Ask Lemmy

Bear with me: Beiguan music.

It's traditional Chinese music with tinny horns, drums and symbols. Close your eyes and imagine a temple procession slowly and loudly passing by, puppets, costumes, dancers, musicians, firecrackers, the smell of street food and general din of human enjoyment.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iohWrjSVnb4

If you want something less chaotic, a gamelan orchestra is like rain decided to hold a soiree.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEWCCSuHsuQ

And then when you're ready to feel the waves break over your soul, it's time for Taiko drumming.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZagsLrNzg3I

This is a weird one, but I'm going to say Thunder, Lightning, Strike by The Go! Team. It has the vibe of kids playing on a playground in the 80s and 90s. Like, double Dutch jump rope, neon colors, excited chatter... Pure, innocent joy. It isn't actually about any of those things, but the way the band uses samples, lots of trumpet (the most triumphant instrument), and the sung/rapped/chanted/cheered vocals really make it feel like that. It's not experimental though, these are catchy, banger pop songs. One of my favorite albums of all time.

Veil of Imagination by Wilderun

Sigh - Imaginary Sonicscape

KOAN Sound - Polychrome. Everything these guys do is amazing but I feel like this album in particular has an unmatched vibe.

Music by Cavelight by Blockhead. My fav stoned album of all time, probably.

DJ Krush: Code 4109

DJ Shadow: Endtroducing

Works of art

The consequences album by Godley and creme. I don't think I've ever found another fan haha

Miles Davis On the Corner

The Velvet Underground & Nico

Boards of Canada Music has the Right to Children

KNOWER FOREVER

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2F0oTqfL3E

I discovered Hirasawa Susumu through his work on the Paprika soundtrack and later his other albums thanks to the magic of Youtube. I'm not even sure how to describe it, it's a whole world. There's this album (Kyusai no giho). I'm not a big fan of japanese music otherwise, but this ? I've never heard anything remotely like this. And it seems so coherent, so... mature, in a way.

Great idea for a thread btw, will have to peruse the replies

Waltari - Yeah! Yeah! Die! Die! Death Metal Symphony in Deep C

One of the first collaborations of a metal band with a classical orchestra. That kind of stuff became more commonplace later, but this mix of death metal, classical music and all kinds of other influences remains unique to this day.

Televisions Marquee moon

Not sure if it fits the assignment, but the first two Human League albums from the 70s (Reproduction and Travelogue) are analogue synth brilliance. If you can find the expanded version of Reproduction with the Dignity of Labour EP & flexidisc conversation added, even better.

Deep Forest

Laurie Anderson Mister Heartbreak https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mister_Heartbreak

Alek and the Drummer - May a Lightning Bolt Caress You

The dwarf fortress soundtrack slaps so much harder than it has any right to

https://youtu.be/W2Df3_k9PGM?si=H7nKAV94ixSLNJZU

Global Goon: Plastic Orchestra one of my my favorite albums of the year, and very unique. Global Goon is really underappreciated and i think they are amazing.

Red Gone Wild (redman). Incredible piece of art. There are layers upon layers of instruments perfectly mastered. And redman is firreee.

Some more modern/mainstream ones:

I love Janelle Monae and the Archandroid albums are fantastic.

Alt-J, we saw them live and my kids said "I just want to lay on the ground and listen", and that's a pretty good description of it.

AWOLNATION, the music is heavy but nice to sleep to, it is dreamy in some way.

Formless by Gridlock made me an IDM convert.

The most recent one that comes to my mind is HEADACHE - The head hurts but the heart knows the truth