Nothing beats teaming up with friends to explore music gear. The 80s was an especially prolific era for such duos, including Erasure and Pet Shop Boys who set an excellent example.
French production duo French Touch have long been recognized for their trademark “French Touch,” with their debut album Homework reaching the UK Top 10. Soon thereafter, singles like Da Funk brought them international renown as well as albums like Random Access Memories featuring collaborations with Pharrell Williams and Nile Rodgers.
Daft Punk
Daft Punk have left an enormous mark on dance music culture with their 28 years of impactful dance music performances. Daft Punk are widely credited with helping EDM become mainstream, and their influence can be seen in artists like James Murphy and Kanye West’s work. Over this period of time they operated in relative anonymity; rarely making public appearances but always hiding behind robot masks when making an appearance; their innovative sounds, avant-garde visual style, and unique presentation set them apart from other acts in dance music culture.
After their indie rock band Darlin’ dissolved, Daft Punk formed in 1993 and released their debut album Homework to rave reviews in 1997. They followed this up with 2001’s Discovery and have not looked back ever since – quickly becoming global stars within a whole new genre and one of the first acts to use video as part of their marketing strategy. At that point, Daft Punk rarely appeared public without their trademark helmets and suits, becoming iconic images tied closely with both music and appearances alike.
Their groundbreaking musical experiments earned them the moniker as pioneers of what would come to be known as the French touch – an approach adopted by numerous dance producers today. Their ability to combine elements from various genres seamlessly was unsurpassed at that time – not just with disco-inspired tracks but also audacious sample flips from obscure ’70s rock and funk records found within their albums.
Discovery received mixed critical acclaim upon its release in 2001; however, its follow up, 2005’s Human After All, received universal acclaim and earned them their first Grammy for Record of the Year in 2007. Human After All featured hit singles such as “Get Lucky” which held onto its number one position for an entire year before becoming 2014’s most beloved song.
Daft Punk returned with their fifth studio album Random Access Memories in late 2013. This marked a departure from their usual electro-funk formula; instead embracing dystopia with their single “The Prime Time of Your Life,” featuring actor Tony Gardner (known for appearing in movies like Army of Darkness and Seed of Chucky) dressed as a full cyborg.
Boards of Canada
Michael Sandison and Marcus Eoin of Scotland have established themselves as two of the most innovative ambient artists of today, known for their cryptic album art and emotive musical compositions. But it’s their reclusive nature which has drawn so much adoration: rarely engaging with media or performing publicly. Reluctant performers, they rarely tour, rarely release official music videos (though fans tend to take care of this) and their albums often come out in limited edition on Warp Records.
At an early age, these brothers began creating music, experimenting with recording techniques and fusing classical and psychedelic elements into their compositions. Their group was eventually named Boards of Canada to pay homage to National Film Board documentaries which inspired them. Their musical style has since had an influence over ambient, downtempo, and IDM genres.
Boards of Canada provided an artistic statement in a world dominated by electronic music that had grown increasingly complex and frenetic: they took an artistic stand for simplicity by crafting melancholic and contemplative soundscapes heavily inspired by vintage VHS recordings they heard as children. Over time, their sound has become part of pop culture across various mediums from CSI and Adult Swim television shows to the transitional sounds used on BBC Top Gear radio programmes.
Hi Scores was their debut six-song EP release and quickly solidified them as innovators of electronic music. “Turquoise Hexagon Sun,” their album’s lead track from Hi Scores, serves as an exemplary demonstration of their ability to craft tranquil chill-out music with unsettling undertones of menace; featuring twinkling music-box intro, slow quasi-funky beats and faint party chatter it conveys both loss and hope simultaneously.
Music Has the Right to Children (1998 full-length record) is widely considered one of the greatest works of contemporary electronic music. The release marked a change for the duo who previously were known for using 8mm film as part of live performances; tomorrow’s Harvest (2013) marked a new era for them both.
Mayd Hubb
Mayd Hubb creates music that blends organic and futuristic sounds by fusing acoustic instruments with electronic music. His compositions draw influence from various genres such as jazz and world music, making his pieces emotionally moving yet haunting in tone.
Enter The Loop was released in 2017 as his debut work and contains twelve original tracks with lyrics that explore love and loss as well as our relationship to nature. It received positive reviews both from fans and critics alike.
He has collaborated with a range of artists, such as Joe Pilgrim. Additionally, he has performed at events ranging from festivals to sound systems; his musical inspiration coming from genres including drum’n’bass and electro dub. Furthermore, he holds great appreciation for their music as fans.
Hubb has long been an active participant of the alternative music scene, and his musical versatility can be found throughout his work. Linga Yony and The blue train offer glimpses into his travels both real and imaginary.
Mayd Hubb’s music has an eye-catching aesthetic; their videos are visually captivating, with a focus on human experience – often showing grief and love playing out against an undeniable bond between same-sex protagonists.
For fans of electronic music, don’t miss Mayd Hubb’s music on Spotify! Here, you can stream their latest tracks as well as popular hits and trending tracks – plus download their songs for free!
The Blaze
After releasing their debut album, The Blaze set off on an international tour of festivals and sold-out venues to showcase its live perspective – an exploration of how music and images communicate through performance. They excel at invoking emotion from audiences by injecting an electric charge into each show while drawing an energetic crowd together for emotional response – an ability they owe much of their success to. Renowned for its eclectic sound which blends electronica with indie.
Virile, The Blaze’s debut video, was shot for $100 using friends wearing tracksuits who danced and embraced one another in an apartment overlooking Brussels. The resultant video features intimate scenes reminiscent of directors Ken Loach, the Dardenne brothers, Sebastiao Salgado’s photography as well as Ken Loach himself; an ode to friendship as well as strong yet gentle masculinity, more addictive than toxic.
Glenn Beck launched The Blaze Media with great fanfare in 2011, billing it as a conservative news and entertainment network catering to everyday Americans. It features commentators such as Stu Burguiere, Steven Crowder, Michelle Malkin, Matt Kibbe and Phil Robertson of Duck Dynasty among its ranks; these figures have drawn criticism both liberals and right-wingers alike; in addition Gavin McInnes from Vice who co-founded Proud Boys movement as well as conspiracy theories promoted.
The Blaze has expanded beyond traditional cable to become an online platform and podcast network, featuring interviews with high-profile politicians and celebrities as well as commentary on topical issues. Available across Dish Network, Sling TV, Roku and other platforms; its parent company has acquired other media outlets like New York Daily News and Townhall.