Thursday, July 23, 2009
Big in the Game.......
Disc: 1
1. Skream Ft. Cluekid - Sandsnake
2. Geiom Ft. Marita - Reminssin (Skream's Time Traveller Refix)
3. Skream - Bahl FWD
4. The Bug - Poison Dart (Skream Mix)
5. Caspa - Big Headed Slags
6. Caspa - Louder
7. TC - Where's My Money (Caspa Remix)
8. Caspa - For The Kids
9. TRG - Broken Heart (Martyn DCM Remix)
10. Martyn - Natural Selection
11. Martyn - All I Have Is Memories
12. Shut Up & Dance - Epileptic (Martyn's No Strobe Mix)
Disc: 2
1. Pinch - Qawwali
2. Pinch - Punisher (Loefah's SE25 Remix)
3. Pinch Ft. Yolanda - Get Up
4. Pinch - Midnight Oil
5. Cotti Ft. Doctor - Calm Down
6. Cotti & Cluekid - The Legacy
7. Cotti vs Mr. Party Ft. Jammer 0 Dem Fi Know
8. Cotti - Bassface
9. Ramadanman - Carla
10. Ramadanman - Blimey
11. Howie B vs Casino Royale - Royale Sound (Ramadanman Refix)
12. TRG - Put You Down (Ramadanman Refix)
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=HAK1NRLI
Assassin Volume 1 - DJ Friction
Bought this last week from the good folks in Plugd Records, as I've always thought Friction was pretty decent..........not totally sold on this one so far; there's a few too many 'jump-up' type tracks for my liking and a vocal number which reminds me of something Tiesto might play, but on the other hand there's some quality on it aswell - maybe it'll grow on me with further listens. Anyway, feel free to check it out;
1. Chubrub - Ed Rush & Optical
2. Clear Skyz/True Romance - DJ Die/D-Bridge & Vegas
3. Skinz - Total Science
4. Set It Off - Friction & K-Tee
5. Now It's Going - Break (1)
6. Down The Line - Perez, Alix
7. Lovechild - Dillinja
8. Ruffest Gunnark - Top Cat (2)
9. Let It Happen - Break (1)
10. Just One Second/Freenote - London Elektricity/Zinc
11. Pulp Fiction - Reece, Alex
12. Basement Track - High Contrast
13. Winter Sun - Break (1)
14. Rags To Riches - Lenzman
15. Stray - Perez, Alix
16. Paint It Black/Hidden Track - Sigma/Zinc
17. Blind Eye - AI (3)
18. Ultra Clean - Commix & Icicle
19. After Shower/Deadline - Break/Digital
20. Bleeps, The - Friction & K-Tee
21. Splinter - Spirit (5)
22. Driftwood - Noisia & Icicle
23. Ho Bass - Distorted Minds
24. Heavyweight - DJ Fresh
25. Entrapment - Apex (1)
26. Fired Up/El Presidente - Friction & K-Tee/Sigma
27. Borrowed Time - TC & Sub Focus
28. Warning - Scratch Perverts
29. Shadow Knows/Neo - Shimon/Hive
30. Junglist - Smith, Simon 'Bassline' & Drumsound
31. Aztec - Spor
32. Tuning/If We Ever - D Kay & Lee/High Contrast
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=4TPR88QG
http://www.myspace.com/frictiondeejay
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DJ_Friction_(UK)
Crank's Video of the Day...........
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Nice up di Dance!
Wicked Reggae mix from Adam Prescott (For The Win Records).......one of the best Reggae selections I've heard in ages, and definitely one of my favourites mixes of '09 so far.......do not sleep on this beauty!!
