Warp Records and the (Artificial Intelligence) album series

A video about the groundbreaking series of albums released between 1992 and 1994, from the likes of Apex Twin, The Black Dog, B12, Richie Hawtin, Speedy J and Autechre. I talk about how I discovered the artists and the releases that followed in their discography.
For an interview with Warp co-founder Steve Becket, go check this great interview from the Red Bull Music Academy.

[the-vinyl-dreamscape]

Black Dog, Autechre and B12 were some of the most important releases that have come around in my lifetime. I really wonder how i would have discovered avant-garde electronic music without them. Before these releases, electronic music meant the techno and house sounds that i heard from Detroit, Chicago and London. Warp helped me get...warped. Lol. It was difficult back then for me - i had very few friends that shared my passion for electronic music. Connecting the dots from suburban detroit forced me to find those "brave new waves" that were happening around the globe. Great video. Thanks for sharing your path to the music. Cheers! Shawn

[chris.e-t]

Hello, nice selection, great collection ! Warp is so important to me...I also discovered Autechre with "Tri Repetae ", I only have the Polygon Window on CD, a quite forgotten album I think...I didn't know about the Artificial Intelligence 2 ! Thanks for the memories 😉

[miguelangelabadsolano]

Wow... This video is wonderful. Great work. Please show us your Boards of canada collection. Keep it up. Thanks from Spain!

[donello]

What a magical series of albums, they still hold up just as good. Still some of my all-time favorite music. Interestingly, in the US at the time, the albums 'Virtual State' by Richard H Kirk (RIP) and 'Azimuth' by Kenny Larkin were marketed as part of the A.I. series. If you like the A.I. series, I highly recommend checking them out.

[djvinylvertigo]

Great information on this label and these artists!!

[TheDrglas]

Great walk through! As a Swede I was also always "a little late to the party" back then. Information about these releases (and similiar) was not always easy accessable. Nowadays I listen way more to the AI 2 compilation then the first one. Do you also have the video that was released at the same time? I love its 90's 3d graphics which complements the music perfectly. DId you say that there is a reissue of AI 2 coming? Can't find any information about it.

[Russell.S]

hey Fred. I was really late to the party, but catching up. Fortunately Warp is keeping many titles in print. In addition to the electronic artists you mentioned, I also appreciate Warp reissuing the Boards of Canada, Stereolab and Broadcast catalogs. This video has given me lots to add to the wantlist. I’d love to see a video on Too Pure titles if you’re so inclined. Thanks!

[David-Ellis]

Lovely video Fred - several things for me to discover here - thank you. Great to meet you yesterday, hope you enjoyed your visit to London.
I just ordered the Designers Republic book from the Saatchi Gallery - thanks again for the heads-up. All the best - D

[Harrispilton]

Nice one Fred. I missed this vid. I'm hit & miss with Warp, occasionally gets a bit to cerebral for me . Those Black Dog are fantastic and I love Autecre. Looking forward to your London videoe Did you check out World Of Echo, ive got an East London route planned in about two weeks ive just found that takes in about 7 great looking shops

[calvinwazoo]

I think I saw a copy of Polygon Window in a store, used copy, but I had no idea what it was, so I passed on it. It wasn't that expensive, either. I have Black Dog Productions "Bytes", picked it up recently because I already had "Spanners" by The Black Dog. I have Plaid as well. Get rid the that plastic sleeve! It will off-gas and ruin the vinyl. These were all recent acquisitions, within the last 6 months. I started listening to electronic in the 70s with Tangerine Dream, but I missed a lot of the acid house that developed in the late 80s and early 90s - though I've been recently adding it. Just a couple weeks ago I picked up that Fuse release. I'll have to seek out Plastic Man (is that what you said?).

[djclass]

kinda jealous of your copy of Polygon Window! That album really needs an re-release indeed, that would be a good one for records storeday! :)

[jeanroblin]

Love polygon window and the others pseudonymes : afx, gak....