IDM Mailing Archive

1998-04-15 06:09Christopher MillerUm. Here's how to make your "Spaghettification" disc sound better. Program your cd player

From:: Christopher Miller <evil@digital.net>
To:: Music That Sounds Like Stoves Talking To Refrigerators Mailing-List <idm@hyperreal.org>
Date:: Wed, 15 Apr 1998 02:09:27 -0400 (EDT)
Subject:: (idm) Chocolate Weasel.

Um. Here's how to make your "Spaghettification" disc sound better. Program your cd player so it only plays these tracks: 1,2,3 ... 6,7,8 ... 12,13,14,15,16,17,18 I find it to be a more palatable listen with a few selected tracks missing altogether. Oh, and this disc credits Marc Royal and Cris Stevens. Don't these two guys pretty much make up T-Power? So I guess Chocolate Weasel = T-Power, right? etalocohc. .`-). | ; christopher miller o o' evil@digital.net = '

1998-04-18 09:49James SkiltonAt 02:09 15/04/98 -0400, Christopher Miller wrote: > Oh, and this disc credits Marc Royal

From:: James Skilton <steady-j@geocities.com>
To:: Christopher Miller <evil@digital.net>, Music That Sounds Like Stoves Talking To Refrigerators Mailing-List <idm@hyperreal.org>
Date:: Sat, 18 Apr 1998 10:49:50 +0100
Subject:: Re: (idm) Chocolate Weasel.
Reply to:: (idm) Chocolate Weasel.

At 02:09 15/04/98 -0400, Christopher Miller wrote:

quoted 4 lines Oh, and this disc credits Marc Royal and Cris Stevens. Don't these

> Oh, and this disc credits Marc Royal and Cris Stevens. Don't these >two guys pretty much make up T-Power? So I guess Chocolate Weasel = >T-Power, right? >

yep, that's what I heard. haven't heard the disc tho'. what the hell's it like? J ^ np: "various artists - decay product" chain reaction Steady J aka James Skilton steady-j@geocities.com Autechre & SKAM discogs @ http://subnet.virtual-pc.com/~sk393820 "I don' have any idea 'bout what's going on..."

1998-04-19 05:41Christopher MillerOn Sat, 18 Apr 1998, James Skilton asked: > haven't heard the disc tho'. what the hell's i

From:: Christopher Miller <evil@digital.net>
To:: James Skilton <steady-j@geocities.com>
Cc:: Music That Sounds Like Stoves Talking To Refrigerators Mailing-List <idm@hyperreal.org>
Date:: Sun, 19 Apr 1998 01:41:42 -0400 (EDT)
Subject:: Re: (idm) Chocolate Weasel.
Reply to:: Re: (idm) Chocolate Weasel.

On Sat, 18 Apr 1998, James Skilton asked:

quoted 1 line haven't heard the disc tho'. what the hell's it like?

> haven't heard the disc tho'. what the hell's it like?

Kind of weak. Since "Self Evident Truth Of An Intuitive Mind", I think that T-Power's output has really strayed from being very good to merely mediocre. I bought "Waveform" hoping for more of what the first album and eps had wrought, but was surprised to hear a disc full of loosely arranged unfocused experimentation. I was hoping for much more drum&bass- ish stuff - I think that there was only like one track on the album which even resembled the T-Power I was used to. The same goes for "Spaghettification". Only one d&b track (at the very end of the disc). If you go with the selected tracks I suggested in my previous post then it does provide a good listen though. Funk, lots of weird movie samples (some way to long and drawn out, ala Consolidated), cool noise bits, but mainly dated trip hop. My friend Matt said: "It sounds like T-Power trying to be Luke Vibert... they should have stayed with what they were good at.". Overall, not an album that will be remembered a year from now. Wait for used copies to appear on everyone's 'FS' lists in a few weeks (after the Ninja Tune tour is over) if you really want it. rewop-t. .`-). | ; christopher miller o o' evil@digital.net = ' on: "Sonics Everywhere" - v/a

1998-04-28 20:40Che> >From: James Skilton <steady-j@geocities.com> > >At 02:09 15/04/98 -0400, Christopher Mi

From:: Che <zeus8@synthcom.com>
To:: Intelligent Dumb Music <idm@hyperreal.org>
Date:: Tue, 28 Apr 1998 20:40:09 +0000 ()
Subject:: Re: (idm) Chocolate Weasel.

quoted 1 line From: James Skilton <steady-j@geocities.com>

> >From: James Skilton <steady-j@geocities.com>

quoted 9 lines At 02:09 15/04/98 -0400, Christopher Miller wrote:

> >At 02:09 15/04/98 -0400, Christopher Miller wrote: > > > >> Oh, and this disc credits Marc Royal and Cris Stevens. Don't these > >>two guys pretty much make up T-Power? So I guess Chocolate Weasel = > >>T-Power, right? > >> > > > >yep, that's what I heard. haven't heard the disc tho'. what the hell's it > >like?

