Index

 

J (Australia)

My Seat And Weep (2021)

A pseudonym of John Cantrell aka Ju Ca. The music is an ambient mixture of sampling, electroacoustics, digital / analog synths and microsound.

See also: Ju Ca

 


J.A.B. (USA)

Exploring New Grounds (??) (S)

 


J.A. Love (Canada)

Outlaw Electronica (2019)

Sort of lo-fi ambient electronics.

 


J.A.M. (Russia)

Sky Portals To the Bottomless Abyss (2006)

Side-project of the man known for his realeases under Baalberith moniker. J.A.M., however, is more oriented towards Drone Ambient.

See also: Baalberith

 


J. F. Burma (USA)

Nomadic (2017) (S)

Analog synth project of Jeremy Berman. Nomadic includes two rhythmic, techno-influenced tracks and one sequencer EM melter ("1000 Pines").

 


J.G.G. (Spain)

Intentos (2014) (S)
Calor (2015) (S)
Vibración (2015) (S)
Derretido (2016) (S)
Antifaz y Dinamita (2016) (S)
Conjugador (2017) (S)
Delirium (2018) (S)
Irrlichter (2018) (S)
START - FINISH (2018)
Mareo (2019) (S)
Relax Vegetal Total (2019)
09.19 (2019)
Compendium de magie sympathique (2020) (S)
Mordida (2023) (with Pablo Volt)
Encants (2023)
Chispas (2023)

Barcelona-based artist with a weird exotica vibe, lo-fi and often similar to 1960's EM. Mostly shorter tracks.

 


J. Zunz (Mexico)

Del Aire (2022)

Under this name hides Lorena Quintanilla, an indie pop / psychedelic rock artist. Del Aire, recorded in a windy area of Ensenada under the conditions of a strict lockdown, has hints of the above genres, although adopting a decidedly more electronic approach. The result is aggressive and repetitive EM in a unique style - mostly instrumental, with only a few vocalizations.

 


J46+2 (Germany)

Focus (2023)
Complicated Ambient 1 (2023) (EP)
Am Leben (2024)

Dense, hypnotic ambient soundworlds.

See also: Momofuku

 


Jääportit (Finland)

Halki lumisen metsän (1998)
Kauan koskematon (1999)
Uumenissa (2004)
Avarrus (2006)
Voimasuo (2009)
Jääportit (2018)

Atmospheric synths / Ambient by Tuomas M. Mäkelä.

 


Jaar, Nicolas (Chile)

Telas (2020)

Varied experimental / techno artist from Chile. Telas features long electronic tracks of explorative nature, a bit similar to early krautrock / EM pioneers in feel (but not in sound).

 


Jabbu (???)

The Quiet Respite (2021)

Mixture of hip-hop beats, rich synths and spacey guitar licks. Pretty varied EM here.

 


Jaber, Nur (Lebanon)

If Only - A State of Peace (2018)

Lebanese musician and deejay residing in Berlin. Although she is primarily known as a techno artist, on If Only, a strong ambient / EM influence is felt. Nice.

 


Jabir (Spain)

Vuelo por las Alturas de Alhambra (1985)
Vuelo por las Alturas de Xauen (1987)

Mixture of electronics and traditional Arab instruments.

 


Jabłoński, Michał (Poland)

Humanity (2020)

Dark soundscapes with an industrial flair and sometimes a melancholic vibe.

 


Jacaszek (Poland)

Zawieje (2019)
Music For Film (2020)
Gardenia (2020)
IT DEEL I (2022) (with Romke Kleefstra and Jan Kleefstra)
The Whale From Lorino (2023) (soundtrack)

Electroacoustic composer based in Gdansk. The multi-part ambient composition Zawieje is pretty interesting.

 


Jacek / Project Q (UK)

The Mad Professor's Workshop Tapes Vol.1 (1984)
Druids Dawn At Stonehenge (1985)
The Entropy of Orion (1986)
Psi-Phi (1994)

Synthesist Jacek Frankiewicz. Rhythmic EM. That's all I know at the moment.

 


Jaci, Carmen (Canada)

Happy Child (2023)

Jolly, poppy, childish electronics with complex structure. Not orthodox EM by any stretch, but a fun and progressive sound anyway. Carmen Jaci is a French-Canadian musician currently based in the Netherlands.

 


Jack Pattern (Switzerland)

Nothing Brings Us Back (2015) (EP)

A collective of three musicians operating mostly within the genres of techno, deep house and italo disco. The above EP includes a nice, albeit short, EM track titled "Echange Mystique". A one-track inclusion so far.

 


Jacketx (Portugal)

Original Soundtracks v1.0 (2017)

Fat synths over incessant electronic motorik.

 


Jackiw, Tim (Australia)

2004, An Ableton Odyssey (2004)
Criogenesis (2006)
Endless Cycles (2018) (S)
Still Tomorrow (2018) (recorded in 1994 - 1996) (EP)
Many Moons (2020) (recorded in 1995 - 1997)

Ambient artist from Adelaide. Beautiful, gentle synthesized soundscapes.

See also: Linga Sarira

 


Jackman, Kendall (USA)

Echo From A Distant Dream (1999)

Kendall Jackman has been creating Electronic Music since 1988.

 


Jackman, Vikki (UK)

Of Beauty Reminiscing (2006)
Whispering Pages (2008)
A Paper Doll's Whisper of Spring (2012) (with Andrew Chalk and Jean-Nöel Rebilly)

Minimal Ambient.

See also: Marsfield

 


Jackson, Roger (UK)

Flash Point (1983)
Switchcraft (1987)

Library electronics on De Wolfe label. Flash Point contains a varied bunch of tracks, from flashy melodic synth to almost pure rock.

 


Jackson, Thomas (Sweden)

Den inre skogen (2020) (soundtrack)

A soundtrack that successfully combines neo-classical and ambient electronic styles.

 


Jacobi, Sean (USA)

Here We Are (2021)

Techno and ambient artist. Unfortunately, Here We Are is dominated by the former. There is only one ambient track - the nice but short "Fernwalk". Would be nice to hear a completely ambient release next time.

 


Jacobs, Dale (Canada)

Live At Puccini's (197?)
Cobra (1978)
Coastal Zone (1989)

Dale Jacobs was a Canadian (from Vancouver area) jazz fusion musician and a pioneer of synthesizers. He collaborated with Ralph Dyck, a musician and engineer who developed the Roland MC8 Micro-composer sequencer and was responsible for the electronic parts on Jupiter 8, an album he did with Paul Horn in 1983. Some sections on Live At Puccini's are mostly or completely electronic, with a nice, fat sound. Numerous sources point to 1971 as the year of release for this one. However, if you read the credits, you'll see that Dale and Ralph are credited with playing the Roland SH-2000 and a "Roland String Ensemble". Needless to say that the SH-2000 was only introduced in 1973 and of course there was no such thing as "Roland String Ensemble" in 1971. Moreover, if you flip the LP cover, you won't even see any SH-2000. All you actually see is Roland SH-5 everywhere, a model introduced in 1976, so it can't possibly be from an earlier date. In spite of all these facts, people continue insisting on the 1971 release date. Ok, the recording itself could have been from a date earlier than 1976 (and using other synth models than those cited in the credits), but the thing is that Ralph Dyck is already using the sequencer here and, quite frankly, it all does not sound like 1971 to me. Another fact that points to 1976 is the "Radio Olympic Theme" subtitle of the opener. Anyway, a very nice fusion record with a strong electronic flair. Ditto for Cobra, which is overall more mainstream and polished. I know nothing about Coastal Zone at the moment. File under EM-related.

 


Jacobs, Lennert (Belgium)

Enthusiasm (2021)

Solo Electronic Music from member of experimental rock / krautrock band The Germans. Playful, wacky, cosmic, improvisational, with some chromatic percussion sounds.

 


Jacula (Italy)

Tardo pede in magiam versus (1972)
In cauda semper stat venenum (2001)
Pre viam (2011)

Italian dark symphonic progressive featuring rather doomy and sinister music. Plenty of dark organ and synth work but ends up sounding a bit cheesy and dated.

See also: Antonius Rex

 


Jade Warrior (UK)

Horizen (1984)
At Peace (1986)

At Peace album was recorded in 1986 and released in 1989. It's the most atypical work of this well-known proto new age progressive band because it contains ambient Electronic Music. Horizen is less electronic but also focused on lush keyboard work and is sort of a transitional release between progrock and EM.

 


Jaeger, Kassel (France)

Shifted In Dreams (2023)

Real name - François Bonnet. Researcher, electroacoustic composer and director (since 2007) of INA-GRM. Sheltered In Dreams will appeal to fans of ambient EM, apart from those into musique concrete and electroacoustic music.

 


Jaffa Kid, The (UK)

Twilight Imagery (2020)
Tone Poetry (2020)
Fold Fire (2023)

Varied synthesist. Ambient, rhythmic, atmospheric...

 


Jafni (Norway)

A Notion of An Ocean (2002)

Ambient.

 


Jahiliyya Fields (USA)

Unicursal Hexagram (2012)
Pleasure Sentence (2013) (EP)
Chance Life (2015)

Unique and at times excellent EM from Matthew Morandi out of Brooklyn, partly sounding like Klaus Schulze playing in a Moroccan palace ("Servant Garden"), at other times going for something darker and more abstract. On the much more upbeat and rhythmic Chance Life, house influences are felt, with progressive electronics taking a back seat (still some EM tracks, though). A pity, but I hope he returns with more Prog EM material.

 


Jahn, Claus (Germany)

Dark Diamonds (2018) (S)

Melodic, easy-listening music from this synthesist.

 


Jain, Arushi (India)

Under the Lilac Sky (2021)

New Delhi-born artist currently living in the US. Wonderful EM mixing modular synth composition and her angelic voice. Very recommended.

See also: Ose

 


Jaja (Germany)

Cosmos Vol. 1 (2013) (with Ran Kirlian)
Stellamare (2015)
Starlight (2015)
Endless (2015)
Sparkles (2016)
Stellaris (2016)
Milky Way (2016)
One Day On Arcturus (2017)
Music For Space Observation (2018)
Upon the River of Heaven (2018)
Through the Belt of Orion (2019)
Path To the Stars (2020)
Laniakea (2020)
Cosmos Vol. 2 (2022) (with Ran Kirlian)

Deep, emotional soundscapes and Space Music from Cologne-based Jana Rockstroh.

 


Jakino's 7th World (Germany)

Ocean Alpha (1987)

Jakino's 7th World is Achim Gieseler. A mixture of sampling and synth soundscapes with minimalist tendencies of artists like Philip Glass, Terry Riley and Steve Reich.

See also: Gieseler, Achim, Tri Atma.

 


Jakizawa, Jaki (USA)

Can You Feel the Juices? (2011)

The first side is reportedly a mutant "Moroder on acid" affair, the second - a Berlin School-influenced track.

 


Jakob, Andreu (Spain??)

The Perfume of Honey (1997)

Strange concept mixing Zappa-like RIO and ambient / experimental electronics. Conrad Setó plays keyboards on this one.

 


Jakobs, Kenneth A. (USA)

Saffron (1990)
Elena (1991)
Passage To Honor House (1991)
Gestures In the Face of Time (1992)
Draw Down the Dark Moon (1993)
Magic of the Rainbow Man (1993)
Winter Strategy (1995)
Celestial Illusions (1996)
Legends (1997)
The Sun Gatherer (2002)

An Indiana native, Kenneth A. Jakobs is an academic composer and some of his released works are partly or entirely acoustic, so I decided to tread with caution and for now his discography is incomplete. His synthesizer works are something for Experimental EM fans perhaps, but very listenable and even melodic, although a tad abstract.

 


Jakobsen, Anders (Norway)

Focal Point of A Scattered Mind (2023)

Hailing from the polar Norwegian city of Tromsø, Anders Jakobsen is an electronic musician creating spontaneous, intuitive compositions using modular synths and generally just one voice per track (on Focal Point of A Scattered Mind). Abstract, playful, quirky... Quite listenable stuff.

