IDM Mailing Archive

Freaky Chakra - Lowdown Motivator CD (Astralwerks) There is much to dislike about Freaky Chakra's debut album: liberal use of trite, canned percussion effects, plodding 4/4 dance rhythms, showboat guitar wanking, the hackneyed "Budded on Earth to Bloom in Heaven," the interminable "Peace Fixation," and an epic overproduction that understands only anthem and crescendo. Like similar efforts by his contemporaries, Bentley's obligatory "ambient" track, "Goodbye," amounts to little more than a downtempo flavor of his dance tracks, overfrosted with quivery synthesizer doodles and gratuitous samples of ethnic instruments. In the light of the healthy experimentalism informing the best records of the past year, Lowdown Motivator's bulb seems particularly dim. However, patient listeners will gradually learn to appreciate the infectious energy and rich textures of the album's first two tunes. Both demonstrate that Freaky Chakra's formula can work with the proper attention to detail. Inventive use of unconventional percussion, vocal samples and colorfully crafted trebly oscillation buoy "Multiphasic Invoculator" into the lively syncopated dub of "Big Aura." Lowdown Motivator is unlikely to inspire your mind, but it may become a good friend of your feet.

quoted 3 lines Freaky Chakra - Lowdown Motivator CD (Astralwerks)

>Freaky Chakra - Lowdown Motivator CD (Astralwerks) > There is much to dislike about Freaky Chakra's debut album: >liberal use of trite, canned percussion effects,

er, like what exactly? it all sounds pretty unique to me.

quoted 1 line showboat guitar wanking

>showboat guitar wanking

the use of guitar is actually pretty minimal.

quoted 1 line the hackneyed "Budded on Earth to Bloom in Heaven,"

>the hackneyed "Budded on Earth to Bloom in Heaven,"

hackneyed?!? as far as i'm aware, the definition of hackneyed is "something that has been done before." if you've got a line on more stuff like "Budded", i want to know about it.

quoted 1 line epic overproduction

>epic overproduction

i suppose if you're used to listening to something like aphex twin that suddenly encountering a well-recorded and professionally produced LP can be quite a shock.

quoted 2 lines However, patient listeners will gradually learn to appreciate the

>However, patient listeners will gradually learn to appreciate the >infectious energy and rich textures of the album's first two tunes.

huh. i liked 'em right off the bat.

quoted 3 lines Both

>Both >demonstrate that Freaky Chakra's formula can work with the proper >attention to detail.

this is just a sick statement. you have no idea how daum works - the guy is a fanatic. i can honestly say that i've never been pushed harder as a musician, sound programmer and engineer than when i worked with him. we did about a gazillion takes of the tracks i worked on precisely because of his attention to detail. i'd say "that was fine." he'd say "no it wasn't, we can do better, let's start over." he's driven. you may not like "peace fixation" (actually i prefer the funk mix to the album mix) but to casually claim that he's just throwing these things out there is ridiculous.

quoted 3 lines Inventive use of unconventional percussion, vocal

>Inventive use of unconventional percussion, vocal >samples and colorfully crafted trebly oscillation buoy "Multiphasic >Invoculator" into the lively syncopated dub of "Big Aura."

well gee thanks. (another example of attention to detail: we mixed big aura over and over because the echoplex "just wasn't quite right" each time...)

quoted 3 lines Lowdown

>Lowdown >Motivator is unlikely to inspire your mind, but it may become a good >friend of your feet.

personally i think it's the rare combination of dance music that works equally well as listening fodder and dancing fodder. there's TONS of sounds in there but they're never so cluttered that it becomes a noisy mess on a loud system. that sort of balancing act is quite rare and very difficult to pull off. anyway, i read this review to daum. his reaction was "tell this guy that me and mike kandel are gonna fly out there and sit on him while we play him grateful dead and lynyrd skynyrd records." Jon Drukman jsd@cyborganic.com I can tell you're cool because your water costs more than your beer.

again Jon, i completely fucking agree with you.... the album is brilliant and very inventive and very thoughtfully produced i think as well polyrhythms are perfect...they're what really get me.... it seems to slag an album like this you just have to be looking to dislike it......that's the only way I could ever review an album like this and arrive at such awful conclusions.......listen to it again i say to the reviewer...(not to promote...well, hell yeah, everyone get high!!! this record is incredible high.....) It's music and it's beautiful and it's original and it makes me (and everyone who's heard it from me [a lot]) very very very happy.... J floatdown On Tue, 2 May 1995, Jon Drukman wrote:

quoted 71 lines Freaky Chakra - Lowdown Motivator CD (Astralwerks)

