Ambient 1: Music for Airports cover

Ambient 1: Music for Airports

Released

Fun fact one: I can’t listen to this without dissolving. It got me through one breakup and one death, and it has never failed me yet. Fun fact two: the album that brought the word “ambient” into wide use is built on a sturdy, very noticeable melody, which happens to be very slow. Or, more precisely, “1/1,” the opening track, is built on that kind of melody. The other three tracks rely on clouds of wordless singing, combined with piano and synth. These do, in fact, align with what Spotify is telling you ambient sounds like. 1978! Your boy simply went the fuck off and changed how music works.

Sasha Frere-Jones

Recommended by

Suggestions
Succour cover

Succour

Seefeel
Hand in Hand cover

Hand in Hand

Félicia Atkinson
Long As In Short, Walk As In Run cover

Long As In Short, Walk As In Run

Annie Lewandowski, Fred Frith
Rebirth Of A Nation cover

Rebirth Of A Nation

Kronos Quartet, DJ Spooky
Bellowing Sun cover

Bellowing Sun

Mind Over Mirrors
London Bridge Live In Zurich 1990 cover

London Bridge Live In Zurich 1990

Docklands Sinfonietta, Mike Westbrook, Kate Westbrook
Polyhymnia cover

Polyhymnia

Yazz Ahmed
Mannerlaatta cover

Mannerlaatta

Mika Vainio