Recommendations for relaxing music please!

[BenLaw]

I hope I thanked everyone individually for their recommendations as the thread went along, but thanks again to everyone for your assistance and kind wishes

I think I probably listened to in excess of 1200 tracks, of which I shortlisted around 120 at different times, with 63 tracks making the final playlist, clocking in at around 6 hours. I'm very happy with this length as it gives plenty of variety and may involve a small amount of repeats but not too much.

I've really enjoyed the whole process and have listened to some fantastic music. Even that which didn't make the final list has been very interesting, and I've added lots to my list to relisten to. Some of the post-rock stuff in particular is one of the areas I'm getting into at the moment anyway.

The final list is made up of songs kindly suggested here and on ATC Forums, as well as some new stuff I found and some stuff we've been listening to over the last few years. Finding genuinely 'relaxing' music was not necessarily straightforward as lots of music (both from myself and recommendations) has elements of relaxation but may have, say, overly fast percussion, or be too melancholy, or otherwise downbeat. Even some songs on the final list have some of these elements and may need to be skipped on come the day, but enough great elements to them that we wanted to keep them.

Anyway, thanks again to all

 

[theo12]

Hi there,

I haven't got spotify so is there any chance you could post the list here. Very interested to see what made the final cut, also as an experiment I would make the list into a folder on my computer and give it a whirl seeing as I like many of the artists recommended.

Also what did you make of Stars Of The lid. It is only out of curiosity as you mentioned that you liked the sound of the name of the album. To be honest I have been playing their music non stop recently such is the effect it has on me.

And as an aside, there is another project by one of the members of SOTL called A winged victory for the sullen which is very much in the same vain as SOTL and luckily enough they are playing at Hackney Empire in October, a chance I will not miss (Nils Frahm is playing at the same gig and I have gotten in to his stuff as well, so bonus)

Anyway, hope all is well with Mrs Benlaw and that both of you are excited.

All the best

 

[BenLaw]

Hi there,

I haven't got spotify so is there any chance you could post the list here. Very interested to see what made the final cut, also as an experiment I would make the list into a folder on my computer and give it a whirl seeing as I like many of the artists recommended.

Also what did you make of Stars Of The lid. It is only out of curiosity as you mentioned that you liked the sound of the name of the album. To be honest I have been playing their music non stop recently such is the effect it has on me.

And as an aside, there is another project by one of the members of SOTL called A winged victory for the sullen which is very much in the same vain as SOTL and luckily enough they are playing at Hackney Empire in October, a chance I will not miss (Nils Frahm is playing at the same gig and I have gotten in to his stuff as well, so bonus)

Anyway, hope all is well with Mrs Benlaw and that both of you are excited.

All the best

Hi Theo,

I will try and post a list of the songs in due course. I particularly enjoyed Stars of the Lid, and 3 of their songs are on the playlist. Interestingly, I today tried spotify's 'radio' function for the first time, using Ulrich Schnauss as a source. This took me to Hammock and via Amazon looking at Hammock I came across A Winged Victory... Unfortunately not on spotify, but it confirmed one interesting thing I'd seen by listening to all these tracks, that a lot of my music interests at the moment are starting from different genres but pointing in a similar direction. I'm really enjoying the 'join' between minimalist electronica and post rock.

Hackney Empire is a long way from me unfortunately but I hope you enjoy the gig - let us know how it is

 

[BenLaw]

Oh good, cut and past works, only leaving off the album title. These are in alphabetical artist order.

