Index

 

i (USA)

i (2002)

What one would hardly expect is an EM album from a country / folk outfit. But that's exactly what we have here, as "i" are actually The Walkabouts (well, most of it, the lineup was Chris Eckman, Carla Torgerson, Gleen Slater, Curt Eckman and Grant Eckman). It was a one-off project (followed by several concerts) and the music was described as "krautrock-inspired". There was a lot of mystery following this release, as to who actually played the music. The rumor had it that there was an obscure krautrock formation from Dusseldorf with this name. However, the hoax was soon exposed.

 


I.A.O. (Germany)

1991 (??)
Phase III (2020) (recorded in 1988 - 1995)
Neue Zeiten - Schöne Seelen (2021)

A bit obscure electronic trio from Berlin consisting of Achim Kohlberger, Ralf Östereich and Carsten Zielske. They made music from some point in the 1980's to circa 1995. Melodic, relaxed, jazzy...

 


I Burn (Italy)

I Burn (1998)
Infraharmonies, Scald Cavities (1998)
Ipertermia (1998) (S)
3rd Degree Burns Ambience (1999)
Il riequilibrio delle risorse (2002)

Dark music by a duo of Maurizio Landani and Gabriele Santamaria. Very good.

 


I.corax (Finland)

Suns (1999)
The Cadaver Pulse I (2003)
The Cadaver Pulse II (2003)
From Golden Flesh To Silver One (2003)
Kuilu (2004)
Spectral Metabolism (2005)
Cella phantasma (2013)

Finnish Dark Ambient. Most of the time involves electronic istruments, but The Cadaver Pulse I consists of just organic sources and manipulated samples. I.corax consists of Antti Haapapuro, Jaakko Vanhala and Ari Kukkohovi. 

See also: Depther, Zoat Aon, Halo Manash, Arktau Eos, Aural Holograms.

 


I. D. A. Liberation Music Orchestra (Spain)

I. D. A. Liberation Music Orchestra (2021)
Ismomanía (2021)

Long tracks of ambient drones & synths, some mellotron flashes and dubby rhythms.

 


I Dream No More (Belgium)

Fade - Die (2002)

Varied Ambient material.

See also: Until Death Overtakes Me, Dreams of Dying Stars, Fall of the Grey-Winged One, In the Mist, Forbidden Fields.

 


I.E. (USA)

Art For War's Sake (1987)

A band led by Keith Stewart.

See also: Stewart, Keith

 


I Giardini di Bosch (Italy)

Lo straordinario viaggio di Rose Camalow (2021)

Long, psychedelic electronic tracks, with arpeggiated synths, interesting textures, echoing synths etc. Some nice sequencing as well.

 


I Im Eye My (USA)

7 Transmissions (2014)

Neo-psychedelia project of Al Creedon and Sean Hamilton from Philadelphia. There is a strong EM element to the music, with many tracks being predominantly electronic, full of super-fast sequencing and krauty melodies.

 


I Monster (UK)

Bright Sparks Instrumental (2016)

Synth-pop band from Sheffield with sort of a psych rock / hauntology vibe. Their instrumental version of Bright Sparks album may be interesting for some EM fans.

 


I Once Knew A Ghost (USA)

Humanity (2021) (S)
Thieves (2023)

Pretty dense ambient sound with some noisier bits from this Minnesota-based project.

 


I.Q. (Australia)

I.Q. (1983)
Imagination (1984)
Visual Dreams (1985)
Spirit of the Rainbow (1985)

Not to be confused with British progressive rock band of the same name, I.Q. was a brainchild of Ken Davis, a pioneer of Electronic Music in Australia and keyboard player / computer sequencing enthusiast Mars Lazar. They had a supporting cast of musicians, including a live drummer in the early stages. I.Q. gave many live performances in unlikely places like street corners, shopping malls and so on. After I.Q. split, Ken Davis continued to perform live and release his music on cassettes and CD's. I.Q.'s music was fairly innovative for the time, fusing synth-pop sensibilities with cutting edge technology, including the then new Fairlight CMI computer instrument. The vocals are present but are often processed via vocoder. Overall, I.Q. should be seen as a missing link between synth-pop / new wave of the early 1980's and progressive electronic music. Subsequent albums (starting from Imagination) are all solo endeavors of Davis, although my guess is that they still may be of interest to fans of EM (he went very new age with the passage of time).

See also: Davis, Ken

 


I Speak Machine (USA)

The Silence (2014)
Zombies 1985 (2017)
Cars (2019) (S)
Bad Moon Rising (2019) (S)
The Boys of Summer (2019) (S)
Don't Worry Baby (2019) (S)
War Pigs (2019) (S)
The Sound of Silence (2019) (S)
Ticket To Ride (2019) (S)
White Rabbit (2019) (S)
Light My Fire (2019) (S)
Space Oddity (2019) (S)
Superstar (2020) (S)
Paint It Black (2020) (S)
Orphans (2021) (recorded in 2019 - 2021)

A duo of Tara Busch and Maf Lewis. Half instrumental, with Tara's synths all over, creating a 1980's horror soundtrack atmosphere.

 


Iagon (USA)

Tome of the Crystal Wizard (2018) (S)
Into the Crypt (2018) (S)
The Dark (2022)

Macon, Georgia-based hybrid dungeon synth / ambient project, leaning more towards the latter.

 


Iamí (Brazil)

Luz e Sombra (2014)
Inspirações (2015) (S)
Cavernas do Inconsciente (2015)

Dungeon synth-related project from Brazil with sort of a cosmic / prog vibe. Nice stuff and well above most dungeon synth in my book.

 


ia~mt~hi~ng (???)

ia~mt~hi~ng (2015)
II (2017)
III (2017)
IV (2017)

Ultra-bleak Ritual Ambient with lots of drones.

 


Iasos (USA)

Inter-Dimensional Music (1975)
Wave #2: Elixir (1983)

Greek-American musician and a pioneer of new age genre (born in 1947, died in January, 2024). Yes, a new age artist in the EM encyclopedia. Most of his output is typical "anti-stress" music and his debut (listed) is in a way similar to that, albeit more diverse. Inter-Dimensional Music is considered by some to be the first "true new age" album but it's actually more than that. The reason I include it here is, among other things, its pioneering status and the way in which it mixes field recordings with gentle electronics. I even recommend it to fans of Ambient such as Brian Eno or Steve Roach. And, yes, not everything is sickly sweet here, there are some great darker moments.

 


Iatrogenics (USA)

Iatrogenics (1984)

Electronic Music by students of Edmonds Community College (from Seattle area). Sometimes very cheesy but sometimes sounds like Kraftwerk or instrumental YMO. Cool cover art, too.

 


Ibar, Maia (USA)

When You Close Your Eyes / And I See (2015)

Although Paris-born, Maia Ibar relocated to the USA with her family when she was 2 years old. Floating, new-agey music, like Vangelis jamming with Iasos, plus some female vocalizations.

 


Icarus/Daedalus (USA)

Invisus (2020)

Ambient-oriented duo from Las Vegas. Pretty intense sound here, sometimes synth / guitar, sometimes pure synth.

 


Ice Planet 9000 (USA)

Sequence 1: Glass Jar (2022) (with Angelspit)

Concept album in cosmic EM style. Melodic, rich, intense...

 


Ice Thunder (Russia)

Wandering Ghost (2014) (S)
Northern Breath (2015) (S)

Aka Ëåäÿíîé ãðîì. Started as a black metal project and transformed into dungeon synth later on.

 


Ice Yacht (UK)

Pole of Cold (2015)
Pillbox (2020)
Colour Buffer (2021)
Noisy Nylon (2022)

Ice Yacht is Philip Sanderson. According to the legend, this tape (Pole of Cold) was lost during a North Pole trip following the footsteps of Norwegian explorer Fridtjof Nansen somewhere in the late 1980's, but found recently, thawed and remastered for a release. This is most likely a recent creation of Sanderson, though. The music is based on analog synthesizers and field recordings and ranges from the ambient to experimental and rhythmic / sequencer-based.

See also: Sanderson, Philip

 


Icebear (Ireland)

White Dove Dream (2022)

Eilis Mahon aka Icebear is a noise artist. However, White Dove Dream is more of an ambient work than noise, although it has small bits of that, too.

 


Iceberg, Michael (USA)

Iceberg Does It Live (1978)
Michael Iceberg And the Amazing Iceberg Machine (1983)
Michael Iceberg And the Amazing Iceberg Machine (1987)
Iceberg In Concert (??)

Included here mostly for nostalgic reasons and as a curiosity of sorts, Michael Iceberg's 1978 LP presents a medley of cover songs (including Pink Floyd's "Money") done in an unusual and extremely cheesy style. In the 1970's, Michael Iceberg, an entertainer and musician, used to give live performances with light shows at the Disney World in Florida using a rig of multiple synthesizers and Chamberlin tape replay devices. It was fairly innovative for the time and he did funny things like sampling cows, pigs, human voices and acoustic instruments and combining them with his synthesizer playing and his singing, which is, of course, an acquired taste.

 


Icebreaker (UK / USA)

Distant Early Warning (1999)
Trein Maersk (2000)
Into Forever (2003) (with Manual)
Apollo (2012) (with BJ Cole)

The first album contains chilling Noise Ambient with minimal pianos and organs written for and comissioned by NATOarts (!) as a kind of soundtrack for their distant radar stations in Alaska and northern Canada. More melodic than you'd think it is. The second album is more rhythmic. Icebreaker is the duo of Alexander Perls (New York, USA) and Matthew Simpson (London, UK). The group is now renamed into Icebreaker International.

See also: Cosmic Splinter

 


Ich Wollte, Ich Könnte (Germany)

Conspiracy (2005) (soundtrack)
Musique au mètre: A Tribute To The Electronic Library Music Of The Early 80s (2006) (S)
A Day At the Office (2006) (soundtrack)

Side-project of Wermut dedicated to different (mostly wavey) kinds of electronic music. The above works will be of interest to fans of EM, including the Berlin School.

See also: Wermut

 


Ichtyor Tides (France)

Antapices Qadrant (2016)
En-Brunsia (2017)

Ambient / Space Music-related material from this glitch / drone project. Ichtyor Tides is Nikola Akileus.

 


ICICl (USA)

non om (2022)

New York-based electronic trio with a lively rhythmic / melodic style between synthwave and Prog EM.

 


IcingWolf (Germany)

Sonic Waves (2018)
From Inside (2020)

Melodic, accessible Electronic Music from Monika Freerk.

 


Icio Omegha (Italy)

Volcano Connection (2014) (recorded in 1989 - 1998)
Psycho Cruise (2018) (recorded in 1984 - 1991)

A project of Maurizio Aghemo, based on the island of Stromboli. Volcano Connection contains sort of lo-fi, rhythmic / melodic electronic compositions. It is not known whether there is any EM material on Psycho Cruise, though. Apart from being a musician, Maurizio Aghemo is also a painter.

 


Iconoclasts, The (UK)

Jerm Warfare (1984)

Member of Altres, Jeremy Bryning appeared on the experimental scene in the early 1980's. In Dundee, he played in many psychedelic and new wave bands of the time and started his own solo project Jerm Warfare, using early samplers for sculpting sounds. Unfortunately, somewhere at the start of the New Millennium, Jeremy disappeared without a trace and is still missing as I write this.

See also: Altres

 


Iconographs (Denmark??)

Moon Gallery (2016)

Although busy and noisy, this is quite listenable experimental analog electronics.

 


Icore (UK)

Substance From Shadow (2017) (EP)

A mixture of hard hitting techno tracks and gritty ambient numbers.

 


Icoro (Sweden)

Zoo (2001)

This is a small group of musicians doing jolly post-rock / EM with touches of Woo and Cluster.

 


I:Cube (France)

Eye Cube (2023)

Rich, spatial synthesizer tracks from Nicolas Chaix who has been around since the 1990's.

See also: Château Flight

 


Id (Russia)

Galaxys (2004)

Cosmic Ambient from Oleg Hurvatov, like a more sedate Bad Sector.

See also: Interior Disposition

 


Ideal Setback, The (USA)

Dream Dialogue (2008)

Ambient project of Todd Chappell, who is based in San Jose, California.

 


Ideation (UK)

Adrift (2009)

A duo of Paul Nagle and Peter Ruczynski (ex-AirSculpture). A diverse bunch of electronic tracks.

See also: Nagle, Paul, Smokeyfrog.

 


Idee du Femelle (Spain)

Artifact (1985)
Anthea (1986)
Lamascara (1987)
Visions & Forms (1988)
Sequences (1988)
Pictures (1989)
Lamu (1990)

Electronic project of Toni Parera with several tapes released in the 1980's and several split releases as well. Not sure but I think that at least part of his output can be classified as Prog EM or is related to that sound.

 


Identity Theft (USA)

Silent Calliope's Curse (2015)
From My Cold Dead Hands (2016)
Reconnaissance (2017)

Moody, melodic, strident, rhythmic synth compositions from Oakland-based Michael Buchanan.

 


Idetemp (Germany)

1983... And She Told Me I Was Die (1978)

Private pressing from Germany, one guy with processed guitars and basses and a proto-industrial, sort of a Heldon-like attitude, although this is pretty minimal and ambient in comparison. Two sidelong tracks.

 


Idft (???)

The Great Gate (2019)

Strange, ritualistic ambience with choirs and a supernatural vibe.

 


Idiom Colleagues (Canada)

Interpretations, Chapter One (1983)

Private pressing of this obscure Canadian group. Mixture of Electronic Music and some jazzy stuff. The personnel is: Anthony Baskey - sax, flute; Sean Norman - guitars; Graham Cole - percussion; Brent Alan - synthesizers, drum programming, effects.

 


Idioma Ideal (Mexico)

Idioma en Vivo: 24 de Abril 2021 (2021)
Lugares (2021)
Improvisación #8 (2022)
Improvisación #9 (2022)
Grabaciones Secretas Vols. I y II (2023)

Multi-part Electronic Music with sequences, melodies and a touch of lo-fi / distortion.

 


Idle State (Germany)

Northern Lights (1993)
Entropy (1998)

Idle State is Mathias Brüssel. Supposedly, Ambient. Mathias is also known as part of the Flow project and more recently part of a live duo with Michael Brückner.

See also: Flow, La Mansarde Hermétique.

 


Idol Ko Si (USA)

Idol Ko Si (2023)

Seattle-based group consisting of Matthew Ford, Min Yee and Robert Millis. Between experimental rock and ambient EM. Sort of a lysergic, lo-fi vibe prevails, a bit Faust-like maybe but pretty unique.

See also: Millis, Robert

 


Idpyramid (USA)

Fantasy Variations I - V (2013) (S)
Dawn Rider (2015) (S)
Dawn Rider II (2016) (S)

Long electronic tracks divided into sections of varying moods.

 


Idra (Italy)

Impro (2020)
Lone Voyagers, Lovers And Lands (2020)
Circle (2022) (with Hiroshi Ebina)
Duet (2022)

Improvisational ensemble that uses synths, some acoustic instruments and exotic stuff like typewriters, etc. A mixture of cosmic and abstract sounds.

 


IDTiL (UK)

Artefacts With Artifacts (2024)

Ambient compositions with a bit of distortion and a lo-fi feel in places. A project of Jason Courtney.

