No Fear Of Pop: Notes on the Future of Music

29 Oct 2012 — Henning Lahmann

’Popular music’ can either mean ‘music that is widely appreciated’ or else music for ‘the people’ or by ‘the people’, regardless of how many people actually appreciate it. I’m referring to the third category, but either way the term is generally a catch-all category for music that isn’t thought to be Western classical music. Since the Second World War this ‘popular music’ has been increasing exponentially in diversity and complexity, incorporating new, technological structures and forms and becoming a powerful new site for musical modernism. It hopefully goes without saying, then, that modernist music isn’t limited to one particular musical style or genre, but can and will manifest through hundreds and thousands of different styles. In any case, the main thrust of musical modernism has largely fallen out of the hands of Western classical music over the last fifty years.

Adam Harper, Infinite Music

 

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In line with above introductory statement in Adam Harper's wonderfully inspiring Infinite Music and contrary to what Adorno would have us believe for decades, we are convinced that pop music indeed is capable of introducing something "fundamentally new" into the larger picture of contemporary culture. We believe, in essence, that what's currently happening in Montréal or Bristol, in Brooklyn or L.A., or what might happen during a night at Berghain or the Golden Pudel Club, can be a manifestation of true modernism. However, it would also be too short-sighted to only look for the avant-garde in Burial's or Julia Holter's latest work, or in a Laurel Halo remix of a Kuedo track (though we're sure it's there) - boundaries are also being pushed in Oklahoma, or in Georgia, or indeed in Scandinavia's latest dance anthem; it is in this sense that we have no fear of pop.

On the occasion of the first exhibition of Vir Heroicus Sublimis, Barnett Newman had attached a note that read, "There is a tendency to look at large pictures from a distance. The large pictures in this exhibition are intended to be seen from a short distance." As a blog, which this site has been so far and will remain to be at its core, we follow Newman's instruction. Standing right in front of the painting, we gaze at the details that are the tracks that we post and write about, a tiny selection of the thousands of musical works that appear each single day. Only in retrospect, from a distance, those details may or may not turn out to be of significance for the bigger picture that we like to call the culture of contemporary, forward-thinking pop. This self-perception surely does not mean that we don't have our own thoughts about the evolution of music, and one reason for relaunching the site was to allow the presence of longer and more reflective pieces in the future. However, for the time being we happily and emphatically direct you towards the people whose job it is (or should be) to stand in the safe distance and shed light upon the big picture, publications that we trust in such as The Wire, The Quietus, Ad Hoc, FACT, Dummy, Tiny Mix Tapes, or Electronic Beats.

What you see here should nonetheless be more than another random assortment of the arbitrarily hyped or soon-to-be-hyped or would-be-hyped. Apart from pure pop-cultural relevance, our primary aim is to provide at least some meaning in and of itself. As Pitchfork's Mark Richardson put it so beautifully the other day, "I am absolutely saturated with new music every day, and finding new things I like is not just easy, it's inevitable. So when I ask someone, 'What have you been listening to?' I'm trying to learn something about them. (...) The fact that someone would find music interesting purely by virtue of the fact that I am listening to it is foreign to me. What I listen to does not seem notable; why I listen to it might be. I need context." That's exactly what we shall be trying to achieve; not so much simply acting as curators of the dernier cri but as an honest guide into the ever-growing obscurities of today's pop music. So when we're good, you will like the stuff we post, or ideally even find it intriguing, engaging, and challenging. But when we truly succeed, you will also know why we posted it.

To celebrate No Fear Of Pop's second metamorphosis, we've asked our esteemed friend Michael McGregor (Meadowlands/The Report) to share his vision of the future of music with this exclusive mix that you may listen to below.

"The idea was certainly in keeping with, and from the point of, exploring the 'future of music', however, most of the tracks are pretty old, or at least not contemporary. Either way, these songs, together, feel symbolic of where things may go as the archive of music opens and expands for all to hear and enjoy."

