I think the way us disco fans listen to music has changed considerably over the last couple years. Maybe I’m just stuck in some weird state of mind where everything always seems as though it was better “back in the day”, but I feel like in a certain sense, we’ve all gradually lost part of our ability to truly appreciate music for what it’s worth. Now before you get all up in arms about my blasphemy, let me explain.

Due to its increasingly powerful capability to make our musical transactions instantaneous, the internet has allowed us to wreak havoc on our own musical tastes, and I’d be lying if I were to say I didn’t see it coming. In the early nineties, the net was all about buying the cd’s that you used to have to hike down to the local record store for, and after experiencing this ultimate convenience, we all began to look for even more potential spontaneity. Naturally, we were pushed into digital music downloads, which (as far as I’m concerned) totally eradicated the need to even like a song before stuffing it onto an iPod, and finally, we arrived at what’s generally accepted to be the current way of things: a musical scene controlled almost entirely by blogs.

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m most definitely in favor of blogs (I do run one). What I’m not in favor of is the unfortunate practice that I’ve taken the liberty of titling “blog abuse”. Many people have become so accustomed to getting all of their music from a certain collection of bookmarked websites that we’ve begun to lose our concept of taste. It’s almost like Oprah, and her viewers’ weird willingness to read everything that she tells them to, and nothing else. Though a large portion of the music out there has indeed been touched by this little predicament, it seems that the electronic scene has taken the bullet right to the heart. Disco is a genre that revolves around DJ’s, and as such the people who choose to abuse the disco blogs frequently do so whilst keeping their dj sets in mind, thus creating a circle of what could be considered musical inbreeding. The result: you get themed DJ’s. Forget variety. Forget the idea that a dj should introduce you to new music, whilst keeping you comfortable by slipping in a classic every now and again. Forget being mesmerized by a dj’s unique style and direction. Say hello to a set full of everything that you already heard on Missingtoof over the last two weeks.

That’s not even the worst of it. While unsavory music collections and poor taste do indeed provoke a sour face, the hardest blow has been planted at the heart of our own ability to enjoy the music we listen to. With the rising popularity of electro and house music in recent years, we’ve seen a massive increase in the number of half-hearted wannabe dj’s, and a bit of contact with this amateur scene has allowed me to see that as these kids scour the internet for music, they don’t even look for music that they enjoy. I’ve heard things like, “Oh! This track would be great for a transition” or “I bet people would dance to this!” but I honestly can’t even remember the last time I heard anything close to, “I love the way this song makes me feel.” How can anyone be a good dj if they don’t feel an emotional connection to the beats they throw?

Indeed, music has a universal power to unite people, but that unity is largely due to the mutual feelings that each individual experiences within his own heart.

The Twelves

I’m almost shocked at how much thought a single Twelves remix provoked in me, but I’m consoled each and every time I press play, and listen to this remarkable piece of art all over again. It was clear a while back that these kids were more than just another bandwagon dj tag team, but this track honestly takes the cake. Seeing as this is the first time in months that I’ve loved a track enough to leave it on repeat (it’s been an hour now), I feel it’s safe to say that The Twelves have added an emotional touch to dance music that has almost become a rarity, and that if you’re one of the aforementioned people that has lost a personal connection with their music, that this latest track is likely enough to put you back in touch, if not provoke tears of joy. It’s always nice when music makes it hard not to smile. If you’re in need of reminder as to what emotion feels like, this track’s for you.

Black Kids - I’m Not Gonna Teach (The Twelves Remix)

This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 1st, 2008 at 5:35 pm and is filed under Disco Daily. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.