A couple of years ago, when electronic music had completed it’s resurrection into the mainstream, many of our beloved genres seemed to be getting bastardised, without much consumer research. Major labels have a knack of praying on consumer laziness and enjoyment for being spoon fed. This was one of the main reasons for starting Hijacker. We wanted a foundation to give us a louder voice and we’ve found that the label, especially with UV Festival, has done just that. Now, we’re teaming up with Gigslutz to present a regular music column showcasing our favourite current artists, hot gig tips, hidden gem hideouts, club nights in London and essentially shooting the breeze about the best in electronic music.
To get us started on this literary journey, we’ve put together our top 10 electronic albums. This article is not to be confused with what we believe to be the most influential albums (although I’m sure a few would still make the cut). We’re sure there’ill be plenty of people taking umbrage with the fact we have omitted the likes of Kraftwek, Orbital, Underworld, New Order, Massive Attack; nor should this list be confused with our favourite mix albums explaining the omission of Richie Hawtin, Sasha, James Holden and the likes of Derrick May. There will be endless debates on the topic and in truth there can never be an accurate list of the best albums of all time, electronic or otherwise. Music taste is subjective, opinion therefore divided; but that only serves to highlight the unbridled love we all have for music and why there are perennial arguments about what artists and albums deserve to make the cut. With that said, here are the albums we believe to be the pinnacle of the pile, and that have shaped our tastes over the years.
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Daft Punk – Discovery
I’m sure many of you will be asking the question; where is ‘Homework’ in this list? And you would have a strong argument, but we felt we could choose only one offering from the French robots in this short run down of electronic goodness. It is true that Homework might have announced Daft Punk, but for us Discovery is almost the soundtrack to many-a-childhood from our era. In fact, I challenge you to find an 80’s child that doesn’t love this album with the ability to recite every vocoder tinged lyric. For what is something a concept album, many of these songs have become club anthems in their own right, still filling dance floors 12 years later. This is huge testament to what is essentially crossing genres from old-skool disco to metal guitar, from electro to pop. It crosses boundaries and does is seamlessly. AND if I hear you say “but they used samples, it’s not original”, I’d tell you to take a running jump. Yes it’s true, the robots did indeed use samples, quite liberally at that. But it is one thing taking a sample and claiming it as your own, and quite another to work with it by writing and adding instrumental performance, create something completely new, and end up with what is ultimately a near perfect album – but I’m sure this argument will rage on for many years to come!
Leftfield – Leftism
Ever since they werecredited with inventing progressive house with their first single “Not Forgotten” in 1991, Leftfield have been earmarked as pioneers. Their debut album was a glorious fruition of their talents, combining electronica with soul, ambient, dub, reggae and numerous other genres, effortlessly weaving intoxicating rhythms and sublime melodies around the diverse vocals of former Sex Pistol John Lydon, reggae toaster Earl Sixteen and indie ice maiden Toni Halliday, Leftism is a scintillating journey through all the planes of club culture. Leftfield opened the door which allowed countless other artists (Faithless, Basement Jaxx etc) to help re-invent the whole genre of house music. A must-have album for anyone interested in innovative, sensual and deeply affecting music.
Fat Boy Slim – You’ve Come a Long Way Baby
Forging a very different path from his initial foray into the music business as the former bass player in Eighties indie-pop outfit The Housemartins, Norman Cook’s experimentations with an Akai sampler led to the genre he virtually created single handedly, known as “Big Beat”. With his second album, Fatboy Slim became the first Electronic artist to genuinely enjoy US Top 40 success, mirroring the critical acclaim and chart dominance in the UK. The massive hit “Rockafeller Skank” provides one of the most recognized vocal snippets in electronic music. “Praise You” built a funk hymn out of a sample of Seventies spoken-word poet Camille Yarbrough, and proved Fatboy Slim could throw in some soul. Songs like “Gangster Trippin” and “In Heaven” bounced like outrageously buoyant hip-hop paced with the zany energy of a Benny Hill skit. Accompanied by the iconic album artwork and the oxymoronic artist name, it’s clear that You’ve Come a Long Way Baby was “Big Beat” imbued with a big sense of humour.
Burial – Untrue
In a new world of bedroom producers, it is continually difficult to create a sound that is so compelling, unique and awe-inspiring to call your own. In recent years, Burial is one of the few that have done just that and Untrue is the best of the lot. After the critical success of his debut self-titled album, it was difficult to see how he might develop his morphing of two-step, garage, dubstep and grime, yet somehow, he took it to a new level. Deeper, more complex, a musical cocoon. The album is sometimes difficult to listen to. Perfection is not a word you would use for the musicality of Burial’s records. Yet these imperfections, highly processed vocals and glitchy beats (which are often lazy or even out of time), are part of what make this album so interesting. Not an album designed for a candlelight dinner and meal for two, but stick this on your car stereo, and drive. Just drive.
