Ambient music

Ambient music is a loosely defined musical genre that incorporates elements of a number of different styles - including jazz, electronic music, new age, rock and roll, modern classical music, reggae, traditional, world and even noise. It is chiefly identifiable as having an overarching atmospheric context.

History

The term was first coined by Brian Eno in the late 1970s to refer to music that would envelop the listener without drawing attention to itself, that can be either "actively listened to with attention or as easily ignored, depending on the choice of the listener". Hence, Brian Eno is considered the father of ambient music: his 1978 release ' includes a manifesto describing this music. Although having coined the phrase "ambient", he is also quick to reference the works and influence of Erik Satie. Sometimes associated with elevator music and Muzak, it is more often similar to mood music or an ambient background in movie and radio sound effects. Often listeners will forget they are listening to ambient music, which is one of the biggest attractions of the genre. It can be any musical style, including jazz, electronic music and modern classical music.

Related Topics:
Brian Eno - 1970s - 1978 - Erik Satie - Elevator music - Muzak - Mood music - Sound effect

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Retrospectively, some of the works of the 20th century French composer Erik Satie, today best known for his Trois Gymnopédies suite, can be regarded as predecessors of modern ambient music. He referred to some of his music as 'furniture music' (or more literally, 'music for the furniture') and 'music to mingle with knives and forks', referring to something that could be played during dinner and would simply create an atmosphere for that activity rather than be the focus of attention. The invention of the theremin in the early 20th century is also considered an important influence on the later development of ambient music. Similarly some of the works of the French composer Edgar Varèse, who used the theremin extensively in his compositions as well as atonal techniques and non-standard time signatures, can also be viewed as predecessors of ambient music.

Related Topics:
20th century - Erik Satie - Trois Gymnopédies - Theremin - Edgar Varèse

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Early albums from the 1970s by Tangerine Dream, such as Phaedra (1974), have greatly influenced the genre. Also the album Sonic Seasonings (1972) by Wendy Carlos has been important. Other early artists such as Kraftwerk, Jean-Michel Jarre and Vangelis in the 1970s and Ray Buttigieg, Ray Lynch and Mannheim Steamroller in the 1980s, all of which were considered New Age or Space Age, also influenced the growth of ambient electronic music.

Related Topics:
1970s - Tangerine Dream - Phaedra - 1974 - Sonic Seasonings - 1972 - Wendy Carlos - Kraftwerk - Jean-Michel Jarre - Vangelis - Ray Buttigieg - Ray Lynch - Mannheim Steamroller - 1980s - New Age - Space Age

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Purely ambient music is traditionally beatless. In the late 1980s and early 1990s ambient music underwent a resurgence with the reconciliation of rhythm with the dreamy, meandering reverb of the first (late 1970s - 1980s) wave of ambient music. Under the guise of various styles, ambient electronic music (sometimes referred to as ambient techno or ambient dub) saw the birth of a new wave of electronic music in the works of artists like The Orb, Aphex Twin and the Irresistible Force.

Related Topics:
1980s - 1990s - Techno - Dub - Electronic music - The Orb - Aphex Twin - Irresistible Force

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