Electronic music is sometimes referred to as Doof-Doof - a way of imitating the bass beat in some of the more monotonous tracks. The phrase carries a negative connotation though, as if that’s all the music is. But that would be like saying rock ’n roll is only screeching guitars, orchestra is nothing but wind, or that country is only about loss.
As a teenager I loved folk music. I could sing along to entire albums, word for word at the top of my lungs. I loved the lyrics and the variety of instruments used. I called it “food for the soul.” During my early twenties I met some guys who’d spent a few years in London and were listening to a style of electronic music called Garage. I quickly jumped to the conclusion - as I suspect many people do - that this was nothing but Doof-Doof. I decided I didn’t like electronic music.
A year later (and before my heart got broken), I fell in love with a girl and her taste in music. It was the late 90’s and electronic music was booming - a Las Vegas buffet of new sounds and styles. So, at first I didn’t realize the music I’d fallen for was electronic. It certainly didn’t sound like Doof-Doof. Yes it had a lot of bass but the beats were rhythmic, the melodies capturing, and although the lyrics were often scarce and repetitive, they could communicate as profoundly as any. All made on computer. Over the next two decades I must have explored over 100 subgeners of electronic music (there are so many) and found at least five more that kept me coming back for seconds.
Even so, electronic music has been criticized for not having any instruments. But the beauty of electronic music—what makes it so diverse, creating something for everyone—is that not only do the producers need to pick the notes, they need to create the sound of the notes too. This is just as challenging and expressive as any traditional instrument. It’s just very different.
Electronic music has also been criticized for being repetitive and mindless. But I‘v found an experience within the patterns of repetition that can’t be found in other types of music. In fact, instead of being mindless one finds intelligence. These days I listen to both acoustic and electronic music. One is food for my soul and the other is food for my mind. It was just about finding my dish.
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And that was my first essay! Writing it reminded me of an electronic-music app I liked called DI.Fm (Digitally Imported FM). It took some patience to give all the genres a fair chance, but I found a few channels I listened to often: Base and Jackin House, Progressive House, Electronica, and (occasionally) Minimal were my favorites; I also liked some of the Psychedelic Trance stations when jogging. Obviously, different sounds suit different moods. If you check it out, let me know if you find any you like? Or let me know what kind of music you enjoy? Oh, and if you’re looking for some really relaxing music, try anything by Liquid Mind.
Thanks for spending time with me!
Love,
Barrett Person Busschau.
Check out my next blog: January 2021 - February 2021
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