 


Jakobsons, Marielle V (USA)

On Land And Meridian (2010)
Glass Canyon (2012)
Star Core (2016)

Solo modular synth compositions with an ambient sound from member of Date Palms.

See also: Darwinsbitch, Date Palms.

 


JakoJako (Germany)

Aequilibration (2019) (EP)
Atlas der Gedanken (2021) (with Mareena)
Lux EP (2021) (EP)
In vere (2022) (with Rødhåd)
Metamorphose (2022)

JakoJako is Berlin-based musician Sibel Jacqueline Koçer, who loves her modular synths. On Atlas der Gedanken, she creates very nice sequencer webs of sound and ambient compositions. Definitely an artist to look out for.

 


Jalil, Dzul Rabull (Singapore)

Rasuk (1994)
Ghaib (1996)
Mahaguru (??)

Dzul Rabull Jalil is a unique artist who mixes traditional gamelan styles with electronic arrangements. Rather hypnotic stuff.

 


Jambo & Co. (UK)

Eros / Climax (1977) (S)
Close Encounters of the Third Kind / Even Closer (1978) (S)

Jambo & Co. (or simply "Jambo") was actually a pseudonym of Paul Fishman - an arranger, producer, engineer and keyboardist. Eros / Climax is a nice 7-incher with melodic EM that sounds ahead of its time (more like early 1980-ish). Close Encounters... is less interesting and more disco-oriented.

See also: Fishman, Paul, Absolute Elsewhere, The National Philharmonic Orchestra.

 


James, Bob (USA)

Rameau (1984)
2080 (2022) (with Sam Franz)

Bob James is a renowned jazz keyboardist. Rameau basically does to the music of Jean-Philippe Rameau what Walter Carlos' Switched-On... did to Johann Sebastian Bach. Only for lovers of classical music (not classical purists, though). Instrumentation includes Oberheim OB-8, Oberheim DSX and DMX, Roland Jupiter 8 and vocoder, Yamaha GS-1 & GS-2 and Minimoog. 2080 is his next venture into Electronic Music, this time presenting original material that is a mixture of jazzy moods and electronics.

 


James, Leo (Australia)

Infinity (2019)
Big Pressure (2021)
Féth Fíada (2021)

Varied Melbourne-based artist, whose output ranges from techno / electro / EBM to jazzier forms. Infinity features long tracks with synths, sax, etc. A nice diversion for him and definitely of some interest from the EM standpoint.

 


James, Loraine (UK)

Building Something Beautiful For Me (2022)

Loraine James is a London-born UK bass / IDM / ambient pop / glitch / experimental musician. On Building Something Beautiful For Me, she is moving in the Progressive Electronic direction, using a rich synth palette, subtle rhythms and (sometimes) her voice to achieve a reflective and melancholic mood on these smooth pieces. Sometimes it bursts into sequencer apices and / or glitchy rhythms.

 


James, Peter (UK)

The More I Look, the Less I See (2010)
There Is Only One (2012)
Senessence (2019)
Lullabies For the Lost (2021) (with Jenny Jo Oakley)
Fade In / Burn Out (2021)

Ambient artist and audio engineer based in Edinburgh. Droning, atmospheric, not so dark. Sometimes melancholic and / or hypnotic.

 


James, Simon (UK)

Welcome To Mars (2008)
Akiha Den Den / The Panatrope (2017)
Shenzhen / Shanghai (2018)
Cosmic Surgery (2019)
Space No Space (2019)
Electro Smog (2021)

Moody, darkish Electronic Music from this artist who has a preference for analog synthesizers.

 


Jamua (Switzerland)

Transformation (2011)

Between Electronic New Age (sometimes like Kitaro without the oriental influences) and Ambient. Sort of repetitive.

 


Janas, Anthony (USA)

Simpleton Electronics (2011)
Birthday (2012)
Funny & Pretty (2014)
Lucifer, Scooby-Doo & Me (2018)

Solo music from member of Deep Earth. This is much quirkier than his parent band, focusing on modular sound sculpting but in a sort of grotesque, funny and experimental way.

See also: Deep Earth

 


Janczewski, Dariusz (Poland)

Car Wash (2009)
Montana Winter (2009)
Lefkas Blue (2009)
Man Met the Sea (2010)

A native of Poland, this artist has been living in Montana for several years. He composes in various styles and is known for a series of CD's with music composed specifically for running athletes. The works listed above display a variety of EM styles, from the atmospheric and sometimes sequencer-based sound of Car Wash to the stunningly beautiful ambient soundscapes of Montana Winter and the somewhat new agey but enjoyable relaxing melodies of Lefkas Blue.

 


Janeczko, Mikołai (Poland)

Planowo ciszej (2019)
W porządku (2021) (with Stefan Wielemberg)
Kuntze (2021)

A bit lo-fi ambient synth compositions with an early krautrock flair.

 


Jang, Sunggun (South Korea)

Disfiguring Echos (2019)

Grim ambient soundworlds with lots of field recordings.

 


Janicki, Adam (Poland)

Dawn Illusions (2023)

Poznan-based Janicki is a synthesist, guitarist and multi-instrumentalist. He makes a mixture of spacey, krauty guitars and kosmische synth drift.

 


Jansen, Steve (UK)

Worlds In A Small Room (1985) (with Richard Barbieri)
Words With the Shaman (1985) (S) (with David Sylvian, Jon Hassell and Holger Czukay)
Stories Across Borders (1991) (with Richard Barbieri)
Beginning To Melt (1993) (with Richard Barbieri and Karn)
Stone To Flesh (1995) (with Richard Barbieri)
Other Worlds In A Small Room (1996) (with Richard Barbieri)
Changing Hands (1997) (with Richard Barbieri and Nobukazu Takemura)
Ism (1999) (with Richard Barbieri and Karn)
Playing In A Room With People (2001) (with Richard Barbieri and Karn)
Kinoapparatom (2001) (with Claudio Chianura)
A Secret Life (2009) (with Steve D'Agostino and John Foxx)
Lumen (2016) (recorded in 1996)
(with Richard Barbieri)
Breakable Moons (2016) (S)
(with Richard Barbieri and Karn)
The Extinct Suite (2017)
Slope (2017)
Condensed Rupture (2018) (with James Fella)
Corridor (2018)
Neither Present Nor Absent (2022) (with Maiya Hershey)
Composite Washes (2023) (with Jeph Jerman)
My Winter (2023) (S)

Ex-keyboardist of Japan and brother of David Sylvian. The real name of Steve Jansen is Stephen Batt. The above works will be interesting to fans of Ambient.

 


Jansson, Yukiko (Sweden)

Musica Smaradgina (2021)

This is one of those releases where sequencer plays a principal role. In fact, there's little to be heard apart from the ubiquitous pulsations. A rather minimal approach, then.

 


Japetus (Australia)

The Great Great Silence (1983)
Once Around the Sun (1984)
The Egyptian Book of the Dead (1985)
Visions of Paradise (1986)
Infinity (1988)
The Radiant Self (1989)
Deep Space (2002)
Peace & Quiet (2003)

Sydney-based composer who has been around at least since the early 1980's. He is often quite new-agey, but has also recorded some nice melodic EM. If you like early Kitaro, there's some stuff you might enjoy as well.

 


Japotage (Germany)

Japotage (1985)

Obscure LP by his German group consisting of Hans Peter Stroer, M. Kunz, Olaf Schirm and Kai Taschner. Supposedly, new wave-y / jazzy stuff but should be EM-oriented. Further investigation is needed.

See also: Symboter

 


Jarguna (Italy)

Introspective Course (2006)
Bansuri - Breath From Soul (2008) (with Lorenzo Squillari)
Ring of Life (2009)
Altoplano (2009)
Explore From Satellite (2009)

Waiting For A Call From the Unknown (2012)
Nebula (2012) (with Seba)
Oscure Presenze (2013) (with Uzbazur)
Nidra (2013)
Anátēxis (2015)
Fusion of Soul (2016)
Trapped Vol. 1 (2017) (with friends)
Trapped Vol. 2 (2018) (with friends)
Sogni di sutra nei venti (2019)
Archetypes (2019)
Sunwashed Everning Fire (2020) (with Sam Rosenthal)

Ambient artist from Firenze.

 


Jarl (Sweden)

Out of Balance (2003) (recorded in 1999 - 2000)
Parallel / Collapsing (2003)
Sealed Void (2003)
Akatisi / Somnolens (2004)
Fragile Confrontation (2005)
Intensive Fracture (2005)
Breaking Point Syndrome (2007) (recorded in 2004)
Negative Rotation (2007) (recorded in 2000 - 2001)
Wound Profile (2007) (recorded in 1999 - 2000)
Tunnel Vision / Mind Reaper (2008)
Turbulence Colour (2008)
Vertigo Emission (2009)
Vertigo Border (2010)
Vertigo Rebirth (2010)
Minus One - Neutral (2012)
La petite mort (2014) (S) (with Skin Area)
Tunguska Event (2014) (with Envenomist)
Hypnagogic Domain (2016)
Hypnopompic Domain (2016)
Hypnosis Colour (2017)
The Hunters In The Snow - A Contemplation On Pieter Bruegel‘s Series Of The Seasons (2019) (with Anemone Tube and Monocube)
Symptoms Variation / Sensory Deprivation (2019)
Inner Domain (2020)
Hyperacusis (2021)
Spectrum Confusion (2021)
Phonophobia (2021)
Misophonia Colours (2021)
Mindrotation (2022)

Dark menacing soundscapes from Erik Jarl - a member of Power Electronics outfit IRM.

 


Jarmodular (Poland)

Return To the Land of the Static Twilight (2022)
Sounds From the Black Machine (2023)

Nice EM from Jaromir Ziętek - melodic and full of sequences, it reminds on the best works of early 1980's TD.

 


Jaroška (Lithuania)

Dream-York Compositions Vol. 1 (2021) (S)

Varied electronics from Deividas Jaroška, who is mostly known as an hybrid post-punk / rave / EBM / experimental musician. Dream-York Compositions is very influenced by Progressive EM, especially on tracks like "Waking Up In Dream-York".

 


Jarre, Jean-Michel (France)

Deserted Palace (1972)
Les granges brulees (1973) (soundtrack)
Oxygene (1976)
Equinoxe (1978)
Magnetic Fields (1981)
Concerts In China (1982)
Music For Supermarkets (1983)
Zoolook (1984)
Rendez-Vous (1986)
Houston Lyon (1987)
Revolutions (1988)
Live (1989)
Destination Docklands (1989)
Waiting For Cousteau (1990)
Images (1991)
Chronologie (1993)
Hong Kong (1994)
Jarremix (1995)
Oxygene 7-13 (1997)
Metamorphoses (2000)
Sessions 2000 (2002)
Geometry of Love (2003)
Aero (2005)
Teo & Tea (2007)
Essentials & Rarities (2011) (recorded in 1969 - ??)
Zero Gravity (2015) (S) (with Tangerine Dream)
Electronica 1: The Time Machine (2015)
Electronica 2: The Heart of Noise (2016)
Oxygene 3 (2016)
Radiophonie Vol. 9 (2017)
Equinoxe Infinity (2018)
Snapshots From EōN (2019)
Radiophonie Vol. 10 (2020)
Amazônia (2021)
Welcome To the Other Side (Live In Notre-Dame VR) (2021)
Palawan the Last Refuge (2021) (recorded in 1976 - 1991)
Salle des Etoiles Monte-Carlo (2021) (recorded in 2005)
O.S.T. Qui veut devenir une star? (2022) (soundtrack)
Oxymore (2022)
Oxymoreworks (2023)
Live In Your Living Room (2024)

Library music:

Synchro Fox Music Library (1973)

Jean-Michel Jarre, the son of Maurice Jarre, is a well-known character all over the world and doesn't need any introduction. He was born in 1948 and raised in Lyon. He started out in music playing guitar in a band and studied under direction of French musique concrete pioneer Pierre Schaeffer. After recording a few obscure library albums and novelty singles that already showed his love for electronics (a lot of EMS synthesizers were used), he hit it really big with 1976's Oxygene, probably the best selling electronic record of all times and a groundbreaking work in many respects. Many more albums and concerts followed in what is arguably the most successful career in Electronic Music. And, as we are closing the XXII centrury, I have to admit that Jarre is... (I'm thinking about putting it mildly) ...ehm, not very creative these days. While some of his classics have stood the test of time and will always be a must in any EM fan's collection, some of his newer stuff is... well, somewhat uninspired. Any honest electronic musician always concentrates on music when performing onstage, while laser effects, pyrotechnics etc. are simply decoration and means to stress the depth of the music. Mister Jarre, on the contrary, is very much into these grandiose laser shows, but has anybody noticed, how much decent tracks...Ok, how much NEW tracks at all he's written during the last several years? The answer would be: not one. If recycling old material is good for him - he can go on doing this, but he won't get any praise or even positive reactions from people who love real art. I wonder what this man will do next in his chase of what's fashionable and hip at the moment - maybe dance with some teenagers reciting rap verses? Probably yes, at least it wouldn't surprise me at all.

