Musical taste, like all appreciation for any art form, is purely subjective. Beyond the most basic classifications (soul, rock, electronic, etc.) of genres and styles, lies a number of sub-categories as well as an exponentially greater amount of adjectives used to describe them, especially when discussing the ambiguous subject of “dance” music. Ask any club dee jay what type of music they spin and you’ll hear terms such as, “deep,” “funky,” “hard,” or “soulful,” just to name a few. Their own personal definitions for these terms are determined by the background of their own musical and cultural experiences. And because it all boils down to personal taste and aesthetics, all definitions are valid within their specific contexts. Whether one came up going to warehouse clubs in Chicago, funk balls in Rio, or dancehalls in Brixton, everyone has their own definition for the funk we love. However, the most important aspect of music appreciation, beyond simply listening, lies in fostering an ability and an openness to feel the GROOVE, even if the swing sounds unfamiliar.
It is naturally human to flow with the club herd, as conversely, it takes an individual to break from the pack if one really isn’t being moved. No matter what, we can’t fake the feelin’ when we feel it. We either dig it or we don’t dig it. But besides taste, the questions to objectively consider are: do we not like it because it really isn’t our bag or do we not like it simply because it’s different? Do we go where we go because it’s a scene or because the music is good there? Do we go there because we know what we’ll hear or are we curious to hear what else it out there? Considering the fact that Bali is one of the cultural capitals of South East Asia with a bustling tourist economy and sophisticated ex-pat community, there seem to be few regular musical options besides the bangin’ big room beats of Double Six and Dyana Pura and Ku De Ta’s pioneering eclectic sunset sessions.
In the same way architecture isn’t always designed to be pragmatic nor haute couture fashion always meant to be comfortable, musical variety isn’t always initially guaranteed to appeal to the masses. It is initially and most importantly, the IDEA, that stimulates creativity, dialogue, and promotes progress. Then if presented in an imaginative manner and with the right flow, an unexpected, yet undeniable groove will first initiate a foot tap that inevitably spreads to the remaining limbs…but only when ears are open. Ohio’s pioneering funkateers, Funkadelic, may have said it best: free your mind…and your ass will follow. – G-FORCE
|
