Musick For Killing The Ego
Dark ambient and overwhelming soundscapes are a favorite of mine! Most of these albums are straight up "Dark Ambient" but many take influence from a number of genres. These are all chosen for their ability to expertly create a trance-like state for the listener. Many are personal choices for deep states of void and dissociative meditation or for aiding in the achievement of black gnostic states. Any recs in the same vein are appreciated! |
| 1 | | Raison D'etre
In Silence, Sadness and Solitude
Peter Andersson?s work as Raison D?Etre is a deep rooted favourite of mine. There are so many examples in their discography of cavernous and bleak dark ambient. This is one of the more ?well known? albums I think, but anything from ?Within the depths of silence and phormations? right up to ?Stains of the Embodied Sacrifice? make for excellently grim meditative states. |
| 2 |  | Atrium Carceri
Cellblock
Still my favourite from this outfit. Again, all good albums and like a great deal of this list it comes off the Cold Meat Industry label. Briefer, almost more song-like ?Darkwave? compositions. Does not get the kind of play from me that my Raison D?etre albums do, but still top calibre darkness! |
| 3 |  | Psychic TV
Dreams Less Sweet
This is just an awesome album. Way ahead of its time?. if there was going to be a ?time? for this one. Great magick fuelled sonic-sigilisation and avant garde weirdness without being noisy. Stay posted for a full review of this one! Just searching for the best way to approach it! |
| 4 | | Lull
Moments
One of the more truly tuneless pieces of ambient I have. 99 tracks, most under a minute apiece, of pure thrumming sound. Can be played on random for a unique experience every time. Empty, your head, do not move, and let this one carry you away. |
| 5 |  | Desiderii Marginis
That Which is Tragic and Timeless
Like a ?prettier? Raison D?etre. Features some very well utilised acoustic guitar passage to add a little more life than most darkwave has. Worth the time for the track "Where i end and you begin". Highly recommended! |
| 6 |  | Eluvium
Talk Amongst the Trees
Awe-inspiring drone pieces on this one! ?Taken? and ?New Animals from the Air? are essential listening! Like William Basinski?s ?Disintegration Loops? but frankly more listenable. Will fill your head until you cannot differentiate the elements that make up the whole! |
| 7 |  | Swans
Soundtracks for the Blind
Honestly, I am only listening to this for the first time as I write this list! A little ?noisy? in parts but still carries a trance-like atmosphere. I am already looking forward to additional listens! Destined to become a favourite!! |
| 8 |  | Tangerine Dream
Rubycon
A classic! Two long tracks of old, analog eeriness. Arguably, my fall back album when I want to dissociate to a comfortable but still kind of spooky record. |
| 9 |  | Brighter Death Now
Innerwar
Undeniably noisier and uglier than the rest of this list, it gets an inclusion for its ability to take you to hell. Its pounding mechanical noise will draw you into a trance while its ?vocal? samples will make you wish you had not opened the door! Look for a future review on this one as well! |
| 10 | | Lustmord
Zoetrope
Another true classic from a dark ambient godfather! Big, Ugly atmospheres all over this one! I see lots of recs for ?Heresy? but not much mention of this gem on Sputnik. If you are into Lustmord, this is a must-have! |
| 11 |  | Jean Michel Jarre
Oxygene
Old-school like ?Rubycon? but with a little more true composition. I love the sound and feel of old analog electronics when they are manipulated right! For a softer trip than most of the rest of this list. |
| 12 |  | Nurse with Wound
Thunder Perfect Mind
Nurse with Wound is a new one for me even though they have been around forever. This is one of his most ambient works. Still, very mechanized and unsettling without nearing the realm of unlistenable. This is going to be a fun discography! |
| 13 |  | The Angelic Process
Coma Waering
Shoegazy, drone-doom. An absolute wall of distorted sound and incomprehensible ghostly vocals. I never seem to get through this one without losing time. Less electronic than most of this list. A great find! |
| 14 |  | Johann Johannsson
Fordlandia
Breathtaking. Not many other words work to describe this one. All his albums are great but this one has moments that really make my heart ache. A bit more traditionally musical than most of this list but I just do not like to listen to this one unless it is in the dark and I am not moving. |
| 15 |  | Sunn O)))
Oracle
Everyone knows this band I think. This was an EP released as a counterpart to an art show. Very, very cavernous with lots of organic, hellish clattering that most dark ambient provocateurs could only wish to achieve. The 45 minute Heliosophist makes this one. |
| 16 |  | Robert Rich and B. Lustmord
Stalker
An all around great example of unsettling ambience. Nothing ground breaking here, but straight-up dark ambient rarely gets much better. |
| 17 |  | Stars of the Lid
And their Refinement of the Decline
A fairly well known outfit, this is the album I know best . A little more, shall we say, pleasant than I normally like but still grade A! |
| 18 |  | Walknut
Graveforests and their Shadows
I have used this one on a black metal list already but I spin it just as often when I want ambience with guitars. This is a fabulous album, both as a BM recording and as one to blow your ego to. Highly recommended! |
| 19 |  | Sephiroth
Cathedron
Another entry off the CMI label. ?Draconian Poetry? would work just as well here but this one came to mind first. If you are already familiar with my other CMI recs then you know what to expect with this one. |
| 20 |  | Coil
Musick to Play in the Dark
Parts I and II both belong here. A mandatory inclusion! |
| 21 |  | Northaunt
The Ominous Silence
Good luck getting a hold of this! Arguably one of my first forays into the world of dark ambience. ?Might and Misanthropy? to this day remains one of my all time favourite pieces of grim sound. Cannot find a hard copy anywhere (even online!), cannot even find a downloadable copy anymore?. this one is lost forever to my old iPod. Hails! |
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