Techno Anyone?

A MUST: Run Lola Run Soundtrack. Exciting german techno music. Very good sound too. You should have this one in your collection. Track #7 is upon the very best pieces in my collection!

"numbers" by the progenitors of techno, kraftwerk, is a great test track. i love to put it into a system on which chamber music is clearly favored, then crank it up to see whether the speaker cones give way before the patience of the tight-assed manufacture's reps. BTW, i love run lola run, too, a better version of "sliding doors." do you vant to touch my monkey?

Straight techno can be boring, but there's a lot of synth- based albums that are excellent: Paul van Dyk's "Seven Ways", Leftfield's "Leftism", Headcase's "mushi mushi", Autechre's untitled album. You can have some luck with remixes. Curve's 'Chinese Burn'(song) was released as the basis of an ep/single with fantastic techno versions of the song. Basically anything Paul van Dyk remixes ist sehr gut, so just buy it. Oh, and Praga Khan of/and Lords of Acid.

Yup, techno is very interesting stuff; lots of times, even bad techno is interesting to listen to for a while. One of the test CD's I take with me when I audition stuff is a compilation I made that includes Beethoven, Madonna, Moby, Radiohead and Kraftwerk. Always funny to see the sales people's eyes when the speakers start playing Kraftwerk...

If you want to watch the eyeballs bug out of salespeople's socket's and see just how fast that they can sprint to the volume control, try playing a few cuts of off the last disc by Master entitled "Faith is in Season". Make sure that you tell them that it needs to be played at a listening level common to "metal heads" BEFORE it starts. I have had two different sales people in different shops make comments to the effect of "this is the kind of music that breaks stuff"... While it's not techno, it does have killer kick drums going non-stop. It is the disc that i use to see just how well a speaker will hold up at high volumes with LOTS of very fast deep bass. Sean
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I've got a bunch of 12 inch vinyl from the late 80's; Cetu Javu, T99, Paul Rutherford, Section 25,Propaganda, Peter Schilling, etc... It does sound great and I still love to listen to it. I am more glad than ever that I bought it and kept it!

There are excellent "techno" oriented albums that aren't in the least bit boring or repetitive, and the sound quality is excellent. Early Chemical Brothers, Crystal Method, Juno Reactor, Fluke.....these are all much better than the one techno album most audiophiles seem to always have Leftfield "leftism" although I have that one also.

Scon90, I have a very rare Section 25 CD "From The Hip" from early 80's which contains the fabulous song "Looking from a Hilltop" great stuff.

Ohlala you have great music taste also, I have some Oakenfold , Van Dyk, Sasha, Digweed etc however this is more in the trance/house music genre. The "global underground" series is good introduction to this scence.
Lords of Acid "lust" CD is great also.

Very much so. Kraftwerk, i have been listening for last twenty years, on and off. Always fascinating, particulary played in high end rig. Try Orbital and The future sound of london (where are they now?)for sound quality and very inventive complex layered hooks. The future sound of London is a geniuses in the making, just listen to the 'Lifeforms', ' dead cities' and 'ISDN'. Orbital too, the 2d album all the way to theire latest have very well defined sound stage and great music to go with. Early Chemical brothers and Prodigy music is also execellent. Try Photek's Risk and Reward and Modus Operandi for ass kicking Bass. Leftfield's leftism alos a standout. Fluke, source direct and the very Unique but at times repitative the UNDERWORLD. Who can argue with MOBY' dance music finesse.
If you really wanna scare the high end salon sales rep, try one of many Miami style BASS cds, with ultar low bass. Like BASS 305, TECHMASTER P.E.B, TECHNOBASS CREW, BASS CUBE to mention few. The first 3 have been consistently putting out very good bass heavy tunes.. If you can stand BASS BASS BASS chanting every minute. I have about 100+ techno CDs, 150+ classical, 100+ jazz, 50 plus classic rock, 10 plus rap, 50 +pop, 50 + world music CDS. Just to show that I started with techno and now I have good music from almost all types. Thoes BASS CD's are great for IN-CAR listening, just make sure that woofers and amps (and you ears) are up to the task.

Has anybody heard of Global Underground, they are an orginzation that has TONS of DJ's and different catagories(Prototype, Nubreed and the original "numbered/location" series) I have around 150 techno discs and most of them are good-excellent. My Fav's would be ATB, Paul Oakenfold, Paul Van Dyck, Orbital, Jason Dunne, kernkraft 400, Uberzone(there is suppose to be 2 dots over the U in Uberzone but I do not know how to do that with this keyboard),Brian Eno, Anthony Pappa, Hybrid, Alice DJ, Bt and Webster Hall. I better end the list here but it could go on. Keep the favorites coming we might all learn something from them, thanks, :>)Tim

To the above suggestions I would add Sven Vath, Banco de Gaia, Eat Static and American HomeGrown.

