Andy Stott: An Introduction
I started listening to Andy Stott last December and he has quickly become one of my favorite artists. My son is starting to get more into music (first concert last January, has his own Spotify account, etc.) and considering some of the the artists and songs he has shared with me, I thought, "What the hell. Maybe he'd like Andy Stott." He probably won't, but who knows? Anyway, that was just how the idea for this project started. In the end, this ended up being an Introduction to Andy Stott that I thought was worth sharing. I took four songs from all of his LPs and EPs on Spotify and added them to a playlist. I tried to pick songs that might be more immediately attractive to a newcomer, but a lot of them are just the songs I enjoy the most; I also tried to pick songs that encapsulate the vibe of their host. It's worth noting that this is, for the most part, a chronological playlist. The only tracks I rearranged were from the first release, Merciless, because I wanted to bookend its songs with piano pieces. Otherwise? This is just a little tour of (most of) Andy Stott's masterful catalog. Might be worth your time if you're unfamiliar but even remotely interested in dub techno or electronic music in general. The playlist link is in the comments. Enjoy. |
| 1 |  | Andy Stott
Merciless
Merciless
Andy’s debut album is certainly his most simple. |
| 2 | | Andy Stott
Merciless
Blocked
But, it still sets the foundation... |
| 3 | | Andy Stott
Merciless
Choke
...for everything to come. |
| 4 | | Andy Stott
Merciless
Peace of Mind
And it BANGS. |
| 5 |  | Andy Stott
Unknown Exception
Credit
Fun Fact: this is the only release here... |
| 6 | | Andy Stott
Unknown Exception
Massacre
...that doesn’t have black and white artwork. |
| 7 | | Andy Stott
Unknown Exception
See in Me
The more I reflect on that, the more the album title mocks me. |
| 8 | | Andy Stott
Unknown Exception
Hostile
This is the last album of this style as well, as he moved into new territory after this. |
| 9 |  | Andy Stott
Passed Me By
Signature
I think this is the first Stott release I heard. |
| 10 | | Andy Stott
Passed Me By
Dark Details
I believe this is when he started to step it up and found his own voice, so to speak... |
| 11 | | Andy Stott
Passed Me By
Execution
...carving his own identity for himself. |
| 12 | | Andy Stott
Passed Me By
Passed Me By
But, this walked so We Stay Together could run. |
| 13 |  | Andy Stott
We Stay Together
Posers
If Passed Me By is a step up... |
| 14 | | Andy Stott
We Stay Together
Bad Wires
We Stay Together is infinite levitation. |
| 15 | | Andy Stott
We Stay Together
Cherry Eye
This was the first song of his that reeeeally got my attention. |
| 16 | | Andy Stott
We Stay Together
Cracked
And by this song, I was SOLD. |
| 17 |  | Andy Stott
Luxury Problems
Sleepless
Luxury Problems takes its time to unfold. |
| 18 | | Andy Stott
Luxury Problems
Expecting
But in biding its time, it sets the listener up for some gems. |
| 19 | | Andy Stott
Luxury Problems
Up the Box
Tell me this doesn't go from pure anxiety to impulsive head bopping. |
| 20 | | Andy Stott
Luxury Problems
Leaving
And this one is just gorgeous; a rare occurrence where vocals are a highlight. |
| 21 |  | Andy Stott
Faith in Strangers
Time Away
One of these things is not like the others. But, Time Away is likely my favorite pure ambient song, period, and it kicks off my absolute favorite Andy Stott album. |
| 22 | | Andy Stott
Faith in Strangers
Violence
It is important to note that every aggressively titled song from Stott is fantastic. There are no exceptions. None, I say. |
| 23 | | Andy Stott
Faith in Strangers
On Oath
This track gives you a taste of everything Andy Stott and slowly unravels to reveal one of his best offerings. |
| 24 | | Andy Stott
Faith in Strangers
Damage
It was really hard to only pick four songs from this album and to leave out its closer, but Damage just so happens to be a favorite of mine and the list would be a sham without it. |
| 25 |  | Andy Stott
Too Many Voices
New Romantic
The best part of a project like this... |
| 26 | | Andy Stott
Too Many Voices
Forgotten
... is that we are forced to revisit things we overlook. |
| 27 | | Andy Stott
Too Many Voices
Selfish
This has probably always been my least favorite of the bunch... |
| 28 | | Andy Stott
Too Many Voices
On My Mind
... but it is still really good and I'll be giving it more attention from here on out. |
| 29 |  | Andy Stott
It Should Be Us
Dismantle
I felt Too Many Voices was a little bit weak, but this album is total redemption. |
| 30 | | Andy Stott
It Should Be Us
Collapse
It feels familiar, but refined. It is a lean, mean, mechanical machine. |
| 31 | | Andy Stott
It Should Be Us
Take
Even this late into his career, Andy Stott is putting out some of his best material... |
| 32 | | Andy Stott
It Should Be Us
Versi
... being kind enough to send us off with one of his best tracks to date. |
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