Since that first performance in 2001, Umfang has gone on to conquer Berghain and help end New York City’s outdated dance law; Sherelle mesmerised Boiler Room audiences with her minimal footwork; while Mumdance set the bar high with their instrumental take on grime music.
Digital technology has revolutionized music composition. Playlist culture has transformed DJing while expanding time and space.
The xx
In 2009, The xx released their self-titled debut and made waves within music culture. Their album defied stereotypes of what you would expect from an R&B group, instead combining west coast folk and British traditionalism in minimalist production that enabled listeners to fill in any gaps themselves. Their debut made number 16 on charts but this never felt like their end goal; instead they set out to create genre-defying masterpieces which they accomplished.
On November 9, just hours after Donald Trump was elected president, hope lies at the end of a dark dead-end in London’s Kings Cross. xx are practicing their songs in their rehearsal studio upstairs – which looks more like the bar Carrie Bradshaw frequented on “Sex and the City”.
Madley Croft and Sim, two singer-songwriters in their band, sit opposite one another at a large table, clapping and banging rhythmically while they play percussion and keyboards in time with one another while their voices overlap ever so slightly, almost seeming as if they are telling different versions of one story at the same time.
“Intro” by The xx is one of their signature songs and can be found on almost every playlist out there – be it chill, sex or sleep mixes. What makes “Intro” special, however, is its power to move people with its emotive lyrics and minimalist instrumentation – something very few musical acts have managed.
After their debut album was met with critical acclaim, The xx issued their sophomore effort, further exploring the intersections between indie, pop and electronica. Their expertly-crafted collection of dreamy songs that transcended bedroom recording setups was groundbreaking at its time; its influence led Banks, alt-J and James Blake’s careers to take off; also helping pave the way for new generations of minimalist artists.
Blake
Kraftwerk, a German band in the early ’70s, pioneered an electronic dance music (EDM) genre using synthesizers, drum machines and samples – eventually coining this name for their unique brand of electronic dance music (EDM). While EDM has since evolved into many subgenres and styles – and remains at the heart of music culture today; any list of top albums will likely contain some type of EDM release as an integral element.
The 1990s witnessed the rapid ascension of dance music as an entertaining form, with artists like Michael Jackson, Britney Spears and Janet Jackson producing hits that combined elements of electro and house music into hits they released. Trance music emerged out of this genre, which combined melodic vocals and rhythm with intense basslines and sweeping synthesizer textures for maximum impact.
In 2010, EDM gained even greater mainstream appeal due to DJs like Tiesto and Martin Garrix. Furthermore, tropical house and future bass subgenres helped cement EDM as a prominent dance genre.
Not only have many artists brought the genre into the limelight, they have also become advocates for improved mental health among industry workers. Tim Bergling (better known by his stage name Avicii)’s tragic suicide sparked much-needed discussions around this subject matter and made it more common to hear about issues like addiction and depression among club scene patrons.
Grimes, Arca and Oneohtrix Point Never are pushing the limits of electronic music production further than ever. Their experimental sounds encapsulate modern internet culture into mind-bending sounds that are both disquieting and comforting – evidence of its global appeal! This shows that electronic music truly is an artform confined only by imagination.
Pendulum
Pendulum made a substantial impactful statement about electronic music in 2010 and beyond, becoming one of the biggest acts since The Prodigy with their cross-genre drum and bass sound which integrates elements from rock, electro and other genres.
They originally formed in 2002 as a DJ duo with Rob Swire and Gareth McGrillen until Paul Harding came aboard to add guitar elements. Already well known for their dancefloor assaults at such big events as Creamfields, Reading & Leeds and Download; in 2005 they released their highly acclaimed debut album ‘Hold Your Colour’ to great acclaim and huge success.
After their debut album ‘Witchcraft’ in 2008, they released their follow up ‘Immersion’ in 2010, widely considered their masterpiece. This album included the phenomenal ‘The Island’ which garnered official remixes by Steve Angello, AN21 & Max Vangeli & Madeon; it truly rocked the scene! Other hits like Witchcraft, Watercolour and Crush also stood out, yet nothing quite like The Island made such an impactful statement about this talented group’s music!
Over the past decade, we have witnessed an explosion of electronic music genres emerging. Some were already well established elsewhere but never fully adopted by Western audiences; others were created from scratch. Moombahton became a hit after first debuting at a house party in Washington DC in 2010. A nightclub DJ was asked to play moombahton tunes instead of his usual techno tracks at an event, creating an exciting hybrid which combined elements from both genres with powerful beats and an incredible bassline; creating a dance music style loved by many people.
Swedish House Mafia and Tinie Tempah’s groundbreaking dance song ‘Miami 2 Ibiza’ from 2012 became an international success, breaking all rules about how dance songs should be written and made – it has since become an ever-increasing trend! Hip hop meets electronic music has never worked so well together before now.
The Orb
The Orb are one of the most unique bands to emerge from British electronic music. Their early work was both groundbreaking and immensely enjoyable – their work being both experimental and introspective yet immensely enjoyable.
Unfortunately The Orb did not last. But their influence remains and this collection showcases their time on Island Records and provides an excellent introduction to The Orb.
“AHEGPBTRFTCOTU” kickstarts the album and sets the mood with its choir-like vocals and sequencer rhythm, signalling an emerging form of psychedelia in the 90s: one which combined old school elements with cutting edge machinery for a unique sound encapsulating this entire decade – it even made the U.K. top ten!
There’s so much great material here, it’s difficult to pick out highlights. The two-disc standard edition of History of the Future plays like an almost greatest hits album with most tracks drawn from 1998’s U.F. Off. That doesn’t make for an unfair compilation but could benefit from being made more varied; additionally Disc 1 also contains bootlegged track ‘Suck My Kiss’ only available here as a remix and dating back before their mainstream success.
This version of the CD includes a rare bonus track titled ‘Apple Tree (Abacus remix). In contrast to its original form, this remixed version features fruit trees instead of the usual vaporous clouds in its title – making for an impressive song that unfortunately doesn’t get its due from this collection.
Disc 2 offers more variety, featuring some of the band’s remixes including ‘Shem Version’ – an intriguing beat-free piece which proves The Orb can do more than ambient droning. Also noteworthy is ‘Battersea Brunches’; featuring minute long sonic farts combined with voice samples taken from travel congestion reports which sound entirely alien.
Orbus Terrarum was a concept album in which the band returned to Earth using natural samples as a way of exploring and experimenting. The dense rhythms on Orbus Terrarum marked a departure from Ultraworld and U.F. Orb’s cosmic soundscape, and signaled their intention of moving away from dance genre tracks they’d experiment with later albums.