Hypnos (label)
Encyclopedia
Independent record label
An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...
, located in Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
. Started in 1996
1996 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1996.-January:* January – At the trial of two American teenagers, Nicholaus McDonald and Brian Bassett, for the murder of Bassett's parents and young brother, defense lawyers attempt to lay the blame for the murders on the fact...
by M. Griffin to release his own recordings, both solo and for his collaborative project Viridian Sun, and has since become one of the most established and respected ambient labels.
The music released tends toward more minimal, dark ambient
Dark ambient
Dark ambient is a subgenre of ambient music that features foreboding, ominous, or discordant overtones. Although it had its roots in the 1970s, Dark ambient emerged in the 1980s and 1990s with the introduction of newer, smaller, and more affordable Effects units, synthesizer and sampling technology...
or drone
Drone music
Drone music is a minimalist musical style that emphasizes the use of sustained or repeated sounds, notes, or tone-clusters – called drones. It is typically characterized by lengthy audio programs with relatively slight harmonic variations throughout each piece compared to other musics...
styles, mostly electronic in basis, though ambient works based upon guitar, tuba, cello, and location recordings have also been released by Hypnos.
Their first release was the CD Washed in Mercury by Saul Stokes
Saul Stokes
Saul Stokes is an American electronic musician and composer. He creates music that most would consider ambient, using an array of modular synthesizer equipment that he builds from scratch. His "hand forged electronics" include handheld synthesizers, rhythms pads, and tabletop modular synthesizers...
in 1997. As of 2011, more than 100 CDs have been released by Hypnos and its sub-labels.
Side labels
M. Griffin has also started several side-labels with collaborators to focus on different genres of music. These currently include the Binary and Hypnos Secret Sounds sub-labels.Hypnos Releases
- Saul StokesSaul StokesSaul Stokes is an American electronic musician and composer. He creates music that most would consider ambient, using an array of modular synthesizer equipment that he builds from scratch. His "hand forged electronics" include handheld synthesizers, rhythms pads, and tabletop modular synthesizers...
- Washed in Mercury CD (hyp1602) - M. Griffin - Sudden Dark CD (hyp1701)
- Viridian Sun - Solar Noise CD (hyp1703)
- Various - The Other World 2xCD (hyp1804)
- David Tollefson - New Eyes on the Universe CD (hyp1805)
- Saul StokesSaul StokesSaul Stokes is an American electronic musician and composer. He creates music that most would consider ambient, using an array of modular synthesizer equipment that he builds from scratch. His "hand forged electronics" include handheld synthesizers, rhythms pads, and tabletop modular synthesizers...
- Zo Pilots CD (hyp1807) - Richard BoneRichard Bone-Biography:Born in Atlanta, Georgia, Bone began his professional musical career creating soundtracks and scores for several off-Broadway companies working in experimental theater. In 1979, he released with his band Bone the single "Pirate the Islands/Headlines Have It" before joining the new-wave...
- Spectral Ships CD (hyp1808) - Jeff GreinkeJeff GreinkeJeff Greinke is an American ambient music and jazz artist and composer currently based in Tucson, Arizona. He is known as one of the pioneers of dark ambient music, with his earlier solo albums often compared to works by Robert Rich, Brian Eno, and Vidna Obmana...
- Places of Motility CD (hyp1809) - Modell/Mantra - Sonic Continuum CD (hyp1811)
- Viridian Sun - Perihelion CD (hyp1910)
- Various - Weightless, Effortless CD (hyp1912)
- Vidna ObmanaVidna ObmanaVidna Obmana is a pseudonym used by Belgian composer and ambient musician Dirk Serries. The name Vidna Obmana, a phrase in Serbian, literally translates to "optical illusion" and was chosen by Serries because he felt it accurately described the music...
- Landscape in Obscurity CD (hyp1914) - Robert RichRobert Rich (musician)Robert Rich is an ambient musician and composer based in California, United States. With a discography spanning over 30 years, he is widely regarded as a figure whose sound has greatly influenced today's ambient, New Age, and even IDM music.-Early life:At an early age he thought he disliked music...
- Inner Landscapes (hyp1915) - Jeff GreinkeJeff GreinkeJeff Greinke is an American ambient music and jazz artist and composer currently based in Tucson, Arizona. He is known as one of the pioneers of dark ambient music, with his earlier solo albums often compared to works by Robert Rich, Brian Eno, and Vidna Obmana...
- Lost Terrain CD (hyp1916) - Richard BoneRichard Bone-Biography:Born in Atlanta, Georgia, Bone began his professional musical career creating soundtracks and scores for several off-Broadway companies working in experimental theater. In 1979, he released with his band Bone the single "Pirate the Islands/Headlines Have It" before joining the new-wave...
