The Future Sound Of London

An honest assessment of my absolute favorite records and artists from the U.K. that managed to crack the code and storm the shores of mainstream America.

Raw power and pure excitement rolled up inna virtuoso soundclash right there on the edge of madness, The Prodigy were the original techno punks.

Nestled at the very center of the band's five album run, The Colour Of Spring is the axis at which their sound hinges, blending indelible hooks with abstract ambience in perfect harmony.

This is the sound of cloud-covered days and rain-slicked streets, half-lit street corners and errant rhythm boxes spooling out the Chiba City blues.

This latest Motion playlist dates back to late summer, with the tempo dropping accordingly into machine soul, trip hop and finally post-disco and techno.

This time of year — when late autumn begins giving way to the dawning chill of winter — often takes me back to the year 2001, a swirling vortex of electronic jazz and machine soul.

Consider this an ornate and baroquely executed exclamation point to the whole canyon affair, a Coda in the true Led Zeppelin sense of the word, illustrating the sacred geometry of this sprawling landscape and driving the point home.

Summer in full swing, electronics in the system, the bug in the bassbin. Triggered breakbeats and rhythm boxes in full effect. "Theme From Hot Burst" by Yage.

This music is like Detroit — a complete mistake. It's like George Clinton and Kraftwerk stuck in an elevator. The subject turns to techno, house and other things...

The legacy of Andrew Weatherall looms large over dance music's history. What follows is a semi-historical narrative woven around 30 of his records.