I’ve been struggling. Struggling with genre. With definition and description.
I wouldn’t go so far as to say it’s some sort of crisis, that would be far too dramatic but when I’ve been trying to describe to people the music I’m making I usually end up with a bit of a pick and mix of ‘it’s a bit this or that’ and ‘have you heard such and such artist? It’s a bit like that’.
Not ideal really is it?
It needed some proper thought - to look at the development of my sonic adventures of the last year, listen afresh with an analytical ear and see where it all pointed.
Combining this with reviewing my brand as part of my MA, this was the ideal time to don my thought chapeau - and to authentically define my sound and essentially set a guide for my approach, my viewpoint, my look, my brand, my whole, well… everything.
I started by looking at two of my most recent pieces which felt like they had a real truth to what I was producing, along with feeling like a blueprint for the future.
Ok. That’s got you in the mood. You know where my head’s at, right? On with the navel-gazing…
To begin with, I very much tried to avoid defining via my influences. That’s going at it from the wrong angle. I’d start lumping myself in with them or obsessing over details. In order to be authentic about the process I needed to define the different creative and technical choices I was making which was summing up to the sound, whilst bearing in mind the effect of the ever-mysterious ‘vibe’ which is not to be ignored (listen to your inner voice, people).
First up, even though I’m generally working in the electronic realm I’m drawn to a certain end of it. I’ve had a little try at four-to-the-floor ‘bangers’ with tish-tish 808 hi-hats, but it’s never sat right with me. Whilst it’s good fun and has its place, it’s too clean, and too hard - I’m much more interested in the organic end of synthesis. Woozy, wobbly 70’s synths. Creaky old drum machines. All passed through analogue tape with its distinctive flutter and noise. Imperfections are good. They are interesting. They are human.
Secondly, I’m a bit of a fan of reverb and delay and will happily lather it on everything, but sometimes the wall of sound isn’t the best for drums and horns - the soulful 70’s vibe can be a brilliant counterpoint to echo-drenched synths. Caveat: I am, however, a Wall of House stan, so don’t be surprised if you get Spectored.
The other thing I’ve noticed is that there’s a certain groove to my recent work. By that I mean, I’ve made direct choices not to have heavy quantised on-the-beat rhythms but something a bit ‘off’, to the point of moving drums parts around so they’re slightly off time, as that includes the melodies as well - if a melody is now bang on the beat I get uncomfortable. It feels a bit primary.
Also rhythmically, I very much like a pulse. A movement forward of sorts. Even if something is languid, it’s helping to drive the piece and tell the story.
Away from the rhythm for a moment, there’s a key area of melody and structure to all of this that’s super important. I need - crave even - an almost song-like ABABCB structure to pieces even at my most experimental, and with it a defined melody, with build and usually tension/release near the end. That’s not to say i’m against different choices on structure but my ‘home’ is a verse/chorus with a melody. Almost old-fashioned.
And that leads me to the non-electronic, more traditional sonic elements. I like old drums. Old wood. Buzzy guitars from the 50’s. Creaky effect pedals. Plummy Fender P-Basses. Cold War era Soviet organs. They’re great evocative sounds, especially as a counter-point to glitchy effects and modern drum machines.
All of this retro thinking doesn’t mean I’m a sonic luddite - I’m very keen on using modern plugins and effects to add bang-up-to-date glitchy delays and stuttering to keep things interesting and random but still - again - used in a way that makes it more human.
So, from a creative and technical point of view, this meeting of two worlds was where I ended up.
Modern technology, made to sound old. Like 35mm film in a digital camera. Glitchy effects and rhythms working with and counterpointing with dry as a bone 60’s and 70’s grooves and walls of sound like strings and horns.
It felt like the worlds of modern ambient and electronic music - the world of Boards of Canada, Brian Eno, Massive Attack and Four Tet crossing over with a world of without-a-click-track, seat of the pants, one-take Motown, classic Scott Walker and all those other classic soul records.
Big instrumental, tunes but with woozy electronic vibes. A blending of the raw and experimental with the emotional and a good old bit of joy. A blurring of genres and moods.
Music that, despite being semi-born from the realm of ambient music - so often seen as background, as wallpaper - demands to be heard and experienced. A music that resonates vs just relaxes.
It’s a fusing of that warm, emotional depth of soul music and the expansive, textured world of ambient and electronic soundscapes. The grit and groove of classic soul, but reimagined through the lens of glitchy rhythms, lush synths, and evolving sound textures.
So that gave me my name. It’s Ambient Soul.
Grit, Glitch, Groove, and Glow: The pillars of Ambient Soul
Every ‘sound’ needs its foundations and stylistic ticks, and I needed a guide and a creative and technical definition of Ambient Soul - what would be important and integral for a piece of music to fall into my new genre.
Boiling it down, I came up with the ‘4Gs’, which admittedly sounds like a K-Pop band brought together by an ad exec to flog mobile phone masts, but hang in there for a moment.
