Recommended 1990’s Albums

Some of the best Indie and Dance albums from the 1990’s

We were there.  You may have been, or maybe you want to know what we were listening too.  We’ll be doing a list of recommended oldskool mixes, but for properly released albums we wanted to reflect the breadth of music that was around.  None of these are particularly underground, but all were ground breaking.  You can click on each tune in the track listings to go to Discogs to listen to it, and even buy the actual album (Don’t rip a moody cassette version off your mate ;-))

We’ll be adding to this post from time to time with new albums, feel free to argue with our choices in the comments below.

 

Primal Scream – Screamadelica

Everyone should own this, it’s as simple as that. Fairly recently reissued with an accompanying tour ,this remains the pinnacle of a varied career. There is something here for everyone, gospel, house, ambient it’s all on here. An astonishing, crazy mix of an album that just works. Primal Scream were an amazing live act in those days, we saw them at Hammersmith Apollo on 22nd Oct 1991.   Supporting were Andy Weatherall and Paul Oakenfold (apparently).

Apparently – At their triumphant Hammersmith Palais gig in London, the band reportedly introduce new fan Kylie Minogue to their world of recreational activities. Gillespie later tells Q: “We tried to give her LDC (a lethal drug cocktail): ecstasy, speed, cocaine, methadone, Valium, all crushed up. One of the guys offered it to her but she said thanks but no thanks. She was very ladylike.”

Tracklist

Movin’ On Up	3:50
Slip Inside This House	5:17
Don’t Fight It, Feel It	6:54
Higher Than The Sun	3:38
Inner Flight	5:02
Come Together	10:22
Loaded	7:03
Damaged	5:39
I’m Comin’ Down	6:01
Higher Than The Sun (A Dub Symphony In Two Parts)	7:38
Shine Like Stars	3:45

The Prodigy – Experience

Lots of the hardcore bands made an album, that in most cases were essentially just the big hit single, plus a very similar sounding two follow ups, plus a load of fillers and remixes. (See TTF and Dream Frequency’s albums). The Prodigy Experience however is an extraordinary beast of an album, with the massive hits (some in a different version to the ones that were in the chart, always a dangerous tactic, but one that worked out this time) as well as some exhilarating other tracks. You can hear the origins of jungle within this album on Ruff. And even some ambient in Weather Report (there is an excellent Top Buzz remix of this here)  If you own one album from a hardcore band  it has to be this.  RIP Keith. 

Tracklist

The Stone Roses – The Stone Roses

Sure The Second Coming grew on us, and would be in our top 20, but the first album has never left our iPhone.  Recently undergoing a revival with the reformed Roses going on tour, the first album remains our favourite guitar based album of all time.  Note that the original UK release didn’t have Fools Gold on it, which in hindsight seems at least a little contrary as it was their biggest hit. Pure early 1990’s indie heaven, with a hint of dance, essential listening.

Tracklist

DJ Shadow – Endtroducing

The whole album is made up of samples.  There isn’t an original note on it. Don’t let that put you off. It pushed the boundaries so far that they broke.  Hip hop, breakbeat, trip hop, it’s all of these and more.  We never did like the packaging though, basically anything thats not in a CD jewel case is a pain, and ours is now a tattered mess.

Tracklist

Aphex Twin – Selected Ambient Works 85-92

Wow- released in 1992, some of this was recorded as far back as 1985. If so then Richard James was producing music that was so far ahead of its time it’s untrue. Put it this way, it still sounds ahead of its time nearly 30 years later.  In places this is as banging as a barn door, and musically it’s really hard to categorise (IDM?), but you have to listen to this at least once. If you want an album to listen too while you stay awake all night but aren’t in a club, put this on. It will blow your mind.

Tracklist