From C Twomey Sent Sun, Aug 23rd 1998, 21:37
From C Twomey Sent Sun, Aug 23rd 1998, 21:37
>Groups such as mu-Ziq, The Orb and Underworld have claimed Phillip Glass as
>a big influence. Sonically, it seems to come out in the use of layered
>arppegiated patterns.
I think some of this is over-stated in the Option article. I asked Michael
Paradinas about minimalism when he was on tour with Bjork and he said he
had never listened to Glass, Nyman etc. The repeating fragments in his
music are due to the functions of the keyboards he works with, not because
he studied minimalism. I think the techno that is more resembles minimalism
is trance. See the article I wrote below:
>>
Minimal Techno Vs Minimalism
All repetitive music is the same, or is it? Rock & roll established
the culture of the repetitive hook, as classicks like the Stones
"Satisfaction" are nothing more than simple vocal and guitar riffs repeated
over radio-friendly time periods.
Minimal techno works in the same way, but it evolved from Detroit
techno and Chicago house, who's repetition is rhythm-oriented and aimed at
the dancefloor. As techno developed from the producer's studio to the DJ's
set and back again, there were those who concentrated on the essential
elements - the pumping beats - stripping them bare of decorations like
melody and harmony. Now this reduction sounds like the path trod by the
20th century Minimalists Glass, Reich etc, but is it the same?
The origin of 'Minimalism' is in rhythmic structures, not Western
dance music but those of non-Western cultures. Philip Glass learned from
transcribing Ravi Shankar's Indian music and Steve Reich studied African
drumming. Even so the techno that sounds most like Philip Glass is trance,
where arpeggiated figures of notes going up and down are programmed to
repeat in the manner of his 1969 pieces 'Music In Similar Motion' or 'Music
In Fifths'. Ask any German trance producer, who are probably of an average
age of 25, and they might have heard of Glass' soundtrack for
Koyaanisqatsi, but more likely they'll tell you their favorite album is
Pink Floyd's The Wall... If you are looking for programmed electronic
rhythms the original source is their countrymen Tangerine Dream, who were
the first to record such sounds and who's Virgin-era albums have more of a
connection to the trance of Sven Vath etc. What does Richie Hawtin think?
"There are some reference points. Right now producers with dance
backgrounds are developing interests in different theories, which
correspond to music and other things. The two minimal musics are not joined
but do cross. Philip Glass worked with Aphex Twin and earlier he remixed
S'Express, so there are slight points where techno and Minimalism come
together."