IDM Mailing Archive

quoted 10 lines For example, yesterday at NYC's Abstrakt (an experimental/hard d&b club

> For example, yesterday at NYC's Abstrakt (an experimental/hard d&b club > I guess) I was handed a flyer for the band Spiritualized. The flyer's > graphic design and language (and of course the venue where I got the > flyer) suggest that the band might be kinda IDM or something. In fact, > much of Spiritualized's marketing campaign of late has suggested such... I > recently heard their album "Ladies and Gentlemen we are Floating in Space" > (which by the way has dope package design) and boy was I duped. This stuff > is straight up Oasis wannabe crapola (IMHO, of course) and has little to > no IDM appeal. Just a warning: Beware Britpop in IDM clothing. >

Oh, I don't know about this. Spiritualized has never been Britpop. In fact, they've been doing experimental stuff for years (way back when they were still Spaceman3). They're not IDM, but they've never professed to be. They're definitely experimental, though, and very ambient (especially live)...it's still guitars, but that's what they do. I disagree that it has little to no IDM appeal, too. Most of us here listen to stuff outside the genre (if it is, indeed, only one genre) and many of us like to listen to people who are doing interesting things, whether that be with guitars, sitars or juice-harps. They're a band that, in the past (as I must admit, I haven't listened to the latest album) have qualified in this respect. You may be right, cos I've not heard the new album, but they're neither IDM nor Britpop the last time I checked. ---brian

At 04:07 PM 11/19/97 -0600, Brian Gause wrote:

quoted 8 lines I disagree that it has little to no IDM appeal, too. Most of us here listen

> >I disagree that it has little to no IDM appeal, too. Most of us here listen >to stuff outside the genre (if it is, indeed, only one genre) and many of us >like to listen to people who are doing interesting things, whether that be >with guitars, sitars or juice-harps. They're a band that, in the past (as I >must admit, I haven't listened to the latest album) have qualified in this >respect. >

i don't know if i could handle a juice harp. - wells oliver / s0ewoliv@titan.vcu.edu " light breaks again, and i can't follow you down. hurt stays when the work is over and i've stayed too long. i'll save what memory lends me when these days are gone."

quoted 1 line "Chris" == Chris Fahey <chris@raremedium.com> writes:

>>>>> "Chris" == Chris Fahey <chris@raremedium.com> writes:

Chris> such... I recently heard their album "Ladies and Gentlemen Chris> we are Floating in Space" (which by the way has dope Chris> package design) and boy was I duped. This stuff is straight Chris> up Oasis wannabe crapola (IMHO, of course) and has little Chris> to no IDM appeal. Just a warning: Beware Britpop in IDM Chris> clothing. I suggest you get a copy of 'Laser Guided Melodies' to demonstrate your ignorance on this matter. Spacemen 3, Spiritualised and any of the other Sonic Boom stuff has always been very experimental. I agree that their latest album is a bit of a dissapointment though. -hjw "We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them." - Albert Einstein

Chris Fahey wrote:

quoted 1 line

>

I was handed a flyer for the band Spiritualized. The flyer's

quoted 7 lines graphic design and language (and of course the venue where I got the

> graphic design and language (and of course the venue where I got the > flyer) suggest that the band might be kinda IDM or something. In fact, > much of Spiritualized's marketing campaign of late has suggested such... I > recently heard their album "Ladies and Gentlemen we are Floating in Space" > (which by the way has dope package design) and boy was I duped. This stuff > is straight up Oasis wannabe crapola (IMHO, of course) and has little to > no IDM appeal. Just a warning: Beware Britpop in IDM clothing.

sorry, this is ludicrous. spiritualized have next to nothing to do with oasis -- only someone who thinks all brit guys with guitars sound the same could say that. yer welcome not to like the spiritualized album if you want (taste's taste), but at least get somewhere close to the ballpark when it comes to describing it; spiritualized have as much in common with oasis as porter ricks has with prodigy. for those who don't know -- and i think most of you do -- the leader of spiritualized is j. spaceman, founding member of spacemen 3, who all but invented the school of "post-rock" that is basically the rock equivalent of idm. spiritualized certainly head in a more song-based direction than spacemen did, but there's still the sort of weird textures, slo-mo rhythms, and out-and-out droniness that most idmers dig. it might not be your cup of tea, but accusing it of misrepresenting itself is way off base. (IMHO, of course.) JS

quoted 40 lines For example, yesterday at NYC's Abstrakt (an experimental/hard

> > For example, yesterday at NYC's Abstrakt (an experimental/hard > d&b club > > I guess) I was handed a flyer for the band Spiritualized. The > flyer's > > graphic design and language (and of course the venue where I got the > > > flyer) suggest that the band might be kinda IDM or something. In > fact, > > much of Spiritualized's marketing campaign of late has suggested > such... I > > recently heard their album "Ladies and Gentlemen we are Floating in > Space" > > (which by the way has dope package design) and boy was I duped. This > stuff > > is straight up Oasis wannabe crapola (IMHO, of course) and has > little to > > no IDM appeal. Just a warning: Beware Britpop in IDM clothing. > > > > Oh, I don't know about this. Spiritualized has never been Britpop. > In fact, > they've been doing experimental stuff for years (way back when they > were still > Spaceman3). They're not IDM, but they've never professed to be. > They're > definitely experimental, though, and very ambient (especially > live)...it's > still guitars, but that's what they do. > > I disagree that it has little to no IDM appeal, too. Most of us here > listen > to stuff outside the genre (if it is, indeed, only one genre) and many > of us > like to listen to people who are doing interesting things, whether > that be > with guitars, sitars or juice-harps. They're a band that, in the past > (as I > must admit, I haven't listened to the latest album) have qualified in > this > respect.

