Happy birthday Warp!

I've just been enjoying the Warp podcast from the nice people at Guardian Music Weekly, and it's brought back many fond memories.

My first introduction to Warp was through Andrew Weathrall and The Sabres of Paradise. I think specifically it was Smokebelch (1993), which to this day remains one of my all time favourite tunes. From there I went on to Aphew Twin, Black Dog and Autechre (which I have literally just found out I've been mispronouncing all these years...or maybe they've been mispelling?!!). Through a friend I was introduced to some of the earlier stuff (LFO, Nightmares of Wax) and then of course came Boards of Canada and the spastic drill and bass master, Squarepusher.

It doesn't stop there: Warp's ties with the award winning Chris Cunningham, have produced videos that have shocked, amused and made me cry. If you haven't seen his video for Bjork's All Is Full of Love then I urge you to do so. I know it's not a warp track but the vidoe is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen.



Now Warp is 20 we see them moving in a different direction. The Guardian blog comment's page is full of people complaining they have sold out. But have they really? I think for some people anyone will a successful company is a sell-out (poverty is chic don't you know!). Others seem to think they have sold out because they aren't dedicating themselves 100% to electronic music any more. These people forget that the founder's of Warp had origins in rock/indie bands. And anyway, for music to stay new and inventive all things must move on.

I have to admit I haven't followed Warp in years, but their birthday celebrations have give rise to a new enthusiasm in me. Today I set off in search of the latest big thing in the Warp stable and while I can't say it knocked me off my seat, I could still hear in Grizzly Bear the inventive Warp spirit, and although I don't think I could sit down and listen to Hudson Mohawke, I think it's one of the best album covers I've seen in a long time!

So I say thank you Warp for all the wonderulf music you have brought us. Here's to another 20 years!