Re: [idm] phthalocyanine: the beauty in aimlessness
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Something to add to this:
I agree wholeheartedly with David Turgeon on his appraisal of Dimitris
"art" (I prefer "stuff") and I must be one of those rare folk who got it
on first listen (Navy Warship). "25 tracks..." is a work of genius and
is harder to "get" than Navy Warship (once you have "got" or "learned
how to hear/listen to" Phthalocyanine then you can switch to this brain
mode, like riding a bike - but it is a different way of listening to
music than any other idm artist, closer to how I listen to some
electroacoustic composers or free jazz), having less overt recognisable
elments (like flute sounds in Track 1 of navy Warship), but it is all
the more pure & effective for that reason. About the sounds used: the
point is not what particular sounds he uses, but what he does with the
sounds he has. (An important distinction - read it again). Dimitri has
an HR16 drum machine and a yamaha FB01 tone module and has over the
years learned how to use these instruments in the way a jazz musician
finds their voice with a particular instrument.
Suffice to say, do keep listening because you will KNOW when you have
"got" it (you evidently haven't yet, judging by your letter) and it will
happen suddenly just like when you recognise the 3D in a stereogram
(assuming you can do that).
For those wanting other Phthalo releases I recommend OST's "Death
Notice" (Phthalo 23) by Chris Douglas which is his best album by far,
subtitled Funeral Music...
Mike p
quoted 140 lines Date: Tue, 27 Feb 2001 16:33:25 -0500> Date: Tue, 27 Feb 2001 16:33:25 -0500
> To: idm <idm@hyperreal.org>
> From: Guillaume Grenier <gollum@videotron.ca>
> Subject: Re: [idm] phthalocyanine: the beauty in aimlessness
> Message-ID: <B6C18754.13ED%gollum@videotron.ca>
>
> On 27/02/01 14:51, david turgeon said in living color:
>
> >> I only have Phthalocyanine's Navy Warship which I thought was good but not
> >> great (though I haven't listened to it a lot/it's been a long time since I
> >> did... I should maybe update my impressions...) Seemed a bit amateur and
> >> aimless... But it did have a couple of interesting ideas.
> >
> > sorry, just had to jump on this one.
>
> No need to be apologetic; your comments made for an interesting read.
>
> > phthalocyanine is "amateur & aimless" like pollock or riopelle make
> > "amateur & aimless" paintings. his music does sound unlikely & bizarre
> > at first but you have to listen to it with a different ear than the one
> > you listen to autechre or plone with. i.e. don't look for the classic
> > hooks & punches, for this music is about devoid of it. phthalocyanine's
> > music is total ART, in the most glorious, cathartic fashion you can
> > think of.
>
> Eh... Would you be a fan, by any chance...? ;)
>
> Actually, I don't consider myself a "classic hooks & punches" addict. I've
> never heard Plone and I *much* prefer late Autechre to their early work. I
> do like chaos in music.
>
> Phthalo's music does not lead me to the cathartic experience you mention.
> But it undeniably reveals an intense engagement of the artist in the music
> he creates. And it can reach nice plateaus on some occasions (I've been
> listening to "Navy Warship" after writing my original message... I maintain
> my personal evaluation that it's "good-not-great" [I remember liking in
> particular tracks 5 and 9] but I'd withdraw the "seemed a bit amateur and
> aimless" comments to hopefully replace them with something more precise.
>
> > unlike harsh noise (merzbow & al) or power electronics, which usually
> > end up all to linear & predictable, phthalo's musical constructions are
> > completely offbase, they start & stop unexpectedly, giving you almost no
> > time to do the "armchair appreciation" thing unless you listen to it
> > again & again, which is when the real magic of it unfolds. i would even
> > say that there's about no way you could "like" phthalo on a first listen
> > unless you're in the right mindset. the reason is simple: there is so
> > much to understand & appreciate on a micro level, & so little on the
> > macro level (which is what i'd call the "organic" quality of it, found
> > very rarely in post-electroacoustic music except perhaps in hecker's
> > _[ot] xackpy breakpoint_ or shirt trax's _good news about space_ (both
> > on or)).
