Grasping the new beat scene (Flying Lotus rel)

[Mjukis]

No, I don't want this to turn into another Fudgemunk thread (besides, Flying Lotus is a pretty good name). I just don't get a lot of new beat dudes (that goes for Hudson Mohawke too, among others). I think I would be the target audience for this stuff - I like balzing downtempo and old Aphex Twin/Boards of Canada as much as anyone. But I just don't get this stuff. Should I? Do you?

 

[Junior]

If it's any consolation I don't get it either. I used to enjoy a lot of the Warp output in the nineties but most of the stuff I've heard in this vein in recent years sounds overly pleased with itself and lacking in direction. Smug and masturbatory.

Happy to be shown examples that prove otherwise though.

 

[Reynaldo]

I like it. It's fairly conventional in that it's on beat, just not always in a way that the ear expects. Expand your sense of rhythm.

 

[Imperial_Mao]

Some of it appeals, some of it does not, I think there is a slight lack of quality control where they seem to just release pretty much anything as there is such a fanboy scene for it...

 

[Duderonomy]

So far I don't think Faux Rillz has properly harrumphed it with the same gusto that backpack rap/sample-nerd-rap gets, so it must be doing something right, but I suspect the second that a Euromang picks up a mic to accompany this stuff...




There was a thread that talked about the OTT use of side-chaining and compression. Listeners seemed to fall into two camps; those who were cool with this and heard it bump, and then those who weren't cool with it and heard it clunk. I think Gary summed it up best for me when he said it made him feel nauseous.

I do like this track:

 

[doom]

i like it, not feeling that beat in particular but the la scene or whatever you would call it.

most of that shit is meant to be digested in bakedville. and alot is on some beat-tape level (im a beattape addict so i have no problem at all with this), but there are some real gems hidden pretty much everywhere.. its a huge scene now, and flying lotus have made more people think of doing albums which i think is a good thing.

while these people have their ass way into the future for the most time, alot of heads still do blazing downtempo, like this here tokimonsta from flying lotus brainfeeder crew:



sounding very '98 in a pretty bad way you would think, but for me it really works lol

beatnicholas, your turn!

 

[neil_something]

there is a slight lack of quality control where they see just to release pretty much anything as there is such a fanboy scene for it...

this.

plus, nights in the uk where they predominantly play this music are the worst - nothing but middle class boys in check shirts standing 10 deep round the dj booth.

 

[Beatnicholas]

hahaha. popcorn at the ready.

the main thing that fucks me off is when people lump it all together. yes it may be all at the same tempo, roughly, but there has always been distinctions. The LA scene of now (gaslamp, ras g, daedulus etc) has a different emphasis and ethos to the Amsterdam scene (beat dimensions, nod navigators, kindred spirits) which in turn is different to the London movement (Paul White, Bullion, Lukid etc) which is different to the Glasgow scene (Hudmo, Rustie, LuckyMe crew). Some are more retro, some are more microkorg meets mpc, some are more glitchy and avant garde (Dorian Concept), some are really just techno in disguise.

truthfully this has been going on and on for years, back when Dimlite did A/DD, Jazzysport were putting out mitsu's early work, Dabrye did Hyped Up Plus Tax and Domu made the Umod album. And what about people like Kelpe, Danny Breaks, Dego, or Prefuse whose massive contribution seems to have been forgotten. It didn't happen last year its been around for ages.

as a long time collector of this stream of music, i really don't like all of it - definitely not - but the bits i like i really love. Its let down by some terrible journalism, some terrible marketing (this is the biggest thing ever!! OMG GAME CHANGED!!! nope.) and yes it is getting saturated. but the good stuff is still great and still stands out.

 

[doom]

and lets not forget that these guys manage to dj this shit to great effect. alot of the out there dubstep and beats are meant to be heard in clubs. LOUD. not on your laptops, keep your summer soul playlists intact.

 

[piedpiper]

and yes it is getting saturated. but the good stuff is still great and still stands out.

 

[m_dejean]

There was a thread that talked about the OTT use of side-chaining and compression. Listeners seemed to fall into two camps; those who were cool with this and heard it bump, and then those who weren't cool with it and heard it clunk. I think Gary summed it up best for me when he said it made him feel nauseous.

I can not deal with OTT sidechain compressor. That throbbing sound is a huge turnoff for me. I think I'd like a like a lot of this stuff better if it wasn't processed like that. It deducts more than it adds to the music IMO.

 

[Beatnicholas]

well its like any effect, too much reverb can destroy a good track. its easy to forget many of these people are young and working with basic tools. sidechaining can be beautiful if used in the right way. listen to Floating Points stuff for a good example.

 

[Duderonomy]

middle class boys in check shirts

I hate it when hipsters spoil a look I've been unfashionably rocking for the last 17 years.

 

[Beatnicholas]

in all fairness the days of the "check republic" are far behind us now, and the summer wardrobe is in full effect. for ladies this means a choice between "harem trousers" or "tights that look like jeans", either of which is fine by me.

 

[staxwax]

im not a big flylo fan, but there are definitely some gems to be had in the 'new beat scene'



dabrye has done some great stuff this remix is bananas

also prefuse 73 has done some excellent stuff





dont forget bibio



not all of the output is good - like i said flying lotus pn the whole I dont really feel for but this is great imo



also this i rate - dont know who i g culture is really



hard to classify some of the stuff - left field beats, blip hop - call it what you want but shit definitely can sound good in a club

 

[el_sparko]

I'm a big fan of a lot of the producers named in this thread and although there are lots of cringey aspects, such as people who think knowing what an arpeggiator is makes them a god of the synths and ones who put a few bleepy ambient pads over their beats and speak pretentiously about being from space or being 'future' i'd say it's a very creative (and broad) genre with new beat tapes coming out all the time and one of the reasons I really appreciate certain blogs (it can be hard listening through all the crap to get to the good ones).

 

[el_sparko]

p.s. There's nothing wrong with check shirts.

 

[Beatnicholas]

i guess neil was hating more on the standing around than the shirts and to be honest, the standing around is a bit of an issue. been to see a few artists recently in different genres where people were standing around. its dull. i don't know if the music is to blame per se.

 

[skel]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
'AVIN IT LARGE W/ THE BIG FISH LITTLE FISH CARDBOARD BOX

 

[Soulhawk]

Flying Lotus is a pretty good name

from the name I thought Flying Lotus was an ICP / Juggalo related group