Ey Up everyone! This originally started as a little project from my mate Nick who wanted some good reggae so I started compiling some of my favourite tunes which hopefully covers all bases of the sound. We’ve got some dub, some roots, some rasta, some lover’s rock, some political tunes, some Dj tunes, some early dancehall, some one drop and some upfront militant dubwise riddims! Some tunes you might know, some you won’t but defiantly worth the download! - Adam Prescott
Roots Radics Rockers Reggae Mixxx 2009
1. Scientist & Prince Jammy – The Alien Aborts
2. Delroy Wilson – Cool Operator
3. Cornell Campbell – The Gorgon Is Back
4. Bushman – Fire Pon A Weak Heart
5. Ini Kamoze – Them Thing Deh
6. Cocoa Tea – We Do The Killing
7. Tenor Saw – Golden Hen
8. Hugh Mundell – Jacqueline
9. Super Cat – History
10. Luciano – Trod Out
11. Dennis Brown – Slave Driver
12. Early B – Visit Of King Selassie
13. Captain Sinbad – Bam Salute
14. Dennis Brown – Want To Be No General
15. Barrington Levy – Robber Man
16. Eek-A-Mouse – Wild Like A Tiger
17. Jacob Miller – I’m Just A Dread
18. The Heptones – Cool Rasta
19. Dawn Penn – You Don’t Love Me (No, No, No)
20. Ranking Dread – Fattie Boom Boom
21. Gregory Issacs – Rumours
22. Buju Banton – Buju Banton
23. Junior Reid & Prince Jammy – Jail House
24. Shabba Ranks – Ting-A-Ling
25. Johnny Osbourne – Buddy Bye
26. Wayne Smith – Under Me Sleng Ting
27. Reggie Stepper – Under Mi Sin Ting
28. Jah Shaka – Glory To The King Dub
29. Iration Steppas – Rasta Dub
30. Vibronics – Oh Let His Name Be Praised (Iration Steppas Remix)
http://www.sendspace.com/file/5bnzxt
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
"Kinda broad at the shouler and narrow at the hip, and everybody knew you didn't give much lip".........
Former Wales, Arsenal and Celtic striker John Hartson is in a critical condition after emergency surgery on his brain following a cancer diagnosis.
At the weekend, 34-year-old Hartson was told he had testicular cancer.
The disease spread to his brain and on Wednesday, doctors confirmed it was also present in his lungs.
The father-of-three had undergone surgery at Morriston Hospital in Swansea, after being transferred from the city's Singleton Hospital.
A hospital statement read: "He is currently being cared for by the critical care team at Morriston and is receiving round-the-clock care aiming to stabilise his condition.
John Hartson's family
"He will resume radiotherapy and chemotherapy as soon as possible."
After being diagnosed with cancer on Sunday, Hartson was admitted to Singleton Hospital where further tests were carried out.
Since retiring from a glittering career in football in February 2008, the striker has worked as a television pundit.
Relatives issued a statement on Wednesday saying that all close family and friends "are continuing to support John in any way we can".
"He is receiving outstanding care from all the medical and surgical staff and we would like to thank everyone at both Singleton and Morriston, as well as the excellent ambulance staff," it went on.
"We have been overwhelmed by the support and goodwill from many thousands of football fans, players, clubs and sporting figures and we have drawn strength from this support."
The family also requested that the star's privacy, and that of his family, is respected as he continues his hospital treatment.
Officials at Arsenal have said the club is "deeply saddened" by news of his cancer.
The former centre forward joined Arsenal as a teenager from Luton in January 1995 and, in two seasons at Highbury, made 62 appearances, scoring 16 goals.
The player left Arsenal for West Ham United in February 1997 and continued his career with the Hammers, Wimbledon, Coventry City, Celtic, West Bromwich Albion and Norwich City.
"Everyone at Arsenal Football Club would like to take this opportunity to wish John, together with his family and friends, all the very best in the challenging times that lie ahead. Our thoughts are with you," the statement added.
During his international career, he scored 14 goals before stepping down in February 2006 to concentrate on his club football.
