As part of our Pioneers of Electronic Music festival, we're returning to XOYO - on Thursday 14th March. Among the highlights is a very special headline DJ set from Alex Paterson of The Orb. He'll be surveying some of the finest moments in electronic dance music history for his set, so to get us in the mood we invited him to pick a spontaneous top ten. He gave us one extra, and also provided us with some brilliant commentary. >>> NONCLASSICAL @ XOYO: More info / advance tickets
1/ E2=E4 by MANUEL GOTTSCHING (1981) 1 hour of pure bliss, a track that launched a 100 versions. A pioneering album
2/ DELUXE ( IMMER WIEDER ) by HARMONIA (1975) Makes me wonder why I bother when I listen to this gem from the godfathers of German electronic musik. Look up "zodiac free arts Klub ".
3/ APOLLO by BRIAN ENO (1983) (Or My Life In A Bush Of Ghosts with David Byrne .... ) Both albums are supreme. Apollo is the soundtrack to "For all mankind", a film made by the astronauts who went to the moon. And My Life In A Bush Of Ghosts is a pioneering masterclass. Gold star
4/ REDCELL : STASIS by B12 (1992) Personal techno from a small band that was a hit with DJs in '89 to '93 . They were up there with The Orb in the early 90's.
5/ SUICIDE by SUICIDE (1977) I saw this lot support The Clash in '78 in Aylesbury. They got bottled off both nights. A vocalist, drum machine, & synth... Very bare, and ' cheree ' is a favourite from 1977
6/ 666 by APHRODITE'S CHILD (1970) Vangelis meets Demis Roussos ... Greek genius and pioneering back in '71 . A real diamond.
7/ WHO'S AFRAID OF THE ART OF NOISE by THE ART OF NOISE (1984) 'Moments in Love' comes from here and a few other classics. From a band formed from sound and vision. Art Of Noise was an original idea that came out of Basing Street studios in the mid 80's ... along with Frankie Goes to Hollywood they had a synth called "the fairlight" - before the Akai samplers.
8/ YOU'RE GETTING BETTER by KEN NORDINE One for the ancient ones of pioneering music , this time for adverts and for me a great relaxing moment is 'fire flies' It's nursery music for grown-ups that believe in Peter Pan.
9/ LOW by DAVID BOWIE (1977) Pioneering. From Berlin via Cluster & Eno . The 2nd side of the LP was my night-time music from '77 to '80. Classic beauty that takes you on a dream of blissful wonderment ... it has always rocked my dreams.
10/ TRANS EUROPE EXPRESS by KRAFTWERK (1976) Any album by these geniuses. I once met Ralf (we toured with them once). Anyway I asked for a photo with him and he said, "let's take it outside, there's no little fluffy clouds in here!" Blimey, Ralf knew the orb ! I was speechless ... I bought tickets to see them in 1981 at the Lyceum in Covent Garden and had to give my ticket to my girlfriend's mate as I was on bloody tour duty with killing joke!!! Should have called off sick!
11/ ADVENTURES BEYOND THE ULTRAWORLD by THE ORB (1991) Co-penned by yours truly and I'm proud to have placed my thoughts on to vinyl & digital. It's for my children too.. I would like them to be proud of their dad.
