On Mon, 21 Oct 1996, Adrian Cogger wrote:
quoted 3 lines it seems like their output is getting less interesting every release.
> it seems like their output is getting less interesting every release.
> what's their last new artist or thing they came up with?
> their losing their identity <><>
Proof, if proof were needed that WARP are _not_ losing it:
Blech. One of the best compilation/mix CDs ever, highlighting
new and old stuff from the label. Certainly a great improvement
over the early WARP compilations which were simply collections
of tracks from earlier 12" singles.
Red Snapper. Prince Blimey. A couple of irritating samples apart
("Last One") this is a great album and I doubt you'll find anything
else like it around at the moment
Squarepusher. Port Rhombus. And an album to come. Can it better
"Feed me weird things"? Apparently Warp have cranked up the quality
control knob to unheard of levels for this one...
Autechre. Oh come on, need I say more. Autechre's 4th album
is due for release in the new year.
Mike Ink "Paroles". Wicked track. and by the way, just like PFM/Q
project, it looks like "Paroles" and "Polka Trax" are 2 separate 12"s
but just one CD. (though by a single artist)
Jimi Tenor. I guess not everyone is going to go for this stuff
but he's great. A real showman and unique music!
Nightmares on Wax "Smoker's Delight". A fair few months old now but
this is going to be one of _the_ classic chill-out albums.
As for new names, well Freeform, Mira Calix, Jimi Tenor, Squarepusher
and Mike Ink are all either new or new-to-WARP artists.
If you want a "direction" or "identity" then I think "innovation" sums
it up. The list above is consistent in this area if in no other.
I think it is good that you can't pin down a "Warp Sound" any more (OK
so you might bunch Aphex, Autechre, Disjecta, Jake Slazenger, Freeform
together some of the time, but where would Red Snapper and Sympletic
fit in?) Too many labels fall into the trap of ending up with every
release sounding the same, because that is what they think their
customers expect. Then that style fades, and hey, so does the label, so
the owners launch a "new" label with a "new approach" which is just the
same approach but with a different sound.
We cannot expect the latest "banging" or "uplifting" club classic
mega-hit from WARP. This tends to mean there is no gloss of excitement,
no instant gratifcation, but instead, listen closer and feed your mind.
Perhaps WARP does need something like this. A big shiny hit to get a
wider audience talking about the label again. But I just don't see them
signing the likes of BBE do you?
As John Martinko said, the whole "techno" genre has gone from being
easy to identify to becoming so disparate that no one label or
individual can possibly follow it fully. OK WARP may have its ups and
downs (Black dog and Disjecta albums seem to be bones of contention for
many) but I think anyone who dismisses the labels current situation on
the basis of a few disparate releases is getting it wrong somewhere.
I admit, I'm a big WARP fan and have been for a long time, but I too
have been mildly disappointed by some releases; "Adverts" for one, and
I'm not sure about this "milkman" business either. Woodenspoon was good
but didn't live up to the hype, and maybe Freeform didn't fulfil his
promise with his first Warp EP. But far better this than watching a
lebel degenerate into a series of dreary plod-house releases, cheezy
trance, or soft-focus ambient trip-hop, or whatever, eh?
And what with running the club nights at Blech, touring Europe this
summer, and the very promising looking new Web site (with Mail-Order
too we are told), I think WARP are going from strength to strength.
<rant mode off>
J
^
__________
________.__/_____ _||_/ James Skilton aka Steady J
_[]/_____________[.__\____-_ DJ and Party Animal
| | Part Time Hedonist
|____________________________| Full Time Technohead
|__|-' '-|__| jamess@ftp.com
Autechre and SKAM discogs:
http://subnet.virtual-pc.com/~sk393820/