Genre Bending

Find threads that bind, with an open mind.

A new genre, subgenre, microgenre and/or style is born every minute. At least it seems that way. Now don’t get it twisted- I’m here for music’s evolution, whether what I hear pleases my ears or not. There’s seemingly something for everyone…and then some. And I very much hope it remains that way. Without variance, the soundscape would be homogenous and bland. Which, scarily enough, just might be music’s future as it’s aggregated by algorithms, AI, streaming and commodification.

The decades have seen exponential growth of names within the sphere of genres- and I find the ever expanding lexicon overwhelming and confusing. Some appear to have been created to validate the uniqueness of a burgeoning scene or a track. To self-grandiose and mark territory rather than describe legitimate differences.

Perhaps the many, many names are necessary and I’m just dense. But I struggle to understand why slight nuances (if any) warrant new nomenclature. Because doing so can limit exposure to music, stymie our perceptions and stunt growth of our emotional intelligence. Music can be completely unprecedented and still fall within an existing genre.

All that being said, genres are necessary. They succinctly describe sound and help to find similar music we might have an inkling for. But I ask, might pigeonholing ourselves cause us to miss auditory connections that resonate? Creation of false barriers can limit exposure and the opportunity to expand our enjoyment.

There’s beauty in harmonizing disparate sounds by commonalities not readily apparent. I admire artists who thread juxtaposed tracks leading to new territory. And get a thrill when their perception and presentation overrides my preconceived notions.

I for one am quite privy to putting music into binary buckets. My genres are pretty much “good” and “bad,” which can prove as both positive and negative. It’s good in that surprises allow for an eclectic mix that keeps me on my toes- literally. But it can be bad when it propagates a tendency for snap and preconceived inhibiting notions.

For instance, I’m not so keen on drum and bass. Give me a four-four, or show me the door. While I pretty much live by that- it’s actually not wholly true. There’s lots of music I live for that’s anything but that time signature. My predilections have more to do with context- where, when and how a song is played. I can even admit that trance, a genre that generally makes me cringe, has some bright spots.

To each their own. If an abundance of genre names make sense to your mind- by all means have at it. There’s certainly no right or wrong. But perhaps consider that we’re all privy to subconscious, self-imposed limitations. They're their own form of identity politics that impacts what parties we go to, our social circles and ultimately the trajectory of our lives. And of major importance is that the music we immerse ourselves with has a lasting impact on our psyche, emotions and state of mind.