1990 was still a transitional year for UK breakbeat music, but on another scale than 1989. The direct connection to acid house started to fade, yet the prototypes of the previous year were developed further. The breakbeats became more varied and complex, there were more bleeps and bass and more pianos, more rave, more techno, gradually more tempo but also generally more diversity. And as you can see with the number of mixes I recorded for this year, there were far more releases as well. And they sounded more refined, as the nights they were played at got bigger and the sounds followed suit.
00:00:00 1 The Source Featuring Candi Staton – You Got The Love (Erens Bootleg Mix) 00:07:37 2 Mr. Fingers – Mr. Fingers – What About This Love (Even Deeper Mix) 00:13:18 3 The Stone Roses – Fools Gold (A Guy Called Gerald remix) 00:20:02 4 4 Hero – Move Wid The House Groove 00:25:00 5 The Sindecut – Demanding Cycle – Of A Word Bound Hammerhead 00:29:57 6 M.N.D.J – Stop The World (Instrumental) 00:33:11 7 Moody Boys – Jammin (Ital Mix) 00:37:40 8 A Certain Ratio – Won’t Stop Loving You (Sumner Mix) 00:41:56 9 Rebel MC – Comin’ On Strong (Ruff Neck Mix) 00:48:31 10 The James Taylor Quartet – Killing Time 00:53:05 11 Fresh Four – Compared To What (Dub) (feat. Lizz.E) 00:57:15 12 Nomad featuring MC Mikee Freed – (I Wanna Give You) Devotion (Instrumental) 01:03:11 13 Mr. Fingers vs. Rockers Revenge – Feel The Sunshine 01:08:15 14 A – L.A. Star – Wondrous Dream (Mix 1) 01:13:50 15 Psychotropic – Only For The Headstrong 01:21:00 16 Baby Ford – Change (Quick St. Break Mix) 01:25:56 17 Baby Ford – Change (Konrad Cadet Mix 1) 01:30:45 18 Jesus Loves You – Generations Of Love (Future Dub) 01:35:44 19 Jesus Loves You – Generations Of Love (Land Of OZ 12″ Mix) 01:41:54 20 Renegade Soundwave – Women Respond to Bass 01:45:14 21 A.R. Kane – A Love from Outer Space (Venusian dub) 01:51:42 22 A.R. Kane – A Love from Outer Space (Solar Equinox mix) 01:55:10 23 A.R. Kane – A Love from Outer Space (Lunar Eclipse mix) 02:00:47 24 The Sindecut – To The Heart 02:04:59 25 The Sindecut – Having 02:08:31 26 Psychotropic – Hypnosis 02:16:24 27 Logic Control MCs – High Pursuit 02:19:35 28 Mental Cube – Chile Of The Bass Generation 02:23:14 29 808 State – In Yer Face (Mancunian Delight) 02:27:57 30 A Certain Ratio – Spirit Dance 02:32:04 31 Orbital – Omen (The Tower) 02:34:32 32 Shades Of Rhythm – Exorcist 02:39:07 33 Newington Heights – Reach 02:44:11 34 Hardcore – Get A Little Stupid (Backroom Mix) 02:50:39 35 The Moody Boys – Funky Zulu (You’re So Fresh) (Chapter 1) 02:55:14 36 Mc Wildski – Warrior (The Art Of Fighting Without Fighting Mix) 02:59:04 37 Renegade Soundwave – Thunder II 03:03:42 38 Jolly Roger – Music Is The Weapon Of The Future (Dub) 03:09:02 39 MC Buzz B – Never Change 03:12:22 40 Mental Cube – Q 03:16:30 41 A Man Called Adam – Barefoot In The Head
