My own 2 cents:
I think you see the same thing in all types of music. A style is
developed at some time, and it's innovative at the time, and it sounds
great. After the style is pioneered, it remains popular with people who
love it, and they start making tracks in that style, using the same
ideas. And since it's been done before they have templates to work from
and they can elaborate on and 'perfect' the ideas that were already
there, to the point where they're doing them 'better' and more
sophisticated than the originals.
But, it just doesn't move you like the stuff done when it was breaking
new ground. So you'll hear some melodic techno nowadays that sounds
great, and it's all done perfect, you can't fix a note or a timbre or
anything. You hear it and you think "this couldn't be done any better",
"this is a perfect example of that kind of (for example) melodic techno"
- but it kind of bores you.
For me, this applies to all types of music, not just some kinds of
techno. In my experience, if the track wasn't breaking a little new
ground at the time it was made, it just doesn't have the same amount of
life in it, and I think over the long run it will do even less for you,
whereas the stuff that was breaking ground at the time sounds good forever.
Jamil
Matt Chester (313) wrote:
Also, any one want to cite some examples of this recent wave of boring
polished melodic techno that people are saying is not gritty enough?
Are you
all still talking about Vince Watson or just general trends in
production?
Can't speak for the others, but I'm talking about a general trend
rather than any specific artists. If you compare current releases
with those of say 10 years ago, they have in general become far
smoother, cleaner and, in a way, colder. I rarely hear new material
with the depth and warmth of B12, Stasis, GPR etc, or the raw grit of
older UR and Planet E tracks.
I think this comes down to the increasing use of software that allows
a 'perfect' sound to be created, and also a stylistic trend (mirroring
the development of other sounds such as minimal house and techno where
this clean feel has been an integral part of the style).
It's a very subjective thing, a lot of people seem to feel that
striving for the so-called perfect production is an essential
development, but personally I'm far more into a sound that gives more
rawness, warmth and depth than one which is ultra crisp and clean.
