IDM Mailing Archive

1999-04-02 00:06Will Samuels--- Joda Clement <gwei-lo@usa.net> wrote: > > Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 14:46:46 -0800 (PST)

From:: Will Samuels <w_technoir@yahoo.com>
To:: Joda Clement <gwei-lo@usa.net>, <idm@hyperreal.org>
Date:: Thu, 1 Apr 1999 16:06:53 -0800 (PST)
Subject:: Re: (idm) Windowlicker

--- Joda Clement <gwei-lo@usa.net> wrote:

quoted 29 lines Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 14:46:46 -0800 (PST)

> > Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 14:46:46 -0800 (PST) > > From: Will Samuels <w_technoir@yahoo.com> > > Subject: Re: (idm) Windowlicker > > > > - --- Mark Kolmar <mkolmar@xnet.com> wrote: > > > The last Aphex record I bought was _I don't care > and > > > neither should you_, > > > which I sold. (OK, I got the HAB 12"s and sold > them > > > for profit.) I have > > > heard all or part of the releases since. After > > > hearing the 3 Windowlicker > > > tracks as MP3s, I picked up the EP. It seems > like a > > > -relatively- serious > > > piece of work (this is RDJ we're talking about > after > > > all), well-executed, > > > and finally doesn't sound like something he > pulled > > > out his ass. Frankly > > > I'm a bit puzzled by the negative reviews. > > > > I think the track Windowlicker is pretty weak, but > it > > works well with the video. I really don't think > this > > track has much of a track life to it. I think

those

quoted 1 line that do like it, will grow bored of it pretty

> > that do like it, will grow bored of it pretty

soon.

quoted 4 lines You know I don't think you have any right to tell

> > You know I don't think you have any right to tell > someone else what they will > or will not get bored of.

Hey switch to decaf already....:) God some of you Aphex loadies, can take even the slightest amount of criticism. Maybe you don't get bored of subpar stuff fast, but alot of us do. I already bored of the title track and I have only heard it three or four times. Sorry not impressed, ready to move on to fresher artists and material The only reason I don't chuck the cd in the bin is because the last track is pretty decent.

quoted 5 lines I think that the

> I think that the > Windowlicker track is one of the > best aphex songs i've ever heard, and on of the > better songs i've heard in a > long time by an idm artist.

Uh..ok. You really should get out more... and experience more music

quoted 2 lines I really don't see why it's getting such negative

> I really don't see why it's getting such negative > reviews.

It's getting the bad reviews because Aphex Twin was once one of the most important IDM artists that has turned to crap. If the Windowlicker 12" would have been made by someone unknown it probably would even get much attention at all. That is of course, it the artwork for the cover were different. How can you not notice that cover when you see it? But that's more Chris Cunningham's idea than Aphex's isn't it? I could be wrong.

quoted 5 lines I expecting some boring track with really

> I expecting some boring track with really > fast off the wall drum > programming, and some goofy melody, but man this > track has so much style. I'm > glad he's mixing things up a but.

I am glad that both Aphex and Squarepusher seem to be laying off the drill n bass stuff

quoted 3 lines Track 2 is just toss.

> > Track 2 is just toss. > > Track 2 is kinda what I thought the whole thing

would

quoted 2 lines sound like, but it's

> sound like, but it's > still an alright track. It's been done, but it

seems

quoted 3 lines like he put a bit more

> like he put a bit more > work into it than most of the tracks like this he > does.

Boring

quoted 1 line Track 3 Nannou is a pretty nice track. I don't

> > Track 3 Nannou is a pretty nice track. I don't

know

quoted 4 lines if

> if > > is worth buying for the one track. > > Nannou is quite nice, but Windowlicker owns it.

I stick to my original statement

quoted 1 line With all the time Aphex Twin has had since his

> > With all the time Aphex Twin has had since his

last

quoted 8 lines release...is this the best he could do?

> > release...is this the best he could do? > > Well, that's just your opinion, and these are just > mine, for all you know he > spent a long fucking time, and thinks this is the > best he could do, or not, > either way it's good music and that is all that > really matters.

If that is the best he could do, then he should retire. You think it's good. I think 1/3 of the ep is only pretty good, not exceptional.

quoted 4 lines And I do that that this is the best he could do, and

> And I do that that this is the best he could do, and > has done for quite some time. I think thta anyone > who is a bit more open in their views of idm and > music in general should give this a shot.