00:00:00 1 Orbital – Chime (JZJ Oh Ya Mix) 00:06:18 2 Plutonic – Amen 00:11:17 3 Unique 3 – Phase 3 00:15:23 4 Excel D – The Blur 00:18:52 5 Westworld – The Slam 00:24:04 6 Hypnotone – SBX 00:28:20 7 A1 – I Like Techno 00:31:25 8 Unknown Artist – Untitled 00:34:46 9 DJ Mad A & Dr. Stevie The Ambient Guru – Levitating Pharaohs (Full Frontal Spacehead Ambient mix) 00:38:38 10 Baby Ford – Let’s Talk It Over (12″ Full Version) 00:43:35 11 No Smoke – Oh Yes (Freedom) 00:48:11 12 Language – Renegade (The Energy mix) 00:52:34 13 Language – Renegade (The Cryptic mix) 00:57:01 14 Bang the Party – Rubbadubb 01:00:18 15 Turntable Overload – T T O 01:05:01 16 Unique 3 – Pattern 12 01:09:36 17 Orbital – Omen (12″ Version) 01:15:52 18 Logarhythm – Jungle (Nightmares On Wax Mix) 01:19:39 19 The Black Dog – Apt 01:23:38 20 Synchro – Synchro-Bass – Mystic Voyage 01:29:29 21 Pet Shop Boys – Being Boring (Extended Version) 01:38:50 22 Adé – Free The Soul 01:42:11 23 2 In A Rhythm – Magic Machine (Ruff Rhythm Mix) 01:45:59 24 2 In A Rhythm – Magic Machine (Time For Action Rap) 01:49:41 25 2 In A Rhythm – Bionic Boogie (Work Da Rhythm Mix) 01:53:24 26 2 In A Rhythm – Bionic Boogie (Ride The Groove Mix) 01:57:28 27 Holy Ghost Inc – Hi-Speed (Pirate DJ Club Mix) 02:01:29 28 Freshtrax & Ace II With Pressure Zone – Destruction (War Zone Mix) 02:06:32 29 Andromeda – Control (Control of the dance floor) 02:11:01 30 Shut Up And Dance – A Change Soon Come (Instrumental) 02:14:51 31 Shut Up And Dance – A Change Soon Come 02:19:10 32 Sudden Impact – Game Of Love (Original Mix) 02:25:04 33 Sudden Impact – Game Of Love (Remix) 02:30:41 34 Adamski – Adamski – Killer (Remix) 02:36:56 35 Sike – Intrigue
00:00:00 1 Baby Ford – The World Is In Love (Dub) 00:05:00 2 Midi Rain – The Crack Train (Dub 1) 00:09:20 3 Midi Rain – The Crack Train (Vocal) 00:13:48 4 Circuit – Shelter Me (Helter Skelter Mix) 00:19:33 5 T.A.S. (The Altered State) – Make Some Noise (Def Mix) 00:22:45 6 HardNoise – Untitled (Instrumental) 00:24:56 7 HardNoise – Untitled (Vocal) 00:28:15 8 4 Hero – Rising Son (Inst.) 00:33:28 9 4 Hero – Rising Son 00:38:28 10 Genaside II – The Motiv (Who Da F@??$! You Calling Fat? Mix) 00:42:33 11 The Dynamic Guv’nors – These Guys Are Doper Than Dope 00:48:15 12 MC Duke – MC Duke – I’m Riffin’ (1990 Remix) 00:51:29 13 The V.F.T – Fenland Bass 00:56:31 14 Exocet – Shogun Assassin 01:01:58 15 Synchro-Bass – Dark Star 01:07:32 16 Unique 3 – Weight For The Bass 01:12:04 17 Marine Boy – Laura Laura 01:17:23 18 DJ Mink – Hey! Hey! Can U Relate (Sunshine Dub Instrumental) 01:23:56 19 DJ Mink – Hey! Hey! Can U Relate (Deep Space Mix) 01:28:41 20 Infamix – A Walk In The Park 01:33:41 21 Satin Storm – Satin Storm 01:38:17 22 Butcher Sam – Piano Passions 01:43:23 23 Bogus Order – Zen Bones 01:47:21 24 FXU – FXU – The Dark Side 01:51:24 25 C + M Connection – Bio Rhythms 01:57:11 26 Westworld – Dreamworld 02:03:28 27 Altern 8 – Reel Time Status 02:07:24 28 Demonik – Labyrinthe 02:12:52 29 Doggy – Dog Food 02:17:31 30 G.F.X. – Eternal (Mix 2) 02:19:37 31 Amber – X-Logic 02:26:18 32 Greed – Give Me (Bleep Mix) 02:31:52 33 KCC – Def 02:34:22 34 Confidential – Jam The Frequency 02:40:45 35 A Guy Called Gerald – Untitled
Trevor Jackson introduced me to the station and the idea to do shows with whatever you want to do was really tempting. So I signed the contract and never looked back.
In discussion with Lerosa on “Electric Café” by Kraftwerk (1986).
There was „Computer World“, then the „Tour de France“ single, then a silence of several years. I was impatiently waiting for their next move, and it kept getting renamed and postponed. Then the first thing I heard at last was „Boing Boom Tschak“. I thought that was pure genius. I suppose you were already a fan before, too. How did you experience that comeback and what did you think of it?
