I laughed until I pissed myself, and then I cried.

[Pal XIII]

Ugh, Pitchfork is pretty shit. The premise of this article is dumb. It's referring to "maximalism", which is totally made up, in a derogatory way. And like others have said, exciting music preceded this age of information. Electronic music in general is really progressive right now and becoming more musical and exciting. It's not becoming excessive or overloading. It's taking previous music and breaking its cliches and redeveloping its ideas. I love that and support it.

An idea that crosses my mind from time to time, is that this "extra, more, and above and beyond" trend in music is because of the proliferation of cheaper and increasingly powerful production tools (software). I think that makes a lot more sense than this "era of overstimulus" metaphor.

[extremesociety]

Electronic music in general is really progressive right now and becoming more musical and exciting. It's not becoming excessive or overloading. It's taking previous music and breaking its cliches and redeveloping its ideas. I love that and support it.

This.

[makerowner]

Ugh, Pitchfork is pretty shit. The premise of this article is dumb. It's referring to "maximalism", which is totally made up, in a derogatory way. And like others have said, exciting music preceded this age of information. Electronic music in general is really progressive right now and becoming more musical and exciting. It's not becoming excessive or overloading. It's taking previous music and breaking its cliches and redeveloping its ideas. I love that and support it.

An idea that crosses my mind from time to time, is that this "extra, more, and above and beyond" trend in music is because of the proliferation of cheaper and increasingly powerful production tools (software). I think that makes a lot more sense than this "era of overstimulus" metaphor.

The article talks about the influence of production software on music too, right near the beginning. If anything, I think that's part of the same trend. Compared to the 90s where you would have had to save up to buy a sampler and things, then work around the limitations of your gear, today's music software is another example of everything being available all the time.
Also I don't know why you think he's using 'maximalism' in a derogatory way. He makes it pretty clear that he likes the album:

Glass Swords, one of the year's great albums

And the author seems to be excited about it like you are:

That's the emotion that Rustie's Glass Swords instills: giddy buoyancy, the euphoria of gliding frictionlessly across the datascape.

This is is his definition of maximalism: "there are a hell of a lot of inputs here, in terms of influences and sources, and a hell of a lot of outputs, in terms of density, scale, structural convolution, and sheer majesty". What about that is derogatory?

[Pal XIII]

The article talks about the influence of production software on music too, right near the beginning.

Didn't see that. Information overload ha.

Also I don't know why you think he's using 'maximalism' in a derogatory way. He makes it pretty clear that he likes the album:

Glass Swords, one of the year's great albums

And the author seems to be excited about it like you are:

That's the emotion that Rustie's Glass Swords instills: giddy buoyancy, the euphoria of gliding frictionlessly across the datascape.

This is is his definition of maximalism: "there are a hell of a lot of inputs here, in terms of influences and sources, and a hell of a lot of outputs, in terms of density, scale, structural convolution, and sheer majesty". What about that is derogatory?

I skimmed through it. I wasn't talking about the comments on the album per se; there were some other bits in there that seemed deride 'maximalism'.

"Another effect of this post-historical electronic overload is a super-intensified sense of artificiality and plastic-ness. Glass Swords' sound-world is utterly denatured."

Also the word choices. "Excess, overload, hyperactivity" etc. all these words have negative connotations.

[AllNightDayDream]

Only cause you put the negative connotation on it.

"Maximalism" isn't a new term, either.

[AllNightDayDream]

lol

[Pal XIII]

Only cause you put the negative connotation on it.

"Maximalism" isn't a new term, either.

What no, that's not how connotations work.

But in the context of music it is.

[Hedley King]

I don't knowwhat any of you guys are even talking about

[AllNightDayDream]

Only cause you put the negative connotation on it.

"Maximalism" isn't a new term, either.

What no, that's not how connotations work.

But in the context of music it is.

No, it's up to your interpretation. If you think excessive hyperactive tracks are inherently a bad thing, that's on you.

For at least a few years, lorin Ashton has classified his music as maximalism.

[Pal XIII]

Only cause you put the negative connotation on it.

"Maximalism" isn't a new term, either.

What no, that's not how connotations work.

But in the context of music it is.

No, it's up to your interpretation. If you think excessive hyperactive tracks are inherently a bad thing, that's on you.

For at least a few years, lorin Ashton has classified his music as maximalism.

Oh, I didn't know that.

But I think you misunderstood what I said. I was saying that "excess, overload, hyperactivity" are words that have negative connotations, and because those words were used to describe well-produced music (that I like, by the way), I felt the article was deriding the maximalist trend.

[Ldizzy]

what hipsters usually fail at is seeing similarities in the essence things have, in the nature of things when looked towards thru their context of evolution...

kraftwerk was VERY CERTAINLY not dark and minimal... at the time it was HUGE...

the same people totally miss the point that coltrane' and his contemporaries solo saxing was a rockstar move.. electric guitars were as weird as turntables when they came out and especially when people started using feedback, grimy rap sounded lush and expensive to the average 80's rapper's ear...

things have always been very dark and digital, AND very "vertical" (lol)...

software has its idiosyncrasies... so did hardware... and the loudness war is a thing... but LOL @ rustie being more maximal then Beethoven

[ricoLA]

I like Rustie, I think he's super musical. Haha, he makes even more sense to me after I read that he loves Holdsworth:



EDIT: hell of a craaazy melody

that's really crazy, must be really talented to play like that!

[Ldizzy]

i love non moody jazz