope of Rainbows is mostly normal jazz fusion, but the 1996 reissue of this work features a bonus in the form of "Intimate Vistas" - a 13-nimute electronic composition written by Ardley in 1980 together with Richard Burgess and "Refracted Rainbow" - a Zyklus' 1991 reworking of one of the album's original themes. Belief 1 is a 10-minute narration of poem by Patrick Huddie and Electronic Music. It's not officially released yet. Harmony of the Spheres is quite interesting fusion / synthesizer work and Evocations of the Peak is a 20-minute unreleased work for string quartet and synthesizers.

See also: Zyklus

 


Ardor (Canada)

Wildflower of Nunavut (2020)
Spring Declares Itself (2022) (S)
Our Place In the Cosmos (2023)

Slow pads, noises, atmospheric sounds... Sort of dungeon synth-like.

 


Ardron, Pete (UK)

Goddess (1991)
Ostinato (2002)
Above And Below (2002) (recorded in 1994)
Hanging On Perfumed Air (2022) (recorded in 1994 - 1996)
Interuterion (2012) (with Samantha Ray)
Elemental Temple Part One (2022) (with Kwali Kumara)

New age and new age-related artist active since the 1980's. His later works tend toward downtempo / psy-chill music. I will try to list his EM-related material.

 


Are You Afraid of the Dog (Canada)

Twilight City (2015) (S)
A Search For Hope (2016) (S)

Ottawa-based artist mixing chiptune with elements of Progressive EM, a bit like Disasterpeace perhaps.

 


Area 3 (Canada)

Area 3 (2020)
Amb (2021)

Modular synth compositions and sketches. Pretty varied.

 


Area 51 (Netherlands)

Jupiter Beyond (2004)
Message From Another Time (2005)

Michel van der Kuy and Rob van Eijk. Music in the style of Rygar and Laserdance.

See also: Rygar, Machinery of Life.

 


Arecibo (UK)

Trans Plutonian Transmissions (1994)

This is actually Lustmord's alter ego. Perhaps, the music was too active to be released under his own name.

See also: Lustmord

 


Arévalo, Gastón (Uruguay)

Deriva (2011)
Classical Landscapes (2012)
Rollin Ballads (2013)
Terrain (2020)

Ambient artist who creates a nice, relaxing and / or hypnotic sound on his album Terrain.

 


Areveeal (Netherlands)

Amblex (2017) (recorded in 1994)

Active at least since the 1990's, Areveeal aka Dutch-born, German-based musician Roger van Lunteren is a name known to IDM / techno aficionados. Containing archived recordings from 1994, Amblex is more influenced by classic Electronic Music and pioneering ambient sounds, though, with a dubby touch perhaps. It contains mostly long, massive tracks.

 


Arfeux, Marc-Henri (France)

Quintette lumiere (2009)
Blossom (2010)
L'atelier du songe (2015)
Loire abstraction (2015)

French painter who in his spare time paints with sound. He uses sampling and analogue instruments and the music is of an ambient nature, often with an experimental flair. Marc-Henri Arfeux is a member of Patchworkmusic - a loose collective of French musicians fascinated by the possibilities of electronic instruments.

 


Arfib, Daniel (France)

Musique numerique (1981)

Although belonging to the academic world, computer music pioneer Daniel Arfib released this private LP with music that should be of some interest to EM fans. You can say where he is coming from, listening to all the beeps and bleeps but there are also some neat drones and unexpected surprises here that warrant a curious listening. Overall, it's one of the most listenable academic electronic albums and the one where the "prog" influence is clearly heard in the music (it could be a coincidence, though).

 


Argiope (Italy)

Death Ovary Traces (1994)
Noise Daylife (1994)
Sepulchre Womb (1995)
Original Waters (1995)
Infernographia (2023)

Alter ego of Italian synthesist who is known as 'Deca'. Music released under the "Argiope" moniker is pretty experimental.

See also: Deca

 


Argo (Lithuania)

Discophonia (1980)
Suiesa (1981)
Milžinkapis (1982)
Zeme L (1985)

This was marketed as "Electronic Music" during the Soviet era, but in fact it features a full-band line-up: guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, etc.. The usual stuff, you know. Some tracks on their first album sound pretty good and inventive. It is maybe somewhat similar to Zodiac, albeit more complex and progressive (i.e. closer to "true" EM). Surprisingly, the tracks become more interesting as the album progresses. Led by Giedrius Kuprevičius and Julius Vilnonis, Argo was born out of Kaunas Musical Theatre in Lithuania in 1979 and released three albums. Kuprevicius also released double solo LP in 1976 called Ugnies Medziokle. It's a musical that has nothing to do with EM.

See also: Kuprevičius, Giedrius

 


Argon (Finland)

Kone kertoo (1981)

Ok, this is electropop. But even then, this duo of Pekka Tolonen and Seppo Parkkinen sounds so much like Kraftwerk, that their presense here is, I think, completely justified.

 


Argot (Denmark)

Røde horn (2017) (S)

Reflective, moody, tinkling arpeggios, pads and some processed field recordings / acoustic sounds. Pretty neat synth music from Copenhagen. The thumping track three sounds out of place, though.

 


Argyre Planitia (Germany)

The Atomic Age (2018)
Tenth Region of the Night (2019)
The Great Dark Spot (2022)

Post-apocalyptic, cinematic dark ambience from Hannover-based Stefan Voß.

 


Aria (Chile)

Teofilia (2022) (S)

Ambient music based on analog sounds, but pretty strange and minimal.

 


Ariane (Germany)

Dive With Me (1997)

 


Ariel (Russia)

The Planet's Morning (1983)

Russian band and this album is supposedly a mixture of electronics and prog.

 


Aries Mond (France)

Come On Let's Wait (2018)
Cut Off (2019)
Gaps And Shortcuts (2021)
Skinscape (2022)

From piano-based, neo-classical ambient compositions on early works to a nice, loopy EM pastiche on Skinscape, with synths, sequences and acoustic instrument samples.

 


Arif (Netherlands)

Ultra (2020) (S)

Repetitive, abstract, crisp electronics from Arif Kornweitz.

 


Ariisk (USA)

Mode Bionics (2016) (S)
Fatal Errors (2016)
Man-Plus (2017)

Repetitive industrial rhythms, stark electronics, hypnotic, cold sequences. Semi-progressive sound from this artist out of California.

 


Aristeo (Mexico)

Iluminador (1979)
Margarita (1980)
La Maquina Sagrada (1981)
Espejos (1982)
Sonidista (1983)
Peldaños (1984)
Monumento a la Razón (1985)
Asalto (1985)
El Botas (??)
Caballero Aguila (1988)
Frontera de Extremos (1988)
Tambores Selvajes (1991)
Mensajes y Visiones (1993)

Obscure Mexican electronic artist (real name - Heriberto Montes de Oca). Floating music that makes use of flute and synthesizers.

 


Ariwo (international)

Ariwo (2017)
Quasi (2019)

Composed mostly of Iranian and Cuban musicians, Ariwo is a World Music quartet mixing Latin rhythms and mostly sequencer-based electronics. Quirky stuff.

See also: Ehsaei, Pouya

 


Arkanar (France)

Le cris de mélusine (2021) (S)

Pretty, weird, wacky, repetitive synth music influenced by Medieval period and dungeon synth.

 


Arkenstone, David (USA)

Ambient World (2011)
Beneath A Darkening Sky (2016)
Winterl​ü​de (2023)

Well-known new age artist who has released a large number of works in different styles. He also ventured into ambient realms, like on the above two albums. Ambient World is sort of urban / reflective-sounding, while Beneath A Dakening Sky explores the darker realms of the ambient spectrum.

See also: Troika

 


Arkha Nous (Mexico)

Tria (2009)

Arkha Nous is Rodolfo Garza from Monterrey who has collaborated with Jorge Reyes. His own compositions are melodic and accessible, somewhere between World Music and Ambient, with a touch of new age. Some tracks are rhythmic, others flowing and atmospheric.

 


Arkham Sunset (USA)

Dystopian Pleasures (2019)
Ghost Culture (2021)
The Noise Divine (2022)

A project of Portland, Oregon-based Gerry Hathaway, mixing upbeat, somewhat synthwave-like tracks with nice, melodic, laid-back EM.

 


Arkia (Canada??)

Tethered To A Memory (2020) (S)

Emotional electronics from Arkia Jahani.

 


Arkitekchur (USA)

Of Solds, Climate & Homes (2001)
Should (2003)

Brooklyn-based soundscape artist Joseph Lisciandro.

 


Arkkon (UK)

Arkkon (1995)
Rotunda (2000)
Live.Torino.Italia. 27.02.02 (2002)
Rotator (??)

Mostly Dark Ambient from David Knight.

See also: UnicaZürn

 


Arkle, Nick (UK)

Cloudhenge (1983)
Noon And Night (1985)
Lions And Unicorns (1987)

The first album is a cassette release.

 


Arkrohn (Germany)

Endless Emptiness (2019)
Arkrohn (2019)
III (2020)

Long tracks of dark drones.

 


Arktau Eos (Finland)

Mirrorion (2006)
Scorpion Milk (2006)
Ai Ma Ra (2009)
AE IV (2011) (S)
Ekwort (2012) (EP)
Unworeldes (2012)
Ioh-Maera (2012)
Catacomb Resonator (2017)
Erēmos (2018)
Dormiveglia (2023)

Ritual Ambient from Finland. Arktau Eos are Anti Ittna (Halo Manash, Aeoga, I.corax) and Antti Litmanen.

See also: Halo Manash, Aeoga, I'corax, Aural Holograms.

 


Armani, Marcelo (Brazil)

Thanks For the Photosynthesis (2020)

Varied, mostly experimental and rather unique EM with lots of analog sounds, some sequences and strange rhythms.

 


Arminda K (USA)

It's Nearly Night Time (2021) (S)

American indie pop artist living in London. It's Nearly Night Time has nice synths throughout but the instrumental or predominantly instrumental EM tracks like "Will U?" or "Forever Stamp" are especially nice. It is only EM-related but the potential is there.

 


Armitage, Howard (UK)

Tranquil Water (2000)

Somewhat new agey, melodic electronics with lots of strings, pads and some piano. Fans of the gentle Vangelis may enjoy this. Howard Armitage seems to have released only this one album on EMMA label.

 


Arms Full of Sound (Canada)

Minework In G (2003)
Pieces of A Larger Experiment (2003)
Air Is the Means (2004)

Varied ambient electronic material.

 


Armstrong, Craig (UK)

Space Between Us (1997)
Kiss of the Dragon (2001) (soundtrack)
As If To Nothing (2002)

British composer born in 1959 in Glasgow, Scotland. It seems that he mainly composes music for films. Fittingly, Kiss of the Dragon is a soundtrack with a diverse style (there's some rhythmic and ethnic-spiced material, as well as ambient floaters), while Space Between Us is very symphonic.

 


Armstrong, Dan (UK)

A Long Time Coming (2019)
Artificial Intelligence (2019)

Varied synth compositions, mostly of ambient nature, but also quite cinematic.

See also: Confluent Phase

 


Armstrong, John Allan (USA)

The Pinnacles of Trona (1978) (S)

Obscure single with one side of abstract electronics and another of Surf music ala The Beach Boys.

 


Armstrong, Rick (USA)

Infinite Corridors (2021)
Spatial Elements (2021)
Chromosphere (2023)

Rick Armstrong is a guitarist and bass player from Ohio (and son of Neil Armstrong). He is a member of progressive rock band Edison's Children. He is also influenced by Electronic Music of artists like Vangelis and Tangerine Dream, and his solo album Infinite Corridors is an exploration of those influences. Apart from Armstrong on multiple keyboards and synths, the album features contributions (mostly guitar) of such luminaries of the progressive scene as Dave Foster, Tony Levin, John Mitchell and Steve Rothery.

 


Arnaud, Jean-Philippe (France)

Selenium (1998)

Melodic, Vangelis-like.

 


Arner, Jay (Canada)

Jay III (2019)

Indie rock musician from Vancouver, British Columbia. On Jay III, he turned to solo electronic composition. The result is quite diverse EM, from sequencer based to bright and cheering.

 


Arnljótur (Iceland)

Línur (2014) (S)
Til einskis (2015)

Arnljótur Sigurðsson plays bass in a reggae band Ojba Rasta. Curiously, as a solo artist he explores electronic territory with pulsing, experimental analogue sound, somewhat influenced by the German EM pioneers. This is especially true about Til Einskis. Línur is much more beepy and experimental.

 


Arno (Germany)

World of Dreams (1994)
Odes To the Wind (1996)
AquaPhonia (1997)
Every Moment Counts (1998)
Obsidian (2000)

This artist became known thanks to IC label promotion. His real name is Arno Höddinghaus. Rhythmic and melodic music. AquaPhonia (later re-released as Water Symphonies) is relaxing Ambient.

 


Arnold, Sebastian (Germany)

Mad Scientist Drummer (2008)
Attempt To Change A Running System (2010) (EP)
Interstellar Getaway (2012)
Telegram (2016) (EP)
Three Days (2017) (with Jürgen Schwer)

Berlin-based drummer who usually plays drums and synthesizers only on his albums, which feature a nice, driving mix of elements from rock (no guitars here, though), melodic EM, pop (some tracks feature vocals) and a touch of jazz.

 


Aroeste, Enrique (Mexico)

Suite Espacial (1993)

Rare CD from this Mexican synthesist. Spacey.

 


Aroma Von Troisdorf (Germany)

Aroma Von Troisdorf (2021)

Weird krautrockish EM, sometimes with sort of a "Moebius & Plank's Rastakraut Pasta" feel.

 


Arovane (Germany)

In-Between (2015) (with Hior Chronik)
Resonance (2015) (with Porya Hatami)
Into My Own (2017) (with Hior Chronik)
Organism Evolution (2018) (with Porya Hatami)
C.H.R.O.N.O.S. (2019) (with Porya Hatami)

Gestalt (2020)
Wirkung (2021)
Skal_Ghost (2022) (with Taylor Deupree)
In Between (2022) (with EMHO)
Sinter (2023)
Miniaturen (2023)
Minth (2023) (S)
Seismograf (2023)
Polymer (2023)
Sonic Companion 1 (2023) (S) (with EMHO)
Svev (2023) (with Pjusk)
Drei Formen (2023)

Varied, and rather prolific drone / noise / experimental musician. Gestalt features short, vignette-like ambient etudes. Nice and reflective sound. Further investigation is needed.

 


Arowan (Ireland)

Welträtsel (2020)

Dublin-based ambient artist with something of a krautrock-ish attitude.

 


Arp (USA)

4 Play (2005) (S)
In Light (2007)
The Soft Wave (2010)
Arp & Antony Moore (2010) (with Antony Moore)
Pastoral Symphony (2011) (S)
More (2013)
Pulsars e Quasars (2014) (S)
Inversions (2016)
ZEBRA (2018)
Ensemble - Live! (2019)
New Pleasures (2022)

With a name like that and a very Harmonia-like cover of In Light you somehow know which road it's going to take and indeed, Alexis Georgopoulos (ex-The Alps), the man behind Arp who resides in San-Francisco, doesn't hide his influences, which include Cluster, Harmonia, Tangerine Dream and Klaus Schulze, among others. Warm sound.

 


Arp, Tristan (USA)

Sculpturegardening (2021)

Minimal, quirky, repetitive, analog music with some classical instrumentation added for good measure. Tristan Arp is a New Yorker based in Mexico City.

See also: Asa Tone

 


Arpa (Colombia)

Simple.mente (2013)
Llaves (2013) (EP)

Minimal Ambient / microsound.

See also: Isaza, Miguel

 


Arpanet (USA)

Wireless Internet (2002)
Quantum Transposition (2005)
Inertial Frame (2006)
Hydrostatic Equilibrium (2021) (S)

A project of Gerald Donald of Dopplereffekt fame. It is marketed as electro. However, I have learned not to trust any labels blindly, and rightly so, as when I put Hydrostatic Equilibrium on, I heard nice, hyperactive, mechanical, analog EM, very much influenced by Kraftwerk of course, but with no electro beats to speak of. Other works may also contain interesting EM-related material.

See also: Dopplereffekt, Der Zyklus, XOR Gate.

 


Arretium (Italy)

Soundtrack (2021)

Neo-Classical Ambient with a Martial edge from Marco Grosso. Subtle, mysterious, unquiet. Not bad.

See also: Grosso, Marco, Permafrost, Snowfade, Ouroboros, Dark Ambient Cult.

 


Arrhenius, Lars (Sweden)

Sånger från samhället (2014) (with Eric Ericson, Goran Kajfes and David Österberg)

A Kraftwerk-like album from these Swedish dudes. Not bad.

 


Arrocata (USA)

In the Distance (2006)
Not Far From Here (2006)
Desert Electric (2009)
Moments of Grace (2011)

Arrocata is the project of Robert Straub from Arizona, USA. He composes calm Ambient music with environmental sounds.

