The Music Recommendation Thread

[Bahamut]

So, I know the other one a while ago has died out, but this is something I think anyone open-minded to exploring genres would be happy for. Just list a recommendation, and the genre, and I will edit it in or under this post under the appropriate genre mentioned (or corrected), as well as potentially some neutral/positive commentary & links to some music.

[Bahamut]

Shoutout to Overcoat's thread here for free music: http://www.ocremix.org/forums/showthread.php?t=6241

(feel free to correct genres 'n stuff)

Electronic

Ambient

Paul Schwartz - in particular, I would recommend his Aria & Aria 2 albums. They are home to some gorgeous ambient & trance opera.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQT0HQ04o1U (forgive the fact that it's a link to a Sailor Moon AMV)

Delerium - the unlikely side project of industrial band Front Line Assembly, this ambient & at times poppish project sports some interesting work, at times very emotive with the music.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zytXVYr6Imw

Trance

zircon - our very own jdgfgt, his Antigravity album is a good entry point for progressive trance fans looking for some more than the stale cookiecutter untz untz
http://cdbaby.com/cd/zircon3 (check the songs out from the embedded players on the left side)

Trip Hop

Massive Attack - the group credited with starting the genre with their Blue Lines album, which currently has grabbed me,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fG8eQBSp9Ao

Air - French trip hop/downtempo group, relatively low key, but they have made some pretty quality songs over the years
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwICpeFM3R8

Portishead - another one of the first trip hop groups, and probably the most recognized, definitely should be one of the first stops to check out for those curious about trip hop
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vg1jyL3cr60

Downtempo

Zero 7 - Big downtempo duo, they rose to fame from working on remixes of Radiohead and for consistent quality on their songs. I have not heard any negativity spoken about this group, which bodes well for a group that took advantage of the chances they got to prove themselves
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jj6yXxVc21Y

Chiptune

virt - the famed video game music songwriter & remixer, his chiptunes exhibit a wide range of styles, and are certainly entertaining in general, especially live
http://www.8bitpeoples.com/discography_gfx.php?artist=Virt#8BP071

Metal

Power Metal

Sonata Arctica - one of the Finnish giants of power metal at the moment, they have put out a lot of well received songs & boast of incredibly melodic based songs with a good dose of technicality
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5F7WG-2JX2k

Symphony X - a popular progressive power metal band that has been maturing greatly with their past few efforts, this band keeps showing why it has such a strong fanbase with their music
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hc4dHD8Ippc

DragonForce - one of the benefactors of Youtube, this band rose to popularity almost completely on the merit of their speed. Despite being derided as the masters of one song, they have put out a few songs that merit listens
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n34o4ed9ab0

Children of Bodom - one of the biggest names of metal (& also most misclassified), their blend of harsh vocals & aggressive guitar playing is unique to the power metal genre, and has garnered CoB many fans from outside those typically found in the genre, and even those typically found in metal.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUOE9wYamfg

Angra - incredible progressive/power metal band, they are brimming with quite a vision in song writing in general, especially after the vocalist change.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbeQU...eature=related (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbeQUebBhJ0&feature=related) (an instrumental display, the original song has lyrics as well)

Machinae Supremacy - this band deviates from traditional power metal bands in that they make use of the SID sounds to take the place of the traditional keyboard role
http://www.machinaesupremacy.com/ (click 'Releases' and then 'Webography')

Helloween - the most classic band in this genre, they helped lay out the abstraction lyrically that is found rooted in developed concepts, although with the more later stuff, they changed over to the more technical edge found in most of the big name power metal bands
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKMZvTD78F4

Death Metal

Arch Enemy - the melodic death metal band that sports a female vocalist that growls, this band takes a unique approach to the genre, and has planted itself firmly as a staple of it
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9AcG0glVu4

In Flames - probably the most famed & recognized band in the genre, this band laid down many of the standards in its works, although it has drifted away & returned to the genre in the most recent past
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ul-hqg_iPo

Into Eternity - the Canadian progressive death metal band, it has the special elements that their vocalist mixes in clean vocals expected in power metal & growling typical to the genre, and deviates from the standard monotonous song structure that has stagnated much of death metal
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mm-RGms9Kn0


Rock

Hard Rock

S.S.H. - a favorite of many on OCR, this hard rock artist rearrangements video game music songs with the distinct flavor of Japanese synth rock
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8S3B-8DSOI

Thin Lizzy - one of the overlooked greats of the 70s & 80s, this metal & hard rock band has run the gamut with its music (although now it exists as purely a touring entity). It's a wonder why such a band that has put out this much good music hasn't been more popular
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yfkNcrNUO0

Folk Rock

Splashdown - a very interesting fusion of electronic music & folk rock, not to mention featuring one of the members of Freezepop (Kasson Crooker, also the Audio Director of Harmonix). As Sinewav suggested, I'd definitely recommend grabbing the first album in the subsequent link, "Stars and Garters"
http://www.sadena.com/music/splashdown/


Genre????

Shael Riley - our lovable Disk Masta Smokabitch, Shael has put out two albums in the past year or two or so, and captured much love for his catchy and random songs
http://shaelriley.com/

[1337 1]

I would have classed zircon as electronic, but let's face it, since "The World Circuit", I don't think he can be easily described by any one genre :P

[Soma]

Is this thread for "real" music or like videogame-ish music? Kidding.. har har.

I've been listening to the band "air" recently, it's ambient electronia(maybe? guessing ) It's really relaxing and it makes me want to cry a little bit. The CD i have is called "Pocket Symphony", they have 2 other Cd's also but I haven't gotten to them yet. It's been a very long time since I've listened to a CD all the way through much less leave it on repeat for hours, and Pocket Symphony is one of those.

[SLyGeN]

Tactical Sekt.

If DDR went satanic, they would play this. That's not to imply that the sound is grating, but it's certainly not some japanese chick singing about sunshine.

