THE ENVELOPE FILTER

Jun 1, 2003 12:00 PM

LETTER OF THE MONTH

IT'S IN THE CANS

I'll admit it: When it comes to pulse-pounding beats, I'm quite often turned off. It's not that I don't enjoy going into a club and getting into the beat, but this four-on-the-floor music more often than not leaves a lot to be desired when played outside of clubs. Outside of the dancefloor, the music commonly has no depth, no complexity.

I'm not saying that all electronica is shallow. I listen to artists such as Hybrid, BT, Cirrus and the Crystal Method, to name a few, and it is amazing how much depth is contained in many of their songs. I'm continually finding new facets of their tracks that I've never heard before. This is the kind of music that you can listen to with headphones on and simply get lost in the atmosphere of the music. This “headphone electronica” needs to be featured more prominently in our culture if electronica as a whole is ever going to become mainstream.
Ryan Avery
via e-mail

For sending in this month's winning letter, Ryan Avery won a pair of Stanton 890FS dual-styli cartridges ($189.99). If you would like to win a pair of these cartridges, just send in the pithiest, silliest, bitchiest or smartest letter next month. Please address correspondence to “The Envelope Filter,” Remix, 6400 Hollis St., Ste. 12, Emeryville, CA 94608 or to remixeditorial@primediabusiness.com. Published letters may be edited for space and clarity.

BREAK STUFF

In “Electro Smashed” (January 2003), Primal Scream talks about burning gear that is too difficult to use and smashing the Mac that's giving the band trouble. I think some DJs should follow their example. I'll start with my Pioneer DJM-600. My source material is always vinyl, but when I play through the 600, the music comes out sounding digital, like a poorly compressed MP3.

Let me move on to Final Scratch, or should I say Final Crash? I saw The Hacker's setup crash during a set in New York. Richie Hawtin even admitted that Final Scratch crashes on him. Have you heard what a shitty MP3 sounds like on a big system? Sure, records scratch, but they don't crash your whole set. Blow up your laptop and go back to vinyl.
Trey Bennett
New York

LOOKS GOOD

Nice job on the feature about visual artists (“Visual Bliss,” February 2003). Technologically speaking, this art form is in the same place now as the music it is made for was 10 years ago. My band, Silence Repellent, started designing its own visuals recently. How we wish we had a team of people working for us like Sasha and Digweed! It would be wonderful if somehow a forum could be created to introduce aspiring visual artists with the music-makers.
Lightfinger
via e-mail

HOLISTIC DJ HEALTH

After compiling many thoughts toward the issue of whether digital turntables are revolutionizing DJing or just taking it down a notch, I think that we're doing a little bit of both. Effects, looping, preset cue points and turntablelike playback are badass features that come along with most popular CD-player setups, but is it really DJing? It is, because we still use beat matching and other techniques in front of live audiences, but it almost feels like we have simplified the true talent of a DJ, which is to manipulate vinyl and turntables as an extension of the body, mind and soul, not as just a CD player with fancy features. The beauty of DJing was that it wasn't a skill you learned after reading a manual. It was something that you had to truly love, appreciate and cherish.
Danny Joun
via e-mail

MOTOR CITY MELTDOWN

In our postmodern, war-ridden world, the gift of Detroit that inspired the masses needs to be remembered for what it was. When I read the article on the Detroit techno exhibit (“Frequencies,” April 2003), I thought, “Great! Techno is being seen as a true art form at last.” But in the end, it is just a visual rather than an aural journey. What's the frikkin' point of making a museum exhibit about music with little music in it? Come on! The birthplace of techno as we know it gives it that crappy showing. It just goes to show that America, in its bubblegum pop and recycled guitar riffs, has lost what it truly gave the world. The techno revolution is rising again, so it seems, but how long until it is mainstream or at least parallel-stream like it deserves to be? I want techno to finally be given its due, but I don't want it to be degraded into simply a number of songs and albums directly proportional to the cost and profit margin of the label releasing it.
Deep Electric
via e-mail

THE FUTURE IS NOW

I have more than 5,000 records, but I haven't spun in a year or so: I have been too busy learning software and hardware. My software includes Magix, Cakewalk, Cubase, Mixmeister, n-Track Studio, Gigastudio and more — all to be a better DJ. Some of my hardware includes the DR-202, SP-202, MC-09, SP-505, Zoom MRS-1044 multitrack recorder and a 61-key MIDI controller. The next time I do a set, I won't be taking any records or CDs. DJs of the future are using samplers, drum machines and a mic to rock the house right.
GP, The Clown of Sound
via e-mail

WAY KOOL

I received my first copy of your magazine, and I think it's great! What makes your publication so different is the way it actually focuses on new music, technology and the industry from an in-depth level. I really enjoyed reading about Kool Herc (“Respect,” April 2003) in the first person versus getting a history lesson. Keep up the good work!
Martin D. Woodard
Raleigh, N.C.

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