Consumer Electronics

[cantle]

30 quid for two slabs of vinyl and a CD is pretty good value if you were getting three different albums....

[Andrew McIntosh]

Doesn't make a difference what's on the actual items, they'll still need to recoup their manufacture costs. People aren't paying for the music, they're paying for the objects.

[burdizzo]

That's true. However, this thing where you have to buy a package consisting of LP and CD of the same thing is, I think, a bit rich. Granted, there are things I own on both CD and vinyl, but that was through choice. Usually I'd only buy one or the other. It's becoming done a fair bit now, those CD + LP packages, so I suppose there must be some demand but, as I say, to have to pay extra for something you might not want feels like a bit of a cod.

[Jaakko V.]

The release is two vinyl albums and a cd, so thirty English pounds seems about right for a package like that. The problem, as always, is vinyl itself. I've ranted about how redundant a format it is before so I wont repeat myself.

By the way, found this in a 1996 interview with Bennett -

"It wouldn't work!", he says of dance and techno-related music forms. "Dance music functions well for people to dance to- but that would only dilute the potency and purity of a sound that aspires to more extreme emotions. Also, dance music dates very, very quickly- I want music to be timeless."

- okay, nearly ten years old, but still good for a smirk.

You mean twenty? Hehe...

I think it's perfectly OK for anyone to totally contradict themselves. People sometimes see it as a sign of weakness but I think it's actually a great strength to confidently change one's mind in artistic matters etc. It's the problem of others if they cannot keep along. It'll necessarily cause some smirking etc. of course which should be expected, and accepted.

But - related to the interview quoted above - I remember reading this very good blog entry of his some years ago. Whenever I've heard Cut Hands I've always thought of it. Puts the present work into a rather comical light. Only 6 years ago:

http://williambennett.blogspot.fi/2008/07/proclivities.html

really worthy artistic expression is borne from great craftmanship and purpose, design in itself has no value and no meaning. This was something I noticed, and continue to notice, with experimental music. It's a real challenge to play a synth and just stick to playing 3 distinct sounds without variation - the temptation to fiddle around, playing rhythms and melodies, is almost irresistible. A great craftsman has the strength to resist.

[Andrew McIntosh]

You mean twenty? Hehe...

My mistake.

[Ernpe]

Listened to the sample. Vocal delivery I like, technoish background not that much. For £30 not going to buy one. Just wondering if Consumer Electronics is really such a big name indie-wise that one can sell 500 copies with such price? Well, perhaps indieshops are used to carrying overpriced records for years?

Double-12" can be justsified if the sound quality really benefits from big cutting. Selling a cd with the vinyls just gives an impression that vinyl mastering actually have not been top notch - here you have the vinyls you can take a picture of and the cd you actually want to listen. Not saying this is the case here, just talking generally.

[cantle]

Listened to the sample. Vocal delivery I like, technoish background not that much. For £30 not going to buy one. Just wondering if Consumer Electronics is really such a big name indie-wise that one can sell 500 copies with such price? Well, perhaps indieshops are used to carrying overpriced records for years?

The webshop says that they are planning that want will outstrip demand. I really get annoyed by this sort of attitude.

[Andrew McIntosh]

How do you know people are only paying for the object & not the music? My guess is that they'll listen to the music & as long as it isn't your money, what difference does it make?

The point was about the cost of the release, not the music. Neither of which mean much to me, I'm more interested in this discussion.

[ironfistofthesun]

The clip sounds good. £30 for a good pressing is fine. I have pre- ordered myself.
His vocals sound like a deranged cartman from south park..

[STREETMEAT]

from the youtube streaming of that song doesnt seem "techno" at all. really a solid step up from the work best has done before. excited for this to come out.

[Marko-V]

Pre-ordered the "Estuary English" set. Following e-mail came shortly after purchase:

"ESTUARY ENGLISH UPDATE – Dirter extend sincere apologies, but the entire
pressing of "Estuary English" has had to be returned following an
unsatisfactory job by the printers of the album sleeve. Sorry to labour the
point but everything about this album has to be 100% as we intended and 100%
as we paid for. As a consequence, shipping will be delayed by approx. 14
days. We will be contacting all who pre-ordered with further info."

[Marko-V]

Received it this week. At one listen it sounds really good, haven't listened to vinyl version yet. If you liked Nobody's Ugly and Crowd Pleaser you probably will like this too. You can always question the price, especially for such a short album (less than 25 mins!), but I have paid bigger amounts for absolute garbage so I think I won't complain... this time.

[tiny_tove]

ordered... vocals on the youtube teaser are absolute classic

[SiClark]

It's £20 on boomkat which isn't bad for 2xLP + CD.

[Andrew McIntosh]

such a short album (less than 25 mins!)

Sorry, twenty five minutes over two 12" vinyl lps?