How Modern is Modern?

[Mark R]

3 hours ago, DaveNPete said:

It's a great record (got a lot of this stuff when it was fairly new on CD thanks to Roger Williams) - but I'd certainly agree a lot of it's pretty formulaic - specially when you listen to 20 odd artists in a row where the percussion track is pretty much interchangeable... And of course it's now 15 years old - older than some 60s discoveries were when they were being played at Stafford! Dx
 

Not taking issue with you personally Dave, more a general comment that I find it completely bizarre when NS lovers claim that soulful house is formulaic!  Like the 60's 4/4 dance beat isn't? 

I thinks what folk should say is, "it's formulaic and it's a formula I don't particularly care for".  I'd suggest that would be a more valid statement and opinion.

 

Cheers,

Mark R

[Chalky]

It isn’t so much the formulaic nature of the record but the sort of repetitiveness of the tracks, the one you played at Rugby for instance.  With yer 60s and indeed 70s & 89s you got verse, chorus break etc.  But each to their own. 

[Soulfusion]

38 minutes ago, Mark R said:

Not taking issue with you personally Dave, more a general comment that I find it completely bizarre when NS lovers claim that soulful house is formulaic!  Like the 60's 4/4 dance beat isn't? 

I thinks what folk should say is, "it's formulaic and it's a formula I don't particularly care for".  I'd suggest that would be a more valid statement and opinion.

 

Cheers,

Mark R

I take your point Mark, and I do consider myself an "across the board" black music fan. I believe it is the human element involved in playing the music so that even in the 60's 4/4 dance beat you can hear slight differences within the track whereas electronically created sounds simply don't. As I said it is the vocals that generally elevate E.D.M. or innovative producers such as Louis Vega.

I am, of course, always prepared to be convinced otherwise and will give the electronic stuff a listen.  

[Davenpete]

3 hours ago, Mark R said:

Not taking issue with you personally Dave, more a general comment that I find it completely bizarre when NS lovers claim that soulful house is formulaic!  Like the 60's 4/4 dance beat isn't? 

I thinks what folk should say is, "it's formulaic and it's a formula I don't particularly care for".  I'd suggest that would be a more valid statement and opinion.

 

Cheers,

Mark R

...Except that I LIKE it - A LOT (and have done for a long time, and if I ever make it out again - Pete not being up to it - it's what you'd be most likely to see me dancing to)  - but you can't deny some of it IS sameish as indeed I don't deny that a lot of 60s is.
Dx

Edited April 10, 2019 by DaveNPete

[Mark R]

3 hours ago, Soulfusion said:

I take your point Mark, and I do consider myself an "across the board" black music fan. I believe it is the human element involved in playing the music so that even in the 60's 4/4 dance beat you can hear slight differences within the track whereas electronically created sounds simply don't. As I said it is the vocals that generally elevate E.D.M. or innovative producers such as Louis Vega.

I am, of course, always prepared to be convinced otherwise and will give the electronic stuff a listen.  

Some things are SOOOO layered and well constructed though that you get exactly the equivalent to the variation you hear in those 60's records actually.  With deep house in particular (and yes, I know that could be deemed to be too far removed from the soul........or could it?!) I hear something different and magical each time I listen to some of those cuts. Ron Trent, Lars Bartkuhn, Trinidadian Deep, Glenn Underground et al.  Actually reading your post back and picking up on the vocals comment, many of the records I'm describing as layered etc have NO vocals yet move me as much as anything I listen to, so go figure that one!  LOL

Anyway, as I say deep house probably moves me more than anything these days......it's a bit of a spiritual thing though I try to avoid saying that as it feels a bit corny.  But it IS a spiritual thing I think!  Blows me away!! 

 

Cheers,

Mark R

[Guest Shufflin]

2 hours ago, Mark R said:

Anyway, as I say deep house probably moves me more than anything these days......it's a bit of a spiritual thing though

got this one earlier in the year, soulful deep house?

 

[Seano]

23 hours ago, shufflin said:

 

The young guy dancing featured in the early part of the clip is Jason Katterhorn I believe. Often attends the Banbury Soul nights too. A very good dancer who happily dances to classic stompers and 'old school modern' through to tracks like this and pretty much everything in between. Good attitude.

Although I'd find this pace tough to dance to nowadays for any sustained period, this clip does make me feel I need to go back to Rugby after a very long absence!

