Braindance

tagStarted c. 1991Peak 1993-2003Last big hit active as Rephlex legacy and playful IDM tag

Located in 1 route

Electronic / Dance → Experimental / IDM / Glitch

Braindance is Rephlex Records' preferred term for playful, brainy, body-aware electronic music that crosses acid, techno, electro, jungle, ambient, and experimental rhythm. It was partly a rejection of the elitist feel of "IDM." Compared with IDM, braindance often sounds more mischievous, rave-rooted, acid-fried, and rhythmically joyful.

History

Rephlex, founded by Aphex Twin and Grant Wilson-Claridge, popularized the term as a better name for adventurous electronic dance music. Aphex Twin, µ-Ziq, Squarepusher, Luke Vibert, Cylob, Bogdan Raczynski, DMX Krew, Global Goon, Ceephax Acid Crew, Jega, Bochum Welt, and The Tuss represent the Rephlex/Planet Mu-adjacent ecosystem. Braindance kept rave weirdness and hardware humor alive while IDM became a broader press and retail category.

Defining artists

Aphex TwinSpotify YouTube
µ-ZiqSpotify YouTube
SquarepusherSpotify YouTube
Luke VibertSpotify YouTube
CylobSpotify YouTube
Bogdan RaczynskiSpotify YouTube

Show 6 more

DMX KrewSpotify YouTube
Global GoonSpotify YouTube
Ceephax Acid CrewSpotify YouTube
JegaSpotify YouTube
Bochum WeltSpotify YouTube
The TussSpotify YouTube

Essential listening

Windowlicker(1999) — Aphex TwinSpotify YouTube
Hasty Boom Alert(1997) — µ-ZiqSpotify YouTube
My Red Hot Car(2001) — SquarepusherSpotify YouTube
I Love Acid(2003) — Luke VibertSpotify YouTube
Rewind — CylobSpotify YouTube
Samurai Math Beats(1999) — Bogdan RaczynskiSpotify YouTube

Show 6 more

You Can't Hide Your Love — DMX KrewSpotify YouTube
Long Whiney — Global GoonSpotify YouTube
Camelot Arcade — Ceephax Acid CrewSpotify YouTube
Pitbull — JegaSpotify YouTube
Radiopropulsive — Bochum WeltSpotify YouTube
Rushup I Bank 12(2007) — The TussSpotify YouTube

← Explore Electronic / Dance

Sources

Rephlex Records history
Wax Poetics braindance article
Perfect Circuit IDM history
Discogs release listings