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aphex twin - paradox
 

offline tolstoyed from the ocean on 2005-01-15 19:32 [#01461076]
Points: 50073 Status: Moderator



no matter what he does part of (electronica) music fans is
always displeased. the way i see it it's just impossible to
satisfy everyone. those who don't like analord say he should
do something more experimental, exploring sounds or
something - but im sure if he'd do that other people would
get displeased :) since the general audience and media
prefers songs with this sort of complexion and structure
he's been doing lately he's sticking with that i guess, and
well, im sure he enjoys doing this more as well. im sure all
of you who produce music know it's way easier to make
something abstract rather than something in a form of a song
like squarepusher and aphex (for example) are producing. so
maybe the two of them can't really afford to go
'experimental', although i would love to see that happen as
im sure he would do something above average as well :-)
im hoping for something more abstract after this analord
series, just so he will calm down all the people who are
bashing him for being too pop or univentive :D


 

offline sneakattack on 2005-01-15 19:34 [#01461078]
Points: 6049 Status: Lurker | Followup to tolstoyed: #01461076



that's why a real productive human being--someone actually
creating and contributing--follows their own vision, and
checks back with reality to put things in perspective but is
fundamentally acting for their own self.


 

offline elusive from detroit (United States) on 2005-01-15 19:35 [#01461079]
Points: 18368 Status: Lurker | Show recordbag



what the fuk are they talkin about

what else is there to explore?

are you fucking kidding me?

DO YOU REALLY THINK TERE IS SOME SORT OF HIDDEN SOUND OR
SOME BREAKTHRU INCREDIBLE BEATS THAT NO ONE HAS ACCOMPLISHED
TUHS FAR?

JEEZOUS NO, IT'S OVER CIHLL THE FUK OUT

and good night.

but note: dood, there is no magical fuking "hidden
experimental beat" that is going tobe discovered..

chill out and respect what your ears have the pleasure of
listening to.

enjoy


 

offline ecnadniarb on 2005-01-15 19:36 [#01461081]
Points: 24805 Status: Lurker | Show recordbag



I like analord...it's good (very) but not the classic some
people here are building it up to be. It is nice to hear
Aphex returning somewhat to his roots, but I dunno,
something about Analord just hasn't clicked for me yet.


 

offline ecnadniarb on 2005-01-15 19:37 [#01461083]
Points: 24805 Status: Lurker | Followup to elusive: #01461079 | Show recordbag



There are always new sound and ways to structure
them...sound is infinitely flexible, you just have to have
the ability to utilize it in new ways.


 

offline deepspace9mm from filth on 2005-01-15 19:37 [#01461084]
Points: 6846 Status: Addict | Followup to tolstoyed: #01461076



Different tastes, fella. That's all there is to it.

I'd agree to an extent about it being easier to produce
"abstract" music, just as it's easier to produce "abstract"
art. It's just as difficult getting it to sound pleasing to
the ear though.


 

offline sneakattack on 2005-01-15 19:38 [#01461087]
Points: 6049 Status: Lurker | Followup to ecnadniarb: #01461081



that's why I listened veeeeeeeeeeery carefully. This is
not his roots. The instrumentation is grounded in
his old favorites, but man the level of tweakage is way
beyond drukqs. furthermore the structure is more like
classical music than any electronica I have ever heard.


 

offline sneakattack on 2005-01-15 19:38 [#01461088]
Points: 6049 Status: Lurker | Followup to elusive: #01461079



The progress of science depends on and exists thanks to the
fundamental fallacy of your statements.


