Electronic based music being played on traditional instruments. Like I was just watching the Rhye NPR session (dope session btw). Sounds great and all that. But man fuck that shit. Shit is hustlin' backwards. Of course any electronic composition can be dumbed down for traditional instrumentation. Even with artist embelishments though shit is so MOR. No shit, you got a string quartet to play the pad lines. Check out the bass players pedal board. And oh my god that drummer has so little character he actually sounds like the MIDI programming!!
This of course isn't a new feeling. Felt the same way about rappers that get bands. *yawn* And I kinda knew it was going to get to this point after the bonobo show with the sixty year olds in the back sipping wine, but jeeze.
I've been of mixed minds about 'live electronica' since the first time I crossed its path a decade ago. Can't remember the band's name - think they were opening for Soul COughing. Who stank, but I digress.
You know I'm late to the electronic music game but I think my recent experiences have really cemented my long-held thought that it works best when the electronic producer uses the live instrumentation samples and works them into the programmed composition, rather than when the electronic composition/style is retrofitted to an all-live band. Jury's out for me on mixing traditional & electronic in concert until I see it.
I tend to like 'hip hop bands' a lot, but primarily when you can tell it's a live band and not a facsimile of one.
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