Last year was fairly bursting with greatness, so I don't have much to piss and moan about re: local and international electronic music. Taking in the Mutek and Decibel festivals exposed me to so many awesome performances and outstanding individuals that everything else that happened in 2004 was pure gravy. Throw in three Matthew Dear appearances, two Markus Nikolai and Portable shows, gigs by Murcof, Luomo, T.Raumschmiere, and Jake Fairley, and you have a year for the record books. However, since this is the Regrets issue, Data Breaker has dug deep and found the following things to rue…

• Monolake (German techno/ambient meister Robert Henke) coming down with a wicked case of tinnitus and having to cancel his January 31 show in Seattle.

• Derrick May nixing his Seattle trip at the last minute due to a family tragedy. Know this: Data Breaker regrets all family tragedies, be they legit or falsified, especially when they send us into emotional tailspins after getting our hopes up so high.

• The same week May bowed out of his engagement, former Organized Konfusion rap legend Prince Po missed his date at Neumo's opening for RJD2… something about a van crapping out. Uh-huh. In the course of one week I write two features on these guys and both don't show up. What am I, cursed?

• The disappearance from the scene of Electric Birds. I miss Mike Martinez and Danielle Damasius' brilliant audio-visual presentations. Come out and play again, amigos.

• Under 21s staying away in droves from the Decibel Festival's all-ages shows at CHAC. Organizer Sean Horton and company brought in world-class talent, and they mostly played to meager crowds. Disgraceful.

• Nobody in Seattle taking the minuscule risk of booking German telectro darling Ellen Allien. Perhaps she demanded way too much money. But still, how did Portland get her and not us?

• Richie Hawtin declining to play Decibel.

• Not being able to hear every great record that got issued in 2004 due to insufficient funds, difficulty in locating said records, or not being quick enough on the draw before they sold out of their limited pressings. Feel my profound pain, reader.

• Missing DJ Jackie Christie's undoubtedly mind-boggling set at Club Medusa December 11. But it was a Pajama Party event, and I don't own pajamas.

• Botching the date of Derrick Carter's November 13 show. Sorry for misleading you. On the bright side, Carter plays here twice a year, so you'll have many chances to catch the dude.

• Talented electronic-music producers like Nordic Soul, Aaron Bolton, and Kris Moon still don't have releases available for public consumption.

• Cocaine. Blow. Bolivian Marching Powder. Toot. Booger Sugar. Come on, people--get over it.

• The dearth of good psychedelics in Seattle. Come on, people--hook me up.

• Your cigarette smoke up my nasal passages. Stop it. Now. DAVE SEGAL