Hartson made his Wales debut in March 1995 in an away match against Bulgaria, often leading the line as a lone striker, until his last game in November 2005 against Cyprus.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/uk_news/wales/8151728.stm
Published: 2009/07/15 11:25:23 GMT
Very sad to hear this about Big John. Not only was he a great player for Celtic, but he also seems like a very nice guy. Hopefully things will go his way and he can come out the other side of this. Good luck from the Crank, John; if anyone has the strength to beat this, then it's you.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Hartson
Crank's Video of the Day...........
again, as it's gonna be feautured in an episode of CSI on Network 2 tonight........Irish hip-hop ripping things up on a Yank prime-time show.........not bad, ha?? Big up to Ri-Ra......hopefully this will get him some much-deseved credit and lead to further album sales. Keep it goin' Sir!
Monday, July 13, 2009
Big tings from King Tubby, The Cool Ruler, Capleton and Channel One.....
More Reggae and Dub compilations for the massive - all the files are WAVs, so may take a while to download, but as the old saying goes; 'never mind the width - feel the quality'! ;)
Enjoy.
King Tubby - 'Declaration of Dub'
1. Blood Of Africa |
2. African Roots |
3. Declaration Of Dub |
4. 300 Years At The Grass Roots |
5. Ragga Muffin Stylee Dub |
6. Take Five |
7. Real Gone Crazy Dub |
8. Border |
9. Dubbing It Right |
10. This Is A Natural Dub Stylee |
11. Bionic Horn |
12. Mine Field |
13. Hijack The Barber |
14. Crime Wave |
15. Special Brew |
16. Lamb's Bread Herb |
17. King Of King In Dub |
18. Most High In Dub |
19. Roots Of Dub |
20. Immortal Dub |
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=0BP1B3RQ
King Tubby - 'Dub Fever'
1. Dub Fever |
2. Skanking Dub |
3. Roots Dub |
4. St. Lucia Skank |
5. Sinsemillia Dub |
6. Get Up And Dub |
7. Satta Dub |
8. Easy Dub |
9. Jah Jah Dub |
10. Frontline |
11. Jah Guide Dub |
12. Patriotic Dub |
13. Connenment Dub |
14. Harder Dub |
15. Woodham Slide |
16. Puppy Dub |
17. Mount Zion Dub |
18. Boulevard Ride |
19. Narrow Dub |
20. Tubby's At The Control |
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=MRT0RG8G
King Tubby - 'Crucial Dub'
1. Zion Dub |
2. Soundboy Massacre |
3. Drop Dub |
4. Waterhouse Rock |
5. Farmyard Dub |
6. Herbal Dub |
7. Dubbing My Baby |
8. Shining Dub |
9. Laser Rock |
10. Border |
11. Conqueror Dub |
12. Dubbing It Right |
13. Best Is Lose |
14. Blow Down Babylon |
15. African Roots |
16. Dub Of A Woman |
17. Dub Experience |
18. Truthful Dub |
19. Watch This Version |
20. Dub You Can Feel |
21. Roots Of Dub 22. King Tubby's in Fine Style |
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=VR9CPBER
Gregory Isaacs - 'Reggae Greats'
- 1. Number One
- 2. Tune In
- 3. Substitute
- 4. Soon Forward
- 5. Mr. Brown
6. Sunday Morning - 7. Ooh! What A Feeling
- 8. Love Is Overdue
- 9. Top Ten
- 10. Front Door
- 11. The Border
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=WWLMB6XL
The Channel One Story - Chapter 1
Disc 1
The Mighty Diamonds - I Need A Roof
Frankie Jones - Don't Smoke The Seed
The Mighty Diamonds - Right Time
Don Carlos - Natty Dread Have Credentials
Lone Ranger - Natty Burial
The Meditations - Woman Is Like A Shadow
Sammy Dread - Road Block
The Revolutionaries - Burial
The Wailing Souls - Things & Time
Dillinger - Cocaine In My Brain
Barry Brown - Far East
Dillinger - Cb 200
I Roy - Welding
Frankie Paul - Worries In The Dance
Yellowman - Herbsman Smuggling
Barrington Levy - Dances Are Changes
