OT: What is IDM?

tomperson · Post by **tomperson** » Tue May 24, 2005 1:04 pm

Hey
I wonder, what is IDM? I know it stands for "Intelligent Dance Music"...that doesn't say much, does it? When is music "intelligent"? And...According to who?

This whole thing of style after style after substyle of electronic music feels like some really complicated thing to me...nevermind to the general public!

When is something micro house and when is it minimal house? when is it idm?

Oh my.

SimonPHC · Post by **SimonPHC** » Tue May 24, 2005 1:56 pm

oh my oh my

you didn't want to ask this.

well, each time a group of people make a similar sound, some other group of people (mostly music critics) have to invent a name for it, so they can distinguish it from the other kinds ...

"its like garage, but it has that d'nb shuffle to it, so its ... speed garage"

"it's like techno, but it has a political leftwing content, so it's ... intelligent techno"

"it's like inteligent techno, but its not techno, so its IDM"

"they sing the blues, but they do it uptempo, so it rhythm and blues"

who cares?
not me!

tomperson · Post by **tomperson** » Tue May 24, 2005 2:06 pm

heheheheh. I thought that would be the answer!

So, whats the use of so many styles if NO ONE really knows what they stand for?

I've seen the very same track catalogued as "deep progressive trance" and as "progressive house" and so on, with each different "cataloguer" giving a different style to it...

Former Pharaoh · Post by **Former Pharaoh** » Tue May 24, 2005 2:19 pm

I feel the same way, i could give a rat's ass if it is techno or DnB or house or Hardcore etc. etc.
When I DJ, i like to incorporate different styles onto the set. I would mix all styles and other DJs got so annoyed with me saying I "HAVE TO" stick to only one genre because that is what people want. To an extent he was right, i wasn't getting work but at parties I would get the people totally into my sets.
With Live, it is a lot easier mixing different styles than it is with TTbls.
I say, fuck the genre, play what sounds good and make it eclectic.

tomperson · Post by **tomperson** » Tue May 24, 2005 2:35 pm

Of course that's what it should be all about. Doing your stuff and piss off the system, he!

I really don't care about styles and cataloging music, mostly because I really don't get the subtle variations that characterize each substyle and because I feel most of todays music can't be really put in one specific "bag", you know what I mean...

leisuremuffin · Post by **leisuremuffin** » Tue May 24, 2005 2:41 pm

i think people gave up on calling it IDM quite a while ago. Quite possible the stupidest genre name ever.

What are the kids calling it these days? i think "glitch." Whatever the F that means.

personally, i think the infinite genrefication of electronic music sucks.

lm

dave999z · Post by **dave999z** » Tue May 24, 2005 3:39 pm

I thought that the "intelligent" in "intelligent jungle" used to mean that the beat fucks up a lot... you can't just keep snapping your fingers at a steady tempo (much less dance regularly to it) or you'll get thrown off. Thus intelligent jungle was kind of the prog rock sub-genre of the whole electronic dance genre.

"IDM" meaning intelligent dance music always seems like an oxymoron to me if intelligent = lack of steady beat.

Whatever.

glenclayton · Post by **glenclayton** » Tue May 24, 2005 3:46 pm

Industrial Death Music?

anonymouse · Post by **anonymouse** » Tue May 24, 2005 4:15 pm

I think Sasha first coined the phrase "IDM" when he was asked by Mixmag in 2001 how he would classify his productions. He just said "Intelligent" but I think the journalist went away with that and added the DM.

Quite a smart way for Sasha to both invent a genre and perfectly describe his craftsmanship.
Given the complexity of both his live mixing and his world-renowned studio skills, "intelligent" doesn't quite sum it all up. But that sort of lowkey humility is what the guy is all about.

Machinate · Post by **Machinate** » Tue May 24, 2005 4:20 pm

...so you mean a reporter coined the phrase? That would make sense. Aphex called rephlex "braindance" a long time ago, so you could call IDM a derivative of that.

...but both terms suck.

leisuremuffin · Post by **leisuremuffin** » Tue May 24, 2005 4:31 pm

remember that awesome compilation "artificial intelligence"?

that was the first time i heard autechre. and seefeel i think too.

that was a great comp.

-lm

anonymouse · Post by **anonymouse** » Tue May 24, 2005 4:41 pm

I'm sure "Intelligent Drum n Bass" came before IDM by at least a couple of years.

kabuki · Post by **kabuki** » Tue May 24, 2005 4:48 pm

I always thought it meant "Incredibly Dull Music"...

Glad that horse is dead, cuz the beat sucked.

DJ VAKIS · Post by **DJ VAKIS** » Tue May 24, 2005 5:02 pm

You guys think DJing is only if you Mix techno or house or hiphop?
Sorry but the people think to be a DJ you must play Dance music.And you guys,you always speak about sasha.........i think you have to find your own way to play music or mix music,sasha is sasha he is one of the best DJ's in the world.Guys dont copy do your own thing.Sorry.....

leisuremuffin · Post by **leisuremuffin** » Tue May 24, 2005 5:06 pm