The song was inspired by an incident Adele had with a former boyfriend of six months. At 6am, after learning he had cheated on her, she went to the bar he was at and punched him in the face. After being thrown out, Adele walked down the street alone and thought to herself, "What is it you're chasing? You're chasing an empty pavement." She sang and recorded it on her mobile phone and arranged the chords when she got home.
If your boyfriend is a bar at 6am, he needs to be punched in the face regardless.
- "The soundtrack to the film AUN by Edgar Honetschläger, is a film based on Faustian themes of the eternal quest for the future, the inexhaustible belief in progress and the inevitable effects and links to a current world in motion. With suitable vigour, Christian Fennesz ruminates over his scientific quest in hand - exploratory in nature and fleeced with meandering ambience and ample wanderlust."
- Bleep.
Intention: - "AUN the beginning and the end of all things tells the story of mankinds quest for the future, his desire to create the tomorrow, his fear of and loathing for the apocalypse. It spins the Faustian theme twice and lays bare open the inexhaustible Judea/Christian believe in progress, which by the 21st century has taken over the entire world and has succeeded in maneuvering the globe into a situation that cant be solved by means of economics and science anymore. Enlightenments merits have taken the Wests ability to sense what is not to be seen, what is only to be felt. Believes are so much more than religion, than monotheistic concepts. Souls and spirits exist not only in film. Denial and neglect of eternal laws lead to extinction of the individual and the entire human race. AUN invents rituals as well as mythologies and worships the creator of it all nature by playfully laying out its dichotomy with human culture. The film equals mankinds beauty with nature by announcing that everything mankind creates in nature. Sadly the hubris ends and gives the audience the chance to heartily weep for the world."
- http://www.fennesz.com/
Re; hip hop: there was a debate here once where Jonah asked for some classical tips, and lots of "fringe" classical stuff was being suggested, and nereffid suggested to just dive in with real classical real symphonic works, rather than poking around the edges. I kind of feel that way about hip hop; as long as I poked around the edges, I never got that into it, but when I dove in to my first Wu Tang Clan album, my appreciation really started to grow. So my recommendation is to try FishScale by Ghostface Killah. It may have a lot of the things you don't like on it, but sonically and lyrically it's an amazing album, and it can lead you down a lot of other paths such as the aforementioned Wu Tang, and all related solo acts, J Dillah (which, as instrumental hip hop might be a good thing for you to look into too) and MF Doom (the one track he produced on FishScale is one of my favorites). From there you can really explore a lot.
Also, there are a lot of good free hip hop mix tapes out there, which is something else you might want to explore. A recent one you might want to check out is Duality by Captain Murphy. Captain Murphy is Flying Lotus, so again something in common with stuff you already listen to. (and yeah, probably goes against my dive in to the center advice). Craig wrote up some good looking mix tapes on mig too; I'll try to point out more if I think of them.
And then MF Doom; again maybe he's fringe but whatever. I love his production work, and when he really hits as a lyricist there's nothing like him. He has some amazing records, and a lot of amazing collaborations too.
I'd never recommend Ghostface Killah myself, but only because I get nothing out of his voice - he's a "shouty" kinda rapper to my ears, without much vocal sonority or interesting inflection. I could never get into FishScale because of that.
Yeah, shouty and high-pitched too; I think RZA said something like "if anybody other than me produces him, he sounds like a little kid." I still love it - I think the way he flows is pretty much unbeatable, even if it's shouted.
Here's the issue you're going to find with hip hop, GP: It rose from the streets to tell the story of the streets. That story begins with competition, hence the history of braggadicio, or as you term it "best rapper/most hardcore individual". The story then moves into hustling, gang banging, and the like. The view that these things are glorified, however, is usually incorrect. It's all about telling stories (whether personal or not), in order to document the life these rappers and their friends/families have to deal with. In fact, the best rappers don't have things end well for the hustler (Nas and Jay-Z for example). Even N.W.A. and similar hardcore rappers are telling stories, but to tell the story of the street you have to use the language of the street. There are many things about that language that is off putting, and there are many things that need to be corrected (especially the misogyny and homophobia), but the art wouldn't be honest without those aspects.
That said, I agree with the recommendations of both kargatron and amclark2, especially the Native Language groups, and I've actually been thinking for awhile about how best to do a hip hop version of Nereffid's history of classical music on MiG. I've kind of decided to introduce some of the classic hip hop tracks through eras or localities in short posts.
Ambient from the Ghostly drip. GP, you should check this out. I'm enjoying it, but I don't know enough about the style to know if it's actually good or just pleasant sounding.
