You really love hyperrhythmic percussive ish don't you Tim! Is this a thing that comes out of being a jungle fan I wonder - I was too young for any of that and it's not something I especially prioritise over texture and groove.
I thought the vox were kinda dull depeche modeisms tbh, not actively annoying a la art dept tho.
― lex pretend, Monday, 26 September 2011 07:23 (twelve years ago) link
Absolutely, though I got into jungle and uk garage simultaneously and think the comes from that combination more than either alone.
I definitely think this album devalues texture (at least compared to his prior best work) as part of beefing up the role of rhythm - esp. vis a vis The Present Lover which is maybe its polar opposite, quite simple rhythms but absurdly swollen textures. Paper Tigers, of course, was basically Luomo indulging in luomoesque textures but with no real purpose or function (and his weakest rhythms).
("groove" is more the unifyer of how all these things plus melody move your body)
The part of Convivial that I feel the best tracks here (especialy "Make My Day" the second half of which is just insane, esp. turned up to ear-bleed volumes) pick up on is the second half of "Slow Dying Places", that sense of endlessly spiralling upward intensity.
What I would have loved but sadly isn't here is more of the vaguely Carribean snare action from "Gets Along Fine".
― Tim F, Monday, 26 September 2011 08:15 (twelve years ago) link
well excited about the new one
i don't know how you guys can absorb this music so fast. i'm still getting to grips with the new ones. didn't like either of them on first listen.
― Crackle Box, Monday, 26 September 2011 10:47 (twelve years ago) link
streaming here http://3voor12.vpro.nl/speler/luisterpaal/45128519#luisterpaal.45128519
― jeff tWEEDy (diamonddave85), Tuesday, 27 September 2011 16:14 (twelve years ago) link
I definitely think this album devalues texture (at least compared to his prior best work) as part of beefing up the role of rhythm - esp. vis a vis The Present Lover which is maybe its polar opposite, quite simple rhythms but absurdly swollen textures.
It's not either/or though is it? A lot of the textural interest on Vocalcity comes from changing and evolving rhythms brushing up against each other in different ways.
The second half of Slow Dying Places is my favourite part of Convivial, give or take an Apparat collaboration here or there, but actually I think this album plays it quite straight rhythmically in comparison. Admittedly there might be some elements than aren't coming through in the stream.
But it's really good nonetheless, and surprisingly ravey and bleepy for Luomo. The Depeche Mode-style vocals work, I think, because there's a slightly colder, more warehousey feel to the whole sound.
― Matt DC, Wednesday, 28 September 2011 08:52 (twelve years ago) link
But yeah, to an extent this sounds like it could have been made by anyone. But if anyone had made it, it would still be really good, so...
Also for all the talk of shimmer and finesse and texture what's rarely commented upon with Luomo is how rich and satisfying his basslines are and those are all present and correct.
― Matt DC, Wednesday, 28 September 2011 08:54 (twelve years ago) link
Yeah it's not either / or, and obv. by any other producer's standards Plus would seem texturally gorgeous, voluptuous et. al. These are all matters of degree.
It's not so much that Plus is rhythmically more dense or intricate than before, rather that because the grooves are more targeted at the dancefloor the effect is different - e.g. the way the groove seems to shudder with built-up friction on "Happy Strong".
― Tim F, Wednesday, 28 September 2011 09:48 (twelve years ago) link
"Make My Day" is like "Slow Dying Places" with all the clicks and whirs and jitter riffs replaced with conventional kicks, snares, handclaps etc. I can see why this would disappoint some but I think it works tremendously.
― Tim F, Wednesday, 28 September 2011 09:51 (twelve years ago) link
^ Except I think Make My Day is more gradual in its transition. Honestly I'm a bit relieved, I wasn't that impressed with the three that had been around on soundcloud for ages - Good Stuff, Happy Strong & Spy - but they're the weakest tracks on the album. How You Look, Make My Day & Form In Void are the repeaters for me at the moment.
― Jedmond, Wednesday, 28 September 2011 10:30 (twelve years ago) link
And yeah, Moodmusic is the perfect label for this to be on. We can only hope for a DJ Naughty remix (circa 2004-5).
― Jedmond, Wednesday, 28 September 2011 10:33 (twelve years ago) link
The drums are definitely bigger on Plus than on any other Luomo that I've heard.
― Matt DC, Wednesday, 28 September 2011 10:39 (twelve years ago) link
surprised no one is talking about Plus. "Good Stuff" is on repeat here.
― skip, Monday, 14 November 2011 00:05 (twelve years ago) link
I talked about it a lot upthread. But "Good Stuff" is def. my least favourite track.
― Tim F, Monday, 14 November 2011 00:15 (twelve years ago) link
Need to spend some time with Plus but I'm to afraid this guy is diminishing returns.
― mmmm, Monday, 14 November 2011 00:22 (twelve years ago) link
to _ too
I should learn English at some point.
― mmmm, Monday, 14 November 2011 00:23 (twelve years ago) link
http://i53.tinypic.com/rlceas.jpg
― kashi west: late vegetarian (rustic italian flatbread), Monday, 14 November 2011 00:24 (twelve years ago) link
Diminishing returns? Vocal City > Convivial = The Present Lover > Plus >> Paper Tigers. No diminish returns, yet. Also Plus, Sistol, and to a lesser degree the Quartet show Sasu having fun with new ideas - even if the execution isn't always quite there.
― Jedmond, Monday, 14 November 2011 00:33 (twelve years ago) link
Latoma EP on echocord is pretty great.
― where is fake disneyworld (blank), Monday, 14 November 2011 01:53 (twelve years ago) link
I enjoy "Plus" a lot, "Spy" especially. Jedmond OTM.
