MUSIC... and all the rest

[petronia]

BTW, uploaded the Yukikaze FST on Monday if you want it. I need to do a write-up of novel #2 (I'm halfway through) but I have to have the book in front of me. The rest of the sketch meme will be forthcoming tonight, if I don't simply collapse into a supine pose when I get home. XD;; Oh, and of course I need to write yet another giant JoJo post compiling all the stupid random thoughts that occurred to me re part 5 so I won't forget any of it when I start ficcing again. I still have the first few scanlated volumes of part 6 to read, and the side stories, and if SBR doesn't land on my doorstep before I'm done with those I'll be surprised.

(I've been disappearing on and off this past couple of weeks and am likely to continue even post-SSBB. I have to work overtime tomorrow, and my grandfather is in the hospital. There being nothing much else I can do about it I wrote him a letter last night. Am thinking of changing summer plans to go back to Shanghai, though.)

***

The flist is suddenly awash in Temeraire love. XD (sesame_seed, marej, I hadn't realised you'd read these books, actually - I saw your posts but... for some reason took them to belong to other people. >_> There's not much call to be allergic to recs when one is BLIND to them in the first place, evidently. Sheesh.)

***

There is no reason for this to come as a surprise, but the Pet Shop Boys' new album is nigh a red herring and the remix disc is where the action is. Don't buy it without the remix disc (which has bonus new tracks anyway, one of which is a HIGHLY DRAMATIC Richard X collab which I'm greatly enjoying and would enjoy even more if I could remember what other song has that exact same two-note synth riff, seriously it is driving me nuts and if I saw Richard X right now I would grab him by the neck and shake). You can wait for me to upload tomorrow, or you can head over to petshopmusic - I don't know what the policy is re reposting Turboupload links and such so I won't, to be sure.

The one I really love is the Trentemøller mix of "Sodom", for which I didn't have low expectations so much as no expectations given that I couldn't imagine at all how it would sound (the idea seemed roughly like asking the Borg to tend a rose garden). It is peak-time candyfloss though! Structured and tuned for functionalism on the dancefloor. Not to say you can't enjoy it played over computer speakers - I've been doing nothing but all day - but it's sort of like reading a play.

0:00-0:30: mix in.
0:30-1:05: intentionally generic electrobass thrumming. You would not be able to tell what the hell the track is at this point, least of all that it's the PSB. But it sounds... familiar somehow...
1:06: surprise! It's Neil Tennant!
1:07-1:31: Neil sings a verse.
1:32-1:38: growing, palpable sense of excitement.
1:39: It's the chor--no, wait, it isn't.
2:07: The beats take fli--no, wait, they don't.
2:08-2:40: tease, tease, tease, tease, tease
2:41: HOUSTON WE HAVE LIFTOFF
2:55: UNEXPECTEDLY KICKS IT UP ANOTHER NOTCH WITH NOT!PETER HOOK BASSLINE
3:10: CELESTIAL CHOIRS JUMP IN TO BACK NEIL TENNANT'S POINT
3:25-3:53: a lull in the proceedings. There are strings. Allows time to scream wildly, cheer the DJ and tell your drunken friends you love them.
3:54-4:38: lather, rinse, repeat. Note ridiculous yet awesome trance kickdrum/snare build.
4:38: "song" proper ends on a stutter.
4:52: instrumental electro breakdown begins.
4:53-5:18: hands are lifted in the air.
5:19: BOSHBOSHBOSHBOSHBOSHBOSH
5:20-6:30: actual dancing occurs.
6:45-7:26: mix out.

The beauty of it is that you really don't know if he's going to give it to you the second time around, or if you'll have to wait again. When it comes to pop music the listener is always the uke, as Matthew Fluxblog wrote (that is, it's patently impossible he should've written that, but that's how I retained whatever it was he did write).

Note also Mayer's Kompakt Pop ballad treatment of "Flamboyant", complete with Télépopmusik beeps and 80s sax samples of intentional kitsch hilarity/love. Minimalist my big toe, the man loves his Roquefort cheese.

Comments

[canis-m.livejournal.com]

*stares at Richard X mix in manner of starved animal*

[meril.livejournal.com]

I haven't even read the first Temeraire book; it's still sitting on my bookshelf. I've been reading the Alan Lewrie series instead (no slash, no magic, no dragons, and Alan is obnoxious--explain why I've read five of them? Probably because Alan is obnoxious...)

[one-if-by-land.livejournal.com]

anticipating PSB tracks. also, I hope your grandfather is okay. ♥

[marej.livejournal.com]

I hadn't realised you'd read these books, actually - I saw your posts but... for some reason took them to belong to other people. >_>

OH YOUUUUUUU! but okay, this is good, as it makes me less guilty for missing your Sex Pistols posts *beams*

[iatros.livejournal.com]

"There is no reason for this to come as a surprise, but the Pet Shop Boys' new album is nigh a red herring and the remix disc is where the action is. Don't buy it without the remix disc (which has bonus new tracks anyway, one of which is a HIGHLY DRAMATIC Richard X collab which I'm greatly enjoying and would enjoy even more if I could remember what other song has that exact same two-note synth riff, seriously it is driving me nuts and if I saw Richard X right now I would grab him by the neck and shake). You can wait for me to upload tomorrow, or you can head over to [info]petshopmusic - I don't know what the policy is re reposting Turboupload links and such so I won't, to be sure."

I get the hint -_-;;;;

Incidentally, I liked your commentary for the Trentemøller mix of "Sodom"--it was very accurate and dare I say added to my first listen of the mix.

[petronia.livejournal.com]

XD I've never been one of those people who dismiss everything they've done after Very (I think Very is sort of overrated and Release is ridiculously underrated) but it is definitely a return to the rainbow and sparklies school o' beats. ...Except for the ballads, but once again that is what the remix disc is for.