My first encounter with Kraftwerk was when I was 14, the video for „”Musique Non Stop”“ premiered on MTV Italy, with its groundbreaking CGI it was unique at the time. The only similar music I might have had come across then was probably Art Of Noise’s „Close To The Edit“ and Herbie Hancock’s „Rock It“. I didn’t have access to a lot of music as I had no older clued-in sibling nor were my parents into music, perhaps bar my mom who loves her Charles Aznavour and Lucio Dalla, so to be honest I had no idea who these guys were but I was blown away. To me this was new music from a new band! Sometime later I made friends with a guy from Bolzano who told me to check out the „Breakdance“ movie to see Turbo do a routine to „Tour De France“, a freaky song with electric pulses that sounded like a bike chain. After a few months of looking for it I watched the movie, and heard that, too. A year later on holiday in Rimini I shoplifted „Autobahn“ and „Radio Activity“ and I loved both but also not understood them very well as they packed a lot of references to more experimental music I wasn’t quite well versed as a 16 year old. It wasn’t until much, much later that I finally heard „Computer World“. I don’t think I have heard the first two albums yet. I think for a lot of kids back then “Musique Non Stop” was their first meeting with Kraftwerk. Like a lot of people I was a bit disappointed with „Electric Café“ at first. I thought the A-Side was a wonderful statement, but the B-Side lacked the same consequence. I liked the sounds, but I was not that impressed with the tunes. But it has grown on me immensely, starting only shortly after.
Is this album perfectly flawed, a good example for an album that does not lose its impact due to shortcomings?
I think after getting the 12“ for “Musique Non Stop” and eventually finding the LP I too might have been not very enamoured with B-side with its cringey songs (in English, that’s the version I had). It was too much like the music on Italian commercial day time radio and I was being drawn to these new sounds, Hip Hop and early House, that were starting to seep in through the late night radio stations and occasional afternoon clubs we had in Italy for 14 to 17 year olds. I wanted to hear this new Rap music and these new weird electronic House beats, I had no time for the „Telephone Call“ etc. Nevertheless I was charmed by them as the melodies and arrangement were very catchy.I am not sure if I ever thought of it as flawed; it felt like a cohesive whole, just one where I failed to connect the dots, which is how I normally felt whenever I heard something new that really alienated me, say Peter Gabriel „IV“. I just always thought I didn’t know enough to understand it rather than thinking, „oh this is a bit shit“. I think it is insecurity that made me look at it with respect rather than try to judge it as an album. I don’t think I owned many albums back then at all.Whichever way it is, the B-side songs eventually have become the ones I play most often, especially „Telephone Call“, which I love very much. And likewise I love a lot strange pop albums like Peter Gabriel’s „IV“, or Frankie Goes To Hollywood’s debut album or indeed „Who’s Afraid Of The Art Of Noise“.
Ralf Hütter had a severe cycling accident that slowed the work on „Electric Café“ down considerably. Do you think the flaws of the album are there because they rushed proceedings to not lose more momentum?
Who knows. I’d like to think that this was delivered the way it is quite intentionally to showcase the connection between the new sounds and beats of the A-side and the more traditional songs on the B-side, all held together by the electronic sounds. I think I always looked at this record like that; as a sort bridge between the old and the new.
The working title of the album was „Techno Pop“, and they even renamed the album later on. But isn’t the B-Side more Techno Pop than the A-Side? Could’t they have made one album that was pop, and one that was pure rhythm?
Well, I am sure that back then I probably wished the same, I would have loved more of the A-side but in hindsight maybe that would have really made it too niche and austere an album to their ears, coming as they were from a mixed background of musicality and experimentation, I suppose they were trying to find a balance on one record rather than being too pragmatic and split it into two separate entities.
I once imagined that „Sex Object“ was actually a first glimpse of a whole other concept album that was neglected, just for the lack of a better explanation why it was included. Especially the lyrics seemed to clash with their usual man machine infatuation, they are very human. As are the lyrics of „The Telephone Call“. How human are Kraftwerk?
I think they are very human and that’s why they are so popular to this day. Their appeal goes way beyond the mere “electronic music” tag, it doesn’t rest on the laurels of introducing a lot of complex machinery to music. They articulated the new relationship between humans and the technological world with sounds that managed to be extremely human and extremely non-human. Quite the trick. Read the rest of this entry »
It has been four years since the legendary German electronic music pioneer Conrad Schnitzler has passed away, and I am very sure that at this very moment a person, or more likely, several persons are wondering just where to start with the gargantuan archives he left behind. From the late 60s until his demise he pressed record more than others, and his vast officially released output is surpassed considerably by what has not been released as of yet.
