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Electronic music
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Tiresias
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Jul 14, 2008, 10:47 AM
 
I started listening to this music quite recently, as in the last few months, and am therefore a complete but grateful newb at whom it would be in poor taste to laugh.

I find that I either love it or hate it, and that I love it if it is dark and mellow, or uses a dark but melodious sample, or is just dark. Did I mention dark?

I like the ambient soundscapes of Brian Eno and Biosphere a lot. There are a few tracks by Royksopp (esp. What Else Is There?), a few by Air and one or two by The Chemical Brothers. There are also a few tracks by Tomcraft that are good; Loneliness, and Into The Light.

I'm trying to discover new music of this sort, but the pickings are overwhelming in quantity and underwhelming in quality. What other music do you think I might like? Electronic music aficionados, I bid you post your YouTube links.

Edit: Oops. Wrong thread. Mods?
( Last edited by Tiresias; Jul 14, 2008 at 10:58 AM. )
     
OreoCookie
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Jul 14, 2008, 11:06 AM
 
Hmmm, let me see. It depends on what kind of stuff you like. If you like old-school, have a look at Tangerine Dream.

Newer stuff: To Rococo Rot, they have more complex and less beat-driven stuff. Some of the songs are more ambient (e. g. Telema). If you are really into ambient, Aphex Twin's Selected Ambient Works Vol. 1+2 are a must! Cosmic Baby's Fourteen Pieces is right up there as well (availably on the iTMS).

If you also like faster stuff, I like Peshay who mixes Electronic with Jazz and such. If you want not just vocal samples, but real `songs', Lamb is always good, especially the album Lamb.

I'm very partial to Ken Ishii, especially Jelly Tones and Sleeping Madness are timeless master pieces (the latest CD has too many sound bites from previous albums).

If you tell me what you liked of the tiny short list, I could go a little further and recommend some more.
( Last edited by OreoCookie; Jul 14, 2008 at 11:12 AM. )
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ort888
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Jul 14, 2008, 11:39 AM
 
Here's a few I like... not sure how dark they are, but most of them are pretty crazy. I'm also pretty picky about my electronic music, but I'm a big fan of what I like...

Here's a sampling of what I have on iPod right now, in reverse alphabetical order.

Vitalic
T. Raumschmiere
Psilodump
Original Hamster
Matthew Dear
DJ Hell
Daft Punk
Jan Jelinek
Eats Tapes
Blechdom from Blechdom
Aphex Twin


How dark do you want? And are you limiting yourself to purely electronic music?

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andreas_g4
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Jul 14, 2008, 11:44 AM
 
You should check out beatport.com
     
Tiresias  (op)
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Jul 14, 2008, 12:22 PM
 
Thanks

It's going to take a while to do justice to all these recommendations.

However, so far Aphex Twin has, hands down, the weirdest music videos I have ever seen. Awesome.

Also:Cosmic Baby, liked. Peshay and Lamb, not so much. Ken Ishii, liked, but not a whole lot. Vitalic (Poney Part 1!), DJ Hell, Psilodump, definitely liked. Daft Punk of course I was familiar with, but haven't really listened to. Aerodynamic I like.

That's as far as I've got. (Back to YT).

Thanks again.
     
OreoCookie
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Jul 14, 2008, 12:39 PM
 
Aphex Twin has really weird stuff (an album called DrukQs which I can't listen to), the Ambient albums are more agreeable, although I like Donkey Rhubarb and such a lot, too.

I'll wait with other suggestions once you report back
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starman
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Jul 14, 2008, 12:54 PM
 
I've been listening to electronic music for over 25 years. Where to start....?

First off, I never listened to the jazzy stuff. I never liked it. I like more of the ambient, atmospheric stuff.

First and foremost:
Jean Michel Jarre: Oxygene

If you don't like that, ignore the rest of this post.

Jarre: Equinoxe, Rendez-vous, Zoolook, Magnetic Fields (Les Chantes Electronique), Chronologie
Vangelis: Heaven and Hell (the first 4.5 minutes are odd, just go with it), Albedo 0.39, Spiral
Tangerine Dream: Green Desert, Rubycon, White Eagle, Force Majeure, Phaedra
Synergy: Games, Cords, Electronic Realizations for Rock Orchestra
Lustmord: Where the Black Stars Hang, Heresy
Steve Roach: Structures From Silence (considered a classic in the genre), Magnificent Void, Empetus
Michael Stearns: M'Ocean, Encounter
Brian Eno: Ambient 1 for Airports, Apollo Atmospheres and Soundtracks

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analogika
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Jul 14, 2008, 01:05 PM
 
Originally Posted by OreoCookie View Post
Aphex Twin has really weird stuff (an album called DrukQs which I can't listen to)
DrukQs is one of my absolute favorites of his.


