Do These Studio Videos Prove That Justin Bieber Is the Next Aphex Twin?

[WhitleyStriber]

https://noisey.vice.com/en_us/article/do-these-studio-videos-prove-that-justin-bieber-is-the-next-aphex-twin

 

Who knew that a Canadian pop star would revive IDM?

It's great that Justin Bieber has his Instagram back, most likely after consecrating it. There are many incredible things lurking within his feed, but the greatest Stratfordite since Shakespeare has given us a rare glimpse into his creative process with a pair of videos posted last night that depict Bacardi Biebs working on some new heat in the stu' (or, as Young Thug once put it, the 'yo). While this footage is brief, it's enough to make it clear that Justin Bieber may be the heir apparent to the ambient electronica empire once ruled over by Richard D. James a.k.a. Aphex Twin.

 

Firstly, Bieber is running Logic Pro 9 on his Macbook. This is actually not the most up-to-date version of the DAW, that would be Logic Pro X. However, Logic X packages all audio tracks in a project into a single file, making them tough to extract for later use. Logic 9 still saves the tracks into a project folder for convenience. Using older software... very clever. Aphex Twin uses analog hardware for his own material. Great minds think alike.

Bieber has the volume mapped to an automation curve, he knows what's up.

He also has the entire setup running out of an external mixer, rather than just an audio interface directly connected to his headphones and the monitors (which, it should be mentioned, are elevated and placed a good distance apart from each other for a proper stereo field). It's this kind of extra work that may one day lead to Bieber's dancehall-pop version of "Come to Daddy."

Speaking of daddy, Biebs records shirtless. Unsure if this helps his workflow. The beats just might be too hot.This arpeggio is genius. C, B, D. The beat is in the key of C major even though the only chords we hear are A minor and G major. D is the 9th, which provides some lovely harmony. The last electronic musician to take their compositional chops this seriously made "Avril 14th," and that got sampled by Kanye. You do the math.

We all know Bieber is a great drummer, and this hand drum part truly proves it. The syncopation, on the offbeat, creates a clave rhythm that really brings out that Latin/tropical flavour that Bieber probably wants. If only he had this drum mic'd up so that it was actually recording into the software.

 

Look, we're not saying that Justin Bieber is exactly Aphex Twin. He could be closer to Boards of Canada, or Autechre, or any of the other giants of ambient electronic music. All we can definitely say is that he's putting the "intelligent" back in intelligent dance music. Long live Just-IDM Bieber.

 

[bendish]

I'd emote over that

[Danny O Flannagin]

I for one welcome our new IDM overlord

[Lada Laika]

Day for Night headliner 2017

[goDel]

Bieber subforum noaw!

[petina]

this is hilarious

[psn]

What warrants the sarcasm over a pop star having a modest home studio? Has he compared himself to AFX or BOCFX?

[Brisbot]

He's like the 1000th 'next aphex twin'

There are so many aphex twins these days.

[d-a-m-o]

this shit is so wack, that moment when he's playing percussion, the cringe is too strong 

[Kennylogg Bubblebath]

Lost my shit at the bongos

[Paul]

Finally, somewhere to drop these creations of mine!

[koolkeyZ865]

Everybody AFX is a bloody classic

[producer snafu]

He's like the 1000th 'next aphex twin'

 

There are so many aphex twins these days.

you mean producer snafus?

[tec]

Doesn't he have some talent on the drums though? If he gets handy on the drum machine this place could soon be swimming with chicks.

[Joyrex]

Tempted to lock this thread just due to Beiber.

[joshuatxuk]

What warrants the sarcasm over a pop star having a modest home studio? Has he compared himself to AFX or BOCFX?

 

It's just another shit "funny" article. Noisey, FACT, pitchfork haven't had the balls to critically rip apart any golden calf indie musicians or even be remotely contrarian for years, which makes this lameass snarky articles even more pathetic.

 

If he gets handy on the drum machine this place could soon be swimming with chicks.

 

we better get some life preservers and scuba gear before we drown in pussy

[Aphex_Squarepusher_Twin]

*i want 2 suicide*

 

no lol

 

please, bebier, don't do that, please...

 

omg

[YO303]

He overworked his sexual organ and broke it so now has to turn to hobbies for asexual people

[Silent Member]

biebs subform pls