I hear a lot of copycat boom-bap from younger players who sneer at “tradition,” as well as old farts who miss the boat by not taking up at least some of the new tools. There’s merit to both and plenty of it, but letting Marketing lead you around by the nose is not a good plan. If you really want to impress, your music needs to say something more than “I has shiny toys.” Part of the problem is that a lot of people stick to their social group music too much and don’t explore other styles. That leads to inbreeding and a lack of really standout virtuoso moments. So its not that this piece is “bad;” its for sure well-crafted. It just lacks enough counterpoint and small risks to define itself. Its basically a percussion track looking for more involved melody and harmony to give it context. Moving outside just 4/4 would also help. Leonard Bernstein once referred to good music as engaging in “the violation of expectation.” Most dance never challenges my expectations. People should think about coloring outside the lines more often.
via New Video Features Controllerism Gone Wild » Synthtopia.
