Milk Factory: Music News That Doesn't Suck?

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I'll admit, I'm a semi-regular reader of Pitchfork, mainly because they update daily and at least it's better than Stylus. Actually, what I usually do with Pitchfork is scan the page for artists names that are beyond the scope of the majority of their bandwagon indie coverage. Of course, this is a pretty lame method of hearing new artists. But recently I stumbled on Milk Factory (an online version of a print magazine?), which is updated monthly : ( but still aligns much closer with my taste in music. I can't really find out much else about this site- any info or opinions?

― viborgu, Wednesday, 2 November 2005 17:08 (eighteen years ago) link

Oh yeah, I meant to mention that I just read about an upcoming Biosphere album on that site, and I"m stoked- possibly the first great artist which ILM turned me on to! I've been listening to quite a bit of Autour De La Lune, along with his work with The Higher Intelligence Agency.

― viborgu, Wednesday, 2 November 2005 17:18 (eighteen years ago) link

My only beef with TMF is it's erm... partial blindness to electronic music much outside the IDM/electronica sphere. They'll go as far as Cristian Vogel, but no further.. annoying though when they WILL interview old musicians (A Guy Called Gerald, LFO, Graham Massey) who were influential but in no way 'IDM'.

But I can live with that I guess, they got quirks.

― login name (fandango), Wednesday, 2 November 2005 17:27 (eighteen years ago) link

how do Simpson, Bell and Massey NOT fit into the general definition of 'IDM' exactly?

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Wednesday, 2 November 2005 17:41 (eighteen years ago) link

People danced to their stuff? It charted?

I'm not claiming they were un-influential to what came after them, my point is I'm not sure the site really takes notice of current dance stuff the same way IMO. Anyway, it's a very minor niggle in the scheme of things.

― login name (fandango), Wednesday, 2 November 2005 17:45 (eighteen years ago) link

As far as info for the thread starter goes, it's a UK based site is all I can add. Which might also explain the lack of coverage given to Kompakt & similar, and strange disconnection from 'dance' electronic music.

― login name (fandango), Wednesday, 2 November 2005 17:58 (eighteen years ago) link

by your logic, people dance to Windowlicker and it charted = Aphex is not IDM. Simpson's latest album echoes old Autechre at times, Massey's Toolshed project tends to drift towards the Wagon Christ-esque, but even more noodley and psychedelic. You just can't pigeonhole these artists that easily really. but yeah this is probably beside the point.

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Wednesday, 2 November 2005 18:03 (eighteen years ago) link

Ok... I've been a Milkhead for probably close to a year now.

What is this 3rd 'answer'? It annoys me.

People don't like them because they only cover IDM but its annoying when they do interview non IDM people? Ok?? what is with the damn "erm" people? quit it.

anyhow,

I admit its quirkty.. and its hard to put your finger on the Milkman's taste, but yes it does align itself quite nicely with a large amount of quirky people. He likes moving and creative music, following no real genre except the broad outlines of maybe electronica.... but then where do Antony and the Johnsons fit into that?

As for those looking for Kompakt stuff being reviewed or covered, may I direct your attention to the issue that is coming out tomorrow. I just had a conversation with the Milkman himself, and he is reviewing the 2 latest Orb albums (which actually led to my discovery of this site) the first of which is a Kompilation.

PLEASE LOOK FOR THE NEXT 'LIVE' ISSUE TOMORROW

(as far as I know its not in print anywhere, but I'm not in the UK or an expert so...)

― hydrallus, Wednesday, 2 November 2005 18:15 (eighteen years ago) link

--login name

and how the hell is LFO "in no way IDM" 'erm' their releases are on warp

Sorry m8, but you gotta be the most consistently inconsistent person I've ever encountered. I'm getting upset.

― hydrallus, Wednesday, 2 November 2005 18:22 (eighteen years ago) link

I wouldn't say just because somethings on Warp means that it's IDM. Especially not regarding the early singles, ok I'm probably thinking MUCH more of "Frequencies" era LFO, than what came later I'll admit, point taken!

I'm not trying to fit anyone solely in one category or the other here IDM/not-IDM. Just trying to explain something that puzzles me, or feels like a missed opportunity in the current musical climate.

However, I'm clearly explaining this REALLY BADLY and tying myself in knots, so perhaps I'll give it some thought and say more later when I can be better understood, sorry to upset you! :D

TMF is something of a personal site, not an industry promotions machine (and a site I like a lot!) So really, asking for the "taste" of the content to change to suit me isn't perhaps very fair.

― login name (fandango), Wednesday, 2 November 2005 21:07 (eighteen years ago) link

OK, TMF is essentially some guy writing from his bedroom...any recommendations for other good sources of open-minded, genre-bending news + reviews?

― viborgu, Thursday, 3 November 2005 00:30 (eighteen years ago) link

I'm not saying that at all. This got blown WAY out of proportion.

http://djmartian.blogspot.com/ ?

― login name (fandango), Thursday, 3 November 2005 00:34 (eighteen years ago) link

No, I was being facetious. I think the drama level here got a little out of control. For the record, I'm always either facetious or sarcastic. Makes for great communication via the internet.

― viborgu, Thursday, 3 November 2005 00:37 (eighteen years ago) link

ah fair do :)

― login name (fandango), Thursday, 3 November 2005 00:43 (eighteen years ago) link

ha! I totally wore my heart on my sleave!! Cheers for even brining this up.... I'm obviously misdirecting my anger.

― hydrallus, Thursday, 3 November 2005 08:11 (eighteen years ago) link

I write for milkfactory on a regular basis - I can confirm it's run by one guy, the milkman and it's web only, not print. Other things to read might include: http://www.disquiet.com/, http://www.dustedmagazine.com/, http://www.stylusmagazine.com/. I'm happy to cover anything, it does tend to boil down to what promos get sent and what's suggested by writers.

― 11V, Thursday, 3 November 2005 14:35 (eighteen years ago) link

Yeah, the Milkman, aka Bruno or whatever his name is.. he's a good guy. I found the site by searching for Coppe' and he's pretty much the only person thats ever covered her and other Mango + Sweet Rice releases.

― hydrallus, Thursday, 3 November 2005 15:00 (eighteen years ago) link

milkfactry teh gud!!!

― a (hydraulis2), Sunday, 13 November 2005 22:31 (eighteen years ago) link

Hey- I realize you have problems with the English language, so I'll try to use sign language while I type. THANK YOU FOR REVIVING THIS THREAD. I MISSED THE LAST FEW POSTS. CAN YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I AM SAYING TO YOU?

― vigorgu, Monday, 14 November 2005 00:15 (eighteen years ago) link

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