The Album Club: "Automaginary" by Bitchin' Bajas and Natural Information Society

Trollheart · 10-29-2017, 10:59 AM

Next selection up, discuss and review here. Don't forget to vote, too.

RiPS · 10-29-2017, 06:26 PM

Automaginary - Bitchin' Bajas and Natural Information Society

This album sounded like generic "background" music. This was just boring and I didn't like it, however I couldn't even hate it because there's so little to it. It has no substance to it and it didn't do anything for me.

Two stars.

OccultHawk · 10-29-2017, 08:59 PM

I don’t know who, if anyone, is actually reading my journal and even more unlikely catching on to the themes but if I were to comment on this recording there, it would be as an iridescent jewel in the lamplight. It starts with a melancholy tone slightly reminiscent of the first movement of Beethoven’s 9th symphony except stretched out and deeply stoned on Valium and indica and lost in the Black Sea. The magic power of post-post-modernism overcomes the animal cruelty of the 20th Century and evokes an unashamed renaissance spiritual adventure if only the listener can put down his swords of frivolity and cynicism and for once openly accept quality. This is music that floats like a sexually starved ghost willing to **** you with a spectral penis that will penetrate your soul with warmth and connectivity.

5/5 Stars

TechnicLePanther · 10-30-2017, 03:29 PM

Meh. This album is kind of boring. It would make for one of the better soundtracks I've heard. Beyond that, not much but atmospheric nonsense. 5/10

Steely Dan - Aja
Automaginary - Bitchin' Bajas and Natural Information Society
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - Damn the Torpedoes

innerspaceboy · 10-30-2017, 05:46 PM

Free improvisational kosmische progressive electronic drone music? Sign me up!

It is an absolute delight to be introduced to a quality artist who encompasses a trifecta of my favorite musical styles. From the first note, this collaborative triumph embodies all of the elements I enjoy in a composition.

I'm always working to refine my response to the dreaded, "so what kind of music do you listen to?", and in the past, I'd been unable to summarize in fewer than 286 words for those unfortunate enough to pose the question. My most recent revision resulted in an abbreviated, (albeit painfully incomplete) explanation of my listening tastes clocking in at just 73 words, which coincidentally nearly describes the music of this fantastic recording to a "T". I said:

"I particularly enjoy minimalist music - compositions which employ static harmony, quasi-geometric transformational linearity and repetition, gradual additive or permutational processes, phase-shifting, and static instrumentation. I am captivated by the metamusical properties which are revealed as a result of strictly carried-out processes. Many of these recordings explore non-Western concepts like pure tuning, (e.g. pure frequency ratios and resonant intervals outside the 12-pitch piano scale), unmetered melodies like those of Carnatic ragas, and drones."

Nearly all of those concepts are employed exquisitely on Automaginary, with the additional beauty of sparse electronic and organic atonal treatments which expand the transcendental atmospheric listening space even further. There are distinct nods to many of the greats here - La Monte Young, Riley, Conrad, Ravi Shankar, in addition to hints of inspiration from Coleman, early krautrockers, and even 1960s psychoacoustic recordings. While there is nothing terribly novel about this particular recording, it is a magnificent execution of the post-minimal drone ethos and a wonderfully immersive listening experience.

Thank you, Aloysius for putting this on my radar. It's an instant favorite.

10/10

OccultHawk · 10-30-2017, 06:02 PM

Quote:

La Monte Young, Riley, Conrad, Ravi Shankar,

Obviously giant names, and this record genuinely sits comfortably in that kind of company. Not as revolutionary as any of them but it’s as if a group of this sort collorabated. And also not just Ornette but Don Cherry.

Trollheart · 10-30-2017, 08:28 PM

Holy Hell! This album is certainly polarising opinion! I wonder which side of the fence I'll fall on?

~~MicShazam~~ · 10-31-2017, 08:44 AM

I haven't heard it yet, but Innerspaceboy's description of what he wants from music sounds like the opposite of what I want

Maybe this will be a 1/10 from me, but I haven't heard it yet. I've been pleasantly surprised before.

**Goofle** · 10-31-2017, 09:48 AM

Listened to this album earlier whilst doing something else and I have to say that it totally went in one ear and out of the other. So I am listening again with more attention.

Track 1: Completely boring ambient twaddle. Skipped it ahead every few minutes. Not my thing.

Track 2: A lot better. Not great by any means, but I actually listened to it.

Track 3: Even better. I think this kind of music makes for great background ambience in something like a video game, but I wouldn't choose to listen to it on it's own.

Track 4: This one leans more heavily on the Krautrock sound, and I liked it.