> >Freaky Chakra - Lowdown Motivator CD (Astralwerks) > > There is much to dislike about Freaky Chakra's debut album: > >liberal use of trite, canned percussion effects, > > er, like what exactly? it all sounds pretty unique to me. > > >showboat guitar wanking > > the use of guitar is actually pretty minimal. > > >the hackneyed "Budded on Earth to Bloom in Heaven," > > hackneyed?!? as far as i'm aware, the definition of hackneyed is > "something that has been done before." if you've got a line on more stuff > like "Budded", i want to know about it. > > >epic overproduction > > i suppose if you're used to listening to something like aphex twin that > suddenly encountering a well-recorded and professionally produced LP can be > quite a shock. > > >However, patient listeners will gradually learn to appreciate the > >infectious energy and rich textures of the album's first two tunes. > > huh. i liked 'em right off the bat. > > >Both > >demonstrate that Freaky Chakra's formula can work with the proper > >attention to detail. > > this is just a sick statement. you have no idea how daum works - the guy > is a fanatic. i can honestly say that i've never been pushed harder as a > musician, sound programmer and engineer than when i worked with him. we > did about a gazillion takes of the tracks i worked on precisely because of > his attention to detail. i'd say "that was fine." he'd say "no it wasn't, > we can do better, let's start over." he's driven. > > you may not like "peace fixation" (actually i prefer the funk mix to the > album mix) but to casually claim that he's just throwing these things out > there is ridiculous. > > >Inventive use of unconventional percussion, vocal > >samples and colorfully crafted trebly oscillation buoy "Multiphasic > >Invoculator" into the lively syncopated dub of "Big Aura." > > well gee thanks. (another example of attention to detail: we mixed big > aura over and over because the echoplex "just wasn't quite right" each > time...) > > >Lowdown > >Motivator is unlikely to inspire your mind, but it may become a good > >friend of your feet. > > personally i think it's the rare combination of dance music that works > equally well as listening fodder and dancing fodder. there's TONS of > sounds in there but they're never so cluttered that it becomes a noisy mess > on a loud system. that sort of balancing act is quite rare and very > difficult to pull off. > > anyway, i read this review to daum. his reaction was "tell this guy that > me and mike kandel are gonna fly out there and sit on him while we play him > grateful dead and lynyrd skynyrd records." > > > Jon Drukman > jsd@cyborganic.com > I can tell you're cool because your water costs more than your beer. > > >

Jon writes:

quoted 5 lines The hackneyed "Budded on Earth to Bloom in Heaven,"

>>> The hackneyed "Budded on Earth to Bloom in Heaven," >> >> Hackneyed?!? As far as I'm aware, the definition of hackneyed is >> "Something that has been done before." If you've got a line on more stuff >> like "Budded", I want to know about it.

Floatdown responds:

quoted 8 lines Again Jon, I completely fucking agree with you ...

> Again Jon, I completely fucking agree with you ... > > The album is brilliant and very inventive and very thoughtfully produced I > think as well. > > Polyrhythms are perfect ... they're what really get me ... > > It seems to slag an album like this you just have to be looking to dislike it

C'mon everybody, what's with all the testosterone-fueled slaggings going on here of late? Here we have an example of something which is true for every damned music release extant: - There is somebody that loves it to death (Jon, J/Floatdown) - There is somebody that likes it a little but (seemingly) mostly doesn't (Miles) or doesn't like it at all (???) - There are people that lie somewhere in between (yours truly) This is a truism for every record I've ever heard. I don't see Miles' review as indicating that he is looking to dislike it. Maybe it's just something called "completely different musical taste", hmmn? Personally I think that some of it is really great, like Jon does. And I think some of it is pointless - "Budded on Earth to Bloom in Heaven" in particular - like Miles does. (Insert Beavis mode: "If I wanted to hear vocals I'd have bought a Curve album, hehhehheh heh" - or at least the FSOL remix on BlackerThreeTrackerTwo, which I think uses her voice as an instrumental element far more effectively.) Yeah, yeah, so what's your point, etc. Well, it's the old Different Strokes For Different Folks, Opinions are like Assholes, etc. theory. There really is no point in slagging off stuff. Somebody else will love what you hate, and somebody else again will hate what you love, and a big mass of people will be indifferent to what you or somebody else loves or hates, etc. etc. Some of the people on this list really love Aphex (or most of it), and some apparently really despise him/it. All this continued wanking about may do wonders for the ego, but ultimately it's completely pointless. Can we let it rest in peace, please? - Greg

On Tue, 2 May 1995, Jon Drukman wrote:

quoted 4 lines There is much to dislike about Freaky Chakra's debut album:

> > There is much to dislike about Freaky Chakra's debut album: > >liberal use of trite, canned percussion effects, > > er, like what exactly? it all sounds pretty unique to me.

Well, yes and no. Like I said, the percussion on the first two tracks is great, and also on some other tracks. I was referring specifically to the "clap" effect that pops up now and then and the synth-drum sounds on "Tra Vigne" (I think, don't have it here).

quoted 1 line the use of guitar is actually pretty minimal.

> the use of guitar is actually pretty minimal.

Yeah, true. This is actually a very minor point, but I would have liked the album better without it.

quoted 3 lines hackneyed?!? as far as i'm aware, the definition of hackneyed is

> hackneyed?!? as far as i'm aware, the definition of hackneyed is > "something that has been done before." if you've got a line on more stuff > like "Budded", i want to know about it.

