Guest Popemobile v2 Posted October 4, 2013 Share Posted October 4, 2013 Does anyone else feel like they have never been bombarded with such an avalanche of pretentious beard-stroking overanalysis as has accompanied this album? I'm not saying it's Lopatin's fault, even, but things like that Tiny Mix Tape interview, ugh - and you know what, yeah, Lopatin is getting up his own ass in some of these interviews I've read. The whole thing isn't leaving the best taste in my mouth, I have to say. Mr. OPN has struck me as just the nerdy, thoughtful type before, but now I don't really know. I'm trying to separate him (and the music) from the other stuff surrounding the album, including even that video... Ehrlichman also brought up an interesting point about how one would think Lopatin would have to know the old-skewl plunderphonic "influence" that is on R Plus Seven. Whether by ignorance or concealment, Lopatin's failure to mention it, I dunno. Maybe the whole circus is just making me overthink things. Overall, I am glad he's getting more recognition. Usually I like reading about music and what went into it, but in this case it's not really enriching the experience. I guess at the end of the day I'll mostly just have the music and it will stand, or not, by itself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Popemobile v2 Posted October 4, 2013 Share Posted October 4, 2013 Welp, the edit function doesn't stay active very long after posting, does it. Sorry if the above post was a bit of talking to myself. Hadn't reviwed all the posts above mine. joshuatx even hit on something I was thinking: the friggin' Pitchfork interview was sober in comparison to most of the other media surrounding the album. Kind of wonder if their review was purposefully toned down, as conscious reaction to the beard stroking that preceded it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcbpete Posted October 4, 2013 Share Posted October 4, 2013 I normally read up loads about an album especially if I like it - seems like it's been a good thing that I've missed any of the interviews regarding this one ! I guess I'm also in the minority to have felt that video for Still Life actually really cemented the vibe of that track - My mind can't not replay that video whenever I listen to the track. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pixelives Posted October 4, 2013 Share Posted October 4, 2013 I'm actually a little bit surprised that Daniel hasn't talked about the musicians that obviously influenced him besides the cheesy new age people that he ironically(or unironically) talks about in his interviews. Either he's not familiar with the whole world of pastiche/stolen sample collages or he's purposefully omitting talking about them because it makes his album R Plus possibly seem a lot less original. Either it sort of proves my suspicion that a lot of new 'experimental' people who get press have little knowledge of what other people experimenting in similar territory have come before them or for whatever reason he doesn't want to acknowledge that influence. In the RBMA interview he talks a bit more about this. One thing people might miss is how much some of the earlier stuff sounds extremely like some of Legowelt's ambient leaning projects and psuedo film scores. Check out The Psychic Stewardess CDR. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alcofribas Posted October 4, 2013 Share Posted October 4, 2013 I could see that Oneohtrixpoint never appeals to a younger generation of experimental music and ambient fans, so no point in talking about people like Jon Oswald, because an 18 year old probably wouldn't give a fuck anyways with how much other 'vaporware' there is out there. I work in a record store and in my experience the vast majority of people who purchase opn records are young, hip types, with a good percentage of female customers in fact. as for the wankery of journalism over this record I agree it is very ridiculous but I have always thought opn reviews were pretty heavily pretentious. I mean, who recalls that pitchfork guy's harsh critique of the disintegration loops in which he praised the philosophical and "existential" deep meaning of an echo jam that was simply a slowed down loop of a new kids on the block line? I mean, come the fuck on. considering all the press he does one can only assume lopatin eats this shit up since I've certainly never heard him shy away from the notion that his music has some important post modern significance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Zelmo Swift Posted October 4, 2013 Share Posted October 4, 2013 He's got one foot in the fine-art world, doesn't he? I'm pretty sure he wants to incite beard-stroking. He strikes me as more of an intellectual than an eccentric craftsman. As for his alleged undue level of acclaim and success, Games/Ford & Lopatin put him on the map, in my eyes. Games especially was masterfully crafted pop music that seemed to encapsulate a moment in time when everyone started looking back at the 80's and 90's through the lens of a post-9/11 world (via "chillwave," etc.). Without that, I think he'd probably be more at the level of someone like Markus Popp or Loscil. Then again, this whole internet-based popular music machine seems like a pay-to-play system where if you're able to give yourself enough visibility, you will create an audience for yourself that may have never found you... