PEOPLE OF THE NATIONS, DANCING TOGETHER! It's the 1990s TOP 100 ELECTRONIC TRACKS poll results!

This poll is already so great! Thanks Tuomas.

― MikoMcha, Tuesday, December 11, 2012 9:14 PM (2 hours ago)

I would have voted for "Finally" higher if it would have been the hit version

I like how slowly these tracks are being rolled out

90. The Sabres of Paradise - Smokebelch II (David Holmes Remix) (Sabres of Paradise, 1993)
331 points, 5 votes.

http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/u641/Lixenixen/smokebelch.jpg

http://youtu.be/4E7DKirMqQI

It's an interesting subject because there really are 'gateway' records which got former indie boys into dance. Orbital's "Halcyon" did it for loads of friends at University and the remix of Sabres' "Smokebelch II" was another one.

― Tom, 23. helmikuuta 2001 3:00

I don't know if I'd have Smokebelch so high, I love it and all but isn't it more the pinnacle of a beautiful old style piano breakdown rather than a massive seminal record in its own right?

― Ronan (Ronan), 22. marraskuuta 2002 13:20

sabres of paradise - smokebelch II

Prachtig! Ga 'em direct weer opzetten. De David Holmes-remix was de mooiste, meen ik me te herinneren.

― Niels Aalberts (Niels), 20. helmikuuta 2006 21:55

David Holmes 'Smokebelch remix' is trance surely - arpeggios!

― nebbesh (nebbesh), 13. elokuuta 2003 13:41

I think David Holmes is the only artist in the poll who got more votes for his remixes than his own tunes.

The highest rated remix in the whole poll made it to 10th spot, by the way. I guess that's bit of a spoiler, but now you can start speculating what it is.

I think David Holmes is the only artist in the poll who got more votes for his remixes than his own tunes.

this can't be true, surely?

if so *spoiler* 'show me love' for one isn't placing, unless ilm really likes 'put em high'.

Obviously I'm only counting artists who actually had some of their own tunes on the nomination list besides remixes.

Hmm, actually I was wrong, there is one other artist whose remixes got more points than original tunes.

wb tuomas :D

95. DJ Zinc - Super Sharp Shooter (Ganja Records, 1995)

TOO LOW

more remixes than own tracks sounds right for Holmes

i think i misread that anyway, it was early. frankly i'll be disappointed if that's not the only david holmes thing in this list.

Er, there already was another David Holmes remix at #99.

i should go back to bed obv.

no more david holmes tho pretty please.

want gritty shaker

This has been great so far! Thanks Tuomas

I've started a Spotify collaborative playlist, it's got most of the tracks so far, but for a couple I had to put in a different mix as I couldn't find the right one. Anyway, you can listen / add here

http://open.spotify.com/user/usingyourworlds/playlist/40ML9Rz2etb8olfNvNTece

Thanks for doing the playlist, I haven't had the time to look for these tunes on Spotify myself.

89. Global Communication - The Way (Secret Ingredients Mix) (Dedicated, 1996)
332 points, 6 votes.

http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/u641/Lixenixen/theway.jpg

http://youtu.be/kLVAiIqMIQc

The Way (Secret Ingredients Mix) is some pinnacle-of-recorded-sound shit for me so i guess i'll vote for SI. but really, everyone's a winner.

― unaustralian (jabba hands), 23. maaliskuuta 2009 0:38

i sold my The Deep/The Way on discogs recently. instant regret.

― jed_, 23. maaliskuuta 2009 15:31

Got to be Global Communication. On-selon mi-mos and The Way (Secret Ingredients mix) are two of my all times of the 90s.

― Chewshabadoo, 3. huhtikuuta 2012 2:24

88. DJ Shadow - Stem/Long Stem (Mo Wax, 1996)
335 points, 6 votes.

http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/u641/Lixenixen/stemlongstem.jpg

http://youtu.be/luL8ZG_IKbA

I've always been partial to "Stem/Long Stem".

― Gregory T (tubesocks), 3. kesäkuuta 2005 15:47

Always been v unimpressed with the guy in Stem/Long Stem: "I could just lay right down, I tell you children I could lay right down" - you could lay right down? Jeez, you must have it tough. Do you want a mug of Horlicks?

― ledge, 11. tammikuuta 2008 17:27

stem/long stem is the most killer after midnight, should've gotten more votes.

― the table is the table, 15. tammikuuta 2008 5:59

Wicked sleeve, never seen that before.

87. Boards of Canada - Turquoise Hexagon Sun (Skam, 1996)
336 points, 5 votes.

http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/u641/Lixenixen/turquoisehexagonsun.jpg

http://youtu.be/jRyYISMXbwc

Anyhow since getting my hands on MHTRTC all I wanted was more BoC stuff - there is something about their music that stops everything else cold. The whole childhood nostalga this is definitely there for me - on the first listen, without any idea of what to expect besides "they're on warp", I was taken straight back to 70's/80's marine wildlife/science documenary projections on the wall at schoool, as well as that wierd huge overpass somewhere in Ammerica with a million cars on it - remember that?