Oxygene

A classic which should be in every collection. In my opinion, his best work so far.

Equinoxe

Same style as Oxygene. The second classic.

Magnetic Fields

More poppish, than the previous two, but still some good tracks. Recommended, but beware the easy-listening "pop" melodies on some numbers.

Concerts In China

My two favorite tracks by him are on this album. Recommended. Live versions of older material and new compositions.

Zoolook

Probably his most experimental one.

Rendez-Vous

Great atmosphere, but some tracks are just plain electronic pop.

Revolutions

Very diverse, with ethnic elements. Not bad at all.

Waiting For Cousteau

The title track is one of those masterpieces that are worth getting the whole album for.

Chronologie

There are some nice tracks, although he already starts to repeat himself here.

Oxygene 7-13

The essence of the first Oxygene is captured perfectly, but in my opinion he shouldn't have made this album. (You know why)

Metamorphoses

Forget it.

Notes: Deserted Palace is currently not available except on pirate Rarities sampler, that can be considered a rarity itself. :-) The same also goes for Music For Supermarkets that was originally released in just one copy.

Notes 26.04.2008: I am looking at my rant above and can still remember the sense of disappointment that made me write these lines. Meanwhile, several years have passed (how time flies!) Do I need to write something new here in reaction to my previous rants? I think so. First of all, I still stand by my point that there was a period in Jarre's career when his accomplishments seemed somewhat tame and there's still not a recent Jarre album that I'd want to listen to. On the other hand, when I think about it, how many artists actually manage to churn out masterpiece after masterpiece or manage to top or at least equal their classics? How many manage to avoid the "second or third album syndrome"? The answer would be: very few. At least Jarre is still doing something musically, and if it's not to someone's taste, it's still his decision what to play and nobody has the right to tell a musician what he or she should do next. Perhaps my expectations for this man in the early 2000's were too high and I felt somewhat disappointed when I didn't get another Oxygene, Equinoxe or Waiting For Cousteau. Do I have an "excuse"? Perhaps. After all, Jarre is the man who got me into EM in the first place. Speaking of his classic albums, this year Jarre has launched his "Oxygene" tour with a live version of this album performed on analogue synthesizers only by Jarre himself and three assistants. I've seen several video footages and the concerts are great. The music is actually played, not playbacked and is completely analogue. Jarre plays his Oxygene album and adds a few improvised bits along the way. Besides, he has launched a very nice and friendly blog, that shows us a more human side of the composer. It provides great insight into the process of playing analogue music live and a few personal thoughts too.

See also: Triangle, 1906, Pop Corn Orchestra, Hobo, Samuel, Foggy Joe.

 


Jarvis, James (USA)

Terranova (1986)

Obscure cassette with Jarvis on synths and guests (the Emerald Web duo and a few others). The style is unknown; could be too new-agey.

 


Jasa, Hugo (Uruguay)

Estados de Ànimo (1990)

Interesting and quite obscure record. Most of the tracks sound influenced by Latin music (including some sparse vocalizations), but loaded with sampling and typical late 1980's / early 1990's era synths. The real gem is the closing track, though, which is a darker, moodier and more experimental affair. Due to its structure (multiple sections with different moods are used, as if creating a strange narration) and the general mood (not sound), it somehow reminds me on Klaus Schulze's "Sebastian im Traum".

 


JASSS (Spain)

Weightless (2017)
A World of Service (2021)

Under this name hides Silvia Jiménez Alvares from Northern Spain. She is an electro-industrial artist who utilizes harsh rhythms obviously indebted to artists like Throbbing Gristle and Cabaret Voltaire, distorted synths and her voice. She also ventures into more ambient and / or progressive realms, as on the longer "Every Single Fish In the Pond", the ambient "Theo Goes Away", the Trans-Europa Exress-infused "Instantaneous Transmission of Information" from Weightless, the "deconstructed club meets Prog EM" sound of "Birds You Can Name" or the beepy, "Memories of Green"-like (Vangelis) claustrophobia of "Vapor Dentro" (both from A World of Service). File under EM-related.

 


Jates, Yves (Belgium)

M (2022)

Repetitive, minimal, sequencer-based and ambient EM.

 


Jaumet, Etienne (France)

Night Music (2009)
Vents solaires (2013) (S) (with Richard Pinhas)
La visite (2014)
Vulturnus / Balaguère (2017) (with Emmanuelle Parrenin and Eat Gas)
8 regards obliques (2018)
Gilbert Artman . Etienne Jaumet (2019) (with Gilbert Artman)
Bardainne Jaumet (2021) (S) (with Laurent Bardainne)
Etienne Jaumet & Fabrizio Rat (2022) (with Fabrizio Rat)

Compared to his work in Zombie Zombie, Etienne Jaumet's solo music is less wacky, more brooding and ambient, retaining that special analogue feeling throughout.

See also: Zombie Zombie, Animal Spirits, The.

 


Jäverling, Rickard (Sweden)

Musik inspirerad av kullahusets hemlighet (Sten Eklund, 1971) (2018) (with Henrik Von Euler)
Album 3 (2018)
Adelsö (2019) (with Andreas Söderström)
Musik för trädgårdar (2020) (with Henrik Von Euler)
Album 4 (2020)

Musik Inspirerad... contains electroacoustic works and ambient electronics recorded as a soundtrack to and inspired by the paintings of Sten Eklund. Album 3 is more of a hybrid kraut / EM sound.

 


Jay B. Jay (Israel)

Over Seas (1988)

Israeli synthesist. Melodic, close to Eighties' Tangerine Dream perhaps.

 


jayAge (Germany)

1st Touch (1996)
Tentative Version (1996)
Warp 4 (1996)
Ivory Tower (1997)
2nd Touch (1997)
Agend des Lichts (1998)
Firefly / Blunas Revenge (1999)
Goldland XT (2002)
Klangraum eins (2005)
3rd Touch (2007)
Moebius (2008)

German musician (real name: Jörg Hüttemann) who makes very diverse music with influences such as Klaus Schulze, Tangerine Dream, Neu!, Cluster, Harmonia, Ashra, Kraftwerk & more.

See also: Oli Guzul

 


Jaybird (USA)

Flash Game (2023)

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-based artist. The bulk of Flash Game is just "normal" techno with some quirks here and there. The real cream, though, is the closing epic "Coda". It clocks at 12:40 and has a wonderful nocturnal, dystopian feel to it, with the sounds of rain falling, distant choirs and melancholic synth sequences. "Blade Runner" fans take note. The track alone makes the album worthy of checking out.

 


Jaycock, David A (UK)

A Magnifying Glass For the Ants (2011)
The Decline of the Mobile Library (2018)
Vol. 1 Human Geography (2022) (with Burge)
Vol. 2 Natural History (2022) (with Burge)
Spacebar (2023)

English folk, rock, electronic musician. I will try to list his EM or EM-related works here. Spacebar is a nice album of melodic, energetic, crisp synth compositions.

 


Jcran (USA)

Evergreen (2022)

Bloomington, Illinois-based project. From rhythmic / melodic tracks to completely beatless Ambient.

 


JDan Project (Poland)

Star Path (2015)
Space Vibration (2016)
Sacrifice (2018)
Sequential Friends (2018) (with Blindmachine, Drom66 and others)
Childhood Nature (2018)
Planets (2019) (with Blindmachine)
Conversations (2020) (with Big-Os)
Music In Space And Time (2020) (with Blindmachine)

Melodic / rhythmic EM, often in the vein of 1980's Tangerine Dream, but also showing other influences.

 


Jeangérard, Jacques (France)

Numéralogique (2013) (with Luc Marianni)
Compact Music Vol. 1 (2020) (recorded in 1982 - 2001)
Compact Music Vol. 2 (2023)

French synthesist with a flowing, Berlin School-influenced style. There's a spirit of Klaus Schulze lurking somewhere deep inside his cosmic / melancholic tracks.

 


Jean-Luc (international)

Des litres d'essence (2019) (S)

Pretty strange group mixing deranged vocals in French with motorik rhythms and cosmic synths.

See also: Geier aus Stahl

 


Jed the Fish (USA)

Cheap - USC Tapes '74 - '78 (??) (S)

Private release by a Los Angeles radio DJ. The style is not known but apparently it's between experimental electronics and minimal synth.

 


Jeem (USA)

Neuro Pond (1985)
Star Gait (1986)
Free Reign (1987) (with Sean Reynolds)
No Propaganda (1988)
Ancient Promise (1994)

Synthesist from Arizona, apparently residing in London.

 


JeFF (France)

Soundtrack To Escape (2006)
Mutagen Substance (2006)
Soundtrack To Reach the Cosmos (2006)
Winter Session (??) (EP)

Dark soundscapes. Other albums from this project are supposedly more rhythmic, approaching the territory of experimental electro / industrial.

 


Jeff Conrad Project (USA)

Mirage (??)

 


Jelinek, Jan (Germany)

Signals Bulletin (2019) (with Asuna)
Puls-Plus-Puls Edition Moers (2021) (with Sven-Åke Johansson)
PrimeTime (2022) (EP)
Soundtrack For SEASCAPE - Polyptych (2023)

Varied experimental artist. His collaboration with Japanese organist Asuna is an interesting work of flowing electronics.

See also: Beispiel

 


Jelisejev (Lithuania)

Animaux (2021)

Quirky, warm, melodic, softly rhythmic electronic compositions where animal sounds play an important role (used as lead voices, for arrangements, etc.). Pretty unique and very nice stuff. The world neeed more of this for sure.

 


Jellyfish On Vacation (UK)

Embryotomy (1983)

A duo of Richard Andrews (The Land of Yrx and Aerie collaborator) and Mark Hudson.

 


JenJen (Netherlands)

Zoev (2022)

A project of versatile Dutch artist Jan Kees Helms. Zoev is an electronic album made with a Korg MS-20 Mini and processing. Abstract, ambient...

 


Jenkins, Chris (UK)

Industry (1980)
Fantômas (1988)

Fractal Visions (1991)
Videospace (1992)
Lensman (2013)
Change of Cosmic Address (2015) (with Mark Jenkins)

Mark Jenkins' brother and a collaborator on projects including the early live act Stardancer II and the tribute album to Edgar Froese, Change of Cosmic Address. A technology journalist and synthesizer experimenter since the 1970s, he produced jingles and music for computer games, and released early works on cassette, now available as downloads. His style is influenced by both the Berlin and Dusseldorf schools of electronic music, as well as techno-pop, neo-classical and New Age, and he uses a wide range of classic analogue, modern digital and virtual instruments (text used with permission).

 


Jenkins, Jon (USA)

Continuum (1995) (with Paul Lackey)
Flow (1998)
Beyond City Light (2005)
Treasure (2007) (with David Helping)
Beyond Words: Rare Live Treasures (2008) (with David Helping)
The Crossing (2010) (with David Helping)
Found (2013) (with David Helping)

Melodic and atmospheric music by this California-based artist, comparable to Patrick O'Hearn.

