Drones. Let’s face it, however much we want to discover new content in our ambient selections, we will always – always! – return to the land of the drones. It’s such a quintessential part of what ambient is all about.
Here’s two classic drone based creations, followed by something quite different at the end!
Purple Decades – Thought Forms
Starting off in the most classic fasion, this track here is very close to the sound that made me fall in love with ambient some 20 years ago. I was amazed, yes plain astonished, that there were music out there so tender, so slow, not adhering to the traditional patterns of music with a beat, a melody, something concrete to hum to.
This stuff was something else. I’ve never been much of the hippie type, but I was tempted at explaining this as “expanding my mind”.
And, well… I still support that description.
Raymond Yan – Afloat
Long pads, slowly evolving harmonics, dreamy and floating? Oh yes, next up is also what we safely can label “classic drone ambient”.
However it’s more than just that. The piano lead adds that extra flair of uniqueness that makes us remember it.
But it is beauty and gorgeous landscapes through and through. I challenge you to experience nightmares with this one rolling in the background!
Felix Rösch – Quagga
Ambient releases are often of a very spiritual or philosophical nature, abstract and quite introvert.
Not so here. As Felix explains,
“Every track of my upcoming EP MYA
is meant to be a memorial for an animal that has gone extinct. This track is dedicated to the Quagga, a plains zebra that lived in South Africa until becoming extinct late in the 19th century.”
A nice theme for a release indeed. And when the content itself also is of such a level as we hear here, well then all is good in our book!
All three tracks are featured on our “Ambient Universe” Spotify playlist, where they enjoy company with other great new ambient releases. Updated weekly!