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Sasha & Digweed current sound

I don't like it. It lacks drive. It's boring. What happened to them. They used to play some amazing groundbreaking music. I want them to go back look through old records and play that stuff in a new kind of way. But I feel it's not going to happen.

Re: Sasha & Digweed current sound

quote:

Originally posted by Gemlerr I want them to go back look through old records and play that stuff in a new kind of way. But I feel it's not going to happen.

Yep. Not happening.

I recently checked out some videos on youtube of what they're playing in their b2b gigs. Haven't done that in ages since the clips I've seen here and there on FB were pretty boring (Innervisions sound boring to give you an idea). Even on those Youtube vides that were at minimum 30 minutes there was tons of slower, crappy melodic house techno or whatever beatport calls it but there were some stunners in there also. I believe based on what I saw that they've maintained the ability to program in memorable tunes that really stand out. That in essence was always why people went to see them in the first place along with their mixing cabilities (basically, it's probably better live).

I saw them about a year ago and they were very dull. I decided that's the last time I'll see either of them in any capacity. They're just fucking boring and with the resurgence of actual proper banging progressive in recent years there's no need to put up with it.

quote:

Originally posted by SYSTEM-J I saw them about a year ago and they were very dull. I decided that's the last time I'll see either of them in any capacity. They're just fucking boring and with the resurgence of actual proper banging progressive in recent years there's no need to put up with it.

Quite frankly, I wish the progressive sound was the likes of Mistique Music when they first started Michael & Levan and Stiven Rivic used to play some dope tracks but don't know something happened in 2017 I wish it would return same thing with JOOF and Airwave they all watered down their sound. Now everyone is playing boring dull minimal tech or organic house like they are at Anjunadeep and other progressive djs. I did ask Michael and Levan and they told me that's the sound that the 'crowd' wants to hear now.

In all perfect honesty that Mistique sound was never much use on the dancefloor either. With the exception of the occasional track it was wishy washy bedroom wallpaper music for people who didn't go clubbing.

I might be in the minority here but I feel like they're getting less boring recently. Only time I saw them together was 2006 and it was a lot better than their individual output around the time (Fundacion, Avalon, etc), but not my favorite... definitely downhill from earlier years.

When they went their separate ways a few years later I really lost interest (really starting with Involver 3 and prob Digweed's Transitions 3-4 or Live In collections). I didn't even realize they'd gotten back together in 2016 until a few years after, but like you said Jack, I found it all dull, a lot of dreadful stuff that all sounded the same. I was ready to give up.

On a whim I checked out some of their newer sets a while ago...the past year sounds a lot better to my ears at least - Reelworks Denver, Motion Bristol, Index Dublin, Rebel Toronto B2Bs had some gems in them, if YouTube clips are anything to go by. Like Spaniard said those gems are solid and the mixing sounds as good as ever to me. Though I loved Communicate when that came out and I know that got panned as boring, so maybe it's just me?

I'll find out for sure next month, going to see them in Texas. Their recent sets gave me a little hope, figure either they'll pull it out or I'll call it good and stick to my old CDs and essential mixes.

Now I need to go catch up in the progressive revival thread...

everytime I discover a dope track from the past, sasha's always had played it... that guy.

was listening to airdrawndagger a few days ago, when you have charlie may and james holden working for you, good sht happens.

I havent been following digweed but I dont mind some of sashas new trancey releases. Im a fan of sentre though.



would like to hear this one reenvisioned with more energy.

quote:

Originally posted by szm

This kind of music, this sound just bores me to tears. I cant believe he can stand there and find it interesting at all especially having listened to it in the studio as he made it.

As I skip every 30 seconds its the same fucking thing over and over again. Should I be impressed by "the drop"?

Where is the hook? The melody?

I just hear this bassline with no feeling

bic bong-bong bong bong-bong bong bong-bong bong
bic bong-bong bong bong-bong bong bong-bong bong
bic bong-bong bong bong-bong bong bong-bong bong
bic bong-bong bong bong-bong bong bong-bong bong

Whether if they're currently shit or not, I respect yall for keeping up to date with the scene especially by attending live events.

Not disagreering with You guys here but I think that the sound that they play pretty much boils down to what the crowds today are expecting. The emphasis is on very clear kickdrums and basslines that sound great on a proper PA system. The buildups and drops are made to emphasize the basic and clinical beats. Long & evolving musical progressions are not really 'IN' today.

quote:

Originally posted by djthunderbird The emphasis is on very clear kickdrums and basslines that sound great on a proper PA system.

So exactly the same as all other dance music, then?

quote:

Originally posted by SYSTEM-J So exactly the same as all other dance music, then?

Well, its not like its a black & white situation.

Some other sounds of dance music can have pretty busy drops with different noises and melodies driving the energy on top of the low end. The sound that I was describing mostly relies on kick+bass to deliver the energy. It also has to do with the space that is left in the mix for these sounds to stand on their own. Its a sonically simplified form of electronic music, effective on the festival floor, but can get rather dull after a while.

Huge Sasha and Digweed fan. They will forever be gods on Mt Olympus. But I do agree their music is dull. Digweed can still get a party pumping and Sasha (who is our favorite of the duo) had this special gift of twisting your brain with the most unique/abrstract sounds, followed by some melodic heaven. Nowadays, Sasha's just been playing this dull LNOE stuff. Thank goodness Digweed was always there to get the dancefloor pumping again.


