Well I feel compelled to tell you about Jacen Solo's live performance at the Bleep43 event on Saturday.
I can honestly say that Jacen's set, was the best Ableton set I've ever heard. Scion, Vince Watson, Monolake, whoever, forget what you've seen them do with the package: if Jacen ever comes anywhere near your town I'd strongly advise that you try to hear him play, because his performance will be a demonstration of how it should really be done, imo. So far, Jacen is very 'new' on the electronic music scene so it's probable that most people have either barely or never heard about him. Some may know of his EP on Ai records a few months ago. http://www.discogs.com/release/334919 An LP was also released on the same label a few days ago. http://www.discogs.com/release/475759 I vaguely recognised some material he played from the EP, but I haven't heard the LP. In any case, it didn't really matter. You just realize how loosely based on a live performance, actual releases often are. We all know that when we hear so-and-so's using 'Ableton live', we are often in for a performance in which the only live element is the human being operating it (at best!). In Jacen's case, it was obvious that he was not just tweaking eq and filter assignments on the controller, he was actively constructing tracks made up of pre-programmed elements, including loops *and* sounds (like pads) on the fly, reacting to crowd responses and working the floor just like a good dj should - only it was living up to the promise of Ableton in that it was melding some of the benefits of djing, i.e., using pre-played material, but it was also live, in that it used the facility to construct songs in a way which was quite novel for each performance. As for the music itself, think huge, spacey arcs of resonant synths, manic 808-alike electro, but also some mid-tempo stuff with beautifully constructed, almost R' n' B-type rhythms, with deep, deep twists and turns. What can I say? The whole thing was very very impressive. One interesting thing I realized about Ableton: (might be obvious to some of you) distortion has been abolished! Unless you want it I guess. There was some very unfeasible mixing of elements yet, there was no inadvertent clipping and the stereo picture remained amazingly detailed and clear, with mix characteristics (like reverb, audio effects etc) very pure and present. For instance I remember one song where the pad sound was so loud, and had some sort of pre-echo and yet the drop bass was so full and clean, but you could drive a truck through the space between those elements! Separation and clarity were deluxe, as they should be in the artificially-constructed digital realm but are often not. Jacen (aka Doug Adamson) told me that he has recently been booked to play at First Avenue in Minneapolis (come in Michael Elliott Knight?!) :-). M & St Pauls electro heads (and I hear that there is in fact a big electro scene out there) miss Jacen Solo at your own peril. Just don't complain to me when he blows up big and perhaps takes his time getting back there, that I didn't warn you! I also understand that Doug is in the market for as many gigs as he can get anywhere, so sharp promoters, book away. Doug is a down to earth chap and very easy to get along with, it was a pleasure to work with him and I think it won't be the last time we do. ***** I'd also like to take this opportunity to thank our stalwart friend Jonny McIntosh for working his usual house-disco-and-Chicago-and-whatever magic - I will cheekily reveal in public that he said to me that he would have no problem in coming back out of the ivory towers of academia, to play for us again this year! ;-) Also well done to VLF for their debut live gig which weaved a bewitching and hypnotic atmosphere at sun down, using nothing more than a bunch of electribes and some deep concentration. Ken
