Various Artists - Bali: Les Grands Gong Kebyar Des Années Soixante (1994 compi, rec. 1969-71)

Some pretty explosive stuff today, folks - because that's basically what 'kebyar' means.  One of the foremost styles of modern Balinese gamelan, kebyar originated in the early 20th century from a synthesis of devotional and royal court styles.  According to the liner notes for this compilation, "Gong kebyar music is music with strong, almost symphonic dynamics.  To appreciate all of its nuances, it is desirable to listen to it at rather high volume."  So yeah, crank it up.

Wikipedia also notes that, other than the very smallest ensembles, gamelan in general is never performed indoors as the percussive orchestras of gongs, drums and various metallophones would be physically painful to listen to in an enclosed space.  It's little wonder then that some of the early 80s post-industrialists (23 Skidoo in particular) latched on to gamelan for inspiration.  The intricate patterns and variations were also influential to the likes of Steve Reich.

The two hours of kebyar gamelan captured here by the Ocara label (I used to see their worldwide recordings in charity shops all the time - wish I'd grabbed more of them) puts the spotlight on four of the premier kebyar orchestras of the late 60s, with two or three tracks each.  The pieces range in length from three minutes to almost 27 (the opening track on Disc 2), and I think it's the second disc that edges it overall for me, with just four long tracks to really let the hypnotic magic of this sound work on you.

Disc 1 link
Disc 2 link
pw: sgtg