20 best: EBM & Industrial



16: CABARET VOLTAIRE
‘SECONDS TOO LATE’
(ROUGH TRADE, 1980)

The Cabs are a hugely important group. Like TG they are a conduit for all kinds of occult information and energizing sensations. In the late 70s and early 80s, they operated from their Sheffield-based Western Works studio, producing a large body of pioneering work. This slow, dubby track is an absolute industrial classic, and a regular feature in my DJ sets.



 

17: NEON
‘VOICES’
(TARGET RECORDS, 1989)

This super rare seven-inch was a pivotal EBM/New Beat record; much sampled, but never bettered.



 

18: EXECUTIVE SLACKS
‘THIRTY YEARS’
(RED RECORDS, 1982)

A weird and wonderful outfit from Philadelphia, Executive Slacks did a cool cover of Gary Glitter and released the classic ‘The Bus’, but I love this itchy and feverish number the most.



 

19: SKINNY PUPPY
‘GLASS HOUSES’
(NETTWERK, 1984)

Hailing from Vancouver, Skinny Puppy’s earlier stuff on Remission and Bites is excellent electro-pop. ‘Glass Houses’ is a brilliant, creepy dark-wave disco track.



 

20: EINSTURZENDE NEUBAUTEN
‘YU GUNG’, ADRIAN SHERWOOD REMIX
(SOME BIZARRE, 1984)

Einsturzende Neubauten (which roughly translates as ‘collapsing new buildings’) are one of the most creative, experimental and vital groups to come out of the early ’80s Berlin underground scene. ‘Yu Gung (Futter Mein Ego)’ is a high point of their earlier work: raw and demanding, featuring delirious vocals from Blixa Bargeld. If you don’t dance to this, just give up.


Further recommended reading/listening:
RE Search Industrial Culture Handbook
Simon Ford – Wreckers of Civilization: The Story of COUM Tranmissions and Throbbing Gristle
VA / Andrew Weatherall – 9 O’Clock Drop
VA / Terence Fixmer – Aktion Mekanik


Richard Clouston
Richard Clouston started the Kult 77 project in 2002; his best-known work is the London-based clubnight COSEY, where he is resident DJ. Check: rdc77.com

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 27th, 2010 at 2:59 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

  • jgb

    wonderful

  • Jonny

    This is basically just a list of ‘some’ EMB records.What makes them the best? For example, why Don’t Crash by Front 242? Is this really their best ever record or is it just a record by Front 242? Funkhadafi, from the same era, is loads better. Also, no mention of Clock DVA – really????

  • LubaLoft

    I’d guess those records are the writer’s favorite ones. People’s tastes differ. Fortunately! What’s wrong with that?
    Why don’t you give us your Top20?

  • Merkin

    Re: Carol – The drum programming does not “sound like King Tubby” (wtf does that mean anyway?) And the keyboards don’t sound anything like “Telstar” either. Also, in no way could you describe this as EBM. And the record is awful. Nil points.

  • RDC

    Dear Merkin,

    Look and you will find…

    Fact has mistakenly posted the audio for the later version of the Carol and Snowy Red track. Here is the version I was writing about:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmSbAzbesVg

    NB This article originally appeared printed in FACT 13 – 2006.

    yours

    RD Clouston

    http://www.rdc77.com

  • RDC

    see above

  • Rgrant

    you english hipsters are funny, 10 years ago everyone would have bagged this out as shite.

  • flynn

    no front line assembly? come on.

  • Bennyshambles

    Dude, I totally agree about most of these, but especially the Carol 7″. It is the best and that’s a great description. I’ve never heard Parade Ground, but will check it out. Thanks.

  • Pingback: Chris & Cosey to play first live show in 10 years; more reissues – FACT magazine: music and art

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_YSLAXLKVXRKF2S33P3ZJHXUL2Y Merwin Xalapa

    I agree it’s odd about Clock DVA/Anti-Group not being mentioned. Furthermore, another twenty songs off the top of my head to supplement the already nice list in the article.

    01 Pankow “Kunst Und Wahnsinn”
    02 Garry Bradbury (ex-Severed Heads) “The Amphetamine Song”
    03 Meat Beat Manifesto “Strap Down”
    04 Test Dept. “Compulsion”
    05 Psyche “Brain Collapse”
    06 Borghesia “Ni Upanja, Ni Strahu”
    07 Laibach “Trans National”
    08 Click Click “Yakutska”
    09 Oil In The Eye “Sex and Surgery”
    10 The Cassandra Complex “One Millionth Happy Customer”
    11 Clock DVA “Voice Recognition Test”
    12 Holger Hiller “Königinnen”
    13 Ă ;GRUMH… “Ayatollah Jackson”
    14 SPK “Slogun”
    15 PouppĂ©e Fabrikk “Summon The Spirits”
    16 Psychic TV “Ov Power”
    17 Renaldo and the Loaf “Hambu Ho Do”
    18 In The Nursery “Twins”
    19 Ike Yard “NCR”
    20 Sleeping Dogs Wake “Understanding”

    Cheers!

  • Musicka

    Nice to see Oil in the eye in there they are very underrated.

  • David

    you are an ignoramus

  • SnowyRed

    The Carol 7 inch was recently re-released together with +40 other tracks by the man behind the project SNOWY RED. It’s available as a 5xLP box set over here: http://www.onderstroomrecords.net/shop/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=89

  • SnowyRed

    The Carol 7 inch was recently re-released together with +40 other tracks by the man behind the project SNOWY RED. It’s available as a 5xLP box set over here: http://www.onderstroomrecords.net/shop/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=89

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