Mutations – the electronica primer I’ve been looking for

I’ve been developing an interest in electronic music for some time. But I searched in vain for a guidebook to the varieties, history and big names in the music.

Until last week. Then I bought a copy of Mutations: A History Of Electronic Music (edited by Peter Shapiro, Caipirinha Productions, NYC, 2000, 255pp, $29.95).

It’s a lively collection of essays on the electronica sub-genres, from Krautrock to disco, house to jungle and techno to ambient: exactly what I’d been searching for. They’re complemented by interviews with major players – Teo Macero, Robert Moog, Can, for starters. Plus loads of telling photos, artist bios, and lists of recommended listening. And it’s an achingly beautiful artefact.

I’m loving it. Highly recommended.


Gerry Smith

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Dance music for grown-ups

Whenever I hear dance/electronica, I like it. Basement Jaxx, Moby and Dizzee Rascal ring my bell. I don’t know much about the genre, though, so I’m finding the current issue of Mixmag magazine very useful.

Celebrating its 25th birthday, the dance monthly profiles “the 25 biggest names in electronic music: Daft Punk, Fatboy Slim, Basement Jaxx, LCD Soundsystem, The Prodigy, Moby, Mylo, Richie Hawtin, Roisin Murphy, Dizzee Rascal, Paul van Dyk, Goldie, Sven Vath, Felix Da Housecat, Erick Morillo, Sasha, Faithless, Underworld and more”.

If, like me, you mistakenly chose to ignore an important strand of contemporary music, and now want to catch up, the current issue of Mixmag is for you – it’s a shopping list compiled by experts.

www.mixmag.net



Gerry Smith