Man, these lists are tough to assemble. So why do I does this? Mostly because I enjoy the exercise of reviewing the tons and tons of music that is released over the year. It's a more active and intentional listening mode that I switch to at this time of year. I love checking out other lists to see what I may have missed. But mostly I'm just a music dork who likes lists. So here it is my favorite ambient music of 2022.
My Top 10 Ambient Albums of 2022
- Ecovillage - The Road Not Taken [Laaps]
- Snufmumriko - Radio Mnemosyne [Dronarivm]
- Man Watching the Stars - The Sextant of a Blind Seafarer
- Gylden - Island Friend [Seil]
- Nils Frahm - Music For Animals [Leiter]
- Glåsbird - Himalaya [Whitelabrecs]
- Alio Die & Dirk Serries - The Chapters Of The Eclipse [Projekt]
- Tapani Rinne & Juha Maki-Patola - Open [Hush Hush Records]
- Oren Ambarchi, Johan Berthling, Andreas Werliin - Ghosted [Drag City]
- Tapes and Topographies - Modalities [Simulacra]
Here's the rest of the list in alphabetical order:
- 't Geruis - Bain D'Étoiles [Laaps]
- 't Geruis - Slow Dance on Moss Beds [Lost Tribe Sound]
- Adrian Copeland - If This Were My Body [Lost Tribe Sound]
- Alio Die - Distillation of Time & Spirals of Light [Hic Sunt Leones]
- Austin Rockman - Our Own Unknown [Krysalisound]
- Calm Whale - Awaken Earth
- CELL - Onwards System [Ultimae]
- Deepchord - Functional Designs [Soma]
- Glåsbird - Cinéma Noir [Whitelabrecs]
- Harry Towell & Guy Gelem - Restful Spaces [Polar Seas]
- Heavenchord - Field Recordings #4 [Secret Domain]
- Inhmost - Space & Awareness [Tonight’s Dream Records]
- Jarguna - Neogene [Projekt]
- Jason Kolàr - Liquid Rhythm [Dauw]
- Jens Pauly - 1989 [Whitelabrecs]
- Johann Johannsson - Drone Mass [DG]
- Louigi Verona - Journeys on Google Earth
- Michael Scott Dawson - Music For Listening
- Moss Covered Technology - Brick & Air [Audiobulb]
- Oren Ambarchi - Shebang [Drag City]
- Pan-American - The Patience Folder [Kranky]
- Polaroid Notes - Cloud Anthems [Whitelabrecs]
- Romeo Poirier - Living Room [Faitiche]
- Ruven Nunez - Untitled #51 [Longform Editions]
- S. van der Toorn - vervlogenheden i-xi [Aural Canyon]
- Scattered Light - D.A. #017 A.D. 2022 [Dust Archive]
- Seabuckthorn - Of No Such Place [Laaps]
- Son of Chi & Arthur Fink - The Fifth World Recordings [Astral Industries]
- State Azure - Nova Sonus [2022]
- Steve Tibbetts - Hellbound Train [ecm]
- Tapani Rinne & Juha Maki-Patola - Open [Hush Hush Records]
- Tapes and Topographies - Amplitudes [Whitelabrecs]
- Taylor Deupree - Harbor [Laaps]
- The Lonely Bell - Kingdoms Of The Deep
- Toàn - Phonolite [Krysalisound]
- William Basinski & Janek Schaefer - “ . . . on reflection [Temporary Residence]
I've done three separate mixes to celebrate the best ambient music of 2022 and I will post one a day.
Cheers!
T R A C K L I S T :
- 00:00 Ecovillage - Silent River(ft. Henrik Meierkord & Ruven Nunez) (The Road Not Taken - Laaps)
- 03:10 Jens Pauly - Vast (1989 - Whitelabrecs)
- 08:40 't Geruis - la petite riviere (Slow Dance on Moss Beds - Lost Tribe Sound)
- 13:00 William Basinski & Janek Schaefer - . . . on reflection(one) (“ . . . on reflection " - Temporary Residence)
- 19:41 Scattered Light - A.D. 2022 - SP#086 (D.A. #017 - A.D. 2022 - Dust Archive)
- 23:36 Man Watching the Stars - Sakkyoku • 55 Cancri (The Sextant of a Blind Seafarer)
- 29:10 Harry Towell & Guy Gelem - Montague's Creek (Restful Spaces - Polar Seas)
- 36:05 Inhmost - So Far Away (Space & Awareness - Tonight's Dream Records)
- 40:12 Glåsbird - Vansa (Himalaya - Whitelabrecs)
- 44:30 Johann Johannsson - To Fold & Remain Dormant (Drone Mass - DG)
- 47:54 Tapes and Topographies - The First of Many Moons (Modalities - Simulacra)
- 51:54 S. van der Toorn - vervlogenheid i (vervlogenheden i-xi - Aural Canyon)
- 55:08 Michael Scott Dawson - Summerfallow (Music For Listening)
- 57:51 Pan•American - Swimming in a Western Hotel (The Patience Fader - Kranky)
- 60:30 end
