In a message dated 3/7/00 9:51:59 AM Eastern Standard Time,
JonathanY@SonicFoundry.com writes:
<<
I'm looking for some more of what I'd concider 'Classic IDM', the type of
stuff released by Warp on Artificial Intelligence I and II, Polygon Window,
and especially Black Dog Productions. I wish I could re-order a bunch of
this stuff on vinyl. The sound is 'classical' in the sense that the music
changes slowly in 'movements', and is generally plesant to listen to.
Can anyone recommend some artists, or releases on CD or vinyl with this
early-IDM sound?
>>
The early IDM sound you refer to is more of the
aesthetic UK 313 sound, very much a British take on
the Detroit sound with a greater emphasis on layered
development and accessibility. Great stuff!
The best UK (or anywhere else, for that matter) album is
Reload's "A Collection of Short Stories". It has melodic
moments, ambient moments, sinister moments, etc.
and is pretty much beyond categorization except as
a total classic and an unrivaled masterpiece.
In the more straight-forward sound the best UK primer
is not the Artificial Intelligence comp but the Philosophy
of Sound and Machine comp on A.R.T. and the Objets
d'A.R.T. 92-95 comp on New Electronica. These have most
of the best tracks by the Black Dog and the artists most
similar to them: As One/Future Past (Kirk "Detroitio"),
Musicology/Redcell/Cmetric/B12 (Michael Golding and Steve Rutter),
Phenomyna/Stasis (Steve Pickton), etc. These comps are
absolutely incredible, just hits from top to bottom.
For full-lengths I would also recommend Black Dog's Bytes
as their best, As One's Reflections and also the Reflections on
Reflections remix album, B12's Electro-Soma and Stasis'
Inspiration as the best full-lengths from the UK producers.
Also worth it if you move fast are the 12"s on the Likemind label.
For some reason copies of #2, 3 and 4 that were never originally
sold seem to have reappeared at Hedonizm and Smallfish, which
is a great chance to get some classic rarities at reasonable prices.
Likemind is possibly the best UK techno label, contested only by
A.R.T. mainly because it was really the only label to feature tracks
by the exceptionally talented Nuron (Paul Smith) who is probably
my favorite "standard" UK techno producer, even above Black Dog.
Here are what I'd call the best twenty UK 313 albums:
Aphex Twin: Selected Ambient Works Volume II (Warp)
As One: Celestial Soul (New Electronica)
As One: Reflections (New Electronica)
As One: Reflections on Reflections (New Electronica)
B12: Electro-Soma (Warp)
B12: The Prelude, Part 1 (B12)
B12: Time Tourist (Warp)
Black Dog Productions: Bytes (Warp)
Black Dog Productions: Parallel (GPR)
Black Dog Productions: Spanners (Warp)
Black Dog Productions: The Temple of Transparent Balls (GPR)
Global Communication: 76:14 (Dedicated Japan)
Phenomyna: Unexplained (A.R.T.)
Polygon Window: Surfing on Sine Waves (Warp)
Redcell/Stasis split (B12)
Reload: A Collection of Short Stories (Infonet)
Remotion: The Global Communication Remix Album (Dedicated)
Stasis: From the Old to the New (Peacefrog)
Stasis: Inspiration (Peacefrog)
The Theory of Evolution (Warp)
As for compilations check the Philosophy of Sound and
Machine and Applied Rhythmic Technology comps on A.R.T.,
Objets d'A.R.T. 92-95 on New Electronica and both Artifical
Intelligence comps for the five that best deal with solely UK
artists from this era of music.
And here are the best fifty UK 313 singles:
Phenomyna: Explained V1 (A.R.T.)
Phenomyna: Explained V2 (A.R.T.)
Elegy: Ensemble (A.R.T.)
As One / Future/Past / Zee# (B12)
Future/Past: Hyperspace (R&S)
2001: Rings of Saturn (B12)
Musicology: Hall of Mirrors (B12)
Redcell: Active E Motion (B12)
Musicology: Preminition (B12)
Redcell: Captive Planet (B12)
Cmetric: Cqual (B12)
B12/A.R.T. Project 1 (B12/A.R.T.)
B12/A.R.T. Project 2 (B12/A.R.T.)
Black Dog Productions: Virtual (Black Dog)
Black Dog Productions: Age of Slack (Black Dog)
Black Dog Productions: Techno Playtime (Black Dog)
Black Dog Productions: Flux (Rising High)
Balil: Parasight (Rising High)
Plaid: Mbuki Mvuki (Black Dog)
Plaid: Scoobs In Columbia (GPR)
Pictured 1 (Deepart)
Pictured 2 (Deepart)
Pictured 3 (Deepart)
Andihart 1 (Myoclonic?)
Andihart 2 (Myoclonic?)
Deepart: Collage #1 (Rush Hour)
Nuron/Stasis split (Likemind)
Nuron/Fugue split (Likemind)
Likethemes (Inner) (Likemind)
Nuron/As One/Elegy (?) (Likemind)
The Reload EP (Evolution)
The Autoreload EP (Evolution)
The Keongaku EP (Evolution)
The First Link EP (Evolution)
The Cyberdon EP (Evolution)
Link: Antacid (Evolution/Warp)
Reload: Archives (Evolution)
Link: s/t (Symbiotic)
The Autoreload EP, Volume 2 (Infonet)
Stasis: Disco 4000 (Time Is Right)
Stasis: Circuit Funk (Peacefrog)
Stasis: Block (Pure Plastic)
Otherworlds (Otherworld)
The Other World Collective: Artificial World (Peacefrog)
Mode-M: Space Based (Void)
Future Beat Alliance: Inside Out (Void)
Soul Electrik: Drift (Void)
Mode-M: The Inner World (Void)
Future Beat Alliance: Electric Blues (Void)
Future Beat Alliance: Travelling Solo (Archive)
Any further questions about specific releases are welcomed,
and yes, the UK 313 sound is among the best and most
lasting out there in technoland, and I wholeheartedly agree
with you that reissues are absolutely necessary so new fans
can have the opportunity to enjoy this great music.
Matt
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