If by open... you mean liking anything put in front of me. Fuck that! Listen before you buy. _________________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com

1999-04-02 05:38Hrvåtski/RKK>I dunno, my understanding is that Sunny Day Real Estate was supposed to >save them from t

From:: Hrvåtski/RKK <sheket@tiac.net>
To:: Andrew Hime <hime@kali.wf.net>
Cc:: <idm@hyperreal.org>
Date:: Fri, 2 Apr 1999 00:38:40 -0500
Subject:: (idm) Matador/Sire. was:Windowlicker

quoted 7 lines I dunno, my understanding is that Sunny Day Real Estate was supposed to

>I dunno, my understanding is that Sunny Day Real Estate was supposed to >save them from this supposed "extinction" as well. Sorry, I honestly don't >read Billboard that much, though I try to keep up with the industry as a >whole. It would seem I'm not doing a great job, though. So what's the word >on Matador, then? I'm a little bit bothered by the sudden signing of >dozens of acts over there, and the seeming shift to a totally different >sound.

There's pretty much no signing at all @ Matador. It's 99% licensing. No fuss, no mess. Just a one time payment & subsequent acquisition of territorial rights. Clean & easy. The only 'new' (as in non-released elsewhere previously or simultaneously) thing was the Khan, 'I-800-Get-Khan' release which, frankly, boggles the mind as to why they'd dole out even pressing costs to further Khan's cause. Don't get me wrong, the guy's like a saint to me musically, but he's got a stranglehold on like 20 labels already, does he really need the marketing prowess of Matador to 'make' him? And what's going to make the Matador release any different from the ones that come out respectively the week before and after it? Are Matador really aware of whay he's up to other than Temple/El Turco Loco/related NYC-based activity? I found it a bit confounding that on the Burger/Ink one sheets they were touting Wolfgang as a Basic Channel recording artist, that seems like a MAJOR oversight, kind of gave me the chills a bit & made me look for other motives for releasing that record besides Gerard et.al's love of the music (I can't seem to find any though...). They've always been releasing these strange head scratcher projects (remember 'New York EYE & Ear Control'? Borbetomagus & Rudolph Grey tracks?), but 'Nightmares on Wax'? (the first track is that SAME track they've put on every compilation & record they've had so far, VERISON III) .It seems even dodgy for Warp to put that record out, nonetheless to have it licensed in the US by probably one of the largest functioning indies here... Is a new Sunny Day Real Estate album going to relieve Sub Pop from economic stress? Are they that popular? and more importantly have their fans jumped ship to other musics in their absence? Just curious, I know little about them. I thought the J&MC record would have been a MUCH bigger deal & it tanked most splendidly... -Våt np- Mantronix - The Best of 1985-1999 (Virgin). Completely rude... Essential. ____________________ Reckankreuzungsklankewerkzeuge PO BOX 382864. Cambridge, MA 02238 http://www.tiac.net/users/sheket/index.html

1999-04-02 14:28mltAt 12:38 AM 4/2/99 -0500, Hrvåtski/RKK wrote: >>So what's the word >>on Matador, then? I'm

From:: mlt <multsanta@sprynet.com>
To:: Hrvåtski /RKK <sheket@tiac.net>, Andrew Hime <hime@kali.wf.net>
Cc:: <idm@hyperreal.org>
Date:: Fri, 02 Apr 1999 09:28:04 -0500
Subject:: Re: (idm) Matador/Sire. was:Windowlicker
Reply to:: (idm) Matador/Sire. was:Windowlicker

At 12:38 AM 4/2/99 -0500, Hrvåtski/RKK wrote:

quoted 8 lines So what's the word

>>So what's the word >>on Matador, then? I'm a little bit bothered by the sudden signing of >>dozens of acts over there, and the seeming shift to a totally different >>sound. > >There's pretty much no signing at all @ Matador. It's 99% licensing. No >fuss, no mess. Just a one time payment & subsequent acquisition of >territorial rights. Clean & easy.

But what about the signings of the Arsonists and Non Phixion?? As far as i can see they're both signed, not liscened, and definetly a complete shift in style.

quoted 1 line np- Mantronix - The Best of 1985-1999 (Virgin). Completely rude... Essential.

>np- Mantronix - The Best of 1985-1999 (Virgin). Completely rude... Essential.

is this out? do you have a track listing? more leaning to the 1985 end of the spectrum, i hope, because much of the 90's stuff was rubbish. np: d'angelo: brown sugar mlt. http://multsanta.home.sprynet.com/

1999-04-02 06:40objet @> If the Windowlicker 12" would have been made by someone > unknown it probably would even

From:: objet @ <lacanian@mindspring.com>
To:: <idm@hyperreal.org>
Date:: Thu, 01 Apr 1999 22:40:33 -0800
Subject:: Re: (idm) Windowlicker

quoted 3 lines If the Windowlicker 12" would have been made by someone

> If the Windowlicker 12" would have been made by someone > unknown it probably would even get much attention at > all.

