mentality

[dj_donga]

looking beyond the music
the actual feeding frenzy mentality thats going on here lately for certain releases etc makes me feel uncomfortable
i run a record label and i like nothing more than my records selling out of course
but my feelin is that if there's a record thats gonna be ballache to precure why not look around for a discovery thats new to you instead??
a producer or label that needs / deserves the support and recognition??
i am not gonna go into specific people / names
because of course it's subjective and this forum seems to rely slightly too much on people asking 'what's good'
but i believe it's ignorant to assume that if things aren't at a visible level of success that they aren't potentially every bit as good if not better or more forward thinking than the tipped releases

if a big release appeals to me musically i'm blatantly going to try to get it
within reason
there have been times when an initial pressing of something has sold through and people have been well wet about it
i have sat back and bided my time and, lo and behold, a new pressing magically appears
meanwhile i dont doubt i was buying plenty of other vinyl to support
and entertaining dancefloors with lots of music they'd never have heard otherwise
which feels good - almost like making a contribution to this culture rather than just playing the bangers everyone already knows B2B

rant / waffle over
in short
perhaps we could look deeper into the underground??

i look forward to being slagged off for this
from angles i have neglected to consider

[herbs]

Agreed.

A good record is a good record. Limiting availability can add more than value to a record (as we know from DMZ releases of the past), but limiting further beyond what is necessary (those same DMZ records make sure they cater to the amount of copies required - pressing up however many the sellers demand, with everyone knowing a re-press won't be on the cards), creating a hype and then re-pressing a few months later is (i feel) an underhanded promo technique to get people talking/scrambling.

Let the music be the promo.

Unfortunately, the releases with that kind of hype tend to overshadow the many other great vinyl releases that simply won't get bought becasue of it.

It's the underground equivalent of many major label brainwashing techniques (i say that tongue in cheek - don't get stroppy on me).

The way there is a massive 'cool' factor to a lot of this scene's music takes a lot away from the fact the music itself is great (IMO, obviously).

[Hodgebristol]

Spot on

[zool]

well rounded jealous over the joy o/boddika hype? naaa joke and i fully agree mate. respect to the djs who have their own taste and do the digging to forge that instead of the run-of-the-mill hype feeders who mix "hot release of the week #1" into "youtube banger of the week #2" and so on and so forth. you're no better than zane lowe you cnuts

[fassyman]

The way there is a massive 'cool' factor to a lot of this scene's music takes a lot away from the fact the music itself is great (IMO, obviously).

this

overhype like that ruins artists for me. i like boddika but i'd be put off going to see him again cos the hype has got to such a point that 75% of the crowd would be there because of the name rather than the tunes.
Theres nothing worse than hearing a tune you love and wanting to dance but you cant cos your in a rammed venue, stood shoulder to shoulder with hipsters who only care enough to nod their heads.

this is my problem with the "bass music" scene as a whole atm

the best night i've been to in ages was Audio Werner. there were only about 30/40 people in the room but every single person there was there because they were into the music. the vibes were crazy, everyone just bobbin around smiling n laughing fuckin lovin every second.

its nights like that that make you realise how detrimental to the scene the hype machine can be

[garethom]

Yep, it's funny how people are happy to be "underground" or whatever, then all hype over the biggest artists/releases all the time, rather than dig deeper, which is to me, the very essence of the underground. Its easy to find people on soundcloud, etc. putting out tunes far far better than some of the big names.

Much prefer a dj/radio show to play me stuff I haven't heard before! All about learning.

EDIT: Perfect case in point was the Akkord releases. They were alright, grabbed the first one, ended up selling it though, but people were chatting serious egg about it's availability, when you can go on juno, etc. every day and find at least 1 techno release better than the Akkord release.

[sarajevo]

The way there is a massive 'cool' factor to a lot of this scene's music takes a lot away from the fact the music itself is great (IMO, obviously).

this

overhype like that ruins artists for me. i like boddika but i'd be put off going to see him again cos the hype has got to such a point that 75% of the crowd would be there because of the name rather than the tunes.
Theres nothing worse than hearing a tune you love and wanting to dance but you cant cos your in a rammed venue, stood shoulder to shoulder with hipsters who only care enough to nod their heads.

this is my problem with the "bass music" scene as a whole atm

bang on there man...it's getting to the stage where i'm skipping raves cos the line-up is actually too good. The last swamp 81 party at corsica was a bit like that - massive lineup and quality night regardless but packed to the rafters with cool kids and no room to dance because half the city seemed to have gotten the idea that it was 'the place to be'.

whinge/moan

[groucho_marxx]

Unfortunately that's the way it goes always has and always will, Acid>Hardcore, Hardcore>Jungle, Jungle>Garage, Garage>Funky House, Funky House>UK Funky , Uk Funky>Deep/Minimal/Techno/Bass.

People always want to be associated with whats In/Trendy/Hip, regardless of how it sounds, totally agree with whats been said here, all you gotta do is watch Onemans boiler room set to see the young snapbacks looking totally disinterested as he drops whoodini, talking heads and billy ocean! if mans gonna be playing Bobby Caldwell, get off your fuckin phone!

