Bleep Techno
A short-lived British style from the north of England built on deep bass and simple electronic beeps.
History
Bleep techno appeared in the north of England at the end of the 1980s s1. It mixed American techno and house with the heavy bass of British sound-system music s2. The name comes from the high, simple electronic notes, or bleeps, used as melodies s1. Forgemasters' 'Track With No Name' (1989) was one of the first records on the new Warp label s1. LFO's 'LFO' (1990) became a chart hit and is a widely known bleep record s1s2. Sweet Exorcist's 'Testone' (1990) added strange noises and a slower, heavier feel s2. The style was popular for only a few years but was important for British dance music s1. It helped Warp Records grow into one of the country's widely known electronic labels s1. The records were often played at clubs in Sheffield, Leeds and London. Some had a strange, science-fiction feeling that matched the name bleep s2. Other early Warp acts linked to bleep included Nightmares on Wax and Sweet Exorcist s1.
Sound
- Deep, heavy basslines
- Simple, high electronic beeps
- A steady drum machine beat
- A cold, empty atmosphere
- Repetitive, minimal melodies
Key figures
- LFO — Leeds trio behind the hit 'LFO'
- Sweet Exorcist — Sheffield duo of Richard H. Kirk and DJ Parrot
- Forgemasters — Sheffield group behind the first Warp release
- Nightmares on Wax — Leeds act on the early Warp label
Labels
- Warp Records — Sheffield , 1989
- Outer Rhythm — London , 1989
Defining tracks
Connections
Came from: Detroit Techno , Chicago House , Dub
Sources
- Warp Records — Wikipedia
- A brief history of bleep — The Dowsers