so many blogs, so little time
I’mma be lazy and post the links to the actual songs this time, but I’ll have full info here for the 2000’s!
For streams of my picks for the best underground dance from 1996 & 1997:
http://djtobyroberts.wordpress.com/2009/12/08/ttotd-20-years-1996-1997/
Copy:
It’s been a busy week with finals…catching up with two years in a row & gonna keep it short but with 4 songs.
1996 – Speed garage was definitely the sound of the year…this is still the best, and I feel it holds up nicely since it’s not too gimmicky. Tori Amos “Professional Widow” (Armand Van Helden Mix) *(originally released in promo form in 1995 but it truly defined itself in ‘96).
Tori Amos Professional Widow AVH
1997 “L’année de maison française”
3 tracks stand out: Runners up -Laj & Quakerman’s deep tribal acid “Brief Encounters” on their Fiasco label & Loop Tracers’ funky & freaky french house jam “‘Talons aiguilles”
Fiasco Brief Encounter
Loop Tracers Talons aiguilles
The #1 of 1997…another french house winner: the seriously gorgeous “Faithfull” by Fantom
Fantom Faithfull
For streams of my picks for the best underground dance from 1998 & 1999:
http://djtobyroberts.wordpress.com/2009/12/16/ttotd-20-years-1998-1999/
Copy:
Gonna get through the 1990’s before the end of finals dammit!!! Currently preparing for a class presentation on the joys of Ableton Live!
To close out the 20th century I was often spinning more aggressive techno, which would last through early 2000. I’ve since modeled a lot of my current sound around a happy medium between the funkier, house songs that I have always loved and the harder drum tracks and loop based techno that I am playing around these years…I think they call this “Tech House” today :/ Labels .
1998 – Lots of filtered house going on round this year: Stardust/Thomas Bangalter was dominating dance floors and hit mainstream success…good stuff, but not my #1…I really liked some of these more obscure joints coming out. I have consistently been drawn back to a project by Tim Wright, who on his website is quoted as “one of the most influential, under-recognized forces of innovation in the European experimental electronic music scene”. These tracks, “Tube Jerk” and Stretcher”, are off his first record under his TUBE JERK alias. both are solid & it’s officially the #1 release of 1998:
TUBE JERK STRETCHER
TUBE JERK TUBE JERK
1999 – First picked up a Circulation (Matt Jackson & Paul Davis) record…their color based releases are still some of the best house ever (see vvv last vvv post), and a perfect example of the driving, moving & involving house I like best…This isn’t even my favorite Circulation (fyi it’s either Cyan, the affecting piano house gem released on the first “Colours” compilation or the epic double pressed/single sided LIMITED #6 e.p.). But it was my first and therefore it is #1.
CIRCULATION SCARLET
Posted in djtobyroberts
Tags: 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, bikiniwax, breaks, club, dance, electronic music, house, party, rave, raves, records, techno, Toby Roberts