label: Emit Records country of origin: UK style(s): Ambient techno/dub/trance, experimental, environmental essential compilations: Emit 0094 (1994, Emit) Emit 3394 (1994, Emit) Emit 2295 (1995, Emit) Emit 5595 (1995, Emit) Emit 2000 (1995, Instinct) Emit 2296 (1996, Emit) Emit Explorer (1996, Instinct) Emit 1197 (1997, Emit) Emit 0003 (2003, Emit Records) Emit 0004 (2004, Emit Records)

In both its first incarnation (1992-1998) and its current one (2003 to the present) Emit has delivered a varied, idiosyncratic vision of ambient in the tradition of the great experimental labels of yore like Editions EG. Although bankruptcy hit the original label in 1998, Emit's status in the dance and electronic underground continued to grow and the label was eventually re-launched in 2003 to the delight of many fans. Emit artists have provided us with some of the most thrilling, audacious chill-out music of the 90's and beyond. Ignore it at your peril.

The label started as a division of the Nottingham-based Time Recording, a parent operation which first made waves releasing 12-inch dance singles. But despite such a pedigree, co-founder Alan Thomson was to quickly distance Emit's take on contemporary electronica from club music. In a memorable interview with him in 1996 he described it to me thus: "[Club music is] a simplistic 4/4 thudding designed for chemically over-excited children...it's curious how such a diverse spectrum of music is automatically seen only in relation to a club context, whether appropriate or not". In other words, this may be technological chill-out music for the techno age but its creators conceived it an alternative to what they see as the disposable ethos of club culture. It is certainly music of lasting quality, designed to invite and reward the careful listener (which, I hasten to add, I believe is also true of the best progressive dance music).

Although Thomson and co-founder Chris Allen are now out of the picture, today that same basic ethos survives with the newly formed Emit Records under the guidance of ex-collegues Matt Hall, Martyn Watson and Tom Smyth.

From the stunning nature photos of the cover art to the engaging and provocative music within, Emit releases share both a strong graphic identity and a highly sophisticated appreciation for musical subtlety. Not forgetting some masterful solo albums over the years from acts like Gas, Woob, Gel Sol and International People's Gang, the compilation albums are what best define Emit and every one of them released to date qualifies as a must-have. Among these Emit 2000 and Emit Explorer are more widely available double CD releases from the North American label Instinct which compile various tracks from a number of the original UK releases.

Emit 0003 and Emit 0004 are the most recent of the batch and are the easiest to find. Emit 0003 is a fantastic release and arguably the label's most accessible, combining the subtlety and intelligence of the best in ambient techno with real humanity and melodic warmth. Emit 0004 may be more abstract and less immediately approachable but reveals some incredible depths on repeated listens. Timeless as always, it's as if the label never went away.

So is there an actual Emit sound? Not really. In fact almost anything goes, yet most of the featured artists match the high level of invention and surprise with a similar level of control and intelligence that prevents their experiments from wallowing in self-indulgence. These albums are also surprisingly accessible. Said Orbit magazine: "Tunes aren't outlawed, simply concealed from ideal ears". Lazy, jazzy, dubby rhythmic breaks sit quite comfortably next to steamy, tropical abstract sound collages. Intriguing samples from TV and radio pop up in exactly the right places. A piece of subtle, bleepy ambient techno with a distinctly spacey chill might end up with an unexpected warmth and looseness thanks to live instrumentation like percussion, bass guitar or saxophone. These albums are full of surprises and challenges yet never inaccessible to the open-minded. They are the sound of musicians defining their own territory and paying little or no heed to electronica trends.

Some limited CD stocks of the label's releases from the 1990's are sometimes available to buy via the Emit Records website. Thankfully an increasing number of titles are becoming available to buy as digital downloads from various online shops such as Shopsonic. For all things Emit try the excellent fansite www.emit.cc.

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