squarepusher can Warp Records be saved?

[Bob Dylan]

It's ironic that the worst thing that has happened to WARP is that the big 4 became popular enough to have carte-blanche over the rest of the WARP catalogue. It freed those artists from releasing as much as before.

 

 

WARP should have tightened the balls of the BOC brothers and Aphex much more than they did instead of giving them "final cut" and free cards for the time in between releases. It would have helped them a lot instead of having to sign sub-par bands. SP and AE have creative control so can do stuff much more personnal which doesn't just push the movement forward than circa 1995-2001. At least they *do* release stuff and help the label.

[SCONES TO DIE FOR]

Shouldn't this thread be moved to the Warp/Rephlex Private Forum that may or may not exist?

[Guest Adjective]

i'm sure everything is a-ok

[chenGOD]

It's ironic that the worst thing that has happened to WARP is that the big 4 became popular enough to have carte-blanche over the rest of the WARP catalogue. It freed those artists from releasing as much as before.

 

 

WARP should have tightened the balls of the BOC brothers and Aphex much more than they did instead of giving them "final cut" and free cards for the time in between releases. It would have helped them a lot instead of having to sign sub-par bands. SP and AE have creative control so can do stuff much more personnal which doesn't just push the movement forward than circa 1995-2001. At least they *do* release stuff and help the label.

 

yes because after those 4 there is no music.

Also, I could be mistaken but I thought that richard d. james released 42 tracks in 2005 and an LP's worth in 2007?

[Guest Calx Sherbet]

FAP records

[modey]

possibly the best warp sign of the last few years imo is battles - they combine the best of both worlds

awesome music made with real instruments as well as laptops and synths and all that IDM shit

 

if only they were more instrumental and less chip munk vocals. Maybe I should give Atlas another chance, but that one really popular song on that album, I can't stand. So I just assumed I wouldn't care much all around for it.

you should check out pivot. they're basically idm with live guitar and drums. their latest album is a bit battles-y (their first one 'make me love you' is better imo), but when i last saw them live they played some new new stuff that sounded fucking excellent. they occasionally use vocals in their tracks but not to the extent that battles do - it's more of an additional instrument rather than singing words and such.

[Silent Member]

still a good label releasing good music. They'd only need saving if they were putting out the same stuff they did when I first discovered them. Going stale never helped anyone.

[oscillik]

I could be mistaken but I thought that richard d. james released 42 tracks in 2005 and an LP's worth in 2007?

 

yep, you are mistaken...he released those on Rephlex, not Warp. the fact that he released tracks on Rephlex under his Aphex Twin alias (instead of the ususal AFX alias on Rephlex) added so called 'credence' to the rumour that his contract with Warp was over and done with.

[chenGOD]

Way to miss the point.

the point is not what label he released them on (and thank you very much the binder looks like utter shit but the records sound great), but the fact that he's releasing music.

The poster I was replying to was implying that RDJ hadn't released anything with his whole "At least they *do* release stuff and help the label."

[Atop]

I have met the Aphex Twins and they are HOT!

[SQUIDLID]

Warp is still putting out good music, the fact that you don't like it all is irrelevant. As a record label gets larger the idea of liking everything it puts out becomes more ridiculous. It's a lovely romantic idea, but just because you don't like it, it doesn't mean it's bad. I don't like everything on Planet Mu, Rephlex, or Skam but they're still great labels and I respect their attitude and what they represent. I enjoy at least 60% of Warp's output, which is good enough for me. I also think all their recent signings fit very well on the label, if you look through their back catalogue it all makes sense.

 

Recent signings I'm enjoying:

 

Bibio

Flying Lotus

Harmonic 313

Hudson Mohawke

Leila

Pivot

Rustie

[Guest Benedict Cumberbatch]

your fancy schamncy IDM doesn't sell well. for a record label to survive they need a few maximo parks and aphex twins to fund the Squarepusher solo bass experiments etc

 

 

warp is fine by me. they don't owe me shit

[Guest Super lurker ultra V12]

RIP SKAM

 

:(

[Joyrex]

I could be mistaken but I thought that richard d. james released 42 tracks in 2005 and an LP's worth in 2007?

 

yep, you are mistaken...he released those on Rephlex, not Warp. the fact that he released tracks on Rephlex under his Aphex Twin alias (instead of the ususal AFX alias on Rephlex) added so called 'credence' to the rumour that his contract with Warp was over and done with.

 

Actually, with the exception of the Analord 10/Binder release, all the Analords were attributed to AFX, not Aphex Twin.

 

AFX also has a release on WARP, the Hangable Auto Bulb series.

 

Here's the perspective of someone with experience: what they're releasing now is just as good/bad as they were during the "golden age" of the 90's - go back and look at what was released by "The big 4" and the other artists on WARP and compare it to today's output... you'll find that there were just as much WTF releases as there were "good" material from our favourites plus the few standouts.

 

I think people got the impression that WARP was going down a slipperly slope when they signed decidedly non-electronic artists like !!! and Maximo Park, forgetting they had Broadcast as well as Jimi Tenor and Red Snapper back then (not comparing !!! and Park to Broadcast and Tenor and Snapper, other than they share the "not entirely electronic music sounding" similarities).

