Music for relaxation

Ok, I'd like some tips on music for relaxation/meditation, preferably instrumental. Preferably something without sounds jumping out at you. Uhm, yeah, that's all I had to ask.

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Jam it back in, in the dark.

The main contenders I always think of when I think of relaxation/meditation would be Enigma and Delerium. I also find Akira Yamaoka's Silent Hill soundtracks to be relaxing, maybe not the first Silent Hill soundtrack (unless you want nightmares), but i'd recommend the 3rd and 4th soundtracks for relaxation. There are some acoustic song writers that I find relaxing, Damien Rice, Alexi Murdoch, Amos Lee are just a few. Javier Navarrete's score for Pan's Labyrinth is beautiful, very relaxing. Also, Michael Andrews score for Donnie Darko is one to check out.

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I usually find Ulver's modern work to be amazing chill music. They play trip-hop/ambient stuff these days and they have a few instrumental albums - Check out Svidd Neger and Lyckantropen Themes.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

For relaxing, normally i use erhu music. My favorite artist in this gender is Jia Peng Fang... i recommend.

I like a lot of Solar Field, but is eletronic and a bit more pulsing music.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Stars of the Lid

Labradford

Fennesz

Grouper

I was speaking idiomatically.

I was going to suggest to try some minimal, until I realised it was for relaxation instead of putting you to sleep.

Groove Armada always helps me relax. =D

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

I have two really good reccommendations for you.

1. An Evening With John Petrucci and Jordan Rudess. The gutiarist and keyboarist of Dream Theater performed a show where they just played a bunch of mellow, extremely chilled out songs in front of a crowd. It's an excellent listen, especially for Dream Theater fans.

2. Greg Graffin - Cold as the Clay. The frontman of Bad Religion put out a folk album last year that ranks as my favorite album of 2006. His voice lends itself brilliantly to the material, and it's always a pleasure to listen to.

How ya doing, buddy?

Hmmm, I say go check out this thread.
DJ Momo
It is Awesome!! This person has tracks that are so good.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Buddha bar's softer songs are great for relaxation, very exotic. I'll hook you up with a torrent if you need it.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

I posted this in another thread:

Originally Posted by Sepharite

Here's the first movement to Gorecki's Symphony #3. I listen to this every morning and night, it's basically a ritual. Despite how cheesy this may sound, but it calms my soul and never fails to do so, even after listening to it the 10000th time xD.

Henryk Gorecki - Symphony No.3 Op.36 - Symphony Of Sorrowful Songs MVT1
Henryk Gorecki - Symphony No.3 Op.36 - Symphony Of Sorrowful Songs MVT2/3

And here's my favourite comtemporary choir composer, Eric Whitacre:

Various Eric Whitacre.rar

I've only selected the few that I think are the best from his album (and to fit the MF upload limit).

And the final one for tonight (I love my 6mb/s upload speed), Various musical scores by Japanese Ryuichi Sakamoto. There are one or two pieces that aren't exactly "relaxing", but I put it in there for the heck of it.

Ryuichi Sakamoto - Cinemage.rar

I hope you enjoy these. =)

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Piano music, such as the Final Fantasy piano collections CDs or something classical (I'm a big fan of Beethoven personally). I'd also really recommend the soundtrack for Finding Neverland. Beautiful quiet music much of the time, and the stuff that isn't as quiet is still understated.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

I tend to relax to music made by the likes of Boards of Canada or sometimes shoegaze like Autumn's Grey Solace or Love Spirals Downwards. Very dreamy stuff.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

I find organ music is good for relaxation. Ok, so it depends on the work, but if you can find J.S. Bach's 'the Art of Fugue' recorded on organ, you'll see what I mean. Also, choral works in general (I'm thinking of Franz Liszt's Christus right now) can really help me relax.

I was speaking idiomatically.

I usually listen to Gregorian Chants for relaxing music (no, not the group who remixes pop songs to chant-like tunes). YouTube has most of them.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

for vocals tracy chapman's stuff is mostly relaxing guitar and she has a pretty soft voice in most of her songs. Otherwise I find movie music like the chronicles of narnia and finding neverland. Thomas leeb plays some pretty relaxing guitar too.

FELIPE NO

I'd have to agree with cesura and go with some Final Fantasy piano music. It always relaxes me whenever I'm feeling a bit stressed. Either that or anything classical such as Beethoven or Mozart is always very relaxing to listen to.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

I'll second the recommendation for Boards of Canada. I'd also recommend My Bloody Valentine and Slowdive for some more shoegaze.

I'm going throw in Sigur Ros and M83 - Digital Shades Vol. 1 as well. Sigur Ros is an icelandic post-rock band that's really chill, and M83 is all electronic.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

I find Agalloch's stuff to be pretty relaxing. The White EP is a great start. Porcupine Tree - Voyage 34 is basically a fantastic Pink Floyd-esque album. And check out Opeth - Damnation which has some great progressive/acoustic rock elements. Though it does lean more towards the dark side a bit.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Give Nine Inch Nails' new Ghosts album a try. It's all instrumental, and is really a pretty amazing album.

If Boards of Canada fits the bill, you might also want to check out I Am Robot And Proud, or Goddamn Electric Bill. Electronic instrumental stuff that's in the same vein.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

For relaxation, I recommend Yesterday's New Quintet's "Sound Directions: The Funky Side of Life", The Herbaliser's "Very Mercenary", Mono's "Formica Blues", DJ Shadow's "Endtroducing" & "The Private Press", Bonobo "Days To Come" and RJD2's "Deadringer". All ace albums and you can find every one of them (except for The Herbaliser, I think) in the Music Exposure Club thread.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Originally Posted by jouhou

Hmmm, I say go check out this thread.
DJ Momo
It is Awesome!! This person has tracks that are so good.

I'll second this. Downloaded two of the albums and they work pretty well.

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As far as ambient albums go, Aphex Twin's "Selected Ambient Works Volume II" is one of my favourites. It's a great mood-setter, and can easy lull you into sleep or subconsciousness. Brain Eno's "Ambient 1 - Music for Airports" is pretty fantastic also. Some of the tracks from Naoki Kenji's "Tozai" come to mind as being awesomely atmospheric and spacey, with some really nice jazz undertones. Tracks 2 and 3 specifically, but the whole album's good, if a little upbeat in places.

As far as world and new age music goes, Ron Korb's "Japanese Mysteries" is a personal favourite, with its infectious flute melodies and subdued, soothing soundscapes. And the entire Windham Hills label will surely relax you. "Windham Hill: The First Ten Years" is an album you should definitely check out if you enjoy some good new age. Tracks 1 and 16 on disc 1 are surefire relaxation hits.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

I usually just search songs under the genre Lo-Fi or Low Fidelity. It much like chillout+lounge. Most of them are instrumental but once in a while you come across one song with more than one line of lyrics. Most of D'sound's songs are very relaxing.. like Smooth Escape, Baby and If You Get Scared. OM Lounge, City Lounge, Caramel Tea, Bedroom Lounge, Erotic Lounge (don't be fooled by this one...it sounds normal to me..except the names of some of the songs), Lounge for Lovers, D'sound, and Xenogears Light. Are usually the calmers in my playlist

FELIPE NO

I would suggest the artist Nujabes. Anything by him is pretty relaxing.

Some personal ones are Hot Water Music (band name), Atmosphere (free cd for download on myspace), and Chris Isaak.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

finding neverland is always nice, apparently I was given an infraction for this post

Jam it back in, in the dark.