Best list I found in this thread yet. Am I the only one that likes to work to (mostly) instrumental sludge metal and post-rock?

ISIS — Celestial (2000) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8XN-3YZL5Y

I'm glad you like it :). I think ambience and soundscapes should still have interesting musical elements. If it only works as background noise, then I get bored by it.

I've also listened to Isis quite a lot, mostly "Oceanic", which is great. There is a pretty good remix album of "Oceanic" that opens with a remix by Fennesz.

Let me just throw a few more out there:

Antenne (two albums, just called #1 and #2): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xel8T2A_pKk

Jóhann Jóhannsson - Englabörn: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StuK0Bxoe2g&list=PL0dYx2N3BT...

The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble - Here Be Dragons: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyORieDhpkg

Kreng - Grimoire: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uU12fCP5AqY

La Grande Bellezza - Original Sound Track (sans disco tracks): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FO8DqDWBzLI&list=PLf8QJjyzKL...

That's probably one of my key focus bands... though I'd probably list:

ISIS — Oceanic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2C8Z1Keluk

ISIS — Panopticon https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xA2AJIiw0p8

ISIS — In The Absence of Truth https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atCKkDusJkc

The latter being a more accessible, earthlier sound (with no growling); yet the former two being the greater works.

Additionally, some classic post-rock masterpieces by GY!BE:

Godspeed You! Black Emperor — F# A# ∞ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wy4IsC5eb7o

Godspeed You! Black Emperor — Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZwQeZh6rP0

As a track is named, the former is bleak, uncertain, beautiful; both melancholic and uplifting with despairing wails and wavering cries of tears and joy. The second is the more known GY!BE album, which is just as good.

Nowadays, I just listen to whatever strikes my mood (I can tune most stuff out), but the ones I listed above were particularly good for focusing during essay writing.

I work to much of the same type of music, although I tend to group instrumental post-rock/post-punk (e.g. isis, pelican, russian circles, mono) with some electronic (e.g. ratatat) and small amounts of punk (tragedy/hhig, neurosis). Compared to what I usually listen to, the brain.fm focus channel didn't do anything for me.

Then we're two at least. :)

This sounds amazing, brilliant recommendation!

If anyone is into similar stuff I recommend Meshuggah - Catch Thirty Three -> it keeps me programming for hours at a time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mfMC2DIA1A&list=PLe8GYqVK4w...