I believe The Chemical Brothers and Daft Punk deserve a listen along with Carl Cox they all make some awesome music. BTW if you want to test your bass out listen to Track 2 "out of control" on The Chemical Brothers Album "Surrender". I thought the cones were going to tear themselves away from the surrounds. Dont know what Freq. the music goes down to but it is at least 30Hz (I think) and is loud!!! It sound great. Tim Warhurst.

Try Yello, esp. Pocket Universe.

Some specific must have techno albums...1)Chemical Brothers
"exit planet dust"...2)Juno Reactor "bible of dreams" and "beyond the infinite"...3)Crystal Method "vegas"...4)Fluke "risoto"...5)Alice DeeJay "who needs guitars"

Prodigy can be good, although not consistently good for an entire album. There is a whole class of dance/techno/pop
which can be fun including Amber, Eiffel 65, Corona, La Bouche, 2 Unlimited etc.

"Global Underground" series is good to have a few for extended house/trance sessions, but they do tend to become repetitive, I particularly like the Paul Oakenfold series

Let me add cople of standout albums. Kraftwelt's 'Electric dimension' and ' retroish'. A kraftwerk like mesmerising performance. K&D's K&D sessions, double CDs album a standout listen too. EUROBASS'S Hypnotic Bass, great from start to finish.That's more than couple of recommendations, Oh well!

seems like we are not talking about 'techno' in particular, but more about what some people might dub as 'electronica'.
so, i'd suggest photek, amon tobin, dj shadow, 4hero, K&D. not only do they usually sound pretty good (e.g. 4hero: two pages), but they also live up to a certain intellectual standard (wow, this sounds corny - not a native speaker, though).

Great suggestions above. My current faves (mostly goaTrance) include:
-Analog Pussy
-Atmospheric DnB
-Eat Static
-Hallucinogen
-Jedi Mind Tricks
-Paul Oakenfold
-BT
-Voice of Buddah

Many can still be easily downloaded.

I don't know if this is propely classified as techno, but no one has mentioned Aphex Twin or Autchre. Plaid's good to.
If dance music ain't your thang, these are a bit more cereberal (Don't flame that, I just mean it's for listening only, not for dancing.)
Not everyone can dig it, but textural/ambiant stuff like Pan_sonic and Oval should be checked out. What they do with your speakers may make you a tad nervous though.

Heh techno folks check out Daft Punk's most resent release it is GREAT. Old school techno at it's best.

AUTECHRE! These guys are the true wizards of techno today. Along with Aphex Twin, they have set the standard for what techno is and can be- that is, highly complex, highly subtle music meant for serious, sustained, unstoned listening (as opposed to dancing). Check out in particular Autechre's _Tri Repetae_ and _Chiastic Slide_ and Aphex Twin's _Richard D. James_ and _Selected Ambient Works Vol.II_. There are lots of other decent, interesting techno acts which can sound surprising good on a high-end system. The Future Sound of London, Orbital, even Underworld and Moby, come to mind. I am also quite enthusiastic about the later releases of the dark ambient dub act Scorn. But if you want to find out what techno is really about, the ultimate refutions of the "bleeps and beats" cliche are Autechre and Aphex Twin.

Tireguy and Wellen,and all interested in techno.I just found a replacement for the future sound of london! Comparision with FSOL is actually good thing. The newest from ' Plaid' called 'Double figure' is one of the most notable record in recent releases. The music is Sophisticated, very subtle, very very cool without being in your face, a la FSOL. Although not completely like FSOL, but ambient parts, the complex textures and layers, the exotic sounds are truly fresh and remains taht way after multiple listening. On high end system you can appreciate the music even more. Wellen next on my list is your recommendations from Autechre and Aphex Twin.I never had one. By the way anyone knows what happened to the FSOL?

Yes indeed Plaid's Double Figure is GREAT!! Just picked it up a few days ago and still listening to it all the time. Dare I say sounds similiar to Kid A, with a little more bass, hahahaha. Very good though worth checking out if you don't already have it.

