History Archives

Alexander Dias September 9, 2020

The cultural ramifications of “Big Fun” are difficult to measure. Inner City drafted the sonic palette for a movement.

Kat Bein September 8, 2020

Orbital share memories of “Chime,” the track that turned them into electronic icons, helping bring acid house from raves to Top of the Pops.

Kat Bein September 8, 2020

More than 30 years after Derrick May’s “Strings of Life” saw release, techno remains a pillar of the modern dance community.

Jake Uitti September 8, 2020

Explore the mysterious backstory of “Pump Up the Jam,” a worldwide electronic music smash and tale of mistaken identity.

Kristin Robinson September 8, 2020

Mantronix mixed Kraftwerk’s experimental feel with the warmth of Grandmaster Flash. “Scream” remains a landmark electro-funk hip-hop mashup.

Kristin Robinson September 8, 2020

“Heliosphan” relies on the drums to act as a driving force. Even when the track borders on chaos, the TR-909 maintains perfect time.

Peter Kirn September 7, 2020

30 years after its release, Joey Beltram’s “Energy Flash” remains one of the definitive techno tracks. It still sits easily in a DJ set.

Evan Shamoon August 1, 2020

It’s not a stretch to say that few bands were as formative in the early evolution of electronic music as Yellow Magic Orchestra.

Ari Rosenschein July 27, 2020

“Jam On It” by Newcleus is a true hip-hop classic. The track is dense with groove, creative production, and lyrical panache.

Jason Heffler July 23, 2020

Using the TR-808, vocoder, and modular synthesis, the enigmatic duo created a modern dance classic.