Top 100 IDM Songs Of All Time

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Ok. I'm bored, so:

― mark p (Mark P), Friday, 22 November 2002 14:41 (twenty-three years ago)

100. Aphex Twin - Flim

― mark p (Mark P), Friday, 22 November 2002 14:46 (twenty-three years ago)

99. autechre ~ vose in

― gareth (gareth), Friday, 22 November 2002 14:49 (twenty-three years ago)

98. Boards Of Canada - Roygbiv

― mark p (Mark P), Friday, 22 November 2002 14:49 (twenty-three years ago)

(these are in no particular order obviously)

― mark p (Mark P), Friday, 22 November 2002 14:49 (twenty-three years ago)

97. Plaid - Kortisin

― mark p (Mark P), Friday, 22 November 2002 14:52 (twenty-three years ago)

96. Christian Kleine - Bitter Things

― mark p (Mark P), Friday, 22 November 2002 14:53 (twenty-three years ago)

95. Aphex Twin - Ventolin

― Jonathan Williams (ex machina), Friday, 22 November 2002 14:56 (twenty-three years ago)

94. schlammpeitziger ~ honkytonk schlickummpitz

― gareth (gareth), Friday, 22 November 2002 14:58 (twenty-three years ago)

93. Squarepusher - My Red Hot Car

― mark p (Mark P), Friday, 22 November 2002 15:00 (twenty-three years ago)

92. the black dog "sharp-shooting on saturn"

― michael wells (michael w.), Friday, 22 November 2002 15:00 (twenty-three years ago)

91. bola "vespers"

― michael wells (michael w.), Friday, 22 November 2002 15:02 (twenty-three years ago)

90. random number ~ these streets and sadness

― gareth (gareth), Friday, 22 November 2002 15:03 (twenty-three years ago)

what are the parameters for this?

― michael wells (michael w.), Friday, 22 November 2002 15:04 (twenty-three years ago)

how do you mean?

― mark p (Mark P), Friday, 22 November 2002 15:05 (twenty-three years ago)

parameters: rephlex-schematic-morr-warp-skam-amusik blahdy blahdy

― gareth (gareth), Friday, 22 November 2002 15:06 (twenty-three years ago)

89. Nobukazu Takemura - Icefall

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 22 November 2002 15:08 (twenty-three years ago)

what about abstract detroit techno? cologne? berlin? tigerbeat6? is this just u.k. stuff? what about early WARP?

― michael wells (michael w.), Friday, 22 November 2002 15:08 (twenty-three years ago)

Look, can you stop all this? Otherwise it won't be funny when I put the Vengaboys in at Number 1.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 22 November 2002 15:09 (twenty-three years ago)

88. Kinesthesia 'Kobal'
87. Plaid 'Squance'
86. We '3/10 Of The Population'
85. Spooky 'Fingerbobs'
84. Boards Of Canada 'Nlogax'

― stevem (blueski), Friday, 22 November 2002 15:11 (twenty-three years ago)

michael given that IDM is a pretty finicky term (see other thread), then i think it's best to leave the parameters wide open (ie. whatever you see fit to include is fine)

we can argue about it later.

― mark p (Mark P), Friday, 22 November 2002 15:11 (twenty-three years ago)

― mark p (Mark P), Friday, 22 November 2002 15:12 (twenty-three years ago)

83. Capitol K - Song For Banana

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 22 November 2002 15:13 (twenty-three years ago)

82. speedy j "r2d2"

― michael wells (michael w.), Friday, 22 November 2002 15:14 (twenty-three years ago)

82. Aphex Twin - Pancake Lizard

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 22 November 2002 15:14 (twenty-three years ago)

80. psyche "neurotic behaviour"

― michael wells (michael w.), Friday, 22 November 2002 15:14 (twenty-three years ago)

79. Cex - Florida (Is Shaped Like A Big Droopy Dick For A Reason)

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 22 November 2002 15:15 (twenty-three years ago)

79. arovane - the storm

― mark p (Mark P), Friday, 22 November 2002 15:15 (twenty-three years ago)

78. polygon window "if it really is me"

― michael wells (michael w.), Friday, 22 November 2002 15:16 (twenty-three years ago)

77. Global Goon - Long Whiney

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 22 November 2002 15:16 (twenty-three years ago)

76. Aphex Twin - Bucephalus Bouncing Ball

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 22 November 2002 15:17 (twenty-three years ago)

75. warp 69 "natural high" (global communication mix)

― michael wells (michael w.), Friday, 22 November 2002 15:17 (twenty-three years ago)

74. Plaid - Fer

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 22 November 2002 15:18 (twenty-three years ago)

73.Autechre - Teartear

― Siegbran (eofor), Friday, 22 November 2002 15:18 (twenty-three years ago)

72. Amon Tobin - Four Ton Mantis

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 22 November 2002 15:19 (twenty-three years ago)

71. carl craig "at les"

― michael wells (michael w.), Friday, 22 November 2002 15:21 (twenty-three years ago)

71.Sasha - Mr.Tiddles (no joke!)

