late 90s tech-step

mixed_biscuits

mixed_biscuits

_________________________
tryptych said:
Whats this all about then? Artists/labels?
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Here are pages of sound clips:

http://www.blademcgivern.com/enormousmouse1/other.htm
http://www.nu-urbanmusic.co.uk/shop/all_nurave.php

The stuff I like are darkside-style bits, slightly more cultured stuff on nu basement or tunes from Panacea or Luna-C that use more recent compositional tropes and OTT humour to good effect.

If you browse the Kniteforce website, you will see that Luna-C is a bit of a character: http://www.kniteforce.co.uk
There are also interesting tidbits on the industry's workings there.

http://www.nu-rave.com/

I must say I don't like the term 'nu rave' but I guess it could serve thankfully to scupper any future moves towards musical 'respectability'.
 
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L

Logos

Ghosts of my life
There's quite a big difference between the no u-turn sound and the later 98-2000 stuff from the likes of Konflict, Bad Co. etc...I think they are very different beasts.

The best stuff from 97, pre-Wormhole, like Mad Different Methods had this very abstract, angular flow and a really dangerous poise/attitude. Wormhole was an excellent album, still is, but it sent everyone off down this linear, streamlined path in terms of the groove...and a few months later you get the Nine from Bad Co and the legions of clones that ruined the sound to a large degree at that time.
 
M

mms

sometimes
is it ok to say that the early ram records were fantastic and also that bad company did some good uns too on occasions.

that boymerang remix of technology, wormhole, torque etc are all class.

i thought the last panacea album he did with limewax, - empire was really great too.

that record on no u turn where the dolphin noises are slowed down is pretty amazing too, so fucking grim.
 
Alfons

Alfons

Way of the future
Logos said:
There's quite a big difference between the no u-turn sound and the later 98-2000 stuff from the likes of Konflict, Bad Co. etc...I think they are very different beasts.

The best stuff from 97, pre-Wormhole, like Mad Different Methods had this very abstract, angular flow and a really dangerous poise/attitude. Wormhole was an excellent album, still is, but it sent everyone off down this linear, streamlined path in terms of the groove...and a few months later you get the Nine from Bad Co and the legions of clones that ruined the sound to a large degree at that time.
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I agree with this, there is a difference between techstep and what has been called neurofunk (don't like the name, but I guess it describes what's going on, think it comes from reynolds?) Ed Rush and Optical really changed the whole direction of the music with the early virus releases and the wormhole lp. Pretty soon the scene was filled with copycats and then Bad Company came along, the funk and groove got lost and harder than thou macho attitude with plenty of midrange action took over.

not a big techstep head myself (got into dnb through wormhole mainly) but would recommend all the no u turn stuff and saigon the sublabel, a lot of technical itch and dom & roland on moving shadow from around 95-97, some of the emotif/sour stuff from that time and the early renegade hardware stuff (right up to and perhaps including the quantum mechanics compilation)

as for neurofunk the first two ed rush and optical lps, wormhole and creeps, and pretty much everything they did together up until that point. The first matrix lp, Sleepwalk, is awesome, one of my favourite dnb lp's and there is alot of good stuff on his label Metro. the Clockwork lp by Stakka and Skynet, and maybe the early bad company stuff and the armageddon compilation on renegade hardware.
 
L

Logos

Ghosts of my life
I'd seriously recommend all of Optical's pre-Wormhole solo stuff, especially on prototype. To Shape the Future, Moving 808s etc...all so so good.

To me this was the high water mark...platinum breakz 1&2, the early headz releases, prototype, goldie. Superior to all that 95 amen, foul play, omni trio stuff even.
 
D

droid

Guest
Logos said:
To me this was the high water mark...platinum breakz 1&2, the early headz releases, prototype, goldie. Superior to all that 95 amen, foul play, omni trio stuff even.
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BLASPHEMY!!!!!!!!

;)
 
P

Pestario

tell your friends
Crazy education going on here :) Thanks all.

hucks said:
I love this site
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Thanks, for posting that link - that's just what I was hoping someone would do. Great site as well.

Alfons said:
I agree with this, there is a difference between techstep and what has been called neurofunk (don't like the name, but I guess it describes what's going on, think it comes from reynolds?) Ed Rush and Optical really changed the whole direction of the music with the early virus releases and the wormhole lp. Pretty soon the scene was filled with copycats and then Bad Company came along, the funk and groove got lost and harder than thou macho attitude with plenty of midrange action took over.

not a big techstep head myself (got into dnb through wormhole mainly) but would recommend all the no u turn stuff and saigon the sublabel, a lot of technical itch and dom & roland on moving shadow from around 95-97, some of the emotif/sour stuff from that time and the early renegade hardware stuff (right up to and perhaps including the quantum mechanics compilation)

as for neurofunk the first two ed rush and optical lps, wormhole and creeps, and pretty much everything they did together up until that point. The first matrix lp, Sleepwalk, is awesome, one of my favourite dnb lp's and there is alot of good stuff on his label Metro. the Clockwork lp by Stakka and Skynet, and maybe the early bad company stuff and the armageddon compilation on renegade hardware.
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After listening to a few artists and that mix hucks posted I think I see this distinction more clearly now. Things really became much more upfront (to the detriment of the minimal sound) after 99 and went down hill into that dark age around 2000-2001 where everything was boring (generalisation).
 
L

lissajou

Well-known member
I've Seen Thing You People Wouldn't Believe

I'm mildly embarrassed to admit this, but there's a strain of mid 90s
techstep which I LOVE 2 THE MAX 4 EVER!!!

More melancholic than angry, and almost never heard in public,
these little-adored pieces of spacy, oom-CHAK sad sounded every
bit the way you might imagine Derrick May's old stuff might,
had you only read his interviews and never actually listened
to an EP.

An ex of mine called it gothstep.

She also believed ghost children followed her everyplace and
had a fear of kittens.

Here are several good songs:

DJ Krust-True Stories
Matrix vs. Dilemma-Springbox remix
Fortran-The End pts. 1 and 2
Dom and Roland-Elektra
Makai-Behind the Mask
Optical-Raging Calm
Paradox - All You 2 Step Bastards Leave Our Planet
4 Hero - We Who Are Not As Others (Solar Circle RMX)
Arcon 2 - Zorak
Cybernet vs. Genetix - Cyborg One / Program Two

While I don't DJ much at all any longer, I'm still constantly on the lookout
for unheard tunes along these lines, and not long ago purchased a new pair of
turntables, just so I can mix the stuff on occasions when sensations akin
to those expressed Roy Batty's Blade Runner soliloquy overwhelm me and shit.

Which is to say, OFTEN.

If you're at all interested, you can hear a old ass live PA of mine,
consisting of similar material, here:

http://www.mediafire.com/?fkm2tgyxcik
 
D

DJ PIMP

Well-known member
Nice one Lissajou... Exocet - Demon Seed is a classic in that vein.

The Nico remix of Bill Laswell's Oscillations slew me in the same way Mothership or Mad Different Methods did. Magic bass line.

Trace - Cells / Copies

Stuff...
 
O

originaldrum

from start till done
there's fierce's no u turn mix from 99 (or somethin) which is pretty easy to find, has most of the biggest tunes from trace/ed/nico
 
E

ether

Well-known member
the early moving shadow compilations.
99.1 is excellent.
sparse rolling twisted and mechanical,
rife with those lush pads, syncopated stabs squelches and growls.

oh check out stakka and skynet, vastly underated, (clockwork album?)
 
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