I think it was more the mood or emotional content that I was referring to, and not necessarily the specific construction of the song. Moody ethereal female vocals and vaguely mystico-philosophical lyrics have been hard to avoid ever since the Cocteau Twins put out Garlands. I liked the much more sparing use of Halliday's (sp?) voice on "Peace Fixation." If that track had wound down at around seven or eight minutes, I think it would have much stronger.

quoted 3 lines i suppose if you're used to listening to something like aphex twin that

> i suppose if you're used to listening to something like aphex twin that > suddenly encountering a well-recorded and professionally produced LP can be > quite a shock.

Well, I'm used to listening to all sorts of records. I'll gladly concede that the album is well-recorded. The sounds are crisp and mixed together well. It's also very easy to tell that the record is a painstaking labor of love by a dedicated artist. From a purely technical standpoint, the record is nearly flawless. My real objection is that it seems like so much attention was paid to fitting the pieces together that the big picture was lost. This is what I was referring to when I spoke of "proper attention to detail." On the first two tracks, the number of elements are kept to a minimum and each is given the space it needs to really breathe and make its full impact. Elsewhere, tempos and progressions seem to be locked into overdrive.

quoted 3 lines well gee thanks. (another example of attention to detail: we mixed big

> well gee thanks. (another example of attention to detail: we mixed big > aura over and over because the echoplex "just wasn't quite right" each > time...)

I really like that sound. I haven't heard anything else like it and I think it works beautifully.

quoted 3 lines anyway, i read this review to daum. his reaction was "tell this guy that

> anyway, i read this review to daum. his reaction was "tell this guy that > me and mike kandel are gonna fly out there and sit on him while we play him > grateful dead and lynyrd skynyrd records."

Aieee! Now that's a SERIOUS threat! I take it all back. Please understand that my review was not meant to be a flame. I posted it because I've read a lot of very positive reviews of it here and I thought there was room for a dissenting opinion. As Greg said, I was certainly not looking to dislike this record. In fact, I pestered the clerk at the record shop for weeks just to get a copy. As Greg also said, this is clearly a matter of personal taste. I know a lot of people do like the album. Daum and Jon have obviously worked very hard on it and I hope their efforts are rewarded. I think there's room for all kinds of opinions on IDM as long as everyone is careful to explain and qualify their opinions and respect those of others. As I said earlier, there's a big difference between careless slagging or flaming and respectful disagreement. Onow: Speedy J - G Spot

From: sink up outside small slow <jts6123@email.unc.edu>

quoted 3 lines it seems to slag an album like this you just have to be looking to

>it seems to slag an album like this you just have to be looking to >dislike it......that's the only way I could ever review an album like >this and arrive at such awful conclusions......

No, isn't this saying a bit much? A go along with greg, different strokes being the operative phrase. I for one don't like this album very much, but I did not go into it looking to dislike it, to the contrary I respect and like Jon very much so (since he was involved on a few cuts) I figured I would enjoy Freaky Chakra. Tho there are some very nice spots (especially on jon's cuts may I add) it just is not my cup of tea, nothing wrong with I hope! Just as my stuff may be not be to jon's (or anybody else's) liking. Rob fEEd/>tEMpESt<\http://www.umn.edu/nlhome/m211/feed/<\fEEd@maroon.tc.umn.edu/> "FILTER MAINTENANCE- After every 100 hours of operation apply a sine wave to the output of the FILTER to back flush the trapped overtones to unclog your filter." - EML 101 Manual

hey, i'm sorry.....so much is lost on the internet, without speech.....i was in a good happy mood righting this, with a happy tinge to my thoughts even.....i just really love the album!!! sorry i made myself out to be a jerk...:/..carried away!!! :) :) i know saying i was happy when i wrote this doesn't mean much to anyone reading this perhaps...but i didn't mean to be criticising the reviewer so much as praising the hell out of the album :) J/floatdown On Wed, 3 May 1995, fEEd wrote:

quoted 24 lines From: sink up outside small slow <jts6123@email.unc.edu>

> From: sink up outside small slow <jts6123@email.unc.edu> > > >it seems to slag an album like this you just have to be looking to > >dislike it......that's the only way I could ever review an album like > >this and arrive at such awful conclusions...... > > > No, isn't this saying a bit much? A go along with greg, different strokes > being the operative phrase. I for one don't like this album very much, > but I did not go into it looking to dislike it, to the contrary I respect > and like Jon very much so (since he was involved on a few cuts) I figured I > would enjoy Freaky Chakra. Tho there are some very nice spots (especially > on jon's cuts may I add) it just is not my cup of tea, nothing wrong with > I hope! Just as my stuff may be not be to jon's (or anybody else's) liking. > > > Rob > > fEEd/>tEMpESt<\http://www.umn.edu/nlhome/m211/feed/<\fEEd@maroon.tc.umn.edu/> > > "FILTER MAINTENANCE- After every 100 hours of operation apply a sine wave > to the output of the FILTER to back flush the trapped overtones to unclog > your filter." - EML 101 Manual >