My mentor once told me that reading an incredible idea in a book (on whatever subject) opens you to a new insight into the world, a new door into an expanding universe of thoughts. It is precisely that engagement into this new insight that creates a 'wow moment', if u will. This proceeds into two directions: (1) this is a conception you've heard before, but never in such beautiful terms (precisely what John Donne's work did for me the first time I read him); and (2) this is an entirely new thought that you've never experienced in any form.
Such is the case with music. My co-bloggers and I are interminable fans of hip hop and R&B - new and old. Honestly, if you could combine our knowledge of these genres and physically outline the extent of this knowledge, it would reach the far ends of the universe. Any Afrika Bambaataa fans? what about New Jack swing? how about the Teriyaki Boyz and Adam Tensta (yes, we go international, as well)?
But our interests are always open; we love to learn about and dedicate ourselves to new forms of music, so much so that we're willing to spend limitless hours educating ourselves on new music. This is precisely what happened to me when I wanted to learn more about opera, after having visited the home of Puccini in Torre del Lago and viewed an English version of La bohème. (Don't worry, I won't push that agenda on you.)
Lately, though, the iLLVibes bloggers have been really getting into Daft Punk (along with the hip hop community). This has resulted in countless hours researching about this out-of-the-norm group who simply defy a label - what kind of music is it? All we know is that it is their strangeness, this unwillingness to have an identity (almost James Baldwinian) that creates a unique place in music history. So, if you haven't heard about them, or if you have the liberal inclination to hear new music, check them out, along with other house/electronica music. Believe me: I don't like all house/electronica music, and this may simply be the exception; however, that still shouldn't stop you or me from enjoying what is out there - these new concepts or, at a minimum, new expressions of concepts.
To help you out, check out this website that provides a tutorial of this type of music.
Daft Punk - Something About Us (from Interstella 5555)
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