Arctic Ambient RYM Box Set

Part of the RYM Ultimate Box Set
A list by HappyRadio
 
Arctic Ambient music (sometimes referred to as Cold Ambient), can be described as a bleak, cold, and/or desolate off-shoot of Ambient music. Specifically, it's a continuation in the same vein as Dark Ambient. Whilst dark ambient music focuses heavily on gloom-ridden textures and dissonance, arctic ambient is the ultimate in creating a feeling of isolation, desolation, and - as the name suggests - coldness. In some cases, the minimal nature of the genre can come across as 'soothing' in its feeling.

It shares a similarity also in its tendency to border on the Drone genre heavily; this is due to the monotonous, generally beatless nature, and the lack of a notable compositional note structure within arctic ambient music.

Specific synthesisers that produce a colder texture are the main focus in creating the work, and generally artists within the genre will include a use of natural wind or other similar Field Recordings.

Note: All times are given after crossfading the head and tail ends of most tracks, in order to save some space and fit everything within the discs' limits.

Disc 1

1979-2007
10 tracks
Duration: 76:11

The first disc covers the Proto-Arctic Ambient period (1979-1995), goes through the Early Arctic Ambient period (1996-2005) and shows the beginnings of the Mid-Era Arctic Ambient period (2006-2012)

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1		The Residents Eskimo (1979) "The Walrus Hunt" (3:59) From the record that can easily be pointed out as one of the earliest in the genre - Eskimo features heavy experimentation amidst wintery winds and Inuit themes.
2		Thomas Köner Permafrost (1993) "Permafrost" (9:50) Köner's work was prominent in the Arctic Ambient genre since his first release in 1990; but he hit his peak in creating bleak, desolate ambiance with the release of Permafrost in 1993.
3		Lull Cold Summer (1994) "Lonely Shelter" (15:38) Lull's work transcends the various Ambient sub-genres - hitting at tribal styled cavernous echoes, and daunting Dark Ambient undertones. His release, Cold Summer, brings out the sheer feeling of being alone in a cold, icy cave.
4		Biosphere Substrata (1997) "Chukhung" (7:30) Biosphere's work has been prominent in the genre, helping to expose it to a wider audience through the inclusion of both guitars and electronic elements (which more Mid-Era musicians would adapt more frequently as the years progressed).
5		Tim Hecker Haunt Me, Haunt Me Do It Again (2001) "Arctic Lover's Rock (Part 1)" (5:33) Tim Hecker's work progresses and changes amongst the various Ambient and Drone genres, but his first release from 2001 has him displaying a strong Arctic Ambient album. The release is one that shows that the genre can retain warmth in its electronic synths, even whilst retaining a heavily cold nature.
6		Project Arctic Third Pole (2004) "Inner Dark Companion" (8:06) Combining several artists already heavily involved in Dark Ambient and Industrial genres, Project Arctic's Third Pole is a windy, dark, but mixed release - showcasing various degrees of coldness through the use of odd synths.
7		Northaunt Barren Land (2004) "Whiteout" (3:50) Northaunt has been around since the early 2000s, though their most prominent and cold release is 2004's Barren Land. The experiments with Industrial-styled drones adds to the bleakness of the overall chilled and frost-ridden nature of the album itself.
8		Stormloop The Winter EP (2006) [EP] "Arctic Air" (5:50) Though shifting between the warmer and colder sides of the Ambient world, Stormloop's aptly titled Winter EP features some glistening, cold tracks. Sweeping, fuzzy synths are used to emulate wind - another feature that many artists started doing heavily throughout the Mid-Era of the genre.
9		Geir Jenssen Cho Oyu 8201m (2006) "Chinese Base Camp: Near a Stone Shelter" (4:09) Geir Jenssen is the real name of artist Biosphere. On this record is mostly field recordings, recorded in 2001 in Tibet. As such, this is literally ambiance coming from a cold, windy, and frigid location.
10		SleepResearch_Facility Deep Frieze (2007) "72° S 49° E" (11:47) Sleep Research Facility - with the release of Deep Frieze - has created the purest form of desolate music. It's cold, bleak, monotonous, droning, dreary, dreadful, and has a strong vibe of being in stasis.
		Disc 2 2007-2014 14 tracks Duration: 79:58 The second disc covers the rest of the Mid-Era Arctic Ambient period (2006-2012), and finishes with a look at the Current Arctic Ambient period (2013-).