Sugar Minott - Show Me That You Love Me Girl
Ernest Wilson - I Know Myself
Ranking Trevor - Truly (Dj Mix)
Disc 2
The Jay's - Truly
The Tamlins - Hard To Confess
Leroy Smart - Ballistic Affair
John Holt - Satisfaction
Dillinger - Ragnampiza
The Revolutionaries - Mpla
The Revolutionaries - Death In The Arena
Clint Eastwood - Prema Ballerina
Delroy Wilson - Sharing The Night Together
Sugar Minott - Babylon
Little John - Smoke Ganja Hard
Junior Byles - Fade Away
The Jay's & Ranking Trevor - Queen Majesty
Leroy Smart - Without Love
John Holt - Up Park Camp
The Jay's - Yaho
Super Chick - Roach Killer
Lone Ranger - M16
Part 1:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=IJ5KM6XC
Part 2:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=SSYT34PU
Capleton - 'Gold: The Very Best of'
1. Gun Talk
2. Gal Pickney Follow Me
3. Dem No Like Me
4. Young Fresh and Green
5. Somebody
6. We No Lotion Man
7. Too Much Gun
8. Bible Fe Dem
9. Know How Fe Work
10. Long John
11. Bumbo Red
12. Critics
13. Statement
14. Hot a Get Hotter
15. Jah Jah City
16. Bun Friend
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=ELCH14VN
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Joker @ Sonar '09
Nice dubstep/wonky business from Joker.......he rocked the place without too much of the wobbly shit - check it;
http://www.zshare.net/audio/618252606c1c04fe/
http://www.myspace.com/thejokerproductions
Crank's Video of the Day...........
http://www.myspace.com/joyorbison
http://www.myspace.com/hotflushuk
Irish Drum N' Bass podcasts.....
IDNB10-CODE
"The first in our series of re-records of the sets played at the irishdrumandbass.com 10th birthday party at the twisted pepper. This one is a heavyweight selection of beats from subtle audios main man, Code."
Dub One - Never Forget (Scientific Wax soonish CDR)
Digital - Spacefunk (Original) (Timeless)
Dissident - Such A Real World (Counter Intelligence CDR)
Photek - Complex (Photek)
Insight - Redzone (Unreleased CDR)
Nebula - Cruel (Unreleased CDR)
http://www.jungle.me.uk/podcast/IDNB10_CODE.mp3
IDNB10-Source
"The second in our series of re-records of the sets played at the irishdrumandbass.com 10th birthday party at the twisted pepper. Phase2???s Source steps up and drops a set of stone cold classics. Keep an eye on RTE Pulse for the Phase2 Drum and Bass show for more from Source."
Nasty Habits - Golden Fingers
Ed Rush and Optical - Gas Mask
Optical and Trace - Mercury Switch
Bad Company - 4 Days
Nasty Habits - NHS Total Science Remix
Marcus Intalex and ST Files - How You Make Me Feel
Manix - Hardcore Junglism Total Science Remix
http://www.jungle.me.uk/podcast/IDNB10_SOURCE.mp3
IDNB10-Ricky Force
"The third in our series of re-records of the sets played at the irishdrumandbass.com 10th birthday party at the twisted pepper. Ricky Force brings it for all junglists! Badman jungle selection."
Krome and Time - Brok out
Liftin??? Spirits - Cup-A-Cha
Remarc - Menace
Dillinja - Muthafucka
Remarc - RIP
Shabba Ranks - lets get it on (goldie and dillinja rmx)
Photek - The Truper
Krome and Time - The Licence rmx
RickyForce - Underground -S2P002A
Modular and Outrage - Falling Bombs
http://www.jungle.me.uk/podcast/IDNB10_RICKYFORCE.mp3
http://www.jungle.me.uk/index.php?topic=2815.20
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Sunil Sharpe @ Life '09
Great set from Irish techno stalwart Sunil Sharpe, at this year's Life Festival in Co.Westmeath. Considered by many to be the set of the weekend, Sunil dropped some classics amongst some newer stuff, and really rocked the place - enjoy!
http://www.sendspace.com/file/tfjqlx
Welcome to Limerock......