[Tomangoes]

3 hours ago, shufflin said:

got this one earlier in the year, soulful deep house?

 

I'd expect to hear a record like this at a Sunday afternoon chill out session or on a Radio one soul show, etc.

Don't know much about 'up front ' events, but maybe there? 

However I am super impressed if a track like this followed something like Jimmy Mack's My World is on fire, and the dance floor did not ease up and just changed dance styles.

Is this the case?

Or is it pushing the hugely broad description of Northern Soul?

Ed

 

[Mark R]

14 hours ago, Mark R said:

Some things are SOOOO layered and well constructed though that you get exactly the equivalent to the variation you hear in those 60's records actually.  With deep house in particular (and yes, I know that could be deemed to be too far removed from the soul........or could it?!) I hear something different and magical each time I listen to some of those cuts. Ron Trent, Lars Bartkuhn, Trinidadian Deep, Glenn Underground et al.  Actually reading your post back and picking up on the vocals comment, many of the records I'm describing as layered etc have NO vocals yet move me as much as anything I listen to, so go figure that one!  LOL

Anyway, as I say deep house probably moves me more than anything these days......it's a bit of a spiritual thing though I try to avoid saying that as it feels a bit corny.  But it IS a spiritual thing I think!  Blows me away!! 

 

Cheers,

Mark R

Let's get it straight, I ain't saying this is in any way relevant to the NS scene, so I know we're getting a little off topic here.  I just want to give an example of what I mean.  If you give yourself time to listen to records like this a few times, once they get inside your grey matter you'll hear more in it each time you listen.  These records are soundscapes.....it's like painting pictures in music........the whole is far greater than the sum of the parts.  And whilst the drum/rhythm track comes from an electronic device you've gotta remember that it starts in someones head......the machines can't do that bit.

Anyway, as many will dislike this as like it but I think something like this is immense and is as good as anything I've ever heard in the middle of the night at any club of any type since I started going to NS all nighters aged 16.  I feel very lucky to have such a broad appreciation and taste in music and I don't mean that in any condescending way......I DO feel lucky!!

Like I say, when Ron Trent plays something like this at 4am in somewhere like the Beat Bar at Southport Weekender it is as spine tingling as ANYTHING I've ever witnessed in a club.  If the Delcos is soul music, then perhaps.............. LOL

Sorry if I sound like I'm preaching, but maybe I am......like I said in the previous post, it's very much a spiritual thing!

 

Cheers,

Mark R

[Daved]

Very interesting Mark but that track has nothing to do with modern soul.....imvfho of course 

[Soulsides]

2 hours ago, Mark R said:

If you give yourself time to listen to records like this a few times, once they get inside your grey matter you'll hear more in it each time you listen.  

Or just maybe,on the other hand, you'll hear significantly less in it each time you listen.

People are free to enjoy what they like and I'm absolutely fine with that, but I'm sorry, I could produce records like this in my sleep, there is nothing remotely remarkable about House music production whatsoever..its the musical equivalent of painting by numbers if you know how to do it, basically. 

I may also give the impression I don't care for it but i actually don't dislike House music, there's been some great sounding House & Techno that's been put out over the years and I've been to plenty of raves and seen countless DJs spinning the music, but whenever I hear terms bandied about like 'Soulful' or 'Funky' House I completely despair to be honest and what this stuff has to do with 'modern' Soul music I just don't get at all i'm afraid.

Edited April 11, 2019 by Soulsides

[Guest Spain pete]

1 hour ago, Mark R said:

Let's get it straight, I ain't saying this is in any way relevant to the NS scene, so I know we're getting a little off topic here.  I just want to give an example of what I mean.  If you give yourself time to listen to records like this a few times, once they get inside your grey matter you'll hear more in it each time you listen.  These records are soundscapes.....it's like painting pictures in music........the whole is far greater than the sum of the parts.  And whilst the drum/rhythm track comes from an electronic device you've gotta remember that it starts in someones head......the machines can't do that bit.

Anyway, as many will dislike this as like it but I think something like this is immense and is as good as anything I've ever heard in the middle of the night at any club of any type since I started going to NS all nighters aged 16.  I feel very lucky to have such a broad appreciation and taste in music and I don't mean that in any condescending way......I DO feel lucky!!

