About Kirby Expertise I know a lot about techno music itself, ask me if you would like suggestions for songs you should listen to. You can be extremely specific when you tell me what type of techno you want to hear, because I`ve heard a lot of it. For example, you can say `give me titles of some trance songs that are over 150 bpm` or `give me titles of some jungle songs that are heavy on the `bass` and not too heavy on the `drums`. If you are new to the techno genre, I can tell you about most of the different genres of electronic music. Meaning, I`ll explain what one is, and compare it to others. I don`t know much about Gabber or a ton about house, but I know the most about trance, dance (classic and new), jungle and happy hardcore. I have played classical piano and oboe since I was 5 and 11 (respectively) so if you are into classical but want to start listening to some techno, I can suggest some starter songs for you. I`m interested in helping more people learn about techno music because it is fairly unknown in some areas (like NH).
Experience Well let's put it this way... we all know that everyone steals music so I won't claim not to fit this description. However, I am also willing to pay exorbitant amounts of money to see my favorite artists live in concert to support them, and buy their CDs when I've sampled tracks (I'm cautious like that). If I don't, then it's their fault for not playing within 200 miles of me! Believe me if I had enough time to travel to Europe I would.
I'm working on the research for a new alternative coffee-shop for young adults (16-25), and I'm looking for someone who might know which genres of music might be suitable.
I think that the choice of background music is essential; but alas, I really have no idea when it comes to music - mainly, what's popular, and which artists produce the genres that I'm after.
I'm planning on playing different genres at different times of the day, with 'chilled-out' music being the mainstay during the day, but something a little more upbeat in the evenings - such as drum&bass or techno.
My question is, can you recommend any artists/compilation albums which might be spot-on for my shop? And, I guess, do you think it makes sense to offer techno/D&B as a background music to young adults, or is it not very popular amongst this age-group? Personally, I love crisp drum and bass, and I'm 22.
As for the sound-system, I'm getting it put in by experts, and my brief to them is for a system that is a little on the bassy side, with a Hard-disk to copy music onto, under various genres, and then to be able to choose a genre, and for the tracks that I've pre-recorded to play back in a random order. As a rough estimate I'll probably need around 8-10 CDs for each genre, so if you could recommend a selection this size of suitable Drum&Bass/techno CDs that would be terrific!
Thanks for any help you can give me, it's very much appreciated.
regards,
Brendan Gooch.
Answer Hi...
Cooincidentally, where I am going to school right now there exists a coffee shop that reminds me of what you're starting up. It's basically a very homestyle shop where all the workers know exactly how to make every imaginable thing, and the first thing I ever noticed about it was its music. It was playing some sort of metal/techno electronica music that I'm not sure how to classify and as soon as I heard it I knew that was a shop I'd want to go back to. Apparently, so did a lot of other teenagers because all the local kids who tend to wear black clothing, chains, baggy pants and whatnot hang around there constantly. I think music that is oriented towards a teen audience, or at least is most commonly played by teens, is a signal to the teens that they are welcome there. It worked very well in this case.
I think it would be very effective/capture people's interest if you played obscure techno music, and not massively catchy trance music such as Paul van Dyk, Ferry Corsten and others (they're excellent artists, don't get me wrong) and especially not pop trance tunes. I think you've got a really good idea with the chilled out music during the day, and there are many kinds of cool slow/groovy tempo music that would appropriately fit into that category. Here are a couple I am thinking of right now:
Tranceport 2 CD1 mixed by Dave Ralph
Tranceport 3 mixed by Sandra Collins (ends up upbeat but I still think it would work here, sample it and see what you think)...
Winter Chill, which is a chillout album with a darker tone which I think works well with the coffee/social atmosphere of a shop
Zero 7
Chicane albums or live recordings
Gatecrasher Experience CD3 ONLY (this is specifically the chillout mix CD, trance songs that people will probably recognize but in chill remixes)
Portishead - Dummy (album)
Massive Attack - Mezzanine (album)
Sigur Ros (anything, I don't know specific albums)
Moby (try stuff...I'm not sure what albums you'd like the best)
LTJ Bukem (anything) <-- nice atmospheric cool jazz jungle
Orbital - The Box (the whole version, which is 30 minutes long. Very creepy and wonderful.
Ideas for the evenings:
If you wanted to stay with the deep moody music in the evenings, I think deep house works really well and also makes great 'night' music. Such as: Deep Dish (any albums), Danny Howells (any albums)
However some techno and drum and bass I think would be good for evenings are:
Drum n bass anthems (CD1 and 2) very classic and not too fast songs, especially the relaxed beginnings of the CDs
Jungle Warfare (I think this is a 2 edition CD, but both should be as good as the first if it is)
Dieselboy - Project Human (excellent fast and intense)
AK1200 - Lock & Roll (possibly my all time favorite d&b cd)
Aphrodite - Urban Jungle
Aphrodite - The Takeover bid
Ak1200, Dara & Dieselboy live @ Propter (4-22-00)
Crystal Method - Community Service (not jungle but great, angry-ish electronic and techno originals and remixes of rock/metal music)
I hope this works out and your music-store idea is very cool!
