Over the last couple years I have experienced a drastic shift in my musical preferences. Everybody has musical preferences, and I choose to interpret the term “preferences” in this context as, the stuff you listen to when you need something soothing and familiar rather than something challenging.
A few years ago I was listening to a lot of rock like Kasabian, Interpol and Bloc Party. I would almost certainly pop on a Radiohead album once a day and most times more than once. I have always liked that sort of music and I still do, but something has happened over the last year or two that has changed the way I listen to music.
I have always been keen on electronic music, but I have travelled in the outer regions of the scene, where everything has been kind of a crossover genre. A blend of the best from all musical scenes, which have spawned some exciting bands, but also some that confuse more than they excite. As I began to DJ a lot more in 2005, I found that there were tracks that I would rather play over others, and that choice didn’t necessarily reflect my usual music habits. I started to play more things that could easier blend into eachother, whereas before I had played a lot of rock, which is not as easy to mix. This change opened a whole new dimension of music for me, as I discovered a scene I had not previously been involved in.
First I played a lot of “pop” tracks from artists like Justice, SMD and so forth, but it quickly grew old for me. I had known of the big mastodons of electronic music like Kraftwerk, but never had I dug deeper in what this scene had accomplished through out the years.
Remixes where everywhere and some where good and some where bad. I made some good ones and a lot that I now think is shite. At some point I became aware of what “real” electronic music was, much like a jazzmusician would probably strangle you if you called Norah Jones a jazz act. All the things I thought were electronic music, suddenly sounded a lot more like superficial pop to my ears.
I know I sound like a total asshole, and I mean no disrespect to any artists named, but I think that my preferences have shifted. All I hear now when listening to music on my iPod or when at home, is minimal techno, house and something in between that. Of course I still like other styles, and bands in other genres, but my musical preferences have certainly changed.
I thought I had defined myself as an artist and musician, but I think I might have to think again. Luckily…
Have you experienced drastic preference changes in your musical taste?
What do you do to challenge your musical habits? Do you do anything to challenge your habits?
Are you defining yourself through the music you listen too or is it the music that defines who you are?
EDIT: After reading through this post I can’t really figure out what it is about. Guess I just neede to explain something for myself :-)
As a fan, it’s not hard to notice that your style has changed. The first track I listened to was “You Are Always”. I listened to it during a period where rock was the only way, and electro was just for people who couldn’t, or wouldn’t play real instruments! I looked down upon it, and thought that it was to much “computer”. VETO had a nice blend, but everything else was not good enough for me.
“You Are Always” got me thinking about music in general. I labeled it electronica, which I thought, was the only good thing that made it out of electronic music. Then I began listening to more and more electronic music. And now, I have more electronic songs on iTunes, that I have rock songs! You, and VETO helped me grow new perspectives, and for that I am grateful.
I agree with you in that some of your remix’s has been questionable, and not as good as some other mixes. The song “Break Yourself” is also very new, and very diffirent from your other own songs, such as those on “I Know That You Know”. it’s part of your growth as a musician, and you can’t stop that.
Personally, I would like to think that it is the music which defines me, but I gotta be honest, I don’t really know.
When it comes to challenging my preferences, I do challenge them. I just recently bought Burial’s record, “Untrue”, which I thought was corny and “old” at first, but it has grown on me since, and now it’s one of my favorite records!
I sincerely hope you find an answer to your questions, but I’m afraid you may never find it. Everything’s changing all of the time! That means you and me too.
I bet you’ll have other preferences when you turn 30! And 40! And 50, and so on! And so would I.
I hope you found something useful in my comment. I sure found something in your post!
-Nikolai
Comment by Nikolai — March 20, 2008 @ 22:29
hey T.
Først og fremmest, vil jeg gerne sige tak, tak for at have åbnet mange døre, og udviet mange horrisonter.
Og tak for at have bragt denne, og mange hudløst ærlige indlæg/debatter.
Du er i den grad en værdig ambassadør, for denne, efter min mening yderst sunde tilgang til musikken, generelt.
Altså ,at det ikke er tabu, at stå et sted, indtil man flytter sig et sted hen.
Ellers bliver man jo aldrig klogere.
Men når man så prøver noget nyt, så dukker det næste dilemma op. Følger man da med strømmen? er man blevet en tabubelagt medløber, eller har man skiftet smag af en dybere, og mere pasioneret årsag??
Men ak, hvilket enormt, tungt, og multinyanceret emne, med næsten kun grÃ¥soner, da det jo netop er sÃ¥ individuelt, hvad man betegner, som værende “mainstreem, og undergrund, eller for kendere..?
OG hvornår man definere sig gennem musikken,?
Jeg vil ikke sidde og uddybe det nærmere for mit eget vedkommende, da det nok vil fylde alt for mange sider, og jeg stadig skal nå at drikke mig stiv.
Men vil dog sige, at din angagerede og nysgerige tilgang til musikken, og især det elektroniske univers, er meget smitsom.