Had the pleasure of hearing Brigadier JC in action recently, at The Big Chillum, in Dolans, Limerick, and he, amongst many others, played some great tunes and helped create, what turned out to be, the event of the summer so far, in my opinion anyway (more on that coming up).
When I visited his MySpace page the other day, I was glad to see that he had posted up a Reggae selection, which he's kindly let me re-post it here, and I highly recommend everyone to check it out.......
Welcome to Limerock - Brigadier JC
Easy Star All Stars - Speak to me - Breathe
The Dynamics - Seven Nation Army
Al Campbell - Take a ride + Version
Johnny Osbourne - Truth And Rights
Horace Freguson - Sensi Addict
Pablo Gad - Hard Times
Bim Sherman - Golden Stool
Hugh Mundell - Jah Will Provide
The Wailing Souls - War
Marcia Griffith - Feel Like Jumping + Version
John Holt - Hooligan + Version
The Paragons - Got to get away
Brigadier Jerry - Every man a me brethren
Michael Prophet - Gunman
Sugar Minott - Roof Over my head
Dennis Brown - Here I come
Luciano - Destruction
Bushman - Terrible inna the gideon
Lyricson - Government live fi war
Queen Omega - Big Up Papa
Mickey General - Live the life you live
Capleton - Weh dem feel like
Sizzla - The World
Queen Omega - Judgement
Capleton - Dem Doom
Burro Banton - Man Guinep
DJ Vadim - Fear feats ft. Emo and Syrus
Nightmares on Wax - 70s 80s
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=A5H0OT1M
http://www.myspace.com/brigadierjc
Crank's Video of the Day...........
'Ardcore.....you know the score!
Bang Face mix - Luke Vibert
shades of rhythm - homicidal
HHFD - total confusion
blapps posse - don't hold back
DHS - number 9 bad acid
mundo muzique - acid pandemonium
white label, mate!
see above...
perfect rhythm - trip into the future
friends of matthew - the calling
ragga twins - wipe the needle
code 071 - stand together
rum & black - wicked
after dark - RAW
hackney hardcore - dancehall dangerous
white labia, sorry
and again...
prodigy - your love
bloody white label
ibiza - music with a beat
JJ frost - pornography
ghetto people - static substance
jonny l - more life
higher sense - cold fresh air
N.U.T. 10 - soundboy
jonny L - sam
bizzy B - check one
remarc - ice cream and syrup
don of dons - babylon
alec empire - the destroyer
lowkey - chopsticks
white lab
DJ SS - rollers convention pt.3l
white lab coat
Right Click/Save As
http://www.allez-allez.co.uk/
www.myspace.com/lukevibertdj
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luke_Vibert
Friday, July 10, 2009
Shine on you Crazy Diamond............
William Melvin 'Bill' Hicks
December 16th, 1961 - February 26th, 1994 - R.I.P.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Hicks
Crank's Video of the Day...........
Shaolin Style.........
Jet Li. No, not the chinese lad, but another man who can beat your head in - albeit in a slightly different way: with a barrage of Amen breaks and a ton of phat basslines. Jet Li's been a name on the Irish Drum N' Bass scene for quite a while now, but I had never had to opportunity to witness him in action until last Saturday night at Fusion, in Killarney, and he did not disappoint! He played exactly what I love to hear in a DnB set; big, fuck-off, belting tunes, that aren't too much in the 'jump-up' vein, but aren't too 'liquid-ey' and watered down either - stuff that catches you by the bollox and fires you on to the floor.......and the inclusion of a couple of ragga-infused efforts displayed his Jungle roots (always a great thing in my book). Managed to get some of the action recorded, and though there's not much happening visually, due to lack of light, Jet Li's soundtrack more than makes up for it......and he's a fucking Kerryman to boot - up ya boy ya!
