Actress / Nail the cross

Slothrop

Slothrop

Tight but Polite
Again, though, the thing that seems unusual about Actress isn't so much that he's "dance music for people who don't like dance music", he's "dance music for people who don't like dance music for people who do like dance music." He's detached, auteurish and abstract, but seems to have cachet with people who wouldn't normally touch that sort of thing with a barge pole.
 
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griftert

Well-known member
I just think that his stuff isn't even particularly accomplished in terms of what it is - which is basically kind of distorted IDM. Listen to say, Lusine from 15 years ago, it sounds pretty damn similar...and probably better. So the hype is doubly galling in that it both misrecognises what Actress's stuff actually is and then inflates its value.
Like to me, that auteurism and total laziness apparently seen not to be in conflict here seems to show how poor the concept is when applied to music. Also, shows how lazy and shiftless music journalism is.
The older I get the less I understand why anyone would really take a keen interest in music journalism. So irrelevant.
 
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crackerjack

Well-known member
griftert said:
Like to me, that auteurism and total laziness apparently seen not to be in conflict here seems to show how poor the concept is when applied to music. Also, shows how lazy and shiftless music journalism is.
The older I get the less I understand why anyone would really take a keen interest in music journalism. So irrelevant.
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Hey, as long as you keep writing into the letters page it's all good ;)
 
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rubberdingyrapids

Well-known member
looking at it purely musically is missing the point - actress is a great muso darling because he knows how to present himself so well. he already brings writers (eg - that dazed k punk piece) with the concepts they can write about, so its no wonder they can get so much mileage out of his music. he gives them things they can work with. hes a brilliantly presented and visualised/conceptualised package. the fact he does come or less with the total package is why journalists are so fascinated by him. its kind of brilliant really - hes cerebral for those who need to feel intellectually sated, amateur for those who like dilettante-ism etc etc - people like artists to sound a bit amateur these days so he does that, but not so much that you think he doesnt have any talent. the main feeling i get from his music is that its just deficient and empty and lacking but i like that vacancy as it can function on different levels - it doesnt demand my attention but if i want to give it my attention, it has enough in there to hold me there. hes kind of shit, but kind of brilliant too.

my main issue with his music is the weedy fidelity of a lot of it.
 
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HMGovt’s Glorious Return!

HMGovt’s Glorious Return!

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tidy analysis. I've noticed this when driving with Actress widgeting away in the background, but every now and then there's a splash of light and colour to grab your attention. Bit like Shackleton, but with at least one idea per tune rather than half an idea and twice as many spliffs.
 
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mistersloane

heavy heavy monster sound
rubberdingyrapids said:
looking at it purely musically is missing the point - actress is a great muso darling because he knows how to present himself so well. he already brings writers (eg - that dazed k punk piece) with the concepts they can write about, so its no wonder they can get so much mileage out of his music. he gives them things they can work with. hes a brilliantly presented and visualised/conceptualised package. the fact he does come or less with the total package is why journalists are so fascinated by him. its kind of brilliant really - hes cerebral for those who need to feel intellectually sated, amateur for those who like dilettante-ism etc etc - people like artists to sound a bit amateur these days so he does that, but not so much that you think he doesnt have any talent. the main feeling i get from his music is that its just deficient and empty and lacking but i like that vacancy as it can function on different levels - it doesnt demand my attention but if i want to give it my attention, it has enough in there to hold me there. hes kind of shit, but kind of brilliant too.

my main issue with his music is the weedy fidelity of a lot of it.
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yeah all this is really good and well put gumdrops, I'd agree with all that.
 
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mistersloane

heavy heavy monster sound
HMGovt said:
tidy analysis. I've noticed this when driving with Actress widgeting away in the background, but every now and then there's a splash of light and colour to grab your attention. Bit like Shackleton, but with at least one idea per tune rather than half an idea and twice as many spliffs.
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However, having agreed with dinghy...I'll then agree with HM, and add...

ONE IDEA PER SONG! FUCKING HELL. SO IMPRESSED I COULD SHIT.
 
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jimitheexploder

Well-known member
Has anyone heard the Levantis 12" on TTT, it sounds so much like Actress that it has to be really. If not its someone that sounds like him right now which doesn't happen much.


Track two really sounds massive when the big old kick comes in.

The more I listen to the new album the more I really dig it and find another track thats just brilliant. I can see why a load of people wouldn't be into Actress though, its a sound that can easily annoy people or get them none plused, I'm not even sure why it hits me so much but it does, he's wicked.
 
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paolo

Mechanical phantoms
I got myself Hazyville and it's dead good. It's more of a straight-up techno album than his other ones. A lot of it is quite dub technoy which I don't normally go for
 
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version

Well-known member
Got the new album on atm. Bit limp on first listen. Think the formula's wearing a little thin at this point, plus I've never liked it when producers start working with vocalists. Always seem to get a few albums deep then work with either live musicians or vocalists and Actress has done both. The next step's singing over your own beats and drifting into indie electronica.
 
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boxedjoy

Well-known member
The vocals are weird enough to be that it doesn't feel like the Thom Yorke move it could have ended up and I like the juxtaposition of textures and ambience. I didn't think much of the last "mixtape" this is just better - stronger ideas, more fully formed ~songs~ and uncompromisingly singular
 
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