I'm looking for music that is relaxing and easy to fall asleep to. Generally it's better to be fairly repetitive and monotonous. Instrumentals are also preferred for the most part, although there are exceptions (no harsh vocals of any kind).

The music itself can be of almost any type. What I've been listening to lately for this purpose is Om's songs "Pilgrimage" and "At Giza". Pilgrimage is acceptable because of the whispered/soft vocals and quiet, clean bass. At Giza is good because of the repetition and clean, unagressive bass riffs.

I've also found alot of Agalloch's songs to be good for this, especially their acoustic/neofolk songs (The Lodge, Wolves of the Timberline). "The Hawthorne Passage" was fitting due to the repetition, and generally clean guitar tone. I enjoy many of Nest's songs (Land Behind the Mist) for being repetitive and free of any sudden surprises in structure (predictable, relaxing formula).

Songs similar to Pink Floyd's "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun" are also welcomed. This song has been a favorite of mine for a long time because of the soft sung vocals, clean hypnotic riff, and keyboard interlude.


So, anything that could be considered relaxing or good to fall asleep to is wanted. This can range from ambient to neofolk and anything else. Thanks.

That Pink Floyd song you mentioned is perfect for me.

Karl Sanders solo project discs are both great for this. May not be as repetitive as you like, but they are definately very soft, soothing and calming

Burzum's Hvis... is a pretty decent album to fall asleep to, especially the first and last tracks. The cryptic, hypnotic repetitiveness evident in the first track is contradicted by the somber, elusive tune of the latter.

If you want something lighter than that but still in the black metal department, try Drudkh's Autumn Aurora. Very nature-inspired that'll make you feel one with the outdoors. Great repetitive melodies and soothing atmosphere.

Devin Townsend albums are mixed on what you can really fall asleep to and what you can't (I'm not looking at the SYL ones). Ocean Machine is a fantastic record to be washed away with and Infinity's dreamlike tone is quite booming but very comforting (although I'm not a big fan of the album). Try those two or his other ones, but only those are easier to sleep to.

Not particularly metal, but shoegaze albums are pretty damn effective at putting you in a trance. Catherine Wheel and My Vitriol, go for those two and you'll see how slumber can be more pleasant with aquatic vibes and very dreamy leads.

Well, I might be suggesting some bands that are a bit too obvious but they might be what you're looking for. A lot of Earth's later albums (yes, the more country-influenced ones) help me get to sleep. It's not too slow that I just get annoyed when trying to sleep but still is pretty repetitive. Ufomammut might be a good choice, too. Pretty slow and repetitive stoner doom with minimal vocals, usually buried in the mix anyways. It does the trick for me.

Other bands that come to mind in my case, and maybe yours, are Karma to Burn (instrumental stoner rock), Omega Massif (a German band similar to Pelican, but a bit more repetitive and straight forward if you ask me), and Stinking Lizaveta (again, instrumental stoner music that puts me right out.) I'm not sure if these last 3 are quite what you're looking for, though. Hopefully these helped at all.

Try My Bloody Valentine's Loveless. Not metal, but it will probably put you into a reverie or trance. It's shoegaze and it's NOT the same bands as Bullet for My Valentine. Too many people confuse those two, much to my chagrin.

Those albums are too good to fall asleep to. I usually find myself anticipating parts of the album that are coming up that i enjoy and it actually works as being detrimental to me falling asleep. To take a quote from one of those album..."In the morning 'bout 3 or so, can't stop thinking about what i know..."

Nest

Some years ago I often liked to play Burzum - Hliðskjálf when I went to sleep.

I'd also suggest the music of classical composer Erik Satie.

Another good Pink Floyd song is Cirrus Minor.

Also:
Soul Whirling Somewhere ...acoustic/etherial/ambient on the Project label.

Coldplay....pretty much all it's good for.

Naw, but usually, I use classical. Most composers will do, though Mozart's Requiem is one of my faves.

As for metal, I use Sleepytime Gorilla Museum as some of their songs are quite soothing, though lyrically eerie. Estatic Fear is a good (symphonic doom?) band and are quite soothing with relatively few vocals, really enjoy A Somber Dance, and I don't like Doom at all (though I'm not certain that's exactly what it is).

Most of the time I sleep to the same three bands. One has vocals, though they're very mellow, and the other two are almost always completely instrumental. I have more suggestions on top of this though, but the first three are my main one's.

I assume non-metal bands are fine by you, since you mentioned ambient and neofolk.

