Index

 

X.Y.R. (Russia)

Robinson Crusoe (2012)
Big Calm (2013)
Arktika (2014)
El Dorado (2015)
Waves T*pes Vol. 1 (2015) (S)
Mental Journey To B.C. (2015)
Waves T*pes Vol. 2 (2015) (S)
Labyrinth (2017)
Reflections (2017)
Tourist (2017)
Quiet Time (2018)
Pilgrimage (2020)
Anciente (2021)
Vision Quest (2022)
Aquarealm (2022)
Memory Tapes (2023)

Hazy, moisty tropical Ambient from Vladimir Karpov.

 


X1 Project (Australia)

X1 Project (2003)
Red Sands of Mars (2003)
Omanian Silk (2003)
Transgenic (2004)
Analogs In A Deep Void (2005)
New Classical (2006)
The Asymmetrical Collection (2007)
Shimmers On A Cosmic Tightrope (2009)
Pyrmont4 (2011) (EP)

Music with a pleasant, nostalgic 1970's Berlin School feel. X1 Project is a project (pun intended) out of Melbourne, Australia.

 


X3 (Germany)

Rainbow's End (1992)
Menscape (1994)

X3 is Hannes Motal. Melodic, sample-based and digital synthesizer-based music with a new age influence.

 


Xabec (Germany)

Random Errors Down the Line (2020) (recorded in 2018)

A project of Manuel Richter. A mixure of abstract, experimental and rhythmic / melodic sounds.

 


Xaliman (Canada)

Congenial Twist of A Mechanical Moonbeam (1985)
In Sublime Hobbyhood (1989)

Electronic Music by member of Melodic Energy Commission. The style is not known as the moment.

See also: Melodic Energy Commission

 


XAM (UK)

Tone Systems (2015)
XAM Duo (2016) (with Christopher Duffin)
Total Refreshment Centre, London, November 5, 2016 (2016)
Tomorrow's Gift (2018) (with Virginia Wing)
Xam Duo II (2022) (with Christopher Duffin)

Matthew Benn is a bassist for psychedelic rock band Hookworms. As a solo artist he explores modular synthesis in a playful way, often influenced by the electronic pioneers of the 1970's, especially the Dusseldorf and the Berlin "schools".

 


Xander, O. (France??)

Advanced Everything (2021)

Hypnotic and warm ambient synth loops.

 


XAO (USA)

Ophis Tou XAoS (2014)
Lucid Silent Dreaming (2015)
The Transmission From the Abyss (2015)
Serpentribe Mythology (2016)

Dark electronics (not really Dark Ambient most of the time, but rather a weird version of synth-based dark ritual music). Pretty good when you're in the mood for it.

 


Xard (USA)

Dreams of the Strange Tower (2020)
II (2021)
Beyond Darkness And Time (2024)

Synthesizer project (Julian Karswell) from Worcester, Massachusetts. Darkish, cosmic, with mellotron choirs and fat analog textures.

 


Xavier, Io (USA)

Radio World (1984) (soundtrack)

Subdued, classically-tinged music with a few Tangerine Dream-y moments. Io Xavier is also known as Joseph Jacobs.

 


Xaxxa (UK)

Live (1990)

Live music recorded by the duo of Peter Tedstone and Nick Ledbury at the Grasshopers pub. Strictly limited edition of 10 copies.

See also: Tedstone, Peter, Ledbury, Nick.

 


Xc-N (Switzerland)

369/12 (2023)

Jean-Pierre Horlacher has been involved in the creation of music since 1986. I don't know about his early releases, but 369/12 is inspired by vintage synths and drum machines and ranges from rhythmic, technoid, to ambient and cosmic.

 


Xe (Finland)

Jarovizatsija (2002)

Pekka Airaksinen's alter ego.

See also: Airaksinen, Pekka, Ajraksin.

 


Xen (USA)

Loud Chirpings of Sunday Phantoms (1991) (S)
Unresolved Games (1992)
Xen (1995)
Master of Night (1999)
Xen Live (2004) (recorded in 1999)

A duo of David Bagsby and Kurt Rongey. Not for EM purists for sure, the music is highly complex and has been compared to Zappa's Synclavier experiments.

See also: Bagsby, David, Rogney, Kurt.

 


Xenis Emputae Travelling Band (UK)

Under A Soular Moon (2001)
The Suffolk Workings (2002)

Folk-related project of Phil Legard. The Suffolk Workings is inspired by East England's folklore and is largely ambient and electronic.

 


Xeno (Italy)

Brodo Primordiale (2004)

 


Xeno & Oaklander (USA)

Movements II (2017)

A work based on the sound of analog synthesizers and inspired by space travel from this minimal synth / synth pop duo. There is also the first tome, released in 2015, currently only available in digital format.

