IDM Mailing Archive

In this message: Gate/Sol- Gate/Sol Namlook IV- Power Supply Gate/Sol- Gate/Sol PS 08/47 1 Red 28.28 2 Blue 28.48 All Tracks written by Charles Gate and Victor Sol. I've never heard of either of these guys before, but apparently Victor has a new one out with Atom Heart called +N something or other. Anyways, this is one of those ambient CDs that come dangerously close to the line between ambient and new age. Red starts out pretty ambient, but eventually develops some big analog string, and what sounds like a synth equivalent of either a harp or a guitar, I'm not sure. The guitar-thingie spouts out beautiful melodies, but half an hour is a little too long. Blue runs mainly along the same lines, but is done with a piano. Very reminiscent of the piano tracks on "thinking about myself" by cosmic baby, but with more of an ambient feel. Like I said before, it comes very close to new age melodic stuff, but still retains the FAX brand of ambience. If you're not into it, it would probably be annoying, but it is a refreshing change in the FAX agenda. Perhaps comprable to Baked Beans on Recycle or Die and sometimes almost like a less-grand In the Nursery. Namlook IV (PK 08/89) Power Supply 46.44 There's already been a good review of this one so i'll keep it short. Namlook is getting better and better at his solo live stuff. Astrogator and The Dutch Side of the Milky Way were rather bland, and that's exactly how this one starts out, sounding exactly the same as his previous live CDs. He even does that distorted talking this where he says "This is San Francisco". I don't really like it, but it's not as bad as when Dr. Atmo says his own name in "Live at XS". It kind of build up with a bassline and slow pound like you would expect of an ambient dub track. Then out of nowhere comes an *amazing* slow chugging break beat that makes you want to hop right out of your egg chair (remember those?) and boogie. A totally new direction for Namlook-- almost funky. Melodies and knob twiddling and an "each day affects the next" voice sample wind around the beat which builds and decreases. Absolutely amazing. I'm so jealous of the people who got to see this live. Anyways, one of the best things I've heard on FAX for a while. Totally unrelated: I spoke of Ambient Dub earlier. If anyone gets the one A.D. beyond sampler on Waveform, what do you think? We got a radio promo one and it came with this insert that makes me think that beyond in america is a bad idea. It tries to market the ambient dub series as a successor to Deep Forest or Enigma or something. They even offer you radio edits of the song they're trying to push if 6 minutes is too long for you. And then they claim they're trying to create new and exciting radio above and beyond the trash on the airwaves. Granted this music is good (most of it), but this is no way to go about marketing it. Totally turns me off. jonathan eabu751@orion.oac.uci.edu thanks to WILL-E for the info!

On Tue, 24 May 1994, Jonathan Takagi wrote:

quoted 12 lines Totally unrelated:

> > Totally unrelated: > I spoke of Ambient Dub earlier. If anyone gets the one A.D. beyond sampler > on Waveform, what do you think? We got a radio promo one and it came with > this insert that makes me think that beyond in america is a bad idea. It > tries to market the ambient dub series as a successor to Deep Forest or > Enigma or something. They even offer you radio edits of the song they're > trying to push if 6 minutes is too long for you. And then they claim they're > trying to create new and exciting radio above and beyond the trash on the > airwaves. Granted this music is good (most of it), but this is no way to go > about marketing it. Totally turns me off. >

Yes, I got a chance to listen to that disc as well. And yes, its' almost appauling about the 'radio edit' being available. I didn't like that music for the most part. But then again, I'm not too hip to dub, becuase from what I've heard, most groups down't successfully meld the bassline/music with the ambient effects that are 'dubbed' in. I love the orb...and I think that of anything they are a dub group, but with an edge, anyone agree or dissagree? I dont' want to be flamed by that statement, becuase I honestly am not a dub or orb 'authority', but that's just from my observation. -Gil

for a defenition of `dub' sound try anything by Dub Syndicate or African Headcharge - similar approach to the orb, but where orb derived primarily from dance music, dub derives from reggae. Howzat? Geoff X.

Geoff X. states:

quoted 3 lines for a defenition of `dub' sound try anything by Dub Syndicate or African

>for a defenition of `dub' sound try anything by Dub Syndicate or African >Headcharge - similar approach to the orb, but where orb derived primarily >from dance music, dub derives from reggae. Howzat?

Sorry to be picky, but I have to disagree. As much as I love both these bands, both are a rather pronounced mutation of dub. For a *definition* of dub, try 70's King Tubby, Agustus Pablo, Lee Perry et. al, and then of course check out what folks like Adrian Sherwood, Scientist and the Mad Professor did with it next. Elsewhere, Jonathan brought up the marketing of ambient dub in America, and I just wanted to mention that the Tower Records magazine _Pulse_ ran a feature on it last month. While they got some or it right, they really missed it on others. They (Paul Ashby) called Orbital, Aphex Twin, Vapourspace and Eno all ambient dub. What? Did he listen to the same records I did? As I see it, dub is a production technique, not just a catch all for music thats a bit on the mellow side. -David David_Seubert@bmug.org DSeubert@aol.com

RE>>just the FAX 5 Like all 'styles' dub is now as diffused as ambient or "rock" or anything else.. Maybe the focus should be on what the term 'dub' means right now. e.g. AH, or Dub Syndicate or even, yes, the Orb.. I agree that dub is more a production technique.. but can't that be applied to a variety of musical styles..? Ozric Tenticles would be a good example. Dub Rock? JT -------------------------------------- Date: 5/25/94 11:04 PM To: Jeff Taylor From: DSeubert@aol.com Geoff X. states:

quoted 3 lines for a defenition of `dub' sound try anything by Dub Syndicate or African

>for a defenition of `dub' sound try anything by Dub Syndicate or African >Headcharge - similar approach to the orb, but where orb derived primarily >from dance music, dub derives from reggae. Howzat?

Sorry to be picky, but I have to disagree. As much as I love both these bands, both are a rather pronounced mutation of dub. For a *definition* of dub, try 70's King Tubby, Agustus Pablo, Lee Perry et. al, and then of course check out what folks like Adrian Sherwood, Scientist and the Mad Professor did with it next. Elsewhere, Jonathan brought up the marketing of ambient dub in America, and I just wanted to mention that the Tower Records magazine _Pulse_ ran a feature on it last month. While they got some or it right, they really missed it on others. They (Paul Ashby) called Orbital, Aphex Twin, Vapourspace and Eno all ambient dub. What? Did he listen to the same records I did? As I see it, dub is a production technique, not just a catch all for music thats a bit on the mellow side. -David David_Seubert@bmug.org DSeubert@aol.com ------------------ RFC822 Header Follows ------------------