mvuent
Void Dweller
by which i mean phenomena like distortion, saturation, tape hiss, static, background noise, various forms of feedback, etc. just any "imperfections" in the recording that obfuscate the tunes.
(a few threads that could be relevant: 1 2)
this stuff is interesting to me because even when unintended it can become one of, or even THE most vivid aspect of the music. for example when i gave patty this song to write about in the "listen to something now" thread, here was his response:
basically the majority of the post is dealing with the character of the recording itself, because it conveys so much to us now; it changes and adds to the musical experience.
so assuming we agree that these dull on paper qualities can actually have a magical effect, what does that teach us? what lessons can we apply in the future? generally speaking recordings are getting cleaner--so maybe these aesthetics are on the way out unless we can extrapolate new creative possibilities from them.
any favorite examples? alternatively, reasons you're not really into this topic?
(a few threads that could be relevant: 1 2)
this stuff is interesting to me because even when unintended it can become one of, or even THE most vivid aspect of the music. for example when i gave patty this song to write about in the "listen to something now" thread, here was his response:
Time and age are the very first things you're greeted with here. The crackle of those old field recordings. Unmistakable. The high frequencies smothered by a David Lynch like sheen of violence, fuzz and filth. In their place, the ghostly, hyperactive excitations of an old 78. Dust dancing on the surface, like a never ending downpour of microscopic particles on a thin sheet of worn out perspex. The occasional pop like a loose thread from the ragged overalls of the groundskeeper catching a splinter as he walks down the hallway of the big old wooden house. Candlelight. The highs tucked away, the guitar a muted chord machine. Articulations barely distinguishable. Just a rhythm and the sound of a thousand humid nights and handmade plectrums working away at the guts. Strings that once had texture, but through all the dirt and grease have become smoothened and dulled like rain carving stone over millenia. Take a sip. Time, wood, skin oils and heat. The root of the oak tree. Unguarded, no filter. Croaking vocals treading well worn boards. Palpable decay. Well built. Built to last. Weather the storm. Vocals croaking their plight. Clawing their way out of the larynx, scarred and scratched. Lips dry, liquor near by. Jazz fag and rolling tobacco, whipping up a nocturnal cloud of purple plumes and cricket calls. Its all living and breathing. Decay, decay. It's tradition.
basically the majority of the post is dealing with the character of the recording itself, because it conveys so much to us now; it changes and adds to the musical experience.
so assuming we agree that these dull on paper qualities can actually have a magical effect, what does that teach us? what lessons can we apply in the future? generally speaking recordings are getting cleaner--so maybe these aesthetics are on the way out unless we can extrapolate new creative possibilities from them.
any favorite examples? alternatively, reasons you're not really into this topic?