 


Idylls of the Last King (Cyprus)

Dungeon Drone (2021)
Where the Gods Whisper Your Name Amongst Themselves (2021)
Vanity of Vanities (2023) (recorded in 2022)

Doomy, melancholic ambient compositions with something of a vanitas / inevitability of death theme going. The project's 2023 release is quality stuff if you ask me.

 


IE (USA)

Ark (2017) (S)
Pome (2018)
Aune (2020)
Junk Body (2023)

Unclassifiable band from Minnesota that sounds like Terry Riley moving in the spacey Gong direction without the humor of the latter.

 


If Anything, Suspicious (Sweden)

Lullabies For the Damned (2023) (recorded in 2021)

Post-rock project with some electronic elements.

 


IFeel Studio (???)

The Coptic Sun (2010) (S)
Morgengruss III (2011) (S)

Relaxed krautrock / EM. Sort of Dusseldorf-ish.

 


Igarashi, Shoko (Japan)

Simple Sentences (2022)

Japanese saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist. Igarashi grew up in rural Japan, then moved to the US and then to Brussels. She goes for a pretty unique synth style on Simple Sentences, absorbing influences from synth-pop (mostly Yellow Magic Orchestra) to city-pop, jazz and IDM. Flashy, melodic...

 


Igarashi, Wada (Japan)

金魚の粋 (2012)
金魚の舞 (2013)
金魚の宇宙 (2014)
Agartha (2023)

Synthesist. The 2023 album features rhythmic, hypnotic, sequence-full music with traces of early 1980's Tangerine Dream soundtrack work and Klaus Schulze's Audentity, all mixed with Wada's club / techno influences.

 


Igneous Flame (UK)

Intox (2003)
Tolmon (2003)
Oxana (2004)
8 Shades of Sound (2005)
SATU (2005)
Astra (2006)
Hydra (2007)
Flicker (2008) (with Achromus)
Halo (2008) (with Achromus)
Electra (2009)
Harmonium (2009) (with Disturbed Earth)
Orcus (2010)
Ion (2010)
Lyra (2011)

Chilly, droning ambience from Pete Kelly based in Leeds, UK.

 


Igor (Spain)

Walk the Night (2015)
Misteria (2018)
Sintonía (2021)
Apolo (2022)

Synthwave-related project of Igor Casayjardin.

 


Igor (Sweden)

Fast And Slow (2015)
The Unseen Film (2018)
Umf (2020)

Ambient synthesizer compositions from Mikael Strömberg. A nice and moody sound. The Unseen Film seems to be influenced by Andrei Tarkovsky's creative work.

See also: Strömberg, Mikael, Slowbeat.

 


Iguana Moonlight (Russia)

Wild Palms (2017)
Jaguar (2021)

Breezing, lazy tropical synth from Ilya Ryazantcev.

 


Ihä (Chile)

Esperanza (2017)
Estructuras de Aire, Colonias de Soplo (2018)

A project of Ignacio Moreno Fluxà. He usually composes guitar-based drone music, but the above album has prominent keyboards and an ambient flair. The shorter middle track is especially EM-like. Estructuras de aire, colonias de soplo delves deeper into ambient electronic sound. A nice, moody release.

 


IIIC Magical Space Band (Japan)

Infinite Space Octave (1978) (S)

Rare seven incher by Hideki Matsutake (aka Logic System) under a pseudonym. Minimal, cosmic, experimental Electronic Music. Mostly just various synth tones going up and down the scale. Certainly some of the most experimental stuff Matsutake ever did.

See also: Matsutake, Hideki

 


Iiney (Russia)

Vyaz' (2019) (with U.LV.)

Horror ambience inspired by folk stories and legends.

 


Ijhan, Georz (USA)

In Silence / In Darkness (1986)

Super rare cassette with Experimental EM.

 


IJO (Lithuania)

Melancholika Vol. 2 (2017)
Melancholika Vol. 3 (2017)

IJO is an alias of Lithuanian composer Audrius Vaitiekūnas. He released his first album (Melancholika) in 2003 as digital only. He then went on to explore different styles (jungle, drum'n'bass, etc.), only to return to ambient soundscapes for the second volume of Melancholika.

 


Ike Yard (USA)

Night After Night (1981) (S)
Ike Yard (1982)
1980-82 Collected (2006) (recorded in 1980 - 1982)
Nord (2010)
Sacred Machine (2017) (EP)
Rejoy (2018)

New York-based no-wave / post-punk / electro-punk band. Pioneering in their use of synthesizers and mechanical rhythms, they took the basis laid by Kraftwerk to another level of lysergic abstraction, with industrial-like repetition and deranged, unintelligible vocals. Some tracks predate typical minimal techno sound by at least a decade.

 


Ikin, Kane (Australia)

Contrail (2011) (S)
Strangers (2012) (with David Wenngren)
Sublunar (2012)
Wintering (2013) (with Craig McElhinney)
Warehouses (2014) (S)
Basalt Crush (2016) (EP)
Modern Pressure (2016)
Sensory Memory (2016)

Australian artist with a unique style, somewhat influenced by downtempo, dub, IDM, techno and glitch, but also by Prog EM and Ambient / drone.

See also: Solo Andata

 


Ikjoyce (UK)

Selene (2018)
And the Sun Stood Still (2019)
Cosmonaut (2019)

Quite listenable modular synth-based melodies and ambient soundscapes. Sometimes with slow sequences, sometimes mystical and dark. A project of Ian Joyce.

 


IKO (Canada)

Iko '83 (1982)

Normally I would not include any "minimal synth" acts in the encyclopedia but these guys (an obscure Quebecois trio with all members using strange pseudonyms) at times sound more Kraftwerk than Kraftwerk themselves, which is a curiosity. If you like simple, repetitive synth riffs, clinical drum machines and cold, deranged vocals, then go for it. However, the rarity factor makes this a tough one to find.

 


Ikola (Finland)

Closer / Drowning (2014)
Core (2016) (S)

Ambient from Hannu Ikola who is also known as a DJ and techno musician.

 


Ikon, Thomas (Greece)

Retro Soundtracks And Space Collage (2018)
Spectaculum (2020)
A Dusty Drawer of Memories (2020)
Impossible Dreams (2023)

Thomas Ikon is a pseudonym of Thaneco.

See also: Thaneco

 


IKSRE (Australia)

Intermission // Transmission (2021)
III (2021)
Northwest & Southeast (2022) (with Party Store)
Nurture (2023) (with Marine Eyes)
Abundance (2024)

A project of Mebourne-based vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Phoebe Dubar. She processed her voice and plays all the instruments, mostly synths and electronics. Ethereal, relaxing, hypnotic. Transmission contains remixes only.

 


Il Creatore (Italy)

La gente comune (2007)
Animali da riproduzione (2007)
Venite dal creatore (2007)
La testa, che pensa? (2007)
Sei soltanto un uoma (2007)
Il mondo e belle il mondo e brutto (2008)

Fans of Kraftwerk are sure to enjoy this. Il Creatore uses Korg and Elektron synthesizers, old Commodore computers and vocoder to craft rhythmic melodic compositions with that early 1980's electropop flair.

 


Il Generale Inverno (Italy)

Ambient One (2019)
General Winter (2020)
Seas of the Moon (2020)

Moody, melancholic Ambient with touches of dungeon synth.

 


Il Guardiano del Faro (Italy)

Il gabbiano infelice (1972) (S)
He (1972) (S)
L'uomo
e il mare (1972)
Domani (1977)
...tu sempre tu ... (1980)
...per vivere (1982)
Federico Monti Arduini - Il Guardiano del Faro (1987)

Il Guardiano del Faro was one of the aliases of Italian composer and producer Federico Monti Arduini. He made a name for himself playing commercial tunes on synthesizers and was quite well known in the Italian pop music scene. However, he apparently also did some more experimental instrumental works which I'll try to list here.

 


Ilar, Anders (Sweden)

Silent Lands (2019)
Phocid (2021)
Light & Shadow (2023)

Phocid contains darkish, sequence-full compositions made on a few hardware machines by this artist who's been around since the 1990's. Some tracks lean towards acid / techno. "Circumpolar" is a great Berlin School track. I don't know if any of his other released works have equal doses of Prog EM influence as Phocid.

 


Ildfrost (Norway)

Autumn Departure (1994)
Natanael (1997)
You'll Never Sparkle In Hell (2000)
2-Pole Drift (2003)

Dark Ambient by Jens Petter Nilsen and Jane Christina Aasterud.

 


Ildjarn (Norway)

Landscapes (1996)
Hardangervidda (2002) (with Nidhogg)
Hardandervida Part 2 (2002) (with Nidhogg)

This black metal artist and former bassist of Thou Shalt Suffer (real name - Vidar Vaaer) has released several Ambient works (listed above).

 


Ilhevs (France)

Land of Ruins And Eternal Mist (1995)
In A Poisonous Embrace (1997)
The Inner Decline (1998)

Supposedly, Ritual Ambient from France.

 


Iliakis, Yiannis (Greece)

Vertical Horizon (2021)
Mountainmouth (2022) (EP)

Greek drummer who also loves electronics and combines the two worlds in his work.

 


Ilić, Sanja & Marković, Slobodan (Serbia)

Delta Project (1987)

Electronic Music. Both Sanja Ilic and Slobodan Markovic are fairly respected producers / arrangers for popular artists and film / TV composers. This album had considerable success in former Yugoslavia when it came out.

 


Ilijin, Djordje (Serbia)

Zabranjeno prisluskivanje (1983)

Solo album from flute and keyboard player of prog band Tako. Naturally, it's dominated by flute and keyboards with some environmental sounds and real drums. The music has a sedate, pastoral feel and seems to be influenced by Pink Floyd, Camel, Oldfield and sometimes Tangerine Dream.

 


Ilitch (France)

Portraits (1977)
Periodikmindtrouble (1978)
10 Suicides (1980)
P.T.M. Works (1980)
Culture (1980) (S) (with Edouard Nono)
D. Prune Tributes Volume 1 (1989)
D. Prune Tributes Volume 2 (1990)
D. Prune Tributes Volume 3 (1991)
Ilitch Tapes (2003) (recorded in 1974 - 1979)
Hors temps - Out of Time (2004)
Rainy House (2005) (recorded in 1978)
Lena's Life & Other Stories (2007)
Dark Summer (2009)
Life Out of Time (2010)
La maïeutique de la quantique (2010)
Un jour comme tant a'autres (2011) (recorded in 1975)
I Love You But You've Chosen Darkness (2021)
White Light (2021)
PTM Works 2 (2022)

Ilitch is Thierry Müller who's been making music since the ealy 1970's, first with a harmonium, guitar and tape recorders. However, by 1975 or so, he switched to electronic devices and was joined by Ruth Ellyeri - an on and off second member of Ilitch. Thierry then recruited his brother Patrick (on EMS synthesizer and processed guitar) for a live performance of Ilitch in 1976. More performances followed and the first LP (not counting the strictly limited Portraits from 1977) was issued a bit later. During his career, Thierry Müller has collbaorated with many experimental and electronic musicians. Musically, Ilitch is a bit like the avant-garde version of Heldon with new wave influences.

See also: Ruth, Müller, Thierry.

 


Illgner Oldendorf (Germany)

Prisma (2017)

A bass / synth duo of Alex Oldendorf and Thilo Illgner.

 


Illuha (USA / Japan)

Shizuku (2011)
いるは (2012)
Interstices (2013)
Akari (2014)
Perpetual (2015) (with Ryuichi Sakamoto and Taylor Deupree)
Tobira (2023)

Illuha was formed in Tokyo by Corey Fuller and Tomoyoshi Date with the aim to explore glitchy, semi-acoustic Ambient. Their album Akari from 2014 features some beautiful compositions.

See also: Fuller, Corey

 


Illume In Essence (Australia)

Unison Sinewave Meditation Vol. 1 (2006)
Unison Sinewave Meditation Vol. 2 (2006)
Unison Sinewave Meditation Vol. 3 (2007)

Ambient project of Jandy Rainbow and Tahlee Rouillon. Floating pads, arpeggios, effects. Sort of new-agey concept and mood.

 


Illuminoscillate (Australia)

Uniform Wall (2013)
Illicit Religion (2016)

Dark Ambient project from down under. Sometimes ventures into brighter sounds / melodies and some noisy outbursts.

 


Illuvia (Sweden)

Iridescence of Clouds (2021)

Ludvig Cimbrelius' project that mixes equal doses of Ambient and drum'n'bass.

See also: Purl, Eternell, Abraço de Vapor, Hallow Under.

 


Ilm (UK)

Gaya (2019)

Ambient duo of Alex Smalley and Lucia Adam.

See also: Smalley, Alex, Olan Mill.

 


Iloh (France)

Resurface (2020)

Gently rhythmic downtempo / house tracks mixed with ambient EM tracks.

 


Ilsól (Lithuania)

Signs of Life (2019)
Infinite Is Eternal (2019)
Sarmata (2022)

This artist makes both dungeon synth and also deeper ambient stuff and some whimsical electronic stuff.

 


Ilta Hämärä (Belgium)

Origo (2016) (S)
Saivo (2017)
Velloa (2018) (S)
Himmeä kaihoisa sininen (2018)

A duo of Bart De Paepe and Timo Van Lujik in hybrid free folk / EM vein.

See also: Lumine, Van Luijk, Timo, Innercity.

 


Iluiteq (Italy)

Soundtracks For Winter Departures (2019)
The Loss of Wilderness (2021)
The Light Inside, the Dark Outside (2022)
Katà Métron (2024) (with Lorenzo Montanà)

Ambient duo of Sergio Calzoni and Andrea Bellucci.

See also: Subterranean Source, Orghanon, Ithaki.

 


Ilyin, Gennady (Russia)

Музыка Рождества (1999)
Moogomania (??)

Little Tragedies' keys man surrounded himself with moogs and performs warm and virtuoso passages influenced by both Electronic Music and progressive rock.

See also: Little Tragedies

 


Ima Ka Te Shi Naku (Germany)

The Interminable Now (2017)

A duo of Théo Pozoga and the guy who is known under Interstate moniker. Varied, mostly experimental and ambient synths.

 


Image (Canada)

Nouveau monde (1992)
Compilation 1 (1992)

A duo of André Mongeon and Daniel Bouliane very much in the style of bombastic symphonic Vangelis circa The Conquest of Paradise. They later renamed their project to Dak.

 


Imaginary Forces (UK)

Live Electronics (2010)
Yellow Sunshine (2010)
Begotten (2013)
Runnin's (2017)

Droning electronics of varying moods from Anthoney J Hart. The above discography is incomplete.

 


Imaginary Landscape (Germany)

Private Collection (1995)
Holiday Pictures (2001)
Aaron Tapes (2005)
Nothing Left Behind (2019)
Undiscovered Landscapes (2021)
Auf der Suche nach der verlorenen Stille (2023)

Started in 1986, Imaginary Landscape was initially a live electronic project of Hans-Dieter Schmidt with Bernd Hruby, but I believe that it is now reduced to a solo project of Schmidt.

See also: Spurensicherung, La Ponto Ensemblo.

