android lust

android lust is Shikhee, one of the few female industrialists out there.  she does it all herself.  could be darkwave, could be synthcore, could be a lot of things...but weak is one thing it definitely isn't.  i have yet to see her live, but she is at the top of my list if she ever gets to the left coast.  check out the artwork of collaborator Paul Komoda - she is his canvas [for the longest time, i thought it was a tattoo].  she only has two albums that i am aware of, and since one is a remix album of the other, it really doesn't much matter which you get - hell, get them both.  "resolution" is the album and "evolution" is the remix album.  

aphex twin

aphex twin is richard james, a phenomenal artist from cornwall.  like the leeb/fulber partnership, he has recorded under more names than you can shake a rat at.  so this entry should actually be aphex twin, aka AFX, aka blue calx, aka caustic window, aka the dice man, aka gak, aka polygon window, aka power-pill, aka q-chastic, aka rich [from mike and rich], aka soit-p.p...
his work really does defy categorisation. at times ambient, at times dancy, at times noisy, at all times good. i'd recommend "selected ambient works volume II" and "the richard d james album" for starters.

apoptygma berzerk

apoptygma berzerk are a new obsession which i confess i don't know all that much about.  they're probably the only synth-industrial band that i know of from norway.  at the time of this writing, they have the #1 alternative album in germany, as well as a #1 single, "Kathy's song [come lie next to me]." any band which uses a commodore 64 as part of their kit must be cool.  their most recent album, "welcome to earth" is a good introduction to the berzerkers.

banco de gaia

banco de gaia, meaning world bank, is another one-man band.  toby marks has a unique style...each of his albums have a different flavour, but still carry his trademark...world-beat, very danceable and spiritual.  yummy.  i'd recommend "maya" [no matter how many times i hear mafich arabi, i still get shivers...] or "last train to lhasa."

bauhaus

bauhaus needs no introduction. the band that launched a thousand vamplings, and fuelled the black clothing industry. if you're ever in a dark mood and wish to get even darker, this is the band for you. despite their following, they really were a great band, and peter murphy can sing me to sleep any time.  i did not get to see their reunion tour, but i did see peter when he was in portland supporting his new compilation last year...and he still has it.   bauhaus released many many albums, but for a first timer, "swing the heartache: the bbc sessions" is a pretty good compilation, all performed live in-studio.

jello biafra

jello biafra is probably one of the most underestimated and underappreciated minds of the past century.  not that he's gone - far from it.  he started off as the vocalist for the dead kennedys, again underappreciated.  he ran for mayor of san francisco in 1979, coming in fourth.  he is a strong supporter of culture jamming, or "pranking" as he calls it.  since the breakup of the kennedys in 1986 has collaborated with the likes of al jourgenson from ministry and mojo nixon, as well as releasing several widely-acclaimed spoken word albums, the third of which, "i blow minds for a living" is what i'd recommend for a first-timer who really isn't into punk.  for the more hardcore out there, dk's "frankenchrist" is the album which launched a joke of a trial.

björk

björk is not like the other kids. a native of the musical hotbed that is iceland, ms. gudmundsdottir gained fame as the frontwoman for the sugarcubes, but after going solo, her career took off like a shot. she has since released five solo albums, "debut," "post," "telegram," "homogenic," and "selmasongs." they all have her distinct stylings, but for a first-timer, i'd recommend "debut."

bt

bt is brian transeau, an excellent producer and remixer. born and bred in washington, dc, he is one of the few american artists in this list. his first major hit was "loving you more," but it was a remix of "blue skies" with tori amos that got him the most recognition. he has released three albums as bt, "ima," "escm," and in still life," as well as countless remixes and collaborations.  "movement" is his most recent release, but to be honest, it has far too many vocals and just isn't to my taste. although either of the first two albums are highly recommendable, i'd suggest "ima" as your first bt experience.

chicane

chicane is nick bracegirdle, another one-man band [sense a pattern here?].  very melodic and trancy stuff, especially "saltwater" which features enya's big sister maire brennan on vocals.  amazing stuff.   he has two albums out, "far from the maddening crowds" and "behind the sun." either will make you very happy, but the most recent, "behind the sun," is what i'd recommend as a first acquisition.  hell, even the duet with bryan adams is really good.

