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[tt_deeb]

Although the two genres aren't necessarily alike, I'm making a topic with them together since they both do share similarities (have that soundtracky vibe). I'm not too familiar with either genre which is why I'm making a topic. On the ambient side of music I've heard of Mike Patton, Brian Eno, Maja Ratkje, and John Zorn. Though I haven't actually heard anything by any of them except for soundclips of Patton's solo albums (I basically own all of his other major works) and Maja Ratkje's Voice album (does she have anything else)

On the post-rock side of things I own albums by Explosions In The Sky, Sigur Ros and Rachels (are they considered post-rock?) I've also heard of a few other bands - does Rumah Sakit count?

Anyway post your "classics" of the genres so I can start making a list.

 

[Drozmight]

Godspeed You! Black Emperor is post rock I'd say, much like Explosions in the Sky.

Ambient... here are some I'd say fall into that category tha tI've bought. Yasume, Isan, Mogwai and Broken Social Scene (Feel Good Lost more so). The latter of the four I'd say could fall into either category.

I'll probably think of more later. I'll post if I do.

 

[White Man]

Off the top of my head, some of my favorite post-rock bands:

Slint
Bodspeed You Black Emperor
Sigur Ros
Mogwai
Gastr del Sol
some of Jim O'Rourke's solo work
Brise-Glace
Tortoise
Stereolab
Talk Talk

EDIT: also, Explosions in the Sky

 

[Dilbert]

I hate genre labels. I have no idea, after reading your post, what the difference is between "ambient" and "post-rock" is.

With that being said, you should buy A Strangely Isolated Place by Ulrich Schnauss because it is amazing.

 

[tt_deeb]

I hate genre labels. I have no idea, after reading your post, what the difference is between "ambient" and "post-rock" is.

Well, my post wasn't suppose to define what each term meant. To be honest I don't really know the true meaning for each is, but when I think "ambient" I think background noise/music (more noise) that paints a picture or tells a story. It's sort of like a symphony with no music theory - layered sounds.

The term was first coined by Brian Eno in the late 1970s to refer to music that would envelop the listener without drawing attention to itself.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ambient_music#Styles_of_ambient_music

And for post-rock, it follows the same purpose but more focused on music and instruments.

The term post-rock was coined by Simon Reynolds in issue 123 of The Wire (May 1994) to describe a sort of music "using rock instrumentation for non-rock purposes, using guitars as facilitators of timbres and textures rather than riffs and powerchords."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post-rock

 

[Prospero]

When you mention Brian Eno or John Zorn, I think of "minimalism" instead of "ambient," but that's more a matter of where the discs are shelved in the store than anything else.

To that end, you must get some Steve Reich, especially Music for 18 Musicians or Different Trains. Philip Glass is the easy pick here as well--listen to his alternate, operatic score for Cocteau's Beauty and the Beast on the Criterion DVD re-release.