The Exciting Slump

[nfotxn]

What's great about techno music right now is that all the fashionistas are gawking at other stuff. Even the hopeful rockstars with their minimal album designs, Apple iBooks and LCD projectors that are IDM kids are starting to wane. Hopefully this is leaving a more dedicated creative base such that the genre can be pillaged by commercial interests again in about 2010.

Comments

[buc.livejournal.com]

Hi. I have only a faint idea of what good techno is out there. Anything you could recommend to me?

[nfotxn.livejournal.com]

Give Solvent, Charles Manier or Lowfish a try and see what you think.

[buc.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I will let you know how they pan out. In the meantime, I will continue to listen to emo. Emo is still hip, right?

[nfotxn.livejournal.com]

Those emo kids have fabulous fashions. Anyhow, what exactly IS emo anyhow?! ;)

[cpratt.livejournal.com]

I don't really know what techno is, but I'm enjoying The Stereonerds, Venetian Snares, and Pulseprogramming these days. Oh, and Kid 606.

[Brodie, what is techno?]

[nfotxn.livejournal.com]

Oh, well, straight up techno is moreso working within the limitations of MIDI and with more straight up time signatures. I mean the definitions are of course totally loose. But I was thinking more along the lines of dance music and stuff people party to. There's always a dominate popular sound in that ouevre and it has moved far away from techno and even electro sounds as of late.

[bleepkeeper.livejournal.com]

...working within the limitations of MIDI

To me, an extremely inexperienced MIDI user, this sounds like "working within the limitations of USB", or Esperanto, or something. I think I'm missing something. 'Splain, please?

[nfotxn.livejournal.com]

Well basically MIDI is still really really important. But all the *ahem* avant stuff works a lot with visual DSP programming interfaces like pd (puredata) and max/msp which will accept MIDI data but also mutilate sound through hugely complex and often generative signal processing contraptions. I guess by limiations of MIDI I really meant without "DSP wank" and using mostly outboard gear like back in the olden days.

I heart DSP wank

[bleepkeeper.livejournal.com]

This, this I understand.

And the object of my primary outboard gear lust is a Sherman Filterbank, which (IIRC) doesn't even talk MIDI, so I understand on a gear dork level too.

[buc.livejournal.com]

I feel better with your suggestions because I at least recognize Kid 606.

Thanks for the suggestions, cutie!

[kmon.livejournal.com]

and so proceeds the cycle of life...

[nfotxn.livejournal.com]

Don't make me sing the theme to The Lion King. Because I will.

[kmon.livejournal.com]

Only if that's the theme for some new electro-Jim Morrison wanna-be.

"I am the Lion King, and I can do anything... one I turn on this here powerbook."

[goofybearz.livejournal.com]

Well 1990 is when Techno syaryed to make itself known. I can see it coming back around in 2010 as things seem to run in 20 year cycles. But, what will they call it then Nu Techno after all we have Nu Wave now.