Here is a post I made in my blog today. I just could not keep it in any longer. I hold artistic creativity and open-ness very close to me and I think this point needs to be heard. I'd like to hear other people's views on the state of the electronic music scene in a sort of open discussion I guess. Some people might share these views, some might not. This is just mine.
"There is a certain lethargy about techno these days. It is slowly dying of an illness. This illness is the lack of energy and creativity. Too many people aren't pushing boundaries anymore and it's beginning to hurt the industry a lot. What was once interesting is now more of the same. What was once original and made of loops, is now looping itself over in disrepair, coughing and sighing in its last attempts to be heard. But the harsh truth is, it is being heard less and less because of the nature of some people. Too many people act as elitists, thinking their own genre is the best, and shun other genres which are more popular. I prefer to listen to anything and everything as long as it is made well and it is musical. I have fully opened myself. I am willing to try new things, and things which are 'shunned' in the electronic music world. It seems to me that the majority of people in the techno world shun trance, progressive, etc. Now, correct me if I am wrong, but I think this is the case. People need to open up a little more. Even if it is done in small steps, people need to open up. The fact is that this part of the electronic music industry is suffering because of the unwillingness to be open within the majority of this kind of community. For me, I am musical, I like uplifting and mysterious melodies, arpeggios, and music which is musical and song-like. Endless loops and short breaks won't cut it anymore if people want to start seeing sales increase. There are plenty of tools out there already, there is no need for more.
When the club and electronic dance music scene began, everything was musical. 808 State, Depeche Mode, Underworld, you name it...It's all been musical. Even with acid house, there were song-like structures. Tracks ended in slightly different place than that from which they began. It seems over the years that these kind of structures have been forgotten. People can tend to be lazy now. With minimal for example. It blew up quickly during the laptop movement. From deep house music came something new and exciting. It was as if it came with a promise for a future of new and exciting music. Instead it grew too quickly with too many imitators and now there are only a few artists making groundbreaking stuff. Where did the energetic elixer go? Where did creativity go? It was lost and left behind. In my opinion, complete imitation is not the way to go if we want to progress in this industry.
Since change and originality is what this industry needs at the moment, if everyone took baby steps towards being themselves, being new, then we would go somewhere. But for everyone to follow each other is not the way to go. We must all make our own paths and develop our own artistic directions. After all, to be called an artist is to be creative. Artists make new directions. Their own directions"
Love,
Jesse
The Sigh of an Injured Scene
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Jesse Somfay
- mnml maxi
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minimal house
- mnml maxi
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I partially agree. The problem as I see it is distribution for "innovative" styles
of electronic music. It is understandable that labels are also businesses, but
on the same hand they are somewhat responsible for these trends you note.
Granted, production via computer has allowed for an enourmous number of
individuals to express themselves which in turn creates somewhat of a
bottleneck leading to the main distribution channels. Maybe their are too
many options for those in power.
Or...maybe we all suffer from subconsciously wanting to become the next
'rockstar' dj/producer that jumps continents weekly. Spending years in a
bedroom could be quite disheartening for someone such as this. But, this
does not explain the lack of innovation from certain well known producers.
For quite some time, I have always felt that we are in need of a venue
change, as well. Techno has never been just about the music...Maybe it is
time for a more encompassing experience.
of electronic music. It is understandable that labels are also businesses, but
on the same hand they are somewhat responsible for these trends you note.
Granted, production via computer has allowed for an enourmous number of
individuals to express themselves which in turn creates somewhat of a
bottleneck leading to the main distribution channels. Maybe their are too
many options for those in power.
Or...maybe we all suffer from subconsciously wanting to become the next
'rockstar' dj/producer that jumps continents weekly. Spending years in a
bedroom could be quite disheartening for someone such as this. But, this
does not explain the lack of innovation from certain well known producers.
For quite some time, I have always felt that we are in need of a venue
change, as well. Techno has never been just about the music...Maybe it is
time for a more encompassing experience.
-
Jesse Somfay
- mnml maxi
- Posts: 642
- Joined: Wed Aug 11, 2004 9:55 pm
- Contact:
Well, the fact is, there really aren't too many options now. That's the problem. Distributors have been falling lately, much faster than in the past few years. This is because labels are struggling to release quality and interesting music for the most part. As you mentioned, computer production has allowed for many many people to make demos and try and get their stuff released. And I believe labels are receiving a lot of demos and are trying their best to pick the top artists which are heard. But now it is harder to find the real promising artists. The gems if you will.jpls wrote:Maybe their are too
many options for those in power.
With the innumberable amount of producers, bedroom or not, it's getting harder and harder to find the ones who really know what they're doing. And this is hurting the amount of strong releases from distributors because not enough labels are filtering out demos as well as they should be and are choosing to release releases which might be one-offs. Thus hurting the distributor. But I don't mean to say this pessimistically. Labels try their best to release the absolute best. It is the music industry after all, it has to be competitive. And with all of this trend following, it's really losing that edge. Less and less people are willing to make new and interesting things. This is just my view. But that's really how it seems.
