----- Original Message ----- From: "Ken Odeluga" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <313@hyperreal.org> Sent: Monday, May 10, 2004 8:18 PM Subject: RE: (313) Scion/Claro Intelecto Live in Manchester
> Some names I've been meaning to check there. (Milstein, Bitstream) but > I'd disagree hat CI's tracks lack 'soul' - without wanting to go down > the route of defining soul, I prefer the word 'warmth' - and that they > become boring. I do think they're clinical - in a neat and tidy way, > maybe too much so, but they are expressive. I find 'em warm. Don't get > me wrong, for me the good points outweigh the shortcomings. Despite > writing a fair bit about what the music lacks I still think this: > including that it hits you in a visceral and exciting way and makes you > want to dance - which is the main aim I think - whilst not insulting > your intelligence. Hmm... I'm not hook line and sinker on every track he does, but when he hits it, he hits precisely the right spot. Really I don't think his on-point percentage is that much lower than most highly regarded techno producers, especially since most of us are judging him by two EPs. I mean, Piece of Mind is easilly one of the best techno/electro tracks of last year, if not the best. 'Chicago' off the 2nd EP is also damn fine, and the others would likely be purchase-worthy if they weren't overshadowed by these two (at least for me). There's something about the melodies in 'Piece of Mind' - the way they cross a wide octave range and how it all ties together, that really appeals to me. I can't think of the simple arrangement of it as a drawback. Many of my favorite songs have a rigid structure. I think people have developed this idea over time that techno/house/electro is supposed to have a sort of constant variance, when in actuality a lot of great techno/house/electro has that rigid structure and uses it to its advantage. Like if you look at Terrence Parker's "Your Love". That track has the most rigid structure of any song I can think of, but the core of it is so tight that the rigidity just defines and and amplifies the groove - as though the restriction (restraint???) is what draws your attention to the perfection of its parts as one. I mean, this is *precisely* how 95% of the best hip hop has always operated (perhaps only until recently), and probably my all-time favorite house song, 'Can You Feel It' operates with about the same sort of melodic density and rigid structure. Cajual made a damn fine living releasing stuff like this. I think there's something to be said for knowing when you've got it right and not f*cking with it any more. That said, I've heard almost universally that his live sets need a bit more liveness to them, so if that's what we're actually talking about, then I think the point is well made. However, the question of digital vs. analog should have nothing to do with this debate. Some people make really nice, soulful, warm, whatever you wanna call it music with a computer. Some people make thin, flacid crap with gear. Don't blame the tool. Tristan ======= http://www.phonopsia.co.uk [EMAIL PROTECTED]
