Being a fan of all things minimal I naturally drain inner pleasure by Steve Reich‘s compositions. His music has also influenced many contemporary acts I admire such as Nils Frahm, Olafur Arnalds from the ambient scene but also bands like Tortoise etc.
This post is being written after midnight, probably the only hour of the day that I could grasp this kind of music at its full potential.
Being a drummer you can learn something pretty important by listening to Steve Reich. Perseverance. If played right, one insisting single musical pattern can make people delve into the music regardless if it holds for 3 minutes or for 10. In a way, you convince the mind to follow a path by repeating a simple, understandable procedure. I believe that pocket works the same way drumming-wise.
Another useful thing is soloing ideas. Most of this music is based on pure syncopation and the beauty of creating a simple melodic line that stretches a percussive pattern. To me that’s too close a drum solo composition. Luckily, Reich has even made a record just for that:
theeffectofnine 
Excellent post.
Steve Reich’s music for is 18 musicians is really brilliant, ECM’s classic.
Usually drummers seem to pass by ambient music for some reason, but the benefits are huge though, if you can really absorb the vibe.
Actually, my favourite practice routine, quarter notes played at really low tempos, is ambient. It constantly helps me built a deeper sense of time space.
Also for a more phychedelic hue, Terry Riley’s Rainbow in curved air is also essential.
Hey thanks for the cooment and for the tip. I wasn’t aware of Terry Riley’s work! He ‘s brilliant.