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BleedBaudelaire
There is nothing more infuriating than viewing lists of best Dream Pop/Shoegaze acts, and A.R. Kane is nowhere to be seen. Who are the people who make these lists? Alex & Rudy did not only invent the genre; they did it better than anyone after them. It is rare to see someone being the genesis of something, and then the upcoming acts can't even capitalise on that and make it 'better'. These guys are GODS.
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hello-cthulhu
I like them, but I can think of some reasons. Though they invented the term, listening to them now, I'm not sure how much of what people associate with dream pop applies to them. Their music is heavily electronic, with a lot of dissonant sounds and samples. There's a lot of fun experimentalism here. Contrast that with some dream pop examples: Cocteau Twins, Beach House, Wye Oak, Wild Nothing, School of Seven Bells, Yumi Zouma, Frankie Rose, Tamaryn, Jorge Elbrecht... Notice the difference? Far more ethereal, and more, well, "dreamy," quiet and gentle. Now, I like it all, but I can see why AR Kane might be harder to fit with this crop of bands.
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hello-cthulhu
Don't get me wrong; AR Kane definitely has moments like you mentioned, but I don't know that they're representative of what they do, which I see as far more eclectic and varied, and honestly, hard for me to classify. That's hardly a mark against oneself as a musician. For Pete's sake, these are the same guys who did "Pump Up the Volume", albeit in collaboration, and I don't think that's anywhere in the universe of dream pop. Though their discography is a lot smaller, I'd see one comparison with His Name Is Alive stylistically. Certainly there's a lot of dream pop in what HNIA did, especially their early to mid 90s output, but Warn Defever kind of went all over the place with electronic experiments, sampling, and even R&B with his two Lovetta Pippen fronted albums. So I'd be reluctant to call HNIA "dream pop," unless I was just speaking of a particular HNIA album or song. And anyway, what's your beef with Wild Nothing?
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BleedBaudelaire
You do have some fair arguments; and I think it all comes down to personal interpretation of this said genre. For me, 'dream pop', has always been about a special feeling; those layered textures, drawn out notes, & hazy atmospheres. Some other people might define dream pop differently, and I can understand that. I do not think this is a case or being 'right or wrong', but more about how people experience certain things differently. And: my beef with Wild Nothing was really about me expecting a different sound when I first heard him; I was too ignorant, I realise now, talking about him; I do realise it is harsh to to blame him for not being what I wanted him to be, rather than judging him on his music itself.
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hello-cthulhu
Totally fair. I think that's kind of how I feel about Diiv. I love their live album, which, oddly, was my first serious exposure to them. But it was a stripped down, minimalist, almost "unplugged" version of their music, so hardly the most representative introduction. So when I heard their studio albums, it was a bit underwhelming. I'd still say they're a good band, but just not what I anticipated. But I suspect I'd like them a lot more if only I had heard them fresh, without any expectations. As for the "dream pop" thing, I find in general, these genre classifications are just inherently frustrating, because they are often fuzzy, vague terms in themselves, and because the truly best bands often "color outside the lines", very much on purpose, so they don't get too formulaic with their sound, and maintain a distinct identity. But, these terms, as frustrating as they are, are really all we have.
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hello-cthulhu
There's apparently a Slowdive remix of "W.O.G.S." But it's exclusive to the A.R. Kive collection anthology... which doesn't seem available, at least here in the US, for anything less than $120. Two other remixes are also exclusive, Tim Reacher's remix of "Baby Milk Snatcher," as well as Louis Tambala's. Fortunately, the Tim Reacher remix has been uploaded to YouTube, but the others have not.
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Slycton-archive
https://mixmag.net/feature/exploring-the-black-roots-of-shoegaze-and-dream-pop
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red_apple_falls
Anyone know why "Crazy Blue" has so many more scrobbles than the rest of their songs? On a compilation or a popular Spotify playlist or what?
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NarooN
I think it was. They had a few of their songs appear on compilations, and at least one song I know of that was only ever released on one (it was a remix of another of their songs.) I tried searching on discogs but couldn't find anything in particular, but that place always has missing releases on it.
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ambient4pig
cocteau twins did but black people invented jazz and this is a far more valuable achievement
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JohnMcCooke
First London gig in a generation folks, a mere tenner in. http://www.thegoodship.co.uk/whats-on/events/13-jul-16-ar-kane-the-good-ship/ Plus the most ace Plastic Flowers in support.x
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StDionysus
I've come to realize that they have some real gems but said gems are more obscure than the band itself. None of the really good stuff is off the albums.
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rOOm-on-fire
Contre toute attente, New Clear Child est devenu mon album préféré d'eux. L'ambiance "aquatique" et tout...
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eyesaresmiles
I don't see them as much to do with JAMC or shoegaze. They're much more out there than that. Yes there was When you're sad, and they used feedback. But the only shoegaze band that even vaguely reminded me of them was Moose and even then only on their second EP. The shoegazers were waaaay more trad and conventional in their sound and song structure. Dunno what the rest of you think but I'd rather put them next to the woozy pop of someone like Laika, and even then.. A R Kane sit all on their own.
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sleepinginzeal
"haunting" is one of the greatest songs of all time. definitely the best dreampop/shoegaze/whatever song...
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blackswano
Damn such a wonderful act, the real hidden bridge between The Jesus and Mary Chain and more canonical shoegaze. Plus, the "Lollita" EP is one of the most touching sequences ever.
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