re: happy

[philip sherburne <philipsherburne@xxxxxxxxx>]

>>Although, I have to admit upon first seeing the new
12k offshoot the day before yesterday, I had mixed
reactions. First, we saw the relatively well known
Mego jumping on this phenomena, and now another
relatively well known experimental label jumping on
what has become the popular trend of  *cuteness*,
especially that of which has been pouring forth 
in abundance from Japan over the past few years.<<

How exactly did MEGO jump on the Jpop phenom? By
releasing records from Tujiko Noriko? Her stuff is
quirky, sure, and I don't know enough about Jpop to
say how tied to the genre it is, but I hardly see
"cuteness" as the defining quality of her work.

>>Even before viewing the "artists" page, I knew
exactly what kind of photo was going to be staring
back at me, and sure enough, there was yet another
*cute Japanese girl* (add trademark here) giving the
camera a pseudo-innocent "what me marketable?" kind of
stare.<<								

Sounds like that's you're choosing to see there.
Japanese? Sure. Female? Mos' def'. Cute? In the eye of
the beholder. A "what, me marketable" stare? That's
one of the stranger pictorial readings I've read
lately. What is it about a tightly-cropped headshot
with a fairly blank expression that screams
marketability to you? In fact, I don't see anything
different in the visual treatment here from any number
of headshots of white, male electronic-music
producers. And that "pseudo-innocent" thing... I'm not
trying to put words in anyone's mouth, but I see a lot
more anxiety about women (especially Asian women) in
electronic music in the above post than any
substantial critique of the aesthetics of the label or
the genre as a whole. Long live dour white guys making
"serious" music...

=====
philip sherburne

  managing editor, flavorpill sf
  www.flavorpill.net

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