Techno Techno Techno Techno

Corpsey

bandz ahoy
Not sure why I posted it really, it was like a bookmark for me to try and read it myself. But I won't read it, because it's a history of bloody techno.
 

chava

Well-known member
This is so obviously optimized for Beatport sales. Some peculiar examples mentioned, like Eric Prydz techno moniker Cirez D who nobody cares or should care about
 

chava

Well-known member
"...*Renaat Vandepapeliere is currently being sued by a former employee for unlawful dismissal and racial discrimination."

Of course they remembered that! No history of techno could be complete otherwise.
 

boxedjoy

Well-known member
yeah every second paragraph having a "btw this person is a bad bastard" disclaimer would make you think techno is rife with sexual predators
 

Dusty

Tone deaf
Glosses over the Italian scene with a single sentence and a mention of Lory D. I assume because Beatport doesn't stock those labels, so why bother.

Looking forward to when Beatport goes under.
 

william_kent

Well-known member
I think @craner's recent one about Marvin Gaye was really good in a way this isn't: still very biographical and factual - but with flair, charisma, and actual engagement with the subject, illuminating it in ways that aren't obvious

Good music writing should make you want to rush out and grab a copy of whatever they are enthusing about. There was no enthusiasm in the beatport article at all - it gave me no reason to listen to the tunes. The Marvin Gaye essay on the other hand did..
 

boxedjoy

Well-known member
I don't agree good music writing should be about enthusiasm and proselytising. I'd rather read a thoughtful review of a 7/10 record that explains well why it's not a 9 or a 5, than hyperbolic praise about something that doesn't let me figure out if I myself would enjoy it and why.
 

trilliam

Well-known member
Imo good music writing should make you at least somewhat interested in the subject. Whether it's super dry and matter or fact or hyperbolic fanboyism, the whole point is to get ears and eyes on the subject.

Gonna read that craner ting in a second. I've started writing a mix round up thing so slate it or rate it. But if you're gonna slate it please go in detail.

 

william_kent

Well-known member
I don't agree good music writing should be about enthusiasm and proselytising. I'd rather read a thoughtful review of a 7/10 record that explains well why it's not a 9 or a 5, than hyperbolic praise about something that doesn't let me figure out if I myself would enjoy it and why.
Imo good music writing should make you at least somewhat interested in the subject. Whether it's super dry and matter or fact or hyperbolic fanboyism, the whole point is to get ears and eyes on the subject.

Gonna read that craner ting in a second. I've started writing a mix round up thing so slate it or rate it. But if you're gonna slate it please go in detail.

Trilliam worded it better than me. I wasn't talking about proselytising, but even with a thoughtful 7/10 review there should be evidence that the writer has a passion for music. Otherwise, why should I pay attention to what they have to say? One of the most memorable boomkat reviews was a takedown of a Jamie XX album which was "enthusiastic" in its hate of the record to the extent that I wanted to hear why it was so bad. I didn't get any of that from the beatport piece which leads me to doubt whoever wrote it has an interest in music.
 

boxedjoy

Well-known member
yeah I get what you mean. I'm just cautious of the mindset that says music writing (or any reviewing) should be simply to go "this is great and here's why." Especially as criticising anything in dance and electronic music is always met with "bUt yOu'Re nOt sUpPoRtInG tHe ScEnE!!!" nonsense, as if its not possible to expect and want better.
 

Leo

Well-known member
Agree with @chava, content on Beatport is ultimately only going to be promotional sales copy, not a true objective review or critical analysis.
 

boxedjoy

Well-known member
Agree with @chava, content on Beatport is ultimately only going to be promotional sales copy, not a true objective review or critical analysis.
that's true but there's a way to do it that feels a little less awful. Boomkat reviews aren't always great but at least they don't read like they were generated by AI. I always enjoy a skim of Picadilly's end-of-year round up because their enthusiasm and references will make me interested in stuff that often turns out to be terrible.
 
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Leo

Well-known member
that's true but there's a way to do it that feels a little less awful. Boomkat reviews aren't always great but at least they don't read like they were generated by AI. I always enjoy a skim of Picadilly's end-of-year round up because their enthusiasm and references will make me interested in stuff that often turns out to be terrible.

agree, but most of the Boomkat write ups are direct cut-and-paste of the PR blurb from the record label. You can tell by going to Bleep, they often have the exact same description of the release as Boomkat. Not always, they both occasionally do up their own copy if it's something they are into.
 
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boxedjoy

Well-known member
there didn't used to be quite as many from the PR did there? I remember "Description coming soon" feeling like a particular sign of disinterest.
 
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