Come on!

Orbital 30-Something CD1 From the very 1st sound I am immediately taken back in time; with a twist. Its historical rave moments followed by fitting Orbital sounds then the modernization synth stabs drop in the background. Hooked by the melodic sound only Orbital can deliver. Then words drop and fit! Paul's history at the Kent rave! The stereo that just wasn't as accurate 30 years ago. That's Smiley , track 1! The time machine brings us up to date at the start of track 2 - Acid House - new but old. Just as you get used to the techno bass drum, incomes a vocal noise, another layer is added, then another, then relatively quiet and a male voice repeats, then more electronic sounds. Punchy electronic house techno (mildly poppy) jazz? (Chorus only!) Bye bye I'm off on a journey! Eyes shut! Then stop! Where is it going? Stephen Hawking (SH) reels you into a visualised story of, for me, a Galactic tunnel . Then we get tempo and sounds! Energised! Then SH again. This (album) ...

Diverse electronica This is a self-titled genre by me! Not unique granted, but as is it random, varied, different, weird… I know I love it! Beeps and bops? A branch of Techno. (I don’t like the description IDM. (Intelligent Dance Music)) Yes please. It is not all ‘good’ I know that but then what genres are there that ALL respective music is good? Exactly. As I have said in a previous   music blog, I first discovered these sounds at University, circa 1996. I knew there and then I liked it a lot. A great deal in fact, and still do to this day. What is this genre? Here are some examples of what and who I listen to: •           Autechre •           Boards of Canada •           Aphex Twin •           μ -ziq •           Clark •  ...

Music - Back Home So! After the last few classical blogs, time to pick-up with my music story. I left you at the end of GlasgowUniversity , a very very big part of my music education . Isn’t that the time of your life (age, not solely Uni but it can be and is for many) that plays a HUGE part to lay some foundations? As I’ve said, it did for me! After a hard (and great!) 4 years studying (9-5, 5 days a week + homework by the way) it was time for home as I didn’t have a job lined up. Regretfully? Maybe, but that’s old hindsight now. I was only not-working for a matter of days before I got some employment, and with friends who also love music, that element was kept alive and healthy! Sharing new tastes etc. kept everyone happy. Not many are fans of my diverse electronica though! (However, modern electronic music does seem to incorporate it a great deal. I win!) Quite some time ago now, but I do recall seeing Orbital for the first time at Creamfields in Liverpool 2001 an...

Music -  Glasgow When I got to Glasgow directly after A-Level success, I was still listening, then (ahem!) to happy hardcore among others. Small progress from hardcore hardcore? History! I was 18 at that time. Moving swiftly on! I met a friend - Dom - who has a wide musical  taste  stemming from heavy bloody metal that was and isn't really my thing (I tried Iron Maiden live in concert and lasted 3 songs before bar beckoned!), apart from a couple but not as a genre. But here's the but. He introduced me to an electronic sounding group named  Autechre . This was a new type of music that  I call ‘ diverse electronica ’. Fell in musical love straight away with Autechre and also a group (now  sadly disbanded) called  Orbital  (see below!) , who I have to date now seen 5 times! (and I own their CD catalogue) With that taste clearly set and having a passing look in FOPP one day, I had to ask about what was being played, and as a ...