Track 5: I felt as though this song was going to build quite nicely, but it doesn't really go anywhere until about the 5th minute, and then nowhere from there. Alright song.

Overall: 2/5

~~MicShazam~~ · 11-01-2017, 04:26 PM

I honestly find it pretty hard to come up with something different to say about different ambient albums. There was some slow moving soundscapes, some gradually morphing textures and probably a lot of atmosphere to immerse yourself in if that's what floats your boat. Whether this was a quality album or not is impossible for me to say. Seemed like it wasn't exactly the most innovative or challenging thing ever, but it probably doesn't have to be.

If you're not into ambient, what are you going to say about it? It's just sort of there.

I wont dismiss it as bad, since it didn't make me feel any negative emotions, irritation, or even impatience. It just slipped by unnoticed like a cat on carpet.

4/10? 2/10?? 1/10?!?

I don't know. I'm going with a harmless 3/10, I guess. That way, I'm keeping the rest of the scale above 3 reserved for more exciting things.

View Poll Results: How much did you enjoy the album?
Loved it	4	36.36%
Liked it	1	9.09%
Meh	4	36.36%
Disliked it	2	18.18%
Hated it	0	0%
Voters: 11. You may not vote on this poll

10-29-2017, 10:59 AM	#1 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,970	The Album Club: "Automaginary" by Bitchin' Bajas and Natural Information Society Next selection up, discuss and review here. Don't forget to vote, too. __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

10-29-2017, 08:59 PM	#3 (permalink)
OccultHawk one-balled nipple jockey Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Dirty Souf Biatch Posts: 22,033	I don’t know who, if anyone, is actually reading my journal and even more unlikely catching on to the themes but if I were to comment on this recording there, it would be as an iridescent jewel in the lamplight. It starts with a melancholy tone slightly reminiscent of the first movement of Beethoven’s 9th symphony except stretched out and deeply stoned on Valium and indica and lost in the Black Sea. The magic power of post-post-modernism overcomes the animal cruelty of the 20th Century and evokes an unashamed renaissance spiritual adventure if only the listener can put down his swords of frivolity and cynicism and for once openly accept quality. This is music that floats like a sexually starved ghost willing to **** you with a spectral penis that will penetrate your soul with warmth and connectivity. 5/5 Stars __________________ 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Member of the Year & Journal of the Year Champion Behold the Writing of THE LEGEND: https://www.musicbanter.com/members-...p-lighter.html

10-30-2017, 03:29 PM	#4 (permalink)
TechnicLePanther and the livin' is easy... Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: New York Posts: 1,997	Meh. This album is kind of boring. It would make for one of the better soundtracks I've heard. Beyond that, not much but atmospheric nonsense. 5/10 Steely Dan - Aja Automaginary - Bitchin' Bajas and Natural Information Society Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - Damn the Torpedoes __________________ Many have tried to destroy it... but... true evil never dies. It is only... REBORN *SUGGEST ME AN ALBUM* - I'm probably not going to listen to it but I will if you bother me enough.

10-30-2017, 08:28 PM	#7 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,970	Holy Hell! This album is certainly polarising opinion! I wonder which side of the fence I'll fall on? __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

10-29-2017, 06:26 PM	#2 (permalink)
RiPS Nein, Danke. Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Japan Posts: 123	Automaginary - Bitchin' Bajas and Natural Information Society This album sounded like generic "background" music. This was just boring and I didn't like it, however I couldn't even hate it because there's so little to it. It has no substance to it and it didn't do anything for me. Two stars.

10-31-2017, 08:44 AM	#8 (permalink)
~~MicShazam~~ Account Disabled Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Aalborg Posts: 7,636	I haven't heard it yet, but Innerspaceboy's description of what he wants from music sounds like the opposite of what I want Maybe this will be a 1/10 from me, but I haven't heard it yet. I've been pleasantly surprised before.

11-01-2017, 04:26 PM	#10 (permalink)
~~MicShazam~~ Account Disabled Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Aalborg Posts: 7,636	I honestly find it pretty hard to come up with something different to say about different ambient albums. There was some slow moving soundscapes, some gradually morphing textures and probably a lot of atmosphere to immerse yourself in if that's what floats your boat. Whether this was a quality album or not is impossible for me to say. Seemed like it wasn't exactly the most innovative or challenging thing ever, but it probably doesn't have to be. If you're not into ambient, what are you going to say about it? It's just sort of there. I wont dismiss it as bad, since it didn't make me feel any negative emotions, irritation, or even impatience. It just slipped by unnoticed like a cat on carpet. 4/10? 2/10?? 1/10?!? I don't know. I'm going with a harmless 3/10, I guess. That way, I'm keeping the rest of the scale above 3 reserved for more exciting things.