My top ten electronica CDs.
While I’m not a connoisseur of electronic music, I have a few CDs that I love and listen to every now and then. My initial downloads from Newgrounds had me digging through my collection for my old electronica albums. Here are my absolute favorites.
Various – King of the Jungle, Vol. 1 (Instinct)
This double-CD collection documents the jungle scene as it was in 1995 with some great early tracks by Roni Size, Lemon D, DJ Massive and DJ Monk on the first disc, although I prefer the dark, aggressive compositions by The Invisible Man, Flat 47, Intense and Bizzy B & Peshay on the second. Regardless, it’s a great compilation and my favorite jungle CD.
Various – Battlegrounds: A Collection of Hardcore Cyberpunk (Mokum)
This is absolutely one the the most intense CDs I own. Imagine early Bad Brains or early Black Flag as techno. Even the all-out assault of Atari Teenage Riot can’t hold a candle to the digital insanity displayed here by Annihilator, Toxic and Titanium Steel. There’s even a frenzied gabba version of David Peel’s “I Like Marijuana” by Technohead called “I Wanna Be a Hippy*!
Alec Empire – The Destroyer (DHR)
While he’s probably better known in the US as the leader of Atari Teenage Riot, Alec Empire is a prolific solo artist in his own right. While this may not be his best album according to those in the know, it’s the only one I have and I love it.
Babyland – Who’s Sorry Now? (Flipside)
‘Electronic Junk Punk,’ says my Babyland shirt. While most people would probably call them industrial, I always saw them as an American version of Digital Hardcore. This album is their darkest, angriest and noisiest moment. “Form 95B” should have been a club hit.
Various – King of the Jungle, Vol. 2 (Instinct)
Another fine collection of jungle from when it was still defined by complex drum patterns, deep sub-bass lines and dark atmospheres. While this volume includes several artists from the first installment, it’s not a lazy rehashing of Volume 1.
Various – King of the Jungle, Vol. 3 (Instinct)
Third and, as far as I know, final installment in the series. This one documents jungle in its transition into drum & bass. The music here is much more minimalistic than the previous volumes, but no less aggressive.
Various – Drum & Bass x3 (DMV)
For all intents and purposes, this collection could be a single composition extended over three discs, but it delivers on intensity, aggression and sinister tones.
DJ Mickey Finn & DJ Darren Jay – Jungle Warfare: Turntable Guerrillas in the Mix (Moonshine)
Each DJ uses a disc to spin their favorite jungle tracks of the moment. Mickey Finn’s set is hard, bouncy and features one of my all-time favorite jungle songs, “Rampage 95” by In Between the Lines; Darren Jay’s disc is darker.
Leftfield Lydon – Open Up (Hard Hands)
Three different versions of the collaboration between England’s electronic heroes and the singer of The Sex Pistols. The “Dervish Overdrive” mix is almost 14 minutes long. This single was probably the genesis of John Lydon’s misunderstood, under appreciated electronic solo album.
Leftfield – Leftism (Liberation/Hard Hands)
Their first and best album, featuring yet another mix of “Open Up,” the Portishead-like “Original” and the militant “Afro-Left.”