The 4G’s are the four key pillars, and essential ingredients: Grit, Glitch, Groove, and Glow. These elements define the genre, giving it its unique character and emotional power. Here’s a simplified definition:
• Grit: This is the raw, unfiltered edge of Ambient Soul. It’s the textured soundscapes, the analog warmth, the subtle imperfections that make the music feel real and lived-in. It’s embracing the rough edges, the detuned melodies, the overloaded desk and the tape hiss that adds a layer of authenticity to the sound.
• Glitch: Ambient Soul thrives on experimentation. It’s where irregular, glitchy beats using unconventional sound sound sources meet fragmented rhythms, creating a sense of unpredictability and innovation whilst locking into a groove keeping the listen engaged and interested.
• Groove: At the heart of Ambient Soul is a deep, subtle groove. It’s the rhythm that keeps you anchored, the beat that moves you, even if it’s understated. This groove is what ties the ambient and soul elements together, giving the music its pulse and drive.
• Glow: And then there’s the glow - that warm, enveloping atmosphere that surrounds you as you listen. It’s the lush creaky synths, the reverb-drenched strings and horn, the expansive pads that create a sense of space and depth. The glow is what makes Ambient Soul feel both intimate and otherworldly, inviting you to lose yourself in its soundscapes.
A way of visualising this is to imagine the 4 pillars in one of those fangled quadrant things, and whilst it’s not an exact science, a Semiphore track, such as the two above, should fit somewhere on the scale using a combination of elements:
Fitting my music on this quadrant is - as the kids say - my new jam.
Why Ambient Soul matters - to all of us.
In a time when so much music feels disposable - especially those being developed via an algorithm - and there’s a clear public tension between the new, slightly scary electronic AI world we’re entering and the traditional human-led world of the last century that is rapidly disappearing (and that people are harking back to) Ambient Soul offers something different.
Ambient Soul speaks to this current moment profoundly. It’s both modern and old. We’re living in an age of constant connectivity, and this music is on the line between the digital and the organic which is increasingly blurred. Ambient Soul captures this tension beautifully, blending the warmth of human emotion with the precision of electronic sound. It’s a new genre that reflects the complexity of our lives today - still human but living in a new age of almost human technology. It’s authentic for the moment.
It’s music with substance and style that invites you to slow down and listen. This is not just about creating background noise - it’s about crafting a human experience that resonates long after the last note fades.
So why should you care about Ambient Soul? Because it’s not just another genre - it’s a small-scale movement, a way of thinking about music (and wider culture) that prioritizes emotion, innovation, and depth without sacrificing modernity. It’s for those who crave something new yet old.
But from a more practical level, how does it work for me?
Well, with the 4Gs which authentically represent what Ambient Soul - and by extension my music - is, I can go forward with that in mind as I compose, produce and mix. I now know what I sound like and what it is. In fact, if you check out any of the Camden Highline pieces of ambient music from the last month they all fit on the Quadrant. They were designed that way.
I have an inbuilt contrary desire to make slightly unusual music and for it to appear in places you’d not expect. Having a music style and framework that feels authentic to me will help that process dramatically.
Ambient Soul - the musical primer.
In the meantime, if you fancy some homework, here are some examples of music that informs the genre. I might even drop a playlist at some point.
First, dive into the textured, nostalgic world of Boards of Canada, the glitchy rhythms of Radiohead’s Kid A, or the lush soundscapes of Bonobo. Listen to Massive Attack’s Mezzanine and Roads by Portishead with new ears, focusing on how they blend atmosphere with groove. Explore the experimental edge of Autechre, and let yourself get lost in the cinematic glow of Air.
Whilst you’re at it, check out Scott Walker’s grandiose Scott 4 and the soulful grooves and layers of the Super Fly soundtrack by Curtis Mayfield. What’s Going On by Marvin Gaye is an interesting choice too - its lush orchestrations and seamless flow provide an immersive experience not unlike ambient.
Finally, at the more rock end, give Pink Floyd’s Shine On You Crazy Diamond a whirl. In fact, whilst you’re at it, revisit Dark Side of the Moon - frankly, I think that’s Ambient Soul in a nutshell… it was never ‘prog’.
Each of these artists brings something different to the table, but together they help to define the boundaries - if you can call them that - of Ambient Soul. They are the pioneers, the innovators, the ones who have laid the groundwork for what I’m doing right now.
Have a little soul.
This is early days. Genres - like brands - develop with art. I want to expand the definition and distinction of what Ambient Soul is from a cultural perspective - what books inform it? What movies have a similar outlook or vibe? What would Ambient Soul look like in architecture? Where could this genre sit in the future of culture?These are the areas worth exploring to flesh out the thinking and I’ll be popping up with more follow-up posts soon to fill in the gaps.
It’s going to take a while for it all to truly come to life, and for me to develop with it. But now I have a signpost, a guide to show me the way. A plan to infuse everything I do with glitchy, groovy, gritty and glowing Ambient Soul.
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