Marty Hicks has been pretty much on repeat recently for me! Especially his release with Michiru Aoyama--A Summer, Archived and also his solo release The Effortless Quiet. Both gorgeous records.
Fred Again...with Brian Eno is some very good ambient floating music, some light vocals.
Bowery Electric is a band that ended in the early 90s but made some really compelling electronic soundscapes. Definitely a Friday listening pick. Though I was into this type of music back then, I didn't discover them until last year. Damn!
Jeff Parker 'Mondays at The Enfield Tennis Academy' if I'm at home. It's LP-only, perfect for 20-ish minute chunks of focus. Eno' 'Thursday Afternoon' is my quintessential work album – constantly but subtly changing throughout. The Necks 'Open' and William Basinski 'Vivian & Ondine' are a couple others.
For many years now I've been returning to an album by Ara Dinkjian called An Armenian in America, released in 2006. His style on the oud is very calming, ancient and modern sounding, melancholic and uplifting at the same time. Really a must-listen.
I've been listening to Bell Witch's "Future's Shadow, Part 1: The Clandestine Gate" in anticipation of their NYC concert this weekend. 83 minutes of instrumental funeral doom metal which, like Sunn O))), can make for excellent background music.
I’ve been playing the music to the game soundtrack to “Cult of the Lamb” a lot as a starter. Definitely on the “active” end, but I enjoy the energy to get things rolling:
Carlo Costa. I made a playlist that combines two of his EPs - Message To The Past and Shades of Blue. Good texture, but not invasive. Great for writing.
Flow State introduced me to a lot of music I listen to for work - I also listen to music that doesn't fit your format (a lot of shoegaze, for example). Separating out discoveries from Flow State, bad choices and music that doesn't quite fit your format - recently been listening to older cuts from Languis - some of their pieces might fit Flow State format (look at Unithematic) and Monoland (from Cooning). Rediscovered liking for guitarist Jack Rose. More generally, a mix of ambient using physical instruments, classical/neoclassical, jazz, early music, neopsychedelia, klezmer, old-time fiddle and 'acoustic' guitar instrumental.
Lately, Colin Stetson's "Chimæra I", Brian Eno's collaborations with Harold Budd ("Ambient 2: The Plateaux of Mirrors" and "The Pearl"), and Biosphere's "Microgravity". I loved your Green-house recommendation so have been playing that, too.
This one is with words (Spanish) but one I keep coming back to while I'm working is "Prisma Tropical" by Balún.
Lambent Rag - Clark
Tacken - Modeselector
Tigran Hamasyan is also great for deep working.
YAN's rendition of Philip Glass are also always great, especially for coding or writing.
Nils Frahm's "Tripping with Nils Frahm" is great too.
Pulsing by Bryce Dessner (or Bryce Dessner in general)
If I want to get in a really deep work state, then I put on Jon Hopkin's Singularity and Immunity, but you recently featured that already.
Arvo Pärt has great deep work pieces (Tabula Rasa I. Ludus, Spiegel im Spiegel, Fratres)
John Adam's Harmonielehre or Shaker Loops are great for working.
In general Minimalism is what is getting me in a flow state – I got a whole playlist of "Pure" Minimalism.
Have been listening to Hania Rani and Nils Frahm a lot lately!
Marty Hicks has been pretty much on repeat recently for me! Especially his release with Michiru Aoyama--A Summer, Archived and also his solo release The Effortless Quiet. Both gorgeous records.
If you like active working music:
Todd Terje's album: "It's Album Time"
Lindstrom's album: "Smalhans"
Both artists hail from Norway.
Everything from that musicaholic dude from Japan, Michiru Aoyama.
In case you don't know him: https://michiruaoyama.bandcamp.com/
I have been loving a track from Will Gardner - https://willgrdnr.bandcamp.com/album/blossom
an ambient artist/pianist who writes beautiful, textured, glitchy tracks ( kinda like Burial meets Oliver Coates?)
Fred Again...with Brian Eno is some very good ambient floating music, some light vocals.
Bowery Electric is a band that ended in the early 90s but made some really compelling electronic soundscapes. Definitely a Friday listening pick. Though I was into this type of music back then, I didn't discover them until last year. Damn!
Jeff Parker 'Mondays at The Enfield Tennis Academy' if I'm at home. It's LP-only, perfect for 20-ish minute chunks of focus. Eno' 'Thursday Afternoon' is my quintessential work album – constantly but subtly changing throughout. The Necks 'Open' and William Basinski 'Vivian & Ondine' are a couple others.
