Ambient Music lovers... please help!..

#1

Hi Guys - this is my very first post!

First off, I have been coming here every day, without fail, for over 4 years. I will not go into my feelings about the wait etc. Though, I do personally have a feeling we are getting close.

Anyhoo, I am a major ambient music freak. I listen to it all day while working (designer/programmer/3d artist). Aside from just loving ambient music, I simply can not do shit like programming when folks are singing… Does that make me weak? (rhetorical)

I have quite the stash of ambient. I started off with Harold Budd and Brian Eno et al about 6 years ago, then started getting much more into folks like Kammerheit, Nagual Art, Altus… but M-F it!.. I end up listening to Half-Life 1 & 2 soundtracks (stripped of all but ambient tunes) and the Portal 1 & 2 soundtracks all the flippin’ time - because nothing else quite does it for me.

Okay, now here is my question: can anyone suggest artists that sound and feel like they would fit right in with HL and/or Portal’s ambient tunes? I am not looking for close - I have already found plenty of that.

In addition, I would absolutely go out of my mind if I could get my stinking paws on about an hour or two worth of stuff that sounds exactly like Portal’s Taste of Blood and Party Escort. I know - Altus has a lot of similar space ambient - that to the novice ear, would seem to be in the ballpark… but there is something about those two songs that push all my correct buttons, and have yet to find that same euphoria in any Altus or similar artists that I have thus far come across. I only hope that the emotional association with Portal(s) has not clouded my judgment of other artists in this realm. I suppose that is possible…

Of course, any suggestions of other game or movie soundtracks (sounding pretty much identical to HL/Portal) that have slipped under my radar somehow, would be very much appreciated… as well as artist names.

Thanks in advance guys and gals! I am glad that my ambient woes finally got me off my ass to come and join the party.

Yours truly,
Gasher

#2

Dunno about HL/HL2 sounding ambient but have you tried some Dark Ambient?

Try Mourioche (Yes, the site is in french) for some nice creepy stuff.

https://www.mourioche.com

Fun Fact: Some of there music have been used in the HL2 mod “Get A Life”

#3

Stars of the Lid plalist if you want some serious drone/ambient stuff

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MduVZ2VqoA&feature=list_related&playnext=1&list=AL94UKMTqg-9BMhypVhQmgVUrDUxHQVgrK

#4

I don’t know if these fit your requirements, but Machinarium’s and The Social Network OSTs are pretty damn good IMO. Also, you might be interested in Nurykabe.

#5

Amplified WC by Hong Chulki

It’s an ambient noise recording made up of two feedback loops from public bathrooms.

#6

I like Jon Hopkins.

#7

Try the Osmos soundtrack.

#8

Not sure if you’d be interested but I have personally been listening to a lot of E.S. Posthumus and Two Steps From Hell.

#9

Oh shit – I thought this thread had been deleted, because I accidentally put it in wrong forum originally… Hey thanks guys! I will check all of these out. I know I was probably a little too specific and/or demanding. I am actually surprised anyone responded, now that I have re-read my post. Still, if anyone comes across some shite that they could see being close siblings to Taste of Blood and Party Escort, that would indeed rock! :slight_smile:

#10

Many of your suggestions were quite the departure from what I was looking for!!.. but that was my fault for not using words like drone etc and not specifying no drums/beats…

However, Imonfire, your Social Network OST (Hand Covers Bruise, specifically) was perfect and exactly what I was talking about…which is funny - I actually own the dvd and have not watched it yet, but saw it in the theater and was aware it had my kind of OST. (Rez is quite gifted at soundtracks… may he become the new Elfman).

And Fridge, thank you thank you thank you!! I happened upon Stars of the Lid when looking for a temp track for something a couple years ago. Was absolutely blown away, but was in too much a hurry to even write their name down. And might have passed over them since, confusing them with Boards of Canada, who I do not like, and now I am so relieved that I found them again. They kick ass on so many levels.

If any of you blokes are not familiar with Kammerheit or Nagual Art, do so now. Those are two of my favorites, but just don’t sound like HL/Portal… which is what I was looking for more of, as you know.

#11

If you wait for the drums, the vocals or a melody to appear you’ve completely missed the point with ambient music.

I have a lot of favorites in this genre, but Lasse Marhaug with Jazzkammer might be the modern king.

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