There are so many retro records around but so few capture the flavour of that era quite like 'Electro Boogie'. It's hard not to be seduced by the squelchy beats, cheesy Italo hooks and shiny Kraftwerk synth sounds. More of this please.
Having conquered the music scene in their native Sweden, purveyors of dark electro-pop and socially aware lyrics The Knife have turned their attention to the rest of Europe.
They may have become a one man operation but that hasn’t stopped Decal making one of the dance records of the year. Alan O’Boyle talks electro to Richard Brophy
Grimy electro/techno on the a-side. Better yet is the ‘Wavejumper’-era Drexciya-a-like ‘Crash’. But best of all is ‘From Detroit’, a fantastic spoken word whistle-stop tour of electro hot-spots over some tight, bassy dancefloor electro-funk.
Disco house and electro are credible dance music flavours, but Les Rythmes Digitales Jacques Le Cont has nonetheless been slated for his love affair with the 80s. In an exclusive interview with Digital Beat, Le Cont defends his musical passions.
Gaspard Augé of acclaimed electro duo Justice on the group’s stunning live performances, upstaging Kanye West and putting the humour back into dance music.
Swayzak continue to be refreshingly out of step with dancefloor norms. Richard Brophy hears about the duo’s latest offering – club grooves for your sitting room
Sharp electro-techer ‘These Eyes’ mixes it up with deep chords, echoing Detroit key stabs and electro vocals on one side, and a floor-bothering elastic bassline on the other. Hot.
Dark as you like electro from where else Andrea Parkers gaff. All tracks are worth a spin, but its the dirty, time-stretched electro of Dryer thats rockin our box. Like a slowed-down Mark One with added 808, this is unpredictable and original.
Shad T. Scott has been making electro for decades, but ‘Future Is Enslaved’ still offers new perspectives. ‘The Chains Of Technology’ adds a trippy acid dimension to crisp electro funk, while the 4/4 electronic disco groove of ‘Next To Me’ is both airy and menacing.
Compost get in on the electro re-issue trend with Academia’s late ‘80s hit, ‘Adventure’. This release focuses on Shep Pettibone’s original remixes. Most modern electro producers could learn a lot from the prowling bass and moody vibes.
In true electro style, we have no idea who is behind Electrik Bugg, but we do know that this three-tracker is inspired by the deeper, more esoteric end of Motor City electro. Limited to one small run on vinyl, this will appeal to only the true collectors.
Tiga’s run-of-the-mill techno/electro rocks a big analogue bassline and sorta suits Jim Reid’s forced vocals, while Riton’s glammy electro take on ‘Baby Baby’ – all spacey, off-kilter FX and not much else – is a more interesting listen.
‘Gigabot’ fuses dreamy synth washes with a brooding electro bass and a resonating vocal. Unfortunately, Radioactive Man’s version lacks imagination, being one of those hyper-speed electro-breaks tracks you’d expect to hear at 7am at a free party in Wicklow.
A promising release from this Dublin producer. ‘Icicle’ is an effective electro/tech rocker that’s let down by an over-the-top surging synth. On the flip, ‘XE’ marries old school-ish sounds to tight electro beats - again, the full-on synth is a bit much. One to keep an eye on.
The spiky, boshing nu-electro original is notable only for its eye-catching title. Hot Chip and Ragga Twins pay a sneaky homage to ‘Super Sharp Shooter’ over skippy two-step beats and a wild bassline while Skream unexpectedly/unsuccessfully goes 4/4 electro-house.
‘Life Under…’ is dancefloor electro/breaks – juddering drums, busy FX and bassline and a deadpan electro pop vocal. Crossover potential. ‘Bulletproof’ on the flip is for the heads – a rolling synth riff and skeletal beats give way to a delicious bassline.
Snax’s Prince-lite is always welcome around these parts, even if ‘Honeymoon’s Over’ – a jerky, jacking, electro-funk rant designed to bring out your finger-wagging inner queen – is a tad irritating. Maybe that’s the point. Konrad Black’s creeping minimal/electro-house remix sits uncomfortably with the vocal.
Bringing together the diverse strands of modern electro, this brilliant compilation on Device features nu Italo from Bangkok Impact and Legowelt, Chicago meets The Hague on Orgue Electronique’s ‘La Notti Del Terrore’ and purist electro breaks from Porn Darsteller and Johnny Cortex.
Music Review | Dance Single
49% | 25 Jun 2004
Richard Brophy
These new mixes of Lilly & De Reve’s ‘Kiss’ takes the electro-minimal cross-pollination to a new level.
The Knife are becoming something of a cult favourite – with this steel drum-heavy slice of electro/pop, it’s hard not to see why. Dahlback and Dahlback up the acidic electro/tech pressure as you’d expect, while MANDY’s mix is brilliant – it’s simply the original x 10.
Tom Vek's eponymous debut album was an electro-rock gem with echoes of Beck and Talking Heads, partly recorded in a flat on Exchequer St. He returns to the scene of the crime for the upcoming BudRising festival.
After showing some promise with his first few electro/techno emissions, Alex Ridha’s head has been turned by the Justice-led French electro juggernaut.
These classic tracks form the basis of house and electro and, thankfully, Lawson and his mob have re-interpreted them respectfully here. The Frankie Knuckles standard is beefed up with tight drums and a pumping bassline, while ‘Inner City Life’ vocalist Diane Charlemagne sings on their clubby, panning re-make of Moroder’s one-note electro disco.
It’s electro. It’s house. It’s electro-house. It’s the sound of today – and this buzzy-basslined 4/4 chugger will do the job for the next few weekends thanks to its ample breakdown.
Uninventive disco/electro slow-jam ‘Rainbow Man’ sounds like something Daft Punk left on the cutting room floor. And it’s made by Daft Punk’s manager. Pedro Winter redeems himself with ‘Chop Suey’, a catchy, twitchy, DJ Funk-aping electro/booty cruncher.
Part of the burgeoning Parisian acid house scene, ‘Ask’, which boasts the author’s camp French vocals, is destined to get to places that most electro house tunes will never reach. However, Jerome Pacman’s EBM-inspired remix of ‘Let Me’ and Shonky’s Euro-electro track, ‘Paris Is Not Dead’, mean this is still an underground release. Vive le Shonky!
The best electro-rock outfit since KLF or this year's Sigue Sigue Sputnik? The jury's still out, but Fischerspooner's Casey Spooner tells us he's more than just a cheap stunt
His dreamy electro-pop is winning Ulrich Schnauss an international fanbase. In his native Germany however, they’re still not convinced. Maybe it’s something to do with all those guitars.
Uber-hip electro-rock merchants The Bravery are brewing up a storm on the UK indie scene thanks to their blindingly inventive records and raw and energetic live shows. Interview by Hannah Hamilton.
It sounds like Hacker’s has got over his synth pop fixation. Like his recent ‘Moskow Reise’ release, ‘Flesh’ takes inspiration from visceral 80s industrial and Goth, mixing it with underground electro-techno. Perspect’s cold android tones are set to a wall of electronic noise, mental Hoover riffs and gnarly beats. The end result is a brilliant yet disturbing piece of electro noir.
He might have been a young Einsten but instead MARK OLIVER EVERETT ended up as EELS aka a man called E aka the Souljacker. PETER MURPHY discovers how it all went horribly right
Dark as fook electro with rock undertones on lead track ‘Faux’ – the tinny beats, eerie spoken male vocal and sweet synth riff combine for a deliciously dark moment.
The experimental arrangements can be fascinating, and the songs themselves are strong, but a really monotonous tone and texture really begins to grate after a while.
Minimalist electro-pop duo The Ting Tings emerged from a Manchester artists' collective with a love of Tom Tom Club and Talking Heads and a reputation as one of this year's most original new acts.
From piano-plonking crooners to nihilistic electro-pop duos, the UK and US are bursting at the seams with fresh talent in 2007. Could there be a new Arctic Monkeys out there somewhere?
Marc Romboy’s debut album has the dubious distinction of summing up the pros and cons of the ubiquitous genre we call electro-house over its 11 tracks.
After two decades of electro-pop hits, the PET SHOP BOYS have gone back to basics with their new album Fundamental – and thrown some timely political digs into the mix while they’re at it. But the real battle is getting people to take them seriously.
Being assaulted by irate audience members at Donnington, working with Iggy Pop, asked to write songs for Britney – and shocking Marilyn Manson’s crowd. It’s all in a year’s work for electro-punk princess and ‘Erotic Performer Of The Year’ Peaches.
‘Love Like Nicotine’, the exciting single from Dublin-based Dark Room Notes, is a classy and hugely promising debut for this electro-rock four-piece. The swooping intro immediately grabs your attention, the chorus is catchy, and the vocals are intense throughout. ‘Love Like Nicotine’ has up-and-coming producer Ciaran Bradshaw behind the reins, and, as an added bonus, the single has been remixed by both Trixton and Flood for the B-side. The Dark Room Notes are a welcome introduction to our radios: sharp, edgy, seamless electro-rock. More of the same please.
Allien is the boss of the slightly oddball electro/techno production line that is Berlin’s Bpitch Control – so no surprises on what to expect here. Thing is, it’s brilliant – a dark, intoxicating trip that says much even though she says little. It’s imbibed with a warmth and depth that’s strking.
Astrology. an ancient science or a load of cosmic nonsense?
FERGUS GIBSON is probably ireland's best-known astrologer, a man who gave up a hit-making career in music to concentrate on another kind of stardom. Here her talks about his astrological work with David Bowie, Iina Turner and Garth Brooks, explains why your aura always reveals the truth about your love life, describes his own encounters with strange and inexplicable phenomena and, finally, gives our own STEPHEN ROBINSON a personal palm reading. star gazer: Cathal Dawson
Midnight Magic takes in Hi NRG Italian disco, ’80s electro and even early ’90s techno, fusing them with sweat ridden, pulsating contemporary club grooves.
The modulated bass tones of ‘Puck’ will scare the hell out of anyone with a nervous disposition, but ‘IO’ is more impressive, a bluesy 4/4 electro with an epic melody line.
Avoid the obvious Benni Benassi electro/house mix, take a moment to check the linear Paper Faces and then realise that the glistening pop of the original is best.
The Scandinavian producer’s latest EP impresses by combining expansive dub techno patterns with acid and electro influences and spellbindingly beautiful electronic melodies.
‘Smack Snack’ is a MONSTER. It features the usual Dahlback-style percussion, stabbed bassline and – boom! – whiplash electro all the way home. Result? A dancefloor destroyer.
‘…Square’ is like an old-school Squarepusher with a sense of humour – ravey stabs, wild programming and all manner of oddness. Better again is ‘Half A Scissors’ which is like the above with added electro and a cool countdown.