Although dull, my favorite part about seeing the duo is all the old school folks that come out watch/hear them play. All the retired party people who chuck up the money for a babysitter and get to relive some of their finest moments.

quote:

Originally posted by djthunderbird Well, its not like its a black & white situation. Some other sounds of dance music can have pretty busy drops with different noises and melodies driving the energy on top of the low end. The sound that I was describing mostly relies on kick+bass to deliver the energy. It also has to do with the space that is left in the mix for these sounds to stand on their own. Its a sonically simplified form of electronic music, effective on the festival floor, but can get rather dull after a while.

But it's not very effective. It's boring. I've got absolutely no problem with stripped down dance music provided it's percussively interesting and the basslines makes you move. I might not listen to much of it at home, but I love a good techno smash up on a club system.

When I last saw Sasha and Digweed, everything they played had plodding, mechanical rhythms with one-note bass. The guys who were warming up for them were also playing pretty stripped down techy stuff but they really had the crowd frothing at the mouths, and then S&D came on and just flattened it.

The simple fact is they're old and their crowds are old, they've got media empires with the clothing and the radio show and the ten disc special edition CD release with bonus disc of ambient field recordings of John Digweed's washing machine. They get huge crowds regardless wherever they go because they're dance music's equivalent to Star Wars: we all remember the magic from our youth and we keep buying the ticket hoping we'll get just a taste of it again, even though deep down we already know it'll be shit. There's no excuse for this. There is much better dance music being made and much better DJs playing it. What they're playing is this half-arsed, plodding, enervating, middle age fodder.

quote:

Originally posted by 72hrpartyanimal Huge Sasha and Digweed fan. They will forever be gods on Mt Olympus. But I do agree their music is dull. Digweed can still get a party pumping and Sasha (who is our favorite of the duo) had this special gift of twisting your brain with the most unique/abrstract sounds, followed by some melodic heaven. Nowadays, Sasha's just been playing this dull LNOE stuff. Thank goodness Digweed was always there to get the dancefloor pumping again. Although dull, my favorite part about seeing the duo is all the old school folks that come out watch/hear them play. All the retired party people who chuck up the money for a babysitter and get to relive some of their finest moments.

Yeah man, I'm with ya, hard for them to do too much wrong in my eyes, I'm biased for sure. Hoping it's an old school crowd in Dallas next month. Reading a lot of comments on their B2B sets over the past year and quite a few people coming out of retirement to see them again, saying it's their best sound in years...

I agree most of the LNOE stuff isn't my bag, especially some of the Franky Wah or Marsh stuff, just not my thing. Or it gets too much into Tale of Us/Mind Against/Bicep territory for my liking.

I've been a lot more into what's on Bedrock lately. I don't know if I'd go see Sasha solo right now but I'd go to Diggers in a heartbeat. (I missed him when he came to Portland last year!) Clips of his Outernet set in London from March are pretty driving/pounding so hoping for more of that. Their B2B Bristol and Toronto sets earlier this year sounded more dynamic - though anything is better than a festival set, those have been hugely disappointing (to me at least).

Jack, I don't entirely disagree with you, definitely some truth to that. I mean, I'm right in that middle age target audience, ha. Who are you listening to instead?

This guy:

Thanks, will check him out, not familiar. Been listening to your mixes since way back and always appreciate your recommendations, especially for this genre.

quote:

Originally posted by the-sixth

lmao, Im sure you'll enjoy this one as well.



some of these youtube comments are primo. To be fair it does sound like one of those cookiecutter uplifting trance tracks slowed down a bit. Its all about contrast and context I guess.


@varde23
2 months ago
its complete stolen from Activa!!!!!!



@paulstrike7466
2 months ago
Sasha Is The G.O.A.T We are truly bessed to be alive during his time here on earth to hear and experience this music He is a musical Angel sent here from heaven above Thank you God and Thank you Alexander Paul Coe from Bangor Im eternally grateful 󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿emoji emoji emoji

quote:

Originally posted by djthunderbird Not disagreering with You guys here but I think that the sound that they play pretty much boils down to what the crowds today are expecting. The emphasis is on very clear kickdrums and basslines that sound great on a proper PA system. The buildups and drops are made to emphasize the basic and clinical beats. Long & evolving musical progressions are not really 'IN' today.

Call me a boomer but I'm digging his recent stuff. Especially liked him delving a bit into breaks during the pandemic years. His recent Anjunadeep set with Marsh gets regular play from me. Maybe not on the cusp of innovation like he was in the 90s, but this new stuff is still doing it for me.

quote:

Originally posted by Mr Game+Watch Call me a boomer but I'm digging his recent stuff. Especially liked him delving a bit into breaks during the pandemic years. His recent Anjunadeep set with Marsh gets regular play from me. Maybe not on the cusp of innovation like he was in the 90s, but this new stuff is still doing it for me.

Would you mind sharing the link to that set?

quote:

Originally posted by 72hrpartyanimal Would you mind sharing the link to that set?

Digweed is currently in hospital with a serious case of pneumonia and has had to cancel his upcoming dates. There's something seriously wrong with the universe if notorious caner and latter day porker Sasha outlives him.

Yeah man...flew into Dallas for the S&D B2B tomorrow, found out last night about Diggers. Hope he's OK. Just going to be Sasha tomorrow. Edit: he's on for a 4-hour set!

Saw Sasha solo in Dallas tonight. What a set. Sasha has still got it. The best dark driving prog for nearly 4 hours. I haven't heard him play anything like it in the past year of his sets I've been listening to...I was afraid we'd get something like his Sound set in LA in July, which I thought was a little underwhelming...not at all, this was intense. He played tons of new (to me) stuff too, I only ID'd like 4 tracks.

Posted more in the parties thread: https://tranceaddict.com/forums/sho...67#post11801467

If you get a chance to see him solo, damn, I would go again in a heartbeat. Seriously some of his best stuff in years.

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