A Chill in the Air

“There comes a moment in every electronic music fan’s journey when they discover Patrick Cowley.” Andrew Ryce, liner notes for Hard Ware (2025) I’m trying to think of the first time I heard of Patrick Cowley. I highly suspect it was one of the typical routes: from his epic 15-minute remix of “I Feel Love”, created in 1978. It was designed for the clubs, so obviously I get a great deal of enjoyment from listening to it on the sofa, while devouring a Kitkat. Perhaps my favourite track of his is one of the most mainstream, in intent and production, if not in actual success – “Tech-No-Logical World”, from his 1982 album Mind Warp. Over 40 years later, the concerns expressed in it feel as familiar as ever – perhaps even more so. The above is the radio edit, but if you love it, I highly recommend the proper version. Mind Warp was made while Patrick Cowley had HIV/AIDS; he died in November 1982. This presents the opportunity for critics to say he was a tragic genius, taken from us far too…