chumbawamba

chumbawamba are an anarchist collective based in leeds.  perfect for storming the palace gates, or just when you want to feel passionate about something.  they have a heavy left bent; they take on causes such as racism, homophobia [they used to tour with the sisters of perpetual indulgence], capitalism, and the rock-star mentality.   they are quite musically diverse, so each album sounds different to the next.  their earlier works such as "pictures of starving children sell records" [a statement against live aid] and "never mind the ballots" are more punk-oriented, "english fighting songs" is an a capella compilation of, well, english fighting songs, "anarchy" and "tubthumping" are more danceable.  their latest, "wysiwyg" is more in line with the feel of "anarchy".  it didn't sell well, and they seem to like it that way.  for a first taste, it's really a toss-up between "shhh" [originally titled jesus h. christ, it was scrapped at the last minute due to copyright complications, and reworked as an anti-censorship statement], and, believe it or not, "tubthumping." despite the popularity of that damned track, it really is a great album...very melodic, aware and all-around brilliant.  they got the last laugh, though... tubthumper is not, as everyone thought, about the triumph of the human spirit, rather, it's about getting drunk.

crystal method

crystal method are from las vegas, nevada, hence the title of their first album, vegas. although very definitely electronic, they have a more hard-edged rock/drum and bass feel which is uniquely their own.  they are most often compared to the chemical brothers, but i think this is an unfair comparison...the method is definitely left coast.  hell, i even forgive them their strong los angeles connection...living in the desert must have fried their brains.  but it fried them in a good way.  any band that samples "the dark crystal" on their album's opening track is alright by me. i have yet to hear tweekend, so i'm recommending vegas.

dead can dance

dead can dance was lisa gerrard and brendan perry.   dcd was another of those groups which were unfortunately latched onto by the goffic community and overplayed, undermining much of the pure spirit and feeling of their work.  brendan is an amazing multi-intstrumentalist and lisa has a phenomenal voice.  they really don't have much of a set style, at times it is gothic, at times ethereal, at times mournful, at times world beat, at times playful. they featured a lot of medieval instruments in their work, all of which was real, not sampled or synthesised.  they parted ways in 1998, citing the desire to work on solo projects, but it is not-very-secret that a big part of the breakup was religious differences; lisa is a member of an ultrareligious sect devoted to finding the "true bible" and brendan has a serious problem with christianity.   they released nine official albums, one of which ("a passage in time") being a compilation.  for a first shot, i'd suggest 1993's "into the labyrinth," although "a passage in time" is also a decent compilation.

delerium

delerium are a side project of vancouver-based bill leeb and rhys fulber.  they recorded twelve albums as delerium [i know, poem is the thirteenth, but rhys has left the band], many others under various band names such as frontline assmebly, synæsthesia, noise unit, pro-tech, equinox and intermix.  delerium's style changed from ethereal, ambient work to their more danceable later releases.  although "karma" was by far their biggest seller, thanks in no small part to a guest performance from sarah mclachlan on "silence," i recommend "semantic spaces" as an introduction.  even rhys said that "flowers become screens" is probably the best track they'd ever written.  i agree wholeheartedly.

tony de vit

tony de vit started djing at 17, and for the next twenty years he built a well-deserved reputation as one of the best djs in the world, ranking fifth in a best djs of all time poll.  he really started getting recognition in the early nineties with production work for louise and east 17, and he had two top-20 hits on his own.  it was his recorded set in tel aviv that launched the wildly popular "global underground" series.  he gained a reputation as the hardest working dj in the business by playing out almost every night, but he still had time to talk to people, and never gained the untouchable dj ego which affected so many others.  all his hard work caught up with him, though; he died on 2 July 1998 of bone marrow failure and bronchial pneumonia shortly after collapsing with exhaustion.  his two "boxed" cds are excellent representations of his work; i recommend the first one simply because of it launched an amazing series.

john digweed

john digweed is perhaps better known as half of the powerhouse dj collaboration sasha and digweed.  however, he stands well on his own - he has been quoted as saying that he always wanted to be a dj, and couldn't see himself doing anything else.  between his solo work and his collaborations with sasha, he has been pretty damned prolific, so picking just one is a difficult task.  at first guess, though, i'd recommend "bedrock" as a good starting point, although "northern exposure" with sasha is a close second.

einstürzende neubauten

einstürzende neubauten are one of the most influential groups in the industrial/experimental genre.  the name does, in fact, mean collapsing new buildings, a hint at the entropy and destruction that the band loves so much.  they started as performance artists, and the music just kinda happened from there.  they started off connecting contact mics to machinery and scrap they found at junkyards, living the motto das lied schläft in der maschinen (the song lives in machinery), and slowly migrated to a more traditional lineup...the last album, "silence is sexy," even has string arrangements.   they all have side projects, einheit with his solo work and bargeld as one of nick cave's bad seeds.  neubauten are definitely an acquired taste, something to wake you up in the morning [especially with blixa's bloodcurdling screams], so as an introduction i'd recommend 1996's "ende neu," then "1/2 mensch" as a follow-up.

