8mo ago

Recommendations for music combining classical and modern instruments

Hi Lemmy

Not sure if this is the right community for requests, if not, mods feel free to delete this post.

After a long time I'm finally finding joy again in listening to music. Lately I'm into stuff that combines classical or symphonic instruments (i.e. brass, strings, piano) with modern music styles like electronica, pop or hip hop.

Stuff like the albums Symphonia or Deluxe by Schiller, or the OST of the Desert Combat mod for Battlefield 1942.

Do you have any suggestions for similar tracks?

30 comments

If you like metal there's Septicflesh, Dimmu Borgir, and Flesgod Apocalypse
- There's much, MUCH more. I'd start with more mild stuff like Nightwish or such, though. And on the other side there are even obscure things like Sear Bliss :-)
  
  Or the classics of symphonic metal like Stratovarius.

Hybrid. They are electronic musicians who record with live orchestras. Very nice music. The album, Morning Sci-fi, is a brilliant achievement.

I'd recommend some post-rock stuff too. Sigur Ros with symphonic orchestra is amazing.
Or things like Neil on impression, Nice wings Icarus, some Mono and such.

Here's Tiesto's Adagio for Strings with a live orchestra
- That's cool, thanks! Immediately reminds me of the Homeworld intro scene.
  
  Yeah, same tune, originally by Samuel Barber. Homeworld used the choral version, Agnus Dei.

Very closely adjacent to this:
Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir

Random Access Memories by Daft Punk

Wow so many suggestions, I did not expect that. You all are amazing, what a great community! Thanks, I know what I'll be doing tomorrow 🎧

Not exactly what you're asking for, maybe, but Brass Against is excellent. Their rendition of Hey Man Nice Shot is incredible.
Edit: I also just remembered Mr. B The Gentleman Rhymer, if you need a dose of chaphop.
- I love their cover of Gasoline by Audioslave.

Portishead do this so well
- Roads from the same concert is just heart rendingly good

Lots of jazz and rock music meets these criteria

Symphonic metal is a huge and diverse genre! Nightwish, Epica, Within Temptation, Kamelot are good places to start.

Not quite like the albums you mentioned, but here's some stuff that all incorporates some classical instruments with modern rock instruments
Laideronnette or zatracenie by matryoshka - maybe the most like what you mentioned, ambient-ish with strings and piano
イリヤ (- il y a -) by 夢中夢 (mutyumu) - maybe a bit avant-garde, but makes heavy use of strings and piano
Enjoy Eternal Bliss by Yndi Halda - post-rock with strings
ONDA by JAMBINAI - Korean post-rock that mixes traditional Korean instruments with modern rock instruments

Maybe electroswing? I found a Caravan Palace mix you could try, if that’s what you’re looking for there’s also Caro Emerald and ProleteR
- Not so much my style, I like the more ... idk "epic" sounding stuff better.
  Still, thanks for the recommendations, I appreciate it!
  
  More orchestral, guessing from your examples from the post!

Apashe
https://www.apashemusic.com/

Definitely check out the Flobots, they're most well known for the song "Handlebars" (I can ride my bike with no handlebars) -- but they are so much more than that song. They are comprised of 2 MC's, a violinist, a bassist and drummer, but they often have a lot of orchestral instruments featured in various songs.
Every album is just so good, highly recommend.

You just reminded me of Red Light in My Eyes from Children of Bodom. There's an interpolation of J. S. Bach piece, Invention No. 13 (BWV 784)! It has been a while since I have listened to it. haha

Igorrr. It's very out there but if you don't mind that, it's so so amazing. It's mainly electronic music (mostly breakcore?) + classical instruments + extreme metal and more. Here's a good example. It's off of their amazing album Hallelujah, which I really recommend.
Venetian Snares. A more laid-back version of Igorrr. It's mostly electronic music and classical music. Here's Hajnal, off of their album Rossz Csillag Alatt Született.

Apocalyptica is a symphonic metal band with 3 cellists as the core of all their work. Sometimes they also have drums, electric guitar, or vocals. It varies from album to album and song to song.
There's a great orchestral version of "Animals" by Architects if metal works for you.
Going back to the 90's Metallica did a concert and live album with the San Francisco Symphony.
It's not exactly what you asked for, but Sean Townsend does great piano covers of rock/metal, especially Killswitch Engage. His music is very relaxing to listen to. Most of his material is on YouTube, which is a shame because I would buy his music if it were for sale somewhere.
- Yeah, I was astonished to not have found Metallica's S&M as the top result here
  
  They recently did a S&M2 which is also great!

I feel like I have to tell you about the fabulous, most groovy... Bellbottoms (by The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion).
Unfortunately it's just less than 2 minutes on the intro of one song. I wish they had done some more like it, because it's a great combination in my opinion.

Johann Sebastian Bach combined with 90s hip hop beats:
Handsome Boy Modeling School - Look At This Face

30 comments