Wired Magazine Presents: Music Futurists

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
This pretentiously titled collection purports to "trace the music of those who have, since the beginning of the recording era, pushed the envelope of musical technology," thereby "chronicling the beginnings of the electronic music scene." Put together by Wired's music editor (who knew they had one?), the single disc falls far short of its goal--the selections are alternately intriguing and clueless and tend to segue rather jarringly. No distinction is made between the creative use of technological invention in the service of genre-bending music (Brian Eno, Can, Laurie Anderson, Steve Reich) versus those who just have some cool toys to play with yet achieve little beyond novelty with them (Todd Rundgren, Tangerine Dream, DJ Spooky, Ben Neill). That said, about half of the disc does feature superlative material, notably Can's funk-prog classic "Spoon," Sonic Youth's detuned-pop masterpiece "Schizophrenia," and Eno's insanely pretty, proto-ambient tape-loop work "2/1." Music Futurists is not a bad mix CD, just a misguided, poorly presented one. --Mike McGonigal

Wired Magazine Presents: Music Futurists,Various Artists,Rhino / Wea,Ambient,Electronic,Electronica,Experimental,Experimental Rock,Mixed Media,New Wave,Pop,Pop/Rock,Prog-Rock/Art Rock,Proto-Punk,Rock,Synth Pop

Tracks:

Granada - Esquivel
Plutonian Nights - Sun Ra
Pulse (Excerpt) - Steve Reich
Spoon - Can
International Feel/Never Never Land - Todd Rundgren
2/1 - Brian Eno
Beautiful World - Devo
Cloudburst Flight - Tangerine Dream
O Superman (For Massenet) - Laurie Anderson
She Blinded Me With Science - Thomas Dolby
Cry - Godley & Creme
Schizophrenia - Sonic Youth
Total Soul Future (Eat It) - Beck
Thoughts Like Rain - DJ Spooky
After The Gold Rush - Ben Neill

Amazon.com

This pretentiously titled collection purports to "trace the music of those who have, since the beginning of the recording era, pushed the envelope of musical technology," thereby "chronicling the beginnings of the electronic music scene." Put together by Wired's music editor (who knew they had one?), the single disc falls far short of its goal--the selections are alternately intriguing and clueless and tend to segue rather jarringly. No distinction is made between the creative use of technological invention in the service of genre-bending music (Brian Eno, Can, Laurie Anderson, Steve Reich) versus those who just have some cool toys to play with yet achieve little beyond novelty with them (Todd Rundgren, Tangerine Dream, DJ Spooky, Ben Neill). That said, about half of the disc does feature superlative material, notably Can's funk-prog classic "Spoon," Sonic Youth's detuned-pop masterpiece "Schizophrenia," and Eno's insanely pretty, proto-ambient tape-loop work "2/1." Music Futurists is not a bad mix CD, just a misguided, poorly presented one. --Mike McGonigal

Customer Reviews:

Music that may have been overlooked.......2001-08-25

I got this album at a used music store a couple of years ago. And for a time it was my favorite album to put on and ease my mind. The Laurie Anderson song stood out, and this album sparked my interest in her work. Th Todd Rundgren song is also a nice little ballad. Every track has a different flavor from one another, but also different from what you're likely to hear on the radio. My only issue with the album is that it comes off as rather pretentious in its selectivity. It certainly broadened my musical horizons, but you have to understand that this album does not encompass nor represent any kind of movement or idea, it's just a collection of lesser known experimental music.

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