Choral, Classical and Electronica

Hi,

For laid back choral try Martin Lauridsen. His Lux Aeterna is simply gorgeous. As is his O Magnum Mysterium. You can listen to them on this album here on Myspace though this is the version to buy.

For ambient electronica, you might like the works of John Serrie. The Planetary Chronicles Vol. 1 was music written specifically for planetariums and is wonderfully atmospheric. If you have Spotify, then this is from that album, and I'd also thoroughly recommend And The Stars Go With You.

For a very slightly glitchier take on electronic ambient, try the works of Helios. There are several of the albums on Myspace This is Eingya, but they're all rather good.

ANother electronic/ambient album I'd recommend is Cendre by Fennesz & Sakamoto. Couple of tracks...but it's all lovely in this drifty, dreamy way.







And finally, a super album by Benn Jordan (aka The Flashbulb) called Pale Blue Dot and dedicated to Carl Sagan.





There's more of it on Youtube.

Somewhere between choral, soundtracks and world music are Dead Can Dance who would seem to be in the areas you are looking at, here is 'Host of the Seraphim', from the album 'The Serpent's Egg'(1988), the clip taken from the film 'Bakarra' I think.



Lots more tracks on YouTube if you search for them.

Dead Can Dance wikipedia.

Underworld although predominantly techno, have done a few ambient works, Karl Hyde has been collaborating with Eno recently, live, no studio release so far.

Available only from their website as 'wav' or MP3, 'Riverrun - I’m A Big Sister...' is one of my favourite ambient recordings, here is a version of 'Peach Tree', although not the one on that release, not sure where this one comes from, probably a studio webcast/jam. This has guitar added, and is a little more lively than the original studio version.


Also Rick Smith's solo release 'Bungalow with Stairs' is excellent, but only available together with Karl Hyde's exhibition catalogue at £30 is a bit steep to try something new. Very good though.

I will hunt for a few more things to try. Classical Vaughan Williams, soundtracks and classical Michael Nyman, Ambient there are a couple Cocteau twins albums, and especially their collaboration with Harold Budd.

Ralph Vaughan Williams, Symphony No.5, first movement. Vaughan Williams music greatly influenced film scores, and I found coming from rock and electronic music to classical it was immediately appealing as it had motifs that were easily recognisable.


Other movements linked at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...CCdc&feature=related

As it is very reasonably priced, I would recommend the boxset of Adrian Boult's performances of his works.

Although this might be going out of print, but can probably still be tracked down for a reasonable price.

It also includes 'Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis'


'The Lark Ascending' is also very beautiful.

Michael Nyman has written a lot of soundtracks, 'The Piano' is probably his best known, but his scre for Peter Greenaway's film 'Drowning by Numbers' is my favourite.


I also had a recent thread on Eno recommendations which might be of interest.
https://forums.naimaudio.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/38019385/m/92729746https://forums.naimaudio.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/38019385/m/927297463737

I have also realised that this thread might mirror what my partner and I have been selecting for 'birth music' to take to the hospital.

You might enjoy the film scores of Ennio Morricone. "The Mission" soundtrack ticks all your requrements.