murkage

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

I was gonna post this on my own LJ but it's a welcome counterpoint to that k-spunk article from yesterday, I think. The other week, I went to a symposium on the hardcore cuntinuum at the University of East London, which is WAY WAY WAY OUT EAST, Cyprus is so far out but I love the DLR so it was all good. I missed k-spunk's talk because I was interviewing Tori Amos (and tbh her academic babble is so much more preferable) but that didn't matter - I was there to support Dan Hancox and Joe Muggs and they were both excellent, v funny and incisive in debunking the cuntinuum. I don't think either has put their speech online but I was particularly pleased that Dan brought up the issue of dancing, which ~for some reason~ is rarely discussed despite the cuntinuum consisting of dance genres. ANYWAY, my friend Melissa Bradshaw (who is the kind of smart, knowledgeable writer who should be linked up all over the place, rather than fauxthorities like k-spunk and SR) was in the audience with me, murked k-spunk at one point and has now written about it, as well as comparing the symposium to the soca aerobics class she left early to go to, and a vg read it is too.

Comments

[theastronomymod.livejournal.com]

Melissa's piece is brilliant even if you neither know nor care about the HC debate. Her theory of soca aerobics is incredible (as is her ego-themed Paul White interview) and hopefully I'll remember to submit one or both to that Da Capo thing.

I can attest to this. I am still not entirely sure what the "hardcore continuum" even is (though the more I hear second hand about it, the more I'm sure that it's not for me) yet I thoroughly enjoyed Bradshaw's piece.

Because her invocation of a bunch of sweaty women getting down to music in order to try and improve themselves (their bodies, their moods, their enjoyment of the world around them etc.) has a hell of a lot more to do with my experience of music than a bunch of critics tossing about more and more exclusive re-definitions of what they think music is about or should be, and trying to rewrite art to conform to their interpretations of it.

If the artist isn't the primary source, then WHO THE HELL IS?!?!? One might argue that the fan is. But it certainly is not the critic - or their nightclub alter ego, the super-DJ.

Sorry, I'm only just starting to explore dance culture - almost by accident - and it's stranger than any indie world I ever inhabited, in oh so many ways I still don't entirely understand.

[theastronomymod.livejournal.com]

She does, however, remind me quite a bit of Miss AMP before the baby ate her brain.

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

Yeah - when your theorising has reached a state where it's completely unrecognisable from/to how the music is consumed in real life (whether in raves or at soca aerobics classes), this is surely a huge problem for you! And it's not to do with theory qua theory: Melissa's theory of soca aerobics, and the Kode9/Kodwo Eshun paper she mentioned, use theory in such a way that it's instantly recognisable to your own experiences. Which is what she said except not as eloquent I guess!

(It's so cool you're getting into ye newe dance musicke btw - I've very nearly been at some of the same nights as you, like the Bugged Out on Easter weekend - went to Paris at the last minute instead. I'm 90% going to be at the Sónar warmup on Fri though, I think you mentioned that somewhere? And that reminds me, I owe you mp3s...)

[theastronomymod.livejournal.com]

Yup, I'm at Sonar Warmup on Friday (and the BBC Radiophonic Workshop workshop on Sunday but I doubt you'll be at that!)

Also - are you going to School of Seven Bells tomorrow?

Going to see Richard Norris DJ next Friday at some new place called Cable in Sarf London - he seems to be someone who's very attuned to exactly the things that dance music and psych/dronerock share in common and highlighting those things.

It's strange, the different ways in which dance music impacts upon one when experienced in different contexts. Lots of things I couldn't STAND if played in a club will seem amazing when I'm listening to them while programming (I think this is as bigger reason for getting into electronic/dance music as the Alkan obsession - if not more - really repetitive dance music is fantastic for programming work) and vice versa. Also the physicality of sound - what FEELS good played on a giant sound system feels very different on headphones. Different aspects of the music leap out, different things work.

So I think it's fairly idiotic to commentate on what millieus music should be experienced in, without experiencing those millieus. Sure, setting can change music and music can change with the setting - and things can surprise you about where/how they do and don't work. But priviliging one over the other is really dodgy ground.

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

I didn't know SVIIB were playing! I can't go anyway, going to Night Slugs, but hopefully I'll see you at the Roundhouse. The DJ I'll definitely be checking out is Ikonika...

Yeah, it's funny how dance music - esp the minimal techno I've been into - is amazing on headphones, as hangover music, and on the dancefloor, but sounds completely different every time. And how really subtle tweaks can transform a track from one into the other. It makes it hard to be a critic of! Because you're listening to a promo mp3 through your laptop, trying to imagine how it would sound in Fabric...

I remember when I first started to go clubbing, and it was just...such a different way to experience music. SR understood this, I think, but has forgotten it - criticising new music on theory grounds, having never heard it in a club. KP, I doubt has ever understood it.