Classic Synth/Electronic Sounds

[slim jenkins]

Firstly, apologies if this has been covered as a thread, but I'm new around here.

Can you namecheck your absolute 'classics' because I'm looking for more of this stuff.

The older the better, but any era will do.
Not just abstract noodling.
No vocals (although Glass-type 'choral' antics are OK)
And I don't mean Autechre.
I love soundtracks.

I like Tangerine Dream's earlier recordings (as a former 'Punk Rocker' ) I never thought I'd write that.

Thanks.

(I'm guessing a link to a former thread will appear)

 

[noel emits]

The 'music you've been enjoying recently' thread just devolved into a synth geek forum so this is probably a good move on your part.

 

[slim jenkins]

I know, I've been reading and 'taking notes' but I'd like clearer statements, if you know what I mean. The essentials in the eyes of those who know.

The trouble with 'geeks' is they can cite works that are only 'classic' because they're scraping the bottom of that particular barrel. I suppose a kind of 'beginners guide' is what I'm after.

If someone asked me for Jazz classics, I wouldn't omit Miles Davis, or Coltrane for the sake of proving how deeply I'm into it.

No offence intended towards potential 'geeks' who may soon be forthcoming with Australian electronic gems from the archives!

 

[noel emits]

The trouble with 'geeks' is they can cite works that are only 'classic' because they're scraping the bottom of that particular barrel. I suppose a kind of 'beginners guide' is what I'm after.

Or could it be that the further you look the more likely you are to find something you like more than the obvious hits?

 

[noel emits]

If you ask for classics I'm sure you'll get classics (and some more) - there's no point in flagging up the ones everyone knows on a 'recommendations' thread.

 

[slim jenkins]

Or could it be that the further you look the more likely you are to find something you like more than the obvious hits?

Oh, that's true. But I'm not sure what passes as an 'obvious hit' in this field. I'm green, like I said. All I meant was...er...limit selections to the very best (in your opinion, of course).

I know that can be a bore to experts in any field. I've had to post 'Kind Of Blue' many times in favour of, say, 'E.S.P.', when people have asked for Jazz classics (the only field in which I might remotely be called an 'expert'). Why? Because, for an absolute beginner, it has to be recommended.

The 'ones everyone knows' probably won't be ones that I know. Besides all that, I'd be interested in albums that are considered to be 'obvious' in such a minority field. I guess TG are a case in point.

 

[Gavin]

Wendy Carlos - Switched On Bach?

 

[Mr. Tea]

Well Fad Gadget isn't exactly 'classic' in this sense ('79-'85-ish, although you did say any era will do) and it's mostly vocal, but there's a handful of decent instrumentals on the 2-CD 'best of' that came out a few years ago. Including one track that sounds like a very prescient 15-20-year precursor to a lot of Aphex Twin. Er, for my money.

 

[noel emits]

How about we start at the beginning?

Others here must know this area better than I do but for starters:

John Cage - Imaginary Landscape No.1 (1939)

Karlheinz Stockhausen - Studie I/II (1953/54)

Henry Jacob's Vertex - Electronic Kabuki Mambo (1955)

Edgard Varese - Poem Electronique (1957)

Alvin Lucier - I Am Sitting In A Room (1966)

Morton Subotnik - Silver Apples Of The Moon (1967)

 

[nomadologist]

I'm going to second that Fad Gadget compilation Mr. Tea mentions. Truly great. I always think of Fad Gadget as a sort of electro Iggy Pop with amazing psychoanalytical lyrics.

As for TG, I would recommend 20 Jazz Funk Greats, D.O.A., and Heathen Earth if you haven't heard them. See also: Chris & Cosey's first album and (yes) the one called Trance,

A rather obvious one in my book, but if you're looking for great synth-based music, and like the whole Manchester thing at all, I would try OMD's self-titled, Architecture and Morality, and if you like those, go for Organisation (not my favorite of theirs, but underrated anyway...)

I have a million recommendations in this category. It would take all night

 

[Mr. Tea]

I'm going to second that Fad Gadget compilation Mr. Tea mentions. Truly great. I always think of Fad Gadget as a sort of electro Iggy Pop with amazing psychoanalytical lyrics.

