Fripp and Eno - No Pussyfooting (1973)

Fripp and Eno - No Pussyfooting  2 CD Remaster

   With Robert Fripp (King Crimson) and keyboard ambient master Brian Eno at the helm no wonder this album is still amazes me. This IS the album that took the big dive into ambient space and launched a whole new genre of music. This album is a study in tape looks and reverb effects which is accomplished over 2 epic tracks......side one features "The Heavenly Music Corporation" with Eno's tape loop and soundscapes in full effect to which Fripp layers over some excellent reverb guitar. The whole song is really a journey into space and remains one of my favourite ambient songs of all time. Side 2 features another space tape looped epic ditty called "Swastika Girls" which ticks in at almost 20 minutes and is another great track. This remastered 2-CD edition includes the complete original album plus the entire album played in reverse and a half-speed version of the opening track "The Heavenly Music Corporation". The reversed and half-speed versions of these tracks give the music a new dimension and offers a completely new listening perspective.

Lemongrass - Drumatic Universe (1998)

Lemongrass - Drumatic Universe  (1998)

  For Roland Voss, aka Lemongrass it all started here......Dramatic Universe mixing his early jazz influences delivering a haunting trip-hop production!   If you are looking for an album to totally chill out to then this is a great album to play.   This album is totally a cross over of electronica and jazz....kind of a space theme created too..........and some wicked beats to totally groove out to .....
  Space travel never felt soooooo good.   If you look out the right window now you will see Jupitor and far off in the distant is Earth.......

Wow ...what a drumatic Universe we live in !

Klaus Schulze - Irrlicht (1972)

Klaus Schulze - Irrlicht (1972)

  Klaus Schulze's first masterpiece Irrlicht was really one of the early electronic albums and done so without any synthesizers.    Irrlicht was 3 epic space tracks that explore some of the darkest nubulas and space caverns ever imagined.  Irrlicht is as exprfessive and as ground breaking as Tangerine Dream's 1970 "Electronic Meditation" and Kraftwerk's first album simply titled Kraftwerk 1.      
    Schulze of course played in both early Tangerine Dream and Ash Ra Tempel, but it was his solo music where I really became so fond of his music. 
    Klaus Schulze is one of the true founding fathers of contemporary electronic music and on this debut album he uses the organ and oscilations to create sounds and feelings that few could have imagined......clearly a pioneer of his art.

Tosca - j.a.c. (2005)

Tosca - j.a.c (2005)

  Tosca was a musical partnership of producers Richard Dorfmeister (of Kuder & Dorfmeister) and Rupert Huber.   j.a.c. was my introduction to my music of this chill-out duo who have captivated my ears.   I have not ever strayed too far from electronic music and even in my mid 40s I find myself gravitated towards those little beeps and clicks and bytes and bits.
   Tosca are one of the bands that I think need to be separated from the lot.........not really the hip hop thing......not really the dance floor e-thing........more just prog-chill-psych vibes and tons of very cool jive talkin moments.  Groovy beyond the splinter in the minds eye!    There 2 guys create a spiral world of sound that is just way too cool.
  If you are looking for a little something off the beat and track then maybe spin a bit of Tosca on your Taco !

Dr. Samuel J. Hoffman and the Theremin (1947 - 1950)

Dr. Samuel J. Hoffman and the Theremin (1947 - 1950)

 In the late 20's Russian scientist Leon Theremin invented this very early electronic instrument based on principles of wavelengths and electronmagnetic fields....an instrument named after himself called the Theremin.  The Theremin was basically a frequency oscillator capable of emanting tones by the simple interruption and manipulation of airwaves (resistance) over 2 antennae.   It really wasn't until the late 40's that it was used in the practice of making music which is what Hoffman and Harry Nevel exactly did for Capital Records in 1947.  "Music out of the moon (1947), Perfume Set To Music (1948) and Music For Peace Of Mind (1950)  are the 3 first albums (actually 78's) that used the Theremin along side orchestration played by  Leslie Baxter and Billy May.  The end result is a very trippy and strange yet addictive musical journey into the dark abyss of Leon Theremin. 

