Stop me if I\u2019ve said this before. Or skip ahead a few paragraphs. Whatever.<\/p>\n\n
After spending the last six years or so producing edition after edition of solipsistic NATION<\/b> I finally figured out one of the important reasons I love electronic music so much and that reason is surprise and delight.<\/p>\n\n
I\u2019m surprised it took me so long to work that out because it\u2019s blindingly obvious\u2014one of the first things they teach you in art\u2014in fact, is surprise. It\u2019s playing with your expectations and revealing something new<\/i>. That element of surprise may reveal something sacred or profane and, if done deftly, causes delight.<\/p>\n\n
Pop used to do this. In a way, it\u2019s what made pop music pop. But pop music has been so colonized by corporatism that it\u2019s rare that something fresh and new escapes into the wild. Hip hop used to do the same but it followed quickly in pop\u2019s footsteps at a gallop. Electronic music has relatively remained immune to the constraints of pop music and is free to play fast and loose with our expectations of music, constantly mutating and adding each genre and sub genre of electronic music\u2019s sonic distinctiveness to it\u2019s own. Yes, that\u2019s a Star Trek<\/i> reference.<\/p>\n\n
Major labels are once again rediscovering that there\u2019s some cool shit happening in electronic music and seems content for the moment to deliver it to the masses in the form of EDM. I don\u2019t doubt that it will soon turn it\u2019s great, lidless eye (Lord of the Rings<\/i> reference) to other genres of electronic music in it\u2019s never ending quest for the next new thing to make a buck off.<\/p>\n\n
Today\u2019s label showcase on solipsistic NATION<\/b> features select tracks from Naboa Music<\/a>. There\u2019s a lot of breakcore in Naboa Music but that\u2019s just the framework to explore it\u2019s inner weirdness. So entrenched is Naboa Music in exploring these sonic territories that I don\u2019t think it\u2019s a label that could ever be tempted to embrace the dark side (Star Wars reference, and a rather forced one at that).<\/p>\n\n But seriously\u2026<\/p>\n\n I\u2019m always asking for labels to feature on future editions of solipsistic NATION<\/b> and [tlr]<\/a> made the case for Naboa Music. [tlr] has been on solipsistic NATION<\/b> a number of times and his most recent album, Homunculus, was released on Naboa Music. When he suggested I do a feature on the label I listened because I trust [tlr]\u2019s taste in music. And I was right to do so. Just listen to today\u2019s show and see! We\u2019ll also chat with Laskfar Vortok<\/a>\u2018s Naoboa Music, cofounder. He\u2019s got a unique vision for what a music label can be.<\/p>\n\n Naboa Music is weird and wonderful and will take you in some very interesting places.<\/p>\n\n Join us again next week when we\u2019ll talk with Zite<\/a> CEO Mark Johnson and recording artists Grouse<\/a>, The Other Guy<\/a> and DJ Food<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n See you then!<\/p>\n\n