Cracking 4-tracker from this new Belfast label – our favourites are Scoper and Bubba’s hip electro-funker and New Aluminists and Phil Kieran’s techy ‘Clinton Bleeps’. Excellent.
The short rock/house original doesn’t work, so it’s down to the remixes for a straighter, very now sound electro-rocker (yawn) that will appeal to ‘open-minded’ spinners
The best bits of JT Stewart’s Stinkworx alias are brought together for the first time. Mainly focusing on shimmering, Drexciya-style electro, History also features jacking house and some Italo.
Some of the proto industrial/electro act’s finest tracks get remixed by Carl Craig, Weatherall and, amazingly, one of Basement Jaxx! Altogether now, ‘Subhuman, I’m a subhuman…’
Marc Romboy wins in this battle of the electro/minimal house crowd-pleasers/underground gems simply because of Tommie Sunshine’s beard (and his occasionally wiry selection).
An unsolicited word of warning to EDC and all at SuperDiscount towers - the path you are taking may result in short-term 'electro' gain, but nothing truly good can come of such frivolous nonsense in the long run.
Forget the remixes (though DJ Marlboro’s is worth a look), this rough and ready ragga/electro/grime/wotdoyoucallit? romp with an incendary rap from MIA is quite possibly the single of the year.
‘Unuser’ is a rolling electro groove with a bassline that stretches from here to Berlin. It feels a bit amateurish though. ‘Parisis’ is better – a camp number with one-note basslines and stabs and Chicago drums.
Grand Central’s roster display a wide spectrum of influences on ‘Autumn’, from
classic Motown soul to off beat folktronica and even some indie-electro from rising star Riton.
The idiosyncratic Austrians combine brilliantly on this UR-referencing electro/techno shaker – the raw, twitching beats, buzzing bass line and freestyle synth will appeal to anyone with a clue.
Taking in the likes of Villalobos, Tiefschwarz, Isolee, Luciano, Booka Shade and other lesser lights, this very now comp trips the light fantastic between minimal, dubby and electro house perfectly.
Two straightforward but gorgeous, glistening electro covers of Joy Division’s ‘Atmosphere’ and ‘Love Will…’ If you liked Schneider TM’s ‘The Light 3000’ search this 7” down and feel both old and young at the same time.
Progressive DJ James Holden shatters all expectations on this double mix CD by alternating between deep dub techno from Baby Ford and Umek and the underground electro of Scape One.
Rolling Italo-meets-electro house on the a-side, livened by punchy drums and a nagging melody. ‘Do Robots…’ is more Italo, but with an unexpected 303 bassline
The title track evolves from metallic drums into a tripped out acid section before trancey chords kick in. Trance is also prevalent on ‘Just Dazing’, but this time, it’s the otherworldliness of the Detroit electro synth.
Brilliantly schizo electro pop that sounds like the Notting Hill carnival gone wrong plus added drunken Gregorian chanting. If you know what that means, you are better than me. More essential music from the curiously affecting Norwegian pair.
‘Neontrance’ is not the kind of record that Dirt Crew usually puts out, but its tough beats and repetitive, creaking sounds, as well as its rough 303 line makes for a refreshing change to textbook electro-house.
This label’s name is hopefully inspired by the classic Red Snapper release, and the music is just as fresh, as Boxcutter re-draw the rules of electro engagement with dissected, hyper-paced breaks and dark bass undercurrents.
The first lady of underground electro weighs in with a mix that draws on her label’s impressive catalogue, as Eggfooyoung’s skeletal funk rubs shoulders with her own ‘Freaky Bitches’ collaboration with DJs Godfather and Assault.
If you thought Switzerland was a boring place then think again, as this compilation collects minimal and electro strands of house and techno from underground names like Quenum & Lee Van Dowski, Crowdpleaser and Ben Larsen.
Four tracks of electro/hip-hop ‘riddims’ from the prolific Diplo – our favourite being the short ‘Percado’, featuring snatches of ‘Tour De France’ crossed with an off-the-wall Portugese female rap.
More lo-fi indie/electro from this intriuging Warp signing. ‘Citizen’ could be a slightly more folky Interpol – maybe – with its slow-building chorus and dark undertones. Also check the warmer, Four Tet-y ‘We’.
The imaginary physician concocts another fine collection of contemporary electro – Bangkok Impact, Adult, Radioactive Man and Kitbuilders – mixed up with evergreen classics from Neon Judgement and Liasions Dangeureuses.
It’s more crazy Germans with funny names, but don’t let that put you off: ‘Untitled’ is an infectious clubby electro track that owes a massive debt to LFO at the peak of their bleep’n’bass period.
Shonky has moved away from his acid/electro roots and is concentrating on techno, but whatever about this record’s rationale, its detuned riffs and relentless rhythmic pulses soundtrack the march to the scrapyard where defective drones meet their maker.
U:Mack's long- running Static night made a welcome return to The Shelter last month, with a fantastic Radioactive Man gig. For March there's a DJ set from electro maestro DMX Krew, with support from some tantalising homegrown talent.
The title track bored me to death, its mixture of ‘spiritual’ NY and bleepy electro house proving way too safe. ‘Leo’ sounds far better in Sasse’s hands, who turns it into a gorgeously tripped out Italo mini-epic.
‘Giant Bassmantix’ sounds like just that – unfeasably large bass thrusts crashing into schizophrenic electro breaks, all with an
unnerving hum in the background. ‘Doubt’ pushes things further. Metal machine music from this Irish producer.
The ever reliable Scape One gets on board Pnuma with four undeground electro cuts. The acidic title track is the most effective dancefloor number, but the Drexciya-like claustrophobic bass of ‘Klaatu’ and the introspective ‘Mind Cage’ have the greatest resonance.
Gianlugi Di Costanzo, aka Bochum Welt has been making melodic electro music for years. Predominantly down tempo, this mini album is evocative and haunting and has a timeless quality missing in most of his peers’ work.
Affected have pout some fine dance floor releases this year and ‘Patterns’ is no exception. Alternating between metallic, 303 soaked grooves on one side and ominous, crisp electro on the flip, D_Code keep the standards high.
Four deep pulses of minimal house and electro from Senor Canning, with the simple-but-funky Prescription-esque - check the b-line and shimmering chords - A1 and cut standing out. Third release from this promising Irish label.
Can anybody really be getting excited at the prospect of another Chemical Brothers album, a band that started to go downhill after the opening bars of their first single? ‘Do It Again’ is more of the same, trying to pass off a nothing song as minimalist electro noodling. Dull, dull, dull… again.
This retrospective collection from Dutch producer Alden Tyrell shows that he was years ahead of the electroclash/electro house chancers and that, more than any other undeground producer, he percussion that sounds like a Euro Boo Williams.
Combat’s exploration of the electro/dubstep interface continues, with Scan One and Komonazmuk & White Boi venturing into uncharted territories, as death march beats and intricate percussion give guidance to the visceral bass splurges.
‘Merciless’ represents Andy Stott’s more introspective musings. ‘Florence’ is all reflective piano lines and swish strings, ‘Choke’ explores a downtempo electro soundscape and even the acidic ‘Edyocat’ is more mellow than his usual 303 outings.
Junior Boys’ two originals are excellent electro-pop with a gritty edge – Alex Smoke’s melancholic remix retains the vocals but still brings a new dimension to the track, while Morgan Geist (re-)invents P-funk cosmic disco.
The original’s a dark, brooding electro-pop tale of lost teeth, complete with squealing synths. Williams' mix is mighty and meaty. Then everything gets arpeggiated and it ends up being a monster. Troy Pierce has ze minimal swing…
Miami loudmouths Avenue D big up their behinds over a gut-wrenching electro bass, while Pete Heller’s remix retains the hilarious rap – “even your momma loves this ass” – over a brilliant jacking acid track.
Precocious teen producer Andy Stott delivers the purist electro of ‘8ight’ and the engaging abstract glitch of ‘Talk Touch’, but he really impresses with the dubby groove of ‘Long Drive’ and the soulful, haunting textures of ‘Replace'.
Miss Kitten-circa-‘Frank Sinatra’-era vocals meet choppy drums, arpeggiated FX and a 303 bassline. ‘Fuck you’ electro. Roman Flugel adds some ‘Rocker’-isms to the remix, but it never quite gets there.
After his trance flirtation for Kompkat, Brikha is back in familiar territory on ‘Akire’ and the title track’s fusion of electro bass pulses and shiny, futuristic synths and ‘To Begin’, where subtle melodies unfold, mark a return to form.
Camp electro-crooner Louis reprises Christopher Just’s ‘I’m A Disco Dancer’ on this enjoyably daft Johnny Cash-esque tale of a life in music. Just crops up with souped-up glam techno mix. Fun.
These tracks were produced in the ‘90s by an unknown electro producer, but they still sound magical, especially ‘The Saturian System’. Like an upbeat version of UR’s classic ‘Final Frontier’, its jerky 808 beats suddenly break into a soaring string passage.
Four tracks of quirky house from Mark O’Sullivan and collaborators Jesper D and Fish Go Deep. The glammy electro bassline of the title track sits well with skippy drums and camp vocals, while the tech-ish ‘Blessed’ is our favourite.
Bootie action from the promising Pressers – the A-side roughs up Van Helden’s ‘Funk Phenomenon, while the Beasties and Kelis get a seeing too on the flip. All done is a chunky electro/house style y’see. The former are mildly irritating (but the crowd will dig those samples) while the latter is quite sexy.
Compiled and mixed by Joe Ransom – no, we’ve never heard of him either – this mix features some breaks, some hip-hop a dash of house and electro and, as a grand finale, Dynamite’s tale of woe about working in the music business, ‘Industry’.
Former hell for leather techno type Toni Rios mellows out to deliver a fine acid-electro-minimal house mix that includes tracks from Steve Bug, Phonique, Jay Tripwire as well as the ubiquitous Matthew Jonson.
Pussycat takes a break from his ghetto sound to serve up dark electro breaks, but doesn’t stop singing. Sounding like the stoopid one from the Beatie Boys, he tells a tale about selling dope at the trailer park, over rough 303 rhythms.
The original's small electro-tech beats give way to a welcome surprise: crystal clear Mayday synths and hi-hats and some choice analogue action. Dub Kult's busy rework adds some acid and some confident drums but loses the charm.
Instead of churning out tribal loops, Mark Broom realises his full potential as a producer with ‘Klick’, which alternates between plunging bass-led Detroit house sounds, fuzzy electro and cosmic, UR-style techno. He’s still got the magic.
Sniper Mode delivers a spacious electro mix with plenty of bass and engaging off-beat, reverbed stabs, while Phil Kieran offers a tough techno take with crunchy drums, odd FX and a harsh, head-spinning breakdown.
