Sidebar: Classic EDM Works
The Future Sound of London: Lifeforms (Virgin/ Astralwerks, 1994)
FSOL's postapocalyptic theme was reflected in Lifeforms' video, which starred a blank-faced "witch girl," ambient horror tones, and flowing-yet-glitchy beats.
Everything but the Girl, Todd Terry: Amplified Heart (Atlantic, 1994)
An established blue-eyed soul duo, EBTG made techno a household name with Todd Terry's beat-heavy remix of their torch song, "Missing."
Portishead: Dummy (Go! Beat Records, 1994)
Beth Gibbons's fragile vocals clung to Geoff Barrow's retro-beat production like Billie Holiday singing death songs from a virtual prison cell.
Laika: Silver Apples of the Moon (Too Pure, 1994)
Dropping surreal samples over a galloping rhythm, spongy synth effects, and disembodied vocals, opening track "Sugar Daddy" was simultaneously comforting and dreadful.
The Chemical Brothers: Exit Planet Dust (Astralwerks, 1995)
"Big beat" masters Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons made anthems for dance floors and headphone bangers. They still do.
Squarepusher: Feed Me Weird Things (Rephlex Records, 1996)
Tom Jenkinson allied his magnificent Fender Jazz bass to frenetic drum and bass programming in songs of beauty ("Theme"), alienation ("Tundra"), and sci-fi mystery ("Theme from Ernest Borgnine").
Boards of Canada: Music Has the Right to Children (Warp, 1998)
Sample-based, torpid music as eerie and unsettling as the album's title and cover art.
Massive Attack: Mezzanine (Virgin, 1998)
Heavy dub, sinister samples, whispered vocals, and hypnotic tones = epic alienation, paranoia, and dread.
FSOL's postapocalyptic theme was reflected in Lifeforms' video, which starred a blank-faced "witch girl," ambient horror tones, and flowing-yet-glitchy beats.
Everything but the Girl, Todd Terry: Amplified Heart (Atlantic, 1994)An established blue-eyed soul duo, EBTG made techno a household name with Todd Terry's beat-heavy remix of their torch song, "Missing."
Portishead: Dummy (Go! Beat Records, 1994)Beth Gibbons's fragile vocals clung to Geoff Barrow's retro-beat production like Billie Holiday singing death songs from a virtual prison cell.
Laika: Silver Apples of the Moon (Too Pure, 1994)Dropping surreal samples over a galloping rhythm, spongy synth effects, and disembodied vocals, opening track "Sugar Daddy" was simultaneously comforting and dreadful.
The Chemical Brothers: Exit Planet Dust (Astralwerks, 1995)"Big beat" masters Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons made anthems for dance floors and headphone bangers. They still do.
Squarepusher: Feed Me Weird Things (Rephlex Records, 1996)Tom Jenkinson allied his magnificent Fender Jazz bass to frenetic drum and bass programming in songs of beauty ("Theme"), alienation ("Tundra"), and sci-fi mystery ("Theme from Ernest Borgnine").
Boards of Canada: Music Has the Right to Children (Warp, 1998)Sample-based, torpid music as eerie and unsettling as the album's title and cover art.
Massive Attack: Mezzanine (Virgin, 1998)Heavy dub, sinister samples, whispered vocals, and hypnotic tones = epic alienation, paranoia, and dread.
