A Message For Karl & Rick

[emotionmachine]

I have been wanting to write this for some time. I thought the dirtyforum would be the best way of possibly having this read by either of you and so I am posting it here, also what I'm going to say might strike a chord with the other members of the list as well. So here goes.

I just want to express to you both (as well as Darren) just how much your music has meant to me over the last decade. During the late 90's I was becoming disillusioned with pop music in general and electronic music in particular -- I found a lot of it to be repetitive, sometimes stale, and without a lot of soul. And then a friend got me onto Underworld. Naturally, her interest lied primarily with 'Born Slippy' as she was a fan of Trainspotting and the eminant Ewan at the time... and I liked the track fine enough, but the song that hooked me was track one from 'Second Toughest...' I don't believe I had ever heard anything so moving in the electronic realm for some time, and the 16-minute epic 'Juanita/Kiteless/To Dream Of Love' was so expertly arranged that it very nearly moved me to tears on the first listen.

I may appear to be overstating my reaction to the music, but I assure you this is an accurate account. I believe (and I'm sure most of you will agree) that music has the power to affect emotions and behaviours, and if done properly, you can transfer such things to your listeners. I find my reaction to your arrangements and compositions have done this to me many more times since 'Juanita' -- most recently with 'Beautiful Burnout', which I have not been able to stop listening to since I bought 'Oblivion'.

As a writer/composer/musician in my own small right, I have strived to try and infuse emotional energy into my music as a general rule. Creating an ebb and flow of energy through layered arrangements, compelling parts for strings and pads, and the underlying power of percussion. I find that while I have my own particular style of composing which is distinctly mine, your example is always somewhere in my mind - it cannot help but be, since I am a devotee of UW, everything from the music, words and design sensibilties -- so I have tried to take a bit of what you have shown and use it in my own creative process, as a guidepath to what is possible to acheive.

Now, as I am preparing to release my third collection of new music to the internet at large, I find that I must put this out there and tell you of the impact Underworld has had on me, and I hope that you receive it well, and that the others on this list will identify with what I am saying. UW is often touted as a 'techno' or 'dance' act, which unfairly tags it as something less than it is. I and others know there is a lot more there than just beats you can jump around to. UW has helped rekindle my love of electronic music, as you so clearly enjoy what you do, and I just wanted you to know that.

Thanks for your attention.

PS. If anyone is interested in checking out my music, there are some free songs and previews at my website, www.perpetualemotionmachine.ca.