Enjoy;
http://www.myspace.com/jetliphase2recordings
http://blogs.myspace.com/jetliphase2recordings
Grab Jet Li's November 2008 mix HERE!
Jet Li - March '09 Podcast - Part 1
Jet Li - March '09 Podcast - Part 2
Another video from Fusion is on the way - stay locked.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Crank's Video of the Day...........
http://www.myspace.com/breakagedsb
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Crank's Video of the Day...........
Jedi Mind Tricks droppin' serious knowledge, and a crazy sick verse from R.A......
True story...
Call me Thorburn, John H. Staff Sergeant, Marksman
Skilling, killing, illing
I'm able and willing
Kill a village elephant, rapin' and pillage your village
Illegitimate killers, US Military guerillas
This ain't no real war, Vietnam shit
World War II, that's a war, this is just a military conflict
Soothing, drug-abusing, Vietnamese women screwing
Sex, gambling and boozin', all the shit is amusing
Bitches and guns, this is every man's dream
I don't want to go home, where I'm just a ordinary human being
Special OP, Huey chopper gun ship, run shit
Gook run when the mini-gun spit, won't miss, kill shit
Spit four-thousand bullets a minute
Victor Charlie, hit trigger, hit it
I'm in it to win it, get it
The lieutenant hinted the villain, I've ended up killing
I did it, cripple, did it, pictures I painted is vivid, live it
A wizard with weapons, a secret mission we about to begin it
Government funded, behind enemy lines bullets is spraying
It's heating up, a hundred degrees
The enemies the North-Vietnamese, bitch please
Ain't no sweat, I'm told "be at ease"
Until I see the pilot got hit, and we about to hit some trees
till the rotor broke, crash land, American man
Cambodia, right in the enemy hand
Take a swig of the whiskey to calm us
Them yellow men wearing black pajamas
They want to harm us
They all up on us
Bang, bang, bullet hit my chest, feel no pain
To my left, the captain caught a bullet right in his brain
Body parts flying, loss of limbs, explosions
Bad intentions, I see my best friend's intestins
Pray to the one above, It's raining and I'm covered in mud
I think I'm dying, I feel dizzy, I'm losing blood
I see my childhood, I'm back in the arms of my mother
I see my whole life, I see Christ, I see bright lights
I see Israelites, Muslims and Christians at peace, no fights
Blacks, Whites, Asians, people of all types
I must have died, then I woke up, suprised I'm alive
I'm in a hospital bed, they rescued me, I survived
I escaped the war, came back
But ain't escape Agent Orange, two of my kids born handicapped
Spastic, quadriplegia, micro cephalic
Cerebral palsy, cortical blindness, name it they had it
My son died he ain't live, but I still try to think positive
Cause in life, God take, God give
R.A. The Rugged Man
Brilliant verse, partially based on his old man's experience in Vietnam;
http://www.myspace.com/jedimindtricks
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jedi_Mind_Tricks
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R.A._the_Rugged_Man
http://www.myspace.com/ratheruggedman
Monday, July 6, 2009
FACT magazine's Top Twenty UK techno tracks.......
Words: Toby Frith
UK Techno isn't a genre as such, but it remains a criminally overlooked part of electronic music history. The period 1992-1996 was particularly strong, as myriad little-known producers released exceptional pieces of work, cross-pollinating a variety of styles and precipitating a whole slew of new genres.
British musicians have a knack of taking an existing sound and doing all sorts of peculiar, beguilingly eccentric things to it. Consider how Soft Machine approached rock music in the 1960s, unwittingly birthing the prog behemoth and making it unfashionable. A similar fate arguably befell the simplistic early sounds of US house and techno. By 1993 early breakbeat had begotten Hardcore, and Drum ‘n’ Bass was well on its way to becoming a totally separate strain, while under the umbrella of Warp records, a number of prodigiously talented artists - Aphex Twin and Autechre among them - were emerging with something that was still techno, but beginning to sound very different indeed.
