IDM Mailing Archive

A few weeks ago, I purchased Modus Operandi and was really really pleased. It's a great album. At a domestic price, it's one not to be missed (for fans of d'n'b). Since I was so pleased with Modus, I thought I should pick up one or two of teh ep's. Well, a trip to the shop turned up a copy of Risc vs Reward. There was a sticker on it stating that it combined Hidden Camera and Ni Ten Ichi Ryu. This is when I start to get annoyed. I bought it (not having really read the track listings, and not having memorized the listing from Modus). I got it home and listened to it. Then I realized it was all the same tracks as Modus! Shite. There is one track not already on Modus, and one remix of something off of Modus. What a rip-off. All the other tracks are seemingly the exact same mix as found on Modus. Save your (hard earned) cash and just purchase Modus. jay n.p. bjork - remixes for people who don't buy white labels -- _______________________________________________________________ Jason W. King jwking@istar.ca Toronto, Ontario, Canada http://www.csclub.uwaterloo.ca/~jw2king

At 07:34 PM 12/3/97 -0500, you wrote:

quoted 1 line Save your (hard earned) cash and just purchase Modus.

>Save your (hard earned) cash and just purchase Modus.

No way! The 3 songs that are on the EP and aren't on the LP and *well* worth the $6.. I'd say that "Ni Ten Ichi Ryu" alone was, actually..

someone asked for in depth review of modus, i'm writing one up just for you (but i can't remeber who it was!!): [please, no flames you photekheds] Photek: Modus Operandi (Virgin Science UK/Astralwerks US) Drum n' Bass mainstay, Photek finally brings us his long awaited album. And I have to say that I'm throughly dissapointed. Ten tracks, three previously released. With the exception of a few tracks complete lack of melody. The tracks are waay to dragged out (only one is less than 6 min, with most of them in the 7-8 minute range). No new ground is covered here, but its still a worthwhile investment for the few tracks that make the grade (or if you don't have his previous two singles). Here's the blow by blow: 1.The Hidden Camera Yeah thats right, way to start it off with a classic. The eerie pianos, laid back beats, and bordering funky bassline make you wonder why you need the rest of the album ;-) As much as i dislike all the previously released tracks on here, i couldn't think of a better way to open the disc up. 2.Smoke Rings 3.Minotaur This seems to be the 'my beats kick major ass, but i need to work on my melodic devolpment' portion of the album, a stage i thought that Photek had outgrown after _the hidden camera_. if you can look past this, erm... well at least the vocal samples on 'smoke rings' laced in the rythym is nice (for minotaur, replace 'vocal samples' with 'deep booming bass thingys'). 4. Aleph 1 Exit planet lack of melody. Despite the fact that this starts out with the exact same swirly smoke sounds that smoke rings was surrounded by (see also: '124', must be ruperts way of making the album flow) this imediatly runs into a little synth line (YES! a Photek track with Melody!!) then the breaks kick in. 5. 124 Nice little string bit, looped. Nice bassline. Nice hihat/bass drum/clap sequence. Little or no progression what so ever. I don't want or need 7 minutes of this. 6. Axoim Does that bassline sound familiar?? Ever hear the boymerang mix of Plug's Me and Mr. Jones? if so, i freely advise - no, urge- you to skip this track. 7. Trans 7 Now here we go. Bring in the rythymic progression of tracks 2&3 (replacing the ard beats with some crunched out samples) samples and slap some strings on top. The recipe may be easy , but the meal is five star (just like Ramen Noodles!) 8. Modus Operendi awww yeah! dat's ze stuff. Can anyone say Jazzy? More in the vein of Hidden Camera. Except better. Makes the album aalll worth it. 9. KJZ 10. The 5th Column Both previously released, so get risc v. reward and find out yourself. i'm too lazy to tell you how it sounds. All in all, I'd much rather see Aleph 1, Trans 7, and Modus Operandi released as a just another single (hell he could have even tossed Hidden Camera on there, cuz i love it soooo much ;-) . Maybe I just don't have the attention span for an hour of photek. Or maybe this just isn't RP's best effort. Probably both. As suggested earlier this week, save up your bucks and pick up the new Arcon2 album. ___ ps: the 'new' source direct single on Astralwerks is just previously released material, correct? i've yet to see it. and i think i'd have much more fun gathering up the 12"s i still don't have. mult

quoted 4 lines 3.Minotaur

>3.Minotaur >This seems to be the 'my beats kick major ass, but i need to work on my >melodic devolpment' portion of the album, a stage i thought that Photek >had outgrown after _the hidden camera_.

