nckn.music.

It happens that you randomly browse the web and find nothing but crap. And it happens that you make a discovery: In an interview, I read about Peter Broderick contributing a track to a Belgium label called Slaapwel (“Sleep well”). This label releases only music to fall asleep by. Interesting, I read further. I discovered that the label owner releases music under the moniker Wixel, which lies somewhere between calm Post-Rock and Electronica. Currently he has a project going, what he calls an “Awesome Stupid Project“: he is about to release 12 records in 12 months. One record per month in 2009. Hehe, funny concept. Awesome, because this is a really challenging thought: Can you release that much music in that short time? And stupid: can you keep up with quality? Won’t you lose your artistic integrity?

As far as I can see, Wixel didn’t. (Only heard two albums yet). Give his Slaapliedjes a try. When you need a rest, or while studying or working. He has a very, very nice warm guitar sound.

Now, what I also find interesting is the way he releases music. All of this can be downloaded via Bandcamp, which means people can either give their email-adresses away and get a free download, or they pay as much as they like. Pretty straight forward approach. Additionally, each album is available as a limited edition self-made CDr. This was the first time I saw this combination and I’m clearly excited. I like it so much, I guess I will use it for my next EP.

The internet-evangelists always refer to free-downloads as an economic force. Digital music is no scarce good, it can be copied and distributed without cost, thus price has to approach zero. I mostly agree with them. For me it makes no sense to put price barriers between me and my potential listeners. At least as long as I have no existing reputation. Then, selling hand-crafted self-designed CDrs works as a balance. By doing so, you create a scarce good, that people are willing to pay for. (At least when you manage to make a good package design). Look at Wixels 2009-CDs above. I think they are adorable. Will wait for the September-issue and place an order.

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It happens that you randomly browse the web and find nothing but crap. And it happens that you make a discovery: In an interview, I read about Peter Broderick contributing a track to a Belgium label called Slaapwel ("Sleep well"). This label releases only music to fall asleep by. Interesting, I read further. I ...

As stated earlier I also wanted to use this blog for recommending music. To give some insight into which artists inspire me. Hauschka is one of the recent ones. I heard his music the first time sitting on a church’s floor. Listening to Hauschka and two accompanying cello players was such a true and real moment. This music is so direct and pure – true essence – that it took my breath.

To get an idea of what is was like, watch this video here:

Hauschka – Morgenrot from Jeff Desom on Vimeo.

Sitting there, I thought about using computers for music. How absurd. The only thing you can accomplish using a computer for music is painting pictures. Trying to recreate something. But there is no way.

I once met a math-student, who said, that what mosts excites him with music is the fact, that it’s actually just math. Everything from matching the right frequencies to the grid of the beat. Hm…
Maybe there are some aspects, that you can represent using numbers and formulas, but math will never create music that moves. Ever heard a piece of generated music that touched you? (For a start, try generating some music on this site)

I truely believe that when there is a guy like Hauschka he just has the ability to transfer feelings right into the people’s hearts. It is this uninterrupted direct connection of his soul, his fingers and the audience receiving it through the tones he plays.  This can never ever be recreated with a piece of sequencing technology in between.

What does it mean for me? Basically (at the moment) I am a computer-musician. Hm… I will think about it…

As stated earlier I also wanted to use this blog for recommending music. To give some insight into which artists inspire me. Hauschka is one of the recent ones. I heard his music the first time sitting on a church's floor. Listening to Hauschka and two accompanying cello players was such a true and real ...