This section lists other good things related to electronic/dance music.
If you have anything you think should definitely be added here, let me know.

Radio 1 (97-99 FM): What the hell has (probably) the most commercial radio station in the world got to do with quality underground electronic music?
Well, after the daytime pop crap, there are some quality shows.

John Peel (Tuesdays to Thursdays, 10 pm-12 am) plays just about every kind of music there is (apart from anything remotely popular - wohoo!), but guaranteed there'll be a few cutting edge electronic tunes played. Anything could happen. The John Peel Shrine is located here.

Then there's Mary Anne Hobbs, with her Breezeblock show (Tuesday, 12-2 am). Generally, it's mostly underground dance music, but there's sometimes some rock-type stuff, classic soul-type stuff and even Tom Jones (no, really). Lots of drum & bass, which is nice. Past guests include Orbital, the Aphex Twin, Bad Company, Fatboy Slim, Pulp and Osymyso. And that's just off the top of my head. Quality guaranteed.

For the more hard dancey stuff, there's Judge Jules (Saturday, 5-7 pm). Not exactly the most challenging music ever, but if you like it banging, you can't go too wrong.

Fergie also lays down the hard stuff on his show (Friday, 11pm-1 am). Fergie does not only play hard house - he also chucks in lots of chunky pounding techno, trance and good old house. He has a guest mix which has featured the likes of Umek and Dave Clarke.

Seb Fontaine (Saturday, 7-9 pm) is yer man for deep, dark, proggy, housey, chunky stuff. Give it a listen, you might like it. If Seb's not there, top scouser Yousef or sexy minx Lottie will usually fill in for him, which usually means everything goes funkier.

Pete Tong has an rather good show, called The Essential Selection (Friday, 6-9 pm). Tongy boy also presents the Essential Mix (Sunday, 2-4 am), which has quality DJs playing some incredible sets (Sasha, Digweed, Sander K, Parks & Wilson, Slam, Adam Beyer etc...). More info on Tong at Tong's Radio 1 page.

Annie Nightingale is still going after all these years, and follows straight after the Essential Mix for three hours (so that's Sunday, 4-7 am, if you can't be arsed to work it out). All sorts played, but Miss Nightingale does like her breaks. Oh yes.

If you like your drum & bass, Fabio and Grooverider's show (Saturday, 1-3 am) is a must. At that time in the morning you might start hallucinating with those crazy tempos (I do anyway). They alternate each show, so one week Fabio will present it, the next week Grooverider will, for some reason. Anyway, it's bloody brilliant, so listen to it. Fabio plays mostly liquid funk, and deeper, soulful stuff, while the Rider goes for the jugular with some Amen obliteration. We're the Sweeney, and we ain't had any dinner.

One World (12-2 am, Friday) has all sorts of stuff. It usually showcases underground labels, but anything can happen really. Some of the best shows have included label showcases for F-Comm, Rotters Golf Club and Big Dada, to name but a few. They usually do a bit on the Sonar festival each year too.

Gilles Peterson (Thursday, 12-2 am) is the one to listen to if you like things a bit more laid back. Deep house, dubby reggae, jazzy d&b, hip hop - nice.

Tim Westwood, as i'm sure you all know, is responsible for all the hip hop. The rap show (Friday, 9-11 pm / Saturday 9 pm-12 am) is where you'll find all the big joints. Blastin' off real big, apparently.

Bobby Friction and Nihal, on at 3-5am, Saturday, play all sorts of Asian music, mainly Bhangra-influenced garage, hip hop and drum 'n' bass.

I don't think there's much chance of picking up the signal if you're outside the UK (unless you've got one of those big clever radios with temporal distortion capabilities and tea making facilities built in), but you've obviously got access to the internet if you're reading this. So for more info, have a search around on the vast Radio 1 website, where you can listen to the radio station from anywhere in the world (providing you have a decent connection).

Radio 3 (90-92 FM): Eh? Ye what? Yes, that's right, Radio 3. You really should check it out. Well, at least one show anyway - it goes by the (rather terrible) name of Mixing It. It's on from about 11pm to 12am on a Sunday night. It's mainly experimental music, including quite a bit of electronica (they like Steve Reich and Squarepusher a lot). There's also been DJ mixes from Roni Size and DJ Food in the past, and generally its rather good. Be surprised. Visit the Mixing It page on the Radio 3 website for more information.
NOTE: I'll put the frequency range on when I can remember it. Or alternatively, have a look in the Radio Times, you lazy git. :)

Here's a list of record labels that seem to me to have consistently high quality:

Silver Planet Recordings: This is one impressive label. They do everything from prog house through prog trance, to pixie trance right through to wet & hard. Their current artist roster includes King of Spin, Main Element, Mad Dogs, Chimera, Yunus - cheekily pinched from another incredible label, Fire (see below) - and the gifted one: James Holden. If you like the quality, exciting side of prog, you'll love every release o this label. The 'Fear Of A Silver Planet' compilation was one of the best of 2001, and I highly recommend it. Click here for the Silver Planet site.