― Michael F Gill, Monday, 14 November 2011 03:12 (twelve years ago) link
i'd put plus over convivial and TPL over both. vocal city on top, of course.
― karl...arlk...rlka...lkar..., Monday, 14 November 2011 05:06 (twelve years ago) link
enjoying this remix:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNbBd-rTjF8&feature=related
― skip, Saturday, 28 January 2012 17:26 (twelve years ago) link
Wow, is this good. I can't believe it came out of the Arctic Circle. I might finally break down and get the import!
― โตเกียวเหมียวเหมียว aka Don Nots (Mount Cleaners) (Mount Cleaners), Tuesday, 31 January 2012 21:32 (twelve years ago) link
I gave up and ordered the CD. I am so excited it is coming later this week. My new speakers are hooked up and ready. Listening to the singles NONSTOP. This is the real sh--!
― โตเกียวเหมียวเหมียว aka Trucks of my Tears (Mount Cleaners), Monday, 27 February 2012 16:31 (twelve years ago) link
Tim F. is right, it has a very dense sound, it's kind of weird. Certainly worth your time, but don't expect to be blown away at first. Holding out hope that it gets better.
― โตเกียวเหมียวเหมียว aka Wendy Carlos the Jackal (Mount Cleaners), Saturday, 3 March 2012 20:03 (twelve years ago) link
Want to make one of those "brain lighting up" meme images but with "Tessio" --> "Synkro" --> "The Right Wing".
― Tim F, Sunday, 18 June 2017 00:46 (six years ago) link
the devil's advocate in me adds a fourth image that's just the cover image of The Present Lover
― mh, Tuesday, 20 June 2017 00:25 (six years ago) link
this is where I admit I own almost all the vladislav delay releases on physical media
Vocalcity is still one of my go-to albums to throw on when I'm tired and not quite ready to fall asleep in bed. just let my mind wander
― mh, Tuesday, 20 June 2017 00:28 (six years ago) link
sometimes i have black coffee and i think "should i also have feta cheese?"
― nomar, Tuesday, 20 June 2017 00:36 (six years ago) link
a contrasting palate palette
― mh, Tuesday, 20 June 2017 00:39 (six years ago) link
anyone know where this limited pressing of a remastered Vocalcity can be found? it was mentioned in a Bandcamp notification (which has also disappeared into the aether) but all I can find is the digital.
― lukas, Friday, 27 March 2020 20:55 (four years ago) link
https://www.normanrecords.com/records/181087-luomo-vocalcity-20th-anniversary-remaster
― michaellambert, Friday, 27 March 2020 21:26 (four years ago) link
xo!
― lukas, Friday, 27 March 2020 21:34 (four years ago) link
Dear listener,To bring some emotional rescue in these difficult times we have released a 20th anniversary of Luomo "Vocalcity", remastered and with the original artwork again, triple vinyl in deep blue color. There's a limited edition 300 copies pressing available on Boomkat now.Stay strong.SR
To bring some emotional rescue in these difficult times we have released a 20th anniversary of Luomo "Vocalcity", remastered and with the original artwork again, triple vinyl in deep blue color. There's a limited edition 300 copies pressing available on Boomkat now.
Stay strong.
SR
― mh, Friday, 27 March 2020 21:40 (four years ago) link
boomkat's the only one with the limited blue one afaict
Love luomo.
― nathom, Friday, 27 March 2020 22:05 (four years ago) link
the blue vinyl Vocalcity remaster arrived!
it's a good remaster/reissue! kind of surprised with one track per side that it's 33rpm but it sounds nice
― mh, Thursday, 16 April 2020 20:52 (three years ago) link
checking outside a couple times a day in case my record is out there
― lukas, Thursday, 16 April 2020 22:12 (three years ago) link
Damn, glad I saw this. I had no idea this was getting reissued. Is the blue version still available? I see the black on at Juno but the blue is gone at Boomkat.
― brotherlovesdub, Thursday, 16 April 2020 23:28 (three years ago) link
I bought the rerelease from Norman records - really looking forward to it
― Ant1973, Sunday, 19 April 2020 21:33 (three years ago) link
New subscription launched: https://vladislavdelay.bandcamp.com/subscribe
― skip, Sunday, 31 May 2020 01:56 (three years ago) link
sometimes i just marvel at everything that's going on in "class"
― mellon collie and the infinite bradness (BradNelson), Thursday, 19 November 2020 15:01 (three years ago) link
vocalcity is really favorite album of all time material
― mellon collie and the infinite bradness (BradNelson), Thursday, 19 November 2020 15:02 (three years ago) link
really great run of old school ilm posts at the start of this thread
― mellon collie and the infinite bradness (BradNelson), Thursday, 19 November 2020 16:29 (three years ago) link
no wait i was thinking of another thread lol
*this* one starts with a great run of old school ilm posts: Explain the appeal of Luomo
― mellon collie and the infinite bradness (BradNelson), Thursday, 19 November 2020 16:30 (three years ago) link
The tessio thread is fun too when we are all just posting the lyrics
― Michael F Gill, Thursday, 19 November 2020 18:43 (three years ago) link
I enjoyed rereading my "immediate reax" posts to Convivial upthread that I just had to put it on again.
― Tim F, Thursday, 19 November 2020 23:01 (three years ago) link
An early internet search for Vocalcity was my first contact with ILM. It took me a lol of a long time to find site new answers. I swear that I thought ILM was just one thread (not this one, I don't think) about Luomo's Vocalcity for months after that.
― Gerneten-flüken cake (jed_), Thursday, 19 November 2020 23:05 (three years ago) link