 


Imaginary Softwoods (USA)

Imaginary Softwoods (2008)
The Invisible Cloud Container (2009) (S)
Eight (2009)
The Path of Spectrolite (2011)
Nine (2011) (S)
Indigo (2012)
Dawn Margins (2015) (S)
Annual Flowers In Color (2016) (recorded in 2011 - 2015)
Gold Fiction Loop Garden (2016)
The Suncoast Digest (2017) (S)
Canary Music (2018)
So Extra Bronze Lamp (2021) (recorded in 2020)
Bronze Lamp Redacted (2023)
The Notional Pastures of Imaginary Softwoods (2023)

Drone-based Ambient from John Elliott, a member of Emeralds.

See also: Emeralds, Outer Space, Mist.

 


Imaginary Zenith (Hungary)

This electronic duo was formed by future member of Force Majeure Laszlo Kovacs and his schoolfriend circa 1983. They used self-build electronic instruments by Kovacs and gave various shows throughout Hungary up until 1993.

See also: Force Majeure

 


Imberg, Alan (USA)

A Collection of Thoughts (2001)
Polarity (2002)
I Am (2006)
You Are (2006)

Guitar-based Ambient soundscapes.

 


Imherot (USA)

The Impregnable Fortress of Pegor (2023) (S)
In the Land of the Mystics (2024) (S)

Raw, lo-fi "dungeon synth" compositions on The Impregnable Fortress of Pegor, expanding into equally lo-fi 1970's style electronic rock on In the Land of the Mystics.

 


Imm (Japan)

爛れた夏の挽謌 (2015) (S)
Fairy Tale That Does Not Know (2018)

Moody ambient drone.

 


Immateriæ (Spain)

Leere (2019) (S)
Resonance (2020)

Spacey, repetitive dirges, like dungeon synth played by an astronaut on the moon.

 


Immersion (UK / Israel)

Analogue Creatures Living On An Island (2016)
Sleepless (2018)
Nanocluster Vol. 1 (2021)

A techno / acid / IDM-related duo of Colin Newman and Malka Spigel, existing since the early 1990's. They had a hiatus in the beginning of the 21st Century. However, their post-2010 incarnation has a different sound and set of influences, being much more informed by krautrock and the Dusseldorf School.

 


Immersion Theory (USA)

The [Icarus] Foray (2007)

Deep Ambient / Space Music by Los-Angeles-based musician John-Mark Austin. Mastered by Robert Rich.

 


Immortal Beings (Canada??)

Mars 1266 (2015)

Varied electronics from this mysterious project - melodic, cosmic, sequencer, noisy...

 


Immram (New Zealand)

The Voyage of the Corvus Corrone (2011)

Melodic Electronic Music that will be enjoyed by fans of Schmoelling-era Tangerine Dream. Beware the vocals.

 


Imoto, Nobuyuki (Japan)

Japanese synthesist.

 


Imperfect Stranger (UK)

Everything Wrong Is Right (2022)

Imperfect Stranger is Kenny Inglis, a Bruce Willis-like character based in Glasgow, Scotland. He is part of several groups and as a solo artist creates rhythmic, melodic, cinematic EM.

 


Imperia Futura (Mexico)

Terreno Adverso (2015)

Mexican duo using synths, samplers, effects, bass and drums (i.e. no guitar). The music is proggish, with upbeat, often complex passages, but also plenty of atmospheric moments. One for those into instrumental rock / EM hybrids.

 


Imperivm Lvciferi (Germany)

Imperivm Lvciferi (2017)

Minimal Black Ambient. Long tracks recorded with a few analog tools, mostly a Korg MS-20 mini.

 


Implosion (Italy)

Implosion (1988)
2020 (2020) (recorded in 1983 - 1989)

A group led by Stefano Focacci, with keys, bass, guitar, drum machine... Sort of a mixture of electronics and prog / psych.

 


In Death's Throes (USA)

Ritual Sadistica (1998)
Infernal Deities Transcending (1999)
Natural Selections (2000)
Live Executions 1998 - 2001 (2001)
Tactical Disorder (2003)

Dark soundscapes by Stephen Petrus (Umbra).

See also: Umbra, Murderous Vision.

 


In Die Ferne (Italy)

Ad un passo dal grigio (2018)

Dark soundscapes.

 


In Meditarium (Ukraine)

Les fleurs du mal (2002)
Uterus (2004)
Mare internum (2005) (S)
The Great Limbo (2010)
Drift In Sodom (2013)

Dark Ambient ala Lustmord by Oleg Kolyada and Sergey Svistelnik.

See also: Old Monk's Saga, Filivs Macrocosmi.

 


In Mirrors (Canada)

Escape From Berlin (2017) (soundtrack)
Leopard (2021) (S)

Synth-pop / minimal synth duo of Bill Batt and Jesse Taylor. They have done some instrumental EM also (listed) that mixes subtle sequencing with Klaus Schulze-like melancholic drift.

 


In Quantum (???)

Memory 417 (2019)

Dark, evocative, cinematic dystopian / cyberpunk ambience from Eric Peterson. Excellent synths, sequences, carefully selected samples etc. Fantastic stuff.

 


In Spe (Estonia)

In Spe (1983)
In Spe (1985)

Symphonic rock with a strong electronic element. File under EM-related.

See also: Mattiisen, Alo, Tuur, Erkki-Sven.

 


In Tenebriz (Russia)

Astral Solitude (2012)

Hybrid black metal / ambient project. The ambient works will be listed. Moody, windy, shadowy sound.

 


In the Branches (USA)

Expanse Sessions (2015)
Behind the Sky (2018) (with Bluetech)
Wilderness Time (2021)

Portland, Oregon based artist to uses electric guitar and tons of processing to achieve a super dreamy, cosmic sound. Excellent stuff that sounds like a Space Music / Ambient hybrid. Well, the legacy of Manuel Goettsching and likeminded pioneering musicians lives on, thank God for that.

 


In the Mist (Belgium)

Lost (2002)

Bass guitar-based drones.

See also: Until Death Overtakes Me, Dreams of Dying Stars, Fall of the Grey-Winged One, I Dream No More, Forbidden Fields.

 


In the Nursery (UK)

When Cherished Dreams Come True (1983)
Twins (1986)
Stormhorse (1987)
Koda (1988)
L'esprit (1990)
Sense (1991)
Duality (1992)
An Ambush of Ghosts (1993) (soundtrack)
Anatomy of A Poet (1994)
Deco (1996)
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1996)
Asphalt (1997)
Praha 1 (1997)
Lingua (1998)
Man With A Movie Camera (1999)
Groundloop (2000)
Hindle Wakes (2001)
Engel (2001)
Cause + Effect (2002)
Praxis (2003)
Electric Edwardians (2005)
A Page of Madness (2006)
Momentum II (2007)
The Passion of Joan of Arc (2008)
Blind Sound (2011)
The Calling (2013)
The Fall of the House of the Usher (2015)
1961 (2017)
The Seashell And the Clergyman (2019)
Era (2022)

Klive and Nigel Humberstone, twin brothers from Sheffield create dark, menacing soundscapes. 

See also: Jumeaux, Les

 


In the Temple (USA)

Of the Mother/Father (1985)

Extremely rare cassette release from Taos, New Mexico. Ambient EM created on a Roland Juno-106 and a Casio CZ-101.

 


Inada, Yasuo & Bemi Family (Japan)

Kankakushiko (1974)

Musically it's more in ELP vein, but much more electronic. In fact, it's so dominated by Inada's keyboards (mostly organ and synthesizers) that it warranted an inclusion here. Contains also some nice "out-there" moments. File under progrock / EM crossover.

 


Inade (Germany)

Schwerttau (1992)
Burning Flesh (1992)
Burning Flesh / Seelenhain (1993)
The Axxiarm Plains (1995) (EP)
Aldebaran (1995)
The Flood of White Light (1996) (S)
Inade (1997) (recorded in 1994 - 1997)
Colliding Dimensions Tour 1999 (1999)
V.I.T.R.I.O.L. (1999) (S)
Quartered Void (2000) (S)
The Crackling of the Anonymous (2001)
Peryt Shou (2002) (with Turbund Sturmwerk)
Colliding Dimensions (2002) (recorded in 1995 - 2002)
Samadhi State (2004) (recorded in 2001 - 2002)
Spring Equinox Tokyo 2006 (2006) (S)
Deep Space Illumination (2007) (with Circular)
The Incarnation of the Solar Architects (2009)
Antimimon pneumatos (2011)
Audio Mythology One (2012)
Der Tod ist das einfachste. Sterben kann ein Idiot! (??)
Aldebaran Revisited 2016 (2017)
The Nine Colours of the Threshold (2018)

Dark Ambient from Rene Lehmann and Knut Enderlein.

 


Inanna (Sweden)

Dark Zounds (1992)
Order of Fecundation (1992)
Sodom (1992)
Oeuvres completes tome I - XVI (1992)
Day of Torment (1992)
Project Inanna Dead Inanna (1993)
Storm I - III (1993)
Not.hing (1994)
Signal / Or / Minimal (1999)
Odium (??)

Deep & dark sounds from this Archon Satani side-project (Mikael Stavöstrand).

See also: Archon Satani, Desiderii Marginis.

 


Inc.&Thru (Switzerland)

Live In Lôzane (2009)

Driving electro-rock from the duo of Arthur Besson (guitar, electronics) and a guy who calls himself Nicky Boy (computer, drums).

 


Incentive (USA)

Happiness (2019)
Presence (2020)

Happiness features steady rhythms, sequences, noisy wall-of-sound arrangements... A unique style from this artist. The closing long track is pretty impressive.

 


Incorvaia, Alessandro (Italy)

Check Out (2015)
It Emerged To Hold Me (2022)

Ambient artist with a rich, emotional sound.

 


Incubus Lovechild (UK)

Time Terrorist (2021) (EP)
Space Whaling (2021) (S)
Deadworld Preview E.P. (2023) (EP)
Deadworld (2023)

Anonymous project (a one-man band actually) heavily influenced by Hawkwind. The extensive use of synths and some purely electronic moments / tracks make this one a worthy inclusion to EEM. Actually, most of it is very EM-oriented, but often with heavy guitar riffs. Beware the vocals.

 


Ind_fris (Japan)

Portfolio Vol. 1 (2017)
Portfolio Vol. 2 (2017)
Portfolio Vol. 3 (2018)
Sink In (2019)
Portfolio Vol. 4 (2022)
Stained (2023)
森​と​雨​ = Woods And Rain (2023)
Live At Traffic JP Sea Change JAAZZZ TOUR 2021 (2023)

Laid-back, relaxed electronics between downtempo, chill-out, house, new age and Ambient.

 


Indalaska (France)

Poésie surnaturelle (2018)
Tempus fugit (2019) (with Alio Die)
Musiques des sables (2023)

Spiritual ambience from Frédéric and Olivier Charlot.

See also: Sphyxion

 


Indeed (USA)

Inter Dimensional Space Commander (1996)

It's a one-man electronic project. Think Fonya and Tangerine Dream.

 


Indian Tree Pie (Germany)

Flight of the Syncretist (2008)
Lucid Dream of Dimensions (??)

Varied ambient, a bit lo-fi project of Michael Schaffer. Mostly pretty moody but rarely pitch-black.

 


Indian Wells (Italy)

Night Drops (2012)
Pause (2015)
Where the World Ends (2017)
New Ruins (2020) (EP)
No One Really Listens To Oscillators (2022)

Lively Electronic Music from Pietro Iannuzzi. Sequencer, driving, atmospheric, cerebral, rocking.

 


indiegubben (Sweden)

Memories of Times Past (2020)
Mörka moln (2022)

Moody ambient compositions created with an iPhone and a few apps.

 


Indigo Egg (UK)

Planet Mushroom (1995) (EP) (with Alien Mutation)
Microcosmacrocosm (1996) (with Alien Mutation)
Ixland (2008)
Aten (2018)
Hyperion (2023)

Another project of the ubiquitious Matt Hillier. This one sees him mixing downtempo and ambient tracks. Included in the EEM for the ambient tracks of course, the overall sound has a bit of a 1990's ambient techno feel to it. Aten was announced as the final album of Indigo Egg, so I guess the project is discontinued.

See also: Elemental Journey, Elve, Experiments In Silence, Crystal Moon, Colourform, Ishvara, Futurology, Omni Vu Deity, Yunomi, Dividenthal And Aumgn.

 


Individual Sensitivity (Croatia)

Various Frames (1990)

A duo of Vlatko Delgalo and Zoran Juginović, supposedly with an ambient style.

 


Indo (Hungary)

Rupa Loka (2011)
Winter In Zangla (2012)

Varied Ambient.

See also: Urenga

 


Indra (Romania)

Turning Away (1993)
Kingdom of Light (1993)
Parallel Time (1993)
Space (1993)
Plenitude (1994)
Magic Collection (1994)
Seven (1994)
Cosmic Sound (1994)
Colosseum (1994)
Self Game (1995)
Tales From Arabia (1995)
Maharaj (1995)
The Way Out (1996)
Flux (1996)
Helios Arena (1997)
Disco Rustic (1997)
Echo In Time (1998)
Star Traveller (1999)
Ocean of Silence (1999)
Sideral Music (1999)
Whispers of Nature (1999)
Millennium Live 2000 (2000)
Pleasure (2001)
Ultimate Nexus (2002)
Signs (2005)
The Call of Shiva Vol. 1 (2005)
The Call of Shiva Vol. 2 (2006)
The Challenge (2006)
Generation (2006)
Kali (2006)
Tara (2007)
Tripura Sundari (2007)
Bhuvaneshvari (2008)
Chinnamasta (2009)
Dhumavati (2009)
Bagalamukhi (2010)
The Pyramid Concert (2010)
Live In the Salt Mine 2007 (2010)
Interactive Play Vol. 1 (2012)
Interactive Play Vol. 2 (2012)
Matangi (2012)
Thunderbolt - Live At the Black Sea (2013)
Archives - Ruby One (2015) (recorded in 1994 - 1995)
Archives - Ruby Two (2015) (recorded in ??)
Archives - Ruby Three (2015) (recorded in 1998 - 1999)
Archives - Ruby Four (2015) (recorded in 2004)
Archives - Ruby Five (2015) (recorded in 2005)
Archives - Emerald One (2015) (recorded in 2005)
Archives - Emerald Two (2015) (recorded in 2005)
Archives - Emerald Three (2015) (recorded in 2006)
Archives - Emerald Four (2015) (recorded in 2006)
Archives - Emerald Five (2015) (recorded in 2005 - 2006)
Archives - Gold One (2015) (recorded in 2006 - 2007)
Archives - Gold Two (2015) (recorded in ??)
Archives - Gold Three (2015) (recorded in ??)
Archives - Gold Four (2015) (recorded in 2008 - 2009)
Archives - Gold Five (2015) (recorded in 2009)
Archives - Diamond One (2016)
Archives - Diamond Two (2016) (recorded in 2010)
Archives - Diamond Three (2016) (recorded in 2011)
Archives - Diamond Four (2016) (recorded in ??)
Archives - Diamond Five (2016) (recorded in 2012)
Archives - Platinum One (2016) (recorded in 2012 - 2013)
Archives - Platinum Two (2016) (recorded in 2013)
Archives - Platinum Three (2016) (recorded in 2013 - 2014)
Archives - Platinum Four (2016) (recorded in 2014)
Archives - Platinum Five (2016)
Kamalatmika (2017)
The Challenge (2019)

Cosmic and classical-influenced EM from this Romanian artist (real name - Dan Bozaru). Some albums are pure Berlin School fests with more than a hint of classic Schulze material. Some other works are more subtle and ambient, tending, dare I say it, towards new age. Note that Interactive Play albums (2012) represent a series of samplers that introduce listeners to Indra's work, but each volume also contains a long, 20+ minute unreleased track, so these might be worth tracking down by fans & completists and it's also the reason I have included these releases in the discography above.

