The ill-ec-tro-nic

Its been an interesting year for electronic music, it can be argued that the established sounds have waned in favour of new emerging styles. If some authors are to be believed 2008 sounded the death knell for Minimal Techno. Certainly this year Minimal has been lacking in inspiration and ideas. However Techno will survive and reinvent itself as it has done countless times over the last 20 years. 2007 was the year when Dubstep finally broke through into the world's consciousness, but by 2008 it was in danger of becoming just as formulaic as Minimal with the endless stream of 'Wobble' basslines getting heavier and more aggressive.

However it was the convergence of Dubstep and Techno which has given 2008 its most exciting sound. DJs such as Appleblim have pioneered the Dubstep/Dub Techno sound and producers from Leeds to Rotterdam via Berlin and Bucharest have produced new hybrids which will take the genre to new levels. Dutch producer Martyn has easily captured my 'Producer of the Year' award because of his innovative melding of the metallic shards of Basic Channel with 2 Step rhythms in his own productions and remixes that makes up no less than 4 tracks out of my current top 20 biggest records of 2008

This new hybrid however has still has yet to have a catchy name, my effort back in May, 'Dubtec' has still to catch on but I live in hope. My 'Hot 40' this year reflects my current love of this new sound and proves that after 18 years of listening to Electronic music it can still inspire me and surprise at the same time.

The 'Hot 40' Tracks of 2008

01. TRG - Broken Heart (Martyn's DCM Remix) // Hessle Audio
02. Martyn - Suburbia // Applepips
03. Appleblim & Peverelist - Circling // Skull Disco
04. Peverelist - Junktion // Tectonic
05. Zomby - Spliff Dub (Rustie Remix) // Hyperdub
06. Martyn - Vancouver // 3062
07. Simon Baker - Plastik (Todd Terje's Turkatech Mix) // Playhouse
08. Audion - Billy Says Go // Spectral Sound
09. Bjork - Dull Flame Of Desire (Modeselekor's Remix For Girls) // White
10. 2562 - Channel Two // Tectonic
11. 2562 - Techno Dread // Tectonic
12. Pangaea - Router // Hessle Audio
13. Flying Lotus - RobertaFlack (Martyn's Heart Beat Remix) // Warp
14. The Village Orchestra - Afanc (2562 Remix) // Stuff Records Promo
15. Hercules & Love Affair - Blind (Hercules Club Mix) // DFA
16. Simon Baker - U // Cocoon
17. Henrik Schwarz, Ame, Dixon - D.O.P.M.B. (Version 1) // Innervisions
18. Mujava - Township Funk (Ashley Beedle's Africanz on Marz Re-Edit) // This Is Music
19. Santogold - L.E.S. Artistes (XXXChange Remix) // Lizard King
20. M.I.A - Paper Planes // XL Recordings
21. The Long Blondes - Guilt (Pantha Du Prince Remix) // Rough Trade
22. MLZ - M-Brane // Modern Love (Released Dec 2007)
23. Basic Soul Unit - Tunnels (Sebo K & Metro Remix) // Mule Music (Released Dec 2007)
24. Jesse Somfey - Fricative White (From a Whisper to a Scream) // Archipel
25. Substance - Relish (Shed Remix) // Scion Versions
26. Syclops - Where's Jason's K // DFA
27. Skream - 2D // Tempa
28. Shackleton feat Vengence Tenfold - Death Is Not Final // Skull Disco
29. Jus Wan - Action Potential // Applepips
30. Scuba - Ruptured (Surgeon Remix) // Hot Flush
31. Scuba - Twitch (Jamie Vex'd Remix) // Hot Flush
32. Shed - Estrange // Ostgut Ton
33. Rustie - Zig Zag // Wireblock
34. Sufjan Stevens - To Be Alone With You (Pocketknife's Considerate Eagle Scout Remix) // Flagrant Fowl
35. Beck - Gamma Ray // XL Recordings
36. Del Shannon - Gemini (Pilooski Edit) // Dirty Recordings
37. Datashat - Stop The Message (Widescreen Edit) // Handsette Recordings
38. Le Sarge En Board - Through The Robot Chicken Shed // Rotters Golf Club
39. King Midas Sound - One Ting (Dabyre Remix) // Hyperdub
40. Tiga - Mind Dimension 2 // Different


Hot Albums of 2008

Santogold - Santogold // Lizard King/Atlantic
Hot Chip - Made In The Dark // EMI
2562 - Aerial // Tectonic
Shed - Shedding The Past // Ostgut Ton
Scuba - A Mutual Antipathy // Hotflush
Headhunter - Nomad // Tempa

Hot Compilations / Mixes

Dubstep Allstars Vol 6 - Mixed By Appleblim // Tempa
Pocketknife & Cousin Cole - Tambourine Dream (Unmixed) // Flagrant Fowl
Skull Disco - Soundboy's Grave Gets Desecrated By Vandals // Skull Disco
Andrew Weatherall Vs The Boardroom // Rotters Golf Club
Fuse Presents Deetron // Music Man
Luciano - Fabric 41 // Fabric