Ambient/Ritual Music

[Jiva]

Since there was discussion of ambient/ritual music in the altars thread I figured I'd start a general recommendation thread that's perhaps not so personal.

Personally, I use Ambient music as an all-purpose genre that I occasionally listen to while falling asleep, meditating, reading or working. Usually I prefer it if there's no lyrics or active beat, although there are exceptions such as Troum's Grote Mandrenke (thanks Benemal ). Because of these restrictions there are only a few projects I can say I really like. Here's a short list of some personal favourites:

• Arktau Eos
• David Hykes
• Kammarheit
• Sleep Research Facility
• Steve Roach
• Troum

[Fomalhaut]

Arktau Eos is such a great band. I never heard the others, I will have a listen to them when I have time.

I also enjoy listening to Wardruna, Midnight Syndicate, Tenhi, Sunn 0))) and Gnaw Their Tongues - I do not know though if they are any ambient/ritual type of music.

[Teratokrios]

About year and a half ago ritual ambient didn't swayed me in one way or the other, but after seeing Arktau Eos perform a very numinous ritual I was very much sold to this "genre"

Haven't heard anything bad from any of the Helixes collective (Halo Manash, Arktau Eos, Aeoga...) and can wholeheartedly reccomend any of their recordings. These days their creations mean a world to me, tried them with good success with both daily work routines and in ritual/meditation use.

There's alot of interesting stuff in this genre (most people find it very boring though). Here's a small list which you may find interesting, if you haven't heard them allready.

Zero Kama A kind of pioneer on modern ritual ambient music. All instruments used are made of human bones
LAShTAL Also one of the pioneering artists, very little is known about this group
Die Sonne Satan Italian dark ambient from the early 90's
Lapis Niger a Dark ambient recording made by swedish Tommie Eriksson
Phurpa A russian collective that record Tibetan Buddhist and Bön rituals (one of my personal favourites)
Treha Sektori A promising ambient act from france. Find their visuals someway moving.
Hexentanz Michael W Ford's ritual ambient ensemble. Nice stuff, but doens't totally convince me
Sounds of Isha Chant's from the indian Isha foundation.
Vishuda Kali Some newer ritual ambient from russia
Lamia Vox another new project from russia
Hekte Zaren A polish woman who makes her music mostly in locations of chtonic energies (graveyards,caves,tunnels, catacombs...)

Hope some of these open up interesting experiences!

[Jiva]

Cool recommendations; most I hadn't heard of. I really like throat singing so Phurpa and Vishuda Kali are favourites too, although everything I've heard from Vishuda Kali outside of Psenodakh has been rather sterile synth stuff. Would love to find even a download link for Die Sonne Satan and will be buying some Sounds of Isha stuff tomorrow when I get paid .

Some more stuff that came to my mind:

• Aghast - maybe slightly infamous due to Samoth's ex-wife being half of the band.
• Gustaf Hildebrand
• Lull - former Napalm Death drummer making the most un-Napalm Death music imaginable.
• Robert Rich
• Tholen

I also enjoy listening to Wardruna, Midnight Syndicate, Tenhi, Sunn 0))) and Gnaw Their Tongues - I do not know though if they are any ambient/ritual type of music.

Sunn O))) and Tenhi just about fit the bill for me. Actually, Tenhi are a great example of why I sometimes like not being able to understand a word that's said and just let the musicality of the language wash over me . The only other bands I've heard that are kind of similar to this are Kauan and Vindensång.

Although Wardruna are one of my favourite bands I find them too active, while Gnaw Their Tongues are too abrasive. But to each their own, at times I like reading stuff like Lovecraft etc. while listening to Stalaggh .

[Tixerand]

Glenn Danzig's Black Aria I and II are perfect for this.

[Fomalhaut]

Glenn Danzig's Black Aria I and II are perfect for this.

Great ones. I totally agree.

[Fomalhaut]

About year and a half ago ritual ambient didn't swayed me in one way or the other, but after seeing Arktau Eos perform a very numinous ritual I was very much sold to this "genre"

Haven't heard anything bad from any of the Helixes collective (Halo Manash, Arktau Eos, Aeoga...) and can wholeheartedly reccomend any of their recordings. These days their creations mean a world to me, tried them with good success with both daily work routines and in ritual/meditation use.

There's alot of interesting stuff in this genre (most people find it very boring though). Here's a small list which you may find interesting, if you haven't heard them allready.

Zero Kama A kind of pioneer on modern ritual ambient music. All instruments used are made of human bones
LAShTAL Also one of the pioneering artists, very little is known about this group
Die Sonne Satan Italian dark ambient from the early 90's
Lapis Niger a Dark ambient recording made by swedish Tommie Eriksson
Phurpa A russian collective that record Tibetan Buddhist and Bön rituals (one of my personal favourites)
Treha Sektori A promising ambient act from france. Find their visuals someway moving.
Hexentanz Michael W Ford's ritual ambient ensemble. Nice stuff, but doens't totally convince me
Sounds of Isha Chant's from the indian Isha foundation.
Vishuda Kali Some newer ritual ambient from russia
Lamia Vox another new project from russia
Hekte Zaren A polish woman who makes her music mostly in locations of chtonic energies (graveyards,caves,tunnels, catacombs...)

Hope some of these open up interesting experiences!

I totally forgot to mention Halo Manash. Haven't heard any of the others you mentioned above though. I must make some time to listen to all those suggestions

[Sebomai]

Would it be arrogant and presumptuous to mention that I have a musical project, it is more noisy than ambient but generally not as harsh as some of the Gnaw Their Tongues stuff, and it definitely does have ambient elements, and that I have an album that is actually based on some of what I got out of reading Fosforos and that fra. Nefastos has mentioned that he actually used that music as background for some prayer practice? And to ask if anyone would like a link to a free download? I've kept this kinda under wraps for the most part but this discussion mentioning projects like Gnaw Their Tongues and Stalaggh made me crack finally and bring it up, hehe. It's not as abrasive as those, I don't think, particularly that specific album. if anyone would like, I'll link to it here.

[Fomalhaut]

Would it be arrogant and presumptuous to mention that I have a musical project, it is more noisy than ambient but generally not as harsh as some of the Gnaw Their Tongues stuff, and it definitely does have ambient elements, and that I have an album that is actually based on some of what I got out of reading Fosforos and that fra. Nefastos has mentioned that he actually used that music as background for some prayer practice? And to ask if anyone would like a link to a free download? I've kept this kinda under wraps for the most part but this discussion mentioning projects like Gnaw Their Tongues and Stalaggh made me crack finally and bring it up, hehe. It's not as abrasive as those, I don't think, particularly that specific album. if anyone would like, I'll link to it here.

Please share it, Frater. I am more than interested to hear it! And no, it is not arrogant and presumptuous!

[Sebomai]

Thank you, fra. Fomalhaut! I'd like to say a couple of things before I post the link. First, the link is to my Bandcamp page and the link reads "TortureCultOfficial" This is because I originally named the project Torture Cult, an idea I'd had nearly a decade prior to actually beginning to create music, but found out that in the years since then, someone had already taken the name. So, after one recording where I used that name, I changed it to Nighttime in the Abyss, which is the official name. Secondly, go easy on me. I don't have much to work with in terms of gear and equipment and I think I do a decent enough job with what I've got available. Thanks for your interest! http://torturecultofficial.bandcamp.com ... black-star

This links directly to the album in question, but there are also other things available on that page, in case anyone is interested.