Waterflame

Here's a quick, snack-sized break between the epic odyssey of those Clark posts, with the Swedish techno artist, Christian Krogsvold, better known as Waterflame.  Waterflame is one of those artists who I don't like, per say.  I like some of the songs off Green, his one commercial album, but I can't really get on board with his style of music, for the most part.

However, he's one of those artists I can respect.  He uses FL Studios, same as I do, and man, does he get the most out of it.  He makes jump through hoops at his command, and the amount of production and care that goes into pretty much any of his songs is remarkable.  He's been using it since at least 2004, at his expertise consistently shines through.  In short, he's gotten good at this.  Although his best work was earlier, in my opinion, when his music didn't seem as hyperactive, he still knows how to get the most out of the software.

But here's the issue I have with him.  His songs are intricate, energetic, and expertly produced, yes.  But the problem is, they all sound the same.  They're all bubbly dance anthems, or formulaic drums & bass.  Some of them break the mold, like the excellent "Emotion Burst Locomotion", a giddy celebration of being alive, "Jazzbot" (which I could not find a video of, unfortunately), a groovy robotic funk-fest, and "8-Bit Clouds", which is what it says on the tin.

Ultimately though, most of his work ends up sounding like one worn-out, run-together song.  It's all the same beats, the same tempo, the same poppy synths and frantic melodies.  Of course, that's just a matter of personal taste, and if you like that sort of thing, I can see you getting more out his music.  But that's my personal stance on it.

What's funny about Waterflame is that whenever he deviates from his normal style, it always sounds incredible.

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