Features – Page 120 – Electronic Sound

5 minute read

Robin Guthrie

byNgaire Ruth

Robin Guthrie blazed trails as one third of the truly unique Cocteau Twins. Now he blows the doors off our regular feature where all he has to talk about are his influences. Still, what did we expect from a man whose music has always defied description?

BBuried Treasure

2 minute read

Morph ‘Stormwatch’

byFat Roland

It’s the 90s and New York techno duo Morph have slipped out their ‘Stormwatch’ album almost unnoticed. Very much time for a reassessment we think

LLong Reads

10 minute read

Units: In Punk We Trust

byDavid Stubbs

San Francisco, 1977. The punk explosion is peaking and Units are at the forefront of the vibrant and dramatic American West Coast scene. But these guys use synths not guitars. Throw in some weird and wonderful performance art concepts and you’ve got one of the most unique electronic bands ever. Units mainman Scott Ryser tells the tale

LLong Reads

7 minute read

20 Classic Planet Mu Releases

byCosmo Godfree

To mark two decades of the incomparable Planet Mu label, we revisit the best releases from each of their 20 years in business

LLong Reads

12 minute read

Planet Mu: Music Sounds Better With Mμ

byMat Smith

Start blowing up the birthday party balloons. Planet Mu is 20 years old. That’s 20 years as one of the most consistently innovative and interesting electronic music labels in the world. And Mike Paradinas, full-time company boss and sometime μ-ZIQ man, is celebrating in style. Well, he would be if he had the time

LLong Reads

10 minute read

Special Report Kraftwerk At The Tour De France

byJools Stone

Last month, Kraftwerk played ‘Tour De France’ live at the opening stage of the world’s most famous cycle race – the first time they’ve done so in the 30 years since the track was recorded. As their legion of fans find themselves asking about almost everything the band do, “What took them so flipping long?”

LLong Reads

8 minute read

Gwenno: Viva Cymru!

byBethan Cole

Gwenno hasn’t simply crafted a fantastic electro-pop album, one of the best you’ll hear all year. She’s crafted a fantastic electro-pop album on which every track is sung in Welsh (apart from the one that’s in Cornish)

LLong Reads

9 minute read

Asian Dub Foundation: ADF THX FAB

byStephen Dalton

Not content with delivering a thumpingly good new album, Asian Dub Foundation have also penned a superb live score for George Lucas’ dystopian sci-fi classic ‘THX 1138’. “Our default position is to do the opposite of what most bands do,” says ADF main man Steve “Chandrasonic” Savale. And then some

LLong Reads

11 minute read

John Foxx: Urban Foxx

byChris Roberts

From the abandoned mills of Greater Manchester to the glass and steel at the heart of London, John Foxx has always found peace – and music – in urban landscapes. Looking back on his prophetic role in electronic music, Foxx discusses his upcoming release of archive material, his latest projects and collaborations, and his love of the driving force behind much of his work – the city

LLong Reads

10 minute read

Lunch With Dr Peter Zinovieff

byMark Roland

Dr Peter Zinovieff is responsible for the first British synthesiser, the VCS3. Now in his 80s, he remains as interested in the future as ever. And he’s invited us to lunch, to discuss Kraftwerk, Robert Moog, Delia Derbyshire, a couple of Beatles, hard drives costing £4,000 and a computer powered by a windmill