What's going on in Jeff Mills' Moon Area of Influence?

[antiodromia]

Howdy!

I've been a bit obsessed with this record in particular, finding myself listening to it on repeat for hours on end - never really tiring of it. I often wonder what the hell is going on with the synths and sound design, but I got nothing. So, I'm asking in here - maybe some of you guys are more advanced and are able to actually hear some of the stuff that's happening in there.

If I had to bet, I'd just say it's a lot of clever (?) FM synthesis and pitch modulations in various LFO speeds. And, most of the time it sounds like the notes aren't even scaled, just microtonally floating around and intersecting with eachother? Anyway, very curious to see if someone might have some insights here.

Peace!

(the album is streamable from here: https://www.axisrecords.com/product/moo ... d-digital/

[Lost to the Void]

Jeff is doing the same thing he has always done throughout his career.

He makes random arpeggios in different polymeters and plays them together.

That`s Mills entire schtick in a nutshell. Oh, also ad 909 and strings.

[Amøbe]

I like when Jeff samples Michael Jackson - those tracks rock!

Was it in here we had a thread of inappropriate places for Jeff to put his 909? That thread makes me chuckle

[antiodromia]

Jeff is doing the same thing he has always done throughout his career.

He makes random arpeggios in different polymeters and plays them together.

That`s Mills entire schtick in a nutshell. Oh, also ad 909 and strings.

Oh, I almost forgot about you.. The level of negativity and arrogance you are able to display in here every day, for so many years is quite frankly astonishing. Always some bitter resentful comment, always putting someone down, always acting like you are the God of music production. Damn dude, I'm so sick of reading those replies of yours. I don't care what you have to say to me back, because I won't be here for it. Block my user account or IP, I'm done with this place. And to be really, really honest - FUCK you you fucking dork.

[Amøbe]

Howdy!

I've been a bit obsessed with this record in particular, finding myself listening to it on repeat for hours on end - never really tiring of it. I often wonder what the hell is going on with the synths and sound design, but I got nothing. So, I'm asking in here - maybe some of you guys are more advanced and are able to actually hear some of the stuff that's happening in there.

If I had to bet, I'd just say it's a lot of clever (?) FM synthesis and pitch modulations in various LFO speeds. And, most of the time it sounds like the notes aren't even scaled, just microtonally floating around and intersecting with eachother? Anyway, very curious to see if someone might have some insights here.

Peace!

(the album is streamable from here: https://www.axisrecords.com/product/moo ... d-digital/

Are there any of the tracks you are specifically interested in? I think you got the gist of it (Last night I wasn't able to listen - also don't mind Steve - he can be very sarcastic, but he's also very caring)

One thing I noticed when I tried to get into these types of arpeggios (they have a really dreamy quality to them) is that I often was afraid to overdo it - but you should not be afraid to crank up the octaves the arpeggio jumps around in!


Personally the thing that I like most about Mills is that he sometimes hits a very nice sweet spot of saturating his drums. That can sound incredible, and it still has such an impactful energy on the dance floor to this day!

[Lost to the Void]

Jeff is doing the same thing he has always done throughout his career.

He makes random arpeggios in different polymeters and plays them together.

That`s Mills entire schtick in a nutshell. Oh, also ad 909 and strings.

Oh, I almost forgot about you.. The level of negativity and arrogance you are able to display in here every day, for so many years is quite frankly astonishing. Always some bitter resentful comment, always putting someone down, always acting like you are the God of music production. Damn dude, I'm so sick of reading those replies of yours. I don't care what you have to say to me back, because I won't be here for it. Block my user account or IP, I'm done with this place. And to be really, really honest - FUCK you you fucking dork.

If you don`t like the answer, cope, if you think it`s negative, cope, I am not responsible for your emotions,
this is literally what mills does, it`s arpeggios in different polymeter. Add some delays in split 16ths and 8ths for sparkly jangle and you are good to go.
I don`t consider myself god of anything, I have a big production knowledge from doing it for so long and so intensely, but I`m still learning all the time.