Anyway, MHTRTC has been in my daily travelling stash of tunes EVERY DAY since I got it, and has since been joined by IABPOITC and Geogaddi. It's like they are making music just for me - was nearly in tears when I first heard Turquoise Hexagon Sun, and again with Kid for today and IABPOITC itself. And as for Over the horizon radar - well, That was Kleenex time...

― Johann Morton, 27. helmikuuta 2002 3:00

Sinewy electronic chillout music deeply informed by hip-hop and Robitussin. The beats are mesmerizing, the environmental flourishes in the samples are breathtaking, and "Turquoise Hexagon Sun" is just mind-boggling.

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), 2. lokakuuta 2002 17:44

like being sprayed with giant windex bottles of hypercolor twinkle dust. like the turquoise hexagon sun is engulfing you. pleasant as it is, it's almost too much, too saturated, a day dream binge.

― Honda (Honda), 12. toukokuuta 2003 20:22

Boards of Canada - "Turquoise Hexagon Sun"
A man attempts to commit suicide by jumping off a cruise liner into the ocean. The music starts once he is underwater. At first there is only darkness, then we get subtle flashes of brightly colored fish. A glowing object in the distance comes closer, until we see that it is a beautiful mermaid, who pulls him into a cave in a reef, where he passes out.

― n/a (Nick A.), 10. kesäkuuta 2005 21:22

Wicked sleeve, never seen that before.

7" with "Heat version" iirc

Stem/Long Stem was one of my token not-really-dancey choices, nice.

YES to 'the way' and TOO LOW at the same time. just an undeniable track the way it pulls you in. layer on top of layer.

85. (tie) Bizarre Inc - Playing with Knives (Vinyl Solution, 1991)
336 points, 7 votes.

http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/u641/Lixenixen/playingwithknives.jpeg

http://youtu.be/KQuHvJh_LeA

I think that the Mixmag Live! Hardcore Techno Classics mix is not bad, especially as it contains "Playing with knives".

― Aaron Grossman (aajjgg), 31. elokuuta 2002 6:26

"Playing With Knives" is obv one of the all time classic rave tracks

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), 18. toukokuuta 2005 19:48

i spent last friday night at an altern-8 gig in london (sooo good). i dunno about 'i'm gonna get you' but i'm certain 'playing with knives' got played at least about four times. this thread has just reminded me of it all again and i'm a very happy bunny now indeed ;)
oh and CLASSICCLASSICCLASSIC obviously as if it needs to be said any more....

― peteflynn (piratestyle), 19. toukokuuta 2005 14:10

lots of Bizarre Inc - always thought they were kind of an underrated 90s dance act really.

the three most underrated 90s dance albums IMO:

T99 - Children of Chaos
Eon - Void Dweller
Bizarre Inc - Energize

Don't know how I missed this, but so far the results suggest my ballot would've been with the crowd.

85. (tie) The Source featuring Candi Staton - You Got the Love (Truelove Electronic Connections, 1991)
336 points, 7 votes.

http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/u641/Lixenixen/yougotthelove.jpeg

Original video with crappy sound.

Longer mix with much better sound.

The Source's "You've Got The Love" bass line

The other mix with a hardcore break and gospel pianos is also amazing.

Loving the overall raviness of this list so far

This feels too UK-centric so far. Not necessarily a bad thing.

Loving the overall raviness of this list so far

― formerly EDB (ed.b), Wednesday, December 12, 2012 6:04 PM (1 hour ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Can't go wrong with Playing With Knives.

This feels too UK-centric so far. Not necessarily a bad thing.

― Moka

UK dance music 90-94 is perhaps my favourite period of any music ever, so definitely no bad thing.

OTM

The other mix with a hardcore break and gospel pianos is also amazing.

link (or mix name)?

84. Aphex Twin - Rhubarb (aka track 3 of Selected Ambient Works II) (Warp Records, 1994)

http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/u641/Lixenixen/rhubarb.jpg

http://youtu.be/ZVvjXJentik

the first three tracks on disc one. (especially three.) ;)

― jess, 27. lokakuuta 2001 3:00

With Jess. Especially about that third track.

― Ned Raggett, 27. lokakuuta 2001 3:00

Yup, that's the one for me. Best thing he ever did and he's no slouch when it comes to good stuff.

