5 Great Works of Electronic Music

Mainstream dance music makes a lot of money.  The likes of DJ Tiesto, David Guetta and Paul Oakenfold all play massive venues in front of thousands of people each year.  Their music is used here, there and everywhere from adverts to TV shows (Oakenfold produced Big Brother’s appalling trance theme tune).  The widespread diffusion of this music says absolutely nothing about it’s quality or innovation. In fact, it almost seems that, with very few exceptions, the most promoted and well-known electronic music is among the worst in terms of artistic merit and originality.

Here, then, are 5 great albums spanning various styles of electronic music.  These 5 titles were picked for their originality, style and sheer musical brilliance…

Robert Hood – Minimal Nation

Year of release: 1994

The original godfather of minimalist techno, Robert Hood produced one of the genre’s seminal album’s in 1994′s “Minimal Nation”. Yes, a decade or so before posers in low cut vests and catwalk haircuts across Europe swamped the electronic music charts with weak and empty interpretations of the minimal sound, Hood was developing his style on the back of his previous deep and soulful contributions to Detroit techno.  With tracks such as “Museum” and “Unix”, Hood advanced a stripped down and cerebral form of techno, lacking the ornate instrumentation of predecessors such as Underground Resistance but maintaining the driving, dancefloor aesthetic which makes Detroit the eternal home electronic dance music.

Akufen – My Way

Year of release: 2002

If there is anyone who still doubts the ingenuity and innovation that can spring from sampling other material, they could do worse than engage with the work of Marc Leclair.  The French Canadian micro house master reportedly spent years collecting the samples he utilises to fantastic effect on this exceptional album.  But Akufen does not lazily sample long sections of others work in place of his own hooks.  Rather, Leclair gets his results from micro-sampling: he uses tiny fragments of sound, taken from randomly recording snippets of everyday sources such as FM radio, TV sets and answering machines.  He weaves these together to create a complex but pleasurable collage of sound.  This all may sound a bit art-house, perhaps even pretentious, but Akufen’s productions are not merely experiments in sound.  Underpinning much of his work is a funky, dancefloor-oriented framework.  Tracks like “Deck the House” and “Jeep Sex” are driven by simple funky basslines and minimal house rhythms that are not obscured by the avalanche of tiny samples. Rather, both elements combine to form a truly original sounding album.

Daft Punk – Homework

Year of release: 1996

Daft Punk ARE massive.  They are a rare exception to the rule that quality in electronic music goes hand in hand with obscurity. Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo are the closest thing to stadium rock stars that electronic music has.  They have a loyal and ever growing fanbase and have recently produced a keenly anticipated soundtrack for the new Tron film. However, their greatest work is their first album “Homework”.  This album has little of the their trademark auto-tuned vocal technique that has come to define their sound.  That said, the irresistibly catchy “Around the World” provided a glimpse of the duo’s future direction.  The filtered down house of tracks such as “Revolution 909″ and “Phoenix” have seldom been matched in their later work.  The warped, driving techno of “Indo Silver Club” has the sound of Bangalter’s solo work to it, if a little more polished.  The hiccuping, stuttering genius of “High Fidelity” is arguably Daft Punk’s greatest track to date.  Put simply, this album IS Daft Punk as far as I’m concerned.

Kerrier District – Kerrier District

Year of Release: 2004

Luke Vibert is a man of many aliases.  As Ace of Clubs he unleashed some fantastic acid productions, as Wagon Christ he adopted a more eclectic approach and with Amen Andrews he delved in to grime and more British sounding material.  Arguably, though, his greatest release was under the Kerrier District moniker.  With a nod to the work of Metro Area, Vibert’s foray into house and disco is as close to flawless as an album can get.  From the opener “Let’s Dance and Freak” Vibert sets the tone for the rest of the album.  On top of lively percussion and house basslines, Vibert layers some of the most exquisite synth lines and sounds you are likely to hear. There’s something very French sounding about this album.  It maintains a kind of ethereal cool throughout and is refined even when it is lively.  The instruments and the compositions used seem to conjure up the image of Parisian streets. It’s difficult to pick stand-out tracks as literally all of them are worthy of the highest praise.  “Silhouettes” has a feel of mystery to it with its descending strings and beautiful woodwind.  On first listen, “Disclix” sounds a bit odd and perhaps the rotten apple of the batch but repeated listening reveals it as one of the albums finest moments.  Its plodding acid bassline and “aows” and “oohs” build toward a fantastic crescendo and the use again of woodwind in this track brings to mind Disney’s Fantasia or something of that ilk.  By the time you get to “Negresco” this album has more than made its mark.  A modern masterpiece.

