Bloody Beetroots + Steve Aoki
24 March 2009 :: posted by TravisBloody Beetroots “Warp” epitomizes what Dim Mak has become — the gentrification of club culture and electro. I’ll play devil’s advocate and say that is not necessarily a bad thing. It is better in Steve Aoki’s hands than say… Madonna or Disney’s hands. Unfortunately, this video tugs at not too distant memories of Vitalic’s “Poney Part 1″… except slow-mo dogs have been replaced with slow-mo cookie cutter hipsters. Slo-mo cookie cutter hipsters are less appealing under most circumstances. But once the synapse is made it’s too late. Bloody Beetroots come off as a pale reflection of better times spent with Vitalic. The end product of “Warp” is less aggressive and more generic sonic waves that are at best a derivative of the past five years of electro: an end cap to an era, maybe? At least we can expect some play in the local Urban Outfitters.
P.S. DJs, please take the masks off.
© 2005-2010 BIGSTEREO.
How extremely sad. With every new Bloody Beetroots track that comes out, it feels like they’re drifting farther and farther away from their roots (no pun intended). They’ve gone the way of Justice as far as I’m concerned and It’ll never be the same again.
March 24th, 2009 at 11.43 am
Well spoken. It’s a soulless empty video and song. A bit like this one from Rob Roy really: http://hiphopblips.dailyradar.com/video/rob_roy_fur_in_my_cap_director_ethan_lader_on_vimeo/
March 24th, 2009 at 11.48 am
As sad as it is to accept and say it, it looks like the end to the era of “the past five years of electro” is starting to show its ugly head. Not so much ugly, per se, as bland and generic.
Regardless, I still danced my face off several weeks ago when they were in Milan.
March 24th, 2009 at 1.11 pm
you definitely said what needed to be said.
March 24th, 2009 at 1.22 pm
Uhg. I remember this song when it was Human Resource’s “Dominator”.
Jesus. I think the video makes this song kind of worse than it actually is though.
March 24th, 2009 at 1.32 pm
I’m glad you guys put such a strong critical edge on this post, and I agree with it wholeheartedly. The Bloody Beetroots lose all relevance with every track that they try to “out crazy” themselves. Each genre has it’s moment where some will pronounce it dead. I think this will be mine.
As far as the video is concerned, it’s pretty ridiculous to see Steve Aoki “singing” the “lyrics” to the track. He’s like their Flavor Flav, but without actually entertaining anyone. Plus, cute floating dogs > generic cool kids. Always and forever.
March 24th, 2009 at 2.34 pm
slow mo dogs > slow mo douches
March 24th, 2009 at 3.54 pm
What’s with all the negativity?
This is a single–a banger, designed to pump people up for the album that (I think) is dropping in July. It’s not fantastic, I’ll admit, but it’s also not nearly as sad and pathetic as you people are making it sound. Why not give these guys the benefit of the doubt, when they’ve had such an amazing track record (especially because the other side of the EP sounds awesome)?
I feel sorry for all those that directly equate these artists’ (Beetroots, MSTRKRFT, even Justice) entrance into the mainstream with their downfall, and subsequently the downfall of some sort of precious culture. It’s the same sort of “oh no they’re selling out” horseshit that has existed since the dawn of commercially driven music, and nothing good comes from it. Guess what: the artists that you thought were so cool and underground are getting popular. As a result, they might change–something that artists do, occasionally–but it’s not at the hands of some oppressive anti-electro force (as if Steve Aoki, during the making of Warp, stood over Bob Rifo with a whip, saying: “We need to gentrify electro, damn it! Make it less like everything else that you’ve done in the past!”)
All these blogs go nuts for cookie-cutter pop/rap songs that hit the charts, but when an electro artist attempts to enter the same arena, they get shat on? Come on. Fist of God is fun as hell. Warp is a good BB banger that, if it had been released independent of Dim Mak, everyone would have drooled over. This is just the kind of music that they’re making, that they want to make–like it or don’t, but stop with the apocalypse talk.
(P.S. “Club culture?” Seriously? That just means dancing, right? Like, dancing in a club to cool music? People have been doing this for goddamn forty years! How, only now, is it in danger of being “gentrified”?)
