Ufabulum, good, bad or meh?

  On 5/14/2012 at 8:08 PM, THIS IS MICHAEL JACKSON said:

i'm gonna stop music discussion with you guys...

 

  On 5/14/2012 at 7:27 PM, baph said:

It's likely that you just have terrible taste in everything...

i bet that, just like me, you hear that all the time from the common human being...

That's called a joke.

I haven't even listened to this.

I like mariachi

i know more reasons why i hate it than the reasons you think you like it...

http://forum.watmm.c...50#entry1817406

  On 5/14/2012 at 8:11 PM, baph said:

  On 5/14/2012 at 8:08 PM, THIS IS MICHAEL JACKSON said:

i'm gonna stop music discussion with you guys...

 

  On 5/14/2012 at 7:27 PM, baph said:

It's likely that you just have terrible taste in everything...

i bet that, just like me, you hear that all the time from the common human being...

 

That's called a joke.

I haven't even listened to this.

I like mariachi

but most people aren't, they really love this retarded shit... i cannot believe i'm talking to the same sp fans from 10 years ago...

  On 5/14/2012 at 7:39 PM, azatoth said:

  On 5/14/2012 at 7:34 PM, goDel said:

LOL

 

I'm still wondering where the sup smiley is...

 

You just don't get banned on WATMM, you also disappear.

 

hahahaha

:mcgriff: ...almost

  On 5/14/2012 at 8:14 PM, THIS IS MICHAEL JACKSON said:

but most people aren't, they really love this retarded shit... i cannot believe i'm talking to the same sp fans from 10 years ago...

while this surely can't be said about everyone who likes ufabulum, some of the positive response may be a knee-jerk reaction considering the tame reception of the shobaleader album. (personally, i wouldn't agree, this album has definite carry over from sboaleader.)

may i ask, when was the last album in his career trajectory where you were mostly/totally unimpressed? to my ears, this album seems perfectly in line with as the culmination of many of his latest musical ideas starting from hello everything.

The synths on this album just rub me the wrong way. It's the same reason I have trouble enjoying Cylob - I appreciate that he writes all of his own digital synths, but the sounds are just so brittle, dry, cheesy, and simplistic.

I understand that it's all part of the aesthetic SP is chasing on this album, and I appreciate that, but it's an aesthetic I don't enjoy.

.

  On 5/14/2012 at 8:26 PM, benc812 said:

  On 5/14/2012 at 8:14 PM, THIS IS MICHAEL JACKSON said:

but most people aren't, they really love this retarded shit... i cannot believe i'm talking to the same sp fans from 10 years ago...

 

while this surely can't be said about everyone who likes ufabulum, some of the positive response may be a knee-jerk reaction considering the tame reception of the shobaleader album. (personally, i wouldn't agree, this album has definite carry over from sboaleader.)

 

may i ask, when was the last album in his career trajectory where you were mostly/totally unimpressed? to my ears, this album seems perfectly in line with as the culmination of many of his latest musical ideas starting from hello everything.

shobaleader, but it suddenly grew so much to the point that i love it... i kinda hated it because it was way diferent from most of tom's stuff released before which is not the case with ufabulous...

I wouldn't doubt that Tom does this intentionally: every album is almost a 180 degree turn from his previous. It polarizes the fans and gets them talking at least...

Seems like every album of his except for a few of his early ones polarizes the fans.

  On 5/14/2012 at 6:59 PM, Joyrex said:

  On 5/14/2012 at 6:48 PM, THIS IS MICHAEL JACKSON said:

oh my is it possible that i'm not listening to the right album? wtf dudes i really don't get the "this is his best album"

 

Perhaps you downloaded one of the fake leaked* albums?

 

*NOTE: There are no Ufabulum fakes as far as I'm aware.

*Cof* *Cof*

Cradle of Filth?

i think this one is more for 'the fans.' or not. i don't know. i don't think a lot of people would have the patience for it

my sequence of reactions:

this could be good

this is too cheesy, and is a disappointment

wait, this is really good

i can't stop listening to this album

"stadium ice" is one of the best things he's ever done

this is the most symphonic his music has ever been. the whole thing has a clear palette that it sticks with throughout, distinguishing itself from anything else he's done. i don't know, i just straight up love this album at this point. it might be kind of corny, then again a lot of his music might be called corny... "cooper's world," etc. this is just corny in a different way, more galactic, cold, purple colored. it's really fucking entertaining music.

regarding the mixing/mastering... I love it. I think SP's albums have all been mixed in a unique way for each, what sounds tinny at first starts to sound really unique later, it's hard to explain. it wouldn't be the same without that sound.

I got this this morning, and have been listening on repeat for about 3 hours now, while working. I must say, initial impressions are good.

I like that he has a limited palate of sounds on this record... it takes the emphasis away from trying to be impressive with sounds alone, and puts the focus on the composition itself. I enjoy the sounds he is using, so it doesn't bother me at all, but more importantly it all sounds very controlled, and intentional. Sure, there is some chaotic abrasive stuff, but I feel like it is all handled skillfully, which is something I think a lot of new electronic artists lack... the feeling that the artist is in control of all of the elements, and purposefully composing, instead of mindlessly experimenting with random ideas.

Nothing groundbreaking here, but really well put together and enjoyable. I'll be interested to see how I feel about it in a month.

i just bought it on bleep and listening for my first time. I think its GOOD, it sounds like go plastic cause he uses all the elements of today's uk music and bends it in his squarepusher!

Listened to the album for the first time today, was driving into Oxford.

Big thumbs up after first listen, was impressed.

Will check out the EP tomorrow, sounds like it is well received.

  On 5/14/2012 at 10:46 PM, Kcinsu said:

I got this this morning, and have been listening on repeat for about 3 hours now, while working. I must say, initial impressions are good.

