Back in 1987, while listening to Erasure’s “Two Ring Circus”, was when I first consciously realized that some music had the kick drum hitting on every beat.
From then until now my feeling towards “four-four” has grown from mild disdain to outright obsession. My trip has taken me to places called EBM, Techno, House, Trance and Progressive House.
I have grown to feel that the monolithic boom-boom-boom of the 4/4 beat somehow IS the ONE beat, that extents back into history and forward into the future forever. It was there at the dawn of man when first he bashed two sticks together, and it is our cyber-future.
I view the 4/4 beat as somehow ‘superior’ to other beats which fall under what might be called the ‘breakbeat’ category... Jungle, 2-step, dubstep, etc. Now I realize that most of this type of breakbeat music, as well as rock, funk, classical and pop, all have a general 4/4 pulse and time signature, but they don’t have the “four to the floor” 808 or 909 KICK that I crave.
I do like Jungle and Drum-n-Bass and, well, really all kinds of music, but I eventually just view their beats, no matter how great, as novelty... and I return to the Four/Four like an addict returns to smack.
I know I have a problem that clouds my better judgment. I do enjoy what I consider Masterworks in the 4/4 genre, such as Anthony Pappa’s Nubreed mix, Sasha’s Ibiza (disk 1), some Dave Ralph stuff, Derrick Carter, Juan Atkins, Louie Vega, etc... but I’ll also get a kick (pun intended) out of the crappiest Ministry of Sound or EuroCheeze compilation. As long as the 4/4 keeps banging I am happy.
Anybody else feel this way?? Or have any recommendations??
From then until now my feeling towards “four-four” has grown from mild disdain to outright obsession. My trip has taken me to places called EBM, Techno, House, Trance and Progressive House.
I have grown to feel that the monolithic boom-boom-boom of the 4/4 beat somehow IS the ONE beat, that extents back into history and forward into the future forever. It was there at the dawn of man when first he bashed two sticks together, and it is our cyber-future.
I view the 4/4 beat as somehow ‘superior’ to other beats which fall under what might be called the ‘breakbeat’ category... Jungle, 2-step, dubstep, etc. Now I realize that most of this type of breakbeat music, as well as rock, funk, classical and pop, all have a general 4/4 pulse and time signature, but they don’t have the “four to the floor” 808 or 909 KICK that I crave.
I do like Jungle and Drum-n-Bass and, well, really all kinds of music, but I eventually just view their beats, no matter how great, as novelty... and I return to the Four/Four like an addict returns to smack.
I know I have a problem that clouds my better judgment. I do enjoy what I consider Masterworks in the 4/4 genre, such as Anthony Pappa’s Nubreed mix, Sasha’s Ibiza (disk 1), some Dave Ralph stuff, Derrick Carter, Juan Atkins, Louie Vega, etc... but I’ll also get a kick (pun intended) out of the crappiest Ministry of Sound or EuroCheeze compilation. As long as the 4/4 keeps banging I am happy.
Anybody else feel this way?? Or have any recommendations??