Recommendations of the editorial team
Whether in the Haçienda, on Ibiza or in the House of Commons – there has hardly been a legendary party in the past 40 years where Carl Cox would not have put on. For the album Electronic Generations and for the ME edition 11/22, he gave us an insight into his Holy Plate Collection.
Carl Cox came to Techno via radio and the early developments of hip -hop. In the nineties, the Englishman made a name for himself above all over mixes and remixes before his debut album appeared in 1996. A trademark of Carl Cox as a DJ is to set up with three instead of two record players. In the cult film about the British Rave scene “Human Traffic”, he can also be seen as an actor in the role of club owner Pablo Hassan. Cox celebrated his 60th birthday this summer.
Jean-Michel Jarre-Oxygène (1976)
Carl Cox: I still know how I was standing in the record shop back then and saw this crazy looking album. Oxygène, Pt. 1, Pt. 2. Strange! Why do you make an album that consists of different parts? I thought: “Huh? Ingenious!” This album is legendary, also because Jarre invented the live electronic shows. It is a continuous mix that takes you on a journey, like a film soundtrack without a film. If the young generation sounds like this today, with her short attention clamping, it will probably work like this (sings the title melody): “Dü Düdü Düüdü – no, okay, I don’t like that. I’m not interested, I can’t do a tikok.” (laughs loudly) don’t know what they miss.
The Police – Synchronicity (1983)
When I heard The Police for the first time, I was sure that they were black. The vocals were reggae: black. The bassline (sings bass after): clearly black. And the drums, okay, they would have white, green or whatever, but: tight! And when I saw her, I was like this: what? Three white guys? In addition, the sound sounds as fat as if at least ten people are in the band. The brilliant was that they mixed reggae with pop, a unique cross-over. I love synchronicity because it is so chaotic. From “Mother”, which just places vocals over guitar to “Every Breath You Take”-a real pop sensation!
That was her last album as a band at the same time. How do you like Sting’s solo things?
When they separated, I was really sad. Then Sting comes around the corner and sings over trees, the moon and the stars and talks about tantra sex. Then I was like this: “No people, I’m out, nice life to you!” (laughs) but The Police: I love!
Diana Ross – Diana (1980)
Nobody sounds like Diana Ross. And she is so divening – at her show on the Glastonbury this year she came out with this wig and a white dress, first song: “I’m coming out”. This track blew up even then. I mean, there are only eight tracks on the album and six hits have become – what a balance sheet!
Incognito – Jazz Funk (1981)
Incognito – Oh my god! They played for the sixtieth at my birthday party last week. Back then, when jazz radio music from UK bands was the hot shit, I traveled on the bus with my buddies. Her first release was “Parisienne Girl”. I danced my ass. Their musicality is unmatched, everyone is in synch, relaxed, but the radio, the energy, jazz-Incognito remain one of my absolute favorite jazz radio bands. In addition to bands like Breakfast Club, High Tension or Light of the World, of course. These cover versions of “Always there”, “Nights Over Egypt” – they can do everything. I would be ashamed if I hadn’t mentioned you here in this list.
Carl Cox – at the End of the Cliché (1996)
Your first studio album. How did it come about?
Back then I thought I did a lot of remixes and gave my ideas and my sound to other people. It was time for me to become a producer myself. On this album I did everything myself, songwriting, arrangement, everything. Except for cooperation with Dieter Meyer from Yello. At that time I had set up a remix of “L’Hoten” for Yello-and turned it into a trance monster. In return, I was allowed to use your studio. So I traveled to you in Switzerland. I thought: “How did I land here – with these types?” Because they are so great! We wrote a track called “Musky”. I just heard it to remember the sound because it was so long ago. And it sounds great. The strings, the energy – you can hear the fusion from Yello and my music. I arrived there and the ideas just flowed out of us. The title track “Phoebus Apollo” (Singing Vocals) was very Trancy and became a big hit in the UK.
Sounds very smooth for a first album.
The album process was not easy anyway because the album came out on a major label called Edel Records. They had brought out charts hits all over Europe and wanted to do the same with me. But I didn’t feel like selling out. I didn’t want to hit the radio and millions of plates. I put my heart and soul into this record to create an artistic story as I wanted. And in the end you respected that too.
Laurent Garnier – Unreasonable Behavior (2000)
Laurent Garnier is one of your companions, you have often put together. How did you get to know each other?
I have known Laurent since he was a child. When I met him for the first time, I thought Laurent was from Manchester because he had the accent on it so perfectly. And then he tells me that he came to England from Paris to play there. And I like that: “Who are you hell?” (laughs) Laurent has a very precise idea of how he feels the music and how it should be heard. He doesn’t just want to play for two hours, but five. I feel the same way! I found a soul mate in him. This album is probably the best that he has ever released. When “The Man with the Red Face” came out, it was a defining moment for him. The piece takes forever, ten minutes or so. That is 22 years old and sounds so fresh. He was really ahead of his time.