― Siegbran (eofor), Friday, 22 November 2002 15:21 (twenty-three years ago)

70. Radiohead - Packt Like Sardines In A Crush Tin Box

(controversial, I know)

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 22 November 2002 15:21 (twenty-three years ago)

69. Jega - Doric

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 22 November 2002 15:23 (twenty-three years ago)

67. kenny larkin "tedra" (i counted back)

― michael wells (michael w.), Friday, 22 November 2002 15:23 (twenty-three years ago)

66. Telefon Tel Aviv, 'Fahrenheit Fair Enough'
65. Astrobotnia, 'Drops'

― Jordan (Jordan), Friday, 22 November 2002 15:24 (twenty-three years ago)

64. d'arcangelo ~ diagramm vii (80s mix)

― gareth (gareth), Friday, 22 November 2002 15:24 (twenty-three years ago)

63. Astrobotnia - Sweden

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 22 November 2002 15:25 (twenty-three years ago)

62. lackluster- catch 22
61. balil - choke and fly

― todd swiss (eliti), Friday, 22 November 2002 15:26 (twenty-three years ago)

60.Autechre - Flutter

― Siegbran (eofor), Friday, 22 November 2002 15:26 (twenty-three years ago)

59. maurizio "m4"

― michael wells (michael w.), Friday, 22 November 2002 15:26 (twenty-three years ago)

58. Aphex Twin - Vordhosbn

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 22 November 2002 15:27 (twenty-three years ago)

57. Matrix 'Mute'

― stevem (blueski), Friday, 22 November 2002 15:28 (twenty-three years ago)

56. boards of canada "aquarius"

― michael wells (michael w.), Friday, 22 November 2002 15:29 (twenty-three years ago)

66. Telefon Tel Aviv, 'Fahrenheit Fair Enough

this is a GREBT pick.

― mark p (Mark P), Friday, 22 November 2002 15:29 (twenty-three years ago)

Skipping 90 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

NO KID606 AT ALL! HURRAH!

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 22 November 2002 16:15 (twenty-three years ago)

