This article is in collaboration with JBL. Check out their new Link 10 and 20 speakers now!

With music becoming more and more embedded into home life, it’s vital that you A) have the correct speaker set-up and B) have the right playlist!

JBL’s waterproof Link 10 and 20 are portable speakers that enhance home listening with Google voice activation and – most importantly – a 5-hour, non-stop battery life. So with a hefty battery life ticked off, having the right music is next on the list, and the playlist is crucial. For the perfect home set-up, you can really look no further than Ambient.

Ambient music is a genre that, put simply, manages to challenge the active listener while conveying a simplicity that can make it seem distant and non-demanding. Some might describe Ambient as background noise, as that is essentially the end goal; a style of music is almost more of a sonic foundation for other things to build upon.

But despite it’s facade of simplicity, Ambient music requires a plethora of skill, a lot of patience and a dedication to perfection; all of which can be heard in projects such as Laurie Spiegel’s ‘The Expanding Universe’ or Aphex Twin’s ‘Selected Ambient Works 85-92’ among others.

Speaking on his album ‘Ambient 1: Music For Airports’ in 1978, Brian Eno explained that “Ambient music must be able to accommodate many levels of listening attention without enforcing one in particular; it must be as ignorable as it is interesting” and that is the true genius of the sound, executed perfectly by a select group of musicians in the past and today.

We decided to share our favourite ambient albums, ranging from releases back in the 70s right up until now, to remind ourselves and readers of the true majesty that is Ambient production. Artists such as the aforementioned Brian Eno, Tim Hecker and William Basinski are just of the few we have mentioned in this short list, and despite each having their own unique take on music – building their own legacies over the years – they can all be placed under the umbrella of Ambient.

This list is just the tip of the Ambient iceberg. If you wish to delve deeper into Ambient, we recommend reading Pitchfork’s 50 greatest Ambient albums of all time. Enjoy our list below – in no particular order – and let the ambience either put you to sleep or get you thinking!

Global Communication
’76: 14′ (1994)

Aphex Twin
‘Selected Ambient Works 85-92’ (1992)

Tim Hecker
‘Harmony in Ultraviolet’ (2006)

Brian Eno
‘Ambient 1: Music for Airports’ (1978)

Steve Roach
‘Structures From Silence’ (1984)

Boards of Canada
‘Tomorrow’s Harvest’ (2013)

Tangerine Dream
‘Zeit’ (1972)

The KLF
‘Chill Out’ (1990)

William Basinki
‘The Disintegration Loops’ (2002)

Laurie Spiegel
‘The Expanding Universe’ (1980)

What are some other ambient albums that you love? New or old, we want to hear them. Moreover, if their are up and coming Ambient artists you have discovered lately, be sure to share them with us.

This article is in collaboration with JBL. Check out their new Link 10 and 20 speakers now!