Chocolate Weasel - Spaghettification - This is one album that's sure to be misunderstood. I'm not sure I'm even listening to the same Spaghettification that other reviewers reviewed. Anyway, it's always good to have expectations wrecked. If you're still waiting for "Self-Evident Truth III" (Police State was SETOTIM II), you'll be disappointed. This is "Waveform II", in which Marc Royal strays further from his D&B roots into downtempo experimental weirdness. I haven't done acid in a few years, but who needs to, with this album as a soundtrack to some of the surreal commercials on TV? A typical track features philosophical ramblings on the psychological underpinnings of "Scooby Doo" weaving in & out of intelligibility under trip-hop beats groove-loked by the always tasty Royal basslines & overlaid w/ synth-noodling of the not-too-indulgent sort. I could do w/o some of the vocal ramblings, especially the more apocalyptic ones. Otherwise they're pretty humorous. I played this for my cousin, as usual TV on w/ no sound, and he was totally fooled that it was the soundtrack for some Dirty Harry movie (complete w/ dialogue). Anyway, if Marc Royal hasn't done huge amounts of acid, his music sure sounds like he has. Music For Body Lockers starts out like it could be a Black Dog track. Then the 70's style pulse wave synth solo kicks in and you know it ain't Black Dog. Brilliant drum programming. The Other Side Of Madness is as achingly beautiful as anything on SETOTIM. Only one track is even vaguely D&Bish - In-Continuity qualifies for the IDM-centric "drill n' bass" tag. What fascinates me is the influence of D&B on the beat programming. Slow down D&B & take away the Amen break; what's left is a very cerebral rhythm, which is not to say it isn't funky - it is, but it definitely comes from a different place. What baffles me are the electro & funk references in previous reviews. There are some synth sounds that are reminiscent of classic electro/funk synth sounds, but musically neither genre is represented. For instance, Reworked From Scratch Backwards has a bass sound with a closing filter (very common early-80's sound), and a handclap, and rapping over the top. Very minimal, but not what I'd call electro. The most retro thing about this album is the cover, which is hideous, like a nightmare out of the mid-70's, only a poorly done nightmare. As my cousin says, the pics look like they were taken at a 70's-themed costume party, not in the 70's. If you MUST do retro (and please reconsider), then at least do it well. At nearly 76 minutes, most of which is music, not soundscape noodling, Spaghettification is a better deal than Waveform. Buy it if you're ready for a challenge. What I like about Marc Royal's work is that he has a superb sense of melody matched with an innate sense of rhythm. I do wish he'd pursue the faster rhythms more often, though. The only other person who seems to be able to marry d&B w/ melody is Squarepusher. While I'm at it... Chocolate Weasel - Music For Body Lockers - not your usual Ninja maximum bang for the buck, with only 11 or 12 minutes of music worth having. There's the album version, a radio edit which is so insignificantly different from the album version that I don't know what the difference is besides being shorter, there's a reprised version which is a minute and a half slowed down version, and finally there's a dub version, which is almost too orthodox in its dubness - I like my dub weirder, thank you. There's also a remix of Reworked From Scratch Backwards which is ok, but, it's hard to justify buying this single. Che

1998-04-28 23:55alalan@PO-Box.McGill.CA> Chocolate Weasel - Spaghettification - This is one album that's sure to be > misundersto

From:: <alalan@PO-Box.McGill.CA>
To:: Che <zeus8@synthcom.com>
Cc:: <idm@hyperreal.org>
Date:: Tue, 28 Apr 1998 23:55:59 +0000
Subject:: Re: (idm) Chocolate Weasel.

quoted 8 lines Chocolate Weasel - Spaghettification - This is one album that's sure to be

> Chocolate Weasel - Spaghettification - This is one album that's sure to be > misunderstood. I'm not sure I'm even listening to the same Spaghettification > that other reviewers reviewed. Anyway, it's always good to have expectations > wrecked. If you're still waiting for "Self-Evident Truth III" (Police State was > SETOTIM II), you'll be disappointed. This is "Waveform II", in which Marc Royal > strays further from his D&B roots into downtempo experimental weirdness. I > haven't done acid in a few years, but who needs to, with this album as a > soundtrack to some of the surreal commercials on TV?

