Thankfully Clone is now compiling early, hard-to-find Drexciya material, though the compilation format is a bit weird (so far they've released two comps, which come in oversized digipaks, and which both have only 45 to 50 minutes of music).
― Tuomas, Friday, 2 November 2012 21:48 (eleven years ago) link
ok that was some hyperbole, it's a good album, but you know what i mean. fucking IN SIDES! FREQUENCIES! HOMEWORK! and then this solipsistic blahness. it did sound fresh at the time but i swear to god if i hear another wistful downtempo album
― hot slag (lukas), Friday, November 2, 2012 5:40 PM (4 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
"Wistful" is not the first word that comes to mind with that record for me. For me, it feels like an exploration of bygone sounds, but in a way that highlights their strangeness, underlines the distance between then and now, and experiences the past as this sort of alien, almost queasiness-inducing thing. It's nostalgia as a trip, sure, but not always a happy one.
― Clarke B., Friday, 2 November 2012 21:50 (eleven years ago) link
at a guess, because you're the only person who voted for it
― sug night (sic), Friday, November 2, 2012 5:45 PM (4 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
Ha, point taken (though I missed the poll entirely). It's a shame their stuff has been so hard to come by for so long.
― Clarke B., Friday, 2 November 2012 21:51 (eleven years ago) link
xxxp I still love The Orb, Chems or Orbital not so much. they are all relics though.
― dsb, Friday, 2 November 2012 21:52 (eleven years ago) link
Well "relic" is subjective. Not sure how you can say they all are, unless you think all dance music ages badly.
Nice to see Flux Trax 2 in there. The first volume isn't an especially coherent compilation but it's an incredible seection of 90s greats, many of which I expect to see in the tracks poll:
http://www.discogs.com/Various-Flux-Trax/release/42195
― Deafening silence (DL), Friday, 2 November 2012 21:53 (eleven years ago) link
1 vote for Hongkong and none for Biokinetics? Regretting not voting now.
― a panda, Malmö (a passing spacecadet), Friday, 2 November 2012 21:54 (eleven years ago) link
for everyone saying so-and-so did the same thing BoC did 20, 30 years before, wtf are you listening to because i want it
― happy little (clouds), Friday, 2 November 2012 21:55 (eleven years ago) link
― a panda, Malmö (a passing spacecadet), Friday, November 2, 2012 5:54 PM (1 minute ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
That's what I'm screaming... For me, those records (and The Quest) are TOTALLY canonical. It makes me wonder if a lot of folks who weren't around for them at the time actually haven't ever heard that prime-era Basic Channel and Chain Reaction stuff?
― Clarke B., Friday, 2 November 2012 21:57 (eleven years ago) link
The font is terrible, but the MHTRTC cover image is one of the most perfect evocations of an album's contents in my library.
― in the Land of the Yik Yak (Sanpaku), Friday, 2 November 2012 21:57 (eleven years ago) link
I'll note, as others surely have, that *the faces are bleached out* on it, too. That's not exactly "wistful"...
― Clarke B., Friday, 2 November 2012 21:58 (eleven years ago) link
And the title is incredible, too.
monolake, drexciya, robert hood, maurizio, model 500...
i refrained from voting b/c i thought i didn't know my 90's shit, expected the results to school me. this list blows.
― karl...arlk...rlka...lkar..., Friday, 2 November 2012 22:04 (eleven years ago) link
"or everyone saying so-and-so did the same thing BoC did 20, 30 years before"
This is almost never true about anything. There's one internet commenter who absolutely insists that there's nothing on Kid A that Can didn't do first.
― Deafening silence (DL), Friday, 2 November 2012 22:04 (eleven years ago) link
Which Model 500? Deep Space is overrated imo.
― millmeister, Friday, 2 November 2012 22:05 (eleven years ago) link
Well "relic" is subjective. Not sure how you can say they all are, unless you think all dance music ages badly. Dance music ages great!, it has very pronounced cyclical returns, present in lots of forms of culture but especially pronounced in dance music, see the recent returns to organ led skipping garage house. wether the current vogue well get back around to dubby slightly cheesy tripped out ambient or rock/techno hybrids with liam galleger singing over top first is your guess as good as mine. sorry i actually do like the chems but those first two Orb albums a very nostalgic for me.
