Listening Notes: This is Ambient

Thanks to post-rock, I fell into the ambient sphere around 2018, and I still remember a friend mocking it as “ambeien (hemorrhoids).” Yet after all these years, I’ve stayed with it and discovered so many works that gradually branch into experimental and noise. Even so, it still feels like I’m alone in whatever space I’m in. So this time, I’ll summarize six ambient releases, along with influences from related genres.

(d) / Glitched – Silence and Infinity (2014)

70%

(d) / Glitched is an electronic project from Philadelphia, US, and in this EP they present a relatively calm style with atmospheric touches—“Silence and Infinity” as an intro with IDM nuances, followed by “EntryPoint,” “Fortress,” and “Spectre6,” which lean a bit darker, plus the main IDM track, “A Pulse.” Overall, the flow isn’t very energetic, though “A Pulse” feels the most modern.

Highlight: Fortress

Bålsam – Underwater Podcast (2020)

70%

Bålsam, based in Colombia, never seems to tire of incorporating field recordings of forest nature and human activity into their music. However, this makes the “underwater” representation in this longform track feel somewhat off. I think it would have been better if it leaned toward dark ambient—cold and immersive, as if you were actually submerged—rather than just surface ripples and rainfall.

So while it still works as a relaxation companion, it can’t really be judged at face value based on its cover and title alone.

Highlight: –

Bålsam – Mary’s Bird Song / Corey’s Lament (2025)

90%

After trying Underwater Podcast, I moved on to these two singles: “Mary’s Bird Song” and “Corey’s Lament.” This is the kind of ambient I’ve been looking for. It sounds beautiful, soft, and truly comforting. I’m not sure whether it’s because I listened on a different phone or because of the morning atmosphere, which often adds its own nuance. The key point is that the field recordings don’t dominate—they’re used just enough—and this becomes one of Bålsam’s recommended works.

Highlight: Mary’s Bird Song, Corey’s Lament

Descending In Altitude – Vacant Walls (2013)

65%

A Swedish project called Descending In Altitude uses clean electric guitar in a fingerstyle approach to convey a melancholic emotion reminiscent of depressive rock/metal picking styles. Yes, that feeling is there, but it’s not very strong—perhaps due to minimal effects, or maybe intentionally so. Judging from the EP’s title, it feels like the artist was simply passing time while staring at empty walls rather than crafting something deeply refined, which makes it understandable.

Highlight: Descension

Euphoria Engine – ネオ・ニュー・ビギニング (2026)

75%

Although vaporwave is a relevant electronic offshoot connected to ambient, I find that almost none of its drum-driven tracks truly make it into my favorites. Still, in terms of texture, it clearly wins—nostalgic, as heard in this release by Euphoria Engine.

There are genuinely touching moments in the soft ambient passages of “新たな広大な海の浄化” and “自分を自由にしよう,” along with “目の前に新しい地球が見えています。それは美しいです,” while “永遠の幸福” feels like the brightest track. The rest are quite similar but don’t fully resonate.

So overall, it’s smooth and probably deserves a 4/5 rating, though personally I’m still not entirely convinced.

Highlight: 新たな広大な海の浄化, 自分を自由にしよう

Onetwotwofour – dead at twentyone (2023)

70%

The second installment from Australian noise artist onetwotwofour. It frames two noise tracks that slowly build toward a climax in “(drum solo),” combined with a dark, uncanny ambient drone layered with noise elements, which then become more dominant in “Syrphidae.” It feels like the soundtrack to a modern horror game full of creepypasta vibes. Quite worth it, especially for the opening and closing tracks.

Highlight: dead at twentyone, Syrphidae