The Essential… Robert Hood

03: ROBERT HOOD
MINIMAL NATION
(AXIS, 1994)

If Internal Empire was setting out the new parameters, Minimal Nation almost represented the completed equation. It’s difficult now to overstate how important this release was to the development of techno – and further, with echoes appearing in tracks like Gatekeeper’s ‘Blip’ and a track turning up on a Modeselektor mix album as well as more the obviously influenced. There’s none of the concessions to home listening that feature on the previous album – most tracks consist solely of sparse percussion and a spiralling riff, sometimes tuneful but more often dissonant and driving. ‘Unix’ is practically the perfect techno track and as such is guaranteed a frenzied reaction to its stabbing organs wherever it’s heard.

New listeners should bypass the original Axis pressing or M-Plant vinyl reissue and go for the 2009 remastered release – the vinyl comes with a bonus CD of the tracks whilst the actual CD release comes with an essential DJ mixed version by Hood himself. The mix is the ideal way to hear them played as intended.

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, June 30th, 2010 at 5:09 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

  • Jason

    Fantastic stuff – a great summary of nearly 20 years of one man's work – really enjoyed the read and the journey through his music.

  • Kia

    Hmmm… I agreed until the Klock remix and 'Superman' release were identified as 'Essential'. They're not. If any number of musicians had released them they'd be essential parts of their repertoire but not when you consider Hood's output throughout the years. There are simply much better productions. With those two examples in mind, it's such a relief to hear the latest 'Omega' LP which is thankfully a return to form… as it happens it was already playing through my speakers!

  • Bugz

    lacking some Floorplant/Drama material

  • Bugz

    Great artist, retrospective lacking some Floorplan/Drama material imo

  • Bugz

    Great artist, retrospective lacking some Floorplan/Duet material imo

  • Fran

    Actually, ‘Range’ from the Superman release, has all the hallmarks of a future classic. I think it deserves a place here. Nice to see more recent material getting some room among the more obvious classics from ‘back in the day’

  • RAW

    quality roundup and entertaining read!

    I thought I knew my onions as far as Hood went but there's a couple of bits here I'm gonna have to track down and check out now…

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  • Langer

    What about The Pace? surely his best dancefloor moment. Plus there is so much more great material missed.

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  • RuaridhTVO

    Being limited to 10 items means inevitably lots of things get missed, plus it’s a highly subjective exercise innit? Your mileage may vary, etc

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