Tracklist:

(1) Bearns & Dexter - Golden Voyage
(2) Jean Bouchety - Lifebound (Submix)
(3) Teebs - King Bathtub (minus 10)
(4) Kevin Ayers - Pisser Dans Un Violon
(5) Nini Raviolette - Suis Je Normale
(6) Actress - Ascending (bckwrds)
(7) Dick Sutphen - Trance Sex
(8) DJ Sprinkles - Brenda's $20 Dilemma
(9) Elaine Radigue - Adnos 3
(10) Gramm - Legends / Nugroove™
(11) Prince Jammy - Wafer Scale Integration
(12) Inoyama Land - Apple Star
(13) Roland Douttate 7 Orchestre - Gymnopedie no. 3 (Erik Satie)
(14) F. McDonald/ C. Rae - Memory Bank
(15) Bullwackies All Stars - Black Heart Dub
(16) David Caspar - Dawn Poems part 1: Early Moments
(17) Reichmann - Weltweit

Video: CTM - “Jewel”.

26 Oct 2012 — Henning Lahmann

Wonderful, enchanting video for the equally lovely "Jewel", the first song to be unveiled by Copenhagen-based Cæcilie Trier, whose new solo project CTM has all the attributes to become just another globally cherished Scandinavian pop darling. Trier, as the story goes, has a musical history of singing for Chimes & Bells and playing the cello in acclaimed outfit Choir Of Young Believers, but that doesn't necessarily have to be of any interest for you, as "Jewel" in all its twisted simplicity is exactly what it needs to be, and nothing more: an extraordinarily well produced, perfectly arranged pop song with irresistible hooks, magnificent escalations and some extra-seductive vocal duties. CTM's debut EP Variations is set to be released January 28, 2013, via Danish imprint Tambourhinoceros. Photo by Luca Berti.

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Wonderful, enchanting video for the equally lovely "Jewel", the first song to be unveiled by Copenhagen-based Cæcilie Trier, whose new solo project CTM has all the attributes to become just another globally cherished Scandinavian pop darling. Trier, as the story goes, has a musical history of singing for Chimes & Bells and playing the cello in acclaimed outfit Choir Of Young Believers, but that doesn't necessarily have to be of any interest for you, as "Jewel" in all its twisted simplicity is exactly what it needs to be, and nothing more: an extraordinarily well produced, perfectly arranged pop song with irresistible hooks, magnificent escalations and some extra-seductive vocal duties. CTM's debut EP Variations is set to be released January 28, 2013, via Danish imprint Tambourhinoceros. Photo by Luca Berti.

NFOP Recommends: Drop Dead Festival.

26 Oct 2012 — Henning Lahmann

This planet's prime instalment of all things cross-cultural mayhem Drop Dead Festival returns to Berlin next week to celebrate its tenth anniversary together with everyone who's not afraid of questioning or redefining their own preconceptions about the rather ill-lit strands of contemporary underground music. What the festival offers is less your inner hipster's most cherished new subgenre but a sweeping curation of audiovisual madness that is as much art for art's sake as it is your own personal gateway to well-deserved insanity. Featuring appearances by N.U. Unruh (of Einstürzende Neubauten), Pictureplane, Young Hunting, Low Sea, Butterclock, and countless others, Drop Dead spreads across five awakening as well as exhausting days that are meant not to be thought but felt, evading all overcome determinations on genre and underground/overground dichotomies. Just don't say "goth".

The magic runs from Halloween till November 4 and happens at Neukölln's CUBE. Go here for more info and to check out the complete, stunning lineup. For tickets head over here. Get a rough idea of what you might encounter at some point during the festival's five days by streaming this excellent minimix provided by one of the enigmas behind the madness, BlackBlackGold:

Read more →

This planet's prime instalment of all things cross-cultural mayhem Drop Dead Festival returns to Berlin next week to celebrate its tenth anniversary together with everyone who's not afraid of questioning or redefining their own preconceptions about the rather ill-lit strands of contemporary underground music. What the festival offers is less your inner hipster's most cherished new subgenre but a sweeping curation of audiovisual madness that is as much art for art's sake as it is your own personal gateway to well-deserved insanity. Featuring appearances by N.U. Unruh (of Einstürzende Neubauten), Pictureplane, Young Hunting, Low Sea, Butterclock, and countless others, Drop Dead spreads across five awakening as well as exhausting days that are meant not to be thought but felt, evading all overcome determinations on genre and underground/overground dichotomies. Just don't say "goth".

The magic runs from Halloween till November 4 and happens at Neukölln's CUBE. Go here for more info and to check out the complete, stunning lineup. For tickets head over here. Get a rough idea of what you might encounter at some point during the festival's five days by streaming this excellent minimix provided by one of the enigmas behind the madness, BlackBlackGold:

Video Premiere: Mushy - “When You Say Time”.

