we have spent the past week discussing the video, and i guess it is time to
throw my two bitc into the conversation-
video aside, i was so not impressed by the track. ON sounded like it could have
been put out a year ago, and maybe even earlier. i find that the twin doesn't
develop his musical ideas very much/very well. his music, take analogue
bubblebath 3 for example, comes off as a series of loops which he repeats for
a while without much variation or track development. i like aphex twin because
he has good ideas but i think he more often than not falls short of translating
those ideas into something which is really amazing.
aphex twin mentioned in an interview (i read it in the voice last summer) that
he has 22 albums worth of material waiting to be released. that's impressive
as far as volume goes, but what about quality? i am eagerly awaiting the
arrival of SAW ][ to see what he does but i am not expecting to be blown away
by anything. i think the only track that ever really blew my mind out was
his digeridoo track... the ambient works 1 was pretty good, but i don't like
much past track 5.
furthermore, i discovered that what aphex twin does rythmically is no amazing
feat, especially if you have the gear that he uses. sure there are all these
tales that he builds equipment and what not which remains technically impressive
but i don't find that many of the sounds he uses are entirely expressive and
cannot be done off commercially sold gear. not to mention a lot of his drum
tracks seem to be done off the roland r8. this machine (since i have worked
with it extensively) lends itself to making rythems of his nature quite
easily, once you figure out how to manipulate the various functions of it
properly (which is no secret).
i don't mean to put the twin down entirely. i am by no means telling everyone
he "sucks" but i am saying that people are starting to think more highly of
him than they should. he is suddenly getting this mystique, this reputation for
being innovative when he really isn't all that.
i dunno... any comments in the world of idm?
manish