Elektronisk musik

With a foreword by Moby.Looking Backwards Towards the Future: The Story of Ultravox is the first authorised biography of post-punk mavericks turned commercial superstars, Ultravox. Written with the cooperation of the band's surviving core members, it is the definitive account of one of Britain's most eccentric, unusual and uncompromising groups.Drawing from a vast archive of research materials and exclusive input from the band, their peers, their label and management, Looking Backwards Towards the Future details the fractures, fallouts, ambition and ego that followed their career.From their experimental, art-school beginnings as post-punk outsiders, to their rebirth as chart-conquering heroes, Ultravox always remained unique. Derided by the mainstream media throughout their career, the band remained unwavering in their pursuit of an eccentric trajectory of their own design, achieving success and millions of record sales, always on their own terms.

‘Fascinating! A life as art unspooling in real time' WILLIAM BASINSKI, composer of The Disintegration Loops ‘A maestro in the truest sense, Ryuichi Sakamoto's very existence has made the world a better place. I'll never stop being grateful for all he has given us’ PAUL RUDD, actor ‘Arguably the best-known and most successful Japanese musician in the world’ The New Yorker A genre-defying artist who had acquired the status of a musical giant by the time of his death in 2023, Ryuichi Sakamoto’s long career spanned electronic, hip-hop, modern classical and pop music, inspiring artists as diverse as Questlove, Massive Attack, David Sylvian, Alva Noto and Caetano Veloso. A pivotal figure in the synthpop group Yellow Magic Orchestra during the late 70s and early 80s, Sakamoto went on to pioneer the development of ambient and electronic music in ever more experimental forms. Perhaps best known for his film scores, he won an Oscar for Bernardo Bertolucci’s The Last Emperor, written with David Byrne, and found global fame with music for Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence (in which he starred alongside David Bowie) and, later, The Revenant. Sakamoto’s career was also marked by social activism, including campaigning for more recognition of the effects of global warming, which he witnessed first-hand during a visit to Greenland.Music Sets You Free combines the translations of Sakamoto’s two memoirs published in Japanese – Music Sets You Free and How Many More Times Will I Watch the Full Moon Rise? It offers an intimate, contemplative account of his life, from his first encounter with a piano, to his rise as a global pop star, and his later reflections on mortality and music in the wake of multiple cancer treatments and surgeries.An affirming, beautifully written testament to art, life and sound, Music Sets You Free is a lasting gift from a true musical great.

Marking the fortieth anniversary of Please, the duo’s first album release, the instant Sunday Times bestseller Pet Shop Boys Volume presents their entire visual output to date in a contemporary literary format. Pet Shop Boys – Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe – are the most successful duo in the history of pop music. Three-time Brit Award winners and six-time Grammy nominees, they have sold more than 50 million records worldwide, including No. 1 hits such as ‘West End girls’, ‘It’s a sin’, and ‘Always on my mind’, and platinum-selling albums Please, Actually, and Very. Uniquely spanning the worlds of music, art, film, theatre, design, and fashion, Pet Shop Boys have forged an identity as unforgettable as their sound. From the seminal graphic design of their record sleeves to their groundbreaking videos and innovative stage shows, they have set the bar for the visual presentation of pop. Celebrating the fortieth anniversary of the release of their first album in 1986, Pet Shop Boys Volume is the definitive retrospective of the duo’s career. Expanding upon Pet Shop Boys Catalogue, published two decades ago, it presents their entire visual output to date, year by year. Sleeve artworks and packaging, stills from every video, film, and performance, stage sets and costume designs, photoshoots, publications, and even Christmas cards all feature, as does every collaboration with luminaries including Mark Farrow, Wolfgang Tillmans, Martin Parr, Bruce Weber, Sam Taylor-Johnson, Derek Jarman, Scott King, Zaha Hadid, Tom Scutt, and Es Devlin. Concise commentaries by Chris Heath and Philip Hoare provide illuminating insights into the genesis of each project. Hoare’s original introduction is accompanied by a new introduction from Libby Sellers who considers the importance of Pet Shop Boys within the history of design, while a new foreword by Jeremy Deller reflects on the enduring impact of their music and image. With a jacket designed by Farrow and a new conversation between Heath, Tennant, and Lowe, Pet Shop Boys Volume is a visual feast and a sumptuous tribute to four decades of creative innovation.

