Happy New Year, and Welcome to 2015! Feels weird even saying that. Its weird living in a time that comes after when much of the media I grew up with was set. Buck Rogers was supposed to have launched in 1987, Deathlok the cyborg was to be built in 1990, and Snake Plisskin was supposed to be running around a walled-in Manhattan in 1997. Even Princes 1999 is beyond its expiration date by the life span of a teenager. So many of the possible futures that never happened, and so much of the actual, unpredictable future slapping us in the face on the daily. I like music. I like hearing new things. I like reliving old things. I like liking music. I like hating music. I like the stories of the artists. I like the stories of the songs. I like the stories that people tell about the music they like. I like making music jokes. I like looking back at the trends of the past and speculating about the future of music. I never know where this river of music is going to go, or what branches of it Ill decide to paddle down. Heck, a year from now I might decide that salsa gospel zydeco is my one true calling. Thats just the way the beat goes. But for now, Ill leave you with a little Deadmau5, and his epic jam Strobe. I dont usually do too many pure instrumentals, as they tend to be a Rorschach test for the listener, but his one is perfect. When it comes to electronic music, I like the longer ones. They have enough time to breathe and to flesh themselves out, and really explore their sonic landscape. Strobe does this, carefully, almost tentatively building itself up, lulling you into a comfortable place of safety, and then gradually, but not predictably, ramping up the excitement until you realize that youve just been invited to the biggest party in the world. And then, like an old friend, it drops you off at home, making sure youve got your keys in the lock before driving off. See: ink blots. And so begins another hiatus. I wasnt as persistent with this years song of the day as last years. No end of year stats, for one thing. I took the months of January and July off completely, and there were some days where I just didnt feel like it. I didnt have anything to prove to myself this year, and that gave me a bit more freedom to explore. I had a lot more fun with the theme weeks. The responses (both public and private) to my 98-99 theme week, my first attempt at telling an autobiographical story with musical facets, were humorous, heartfelt, and humbling, and so a belated thank you for that. And thanks to all for your likes, your responses, and sharing your own stories and reactions to the songs and the stories. Big props to Laura Campbell for her numerous and astute musical observations, and a pound of kudos to Brad Woodcock for liking so many of my posts that, if I did not know him as a man of discerning taste, Id accuse him of a broken Like button. So, seeya in a while. In the meantime, when youve got ten minutes to spare, Strobe.
Posted on: Thu, 01 Jan 2015 19:58:56 +0000
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