 

offline tolstoyed from the ocean on 2005-01-15 19:39 [#01461090]
Points: 50073 Status: Moderator



he didn't discover something new with analord. i agree
completly on this. but he was never really the one breaking
the ice imo - however he is the one that can produce the
best certain 'genre' (be it ambient, acid, drill n bass,..)
can offer though! and no one can make me think otherwise :)


 

offline ecnadniarb on 2005-01-15 19:40 [#01461092]
Points: 24805 Status: Lurker | Followup to sneakattack: #01461087 | Show recordbag



I just listen to see if I like it, not the educationally
examine it :P


 

offline tolstoyed from the ocean on 2005-01-15 19:41 [#01461093]
Points: 50073 Status: Moderator | Followup to deepspace9mm: #01461084



personally i can't see anyone better in combining pleasant
and unpleasant sounds so they become totally logical and
awesome to the ear :)


 

offline sneakattack on 2005-01-15 19:41 [#01461094]
Points: 6049 Status: Lurker | Followup to tolstoyed: #01461090



sometimes breaking the ice is the easy part, and the real
difficulty comes from properly utilizing new materials.
Brahms was accused of being old-fashioned in his time, but
holy fuck can almost no one in history stand up to him.


 

offline sneakattack on 2005-01-15 19:42 [#01461095]
Points: 6049 Status: Lurker | Followup to ecnadniarb: #01461092



then of course if you don't examine it, you run the risk of
making flawed statements, hence my outburst.


 

offline tolstoyed from the ocean on 2005-01-15 19:42 [#01461097]
Points: 50073 Status: Moderator | Followup to sneakattack: #01461094



couldn't agree more there. that is why im an aphex twin fan
boy.


 

offline qrter from the future, and it works (Netherlands, The) on 2005-01-15 19:44 [#01461100]
Points: 47414 Status: Moderator | Followup to tolstoyed: #01461076



"im sure all of you who produce music know it's way
easier to make something abstract rather than something in a
form of a song"


I really don't agree. making an outstanding melody is
fucking hard, but making a generally pleasing melody isn't.

same goes for abstract crap - you can generate a lot of
random noise, slightly restructure and it'll sound okay. but
to make something abstract really good - ah! that's the
cat's potatoes!



 

offline sneakattack on 2005-01-15 19:44 [#01461101]
Points: 6049 Status: Lurker | Followup to tolstoyed: #01461097



His reticence, for example, is no surprise for me at all,
given what I know about his personality solely based on
his music
, and which I've mentioned above.


 

offline ecnadniarb on 2005-01-15 19:44 [#01461102]
Points: 24805 Status: Lurker | Followup to sneakattack: #01461095 | Show recordbag



Why should I have to examine it? Also, he HAS returned to
his roots regardless of your perceived technical appraisal
of his tracks (have you ever considered he may just me
making what he likes to listen to and has not applied any
traditional music making theory what so ever?)



 

offline sneakattack on 2005-01-15 19:48 [#01461106]
Points: 6049 Status: Lurker | Followup to ecnadniarb: #01461102



I'm not saying you should examine it. You said something
about me examining it, and I merely stated that your
arguments won't hold water if you don't do the same. You
don't have to, but also don't expect to be solid.

I said higher in this thread (the second post!) that he's
making things as he wants, so yes I'm in agreement.

and I'm stating that only in selection of instruments in a
fundamental sense is the music in the roots.. and of course
EVERYTHING is fundamentally in the roots, because he is the
same person who wrote the shit years ago.. but the tweakage
on the instruments is mad intensified, and of course the
structure..

and holy shit why is no one mentioning that weird rhythmic
fuckage? Never heard that in electronica (hemiola but NOT
2-3, all sorts of weird ones).


 

offline tolstoyed from the ocean on 2005-01-15 19:50 [#01461109]
Points: 50073 Status: Moderator | Followup to qrter: #01461100



i don't think we will ever agree on this. personally i think
aphex makes just as good melodies as autechre (they sound
much better and more complex to my ear) you just need to
give him a chance. i've tried with autechre many times
because people always tell me how perfect their melodies are
but i just can't hear some sort of complexity about them - i
like quite a few of their songs, but even if i try to
'examine' (which takes all the fun away) their melodies i
can't hear nothing too complex.


 

offline deepspace9mm from filth on 2005-01-15 19:51 [#01461113]
Points: 6846 Status: Addict | Followup to qrter: #01461100



Concurrance from this alex, right here.


