What are you listening to now? : Non-metal Edition

Galaxy 2 Galaxy - "A Hitech Jazz Compilation" (2005)

A compilation of old & newer Underground Resistance material that incorporates jazz into their traditional Detroit techno arsenal. I pulled the CD out from a box in my garage this morning. I originally bought it for the opening intro track "Metamorphosis" which I used as an intro to a studio mix I put together back in the mid-to-late 2000's & also for a wonderful track called "Return of the Dragons" which I used to play live. My most memorable moment with that particular track was dropping it as the closing track of an outdoor festival in Kangaroo Valley called "Party Under the Stars". It was 6 AM & there was still a pretty sizable crowd of munted punters on the dancefloor, most of whom were on LSD. The sun was just starting to come up & the green lasers were winding their way through the thick mist that was layered between the hills. It was an amazing site. Unfortunately the rest of the compilation is much too jazzy for my taste to be honest.

There are 3 other hard rock/alt-metal/post-grunge bands "not metal enough" to be included in this site that my brother and I used to listen to before I started my "real" metal path. Here they are:

Yep, I've admitted that I used to listen to Nickelback, a rock band that can be considered the metal community's "pineapple pizza".

And one more that I listened to a couple of songs from them (from the radio) (this definitely NOT being one of those):

Richie Hawtin - "Decks, EFX & 909" (1999)

The first proper release DJ mix CD from my all-time favourite techno producer. It's very rhythmic & loopy, not nearly as cerebral & minimal as Richie would go on to become in later years.

I now feel confident enough to go deeper into my pre-metal music memories to unearth some more of the music I've listened to back then. Around that time, I was 11 (half of my current age) and I could only listen to the music from the radio, though I've managed to listen to a few songs on the computer (my parents didn't let me listen to music that wasn't censored on the radio back then, but I went behind their backs a few times, lol). But either way, the ballads were sadly the most I could remember from these bands and artists, mostly because of what the radios played these days, proving once again that public radio stations that don't focus on rock/metal have just lame sh*t in my current metal opinion. Anyway, here are those bands and artists from the radio I was listening to in those really early days, from the 80s glam metal-ish hard rock of Bon Jovi...

And the synth-pop-rock of Depeche Mode...

To the 2000s alt-pop-rock of Daughtry...

The bubblegum pop rock of Avril Lavigne (how does that voice still not annoy me?!)...

And the alt-pop-punk of Simple Plan:

And please don't ask me about the music I've listened to when I was a few years younger than 11 which was all just straight-up radio pop sh*t. Just look at the songs from these links and I'll say no more: https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2007/hot-100-songs https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2008/hot-100-songs https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2009/hot-100-songs

Whew, finally my complete music-listening history was revealed! I thought it would be a little embarrassing to share here, but now that I've been in this site for over two years and I was encouraged by my position in The Gateway, I'm glad to have enough confidence to do so. I plan on making an entire timeline sheet on this, so stay tuned....

When I'm not listening to metal, I mostly listen to a variety of electronic, ambient  and synthwave artists, not to mention videogame soundtracks. That means mostly Boards of Canada style IDM, Perturbator-ish synthwave and a smattering of straight ambient (James Murray has been a fave lately).

Today I've listened to the new Thomas Barrandon release Tin Can three times while working, which I can only describe as ambient synthwave. It's really great, so if that sounds at all like your thing, check it out.

I flirt with synthwave, retro-electro, dark ebm and also dark ambient and cyber-ambient when working to keep the mind tuned onto something else other than figures most of the day.

OK, fine, just in case some of you are curious about the radio pop sh*t that I was listening to in the late 2000s before I was 11, I'll show you a playlist I made of some songs from those times. Just remember that I'm still a metalhead, and the pop past shall stay in the past. Also if you're wondering, the explicit songs were censored on radios where I listened to them. Playlist is right here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/19qhvuCnyKMasNoGAZqFJj

Sandwell District - "Fabric 69" (2013)

A spectacular single-disk minimal techno DJ set from this global techno supergroup that's been one of my favourites ever since it was released. It's very deep & dark which is just how I like my electronic music. It definitely isn't an entry point for newcomers to the genre.

Anne KGB - "Fuck da Police" (1994)

A bangin' rave techno DJ set bootleg cassette from an underground French DJ. It's raw as fuck & the mixing is fairly primitive at times but I can't help but enjoy it for its old-school vibe & sheer intensity.

