The Electro Wars Teaser 2 from Stephen Alex Vasquez on Vimeo.
Humm just watched this and not really sure what to think about it. I kinda want this dude to interview Dave P and be like what do you think of electro after doing Making time for 7 plus years and Fixed for 5. I remember the first time I saw Boys Noize in Philly was at the Medusa Lounge when Dave P brought him through and dude played an all vinyl set right when his Bloc Party remix came out on Kitsune.
This documentary seems to focus on the more LA scene where kids are focussed on wearing sunglasses with no frames, multicoloured jeans, and other things that will soon be on sale at Urban. Which I think also speaks to the music a little bit. As much as LMFAO is on some hipster rap shit, with the connotations of being independent but really they are signed to a major that doesn’t really know how to promote them much less clear a song the correct way to get it for sale online, but really its on some super club top 40 shit I am hanging out with a bunch of kids who are not super clued up to the cutting edge music game, hate dubstep, love that top 40 kinda club vibe and all love LMFAO with songs like “Shoots” and “I’m in Deigo Bitch”. I played them “Get your Drinks up” the other day and they were so stoked to find a new party jam. The biggest joke about me now is I am constantly talking about Baltimore Club since they had Dj Class “I’m the Ish” on there ipod and when I played them “I Don’t Give A Fuck” they couldn’t hear the similarities. Or maybe this is what this Doc is supposed to show. That this blog house electro song has moved over to the top 40 clubs.
I kinda want to see it now and see how he is gonna pull in the whole reaggeaton side of things. I think its kinda mute point since yeah everyone was talking about reaggeaton in 2005 but it wasn’t as easy to make a bedroom reaggeaton remix in your sleep and post it to every blog on the net. Unlike 2006 when everyone and there mom was making a blistering maximal justice esq. remix of a daft punk songs and emailing to any two bit blog that wanted a hit from Hype Em. It might also be alot more interesting to compare this stuff to Reggae, Socca, and Dancehall which has all pretty much embraced the digital revolution whole heartedly.
But at the same time I am really supportive of something like this. I actually think there is a really good electro hip hop scene emerging out of New York with acts like Spank Rock, Ninjasonik, OMG Michelle, and Theo London. This is probably just the tip of the iceberg also as you can see from that party of the SPRO and Ninja playing on top of a fucking highway or someshit. But again something like SPRO and Ninjasonik are way different then LMFAO which I guess is one step away from Pitbull. (Which I should add my new top 40 friends all love Pitbull also).
Already though, I feel like a shift in the musical scene is going to happen in this “electro” field. Labels like Mad Decent and Fools Gold are already starting to put a little more interest in weird Heavy Bass music like Dubstep and Bassline with releases from Rusko and Kingdom respectively. Additionaly you can look at the success of Drop The Lime and the rise of Trouble and Bass in the dance world which is incredible. I wouldn’t be surprised if a Downtown record extends it reach over that too in 2010 especially with DTL’s Band which is pretty freaking good.
I guess we will have to see what Santi Gold comes up with, if this Kid Sister album can cross over with the help of the Swedish House Mafia, and if this Rusko album on Mad Decent will really change the game. Oh yeah I should also mention I am waiting for MIA and Rye Rye babay clothing lines along with blog hause baby music cd via NEET.
4 responses so far ↓
1 Stephen Alex Vasquez // Oct 13, 2009 at 3:19 pm
“Or maybe this is what this Doc is supposed to show. That this blog house electro song has moved over to the top 40 clubs.”
Yes! You are correct!
2 Casi G // Oct 14, 2009 at 8:55 am
Yeah but looking at the club scenes it’s totally on some LA hipster shit 18 and up parties: which is cool and all but I am not sure if that is totally crossing over. I guess we should first talk about what crossing over is? What does that mean? Justice could be used as a good example of Electro, blog house, dance acts that has crossed over. Yet even as I am writing this, I am chatting with my work friends and they have no idea who Justice is (these are 24 year old American’s by the way from different parts of the country). I sent it out to five work friends and the best response has been “I said it sounds familiar not that I was a fan and know everything about it “. Just to put it a little more in perspective I asked if any of them have heard about “Kings of Leon” and all 5 knew who they were and could quote song descriptions. To be fair I don’t even really know who Kings of Leon are and only really got introduced to them as my friend circle changed and I don’t even really like them. But I think they are really a band that has crossed over from the obscure Indy Rock arena to the limelight.
Casi [12:23]:
let me know if you have ever heard of any of these names, Steve Aoki, Dj AM, Atrak, Diplo, Please rank these in the order of the most you have heard and what you know nothing about.
Natasha [12:24]:
the only one i have heard of is dj am
Casi [12:24]:
have you heard of daft punk?
Natasha [12:24]:
no
lol
(this girl is from New York and has lived in Florida for 6 years and likes Kings of Leon)
By far and away its not a scientific experiment but changing who I was around has given me a huge new perspective on what actually has crossed over. The other day I heard MIA being referred to as DIVA POP along with CHEER, LADY GAGA, and MADONNA it blew my mind since I still considered her an Indy mega star having crossed over and not really on the pop formula.