 


In-Existence (Netherlands)

Moonwater (1993)
Private Rituals (1998)
Vow of Silence (2005)
Of Truth, Eternal Beauty And Nought (2006)
De verkenningen (2006)
High Intolerance Towards Low Energies (2007)

For fans of Tribal Ambient ala Steve Roach, Vidna Obmana, Paul Schutze etc. In-Existence is Maarten van der Vleuten.

 


Infamis (Poland)

Papież widm i widziadeł (1999)
Cardinal of the Daemons (2002)
Upior - qualis rex talis grex (2004)

Neo-classical Black Ambient. For fans of Mortiis.

 


Infant (USA)

AP/MSM (2019)
Face First In the Entangled (2021)
Spire (2022) (S)
Sigla, Sone (2023)

Ambient sonic postcards from Michigan. Glitchy, electroacoustic, relaxing...

 


Infants (Denmark)

Water Music (2013)
Island Shapes I - IV (2015)
We Will Return (2019)

Ambient combining drones and field recordings.

 


Infest (Netherlands)

Barriers From Within (2019)

Rich sounds created with guitar and synthesizers. Floating, cosmic, electronic... A project of Robbert Peperkamp.

 


Infinexhuma (USA)

Crossing (2018)
Unasan (2018)
Chaotic Depth (2019)
Transit (2019)
Arcade (2020)
Frontier (2021)
Decay (2022)
Denown (2023)

Darkish, droning ambient soundworlds with lots of field recordings. Pretty chilling and hypnotic stuff.  Crossing uses mastering talent of Robert Rich. Infinexhuma is a project of Lucas Levyliotar who is based in California.

 


Infinitæ (France)

Solar Crisis (2008)
The New Gods Chronicles (2009)

Atmospheric synthesizer and Berlin School artist from Normandy, who'd been previously playing guitar in various obscure progressive rock bands. The last track of the first album is a techno number. On The New Gods Chronicles a more sedate style is introduced, very much influenced by Ashra's New Age of Earth. If you know and love this work, be sure to check out Infinitæ. It will give tons of warm, floating pads, cosmic effects and gentle, restrained electric guitar strumming.

 


Infinite Love (USA)

Night On Earth (2019)

Relaxing Ambient / Space Music from this artist based in Tulsa, Oklakhoma.

 


Infinite Scale (UK)

Sound Sensor (2005)
Automated Compositions (2006) (EP)
Knock Twice (2009) (S)
Ad Infinitum (2009)
Ecco Location (2011)
The Value of Accessibility (2020)

A project of London-based Harmi Palda. Between "downtempo" and atmospheric EM. Sometimes reminds on Klaus Schulze circa 2006 - 2021 or the Dark Side of the Moon series.

 


Infinitkiss (USA)

Ambient Music (2023)

A project of Nic Jenkins. From gentle guitar strumming to atmospheric, albeit sort of lo-fi, electronics.

 


Infinity Curve (UK)

Live At Awakenings 16.09.17 (2017)
Learning Curve (2019)
Infinity Curve (2019)

Berlin School duo of Jez Creek and Pete Challoner.

See also: Modulator ESP, Challoner, Peter.

 


Infinity Knives (Tanzania)

Rhino XXL (2023) (with Brian Ennals)

Tariq Ravelomanana is a Tanzanian-born, US-based experimental hip-hop artist (seems to have Malagasy descent judging by his name, but I'm not sure about it). He is also influenced by other styles, such as neo-classical and, yes, EM (he cites Ryuichi Sakamoto as an influence). Exploring his output up to Rhino XXL, I didn't find any EM to speak of, but this one album includes a (sadly) short track "Theme From Rhino XXL" - a kind of driving, synthwave / melodic EM kind of thing. There are a few other interesting ambient moments throughout the album, but that's it. The above mentioned track is quite good for what it is, though, so the guy definitely has talent and hopefully we can expect more EM material from him in the future.

 


Infinity Machine (USA)

Infinity Machine 001 (2024)
Infinity Machine 002 (2024)
Infinity Machine 003 (2024)

Brooklyn-based duo with an ambient sound, mixing acoustic guitar strumming and synthesizers.

 


Infinity Room (UK)

Eastern Transmissions (2019)
Cascade Effect (2021)

Electronic duo of Chris Bicknell and Jez Shearing. Dark synth compositions, tilting sequences, rhythms, melodies, etc.

 


Infinity Sideways (USA)

Astronauts Volume 8 (2020)

Varied cosmic EM from the trio of Darrell Burgan, David Herpich and Mike Metlay, recorded for the "Aural Films" label's continuing series dedicated to the 50th Anniversary of the Moon landing.

See also: MindSpiral, Palancar, Metlay.

 


Infinity Window (USA)

Trans Fat (2008)
Artificial Midnight (2009) (S)

Droning Ambient duo of Daniel Lopatin and Taylor Richardson.

See also: Oneohtrix Point Never, Lopatin, Daniel.

 


Infrablack (Belgium)

Time Lapse (2022)

Infrablack is a synthesizer project of Eddy Scheire. He combines commercial and progressive electronic music styles to create melodic, rhythmic, propulsive compositions between general rhythmic / melodic EM, synthwave, space disco and spacesynth.

 


InfraRed Uforia (USA)

Moonflowers I (2005)
Moonflowers II (2005)

Electronic side-project from members of neo-psychedelia band UltraViolet Uforia. Diverse music from ambient floaters via sequencer and experimental realms to strange electronic ballads. Beware the vocals on the first track of Moonflowers I.

 


Infuso Giallo (Germany)

Ode To Sansevieria (2017) (EP)
Ocular Soda (2021)

Nice and pretty diverse Electronic Music - with sequences, some percussive rhythms, melodic soloing, touches of guitar etc.

 


Ingle, Marten (USA)

Specific Pacific Archipelagos (1985)

Cassette box with experimental EM.

 


Ingvarr (Poland)

Story of the Wizard (2020)

Ingvarr is synthesist Mirosław Zarzycki, who also records music under his own name. His style is melodic, symphonic and rich. Good for fans of Vangelis and John Kerr.

See also: Zarzycki, Mirosław

 


Inhmost (UK)

Dragbacks On Dockweiler State Beach (2015)
Everything Is New (2020)
Dimensional Space (2021) (with ASC)
The Meaning of..... (2021) (S)
The Moons of Saturn (2021) (with ASC)
Space And Awareness (2022)
Above the Sky (2023)

A project of Simon Huxtable. I don't know about his earlier releases, but The Meaning of..... features nice, spacey, deep, rich and at times melodic ambient compositions with just a touch of dub.

 


Inkal (Sweden)

Futuropolis II (2019) (S)
Futuropolis (2020)

A space rock / electronics mixture that sounds like Hawkwind meets Neu! meets Kraftwerk.

 


Inkarose (Colombia)

A Love Letter To Water (2022)

Relaxing, new-agey music from Colombian-born Alicia Ramírez.

 


Inkipak (UK)

Anomaly (2020)
Inkipak (2021)
Slightly Salted (2021)
Dot (2022)
+ve (2022)
Slip (2023)
Signal II (2023) (EP) (with Qeta)

New Berlin School project of Jon Mace. It is a bit more techno than Prog EM but often has a nice "Klaus Schulze circa 2000 - 2005" feel.

 


Inlet Industry (Spain)

Dialects of Collapse (2020)

Barcelona-based project. Music ranges from synth-pop (mostly with wordless vocals though) to instrumental EM - mostly rhythmic, but also ambient and sequencer-based, as on the nice New Berlin School roller coaster ride titled "1979 Beta". Pretty nice EM overall.

 


Inner Light (Australia)

Pastoral Homage Vol. 1 (2016)

A duo of Meredith McHugh and Christian J. Best. The label describes their sound as paying homage to "1970s provincial German electronica", which could only mean Forst-era Cluster and Harmonia.

 


Inner Science (Japan)

Birthday (2011)
Assembles 1-4 (2014)
Assembles 5-8 (2015)
Ambient Throb (2016)
13 Tails Ambient (2017)
Assembles 17-20 (2018)
Slow Lines (2020)
Assembles 21-24 (2020)
Made (2020)
Ambient Purple (2020)
Ambient White (2021)
Ambient Music For Exhibition "Let's Get Lost" (2021)
Inner Science (2022)
Cosmo Tracks (2022) (EP)
Assembles 25-28 (2023)

A project of diverse sound artist Masumi Nishimura, mostly known for his house / downtempo / glitch music. He also does experiments in ambient electronics, mostly with abstract / tinkling / lulling results. These works will be listed here.

 


Inner Touch (Canada)

Post-Crash (2021) (S)

Varied electronic tracks - mostly relaxed, with downtempo rhythms or completely floating and ambient.

 


Inner Travels (USA)

First Light (2014)
Garden Music (2014)
Seiche (2014) (S)
Phases of A Forest Moon (2015)
Bakasyiong (2016)
Clear Seeing (2016)
Blue Light (2016) (S)
Sea of Leaves (2017)
Yonder (2018)
Nature Spirit (2019)
Life On Bird Mountain (2020)

Perfectly in line with the current "new age synth" revival, First Light by Steve Targo from Wisconsin is a journey into inoffensive and at time schmaltzy floating synth meditations. Some of the later works have a more "classic EM" sound.

See also: Path of the Sun, Nimbudala.

 


Inner Vision Laboratory (Poland)

Insane Reality (2007)
Cinema Stain (2009) (with Roto Visage)
Decline (2010) (with Hoarfrost)
Anywhere Out of This World (2010)
Future Chaos (2011)
Perpetua (2012)
Ambit (2014) (with Nepenthe)
Austeros (2015)
Relics (2018)
Continuum (2019)

A project of Karol Skrzypiec that sounds like a cross between industrial and Dark Ambient.

 


Innercity (Belgium)

Not From Here (2011)
A Lion's Baptism (2013)
Träumata (2013)

Innercity is Belgian experimental electronic musician Hans Dens (aka Bart de Paepe). So far few albums are included, may expand in the future, as his discography is quite extensive and I am sure that there are more prog EM-related works from him.

See also: Ilta Hämärä

 


Innercity Ensemble (Poland)

IV (2019)

Large improvising ensemble. The above album has some EM-friendly material.

 


Innere Tueren (Germany)

Innere Tueren (2019)
Welten (2021) (EP)

Rhythmic, repetitive, shadowy, slightly darkish, krauty EM. A project of Ergin Erteber.

 


Innershades (Belgium)

The Beginning of the End (2017)

A project of Thomas Blanckaert. Varied tracks, from gentle electro and house to atmospheric electronic and even sequencer / melodic EM.

 


Innerst Inne (Sweden)

Solen träppar topparna först (2018)
Rötter
(2023)

Warm ambient synth compositions in Prog EM style from Andreas Tilliander and Johan T Karlsson, both previously known for projects in acid / techno or synth-pop / electro styles.

See also: Tilliander, Andreas

 


Inner-Voice (Netherlands)

First Light (2005)

Melodic and rhythmic music that brings to mind some 90's work by British synth musicians (Boddy, Pickford etc).

See also: AE van Elst Projects

 


Innesti (USA)

In Currents (2018)
Formless (2019)
Between Worlds (2019)
Parenthetical (2020)
Apperception (2020)
Filament And Place (2021)
In Letters (2021)
Folding, A Study (2022)
Meander (2023) (with Dynastor)
The World We Knew (2023)

Illinois-based ambient artist.

 


Innfallen (USA)

Three Days of Darkness (2009)

Dark soundscapes from Doyle Finley and Kevin Scala.

See also: Invercauld

 


Innocent But Guilty (???)

Dark Earth Products (2020)
Evol (2022) (with Christophe Bailleau)

Gloomy, moody ambience.

 


Inoue, Kaoru (Japan)

Slow Motion (2006)
Em Paz (2018)
Dedicated To the Island (2023)

I don't know about the previous works of this artist, but Em Paz features tranquil and pastoral melodic ambient compositions mostly. Some parts make use of tribal rhythms and even remind on Miditerranean Pads by Schulze. Further investigation is needed.

 


Inoue, Tetsu (Japan)

Datacide (1993) (with Atom Heart)
Datacide 2 (1993) (with Atom Heart)
2350 Broadway (1993) (with Pete Namlook)
Shades of Orion I (1993) (with Pete Namlook)
Flowerhead (1994) (with Atom Heart)
Cymatic Scan (1994) (with Bill Laswell)
Ambiant Otaku (1994)
Zenith (1994) (with Carlos Vivanco)
2350 Broadway II (1994) (with Pete Namlook)
Electro Harmonix (1994) (with Jonah Sharp)
Organic Cloud (1995)
Shades of Orion II (1995) (with Pete Namlook)
Second Nature (1995) (with Atom Heart and Bill Laswell)
Slow And Low (1995)
62 Eulengasse (1995) (with Pete Namlook)
World Receiver (1996)
2350 Broadway 3 (1996) (with Pete Namlook)
Instant Replay (1997)
Psycho-Acoustic (1998)
Waterloo Terminal (1998)
Active / Freeze (2000) (with Taylor Deupree)
Audio (2000) (with Charles Uzzell-Edwards and Daimon Beail)
Fragment Dots (2000)
Field Tracker (2000) (with Andrew Deutsch)
Object And Organic Code (2001)
pict.soul (2001) (with Carl Stone)
Humming Bird Feeder Ver. 0.2 (2002) (with Stephen Vitiello and Andrew Deutsch)
Shades of Orion III (2003) (with Pete Namlook)
Installation Sound (2004) (with Andrew Deutsch)
Yolo (2005)
2356 Broadway IV (2006) (with Pete Namlook)
Inland (2007)
Slow And Low (2007)
Time2 (2009) (with Pete Namlook)
Datacide 3 (2010) (with Atom Heart)
62 Eulengasse (2010) (with Pete Namlook)
Zenith (2010) (with Carlos Vivanco)

Ambient and chill-out. Tetsu Inoue is one of the best-known names from Japan. He was born in Tokyo and started playing music pretty early in his life, first in a rock / pop cover band. A bit later he began experimenting with synthesizers, inspired by Kraftwerk, YMO and Pink Floyd. Tetsu Inoue currently resides in New York.

 


Inoyama Land (Japan)

Danzindan Pojidon (1983)
Self Control Music  - Sleep Relaxation (1988)
Self Control Music  - Recovery Relaxation (1988)
Inoyama Land (1997)
Music For Myxomycetes (1998)
1984 Pithecanthropus (1999) (recorded in 1978 - 1998)
Egyptology (2003)
Collecting Net (2018) (recorded in 1977)
Live Archives 1978-1984 (2019)
Live Archives 2001 - 2018 (2019)
Commissions 1977 - 2000 (2019)
Swiva (2020)
Trans Kunang (2021)

Inoyama Land (aka Inoyamaland) was formed by two members of avant-pop collective Hikashu - Yasushi Yamashita and Makoto Inoue. Here, they explore an ambient, synth-based sound.

