Among the hundreds of microgenres that sprung up from the 1960s-1970s, perhaps none are so undefined as the vague “New Age music”. Central to and closely aligned with the spiritual movement of the same name, New Age records filled stores throughout California and played over the speakers of yoga studios for generations. It’s easy to imagine it. You hear twinkly, gentle synthesizers, possibly the sound of the ocean or nature, and even a guru guiding you in soft meditation. New Age music seems better defined by these signifiers and the feeling of relaxation it creates than any musical distinction. Perhaps this is why New Age music seems to have faded from popular consciousness. Our nostalgia-obsessed culture will revive anything, but we seem, somewhat understandably, content to let our “mystical” music be left in the fortune telling tents. I am writing to make a case for New Age music as simply good, or otherwise interesting, music that deserves to be remembered. Even if you’ve never aligned a single chakra or only know your sun sign, there is plenty of great music under the New Age umbrella.
You're likely familiar with multiple Grammy-award winning vocalist and New Age composer, Enya, although she refuses to limit her music to one genre. Her ethereal vocals, creation of a “soundscape”, and influence from Celtic culture are all hallmarks of “New Age” as a genre, though these are more present in her full albums rather than her biggest hits. I believe the largest aspect of her music and presence that put her underneath the New Age umbrella is her Irish background. New Age, despite being a movement centered in America, loved to borrow from cultures that were considered ancient and specifically “mystical”. Irish culture, with a somewhat well-preserved, very old language, was appealing to many New Age-ers in the same way that Sanskrit, Native American and Tibetan culture was. Enya broke through with her pop sensibilities; her ballad “Only Time” does not sound much like a typical New Age track, but it is a good representative of the fact that aspects of New Age music could break through when given the chance.
As for New Age musicians and groups that were more closely aligned with the movement, Japanese composer, Kitarō, and solo act/band, Enigma were likely the most popular. Enigma’s “Sadeness (Part I)", with its hypnotic blend of Latin chanting and whispered French vocals over a steady beat filled with synthesized flute sounds was a huge hit, and certainly unlike most of what was played on the radio. It is an incredible song; read to the end for some more personal recommendations. While Enigma’s success coincided with the tail of the New Age movement, Kitarō is an incredibly prolific composer to this day. To the best of my knowledge, he is also a believer in “healing” music, if you are interested in musicians that personally believed in the movement. His four Silk Road editions, recently remastered, blend a traditional Japanese folk sound with synthesizer. There is no shortage of relaxing, meditative soundscapes in his work. Now that we’ve covered some of the largest names in New Age music, I’d like to examine why they got so big, and if their music is truly good on its own merits.
We know why many adherents of the New Age movement listened to its music. It’s self-explanatory; it was their movement and therefore, their music. Even if they didn’t believe in its healing properties or ability to align vibrations with the universe--- now humorously called “woo-woo” stuff--- it was the music played in their homes, stores and by their friends. New Age radio stations even popped up around the time to fulfill the demand of the listeners. But why would someone listen to it now? For my money, as someone who doesn’t believe in that “woo-woo” stuff, it’s very relaxing, but simultaneously captivating and unique in its own right. I don’t much enjoy new “relaxing” music like lo-fi jazz. Most of the tracks begin to blend together, and I couldn’t tell you a single lo-fi composer or artist off the top of my head. New Age music captures that same relaxing feeling but is engaging enough that it doesn’t blend together or lull me to sleep. My favorite New Age album of all time, Enigma’s Le Roi Est Mort, Vive Le Roi! is a magnificent blend of hip-hop, space-age music and synth solos. Other artists hone in on creating a natural soundscape that transports you to a different place or a different time. Much of the Celtic-influence in the New Age movement was inspired by high-fantasy films and media (think "Lord of the Rings"). You may call it escapism, but with all the stress right now, it can help to listen to something that takes you to another place. In this vein, I’ve prepared a list of some recommendations:
- New Age of Earth by Ashra, released in 1976, might be the ideal New Age record; ambient, ethereal, meditative and transportive. It’s the namesake and foundation of the entire musical genre, and a very solid album in its own right.
- Sadeness (Part 1) and Le Roi Est Mort, Vive Le Roi!, both by Enigma, are absolutely fantastic, as previously mentioned. Enigma is my favorite New Age act, and I’ve never found another band that even approximates their sound.
- Deep Breakfast by Ray Lynch. It doesn’t all work, but the vast majority is a perfect blend of classical and synthesizer sounds.
- Ambient 1: Music For Airports by the late Brian Eno. This is certainly stretching the definition of New Age when compared to the broader ambient scene, but where else could I talk about this incredible project?
- Inter-Dimensional Music by Iasos is a great mix of high-fidelity, studio production and field-recorded audio to create full soundscapes.
Thank you for reading. Whether or not you believe in crystals or aligning your vibrations with the universe, good music is good music. Give some of this a listen and expand your horizons!