Tiresias, from what you've described, you'd very likely enjoy Autechre's "Amber" a lot.

Mind you, Autechre's done a lot of *bizarre* stuff, so make sure you check out Amber before you get discouraged.


Also, one of my all-time favorites is Plaid's album "not for threes" - pretty, funny, dark, fascinating.
     
olePigeon
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Jul 14, 2008, 01:07 PM
 
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subego
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Jul 14, 2008, 01:21 PM
 
Originally Posted by analogika View Post
DrukQs is one of my absolute favorites of his.

It's very good, just not as "accessible" as some of his other stuff.

SAW II would be one of my deserted island disks if I thought it would be a good idea to take music like that with you when you're trapped on an island.

Paying attention to this thread with interest.
     
The Milkman
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Jul 14, 2008, 02:31 PM
 
I second Aphew Twin (the Mozart of electronic music)
Squarepusher is more jazzy if you're into that.
Amon Tobin is another master. Foley Room is one of my all-time favourite albums.
Lustmord, very dark ambient-noise.
The Orb, classic ambient artist.
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subego
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Jul 14, 2008, 02:43 PM
 
Let me throw in Boards of Canada (Geogaddi is my favorite) and Global Communication (Pentamerous Metamorphosis is close to flawless in my book).

And seconds for Tangerine Dream and The Orb.
     
Rumor
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Jul 14, 2008, 02:53 PM
 
At Earthdance in 2005, I came across the live performance of Ganga Giri. I was quite impressed, especially how he incorporates a didj into it.
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Tiresias  (op)
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Jul 14, 2008, 04:07 PM
 
Originally Posted by starman View Post
Jean Michel Jarre: Oxygene
I liked this. Kinda old school; almost New Age, minus everything that sucks about New Age.

Originally Posted by analogika View Post
Tiresias, from what you've described, you'd very likely enjoy Autechre's "Amber" a lot.
I downloaded the album.

Originally Posted by The Milkman View Post
Lustmord, very dark ambient-noise.
The Orb, classic ambient artist.
Also great.
     
analogika
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Jul 14, 2008, 04:14 PM
 
Originally Posted by Tiresias View Post
I liked this. Kinda old school; almost New Age, minus everything that sucks about New Age.
it's from 1976 - it predates New Age by fifteen years! It's not "kinda" old-school.

The vintage Jarre (Equinoxe is the great follow-up to oxygene), Klaus Schulze, and early Tangerine Dream are what inspired the insipid bullshit noodling of New Age music (in fact, Tangerine Dream spearheaded the movement by turning to insipid bullshit noodling ).
     
OreoCookie
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Jul 14, 2008, 04:37 PM
 
Originally Posted by subego View Post
It's very good, just not as "accessible" as some of his other stuff.
I'm basically thrown off by the last half of his songs, but I haven't heard it in a long time. On the other hand, I've come to like Clark which is very aggressive and not exactly easy listening either.
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funkboy
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Jul 14, 2008, 04:45 PM
 
Tosca
Nightmares on Wax
Kruder & Dorfmeister
Dzihan & Kamien

Those.

Edit: and The Avalanches. Of course.
( Last edited by funkboy; Jul 18, 2008 at 02:22 AM. )
     
starman
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Jul 14, 2008, 06:08 PM
 
Originally Posted by Tiresias View Post
I liked this. Kinda old school; almost New Age, minus everything that sucks about New Age.
I've grown to love this album over the years. I listen to it at least once a week (or two).

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ghporter
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Jul 14, 2008, 06:24 PM
 
Get Tangerine Dream and Daft Punk and listen to them a lot. Not all electronica is dark. Lots of it is just plain lovely. And Ole Pigeon's cartoon notwithstanding, lots of it is also quite interesting throughout the cut...

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BadKosh
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Jul 14, 2008, 06:56 PM
 
GO to your iToons RADIO and click on Electronic. I like SOMA-FM's Secret Agent. Doomed or Drone Zone, also from SOMA-FM might be more what you were looking for.
Some suggestions:
Fraud - Headcleaners
The Arrangers - Fast One
The Infinite Jest - Paul Haslinger
Resist - Greg Long
Wall of Pressure - Impulse

Sg Sound
Hi-Fi Companions
Dzihan & Kamien
Bitter Sweet
     
EricTheRed
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Jul 14, 2008, 07:13 PM
 
Electronic that's different: Dephazz Days of Twang. Le Petit Bastard and Rock 'n' Roll Dude.
     