'Incredibly detailed' - The GuardianAs a core member of Kraftwerk, some of the most beautiful, era-defining music has been co-composed by Karl Bartos. From ‘The Robots’ to ‘Computer Love’ and ‘Tour De France’ to Kraftwerk’s 1982 number-one single ‘The Model’, Bartos’s deft hand has shaped the contemporary musical landscape we know today.In The Sound of the Machine, Bartos speaks candidly about his life in Kraftwerk. He recalls his experiences in the Kling Klang studios during the recording process and the joy, passion and synergy of the group.Cerebral and witty, Bartos’s narrative journeys through his post-war childhood in Germany, his early musical ventures and his parallel career as a teacher. Offering a fascinating insight into both a band and a man at the forefront of musical innovation over the last 55 years, Bartos looks to the future, sharing his hopes and fears for today’s musical culture.

In November 2020, Depeche Mode were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and Dave Gahan, accepting the honour, said: “I’d like to thank Anton Corbijn who thank God came in at the right time and actually made us look cool.” Also in the fall of 2020, TASCHEN released the limited edition Depeche Mode by Anton Corbijn (81–18) signed by Depeche Mode and Anton Corbijn, and it became one of the fastest selling collector’s editions in the publishing company’s history. This pocket-sized and wallet-friendly edition is a testament to Corbijn’s unique vision, and indeed “cool” as Gahan acknowledged so movingly in his speech; an illustrated history of how Corbijn, who became in 1986 the band’s de facto creative director, and helped cement Depeche Mode’s reputation as the biggest cult band in the world.Featuring over 150 photographs from Corbijn’s extensive archives, including formal and informal portraits from places such as Madrid, Hamburg, the California desert, Prague and Marrakech; a multitude of off-the-cuff, candid images; and stunning live shots from all their tours since 1988 right up to 2023. Created with the full collaboration of the band, who share some insights on working with Corbijn, Depeche Mode by Anton Corbijn trumpets how one man’s original aesthetic, that has encompassed all of their photography, most of their music videos, album graphics and set designs, helped shape the band’s enduring popularity. Reflecting on his role in Depeche Mode, Corbijn recalls in the book’s introduction: “A lot of it came down to me, and I wanted it to be right for them. I wanted to think for them. To be great for them.” This book is a tribute to the depth and breadth of that greatness, a celebration of one of the most creative and enduring collaborations in rock history.

In 1994, nineteen-year-old Claire books a one-way ticket to Ibiza. Here she meets Mike, the young artist and architect behind Manumission, and they begin a passionate affair. But this is not your average love story. The Motel is a vivid, firsthand chronicle of Ibiza's explosive club scene during the 1990s, seen through the eyes of one of its key protagonists. Claire's incredible, unique story takes place at the intersection of art and hedonism and at a time in the late 20th century when seismic changes in dance music and clubbing were about to change mainstream youth culture forever. Claire was there at the epicentre - curator, performer, muse and twisted ringmaster. For the first time, Claire opens the door on the wild, scandalous early Manumission years - raw, radiant, and utterly unfiltered.

Foreword by James Murphy'Literally changed the course of my life' James MurphyWhen someone says, 'you have to know your history', this is it. A pop culture classic for over two decades, now fully refreshed and updated as part of White Rabbit's Deep Cuts series, Last Night a DJ Saved my Life is the whole unruly story of dance music in one volume. It recreates the dancefloors that made history, conjuring their atmosphere with loving detail and bringing you the voices of the DJs and clubbers at their heart - from grime, garage, house, hip hop and disco, to techno, soul, reggae, rock 'n' roll, and EDM. Whether musical outlaw, obsessive crate-digger or overpaid superstar, the DJ has been at the spinning centre of nightlife for a century, making parties wilder, pushing clubbers harder, and driving music into completely new shapes and styles.'The chapter on Larry Levan alone transformed me into wanting to be your favourite DJ' Questlove'We can't tell the story of dance music without speaking the names of Sharon White and Judy Weinstein, so I welcome this vital update' The Blessed Madonna

'Highly stimulating ... Kraftwerk is a pleasure to read' Jon Savage, New StatesmanThe story of the phenomenon that is Kraftwerk, and how they revolutionised our cultural landscape'We are not artists nor musicians. We are workers.' Ignoring nearly all rock traditions, experimenting in near-total secrecy in their Düsseldorf studio, Kraftwerk fused sound and technology, graphic design and performance, modernist Bauhaus aesthetics and Rhineland industrialisation - even human and machine - to change the course of modern music. This is the story of Kraftwerk the cultural phenomenon, who turned electronic music into avant-garde concept art and created the soundtrack to our digital age.