 


Arroniz (Mexico)

Contacto (2007)
Starchild (2008)

Arroniz is a Mexican synthesist (full name - Miguel Arroniz Castrillon). The album Contacto starts with a loop-based piece called "Los Elegidos". Quite a neurotic track, with upbeat rhythm and repeating melody, like a sonic illustration for a documentary about rush hours. The title track is next. It starts with deep growling synths and myesterious notes over a choir backdrop. Soon a dramatic theme is introduced. This is quite bombastic stuff. After a while the track gets more subtle, with various small splashes of melody and still quite manic sequencing. Reminds me on late 1980's Klaus Schulze style, but not quite. More sequences are added and it turns into a monster of a track, it's so rhythmically complex. Various sequences tend to some and go while the track maintains its aggressive, propulsive beat. Throughout the length of the composition, some short solos are used to great effect. The track ends with a growling synth pattern. "Shout Your Freedom" starts with a bass sequence to which a fast-paced rhythm is added. After a while a solo appears and dominates, without sounding upfront. Arabic scale is chosen, reminding on Schulze's playing on Body Love. "Raceway" is basically a techno number, with fast-paced rhythms and various sampled sounds arranged into sequenced structures. "Carminata Espacial" re-introduces Berlin School sequences, together with mysterious solos and various atmospheric / opressive sounds. After 5 minutes, a nice electric piano theme appears and serves as the conclusion for this busy number. "5000" is like being in a bazaar full of exotic spices. What we get basically is ethnic percussion and Arabic melodies. I suppose that's how Electronic Music for the Middle East should sound. Later in the track, a steady beat serves as the basis for the music. "Grita tu Libertad" has an almost dance quality to it, with a hot rhythm and sampled guitar. Doesn't sound like EM to me, but still a nice track. "Tierra de Dioses" starts with deep gong sounds, a tinkling bell sequence and dramatic string chords. A slow bass drum rhythm appears making the track sound like some music for a funeral procession. Soon a vocoded voice appears, while Arroniz improvises using bell-like timbre. The rhythm becomes more complex and the track more intense. More sequences are added, as well as a sampled electric guitar solo. The track ends in an over-the-top manner, like an overblown classical symphony would. Contacto is a diverse CD with a nice range of sounds and styles. There's also a hidden track here that I won't say anything about, except that it's great!

 


Arrowheads (USA)

Lifeforce (2019)

Interesting and at times excellent analog synth wizardry, seemingly informed by Michael Stearns' Serge modular flights, Suzanne Ciani's Buchla trips and other 1970's / 1980's EM pioneers.

 


Arrowounds (USA)

Artificial Sun (2019)
Oncotype Sketchbook (2019)
Glowing Organs (??) (with E. Jacobs)
The Loneliness of the Deep Sea Diver (2020)

Dark Ambient project from Ohio, with elements of techno and shoegaze.

 


Ars Mundi (Spain)

Ars Mundi (1986)

Rhythmic, easy-listening, melodic music comparable to Tangerine Dream from around that time. A project of Julian Ruiz from Murcia.

 


Ars Sonor (USA)

Dream Machines (2011)
Pangaea ultima (2011) (with Mystified)
The Prison of Souls (2012) (with The Implicit Order)
124C 41+ (2012)
A New Beginning (2014) (with Naimi)
Timethod II (2016) (with TOTAL E.T.)

Female soundscape project. Most of the releases so far have been download-only. A darkish, somewhat noisy sound, but also quite cosmic, giving the feeling of the vastness of space. This is especially true for Timethod II.

 


Arsenal (Russia)

Second Wind (1985)
Pulse 3 (1986)
Arsenal-5 (1991) (recorded in 1989)

Melodic electronic instrumentals by this jazz-rock band led by sax player Alexey Kozlov. Pulse 3 was part of a series dedicated to sports. "Mysterious Dream" from Arsenal-5 is a very beautiful track.

See also: Kozlov, Alexey, Denisov, Andrei.

 


Arszyla, Ed (USA??)

Imagery (1994)

Unique Ambient.

 


Art Against Agony (Germany)

Solanaceae (2020)

German art collective and progressive rock / fusion band. Solanaceae is an interesting release, with band members experimenting with synths and electronics & often sounding like virtuoso progressive metal / progressive rock played on just synthesizers and drums. Completely instrumental.

 


Art Crime (Russia)

Leaving the Room (2017)
A Constant Lack (2019)
Distanced (2020) (S)

Moscow-based project focusing on looped ambient compositions and subtle "deconstructed club" moods. The track "Split" from Leaving the Room reminds on Klaus Schulze's organ drones heard on Blackdance, while some of the sounds on A Constant Lack bring back memories of Audentity.

 


Art Forland (Germany)

Inner Circles (1992)
Hyper Spirit (1994)
Eiskalte Leidenschaften (1995)
Wege (1996) (with Fritz Schumacher)
Syrah Meets Ubar (1997)

Experimental Ambient from German musician Hans Kraus-Hübner. Sometimes a bit similar to the more mysterious / dissonant Centrozoon works, sometimes more unique and / or melodic.

See also: Kraus-Hübner, Hans

 


Art of Infinity (Germany)

New Horizon (2000)
Dimension Universe (2003)
Endless Future (2008)
Raumwerk (2012)

Cosmic Ambient / Space Music by Thorsten Sudler-Manz and Thorsten Rentsch. Beware the occasional vocals and Gregorian chant on their second album.

See also: Deep Imagination

 


Art of the Memory Palace (UK)

Your Soul Is Not A Bird (2016) (S)
Voiture blanche dans le noir (2017)
Dusk At Trellick Tower (2019) (EP)

British psychedelic rockers. Voiture blanche dans le noir is an imagined soundtrack to French film from 1972. Very kraut / EM sound here.

 


Art & Technique (France)

Clima-X (1981)
Diabolus in mecanica (1982)
Alea jacta est (1983) (S)
071617182018 (2019)

Obscure French electronics by Bernard Filipetti. Murky analog synth tracks.

 


Art Zoyd (France)

Les espaces inquiets (1983)
Le mariage du ciel et de l'enfer (1984)
Berlin (1987)
Nosferatu (1989)
Marathonnerre I (1993)
Marathonnerre II (1993)
Faust (1995)
Haxan (1997)
u.B.I.Q.U.e. (2001)
La chute de la maison Usher (2008)
Eyecatcher (2011)
Armageddon (2013)
44½ : Live + Unreleased Works (2017) (recorded in 1975 - 2015)
Experiences de vol # 10/11/12/13 (2018)
Phase V (2018)
Art Zoyd Live - et avec votre esprit - la forêt de samplers (2021)
Symphonie(s) pour le jour où brûleront les cités (2022)

Modern classical rock ensemble whose music has been gradually becoming more and more electronic with the passage of time. Earliest albums (the 70's and early 80's) are totally acoustic (viola, cello, trumpet, guitar etc.), with hints of 20th century classical composers like Bartok, Stravinsky and so on. The later albums (listed) are mostly synthesized and also make use of sequencers and samplers. The music is characterized by a spooky, dark and claustrophobic atmosphere. Especially of interest are their soundtracks to 20's silent horror movies (Nosferatu, Faust, Haxan) that consist of very nightmarish electronic compositions. Great stuff, actually, although not easy to get into for the uniniciated.

See also: Zaboitzeff, Thierry

 


Artamokhin, Dmitry (Russia)

Electronic World (1996)
XXI Century (1999)
Harmony of the Soul (1999)
The Magic of Egypt (2000)
Music For McDonald's (2001)
Atmosphere (2002)

Russian synthesist with a style of music strongly influenced by Jean-Michel Jarre's works. Harmony of the Soul is ambient and meditative, akin to the title track on Waiting For Cousteau. Atmosphere is influenced by the Oxygene-era Jarre.

 


Artcane (France)

Odyssée (1977)

Short-lived, largely instrumental progressive rock band from France that released one album in 1977 on Philips (those were the times) and then sinked into oblivion. Like many French (and not only French) bands from that era, they combined their rock influences with a lush synthesizer sound. However, their rock side owned more to King Crimson (especially Fripp's guitar work) than to any of the "bombastic" symphonic greats. Anyway, it's EM we're talking about here, and thankfully the band does deliver some tasty electronic moments like the first part of the 16-minute epic "Artcane 1" for example. File under EM-related.

See also: Human

 


Artefactum (Poland)

Chaos Elements (2005)
Sangreal (2005) (S) (with Horologium)
Rosarium hermeticum (2006)
Sub Rosa (2008) (S)
Foxgloves & Bluebells (2011)

Dark Ambient from this female musician.

 


Artefakt (Germany)

Days Bygone (2021)
Brain Dripper (2022) (EP)
Floodplain (2023) (EP)

Berlin-based deep techno duo who on Days Bygone started drifting towards ambient structures and rhythms. The opening track is a nice sequencer chugger. File under EM-related.

 


Artemiev, Artemiy (Russia)

The Warning (1993)
Cold (1995)
Point of Intersection (1997)
Five Mystery Tales of Asia (1998)
Mysticism of Sound (1999)
Forgotten Themes (2000)
Dreams In Moving Space (2000) (with Phillip B. Klingler)
Space Icon (2000) (with Peter Frohmader)
Transfiguration (2002) (with Peter Frohmader)
A Moment of Infinity (2002) (with Phillip B. Klingler)
57 Minutes To Silence (2002) (with Christopher De Laurenti)
Equilibrium (2002) (with Karda Estra)
Time, Desert & A Sound (2004)

Russian electronic musician. Son of Edward Artemiev (a pioneer of Electronic Music in former USSR). The music of Artemiy Artemiev possesses a special charm which cannot be described by using words. One has to listen to his works to find out what it means. From his more rhythmic tracks on albums like 1993’s The Warning to his recent more abstract and ambient works (Dark Ambient style) there is a signature of Artemiy’s talent both in composition and sound synthesis. 

 


Artemiev, Edward (Russia)

Siberiade (1979) (soundtrack)
Metamorphoses (1980)
Mood Pictures (1984)
Warmth of Earth (1985)
Ode To the Bearer of Good News (1984) (recorded in 1980)
Solaris/The Mirror/Stalker (1989)
Urga (1991) (soundtrack)
The Inner Circle (1992) (soundtrack)
Soleil trompeur (1994) (soundtrack)
The Odyssey (1998) (soundtrack)
The Barber of Siberia (1999) (soundtrack)
A Book of Impressions (2000) (recorded in 1975 - 1996)
Three Odes (2002) (recorded in 1980 - 1998)
Shadows of A Theater (2005) (recorded in 1987 - 2000)
Invitation To Reminiscences (2010)
Anthology (2018) (recorded in 1967 - 2016)
Инспектор Гулл / Девочка и дельфин(2021) (recorded in 1979 and 1985)
Оригинальная музыка к фильму Сибириада (2023) (recorded in 1979)
Anthology Vol. 2 (2023) (recorded in 1965 - 2016)

A pioneer of Russian Electronic Music (1937 - 2022). He started getting involved in the making of this kind of music already in the 60’s. At that time he did a lot of experimental works using the legendary ANS synthesizer. He was among the first few who realized the huge potential that a synthesizer offered to a musician and that one doesn’t necessarily have to deal with notes and melody when it comes to composing, because the tonal characteristics of sound are more important in Electronic Music. Sadly, this is a fact that is largely ignored by some of the modern electronic musicians. Edward Artemiev’s experiments with sound prove that the music that virtually has very little or no melody is able to touch the soul and heart and affects the human spirit even more than classical music does. His early works have a special atmosphere to them and reflect the spirit of changes that would come real soon when synthesizers are finally abundant in music. Also his music of the period instantly evokes science-fiction themes in one’s mind, something not from this world and really out-there. The film director Andrei Tarkovsky was one of the first to notice this and Edward wrote soundtrack music for some of his now legendary sci-fi movies, like ‘Solaris’ and ‘Stalker’. Edward Artemiev has also written soundtracks for other films, among them ‘The Barber of Siberia’ and ‘Odyssey’, a TV production of Andrei Konchalovsky. His recent soundtrack productions seem to be more leaned towards orchestral music, rather than electronic. Some of his music is released on CD, including some soundtracks. If you still haven’t heard his music, you’re simply missing a bit of history. It’s amazing to hear how far ahead of his time this man was. His ideas from the 60’s and 70’s still sound totally fresh and the music is futuristic and magical. The styles that he worked in are numerous, from very abstract electronic to rhythmical sequencer numbers. It is useless to try and describe this music. It’s absolutely majestic! Highly recommended!

Note: The album Three Odes is a reissue of Ode To the Bearer of Good News that adds two previously unreleased extra tracks.

 


Arterial Red (USA)

Lockstep (2004)
Meridian (2005)
Lockstep II (2006)
1187 (2007)
Sea's Last Resort (2007) (EP)
Sketches (2008)
Funny How It Seems (2016) (EP)

Droning Ambient.

 


Arthur, Raen (UK)

Wire Pilgrim (2020)

British ambient artist currently residing in Denmark.

 


Arthuros (Greece)

Ithildin (2019)
Kosmos (2020)
From Stardust We Come (2020) (S)
Goddess (2021)
Ultraromance (2022)

Dungeon synth-like music using a lot of spacey synth string sounds that give it a vaguely EM and spacesynth feel.

See also: Ekthelion

 


Artificial Blood (USA)

Anthems For Dopey (2007)

Strange chiptune-ish stuff with complex rhythms and chirpy synthesizers. Comes close to being totally un-progressive, but there's that "Kraftwerk in a Mario Bros. universe" feel to it and it's a bit more complex than your typical chiptune / electropop / minimal synth whatever.

 


Artificial Intelligence (Russia)

The Park (2010)
About One Love (2010)
Drum Cartridge (2013) (recorded in 2002 - 2013)

Artificial Intelligence is a project of Andrey Iudin from Petrozavodsk. His music is rhythmic and dynamic, but also relaxed and melodic. There is a definite Kraftwerk-ian approach in the use of electro rhythms and general robotic feel, although Iudin's music is more subtle and less mechanical or cerebral.

 


Artificiero (Spain)

Artificiero (2015) (S)
Masa Negra (2017)
Disco Tantra (2019) (EP)

Unclassifiable, but definitely progressive music from one Alfonso Alfonso. Contains elements of industrial, techno, analog electronics, Ambient and more, everything in unlikely combinations but rather catchy and rich overall.

 


Artico Culto (Italy)

Artico Culto (2015) (S)
Artico Culto (2015)
Il sogno di Katla (2015) (S)
Live At Museo della Fantascienza / Mental Hospital P14 (2016) (with Gerstein)
ð (2016)

Initially called Norðurljós, Artico Culto is a dark soundscape project of Stefano Oflorenz and Dario Neri.

 


Arto, Claude (France)

Kwai systeme / Betty Boop (1980) (S)

Minimal synth single by member of Mathematiques Modernes. Like a whimsical version of Kraftwerk.

 


Arttek (USA)

6 Is 9 (1992)

Electronic duo from Allentown, consisting of Christopher Cooper and Guy Stauffer. Melodic, cosmic, atmospheric, experimental... Apart from the above cassette release, they have put some music online via Bandcamp.

 


Artuan de Lierrée (France)

Forteresse & maléfices (2022) (S)

Folk band. The above work is a dungeon synth-like EM exercise in FM synthesis, though. Best track: "Carte du monde".

 


Arud (Hungary)

2001... The Saturnus Mission (1999) (S)

Cosmic music from the guy behind Forest Silence. The exact style is not known, but must be Space Music / Ambient.

See also: Forest Silence

 


Arv & Miljö (Sweden)

Svensk sommar i stilla frid (2018)
Himmelsvind (2020)
Under bågar av darrande ljus (2021) (S)
Ljumna proppar (2021)
Jorden först (2021) (S)
Ensam är nattens rymd över vita vägar (2021)
Vålnad av fornskog (2022)
Blod & Miljö (2023) (with Blod)

Industrial / noise / field recordings project. Svensk Sommar I Stilla Frid is calm and relaxing Ambient, though. The same can be said about Himmelsvind, although that one, according to the authors, also takes in influences of vintage Swedish EM like Anna Själv Tredje and Ralph Lundsten.

 


Arvo Dolani (Australia)

Ojala (2020)

Rhythmic, optimistic music between deep house and progressive electronics.

 


Arzathon (Germany)

Dreaming the World Into Being (2009) (S)

 


As If (Denmark)

10 Views From A Different Angle (2022)

Ambient compositions with dubby moods. A project of Kenneth Werner.

 


As Lonely As Dave Bowman (USA)

POD (2007)
Monolith (2015)

Drone Ambient inspired by science-fiction classic "2001, A Space Odyssey" from Sam Rosenthal (the mastermind behind Black Tape For A Blue Girl)

See also: Rosenthal, Sam, Black Tape For A Blue Girl.

