Dirty Loops - Loopified

[No Pride]

Well, the Swedish trio that went viral on YT by twisting contemporary pop hits into something that musos could appreciate finally released their debut... and it's all (or at least mostly, not sure because I downloaded it off iTunes) original material. I had my first listen last night and maybe you should take what I say with a grain of salt because I did have the "other ears" on (i.e. ), but I really dug it! I dared not post this on the main board because let's face it, it's not prog. But it IS progressive.

What they're doing is pretty unique; they're trying to make contemporary dance/pop music that has musical integrity. It sounds a little bit like what you'd hear on Top 40 radio today, but it doesn't at the same time. It's got the trendy synth sounds and sequencers, but it also has stuff that you never hear in today's pop: virtuoso musicianship and complex arrangements with rhythmic juxtapositions (that are bound to fuck the dancers up) and some very "adult" chords and progressions. I have no idea how successful this is going to be as either dance or pop music, but my hat's off to them for trying!

These guys can really PLAY, but it's not the main focus of their music, they just kind of sneak it in when they feel it works. The keyboard player/singer's voice may be the deal breaker, but not for the reasons you'd think; he's actually an amazing singer, but he sounds almost exactly like Stevie Wonder in over-the-top mode. Anybody who has ever heard Stevie (which is just about everybody) won't be able to help but notice and sounding that much like somebody else isn't often a good thing. I love Stevie's voice so I don't mind at all, but I suspect others will.

At any rate, there's much to admire about this album already on first listen and I think it's going to be a "grower" because there's a lot to absorb. When there was a thread about them on the main board, there was equal amounts of love and hate and I'm sure that won't change. But those who can connect to what they've heard so far will very likely dig this album.

[klothos]

that.....was......PHENOMENAL!!!....and not just this song either: I just YouTubed some of their other songs and they are just amazing...and some of the other tunes arent as heavily sequenced/programmed!!!

It brings a tear to my musician heart to hear kids that can FLAT OUT PLAY!!!....and do it in a pop context........The fusion-jazz influence is apparent

If there is ever a such thing as Prog Pop, they just invented it

[No Pride]

Thanks for preventing my thread from falling off the cliff without one reply, Klothos! That would've been slightly humiliating, even to a guy who once worked for a year as a full time telephone solicitor. I know that Cone (wideopenears), your fellow bass player got the album, perhaps he'll chime in at some point.

And speaking of bass players... how about that bass player?! He has to be the best androgynous/punk bass player in the world! Seriously, that guy's a badass! I saw an interview with him and he says his bass "superhero" is Gary Willis of Tribal Tech.

Anyway, glad you dug it! I didn't expect Dirty Loops to win any popularity contests around here, but hell, I think they're pretty awesome and I'm glad I'm not alone in that belief.

[Scott Bails]

Definitely cool, Ernie. If I were to nitpick, I'd have to say that I'm not really fond of the keyboard sounds - they're kinda cheesy, sounding like The Rippingtons - but I love the busy rhythms, and their drummer is sick. The singer really sounds familiar, but I can't place who he sounds like. I can definitely hear a Toto influence, which is never a bad thing.

how about that bass player?! He has to be the best androgynous/punk bass player in the world!

Better than Nick Beggs?

[No Pride]

The singer really sounds familiar, but I can't place who he sounds like.

I was expecting a "winkie" after that comment, Scott... even if I hadn't already said this:

he sounds almost exactly like Stevie Wonder in over-the-top mode.

BTW, I had to Google Nick Beggs. I've never heard him or any of the bands he's played with.

[Scott Bails]

I was expecting a "winkie" after that comment, Scott... even if I hadn't already said this:

Yeah, I read that, but that's not who he sounds like, to me. I mean, I hear the similarity, but he sounds a lot like someone else, too.

[No Pride]

Yeah, I read that, but that's not who he sounds like, to me. I mean, I hear the similarity, but he sounds a lot like someone else, too.

Bobby Kimball? He reminded me a little of him at times. But I don't think even Bobby can hit some of the high notes this guy sings without using a falsetto.

[Scott Bails]

No, not Kimball - but definitely someone from that scene. Richard Marx, maybe?

