Tuesday, November 21, 2006

Equally viable at both speeds...

I remember, ages ago, my brother and I were being silly and listening to records. He put on this old calypso single called "Show Them" by Ed Watson and the Brass Circle. Switching the speed from 33 to 45, my brother announced that the record was "equally viable" whether fast or slow. Now, as per the usual, I'm a little behind the times and need folks to tell me what's cool, so I didn't really get up on the whole screwed and chopped movement 'til recently. Thing is, a few of DJ Screw's mix tapes and OG Ron C's Fuck Action Vol. 40 later (thanks Dave), I'm a little obsessed. I send mp3s to people, I blather on about it to my colleagues at school, and, of course, force my long-suffering friends to listen to track after track. Then again, they're probably happy that I'm not insisting that they watch/listen to yet another dancehall tune.

With the memory of "Show Them" in my mind, I'll show y'all how screwed and chopped moves beyond the creation of music enjoyable at different speeds, but it simply gives a whole new identity to the song. Check the full effect by listening/watching (how I love that videos are screwed and chopped too--it makes some of the dance moves look wicked) both versions of Lil Keke's spectacular "Southside"--not just equally viable slow, but simply terrific. The best thing ever--at least for today.

4 comments:

[ tV ] said...

Question: is Plastikman's _Sickness_ (12") the screwed & chopped version for minimal techno?

It can be played @ 45 and 33 and sounds woozy at both speeds (hence the name).

Some dubstep can be played on both speeds too. I also remember when Pole's first album came out, people with the vinyl (including me) were playing it 33. It wasn't until the folks with the CD commented on a few things that many of us went 'oh!' and played it at 45. Sounds excellent at both speeds imo.

Speed tactics ..

tV

emma-lee said...

Art of Noise's "Moments in Love" at 45 is one of my favourite songs, period. At 33 it's okay.

erin said...

Response:
I don't think so. DJ Screw apparently started this whole situation somewhat accidentally. Therefore, the point is not to specifically create things that will sound okay at both speeds as some type of experiment. I don't think that screw, however "experimental" it might sound, is really of this type of mindset. It's more of the idea that stuff should be slowed down, just for the sake of slowing it down.

Hip hop, R&B, soul, rock, whatever. The goal is not to test out a theory, but rather to just DO something. This doesn't indicate thoughtlessness, it just means that it comes from the momentum of a movement or a need as opposed to a
considered idea. It's the reasons for the movement that are important...The fact of hundreds (if not thousands) of Screw's mixtapes is evidence of this. It seems to me that screwed and chopped is essentially just doin' it because they are and they can and they do.

You might have something when you sign off with "speed tactics"--I think a certain Mr. De Certeau would agree, no?

All this being said, I'm working on a little somethin' somethin'--damn this working group. Making me work and stuff!

zoombots said...

wicked!
I love this stuff... who would have guessed texan hiphop....