 


As Longitude (Italy)

Longitude / Latitude (2016)
Blauer Part (2017) (S)
That's When the Animals Turned Into Humans (2018) (S)

Quirky, experimental analog synth with traces of Berlin and Dusseldorf schools from Germany-based (but Italian-born) Andrea Noce. Fine and entertaining stuff from a talented artist.

See also: Noce, Andrea, Geist, Eva.

 


As One (UK)

Communion (2019)
The Unveiling (2023) (S)
AsOne² (2023)

Continuing the relatively recent trend of club-related musicians incorporating Prog EM influences or sounds, in comes Kirk Degiorgio aka As One. On Communion, you will find a lot of tasty analog sounds. Listen to the ethereal and beautiful opening track or a "Jarre meets deep house" style of "Irimias" and "Outer Edge", or the melancholic closer "Emanation". You can really tell that the guy is moving in "our" direction here. Hopefully he releases a full-on EM album one day soon. For now, file under EM-related.

See also: Degiorgio, Kirk

 


As the Raven Calls (USA)

Truth In Aural Existence (2004)
Perspicacious Existence (2005)

Dark ritualistic ambience from Philadelphia-based artist James Raven.

 


As the Spirit Wanes (UK)

Accidental Journey (2017) (S)

Solo electronic project of Raz Ullah - synthesist and multi-instrumentalist of contemporary folk / prog folk band Starless & Bible Black. Nice analog sound here with more than a hint of early Klaus Schulze.

 


Asa Moto (Belgium)

Original Music For Benjamin Verdonck & Lucas van Haesbroeck's "Down The Rabbit Hole" (2023)

A nu-disco / house duo of Oliver Geerts (who played on Soulwax's Belgica) and Gilles Noë. Down The Rabbit Hole is Progressive Electronic Music, supposedly a soundtrack.

 


Asa Tone (USA / Indonesia)

Temporary Music (2020)
Live At New Forms (2021)

A trio making music in hybrid minimal / electronic World Music vein, with lots of mallet percussion, synths, etc. Sort of like Cluster playing in jungle together with a Gamelan orchestra.

See also: Arp, Tristan

 


Asadow, Emil (Ukraine)

A Home No Longer Exists (2021)

Varied music from this synthesist based in Odessa. Mostly atmospheric, sort of echoey and cold, but also warm and analog in places.

 


Asana (UK)

Shrine (1994)
Chakra (1995)
Trikuti (1996)
Live At Jodrell Bank (1997)
Enshrined (1998)
Rise (2000)
Archive (2000)

Electronic musician from the UK (real name - Dave Barker). Highly energetic music with sequences and some beats. Sometimes comes close to dance music but not at all commercial. Supposed to be quite good.

See also: Cerulean

 


Asath Reon (Slovakia)

Buried Visions (2017)
Underworld Narrations (2019)

Blackened Ritual Ambient.

 


Asattarn (Hungary)

An Old Beginning (2018)
Mu (2020)
The Space Sessions (2021) (EP)

Dark Ambient / melancholic EM project of Gábor Varga. Drones, soundscapes, sequences, melodies...

See also: Marblebog

 


Asbaar (Spain)

Vita mutatur non tollitur (2010)
Corona veli aurei (2010)
Ex umbra in solem (2012)
Aurora folia (2013)

Dark Ambient from Marc Merinee.

 


ASC (UK)

The Light That Burns Twice As Bright (2011)
Decayed Society (2012) (with Sam KDC)
Time Heals All (2013)
Truth Be Told (2014)
Fervent Dream (2015)
The Farthest Reaches (2016)
No Stars Without Darkness (2016)
Geocentric Systems (2016) (S)
Zone of Avoidance (2017) (S)
Trans-Neptunian Objects (2017)
Rainfall (2018)
Astral Projection (2018)
Astral Perception (2018) (S)
The Outer Limits (2018)
Trans-Neptunian Objects 2 (2018)
The Waves (2019)
Chaos Theory (2019) (S)
Realm of the Infinite (2019)
1138 (2019)
Realm of the Void (2019)
Zenith & Nadir (2020)
The Exact Science (2020) (S)
A Restless Mind (2020) (with Sam KDC)
The Tonal Cycles (2020)
Pattern Recognition: Second Sequence (2020)
Sacred Sevens III (2021) (S)
Dimensional Space (2021) (with Inhmost)
The Moons of Saturn (2021) (with Inhmost)
The Waves (2021)
Defiance (2021)
Original Soundtrack (2022)
Colours of Absence (2022)
Fervent Dream (2023)
Truth Be Told (2023)
Hiding In Plain Sight (2023)
The Depths of Space (2023)
Loss (2024)

ASC is UK-born James Clements, currently residing in the USA. He composes in different styles, mostly dub / drum'n'bass and techno. He also released some purely ambient works. They are all more or less here.

 


Ascendant (USA)

Source Transmission (2014)
Æthereal Code (2015)
Particle Horizon (2017)
Meridian (2018)

Los Angeles-based duo with an ambient, downtempo-influenced sound.

See also: Solaris

 


Ascending Divers (France)

Watery Domain (2022)

Darkish, ambient, hymnal, climatic electronic compositions.

 


Ascending Order (USA)

Goodbye Sedona (2020)
Zenon (2023) (with Jakub Lemiszewski)

Pennsylvania-based project. Goodbye Sedona was recorded during the 2020 lockdown. Thick, monolithic layers of synths, drones, repeating melodies, some pastroal guitars and slow drum machine rhythms.

 


Ascension (Germany)

Dimensional Fragments (1999)

Ascension is Carsten Ulka and this album was released on the Ardema label (the label that released Rainbow Serpent's works, among others). The style is a bit similar to Laserdance, only lighter.

 


Ascensions Crest (USA)

Hex Burner (2023)

Varied ambient compositions. Mostly moody and somewhat lo-fi. Ascensions Crest is a project of Garek Druss.

See also: Druss, Garek, A Story of Rats.

 


Asciara (Italy)

Asciara (1985)

A duo of Saro Cosentino and Vincenzo Zitello that combined traditional Celtic music with Electronic Music.

See also: Cosentino, Saro

 


Ascion (Italy)

Channel #9 (2016) (EP)

It has become something of a trend for techno artists to experiment with the ambient genre. Another one to jump on that bandwagon is Ascion aka Pasquale Ascione. It is another one of those one-track inclusions for now, but the ambient sheen of the closer "Anhatolia" from Channel #9 gives hope for Pasquale's future developments in the genre.

 


Ascoil Sun (Finland)

Emergence (2012)

Psychedelic electronics along the lines of Nodens Ictus or Ozric Tentacles' more electronic material. Ascoil Sun are Matti Mikkola and Pasi Salo.

 


Ascsoms (UK)

Lostalgia (2023)

Tape collage pieces with some cosmic synth touches.

 


Asdrúbal (Brazil)

Imagens (1989)

This seems to be a rare experimental MPB release. However, it does seem to contain EM elements as well, and the closing track is a nice Dusseldorf School chugger that reminds a lot on La Dusseldorf (especially their eponymous album from 1976). File under EM-related.

 


Asenath Noir (Italy)

Danze lugubri (2006)
Sul far dell'inverno (2007)
Volti nella nebbia (2010)
Gelato dalla foresta (2012)
Watershed (2016)
Angst (2017)

Dark, monolithic drones from Alberto Viel.

 


Aseq (Switzerland)

Rivers (2022)

From IDM and dubstep to progressive stuff (especially on "Saane"). Pretty varied and moody overall.

 


Aseret (Italy)

Consciousness of Undefined (2021)

From deep drones with a touch of distortion to long sequencer flights. A project of Andrea Loriga, currently based in Berlin.

 


Asfernum (Russia)

AUM (2010)
Ocean (2011)
Zaupokoy (2011) (EP)
Heroica (2012)
Всадник (2018)

Heroica is Martial Ambient from St. Petersburg. Pretty nice, haunting sound, with good use of samples. Всадник is another Martial Ambient release. The rest is mostly other ambient genres.

 


Asforteri (Spain)

Junglenight (2018)

A project of Lewis P. from Barcelona. A mixture of melodic EM and progressive rock and fusion stylings from the 1970's and 1980's.

 


Ash Ra Tempel / Ashra (Germany)

Ash Ra Tempel (1971)
Schwingungen (1972)
Seven Up (1973)
Join Inn (1973)
Starring Rosi (1974)
Inventions For Electric Guitar (1975)
New Age of Earth (1976)
Blackouts (1977)
Correlations (1979)
Belle Alliance (1980)
Tropical Heat (1985)
Walkin’ the Desert (1989)
Le berceau de cristal (1993) (recorded in 1975)
The Private Tapes (1996)
Sauce Hollandaise (1998)
@shra (1998)
Friendship (2000)
Gin Rose At the Royal Festival Hall (2000)
The Making of (2001) (recorded in 1978 - 1979)
@shra vol.2 (2001)
Live In Melbourne (2017) (with Ariel Pink, Oren Ambarchi and Shags Chamberlain)

Ash Ra Tempel was founded in 1971 and originally there were 3 members: Klaus Schulze (drums), Manuel Goettsching (guitar) and Hartmut Enke (bass). The self-titled first album came out the same year. It was quite psychedelic and spacey in nature. After that Schulze left the group to pursue a solo career. The second album Schwingungen appeared a year later. Also in 1972 the band travelled to Switzerland to visit the late LSD guru Timothy Leary. Their collaboration resulted in the album Seven Up released in 1973. It also featured various other musicians, among them Steve Schroyder and Dieter Dierks. Joinn Inn was a result of a late night studio session with an old friend Klaus Schulze temporarily rejoining the band for a few performances. In 1973 Hartmut Enke left the group (and gave up music completely) and Manuel Goettsching was largely on his own. The next album featured guest appearances of Goettsching’s girlfriend Rosi and Harald Grosskopf who was drumming in Agitation Free. The fascinating Inventions For Electric Guitar was essentially a solo effort of Goettsching. He had just set up his own studio ‘Roma’ and recorded this classic work using only various guitars and effect processors (such as the tape echo). After that he shortened the name from Ash Ra Tempel to Ashra (probably due to legal issues with Virgin, although in interviews he states otherwise) and recorded his classic New Age of Earth and then Blackouts. These two works were also Goettsching’s solo recordings. The present Ashra line-up took shape in 1978 when Goettsching was joined by Lutz Ulbrich of Agitation Free (who had already played with Goettsching before) and drummer Harald Grosskopf. This line-up continues to this day plus they have a young musician named Steve Baltes with them. In 1998-2000 Goettsching and Schulze recorded a special reunion album together to celebrate the band’s anniversary and also in 2000 the two performed live in Royal Festival Hall.

Essential listening for any Electronic Music fan. The group, together with Klaus Schulze and Tangerine Dream pioneered the style that is known today as the Berlin School of Electronic Music.

See also: Goettsching, Manuel, Schulze, Klaus, Ulbrich, Lutz, Grosskopf, Harald, Baltes, Steve.

 


Ashan (USA)

Ancient Forever (2012)
To Return To (2012)
Breathknow (2014)
Earth Magic Life Celebration (2014)
Death Is New Life (2016)
Air & Ether (2017)
Far Drift Afield (2018)
Transfigurations (2019)
Sacred Spring (2021)

Semi-acoustic Ambient from Sean Conrad.

See also: Channelers, gkfoes vjgoaf.

 


Ashbourne, Jon (Sweden)

Find Us In A Different Time (2022) (S)

 


Ashby, Mark (USA)

Eos (1990)
Lexicon (1992)
Xenophobia (1993)
Independent Thoughts (1994)
The Mirror Shattered (1996)
Dance of Shadows (1998) (soundtrack)

Maryland-based synthesist who makes fairly Tangerine Dream-ish music. Mark has been composing his own instrumental compositions since 17 years old. His range of influence includes everything from progressive rock to krautrock and industrial music.

See also: ESP, Distance, The, Double Vision.

 


Ashen Light (Russia)

Stary Byliny (2000)

Ambient music from Ashen Light's (Russian symphonic black metal outfit) mastermind and guitar player released under the group's name. There's guitar on a couple of tracks as well as lots of up-front percussion. The rest consists of nature sounds and synths.

 


Ashen Simian (Finland)

Omicron In Ostrobothnian Finsternis (2009)
Spinal Staircase (2013)
New Horizons (2016)
Shambhala (2018)

Solo Electronic Music from Ami Hassinen - a member of Finnish EM group Nemesis. Atmospheres and sequences combined with solos and a few beats.

See also: Nemesis, Blue Sky Machine, Moonwagon, LAkeuZ.

 


Asher, James (UK)

Peppermint Lump (1979) (S)
Aquarian Symphony (1980)
Abstracts (1980)
Impetus (1980)
Nature's World (1981) (with James Harpham)
Electrofx Vol. 1 (1982)
Flash Music (1984)
Time Cycle (1984)
Inter Vision (1986)
The Great Wheel (1988)
Globalarium (1993)
Dance of the Light (1995)
Feet In the Soil (1996)
Shaman's Almanac (2022)

Rhythmic and melodic electronics. Later albums are more World Music-oriented. James Asher is a composer who used to write scores for BBC documentaries. In 1976 he built his own electronic studio. In 1979, a single was released in collaboration with Pete Townshed (The Who's guitarist). The first proper album followed a year later.

 


Ashera (Australia)

Ambient Selections (1997)
Cobalt 144 (1999)
Colour Glow (2000)
We Gaia (2002)
Enviro (2003)
Sextant (2003) (with Brannan Lane)

Ambient music with a touch of Steve Roach, but more comparable to Eno and Budd. Sometimes with ethereal female voices, but that's all about it. It's just your normal ambient stuff. Ashera is Anthony Wright.

 


Asherohm (USA)

The Automaton (2019)

A project of Gainesville, Florida-based synthesist Dave Lebleu. Shorter, repetitive tracks with traces of Cluster, Schnitzler, Tietchens, etc.

 


Asherton, Johan (France)

Machines Médiévales (2022) (recorded in 1981)

French singer-songwriter who was also interested in Electronic Music at the start of his career, recording solo pieces with custom and commercial synths since the 1970's.

 


Ashes of Piemonte (UK)

Winter's Fire (2013)
Datura Notes (2013)

Ambient duo of Lee Norris and Wil Bolton.

See also: Bolton, Wil, Nacht Plank, Ashtoreth's Gate.

 


Ashes To Ashes (France)

Museum of Dust (1994)
Figement Profile (1995)

Dark soundscapes from Cyril Herry, probably in Death Ambient mould.

See also: Exotoendo

 


Ashley, Dwight (USA)

A Desparate Serenity (1991) (with Tim Story)
Drop (1997) (with Tim Story)
Discrete Carbon (2004)
Four (2004)
Standing & Falling (2005) (with Tim Story)
Ataxia (2006)
Watermelon Sugar (2007) (recorded in 1990 - 1992)
Errata (2008) (with Hans-Joachim Roedelius and Tim Story)
Objective Objects (2019) (with Moebius)

Ambient composer from Toledo, Ohio. Dwight Ashley started practicing music already in his childhood. Starting with a cello, in 1976 Dwight was inspired by a recording of Fripp & Eno titled Evening Star. Within a month he bought himself a Freeman string machine, a Rhodes electric piano, a Minimoog and an ARP Odyssey. Supplying this setup with a couple of reel to reel tape recorders, he started his own adventure within the realms of Ambient and Electronic Music. Unfortunately, in 1981 a major fire caused by a lightning stroke destroyed a good part of his studio, and he had to start everything anew. A bit later he became known for his collaborations with Tim Story, A Desparate Serenity (1991) and Drop (1997). Discrete Carbon is his first solo album that features a set of varied soundscapes (recorded in 1999 and 2003), from the very deep and mysterious ones to the more machanical-sounding noisy cuts. "Eightfold Way" starts the set in a classic Ambient mold, with sparse mysterious piano notes and liquid electronic backgrounds. The track is rather short. "It Happened In November" puts you in a more uneasy setting with its mysterious, even dark flowing synth lines and strange noises. Soon the atmosphere changes from the mysterious to almost tragical. "Katalepsis" is once again very very deep and is one of the most effective Ambient pieces I've heard in a while that combines radio static sounds with deep, sad atmospheres. You can almost feel the coldness, it's like being absolutely alone in a vast, desolate land. "I Thought It Was There" emphasizes the hauting side of Dwight's music, featuring mostly atonal drifts of sound drenched in effects. "Three Insects" is a short abstract piece composed of various subtle noises. "Denial" takes a more aggressive direction with some jarring textures and a very cold atmosphere. The next two cuts, "A Colossus Succumbs" and "Eat Me, Drink Me" continue in the abstract direction, although the first of the two tracks posesses a rather bright atmosphere compared to what has come before. The track just flows effortlessly, working in slow waves of airy synths and whooshing effects. "Examined By Tweezers" is the longest cut, featuring monotonous industrial atmospheres and wheezing sounds. "Carbon" is the last track and the most interesting one, making use of various voices in a strange but effective way. Discrete Carbon is a nice set of soundscapes that gradually get more abstract towards the end of the album. There is a cold, detached, even alien atmosphere to Dwight Ashley's music that makes it all the more enjoyable nevertheless. The album comes with a nice surprise in the form of a short hidden track that consists of piano playing. Also read my review of "Four" in the reviews section. Finally, here is my review of Dwight's latest collaboration with Tim Story, Standing + Falling.