Pre-order Simon Reynold's forthcoming Still in a Dream: Shoegaze, Slackers, and the Reinvention of Rock, 1984-1994, publishing June 2026.'A captivating celebration of the music that pushes us forward' RECORD COLLECTORFuturomania is a celebration of music that feels like a taste of tomorrow: the vanguard genres and heroic innovators who prefigure and shape pop music's future. It explores the interface between pop music and science fiction's utopian dreams and nightmare visions, paying as much attention to the febrile creativity of the human mind as it does to the era-defining advances in electronic hardware and digital software.From Giorgio Moroder and Donna Summer to Boards of Canada, Burial, Flying Lotus and dozens more, this collection of essays and interviews by critically-acclaimed author Simon Reynolds coheres into an exhilarating chronological narrative of machine-music from the 1970s to today. A fascinating guide through adventures in sound, there is a lifetime of electronic listening here.

In Sound Design and Synthesis for Electronic and Modern Music: Beyond the Drop, Rick Snoman draws on over three decades of experience in production, teaching and sound design to explore how synthesis, performance and engineering merge to form the true language of electronic music, bringing together both technical depth and real-world perspective.Through the book's focus on how to create and design sounds that express intent, not imitation, readers will gain practical knowledge of: various synthesis methods and their applications; dynamic processing for controlled energy and impact; saturation and distortion techniques for character and warmth; and effects processing for spatial and textural enhancement. The book looks at how sound behaves, how movement and modulation replace chord progressions as emotional drivers and how to build sounds that react like instruments rather than static blocks of audio.Whether you are a composer, a producer or sound designer, a beginner who is unsure how to move beyond presets or an experienced producer who wants their tracks to speak more clearly, Sound Design and Synthesis for Electronic and Modern Music provides the knowledge and techniques needed to craft the sonic signatures that define contemporary hits.

In the age of global capitalism, vaporwave celebrates and undermines the electronic ghosts haunting the nostalgia industry. Ours is a time of ghosts in machines, killing meaning and exposing the gaps inherent in the electronic media that pervade our lives. Vaporwave is an infant musical micro-genre that foregrounds the horror of electronic media's ability to appear - as media theorist Jeffrey Sconce terms it - "haunted." Experimental musicians such as INTERNET CLUB and MACINTOSH PLUS manipulate Muzak and commercial music to undermine the commodification of nostalgia in the age of global capitalism while accentuating the uncanny properties of electronic music production. Babbling Corpse reveals vaporwave's many intersections with politics, media theory, and our present fascination with uncanny, co(s)mic horror. The book is aimed at those interested in global capitalism's effect on art, musical raids on mainstream "indie" and popular music, and anyone intrigued by the changing relationship between art and commerce.

At the cusp of a new millennium, British electronic music was rapidly changing. Jungle and garage had broken into the mainstream but were beginning to run out of creative gas-what fresh movement would next captivate the underground? On the outer edges of London, a small group of bass devotees had the answer. Through a new strain of sub-loaded beats that stripped jungle, rave, techno and garage for parts, this scene returned to dub roots, prizing the fundamentals of soundsystem culture: bass, space and togetherness. They called it dubstep. In Aftershock, seasoned music writer Lauren Martin charts the origins of one of the 21st century's most innovative music genres in oral history form. Through the testimonies of its architects, alongside an immersive array of photography, flyers and previously unseen scene history, Aftershock chronicles the rise of artists such as Skream, Mala, Coki, Loefah, Horsepower Productions and Rusko, as well as labels and parties including Hyperdub, Tempa, DMZ, FWD>> and Skull Disco. Together, this movement shook the British underground, exploded online and, within a decade, reshaped global music on an unprecedented scale. Told through first-hand accounts, Aftershock is a testament to how the imagination and persistence of a few can transform culture.