- Ether Dome CD (hyp1917) - A Produce / M. Griffin - Altara CD (hyp1918)
- David Tollefson - Near and Far CD (hyp1919)
- Robert RichRobert Rich (musician)Robert Rich is an ambient musician and composer based in California, United States. With a discography spanning over 30 years, he is widely regarded as a figure whose sound has greatly influenced today's ambient, New Age, and even IDM music.-Early life:At an early age he thought he disliked music...
- Humidity 3xCD (hyp2020) - Jeff PearceJeff PearceJeff Pearce is a Canadian musician. He is best known as the bassist of the 90s group Moist, and as the singer/guitarist of the group Rye.He is currently regional director of Rock the Stars, a Toronto-based team building company....
- To the Shores of Heaven CD (hyp2022) - Saul StokesSaul StokesSaul Stokes is an American electronic musician and composer. He creates music that most would consider ambient, using an array of modular synthesizer equipment that he builds from scratch. His "hand forged electronics" include handheld synthesizers, rhythms pads, and tabletop modular synthesizers...
- Outfolding CD (hyp2023) - James JohnsonJames Johnson-Artists, authors, and musicians:*James B. Johnson , author of science fiction novels*James Johnson , English artist*James Johnson , late 18th-century Scottish musicologist*James P...
- Entering Twilight CD (hyp2024) - M. Griffin / Dave Fulton - The Most Distant Point Known CD (hyp2025)
- Robert RichRobert Rich (musician)Robert Rich is an ambient musician and composer based in California, United States. With a discography spanning over 30 years, he is widely regarded as a figure whose sound has greatly influenced today's ambient, New Age, and even IDM music.-Early life:At an early age he thought he disliked music...
- Sunyata CD (hyp2026) - Vidna ObmanaVidna ObmanaVidna Obmana is a pseudonym used by Belgian composer and ambient musician Dirk Serries. The name Vidna Obmana, a phrase in Serbian, literally translates to "optical illusion" and was chosen by Serries because he felt it accurately described the music...
- The Contemporary Nocturne CD (hyp2027) - Markus Reuter - Digitalis CD (hyp2128)
- A Produce - Smile on the Void CD (hyp2129)
- Sola Translatio - Mother Sunrise CD (hyp2130)
- Robert RichRobert Rich (musician)Robert Rich is an ambient musician and composer based in California, United States. With a discography spanning over 30 years, he is widely regarded as a figure whose sound has greatly influenced today's ambient, New Age, and even IDM music.-Early life:At an early age he thought he disliked music...
- Somnium DVD (hyp2131) - Jeff PearceJeff PearceJeff Pearce is a Canadian musician. He is best known as the bassist of the 90s group Moist, and as the singer/guitarist of the group Rye.He is currently regional director of Rock the Stars, a Toronto-based team building company....
- The Light Beyond CD(hyp2132) - Vidna ObmanaVidna ObmanaVidna Obmana is a pseudonym used by Belgian composer and ambient musician Dirk Serries. The name Vidna Obmana, a phrase in Serbian, literally translates to "optical illusion" and was chosen by Serries because he felt it accurately described the music...
- Soundtrack for Aquarium 2xCD (hyp2133) - Paul Vnuk Jr. - Silence Speaks in Shadows CD (hyp2134)
- Tom Heasley - Where the Earth Meets the Sky CD (hyp2135)
- Ma Ja Le / James JohnsonJames Johnson-Artists, authors, and musicians:*James B. Johnson , author of science fiction novels*James Johnson , English artist*James Johnson , late 18th-century Scottish musicologist*James P...
- Seed CD (hyp2138) - OöphoiOöphoiOöphoi is a pseudonym used by Italian ambient musician Gianluigi Gasparetti. He is perhaps best known for his role as the editor of "Deep Listenings", an Italian magazine dedicated to ambient and deep atmospheric music, where he has featured interviews with many famous ambient artists including...
- AthlitAthlitAthlit is an album by ambient musician Oöphoi, which was released in 2002.-Track listing:#"Drifting into Black Space" - 16:40#"An Ever-Changing Horizon" - 10:30#"On Wings Of Light" - 18:05#"Lord Of The Starfields" - 28:31...
CD (hyp2236) - James JohnsonJames Johnson-Artists, authors, and musicians:*James B. Johnson , author of science fiction novels*James Johnson , English artist*James Johnson , late 18th-century Scottish musicologist*James P...
- The Butterfly Chamber CD (hyp2237) - Vidna ObmanaVidna ObmanaVidna Obmana is a pseudonym used by Belgian composer and ambient musician Dirk Serries. The name Vidna Obmana, a phrase in Serbian, literally translates to "optical illusion" and was chosen by Serries because he felt it accurately described the music...
