Re: [idm] IDM is not downtempo (a historical analysis)
Msg-Id:
<c1.9f16a19.2770f6ba@aol.com>
Mbox:
idm.0012.gz
In a message dated 12/19/00 3:56:33 AM Central Standard Time,
idm-digest-help@hyperreal.org writes:
quoted 32 lines so we're back to one of the commonest threads on the list :> so we're back to one of the commonest threads on the list :
> dissatisfaction with the term 'idm'. if i may summarize its famous
> history : it began to describe a few brits (notably afx--the original
> subject of this list) who would make thumpy-thumpy dance music that
> didn't have a comforting house feel, but felt a bit manic, twitchy,
> yet very melodic. when these artists (e.g. warp crew) simultaneously
> began exploring the deconstruction of jungle music with the same
> weird vibe, the term 'idm' followed them, because there weren't a lot
> of people doing this sort of thing to dance music, so very different
> sounds were cast into the same genre. then it really becomes a mess.
> a new wave of artists doing very simple, happy-bouncy synthesizer
> music (e.g. solvent, plone) are decidedly 'idm' from the get-go, even
> though this sort of music has been around for decades. squarepusher
> starts doing jazzy stuff ; because of his name, THAT becomes idm.
> minimal/ambient house emerges in germany, along with noise/unmusical
> stuff (e.g. oval) and these progressively become assimilated into idm
> culture. if we may say that common threads on the list make a type
> of music into idm, then it also encompasses certain ambient artists
> (e.g. vladislav delay), some techno, and some more experimental
> stuff. now, the very loose application of the term 'idm' makes for a
> very diverse idm community (just watch the stupid debates of opinion
> for a sample) ; it effectively unites a number of small off-beat
> genres into one, over-arching 'we don't like normal stuff' sort of
> community. so the moral of the story is, just keep saying 'idm', and
> don't tell people what it stands for (a stalinesque act of erasing
> its history would be in order) ; the fact is, *we've got a name for
> it*, it's too late to invent a new one and re-engineer our community,
> but just recognize what a diversity of denotations the word carries.
> (beware the connotations as well--people will probably think you're a
> fancy, show-offy idm-l snob!)
>
> .af.
sweeeet post, someone should save this and just repost it whenever a "i hate
the name idm" thread pops up.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe, e-mail: idm-unsubscribe@hyperreal.org
For additional commands, e-mail: idm-help@hyperreal.org