Super Eurobeat Vol. 168

[UQ100]

Trouble is, though, when there's less money in something there's less scope for risks. Also, don't many here complain when Eurobeat producers try different styles?

Yeah, I was thinking that too. I mean (not to pick on Delta), but I got the impression a lot of people really didn't like stuff like Right Now or songs from Queen 26 at first, complaining that they weren't eurobeat. They seem a bit more accepted now. It's hard to find that middle ground.

I rather like the Queen 26 stuff. "Going Crazy" sounds like a cross between a Sophie Ellis-Bextor and more recent Kylie Minogue track but a lot of those are not very good songs, this is both a nice piece of songwriting and production. ("Inside Your Heart" too.)

Whether they are Eurobeat and if they belong on SEB is another question to whether they are any good, but I think some would criticise the track just because they don't think it should be on SEB, rather than if it's any good. I dunno, though, is breaking the mould something to be done carefully, or pushing hard in a different direction? Certainly no point in just throwing stuff in there, like some of the tracks in the "transition" period suddenly has a little "2 Unlimited"-type instrumental, it sounds ridiculously out of context. (Well, it doesn't help that 2 Unlimited sucked.)

[Shawaazu]

Certainly no point in just throwing stuff in there, like some of the tracks in the "transition" period suddenly has a little "2 Unlimited"-type instrumental, it sounds ridiculously out of context. (Well, it doesn't help that 2 Unlimited sucked.)

Hahha, have you ever heard Veronica Sales - Take This Time (Dance Mix)? Which was made.... '93-'94?

The pre-intro (?) pretty much rips off No Limit XD

Although... I have heard some Eurobeat songs sample techno songs before... like Tekno Shock and James Brown Is Dead.

[UQ100]

[On one hand those foregone booms doubtless made a huge contribution to the sales of CDs, on the other they steered general listeners away from Eurobeat due to the deterioration of the image of Eurobeat tightly related o unpleasant youthcult like ganguro, yamamba, galkei, hot-rodder(this one is a bit different, though) etc.
In result, quite a lot of people frown on Eurobeat, so that we are sometimes ashamed to profess a love of Eurobeat.

How well known is Eurobeat in Japan?

[jeurobeat]

It's experimenting of a variety that someone does in college when
at a party and there are so many wonderous things to toss da cookies from.

That's right. I was talking about NEW sound, not retro or crossover. While this can surely bring good songs, it is certainly not innovative.

With real changes, you knew that eurobeat changed and the previous sound would not return in new songs (Atomic Playboy/Dog Eat Dog as an example here).

Ofcourse, feel free NOT to agree! I still think that the music didn't make many apparent changes since 1997/1998 and that may be a cause of a negative vibe towards eurobeat in general. But if you still like everything that is made, please enjoy!

[UQ100]

Hahha, have you ever heard Veronica Sales - Take This Time (Dance Mix)? Which was made.... '93-'94?

The pre-intro (?) pretty much rips off No Limit XD

Nope... but I have heard the "2 Unlimited" type sound/melody on tracks like "Here Comes the Night" (Samantha Gilles).

[Vadim]

That's right. I was talking about NEW sound, not retro or crossover. While this can surely bring good songs, it is certainly not innovative.

Nothing wrong with retro,considering that eurobeat is retro from the 80-s.
Crossover is a sign of a genre crisis,meaning they run out of ideas
in their own genre. U can't stop producers from being creative,it's just that it may work to the genre's advantage if they are sensible about it.
Crossing over into trance,eurodance, or happyhardcore is not creative,
it's rather banal,as there is already a lot of such music in the mainstream.
Ppl want exclusivity,originality from eurobeat, not banality and not
sounding like contemporary elevator music like trance or whatever...
Change melodies,not sound.

[UQ100]

There is nothing really innovative in music, after all, at its core today's music is still based off Bach and Beethoven, what we like to hear is already discovered.

If you want to get a style of music to grow then add some new parts (which themselves might not be entirely original, take the piano in "Heart's on Fire" for instance) to the arrangement, if you can integrate them you can grow the style in a coherent way. If not then you have a mess.

Most important thing to me, though, is a high quality song and production.

Ppl want exclusivity,originality from eurobeat, not banality and not sounding like contemporary elevator music like trance or whatever....

Trance is "elevator" music half the time because there is absolutely no song there, it's just a few minor chords repeated with some scant melodies ad nauseum. Same with many other "dance" styles, there is no song there at all, or if there is then whoever created it is a third-rate songwriter.