2020 are in danger of electro/house overkill of late, but when the track kicks as much arse as this it’s OK. You know the drill – nagging bassline, loose drums, oddball sample… this is redeemed by a killer breakdown that slows-down-and-then-speeds-up. We continue to be easily amused.
‘1968.Holes’ is a bizarrely brilliant combination of taut, skeletal beats and percussion, buzzing 303, unnerving FX and screaming vocals from Chicks On Speeder Kevin Blechdom. Kinda like an electro Parliament gone bad (meaning good).
WMW ditch the fun but pointless covers for a disco/rock workout that blurs the boundary between live and programmed. The snaking bassline is aggressive, the beats are from Rapture-ville, the break is rockin’, the riff comes from electro-land and the whole thing is rather promising.
Pacy tech-house with breakbeat/electro flourishes, a shed-load of irritating samples and FX and a wibbling 303 – but the large bassline is nice. ‘Skanksuary’ on the flip is a bizarre blend of ska and proggy breaks. An odd effort.
The German techno hedonist brings us a more diverse selection than usual with electro house classics from Tiefschwarz, NY punk funk from !!! and visceral minimalism from Basteroid.
Scandal Inc adopt a rough and raw approach to production . The reconstituted ghetto house beats, squelchy bass and sleazy female vocals on ‘Creep’ make the dirtier end of electro house sound tame.
In the past, Sasha’s mixes were characterised by huge breakdowns and pumping progressive rhythms, but this new selection is a pleasant surprise, delivering mellow/ dub techno from Richard Davis and Funk D’Void as well as Euro electro/minimalism from Phonique, M.A.N.D.Y. and Superpitcher.
Lead track 'Narcos' is an update of the timeless Moroder/Cowley electronic disco groove, with layer upon layer of atmospheric synth washes added in for trippy effect. Modern electro rarely sounds so warm and seductive.
‘Spot The Difference’ is dank, purist electro with dirty acid undercurrents. Transparent Sound’s mix steals the thunder, with Martin and Orson turning ‘Insert’ into a jacking acid track that morphs midway through into a synthy breaker.
Recorded in Munich and remixed in Rome, Passarani’s version fuses jacking Chicago house with punk funk slackness as a loose groove and wobbly bassline meet up. Francisco’s sleazy, breaking electro version is way off the mark though.
Dublin producer Donal Tierney shows his maturity on ‘Implants’ as he mashes up Detroit techno with Akufen-style glitch house and smoky electro. The title track, with its cut-up samples and off beat funk is the standout cut.
Dexter’s previous output suggested he was a fine, albeit purist electro producer, but ‘D-Funked’, while still based on sexy, staccato breaks, is a warm, tripped out UR-style affair. He embarks further off the course on a trip into deep space with the techno blips of ‘Midnight Cruiser’.
Solid electro/tech on the A1 – dark, snaking chords and bass, hi-pitched keys and FX a la Drexciya and a confident kick drum make this an addictive mover.
Dean Meredith from Chicken Lips takes another trip into spacey electro-disco. Those who like psychedelic Krautrock will love the Emperor Machine’s analogue synth version, while the extended version freeforms its way through to 10 minutes of trippy chord progressions.
Handed to Turbo boss Tiga during one of his European DJ jaunts, ‘Dance’ varies in style from shuffling, lo-fi Chicago tracks to futuristic electro-house and fashionista-baiting electroclash, everything you’d expect from a Turbo release.
Label boss Ralf Lawson returns to his house roots after 2020’s recent, excellent, foray into electro/house – ‘Ran’ is no-nonsense house music with chunky beats, cool percussion and quite a big room edge.
This is a diverse four-tracker from Kurt Baggley. ‘Moody Diversion’ is a busy, murky, glitchy slow-jam with a hypnotic FX wash, while ‘Soul Selects’ is lush but hyperactive electro, set alight by bright, sweeping synths, chopped stabs and taut percussion.
A simple but effective deep-meets-minimal wander from Phonique. Acid dabs, quirky stabs, warm bassline and subtle synths make for an early/late night pleaser. ‘Similarity’ takes an electro-house path with metallic double basslines.
Beautifully intricate down-tempo electro beats from SFC – ‘Neon Bridge’ melts melancholic chords and harsh FX over the skippy, mutant beats perfectly, while ‘Black Moss Caves’ sounds like Lali Puna falling down the stairs. Lovely. ?
Dolphin Wave Effect open the Groovetech vinyl account with a deep and spacey spoken word style electro number. Meanwhile, former Spooky man Duncan Forbes drops a deep and funky tech-house mix as Animated on the other side.
On the title track, Sweet N Candy fuse the pulsing rhythms of dub techno with the one-note bass sound common to electro house, while Christian Hoffmann lends ‘Polyester’ a throbbing, ominous bass sound.
Choice electro-house from the Dubliner. This busy A-side rocks a distinctive riff, an acdic underbelly and Chicago drums as it weaves on its way. 'Praymantis' is better, an acid house vibe with meaty 303s, deep drums and lovely washes.
The contrasting harsh backward riff and deep pads works well for a time on the Border Community-aping original, but the break is just too unsophisticated. Best skip to Koletzki and Meindl’s more confident remix – they beef up the bass, fuck with the main elements and turn it into a tough electro-house chugger.
Maetrik drags TicTacToe down a dark alley for his debut on the label: a brooding, pulsing bass underpins a layered electro-tech beat, as FX, glitches and hisses swirl willy-nilly, before bonus points are accrued for the intergalactic spoken vocal and dramatic drops.
London’s electro-rockers mark the special edition release of We Are Not The Infadels by releasing the fifth –yes, fifth – single from the album. And rather than sounding like warmed-over dregs, it’s actually a catchy little number, using monotone to its benefit while cribbing some moves from New Order. Better still, the bleepy cover of ‘Steady As She Goes’ is worth the sticker price alone.
For some reason, Delays always sound a lot better when the sun comes out so Hideaway couldn’t have arrived at a better time. The apparent electro direction of ‘Valentine’ has been ditched for a return to the guitars, yet this is still as bright and shiny as a new pin. In many ways it is the kind of both song and record that you might hear from one of the manufactured pop brigade – but that is by no means a criticism.
From the '70s porn image on the cover to Comtron's pervy contributions, there's no doubt that Black Label have hit on a strain of electro that's high in the sleaze stakes.
‘Stalker’s Groove’ is a cool melting pot of styles: the beats are dubby techno, the bassline is pulsing electro, the chords are pure Detroit and the 303 sounds are vintage Chicago.
Andrea Parker’s Touchin’ Bass imprint digs deep to deliver underground electro that flirts with industrial and rave influences, but the real power behind these tracks is the bass, evident on the gut-wrenching low end frequencies on Eggfooyoung and Plaid’s contributions.
The formidable Herr Grummich makes his skewed sound more accessible on ‘The Roll Part 1’ with electro bleeps, but there are no concessions on ‘Roll Part 2’ and ‘This One Jacks’, which hit you straight in the gut with grubby beats and walls of distorted bass.
Like the rest of the breaks world, the intrepid Irish pair have embraced electro-house with some gusto. ‘Tweaked Out’ is the opposite of subtle – the abrasive riff rippling through numerous drops and builds. It’s more 4/4 than breaks too, as is the darker, old-school referencing ‘Ghettoblaster’. Party music.
The first instalment of a three-parter from the versatile Canadian. The busy ‘Burbuja Azul’ combines an electro-funk bassline with minimal drums, Detroit hats and all manner of percussive touches, while ‘Ghost Writer Blues’ is more haunting – snappy drums combining with a melodic, reverbed synths.
‘City Sounds’ is mid-'90s techno pioneer Stefan Robbers’ comeback record, but he has stuck to his trademark sound. The pulsing electro of ‘Lab Practice’ references current trends, but at the heart of this record are emotive, uplifting melodies and fractured funk sensibilities.
Following Tiefschwarz, it’s the turn of Anu Pillai to mix it up for Fine, which he does in a wide ranging style that takes in nu Italo, electronic hip-hop, Seymour Bits’ electro funk and even Aphex Twin’s off the wall ‘Windowlicker’. It’s a real mish mash.
‘Suicide Kitten’ is a frenetic track, combining acid signatures with angular minimalism and a touch of old school Detroit melodies, while the ‘Bitten Kitten’ remake marries the dark bass attitude of purist electro with click house beats. It shows that a little imagination can go a long way.
Italian duo Drama Society follow up ‘Liars’ with the dark electro-techno of ‘Accident’, where metallic percussion and mysterious sounding synths prevail.
Speaker-shredding electro by numbers from this Liverpool lad. I know it might be a ‘big tune’, but why can’t producers like this put some effort into things? Oh wait, he has on the ‘Rave’ mix – an excellent arpeggiated bassline, squealing synths and smarter programming making it easier to digest. Predictably better is Joakim’s more refined remix.
Sasse borrows from sleazy Gigolos electro, the gurgling fluidity of classic acid trax and the displaced spaceyness of Italo for ‘Touch’. Meanwhile, Kiki’s pained vocals lend the track a drugged-out weirdness. The result? The most euphoric synth progression you’ll hear this side of Vangelis.
Is Michel De Hey techno’s very own Oscar Wilde? Indeed, if you had him down as just a standard party techno DJ, then you’re in for a surprise as this double mix includes electro/minimal house from Lopazz, Nathan Fake and Alex Smoke as well as the usual bangers from Leandro Gamez and Hardcell from the Dutch dandy.
The young Scot delivers on the promise of his first EP in fine style – ‘Incommunicado’ has been glued to hotpress’ ears since it arrived through the door last month. The styles vary from deep techno to gentle electro to minimal German gear, but the sheer musicality of this work makes it stand out from its peers.
'Sequencer’ is all about spacey electro melodies and ‘80s disco grooves. The title track is based on pulsing disco rhythms and soaring melodies, while Matt Edwards’ version turns it into a dubbed out, slowed down groove that struggles to hit 115 bpm.
Music Review | Dance Single
45% | 9 Jul 2004
Richard Brophy
Kiki & Silversurfer team up with Captain Comatose for a track that’s equal parts infectious, indie sounds and loose, clubby electro house. Acid house type Justin Robertson is also on hand to deliver two fine dubby, bleepy house mixes.
‘Can’t Stop’ is let down by ‘Homeopathic Delight’, where passé pulsing electro rhythms ruin a decent hazy dub techno track. In contrast, the title track is a wonderfully moody late night affair, punctuated by razor-sharp percussion and a sick, squelchy bass.
Indie star Erlend Oye sings his way over a cool selection of house/electro from Villalobos, Morgan Geist and Justus Kohncke. Combining his version of The Smiths’ ‘There Is A Light…’ with the dark bassy house of Silicone Soul’s mix of Royksopp’s ‘Poor Leno’ is a stroke of genius.
