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Asche XL
on 2002-05-09 04:02 [#00211690]
Points: 4241 Status: Lurker
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“Ventolin” To the untrained ear, “Ventolin” by Aphex Twin might sound like the hideous noise your modem spews out while logging onto America Online. To fans of the electronic music genre it is much more; it is art. If you look below the hi-pitched screeching noise that is present throughout the entire song, you will notice thick, distortiony bass drums and clashing, metallic snare drums. These samples set the beat and make the backbone of the song.
Over this heavy rhythm section but just beneath the constant “screech” appear several different samples with ever-changing melodies. One that appears often is a spooky, almost piano sounding loop. Sounds reminiscent of Atari game effects are also strewn about, which can sometimes even resemble laughter. There are layers and layers of barely audible sound that give the song a real lush, multi-dimensional feel. Eventually a timid, but definite bass line is established, which helps to lead up to the climax: one long high pitched tone that sends chills down the spine of the listener. This is followed by the falling action, where the song settles back into it’s previous groove and fizzles out.
The best part about this song is once you think you’ve discovered a definite melody, it changes. This gives it a very sketchy and abstract feel -- making it listenable when you are in a variety of moods. If you are angry, you can find something about it that sounds angry, if you are sad you can find a dispirited sounding loop off in the background. Above all, however, it just sounds cool as a whole.
People may think Aphex Twin’s work sounds “weird” or “bad,” and that is understandable. The work of Van Gogh and Picasso also appears strange upon first glance, but with careful analysis you will see it is full of meaning and raw emotion. These artists felt the need to break away from conventional painting methods in order to express their feelings, just as Aphex Twin has broke away from a world of over-polished and cliche electro
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Asche XL
on 2002-05-09 04:03 [#00211691]
Points: 4241 Status: Lurker
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electronic music to express his. What is Aphex Twin trying to say with this piece? It’s up for interpretation. Perhaps he is using the high-pitched, grating sound as a symbol for technology (like the aforementioned modem) in our lives. It is always prevalent throughout the song, above the hodgepodge of ever-changing sound and melody, just as technology is in our busy lives. Maybe the purpose of the loud, high-pitched sound is to show that Aphex, a man who loves electronics, thinks technology screams with power.
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Spookyluke
from United States on 2002-05-09 04:10 [#00211694]
Points: 1955 Status: Lurker
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Does your report have to follow any standard format?
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titsworth
from Washington, DC (United States) on 2002-05-09 04:49 [#00211724]
Points: 14550 Status: Lurker
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what's that for? well done anyway. if you're interested in a detailed analysis i did of SAW2 (and a steve reich piece called music for 18 musicians) go to:
http://howisya.tripod.com/saw2vsreich.html
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spoonz
from Edmonton, AB (Canada) on 2002-05-09 04:52 [#00211727]
Points: 3219 Status: Regular
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wow good report..i'm not too fond of reviews/writing that over-analizes music though...sometimes it ruins it, but you kept the flow going and stuff so => good job
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Din
from The bushes in your front yard. on 2002-05-09 05:05 [#00211737]
Points: 221 Status: Regular
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A+
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LeCoeur
from the outer edge of the universe (United States) on 2002-05-09 06:54 [#00211809]
Points: 8249 Status: Lurker
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AWESOME report!!
you'll get a good grade on that one.
and titsworth yours is amazing as well an A+ on that one .....as i recall =0)
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jupitah
from Minneapolis (United States) on 2002-05-09 08:49 [#00211858]
Points: 3489 Status: Lurker | Followup to Asche XL: #00211690
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i've never enjoyed ventolin. i always thought that i might find something i like about it, but i can never get past the noise. nevertheless, you've inspired me to give it a go on. i'm gonna put my headphones on and keep the mind open...
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jand
from Braintree (United Kingdom) on 2002-05-09 11:25 [#00212038]
Points: 5975 Status: Moderator | Followup to titsworth: #00211724 | Show recordbag
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love that report on SAWII & Reich...
Thanks for sharing it with us...
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titsworth
from Washington, DC (United States) on 2002-05-09 17:51 [#00212604]
Points: 14550 Status: Lurker | Followup to jand: #00212038
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my pleasure, pass it along if you like.