• Dolphin by Greg Foat and Gigi Masin (particularly the track “Sabena”)
• Recreational Kraut by Moufang + Czamanski (particularly the opening track, but the whole album is incredible)
For many years now I've been returning to an album by Ara Dinkjian called An Armenian in America, released in 2006. His style on the oud is very calming, ancient and modern sounding, melancholic and uplifting at the same time. Really a must-listen.
I keep coming back to Nora Brown’s stuff, multiple times a week. Theres some vocals but its largely instrumental! Also fellow Chicagoan Bill Mackay 💕
Bob Dylan, White Stripes, Taylor Swift
Les Halles ! (https://halles.bandcamp.com/)
Kaleidoscope just did an 8 hour mix of Sleeping at Last’s Space album. It’s fantastic. https://fanlink.to/SpaceForSleep
Also this, lot's of ambient experiments: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3yxeuY5dExp4Syt2SsgOaL?si=00b2a19aaec24072
I recently made this playlist and love it for working! Especially when I am writing <3
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0tIJYFkgxzpaSaLFGuffBC?si=ef217bd5464145c1
https://music.apple.com/us/album/amber-of-memory/1700748547
Tommy Guerrerro new album, “Amber of Memory”
I really like Steve Reich and Philip Glass right now.
Richard Houghten - Three Seeds
Masayoshi Takanaka - Rainbow Goblins, AN INSATIABLE HIGH
Thievery Corporation
I keep coming back to The Olympians and sometimes I can find something similar in Khruangbin.
I’ve been listening to Hermanos Gutiérrez on repeat since hearing them do an amazing set at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass. Anyone who likes Spanish-style guitar will love this: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/72aLnoyBOhLiSrtuBrS2nA?si=fLyD_ZxSQtudCDRDzLr_ew
Barry Can't Swim
Purelink
Chaos in the CBD
Toro Y Moi (instrumentals)
Leon Vynehall
DJ Boring
I listen to a lot of Brian Grainger (Milieu).
Kosmicher Laufer
I've been listening to Bell Witch's "Future's Shadow, Part 1: The Clandestine Gate" in anticipation of their NYC concert this weekend. 83 minutes of instrumental funeral doom metal which, like Sunn O))), can make for excellent background music.
I’ve been playing the music to the game soundtrack to “Cult of the Lamb” a lot as a starter. Definitely on the “active” end, but I enjoy the energy to get things rolling:
https://open.spotify.com/album/6uFdRK2clKYng68ThOFDIE?si=piLm4DdFScu4jXITJzc48Q
Carlo Costa. I made a playlist that combines two of his EPs - Message To The Past and Shades of Blue. Good texture, but not invasive. Great for writing.
Jeremy Soule - Skyrim soundtrack on repeat. Find the YouTube mix with the snow and campfire sound effects then you will be on my level of pathetic
Flow State introduced me to a lot of music I listen to for work - I also listen to music that doesn't fit your format (a lot of shoegaze, for example). Separating out discoveries from Flow State, bad choices and music that doesn't quite fit your format - recently been listening to older cuts from Languis - some of their pieces might fit Flow State format (look at Unithematic) and Monoland (from Cooning). Rediscovered liking for guitarist Jack Rose. More generally, a mix of ambient using physical instruments, classical/neoclassical, jazz, early music, neopsychedelia, klezmer, old-time fiddle and 'acoustic' guitar instrumental.
Lately, Colin Stetson's "Chimæra I", Brian Eno's collaborations with Harold Budd ("Ambient 2: The Plateaux of Mirrors" and "The Pearl"), and Biosphere's "Microgravity". I loved your Green-house recommendation so have been playing that, too.
This one is with words (Spanish) but one I keep coming back to while I'm working is "Prisma Tropical" by Balún.
lately it's been
Green-House - A Host for All Kinds of Life
Earthtones - Meditations for Synthesiser
Marc Miller + Se Jong Cho - Matisse Bath
and today I'm diving into the new LP from Robohands - Palms
Mostly to stuff you guys have recommended actually! :-) Listening to Tommy Guerrero right now.
But also -- Polyphia!
Enfant Sauvage
A lot of Perry Frank lately. And Olivia Rodrigo’s GUTS.
There’s a lot of good recommendations here.
* Daniel Villarreal, "Lados B"
* Jlin, "Perspective"
* Methods Body, "Plural Not Possessive"
This mornings Flowc State selection, Walter Wsnderley, has vocals. Why the departure from the no vocals rule?
Made in Wood. Smooth Copenhagen Jazz duo+guests.
Joachim Heinrich ... I love him ...