ELECTRONIC MUSIC

[ozu]

OK, this is an impossibly broad topic, but I'm not sure it's one more than a handful of people here particularly care about so I think this discussion may be more productive if kept in one place. Here's wiki's list of electronic music genres to give you an idea of how diverse this field of music really is.





I like a smattering of many styles/genres but I'm far from an expert on any so I'm hoping to learn something here.





I'm gonna start by posting some really old school shite:



Kraftwerk - The Robots (1977)

Watch out, I think these guys are Nihilists!



Giorgio Moroder - The Chase (1978)

Classic, I never get tired of this one.



Yellow Magic Orchestra - Firecracker (1979)

Massively influential shit here.





Also, I'm curious to find out how popular club music (house/techno/trance) is in Japan these days, and if anything good is being produced there along those lines.

[perfectblue]

I'm not heavily into Electronic music, let alone Japanese stuff so these aren't necessarily strictly electronic music, but worth a try:



Japan have the mighty Roman Porsche for a start *_*



ロマンﾎﾟルシェ。(Roman Porsche) - 全裸で書いたラブレター - Umm..no comment XD



Then you have stuff like:



Miami - Ace - Electronic with violins, kinda quirky.



Rovo - Condor - Pretty epic, again with added violins and stuff, this is only a small section, the whole CD is one continuous piece lasting about an hour, split into three tracks.



World's End Girlfriend - We Are The Massacre - Possibly one of the best songs i've ever heard.



The Mad Capsule Markets - Pulse - Pretty well known, you've probably seen this one already but a stone cold classic.



DJ Krush - Still Island - Again fairly well known, pretty chilled out.

[Pflaume]

I really, really love electronic songs in pretty much any genre. If a computer pooped it out, I'm partial to it. That said, I have a tendency to follow specific songs instead of artists. I find a lot of times that I look into full albums and become really disappointed.



Kraftwerk! Oh, Deutschland. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... #>/wub.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':cryalot:' />



Kraftwerk - Computer Love

Coldplay used this, and that is why people know it. It is good, in Kraftwerk's super early minimalistic blipping way.



Ladytron - Blue Jeans

The fact that Ladytron always seem really self-important and snotty has turned me off them, but I can't deny that my ears like what they do a lot of the time.



Blümchen - Herz an Herz

This was the first album I ever purchased. You know you need to keep someone around when you share a love for Blümchen. Hi, sadude! <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... #>/wub.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':wub:' />



Brooklyn Bounce - Loud and Proud

I included this mostly because I have an inherent fondness for techno produced by my own country. I would, however, dance in this to assless chaps at the love parade. Just sayin'.



AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.



cLOUDDEAD - Pop Song

Hip hop? I could argue with that. Popsicle, the label stapled the speaker to the back of a sheep's throat. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... ek3run.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':wheely:' />



And then we said "fuck" in our pop song!

[ozu]

[quote name='perfectblue' post='59618' date='Feb 12 2009, 01:33 PM']ロマンﾎﾟルシェ。(Roman Porsche) - 全裸で書いたラブレター[/quote]

[quote name='Pflaume' post='59620' date='Feb 12 2009, 02:22 PM']Brooklyn Bounce - Loud and Proud[/quote]





Those are two entertaining slabs of cheese right there.



I have to say that Brooklyn Bounce may be louder, but the guy from Roman Porsche is definitely prouder. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... hawhaw.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':hawhaw:' />

[mizer_unmei]

I'm really interested in Kraftwerk and YMO, but I haven't gotten around to buying any of their albums. That Giorgio Moroder song is lovely as well. All the songs that I've heard are mainly instrumental are usually pretty epic.



I loooove New Wave. Probably the most electronic New Wave band I like is Berlin. Their Metro is classic. Depeche Mode's See You is equally awesome.

Those are both mainly electronic. But when you get into more merging of genres, New Order's Temptation is great. Tears for Fears (Shout) was fun. Again with Depeche Mode, their Policy of Truth is perfection (as is basically the whole "Violator" album).