100. Aphex Twin - Flim
99. autechre ~ vose in
98. Boards Of Canada - Roygbiv
97. Plaid - Kortisin
96. Christian Kleine - Bitter Things
95. Aphex Twin - Ventolin
94. schlammpeitziger ~ honkytonk schlickummpitz
93. Squarepusher - My Red Hot Car
92. the black dog "sharp-shooting on saturn"
91. bola "vespers"
90. random number ~ these streets and sadness
89. Nobukazu Takemura - Icefall
88. Kinesthesia 'Kobal'
87. Plaid 'Squance'
86. We '3/10 Of The Population'
85. Spooky 'Fingerbobs'
84. Boards Of Canada 'Nlogax'
83. Capitol K - Song For Banana
82. speedy j "r2d2"
81. Aphex Twin - Pancake Lizard
80. psyche "neurotic behaviour"
79. Cex - Florida (Is Shaped Like A Big Droopy Dick For A Reason)
79. arovane - the storm
78. polygon window "if it really is me"
77. Global Goon - Long Whiney
76. Aphex Twin - Bucephalus Bouncing Ball
75. warp 69 "natural high" (global communication mix)
74. Plaid - Fer
73.Autechre - Teartear
72. Amon Tobin - Four Ton Mantis
71. carl craig "at les"
71.Sasha - Mr.Tiddles (no joke!)
70. Radiohead - Packt Like Sardines In A Crush Tin Box
69. Jega - Doric
67. kenny larkin "tedra"
66. Telefon Tel Aviv, 'Fahrenheit Fair Enough'
65. Astrobotnia, 'Drops'
64. d'arcangelo ~ diagramm vii (80s mix)
63. Astrobotnia - Sweden
62. lackluster- catch 22
61. balil - choke and fly
60.Autechre - Flutter
59. maurizio "m4"
58. Aphex Twin - Vordhosbn
57. Matrix 'Mute'
56. boards of canada "aquarius"
56.Aphex Twin - Windowlicker
55. Boymerang 'Urban Space'
54. Autechre 'Blifil'
53. Mouse On Mars - Frosch
52. 808 States 'Plan 9'
51. Orbital - Adnan's
50. dntel - this is the dream of evan and chan
49. bjork - it's not up to you
48. bola "aguilla"
47. Aphex Twin - Alberto Balsam
46. matmos - lipostudio... and so on
45. oval - do while
45. Future Sound Of London 'Far Out Son Of Lung'
44. Bjork - Hunter
42. coldcut "autumn leaves" (irresistable force mix)
43. µ-Ziq 'The Fear'
42. Lackluster - Starcell UK
43. gescom - keynell ae mix
40. Seefeel 'Spangle'
39. christ - pylonesque
38. Wagon Christ - Shimmering Haze
36. Sabres Of Paradise 'Wilmot'
35. Cabaret Voltaire 'Sensoria'
34. Underworld 'Rez'
33. Plaid - Prague Radio
32. Cylob - Rewind
31. Model 500 'The Flow'
30. LFO - LFO
29. Mu-Ziq - Goodbye Goodbye
28. Jacob's Optical Stairway 'Fragments Of A Lost Language'
27. 808 State 'Sunrise'
26. Ulrich Schnauss - Passing by
25. Bogdan Raczynski - Death To The Natives
24. prefuse 73 - nuno
23. brothomstates - qtio
22. machine drum - jewlea
21. Plastikman - Skizofrenik
20. savath + savalas = transportation theme
19. aaliyah "we need a resolution"
18. Squarepusher - I Wish You Could Talk
17. Jega - Recursion
16. squarepusher - Iambic 5 Poetry
15. Human 'Skating On Thin Ice'
14. bola "whoblo"
13. Mouse On Mars - Albion Rose
12. Plaid - Rakimou
11. schneider TM - reality check
10. Autechre - Arch Carrier
9. Midwest Project 'Still Love In The Midwest'
8. Bjork - All Is Full Of Love (Plaid Mix)
7. Orbital - Belfast
6. Squarepusher - COME ON MY SELECTOR!
5. Plone 'On My Bus'
4) global communication "obselon minos (14:31)"
3) Aphex Twin - Girl Boy
2) APHEX - ON
1. squarepusher - wAP165!

― stevem (blueski), Friday, 22 November 2002 16:16 (twenty-three years ago)

i must admit Plone's 'On My Bus' may not qualify as 'intelligent dance music' under any perception of the definition but its classic electronic/ambient muzak like a lot of other tracks here - i was so happy when i squeezed it in ;)

― stevem (blueski), Friday, 22 November 2002 16:18 (twenty-three years ago)

no 'analogue bubblebath' tho, christ on a trike!

― stevem (blueski), Friday, 22 November 2002 16:19 (twenty-three years ago)

To be fair, it qualifies more than Underworld or Aaliyah!

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 22 November 2002 16:21 (twenty-three years ago)

yeah it's def a very flawed list

we should rename it to 100 superb idm tracks

― mark p (Mark P), Friday, 22 November 2002 16:21 (twenty-three years ago)

To be fair, it qualifies more than Underworld or Aaliyah!

point, matt dc.

― mark p (Mark P), Friday, 22 November 2002 16:21 (twenty-three years ago)

this is not doing much to refute your previous thread, mark

― jess (dubplatestyle), Friday, 22 November 2002 16:24 (twenty-three years ago)

this is not doing much to refute your previous thread, mark

haha i know! game, set, match.

― mark p (Mark P), Friday, 22 November 2002 16:25 (twenty-three years ago)

(why have i suddenly seized on tennis analogies? weird.)

― mark p (Mark P), Friday, 22 November 2002 16:26 (twenty-three years ago)

i dont see why 'rez' wouldnt qualify...it always stood out from most other Underworld tracks for me cos a) no lyrics despite its 'epic-ness' and b) it doesnt seem to have been designed primiarly for dancing because of the subtlety and the nuances of the track - its very pensive, pregnant even - building up to something but isnt sure what - it feels quite aimless tho its moving forward without realising it.....er, excuse the pretentious musing...(gets his coat and leaves)

or is 'rex' the first microhouse track? ;)

― stevem (blueski), Friday, 22 November 2002 16:27 (twenty-three years ago)

the aaliyah track is as much *dm as, say, radiohead or bjork. if it was released anonymously on warp or as an instrum. the geeks would be creaming their pants.

