Hey everyone,
I’m looking for books similar to the following:
Ocean of Sound: Ambient Sound and Radical Listening in the Age of Communication – David Toop explores how ambient music, electronic sound, and listening have evolved in the modern world, connecting figures like Debussy, Brian Eno, Sun Ra, and Kraftwerk. It’s part music history, part philosophy, and part deep dive into sonic environments.
The Soundscape: Our Sonic Environment and the Tuning of the World – R. Murray Schafer’s seminal work on sound ecology, how noise shapes our daily lives, and how we can become more aware of our sonic surroundings. It introduces the concept of soundscapes and the ways industrialization has altered our perception of sound.
Music: A Subversive History – Ted Gioia takes a radical approach to music history, showing how music has always been rebellious, dangerous, and deeply tied to social change. He looks beyond Western classical traditions, highlighting music’s role in resistance, rituals, and underground movements.
If you know any books that explore sound, music, listening, or sonic culture in a similarly deep and unconventional way, I’d love to hear your recommendations!
by melodymann