From TheevilD Sent Sun, Aug 1st 1999, 13:43
From TheevilD Sent Sun, Aug 1st 1999, 13:43
Minimalist music (to my mind) attempts to achieve the maximm possible effect, often to be as beautiful as possible, using the minimum of material. Nothing is wasted. Simple repeated patterns often feature, and there is a tendancy to go on for half an hour. This can definitely apply to other genres. There are minimalist composers (LaMonte Young and so on). Juan Atkins and his Detroit friends are minimal, since they try to achieve as much energy as possible using relatively little rhythmic or melodic variation. Klute and Springheel Jack are often minimalist d n b. In rock, Suicide used simple programmed beats and repetitive synths along with a bloke shouting to express incredible anger, while the Ramones arguably got impossible amounts of energy out of three chords and nothing remotely technical. Probably the best for minimalism is the wacky world of post rock: Mogwai's Mogwai Fear Satan is a heart wrenchingly beautiful twenty minutes consisting of a repeated three chord drone. In fact, anyone with cash to spare could do worse than check out their Kicking a Dead Pig remix album, since its great. Jorkens 'They, too, are Zen Masters, and are both shit hot at karate.' ...Mark Manning