electronica stuff

[desmondTUTU 0]

[desmondTUTU 0]

[Dr Gloom 21915]

[Park Life 71]

Chez have you got Korg Gadget on your iPad? Think it's 20 quid until 23rd Feb.

 

Anyway I got it, and the bottom line is I am days away from releasing a groundbreaking album, and I don't even listen to this type of music.

Everyone has one album in them.

[Park Life 71]

Cor! That's really massive. Like it a lot.

[Dr Gloom 21915]

i got a bit bleary-eyed reading this. watch the video playlist at the top of the piece with the comments below. will bring it all back for the retired ravers on here...

 

http://www.vice.com/en_uk/read/rave-video-comments-will-restore-your-faith-in-humanity?fb_action_ids=10152297394475540&fb_action_types=og.comments

[Dr Gloom 21915]

Cor! That's really massive. Like it a lot.

 

yes mate. big tune. deep, melodic and dark at the same time.

 

the label is critical, run by a guy called kasra, who played at the piddly little dnb night i used to put on in south london over ten years ago. he's gone on to bigger things and has a residency at fabric and mixed one of the latest fabric live releases.

 

meanwhile, most of us watch on from the sidelines with our straight laced job, wives and kids.

 

i do wonder if that lifestyle would continue being fun as you hit late 30s early 40s.

 

who am i kidding? course it fucking would....

[Tooj 17]

http://thump.vice.com/en_uk/words/warp-25-anniversary-artificial-intelligence-compilation

 

Would You Like To Be Upgraded?: How Artificial Intelligence Pushed Warp Records Forward

“This sounds like birthing music” my sister said, eyebrow raised, as she listened to the wispy ambience coming from my car radio, even as controlled glitches rumbled through. The track was 'Fill 3' by Speedy J, the penultimate track on Warp’s 1992 compilation Artificial Intelligence. She had a point - especially when the track cross-faded into the seagulls ’n’ shore SFX of Dr. Alex Patterson’s ‘Loving You Live’. This was the early Nineties. Yes, the era of rave, but also the era of chill-out and New Age influences, an era where party music was transformed from mettlesome to meditative. The back of the CD casing all but confirms this: “electronic listening music for long journeys quiet nights and club drowsy dawns [sic].”

Artificial Intelligence was Warp Records’ 6th album-length release and the label’s 3rd compilation overall, following 1991’s Pioneers of the Hypnotic Groove and early 1992’s Evolution of the Groove. So why did Artificial Intelligence catch on in a way that neither of the Groove compilations did? It has to do with the way it was positioned to the record buying public, beginning with the album’s cover. Phil Wolstenholme’s CG depiction of a robotic life-form relaxing into a sofa as music plays, albums by Kraftwerk and Pink Floyd littering the floor. It nods to the futurist angle electronic music presented to wary audiences, while also capturing the ritualistic act of listening to music – listening placed with upmost importance over dancing. Wolstenholme’s art promises that something recognisable exists within a futuristic world, something human.

Even at this early stage in the Sheffield-based label’s existence, Warp were thinking outside of the box as an electronic label. The acid house boom had spurred on a number of outlets for one-off 12” releases, but Warp wanted to go the route of crafting the types of solid careers more associated with rock acts. The first wave of the label’s existence brought about debut records for LFO and Nightmares On Wax, both acts still recording and touring to this day. With the label established and their career-arc approach being copied by others, Warp had to keep finding ways to push the envelope.

One of the founders, Steve Beckett, recalled to Red Bull Music Academy in 2007: “What was interesting for me was when you were coming back from the clubs at four or five in the morning, and people were playing tracks they'd made themselves that weren't made for the dancefloor.” Soon, a collection of this home-based electronic music was underway, leading the label’s second wave of releases. Talking to Jockey Slut in 1999, Autechre’s Sean Booth claimed to have had his “head done in by Warp first time round”.

Artificial Intelligence was not an unprecedented release, however, as the seeds of "electronic listening music" had been sown with the rise of chillout and ambient. This can be traced back to Paul Oakenfold’s short-lived Land of Oz residency in 1989. Taking place at London’s Heaven nightclub, it was a house affair with a VIP chill-out room, one that housed now-legendary sets from The Orb. The VIP status kept audience numbers small, and helped to spread the developing legend of their anything-goes performances. Their peers in the KLF released the Chill Outalbum the next year, an album that was sent to critics with a manifesto regarding “ambient house”. The manifesto claimed that ambient was “the first major music movement of the Nineties”. Meanwhile, chillout rooms were slowly but surely spreading around the UK. Alongside this movement, clubbers were becoming used to genres overlapping due to rave’s inclusive vibe.

While The Orb were influential with their London sets, they were still a Sheffield-based act. It all went to show that there was something important coming out of the city, something that the London intelligensia were going to be catching up to. Cue Artificial Intelligence, its post-party approach helping to legitimise the strains of chillout and ambient in Europe. David Toop wrote in his book Ocean of Sound about 1993’s “summer of ambient”, capturing an international spread from London’s popular Telepathic Fish parties (featuring sets from Artificial Intelligencealumni The Dice Man, aka Aphex Twin) and the Ambient Weekend, which took over Amsterdam’s Melkweg venue.

