2. Moby: Go
![Moby: Go Remixes [Single] (1992)](http://img156.echo.cx/img156/1912/mobygo3ux.jpg)
"Go" was Moby's debut, reaching the top-10 in England in 1991. In his early career, Moby fused rapid disco beats with heavy distorted guitars and punk rhythms, giving him appeal among some rock listeners, too. He was a controversial figure, musically and publicly; techno artists thought his genre fusions were diluting the music, he also came under fire for his radical Christian beliefs and vegan activism. His popularity began to fade in England just as America discovered him; his 1999 album Play was a huge breakout in the U.S., reaching the top-40.
3. Aphex Twin: Pulsewidth
Aphex Twin is Richard D. James, and has probably garnered more critical praise than anyone else on this list, helping to create the ambient techno genre. He had his first hit with the manic "Didgeridoo", an acid thrash of rapidfire beats, but most of his work has been in an ambient, downtempo vein. He's hard to pigeonhole; he also made a series of freakish pop singles in a stated attempt to crash the top-10, each a strange little sardonic mini-classic of ironic absurdity. "We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams" is the single quote that appears over and over in varying contexsts on his landmark 1993 album,
Selected Ambient Works 85-92; a collection of spare, minimalist beats and synth washes; it is the genesis of ambient techno. "Pulsewidth" is a good sample cut, and got a lot of club play.
4. The Orb: Towers Of Dub
The Orb deserve credit for helping invent ambient house. Ambient House differs from Ambient Techno in that it is equally designed for home consumption; it's not strictly dance music. The Orb, from England, appeared on Top Of The Pops, which helped propel their 1992 release, U.F.Orb, to #1 there. Their work is strongly reminiscent of Tangerine Dream and Brian Eno; frontman Dr. Alex Paterson had worked in the A&R department of EG Records, home of Eno. Unlike their earliest work, U.F.Orb is not beat driven; it is an ambient soundscape in a chill-out mode; "Towers of Dub" is a flowing, semi-free-form number, a good representation of their sound. Eno fans in particular will like this, as would fans of early 70's era Pink Floyd.
Article comments
1 - Scott Butki
That's a great list. The only one I'd dispute would be tricky and that's just because I could never get into him.
2 - Scott Butki
What do you think of DJ Shadow's live album?
3 - Scott Butki
The only one of these I don't own now is Mouse on Mars.
4 - Tina
I have always loved Electronica, but this playlist is awesome!! There are songs that I have never heard of, now Im going to download them and check em out.
5 - uao
Thanks Tina and Scott (Sorry for slow replies; I've been pressed for time at work and haven't been participating here, but will return soon I hope...)
I've not heard all of DJ Shadow's live album, but would like to check it out; live electronica albums are a tricky proposition. Some really are transcendant, and others really flop.
Tricky wasn't so great after Maxinquaye, but I'll still swear by that one.
6 - Steve
Interesting list, uao.
I have -
5 songs by Moby, including the one you mentioned,
4 by Chemical Brothers, including the one you mentioned,
1 by The Orb ("Blue Room"),
3 by The Prodigy, though not the one that you mentioned,
2 by Underworld, including the one you mentioned,
5 by Massive Attack, not including the one that you mentioned.
I've heard of the rest of the artists except for Mouse On Mars.
Massive Attack or Moby would be my faves on that list.
7 - Scott Butki
I'm going to pull out my cds with these songs and get a copy of Mouse on Mars and will return with thoughts.
The DJ shadow live album comes with a dvd of the show live and he's pretty entertaining.
I think Orbital was one of the funniest live shows I saw. They put on goggles with lights in the front - the kind I think miners use - and so as they played and bounced you'd see these tiny lights bouncing around.
8 - Scott Butki
I have to challenge this assertion in the piece, though:
"Underworld is arguably the most essential 1990's electronica unit."
I only recall Underworld having one or two hits.
Chemical Brothers had more quality hits. Moby had even more hits though he got a little too poppy for my tastes.
9 - Scott Butki
I wrote a review of the Fatboy Slim greatest hits album and used the opportunity to
talk about the artist himself:
I linked to your piece from my piece.