Attention from whom? The Record Buying Public? Who cares? All I know is that this is an EP of interesting electronic music. Can't understand why people seem to be flocking to 'nannou' as the standout tho... Title track retains the melodic warmth of 'alberto balsam' (venture to say the most uniformly enjoyed aphex track?) but textures it well, like ae at their peak moments (i.e., *not* including every last completist's Rob & Sean tandem post-vindaloo air-biscuit launch fobbed off as exotic 12/71 time signature).

quoted 2 lines That is of course, it the artwork for the cover

> That is of course, it the artwork for the cover > were different.

A liability for some -- the video/artwork is clever but annoying, too smugly self conscious and straightforwardly (or crassly) promotional in its effrontery. As for Chris Cunningham, it looks like he's making progress with the new Bjork video, returning to his '2nd bad vilbel' video vibe in a fresh way. If this were an EP that I heard anonymously, I'd buy it. I like the music. That it's Aphex bloody Twin doesn't really mean anything, does it? Well, except for a certain R.D. James, who can now afford to give his bank-residence a fresh coat of paint, as well as for those who derive way too much personal identity from being True Fans/Connoisseurs of such-and-such or so-and-so. Upshot? The wife likes it too, without knowing who it is. And she's not one of those 'ick, techno' Mariah Carey-swilling girly-girls, she is, in a nonchalant sort of way, a more hardcore IDMer than any five listmembers combined, killing time on a rainy sunday by coming up with fresh mixes of Merzbow with Nyman and Mantronik. (OK, maybe any 2 listmembers combined, considering the presence of Gonzi, Kid606 and Bauri ;)

quoted 1 line signifieroversignifiedsigningoff

>>signifieroversignifiedsigningoff

1999-04-02 04:16Hrvåtski/RKK>> If the Windowlicker 12" would have been made by someone >> unknown it probably would ev

From:: Hrvåtski/RKK <sheket@tiac.net>
To:: objet @ <lacanian@mindspring.com>
Cc:: <idm@hyperreal.org>
Date:: Thu, 1 Apr 1999 23:16:16 -0500
Subject:: Re: (idm) Windowlicker
Reply to:: Re: (idm) Windowlicker

quoted 3 lines If the Windowlicker 12" would have been made by someone

>> If the Windowlicker 12" would have been made by someone >> unknown it probably would even get much attention at >> all.

quoted 2 lines If this were an EP that I heard anonymously, I'd buy it. I like the

>If this were an EP that I heard anonymously, I'd buy it. I like the >music.

Completely agree. Track two (that %$^%$#^ equation) completely rules. As does Nannou, for completely different reasons each, of course. Fuck the cult of personality, all that tank/bank/invention mess. The guy makes stellar tracks, keeps technologically informed, has keen melodic sensibilities, and uses great SOUNDS. Closest we'll have to perfection for a long time. And he's on a godamm major here in the US (in fact, he's solely responsible for keeping SIRE in business this quarter). Yr collective nitpicking is getting a bit petty. Be excited about somtehing for once... -Våt np- Pomassl/Eshun - Architectronics (Construction Sounds) - Craft ____________________ Reckankreuzungsklankewerkzeuge PO BOX 382864. Cambridge, MA 02238 http://www.tiac.net/users/sheket/index.html

1999-04-02 04:21Andrew Hime> sensibilities, and uses great SOUNDS. Closest we'll have to perfection for > a long time

From:: Andrew Hime <hime@kali.wf.net>
To:: <idm@hyperreal.org>
Date:: Thu, 1 Apr 1999 22:21:04 -0600 (CST)
Subject:: Re: (idm) Windowlicker
Reply to:: Re: (idm) Windowlicker

quoted 3 lines sensibilities, and uses great SOUNDS. Closest we'll have to perfection for

> sensibilities, and uses great SOUNDS. Closest we'll have to perfection for > a long time. And he's on a godamm major here in the US (in fact, he's > solely responsible for keeping SIRE in business this quarter). Yr

I love ya guy, but huh? I mean, Sire may not be putting out much, but they probably aren't hurting for cash or anything. Other notable record out on Sire I can think of this quarter would be the new Sebadoh...