"The self-titled debut album from Billow Observatory the duo comprising Danish producer Jonas Munk, aka Manual, and Auburn Lull guitarist Jason Kolb is a record that has been nearly a decade in the making, and a record that unfolds at a stately, unhurried pace, its subtleties revealing themselves with repeated listening. Its sound reflects its creators' diverse backgrounds Kolb's ambient guitar work, along with Munk's experience in film music and the minutiae of sound engineering as well as their patience and devotion to their craft. The self-titled album is slated for a December 4th in North America and December 3rd worldwide.
The genesis of Billow Observatory came in summer 2004, when Munk was first introduced to Kolb's work with Auburn Lull. A split EP between Manual and Auburn Lull was mooted, and although this didn't materialize, the duo began exchanging ideas and audio files, finally meeting in person during 2007 when they played a show together in Michigan.
As time passed, their work began to coalesce into what would become Billow Observatory as Munk says, "We never expected to be working on material for six years, but something very exciting took shape as soon as we started working together and we had to follow that idea to the end." The process of following that idea was slow and deliberate, one that required meticulous attention to detail and nuance. The resultant album is the work of two musicians at the top of their game, pouring years of experience and expertise into the creation of a record where every sound is there for a reason. . . . ."
I abstain from the Hip-Hop discussion, except to note that I once had my sister-in-law's (white, grad student) boyfriend expounding to me on the difference between Nigga and Nigger. Please. Like Prof, I enjoy some Hip-Hop influences in the good music that finds its way back to me.
Meanwhile,
As Nicholas Payton would say, #BAM !
eta: And right next to the above in the album playlist...also BAM!
Thanks all for the suggestions, I promise to listen, but I think not here at work :-). @Craig, I do get what you say about the history, though I still suspect there's a distinction or two in there to be made (I am of course hypothesizing from relative ignorance, and may well be in the position of the newcomer to jazz asking whether Kenny G is different from John Coltrane). Grandmaster Flash is also rooted in the streets, no? But there's a lot of profound content in there. Understanding where the braggadocio comes from doesn't make it any more interesting for me to listen to, per se. And I've listened to some other tracks that were very coarse in some ways but struck me as insightful and descriptive in a way that invited reflection and compassion; I've listened to other tracks that left me unable to hear (and this might be me, not the track, but these are the ears I have to work with for now) much more than, say, boasting for its own sake. It's like movies - it's hard to pin down exactly, but nevertheless there's a world of difference between a film that uses gritty stuff in a way that gives me insight and opens up the humanity of the situation and a film that uses gritty as a cheap/sensationalist/crude way of holding my attention.
Or another kind of juxtaposition: the other day I listened to a guy from my church talk through tears about how growing up every financially solvent member of his family was a pimp or a dealer, and that was his horizon of expectation, but how through the time someone invested in him at a youth group he found a more constructive path and is now mentoring other kids. And then I look at, say, the video to P.I.M.P. by 50 cent (which I randomly stumbled across the other day) and I am left wondering, is there some kind of profound commentary in here that I am missing or is this just finding a way to titillate an audience and make money with things that in the real world screw people up? Is it intended as boasting or defiance or lament or wry confession? (That's a genuinely open question - feel free to persuade me I'm missing the point). On the other hand, something you posted here maybe a year or more ago, a free download of an early tape by someone who was emerging on the scene (can't remember what it was called - have it at home; I think it was either Tyler the Creator or someone from the same group of folk you were posting about then) had a lot of violence in the language but struck me as far more insightful and touching. It made me want to weep more than it annoyed me. In other words I am not sure what I am getting at is the simple presence or absence of certain themes or words, perhaps more the spirit and insight and stance with which it's done. That's where I need help separating the Kenny Gs from the Coltranes.
Anyway, I didn't really set out to get on my high horse about hip hop (which I kind of like in a fringe kind of way), I was just trying to sketch my sensibilities as of now, which have led me to be on average more likely to like hip hop with lyrics that are progressive/constructive.
I'm enjoying that Billow Observatory album. For others who like it, if you haven't already you might want to check out this free one at the archive that's in a similar vein: The Blue Sunshine by Mosca.
GP - No need to explain yourself. I think I know you well enough to realize you aren't going to write off a whole genre just because some of it doesn't speak to you. You are certainly right, though, that there are rappers who are not 'artists' and are in the game just to make a buck, and I have a hard time arguing that 50 Cent isn't one of them. I actually don't own any 50 (although I've been thinking about grabbing his debut from Guvera), because he just doesn't connect with me.
I may have been a bit defensive in my original post (although I tried hard not to be), because I tire of hearing people write off hip hop without considering its roots. I know you are not one of those folks, though. You really should check out Native Tongues, especially A Tribe Called Quest.