11		Metamorfrozen Antarctica (2007) "Snow Petals Over the Snow" (5:55) Metamorfrozen utilises elements such as soft piano/key playing within his work, creating a dreary yet sombre feeling within his desolate, Arctic Ambient music.
12		Deepchord Presents Echospace The Coldest Season (2007) "Ocean of Emptiness" (11:39) Like many of the artists within the Mid-Era of Arctic Ambient music, Deepchord Presents Echospace fuses modern genres such as Dub and Techno into the cold, bleak ambient. In particular, they use Dub-style synths amidst various windy patterns.
13		Irezumi Endurance (2008) "Untitled (3)" (8:24) Dark Ambient and Industrial textures are common inclusions in many Arctic Ambient bands - as the tonality of both helps build a sense of isolation or despair. Irezumi is no exception, using field recordings amongst these types of electronics to create a hauntingly - and literally - chilly record.
14		Mank Isbjorn (2008) "Svalbard" (4:05) Mank, founder of the label Mankymusic, is primarily an IDM producer - who also dabbles within the Arctic Ambient field with two of his projects. His work is often crystalline in nature, with glistening keys played amongst deeper, colder drones - and subtle percussive elements.
15		Vatnajökull Drifting Ice Station (2008) "Drift Experiment" (2:51) Genre combinations and mixed usage of materials is common within the genre - and on Drifting Ice Station you're able to hear how a combination of field/nature recordings, low drones, subtle synths, winter winds, and electronic elements can combine to make both a haunting and beautiful piece of music.
16		Kammarheit / Phelios Of Dawn and of Ice (2009) "The Hierophant" (7:17) Kammarheit's work has been prominent in the Dark Ambient field - with his early 2000s records becoming notable, despite a limited release. However, since around 2002 his work has steadily shifted from a bleak, mechanically droning, Industrial-ridden Dark Ambient - to a cold, chilling Dark Ambient. The tipping point is on the split release with Phelios, which focuses entirely on the coldness in his music.
17		Llyn Y Cwn Llyn y Cwn (2009) [EP] "XI" (4:12) Llyn y Cwn, a side-project of Mank, is yet another in the list of artists creating mountainous, cold soundscapes. Cold, subtle, and minimal tones are used amongst electronic elements in a vein similar to early Boards of Canada and other similar IDM bands.
18		Parhelion Midnight Sun (2010) "Atmospheric Refraction" (5:05) Parhelion uses shrill, dry textured synths within his ambiance to create a dread-ridden and gloomy piece of music. Industrial techniques are prevalent within Midnight Sun, giving way to a strong Drone undertone, all whilst retaining a heavily cold nature.
19		Janne Hanhisuanto Icescapes (2010) "Movement 3" (4:07) Icescapes, and several other records within the genre, utilise New Age elements within the music in order to further delve into the glistening, yet icy cold nature of the ambiance itself. Keys are played like drips from icicles, and the tonality borders on that of a film score.
20		Pjusk Sval (2010) "Demring" (3:34) Pjusk is a prominent artist who - like several others - utilises elements of Techno and Glitch music within their cold soundscapes to break them up. Whilst they retain their bleak, cold nature - they also add a sense of unease in their choppy technique.
21		Netherworld Alchemy of Ice (2013) "White Silence" (3:06) Netherworld is another well noted artist in the genre - dating back to the early 2000s. Their work on Alchemy of Ice again rings a similar tonality to that of early 90s Ambient and IDM music, whilst adding new textures and synth treatment to set it apart from the norm.
22		Nautic Depths Elsewhere I (2013) "Endless Limits" (7:35) Whilst strongly favouring the Drone side of things, Nautic Depths generally performs very cold, stifling ambiance. Textured with growing and changing winds and hisses, they morph throughout their length and shift the monotonous tonality around in subtle ways.
23		Mick Chillage Saudade (2014) "North Scape" (5:52) Mick Chillage's work features a general combination of Drone, Arctic Ambient, and colder electronic elements - often leading with beat-based work. However, Saudade's textured, cold drones set it apart from his other body of work.
24		Machinefabriek Stillness Soundtracks (2014) "Stillness #3 (The Protector, Antarctica)" (6:17) In the vein of a score for a sombre film, Stillness Soundtracks shows that the minimalist nature of the genre can incorporate the same aspects as the classical genre itself portrays.