Drexciya – Neptune’s Lair

Year of release: 1999

Drexciya will be missed.  Since James Stinson was identified posthumously as the man behind the Detroit techno and electro outfit, he has been cited by many producers as an inspiration. Along with an accomplice (widely recognised now as Gerald Donald) Stinson created a world, inspired by the myth of an underwater utopia populated by the evolved offspring of drowned African slave women who were thrown off ships en route to America.  Concept music can be a bit of a turn off most of the time.  But,  Drexciya achieved a fine balance between adherence to their underwater theme and an ability to make some of the funkiest electronic music ever to be released. Neptune’s Lair does have interludes in the form of conceptual  abstractions such as “Draining of the Tanks” and “Drifting into a Time of No Future” which many may find inaccessible.  However, the majority of the music on this album confirms Drexciya as one of Detroit’s finest electronic music exports.  Tracks such as “Andreaen Sand Dunes” and “Triangular Hydrogen Strain” have a soft and calm quality to them.  Others such as “Polymono Plexusgel” and “Funk Release Valve” are fine examples of the kind of exquisite electro that has, sadly, been ignored by many in recent years as the boring and uninspiring “electro house” genre has emerged to confuse understanding of what electro actually is.  Then there is the dancefloor oriented techno of “Devil Ray Cove” and the playful funk of “Jazzy Fluids”.  The album’s closing track, the ridiculously named “C to the Power of X  + C to the Power of X = MM = Unknown” is a fitting end to this exceptional album.  With no percussion used at all, this album closer is evidence of Drexciya’s musical ability. Synths and atmospheric keys are combined to beautiful effect, making this sound like an electronic hymn to some underwater god. Thank you Drexciya!

Look what they done to my song

I might as well admit it, I can be a bit of a music snob at times.  Not so much in the sense that I look down on particular forms of music – although it’s difficult to defend “happy hardcore” – but more in the sense that I am a bit over-protective of music.

I hate musical ringtones.  Why would anyone want the opening section of their “favourite” song to be forever associated with inconvenient interruptions at university, phone calls from over zealous employers or just that person you wish would stop phoning?

The use of music while you hold before shouting at your bank manager, or query your latest ludicrous phone bill is also something that irks me.  I may be taking this a bit too seriously but I hate anything that cheapens music or lessens it’s impact.  Music is so often used as a background and it can become an unwelcome distraction.  It should be something we take time to connect with properly. This is a topic that was covered by Daniel Barenboim in a series of interesting talks he gave as part of Radio 4′s Reith Lecture series.  If you are at all interested in the history and philosophy of music, these lectures are definitely worth listening to.  Now, allow me to get back on my soapbox…

Don’t get me wrong, when combined properly with images or video, music can take on a higher relevance. Music can be used to brilliant effect in film and other media and this should be recognised.  However, where music is used cynically and without respect as a means to an end it loses part of it’s power.

One constant source of irritation for me is the use of music to sell us things.  Consider the following questions:

Have you ever had a song you liked thoroughly dragged through the mud to sell anything from deodorants to mobile phones, to the extent that you worry that its legacy will never be the same again?

Or do you ever despair when some ludicrously naff tune invades your living room as part of a transparent attempt by marketing people to re-launch some “cheesey” hit that you’d hitherto hoped you’d never hear again?

Either way, the use of music in adverts tends to get on my nerves.  I have to admit that adverts have sometimes introduced me to music I had not already heard and that is a positive effect to an extent.  However, this positive effect can be fleeting as, no sooner have I discovered this new song that I like, I’m sick of it again by the time the advert campaign is finished.  My love affair with a particular song has, therefore, not developed naturally.  It was forced upon me.  I accepted it. Then I abandoned it.  Not good for me or the music!

Melanie Safka once sang “look what they done to my song, ma”.  This song seems to perfectly sum up how an artist may feel when their work is hijacked and put to uses less noble than that for which they were conceived.