Popol Vuh - "Affenstunde" (1970)

The 1970 debut album from this legendary German krautrock outfit is often overlooked within their star-studded back catalogue but it actually represents the earliest full-length example of ambient music that I'm aware of with a strong tribal component being incorporated in conjunction with the early synthesizer experimentation. "Affenstunde" is comprised of four tracks across forty minutes with the nineteen minute title track being the centrepiece. It's certainly not as immediate as a lot of their other material & subsequently requires a little more commitment. Second track "Ich Mache Einen Spiegel: Dream Part 5" is a misguided failure but the other three inclusions have a lot to offer & I've always thought this was an underrated record to be honest, despite the fact that it doesn't really challenge Popol Vuh's more classic material.

4/5

Laurel Halo - "DJ-Kicks" (2019)

A really cool, quirky & interesting single disk techno mix from this American ambient, pop & electronic producer. Thoroughly enjoyable stuff.

Scion - "Tresor.200 - Arrange & Process Basic Channel Tracks" (2002)

A lovely 55 minute DJ mix from this German DJ & producer who also goes by the name of Substance & Vainqueur. The tracklisting is comprised entirely of material produced & released by seminal German dub techno legends Basic Channel. It offers a warm, dubby analogue feel & is deeply cerebral but also offers more dancefloor appeal than its peers. Great stuff!

Robert Hood - "Fabric 39" (2008)

A super-cool Detroit techno mix from one of the true masters of the craft. No production tricks or studio mixing here. 32 tracks across a 69 minute mix that never loses momentum.

Kode9 & Burial - "Fabriclive 100" (2018)

I was expecting a DJ mix from these two highly acclaimed dubstep/future garage/footwork/UK bass producers but "Fabriclive 100" ended up being more of compilation given that there's very little actual mixing going on. There are some really interesting & extremely varied tracks included but it certainly sounds pretty jerky & tossed together when taken as an holistic piece. I don't think I'll be returning to this one any time soon.

Richie Hawtin - "DE9 | Closer to the Edit" (2001)

This classic DJ mix single-handedly took the minimal techno sound from underground German clubs & presented it to a wider global audience.

Omar S - "Fabric 45: Detroit" (2009)

A lovely Detroit techno mix from a talented producer who has continued to maintain the essence of what made Detroit so special in the 80's & 90's into the post-2000 era. As with many of the Detroit bunch, the mixing & programming isn't amazing & plays second fiddle to depth, substance & soul. I dig it!

I just found the most abusive Christmas song ever (would you even call it a Christmas song?!):

Each year for Xmas / birthday / anniversary my fiancée buys me an album she thinks I will like.  This year she went all Nordic folk on me and as a result I have discovered the excellent Forndom who occupy the same label as Panopticon.  Imagine a much darker Wardruna and you are more or  less there with this. 

I've been a big fan of Forndom for some time and bought the CD of Dauðra Dura back in 2016. I love the ritualistic ambient style, it's weirdly relaxing as well as being a little dark. One of my favourite dark / ritual ambient albums and I actually prefer this to the nordic folk of Wardruna or Heilung even though they are both excellent.

Paysage d'hiver - Die Festung

Completely ambient release, no black metal here whatsoever.  Good background music for work if nothing else.

Earl Sweatshirt - "Sick!" (2022)

A short 24 minute & fairly artsy west coast hip hop album that had its moments but was generally pretty underwhelming. I have to admit that I often find myself struggling with the more abstract hip hop & crave a more traditional, dark & aggressive hardcore style.

The Weeknd - "Dawn FM" (2022)

My five year-old daughter is a big fan of The Weeknd's huge mega-hits "Blinding Lights" & "Save Your Tears" so when the missus went out & the kids & I sat down to a big puzzle I thought I'd whack on the brand new album "Dawn FM". I have to admit that the hit singles I mentioned were extremely effective pieces of synth-driven pop music & he takes a similar approach here although I don't think there's anything that'll rival his past hits included. I was surprised at just how cheesy some of this stuff is too & found myself drawing on Michael Jackson as a point of reference quite often. I don't think this stuff is really for me & the kids didn't really pay much attention either to tell you the truth. 

Discharge - Hear Nothing See Nothing Say Nothing (1982)

Local heroes and inventors of D-beat, Discharge, with one of the greatest punk albums ever released.

Helena Hauff - "Kern Vol. 5" (2020)

A brilliant 132 minute techno mix from this German DJ that traverses all sorts of sounds & subgenres with ease. Love it!