Og, at man ikke skal være bange, for at udforske til højre og venstre, og helst finde en masse skuffelser, for engang imellem at finde de der guldklumper.
Men tak for internettet, og sider som din, og andre, man skal bare surfe, surfe, og holde øgne og øre åbne, og så komme ud hvor det sker,!!!!!!!
Ud i alle krogene, ud og mærke bassen dunke i maven, og sveden dryppe fra hovedet.
Og jo det kræver sgu en indsats, og jo det kan ikke undgåes, at det kræver offeringer, i form af penge og tid, og tømmermænd, og personlige afkald, men det er jo en balance man hen af vejen finder, eller..?
fordi musik skal mærkes, for at man kan elske det helt oprigtigt, efter min mening.
Jeg kommer lige i tanker om, en “rød trÃ¥d”, som jeg syntes er gÃ¥et ignnem, de frie taler under Ã¥bningen af SpoT Festivallen de seneste par Ã¥r.
Det med ikke, at ligge på den lade side, men hele vejen rundt, stille kritiske, og konstruktive spørgsmål, ved det som man støder ind i, både musikalsk, såvel også som i resten af tilværelsen.
Cheers,
yours truly, Ole P.
Comment by Ole P — March 20, 2008 @ 23:18
Interesting… I’ll have to say that I’m not quite there yet, but I have also been listening to far more electronic songs the last two years than what I’ve been my whole life before 2006. What changed it for me? I guess The Knife. Last.fm has written it to me in capital letters -I’m a fan. Somehow I think that listening to their crazy music has made me more open to different kinds of music (not only electronic) and I guess I just try to listen to various recommendations that I’m introduced to reading reviews and blogs. Not that I feel someone is forcing their musical taste on me…just to open my musical horizon(?)
Is the music I listen to defining who I am as a person…I think not, but music is a great part of my life and since not many of my friends listen to what I do, they often place me in some kind of “we-don’t-know-your-music-box: go put on your headphones!!” (their loss by the way)
I have no idea what I wanted to reply… Just read your post and thought I had to reflect on something too…
God PÃ¥ske, P
Comment by Pernille — March 21, 2008 @ 00:51
Hej Troels
Interessant post. Jeg har netop oplevet et lignende radikalt skift i musikpræferencer. Var til et foredrag med en gut der hedder Puzzleweasel (http://www.myspace.com/puzzleweasel), og han fortalte om den elektroniske musiks udvikling sideløbende med sin egen musikalske udvikling.
Hans musik er vildt interessant på en eller anden skarp og direkte måde, som når man først har hørt det, får ens rockmusik til at lyde mudret og unuanceret. Det er meget mærkeligt at det kan virke sådan. Ikke at jeg forsager alt min herlige rockmusik til fordel for elektronisk, men der er bare et eller andet mere kompromisløst over den hardcore elektroniske musik.
Men omvendt sÃ¥ er det bare at sætte en Rolling Stones plade pÃ¥, og sÃ¥ ved man, at rocken nu ogsÃ¥ har sit helt eget og utrolig givende formsprog…
Comment by Peter — March 21, 2008 @ 10:36
Interessant læsning!
Jeg tror, at det er en helt naturlig udvikling hos alle der interessere sig for musik.. Jeg er gÃ¥et fra Nirvana til Prodigy til Trance stilen og til House. Fra beastie boys til 80′er disco-pop til minimalistisk techno til “indie” (vidt begreb – josh rouse og BoH)
De første plader jeg købte var med bla. Nirvana og Prodigy.
Nirvana lagde grunge/punk stilen fra starten, og sÃ¥ gik jeg over til den lidt mere poppede 90′er elektroniske stil.
Experience med The Prodigy og numrene Everybody in the place, Outta space og Wind it up. Music for the Jilted Generation med bla. Voodoo People og Poison, og No good.
Denne “Jungle-Goa-Drum n Bass” stil lagde ligesom bunden, hvorefter jeg gik mere over til Chemical Brothers.. og skiftede pludselig fuldstændig stil, til noget rigtig cheesy trance sÃ¥ som “Tunnel Trance Force 16 & 17″ (de eneste ttf der var værd at lytte til, da det faktisk var nogle veludvalgte numre, som dengang ikke var blevet “for mainstream”)
Jeg er med tiden blevet meget meget mere kræsen med mit musik valg. Jeg æder ikke alt hvad der bliver udgivet pÃ¥ beatport eller diverse mp3-lytte-sider – men er heller ikke blevet for ensporet.. forsøger hele tiden at udvide min musik horisont ved at lytte til mix tapes, gratis mixes osv. Største delen af det er rubbish, men der findes noget virkelig godt indimellem. Tror lidt at du har det pÃ¥ samme mÃ¥de Troels.
Tag feks nogle af de links til. feks. DxD’s (død) blog. Halvdelen af deres musik, er i mine øjne liige lidt for langt ude, imens nogle af deres endnu mere langt ude numre, er virkelig fede!
