Neo-classical, electroacoustic, post-ambient, or make up your own name.....

Maybe its because I'm getting old, but I find myself spinning a lot less Zeppelin, Bowie, Stones and Mott the Hoople these days (though still ordering all the latest vinyl boxsets like a madman!) and increasingly listening to a group of composers/musicians that aren't easily catalogued or defined, and also don't seem to get a lot of attention on this forum here. So thought I'd start a thread to get new recommendations and ideas! There are a bunch of smaller labels like Schole, Erased Tapes, Denovali, Ricco and others putting out some amazing music by artists like Olafur Arnalds, Max Richter, Johann Johannsson, Eluvium, Dustin O'Halloran, Anoice, Akira Kosemura, and many more. Not quite ambient, not quite post-rock but somewhere on the spectrum.

So many to choose from, but to start it off, here are some of my favorite recordings, in no certain order, from the genre. Give them a listen and please add your own!

1. Dakota Suite and Emanuele Errante - Great combination, and all instrumental unlike other Dakota Suite.
The North Green Down (2011)


2. Akira Kosemura - Kosemura has a bunch of great recordings, this one might be my favorite of his.
Grassland (2010)
【MV】Akira Kosemura - Grassland

3. Dustin O'Halloran - Half of the wonderful Winged Victory for the Sullen project.
Lumiere (2011)
Dustin O'Halloran - Lumiere

4. Johann Johannsson - RIP. Pick up any of his recordings and soundtracks.
IBM 1401, A User's Manual (2006)
IBM 1401, a User's Manual Part I - IBM 1401 Processing Unit

5. Anoice - Shifting a little towards the post-rock side, but beautiful nonetheless.
Into the Shadows (2015)
ANOICE - INTO THE SHADOWS (2015) [FULL ALBUM]

6. Goldmund - He also records under his real name, Keith Kenniff, and the moniker Helios.
Sometimes (2015)
Goldmund - Sometimes [Full Album]

7. Olafur Arnalds - Another amazing Icelandic neo-classicist - vocals on this piece but stunning .
Island Songs (2016)
Ólafur Arnalds - Particles ft. Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir

8. Rhian Sheehan - Best (IMO) of a handful of great releases from this New Zealand artist.
Stories from Elsewhere (2013)
Stories From Elsewhere, by Rhian Sheehan

9. Max Richter - Couldn't be a neo-classical best of list without....
Memoryhouse (2012)
Max Richter - November

10. Amiina - Johannsson, Arnalds, Bjork, Mum, Sigur Ros. How does an island of 330,000 do all this?
Fantomas (2016)
Amiina / Fantomas (Full Album)

Others just as good but w/o links because this is getting too long:
11. Yasushi Yoshida - Little Grace (2008)
12. Rachel's - Systems/Layers (2003)
13. Nils Frahms - The Bells (2009)
14. Brave Timbers - For Every Day You Lost (2010)
15. Moon Ate The Dark - Self-titled (2012)
16. Brambles - Charcoal (2012)
17. Haruka Nakamura - Melodica (2013)
18. Rauelsson - Vora (2013)
19. Message to Bears - Departures (2009)
20. The Tumbled Sea - Songs by the Tumbled Sea (2009)

There's so much more, but always looking for new recordings!

 

A Beekeeper's Garden, by Paul Gunn (chamber progressive, full-length, releases October 30, 2018, England, UK)



Favourite track: Lviv Sunday Morning

 

MezzDay - Part Three, by Mezz Gacano's Self Standing Ovation Boskàuz Ensemble feat. Tommaso Leddi (rock-in-opposition / avantgarde, full-length, released October 1, 2018, Italy)



Favourite track: Il Barbiere

 

THE GLACIER, by BABAL (post-progressive, 3-track EP, physical CD available, England, UK)



Favourite track: The Involuntary Reflex Of Terminal Bastard

 

THE CIRCLE OF CONFUSION OF TONGUES, by BABAL (post-progressive, full-length, physical CD & vinyl LP available, released April 18, 2018, England, UK)



Favourite track: Volunteers

 

New Rhian Sheehan out this month - only listened to bits and pieces, but his other stuff is great and have no doubt this will be too!