March 24th, 2009 at 4.31 pm
well, i’m certainly not pissing on bloody beetroots because of any level of commercial success reached. we’ve celebrated all sorts of artists who have have reached all sorts of level of success on this blog. i wish both bloody beetroots and steve aoki successful careers.
i wouldn’t have this blog if i didn’t want acts to become popular or reach a certain level of success. in fact, that has been a driving force for the past four years.
but as far as this track goes… it’s resting on its laurels. club music is about pushing the envelope and doing something new and daring and exciting. and this just isn’t it… we’ve heard all these sounds and gestures a million times before and it ends up being totally paint by number.
all i’m doing is daring bloody beetroots and steve aoki to do something new.
re: club culture – yes there is a long history there. and aoki isn’t going to franchise that. but our short little history does feel like it has become a commodity. granted, i’m not exactly “new” to club culture and i’ve seen this cycle a few times before… but.
March 24th, 2009 at 6.26 pm
I think my problem with it, was Aoki’s inclusion. I know they’re friends and all, and he runs their label, but honestly this track has so little to do with Aoki. It’s a hype video. Look at all the stars: Aoki “performing”, Bloody Beetroots, and the Cobra Snake make an appearance in between a bunch of American Apparel / DIM MAK collection wearing kids. This sort of internal branding is something I expect from large companies, but seeing it on a small scale is just gross.
I had a co-worker telling me Lil’ Wayne sold out because of the Auto-Tune thing and I responded with “Isn’t that his job, to sell out?” “Selling out” refers to the compromising of one’s integrity, morality and principles in exchange for money (thanks Wikipedia) — I don’t think they’re selling out, I think money and fame was what they were always looking for.
There are two kinds of DJs, those who like to dress like hipsters with gold fucking Nikes and ironic hoodies who want free booze and bitches, and those who like making music and getting people excited with it. The showboat attention whores, and the “artists.”
I agree with Travis when he says club music is about pushing the envelope. It relies consistently on new trends and specifically other genres of music, to keep it moving. A DJ isn’t a musician, he/she is a facilitator of everyone else’s music. You gotta keep it real, keep it snappy or it does get forgotten especially in this group.
This stuff just isn’t special. It’s really blippy crap with a lot of hype and no substance featuring a Dim Mak and friends corporate branding circle jerk.
When they spend more time on the music and earn my love, they can attach whatever visuals to it and I’ll still love it.
March 26th, 2009 at 10.33 pm
Ahh such a relief to see this post! your reply to this blog is spot on what i was thinking.
May 14th, 2009 at 10.36 pm
i see the point of both evan and travis. big ups for being critical too.
but some of my (anonymous) readers would probably say:
BANGERZ WILL NEVER DIE!
March 24th, 2009 at 4.54 pm
I actually really dig the track. Is it my favorite “banger” ever? No, of course not. The thing is, why label this song as some sort of signification of the end of electro or whatever when it’s a pretty straightforward track that isn’t trying to be anything more than it is: a hard-hitting 2 minute segment of someone’s DJ set. A lot of this genre is based on that, so I don’t expect to hear stuff that’s listenable too much out of that environment. Also, we have to remember that a lot of things exist after the blogosphere, so when we’re debating these things at a certain point of time, you got a good 6 months to a year after that before it hits the mainstream and becomes popular for another year (if it, of course, has that potential). Case-in-point: Justice/Daft Punk. Ed Banger records are still being put into magazines as “The Next Big Thing”, and so many of the deep-electro guys have labeled that crew as irrelevant. This scene is far from over, and even though everyone who likes something before it becomes popular has a chip on their shoulder, including me, we can at least be glad that as this type of music becomes popular, more people will be exposed and thus we will get MORE BANGERZ (albeit, with a lot more crap in between).
March 24th, 2009 at 5.43 pm
i agree that there is a place for this track — certainly there are parts of the world/country/etc that bangers will never die. but that doesn’t mean it’s relevant to pop culture or relevant as a response to culture or relevant at all.
as far as looking for whatever is next? this isn’t it. maybe it’s not trying to be and will be happy serving it’s purpose in a few dj sets. but dance music has a short shelf life and this song’s shelf life is shorter than most.
March 24th, 2009 at 6.31 pm
More people needed to get punched in the face to make this video worth watching.
March 24th, 2009 at 5.45 pm
Lord Kook, I agree.
However,
“If people can dance together, they can live together.”
Blow Up xox
March 24th, 2009 at 6.28 pm
The tune is fine, maybe even wikkid, and the video’s fine too, but come on, the flying dogs just fucking SMASH IT!
March 24th, 2009 at 6.47 pm
the song is pretty ravey, i dig. far from their best work though. the video is boring.
March 24th, 2009 at 6.54 pm
chest bump, brah.
