Electrospective: Electronic Music Since 1958 is a hell of a mixed bag. In attempting to demonstrate the wide-reaching impact of electronic music, EMI may be accused of being too ambitious.
Over two discs, the compilation spans a myriad of genres: proto-electronica, art rock, post punk, synth pop, techno, trance, and everything in-between and beyond.
The highlights here are many and varied. Disc one features the classic ‘Virginia Plain’ from Roxy Music, which couples manic art-school rock with some early knob-twiddling from electronic pioneer Brian Eno. Contrast this with the ethereal soundscapes produced by Germany’s Tangerine Dream; or the cold, dark, sounds produced by the Normal with ‘Warm Leatherette’ or Cabaret Voltaire’s ‘Nag Nag Nag’.
The 80s are also well represented here, with electronic pop gems from Duran Duran, The Human League and the Pet Shop Boys.
Disc two is even more varied, with highlights including the house classic ‘Go’ by Moby, Daft Punk’s ‘Around the World’, Radiohead’s ‘Everything In Its Right Place’, and more recent tracks from Gorillaz and Swedish House Mafia.
Electrospective’s liner notes promise that this set is part of a much larger EMI project to pay tribute to electronic music, incorporating unreleased music, artist interviews, live events and so forth. If this is true, it will definitely whet the appetite of anyone wishing to delve further into the archives.
Unfortunately crucial omissions (Kraftwerk, Gary Numan) make this compilation less than essential, but it remains a solid collection.
– Brittany Chapburn
