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February 2007 = Electronica Awareness Month

February is Electronica Month for our Underground Knowledge series, so I put in a lot of time and effort getting together a proper playlist that best represents the progression of this nebulous and broad genre known simply as Electronica. When I hear the term “Electronica” I immediately have an adverse reaction, and can’t help but associate the term with MTV’s short-lived Amp show. Also lumped into that association are groups like Chemical Brothers, Sneaker Pimps, Prodigy, Underworld, The Crystal Method and Fatboy Slim. Ironically, they all had become the first sort of “superstar” electronic acts being pimped by major record labels. And the term “Electronica” is what the labels and retail music outlets used in order to (attempt to) market these acts. I don’t have anything against any of those artists individually, but I do have a problem with major labels, Tower Records and MTV latching on to something that I spent many years following as an underground phenomenon – in an attempt to make a few bucks. Now that I’m older and wiser, I can tentatively ignore all the media hype and bullshit I associate with the term – however difficult it may be.

Now that I’ve gotten that out of my system, I can get to task on the Realness. The real Electronica for me has always started with my exposure to 808 State’s Ex:EL album in 1990. Then it was Warp Records’ Artificial Intelligence series of releases back in the early 90s that sealed the deal. I worked my way into the early Detroit techno and Acid House stuff later on in life, and that’s what I tried to concentrate on when compiling this month’s playlists.

Week 1 of this month’s series was entirely dedicated to Kraftwerk, as I feel they put in motion what was to become all things Electronica. For week 2 of the series, I followed up chronic-logically with individual artists/tracks that best represent the Electronica Realness. So naturally, ‘Planet Rock’ is at the top of Week 2 – followed by Juan Atkins aka Cybotron’s ‘Clear‘ and then into some of the most important techno/acid house classics that defined the genre. Oldschool heads should appreciate and recognize alot of the tracks in this mix, while newschoolers can get a free education in the 88 Music School of Rave. Class is now in session….

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PMX vs. 88 Music weekly
Underground Knowledge Special
Month = Electronica (Feb 2007)
Week = 2
Mix = 112:02 @ 160k mp3

 

 Underground Knowledge - Electronica week 2 mix: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tracklist::::
1. Afrika Bambaataa & The Soulsonic Force – Planet Rock (2:52) [Tommy Boy 1983]
2. Cybotron – Clear (4:47) [Fantasy 1983]
3. Master C & J – Dub Love (6:56) [Trax 1986]
4. Mr. Fingers – Can You Feel It (5:54) [Trax 1986]
5. Nitro Deluxe – Let’s Get Brutal (7:10) [Cutting Records 1986]
6. Adonis – No Way Back (Vocal) (4:57) [Trax 1986]
7. Rhythim is Rhythim – Strings Of Life (6:03) [Transmat 1987]
8. Model 500 – Off To Battle (6:23) [Metroplex 1987]
9. Reese And Santonio – The Sound (Smoothe Mix) (6:46) [KMS 1987]
10. Rhythim Is Rhythim – Nude Photo (5:41) [Transmat 1987]
11. Steve Poindexter – Computer Madness (4:14) [Muzique 1989]
12. Phuture – Acid Trax (12:14) [Trax 1987]
13. Da Posse – It’s My Life (Aluh Mix) (4:44) [Future 1988]
14. 808 State – Let Yourself Go (303 Mix) (6:01) [Creed 1988]
15. A Guy Called Gerald – Voodoo Ray (4:24) [Warlock 1988]
16. Forgemasters – Track With No Name (5:09) [Warp 1989]
17. Nightmares On Wax – Dextrous (4:05) [Warp 1989]
18. Unique 3 – The Theme (Original Chill Mix) (7:30) [Ten Records 1989]
19. Virgo Four – In A Vision (4:45) [Trax 1989]
20. Sweet Exorcist – Testone (7:13) [Warp 1990]

* This special set was mixed by Steve PMX/DJ Eternal on his PC at work using Adobe Audition multitrack (sorry, boss!)

K-Rai, Baltimore

This dude’s music puts warehouse grime under my fingernails. It’s that authentic. Now it’s review time!