Ironically enough, Melanie’s biggest hit “Brand New Key” is currently being used by HP to sell printers.  Look what they done to my song indeed!

Tiger & Woods will treat Glasgow to the finest of disco cuts

Glasgow disco fiends are in for a rare treat as Tiger & Woods prepare to bring their brand of edit-ainment to the city.

Recent years have seen the release of countless disco re-edits.  Many of these are merely extended disco loops, edited in a very simple manner which perhaps lacks imagination or originality.  This does not always matter, as the quality of the original tracks often means that the music lends itself well to simple repetition. Electronic music producers have long realised that many of the hits of yesteryear need little work to ignite modern dancefloors.  Tiger and Woods are a little different…

With their first release, 2009′s “Hole in One EP”, the duo grabbed the attention of dedicated disco lovers with two slick and funky re-interpretations, including a fine edit of the Evelyn “Champagne” King song “Love Come Down”.  Two subsequent releases followed on the Editainment label, cementing Tiger & Woods’ credentials as purveyors of the finest quality disco. With only 7 tracks released, the pair have quickly achieved the “buy on sight” status for many fans of house and disco.

So, what makes this brand of cut and paste disco so appealing?

Put simply, these records stand out from many of the rest as a result of the attention to detail they exhibit. Rather than lazily throwing in extended sections of disco classics between tried and tested house rhythms, Tiger & Woods allow their edits time to build up steam.  The precision with which they use tiny fragments of vocal to tease the listener is a particularly pleasing feature of their work.  As their edits develop we are given more detail and the tracks, which are layered to perfection, become infectious.  By the time the key thread of the original song is revealed, dancefloors are transformed into something akin to those famous scenes from Saturday Night Fever.

It is apt then that it will be on Saturday 20th November that the two producers, under the monikers of Larry Tiger and David Woods, will grace Glasgow’s La Cheetah (downstairs in Max’s on Queen Street).  This is a rare outing as the pair are highly secretive and such live performances may well out them as experienced producers their audience are already familiar with (unless of course, they are disguised!)

The duo’s myspace reads as follows:

“Shrouded in mystery!  No one knows where it’s coming from, no one knows where it’s going.  Special disco versions carefully tuned, remixed, over-dubbed, cut and sliced.  This is what DJ Sneak should sound like today.  Limited shizzle.  You know the deal.  Here today, gone tomorrow…”

While you’ll find DJ Sneak in town at least once a year, the visit of Tiger and Woods is a truly mouth-watering prospect and one which should not be missed.  If you need any more encouragement, here you’ll find a sublime edit of the Imagination track “Music & Lights”.

If you like your disco with a modern twist, I’ll see you down the front!

Is George Osborne Dead Yet?

Salivation over Margaret Thatcher’s imminent (or not so imminent) demise has begun to dribble down the chins of many of those who call themselves the left in the UK.

Assuming Facebook can be seen as accurately reflecting current trends and discussion, it’s safe to say this is a hot topic at present. Groups with Thatcher’s death as their focus are springing up here, there and everywhere on the social networking site. These groups range from the darkly jovial to the more sinister.  One group in the latter category even comes complete with a photo-shopped Thatcher lying in her coffin!

Elsewhere, isthatcherdeadyet.co.uk appears to offer an up-to-date report on her current condition.  This site has already attracted the scorn of the permanently-outraged Daily Mail – a better endorsement for your website would be hard to find!  The site now wears the “Hated by the Daily Mail” badge with pride and has no doubt tripled its number of visitors.

While I share practically none of the opinions or attitudes that the Mail ceaselessly promotes, I too feel there is some merit in debunking these groups.  It strikes me that, as well as being rather inhumane, this discussion about Thatcher and the time/place/manner of her death is somewhat obscuring more important matters.

Now, I will certainly not be mourning Maggie’s passing personally if that’s the way things are heading. But, forgive me for not keenly anticipating the death of a frail 85 year old woman!  She did her damage long ago and I do not support the death penalty for anyone. There will be nothing positive to come from her death.

In any case, this infatuation with the “milk snatcher” of yesteryear is a distraction from the politics of our time.  Anyone who is seriously opposed to Thatcherite politics ought not to be watching the clock on her hospital wall.

