2008/02 Digital Picks

One of these days I’ll be able to wait until the end of the month to post my wrap-up. But today I’m inspired by four words: Basic Channel on Beatport! Go ahead and buy all eleven EPs. And two copies each on vinyl, if you haven’t already.

In IDM news, Autechre’s latest album is available exclusively on Bleep. I gave it five stars last week. I believe Warp’s servers have recovered from the first day’s onslaught of downloads. Also of note, Juno recently posted the City Centre Offices back catalog. I think Beatport and Boomkat already had it, but Bleep only has a few releases.

Moving on to deep techno, I’m enjoying Microworld’s This Is My Friend on Styrax Leaves (Juno or Beatport), Ovatow’s X - Dub on SD Records (Juno or Beatport or Boomkat) and Bvdub’s No Turning Back EP on 3rd Wave Music (Beatport-only). Finally, Substance & Vainqueur’s Emerge re-issue is a must-have (Juno or Beatport) for dub techno fans.

Anyone interested in the history of electronic dance music will want to check out Strut’s Disco Not Disco Digital Edition on Juno Download. Where else can you find the instrumental version of A Number Of Names’ “Sharevari,” considered by many to be the first Detroit techno record? Liaisons Dangereuses’ “Los Ninos Del Parque” is a very influential track as well. Somehow Hit Thing’s reissue of their 1981 album never got reviewed here, despite being on my promo pile a few years ago, but it’s good stuff.

Jacob Arnold, Feb 5, 2008 in Features: Digital Picks