Various Artists - A Brief History of Ambient Vol. 3 - 1994 "The Music Of Changes"

Ambient 3: Music Of Changes is a 1994 compilation album released on the Virgin Records label, part of its Ambient series. The compilation was issued as a double CD.

This collection is an ideal introduction to ambient music, with a very wide range of styles included. There are one or two duff tracks but generally speaking all the tracks are very enjoyable, some very slow tempoed and relaxing, others a bit more dancy, there's even an excellent dub track included. Don't get this confused with all the naff ibiza ambient stuff that's being churned out, this cd pre-dates all that nonsense and is genuine ambient music. If you are curious about ambient but don't know what to get, this is a great start but you won't find any moby or cafe del mar etc., this is old school ambient. - Michael Cummins

I bought this in my teens in a second hand shop in Norwich. I was just curious about ambient music at the time and this one hit the spot. I didnt know anyone else who was into ambient at school so I felt like i was discovering something new - and thats what the music on this album evokes, something as yet undiscovered!

Some really nice tracks to listen to, if you are after atmosphere and a sense of another place. I could single out some tracks but to be honest they are almost all interesting.

I bought the second in the series which i didnt enjoy nearly as much, being more dancey and aggressive in my view.
But also for me there is an important factor in what makes me enjoy music, and that is when and where I discovered it. This cd came at the right time and maybe thats why i like it so much.- PenPig

This CD is worthy of 5 stars because there are remixes of certain songs which are difficult to find and that makes this CD unique. Just about all of the songs are great and all of the music is relaxing. Highly recommended.  

This is volume 3 in the great ambient series by virgin. It serves as great background music for reading or other non stressfull activities. Another thing is that it is not new age music, so it not quite as boring as most electronic instrumental music. The thing I like best is that it features some tracks by Rain Tree Crow & ex members of Can- Holger Czukay, & Jaki Liebzeit that are not featured on any other cd.

In May of 1994, Virgin Records took another trip to the ambient music well, releasing the third two-disc collection in their commercially and critically successful series A Brief History of Ambient. For the final time, Virgin Records mined exclusively from their back catalog to present this collection of tracks.

This third volume is as enjoyable to listen to as the first two, but, in all honesty, things are starting to get a bit repetitive. Take a look at the track list below and you'll find a selection of the usual suspects making yet another appearance. Some of the more interesting tracks are the quiet ones from the artists whose output is mostly outside the genre. This, certainly though, is the least essential volume of the four. That being said, don't let my grousing detract overly much; if you enjoyed the first two, it's an absolute guarantee that you'll dig this as well.

Track listing:

CD 1
1. Shu-De - Sygyt, Khoomei, Kargyraa [1994] (1:07)
2. Irmin Schmidt / Bruno Spoerri - When the Waters Came to Life [1990] (4:23)
3. David Sylvian / Robert Fripp - Darshana (Reconstructed by The Future Sound of London) [1993] (9:53)
4. William Orbit - Gringatcho Demento [1993] (6:20)
5. Rain Tree Crow - Red Earth (As Summertime Ends) [1991] (3:34)
6. Ryuichi Sakamoto - The Last Emperor - Theme Variation 1 [1987] (2:19)
7. Robert Fripp - 1988 [1981] (10:27)
8. David Sylvian - Epiphany [1991] (1:28)
9. Amorphous Androgynous - A Study of Six Guitars [1994] (3:08)
10. Trisan - May Yo I [1992] (5:48)
11. Bill Laswell - Kingdom Come [1988] (7:27)
12. Seigen Ono - You Will Be All Right [1989] (2:43)
13. Laraaji - Meditation No. 2 [1980] (7:34)
14. Bark Psychosis - Pendulum Man [1994] (9:52)

CD 2
1. Michael Brook - Distant Village [1985] (3:55)
2. Holger Czukay / Jah Wobble / Jaki Liebezeit - Mystery RPS (No. 8) [1992] (8:23)
3. Prince Far I - Throw Away Your Gun [1980] (4:30)
4. Harold Budd / Brian Eno - Wind in Lonely Fences [1980] (3:40)
5. King Crimson - Nuages (That Which Passes, Passes Like Clouds) [1984] (4:44)
6. Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan - Mustt Mustt (Remixed by Massive Attack) [1990] (5:29)
7. Stephan Micus - Concert for Gender, Shakuhachi and Zither (Edit) [1976] (1:21)
8. Robert Fripp / Brian Eno - Healthy Colours III [1994] (5:35)
9. The Future Sound of London - Cascade - Parts 2 & 3 [1993] (13:26)
10. Robert Quine / Fred Maher - Summer Storm [1984] (4:00)
11. John Hassell / Brian Eno - Rising Thermal [1980] (2:43)
12. David Sylvian / Holger Czukay - Mutability (A New Beginning Is in the Offing) (Edit) [1989] (8:43)
13. Brian Eno - 2/2 [1978] (9:25)