IDM Mailing Archive

Rumpleforeskin top 10: 1. Aum 12006-80 Aum Records-White: This is Stadium Style, Mindfuck Doom Core with some heavy trance cuts, With Some Tweeky and modulating frequencies (not the 303 for a change, alright!!) 7 tracks make this a good value for the bargain hunters. 2. Darkside of The Shroom-Tricked out Recordings-White Updated Old School Techno-Rave influenced 4 tracker samplefest with a heavy hip hop electro production- kinda like Dj Icee's recent shit-but two tracks sample the Aphex Twin pretty heavily- sure to piss some people off but also sure to please others. 3. Auteurs vs U-ziq-Hut: Enough has been said on this one already. 4. Heinrich Tillack-Tick Trax Vol One-u Trax- 5 Tracker from the guy that records as Sysex on plus 8- Acid Trax and minimal Chicago style shit, however much better than the standard shit that has been flowing out of the bowels of so many of these so called musicains and producers of late-my choice of the 12" goes to Pump track, heavy duty video game sounding deep ass three o three that pumps in and out-would get me jacking and possibly jacking off 5. Pentatonik-Anthology-Deviant-I have been hearing complaints that Weirs by Vibert Simmonnds is cold and souless with no emotion, if you want all that shit, buy this. Not exactly experimental but some real good songs that could bring mere humans who have feelings to the emotions known as depression and or hapiness w/ or w/o tears. One for the sensitive artist types!! (Good shit, just being a little cynical). 6. Paul Bishop-The End of Eternity-EE volute: Read the title of this twelve inch, this guy has some mental pictures to create with his music. Top rate shit! This is his first 12" and this dude is going to rise to techno starpower quicker than the anti-christ. Excellent deep well produced sounds and killer melodies (not the melodic hard trance poop, this is the real shit) 7. Bishop-The last Rung of the Ladder-U-Trax His second 12", not quite as brillaint as the first but still ranks way high in my techno hall of fame- imagine Bauhaus style guitar melded with some freaky sounds produced in 1994 by a guy who knows his shit (sounds much better than it reads)-I usually do not like guitar sounds unless the thing is being totured or wacked to shit with some serious distortion and/or effects, but this one does the job quite well 8. Source Experience-Different Journies-R+S This aint exactly brand spanking new- but it is one serious motherfucker-this guy takes his time to make some real cool sounds, some amazing production, some serious ideas-Nightshift being my fave track- hard tribal space techno 9. Tanzmuzik-Sinsekai-rising High These two Japenese dudes no whats up- real fucking original sounding it is a constant suprise what sound or fucked up little noise will happen next with each song- electro-ambient-techno-acid-industrial-avante garde mushroom space mutant freakabot zygote muzak 10. Jedi Knights-May the Funk Be With You Hmmmmm..... By Global Communication/Reload etc.. the band that I would love to like but it still hasn't really happened....This 12" has some good sounds some good ideas etc but it doesn't really do it for me...I love the idea behind Clear records with I hope many goodies to follow however this one sounds a bit too contrived...I.e. "May the Funk Be With You" "We Want to Funk You" Vocoder voice, come on boys can' you come up with something a little more creative than that...the beat has the right idea but it lacks the force and power that I love about some electro...but hell this/is going get hyped too hell and many people will loove it...I sometimes wonder if some of these people are more concerned with who made the record than how it actually sounds...hell when I read the press releases concerning the Reload: Collection Of Short Stories album I got all hot and bothered by the concept and description of the record, but it was kind of a let down when I actually sat down and listened to it....I love music, I just get skeptical of hype.... This is goes for Detroit techno as well (also applies to a lot of Chicago Acid House and D-Jax material)... I like some of the shit that comes from Detroit (I have heard at least 300 records from Detroit) so don't flame me by saying "you just are ignorant or haven't heard the good shit" other flames will be gladly accepted however....anyway back to the Detroit...I am so tired of hearing about...."It is the City the makes us write this music"...or "we were all educated by The Electrifying Mojo (sp)"...these guys all say the same thing, how about some more individuality boys.... how far would some of these peoples careers be if they didn't make mention of the fact that they were from Detroit every chance they had....As if location made a difference on musical creative ability....and "Detroit Techno doesn't get the respect it deserves"...Ha!!! It is mentioned by just about everyone as an influence nowadays even guys like Kevin Saunderson has said in interviews that they get treated as godlike mythical creatures in England...Hell, buy a keyboard move to Detroit and R+S will sign you up for sure....Sorry to be so fucking pessimistic and cynical, I am just saying what I feel needs to be said and nobody seems to have anything bad to say about Detroit Techno....Criticism is very healthy, and don't get me wrong there has been some incredible tracks from Detroit, the whole thing just seems like it is and a standstill with no-one trying anything new, or using any new equipment or recording techniques etc.....the same god-damned machines over and over....Hell, even Ritchie Hawtin said in December 92 (Under One Sky #8) "I hate to say it, but I am a little sick of the 303 sound. Retire it for a few months or a year." Has he retired it? No. Granted he is a master of the 303 and creates some of my favorite cuts of all time, but sometimes the almighty dollar prevails (Robert Armani, Hardfloor, do these guys have a formula down or what). Minimalism and use of the 303 is like painting in black and white, there have been some incredible pieces of art. However, I am ready to hear the sound of shit-brown, neon green, piss yellow, flourescent orange, etc..........We have the motherfucking technology, now would someone please blow my mind with sound! Derek moses@teleport.com Inportland Techno Acid Ambient Mail Order DJ Rumpleforeskin Import Domestic Records-C.D.'s 0--\___/--\___/---0 phone/fax 503-620-3340 SUBMERGE TO THE DEEPEST DEPTHS IN ORDER THAT THE HIGHEST BE ELEVATED TO LIGHT *Alfred Rosenberg

