You're probably right, but I'd prefer to not think about that.

I actually am OK with unpredictable, but sometimes it's 1337er when it's predictable..

One way for IDM to survive is to admit to itself that it is not unique and find a way to alter itself. After all, the first step to solving a problem is to admit it's there.

I myself am trying to do that. Whether I'll succeed or fail is one thing, but one thing IS for sure. I won't bring out an album that sounds just like Tri Repartae.

The balance is keeping enough chaos and order in line while still keeping it interesting and managing to not disappear up your own ass while doing it.

The state of IDM at the moment is completely fixable. It's just how and when it gets fixed is another thing, and does it give birth to a changed IDM or kill it and start a new genre. These are things we will find out in time and maybe even cause to happen ourselves.

If there isn't a form of music that satisfies your ears make it yourself. You might find the one thing that saves it.

Tri Repartae is out of thew question. That is like Old School Old School.

I am talking Confield, Oval, Richard Devine, Prefuse, Otto Von Schirach...whatever, Fonkstorung...all the new gods.

I personally mostly listen to Fennesz this days (somehow he's just so unique and surprising) and the classics Orb, Biosphere, Namlook, Autechre....and Pita and Schmickler.

why mention Oval? they've been around since the early 90's just as Autechre had been ...

because i thought they were newer

but many of idm's artists are intellectual and unique. that is what makes idm what it is.

i believe that a lost cause is the art of balance. keeping a simple idea and sticking to it is more valuable than most think. you cannot make abstract art without the chops to prove you are making it in the first place. i mean, this is by far the most important aspect of innovation.

I believe "Wohnton" came out in 93' with the group being a 3 person instrumental/electronic group, and then after that it turned into a cd skip/idm/experimental type sound with 94Diskont and the rest is history.

Ah..

But *I* am not trying to make abstract art because I've realised that IDM isn't and has not been abstract art for a number of years.

It's simply more abstract than most forms of music.

I'm coming from an entirely different direction on that one.