March 24th, 2009 at 9.56 pm
I’m with Evan on this one. I still like MGMT even though they’ve left the indie underground. This song is just representative of the big step back beetroots have taken with their new music. I sincerely hope it’s not the beginning of the end for electronic music. I think that is a fear that so many die-hard electro fans (like myself) are just going to create and manifest if we keep worrying that it will happen. We should focus on supporting bands that are pushing the envelope, as Evan said, and taking the genre further, as opposed to stuff like this that is a regression at best. Oh, and I hate Steve Aoki. lots.
March 24th, 2009 at 11.26 pm
Electronic music will never die. That’s a fact. It’s been around since the 50s, and will only continue to gain in popularity and mainstream acceptance. “Electro”, the name that most over-the-top club music has come to be known as, is, however, on it’s way out. Everywhere I turn people are venting about how tired they are of the recycled ideas caused by the commercial success of the sub-genre. It’s to be expected, though. Where one artist succeeds, many will attempt to follow in suit. I think it’s time the music world, specifically the club music world, turns their attention elsewhere.
March 24th, 2009 at 11.56 pm
I understand the difference between electronic music and “electro,” trust me. Regardless, my point was that “they” “people” “whoever” (you know how this goes…) have been saying that it’s all over (I optimisitcally disagree of course). And still there are others arguing over whether 2009 will be the year of the synth or the year of the dubb. Your prescription is for the music & club music world to turn their attention elsewhere. Which is specifically where?
March 25th, 2009 at 12.06 am
Oh the era died a year ago!! Move on people! I’m not saying this because I think it’s neccessary to always leave genres for the new hip thing, I’m saying this because electro has become so shitty! So simple! So boring!
The decline from a bunch af very innovative quality tunes out of Ed Banger and Kitsune to massproduced soulless laptop “bangerz” have gone ultra fast. But that I sign of our (internet) times I guess. Blogs have hyped everything with a distorted bass, heavy kick/snare and sidechain compression…
At the same time the techno scene has kept on refining itself slowly, using subtle means to obtain quality rather than quick kicks. That’s where you need to turn your head if you want a lasting club culture kids!
March 25th, 2009 at 6.14 am
techno refining itself? when? where? can you give me any examples?
all the sounds used in techno have been around for ages. i’ll admit that there are more ‘techno’ tracks around that i like these days than in the years before (i like productions from sis, style of eye, radio slave, popof) but come on, what they are doing is not exactly new. same for the newer percussive ‘tech house’/'midget’ stuff. and techno is just as formulaic as ever. just look at kaliber or all the john dahlback productions. no disrespect – i love what he does but it’s not ‘innovating’, it’s just producing/conducting tunes that work.
i’d even go as far as saying the whole ‘banger’ thing has influenced techno producers seeing that there are more ‘techno’ tracks out there now that have an actual peak instead of just being boring background music (or yeah, music with a lot of details only hearable for people on drugs). and that’s a good thing.
and i also think it’s not about being innovative all the time. a fair amount of tracks i posted are just ‘tunes that work’ and that’s fine with me. in the end, the main goal is to make people dance.
March 25th, 2009 at 8.59 am
Interesting…
Let’s all agree that electro is an awful name but a great umbrella term for this genre… at least for this conversation.
Part of the reason for the longevity of electro is that different subgenres have discovered it and put their own spin on it (punk, house, rave, drum and bass, rap, etc). And we’ve heard the argument that electro is dead a million times before (electroclash, electrohouse, nu rave, fidget, bangers, etc).
It’s time for the genre to reinvent itself again. That’s what this post is asking for.. whether it’s techno, disco, polka… I dunno. But it needs to happen.
March 25th, 2009 at 9.49 am
Some intersting thoughts there, I’m glad you responded in such a serious manner. (I think we have to stick to the term electro, it’s stuck by now).
I see some points here, but I beg to differ on some. One is that I do think techno is refingin itself, the concept of elements being taken in from the electro scene is one example. It does, however, not happen in such a rapid tempo, in such massive steps and so conformly as in the electro as of the last couple of years.
It might seem subtle to the outer world, but you don’t need the drugs to appreciate it. Bear in mind that (for good and bad) the techno community in large parts stick to their genre and hence learn to detect changes in the details. As with every genre – the more you listen, the more you find the genious in what you earlier thought was ‘background music’…
There are quite a few ‘trends’ going on right now, maybe the most obvious one being what Popof represents with massive crescendos and constantly rising tones. There’s also alot of new takes on percussion elements and toms going on in my latest downloads.
None of this is of course as innovative as the first new electro wave in, say, ‘06 was with it’s cut up vocal samples, genre crossings and all that came out of Paris, but as far as ‘09 goes, I think the techno scene still tries new things and takes small steps forward whereas what this shit track above represents is total stalling.