Read an article where these guys go on a "drum 'n bass is dead" tirade, talking about how its worn out, unoriginal and what not these days.... Ali Lalani "When injustice becomes law... Resistance becomes duty." Some montreal protesters

1998-04-29 04:43BoffinAt 08:40 PM 4/28/98 +0000, you wrote: >While I'm at it... > >Chocolate Weasel - Music For

From:: Boffin <aphex@mtco.com>
To:: Che <zeus8@synthcom.com>
Cc:: <idm@qmail.hyperreal.org>
Date:: Tue, 28 Apr 1998 23:43:13 -0500
Subject:: Re: (idm) Chocolate Weasel.

At 08:40 PM 4/28/98 +0000, you wrote:

quoted 3 lines While I'm at it...

>While I'm at it... > >Chocolate Weasel - Music For Body Lockers - not your usual Ninja maximum

bang

quoted 3 lines for the buck, with only 11 or 12 minutes of music worth having. There's the

>for the buck, with only 11 or 12 minutes of music worth having. There's the >album version, a radio edit which is so insignificantly different from the >album version that I don't know what the difference is besides being

shorter,

quoted 2 lines there's a reprised version which is a minute and a half slowed down version,

>there's a reprised version which is a minute and a half slowed down version, >and finally there's a dub version, which is almost too orthodox in its

dubness

quoted 2 lines - I like my dub weirder, thank you. There's also a remix of Reworked From

>- I like my dub weirder, thank you. There's also a remix of Reworked From >Scratch Backwards which is ok, but, it's hard to justify buying this single.

Hold on my brother. I've got the music for body lockers 12" right here. You must have the CD. The 12" rocks my world. Especially the Shatners Bassoon remix which is used on the Spegettification album if I'm not mistaken... Gotta love that bassline. From what I can tell if a CD has an edit mix, the album version, reprise, and the dub version....which are all basically the same, you've got a shite single. But since the 12" has three remixes (body croppers, shatners bassoon, lazy lofters) it's nice, if the remixers are good, but there always is that Sam and Valley Remix thing. I'm kind of questioning those three supposed remixers of the single. Since the shatners bassoon version appeared on the album (under a different name, I think) I'm assuming that all of the remixers are of themselves, Chocalate Weasel. Am I right? Rusty

1998-05-02 09:32CheAt 11:43 PM 4/28/98 -0500, Boffin wrote: >Hold on my brother. I've got the music for body

From:: Che <zeus8@synthcom.com>
To:: Intelligent Dumb Music <idm@hyperreal.org>
Date:: Sat, 2 May 1998 09:32:24 +0000 ()
Subject:: Re: (idm) Chocolate Weasel.

At 11:43 PM 4/28/98 -0500, Boffin wrote:

quoted 8 lines Hold on my brother. I've got the music for body lockers 12" right here.

>Hold on my brother. I've got the music for body lockers 12" right here. >You must have the CD. The 12" rocks my world. Especially the Shatners >Bassoon remix which is used on the Spegettification album if I'm not >mistaken... Gotta love that bassline. From what I can tell if a CD has an >edit mix, the album version, reprise, and the dub version....which are all >basically the same, you've got a shite single. But since the 12" has three >remixes (body croppers, shatners bassoon, lazy lofters) it's nice, if the >remixers are good, but there always is that Sam and Valley Remix thing.

But how long is the body croppers mix? On the CD it's 1:31. Shatners Bassoon is a remix of Reworked From Scratch Backwards. What I was saying is that it & the dub for lazy loafters mixes are all that's worthwhile on the single, maybe 11 minutes worth. Not a bargain. Does the 12" also have 5 tracks?

quoted 4 lines I'm kind of questioning those three supposed remixers of the single. Since

>I'm kind of questioning those three supposed remixers of the single. Since >the shatners bassoon version appeared on the album (under a different name, >I think) I'm assuming that all of the remixers are of themselves, Chocalate >Weasel. Am I right?

Yes. Actually, I prefer things this way, as long as the remixes stray from the original. I hate having to blow $10 on some obscure single just for one stinkin' remix. At 11:55 PM 4/28/98 +0000, alalan@PO-Box.McGill.CA wrote:

quoted 3 lines Read an article where these guys go on a "drum 'n bass is dead"

>Read an article where these guys go on a "drum 'n bass is dead" >tirade, talking about how its worn out, unoriginal and what not these >days....

What article? Magazine? Website? Do tell! Che

Re: (idm) Chocolate Weasel.