Aphex Twin - Tha (Apollo, 1992)

Dreamy ambient electronica.

I have to admit that the definition of 'indie' is often somewhat stretched on this blog. However, the burbling, subterranean lo-fi of Aphex Twin's 'Selected Ambient Works 85-92' surely qualifies as indie techno. It doesn't gleam like chrome-plated futurism of Derrick May or Model 500 or have the precision of Carl Craig's minimal funk.

'Tha' is almost murky, with a fug or background noise and an indistinct putter of kick-drum buried in the mix.

Spellbinding stuff though.

Download Aphex Twin 'Tha' (Ambient, Electronica, Techno, mp3) (Divshare)

Caribou / Manitoba - If Assholes Could Fly, This Place Would Be An Airport (The Leaf Label, 2003)

Tight, funky dancefloor electronica.

Beautifully spring, tight, tech funky electronica business from 2003 before Dan Snaith was forced to change is nom de tronica from Manitoba to Caribou.

Intelligently mental stuff from the ever-reliable Leaf Label that just stops short of a 'woo!... yeah!' moment.

Download Caribou / Manitoba - If Assholes Could Fly, This Place Would Be An Airport (The Leaf Label, techno, electronica, mp3) (Divshare)

Orbital - Belfast (Original Version) (FFRR, 1991)

Simply beautiful.

To me, this record is an utterly beguiling glide through late night, sodium lit streets, the remnants of the previous evening's tunes ghosting through your brain.

You drift along in a semi-conscious state. Jimmy Saville appears in one of those foil blankets they give out at the end of marathons. He proceeds to give you a lecture about the history of dance music and the fact that he was the first DJ to use twin turntables. And about how the US Army used to use MDMA, back in the day. Not the "back in the day" you're thinking, son, the 1950s.

Then you wake up.

Download Orbital - Belfast (Original Version) (FFRR, 1991)