There is a current government whose policies are much more worthy of your attention.  But then, vehemently speaking out about Cameron, Osborne and co doesn’t quite have the same level of street cred does it? Let’s face it, they don’t come close to Maggie in sheer villainy points do they? Best to wait a decade or two till the time when Cameron’s face is the symbol of a political climate we all remember with anger.  Yes, nod back to sleep little lefties and wake up angry and vengeful when it’s too late, praying to the heavens that a geriatric Cameron is wiped out while he sleeps.  I can see the groups now: “Is George Osborne Dead Yet?”, “One More Stroke and Traitor Clegg is a Goner!” or perhaps even “Deactivate Lord Ashcroft’s Pacemaker!”

Now, I realise that there is a certain dark humour to all of this.  People do and say things, especially online with a tongue-in-cheek approach.  I must admit that I am in no position to lecture anyone about tasteless humour, as I often partake in it.  If I’m being entirely honest, on a different day I may well have joined one of the above groups so I can’t really judge anyone who has.

On the other hand, it is clear that many people actually will see the death of the “Iron Lady” as a cause for celebration.  So, it has to be taken seriously to some extent.  With a bit of thought, the whole thing becomes rather ludicrous.

Would all of the people who have joined these groups have celebrated had the IRA been successful in their attempt to kill Thatcher in Brighton in 1984?  Certainly, some would have rejoiced.  But, I suspect a great deal more would have been outraged.  Is there a substantive difference between celebrating the killing of someone and celebrating their death at the hands of Mother Nature?  I would say the difference pertains only to technicalities.  Morally, I see no difference.

John Donne wrote “Each man’s death diminishes me, for I am involved in mankind”.

This is a notion which I believe we would all benefit from contemplating.

Don’t celebrate Thatcher’s death because it changes nothing.  Her place in history is sealed and her legacy is still infecting politics in this country.  If anything, mourn the fact that someone who was alive in your time genuinely thought “there is no such thing as society.”  Mourn that your nation as a collective elected her and re-elected her for a total of three terms.  Her faults were shared faults and there are a great number who practice her gospel with more zeal than she ever could.  Should we keenly await the death of all these people too?  Or, should we perhaps try and focus on the present and hope that humanity as a whole progresses beyond selfish individualist politics?

It is important that we remember Thatcher’s time in Downing Street for what it was and we should not let anyone re-write history and glorify her reign.

More crucially though, if you are so against the politics that Thatcher created and nurtured, set your sights on the devil-spawn who are actually fit and able enough to develop her vision beyond her wildest dreams.

To those who still wait impatiently for the bell to toll on Thatcher the mortal, keep this in mind:  you will be celebrating ONLY the death of a woman in her eighties.  I would not have that on my conscience, no matter who it was.

Thatcher’s vision is in fine health and is kept vibrant by those in the most powerful positions in our country.  If anything, I suggest you mourn!

Next time:

Fond musings on the death from suspected septicaemia of Oliver Cromwell in 1658

…well, maybe not!

5 Chilling Alternatives to TV’s Halloween Staples

That time is fast approaching when late night TV schedules are littered with horror films. Some are classics, some are anything but classics and many more are horrific only in terms of their plot development and the calibre of acting on display. With a few exceptions, it’s a familiar annual line up as TV goes all Halloween.

While films such as “The Exorcist” and slasher classic “Halloween” are well worthy of your attention if you have somehow managed to miss them thus far, I thought it would be an idea to provide a list of horror alternatives which don’t seem to crop up often on TV schedules, if at all!

Incidentally, if you like horror films and you HAVE managed to miss “The Exorcist” and “Halloween”, I’d advise you to have a long  hard think about the direction your life is heading in!

Moving on…

The following films are by no means underground. You will find all of them easily on DVD.

The list is not exhaustive and not intended as my top 5 horror titles. It’s merely a selection of options if you plan to scare yourself silly on October 31st!

