A good (not astounding) house track that takes good advantage of the sampling source it lifts from. More exactly, "Get Down Saturday Night" by Oliver Cheatham. Yes, THE same track Room 5 (aka Junior Jack) used in "Make Luv".

What else there is to say about New Order that hasn't been said? Maybe that, more than any other band/project (save, maybe, for The Clash), they were responsible for bringing black-rooted dance and electronic music to a reluctant indie/alternative audience, making it more palatable to those kind of listeners. Bands like Underworld, Stone Roses, Happy Mondays, The Chemical Brothers et al have a lot to thank New Order for.

Basement Jaxx are truly one of the most daring and forward-looking projects house music has ever seen. Ever since their beginning, they are not afraid to experiment and bring new sounds and combinations to the tried and tested house music formula. Even today, as one of the biggest electronic/dance acts in the world, they keep pushing boundaries, yet manage to bring an altogether irresistible pop sensibility to what they do. Sure some "purists" don't have them in much consideration. But hey, Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock and other jazz greats were looked aside by the same "purists". And isn't music supposed to be about self-expression? The answer is quite clear. And I truly believe Basement Jaxx are going to be remembered for years by successive new generations of electronic music lovers, who I am sure will look back and give their due props for their groundbreaking work.

Where must one start? Jazzanova are, undoubtedly, one of the most important dance/electronic projects of the last ten years, tagging, like no others before, the so-much dreaded "nu-jazz" tag. They, along with record label Compost (for which they record and own their own sub-imprint, Jazzanova Compost Records, or JCR), set the template for most of the black music rooted dance/electronica that has been being made in the past couple of years. They were also one of the first ptojects to bring some world music awareness to dance music, bringing in elements of Latin and African music and, in the process, showing that dance music itself is something that almost exists since the dawn of times. But, in truth, Jazzanova are a very eclectic bunch, and they are as capable of making Latin-influenced jams, as well as very electronic-sounding 4/4 house joints. All in all, Jazzanova prove that knowing your music (and especially, knowing it in very different styles) can be important by the time you create your own thing.
And, of course, let's not forget that Jazzanova, along with Kruder & Dorfmeister, also brought the art of remixing to a new and refreshing stage. In many cases, their remixes are so much that as almost new creations in themselves, sometimes completely turning the original tunes upside down. In some cases, that approach can even turn what was originally dull and turn it into a dancefloor stomper or a great chill-out vibe.
In short: Jazzanova is an essential name for anyone who likes music. Any kind of music, really.

Just like any other genre, dance and electronic music have their indisputable heroes. And Ashley Beedle is, without any doubt, one of them. When house music seemed to be content with repeating its winning formulas ad nauseaum, out comes Ashley's Black Science Orchestra and their truly classic "Ladyland EP", a record that set the standard for the so-called nu-skool/brit house movement of the mid-90's. And of course, there was Ballistic Brothers, with whom he made three absolutely stunning albums: "Vs. The Eccentric Afros", "London Hooligan Soul" and "Rude System". The first one, in many ways, are sort of Future/Nu-Jazz a bit before the term was born. Then came Black Jazz Chronicles. The records made under this guise previewed the afrobeat craze that swept the dancefloors in the late 90s and still sound as if they were made just yesterday. And, of course, there are always the true dancefloor bombs he made as X-Press 2.
In short: Ashley Beedle was, at some periods, a true visionary!

No comments about Run DMC yet?!?! I am absolutely shocked about that! Come on, these guys must be one of the most important bands of the last 25 years or so. They redefined hip hop as we knew it back then. In some senses, they were the first "new school" hip hop project ever. They were the true originators of the rap/rock fusion. And, along the way, the true first superstars of hip hop, helping pave the way for the multi-million dollar industry that is hip hop alone within the music industry. In short, Run DMC is as important as some of the most revered names in the pop and rock genres. And I think many of you agree with me on that one.

This must be one of the most true eclectic labels there is out there. And, so far, they have always had a forward-thinking attitude to the music they release. One of the most interesting labels around at the moment, for sure.

I agree with Kal. It is true: Positiva released a lot of sub-pop crap (and I mean "sub-pop" because, in my books, pop, per se, is not synonymous with crap). But they also put their big money to good value: Joe T. Vannelli, Trisco, Judy Cheeks, Boris Dglosch, Barbara Tucker, Tru Faith, The Ones, Kid Crème, Room 5, George Morel and The Scumfrog can be counted in the "good pop stuff" category. And then, some classics: The Bucketheads, Shy FX & T-Power, Black Magic and Ragga Twins. And yes, they released a lot of bullshit too! But one can't deny the fact that this label is, for better and for worse, one of the most important labels in dance music.

Autechre WERE important and INNOVATOVE up until "Chiastic Slide" and, in some extent, "LP5". But from then on, I think they confused experimentalism with self-indulgence. "Confield" and "Draft 7.30" are some of the most pretentious records I have ever heard. I mean, even when we want to experiment, we have to have some purpose. And I don't see any purpose in these albums, just tracks that sound like works in progress, really. Then, most of this, for its "experimentation", was already done by John Cage, Brian Eno or even Kevin Martin. Sorry, but Autechre, these days, my thought is that they are living out of a (good) reputation they so rightfully built up with their first and essential releases.

Sometimes, the death of an artist seems to be a sort of blessing in desguise, for it may turn a great but largely ignored - if not missunderstood - talent into someone finally recognised by the general public. If this will be the case with Drexciya (alias: James Stinson) it is not very certain. Truth is, however, his productions were straight ahead of their time, full of twists and turns unknown to many producers. His legacy to the techno and electro sub-genres and electronic music in general is incomensurable and is one which won't be, in my view, universally acknowledged at any time, such was the unique nature of this man's art. RIP, James Stinson!