 


Jenkins, Mark (UK)

Universe (1977)
Music For the Mind & Body (1979)
Video Synthesis (1980)
Stardancer 2 (1981)
The Visitor (1984)
Analog Archives (1989) (recorded in 1980 - 1984)
Live (1990)
Space Dreams (1992)
Thunder At Midnight (1993)
Mexico Rising (1994)
Space Dreams 2 (1996)
Live Archives (1997) (recorded in 1983 - 1989)
Synprovisation (1998)
Meditations (1999)
Sequencer Loops (2002)
Sequencer Loops 2 (2003)
If the World Were Turned On Its Head, We Would Walk Among the Stars (2005)
Moog Meditations (2005)
Live In the U.S.A. (2006)
This Island Earth (2006)
Live At the Royal Festival Hall (2007) (recorded in 2003) (with Damo Suzuki)
The iPad Album (2010)
iPadreams (2010)
EX1GENE (2012)
Change of Cosmic Address (2015) (with Chris Jenkins)
Tubular Bells For the Moog Synthesizer (2018)
Influences (2019)
Krautnoise! 1st (2019)
Modular Sessions 1: Galactic Vision (2021)
Modular Sessions 3: Wavestate (2021)
In Memoriam KS (2022)
Modular Sessions 4: Kronos (2022)
Modular Sessions: Bonus Alpha (2022)
Modular Sessions 5: Brave New World (2022)
Modular Sessions 6 (2022)
Modular Sessions 7 Les Femmes Electroniques (2022)
Modular Sessions 8 Planetary Fantasies (2022)
Modular Sessions 9 In the Mouth of Madness (2022)
Modular Sessions 10 Rise of the Robots (2022)
Modular Sessions 11 The Spirit of Heldon (2022)
Modular Sessions 11 Live In the USA Disk 1 (2022)
Modular Sessions 13 Artemis (2023)
Modular Sessions 14 The Illimitable Time Before (2023)
Modular Sessions 15 Battle of the Robots (2023)
Modular Sessions 16 Where No One Has Gone Before (2023)
Modular Sessions 17 Perpetual Music (2023)
Tubular Bells For the Moog Synthesizer Extended (2023)
The Dark Side of the Moon And Other Music By Pink Floyd For the Moog Synthesizer (2023)
Modular Sessions 18 Moving Images (2023)
Modular Sessions 19 Live In the USA Disk 2 (2023)
Modular Sessions 20 Superhero Landing (2023)
Modular Sessions 21 Planet of the Robots (2023)
Modular Sessions 22: Chasing the Dream Vol. 1 (2023)
Modular Sessions 23: The iPad Sessions (2023)
Foucault's Pendulum (2024) (with Ose)
3 Body Problem (2024) (with Ose)

Mark Jenkins is the president of the British AMP Records. He is also one of the veteran UK synthesists whose beginnings in the field date back to the 1970's when Mark became interested in electronics, which led him to perform his own music, using electric organs, a few synths and a tape echo / loop device similar to that used by Terry Riley or Fripp & Eno. He gave several performances in universities and various other venues. Some tapes were recorded but his early works were never officially released on CD, except for a compilation of early studio tapes (Analog Archives) and a sampler of live performances (Live Archives). Mark Jenkins was also one of the founders of the "UK Electronica" festival in the early 1980's. His main style can be characterised as cosmic Electronic Music, sometimes rhythmic in the Jarre vein. Sequencer Loops is a stunning example of Berlin School electronics, very rhythmic with top notch solos.

See also: Ceremony of Innocence, Cellistica.

 


Jenks, Stu (USA)

The Three Surrenders: Soundtracks For Photographs Volume One (2003)
West of the Fire: Soundtracks For Photographs Volume Two (2005)
Deaths & Injuries (2012)
Angel Ghosts (2015)

Tucson-based photographer who accompanies his work with ambient compositions and has released a few CD's worth of music.

 


Jenne888 (Germany)

Mother (2022) (S)

Droning ambience, slow melodies and cosmic analog sounds from this German artist.

 


Jennifer (USA)

Sincerely (2023)

Jennifer is actually an alias of Colorado-based artist Zachary Thompson. Long ambient tracks dominated by bittersweet pads and melodies.

 


Jensen, Jan Michael (Denmark)

Kaleidoscope (1997) (recorded in 1983 - 1997)

 


Jensen & Paige (USA)

Abreact Mist (2020)

Los Angeles-based ambient duo. From totally relaxed and serene to slightly grating.

See also: Phillips & Jensen

 


Jenzeits (USA)

Cosmic Lifeforms (2017)
Cosmic Universe (2017)
Volume 1 (2018)
Cosmic Orbits (2018)
Theme From Deep Space (2020)

California-based project (Chad Davis) inspired by several generations of electronic artists, Berlin School, synthwave and science fiction.

See also: Romannis Mötte

 


Jeppesen, Bjørn (Denmark)

Towards Emotional Music (2000)

Danish synthesist also known as Nattefrost.

See also: Nattefrost, Carboneids, Zone 99.

 


Jepson, Warner (USA)

Totentanz (1973)
Totentanz And Other Electronic Works 1958 - 1973 (2008)
Tulliam, Beach Bum Machine (2014) (recorded in 1969)

Electronic pioneer born in 1930 in Iowa and died in 2011 in Sonoma, California. Warner Jepson used analog synthesizers (mostly Buchla) since the 1960's and has been composing musique concrete works since one decade earlier. He did a lot of theater scores. The style is often stiff and academic (bleeps, noises, etc.) but there are also moments of proto-Prog EM goodness, with even some early use of the sequencer.

 


Jerdna (Russia)

Inside the Ocean (2017)
A Kind of Magic (2018)

Varied electronic project from Andrej Kuzmin, mostly with downtempo influences. The above albums gather more flowing, ambient compositions.

 


Jericho Trumpet (Russia)

Axis Engineering (2022)

Strange, dubby rhythmic stuff, but with some typical EM sounds and melodies.

 


Jermar, Alesh (USA)

Crossway of Dreams (1989)

Interesting item released privately on cassette. Most of the time slow noodling on digital synths of the epoch in a clearly baroque-influenced style. However, there is hidden drama and some neat atmospheric touches in these compositions which prevent it from falling completely into background and make it something more than a mere new age / muzak experience. I guess if you like the more clasically inspired Vangelis (circa El Greco), you may actully find this to your liking.

 


Jeronimo, Samuel (Portugal)

Redra Andra Endre de Fase (2004)
Rima (2006)
Rondas (2010)

Solo electronic compositions from guitarist of progressive rock band Mystery of Grace. This music is experimental stuff, influenced by Drone Ambient, early kosmische / krautrock, classical music and minimalism.

 


Jeronymus (???)

Synthese City (1993)

 


Jesdat (Spain)

The City Lights (2005)

Improvised Electronic Music group with a symphonic rock / space rock bend consisting of Jordi Coloma, Aleix Riera, Ignacio Sanchez and Jupe Uriarte.

See also: Riera, Aleix

 


Jesse (Finland)

Fluids (2018)
Possibilities (2020) (S)
Descend (2023)

Started in 2007 as an electro project, this duo of Ilari Larjosto and Niko Liinamaa decided to explore a different territory on Fluids, whose bouncy, melodic synth tracks could be a perfect amalgamation of the Dusseldorf School, the band's electro roots and a unique pastoral feeling.

See also: Stiletti-Ana

 


Jesus On Mars (UK)

Jesus On Mars (2012)
Martian Timestretch (2012)

Electronic Music from Thomas Shrubsole. The eponymous album is "dedicated to Philip K. Dick, Richard Pinhas and Conrad Schnitzler".

See also: Sub Loam

 


Jesus Weekend (Japan)

Rudra No Namida (2021) (S)

Strange stuff from Seira, a Japanese female artist. Essentially a mixture of electronics and acoustic sounds (courtesy of some guests), it seems to take inspiration from vintage sci-fi and cowboy films - twittering effects, voices, synths, theremin wails, haunting mellotron dirges, twangy guitar and a touch of harmonica.

 


Jet Jaguar (New Zealand)

Recording (2020)
Room Tones (2022)

Varied experimental composer (Michael Upton) with a fondness for field recordings. Recording is a relaxing ambient work with both recorded and synthesized sounds.

 


Jetzer, Alap (Switzerland)

Boundless (1986)

Space Music with some new age influences from this Swiss-born artist who is very much into traditional Indian art. Alap became known for transcribing works by his "Guru" Sri Chinmoy. It is not clear whether Boundless was composed by Chinmoy or by Alap himself. He did dedicate this album to his mentor, though. Repetitive, airy, hypnotic, bright. Alap released at least one more album which is supposedly much more acoustic and new agey. 

 


Jewel, Johnny (USA)

The Other Side of Midnight (2015)
Lost River (2015) (soundtrack)
Windswept (2017) (soundtrack)
Double Exposure (2017) (soundtrack)
Digital Rain (2018)
Themes For Television (2018)
Vapor (2018)

Johnny Jewel is a pseudonym of US producer and musician John Padgett. He is the founder of Italians Do It Better label and his own stuff is influenced by classic EM and especially vintage horror scores (the so called "horror synth"). The Other Side of Midnight contains two long tracks of original atmospheric synth music.

 


Jewell, Bobby (USA)

Wind & Water (2024)

Calm, tranquil Ambient. Sometimes with nature sounds.

 


Jey (France)

Jean Michel Jarre. A Tribute... (1995)

A tribute to said musician by this member of hip-hop band OSC. Original material.

 


Jha Bones (USA??)

Valley Fold (2020)

Rhythmic, cyclical, playful synth compositions.

 


Jiachi, Lu (Taiwan)

Circle (2016)

Interesting atmospheric EM with influences from Taiwanese tribal music.

See also: Scattered Purgatory

 


Jiannis (Greece)

Timeless Vision (1988) (with Lambert)
Paramorphon (1990)
Das tonale Schweigen (1991)
Paramorphon II (1992) (recorded in 1988 - 1989)
Plugged (1997)
Nightsessions (1998)
Coordinates (2022) (with Machoczek)
Ioannis Zedamanis Live At Macroscope (2023)

Greek synthesist Jiannis Zedamanis makes solo Electronic Music since 1986. His style is heavily influenced by the Berlin School. Long tracks in the tradition of Klaus Schulze.

See also: organIC

 


Jihel (France)

The Forgotten Sanctuary (1979)
Pieces of Memories (1982)
Caves Full of Sounds (1985)
Equilibrie thermique d'igloo (2003) (with Jean-Pierre Saccomani)
Flying Species - Connected Universes (2006)

Jihel aka Jean-Luc Berthelot is one of those obscure artists that went parallel route to the German pioneers, recording Electronic Music on and off since the 1970's. His music is based on the experimental sounds of analogue synthesizers, warm, floating textures, improvised melodies and sequences.

See also: Tales, Zreen Toyz, Elemental Noise.

 


Jilk (UK)

It's OK To Be Quiet (2023)

Bristol-based post-rock project. It's OK To Be Quiet is a collage-based electronic work that closes with a Progressive EM number "Donre Darpt Disappeared".

 


Jim Noir (UK)

Deep Blue View (2021)

Jim Noir is Alan Roberts. He is a basically a hauntology / psychedelic pop artist. Deep Blue View is a mixture of songs and instrumental material in a loungy, melancholic style with abundang synths and string orchestra sounds. File under EM-related. Best track: "Peppergone".

 


Jiman (France)

Pando (2020)
Ousland Melodies (2022)

Jimmy Forestier is a French sound artist whose sound falls squarely into that elusive space between glitch, techno and ambient EM.

 


Jims (USA)

Electro Flection (2009)
Minimal Beats (2009)
Simple Impulse (2014)

Jims is Jimmy Lehner aka James Lehner - drummer of San Diego post-rockers Tristeza. His solo work, expectedly, focuses of drum patterns that he infuses with analog soundscapes. Overall, this is not terribly progressive but there are shades of Cluster and other Dusseldorf School pioneers and he does create some nice atmospheres when he's not very rhythm-heavy.