[Tensei]

(Melodic) Death Metal

Arch Enemy - Excellent Production values, arrangements of near-prog metal complexity, virtuosic instrumentalists and an AWESOME female vocalist make this band a must-hear for anyone who isn't instantly turned off by growled vocals. Also, they're catchy =)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9AcG0glVu4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4sk8Eyy-ns

In Flames - The veterans of the genre, they're still going strong nowadays, except they've made their music a LOT more accesible (catchier lyrics and melodies, less emphasis on heavy riffing etc.). If you watch this video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OubCWNgzgM) wait at least until the chorus before you decide it sucks, because it's just that damn awesome.


Children of Bodom - By far my favorite band from this genre, perhaps even my favorite band period. Their music is a unique melange of different metal subgenres, but all that matters is that their music is absolutely stunning, their leadguitarist/vocalist has some incredible solo's up his sleeve, and yes, their songs are possibly even catchier than the previous two bands =)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3J7iThdiXQ0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUOE9wYamfg


Power Metal/ Synth Power Metal

Dragonforce - How can you be on a forum centered around video game music and not suggest this band? They're loud, they're fast, and they try to mimic classical NES/c64/atari/whatever sounds with their guitars, so what's there not to like?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6cK-nDd_bI

Sonata Arctica - One of the veterans of the genre, but judging by their latest single they're still awesome as ever. Amazing Synth & Guitar soloing, very emotive and evocative vocals & melodies are what defines this band as 'epic' =3

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1zkXdqcajk

S.S.H. - Pretty much the artist that defines Synth Metal for me: Sampled guitars, incredibly high tempi and high energy synths are what he's all about. His sequencing is some the best I've ever heard and all his songs have an uplifting, energetic quality to them (hence why I put it under power metal). Known mostly for doing stunning remixes of videogame tunes, and adding several minute synth and guitar solo's to them, definitely check him out :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojGDgnGAtTk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U75szPTGoBw

[Sinewav]

Cool thread. Do I need to post in a particular format, or is just listing a few music acts ok? Here are some that I like.

Splashdown
This band is really good, but really hard to describe. Wikipedia says they are a "combination of electronica, rock, jazz, and Middle-Eastern influences." Since the band broke up, they actually encourage people to find their songs online and download them for free (http://www.sadena.com/music/splashdown/). I'd highly recommend the album "Stars and Garters".

Our very own Shael Riley
This is one of my favorite albums. No, I'm not joking. When I downloaded his album Toybox (http://shaelriley.com/toybox/) (which is also available online for free), I was expecting 12 tracks of Music of My Groin (not that it would have been bad thing). Instead I was very surprised to hear a very unique blend of chiptune and pop music which he calls "Bit Pop", and some of the catchiest melodies I've heard in a while. And of course all of this is done with Shael's special sense of humor.

Machinae Supremacy
This Swedish band, self-defined as "SID Metal", combines awesome riffs and solos with a lot of Commodore 64 SID chippage to back it up. Their vocals are very catchy and melodic. A lot of people I've talked to say the singer's voice grates on their nerves. They have several instrumental songs if this my be the case for you. Personally, I like the vocals, and if you take the time to get used to them, you'll wind up enjoying his unique style. They have 2 albums available for purchase (both of which I would recommend), but they have over 30 songs on their website for free download (http://www.machinaesupremacy.com/), in mp3 and ogg format. I'd recommend trying out some of the stuff toward the middle of the list and then check out the other stuff if you like it.

[anosou]

I'm joining the fun.

Xploding Plastix
Well-crafted, incredible sounding and moody IDM from Norway. You will not find a band I love more than Xploding Plastix. Ever. Every sound is fitting and the combination of instruments, synths and well programmed drums is just amazing. Sadly they're not that famous and these two were the only two songs I could find on youtube. There are better ones.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=dxT7RW3sqvg - Donca Matic, synthetic atmospheric yet bouncy IDM
http://youtube.com/watch?v=4Dm4y9s9vjA - Joy comes in the morning, Sample based jazz/orchestral stuff. This is just too amazing.

Familjen
Swedish electro-pop with the greatest accent known to mankind, Skånska. Catchy, well made and so incredibly good. If this doesn't make you dance you suck.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=QfU-4Y4_akY - Det snurrar i min skalle, the hit.

Maps and Atlases
Incredible math pop/rock. Sadly there aren't any good videos of their music as a band, only crappy live performances. Enjoy this solo performance by the singer instead.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=nXYWu99MDcg The Ongoing Horrible, beautiful song with some unorthodox guitar playing.

Oysterhead
Wonderful jam-rock from Les Claypool, Trey Anastasio (from Phish) and Stewart Copeland. Filled with funk, fun and straight up great music. Also they are fucking amazing live. really.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=L5hu4WuJaAY - The army's on extasy jam part 2 - Great jam, really shows how great Stewart Copeland is. Did I mention he did the early Spyro the Dragon soundtracks? :D

Les Claypool
Really. One of the most creative bass players around. His solo work is just way better than Primus.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=UqtAaYhhVYQ - One Better, straight up funky. Great bassline.

Hella
Math rock. The best math rock you can possibly find. The craziest drummer in the world. This is super-technical but to me, still very musical and an amazing listen. Also the guitarist, Spencer, plays drums in The Advantage. You know the NES cover band? Isn't life great? :D
http://youtube.com/watch?v=jdMDcG3zAEI - Biblical Violence, you will not find a more interesting live video, ever. Just LOOK at them play!
http://youtube.com/watch?v=y3OZTcNACSY - The Things That People Do when They Think No One's Looking, Hella as a bigger band and from the studio. Great sound and more listenable for everyone. Still crazy like hell though.

Jeremy Ellis
Detroit MPC-wiz, keyboard player and singer Jeremy Ellis recently did some demos for Propellerheads Reason (yeah, he uses it) and that's how I discover him. His albums are amazing but it's his improvisational skills that's the shit.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=5MZl7pHF1NQ - Improv with Reason, Jeremy Ellis improvises some beats live. Amazing keyboard player.

