Desert music

I am searching for background-music with a very specific sound and I really have no idea where to check.

To give you a grasp of what I am looking for, in movies and games taking place in a desert or hot area, you sometimes have a lone guitar playing in the background.

One example of this is the intro in Full Throttle; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PktBJ6HpNJQ

Another example of this is an audioeffect in MSN called "Life in Redmond".
http://windowslive.com/Connect/Post/…5-6de4beeb763e

If anyone can remember a game, or movie, with this type of music, I would be greatful.

Thing is, I have no idea what to search for…

Probably not spot on, but some of the stuff recorded by The Besnard Lakes gives me some sort of desert feeling. Another sample would be "Nothing to fear" by Chris Rea. Perhaps also a track or two from "Wall of voodo", but most of their song are not within that category.

You might also want to check out "The Swans".

These are the things I can think of. Not spot on, but not too far off either. In my ears.

You need stuff with slide guitar. That's how you get that western twang you're looking for. I don't remember the soundtrack to be certain, but I'd bet "No Country for Old Men" would have what you want. I think the musical sub-genre is called Americana.

edit- here's the instrument you want (they call it steel guitar) with several example artists and some sound clips. Should make for a starting point.

Couldn't find tunes from The Swans or anything from Wall of Voodoo fitting the bill, but the first minutes of Nothing to Fear is a 100% of what I was looking for.

Definitely right about those instruments dteowner. Tried to find the soundtrack to NCfOM on youtube but have to try some more.

If you like guitars of any sound, then you could try Mike Oldfield's album "Guitars".

One of the soundtrack by W.G. Snuffy Walden for The Stand has a distinct desert feel. If not, there's always this one.

The whole soundtrack from Wim Wenders "Paris Texas" performed and composed by Ry Cooder
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fbr3MDI1QLc

A great movie and a great OST.
By your description, this is what you looking for.

EDIT: Also…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xq_uzWDFdUs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSidb…eature=related
and the great: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIwYGZlBw9Y&NR=1

You might want to check out "Signal to Noise" by Robert Henke. It fits the desert well, I played it in the car when in the Mojave desert on my last trip.

Another artist who has many albums influenced by the desert is Steve Roach.
One of his latest is "Darkest before Dawn". Its very good. A classic one from him is called "Dreamtime return".

These albums are pure ambient music so not everyone will enjoy this style.

Steve Roach it's too new age, for what Jemy wants, I think.
Not that I displease ambient music. I really like Brian Eno, Harold Budd and Robert Fripp. I don't know Steve Henke. Is he new age too?

One more.. this one by Simon Boswell is from the movie Hardware.

It's actually a post-war/post-apocalypse setting.

I asked in another forum, and both The Stand and Paris Texas was mentioned there as well. Unfortunate the one from Hardware got speak which doesn't fit in the background, but the intro fit the bill.

Someone mentioned Borderlands that also works.

Originally Posted by Alrik Fassbauer
If you like guitars of any sound, then you could try Mike Oldfield's album "Guitars".

Have to be desert or wasteland though.

Sorry, but when I hear the phrase "Desert music", I immediately think of the kings of the fuzzed out stoner rock sound - Kyuss.

Thanks to Arkadia for the tip on the ambient music - always looking for more of that kind of stuff that I haven't heard of before.

If you like droning ambient with a desert kind of feel, Earth may also be worth checking out, particularly their album Hex; Or Printing In The Infernal Method, which at times has some country/desert slide sounds.

Seatbelts, Forever Broke also fit the bill perfectly.

Originally Posted by JemyM
Seatbelts, Forever Broke also fit the bill perfectly.

Indeed, I love the sound of the steel guitar.
Thanks JemyM.

In the end I used Borderlands, Ry Cooder Paris Texas and Seatbelts, Forever Broke. My friends liked the session. I will use a song from The Stand in the next session while they are travelling on a road. Finally I put Nothing to fear on my mobile and listen to it once in awhile. Awesome song but too eastern for the session. Couldn't find the hardware song without radio in it.