Does (minimal) ambient music need a new impulse?

[Orphax]

The last few weeks I have been wondering about somethings.

Although I think the music is in general a beautiful thing, a lot of modern (minimal) ambient musicians all tend to sound sort of the same.
It is as if that people want to sound like the music that is released on 12K (for example) or want to follow up on the success by an acts such as Celer and Chihei Hatakeyama.
Certain labels (and musicians) just release music that is always in this same vain without too much development. As if the creative process has stopped for these people and they learned a trick and they just repeat this.
Because of this their is a constant stream of nice music, but how much of this music do we really need?

Is the minimal ambient music in a sort of valley considering development? Does it need a new impulse?

I would love to hear/read your opinions about this subject. Or if I just don't get it please try to explain me...

[s_hamann]

I find if I listen to any specific style of music too much, I find a lot of what gets produced sounds like it only strives to fit in to the category, rather than exceed any expectations I might have for it. A lot of people try to replicate a style they've heard, I think that's why scenes get stale, at certain poin, there are more replicators than originators.

I still hear things within the minimal ambient style I think stands out from the rest, but I agree that there is a lot of sameness going around.

[The Green Kingdom]

I think it could use a little kick in the pants, but there are also people trying some different things, bringing in some different influences. I know in my own stuff I've been trying to let some other influences creep in, be it folk, dub, techno, whatever...

[Ends_Meet]

I noticed something similar to this thought in a recent review of Loscil's new album, here: http://www.bleep43.com/bleep43/2010/3/26/loscil-endless-falls.html

I'm not going to say I tire of it, or that people should do anything different. Its not my place to judge, just to choose.
I think its surely not bad that there are a lot of people making music, it is just part of the times.

In the end, I think its really up to the listener to do their research, finding out what's good, or what they like and want to support. With so much out there, its impossible to get to everything, and when you do, you find out 70% of it isn't worth it in
the first place. Let artists do what they will, and labels put out what they want. Everything won't appeal to everybody.

I guess for me, if I'm traveling, I'll have a book of 20 CDs, and maybe 5 of them will be ambient, and the like. What still makes ambient music special though, is that those 5 CDs are all really good, and enjoyable. Just have to pick what's best to you, after all.

[taylordeupree]

i think in any genre there are waves of styles that come and go and morph into others... a style will get comfortable until someone comes along to shake it up.. then people start shifting to something new, and then that gets done for a while.. and then it shifts again. it's been that way forever, i suppose.

i know for me, personally, i just sort of ebb around and settle into ways of composing for a while. sometimes i'll hit on something that is sort of fresh, and sometimes i sit in one place for a while.

i'm a firm believer that there's nothing new out there, at least to the point that i don't consciously try make something that sounds "new" i just want to make what's new to ME and keep exploring new areas that i haven't before. whether or not people like it is another story, and one i try not to worry about too much. although it's difficult to detach from that completely because of 12k and working with other musicians and stuff.

the same applies to 12k, really. it goes in waves, settles on something for a while, then moves. and, every now and then i like to throw a curveball in for people, hopefully keeping it interesting.

[Ends_Meet]

I'd agree with all of that, especially about 'new' things. If someone made something that was truly 'new', it likely wouldn't be recognized as such, and labeled otherwise by being whatever its 'not'.

i think in any genre there are waves of styles that come and go and morph into others... a style will get comfortable until someone comes along to shake it up.. then people start shifting to something new, and then that gets done for a while.. and then it shifts again. it's been that way forever, i suppose.

i know for me, personally, i just sort of ebb around and settle into ways of composing for a while. sometimes i'll hit on something that is sort of fresh, and sometimes i sit in one place for a while.

i'm a firm believer that there's nothing new out there, at least to the point that i don't consciously try make something that sounds "new" i just want to make what's new to ME and keep exploring new areas that i haven't before. whether or not people like it is another story, and one i try not to worry about too much. although it's difficult to detach from that completely because of 12k and working with other musicians and stuff.

the same applies to 12k, really. it goes in waves, settles on something for a while, then moves. and, every now and then i like to throw a curveball in for people, hopefully keeping it interesting.

