Intelligent Dance Music Guide: A Brief History of IDM

Intelligent dance music, or IDM, is a type of electronic music that emerged in the early 1990s. Drawing heavily on the sounds of the Chicago house, Detroit techno, electro-pop, and ambient electronica music genres, IDM embraces a cool, detached, digital aesthetic.

Prior to IDM, most electronic music was created with the dance floor in mind, which is why IDM’s parent genre is commonly known as electronic dance music or EDM. Yet intelligent dance music compositions tend to focus primarily on aural aesthetics, with danceability a lesser point of emphasis.

With roots in 1980s rave culture, IDM evolved into a distinct genre by the 1990s.

• Rave roots: From a musical standpoint, intelligent dance music is a direct continuation of the electronic music that dominated raves in the 1980s. The propulsive rhythms and digital soundscapes of Chicago house, acid house, and Detroit techno all made their way into 1990s electronica. The emergence of new artists and new ways of promoting the music helped differentiate IDM from other types of electronic music.
• Marketing terminology: The term "intelligent dance music," or IDM, likely originated as a marketing term. The IDM List was an early ‘90s mailing list dedicated to the artists found on Warp Records' Artificial Intelligence compilation. Artists on the compilation included Autechre and Speedy J, but soon the mailing list included other electronica musicians such as Aphex Twin and Plaid, as well as those on labels like Planet Mu, Toytronic, Schematic, Isophlux, Skam, Merck, and Musik Aus Strom.
• Pushback: From the outset, the term "intelligent dance music" received pushback from listeners and musicians. While the textured music was more likely to reward close listening than a pulsating Chicago house track, the word "intelligent" implied a musical sophistication that seemed questionable or pretentious. As such, the phrase fell out of favor by the end of the 1990s, although textured, ambient electronic music continues to be produced.

Since the term “IDM” originated from Warp Records' Artificial Intelligence series, the music has featured several defining characteristics.

1. 1. Ambient textures: IDM tends to emphasize soundscapes—many of them ambient—rather than propulsive beats that drive revelers to the dance floor.
2. 2. Digital aesthetic: Some electronic music styles lean heavily on hip-hop and funk samples. IDM does sample some of these sounds, but it often emphasizes a cooler, more serene texture. Eventually, IDM artist Venetian Snares helped pioneer the breakbeat genre, which incorporated old-school funk and jazz sampling.
3. 3. Rewarding close listening: Top IDM artists like Autechre, Aphex Twin, and Boards of Canada produce records that reward close listening on headphones. The style tends to offer more subtleties than loud, pulsing club music.
4. 4. Subjective use of the word "intelligent": While IDM does involve careful, deliberate production, some musicians and critics have critiqued its name for implying that the genre relies sophisticated music theory. In fact, like many of its electronica cousins, IDM tends to use simple harmonies and repetitive motifs, and it rarely reflects the harmonic sophistication of jazz, progressive rock, and classical music.

To delve into the IDM genre, start by familiarizing yourself with some iconic albums by its leading artists.

1. 1. Selected Ambient Works 85-92 by Aphex Twin: The debut album from Aphex Twin (the stage name of Richard D. James) was released in 1992 and helped create the notion of intelligent dance music. Aphex Twin's genre has also been called "braindance," which is a similar nod to its cerebral nature.
2. 2. LP5 by Autechre: Autechre stands out among their IDM peers for creating electronic music that is at once textured, sonically dense, and catchy. This 1998 album is a perfect example of that approach.
3. 3. ISDN by Future Sound Of London: This 1994 IDM hit features the dark but humorous "You’re Creeping Me Out."
4. 4. Weirs by Luke Vibert and Jeremy Simmonds: Weirs was released on Aphex Twin's Rephlex Records in 1993 and helped bridge the gap between techno and ambient music.
5. 5. Tides by Arovane: German artist Arovane emphasizes the ambient side of IDM in this 2000 album.
6. 6. Succour by Seefeel: Seefeel began as a post-rock band but transitioned into IDM, eventually landing on famed label Warp Records. This 1995 album received a tepid reception upon its release, but decades later critics praised it as an original take on the IDM genre.
7. 7. One on One by Mira Calix: Chantal Passamonte, known on stage as Mira Calix, has gained notice for creating lonely textures of despair in her IDM music, which you can hear in this 2000 album.
8. 8. Hard Normal Daddy by Squarepusher: This 1997 record was Squarepusher's first for the famed Warp Records. It features a funkier edge than many IDM records offer.
9. 9. Spanners by the Black Dog: This 1994 record crams numerous dance music influences into each song. While less relaxing than some other IDM, Spanners' appeal comes from its surprises.
10. 10. Lunatic Harness by μ-Ziq: Pronounced "music," μ-Ziq is the stage name of the English producer Mike Paradinas. Released in 1997, Lunatic Harness helped introduce the drill 'n' bass subgenre, which combines IDM with drum-and-bass dance music.
11. 11. Prebuild by 808 State: A 2004 record on Aphex Twin's Rephlex Records, this album has helped set the standard for IDM in the twenty-first century.
12. 12. I Heart Presets by Kevin Blechdom: Kevin Blechdom is another artist who has brought IDM aesthetics into the twenty-first century, beginning with 2001's I Heart Presets.
13. 13. Greg Hates Car Culture by Venetian Snares: Canadian producer Aaron Funk, better known as Venetian Snares, pushed IDM in a funkier direction and helped launch the breakbeat genre on this 1999 record.

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