Here’s a cultural oddity that would give Noam Chomsky nightmares – a cover of Canned Heat’s hippie classic by Telex, an ‘80s electro act from Belgium, in turn remixed in throbbing style by a former member of Technotronic! However, the highlight remix is Trevor Jackson’s menacing Chicago house reconstruction.
Rocking dancefloor electro – intricate drums, a restrained, buzzing bassline and punchy synth licks and riff – that suddenly reveals an odd, Tiga-meets-Scooter vocal. But it’s still good!
Depending on your age, this record is either a dark electro-techno record or a smart update of the best of the ‘80s. ‘Operator’ pounds away relentlessly, but it’s overshadowed by the title track, a manifestation of everything that was great about late ‘80s industrial, house and techno.
On ‘Ambush’, DJ T displays his love for classic electro and Chicago house. The clicking percussion and chiming melodies on the title track have an undeniably contemporary flavour. ‘Stalker’, meanwhile, crackles and hisses, accompanied by insistent hand claps and pulsing 303s, underpinned by a prowling rhythm track.
While this whole merging-electro-beats-with-rock thing may not be new, these days it’s big and, considering this is their debut EP, Channel One are looking pretty clever to me right now. ‘Rhythm And Purpose’ may be Permissions’ out-right winner, but all five tracks are of a very high calibre, including the more mellow ‘Beneath A Field Of Steel’ (not unlike Bloc Party’s ‘Luno’). This lot could go far, so just remember – I heard them before you.
M+J’s ‘Disco’ is a so-so slice of busy electro-house with a key-changing bassline, 303 flecks and a squealing synth riff. FGD’s ‘ESL’ is better – the rigid, shaker-heavy percussion contrasts nicely with the Prescription-style organ, clipped chord swells and stirring, reverbed stabs. Go deep indeed.
‘Time Dilation’ shares Aphex Twin and Autechre’s sense of alienation as nightmarish sounds and spooky lullaby hooks flit across understated techno beats. While Heinrich Mueller’s versions focus on electro funk territory, there’s still a sparse feel to the mysterious Motor City man’s interpretations.
Fujiya & Miyagi make sexy electro music and the male vocalist on the title track makes even the age old children’s collarbone is connected to the neck bone… rhyme ooze with sleazy intent. Of course, it helps that it’s backed with a mixture of low slung Lindstrom funk and jagged ‘80s guitars.
20/20 were way ahead of everyone else when they released ‘ Les Annees Des Plomb’ by Volga Select, aka Ivan Smagghe and Marc Collin a few years ago, as its atmospheric, pulsing groove and Italo-eque melodies still sound way ahead of the electro house brigade.
It’s all about the bass on the original mix, as Discemi – aka Jori Hulkonen and Toumas Salmela – allow the up-building arpeggiated b-line to dominate this passable electro-house cut before freestyle synths clutter things up after the break. RadioSlave accentuates the main riff on his deep 12-minute mix.
Like most RS releases, this groaning electro-houser – with wild video game noises and oscillating, growling bass – makes most sense on the floor. Rob Mello’s mix phreaks the original and blends it with spitting, ‘Science Fiction’-era Carl Craig percussion, thus making a floor-shaker.
'Sunny Hills’ is typically understated deeper techno tack from Mull, but dips an unfortunate toe into electro-house territory with a harsh bass line and over-complicated details. ‘Nocturnal’ plays it straighter, centred around an effective slow-building transposed synth riff, swarming chords and direct beats.
Always following trends rather than setting them, this annual definitive compilation for the WMC boasts Sander Kleinenberg’s cool electro/R&B grinder, ‘The Fruit’, Tiefschwarz’s dark bass ‘Issst’ and Roman Flugel’s wired techno stomper, ‘Geht’s Noch?’ They may be cashing in on the underground but at least the silicone-enhanced body fascists will have something decent to dance to this year.
The work of Patrik Dechent, the title track has more in common with conventional rolling house than the label’s usual twitchy electro/techno beats. However, ‘Salty Dog’ stays true to the GP style, its shuffling, jerky rhythms interpret Chicago house and the melancholic alienation of Detroit for modern tatstes.
Like our friends in the North, DJ Hell and Gigolos haven’t gone away, you know. On the latest annual Gigolos compilation, the German label keeps up with the changing times and features Tiefschwarz’s body-house rocker ‘Blow’, Play Paul’s electro-pop ‘Love Song’ and the psy-disco of Emperor Machine’s mix of Psychonauts.
Thankfully, ‘Life’ has nothing to do with '80s Euro pop: instead, it takes a nocturnal trip through Italo, techno and electro. ‘Mixage’ is a pulsing, melodic trip to Rimini in the '80s, while on ‘Classics’, a bowel-loosening bass surge underpins moody, building chords. Imagine hearing that at the après ski!
Ralph Lawson and Co's debut (featuring additional tweaking from NYC-based Dubliners The Glass) is admirable in its range - deep and electro house, tricky disco plus the odd dash of geetars. There are some strong tracks - 'Tape', 'Hit The Fan', 'Won't Bother Me', - but it's the second disc - recorded at Sonar last year - shows how this project is best experienced.
Two of Germany’s most in-vogue DJs weigh in with a definitive double CD mix of the acid/electro/minimal house and techno sound. Apart from US and Irish contributions – from John Tejada and Donnacha Costello - this is two and a half hours’ worth of the finest electronic music Europe from Guido Schneider, Trentemoller, Losoul, Booka Shade and DJ T.
This debut LP is best described as ‘future alien funk’ – while not exactly purist, its roots are in the classic Drexciya electro sound but it’s all infused with an electronica-esque warmth.
Typical Gigolo styles on ‘Rubin’: menacing synths, skeletal electro-tech percussion and phreaked-out FX. Better is ‘Message In A Box’, an unpredictable, arpeggiated adventure that sounds like Green Velvet trapped in Hell’s basement: Moroder b-line, relentless stabbing synths and more ker-aazy FX.
A spirited take on an old Lewis Taylor soul record, spiking it up with some funky electro touches. Still, can’t help but feel that performing cover versions minimises Robbie’s impact; he is a personality first, musician second (which is why his gigs have always been better than his records) – if I can’t scrutinise the lyrics for salacious titbits on his latest personal dramas, I’m less inclined to pay attention.
Putting up quite the fight for Single Of The Fortnight, ‘Radau’ is a tantalising taster from les Astronaut’s new album. With an atmosphere that builds at its own sweet pace and an eight-armed drummer causing havoc behind a simple guitar riff, GIAN again prove themselves to be at the top of their game. If this doesn’t turn the world onto left-field electro-experimental instrumentals, nothing will. I’m guessing nothing will, though.
Whoever said old punks can’t dance had never heard of Dutch band Oil, who moonlight here as electro producers. With the same white boy guitar, nasal whine and indie strut that Happy Mondays used to sell before things got too druggy, ‘Crack…’ sees the boys’ track bubble with Italo melodies and benefit from a menacing EBM remix from Kid Goesting.
These one letter DJ surnames are beginning to sound tiresome, as is the notion that a sound as monotone and conformist as breaks can be really so popular globally. Having said that, Oz DJ Phil K’s new mix isn’t as dull as most breaks mixes and he drops some quality electro and techno from Agoria and Product 01.
More off-the-wall ’80s electro-funk influenced brilliance from this ultra-hip pair. Hear the slap bass, ch-ch-ch-check the drums, nod knowingly at the vocoder and get down on the catchy male vocals.
Dubstep may have largely passed Hot Press by until the arrival of the Burial LP, but we’re enjoying playing catch-up. Dusk’s ‘Mantis’ is simple and intoxicating: the cavernous sub-bass sucks you in, the gun-shot snares and electro touches keep it rolling while the music box-ish eastern samples and a simple string line set it apart.
I stuck this in the CD player fully expecting the usual deathly dull singer-songwriter shenanigans, but, incredibly, had my sharply ingrained rock journo fastidiousness knocked for six by a storming electro-pop number. Almost despite myself, I’m hooked on the tune’s sizzling, Bowie-esque glam grooves within seconds. I don’t like the drugs but the drugs like me.
Spotted in their native Derry before they’d even played a gig, Kharma 45 are clearly taking the major label route of yore, setting up base on the mainland. The input of cash is easy to see in terms of sight and sound yet whether their take on Primal Scream style electro punk is all there yet is open to question. Sounds just like what you’d expect from a song with the word ‘man’ in the title.
The source material’s a raved-up slice of oik-electro/rock that leaves HotPress cold. Time to get DJ Hell on the blower. His 10-minute remix calms things down (a bit) – live-sounding disko drums, a distinctive looping riff, arpeggiated bassline and some head-wrecking squally synths. They’ll be jumping.
A welcome return for Common Factor – ‘In Between’ is Detroit-y house with an electro-funk feel, while the excellent ‘In Troubles…’ is a belter, crisp Motor City drums, washing machine bassline and shimmering keys and chords.
While loop techno fans will love the original track and Deetron’s Detroit-themed re-work, the real highlights are on the flip, where Kiki delivers a squelchy, EBM-themed track and Hacker’s remix of ‘TNN’ boasts wiry electro rhythms, tight handclaps and the kind of seductive melodies that make his new album so special.
‘Ace...’ kicks off with a looped Hooky-esque bassline before the surging chords, deep stabs and bumping drums pull it back to the floor. But wait! It’s slowing down and getting time-stretched! Oh, it’s back. And that’s it. ‘Dirty Dishes’ is manic, tweeked acidic electro that’s too unpredictable for its own good.
You do begin to wonder how the Pet Shop Boys keep managing to court critical favour, then you hear a record like ‘Minimal’ and that godfathers-of-electro tag makes sense. A little bit of New Order here, a touch of Kraftwerk there and a big dollop of dry English humour - in other words your typical classic Pet Shop Boys tune.
Long before The Glimmers were releasing mix CDs, The Idjut Boys were joining the dots between classic disco, funk, electro and house. ‘Press Play’ puts the new wave of eclectic DJs to shame, with long forgotten gems like Harry Thuman’s ‘Underwater’ and Willis’ incredible, slinky version of ‘Word Up’, made famous by Cameo.
A little delight of a little album – the seven tracks on this Rob Da Bank-curated mini-LP all fall loosely into the sketchy ‘electro-pop’ category, but don’t let that put you off.
As fantastic and great in every way that The Rapture are, this is a third single and it shows: it’s not got the disco anthem of ‘Get Myself Into It’ or the electro-cool of ‘Whoo! Alright — Yeah... Uh Huh’. It’s the New York troupe at their most relaxed and poppiest, even containing a “na na na na” singalong bit that eases the pain for those of us who miss it from the Kaiser Chiefs’ new material. Sigh.