 


Jin&Daun (UK)

Kurdish Electronic Meditation (2014)
PÎRÊ (2015) (S)

A duo of Jin Botani and Rickard Daun. Inexplicable sound here, seemingly influenced by primitivism and based on analog synthesis. There are touches of classic EM sound and overall it's something for fans of the Experimental genre perhaps. Jin Botani also records acid / techno-influenced music as Coldnose.

 


Jip (Belgium)

Vertigo (1992)
Legends of Langkawi (1993)
Dream Child (1995)

On IC label. Melodic music with early samplers and synths by one Jos Desmedt.

 


Jíša, Robert (Czech Republic)

Hourglass (1992)
Aquarius (1993) (S)
Oheň - Voda (1996)
Barvy (1996)
Hlasy moře (2005)
Znamení zvěrokruhu (2007)
Hlasy vesmíru (2009)
České filmové melodie (2009)
Den na Galapágách (2010)
Egyptská Kniha Mrtvých (2011)

Czech studio musician, composer and arranger. He is quite new-agey from what I've heard. However, his subtle "Vangelis" touch on a lot of compositions warranted an inclusion here.

 


jjos (Spain)

Bozhena (2019)
The Gods Themselves (2021)

Supposedly from Barcelona, jjos makes varied EM - from ambient floaters to rhythmic, a bit IDM-like, always based on the nice, rich sound of analog (mostly modular) gear.

 


JK Lloyd (Italy)

Moai (2013)

JK Lloyd is an alias of trance "producer" and deejay Giancarlo Loi. In 1995, he relased Onirika, an EP that closed with a track called "A Tribute To Jean-Michel Jarre". Contrary to expectations, the music was rhythmic trance thing with barely a hint of Jarre. The 2013's Moai, though, is a different beast. Still firmly rooted in the progressive / dream trance sound, some tracks definitely lean towards melodic Prog EM of the Jarre school (more like 1990's, techno-influenced Jarre sound than 1970's classic period) - just listen to "Overture", "Hope And Faith" or "Invisible". File under EM-related.

 


Jo Yun (South Korea)

Mobius Strip (1996)

Said to resemble a cross between early Mike Oldfield and Tangerine Dream. Jo Yun is a Korean musician based on Jaeju Island.

 


Joa Joys (Argentina)

Hábitat (2016) (with Entidad Animada)
Cueva Transparente (2019)

Relaxing, a bit new-agey synth compositions. One vocal piece as well.

 


Joakim (France)

Milky Ways (2009)
The Studio Venezia Sessions (2018)
Second Nature (2021)

Joakim Bouaziz is a French indietronica / electropop artist. He first demonstrated his krautrock influences on Milky Ways that has songs but also has the motorik and the synths. However, on The Studio Venezia Sessions that contains tracks recorded "live in the studio" with rare and vintage instruments (Rhodes piano, Lasry-Baschet sound sculptures, Buchla, etc.), he is in full kraut / EM mode, obviously influenced by Cluster, Eno, etc., as well as minimalist composers. Nice.

 


Joan ジョアン (Portugal)

Joan ジョアン (2018)

Varied electronic tracks from João Melo. The focus is on slow rhythms and melodies. He also composes techno / acid-related music as Mind Safari.

 


Joan Jordi Oliver (Spain)

Enlaire (2022)

Joan Jordi Oliver Arcos is a saxophonist and ambient electronic composer from Mallorca.

 


Joaquim, Vitor (Portugal)

La Strada Is On Fire (And We Are All Naked) (2003)
A Rose Is A Rose (2004)
Flow (2006)
De-Tour (2007) (with @c)
Filament (2011)
Geography (2016)
Nothingness (2019)
The Construction of Time (2020)
Quietude (2021)

Ambient artist. There is a strong electroacoustic element to his output.

 


Job Karma (Poland)

Cycles Per Second (1999)
Newson (2000)
Ebola (2002)
98 Mhz To Extinction (2002) (S)
Live At Ambient 2002 (2003)
Strike (2005)
Tschernobyl (2007)
Punkt (2010)
Society Suicide (2014)
Fundament / Carbon (2018) (S)

Dark Ambient by Maciek Frett and Aureliusz Pisarzewski akin to some of Lustmord's work.

See also: Frett

 


Jobanshi (Japan)

The World (2016)
Koko (2017)
Superblock (2018)
Chill Out (2019)

Japanese ambient artist.

 


Jobim, Gustavo (Brazil)

Round Mi (2002)
In Search of Berlin (2011)
Symphony No. 2 (2012)
Nocturnes (2012)
Birth (2012) (recorded in 2000 - 2003)
Inverno (2014)
Dezoito (2016)
Portal Between Two Worlds (2021)
Brain Records (2021)
Deep Blue (2022)
Dangerous Nights (2023) (recorded in 2019 - 2022)

Brazil sometimes gives us quite unusual EM, and this album is no different. Here, synthesist Gustavo Jobim created a set of tracks which is very difficult to describe.To say diverse is to say nothing. To my mind, most of it will appeal to fans of the Berlin School, but the range of sounds and influences on this album is huge. There are three tracks on Round Mi. First comes the title track which is a suite divided into four parts. The first part ("Floating Tones Around Mi") has a very rich synth sound and propelling sequence. Pretty exciting stuff. The second part is called "Lament" and fittingly it features slow and darkish piano playing coupled with other instruments, nature sounds and light synthetic touches. There's also funeral-like bass line underneath it all. "Procession" is rather doomy and sounds influenced by chamber music. "Leaving the Atmosphere" shows strong progrock influences and really sounds like a chamber / progrock piece sans drums. Clouds is a 31-minute epic that starts with drawn-out ambient tones but after a while a sequence starts and increases in pace. It then takes center stage and dominates the bulk of the track. It all has an airy, bright sound, really, which pretty much corresponds to the title. The track doesn't change a lot throughout its course but it does manage to create a hypnotic and somewhat calming effect, in spite of the fact that it's rather upbeat. Loopsurf-Loopsearch is the last track and it's the best one on the album. It's rather experimental compared to what has gone before and features a lot of loops (surprise, surprise!) and sequenced elements. I can hear some Klaus Schulze influence here, but the track doesn't sound much like anything Klaus has ever put out. It's the most synthetic-sounding piece. I do notice a few bum notes and out of sync elements but Gustavo is only in his early-to-mid twenties which is a very young age for progressive music. Recommended. The album comes with a list of thanks which is an interesting reading. It includes (apart from the obligatory Schulze, TD, Vangelis and Jarre) people like Philip Glass, Änglagård, Anekdoten, Can, Carl Orff, Mahler, Radiohead and other great names. Gustavo Jobim has also released some download albums. Here you will find reviews of them: Symphony No.1, The Art of Boredom, The Marchian Sketches, Belles Alliances.

See also: Mystica Visio

 


Jobin, France (Canada)

Sans repères (2014)
Intrication (2018)
Death Is Perfection, Everything Else Is Relative (2020)

Sound installation artist and ambient composer who prefers to work with modular systems such as Serge and Buchla 200. Fans of droning ambience with a touch of glitch may check the above works out. Her other releases I know nothing about at the moment.

 


Jobson, Eddie (USA)

The Green Album (1983)
Theme of Secrets (1985)

Jobson played moog with Frank Zappa back in the 80's (check out the album Live In New York). The Green Album features heavy use of the Yamaha CS80 synthesizer. It also contains a bit of violin playing and vocals, as well as a few guests on guitar, bass, drums... Theme of Secrets is an album of soundscapes made with Synclavier digital synth and released by Peter Baumann on his Private Music label.

 


Joe & Nobby (Germany)

The Return of the Marshmallow Men (1997) (recorded in 1985 - 1987)

A duo of Joachim Becker and Norbert Brauer (a Cyborg member).

See also: Cyborg

 


Joensuu, Mikko (Finland)

Amen 3 (2017)

Floating, warm, kosmische synth / guitar soundscapes with singing on some tracks. Further investigation is needed.

 


joergmueller (Germany)

Ferber (2019)

Jörg Müller is a Cologne-based artist who explored electronica / IDM and dub-related styles before settling on ambient exploration for Ferber.

 


Jogging House (Germany)

Into (2014)
Self (2017)
From (2017)
Would (2018)
Lure (2019)
When (2019)
Names (2019)
Be (2020)
Chant (2020)
Companion (2020)
Flaws (2021)
Holds (2021)
Weight (2022)
Fiber (2022)
Communiqué (2022) (with Benoît Pioulard)
Face (2023)
Danger (2023)
Lüften (2023)
Because (2023)

Ambient, pulsing modular synth compositions. Pretty unique, organic style. Jogging House is Boris Potschubay from Frankfurt am Main.

 


Johannssohn (Germany)

Minoan Encounters (2023)

Electronic Music from Günter Grünebast - former keyboard player of neo-prog band Morphelia. Rich, symphonic, cosmic sound here via lots of classic and modern instruments like ARP Omni 2, Korg MS-20, Minimoog, Moog Satellite, Moog Prodigy, Nord Stage 3 and more.

 


Jóhannsson, Jóhann (Iceland)

IBM 1401, A User's Manual (2006)
Fordlandia (2008)
Mandy (2018) (soundtrack)
12 Conversations With Thilo Heinzmann (2019) (with The Echo Collective)
Last And First Men (2020) (soundtrack) (with Yair Elazar Glotman)

Late Icelandic composer (1969 - 2018), known for his symphonic works and soundtracks. He also used electronics sporadically and the above listed works feature a nice mixture of the two worlds - the orchestral and the electronic, leaning more towards the former. Further investigation is needed.

See also: Apparat Organ Quartet

 


Johansen, Sverre Knut (Norway)

Distant Shore (1993)
The Source of Energy (1999)
Av Jern (2008)
Planets (2013)
Earth From Above (2016)
Contact (2017)
Secret Space Program (2017)
The Vast Expanse (2018)
Precambrian (2019)
Dreams Beyond (2020)
Metahuman (2022)
Communiqué (2022) (with Benoît Pioulard)

Varied soundscapes, from bright and new age-like to dark and industrial. Music produced by Erik Wollo.

 


Johanson, Sven-Eric (Sweden)

Rotas Tenet (1986)

Electronic Music by this classical composer. Playful, melodic, abstract...

 


John, Gareth (UK)

The Synthesizer Album (1982)

Partly danceable and partly nice melodic 'retro' synth style. 

 


John, Joanna (Poland)

No End (2019)
Lynx (2019) (with Burkhard Stangl)
We Are the Alchemy (2021) (with Michał Stępień)

Polish-born visual artist and musician currently living in Norway. She did graphic stuff for Biosphere but is also an electronic artist with an individual, a bit experimental style.

 


Johnco, Colin (France)

Pieces of A Broken Buddah (2007)
In Our Bones (2007) (S) (with Nape)
Fantaisie et silence (2007)
Les architectures du casque 5 - 6 (2007) (with Hopen)
Ombrages (2008) (with Frédéric D. Oberland)
Fantaisie et silence Part 2 (2008)
Dead See (2008) (with Murmurists)
Another Electric Girl (2009)
Save From the Flames I Kissed At Halloween (2009) (with Hopen)
Hommage à Altagor (2009) (with David Olliffe, Seb El Zin and Frédéric D. Oberland)
However Far Away (2018)
Formes familières (2021)

Experimental electronics artist who on However Far Away created a rather moody mixture of rhythmic and reflective synth numbers, all in a unique style. The album was recorded at the INA-GRM studios.

 


Johnson, Biff (USA)

Reading the Bones (1997)
Mirage At the Crossroads (1999)

Tribal Ambient. With Steve Roach and similar in style.

 


Johnson, Chuck (USA)

CJ-1 (2015) (recorded in 2008 - 2013)
Balsams (2017)
Rain Shadow (2020) (with Golden Retriever)
Precession (2020)
The Cinder Grove (2021)

A departure for this pedal steel guitar player, CJ-1 gathers his electronic experimentations that range from noisy to pulsing. Balsams is more like laps steel guitar / synth ambient work.