 

Aeons, by Khan Tengri (ambient rock, full-length, released October 10, 2018, Canada)



Favourite track: Maitreya Has Come, and All Is Renewed

 

De Lira Ire, by Dûrga (post-rock, full-length, phyiscal CD & vinyl LP available, released May 8, 2018, Valencia, Spain)



Favourite track: Stella

 

Ocean Sounds, by iamthemorning (chamber progressive, full-length, physical CD & vinyl available, released October 19, 2018, Sankt Peterburg, Russian Federation)



Favourite track: 5/4 (Ocean Sounds Sessions)

 

Koi Pond, by Cloudchord & Soul Food Horns (jazzhop, full-length, released July 11, 2018,Rotterdam, Netherlands )



Favourite track: Morning Crackle

 

Yuna (HD), by Yagull (chamber progressive, full-length, physical CD available, released December 2, 2018, New York, New York)



Favourite track: Yuna

 

Erased Tapes has been kind of a goldmine this year for me, with great records from Rival Consoles, Michael Price (opener "Sandham" below), and Lubomyr Melnyk. Probably more come the new year...

 

SUBJECTS, by Gordon Midgley & Joan Silentio (ambient rock, full-length, released November 30, 2018 , 2018, Bradford, UK)



Favourite track: In Darkness

 

Yeah, Erased Tapes is a great label putting out some really interesting music. I was happy to see Price join the label. Their 1+1=x compilation is wonderful.

 

Just saw this announced on SDE. Their last 2 box sets (The Microcosm and I Am The Center) had a lot of interesting stuff on it. In fact, the Light in the Attic label has a real eclectic mix of releases!
V/A - Kankyō Ongaku - Kankyō Ongaku: Japanese Ambient, Environmental & New Age Music 1980-1990 | Light In The Attic Records

 

Songs from the Age of Ruin, by Twilight Fields (ambient rock, full-length, physical CD avaialable, releases February 1, 2019, Canada)



Favourite track: Loss

 

Maja Osojnik is a very creative artist.

 

Ateh & the astral ramblers, by Manja Ristić (electro-acoustic, full-length, released December 11, 2018, Belgrade, Serbia)



Favourite track: Dance of the Psychopomp

 

Chains For The Sea, by Halocraft (post-rock, full-length, physical CD available, released November 11, 2018, Giannitsa, Greece)



Favourite track: She speaks of stars.

 

Re:visions, by Tides Of Man (post-rock, 3-track EP, released February 4, 2019, Tampa, Florida)



Favourite track: Parallels

 

Wicker, by Trojan Horse (experimental rock, 5-track EP, released July 9, 2019, Salford, UK)



Favourite track: Hammer & Spike (version 1)

 

I come to crossroads in music appreaciation in cycles, and it's always reassuring knowing time and again that, even once the siren of pop music beckons me back into mainstream music...there always seems to be more strange and wonderful composition such as these examples, reminding me just how far off the beaten path I can find a home, if I ever choose.

When I first discovered the "genre" the industry was labelling "New Age" long ago, that reaffirmed my suspicions that there is plenty of unheard majesty out there beyond the fringe of the traditional, I was daunted that I would never get a handle on it, or grow to be some sort of an "expert" or "maven" of this beguiling trail off to the left of wherever everybody else seemed to be.

Now, I just don't care, and am not afraid to whet my whistle in fear I won't be "getting a handle on the genre". But, cheers to the OP...these are most certainly good signposts to a more musically-liberated landscape for the curious who have the time...and the brave who have the yearning for it.

Caveat: I just happen to have Arnaulds' "Particles" on a mixtape on thumb drive I have currently in my convertible.

 

I missed this reply! Thanks for weighing in. This thread isn't getting a lot of action but it's not the most popular genre. Which is just fine! If you enjoyed the vocals on the Arnolds piece (that is the lead singer from Of Monsters and Men, btw) you might want to check out his For Now I Am Winter LP.

Also, the latest, posthumous Johann Johannsson's 12 Conversations with Thilo Heinzmann is just great!