Regina Spektor
One of the most beautiful women alive and an amazing songwriter. Her music goes right to the heart with her peculiar singing and piano playing. This is pure musical joy.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=L4ASGx-8BZI 20 years of snow, beautiful song with great lyrics.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=9pKujuTgtL0 Us, another amazing song that also shows how beautiful she is :3


ok that's it for now, gotta go to work

[Imagist]

Is this thread for "real" music or like videogame-ish music? Kidding.. har har.

I've been listening to the band "air" recently, it's ambient electronia(maybe? guessing ) It's really relaxing and it makes me want to cry a little bit. The CD i have is called "Pocket Symphony", they have 2 other Cd's also but I haven't gotten to them yet. It's been a very long time since I've listened to a CD all the way through much less leave it on repeat for hours, and Pocket Symphony is one of those.

Air's released five studio albums, actually, including the soundtrack to a film called The Virgin Suicides. They're all pretty good, although I haven't heard Pocket Symphony yet. For those interested in them, Zero 7 is well worth checking out. They are in many respects similar to Air (enough so that many refer to them as "the Air of the other side of the Channel", although there are enough differences that such a claim is unfair).

[HalcyonSpirit]

I'm surprised no one's mentioned this guy yet:

Andy McKee
Solo Acoustic Guitar

Andy McKee is one of the most emotive acoustic guitarists I have heard play, if not the most emotive. His music is very detailed and yet so very easy to listen to. He plays both the 6-string acoustic guitar and the harp guitar with superb skill and care. It draws you in.

Some examples of his music (you can find more on Youtube as well):
Drifting (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Ddn4MGaS3N4)
Into the Ocean (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Cvar4ZsqsEo&feature=related)
Art of Motion (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=nmE3QaGetn4&feature=related)
Nakagawa-san (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=8mYm4FhGauA&feature=related)

His three CDs are here (http://www.candyrat.com/artists/AndyMcKee/Dreamcatcher/), here (http://www.candyrat.com/artists/AndyMcKee/ArtOfMotion/), and here (http://www.candyrat.com/artists/AndyMcKee/GatesofGnomeria/).

[Bahamut]

Air's released five studio albums, actually, including the soundtrack to a film called The Virgin Suicides. They're all pretty good, although I haven't heard Pocket Symphony yet. For those interested in them, Zero 7 is well worth checking out. They are in many respects similar to Air (enough so that many refer to them as "the Air of the other side of the Channel", although there are enough differences that such a claim is unfair).

I was actually thinking of Air & Zero 7 last night, but I was too tired to type out everything (& I don't think I've explored those artists enough, although I loved Air's "Talisman" and some of Zero 7's stuff as well)...genre classification is my bane and yet I feel it is the best way to organize music on a computer.


I'll update the thread tonight with the suggestions so far & add some more of my own.

[ChloroPhil]

Dear dudes and chicks,

I recommend the rock band Ozma for their great, pseudo-epic, rock music.

www.myspace.com/ozma

That is all.

Sincerely,
Your Mother

[Avatar of Justice]

I'd like to recommend two bands that do concept albums/songs

First:

The Protomen

http://www.theprotomen.com

Their only album (2nd one is on the way) is an epic retelling of Mega Man. Yes, Mega Man. In a dystopian future, Dr. Wily rules the masses. However, Dr. Light builds Protoman to free mankind. When Protoman is defeated and destroyed, and no one raises a hand to assist him, Dr. Light builds Mega Man and tells him to not get caught up in Protoman's fight. Mega Man then struggles to decide whether he can save mankind or not. The music is great, and you need to see them live if you ever get the chance.

Second:

Symphony X

Symphony X is symphonic power metal. They have a song that is a metal retelling of The Odyssee and a concept album that is a metal retelling of Milton's Paradise Lost. Cool shit.

[Guy In Rubber Suit]

Unexpect

These Canadian metallers are just nuts. It's really difficult to pigeon hole them into a genre other than avant garde I guess. You should definitely download some songs from their website and give it a few lessons. It's very hard to digest this music.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=uutrjotwB38

Kalmah

Finnish melodic death metal, or power metal with harsh vocals as they're sometimes described. Really catchy riffs and melodies.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=rqBexdo1CME

Summoning

Symphonic black metal that is heavily influenced by Tolkien. Their early stuff is synth heavy and reminds me of RPG music at times.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=hUhEsuwp6g8

Agalloch

Considered atmospheric dark folk metal or whatever. I really enjoy them. They're from Portland, Oregon.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=z4ih3JVrRPE

[anosou]

Lots of metal here. Yup yup, looots of metal.

[Sinewav]

The Protomen

http://www.theprotomen.com

Their only album (2nd one is on the way) is an epic retelling of Mega Man. Yes, Mega Man. In a dystopian future, Dr. Wily rules the masses. However, Dr. Light builds Protoman to free mankind. When Protoman is defeated and destroyed, and no one raises a hand to assist him, Dr. Light builds Mega Man and tells him to not get caught up in Protoman's fight. Mega Man then struggles to decide whether he can save mankind or not. The music is great, and you need to see them live if you ever get the chance.

I was actually going to make another post and mention these guys. They're great. Besides the fact that it's a friggin' rock opera about friggin' Mega Man, it also is chalk-full of catchy, original riffs and melodies. All of the songs have a different sound, so it doesn't get too repetitive (except the 2nd track, which I don't particularly care for). Definitely one of my all time favorite albums.

[Space Lion]

Symphony X

Symphony X is symphonic power metal. They have a song that is a metal retelling of The Odyssee and a concept album that is a metal retelling of Milton's Paradise Lost. Cool shit.I'll second the recommendation for Symphony X. If you're going for their concept work, then do not pass up "V: The New Mythology Suite". Also, for non-concept work, don't miss "The Divine Wings of Tragedy" and "Twilight in Olympus".

As for my music recommendation...

