Warp, home to sonic pioneers such as Aphex Twin, and Boards of Canada is arguably the most influential electronica label in the world. But don't tell Warp founder Steve Beckett. For Beckett, who began the label with now deceased partner Rob Mitchell in a Sheffield record store in 1989, genre, and in particular "electronica," is an irrelevant concept.
Indeed, asked to name a few albums currently crowding his desk, Beckett comes up with an eclectic list, including recent releases by Americana group Lampchop and Argentine tango accordionist Astor Piazzola. Look a little closer at the Warp roster and the electronica label looks even farther off base. Yes, it continues to be a haven for artists that broadly fit under the electronica rubric -- the upcoming i-Warp events in Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya are an electronica smorgasbord featuring techno prodigy Jimmy Edgar and uberproducer Luke Vibert. But recent signings have been more all-embracing: Maximo Park makes bright pop rock, while Grizzly Bear's dark music owes much to postrock. As Beckett explains in a telephone interview from London with The Japan Times, Warp isn't about any one genre; it's about innovative music.
Ten years ago, if a kid wanted to make music in his bedroom, he was probably using a laptop and a sampler. Now he is probably using a guitar. What happened?
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