Kraftwerk - Computer World (1984)

Kraftwerk - Computer World (1984) - Remastered Kling Klang Remaster

Computer World was IMHO the last great Kraftwerk album and an album that followed me thru my life since the day it was released.   My friend Erik and I were huge Kraftwerk heads in highschool and Computer World was one of the sacred albums.    This remastered version kicks the pants out of the original CD and vinyl release and sounds ever fresher than the day i first heard this album.  All of the Kraftwerk remasters are to die for and absolutely essential.    Computer World was also a hugely influential album and is oft cited as THE album for fans of electonica.....even Coldplay borrowed it on "Talk" !   Everything seemed to click on this album for Kraftwerk ...just one of those albums that captured the band at the right moment. Absolutely essential album

Another Green World - Brian Eno (1975)

Brian Eno - Another Green World, Astralwerks Records (DSD - Original Masters)

  Another Green World was Brian Eno's 3rd solo album released and was for at the time (1975) a radical departure from the Glam Rock of Roxy Music (where he recorded 2 brilliant albums) and hot off the coat tails of his minimalistic adventure of No Pussyfooting with Robert Fripp recorded this album.   Many cite (in error) this album as the forefather of Ambient music, but instead I might suggest perhaps the Grandfather as there were a number of great albums before this one that explored electronic minimlaism  (ie Klaus Schulze, Kraftwerk...).  But having said that this album certainly stands alone as one of the true early ambient masterpieces of its ilk and an album that you will never forget.  
    Musically this album blends electronic atmospheres with some lovely melodies and even a few pop-ish tunes.  Some songs are instrumental and some have vocals which will surprise you as to how good a voice Eno had !   Brian is joined by Phil Collins on the drums and Robert Fripp on the guitar while Eno takes care of most of the electronics and full use of the studio.   This album has been previously released multiple times on CD but clearly it is the Astralwerks DSD version that has really brought out the album the way it was meant to be heard in loveingly 96 Kbts.  A Vastly improved sound quality on an absoluetly essential album.

Kraftwerk - Radio Activity (1975)

Kraftwerk - Radio-Activity, Germany (1975) Remastered 

  On 1975's Radio-Activity, German electronic pioneers set the sails back to their earlier work being one defined of e-moody music.  Their careful use of static, oscillators, and electonic beeps, chirps, blips and dips creates a wall of music that emotes a strong sense of radio transmission.
  Radio- Activity is not often cited as Kraftwerks finest album but IMHO it is a stong as the other, just carries a less immediate catch yet carries strong reward for those patient enough to listen !

NIghtmares On Wax - Mind Elevation (2002)

Nightmares On Wax - Mind Elevation (2002), Warp Records

  Nightmares On Wax (NOW) are the duo of George Evelyn and Robin Taylor-Firth and would be best known fo their house-techno fusion work from the late 90's.  Mind Elevation was the fifth album by this band and my favourite of the lot........Great bass and drum riff's and a huge wall of electronica without sounding overtly electronic.   Fans of Stereolab will love this stuff....a guess less Krautrock'ie and more soulful sounding though.   I love the hypnotic beats and wide range of tunes on this gem of an album.   I played this album last night as we sat around the pool enjoying a cocktail or two.....it really worked !  

Karl Bartos - Communicaton (2003)

Karl Bartos - Communicaton (2003), Sony/Columbia

  You might be asking ..."who the heck is Karl Bartos" ?  well for those who dont know the names of the robots behind KRAFTWERK he was one of the guys in the band....and a pretty key one at that!  Communication is simply a killer electronic album very much carrying the DNA traits of mothership KRAFTWERk while offering a modern e-twist throughout the album.    I was really taken back by just how good this album is and never expected this !   
   Communication flows and beeps and even at times has samples just like you 'd hear on the classic KRAFTWERK albums without getting too retro....I would say it is tastefully done.   The songs are just great and my kids love "15 mins of fame" asking me to play it over and over again and they dance around my music room.   Oh yes one more thing...this is all wrapped around a pretty modern dance beat.....kind of like a mix of William Orbit meets KRAFTWERK.   A great album for those who love electronic progressive rock !  

William Orbit - Pieces in a Modern Style 2 (2010)

William Orbit - Pieces in a Modern Style 2 (2010)

  Hard to believe but it was 10 years ago that music producer William Orbit put out the first "Pieces in Modern Style" album which remains today one of my favourite electornica albums.   For those who are skeptical let me assure you that this is not a dance album, it's more of a chill out album.  Imagine classical music (aka A Clockwork Orange) put to electonic filters not unlike Wendy Carlos.

  I am a huge Gabriel Faure fan and Orbit selected 2 of his classic numbers to re-interpret "Paradisium" and "Pavane".....

This is music that is just waiting for you to discover..... 