Here are a couple of good Techno CD's. 1. "Tibetan Trance, Happy China" on PST Music/DBA Phophecy, it is Tibetan dance/trance music. 2. "GOODING, songs from the unrealized film script, FACTORY BLUE". It received super reviews in the "Alternative Press" and "Keyboard Magazine" (per the sticker on the cover:-) and the stock number is SS00020. It is pretty intense (like falling asleep under a railroad track and then remembering your dreams), but I like it a lot. It is labeled as ranging from ambient to industrial rock (what ever that is). I just call it Techno.

autechre for sure but stay away from their latest two very crunchy and go for the early work also check out Artifical intelligence 1 and 2 these are the ten commmandments for electronic

Retail stores and even a lot of online merchants lump this one under "Techno," along with a lot of my favorite stuff...Boards of Canada "Music Has the Right to Children." Techno in the sense of dance music, it ain't--this is moody, introspective analog synth weirdness with lots of obscure samples, tape hiss and dope hip-hop style beats mixed together. Not everyone's cup of tea but a personal favorite. I got into electronic stuff listening to Tangerine Dream, Jarre, Synergy etc. and coming from this direction BOC are quite palatable, maybe not for the "Pump Up the Jam" fans.

I actually take "Happy Cycling," bonus track on the US release of the CD along as demo material for bass tightness, detail and soundstage during the synth loops towards the end. On a good system those synth chords seem to stretch out for miles!

Other recommendations I have are Orbital (every single album is amazing), Two Lone Swordsmen, FSOL, Plaid, and for the dancefloor-oriented check out the recent Everything But the Girl stuff (great remixes abound) and Towa Tei.

The new aphex twin album (Druqks - not sure about spelling) is really outstanding, blurring the borders between adventerous electronica and modern classical music (if such a distinction ever made sense).
Other good stuff, I recently listened to is Megashira, Bugge Wesseltoft (hard to come by in the US) and Trueby Trio (DJ Kicks).

Thought I would bring this thread back up to the top, just listened to Orbital's "snivilsation" what a great disc!! Haven't listened to it in a long time.

I've had Druqks (or whatever ;) on my to buy list for a while. Many people complained that it didn't really break away from his other stuff, but that's exactly why I want it. I only have SAW2 (on CD, I have numerous mp3s) so Drukqs can act as a compilation for me.
I've also heard good things about Dntel, anyone familiar with him/them?

Yea, I and listened to the ' surrender' by chemical brothers after probably more than year. Better than the 'come with us" which is very good. Orbital I always enjoy, perticulartly the "snivilsation". " bothsides now " is also exceptional. Recently I bought cds from 'the newdeal"(very techno and creative-cool music), "lemonjelly"(ambient), "ladytron"(simple but very beautiful techno and vocal by all girl group), "ben wa"(old school funk meets techno-can't stop it mid-way), "bassmentjaxx" (dance), "air"(simply beautiful), "the avalanches"(dance as you have never heard before), "goldfrapp"(delicious vocal/ambient). "Dzihan and damien"(both 'freaks and icons' and 'refreaked'-the later very much worth buying-a la K&D, Although comparision is not fair. These guys bring a lot new great stuff to the plate).
Any new ones worth checking out Tim?

Nilthepill-Haven't bought much new techno though I have bought some older stuff am I am really(and don't laugh) enjoying Velvet Acid Christ "Fun with Knives" very dark and terra damnata'esque, of course Hybrid "Wide Angle", vocal with light ambient background, also Gatercrasher "discotech generation", sort of typical beats, very listenable and captivating. I am still trying to find something by Goldfrapp, no one here has a freaking clue, I am surrounded by a bunch of freaking idiots!

btw did you mean Orbital "In Sides" or is "Both sides" something I haven't heard of yet? I was dissapointed with "middle of know where" I think most orbital fans were. Also if you get a chance check out XM satelite radio there is a dance channel that is quiet good, it will be appearant :)

Tim, It is "in sides" not "both sides".My bad.Their new " altogether" is much better than the "middle of nowhere" and it's a double disc album. Their older work also good (some track on par with 'snivi.." and insides..) but most lean toward the monotonous dance beats(good if you like it)

The " Felt mountain" from GOLDFRAPP is must have (and Allison is hot little...But you gotta get double CD's to get a glimpse of her on your computer). Tower records or CD NOW does carry this.

If you are in to ambient and something new try (and I have said this before) "the future sound of london"'s
'lifeforms" and "dead cities" and 'ISDN"

New moby how many have heard it and what do you think? I think it is a great follow to Play.

i like down tempo, a derivative of techno.

I'll try most anything, but I haven't had the desire to try "Techno". Maybe it's about time?

