The Electronica Enthusiasts Thread

I'm sure we have a few fans of Electronica music in these forums. Just interested in the particular style(s) you may like, and to discuss the merit(s) of the different styles and artists.

Personally, I'm impartial to Euphoric Trance (Bedrock - Heaven Scent, Pulsar - Lightwave, Joshua Ryan - All) Progressive House (Hybrid - Finished Symphony Remix, Chicane - Saltwater) and Drum and Bass (Most of DJSS's stuff.) Of course, I listen to most of this stuff at home, not being 18 and Raveable, so I don't really appreciate Hard House, Psy-trance as of yet, but my limited experience with (one) Beach rave tells me those harder styles of Electronica can be quite different in a different environment.

Your thoughts/opinions?

 

*sigh*

When I wake up, I'll expect some good discussion. Otherwise there'll be heads rolling.

 

I like a fair amount of electronica, though I tend to levitate towards the more "arty" Autechre-style stuff rather then the more overtly 'dance' people, you know? I'd say 'Geogaddi' by the Boards Of Canada may well be the only worthwhile album that's come out this year (which isn't saying all that much, admittedly).

 

Where would you put Wumpscut? Darkwave or Industrial?

 

word on trip-hop merkurian. definitely into portishead, morcheeba, massive attack, etc.

i tend to like the more laid back stuff like air and zero-7 and also stuff by dj shadow and dj krush.

lately i've been getting into some new stuff by kid loco, mum, and marumari.

 

I became interested in Electronica when I was maybe 7 and my cousin sent me a mix tape of dance/techno music... this was in like 1992. He sent 2 more, and eventually (just a few year ago) sent 3 more...

There's one song in particular I've been looking for - it's an electronic beat set to actual quotes from the Kennedy Administration/Space Program (Very cool stuff...)

Anyone know what I'm talking about?

And are 1) BT, 2) Art of Noise clasified as 'electronica'?

 

I love electronic music (as rookie can attest to). Everything from its early days on through to its clubbing era. I enjoy most styles, but I'm particularly fond of artists like Banco de Gaia, Baby Mammoth, Orb, Loop Guru, Fila Brazillia, Sven Vath, Mouse On Mars, Peace Orchestra, Muslimgauze, FSOL, and especially Kraftwerk.

 

Ummagumma, The Greatest Probe Droid Ever Activated, has his music on kazaa, labled as Delta 9.2

 

Geez Merkurian, reading your post was like taking a walk down memory lane!

"Prodigy (yes Prodigy, before they turned to the dark side)..."
LOL! I was just listening to Charly by them a few nights ago.

Does anyone remember a song called Papua New Guinea by The Future Sound of London? That, hands down, has got to be my favorite electronica song of all times.
Aaaaaaah yes...the summer of '92.....

 

Electronica?

One word:


V A N G E L I S

(Pronounced "The #!@($* master of electronic synthesis")

 

Tangerine Dream, The Shaman, even Depeche Mode. Man, I love electronica!!!!

 

Dude... I used to have a kick-butt Shamen maxi-single CD... and I lost it, but I found one on ebay and got it for like 4 bucks... it's the Move Any Mountain Progen '91 Remix CD.

AWESOME remixes of that track, not to mention about 15-18 tracks of each sound looped in their mixes, so you can sample and remix the sounds, lyrics, etc. to your liking!

I've got a sampling workstation synth at home, and I have yet to try putting something together.

Vangelis favorites (these are from my collection, ordered by date of release):

Heaven & Hell, Albedo 0.39, Spiral, China, Friends of Mr. Cairo (w/Jon Anderson of Yes), See You Later, Antarctica, Soil Festivities, Direct, Themes, The City, 1492: Conquest of Paradise, Blade Runner, Voices, Foros Timis Ston Greko (A Tribute to El Greco), Portraits (compilation), Oceanic, Mythodea: Music for the NASA Mission - 2001 Mars Odyssey.

P.S.: For Blade Runner, the 1995 re-recording is the only one worth having... All the music was recompiled, produced, arranged and performed by Vangelis (most of it was re-recorded from scratch). the original release was actually an orchestral interpretation of his work and it was horrible by comparison.

Trivia: He was invited to replace Rick Wakeman as the keyboardist for Yes, but graciously declined after realizing he's too independent in his process of creation to join another band.

 

I forgot Orb... like that too...