The very talented indeed Tadd Mullinix (he also makes great wonky techno as James T Cotton) delivers his second LP of, um, ghostly hip-hop as Dabrye. Ears more accustomed to conventional sounds will be confused by his meticulous blend of intricate beats, electro, electronica and jazz touches and the myriad of underground MCs. And while the guests occasionally fail to fire, this is one for the head-nodders.
Clone is one of Europe’s finest labels and this package is the ideal catch-up release. From the Italo/electro house of Lindstrom’s ‘There Is A Drink’ and Unit 4’s ‘Body Dub’, to the robotic Chicago percussion of Orgue Elctronique’s ‘Texas, Brooklyn, Heaven’ and the ultra-rare pulsing Alden Tyrell edit of 80s legend Harold Faltermeyer’s ‘So High’, this is a near essential collection.
It’s hard to believe that ‘Mr No’ was made back in 1980, before UR were even in high school. A deep space electro track, its tight, metallic breaks, rich, haunting chords and grinding bassline wouldn’t sound out of place on a modern production. Joakim’s mix is respectful to the original, retaining its key components, just adding a shuffling, clubby beat.
The Dublin electro-rockers supported The Prodigy when they were last here, and it’s not difficult to hear why. Though Jeremy from Peep Show’s side-splitting attempt to make a record of that ilk has pretty much killed off any chance of the genre ever being taken seriously again, with blinkered vision it’s a forceful enough attempt to mark the band out as one of the more interesting bands doing the rounds. Which is impressive, seeing as, by all accounts, they’re even better live.
You know the original, so let’s examine the remixes. '(Nite Version)’ adds dramatic strings, delightful Detroit-ish chords, droning tones and a bouncing bassline. The DFA remix is equally great – old-school electro stabs and twinkling melodies, unexpected timpale action and a busy b-line. The mash-up of ‘Funky Town’ and the original is fucking shit though.
Electro-pop duo Oppenheimer have a very strong melodic sensibility, which means that, for all the sonic experimentation, the songs remain very accessible.
Garlanded with muchos praise by the hipster cliques for their edgy electro-pop, Cansei De Ser Sexy arrived in Cork for a Heineken Green Sphere’s event promising a riot of colour and noise.
Remember when dance producers weren’t afraid to cut and paste different sounds and styles to create great music? Scandal Inc remember the good old days, as ‘Good Look’ sets old elements, including an infectious hip house rap, haunting electro chords and a classic house vocal sample to a modern track.
He operates within what’s best described as a post-Drexciyan world, but the mysterious Frenchman injects enough originality into his dark electro/tech to make each release worth at least a listen. The title track is bare future-funk – the expansive bassline holding the sparse drums and slinky keys together. Of the other three, the industrial breaks, shizo bass and ker-azzy stabs of ‘Office Worker’ lights our fire.
The multi-talented Alex Kruger goes solo on ‘Pill’, a paean to Chicago house, electro and Basic Channel. The main action can be found on ‘Blackjack’, where upfront Windy City kicks and claps underpin a dark, swirling techno riff, but ‘Plastek’ and ‘Sam Returns’, which combine mournful, Metro Area-style chords and chugging, dubby grooves also impress.
Fabrice Lig’s effort is passable neo-Detroit, the pleasing, phased percussion not combining well with an odd shredded FX patch and hyperactive low-end. Regis and Female’s electro-tech effort ‘C Chaos’ is much better: reminiscent of ‘Polynomial C’, the Aphex-style melodies are the perfect foil to the razor-sharp, multi-layered beats and throbbing kick.
A magnificent debut from Andy Stott – 40 minutes that re-examine, re-create and re-define the spirit of Detroit, deep house, electro and, um, IDM. From the brooding, expansive tech of opener ‘Florence’ that moves effortlessly from micro to macro to the haunting piano and gently surging string of the (too short!) ‘Peace Of Mind, this is a deep record that rewards close scrutiny.
Naïve lyrics and more than a passing resemblence to the awful Leeds outfit The Music have, in the past, seen Wicklow five-piece Hybrasil flounder. Debut EP, We Got Music, in particular was a mixed and unfocussed work. Yet the electro-rock stompers redeem themselves on the infectious ‘When I’m Yawning’. The hook-laden feast draws comparisons to Kasabian. In particular, there are echoes of the Leceister band's ‘Processed Beats’.
An oddly varied EP from Will Saul's label: 'Polar Bear Dub' marries an intricate icy melody with fractured electro beats and stuttering percussion while 'Scary Biscuits' mixes house beats and a dubby bassline with minimal squiggles reasonably well. John Tejada's remix of the latter wins though - evil bass, tight beats, crisp synths and his usual swing.
Poised between the understated electro-sounds of LCD Soundsystem and the playfulness of The Chalets, London’s Hot Chip have struck gold with the lead single from new album The Warning. Like its name implies, the track makes an art out of monotony. There are no inspiring middle eights or climatic finishes. Instead, the same mid-tempo beats are slowly drummed into our heads, before its subtle end, when we wake up from our trance, dust ourselves off and walk away, oddly content.
How the mighty have fallen: a few years ago, it seemed like French-Chinese duo Technasia could do no wrong with their mixture of ghetto-inspired peak time tracks and soulful Detroit influences. Nowadays, the same approach sounds dated and formulaic, especially when Technasia try to infuse it with filtered party elements. While they have made some attempts at diversification, most notably on the electro collaboration with Joris Voorn, '88 (All In All)', this release fails to sparkle.
Looking to the German producer’s funk and disco past as much as his electro and techno leanings, Pascalidis brings the Ital Disco style bang up to date
Edwin James is electronic in sound but punk by nature. He set up his own label as a platform for his work and has brought his mixture of electro and techno to every bar, club and live venue in the country. Despite his DIY attitude, one gets the feeling that ‘Electronix’ is merely a warm up for the main event. James’s production is pristine throughout and he certainly has an ear for melody, but ‘Electronix’ displays too much reverence for the past. Once he steps out from the shadows of those he eulogises, we can expect to hear a masterpiece.
Irish electronica group Electric Penguin’s promise has been lauded by Hot Press reviewers in the past, and I can only reinforce their high praise. ‘Goodbye Supergirl’ is a sublime piece of electro-pop from the band who are allegedly named after the password to one of Paul McCartney’s ‘60s houses. ‘Goodbye Supergirl’ narrowly loses out to O’Rourke’s ‘Big Bad Beautiful World’ as single of the fortnight.
Having taken electro pop nihilism some distance past its logical conclusion on their unnecessary Evil Heat album – a bored rehashing of the landmark XTMR, with less tunes and more vowels. – the Scream throw a swerve ball with ‘Country Girl’, a lazy slice of Stone-derived country pop. It’s a tune with the air of something cobbled together from a garage sale yet, all the same, scrubs up a treat. You could bring it home to your mum.
London underground star Kingslee Daley scooped a MOBO in 2006 for his debut album It’s Not A Rumour. Judging by this single, he deserves another for its follow-up Freedom Lasso. His lyrical flow is as fast and as furious as the seething electro beat in the background. It’s like a live audio feed to a man’s frantic thoughts as he desperately tries to make up for a poor first impression. Luckily, the only one unimpressed with it is the inspiration of the song: I was floored.
No, it’s not The Police making a dramatic comeback. But you could be forgiven for thinking Sting and the boys had gotten together again when you first hear Luke Jenners' singing on the new single from the New York electro-punks. Expectations are high for the band’s next album, Pieces Of The People We Love, due in September. ‘Get Myself Into It’ lacks the serrated groove of hits such as ‘House Of Jealous Lovers’. Still, its staccato reggae tinged chorus will make sure it’s another dance-floor filler.
The most popular techno DJ in this part of the world unleashes the second ‘World Service’ to keep the rave monkeys happy. Boasting an electro mix that alternates between Hacker & Caretta’s Gothic ‘Moskow Reise’ and the hyper-breaks of The Advent’s ‘Light Years Away’ and a techno selection that explores the overlapping of the Rush school of techno and booty, ‘World Service 2’ will be this year’s biggest techno CD.
When Danish trio Who Made Who put out a version of ‘Satisfaction’ last year, it appeared that they were just another act cashing in on the mash up sound. Thankfully, their debut album proves that they are neither cover-version chancers nor punk funk pretenders.
Sure, most of these tracks are based on loose rhythms and slack, unquantized drums. But there are enough unexpected twists and turns and nods to electro, tripped-out acid and Chicago house to guarantee that we won’t look back in a few years time and grimace when their name is mentioned.
A characteristically gorgeous slice of dreamy electro-pop (though perhaps slightly more tense than the supremely languid, blissed-out epics of yore), ‘Surfing’ is one of the standout tracks of Air’s excellent third album..
The Dutch might have a monopoly on the eerie, tripped out end of Italo-fuelled electro, but when it comes to the live, funk based variant, this Scandinavian duo has been making all the right moves over the past few years. ‘I Feel Space’ – not included here – is a bona fide classic, but this debut album focuses on their organic approach. While these slinky grooves may not appeal to fans of electronic Italo, there are enough cheesy melody lines and sexy rhythms to guarantee that Lindstrom and Thomas will stay at the top of their niche.
Brian Wilson gets referenced in Junior Boys reviews – it’s not that hard to see why. Although a million miles away from sun-blissed Californian pop, The Junior Boy’s brand of synthesised electro-pop strikes a similar chord. ‘In The Morning’ snakes its way out from your speakers and will climb inside your head before you realise what’s happening. The vocals are suitably restrained and by the time the spine-tingling piano kicks in, this track will have completely immersed you in its sleazy rhythmic beats.
How nice, if a little surprising, to find the Chemical Brothers still flourishing creatively after a decade of electro releases. This year sees the duo move into hip-hop territory.
Kate Moss has talent shocker! Everybody’s favourite bi-pedal clotheshorse hooks up with the Scream team for a truly gorgeous slice of dreamy electro-psychedelia.
These German space cadets used to make dubby techno. On this, their third album, they go against the prevailing zeitgeist and take inspiration from Detroit, not Berlin. Lazy textures, warm, fluid rhythms and lush strings prevail on ‘Bon Voyage’ and the hypnotically melodic ‘International’. Yet Zona is not just a sonic love letter to Derrick May and Carl Craig’s back catalogues: ‘Theory’s Dead’ and ‘Brain Eater’ also make references to experimental glitch and electro bass and, on the wild ‘Unformatted’, the wildest excesses of the 303.
Alphastates’ ‘Sometimes’ is still a supremely elegant electro-acoustic number that convincingly explains their esteemed status in the Dublin independent scene.