The first biography of a great American composer of the cinema ageJohn Williams is one of the most important film composers of all time, having almost singlehandedly revived the Hollywood symphonic scoring tradition and helped restore the livelihood of American orchestras through the popularity of film music programming. His film music, in the words of director Oliver Stone, "came to stand for the American culture."In John Williams: A Composer's Life, the first biography of the composer, author Tim Greiving offers an engaging account of a man whose body of work is well-known but whose personal life has consistently remained very private. Williams wrote the memorable scores and hummable themes for a staggering number of popular touchstones across multiple generations--among them Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Jaws, E.T., Jurassic Park, Schindler's List, and the Harry Potter series--and earned more Oscar nominations than any individual artist in the history of the motion picture Academy. He also composed dozens of concerti, fanfares, and other concert works and was a national presence as music director of the Boston Pops for more than a decade. He inspired countless children to pursue a career in the orchestra and won the respect of the classical community worldwide. Seeking to understand what drove Williams's musical productivity and its effects on the lives of those close to him, Greiving delves deeply into the composer's decades-long career, uncovering countless new stories and revelations. Throughout, he analyzes and describes Williams' film scores, recalling them primarily in narrative and emotional terms rather than purely musicological ones, and in doing so emphasizes one of Williams's principle strengths: his musical storytelling.With unprecedented interview access to Williams and those close to him, Greiving presents the definitive portrait of a beloved but famously private doyen of twentieth-century pop culture. Featuring 175 exclusive interviews--including with Steven Spielberg, Oliver Stone, George Miller, Mia Farrow, Hans Zimmer, Yo-Yo Ma, session musicians, family members, and friends--John Williams: A Composer's Life is the first and last word on the great court composer of the cinema age, the musical conductor of our collective memory.

'The rainbow reaches right across the sky, for miles and miles, and has landed right in the middle of our field. My mother, Alison, is standing at the beginning. I'm sure it's a beginning, rather than the end, as there's no pot of gold in sight. The point where everything forms or, perhaps, is not quite formed as yet. That's my favourite place. A place alive with possibility.' Strange Things Are Happening begins with the wonder of that rainbow, and continues with many escapades down the rabbit hole. From punk and the beginnings of the DIY scene, through Acid House, psychedelia, the rise of electronic dance music and much more, Richard Norris has been involved in countless countercultural revolutions. From misadventures in Amsterdam with Timothy Leary, with Sun Ra at customs, and Shaun Ryder in Joe Strummer's beaten-up Cadillac in Tijuana, to his extraordinarily influential output in The Grid and Beyond The Wizards Sleeve, Richard Norris' story is one of collaboration and community, fuelled by relentless psychedelic curiosity. Strange Things Are Happening is a record of a life lived in the moment, forever in thrall to discovery, exploration and innovation - the search for what lies at the other end of that rainbow.

This book is dedicated to the history of the band Massive Attack and to their relationship with their home town of Bristol, a city built on the wealth generated by the slave trade. As a port Bristol was also an arrival point for immigrants to the UK, most notably the Windrush generation from the Caribbean in the 1950s.Author Melissa Chemam's in-depth study of the influences that led to the formation of the Wild Bunch and then Massive Attack looks into Bristol's past to explore how the city helped shape one of the most successful and innovative musical movements of the last 30 years.Based on interviews with Robert (3D) del Naja and others, the book examines the inner tensions between the founding members of Massive Attack - 3D, Daddy G and Mushroom - their influences, collaborations and politics and the way in which they opened the door for other Bristol musicians and artists including Banksy.Melissa Chemam is a French journalist and author who has worked for France 24, the BBC World Service and Radio France International, as well as many magazines, and for the filmmaker Raoul Peck. Since 2003, she has been based in Prague, Paris, Miami, then in London, Nairobi and Bangui, travelling into more than 40 countries. The book is published under licence from Anne Carriere in France by Tangent Books in partnership with PC Press. Its French title is En Dehors De La Zone De Confort De Massive Attack A Banksy aA (978-2-8433-7809-6)