- An Opera for Four Fusion Works, Act 1 CD (hyp2239) - Vidna ObmanaVidna ObmanaVidna Obmana is a pseudonym used by Belgian composer and ambient musician Dirk Serries. The name Vidna Obmana, a phrase in Serbian, literally translates to "optical illusion" and was chosen by Serries because he felt it accurately described the music...
- An Opera for Four Fusion Works, Act 2 CD (hyp2239b) - Vidna ObmanaVidna ObmanaVidna Obmana is a pseudonym used by Belgian composer and ambient musician Dirk Serries. The name Vidna Obmana, a phrase in Serbian, literally translates to "optical illusion" and was chosen by Serries because he felt it accurately described the music...
- An Opera for Four Fusion Works, Act 3 CD (hyp2239c) - Vidna ObmanaVidna ObmanaVidna Obmana is a pseudonym used by Belgian composer and ambient musician Dirk Serries. The name Vidna Obmana, a phrase in Serbian, literally translates to "optical illusion" and was chosen by Serries because he felt it accurately described the music...
- An Opera for Four Fusion Works, Act 4 CD (hyp2239d) - Jeff GreinkeJeff GreinkeJeff Greinke is an American ambient music and jazz artist and composer currently based in Tucson, Arizona. He is known as one of the pioneers of dark ambient music, with his earlier solo albums often compared to works by Robert Rich, Brian Eno, and Vidna Obmana...
- Wide View CD (hyp2240) - Jeff PearceJeff PearceJeff Pearce is a Canadian musician. He is best known as the bassist of the 90s group Moist, and as the singer/guitarist of the group Rye.He is currently regional director of Rock the Stars, a Toronto-based team building company....
- Bleed CD (hyp2241) - M. Griffin / Dave Fulton - Imprint CD (hyp2242)
- NuminaNuminaNumen is a Latin term for a potential, guiding the course of events in a particular place or in the whole world, used in Roman philosophical and religious thought...
- Sanctuary of Dreams CD (hyp2445) - Chad Hoefler - Twilight in the Offing CD (hyp2446)
- Robert Scott ThompsonRobert Scott ThompsonRobert Scott Thompson is a composer of ambient, instrumental and electroacoustic music. He earned the B.Mus. degree from the University of Oregon and M.A. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of California at San Diego. His primary teachers include Bernard Rands, Roger Reynolds, Joji Yuasa and...
- At the Still Point of the Turning World CD (hyp2547) - NuminaNuminaNumen is a Latin term for a potential, guiding the course of events in a particular place or in the whole world, used in Roman philosophical and religious thought...
- Eye of the Nautilus CD (hyp2548) - Paul Vnuk Jr. / OöphoiOöphoiOöphoi is a pseudonym used by Italian ambient musician Gianluigi Gasparetti. He is perhaps best known for his role as the editor of "Deep Listenings", an Italian magazine dedicated to ambient and deep atmospheric music, where he has featured interviews with many famous ambient artists including...
- Distance to Zero CD (hyp2649) - NuminaNuminaNumen is a Latin term for a potential, guiding the course of events in a particular place or in the whole world, used in Roman philosophical and religious thought...
- Shift to the Ghost CD (hyp2650) - Various - Sounds of a Universe Overheard CD (hyp2752)
- AustereAustere (band)Austere is an anonymous, obscurantist electronic music 'band' that has covered a wide variety of styles in their releases: psybient, psychedelic ambient, ambient, dark ambient, drone, glitch-ambient, downtempo-style drum and bass and Classical Minimalism music...
- Solyaris CD (hyp2753, 2009) - Various - Message from a Subatomic World CD (hyp2854)
Hypnos Secret Sounds Releases
- M. Griffin - Sounds are Hidden Inside Objects CD (hss01)
- Viridian Sun - Live Paris Theater CD (hss02)
- Stephen Philips - Dagboken CD (hss03)
- M. Griffin - I Am Breathing Dreams Out of the Air CD (hss04)
- M. Griffin - The Pulse Meditations CD (hss05)
- M. Griffin - Speaking from the Dream CDS (hss07)
- AustereAustere (band)Austere is an anonymous, obscurantist electronic music 'band' that has covered a wide variety of styles in their releases: psybient, psychedelic ambient, ambient, dark ambient, drone, glitch-ambient, downtempo-style drum and bass and Classical Minimalism music...