 


Ashmadai (Portugal)

Symphonies For the Kings (1998)

 


AshMcAuliffe (UK)

Book of Shadows (2006)
The Nocturnicon (2007)
The Bionic I (2008)
Alone In the Dark (2009)
Dark City (2010)
Technoscryer (2016)

Varied music from this synthesist - from rather forgettable techno bangers to rather nice melodic / cinematic tracks.

 


Ashra, B. (Germany)

Spacetime (1995)
Live At U-Site Fusion (2000) (with Ricky Dreadking)
Imagination (2000) (with Ricky Dreadking)
Live für den alchemistischen Kongress '98 in Berlin (2001) (with Ricky Dreadking)
Atomic World (2002)
Om Meditation (2009)
Monks (2012)
Music For Growing (2014)
Venus Meditation (2016)

Bert Olke aka B.Ashra is a versatile artist. There is a strong downtempo / techno element to his work and some of the albums may be a bit too rhythm-based for an average EM fan. However, some of his works are completely beat-free and ambient.

See also: Cosmic Octave Orchestra, Morphon.

 


Ashtoreth's Gate (UK)

Ashtoreth's Gate (2013)
Shadow of the Bowman (2013)

Transcendental Ambient from Lee Norris and Craig Murphy.

See also: Nacht Plank

 


Ashtray Navigations (UK)

Vertical Ascent of A Blue Hotel (2019)
Feet Deep In the Red Juice (2019)
A propos de naufrage (2019)
It Was the Start of Another Strange Week (2020)
What the Fuck Did I Dream (2020)
Light Consequences (2021)
Water Hole Or It's Better To Be Clean Than Fancy (2021)
Cabin Exterior (2021)
Before You Play This (2022)
The Apotheosis of VaVaVoom (2022)
Heavy Invertebrates (2022)
One From Then Another (2023)
Ongoing Psychology (2024) (with Expose Your Eyes)

Varied solo project of Leeds-based multi-instrumentalist Phil Todd. I am not sure, which works by him will be of interest to EM fans, and he is kinda prolific as well (he started releasing material as AN in the early 1990's). At least the above albums do contain some interesting material. Further investigation is needed

 


Asia (UK)

Rare (1999)

Although released under the Asia banner, Rare is essentially a solo effort of Geoffrey Downes, with John Payne on guitar and bass. The material was culled from a scrapped soundtrack project and a video game score. The music is instrumental, symphonic and ambient. Mostly shorter tracks.

See also: Downes, Geoffrey, Young, John.

 


Asianova (USA)

Falling... Into the Sky (1995)
Love Like A Veiled Threat (1995)
One (1995)
The Sun Is Burning (1995)
The Wonderful World of Silence (1995)
Among Grey Ghosts (1996)
Burning the Blue Sky Back (1999)
Deja-Vodoo (2003)
Nether-Nether Land (2004)
Suite Dreams (2004)
Terminal Ferocity (2004)
Tripped Itch (2004)
At the Last Gate (2006)
Suite Dreams (2006)
Burns Alive! (2009)

A four piece Ambient / ethnic band that includes some ex-members of Voice of Eye under pseudonyms.

See also: Voice of Eye, Thrall, Ure, Esoterica Landscapes 7.

 


Aska (Iceland)

Grátónar (2015)
Út við sundin grá (2021)

Between minimal synth (with vocals) and dark, moody instrumental EM.

 


Aska Temple (Japan)

Piano Quartet (1996)
Guitar Solo (1999)
Traums (??)
Death Book (??)
Geist Rock (??)
Jöhn Übel (??)
Zero Tolerance For Guitar Wind (??)
Cross (??)
Suddenly Fallin' Love (??)
Black Winter (??)
Time & Space (??)
Moon Voyage (??)
Flying Teapot & The Blue Flower (??)
Piano Solo - Live At Yama (??)
Red Across the Border (??)
Hosanna (2001)
The Door Into Summer (2002)
Zeitwelle (2002)
Omega Point Live (2002)
St. Maria, She Extends Her Hands (2003)
One More Red Nightmare (2003)
A Night By the Pavane (2004)
Over the Equinox (2006)
Moon Flower (2007) (S)

The man hiding behind the Aska Temple moniker used to call himself Jöhn Übel (his real name was Muneharu Yuba). His influences were mainly German "krautrock" and Electronic Music of the 70's, especially, as his nom-de-plume would suggest, Ash Ra Tempel. The music is diverse to say the least. Hosanna is a bit new-agey, but not new age really. Sounds more like early 70's Popol Vuh explorations. You know, sort of spacey, "sacred" stuff with synths and piano. Zeitwelle is more active - side one is a Klaus Schulze / Manuel Goettsching style journey and side two is similar to Hosanna. Omega Point Live is an excellent cosmic live album. St. Maria... is again in 70's KS / Goettsching vein but with more classically and jazz-oriented pieces. Muneharu Yuba was found dead in his house in 2012.

 


Aske (Norway)

Subsoil (2002)
Spent Legeme (2003)
Tidlws (2004)

Dark Ambient music by Celebratums frontman Anthoni Romul.

 


Askiburgion Mists (Poland)

Rübezahl's Kingdom (2020) (S)

Polish project between ambient electronics, dungeon synth and forest synth.

 


Asmar, Yara (Lebanon)

Home Recordings 2018 - 2021 (2022)
Synth Walztes & Accordion Laments (2023)

Lebanese multi-instrumentalist playing a unique style of ambient music - focusing on electroacoustics and moonlit melodies that sound as if culled straight from a half-forgotten dream. She uses an old accordion, some toy pianos, music boxes, a metallophone and synthesizers, apart from copious amounts of field recordings.

 


Asmodelle (Australia)

Dark Universe (2010)
Dark Universe II (2020)

Electro / synth-pop / house artist from Australia. She also released a couple of CD's with nice Space Music (listed).

 


Asmorod (France)

Dance In the Winter Fog (1994)
Involution Towards Chtonian Depths (1997)
A Faint Light Below (1998)
Derelict (1999)
Hysope (2006)

Pre-Sator Absentia Black / Dark Ambient.

See also: Sator Absentia, Kurotokage, Les Amants Maudits.

 


ASMR (UK)

Ocean Waves & Distant Thunders (2020)

Ambient duo with a minimal, relaxing sound.

 


Asnazzy (USA)

Solar Winds of Mars (2008)
Voyage To Andromeda (2009)

Pretty much standard Space Music but with some beats added for flavour. Asnazzy is a Seattle-based artist working in multiple (mostly electronic-based) styles.

 


ASP doze (Belgium)

ASP doze (2022)

From noisy, abstract, collage-like pieces to melodic and mysterious ambience.

 


Asphodel (Turkey)

Aokigahara, the Black Sea of Trees (2015)

Not to be confused with Greek doom metal band of the same name, this is audiovisual project consisting of Atay İlgün and Alper Yıldırım. Dark and ethereal soundscapes.

 


Aspro, Brian (UK)

Music For BBC2 Documentaries (1982)

Privately pressed cassette with Electronic Music from this Southampton musician.

 


Assembly of Honey (Russia)

Дворы нашего детства (2020)

Interesting and touching Ambient inspired by childhood memories and impressions. Multiple field recordings, spacey guitar and synths.

 


Asshole Galaxy (USA)

Irreparable Damage (2022)

Somber electronic compositions with strong rhythms, moody synths and often a bit overdriven sound.

 


ASSID (France)

Connaissance des lois cosmiques (2022)

Analog music with an archaic, 1960's / 1970's feel. Sort of krauty as well.

 


Assistant, The (UK)

Ways of Seeing (2016) (S)
Grisleizer / Nothing On (2016) (S)
Anja a paměti lidi (2016)

Varied analog synth music from Oliver Cherer. Mostly spacey and moody.

See also: Mere, Gilroy

 


Astarium (Russia)

Winter Growths Part II  (2014)
Reverie (2015)
In the Nebulous Sky (2016)
Nekrocosmo: Anabiosis (2018)
Growths of the Past (2020)
Into the Dragon's Domain (2021)
The Hobbit (2024)

Astarium is a Novosibirsk-based one-man black metal project, although it looks like some of his works are completely ambient. I will try to list this stuff here.

 


Astarot (Mexico)

Journey From Melancholic Landscape (2017)
Eclipsed Landscape (2019)
Journey From Melancholic Landscape II (2023)

A project that releases both black metal and Ambient. The latter will be listed.

 


Aster (USA)

Through (2017)
Light In the Valley (2020)

Ambient. Light, flowing, sometimes pulsing and a bit lo-fi sound.

 


Astral (USA)

Eolith City (1993)

Optimistic music with good arrangements and generally very uplifting. I suppose, you could call that Berlin School, but generally the music is very delicate, not driving stuff like, say, Radio Massacre International. In fact, it should be called 'Space Music', because this term is much more suitable here. A project of Pat Cotillo Jr.

 


Astral Dance (Sweden)

Mindgate (1986)
Beyond (1988)
Dreamscape (1992)
David 256 (1993) (EP)
King Saul's Headache (1993) (S)

Astral Dance is Pelle Handen who in the early 1980's was part of the band Finnegan's Wake. He states that he is influenced by Vangelis, Tangerine Dream and Oldfield. I don’t know if it’s true bacause I’ve never really heard his music.

 


Astral Dimension, The (Italy)

Galassia M81 (1981)
Eros Stars (1982)
Apocalypse (1987)
Science World (1994)
Ecodrammi (1994)

Obscure library electronic albums with music by Fabio Fabor. Nice, cosmic and flowing.

See also: Fabor, Fabio

 


Astral Engineering (UK)

Chronoglide (1994)
Demodulation (2019)

Astral Engineering was an early ambient techno / dub project by Simon Rees. Chronoglide is his second album that has some EM shades, especially in the form of beatless, arpeggio-laden closer "Beyond the X-Ecliptic", which sounds influenced by classic TD works. File under EM-related. Another EM-oriented work is 2019's Demodulation. It is in large part based on the sequencing.

 


Astral Magic (Finland)

Pathway To the Stars (2020)
Visions of Infinity (2021)
The Mists of Orion (2021)
A Trip To Alpha Centauri (2021)
The Chosen Ones (2021)
Shadows Over Jupiter (2021)
Ode To the Stars (2021)
A Crack In the Fabric of Reality (2021)
Cosmic Debris (2022)
A Peak Into the Future (2022) (S)
Dreamtime Activities (2022)
Inner Journey (2022)
The Mental Kingdom (2022)
The Mental Universe (2022)
Alien Visitations (2022)
In A Haze (2022)
Apparition's Breath (2022)
Deep Space Expedition (2023)
Wonderland (2023)
Mystic Dreams Reversed (2023)
Vortex of Eternal Light (2023)
Experiences In Hyperspace (2023)
Balance of Oblivion (2023)
Virtual Fixtures / Kinder der Sonne (2023) (S)
In Orbit (2023)
Inside the Space Cabin (2023) (recorded in 2020)
Electronic Vol. 4 (2023) (recorded in 2021)
The Hidden Way - Rare And Unreleased (2023) (recorded in ??)

Solo project of Santtu Laakso, ex singer of thrash metal band Oppression and doom metal band Exitus. In the 1990's, he formed a space rock band called Dark Sun. With Astral Magic, it is mostly him with his synthesizers and the style is cosmic / rhythmic / melodic EM.

 


Astral Order of Impurity (Germany)

Dimension (2014)
Constellation (2014)
Portal (2014)

Like a marriage of Dark Space, melancholic / reflective 1970's Klaus Schulze (ala "Moogetique") and dungeon synth.

See also: Til Det Bergens Skyggene

 


Astral Rune Bastards (UK)

Transmissions of Runic Truth From the Event Horizons (2009)

Diverse compositions, from ambient and atmospheric to psychedelic, with slight downtempo influences and tribal rhythms.

 


Astral & Shit (Russia)

Anima et spuma (2012)
Fragment of God (2012)
Anamnesis (2014) (with Creation IV)
Air Plima (2014) (with Kromeshna)
Kömapàrabola (2015) (with SiJ)
Ужасающая красота ненависти (2017)
Divo (2018)

Dark Ambient soundworlds from Ivan Gomzikov.

See also: Aveparthe

 


Astral Sounds (UK)

Kites (1977)
Kaleidoscope (1978)
Slipstream (1978)
Pulses (1979)
Groove Tube (1979)
Silver Air (1980)
Space Drive (1980)
Sound Waves Part 1 (1981)
Sound Waves Part 2 (1981)
Hercules (1982)
Melodious Thunk (1982)
Scorpio (1982)
Teletext (1982)
Red Kite (1982)
Mixed Sells (1983)
Conundrum (1984)
Front Runner (1984)
Synthetics (1984)
Tomorrow, Today (1984)
Audiotronics (1986)

These are all electronic library LPs. A lot of it is awfully cheesy, but there is some good mysterious / atmospheric stuff as well.

 


Astral Temple (Japan)

Shadow Illusion (1981)
Vista Under Arc Light (1982)
100% Odd Lots Session (1982)
Steppin' Roll (??)

See also: Heretic, Osiris, Dr.Jekyll And Mr.Hyde.

 


Astral TV (Denmark)

Stations (2017)
Chrystal Shores (2017)
Travelling the Circuits (2019)

Astral TV is a project of Causa Sui synth man Rasmus Rasmussen and Keith Canisius. Spacey, analog textures, floating melodies and Ashra-like guitar.

 


Astral Winds (Norway)

First Journeys (2011)

If you know Neptune Towers, this is more or less the same brand of cosmic, Tangerine Dream / Schulze-influenced synth music from member of black metal band Vemod.

 


Astralasia (UK)

Wind On Water (2014)

Unusual album from this progressive trance / ambient dub / techno outfit. This music is built around loose improvisations and is their most prog EM work. It contains spacey synth solos, subtle sequences and even moments of genuine Dusseldorf motorik.

 


Astro Concept (Germany)

Dream Patterns (2022)

Modular synth-based compositions. From playful to spacey and experimental. Some tracks have (house) beats.

 


Astro, Nick (USA)

What's Your Fascination (1985)

Cassette release. Nick Astro is actually a pseudonym derived from the authors surname, his real name being David Nicastro. The style is not known at the moment (supposedly, rhythmic / melodic).

 


Astro Sonic (Norway)

Come Closer And I'll Tell You (2013)

Improvisational ensemble consisting of Erlend Slettevoll, Gard Nilssen and Rune Nergaard, focusing on jazz and electronics.

 


Astroboter (Germany)

Ambient Collection One (2013)

Ambient music from this diverse / unclassifiable project.

 


Astroboy, The (Portugal)

A Derrota da Engrenagem (2007)
The Chromium Fence (2011) (S)
Flow My Tears (2013)

The Astroboy is Luís Ferdandes from Braga, Portugal. He is also the guitarist of alternative rock group Peixe:Avião but as a solo EM artist he uses vintage analogue and digital synthesizers together with guitar which results in a sound somewhat related to that of Ashra / Manuel Goettsching. Hans-Joachim Roedelius participates on Flow My Tears.

See also: Fernandes, Luís

 


Astrogator (UK)

The Darkness Between (2005)
Dreamlight (2006)

Astrogator is a duo of Jez Creek (aka Modulator ESP) and Steve Humphries (aka Create). The Darkness Between is their first album together that contains three long tracks simply named "Part 1", "Part 2" and "Part 3". So, reviving the old tradition of naming EM tracks, what do we get, musically? Abstract sounds get "Part 1" underway. The mood is appropriately dark and mysterious. Some choir sounds can be heard and then a chilly synth pad line. It's all dark, frosty and full of feeling - just the way I like it. Slight lead synth and piano touches are added. After the six-minute mark, a synthesized rhythm starts joined by a sequence a few moments later. However, things remain rather brooding and laid-back. Another bass sequence joins the flow after the ten-minute mark. The track creates a nice flow and could be used to accompany interstellar travels, having a fitting title too. A mournful lead line floats on top but departs all too briefly, only to return a couple of seconds later. My only gripe concerns the sequences that seem to be overtly static. There is an atmospheric section that comes after fifteen minutes into the track. Another sequence makes its way into the sonic landscape, accompanied by another quirky one and little by little we start propelling forward on top of the most active section of this song, lead synth lines all over the place. The track ends on this upbeat note, with bass sequences coming into prominence and then subsiding to leave us with spacey melancholic notes. A great conclusion! "Part 2" heralds its coming with sharp notes and ghostly effects. Excellent, moody stuff. A mournful melody can be heard that fits perfectly with the picture created by a mélange of electronic sounds. A sawy bass melody provides an extra oomph. This is dramatic and emotional music that I enjoyed immensely. Although I was somehow puzzled when it ended all too abruptly. Effects are once again what introduces us to "Part Three". This time it's a bit more aggressive and menacing, with some razor-sharp textures and synth drones. Dramatic string stabs add to the picture. A frenetic sequencer rhythm starts that clearly supports this "menacing" mood. At one point the sequencer is tweaked in real time - nice! What develops further I can only describe as sequencer mayhem - with several overlapping patterns making things truly intense. A reflective melody is played on top with brief lead line flashes. After a while it all calms down to return to the initial atmospherics. Jez Creek and Steve Humphries have created a fine cosmic Electronic Music album. Knowing the solo work of both I was expecting some sequencer-based stuff in the Berlin School style and two of the tracks ("Part 1" and "Part 3"), indeed, deliver sequences in high doses, with the awesome atmospheric track in between (that's a bit marred by the abrupt ending, I must admit). My favourite track is probably "Part 2", followed closely by "Part Three". 