Every music consumer nowadays can only struggle with the amount of music that is returning to attention, and then on top there are all the releases that never were before. Legions of thorough and not so thorough specialized labels handle this output, but they mostly deal with a manageable back catalogue. And then there is Conrad Schnitzler. In retrospect you can take a whole lot of what we are familiar today in terms of electronic music, trace it straight back to what he was doing decades ago, and inevitably put a proto tag on it. And he was doing LOTS of it in his studio, heaping up well deserved credentials in the process, from the very beginning until the very end, day in day out. So how do you approach such a legacy? You need time, for sure. You need dedication, definitely. You need expertise, of course. But you also need an idea how to comprehensibly legitimate all the effort. Probably only Schnitzler himself will remain the only person to ever have heard anything there is, but thankfully he was also helpful to others aiming to reach as far as they could. When m=minimal label head Jens Strüver was granted access to Schnitzler’s audio library in the early 00s he suggested the Con-Struct series, in which Schnitzler’s archive would be constructed into new compositions by other musicians, and Schnitzler agreed to it. The first installment was handled by Strüver and Christian Borngräber, followed by Kreidler’s Andreas Reihse after Schnitzler’s death.
It is important to note that the series is not meant to be a tribute to finished recordings by means of remixing. The history of electronic music is littered with unnecessary remix compilations. Don’t get me started. But of course there are rules to the exception, where the remix is as advanced as the landmark music it is remixing. On the top of my head I would like to mention LFO’s version of Yellow Magic Orchestra’s „La Femme Chinoise“. And the main reason I am thinking of this particular remix is that for me it is a fine example for the ideal combination of source material and the remixer’s own artistic signature. Both YMO and LFO have their merits, and with this pairing, they multiply (pun alert). More often than not reworks are disrespectful to the original, because they are too respectful, thus watering down the originality of what they are reworking, resulting in a mere convenience product. But as mentioned, free interpretations are not the main idea behind the Con-Struct series, let alone remixes, but Schnitzler sure would not have been content with just being flattered by other artists, however weighty his artistic persona.
Which directly leads me to the third Con-Struct album, curated and rearranged by none other than Kurt Dahlke, better known as Pyrolator and member of German electronic Post Punk miracle Der Plan. Though of a later generation than Schnitzler, for me Dahlke is another seminal pioneer of electronic music. He knew his Buchla and his numerous other synths and devices and what to do with it, and I am totally convinced that his impact should never be underestimated, and may later be con-structed itself. An inspired choice. In his own words, Dahlke wanted to „present a side of Conrad which I had always heard in his music but one which often goes unnoticed: a darker, technoid side. In my opinion, Conrad has always been one of the great pioneers of classic Berlin techno music.“ Well, upon hearing the album the proto can again be tagged, to techno this time. This may not be drone plus kick thunder usually associated with the city’s current according club soundtrack, it is more of the 90s kind, when a plethora of sounds permeated the scene, imported or locally grown, and folders were still closed. As that is what makes pioneering days so exciting, and so easy. Nothing is settled. It will be eventually, but not right now. Let’s explore every idea we have. Which makes this album so enthralling, as both Schnitzler and Dahlke supposedly went through such a phase several times throughout their career. So on the one hand you have Schnitzler’s lifelong love of musical adventure and his ability to anticipate represented with Dahlke’s selection, on the other hand you hear Dahlke’s musical preferences and signatures reflected. „I must admit, I could not resist the temptation to add one or two of my own ideas. The original tracks were so inspiring, I just had to.“, Dahlke measures his input. Frankly, I am more of a Dahlke than a Schnitzler scholar, but I sense understatement.