There's also more recent bands like Metric (Dead Disco, On the Sly), who's more regular rock but the lead Emily Haines does rock out on a synthesizer during lives.



Those plus all the millions of one hit wonders in the 80s make New Wave awesome.

[perfectblue]

Im also quite partial to these guys who describe their sound as new wave/electro-punk --> The Warm



Flask is probably the best song they have posted on there.

[ozu]

[quote name='mizer_unmei' post='59847' date='Feb 13 2009, 11:50 PM']I loooove New Wave.[/quote]



YES. Punk/New Wave was the last era where Rock was at all revolutionary. I'm partial to the CBGB's scene. (Ramones, Talking Heads, Blondie, Television, Dead Boys, Misfits, etc.)



There's lots of synthy stuff I like, too, though, including the bands you mentioned. Here's some more:



Gary Numan - Cars



Joy Division - Decades



Devo - Girl U Want / Gates of Steel (Live)







[quote name='Pflaume' post='59620' date='Feb 12 2009, 02:22 PM']The fact that Ladytron always seem really self-important and snotty has turned me off them, but I can't deny that my ears like what they do a lot of the time.[/quote]



One of theirs I really like is "Play Girl." Love that retro vibe.





I'm not super familiar with the UK electronica scene, but I do know this: Broadcast is amazing.



Papercuts



Come On Let's Go



Unbelievably retro, though, so be prepared. XD





-----



perfectblue: Thank you, "Flask" is pretty sweet.

[Ap2000]

In general I dislike electronic-only music.

e.g. I think techno is abysmal and the worst thing to ever be labeled as "music".



However, there are some good songs now and then, that aren't the generic always-the-same-beat-for-4-minutes songs.



The last song in this genre I listen of to was/is *whatever* Project - Infinity 2008:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWMw6yW325Q&fmt=18





There are also 1~2 electronic music songs that I only love when I'm completely drunk, like Loud & Proud (mentioned above).



I also love the Rock/Electro mix Polysics have.





Does Tommy February6 also count as electronic music ? I really like one of his songs, however, I can't remember the name right now.

[aine]

I used to deny any electronic or electronic-augmented music the right to be called music at all, because I was so metal. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... #>/meh.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' /> But then I got enlightened, and now electro-whatever makes up at least half of my playlists. And that's not including J-pop.



I'm not an expert in any way, actually more of an ignorant who enjoys what he hears. Many of the tracks I regularly listen to are one-offs fed to me by a more electronically inclined friend, and there's barely any artists or acts that I bother following at all, or who actually managed to catch my attention beyond that one single track.



Anyway, here's a vastly incomplete list of my all-time favourites, or closest equivalents where tube failed to deliver. Don't take my word on the genres (see ignorance comment above). Videos are safely ignored (or avoided), unless otherwise noted.





Aphex Twin - Come to Daddy

Genre: Aphex Twin, lol



Actually he's hardly my everyday favourite, but no electronic music list would be complete without him. Also, an awesomest and the must-watch

video of the list.



Assemblage 23 - Binary

Genre: EBM



I don't know how to comment on him, but I'd feel bad not commenting at all. One of the staples of my playlists, and what I use as definition and reference point for "EBM".



Bjork - All is full of Love

Genre: Bjork, lol



See Aphex Twin comment (video part applies).



Combichrist - Blut Royale

Genre: Aggrotech



Project by Icon of Coil people, which used to be one group I followed. Much harsher and simpler. I went to one of their shows and it was awesome, it's much more enjoyable live. Here's album version though, with cheap-o original video.



Covenant - Ritual Noise

Genre: Synthpop / Futurepop



The classical music entry equivalent on this list. Waiting eagerly for the new album.



Depeche Mode - Precious

Genre: New Wave / Synthpop



They've been around since forever and don't require introduction or comment (other than, again, what I said for AFX). This song has an awesome music video but seems like all copies has been removed due to RIAAIDS, so here's a sound-only version.