See also: Modulator ESP, Create, Quadra.

 


Astrogenic Hallucinating (USA)

Parthenon (1996)
Binary Noiz Series 00 (2002) (S)
Radon Scan Cycle (2004)
Abian Space (2015)

Noise Ambient from this Houston-based artists. Some curious sounds and atmospheres here.

 


Astrolab-iO (Mexico)

Astrolab-iO (2017)

Experimental electronic project of Alex Otaola and Javier Lara.

 


Astrometry (Malta)

Somnium, visio, oraculum, insomnium, phantasma (1998)

UFO-based concept album by Maltese composer Jean-Pierre Sammut. The style is diverse rhythmic / melodic EM with Space Music elements and the album is topped by an intereview with an ufologist.

 


Astronaut (USA)

Temple of 3 Sides (2007)
Darkest Breads (2007) (S)
Prayer For Mitnick (2007) (S)
Sans Noise Suitcase (2008) (S)

Experimental synth trio of Andy Plovnick, Daniel Lopatin and Lee Tindall. Apart from listed items, there are also several split releases and a compilation album called Early Peril.

See also: Lopatin, Daniel, Oneohtrix Point Never.

 


Astronauta Pinguim (Brazil)

Petiscos: Sabor Churrasco / Switched-On Bah! (2004)
Super Sexxxy Sounds (2008)
Zeitgeist / Propaganda (2011)
Automatic / Here She Comes, There She Goes (2013) (S) (with Simeon)
Live At Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Berlin, Deutschland (2016) (EP) (with Ramiro Pissetti)
Bosch (2019)

Varied electronics from Fabricio Carvalho who focuses on analog synths. He started with a lounge / tropical / moog pop sound on Petiscos, then explored "Dusseldorf School-cum-electro" with vocoder overload on Zeitgest and settled for a darker, more experimental and cosmic sound on Live At Haus der Kulturen...

 


AstroPilot (Russia)

Solar Walk (2010)
Solar Walk 2 (2012)
Solar Walk III - Event Horizon (2014)

Hybrid downtempo / psy-trance / ambient project of Dmitriy Redko out of Siberia. This trilogy of albums is predominantly ambient, with very sparse beats from time to time. Nice cosmic sound.

 


Astrovia (Russia)

Ambienaut (2018)
World of Specular Loomings (2018) (with Derek Nigell)
Solar Nursery Vol. 1 (2019)
Solar Nursery Vol. 2 (2019)
Spectrum And Luminosity (2020)

A project of Alexander Girin. Spectrum and Luminosity is a pretty diverse Space Music album, from majestic pads and melodies to tinkling electric piano and wailing sirens, some gently rhythmic moments (as on "Supergiants") to darker realms, never becoming pitch black, though. Overall, this is Space Music in the classic sense - vast, espansive, somewhat sparse but rather hypnotic. Some parts ("White Dwarf") are closer to melodic EM. Ambienaut, as the title suggests, is a much more subdued affair. Using perceptively longer tracks, it focuses on subtle pads and melancholic melodies to create a tranquil state of mind. There are also some darker drones and sparse punctuating sounds that do not distract from the overall flow of the album. Some parts are more intense and louder, approximating experimental realms. Some other parts are really shadowy and dark, with waves of sound appearing as if from the black void. Solar Nursery Vol. 1 is dedicated to the formation of our solar system and stylistically represents a foray into a somewhat more diverse type of Space Music. It is also more in line with the classic standards of the genre - featuring expansive atmospheres that bring to mind infinite cosmic vistas, it is good stuff to unwind after a hard day or just dream and let you mind drift. Besides, it is somewhat unobtrusive, which allows using it as background listening. The long track "Venus's Youth", in particular, falls into background with its cyclical pulsations and restrained noises. The second volume follows on the footstpes of the first one. Most of the textures are pleasant and spacey, although I would have probably done without the sharper, noisier sounds of the opender. Perhaps a bit of equalizing would do, cutting off some of the more irritating frequencies. On the other hand, the darker, experimental stylings of tracks like "Jupiter's Youth" are spot-on and create a nice mood for this cosmic trip. Ditto for the purer Space Music stylings of "Saturn's Youth". Overall the second volume is perhaps slightly airier and spacier than the first one. World of Specular Loomings, recorded in collaboration with Derek Nigell is bright, ambient Electronic Music, with pulsations, lots of pads and synth melodies. Overall it can still be classed as Space Music, although it is much more diverse. I would say that here, the attention to detail and the exploration of multiple sounds and textures is on another level. There are also some droning parts here and there.

See also: Scand, Randolf

 


Astrovoyager (France)

Temporal Gravitation (2003)
Symphotronic Lunation (2010)
Lunation Tour (2011)
ElectrOpera - Act 1: Pulsations (2012)
ElectrOpera - Act 2: Modulations (2013)
ElectrOpera - Act 3: Convolutions (2014)
Big Bang (2017)
Big Bang Live (2020)
Superhabitable - Phase 1: Are We Alone? (2022)
Superhabitable - Phase 2
: Lost In Space? (2022)

A project by Philippe Fagnoni who combines the style of Vangelis and Jean-Michel Jarre with soundtrack-like structures. Cosmic, symphonic and melodic music.

 


Astrowind (Latvia)

Somewhere the Music Had Been Played (2007)
Fresh Wind In the Valley of Dreams (2008)
Kaidanovsky (2012)
Semikarakory (2015)
Kedr (2015)

Ambient synth project of Kirils Lomunovs, combining cosmic moods with sounds of nature.

 


Asuar, José Vicente (Chile)

El Computador Virtuoso (1973)
Musica Electronica (1975)
Así Habló el Computador (1979)
Música Electroacústica (1989) (recorded in 1977 - 1989)

Chilean pioneer of electronic music, mostly within the academic domain. José Vicente Asuar has been honing his skills as an electroacoustic / electronic artist since the 1950's. He studied in Europe and founded an electronic studio in Caracas in 1965. As a composer he seems to have two sides - one of a high-browed academic dude, with sonic studies comparable to European studio experiments of the time (Stockhausen et al), and another, which is a sort of a wacky Tomita / Bruce Haack hybrid. I'll let the academic electronics connoisseurs judge about the former. Here, I'll concentrate on his playful side. Since the early 1970's, or maybe earlier, Asuar utilized his unique electronic instruments installed in his studio (among which a modular-type monstersynth) to create adaptations of classical compositions or South American folk tunes. This style is wacky and cheesy, but perfectly in line with the then popular "Moog pop" or "Moog classical" wave. El Computador Virtuoso has one side of computer / electronic music tutorial by Asuar with sound examples, and another side of said wacky adaptations (interesting, but hardly progressive, though). Musica Electronica is another album of two distinct faces - side A occupied by "serious", academic, Stockhausen-like avant-garde pieces and side B of playful renditions of South American dances and tunes. The real cream is the closer, "Coral con variaciones" which is probably the most Prog EM piece I heard from him - a real brain melter (and a completely unique style, hardly compared to other artists or anything else released at the time).

 


Asuna (Japan)

Scale Compositions (2012) (with Chinei Hatakeyama)
Valya Letters (2013)
Grace Park (2015) (with Shibata)
The Crepuscular Grove (2016) (with Opitope)
Mille Drops (2017)
Signals Bulletin (2019) (with Jan Jelinek)
Doeru Park (2019) (with Shibata)
In the Open (2020) (with Tomoyoshi Date and Federico Durand)
Tail of Diffraction (2022) (with Minamo)

Diverse experimental musician. The above works will be enjoyed by fans of either Ambient (Valya Letters) or repetitive modular synth compositions (Doeru Park).

 


Asunción (Chile)

El Paisaje Interior (2019)
Divinación: De Volcanes y Humedales (2020)
Materiales & Símbolos (2022)

A project of Cristian Sánchez. Analog synths galore, sequences, some motorik...

 


Asunta (Poland)

Asunta (1996)
Landscapes (1996)
Transfiguracja (1999)
Astralis (1999)

Polish Dark Ambient project of Slawek Golaszewski and Wojciech Karwacki.

 


Asuntar (Poland)

We Are Sequenced (2016)
Romantic Sequences (2016)
Pulses (2017)
Cosmos In Your Mind (2017) (with Blindmachine)

Polish artist with a rhythmic, melodic, Berlin School-influenced sound.

 


Asura (France)

Radio Universe (2014)

Although a psychedelic trance / psybient project, Asura aka Charles Faravel released this atypical album in 2014, where some downtempo beats are combined with influences from classic Electronic Music and Ambient / Space Music.

 


ASWA (???)

Leftover Lps (2018)

A mixture of rhythmic electro and ambient tracks.

 


Asymmetric (UK)

From Nowhere Came (1999)

A duo of Peter Challoner (aka Dieter Ettlinger) and Paul Smith that makes highly melodic music with sequences. This may be regarded Berlin School, but the emphasis is on melodies.

See also: Challoner, Peter, Ettlinger, Dieter.

 


Asyncronous (Ukraine)

The Art of Fighting In A Dream (2019)
Pangaea Nova (2020) (EP)

Kyiv-based downtempo duo. They seem to always include ambient tracks in their releases (like "IV" from The Art of Fighting In A Dream). Pangaea Nova closes with another nice ambient track - "Midnight Sun".

 


AT/NU (Canada)

Psi Grove (2014)

A duo of Igor Ivanov and Sami Blanco. Mostly psychedelic, transcendental, 1990's ambient techno-infused tracks, with just a few beats here and there.

 


At the Head of the Woods (USA)

Secrets Beyond Time And Space (2008)
At Sunrise & At Sunset (2021)

Portland, Oregon-based project in droning ambient mould, influenced by post-rock and krautrock. At the Head of the Woods is James Woodhead.

 


Ataraxia (???)

Ataraxia (??)

Melodic Ambient.

 


Atariame (Russia)

Voiceless (2019)
Completeness (2020)

Varied electronic compositions from Natalia Salmina. Pretty nice and original, without trying to imitate any particular style. Synths, bits of electric guitars and some voice.

 


Ataxy (Germany)

When the Lightning Falls (2018)
Places (2020)

Ataxy is David Eßer, an ambient composer from Hamburg. Floating sounds, pads, some noises, some sequences...

 


Atchison, Bruce (Canada)

Fossils: Volume 1 (1986)
Fossils: Volume 2 (1987)
Fossils: Volume 3 (1987)
3 Pieces For the Tape Furnace Fan (1988) (S)
Hay River / Watson Lake (1989)
U2MIR (1989)
Seventeen Sites (1989)
Fossils: Volume 4 (1990)
Dominion Day (1990)
Space Explorer (1991)
Cosmic Rendez-Vous (1992)
Brain Laundry (1993)
An Ample Sample of Bruce Atchison (1993)
Mind Polish (1994)
MIRror (1996)
Fossils: Volume 5 (??)
Lagomorph (1998)
Lagomorph 2 (1999)
Space In My Head (1999)
OPUS 88 (1999)
Shutup&Talk2me (2002)
Darkness Path (2005)

Electronic musician from Canada who has released a lot of albums with highly varied material. From abstract and Experimental early pieces to his more recent melodic and Ambient-like output, where samples and unusual textures play an important role. I have Lagomorph 2 and Shutup&Talk2me. Each represents a series of electronic vignettes with frequent use of voices and even whole stories told while music does its thing. This is real fun and should be heard by everyone. The pieces all explore different territories but the Ambient, and even minimalistic approach is on show in that once the piece is settled into a groove, it doesn't change much. Most of the pieces are rather short, though, so you usually don't have enough time to get bored. By the way, Bruce's ability to weave different themes in one single album is outstanding. He does cartooney, Experimental, arabic and classic cosmic styles with equal ease. I haven't heard any other music that even remotely sounded like Atchison. Rather unique and therefore highly recommended.

 


Atechts (UK)

Desolate Collapse (2014)
Desolate Collapse 001 (2014)
Desolate Collapse 002 (2014)
Desolate Collapse 003 (2014)
Desolate Collapse 004 (2014)
Desolate Collapse 005 (2014)
Autopoiesis (2015)
Current Transformation (2016)

Gloomy, minimal droning ambience.

 


Atelier Radiofónico (Portugal)

L'émission (2021)

Melodic analog music with a nostalgic library vibe.

 


atelierTheremin (Germany)

atelierTheremin (2001)
Psycho Acoustic Processor (2005)
Morgen im Garten des Neukrautrock (2009)
Empfange neue Signale (2014)

Neo-krautrock band that mixes deranged vocals, guitar wankery and some experimental electronics. The band are Arne Paul Neumann, Manfred Miersch and Slyder C. Gässler, with other members coming and going. They use synths, theremins, drums, guitars, ring modulators and other, more unlikely objects.

See also: Miersch, Manfred

 


Athabasca (UK)

Odd >< Poetry (2015)
Wonder Junkie (2017)
Hardscapes (2020)

Varied, mostly driving, rhythmic electronics from this multi-instrumentalist.

 


Athene Noctu4 (Spain)

In Search of the Bronze Forest (2019)
Soñando el Tiempo (2020)
Desierto / Deseo (2021)
The Leaves Don't Leave the Tree (2023)

A project of José Ma Pérez-Flor. Ambient music with a special focus on electroacoustics and granular synthesis. Sometimes reminds on Stalker by Robert Rich / Lustmord (as on Desierto / Deseo).

 


Atilla, Can (Turkey)

Bilincalty (1992)
Waves of Wheels (1994)
Efsaneler (1995)
Kuvayi Milliye Destany (1996)
Atatuerk (1998) (soundtrack)
Albatros (1999) (soundtrack)
Ave (1999)
Live (2003)
Omni (2003)
Concorde (2005)
Cariyeler Geceler (2005)
HI-Story (2011)
Can-I Yunus (2016)
Berlin High School Legacy (2018)
Masiva (2019)

Electronic musician from Turkey. Sometimes he creates music deeply rooted in the Berlin School tradition. For instance, the album Ave was released as a celebration of the 30th anniversary of Tangerine Dream and therefore you can already guess the style represented here. However, most of the time Can is inspired by more melodic, 80's sounds of Private-era TD and sometimes Jean-Michel Jarre. At other times his sound is more ethnic and new age-like, as on his sountracks for example.

 


Atkey, Martin (UK)

Natural Elements (1993)
Journeys (??)

Obscure UK synthesist who used to release his music on Mark Jenkins' AMP label.

 


Atki2 (UK)

Requiem (2019)

Diverse music, mostly experimental, sometimes with piano, reminding on Roedelius's style, sometimes more ambient or intense / noisy. A project of Sam Atkins.

 


Atkinson, Félicia (France)

Hand In Hand (2017)
Folded Galaxy (2018) (with Christina Vantzou)
Coyotes (2018)
Limpid As the Solitudes (2018) (with Jefre Cantu-Ledesma)
The Flower And the Vessel (2019)
Everything Evaporate (2020)
Echo (2020)
Un hiver en plein été (2021) (with Jefre Cantu-Ledesma)
Image Language (2022)

Experimental / avant-garde composer. Hand In Hand fuses elements of electro-acoustic music, voice composition, sound sculpture and electronics. Some of it has a Prog EM flair. Further investigation is needed.

 


Atkinson, John (USA)

L For Leisure (2014)
Asasin în Lege (2015) (soundtrack)
Quattro terre (2019)
Plains (2019) (with Talya Cooper)
Call Me When You Can (2020) (with Ned Milligan)
Loom (2022) (with Ned Milligan)

Ambient composer who uses a lot of field recordings in his work.

 


Atlantean Blood (Germany)

Basileia (2019)

Dark, repetitive compositions between dunegon synth and Ambient.

 


Atlantis (UK)

The Day the Music Died (2011)
House of Tomorrow (2011)
The Institute of Technology (2012)
The Lost Island (2012) (EP)
Electra's Discovery (2013) (EP)
Bokukko (2013) (EP)
The Index (2013) (S)

A project of Tim Martin. Bubbling analog synths, abstract sound sculptures, warm sequences...

See also: Maps & Diagrams, Ouvala.

