Music isn't about finding the most obscure or innovative sounds to surprise
the listener. As listeners, especially on this mailing list, we have come
to be rather lazy ourselves in terms of basing our appeal of music on the
above. I have no interest in listening to somebody's latest noodly Reaktor
demo, I'd rather listen to a completed thought. I've heard a lot of
electronic music that's supposedly "way out there", and you know what, not
much of it has anything to say. (and I'm not saying abstraction is bad)
To underscore what somrux said, and reiterate what kid-606 said recently (of
all people): to make music in this genre we basically buy into the idea of
being permanent students, learning the latest tools while we are using them
to make our latest track. This basically excludes somebody becoming a
virtuoso with their instrument, and encourages this really juvenile
entrepreneurial techno-elitism. Some of the most amazing shit I've ever
heard in my life was done with a tape splicer and a few oscillators.
Aphex is bringing a lot to the table this time, in some ways it's his most
remarkable output yet. The topography / sequencing of the album is ace, the
range of emotions is lovely. The idea that he "didn't spend enough time on
this album" is bull. With each Aphex album, what shines through is James'
love for sounds, love for creating, even if it's just mucking about. It's
very genuine, and the personality that is retained in his music is why Aphex
Twin is still popular, interesting, and has the ability to truly surprise in
more than a "gee whiz" fashion.
Andrew
"alan flood" <guile133@hotmail.com> said:
quoted 2 lines Sad to say though, i must agree with the above statement. I think this> Sad to say though, i must agree with the above statement. I think this
> record would have been a lot stronger statement if it contained just the
> piano pieces (treated and nontreated). While the electronic tracks are
quoted 1 line crafted with skill, they still sound very dated and lazy. These tracks> crafted with skill, they still sound very dated and lazy. These tracks
give
quoted 6 lines me the impression, that for the first time in aphex's career, he's become> me the impression, that for the first time in aphex's career, he's become
> COMFORTABLE. This is slightly disapointing coming from a man who was
> considered a constant innovator with each album, always trying to update
> himself and bring new things to the table.
>
> The sound design, on most of these tracks, is extremely boring. He did
not
quoted 4 lines spend any time crafting sounds for this album which is really wierd> spend any time crafting sounds for this album which is really wierd
> considering the RDJ album has some of the most insane sounds ever put on
> disc. I never thought i would say aphex twin had boring sound design but
> this album does. I always considered aphex along side of autechre and a
few
quoted 3 lines other non-idm artists to be one of the prime crafters of interesting and> other non-idm artists to be one of the prime crafters of interesting and
> innovative sounds (synthetic and mic/dat organic sounds). That aspect is
> totally gone now. Another thing that irks me about these batch of tracks
is
quoted 4 lines the overall production quality and mix down. Not that aphex has ever had> the overall production quality and mix down. Not that aphex has ever had
> the greatest production quality, but this album is not nearly as well
> produced as the RDJ and COME TO DADDY stuff which on richard's part just
> equates to laziness. And, overall, the tracks themselves have no new
ideas
quoted 1 line to be found. DRUGKS is just a rehashing of ideas aphex has been toying> to be found. DRUGKS is just a rehashing of ideas aphex has been toying
with
quoted 2 lines since hangable autobulb(95) and squarepusher's big loada(97). So, for the> since hangable autobulb(95) and squarepusher's big loada(97). So, for the
> first time, i am extremely dissapointed with an aphex twin album. I am
much
quoted 2 lines happier with the cd i made excluding the electronic tracks that consist of> happier with the cd i made excluding the electronic tracks that consist of
> just the piano pieces.
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