We should always make room in our lives for a bunch of eccentric Brazilians peddling their own brand of down and dirty dance music, and just because CSS happened to pop up first doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t give Bonde Do Role a bash. Their own particular remit is a mad take on funk carioca, the sound of Rio De Janeiro’s shanty towns, and one that mixes old skool hip-hop with punishing electro (courtesy of M.I.A. collaborator Diplo) and comically dirty shout-rapped Portuguese lyrics. Solta O Frango translates as Release The Chickens, which is all you need to know.
Sure, there are some arty-farty moments masquerading as ‘statements’ but thankfully, there’s enough bass heavy electro, lush Detroit techno and salsa rhythms to guarantee that ‘Greedy Baby’ doesn’t become yet another chin-stroking IDM bore.
James Holden and Milky Globe (aka Lo boss Jon Tye) team up for a synapse-frying excursion on ‘Sun Spots’ that starts like Seefeel, before mutating into deadly Aphex-inspired off-kilter electro-oddness – fractured beats, pulsing sub-bass and drifting melodies. Tye and Nathan Fake’s dubstep-inspired ‘Lava Flow’ is even better, sucking you into an acid-flecked netherworld before making you cry with haunting reversed melodies and really scary FX washes. Top.
A mouth-watering remix package sees Hot Chip, Carl Craig, Kode9 and German artist Tensnake getting stuck into JB’s selections. Hot Chip’s nine-minute take on ‘In The Morning’ is melancholic pop magnificence; Carl Craig’s slow-building, meaty ‘Like A Child’ rework bubbles with menace before the beats drop while Kode 9 (with vocal assistance from Space Ape) flips ‘Double Shadow’ into a dark dubstep monster. Tensnake finishes last with an unexciting electro-house meander.
‘Identification’ is an assured work. On his debut album, the German producer Phonique favours an electronic take on house and teams up with Erlend Oye for the indie-electro pop of ‘For The Time Being’, Ian Whitelaw on the soulful house of ‘You That I’m With’ and Paris The Black Fu for the sexy electronic R&B grind of ‘Thick’N’Rich’.
Given the Hartnoll brother’s capacity for emotion and narrative within the often-restrictive confines of electro music, this is a somewhat insufficient and underwhelming collection.
Come early 2005, absolutely everyone is pinning their colours to the next-big-thing mast, and the smart money is on brother and sister Karin and Olof Dreiger, a duo who are already Grammy-winning types in their native Sweden. They may be a little late for the electro-clash revival, but their unorthodox synth sounds, spiked with reggae, Euro-pop and Japanese punk are little short of astounding.
Italian producer Marco Passarani’s work flits between acid and electro, techno and house, and, on ‘Sullen Look’, his playful nature comes to the fore. There’s melodic, Warp-esque bleeps on ‘Red Panda Sunrise’ and ‘Earth’s Heart’, shades of Kraftwerk on ‘CBS Master Theme’, the sexy, infectious Italo of ‘Clair’ and, best of all, an androgynous male vocal fronting a twisted electronic house cover version of 80s soul sugar daddy Alexander O’Neal’s ‘Criticise’. Like much of Passarani’s work, this is bizarre but brilliant.
Kirk De Giorgio’s used to release beautifully fragile dance floor music as As One, and the mid-’90s ‘Reflections’ and ‘Celestial Soul’ albums were responsible for getting me into techno music in the first place. Nowadays, As One favours a jazzier, more live sound, but each production on ‘Folklore 2’ exudes a warmth that sets it apart from wine bar jazz banality. ‘Blueshift’ is a tripped out electro funk that makes nods to Herbe Hancock’s back catalogue, while ‘It’s All Turning Blue’ and ‘Irradiant’ use airy Detroit strings’n’synths to guarantee DeGiorgio’s funk meanderings are magical rather than mundane.
While Weatherall is more normally found dropping grungy dancefloor electro these days, he has no problem changing direction and building a smooth and flowing mix built entirely from Force Tracks’ back catalogue.
This album sees Daniel experiment with a number of electronic styles- electro, house and tech-house, before deconstructing the grooves with his cut up, stripped down approach.
A Guy Called Gerald rose to prominence with classic acid house tracks like ‘Voodoo Ray’, but there’s a world of a difference between his back catalogue and this current incarnation. Inspired by Detroit techno and Berlin minimalism – Gerald moved recently to the German capital – rather than heads-down Roland-torturing, the focus is on violent, Sender-style basslines and tight, jacking workouts like ‘The Stink’. He also touches on the spooky otherworld of Drexciyan electro and outros with the atmospheric, Derrick May-esque ‘Sweet You’. If you expected merely a succession of 303 tracks, you’ll be disaapointed, but if you’re adventurous and take this full trip, you’ll come up smiling.
‘The Mission Statement’, while firmly rooted in his off-kilter breakbeat and electro, takes in techno, house and just a hint of euro-disco, all adding up to a thouroughly enjoyable, tongue-in-cheek journey.
Tiefschwarz haven’t managed to distil the electro house sound they pioneered into a coherent body of work until now. The temptation was undoubtedly there to bang out a succession of grinding ‘body’ tracks for this album, but instead, the Schwarz brothers have taken the time and effort to deliver a work that touches on indie and synth pop and which taps into the rich legacy of German electronic experimentation.
Chill out DJ Rob Da Bank is the brains behind Sunday Best and it’s not hard to imagine Empty Head fitting into his laid back approach to life. The work of Alan James and Michael Kirkman, this album takes its influence from Detroit electro and techno, distilling the music’s essence into glorious, hushed reveries.
Welcome to the world of electro-breaks, an underground world populated by Radioactive Man, Dublin's own Decal and the somewhat more mellow Transparent Sound
The tunes buckle under the weight of lofty ambitions, wearing gossamer thin in a tinny eighties electro pop way without good hooks or choruses to carry the tunes.
The presence of Madonna feels almost incidental, as Price deals in back-beats and a pounding glib electro-clash. What comes out the other end, sparkling yet full of post-modern grit, is a Madonna song for people who don’t like – or even are actively hostile towards – Madonna.
Newcomer electro-rockers produce a hyperactive, ear-decimating album that screams with heavy synth and rhythms, but dies with a lack of inspiration and creativity.
Brummie Rockers offer electro-led punch in the nose
Music Review | Album
42% | 20 Apr 2007
Jackie Hayden
Dry County's unique brand of electro-rock mixes conventional instruments, drum loops, synths, buckets, boxes and a nutritious diet of influences, from the Boards Of Canada to Kraftwerk, The Propellerheads and Radiohead.
The stakes are high, and BOC raise the benchmark further by opting for a final selection of 23 tracks sprawled across a lush electro-symphonic soundscape
While nobody was looking, a silent revolution happened in the Irish music scene. Out of the singer-songwriter pact and shoegazing electro posse, a cross-breed sprang up..
South London’s Add N To (X), when not making hardcore porn promo cartoons, specialise in a bolstered and reupholstered variation of what used to be known as electro-rock (pre-post-post rock anyone?) constructed from real-time drums, manipulated synth, robot bass and vocoded vocals.
Donkey is the mediocre second outing Brazilian electro rockers CSS – will it show that they have more substance beyond being a mere good-time party band?
The Satellite Party are a confused electro-supergroup featuring Perry Farrell, a couple of Chilli Peppers and that awful shouty woman from the Black Eyed Peas. And this is a classic side-project, commendably surging onwards...
On 1998's Electro Shock Blues, Eels frontman E drew on the suicide of his sister and imminent death of his mother to produce a bleak masterpiece worthy of being filed alongside Lou Reed's Berlin and Magic & Loss.
Lotus Lullaby could do worse then buy a handful of lottery tickets. The Cork disco swingers are on a roll. Fresh from their win at Murphy’s Live, the electro infused four-piece continued their domination of the country’s battle of the bands contests with a resounding win at the Bank of Ireland sponsored Student Music Awards.
The synth-rock (or electro-indie if you like) bedroom ascetics – who heretofore brought you the charming line “I’m like Stevie Wonder, but I can see things” – have by their own acknowledgement looted the mechanical music museum, spending a lifetime distilling their record collection into manageable, tongue-in-cheek precipitates like whiskey or MSG.
Personal catastrophe invites two possible responses – surrender or quiet, dignified resistance. Eels, the American indie-pop band who flaunt their private traumas like couture fashion, have stumbled upon a third way. They’ve learned to laugh at the grisly comedy that is life.
Not that you’d know it from their records, which are awash with avant-garde moroseness. Their most celebrated, 1998’s Electro Shock Blues, recalled the protracted death from cancer of the mother of singer and group leader, Mark Everett.
The hall is stuffed with a cast of fabulous futuristic freaks of all persuasions, proudly nailing their dark colours to the Numan mast regardless of trend, fashion or susceptibility to having the almighty piss taken out of them.
Berlin’s Get Physical label is the hottest thing in techno. Now founder DJ T has released a solo record. The album is, he says, a distillation of a 17-year career at the forefront of electronic music.
He s only twenty three years old, but rest assured you ll be hearing a lot more about DJ Hyper in the not too distant future. Richard Brophy profiles one of the newest faces on the break beat scene.
Having unleashed one of the dance albums of the year, Fujiya And Miyagi's days of 9 to 5-dom are numbered. Barry O'Donoghue finds out what the Brighton threesome have been doing right.
New York house DJ/producer Junior Sanchez has joined forces with Dutch techno prodigy Laidback Luke to create Riot Society’s impressive ‘Understand Me’.
They’re German, they’ve been making music for years, have been unfairly compared to Daft Punk, and are about to blow up with their debut album, Selected Funks. Richard Brophy meets the strike boys and says ‘gut, gut super gut!’
He’s remixed Franz Ferdinand, Mylo and Radio 4, and released one of the most innovative titles of recent years in 2001’s It Rough. Now Robi Insinna, aka Manhead, is set to take his music to a larger audience with his eponymously titled new album.
Unwilling to remain confined in a drum'n'bass pigeonhole, Justice, aka Tony Bowes makes music that straddles all modern electronic genres. Richard Brophy caught up with him prior to the release of his fourth album, Hears To the Future, to find out why he's become disillusioned with jungle.
Gone are the booming synths and melodic choruses. Instead, techno darlings The Knife have embraced their gothic side. But why are they dressed as birds?
The taut, stripped-down techno of Berlin's Get Physical is at the bleeding edge of contemporary dance music. Now the label has released its first mix album.
Minimalist practitioner, aficionado of asceticism and producer of note – Germanic groove technician Steve Bug is shaking up the continental dance scene in idiosyncratic and dynamic fashion.
Dig out your old records by The Rocksteady Crew, Break Machine and The Soul Sonic Force. Locate that Betamax video of Wildstyle and purloin grandmother's kitchen linoleum for those almost-forgotten spins and whirls. Because, B-boys and girls, since the return of Run DMC and that all-grooving video, the return of breakdancing is imminent.
