IDM Mailing Archive

1999, shit What a year. It was the best of monkeys and the worst of monkeys (okay I will stop the literary puns nows). But it indeed was an odd year. People got behind us (which was nice) and people got in our way (is there any facet in life in which petty politics don't effect you?). We succeded and failed. Recognized and ignored. Kinda nice actually. We did our own thing and we will continue to. The label is taking on a life of it's own. Defining itself. so what about the music this year? DSP abuse was rampant. Clone sounds are in and minimal techno got respect. My tastes moved away from the classic Ae/Mas/Skam/Warp sound. I hardly buy music like that anymore. Some labels greatly impressed me. Schematic was in top form (musically) when it came to their vinyl only releaes. I think they stumbeled on their two CD releases though. Toshoklabs came on the scene this year and have left quite an impact. Dated to me represents everything that is right about small innovative labels. Other labels that caught my attention were Ant-zen and Hymen. Perhaps it was just my mood this year but their material worked for me. And they don't fit just one genre. Anywhere from industrial to ambient. Emenate is also another label that is leaving an impression. The lilenthal (sp?) CD is incredible. Very seldom do I let a CD repeat after it finishes. This one I did. Lastly, Warp's only saving grace this year was putting out records by the two lone swordsman. Of couse the above is an over simplification. There were other labels and other releases. This is the year I really got into Mouse on Mars and their side projects. I still think that lithops is one of the most innovative acts out there. Then there is minimalism. Brinkman, hawtin and stewart being the most recognizable to everyone. Brinkman continues to amaze with his sound ideas. Soul center was a supprise and I was glad for it. Hawtin continues to be a pioneer. Who knows what his next step is. Theorem also was one to take note of. Then there was Stewart walker. The perfect album to get lost to. The space between beats was just important as any other facet on the CD. Lastly there was snd. A hard listen but rewarding. There were many others but these come easiest to mind. the future? my money is on dub. -daniel: Head Monkey: Mad Monkey Records: http://monkey.eliteware.com --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: idm-unsubscribe@hyperreal.org For additional commands, e-mail: idm-help@hyperreal.org

On Thu, 30 Dec 1999 Cesium5Hz@aol.com wrote:

quoted 4 lines I believe a wise Zen Artist once said "All Techno comes from Dub, and all Dub

> I believe a wise Zen Artist once said "All Techno comes from Dub, and all Dub > comes from Techno". > > Past, present and future...

*cough* Umm, I'd find a new Zen Artist, as it's a known fact that King Tubby wasn't listening to techno before he started twisting knobs down in JA. The statement should be more like "All dub comes from King Tubby. All techno is techno." My money has been on dub for quite some time :) .Bil. [[obtain clearance before copying]] --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: idm-unsubscribe@hyperreal.org For additional commands, e-mail: idm-help@hyperreal.org

quoted 12 lines I believe a wise Zen Artist once said "All Techno comes from Dub, and all

> > I believe a wise Zen Artist once said "All Techno comes from Dub, and all > Dub > > comes from Techno". > > > > Past, present and future... > > *cough* > > Umm, I'd find a new Zen Artist, as it's a known fact that King Tubby > wasn't listening to techno before he started twisting knobs down in JA. > The statement should be more like "All dub comes from King Tubby. All > techno is techno."

Actually, I think this Zen Artist is better known as Mad Professor and I doubt that he was referring to our rather limited conception of linear time. All Dub certainly did not come from King Tubby. It came from the shamanist-rhythmic spheres of the witchdoctor, which in African culture is the source of the mystical experience - that which allows the use of trance in healing. This rhythmic trance was and is very similar in structure to modern techno music. Both forms are uniquely intertwined - one reflects the effect of trance, the other of the dance. It is not coincidental that modern electronic dub music ala Basic Channel, Chain Reaction and Rhythm & Sound camps have a strong basis in mystical music - the reduction in sound structure is their extension into the spirit world. The dub was, is and ever shall be... Peace, A Z --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: idm-unsubscribe@hyperreal.org For additional commands, e-mail: idm-help@hyperreal.org

On Thu, 30 Dec 1999 Cesium5Hz@aol.com wrote:

quoted 12 lines Actually, I think this Zen Artist is better known as Mad Professor and I

> Actually, I think this Zen Artist is better known as Mad Professor and I > doubt that he was referring to our rather limited conception of linear time. > All Dub certainly did not come from King Tubby. It came from the > shamanist-rhythmic spheres of the witchdoctor, which in African culture is > the source of the mystical experience - that which allows the use of trance > in healing. This rhythmic trance was and is very similar in structure to > modern techno music. Both forms are uniquely intertwined - one reflects the > effect of trance, the other of the dance. It is not coincidental that modern > electronic dub music ala Basic Channel, Chain Reaction and Rhythm & Sound > camps have a strong basis in mystical music - the reduction in sound > structure is their extension into the spirit world. > The dub was, is and ever shall be...

Umm, you can talk about witchdoctors and mystics if you want, but King Tubby invented dub. Period. I'm sure if you asked the Mad Professor directly, he'd also tell you that King Tubby is the "dub originator." Don't take it from me, take it from Steve Barrow: "Today the remix and dub version are commonplace in popular music; less widely appreciated is the fact that these techniques were pioneered in a tiny studio at 18 Bromilly Avenue in the Kingston district called Waterhouse. That pioneer of dub was an electronics engineer and sound system operator named Osbourne Ruddock, but to the crowds who flocked to his dances, and the countless singers and record producers who utilised his skills, he was known as King Tubby." You can download the rest from bloodandfire.co.uk, it's the liner notes to "Dub Gone Crazy." Every style of music is based on what came before, and no one benefits from skipping the intermediaries. Jumping straight back to some african witchdoctor without giving any props to King Tubby is just plain wrong. Where does Fela Kuti fit into this? He's a lot closer to a witchdoctor than King Tubby was, I mean, he was in Africa, and he did 20 minute long songs with trance inducing precussion and call and response sections, but I wouldn't describe *anything* that he did as "dub." How does that fit? I guess I'm freaking out a little bit too much, but Tubby is completely overlooked by just about every electronic music fan I've ever met in my life, and I can't figure out why, mainly because he was a fucking genius *and* none of ths stuff we're listening to today would even exist if he didn't come up with the flying cymbal (and those spring-reverb thunderclaps and the dropped in test tones, etc etc) first. You can't go to the record store and talk to a witchdoctor for inspiration, but you can go and buy a King Tubby album. I'd say that King Tubby is more of an inspiration to most musicians than witchdoctors are. Umm, can I get an amen? .Bil. [[obtain clearance before copying]] --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: idm-unsubscribe@hyperreal.org For additional commands, e-mail: idm-help@hyperreal.org