 

And to say the big 4 have gotten "lazy", is just irresponsible and wrong - again, look at the release dates for the big 4's releases in the "golden age" compared to now, and you'll see, with the exception of Aphex Twin (if you were not to count his Rephlex output), most are putting out releases at the same interval they did back then.

 

It's all a matter of keeping things in perspective.

[Guest Benedict Cumberbatch]

they take risks and thats how you end up with some great releases and some shite. can't have the highs without the lows

[The Green Kingdom]

your fancy schamncy IDM doesn't sell well. for a record label to survive they need a few maximo parks and aphex twins to fund the Squarepusher solo bass experiments etc

 

 

warp is fine by me. they don't owe me shit

Yessir, agreed. Plus the Bibio, Flying Lotus, Battles and Harmonic 313 are all recent favotites. As much as I have criticized them, I'm still looking forward to the Broadcast/Focus Group, Hudson Mohawke and Rustie releases as well. Man cannot live on IDM alone!

[oscillik]

I could be mistaken but I thought that richard d. james released 42 tracks in 2005 and an LP's worth in 2007?

 

yep, you are mistaken...he released those on Rephlex, not Warp. the fact that he released tracks on Rephlex under his Aphex Twin alias (instead of the ususal AFX alias on Rephlex) added so called 'credence' to the rumour that his contract with Warp was over and done with.

 

Actually, with the exception of the Analord 10/Binder release, all the Analords were attributed to AFX, not Aphex Twin.

 

that's what i meant - to my knowledge the Aphex Twin moniker has primarily been used for his releases on Warp...having even just two tracks credited as Aphex Twin rather than the norm AFX is just irregular. but it was all probably a headfuck anyways.

 

am in total agreement with regard to your comments on Warp at the moment compared to Warp "back in the day". i may not like some of the new artists, but as someone else has already said...it's a bit weirdly romantic to want to love everything that a label puts out.

[Caretstik]

With the exception of Born Ruffians, Jamie Lidell and Leila, I'm really keen on Warp's current roster. Hudson Mohawke and Gang Gang Dance have even grown on me lately. They just need to reconsider bloody Gonja Sufi before it's too late.

 

Forgot Maximo Park are also complete shite.

[Fred McGriff]

derp derp derp

[Mr12000]

It's obvious that Warp are not as relevant as they once were in the bigger picture of the musical world, but they are still a quality label. Rustie got signed to Warp??? Interesting...

 

Autechre, Clark, Flying Lotus, Prefuse 73, HudMo (to some extent), and a few others keep me interested in Warp. I also think the Bleep store is fantastic.

 

possibly the best warp sign of the last few years imo is battles - they combine the best of both worlds

awesome music made with real instruments as well as laptops and synths and all that IDM shit

thank god... i would have gone on a rampage if no one mentioned battles. if you want to talk about freshening up a label (and the international music scene) then battles should be spoken of. in my opinion, they're in a league of their own (especially for music based around the live band aspect). i can see why they wouldn't receive much mention in an IDM forum but they have taken music to the next level for me. they were the clear highlight of the warp20 shows in nyc for me. i urge anyone to give 'mirrored' or 'ep c/b' a listen and tell me they're not gifted. it's the most organic yet overly mechanical sounding music i've ever heard. and its a band filled with immense physical talent (you know, like picking up instruments and playing them) which is incredibly refreshing.

 

no, i don't think warp is dying -- i think/hope they're getting ready to continue moving towards the future of music (flylo/hudmo come to mind). just because the exact sound you're into is fading doesn't mean warp is dying! support (some of the only remaining) good music!

 

EDIT: might i mention they put on an AMAZING live show as well!

 

 

YES! I was at the Warp20 NYC show as well and it blew my dome. It was my second time seeing them and it was no less impressive than the first. I've had the Battles album for a while, and while I enjoy it, I don't find myself listening to it very much, but dear god are these guys impressive live. Playing two intricate parts on two separate instruments at the same time, while running things through crazy effects, looping things, beatboxing, vocal manipulation, slowing down, speeding up, changing time signatures. They are ridiculously tight. Tables full of effects pedals, with laptops and midi controllers. The stage looks like a complete mad scientist setup, it's awesome. And they sounds great too. Something about it just grabs me more when I hear it live I think.

[brian trageskin]

they take risks and thats how you end up with some great releases and some shite. can't have the highs without the lows

 

fucking christ theyre not taking risks, they're just releasing shit music for people who have their ears filled with shit. warp is a fucking shite label except for the big 3 (i'm not counting boc coz i dont like them) and that's all that needs to be said. fuck them. fuck their shite label.

 

-real fan

[Guest ezkerraldean]

the golden age of teh idmz is long past :'(

[brian trageskin]

LFO is wicked btw

[Mr12000]

 

WARP WHAT HAVE YOU DONE

[Caretstik]

LFO is wicked

I was having that very thought this morning while blasting out 'Snot'.