yes its guitars, no its not Britpop, i know im british.....erm.... There are PLENTY of uk idm artists who were influenced by spacemen 3 and my bloody valentine and the cocteau twins and all the other good UK guitar drone merchants... me for one. These guys were floating in space years b4 the orb came along and monopolised spacey noises and things. Steve

I had no idea Spiritualized was an incarnation of Spaceman 3, who I used to like very much (but haven't listened to in a long time). I'll be sure to give them a second chance and take the IDM list members advice to hear their earlier stuff. I appreciate the recommendations. But I stand by my opinion that "Ladies and Gentlemen we are Floating in Space" is pure, straight up Britpop and is downright corny, all the way from the cheesy formulaic production to the obvious Beatlesesque melodies to the self-consciously sophomoric lyrics. I still think that comparing this record to Oasis is appropriate. But, again, I am perfectly willing to beleive that their other work is vastly better, as I have seen so many other bands follow a similar "genius-to-cheesebag" rapid career trajectory. -CF

On 20 Nov 97, Chris Fahey wrote:

quoted 2 lines But I stand by my opinion that "Ladies and Gentlemen we are

> But I stand by my opinion that "Ladies and Gentlemen we are > Floating in Space" is pure, straight up Britpop

[re: Spiritualized] Ah, Chris : I just love your "genius-to-cheesebag" line... may I quote that :-) Ignore Pure Phase, kill Ladies and Gentlemen, but do go back to "Laser Guided Melodies". It's a treat for quiet almost alseep moments. I * "Incomplete without surface noise" - Autechre

Hary Walsh wrote:

quoted 17 lines "Chris" == Chris Fahey <chris@raremedium.com> writes:

> > >>>>> "Chris" == Chris Fahey <chris@raremedium.com> writes: > > Chris> such... I recently heard their album "Ladies and Gentlemen > Chris> we are Floating in Space" (which by the way has dope > Chris> package design) and boy was I duped. This stuff is straight > Chris> up Oasis wannabe crapola (IMHO, of course) and has little > Chris> to no IDM appeal. Just a warning: Beware Britpop in IDM > Chris> clothing. > > I suggest you get a copy of 'Laser Guided Melodies' to demonstrate > your ignorance on this matter. > > Spacemen 3, Spiritualised and any of the other Sonic Boom stuff has > always been very experimental. I agree that their latest album is a > bit of a dissapointment though. >

Ja, sure Spiritualised & Spaceman 3 et al have been very experimental at times and yes I can say I have really smaaked some of their musiek. But by the same token and to re-inforce what Chris was saying about Britpop in IDM clothing. I believe there are a lot of very substandard wannabe shoegazer pop heroes out there who are capitalizing big time on the "rave" culture imagery. Now to debate whether IDM is a subset or superset or is alien to the ravoid genre is for another discussion. What I know is that many Indie & Rockist format bands in South Africa use the lycra/spandex, shiny sunglasses, happy smileys, E-head, digitalized and high-bitrate image to make themselves appealing to an audience (although mostly philistine in nature) which are losing faith in the traditional rock 'n roll thing. Most of the bands I know personally are very technophobic at heart but will obviously lost market share or listenership if they cannot keep up with the look and feel of today. Also, alot of rockist musicians I know have been reluctantly dragged into the "rave" scene because it where the new cool set hangs out. What does this really have to do with IDM? It just becomes a bit confusing because you like to expect some kind of cohesion between the packaging and the contents. We all know and can almost expect to recognize the artwork for an Autechre or an RDJ or a Plastikman release. Maybe we shouldn't have such a close affinity to the visual artwork - but I guess we do. How many times have you not bought a really good CD because the cover artwork didn't catch your eye in the shop? Maybe this is just incoherant babble or this goddam Lariam shit I'm taking to prevent Malaria is starting to mess with my mind man. Peace my chinas... ...from Port Harcourt, Nigeria!!! Matthew == Kontrolman <IDM content=locale_specific country=.za> I will be back in South Africa on Sunday night - if there are any SA IDM'ers out there who want to catch some local live electronica, I will be performing (with mr bro' Kliktrak) somewhere in Johannesburg before the end of December. Mail me or watch http://www.eguana.co.za/redfriday for further details. Also, if there are any kif events happening next week in Jo'burg please give me call... </IDM> -- ------------------------------------------------------------------- Matthew D. Smith smith@port-harcourt.geoquest.slb.com IT Engineer Schlumberger GeoQuest Chief Ogbonda layout Rumukurushi Port Harcourt Nigeria -- Mayibuye iAfrika -------------------------------------------------------------------