IDM Mailing Archive

Well I for one really like the new Underworld album and have been listening to it alot. It has quite a bit of range, from some light drum & bass to lush orbital-esque techno, a bit or hard stuff - trance, acid. But yes, some of the trcks do have (errr) vocals. Not just weird nondescript vocals but actual lyrics. Whether or not its IDM is debateable, but for the purposes of this discussion I would like to submit this little chart: Mainstream Dance/Techno _______________________ C&C Music Factory Dee-Lite The Prodigy Leftfeild Underworld Chemical Brothers Orbital LFO Aphex Twin U-ziq Autechre Letting your needle drag across the slip mat.... _________________________ IDM -Fresh ========================================================================= Fullerton College claims no responsibility to the opinion expressed above (This is an automatic stamp from our Email system and not from the user.) =========================================================================

quoted 5 lines Well I for one really like the new Underworld album and have been

> Well I for one really like the new Underworld album and have been > listening to it alot. It has quite a bit of range, from some > light drum & bass to lush orbital-esque techno, a bit or hard stuff - > trance, acid. But yes, some of the trcks do have (errr) vocals. Not > just weird nondescript vocals but actual lyrics.

Well, personally I don't understand this bias against vocals/lyrics many IDM/techno people seem to have, since, as in Underworld's case, they only bring more depth and even extra dimension to the actual music than there would be if it was only instrumental stuff. IMHO, of course. I have always enjoyed good song lyrics, whatever the genre was, and I wonder if there is actually a rule that says "you shall not put lyrics/vocals to your IDM"? How about Kraftwerk then, which most people on this list would agree that they are the real predecessors of all techno and IDM? They are known to have some vocals on their records too, if you don't mind... ;) Whether or not its IDM

quoted 19 lines is debateable, but for the purposes of this discussion I would like to

> is debateable, but for the purposes of this discussion I would like to > submit this little chart: > > Mainstream Dance/Techno > _______________________ > C&C Music Factory > Dee-Lite > The Prodigy > Leftfeild > Underworld > Chemical Brothers > Orbital > LFO > Aphex Twin > U-ziq > Autechre > Letting your needle drag across the slip mat.... > _________________________ > IDM

OK, though I had personally positioned the ChemBros somewhere closer to Deee-Lite, perhaps ;) And thinking about it, aren't we basically just comparing apples and oranges now? I don't really give a flying f**k about C&C Music Factory, but I can't say Autechre was "more IDM" than e.g. Aphex Twin, either - basically the whole question would be totally absurd to me. And the No-Prize goes to: ERkki TampHexster, pHinland trerra@uta.fi

quoted 6 lines Well I for one really like the new Underworld album and have been

> > > Well I for one really like the new Underworld album and have been > > listening to it alot. It has quite a bit of range, from some > > light drum & bass to lush orbital-esque techno, a bit or hard stuff - > > trance, acid. But yes, some of the trcks do have (errr) vocals. Not > > just weird nondescript vocals but actual lyrics.

Erkki wrote--

quoted 2 lines Well, personally I don't understand this bias against vocals/lyrics

> Well, personally I don't understand this bias against vocals/lyrics > many IDM/techno people seem to have,

Simple--we have delusions about IDM/techno being on a Higher Plane. Vocals are a rude reminder that it's still popmuzik, and we don't like that :-) since, as in Underworld's case,

quoted 2 lines they only bring more depth and even extra dimension to the actual

> they only bring more depth and even extra dimension to the actual > music than there would be if it was only instrumental stuff.

Well, it sort of depends on the music--I think that vocals on an Autechre album would sound a bit silly (and in fact I can't imagine how they would pull it off), but for techno that's more song-based (like Underworld) I totally agree with you. Ashok On now--Tangerine Dream "The Dream Mixes"--my low-brow listening for the day

quoted 4 lines Erkki wrote--

> Erkki wrote-- > > > Well, personally I don't understand this bias against vocals/lyrics > > many IDM/techno people seem to have,

Vocals force a different level of involvement upon our conciousness. I prefer to be able to choose my level of involvement. With instrumental music, it's easy to go from totally ignoring it to total involvement. With vocals, a part of your brain tries to make sense of the vocals and forces involvement. It's hardwired into human conciousness, and I find it damned annoying. As a result, I tend to shun music with vocals, and when I do, I tend to listen to stuff with nonsensical lyrics, like Wire. Besides, how many times can you listen to some diva wail "Oh, baby" before the thrill is gone? Che

Che wrote:

quoted 2 lines Besides, how many times can you listen to some diva wail "Oh, baby"

> Besides, how many times can you listen to some diva wail "Oh, baby" > before the thrill is gone?

Eh, I was talking about *lyrics*, not utter and total garbage from the bottom of Hell!!! ;)

quoted 1 line Che

> Che

ERkki TampHexster, pHinland trerra@uta.fi