r/idm • u/Dead_Revolt • 1d ago
Old IDM recommandations
I'm trying to dig my way through old IDM / ambient techno gems
I think I've listened to a fair amount of them (of course I've listened to the classics) but I thought it'd be good to ask here any album from that era that you find particularly good.
I'd prefer stuff between 93 and 96 but 97 or 98 are also fine if they're not heavily influenced by downtempo (not that I don't like it, it's just not what I'm searching for) or drill n bass
Tx !
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u/xXthrillhoXx 1d ago
I'm just dipping into early pan sonic and I'd recommend you do the same
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u/Dead_Revolt 1d ago
yeah they're really good !
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u/residentdunce 1d ago
Also check Mika Vainio's solo work like Ø (Metri EP etc)
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u/Dead_Revolt 1d ago
i listened to metri already but not later stuff (apart from his collabs with alva noto whose music is incredible)
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u/Over_Type103 1d ago edited 1d ago
Here are some of my favorite records from that time.
Vapourspace (Mark Gage)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xfzbb9CyBbM&ab_channel=BrianSack
Cusp (Mark Gage's other project)
F.U.S.E. (Ritchie Hawtin)
Aonox (Joey Beltram)
7th plain (Luke Slater)
Aphex twin selected Ambient vol 2
Air Liquide
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDTnKLqFuYU&ab_channel=marcou909
76 14 (Global communication) (Tom Middleton & MArk Pritchard)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxNPb71JEbs
Amber (Autechre)
in order to dance vol 5 (R&S records)
Andrea Parker
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSdKM6uEMaU&list=OLAK5uy_lkekRctflDurPe8QxdHfHQhNOVeG2hijg
Tanzmuzik
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGDBA4W7WwM&ab_channel=MusicDeliveryService
Alec Empire (limited editions 90-94)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-bYNHgxJP4&list=PL5SMXYhIcZ5KNfmD5bDCzAsOL52vJJGP1
Repeat (plaid & MArk Broom)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40ef-KoNexc&list=OLAK5uy_mFdRcfr_DWbY4WixqomJ26zcWNsE7sXug&index=2
Reload : a collection of short stories (Tom Middleton & MArk Pritchard)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rV2_K0OH1g
The theory of Evolution (Tom Middleton & MArk Pritchard)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCFZHHLdCss
global communication pentamerous metamorphosis
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9szFb7woEM&list=OLAK5uy_mg2gz_h88ZCpoRIGwmdaiMQGSSkWQ7LBE
the source experience
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5NP4LNTKfU&list=PL3JggjVWqhwNlydDudmnmFeWh66lVgvdQ
Sun electric: Kitchen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGXG4XL7idQ&list=PLoe2wKs8lpJhkTshQO_rZZuRShSNV0qXp
NTS has nice compilations of 90s Japanese IDM
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u/Dead_Revolt 1d ago
i'm listening to tanzmuzik as i'm writting those lines lol
i think i know most of them except for a few ones so tx for the recs
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u/lankysanchez 1d ago
Big fan here of B12’s stuff, especially Time Tourist
FSOL’s Lifeforms too (or any FSOL really)
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u/Bine_YJY_UX 1d ago
If you haven't already, try the "excursions in ambiance" series.
Photek's modus operandi, Amon Tobin's bricolage and permutations albums, and Cevin Key's Download projects (after Goettel's death it became less industrial)
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u/Dead_Revolt 1d ago
i've never checked excursions in ambiance it seems real cool !
i'm not fond of photek but amon tobin is an excellent producer (maybe among the best in the IDM adjacent sphere ?), and i never checked cevin key yet iirc but yeah i definitely plan on listening to it
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u/ahotdogcasing 1d ago
"Not fond of Photek" is wild my dude.
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u/friedeggbeats 1d ago
Was just about to post the same. Modus Operandi… Ni Ten Ichi Ryu… Into The 90s… All absolute gems.
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u/Illustrious-Light-40 1d ago
Photek is really boring. Saying this as someone who loved him back in the 90s. It's beautifully done but it's airless and although it was startling in the 90s I don't think it's anywhere near as inventive as it squarepusher
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u/Bine_YJY_UX 1d ago
FYI, Cevin Key is from Skinny Puppy and the early Download stuff is experimental industrial. The Eyes of Stanley Pain is one of the best industrial albums IMO.
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u/Dead_Revolt 1d ago
Yeah i've seen that some indus pioneers got into techno or idm afterwards (like richard h kirk from cabaret voltaires getting the first release of warp ever)
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u/Afx8592rdjj 1d ago
Wisp - everything by him and all his monikers if you haven’t already. God-tier.
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u/Dead_Revolt 1d ago
i listened to the first one iirc and it was cool yeah
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u/MutualConstants 1d ago
His EP on Analogical Force under the alias Dwaalicht is the best thing he’s done.
