The Ambient Subgenre Definitions

On the ambient music mailing list (ambient@hyperreal.org), Stephen Fruitman recently dropped the term “piambient” as a description for ambient-piano recordings. This, inevitably, led to a list of ambient sub-genre definitions which I cannot resist to copy here:

Foambient = folky ambient
Skambient = idm-type ambient
Shambient = shamanic ambient
Harmbient = hard ambient
Oh!mbient = surprising ambient
Smarmbient = Intelligent ambient
Dumbient = Unintelligent ambient
Indumbient = industrial ambient
Dambient = dark ambient
Dimbient = slightly less dark ambient
Clambient = classically-tinged ambient
Trambient = traditional ambient
Grambient = ambient your gran might like
Mumbient = ambient your Mum might like
Flimflambient = insubstantial pretentious ambient
Jambient = ambient with an improv element.
Wambamthankyoumambient = a taxonomic domain into which you may conveniently place anything in a post-Bowie vein.

Nihilists may be referred to the Amnotbient list.
Third persons to Isbient.
Pluralists to Arebient
Minimalists to mbnt

(thanks Alan Lockett)

Ambien = non-habit forming ambient
(Brent Colflesh)

Ommbient = far eastern-tinged ambient
(Rob :: db)

Wombient – Drone ambient that simulates environments outside of the womb; music for the womb.
(Jacob Newman)

Well now I’m finally getting a map of the complete genre!
Please post your own valuable additions too.

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17 Comments

  1. Walter

    I like 2 add:

    Zenbient = Music 4 meditation. (Or the sound(s)/music that evolves in the mind/brain during a meditation)

    Dolphinbient = Cheesy New Age (Cheap CD’s, often found at the sales department at a druggist or pharmacist. For example, the txt in some of these CD booklets claims that the music causes a healing effect. It’s also famous for it’s dolphin or whale (sounds) samples).

    I concider Ambient Music as serious business.
    And making music supposed to be fun.
    Aldo the source of inspiration is’nt always happyness.
    I’m glad i noticed 🙂

    Pretty peace of Dunglish;) Is’nt it?