Fusion

Planet X

You should definitely check out their "Moonbabies" and "Universe" albums, which both feature Tony MacAlpine on guitar. Their latest album, "Quantum", is definitely their best work to date.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=If-VkxUxxsg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rchSQ5j9pEA

T-Square

Masahiro Andoh composed and arranged most of the music for the Gran Turismo and Arc the Lad games. But that stuff doesn't really showcase his great guitar work or his band's talent. Start with a few of their earlier albums, like "Blue in Red", "B.C. A.D.", and "Welcome to the Rose Garden".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiG8l3sg1LY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_0U-mH1lPY

[Nicholestien]

I recommend...

Rob Dougan - not sure..
DJ Krush - trip hop
Portishead - trip hop
Massive Attack - trip hop
Toshiro Masuda - Anime soundtracks
Dopamine - Dance/Techno/Trance
Wavetraxx - Trance
Gatecrasher Immortal - Trance
Shifty - London Rapper
The Prodigy - not sure which genre..
Daniel Mudford - I like his normality soundtrack from shawn of the dead.
Air - Chill out music
Planet X - New Metal
Shiro Sagisu - Anime Soundtracks

[Bahamut]

I have to say about Symphony X, I wasn't terribly impressed with most of their pre-The Odyssey songs. I think their latest album kicks major ass though and easily is my pick of album of 2007 so far.

Here's one more for the thread as I get it updated:

Angra - incredible progressive/power metal band, they are brimming with quite a vision in song writing in general, especially after the vocalist change.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbeQUebBhJ0&feature=related (an instrumental display, the original song has lyrics as well)

Edit: I would have classed zircon as electronic, but let's face it, since "The World Circuit", I don't think he can be easily described by any one genre :P

To be fair, trance isn't the most accurate classification of zircon's work for the most part - he generally has been doing big beat. However, with his latest album, it sports more trance & downtempo in it as well. I got sick of trying to recall what genre would fit the most there and just stuck him under trance. I'm sure Global Trance would be able to fix that real fast though if he saw the thread (as well as give us a dosage of more traditional trance artists to check out).

Edit #2: Dear dudes and chicks,

I recommend the rock band Ozma for their great, pseudo-epic, rock music.

www.myspace.com/ozma (http://www.myspace.com/ozma)

That is all.

Sincerely,
Your Mother

I did say I would add suggestions but...the first song I heard "Heartache or Heartbreak" featured some off key singing, which begs the question to all, should we set some guidelines here for what should be recommended? So far most of the recommendations here have been well worth mentioning, but of course that might not always be the case.

[Imagist]

If we're going to touch some areas of music, such as, say, indie or garage rock, then we're likely to be delving into low-caliber vocals and relatively poor production values regardless. Personally, I don't think it's a matter of guidelines for music quality, but rather guidelines for recommendations--i.e., don't advertise a band as something it's not, and don't gloss over aspects of their sound that are key to the audience. The easiest way to guard against this would be to suggest that posters include, as ChloroPhil did, a link so people can listen first-hand.

[ILLiterate]

David Axelrod - The man is brilliant, Songs of Experience is one of my favorite albums ever made

If you haven't heard "This Binary Universe" from BT, you're missing out on some of the best music ever made

[1337 1]

If we're going to touch some areas of music, such as, say, indie or garage rock, then we're likely to be delving into low-caliber vocals and relatively poor production values regardless. Personally, I don't think it's a matter of guidelines for music quality, but rather guidelines for recommendations--i.e., don't advertise a band as something it's not, and don't gloss over aspects of their sound that are key to the audience. The easiest way to guard against this would be to suggest that posters include, as ChloroPhil did, a link so people can listen first-hand.

Agreed. After all, this thread is for , as Bahamut put it, "anyone open-minded to exploring genres". Generally speaking, that implies that you are going to find a lot of stuff that is inevitably not to your liking, for whatever reason.

[Guy In Rubber Suit]

Angra - incredible progressive/power metal band, they are brimming with quite a vision in song writing in general, especially after the vocalist change.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbeQUebBhJ0&feature=related (an instrumental display, the original song has lyrics as well)




I second Angra. My favorite power metal band.


Larry Coryell


This is for fans of melodic guitar jazz. This guy is freaking brilliant. I recommend picking up Spaces Revisited if you want to hear some incredible musicianship from the guitars, bass and drums.

http://www.larrycoryell.net/page.php?2 (some music samples)

Rodrigo Y Gabriela

This guitar duo is absolutely astounding. They blend flamenco with rock elements all on acoustic guitars. Gabriela plays the guitar percussively while Rodrigo regularly provides the musical backup but neither is a slouch in playing.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=-lvMQCmUVv8

[Kirie]

E.S. Posthumus - http://www.esposthumus.com


Splashdown
This band is really good, but really hard to describe. Wikipedia says they are a "combination of electronica, rock, jazz, and Middle-Eastern influences." Since the band broke up, they actually encourage people to find their songs online and download them for free (http://www.sadena.com/music/splashdown/). I'd highly recommend the album "Stars and Garters".

I second this greatly. A Good friend of mine introduced me to them a few years ago and got me hooked.

[jmr]

Electronic / Hip Hop

Ratatat: myspace (http://www.myspace.com/ratatatmusic) - official site (http://www.ratatatmusic.com/)

I'm honestly not sure how I would describe the music of Ratatat (I've never been that good with genres). It's like an amalgamation of rock, electronica, and hip hop elements, and yet, it doesn't seem to fit in either of these categories. While their work is largely instrumental, they have released several hip hop remix albums, the latest of which is available as a free download on their web site.

I first heard these guys in a Zune ad (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWK7rDJ2RKM), and after checking out the 'Classics (http://www.amazon.com/Classics-Ratatat/dp/B000GH3COS/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1198993992&sr=8-1)', I was hooked. Their music has this... I don't know... enthusiasm, and always puts me into a good mood.

