The battle of the EDM / indie colossi

[Deebank]

On the cusp of the nineties and onward, a relatively small group of (mainly) duos often involving a bald bloke and a bloke with long hair bobbing around behind a bunch of equipment at festivals took the world by storm.

Many are with us to this day but which is best?

[Deebank]

Let me know if I’ve missed any important ones ... I’m not gonna nvluding Massive Attack because that was trip hop.

[KeithPratt]

Probably the Orb, Orbital and Underworld. The KLF made 4 great singles and a chill out album, but they weren't really part of the same movement.

The Orb had a great 1st album and couple of singles, Orbital were very good live and the first Underworld album and a few remixes still hold up.

I'm not hugely fussed by any of them though. The Prodigy are fucking terrible.

[never/ever]

The Orb I recently listened through their whole singles-and album-output and really enjoyed the spacious vistas of their travels. Think they weren't really about dance but got some nice beats happening through the remixes.

Underworld- classic band who brought a lot of variety in their records. Dubnobasswithmyheadman and Second Toughest are peerless albums.

The KLF's Chill Out and The White Room-albums couldn't be more polar opposites if you tried and both are excellent.

Orbital I could take or leave. Interesting at times but lacked in durability for me.

Leftfield- one great album and the candle went out.

The Prodigy-singles still have a fair bit of punch but never een really got into them.

[Deebank]

Probably the Orb, Orbital and Underworld. The KLF made 4 great singles and a chill out album, but they weren't really part of the same movement.

The Orb had a great 1st album and couple of singles, Orbital were very good live and the first Underworld album and a few remixes still hold up.

I'm not hugely fussed by any of them though. The Prodigy are fucking terrible.

I agree with most of that although I think Undetworld went on to produce some great work - jumbo, Juanita, Two Months Off.

And yes The Prodigy were shit. Why didn’t anyone tell that bloke that Vyvyan from the Young Ones was a comedy character?

[naughty boy]

Probably the Orb, Orbital and Underworld. The KLF made 4 great singles and a chill out album, but they weren't really part of the same movement.

The Orb had a great 1st album and couple of singles, Orbital were very good live and the first Underworld album and a few remixes still hold up.

I'm not hugely fussed by any of them though. The Prodigy are fucking terrible.

"that's it!"

[driftin]

This is the stuff I grew up on and what led me down the dreaded path into jungle, drum 'n' bass, breakbeat, IDM, ambient, techno, then eventually the avant-garde, noise etc.

I like them all but even though The KLF released one of the best albums ever with Chill Out, Leftfield released TWO albums that were almost as good so I'm going with them. They're fantastic live too. In fact, pretty much all of these acts were fantastic live as I've seen them all except The KLF, it's just their studio albums vary in quality with the exception of Leftfield.

Others you left out:

Fatboy Slim
Daft Punk
Moby
Faithless
Basement Jaxx
Groove Armada
Crystal Method

Then of course there's all those UK IDM and breaks guys from Warp Records, Ninja Tune, Planet Mu etc but that's going down a different path I reckon.

[Deebank]

This is the stuff I grew up on and what led me down the dreaded path into jungle, drum 'n' bass, breakbeat, IDM, ambient, techno, then eventually the avant-garde, noise etc.

I like them all but even though The KLF released one of the best albums ever with Chill Out, Leftfield released TWO albums that were almost as good so I'm going with them. They're fantastic live too. In fact, pretty much all of these acts were fantastic live as I've seen them all except The KLF, it's just their studio albums vary in quality with the exception of Leftfield.

Others you left out:

Fatboy Slim
Daft Punk
Moby
Faithless
Basement Jaxx
Groove Armada
Crystal Method

Then of course there's all those UK IDM and breaks guys from Warp Records, Ninja Tune, Planet Mu etc but that's going down a different path I reckon.

I was trying to limit the era and to groups with ‘indie’ crossover appeal I suppose - I did consider Quentin C but he got into (ie borrowed from Chemical Bros) Big Beat a bit later on he was still doing other stuff early 90s.

dreadzone could be another but they were never really a festival headlining colossus.

Utah Saints?

[never/ever]

808 State perhaps.

[Deebank]

808 State perhaps.

Important certainly, bit of a one hit wonder though.

[never/ever]

808 State perhaps.

Important certainly, bit of a one hit wonder though.

They certainly released a bunch of good albums, with Newbuild, their debut from 1988, Ex:El and 90 leading the way. Definitely more than just Pacifik 202and Cubik.

[naughty boy]

but WHAT A HIT!

[never/ever]

but WHAT A HIT!

They should have been bigger than The Prodigy, that's for sure.

[Jumper K]

Awful dull tosh. There are maybe 3 or 4 tracks in total I like. Like is probably too strong a word though.

[Deebank]

Awful dull tosh. There are maybe 3 or 4 tracks in total I like. Like is probably too strong a word though.

You voted Prodigy - your sort of thing

[jimboo]

They're all so terribly dull.

[Jumper K]

Awful dull tosh. There are maybe 3 or 4 tracks in total I like. Like is probably too strong a word though.

You voted Prodigy - your sort of thing

I certainly did not. Whatever my thing is, it is not gurning fake industrial sub-metal plinky plonky nonsense.

[Deebank]

Awful dull tosh. There are maybe 3 or 4 tracks in total I like. Like is probably too strong a word though.

You voted Prodigy - your sort of thing

I certainly did not. Whatever my thing is, it is not gurning fake industrial sub-metal plinky plonky nonsense.

Fair enough. I had you down as a fan of angry shouty men in big shorts for some reason.

I saw the Prodigy a few times when they were in their pomp and they never failed to be less than you describe them They were like Apollo 440 without the tunes... That bad.

[Jumper K]

You voted Prodigy - your sort of thing

I certainly did not. Whatever my thing is, it is not gurning fake industrial sub-metal plinky plonky nonsense.

Fair enough. I had you down as a fan of angry shouty men in big shorts for some reason.

How very dare you!

[driftin]

I was trying to limit the era and to groups with ‘indie’ crossover appeal I suppose

I would say my other suggestions definitely did have this appeal considering a lot of their music wasn't always just typical 4/4 dance music but many styles.