Keyword artist , or band/group name. I’m not looking for a genre, I want to search artists. Tell me about someone you like listening to.
Would appreciate if it’s Not symphonic/orchestral movie/videogame OST. I know there is a lot of really good music in this category but I’m trying to avoid recommendations like Hans Zimmerman or Jeremy Soule or Enya etc., since they are either really well known or fall into the orchestral and/or “epic music score” I’m not looking for.
It’s OK if some tracks have vocals or even some lyrics/voice samples but I prefer to keep them at a minimum.
Any suggestions? TIA
I don’t think all these are contemporary but as someone who loves post rock and instrumental music here are some artists that make it into my playlist pretty regularly. Hope this is helpful! The ones near the top I probably listen to more regularly right now but it tends to rotate.
- Sleepmakeswaves
- We Lost the Sea
- Explosions in the Sky
- Codes in the Clouds
- Ef
- Russian Circles
- Collapse Under the Empire
- Mogwai
- Secret Gardens
- Red Sparowes
- Moonlit Sailor
- Maybeshewill
- 65daysofstatic
- Caspian
- Sleep Dealer
- If These Trees Could Talk
- Balmorhea
- God is an Astronaut
- The Evpatoria Report
- Sigur Ros
- False Horizon
- This Will Destroy You
- pg.lost
- There’s A Light
- Oh Hiroshima
- Tides from Nebula
EDIT: got around to checking my library and have a few more.
- Distant Dream
- Saor
- Those Who Ride With Giants
- For Giants
- U1327
- The Best Pessimist
- Saxon Shore
- Dorena
- The End of the Ocean
- Random Forest
- Joy Wants Eternity
- Paint the Sky Red
- Eldamar
- we.own.the.sky
- Eleventh Vibration
- Shadow of Io
- Jake Eves
- The Last Sighs of the Wind
In hindsight I don’t know if a giant list is the most useful thing but it’s here if you want it.
This is quite a list, you have good taste.
Thank you! I like some post rock, I know some of these and some not, I’ll be checking them out. Cheers!
Saving your list. I really like Oh Hiroshima. “Drone” is on my steady rotation.
Godspeed you! Black Emperor
Edit: I’m not old, but old enough that I only really remember their first round of albums. No idea what the newer ones are like, sadly. Just never got around to listening.
Ratatat
A lot of post-rock bands might be good for you. Usually atmospheric/instrumental music played with typical rock instruments and little to no vocals.
Some of my favorites are Explosions in the Sky, Mogwai, El Ten Eleven, and Sigur Rós.
(although Sigur Rós technically features vocals but it’s a language of nonsense sounds the lead singer Jónsi made up called Hopelandic, so it’s instrumental-voice I guess??)
Mogwai is fantastic, will check out your other suggestions.
Awesome, yeah I’d say Sigur Rós is the most similar to Mogwai on that list (especially Kveikur which is a pretty dark album). The other two usually do more shimmery, pretty guitar tracks rather than the more hard rock/metal/noise influence you get with Mogwai. But check them all out, hope you enjoy!
Aphex Twin & Godspeed You! Black Emperor
There’s a mashup I didn’t know I wanted.
I’ve seen Goodspeed You recommended a few times here but not Aphex Twin. I didn’t know either. I think GY!BE is good, but not for me. Aphex Twin though, that’s right up my alley. Thanks for the recommendations!
Polyphia is great as was already suggested. If you want to go heavier, try Animals as Leaders. If you want to go jazzier, try Snarky Puppy.
I’ve heard of polyphia but never listened to them. The fact you recommended them next to Snarky Puppy was what got me to look them up, and WOW!
Some metal and metal-adjacent instrumental bands I listen to a lot:
- Sunn O)))
- Russian Circles
- Pelican
- Lethe
- Explosions in the Sky
This guy knows what he’s taking about.
That Lethe album was the biggest surprise of last year, what an amazing debut
LORN
I second lorn
In no particular order:
Ryuichi Sakamoto (particularly Async, and his albums with Alva Noto)
Aphex Twin
Apparat (though he does also feat singers on some albums)
Four Tet
Squarepusher
Ørdrop Wolkenscheidt
MGMT
Sevish
Matt Elliott (very few sung bits)
Paco de Lucía
Guilhem Desq
Jordi Savall
Ledetraad
Bremer & McCoy
Athletic Progression
Psykovsky
Godspeed You! Black Emperor
Kettel
Secede
R mccarthy
Sungazer
999999999
Susumu Yokota
Caravan Palace
These do fall into the vg category but it’s more edm / retro than “epic orchestral”:
Scattle
Chris Christodoulou
Toby Fox
The Toxic Avenger
Jake Kaufman
miles davis esp like bitches brew type era
Herbie Hancock, Snarky Puppy
+1 for Snarky Puppy. Saw them live a few months back and they’re incredible. Somehow they still had the audience singing along, even without lyrics.
Polyphia
Came here to suggest this.
That’s a good suggestion. Thanks!
The following can be classed as instrumental, post-rock or post-metal:
- Russian Circles
- Caspian
- ISIS (the band)
- Sigur Ros
- Mogwai
- God Speed You! Black Emperor
- Blanket
- Vaudlow
I went on about post rock in a different comment and I’m kicking myself for forgetting about gybe. Thank you.
Polyphia, Casiopea (Mint Jams album)
Is Rock okay? If so: And So I Watch You From Afar
