A lot of good stuff has already been mentioned.

There's a great record by David Rosenboom called 'Brainwave Music' that's pieces for piano, tape and synthesizer controlled by, surprise surprise, brainwaves.

Mother Mallard's Portable Masterpiece Co. are nice in terms of repetetive, minimal pretty synthesizer stuff. A lot of it sounds sequenced, but is actually performed live.

The soundtrack for Forbidden Planet is pretty awesome too.

If you're interested in the rockier side of things, you could do a lot worse than checking out some Heldon records. One of the few bands I've heard who integrated synthesizers and guitars/drums in an effective way. All their records are great, without exception.

Yuri Zanow wrote: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.

if you aren't already aware of it, New World Records has a comp out entitled Columbia-Princeton Electronic Music Center 1961-1973 which does not deviate from any impressions the title gives...i'll also mention Raymond Scott's electronic work, particularly the two disc Manhattan Research Inc. collection...

also Keith Fullerton Whitman aka Hrvatski runs a web music store named after the aforementioned Columbia University student İlhan Mimaroğlu in which he runs the psedu-label Creel Pone, digging up all the rare, super-out-of-print electronic lps that seemingly have no hope of ever getting a proper release again and releasing them on cdrs and all the ones that i have and have heard are phenomenal...they can be found here: Creel Pone

Raymond Scott

ubercat wrote:Raymond Scott

I actually just scrolled through the thread to see if anyone had mentioned him.

there's a really great hardcover book/cd combo that can had for under $25 called Manhattan Research, Inc.:

that has a great sampling of his work and a fascinating in-depth look at his innovations in synthesis and such.

super cool.


I've heard good things about Dick Hyman's Moog: Electric Eclectics, but haven't had a chance yet.

Does anyone remember that link to a site with piles of free audio files? There was one here...it had lots of Subotnick, and a host of others I hadn't heard before. I believe it was university-based...

kerble wrote:that has a great sampling of his work and a fascinating in-depth look at his innovations in synthesis and such.

and on the subject of extensive book liner notes for early-ish electronic musicians, Wendy Carlos' Switched-On Boxed Set is absolutely essential...if the four discs weren't worth it on their own, the incredibly detailed 140 or so page booklet is worth the price of admission...if i'm being hyperbolic, it's only slightly so...it's really a well put-together box set...not quite so "avant-garde" but it has lots of great information about the Moog stuff (oh, and the music's great anyway...)

rayj wrote:Does anyone remember that link to a site with piles of free audio files? There was one here...it had lots of Subotnick, and a host of others I hadn't heard before. I believe it was university-based...

do you mean?

http://www.ubu.com/

I don't think it has any subotnick???

madlee wrote:

rayj wrote:Does anyone remember that link to a site with piles of free audio files? There was one here...it had lots of Subotnick, and a host of others I hadn't heard before. I believe it was university-based...

do you mean?

http://www.ubu.com/

I don't think it has any subotnick???

No, but that's a great link, too. Thanks!

This one seemed academic...classy green text on white...lots of uncompressed (well, zipped) files. Damn. Guess I'll wade through the search engine...There were a few good Subotnick files there.

robert thefamilyghost wrote:

kerble wrote:that has a great sampling of his work and a fascinating in-depth look at his innovations in synthesis and such.

and on the subject of extensive book liner notes for early-ish electronic musicians, Wendy Carlos' Switched-On Boxed Set is absolutely essential...if the four discs weren't worth it on their own, the incredibly detailed 140 or so page booklet is worth the price of admission...if i'm being hyperbolic, it's only slightly so...it's really a well put-together box set...not quite so "avant-garde" but it has lots of great information about the Moog stuff (oh, and the music's great anyway...)

Off topic, but a friend of my parents lived with Wendy when she was Walter at University. He didn't really have any funny stories per se, but did say that it was hell living with him because he used to edit in the room, and everything was always hidden under mountainous piles of tape cuttings.

rayj wrote:Does anyone remember that link to a site with piles of free audio files? There was one here...it had lots of Subotnick, and a host of others I hadn't heard before. I believe it was university-based...

not too long ago I wrote:Have a look at this.

Hi Ray, is this what you're thinking of? Apart from all the music at this site, I like this chap's attitude... he only puts up stuff that's out of print, and has taken down tracks that have been released... I've downloaded about half of what's there, and it's been on shuffle for the past month. Some crazy stuff there...