Martin Rev – Sparks Surgeon – Floorshow Part I A Ghetto Trax – Back 2 Da Beat DB-X – Electric Shock Blake Baxter – IR 020 B2 Random Noise Generation – Hysteria T++ – Space Break Midnight Caller – Callers’ Theme Futurhythm – Want Your Body Millsart – Inner Life (5 To 9) Millsart – Inner-Self Jeff Mills – Zenith Rebel Alliance – A1 LFO – Tied Up Container – Acclimator Ancient Methods – Kings & Pawns DJ Stingray 313 – Remote Viewing Cybersonik – Technarchy Mental Mayhem – Joey’s Riot Norman – Greenroom Robert Hood – A.M. Track Robert Hood – Alpha Suburban Knight – The Art Of Stalking Medusa Edits 1 – The Walk Nitzer Ebb – Join In The Chant Skatebård – Metal Chix Brian Harden – Play Time L’estasi Dell’oro – It Is Nothing What Nothing Is Marchant Etrian – Crystal Cars Suburban Knight – The Warning Philus -Kuvio 3 Aleksi Perälä – UK74R1405036 Sleeparchive – Null Sekunden Heatsick – Time Smudge Omar-S – Blade Runner Surgeon – Floorshow Part II B2 Surgeon – Atol H&M – Sleepchamber Missing Channel – Deadly Spell Octave One – Eniac DJ Bone – Struggle 2 Nina Anderson – Everyday Is Like Sunday Dark Comedy – Without A Sound Aaron-Carl – Tears Maurizio – Eleye
When I first heard LFO, I instantly thought this might be the first music to really challenge the legacy Kraftwerk left behind. Meaning, a legacy based on game changing achievements in sound and ideas, and much else beyond. I never really felt the need to revise that first impression in the years to come. Hardly any music of that era has aged so well, and still sounds so unique, and particularly Mark Bell followed it up with a whole lot of comparably superior music, either as collaborator, or on his own. I always had this feeling he might drop a release that would shatter a whole scene again, at any given point. But now he very untimely passed away. There will be young, determined and insanely talented producers again, but Mark Bell’s legacy will be really difficult to match. R.I.P.
Xon – Midnight Express Cyclone – A Place Called Bliss Sweet Exorcist – Testone The Step – Yeah You (Robert’s Dub 2) Sweet Exorcist – Trick Jack Cabaret Voltaire – What Is Real (Virtual Reality Mix) The Wolfgang Press – Time Paris Gray – Don’t Lead Me (Nexus 21 Mix) Altern 8 – Objective C & M Connection – Another Night (Techno Dreams) Ability II – Pressure Dub Ital Rockers – Ital’s Anthem (Trebledown-Bassup Mix) Unique 3 – Pattern 12 Unique 3 – Beats And Bass Mix Nightmares On Wax – Aftermath (LFO Remix) LFO – Squeaky Uncle 22 – Pain Baby Ford – Blow Back Tuff Little Unit – Join The Future Cabaret Voltaire – Easy Life (Jive turkey Mix) Unique 3 – The Theme (Original Chill Mix) Rhythmatic – Take Me Back (Bass – Head Mix) Juno – Soul Thunder (Drillers Mix) Fantasy U.F.O. – Fantasy (Strictly Underground Mix) Salt Tank – Charged Up (Instrumental) Synchro-Bass – Mystic Voyage Midi Rain – The Crack Train (Vocal) Logarhythm – The Jungle (N.O.W. Mix) Unique 3 – Weight For The Bass (Digi House Mix) Baby D – Day Dreaming LTJ Bukem – Delitefol DJ Mink – Hey! Hey! Can U Relate (Deep Space Mix) Unique 3 – Activity (Mix 1) Zero B – Spinning Top 4 Hero – No Sleep Raver (The G And D Mix)
UK Bass/Dubstep special, recorded for m50’s radio show in Chicago.
Kahn – Like We Used To DJ Abstract – Touch djrum – Turiya Taylor – Squeege Nautiluss x Lord Skywave – Ultraviolet Zed Bias – Reminisce About The Phuture Elgato – Luv Zombie Pangaea – Inna Daze Kuma – Dawn Stepped Outside (Horsepower MK7 Mix) Grey Goo – See Me Irrelevant feat. Brad Sucks – Better Off In Me Graphics – Name This Bandshell – Rise Em Instra:mental – Thomp Untold – Bones (Rockwell Remix) J Beatz – Subwoofer (Grievous Angel Remix) Helix – Stacks Riddim No Symbols – Straight Kode9, Benny Ill & The Culprit – Fat Larry’s Skank Djrum – Turyia (Tessela Remix) West Norwood Cassette Library – Coming On Strong (Pangaea Remix) Djrum – The Darkest Hour Is Just Before Dawn (Undercoat Pt. 2) LD – Traumatic Times Lorca – Hold Back Pangaea – Memories Synkro – Don’t Know Luke Envoy – So TRG – Surreal (5AM) Forsaken – Hypnotised Horsepower Productions – Voodoo Spell Double Helix – LDN RSD – Pretty Bright Light Killawatt – Sidewinder (Ipman Remix) Kahn & Neek – Percy Geeneus – Congo Untold – No One Likes A Smart-Arse Data – The Construct Data – Knives From Heaven Photek – Closer (Pinch Remix) Pinch – Elements Opus – I’m Goin In Dub War – Funky Deal Anti-Pop Consortium – Ghostlawns (LFO Rik Waller Mix)
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