there's no such thing as electronica.
May 27, 2009 11:23 AM Subscribe
Wondering about the differences between progressive and abstract hiphop? Microhouse and minimal techno? Ishkur's Guide to Electronic Music is now in version 2.5 and ready to answer all your electronic music questions.
Remember: Not all electronic music is techno, and there is no such thing as electronica.
Remember: Not all electronic music is techno, and there is no such thing as electronica.
This post was deleted for the following reason: Yup, saw this before. -- cortex
Before everyone mentions how ridiculous all the sub genres are, I'm going to point out that they're primarily useful for DJs and producers so they can talk to each other about music, and if you don't care, that's fine.
posted by empath at 11:33 AM on May 27, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by empath at 11:33 AM on May 27, 2009 [1 favorite]
When I was a young lad, we downloaded FAQs at 300 baud, and we were glad to have 'em.
Can someone explain the difference between dubstep and grime?
posted by lukemeister at 11:39 AM on May 27, 2009
Can someone explain the difference between dubstep and grime?
posted by lukemeister at 11:39 AM on May 27, 2009
Will 3.0 be bigger than a postage stamp?
posted by You Should See the Other Guy at 11:42 AM on May 27, 2009
posted by You Should See the Other Guy at 11:42 AM on May 27, 2009
His definition for Jump Up is spot on. LTJ Bukem is the Michael Jordan of Atmospheric Jungle. Sounds about right. Good man, this dude is.
posted by chunking express at 11:49 AM on May 27, 2009
posted by chunking express at 11:49 AM on May 27, 2009
I'm going to point out that they're primarily useful for DJs and producers so they can talk to each other about music, and if you don't care, that's fine.
This should be all well and good.
The only problem with that is that, in my experience (coming up on 2 decades now), the genre wonks feel that if you arent intimately acquainted with the nuances of the 900 million gradations of genres than you somehow arent allowed to have an opinion about the music. More often than not I've seen it used as a sort of insecure secret-handshake dick measuring contest.
Also in my experience (and this only relates to the dancefloor end of things) the more concerned a DJ/producer/etc is with the minutiae of genre classifications, the less likely they are to actually make a crowd, ya know, dance. It's an inversely proportional relationship.
posted by Senor Cardgage at 11:51 AM on May 27, 2009
This should be all well and good.
The only problem with that is that, in my experience (coming up on 2 decades now), the genre wonks feel that if you arent intimately acquainted with the nuances of the 900 million gradations of genres than you somehow arent allowed to have an opinion about the music. More often than not I've seen it used as a sort of insecure secret-handshake dick measuring contest.
Also in my experience (and this only relates to the dancefloor end of things) the more concerned a DJ/producer/etc is with the minutiae of genre classifications, the less likely they are to actually make a crowd, ya know, dance. It's an inversely proportional relationship.
posted by Senor Cardgage at 11:51 AM on May 27, 2009
The only thing I use genres for is when someone asks what I play. To a promoter, "house" is insufficient information for deciding if/when they should book me.
posted by flaterik at 11:53 AM on May 27, 2009
posted by flaterik at 11:53 AM on May 27, 2009
Oh ishkur, grumpy grandad of the the NWR mailing list. He always manages to drum up a decent flamewar whenever some noob trys to post there now.
posted by nomisxid at 11:58 AM on May 27, 2009
posted by nomisxid at 11:58 AM on May 27, 2009
there is no such thing as electronica.
As someone in a band that makes Electronica, I'd like to comment on this. There most certainly is such a genre as "Electronica." Bands like Stereolab, High Llamas, and Broadcast that don't fall neatly into one of the existing categories of dance-oriented electronic music, or other electronic genres like ambient, fall under the umbrella classification of electronica, which basically includes any outliers who make heavy use of software or hardware-based synthesis, electronic instruments, or digital sampling techniques. Sometimes the term "electro-pop" crops up, too. Boy, this is dance-centric (which is fine, but just a little narrow in its outlook).
Oh--never mind. Looks like this post is headed for the scrap heap anyway.
posted by saulgoodman at 12:06 PM on May 27, 2009
As someone in a band that makes Electronica, I'd like to comment on this. There most certainly is such a genre as "Electronica." Bands like Stereolab, High Llamas, and Broadcast that don't fall neatly into one of the existing categories of dance-oriented electronic music, or other electronic genres like ambient, fall under the umbrella classification of electronica, which basically includes any outliers who make heavy use of software or hardware-based synthesis, electronic instruments, or digital sampling techniques. Sometimes the term "electro-pop" crops up, too. Boy, this is dance-centric (which is fine, but just a little narrow in its outlook).
Oh--never mind. Looks like this post is headed for the scrap heap anyway.
posted by saulgoodman at 12:06 PM on May 27, 2009
Hah. Should have read the disclaimer. I was all ready to get my panties in a bunch over this. /not really
posted by saulgoodman at 12:08 PM on May 27, 2009
posted by saulgoodman at 12:08 PM on May 27, 2009
Oh this is so awesome. I love dancing, but the terminology always confuses me - I just know that there are some dj's I can dance all night to, and some that just give me a headache. When I read things like "Berghain is the center of minimalist techno" I have no idea whether to make a night out of it when in Berlin, or to run fast and far away. Hopefully this site will help.
posted by kanewai at 12:21 PM on May 27, 2009
posted by kanewai at 12:21 PM on May 27, 2009
Reminds me of the old saying that an expert is someone who knows more and more about less and less.
posted by conifer at 12:25 PM on May 27, 2009
posted by conifer at 12:25 PM on May 27, 2009
Beardstep is an insignificant offshoot of italo-stache and three step chinstroke. The less said about it the better.
posted by fleetmouse at 12:42 PM on May 27, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by fleetmouse at 12:42 PM on May 27, 2009 [1 favorite]
Beardstep! Really? Oh man. Please show me this beardstep you speak of.
(i'm serious.)
posted by dunkadunc at 12:50 PM on May 27, 2009
(i'm serious.)
posted by dunkadunc at 12:50 PM on May 27, 2009
hate to flag it as a double, because it keeps getting better the more i dig into it, but it is a double... (also, new wave is a sub-genre of "house"? sex pistols and elvis costello are house?)
posted by saulgoodman at 12:56 PM on May 27, 2009
posted by saulgoodman at 12:56 PM on May 27, 2009
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posted by synthetik at 11:27 AM on May 27, 2009