If you’re looking to expand your musical horizon, this is a great place to be. I’m going to give you a list of – in my eyes – 7 great musicians & groups. These people have inspired me a lot, and if you don’t know ‘m, they might inspire you! This list covers a wide range of styles as well, as I enjoy a lot of different fields of music.
Not in any specific order, nope, not a top 7. Just great musicians:
1. Thomas Newman
Thomas Newman is an American (film)composer who has been scoring for movies for a long time. Some examples of movies he scored are: Road to Perdition, Wall-E, James Bond: Skyfall and Finding Nemo. He has a unique colourful orchestral sound with a profound undertone throughout his work. A personal favourite of mine is the soundtrack ‘Brooks Was Here’ – A piece he composed for the movie The Shawshank Redemption.
Thomas Newman has definitely earned a spot on this list, as his music is simply breathtaking.
2. Redman
Funk Doc, Doc, Redgie Noble or Redman is a MC/Hip Hop artist who elevated Hip Hop to new heights from the 90’s onwards. If one where to compose a top 5 greatest rappers/MC list, Redman should at all times be taken in consideration. His style can be captured by words like: Funky, Hardcore, Rhythmical. Two of my favourite albums are Muddy Waters and There Iz A Darkside and the album Muddy Waters is considered to be one of the greatest Hip Hop albums ever made. A 90’s track from Redman I’ll always enjoy is ‘Pick It Up’ (sick beat, sick flow):
3. Yanni
Yanni is a composer from Greece, who later on in his life moved to America. He has been making music for a very long time and his compositions/symphonies hold a very spiritual, honest essence in their cores. His style is truelly unique and often organic elements are combined with synthesizers that produce wide, deep sounds. He has toured all around the globe with a very beautiful, devoted orchestra, and the sounds resonate beautifully. You can really here influences from all around the world in his music, so you could describe his music as culturally inspired or world music. Yanni is worth checking out as through his music, you will also encounter a lot of skilled artists who have worked alongside him.
One of my favourite pieces of his big catalogue is a song called ‘Nightingale’. It is a very spiritual emotion, very close to nature:
4. Trentemøller
Trentemøller is a Danish artist who indulges in electronic music. Over the years he has developed a very dope, dynamic sound that really defines his music. He has dived into a lot of styles and often experimented in the ‘crossing points’ of styles. I really enjoy the ambient, electronic stuff he has done, perfect for vibing in chillsessions. One of my favourite tunes by him – and literally an all-time favourite – is the tune The Forest. This tune is simply beautiful, and extremely well produced. The dynamics are crisp and the feel is outerwordly, enjoy:
- I will be doing an analytical article about this tune, covering the producing aspects, so stay tuned for that one!
5. Noisia
These 3 musicians/producers, from Dutch soil, have really taken drum & bass, dubstep and all the inbetweens, to new heights. They have influenced many people through their rhythms, soundscapes and vibes and they have fathered a lot of the current sounds and sub-genres within these areas of music. You could describe most of their music as ‘dark‘ or ‘heavy‘, and I quite enjoy these proportions when I feel like it. A lot of tracks pop up for showcasing, but a specific remix comes to mind as this track is just brutal:
6. London Grammar
This British Trip Hop-oriented band mixes electronic aspects of music nicely with organic sounds and I love the chillout vibes they come up with. They implement a lot of guitar in their pieces and their lead vocalist Hannah Reid takes the tracks away with beautiful soaring vocals. They have an interest group dynamic, as to how tracks come to be, so checking out a couple of interviews can give you a feel for that. I want to show you guys the track ‘Hey Now’, simply beautiful. Couple of goosebump moments here and there as well:
7. The Viders
The Viders is a duo: Youp & Florea. They are actually friends of mine and they have earned a spot on this list. Youp produces the often funky and soulful beats, and Florea escorts the tracks with her angelic voice. I’ve personally witnessed how they create vibes and it is truelly amazing how they build from scratch. These guys are all about the creative process of music, and their style is very unique and experimental. I wanna show you guys a nice, jazzy vibe they created:
That’s it for this article! I hope these musicians and groups have inspired you, and cheers for tuning in! Feedback, thoughts, ideas and more are always welcome! Have a great day, one love