Uncle Doof
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Jul 14, 2008, 07:43 PM
 
The daddy:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/An_Electric_Storm

You might want to roll a fat one for those last two tracks.
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zro
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Jul 14, 2008, 09:55 PM
 
Originally Posted by Uncle Doof View Post
The daddy:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/An_Electric_Storm

You might want to roll a fat one for those last two tracks.
So I search iTunes for the hell of it and come up with this hidden gem:
itms://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/M...t?id=257484545
Only 10 bucks, too! Sweet.


Actually on topic, I recommend Black Moth Super Rainbow. Probably doesn't fit most peoples ideal of electronic, though.

itms://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/M...90382&s=143441
     
Kerrigan
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Jul 14, 2008, 10:39 PM
 
No wonder you guys are all so crazy. I went through a phase where I listened to stuff like Vitalic and Royksopp, and in retrospect it was probably the low-point of my appreciation for music.
     
Kenneth
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Jul 14, 2008, 11:09 PM
 
Do Massive Attack and Ulrich Schnaussin that genre? I love them.
     
Dakar the Fourth
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Jul 15, 2008, 12:04 AM
 
No mention of Portishead?
     
Tiresias  (op)
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Jul 15, 2008, 12:17 AM
 
Originally Posted by Kerrigan View Post
No wonder you guys are all so crazy. I went through a phase where I listened to stuff like Vitalic and Royksopp, and in retrospect it was probably the low-point of my appreciation for music.
So what do you listen to now, up there, on the higher level of consciousness you have attained?
     
Tiresias  (op)
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Jul 15, 2008, 12:18 AM
 
Originally Posted by Dakar the Fourth View Post
No mention of Portishead?
I like their new album Third.
     
Dakar the Fourth
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Jul 15, 2008, 12:27 AM
 
I would recommend Dummy. While I like Third, they seem to have made a conscious effort to be discorded and dissonant on that album. The melodies on Dummy are worth exploring.
     
effgee
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Jul 15, 2008, 01:20 AM
 
A thread about electronic music with twenty-eight replies and not one mention of Kraftwerk?

Preposterous.

Die Roboter
Die Mensch-Maschine
Aerodynamik
Elektrokardiogramm
Radioaktivität
Autobahn

A good starter album is their relatively recent (2005, IIRC) live compilation "Minimum-Maximum", which contains contemporary versions of all their classics (English versions only, which is a bit unfortunate). The whole shebang is available at the iTunes store in DRM free "iTunes Plus" format.

Highly recommended.
     
Rumor
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Jul 15, 2008, 02:51 AM
 
Infected Mushroom is good as well.
I like my water with hops, malt, hops, yeast, and hops.
     
analogika
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Jul 15, 2008, 03:03 AM
 
Originally Posted by Kerrigan View Post
No wonder you guys are all so crazy. I went through a phase where I listened to stuff like Vitalic and Royksopp, and in retrospect it was probably the low-point of my appreciation for music.
Spot the jerk.
     
analogika
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Jul 15, 2008, 03:07 AM
 
Originally Posted by Tiresias View Post
So what do you listen to now, up there, on the higher level of consciousness you have attained?
Village People, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Madonna, Grace Jones, George Michael, and Celine Dion, with a smattering of glam house.
And Christian Rock for when he needs to suppress his Urges.

But he'll have you know that he's Not Gay.™
     
effgee
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Jul 15, 2008, 03:23 AM
 
Originally Posted by analogika View Post
Originally Posted by Kerrigan
No wonder you guys are all so crazy. I went through a phase where I listened to stuff like Vitalic and Royksopp, and in retrospect it was probably the low-point of my appreciation for music.
Spot the jerk.
Na, na, na - one shan't be so quick to judge. You never know, Kerrigan's post might've been the intro to a confession. After all, low-points, once achieved, do have the tendency to shift to other areas of life.
     
OB1
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Jul 15, 2008, 03:30 AM
 
"I love it if it is dark and mellow, or uses a dark but melodious sample"

Boards of Canada, Plaid, Black Dog - immediately come to mind. You might like some of the more mellow stuff from the dubstep scene, like Burial or Scuba - melodic but still dark, lovely stuff!
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Uncle Doof
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Jul 15, 2008, 05:26 AM
 
Alternatively, buy one of these:

http://www.access-music.de/events/11...s_desktop.php4

and one of these:

http://www.doepfer.de/maq.htm

...and you'll never have to buy any electronic music ever again. Just twiddle a few knobs and there ya go, instant custom electronica.