What is most interesting about the compilation is the fact that it sounds like rave music. The type of things that clubs could easily fill a floor with. Away from the bubbling, tempo-shifting studies of Autechre and Aphex Twin, cuts from I.A.O. and Up! (aka Richie Hawtin) still functioned as dance music, with surging takes on melancholic deep house and techno. In this sense, the compilation functions as a critical take on electronic audiences. The presentation lures you in, but the actual content delivers something different. Rather than seeming like a bait-and-switch effort from the label, instead Artificial Intelligence is a practise in perspective.

Under the banner of "electronic listening music", it comforts the listener; allows them to see dance music through another spectrum, to confront their biases about club music and spend time with it. Warp’s focus on developing artists beyond one-off 12” releases paid off here, as the album format calls on less of an immediate reading and a more measured approach. The compilation is an exercise in re-training the ear. It functions as music, but also music criticism.

Perhaps the music on Artificial Intelligence sounds this way because we are living in a post-A.I. universe, where the DNA of chillout and ambient have been adapted into the textures of modern electronic music. The genre lines have delineated once again (much like the rave scene’s aforementioned inclusiveness), where genres as disparate as jungle, hardcore and techno occupied the same space. Now the internet has allowed genre guidelines to melt into the same pot, largely making critical exercises like this compilation less necessary. Another edition of the Artificial Intelligence series followed in 1994, but the shock of the new had faded.

Beckett was steadfast about not continuing to mine past glories – “"I didn't want to end up doing Now That's What I Call Artificial Intelligence,” he told The Guardian in 2009 – and so the series folded. Artificial Intelligence’s fluidity towards genre was applied to the label in their next stage of releases, as they welcomed artists such as Broadcast and Seefeel. Artificial Intelligence changed Warp and the way that many approached electronic music, causing shock waves that ripple onto this day. It introduced a lot to the musical world. You could call it birthing music, and you wouldn’t be wrong.

[Park Life 71]

 

yes mate. big tune. deep, melodic and dark at the same time.

 

the label is critical, run by a guy called kasra, who played at the piddly little dnb night i used to put on in south london over ten years ago. he's gone on to bigger things and has a residency at fabric and mixed one of the latest fabric live releases.

 

meanwhile, most of us watch on from the sidelines with our straight laced job, wives and kids.

 

i do wonder if that lifestyle would continue being fun as you hit late 30s early 40s.

 

who am i kidding? course it fucking would....

There isn't as much money in it anymore apparently, only for the the really top 2/3%. Think the lifestyle does wear you down though. Eye of the beholder and all that...

[ChezGiven 0]

There is more money at the top than ever before because now America has finally 'got it' the money for the super stats is insane. Las Vegas no longer has magicians and lions and crooners, it has top money DJ's, pool parties and super clubs. Because thats where the money is.

 

Ibiza still generates an incredible amount of money too. My mate is married with 2 kids and DJs and does gigs all over the place. Still has fun but not like he used to.

[Park Life 71]

There is more money at the top than ever before because now America has finally 'got it' the money for the super stats is insane. Las Vegas no longer has magicians and lions and crooners, it has top money DJ's, pool parties and super clubs. Because thats where the money is.

 

Ibiza still generates an incredible amount of money too. My mate is married with 2 kids and DJs and does gigs all over the place. Still has fun but not like he used to.

Do a list of your top 20 electronic albums over the least 5 years or so....Need to stock up.

[Dr Gloom 21915]

There is more money at the top than ever before because now America has finally 'got it' the money for the super stats is insane. Las Vegas no longer has magicians and lions and crooners, it has top money DJ's, pool parties and super clubs. Because thats where the money is.

 

Ibiza still generates an incredible amount of money too. My mate is married with 2 kids and DJs and does gigs all over the place. Still has fun but not like he used to.

 

i imagine there's a point pro DJs reach when it stops being a party and starts being work though i fidn it hard to imagine ever losing the buzz you get from a crowd reacting to dropping a belting tune.

 

last jungle night i went to was the metalheadz 20th anniversary night at fire in vauxhall. the music was quality and some of the djs still looked like they were loving it. others went through the motions, looking bored off their tits. i suppose you have to remember that some of them are in their late 40s and spinning tunes at 5am to a bunch of gurners might not be as inspiring as it once was.

[Park Life 71]

It's not the same without ecstacy.

[Alex 35077]

One you might like, Chez:

Edited July 30, 2014 by Alex

[Dr Gloom 21915]

It's not the same without ecstacy.

 

pills can make anything sound good tbf

[ChezGiven 0]

Do a list of your top 20 electronic albums over the least 5 years or so....Need to stock up.