Given all that you said above GP, I'd also recommend the recent Good Kid mAAd City by Kendrick Lamar; it's a great cinematic story of life in Compton; a great album that grows on me with each listen. Might be on gu?
@Craig, yes, the original version of the original question included an apology for using stereotypes about hip hop as a shorthand for trying the briefly name some parameters, but then it sounded too long and apologetic so I took it out; maybe should have left it in. I totally understand the reaction. (Ambient equivalent: it's got no tune, it all sounds the same, it's just one note, anyone could to that, etc.)
What makes it clumsy asking about an unfamiliar genre is not knowing how to describe the difference between what seems to be good stuff and what seems less so, and not knowing whether an artist who sounds dubious to you is actually supposed to be profound (so I was interested to hear your take on 50 cent), and not knowing how far to trust one's current reactions (if I ever dare say anything negative about a genre, my wife gleefully quotes back to me a disparaging comment I made when I first heard experimental computer music).
A Tribe Called Quest seems to be a recurring mention - I'll give that a listen. What do you think of Zion I? I have one track by them that was an emusic download of the day that I quite like. @amc2, thanks for that rec also.
No, just haven't actually been able to digest it properly yet - I got part way in before having to leave for the office, and it's not really the right thing for the office space. Skelethon is not on Guvera, which is why I started with that one - I'll break out spotify when I get a chance and listen to skelethon. Very first untutored impression of None Shall Pass based on the first few tracks: first track struck me as a bit sonically muddy, didn't grab me on a first listen. The one about bringing back Pluto I found interesting & inventive, though wasn't able to catch all the lyrics on the first time through. I am kind of interested in the strand of rap that has space/sci fi themes (connection both to funk and to Kraftwerk/post-war German music, I would think) - I've previously heard the Blackalicious Escape to Mars album and one by Del the Funky Homosapien (Deltron something?) that was also sci fi themed.
ETA: actually, my assistant just left, so I'm the last one here, so...NP: Skelethon.
I know absolutely nothing about Zion I, so no opinions here. If there are any other particular acts you're interest in, though, let me know and I'll do my best to encapsulate them.
I totally understand your statement about asking about an unfamiliar genre. Just like I did earlier today for ambient in calling something pleasant. How the heck does that describe anything?
kargatron - I love Aesop Rock. He's on Rhymesayers now, which is based in the Twin Cities so we get to see a lot of him. I also love that the guest vocalist on "Coffee" (the last track on the album you were listening to, GP), is John Darnielle from the Mountain Goats. Such a weird and awesome combo. Now he just needs to get Darnielle to Soundset this year to do it live.
Like the sound on this better so far.
ETA, quite enjoying this. Just read through the lyrics of "Leisureforce", though, and have no idea what they are about :-).
Comments
If your boyfriend is a bar at 6am, he needs to be punched in the face regardless.
Fennesz - AUN
Re; hip hop: there was a debate here once where Jonah asked for some classical tips, and lots of "fringe" classical stuff was being suggested, and nereffid suggested to just dive in with real classical real symphonic works, rather than poking around the edges. I kind of feel that way about hip hop; as long as I poked around the edges, I never got that into it, but when I dove in to my first Wu Tang Clan album, my appreciation really started to grow. So my recommendation is to try FishScale by Ghostface Killah. It may have a lot of the things you don't like on it, but sonically and lyrically it's an amazing album, and it can lead you down a lot of other paths such as the aforementioned Wu Tang, and all related solo acts, J Dillah (which, as instrumental hip hop might be a good thing for you to look into too) and MF Doom (the one track he produced on FishScale is one of my favorites). From there you can really explore a lot.
Also, there are a lot of good free hip hop mix tapes out there, which is something else you might want to explore. A recent one you might want to check out is Duality by Captain Murphy. Captain Murphy is Flying Lotus, so again something in common with stuff you already listen to. (and yeah, probably goes against my dive in to the center advice). Craig wrote up some good looking mix tapes on mig too; I'll try to point out more if I think of them.
And then MF Doom; again maybe he's fringe but whatever. I love his production work, and when he really hits as a lyricist there's nothing like him. He has some amazing records, and a lot of amazing collaborations too.
Yeah, shouty and high-pitched too; I think RZA said something like "if anybody other than me produces him, he sounds like a little kid." I still love it - I think the way he flows is pretty much unbeatable, even if it's shouted.
That said, I agree with the recommendations of both kargatron and amclark2, especially the Native Language groups, and I've actually been thinking for awhile about how best to do a hip hop version of Nereffid's history of classical music on MiG. I've kind of decided to introduce some of the classic hip hop tracks through eras or localities in short posts.