 


Johnson, Ivan (Japan)

I Saw The Seraphic Light The Day I Was Born In The Water (2002)
Elements of Rainbow (2007)

Aka Ivan Johnsons and Go Shimazaki. Ambient artist with a typically Japanese style, steeped in the traditions of 1990's glitch and IDM, but also classic synthesizer sounds of the 1970's and 1980's.

 


Johnson, James (USA)

Unity (1998)
Surrender (1999)
Linger (2000)
Entering Twilight (2000)
Live Under A Harvest Moon (2000) (with Ma Ja Le)
Forgotten Places (2000) (with Robert Scott Thompson)
Aqua Culture 1 (2001) (with Vir Unis and Christopher Short)
Seed (2001) (with Ma Ja Le)
Lost At Dunn's Lake (2001) (with Steven Philips)
Perimeter (2001) (with Vir Unis)
Odessey (2002)
Minimum - Journeys 2 (2002)
The Butterfly Chamber (2002)
Environment 1 - China Town - New York (2003)
Perimeter II (2003) (with Vir Unis)
The Live Transmissions Vol.1 (2003) (with Vir Unis)
Easting (2004) (with Vir Unis)
The Live Transmissions Vol.2 (2005) (with Vir Unis)
Environment 2 - Cube - Music For the Working Space (2005)
Cube 2: Stillness (2005)
Environment 4 - Cube - San-Francisco (2005)
Environment 5 - Cube - Voices (2006)
Cube 7 - Sospensione D'Estate (2007) (with Alio Die)
Ecotone (2013) (with Aperus)

James Johnson started his career as a member of experimental outfit Illusion of Safety. Nowadays he is a solo artist who mainly works within the genres of Ambient and Space. I haven't heard his music.

See also: Föy

 


Johnson, Jo (UK)

Weaving (2014)
Knowledge of the Possible And Windmill On the Hill (2020)
Session One (2021) (with Hilary Robinson)
The Wave Ahead (2023)

Fast, sequencer-based and more atmospheric electronic pieces.

 


Johnson, Lucy (UK)

Soundtracks 2013 - 2019 Vol. 1 (2020)
I Am A Darkroom (2024) (S) (soundtrack)

Shorter tracks of processed piano and abstract, playful and ambient electronics. I Am A Darkroom was released on ecological (plant-based) LP.

 


Johnson, Mike (USA)

CRO$$ (2019) (with Livingdog)

Varied pieces mixing acoustic and electronic sources. Pretty moody and nice overall, with tracks like "2 Take 1" sounding like a slightly stripped-down to basics Vangelis circa La Fete Sauvage.

 


Johnson, Peter (Australia)

Blink (1990)

Peter Johnson started in the early 1980's, influenced by the sound of the German EM pioneers.

See also: Guisynizer

 


Johnson, Robert And Punchdrunks (Sweden)

Morte di Seeburg (2017)

Swedish instrumental surf rock / punk band that exists since 1992. On the above album, they are inspired by vintage Italian horror scores and run a gamut of styles, from guitar-based surf rock to Goblin-like electronics (as on "Il Rapinatore"). File under EM-related.

 


Johnson, Ted (USA)

Ambient Realms (2006)

The music of this North Carolina-based artist is literally what the title of his album promises. Four long tracks of soundscapes and steady rhythms.

See also: National Holographic

 


Joint Intelligence Committee (UK)

Grow (2003)
In Session AM (2006)
In Session PM (2006)
Excession (2006)
Live At KULU 2006 (2006)
The Book of Roach (2007)
Live At Harmonia Workshop 1 (2023)
The Missing Dimensions (2023)
Chirpy Tumptums (2023)
Squared Roots And Shared Toots (2024)
Whambam Spam Jam (2024)

Joint Intelligence Committee is Paul Nagle plus guitarist Phil Smillie. Andy Mason guests on some works. I've heard the samples and this stuff struck me as bland pseudo-techno stuff which Paul should stop doing as soon as possible and switch to what he's doing best. But apparently the project is very diverse and ranges from more ambient stuff to noisy excursions and lots of varied rhythms. 

See also: Nagle, Paul, No Artificial Sweeteners, Smokeyfrog.

 


Jokinen, Sirpa (Finland)

Windy Why (2021)

Long tracks of abstract sounds played on Arturia Minibrute synthesizer. Something for fans of George Harrison's Electronic Sound perhaps.

See also: Brutou Dou

 


Jolea (Finland)

Grand Nada (2023)

Pretty dramatic ambient compositions from this singer-songwriter (Joanna Similä). The material on Grand Nada is completely instrumental.

 


Jolliffe, Steve (UK)

Drake's Venture (1980)
Earth (1981)
Jouneys Out of the Body (1982)
Japanese Butterfly (1983)
Beyond the Dream (1984)
Voices (1985)
New Age Emotions (1986)
The Minotaur (1987)
Doorways To the Soul (1988)
The Art of Minimalism (1989)
Ethereal (1990)
Escape (1991)
Warrior (1992)
Maya (1993)
Alien (1994)
Zanzi (1995)
Temmenu (1996)
Omni (1997)
Deep Down Far (1999)
Space (2003)
The Bruton Suite (2003)
K 17 (2004)
Poland (2005)
Vision Earth (2007)
Hadron (2008)
Heart & Soul (2009)
USA (2009)
Amuletum (2010) (recorded in 2000)
Music For Film And TV (2010) (recorded in 2005)
Purple Dream (2011)
Time Machine (2012)
eYe (2012)
Ab Imo Pectore (2013)
Florida 92 (2013)
Magical (2015)
Cyclone Spheres (2016)
Songs (2016)
Dream (2017)
Beautiful Mystery (2017)
Songs 1969 To 1985 (2017)
Bruton Mask (2018)
The New Cyclone (2018)
Ra (2019)
Hi-Fi Companions (2019)
Piano And Orchestral Scores (2019)
333 (2020)
Lost And Returned (2021)
Images (2022)
Endless (2023)
Tattoo (2023) (recorded in 1975) (S) (soundtrack)

British synthesist and a member of Tangerine Dream in 1978. Their album Cyclone was recorded with the line-up of Froese (electronics, electronic guitar), Franke (electronics), Krueger (drums) and Jolliffe (electronics, woodwinds and voice). This album features the singing of Jolliffe, and later Froese used to distance himself from the production of this album and the experiment was never tried again until 1987's Tyger where they had a female singer reciting several poems of William Blake. Some people probably don't know it, but Jolliffe was with Tangerine Dream as early as 1969. Jolliffe remembers about those days: "That’s when Klaus (Schulze) came along. He was very young and inexperienced, and I told Edgar I thought that we shouldn’t take him with us. But Edgar persuaded me to take him. I remember he was one of those drummers who sat there and played really fast. He’d just start—like a machine you’d turn on, and he’d go like mad. It was just quite interesting. I suppose that was the fashion of the time. So the three of us started traveling, and we did a lot of gigs in Berlin. They were very avant-garde sort of gigs, where you’d go in and there would be two dozen TVs around flashing different things—very weird situations. We traveled all over Germany, just doing gigs really, which was a fun time." (reprinted without permission from Horizon Music, Inc.) Ahh, the Berlin of 1969.. Sure, it was completely another world, like another planet or something and this spirit is long gone now..So, ok, that was just a bit of a lyrical reflection. His solo works are all very different, some of them are more rhythmic, others more melodic and with a slight ethnic flair, sometimes Jolliffe also uses his voice and, of course, his beloved woodwind instruments (many of them electronic). You may like different works by him, depending on your musical taste, but my advice is to check out at least some of his albums. Note on re-releases: Some of Steve's albums have been re-released several years after the original run with new track names and a new title. To avoid confusion, here's a brief guide on those re-releases, with the first name being the original and the second that of a re-release: 1) Japanese Butterfly = The Japanese Way, 2) Voices = Temmenu (remixed). The Bruton Suite was originally composed and recorded in 1979 but not released at the time. The 2003 album contains newly recorded music.

See also: Tangerine Dream

 


Jolly Mare (Italy)

Logica natura (2018)

Atypical album from this techno / nu-disco musician and deejay (real name: Fabrizio Martina), this one focuses on real drum rhythms and improvisations and lots of analog synth sounds.

 


Joly, Arthur (Brazil)

Arthur Joly Apresenta: O Punk Analógico (2013)
Arthur Joly e Convidados (2020)
At New Doors (2022)

Man, this guy really loves his moogs and hammonds and seems to try to evoke the spirits of Jean-Jacques Perrey, Bob Moog and Klaus Wunderlich at the same time. For those who like the melodic stuff with a warm or cartooney touch.

 


Jon Doe One (Belgium)

Small Numbers (2019)
Horror vacui (2020)
Sol invictus (2021)

Dramatic acoustic / electronic compositions from Belgian double bass player Hannes d'Hoine. From atmospheric to hymnal (Vangelis / Jarre / library style).

 


Jon & Vangelis (UK / Greece)

Short Stories (1980)
The Friends of Mr. Cairo (1981)
Private Collection (1983)
Page of Life (1991)

A collaboration of Jon Anderson and Vangelis. Jon sings and Vangelis plays synths. The first collaboration between the two took place in 1975 during the recording of Heaven And Hell. Anderson performed the famous "So Long Ago, So Clear". These albums mainly contain delicate melodic lyrical songs. They are a must for Vangelis collectors and for fans of Jon Anderson, otherwise you can easily do without buying them.

See also: Anderson, Jon, Vangelis.

 


Jona, Fryderyk (Germany)

Wind Experience (2015)
Quantize Me (2015)
Init Mind (2015)
Electronic Ballad (2015)
Warm Sequencing (2016)
Outer Lands (2016)

Varied rhythmic / melodic EM from this Germany-based (Polish-born) musician born in 1984.

 


Jonathan (Germany)

Jonathan (1978)

German synth duo with drums. Symphonic / progressive landscapes.

 


Jones, Barney (USA)

Sound (1985)
Afro - Electronica (1987)
Omega 3 (1987)
The Hall of Gates (1987)
Cybernetic Overdose (1988)
Flying Hormones (1989) (with Bob Davis)

Solo music from member of Mars Everywhere and Alien Planetscapes.

See also: Mars Everywhere, Alien Planetscapes.

 


Jones, Chris (UK)

Diversions (1981)

Subtitled "An Odd Electronic Assortment". Solo cassette from Sea of Wires member.

See also: Sea of Wires, Carn Dûm.

 


Jones, Dave (UK)

It's Early Days (1981)
Second Attempt (1982)
Midnight In the Birlec (1983)
Room Thoughts (1983)
Tansel (1984)

Welsh musician and hometaper, who released a string of cassette albums on Colin Potter's ICR label during the early 1980's. He mixed varied influences, both experimental and melodic, with a bit of Berlin School.

 


Jones, Gareth (UK)

Electrogenetic (2020)

Producer for Depeche Mode, Erasure, Wire, Einsturzende Neubauten, Diamanda Galas and others, synthesist and a pioneer in digital sampling technology. His own music is diverse, mixing analog and digital sounds.

See also: Sunroof, Nous Alpha.

 


Jones, Gregory (USA??)

Gregory Jones (1984)
The Necklace (??)

Apparently it's the same guy who released the No Imagination LP together with Roy Sablosky a couple of years earlier (see below). I am not sure though, so for now I will have two separate entries for these artists / albums. The eponymous plain white sleeve LP released in the UK starts with a vocal piece and then progresses to more abstract and ambient synth stuff.

 


Jones, Gregory & Sablosky, Roy (USA)

No Imagination (1980)

Privately pressed LP (recently re-released by Creel Pone) by these two musicians who play instruments designed by Serge Tcherepnin (the father of Serge synthesizers). Pretty experimental most of the time, but diverse. Ranges from very listenable ambient electronic ("No Moon No Mirror") to noisy ("Diverted To Frankfurt").

 


Jones, Jeffery Alan (USA)

Most Beautiful Island (2018) (soundtrack)

Soundtrack that combines lots of field recordings and voices with moody electronics.

 


Jones, Jehf (USA)

Boycott Music (2021)

Ambient album from this Minnesota-based avant-garde artist.