To paraphrase one of my good friends, Dustin Zahn, artists who were once happy selling 4000 or so records are now happy with just 1000. This is how bad it has become. When I say the electronic music industry is struggling, I really mean it is struggling. It's wavering on the top of the fence now. And if there are no significant changes or boosts in creativity and 'energy' in the scene, it will fall off forever. However if it were to change, we would have a second chance, a chance to keep change and originality alive as so many artists before have done. In any art it is essential to remain original and creative. And that takes a lot of energy and will power, but if one is in touch very intimately with who they are as an artist, great things will happen.
I think you're right about that rockstar point. Too many people want to be at the top, so they follow the same formulas of those who are at the top. Which of course isn't the way to go if one wants success. Originality is what keeps things interesting. When one is original, then maybe they can achieve 'rockstar' status. And not all of these top DJs and artists are doing it for the fame and money. A lot are just doing it for their personal enjoyment. Making their own style of music and enjoying it without a care of what other people think.
i have a few view on this situation. coming from an, american, Detroit, record store clerk, and dj/producer. i think i have a good take on what going on.
i would like to start with the sound structure thing and creativity issue. with the start of "dance". these parties were more conceptual, it was about a moment, a feeling, a style, even imagery. there were more pop groups like 808 State, Depeche Mode, Underworld, allowing the masses something to grasp. when a music becomes undefinable it lose commercial appeal. much like jazz, some of the greatest music in the world, yet not a pop phnom. also with any kind of music, their are vary few artist whom are super innovative to their genres of music. i truly feel right now are very exciting times in electronic music , due to the whole berlin and minimal explosion. allowing concept, art, and theory to enter the game again. there is an acid revival, techno and rock are infusing, and a prevalent experimental community exsist aroud the world. WHAT IS IT THAT YOU WANT?
i personal do carry some sort of ellist attitude towards lots of thing, if i think anything is dumb rather it be music, film or even food, i find it hard to accept that with these great thing in this world, how can these people like such sh!t. they are not just contempt but happy toward that situation. so fck them for being stupid and not knowing the real deal. because if they had a fucking clue we would be having this conversation, nor would we be in a war right now.( ei. if more people were like the people on this board, the world would be more accecpting and liberal)
as a record store clerk i know how hard sales are right now, that may be due to this view on dance culture, politics, and global economic conditions. will there be a revival? i dont know. will we hit the pinnacle again? i dont know. however i do know if people like ourself dont push for further thinking in all aspects of our life's, we as the human civilization will regress or become stagnate, and this music will die.
over all i feel we are vary lucky to have what we have right now.we would all like to see it do better however we all want to keep it underground. you cant have you desert before you finish your greens.
i would like to start with the sound structure thing and creativity issue. with the start of "dance". these parties were more conceptual, it was about a moment, a feeling, a style, even imagery. there were more pop groups like 808 State, Depeche Mode, Underworld, allowing the masses something to grasp. when a music becomes undefinable it lose commercial appeal. much like jazz, some of the greatest music in the world, yet not a pop phnom. also with any kind of music, their are vary few artist whom are super innovative to their genres of music. i truly feel right now are very exciting times in electronic music , due to the whole berlin and minimal explosion. allowing concept, art, and theory to enter the game again. there is an acid revival, techno and rock are infusing, and a prevalent experimental community exsist aroud the world. WHAT IS IT THAT YOU WANT?
i personal do carry some sort of ellist attitude towards lots of thing, if i think anything is dumb rather it be music, film or even food, i find it hard to accept that with these great thing in this world, how can these people like such sh!t. they are not just contempt but happy toward that situation. so fck them for being stupid and not knowing the real deal. because if they had a fucking clue we would be having this conversation, nor would we be in a war right now.( ei. if more people were like the people on this board, the world would be more accecpting and liberal)
as a record store clerk i know how hard sales are right now, that may be due to this view on dance culture, politics, and global economic conditions. will there be a revival? i dont know. will we hit the pinnacle again? i dont know. however i do know if people like ourself dont push for further thinking in all aspects of our life's, we as the human civilization will regress or become stagnate, and this music will die.
over all i feel we are vary lucky to have what we have right now.we would all like to see it do better however we all want to keep it underground. you cant have you desert before you finish your greens.
if thing don't progress, will the future truly come
well, the music bizz is not that profitable anymore as it used to be
especially for artists who want to puch boundaries
distributors are reluctant to distribute for labels that don't have a long-term business vision or put out purely experimental products
and most experimental stuff is in fact coming out on labels that are in it for the love of music and not for the cash.... actually most of them are already happy if they can pay their bills...
maybe (hopefully) in the long run, the people who are in for the money will have to go look elsewhere to get their cashflow and then maybe the music bizz will be more in the hands of music people instead of pure business people ... maybe it's just wishful thinking, but one can hope
especially for artists who want to puch boundaries
distributors are reluctant to distribute for labels that don't have a long-term business vision or put out purely experimental products
and most experimental stuff is in fact coming out on labels that are in it for the love of music and not for the cash.... actually most of them are already happy if they can pay their bills...
maybe (hopefully) in the long run, the people who are in for the money will have to go look elsewhere to get their cashflow and then maybe the music bizz will be more in the hands of music people instead of pure business people ... maybe it's just wishful thinking, but one can hope