Cult sitcom Peep Show is one of the most authentic chronicles of life in the United Kingdom thanks to its unflinchingly cringe-inducing portrayal of the British experience.
Focusing on quintessential Brit topics such as social anxiety, co-dependency and being a dance music-obsessed oddball, Peep Show struck a chord with audiences in the noughties and its lessons about life, love and loserdom resonate to this day – there really is a clip for every occasion.
While Peep Show focuses on the relationship between Mark and Jez, two dysfunctional flatmates, it’s the friendship between Jez and his longtime musical collaborator Super Hans that provides many of the show’s biggest laughs and most insightful musical moments. From reminiscing about stealing a car battery off The Prodigy to accusing The Chemical Brothers of nicking their sound, Peep Show is packed full of references to authentic UK dance music culture.
Article continues belowIn tribute to Peep Show’s appreciation of electronic music and the misfits who make it, we’ve compiled a list of five moments where Jez, Mark, Hans and their pals taught us indispensable lessons about making dance music. Wowsers trousers!
1. You need to create a powerful sense of dread
Series 2, Episode 2: Jeremy Makes It
“What we really need to do is create a powerful sense of dread. You see the longer the note, the more dread”
Super Hans kicks things off with a banging bit of advice that is one of Peep Show’s most memorable. During the recording of Jez’s potential short film score – performed by a motley crew of his friends and acquaintances – Hans attempts to inspire the assembled musicians by playing a sustained synth drone on what appears to be a Korg Z1. Simultaneously, he reveals the secret to creating a suspenseful movie soundtrack: length equals dread.
However, that’s not the only thing we can learn from this classic scene. The dire results of Jez’s unrehearsed, amateur musicians “jamming” together without coordination or direction is a reminder to us all that preparation matters.
2. Try using multiple musical ideas... at the same time
Series 5, Episode 2: Spin War
“I think that what’s happening is two or maybe three different musical things, all at the same time”
Despite being longtime musicians, Jez and Hans appear ill-equipped to actually create music, presumably due to an inability or unwillingness to learn anything about the process. When they receive a demo from Mark’s ex-wife’s cousin (the nervous, teenaged Barney) they’re unprepared for how sophisticated and accomplished it is.
Despite sounding like a rather basic riff on Faithless’s Insomnia. with its characteristic sample-based Roland pizzicao string patches, Barney’s track confounds the pair with its captivating complexity, prompting Hans to ask, relatably, “How do you do that?”
As Jeremy explains with an unprecedented degree of insight, the effect is created by multiple music ideas occurring simultaneously. Techno producers take note!
3. Practise effective project management
Series 4, Episode 4: Handyman
“I did a few different versions of Borneo Function that never got released, and I thought you might get a kick out of them”
Speaking of techno producers, let us introduce The Orgazoid, AKA Russell, a veteran rave musician and creator of the crossover hit Borneo Function. In his post-fame retirement Russell is introduced to the wide-eyed Jez by a nonchalant Hans, and the two hit it off like a house on fire.
Russell subsequently employs Jez as a kind of factotum, ingratiating himself with the suggestible twink by paying him handfuls of cash for doing very little work, and even gifting him some previously unheard versions of his big hit.
This is no small feat, as back in the halcyon days of the early 21st century, backing up projects was more tedious, time-consuming and expensive than it is today. At this point ‘The Cloud’ was only just becoming a reality, and most producers were still up to their armpits in floppy disks, CD-ROMs, Jaz drives and DATs. Russell is committed to effective project backup, and the fact that it’s all in service of getting into Jeremy’s pants doesn’t diminish his excellent data management skills.
4. Big beats are the best
Series 5, Episode 2: Spin War
“The Big Beat Manifesto goes: big beats are the best, get high all the time”
Jez and Hans’ musical endeavours are governed by a single unassailable credo: the Big Beat Manifesto. Comprising two simple directives, the manifesto is more straightforward than one might imagine: “big beats are the best, get high all the time”. Unfortunately, Jez and Hans seem predominantly focused on the latter-half of the decree to the exclusion of all else.
Despite the pair’s inability to prioritise beatmaking, the “big beats are the best” rule is one that rings as true today as it always has. However, getting high all the time can make it a tricky one to realise, so employ this rule with caution!
5. It’s all about the bass
Series 1. Episode 2: The Interview
“Super Hans said he’s come up with a bass loop for our new track that is so good, when he tried turning it off, he literally couldn’t”
Jez and Hans might not be the sharpest tools in the DAW, but they are at least savvy enough to know that if there’s one thing as important as big beats, it’s having an infectious bassline.
Sadly, when it comes time for Hans to show off his much-vaunted bass loop, Jeremy is unimpressed and this nearly causes the pair to split, unable to even agree on what their musical project is called.
The lesson here is surely that music - basslines in particular - are difficult to objectively judge, so keep that in mind the next time you’re boasting about your funky creations.
So, there we have it, five essential electronic music tips straight from the residents of Apollo House. If you’re after a less depressing - and arguably less realistic - depiction of rave culture then there’s another Britcom from the same era that’s got you covered.
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