Then again, true, innovation isn’t everything. But something needs to keep the interest up. Especially if quality has been reduced in favour of hipsterism…
And Aleks, for more goodness in the same school, check Format:B, Slam, Lutzenkirchen, Hugo and H2.
March 25th, 2009 at 12.35 pm
ps. btw, nic wrote a note on this almost a year ago: http://www.bibabidi.com/2008/06/busy-p-to-protect-and-entertain-feat.html ds.
pss. If a genre has to totally ‘reinvent’ itself in order to stay interesting at all, what does that say about the genre? just asking… dss.
March 25th, 2009 at 3.06 pm
Other than Ed Rec. vol 3 which was crap what else have Ed Banger put out that isnt innovative? Lamb’s anger isn’t creative – I don’t buy that for one second. Krazy Baldhead – so pedestrian right? Give me a break
March 25th, 2009 at 4.21 pm
Electro is a tired genre. No doubt about it.
This isn’t the first time it’s been said and anything that crops up that refreshes the dance scene is always welcomed.
Boring tune to a boring video.
Nice post though, so thanks for being honest. Nice that it’s generated so much discussion too. Clearly lots of opinions on this…
Mike,
(therecommender.net)
March 25th, 2009 at 11.32 am
bagging on an artist and/or genre that’s seen their fair share of the spotlight has always been the “in” thing to do, and it’s easy to jump on the bandwagon. it may make you seem more relevant in your hipster cliques but you’re still an armchair producer.
aoki and the beetroots have done some great things for dance music over the years, so i’m ok with a few duds here and there.
“I do, however, think this is the beginning of the end for electronic music”.
you sir are a complete a dumbass.
you will always have the artists who jump on a ship that’s already sailed, that’s the industry, and it ALWAYS will be in any genre. it doesn’t change the fact that their are others who are at the forefront of creating new ideas. they should be applauded on blogs like these instead of tracks being showcased just because you think it sucks.
March 25th, 2009 at 3.08 pm
the dumbass comment was one of teh dumbest ever. And, you sir, have a point in the popularity and simpleness of critizing that which for a long time has been receiving tremendous amounts of praise. BUT, there is an unrgent need for more criticism in the blog world! And, this is not a good track.
I do also question how much good these two acts have made in the music biz in the longer perspective. They did the right thing at the right time whilst looking good. They wore tight jeans and copied Justice. Good fun at the late 2000s disco for sure, but not important and even less inventing…
March 25th, 2009 at 3.27 pm
Read this post in which we predicted Bloody Beetroots Switch to Snuggies…We are of the same brain.
http://www.indiekrush.com/?p=632
And this post where Octomom endorses Bloody Beetroots and Kid Cudi
http://www.indiekrush.com/?p=1305
March 25th, 2009 at 5.32 pm
I guess I’m just confused about why the genre needs this reinvention so badly, or why it’s the perrogative of these particular artists. You know? I like my Beetroots bangers. They haven’t even released an album yet, and already we’re expecting them to change? We’re proclaiming this particular scene dead after most of you claim that it started in 2006? Two or three measley years? I just don’t get that.
There will be artists in this scene, and in every other, who will take the old and make it new and interesting somewhow. Music evolves–we all know it. Discussing it in terms of death is just so stupid, though–the DEATH of electro. “Oh, it’s been DEAD forever!” PLEASE. Where’s the hope, or room to grow, in the proclamation of DEATH? I think that if you’re one of the people who talks like that, you seriously don’t care about the music–whether it be in this scene, or hip-hop, or punk, or whatever. What good does it do you, or anyone else, to give up on a genre that you claim to love so much? If you loved it, you’d know that it’s not dead–there are plenty of artists doing new and cool things. This blog and others are FULL of them, for Christ’s sake, and I’m not sure anyone here (being blog-readers) could legitimately claim otherwise. You just want to look cool.
So, hey, you don’t like where the Beetroots are headed? Cool. By no means do you have to. But don’t act like it’s their job to somehow dignify your short attention spans with a response–with an alteration of their creative output that’s tailored to YOUR needs–because it’s not, nor is it ANY artist’s. Artists simply make music, and sell it. And if you’re not the one it’s for anymore, then it’s simpy for someone else–for me, let’s say. Perhaps you’ll be able, after the funeral of “electro”, to find a new artist whose work you can eventually deem irrellevant, and whose genre you can thusly proclaim dead.
The bottom line is this: If you believe that WARP is really, truly, the “end” of electro, then it is the end only for you, and because you want it to be. I’m sorry for your loss.
