IDM (Do you like electronica?)

all the stuff you mentioned 

Boards of Canada (!)

yeppp wrote: Love that genre ! oh Autechre is the king of IDM, they are really pushing the boundaries of electronic music ! Confield is my favourite from them, VERY complex rhythms, their most challenging album !

Totally agree about confield!  Very challenging and the most abstract music I have ever heard, strangely it is very evocative at the same time (I'm not quite sure what it evokes but it is something like being trapped inside complex machinery and veiwing a metallic alien landscape... very strange music and as far away for pop music as you can get (without being boring and nonstructured).  By the way, does anybody here have any thoughts on the newest Boards of Canada album?  Also... does anone here like Oval? 

Phobos

Edited by phobos

Boards of Canada are one of the best and most original bands of these last few years. I also like Ulver's Electronica phase, Underworld (especially dubnobasswithmyheadman), Autechre, Orbital, Lustmord, Air and Aphex Twin

IDM? I can't keep up with all the names of the subgenres. I'm just getting too old.

Seriously, I love Tangerine Dream and several others you mention. I'm going to look into the others.

As far as TD goes, there is something that really strikes a chord with me (pun kind of intended). Back in the days of vinyl, I could put on an album and stare at the cover and be totally lost in the music. It's like a weird meditation-thing overtakes me and I'm hanging on every note, every sound. It's kind of like being stoned without using drugs. I don't dare put it on when I'm driving. This happens with other music off and on but always happens with Tangerine Dream. It can sometimes happen when I look at an album cover.  

There are some quite big differences between the electronic music of old: Tangerine Dream, Jarre etc, and the stuff that has been concoted over the last 10 - 15 years or so. In the early 70's there was no sequencing - only tape loops - only primitive drum machines, no sampling (if you dont include the Mellotron) The musicans actually 'composed' the music.

In recent years, the need to be able to compose has been replaced by the need to navigate and manipulate the incredibly powerful technology available to an artist in a studio. Artists like The Orb and FSOL, are masters at this. What they may lack in ACTUAL musical skill, they make up for with their imagination and knowledge of the technology. I actually prefer electronic music from the 90's and beyond, than electro stuff from the 70's.

For lovers of electronic ambience, I highly reccomend:

Adverntures beyond the Ultraworld - The Orb
Music has the right to Children - Boards of Canada
Rest proof Clockwork - Plaid
76:14 - Global Communication
Lifeforms - Future Sound of London
Definitive ambient works Vol 1 - Pete Namlook
Amber - Autechre

Empathy wrote: How could I forget FSOL? WAY ahead of their time. They did some fantastic ambient work under the name Amorphous Androgynous.

 

Empathy

Have you heard the last Amorphous album, 'The Isness' ?? It's pretty good, although very different from the stuff they recorded in the early 90's. I guess they progressed.. The album explores many ethnic feels, and there's even a Mellotron in there

I think the best FSOL project was the 'Lifeforms' album. Superb!

I was VERY dissapointed by the isness... not anywhere near as interesting as FSOL's good stuff (escpecially lifeforms) but I know that AA is supposed to be different from FSOL.  That ishkur website is really great!  Earlier somebody mentioned the orb in reference to tangerine dream... Having really only listened to the first orb album I have to say there were way too many vocal samples inserted... I was dissapointed with that and thought it really broke up the mood of the album.  Interesting thing about the orb is that they have been associated with steve hillage from gong ( also known for his great solo career, which for me, surpasses gong).  He actually gets some credit for one of the tracks on the first orb album.

 

Phobos

Empathy wrote: ^ I'm hoping you've discovered Ozric Tentacles? If you haven't, you need some, STAT.

I have Strangitude, Erpland and the hidden step and I like them... I have yet to hear Jurassic Shift though which I guess is supposed to be really good.  Do you know that album?

phobos wrote: Empathy wrote: ^ I'm hoping you've discovered Ozric Tentacles? If you haven't, you need some, STAT.  I have Strangitude, Erpland and the hidden step and I like them... I have yet to hear Jurassic Shift though which I guess is supposed to be really good.  Do you know that album?

I do. It's very good, but not one of my favorites. Become the Other is one of my favorites. It's got a nice mixture of rock and electronica, IMO. Curious Corn and Waterfall Cities are also great.

Have you heard Eat Static? That's Merv and Joie (ex-Ozric drummer and synthesist). I'd definitely recommend them to someone who likes IDM. If you dig breakbeat and Jungle/D&B stuff, you'll love "Science of the Gods".