Darkest Ambient

drone on · July 07, 2009, 12:13:15 PM

Whoa, I definitely did not know that. That piece that opens the movie is just the most chilling thing I've ever heard. It was doombient before there was even an "ambient"! ;D

michael sandler · July 07, 2009, 02:14:00 PM

Quote from: Paul Vnuk (Ma Ja Le) on July 05, 2009, 04:51:59 PM
...I have even found some non ambient listeners to find some of Roach's work such as "Magnificent Void" makes them uncomfortable...

Even some ambient listeners (raises hand) find that a difficult piece. I don't think it's dark though. It's nothing. I mean that in a good way.

MikeS

headonist · January 17, 2011, 04:01:47 PM

*bump* ;-)

Thomas Köner - everything?
Oöphoi - Athlit
Rapoon - The Fires of the Borderlands
Robert Rich - Illumination ; Below Zero
Steve Roach - The Magnificent Void ; Darkest Before Dawn (Darkest Before Dawn is almost Köner-esque to my ears but with an 'angelic' touch to it)
Robert Henke - Layering Buddha

Wanterkeelt · January 18, 2011, 06:05:48 AM

Quote from: headonist on January 17, 2011, 04:01:47 PM
*bump* ;-)

Thomas Köner - everything?
Oöphoi - Athlit
Rapoon - The Fires of the Borderlands
Robert Rich - Illumination ; Below Zero
Steve Roach - The Magnificent Void ; Darkest Before Dawn (Darkest Before Dawn is almost Köner-esque to my ears but with an 'angelic' touch to it)
Robert Henke - Layering Buddha

Oöphoi - Athlit contains in my eyes one of the "brightest" ambient pieces I've ever heard : Lord of the Starfields. I've never heard such a "positive", life affirming song in my life. Simply fantastic.

jkn · January 18, 2011, 06:56:04 AM

Athlit is an awesome album. I've never thought of it as "dark" - but everyone has different feelings and that's cool with me.

Koner - Permafrost and Teimo are by far my favorites of his... again - just not that dark to me.

Maybe I need to sit and ponder what "dark" means? :-)

Magnificent Void - wow that has some nice low end power to it. I feel more deep space loneliness on that one than dark.

Someone's going to toss verbal darts at me soon I think. :-)

John

Scott M2 · January 18, 2011, 09:34:24 AM

I'd say that "deep space loneliness" counts as "dark".

I see/hear dark ambient not just as horror soundtracks or edgy sounds
but as the unseen, the mysterious, the "darkness", unsettling emotions,
uncertainty, lonely spaces, deep space, deep ocean, deep desert,
high mountain, dark forest, strange magics and discoveries, exploration
outside of your realm of safety, the vaguries of the night and of the universe...

jkn · January 18, 2011, 01:29:33 PM

"I'd say that "deep space loneliness" counts as "dark". "

Since you put it *that* way... ummm ... yeah - I think you're right.

;D

Joe R · January 19, 2011, 02:52:03 PM

Seems that everyone's got a different idea of "dark". Athlit to me is dark, almost black. For me, most of Oophoi's music is dark. Permafrost and Teimo are merely gray ;-)... Magnificent Void is dark, but has vivid splashes of light, like shards of glowing glass. Rapoon's From Shadows Sleep is intensely dark.

mgriffin · January 19, 2011, 03:03:46 PM

Don't worry, Joe -- I'm used to people disagreeing about whether Athlit is dark, or not. Some people mean "dark" as a synonym for "scary" or "depressing" whereas others might meant "subdued" or "nocturnal." I have no problem considering Athlit "dark" but if someone came to me saying they like "dark ambient," I'd make sure of what they meant by that before I'd recommend Athlit to them (or for that matter, any other Hypnos stuff)

9dragons · January 20, 2011, 12:46:55 AM

I would consider Athlit as dark. But my associations with the word are somewhat positive. Darkness suggest to me immense distance, meditative isolation, safety, warmth, and even a kind of brightness, like stars on a very liquidly clear night. I very much dislike what might be considered the cliche version of dark - trying to be scary and dark. I like the kind of dark that embraces the mystery of existence, where dark is not personified in a limited form. There is a sense of wonder and discovery in dark ambient, Magnificent Void is a good example of this, as is Athlit.

Joe R · January 20, 2011, 03:14:18 PM

Yes, "dark" can be very peaceful and soothing, just as Athlit is. Lots of people associate "dark" with feelings of fear, unease, forboding, or whatever, but it's never been that way for me, neccessarily.

DeepR · January 29, 2011, 12:20:02 PM

Quote from: DeepR on July 22, 2008, 03:58:01 AM
I think Raison d'Etre - Metamorphyses is fantastic.
Also recommend Troum & Yen Pox - Mnemonic Induction for a very dark gloomy album.

From one of the artists from the duo Yen Pox: Blood Box - The Iron Dream

This may be the best album I've ever heard in this genre. And I know my Lustmord, Raison d'Etre, Herbst9, Inade etc...
Actually it goes beyond genre boundaries. Not your typical dark ambient.

A mindbending album. With so much variation and shifts in sound, mood, frequency... your ears will almost light up when listening to this... one moment you're in the deepest abyss, the next in a state of heavenly bliss... it's confusing, exciting and fascinating. With some beautiful melodic touches as well.
Listen in bed with headphones. Highly recommended!!

Wanterkeelt · January 30, 2011, 02:40:50 AM

Quote from: DeepR on January 29, 2011, 12:20:02 PM
Quote from: DeepR on July 22, 2008, 03:58:01 AM
I think Raison d'Etre - Metamorphyses is fantastic.
Also recommend Troum & Yen Pox - Mnemonic Induction for a very dark gloomy album.

From one of the artists from the duo Yen Pox: Blood Box - The Iron Dream

This may be the best album I've ever heard in this genre. And I know my Lustmord, Raison d'Etre, Herbst9, Inade etc...
Actually it goes beyond genre boundaries. Not your typical dark ambient.

A mindbending album. With so much variation and shifts in sound, mood, frequency... your ears will almost light up when listening to this... one moment you're in the deepest abyss, the next in a state of heavenly bliss... it's confusing, exciting and fascinating. With some beautiful melodic touches as well.
Listen in bed with headphones. Highly recommended!!

Thumbs Up !

9dragons · February 02, 2011, 10:20:10 PM

Listening to Nanthan Youngblood - Asunder. A wonderful slab of dark ambient beauty that illustrates the points we are talking about. This one seems unsung, not sure how many others out there have it. Put out by Steve Roach's label.

richardgurtler · February 03, 2011, 03:21:02 AM

Hi 9dragons, speaking about steveroach.com releases, you should check out also Brian Parnham's "Mantle" CD, full of beautiful darkness too just like "Asunder". About Nathan Youngblood, his collaboration with John Vorus is under way. And when mentioning John Vorus, give a try to his "Transmuting Currents" CD, stunning debut, both sonically and visually.

Richard

Sievert · May 09, 2011, 08:40:03 PM

I can suggest one project from Russia, named Gasgruel. The works, that I listened to were released on Liminal Recs label, and they turned to be a great example of "darkest ambient". They are mostly devoted to horrors of war. Here are some links for you to explore:
Gasgruel - Nimb
Gasgruel - Inwardness
Gasgruel - Gate Shining Heart
Also I can say, that the music of Gasgruel is as well pre- and postapocalyptic.