So, in no particular order…

1 Audition

Director:  Takashi Miike

Starring:  Ryo Ishibashi, Eihi Shiina

Year of release:  1999

During the first part of Takashi Miike’s infamous “Audition”, you will think you’re watching a romantic drama unfold. A widowed middle age man, Shigeharu Aoyama (Ryo Ishibashi), is convinced by his son to find a new partner. With the connivance of his film producer friend, Aoyama decides to set up a mock film audition. Unbeknownst to the women attending the audition, they are being scrutinised not on their suitability for a film but on their potential as a wife for Aoyama.

The film begins to take shape when Aoyama narrows in on one particular woman, Asami Yamazaki (Eihi Shiina).  The calm, almost serene atmosphere of the film which has been built up slowly gives way to something altogether different. Cue some of the most teeth-grindingly horrific scenes you are ever likely to see.

Like many graphic horror films, Audition caused many to walk out of screenings around the world. This, I would assume, would be seen as a PR success by the film’s producers. Regardless of the controversy though, the film retains a genuinely eerie atmosphere which is built throughout and the crescendo of violence isn’t, for me, a feature which undermines the overall power.

Best not watch this one with a new partner, unless you’ve really done your research on them!

Watch the Audition Trailer

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2 Don’t Look Now

Director:  Nicolas Roeg

Starring:  Donald Sutherland, Julie Christie

Year of release:  1973

Like “Audition”, Nicolas Roeg’s film adaptation of the Daphne Du Maurier short story “Don’t Look Now” is a horror which holds back on the scares at first.

The film follows a married couple (Donald Sutherland and Julie Christie) and their attempts to deal with the tragic drowning of their young daughter.  The drowning scene itself is remarkably harrowing and Donald Sutherland’s roar when he finds his daughter dead is, for me, one of the most powerful scenes I have ever seen in a film. Indeed, Sutherland himself could not hold back the tears when he was shown the scene again during a career retrospective with critic Mark Cousins.

When the grieving couple move to Venice, where John (Sutherland) has taken a job restoring a church, things turn sinister.

John’s wife, Laura (Christie), appears to be finding the death harder to cope with and she is unable to let go.  By a twist of fate she encounters two old sisters, one of whom claims to be psychic.  The clairvoyant claims to be in touch with the couple’s deceased daughter and claims to be able to relay messages from her.  John becomes alarmed at his wife’s readiness to latch on to these women and becomes angry that she continues to entertain their ideas.  However, over time, he too begins to question some of the increasingly strange events and visions they encounter in Venice.

The story becomes ever more sinister, as it would seem that the ghost of their dead daughter has joined them in Venice. The viewer, like the couple, are sucked in and led towards a conclusion which is truly jaw dropping and brutal.

“Don’t Look Now” is more than just a horror film.  It serves as an examination of grief, and the different ways in which people deal with loss.  Some people will look everywhere for something if they are desperate to see it.  There are many ways you could interpret the film and there are plenty of ideas to chew over, even after several views.  Ultimately, for me, the title of the film encapsulates the key message perfectly.

This is a film I will watch again and again.  You should too!

Watch the “Don’t Look Now ” Trailer

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3  Salem’s Lot

Director:  Tobe Hooper

Starring:  David Soul, James Mason

Year of release:  1979

Director Tobe Hooper is probably best known for the infamous “Texas Chainsaw Massacre”.  Again, anyone interested in horror films who needs to be told about that one should probably find a new favourite genre.

Generally, adaptations of Stephen King novels tend to be either outstanding (“The Shining”, “Misery”, “The Green Mile” to name a few) or exceptionally poor verging on laughable (see “Sometimes They Come Back”, “Cujo” et al).   “Salem’s Lot” is somewhere just beyond the border, nearer the former category.  That is, it cannot be put in same league as “The Shining”.  This is understandable though as the thematic richness of such a story lends itself more easily to powerful cinema.  What this film does, however, is provide several jump-out-of-your-seat moments and some truly terrifying lasting images.  Not all horror films require the kind of depth exemplified in “Don’t Look Now” to be worthy of a watch.

“Salem’s Lot” is centred around Vampires, one of the horror genre’s classic foes.  The film, though, sticks to a slightly more traditional depiction of these monsters than the version that’s been recently explored in voguish teen fiction.  The film develops in the time-honoured fashion as good is pitted against evil.  No ambiguity, no thematic depth, no dark comedy.  In many films, this lack of deeper substance would be a problem. Here it isn’t.  Why? Because it’s simply so damn scary, so good at it’s job that there really is no need to complicate the plot or develop the story in such a way as to leave the viewer thinking that the film-maker had ideas above his station.

