Speaking of which, there’s always Pink Lady Lemonade by Acid Mothers Temple and the Melting Paraiso UFO (http://youtu.be/CcQTSEWbGyI). Depending on the performance, it ranges from 45 minutes to somewhere above an hour.
And then, of course, there’s always Earth and SunnO))), but playing those bands at proper volumes wouldn’t exactly be conducive to writing.
The PhiladelphiaExperiment(Album) is a collaboration with Christian McBride (Bass) and a few others. Kind of a funky/cool contemporary jazz album.
Visit www.guitar9.com , listen and choose stuff you like.
Yes
Yeah. It’s close enough though.
For instrumental rock I turn to Irish band And So I Watch You From Afar.
BEAUTIFULUNIVERSEMASTERCHAMPION
These Riots Are Just The Beginning
Lovely stuff.
I’d second those suggesting Brian Eno, he’s an excellent gateway into lots of weird and wonderful stuff.
You might also consider NEU! A bunch of experimental 70’s german nutters who produced some real gems.
and just maybe, the Human League was at the forefront of electronic dance music of the early 80’s and produced a great album of pretty much instrumental remixes of some of their hits. Very much “of its time” but I like it.
I listen to a lot of instrumental rock at work, and for non-distracting but stimulating music, surf rock fills the bill. There are plenty of different styles, from mystical/floating (i.e. the Mermen) to hanging out at the beach club (the Aqua Velvets) to stomping a rival biker outfit (Satan’s Pilgrims). The surf genre is about 99% instrumental.
Old-time instrumental rock: Ventures, Duane Eddy
Cool jazz: Dave Brubeck, Stan Getz, Modern Jazz Quartet
Soul-jazz: Swiss Movement by Les McCann & Eddie Harris
Acoustic folk: Leo Kottke (some vocals), John Fahey
Jazz-rock: Jeff Beck, Blow by Blow
Apocalyptica
A heavy metal band comprised of 4 cellists and a drummer. Most of their stuff is just instrumental, although some do have words.
Second this. Apocalyptica are brilliant. I love their Metallica covers.
Kronos Quartet. Don’t let the fact that their Requiem For A Dream soundtrack is wildly overplayed stop you from checking them out.
The Books. I’m not sure how to classify them, but then, I don’t think anyone is. The safest genre to use is Experimental. A lot of their songs have words, but they’re vocal samples instead of lyrics.
Don’t forget Michael Hedges, the originator of the style of playing that Andy McKee and others do nowadays. Michael Hedges - Aerial Boundaries - YouTube
Also Ozric Tentacles is amazing.
Lots of Frank Zappa, but especially Hot Rats, Burnt Weeny Sandwich, Sleep Dirt and the Shut Up and Play Yer Guitar series.
Some electronic music:
Clark (some of his songs have vocals, but they’re definitely not the focus of the song. They’re often distorted or indecipherable.)
Well then, for my own instrumental chill out mix, I might recommend the following artists:
Bonabo
Daft Punk
Deadmou5
DJ Shadow
Gorillaz (still has lyrics)
Johann Johannsson
Massive Attack
Moby
Orbital
Sasha + John Digweed
Thievery Corporation
Zero 7
Rodrigo y Gabriela also do a great cover of the Metallica instrumental Orion.
I really like Massive Attack and Gorillaz, unfortunately they have a little too much singing.
A few of my favorite pieces:
Bach - Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring
“The Duel” from Electric Dreams (which is actually Minuet in G major by Bach)
Chilli Hot from the Get Shorty Soundtrack (not sure of the one I link to is the official version)
Possibly my favorite piece of music period: Dream Academy’s Please Please Let Me Get What I Want (AKA That Music from Ferris Bueller in the Art Museum.)
Aphex Twin
William Orbit
Solarstone
Random Rab
Trentemøller
Chemical Brothers
Banco de Gaia
Anoushka Shankar
Also:
DJ Tiesto
Paul Oakenfold (although some of his songs are lyrical)
Paul Van Dyk
David Holmes (sort of a trip hop / acid jazz sound. Did most of the Ocean’s Eleven soundtrack).