Pierre Schaeffer at the Studio 54 desk adjusting a Moog. (from Wikipedia)
I once worked with someone who referenced their alleged array of technical skills frequently, and when the topic of schooling arose, I asked, “What did you study in college?”, to which she replied, “Engineering.” In response to this generality, I inquired a bit further: “What kind of engineering?” She felt threatened. “Why does it matter? Engineering is engineering. I’m an engineer.” I paused to think, then spoke again too soon. “So then why are you just a painter now?”
For those who have studied engineering, I would assume that the scientific principles learned would lead to an obvious conclusion: specifics matter, and while certain fields of engineering may overlap, an engineer is never just an engineer. There is no ambiguity here. There is a clear difference between a sound engineer and a geopolitical engineer, just like there’s a difference between the sub-genres of IDM and dubstep. Even though my colleague may not have a problem with generalizing herself, it would be ignorant for me and other artists to assume that we’re all just bathing in one big pool of electronica.
Genres are a hard thing to be labeled by, especially if your music crosses over many genres and sub-genres, and is still considered experimental for the most part. Nueva Forma may be new as a music label, but we don’t like the idea of lumping artists together into one taxonomy, which is why advertising ourselves as a general “electronic music label” is so hard to swallow. And that’s exactly why we don’t. Most people still don’t have a concrete grasp of electronica; they somehow think it’s another word for techno or house. These incorrect genre pairings can lead to misconceptions and loss of interest before you can even get a chance to be heard. Perhaps a listener may not be fond of techno, but they may love downtempo. But electronica is electronica, right?
Electronica is a practical umbrella term, yes, but even the genres encompassed by it are confining. Nueva Forma isn’t just electronica, we are hip-hop, dub, and more. In an industry inundated with new artists and new genres, how can you best describe what you do, and how you do it with just one word? Pythagoras knew the answer; in fact, he taught it. It is believed that the philosopher tutored his students behind a screen so his presence wouldn’t be a distraction, thus the content of his lectures became the main focus. The French composer Pierre Schaeffer called this acousmatique, or otherwise known as acousmatic.
masmöd performing at dunes
Acousmatic music is simply a way of hearing without seeing the originating causes of such sounds. We may hear the familiar sound of a train chugging by mixed with synthesized sequences and drum machine loops, all being performed on a laptop and midi controller, for example. The artists under the Nueva Forma label are such acousmatic artists, producing and performing behind the veil, each with their idiosyncratic process and compositional aesthetic. This could be called electronica, but with a more defined meaning: We prefer to call it acousmatic pop. Rather than unaccommodating genres, we focus on the individual experience and artist process, because in the end, that’s what’s defining.
Perhaps it’s fair to say that the Avant-garde will always be riddled with misconceptions and ignorance, and some people may just never learn or care to. In its defense, it may also be fair to say that being innovative is a merit that can afford such ignorance from the masses, otherwise it would just be another mainstream movement. But to instill understanding in even one of a thousand individuals would mean success for us. That is the gut of this message, to shed light on Nueva Forma’s philosophy with listeners in hopes that this is understood: being a part of something radical is indeed a good and exciting thing. We hope you continue to listen to and be a part of Nueva Forma as we grow.
Tags: acousmatic, avant-garde, DUB, dubstep, Electronica, HIP HOP, house, IDM, musique concrete, pierre schaeffer, pop, pythagoras, techno
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