See also: Pre Hikashu, Hikashu.

 


Input (Germany)

In-Out (1984)

A project of Wolfgang Hertz with Annette Koch (drum machine) and Jan Kuchler (keyboards).

See also: Hertz, Wolfgang

 


Inquiri (USA)

Seven (2022)
Destroyesterday. (2023) (with bvdub)

An alias of Los Angeles-based musician Lacey Harris. Seven is a lush ambient work created during the isolation period.

 


Inquisitor Betrayer (USA)

Space Elevator (2006)

A duo of Dale Kay and Wes Antczak with Lorraine Kay as third member. Symphonic Electronic Music with influences from Tangerine Dream and Jarre. The album has great artwork done by Paul Whitehead (www.paulwhitehead.com

 


Inre Bränder (Sweden)

Flykten inifrån (2021)

A project based in Skåne County. Pure analog EM, with lots of arpeggios, sequences, experimental textures, drones and even some distorted mellotron. Sort of rough around the edges, though.

 


Insane Warrior, The (USA)

We Are the Doorways (2011)
Tendrils (2018)

The Insane Warrior is Ramble Jon Krohn who makes instrumental hip-hop as RJD2. The music presented here is a different beast altogether. Although still having that funk / hip-hop influence, the guy decided to go the instrumental route and mix 1970's style funk / brass rock sounds with synth soundscapes inspired by 1970's and 1980's horror scores. A very unlikely combination but EM-related for sure.

 


iNsCissorS (Greece)

The Veratrine Evangelicum (2007)
The Vulturine Playground Act 1 (2007)
Orbis terrarum requiem (2008)
Mnemosyne & The Structure of Time (2011)
Destin (2012) (soundtrack)
Sub Athenian Structures Alive (2013) (EP)
The Architect of Dead Structures (2023) (recorded in 1999 - 2011)
The Circus of Ichneumons (2014)

Grim Neo-Classical Ambient from Greece. Chants, musical boxes, prominent string instruments and other classical instruments and acoustic sources alongside electronics. Strong Medieval touches as well.

 


Inside Agitator (Germany)

Monuments of Faith (2006)
Black Side of the Moon (2008)

EBM project of Olaf Krautwurst. Some of his releases (listed) are ambient and atmospheric.

See also: Blinky Blinky Computerband

 


Insiememusicadiversa (Italy)

Insiememusicadiversa (1979)

Rather experimental collective of Angelo Petronella, Paolo Piselli and Terzilio Mancinelli. They used voices, homemade electronics, oscillators, synths and various found sounds to create dense, avant-garde compositions. They performed in several venues and art galleries and had one LP pressed privately, later re-issued on CD with two bonus tracks. Fans of Experimental EM will enjoy this.

 


Insomnia (Belgium)

Sketches In Sound 1989 - 1999 (1999)
When Evening Falls (2003)
At Night (2003)
A New Dawn (2005)

Sketches is a cassette box with Ambient music for fans of Robert Rich, Steve Roach and Vidna Obmana.

See also: Beyond Infinity, Simulacra.

 


Insomnia Project Electronic (Poland)

Harmony (2019)

Varied, mostly melodic and jazzy music.

 


Inspector Fogg (UK)

Inspector Fogg (2019)

Mostly sleepy ambience (with some active bits) from Wayne Lancaster.

 


Insphera (Poland??)

Shape (2003)
Insomnia (2004)

Dark / Ambient Noise with factory ambiences.

 


Inspirescu, Petre (Romania)

Vin ploile (2015)
Vîntul prin salcii (2017)

Minimal techno artist from Romania. I don't know about techno (there's hardly any on Vîntul prin salcii), but the above is a nice Progressive EM work in a unique style - minimal sequences / arpeggios, repetitive phrases, hypnotic melodies, classical influences and soft rhythms with maybe a slight downtempo influence.

 


Instinct (UK)

Happening (2021)

A nice diversion from this UK Garage artist (James Burnham from London). Inspired by nature, Happening shows his ambient side and what a nice voyage it is - like a refreshing walk through the forest - all the tinkling pianos, synths, beautiful melodies and pastoral folky melodies, it all works somehow.

 


Instinct Primal (Czech Republic)

Tessellation (2013) (with Pacific 231)
Giant Fish (2014) (with Contagious Orgasm)
Dazzling Darkness (2015)
Tassili (2015) (S)
Forest Ritual (2018) (recorded in 2016) (S) (with Purba)
Sky Burial (2018) (with Purba)

Ambient musician Jan Kruml. Dark sound with some industrial influences.

 


Instincts (Canada)

The Mystery Visions (2002)

Dark, Neo-Classical.

See also: Visions, Skorneg.

 


Institute of Sound Performance (Germany)

Starbird (1989)
Soft Hymns (1991)

Electronic duo of Georg Brasch and Thomas Katsch, mostly influenced by the Berlin School. Institute of Sound Performance was formed in 1988 in Berlin. They do use typical digital instruments of the day, so don't expect anything like 1970's Tangerine Dream here. However, their use of digital timbres is quite inventive and their first album is surprisingly listenable, considering the era it was released in. There's even a nice use of vocoder on the title track.

 


Institution D.O.L. (Austria)

The Thelema Tales (2021)

Industrial / power electronics / noise project of Matthias Beisl aka Barbie B., active since the 1990's. The Thelema Tales is much more subdued than his usual fare. In fact, the bulk of it can be characterized as Ambient, both Dark Ambient (as on "Flight of the Horus" or "Exodus II") and even more melodic type (although never bright). Some vocal injections as well (mostly recited).

 


Insuffer (Poland)

Virus Dei (2004)

Loop-based Dark Ambient with touhes of industrial. Insuffer are Robert Marciniak and Marcin Bachtiak

 


Integral (Germany)

Rise (2008)
The Past Is My Shadow (2011)
Sercosa (2014)

Integral is a German IDM duo consisting of David Rotter and Rafael Milatz. They show some ambient influences, mostly on Sercosa and much less on Rise and The Past Is My Shadow (the latter only has 1 truly ambient track - "Doors"). File under EM-related.

 


Integrated Alchemy (USA)

Cosmic Isles (2018)

EM artist from Virginia.

 


Intelligent Noise Art (Spain)

Spacewalk (2022)
imagINAtion (2023)

Industrial metal / progressive metal project. Spacewalk has electronics all over, though, and even some purely EM tracks, sometimes combined with guitars. Ditto for imagINAtion.

 


Intelligentsia (Netherlands / UK)

Federation (1994)
Zonderland (1997) (soundtrack)
The Signal To Off World (1999) (S)
Civilizations (2003)
The Other Side of the Screen (2007)
Music For Motherships (2010)
Save the Earth (2021)

Energetic and sometimes danceable music, something like a cross between Jarre and Pickford. Zonderland is a soundtrack to a video game. The Signal To Off World was recorded with Victor Cerullo. Intelligentsia is basically a duo of John van der Stap (Netherlands) and Mirai (a mysterious musician from the UK now residing in Japan) plus whatever artist that comes along and contributes. The idea for Intelligentsia came in 1989. Since then, the group gave many shows (with lots of visuals) and released some albums, apart from working on music for video games.

 


Intence (Switzerland)

A fond perdu (1981)
Out of Blue Fashion (1983)
Triade (1985)
Visions And Stories (1994)
In the Deep (1997)

Swiss synth trio of Rudiger Glaser, Helmut Brunner and Clemens Glaser.

 


Intense Molecular Activity (USA)

I.M.A. (1980) (S)
I.M.A. (2018) (recorded in 1980 - 1981)

Drums / electronics duo of Andy Blinx and Don Hünerberg with a unique sound, influenced by prog rock, new wave, post-punk and experimental music.

 


Interbellum (Netherlands)

Februari (2019)

Ambient duo with an experimental sound a bit influenced by IDM and downtempo.

 


Interconnected (Greece / Germany)

Current Flow (2010)
Extended Environments (2019)
Grainophonics (2021)

A duo of Bakis Sirros and Ingo Zobel creating a mixture of contemporary and vintage styles.

See also: Parallel Worlds

 


Interface (Germany)

Signs of Life (1992)
Circles And Squares (1993)
Slow Colours (1994)
Next Area (1995)
Range of Vision (1996)
Trance-In-Action (1998)

On IC label. Some works are melodic, some rhythmic, approaching trance territory, complete with modern rhythms. Interface was initially a duo of Michael Gross and Marcel Thebach but starting from 1994 it's a solo project of Gross.

See also: Thebach, Marcel

 


Interface (Mexico)

Automata (1987)

Interface was an electronic duo of Samir Menaceri and Roxana Flores. They are considered pioneers of EBM genre in Mexico. However, I have some reasons to believe that this album also contains more ambient and prog-oriented material. I have no idea why it's so obscure. There was a second album by the duo, Dictadura from 1989, which is much more along the traditional EBM line.

 


Intergalactic Debris (UK)

Cataclysmic Variable Star (2017)
Rift (2023)
Voyages (2024)

Cosmic synth compositions, between Space Music and berlinesque / sequencer-based. A project of Ross Baker.

See also: Baker, Ross, International Debris, Enofa, Winter of the World.

 


Intergalactic Touring Band, The (international)

The Intergalactic Touring Band (1977)

A one-off huge project of Steven Galfas. Included Larry Fast (Synergy), Anthony Phillips, Arthur Brown and a huge number of other musicians. As you probably guessed, lots of different styles here, some of them we all could probably do without.

See also: Synergy, Brown, Arthur, Phillips, Anthony.

 


Interior (Japan)

Interior (1982)
Design (1987)

Interior is a synthesizer project from Japan that includes Eiki Nonaka. Their first album was produced by Haruomi Hosono. There were several issues of this album, including a later press from 1985 on American new age label Windham Hill with a different mix and altered tracklist. The music is hardly new age, though, and sounds like a light-hearted and atmospheric version of YMO, with synths, sax and piano, plus vocals on some cuts.

See also: Hinata, Daisuke, Nonaka, Eiki.

 


Interior Disposition (Russia)

Starvision Fields (2007)
Melancholy Crescent (2007)
Untitled (2009) (with Sister Loolomie)
The Colour Out of Space (2010)
Taedium vitae (2010)
From Autumn (2011)
Blood & Scars (2012)
Cranium Vult: Unreleased & Rarities 2003 - 2013 (2013)
...To Winter (2016)

Interior Disposition is Oleg Hurvatov (previously known as just Id). This music is mostly Ambient of the darker variety.

See also: Id

 


Interlaken (USA)

Versaux (2017)

Varied synth compositions. Mostly atmospheric and serene. Interlaken is Chris Donofrio.

 


International Debris (UK)

Ambifauna (2015)
Bathe In the Lights of Distant Cities (2015)
Seltrac (2017)
Myosphere (2017)
Eclipsis (2018)
Exteriors (2018)
Small Black Box (2018)
Holosphere (2018)
Protoform (2018) (S)
Mistral (2018)
Timewyrm (2018) (S)
Seltrac (2023)
Anxiety (2024)

Varied ambient project of Ross Baker.

See also: Baker, Ross, Intergalactic Debris, Enofa, Winter of the World.

 


International Surrealist Bulletin (USA)

Thieves And Shadows (2014)
Communitas (2016)
Immanence (2018)

New York-based duo with a unique style. Based on the sounds of analog synths and percussion (including lots of chromatic percussion), the two sculpt moody, somewhat esoteric compositions, bringing to mind images of ancient rites and secret knowledge societies.

 


Internationaler Geräuschorchester (Germany)

Internationaler Geräuschorchester (1983)
Internationaler Geräuschorchester II (1985)

World Music by Ulrich Hornberg and Wolfgang Sperner plus guests.

 


Internazionale (Denmark)

Protection Glass (2014) (S)
Sex And Generosity (2014) (S)
Sisters of Ambrosia (2014)
Brothers of the Baltic Pearl (2015) (S)
Armour of Stars (2015)
Elegy For the Victors (2015)
Admiration (2015) (S)
What Was Sown Into History (2015)
Seek Forever (2016) (S)
Wreaths of Life (2016)
The Opaline Dancer (2016)
En Serie af betragtninger Anden del (2016) (S) (with P.E.)
The Basin of Alhambra (2016) (S)
Vigilance (2017) (with Angeles)
The Pale And the Colourful (2017)
The Charnel House (2017)
Commerce As Communication (2018)
One Shot, One Life (2019)
Avatar In Life (2019)
Sillage of the Blue Summer (2020)
Wide Sea Prancer (2020)
Vestiges of Nature (2021)
Out of the Blue, Into the Light (2022)
They Told Us To Count the Stars (2023)
The Pale And the Colourful (2023)
They Taught Us To Count the Days (2023)

Lo-fi synths and ambient drones from Mikkel Valentin Dunkerley. Creates a nice hypnotic feeling on releases like The Basin of Alhambra, although somewhat repetitive.

See also: Lace & Collar, Shell Fantasy, Olympisk Løft.

 


Internet Explorer (Sweden)

Internet Explorer (2023) (recorded in 2018 - 2023)

Lo-fi synths and ambient compositions, 1980's drum machines with avant-garde, tape music and vaporwave touches. Internet Explorer is Mattias Lindberg from Stockholm.

 


Intersigno (Spain)

Darkspace (2015)
Compilation Traks (2016)
The End of Time (2018)
Decrepit (2019) (S)
Non Plus Ultra (2019)

A project of Jose Gonzalez from Barcelona, influenced by synth (mostly horror) scores of the 1970's and 1980's as well as by the current synthwave trends.

 


Intersonic Subformation (Canada)

Guardians of the Transmitter (2016)

A bit abstract, but melodic and quite listenable synth soundscapes. Pretty spaced out stuff.

 


Interstates (etc.) (USA)

Queen of Wands (2016) (S)

Interstates (etc.) is Ohio-based noise artist Brandon Greter. On Queen of Wands, though, an ambient influence started to creep in, with the opener sounding like a lysergic, melancholic 1970's synth meditation of Klaus Schulze even. I really hope he continues in that direction.

 


Interstellar Cementmixers (UK)

Zircon 87 (1989)
Rod of the Tropical Dishcloth Goude (1990)
Hysteresis Calyx (1993)
Phobos (1993)
Webbed Penduluum Vapour (1994)
Magnetic Subsidence (1995)
Encapsulated Turquoise Void (1996)
Manequin Ambergine (1996)
Catacomb Discord (1997)
Dislodged Resonance (1998)
Monochrome Gravity (1999)
Night Radiation (2001)
Dimension Y (2004)
Red Earth (2004)
Submerged Reality (2009)
Observers (2016)
Dimension Z (2017) (recorded in 1995 - 2001)
Dimension X (2021) (recorded in 1997 - 2001)
Collision of Cosmic Possibilities (2023)

This group was formed in 1987 in Nottingham by two guys, Dump (Stephen Martin) and Rich (Richard Collins). Both basically play synthesizers and nothing more. Quite experimental Black Space, comparable to Lightwave or Tangerine Dream circa Zeit.

