Chillout music

[GwiDan]

So I'm looking for relaxing, unobtrusive music to leave on in the background when I'm doing something else, or to help me sleep, and short of buying some Ministry of Sound compilation albums I don't really know who to listen to. I suppose I'd like some nice trip-hop type music or something with sparse guitar chords. Any recommendations? Bonus points if the singer has a pretty sounding voice.

[Dandy_Sephy]

Just download a bunch of classical stuff, plenty of that is pretty damm chilling

[AnimeExpert2003]

http://www.last.fm/tag/chillout might serve you here.

In addition:

Nine Inch Nails - Still

Nine Inch Nails - Ghost I-IV (this is instrumental)

Boris With Michio Kurihara - Rainbow

Au Revoir Simone - The Bird of Music

[AnimeExpert2003]

dp

[Kelthink]

Ambient music always does the trick for me. And post-rock (Papa M, Slint, Low, Joy Zipper) is good too.

[Mr Do 71]

Quiet Village - Utopia

The Durutti Column - Sketch for Summer

JASPER TX - Black Sleep This new album seems right up your street, I reckon.

[spacedinvader]

The KLF - Chill Out

[Rayn]

Almost anything by Sigur Ros

[Fireproofradiator]

KLF's 'Chill Out' is indeed tremendous.

I'd suggest UNKLE's Edit Music for a Film, which includes a bit from Cliff Martinez's score for Solaris, which is pretty much my nailed on 'writing' background music. It's relaxing while also being urgent, somehow. Martinez's Solaris score is also a good choice, btw...

[Campfire_Burning]

CD 2 of Tom Middleton's The Trip. Best chill-out mix ever in the history of the planet.

Try picking up some Big Chill compilations. The old ones are the best, because they have more electronic music on them. The newer releases tend to have folksy guitary stuff, which isn't my bag.

The Sunday Best compilations and 3am/4am/5am Eternal are pretty comprehensive chill compilations for their time.

[vincenzo]

Bonus points if the singer has a pretty sounding voice.

Cocteau Twins - Victorialand. Worth listening for Lazy Calm alone

If your just after calm ambient noise and melodies i'd check Susumu Yokata's stuff

[Nathan Wind]

The KLF - Chill Out

I'm listening to that right now - superb album.

I'd recommend some Orb and Ozric Tentacles too.

[Nate Dogg III]

todos.

[Belbo]

Global Communications - 76:14

Aphex Twin - Selected Ambient Works Volume II

Nightmares On Wax - Smokers Delight

[Wickedkitten]

oh and

and

[Ben]

I'm been listening to a fair amount of Bark Psychosis' Hex recently at night, really lovely stuff.

I love the sound of the bass on this, it's hit the spot perfectly.

[GwiDan]

You guys are amazing, I have loads to be looking through here. As my own contribution to the thread, Love In The Time Of Science by Emilíana Torrini is hauntingly beautiful, can't believe I only discovered it recently.

[redbloodcell]

My top 3 relaxation albums (out of those not yet mentioned):

(Lemon Jelly - Lost Horizons)

All 3 are long time companions to me on my hazy journey through existence, although they do sometimes demand a bit more attention. This however usually comes in the form of a contented sigh.

[PikaStu]

Get a copy of the Best of Jean Michel Jarre... the one with the 5.1 audio DVD

Also... Tubular Bells III, Tr3s Lunas or Music of the Spheres by Mike Oldfield.

[Chosty]

You guys are amazing, I have loads to be looking through here. As my own contribution to the thread, Love In The Time Of Science by Emilíana Torrini is hauntingly beautiful, can't believe I only discovered it recently.

This thread might be of interest too.

[Chosty]

I'm been listening to a fair amount of Bark Psychosis' Hex recently at night, really lovely stuff.

I love the sound of the bass on this, it's hit the spot perfectly.

Oooh, I like that. Listened to a couple of other tracks and think I might get the album.

Reminds me of Tortoise.

[Spudulis]

Try

Yonderboi - Shallow and Profound

Blockhead - Music By Cavelight

Both stunning albums

[phresh]

I struggled to get more than a few tracks into the first two Zero 7 albums when they were my main chilling out albums. Other than that I do enjoy;

Dee-lite (generally the later stuff)

David Axelrod (pretty much anything)

Black Sabbath - Planet Caravan (Probably my fave chillout track ever)

Marvin Gaye - Whats Goin On

EDIT: Add Marvin Gaye's Trouble Man soundtrack to that list. Track 5 is almost up there with Planet Caravan.

[zxcvbnm]

My chillout music consists of:

So Tonight That I May See - Mazzy Star.

Loveless - My Bloody Valentine.

Ambient 1: Music for Airports - Eno.

Acadie - Daniel Lanois

UFOrb - The Orb

[Mr Do 71]

Global Communication - Funk In The Fridge

Plus Global Communication turned Warp 69's Natural High track, into this classic remix

[Don Rosco]

This thread is awfully 90s. Try some more modernerer stuff:

Fennesz

Keith Fullerton Whitman

William Basinski

The Caretaker

These are all more kind of soundscape / ambient, so probably not exactly what the OP is looking for, but still, there's some amazing shit there.

[Spudulis]

UFOrb - The Orb

Oh man that brings back Memories. Not listened to The Orb for years.

I'll add

Probably the best suited to this thread just for Halcyon which is pretty much the archetype for all chillout dance music since. My local record store used to have a section called "Orbital-like stuff" That kind of shows how influential they were!

[Streets_Disciple]

Ambient 1: Music for Airports - Eno.

I'll endorse this too!

This is actually my favourite album ever made, I think, and should be perfect for what you're after.

Helios - Eingya

From the same chap, under a different monicker:

Goldmund - Coduroy Road

Want me to upload a mix of chill out stuff?

[KRP]

yes!

[Simmy]

Helios - Eingya

Just bought this without even listening to it first and holy fuck, is it incredible or what!