Re: (idm) 76:14 and 'difficult' music

From Brad Shelton
Sent Thu, Apr 2nd 1998, 22:03

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>i still think
>those first 3 tracks on "terrarum" are some of the best music ever.
>the rest of the album doesn't really hold up to that high standard.
>oddly enough, i had the same reaction to "orblivion" - first three
>tracks, genius...

I used to share this opinion of 'Orblivion'. Then realized that I like
it all fairly well- but that I couldn't deal with large amounts of it at
once. The sounds are so.. hmm, chunky? Homogeneous at any rate- that by
the 3rd or 4th track I've had my fill. In controlled doses however, most
all of the tracks have something interesting to offer.


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>I must say that a bit of good urb or even better, mushrooms, and you are
>immediately in the midst of this music. 
[snip]
>I don't think a discussion of musical difficulty can evolve without
>consciousness altering substances being introduced into the equation.

You're right about some of this type of music having a close association
with 'consciousness altering substances'. Just to represent myself in
this discussion, I know from experience that a very deep perception of
musical value or worth, whether it's rhythmic or more conceptual, can be
had without any form of drug use. And, this kind of music can be
conceived and performed without it also. There's no doubt that
mind-expanding substances er, expand your mind. But the same type of
creative liberation can also be achieved through more conventional
means. 

After all (and this is not meant to be antagonistic), neither visual
arts nor performing arts education involves any formal or informal
reference to or education about drug use. The use of such substances to
achieve creative moments/appreciative moments is a characteristic of a
subset of creative folk, not the trade. By extension, a subset (not the
whole) of the IDM community (producers and consumers). The ratio may be
different (larger), but it's a subset nonetheless.


Brad Shelton
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