March 25th, 2009 at 6.34 pm
it’s fine to like this for what it is and it’s fine for a saturday night drunk off your ass and it’s fine.
but it’s not evolving. it’s stale. there isn’t a single new idea in the track or video that hasn’t been recycled a million times before in the past few years. sure, bloody beetroots can pump out fifty more songs just like this over the next ten years and people can consume them and enjoy them and i’m sure there’s a (limited) market for that. and that’s ok. but i hope for their own sake they grow as artists and evolve and learn some new tricks.
part of blog culture is patting people on the back and saying nice things and that can be a great positive culture… especially for emerging artists. but at the same time it’s a disservice to artists to not call them out. this was supposed to be critical and critical is not necessarily bad.
March 25th, 2009 at 6.49 pm
Word Travis!
I don’t feel any anger against BB, I just don’t feel any need to listen to this. And obviously there are quite a few whom agree. That makes it a highly relevant subject for discussion in a blog like this. We were all pretty excited in ´06. Don’t fucking blame me, Travis or anyone else being critical for not loving music.
I agree, electro won’t DIE, but a genre who comes from out of nowhere and suddenly appears everywhere, on every blog and dancefloor, does have other expectations than, say, blues. Electroclash came and went, so did punk funk, and now we see it happening to the banger electro. At least that’s what we’re starting to presume here. I think that’s fine and natural.
Also I do see connection to the music being rather ’simple’ as in using pretty cheap tricks, this being proven by the related trend of mixing in (alternative) super hits from all genres to peak the dancefloor. The Ed Banger crew came here and played Rage Against the Machine, old Prodigy, White Stripes etc etc blended with their own tracks and that was fun, because we’d never heard that. But it’s pretty doomed to be short lived.
March 25th, 2009 at 7.03 pm
Travis, and Don–I certainly don’t begrudge your being critical in the first place. To assert that the song and the artist are uninteresting, or sterile, or whatever–that’s fine. I think I made it clear in both of my posts that that wasn’t the issue I’m taking with all this.
(I guess that if there is an argument there, it’s that the genre hasn’t even had time to emerge from the subculture before its followers are already ready for something else–don’t you think that we can have both? And why, then, is it the Beetroots’ or MSTRKRFT’s job to champion the “new” when the mainstream hasn’t even caught up yet? We [blog-readers/writers] may be sick and tired of bangers, but I don’t think that WE are the popular culture. And I think the popular culture deserves to hear the music that we were all OBSESSED with for two or three years running, while we move on to our new obsessions).
Anyway. Prophetically claiming that WARP marks the end of electro is just silly–that’s really all I’m getting at. And I think, based on what you’ve written, that you agree (at least in some sense)–you simply think the genre needs to mature, not that it’s dead and that there’s no future for it (correct me if I’m wrong). I just don’t think those two ideas can be reconciled.
As an aside: thanks to everyone for actually making this discussion intelligent and interesting. So many forums are just zealous insult after insult, but that’s really not the case here. I like it.
March 25th, 2009 at 8.42 pm
certainly evan, and i think i can agree with you on all of that. at this point we’re probably agreeing as much as disagreeing.
if commercial success means doing the same exact thing and riding that wave and bloody beetroots is ok with that then fine, let them have it. but it doesn’t mean i will be interested enough to keep listening. if they lose 1000 fans to gain 10,000 fans and numbers is what they’re after then great. the most commercially successful djs and dance artists are also the most static and rarely change their game.
but if they want to remain at the bleeding edge then they need to evolve and offer up something new and exciting… there are plenty of artists we’ve championed early in their careers, who have reached a certain level of commercial success and are still pushing the envelope… i think it is certainly possible to have your cake and eat it too. i mean, m.i.a. has certainly never compromised her music and has kept evolving and she’s reached great heights. it’s ok for mainstream culture to evolve along side the sub-genre – or whatever.
personally i’m more interested in whatever is on the edge than commercial success. so if this is where bloody beetroots and i part ways then that’s fine.
and i agree… i am very happy that this conversation didn’t dissolve into stupid web chatter.
March 25th, 2009 at 9.04 pm
It predates 2006 to when post-emo indie bands started using synths in their music (Ladytron, The Faint, etc), followed by electroclash and International Deejay Gigolos electro-house. It’s just gotten progressively more heavy (dance friendly) over the years, less artsy, and more PARTY-N-TAKE-PICZ. Think it reached its climax last year for the cool kids (how much harder/more parteextreme can you possibly get?), and they’re moving/ready to move on. Mainstreamers, and cool kids who’ve built up a rep attending such events, are all over it now though. It also depends on where you live…sure the French will hang onto it longer because it put them at the center of the map, as well as electro scenes heavily connected to them, like in Tokyo.