this is nonsense, what kind of reviewing is this? if mr. parkes wishes to make tracks that have sparse instrumentation, and, god forbid, minimalistic melodies, it isn't just to piss off the c64 game music fans - it's because he wants to make that kind of music. i'm sure he could, if he wanted, produce melody that brings a smile to the faces of all the dot fans, but i'm sure someone round here will agree he isn't going for something THAT simplistic.. so please lay off mr parkes, and i don't think anyone's interested in reviews of the new global communication single that go along the same lines.. cheerio! np - krimogulous - klaus wunderlich's moog sound 2000

first: did you happen to check this line?? i sez:

quoted 1 line [please, no flames you photekheds]

>[please, no flames you photekheds]

siliconvortex <artist@sub-con-geo.demon.co.uk> spouted:

quoted 6 lines 3.Minotaur

>>3.Minotaur >>This seems to be the 'my beats kick major ass, but i need to work on >my >>melodic devolpment' portion of the album, a stage i thought that >Photek >>had outgrown after _the hidden camera_.

quoted 1 line this is nonsense, what kind of reviewing is this?

>this is nonsense, what kind of reviewing is this?

it's called 'honest reviewing' i hate these people who live by the 'if you don't have anything nice to say...' rule when writing reviews. thats just for media types who want to kiss the asses of the artists/labels involved with the release. the purpose of reviews are to give the potential listener/purchaser an idea of the music, not to show how much you like an artists previous works. i'd be the first to admit that photek's earlier works were excellent. i'm just saying that i was expecting more of a progression on this one. as you said yourself, this track(s) has 'sparse insturmentation' (though it's more like no insturmentation). i was just passing this fact on to the reader.

quoted 7 lines if mr. parkes

>if mr. parkes >wishes to >make tracks that have sparse instrumentation, and, god forbid, >minimalistic >melodies, it isn't just to piss off the c64 game music fans - it's >because >he wants to make that kind of music.

frankly, i couldn't give a shit if mr. parkes pisses on a dat and released it. if that's what he likes to do. that doesn't mean i'm gonna enjoy it or reccomend it. (though, as a listener and a fan, i'd be dissapointed)

quoted 5 lines i'm sure he could, if he wanted,

>i'm sure he could, if he wanted, >produce melody that brings a smile to the faces of all the dot fans, >but i'm >sure someone round here will agree he isn't going for something THAT >simplistic..

so, dot=simplistic? pick up the hab ep sometime.

quoted 1 line so please lay off mr parkes,

>so please lay off mr parkes,

I never was laying on mr parkes. i was simply saying that i'd enjoy it more had he expanded on those tracks with some melodic backing. we all know the rythym is what rupert's good at, but even the best beats need some support. tracks like 'the hidden camera' don't have 'simpilistic' dot-ish melodies, or c64ish bleepy melodies, but they do have enough insturmental backing to keep your attention for six minutes

quoted 3 lines and i don't think anyone's interested in

>and i don't think anyone's interested in >reviews of the new global communication single that go along the same >lines..

if the shoe fits... mult

quoted 2 lines i'm sure he could, if he wanted,

> i'm sure he could, if he wanted, >produce melody that brings a smile to the faces of all the dot fans, but

i'm

quoted 2 lines sure someone round here will agree he isn't going for something THAT

>sure someone round here will agree he isn't going for something THAT >simplistic..