The Album Leaf – Window
The American Dollar – Dea - Ambient
The American Dollar – Age Of Wonder - Ambient
Brian Eno – 1/1
Caroline Lavelle – Turning Ground
Caroline Lavelle – Sleep Now - + Poem
Chicane – Early
Chicane – Goldfish
The Cinematic Orchestra – To Build A Home
The Cinematic Orchestra – Time and Space
Clannad – A Bridge (That Carries Us Over) - Remastered in 2004
Clannad – Coinleach Glas An Fhómhair - Remastered 2003
David Sylvian – Camp Fire: Coyote Country
David Sylvian – Camp Fire: Coyote Country (Remix)
Deep Forest – Virtual Forest
Elena – Zombie - Ambient Vocal Edit
Enigma – The Cross Of Changes.
Enigma – The Child In Us
Enigma – The Voice Of Enigma
Enigma – Back To The Rivers Of Belief: Way To Eternity/Hallelujah/The Rivers Of Belief (Medley)
Enigma – Smell Of Desire
Enya – Stars And Midnight Blue
Enya – Sumiregusa
Enya – May It Be
Enya – Aniron
The Flaming Lips – The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
Global Communication – 12:18
Harold Budd – Above Chiangmai
Interstellar – Sign Of The Times - Space Night Dub Version
Jean Michel Jarre – Equinoxe, Pt. II
Jean Michel Jarre – Equinoxe, Pt. III
Jon Mark – Afghanistan Dawn
Jonathan Wilson – Gentle Spirit
Jonsi & Alex – Boy 1904
Julee Cruise – Mysteries Of Love
Julee Cruise – The World Spins
The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble – Seneca
Kitaro – Silk Road - Live
Kitaro – Shizukesa No Nakade - Peace
Kitaro – Shichu No Michi ~khara-khoto No Genso - Silver Moon
Kitaro – Tenku
Kitaro – Message From The Cosmos
Lanterns on the Lake – The Places We Call Home
Lisa Gerrard – In Exile
Mark Knopfler – The Rocks & The Water
Neu! – Leb Wohl
Phil Mison – Early Till Late
Robin Guthrie – Outside, Silence
Robin Guthrie And Harold Budd – Open Book
Robin Guthrie And Harold Budd – Turn Off the Sun
Sacred Spirit – Do As I Say
Scott August – Lost Canyons
Sigur Ros – Dauðalogn
Slowdive – In Mind - Single Version
SO Project – Promise - Faithless No More Vocal Edit
Stars Of The Lid – Articulate Silences part 1
Stars Of The Lid – That Finger on Your Temple is the Barrel of My Raygun
Stars Of The Lid – Don't Bother They're Here
Still Corners – Cuckoo
System Beat FFM – Difference - Countdown Intro
Urban Myth Club – So Beautiful
William Orbit – Love My Way
Zola Jesus – Run Me Out

 

[theo12]

Wow,

Quite a list, I am looking forward to that lot, for example I haven't played any Enigma for some time, plus quite a few I have not heard of.

Pleased to see "Goldfish" made the list along with "Don't bother there here".

I agree about how things are pointing at the post-rock genre, but I don't want to get too into it, otherwise I will miss out on other stuff.

Anyway the A winged...... concert will be fab as it isn't until October, so for the 18 days before the concert I will cleanse the mind and not play anything of the type, to let the concert do it's magic.

Thanks for printing the list, and yes, I will come back to this thread after the concert for some feedback.

Thanks again

 

[eggontoast]

I think you are going about this all wrong, you don't want relaxing music you will be there hours and hours and hours and hours.

What you want is something like this

Linkin Park Hybrid theory

Metallica's black album.....this should speed the process up a bit ;-)

 

[umbucker]

Best Album to relax to this year is ULRIH SHNAUSS AND MARK PETERS _ UNDERATED SILENCE

 

[theo12]

Hi Umbucker,

might not agree on that, but will say that it is a brilliant album. Unfortunately Stars of the Lid have done me for relaxing, and BTW they make Ulrich's album seem postively uptempo.

Good suggestion all the same, tried any of his earlier work?

Theo12

 

[BenLaw]

Thanks for the suggestion Umbucker I'm a big fan of his music and this album amongst others was listened to, and a few tracks made the shortlist but not the final cut, slightly fast percussion I think being the problem

A few more tracks have been added btw and I think a few may come off, I'll post the changes after, er, the drawbridge comes down on the playlist

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for posting that list Ben, looks good, almost tempted to join Spotify to have a listen, otherwise will download a good number of them I expect.

Here's wishing you and Clodagh the best possible experience and that all goes perfectly, my best wishes to you and the soon to be newest member of the family.

Hopefully that list will help littl'un get to sleep in due course!

 

[BenLaw]

Thanks for posting that list Ben, looks good, almost tempted to join Spotify to have a listen, otherwise will download a good number of them I expect.