March 26th, 2009 at 11.38 pm
just to clarify, i’m referring to the origins of the current wave of indie-electronic dance music, not electronic music as a whole or other dance music scenes that existed long before that.
March 26th, 2009 at 11.51 pm
cracking post. well said
April 3rd, 2009 at 8.21 am
reminds me of Altern 8
March 25th, 2009 at 7.29 pm
i agree with evan, i also see the point travis makes.
i don’t get though why big stereo promotes artists like thunderheist? some of the most RECYCLED ideas i have heard in a while. is it because every other blog is taking a liking to them and you might as well follow suit or because you feel they are evolving dance music?
i take none of these comments with me but rather to spark conversation.
March 25th, 2009 at 7.53 pm
ha, not to digress too much, but the first time we posted thunderheist was two years ago… and we booked them for our cmj party in 2007 and have promoted quite a few parties they have been at since then. so it’s not like we’re just jumping on them now because they’re trendy or whatever.
i think i should clarify and say there’s a difference between recycled ideas and recycling the same ideas. 99% of the artists we post on bigstereo use recycled ideas. hell, i’d argue 99% of all artists no matter what genre work off recycled ideas. but it’s about making those ideas new again. bloody beetroots has been working off the same recycled ideas… and haven’t added anything (recently) to the dialogue. part of their problem might be that they’ve been too prolific and so we kinda know what to expect at this point, maybe (?). regardless, thunderheist works off recycled ideas but they’re making it new… or feel fresh. i would argue any day of the week that grahm is a much more versatile producer than bloody beetroots. theyv’e both been around basically the same amount of time and grahm’s proven that he’s more than a one trick pony.
March 25th, 2009 at 8.04 pm
Wow, how nice to come home after a long day and read all this discussion. May I say again how pleasantly surprising it is to be able to civilly discuss this without commentators resorting to mindless dribble.
While I see the validity in what everyone is saying to some extent, I agree that in the end, it seems we are all agreeing more than disagreeing.
I think it is important to critique in music. Yes, also push forward those who we believe are making the genre exciting again. Absolutely. But that doesn’t mean there is no room left for honest, appropriate critique. We have all read blogs who slam artists based solely on their mainstream success. That is beyond frustrating, and definitive of the concept of “bandwagon jumping” at its most shameless. The original big stereo commentary on “Warp” was, I thought, very good. It’s the kind of criticism that NEEDS to be said. It’s constructive. I however draw the line, like others have, at using this an proof that electro is dead, over, done.
I’m not done with “electro” (or whatever you want to call it. I feel it’s pointless to argue semantics at this point). I believe it can be a lasting genre. If you don’t, then maybe you simply weren’t as into the genre as you convinced yourself—maybe YOU just need to try some other genres on for size. If you come back to electro in the end, then you will have proved to YOURSELF that the genre itself has lasting, relevant power. Because, honestly, that’s all you need to prove anything to: yourself. You should only listen to music because it brings you pleasure (eargasm, anyone?), not because it’s “in” or on the bleeding edge, or whatever (if what’s on the bleeding edge is what gets you going, great! But it should be because it’s truly great, not just because it’s on the bleeding edge). Seems like a simple, obvious comment. But it’s really not, and is something I think passionate music listeners need to sincerely consider.
As for me, I’m not completely done with Bloody Beetroots, either. I am disappointed immensely by “Warp,” yes. But I will try to remain open minded. Maybe this is just a “dud.” I have hope they will release a track in the future that will be, well, better. That’s all I want—a good song. If they disappoint me, I’ll move on. But not from electro altogether.
March 25th, 2009 at 10.05 pm
I’ll leave the making of such a hyperbolic statement such as “electro is dead”, in relation to the whole universe at least, to the likes of Nas and Pitchfork, but I do stand by the fact that my interest in the genre has peaked and is therefor “dead” to me. While I’m not sure where else to turn specifically, though the resurgence of psyched-out disco of the European persuasion is currently my bag, I think it’s time the blog-o-sphere give the mic over to another sound. I’m not saying they need to go find it for me, but I wouldn’t fight something new coming to light.
The Bloody Beetroots and Steve Aoki can do their thing til their pitch-shifted voices run hoarse, but their track record has left me uninterested. I used to be very curious to hear the next song from those guys, but you know what they say, “Fool me once, shame on me. Fool me twice, shame on The Bloody Beetroots.”
March 25th, 2009 at 11.49 pm
“Oh Em Gee!! Dim Mak does something that isn’t ground breaking. Electro is dead…”
its not like they were ever groundbreaking in the first place, this release is just a bit of fun, enjoy it and dont turn it into something its not.
whinging bloggers are more likely to ‘end electro’ than this track.
