I was tied as to whether to post this in the Game Room or here, as my example is from a game. However, I don’t necessarily want to limit the conversation to games.
I picked up a game, DEFCON, during the Steam Sale recently, and found that I enjoyed the music, which came with the game in the form of MP3’s.
I pulled them up in my mp3 player, put them on random play, and later realized I'd listened to them all day long. I've taken to putting it on at night to sleep by. . .except for song #7, not my favorite for sleeping.
I’m interested in similar, relaxing, atmospheric music. Nothing minor key and menacing (I’m sleeping, I don’t want nightmares!), nothing jaunty and too upbeat. Soft, relaxing, pleasant. Anyone else have favorite soundtracks and/or atmospheric music they relax by?
This album got two terrible reviews, but I love it. I don’t know how I came across it- probably from just being an affectionado of Brazilian music. Good for sleeping.
I recently discovered James Hood-Pure Ceremony. Very calming. He plays an instrument called a “hang” , pronounced “hong”. I heard it on the Hearts of Space site mentioned earlier. If you have Amazon Prime you can stream it here: https://www.amazon.com/Pure-Ceremony-JAMES-HOOD/dp/B00YFL3JOO
In recent months I’ve discovered Cristian Onofreucic, a modern classical composer whose music probably fits this thread.
Here’s a favorite, both for the music and for the accompanying visual. (I’m generally indifferent to most fantasy/sci-fi art, but I find this picture absolutely mesmerizing, particularly combined with the musical piece): Beyond the Stars.
Thanks to everyone who responded. I’ll be giving it all a listen. I knew about Eno’s work, but can’t remember what it was like now. I remember some very mellow stuff from “Hearts of Space” many. many years back.
I’m listening to Flávio Mendes - Bossa do Bebê right now. Sounds very much like what I’m looking for. Calming, not rousing.
DEFCON is still my go-to “sleep” music, and I don’t even play the game anymore!
Try David Lange’s Return of the Comet put out in…'86? '87? (something like that) for Halley’s Comet’s swing through the inner system. Good stuff. The song Behind The Sun is my favorite.
Yeah, if there’s a master of the style, it’s probably Eno. My favorite is Deep Blue Day, but that’s mostly because of the pedal steel. All of Apollo: Atmospheres and Soundtracks is just delicious.
The soundtrack for Planescape:Torment is pretty good for background listening, as well. And there’s some overlap with the earlier Fallout background music (same composer)(plus the 30s-60s blues/pop is nice as well if you are in the mood.)
If you want to take some time and filter it out, the Beastie Boys have some awesome instrumental tracks, particularly from Ill Communication.
Other game soundtracks you might enjoy are selections from Katamari Damacy, Journey, Shadow of the Colossus, and perhaps even the ambient stuff from the early Silent Hills.
Victorialand by Cocteau Twins.
Or The Moon and the Melodies by Cocteau Twins and Harold Budd.
Or, since Eno’s been mentioned, there are two Budd/Eno albums, Ambient 2: The Plateaux of Mirror and The Pearl.
Or any of Budd’s own considerable opus. I see he’s done some albums with just Robin Guthrie of the Cocteaus, I haven’t heard those yet, but now I will.
I’m working my way through this thread. Since you liked DEFCON to sleep by as well, you jumped a little closer to the start of the line
Found this on Youtube:
I haven’t even hit “behind the sun” yet. Beautiful, and will be calming enough to sleep by. Kind of reminiscent of the “Blade Runner” soundtrack. Can’t find it on MP3 yet, might have to go old-school CD.
Cool how he can put you to sleep, then make you get up and dance with **Taking Tiger Mountain (by Strategy), Here Come the Warm Jets, Before and After Science, ** etc.
In the interest of giving back to the thread I created, in addition to the DEFCON example I used in the OP, I thought I’d throw this link up here for your enjoyment:
I like to reduce the four thunder sliders on the right about 50%. Just a touch too much thunder for my taste. I got it down to taking me about 5 seconds though, so no biggie.
I’ve been toying with the idea of making 2 different ‘atmospheres’, and running them both in different tabs, to make a rich forest atmosphere with a greater variety of sounds.
