The Best Produced Minimal Techno--Reference Tracks?

[morebutter]

I would like to have a few minimal techno tracks to reference when mixing. Not necessarily the best music but very well produced that sounds incredible in clubs (good music is good too though).

Are there some you would suggest? And specific tracks?

[ignatius]

the last 2 monolake records. also, autechre's untilted might be a good refernce and draft 7.30. both are mixed/mastered wonderfully and have some really lush moments and though not at all minimal techno i think the sounds sometimes fit that aesthetic as does the frequency range.

i'll add more later. can't think about it right now.

[Ben F]

Nathan Fake
Dominik Eurlberg

[alexstringer]

Firm Records
Moon Harbour recordings > Luna City Express
MusiK Krause > Wighnomy Brothers

[Justynfromnz]

booka shade...is that minimal though?
the field

[morebutter]

thanks for the suggestions I like these suggestions so far musically too.

[morebutter]

Originally Posted by Justynfromnz

booka shade...is that minimal though?
the field

booka shade i dont really consider minimal but their production is tops and there are passages of their songs that are minimal

[kikumoto]

theres a cool track by 'Andy Stott' called Hostile defo worth checking out !

[morebutter]

Originally Posted by kikumoto

theres a cool track by 'Andy Stott' called Hostile defo worth checking out !

that track is sick! thanks

[Drone]

Hey fellow Techno heads !
try ...
Ricardo Villalobos
Troy Pierce
Marc Houle
Loco Dice
Gui Boratto
Trentemoller
& one of my favorites right now but probably more tech/minimal
Brodinski

[vixapphire]

try "Gridlock" by Digweed & Muir. it's the dog's danglers.

[8bit]

Robert Hood - Minimal Nation.

[Thinktanx]

The Field - 'From Here We Go Sublime'

The only minimal album that has ever truly flipped my wig. An incredible album.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_YlCcEH_-E

[rawdigits]

Martin Buttrich
Loco Dice - Seeing through shadows and other tracks..

[Hossegor]

dubfire - ribcage

[PrinsJan]

Robert Babicz - Sin
Martin Buttrich - Music Is improper
Bart Skils and Anton Pieete - The Shining

[auxpot]

Originally Posted by 8bit

Robert Hood - Minimal Nation.

or even internal empire....trax with a bassdrum (2 actually) and one simple synthline...now that´s minimal...no hhs, snares etc....

still astonishing how minimal tracks could be without getting boring...different story these days...

[teknosmoker]

Originally Posted by 8bit

Robert Hood - Minimal Nation.

I am a HUGE Robert Hood fan. He's one of my favorite techno musicians (very nice guy too). It's my opinion that from an artistic/creative standpoint, he's been one of the top artists in minimal techno production for a long time.

.....But I feel that it would be a far cry to call his productions "reference quality" from an engineering standpoint.

There's a ton of other stuff being produced now, that doesn't come close to matching Hood's musicianship, but exceeds the final "sonic" output of his releases. The more recent minimal stuff coming out of Sweden (like Adam Beyer's current productions) comes to mind, as do tracks like Sleeparchive's "Elephant Island" and Âme's "Rej". Some of the more minimal Deadmau5 stuff is really nicely mixed (and sounds great in clubs) too. Again, not my favorite stuff, just answering the OP's question.

-T

[johnjogurt]

one and only
Martin Buttrich!!!!
he is the best.... nowdays

Martin Buttrich - Music Is improper... one of my favourites

[Popbott]

Originally Posted by morebutter

I would like to have a few minimal techno tracks to reference when mixing. Not necessarily the best music but very well produced that sounds incredible in clubs (good music is good too though).

Are there some you would suggest? And specific tracks?

I have a whole lot, but there is one CD in my collection that stands out as far as sound quality & mixing compared to my other dance CDs. The mix sounds HUGE and the remixes sound just as big. Dunno where they mixed this track, but to me, it stands out from the rest of my CDs. Keep in mind I am not talking about some sh*ty mp3 I downloaded either, listening in 44.1. Most of the time, I reach for this CD for reference when I am mixing my dance tracks.

