What happened with Ceephax?

Well this is just me reflecting.. 

Like  20 years ago Ceephax was coming in to the electronica "IDM" and Acid scene.. 
First track I ever heard was this tune Polar from Acid Quakers 1000 (2000) and my mind was blown!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2R6M3-INmoA
Then there was Exidy Tours, Volume 1,2 and Ceephax Acid Crew release coming along the way, mind-blowing tb-303 musics that really had a good interesting  musical vibe than just looping a 303-pattern with a disted 909. 

I thought much more would come and so it did like 10 years ago with the United Acid Emirates filled with tracks like  
Sidney Sizzlers and Emotinium II that became like 303 Rave hits! then The funny Acid Mediterranean video came and Cro Magnox was very cool with this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lY1QyOxx-ks

But what happen after all this? 
There is no more evolving it seems. His brother crafted his own drum machine programs, released albums with different styles and tools, even plays bass guitar and do live performances like a rock star! 

Is it only me thinking like this? 

Isn't there a bigger chance for a talented musician like Andy to evolve his sound than just getting stuck with wavetable synt sounds, 303 and TR-707/909 drums? I think he can do way better than this. Maybe he don't want? 

Sounds like he just ditched the 303 on his new album, though there are just the 4 previews. And it may be just for this one album. Don't know.

  On 11/13/2022 at 12:29 PM, cern said:

Well this is just me reflecting.. 

Like  20 years ago Ceephax was coming in to the electronica "IDM" and Acid scene.. 
First track I ever heard was this tune Polar from Acid Quakers 1000 (2000) and my mind was blown!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2R6M3-INmoA
Then there was Exidy Tours, Volume 1,2 and Ceephax Acid Crew release coming along the way, mind-blowing tb-303 musics that really had a good interesting  musical vibe than just looping a 303-pattern with a disted 909. 

I thought much more would come and so it did like 10 years ago with the United Acid Emirates filled with tracks like  
Sidney Sizzlers and Emotinium II that became like 303 Rave hits! then The funny Acid Mediterranean video came and Cro Magnox was very cool with this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lY1QyOxx-ks

But what happen after all this? 
There is no more evolving it seems. His brother crafted his own drum machine programs, released albums with different styles and tools, even plays bass guitar and do live performances like a rock star! 

Is it only me thinking like this? 

Isn't there a bigger chance for a talented musician like Andy to evolve his sound than just getting stuck with wavetable synt sounds, 303 and TR-707/909 drums? I think he can do way better than this. Maybe he don't want? 

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Hmmm. You make a fascinating point.

I have the greatest of sympathies for both artists who make the same song over and over again or need to constantly reinvent themselves.

  On 11/13/2022 at 12:29 PM, cern said:

But what happen after all this? 
There is no more evolving it seems. His brother crafted his own drum machine programs, released albums with different styles and tools, even plays bass guitar and do live performances like a rock star! 

Is it only me thinking like this? 

Isn't there a bigger chance for a talented musician like Andy to evolve his sound than just getting stuck with wavetable synt sounds, 303 and TR-707/909 drums? I think he can do way better than this. Maybe he don't want? 

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I think Andy stayed fucking rad and Tom got more and more boring/pretentious. 

Theyve always had completely different vibes to be fair, Ceephax is going for the retro fun thing while SP was always more cerebral/conceptual.

I don't think innovation is really part of his brand or aesthetic and I'm always quite happy with the way he switches up the ratio of the ingredients each time to make something slightly different. Havent heard the new clips yet but Box Steady was more of a party atmosphere, while Camelot Arcade before it was more subdued and spooky.

He is running under limited parameters tho and it would be interesting if he completely abandoned his sound palette.

  On 11/13/2022 at 3:59 PM, Key said:

He is running under limited parameters tho and it would be interesting if he completely abandoned his sound palette.

Yeah this! 

I don't mean he need to start playing a bass guitar like his brother or something but just leave the 80's sound for a change 
 

  On 11/13/2022 at 4:14 PM, cern said:

Yeah this! 

I don't mean he need to start playing a bass guitar like his brother or something but just leave the 80's sound for a change 
 

He could start playing the lute or a psaltery, Camelot style

Bongophax

Cro Magnox (a personal favorite of mine) was after United Acid Emirates.  Camelot Arcade was also really nice. I like where Ceephax is and I hope he keeps doing it. Who would fill his spot if he went full IDM? It would be cool to hear what he did in an alternate reality, but I personally really enjoy his style in this one.

imo, Ceephax’s stuff is better than ever.. His early recods are fun but I have to be in that mood to get over some of the rough edges. Whereas most everything from United acid emirates and onward is consistently solid

Ceephax rocks. You hear that he has fun making music and has an unique way to do so.

Love his sound. Will be remembered in time as one of the greats.

  On 11/13/2022 at 3:59 PM, Key said:

Ceephax is going for the retro fun thing while SP was always more cerebral/conceptual.

Cerebral Dance Music is the bastard offspring of IDM and Braindance.

