In my opinion, I have chosen the 5 best techno songs from 1990 to 1995. I enjoy a wide variety of electronic music, so some of these selections could be better classified as Rave, Electronic Dance, Trance, Eurodance, Electronica or maybe even House. The genres are getting too specific anyway, and there are too many different classifications. So if the song was at least partially synthetic and had a good enough beat to dance to, then it was on my list. Techno songs usually have several different mixes of the same song, so if there is a specific version that I like, it will be noted after the song title.
Here are my top 5 picks, in chronological order …
1. Get Ready For This (Orchestral Mix) from 2 Unlimited, 1991
This is a staple for all basketball games. If you have never heard this song, I will be surprised. I always imagine cheerleaders dancing every time I hear them. Ten years later and it is still played. That’s a huge compliment, and I definitely agree. This is a great song, especially the Orchestral Mix.
2. O Fortuna (Apocalypse Chorus Mix) by Apotheosis, 1992
The original classic song O Fortuna is the main theme of Carl Orff’s famous Carmina Burana oratorio. There is another Apotheosis song called Obumbrata (a word from the original lyrics that means shading in Latin), which is just another variation on this song. In fact, on my Radikal Techno CD, this version of the song was incorrectly labeled Obumbrata. No matter what it’s called, it’s an amazing synthetic arrangement of an already amazing classic piece.
3. Swamp Thing (Radio Mix) by The Grid, 1993
I have always liked banjo music. Especially songs like this and Dueling Banjos where a lot of fast notes are played. You don’t normally hear something like this in dance music, so when you do it’s a real treat.
4. Da Funk from Daft Punk, 1995
Da Funk was originally released as a single first, and later appeared on Daft Punk’s Homework album. The music video is about a guy with a dog’s head and a leg cast, walking through New York City on crutches and a boombox playing this song. It’s a nice little story and is worth watching at least once. It’s definitely the best Daft Punk song.
5. Cotton Eye Joe by Rednex, 1995
I have danced this song many times. I was never a big fan of country music, but this definitely closes the gap. I love mixing synthetics with traditional folk instruments like the banjo and the violin. On the other hand, I have always liked mixing live instruments with synthetics.
Some others I considered for the list were: Sesame’s Treet from Smart E’s 1992 and The Sign from Ace of Base 1994.
Whether you agree with my choices or not, there is no question that techno music is one of the most influential genres out there, and a dance is not a dance without it.