Recommended songs: Lex (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000SFU46C/ref=dm_mu_dp_trk2?ie=UTF8&qid=1198993992&sr=8-1) (from Classics, 2006); Tacobel Canon (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000SFSJK0/ref=dm_mu_dp_trk10?ie=UTF8&qid=1198993992&sr=8-1) (from Classics, 2006); Seventeen Years (http://www.amazon.com/Seventeen-Years/dp/B000SFUFPM/ref=dm_ap_trk6?ie=UTF8&qid=1198993992&sr=8-1) (from Ratatat, 2004)

[Imagist]

Electronic / Hip Hop

Ratatat: myspace (http://www.myspace.com/ratatatmusic) - official site (http://www.ratatatmusic.com/)

I'm honestly not sure how I would describe the music of Ratatat (I've never been that good with genres). It's like an amalgamation of rock, electronica, and hip hop elements, and yet, it doesn't seem to fit in either of these categories. While their work is largely instrumental, they have released several hip hop remix albums, the latest of which is available as a free download on their web site.

I first heard these guys in a Zune ad (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWK7rDJ2RKM), and after checking out the 'Classics (http://www.amazon.com/Classics-Ratatat/dp/B000GH3COS/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1198993992&sr=8-1)', I was hooked. Their music has this... I don't know... enthusiasm, and always puts me into a good mood.

Recommended songs: Lex (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000SFU46C/ref=dm_mu_dp_trk2?ie=UTF8&qid=1198993992&sr=8-1) (from Classics, 2006); Tacobel Canon (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000SFSJK0/ref=dm_mu_dp_trk10?ie=UTF8&qid=1198993992&sr=8-1) (from Classics, 2006); Seventeen Years (http://www.amazon.com/Seventeen-Years/dp/B000SFUFPM/ref=dm_ap_trk6?ie=UTF8&qid=1198993992&sr=8-1) (from Ratatat, 2004)

Ratatat is great (and I think you did as fine describing them as anyone could, really). To all those who check out these links and are interested but not quite hooked yet, be sure to get a hold of and listen to "Loud Pipes" and "Wildcat", both from Classics. If you're not sure by the time the sample of an actual freaking wildcat roar comes in during the latter, you'll never be sure.

[Soma]

Theres been a lot of good stuff mentioned in this thread. Helped me get out of a musical rut so to speak. I enjoyed zero 7, massive attack and ratatat. I'm gonna give one of my local friends (Doug Knight) a shameless plug. here's his myspace.

http://www.myspace.com/june251980

He plays indie rock, but he plays guitar/bass/drums and vocals. He's a pretty talented guy, and maybe someone will enjoy it.

[FiremanJoe]

There's been plenty of good metal already discussed, so I'll skip that. =P

Drum & Bass
London Elektricity - For quite some time LE worked as a live band, breaking many traditions and clichés of the genre. Check out the album Power Ballads.
High Contrast - Solid dancefloor dnb.
Nu:Tone - Smooth vocal dnb; the tracks featuring Natalie Williams = hot stuff. Very sexy.
(...Basically anything on Hospital Records =P)

Breaks
Hybrid - Hybrid's music is a cinematic experience. An adventure. Listen to each album start to finish.

Breakcore
Venetian Snares - If you're new to the genre, I recommend starting with the 2005 album Rossz Csillag Alatt Szueletett. It's a beautiful mix of hard, distorted breakbeats and melancholic string samples.

Trip-hop
Portishead - Portishead can not be emphasised enough here. Dummy is one of my all time favourite albums.
Massive Attack - Blue Lines and Mezzanine are, in my opinion, their greatest albums. Must-listen.
Saltillo - A lesser-known artist in the field, but he makes some beautiful music, combining elements of trip-hop, orchestral music and drum & bass.

Hip-hop (Australian hip-hop heads represent!)
Hilltop Hoods - These guys have slick lyrics and catchy beats. A good starting point for Australian hip-hop.
The Herd - These guys take things a bit more seriously, with highly political lyrics and interesting instrumentals. Many tracks are dnb-influenced, while others have varied instrumentation, such as cello and accordion.
Unkle Ho - Member of The Herd; has released two solo albums. Both are an aural collage, crafted from a variety of world-music sources.

Progressive Trance
Above & Beyond - Their album Tri-State is one of the greatest albums I've ever heard. It's absolutely beautiful.
Vibrasphere - I think Vibrasphere originally started as a psytrance project, but lately things have been heading into prog territory, with several really peaceful downtempo tracks here and there. Very soothing stuff.

Psytrance/Goa
Talamasca - If you're a fan of the likes of Infected Mushroom, 1200 Mics and Hallucinogen, then you'll like Talamasca. There's something really addictive about the pulsing basslines here.
Malice in Wonderland - To my knowledge they've only released one EP, but it's a real kicker. This stuff is so dark it'll eat your soul.

Funk
Sound Tribe Sector 9 - These guys are renowned for their live performances and improvisation. They blend electronic sounds (I believe they use Ableton) with some really funky shit. It boggles my mind. Wow.

Avant-Garde/Experimental
Estradasphere - Estradasphere's 'Hunger Strike' is perhaps the most exhilarating piece of music I've ever heard. These guys play an amazing hybrid of jazz/folk/metal/traditional/improvisation... their musicianship is unrivalled.
Sleepytime Gorilla Museum - Metal with a violin and glockenspiel? A shrieking woman and a growling man? Yes please.

Baroque
Johann Sebastian Bach - Fugue and Toccata in D minor. The Well-Tempered Clavier (48 Preludes and Fugues). Cello Suites. I really think listening to this kind of music helps remind us that music can be an artform and not just a commercial product.

Romantic
Antonín Dvořák - Cello Concerto in B minor. Perhaps one of my favourite pieces written for cello.

