IDM Mailing Archive

1996-03-17 22:18GDAlthough this has been brought up before, I still am a bit murky about the term. Is an ele

From:: GD <gd@interramp.com>
To:: <idm@hyperreal.com>
Date:: Sun, 17 Mar 1996 17:18:50 -0500
Subject:: (idm) electro is...electro ain't

Although this has been brought up before, I still am a bit murky about the term. Is an electro tune practically anything with an 808, or is there a bit more to it in terms of the styling of the beats? For example, is Autechre's 'Eutow' somewhat electro-ish because of the rhythms? (The beats on the track sound like breakdance stuff ca. 1983) I haven't been able to buy anything that's been definitively labelled as electro (Gescom, Tusken Raiders, or Jedi Knights stuff), so I can't say that I've heard any good examples of electro stuff at all. Would 'Silver Sound 60' qualify as such? GD

1996-03-19 16:15Dave WalkerGD asked: :Although this has been brought up before, I still am a bit murky about the :ter

From:: Dave Walker <marmoset@mich.com>
To:: <idm@hyperreal.com>
Date:: 19 Mar 96 11:15:17 -0500
Subject:: Re: (idm) electro is...electro ain't

GD asked: :Although this has been brought up before, I still am a bit murky about the :term. Is an electro tune practically anything with an 808, or is there a bit :more to it in terms of the styling of the beats? I thought someone else would take you up on this one, but no one has. This is all IMO -- others may have other definitions. I'd say that "electro" is in the interplay between the kickdrum and the snares. 808's are great for electro, but they're hardly a prerequisite. In the most general terms, an electro drum track will (usually) have the accents placed on the snares, rather than the kickdrum. Like jungle, electro is usually 4/4 but never "4 on the floor" -- the percussion lines tend to be pretty fluid. I very nice track I heard recently was "Afflicted" by Vermin on the Fresh Emmissions comp. Sort of a dark-ambient-meets-electro feel. Creepy. Nice to see the electro mechanisms used in a new setting. -d.w.

1996-03-26 02:37Derek Jordan> GD asked: > > :Although this has been brought up before, I still am a bit murky about th

From:: Derek Jordan <djordan@LnxLand1.denver.colorado.EDU>
To:: Dave Walker <marmoset@mich.com>
Cc:: <idm@hyperreal.com>
Date:: Mon, 25 Mar 1996 19:37:58 -0700 (MST)
Subject:: Re: (idm) electro is...electro ain't
Reply to:: Re: (idm) electro is...electro ain't

quoted 10 lines GD asked:

> GD asked: > > :Although this has been brought up before, I still am a bit murky about the > > :term. Is an electro tune practically anything with an 808, or is there a > bit > :more to it in terms of the styling of the beats? > > I thought someone else would take you up on this one, but no one > has. This is all IMO -- others may have other definitions.

I would have posted, but was on spring break... Anyway, Mastercuts CLASSIC ELECTRO is a good representation of what "I" remember electro being in the early '80's. My brother turned me on to it. Here in East Denver, where I was born and raised(somewhat similar to the Cass Corridor area of Detroit), electro boogie was being played on every street corner, alongside early hiphop, which is why I feel some of the Brits AREN'T representing true electro to the masses, and some American producers are just sniffing the butts of the 'brits, to make a little $$$. Dave's on the right track, though. Derek Jordan thinking back...Ice-T's "dog'n the wax".

Re: (idm) electro is...electro ain't