Electronic music and layers of sound

Cafe Society
21

I listen to a lot of IDM - it stands for Intelligent Dance Music. I like it because it sounds to me like the sort of music an advanced AI might make for shits and giggles. And it always seems to progress within each song, not often looping in circles like a lot of electronica.

Aphex Twin is probably the most well-known IDM artist (the bands themselves don’t like the term IDM but that’s the only term that seems to tie them together).

Some of the best bands to check out are Boards of Canada, Plaid, Aphex Twin, Black Dog and Plone. I used to write music like this, it’s a lot of fun.

If you want to hear interesting layered electronic music listen to the following bits of music:

Boards of Canada - “Telephasic Workshop” from the incredible album ‘Music Has the Right To Children’ which I urge everybody in the world to buy because it’s so good: Telephasic Workshop - YouTube

  • this whole album is wondrous, and has a beautiful laid back tone throughout, despite the complexity on display. Not quite sure how they manage that but they do it.

Squarepusher - “The Modern Bass Guitar”: Squarepusher - The Modern Bass Guitar - YouTube

  • it’s totally insane but in a fantastically wonderful way. I’d be especially interested to hear what people thought about this one. Not many bands are producing stuff like this but it’s a total riot.

From a similar genre but not IDM, do go and discover Orbital if you haven’t already; especially the album Insides. One of the greatest electronic album’s ever made.

22

Paper Highways would definitely be his thing.

Still catching up on the other suggestions.

23

Electronic has become a very fuzzy genre.

Anyway, here’s some trance. Incorporates my favourite tune from 600 years ago. Thomas Tallis - Third Mode Melody (Natlife 5 Late Century Mix)

Warning - the video has a scantily clad chick for some gratuitous reason.

24

A little mellow for him, but yeah, that last little bit of Death Rays is just what he likes.

Those two are just the thing!

I’ll pick out a few and put them on the playlist. A couple of them are going on my Halloween playlist, too (The Talk of Creatures, for sure!)

25

I would check out Sasha & Digweed’s Northern Exposures disks

Also look for compilations by Ministry of Sound, Paul Oakenfold, Tiesto, Armin Van Buuren, Paul Van Dyke and Ferry Corsten.

Can’t go wrong with Moby.

For a bit harder stuff, try Chemical Brothers, Prodigy, The Crystal Method, Fatboy Slim

Downtempo and Trip-hop:
DJ Shadow, Massive Attack, Portishead, Faithless, Gorillaz

For newer stuff (EDM, progressive house, dubstep, whatever the kids call it these days):
Avicii, David Guetta, Deadmau5, Steve Aoki, Swedish House Mafia, Afrojack, Skrillex, Knife Party

26

It may a not fit your criteria but here are 2 playlists of layered electronic music pieces that I have made:

27

Sorry for not updating. I got the playlist made and sent in time for his birthday (which was understandably miserable). Then their wifi went out.

Lots of Digweed on it, as well as a lot of other stuff from this thread. Much of it he hadn’t heard before.

Thanks for the help, everyone. Much appreciated!

28

I’m listening to a lot of this stuff mentioned by me and others tonight on a whim. And holy shit, what a fantastic flashback. Goosebumps, tight jaw, fluttering eyeballs…and I’m only sorta drunk! Thanks all for the trip down memory lane! I got some dark and dirty Steve Lawler from 2002 going right now. Good times. Gooood times.

OP, how’s your buddy doing? Did he like our ideas?