 


Jones, Ralph (USA)

Slumber Party Massacre (1982) (soundtrack)

Soundtrack. Ralph Jones is an electronic musician born in 1951 in Philadelphia.

 


Jones, Rena (USA)

Echoes (2013)

Portland-based violinist, multi-instrumentalist, producer and sound engineer. Echoes is a largely instrumental work (bar a couple of songs) with multiple instruments and guests. It is only partly electronic and will not be for EM purists for sure, but tracks like "Mesmerized" or the closer "Falling Into Place" will be definitely enjoyed by fans of rhythmic / melodic EM with some acoustic elements.

 


Jones, Tim Song (USA)

The Plural of Hear (1994)

Original compositions by this sound technician born in Tennessee. Tim Song Jones played some synth parts on the last two albums by The Dead Kennedys.

 


Jong (France)

Meeting Elea (2021)

From upbeat, rhythmic, danceable music to ambient electronics on long tracks like "Celestial Encounters". A project of Paris-based Jonathan Garnier.

 


Jonkey, Chuck (USA)

Spacescapes Series: Journey (1989) (with Howard Gale)

Ethnic music / new age musician. The above album is supposedly electronic.

 


Jonnnah (France)

Mental & Physical (2021)

A project of Pierre Paumier. A mixture of dubstep, downtempo and ambient EM. The closing track on Mental & Physical is beautiful.

 


Jonny 5 (UK)

Blindsign (2017) (EP)

UK musician related to synthwave / disco. On Blindsign, there is a nice closing track in EM style called "Stardriver" (lots of fat analog synths). File under EM-related.

 


Jonquera (France)

Formative Dubs (2019) (S)
Darkos (2020)
La croix des cros (2023)
Primitive Sounds of Intermittence (2023)

Ambient soundscapes, choirs, rhythms, noises... Pretty unique EM here.

 


Jonson (Germany)

Chiplandschaften (2005)
P_Composing (2006)
Mindlook (2008)

Jonson is an alias of German electronic musician Harald Karla. The first two releases mix ambient atmospheres with IDM beats and other elements. His real masterpiece, though, is Mindlook - a cosmic, monumental journey through synth atmospheres and even hints of symphonic Vangelis. Very good.

 


Jonson, Nathan (Canada)

In the End (2016) (S)

Melodic synths with a slight Vangelis feel.

 


Jónsson Collider, Gunnar (Iceland)

MOA074 (2021) (S)
In Store Echoes (2022)
S.W.I.M. (2023)

Hypnotic ambient soundworlds from this Icelandic artist.

 


Jónsson, Þórir G. (Iceland)

Fallið er dáið (2019)

Gloomy, repetitive ambience from this singer-sognwriter.

 


Jónsson, Tómas (Iceland)

Tómas Jónsson (2016)
3 (2020)

Icelandic keyboard player with an album that sounds like a weird, piano-based version of Cluster or maybe solo Roedelius mixed with Britpop (almost no real vocals here to speak of, though) and James Last (or that German "Derrick" soundtrack (1979) from Frank Duval).

 


Jonteknik (UK)

Tones From Home 1994 - 1999 (2008)
Intuitive Scientists (2008) (EP)
Sounds From the Electronic Garden (2009)
Ambiguous (2009)
Giants Under the Microscope (2012)

The Satellites of Substance (2013)
Structural (2015)
Large Hadron Collider (2015)
Skylines (2017)
Alternative Arrangements (2018)

Kraftwerk-like music from Brighton-based Jon Russell.

 


Jordan, Benn (USA)

Pale Blue Dot (2008)

This album is a tribute to Carl Sagan by this IDM / soundscape artist. Space Music.

 


Jordan, Darvin (???)

Warrior (1986)

Private cassette release, most likely from the USA, don't know about the musical style.

 


Jordan GCZ (Netherlands)

Lushlyfe (2015) (EP)
Lushlyfe II (2016) (EP)
My Brain's Brain (2022)

A house / techno producer but to call his output as Jordan GCZ "house" would be completely wrong. Well, the opening track off Lushlyfe has some beats. The rest is pure experimental electronics and rather progressive.

 


Jordan, T.R. (USA)

Just For You (2020)
Recollections Suite (2020) (S)
Cycles (2021) (S)
Dwell Time (2022)
Stay With Me (2022) (with zaké)

Beautiful, emotional ambient pieces with a huge piano presence.

See also: Beautiful Hoax, The

 


Jordan, Tom (USA)

Apparently, the guy did some Electronic Music for various museums and planetariums during the 1970's, including the Spacescape show at the Indianapolis Museum of Art. He used several ARP synthesizers and sequencers. No further info is available at the moment.

 


Jørgensen, Karl (???)

Compliance (2016)

Varied minimal, mechanical sketches with analog synths and drum machines.

See also: Best, Ben & Jørgensen, Karl

 


Jørgensen, Øystein (Norway)

Antarctica (2012)
Imagine (2012)

Dark, metallic sheets of icy ambience.

See also: Ambient Fabric

 


Jorgensen, Steen Chorchendorff (Denmark)

Internal Moments (2011)

Relaxed music, some with downtempo beats, some ambient, some with touches of sequencer music. Overall, falls into the general melodic / rhythmic genre.

 


Josè Manuel (Italy)

Excursion Africanism (2016)
Janara (2021)

A pseudonym of Domenico Cantarella who is currently based in Berlin. On Janara, he explores rhythmic Electronic Music, mixing analog synths, lots of sampled voices and tribal drumming. A weird World Music hybrid.

 


Joseph, Dan (USA)

Morpheus (1987)
No.3 (1988)
Sonorous Alchemy (1988)

Dan Joseph is a musician from Washington, DC. A member of several punk and post-punk bands, he launched a solo career during the 1980's. He finally developed an ambient style of music not unlike that of Brian Eno or other contemporaries (some parallels to darkish soundworlds of people like Jeff Greinke can be drawn). Different works by him may appeal to different categories of listeners but albums listed above should be of interest to readers of EEM. Initially released on cassette, many of his albums are currently available as downloads from Bandcamp.

 


Joseph, Jason (USA)

Steps of the Pilgrim (1992)
Stormchaser (1998)

Ambient music like a lighter, airier version of Michael Brook mixed with some Eno. Guitars, synths and piano.

 


Josephson, Mark (USA)

Dreamstate (1990)

Energetic, vibrant work that mixes the energy of rock music with synthesizer symphonism of Vangelis. Josephson plays synth and violin with Malcolm Cecil of Tonto's Expanding Head Band as guest.

 


Jöst, Hans (Netherlands??)

Die Jakobsleiter (1988)

 


Jötgrimm (Germany)

Winterschwärze (2014)
Gramessteig (2015)

Excellent melancholic Berlin School material with traces of dungeon synth and Ambient.

 


Joulez (China)

16:48 (2022)

Relaxed, melodic, atmospheric, sometimes rhythmic and trancey Electronic Music from Andy Sheng. Has a nice feel of flow to it.

 


Jouppi, Maiju (Finland)

Of Epic Proportions (2023)

Nice, soundtracky, vintage-sounding, analog synth compositions.

 


Jowisz (Poland)

And Only Ruins (2016) (S)
Trench Rat's Banquet (2016)
Trench Rat's Banquet II (2018)
The Rat Carnival (2019) (S)

Martial Ambient project from Poland.

 


Joxaren (Sweden)

Ihre Krets (2018)

Quirky, experimental, but quite melodic and listenable electronic compositions based on the sounds of analog synthesizers. Joxaren is David Giese.

 


Joy Electric (USA)

The Tick Tock Companion (2003)

Experimental / progressive synth exploration album by this synth-pop project. Three dudes (Mike Perez, Ronnie Martin and Eric Melzer) exploring the possibilities of analog machines like Oberhein SEM, Roland System 100 and Dotcom Modular.

See also: Martin, Ronnie

 


Joyce, Jesse (Australia)

The Gentle Hum That Signals (2016)
Ectopia (2017)

Calm, frozen ambient sounds from Tasmania. A mixture of guitar-based and electronic drones.

 


Joyfultalk (Canada)

Joyfultalk (2014) (S)
MUUIXX (2015)
Plurality Trip (2018)
A Separation of Being (2020)
Familiar Science (2022)

Nova-Scotia-based synth band. At the core of Joyfultalk are two musicians Jay Crocker and Shawn Dicey, with other musicians helping out sometimes. They go from fully experimental to melodic, mostly leaning towards the former.

 


Joytown (Denmark)

60 Minutes Off... (2010)
2 Go Slow (2018)

Ethnic ambient duo of Flemming Muus and Povl Kristian.

 


JPG (Netherlands)

1 JPG (2018) (EP)
2 JPG (2018) (EP)
3 JPG (2018) (EP)

Enigmatic project based on experimental sounds of analog synthesizers.

 


JQ (UK)

Quiet Music (2016) (S)
Invisible (2018)
Outside (2020)
Truth Serum (2021)

Light, warm and minimal melodic synth compositions.

See also: Forgiveness

 


JRMMT (Denmark)

Palimpsest (2020)

Full name of the musician is Jens Ramon Murga Meinert Thomsen. The music is pretty hard to describe - there's something of a post-internet theme going or maybe the hypnagogic / vaporwave theme. On the other hand, it is also progressive, taking in influences from classical music, electroacoustic, sample-based music and more. Rather unique but definitely interesting.

 


JRPG (USA)

Solipsis (2020)

Austin, Texas-based project (the name translates to Japanese Role Playing Game). Playful, smooth synth compositions between game music, jazz funk and progressive EM.

 


Ju Ca (Australia)

Overture (2017)
Chasms (2020)
Uneven Specks of Dust That Which We Cannot Ever Expect To See (2020)

Nice and innovative EM from Melbourne-based Justin Cantrell. The music consists of processed field recordings, software / hardware synthesis and sampling. Overture focuses on the theme of spatial awareness and procreation / reproduction.

See also: J

 


Ju4n (USA)

Vaporware (2013)

A mixture of current vaporwave trends and EM / Ambient. Cold and detatched, but at the same time nice and warm synth sound. Ju4n is Austin-based artist Juan Cisneros.

See also: VC Childkraft

 


Juacida, Francisco (Chile)

Interior (2020)

Varied ambient compositions from this Chilean synthesist. Reflective, melodic, melancholic, shadowy... Nice stuff.

 


Juanita (Belgium??)

Princes of Persia (2017) (S)
Heed (2020)

Very nice EM here - bright, sequence-full, melodic and atmospheric.

 


Juarez, Carl (USA)

Confessions of A Mobile Intelligence Unit (1985)
Alive And Well (??)

Oregon-based musician with supposedly an experimental sound. The exact style is not known at the moment.

 


Judd, Britton (USA)

Hidden Windows (2023)

Sun-bleached, somewhat lo-fi ambient synth compositions from this Portland, Oregon-based artist. Best track: "Ascending Splendor".

 


Judd, Frederick (UK)

Electronic Sounds And Music (1963) (S)
Electronic Themes And Musique Concrête (1963) (S)
Electronic Sounds And Effects For Electronic Music (1967) (S)
Electronics Without Tears (2012) (recorded in 1961 - 1967)

Frederick Charles Judd (F.C. Judd, 1914 - 1992) was a pioneering musician who, apart from experimenting with electronic tones and musique concrete techniques, used to record sound effects for use in films, television, etc. During the 1960's, a few 7-inchers with the results of his experiments were released, of which the ones containing electronics are listed above, while the ones consisting of effects only were left out (those who are interested, may seek these out as well). His music is not exactly Prog EM yet, as the canons for the genre had not yet been invented or fully developed. On the other hand, it is not exactly academic either, as the playful nature of his compositions and some of the proto-Dark Ambient traits on some of them bring his output closer to proto-Cluster or Jean-Jacques Perrey realms.

 


Judd, Stuart (UK)

Meridian (2009)
The Silent World (2013) (with Xan Alexander)

Stuart Judd is also known as Chromengel.

See also: Oxymora

 


Judy (Spain)

Tergo (2022)

Judy is Iker Ruiz de Apodaka from the Basque Country. The bulk of Tergo is techno material, although the long, 12-minute closer "Sintético" is a real find - a hyperactive blast of sequencer-based progressive electronics. I wish he would explore more of that territory.