Dance Music Manual – a comprehensive guidebook for novice and seasoned professionals alike – walks readers through the tools and techniques required to create original, captivating and professional-sounding electronic dance music.Key features of the Dance Music Manual include the following: Learn to navigate the complex world of electronic music production. Unleash your creativity with practical advice, insider tips and expert techniques. Explore the intricacies of crafting infectious grooves and sculpting sounds. From beginner to expert, this comprehensive guide illuminates every aspect of producing, mixing and mastering dance music.Used by professionals worldwide, this updated fifth edition has been significantly rewritten and includes new content on building your studio, processing, sampling, sound design and a chapter on DJ techniques. A companion website supports the book by providing audio and video examples of the techniques.

Computer World was Kraftwerk’s most concise and focused conceptual statement, their most influential record and crowning achievement. Computer World transformed the way pop music was composed, played, packaged and released and, in the process, helped create entire new genres of music including hip-hop, techno, trance, electro, industrial and synth-pop. They influenced the influencers. Upon its release on 10 May 1981, the record was a revelation. It was unlike anything created for mainstream consumers of music at that time, an electronic suite of assured and industrious propulsive forward movement. Kraftwerk set off a sonic detonation that is still being felt today.This book explores Kraftwerk’s revolutionary sonic template, their conceptual and artistic preoccupations and lyrical obsessions to provide new insights into one of the greatest records ever made.

In November 2020, Depeche Mode were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and Dave Gahan, accepting the honour, said: “I’d like to thank Anton Corbijn who thank God came in at the right time and actually made us look cool.” Also in the fall of 2020, TASCHEN released the limited edition Depeche Mode by Anton Corbijn (81–18) signed by Depeche Mode and Anton Corbijn, and it became one of the fastest selling collector’s editions in the publishing company’s history. This equally epic, but more wallet friendly XL edition, is a testament to Corbijn’s unique vision, and indeed “cool” as Gahan acknowledged so movingly in his speech; a detailed illustrated history of how Corbijn, who became in 1986 the band’s de facto creative director, and helped cement Depeche Mode’s reputation as the biggest cult band in the world. Featuring over 500 photographs from Corbijn’s extensive archives, some never seen before, including formal and informal portraits from places such as Madrid, Hamburg, the California desert, Prague and Marrakech (some taken during the making of iconic videos such as “Enjoy the Silence” and “Personal Jesus”); a multitude of off-the-cuff, candid images; and stunning live shots from all their tours since 1988. In addition to the photographs, there are sketches and designs for stage sets and album covers, Corbijn’s handwritten captions throughout the book, placing the reader right in the middle of the shoots, and an extended interview with the Dutch master. Created with the full collaboration of the band, who share some insights on working with Corbijn, Depeche Mode by Anton Corbijn (81–18) trumpets how one man’s original aesthetic, that has encompassed all of their photography, most of their music videos, album graphics and set designs, helped shape the band’s enduring popularity. Reflecting on his role in Depeche, Corbijn recalls in the book’s introduction: “A lot of it came down to me, and I wanted it to be right for them. I wanted to think for them. To be great for them.” This book is a tribute to the depth and breadth of that greatness, a celebration of one of the most creative and enduring collaborations in rock history.

Let out your inner party animal and rave on with this fun-loving, 3-inch, miniature desktop collectible!- Includes Multiple Special Effects: 3" cat figurine on a light-up base that plays music and dances at the push of a button- Illustrated Miniature Book: Includes a miniature book with tips and tricks for how to party like your favorite feline- Unique Gift: Inspired by the many internet dancing cat memes, this is the perfect gift for cat loversRequires two AAA batteries (not included).

Coming To Berlin reflects, through the lives and music of migrants, settlers and newcomers, how a constantly in flux city with a tumultuous history has evolved into the de facto cultural capital of Europe. And how at the heart of this, electronic music and club culture play a unique role. A plea for multiculturalism and a love letter to the borderless potential of music, the book breaks the tradition of Berlin's perception as techno ground zero and shows the true diversity and richness that make up this city.

