Ok, the list that follows consists of some of my most listened to tracks. I thought (since I'm not sure much of what I listen to is too popular outside of specific circles) I'd also give a little blurb about why I like the track or why I think it might be a good candidate for checking out a new system. If you're interested, I'd be more than happy to put together a mix CD / mix ISO for you (since I know some of the stuff can be hard to find).

TRACK: Bu Yaam
ARTIST: Gridlock
ALBUM: Live Traces
WHY: Gridlock always has a fascinating mix of digital noise and warm analog sounds. Not only is it a challenge for a system to get both sides of their sound (the sharp digital and the soft analog), but this piece also has some of the best bass of any of their tracks. My roommate actually couldn't listen to this in my old car, as the bass made him queasy.


TRACK: Mr. Tiddles
ARTIST: Sasha
ALBUM: Airdrawndagger
WHY: A very chill track, Sasha's best IMHO. The pads that come in later in the track are worth waiting for.


TRACK: The Book And The Canal
ARTIST: Calexico
ALBUM: Feast Of Wire
WHY: Not a very long instrumental, but the combination of (almost) honky-tonk piano and cello has to be heard to be believed. It's a heartbreaking track.


TRACK: Love's Secret Domain
ARTIST: Coil
ALBUM: Love's Secret Domain
WHY: The way the audio shifts around in this track, along with all of the little noises fading in and out, make it perfect for checking out a new audio setup of any kind. And come on, how can anyone not just squeal in joy at Coil tipping their hat to the late, great Roy Orbison?


TRACK: Song Of The Dispossessed
ARTIST: Dead Can Dance
ALBUM: Spiritchaser
WHY: I think of everything Dead Can Dance has ever done, Brendan Perry's voice has never sounded better than on this song. The percussion is beautifully clear, as is the guitar, piano, and brass.


TRACK: Caloc
ARTIST: Dryft
ALBUM: The Mytotyc Exyt
WHY: Probably one of my favorite tracks of all time, from anyone. It borders on ambient for the most part, but the pickup later in the track is what keeps me listening to this on a regular basis.


TRACK: Nuclear Winter (Frost Bitten)
ARTIST: Funker Vogt
ALBUM: Always And Forever: Volume 2
WHY: This song just flat out feels cold. Again, a mix of harsh digital and warm analog. The chorus really hits the bottom end with good headphones.


TRACK: Stigmata Part 4
ARTIST: The Legendary Pink Dots
ALBUM: Your Children Placate You From Premature Graves
WHY: This is a really subtle track, with a lot going on in the background. It's also hauntingly beautiful, if you're a fan of Edward Ka-spel's voice (which I am, wholeheartedly).


TRACK: Space Weaver
ARTIST: Lisa Gerrard
ALBUM: The Silver Tree
WHY: Lisa Gerrard (the female vocalist from Dead Can Dance often collaborates with Hans Zimmer on film scores) has done a number of amazing solo albums, but this track took me by surprise, simply because it is so out of character for her. This is what Portishead should have sounded like. (DISCLAIMER: I love Portishead. )


TRACK: THE ENTIRE ALBUM
ARTIST: Lomov
ALBUM: Holzwege
WHY: If you like ambient "music", this is one of the finest examples you're likely to find. Subtle beyond belief, this album has lulled the missus and I to sleep for more nights than I can count. You could listen to this album a thousand times and still not catch everything there is to hear. And best of all, Holzwege (like all of Lomov's albums) is available as a free download from his site!


TRACK: Gymonpedie No. 3
ARTIST: Margaret Leng Tan
ALBUM: The Art Of The Toy Piano
WHY: This is one of the creepiest tracks I own. Margaret Leng Tan is a classically trained pianist who has an obsession with toy pianos. The tones tend to be pretty sharp, so it takes a decent pair of headphones to reproduce it faithfully without making it feel like an icepick in your skull. The track would be beautiful on a normal piano, but with the toy piano, it's somehow sad and spooky.


TRACK: I Put A Spell On You
ARTIST: Nina Simone
ALBUM: I Put A Spell On You
WHY: One of my friends has a habit of referring to trance and techno as "Baby Makin' Music". She's flat out wrong. This is Baby Makin' Music. Those strings with Nina's voice... turn off the lights, close your eyes, slip the headphones on... <shiver> Wow. Just...wow. I think she may have been the most amazing vocalist ever.


TRACK: Extremis
ARTIST: Hal
ALBUM: Extremis (SINGLE)
WHY: Gillian Anderson not so much singing as sighing in your ears. Need I say more?


TRACK: The Burning Hand
ARTIST: This Morn' Omina
ALBUM: 7 Years Of Famine
WHY: I have no idea what type of music to call This Morn' Omina. There are hints of Goa Trance, but it's nowhere near as simple as that. This particular track has a great rhythm with a ton of interesting percussion. There's also something like a digeridoo in there, but like everything else about the band, it's only like a digeridoo. Definitely worth a listen, and it really pulls you in with a good pair of headphones.


TRACK: Harrowdown Hill
ARTIST: Thom Yorke
ALBUM: The Eraser
WHY: My favorite track from Thom's solo album. No particular reason to use it for testing, but I highly recommend listening to it as often as possible.

So, for what it's worth, there you have it.