i know i'm really stretching the definition of techno here, but as i've said, i think the influence of 4/4 dance tunes with a lot of electronics is hard to completely seperate out from funk, electro, house, hip hop and pop... anyway, to the tracks...
cajmere - otherwise known as green velvet... this is the classic track that annoys some, and brings others to a state of jackin' chicago dorkiness... got to hear it at least once.
(mp3) cajmere - "percolator" from the same-titled 12"
cameo - great electro funk/pop outfit from the eighties. this song is pure dance jam candy with a great message. the relationship advice here is on point, but the bass/crash on every beat it what makes this track.
(mp3) cameo - "i just want to be" from "secret omen"
can - another of those groups from the seventies that can't be ignored in terms of their contribution to techno. this song isn't as "dancey" as their hit "i want more", but the textures and subtleties are more to my taste. it's a tough track to mix because it's in a 7 beat rhythm (1-2-1-2-1-2-3), but it can be done! i like to drop this late in a 3 hour set after a really minimal period.
(mp3) can - "one more night" from "ege bamyasi"
cee-lo green - now more known as gnarls barkley was the spiritual influence behind the great atlanta rap coalition, the goodie mob. this track, released in between the goodie and gnarls phases is a killer. great for halloween. it's about freakiness and it has a nice electro/house vibe with obvious hip hop overtones, even some gospel influences.
(mp3) cee-lo - "closet freak" from "cee-lo green and his perfect imperfections"
chicks on speed - they've gone way downhill. they started off as an art-school joke and it was a good one, mocking dance music, art, fashion, etc... but now they take themselves seriously and it isn't funny anymore. i still love this tune. the mistakes (and nice early daft punk-esque production) make it... the announcements at the end are hilarious.
(mp3) chicks on speed - "pana rip-off" from "re-releases of the un-releases"
claude von stroke - i don't know shit about this artist either, but the atonal melody of this track makes it a keeper. he did the best remix of dj blaqqstar's "shake it to the ground", too...
(mp3) claude von stroke - "who's afraid of detroit" from same titled 12"
coh - one of the more interesting artists of the raster-noton label, the german super-minimalists. bust out your tone generators, people... this track is kind of evil and noisy compared to most of that label's aesthetic.
(mp3) coh - "path #2" from "patherns ep"
cornelius - japanese pop/rock sensation. seems to be moving closer and closer to dance-floor love. i dig this track's pristine disco feel... reminds me of metro area.
(mp3) cornelius - "fit song" from "sensuous"
the coup - the most well-rounded political rap since public enemy with the only possible exception being dead prez... this jam is pure house party. "i'm here to laugh, love, fuck and drink liquor... and help the damn revolution come quicker!" dig the west-coast synths.
(mp3) the coup - "laugh, love, fuck and drink liquor" from "pick a bigger weapon"
cybotron - also known as juan atkins. this track was recently sampled by missy elliot. a totally classic electro jam... heavy on the meditational imagery, yet isn't ironic. perfect.
(mp3) cybotron - "clear" from same titled 12"
cylob - i really can't stand most of what this artist does, and the graphic design of the albums is even worse... but this track (which is really more on the idm/jungle tip than techno) appeals to my closeted candy-raver goofiness with it's unabashed vocoder melodies. a pop song for djs of the the nostalgic rave set, loaded with clichés... i have to listen to it at least once a year.
(mp3) cylob - "cut the midrange, drop the bass"
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