You might actually want to go to a Top 40 club where ever you are from and see what they really play. I went to one not that long ago and was surprised at the amount of Hip Hop etc that was acceptable in the more hipster spots I go to was heard but none of the dance music was the same. Also search this site a little and you can hear lots of dance music sets I recorded from some
I also shared your trailer with a bunch of other music blogs that I am connected with and there were a lot of suggestions that came from our email conversation. Please take this as constructive criticism since I have not seen the whole documentary and I think you are touching on a good subject but maybe jumping the gun a little.
1) You should probably reached out to the various music blogs that have been instrumentals in building hype and press for the scene and get there input on the rise of popularity of the genre. New Media and technology has been incredibly important in breaking down traditional distribution channels and why cutting edge kids (like hipsters) are clued up to the music and looking for what’s next while the mainstream market lags a little behind. In this section you should also discuss online radio (Think Aoki and AM both had online radio channels) vs. traditional radio, licensing/sample clearance for sales vs. grey area digital distribution via blogs (LMFAO talk about that a little but its paramount to there success), and also the new bedroom remix phenomenon as producing software is getting cheaper. In fact you are even contributing to the new media coverage of this since I imagine you are gonna release your doc on the net. Freakin meta
2) You might want to touch on the decline of the genre and the disposability of dance music, especially Blog House which found itself as a hot button topic but the trend is fading with Nu Disco, Disco House, French House, Minimal and Figit house sounds have started to become more popular. Trends in music come and go and with the internet we are seeing it come and go even quicker.
3) Present your material in a more professional way. Your scenes from the Night club have really bad audio which are really distracting. Additionally the Star Wars theme is sophomoric. I would take a look at some of the Karma Loop videos and the various XLR8R tv and Fader TV videos to get more of a feel on how to do it and do it big.
Hope this helps and send an email when the thing is done, will give you some more new media coverage.
3 Stephen Alex Vasquez // Oct 15, 2009 at 10:25 pm
Casi G,
First off, I’d just like to thank you for taking the time to thoroughly dissect my work. Thank the other respective blogs that have done so as well.
I tend to always take constructive criticism with grace and aplomb; which is why I’m going to respond to some of your points.
I wholeheartedly understand your gripe with the LA Electro scene and its insurgents. However, bear in mind that this is the contemporary scene I am documenting. Qbert said it himself Electro is a very broad genre that has existed for many decades. What we are seeing now is not Electronic music from a different angle, a new take or spin. What we are witnessing as a generation is a digital pregnancy. I’m referring to the proliferation of Electro music through blogs. This was unheard of ten years ago.
I have followed the emergence of this contemporary electro culture since 2005. The film covers a wider scope than what you’re assuming. The narrative bounces from the indie electro scene into the more radio friendly version of the genre. Not to mention the incorporation of outside genres such as Hip-Hop, Reggaeton and Reggae.
I’m not sure I follow the notion of you wanting me to attend a top 40 club. I don’t see how that is relevant to the film. Aside from filmmaking, I am also a dj, so I am constantly in the know when it comes to what is on the radio and what clearly isn’t. This research is on a national basis, not just where I reside. I am also constantly monitoring music blogs and attending shows. I would never jump into such a broad topic without knowing what I was getting into.
If your friends are not aware of Justice, they will be after they watch the film. One of the primary reasons for making this film is to inform the less aware mainstream audience of the existence of this blog culture/genre. There would be no appeal if everyone was aware of the subjects I am documenting.
“blog-house” as Carles coined it, is a digital movement that transcends electro, it ranges from anything related to dance to pop music.
1. I cover everything you have mentioned, and go beyond these points.
2. Got you covered on this one too!
3. I agree. The material needs to be presented in a more “professional” manner. This is why I labeled the trailer as a work-in-progress. As far as the bad audio is concerned, well, It was my intent to make your ears bleed. Why? This was mainly inspired by the ‘Across the Universe’ documentary. The sound in that film was Raw, obnoxious, and distorted. This is exactly what you hear at a live show. I just want to replicate that experience through film. I am well aware that this will be jarring, but after a while the jumps from loud to settling will become consistent. There are segments in the trailer I will omit from the film, for example, when Chromeo is playing, that sound is way over modulated. Also keep in mind that the sound has no been mixed or designed.
In regards to the Star Wars theme – well… that’s just the fanboy in me. The film will sport an original logo. Even if I wanted to keep the Star Wars bit, I can’t because Lucas would have a conniption. I just figured I’d run with it until the suits come a knocking.
I am well aware of the Fader TV videos. There are tons of music blogs that have a similar handle on the material, but they just dub the original club audio with mastered tracks, this will not give the same effect.
Again, thank you for taking the time to analyze the film. I will definitely keep you in the loop with any updates.
Add me on twitter:
twitter.com/theelectrowars
If you’re ever in the NY area, hit me up. I’d love to have you spread some knowledge on film.
4 Stephen Alex Vasquez // Mar 9, 2010 at 11:40 pm
Here’s the final trailer
http://www.vimeo.com/9854142
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