I have a friend with some kind of connection
to a DJ in New
York, named John Hamilton. The man is absolutely blowing up. I checked
out some
of his music today and found a couple rather uninspired mixes,
consisting of
compilations of last week’s polecat’s favorite songs to blow lines to.
All the
usual suspects of some college freshman’s first electro mix are present
in the
mix. Ellie Goulding, Pitbull, Eva Simmons and every other female voice
devoid
of substance or caliber litter the audio waves of this booming artist's
feature
mixes. I feel the need to reign down criticisms with the intesity of
10,000 white hot suns in a rather biblical fashion... but I find simply
myself unable to do so. Dopamine is
literally bull rushing my synapses, inspiring me to reflect on how much I
love
my friends and my life. I am invigorated and inspired by unoriginal 135
bpm
slosh in a manner I can only describe as atypical euphoria. Zero fucks
are being given to anomaly of why
I like John Hamilton so much. Cliches are sloshing my cochlea’s in a
uniquely
stimulating fashion; And what I have rediscovered is my long-standing
theory of
sinusoidal musical tastes.
 |
| Last Week's Pole Cat |
For every reaction there is an equal or greater reaction. I
don’t fucking know, something like that. I don’t know physics. No matter how
superficially popular music rises, a deep overly maudlin reaction will occur.
For every Europe, there will be a Nirvana. For every Elvis there will be a Bob
Dylan, and for every Isley Brothers there will be a Ramones or a Johnny Cash.
Music moves progressively, but not always in a unwavering forward fashion. The synth will only build so
high until a counter to builds derivative from the dissent of that
generations youth. This is not news, I have long expressed this and would be
rather naïve to think I was the only one who has come to this conclusion. What
is news is that the superficiality of music is at an all time high and rising.
No one can truly encapsulate all the relevant factors in the explosion of
electronic music into popular culture over the past ten years. But one thing is
clear, it is a genre that will go down hand in hand with rock-n-roll and
hip-hop as being one of the most generationally defining musical genres. It is truly
unprecedented in progression, but the critical element is that it is also unprecedented in superficiality.
But what is important about this is the ways in which I am now
finding to be important. What is greater?
The truth or catharsis provided in the depth of musical artistry. Or the
entertainment and cultural value of musically devoid tracks that seemingly assisted in changing the
landscape of a generation's common experience?
(Before
you jump on the hipster bandwagon of musical artistry
being superior and that "disco sucks", realize that you’re conception
was likely derived from disco that "sucked" or another song
that had little to no musical or artistic value. The place for
popular music is clear and proper. One for mating purposes, have you
ever
fingered a girl in a dance club blasting “Heart Shaped Box?”) Without
John Hamilton’s uninspired bangers and the monotony of house music in
general; M83, Air,
Theivery Corporation, LCD Soundsystem, FC Hayling or whomever you find
to be
worthy of note in the Alternative Electronic Scene would be unable to
derive their value. And is therefore existent as a baseline for
comparison. If everything and everyone was truly exceptional, wouldn't
that make no one exceptional.
The only problem with this model of thought is that it assumes that each musical or creative endeavor attempts to acheive exceptionality in the same category. Creative endeavors attempt to capture a feeling of emotion. The emotion being expressed in the works of Mr. Hamilton, or any other pop artist for that matter from Ms. Perry, to GaGa to Taio Cruz, may differ and seem superficial and simplistic in the category of joyousness, however if they are able to serve as an escapist vehicle for a young man or woman, have the not achieved a valuable deed? Maybe there is escapism in superficiality and simplicity. Maybe this wasn't lost in the feathered hair or bell bottoms of the 70's and 80's.
After turning to Mr. Hamilton in a horrible exam induced state of dread and finding solace in simplicity, I see mildly that maybe that coexistence is present in musical complexity. And that the musical wheel in the sky may not have been turning after all, but rather, the moods and emotions of a young man have and coexistence in genres that "suck" or are dead have been there silently the entire time.
The only problem with this model of thought is that it assumes that each musical or creative endeavor attempts to acheive exceptionality in the same category. Creative endeavors attempt to capture a feeling of emotion. The emotion being expressed in the works of Mr. Hamilton, or any other pop artist for that matter from Ms. Perry, to GaGa to Taio Cruz, may differ and seem superficial and simplistic in the category of joyousness, however if they are able to serve as an escapist vehicle for a young man or woman, have the not achieved a valuable deed? Maybe there is escapism in superficiality and simplicity. Maybe this wasn't lost in the feathered hair or bell bottoms of the 70's and 80's.
After turning to Mr. Hamilton in a horrible exam induced state of dread and finding solace in simplicity, I see mildly that maybe that coexistence is present in musical complexity. And that the musical wheel in the sky may not have been turning after all, but rather, the moods and emotions of a young man have and coexistence in genres that "suck" or are dead have been there silently the entire time.
Yours truly,
--- Post by Gabe Piacentini