darren emerson

darren emerson is probably best known as the man who breathed new life back into underworld.  he joined them in 1990, and it was his help with "dubnobasswithmyheadman" which gained the band a massive following and much critical acclaim.  he worked with karl and rick for a decade, releasing three albums and an ep before quitting in april of 2000 to "get back to his dj roots." he has released a number of mix compilations, but i think "global underground 015 - uruguay" is probably most representative of his style.  buy it.  now.

faithless

faithless is a collaboration between producers extraordinaire rollo and sister bliss, with vocalists jamie catto and maxi jazz rounding out the group.  their first album, "reverence," also features vocals from london singer dido.  their follow-up album, "sunday 8pm," was also issued as a limited-edition double cd with "saturday 3 am," a disc of remixes from the album.  either are great, but i'd recommend "reverence" just because it was the first one i picked up from them, and salva mea is ten and a half minutes of ecstasy.

fatboy slim

fatboy slim aka pizzaman, aka might dub katz is bromley-born norman cook, who got his start playing bass in the housemartins.  he didn't like what they were doing, so he left them to go solo.   his has released three albums as fatboy, "better living through chemistry," "you've come a long way, baby," and "halfway between the gutter and stars" are all good sample-heavy excursions...but if i had to pick one, "better living through chemistry" would be the one.

seb fontaine

seb fontaine is possibly the only dj to have had residency at both ministry of sound and cream.  the fact that he was conceived in ibiza by a dj mother seems to have decided his fate long before he had.  he has released several cds, but what really got me interested was his work with global underground for the "prototype" series, three in all.  any of them will do you well, just pick one.

front 242

front 242 is another of those bands which don't need much of an introduction. founded in brussels in late 1981, 242 helped define the synth-industrial movement of the late 80s and early 90s.  they released around ten albums in their nearly 20-year career, the most popular of which is probably "tyranny " which featured the hits rhythm of time and tragedy (for you), although their first club hit was, appropriately enough, masterhit from "official version," followed by the wildly popular headhunter from "front by front." i recommend "official version" for those who wish to experience 242 for the first time.

front line assembly

front line assembly was created after bill leeb [then wilhelm schroder] left skinny puppy in 1985.   together with michael balch, and rhys fulber assisting with production and studio work, he released six albums as frontline assembly between then an 1989, the year that saw the emergence of the first of his many side projects, delerium and noise unit.  fla's style is not dissimilar to front242; industrial which relies heavily on synths and technology; one main difference is that fla tends to be more hard-edged and bleak.  with over 20 albums to choose from, a favourite is difficult to decide on, but i'd go with the remix compilation "reclamation" for a beginner.

garbage

garbage is from madison, wisconsin. well, that's where they're based, anyway.  singer shirley manson [who, i don't mind telling you, is one of thevery very few women i'd go straight for] is actually from edinburgh.  beauty, talent, and a scot.  she doesn't just sing, either - she wrote all the lyrics for the second album, and is as likely to be found in the studio twiddling the knobs on the decks as they guys are.  despite her obvious amazing qualities, a lot of the credit should also go to drummer butch vig, an amazing producer.  his production work is most commonly linked to the grunge movement of the early 90s, but he's been around longer than that - one of my favourite remixes of all times is his treatment of the cult's she sells sanctuary from 1985.  they have a unique style; although typically classified as typical rock, they also have a very technological background - all four have confessed to be geeks.  they have just released their third album, beautiful garbage, an amazing [if angrier] body of work, but i'm going to join the rest of the cool kids and recommend "version 2.0"...appropriately titled, as it was their second release.

grid

grid is "the other guy" [dave ball] from soft cell and richard norris.  little else is really known about them.  they don't have an official site, and they have been on unoffical hiatus since early 97.  they are probably best know for that "techno banjo song" [swamp thing] and 'texas cowboys' ...both of which have appeared in many techno/club compilations.  their production and engineering are excellent - 'crystal clear' is one of the best trance tracks ever in the whole history of ever.  they have only released four albums, any of which will amaze you, but for a first timer, the remix compilation "music for dancing" is a good choice.

nina hagen

nina hagen is a rather ...unique entity.  she really doesn't have a classification, although one common term i've heard used is "acid rock," and that one will do as well as any other.  if you actually listen to what she's trying to say, she is an amazingly positive force...just knowing that she exists in this world somehow makes up for all the crap that goes on.  she was born and raised in east berlin, trained as an opera singer to follow her mother's example, and then...something happened.  some say it was the ufo contact, some say drugs [although given her decidedly anti-drug stance, this is unlikely]...all i know is that she became a true freak, and i love her for it.   she does all the vocals on her albums, from the gravelly herve vellechaize vocals on 'born in xixax' to babies ['cosma shiva'] to classical opera ['ave maria']...truly something for everyone.  ignore the many many "best of" and "greatest hits" compilations and head straight for 1983's "angstlos" ["fearless" is the english version] or 1991's "street." all of her albums include lyrics [written in her own handwriting] so you can tell what the hell she's on about.  yummy.