Here's wishing you and Clodagh the best possible experience and that all goes perfectly, my best wishes to you and the soon to be newest member of the family.

Hopefully that list will help littl'un get to sleep in due course!

Thanks very much for the kind words Steve We've both been able to sleep to this music so I'm sure junior will do fine AFAIK you could sign up to spotify's free service and listen to the playlist, albeit with ads every few songs.

 

[BenLaw]

Playlist worked a treat, thanks folks

Here is the result:

 

[CnoEvil]

Playlist worked a treat, thanks folks

Here is the result:

Congratulations......takes after the mother , I see.

 

[Anonymous]

Playlist worked a treat, thanks folks

Here is the result:

CONGRATULATIONS BEN AND FAMILY!

Don't take this the wrong way Ben but I wont be playing that playlist back just yet, not ready for a littl'un right now

 

[theo12]

Playlist worked a treat, thanks folks

Here is the result:

You beauty

I mean all three of you.

Fabulous photo Ben,

This inspires me to listen to Goldfish whilst taking in the wonder that new born bring.

Many congratulations

I wonder what gadgets these little mitts will get?

In the meantime I hope you and your new family are good heealth with big grins on yer face :cheers: :cheers:

 

[toyota man]

Congratulations Enjoy your beautiful new baby

 

[BenLaw]

Playlist worked a treat, thanks folks

Here is the result:

Congratulations......takes after the mother , I see.

Thanks Cno Not sure which way you mean, he's a boy but he does have more hair than his dad

 

[BenLaw]

Playlist worked a treat, thanks folks

Here is the result:

CONGRATULATIONS BEN AND FAMILY!

Don't take this the wrong way Ben but I wont be playing that playlist back just yet, not ready for a littl'un right now

Thanks a lot Steve

If I can reassure you, the playlist is only (one of) the last ingredients in the recipe, so without some of the earlier ones then listening to the playlist on its own will not produce one of these

 

[BenLaw]

Playlist worked a treat, thanks folks

Here is the result:

You beauty

I mean all three of you.

Fabulous photo Ben,

This inspires me to listen to Goldfish whilst taking in the wonder that new born bring.

Many congratulations

I wonder what gadgets these little mitts will get?

In the meantime I hope you and your new family are good heealth with big grins on yer face :cheers: :cheers:

Thanks v much Theo

Quite apart from it being all Clodagh's hard work, it is also her excellent photo Both Asher and Clodagh are in excellent health thanks.

He's listened to the playlist in his first few hours and watched a film yesterday, but not yet been up to listen to the hifi I hope he loves his music and would also be fascinated to see the technology he'll use in 20 or 30 years time

There were a few changes to the playlist in final form. When I get a chance I'll post it, tho for those with spotify the existing link should work.

 

[plastic penguin]

Playlist worked a treat, thanks folks

Here is the result:

Congrats to you and Mrs. Ben. What a cutie. There's another potential ATC fan

 

[BenLaw]

Congratulations Enjoy your beautiful new baby

Thanks TM He really is a delight

 

[BenLaw]

Playlist worked a treat, thanks folks

Here is the result:

Congrats to you and Mrs. Ben. What a cutie. There's another potential ATC fan

Thanks PP I'll love him even if he ends up liking B&W

 

[CnoEvil]

Thanks Cno Not sure which way you mean, he's a boy but he does have more hair than his dad

It was the angelic little face and good looks that I assumed must have come from his mother! :shifty:

If I had a say in his name, it would have been Andrew Thomas Charles

Hope all is going well

Cno

 

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

Nice one Ben

Congratulations to you both on the birth of your fantastic little boy.

I hope it was Neu that finally saw him into the world, a krautrocking baby. Brilliant!!!

 

[BenLaw]

Thanks Cno Not sure which way you mean, he's a boy but he does have more hair than his dad

It was the angelic little face and good looks that I assumed must have come from his mother! :shifty:

Also true!

If I had a say in his name, it would have been Andrew Thomas Charles

Hope all is going well

Cno

All's going great, thanks I'm guessing then that you have a son called Kevin Edward Fitzgerald