The Ambient and 'IDM' Thread

[TechMouse]

Even that's a bit inaccurate though, because a lot of the more traditional IDM stuff (think Aphex Twin, Squarepusher etc.) can be quite ravey and dancey.

Music good, genre nomenclature unfortunate. As always.

[DarkYoung]

(I)ntelligent (D)ance (M)usic.

It's one of my least favourite genre names.

Firstly because it implies that all other "dance" music isn't intelligent, which is just patent bollocks, and secondly because a lot of "IDM" isn't particularly danceable anyway.

I think Electronica is a better word for it.

What is it?

It's basically a catch all term for electronic music that doesn't fit into any other pre-defined slots.

Oooh, also just remembered ISAN: isan

the name reminds me of the album ISDN by FSOL, which i really used enjoy along with eatstatic. i'm also a big fan of hawkwind some of their instrumental tracks are pure electronica (imo)
i know what you mean i've always been a fan of things that enhance my mood, and i can't dance for toffee.

[SlavikSvensk]

Even that's a bit inaccurate though, because a lot of the more traditional IDM stuff (think Aphex Twin, Squarepusher etc.) can be quite ravey and dancey.

Music good, genre nomenclature unfortunate. As always.

yeah that's true, but i'm not sure analogue bubblebath, e.g., would really fit into 'IDM' unless you were just classifying all aphex as such.

...and +1,000,000 on disdain for genre classification. my current pet peeve is the vast amount of slower techno that's called 'minimal' even though it's not really minimalist at all.

[TechMouse]

the name reminds me of the album ISDN by FSOL, which i really used enjoy along with eatstatic. i'm also a big fan of hawkwind some of their instrumental tracks are pure electronica (imo)
i know what you mean i've always been a fan of things that enhance my mood, and i can't dance for toffee.

ISDN
ISAN

Integrated Services Digital Network
Integrated Services Analogue Network

[koma]

check Tycho
he's signed to Ghostly International and has some nice tunes
Tycho on MySpace Music - Free Streaming MP3s, Pictures & Music Downloads

[baconstyle]

yeah 'IDM' is perhaps the worst genre name this side of 'uk tuff garage,' which really wasn't all that 'tuff.'

to me, the main common feature all ambient and so-called IDM has in common is that it's music meant just for your ears, and not really for your feet.

I hear you. I try to avoid even using the term. It sounds way to pretentious.

[Paul Zykotik]

Frustratingly I love a lot of IDM but don't know much about it. I've picked up random tracks rather than whole albums, although I did get this the other day which I thought was great:

Infinite Scale - Ad Infinitum - has some Youtube clips attached if you want to check it out.

An artist who I think is superb but appears to have vanished off the face of the earth is a guy called CiM. His Delsin and deFocus releases are particularly good.

In fact, just about anything off the deFocus label is wicked, and dead easy to get hold of as well. Some of the artists on there have recorded pretty extensively elsewhere - e.g. Lackluster, who is well worth checking out.

I think someone mentioned Ruxpin in an earlier post, I'd second that, his music is beautiful.

Ah, and this album is wicked as well - Mr Projectile - Sinking

[baconstyle]

Funckarma - Solid State
Quench - Exclude

Run, don't walk, to your computer to download these albums!!!!