Hey boy. Hey girl. Superstar DJs. Here we go! It’s all about BIG BEAT on this Sunday’s Now Playing, as you, dear listener, help us compile a playlist of epic block rockin’ beats.
This summer marks the 20th anniversary of The Chemical Brothers’ debut album, ‘Exit Planet Dust’. Released in the UK at the end of June 1995, the album thrust this little-known London duo into the electronica landscape, and by the time the record was released Stateside in August, Ed and Tom Chemical were already household names (if you liked dance music in your house, that is).
The Chemical Brothers, who released eighth album ‘Born In The Echoes’ a couple of weeks ago, are pioneers of big beat - a dance sub-genre that relies on heavy breakbeats. And it’s in this booming genre where Now Playing will mine your very best examples of heavy hits, massive riffs and gargantuan beats. We want YOUR suggestions for a big fat banging playlist.
Obvious artist choices include Fatboy Slim, The Prodigy, UNKLE, Apollo 440 and Basement Jaxx. ‘Indie-friendly’ acts such as Propellerheads, Death in Vegas, Bentley Rhythm Ace or The Avalanches, or any number of artists from Skint’s roster (itself celebrating 20 years throughout 2015) such as Lo Fidelity Allstars and X-Press 2.
Or you could go for one of a million sampled artists, like Billy Squier, Kraftwerk, Coldcut, Beastie Boys, Mantronix, Schoolly D, Sly & The Family Stone, Edwin Starr, James Brown and zillions more.
You pick the music, so get your big beat-inspired suggestions to Nemone sitting in for Tom via the hashtag #BigBeat6Music to help create a playlist. Comment on the Now Playing Facebook page, here on the blog, email nowplaying@bbc.co.uk or drag tracks onto our Spotify and Rdio playlists.