― Billy Dods, 27. lokakuuta 2001 3:00

Oddly enough, I think I would nominate this because it is so involving and entrancing. It is very out-of-yer-body and is creepy as a result.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), 4. toukokuuta 2003 4:19

i can't overstate how much i love this piece. (as a side note cddb now calls it "rhubarb," which seems a bit odd...are these the unofficial titles people puzzled out from the pics in the liner notes?) it marks the only time i've ever used a repeat function on a cd player. i wanted to listen to it a few times and accidentally left it on for at least an hour or two late at night. it must be tapped into my personal resonant frequency or something.

it seems strange to me that this and nirvana were happening coincidentally, on virtually opposite sides of the world. i experienced them sequentially but they've coincidentally both drifted back into my life- i just added saw II to itunes finally, and it and nevermind keep cropping up on random play.

― rgeary (rgeary), 6. huhtikuuta 2004 8:37

Sorry, forgot the points:

337 points, 5 votes, one 1st place vote.

83. Hardfloor - Acperience 1 (Harthouse, 1992)
337 points, 5 votes, two 1st place votes.

http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/u641/Lixenixen/acperience1.jpg

http://youtu.be/wj4fj3VJ-Pk

Classic, they perfected one template, wobbly acid-line, fat bass, breakdown, enter strings, here come the drums, whoom-whoom, Nirvana!

― Omar, 10. marraskuuta 2001 3:00

the first time i heard hardfloors hardtrance acperience at the orbit (cant remember who dropped it), and then it fades out, and out and out, and then BBAAAAAAMMMMMMMMMMMM!! and the whole place is hanging from the rafters and there are lazers everywhere and the floor is shaking and everyone knows wow something really incredible just happened, like, this is the greatest thing ever!

― gareth (gareth), 21. lokakuuta 2002 16:16

although the second time might have been better, becuase this time, we knew! we knew what was coming, the minute that bassline bounces in, and the whole crowd is peaking and like YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

― gareth (gareth), 21. lokakuuta 2002 16:17

There was no point making any more acid trance after that was there? You were never going to top Acperience.

― Treblekicker, 24. lokakuuta 2008 20:15

This list is already loads more fun and unexpected than the albums list. Of the two massive diva house tracks here I think Finally has definitely lasted the best. Possibly it's overplay I dunno, but I never need to hear You Got The Love again, like all enjoyment has been wrung out of it, but I can't imagine ever getting tired of Finally.

I feel the other way round. But I also feel like You Got The Love shouldn't be on this list, or at least if it's on a 90s list it also has to go on every decade's list.

Nice to see Acperience place. Getting kind of excited to see what direction the list goes in from here, because so far I'm not getting much feel for what subgenres and eras will dominate the higher placings.

That's not the Hardfloor track I voted for (my vote went to "Once Again Back", which still has, 21 years after it was released, the roughest, moss kick-ass bassline I've ever heard in dance music), but I'm glad it made it. They were largely responsible for reviving acid in the 90s, and as mentioned in this thread, "Acperience" also popularized the build & release technique that became quite common in 90s techno/house/trance.

I prefer Aceperience 5, which is a bit harder and seems to have more tension in it, but that might just be because I heard it first (a friend taped it for me in early 94, I didn't hear the Acperience 1 until I bought Flux Trax about 18 months later). That whole build & release technique was done to death and sounds annoyingly formulaic now.

I'm not well versed on the history of "You Got the Love", but AFAIK it was originally a disco/boogie tune released in 1986, then some British guy used an acappella of it and remixed with Jamie Principle's "Your Love", which was first released as a bootleg 1989, then officially released in 1991. So yeah, technically it's an 1980s tune, but since this version became commercially available (and subsequently became a hit) only in 1991, it's fair to include it on the 1990s list.

Maybe one or two ILXors heard the remix in 1989, but I assume for the most of us it's firmly a 90s tune.

this edit of it with the beat from "She's a Bitch" has been ruling my world of late

https://soundcloud.com/totalfreedom/slice-4-minimal-complaint-also

82. Origin Unknown - Valley of The Shadows (RAM Records, 1993)
341 points, 5 votes

http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/u641/Lixenixen/valleyoftheshadows.jpg

http://youtu.be/a5meT63flnM

Can't find any good comment on it on ILX, but this is generally considered to be the first "darkcore" track, right? Or are there earlier examples? Also, it's one of the two tracks in the top 100 to inspire a book title.

tytytytyty

I'd just like to reiterate that you all should be fucking ashamed of yourselves for not placing "Gypsy Woman".

Unfortunately something happened to that playlist cos it had a lot more tracks on it but somehow the majority of them got deleted off it, still not sure if it was some fuckup on my part

I'd just like to reiterate that you all should be fucking ashamed of yourselves for not placing "Gypsy Woman".

Well, la da dee la da da to you too.

I think I prefer Surprise these days.

Rev, if I'd been able to vote there would have been 3 votes for "Gyspy Woman"