Here's a Sombrero Fallout innovation - an episode dedicated to a record label.
Warp are an obvious candidate for such a show: visionary, high quality, fiercely independent. Founded in Sheffield in 1989 by record store workers Steve Beckett, Rob Mitchell and Robert Gordon, they pursue artists of a certain type, essentially modern electronica acts.
More than any other label they've come to be associated with the phenomenon known as IDM or intelligent dance music. This has always seemed a category error, if I may use that term: attempts to combine Dionysus and Apollo are rarely successful. Others can let me know, but when you're inside the music and moving where it takes you, are you looking for 'intelligence' as a criterion for how much you're enjoying yourself.
What I find intelligent about Warp music does not coincide with the music I want to dance to. (As it happens, I very rarely want to dance anyway, missing a critical part of the DNA strand urging me to move about). This is intelligent electronic music - but intelligent dance music? Perhaps someone like Battles get close - but then we're into substratum of math rock.
Anyway, there's loads of brilliant music on Warp. Artists for whom time ran out in this episode include LFO, The Black Dog, Autechre, Flying Lotus, Rustie, Danny Brown, TNGHT and Kelela. Even Brian Eno's ended up on the label! I also feel there are some bands that ought to be on Warp, but aren't, such as Four Tet.
I may well do other labels in the future, should the mood take me. Factory, Sarah, Rough Trade and Island come to mind.
Tracklist:-
Come on let’s go, Broadcast
Atlas, Battles
Slyd, !!!
Flip ya lid, Nightmares on Wax
Pulsewidth, Aphex Twin
Get go, Death Grips
Rue the whirl, Boards of Canada
Chrome country, Oneohtrix Point Never
Ready, able, Grizzly Bear
Plainsong, Seefeel