The songs, sounds and strains of a breeze

There are just times when lyrics fit your life perfectly. Ergo:

We live separate lives, can’t even organise
One more meeting of minds ain’t gonna make it right, no
There’s more humanity in just letting it be now
‘Cause I can’t seem to justify when we’re living separate dreams

This is from “Parallel Lives”, a track from the fabulous new album Overpowered by UK songstress Roisin Murphy. Aside from describing my current outlook on a man who’s pursuing me, Roisin displays the same mix of near-insanity and innovation that so characterizes her unique electro-disco and experimental style. It is very much an acquired taste, and one that many people often never acquire; still, I think that this and her first album Ruby Blue are very much worth a listen. Give it a try.

Recommended tracks: “You Know Me Better”, “Let Me Know”, “Dear Miami”, “Overpowered”, “Parallel Lives”

Pros: Supremely unique; very refreshing lack of restraint

Cons: Some tracks are slightly repetitive and similar to one another; not the kind of album for someone close-minded at all

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Artist Review

Musician: ATB
Country/Region: Germany/Europe
Genre(s): Trance (vocal/ambient/club), ambient/new age, instrumental
Recommended songs: “Ecstacy” featuring Tiff Lacey, “Renegade” featuring Heather Nova, “Desperate Religion” featuring Karen Ires, “Here With Me” featuring Tiff Lacey, “Alcarda”, “Collides With Beauty” featuring Madelin Zero, “Let You Go” featuring Roberta Harrison (from 2002’s “Dedicated”); “Let You Go (reworked)” featuring Jan Lochel (from 2005’s “Seven Years”)
Recommended albums: 2004’s “No Silence”; 2007’s “Trilogy”

The genre of trance is abused by musicians and critics alike, and often the artists themselves; executed poorly, the same electronic beats layered over the same pulsing, hypnotic drum beat used by every producer alive to the point that one’s mind simply implodes from lack of variety. Bad dance music, bad mixing– bad everything, really.

But I think it is mostly due to the proliferation of uncreative “pioneers” of trance who have reached international success– DJ Tiesto comes to mind, who has indeed pioneered a certain style, but I personally am not fond of his music, which seems to me to be repetitive and can’t hold my attention for more than two minutes. It’s good, certainly, but it’s not re-playable.

Nor do vocals always improve a song– Ian Van Dahl’s “Castles in the Sky” was grating to hear, and despite its international success, it fixed the stereotype in the public’s mind that vocal trance consists of one or two phrases looped repeatedly. While this was indeed a common phenomenon in 1990’s trance, it requires quite the dose of drugs to genuinely enjoy this.

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As I was procrastinating blithely on a final paper that I still haven’t finished writing, I paid more attention to the music cycling through my headphones rather than the words on my outline.

“Stronger” is an international hit, breaking #1s, sales, records, all sorts of lofty milestones that a million artist can only hope to have in their wildest dreams. And yet, listening to it, the song is only made up of a handful of components plopped on top of a sample of Daft Punk’s “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger” cycling throughout:

-a drum beat
-occasional keyboard/synthesizer notes
-occasional electric guitar toward the end

and Kanye’s dubious rapping.

That’s it.

…

I mean, granted, most songs don’t have many layers, simplicity is an art not easily mastered, and too much clutter is auditory pain. But “Stronger” isn’t particularly innovative; everything’s on beat, minus some random synth bits, and it wouldn’t take too much to come up with it.

But he did come up with it, it’s a winning formula, and hey– whatever the reason, it’s a hit. It’s not particularly groundbreaking, or even that original, though most people haven’t had this much exposure to (a) Daft Punk’s genius and (b) the sharp, steady drum beat accent that sounds like a snare drum tap and is such a trademark of some types of Japanese and European techno.

All that I personally need to notice is that it’s a fantastic dance song.

Hugely successful Japanese pop star Ayumi Hamasaki has revealed she has gone deaf in her left ear, but vowed to go ahead with an upcoming tour of Asia.

Complete BBC article here.

As I edited the “Music” page of my blog, I suddenly realized that I was running out of room. Fast. And needed space to rant about music.

Thusly, thisly.