1) Red House Painters.
I'm not exactly sure what genre this band falls into, but most people mention a slow variation of folk, mixed with rock when they're describing them. A very mellow vocalist, no harsh growls or anything. He has a really soft, emotive voice. I think his voice is "beautiful", personally. Very easy to relax to, especially alongside their acoustic approach. Some examples:

Red House Painters - Void
Red House Painters - 24 (Sound quality isn't great for the first minute).

2) Jakob.
Now, I know most people don't really like the whole post-rock thing, but this band are simply amazing. Psychedelic, chilled and relaxed. No vocals, just instrumental music. Really atmospheric and dreamy.

Jakob - Lonesome - this is probably my all-time favourite song, by any artist, ever.
Jakob - Safety In Numbers

3) Nadja.
Doom/drone band from Canada. Quite well known, but they have some really dreamy albums that just drift, and drift, and drift. 'Desire In Uneasiness' is recommended as it's quite mellow. A lot more so than their other albums. Also, 'Bliss Torn From Emptiness', the re-recorded version. I mostly sleep to these two albums if I'm going to listen to music.

Nadja - Disambiguation
Nadja - Bliss Torn From Emptiness
Nadja - You Are As Dust

As well as this, there are loads of bands that are wonderful to sleep too. Usually very mellow stuff like:
- Slowdive - Avalyn II
- Eluvium - Genius And The Thieves
- Tycho - A Circular Reeducation
- Sigur Rós - Samskeyti

A lot of people may not be open to it, I don't know if you are, but what about trance based chill-out albums? I used to listen to them every night when I was going to sleep and they work really well.

Just for future reference, Red House Painters are usually considered to be one of the pioneering slowcore/sadcore bands. Good stuff and I second the recommendation. If you like it, also check out stuff like Codeine, Idaho and Low.

Yeah, I've read the slowcore thing, but it seems like a really poor description.

Thought of two more bands, actually.

Sleepmakeswaves - What We Cannot Speak Of Must Be Passed Over In Silence

... and this band ...

From Oceans to Autumn - Autumn

Agolloch helps me relax, their music just remind me of autumn and how peaceful and beautiful it is(even though I live in the damn desert) and I just slip into bliss.

I find Nadja and Jesu, along with Lurker of Chalice (although no harsh vocals, so ignore that) to be favorites of mine to fall asleep to.

For Nadja, stuff like Bliss Torn From Emptiness, Thaumogenesis, abd Desire in Uneasiness to be the most calming.

With Jesu, Conquerer, the Silver Ep, or Sun down Sun Rise to be good choices.


Along with those i'd say Sigur Ros, Envy Red Sparowes and Alcest (both the LP and Le Secret (which has some harsh vocals but is utterly relaxing).

Currently my sleep playlist goes like this.

Climbatize- The Prodigy
Alienforest- (V.E.G.A.)
Mors Jvsti- Tronus Abyss
III- Lurker of Chalice
I-Urfaust

or Nadja, Lurker of Chalice, jesu, or Velvet Cacoon

I'd check out Explosions in the sky, very good post-rock, helps me sleep.

oh yeah and check out Jesu

I'll second this, and third Nest. I've been sleeping to the Trail of the Unwary album whenever possible for almost a year now. Usually fall asleep before track four, which is the only rather "unsettling" track on it, but sometimes if I'm still awake, even that relaxes me. Amazing album, utter relaxation... though literally any Nest material serves this purpose.

I agree.

I'll recommend some of Opeth's slower, less-brutal numbers, especially To Bid You Farewell.

To elaborate for the OP, great bed-time Agalloch and Opeth stuff:

Agalloch - The White EP

Opeth - Damnation

I'll also throw in Beyond Light - Scars of Daylight EP. Yeah, he does harsh vocals, but that CD is mostly instrumental and is very repetitive and relaxing. Excellent depressive black metal.

Kyuss.

I often listen to Gris "La Dryade" song in the album "Il était une foret..." to fall asleep.

Also give Ulver's Shadows of the Sun as well as Kveldssanger a shot, those are favorites of mine to sleep to as well.

Earth - "The Bees Made Honey in the Lions Skull"

great slow soothing jams. perfect for nap time

I know its not for everyone but i like going to sleep to dopesmoker by sleep (sleep to sleep). I also second Om, very good band and its the kind of trance like music wish could help you sleep, though they are so good i often find myself unable to go to sleep anticipating their songs.
Hope it helps.

Falkenbach has a lot of deep music that can create a sense of ease to slumber off too. If not that listen to the vast amount of ambient metal, the vast score will work I am sure.

cheers

I sometimes fall asleeplistening to Summoning's Oath Bound

Not metal, but the '70s works of Tangerine Dream and Klaus Schulze.

what about the first mortiis albums? very minimalistic synth stuff. indeed good to fall asleep to.