 

offline ecnadniarb on 2005-01-15 19:53 [#01461115]
Points: 24805 Status: Lurker | Followup to sneakattack: #01461106 | Show recordbag



I have listened to both tracks quite a few times now, and I
really do think you are reading more into them than is
actually there. It's cool you love them so much though.


 

offline sneakattack on 2005-01-15 19:53 [#01461116]
Points: 6049 Status: Lurker | Followup to tolstoyed: #01461109



WHAAAAAAAAATTT?!??!!?!? qrter was implying autechre is the
'good melody' sort and aphex does the 'pleasing melody'? I
certainly hope not, that's just brain dead. Autechre can
barely ever come up with a melody, and it's usually just
some simple pattern, often iterated.

Aphex has super distinct melodic style, with all sorts of
weird dissonances and rhythmic nuance, holy shit it's
pleasing because it's fucking incredible.

I REALLY hope that isn't what qrter is saying.


 

offline deepspace9mm from filth on 2005-01-15 19:54 [#01461117]
Points: 6846 Status: Addict | Followup to tolstoyed: #01461109



I think with ae it's all about the subtlety of how the
melody fits with the more percussive/noise elements... i
wouldn't say they have very complex melodies in the "bach
four-zillion interwoven counterpoints" sense of the word.


 

offline tolstoyed from the ocean on 2005-01-15 19:55 [#01461119]
Points: 50073 Status: Moderator | Followup to sneakattack: #01461116



qrter wasn't implying that but i've heard that from several
people before. (wouldn't like to name them but im sure we'll
get to hear from them soon :)


 

offline sneakattack on 2005-01-15 19:55 [#01461121]
Points: 6049 Status: Lurker | Followup to ecnadniarb: #01461115



I'm partially pissy at what I consider to be many people's
'automatic' sort of reaction (I am not by any stretch
implying this of you, you know I turbo respect your
judgement). I listened to them thinking 'where the fuck is
he coming from' and really searched, and have found all
sorts of weird shit everywhere.

furthermore, the fact that the shit totally slips my memory
(and like I said, I can write down a melody after the first
listen (this included not to brag but just for comparison))
indicates to me that something really weird is going on..
this is just an anecdote of course, but very irksome.


 

offline deepspace9mm from filth on 2005-01-15 19:55 [#01461122]
Points: 6846 Status: Addict | Followup to sneakattack: #01461116



It's probably not, since there's no reference to either
aphex or ae in that post.


 

offline tolstoyed from the ocean on 2005-01-15 19:56 [#01461123]
Points: 50073 Status: Moderator | Followup to sneakattack: #01461116



not to mention i totally agree with that :)


 

offline sneakattack on 2005-01-15 19:56 [#01461124]
Points: 6049 Status: Lurker | Followup to tolstoyed: #01461119



Well I'm here with my guns, let's hope they show up.


 

offline sneakattack on 2005-01-15 19:56 [#01461125]
Points: 6049 Status: Lurker | Followup to deepspace9mm: #01461122



GOOD


 

offline sneakattack on 2005-01-15 19:57 [#01461127]
Points: 6049 Status: Lurker | Followup to tolstoyed: #01461123



I'm glad about that and that we both like these tracks so
much. I have only listened to classical music and analord
since it came out, I feel like a faggot listening to other
stuff (though I listened to some other aphex tracks just
because, when I hear an old track in these, it's funny to
compare closely).


 

offline tolstoyed from the ocean on 2005-01-15 19:59 [#01461131]
Points: 50073 Status: Moderator | Followup to sneakattack: #01461127



well, personally i think analord is the most advanced aphex
release to date. it has all the elements drukqs had only we
get to hear some great new ideas on these two tracks.

i wouldn't want this to become another afx vs ae thread, i
just put autechre as example as they're considered to have
the best melodies around here.


 

offline sneakattack on 2005-01-15 20:00 [#01461132]
Points: 6049 Status: Lurker | Followup to sneakattack: #01461121



I'd like to add that in searching carefully you can almost
always find something, so as you said lee, there's great
likelihood that I'm fucking pulling shit out of my ass. In
a sort of academic way I've enjoyed tearing them apart, and
in a week or so (or maybe even longer!) this temporary
nerd-high will subside and I'll be able to say if I REALLY
like them, or if I'm just jacking off to all the weird
fucked up genius shit he packed into there.


