Tag Archives: experimental

Denim Robot Releases New Track “Lucid”

Posted on by August 28, 2017

Denim Robot’s previous release “Lost Generation,” off their upcoming album “Nonexist,” marked a bit of a shift in the group’s sound — away from the synthpop-ish elements prominent of their last record, towards a more dissonant and experimental space. It is no surprise then that the duo’s newest track, “Lucid” goes even further in this direction, despite maintaining that signature DR style of tension and release, and multi-layered moods. Lucid open with a soft solo marimba synth pattern that establishes for the listener a feeling of unease and uncertainty. Although it may seem like the song will build into something more heavy, it actually brightens up a bit for the chorus, feeling more happy and optimistic despite the seemingly conflicting repeating line: “this monstrosity that is existence”. The song then descends into apparent madness, while somehow maintaining a steady and danceable groove throughout. According to Tommy Bobcat, this track marked the … Continue reading →

Songwriting in an Era of Options

Posted on by August 28, 2017

When it comes to creating art, taste is everything. We often think of songwriting as an additive process, which might start with a basic chord progression and build from there. But, sometimes it is what is not included in the final product that gives the work its aesthetic quality.  Today, we live in a time of excessive options. Electronic musicians often get cited for not playing instruments the traditional way, and yet the process has never been as simple as pushing a few buttons. Given all of the plugin and looping options, it is perhaps knowing what to leave on the cutting room floor that shapes the character of the modern musician. With this reality, decision paralysis becomes a real problem in songwriting. There is a tendency to fall into the trap of believing that more is always better, or wondering if something could be tweaked to make the piece … Continue reading →

Challenge Accepted

Posted on by August 28, 2017

I remember the first time I heard The Residents. Nothing could have prepared me for such a unique onslaught of noises (most of which were initially unpleasing to my ears). And yet, something told me to continue listening past the point of wanting to tap out — I guess I had faith that it would all make sense at some point. It eventually did, but in order to reach that level my musical orientation needed a complete repositioning. It recently occurred to me that most of the music I have come to love presented with a rather steep learning curve. Frank Zappa and Mr. Bungle come to mind, both of which produced sounds that were simply not very welcoming to new listeners. In fact, in relation to Zappa, one Redditor summarized the listener’s response cycle for each album, broken up into four stages: Stage 1: What is this shit? Stage … Continue reading →