Why are we all going minimal?

**MARKEG** · 08-12-2005, 12:14 AM

Minimal techno is the new thing whether you like it or not.

I love it for sure BUT let's be honest, we did hear about this 10 years ago via Rob Hood.

Anyway, loving some of this shit. Just need to discuss this more.

Why are we alll going minimal??????????????????

:)

**SlavikSvensk** · 08-12-2005, 12:29 AM

there's a lot of it, but i there are still tons and tons of other types of techno records coming out every week...

but let me ask a slightly different question. rob hood's records are classics. will any of the new "minimal" records become that?

**eyeswithoutaface** · 08-12-2005, 12:38 AM

i think with Hood mainly, for me anyway, is even the most stripped back stuff is always that touch more aggressive than most new minimal stuff. I love the all the new minimal and im glad that there is at least this kind of music to at least choose to get into, but its obvious that people like it for different reasons. There's a massive image attached to it not helped at all by Hawtin's hairdo's, no matter how good the music is. Which it is, imo. I do stuff in that vein myself, its very enjoyable to do and a good break from doing harder stuff, or stuff thats a bit more challenging on the head/ears after 5 solid hours infront of the monitors. Some of the production on alot of minimal records is of course what makes the track, its more what you leave out than what you put in etc etc and when it is done well its great, and i can enjoy it more at home than i can usual techno, as there's just alot more scope for idea's and creativity imo

**xfive** · 08-12-2005, 12:42 AM

Scotty are you going minimal on us?

**machina** · 08-12-2005, 12:52 AM

i like minimal, or have done in the past, but i'm really not buying this new found popularity... as mark said, it's all been done before via hood and even people like emmanuel top and the early plastikman stuff. A lot of the new stuff seems to be covering old ground, which isn't that bad in itself, but the whole thing just comes off as being pretentious and horribly indulgent. Like people are competing to 'out-minimal' each other...

machina

**Sunil** · 08-12-2005, 01:03 AM

Originally Posted by MARK EG

Minimal techno is the new thing whether you like it or not.

I love it for sure BUT let's be honest, we did hear about this 10 years ago via Rob Hood.

Anyway, loving some of this shit. Just need to discuss this more.

Why are we alll going minimal??????????????????

:)

Are *we*? :)
I must admit, I still only consider it warm up music in a proper techno club, but I really do see its appeal.

It's at a house tempo which gives it crossover appeal. It is often quite inventive, far more so than a lot of other techno being released at the moment. It has become so big now that the force and energy behind it is driving it along and picking up lots of new fans along the way, Many of the labels and producers are buzzing, they're excited, and as a result sparks are flying. It's not that much minimal that *really* moves me but I can see what people are getting from it for sure.

It might be covering old ground, but I've heard new ideas in the current wave of minimal. Of the more accomplished minimal producers going, I often hear very interesting combinations or splicing of syles going on.

Again, I only think it's one part of the jigsaw... but a lot of it is good, intelligent music that's very well programmed. It's easy to slate it if you're more into hard techno, but the fact is that much of this stuff holds more substance in terms of musical quality.

**G-BO** · 08-12-2005, 01:03 AM

jeff mills has also made some great minimal stuff over the years, the whole minimal sweep of techno is very dull, seems easier for ppl get get their records out there to keep it minimal

**Dustin Zahn** · 08-12-2005, 01:07 AM

Honestly, at the same time I both love and hate the new minimal trend. I think some of the typical stuff such as Ricardo Villalobos is already cliched and on its way out the door. If you check out some of the new minimal stuff by Skoog (Agaric, We Are), Tony Rohr, 2 Dollar Egg, etc. it's really well put together and it's not all that "minimal." I just heard a recording of Hawtin's set at ILT this year and a lot of it wasn't really "minimal" either. In fact it was all pretty beatin' techno, from hardcell & grindvik on sthlmltd to his transitions stuff. It's funny because DJs like Hawtin, Carola, Luciano, etc. they're all kind of viewed by the minimal fans as "minimal" when really, those guys go all over the place and play an array of styles.

For instance, I had Carola in town last week and he played all kinds of stuff from trendy minimal pokerflat shit to the new ozgur can on truesoul. These guys are playing all over the place these days and I really enjoy it. To be honest, "hard" techno artists that have done it for me in the past don't really do it for me anymore. The only kind of hard stuff interesting me lately is the industrial type techno. Even Glenn Wilson has chilled out a bit with his recent collabs with Cari on Heroes International. I think what people don't realize is that you can be hard and heavy as **** at 133 as you can at 143.