 


Interstellar Electric Gnome Band (USA)

Interstellar Electric Gnome Band (2006)

Interstellar Electric Gnome Band are electronic artist Nuada plus Kelly and Bunny Sheets who were both members of Gravity Hill project. Some of the music resembles that style, with sequences and spacey textures, although there's also some dire 4/4 techno stuff that's totally useless and just plain silly. Why ruining a fine album is beyond me, but I hope they don't repeat this "experiment".

See also: Gravity Hill, Nuada.

 


Interstellar Funk (Netherlands)

Into the Echo (2022)
Live At Muziekgebouw (2022)

From hard electro rhythms and Kraftwerk-like synths to sequencer or ambient EM. A project of Olf Van Elden.

 


Interstellar Sequence (Czech Republic)

Back To the Moon (2015)
Observers (2017)
Sequence of Life (2018)

Berlin School artist Martin Mikulecky. He started with music in 1992, first with a cheap synth and then with tracker software of the time. He then lost his interest in making music and took a break, before returning in late 2013, this time using the latest VST technology.

 


Interstitial (USA)

Temporal Arc (2001)
Live At the Miramar (2002) (with Vir Unis)

Ambient music that mixes Berlin School pulsations with some glitchiness, beats and weird droning soundscapes. Interstitial is John Koch-Northrup.

 


Intersystems (Canada)

Number One (1966)
Peachy (1967)
Free Psychedelic Poster Inside (1968)
#4 (2021)

Bizarre psych with electronics by John Mills-Cockell. Other members of the band were Blake Parker, Michael Hayden and Dik Zander. Amazingly, there is a new album out in 2021.

See also: Mills-Cockell, John

 


Into the Ethos (Canada??)

Spiral (2019)
Trinity (2021)                                                                       

Hypnotic ambient compositions from Craig Lawrence.

 


Intravene (UK)

Flotation Toy Warning (1998)

UK duo of Steve Pitts and Stephen Meixner that sounds like a cross between Steve Roach's Ambient output and pure Ritual Ambient sounds of Alio Die.

See also: Band of Pain, Contrastate.

 


Introversion (USA)

In the Garden of Asmodeus (2004)

Soundscapes with environmental sounds, influenced by German EM and krautrock of the 1970's.

 


Intrusion (USA)

Passing Without Notice (1982)

Progressive rock trio formed in Florida by drummer and keyboardist Rick Jones with his friends Jim Garcia (percussion, vocals) and Rick Barranco (percussion). There are also guitar and bass players, although you can't say that from listening to their recently remastered single "The Changing of the Guard". In fact, all you can hear is just drums and a total overload of Prophet 5 synthesizer from Jones. You can tell where he is aiming with all the virtuoso solos but he ends up sounding like a one-man, completely synthesized prog orchestra. Something for Synergy fans maybe? Although the feel is completely different here, more like a 100% electronic Wakeman. I guess I will define it as "EM-related" for now. I wonder, how the rest of the album sounds like.

 


Intuicija (Lithuania)

Day To Day Functioning (2020) (S)
Kūriniai (2020)

Melodic ambience and pads from Viktoras Urbaitis. Some sequencer-based compositions as well.

 


Inuit (Italy)

Iiaali (2019)

Cosmic synth / guitar pieces with an Ashra twist and some ambient touches. A project of Marco Santucci.

 


Invented State of Mind (Poland)

Imaginary Country (2017)

Mostly gloomy drones, with some brighter moments and sounds. A project of Michał Picheta.

 


Inventions (USA)

Continuous Portrait (2020)

Portland-based duo with post rock roots. The above album sees them sort of moving in the EM direction, using synths more extensively, along with the usual post rock instrumentation (guitars, string section, etc.) File inder EM-related.

 


Inventors of Aircraft, The (UK)

Where the Light Stops (2013)
No Answers, Not Even Any Questions (2014) (S)
Velatore (2020)
Edge of Imagination (2022)
Waiting For Something To Break (2023)

Ambient project of Phil Tomsett. Reflective, melancholic, trembling sound, often classically inspired.

See also: Tomsett, Phil

 


Invercauld (USA)

Stormy Night (2001)
Tiamhaidh (2004)
Deamhan (2008)

Dark and somewhat Martial ambience from Doyle Finley.

See also: Innfallen, Ghastly Marshes.

 


Inverno (Portugal)

Gateways To Darken Worlds (2002)

Bleak ambience.

 


Invisible Band!, The (UK)

Remembrance (1985)
A Round Trip (1986)
Music For Everyperson (1987)
Sunburst Earthrise (??)
Occam's Razor (1991)
Inner Mind Travel Agency (1992)
Off Cuts 'n' Out-Takes (1993)
Lo-Fi Funnies (1994)
Ignore Alien Orders (1996)
Welcome To the Llamadome (1997)
Legend In A Lunchtime (1999)
Red Squirrel, Grey Squirrel? (2000)
Interplanetary Vibe (2000)
Galactic Citizen (2002)
The Queen of Memes (2002)
Castles In the Sky (2003)
It's Music, Jim. But Not As We Know It (2004)
Some Days Are Meant To Last Forever (2005)
Iaxartes Tholus (2008)

The music of Alazarin Mobius (aka Rory Cargill - the man behind The Invisible Band!) will appeal to fans of Steve Hillage, Tangerine Dream, Tomita and maybe also Synergy and vintage computer game music. Some tracks are orchestral and flowing, others rhythmic with lots of guitar, but, overall, a very cosmic (and energetic) affair. The project exists since around 1981 but the early releases were supposedly full-band efforts.

See also: Cargill, Rory

 


Invisible Path (USA)

Hermetic Dreamscapes On the Roots of Our Nature (2011)
Gathering Warmth (2012)
Circle of Spirits (2012)
Deep Dives (2012)
Message of Sky (2012)

Cloud Variations (2013)
Burnt Explorers (2013)
The Levitating Mirror (2013)
Dreams Woven Within the Tapestry (2013)
Hallowed Ground (2015)

Michael Bailey, former member of San-Francisco's Barn Owl, creates lo-fi, cosmic dreamscapes.

 


Invisible Universe (???)

Transient Age (1993)
Echoes & Views (1995)

On Electronical Dreams. Invisible Universe is Pasi Nyrönen.

 


Inward Circles, The (UK)

Nimrod Is Lost in Orion And Osyris In the Doggestarre (2014)
Belated Movements For An Unsanctioned Exhumation August 1st 1984 (2015)
The Right Lines Limit And Close All Bodies (2017)
Before We Lie Down In Darknesse (2023)

Ambient project of Richard Skelton. Deep sounds, drones, rumbles, quiet glitches...

See also: Sketlon, Richard

 


Inwendt Faerte (Germany)

Of Nightfall And Shrouded Thoughts (2014)

Lo-fi, repetitive dungeon synth with an analog feel. Often pulsing and with vague Prog leanings.

 


Inwolves (Belgium)

Air+ (2014) (S)
Inwolves (2016)
Color In the Zoo (2018)

Inwolves is a trio of Jürgen de Blonde (Aka Köhn), Karen Willems and Ward Dupan. They are a drums / guitar / synths band and, as you can guess, it's a krautrock-related sound here, although I cannot link them to a specific krautrock or EM genre, their music having influences from both Dusseldorf and Berlin schools, without being heavy neither on the sequencers, nor on motorik rhythms. I think they are more like a driving / melodic progrock / kraut / EM mixture, with shades of Goblin perhaps.

See also: Köhn

 


Ioakimoglu, Angelo (Greece)

The Nireus Years (1995 - 1997) (2018)

Breezy, balearic / loungy electronics. Barely escaped a non-inclusion for being un-progressive for the most part.

 


Iodine Iris (Ireland)

A.R.O. (2016)

Varied, cinematic music from this musician out of Waterford. Starting with the exstatic, vocoder-laden cosmic bliss of "PM Intro 1", the album loses momentum somewhat, as the author goes through various themes and styles, often classically-influenced or similar to instrumental indie rock / post-rock.

 


IOflow (USA)

Spring (2017)

Delicate ambient music focusing on piano, modular synth and field recordings, with a few other sources / instruments. A bit like Tim Story, a bit like Roedelius (circa Jardin au Fou), sometimes like Eno... A project of Joshua Saddler.

 


ION (Greece)

Unsound (2016)
North Wind (2019)
Soundscapes Vol. 1 (2021)

ION is a long-running techno / dub project of Giannis Papaioannou. Surprisingly, Unsound features melodic, rhythmic synth music, somehow influenced by the club scene (elements of IDM, downtempo, dub and techno can be felt) but sounding a lot like latter-day Tangerine Dream (post-Mars Polaris), solo stuff of Jerome Froese (minus the guitar), Loom and even Klaus Schulze circa 1999 - 2003 (on "All Be Good"). North Wind continues in similar vein.

 


Ion (UK)

Future Forever (2007)

Ion is David J. Hughes from T-Bass UK and here he developed a more sedate, relaxed and romantic style, influenced by Vangelis.

See also: T-Bass, Skin Mechanix.

 


Ion And Sophus (Russia)

Mini Mum (2007)
The First Step Towards the Abyss (2007)
Three (2008)
Transit Station (2011)
Love of One (2016)
Сумеречные забвения (2018)

Atmospheric Ambient made from processed field recordings and gentle synthesizer sounds.

See also: Exit In Grey

 


Iona Dream (UK)

A Quantised Consciousness (2017)

Pretty unique EM, mixing analog sounds, varied rhythms and repeating patterns, with sort of a post-internet theme going.

 


Iona Fortune (UK??)

Tao of I (2017)
Tao of I Vol. 2 (2019)

Musician based in Glasgow (originally from China I guess, but I'm not positive). Her sound is ambient and diverse, with a good amount of ethnic (mostly Chinese) influences.

 


Ionescu, Modest (Romania)

Nori de praf (2020)

Rhythmic, vaguely krauty material (think solo Moebius). Some really interesting and unique mixture of classical, minimal and ambient electronics as well.

 


Ionosphere (Germany)

Sliced Matter (2003) (S)
Angular Momentum (2004)
The Stellar Winds (2007)
Nightscape (2015)

Dark soundscapes from Erik H. Sander.

 


Iori (Japan)

Nexus (2012)
Cold Radiance (2016)

Iori Asano is a techno / house producer and musician from Okinawa, currently residing in Berlin. He mostly cites techno and deep house acts as his influences, but also Manuel Goettsching. This last mention of one of the EM greats made me check out his music and I can say that I was pleasantly surprised. While Nexus is still largely a techno / club-oriented effort with atmospheric opening and closing tracks, on Cold Radiance, there are virtually no beats to speak of. The mood ranges from somber and monolithic to lighter and hypnotic, and several tracks are nice sequencer / arpeggio-laden numbers. You can definitely say that he is moving in "our" direction here.

 


Iovu, Gheorghe (Romania)

Paşi prin univers (2005)
Raza de soare (??)
Imnul speranței (??)

Preoccupied with music therapy since 1976, Gheorghe Iovu is a new age artist who released a few albums and also gives spontaneous live performances in unlikely places (mostly outdoors). Paşi prin univers is melodic and rhythmic. The music will appeal to fans of melodic EM of the Jarre school. There is also that slight "Dream Dance" edge to some of the tracks. His other CD's are supposedly much more new age. Needs to be investigated further.

 


Iotronica (UK)

Of Moons And Stars (2014)

Melodic, orchestral, Space Music. Iotronica is female synthesist Amanda Byrne from Cornwall.

 


Ipanema (Netherlands)

Vier Rivieren (2019)

A project of Rotterdam-based Bram Nigten, who is originally a drummer. Here, it is synth music, though, repetitive and hypnotic. Sometimes dramatic and / or melancholic.

 


Ippolito, Daniele (Italy)

Sounds of the Vice (2017)

Music for fans of 1980's Tangerine Dream, synthwave and the "Miami Vice" soundtrack.

 


Iqixive (France)

Espaces sonores II (2020)

Varied ambient project.

 


Irakli (Georgia)

Major Signals (2021)

A mixture of smooth techno tracks and beatless ambient / experimental electronics vaguely in the style of Moebius.

 


Iran (Italy)

Aemilia (2020)

Instrumental trio of keys, guitar and drums. Between noise rock, krautrock and Electronic Music.

 


Irem of Pillars (Germany)

As the Sun Darkens (2003)
Occident (2005) (S)

Dark, rutualistic ambience.

 


Irezumi (France)

Endurance (2008)
Thirty (2016)

Irezumi is a young French techno artist Manuel Mesdag who ventured into the realms of melodic Ambient with Endurance. The album is inspired by British Antarctic expedition led by Ernest Shackleton that ended tragically (several crew members froze to death, trapped in ice). Thirty is another ambient album, a dedication to Irezumi's brother who died in 2015.

 


Iris Manta (Greece)

Mental Equations (2014)
Kilonova (2018)

Melodic, energetic music between synthwave, techno and progressive EM. A project of Manos Zafirakis.

 


Irisarri, Rafael Anton (USA)

Daydreaming (2007)
Hopes And Past Desires (2009) (EP)
Reverie (2010) (S)
The North Bend (2010)
The Unintentional Sea (2013)
Will Her Heart Burn Anymore (2015) (EP)
A Fragile Geography (2015)
La Equidistancia (2017) (with Leandro Fresco)
The Shameless Years (2017)
La Espera (2017) (S) (with Leandro Fresco)
THESIS 10 (2017) (S) (with Julianna Barwick)
Midnight Colours (2018)
Sirimiri (2018)
El Ferrocarril Desvaneciente (2018) (S)
Solastalgia (2019) (recorded in 2018)
Agitas al Sol (2019)
Una Presencia en la Brisa (2020) (with Leandro Fresco)
Peripeteia (2020)
The Shameless Years (2021)

Beautiful and captivating ambient atmospheres from this Seattle-based artist.

See also: Gailes

 


Irislight (UK)

Primordial Soleus Beam (2008)

Stark, cold, mechanical-sounding soundscapes from Adam Sykes.

 


Irksome (USA)

Durch (2021)

Varied compositions from this Chicago-based artist. Ambient, abstract, as well as melodic and cerebral. A bit vapowave / dreampunk-like atmosphere here.

 


Irmert, Jana (Germany)

End of Absence (2016)
Flood (2018)
The Soft Bit (2021)
What Happens At Night (2022) (S)

Deep and cinematic soundscapes between electroacoustic music and Ambient.

 


Irmler, Hans Joachim (Germany)

Lifelike (2003)
Taste Tribes (2008) (with Alfred 23 Harth and Günter Müller)
No Apologies (2009) (with F.M. Einheit)
Illumination (2011) (with Christian Wolfarth)
Spielwiese drei (2011) (with Katherine Young, Ute Marie Paul and F.M. Einheit)
500m (2014) (with Gudrun Gut)
Flut (2014) (with Jaki Liebezeit)
Squib, Last Image / Sometimes Less (2015) (S) (with Moebius, Tim Story, Jon Leidecker and Gudrun Gut)
Bestandteil (2015) (with F.M. Einheit)
Formen (2016) (with Carl Oesterhelt)
Die Gesänge der Maldoror (2017) (with Carl Oesterheft)
Endorphonic (2018) (with Viz Michael Kremietz)

Lifelike is an interesting electronic album from Faust organ player. At times ambient, at times experimental, the music is imbued with a sense of mystery and tension. He has several collaborative albums too, and some of them feature interesting electronic arrangements. Irmler is unique in that he manages to coax really strange and very diverse sounds out of his organ.