[dj_donga]

haha. bless up groucho
i feel you
reminds me of dropping Chaka Khan 'I feel for you' lately in amongst current stuff
i aint trying to be all mobile disco / yer dad about it
just trying to play a beautiful song in a contemporary context
its an electro jam written by prince, sung by the incredible chaka with a harmonica solo by stevie wonder for chris' sake

sarajevo, i noticed you ended yr above post with whinge / moan
understood
but this is the problem now - i think people are afraid to speak out for being dismissed as moaners
and therefore no intelligent discussion is had

i'm not into any music just to be elitist
hoping that we can spread the coverage out a bit is all

sadly, since i posted this though i have mused it was probably a daft move on my part

still, nice to read the responses

[datilt]

The problem is also that the big names mostly play stuff from the same artists. Particularly the artists involved in the trax played at the last Swamp81 podcast could be counted on one hand. More variety in sound would be nice. I felt that this podcast was a bit boring in the long term. I always try to account for diversity in sounds when mixing stuff together.

[Func]

bang on there man...it's getting to the stage where i'm skipping raves cos the line-up is actually too good. The last swamp 81 party at corsica was a bit like that - massive lineup and quality night regardless but packed to the rafters with cool kids and no room to dance because half the city seemed to have gotten the idea that it was 'the place to be'.

whinge/moan

[garethom]

Particularly the artists involved in the trax played at the last Swamp81 podcast could be counted on one hand.

100% agree with this. He's just playing his mates' music, just stuff sent to him, no need to dig. I mean, I'm not trying to fuel some sort of musical ADD here, but still, introduce newer artists. Swamp show got a bit too Boddika Acid Bassline b2b next Zed Bias tune b2b next acid bassline. One reason I try to listen to the Dusk & Blackdown show as much as possible.

[sarajevo]

haha. bless up groucho
i feel you
reminds me of dropping Chaka Khan 'I feel for you' lately in amongst current stuff
i aint trying to be all mobile disco / yer dad about it
just trying to play a beautiful song in a contemporary context
its an electro jam written by prince, sung by the incredible chaka with a harmonica solo by stevie wonder for chris' sake

sarajevo, i noticed you ended yr above post with whinge / moan
understood
but this is the problem now - i think people are afraid to speak out for being dismissed as moaners
and therefore no intelligent discussion is had

i'm not into any music just to be elitist
hoping that we can spread the coverage out a bit is all

sadly, since i posted this though i have mused it was probably a daft move on my part

still, nice to read the responses

with you all the way man, i just sign off all my moans like that so people don't get shirty. And your right, someone gotta step and complain to open a discussion on things.

Speaking of chaka khan, reminds me of the other week when someone (can't remember) dropped this badboy as last tune of the night, had me smiling all the way home.

[gage]

Theres nothing worse than hearing a tune you love and wanting to dance but you cant cos your in a rammed venue, stood shoulder to shoulder with hipsters who only care enough to nod their heads.

this is my problem with the "bass music" scene as a whole atm

nodsnodsnodsndosondnodsonodsonnodsnodsonnodsnodsnods

[webstarr]

Agreed

[dopocc]

Particularly the artists involved in the trax played at the last Swamp81 podcast could be counted on one hand.

100% agree with this. He's just playing his mates' music, just stuff sent to him, no need to dig. I mean, I'm not trying to fuel some sort of musical ADD here, but still, introduce newer artists. Swamp show got a bit too Boddika Acid Bassline b2b next Zed Bias tune b2b next acid bassline. One reason I try to listen to the Dusk & Blackdown show as much as possible.

I think it is superhealthy he plays his mates' music. That's the essence and I wish more people did it

[Sexual_Chocolate]

ive tried to stop buying into particular tunes hype....

more interested in finding & playing tunes that i couldnt get my hands on years ago, as opposed to trying to get the same tune that everyone else is fiending over.

[zltn]

To be honest, it made me a bit when i saw that my release's topic drowned on the forum because some 1-2 minute youtube rips of unfinished tunes that will never come out. Other than this, there's nothing really to do, just keep on working hard on every level.

[skimpi]

This is why I think the Hessle guys stand above all others, they constantly play new and old stuff that Ive never heard before and then just drop a link to some clips about their next release that you had almost no clue about, and then im still excited when it comes out about a month later but theres no rush to the shop to get it with the worry of it selling out.

Still though, I probably do buy most of the hyped releases, part of the reason is that you I feel like it would be cool to own it just cos its THAT record, but also I probably warmed to the tracks too, if the tracks shit no way am I buying it. I havent bought a swamp record for ages, kind of looking forward to the chunky one and mickey pearce stuff, but other than that im not anticipating any new stuff from them.

[kava]

original rant needs to be read out loud by samuel.L.jackson impersonator, then sampled for complestely new tune. or made into bootleg mashup with vocal-less aforementioned trendybasship song. or pressed as an capella then put over theos lost angel. shit, i wonder how much mr.jackson charges for a one take vocal recording?