I've recently become interested in early electronic music. Not the Theremin or anything like that, but avant-garde electronic music of the 1950's-1970's that frequently gets associated with people like Vladimir Ussachevsky and the music department of Columbia University while he taught there. I've heard of this kind of music referred to as "space music" before, although I think that might be a misnomer.

My first exposure to it (and probably the first exposure for a lot of people on this site) was as music soundtrack to TV shows like In Search Of and innumerable science, educational, and industrial films I saw as a kid. This kind of music was also used in countless 1970's low-budget horror and science-fiction movies.

Can anyone suggest composers, records, labels, etc. that would be worth checking out if I'm interested hearing more of this kind of music?

Do you have the "OHM" box set? That's a good starting point.

The Ohm box set would be a good place to start checking out other people active during those decades.

Some that come to mind: David Tudor, Morton Subotnik, Pauline Oliveros, James Tenney's electronic experiments. You're already up on Ussachevsky.

Edit: there you go--two votes for OHM.

Some favorites:

Morton Subotnick, Silver Apples of the Moon

Iannis Xenakis, Electronic Music

Popol Vuh, Affenstunde (The 1st Popol Vuh record. An early Moog masterpiece. It's the only P.V. record that sounds like this)

Delia Derbyshire (BBC Radiophonic Workshop) and particularly the White Noise An Electric Storm album.

Thirding that OHM box set.

also, Locust Music has released some great reissues...

Ilhan Mimaroglu--Agitation is fucking mental.
JD Robb's 'Rhythmania: Music From Razorblades To Moog' is also great.

Important just released the first two Pauline Oliveros records, and anything by Gordon Mumma is usually a harsh k-hole burnout.

I just got that White Noise album...holy lord is that good!

some peeps to check out:

Pierre Henry
Pierre Schaeffer
Karlheinz Stockhausen (early to mid period)
Edgar Varese
Alvin Lucier
Iannis Xenakis
Lejaren Hiller

Looks like there's some stuff here I should check out. I've heard a few of the names, like Stockhausen and Xenakis, but have never really heard any of the associated music.

I know I've heard music influenced by them though.

Walter Carlos