illbient

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Similar to: cyberpunk • electronic dub • dub • mick harris • electro dub • to listen • experimental ambient • ambient dub

Illbient is a term coined by DJ Olive to describe the iconoclastic music being produced by a community of artists based in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York in the early 1990s. The word “Illbient” is a portmanteau of the hip hop slang term “ill” (a positive expression: bad meaning good) and “ambient”.

Other definitions, such as those coined by the iconoclastic Helios Creed, state: “although Eno invented ambient music while ill in bed - “illbient” is actually an extreme retro offshoot that demands that the listener produces a doctor’s note before being allowed to purchase.”

Though there are many individualistic variants of Illbient, the music is characterized by interesting dub-wise layering of soundscapes, hip hop-influenced use of samples and a progressive approach to beat programming that encompasses all genres of world groove and electronic music. Usually, but not always, illbient uses beats more than purely ambient music, and often illbient includes loops in the recordings.

Illbient was introduced to the public at large in 1996 through the Asphodel Records Incursions in Illbient compilation and a feature in The Wire magazine.

The use of the term “Illbient” was propagated by the music press rather than the artists themselves (the notable exception to this dynamic being the music journalist Paul D. Miller aka the turntablist DJ Spooky). This disconnect has led to ambiguity about whether Illbient is merely a NYC subgenre of trip hop or a marketing gimmick used by DJ Spooky and Asphodel Records.

Videos

Events

illbient gigs in United States • view all

December 2008
Thursday 4 December 2008
Tim Hecker Wordless Music Orchestra, The Wordless Music Orchestra	Le Poisson Rouge New York, United States	20 people attended 1 shout
Today (Friday 5 December 2008)
Tim Hecker Wordless Music Orchestra, The Wordless Music Orchestra	Le Poisson Rouge New York, United States	30 people attending Add shout
The "mini RefrigeraTOUR" at The Yard Latin For Truth, Icarus, veara, Once and For All, Skank Juice	The Yard Atlanta, United States	Add shout
Venetian Snares The Flashbulb, Otto von Schirach, Cyrusrex, Surachai	Reggie's Rock Club Chicago, United States	49 people attending 12 shouts
Heavyweight Dub Champion Dr. Israel, Who Cares?	Club Underground Reno, Nevada, United States	Add shout
Tomorrow (Saturday 6 December 2008)
Detrimentalist DIsco at 305 Music Lounge Venetian Snares, Otto von Schirach, Cyrusrex, Naha	305 Music Lounge Miami, United States	18 people attending 17 shouts

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ottoid wrote:
last month

Boring.

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ilovecharts wrote:
September 2008

HUMBUG

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ilovecharts wrote:
September 2008

BOARDS OF CANADA

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pressanykey_ tagged UndaCova – Hypnodroid with ‘illbient’. Wednesday evening
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