quoted 5 lines As long as we're all Aphex-bashing, I'll have to admit I don't think> As long as we're all Aphex-bashing, I'll have to admit I don't think
> he's a big deal. I have some of his tracks, and I think they're ok.
> Certain tracks are very good, but I'd say about 80% of his published
> stuff doesn't impress me.
>
Well, I'd say about 90% of published techno in general doesn't impress me.
It's very easy to say that Aphex is no great artist, and sure there are
many tracks of his that I think really bite or "I could have done".
(But I didn't, now, did I?) However, his track record holds up.
I'll just say that I don't see anyone who is pushing harder on the
experimental front, and although I see lots of people saying "He's not
that new and exciting" I haven't heard any other suggestions. Who am I
missing? I'm not trying to be sarcastic, I'm just being realistic. I like
RDJ because his stuff is weird and tweaky and occasionally gorgeous in
a genre which has become pretty damn predictable (with the possible other
exception of Black Dog Productions). He is very individual and
experimental (which by the way is why I find it interesting that "Aphexy"
has become an adjective: all experimental music is _not_ Aphexy, and his
sound aesthetic is his own just like any other artist's. It's certainly
not mine, but I like the fact that he effectively uses sounds that I
would never touch). I gave an Aphex mix to a musically critical friend of
mine who was listening to Harthouse stuff and thought that was the
cutting edge, and I received mail from him saying "This Aphex stuff is
_incredible!_." This happens a lot, and I feel very jaded.
--Seofon