Craig
Billow Observatory - s/t
Ambient from the Ghostly drip. GP, you should check this out. I'm enjoying it, but I don't know enough about the style to know if it's actually good or just pleasant sounding.
Craig
Meanwhile,
As Nicholas Payton would say, #BAM !
eta: And right next to the above in the album playlist...also BAM!
With the epic-ness of early fusion, this is a relief, albeit still contemplative.
@Craig, I do get what you say about the history, though I still suspect there's a distinction or two in there to be made (I am of course hypothesizing from relative ignorance, and may well be in the position of the newcomer to jazz asking whether Kenny G is different from John Coltrane). Grandmaster Flash is also rooted in the streets, no? But there's a lot of profound content in there. Understanding where the braggadocio comes from doesn't make it any more interesting for me to listen to, per se. And I've listened to some other tracks that were very coarse in some ways but struck me as insightful and descriptive in a way that invited reflection and compassion; I've listened to other tracks that left me unable to hear (and this might be me, not the track, but these are the ears I have to work with for now) much more than, say, boasting for its own sake. It's like movies - it's hard to pin down exactly, but nevertheless there's a world of difference between a film that uses gritty stuff in a way that gives me insight and opens up the humanity of the situation and a film that uses gritty as a cheap/sensationalist/crude way of holding my attention.
Or another kind of juxtaposition: the other day I listened to a guy from my church talk through tears about how growing up every financially solvent member of his family was a pimp or a dealer, and that was his horizon of expectation, but how through the time someone invested in him at a youth group he found a more constructive path and is now mentoring other kids. And then I look at, say, the video to P.I.M.P. by 50 cent (which I randomly stumbled across the other day) and I am left wondering, is there some kind of profound commentary in here that I am missing or is this just finding a way to titillate an audience and make money with things that in the real world screw people up? Is it intended as boasting or defiance or lament or wry confession? (That's a genuinely open question - feel free to persuade me I'm missing the point). On the other hand, something you posted here maybe a year or more ago, a free download of an early tape by someone who was emerging on the scene (can't remember what it was called - have it at home; I think it was either Tyler the Creator or someone from the same group of folk you were posting about then) had a lot of violence in the language but struck me as far more insightful and touching. It made me want to weep more than it annoyed me. In other words I am not sure what I am getting at is the simple presence or absence of certain themes or words, perhaps more the spirit and insight and stance with which it's done. That's where I need help separating the Kenny Gs from the Coltranes.
Anyway, I didn't really set out to get on my high horse about hip hop (which I kind of like in a fringe kind of way), I was just trying to sketch my sensibilities as of now, which have led me to be on average more likely to like hip hop with lyrics that are progressive/constructive.
Now downloading: Captain Murphy, thanks amc2
I may have been a bit defensive in my original post (although I tried hard not to be), because I tire of hearing people write off hip hop without considering its roots. I know you are not one of those folks, though. You really should check out Native Tongues, especially A Tribe Called Quest.
Craig
Given all that you said above GP, I'd also recommend the recent Good Kid mAAd City by Kendrick Lamar; it's a great cinematic story of life in Compton; a great album that grows on me with each listen. Might be on gu?
What makes it clumsy asking about an unfamiliar genre is not knowing how to describe the difference between what seems to be good stuff and what seems less so, and not knowing whether an artist who sounds dubious to you is actually supposed to be profound (so I was interested to hear your take on 50 cent), and not knowing how far to trust one's current reactions (if I ever dare say anything negative about a genre, my wife gleefully quotes back to me a disparaging comment I made when I first heard experimental computer music).
A Tribe Called Quest seems to be a recurring mention - I'll give that a listen. What do you think of Zion I? I have one track by them that was an emusic download of the day that I quite like.
@amc2, thanks for that rec also.
ETA: actually, my assistant just left, so I'm the last one here, so...NP: Skelethon.
I totally understand your statement about asking about an unfamiliar genre. Just like I did earlier today for ambient in calling something pleasant. How the heck does that describe anything?
kargatron - I love Aesop Rock. He's on Rhymesayers now, which is based in the Twin Cities so we get to see a lot of him. I also love that the guest vocalist on "Coffee" (the last track on the album you were listening to, GP), is John Darnielle from the Mountain Goats. Such a weird and awesome combo. Now he just needs to get Darnielle to Soundset this year to do it live.
Craig
Like the sound on this better so far.
ETA, quite enjoying this. Just read through the lyrics of "Leisureforce", though, and have no idea what they are about :-).
followed by (quite the transition!!):