― michael wells (michael w.), Friday, 22 November 2002 16:27 (twenty-three years ago)

rex?

― stevem (blueski), Friday, 22 November 2002 16:27 (twenty-three years ago)

i'm not calling anyone here a geek, btw.

― michael wells (michael w.), Friday, 22 November 2002 16:28 (twenty-three years ago)

stevem i'll have to dig out my underworld albums again tonight (i barely remember 'rez' anymore - sad i know), but somehow i'm more inclined to accept aaliyah as idm than underworld at this moment in time.

― mark p (Mark P), Friday, 22 November 2002 16:29 (twenty-three years ago)

the existence of 'cowgirl' suggests the intentions behind 'rez' were something 'other' to me too

― stevem (blueski), Friday, 22 November 2002 16:30 (twenty-three years ago)

fair point about the Aaliyah track michael, tho i'm inclined to feel that there are many other hip hop/r n b tracks you could include in this chart easily if you just removed the vocals too

― stevem (blueski), Friday, 22 November 2002 16:32 (twenty-three years ago)

now i would like somebody with far more spare time than i to break down these 100 tracks by year of release

martian to thread!

― mark p (Mark P), Friday, 22 November 2002 16:34 (twenty-three years ago)

ooh simon should come play here

― mark p (Mark P), Friday, 22 November 2002 16:35 (twenty-three years ago)

you're right blueski, i stand accused of tokenism :)

― michael wells (michael w.), Friday, 22 November 2002 16:36 (twenty-three years ago)

haha trife or reynolds, mark?

― jess (dubplatestyle), Friday, 22 November 2002 16:38 (twenty-three years ago)

actually BOTH

(but i meant reynolds obv)

― mark p (Mark P), Friday, 22 November 2002 16:38 (twenty-three years ago)

"reality check" over "the light 3000"???

― mitch lastnamewithheld (mitchlnw), Friday, 22 November 2002 17:45 (twenty-three years ago)

boy did I have a fucked sense of what IDM was before reading this list. Do I have to admit I'm into IDM now!? So sadd!

― Dan I., Friday, 22 November 2002 17:57 (twenty-three years ago)

Oh, Wap155 is Do You Know Squarepusher? That'd been bugging me.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 22 November 2002 18:44 (twenty-three years ago)

sorry matt. i got ten releases ahead of myself!

early white label didn't have a name, therefore: catalogue number.

― mark p (Mark P), Friday, 22 November 2002 18:57 (twenty-three years ago)

Nothing by Severed Heads? No "Hot With Fleas" or "Legion" or "Big Car" or "Harold and Cindy Hospital"?

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Friday, 22 November 2002 19:02 (twenty-three years ago)

no Orb...should there be?

― stevem (blueski), Friday, 22 November 2002 19:27 (twenty-three years ago)

:''( [/jess]

but hooray for whoever said star cell uk.

(Was WAP155 listed as Iceman on live bootlegs before its release for any reason or just because whoever recorded it thought it would be a good name for something?)

― Rebecca (reb), Friday, 22 November 2002 19:57 (twenty-three years ago)

i'm guessing the latter, rebecca...

and yeah, there probably should've been some orb

― mark p (Mark P), Friday, 22 November 2002 20:15 (twenty-three years ago)

severed heads is surely to early for idm dan?

― gareth (gareth), Friday, 22 November 2002 20:20 (twenty-three years ago)

-1. 808 State - "Flow Coma"

― Lukas Bergstrom (lukas), Friday, 22 November 2002 21:37 (twenty-three years ago)

I can't believe this list started and ended without me within a few hrs but the hard rock singles of the 90s list went for a few days. No Pan Sonic, Ryoji Ikeda, Kid606, Immersion, Alva.Noto, Oren Ambarchi, . . .

― sundar subramanian (sundar), Saturday, 23 November 2002 00:11 (twenty-three years ago)

Severed Heads is the most intelligent dance music there is.

― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Saturday, 23 November 2002 07:33 (twenty-three years ago)

Probably worth mentioning that I don't think the Cex track is actually worth its place in there in the slightest. I just voted for it on the merit of its name alone.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Saturday, 23 November 2002 11:44 (twenty-three years ago)

one year passes...

so, a year later, who's still enjoying this stuff now, dancing to it even ? ie has this stuff dated, been superceded ? and if so, why ? bored with the tunes more ? different style/ sound/ speed/ position-of-back-beat ? why ?

i ask this because a lot of this stuff, most of it, is from the last ten years, and most of it is from the last five.

are people dancing to different stuff ? has there been a backlash "un-intelligent" dance music craze ?

it boils down to this
:: does "dance music" have to be intelligent or just sound "new" ("intelligent" by proxy/ "i was dancing to this before you were") ?
:: and why does all that disco, new wave and even rock from the last four decades that people _do_ like to dance to (typically during the 3rd quarter at parties) not count ? this idm music is that much smarter, right ?

― george gosset (gegoss), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 15:03 (twenty-two years ago)

damn you coulda just called this the warp thread

hardly anthing off morr, hefty (although i am glad telefon made it), reflex, kareoke kalk,~scape,orthong musork, mille plateau,

SND - Palo Alto would have been good on here too!

#1 shoulda been "We are the Music Makers" by Aphex

― hector (hector), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 05:29 (twenty-two years ago)

not sure we were still enjoying/dancing to the acts on this list even when it was compiled, george. let alone now.

― zebedee (zebedee), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 12:45 (twenty-two years ago)

What is Squarepusher "WAP 165"?

Is that "Do You Know Squarepusher?" (the song, not the album)?

― Mr. Snrub (Mr. Snrub), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 20:12 (twenty-two years ago)

i meant wap155, which, yeah, later became known as "do you know"

to say this is a flawed list is a massive understatement, but it was a fun way to kill a few hours

― mark p (Mark P), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 20:54 (twenty-two years ago)

Im surprised by how few IDM artists their truely are. It's weird that we had to scrounge to use Aphex Twin like a million times.

― David Allen, Wednesday, 3 December 2003 22:05 (twenty-two years ago)

ILM in not being in the know about obscure electronic music shocker.

― Nihilist Pop Star (mjt), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 23:33 (twenty-two years ago)

uh, thanks for answering that query, zebedee

― george gosset (gegoss), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 23:56 (twenty-two years ago)

Im surprised by how few IDM artists their truely are. It's weird that we had to scrounge to use Aphex Twin like a million times.
-- David Allen (Davidalle...), December 3rd, 2003 10:05 PM.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ILM in not being in the know about obscure electronic music shocker.
-- Nihilist Pop Star (current31...), December 3rd, 2003 11:33 PM.

There are new acts but, without wanting to sound like an old man here, they seem to be more interested in sticking with a trademark sound than truly exploring their creative potential.
Aphex was all about "wow, what's he going to pull out his sleeve next?" but even he put an end to that with the long-awaited and mildly disappointing "Druqks" album, a general retreading of previous styles.
These days the IDM scene is very small, simply because the current generation of artists are obsessed with making glitchcore, drill'n'bass and microhouse tunes. maybe these terms became popular because people don't enjoy using the term "Intelligent Dance Music" to describe the genre. and sadly, this has led to a million socially retarded german teens into all trying to sound like one particular aphex tune and making a career out of it.

Am I making sense here? I am a little drunk.

― dog latin (dog latin), Thursday, 4 December 2003 03:03 (twenty-two years ago)

sorry, am bit pressed for time george. can't spend more than abt 5 mins on the interweb at the mo'. maybe in a couple of weeks i'll let you have a proper answer (which will cover inter alia villalobos, pan sonic, electroclash...)

― zebedee (zebedee), Thursday, 4 December 2003 12:53 (twenty-two years ago)

not sure we were still enjoying/dancing to the acts on this list even when it was compiled, george. let alone now.

Oh for fuck's sake...

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Thursday, 4 December 2003 13:01 (twenty-two years ago)

hardly anthing off morr, hefty (although i am glad telefon made it), reflex, kareoke kalk,~scape,orthong musork, mille plateau,

The stuff on ~scape or Mille Plateaux is hardly "dance music", no? I think "electronic listening music" predates IDM and will probably outlive it as well.

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Thursday, 4 December 2003 13:53 (twenty-two years ago)

Solvent and Styrofoam need putting in for starters.

― Lynskey (Lynskey), Thursday, 4 December 2003 14:46 (twenty-two years ago)

ELM = Warp AI comps = IDM.

― Leee Trevino (Leee), Thursday, 4 December 2003 18:53 (twenty-two years ago)

thirteen years pass...

#5 Plone On My Bus OTM

loving
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmWvteVIYVw

― Week of Wonders (Ross), Tuesday, 10 October 2017 04:34 (eight years ago)

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