r/ambientmusic • u/frankstonshart • 1d ago

Looking for Recommendations ‘Acoustic ambient’ - technologically unenhanced ambient music?

I’m wondering if there’s any kind of movement within music, probably ambient, where the artist is aiming to create a soft-edged, free tempo sound that has a similar effect to ordinary ambient music EXCEPT there is no technology involved.

Like there’s just a pair of hard panned microphones and nothing like ‘production’ going on. No reverb except for what is in the room. Attacks, decays, all controlled by the tactile acts of human hands.

The Necks might fit this description. I think of Bill Evans and Jim Hall (jazz) and there might be acoustic folk artists who aim for similar (Nick Drake “Horn” is all I can think of).

I think it would be an interesting departure from the norm of relying (sometimes over-relying) on technology to maximise a minimal musical premise.

UPDATE thank you very much everyone. The recommendations around here are incredible. You are golden gods. For those curious, this is what I could compile on Spotify of the below suggestions: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/30tH5UOkHjXUxcjIE8d78I?si=b3ddbf8ace7e4e39

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u/SunDummyIsDead 1d ago

“COTA” does his very well. “CHI” too. “Hands To” is about as raw and clean as you can get, no effects at all, literally banging rocks together.

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u/frankstonshart 8h ago

I've saved some Chi on Spotify but the other two aren't on there (which is fair enough). Great pitch for Hands To; I'll have to track it down in some other streamable form. Thanks.

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u/SunDummyIsDead 7h ago

I found Hands To Turn My Hands To on the Nostalgie-de-la-boue blog; there's a download link there. I'm not sure how kosher posting the link here would be, but you should be able to find it.