intermix

intermix are yet another side project of the leeb/fulber partnership. more along the lines of delerium than frontline assembly, the intermix sound is more tribal and dance-oriented. They have released three albums; "future primitives", "intermix" and "phaze two". Of the three, "intermix" is my recommendation, simply because it was their first.

juno reactor

juno reactor is essentially ben watkins.  i had the good fortune to meet ben last november when he was on tour with alex patterson of the orb.  a great guy - it was nice to have someone to be a geek with for a bit, talking about recording equipment and programmes and so forth.  as for his music - OHmygod.  you have NO idea.  you need everything they've ever released.  i just can't explain.  just go and get it.  all of it.  "bible of dreams" is a good place to start, since the newest "shango" takes a little while to get used to.

kode IV

kode IV are a burning man thing.  that's the best way i can describe it.  techno-industrial post-apocalyptic kinda stuff.  ever since hearing 'disobey' for the first time, i've been hooked.  they have three major albums, "insane," "silcon civilisation" and "best of kode IV" which has remixed and so forth.  you should hunt down all three, but for the initiate, "best of kode IV" is a good start.

leæther strip

leaæther strip is denmark's own claus larsen. it took me a while to get into his work for some reason, but once i did, i was hooked. his style, while often compared to skinny puppy, is more reminiscent of more tech-industrial artists such as FLA or 242. he has released many albums [i have eleven, and that still isn't all of them], and although some of the compilations such as "yes i'm limited" are tempting, most of them are remix comps. so i am going to recommend "the rebirth of agony" as a first time LS experience, just because i want you hard really rocks my world.

loop guru

loop guru are english artists who create eastern-influenced ambient work.  note that ambient here describes the work, not labels it.  their releases are to experienced, not to serve as background noise like much of what is called ambient by the music press.  They have released a few albums, but i'd recommend "loop bites dog" as a first; it goes from fast beats to slow trancy meditative stuff to almost jungle, without ever seeming disjointed.  truly a unique experience.

lords of acid

lords of acid are three belgian wackos; maurice engelen, oliver adams and nickie van lierop who, like the leeb/fulber parntership, spawned several side projects; the lords, praga khan, the immortals, digital orgasm, praga khan and jade 4u, and about 20 others.  Most of their work is along the same lines; hardcore thump thump techno and extremely sexual.  rumour has it that the moaning and so forth on the lords' albums are real; they lock themselves in the studio with the recorder on and go at it.  swell stuff.  as for recommendations, each album gets progressively more hardcore, so i'd recommend their first, "lust" as an introduction.

love and rockets

love and rockets are the other 3/4 of bauhaus. after the split, peter went solo, and daniel and kevin created tones on tail. not long after that, david j was brought back into the picture and love and rockets was born. they have a more psychedelic edge to them their previous work. if you like bauhaus or any of the other offshoots, you'll probably like this too. they have several releases, spanning 15 years. although seventh dream holds a special place in my heart, i'll go ahead and recommend express, their second album, released in 1986.

medicine drum

medicine drum are self-proclaimed techno-shamans. i caught them when they were supporting juno reactor's last tour here. really amazing stuff. it's all tribal and dancey and trancey. their ideas are right in line with my line of thinking several years back. they've released only two full-length albums that i know of, supernature and talking stick. either is good, but talking stick is more like what they were playing live. swell stuff.

new order

new order arose from the ashes of joy division after lead singer ian curtis committed suicide, hence the name. after reforming, they lost much of the dark edge which joy division did so well. their new material was more dance-oriented, whether conscious or not, and has proved to be much more popular; just try to go to any 80s-format club without hearing "blue monday" at least once. after taking a break in the early nineties to pursue other projects [bernard and johnny marr as electronic, peter as revenge, and gillian and stephen as the other two], they came back with a vengeance and refuse to go away.  although brotherhood and power, corruption and lies hold a special place in my heart, substance, a two-cd compilation released in 1987, is a good place to start for their earlier work, the best of also includes their more recent work.

rammstein

rammstein are a german ...industrial/metal group [how novel!].  this will be a bit biased as i am writing this the night after seeing them live.  all i can say is....damn.  quite possibly the best show i've ever seen.  the pyrotechnics alone were worth the show.  everything ended up on fire; the mic stands, one of the guitars, and the lead singer.  even if it isn't your thing, you should try to see them live, it's an experience you'll never forget.  they're great for feeding your aggression...very angry stuff.  hey have three albums; "herzeleid [heartbreak]," "sehnsucht [longing]" [their "breakthrough" album, and the newest, "mutter [mother]." For a first timer, i'd recommend "sehnsucht" as it is a bit more techno-infused and an all-around great collection.