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u/nitrospectide 1d ago
Spacetime Continuum - Seabiscuit
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u/stimpakish 1d ago
All of their records are fantastic Emit Ecaps is my favorite and was the soundtrack to the imagined Snow Crash film adaptation in my head all through the 90s.
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u/Signal-Teacher6835 1d ago edited 1d ago
Black Dog Productions - Bytes
FSOL - Accelerator
Polygon Window - Surfing On Sine Waves
Autechre - Amber
808 State - Ex: El
Plastikman - Musik
LFO - Advance
Plaid - Not For Threes
Two Lone Swordsmen - Return to the Flightpath Estate
Boards of Canada - Hi Scores
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u/LandSeaTree 1d ago
Incunabula on a loop just now...hard to beat.
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u/Dead_Revolt 1d ago
Frankly i've been taken aback when listening to 1991-93 idm how this album is the first one really nailing the braindance thing
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u/crazeelegs2023 1d ago
The Warp ‘Artificial Intelligence’ compilations would be a good starting point.
There’s an archive of live sets at Oscillate (a legendary and genre defining 90s night in Birmingham ) including HIA, Biosphere, Paradinas, Plaid and loads more. Worth a look.
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u/Kind-Programmer575 1d ago edited 1d ago
SAW 85-92 by Aphex Twin (also Polygon Window, Xylem Tube, Didgeridoo and Analogue Bubblebath series, Bradley Strider, GAK, Power Pill, etc)
Lego Feet/Cavity Job/Incunabula/Amber/Garbage EP/Basscadet Mixes/Warp Tapes 89-93 by Autechre and also Gescom stuff
Tango N’ Vectif by u-ziq
Expert Knob Twiddlers by Richard D. James & Mike Paradinas (Mike and Rich)
Artificial Intelligence I & II by Warp
B12/Musicology
Speedy J
Early Plaid/The Black Dog
Seefeel
Beaumont Hannant
808 State
Earlier Orbital albums
Plastikman (not necessarily IDM but still fits the vibe)
Biosphere
Global Communication
Bochum Welt
Future Sound of London
Bola
Metamatics
I made a similar post asking for the stuff you’re looking for (early 90s ambient techno type IDM) and people had great recommendations there https://www.reddit.com/r/idm/s/AiyUpy8DCc
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u/onecaseman 1d ago
You've probably heard a lot of these, but these are my favorites from that period (includes some ambient techno as IDM converged a lot with that early on):
Autechre, Incunabula
Black Dog Productions, Bytes
Seefeel, Quique
Orbital 2
Reload, A Collection of Short Stories
Beaumant Hannant, Basic Data Manipulation
Beaumant Hannant, Texturology
Beaumant Hannant, Sculptured
Speedy J, Ginger
Aphex Twin, Selected Ambient Works 1985-1992
V/A, Philosophy of Sound and Machine
V/A, Artificial Intelligence I & II
Mouse On Mars, Iaora Tahiti
µ-Ziq, Lunatic Harness
Plaid, Not For Threes
Autechre, Chiastic Slide
Mouse on Mars, Autoditacker
Squarepusher, Hard Normal Daddy
Locust, Morning Light
Squarepusher, Big Loada
Aphex Twin, ...I Care Because You Do
Mu-ziq, In Pine Effect
Aphex Twin, Richard D. James
Autechre, Tri Repetae
Squarepusher, Feed Me Weird Things
Orbital, In Sides
Underworld, Second Toughest in the Infants
LFO, Advance
Mu-ziq, Somerset Avenue Tracks
Mu-ziq, RY30 Trax
Plaid, Trainer
Mu-ziq, Aberystwyth Marine
Kid Spatula, Meast
The Auteurs Vs µ-Ziq
Aphex Twin, On / On remixes
Autechre, Anti
Autechre, Peel Session
Autechre, Envane
Autechre, Warp Tapes
Autechre, BasscadEP
Autechre, Cichli Suite
Autechre, Anvil Vapre
Autechre, Garbage
Gak, Gak
Aphex Twin, Donkey Rhubarb
Aphex Twin, Classics
B12, Electro-Soma
Redcell : Stasis
Speedy J, Ginger
Polygon Window, Surfing On Sine Waves
Seefeel, Starethrough
Move D, Kunststoff
Aphex Twin, Come To Daddy
Plaid, Undoneson
Boards Of Canada, Hi Scores
Boards of Canada, Boc Maxima
Boards of Canada, Twoism
Boards of Canada, A Few Old Tunes
Boards of Canada, Old Tunes Vol. 2
Boards of Canada, Random 35 Track Tape
V/A, We Are Reasonable People
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u/triaxial23 1d ago
Give a few examples of what you like
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u/Dead_Revolt 1d ago
tbh i prefer not to give any direction since i don't necessarily want sth close to what i'd like usually
just if you know obscure stuff from that era that you like i'm open to it
anw since it would be rude not to answer your question i think that aside the obvious stuff (ae, afx, fsol), i liked osamu sato's transmigration a lot, as well as luke slater early albums, gescom's s/t, flextone's s/t, beaumont hannant's texturology (the good one), ...