 

I love Vangelis as well, i just got the blade runner soundtrack and a compilation called Themes. Gorgeous stuff, kind of an influence for my own music. All the other stuff i have of his is still on vinyl.


FSOL isn't william orbit. Check my link in my bio. But they are amorphous androgynous, and a.a. has a new album coming out next month i believe.
"Papau New Guinea" got its own remix album recently, called "Translations". I haven't seen it in any stores yet, i'll probably have to order it as an import. But on their homepage (check my bio) there is a nice link under "translations" where you can hear some of the mixes.

Actually don't check my bio, just click here. Link originally provided by KlingKlang.

fsol

 

klingklang, i just started listening to some Mouse On Mars, any suggestions?

btw, have you heard anything by herbert or mr. scruff? my friend burned me their cd's and i think you might like some of it.

 

I'm so looking forward to that new Amorphous Androgynous album. It's about time!

rookie: The only thing I've heard from Mr. Scruff is Keep It Unreal, which I really like. But I haven't heard anything from Herbert except some of his remixes. What's his own material like?

As for MOM, their first two releases (Vulvaland and Iaora Tahiti) are their most melodic. Then they started getting into 'IDM' and went quirky. So if you prefer that Aphex Twin style, you might want to check out Idiology or Autoditacker. My favorite by them is Glam but I only have it on vinyl. I found the CD once but it's Japanese only and I couldn't afford it.

 

Tip for Electronica Newbies: If you're having trouble differentiating the different styles of Electronica, go here, and click on the 'Electronic Music Guide', which gives you samples of every style of Electronica. Oh, and don't take any notice of his opinions - he hates Trance. Bastard.

 

I've noticed recently in the media and clubs, a return to Gary Numan/Depeche Mode style "Electrofunk"© ©UKS.

I never liked or used the term "Electronica" myself, but if we are going to call it that, then my faves include (but not exclusively and no particular order)

Prodigy (ALL Era's. Even there Sex Pistol-esque musings of their new single)
Leftfield
Orbital
Josh Wink
Timo Haas (Azzido de Bass)
Paul Van Dyke - little "pop" but good.
Depeche Mode
Bronski Beat
Underworld
Roni Size
Kosheen
Chemical Brothers
Lamb
Basement Jaxx.
EDIT: Faithless, how could I forget you!
EDIT2: Daft Punk

Maybe you could squeeze Massive Attack under this label, though "Trip-Hop" is probably closer..
And a million and one "one hit wonders" .

I tell you, you have not appreciated some of this stuff till you heard it "banging" out in a club.

NOTE: A lot of guys on that list skirt the definition of "Electronica" (which I assume is "Similar to Kraftwerk"), but hey... who cares!

UKS

EDIT: Ah, I see your definition covers all what I picked..excellent!

AND

That website, ( Ishtur),is excellent, if only for featuring "Eurodance" personified by Haddaway's "What Is Love?"

Damn, I love and hate that Cheeze-epic.

 

Jediguy: Just FYI, in case your post was directed at me... I'm not a newbie to electronica, nor musicology. I compose, arrange, perform, record, produce and master my own electronic music (including that which falls into the "electronica" category, a rather ambiguous moniker, IMO).

As such, I regard various pioneers in electronic synthesis as the forefathers of "electronica". This includes Vangelis whose incorporation of "pulses" into his early works, mastery of keyboards, percussion and various other instruments bears certain influence on the beat-driven genre of electronica . One of the problems that strikes me lately is the categorization of Vangelis as strictly "New Age". He began his career as a composer and electronic synthesist long before "new age" existed.

So... where do I place him? Well, it's not as simple as it seems since his work has influenced all other students of electronic music, both analog and digital synthesis, and he has, at various stages throughout his career, explored all sorts of musical avenues... opera, classical, neoclassical, film scores, electronica, experimental, fusion, rock, pop, new age, jazz, funk, etc.

My simplest answer is that this legendary pioneer is in a category all his own. Anyone who wants to understand the roots of all forms of electronic music should study the contributions of Vangelis, Kraftwerk, Robert Moog, John Cage, Edgard Varese and other such historical benchmarks of musical experimentation in the 20th century.

Electronic Music Foundation

Edgard Varese: Father of Electronic Music

Elsewhere: A Vangelis Fan Website

 

No, don't worry, I wasn't referring to you.