Electronica, (music that emphasizes the use of electronic musical instruments or electronic music technology as a central aspect of the sound of the music),
can include "dozens of stylistic fusions" ranging from danceable grooves to chill out music meant for headphones. It is a much maligned musical genre, often referred to as ‘soulless’ or too repetitive.
I say NAY!
I submit that electronic music can evoke great emotions in the listener. Just listen to the background music for the movie Bladerunner, as an example. The score by Vangelis is so emotionally affecting it becomes one of the main stars of the movie!
But electronica cannot be relegated to movie soundtracks alone, no. Allmusic.com identifies over 75 different ‘sub-genres’ of electronica, ranging from ‘ambient’ to ‘trip hop’ to ‘techno’ to ‘experimental dub’, and the genre itself is only growing more diverse everyday.
There’s electronica for rock fans (Chemical Brothers, Prodigy, Underworld, LCD Soundsystem), stoners (AIR, Future Sound Of London, The Orb, Tangerine Dream), ravers (Primal Scream, Basement Jaxx, Daft Punk), and fans of hip-hop (Massive Attack, Tricky, Coldcut).
And then there’s the pioneers of electronica: Jean Michel Jarre, Kraftwerk, Gary Newman, Brian Eno, Suicide and even David Bowie.
I have switched my audio player at right to reflect a variety of electronic sounds, and I think the selections make a pretty good case for themselves.
So listen, enjoy (or not), and let me know what you think.
48 minutes ago
4 comments:
Let me first drop some "E", get my glo-sticks out, sit in a darkened room with blue light, then, and only then will I enjoy the Electronica on your player!
....but the Chemical Brothers do rock!!!
See what happens when you post about Electronica? You get people named "Fon" leaving comments on your blog. Need I say more?
But, I'd like to add that the GRANDFATHERS of Electronica came out of the Dada and Surrealist art movements of the early 20th century. Edgar Varése and his "musique concrete" influenced future composers like John Cage and Frank Zappa who both used "electronically fabricated sounds" in their work.
I do have to admit that late at night I put on a black turtleneck, sunglasses and sit in the dark listening to Kraftwerk. Then I jerkoff fantasizing about tall, stern Germanic women in leather boots doing "The Robot" and saying, "Yah, I diggen ze beet" over and over.
I have Polaroids.
"Fon" is actually Fritz Hilpert, founding member of the band Kraftwerk, so I believe he's entitled, mr. 'not-who-you-think', to comment on electronica...And Fritz actually lost an eye on stage recently after his friend of 30 years and fellow band-mate Henning Schmitz, accidentally poked him while attempting the "Funky Alien" dance move.
For those of you who don't know what the "Funky Alien" dance move entails, here's a little description:
'Put one of your hands under your shirt and pump your fist while pushing out your shirt from underneath simulating the alien being born out of your stomach like the movie. Lower body movements vary from gyrating to writhing in simulated pain.'
And 'not who you think I am', perhaps you'll think twice next time before you make fun of someone in Uncle E's house!
lol
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