The age of mass raves was now virtually at an end, with only the (now legendary) Tribal Gathering events left, along with the embryonic stages of the Big Chill. Club nights such as Lost, Sabresonic, Final Frontier, Atomic Jam, The Orbit, Voodoo and House of God sprung up to fill the void. The blossoming of Warp’s progeny was complemented by a host of similarly impressive homegrown production projects such as B12, LA Synthesis and The Black Dog. The sound of Americans Robert Hood, Jeff Mills and Dan Bell, invited by Steve Bicknell to play at Lost, set in motion a "minimal" trend that would see the flowering of such labels as Ifach and the aggressive thunder of The Advent and Bandulu, not to mention the more industrial approach of Birmingham's Downwards.
Meanwhile, Detroit’s second wave would influence the likes of Kirk De Giorgio, Ian O’Brien and Steve Pickton, an, in Brighton and Edinburgh, ever so slightly isolated talents such as Neil Landstrumm and Cristian Vogel would begin to cultivate their own ideas of what techno was and could be. Kiss FM in London even had its own radio show dedicated to the genre, hosted by Colin Dale.
Yet by 1996 the music itself and attitudes within clubs was changing, and not altogether for the best. Whilst undoubtedly the DJ of the 90s, Jeff Mills' three-deck approach - which had laid to waste many a dancefloor during an epochal period of '94-'97 - had begun to influence a new army of producers and DJs who were singularly interested in the monolithic dynamic of "chunky" techno, a sound encapsulated and influenced not just by Mills’ own Axis productions but also a slew of compressed Drum Code records coming from Sweden. Melody and emotion were sacrificed to this relentless minimalism, and from a DJ's perspective, it was soon more about how many records you were mixing rather than whether the tracks themselves were any good.
An era of looped techno had begun, and in my opinion it damaged some areas of the scene permanently; numbers in clubs dwindled rapidly, crowds only interested if the big US DJs such as Mills, Hawtin or Derrick May happened to be playing. Nonetheless, the contrast between the quality of British techno records released now and in 1995 is utterly startling, with only a handful of producers still pushing the genre forward. Like those prog rockers in the late 60s, many musicians in the field realised the genre's limitations, and sought to experiment elsewhere.
So what’s the point of this article? Artists such as Aphex Twin, Dave Clarke, Autechre and Underworld have all sustained considerable artistic and commercial success over the past decade and a half. And before you start tapping your keyboards in anger, i'll tell you now: none of those acts appear on this list. They've already received the exposure they deserve elsewhere. What the 20 records that I have chosen will go to show is a veritable goldmine of talent and ideas exists beyond the well-documented big guns; one that shifted the focus of techno away from its American roots. Hopefully you don't need to be reminded of the outstanding qualities of Aphex Twin’s 'Quoth', of Black Dog Productions, or of Autechre’s 'Eutow'.
Furthermore, there are many facets of the UK techno that aren't represented in this list, such as the burgeoning free party scene embodied by the anarchic Spiral Tribe, whose influence on Dutch labels such as Bunker is not to be underestimated; nor is there space for the UK tech-house scene that emerged from South London. I have also steadfastly avoided mentioning the Gescom/Skam/Warp influence because to me it's almost a separate genre that grew out of the period. This is of course a personal view, but I've taken care to include records and labels whose influence can really be felt in contemporary techno.
The likes of Luke Slater and Tony Child [Surgeon] cast a long shadow over the new breed of slick techno typified by labels like Sandwell District and countless other faceless 12”s emanating from Berlin's Hardwax, constructed almost precisely for playing at Berghain. People are falling over themselves in blogland to chime in about how good these new acts are. I say that they’re doing nothing new at all - and 15 years down the line, that’s simply not good enough. Go back and listen to the originals.
Here's the full list, and below are some of my favourites from it......check it;
More vids from the list for those interested;