Like I say, when Ron Trent plays something like this at 4am in somewhere like the Beat Bar at Southport Weekender it is as spine tingling as ANYTHING I've ever witnessed in a club.  If the Delcos is soul music, then perhaps.............. LOL

Sorry if I sound like I'm preaching, but maybe I am......like I said in the previous post, it's very much a spiritual thing!

 

Cheers,

Mark R

I can dig it ! And l'm as lucky as you 

[Steve S 60]

17 hours ago, Mark R said:

Some things are SOOOO layered and well constructed though that you get exactly the equivalent to the variation you hear in those 60's records actually.  With deep house in particular (and yes, I know that could be deemed to be too far removed from the soul........or could it?!) I hear something different and magical each time I listen to some of those cuts. Ron Trent, Lars Bartkuhn, Trinidadian Deep, Glenn Underground et al.  Actually reading your post back and picking up on the vocals comment, many of the records I'm describing as layered etc have NO vocals yet move me as much as anything I listen to, so go figure that one!  LOL

Anyway, as I say deep house probably moves me more than anything these days......it's a bit of a spiritual thing though I try to avoid saying that as it feels a bit corny.  But it IS a spiritual thing I think!  Blows me away!! 

 

Cheers,

Mark R

I thought I'd discovered even more layers but I'd accidentally set two identical YouTube clips off within ten seconds of each other.

[Mark R]

1 hour ago, daved said:

Very interesting Mark but that track has nothing to do with modern soul.....imvfho of course 

I did kinda try to make that point Dave, and stated that we were going off topic a bit.  I was just dealing with the specific point raised about the feel in the music, live instruments having it and electronic not, and I just ended up using deep house to convey my point. 

Cheers,

Mark R

[Mark R]

1 hour ago, Soulsides said:

Or just maybe,on the other hand, you'll hear significantly less in it each time you listen.

People are free to enjoy what they like and I'm absolutely fine with that, but I'm sorry, I could produce records like this in my sleep, there is nothing remotely remarkable about House music production whatsoever..its the musical equivalent of painting by numbers if you know how to do it, basically. 

I may also give the impression I don't care for it but i actually don't dislike House music, there's been some great sounding House & Techno that's been put out over the years and I've been to plenty of raves and seen countless DJs spinning the music, but whenever I hear terms bandied about like 'Soulful' or 'Funky' House I completely despair to be honest and what this stuff has to do with 'modern' Soul music I just don't get at all i'm afraid.

First point - fine! 

Second point - you really think it has that little art to it? 

Third point - see my other comments elsewhere.......it's just a type of music I used to get a point across about live vs electronic/the feel etc.

 

Cheers,

Mark R

[Mark R]

6 minutes ago, Steve S 60 said:

I thought I'd discovered even more layers but I'd accidentally set two identical YouTube clips off within ten seconds of each other.

Phasing as well as layers, I like it Steve! 

 

Cheers,

Mark R

[Guest Spain pete]

24 minutes ago, Mark R said:

I did kinda try to make that point Dave, and stated that we were going off topic a bit.  I was just dealing with the specific point raised about the feel in the music, live instruments having it and electronic not, and I just ended up using deep house to convey my point. 

Cheers,

Mark R

Few years ago now when l brought ninja cuts flexistentialism  album  can't post it up but Ashley beedle  do you believe in love  modern? Soul? Or what? Some will get it some won't

[Soulsides]

1 hour ago, Mark R said:

Second point - you really think it has that little art to it? 

Yep.I honestly do,although that isn't necessarily a bad thing. 

Give me a few hours with my samplers,some generic sounding computer plugins to replicate those 808 or 909 drum machine kicks and Basslines etcetera (you don't even need the original hardware devices anymore now) and recording gear and I'll happily prove it, too!

Again, I want to stress that I don't dislike House music but the concept of putting this stuff together from a production point of view is very simple indeed if you have both the tools and the know how.

Honestly,If I wanted to make a fast buck I'd be all over House music production like a rash but I'm not a sell out and so I'll stick with what I do already, making the type of music I believe in which is influenced by all the things I appreciate be it Soul, Funk, Fusion, World Music or whatever. 

 

Edited April 11, 2019 by Soulsides

[Soulsides]

53 minutes ago, Spain pete said:

Few years ago now when l brought ninja cuts flexistentialism  album  can't post it up but Ashley beedle  do you believe in love  modern? Soul? Or what? Some will get it some won't

This one, Pete?

 

Its a nice enough track, BUT someone really does need to show this Ashley Beedle fella how to properly E.Q. those drum samples in a mix in my opinion!..

