Techno Animal
| Company type | Music duo |
|---|---|
| Industry | Electronic music |
| Founded | 1990 in London, United Kingdom |
| Founder | Justin Broadrick, Kevin Martin |
| Headquarters | London , United Kingdom |
| Products | Electronic music albums and singles |
Techno Animal was an electronic music duo originating in London in 1990, composed of British artists Justin Broadrick (known for his work with Godflesh) and Kevin Martin (also known as the Bug, associated with God). Their discography includes six full-length albums, beginning with their 1991 debut Ghosts, which fused dub production techniques with dark, rhythm-driven ambient soundscapes and themes of paranoia.
History
In 1987, Kevin Martin established the industrial metal band God. Justin Broadrick formed Godflesh in 1988, contributed to recordings with Napalm Death, and later collaborated with Martin by joining God. The inception of Techno Animal came in 1990, sparked by their mutual fascination with studio-based experimentation. This endeavor was strictly a studio project focused on crafting music through sampling, without intentions for live shows. The duo’s name signifies the idea of a technological creature rather than a direct reference to the techno music genre.
Their first album, Ghosts, appeared in 1991. British critic Simon Reynolds likened their sample-driven approach to groups such as Einstürzende Neubauten, Die Krupps, and 23 Skidoo.
After a fifteen-year hiatus, Martin and Broadrick reunited in 2017 to create the band Zonal. Broadrick described Zonal as a continuation in spirit of Techno Animal, emphasizing its conceptual lineage.
Influence
The debut album Ghosts had a significant impact on electronic artist Kid606, who acknowledged Kevin Martin and Justin Broadrick as key formative influences during his early career.
Discography
- Albums
- Ghosts (Pathological, 1991)
- Re-Entry (Virgin, 1995)
- Radio Hades (Position Chrome, 1998)
- Techno Animal Versus Reality (City Slang, 1998)
- Symbiotics (collaboration with Porter Ricks) (Force Inc. Music Works, 1999)
- The Brotherhood of the Bomb (Matador, 2001)
- Singles & EPs
- Babylon Seeker (Blue Angel, 1996)
- Unmanned (Position Chrome, 1996)
- Demonoid (City Slang, 1997)
- Phobic (Position Chrome, 1997)
- Cyclops (Position Chrome, 1998)
- Brotherhood of the Bomb/Monolith (Force Inc. Music Works, 1999)
- Megaton/Classical Homicide (collaboration with Dälek) (Matador, 2000)
- Dead Man's Curse (Matador, 2001)
- We Can Build You (Matador, 2001)