26 Oct 2012 — Henning Lahmann

Of all the exciting synth music from the dark side of the moon that came out lately and that was made by female musicians, we were always particularly drawn to the work of Rome-based artist Valentina F. aka Mushy, probably due to the fact that her songs in all their opaque eeriness never came across as selfish or self-indulgent. Instead, all gloomy mystery here is always on point, actually adding something distinct and compelling to the composition. Darkness is not a mere effect to make an otherwise mediocre arrangement more interesting on the surface: darkness is a place in the artist's heart, and thereby becoming an essential feature of her music. Though signed to minimal synth label Mannequin, Mushy's latest single 1984 is set to be released by Haute Magie, featuring two new songs, "When You Say Time" and "Crystal Chemistry". We're happy to host the premiere of the video for the a-side, made by Os Ovni's Logan Owlbeemoth. Check it out below. The 1984 7 inch is out via Haute Magie and available tomorrow, October 27, over here. Listen to b-side "Crystal Chemistry" below as well: Read more → Of all the exciting synth music from the dark side of the moon that came out lately and that was made by female musicians, we were always particularly drawn to the work of Rome-based artist Valentina F. aka Mushy, probably due to the fact that her songs in all their opaque eeriness never came across as selfish or self-indulgent. Instead, all gloomy mystery here is always on point, actually adding something distinct and compelling to the composition. Darkness is not a mere effect to make an otherwise mediocre arrangement more interesting on the surface: darkness is a place in the artist's heart, and thereby becoming an essential feature of her music. Though signed to minimal synth label Mannequin, Mushy's latest single 1984 is set to be released by Haute Magie, featuring two new songs, "When You Say Time" and "Crystal Chemistry". We're happy to host the premiere of the video for the a-side, made by Os Ovni's Logan Owlbeemoth. Check it out below. The 1984 7 inch is out via Haute Magie and available tomorrow, October 27, over here. Listen to b-side "Crystal Chemistry" below as well:

Preview: Polymorphism #3.

26 Oct 2012 — Henning Lahmann

We do realise this is kinda last minute, but in case you're in Berlin right now and have no better plans for tonight (which is hardly possible, really), prepare to line up in the city's most notorious queue for the third edition of CTM's outstanding Polymorphism series, this time featuring performances by some of this year's truly defining artists. From 11pm, the magic of Berghain's sound system will serve as the appropriate setting for a night of adventurous, obscure electronics, featuring a delightful selection of representatives from Blackest Ever Black, Tri Angle, and Modern Love. Raime, oOoOO (once again featuring the lovely Butterclock), and Evian Christ are listed as headliners, but those who know us will be aware that it's Young Echo disciple Seb Gainsborough aka Vessel whose appearance excites us most, his recent Tri Angle debut Order of Noise very likely being our (read: my) favourite album of 2012 (I should probably add "so far", but really, no). Still, the huge hype around Evian Christ started by our cherished Charlie Jones on the last days of 2011 is largely justified as proven by Joshua Leary's convincing Kings and Them, and it should be interesting to see him showing his skills on stage. oOoOO so far has never disappointed us, especially when appearing in combination with Butterclock, and after seeing Raime managing to scare the crowd even at Incubate's smallest venue with the festival's most questionable sound setup in September, we are convinced that seeing them in Berghain's main room will be nothing short of breathtaking. The lineup is completed by none other than Demdike Stare's Miles Whittaker and Berlin-based DJ A Cell of One. What else can we say. This is surely not to be missed, so see you there. Read more → We do realise this is kinda last minute, but in case you're in Berlin right now and have no better plans for tonight (which is hardly possible, really), prepare to line up in the city's most notorious queue for the third edition of CTM's outstanding Polymorphism series, this time featuring performances by some of this year's truly defining artists. From 11pm, the magic of Berghain's sound system will serve as the appropriate setting for a night of adventurous, obscure electronics, featuring a delightful selection of representatives from Blackest Ever Black, Tri Angle, and Modern Love. Raime, oOoOO (once again featuring the lovely Butterclock), and Evian Christ are listed as headliners, but those who know us will be aware that it's Young Echo disciple Seb Gainsborough aka Vessel whose appearance excites us most, his recent Tri Angle debut Order of Noise very likely being our (read: my) favourite album of 2012 (I should probably add "so far", but really, no). Still, the huge hype around Evian Christ started by our cherished Charlie Jones on the last days of 2011 is largely justified as proven by Joshua Leary's convincing Kings and Them, and it should be interesting to see him showing his skills on stage. oOoOO so far has never disappointed us, especially when appearing in combination with Butterclock, and after seeing Raime managing to scare the crowd even at Incubate's smallest venue with the festival's most questionable sound setup in September, we are convinced that seeing them in Berghain's main room will be nothing short of breathtaking. The lineup is completed by none other than Demdike Stare's Miles Whittaker and Berlin-based DJ A Cell of One. What else can we say. This is surely not to be missed, so see you there.