Extravagantly opaque, willfully vaporous — Aphex Twin’s Selected Ambient Works Volume II, released by the estimable British label Warp Records in 1994, rejuvenated ambient music for the Internet Age that was just dawning. In the United States, it was Richard D. James's first full length on Sire Records (home to Madonna and Depeche Mode) under the moniker Aphex Twin; Sire helped usher him in as a major force in music, electronic or otherwise.Faithful to Brian Eno’s definition of ambient music, Selected Ambient Works Volume II was intentionally functional: it furnished chill out rooms, the sanctuaries amid intense raves. Choreographers and film directors began to employ it to their own ends, and in the intervening decades this background music came to the fore, adapted by classical composers who reverse-engineered its fragile textures for performance on acoustic instruments. Simultaneously, “ambient” has moved from esoteric sound art to central tenet of online culture. This book contends that despite a reputation for being beatless, the album exudes percussive curiosity, providing a sonic metaphor for our technologically mediated era of countless synchronized nanosecond metronomes.

Electronic Music from Scratch is a complete crash course in the joys of musical circuitry. Taking inspiration from famous instruments in electronic music history, this guide shows readers how to create dozens of whimsical, unexpected, and incredibly usable musical instruments. Create oscillators that compose their own melodies based on candle flickers, cassette players with keyboard attachments, a talkbox for scaring younger relatives, and so, so much more. Written with total beginners in mind, Electronic Music from Scratch will take readers on a journey through music history and lead them to discover sounds they didn't even know existed.

Stories about new musical instruments are often told as quests for new kinds of sounds. The Composer's Black Box asks, What happens when new musical instruments produce not only new sounds but also new dynamics of musical agency and control? And what consequences do those new dynamics have for musicality beyond sound? With a focus on five key figures—Morton Subotnick, Pauline Oliveros, Donald Buchla, Alvin Lucier, and Sun Ra—this book explores how scientific and technological developments in mid-twentieth-century America galvanized musicians to reconfigure their conceptions of sociality, freedom, and the creative self. Theodore Gordon shows how cybernetic thinking in a range of disciplines, from experimental music to jazz and electrical engineering, has shaped musical techniques and technologies and changed what it means to be a composer—or, more broadly, a music-making human—in an increasingly informational world.

This is the story of the game-changing collaboration between director Alfred Hitchcock and composer Bernard Herrmann, who channelled their inner fears and desires into films that would become the nightmarish narratives and soundtracks of our lives.The 11-year collaboration between Alfred Hitchcock and Bernard Herrmann is often called the greatest director-composer partnership in cinema history. Their eight films together include such classic thrillers as Vertigo, The Man Who Knew Too Much, North by Northwest, Psycho, and The Birds. In Hitchcock and Herrmann: The Friendship and Film Scores that Changed Cinema, Steven C. Smith delivers an intimate account of how the reserved, but deeply anxious, Hitchcock found his ideal creative partner in the cantankerous, but deeply romantic, Herrmann. Smith draws on four decades of research, including previously unpublished documents and new interviews, to deliver a riveting account of what made the teaming of "Benny and Hitch" so memorable and influential -- and why it came to a bitter end. Their story involves the tumultuous changes in Hollywood from the mid-1950s to mid-1960s, as the collapsing studio system gave way to independent, counterculture filmmaking. It also involves the key figures in Hitchcock and Herrmann's inner circle including the director's gifted wife and most valued critic, Alma Reville; Herrmann's beautiful, put-upon spouse, Lucy Anderson; and talent agent-turned-studio mogul Lew Wasserman. Wasserman's negotiations made Hitchcock's greatest filmmaking period possible, but over time Lew's commercial instincts as head of Universal Studios clashed with Herrmann's pure artistic vision.Hitchcock and Herrmann is both a deeply researched historical study and a fast-moving, cinematic narrative -- one that puts readers on the film sets and scoring stages of Hitchcock masterworks. Their collaboration ended in a bitter break; but today Herrmann's pulse-quickening music has become the soundtrack of our own anxious times. The music from their movies is more popular than ever, heard in Quentin Tarantino blockbusters and Lady Gaga music videos. In Smith's expert telling, readers get an an intimate look at two legendary creators who, despite seemingly opposite personalities, found in each other artistic completion.