 


Atlas (Japan)

Halley's Comet (1985)
Excursion (1986)
Breeze (1987)
Music From Planets (??)

Atlas was a city pop / fusion / balearic trio formed by Hiroyuki Namba (keys), Toshiro Imaizumi (keys) and Eiji Kawamura (acoustic guitar). It mostly works as your leisure time / sea cruise / beach muzak. However, some of the material, especially the upbeat tracks, pleasantly call to mind 1987 - 1991 period Tangerine Dream (the "Melrose" years), if you like that sound. I mean, the similarities are stunning sometimes, if you listen to the upbeat material on Breeze, for example. Again, not that this sound was difficult to achieve using typical synth / sampling technology of that era, but there you have it. Conclusion: works as nice background listening with a few pleasant surprises. Halley's Comet seems to be overall more typical Prog EM.

See also: Namba, Hiroyuki

 


Atlas (USA)

A New Music Experience (1989) (S)
Atlas (1990)

Pre-Galactic Anthems electronics (Glenn Adams and Jeri Conway). Cassette-only release and the music was made with the help of MidiPaint software (!)

See also: Galactic Anthems

 


ATM (USA)

Inglewood Tapes Vol. 3 (2021)

Unclassifiable (or "leftfield", as they call it these days) trio from the US. They use elements of dub, art rock, electro, techno and more. There are some EM elements or tracks on Inglewood Tapes Vol. 3, such as the very short closer "Kraut" or the repetitive "Roland". Seriously though, it's all EM-related at best. I really hope they explore a purer EM territory in the future, as they definitely have that influence and the talent to materialize it.

 


Atman Project, The (Germany)

Love And Pain (1989)

Spacious, melodic and mysterious synth from Heiko Rüsse and Ronald Steckel.

 


Atmøsphäre (Belgium)

Traveler (2015)
Journey (2016)
Inner Visions (2016)
Landscapes (2017)
Sea of Life (2017)
Environment (2017)
Aerial (2017)
Indigo Sunset (2017)
Into the Stars (2017)
Stardust (2018)
Purnima (2018)
Only Tales Will Tell (2018)
Deep Sun (2019)
Ambient Spectrum (2019)
Some Dreams Come True (2020)
Shaman (2020)
Deep Space Pilot (2020)
Origin (2020)
Arboreal (2022) (with Bålsam)
Voor de Dageraad (2022) (with Post Apocalyptic)
Mirror Lake (2022) (with Sacred Seeds)
Native Woodlands (2022)

Ambient project of Tom Lievens. Nice, rich sound, sometimes with underlying throbs or rhythms.

 


Atmosphere Factory (Japan)

Atmosphere Factory (2016)

Free-flowing Space Music / Berlin School from the guy who calls himself Gio Makyo. The real name of the musician is Giovanni Fazio and first I thought that he was an Italian expat living in Japan. However, it seems that he was actually born in the USA, so I'm not sure.

 


AT-Mooss (Spain)

Morphing Synthesizers 1 (1995)
Morphing Synthesizers 2 (1997)
Morphing Synthesizers 3 (1999)
Cyclotron (2002)
Arrow of Time (2004)

Spanish EM trio of Joseph Loibant, John Lakveet and Dom. F. Scab. They had a fourth member Anthony Seagarr in the beginning. J.M. Ciria, too, was a member. Very upbeat music with lots of sequences. Sometimes it approaches the techno territory but never sounding even remotely dance. Has hints of classic Berlin School sequencer music. The band is now reduced to a duo format of Jospeph Loibant and Air J. Mic.

See also: Scab, Dom F., Lakveet, John, Loibant, Joseph, Ciria, J.M.

 


Atoloi (Italy)

Inflorescenze (2021)

Milan-based ambient techno artist who started moving towards purely ambient structures on Inflorescenze.

 


Atom (Germany)

Liedgut (2009)
1i3835tra3m3 (2010)
Texturen I (2015)
Texturen II (2016)
Öffentlicher Traum (2017)
Texturen III (2019)

Atom (aka Atom Heart) is a nickname of Uwe Schmidt. Some of the tracks on Liedergut are co-composed by Florian Schneider, the original Kraftwerk member. The music reminds on the earliest Kraftwerk albums.

See also: Superficial Depth, +N.

 


Atom Cristal / Satellite (France)

Satellite & Atom Cristal (1983)
First Aid (1985)
Satellite (1985) (S)
1979 - 1985 (2014)
Cristallisages (??)

Two closely related projects (there's hardly any distinction) with a connection to pioneering French industrial band Art & Technique. The members were Jean-Pierre Chatte, Michel Goujon and Serge Lafosse (aka Serge Ramses), with a few guests & odd members. They used guitar, electronics, saxes and more. Musically they sit somewhere on the line that separates prog EM from the first bunch of synth-pop / new wave artists, close to Video-Aventures, perhaps.

See also: Ramses, Serge

 


Atom Infant Incubator (Italy)

Copula (1994)
Quantum Leaps Lost Soundtracks (1998)

Dark. Atom Infant Incubator is the brainchild of Runer Order and Die Sonne Satan.

See also: Runes Order, Die Sonne Satan, Order 1968.

 


Atom, Mikhail (Russia)

Astroepos (1995)

Cosmic music plus one long Ambient new-agey piece.

 


Atomic Symphony (USA)

Secret Chamber of Dreams (1986)

Rare album released on LP by this three-piece electronic band (plus a "sound designer"). Colorful, melodic, rhythmic.

 


Atomine Elektrine (Sweden)

Elemental Severance (1995)
Atom Xtension (1999)
Archimetrical Universe (1999)
Nebulous (2007)
The Deep Invisible (2008)
Space Is An Illusion (2011)
Elemental Severance (2015)
Laniakea (2015)
The Second Moon (2016)
The Antikythera Mechanism (2019)

Peter Andersson's (Raison d'Etre) solo side-project. This has a cosmic, ambient sound, much closer to classic EM than his main project. Even a bit Tangerine Dream-y perhaps..

See also: Andersson, Peter, Raison d'Etre.

 


Atomtrakt (Germany)

Schutt & Asche (2006)

Side project of Christoph Ziegler also known as Vinterriket. The debut full-length release (Schutt & Asche) is pretty good Martial Ambient. Afterwards, the project has largely lost its ambient aspects, going for the more bombastic and noisy martial industrial approach.

See also: Vinterriket, Nebelkorona.

 


Atonet (Sweden)

Ido (2018)

A project of Linus Hillborg, who is a member of post-punk band Saigon. Mysterious, repeating, atmospheric synth music.

See also: Hillborg, Linus, Sänkt.

 


Atoris (Japan)

Atoris (2020)
Sea & Forest (2022)

A trio of H. Takahashi, Kohei Oyamada and Yudai Osawa. Their sound is relaxing and hypnotic, both flowing and gently pulsing.

See also: Takahashi, H.

 


Atrium Carceri (Sweden)

Cellblock (2003)
Seishinbyouin (2004)
Kapnobatai (2005)
Ptahil (2007)
Souyuan (2008)
Phrenitis (2009)
Reliquiae (2012)
Void (2012)
The Untold (2013)
The Old City: Leviathan (2015) (soundtrack)
Onyx (2015) (with Apocryphhos and Kammarheit)
Metropolis (2015)
Archives I-II (2016) (recorded in 2005 - 2015)
Echo (2017) (with Apocryphhos and Kammarheit)
Black Corner Den (2017) (with Cities Last Boradcast)
Miles To Midnight (2018) (with Cities Last Boradcast and God Body Disconnect)
Ur Djupan Dal (2018) (with Herbst9)
Codex (2018)
Black Stage of Night (2019) (with Cities Last Broadcast)
Mortal Shell (2020) (soundtrack)
Colossus (2022) (with Kammarheit)
Forgotten Gods (2023)
Apparatus (2024) (with Kammarheit)

Dark Ambient / Isolationism from Simon Heath.

See also: Sabled Sun, Mountain Realm.

 


Atrox (Germany)

Skulptur (2011)

Industrial / noise project of Andy Stöferle, existing since 1993. Skulptur is a surprising ambient diversion for him, with mysterious and sometimes menacing synth compositions. Still some noisy bits in there, but nothing too loud or extreme.

 


Atthis (Spain)

Sentimento Oceánico (2015)
Una Botánica Propria (2018)

Madrid-based nocturnal ambient duo consisting of David Coello Garcia and Raquel Martínez Muñoz. They use piano and electronics. There's something of a "Memories of Green" vibe to their music. Nice.

 


Attilio (USA)

Art Takes A Holiday (1989)

Sort of laid-back, cool, breezy, almost "balearic" vibe here.

 


Attraktors (UK)

Future Systems (2015) (EP)
Attraktors (2020)

British duo with a rhythmic / melodic sound.

 


Atum (Poland)

Agorafobia (2006)
Hitwa (2008)
Legendy miejskie (2009)

Dark soundscapes from Maciej Banasik.

 


Atwood, Kevin (Canada)

Crowded Moon (2012)

A mixture of rock instrumentals and general rhythmic / melodic EM.

 


Atzar (Spain)

Arzakc & Zylenia (2017)

Between Ambient and deep techno.

 


Au Voyage (UK)

Craosa (2018)

Analog and digital synth vignettes and ambient compositions from Kev Morgan.

 


Au5 (USA)

Alchemy (2020)

A project of New Jersey-based Austin Michael Collins. He makes ethereal and cosmic EM with ambient and downtempo influences.

 


AUA (Germany)

I Don't Want It Darker (2020)
The Damaged Organ (2022)

Leipzig-based experimental / krautrock duo of Henrik Eichmann and Fabian Bremer. Their 2020 effort is loaded with synths and electronics and there is also a completely EM track ("Starstruck").

 


Aube (Japan)

Hydrophobia (1991)
Spindrift (1992)
Drip (1992)
Luminous (1993)
Submerged Tension (1993)
Flood-Gate (1993)
Flash-Point (1993)
Density-100 (1993) (with Monde Bruits, Mortal Vision and Thirdorgan)
Luminescence (1994)
Frequency For Collapse (1994)
E-Power (1994)
Emotional Oscillation (1994)
G-Radiation (1995) (with Smell & Quim)
Can-Zone (1995) (with Sudden Infant)
Purification To Numbness (1995)
Huile sur l'eau (1995)
Wired Trap (1995)
Liquid Passion (1995)
Pulse Resonator (1995)
Squash (1995)
Voltanic Valley (1995)
Magnetostriction (1995)
Reflux (1995)
Metalustration (1995)
Entangle Spirant (1996)
Floating Memory (1996) (with Napalmed)
The Four Shrines (1996)
Maschinenwerk (1996) (with Cock E.S.P.)
Stratodive (1996)
Somnambulism (1996)
Artifact (1996)
Infinitely Orbit (1996)
Metal de Metal (1996)
Quadrotation (1997)
Cardiac Strain (1997)
Feed the Fishes (1997)
Plangent Recoil (1997)
Moment In Fragrance (1997)
Dazzle Reflexion (1997)
Aqua Syndrome (1997)
Stared Gleam (1997)
Throb In Manic Red (1997)
Ruminant (1997)
Black Depth (1997)
Split (1997) (with Knurl)
Video Field Recordings (1997) (with Sshe Retina Stimulants)
New Forms of Free Entertainment (1997) (with Lasse Marhaug)
Healsonar (1997)
U.U.W. #1-#12 (1997)
Mort aux vaches (1998)
Substructural Penetration 91-95 (1998)
Evocation (1998)
Pages from the Book (1998)
Sigh In Depressive Blue (1998)
Vas In Euthymic Violet (1998)
Deglaze (1998)
Embers (1998)
Howling Obsession (1998)
3 cadavres exquis (1998) (with MSBR & Marutani)
Cerebral Disturbance (1998)
Triad Thread (1998)
108 (1999)
Suppression Disorder (1999)
Shade Away (1999)
Ricochentrance (1999)
Timemind (2000)
Set On (2000)
Solid Pressure (2000)
Ianuarius (2000)
Februarius (2000)
Martius (2000)
Aprilis (2000)
Maius (2001)
Iunius (2001)
Iulius (2001)
Augustus (2001)
September (2001)
October (2002)
November (2002)
December (2002)
Recontextual Abstraction (2002) (recorded in 1996)
Redintegration (2002)
RM4 (2002)
SDL97 (2002) (recorded in 1997)
SDL97' (2002) (recorded in 1997)
SDL98 (2002) (recorded in 1998)
Spatio Temporal Cluster (2002)
Timemind Live 2002 (2002)
Duplex Sphere (2004)
Materialization (2004)
Chain [Re] Action (2005)
Junkyo (2005) (with Maurizio Bianchi)
Mectpyo Saisei (2005) (with Maurizio Bianchi)
Metalive 1997+1998 (2005)
Reworks Maurizio Bianchi Vol. 1 (2005)
Reworks Stefano Gentile (2005)
Comet (2006) (recorded in 1997 - 1998)
Reworks Maurizio Bianchi Vol. 2 (2006)
Imagery Resonance (2007)
Ambera Planeta Wawar (2007)
Reworks Nimh Vol. 1 (2007)
Reworks Stefano Gentile II (2008)
Variable Ambit (2011)

Dark noisy Ambient by Akifumi Nakajima (1959 - 2013). Timemind is a tribute to Klaus Schulze and features sequenced EM. This discography is far from complete but then the bulk of his works are in pure noise vein and don't have anything to do with electronic prog.

See also: Sian

 


Aubert, Pascal (France)

La forge aux miracles (2001)

Music similar to Tangerine Dream's 90's works.

 


Aubrey, Ross (Australia)

Year of the Snake (2000)
Inner Roads (2001)
Frilled-Neck (2001)
Cartouche (2002)
Blue Noise (2002)
Minor Revelations (2003)
Egyptian Moon (2004)
Still Life (2005)
Spirit Guide (2006)
The Visitor (2007)
Turin (2008)
Avian (2008)
The Arn-Noo Suite (2010)
A Quiet And Lovely Place (2011)

Australian multi-instrumentalist. Mostly ambient combinations of guitars and synths, often with tribal influences.

 


Aucoin, Rich (Canada)

Synthetic: Season One (2022)

Rich Aucoin is a Canadian indie rock musician. The work on an ambitious project titled Synthetic (planned to contain 4 volumes / tomes) started just before the pandemic. The basis for the material are sounds recorded by Aucoin at the National Music Centre in Calgary, housing one of the world's largest collections of rare and historic synthesizers. And you know that projects like that are guaranteed to make it to EEM, unless it's a completely pop / non-progressive concept, which is not the case here. Yes, the tracks are accessible and have many elements of mainstream genres, but are also progressive and explorative. And, what is still better, the music is completely (or almost completely) instrumental.

 


Audela (Belgium)

39 Mysterions (2007)
Audela (2007) (recorded in 1992 - 2007)
Access To Eternity (2008)
Vagues (2008)
Now It's All Silent (2008)
Initiation (2008)
Page 69 (2009)
We Became What We Were (2009)
NBPN (2013)

Belgian formation (or an artist?) strictly in cosmic / deep space Ambient mould.

 


Audient (Germany)

Del Este LP (2019)
Glacial Theory LP (2021)

A project of synthesist Andreas Werner. Pulsing ambience, a bit similar to some 1990's releases.

 


Audio Compress (Hungary)

Exploration (2021) (EP)

Dark Ambient.

 


Audio Obscura (UK)

Audio Obscura & The Sound Celestial Orchestra (2015)
Western Wind (2016)
Between Fields (2018)
Gathering Silence (2019)
Obsidian Timelines (2019)
Nineteen Eighty Four (2019)
Long Shadows (2020)
The Life Electronic (2021)
A Scream From Outer Space (2022) (with Black Sonar)
Tomorrow Will Offer Fresh Narratives (2022)
And You May Find Yourself Living In An Age of Mass Extinction (2022)
A Compendium of Obscure Sorrows (2023)
The Xenakis Station (2023)
Inside the Tettis Wave Accumulator Downloading Full Spectrum Melodies (2023)
Music For Airports In the Age of Climate Change (2024)

Ambient soundscapes with lots of field recordings.

 


Audio Plagio (Greece)

Boeotian Chants (2023) (recorded in 2014 - 2016)

Somewhat lo-fi compositions ranging from gritty synth-punk / no wave to slow darkwave dirges with "vocals" and Berlin School pulsations.

 


Audio Space Research (UK)

Signals Through the Static (2003) (recorded in 1995 and 1997)

Rough, noisy and experimental, improvised compositions performed on analog synthesizers by Kevin Busby and Eve (Yvonne) Thacker.

See also: Carya Amara, Thacker, Yvonne.

 


Audiometria (Spain)

Somewhere (2014)
Submúltiplo (2015)
Cave Session (2016)
Live In Keroxen (2016)

Berlin School duo of Javi Canovas and M. Justo.