1999-04-02 04:57Hrvåtski/RKK>> sensibilities, and uses great SOUNDS. Closest we'll have to perfection for >> a long ti

From:: Hrvåtski/RKK <sheket@tiac.net>
To:: Andrew Hime <hime@kali.wf.net>
Cc:: <idm@hyperreal.org>
Date:: Thu, 1 Apr 1999 23:57:09 -0500
Subject:: Re: (idm) Windowlicker
Reply to:: Re: (idm) Windowlicker

quoted 7 lines sensibilities, and uses great SOUNDS. Closest we'll have to perfection for

>> sensibilities, and uses great SOUNDS. Closest we'll have to perfection for >> a long time. And he's on a godamm major here in the US (in fact, he's >> solely responsible for keeping SIRE in business this quarter). Yr > >I love ya guy, but huh? I mean, Sire may not be putting out much, but they >probably aren't hurting for cash or anything. Other notable record out on >Sire I can think of this quarter would be the new Sebadoh...

Not following the trades it seems. ALL majors are doing bad (thank fucking god for that). Sire is especially slumming. Read any of the last 20 or so issues of Billboard & see what I'm talking about. Believe me, there's not a single tear shed for anyone who's lost their job over the last few months as a result of the big 6 to big 5 shift. Geffen is now completely defunct. Interscope swallowed up half of the lucrative big labels. The Aphex Twin thing seems like a joke, but Sire seems to think that his upcoming full length will tie their financial bindings. Sebadoh was Sub Pop's last great white hope (after miserable Jesus & Mary Chain/St. Etienne sales), they're pretty much goners. If that thing doesn't pick up mighty quick, they're going to owe Sire a lot of money, and Sire is going to owe Time Warner a lot of money... -Våt np- Bogdan Raczynski - Boku Mo Wakaran (Rephlex).... who the hell is THIS guy? Played it for like 8 hours straight to & back from NYC. Unstoppable, like a truck of fire... ____________________ Reckankreuzungsklankewerkzeuge PO BOX 382864. Cambridge, MA 02238 http://www.tiac.net/users/sheket/index.html

1999-04-02 20:01Daniel Kapusta>Not following the trades it seems. ALL majors are doing bad (thank fucking >god for that)

From:: Daniel Kapusta <dan@macconnect.com>
To:: <idm@hyperreal.org>
Date:: Fri, 2 Apr 1999 15:01:48 -0500
Subject:: Re: (idm) Windowlicker
Reply to:: Re: (idm) Windowlicker

quoted 5 lines Not following the trades it seems. ALL majors are doing bad (thank fucking

>Not following the trades it seems. ALL majors are doing bad (thank fucking >god for that). Sire is especially slumming. Read any of the last 20 or so >issues of Billboard & see what I'm talking about. Believe me, there's not a >single tear shed for anyone who's lost their job over the last few months >as a result of the big 6 to big 5 shift. Geffen is now completely defunct.

/me doesn't shed a tear

quoted 3 lines Interscope swallowed up half of the lucrative big labels. The Aphex Twin

>Interscope swallowed up half of the lucrative big labels. The Aphex Twin >thing seems like a joke, but Sire seems to think that his upcoming full >length will tie their financial bindings.

heh! Wow, if that's even close to being true, that's really scary. US sales of SAW2 were anemic and RDJ album wasn't much better. Anyway, I'll add to the chorus of voices saying that Nannou is the stand out track. It's a delicate and musical track that isn't trying to challenge your fundamental beliefs about music. At the same time, it's kind of experimental. Persoanlly, I like the sounds used in this track more than anything in WL. So, what's the release schedual look like for the full length? dan.....

1999-04-02 15:38Nate Harrison \[Toshok Laboratories\]I have to disagree about the sounds part. I think Little Miss Trinitron already pointed th

From:: Nate Harrison \[Toshok Laboratories\] <nate@toshoklabs.com>
To:: Andrew Hime <hime@kali.wf.net>
Cc:: <idm@hyperreal.org>
Date:: Fri, 2 Apr 1999 10:38:20 -0500 (EST)
Subject:: Re: (idm) Windowlicker
Reply to:: Re: (idm) Windowlicker

I have to disagree about the sounds part. I think Little Miss Trinitron already pointed this out, but really, sit down and play with Metasynth and/or any of the wacky plug ins that you can get fro Cubase/Pro Tools, and I think you'll find AFX's sound selection is less than stellar; in fact to hear my ears, it sounds a lot like a bunch of gratuitous DSP trickery. I don't think the tracks are as bad as some are saying, or as good as some are saying. But compared to previous work, IMHO this is Mr. James at most most 'blasse'. I sincerely think he's lost the magic, he's crossing over that threshold from musician to star/performer. Moreso than the music, he's asking us to buy into his madness which some of us may, and some of us may not... peace Nate

quoted 4 lines sensibilities, and uses great SOUNDS. Closest we'll have to perfection for

(idm) Matador/Sire. was:Windowlicker