[No Pride]

The fusion-jazz influence is apparent

Ya know, that's what I should've stressed more in my original post. There are some very fusiony flourishes throughout the album; moments where it sounds like something Chick Corea would've written for RTF or The Elektric Band. This stuff is like a fusion sandwich made with pop bread... or is it the other way around? Either way, it's a hybrid of elements that you don't often hear together.

[Dean Watson]

This band has 4 instruments, drums, bass, keys, and vocal, and each of these elements are executed from young players that sound like they've been playing for years. It's truly is a marvel how good these guys are. I have tickets to see them in October, and I can't wait. David Foster really knows how to polish a record, but on every listen I have to think there is no technical magic here, just pure talent.

[klothos]

Ya know, that's what I should've stressed more in my original post. There are some very fusiony flourishes throughout the album; moments where it sounds like something Chick Corea would've written for RTF or The Elektric Band. This stuff is like a fusion sandwich made with pop bread... or is it the other way around? Either way, it's a hybrid of elements that you don't often hear together.

This is jazz-pop and the type of jazz-pop I havent heard since the 80s like Swing Out Sister, Level 42, Kaja, etc...nice to hear this sound resurface......these guys add an element of "shred" to it as well

Better than Nick Beggs?

I had to Google Nick Beggs. I've never heard him or any of the bands he's played with.

Speaking of Kaja:
Nick Beggs is one of my favorite bass players.....As good as John Taylor was in Duran Duran, Nick Beggs was a monster player whose mad skillz superceded John Taylor's (I mean, he temporarily replaced an ill Trey Gunn on Stick in King Crimson and is the bassist in the John Paul Jones band, so I guess that credibility speaks for itself)........When Kajagoogoo ousted their vocalist Limahl, Beggs took over vocal duties and the band shifted to a jazz-pop direction.....the album "Crazy Peoples Right to Speak" is excellent

[Dean Watson]

Nick Beggs is excellent, but you cannot compare the two of them, the styles are way too different.

[Scott Bails]

BTW, I had to Google Nick Beggs. I've never heard him or any of the bands he's played with.

You're not familiar with Stephen Wilson, Steve Hackett, or Kajagoogoo? I'm surprised.

[klothos]

Nick Beggs is excellent, but you cannot compare the two of them, the styles are way too different.

I dont see it that way: they were both contemporaries ....John Taylor had some great chops, but his "groove" tended to be all over the dartboard, even on recordings, and his feel was more "white" (for lack of better terms). For example, the note placement in songs like "Hungry Like The Wolf" fall in everywhere from on-the-beat to pushed (except the slap parts which are dead on the money) and he sounds like hes trying to emulate Bernard Edwards of Chic but without the phat feel that Edwards had...Other songs, like "Lonely In Your Nightmare" sound like "Hi, I just got a fretless bass and Im very unsure about it, but we will try this here"

However, Nick Beggs' delivery is dead-on the groove...Even the bassline in "Too Shy" is some on-the-downbeat zeroed in funk..... Like I said, John Taylor is good -- I dont take that away from him -- and the fact that Duran Squared was way more popular than Kajagoogoo holds him in a higher regard but Nick Beggs is a far better player IMHO...Even comparing chops, I dont think John Taylor could have pulled off Nick Beggs' slap chops in the chorus of "Too Shy"

John is good, but hes no Nick Beggs or Brad Lang (ABC's studio bass player).....I also preferred the recorded sound of Begg's MusicMan Stingray as well.

[No Pride]

This band has 4 instruments, drums, bass, keys, and vocal

But it's just 3 guys; the keyboard player is the vocalist. I saw a recent live video and it looks like they've added a fourth member for their show; an additional keyboard player who sings harmonies. But it's only the original 3 guys on the album.

You're not familiar with Stephen Wilson, Steve Hackett, or Kajagoogoo? I'm surprised.