Diorama - Synthesize Me

Genre: Darkwave / Synthpop



Very cold and dry, and good for falling asleep to. However, while Shpongle (below) makes you trip to the Milky Way and back, this makes you fall into dark frozen sand slumber.



DJ Sharpnel - Noiseman

Genre: Gabber / J-Core



More of a guilty pleasure than everyday thing, but has to be mentioned.



Icon of Coil - Remove/Replace

Genre: Synthpop



One of my earliest and biggest electronic music crushes. Went defunct and evolved into Combichrist, which I am not entirely happy about.



Infected Mushroom - Becoming Insane

Genre: Goa/psychedelic trance



This is pretty much the only song I have of them, but can't stop listening to it.



Juno Reactor - Guardian Angel

Genre: Goa / Trance



My all-time favourite by them, although most of their stuff is very good.



Marilyn Manson - Long hard road out of hell

Genre: Industrial



I don't care for Marilyn Manson nor their kind of industrial much at all, but the music video is to me one of the finest achievements in MV-making, so I'm whoring it out.



Shpongle - Around the World in a Tea Daze

Genre: Goa trance



Awesome. This >>> sleeping pills.



Wumpscut - Rifki

Genre: Electro-industrial, aggrotech, etc.



Harsh stuff, but has high play-on-repeat-ad-nauseam potential.

[nihonjin_berryz]

This week I discovered:



Metronomy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMjmxF58wFc



There music is pure genious.

[mizer_unmei]

[quote name='aine' post='60088' date='Feb 16 2009, 04:09 PM']Depeche Mode - Precious

Genre: New Wave / Synthpop



They've been around since forever and don't require introduction or comment (other than, again, what I said for AFX). This song has an awesome music video but seems like all copies has been removed due to RIAAIDS, so here's a sound-only version.[/quote]They've got a new album coming out early this year. And I'm so excited! They never really disappoint me.

[Ap2000]

Totally forgot Daft Punk !



They are by far my #1 electronic music group.

[sadude]

[quote name='Pflaume' post='59620' date='Feb 12 2009, 02:22 PM']Blümchen - Herz an Herz

This was the first album I ever purchased. You know you need to keep someone around when you share a love for Blümchen. Hi, sadude! <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... #>/wub.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':wub:' />[/quote]

HIIII <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... #>/wub.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':wub:' />

[quote name='aine' post='60088' date='Feb 16 2009, 04:09 PM']I used to deny any electronic or electronic-augmented music the right to be called music at all, because I was so metal. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... #>/meh.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=';/' />[/quote]

I forget where I heard this, but I always liked the general sentiment that electronica is the new metal. What kids (especially outcasts) used to listen to for complex melodies and the like used to mostly be metal, but has been slowly replaced by electronica. I personally moved from one to the other, which is why I like that saying so much.



As for favorite electronica things, I mostly keep to technopop nowadays like Perfume, other Nakata-related things, and random KPop.

[ozu]

[quote name='sadude' post='60214' date='Feb 17 2009, 10:32 PM']I forget where I heard this, but I always liked the general sentiment that electronica is the new metal. What kids (especially outcasts) used to listen to for complex melodies and the like used to mostly be metal, but has been slowly replaced by electronica.[/quote]



For a while it seemed like metal was the new metal. Only problem being that the stuff getting mainstream penetration was either utterly wretched mallcore/nu-metal or barely tolerable trendy symphonic black metal. I don't think metal vs. electronica (or any genre) has to be an either/or proposition, though. Some of the freshest, most challenging music of the last decade has come from the metal underground. Right along with scads of crap, naturally.



The best thing for people seriously into music is to keep it varied and expose yourself to as many styles as possible.





Aine, I'm also down with the Goa Trance. I think it's a style that more than a few metalheads could get into. Actually I like trance in general, but I'm super picky from track to track.