I cannot believe this ! So Roupe, Hab, Friend, Tupilaq, Argonort, Quant & all of the dot krew make simplistic kinda shit. I don't give a fuck if it is simplistic if I love it. OK, I know how it is. I am fool and simplistic narrow minded morron with cheesy dot records, and you are the smartest person on Earth ! I'm happy for you.... And consindering Photek, I don't give a fuck of his early, recent and future work ! I don't buy CDs that are released on Virgin, Astralwerks and all of these CRAP BIGGIEE LABELS ! So, maybe Photek is great but I'll never find out....and I don't give a fuck. Flame is GOOD bye rob np : retrospective : machine codes

quoted 1 line

>>>

Mark Kolmar <mkolmar@xnet.com> <<< wrote: -

quoted 1 line

>>>

Melody and melodic development are not what it is about. That track, to me, is the 'throw out the frills and strip it down to the basic essentials' portion of the album. If you want light, cheery melodies and no vocals, check the Mozart bin in the classical section. Something a little more mathematical? Bach. (Yes, I am being curt.) <<< so why bother putting in anything apart from just the drum track and bass? i was aware that on modus, photek was attempting to strip out anything extraneous in a rigorous fashion. but some of those drones and atmospheric washes he left in are just so tired sounding you have to at least consider that some may judge some of those "essentials" are really a bit dull. just because someone recognises a boring melodic line for what is is does not imply that they are in search of "light, cheery melodies", or unable to appreciate music beyond the classical era. er, and i don't think bringing screamadelica into it on the basis of the singles count is relevant either, as it contained several more ideas and a couple of tunes.

quoted 1 line

>>>

The review is fair, (...) <<< ...so leave the insults in the playground. -martin

quoted 4 lines I don't buy CDs that are released on Virgin, Astralwerks

>>I don't buy CDs that are released on Virgin, Astralwerks >>and all of these CRAP BIGGIEE LABELS ! >Fe. wrote : >Aha, so that's why you haven't heard Kraftwerk. They're on EMI.

.-.+.-.+.-.+.-.+.-.+.-.

quoted 9 lines And consindering Photek, I don't give a fuck of his early, recent

>>And consindering Photek, I don't give a fuck of his early, recent >>and future work ! I don't buy CDs that are released on Virgin, >>Astralwerks and all of these CRAP BIGGIEE LABELS ! >>So, maybe Photek is great but I'll never find out....and I >>don't give a fuck. > >Ok, and punk is not dead. (at this moment, I am laughing at home until I >drop off the chair) >:-))))

****************** bye rob

quoted 1 line [please, no flames you photekheds]

>>[please, no flames you photekheds]

that wasn't a flame, this isn't a flame. check this smiley! :-)

quoted 2 lines This seems to be the 'my beats kick major ass, but i need to work on

>>>This seems to be the 'my beats kick major ass, but i need to work on >>>my melodic devolpment'

quoted 1 line this is nonsense, what kind of reviewing is this?

>>this is nonsense, what kind of reviewing is this?

quoted 1 line it's called 'honest reviewing'

>it's called 'honest reviewing'

nah, it's called attacking blue for not being red

quoted 4 lines i hate these people who live by the 'if you don't have anything nice to

>i hate these people who live by the 'if you don't have anything nice to >say...' rule when writing reviews. >thats just for media types who want to kiss the asses of the >artists/labels involved with the release.

naturally, but the essence of what i was saying was that mr parkes DOES NOT need to 'work on his melodic development' because what he's doing is what he's doing - of course it's your privilege to dislike this kind of material but it ISN'T because of any lack of talent on mr parkes' part. your criticism was unfounded and wide of the mark.

quoted 1 line i'd be the first to admit that photek's earlier works were excellent.

>i'd be the first to admit that photek's earlier works were excellent.

yeah i have most of his stuff myself, i would say the most interesting eps to me would be ni ten ichi ryu and t'raenon.

quoted 1 line i'm just saying that i was expecting more of a progression on this one.

>i'm just saying that i was expecting more of a progression on this one.

or do you mean 'more of the same but with better production'?

quoted 2 lines as you said yourself, this track(s) has 'sparse insturmentation' (though

>as you said yourself, this track(s) has 'sparse insturmentation' (though >it's more like no insturmentation).

i think the beauty of mr parkes' tunes is that he can say so much, more than most, in a simple twist of rhythm and a strategically placed percussion note

quoted 2 lines sure someone round here will agree he isn't going for something THAT

>>sure someone round here will agree he isn't going for something THAT >>simplistic..

quoted 2 lines so, dot=simplistic?

