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Let the music be!
Tanmay Bahulekar, Hindustan Times
October 04, 2007
With the electronic music suddenly becoming the in thing at clubs, there have
been random articles trying in vain to explain the nitty-gritties of the
electronic movement. I also chanced upon a write-up about intelligent dance
music.
For the uninitiated, IDM is being relentlessly touted as music that stimulates
both the brain and the body.
Returning to the article, the writer dwelled endlessly on the power of music as
a something that can engender new worlds. Fair enough. He, however, followed
this up with a strange proclamation wherein he eschewed all other musical
genres and claimed that only electronic music was IDM.
Who decides?
In addition to saying that IDM is synonymous with electronica, the writer is
also suggesting that all music that does not submit to this
compartmentalisation is simply vegetative noise.
In 1997, seminal electronic music artiste Aphex Twin, a k a Richard James, said
about the IDM fad, I just think its really funny to have terms like that.
Its basically saying this is intelligent and everything else is stupid.
Its really nasty to everyone elses music. It makes me laugh, things like
that. I dont use names. I just say that I like something or I dont.
Complications
Dont get me wrong; electronic music is after my own heart, but first the
genres and now the relentless advance of sub-genres is a complication uncalled
for.
What about Pearl Jam?
Trance, psytrance, breakbeat, dub, downtempo, chill, house, progressive,
progressive house and a lot of electronic music is IDM. But who decides this?
Pearl Jam, Pink Floyd can definitely get the people dancing. But according to
the parameters of IDM these scintillating outfits are no good. To my mind all
these terms are just innovative ways of selling out.
A lot of these crazy electronic sounds originated in Goa of the 1990s. Some of
those progressives who countered the banality of remixes that were fast taking
over our lives were hippies, some seekers and some just wanted to flow with
the music. It was all very basic and it was all about the music and not
highfalutin labels.
Connected
Beyond the innumerable barriers of labels and subgenres allmusic has a strong
spiritual connection. Take the 70s for instance. A lot of psychedelic rock
(remember The 13th Floor Elevators?) that came out of this decade, though not
electronica, could still take you on a trip. And now theyre questioning its
intelligence and whether it was dance?
With music we all learn from experience and only then decide what music we are
inclined towards. These classifications have become a glamorous step that
elides this stage of prodding around and jumps directly to the dry theorising.
The trend needs some subversion. We need to take our time with music.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?id=bdc3da1b-6475-4780-80d3-aac82fe80d73&MatchID1=4570&TeamID1=8&TeamID2=2&MatchType1=2&SeriesID1=1146&MatchID2=4577&TeamID3=7&TeamID4=3&MatchType2=1&SeriesID2=1148&PrimaryID=4570&Headline=Let+the+music+be!
Sanny de Quepem <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
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