That sounds amazing! Exactly the kind of thing I’m looking for. Sensory Deprivation Shows 
2 Likes
Should this COVID thing pass and should you ever be in Berlin, I’ll happily invite you to one of these sessions. They are modelled after psychedelic ceremonies / rituals - lots to be learned from the great shamanic traditions of this world 
7 Likes
I would love to be part of such events – can I sign up somewhere?
3 Likes
Totally up for that!
2 Likes
I think that Mystique boat sailed longtime ago with the advent of the internet…musicians used to be more elusive and mythical figures and we used to flock to the warehouses and massive etc…during the 90s. Since the internet over-exposes by its nature and human condition of curiosity we “killed” the star. The cult of personality around musicians has evaporated…what is left over is the curiosity for " know how" (?) the democratizations of gears and softwares have made it affordable to engage with the tricks of the “trade”. At least it is for me ( or dare I say my generation…old enough for pre internet and young enough for the introduction of the internet.)
3 Likes
one of my fave writers since the “melody maker” paper of new-wave era. he also wrote a book regarding the “hardcore continuum” progression of electronic music …But prefer David Toops(sp) “in depth” writing on ambient music.
2 Likes
Super interesting reads, thank you!
2 Likes
I knew a time when the circus arts were an integral part of the rave and the cabaret arts were an integral part of the underground clubs (transformism, drag queen, doppleganger cover singer …)
so when i hear people sayin’ “it was better earlier”, sure it goes with a lot more than partying (evolution of society with so many subjects of enhancements)
But nowadays there’s a lot of rave in cold hall, and clubs with only drinks and djs. So yes we missed something over the years… i would say Simplicity, Fun, Sense of humor, Partying, Let it go, Smiling, Connecting to each other.
Maybe we will have to rediscover this before to move-on the great way.
7 Likes
You’re welcome
Along with K-Punk, Simon was one of the first to really capture, in writing, this “end of history”, “endless recombinant plateau” vibe that we find ourselves in since the emergence of ubiquitous internet media. I think the post up thread about the end of the mystique of the artist is spot-on as well. The last really breakthrough artist in electronic music to exploit mystique was probably Burial. In that case, he also brought a singular artistic perspective and incredible tunes. But yeah would Burial have made any impact if he posted himself making his “jams” on YouTube? Probably not.
4 Likes
Absolutely love that shy, shy man, even if he started to decline on later releases (imo ofc)
Maybe he did, aliasing like a pro.
I highly doubt that. He just wanted to make tunes. The British media had to out him tho 
2 Likes
Yea, you’re for sure right about that. Reading up on Wiki about it. Still love his work, we play it still, kiddo loves the Burial tunes! Recently he is totally loving Cake (Comfort eagle), after my wife took the CD out of a forgotten box.
1 Like
I would say the tabletop-angle performance video is what really got me into hardware, and that I love it. I love taking the artist and their face out of the equation. I love seeing how the music is actually made in real time. I love how good performances fly in the face of this idea of electronic music simply being about pressing play. Even with non-electronic music, I like seeing how they’re using the gear, be it a piano, guitar, effects pedals, drums. Live performance is inspiring.
It definitely ruins the mystique, but myself I’m pretty sick of personality-driven art and manufactured mystique. By contrast, a pair of hands, some gear, and some great music feels refreshing and unpretentious. People like r beny or ylva or jogging house or Ivar, they make beautiful music that I want to listen to, and they make beautiful music that I can learn from. Kind of best of all worlds. I just wish more artists I liked did it.
14 Likes
I love watching some Tiny Desk concerts and KEXP live performances to name a couple. Watching Mac de Marco walking randomly around a park singing while gently strumming his acoustic guitar somewhere in France in a La Blogotheque video is also just lovely.
These types of performances are worth every minute of one’s attention but watching stationary tabletop views of hands pressing buttons and sliding faders or looking at another computer screen on a computer screen is so insanely boring to me that I virtually never watch them and if I do, I can never get through the entire video and it’s not because I don’t have a good attention span. I sincerely don’t understand the idea that mystique can even be associated with any of these types of ‘performances’. I don’t see them as performance at all.
Sorry, I don’t mean to be so negative or wind anyone up but on the whole ‘electronic artists’ in general have always had a pretty tough job when it comes to performance whether that is in a video form online or live. Tricks are employed time and again to ‘stimulate’ the viewer. Background visuals, a table full of distractions (cactus!) or a snazzy video overlay… whatever, these things are mostly arbitrary and there only to serve purpose for a void that’s always present.
5 Likes
Benys been appearing in his last few videos Jay. I think he’s got more confident. Your work is always a pleasure to listen to whether your in it or not. Thinking of getting a NDLR because of you. 
To add some more “positive” examples of how performances have changes I must admit that I am a huge fan of Perplex On, who achieves a beautiful mix of sound and visuals (through audioreactive patches in Notch), which really fits into an audiovisual medium like youtube:
and in contrast to that I also really appreciate Nostalgic Ruckus for his minimal, toned down and focussed editing and lighting:
4 Likes
I feel like the videos made by Jexus create mystique. If I hadn’t seen them and someone described them to me I wouldn’t be interested but somehow they work really well. Dude really creates an atmosphere.
3 Likes
I know my videos might be boring to just watch my hands on a synth, so for the longer ones especially I’ll cut in some footage from around Okinawa, or add some trippy visuals for whoever sticks around.
I like seeing the device for the most part. If it’s one I’m familiar with and I can see what the performer is doing, maybe I can gleam some skill from paying attention to what adjustments they make. If the video is shot from across the room and I’m just watching someone bob their head and lean over instruments, I get kinda bored. Just a preference anyway.
Then again, it’s all about the music in the end.
3 Likes