Video: Brasstronaut - “Mean Sun”.

26 Oct 2012 — Tonje Thilesen

Well, I guess there's no big surprise that we've been on a very dark, UK electronic frenzy as of late, but as November is sneaking upon us, the sound of guitars finally feels appealing again, in a strange and unfamiliar way. Perhaps am I trying to justify myself for not following the hip-hop trend these days (not saying that I don't either), but you know, sometimes you just feel like listening to Bowerbirds and emotional indie and feel silly, right? Right. So even though several years have passed since "cabin pop" grasped for its last breath, the Vancouver-based sixtet Brasstronaut did indeed qualify my test, something that might make less sense when your head is full of CMJ buzzed-about, however utterly brilliant electronic pop acts that are blowing up in the Canadian winterland these days. Brasstronaut might happen to have a rather silly name and inspirations such as Radiohead, David Bowie and Grizzly Bear listed on facebook (duh), but their upcoming sophomore LP Mean Sun has already proved to contain a handful sincere folk pop beauties, including the title track below accompanied by these brand new, high-end visuals.

 

Read more →

Well, I guess there's no big surprise that we've been on a very dark, UK electronic frenzy as of late, but as November is sneaking upon us, the sound of guitars finally feels appealing again, in a strange and unfamiliar way. Perhaps am I trying to justify myself for not following the hip-hop trend these days (not saying that I don't either), but you know, sometimes you just feel like listening to Bowerbirds and emotional indie and feel silly, right? Right. So even though several years have passed since "cabin pop" grasped for its last breath, the Vancouver-based sixtet Brasstronaut did indeed qualify my test, something that might make less sense when your head is full of CMJ buzzed-about, however utterly brilliant electronic pop acts that are blowing up in the Canadian winterland these days. Brasstronaut might happen to have a rather silly name and inspirations such as Radiohead, David Bowie and Grizzly Bear listed on facebook (duh), but their upcoming sophomore LP Mean Sun has already proved to contain a handful sincere folk pop beauties, including the title track below accompanied by these brand new, high-end visuals.

 

Rush Midnight: “Crush”.

26 Oct 2012 — Tonje Thilesen

It was a pretty massive flock of A&R's under the Cascine and Ghostly International showcase at CMJ Music Marathon last week, many of them (myself included) to witness Rush Midnight perform his only CMJ set this year. His sense of warmth and enjoyment on stage were probably his most notable features throughout the set — playing with a certain rockstar attitude for a few years already will probably do that to you. As well as having a natural precence in the spotlight, Russell Manning just "happens" to be quite a brilliant pop songwriter, even with or without the inclusion of Twin Shadow, whom produced his second single "Crush" below. "The Night Was Young Enough" still marks my favourite from his debut EP +1 however, out on October 30th via our darlings Cascine. Stream +1 via Soundcloud.

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It was a pretty massive flock of A&R's under the Cascine and Ghostly International showcase at CMJ Music Marathon last week, many of them (myself included) to witness Rush Midnight perform his only CMJ set this year. His sense of warmth and enjoyment on stage were probably his most notable features throughout the set — playing with a certain rockstar attitude for a few years already will probably do that to you. As well as having a natural precence in the spotlight, Russell Manning just "happens" to be quite a brilliant pop songwriter, even with or without the inclusion of Twin Shadow, whom produced his second single "Crush" below. "The Night Was Young Enough" still marks my favourite from his debut EP +1 however, out on October 30th via our darlings Cascine. Stream +1 via Soundcloud.