I'll agree some of this bandwagon shit is pretty bizzare and kind of a let down, but some of it is worth checking out. Unfortunately, "minimal" is being used as a blanket term (just like how "techno" is everything from trance to chemical bros. for some)...this means a lot of good music gets lost in the mix. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for some hard beatin' techno but honestly all the hard stuff I've been playing lately is old.

Basically, to sell a record these days...I think its important just to leave the compressor turned off, drop the ****in' samba loop bullshit (although I do like my hardgroove don't get me wrong), and pull the bpms down a bit. You can still add the jack and funk and bang in there and still have a track that mixes great with the trendy minimal stuff.

**G-BO** · 08-12-2005, 01:07 AM

i love minimal techno, as u said it can hold more substance in musical structure, im sure only so much can have that kinda effect, the rest is again the same record over and over again, instead of trying to make ppl listen to whats not there and make something that is there

it does have its place though and quite enjoy some of it

**Dustin Zahn** · 08-12-2005, 01:09 AM

I forgot to add. I find it funny how uneducated most of the newcomer minimal kids are. A friend of mine was tlaking to a big minimal guy when he was here and asked what he thought of Basic Channel. He says, "...uh...well...I guess it's okay for some old shit."

How ridiculous. It's true most of those guys wouldn't know real minimal if it hit them in the face. Anyways, Ian helped introduce me to stuff like Stewart Walker before I ever heard of Adam Beyer, and honestly the really deep and true minimal stuff I am not into too much these days.

**MARKEG** · 08-12-2005, 01:12 AM

basic channel is a lesson in techno full stop.

g · 08-12-2005, 01:12 AM

Originally Posted by Dustin Zahn

I think what people don't realize is that you can be hard and heavy as **** at 133 as you can at 143..

or, often harder and heavier.

and you know what they say: there's no "I" in "we".

**machina** · 08-12-2005, 01:13 AM

i guess the thing that kinda rubs me the wrong way is the idea that it's somehow more 'intelligent' or amazingly hard to make and only genius' can do it - it's a bullshit idea that makes no sense. I'm not saying it's easy to make or anything - just that it's no more 'intellectual' or difficult than any other type of music. The way the minimal nazis talk about it, you'd think that minimal producers are the reincarnation of mozart and those that don't agree aren't worthy of having an opinion...

machina

**eyeswithoutaface** · 08-12-2005, 01:14 AM

yeah definately, well worded Sunil. It's truely the production, creativity side of it that grabs me. It's not the be all and end all of techno, no specific type of techno is, everything does have its place surely otherwise it wouldnt be around in the first place surely? even stuff like the schranz bootlegs, they are so so wrong to many people, but obviously somewhere these records are going down a treat, and let's be honest the production on 99% of them is nothing short of woeful, where as on nearly all the minimal stuff i listen to the production is really very good indeed, and in places seriously excellent. And yeah with someone as big as Hawtin pretty much devoting his life to pushing it at the moment then it's going to get alot of attention. There is alot more clubby minimal stuff too its not all just bleeps like people seem to think, the We Are records are still quite chunky and quirky and would sound great in the first few hours of a club opening definately

**eyeswithoutaface** · 08-12-2005, 01:17 AM

some good points there definately

**Dustin Zahn** · 08-12-2005, 01:17 AM

Originally Posted by eyeswithoutaface

There is alot more clubby minimal stuff too its not all just bleeps like people seem to think, the We Are records are still quite chunky and quirky and would sound great in the first few hours of a club opening definately

Exactly. I detest the material that is nothing but clicks and pops, but there is some really quality shit out there at the moment that is overshaded by that stuff.

**Conan** · 08-12-2005, 01:18 AM

I dont think that we're all going minimal but there certainly is a trend forming. To me it seems like elctro clash's fad for a while with tiga and the likes but now its been taken to a new level. Personally I dont buy and I cant listen to the records and I can understand your point Sunil about the music quality being better but I just dont know how good it sounds. I mean there doesnt seem to be any attitude or fundementals in it and it all seems a bit contrived for me.

**Conan** · 08-12-2005, 01:20 AM

Im open to suggestions about it though.................. Who's worth checkin out

**eyeswithoutaface** · 08-12-2005, 01:23 AM

Tim Xavier and Tony Rohr under "Afternoon Coffee Boys", there solo stuff too, Camea is doing great tracks, Luciano, We Are records are really great, Sleep Archive of course all personal fave's at the moment

**MARKEG** · 08-12-2005, 01:23 AM

wow that is a point electo clash and now minimal i will start a topic

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