Imogen Heap - Speak For Yourself (2005)

Imogen Heap - Speak For Yourself , Megaphonic Records  (2005)
 
  And while I am on the electronic kick I should mention another album that I really gravitated towards and keep coming back to is England's art-electonic singer/songwriter named Imogen Heap.  I actually had to import this CD back in 2005 when released and did so based only on one track "Just for now" and a song from Frou Frou (her previous band) "Let Go" that appeared in one of my favourite movies Garden State which I heard and fell in love with. 
   "Speak For Yourself" is a great album from start to finish and even has a guest appearance by friend Jeff Beck.  And of course there is the highly inspirational song "Hide and Seek" which now has over like 100 Youtube interpretations.....wow talk about a huge success......If you dont have this album then it would make a perfect gift anytime to yourself...........

Human League - Dare (1981)

The Human League - A&M Records (1981)

   UUUUgh..........You're kidding right ?    Nope !   I have always been a fan of this 80's rigid and cold electronic album...yes that same album that brought you that massive dance hit  "Dont You Want Me" .  Fan or not, there is little room to really argue that DARE was one of the most influential electronic pop albums of all time and in many ways The Human League were one of the more innovative bands of the 80's....an era that produced a lot of garbage music but also some get gems....one of which is in review.   Outside of "Dont You Want me" is where this album really shines and is actually filled with lots of emotion, electronic warmth and lots of post-punk rock influences.  100% art rock of a different form.           

Harmonia - Musik von Harmonia (1974)

Harmonia - Musik von Harmonia , Brain Records (1974)

  Harmonia were the electronic genius combo of Michael Rother (Neu!), Dieter Moebius (Cluster) and Hans-Joachim Roedelius (Cluster) and this debut album is an absolute masterpiece!  A tad minimalistic...a tad spacial...a tad beeps and blips.....a tad hypnotic....but way more than a tad amazing!  Fans of Neu! and Kraftwerk and Cluster will likely love this album.  10000% electronic Krautrock at its finest.

Kraftwerk - Trans Europe Express (1977)

Kraftwerk - Trans Europe Express, Capitol Records (1977)

  My friend Erik and I used to sit in my room and watch this little red light on my stereo blink as we listened to the electronic space music of Kraftwerk and actually termed this "doing one in".  Years and years later guess what I still like to "Do one in"...what ever the heck this meant....but the music of Kraftwerk still lives on in my life and the 2009 Remastered version by Astralwerks is just amazing.

Virgil Fox - Heavy Organ - Live at Winterland San Francisco (1971)

Virgil Fox - Bach Live At Winterland (1971)

  Imagine a huge concert hall filled with hippies all tuning in to the live organ vibes of Bach skillfully played and narrated by my all time fav organist Virgil Fox.  The back of the vinyl album is worth noting with it's oil blobbed Pablo Light Show that apparently illuminated the walls while Virgil played.   I own 2 vinyl copies and the remastered CD version of this great live album and would recommend this album to everyone...yes even you !  Sinfonia (Cantana No. 29) is for me the highlight of this album which soars to the heavens and i think goes someone that we will never know........at least not yet !   Played on a good stereo the bass pedal work will hit you right in the gut and you will never forget this gem !    

William Orbit - Hello Waveforms (2006)

William Orbit - Hello Waveforms, Sanctuary Records (2006)

    Ambient pioneer, studio master, and dance remixer William Orbit caught my ears back in 2000 with "Pieces in a modern style" album that has had a constant spin on my CD player for the past 11 years.  Orbit took a six-year hiatus from releasing albums and I was thrilled to hear this album when it came out.  

   Orbit's signature sound is all over this album with it's progressive house-ambient-ethereal  atmospheric style.   Opening this album is chilled-out electronic soundscape "Sea Green" which warmly starts things off and begins our journey into Orbit's new world . I can't listen to this album without thinking of my early days of loving German pioneers Kraftwerk and their great early albums.

William Orbit - Pieces In Modern Style (2000)

William Orbit - Pieces In Modern Style, Maverick Records, 2000

   I first heard this CD in a great record store in Montreal and when Xerxes came over the speakers I was totally captivated and immediately had to own this album.   11 wonderful classical pieces totally created in a post modern synthetic synthesized way !  everything that the kids and pundits will hate........and yet for me WAY off the charts !    Not everything has to be loud and booming......put this album on your stereo, make a cup of tea , relax , get comfy and close your eyes and LISTEN !   One of my favourite electronic albums !