K-Rai 4-track Demo -

1. ugnh
2. redline
3. vortex
4. gabhappy

Ugnh:
This track starts with an oldskool breakbeat feel; wobbly bass, snares (or flares?) popping back and forth in the stereo field, discordant rave stabs through heavy reverb. Mr. K-Rai goes to work on time/pitch-shifting certain elements of the break, and changes up the programming through the first breakdown. Enter Rising High-style synth pads and more reverberated bizness, leading into some 4/4 percussion with gated pads – perfect for a sunrise session on the beach somewhere. K Rai introduces more rave synths, chops up the break some more and rolls out some sneaky amens! On it’s way out, the tune continues to evolve as K-Rai further deconstructs the breaks, building them back up into different animals completely. Rufff!

Redline:
Starts out with a 303 bassline sequence, introducing some classic 4/4 warehouse acid techno. A nice shout to the original analog machines that helped create techno. This one’s a bit on the dark side and could maybe even pass for Industrial if the tempo were just a bit slower :8

Vortex:
Reminiscent of early Autechre, but with a heavy emphasis on breakbeat abstraction. This one might be my favorite of all the tracks. There’s some very moody atmsopherics swirling around for texture, with schizo little vocal stabs – definitely creates an atmosphere of vertigo (hence the title); the sound of tunnelvision. With the sick video game sequence with strange growling vocoder thing towards the end, breaking down for a final time to just the bleeps and atmospheric pads – this tune absolutely does it for me.

Gabhappy:
Think Squarepusher meets Boards of Canada. I love that this stuff is coming outta Baltimore. It’s great to see somebody’s making moves to put that lawless, pirate attitude back into the beats.

Check out K-Rai’s tunes and profile at his mysp*ce page: http://www.myspace.com/djkrai

K-Rai Biography (from www.myspace.com/djkrai):

K-Rai started creating music with a computer in 1995 using digital audio sequencing software called a “tracker” in a DOS based environment. Much early material was produced and recorded. Soon thereafter K-rai co-creates a band project started out of High School called Negative Charge – An Industrial/Goth/Cyberpunk mayhem of noise and sonic experiements. More material produced and recorded with the first live outings happening through this. After years of this project a burgeoning need arose to do more solo work more akin to early roots in the rave scene. Soon (DJ) K-Rai gigs were happening on the regular with yet more new material – with over 90% of the music being self-produced with the rare occasion of just spinning favorite tunes. This lent itself very well to doing a more varied type of live performance, being incorporated into fashion shows, art gallery openings, open mics, live VJs, and the like.

This is the final installation of our James Brown ‘Superbad’ tribute mix series. This mix showcases some of the awesome work James did in the field of soundtrack composition, including classic selections from Black Caesar and Slaughter’s Big Rip Off. Enjoy.

tracklist:
1. James Brown – Down And Out In New York City (4:46)
2. James Brown – Sportin’ Life (3:52)
3. James Brown – The Boss (3:17)
4. James Brown – Make It Good To Yourself (3:21)
5. James Brown – Mama’s Dead (4:48)
6. James Brown – White Lightning (I Mean Moonshine) (2:42)
7. James Brown – Chase (2:40)
8. JAMES BROWN – Tryin’ To Get Over (2:28)
9. JAMES BROWN – Slaughter Theme (4:01)
10. JAMES BROWN – Transmograpfication (2:00)
11. JAMES BROWN – Happy For The Poor (2:45)
12. JAMES BROWN – To My Brother (2:12)
13. JAMES BROWN – People Get Up And Drive Your Funky Soul (3:43)
14. James Brown – Coldblooded (Undubbed Version)(*) (5:06)
15. James Brown – Don’t Tell It (*) (8:27)
16. James Brown – Escape-Ism (4:05)
17. James Brown – I Feel Good (3:05)
18. James Brown – Mind Power (Alternate)(*) (4:06)
19. James Brown – Make It Good To Yourself (Interlude)(*) (2:19)
20. James Brown – Turn On The Heat And Build Some Fire (6:08)

mp3 d/load: http://www.eightyeightdc.com/download/Superbad_3.mp3