 

I like that he has a limited palate of sounds on this record... it takes the emphasis away from trying to be impressive with sounds alone, and puts the focus on the composition itself. I enjoy the sounds he is using, so it doesn't bother me at all, but more importantly it all sounds very controlled, and intentional. Sure, there is some chaotic abrasive stuff, but I feel like it is all handled skillfully, which is something I think a lot of new electronic artists lack... the feeling that the artist is in control of all of the elements, and purposefully composing, instead of mindlessly experimenting with random ideas.

 

Nothing groundbreaking here, but really well put together and enjoyable. I'll be interested to see how I feel about it in a month.

I noticed that too... I kept noticing the same sounds - as if he purposely limited his 'palette' of sounds to see how strong his composition skills were still. I also feel that there is a maturity and experience here newer electronic music is lacking and in some cases masking by slick production techniques.

Yep I'm liking it more and more, a good 5 tracks now are sticking out as great tracks, not into the slow/ambient track, hate some of the synths here and there - a little trancey, particularly on one of the early tricks, is it track 3 but the rest of the album is really growing, it's up there with his best works for me :)

Looking forward to the tour :)

i'm diggin it so hard. every. single. track.

i don't understand the red in blue hate

i'm feelin it

i like it so far, not his best ever but good, better than his last albums. What I dont like is the drum sounds, and somewhat way too compressed sound in general, and would like more variety in sound palette between tracks.. but overall it's a good record.

this is a pretty terrible album IMO. I can't understand how anyone could call it mature. everything before the metallurgist is ridiculously cheesy, and everything after is just complete fucking wankery. extremely glad I didn't pre-order the LP now.

Jenkinsons are cheesy... and 10 years ago everyone would jerked off to this wankery... Now it's not good enough?? Go Plastic must also = wankery these days...

several of the tracks are exhausting.. 4001 starts out real nice, but then it gets super cluttered and overly bombastic (hitting you over the head, endlessly) w/that final theme. re: 4001, can't stand the chunkily-edited 'door creak' sound, its repetition, etc.

several tracks are enjoyable all the way through, though i usually skip around. it gets way excessive w/flashy effects, and these chunky, contracted, jarring (ill-flowing) drum patterns on latter parts of tracks. the limited palette is fine (there are some amazing textures) but the excess of flash and bombast is tiresome and off-putting, though it's still something of a marvel. the mixing is weird, with elements (within tracks) sort of blatantly shifting from the fore, becoming muted, and vice versa. the compression levels, treble, and dryness of it makes it really 'pop' out the stereo. it literally fatigues my ears in small doses.

melody/chords on the first and last tracks are nice.

  On 5/15/2012 at 8:31 AM, barbara planar said:

the excess of flash and bombast is tiresome and off-putting, though it's still something of a marvel.

I kinda love how utterly ridiculous Unreal Square gets when the glitching peaks in the double time section at the end.. even though I laugh every time.

I sware that "unreal square" got me a speeding fine this morning, great work

So what if its cheesy? This is well produced IDMz cheese with added fire, it reminds me of Spitfire Cheddar (with added chili!)

In some ways it almost sounds like he has taken inspiration from Ceephax in terms of putting the fun back into his tunes. Definitely the most enjoyable Squarepusher (imo) since Ultravisitor.

  On 5/15/2012 at 4:32 AM, CraniumXII said:

Jenkinsons are cheesy... and 10 years ago everyone would jerked off to this wankery... Now it's not good enough?? Go Plastic must also = wankery these days...

 

  On 5/15/2012 at 1:44 PM, feltcher said:

In some ways it almost sounds like he has taken inspiration from Ceephax in terms of putting the fun back into his tunes. Definitely the most enjoyable Squarepusher (imo) since Ultravisitor.

THIS. I was totally thinking the same thing about the Ceephax influence. Tom is definitely known for his stuff being more serious and often dark, but during these moments that we're collectively calling "cheesy", I can't help but think of all the fun, lighthearted Ceephax melodies we know and love, and how in context, it's actually not that odd coming from a Jenkinson brother.

As for the album, I am totally loving it. There are only 2 tracks (Energy Wizard and Red In Blue) that haven't won me over yet, but the rest is awesome. Glad I got the LP-T cuz it's neat-o.

  On 5/15/2012 at 9:19 PM, Superstix said:

  On 5/15/2012 at 4:32 AM, CraniumXII said:

Jenkinsons are cheesy... and 10 years ago everyone would jerked off to this wankery... Now it's not good enough?? Go Plastic must also = wankery these days...

 

 

 

  On 5/15/2012 at 1:44 PM, feltcher said:

In some ways it almost sounds like he has taken inspiration from Ceephax in terms of putting the fun back into his tunes. Definitely the most enjoyable Squarepusher (imo) since Ultravisitor.

 

 

THIS. I was totally thinking the same thing about the Ceephax influence. Tom is definitely known for his stuff being more serious and often dark, but during these moments that we're collectively calling "cheesy", I can't help but think of all the fun, lighthearted Ceephax melodies we know and love, and how in context, it's actually not that odd coming from a Jenkinson brother.

 

As for the album, I am totally loving it. There are only 2 tracks (Energy Wizard and Red In Blue) that haven't won me over yet, but the rest is awesome. Glad I got the LP-T cuz it's neat-o.

I agree with this whole thing, except I quite like Red in Blue. It's a good transitional track between album halves. It's like Altibzz's developmentally disabled, awkward and slightly creepy cousin. And that works for me, conceptually.

EW and Stadium Ice are the slightly iffy ones for me, although Stadium Ice, per its title, is hilarious. Tom at the icecapades, in fully sequined leotard.