This is long so beware: >In a way, their sound is what "techno" would have turned out >to sound like if Techno Kut had had the impact that Metroplex, >Transmat etc ended up having. I'm quite interested in that >parallel 'path' of post-electro stuff and the way that it started >out calling itself "techno" before being superceded by what we >*now* know as "techno"...
There's a line in the track 'Men You'll Never See': 'Making techno tracks ...' Which I was bemused by. Incidentally, are these tracks new? Once again we meet that oft-talked about (currently) retro-future/future-retro thing. Are these old tracks released late or new tracks made in such a way that they sound old? I feel that I'm on the verge of being a hypocrite with my appreciation of these tracks. I've said before that I am wary of the 'retro' phase that's sweeping through our music(s) at the moment, but I'm quite enjoying these tracks. Also, basically, everybody likes a bit of nostalgia don't they?! If these tracks weren't so naive, raw, and unpretentious, I thgink I'd be less inclined to like them. I'm a sucker for basic and unpolished. To me, if there's a 'soul' to be seen, you'll see it more clearly that way. Don't get me wrong. D.I.E isn't particularly deep. It's about fun. That seems to count for a lot right now. I'd also say something similar on the discussion about 'future vs retro' which we've had this week, albeit late - excuse me. I do share the misgivings which some have about what looks like a capitulation to that pull to the past and apparent relinquishing of efforts to push boundaries to create what we think of as 'futuristic music'. At the same time, I do sympathize with the fact of the zeitgeist under which we live - markedly conservative and controlling governments, unforgiving if not impossible macroeconomic backdrop, which makes any sort of risky artistic innovation seem out of place, let alone hard to sell. Perhaps you might view this as a semantic device but I would question however, just how 'retrospective' in attitude a lot of what is looked at that way is regarded. 'Let Me Think' by Kenny Larkin, might be a case in point. Apparently the track is at least a decade old - some people said they used to hear it on the radio in Detroit in the 1990s. I'd say, if you compare it to anything which is even remotely similar - the average piano-based jazz track by whoever (I don't follow that genre) how would it compare? To me, the atmosphere on it, not to mention the haunting use of synths still differentiates it sharply from most chart fodder and from specialist stuff of similar ilk. Of course I recognize that it's not avant-garde in the sense of being off the map in comparison terms, but I feel some comments suggesting it and similar stuff are going backwards, in terms of progression are going too far. Also sometimes, we ought to consider whether, in relative terms, some of what we call progress in terms of sounds, actual musical and recording technology - relating to the music that we in our relatively specialist world like, has progressed so far in expertise and innovation, that it will take much of the rest of 'popular' music many years to catch-up. Therefore, in relative terms, based on a wider perspective than say 'techno' electro, etc, etc, stuff like Juan Atkins' 'Back To Basics', Kenny Larkins' 'Let Me Think', D.I.E., recent Carl Craig productions, even things by Claro Intelecto here in the uk (if you haven't heard it - believe me, you should) is still - in as real terms as it's possible to speak of when talking about something as intangible, subjective relative and refractive as values in electronic music(!) - far, far, far off in the far future to most people. Again, don't get me wrong - whoever is cutting the edge in this world, I will always give their efforts more than a cursory listen (- right not it's the 'Cologne' school, Kompact, Dial et al which gets my vote for genuine unforeseen music, imho). But my view of what else is good has never been that restricted I guess. Sorry for the length. Difficult subject. It's all *just* my own humble opinion of course, before I get a flaming of as many words! k >> -----Original Message----- >> From: KiDDy*RaVeR [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] >> Sent: 30 April 2004 11:59 >> To: ThReE-oNe-ThReE >> Subject: Re: (313) Detroit In Effect >> >> >> Yep, they seem to belongs to the hiphop scene, being very >> 'electro basis', >> as if we were back 20 years ago when techno wasnt even come >> into the world! >> They have evolved in their own 'path', thats what it makes it >> attractive, i >> think. >> - KiDDy. >> http://www.paradisemassage.org/pm_newsletters/bb07/bb07ok.html >