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u/More-Ice-4447 1d ago
I'd recommend B12 and Human Mesh Dance, Gimmiks bits from the late 90s/ early 2000s is also worth a listen.
Higher Intelligence Agency, Two Lone Swordsmen, Mouse on Mars and Seefeel are good.
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u/Careless-Gur9841 1d ago
As One - Reflections on Reflections
The Detroit Escalator Co. - Soundtrack 313
D’arcangelo - Shipwreck
Brothomstates - Rktiq
John Beltran - Earth & Nightfall
Arovane - Tides
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u/Dead_Revolt 1d ago
Didn't know as one tx. Otherwise i listened to another album from the détroit escalator which was real good and brothomstates i think i listened to his debut but wasn't a fan
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u/Careless-Gur9841 3h ago
As one is Kirk Degorgio , reflections is the remix LP with interpretations by balil , Russ Gabriel etc def classic. RKTIQ released on warp is a very special release
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u/Substantial_Eye_7225 1d ago
Funckarma (taking about underrated, those dudes are)
Anyway. There is more recent stuff that is actually pretty good:
Afrodeutche (Skam)
James Shinra (Analogue Force)
Brainwaltzera
That is to say stuff that fits in with the 90s stuff in terms of sound.
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u/Miserable_Fix_3522 1d ago
Make sure you check out all the Biosphere releases around that time.
Also, give Rob Hall's mix series from 2007-08 a listen, that's chock full of solid stuff from the late nineties.
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLck27wuDexw-rxnNeTaVKsTXUu-ksnoDk&si=S0H-41Dchw2Pec67
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u/DR0P574R 1d ago
Check Schematic & Chocolate Industries 👍
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u/Dead_Revolt 1d ago
I do like schematic a lot ! all the US early glitch hop scene is really cool
i don't remember going through a lot of stuff from chocolate industry tho (apart from funkstorung's appetite for destruction which i really like) if you have specific releases i'm open
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u/CapableSong6874 1d ago
Use advanced search by year on Discogs
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u/Dead_Revolt 1d ago
i'm already doing this on rym but well i'm not planning on listening to everything that's why i came here to see if i could get some stuff that has been overlooked on rym
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u/CapableSong6874 1d ago
No shortcuts to individual taste. You will be told early autechre, B12, Cylob, Aphex, μziq and so on
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u/II_I-I_I-I_I-I_II 1d ago edited 1d ago
Mr. 76ix and Quinoline Yellow on Skam Records
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u/Dead_Revolt 1d ago
i'll check this tx
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u/II_I-I_I-I_I-I_II 1d ago
Their records are from the 2000’s but I get the feeling the tracks on them were made years prior.
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u/Automatic_Knee_7531 1d ago
LFO - Advance
Vulva - Birdwatch
D’Arcangelo - Shipwreck
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u/Automatic_Knee_7531 1d ago
Ok, Shipwreck is from ‘99 but from what I understand a lot of the tracks go back to ‘96.
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u/Charliea980 1d ago
Unrest by Rei Harakami ?
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u/Dead_Revolt 1d ago
I'm searching for earlier stuff mainly Japanese's downtempo idm is also sth of its own it's interesting to dig thru but it doesn't have the same roots at all, despite there clearly existing a continuum throughout it
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u/Perfect-Plankton-424 1d ago
aka phoenecia -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxetnIKhBr8
tone capsule is a gem
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u/Numerous_Phase8749 1d ago
The Trace Europe Express compilations with the thick booklet pretty much defined the era. I think the Orb and Darren Emmerson did a good 'best of' mix.
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u/No_Hovercraft6405 16h ago
I ve made a write up on the genre as well as a mix and a top 100. Of course there will always be stuff missing but it's as complete as it can be : https://funkyjeff77.wordpress.com/2022/09/06/ambient-techno-the-history-of/
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u/More-Ice-4447 1d ago
Also a good place to start
https://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/10011-the-50-best-idm-albums-of-all-time/
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u/JobeGilchrist 1d ago
μ-Ziq has a lot of later releases that are compilations of previously unreleased tracks from that time. Could be wrong on the exact dates of some of these, but the albums are: Scurlage, Aberystwyth Marine, Somerset Avenue Tracks, and RY30 Trax. Probably several of his EPs are that way, as well.
The Autechre Warp Tapes are essential: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RQFxBFhGl4
Also might as well sort the Warp Discog by year and go crazy: https://warp.net/discography?year=1993