[srashy]

Opeth (Progressive Rock/Progressive Metal)
A Swedish metal band that explores whos playing contains elements of 70's progressive rock and jazz, and fronted by Mikael Akerfeldt, a great vocalist whether hes singing, screaming, growling, or bree-breeing, and has impressive classically-influenced guitar skills. Their songs juxtapose brutal and intense death metal sections with soft, minimalistic folky and jazzy sections, and they don't have one single bad song across their 15+ year career. They are also becoming kind of popular right now.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFFWDUhuMDg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UxS6r49OlY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmxNl6oYmn0

Ulver (Experimental/Electronica/Black Metal/Ambient)
A trio of musical geniuses from Norway that has covered virtually every genre known to man, from black metal to trip hop. Their music is some of the most creative and original out there.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBZ6UxCGKdM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFdcf_XUAKM

Ayreon (Metal/Electronica/Folk)
A metal opera written and produced by Dutch musician Arjen Anthony Lucassen, an amazing producer. The music is impressive, it combines many genres, mainly metal and electronica, but also some folk and ethnic music. Guest vocalists range from Bruce Dickinson to Devin Townsend. Ayreon is known for their awesome layered female vocals and sci-fi/fantasy based lyrics.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsJ_YqIJ0YA

[RealFolkBlues]

Rodrigo Y Gabriela

This guitar duo is absolutely astounding. They blend flamenco with rock elements all on acoustic guitars. Gabriela plays the guitar percussively while Rodrigo regularly provides the musical backup but neither is a slouch in playing.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=-lvMQCmUVv8

Thank you. They are freaking genius.

There's a lot of metal going down here, so I'll leave off my suggestions there for now.

We need some more classical in this piece, so I'll go ahead and recommend Rachmoninoff in a big way. My second or third favorite composer (and one of my favorite pianists) in my favorite genre of music, next to maybe Chopin and Beethoven.

Amy Winehouse; very catchy jazz riffs backed up by her sultry and unique voice.

Guster; amazing musicians who do some interesting and actually good pop rock.

Killswitch Engage; yes, they're metal, but they deserve special mention because they're amazing and do LOVE metal, of all things.

Atmosphere; the MC, Slug, has amazing flow and lyrical ability and raps about stuff that's not guns and bitchs.

Scratch Track; acoustic emo rap. You read that right. Actually not really emo, just once again not talking about bling bling and such.

That's a pretty decent start from my list of favorites.

[Skrypnyk]

Ambient/IDM/Break(core):

Aphex Twin (Come to Daddy, Richard D. James Album)
Boards of Canada (Music Has the Right to Children, Geogaddi, Twoism)
Cex (Role Model, Oops I did it again!)
Venetian Snares (Rossz Csillag Allat Szuletett, Huge Chrome Cylinder Box Unfolding, My Downfall, Cavalcade Of Glee And Dadaist Happy Hardcore Pom Poms)
Sigur Ros (Takk..., (), Ágætis Byrjun)
Mr. Oizo (Analog Worms Attack)
µ-Ziq (Lunatic Harness)
Múm (Finally We Are No One)
Kid 606 (Down With the Scene)

That should keep you busy.

[Guy In Rubber Suit]

Sleepytime Gorilla Museum - Metal with a violin and glockenspiel? A shrieking woman and a growling man? Yes please.



If you like them definitely check out Unexpect. They're very experimental and avant garde with a violinist, female vocals and growling vocals. However they are more chaotic than Sleepytime Gorilla Museum.


Arsis
This is technical melodic death metal at its best. Killer riffs, quality musicianship and really sick solos.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=vpMp9ic0D4A

Atheist
A fantastic metal band that fuses thrash, death and jazz elements into a unique brand of music. Plenty of time changes and great riffing. Something that needs a couple of listens to properly digest. A little bit of a tidbit, the singer of the band apparently tried out for the position of Drowning Pool's vacant singer slot.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=sNWhqyaLOJk

Drunken Immortals
Here is a rap group that I really love. They're a local band from Phoenix. Yes I do mean band as there are about seven members or so and instead of abusing sampled beats, they play original music underneath the rhymes. The lyrics for the most part are intelligent and politically and socially conscious.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=pmtUe3qhkz0

[Imagist]

Ambient/IDM/Break(core):

Sigur Ros (Takk..., (), Ágætis Byrjun)

I'd just like to clarify that these guys don't really fit into the category given. They're more post-rock (like Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Mogwai, Do Make Say Think, and their ilk) than ambient. That said, though, they are amazing, and their recent film (a documentary of their free, unannounced tour through their home country of Iceland) is beautiful and breathtaking.

On the subject of post-rock, everyone please investigate Explosions in the Sky as soon as possible. All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone still gets me every time I listen to it, and you can even download their EP The Rescue from their website for free (http://www.explosionsinthesky.com/the_rescue.html).

[Bahamut]

Sorry I haven't updated the thread in a little while...I haven't been feeling well at all. Look for some more updates next week after MAGFest.

[OverCoat]

*ahem*

I will take this time to recommend some free music (http://www.ocremix.org/forums/showthread.php?t=6241)

I just posted the best free music of 2007 so please check that out. It's mostly electronic stuff but most of you are into that I know.

[vega12]

Music recommendations, eh? Well, I mind as well take this time to mention my favorite artist.

Shiina Ringo (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shina_Ringo)

She has done a bunch of work solo, before forming a band called Tokyo Jihen (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokyo_Jihen). Although I enjoy Tokyo Jihen's music a lot (especially their latest album), I still prefer her solo work. Her music is very varied, using lots of different instruments. Some fall under the genre jazz, others rock, and some pop, most with much overlap. She also has a very distinctive voice, which might irk some, as it took me a few listens to truly enjoy her work, but I've since grown very fond of it. If you have time, you can check out these 3 promotional videos on YouTube:

Honnou (Instinct) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIg0bgzQs30)
Yami ni Furu Ame (Rain in the Dark) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KG3hVYGjjGg)
Tsumi to Batsu (Crime and Punishment) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEP75cM4718)

[po!]

one of my favorite bands, Los Amigos Invisibles.. it's like latin dance funk electronica pop rock

http://youtube.com/watch?v=c5ZO7DFU7gk&feature=related
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Vo0F2Rl3Rgw&feature=related
http://youtube.com/watch?v=AW36eZ5XVLw&feature=related
http://youtube.com/watch?v=JSd7ytAzmDk&feature=related

[Jam Stunna]

I have to thank my wife for introducing me to some amazing music.