Fire Recordings: A relatively new label, but it has quickly established itself as one of the best in the world for underground music. Artists on the label include Cass 'n' Slide, Excession, ASAP, Marscruiser, PB&J, Ben Shaw, Andy Page, Lee Burridge and Aria. I cannot resist buying every single release on Fire, as I think they get it just right every time. Click here to see all of the releases on Fire. The compilation Fire01: Prologue was, like Fear Of A Silver Planet, one of the best comps of 2001, and has some of the highest quality packaging i've ever seen (it shows they care). Go to the Fire website to find out more.

Global Underground: You really should have heard of this series. All I really need to say is that regular contributors to the cause are Sasha, Digweed, Nick Warren, Danny Tenaglia, Seb Fontaine and Paul Oakenfold. If there's not something you like in the series, then you're one fussy git. Go here and marvel at the wonderful back-catalogue.

Red Records: So you don't like all this hard dance stuff then? Then you probably won't like the tunes on Red Records. But maybe if you want to like the harder end of dance music, but think it all sounds the same, I think you'll be impressed. I would have been oblivious to this label if it weren't for the legendary John Peel. Red release tune after tune of pure adrenaline, and no two sound the same. Artists such as Ben Kaye, Synergie and Skyrise prove that hard house and trance can be as original as anything else. That comment will surely annoy people into 'serious' music, but i'm afraid it's true, although you just won't understand if you're not into the music. I a lot of the dark proggy stuff, but sometimes I need a bit of contrast. Something banging. And what better way to satisfy that craving than a tune on Red Records?

City Rockers: You want retro? Well, this is about as good as it gets. Some of you are probably sick of all the recent nostalgia, but those that aren't should definitely read on. You really should have heard of Felix Da Housecat, but this label also has releases from the most excellent FC Kahuna, Coloursound, and the genius of Tiga & Zyntherius.

Fuel: "Music for Soundsystems" it says on all the record sleeves. And that's all you really need to know. Unless you want to know more, in which case click here.
NOTE: M25 cannot be held reponsible for this recommendation. We are exempt from paying out any type of compensation for damage to your speakers/internal organs.

Skint: Fatboy Slim, Dave Clarke, FreQ Nasty, X-Press 2... And it's run by the Midfield General. Not bad at all.

Rhythm Records: Located in wonderful Camden Town, this is a great little shop. The first time I went there, I thought they just sold dodgy disco and R&B stuff that really ain't my cup of tea. The second time, I noticed the other section, containing lots of juicy drum 'n' bass, electronica, breakbeat and some proper weird stuff. This is where I found my treasured copy of Knifehandchop's "Dancemix2000". You can find some great stuff here if you have a look. A highly recommended way to spend half a day (if you spend as much time vinyl-hunting as I do).

Cyberdog: A small chain of stores selling some proper nutty clubbing gear. "Ooooh" you will say when you see the flashing lights. "Wow!" you will exclaim at the brilliant designs. "HOW MUCH!?" you will shout at the price of the 'Hardcore Trousers'. This place has to be seen to be believed. They have stores in Camden and Covent Garden in London, one in Manchester, one in Switzerland, one in Ibiza and a few others I think. The official site is located at www.cyberdog.co.uk.

ACID: A.K.A. "Aciiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiid!". Mental, squiggly, distorted bass noises, usually produced by the legendary Roland TB-303. Check out "Acid 8000" and "Everybody Needs A 303" by Fatboy Slim, "Higher State of Consciousness" and "Evil Acid" by Josh Wink or the brilliant sulphuric breakdown in "Mock Tudor" by Orbital for some great examples of the good ol' corrosive stuff. Go here and dribble over the wonderful 303. Virtually.

Recommended 1 - Recommended bands, artists and DJs.

Recommended 1a - Other recommended bands and artists.

Want to recommend something? Then e-mail: doomcorp@yahoo.co.uk