Turn On, Tune In, Drift Off: Ambient Music's Psychedelic Past

Turn On, Tune In, Drift Off explores the history and socioaesthetics of ambient music as a popular genre with roots in the psychedelic countercultures of the late twentieth century. It reveals how anglophone audio producers and DJs commodified drone- and loop-based records as ambient audio, popularizing it through vivid atmospheric concepts. The book pays attention to the sound of ambient audio, its relationship with the psychedelic, New Age, and rave countercultures, and the evolution of therapeutic audio and head music across alternative media and independent music markets.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 376 pages
Publication date: 12 January 2023
Publisher: Oxford University Press Inc

Turn On, Tune In, Drift Off: Reimagining the History and Socioaesthetics of Ambient Music

Ambient music, with its roots in the psychedelic countercultures of the late twentieth century, has emerged as a popular genre that captivates listeners with its serene and atmospheric soundscapes. In his book, Victor Szabo delves into the journey of anglophone audio producers and DJs who, between the mid-1960s and the early 1990s, commodified drone- and loop-based records as ambient audio. This transformation marked a shift from experimental and avant-garde sounds to slow, spare, and spacious compositions sold as artful personal media for creating atmospheres, fostering contemplation, transforming awareness, and stilling the body.

The book takes readers on a captivating trip through landmark ambient audio productions and related discourses, encompassing marketing rhetoric, artist manifestos, interviews, and music criticism. These productions, ranging from nature sounds records to psychedelic and cosmic rock albums, electronic dance music compilations, and explicitly ambient music, played a pivotal role in popularizing ambient audio through vivid atmospheric concepts. By paying special attention to the sound of ambient audio, its relationship with the psychedelic, New Age, and rave countercultures of the US and UK, and the coincident evolution of therapeutic audio and head music across alternative media and independent music markets, Szabo resituates ambient music as a hip highbrow framing and stylization of ongoing practices in crafting audio to alter consciousness, comportment, and mood.

Through its comprehensive exploration, Turn On, Tune In, Drift Off illuminates the social and aesthetic rifts and alliances informing one of today's most popular musical experimentalisms. It sheds light on the ways in which ambient music has transcended its origins and become a versatile genre that resonates with audiences worldwide. By examining the historical context and socioaesthetics of ambient music, Szabo offers a fresh perspective on this genre, challenging traditional notions of music production and consumption. This book is a must-read for music enthusiasts, scholars, and anyone interested in the evolution of sound and its impact on our cultural landscape.

Weight: 566g
Dimension: 156 x 236 x 28 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780190699314