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 Everett True

The return of Everett True | 113. Adi Ulmansky

The return of Everett True | 113. Adi Ulmansky
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We had a discussion on Collapse Board recently, about whether our preference for women making a more immediate/emotional type of music helps propagate stereotypes of women in music. No. No, I don’t think it does.

Professor Ben Green puts it like this:

A reader might see that Collapse Board has certain interests. One of those interests is expressive/gut-level/non-“musicianly” music, and another interest is making sure not to ignore that women make music. I guess if you drew those interests as circles in a Venn diagram, the part where they overlap could be seen as prime CB material: women making expressive/immediate music. It’s probably a fair reflection of the interests of the authors. But there’s a risk an overly simple reader could think CB is promoting an essentialist idea that “all women are always irrational/emotional so they are good at singing and thrashing instruments, not at contemplative or technical stuff”. I also think there are lots of examples on CB to set such a person straight, and now that includes this review. Am I on the right track?

I think he’s summed it up nicely.

Here’s my counter-argument, all recently discussed on Collapse Board… after a fashion.

Björk
FKA Twigs
Gazelle Twin
salyu x salyu
Perera Elsewhere
Ela Stiles
Wavy Spice
Sylvan Esso
Princess Nokia
Arponera
Lady Neptune

Let’s add Adi Ulmansky to that list, a producer/singer/experimental hip-hop/whatever artist from Tel Aviv who plays with zero limits. Dislocated rhythm.

First, here she is without the visuals.

Now, let’s add the visuals.

And so on…

You want me to comment on this, lay down the good word? You really haven’t been paying attention, have you? I like the guy rocking back and forth on his own, on his haunches, in the fourth video, like a super-nerd. That’s me. That’s me. Anyways, this next one is my favourite: disorientating and reorientating and playing two-up with the pieces. I know it’s a little older, but I like the sly sense of humour, the messing about with rhythms and tonalities and focus. There’s always such focus. I mean, it’s all gone wrong again, hasn’t it? Especially when she starts acting cute with the Hello Kitty lollipop, or wearing the animal masks. (I’ve never understood the animal masks: they always creep me out somewhere down the line.) Funny and real and not real and compelling as shit.

I’m a little behind the times here. This is still dubstep, right? Such focus. Must be admired. I can understand why it would scare many.

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