Deep-Tech Is This Where It's At?

Found this excellent article over at Blissblog about the Deep-Tech scene in London by Dominic Morris (at a publication I'm reluctant to publicise after some shameful journalism last year. I'll make this one exclusive exception due to how much I'm diggin the shit he's talking about). Mr Reynolds has some thoughts too and both have an excellent selection of tracks from the scene. I tried not to double up on those. Morris too senses something in the air. I mean I knew nothing of the tensions in the scene until now but I can sense something has to give. I was also thinking how blank a lot of this stuff is and how Eno will probably show up any minute now saying something about the scene. My wife said Dance Muzak that she could ignore at low volume but get into the groove if it was boomin out of the speakers. I love that dichotomy. But for me with the volume lower it's just as mesmerising (if you're listening). It's like these tunes don't need any extraneous bits. The tunes have just enough in them to excite the punter who's invested in the music and is willing to get deep. I don't go to clubs anymore, hey I moved to the desert, but all club music gets road tested on my bike (you know my legs are moving, a bit like dancing) and going to sleep in bed (which usually includes some kind of drug of the drowsy variety, hey they're drugs). Deep-Tech has passed both tests, whereas say Gabber only really passes the bike test (but I'm not taking amphetamines to kill pain or sleep). Deep-Tech can be really trippy and hypnotic music as well as truly bangin. That's the secret to this music, I reckon, that precipice. A bit like Ratchet's 'deceptively simple' trademark, it might seem basic but it's architecturally sound and aesthetically pleasing at the same time. This precipice is probably way harder to achieve than you think.





One of the outstanding tunes from Audio Rehab Volume 1.

Here's another parallel that Deep Tech has with Ratchet and it seems loads of other musical styles - John Carpenter. You can hear it most definitely in the above track. Here's a thought/question/future essay 'John Carpenter: the most influential musician of the 21st century?' That's a whole other story but a tiny piece of the Deep-Tech puzzle.

Simon Says Intros

The new year's topic is intros see here. I'm just goin with my definition of an intro which is before the proper singin starts. First thoughts were Marquee Moon, The Stones, A Hard Days Night but I thought everyone would have those so here's my first one Teenage Riot from Sonic Youth. It starts so clean with just one guitar until 13 seconds in.  Then comes Kim's murmurs and whispers.  By the 45 second mark it sounds like about 5 guitars plus sporadic drums and I think Kim's chanting "speed desire." It's all very sensual until 1.22 when one of the great riffs revs up and by 1.47 it's in full flight along with Shelley's crackin drum beat. By 2.05 Thurston's at the mic and well the rest is pretty good too.

Then on the same record Daydream Nation there's Candle. This starts with some of the most lovely clean spidery guitar you are likely to ever hear. At 0.48 the drums kick in and the guitar takes an anxious turn down a dark lane. By 1.10 the vibe's picked up and the riff and beat's changed to a chug just in time for Thurston to step up to the mic.

Rock peaked here didn't it?

Gimme More Bass Man

Here's some more bass classics over at Blissblog

God I could on forever. Don't get me started Peter Hook, Tina Weymouth, The Contortions, Gang of Four, The Fall, The Moodists, ESG, The Slits, Ian Rilen, The Pop Group, 70s reggae, PIL, liquid Liquid, Joseph K, Can, every band from the 60s, Michael Henderson, Bootsy fuckin Collins, every soul/funk band from USA in the 70s, Paul McCartney, Fire Engines, Minutemen, Jon Entwhistle, Died Pretty, Pete Wells, Gary Gary Beers, Mark Ferrie, James Freud, Steve Hanley, Andy Rourke, Bruce Lose/Will Shatter, Debbie Googe, Grant McLennan, Steve Kilbey, Kim Deal........somebody stop me.

Just one Fleetwood Mac track

Me & the Mrs agreed on this one.

The Chain

Now this one is a bit more complicated because there' kinda 2 basslines. They're both great but that synth bass wow. Fucking awesome Nick Launay production and performances from Duffield and Freud.

The Models

I Hear Motion