Here's one with some Goa elements, but mainly I love the hook, or "anthem" (@2:54). It has that "total brain massage" feel that I love about trance when it really gets cooking:



Cybernaut - Hydrophonix

[perfectblue]

A few more, not japanese this time:



As far as crossover stuff goes, you really have to give The Prodigy a mention, they piss all over stuff like Pendulum and Enter Shikari.



The Prodigy - Spitfire



Death in vegas tend to have some pretty creepy videos, but they are really good:



Death In Vegas - Dirge

Death In Vegas - Aisha

Death In Vegas - Girls (probably best known as that song from Lost In Translation)



These next few just have really awesome videos:



The Avalanches - Frontier Psychiatrist



Fatboy Slim - Weapon Of Choice



Quite an old and well known song but I love it:



Underworld - Cowgirl

[aine]

As I was reading through the thread again, I remember about This Awesome Site that is very relevant to the subject. Everyone should check it out and learn.





[quote name='sadude' post='60214' date='Feb 18 2009, 04:32 AM']I forget where I heard this, but I always liked the general sentiment that electronica is the new metal. What kids (especially outcasts) used to listen to for complex melodies and the like used to mostly be metal, but has been slowly replaced by electronica. I personally moved from one to the other, which is why I like that saying so much.[/quote]

This statement is surprisingly accurate, except in what ozu mentioned already, this doesn't seem an either/or type of a deal to me either. Certain sub-genres of electronica simply seem to have the same qualities and appeals as certain sub-genres of metal, thus being able to exist in parallel, but without obsoleting or replacing the latter in any way. At least in my case.



I can see this process quite clearly when I think of the evolution of my musical preferences over the last, say, 15 years. It was definitely a broadening of what's acceptable category, while remaining in the same general set of aesthetics, rather than simply moving on with the same rather narrow and limiting bracket I started with still in place.



As a side note, who would have thought that somewhere down the line from my BLAK METAL IST KRIEG period there will be such grim and necro pieces as Jiriri Kiteru or Genki+. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... /laugh.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':D' />



[quote name='ozu' post='60232' date='Feb 18 2009, 06:54 AM']For a while it seemed like metal was the new metal. Only problem being that the stuff getting mainstream penetration was either utterly wretched mallcore/nu-metal or barely tolerable trendy symphonic black metal.[/quote]

I'd rather those were forgotten and never mentioned again. I'm yet to hear a successful blend of electronic music and metal - not counting occasional riff in an electro track (eg. Becoming Insane above), or drum machines and modestly used keyboards in doom metal. I don't think they really blend at all - while sharing a lot of qualities features I mentioned above, they are creatures from different universes and should be left to their own.



[quote name='ozu' post='60232' date='Feb 18 2009, 06:54 AM']Aine, I'm also down with the Goa Trance. I think it's a style that more than a few metalheads could get into. Actually I like trance in general, but I'm super picky from track to track.



Here's one with some Goa elements, but mainly I love the hook, or "anthem" (@2:54). It has that "total brain massage" feel that I love about trance when it really gets cooking:



Cybernaut - Hydrophonix[/quote]

I can't pin point down why, but this track didn't really appeal to me at all. Perhaps BPM is too high for a trance track for me, or it's just too simplistic with not enough ambiance. As I said, I'm quite ignorant when it comes to taking music apart, and picky from track to track too. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... /laugh.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />

[Sabaku Ika]

This morning, on iTunes, I bought albums by Yelle and Justice. I have otherwise not listened to much electronica lately.

Before I discovered Jpop, it was all I listened to. I especially liked The Chemical Brothers, Fatboy Slim, Aphex Twin, The Orb, and The Prodigy.



edit: I just noticed Prodigy has a new album (Invaders Must Die). Anyone know if it's good?



edity edit: I bought it. Listening now. First impressions are positive! I was under the impression that they had turned more toward angry rock in the years since I stopped paying attention to them, but apparently I was wrong. This is the same joyous angry techno of my childhood (except for Stand Up, which is kind of cheerful). The iTunes version includes several bonus tracks at the end, including spoken commentary on all the songs (haven't heard them yet).



PVs from it:

Omen

Invaders Must Die