- Pulse CD (hss10) - Darren Rogers - The Alternate Realms CD (hss11)
- Justin Vanderberg - In Waking Moments CD (hss12)
- Deepspace - The Glittering Domain CD (hss25)
Binary Releases
- Dweller at the Threshold - Ouroborus (HYBY0101)
- Paul Ellis - Into the Liquid Unknown (HYBY0102)
- Vir Unis/Saul Stokes - Thermal Transfer (HYBY0203)
- Synthetic Block - Sonic Approach (HYBY0204)
- Saul Stokes - Fields (HYBY0205)
- John Duval - Hell's Canyon (HYBY0306)
Current artists
- A Produce
- Alio Die
- AustereAustere (band)Austere is an anonymous, obscurantist electronic music 'band' that has covered a wide variety of styles in their releases: psybient, psychedelic ambient, ambient, dark ambient, drone, glitch-ambient, downtempo-style drum and bass and Classical Minimalism music...
- Ben Fleury-Steiner
- Birds of Tin
- Chad Hoefler
- Dave Fulton
- David Tollefson
- Deepspace
- James JohnsonJames Johnson-Artists, authors, and musicians:*James B. Johnson , author of science fiction novels*James Johnson , English artist*James Johnson , late 18th-century Scottish musicologist*James P...
- Jeff GreinkeJeff GreinkeJeff Greinke is an American ambient music and jazz artist and composer currently based in Tucson, Arizona. He is known as one of the pioneers of dark ambient music, with his earlier solo albums often compared to works by Robert Rich, Brian Eno, and Vidna Obmana...
- Jeff PearceJeff Pearce (American musician)Jeff Pearce is an Indiana-based ambient/new age musician. He has been called "one of the top two electronic guitarists of all time" by Allmusic, while reviewer John Diliberto wrote in Billboard magazine that Pearce is "one of the best" guitarists to follow the solo electric guitarist concept...
- Justin Vanderberg
- M. Griffin
- Ma Ja Le
- Markus ReuterMarkus ReuterMarkus Reuter is a German musician, composer and record producer, specialising in touch guitar playing and loop music. Recently he has expanded his activities by moving into instrument design.-Biography:...
- Mystified
- Nebulæ
- Numina
- OöphoiOöphoiOöphoi is a pseudonym used by Italian ambient musician Gianluigi Gasparetti. He is perhaps best known for his role as the editor of "Deep Listenings", an Italian magazine dedicated to ambient and deep atmospheric music, where he has featured interviews with many famous ambient artists including...
- Paul Vnuk Jr.
- Richard BoneRichard Bone-Biography:Born in Atlanta, Georgia, Bone began his professional musical career creating soundtracks and scores for several off-Broadway companies working in experimental theater. In 1979, he released with his band Bone the single "Pirate the Islands/Headlines Have It" before joining the new-wave...
- Robert RichRobert Rich (musician)Robert Rich is an ambient musician and composer based in California, United States. With a discography spanning over 30 years, he is widely regarded as a figure whose sound has greatly influenced today's ambient, New Age, and even IDM music.-Early life:At an early age he thought he disliked music...
- Robert Scott ThompsonRobert Scott ThompsonRobert Scott Thompson is a composer of ambient, instrumental and electroacoustic music. He earned the B.Mus. degree from the University of Oregon and M.A. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of California at San Diego. His primary teachers include Bernard Rands, Roger Reynolds, Joji Yuasa and...
- Rod Modell & Michael Mantra
- Sans Serif (Forrest Fang)
- Saul StokesSaul StokesSaul Stokes is an American electronic musician and composer. He creates music that most would consider ambient, using an array of modular synthesizer equipment that he builds from scratch. His "hand forged electronics" include handheld synthesizers, rhythms pads, and tabletop modular synthesizers...
- Sola Translatio (Alio Die & OpiumOpiumOpium is the dried latex obtained from the opium poppy . Opium contains up to 12% morphine, an alkaloid, which is frequently processed chemically to produce heroin for the illegal drug trade. The latex also includes codeine and non-narcotic alkaloids such as papaverine, thebaine and noscapine...
) - Stephen Philips
- Steve Brand
- Tom HeasleyTom HeasleyTom Heasley plays an unusual instrument for ambient music - the tuba. His first solo CD "Where the Earth Meets the Sky" was released on the Hypnos ambient label and was mastered by ambient music pioneer Robert Rich...
- Vidna ObmanaVidna ObmanaVidna Obmana is a pseudonym used by Belgian composer and ambient musician Dirk Serries. The name Vidna Obmana, a phrase in Serbian, literally translates to "optical illusion" and was chosen by Serries because he felt it accurately described the music...
- Vir UnisVir UnisVir Unis is an American ambient-music composer and performer. He is the co-founder of the AtmoWorks label with James Johnson.-Discography:-External links:...
- Viridian Sun