Admittedly, the film may look slightly outdated to a modern audience but it is well worthy of your time if you like simple horrors.

If the introduction of the film’s grotesque lead vampire, “The Master”, doesn’t have a direct effect on your heart rate, you may want to make a doctor’s appointment because it would be safe to assume you’re technically dead!

Watch the “Salem’s Lot” Trailer

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4 Suspiria

Director:  Dario Argento

Starring:  Jessica Harper

Year of release:  1977

I may as well come out and say it straight away: this film is dubbed!  Well, the English language version that I’m familiar with is dubbed, and dubbed terribly for that matter.  Does this detract somewhat from the quality of the film?  Regrettably, yes.  I really don’t understand why they bother.  I would rather read subtitles in teeline shorthand than watch a dubbed film.  But this is besides the point!

The film also has a rather amateurish feel to it (perhaps the dubbing again!) and the acting at some point is, well…bad.

You could also argue that the story in general isn’t the best and, at times it’s over-dramatised.

BUT…

Despite everything I have just said, I love this film.  Why?  Because it has that component that often defines good horror films – a wonderfully creepy atmosphere.  I would go so far as to say that this film is unique, at least in my experience, in the way that it conjures up a particular, strange feeling.  Perhaps it is a combination of the dubbing and the other “bad” elements that actually makes this film worth watching. Whatever the reason, this film is definitely unnerving

Two more plausible reasons for this film finding it’s way into my favourite horror films are the soundtrack and the fact that it is, despite it’s other flaws, visually stunning.  Italian director Dario Argento with his band “Goblin” provide a wonderfully sinister soundtrack that compliments the visuals perfectly.  Unlike most films, these elements are crucial and more than compensate for the poorer elements of the production.

You’ll notice that I’ve not yet mentioned the plot.  If you really must know, the film follows a young woman who enrols in an elite ballet academy only to find that it’s run by a coven of witches.  Not exactly Shakespeare!

This film, for me, breaks all the key rules of good film-making but still succeeds in being a great film.

Do not watch this film for the plot, the acting or the character progression.

Watch it because, in terms of atmosphere and visual dynamics, you may never see anything else quite like it.

…And, let’s be honest, the dubbing is a good laugh!

Watch the “Suspiria” Trailer

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5 Les Diaboliques

Director:  Henri-Georges Clouzot

Starring:  Simone Signoret, Vera Clouzot, Paul Meurisse

Year of release:  1955

The last film in this small selection is perhaps not strictly confined to the horror genre.  It is included though as it is genuinely scary in places and has the kind of ending you would expect to find in a horror.  If not for these creepy, suspense filled moments, the film could probably be justifiably classed as a murder mystery.

The film follows the wife and mistress of a bullish schoolmaster as they plot to murder him after realising that they cannot bear his cruel treatment any longer.

I saw this film at the Edinburgh Film Festival a few years back and it had the audience gasping in fright throughout.  This is an impressive feat for a film that is 55 years old this year!

The plot twists and turns as the two women try to conceal their crime while encountering uncanny events, most notably the disappearance of the headmaster’s body.  Enter the wise detective, a staple of such murder mystery films…

The central characters and the audience try to solve the mystery of the missing body but no one could predict the thrilling twist in the tale.  In fact, the twist in this film is often cited as one of the most infamous shock endings ever.

I am hesitant to say too much for those who haven’t seen the film.  To give you an idea, when you google the title of the film the top suggestion as you search is “Les Diaboliques ending”.  Prepare to be truly shocked and frightened!

Watch the “Les Diaboliques” Trailer

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So…

The above list should provide something for every horror fan over Halloween.  There’s eerie atmospheres aplenty, good old graphic violence, ghosts, vampires, witches and one of the best twist endings in film history.  Most horrific of all, there is dubbing. Terrible dubbing!

That’s…

5 very different horror films

5 different nations represented (Japan, Britain, America, Italy and France)

MOST IMPORTANTLY…

5 reasons to snub “Scream”, “A Nightmare on Elm Street” and any other feeble offering from the TV schedules

Take your pick!

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