Ambient Sets Everyone Should Listen To
You already know ambient music
Ambient music might sound a bit boring or mysterious when you hear someone talking about it. Not only I can assure you you’ve been listening to ambient music your whole life without even knowing it. But I’ll prove you ambient music is worth both your time and love.
Find below a few sets I keep coming back to. Also, these mixes are meant to be listened to in one go.
Mixes
Leafar Legov • Live At Studio R
I think I discovered Leafar Legov around 2016 thanks to the opening track of this mix from Gilles Wasserman named “Years”. And I must admit it’s one of those rare music moments you instantly feel connected to the music. I dug everything I could about the man, his music, my nowadays favorite music label Giegling, and of course: this mix.
This live is pure delight. I still get goosebumps even after 50 listening sessions which feels fucking precious if you’d ask me.
Leafar Legov deserves his own article so I’ll stop here.
Mark Summerell • Earth Day Mix 2015
Mark Summerell is a composer, sound designer, and software developer based in London. His SoundCloud page might not be filled with years of activity but there’s a catch! If you pay attention you’ll see 2 mixes respectively named “Earth Day Mix 2015” and “Earth Day Mix 2016”.
These mixes sounds mature both in terms of track selection, atmosphere (pun intended) and storytelling. I only discovered he was a sound designer while writing this article but now it makes sense. You can hear during the first listening that this unknown person has taste and lots of skills. It doesn’t sound like a random dude playing ambient tracks right after another.
This mix feels human and after listening to it you’ll definitely be waiting for the next ones to come. Spoiler alert there’s only 3: 2015, 2016 and 2017. The Earth Mix 2017 is not on SoundCloud but I can share the file if you want. He did sent it to me in 320kbps. So just for this kind gesture, I love you Mark ❤️
todos • Kilchurn Session XIII
Now it’s time to talk about the elephant in the room: todos. He’s from the UK, and is renowned for his legendary Kilchurn Session mixes. I initially wanted to describe why his work matters so much to me until I stumbled upon this description from ASIP’s website:
“todos spends months crafting each mix, meticulously layering samples, weaving in edits, and perfecting every transition. His work elevates the concept of a journey in music, offering listeners narratives that are both familiar and profoundly emotive. His unique ability to blend styles and BPMs, alongside the use of cinematic samples and quotes, creates immersive experiences that demand repeat listening to uncover their full depth and nuances.”
ASIP, todos
This mix is deep and indeed profoundly emotive. Specifically at the middle when we hear the excerpt from The Good Will Hunting in which Robbin Williams and Matt Damon are on this park bench at the park in Boston. Fucking beautiful. Especially when you know this bench is real and now a memorial.
This mix sums pretty much up everything I love in an ambient mix and hits the right spot every time. I hope you’ll feel the same.
Axel Heiberg • No Lonely Times Mix
I haven’t been able to find any information about the author of this mix: James Anderson. The SoundCloud profile seems to be named after an uninhabited Canadian island called Axel Heiberg. I tend to stick with this theory as a desertic artic foreign island definitely sweats ambient vibes. Anyways, this 50min long mix mustn’t not ignored just because its author might be a nobody. Internet is magic and once again it unveiled one of its hidden gem.
This mix is feels warm and religious during its first 20min. Then it slowly fades into an atmosphere almost full of hope. An eventually, it a deep melancholy takes over during the last third part. The track selection is simply top-notch and their order as well. It’s always a nice feeling to look at a tracklist and already know you’ll have a good time. Like discovering the menu in a restaurant. And if you like delicacies like me, well you’ll be served with no less than ambient classic artists: Biosphere, Loscil, Jónsi & Alex, and Svarte Greiner.
Enjoy and good sleep.
Barefoot - Deep Breakfast 132
I came across Barefoot’s work thanks to the Deep Breakfast Series. I usually like to check the tracklist before listening a mix. And no need to think longer when you see “As The Earth Kissed The Moon” by Michael Sterns listed. This track is just poetry.
Another one that stood out in my view is “Lazarus 1973” by Kodoma. Can’t say anything more about this one or the artist because I couln’t find any info about it even on Discogs. It’s dark, with a bit of vocals here and there, and full of textures. The whole mix is worth it and you’ll likely come back for it once in a while like I’ve been doing for the last four years.
Voices From The Lake - Voices From The Lake (Continuous Mix)
Behind Voices From The Lake lies the legendary italian techno duo: Donato Dozzy and Neel. Released in early 2012, this LP is a result of a full summer during which these two friends worked together. The atmosphere goes through experimental, ambiant, deep and techno influences. You could see yourself lost deep in the forest almost cought in a conversation with its inner spirits. This LP embodies a fine and textured shamanism. I tend to think subtlety in electronic isn’t possible without deep production skills. And it’s no suprise to know that Neel is a sound engineer.
Donato Dozzy and Neel are legends. The fact they have been closing the Labyrinth Festival for many years with live performance lasting almost 5h speaks for itself. Only legends are usually asked to close a festival like Labyrinth. I guess that’s also why Laurent Garnier has been given the keys of Time Warp’s Dome.
Rated as the best album in 2012 by Resident Advisor, this continuous mix is likely a journey you’ll get back to once in a while until the end of time.
Estroe Invites Nov 2016: SINNER DC
Sinner DC is a Swiss electronic music duo composed of Steve Mamie and Manuel Bravo. I’ve only been able to find two mixes of them on SoundCloud and this one is the only ambient one. Like other mixes shared in this article I’llsay it again: the track selection and overall journey is pure bliss.
One Four Tet song here, another deep techno one from Fabrizio Lapiana there and finally, a magnicient closing ending with no one else than William Basinski. The transition between Laurie Anderson’s vocal and Deru always gives me the chills. Feelings like this are precious. I hope you have songs in your library that do the same to you. To me, this mix is almost 80% build-up and 20% perfect closing. I listen to it at least once a year.
Late Night Tales: Jon Hopkins (Continuous Mix)
I was initially hesitating between this mix and Nils Frahm’s one but decided to stick with Jon’s because he just has a special place in my heart. Late Night Tales is a series of artist-curated compilation albums whose tracks are selected and mixed by a diverse selection of artists to create the ultimate late night mix. It’s honestly a series I’ve been following closely since I discovered it with this album. Just to name a few, here are some artists who participated in the series: Nils Frahm, Air, Jamiroquai, Fatboy Slim, Metronomy, Röyksopp or Floating Points.
I especially love this mix for several reasons. It made me discover the Late Night Tales series. It offers a wide range of styles spanning from modern classical, ambient, to downtempo, experimental, and folk. Finally, it also contains tracks from artists dear to my heart: Ben Lukas Boysen, Jónsi & Alex, or A Winged Victory For The Sullen.
Here are the tracks that stood out during my first listenings:
- Alela Diane - Lady Divine
- Bibio - Down To The Sound
- Jónsi & Alex - Daníell In The Sea (btw if you love this one check out “Boy 1904”)