The “war on terrorism” and the death of Irish Happy Hour aside, 2003 has been a year of good times and great tunes. For me, it’s also been a year of daring debuts.
They’re middle-class Irish boys who aren’t afraid to get their funk on '70s style. Meet Kill City Defectors, Kildare’s answer to Red Hot Chili Peppers.
From Sister Sledge to The Spikes, plus non musical attractions such as massage, fortune-telling and art exhibitions, Castle Palooza promises a festival in the conventional sense of the word.
For a few dizzying months in 2007, New Young Pony Club were London’s pre-eminent ‘it’ band. But despite a Mercury Music Prize nomination, commercial success never quite arrived. Now they’re regrouped and planning another full-frontal assault on the pop universe. Singer Tahita Bulmer talks about the personal traumas that coloured their new record and explains why they’re not angry with La Roux for stealing their electro-pop thunder.
Electro-rock godfather Gary Numan talks about his friendship with Nine Inch Nails, his appearance on The Mighty Boosh and the challenges of staying relevant after 30 years in the business.
She's the red-haired electro-pop debutante of the year. La Roux frontwoman Elly Jackson talks about her love of the 80s and tells us why Blur were the only decent rock band of the past 20 years.
Get your dancing shoes on. Electro newcomers Magistrates are here to rock your blocks off. They talk about hanging out with Damon Albarn, worshipping Michael Jackson and living up to the legacy of heroes like Bowie and Talking Heads
They’re the quirky electro-rockers who have got the music industry buzzing. But don’t mistake Passion pit for another bunch of MGMT clones. As their viral hit ‘Sleepyhead’ confirms, their whimsical sound is entirely unique – as is their enthusiasm for sampling obscure Irish harpists
He quit busy Dublin for blissful rural Sligo and recorded what many consider to be one of the outstanding electro records of the year. CHEQUERBOARD's John Lambert talks about finding his muse in the north west.
They dress as surgeons on stage and punctuate their records with spoken-word monologues. You could say indie electro oddballs Clinic are determined to do things their own way.
The bright lights of Toronto beckoned for Leeside electro-poppers Fred as they kicked off their North American tour with a turn at the prestigious North by Northeast festival.
On their latest LP Cork electro-rock champs Fred channel rustic vibes and hook up with Razorlight's wingman. The resulting album is their finest hour yet.
They’ve spent the past four years pottering around the garden. Now, electro kingpins Groove Armada are back with a new album that features cameos from ex-Sugababe Mutya Buena among others.
As it’s back-to-school time, Hit The North thought it would be fun to ask one of our class swots to write a ‘what we did with our summer’ report. So, find below how Rocky from electro-pop duo Oppenheimer spent the last month wooing New York suits, Hells Angels and Jersey cops. If they keep doing their homework, we predict great things this year.
Hard rocking Cork heroes Rulers Of The Planet recently toured the Czech Republic and Slovakia, along with Dublin electro-poppers Autamata. The Rulers’ Mick Hayes gives us the backstage lowdown, with these exclusive extracts from his tour diary.
After the stadium rocking exploits of the Cranberries, Noel Hogan has taken a more experimental tack with his new electro-influenced project, Mono Band.
Belfast superstar DJ David Holmes has once again produced the goods with his soundtrack for Steven Soderbergh’s Ocean’s Twelve, this time finding inspiration in sleazy European electro and superfly acid jazz. But not, however, elephant porn.
“I hate these questions,” cries David Holmes, DJ, re-mixer, producer, free associate, film-scorer and friend to the stars. Yet he gamely faces the pan-ish inquisition that is the hotpress mixed grill
The star-spangled story of how Richard Melville Hall learned to relax and love sex, drugs and rock'n'roll. "Don't tell anybody but I'm actually the lead guitarist with Slipknot," he informs Stuart Clark.
You know that your pop star interviewee is confident about the quality of his splendid new album, when he's happy to talk about everyone else under the sun. So it is with Pet Shop Boy Neil Tennant as he gives the thumbs up or down to Eminem, Liza Minelli, Kylie Minogue, So Solid Crew, Boy George and Westlife. Keeping score: Stuart Clark
English singer Pixie Lott looks like being the latest pop sensation on the block. The stage-school trained 18-year-old already enjoyed a number one single earlier this year with ‘Mama Do’, and this month sees the release of her debut album Turn It Up.
Tinchy Stryder is the fast-talking Star In The Hood who’s pretty much dominated the charts in 2009 with a nagging brand of infectious hip hop. Hot Press caught up with the Prince Of Grime to see if we can figure out his formula for Number Ones.
The playstation 2 console customising competition is just one of the highlights of this year’s Dublin Electronic Arts Festival which runs from october 17-27. Alison Martin finds out more.
Klaxons have got glowstick-waving fans, yes, but really, there’s so much more to this band than retro-beats, explains frontman Jamie Reynolds. For instance, have you heard the one about his spiritual healer grandfather.
Invisible Armies have just released their killer debut EP, A Neutral Space. Richard Brophy talks to Leo Pearson, one-third of the band s core assault squad.
They began as an acid house act doing a disco cover of Neil Young's 'Only Love Can Break Your Heart'. Then they took a break, discovered big beat and became wine waiters for cult author Douglas Coupland. There's never a dull moment with Saint Etienne
Their odd-ball sound is hard to pin down, but that hasn’t prevented indie rockers 8 Ball from becoming one of the most buzzed about Irish groups on the scene.
Currently promoting his debut solo album The Ideal Condition ahead of his appearance at Electric Picnic, Paul Hartnoll made his name alongside his brother Phil in Orbital, one of the most significant dance acts of the past 20 years.
Patrick Wolf’s baroque folk-pop has earned the singer comparisons with artists such as David Bowie and Kate Bush, while The Arcade Fire were sufficiently impressed to offer him a support slot on the first leg of their European tour.
2003 was a year of reinvention for the Irish dance scene, as dance recession which had been the talk of UK dance mags in 2002 finally had some effect over here.
Since their last outing as Tosca for the Delphi9 album, Richard Dorfmeister and Rupert Huber have both become fathers. Not that parenthood has in any way watered down their scintillating dance floor grooves, as Dorfmeister explains to Barry O’Donoghue
Scottish minimalist maestro Alex Smoke is earning serious kudos for his intriguing LP Incommunicado, an impressively eclectic collection which sounds equally as good on the dancefloor as the headphones.
The Stables in Mullingar has become an essential stopover on the Irish rock touring circuit. Here, the venue's booking man, David McLynn tells Jackie Hayden about the current state of rock in the Midlands.
In a 25th anniversary rose-tinted special, Hot Press' dance correspondents select their 25 most influential floor fillers. The editor's decision is final and all that
When Rubyhorse quit their native Cork for the US in 1997, they had no game plan. Now they’re being hailed as one of the rock hopes for 2003, with appearances on Letterman and Conan O’Brian to their credit – as well as an extraordinary collaboration with the late George Harrison.
James Zabiela was spinning tunes in his bedroom when he won a Djing competition. Before he knew it, he was opening for Sasha and helping to save dance music.
Their contribution to Robbie Williams' 'Rock DJ' may have gone unacknowledged, but Soul Mekanik, aka brothers and acid house veterans Kelvin Andrews and Danny Spencer, are now earning kudos in their own right for their dynamic and eclectic '80s-influenced debut album, Eighty One.
When he first arrived in the Northwest to attend college last year, Josh Clarke had no aspirations of becoming a radio DJ. Pretty soon, though, he had caught the bug in a serious way.
CADENCE WEAPON is that rarest of talents: an old school rapper worth getting excited about. Here he talks about his love of retro pop and explains why he quit music journalism for a career behind the mic.
Patrick Freyne talks to Ken McHugh of Autamata about his double life as artist and producer, his new album, Colours of Sound - and about moving to the country.
DIY r’n’b artiste, support act to the new-garage glitterati and unlikely sex-bomb Har Mar gets undressed for success. Superstar skinning up Kim Porcelli
Having lost his way for a bit, Liam Howlett is back with a new enthusiasm and a new sound for The Prodigy. “No one has filled our shoes – now we’ve come back to tread on everyone else’s feet,” he tells Tanya Sweeney.
UFOs, sunken Civil War forts and songs about Van Gogh’s severed ear are all subjects liable to come up when in conversation with WARREN DEFEVER from Michigan-based eclecticists his naME IS ALIVE. Interview: Nick Kelly.
Having successfully avoided submersion into Tim DeLaughter’s Polyphonic Spree, New York-based psych-rockers Secret Machines are now touring with The Chemical Brothers and being widely cited as one of the hottest bands on the US underground.
Hard Working Class Heroes, featuring big names and rising stars – and everything from rock to hip-hop – is set to provide a snapshot of one nation under a groove. Phil Udell reports
This month, the 2006 RTÉ Living Music Festival, sponsored by IMRO, celebrates Steve Reich, arguably America’s greatest living composer. Jackie Hayden meets the 70-year-old whose influences stretch beyond the contemporary classical world to rock and rap music.
Tom McShane's not sure if he wants you to hear his music, but a recent cover of one of his songs might prove just the thing to coax him out of his bedroom.
What do Hope Sandoval, Liam Gallagher, Susan Dillane, Dr. Subranamian and Paul Weller have in common? They all guest on the new Death In Vegas album, as DIV’s Richard Fearless and Tim Holmes explain
Producer, DJ and now a part of acclaimed dance/rock tie-in, Alloy Mental, Belfast-based Phil Kieran talks about his favourite mixing equipment and explains why we should mourn the passing of vinyl.
Though her hippyish sensibilities are a throwback to the flower-power era, Florence Welch - aka Florence And The Machine - is one of the year's most hyped new artists. She talks about domestic violence, Andy Warhol and why sometimes hangovers can be good for you.
Belfast boys General Fiasco may be one of the standout acts on the Oh Yeah showcase CD, but when HP catches up with the band, they're feeling a little, um, overexposed.
Annual article: 12 months ago Colin Carberry was reaching for the Prozac, now he’s more bullish about the Norn Iron music scene than he has been since he started shaving.
Get ready for a whole new kind of weird as avant-gardists THE SUMMER EXPERIMENT prepare to hit the live circuit, touting a unique mix of folk, indie and classical.
One of the leading figures in Belfast's electronic scene has just embraced an intriguing new identity. Step forward A.J. SUZUKI a.k.a beatmaster Jupiter Ace.
Avert your gazes, sensitive readers. Jon McClure of Reverend And The Makers offers his thoughts on Johnny Borrell, Thom Yorke and “the most racist television ad of all time”.
A unique blend of domestic and international talent, Other Voices is the brainchild of Philip King. The new series is, he believes, the most ambitious yet.
He's resident DJ at Mr. C's End club, records for the End label, runs his own Plank stamp, and, with fellow co-Ender Layo makes some rather fine music as the Usual Suspects. He's Matthew B, and he's here to talk to Digital Beat. Interrogating the suspect: Richard Brophy.
