In 1994, Norton released an album with a track called "Science Killed HIV" which was followed up in 2003 by "No Aids," a track on—a compilation she made with her son Anthony, who makes music as Rexanthony.Adriani called Norton's son "anin Italian hardcore-techno-trance from the early '90s." He's released many of his own albums and 12-inches and is regarded as an innovative producer pulling together different genres of music. It was through his mother that he learned to make music."Growing up in the 'Doris Norton Lab' I became familiar with the technology, developing skills that now I use in my professional audio recording and studio productions," Rexanthony said. Their musical relationship continues to this day: together they own Musik Research Productions and a recording studio.Norton elaborated on their working relationship. "In the early '90s, we had a natural synchronised modus operandi," she said. "The collaboration was a profitable exchange of ideas and abilities. He had the instinctive and high-operating speed typical of teenagers, and drove me to be less theoretical and more pragmatic. We continued collaborating and still collaborate."Norton lived off the grid, so there was no connection to other artists during the '80s and '90s apart from those that she worked closely with, including Rexanthony. The pair both formed a working relationship with Italian trance and hardcore label S.O.B. The first two releases on the now defunct label were Norton's albumsand. "The dynamism of the S.O.B. staff was infectious, there was energy and enthusiasm," Norton recalled, noting that the label's "collaborative spirit, propensity to trust our music productions [and] get-up-and-go philosophy stimulated our creativity."Norton's work was originally only released on local Italian labels like S.O.B. "For convenience sake," she explained. "I feel better away from the business needs and standard label tactics. I have chosen to live in Italy, and all the Italian labels met these requirements."Adriani, who founded Mannequin in Rome, built up a relationship with Norton's husband, the experimental prog rock musician Antonio Bartocetti. They talked for a long time over the phone and discovered they had a lot in common, agreeing immediately that it was a good idea to collaborate. After initially forming a connection with her family, Adriani was for a while put off by the bootlegs of Norton's records he saw in record shops around the globe. He eventually revisited the project, this time with Norton's son Anthony, and began work on reissuingandAs one of electro's earliest driving forces, Norton is overdue for this recognition and visibility. The trilogy of reissues still sounds fresh compared to modern electro. In 2011, Helena Hauff included the track " Personal Computer " in one of her mixes. Hauff recently said of Norton: "She is just amazing, making that kind of music at that kind of time, as a woman, being sponsored by Apple."The technological capabilities available to electro artists now are drastically different to when Norton was starting out. "The realisation of an artistic work can differ as technology changes," she said. "If you use a computer, you must know what you want to do: you can either re-orchestrate, arrange, reinterpret, contaminate, alter a Bach sonata or reproduce it just as it is on the original sheet music. The technology you are using can be a source of inspiration. A true artistic work has a supercharged energy that will never become obsolete."There is supercharged energy emanating from Doris Norton's work. It bounces off the vibrant 8-bit melodies that twirl through space, as well as the spiralling claps and hi-hats she programmes. Adriani's assertion of her artistry sums up her influence, too: "I see Doris as a very open-minded pioneer."

Alessandro Adriani of Mannequin Records selects his six favourite Doris Norton tracks.



Doris Norton – Personal Computer (1984)



Here, you can hear Doris's voice applied to technology. Doris Norton – Personal Computer (1984)Here, you can hear Doris's voice applied to technology.

Doris Norton – Norton Apple Software (1984)



Apple sponsored her and this track shows why. An almost seven-minute trip into cold arpeggios and complex rhythms. Doris Norton – Norton Apple Software (1984)Apple sponsored her and this track shows why. An almost seven-minute trip into cold arpeggios and complex rhythms.

Doris Norton - Caution Radiation Norton (1984)



A trip into Doris's mind and back to the machines, with an infinite sense of looping. My favourite track from her. Doris Norton - Caution Radiation Norton (1984)A trip into Doris's mind and back to the machines, with an infinite sense of looping. My favourite track from her.

Doris Norton - Norton Computer (1983)



Vocoder and arpeggio obsessions and TR-808 power combine on this pioneering electro tune. Killer. Doris Norton - Norton Computer (1983)Vocoder and arpeggio obsessions and TR-808 power combine on this pioneering electro tune. Killer.

Doris Norton - Don't Shoot At Animals (1983)



An interesting synth prog experiment mixed with new hardware. With an eye on veganism. Doris Norton - Don't Shoot At Animals (1983)An interesting synth prog experiment mixed with new hardware. With an eye on veganism.

Doris Norton – Machine Language (1986)



Can you believe that there are no drums used here? Only A.D.A. conversions and processing of wave ranges. Sickness. Doris Norton – Machine Language (1986)Can you believe that there are no drums used here? Only A.D.A. conversions and processing of wave ranges. Sickness.

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