 

offline ecnadniarb on 2005-01-15 20:02 [#01461134]
Points: 24805 Status: Lurker | Show recordbag



The reason I love listening to Aphex so much is because he
is probably the only musician where he can do something I
just wouldn't have expected. Autechre while very god are
very predictable...there tracks are a whole. Excellent at
times, but it's the track that stands out as a whole. Aphex
has stand out tracks which in turn can have a dozen stand
out moments, whether it is beat organisation, melodic
change, whatever, he is just fucking awesome. There have
ben times when I have listened and thought "you cheeky
fucker you can't just do that" he makes what should be
impossible to get right sound immaculate.


 

offline qrter from the future, and it works (Netherlands, The) on 2005-01-15 20:02 [#01461135]
Points: 47414 Status: Moderator



I didn't say Autechre are good at melody, no.

in fact, most of their melodies suck awfully, BUT the few
melodies of theirs I did like, I have liked a LOT.

and I have also liked a few Aphex melodies, but most are
dross to me.

Autechre to me seem more interesting in the actual
sounddesign used and the structuring of their tracks. a lot
of Aphex' tracks have a kind of popsong structure that bores
the tits off of off of me.

and I do agree with other Alex, Autechre seem to be more
into the whole package, how the melody is integrated into
the whole thing.

but this is all beside the point.

Aphex can never win again simply because his name has become
too big. I really think it's as simple as that.

I don't get however, tolstoyed, how it is Aphex and/or
Squarepuppy can't afford to go the experimental route? I
think they don't want to, which is the best reason I could
think of. and Aphex did a kind of experimental thing with
the noise-tracks on "smojphace" which were hated by the
melody-loving Aphex-fans and disliked by most people who
normally listen to that kind of stuff (further proof that it
really isn't that easy to make good abstract music).

oh I don't know.

sherry, anyone?



Attached picture

 

offline sneakattack on 2005-01-15 20:02 [#01461136]
Points: 6049 Status: Lurker | Followup to tolstoyed: #01461131



ahhahaha somehow I haven't heard people comment on their
melodies, or rather never taken it as a general comment of
greatness. Yeah I'm not going to say anything more, because
I'll just start combusting all over the place.

yeah I think the detail is wicked. I still can't get over
xmd5a, how it has that initial section for a minute warming
up, then the REAL first segment, then from 3:00-5:00 the
next shit, and then it transitions similarly to at 3:00
again and goes into that fucked up last chunk. Fucking
wicked bastard.



 

offline sneakattack on 2005-01-15 20:04 [#01461138]
Points: 6049 Status: Lurker | Followup to ecnadniarb: #01461134



yeah this shit completely surprised me.

also I like how he continued the joke of making his largest
commitment to date (whhaattt?? 12 vinyl??!!) titled analord
by having the first track (fenix funk) have the GAYEST start
I have ever heard to any track ever. hahahahahaahhaa


 

offline sneakattack on 2005-01-15 20:06 [#01461141]
Points: 6049 Status: Lurker



P.S. I'm glad we're still talking about analord


 

offline tolstoyed from the ocean on 2005-01-15 20:07 [#01461143]
Points: 50073 Status: Moderator | Followup to qrter: #01461135



smojphace was crap, and im sure you will agree even i could
make better tracks than that, that is why im sure you'll
agree that was just a showoff of his excentricism.
i don't know why they can't afford it. i think they're
'experimental' enough you just have to put aside the popsong
structure fact aside. imo again.
sherry sounds nice :)



 

offline ecnadniarb on 2005-01-15 20:07 [#01461144]
Points: 24805 Status: Lurker | Followup to sneakattack: #01461138 | Show recordbag



hehe...I'm still not a massive fan of fenix funk...it is a
remix of vorhosbn...I am convinced. The first time I heard
it I thought it was and that opinon still stands now.

Both of these tracks would have fitted on Drukqs (they are
better than most tracks off Drukqs) hence why I think a lot
of people don't feel the progression as much.