Bye now sugartits, go find an echo chamber.

[subvers^v]

Jeff is doing the same thing he has always done throughout his career.

He makes random arpeggios in different polymeters and plays them together.

That`s Mills entire schtick in a nutshell. Oh, also ad 909 and strings.

Oh, I almost forgot about you.. The level of negativity and arrogance you are able to display in here every day, for so many years is quite frankly astonishing. Always some bitter resentful comment, always putting someone down, always acting like you are the God of music production. Damn dude, I'm so sick of reading those replies of yours. I don't care what you have to say to me back, because I won't be here for it. Block my user account or IP, I'm done with this place. And to be really, really honest - FUCK you you fucking dork.

If you don`t like the answer, cope, if you think it`s negative, cope, I am not responsible for your emotions,
this is literally what mills does, it`s arpeggios in different polymeter. Add some delays in split 16ths and 8ths for sparkly jangle and you are good to go.
I don`t consider myself god of anything, I have a big production knowledge from doing it for so long and so intensely, but I`m still learning all the time.

Bye now sugartits, go find an echo chamber.

Hey, I thought I was the only one you called sugartits...I am disappoint. Delete my number and gorilla glue my front door and nail my windows shut. I'm not going anywhere anymore...

[Barfunkel]

To me, Mills was always the least interesting of those classic Detroit producers. I love Hood, Craig, UR, Octave One, the Belleville three etc, but never heard a really interesting track by Mills.

[Amøbe]

Oh, I almost forgot about you.. The level of negativity and arrogance you are able to display in here every day, for so many years is quite frankly astonishing. Always some bitter resentful comment, always putting someone down, always acting like you are the God of music production. Damn dude, I'm so sick of reading those replies of yours. I don't care what you have to say to me back, because I won't be here for it. Block my user account or IP, I'm done with this place. And to be really, really honest - FUCK you you fucking dork.

If you don`t like the answer, cope, if you think it`s negative, cope, I am not responsible for your emotions,
this is literally what mills does, it`s arpeggios in different polymeter. Add some delays in split 16ths and 8ths for sparkly jangle and you are good to go.
I don`t consider myself god of anything, I have a big production knowledge from doing it for so long and so intensely, but I`m still learning all the time.

Bye now sugartits, go find an echo chamber.

Hey, I thought I was the only one you called sugartits...I am disappoint. Delete my number and gorilla glue my front door and nail my windows shut. I'm not going anywhere anymore...

[Lost to the Void]

To me, Mills was always the least interesting of those classic Detroit producers. I love Hood, Craig, UR, Octave One, the Belleville three etc, but never heard a really interesting track by Mills.

He definitely had his own sound, that sound has basically become the template for thousands of imitators.
Millsian techno could be considered a subgenre even, there are so many biting his sound.
He stopped doing new things years ago, but you can't deny the influence.

[Lost to the Void]

Oh, I almost forgot about you.. The level of negativity and arrogance you are able to display in here every day, for so many years is quite frankly astonishing. Always some bitter resentful comment, always putting someone down, always acting like you are the God of music production. Damn dude, I'm so sick of reading those replies of yours. I don't care what you have to say to me back, because I won't be here for it. Block my user account or IP, I'm done with this place. And to be really, really honest - FUCK you you fucking dork.

If you don`t like the answer, cope, if you think it`s negative, cope, I am not responsible for your emotions,
this is literally what mills does, it`s arpeggios in different polymeter. Add some delays in split 16ths and 8ths for sparkly jangle and you are good to go.
I don`t consider myself god of anything, I have a big production knowledge from doing it for so long and so intensely, but I`m still learning all the time.

Bye now sugartits, go find an echo chamber.

Hey, I thought I was the only one you called sugartits...I am disappoint. Delete my number and gorilla glue my front door and nail my windows shut. I'm not going anywhere anymore...

Come now, you will forever be my little shnookielumps.