March 25th, 2009 at 11.02 pm
Honestly dude Steve was throwing electronic club nights here in LA before your blog, his/her blog, pretty much before you even got into electronic music all of a sudden. When he blew up he did help mainstream electronic music a bit in the states because other DJs followed suit. Fuck I mean every DJ was playing mashups, hip hop, & rock like 2 years ago and now every fucking club is pure electro. Dont front like you are so innovative with a blog that started 1-3 years ago and act like you know the scene or some bullshit that youve convinced yourself. Its hilarious, every dude with a blog acts like they are the historian of electronic music and are the leaders of the genre.
Hate MSTRKRFT, Crookers, Beetroots, Steve, etc all you want for getting more people interested in electronic music. I hope you find the next coolest thing before everyone else and call it your baby. NO artist of any caliber wants to play to the same people every gig…REAL artists develop and grow their fanbases so stop being so damn ignorant. same people, same venues are fucking boring, you can even be an angry unemployed blog writer to understand that concept.
March 26th, 2009 at 4.09 am
this thread isn’t about me personally and i could care less what you think but i do want to clarify some misinformed points:
1) this blog is 4 years old… not 1-3. it was started before this current interest in dance music in the states. at that time arcade fire, m. ward, sufjan stevens, etc were all popular and electro was a joke on the pages of pitchfork. it was not cool. we were one of the first, if not first, blogs to cover electro. i don’t care about being first and that doesn’t really mean anything, but it’s not like we’re not dedicated to electro and just trend hopping.
2) i don’t know you or how old you are, but my personal history with electronic/dance music goes back to 95 when i was 16 and dancing at raves in corn fields. that doesn’t make me an expert by any means or a “leader of the genre.” i’m still learning new things every day, but i’ve also been around the block a few times.
3) aoki is a great promoter and has an ear for what will be trendy long before it is trendy… i give him that. was he the first dj spinning electro in the states? i can’t answer that… but i do know i was going to clubs in 2001 and hearing straight electro sets. do not confuse innovation and popularizing innovation.
4) real artists can develop fan bases and still grow as artists.
March 26th, 2009 at 8.00 am
aoki hasn’t pushed anything with electronic music.
let me refresh you on dim mak.
1. started as indie rock label that recycled indie rock from europe months after it released. i.e. Bloc Party, The Rakes, etc.
2. now recycling non-innovative cookie cutter electro to 17 year olds.
3. aoki STILL plays open format music. yes you can youtube the shirtless aoki singing along to queen’s bohemian rhapsody in a middle of a set.
4. No one who isnt a 17 year old or part of the dim mak camp actually respects what dim mak is doing. Because again it brought nothing new to the table.
March 27th, 2009 at 4.27 am
Dim Mak actually released a Battles EP before they signed to Warp and a Panthers EP before they signed to Vice. That’s pretty damn innovative. I dig those releases too, and I’m much older than 17.
I sure as shit don’t think they’re the label to beat, but they’ve had their moments. This whole conversation inspired by the “WARP” track was a lot more about discussion than scene history trivia and dick measuring when it started. Let’s try and keep it from the anonymous keyboard trash talking, yeah?
March 27th, 2009 at 5.47 pm
FYI, They signed Bloc Party before they released their first LP and released Silent Alarm and then licensed it to other companies (ie: Atlantic Records).
If no one respects what they do how come everybody in the scene you worship is homies with him…Ed banger ppl, Boys Noize, Soulwax, Diplo, A-Trak, Bang Gang, etc…I really dont understand your logic. If your gonna hate on something then at least know what your talking about.
Its cool you should start your own label or maybe do something with your life
March 31st, 2009 at 2.01 am
dude, i think you’re missing the point entirely. i’ve personally heard some of aoki’s “homies” be critical of his work. doesn’t stop them from being “homies.” it’s the game…. and criticism makes artist stronger. honestly, i don’t wanna get into a dick measuring contest, but you seem to be the only one hero worshipping.
March 31st, 2009 at 7.36 am
this discussion was once interesting. now it so isn’t.
I’d like to be “homie” with steve as well. he seems good fun to party with. that does not, however, make this track or genre untouchable though, does it?
another funny thing is that after having dissed this electro thing totally last week I dj:ed with two dudes from slagsmålsklubben on sat and they played some damn fine acid drenched electro tunes. maybe there is hope after all.
March 31st, 2009 at 7.55 am
Above I questioned the impact that BB has made, and wrote them off as merely copycats. I had a point, but if ONE not-so-good track brings up all these emotions and generates this discussion, then they must’ve meant something. The Beetroots should be flattered if anything!