 

offline qrter from the future, and it works (Netherlands, The) on 2005-01-15 20:07 [#01461145]
Points: 47414 Status: Moderator | Followup to sneakattack: #01461141



are we?

I'm not.


Attached picture

 

offline qrter from the future, and it works (Netherlands, The) on 2005-01-15 20:08 [#01461146]
Points: 47414 Status: Moderator | Followup to tolstoyed: #01461143



..which is why I think they just don't want to, which is
fine.


 

offline tolstoyed from the ocean on 2005-01-15 20:08 [#01461147]
Points: 50073 Status: Moderator | Followup to sneakattack: #01461136



im very glad to have finally someone who can enjoy/hear same
stuff as i do and can explain it in better english :)


 

offline sneakattack on 2005-01-15 20:10 [#01461149]
Points: 6049 Status: Lurker | Followup to qrter: #01461135



yo, go study the structure of xmd5a, or I email me to get a
detailed analysis of it. I have never heard such intricate,
potent structure outside of classical music. I'm not being
a bigot here--that music simply had lots and lots of time
and intellect put into each work.

man have you heard melodies from mars? holy shit; all these
little lines, interplaying with eachother brilliantly.

please tell me a few autechre tracks that you feel have
great melodies. I'm not saying I don't like any of their
melodies, I'm just wondering what your picks are.


 

offline tnavelerri on 2005-01-15 20:10 [#01461150]
Points: 558 Status: Lurker



Thats a dilemma, not a paradox.
A paradox would be if you told a genie "I wish my wish would
not be granted." (taken from Godel Escher Bach).

Personally, I think Richard does what he wants. He doesnt
seem to care too much for pleasing his fans, I think he more
enjoys teasing us. Analord was most definately a release for
those of us who are rather obsessed with electronic music. I
wouldnt have liked Analord if it weren't for the fact that I
make music, and I was able to break down and analyse what he
was doing. Although, I couldn't ever recreate it.

I remember reading an interview with Richard, and he claimed
that most of the tracks he likes the most, the fans wouldnt
really like, so he usually gets his friends to choose
tracks. I think Analord may have been a preview of some of
his more unconventional tracks.


 

offline JivverDicker from my house on 2005-01-15 20:10 [#01461151]
Points: 12102 Status: Regular | Followup to sneakattack: #01461141



Have you got the Analord Vinyl and Binder now?


 

offline sneakattack on 2005-01-15 20:12 [#01461153]
Points: 6049 Status: Lurker | Followup to ecnadniarb: #01461144



yeah I don't know about that one either. I think he might
have 'just' been dicking around heavily when he created that
track. I think it's good music, but not mad genius death. I
am starting to think that xmd5a, however, is the fucking
shit.


 

offline sneakattack on 2005-01-15 20:12 [#01461154]
Points: 6049 Status: Lurker | Followup to JivverDicker: #01461151



hahahaah I didn't buy it

* runs like fucking hell *

(*yells* I have no record player)


 

offline tolstoyed from the ocean on 2005-01-15 20:12 [#01461155]
Points: 50073 Status: Moderator | Followup to tnavelerri: #01461150



a paradox in a way he isn't 'allowed' to do someting more
abstract :)

and he should change his friends or not listen to their
opinion.


 

offline sneakattack on 2005-01-15 20:13 [#01461156]
Points: 6049 Status: Lurker | Followup to tnavelerri: #01461150



yeah agreed; similar to my first post in this thread (#2
overall)


 

offline tnavelerri on 2005-01-15 20:15 [#01461159]
Points: 558 Status: Lurker



sneakattack. I listen to quite a bit of classical music, I'm
very much into bach at the moment, but I do listen to a wide
range of classical. I was recently introduced to the concept
of canons and fugues, and I was just completely amazed. I
agree with what your saying about elements of classical in
Analord, although I have noticed some elements from
classical music in his other works.
Aphex knows what he is doing with music, he makes it both
with his mind and his ears. Other people only seem to do it
with one or the other.


 


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