See also: Martial Canterel

 


Xenony (Poland)

XE (2014)
Polish Space Program (2018)

Polish indie electronic trio. Intense melodic and rhythmic sound, mostly instrumental but also with some (rare) vocals. Sometimes comparable to Boards of Canada.

 


Xenos, Spiros (Greece)

Loneliness Vs. Love (2007)
The Valley of Dreams (2014)
A Space Journey (2017)

Greek composer born in 1975 who on A Space Journey reveals himself as a direct descendant of the pioneers of melodic style of Electronic Music, such as Vangelis, Jarre and especially Space Art (there are real drums here and even guitars). Shorter tracks also give a sort of a library music feel. The other two albums I know nothing about at the moment.

 


Xenoton (Germany)

Lifeforms (2002)

Matthias Reinwarth's project mixing IDM with a decidely Kraftwerk-ian attitude.

 


Xenturion Prime (Norway)

Mecha Rising (2014)
Humanity Plus (2017)
Signals From the Abyss (2021)
Prisma (2022)

Swedish duo with a powerful, melodic, hymnal, rhythmic and cinematic sound, taking in influences from synthwave, synth-pop, electronic dance music and even spacesynth (or so it seems to me). I don't really care about their vocal material (and find rather dated in the early 2000's way), although the instrumental interludes of Humanity Plus are rather neat (I think that's the way to go for them on future releases). File under EM-related.

 


Xepter Rose (USA)

Vingt Mille Lieues Sous les Mers (2013)
Selenitic Landscapes (2014)
Treasure Island (2014)

Rich soundscapes from this Pennsylvania-based artist, mostly atmospheric but also sequencer-based. Mostly short tracks.

See also: HCMJ

 


Xeroid Entity (USA)

Xeroid Entity (2003)
Moons of Saturn (2003)
Live At the Deer Head Inn (2005)
Shards of Light (2010)
Clouds of Dust (2010) (recorded in 2008)

Music by Howard Moscovitz, Bill Fox and Greg Waltzer.

See also: Fringe Element, Mutation Vector, Subspace, Cranial Mythos, Twyndyllyngs, Technicolor Travel Agency.

 


Xerxes the Dark (Iran)

Artificial Hell (2007) (with Nyctalllz)
Xenophilis (2015) (S)
Transmutation (2016)
Abysmal (2018) (with Ugasanie)
Aftermath (2018) (with Alphaxone)

Dark Ambient with a strong synthetic / electronic element and an industrial vibe.

 


Xi Zhuang (Russia)

Pillow Talk (2013)

A pseudonym of Fedor (Fyodor) Vetkalov. Intricate, bright, rhythmic, complex themes with influences from synthwave and IDM.

 


Xian Orphic (UK)

Xian Orphic (2012)

Electronic Music by Andrew Shallcross aka Andy Votel.

 


Xie Yugang (China)

Echo In Library (2017)

Solo ambient album from guitarist of Dalian-based indie rock band Wang Wen. Mixes some guitar drones into an electronic landscape of sounds. The last track somehow reminds on Klaus Schulze's "Moogetique".

 


XIII (Italy)

No (The Relative Effect of Explication) (2015)
Eocity (2018) (EP)
Permanent Rain (2023)

A project of Alessio Capovilla. Sort of hypnotic acoustic / electronic cross-cultural / World Music sound here, with tribal rhythms, voices and stuff. Check out if you like Jon Hassell, O Yuki Conjugate, Rapoon, etc.

 


Ximeua (Mexico)

Ximeua (2021) (S)

Barcelona-based Mexican artist who is influenced by pioneering synth works from his native country made by people like Carlos Alvarado (Via Lactea), Jorge Reyes and Aristeo.

 


Xisle (USA)

Winter's King (1985)
Invisible People (1986)
The Phantom Zone (1986)
Nexus (1986)
Proving Ground (1987)
Space Case (1987)
Independent Space Program (1988)
Novins (1988)
Journey Into Darkness (1988)
Eternity's Engine (1989)
Aural Explorers (1989)
Perchance To Dream (1989)
Novins II (1989)
The Space Age (1989)

American synth band that included Peter Gulch (Nightcrawlers), Dana Andrew Rath and Chuck van Zyl. Supposedly, very good classic Electronic Music in the best traditions of the genre. Most of their releases contain music recorded during live performances.

See also: Gulch, Peter, Zyl, Chuck van, Rath, Andrew, Nightcrawlers.

 


xLWBxDRx (USA)

Prarie Spells, A Ribbon Wove (2021)

Ambient music by an artist who has been releasing stuff since the 1990's under the "Drekka" pseudonym.