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Asche XL
on 2002-05-09 23:34 [#00212995]
Points: 4241 Status: Lurker
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well i had to do a report on an atrist ( 5 pages on afx) then pick 1 work of art and analyze it ( ventolin), to tell you the truth, i didnt like the song up untill i had to listen to it over and over and write about it. Now I really like it, cause all the noise and melodies come together. My teacher has to play my cd in class to ( i care because you do) he better not fuck it up tho lol
Thanks people for your nice comments =)
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xlr
from Boston (United States) on 2002-05-09 23:47 [#00213031]
Points: 4904 Status: Regular
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You should have him play flim - every single person i have ever played it for has liked it.
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Asche XL
on 2002-05-09 23:53 [#00213054]
Points: 4241 Status: Lurker
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i had to play the song that i wrote about. Ventolin is the only song that came to mind that easy enough to write about. PLus I wanted to lay it on the class hard, and noisy heh
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xlr
from Boston (United States) on 2002-05-09 23:55 [#00213057]
Points: 4904 Status: Regular
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hehe. I hope they can handle it. You should make a statement beforehand that children with weak hearts may leave the room if they wish.
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Asche XL
on 2002-05-09 23:59 [#00213064]
Points: 4241 Status: Lurker
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a few kids listened to it on my headphones in chem, and im like yo before you listen to this, it might hurt ur ears, so i have to tell you.
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Asche XL
on 2002-05-09 23:59 [#00213066]
Points: 4241 Status: Lurker
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a few kids listened to it on my headphones in chem, and im like" yo before you listen to this, it might hurt ur ears, so i have to tell you."
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Asche XL
on 2002-05-10 00:00 [#00213068]
Points: 4241 Status: Lurker
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oppss I posted twice, damnit, sorry
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mylittlesister
from ...wherever (United Kingdom) on 2002-05-10 00:03 [#00213075]
Points: 8472 Status: Regular
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wot did they think of it?
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tolstoyed
from the ocean on 2002-05-10 00:05 [#00213079]
Points: 50073 Status: Moderator
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u have ti listen to it few times before it hits you im sure
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Asche XL
on 2002-05-10 00:05 [#00213081]
Points: 4241 Status: Lurker
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in a class of about 30, i got like around 5 negative responses, 2 posivite and the rest didnt care to say anything
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mylittlesister
from ...wherever (United Kingdom) on 2002-05-10 00:09 [#00213087]
Points: 8472 Status: Regular
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wot did ur teacher think?
wot were the negative responses? were they all about the constant high screech?
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Asche XL
on 2002-05-10 00:12 [#00213093]
Points: 4241 Status: Lurker
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welllllllllllllllllllll he just popped in the cd from the start so we only heard the frist 2 tracks and the bell rang, and class ended. So we didnt even GET to ventolin. I cant even imagine what the response on ventolin is gona be. The negative responses were like this shit is stupid u can even dance to it, its boring, "its gay". The people in my art class are a bunch of immautre idiots. ( its mostly made up of 9th graders) MY teacher seemed really enthused tho, and he said he couldnt wait to read my report
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AMinal
from Toronto (Canada) on 2002-05-10 00:14 [#00213097]
Points: 3476 Status: Regular
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good work! i would have loved to see their reactions... especially to ventolin iteslf!
i had a similar experience when i showed my music class squarepusher...
"weird" is all the had to say :(
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Asche XL
on 2002-05-10 00:17 [#00213110]
Points: 4241 Status: Lurker
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yeah i got "weird" alot too, my good friends tho, im slowly turning them into aphex fans. One of my friends, mike, i sent him flim, heliosphan and rhubarb and he said " aphex is god" as a reply lol, so
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earthleakage
from tell the world you're winning on 2002-05-10 00:25 [#00213131]
Points: 27795 Status: Regular
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so does the high pitch throughout the track resemble what you hear when suffering an asthma attack?
ive always liked ventolin, probably more as a 12 track sequenced album than just the 1st track.
i love the irony of the cylob mix, completely the opposite in every way.
"V." good.
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Xanatos
from New York City (United States) on 2002-05-10 00:29 [#00213147]
Points: 3316 Status: Moderator | Show recordbag
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Asche: Nice report, did you leave out the Aphex Twin part? I want to read that.
Also: Why didn't you skip the CD to ventolin? Acriv Avid and Wax the Nip are better anyway =)
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EVOL
from a long time ago on 2002-05-10 00:31 [#00213156]
Points: 4921 Status: Lurker
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way to go dude! sorry i fucked up yesterday.
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Asche XL
on 2002-05-10 00:32 [#00213160]
Points: 4241 Status: Lurker
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xanatos: Thanks. Stupid me, didnt save the report on the computer so i have to wait to get it back to post it.
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