OTOH a song like Carole King's "I Feel the Earth Move" withstands both the flowery early 70's arrangement [which I'd rather not listen to, but it still works] and the pounding 80's version by Martika:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rCA7cnN4V4

[jeurobeat]

Crossover is a sign of a genre crisis,meaning they run out of ideas
in their own genre. U can't stop producers from being creative,it's just that it may work to the genre's advantage if they are sensible about it.

That reminds me of the 1993 winter period of Time Records, where good compositions were ruined by techno stuff. The worst example that comes in mind is "Forever Young" by Anika. Really nice composition and melodies, but what is that techno sound doing throughout the extended portions of the song? Only the radio version is listenable.

A year later, this process was repeated once more. A 2-unlimited-less version of Gino Caria's Nobody Knows would have been better...

[Vadim]

There is nothing really innovative in music, after all, at its core today's music is still based off Bach and Beethoven, what we like to hear is already discovered.

Eurobeat/Hi Nrg is part of a greater pop,and faithfully runs on that done'n'tried pop formula. What makes it so like exciting is the speed,energy,sound which move away from banality of contemporary realms into a different territory.

If you want to get a style of music to grow then add some new parts (which themselves might not be entirely original, take the piano in "Heart's on Fire" for instance) to the arrangement, if you can integrate them you can grow the style in a coherent way. If not then you have a mess.

I actually love the idea of having trance melodies put into classic eurobeat arrangements(think SCP girl tunes!),but when it's done in the backwards order from above, excessively,then we have an elevator music waiting to happen.Saifam has eaten dog on this,as they say in the Europe's East..

Most important thing to me, though, is a high quality song and production.

To me it's enough when producer can arrange and mix well enough to
give a listener a very enjoyable arrangement and mix.
A little bit of something trancy or poppy isn't a problem,an obvious identity crisis is in progress for a HN/EB genre when records sound too
much like trance or happy hardcore. Commercialism it'z.
Dance music is not rocket science, it's a low budget way of production,
any way u look at it. When japanese labels want typical eurobeat to
sound like million backs big american label production suites,it gets nothing short of rediculous.
Squeezing EB for what it's worth ain't stimulatin' the industry.
Labels should support the music making, otherwise they loose the point
of what it's all about in chase after profits. If your marketing backfires,
don't blame Delta...

[oresama-chan]

How well known is Eurobeat in Japan?

I'd say it's kinda popular. Eurobeat is often used as background music
in various places like casual restaurants, shopping malls, sex trade shops,
pachinko parlors, game arcades, gay cruising spots and what not,
furthermore a few famous tracks are used for TV spots and so
quite a few ppl would have ever heard it aside from whether they are aware
that it's what's called eurobeat or not.

[Vadim]

I'd say it's kinda popular. Eurobeat is often used as background music in various places like casual restaurants,

That's the least likely place I'd think for eurobeat. Not unless they want ppl to finish their dinner early.Your fork/sticks can moove remarkably fast to Eb..

furthermore a few famous tracks are used for TV spots and so..

what are typical tv spots where EB is played?
Do they play it when Auyumi H. models underware or smt?

[taQ]

haha when we went to liz lisa on takeshita doori (in harajuku), they were always playing some gazen CD.

[oresama-chan]

That's the least likely place I'd think for eurobeat. Not unless they want ppl to finish their dinner early.

Yeah, they need to speed up the rotation of customers.
Or I should have said "fast food restaurants". To be frank, I wanted to refer
to noodle shops or family restaurants.

what are typical tv spots where EB is played?

Kevin Johnson - Don't say Goodbye
http://www.takasu.co.jp/bb/tvcm/mov/yes_live/64_1.wvx


Niko - Night Of Fire
http://pioneer.jp/dvd/sugureco_sp/cm/

haha when we went to liz lisa on takeshita doori (in harajuku), they were always playing some gazen CD.

Exactly!

[Vadim]

what are typical tv spots where EB is played?

Kevin Johnson - Don't say Goodbye
http://www.takasu.co.jp/bb/tvcm/mov/yes_live/64_1.wvx

that takasu clinic is one hip place. they play Newfield new-pwl tunes, dance,sing,do the dj-ing,and then they do the plastic surgery on very respectable looking gentlemen in expensive suits.

Niko - Night Of Fire
http://pioneer.jp/dvd/sugureco_sp/cm/

who would have doubted... that's the biggest hit of all time apparently..

[oresama-chan]

that takasu clinic is one hip place. they play Newfield new-pwl tunes, dance,sing,do the dj-ing,and then they do the plastic surgery on very respectable looking gentlemen in expensive suits.

That CM is encouraging Japanese males to get their foreskin cut off by them
like, "If you wanna become a winner in your life, why don't you get your
cock clipped?"

http://www.circlist.com/rites/japan.html