 


Jugloff, Steven (USA)

Electric Macedonian (1972)
Son of Electric Macedonian (1976)

Supposedly a Macedonian expat living in the USA, Steve Jugloff released these two LP's somewhere in the 1970's. Both contain electronic renditions of traditional Macedonian music and are rather unique and rare.

 


JUJU (France)

Echo de gradient (2015)

Experimental electronic duo with analog synth overload, live drums and techno influences.

See also: Francès, Richard, Kanter, Adrien, Trésors.

 


Juju & Jordash (Netherlands)

Juju & Jordash (2009)
Techno Primitivism (2012)
Clean-Cut (2014)
Sis-Boom-Bah! (2017)

Techno primitivist / nu-disco / deep house duo who on Sis-Boom-Bash! show some Prog EM influences, especially on slower tracks. Some stuff reminds on Manuel Goettsching.

 


Jules (Italy)

Adventures & Explorations, Volume 1 (2018)

Longs tracks of lulling, minimal electronic textures.

 


Jules, Marsen (Germany)

Lazy Sunday Funerals (2003)
Yara (2004)
Herbslaub (2005)
Les fleurs (2006)
Golden (2007)
Nostalgia (2011)
Les fleurs Variations (2011) (EP) (with Marsen Jules Trio)
The Endless Change of Colour (2013)
Présence acousmatique (2013) (with Marsen Jules Trio)
Sinfonietta (2014)
Beautyfear (2014)
At GRM (2014)
The Empire of Silence (2015)
Shadows In Time (2016)

Dortmund-based ambient musician (real name - Martin Juhls) with a strong neo-classical influence.

 


Julian, Alejandro (Mexico)

Monarca (2001)

Symphonic, melodic music comparable to Kitaro from this synthesist and keyboard player.

 


Julian, Sean (USA)

Sounds of the Birch Forest (2017)
Snake Pit (2022) (S)

Sounds... is nice "retreat-tronica" recorded in a forest cabin in Bath NY. Sounds of nature (mostly birds), arpeggios, minimal analog sounds, cheering melodies...

 


Julien, Jean-Baptiste (France)

Variations (2022) (recorded in 2019)

Complex, classically-inspired pieces for piano and synthesizers.

 


Julii (???)

Taste of Triumph (2021)

Martial Ambient on themes of the Roman Empire. Intense, bombastic, percussive, marching, neo-classical. Sometimes mournful, mysterious.

 


Julius Theory (USA)

Evolution (2020) (recorded in 2018)
Ancient Players (2021)
Julius Theory (2021)

Intense ambient synth compositions from Portland-based duo of Dylan Howe and Matthew Pepitone.

See also: Portland Compressor, Action Sports, Pepitone, Matthew, Karmelloz.

 


Juma (Japan)

Aqua Cosmos (1981)
Cross Parallel (1981)
Faust & Lost (1981)
Ammonite Legend (1981)
Jurassic Cycle (1981)
Ocean Zero (1982)
Lunar Lavender (1985)

Obscure Japanese synth artist K. Yoshimatu who released a few tapes with flowing Electronic Music.

See also: Yoshimatu, K.

 


Jumeaux, Les (UK)

Feathercut (1996)
Cobalt (1997)

Clive and Nigel Humberstone, twin brothers of In the Nursery fame create some of their music under this name. It is less dark than In the Nursery and more rhythmic, with Gothic and orchestral elements still present. Sort of like a cross between 90's Tangerine Dream and Gothic music, plus a healthy dose of modern rhythms thrown in for a good measure.

See also: In the Nursery

 


Jum-Jum (Russia)

Ways And Waves (2022)

Long-form ambience. Drones, acoustic sounds and recordings of flowing water. A project of Alexandra Isaeva. She has another release from 2017 but that one is supposedly completely acoustic.

 


Jumo (Spain)

House Souvenir (1989) (S)
Entre Asesinos (1990)

Barcelona-based Jumo was formed in 1987 by Enric Les Palau and Sergio Caballero. Probably experimental ambient electronics. The music was composed for a theater play.

 


Jumper (Italy)

Between Traffic Lights And Globe Interconnection (1996)

Rhythmic, even dance oriented project from Italy. Jumper consists of two female musicians Isabella Colliva and Cinzia Donti.

 


Juncker, Rasmus (Denmark)

Ophold (2018)

Interesting mixture of classical instrumentation and electronics from this musician who has a jazz background.

 


June (Greece)

Horizons (2020)

Wavey melodic electronics from Tsampikos Fronas, originally from the Island of Rhodes (now based in Berlin). He has been active in music making and as a deejay since the 1980's.

 


June Thrasher (Canada)

Viper Creek (2021)

A project of Saskatoon-based Kaelen Klypak. Melodic, repetitive, hymnal, synthwave-like.

 


Juneau (USA)

Point of Entry (2021)

Tampa, Florida-based James Nouveau Tempest uses a hardware setup to record melodic and precise compositions with a 1980's synth-pop flair. Think a less theme-oriented Martin Agterberg.

 


Jung An Tagen (Austria)

Vielheiten (2014)
Äussere (2015)
Egun Ballet (2016) (S) (with Hanno Schnegg)
Das Fest der Reichen (2016)
Agent im Objekt (2018)
Residency Tape 1: Jung An Tagen (2018) (S)
Proxy States (2019)
Variations For Computer Ashtray (2020) (with Eric Frye)
Presentism (2021) (with Cam Deas)
Phantom Acid (2022) (with Eric Frye)

Jung An Tagen is a project of Stefan Kushima from Vienna. He released music in different styles under various guises. Jung An Tagen seems like his own vision of avant-garde, slightly acid-tinged, but very prog in spirit, electronics. Broken synth pulses, random noises, unexpected twists, quirky melodies... Not for purists, but rather nice, and different.

 


Jung, Robert (Germany)

Unttitled (2012)
Titled (2018) (recorded in 2012)
0 (2018)

Short synth sketches, often based on sequences / arpeggios. I think it's sort of lacking in focus and fullness of sound, but will be interesting to see how the project develops.

 


Jung, Thomas (Germany)

Painting the Sun (2013)
Season of Change (2015)
03 (2019)

Member of Zappa tribute band Sheik Yerbouti and a solo electronic musician with a rhythmic, Berlin School-influenced style.

 


Jungblut, Roman (Germany)

Back To Where It Never Started (2019) (S)

Cologne-based artist who on Back To Where It Never Started presents several shorter tracks of noisy improvisation. You'd think that the whole record would be like that, but then comes the 11-minute closer "Two For Tooth" and, surprisingly, it's a breezy, pulsing, sequencer-based composition, a bit minimal in execution but rather enjoyable.

 


Jünger, Fabrice (France)

Hal 9000 (2001)

French flutist and classical musician. The above work combines his flute playing with synth music (OB12 is used here). Alternatively meditative and noisy / experimental. Further investigation is needed.

 


Junior Boys (Canada)

Waiting Game (2022)

Synth-pop duo from Hamilton, Ontario. On Waiting Game, they explore more ambient / experimental realms. Of course, their synth-pop sound is still there and some tracks are nice melodic songs in that style, although still pretty low-key. The real cream, though, are the instrumental tracks full of experimental / ambient synth sounds and vocoders.

 


Junk DNA (USA)

Flooding Cities (2022)

A project of Mike Brown. Strange stuff between EBM / industrial and ambient EM.

 


Junopilot (Germany)

Junopilot (2009)

A duo of Jojo Büld and Sven Meyer making relaxing and cheerful downtempo music more or less along the lines of Air. The opener, the closer and "Rancho Galaxo" are nice ambient / EM pieces with a warm analog sound.

 


Jupiter (USA)

Jupiter Project (1999)
Echo And Art (2003)

Electronic Music in the style of Synergy / Rick Wakeman. Jordan Rudess - keyboardist of Dream Theater - participates on Echo And Art as guest player.

 


Jupiter 8, The (UK)

Songs From the Engine Room Part 1 (2003)
Stages Echoed 12-08-05 (2005) (with The Glimmer Room)
Songs From the Engine Room Part II (2010)

Sequencer EM inspired by Kubuschnitt, Airsculpture, Under the Dome and many others.

 


Jupiter In Capricorn (Russia)

Dreaming, Exploring And Discovering (2020)
Time & Space (2020)

Space Music duo of Evgeny Smirnov and Pavel Durnikov.

 


Jupiter Lion (Spain)

Jupiter Lion (2012)
Silver Mouth (2013)
Brighter (2014)
We Will Lose Gracefully (2018)

This neo-krautrock band from Valencia plays Dusseldorf School music and sounds like a slightly noisier La Düsseldorf.

See also: Sentuhlà

 


Jürjendal, Robert (Estonia)

Simple Past (2016)
Samliku (2019) (with Miguel Noya and Paul Godwin)
The Power of Distance (2019) (with Miguel Noya)
Vesi leiab tee (2021)
Kauplus Ambient Live: Vesi leiab tee II (2023)
Muusika pikkadeks õhtuteks / Music For Long Evenings (2023)
The Weight of A Shadow (2023) (with Colin Edwin)

Estonian guitar player. His album Simple Past, on which drummer Andrus Lillepea lends a hand, mixes his guitar playing with electronics for a sound that's equally indebted to classic fusion and progressive rock records and to modern Ambient. Stuff like "Old Stories" and "More", with their repeating sequenced base and lots of layered guitar soloing, reminds on Ashra, while the title track hints at Robert Fripp's "soundscapes", as well as Steve Roach / Robert Rich, and will be enjoyed by fans of Ambient in general.

 


Jurvanen, Kalle (Finland??)

Lounge (2022) (S)

Multimedia composer and studio musician based in London. Long tracks with warm, positive synths and nature sounds. If you like Kitaro's music (without the oriental touch), you will like this.

 


Just Offshore (USA)

Just Offshore (2004)

American artist (real name - Russ Mate) from Florida with a melodic / rhythmic style, vaguely along the lines of Michael Garrison. During the 1980's and 1990's Russ acted as a band musician (mostly as a drummer) for various hard rock / metal / punk outfits.

 


Justice, Kim (USA)

Water (1992)
Megatokyo: Invisible Doujinshi Vol. 1 & 2 Complete (2001)

Water was released on Kit Watkins' label Linden. The style is not known at the moment.

 


Jutson, Jack (Canada)

Mother Official (2012)
Mother Official Vol. II (2013)
Opening the Door (2022)

Ambient artist from Vancouver area.

 


Juvet, Patrick (Switzerland)

Laura, les ombres de l'éte (1979) (soundtrack)

Swiss-born disco singer. However, on this soundtrack you will find, among the usual vocal disco stuff, some purely instrumental EM moments. Some examples of electronic or predominantly electronic tracks from this disc include: "Le Rêve", "Le Ballet" and "Fascination". These have a nice, warm analog synth sound.

 


Juvonen, Ville (Finland)

Different But the Same (2013)

Smooth electronic compositions from this Helsinki-based artist, seemingly influenced by progressive rock and maybe also avant-garde and art-pop. Mostly instrumental, with a few vocals on some tracks. Rich, symphonic synths, arpeggios, solos, some guitar... Sometimes reminds on Synergy. Pretty uplifting stuff overall.

 


JV Lightbody (UK)

Inner Work (2017)
Live Now Forever In the Light (2019)

Lush, uplifting synth pastiche. Sequences, arpeggios, pads and liquid synthy sounds.

 


JWPaton (Australia)

Skychief (2019)
Structures (2023)

Varied ambient compositions from this New South Wales-based musician. A mixture of synths / electronics and some droning guitars.

 


Jyl (Germany)

Jyl (1984)

This project by Ingo Werner was produced by Klaus Schulze for his Inteam label. It was a synth-pop band with female vocals. The style was inspired by Kraftwerk, YMO and other synth / electropop acts of the time. We are stretching the definition of EM here a bit, but the KS involvement makes it worthy of inclusion.

 


Top of page