Need some recommendations

Calina

Hi folks.

I don't listen to a lot of modern electronica (grew up listening to Jean Michel Jarre through some freak of nature but lost contact after that), but sometime ago, I got this free DVD with a windsurfing magazine and there was some really nice chill out stuff on it.

One of the tracks was called Escape from Pressure by the Athome Project which, after some searching, turned up on iTunes. There's other stuff which I think might be from Finland which I haven't been able to find at all, called Uusi something or other. Not sure any more.

I wouldn't mind something in a similar vein, some decent chillout stuff which doesn't sound like panpipes on acid. Given a background in classical, I'm a bit nervous of album sets called "ultimate chillout album" or "the only chillout album you'll ever need" vols 1 through 1000 particularly when I'm still not really getting what I want. They're rarely ultimate and at this stage I've ploughed through I don't know how any of them on iTunes and found them all wanting.

If anyone can point me towards something similar to this - if you've heard of it - I'd be grateful. I realise that this is not much to go on and feel free to tell me I'm asking the impossible - but it struck me that this might be the logical place to ask.

thanks.

Scubadevils

Hi Calina,

I find the biggest problem with decent chill or ambient is actually being able to buy the cd's or track them down. There have been countless amazing ambient releases over the years but lots of them no longer available. If you go the likes of the soulseek route (download peer-to-peer) there is no end to whats available and thats what I do, mainly because I can't buy them new anyway. If you want to download them let me know and I can recommend endless albums.

In terms of what is available, I would suggest trying some early William Orbit such as any one of the Strange Cargo series, number 3 being my personal favourite.
http://www.discogs.com/release/23473

The Orb are another definitely worth checking out, they do have a lot of trippy stuff but something a bit more mainstream and chilled would be the album U.F.orb and especially the new remastered version which includes an excellent bonus disc of previously unreleased tracks.
Adventures Beyond the Ultraworld is also excellent
http://www.discogs.com/release/1087450
http://www.discogs.com/release/2727

Aphex Twin should be another on the list but again he has some odd stuff that you may not like - head straight for Selected Ambient Works which is a fantastic album.
http://www.discogs.com/release/4684

The KLF made an excellent chill album called 'Chill Out' which does still tend to appear in HMV or Virgin from time to time, should be easy to get also on Amazon. This is very chilled but an excellent album and well worth having.
http://www.discogs.com/release/128812

The below link from Listology is a worth while read for some of the very best in ambient albums. The problem though is that lots of them are no longer available, unless you download of course

http://www.listology.com/content_show.cfm/content_id.17668

Worh checking out for early ambient artists -

Klaus Schulze
http://www.discogs.com/artist/Klaus+Schulze

Brian Eno
http://www.discogs.com/artist/Brian+Eno

That should get you started anyway! Really is no end to the amout of amazing ambient albums from over the years.

***oh and I don't know the track you mentioned 'Escape from Pressure' but I will get a listen to it for more of an idea as to what you like.