>
> I find the comment "there is so much to understand & appreciate on a micro
> level, & so little on the macro level" surprising/interesting. My thoughts
> were that the micro level, precisely, is a bit weak in Phthalo. I'm talking
> here about the sounds used. The samples sound "cheap", the textures poor.
> The drum sounds seem unrefined, "unresearched". The electric organ sounds
> are also particularly awful. Now, I'm sure you're gonna tell me something
> like "That's the whole point; Phthalo's music is one of rawness". I'd agree
> with you that rawness is a defining characteristic of Phthalo's music... but
> I think that he could keep this raw quality *and* refine greatly his sound
> palette. As it stands currently (at least, for "Navy Warship"), it seems to
> me that he didn't bother with the crafting of basic sound elements (like a
> Richard Devine or an Autechre does with extreme attention).
>
> To me, Phthalo's strength resides in the area between the micro and the
> macro (I think there's a word to describe this abstract region but I forgot
> it...) He's quite good for assembling nervous sound aggregates, very short
> quirky motifs.
>
> As for the macro side of things (flow of ideas, track coherence, etc.), well
> sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. IMHO, of course. For all his
> notorious disjointedness, he's actually better than several IDM music makers
> at maintaining a good flow throughout a track.
>
> > though then again... another interesting aspect of phthalo is _also_
> > that he manages to somehow blend "popular" & "arcane" aspects of music.
>
> I agree.
>
> > the loud, chaotic beats have much in common with, say, early rephlex.
> > the melodies aren't even that bizarre; indeed sometimes they're dramatic
> > to the point of being unbearable (_vints.73_ off _25 tracks_ is one of
> > the very rare electronic tracks to have _ever_ made me cry out of sheer
> > beauty).
>
> I intend to get "25 tracks..." one of these days...
>
> I find the melodies a bit trivial, often -- as in at least 90% of IDM...
> (There should be an obligatory Melody 101 course given to IDM musicians
> before they release any title, given that that it is often such a weak
> aspect in that music. An healthy dose of Mozart and Chopin would probably be
> a good start.) Granted, it's not the same triviality as IA-style melodies,
> but still, to me, it feels a bit like, I don't know, slightly "quirkified"
> pool ad jingles...
>
> But, he's definitely trying things, pushing things around and I
> enthusiastically commend that.
>
> > yet it is how they are pieced together, seemingly carelessly,
> > but always with an amount of exuberance & confidence which only a
> > handful of electronic music producers are able to muster (hrvatski, cex
> > & crank/lowres come closest in my mind). this exuberance is also
> > present in much of the releases from phthalo records, although they
> > sometimes seem to lack the aforementioned organic quality i like about
> > phthalocyanine.
>
> Yeah, I definitely like a lot his exuberance. Two robot parts for that.
> (Don't ask... An allusion that only members from Quebec can
> recognize/appreciate.)
>
> > in the end, phthalocyanine's records are nothing but purely
> > LIFE-AFFIRMING, mighty beautiful & vital. i recommend that you go back
> > to _navy warship_ & that you immediately acquire _25 tracks fer 1 track_
> > (on planet mu).
>
> Did that and plan to.
>
> > don't even mind if it takes you a while to get it... i'm not even done with
> > _25 tracks_ yet as it is so overwhelming. i let it age, like a good wine.
> >
> > (as a hint though: i must say crank's _wanton phenomena_ (mille plateaux) did
> > much to make me appreciate certain aspects of phthalocyanine's music i hadn't
> > yet understood. crank's music is easier on the ears & the brain, but is still
> > relentless & organic, & may be a better starting point to this rare form of
> > music.)
>
> I'll check that out. Never heard of it before.
>
> > okay, back to lurking...
> >
> > ~ david
>
> --
> Guillaume Grenier - gollum@videotron.ca
>
> in space there is no north in space there is no south
> in space there is no east in space there is no west
>
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