The 90s in Britain saw some of the most groundbreaking electronic music ever heard. Rave culture saw an explosive resurgence, giving rise to numerous genres that rocked illegal warehouses and countryside fields alike.
Underneath this hubbub of activity a unique techno sound emerged that combined haunting sci-fi romanticism in the Motor City tradition with an unusual angular funk sound.
Massive Attack
Massive Attack were one of the key figures to emerge from Bristol’s vibrant artistic scene during its golden era of creativity in the early ’90s, threatening to be one of its last strongholds.
Blue Lines was one of the pioneers of the ‘Bristol Sound’ and had an enormous influence on music of that decade. Their debut Blue Lines captured Bristol’s unique combination of cultures at that time while capitalising on a breakthrough fusion of inspirations such as reggae, dub, trip-hop, lounge and downtempo to produce dance music you didn’t actually have to dance too!
This album is not simply an essential one; it’s an all-out classic in every sense. With its atmospheric darkness, sampled beats and emotive lyrics it resonated deeply with a generation whose optimism was being dented by global politics. Massive Attack’s “Mezzanine” was initially met with indifference until Birmingham’s Anthony “Surgeon” Child started producing modernist techno reminiscent of Berghain club signature sound on this track while betraying his love of experimental groups like Coil.
Massive Attack’s track ‘Eurochild’ featured Shara Nelson as its vocalist, contributing both melodies and lyrics for this track. She had previously performed with Everything But The Girl; on this song her humming has been described as sounding similar to lullabies. Additionally, three Ds and Tricky contributed a slow rap that mirrored its rhythm; this would later be used in their track ‘Safe From Harm’.
This track’s minimal production style gave birth to the electronic genre known as “wonky techno.” Scottish hardware enthusiast Neil Landstrumm became well-known for his offbeat track titles and unconventional approach to production that saw him released on iconic labels like Tresor. An excellent example of Neil Landstrumm’s distinct brand of wonky techno is “Open Fire”, featuring forbidding lyrics reminiscent of intensive care unit beeps with an unnerving beat that mixes rough edged with smooth melodies reminiscent of intensive care unit bleeps over rough edged and rolling beats to great effect.
Underworld
Underworld was one of the biggest names in 90s electronic music with numerous hits and an extensive career that spanned decades. Their signature blend of rock, dance and techno revolutionized their genre and inspired other acts to take more experimental approaches in their work.
Freur was formed by singer/guitarist Karl Hyde and producer Rick Smith as a new wave outfit, initially using their debut single Windowlicker as their debut chart hit and setting them apart with their innovative sound combining syncopated beats, soulful vocals and chopped samples – it quickly became a classic in UK garage music scene.
Underworld recruited young DJ Darren Emerson into their ranks in 1990, adding an innovative sound to their post-punk sensibilities with his unique blend of up-and-coming sound and upbeat DJ music. At around this time, Underworld started exploring bleep and bass subgenre – for example ‘Cowgirl’ featuring synthesized bass with filtered vocals providing an unforgettable club banger!
Underworld have long been revered for their explosive live shows. From ‘Dig Your Own Hole’ with its aggressive beats to dreamy yet visceral display on ‘Further’ – Underworld have never been better in front of an audience!
Underworld are among the foremost big beat artists of their era – alongside Fat Boy Slim, Orbital and The Chemical Brothers. Their live shows remain mesmerising even today – remaining as one of the premier live acts from this generation.
Dem 2
Britain was at the heart of electronic music during the 90s. Its vibrant scenes helped to foster or at least initiate several of the most significant styles ever to appear, from ambient dub and IDM to drum ‘n’ bass and trip hop. While more people enjoyed digesting techno on Saturday night, another kind of British music emerged alongside it: one with haunting sci-fi romanticism mixed with strange angularity that combined beautifully.
In the ’90s, Britpop flourished, and bands such as Oasis, Blur and Pulp used social commentary as their center piece in their sound. But electronic producers like Fat Boy Slim and Prodigy truly stood out during this era with unpretentious techno music suitable for everyone – ideal for dancing along and simply having a good time!
At the same time, underground musicians like Surgeon and Karl ‘Regis’ O’Connor were creating sounds with dark themes and experimental experimentation. Their sound would eventually come to be known as noise or industrial techno, having an immense impact on modern music.
This track from 1993’s Inhabit The Machines album provides a perfect example. Featuring vocals that sing “OPEN FIRE, FIRE AT WILL” over intense care unit bleeps and an aggressive yet subtle breakbeat beat, this music gave way to subgenres such as wonky techno.
Black Dog (Ken Downie, Ed Handley and Andy Turner) capture this same tone on this track from their 1996 EP “Menace”, featuring dark and brooding synths soaring above an expansive bassline and the sounds of an abandoned power plant – giving these guys their reputation as one of the most influential UK acts from this era.
Aphex Twin
British producers in the early 90s developed an original sound, fusing sci-fi romanticism with strange angular funk to produce a genre which bridged club music with home listening fare. This unique sound became one of the cornerstones of influential films and video games during this era – including Underworld’s highly celebrated Dubnobasswithmyheadman.
The Orb, a legendary trio from Bristol, are widely considered one of the earliest innovators in electronic music. Their diverse catalogue spans ambient, dub, trip-hop and IDM genres while maintaining a distinct psychedelic tone that resonated with raver afterparty attendees during this decade.
Their 1995 album Dummy stunned audiences around the globe with its blend of trip-hop, hip-hop scratches and soul samples. Its chilled beats and soaring vocal performances earned them the Mercury Prize, making Dummy one of the most influential British albums of all time.
Orb’s sound was distinct in that its inspiration came from club culture and record shops of their time; often hosting parties at iconic nightclub Club Dog – an institution which hosted artists like John Peel (deceased), who championed progressive and psychedelic rock long before they gained mainstream appreciation.
Warp Records established by The Orb in 1989 was the groundbreaking home for their debut album SAW2. This groundbreaking release showcased their groundbreaking blend of ambient electronica with techno. SAW2 contained mesmeric droning synths, surging synth rushes and syncopated drumbeats that for the first time combined IDM with dance music.
As the 1990s progressed, Warp’s releases became more experimental; featuring various styles that found their way onto British charts such as their 1993 album Pepper which included acoustic guitar and ethereal vocals; while 1996 release Ventolin brought back memories of early trance music coming out of Germany.
Aphex Twin released his award-winning Windowlicker EP in 1999, which marked a dramatic shift away from his earlier works towards more pop-orientated compositions and signified his new direction of exploring music’s boundaries. This release marked an incredible turnaround in Aphex Twin’s music-making style after years of pushing musical boundaries to explore alternative sounds.