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techno music

Prodigy * Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned (cd 2004 xl recordings)

It has been seven years since the previous ‘real’ album of (the) Prodigy. The logo on their new cd does have the “the” again and the website is theprodigy.com. The new single “Girls” didn’t really convince me and this album has been postphoned so often that I had no idea what to expect from it anymore, but still I was curious enough to quickly get the new album now it is finally out. I must say, it really doesn’t disappoint me! The album opens with a promising “Spitfire”. After this the track “Girls” doesn’t even sound so bad and among the rest of the songs there are a couple of great and a few good ones. “Songs” is a good description for the tracks by the way. Much more than before vocals can be heard. They are by different people, mostly distorted and give several of the tracks a ‘punky’ feeling, a bit like the older track ‘People Like You (just fuel my fire)’. For the rest I have the idea that the album is less danceble than previous albums. The tracks are mostly build around ‘big beat’ kind of rhythms like in the track “Diesel Power” or “Smack My Bitch Up”, but maybe a bit less energetic than the last named track. However the music sometimes reminds me a bit too much of alternative (but popular in certain circles) techno anarchists like the Chicks On Speed, Prodigy of course also come with their (his?) own ideas with funny rhythms and strange samples and sounds. ‘Back to the 80’ies’ is a description of the cd as well with 80’ies artwork and disco and wave influences. All in all maybe not totally surprising, but surely not a copy of their earlier work. As a matter of fact, there is a definate development in the sound, but the cd still became a real Prodigy album. -10/9/04-

Roni Size Reprazent * In The Møde (cd 2000 murcery records ltd.)

Here we have one of the most groundbreaking acts of the techno scene. For a long time I wondered if this would be drum and bass or more hiphop or triphop. Well, it is both! Extremely fast drum and bass rhythms are often accompanied by an mc. I think the best fitting known description for this music is “jump up drum and bass” that also mostly consists of fast drum and bass and vocals. Still Roni Size and Reprazent present something far more original than the usual “jump up” compilation.
Not all tracks are very fast, some are more ‘hiphopish’ while others are more ‘normal’ drum and bass. Overall the music doesn’t sound very typical at all, while Roni Size and Reprazent sure are two of those who pull the d&b cart. Inspiring, sometimes copied but never equalled than maybe…
Anyway, some tracks are very good, others are not of my liking. I usually don’t like vocals with d&b (or techno in general). Still it is nice to hear what ideas those walking up front have.

Ruffneck * Fear For A Ruff Planet II – The Quest For Justice (2cd 1997 cardiac prod.)

I guess it has been five or six years since the peak of Dutch extreme techno that was called “gabber” (or “gabba” for non-Dutch- speaking). Repetative rhythms, huge parties and a very typical (skinhead like) look of the audience. This cd was made when one of the most popular DJs/produces was under fire by some parts of the scene while it was slowly falling appart. I am not too excited by most gabber, because it is often too happy of sound and too much dancefloor oriented. A very pleasent exception is this Ruffneck cd. Ruffneck managed to make quite typical gabber, but still sounding original and most of all very good, even for the living room. In style varying from ‘rave’ to more drum & bass oriented tracks. Not the happy happy sound but at times even pretty dark. The only cd from the first gabber wave that I actually like.
Nowadays gabber is on it’s return. The audience looks even more like skinheads (this time often wearing symbols and armyboots), but I haven’t got a good picture of nowadays music. I hope maybe some time soon.
Anyway, if you can get hold of this classic here, you have a good ‘first-wave-gabber’ cd.

Sonic Subjunkies * Suicide (mcd 199? digital hardcore recordings)

However this is one of the first DHR projects, I don’t believe they made any full-lengths. This mcd is a mcd completed with live- recordings and deleted vinyls. In all lasting for 74 minutes for the price of a cd-single! Musically the Sonic Subjunkies make quite typical digital hardcore going from drum & bass-like techno to extreme straight-forward stuff. The live tracks are nice, but expecially the ‘Twin Peaks track’ is wonderfull. Some of the best digital hardcore from the early days!