>so, dot=simplistic? >pick up the hab ep sometime.

well i haven't heard a LOT of dot tunes but i'm not into it myself. i think it's twee - not for me.

quoted 1 line so please lay off mr parkes,

>>so please lay off mr parkes,

quoted 3 lines I never was laying on mr parkes.

>I never was laying on mr parkes. >i was simply saying that i'd enjoy it more had he expanded on those >tracks with some melodic backing.

but this isn't criticism, this isn't real reviewing. that's why i hold no value on the reviews that are posted here, because 90% of the time it's just some guy's opinion which basically boils down to 'i don't like it because..' or 'this is wicked, get it'. there's no point reviewing types of music that you aren't into, that serves no purpose for anyone whatsoever. a good review is something that makes me think about the music in a new way, or sheds light on something i hadn't considered before. more importantly than anything, it evokes an image and atmosphere for the music. good reviewing doesn't use an endless piecing together of buzzwords and cliches.

quoted 2 lines we all know the rythym is what rupert's good at, but even the best beats

>we all know the rythym is what rupert's good at, but even the best beats >need some support.

there's nothing less true than what you've said here. cheerio! np - enforcers above the law - reinforced records

Sorry for lack of quotes, but this is a longish thread & I'm PINEing it... Multsanta's review echoed my earlier one, though I think he conveyed what I was feeling better. :) I've got no problem with lack of melody, BUT, if you're going to have a melody, then for god's sake, do something with it besides repeat it for 6 minutes, unless you're the Black Dog, in which case you know how to wield repetition as a form of change. As for the record companies' antics, I get really tired of this sort of shit. Thanks to Astralwerks for releasing Risc Vs. Reward domestic, no thanks for waiting until after Ni-Ichi-Whatever was out to do so. No thanks to Virgin/Science/Rupert Parkes for putting out an album w/ so much retread material. Substitute the WipeoutXL tracks & a couple of new tracks and I'd be happy, but of course someone here will play the "artistic integrity and the right to think of an album as a single work" card, but I don't think RP/Photek is even close to mastering the difference between an album and a collection of singles, which is not to denigrate his mastery of the single. I guess the problem here is, CD buyers have a different set of expectations from 12" buyers. CD buyers expect value for their money - people are regularly issueing CDs w/ 70-80 minutes worth of music these days, so it's a big disappointment to buy one that has 30 minutes worth of new music. 12" buyers expect freshness, i.e., the flavor du jour. RP/Photek needs to realise that his big contract w/ Virgin has put him in a different market from the one he cut his teeth in, and adjust his release strategies accordingly. I would suggest releasing 12"s regularly, then collecting them onto CD periodically. Of course, this would probably not be to Virgin's liking, and they have the final say here. Let's face it, the music business IS a business. Maybe the answer is for Rupert to release 12"s as Studio Pressure to maintain his street cred and immediacy, and release albums as Photek. Che

Maybe that's the problem. Seriously though, it seems as though there ought to be a better alternative to the current methods of music promotion/distribution that are more suited to both getting quality stuff out there where it needs to be, and supporting the artist and their ideas/wishes/whatever.. It seems even though as the artists form their own labels, they still stay in the music industry game (yeah, I guess they want to make money too).. granted, i've a lot less clue about the music industry than most of you, but the current situation just seems so absurd! --brett On Fri, 5 December 1997, at 12:54:00, Che wrote:

quoted 1 line Let's face it, the music business IS a business.

> Let's face it, the music business IS a business.

quoted 3 lines And consindering Photek, I don't give a fuck of his early, recent

>>And consindering Photek, I don't give a fuck of his early, recent >>and future work ! I don't buy CDs that are released on Virgin, >>Astralwerks and all of these CRAP BIGGIEE LABELS !

oh well in that case, i just made a cd of about 0.3 seconds of hard drive noise. limited edition of one, on the world's most underground record label. buy it please.

quoted 2 lines So, maybe Photek is great but I'll never find out....and I

>>So, maybe Photek is great but I'll never find out....and I >>don't give a fuck.

wierd attitude mate. very wierd attitude. some people actually choose what music they like by LISTENING to it. if anyone makes another run of idm t-shirts i wonder who'll be the first person to order one? cheerio! np - enforcers above the law - reinforced records