 

Since 2009/10:

 

Stuff that you might want to dance to

 

Ben Klock - One

Shed - Shedding the Past

DJ Rashad - Double Cup

Machinedrum - Room(s) / Vapor City

Scuba - Triangulation

Leon Vynehall - Music for the Uninvited

Mano Le Tough - Changing Days

 

Stuff that your lass might want to dance to

 

Disclosure - Settle

SBTRKT - SBTRKT

LCD Soundsystem - This is Happening

DJ Koze - Amygdalia

The Field - From Here We Go Sublime

Luke Vibert - We hear You

 

Stuff you would put on and more than likely just listen to it but would still dance to if you wanted to or were a bit drunk:

 

Pantha du Prince - Black Noise

DJ Sprinkles - Midtown 120 blues

Four Tet - There is love in you

Francis Harris - Minutes of Sleep

Christian Loffler - A Forest

 

Stuff to chill out to but possibly tap your foot to or if you were a bit off-it, potentially bust a move to before sitting down again quite quickly thinking 'what am i doing?'

 

Darkside - Psychic

Nicolas Jaar - Space is only Noise

The Books - The Way Out

Bonobo - Black Sands

CFCF - Exercises

 

Some very notable yet randomly selected E.P's which are worth listening to.

 

Todd Terje - Its The Arps

Joy Orbison - Hyph Mngo

Floating Points - Shadows

Ten walls - Gotham

[RedfernMag 0]

You can't beat a bit of KDJ:

 

Edited August 1, 2014 by RedfernMag

[Alex 35077]

Parky, you've probably heard of Lone who did Galaxy Garden and has just released another album on R&S but I think his earlier effort Emerald Fantasy Tracks (from 2010) is class. It's got a bit of retro feel to it and manages to somehow sound a bit like Boards of Canada, early 808 State and Jupiter Jazz-era Underground Resistance all at the same time.

[Alex 35077]

You can't beat a bit of KDJ:

 

 

Never been able to understand the hype about him myself.

[ChezGiven 0]

The new Moodymann is very good, No and Lyk U Use 2 are both amazing tracks but at 15 quid or whatever and loads and loads of filler i couldnt put it in the list.

 

Reality Testing is also an excellent album, 2 is 8 is the track that tickled me.

[Alex 35077]

The new Moodymann is very good, No and Lyk U Use 2 are both amazing tracks

You see I've checked it out, heard those and thought 'meh'. No is generic deep house and Lyk U Use 2 is lightweight drum and bass. Not shite or anything but I feel a bit like it's a joke someone hasn't let me in on when people rave about how good he is.

[ChezGiven 0]

You see I've checked it out, heard those and thought 'meh'. No is generic deep house and Lyk U Use 2 is lightweight drum and bass. Not shite or anything but I feel a bit like it's a joke someone hasn't let me in on when people rave about how good he is.

 

When the track features Andres then its going to get a bit more attention after his track New for U was basically a global club hit. Lyk U Use 2 is smiley, uppy, cheerful dance music that puts a smile on people's faces, you curmudgeonly fucker.

[Park Life 71]

 

Since 2009/10:

 

Stuff that you might want to dance to

 

Ben Klock - One

Shed - Shedding the Past

DJ Rashad - Double Cup

Machinedrum - Room(s) / Vapor City

Scuba - Triangulation

Leon Vynehall - Music for the Uninvited

Mano Le Tough - Changing Days

 

Stuff that your lass might want to dance to

 

Disclosure - Settle

SBTRKT - SBTRKT

LCD Soundsystem - This is Happening

DJ Koze - Amygdalia

The Field - From Here We Go Sublime

Luke Vibert - We hear You

 

Stuff you would put on and more than likely just listen to it but would still dance to if you wanted to or were a bit drunk:

 

Pantha du Prince - Black Noise

DJ Sprinkles - Midtown 120 blues

Four Tet - There is love in you

Francis Harris - Minutes of Sleep

Christian Loffler - A Forest

 

Stuff to chill out to but possibly tap your foot to or if you were a bit off-it, potentially bust a move to before sitting down again quite quickly thinking 'what am i doing?'

 

Darkside - Psychic

Nicolas Jaar - Space is only Noise

The Books - The Way Out

Bonobo - Black Sands

CFCF - Exercises

 

Some very notable yet randomly selected E.P's which are worth listening to.

 

Todd Terje - Its The Arps

Joy Orbison - Hyph Mngo

Floating Points - Shadows

Ten walls - Gotham

Nice on Chez. As I suspected I've only heard about 6 of those. Was thinking of getting a record player again and I've seen some of those on vinyl.

[Park Life 71]

Parky, you've probably heard of Lone who did Galaxy Garden and has just released another album on R&S but I think his earlier effort Emerald Fantasy Tracks (from 2010) is class. It's got a bit of retro feel to it and manages to somehow sound a bit like Boards of Canada, early 808 State and Jupiter Jazz-era Underground Resistance all at the same time.

Early 808 you say? I'll put that on the list. Cheers bro. Like a bit of Lone.

Edited August 1, 2014 by Park Life

[Alex 35077]

Early 808 you say? I'll put that on the list. Cheers bro. Like a bit of Lone.

Something off the album to whet your appetite: