First of all, there's much to be said about the relationship and inter-influences between video games and music. I read a really incredible article by Patrick Hilton which I'll link here which reaffirmed my ideas and eloquently articulates the ways in which the two are linked. Essentially, I think that the reason electronic music appeals to our generation a lot more than older ones (not to say it can't, just a comparison with numbers) relies on the sounds we hear growing up. Since we've constantly heard synthesised sounds, electronic, 8-bit melodies and effects, we're familiar with both the personal associations we make with these sounds - winning or losing certain games, happy childhood memories - and the general ones that come with the intended purpose of the sounds. We therefore have an empathetic connection with them, and a musician is then an artist in the way he can combine these in a form of both emotive and musical euphony. The article above breaks down how subconsciously interspersed this idea is with the example of the first video game, Pong. Unable to recreate the actual sound of a paddle hitting a ball, the game designers created an entirely new effect that sounds nothing like the real life version, and yet in our heads of course this is the sound it makes. It's a really interesting idea, and in the grand scheme of things you can see how these technological sounds then redefined what music could sound like to the children of that time.
It's indicative of a constant dynamic between music and culture. What I think is really interesting with video games is how ahead of their time the music and sounds within them ended up being. Hilton explains how the constrictions of the software they had forced them to think outside the box in how they would still be enjoyable and appeal to their audience. As a result, lots of the music became iconic, and undeniably extremely influential on music being produced right up until today. I've mentioned him before for this exact topic, but Burial is a prime example of this, especially relevant considering how influential his own sound has been. He uses Metal Gear Solid effects in 'Archangel', Zelda sounds in 'Indoors' and 'Young Death', and the list goes on. There's a small sample in 'Wear Me Down' - Ross from Friends that heavily resembles the opening theme of Ocarina of Time, and Ryan Hemsworth and Kero Kero Bonito's music are examples of sounds where you can really hear the correlation. Of course, it extends beyond this into everything, really - honestly, read that article, he does a way better job at breaking this down than me.
This then got me thinking about the more general digital influences on music as we've grown up, and there's a couple of other points of interest. The PC music record label, Danny L Harle, Hannah Diamond etc., (+ SOPHIE, although I don't know if she's actually PC) provides us with this ultra-synthetic textures and sounds, heavily pitch-shifted vocals and strong distortions. It's a very tech-age gender statement, like a form of drag, and so it shows how the sounds of technology evolve to reflect this. Something else quite cool, MIA's album MAYA is innovative and before its time in terms of addressing internet privacy that is being discussed all over the place now. You really hear it in the sound of the album, with the jarring and heavily dissonant, and so it's another perspective on digitally influenced sound, this time with the rise of the internet and a paranoia of surveillance and privacy in the work.
So, as these kind of sounds make a rise in relevance as technology surrounds us more and more, what about sounds that have always been there? What about the sounds of nature? We're all a part of this planet and so we understand how it communicates and how these communications reflect emotionally within us. The calm of crashing waves, the wind rippling rustling through forest trees, these sounds are all heavily atmospheric and have their place in music. 'Monsoon' by Amber and Mia Mark is lyrically heart-wrenching as it describes the pain of the loss of their mother, and with the namesake of the song this is complimented wonderfully in the pitter-patter of the rain behind the creaking percussion and husky vocals. I watched Our Planet recently, as I'm sure everyone else has, and it really hit home that, to be quite honest, we are definitely going to kill the planet unless we do something about it now. It's just sad, it's disappointing that as a race we can't see past ourselves enough to stop it happening. From a musical perspective I think about what we'd be losing.
Don't get me wrong, I obviously love mechanical, manufactured and synthesised sounds, but anyone who knows me will tell you that ultimately my taste comes in submerging this within traditional, analog, acoustic and natural sounds in a way that makes them sound as one. 'Dead Wind' uses the ambience of crashing waves and the rest of 'The Sailor and The Mountain' uses more natural sounds, 'In McDonalds' drives home Burial's melancholy with rainfall. Branko's 'Let Me Go', Affelaye's 'Whir' both combine traditional and electronic sounds. Ultimately, acoustic instruments rely on nature in what they inherently are. If music is influenced by the sounds that surround us, then the maintenance of natural life couldn't be more important. I'm not saying these sounds wouldn't exist, but as they are part of nature we maintain that emotional connection to the sounds while the planet lives on, we share a mutual understanding. The heartbreak of rain. The ecstasy in sun spells. The calm of night.
Sooooo maybe I got too deep into that, but you get what I mean! I'm visiting Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong and Langkawi in the next couple of weeks so hopefully will have some cool stuff to share next time I write something. Other than that, Four Tet's Alexandra Palace gig is coming up in a couple of weeks so get ready to hear about that, I've been planning to talk about it for about six months lol. Hopefully get some good footage of the lights too, gonna be mega. Anyway, have a nice week xx