 


X-NAVI:ET (Poland)

Slope / The Experience of Losing Control (2010) (with }e{nigmaplasme)
Voices of the Cosmos (2011) (with Electric Uranus)
Soundtracks For the Dying Moments (2012)
Brain Overloaded (2012)
Dead City Voice (2013)
Voices of the Cosmos II (2013) (with Electric Uranus)
Aqualuna - Alchemical Transformation Through Vision And Sound (2013) (with Anna Pilewicz)
Vox Paradox (2015)
Technosis (2016)
Aurum (2016) (S)
Machina Nova / Vox Paradox (2017)
Voices of the Cosmos III (2019) (with Electric Uranus)

Varied dark soundscapes from Rafał Iwański. Often in the vein of Noise Ambient, sometimes seemingly influenced by Nurse With Wound, without the wackiness of the latter. The Voices of the Cosmos series is Dark Space.

 


Xolotl, Bernard (France)

Music by Xolotl (1976)
Journey To An Oracle (1977)
Prophecy (1980) (with Cyrille Verdeaux)
Return of the Golden Mean (1981)
Procession (1981) (with Daniel Kobialka)
Last Wave (1982)
Mexechos (1988)
Mexecho (1991)
Tristany (1997)
Time Lapses (2009) (with Olivier Masselot)
Aftershocks (2011)

French synthesist (born in 1951) with a cosmic style. He is a true nomad and has travelled all over the world. Some of his albums feature Cyrille Verdeaux and Daniel Kobialka. Mexechos is a demo tape of Mexecho that was sent to Hearts of Space label.

 


Xoop (Italy)

The Cemetery of Unknown Songs (2020) (recorded in 2008 - 2018)

Moody electronic tracks from Andrea Volpe.

 


XOR Gate (USA)

Conic Sections (2018) (S)

Nice analog music that was commissioned in Miami for a documentary on geometry and mathematics. A project of Gerald Donald.

See also: Dopplereffekt, Der Zyklus, Arpanet.

 


Xorcist (USA)

Music For the Harmonic Convergence (2000)
Insects & Angels: Differences And Indifferences (2000)

A project of Peter Stone, a computer programmer, video game composer and electro-industrial artist. Music For the Harmonic Convergence was made entirely on a PPG Wave 2.3, Waveterm-A and EVU. It is much more in typical EM (rhythmic / melodic) style, although with lots of echoing digital drums hinting at his usual electro-industrial style. Insects & Angels is mostly interesting for its ambient, non-rhythmic material. There may be other revelant works as well. Further investigation is needed.

 


Xordox (Australia)

Neospection (2017)
Omniverse (2021)

Xordox is a project of Australian musician and soundtrack composer James George Thirlwell. The music is quirky and experimental, but also quite cinematic. Analog synths, sequences, atmospheres and melodies.

 


Xoros (UK)

Xoros (2020)

London-based duo of Jack Wyllie (Szun Waves) and Will Ward. Rich, repetitive synth compositions. Pretty nice stuff overall.

 


Xosar (USA)

Ghosthaus (2012) (EP)
Immured (2014) (EP)
Psychik Justice (2014)
The Possessor Possesses Nothing (2019)

Xosar is USA-born Sheela Rahman who currently resides in Europe. Known as a techno producer (working within such trends as deep house, witch house, minimal techno et al), she sometimes puts out music with influences far more diverse than that. For example, Ghosthaus combines techno beats with live synth playing and soloing, Immured includes some ambient numbers, while Psychik Justice is her most diverse outung, with techno, noisy collages, experimental electronics, and, yes, even Berlin School in the opening track and elsewhere throughout the album.

 


xpedient (Italy)

XJR-9 (2023)

Dub techno-related project. XJR-9 goes for a completely ambient sound.

 


Xqui (UK)

Ambients (2021)
Ambients 2.0 (2021)
Sufficiently Desorientating (2021) (with Sound Effects of Death And Horror)
Fallen Water (2022) (EP)
Dreams of Isochronicity (2022)
Cuttlefish Sunset (2022) (S)
UP Beat (2023) (with Bettina Schroeder)
Sound Study: Reverberation (2023)
The Words We Live In (2023)
Sound Study: Noise Spectrum (2023)
Nights That Went On Too Long (2023)
Pennine (2023) (with Dead Voices On Air)
All the T-Shirts I Wore In Lockdown (2023) (S)
Melting Ice With Ice (2023)

Varied artist from the UK. The Ambients series of albums is what the title promises.

 


X-Ray (Poland)

Przechodzac Na Druge Strone Lustra (1994)

X-Ray is Maciej Sztomberski who was born in 1972 and makes music since 1988. His main sphere of interest lies in the fields of Electronic Music, music for films, theatre productions and psychedelic rock. Przechodzac Na Druge Strone Lustra was issued on cassette in 1994.