Here are some downtempo, lounge-beat compilations I find really cool that are not overly electronic -- all the "Bhudha Bar" (there are 5 to 6 double-CDs out by now) cds are great. Several "Hotel Costes" mixes produced by Stephane Pompougnac, these are all good. Double-cd compilations called "Paris Lounge", "Berlin Lounge" and now "Paris Lounge-2" are all good. Most cds by Theivery Corp or also under "Jet Society" are very good listening. Also, there are a ton of stuff under "Chillout" and everthing "IBIZA".

Electronic composition is probably some of the most progressive stuff out there right now - in any genre of music. I love Jazz, but a lot of new jazz is pretty stale. And modern classical compositions are often painfully contrived sounding. Electronic composers like many of the ones mentioned above, in contrast to DJ's - who often play music that sounds like it came out of a cracker jack box, (ie. uninspired repetitive generic), are creating some really interesting sounds and arrangements using purely electronic means or electronically manipulated samples. Faultline, Orbital, E*vax, Solvent, Hessen, Krueder & Dorfmeister, Underworld, Nils Petter Molvaer, Air, Radiohead, Beck, Nortec Collective, Couch, Silo, Arovane, to name a few. And also some of the pioneers of electronica mentioned above like Kraftwerk, Yello - 'Flag' is also a great one.

Not really sure about where the boundries are on techno as a category (really good stuff isn't usually right in the middle anyway),but the new Squarepusher and his Feed Me Weird Things disc are pretty interesting. Steve Fisk, 999 Levels of Undo is sonically amazing and hasn't been hard to find for under $5 in the bargain bins.

Crystal Method and Chemical brothers are my most listened to techno choices. Also, the new UberZone "Faith in the Future" disk is pretty wicked, so are some Prodigy recordings.

Chris

Anyone looking to get into techno or looking for new techno get a hold of the member Trancehits here at audiogon, he has tons of great mixes and artists, I got my first order the other day and can't wait to get more!! Very reasonibly priced which makes it even better :)

~Tim

Infected mushrooms (Classical Mushroom & BP Empire). GOA/Trance Style. Very Musical (rare in this style), Sound is perfect and basefull. One of the best ever for me.

Leftfield-Leftism
About as good as the electronica/techno/dance music genre gets.

Some interesting techno/electronica that occasionally warps the air in my household:

*CAPITOL K: Island Row
*BURNT FRIEDMAN: Plays Love Songs
*FOUR TET: Pause / Dialogue
*MOUSE ON MARS
*AMON TOBIN
*SAD ROCKETS
*TO ROCOCO ROT
*TONY ALLEN: Black Voices (previous drummer/arranger for Fela Kuti laying it down for production by Doctor L) *SLICKER: The Latest

...there's a few anyway.

try ULTRA CHILLED 01 or anything on that label. Excellent to silly music, great recording. Now if they would put out an SACD....

Here are some awesome ones not mentioned yet: For the down-tempo or similar "trip-hop" we have Massive Attack-any of their records are must haves. Also, Faithless would fall into this catogory-I have seen Leftfield mentioned here which is also good, but IMO not up to the above mentioned. A side project of FSOL, Delerium remaines one of my favs- especially Semantic spaces, Karma, and Poem. This is some GREAT electronica-dark, delicious, sexy, and Hi fi sound that has to be heard. If anyone finds this music interesting and infectious like I have you might look for a new release from Balligomingo-the only one on the shelf as it is their 1st release-Awesome! Well I could keep going-if anyone finds any of this interesting I have much more to add to the pile...Great stuff mentioned in other posts as well- I am making a list!

Word has it that massive attack is back in the studio coming out with a new one soon!!! keep your eyes out for it.

Paul Oakenfold, Run Lola Run (track #14), A lot of 'Euphoria' albums, Leftism (Leftfield).

Scottshannon, I can't seeem to find Delerium (FSOL side project)CD's. How would you compare this music with their older work ??(lifeforms, dead cities, isdn). I AM DESPERATE TO GET MORE FSOL!!!!

There is a delerium mix of a Sarah Machlachlan song which I love and I just found a Paul Oakenfold remix of a U2 song! I was excited to say the least, two of my favorite performers at once.

In the coursing veins of Infected Mushroom, Hallucinogen and Aphex Twin lies an amazing collaboration called Shpongle. As far as I know this outfit has released 2 (nothing short of) amazing albums. Composition, sonics, emotion, it's all there. Can't say I'd recommend one album over another.

For an excellent downtempo collection, I can't recommend the Dreamworld: Essential Late-Night Listening collection highly enough, containing Tricky, Hooverphonic, Massive Attack, Morcheeba, Moby, Spiritualized...all good stuff.