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View Full Version : Album Club: Week 47 26/06/2012: Various Artists - Artificial Intelligence (Warp 1992)



RichB
25-06-2012, 23:29
First of all thanks for the chance to host an album club thread, I've pondered for a few weeks over what to recommend and rather than go for something which you all may be familiar with I decided to nominate an album which has great personal significance for me as it led me to buy my first system and influenced my musical tastes for a long time to come (I still use this album as reference to this day and own it on both vinyl and CD), hope I'm not breaking any album club rules by nominating a compilation but hopefully on listening you'll understand how this forms a coherent whole.

http://img12.nnm.ru/3/f/e/7/f/f67aa7ad261a2c341c01d506a9c.jpg

Are you sitting comfortably? Artificial Intelligence is for long journeys, quiet nights and club drowsy dawns. Listen with an open mind.

Artificial Intelligence was a compilation album released on Warp Records on 9 July 1992 (see 1992 in music), and subsequently for America in 1993 on the Wax Trax label. The album is the first release in Warp's Artificial Intelligence series.

According to Warp co-founder Steve Beckett, the album was primarily intended for sedentary listening rather than dancing, and this was reflected in the album art, which depicts an android asleep in an armchair with Kraftwerk and Pink Floyd albums at its side:
“ You could sit down and listen to it like you would a Kraftwerk or Pink Floyd album. That's why we put those sleeves on the cover of Artificial Intelligence - to get it into people's minds that you weren't supposed to dance to it! ”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artificial_Intelligence_%28compilation_album%29

excellent in-depth review here which gives more background to the artists: http://reviews.headphonecommute.com/2011/05/05/flashback-artificial-intelligence/

spotify:album:34aK04FrYZGC4SMS3WEPIi full album on spotify

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Back in 1992 I was somewhere in between the Grunge and Rave Scene when I found myself back at a friend's house late one night for a post club session. He'd just acquired this cd, transfixed by the excellent cover (a scene I've recreated in my own living room many times!) we put it on his system which at the time comprised a pioneer laser disc player, an old rotel reciever/amp and a hefty pair of mordaunt short floorstanders we called the 'boom-fizz boxes' as that is what they did! This album blew through our rave addled brains like fresh air and opened my eyes to new artists who were making dance music you werent meant to dance too! Many of these artists went on to become well known producers in their own right, this album introduced me to the young Richard D. James (aka Aphex Twin), Autechre, Richie Hawtin (Plastikman), Alex Patterson (The Orb), B12, Speedy J and artists who would become Plaid and Black Dog Productions.

The influences were clear and this album led me to seek out more of the pioneers of the hypnotic groove, Brian Eno, Tangerine Dream, Pink Floyd, Depeche Mode, Kraftwerk, Robert Fripp and more. This music seemed so ahead of its time. Intelligent electronic music which brought together rave kids, ambient heads, hip-hoppers and ageing hippies alike. I once had to take a long train journey to see a girl i was dating and took this album on a sony walkman and a copy of William Gibson's Neuromancer to keep me company. I was 18 and the future was electronic.

Hope you enjoy

RichB
25-06-2012, 23:42
Mods I messed up the poll, can you delete it and i'll do a new one. Ta

The Grand Wazoo
26-06-2012, 06:56
Hi Richard,
I'm not sure that I can delete the poll without making it impossible to set up another one. It looks like it's a choice of leaving it as is, editing what you have (3 choices) or deleting it.

Alex_UK
26-06-2012, 07:10
Hi Richard,
I'm not sure that I can delete the poll without making it impossible to set up another one. It looks like it's a choice of leaving it as is, editing what you have (3 choices) or deleting it.

Glad it wasn't just me who couldn't work it out! Thanks Chris.

Interesting choice Rich - I reckon this will be just my thing. :)

RichB
26-06-2012, 08:45
Hi Richard,
I'm not sure that I can delete the poll without making it impossible to set up another one. It looks like it's a choice of leaving it as is, editing what you have (3 choices) or deleting it.

I cant even see options for how to delete or edit... In which case folk can give it marks out of 10 and i'll do the percentages!

MartinT
26-06-2012, 09:05
I rather like a vote with just three choices :lol:

MartinT
26-06-2012, 09:23
Hmm, no it's not for me I'm afraid. There is simply no connection with any emotion inside me. Based on your voting system, 1/3 ;)

RichB
26-06-2012, 10:04
Glad it wasn't just me who couldn't work it out! Thanks Chris.

Interesting choice Rich - I reckon this will be just my thing. :)

Thanks Alex, I've always loved how this album gives a system a good workout. Tracks 1 & 5 (Ploygon Window and Speedy J) will show up any bass flabbyness in a system, whilst tracks 3 & 7 (Autechre) are a treat for tweeters


Hmm, no it's not for me I'm afraid. There is simply no connection with any emotion inside me. Based on your voting system, 1/3 ;)

I knew this wouldnt be everyones cup of tea, i can see why folk could find it unemotional, it is machine music after all.

Reid Malenfant
26-06-2012, 16:57
I don't think I need to spin my CD of this to vote, but I will after the fact :eyebrows:

Off to give it the "loves it" thumbs up, classic album :cool:

John
26-06-2012, 18:46
Tried to get into it but not music I can connect to
Another one that divides opnions

Russell Turner
26-06-2012, 19:17
Classic artists... Classic album, really is from an era when Electronic music was beginning to discover itself again.

Also like the series of albums that Warp released as well in a similar vein the Influences set and the Classics set, it did use to be the label to be on at the time.

Good choice

RichB
26-06-2012, 20:57
I don't think I need to spin my CD of this to vote, but I will after the fact :eyebrows:

Off to give it the "loves it" thumbs up, classic album :cool:

Thought this one might be a no brainer for you.. I dont listen to that much electronic music these days but this one does it for me.

Gmanuk101
29-06-2012, 11:44
as someone who still listens to a great deal of electronic music and loves the way it can push boundaries of expectation and can throw off the dust of pre-conception, this album is a classic and should be treat as such.

It doesn't rant, it doesn't rave, it doesn't kick ass, it doesn't take you to a state of euphoria (unless you've been in a state of euphoria when listening initially, engage(memoryBank101) ).

What is does do is; be. It's there, constantly, reminding you that zero's and one's have feelings, a presence, a touch. Listen with good transport and some neutral speakers and it's just brilliant. Warp have been pushing things for years.

It's slow, moody and plods along pushing its way into your neurons without you knowing,
top marks for me.

The second one is even better!

Bazil
05-07-2012, 18:16
First thing you wouldn't think it was a compilation as its very samey in a good way of course. I like it, I don't love it as I voted but I'd give it 7/10. Its very listenable and I will no doubt play it again.

Welder
27-07-2012, 19:08
It's alright I spose :eyebrows:

Not really my thing tbh.