The Knife- Heartbeats (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUGyFYUlquo)

They're a duo from Sweden, and I love this song. I'm not really sure what genre they would fall under, I guess pop. Their Wikipedia page:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Knife

Julieta Venegas- Lento (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-jApZlVO-o)

She's a Mexican singer, and this would fall under Foreign Language Pop or something like that. One of my favorite foreign language songs ever.

[Imagist]

The Knife- Heartbeats (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUGyFYUlquo)

They're a duo from Sweden, and I love this song. I'm not really sure what genre they would fall under, I guess pop. Their Wikipedia page:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Knife

The Knife really are refreshing. "We Share Our Mothers' Health" is also a good track to check out. It should be noted that they're only as pop as electropop, though, and should probably be considered more dance or general electronica or... dancetronica.

Also from Sweden and also refreshing are The Field (http://www.myspace.com/thefieldsthlm) and Shout Out Louds (http://www.myspace.com/shoutoutlouds). The Field is just plain well-crafted house/techno with a minimalist tint that just hits the spot, and Shout Out Louds are a beautiful indie pop group who this year released what I feel is the most underrated album of 2007, and one of my favorites overall. Check out "Tonight I Have to Leave It" and "Impossible," both found on the myspace link (along with "Very Loud," the single and best track off their 2003/2005 debut).

Interestingly enough, both The Knife and Shout Out Louds have been covered/remixed by Ratatat, and both of these tracks are bloody awesome as all get out. Where Ratatat may be awesome and other bands may be awesome, Ratatat + other bands = more awesome. Compare The Comeback (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdP4P6gU8DQ) and Big Slippa Remix (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWaFZGio5is).

[Geoffrey Taucer]

Instrumental Rock
Neil Zaza

Funk/Jazz
Galactic

Folk Rock
Great Big Sea

[Bahamut]

Bumping for now with a few added - will add more tomorrow night after this MAGFest high dies off.

[relaxitsonlyausername]

Ryuichi Sakamoto
While Ryuichi Sakamoto has a vast catalog of music, there are a select few really worth mentioning.

1. Neo Geo (1987) - A mix of Japanese traditional sound and western electronic pop sensibilities drives this album. A great starting point for those wanting to transition from Yellow Magic Orchestra to his post-YMO solo work.

2. Smoochy (1995) - This album fuses classical instrumentation (piano, strings, etc.) with electronic beats. A gem of an album, not a bad song in the bunch. This is the high-point in Sakamoto's solo career.

Note: Both 'Neo Geo' and 'Smoochy' seem to be out of print. If you want 'Neo Geo', you're going to probably have to buy a used copy. If you want 'Smoochy', you're probably going to want to purchase used, though buying import new is an option (though more expensive).

3. The Last Emperor (1988) - This easily accessible film score is the start of Sakamoto's collaboration with filmmaker Bernardo Bertolucci (he would later record the soundtracks to Bertolucci's 'Little Buddha' and 'The Sheltering Sky'). The soundtrack is not entirely Sakamoto, however. It's secondary composer is David Byrne (founder of new wave band 'Talking Heads') and his work for the soundtrack is also fantastic.

David Sylvian
Longime Sakamoto collaborator David Sylvian and member of 80's band Japan has only one really stellar album in his discography that stands out in my mind, 'Secrets of the Beehive'. His vocals are reminiscent of Bryan Ferry and the instrumentation is stellar; a very chill album. A beautifully coherent album, one track that stands out is 'Forbidden Colours' (a Sakamoto/Sylvian collaboration for the film 'Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence').


Harry Nilsson
One of the greatest pop musicians ever to exist, Nilsson created songs with great lyrical hooks. He wrote songs for The Monkees, penned the soundtrack to the musical film version of 'Popeye' (y'know, with Robin Williams), and was one of the first (if not the first) pop artist to ever release an album of standards. Three works of his I recommend whole-heartedly are 'The Point' (a beautiful fable), 'Newman By Nilsson' (a Randy Newman cover album; I know Newman's vocals are ridiculed, so are Dylan's, but both are excellent songwriters; Nilsson's vocals with Newman's great lyrics equals musical greatness) and 'A Touch Of Schmilsson In The Night' (his standards album), though his entire catalog is fantastic.


The Moffs
Obscure Australian indie band from the 80's, the Moffs have a great sound. Very laid back rock; I recommend their album 'Entomology', a compilation of singles. Every track is pure gold, though getting hold of their stuff is difficult. If you like the Stone Roses, you'll most likely dig the Moffs.

There is much more music I can recommend, but I feel that I have written enough for now.

[Tralala]

This is the kind of thread I always end up discovering new music from.... it's the best thing about the "long tail" and music.... before u had to read in a magazine or hunt around in a record store to find something cool -- which made the choices always subject to the "gatekeeping" of editors and music store buyers and etc... -- which would lead inevitably to mediocrity and the prevalence of "poser music" -- i.e. stuff that you want to like because you think it's cool, not because you really like it. Music journalism especially creates high-profiles for really lame stuff, because journalists are always looking behind their backs, trying to profile something that they think in 2 years people will think they were cool for liking "way back when".... I GREATLY prefer the democratic nature of threads like these, where people simply list their tastes and you can just look something up on itunes or youtube and check it out for yourself....

These days I'm really into techno and techno/rock and stuff like that -- try searching for these songs:

Thomas Falke "Revolution On The Dance Floor"
Groove Cutter "My Shooter"
Control One "Just A Little Bit"
Ian Carey "Redlight"
Kevin Weg "Dead Radio"

I don't usually go for techno but these are sort of like a weird crossover between rock and techno/trance.

Here are also some downloads with some other cool stuff too -- http://www.electricfilebox.com/tracks

[titan993]

For some insane orchestral music, check out these two CD's

Symphonic Rock (royal philharmonic Orchestra)

and Michael W. Smith's "Freedom"

they are great!