 


XTAL (Japan)

Crossing Park`Part. 1 & 2 (2023)

Techno-related artist from Japan. Crossing Park`Part. 1 & 2 is an exercise in ambient synth composition, though. Long tracks.

 


X-Tet (France)

Première Ligne (1981)

A strange band. Although obviosuly coming from the jazz fusion background (or so it seems), they mix those jazz influences with so much electronics that I would certainly put them in EM-related category. Imagine Gong catching the synth fever from Tangerine Dream while flying to the moon and you get close. Beware the vocals.

 


Xu (Italy)

Butterfly Meets Mountain (2014)
Seaweeds (2014) (with Rooms Delayed)
Panpsychism (2015)
Floater (2015)
Tiny Portraits (2017) (S)
Whisper My World (2018)
Taking Refuge (2019)
Embodying Formlessness (2019)
smlsnd (2021) (with Bill Seaman)
Arising & Ceasing of Things (2021) (with Darren Harper)
Something More Beautiful Than Perfection (2022)
Retrograde Amnesia (2023) (with Oberlin)

Ambeint project of Nicola Fornasari. Piano, guitars and subtle electronics.

 


Xumla (UK)

Statix (2014)

Ambeint project.

 


Xunholm (USA)

Asleep In the Shattered Mirror (2013)
Xunholm (2015)
New Burning Horizons (2016)

Synthwave-related project with a smooth analog sound, often inspired by 1980's Tangerine Dream soundtrack work.

See also: Ga'an

 


Xuxu (Norway)

Opus 1 (2019)
Opus 2 (2021)
Opus 3 (2021)
Opus 4 (2022)

Varied ambient compositions realized mostly with software tools. Xuxu is Tom Ståle Engebretsen.

See also: Elrox, Warpness, Castana.

 


XVARR (UK)

Y (2009)
In Lightning (2011)
Beyond Illuminism (2018)
Aeons Revolve (2018)
Serpent Power (2018)
Honeymoon With Solitude (2019)
Transitional Being (2021) (EP)

Interesting synthesist based in London, whose music reminds on improvised 1970's electronic works of people like Zanov, Tim Blake, etc. XVARR is a pseudonym of Zaheer Gulamhusein, who started as a drummer in a local hardcore punk band.

See also: Waswaas, String.

 


XVI'AM (Poland)

DOOM / MOOD (2023)

Music based on modular synths and Elektron machines. It has something of a Pete Namlook feel to it (a mixture of ambient EM and slight techno influences).

 


XVM (Brazil)

Macoute (1995)

Mixture of ambient atmospheres and hints of more rhythmic structures.

 


XXXV Gold Fingers (USA)

Logica Aggregazione (2018)
The Early Tapes (2018) (recorded in 2003 - 2007)

Some rhythmic tracks, but mostly intense melodic ambient compositions from Marco Erroi.

 


Xyl (USA)

Runway (1985)
Nuclear Winter (1985)
Scanner (1986)
Star's End (1987)

Chuck van Zyl with his electronic project. On Synkronos label.

See also: Zyl, Chuck van, Xisle, Ministry of Inside Things.

 


Xylem (UK)

Xylem (1983)
Revision (1983)
Predator (1984)
Elephants Pursued By Flying Men (1984)
Dark Corridors (1986)

Alan Freeman under a pseudonym. Electronic chords and sounds.

See also: Freeman, Alan

 


Xylitol (UK)

Inside A Stone of Cream There Is A Language (2021)

A project of Brighton-based Catherine Backhouse. She usually goes for an experimental, pop sound infused with chiptune, lo-fi and glitch aesthetics. There is a lot of that on Inside A Stone .... However, there is also a strong EM influence, especially on sequencer-based tracks like "Moebius".

 


Xylon (Germany)

Mooncafe (1994)
Night Before Launch (1997)
Red Sunset (2002)

Music by two German guys, Alfred Gregl and Torben Schmidt, who both act as techno producers today and are known for many projects in the contemporary dance scene. This music, however, is ambient and relaxing, with only a few beats / rhythms.

 


Xylvanya (Germany)

Variations of Life (1993)

Xylvanya is synthesist Bernd Schulte.

 


Xynth Xnyth (Brazil)

Synthesizer Improvisations (2017) (S)
Synthesizer Improvisations Vol. 2 (2018) (S)
Xynthesizer Ymprovisations Vol. 3 (2020)

Brasilia-based project in improvised sequencer / intense soundscape vein.

 


Xytras (Switzerland)

Passage (1997)

Keyboard-only album from member of Samael (a metal band). Essentially, an ambient version of Samael's album of the same name.

 


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