Yeah Generally Simons got the right idea IMO, Bukem FSOL and Mo Wax undeniably
suck these days, I kinda respect his prose, i also think its fairly tongue
in cheek which is cool... we all enjoy net antagonism. However his list
of favourites is also pretty embarrasing, however id still rather have to listen
to Mokum than those wankers/old men FSOL.
However im pretty uncertain about this bit:
quoted 6 lines It is only Squarepusher/Plug etc's distance from the scene that allows them to> It is only Squarepusher/Plug etc's distance from the scene that allows them to
> convolute the breakbeats beyond any use-value to DJ or dancer; the wilful
> incongruity of the samples is all well and good, but if junglists use the same
> old gangsta/cyberpunk soundbites and apocalyptic textures, it's because they're
> trying to create and sustain a vibe, a feeling-full and meaningful mood that
> crystallises a certain kind of worldview and life-stance.
huh? i think hes missing the point here a little, i dont really think Tom J or
Luke V are generally thinking of 'the dancer' when they compose tracks! unlike the
'junglists' i think they are writing the music for themselves, not to propagate
some 'scene'. I really dont understand how you can condone artists who simply use the
same samples over and over again just because theyve managed to cobble together some
sort of tired identity?! I think more and more every day that London is a place to visit
often but not to live in, these comments do nothing to dissuade me from this.
quoted 4 lines By comparison, drill> By comparison, drill
> and bass is vibe-less non-sense. The drill and bass/"fungle" concept seems to exist
> to make a certain sort of "margin-walker" feel okay about not really having engaged
> with jungle as a subculture.
Engaged with Jungle as a subculture? oh dear... what about people like myself who
bought some DJ Krust, photek, Metalheads and Reinforced three years ago because it
sounded pretty interesting and a bit more radical from the Techno/electronica that was
around at the time... i tried to 'engage with Jungle as a subculture' if you like ;)
however all these artists are producing records which sound identical to the ones
i already own, theres zero Progression there.
quoted 4 lines And of course, as with most soi disant progressive> And of course, as with most soi disant progressive
> iniatives, drill and bass is utterly parasitic on its populist counterpart--do you
> really think the idea of chopping up breakbeats would have independently occurred
> to the weirdy-beardy technoids in a million years?
Yep... i reckon that the interest in breaks in most of the 'drill and bass'
artists stems just as much from an early interest in Hip Hop rather than
Jungle. Theres no denying that the way they use say the Amen Break is Influenced
by Junglists, but i think the way in which theyve taken it shows that theyve
had a much broader set of Influences/references than yer average Junglist...
oops ive Stereotyped again...
kF
can i stop using the phrase 'drill and bass' now pleeeeasee...