Electro is a strange genre to get to grips with as even these knowledgeable and influential DJ/producers selections prove.

Jackson (aka Playgroup, Underdog) formed Output Recordings (who introduced the likes of Four Tet, Black Strobe, The Rapture and LCD Soundsystem on the world) which got him loads of remix work from everyone from The Gossip to Soft Cell.

Even though CD1 starts with Throbbing Gristle offshoot, Chris & Cosey in a jap-electro intro, we soon get into the hip hop side of things with Just Ice, the dirty bass funk of Original Concept and the biggest underground hit of the all, Whodini’s ‘Magic’s Wand’ (1982 co-producer by Thomas Dolby and said to be the first rap song to feature an accompanying video).

Tilt’s ‘Arcade Funk’ is classic go-go and then there’s Visage and Dee-Lite! Even so, there’s some great stuff on here that you may have forgot or need to be introduced to for the first time. Old skool electro is obviously a multi-headed beast of beauty so is electro of today better?

Not that I suppose Alter Ego thought about being in competition anyway. They are dance floor favourites Roman Flugel and Joern Elling Wutte who first came to light with a album on Sven Vath’s label back in 1994. Their latest album The Present is out know so you’ll see loads on press on them about at the moment.

Their CD represents the ‘new’ CD Electro. It certainly has some big synth bass moments Azzido Da Bass (‘Dooms Night’), Detroit Grand Pubahs (‘Big Onion’) and Chicken Lips’ ‘He Not Inbut’.

It seems to lose it’s way a little in the middle but comes back strong with Plastikman and ‘Radium’ by Acid Jesus.

So whether it’s Richie Hawtin you’re into or the crazy version of ‘Dock Of The Bay’, this album proves that these guys know their Electro. It’s a great album that’s been a revelation and reminder of some huge favourites.

Reviewed: Various — Kings Of Electro (Rapster) Cat. No. RR0071CD Release date: November 2007
CD1: Playgroup — The History
01. Chris & Cosey — This Is Me
02. Just Ice — Turbocharged
03. Original Concept — Knowledge Me (Xtra Beats)
04. Whodini — Magic’s Wand
05. Tilt — Arcade Funk
06. Dynamix 2 — Just Give The DJ A Break
07. Mr & Mrs Dale — It’s You
08. Energize — Report To The Dancefloor
09. Hashim — Al Nafyish
10. Visage — Pleasure Boys (Dance Mix)
11. Model 500 — No Ufo’s
12. Fearless 4 — Just Rock
13. Basstronic — Unknown DJ (Instrumental)
14. Ryuchi Sakamoto — Riot In Lagos
15. Vanity 6 — Make Up
16. C Bank — One More Shot
17. High Fidelity 3 — B-Boys Breakdance (Dub)
18. Deee Lite — What Is Love (Holographic Goatee Mix)
19. Junior Wilson — Dock Of The Bay (Version)

CD2: Alter Ego — The Present
01. Psyche — Neurotic Behaviour
02. Daniel Bell — Baby Judy
03. Modeler — Mint Condition
04. Maurizio — M4
05. Azzido Da Bass — Dooms Night
06. Detroit Grand Pubahs — Big Onion (Joakim Remix)
07. Chicken Lips — He Not In
08. Kenny Larkin — Colonize
09. Dopplereffekt — Cellularphone
10. Elastic Reality — Cassa De X
11. Low Res — Amuck
12. Plastikman — Kricket
13. Acid Jesus — Radium
14. Robert Hood — Minus
15. Mu — Chair Girl
16. Galaxy To Galaxy — Jupiter Jazz

Links:
www.bbemusic.com
www.myspace.com/bbemusic
www.myspace.com/outputrecordings I Hate Music — A Compilation Of Output Recordings 1996-2006
www.outputrecordings.com
Thomas Dolby “nine-date Sole Inhabitant tour of the UK in October 2007, co-inciding with the release of a lavish box set of a live DVD and a CD by UK indie label Invisible Hands Music, recorded on the US leg in 2006. The DVD also included a 30 minute interview, and a lecture by Dolby at the Berklee College Of Music”.