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dr lopez Posted October 4, 2013 Share Posted October 4, 2013 I could see that Oneohtrixpoint never appeals to a younger generation of experimental music and ambient fans, so no point in talking about people like Jon Oswald, because an 18 year old probably wouldn't give a fuck anyways with how much other 'vaporware' there is out there. I work in a record store and in my experience the vast majority of people who purchase opn records are young, hip types, with a good percentage of female customers in fact. as for the wankery of journalism over this record I agree it is very ridiculous but I have always thought opn reviews were pretty heavily pretentious. I mean, who recalls that pitchfork guy's harsh critique of the disintegration loops in which he praised the philosophical and "existential" deep meaning of an echo jam that was simply a slowed down loop of a new kids on the block line? I mean, come the fuck on. considering all the press he does one can only assume lopatin eats this shit up since I've certainly never heard him shy away from the notion that his music has some important post modern significance. Daniel Lopatin resides in Brooklyn, NY. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jasondonervan Posted October 4, 2013 Share Posted October 4, 2013 I'm actually a little bit surprised that Daniel hasn't talked about the musicians that obviously influenced him besides the cheesy new age people that he ironically(or unironically) talks about in his interviews. Either he's not familiar with the whole world of pastiche/stolen sample collages or he's purposefully omitting talking about them because it makes his album R Plus possibly seem a lot less original. Either it sort of proves my suspicion that a lot of new 'experimental' people who get press have little knowledge of what other people experimenting in similar territory have come before them or for whatever reason he doesn't want to acknowledge that influence. In the RBMA interview he talks a bit more about this. One thing people might miss is how much some of the earlier stuff sounds extremely like some of Legowelt's ambient leaning projects and psuedo film scores. Check out The Psychic Stewardess CDR. I have/love that CDR See also: Satomi Taniyama - Portopia (also on Strange Life Records) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cryptowen Posted October 4, 2013 Share Posted October 4, 2013 honestly with the number of electronic guys who are all like "lol i dunno man i just dig trax" it's nice to have something get put under the philisophical microscope once in a while also i just bought the lp HYPE AS FACK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manmower Posted October 4, 2013 Share Posted October 4, 2013 Been an interesting couple of pages, I've been hesitant to post for fear of diluting the quality of the discussion to be honest. But all the high-brow posturing surrounding his work really is strange for someone who cites Smackos, of all people, as a major influence. From his interviews I get the impression that at least he doesn't actively encourage it, to my knowledge he's tried to point out the humour in his work on several occasions (which isn't the same as saying it's a joke, only that it's not this dead serious high art thing). He's hardly pretending to be a master or an innovator of anything, so what is there to be pretentious about really. Like others have pointed out, he's named plenty of his influences, be it from other music or elsewhere, obvious or not so obvious. Take that example of Russian Mind being a Dopplereffekt tribute. Would have never even guessed, had he not come out and said it, because Z-Boson is hardly what comes up in my mind when I think Dopplereffekt. He could have easily kept that to himself, so it seems out of character for that same person to now deny an obvious and direct influence. Rather, I agree that he may just not be that aware of all of his predecessors. I don't see anything warranting the suggestions that he's some hack or fraud, pretending to be something he knows he's not. Some irritation because neither him or his audience (that would be me) realize that it's all been done before is perfectly understandable, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malaria Posted October 4, 2013 Share Posted October 4, 2013 See also: Satomi Taniyama - Portopia (also on Strange Life Records) Just bought the Portopia CDr on discogs; thanks for the rec! Also, can't seem to find The Psychic Stewardess anywhere.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmanyo Posted October 4, 2013 Share Posted October 4, 2013 Fuck it, I'm in the pretentious crowd, have been here for years. I've analyzed and re-analyzed and re-re-analyzed half of OPN's works. It's not much of an intellectual thing most of the time either; you just feel it. Eccojams sounded cool to some people, to me it sounded like the death of nostalgia as the only remaining source of meaning in a postmodern age. I fucking love talking about the meaning behind everything. Also, I don't really think I've heard anything like his most recent album. The closest thing is probably Far Side Virtual. Say what you want about whatever pretentious nonsense is surrounding it, but the body of work is an original and fantastic thing in my opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MisterE Posted October 4, 2013 Share Posted October 4, 2013 I feel bad for http://fmtownsmarty.tumblr.com/, I'm amazed he hasn't been far more angry in his reaction. Surely he has knots in his stomach and a feeling (no irony intended) of being violated in a way. The very least the Rafman/OPN camp could do is apologize.did the guy who made that tumblr program those games and/or actually design the art he 'sampled' from those games? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luke viia Posted October 4, 2013 Share Posted October 4, 2013 I give this: pretentious donkey kong country/10 hahah, yeah this is pretty close to what i've gotten out of this album Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
