Sometimes in my search for things new, interesting, creative or just plain musical fun, I come across particular works or artists that I feel may need a random arrow pointing in their direction. Hey, if I have a spark, perhaps someone else may get one too.
Being able, as we can with BeatSense, YouTube and the internet generally, to endlessly work to discover not only the entertaining, but the weird, wonderful and interesting things being done with sound and word, causes me to feel fortunate to be living in these times. I am sometimes overwhelmed and just don’t have enough time in the day to listen to it all, but I try to cover on www.beatsense.com/eclecticgroovesfm as much ground as possible and create a flow. Of course, with the input of others. Maybe too much ground sometimes. But that’s why BeatSense.com has dozens of choices where one can find the people and places musical that will match with your mood and ideas of the day. And if that is too restrictive for your creative juices, you can create your own room.
That’s a bit like what Brian Eno has recently done with his latest release entitled ‘Reflections’ which practically promised to be different each you listen to it. It works via an app which allows you to experience various elements of a composition differently depending on time of day, seasons, etc. but never the same way. And the listeners can recombine the variations themselves which makes for a more creative experience all around. See www.bbc.com/news/technology-39506989
I recently came across an electronica duo called The Moog Cookbook which over the four works that I’ve been able to track down cover and self-confessedly parody a wide scope of rock, obscurities, classical pieces, holiday music, pop hits, prog compositions, and even the mundane (where the parody comes in). The duo of Brian Kehew and Roger Joseph Manning Jr. under aliases, first released material in 1996 and have tapped into the late 60s and early 70s fascination which the Moog synthesizer. They have chosen to venture almost completely away from the digital world and explore the analog. They are not unique in this of course, but I found some really inspired pieces in their catalogue. And perhaps deliberately in the spirit of analog they don’t seem to have a personalized website, but can be found through wiki, discogs.com, etc.
And lastly, I have been delving in Jackie Leven a lot lately, the punk/folk/poet/DIY introspective and sometimes cosmic artist. If you haven’t really heard this guy before and like this type of musing it is worth the time. It has been in the ‘cult following’ category mostly, so he may not have been in your radar. I must confess before last year I had not gone very deep into his library, but I slowly and surely doing that now and I have been putting up more of his pieces, more frequently on not only my BeatSense room but others as well. No outright rejections, yet. And that does occasionally happen when I widen the scope a little too much. Even I have to avoid replaying some pieces.
I will continue adding more forays and finds in the coming days, weeks, etc. And don’t hesitate to comment or come by www.beatsense.com/eclecticgroovesfm I am there live quite frequently or feel free to leave some music. Of course, BeatSense has many other rooms that are more focused if your day or night is not so random or eclectic.
,yours lee