Of course I'm familiar with Stephen Wilson and Steve Hackett, but outside of Hackett's work with Genesis, I've only heard his first solo album and I don't care for Porcupine Tree (I did check out some of "The Raven Who Refused to Sing" and liked it a little more, but I don't have it). I've heard of Kajagoogoo, but never heard them until I checked out a couple of videos yesterday. Don't be surprised by what I don't know about prog; it's a lot. I love prog, but not any more than I love fusion, straight ahead jazz, Brazilian music, higher quality pop, r&b/funk, some "shreddy" metal guitar oriented stuff, etc. I don't have enough time or money to be an expert on any of those genres specifically.

[Scott Bails]

Of course I'm familiar with Stephen Wilson and Steve Hackett, but outside of Hackett's work with Genesis, I've only heard his first solo album and I don't care for Porcupine Tree (I did check out some of "The Raven Who Refused to Sing" and liked it a little more, but I don't have it). I've heard of Kajagoogoo, but never heard them until I checked out a couple of videos yesterday. Don't be surprised by what I don't know about prog; it's a lot. I love prog, but not any more than I love fusion, straight ahead jazz, Brazilian music, higher quality pop, r&b/funk, some "shreddy" metal guitar oriented stuff, etc. I don't have enough time or money to be an expert on any of those genres specifically.

Nah, I get you. I just figured that with all of the love that Wilson has received that you would have come across it by accident.

[wideopenears]

I've spun this thing twice so far.
It's much more polished and "pop chart targeted" than I had anticipated it would be, but I dig it. These guys are all monsters, and esp. the bass playing kills me. Nice mention of "Level 42" --these guys don't sound like Level 42, but I agree there's a certain truth to the comparison...very high level pop music with wide influences, including fusion and funk. I am pretty sure it is not going to make any charts here on PE. That's okay by me.

Will spin it a few more times and maybe report back.

[No Pride]

it's all (or at least mostly, not sure because I downloaded it off iTunes) original material.

Correction: there was one tune that sounded familiar to me, but I wasn't sure; then I heard the original in a mall yesterday. It's called "Wake Me Up," by a guy named Avicii. It was a Top 40 hit... shit, what do I know?! If nobody makes me learn it for a gig, I'm usually unaware of it. Of course, The Dirty Loops gave it way more chords than it had originally.


I think everything else on the album is written by the Loops.

I just figured that with all of the love that Wilson has received that you would have come across it by accident.

Not exactly by accident. He had enough great musicians on that "Raven" album to get me interested. And I did like it a lot more than PT. But I haven't bought it yet...

I've spun this thing twice so far.
It's much more polished and "pop chart targeted" than I had anticipated it would be

Yeah. I wasn't sure what to expect, since all we'd heard from them previously were their twisted covers of contemporary pop tunes. But they pretty much established their style by doing that and this isn't all that different; it's just their own material this time. I like it a lot more than 99% of today's "pop chart targeted" music for obvious reasons. Not only that, but my "significant other" actually likes it... and she's like Mikey; she hates everything (that I buy at least).

Personally, I can't see this stuff hitting the charts. But if it did, I'd be happy; it could actually restore an interest in real musicians playing real musical instruments!

[Scott Bails]

"Wake Me Up" had vocals by Aloe Blacc, a pretty good R&B singer. I know the song because my daughter loves it. Great cover.

[No Pride]

"Loopified" has been in my car's CD changer for weeks now and aside from a pair of ballads that are a little too melodramatic for me, I'm still digging it!

This is the first decent quality live video I've seen/heard from them. Sounds good to me!

"Wake Me Up" had vocals by Aloe Blacc, a pretty good R&B singer. I know the song because my daughter loves it.

THAT'S where I heard it before! I saw Bruno Mars live this summer (gimme a break, my wife's a fan ) and Aloe Blacc opened. Though neither of those guys and their bands are exactly my cup of tea, they were quite good at what they do (especially Bruno, who sings his ass off) and I enjoyed the show more than I expected to.

[Scott Bails]

I saw them both this summer, too, Ernie, and also had a great time. It was my daughter's first "real" concert, and she had a blast. I thought both bands were pretty tight. My daughter, who plays trumpet, especially loved both bands' horn sections.

[mnprogger]

bump.

new tune

new album coming this year!

[Zeuhlmate]

Here is another band barking up the same forrest



I'm very impressed and bored at the same time.

[Zeuhlmate]