The Lovebox festival returns to Dublin with a stellar line-up including Maximo Park, N*E*R*D, Paolo Nutini and Gorillaz Soundsystem. We talk to organisers Groove Armada.
Luke Unabomber explains how Manchester’s electric chair night has progressed from a “shitty little club” into one of the UK’s most successful dance events, with special guests, mix cd on release and worldwide touring dates. It’s about the music, apparently
He’s the DIY pop genius who, in the space of a year, has gone from stacking the fruit shelves at Marks & Sparks to masterminding Kylie’s next record. Meet Calvin Harris the bedsit wunder-kind.
Mr. Hudson talks about his mentor Kanye West’s Taylor Swift meltdown, the challenges of hanging with the hip-hop elite when you’re a skinny white guy from Birmingham and why the death of Auto-Tune is greatly exaggerated.
Resistance Isn't Futile
EAMON SWEENEY reports on Detroit's pivotal Underground Resistance label, and the controversy ignited when Sony released a 'cover version' of one of the label's best-known tracks.
Martin McCann, lead singer of Sack has been ‘out’ for a number of years now. Here he talks about his homosexuality and its impact on his music. Interview: George Byrne.
With their Adventura Majestica album currently enjoying critical and commercial success, Sack explain what a long, strange trip it s been. Stephen Robinson holds the tape recorder
As Beck contemplates a belated sequel to Odelay, feel free to ask him any old question you like – just as long as it isn’t about that recent break-up with his long-time girlfriend. Oh, and make sure you don’t have the sniffles. Nadine O’Regan packs a hankie
Take one Super Furry Animal, one lap-top wizard and one disgraced motor industry executive and you get synth revivalists Neon Neon and the year's best concept album.
Forget all the chatter about solo albums and injuries sustained on the road: Snow Patrol are revelling in the end of a triumphant year, one which saw Eyes Open become the biggest selling album in the UK in '06, as well as making serious inroads Stateside.
Brit-rock heroes Maximo Park are back with a new album – and without the novelty hair-cuts. Here they talk about death metal, hip-hop and missing notebooks.
His tearful acoustic ballads have become a phenomenon. In a forthright interview José González discusses his terror of writing lyrics and meeting Craig David and tells of his parents’ flight from oppression.
She’s the most hyped newcomer since... well, since as long as we can remember. But with her debut album finally here, BBC Sound of '09 winner Little Boots is equal parts nervous and excited.
It seems maturity is creeping in round GK towers – say it ain’t so! The off-the-wall housey mischievousness of their debut LP is replaced on the first third of this LP by gentler numbers, of which only the bizarre, slo-mo soul of ‘You Don’t Know Me’ works.
AIR's latest outing is the kind of thing that gives the soundtrack a good name. JONATHAN O'BRIEN talks to the finest French musical outfit since LITTLE BOB STOREY!
BARRY GLENDENNING pays suitably dewy-eyed tribute to Seinfeld, the unfeasibly popular American sit-com which lasted nine years, despite the fact that nothing ever actually happened on it.
This is the time of year when two major national events, the Galway Arts Festival and the Galway Races, make Galway the destination of choice for many Irish and international funsters. But the City of the Tribes has a lot more to offer – including some of the best live music and clubbing in Ireland.
From A to Z, Paul Nolan and Ronan Fitzgerald introduce all the runners and riders for Punchestown – throwing in a baker’s dozen of acts who are not to be missed * along the way
Throughout the '90s and beyond, The Frank And Walters were effectively a lone beacon for Cork rock. But over the last year all that changed, with the emergence of an exciting new scene in the city, centred around the Cork Rocks phenomenon. If the momentum can be maintained, there's enough outstanding young bands strutting their stuff to ensure that the city by the Lee becomes the focus for unprecedented A&R interest.
Whether with THE SMITHS, ELECTRONIC, THE PRETENDERS or in brown trouser mode sharing a stage with PAUL McCARTNEY, GEORGE MICHAEL and NEIL FINN, he remains, by his own admission, the best JOHNNY MARR-style guitar player around. GEORGE BYRNE meets the cat others like to copy.
A whole album of deep and funky house from Mr Barry isn’t exactly something to get the pulses racing, Do Your Dance has enough moments of interest to make it worth a flick
Once he cleaned up in the charts, now he s cleaned up himself. Bruised but unbroken, MARC ALMOND is back and busy on all fronts. And, whisper it, there s even talk of SOFT CELL reforming. Interview: NICK KELLY.
She’s shaping up to be one of the break-out stars of 2009, with a number one album and a Mercury Prize nomination to her name. We catch up with Florence And The Machine’s Florence Welch, who talks about becoming an overnight sensation, reflects on her bizarre childhood and explains why her most controversial song really isn’t as contentious as it’s made out to be.
The second day of the Music Show brought together James Bond composer David Arnold, Enya producer Nicky Ryan, Christy Moore, Sharon Corr and... The Blizzards
In a rare interview, DJ, Sabres Of Paradise mainman and all-round geezer andrew weatherall tells stuart clark about why he won t be working with Primal Scream again, comes clean about his Van Morrison obsession, and does his best not to slag off Kula Shaker and Mansun.
They blasted into the public consciousness at the end of 2005, when 'I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor' became the year's biggest breakthrough No.1. Since then it's been an extraordinary rollercoaster ride for the Arctic Monkeys, with bass player trouble, celebrity fans, EastEnders appearances and a row with fellow newcomers The Feeling to show for their efforts. Oh, and then there's the small matter of shifting nearly two million copies of their debut album...
Not so long ago mavericks and experimentalism were thin on the ground in Ireland. But with the growth of an independent scene, all of that has changed. for confirmation, look no further than the rise to eminence of The Jimmy Cake.
Making her solo debut, Andrea Corr has set about re-casting herself as a vampish singer with a taste for dark beats and sultry wordplay. In a forthright interview, she talks about her unexpected re-invention.
They may be about as prolific as giant pandas, but now the waiting is over. The mighty LEFTFIELD are back with their first new material in almost five years - the new album Rhythm And Stealth - and it looks set to have the same genre-redefining impact as their debut long-player Leftism. BARRY GLENDENNING talks to mainman PAUL DALEY about media critics, professional jealousy, John Lydon, banned videos and that Guinness ad.
Heard the one about the Irishman, the Bronx and the tab of industrial-strength acid? Stuart Clark hadn t either until that most eligible of bachelors, David Holmes, talked him through the mad month in New York that inspired his Let s Get Killed album.
In a single decade, Irish electronica and dance music has transformed the national scene. MARK KAVANAGH has been involved from the very beginning, as a DJ, activist, producer and hotpress columnist. Here, he offers a personal take on a long and winding but ultimately fruitful road, and reveals some of the new challenges he ll be undertaking as a DJ, producer and recording artist over the coming 12 months
The glitz and glamour is but the tip of the iceberg a lot of blood, sweat and tears has also gone into making THE CORRS the huge success they are. And it s not just about the music either the tricky business they call show has to be negotiated too. NIALL STOKES gets the inside story from the captain of the ship, manager JOHN HUGHES, with supporting testimony from some of the crew.
Admittedly, this reviewer put this CD on with some trepidation. After all, Sonar Kollektiv is renowned for its tepid, wine-bar friendly nu jazz, but, on this occasion, it has delivered something special.
Not since the death of Elvis has the passing of a music legend so gripped the world. As fans and detractors alike struggle to come to grips with the sad, strange end of Michael Jackson we assess his legacy – as musician, celebrity and enduring icon and talk to some of the people who knew and understood him best.
He was a midwife to grunge and has worked with artists as diverse as Marilyn Manson, Hole and Ozzy Osbourne. Far from being a studio boffin, though, Michael Beinhorn believes modern music is too often reliant on technology.
She’s the post-modern starlet who is stalked by paparazzi wherever she goes but is as comfortable talking about Andy Warhol and John Updike as she is hanging with fashionistas. Say hello to Lady GaGa the good-time pop princess who went to school with Paris Hilton, cultivated a drug habit ‘cos that’s what David Bowie did in the ’70s, but thinks fame is just a game.
When Pulp released the obsessively carnal This Is Hardcore, it was widely touted that the band's main mover, Jarvis Cocker, had lost the plot entirely. But Pulp are back on the road now and Cocker is in fine form - as eloquent when talking about pornography and sex as he is reflecting on the vagaries of the press and his relationship with his father. Interview: peter Murphy.
When Pulp released the obsessively carnal This Is Hardcore, it was widely touted that the band's main mover, Jarvis Cocker, had lost the plot entirely. But Pulp are back on the road now and Cocker is in fine form - as eloquent when talking about pornography and sex as he is reflecting on the vagaries of the press and his relationship with his father. Interview: peter Murphy.
Has Madonna become the immaterial girl? Or will the Re-invention tour re-establish her as the foremost female icon on the planet? On the eve of her first ever Irish appearance at Slane, Peter Murphy takes a look at the strange twist the Queen of Pop’s career has taken – and how she is now fighting back, for all she’s worth.
It's time to lock up your sons, daughters, pet poodle and drinks cabinet, as eight of Ireland's top bands descend on the venue, london, for the first major Hot Press-sponsored musical event of the year.
With the tragedy which disfigured their last Irish appearance still fresh in people's minds, SMASHING PUMPKINS' return to a Dublin stage was never going to be an ordinary affair. As it turned out, PETER MURPHY witnessed an act of redemption and spoke to BILLY CORGAN about surviving troubled times.
Basking in the warm glow of that first day's successful recording may tempt you to imagine that it's all over but for the fame and fortune. Wrong, and double wrong. JACKIE HAYDEN considers music marketing and PR.
Exclusive: Kevin Shields, the missing presumed lost genius of Irish rock, re-emerges to tell the truth about sandbags and barbed wire, the making of Loveless, early Dublin days with Gavin Friday, Liam O Maonlai and U2, and his Bafta-winning work on Lost in Translation.
Jape and Lisa Hannigan may inhabit opposite ends of the musical spectrum but their careers have followed remarkably similar paths. On the road together in the UK, he talks about bagging the Choice Music Prize and she discusses her dramatic split from Damien Rice
Long before boomtime Ireland there was boomtown Ireland, a country where the national symbol was not a tiger but a rat. to coincide with the release of the best of the boomtown rats, Bob Geldof looks back to the tepid Irish scene of the mid-’70s from which the rats emerged, biting, snarling and laughing, to take on the establishment, Britain and, almost, the world.
Sex and sanctity, grit and glitter, penthouse and pavement, God and the Devil, and all conical points in between!
PETER MURPHY dials M for ADONNA, the pre-eminent pop icon of this and every other year
