My complements to Tara Bush for such an effective use of foogers and synthesizers in this remix. One of the mistakes I often hear in music today is the overuse of just about everything. If it's heavy metal, then we believe that unless our ears are bleeding its not good. If its dance music then there has to be a driving beat to the exclusion of just about everthing else. Suffice it to say that for my tastes, such extravagence limits and detracts from music rather than enhancing it.
Art, be it music or the visual arts, is most effective when many elements are almost below the level of the listener or observers perception. By carefully crafting sound that is not overpowering, Tara's mix is able to bring to surface a sense of atmophere and perhaps, memories of the past as Tara points out the the rain on a roof or tent.
My musical style has in many ways been influenced by R. Murray Schafer's "The Soundscape". In this book, he talks about insect sounds, birds, bells and all sort of sounds like rain that are part of our "soundscape":
http://www.amazon.com/Soundscape-R-Murray-Schafer/dp/0892814551
Certainly, such sounds have been used effectively in music, either in a more figurative way, or a direct way, througout musical history.
Another wonderful book (so I have heard, its in by bookshelf waiting for me to read it) is Pauline Oliveros "Deep Listening":
The book:
http://books.google.com/books?id=yzL3QjZpFoUC&dq=deep+listening&printsec=frontcover&source=bn&hl=en&ei=UPAwStiSK96wtge8nazQBQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4#PPR5,M1
And the insitute:
http://www.deeplistening.org/site/
It is also true that when using a tool such as fooger, there is a tendency to overuse it. Tara does not do this in her mix which is what makes the use of them so effective. When the tool becomes the focus rather than its use as a tool to enhance the art work, then it detracts but when it is hehind the scenes then the music is enhanced.
Often we find this in samples. How much music is based on re-hashed samples. I get some musical artists upset when I say this but often the presets and samples on digital keyboards are the same old rehashed sounds. Examples are euro, techo and hip hop. These genres can almost be defined by the use of a very narrow collection of samples that are used and re-used and once again, the tool takes over rather than the tool enhancing the songs.
Does it have to be this way? No. But its the path of least resistance.
Bottom line: Kudus to "Bat for Lashes" and Tara Bush for an effective use of a great musical tool.
2 comments:
if you've not heard it, Tara Busch's latest remix of Catherine A.D. is sensational http://soundcloud.com/seaninsound/sets/catherine-a-d-remix-series
I have been wanting to listen to this and I am listening to it right now. Tara's remixes and music are always very well done.
Recently I am trying to make an effort to support artists who use synthesis in creative ways. I get tired of all the bad dance/hip-hop/techno and other assorted trash that I hear out there that is just a bunch of cliches sequenced together.
Tara's music and remixes are not. I am waiting to get her box set and hopefullly will be enjoying it soon and can post a review here.
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