― dsb, Friday, 2 November 2012 22:06 (eleven years ago) link
I was expecting Geogaddi to poll above Mhtr. In the end it didn't even appear! (fine by me by the way)
― millmeister, Friday, 2 November 2012 22:08 (eleven years ago) link
Out of all the various genre/decade polls run on ILM, this is the one where I've been familiar with the highest percentage of the albums in the countdown. There are a lot of records here that really opened my ears to various different sounds, not just the ones I voted for either. Something like In Sides... I was obsessed with that when I was 16, I'd heard nothing else like it. BoC wasn't my #1 choice but I'm happy with it winning.
― Gavin, Leeds, Friday, 2 November 2012 22:10 (eleven years ago) link
I'm struck by just how little critical revision of the 90s consensus has occured so far - this list could have been picked from any number of contemporaneous review sites, and there really isn't a single surprise (aside from the St. Etienne showing by indie diehards).
― in the Land of the Yik Yak (Sanpaku), Friday, 2 November 2012 22:13 (eleven years ago) link
Geogaddi came out in 2002.
― Tuomas, Friday, 2 November 2012 22:14 (eleven years ago) link
Ah, good point.
― millmeister, Friday, 2 November 2012 22:15 (eleven years ago) link
are you happy with the results, tuomas?
― Nilmar Honorato da Silva, Friday, 2 November 2012 22:16 (eleven years ago) link
I think most of the critical revisionism of 90s dance - to the extent it has been going on - has been focused on areas which are more tracks-focused than albums-focused.
This list seems depressingly boring to me but I suppose that was inevitable.
― Tim F, Friday, 2 November 2012 22:23 (eleven years ago) link
There are some good albums there, no doubt. But like I said a while ago, I'm surprised how very, very Brit-centric the list is: 41 out of the top 50 albums come from the UK. As someone who was listening to a lot of German techno in the 90s, I'm a bit disappointed it's represented by only three albums, all of which may be there because the artists behind them (Voigt, Burger, Basic Channel) became more hip in the 00s than they were in the 90s. (They're all great albums though, don't get me wrong.) My number 1 album (Air Liquide's Nephology) is German, and no one else voted for it... :( An equal disappointment is that all of American dance music is represented by Carl Craig alone.
― Tuomas, Friday, 2 November 2012 22:28 (eleven years ago) link
I'm sure there were some interesting / original choices in people's lists. It's just when you put them all together, more often than not, the old favourites get hashed out.
― millmeister, Friday, 2 November 2012 22:34 (eleven years ago) link
I still listen to the Orb today, though Orbus Terrarum is my pick for the one that held up the best
― frogbs, Friday, 2 November 2012 22:37 (eleven years ago) link
yea i am starting to wish i voted regardless of my level of expertise. i understand that it'd be annoying to split hairs over various strains of '90s electronic stuff but this sorta feels pointless
seems like ambient/idm stuff is pretty unavoidable in the general '90s canon, we all have heard or know that we don't want to hear those albums by now, but dance stuff is still p underrepresented outside of obvious stuff like daft punk/prodigy/basement jaxx. tho tim is otm about 90s dance being more about tracks than albums
happy to see landcruising/paperclip people/burger/ink show up. more annoyed than ever at ilx's undying love for autechre
― akadarbarijava (psychgawsple), Friday, 2 November 2012 22:39 (eleven years ago) link
Pansoul by Motorbass is also better than 90% of this list...
― Clarke B., Friday, 2 November 2012 22:43 (eleven years ago) link
LOL
― the late great, Friday, 2 November 2012 22:44 (eleven years ago) link
It's the 'old favourites' that didn't get hashed out because the spaces were taken by lesser material that surprises me though.
