Black Dog Productions – Bytes

Probably one of the highlights of the first 30 years of house, techno, electro, whatever you want to call it. It is the life enhancing simplicity and joy of music-making itself. Still magical after all these years.

First electronic - ambient- dance album I ever heard and I was hooked. To me maybe the best so called compilation ever. Bytes is on another level production wise. It never grows old, if your new to electronic - ambient music this is the bible and you must own it.

I love this production.

After all these years since its original release, 'Bytes' still manages to evoke thoughts, feelings, and memories across its varied atmospheric, emotional, si-fi, deep, retro/futiristic, melodic and quirky style of Idm and Techno. A truly wonderful attention holding album that impresses even today almost 10yrs on(2012). Classic.

This release, from one of the few truly influential electronic music pioneers in the early 1990's, Black Dog, has been hailed as being one of the most innovative and influential recordings from the early Warp Catalogue, as part of the label's "Artificial Intelligence" series.

The focus on "Bytes" is lively, complex, intricate and emotive sounds that send the listener into states of hypnotic bliss, with their established tones flowing seamlesslessly throughout the album and yet managing to incorporate a diverse array of styles in each track.

The trio behind Black Dog, two-thirds of whom make up another big name on Warp, "Plaid", are renowned for their quirky, at times even kitsch-y melodies and beats, and this shows through in fully unrivalled glory on "Bytes". Playful tracks, such as "Caz" flow perfectly into the more subtle, grooving and sombre pieces like "Carceres Ex Novum", and to be honest, the effect they have is astounding.

The music here, while at first not immediately appealing (probably due to the similar textures used in the tracks - may cause you to hear it as being "all the same"), slowly reveals its unparalleled and timeless beauty only with repeated listens. Often with releases such as this, there is a reason for their "highly acclaimed" status - they have earned it, and quite deservingly, too. "Bytes" is no exception.

Rather than complaining that electronic music today is losing its touch, we should instead pick classic releases such as "Bytes" out from our collections, wipe off any dust that may have settled on it, and enjoy. Hopefully it won't be too long before we can experience such another innovative, inspiring and influential album such as "Bytes" to enjoy for 2005 and beyond.

When you look on the cover of the cd, you see the words ''This Compilation'' This was because in time of
releasing Bytes, they already had a contract with GPR! (It's still a problem to release under the same name on different labels) It looks like a compilation of different artists, but it is still made by Downie, Handley and Turner.
The track Xeper was made by Downie in a very short time. One day he woke up with the idea to make this track and made it..
I have read in interviews that Bytes is still their most favourite work.
A must have for all electronic freaks.