[billygomberg]

and

[Orphax]

i'm a firm believer that there's nothing new out there, at least to the point that i don't consciously try make something that sounds "new" i just want to make what's new to ME and keep exploring new areas that i haven't before. whether or not people like it is another story, and one i try not to worry about too much. although it's difficult to detach from that completely because of 12k and working with other musicians and stuff.

I just have to agree with this. Though, what I noticed is that some musicians kinda get stuck in what they are doing. But I guess that is of all genres also.


Further indeed I have to agree with the fact that it is up to us as a listener what we want to listen. And looking at myself that isn't really a problem...I buy an average of just over 1 album a day (yeah, just say nothing...i know, i know...I want an AAA for record collectors) in quite some different genres and hear so much different things.
But it was just something I noticed. And that for a genre that at points has so much great new developments to offer.

@The Green Kingdom: these aerie ambient stuff with folk influences....sounds interesting

[Ends_Meet]

There's also the whole idea of what stands up over time. Some of the most innovative and influential things sometimes aren't even recognized for years after they came out, because the effects had to take hold. This point could also be an argument against the idea of limited edition music, because when its gone, its gone.

In our lightning-fast world, its easy for things to be totally lost, even just among the clutter. I think this is what reinforces the point of longevity.

Remember a few years ago when the Can discography was reissued? You would have thought that Can had been at the top of everybody's playlist and influence list for the last decade.

Then again, some things run their course, and have their time and place. There's really nothing wrong with either way.

[s_hamann]

There's also the whole idea of what stands up over time. Some of the most innovative and influential things sometimes aren't even recognized for years after they came out, because the effects had to take hold.

I'm personally banking on this trend for my own stuff. 

That review on bleep43 was intriguing. The reviewer obviously isn't all that interested in this kind of music. But the point that this style can tend to seem bloodless is valid, I think, at times anyway. It got me thinking on my own bloodless moments. If not actively seeking out something 'new,' I can at least see room in my own stuff to be a little less dispassionate.

[Guy Birkin]

... we get swamped with sound.  This means we must become better listeners, not just better musicians.

good point billy. the two skills of listening and making (analysing and synthesizing) are closely related, and there's a parallel in visual art - learning how to draw means learning how to see. in both cases, it also involves getting to know the field in order to locate your practice and identify what is original.

I guess a general template for a creative practice is: learn the rules first, and then learn how to expand/break them. the first part is easier but takes a long time; the second part is difficult but is what makes interesting new music and art, though not all experiments find a receptive audience at the time.

[Koda]

Hence, my one and only record. It was a joy to make but I am not itching to remake it.

[billygomberg]

Hence, my one and only record. It was a joy to make but I am not itching to remake it.

but are you still a practicing musician?  are you making another record (regardless of its similarity to yr first)?  are you committed to your practice as an artist or are you content just to say you've done it and that is good enough?

this informs the issue at hand - if everyone just drops one album that is "of the style" at the current moment, there will be no development in "the genre at large," no one is developing the "new impulse" (regardless of their relation to the "current impulse").

[s_hamann]

if everyone just drops one album that is "of the style" at the current moment, there will be no development in "the genre at large,"

That definitely would be a problem, but I'm not sure we've come to that point yet. I don't think one-off projects have become the norm.

I don't think newness is essential to music anyway. Forced novelty isn't going to be any good for any style, just look at what happened to electronic dance music in the past twenty years. The constant emphasis on newness for the better part of a decade has resulted in mostly lifeless crap more concerned with compressor tricks than making music.

[Koda]

Hence, my one and only record. It was a joy to make but I am not itching to remake it.

but are you still a practicing musician?  are you making another record (regardless of its similarity to yr first)?  are you committed to your practice as an artist or are you content just to say you've done it and that is good enough?

Most certainly still weilding the axe! I've done plenty since I've released my Koda disc (2005). I haven't finished another koda project simply because I am perplexed and have devoted most of my time to playing in bands. Was never my intention to be a one hit wonder!




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