Black Dog Productions - Bytes (1993)

Exquisitely produced and still-vital techno compilation from the original Black Dog stable of Ken Downie, Andy Turner and Ed Handley, aka (depending on who was taking the creative lead) Plaid, IAO, Xeper, The Discordian Popes etc etc.  After Warp Records' Artificial Intelligence series had set out its stall with an eponymous compilation that demonstrated their "electronic listening music" ethos, and given its first album release to Richard D James with Surfing On Sine Waves, Bytes was Artificial Intelligence #3.

Just about every single track here is essential electronica, so to name a few personal favourites: the pulsing motorik groove of Carceres Ex Novum, the warped earworm melodies of Yamemm and Merck, the full-on percussive assault of Fight The Hits... but it's all great stuff.  Despite officially being a compilation, Bytes is every inch an album, all bearing the hallmarks of these three electronic music virtuosos and well sequenced.  In the words of that first AI compilation: "Are you sitting comfortably? Artificial Intelligence is for long journeys, quiet nights and club-drowsy dawns. Listen with an open mind."

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