And Colleen: Well put. You’re right in my case, ‘electro’ wasn’t for me. I had great fun with it for a year, spinning it at different parties to wake up the indiepop kids – but what it really did was reopen my eyes to electronic music again. I have the greatest respect for Justice, but I’d never put them on today. I’ve come out of the closet as minimal addict and it’s great!
March 26th, 2009 at 7.04 am
realness, i think you may be taking a simple blog post about a WEAK track and turning it into this idea that travis is claiming he was the proprietor of the electro trend in the 2000’s. nowhere in his original post does it even hint that is what he’s getting at. and in all fairness big stereo does understand the current scene, you are trolling on their blog don’t forget.
i don’t understand why some people take such simple opinions about an artist or track SO personally. Steve himself wouldn’t take the original posting as personal as realness here. no matter what side of the debate you’re on it just ruins any sort of intellectual dialogue when people start throwing shit at one another to boost their own ego.
you obviously aren’t one of these “REAL” artists (opposed to the fake ones?) that you speak of due to the fact that artists who make a living off their work are aware of, and usually open to criticism. it’s all part of it.
i think a lot of people saw the electro trend coming, it wasn’t just one person in one area. i remember when the “electro” section at the record store was pretty nill, and it was still actually electro. 2000 rolled around and it seemed to start gaining some popularity, especially after NYC made it their own. whoever or wherever is sort of a mute point in my opinion. it doesn’t change the fact that what people now call electro needs a major facelift (which seems to have been the initial point travis made in the original post.)
March 26th, 2009 at 1.07 pm
You guys all need to find something else to do with your time……….
March 26th, 2009 at 11.06 pm
Hey your posting here too and probably reading this message right now…lol
March 27th, 2009 at 1.15 pm
I want to punch steve akoi in the face.
March 31st, 2009 at 2.40 pm
ZZT – The Worm?
March 27th, 2009 at 7.52 pm
It’s pretty rare for a good track that can really get you amped to be one that’s also considered good by long fans of any genre of music.
This Aoki track does neither. Its along the lines of Black Eye Peas pretty bad attempt to go electro.
I like the Vitalic track though, good post.
March 27th, 2009 at 11.11 pm
I like youuu
April 1st, 2009 at 8.19 pm
come on, as if you don’t love cobra’s sly little jump at 2:18
March 28th, 2009 at 8.45 pm
I’d totes do the chicks in the vid
April 1st, 2009 at 8.18 pm
I have read every post in this thread, and being amazed at the breadth of opinions on a subject that I thought *I* was passionate about, I believe that I have something to add:
Here’s what I find to be an interesting angle on all of this: This song+video combo has caused a turmoil of emotions to brew inside the many people of this thread, and the result is this web page: an online collection of beautifully articulated, calculated and precise arguments, rebuttals and retorts on the subject of electronic music.
Under any other circumstances than being slightly under-slept from last night, this would have brought a tear to my eye. Truly. Never have I been so impressed at the quality of an impromptu open debate by posters on the internet! I would be proud if a fan of any other musical genre were to stumble upon this webpage and see the shear display of intellect presented here.
I therefore thank B.B. for showing me, through unlikely means, how fans of electronic music are incredibly intelligent (and picky :P ), and how much trust I can put in them to make choices that are informed, thoughtful, and their own.
April 1st, 2009 at 9.20 pm
Bringing something fresh to the table is something that everybody expects, but hey i don’t think that it always sells. I think it can be safely assumed that making money means your making somewhat decent music. Because the other possibility is your making shit and thus nobody wants to buy it hence no cash flow.
So in light of all of this, despite the anger to the B.B for being unoriginal, its actually kicking a lot of butt. I particularly love the track, though unlike vitalic they’ve got a heavy beat and something pushing the edge.
I can understand that change is scary but thank god for not letting music get stagnant.
And for concerns about losing their way or originality look at prodigy.
Absolutely smashing and kick ass back in their day and the new release album sounds a lot like their old one but its fresh and full of a new kind of energy.
Hence, the video is absolutely trash by BB but honestly you wouldn’t listen to this in your room with your monitor flashing back at you, you’d go out or throw on some headphones and look like an idiot in the streets.
Hey, making money equates to making good music, so i think we’re all sore cause some us knew em before they got big and want some recognition for creating the stepping stones.
May 20th, 2009 at 9.13 am
Радует, что ваш блог постоянно развивается. Подобные посты только прибавляют популярности.
May 27th, 2009 at 8.19 pm