Hmm, good analogy, especially considering some of the things he used to wear/do to himself on stage, if the liner notes are anything to go by. (Well, the photos, anyway: the notes themselves are the most painfully sixth-form bunch of pretentious try-hard toss I've ever seen. A mate of mine had the Joy Division box set with notes by the same bloke, he's an absolute tool.)

Rant aside, this is brilliant (aside from the uber-clichéd 'orgy' track): The White Noise - An Electric Storm

 

[noel emits]

Rant aside, this is brilliant (aside from the uber-clichéd 'orgy' track): The White Noise - An Electric Storm

Apparently they had an actual orgy, so the story goes. Imagine Delia Derbyshire leaning a boom mic over a load of hairies on a rug...

It's just been reissued too.

 

[Mr. Tea]

Apparently they had an actual orgy, so the story goes. Imagine Delia Derbyshire leaning a boom mic over a load of hairies on a rug...

It's just been reissued too.

I've just had the image of the furry mic cover falling off and becoming lost among a writhing ocean of massive '60s muffs...

 

[nomadologist]

YESSS White Noise! Why is everyone talking about my favorite albums today? It's like a weird orgy of nomadologist's favorite things on Dissensus today.

Well, except the continuous "let's build up a Leftist strawman" threads.

 

[noel emits]

Everyone needs some Michael Bundt in their life.

 

[Woebot]

http://www.woebot.com/2007/10/creelponealike.html
http://www.woebot.com/movabletype/archives/000545.html
http://www.woebot.com/2007/09/conspicuous_consumption.html
http://www.woebot.com/2007/05/ina_grm_sleeve_dump.html
http://www.woebot.com/2006/10/nonesuch_electronica_111.html
http://www.woebot.com/2006/08/a_prehistory_of_british_electr.html
http://www.woebot.com/movabletype/archives/000541.html

 

[hamarplazt]

Hm, there's so many I hardly know where to start. But Subotnicks Silver Apples of the Moon, as already mentioned, is certainly a stone cold classic. And a lot of Conrad Schnitzler: Blau is probably the palce to start. Gelb, Con and especially Conal are equally classic.

The usual suspects (except TD and Kraftwerk):

Klaus Schulze. At the very least get these: Cyborg, Mirage, X, Audentity, En=Trance, Miditerranean Pads
J M Jarre. Oxygene is one of the most influential electronic records ever, no matter what hipsters say or think. Magnetic Fields and Ethnicolor are better, though.
Vangelis. Begin with Albedo 0.39, Beaubourg and Soil Festivities.
Tomita: Snowflakes are Dancing and Pictures at an Exhibition.

Some slightly less known ones, but def. classics:

Cluster: Cluster II + Zuckerzeit (groundbreaking in each their own way).
Kitaro: Ten Kai/Astral Trip (his early, Schulze/kraut-influenced stuff).
Michale Stearns: Planetary Unfolding (heavy heavy heavy cosmic ambient).
Synergy: Cords (weird baroque electro-prog).
Ruyichi Sakamoto: B2 Unit (avant techno 15 years ahead of its time).
Clara Mondshine: Luna Africana (minimalistic/primitivistic electronics).
Chris & Cosey: Trance (somewhere between B2 Unit and Luna Africana).
Manuel Goetsching: E2-E4 (mentioned countles times on this board).

And how about Enos ambient records, are they part of all this?

 

[straight]

haha i was about to post pretty much all the above. so make that a double recommendation. Though i was going to say songs of love and lust for c+c.

you can find mountains of crazy rare kraut electronic related at the krautrockteam blog

 

[Mr. Tea]

,
anyone?

 

[slim jenkins]

How about we start at the beginning?

Others here must know this area better than I do but for starters:

John Cage - Imaginary Landscape No.1 (1939)

Karlheinz Stockhausen - Studie I/II (1953/54)

Henry Jacob's Vertex - Electronic Kabuki Mambo (1955)

Edgard Varese - Poem Electronique (1957)

Alvin Lucier - I Am Sitting In A Room (1966)

Morton Subotnik - Silver Apples Of The Moon (1967)

Thanks for those, Noel. I've only got the Varese. The Subotnik album was one that was knocking around way back in my mind so I'm glad you've named it since I couldn't recall the 'classic' that a friend played me years ago and I think that was it. I know some Cage (prepared piano recordings) and Stockhausen by his legendary status.