Dance: ‘The stripped-bare beats of minimal techno and dubstep are finally making way for something more... maximal’
Towards the end of last year, a mild frisson developed on dance blogs and forums regarding the diminishing merits of minimal techno. Why the fuss over a genre big in Germany but with a profile as low as its deliberately muted beats pretty much everywhere else? Well, it turned out to be just one manifestation of a recurring worry. That dance music has lost its way, proliferating into ever more microscopic genres which appeal to ever more microscopic audiences.
Inside Music Magazine
Musical warriors: The Tuareg
Perhaps the purest exponents of desert blues are Tinariwen. The band’s backstory is the stuff of legend – members of the loose collective fought in the Mali Civil War during the Nineties, and tales of the Tuareg musicians going into battle with both Kalashnikovs and guitars slung over their backs are legion. Their sound is unique – layered guitars interweaving with call and response vocals, handclaps and female throat singers.
The NME Awards: An A to Z
An alphabetical tour of some NME awards highlights over the years...
Album: Lafayette Afro-Rock Band, Darkest Light/The Best Of Lafayette Afro-Rock Band (Strut)
The Independent's chief rock critic gives an exclusive preview of this month’s releases
The Last Word: Business as usual in the music industry
In January, Midem, the annual international music trade fair took place in Cannes, bringing together many of the longest serving execs in the industry. Delegate numbers were down on previous years but that didn't stop them going about their business. In lean times music remains a constant and important part of life, and the Brits were out in force with a "business as usual" sign out front, despite forking out nine quid for a beer.
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