 


Irmologion (Russia)

Irmologion (2003)
Dynatos (2005)

Dark Ambient with lots of processed sounds from this mysterious project.

 


Iro Aka (Spain)

Passatge de les ombres (2020)
Ametrine Horizon (2022) (recorded in 2019 - 2021)
Planet Earth (2023)

Barcelona-based electronic duo with elements of Tribal Ambient and World Music. Often in the style of Wahnfried's Drums 'n Balls.

 


Irock, Peter (Switzerland)

The Return (2010)
The Music of Schaffhausen Boat (2013)
Boreal (2013)

Peter Irock was born in 1959. In the early 1970's he got interested in the music of Jarre, Vangelis, Tomita, Wendy Carlos and German EM pioneers (Klaus Schulze, Tangerine Dream, etc.) In 1977 he began composing his own electronic works and started to give concerts, first solo and then with fellow musician Lionello Ferrazzini as one half of the duo Fairlight. He then went solo again and played as supporting act at some concerts of Italian progrock band Banco del Mutuo Soccorso. Peter is known as an author of music for jingles and documentaries.

See also: Fairlight

 


Irresistible Force, The (UK)

Flying High (1992)
Global Chillage (1994)
It's Tomorrow Already (1998)
Kira Kira (2017)

Clearly a product of its era, The Irresistible Force was the brainchild of Mixmaster Morris aka Morris Gould, a London-based deejay and musician. In terms of mood and often the sound, his first two albums fall squarely into the then blooming Ambient Techno genre, although the music does not have many beats to speak of. Gould would later collaborate with Pete Namlook and join the FAX roster of artists, which seems logical and if you enjoy the early FAX sound, you can do worse than check Flying High and Global Chillage out. The appeal of this music reaches beyond the confines of the Ambient Techno crowd, having a lot to offer to fans of ambient electronics and Progressive EM in general.

 


Irrlicht (Switzerland)

Swiss duo, apparently inspired by Klaus Schulze. They played as a supporting act during Klaus' French tour in Spring, 1975. Both members (James Mosberger and Teddy Riedo) were also part of hard rock / progressive band Ertlif at the time. Irrlicht don't seem to have ever released anything, but an interesting note is that they planned an album for Klaus Schulze's proposed label. However, Klaus ditched the idea of a label until 1978, when Innovative Communications (IC) was started.

 


Irsol (UK)

First Contact (1982)
Half Life (1984)

Three-piece electronic formation that was part of the cassette underground. Like many of their mindlikes, they used lots of analogue gear and infused their music with that minimal synth aesthetic typical of the time and culture. However, they do have a strong progressive EM component as well, use sequencers deliberately and their sound ranges from melodic / sequenced to wacky and experimental. Check out "Drill" from Half Life for an example of a nice, Berlin-y sequencer trip.

 


Isabella (USA)

Whistle (2018) (S)
Melody Depleted (2020)

Boston-based Isabella Koen is a techno artist. However, on Whistle, she included two abstract synth tracks that might be of interest to Prog EM fans. I hope she continues to explore that sound. Notes 26.04.2020: she did! Melody Depleted is a mixture of hard-hitting techno and edgy abstract synth goodness.

 


Isadar (USA)

Elevations (1994)

Subtitled "Electronic Soundscapes", this is probably the only electronic album by this Louisiana-born pianist (real name: Fabian I. Thibodeaux).

 


ISAN (UK)

Lamenting Machine (2019)
Nothing Picked And Placed Nowhere (2020)

Formed in the 1990's as an IDM duo of Antony Ryan and Robin Saville, ISAN stands for Integrated Services Analogue Network. Lamenting Machine sees them moving in the quirkier Cluster realms, still retaining their original influences. Nice. Nothing Picked And Placed Nowhere is another interesting work.

See also: Saville, Robin

 


Isånd (USA??)

Vinternatt (2022)

Winter synth with lots of tinkling sounds and a touch of metal on the long closer.

 


IsaVis (Italy)

Cosmico divino (2008)
The Dark Side of the Man (2010)

Melodic and symphonic Electronic Music by this female synthesist who blends influences of Jarre, Kraftwerk, Pink Floyd and more.

 


Isaza, Miguel (Colombia)

Levedad (2013)
Water Garden (2014) (with Darren McClure)
Uji (2014)
Bonsai (2014) (S)
Kairós (2016) (S)
Neti Neti (2016)
Soliloquio (2016)
Nubes (2018) (S) (with David Escallón)
Upallay (2019)
Motor Inmóvil (2019) (with David Escallón)

Minimal droning Ambient with lots of field recordings and an electro-acoustic bend.

See also: Arpa

 


Isegrimm (Germany)

The Pathwalker - Chapter I: Arrival On Silverglade (2017)
The Pathwalker - Chapter II: The Dungeons of Herculaneum (2017)
Über den sieben Bergen (2018)
Der Herr von Verona (2018)
Ik Gihorta dat Seggen (2019)
Im Zeichen des ewigen Feuers (2020) (recorded in 2018 - 2020)
Eislandsaga (2020)

Dungeon synth artist (Max Berger) who started in pretty mainstream medieval synth vein, but by Eislandsaga, has progressed into something deeper and more complex. Still featuring moody orchestral melodies, it involves also a strong ambient / EM component and adopts a very cinematic approach.

 


Isham, Mark (USA)

Vapor Drawings (1983)
Film Music (1985)
The Hitcher (1991) (recorded in 1985) (soundtrack)
Fire In the Sky (2022) (soundtrack)

Mark Isham was born in 1951 in New York. He began his career as a trumpet player but during the 70's he was introduced to Electronic Music and started working as a synthesizer programmer. In 1980 he founded Group 87 with ex-Zappa bass player Patrick O'Hearn. Although his main output is somewhat different from what I'd normally review in EEM, I decided to include these two albums. If you like Electronic New Age, you may like these. Mark Isham has written a lot of film soundtracks.

See also: Group 87

 


Ishibashi, Eiko (Japan)

Hyakki Yagyō (2020)
Orbit (2022)
Lifetime of A Flower (2023) (with Jim O'Rourke)
Eiko Ishibashi, Jim O'Rourke (2023) (with Jim O'Rourke)

Japanese singer-songwriter and experimental composer. Hyakki Yagyō features long tracks with layered synths, varied recorded sound debris, flutes and voices. Hypnotic and mysterious stuff. Orbit continues with the EM vibe and sound. The second track is a subtle sequencer chugger.

 


Ishmael Ensemble (UK)

The Chapel (2018) (S)
A State of Flow (2019)
Visions of Light (2021)

Bristol-based nu-jazz ensemble led by Pete Cunningham. The first side of The Chapel sounds exactly like a mixture of Berlin School and relaxed jazz improvisation.

 


Ishq (UK)

Orchid (2001)
Timelapse In Mercury (2007)
Spiritual Silence / The Voice From Home (2009) (with Steve Brand)
Fluid Earth (2010)
About Time (2010) (with Pan Electric)
Sama (2010)
Lotus (2011) (recorded in 2003 - 2006)
Skyspaces (2011)
And Awake (2011)
Deep Space Objects (2012)
Flowering Mountain Earth (2012)
Lyght (2012)
Zennor Plane (2014)
Seascapes (2014)
Blue Infinity (2014)
Sunflower (2014)
Autumn Light (2015)
Winter Light (2015)
Still Life (2015) (S)
Spring Light (2015)
Summer Light (2015)
In A Rainbow Air (2015)
Invisible Light (2015) (with Material Object)
Crows Un Wra Volume 1 (2016) (with Nacht Plank)
Crows Un Wra Volume 2 (2016) (with Nacht Plank)
Crows Un Wra Volume 3 (2016) (with Nacht Plank)
Nutopia (2016)
Space Simulator (2016)
Phorm (2016)
Evergreen Ocean (2016)
Pureland (2016)
Organic Electrified Forms (2016)
Archetypes of Light Vol. 1 (2017)
Archetypes of Light Vol. 2 (2017)
Radiophonics (2017)
Ufonics (2017)
Zeal Monachorum (2017) (with Nacht Plank)
Aquaphonics (2017)
Spiritual Science (2017) (with Steve Brand)
Sen (2017)
Ixland (2018)
In Memoriam (2019)
Light And Space (2019)
Burren Dawn (2019)
Tren (2019)
Nightflower (2019)
Moonflower (2019)
Starflower (2019)
The Known Spectrum Is Infinite (2019)
Tetrahedral Light Object (2019)
Autumn Leaves (2019)
Interplanetary Oceans (2019)
Timelapse In Andromeda (2019)
Yuvu (2020)
In Diamond Light (2020)
Worlds Beyond (2020)
Feild (2020)
Remote Viewer (2020)
Digital Nature (2020)
Hercynia (2020)
Nine Maidens Circle (2020) (with Nacht Plank)
Outer Gateway (2020)
Places I Have Been (2020)
Inbetween (2020) (with Dave Bessell)
Land of the Green Sun (2021)
Qutb (2021)
Solis (2021)
Hypnagogic Dream State (2022)
Dream Yoga of the Vision Body (2022)
Koan (2022)
Eos (2022)
Shandar Summer (2022)
Interzone (2022)
In Imaginarius (2023)
Archaic Realms (2023)
Timelapse In Aquarius (2023)
Ishq At Radio Eos (2023)
Ceti (2023)
Ishq At Vertigo Gardens (2023)
Hillside Harmonies (2023)
Moon Tide Collection (2023)
Seti Research Project
Collection (2023)

Ishq is basically British musician Matt Hillier. His music is difficult to pin down. It's mostly of ambient nature, with slightest downtempo influences.

See also: Elemental Journey, Elve, Experiments In Silence, Crystal Moon, Colourform, Ishvara, Futurology, Omni Vu Deity, Yunomi, Dividenthal And Aumgn, Indigo Egg.

 


Ishvara (UK)

Magik Square of the Sun (2005)
Under A Hexagon Sky (2012)
New Worlds (2015) (EP)

Another ambient project of the insanely prolific Matt Hillier.

See also: Elemental Journey, Elve, Experiments In Silence, Crystal Moon, Colourform, Ishq, Futurology, Omni Vu Deity, Yunomi, Dividenthal And Aumgn, Indigo Egg.

 


Isierte, Jordi (Spain)

El Tacto de la Luz (2003)
A Traves de la Conciencia (??)
El Curioso Viaje de la Manzana de Newton (??)

The first album mixes opera, orchestral and melodic EM.

 


Islaja (Finland)

Angel Tape (2023)

Instrumental concept album from free-folk / art-pop singer Merja Kokkonen. Mostly piano, field recordings, organ, voices / choirs and synths. Ethereal, heavenly, otherwordly, instrospective...

 


Island People (UK)

Island People (2017)
II (2021)

Ambient trio of Conor Dalton, David Donaldson and Graeme Reedie. Ranges in sound from floating textures to analog, arpeggio-laden goodness.

 


Isle of Sodor (USA)

West Optimos (2010)
New By You (2010) (S)
A Night Off (2010) (S)
Omega Transfer (2011) (S)
Still Point (2011) (S)
Double Vision (2011) (S)
Goshen (2012)

Isle of Sodor is synthesizer artist Adam Miller who has a preference for classic analogue instruments. He is generally ambient, but composes more rhythmic stuff too. On his Soundcloud page you'll find his recent composition "Parhelic Circle" (not part of any album yet), which is very Schulze, very Timewind. And very good.

See also: Miller, Adam, Sharon.

 


Isobutane (Slovakia)

Mementos (2021)

A project of Slovak IDM artist Martin Krajcir. Mementos is an album of solo tracks and collaborations. Of the first category, some tracks hint at EM, such as the opener and especially the closer, which is pure Prog EM already - melodic and analog.

 


Isodrome (Georgia)

Manifest (2019)

A bit lo-fi ambience influenced by the vaporwave genre.

 


Isolated Psychedelicists, The (UK)

The Complete Sounds From the Isolation Zone (2021)

Box set featuring complete recordings of this synth / guitar covid-isolation duo of Peter Bingham and Colin Consterdine - members of British psychedelic rockers Sendelica. Instrumental tracks between psychedelic / space rock and that special brand of psych-tinged EM pioneered by Nodens Ictus and partly by Ozric Tentacles. Hints of other EM genres as well.

 


Isolatijon (Russia)

Autumnpression: Falling, Burning, Dying (2022)
Summerkoma (2022)
Bitter Cold Days (2023)

Ambient music inspired by long winter nights and the dungeon synth genre.

 


Isolde (UK)

Untitled (2005)
You're Alone In Red Riding Picture (2005) (S)
On Waving And Drowning (2006)

Ambient duo consisting of Andew Chalk and Robin Barnes.

See also: Chalk, Andrew, Marsfield.

 


Isomer (Australia)

Serpent Age (2002)
Sedation (2004)
Semblance of Perfection (2004)
The Lotus Eaters (2004)
The Way of the Transgressors (2004)
Zero Lounge (2005)
Ovarium (2008) (with Kenji Siratori)
Face Toward the Sun (2009)
Nil By Mouth (2011) (EP)
Three Kestrels (2016)

Dark Ambient from David Tonkin. Mysterious, at times tribal soundscapes.

 


Isomorph (USA)

The Black Chasm (2001)
In Absence of Light (2001)
Cave of the Wind (2001) (with Stephen Philips)
Dreams 4 (2001) (with Stephen Philips)
The Silent Waterfall (2022) (S)

Dark minimal ambience. Isomorph is Bill Kendall.

 


ISOR29 (Colombia)

Moon Phase Gardening (2022)

A project of Colombian musician Tomas Garcia Station. Moon Phase Gardening is a perfect amalgamation of 1990's techno / ambient house and EM of the spacy, phychedelic, Steve Hillage-derived school.

 


iSorin (USA)

Neon Tundra (2022)

Cinematic EM from this Wisconsin-based project. Arpeggio overload, slow rhythms, gentle melodies... Pretty nice stuff overall.

 


Isorinne, Michel (Sweden)

Varseblivning (2014) (S)
1980 (2015)
Samarbeten (2015) (S)
Recollections of Forgotten Dreams (2015)
Vintercirkeln (2016) (S)
No Strength of Sun (2016) (S)
Echoic Memoir (2016)
Speechless Malison (2017)
Wave Stuff (2018)
Stumhetens toner (2018)

Ambient, lo-fi and a bit dark, moving towards analog EM after 2016-2017.

See also: Dystopiska Visioner, D.Å.R.F.D.H.S.

 


Isotani, T. (Japan)

For Y (1982) (with T. Kuramoto)
Nuages (1982)
Nuages 2 (1983)
Fictive Days (1984) (with K. Usami)

 


Isothesis (France)

Cocoon of Red Light (2007)
Stern und Opium (2015)

Dark Ambient.

 


Isthmus ov Styx (USA)

Vortex Towers (2021)

Florida-based project in dark synth-sequencer mould.

 


Istrebitelnaya (???)

Истребительная (2020)

Repetitive war-themed winter synth. Pretty moody but lacking in the variety of textures and sounds used.

