milkman

  On 3/31/2012 at 2:29 PM, BCM said:

fuck vocals

Never mind the vocal, I'm in it for the bassline. It goes up twice, then does a little up-and-back-down-again thing, like a growling, almost inaudible call-and-response. I'm not even sure if it's strictly speaking tonal, but it's definitely catchy.

  On 8/1/2009 at 8:04 PM, Calx Sherbet said:

lack of vocals made perfect sense to me at the time of my first SAW2 listen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6CQRVODln0

Always had this down as a vocal sample throughout the track.

  On 4/5/2012 at 2:04 PM, mcglockers said:

Always had this down as a vocal sample throughout the track.

Vocal samples are not the same thing as proper vocals, which match a fully fledged lyric to a main melody. While [Cliffs] and Xtal technically have vocal samples, they're not really vocals in the sense that most people would use the term. They're much more similar to instrumental music, with the voice being a wordless instrument.

  On 4/5/2012 at 4:02 PM, ZoeB said:

  On 4/5/2012 at 2:04 PM, mcglockers said:

Always had this down as a vocal sample throughout the track.

 

Vocal samples are not the same thing as proper vocals, which match a fully fledged lyric to a main melody. While [Cliffs] and Xtal technically have vocal samples, they're not really vocals in the sense that most people would use the term. They're much more similar to instrumental music, with the voice being a wordless instrument.

Kinda disagree, I wouldn't say Milkman had 'proper' vocals either.

If you'd have said lyrics I'd agree but I dunno, voice/vocal is an instrument whatever you choose to do with it.

See: Bobby Mcferrin

For the record I don't like Bobby Mcferrin.

Also, would you not consider the Manchester to have 'proper' vocals?

Bobby McFerrin has really a good voice! & he's an excellent vocalist!

this and come to daddy are the only tracks I dont like by aphex twin

  On 4/5/2012 at 4:18 PM, mcglockers said:

  On 4/5/2012 at 4:02 PM, ZoeB said:

Vocal samples are not the same thing as proper vocals, which match a fully fledged lyric to a main melody. While [Cliffs] and Xtal technically have vocal samples, they're not really vocals in the sense that most people would use the term. They're much more similar to instrumental music, with the voice being a wordless instrument.

 

Kinda disagree, I wouldn't say Milkman had 'proper' vocals either.

 

If you'd have said lyrics I'd agree but I dunno, voice/vocal is an instrument whatever you choose to do with it.

 

 

See: Bobby Mcferrin

 

For the record I don't like Bobby Mcferrin.

 

Also, would you not consider the Manchester to have 'proper' vocals?

Hmm, you're right, I should be more careful with my terminology... I'm not sure exactly what you'd call it, but I think there's some distinction to be made between songs with lead vocals with full lyrics (eg Sugababes and Girls Aloud); songs with prominent vocals with actual words, but only up to about a four-line chorus (Moby, Fatboy Slim, and even Ride On Time and Voodoo Ray would be examples of these); and songs with wordless vocals (Xtal, [Cliffs], arguably Rachel's Song although the vocal's clearly the lead in that track). I realise these are hazy and arbitrary lines, but I think there are people who listen to songs who don't listen to instrumental music, and those people wouldn't listen to music with wordless vocals either, and it'd be a bit of a judgement call how much they like repetitive samples of vocals (judging by the success of Moby and Fatboy Slim, just a chorus probably is sufficient).

It's an interesting point though, and I'd be curious to hear more of other people's opinions on the matter. I'm convinced that while Come to Daddy was in the barely-scraping-by-into-being-considered-a-vocal category along with Moby and Fatboy Slim, it was enough to be the reason that EP was so popular. (Arguably even slightly subversive, as the B-sides might have gotten a few people into more abstract, instrumental music, once the A-side had them hooked.)

Thinking about it, Windowlicker's success, if due to the vocal, might prove that a lyric isn't at all important, as long as the vocal's singing the lead melody... It's certainly hummable in a weird way. Then again, it may just be an outlier, popular for another reason entirely. Hmm, I'll need to investigate this more, thanks for the idea...

It would be great to hear more vocal, lyric-singing tracks from Aphex Twin, but if he doesn't want to be that successful, it seems unlikely he'll make that "mistake" again.

(Alas, my whole knowledge of Bobby McFerrin is that he got a whole audience to sing in a pentatonic scale, so I can't really comment on him.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ne6tB2KiZuk

Ooooh, he's the the Don't Worry, Be Happy guy... Yeah, that's a nice track. If you like that (although it appears you don't), you may like Dub FX's album Everythink's a Ripple, not to mention Imogen Heap's live performance of Just for Now.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UiInBOVHpO8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25VGdNU3nrU

You certainly shouldn't be ashamed to like good music whatever its instrumentation, and to do such versatile things with your voice is impressive. I'm pretty sure there's an interview where Aphex Twin mentions being impressed at how 10cc recorded their hit I'm Not in Love, making a sort of makeshift Mellotron out of a multitrack recorder and mixing desk. Even if you don't like that sort of music, it always pays to keep an eye on interesting things other musicians are up to.

  On 4/5/2012 at 4:02 PM, ZoeB said:

  On 4/5/2012 at 2:04 PM, mcglockers said:

Always had this down as a vocal sample throughout the track.

 

Vocal samples are not the same thing as proper vocals, which match a fully fledged lyric to a main melody. While [Cliffs] and Xtal technically have vocal samples, they're not really vocals in the sense that most people would use the term. They're much more similar to instrumental music, with the voice being a wordless instrument.

I personally think this is the best way to use vocals. It gives a more human feeling to the music and keeps the distracting use of words out of the mix. I've always felt that words never properly express anything close to what kinds of feelings you can express strictly using sounds. I get really put off by lyrics most of the time. I can't help but feel like they are being insincere or trying to sell me something.

I really can't stand that Imogen Heap woman

i like the melody of milkman. the chord progression or whatever. Even without the vocals its a good track. quality of the recording is poor though. 90's DAT i guess

Just gave this a listen at 33RPM, I'd strongly advise it if you have it.

Someone should make a playlist of tracks that work well at 33.

  On 4/5/2012 at 7:15 PM, LUDD said:

I really can't stand that Imogen Heap woman

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo watcha sayyyy