See also: Canovas, Javi

 


Audiosport 8 (Netherlands)

De Diepe Wereld (2019)

A collaboration between Danny Wolfers and the group This Animalistic Beliefs. A mixture of electro and ambient synth / Prog EM tracks.

See also: Wolfers, Danny, Legowelt, Weltman, Klaus, Falckenhaus, Franz, Phalangius, Knutson, Saab, Smackos, Nomad Ninja, Occult Orientated Crime, Ufocus, Zandvoort & Uilenbal, Taniyama, Satomi, Rising Sun Systems, Osmo, Sammy, Star Sheperd, Bontempi 666.

 


Auf Togo (Switzerland / UK??)

Movements (2021)

Auf Togo is a duo based in London and consisting of Sasha Crnobrnja and Clement Cachot-Coulom. Their music is mainly based on disco rhythms - a little bit of tropical disco, a bit of space disco, a bit of general late 1970's style disco with synths and all... There is also prominent percussion and a touch of EM. The whole concept and sound somehow reminded me on Quartz - mainly disco but slightly progressive in places, with some tracks ("Mexico", "Seagull") being significantly more interesting than the rest.

 


Auflassen (France)

Auflassen (2023)

Percussive, repetitive, often jazzy electronics from this duo. Sometimes with an early 1980's Brainticket feel.

 


Augé, Gaspard (France)

Rubber (2010) (with Mr. Oizo) (soundtrack)
Escapades (2021)

Melodic analog synth music in typically French style, very reminiscent of Space, Space Art, Quartz, Droids and such - a mixture of upbeat disco-ish numbers and electronic ballads. Very nicely done.

 


Augen (Portugal)

Inter-Flare (2022)

Ambient-oriented electronic project of Gabriel Mendes. Droning, melodic, hypnotic. Sometimes with field recordings.

 


Augen (USA)

Das Fieber der Nacht (2006)

San-Francisco-based Ambient project. Pretty dark.

 


Augenstern (Germany)

Strahlen (1986)
Blutenklang (1987)
Skydancing (1987)
The Best of Augenstern (1991)

Steve Schroyder’s project with Gene Gross. It was started in 1980 as Oxo. However, in 1985 the name was changed to Augenstern.

See also: Schroyder, Steve, Star Sounds Orchestra, Tangerine Dream, Scarecrew.

 


Auger, Grégoire (France)

Burn Out (2018) (soundtrack)

Synth soundtrack with a nice pulsing sound.

 


Augier, Alex (France)

oqpo_oooo (2016)
Germination (2018) (S)
The Fourier Ghost - I / The Fourier Ghost - II (2018) (S)
_nybble_ (2019)
end(O).ex(O) (2021)

Paris-based audiovisual artist. Loud, digital, glitchy, grime-y, neurotic, complex, noisy.

 


Augsburger Messer (Austria)

Musik im Turm (2022) (S)

Pretty nice EM with a restless tone and lots of sequencing. Some Klaus Schulze flashbacks here.

 


August, David (Germany)

DCXXXIX A. C. (2018)
D'Angelo (2018)
VĪS (2023)

DCXXXIX A. C. is a massive, lo-fi ambient trip into the world of gargoyles, half-forgotten dreams and parallel dimensions from this Hamburg-based artist, whose real name is David Nattkemper.

 


August Omens (Russia)

Одно из обращений Земли вокруг своей оси (2019)
Space Odyssey (2022)

Young (17 years old at the time of the release of his debut) musician (real name - Pyotr Abramenko) from Chelyabinsk. A unique style here - minimal, at times really spacious but with a strange sense of purpose and a cinematic quality.

 


August, Scott (USA)

Radiant Sky (2010)

Scott August is a composer from California. He is a master of Native American flute and is generally placed in the new age category. Radiant Sky is his most laid-back album which, although still very much influenced by his new age sound (lots of flute here), will also appeal to fans of Ambient, especially that of the American school. I do hear a lot of Steve Roach references here, down to tribal percussion on some tracks. Radiant Sky is a nice and relaxing hybrid new age / Ambient disc.

 


Augustus Bro (Finland)

Number Stations (2012)
Curtain Array (2014) (EP)
Galactic Ormiex (2019)

Finnish experimental musician. Galactic Ormiex features emotional tracks dedicated to the memory of Keith Flint.

 


Aum Taeppers (Germany / Greece)

Ferio / Theme From Aum Taeppers (2021) (S)
Oumbra (2021)

A synth / drums duo of Daniel Vujanic (e Jugend) and Niko Lazarokopoulos. Energetic, sequencer, Heldon-like or jazzy, relaxed.

 


AUME (USA)

Agere urendum mentis epode (2016)
Elemental (2017)
CQ CQ (2018)

Soundscapes of the darker nature from this duo of Aleph Kali and Scot Jenerik.

 


Aun (Canada)

Irrlicht (2008) (with Allseits)
Motorsleep (2009)
VII (2010)
Black Pyramid (2010)
Phantom Ghost (2011)
Alpha Heaven (2013)
Turquoise (2013)
Fiat Lux (2015)

Moody, melancholic Ambient from Martin Dumais.

 


Aura (Russia)

Totalnoye Proniknovenie (1992)

Incredibly rare tape-only release by the duo of Andrzej Kravtsov (synths) and Oleg Timonov (guitar).

See also: Angelo Taylor

 


Aura Compactor (USA)

Aura Compactor (2020)

See also: Martin, Ean

 


Aura Gaze (USA)

Eternal Hymns (2019)
Llano Discs: Flatland Mystic (2020) (EP)
Orb Temple (2020)
Orb Temple / Sanmon (2020)
Sky Mind (2021)
Five Plains (2021) (with Andrew Weathers)
Great Moon Essence (2022)
The State of Pure Being (2023)

Hypnotic ambient electronics with ethnic / folky vibes. A project of Brandon Blair from Lubbock, Texas.

 


Aura Merlin (Canada)

Three Swords (2023) (recorded in 2022) (S)
Illuminations (2023)

Winter synth / fantasy synth project from Montreal.

 


Aura Negativ (Spain)

Aura Negativ (2013)
Oddity Moon (2017)

This project was created in order to exlore the more electronic and spacey aspects of Ellfor's sound. Laid-back, epic, melodic EM with sequences, vocoders, choirs, pads, etc. Nice.

See also: Ellfor

 


Auragraph (USA)

Memory Tracer (2020)
Metamerism (2021)
Opacity Field (2021)
Tropics (2022)
Vista (2022)

A project of Hector Carlos Ramirez based in Los Angeles. He uses vintage and modern analog synths and drum machines for a rich, driving sound, full of sequences, melodies and soundtrack vibes. Impressive.

 


AURAL (Germany)

Sonic Metamorphosis (2018)
エデンの園 (2021)

Beautiful ambient soundscapes supposedly using data received as electrical signals from plants.

 


Aural Hallucinations (Portugal / USA)

Alucinações Auditivas (2020)
Hearing What You Want To See (2021)

Double synthesizer workouts from Matt Couto and Dr. Space.

See also: Øresund Space Collective, Dr. Space, Dr. Space's Alien Planet Trip.

 


Aural Holograms (Finland)

Vol. I (2007)

Ambient from Anti Ittna (aka Antti Haapapuro) and Jussi Saivo.

See also: I'corax, Halo Manash, Aeoga, Arktau Eos.

 


Aural Night (Finland)

Voyage (2006)

Aural Night is Miika Warsell from Helsinki, Finland. He creates music strongly influenced by Vangelis' symphonic style.

 


Aural Scenarios (New Zealand)

A Host of Planets Vol. 1 (2009)
A Host of Planets Vol. 2 (2009)

A duo of Russell Storey and Simon Ellis creating deep, spacey Electronic Music.

See also: Storey, Russell

 


AuReality (Netherlands)

Serenity (1998)
Sense (2003)
AuReality (2003)

AuReality is the project of Dutch synth player Paul Swennenhuis from Groningen. The first album was published in 1998. After a brief hiatus he returned with Sense. In the beginning he was influenced by Klaus Schulze and Tangerine Dream but his music included lots of other influences, such as ethnic music and Ambient.

 


Aurora Seven (Australia)

Etched Star Maps (2017)

Melbourne-based Dark Space project.

 


Auroric Dreams (USA)

Outpost (2013)

A duo of Tony Gerber and Bryan Burnett. Expect good Space Music here.

See also: Gerber, Tony

 


Auroris (UK)

Recycled Space Debris (2005)
Cryogenic Dreams (2006)
Outpost (2008)

Auroris from Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire, creates highly charged mixture of space rock (Hawkwind, Ozric Tentacles vein) and Electronic Music.

 


Auser, Roberto (Netherlands)

Love And Saucers (2020) (recorded in 2017) (soundtrack)
Symbol of A Mountain (2020)
Second Sun (2021)

Love And Saucers is a varied electronic soundtrack, mostly ambient, brooding and / or atmospheric.

See also: Kaval

 


Ausgang Verboten (Sweden)

Entertainment (1984)

More Kraftwerk that Kraftwerk themselves. This duo of Patrik Book and Jesper Hanning apparently released this album on tape 1984 although I've never seen a cassette version of this. In 2004, it was re-released on CD by German "Genetic Music" label.

 


Ausklang (Germany)

Chronos (2020)
Resonanz (2020)

German trio mixing post-rock and ambient electronics.

 


Ausschreitung (Russia)

1954 (2024)

I'm not totally sure, but I think that the guy behind this project is Arseny Litvin, a noise musician from Novosibirsk. This is moody ambient music, very much in the style of Martial Ambient, although the topic here is not exactly war, more like post-war building of the Soviet Union.

 


Aussenminister (Germany)

Live At the Musik Hall (1981)
Aussenminister / Model 81 (1981)

These two bands (Aussenminister and Model 81) were the brainchild of German synthesist and Conrad Schnitzler collaborator Wolfgang Hertz. Side one of this Auricle cassette (the second one in the discography) contains archive 1981 Aussenminister material, kinda like a mixture of You-era Gong and Cluster / Kluster. Very spacey sound. Side two gathers Model 81 material from 1980-81 and is more in the vein of Moebius & Plank or mid-eighties Schnitzler.

See also: Hertz, Wolfgang

 


AUST (Switzerland)

The Beauty of Dying (2022)

Like a mixture of Progressive EM and pop / EDM styles. Some tracks are ok, others are pretty nice really.

 


Austere (USA)

Convergence (1998)
Monodia (1999)
Curio (2000)
Distance (2000) (EP)
Fade (2000)

Coruscate (2003) (S)
Remission (2003)
Evergone (2004) (EP) (with Abstract Sound Systems)
Eco (2005)
Faded (2005) (with Stephen Phillips)
Mirror (2007)
Pulse (2007)
Solyaris (2008)
Euterpe (2013)

Dark, droning Ambient music from this mysterious group (or person) out of Portland, Oregon.

 


Austin, Derek (UK)

Hi Tech (1979)
Synthasia (1980)
Power Surge (1981)
Power Plus (1982)
Audio Graffiti (1983)
Power Supply (1984)
Here At Last (1986) (with Ian Hughes)

Electronic library record composer.

 


Austin, Steve (UK)

Music From the Withered Orange Tree (1985)

Rare cassette release with melodic Electronic Music from this synthesist.

 


Australasia (Italy)

Mercurio • Argento (2019) (S)

Two tracks based on the sound of synthesizers (with some guitar) from this post-rock project.

 


Australian Testing Labs Inc. (UK)

Music For Aircooled Motoring (2017)

Heavy krautrock / Dusseldorf School vibes for those long drives down the autobahn.

 


Australis (USA)

Terraustralis (2005)
Lifegiving (2005)
Gates of Reality (2008)
Sentient Genus (2010)
Adrift (2014)
One of Ours (2019)

Diverse melodic project influenced by such genres as Ambient, new age, downtempo, melodic EM, and by artists as diverse as Engima, Amethystium and Vangelis. Often comparable to latter-day Tangerine Dream as well. Symphonic, cinematic (sometimes to the point of sounding like a full-fledged soundtrack), rhythmic, easy-listening, accessible. Oscar Aguayo (the man behind Australis) is Peruvian-born. However, he currently resides in the USA and formed the project "Australis" there. I was hesitant as to whether I should include him as a Peruvian or an US artist, as I don't know how much time he actually spent in Peru and whether his career kickstarted while he still lived there, so for now he is listed as an US artist.

 


Austrud, Stein (Norway)

We Meet We Touch I Am (2021)

A curious mixture of classical / folk instrumentation, subtle electronics and processed / computer-generated voices.

 


AUT2M (Netherlands)

Muziek voor Muren (2020)

A project based in Tilburg. Muziek Voor Muren is nice ambient music influenced by (and a tribute to) the works of Japanese composers Hiroshi Yoshimura and Haruomi Hosono.

 


Autistic Argonauts (Germany)

Magic Maggi Moments (2010) (S)
Lichtterfeld (2012) (S)
Go-Go Rotte (2014)

Experimental textures and warm, vintage analogue synths from this Frankfurt-based duo.

See also: Flamingo Creatures

 


Autocreation (UK)

Mettle (1994)

Pulsing, throbbing and echoing electronics constructed on analogue modular synthesizers by the trio of Kevin Hector, Tara Patterson and Mark Van Hoen from London, UK. This album is pretty rare these days but is quite revered by fans of ambient techno and has something of a legendary status. However, the techno influences are obvious on just one track ("Tomato Dawn"). The rest is beatless but rhythmic, reminding on Biosphere at times, at others hinting on John Carpenter's soundtracks.

 


Autodealer (USA)

Structured Living For Young Minds (2021) (EP)
Circuit Dreams the Signal (2022)

Echo-laden, distant, post-rock-influenced electronics from Los Angeles-based Matthew Richter.

 


Automat (Italy)

Automat (1978)

Rare classic album of Electronic Music from Romano Musumarra and Claudio Gizzi using sounds programmed on MCS 70 synth by Mario Maggi. The first side of the LP is occupied by the lengthy "Automat" suite in three parts, which is sort of rhythmic Space / Droids type of thing. The second side has three tracks: "Droid" (same style with a theme that reminds on Vangelis' "Pulstar" - this track was very popular in Brazil thanks to it being used as the background theme for Globo TV in the early 80's), "Ultraviolet" - a real jewel (all spacey analog synths, outstanding cosmic excursion) and the strange rhythmic "Mecadence".

See also: Omni

 


Automne Six (Germany / France)

Automne Six (2022)

A duo of electronic musician Stefan Schneider and guitarist Philippe Poirier. Sounds mostly like a French chansonnier backed by Cluster. Some of the material is instrumental.

See also: Schneider, Stefan

 


Autonomi (France)

Autonomi (2019)
Sessio (2021)

Four-piece band from Lyon. Sort of improvised, krautrokish electronics. Uses a rather minimal approach overall.

 


Autorhythm (Sweden)

Synapse (2023) (S)
Songs For the Nervous System (2023)

Music with a steady rhythm and lots of nice, strange and quirky analog sounds. Often with a somewhat Dusseldorf-ian feel. A project of Joakim Forsgren.

See also: Forsgren, Joakim

 


autos4ve (USA)

Restart (2022)

Cybernetic ambience with a few jungle / drum'n'bass bits.

 


Autotelia (UK)

I (2020)

London-based duo of Demian Castellanos and Tom Relleen (from Papivores, both also known as The Oscillation) heavily influenced by early krautrock and EM.

See also: Oscillation, The

 


Autrax (Germany)

Réchauffé (2017)

Music in the style of and influenced by Pete Namlook. Autrax is Harald Lapp.

 


Autre Monde (Belgium)

Seeking Pleasures (2015) (S)
Vigilant Dreams (2015)
Choreographed Words (2016)

Minimal, slightly noisy and distorted, analog soundscapes with slow sequences.

 


Autumn (Belgium)

Seven Days Autumn (1980)
I Invite (1980)
Hard Breakfast (1981)
Meditation of the Lost (1981)
Metropolis - The Soundtrack (1984)
Silicon Valley (1984)

This band started out as a 'cosmic music' outfit, but later degraded into a more pop-oriented concept, with various offshoots like Twilight Ritual or Linear Movement focusing of vocal songs. The above works are supposedly interesting, but please note that they contain vocals to a certain extent. Autumn consists of Peter Bonne and Geert Coppens.

See also: Twilight Ritual

 


Autumn Ambient Cassettes (Germany)

Autumn Ambient Cassettes No. 001 (2016)

What the title says. A project of Frank Baker.

 


Autumn of Communion (UK / Ireland)

Autumn of Communion (2012)
Autumn of Communion 2 (2013)
Autumn of Communion 3 (2013)
Autumn of Communion 3.5 (2013)
Solar Image (2014)
Autumn of Communion 3.9 (2014)
Autumn of Communion 4 (2014)
Autumn of Communion 5 (2015)
Autumn of Communion 6 (2015)
Polyeuces (2016)
Broken Apart By Sunlight (2016)
Sycorax (2016)
Broken Apart By Echoes (2017)
Metal (2017)
Moonstreams (2018)
Reservoir of Video Souls (2018)
Folk Etymology (2019)
Zosimus Alchemista (2019)
Amalgamation (2019) (with Sven Kössler and Si Matthews)
An Index of Pseudepigraphs (2019)
Streams (2020)
Data Space Bass (2021)
Volume One (2021) (with World Circuit)
nətɪvɪti (2022) (with World Circuit)

Ambient duo of Lee Anthony Norris and Mick Chillage. Comparable to Pete Namlook's classic 1990's output. The first album was released on FAX label.

