Keyword artist , or band/group name. I’m not looking for a genre, I want to search artists. Tell me about someone you like listening to.
Would appreciate if it’s Not symphonic/orchestral movie/videogame OST. I know there is a lot of really good music in this category but I’m trying to avoid recommendations like Hans Zimmerman or Jeremy Soule or Enya etc., since they are either really well known or fall into the orchestral and/or “epic music score” I’m not looking for.
It’s OK if some tracks have vocals or even some lyrics/voice samples but I prefer to keep them at a minimum.
Any suggestions? TIA
Khruangbin
Is Rock okay? If so: And So I Watch You From Afar
I like to listen to synthwave when driving and I can recommend ‘Rivera Rivera’ and ‘Inexdra’ as well as ‘Cartridge 1987’.
The latter has some great songs that tell a story without any words.
I can recommend Solar Fields, although they did the Soundtrack to Mirror’s Edge, their albums are pretty nice.
Also (but not really contemporary): Casiopea - Japanese Fusion Jazz. Sounds like the soundtrack to Gran Turismo, but still.
Check out DJ Ugly Katz!
Disclaimer: That’s one of my own projects…
Well, I happen to quite like upbeat, 8-bit-style music, but here’s concrete artists nonetheless:
HOME, the anthem of speedrunning is by them too.
Guts Pie Earshot are one of my favorite bands - just Cello & Drums (except in their first years), for example Butterfly
The Comet Is Coming - for some psychedelic/jazz/rock, Tiny Desk Concert
Space Rock - An Interstellar Traveller’s Guide is one of my favorite compilation albums (so not really an artist but a bunch of artists)
Some more space rock: Yuri Gagarin
Die Wilde Jagd have some lyrics, but also many instrumental tracks, like Austerlitz.
When it comes to techno, there is obviously a lot of choice, I like e.g. Ellen Alien Lism for a more ambient vibe
I like to listen to the genres Synthwave and Dark Ambiance. Spotify is pretty good to find new music in that regard. Since you asked for artist recommendations and not genres:
Judge Bitch – their Album Horse Blood is pretty good.
Perturbator – sounds like you’re driving on some rainy highway at night to your cyberpunk destination
There’s also Instrumental Nu Metal, for example:
Andromeda – start with their song Synthesis
MASTER BOOT RECORD – it’s just riffs and booms, usually no vocals
A. Yarmak – has some nice metal remixes, for example Hydrogen from the game Hotline Miami
Then there’s Dubstep and Breakbeat, for example:
The Prodigy – uses samples heavily, but also has a few tracks without spoken words
Lindsey Stirling – Dubstep and violin, interesting combination.
videogame OST […] either really well known or fall into the orchestral and/or “epic music score” I’m not looking for
Well, there are tons of videogames and many of them don’t have an orchestral/epic soundtrack, and even more of them are not very well known. I think you’re limiting yourself here.