[anosou]

Some good psybient albums for ya:

Shpongle - Nothing Lasts
Entheogenic - Golden Cap
Taruna - World Fusion 3 (or 1, or 2)

And for people who like electro, the minimal kind I highly recommend

Monolake - Cinemascope
and Boeoes Kaelstigen. Get their livesets from their myspace and website, highly worth your 0 dollars.

[Hy Bound]

I'll join in the fray with my strange style interests.

Breaks

Hybrid - This has been said, but some of the best music ever made. If you don't like Hybrid you are completely devoid of human senses.
http://www.hybridsoundsystem.com/

Elite Force - He describes it as "tech-funk" but I think its just flippin' awesome dance music. Listen to his single "You" or his new song (and one of my favorites so far) "Engine" for one of the best basslines ever.
http://www.toksin.com/

Toksin - This guy is awesome, he mixes Rock, Breaks, IDM, Drum and Bass and a bunch of other stuff into very well-produced, easy to love remixes and a few originals. His remix of Mute Math's "Chaos" is possibly 10 times better than the original, but maybe just 9 times better, which is saying something since I really like the original.
http://www.toksin.com/

Burufunk - This guy really introduced me to my love of massive, sweeping basslines. If you don't like this stuff, you can't be a fan of Breaks; 'nuff said.
http://www.myspace.com/burufunkmusic

Junkie XL - I'm not a huge fan of his new stuff, but the several remixes he's done of his own "More" track (not the original) are really good. Otherwise, He's done some pretty amazing work, with special mention going to his Single "Today" and his awesome remix of Fatboy Slim's "Weapon of Choice".
http://www.junkiexl.com/

Binster - Our very own binster makes some absolutely amazing breaks songs if you didn't know already. I LOVE his song "So Angry", has some of the best melody work with awesome chunky breaks.
http://www.abandonedsheep.com/

SGX - Hero of the Grey Area is probably one of my favorite albums. Ever. Atmospheric, sexy, hard breaks and some great melodies. You should already know that though.
http://www.sgxmusic.com/

Stefan Anion - AWESOME! This guy is god's gift to sexy beats. If you've never heard of him then head over to his site and download (for free) his Mad World Remixes. He's also done a great remix of Hybrid's "Until Tomorrow"
http://www.stefananion.com/

Amon Tobin - This dude is a total genius with samples. I usually think that using other people for samples is kind of a cop-out, but Amon Tobin mixes all of the samples together so well and then mangles the shit out of them while still retaining a certain quality to keep it enjoyable and interesting as well as beautiful and massive. His latest album Foley Room is alright, but extremely well produced. I prefer either Out From Out Where or Permutation. He also did the Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory Soundtrack with the most amazing song ever on it: El Cargo. Seriously, go listen to it right now.
http://amontobin.com/field/

Celldweller - I don't know if this counts as breaks anymore, but he has some awesome electronic, industrial rock with a bit of a break-y beat. Definitely sexy stuff. My favorites are "Frozen" "Switchback" "Stars of Orion" and "Unlikely (Stay with me)"
http://www.myspace.com/celldweller

BT - TBU is pure genius, Emotional Technology is probably the best-produced album ever made by anyone, Movement in Still Life (UK version) is the best mixed album of all time, ESCM is a major journey into the original Trance music, and Ima is a humble beginning of an amazing artist. There are a few "best of" albums in-between, but those albums should really be on your CD wall, otherwise you're a twat and a masochist.
http://btmusic.com/

Long Range - They are actually a pretty interesting group. After Orbital ended a little while ago, Paul (or Phil) Hartnoll went over and formed with some other guy and made some pretty tight breaks music mixed with kind of an old-school rock vibe. Their single "Just One More" has a truly great chorus and a few other songs off of their debut album are worth picking up.
http://www.myspace.com/longrangemusic

Pendulum - In Silico just came out and I've been listening to it constantly. Its a great DNB/Rock mixture that makes you want to jump up and punch someone in the teeth... with your pelvis. Odd allusions to sex aside, they are a great DNB group that a lot of people from the site draw great inspiration from, including myself. Some people prefer Hold Your Colour to In Silico, but I disagree.
http://www.pendulum.com/

Nu Breed - I have their phenomenal Y4K album and I'd have to say they have some cool tunes to go with the awesome album. Sort of a more tech-y sound that isnt for everybody, but I enjoy it and they're worth a definite listen.
http://www.hybridized.org/sets/?artist=2

Filmscore/Orchestral

Harry Gregson-Williams - I have a huge man-crush on this guy and totally recommend any movie he does the score for. He seriously elevates what could be a shitty movie to a not too bad movie with his scores, and the good movies he does elevate the movie to a work of true art. Spy Game, MGS 2/3/4, Enemy of the State and Narnia have to be some of my favorites.
http://www.harrygregsonwilliams.com/ (not up yet)

Steve Jablonsky - I actually just started listening to this guy and he has done some great filmscores. Check out his Steamboy OST for some sexalicious soundtrackin'.
http://www.steve-jablonsky.ch/

Nick Phoenix - He actually does the audio shtuff behind EWQLSO, StormDrum and Colossus. Head over to http://soundsonline.com/ and you can hear a bunch of his work for a bunch of things. Really well-done and interesting.

Nick Singer - I'm loving his remixes of the Halo/Marathon music and his site has a buncha cool tunes and stuff on his super awesome site.
http://www.nicholassinger.com/

These are just a few of the artists I really like, there are a ton more that I haven't mentioned; including Hyper, Cirrus, Apollo 440(now dead, drummer is in Pendulum), General MIDI and others.

Oh, and that Hy Bound guy has some good stuff too... :D

[Bahamut]

Wow, this thread is still around. I should try to update it sometime in the week - not until next week though, as I'm still tired from a Nightwish concert last night and going to be seeing them Saturday night as well, and then flying to NY the morning after.