DJ Shadow – Entroducing
Trip-hop can perhaps be defined as the merging of hip-hop and electronica until neither genre is recognizable. DJ Shadow’s Endtroducing…, however, so constantly changes pace that such a definition is rendered insufficient. Consisting exclusively of samples, Entroducing was an album that according to Shadow “reflects a lifetime of vinyl culture.” Hip-hop had long been scouring record stores for obscurities to sample, but never before had an artist compiled such a diverse array in such a fashion that listeners are never distracted by them. Bjork, Metallica, Nirvana, Giorgio Moroder and Tangerine Dream are among the diverse acts whose material ended up on Endtroducing to create a piece greater than the sum of their parts. Endtroducing is an incredible achievement where sampling didn’t merely embellish but provided solid foundations, core structural elements as well as frills and orbiting additions. It is quite simply an album built out of the love of music: the love of preserving the work of people who won’t get their due acknowledgement, and the love of finding and sharing gems and obscurities.
Prodigy – The Fat of The Land
At a time where warehouse events and drug infused parties are all the ‘rave’ (sorry!), it would be ludicrous not to include one album from the punk-rave kings. Of course, tracks such as Breathe, Firestarter and the somewhat controversial Smack My Bitch Up need no introduction, but there is more to The Fat Of The Land than these epic offerings, with frantic ferocity in each and every track. If Burial’s Untrue is an album to get lost in your own thoughts whilst driving, this Prodigy record is one for racing around the back streets of Braintree. From a production point of view, this is a techno synth masterclass from Liam Howlett, along with his with raging bass lines and hectic broken beats. The Fat Of The Land is as relevant today as it was in 1997. Which might explain why they have recently re-released this unforgettable album with remixes from Baauer and Major Lazer. XL Recordings, we doff our hat.
Justice – Justice
Comparisons to Daft Punk are inevitable – French, Electronic music, critically acclaimed globally; but such comparisons do Justice a disservice. Channeling simple Disco and cheesy Euro-trash into walls of distortion and saturation, the tracks on Justice feel like the caress of a sledgehammer to the face and make Daft Punk look like tree-hugging hippies in comparison. It’s no secret that the duo harbour a huge fondness for all things Metallica, Justice effectively channelled the guitar riffs of their rock heroes into engorged electronic riffs, dizzying astringent strings, vocal samples torqued to hell, and nasty metallic drums to create a sound of their own. “D.A.N.C.E.” deployed a kiddie choir and a fuzzed up Chic bassline; “Waters of Nazareth” has some of the dirtiest synth squeaks and beeps ever recorded combined with a beat scientifically proven to cause irreversible loss of intellect should you make it through the duration of the song. Justice may be more about throwing devil horns than posturing on the podium of an Ibiza nightclub , but it’s big, dumb fun and we love it.
Chemical Brothers – Dig Your Own Hole
The Chems as they became affectionately known had a simple concept for their second album, to imbue dance music with the gut churning force of angular rock music, the swagger of hip-hop, and apply a generous side serving of psychedelia. They nailed it and consequently were shot into the musical stratosphere. Throughout, the Chemical Brothers prove themselves master composers, crafting songs that dip and slide with a corner-hugging, rollercoaster intensity. Now, it sounds as much like classic rock as classic electronica. As a statement of intent it begins with the all conquering Block Rockin’ Beats, an instantly recognizable bass hook before descending into pile-driving breaks. “Setting Sun” enlists the vocals of Britpop stalwart Noel Gallagher and is probably one of the most mental chart-toppers the UK has ever seen. Their live shows after the release of Dig Your Own Hole were legendary, headlining Reading Festival (traditionally the bastion of rock bands) only serves to highlight the crossover appeal of the Chemical Brothers.
Amon Tobin – Permutation
I would love to sit someone down and watch them listen to an Amon Tobin album for the first time from start to finish. I imagine the facial expressions would be quite a picture. His approach to music in general is abstract and experimental, and Permutation as a collective work is in fact quite mind blowing. He demonstrates that not only is he a frighteningly talented producer, as capable of jazz influenced breaks and chops as he is ground shaking bass, he pushing the boundaries of what it means to experience music – to touch on an old cliché, he quite simply takes you on a journey. You only need to go to a live show to understand what we mean and we’ve not even touched on the advancements in live visual programming that is so entwined with many people’s perceptions of his music. He doesn’t just change the game, he moves the posts.
Aphex Twin – Selected Ambient Works 85-92
Intelligent Dance Music and Aphex Twin are intrinsically linked. Squarepusher and Autechre were all on the scene by the time this collection hit shelves. But Richard D. James was still the posterboy, the presumed ringmaster, single-handedly defining a style of music in the minds of many. Now, as a new wave step to the forefront of IDM, it becomes more and more obvious just how far reaching James’ influence was. Drum machines serve as its backbone and synthesized bass and keyboard sounds provide the meat. Most of the songs follow a relatively basic formula as well. One element is introduced and repeated, and as new elements are added with each go round, the song gradually builds to a dense, multi-layered swirl. Despite the simplicity of his equipment and approach, the songs here are both interesting and varied, ranging from the dancefloor-friendly beats of “Pulsewidth” to the industrial clanks and whirs of “Green Calx.” Nestled in these simple, undeniably danceable tracks are the roots of contemporary IDM. And despite its somewhat primitive origins, the final product remains among the most interesting ever created with a keyboard and a computer. His work here serves a model for what would come to be known as traditional IDM.
Andy Chandler
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