awepittance Posted October 4, 2013 Share Posted October 4, 2013 Like others have pointed out, he's named plenty of his influences, be it from other music or elsewhere, obvious or not so obvious. he's named a shit load of stylistic and aesthetic influences, for his full lengths like Rifts the obvious ones that come to mind are Tangerine Dream, Steve Roach, not sure if he's mentioned those, if he hasn't it would make me guffaw a little. but I think the point of what I was saying above has been lost on a few of those who've responded, specifically that he has failed to mention overtly previous pioneers or influences in the STOLEN SAMPLE CUTUP PASTICHE COLLAGE arena. It just seems odd to me, because as far as R Plus Seven is concerned, it has more in connection to that school of thought musically speaking than any of this cheesy new age shit or modern ambient/vaporware whatever that is name dropped. So again just for clarification, what if any schools of thought in terms of sample cutups have inspired his current work? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plarkreluke Banloboh Posted October 4, 2013 Share Posted October 4, 2013 Long Adam Harper post on the "Still Life (Betamale)" Video: http://rougesfoam.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/on-new-opn-video.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cryptowen Posted October 5, 2013 Share Posted October 5, 2013 Long Adam Harper post on the "Still Life (Betamale)" Video: http://rougesfoam.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/on-new-opn-video.html see now, that guy seems to have read some big moralist slant into that video which I didn't get. I mean I got this very specific hazy dreamlike vibe that I'm sure I could sperg out about, but nothing that jumped out & screamed "this shit be WEIRDBAD yo" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plarkreluke Banloboh Posted October 5, 2013 Share Posted October 5, 2013 Some more interviews: http://m.spin.com/articles/welcome-to-the-machine-a-conversation-with-oneohtrix-point-never/ http://www.dazeddigital.com/music/article/17341/1/oneohtrix-point-never http://www.thefader.com/2013/09/23/holly-herndon-james-ferraro-oneohtrix-point-never-interview-future-trent-rezno/ http://www.redbull.com/nz/en/music/stories/1331608765417/oneohtrix-point-never-interview Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manmower Posted October 5, 2013 Share Posted October 5, 2013 Like others have pointed out, he's named plenty of his influences, be it from other music or elsewhere, obvious or not so obvious.he's named a shit load of stylistic and aesthetic influences, for his full lengths like Rifts the obvious ones that come to mind are Tangerine Dream, Steve Roach, not sure if he's mentioned those, if he hasn't it would make me guffaw a little. but I think the point of what I was saying above has been lost on a few of those who've responded, specifically that he has failed to mention overtly previous pioneers or influences in the STOLEN SAMPLE CUTUP PASTICHE COLLAGE arena. It just seems odd to me, because as far as R Plus Seven is concerned, it has more in connection to that school of thought musically speaking than any of this cheesy new age shit or modern ambient/vaporware whatever that is name dropped. So again just for clarification, what if any schools of thought in terms of sample cutups have inspired his current work? I didn't know about John Oswald at all before today, but from some googling it seems my assumption that maybe OPN didn't know about him either was wrong. Oswald's name came up around Replica. There's a John Oswald track on a mix OPN did for The Wire in November 2011 and the January 2012 issue has a segment called "The Inner Sleeve: Daniel Lopatin on John Oswalds Rubáiyát", but it's behind a paywall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spptrl alt del Posted October 5, 2013 Share Posted October 5, 2013 http://dustedmagazine.com/reviews/7768this review sort of reflects my impression. the album feels like a tidy mess of information with a lot of missing pieces. it's confounding but ultimately it doesn't really do anything... there are hints of sublimeness, and he touches on compelling zones, but it never settles on anything really satisfying. maybe that is a strength, but for all the conceptual ideas about "dream language" and the shifting architecture of sound "rooms," i'm not finding a whole lot to explore on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jasondonervan Posted October 5, 2013 Share Posted October 5, 2013 I don't think this one has cropped up yet http://www.self-titledmag.com/2013/10/04/a-long-gchat-with-oneohtrix-point-never/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jasondonervan Posted October 5, 2013 Share Posted October 5, 2013 Miguel Depedro (Kid606) offered his unsolicited advice afterwards. “I remember him leaning over,” explains Lopatin, “and screaming ‘good set but you gotta get rid of that Juno and looper act.’ I was so offended; I was like, ‘This is my SHIT. What is your shit? Breakcore?’ But maybe he was right. I just finished reading, and it's one of the best interviews of his that I've read. It certainly clears up some of the discussion regarding influences over these last few pages. Highly recommended reading! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dr lopez Posted October 5, 2013 Share Posted October 5, 2013 Miguel Depedro (Kid606) offered his unsolicited advice afterwards. “I remember him leaning over,” explains Lopatin, “and screaming ‘good set but you gotta get rid of that Juno and looper act.’ I was so offended; I was like, ‘This is my SHIT. What is your shit? Breakcore?’ But maybe he was right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uniret Posted October 5, 2013 Share Posted October 5, 2013 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jGalLrFo2I P. nice, but it's a trendhole anyways. So, at the same time, it can be p. FUCKING boring. Look at all those art hipster fucks. I love them/hate them. Fucking 90's aesthetics and sounds. Pre-inflatic setting with a still obscure soul loss of nearly 90% added. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcbpete Posted October 5, 2013 Share Posted October 5, 2013 That was the set I saw - not there but same visuals. After a while you're like: It's all nice an' all but maybe render more than just 10 15-second animations for your 90 minute set. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.