• Get involved.
    We want your input!
    Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.

    After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
    If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.

    After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
    https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/

    Thanks in advance and have fun!
    RadioDiscussions Administrators

GETTING TIRED OF TECHNO!

W

Wildstyle K

So as usual, I go hiking with my Zune player and speakers, and while I'm at the top of the mountain, the Baka Boyz All Star Hit Mix comes on, and I listened - mostly because I just knew they were going to play the new Ne-yo song, "beautiful monster". Surely enough, WITHIN THE FIRST 4 SONGS of the entire 3 hour mix, they hit it. I don't know why I have a feeling for these things, but I just do when it comes to radio. Anyway, so I hear the beat coming in and then after the previous song ends,

THE BAKA BOYZ MAKE THEIR INFAMOUS INTRODUCTION!

Something along the lines of "brand new ne-yo..." etc etc etc, THEN they drop the bomb - "It sounds a bit technoey"

THAT I DID NOT SEE COMING!

It's funny how still, this day in age when dance sounds are once again making its way back into mainstream and into people's desires, people still can't let go of the silly labels! At least this time there was no "i wanna pull out the glow sticks" talk. But I still don't care for this sound stereotyping and feeding that stereotype that if it's fast or electronic, then it must be techno or something related in some way to the word techno. I think the word "techno" itself has been a little tainted. Just listen to how it sounds when you hear someone use it incorrectly. It's almost even..... well, offensive!

I love the Baka Boyz, as I mentioned in another section of these boards, but I never thought they'd be ones to say "techno", or "technoey"! Especially when they themselves do electro-hip hop and house mixshow syndications now! I know they did say "It SOUNDS technoey" rather than straight up calling it techno, but still - people hear the word and then the sound and automatically associate it with each other, and knowing how many people's minds work, just hearing the word associated with the song alone is enough to make people dislike. On the other hand, looking on a bright side, those who think everything electronic and fast is techno and also like today's new generation rhythmic dance sound will assume they like techno and it's the in thing now. Anyway, Ne-yo's "beautiful monster" is not techno. I wouldn't even call it house. I'd only go as far as dance, since dance is an open, broad term. I'm getting tired of the "techno" thing and stereotype.
 
Fist bump!
 
Actually, with regards to "Beautiful Monster" I think labelling it a bit Technoey is a pretty accurate description. The verses contain strong Acidic squelches associated with early 90s underground Techno.
Let's compare the start of "Beautiful Monster"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOk1lMjL_Q0

With Hardfloor's classic anthem titled "Acperience 1"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kV4Nw0PtNs

Or what about Josh Wink's "Higher State of Conciousness"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqEAYsCyjUk

Anyway you look at it the new Ne-Yo record is a pure Dance record, plain and simple.
We also saw this puer Dance sound recently with Kelis on her collaboration with David Guetta - the song "Acapella", which is a in Europe
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8D9xCBcfzw
 
I kind of think the intro and second verse breakbeats with the elements thrown into those areas are what give it it's strong dance vibe appeal, but then as soon as you hit the chorus beats, it sort of screams pop in a way. The melody is electronic dance material, but the type of drum beats are somewhat similar to the typical rhythmic dance sounds of today. They really did a good job at creating a "borderline record" that sits right there on the line between electro-pop dance and pure electronic dance. It's ok to say "it SOUNDS technoey", since that's different from calling it techno, but the problem is because of how many people's minds have been trained to have certain beliefs about the word "techno", it doesn't help too much to say that on a top 40 station, where people believe there's a "normal" and "weird" when it comes to music. I'm also sure when they said it, they weren't even thinking of how accurate the description was. They were thinking along the lines of how most "normal" people think about the sound.

I'm beginning to wonder; Is it still even worth it to fight this battle to teach and preach that everything electronic is not techno, or shall we just let it be and make that the official new term since most are familiar with it? We can fight the battle, but keep in mind we're fighting a battle that the opposing side doesn't even know is in existence. In most cases that means automatic victory, but not in this case!
 
I guess it's another modernized version of the mainstream dance sound, sort of like Usher's OMG with the "stadium anthem chants", or the "oh oh oh ohwoh" with the clap beats going (which I call "statium anthem chants"). Just like we had euro in the late 90's and almost the start of trance-like material in the 00's as mainstream dance sounds, I guess today's sound is the electronic pop dance combination. I also did notice the vocal arrangements in "beautiful monster" which are unique to the song and make it sound more dancey. The title could've probably been better, but I guess the quality lyrics do make up for the "beautiful monster", which does sound a tad silly, or maybe it's just me who thinks the use of the word "monster" is "kiddish". Now, those of you who know my style know which parts of the song.... well, excite me the most! Of course, the breakbeat and electro sounds! I may not have said it yet, but I am thinking it; - Is this a sign that a modernized version and sound of the whole Planet Soul, Jocelyn Enriquez, Angelina, Lina Santiago could resurface? By now, you should know everything I say or write, there's always a deeper meaning or thought behind it somewhere that will eventually come out sometime later on. We are so close to a modernized version of that west coast freestyle electro sound making a return in today's modernized dance. It's just that no one has produced the perfect formula yet!

Here's a PERFECT EXAMPLE of what I'm getting at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqhAPlbSJCg

Notice the modernized booty bass / electro-r&b type beats similar to what's being used today WITH the electro sound added in! I know Flo Rida or somebody could do it! An established dance artist collaboration with a mainstream rhythmic artist to do a verse and use this style would perfectly be up my alley of "out of the norm, borderline type material"!
 
KDM 7000 said:
It's almost even..... well, offensive!
Click to expand...

I find it offensive too. When some dance track with no bite starts to play, and I hear someone refer to it as techno, I just want to punch them in the mouth. One for even listening to that in my presence, and two just for the reference.
 
DJ_Perry said:
Electro basically is the new Techno. Just listen to some of the "Rave Classics" CDs from the early 90's and you'll hear the same patterns that are being used in these Electro remixes
Click to expand...

Not Really...
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.


Back
Top Bottom