You're welcome.
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Andrew Stephens
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Jul 15, 2008, 05:31 AM
 
No shouts for Kraftwerk yet! How slack. It can get pretty nihilistic in there.

For weird cross (or in) bred country influenced acid electric (eh!) try Alabama 3. It's all good but "Exile on Coldharbour Lane" is the standout. All together now "Mao Tse Tung said change must come from the barrel of a gun"

Bang it together with a bit of German expressionist inspired 80's pop electro - Propaganda, or for extra weirdness and cool points the follow up group Act. Both feature strange vocals by Claudia Brucken.

Got ethnic - try hitting Asian Dub Foundation.
( Last edited by Andrew Stephens; Jul 15, 2008 at 09:39 AM. )
     
Andrew Stephens
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Jul 15, 2008, 05:32 AM
 
oh and of course the Pixies rock out - hard!
     
subego
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Jul 15, 2008, 06:59 AM
 
Originally Posted by Dakar the Fourth View Post
I would recommend Dummy. While I like Third, they seem to have made a conscious effort to be discorded and dissonant on that album. The melodies on Dummy are worth exploring.

I agree wholeheartedly. I could handle it up until "Machine Gun", but that pretty much tore it. Dummy is also one of my deserted island disks, and it's good enough that I'd still bring it even though it's another one that's probably too dark to be listening to when trapped on an island.

Since it looks to me what falls under the heading "electronic" has widened somewhat, allow me to add...

Fatboy Slim
Any project involving Dan the Automator
     
OldManMac
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Jul 15, 2008, 08:25 AM
 
Originally Posted by olepigeon View Post
qft
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analogika
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Jul 15, 2008, 08:29 AM
 
I used to think so, too.
     
Tiresias  (op)
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Jul 15, 2008, 08:29 AM
 
Originally Posted by analogika View Post
Also, one of my all-time favorites is Plaid's album "not for threes" - pretty, funny, dark, fascinating.
Just checked this out. Wow. Great stuff.

And awesome videos.
     
analogika
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Jul 15, 2008, 08:44 AM
 
Originally Posted by Tiresias View Post
Just checked this out. Wow. Great stuff.

And awesome videos.
Excellent.

Have you ever heard Björk's "Homogenic" album? If you can handle her singing (she's featured on one of the "not for threes" tracks, as well), that's another album you might really like. Most definitely not casual listening, most definitely not an everyday album, but just...wow.
     
Tiresias  (op)
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Jul 15, 2008, 08:50 AM
 
I love Bjork. Esp. Homogenic and Vespertine. Oh, and the track Vokuro from Medulla!

The YouTube Videos of Bjork Live at Riverside Church make me feel all funny inside.

Damn Matthew Barney!
     
OreoCookie
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Jul 15, 2008, 10:31 AM
 
Yeah, Björk is great, but it's not always electronic music. Definitely weird and interesting
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Angelo78
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Jul 15, 2008, 10:45 AM
 
If you like electronic music that doesn't sound mainstream have a listen to this:

http://www.whoisportablejesus.com/thanksgiving.html

This was made by one of my friends. It's free to download from his website so no legal worries.
( Last edited by Angelo78; Jul 15, 2008 at 12:32 PM. Reason: Changed link so you can choose between AAC or MP3)
     
mattyb
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Jul 15, 2008, 12:20 PM
 
You might like some of these.

http://www.ambient-nights.org/

Groovesalad

Maybe already mentioned (gets out his iPod Touch) :

Goldfrapp
Archive
Art of Noise
Cafe del Mar collections
The Chillout Sessions
Enya
Clannad
Enigma
Deep Forest

There are some good legal torrents from Jamendo as well.

Originally Posted by subego View Post
Paying attention to this thread with interest.
right behind you subego.
     
Luca Rescigno
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Jul 15, 2008, 12:48 PM
 
Check out Freezepop.

"That's Mama Luigi to you, Mario!" *wheeze*
     
Charles Bouldin
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Jul 17, 2008, 09:29 PM
 
Kraftwerk of course. Autobahn is probably older than most people reading this thread.

Bran Eno. Apollo Atmospheres and many others.

Tangerine Dream. Again, some of their stuff dates to the 70's.

Eluvium. Magnetic field.

Ray Lynch, although I've sort of lost my taste for him.

Cocteau Twins. Imperial.
     
   
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