Ambient & Instrumental
I’m back on the ball! The blog may have needed a few weeks to get its shit together (passive phrasing will get me places), but I needed approximately zero time to find yet more incredible music to share. Without further ado, check out the songs below if you’re looking to add a few new favorites to your playlists. The five below are a blend between ambient and instrumental, using vocal samples for flavor but being generally light on lyrics with more emphasis on melody and mood.
If ambient or instrumentals aren’t entirely your thing, check out my previous Sharing The Goodness posts. I’ve done funk and disco, rock and synth-pop, among others!
Sometimes a song will all but pick you up with two hands and drop you in the middle of another world entirely. This isn’t even a nod to the title — Kasbo‘s ‘World Away’ is a genuinely artful, rich composition that conjures up all sorts of fantastical imagery.
Now, this song absolutely toes the line of what constitutes an instrumental. A single line is repeated ad nauseum throughout the piece, distorted for flavor and sometimes reduced to echoing notes that compliment the instrumentation. …But I could give less of a damn. This is easily one of my favorite instrumentals of the year. If you’re a fan of ODESZA or any other sort of arsty instrumental group that blends multiple styles together and to hell with easy categorization, you’ll love Kasbo.
Hey, baby
Hey, baby
Now for something a little different. Soft and gentle, Petit Biscuit‘s ‘You’ invokes all sorts of lovely emotions. Looking out the window at the city lights as you fall asleep. The pitter-patter of rain during early morning hours. I love it when a song can so easily slot into many of life’s peaceful moments. With recent news only getting worse and worse by the minute, this sort of audio self-care is essential.
While not heavy on different instruments or shaking up the melody (indeed, it’s rather redundant), it’s a very pleasant and low-key piece that knows exactly what it wants to be. The piano is the stand-out element, utterly delicate, and the outro is composed of a brief vocal clip speaking over the audio. Pop this one in when you feel like leveling up your own mundane moments. For those that prefer pieces that shake it up more, however, the next one may just be the ticket you’re looking for…
For space flight
For space flight
3. “Fight For Me” by lynchobite
Straight up? I’d love to hear this track in a videogame. Not in the sense that it’s repetitive background noise not meant to distract, but that it’s utterly, supremely atmospheric. The kind of work that tickles the corners of your mind, surreal and a little untouchable like the first few moments of waking up from a dream.
Vague, haunting vocal samples define this piece right off the bat and the violin that kicks in halfway is nothing short of mesmerizing. It’s something I’d love to accompany me as I explore mysterious corridors in a dark level or the stretch of a vast, empty moon. ‘Til that game gets made, I’ll just conjure up fantastic scenarios in my head every time I hit play. This is definitely not one to skip. Even if the lyrics in the beginning are a little creepy. Find more of their work over on Soundcloud.
Come closer, don’t make me ask again
Breaking my heart with your lies again
4. “Cashmere Cat” by Mirror Maru
Let’s continue with a little gem I found while browsing Soundcloud. If you’re wanting something chill and just a touch off-beat, this is a prime choice. It twinkles with a peculiar sort of grace, standing out with its gentle piano and the faintest hint of rolling drums to create a mysterious mood. I’m not quite sure what to call that chair-squeaking soundbite heard more and more often in songs as of late, but that’s in here, too. It’s good. …I’m off to Google to figure out what this is called, because this completely messed up my sentence flow.
An experimental piece with a memorable melody, this is a great in-between for those that want some flavor without going too far in any one direction.
5. “Beautiful Light” by Uppermost
For those wondering how much they want to be shaking it up or melting into pleasant background noise, ‘Beautiful Light’ is the middleman to round out the list. I’ve said before I’m not overly fond of too much redundancy in my music (a primary reason why I avoid techno like a carton of spoiled milk), but this rule is broken easily if it’s stylistic or unbelievably catchy. This is the latter. Like a more conventional song it has a lead-in and a hook, with both blending together in a way that feels quite natural.
A high-pitched vocal sample provides the main hook in a poppy and consistent beat, like a Nightcore remix that’s 90% less obnoxious, and becomes addicting before you know it. Oh, fuck it. It’s way better than Nightcore. Forget I said anything and just give this one a shot if you want an instrumental that’s as cheerful as it is catchy.
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Like what you hear? Got any suggestions? Stay tuned for my next Sharing The Goodness where I’ll be doubling back and looking at more R&B and chill-pop!
dragonsandflowers 