Blank & Jones - CD single & remixes for "Mind of the Wonderful"

[Drone]

Originally Posted by Ben F

Nathan Fake

I love Grandfathered. Not sure if this is techno or more down tempo though.

[Kindred]

Robert Babicz, Trentemoller, Agaric, Jona & Adam Beyer all have fantastically mixed music which is worth using as reference material

[bleepbleep]

Stephan bodzin - definitley - check Leibe ist album for the warmest, deepest sound of minimal

[gregor z]

all Rekorder releases.....especially Nr-.6

[pilldriver]

brian sanhaji

[8bit]

I need to add one more (ok maybe a few) as well as minimal nation, as far as minimal goes. I preface by saying as far as best production is concerned, maybe it aint the best, but i don't think clean, massive or pounding sounding makes the best production. Just as an example some of those highly produced swedish tracks, are some of the most boring records ever made, and pretty much killed a love of techno for me.

Maurizio - M5 (absolutley awesome)

Also all the Studio 1 and Profan records (mike inc) and we cannot forget Unit Moebius (the early bunker records) plus the Basic Channel discs.

Just my few cents.

[teknosmoker]

Originally Posted by 8bit

I preface by saying as far as best production is concerned, maybe it aint the best, but i don't think clean, massive or pounding sounding makes the best production. Just as an example some of those highly produced swedish tracks, are some of the most boring records ever made, and pretty much killed a love of techno for me.

Maurizio - M5 (absolutley awesome)

Also all the Studio 1 and Profan records (mike inc) and we cannot forget Unit Moebius (the early bunker records) plus the Basic Channel discs.

I agree with you. All the records you listed above are great (you've got good taste ). Maurizio's mix of "Domina" is probably my single favorite release of his (though I own and enjoy the entire "M-series" as well). Mike Ink and Basic Channel stuff is timeless music too.

Unfortunately, some of the bigger names in techno have now succumbed to very boring music that is ........very well produced. For example - I love some of Adam Beyer's older work. But his newer laptop-techno (like "Apnea" on M_nus) sounds very dull and uninspired to me. As much as I don't like this "new-wave" of minimal, I cannot deny that the production/engineering is far superior to that of some artists that I really like.

Much of my favorite techno music was horribly produced (UR, Jeff Mills, etc). But I believe that the original poster is looking for minimal music that is extremely polished/well mixed music from an engineering standpoint that they can use to reference their mixes, not just "our favorite minimal compositions".

[Blitzkrieg105]

Benny Benassi Presents the Biz

[8bit]

Originally Posted by teknosmoker

I agree with you. All the records you listed above are great (you've got good taste ). Maurizio's mix of "Domina" is probably my single favorite release of his (though I own and enjoy the entire "M-series" as well). Mike Ink and Basic Channel stuff is timeless music too.

Unfortunately, some of the bigger names in techno have now succumbed to very boring music that is ........very well produced. For example - I love some of Adam Beyer's older work. But his newer laptop-techno (like "Apnea" on M_nus) sounds very dull and uninspired to me. As much as I don't like this "new-wave" of minimal, I cannot deny that the production/engineering is far superior to that of some artists that I really like.

Much of my favorite techno music was horribly produced (UR, Jeff Mills, etc). But I believe that the original poster is looking for minimal music that is extremely polished/well mixed music from an engineering standpoint that they can use to reference their mixes, not just "our favorite minimal compositions".

Thanks, you have good taste as well.

I agree with you as well, but i do believe that the production can detract from the song. I love some of the early Christian Vogel, and some of the production was awesome, but i wonder if maybe they don't stand the same test of time due to sometimes over production getting in the way of character. I don't want to digress from the posters original question, just want to say that the combination is essential; production and character.

It was the "drumcode" style that i find brain numbingly boring, even though if we talk production i guess they sound good. But they are pretty much a kik, snr, hats, and a synth. I think the true genius is making complex music sound minimal, or many layers; sounds like a few.

It is nice too have this discussion, hope its not totally gone off tangent.

I too have all the original M series, bunkers, basic channel, axis etc on vinyl great records, be good to have somewhere to still play them.

cheers

[Lessli]

Ricardo Villalobos (Fabric 36) Best production in minimal I've come across!