Like, 'A Silent Introduction' only managed 64 but every single Autechre and Aphex Twin-related album of the 90s makes the top 60.
'A Silent Introduction' is substantially more canonical/revered in general than 'Chiastic Slide' (widely considered to be the least of Ae's 90s albums).
So the implication is that there's a bit of a structural bias in this poll towards IDM and UK album dance that lifts even lesser lights, rather than just populism/the wisdom of crowds at work.
Blech 2 beating The Joint is another example - I'd expect Artificial Intelligence or Northern Exposure or Logical Progression to, but in what world apart from a Warp bubble is Blech 2 even particularly remembered?
Of course it's wrong to read too deeply into these results given that Blech 2, say, only got 3 votes.
― Tim F, Friday, 2 November 2012 22:45 (eleven years ago) link
x-post
Motorbass is a phenomenal record! How many albums were people allowed to vote for? I want to create a list of my own just for fun.
― Clarke B., Friday, 2 November 2012 22:46 (eleven years ago) link
An equal disappointment is that all of American dance music is represented by Carl Craig alone.
DJ Shadow is from California.
― Gandalf’s Gobble Melt (DJP), Friday, 2 November 2012 22:48 (eleven years ago) link
but isn't dance music
― zvookster, Friday, 2 November 2012 22:52 (eleven years ago) link
how many ballots were received for this?
24 for the album vote.
― Tim F, Friday, 2 November 2012 22:55 (eleven years ago) link
I'm lolling at the results of polling, not at motorbass
― the late great, Friday, 2 November 2012 22:58 (eleven years ago) link
There was one unweighed ballot, so it's 25 in total. As I said, the tracks poll was clearly more popular.
― Tuomas, Friday, 2 November 2012 23:00 (eleven years ago) link
Thank you for doing the poll, Tuomas.
― Algerian Goalkeeper, Friday, 2 November 2012 23:15 (eleven years ago) link
Carl Craig - More songs about food and revolutionary art ?Drexciya ? Motorbass ? Superdiscount ? Speedy J ? Surgeon ?
― sisilafami, Friday, 2 November 2012 23:30 (eleven years ago) link
I was surprised not to see 94 Diskont by Oval, too...
― Clarke B., Friday, 2 November 2012 23:32 (eleven years ago) link
Yeah nice work Tuomas - thoroughly enjoyed that. Looking forward to the singles poll.
― millmeister, Friday, 2 November 2012 23:33 (eleven years ago) link
Yes, thanks for doing the poll.
― a panda, Malmö (a passing spacecadet), Friday, 2 November 2012 23:34 (eleven years ago) link
And, of course, thanks to you, Tuomas! I pulled out a lot of records the past few days because of this poll.
― Clarke B., Friday, 2 November 2012 23:34 (eleven years ago) link
Pansoul by Motorbass is also better than 90% of this list...And yet only me and one other voted for it
― Mountain Excitement (Nasty, Brutish & Short), Friday, 2 November 2012 23:37 (eleven years ago) link
Yeah great work Tuomas, can't wait for the tracks rollout.
