From szalemandre Sent Thu, Mar 4th 1999, 22:43
From szalemandre Sent Thu, Mar 4th 1999, 22:43
> I have noticed that alot of people have been complaining about > artist trying to be an Autechre knock off (eg. Funkstorung, anything on > the MaS and Schematic labels). I think it is unjustified. When Drum and > Bass first started coming out and Goldie was at the top of his game, > were there not alot of artist who sounded like Goldie?! Just look at > all the types of Drum and Bass artist and category's that have been > created. My point being is although Autechre were the pioneers of this > "type" or "sound" of music the artist who follow are not necessarily > Autechre clones. The Autechre sound is now part of a large list of > sub-category's under the term "IDM". In my opinion Autechre have been > breaking new ground with every release which opens the door to new > artist putting a new twist to this sub-category of IDM. although i would agree with your statement in so far as applying it to any other area of music. and here's why i don't think it's applicable to "IDM" or whatever you want to call it. (now, this merely my opinion, and it may be unsupported, but this is how i feel.) every _form_ of music is evolving obviously. but i feel electronic music in general to be evolving _music itself_, taking the whole thing with it. furthermore, i feel the "IDM" sect of electronic (and non-electronic i suppose) music to be the main shaping force/tool. so i also place a lot more responsibility on the makers of "IDM". (there must be another term.) and when i say IDM, i mean music that you can _listen_ to. anyway, when differnt areas of "IDM" start to sound alike, that means it's slowing down. there are richard james's, autechres, black dogs, vulvas, etc etc, (way back to throbbing gristles, etc etc), but when new artists start sounding like old artists, it means it's all slowing down. you can easily listen to a track and say "oh, that's afx", "that's autechre", "that's boards of canada". but a lot of these newer artists don't have such a distinctive style. it's easy to say "hey, is this a new aphex track?" and your friend replies "nope. it's Joey FastTimes. pretty cool, ain't it?" i generally feel that if you're not doing something new with music, if you're not speaking with your own voice, or not at the very least taking an existing 'sound' and pushing it, don't speak at all. i admit that it's elitist. but so what? i guess this sounds pretty much like bullshit, but whatever. i just think the last couple months have been rather tedious as far as music goes. nothing's really been like "BLAM!". i hope it changes up soon. ok, i'm done. -eric ps. a plug for my friend adam: http://www.doubtful.com/artists/fingernail/index.html really quite different music. here's a new review of his album that agrees: http://www.electronicmusic.com/features/reviews/music/homegrown/sobackwards.html --- eric sherman xxxxx@xxxxxxxx.xxx doubtful productions www.doubtful.com