[subvers^v]

I actually love Mills' work. He has a very distinct style and there's a definite consistency to what he does, more like compositions than tracks in terms of structure, about rhythm and tone more than specific sounds. I guess you could argue he is regurgitating over the years but there are plenty in the game doing the same thing to some degree.
Pretty sure I'll always like it, whatever about what comes next...

[Barfunkel]

To me, Mills was always the least interesting of those classic Detroit producers. I love Hood, Craig, UR, Octave One, the Belleville three etc, but never heard a really interesting track by Mills.

He definitely had his own sound, that sound has basically become the template for thousands of imitators.
Millsian techno could be considered a subgenre even, there are so many biting his sound.
He stopped doing new things years ago, but you can't deny the influence.

Obv not denying his influence, his music just doesn't personally resonate with me as much as, say, Hood's or Craig's music does.

[Amøbe]

To me, Mills was always the least interesting of those classic Detroit producers. I love Hood, Craig, UR, Octave One, the Belleville three etc, but never heard a really interesting track by Mills.

He definitely had his own sound, that sound has basically become the template for thousands of imitators.
Millsian techno could be considered a subgenre even, there are so many biting his sound.
He stopped doing new things years ago, but you can't deny the influence.

Obv not denying his influence, his music just doesn't personally resonate with me as much as, say, Hood's or Craig's music does.

Mills' tracks can do wonders on a dancefloor - there's something about that loopyness and those drums that are pushed pretty hard, which just works. Compared to the other folks you mentioned, then I don't really enjoy listening to mills outside of a dancefloor, though.

But has he put out anything of interest since the early 00s or something? He did that symphony thing for a minute, which I think is just ridiculously stupid.

[illit_]

But has he put out anything of interest since the early 00s or something?

he sat on the floor with a 909 at a fashion show

[subvers^v]

But has he put out anything of interest since the early 00s or something?

he sat on the floor with a 909 at a fashion show

His decision making isn't the greatest, I agree.
That mix he did where he was in a shop window...
Mixing was stellar, nice and fast, varied, everything I like, but I thought the window thing was meant to be tongue-in-cheek. Bizarrely, i don't think it was which leaves me asking "wtf?!".
And not to mention the whole Saudi rave thing again but that was a proper dick move to try and defend it.
The orchestra thing was a proper car crash too. All
ego stuff. Yes he is important to the history of techno but there's so many ways to water down people's respect and it's a fine line these days ..

[illit_]

But has he put out anything of interest since the early 00s or something?

he sat on the floor with a 909 at a fashion show

His decision making isn't the greatest, I agree.
That mix he did where he was in a shop window...
Mixing was stellar, nice and fast, varied, everything I like, but I thought the window thing was meant to be tongue-in-cheek. Bizarrely, i don't think it was which leaves me asking "wtf?!".
And not to mention the whole Saudi rave thing again but that was a proper dick move to try and defend it.
The orchestra thing was a proper car crash too. All
ego stuff. Yes he is important to the history of techno but there's so many ways to water down people's respect and it's a fine line these days ..

You could make the argument he defined a version of techno which everyone has now said is definitively techno. It's like he made the wheel first time and since then everyone has been trying to reinvent it but still make a wheel...

I've heard him say before he regrets making it so popular, he just had a style and didn't think it would define the next 30 years of a genre. Makes me think he just could not care less and wants that dough yo.

I'm yet to see him play, i've heard he fluffs about when he plays in the uk so would have to see him in amsterdam.

[terryfalafel]

He did that symphony thing for a minute, which I think is just ridiculously stupid.

I saw him do this in the Amsterdam concertgebouw with the concertgebouw orchestra. Was pretty good tbh - hearing a 90 piece orchestra do all the strings and orchestra hits along with the drum machine was quite powerful. Yes, there's a novelty factor of course but overall I'm pleased I went and saw it

[nomadjames]

I saw him at Twilo in the 90's on like 6 decks and a 909 and he absolutely crushed it for the six hours I was there.