― Gavin, Leeds, Friday, 2 November 2012 23:38 (eleven years ago) link
here's my ballot
b12 - time touristblaze - basic blazemotorbass - pansouljuan atkins - sonic sunsetgreen velvet - constant chaosflare - reference to differenceherbert - 100 lbsrob hood - internal empireken ishii - jelly tonesjeff mills - live at the liquid roommoodymann?!?mr fingers - introductionandrea parker - kiss my arpplastikman?!?ron trent - primitive artsglenn underground - atmosfeartwo lone swordsmen - the fifth mission
― the late great, Saturday, 3 November 2012 00:34 (eleven years ago) link
i didnt see jelly tones in the noms list otherwise i would have voted for it.I did kinda rush my ballot in to meet the deadline as i had been busy with the 80s poll
1) Leftfield Leftism2) LFO Frequencies3) Underworld Dubnobasswithmyheadman4) Orbital Orbital (Brown Album)5) Squarepusher Feed Me Weird Things6) Squarepusher Hard Normal Daddy7) Prodigy, The Music for the Jilted Generation8) Mouse on Mars Autoditacker9) Mouse on Mars Niun Niggung10) Future Sound of London, The Dead Cities11) Future Sound of London, The Lifeforms12) Dave Angel Tales of the Unexpected13) Dave Clarke Archive One14) Chemical Brothers, The Dig Your Own Hole15) Chemical Brothers, The Exit Planet Dust16) Black Dog, The Bytes17) Autechre Tri Repeatae18) Aphex Twin I Care Because You Do19) Aphex Twin Richard D. James Album20) Boards of Canada Music Has the Right to Children21) Future Sound of London, The Accelerator22) KLF, The Chill Out23) KLF, The The White Room24) Orbital Snivilisation25) Oval 94 Diskont
― Algerian Goalkeeper, Saturday, 3 November 2012 00:39 (eleven years ago) link
Couldn't resist sticking a few dj mixes in there. Somehow managed to exclude the Paperclip Ppl album.
1. Aphex Twin - Selected Ambient Works 85 – 922. Black Dog, The - Bytes3. Boards of Canada - Music Has the Right to Children4. Autechre - Incunabula5. Photek - Modus Operandi6. Black Dog, The - Spanners7. LFO - Frequencies8. Orb, The- Adventures Beyond the Ultraworld9. Harri - Subculture: A House Music Experience10. Orbital - Orbital (Green Album)11. Goldie - Timeless12. LTJ Bukem - Mixmag Live13. R Hawtin - Mixmag Live14. Various - True People: The Detroit Techno Album15. Kenny Larkin - Metaphor16. Robert Hood - Nightime World Vol. 117. Derrick Carter - Back To Basics: Cut The Crap18. Coldcut - Journeys By DJ19. Luke Slater's 7th Plain - The 4 Cornered Room20. Nu Yorican Soul - Nu Yorican Soul21. Polygon Window - Surfing on Sine Waves22. Grooverider - Grooverider's Hardstep Selection Vol. II23. Orbital - Orbital (Brown Album)24. Kruder & Dorfmeister - DJ Kicks25. Ultramarine - United Kingdoms
― millmeister, Saturday, 3 November 2012 01:08 (eleven years ago) link
13. R Hawtin - Mixmag Live
^^ this is a good pick
16. Robert Hood - Nightime World Vol. 1
^^ always had a hard time getting into these, recently dug it back out, it's pretty good but i don't think i "get" everything he's doing on this album
― the late great, Saturday, 3 November 2012 01:11 (eleven years ago) link
Yup it took me a while to get into the Rob Hood. I think approaching it like a jazz album (as per the cover) helped. Some of the drum programming is sublime.
― millmeister, Saturday, 3 November 2012 01:36 (eleven years ago) link
I just cooked up a hypothetical ballot... Surprised not to see any Fennesz even nominated! Also realized in researching that a LOT of good records came out in 2000.
Aphex Twin – Selected Ambient Works Vol. 2Drexciya – The QuestBurger/Ink – Las VegasPorter Ricks – BiokineticsGas – KonigsforstCarl Craig – More Songs About Food and Revolutionary ArtPlastikman – ConsumedBoards of Canada – Hi ScoresAphex Twin – Richard D. James AlbumBasic Channel – BCDTheo Parrish – First FloorDettinger – Intershop Boards of Canada – Music Has the Right to ChildrenDrexciya – Neptune’s LairFennesz – Plus 47 Degrees 56 Hrs 37 Min Minus 16 Degrees 51 08Monolake – Hong KongSeefeel – SuccourPaperclip People – The Secret Tapes of Dr. EichDaft Punk – HomeworkOval – 94 DiskontMotorbass – PansoulOrbital – Orbital 2 (The Brown Album)Autechre – Amber Robert Hood – Internal EmpireUltramarine – Every Man and Woman Is a Star
― Clarke B., Saturday, 3 November 2012 03:32 (eleven years ago) link