quoted 6 lines Hardfloor, do these guys have a formula down or what). Minimalism and

>Hardfloor, do these guys have a formula down or what). Minimalism and >use of the 303 is like painting in black and white, there have been some >incredible pieces of art. However, I am ready to hear the sound of >shit-brown, >neon green, piss yellow, flourescent orange, etc..........We have the >motherfucking technology, now would someone please blow my mind with sound!

To have your mind blown with sound, just plug in an oldie or a crazy new synth and twiddle. Spend hours and hours mutating sampled noises with synth sounds like I used to do. It's fun. But placement of that sound, *effective* placement of that sound, is quite difficult. I think Dan Bell was talking about this a while back. Also Jamie Hodge was talking about the emotion in old Derrick May pieces. Some black and white pieces are mindblowing...you just have to sort through the hundreds of uninspired peices first. This is sort of off-topic, but the color analogy reminded me...that embossed, all-white "Wired" cover was the most intriguing, eye-catching magazine cover I've seen in years! :) I think my attraction to that cover is the same reaon I was attracted to DBX, some excellent acid tracks, Dance Mania etc...there is an incredible amount of energy with very few ingredients. I agree to some extent about the idol-worship Detroit thing, but there are also huge gaps where there shouldn't be. Sorry, but I think it's true. A lot of this has to do with racism, I'd say...after enough "coincidences" things start to reek of racism, even subliminally...a lot of black artists I've read about seem to have had many "coincidences" eh? Plus I really doubt all of the Detroit guys got together and did a master plan for the press about Electrifying Mojo and all of that....c'mon eh? I'm biased in two directions: 1) I love Detroit sounds and records 2) I hate hype and "cool"... Therefore, I trust my perceptions because the two biases balance each other to some extent. Yeah, Detroit stuff is hyped by Europeans etc. but I think much of that enthusiasm (in the form of hype) is well-deserved. Lastly, there was mention of the 303 and the same machines being used over and over. Well...point taken. I agree in some respects here, especially with the floods of boring acid records. It's also a little disturbing that with a little know-how and the right machines, many, many people can pump out songs which by chance emulate greater songs using the same machines. I also admire people who carve their own non-Roland path...I was glad to see Reload's gear list last year w/ the HR16 etc... HOWEVER! I think there are some misunderstandings about the same machines being used over and over. I personally use many commonly-known Roland machines because I love their sound! It bothers me that I'm using equipment that everyone else is using, but the love of their sound and workings overpowers the unoriginality nuisance. I'm probably not succeeding, but I try to use that "common machine" problem as a motivation to make each track that much more emotional or energetic or inspiring. Whatever... It just pissed me off reading the Rephlex manifesto where they're like "R.I.P TR909!!!".... I know that may have been tongue-in-cheek, but I think they're really missing a point. I could very easily make my own drum sounds and carve a nice groove out of them...those crunchy Rephlex beats kick!...but I, and many others, consciously choose to use a 909 or and 808 or what have you because of love for the machines. This is getting pretentious! But it's true eh! -morgan geist

On Sat, 4 Feb 1995, MORGAN GEIST wrote:

quoted 11 lines Hardfloor, do these guys have a formula down or what). Minimalism and

> >Hardfloor, do these guys have a formula down or what). Minimalism and > >use of the 303 is like painting in black and white, there have been some > >incredible pieces of art. However, I am ready to hear the sound of > >shit-brown, > >neon green, piss yellow, flourescent orange, etc..........We have the > >motherfucking technology, now would someone please blow my mind with sound! > > > To have your mind blown with sound, just plug in an oldie or a crazy new synth > and twiddle. Spend hours and hours mutating sampled noises with synth sounds > like I used to do. It's fun.