 


Istvan, Cziglan (Hungary)

Seven Gates of Alhambra (1999)

Posthumous release by this late musician and founding member / guitarist of progrock / EM band Solaris. The music was completed by band members. Several styles, including EM.

See also: Solaris

 


Isvisible Isinvisible (UK)

Ghosts of Furness Vale (2017)
Isvisible Isinvisible (2018)
Ghosts of New Mills (2018)
indexOf (2019)
Two EP's (2020)
Ghosts of Mann (2021)

Varied electronic tracks: gritty, mechanic, repetitive, rhythmic, melodic, mysterious. A project of Simon Pott.

 


Iszoloscope (Canada)

Aquifere (2002)
Les gorges des limbes (2004)
All Is Immensity And Chaos (2018)

Dark Ambient by Yann Faussurier. Some of his works contain rhythmic industrial / noise music.

 


IT (Canada)

Over & Out (2022)

Psychedelic / space rock band. They obviously aim at a Dark Side of the Moon-era Pink Floyd sound on their album Over & Out (one of a bunch of albums they've released since the 1990's). Everything here screams Dark Side of the Moon, even the vocal delivery and the added electronics. Actually, it's only slightly EM-related. However, as it's a very EM-friendly work, I thought, why not? There is also a unique touch by way of overuse of TV and other samples, which was more typical of the 1990's and early 2000's.

 


It (Spain)

Viaje (1976)

Free Electronic Music from Eduardo Polonio and Horacio Vaggione.

See also: Polonio, Horacio Vaggione.

 


IT Company, The (USA)

The IT Company (2017) (S)

Melodic, repetitive, sequenced structures and beautiful ambient floaters from North Highlands, California-based Dirk-Jan Deckwitz. A few wackier moments as well and overall, this has a nice EM sound to it.

 


Ital Tek (UK)

Bodied (2018)
Outland (2020)
Timeproof (2023)

Brighton-based Alan Myson aka Ital Tek is a dubstep / wonky / IDM / footwork / bass music / whatever artist. On Outland, he takes his musical influences to the limits, creating a complex work full of rich, cinematic synths, sequences, changing rhythms and achingly beautiful melodies. There are even purely ambient / EM tracks like the stunningly beautiful, albeit short "Reverie" or the cinematic, "Blade Runner"-esque "Diamond Child" and the equally dystopian, romantic "Angel In Ruin". I am really impressed. A nice crossover work and certainly an artist to look out for. The tendency to use Prog EM elements seems to have started back in 2018 with the release of Bodied.

 


Italianz (USA / Australia)

Lost Cats of Calabria (2013)
Xanax Flavoured Kisses (2014)
Fortright Delicatessen (2015)
Fuck Yeah, Tutankhamen (2015)
The Cuntiness of the Bermuda Triangle (2023) (recorded in 2021)

Melbourne, Florida-based duo of Ben Taylor and Rob Curulli. They are pretty diverse, but often have sort of a punky attitude, with rough synth sounds, distorted solos and monotone sequences, sort of like Heldon on a bad trip playing Tangerine Dream (Lost Cats of Calabria), or venturing into noisier / collage / pop / minimal synth realms (Fuck Yeah, Tutankhamen). Overall I would say that Lost Cats of Calabria is the one to go for fans of EM. The Cuntiness of the Bermuda Triangle has some good moments, too.

 


Itdreamedtome (UK)

A.Y. (2017)

Hypnotic droning Ambient from Johann Wlight.

 


Item (Germany)

Hall of Errors (2017)

Minimalist drones and ambient soundscapes from Marco Schröder.

 


Item Caligo (Russia)

Lullaby For Kuranes (2015)
Queer Reminescence (2017) (with SiJ)

Item Caligo is a project of Volgograd-based musician Sergey Epifanov. Beautiful ambient soundscapes with a strong neo-classical flair.

 


Ithaki (Italy)

Cornerstone (2022)

A project of Andrea Bellucci. Ambient compositions with just a touch of glitchiness.

See also: Subterranean Source, Iluiteq.

 


Ithildin (Canada)

A Long-Expected Party (2021)
The Hidden Door To Dwarrowdelf (2021) (S)
Amusettes pour Hobbits (2022) (S)
Arda's Herbarium : A Musical Guide To the Mystical Garden of Middle-Earth And Stranger Places Vol. 1 (2022)
Arda's Herbarium : A Musical Guide To the Mystical Garden of Middle-Earth And Stranger Places Vol. II (2022)
Arda's Herbarium : A Musical Guide To the Mystical Garden of Middle-Earth And Stranger Places Vol. III (2022)
In the Land of Ghostflowers (2023) (with Angel)
The Hobbit At the Gates of Dawn (2023)
Arda's Herbarium : A Musical Guide To the Mystical Garden of Middle-Earth And Stranger Places Vol. IV (2022)
Arda's Herbarium : A Musical Guide To the Mystical Garden of Middle-Earth And Stranger Places Vol. V (2023)
The Shadow of the Past (2024)

Dungeon synth music with an extra ambient dimension from this Quebecois duo.

See also: Belzébuth Zéro, Pantagruel.

 


Itoh, Akira (Japan)

Inner Light of Life (1978)
Bosatu & Mugen (1978)
Jasuragi (Mind Music) (1979)
Seion No Hibiki (1979)
Akira Ito (1981)
Japanesque (1981)
Hiisurutokoro No Tenshi (1982) (soundtrack)
Mugenko (1982)
Buddha (1982) (soundtrack)
Nayuta (1983)
Bremen 5 (1985) (soundtrack)
Hopi Prophecies (1986)
Prayers (1986)
Marine Flower (1986)
Four Corners of the Water (1986)
Ogura Hyakuchi (1989)
Komoriuta I (1990)
Komoriuta II (1990)
Alpha Meditation (1991) (S)

Floating electronics from former Far East Family Band member. Variants of spelling: Akira Ito, Akira Itoh. Seion No Hibiki is also known under its English title Mind Music.

See also: Far East Family Band

 


Itoladisco (France)

Julien Tarmo (2016) (EP)
The Soup / Lyrique (2018) (S)

Audiovisual project of Benjamin Fincher (analog synths, machines) and Jeremy Griffaud (video). Rhythmic, harsh, sequential, neurotic. Sometimes like Heldon with dance rhythms.

 


Itoyama, Koji (Japan)

I Know (2020)

Ambient artist from Japan. Classic sound, with piano and atmospheric electronics.

 


Itto (UK)

Sound On An Empty Road (2006)

One long Drone Ambient track from Neil Rowling and Ian Holloway.

See also: Holloway, Ian, Psychic Space Invasion.

 


Iurta (Portugal)

Notes Towards A Mental Breakdown (2017)

Portuguese duo in Dark Ambient mould.

See also: Wolfskin

 


IV (Monaco)

IV (2022)

Extremely varied stuff with no clear direction - from pure analog synth to hymnal, with rapid drums, even sort of metal-like or similar to chiptune.

 


Iv/An (Croatia)

Self And Selfish (2016)
International Geographic (2016) (EP)
Comforts of the Future (2018)
Sub-Object (2021)
A Scream Is But A Train of Thought (2022)
Razmišljajmo o nečem drugom (2022)

A project of Ivan Antunović. Rhythmic, strident, EBM-like. "Paragons" (Sub-Object) is a fantastic track.

 


Ivan the Tolerable (UK)

Le monde inversé (2018)
Another Mirror & Supermoon (2022) (S)
The Continuous Katherine Mortenhoe (2022)
The Aleph (2022)
Black Water / Brown Earth (2023)
Toft House Session (2023) (with the Ivan the Tolerable Quartet)
Ritual In Transfigured Time (2023)
Under Magnetic Mountain (2023)
Wild Nature! (2024)

Varied project led by Oli Heffernan. This particular album (Le monde inversé) shows his electronic side, with sax improvisations on top of a pulsing synth backing.

See also: University Challenged

 


Ivankovà (Spain)

Mogut' Yun (2021)

Singer from Madrid who sings in an ethereal voice. Mogut' Yun is half instrumental, though, and, to my delight, it is also electronic and ambient. Nice sound here, a bit dungeon synth-like.

 


Ivarsson, Ulf (Sweden)

Lower Zone (2020)
Nammu (2022) (with Bill Laswell)

Darkish mixture of bass and electronics.

 


Iversen (Norway)

Z assama niemi axumit (1999) (S)
Slo (2002) (with T.I.B.)
Gheye (2003)
The Book (2003)
Ten Times Me (2004)
Como Jogar + Caligula Symphony M/U (2005)
Mastering 280 (2005)
Caligula Symphony F (2005) (S)
Restituent l'atmosphére (2005)
42 Minutes (2005)
Con-Spiration (2005)
Caligula Symphony C (2006)
Ends of Humidity And Electricity (2006) (with Tzesne)
Where In This World Are You (2006) (S)
Greets From Norway (2007)
Wiederkehrende Welten (2007)
Aften over landet (2007) (with Tobias Fischer)
Broken English (2007) (with Sindre Bjerga and Madame P)
Der et det det er (2007)
Tapes 88-94 Reworked (2007) (with T.I.B.)
1.05 Drone (2007)
Caligula Symphony W (2007) (S)
Articulating Ideas (2008)
Modul (2008)
Lull Before the Storm (2008)
Modul 2 (2008)
River of Ashes (2009) (S) (with Sindre Bjerga and Terje Paulsen)
Live Klubb Kanin (2010)
Wolfsburg / Harmegås (2010) (S)
Still Intense (2010)
Momentum (2010) (with Abhorrent Beauty)
Outdoor Activities (2010) (with Abhorrent Beauty)
Tosom Holism #03 (2011) (S) (with Martin Steinebach)
Modern Day Silence (2011)
Milano (2011)
Rekviem MB-JMI (2011) (with Maurizio Boanchi)
Psykosesimulator / Relativ Fred (2013) (S)
Tonic Immobility / Different Same Old Story (2013) (S)
(Music From) Digna Town (Extracts) (2013) (S)
Harmløse bivirkninger / Chop Chop Chopin (2013) (S)
(Music From) Bug (Extracts) (2013) (S)
Increase Your Alertness / Von Bordun (2013) (S)
Filmstudie / Ghosts Before Breakfast (2013) (S)
(Music From) Vrak (Extracts) (2013) (S)
Live 28 April 2016 (2016) (S)
Infinite Autowalk / Frontale pannefjær (2016)
Monotonous 090 (2017)
A Checking of Progress (2018)

Insanely prolific Norwegian musician (Jan-Morten Iversen) who calls his music "nice noise". It will be not for EM purists for sure but if you like drone-related musics or Noise Ambient, there's some good stuff here. Apart from the listed works released on physical media, there are also numerous download-only / digital releases.

See also: Kredi Duby, Sonisk Blodbad.

 


Iverson, Jon (USA)

First Collection (1984) (with Thomas Walters)
Alternesia (1999)
Many Worlds Interpretation (2022) (recorded in 1982 - 1989)
Jon Iverson Meets Prins Emanuel, Golden Ivy & Inre Kretsen Group (2023)

The album with Thomas Walters is a rare LP with ambient electronics from California. Jon Iverson has been acting as percussionist and synthesist since the late 1970's, working with many artists and quietly recording his solo stuff at home using percussion, acoustic instruments and synthesizers (Minimoog, Prophet 5, Alpha Syntauri digital synth / computer and a few outboard items). Nice melodic EM, like 1980's Tangerine Dream with an extra acoustic touch.

 


Ives, Chris (UK??)

Solarwind (1995)

Synthesist on Electronical Dreams.

 


Ivo (Netherlands)

Concerto In Epsilon (1996)
Journey To Cave Island (1997)
Skyriding (1997) (with Ruud Heij)
Altiplano (1998) (S)
Meet Ivo Now (1999)

Rhythmic music with sequences and atmospherics. Recommended.

See also: Hansen, Sven, Electronic Universe, Rho-Eta Omega.

 


Ivolga (Russia)

Ekdose 1.0 (2010)

Cold and cosmic synthesizer soundscapes. The above album was also released on cassette as Ekdose 1.1.

 


Ivory Playground (Austria)

Scattered Clouds (1986)

A trio of musicians (Hermann Urabl, Peter Arnesen and Werner Stadler) based in Salzburg, Austria, Ivory Playground released Scattered Clouds (subtitle: Keyboards & Percussion) on German Wergo label with music recorded and mixed in Munich. The material was meant for a contemporary ballet. Nice and unique melodic style.

 


IVVVO (UK)

Prince of Grunge (2017) (S)
doG (2019)
Bleached Butterfly (2022)

A project of London-based Ivo Pacheco. doG features complex themes between Deconstructed Club and Progressive EM. Interesting. Prince of Grunge is more or less in the same style. Earlier releases I know nothing about at the moment.

 


Ivy Meadows (USA)

Zodiac (2018)

Breathy, new-agey synths on the theme of astrology from Camilla Padgitt-Coles.

 


Ivy's Hands (Portugal)

You Fight With Your Brothers, You Die With Your Brothers (2017)

Hard-to-classify music from Berlin-based Portuguese project. Mostly informed by such trends as EBM, minimal synth, darkwave and synthwave, as well as ambient and progressive EM.

 


Iwaki, Yumi (Japan)

Juniper (2021)

Varied ambient synth compositions from this Japanese artist. The music has a warm analog feel to it.

 


Iwata, Yuzo (Japan)

Kaizu (2022)

Japanese artist of partial Cuban descent. He opens and closes his Kaizu album with ambient tracks which are actually pretty nice. The rest is strange, wicked and at times pretty complex and inventive techno stuff. Hopefully we will get a completely ambient / EM release from him in the future.

 


IX (UK)

System VII (2014)
7302 (2015)
6EQUJ5 (2017)
Actual (2018)

Electronic project from Essex. Varied, mostly rhythmic and / or atmospheric, with a strong sci-fi influence.

 


Ixohoxi (USA)

Sommus-A (1998)
Sommus-B (1998)
Spiritus Quantus (1999)
Caverns of the Loa Govi (2000)
Sacred Ground (2000)
Continuum (2001)
The Future of the Future (2001)
Luxon (2001)
Regenesis (2002)
Starfarer's Tales Vol. 1 (2002) (with Numina)
Somnabulae (2002)
Ambient Tone Poems Vol. 1 (2003)
Ambient Tone Poems Vol. 2 (2003)
Ambient Tone Poems Vol. 3 (2003)
Chronologic (2004)
Starfarer's Tales Vol. 2 (2004) (with Numina)
Micronicom (2004)
Simulated Universe (2005) (with Stephen Philips)
Megaliths & Monoliths (2006) (with Numina)

Ambient artist whose real name was Dan Russo. His music is at times comparable to some Alpha Wave Movement material. Sadly, Dan passed away on the 15th of January, 2007.

 


Ixuol (Iran??)

Abstraction In High Fidelity (2019)

An artist (real name - Arastoo Darakshan) currently residing in California. EM that is inspired by both traditional Persian music and modern day synthesized composition. Pretty interesting stuff.

 


IYv (Lithuania)

Upės (2017)

Ambient duo with a droning, monolithic sound.

See also: Skeldos

 


Izhorian (Estonia)

Space Trilogy (2013)
Fourth Journey (2017)

Three-cassette set from Rivo Haavandi, composed of several digital-only EP releases. The music is supposedly spacey and ambient.

 


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