A Listener's Guide

Here is how to explore the underground scene:

• Ambient — start with Brian Eno's "Music for Airports" (1979); for modern ambient, try Nils Frahm or Tim Hecker
• IDM — Aphex Twin's "Selected Ambient Works 85–92" balances accessibility with experimentation
• Techno — Surgeon, Jeff Mills, and Ben Klock represent the stripped-down, hypnotic end
• Experimental bass — Arca, SOPHIE, and Oneohtrix Point Never blend production with avant-garde composition
• Labels to follow — Warp, Raster-Noton, Type, and PAN are gateways to the cutting edge

The underground is not elitist.