  On 1/6/2023 at 8:25 PM, dcom said:

Cerebral Dance Music is the bastard offspring of IDM and Braindance.

The Cerebral Assassin

I read something once that basically said, If you, over time, don't like a poet's new poetry, maybe you didn't develop alongside the poet. In my opinion this post says more about you than Ceephax.. I listened to his new album the last week and it's seriously great. It has those knight rider 90s feels that very few people manage to capture. Warm summer nights and the seemingly never ending rave with the homies. I don't think this genre of music being expressive has much to do with not using a 303 or 909.. Yeah his music is very dancey and fun, but maybe that's.. him? Ceephax your radioactive uncle from the past. Tom the avant garde robot vampire. Why focus on the negative with something like 303s and it having to be this new coming of age electronic music. Have you tried doing that? It's not as accessible as old hardware sequencing that is just *fun*

  On 11/13/2022 at 12:29 PM, cern said:

But what happen after all this? 
There is no more evolving it seems. His brother crafted his own drum machine programs, released albums with different styles and tools, even plays bass guitar and do live performances like a rock star! 

Is it only me thinking like this? 

Isn't there a bigger chance for a talented musician like Andy to evolve his sound than just getting stuck with wavetable synt sounds, 303 and TR-707/909 drums? I think he can do way better than this. Maybe he don't want? 

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~20 years ago was when I first heard Ceephax. Didn't do much for me. But my appreciation has grown steadily. Especially over the past 12 years. The Bomb-O-Matic set turned me into a total fan. This set is incredible. 

I'd say he absolutely has developed as an artist over time. But I don't know how you mean evolve here. Is it the same as developed? Or do you rather mean something like "refinement", "sophistication", or even "ascension"? Because that's what your post reads like to me. Honestly, I think Ceephax just doesn't need it. Seems like a totally easy-going guy who doesn't put too much pressure on himself. Definitely not taking himself too seriously. If there's one thing all artists that I truly love have in common, it's authenticity. They're doing their own thing 100%. No pretensions, no fake bs. This manifests very differently in different people. Andy is one of them.

(This doesn't exclude ambition. But it excludes having too much to prove.)

I love what he's doing, all his latest releases rank very high for me. Camelot Arcade took me years because I wanted Ceephax in goof mode. I approached it as a consumer; Demanding things from the artist instead of being open. But last year it clicked. Camelot Arcade is glorious. Camelot Escalator. Hovagen. Path To The None. The Green Night. This album rules. Camelot Arcade is a good medieval counterpart to Cro Magnox. One is a dream about the past, the other one a dream about the future. Baddow Moods? Fucking killer. The whole album really added some extra warmth to my summer. Escalator Love is so incredibly chill, like Laid Back Baker Man-levels of chill. Smooth as the bonnet of a Porsche.

I was obsessed with Squarepusher until about 2007. Ufabulum was the last exception, the last Squarepusher that I really listened to(masterpiece btw). I can't even say anything about Tom these days. I simply lost connection with his music. When I listen to Tom's more recent stuff it feels to me like he got lost somewhere, maybe his extreme ambitions have gotten the best of him. But most likely, Tom's more recent work just isn't for me anymore. 

Maybe the reason for this kind of post is people worrying about their own personal risk of creative decline? Not saying it's a real thing to worry about or that the projection is based on something real (it doesn't matter if it's true or not), but it seems like the best thing to do would be that if you're not into the new stuff, listen to the old stuff, and if Ceephax or Venetian Snares, or Aphex, or Squarepusher, aren't doing it for you any more, but you want something new, make something new yourself, or find something new? There's so much music out there to explore

Also, I understand feeling disappointed when some musician you identify with starts to make stuff you're not into any more (not saying cern identifies with Ceephax, just making a more general point) but your identity can expand beyond the stuff you're into

I feel a bit bad faith by not actually answering the question, so maybe I should speculate on why Ceephax's stuff has become more structured? I guess that's just what he's into making. If you're wondering why he isn't doing more complicated/IDM/braindance stuff, I mean that was just never what he was doing - but if someone else wanted to mix Ceephax's approach with Aphex's approach or something like that - I would love to hear something like that! I don't think there's anything like that out there afaik and I reckon that would be really exciting to hear

STFU, still great IMO. 

The whole album is excellent and a welcome sojourn from the usual dancefloor acid on previous LPs

Not everyone has to be at the forefront of electronic music advancement. Artists like Ceephax are necessary imo, they'll always put out solid albums without falling into pretention. We have Tom for the experimentation and Andy for the fun and I like it that way.

Did see him at bangface this year. He is just what you expect. Nice grounded acid tunes. 

He's coming to play at our gig in Falmouth Cornwall in September if you wanna find out where he's at.

  On 8/22/2023 at 10:04 PM, ESC said:

He's coming to play at our gig in Falmouth Cornwall in September if you wanna find out where he's at.

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Would love to come to a future gig, hope Penryn Space Agency flies again.