Anyone who has ever observed the music blog universe for more than 30 seconds will be under no illusions: music bloggers are the most narcissistic of all online keyboard-mashers, and the Music Blogosphere is their playground of self-absorption.
The Great Lingering Fear of all music bloggers is the lingering suspicion that all their efforts are not only pointless, but entirely mindless.
This is, of course, entirely true: writing about new music is the frivolity to obliterate all frivolities; and yet most music bloggers, ANBAD included, spend most of their time furiously treading water to appear relevant and plugged-in.
This is because the moment a music blogger’s finger is perceived to have wandered away from the pulse, it is assumed to be desperately flick-flacking through a pile of old, comfortable CDs: and at a stroke, the fickle readership will jump to another blog.
Thus, when the old-media behemoth that is the BBC teamed up with Hype Machine to produce a one-off semi-Zeitgeist, the blog world was all a-flutter: an opportunity for real world intrusion by the pasty and wan music bloggers to prove that their efforts are, indeed, worth it, yeah?
Well, the show was great, and does indeed demonstrate how much the ‘old media’ relies on the brave blogospheric world for direction – and yet: in many ways it took the old to justify the new. Curious.
And if those as ephemeral, paradigm-shifting and outré bloggers need the old-fashioned media to exhibit their strength, what of new bands, who exist in the hinterland between limitless online freedom and the music industry’s tremulous clutches?
Well, how about Submix as an example? Here’s a new artist, making music in Portugal, releasing his records on his own label, online, and away from the music biz. He could happily carve quite a niche for his bassy, minimal quirk-house if he wanted, without any real-world involvement. But would he really say “no” to a record or distribution deal?
I don’t know what Submix would do. But I know it would be hard to turn down any opportunity in the topsy-turvy world of new music. I do know people who have produced similarly impressive, focussed and careful dance music, similar to Breakpoint, who have been discovered and given deals.
Who knows how long their bridge between old and new will last? We are still in the midst of great change: Submix may as well rest easy, and keep whelping heavy, heady tunes for us all to enjoy.
MORE: soundcloud.com/submix