Speedy J * Public Energy no.1 (cd 1997 mute records limited)

Yes I know this cd is old, but here we have a techno-cd that deserves more attention from the industrial scene. This Dutch techno-pioneer went very experimental on this cd and left his danceble sounds much for what they are. This resulted in a kind of music with a lot of resemblances to ‘our’ rhythmical industrial releases. Not the danceble cds I mean here, but “Public Energy” does bring some heavy beats, is fairly rhythmical, has some noisy undertones and strange sounds. A description that may remember you of old style industrial cds, not?
This cd is thought of highly in the techno and even pop scenes and got high rankings in pop and techno magazines. I wonder if that would also have been the case if the artist didn’t bare the name Speedy J, but for example Dive….
All in all a cd that deserves a listen from everyone who enjoys experimental industrial (or techno). <10/7/00><3>

Speedy J * A Shocking Hobby (cd 2000 mute records limited)

This is where Jochem Paap continues after “Public Energy”. “A Shocking Hobby” opens with some dark ambient-like soundscapes and continues with a heavy rhythical industrial track. This latest offering of Speedy J is full of industrial rhythms with a minimal slightly technoish approach. Some tracks are more soundscapes, but most contain a rather slow industrial rhythm and a few sounds to finish the track. However this is still said to be techno, it is hardly danceble and I think that this will appeal to many people who enjoy rhythmical industrial. <18/2/01><3>

Speedy J * Loudboxer (cd 2002 novamute)

I read an interview with our Dutch Jochem Paap about this new cd. It suggested that in contradiction to Speedy’s previous experimental/difficult cds, this one was heavy, straightforward techno. With Speedy’s industrial influences in mind, I was really anxious to hear it. Well, it is straightforward techno, but not really that hard. It is more like the popular minimal 4/4 techno but slightly harder. “Loudboxer” is recorded live (in the studio) and mixed together to give a live-feeling, but I think that Speedy’s live- sets are more serious. I don’t know for sure, since I never saw him. Anyway, a nice cd, but not brilliant. <21/6/02><3>

Squarepusher * Go Plastic (cd 2001 warp records limited)

Tom Jenkinson has been trying out the possibilities of recording equipment for a long time and is regarded as inspiration for projects like Aphex Twin, Autechre, Speedy J or younger projects like Funckarma or Fuckstörung. When the first Squarepusher cds were released, people didn’t know what to file them under, so they used the tag “drum & bass” which doesn’t really cover the music of Squarepusher. Some tracks may give a bit the idea of d&b, but while that music is mostly built around a certain rhythm (however strange), Jenkinson’s music is hardly the same for three seconds. As a matter of fact his music is completely crazy and often drives unwary listeners that very mental condition. Squarepusher is extremely ‘full/busy’ music with the most insane sounds and ‘rhythms’ and seems to lack every sence of structure. What I like about some Squarepusher tracks is that they are can be a lot harder than most similar music that is made these days. Unfortunately “Go Plastic” is mostly (relatively) tranquil, but there are a few completely idiotic tracks on it. I know better Squarepusher tracks than those on “Go Plastic” as well, but it seems that Jenkinson has gone totally mad when recording this one. Squarepusher sure dares to take things a few steps further than many of his colleagues/followers, so listen to “Go Plastic” if you dare.

Squarepusher * Ultravisitor (cd 2003 warp records)

Hm, I don’t keep up with techno well enough it seems. I accidentally ran into this new Squarepusher which is probably from late 2003. Squarepusher was one of the first to make this fucked-up kind of techno with crazy ‘beats’ and weird sounds. I have a few of his cds, but hearing this new one, they tend to keep the same all the time. “Ultravisitor” does contain some brilliant tracks which must have taken a lot of time to make and also the jazzy more tranquil tracks, but it is not like Squarepusher is pushing his own borders in my opinion. But if you like the other cds, you will also like this one. It is pretty long and even seems to contain (some) live-recordings??

The Chemical Brothers * Come With Us (cd 2002 virgin records)

Just released and as it seems already for several (pop)magazines the dance-cd of the year. I’m actually quite disappointed myself. The cd opens wonderfull with the title track and is followed by a nice “It Began In Afrika” with some tribal drumming on the background. However the first two track are fairly energetic, the rest of the cd is pretty tranquil and very accessible almost “clubby”. The Brothers are still innovative and progressive, but it seems that they want to reach a wider audience with “Come With Us”. Personally I like the harder and more straigth-forward techno tracks of the past better…