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Ricardo Villalobos - Enfants EP (pg. 7)
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| Stasis |
I think Villalobos is so popular because he gives both casual, "trend-following" minimal fans and pretensious, "self-described" minimal fans what they want.
When you see him play out, he's actually a real crowd-pleaser. He mixes fairly rapidly, keeps things interesting, and there's always a kinda groovy, housey vibe. Here on the dancefloor is where he pleases those more casual fans. They can say they went out to a "minimal" night, but really have just gotten away with some fairly friendly stripped-down house music.
He keeps the more pretentious crowd happy with these 14+ minute tracks that just scream "ARTIST" to them. The forum/blog crowd needs something to talk about beyond, "This new track is hot! I die!", and making tracks with a strange quark or piece of trivia attached to them (like being 30 minutes long, separating the beats from the rest of the track of each side of the vinyl, or including some rare live-band sample) gives them that piece to talk about.
So there's my 2 cents on why he's so popular. He's a party DJ in real life who produces some downright silly "art" tracks to keep the pitchfork crowd happy. |
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| blitz~ |
| quote: | Originally posted by RJT
I absolutely hate this mentality and wish it would die a quick death - unfortunately Villalobos, Hawtin, and many of the other fellows in league with them can do no wrong in a lot of their fans eyes.
I just fail to see how making needlessly self-indulgent 12-20 minute beat tools over and over again warrants the kind of praise people levy upon Ricardo. I don't see the talent what-so-ever. |
I don't like his releases either but I have heard him many times here in Berlin live, and he's had some killer nights. He can absolutely destroy the dancefloor with his trippy sound. And he has the ability to still mix perfectly while being so ed out of his mind he can hardly keep his eyes open or stand :p |
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| nchs09 |
| quote: | Originally posted by RJT
I absolutely hate this mentality and wish it would die a quick death - unfortunately Villalobos, Hawtin, and many of the other fellows in league with them can do no wrong in a lot of their fans eyes.
I just fail to see how making needlessly self-indulgent 12-20 minute beat tools over and over again warrants the kind of praise people levy upon Ricardo. I don't see the talent what-so-ever. |
he doesnt only spin his 15 minute productions, he layers stuff and mixes tracks other people make.
i do enjoy his work but i agree his tracks are a bit long... does give you more time to mix or throw in another track on top |
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| RJT |
Again - I understand exactly what Ricardo does, and concede that I have never seen him live so I have no business commenting from that end.
What I've heard, I haven't found remotely impressive - DJ and production wise.
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| DOOMBOT |
| quote: | Originally posted by blitz~
I don't like his releases either but I have heard him many times here in Berlin live, and he's had some killer nights. He can absolutely destroy the dancefloor with his trippy sound. And he has the ability to still mix perfectly while being so ed out of his mind he can hardly keep his eyes open or stand :p |
Pretty much says it right there. :happy2: |
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| paulandrews |
Straight from the horse's mouth (pun intended):
| quote: | | Enfants was made one day before my baby was born. I was searching for children's music, like music by children or music with children singing. I heard Christian Vander's "La Sorcière" from a children's anniversary concert from 1995 dedicated to the French group Magma. When I heard the first track on the CD, "Baba Yaga La Sorcière," I thought, 'Wow, this is incredible.' I started to play around with it, and I found that I made a little tool out of it. I gave it to some friends, so only about five DJs had it. But it was promoted so much by these five people that other people soon wanted it. It wasn't meant to come out, it was meant to be for my friends and myself to have a little secret weapon in our CD cases or something like that. The idea is that anyone can mix whatever track into this track because it doesn't have too much melody, tones or harmony inside. You have a very powerful tool, so you can put whatever bass drum on it, and it works. |
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| RJT |
| quote: | Originally posted by paulandrews
Straight from the horse's mouth (pun intended): |
17 minutes is a "little tool"?
:stongue:
Ricardo and his buddies are welcome keep their "secret weapons" from here on out as far as I'm concerned.
I pray I never have to hear this out. |
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| elFreak |
the thing with Ricardo is that he doesn't DJ in the same sense as many of the bigger names around. Its not simple A to B transition stuff and often he will play 4 different tracks with the same "tool" being used steadily while bleeding and blending back and forth creating something unique to each performance.
Is it easy to get?
no
Is it for everyone?
no.
Is there a place for things like these being sold?
Yes
Personal preference people. I'm on the fence with this one, as i have heard it out used very effectively, and at the same time i have heard it used in the most stale and unimaginative ways as to make it unbearable. Lets not forget that the essence of Dj'ing is adding uniqueness to pieces of work that are not your own. If people just want to go from a to b and play it safe there is nothing wrong with that. But if you can take risks (some work, some don't) and leave a lasting impression then that is what is called taking it to the next level. FFS I saw Luciano with Aqua's Barbie Girl one year at DEMF, not only did he turn a track into a rumblimg warbling animal...but the people ing ate it up. Think beyond the bun, be young, have fun, drink pepsi.
edit: i almost forgot...lets see you do better:toothless |
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| DOOMBOT |
| quote: | Originally posted by elFreak
the thing with Ricardo is that he doesn't DJ in the same sense as many of the bigger names around. Its not simple A to B transition stuff and often he will play 4 different tracks with the same "tool" being used steadily while bleeding and blending back and forth creating something unique to each performance.
Is it easy to get?
no
Is it for everyone?
no.
Is there a place for things like these being sold?
Yes
Personal preference people. I'm on the fence with this one, as i have heard it out used very effectively, and at the same time i have heard it used in the most stale and unimaginative ways as to make it unbearable. Lets not forget that the essence of Dj'ing is adding uniqueness to pieces of work that are not your own. If people just want to go from a to b and play it safe there is nothing wrong with that. But if you can take risks (some work, some don't) and leave a lasting impression then that is what is called taking it to the next level. FFS I saw Luciano with Aqua's Barbie Girl one year at DEMF, not only did he turn a track into a rumblimg warbling animal...but the people ing ate it up. Think beyond the bun, be young, have fun, drink pepsi.
edit: i almost forgot...lets see you do better:toothless |
:toocool: |
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| julien2 |
how could we ever do without the freak
lol |
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| woscar99 |
| quote: | Originally posted by elFreak
the thing with Ricardo is that he doesn't DJ in the same sense as many of the bigger names around. Its not simple A to B transition stuff and often he will play 4 different tracks with the same "tool" being used steadily while bleeding and blending back and forth creating something unique to each performance.
Is it easy to get?
no
Is it for everyone?
no.
Is there a place for things like these being sold?
Yes
Personal preference people. I'm on the fence with this one, as i have heard it out used very effectively, and at the same time i have heard it used in the most stale and unimaginative ways as to make it unbearable. Lets not forget that the essence of Dj'ing is adding uniqueness to pieces of work that are not your own. If people just want to go from a to b and play it safe there is nothing wrong with that. But if you can take risks (some work, some don't) and leave a lasting impression then that is what is called taking it to the next level. FFS I saw Luciano with Aqua's Barbie Girl one year at DEMF, not only did he turn a track into a rumblimg warbling animal...but the people ing ate it up. Think beyond the bun, be young, have fun, drink pepsi.
edit: i almost forgot...lets see you do better:toothless |
+1 |
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| Ek0nomik |
I actually enjoyed Chants, maybe not all 17 minutes of it, but it was enjoyable for the first 5 and I can see it being used as a tool within a mix.
Tambours on the other hand... I guess I am missing something. Quite lack luster imo. |
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