Insightful review of Deadmau5's Random Album Title. It's the first house music album I've ever loved, and I noticed a lot of the elements you mentioned, but not with as much technical knowledge behind them as you did.

And I'm very attuned to the sound of a record. I think one reason (among several) I didn't like house in the 90s was because I didn't like the timbre of kicks. It's just gotten so much better. I'm like that with music of every genre. I admire P-Funk as much as anyone, but I'm the only one I know who finds the sound engineering on a lot of it annoying, particularly the drums.

And I hear what you're saying about making harsh sounds pleasing to the ear. I noticed that on Aphex Twin's Windowlicker. That track (or maybe it was the middle one?) could easily have been made unlistenable no matter how great the artistry.

For the first ten or year of my life, I listened to late disco, 80's pop, Paul Simon, and classical music (I started taking ballet at three, until my early teens). Most of the pop was produced by Quincy Jones (I recommend giving "Stuff Like That" a fair listen---it's a hidden disco gem). Paul Simon's solo work has always been excellently produced, with top-shelf quality and clarity (especially the percussion). Classical music, by nature, is generally dynamic. Frequent changes in timbre and cadence act upon each instrument, and a dancer is trained to respond to them. So I guess I never lost my instinct to really listen, and react to music, on a technical level.

When I hit my teens, I began listening to rock music (in was the 90's, so my switch to alternative music pretty much a given). I've always dated musicians, and my boyfriend of eight years is in a prog rock band (and he's sort of a music snob, too). About two years ago, I started hanging out with my younger cousin, who produces electronic music---I frankly consider him a genius, in terms of melody and structure, though he lacks the engineering discipline of someone like Deadmau5. But it wasn't until we started spending time together, that I began taking EDM seriously, as an art. Also, he LOVES Aphex Twin---I only recently started listening to him, but I think I'll always prefer his buddy Squarepusher. They are completely different producers. I consider Aphex Twin a cerebral, ambient artist, while Squarepusher seems more rooted in analogue D&B (however, I have a major soft-spot for AT's "Quoth").

Thanks so much for your response, by the way! I think it's high-time that Deadmau5 gets the respect he deserves in the electronic genre. People who hate on him for being popular, might as well say, "I only like exclusive music, for exclusive people. The music I listen to must reflect the kind of person I am: smarter, cleverer, and more discerning than the masses. So if the masses like something, that something must only be for idiots, and not for me!" It's silly. Deadmau5 has a lot of things that many of his peers don't have---a sense of humor about himself, a wonderfully appealing gimmick (the mau5 head), and incredibly well produced, catchy dance music. What's wrong with that?

P.S. Sorry for the typos. I really need that little "preview" button, for editing purposes. Anyway, I hope you get the gist of what I wrote, and thanks again!

u iz hot.

Wow, you are not a frequent user of RYM! Welcome back for now? You've got the right idea bout UFABULUM.

Thank you for the kind words.