Yes it is, I have done it. I was refering to sound as in songs as a whole.

quoted 6 lines But placement of that sound, *effective* placement of that sound, is quite

> > But placement of that sound, *effective* placement of that sound, is quite > difficult. I think Dan Bell was talking about this a while back. Also > Jamie Hodge was talking about the emotion in old Derrick May pieces. > Some black and white pieces are mindblowing...you just have to sort > through the hundreds of uninspired peices first.....

exactly, too much shit. Some is really killer, but much is too lame. Why don't more people try to create full on sounding tracks with many layers and many sequences with the 303 as well as other equipment....(I doesn't have to be all analogue ya know, the sampler can create some amazing sounds). The minamilist 303 Acid Trax has been done just about enough!!!! How many more times will it be tried and released on vinyl. This is sort of off-topic,

quoted 9 lines but the color analogy reminded me...that embossed, all-white "Wired" cover

> but the color analogy reminded me...that embossed, all-white "Wired" cover > was the most intriguing, eye-catching magazine cover I've seen in years! :) > I think my attraction to that cover is the same reaon I was attracted to > DBX, some excellent acid tracks, Dance Mania etc...there is an incredible > amount of energy with very few ingredients. > > I agree to some extent about the idol-worship Detroit thing, but there > are also huge gaps where there shouldn't be. Sorry, but I think it's true. > A lot of this has to do with racism, I'd say..

racism? Your not accusing me of it? (unclear) If so, race has not one fucking thing to do with why I like/dislike music. I mentioned nothing about race or color, I could care less if some of the musicians are black or white, half of them I have never even seen pictures of, so I don't even no what colot they are unless they bring it up themselves in interviews. Frankly, the racist accusation is way too of a typical response when talking about Detroit techno, you almost sound like you are rehashing things you have read. .after enough "coincidences"

quoted 2 lines things start to reek of racism, even subliminally...a lot of black artists

> things start to reek of racism, even subliminally...a lot of black artists > I've read about seem to have had many "coincidences"

I am saying that there are not coincidences, that these people are fully aware of what the others are saying in interviews and rehashing the same words. It is almost like a few of these guys got the ball rolling and now the new generation is just living off the others words and reputations to furthur thier careers. It is just like when the ambient techno thing got hyped up in late 93 and everyone started mentioning Tangerine Dream as an influence, where as before nobody said shit about Tangerine Dream (in the techno community). eh? Plus I really doubt

quoted 29 lines all of the Detroit guys got together and did a master plan for the press about

> all of the Detroit guys got together and did a master plan for the press about > Electrifying Mojo and all of that....c'mon eh? > > I'm biased in two directions: 1) I love Detroit sounds and records 2) I > hate hype and "cool"... Therefore, I trust my perceptions because the > two biases balance each other to some extent. Yeah, Detroit stuff is > hyped by Europeans etc. but I think much of that enthusiasm (in the form > of hype) is well-deserved. > > Lastly, there was mention of the 303 and the same machines being used over and > over. Well...point taken. I agree in some respects here, especially with the > floods of boring acid records. It's also a little disturbing that with a > little know-how and the right machines, many, many people can pump out > songs which by chance emulate greater songs using the same machines. I also > admire people who carve their own non-Roland path...I was glad to see > Reload's gear list last year w/ the HR16 etc... HOWEVER! I think there > are some misunderstandings about the same machines being used over and over. > I personally use many commonly-known Roland machines because I love their > sound! It bothers me that I'm using equipment that everyone else is > using, but the love of their sound and workings overpowers the unoriginality > nuisance. I'm probably not succeeding, but I try to use that "common machine" > problem as a motivation to make each track that much more emotional or > energetic or inspiring. Whatever... It just pissed me off reading the > Rephlex manifesto where they're like "R.I.P TR909!!!".... I know that > may have been tongue-in-cheek, but I think they're really missing a point. > I could very easily make my own drum sounds and carve a nice groove out of > them...those crunchy Rephlex beats kick!...but I, and many others, consciously > choose to use a 909 or and 808 or what have you because of love for the > machines.

That is fine to love the machines. Should everyone be trying to make money off of something they love? The whole thing comes down to $$$$, I just think a lot of people are releasing records to make money, not to advance the music form of techno. Juan Atkins and all those guys say Techno is future music, well why are so many people trying to recreate songs made in the past (recreating and influencing are very different). The future of Techno does not live in the old machines, it lives in new machines, new recording techniques, new experimentation, use of the sampler, crossing equipment, modifying equipment, and whatever else anyone wants to do, no rules. Acknowledge the old, brink for the new. My philosophy: Fuck the machines. The sound should tell the whole story, I couldn't care if a bass sound came from a Juno 106 or a baby farting. If the sound is cool the sound is cool. But when you can automatically tell where the sound comes from it get to be a little cliche. I feel this is what is meant by Rip 909 from Rephlex. The 909 has been used so many times. A lot of what constitutes what is a classic sound has to do with how recognizable it is, not how great of a sound it was originally.

quoted 1 line This is getting pretentious! But

> > This is getting pretentious! But

it's true eh! > > -morgan geist > Maybe so, but I find it interesting, thanks for the response, I will shut up now. moses@teleport.com Inportland Techno Acid Ambient Mail Order DJ Rumpleforeskin Import Domestic Records-C.D.'s 0--\___/--\___/---0 phone/fax 503-620-3340 SUBMERGE TO THE DEEPEST DEPTHS IN ORDER THAT THE HIGHEST BE ELEVATED TO LIGHT *Alfred Rosenberg