[Mark R]

1 hour ago, Soulsides said:

Yep.I honestly do,although that isn't necessarily a bad thing. 

Give me a few hours with my samplers,some generic sounding computer plugins to replicate those 808 or 909 drum machine kicks and Basslines etcetera (you don't even need the original hardware devices anymore now) and recording gear and I'll happily prove it, too!

Again, I want to stress that I don't dislike House music but the concept of putting this stuff together from a production point of view is very simple indeed if you have both the tools and the know how.

Honestly,If I wanted to make a fast buck I'd be all over House music production like a rash but I'm not a sell out and so I'll stick with what I do already, making the type of music I believe in which is influenced by all the things I appreciate be it Soul, Funk, Fusion, World Music or whatever. 

 

Interesting.  I DO appreciate what you're saying about the building blocks to it, but why are some tracks so much better than others?  That has to come from the human side, no?

As an aside, can you point me at some of your work?

 

Cheers,

Mark R

[Soulsides]

41 minutes ago, Mark R said:

As an aside, can you point me at some of your work?

Absolutely!..I released an E.P. two weeks ago but I may have to P.M.you a link to it Mark due to the fact that I wouldn't wish to use this site as a promotional tool and for copyright reasons also.

Edited April 11, 2019 by Soulsides

[Guest Spain pete]

Always like to push the boundaries can't post it but HAPPINESS   JONATHAN JEREMIAH   modern soul ?

[Scootboy]

Nice song,when I listened it,

somehow,I don't know why,

I thought of this

 

[Timillustrator]

6 hours ago, Soulsides said:

Again, I want to stress that I don't dislike House music but the concept of putting this stuff together from a production point of view is very simple indeed if you have both the tools and the know how.

At the danger of going way off topic, the same is true of many "northern" things (leaving aside whether you agree whether this is actually NS or not, I've heard it played) not much in terms of production to this one:  

 

[Guest Shufflin]

back to modern soul, here is a recent Motown Gospel track got released in 2018, not a vinyl album however this track got a vinyl release on Expansion records

modern Motown sounds good to me

 

Edited April 11, 2019 by Shufflin

[Scootboy]

This one,starts to shine when the female vocals enter,after the first minute

 

Most of the songs (if not all) posted here,

I can easily 'northernsoul' dance them, 

if I get, a sufficient beer boost first  

[Tomangoes]

When the Jazz Funkers invaded around 78, with their Charles Earland and Players association etc, they wanted to be NOT tagged as a new or modern Northern Soul direction style.

And it never did. It is what it is.

I'm not sure lovers of Bahia or  Ashley Beedle want to associate themselves as an extension of Northern Soul either.

Now if you say to an average big time promoter playing tracks like these two will put 50 more bums on seats, they will make it happen.

I think anything made before 63 and after 80 allowing for a few rare exceptions compared to the 1000s included in this time frame are not widely acknowledged as Northern Soul.

Seems to me like desperation for new material gives licence to the tags of ' the roots of Northern Soul ' or perhaps the ' Future of Northern Soul'....

It's just stretching the description too much.

Ed

 

[Cunnie]

On 09/04/2019 at 17:36, Mark R said:

Just fantastic........ever so slightly raw and messy, a punchy old skool sounding house production.......proper 21st century soul!!  Digital only at the moment...........though I have a feeling this mix will be on the RSD 12" double pack from Good Vibrations Music this weekend.  As f@cking essential as it gets.........

 

 

Cheers,

Mark R

Quality Mark & my kinda Soulful House but you knew that anyway didn't you.

[Tomangoes]

It's widely acknowledged that after listening to someone for 5 minutes who has a monotone voice, you stop taking any notice.

I'm feeling that with this latest soulful house track

At 3 minutes I put the kettle on...

Thank the Lord 12“ versions are not compulsory.

Ed

 

 

[Mark R]

Both tracks have been around before, but this is the first time on 7" I think, and they're both belters.  Japanese 7".....so don't sleep!!

https://www.juno.co.uk/products/root-soul-spirit-of-love/720224-01/

 

Cheers,

Mark R

[Roburt]

No idea if this has had plays in a NS room setting (& even though I usually like soul tracks to have vocals, this would get me out on the floor) …

 

Edited April 13, 2019 by Roburt

[Guest Shufflin]

this one has come around again albeit now a nu-disco re-edit I guess, you'll recognise it

 

 

[Tomangoes]

Another remake...

