Danny Howells

hydrostatic · Post by **hydrostatic** » Sat Mar 18, 2006 1:53 am

In response to the thread about Tiesto praising trance and dissing techno, here is another interview with Danny Howells where he claims that most minimal music sounds like early boring progressive tracks

Question: So what then does he make of the previously staunchly progressive house or harder techno jocks trying to reinvent themselves with the current minimal movement sweeping DJ booths?

Answer: "To be honest a lot of the minimal stuff reminds me of the most boring prog stuff from years ago, " admits Howells. "Some of it is great, don't get me wrong but a lot of it I find to be borderline prog, sort of reminiscent of the really monotonous prog from 1999 with less balls and a lot of people I've spoken to, agree with that too".

Having said that, he also acknowledges there is 'some incredibly good stuff coming out as well' and, "I think, like alot of people, you take from that genre, the things that you like. Some of the stuff on Richie Hawtin's label is, for me, just monotony, but then you get something like a Magda track which is more up the street and really kicks you in the box".

http://www.residentadvisor.net/feature_view.asp?ID=712

Harm Rhebergen · Post by **Harm Rhebergen** » Sat Mar 18, 2006 2:24 am

So? It's all just a matter of taste!

When somebody asked me what I think of hardtechno or hardstyle, I would say it's boring too...

But hey, who gives a f*ck...

entropy · Post by **entropy** » Sat Mar 18, 2006 11:45 am

Well, i'd certainly disagree about the minus label sentence, but he's at least not short-minded as is tiesto!

Renze · Post by **Renze** » Sat Mar 18, 2006 11:58 am

Harm Rhebergen wrote:So? It's all just a matter of taste!

When somebody asked me what I think of hardtechno or hardstyle, I would say it's boring too...

But hey, who gives a f*ck...

I agree with this...Tiësto's comment was downright insulting to a lot of people in the techno scene (like me! I don't do drugs)...But this is just the man's taste.

shypht · Post by **shypht** » Sat Mar 18, 2006 5:57 pm

At least Howells comment is more a matter of opinion/taste, and not a slanderous bash against techno.

I do agree that allot of minimal may seem "boring and monotonous", I tend to call it “droning 7th gate of hell k-hole minimal” – but, I also happen to rather like it – I don’t consider it boring, but I can easily see how other people will. Hell, for a long time I considered it boring and didn’t care much for it – but it eventually grew on me. I’m not sure if I’d want to listen to some of it in a club-setting, but there is more to techno / minimal than club-oriented dance music.

As much as I like releases like Plastikman – Closer/Consumed, and I’d love to hear stuff like that tossed into a set now and then – I don’t think I’d want to hear an entire set of that while at a club. For me, its more at-home listening, or something I’d toss onto an ipod while going for a walk, getting lost in the music and thinking. Its not something that’d keep me dancing for 12 hours until the sun came up.

For that reason – I can see why other people may find it boring. They seem to fall into a mindset that all ‘electronic music’ needs to be dance-oriented club music.

Now, Magdas tracks – they got a lot of bounce per ounce, much more dance-floor friendly and club oriented – this isn’t a bad thing, I love Magdas sets and productions – but I can see why people who are looking for club-friendly music would find some m_nus stuff ‘boring’, but also love Magda.

hydrostatic · Post by **hydrostatic** » Sat Mar 18, 2006 6:35 pm

yeah its definitely a matter of taste for sure. I just thought it was interesting that he was basing his opinion of minimal on the 2 most commercial arists in the genre: hawtin and magda.

anyway, to each his own

lippa · Post by **lippa** » Sat Mar 18, 2006 6:47 pm

He agrees but doesn't agree with the minimal scene, the fact is no one really cares! Its a question of taste I believe its all music and like other genders you have your good and bad simple.

prone · Post by **prone** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 8:40 am

he's 100% right. a lot of music being called minimal these days is very proggy and i'm very annoyed by this. there have been so many records that i've had to pass on because, after an initially appealling lead-in, some kind on "emotional" synth or cheesey buildup ruins the track.

it used to be that the minimal scene was really breaking ground and doing something contrary to what the more mainstream or club music scene was doing, so it's a shame that today's so-called minimal producers are resorting to these recycled cliches.

thank god, though, that there are still a few producers who take this music forward and adhere to the ethic of what minimal music is all about.