Man behøver ikke æde(lytte) alt, bare fordi det er nyt og populært!
Tilbage til topic..
Det er godt, at du fÃ¥r øjnene op for nye genre! Det viser bare, at musikken virkelig tiltaler _dig_, og ikke kun pÃ¥ den overfladiske jeg-lytter-til-hvad-der-er-i-radioen stilen. OG at du heller ikke er pÃ¥ “Metallica ONLY!” (læs: Heavy metal) vognen.
Jeg har imens jeg har skrevet dette lyttet til:
The Chemical bros. – Elektro Bank
Bern – Married
Cassius – Cassius 1999
The Field -Over the ice
BoH – The First Song
Stardust – Music sounds better with you
og nu, The Shins – Caring is Creepy..
DanielB
ps. er lige kommet hjem fra påske frokost.. så hvis det er total usammenhængede.. så er det fordi jeg er stiv.
God PÃ¥ske.
Comment by DanielB — March 23, 2008 @ 21:06
I’ve been experiencing the same thing through the last year or so – and that’s my second time as far as I’m aware.
I too am trying to define myself through music a lot, and so it takes a long time to completely go with a new style of music. But hey – hasn’t this been the case all through the history of modern music? All our heroes who’s really made a difference, has gone through several stages of musical activities.
I’d go with the guy who said that this is a sign of true passion for this art form.
Add the fact that electronic music has really matured the last 5-10 years (that’s what I believe all the crossover’ing means), and there you have it: it’s not just normal and a healthy sign, we’re actually in the same boat as a large part of a generation here (not taking your talent and extreme urge to work so much as you must be doing into consideration:) )
I’d say it’s pretty fantastic.
Btw. As In Rebekkamaria’s new album sounds brilliant!
Tell Suppe I said hi!
Best, Jonas
Comment by Jonas Delfs — March 25, 2008 @ 01:01
Jeg kan ihvertfald ogsÃ¥ godt høre en forskel pÃ¥ din musik. Jeg har stadig min gamle Ipod, og det er en nærmest en lille guldskat af din musik – jeg tror jeg har remix’ og numre helt tilbage fra 2005 eller 6.. Odium, Goodbye Love osv… Og det er rigtigt hvad du siger, at det nye er mere uigennemsigtigt, mens det gamle er mere ”lyttervenligt”, synes jeg ihvertfald. Men jeg er endnu aldrig blevet skuffet. Man skal jo aldrig være bange for at udvikle sig.
Comment by Ninna — March 25, 2008 @ 14:29
Hi Troels. Nice article.
Here’s my thoughts on it. When you’re young, you get into a type/style of music. You LOVE IT. You only listen to it. You can’t imagine why anyone would listen to anything else. Then, something changes, you make a new friend, you move school, you go to a gig, and your musical tastes move slightly, then a bit more, and then finally with a little nudge you are now a Headbanger instead of a Shoegazer. Wow, how did that happen? And this continues as you are growing up and your ’scene’ changes. We are influenced by the people we meet, and places we go, the tv, the radio, the internet (now) and the clothes that we wear. I’m going to make an assumption here, and assume that i’m a lot older than most of your readers, (perhaps not though) but what i’ve found over the years is that your tastes in musical styles and genres move and flow with your lifestyle, happiness (or not), your loves, your fears, your home, your job and your friends. I’ve been interested in all sorts, from punk, i started buying records when i was 8 back in 1978, through, rock, heavy metal, goth, indie, then dance music. i’ve spent the vast majority of my adult life listening to dance music (in most of its forms), but nowadays I listen to just about everything, you’d probably have a fit if you saw my record collection, there’s a lot of strange stuff in their, and like in my younger days I go to loads of gigs now, and hardly ever go clubbing anymore (i’m still killer on the dancefloor though ;-). As Funkadelic wrote, Free your mind and your ass will follow. It’s good to have a broad knowledge of different musical styles, yes, you are right, some of the stuff out there is utter shite, but so what! who cares! you know what you like, and that’s really all that’s important. that’s the beauty of this medium, the choice is endless. you can have the straightest middle of the road tastes or be out on a limb creating your own bleepnik pop for yourself. like most people who’ve posted, i haven’t really said anything profound, but all in the mix eh!
Ha, what a load of old bollocks. What am i trying to say? fuck knows. Just enjoy your tunes, and yourself, fuck the rest of it.
love the new braun remixes by the way. if you say yes, i say yes – wowowowowo killer dancefloor filler!!!
Garry.
Comment by Garry — March 26, 2008 @ 21:55
sorry, forgot to post this.
http://www.perishfactory.com/butterfingers.mov
just utterly brilliant.
enjoy
Comment by Garry — March 26, 2008 @ 21:57
Garry: Welcome back! And thank you for your five cents. Great video. Who’s the band and who’s Perish Factory?
Comment by SuperTroels — March 26, 2008 @ 23:25