Not bad but nothing much as good as this coming out as new material....unless you know different. 

Ed

[Scootboy]

2018 retro Northern Soul

 

[Tomangoes]

Is retro the same as tailor made? 

How many copies of a cut like this would need to sell to make it commercially viable?

Ed

[Scootboy]

I've never thought about this before

[Steve S 60]

4 minutes ago, Scootboy said:

I've never thought about this before

It certainly doesn't keep me up at night.

[Soulsides]

17 hours ago, tomangoes said:

 

How many copies of a cut like this would need to sell to make it commercially viable?

 

Well,there's a lot of factors to consider..a large percentage of it depends on the recording costs because studio time is, on the most part expensive,and especially when it comes to recording bands so the quicker the work can be  done the better it is for those musicians involved in terms of costs.

Obviously the cost of studio time needs to be recouped by record sales along with any additional fees that incur during the making of the record.

Another factor would be whether it's done 'in house'..does the label have it's own recording facilities with a staff producer and engineer, or is the music put together at an outside studio?  

You’ll also probably require the services of marketing, PR, and radio plugging specialists, as well as the support of a distributor. This sort of help doesn’t come cheap as all of those independent promotion costs are charged to the band,(in most cases) 

Indie labels produce and distribute about 66% of music titles, but only account for 20% of actual sales although the real truth is, many major label artists don’t make a lot of money from record sales either, sure, if you sell 11 million records in the end you’ll have a full wallet, but for many who sell only 500,000 copies (a big achievement in its own right) the money they make isn’t even enough to buy a Honda Civic. This is what many music lovers fail to see, and who can blame them? Unless you know about the music business (which 99% of people in the world don’t) you won’t realize how little money an artist actually gets even if they are the songwriters of the material found on the record.

Let’s break it down.

In the making of a record here are the key players and the percentage of sales that they get, Artist (6.6%) Producer (2.2%) Songwriters (4.5%) Distributor (22%) Manufacturing (5%) Retailer (30%) Record label (30%).

While these figures are an approximation, they come pretty damn close to the real thing. Now let’s put this to work, again these are all approximated numbers, but you’ll get the idea.

Let’s say the record cost between 10 & 15 grand in total to record and produce ( thats for an album not a single track btw) a standard average for the smaller labels and is for sale in stores at £10 and that you are a band of 4 that also writes their own material. Your deal is to receive a royalty rate of around 11%, (but your producer also takes 3% of that)

Now let’s say as an artist they sell 5,000 copies at £10 each,so that means they have £50,000 coming to them, right?

Nope.

Let’s see what else is taken off. In many cases the record label will take another 15% which is deducted for promotional and review costs.

Of course record deals and artist royalties differ from contract to contract,the hotter you are prior to signing the better your deal and royalty rate, also note that retailers benefit less nowadays as the price to make a record hasnt changed all that much, yet album prices in stores are getting lower. Do not take the calculations above at face value. They are merely there to give you an idea of how little artists used to make and much less they do today..you can flip numbers however you like, but realise that virtually all record labels, always have something to account for. 

Just breaking even can be seriously hard work for musicians..I suppose the good news is that if you're signed to a label like Colemine ,who claim to do what they do out of love ,not just for profit,anything above that amount is considered as a financial bonus.

Edited April 18, 2019 by Soulsides

[Guest Shufflin]

don't they aim to make the real money off touring?

[Guest Shufflin]

itunes release, Expansion records put it out on Vinyl

 

[Tomangoes]

I do understand that a single record only selling about 1000 copies is unlikely to make anything, and I agree selling 1000 is still impressive!

Back in the day, I'm sure weak spot, reaching for the best, footsee, etc did give a return, even though targeting a niche crowd, but that same crowd today must be smaller and more selective on what they would buy.

So on to topic, just as always, the majority of records ( or Cd singles, or buyable mp3 tracks etc) must try and sell as many as possible?

Not sure many companies do anything for love?

You can't put food on the table with love and respect alone....even the bible ain't free!

Ed

[Benji]

22 hours ago, tomangoes said:

Another remake...

Not bad but nothing much as good as this coming out as new material....unless you know different. 

Ed

I thought Ann Nesby must be over 20 years old by now. It isn't. It's just 19 years old. But still sounds to me as fresh as when I heard it first time back then.