See also: Nacht Plank, Chillage Mick.

 


Autumn of Pækward (Germany)

Iktsuarpok (2015)
Cern (2016)

Leipzig-based project that combines synth pads and drones with a bit of distorted guitar and a few more intense moments.

 


Autumn Tales (Russia)

In My Dead Garden (2007)
Legends of Rantha (2010) (EP)
Moonlight Epitaph (2010) (EP)
Other Side of the Mirror (2011)
Postworld (2012)
Souls of Autumn (2013)

Formulaic Dark Ambient from Kaliningrad, sometimes venturing into classically-inspired melodies or folk tunes. Often in the vein of Medieval Ambient or Black Ambient (in the most intense moments).

 


Autumna (Belgium)

Lutalica (2017)
Secret Radio (2022)
This Isn't the Love You Promised (2022)
The Third Half (2022) (S)
My Heart Is A Chainsaw (2023)
After Words (2023)

Lo-fi ambient project with some IDM rhythms. Autumna is Emile Wauters.

 


Autumus (Russia)

Metropolis (2010)

Minimal synth project of Ivan Udintsev. The above is supposedly a calmer, ambient work. Just two hour-long tracks here.

 


Auvinen (Finland)

Akkosaari (2021)

Known for making acid music as Tin Man, Johannes Auvinen released this completely different album (Akkosaari) - full of floating pads and synths, it is much more informed by the classic EM tradition. Rather ambient and experimental overall.

 


Aux Field (Georgia)

Imaginable Layers (2015)
Square Landscapes (2018)

Aux Field is Tbilisi-based electronic musician Rezo Glonti. On Imaginable Layers you will find music in a unique style, a mixture of ambient, atmospheric and more rhythmic / sequenced structures. Hardly comparable to other artists but definitely Prog and rather nice overall. Rezo Glonti also releases music under his own name in a slightly different style.

See also: Glonti, Rezo

 


AV Moves (USA)

In A Pause (2020)

Ambient, but experimental electronic compositions from Los Angeles-based John Calvin Jones.

 


Available Space (USA)

New Listening (2007)

A duo of Art Cohen and Steve Bowman with a cosmic, Berlin School-related sound.

See also: Cohen, Art, Delicate Monster.

 


Avalahm (Canada)

Racca Luni (2018)

Synth-pop duo with a rich synth sound, sort of a shoegazy flair and an influence of Prog EM. Best track: "Pahn".

See also: Element Kuuda, Fumerolles.

 


Avant Garden (UK)

Living In the Here & There (1992)

Ethnic ensemble The Rain Garden (Chris Conway and Carl Peberdy) teaming up with electronics whiz Yvonne Thacker for an abstract, mesmerizing World Music session. Their particular brand of World Music is closer to semi-acoustic Popol Vuh pastiche than anything else, although much more free and less melodic. Nice stuff.

See also: Conway, Chris, Thacker, Yvonne.

 


Avarp (Czech Republic)

Avarp (2014)

A group led by Aleš Vejnar, including also Robert Vašíček and Jakub Dvořáček, with a few guests on sax, drums and guitar. They play a variety of analog synthesizers and their music is excellent EM in classic style, from spacey to driving and melodic / rocky. From Vangelis to Artemiev, Jarre, Space, Klimkovsky and Maxxess - it's all there,

 


Avarus (Finland)

Metsässä (2016)

Free folk / drone / experimental band from Finland. I am not sure how much of their output is based on electronics, but the above album, recorded live in Belgium in 2015, features two long tracks of experimental synths. Progressive sounding, but at the Experimental end of the EM spectrum.

See also: Nuslux, Eronen, Roope.

 


Avaruuden Sähkö (Finland)

Avaruuden sähkö (2014)

Dark, a bit noisy analog synth soundscapes. I guess you can call that "Dark Space".

 


Ave Eva (Switzerland)

Panamint (2016)

Minimal, spacey, experimental analog synth pieces, with traces of 1970's EM perhaps (the earliest, embryonic Berlin School releases come to mind).

See also: African Ghost Valley, Oha Aho, Eyyes, Mind Waves.

 


Ave Grave (USA)

TXL (2021)

Moody, somewhat lo-fi ambience from Californian artist Sean Christopher Galloway, who is currently based in Berlin.

 


Avebury Sounds (UK)

Variable States (Suite In D Minor) (2020) (S)

Moody compositions created mostly on the Moog One synthesizer. Ambient, melodic, mysterious... Sometimes rhythmic, with sequences.

 


Aven (France)

Aven (2019)
Eaux (2020)

Moody, darkish analog synth compositions by Baptiste Rieg. Sometimes with sequencing.

 


Avenue Vendome (???)

Saturn Chateaux (1995)

Electronic guitar soundscapes.

 


Aveparthe (Russia)

Landscapes Over the Sea (2014)

Frozen ambient soundworlds from members of Sádon and Astral & Shit.

See also: Astral & Shit

 


Avery, Daniel (UK)

Illusion of Time (2020) (with Alessandro Cortini)
Love + Light (2020)
Together In Static (2021)
Ultra Truth (2022)

Acid house / hard techno artist turning to more ambient forms on Love + Light. There are still some hard beats on this album, but many of the tracks are already completely beatless or utilize slower, softer, downtempo-type rhythms. Together In Static continues in the same direction.

 


Avgerinos, Paul (USA)

Balancing Spheres (1988)
Maya: The Great Katun (1988)
Island Sanctuary (1988)
Celestial Voyage (1988)
Tropical Paradise (1988)
Muse of the Round Sky (1992)
Sky of Grace (1998)
Mindfulness (2018)

Ambient on Hearts of Space label. Should sound like a cross between Roach and Stearns.

 


AV-GO (USA)

Sojourn (2019) (S)

Ambient duo of Adam Gottesman and Victor Jordan Ostrovski. Moody, melodic compositions.

 


Aviary (USA)

Aviary (2017)

Modular synth improvisations from Konrad Kamm, Mike Nigro and Matthew D. Gantt. Sometimes experimental, but often melodic and / or sequencer / arpeggio-based.

See also: Nigro, Mike, Glass Frog.

 


Avon MeanTime (UK)

In Dreams (2019) (S)

Ambient compositions, mostly of flowing and sparkling variety. A project of Charlotte Mair.

 


Avont (Netherlands)

#1 (2021) (EP)

Varied ambient compositions from Arjan Timmermans. Mostly moody and nocturnal.

 


AVR (Canada)

Drones Vol. 1 (2018)

What the title says.

 


Avsky (Norway)

Silent Decay (2007)

Dark Ambient.

 


Awakened Souls (USA)

Palettes (2020) (with Pepo Galán)
Keep the Orange Sun (2021) (with From Overseas)
The Other Side of Darkness (2021) (with 36)
Night Songs (2022)
Unlikely Places (2023)

Ambient duo of James Bernard and Cynthia Field.

See also: Bernard, James, Marine Eyes.

 


Awakshidar, Jamie (New Zealand)

Prismdeath (2018)
Wavecrash (2018)
There Is More Beauty In Corruption (2018)
Fall;spring (2020)
Complete Corruption (2020)
Kriptobiologiya (2021)
The Face of God Is Made of Mirrors (2023)

Foggy ambient compositions.

 


Aware (Austria)

The Book of Wind (2017)
Requiem For A Dying Animal (2023)

Ambient project of Alexander Glück.

 


Awe Kid (UK)

Body Logic (2022)

A lush, melodic mixture of ambient EM sounds and some drum'n'bass rhythms.

 


Awen / Awenson (France)

Shadows (2005)
Saphonic (2008)
Beyond the Galaxies (2009)
Wizard (2010)
Hope (2019)
Within (2019)
Aweena (2020)
Floating (2021)
Faith (2024)

Awenson is Jöel Bernard. He is a Berlin School musician from France with strong Klaus Schulze influences.

 


Awenda Provincial Park (Canada)

Tenderness (2018)

This project from Montreal mixes collages of recorded sounds and climatic ambient compositions.

 


AWITW (France)

Atlantica (2023)

AWITW stands for A Walk In the Woods. French synthwave project. On Atlantica, there is a touch of melodic progressive EM and more ambient styles.

 


Awkward Corners (UK)

Dislocation Songs (2020)
Amateur Dramatics (2021)

Cluster-like electronics from Chris Menist, with perhaps a heavier focus on rhythms. Amateur Dramatics is a more jazz-oriented effort.

 


Axel (Germany)

Unendlichkeit (2000)

Music by Axel Isensee. The style is not known at the moment.

 


Axess (Germany)

First Light (2002)
Chamaeleon (2003)
Contact (2004) (with Maxxess)
Time Traveller (2005)
Voices of Dawn (2008)
Fusion (2010)
Impact (2010) (with Maxxess)
Seashore (2018)
Zen (2020)
Singularity (2022)

Solo project of Pyramid Peak member Axel Stupplich. Berlin School electronics.

See also: Pyramid Peak, Digital Dream.

 


Axis (Japan)

Natural High (1983)

Warm, floating Electronic Music by Yasuo Ogata.

 


Axxent Opaque (UK)

Wave - Forms (2018)
South (2019)
From the Dark Dimension - Live (2021)

Electronic trio consisting of Colin Jordan, Gary Wright and Chris Medway. Melodic EM of the British School.

See also: CosmoMoose

 


Axxess (UK / France)

Novels For the Moons (1983)

Electronic Music by Patrick Mimran and Howard Bedman.

See also: Mimran, Patrick

 


Axxis (???)

Soundwave Traveller (??)

 


Ayer, Guy Philippe (Switzerland)

Diaphane (1982)

Rare private LP recorded in Bern. Guy Philippe Ayer plays synths and keyboards and there is a drummer helping out. The music ranges from jazzy (sounds like normal jazz fusion played exclusively on synthesizers) to atmospheric and symphonic EM.

 


Ayers, Frank (France)

Different Skies (2014)
Heart of the Sun (2016)
Crossroads (2018)
Footnotes (2019)

Classic style synthesist. You can hear influences of Vangelis, Jarre, Schulze, TD and others in his music.

 


Ayers, Sara (USA)

Sylvatica (2000)
Interiors (2001)
Kyzyl To Samarkand (2004) (with Ryuta.k)
A Million Stories (2005)

In 1985 Sara Ayers released Fluorochrome - a cassette release with pop songs backed by synthesizers. A bit later she resurfaced as an ambient soundscape artist, still using her voice together with electronics, but more as an instrument, often in a processed form.

 


Aylu (Argentina)

Serum (2018) (EP)
Profondo rosa (2022)

Ailín Grad is from Rosario, currently living in Buenos Aires. She uses short samples, microsounds and synthesis to create varied tracks ranging from playful and sequency to abstract and glitchy.

 


Aymeric de Tapol (Belgium)

Winter Dance (2014) (S)
Les Horizons (2015)
Walking On A Spoon (2016)
J'ai dansé avec elle (2016) (S)
Bombina (2018) (S)
Lost In the Shell (2021)

Belgian experimental artist very much informed by musique concrete and academic electronics of the French school. Sometimes he ventures into more accessible realms, though, approaching EM but not fully crossing into that territory. I will try to list the EM-related works here.

 


Ayres, Felipe (Brazil)

Turvo (2020)

Synthesist from Curitiba who uses modular gear and other analog and digital tools to create mysterious, spacey, rhythmic and sequencer-based electronic compositions. Pretty nice sound here.

 


Ayres, Mark (UK)

Myths And Other Legends (1990)

Mark Ayres composed music for "Dr. Who" series, among other things. This disc is a selection of pieces from a few video productions.

See also: Radiophonic Workshop, The

 


Aythar (Hungary)

Astronautica (2016)
Dream of Stars (2016)
The God Particle (2017)
Cosmic Resonances (2019)
ElectrOcean / Winter Walk (2021) (recorded in 2018 and 2021)

Music in the style of early FAX releases with 1970's influences from Tamás Károly Tamás.

 


Åyusp (UK)

Åyusp (2019)

Analog music in kosmische / Berlin School vein from this Sheffield-based duo.

 


Aywon, Ian (France)

Vision 125 / Vision 91 (1984) (S)
Universe 666 / XW 47 (1984) (S)
Psy Music - Reincarnation (1984) (S)
Psy Music - Apocalypse (1984) (S)
Psy Music - Preludes 52 & 53 (1985) (S)
Cosmic Power 1 (1986) (S)
Cosmic Power 2 (1988) (S)
Cosmic Power 3 (1989) (S)
Cosmic Power 4 (1989) (S)
Cosmic Power 5 (1989) (S)
Cosmic Power 6 (??) (S)
Cosmic Power 7 (??) (S)
Offrande N°2 / Prélude 29 (??) (S)

French composer (his name sounds Breton to me) who preferred to release his music on 7" records. Floating electronics, with hints of Jarre.

 


Azahar (Spain)

Elixir (1977)

The first album (of the two released) by this Spanish keyboards / guitars / bass / mandolin quartet. Yes, you got it, no drums. Although there are guitars and vocals scattered throughout and the general "Andalusian rock" vibe prevailing, the whole is primarily instrumental and is dominated by keyboards (that include piano, Solina and various synthesizers). File under EM-related. Don't know about their second effort.

 


Azaleas (USA)

Sapphire (2016)
Dream of Fields (2019)
Colorspace (2021)

Sort of new-agey ambient compositions, but pretty diverse overall. Floating, reflective, meditative... Azaleas is a duo of Kyle Wade and Alice Andres-Wade.

 


Azier, Thomas (Netherlands)

A Collection of Broken Ideas (2021)

Dutch artist currently based in Berlin. A Collection of Broken Ideas features long ambient tracks with field recordings, piano, mellotron and synths.

 


Azimuth (UK / Canada)

Azimuth (1977)

A modal jazz / ECM jazz formation involving John Taylor on piano & synth, Norma Winstone on vocals and Kenny Wheeler on flugelhorn and trumpet. Amazingly, Taylor's work on the synth is very spacey and EM-like, especially when he does sequencing or Tim Blake-like arpeggios. A nice listening experience. File under EM-related.

 


Azizy (Japan??)

Chelidron (2017)

Rhythmic, uplifting music and some ambient moments. Analog synths predominate.

 


Aznar, Pedro (Argentina)

Hombre Mirando al Sudeste (1987) (soundtrack)

Guitar player and jazz-rock musician. The above is a soundtrack to a science fiction / drama movie. It is very diverse, genre-wise, ranging from orchestral tracks and piano / sax numbers to nice pulsing electronics ala Carpenter / TD on the opening title. File under EM-related.

 


Azuma, Yoshitaka (Japan)

Moon Light of Asia (1981)
Asian Wind (1981)
Far From Asia (1982)
Mysterious Asian Roads (1983)
Secret (1983) (with Bill Bruford and Masaya Matsuura)
Azuma (1987)
The Wanderer (1988)
Trip To the National Treasure (1989)
Mind of Genesis (1991)
Panzer Dragoon (1995) (soundtrack)
Tokyo Dungeon (1995) (soundtrack)
Benevolence (1999)
Supremeness (1999)
Salvation (1999)
Inscription (1999)

Over the years, Yoshitaka Azuma (1948 - 2012) had been one of the premier electronic composers from Japan, combining Berlin School sequences and atmospheres with his own sonic visions, partly based on the music traditions of his native land. On later works, a new age influence creeped in. A couple of his abums were released on Peter Baumann's Private Music label. The music on these can be roughly described as Kitaro on steroids. In his later years, Yoshitaka's main sphere of activity was composing music for video games.

 


Azymuth (Brazil)

Light As A Feather (1979)

Brazilian jazz fusion band (Jose Roberto Bertrami, Alex Malheiros and Ivan Conti) with a large discography. This is synth-heavy fusion (in fact, there's no guitar, only keyboards, bass and drums / percussion) with warm sounds that somehow bring a jazzy and non-oriental Yellow Magic Orchestra to mind. However, it's still firmly in the fusion camp, so it's EM-related at best. There's a nice electronic piece, though ("Amazonia"), but unfortunately it's criminally short. Further investigation is needed.

 


Azzaro, Romain (Italy??)

La vita non e un film (2020)

Varied music from this multi-instrumentalist, mostly influenced by the krautrock movement, EM and film music.

 


Azzopardi, Jamie (UK)

Contemplation In Isolation (2014)
Four Sides of the Luddite (2015)

Don't know about other releases, but at least Contemplation In Isolation seems to contain some proggy EM material. The above discography is incomplete.

See also: Golden Gonk, The

 


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