Modulations

[R & T Cummings <R_T_Cummings@compuserve.com>]

I just saw a new film at the Berlin Film Festival yesterday called 
"Modulations" by Iara Lee. It's a documentary which deals with 
how techno, d'n'b, jungle, ambient music etc. developed and 
how the technology which made it possible. It also retraces 
some of the roots of  electronic music. I think all of you who found 
any of the last threads (looping as sin, limits of an instrument, 
expression through "sound shaping") interesting will definitely 
enjoy the film. If any of you dug "Step Across the Border" with 
Fred Frith, you'll probably get into this too (although the latter has 
much cooler cinematography).

One of the funniest scenes is with Squarepusher (T. Jenkins) in 
his tiny bedroom talking "gear". He pulls some ancient mini-
sampler thing (sorry, forgot what it was) from amongst his dirty 
laundry with which he claims to have made most of the sounds 
on his last CD. 

Basically EVERYONE from Coldcut to Roni Size (he seemed 
to be rather, uh, "baked") to LJT Bukem to DJ Spooky to Oval 
to Orbital to Alec Empire to Can to Stockhausen (great) to Pierre 
Schaefer to the Moog guy to Teo Macero (Miles Columbia 
sessions) to Bill Laswell to David Toop to Alvin Toffler 
(remember "Future Shock"?) is featured in the film. The latter said 
something funny to the effect of "We in the western civilization are 
great at solving problems by breaking them into tiny little pieces. 
We just aren't very good at putting them back together". OK, Alvin 
you're an eternal pessimist.

Oh Oh, better stop - I noticed the scroll bar moving ...
Rob