These days I'm not into new/current/modern soul releases at all. They just don't do it for me. I got into the soulful side of house music in the late 90s/early 2ks. Plenty of amazing tunes were released back then. Come mid 2000's I found less and less tunes to my liking. Eventually I drifted away and focused back on 60s/70s tunes.

However, there's one tune from the late 90s, infact 21 years old now that still does it for me. It's just perfect:

 

Edited April 18, 2019 by Benji

[Guest Shufflin]

12 minutes ago, Benji said:

I got into the soulful side of house music in the late 90s/early 2ks. Plenty of amazing tunes were released back then. Come mid 2000's I found less and less tunes to my liking. Eventually I drifted away and focused back on 60s/70s tunes.

did the opposite tbh, my vinyl collection consists mostly of 1965-68 NS sounds, but got properly into modern soul (not house music, been there already) mid nineties

still collect rare northern, quality modern and northern soul can co-exist happily

 

[Tomangoes]

3 hours ago, Benji said:

I thought Ann Nesby must be over 20 years old by now. It isn't. It's just 19 years old. But still sounds to me as fresh as when I heard it first time back then.

These days I'm not into new/current/modern soul releases at all. They just don't do it for me. I got into the soulful side of house music in the late 90s/early 2ks. Plenty of amazing tunes were released back then. Come mid 2000's I found less and less tunes to my liking. Eventually I drifted away and focused back on 60s/70s tunes.

However, there's one tune from the late 90s, infact 21 years old now that still does it for me. It's just perfect:

 

Thought Ann Newby LIRMG was last year..

Shows how time flies.

Ed

[Mark R]

2002-2005 was a golden period for house music IMVHO.

 

Cheers,

Mark R

[Joesoap]

I think 'modern soul' was a term that was of its time which is a time that has long gone. The way music is thought about and made these days is completely different to then. There's loads of great new soul records I hear but all done in a self-consciously retro style. That sensibility didn't exist in the late 70s / early 80s when the term 'modern soul' was coined. Even contemporary house records hark back to a style / genre that has been established for 30+ years (and derived heavily and deliberately from the disco era). As far as I know, there's not really a style or output of music you could describe as 2019 'modern soul'..

It's not just soul. I think the 60s-70s period of music in general was an era that had a beginning and an end. Music has stopped progressing in the way it did then and it's mainly done nowadays in variations of pre-existing styles and genres. 

 

Edited April 19, 2019 by JoeSoap

[Steveh73]

35 minutes ago, JoeSoap said:

I think 'modern soul' was a term that was of its time which is a time that has long gone. The way music is thought about and made these days is completely different to then. There's loads of great new soul records I hear but all done in a self-consciously retro style. That sensibility didn't exist in the late 70s / early 80s when the term 'modern soul' was coined. Even contemporary house records hark back to a style / genre that has been established for 30+ years (and derived heavily and deliberately from the disco era). As far as I know, there's not really a style or output of music you could describe as 2019 'modern soul'..

It's not just soul. I think the 60s-70s period of music in general was an era that had a beginning and an end. Music has stopped progressing in the way it did then and it's mainly done nowadays in variations of pre-existing styles and genres. 

 

Sadly, Joe Soap, I think you've hit the nail on the head. I see very few truly contemporary soul productions these days but plenty of sixties, seventies and eighties retro-styled releases (even nineties, as there are still plenty of Drizabone soundalikes about!!). I don't expect cutting edge sounds, just something that doesn't take as its starting point a slavish recreation of a style that characterized a previous decade.

Its a shame as I've always liked to spend money on new music - there just doesn't seem to be a great deal of that about at the moment.

[Neiljon31]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Je-xlmy7bAM

Bank holiday ; weather set fair

Like Thunder. Popular in the discos at one time I think 

Have fun 

[Soulsides]

44 minutes ago, steveh73 said:

It's a shame as I've always liked to spend money on new music - there just doesn't seem to be a great deal of that about at the moment.

Respectfully disagree...there's tons of new music out there!..I can't keep up with the amount of good stuff i've heard lately.

It all depends what you're into though at the end of the day I guess..

I also get a lot of new music through places like  BandCamp and SoundCloud now where there's some very talented folks doing all manner of cool stuff..I find something interesting literally every time I use those sites and it's well worth the time having a dig around  on there in my opinion.

[Chalky]

Loads of new releases not all retro in its appeal either. You can only progress so far before you take the human element and therefore the soul out of a track.