spotify

Since the whole world seems to be heading over to Spotify I thought I'd sign up. I'll try and write in more detail later when I've had a chance to explore some more. First impressions though are that there's a reasonable selection of non-commercial stuff there - I managed to find tracks from AMM, Chris Corsano, Keiji Haino, Derek Bailey and Oren Ambarchi, but also managed to find some big gaps. Maybe when I start ranging a little further out more gaps will emerge.

Two criticisms immediately. I don't find the interface very attractive to use or get much thrill of discovery from using it. I could travel further in any copy of Wire magazine by spending time following links on MySpace or Last FM or by listening to something like Resonance FM. All of these have community as a major part of how they work - as others have said MySpace and Last FM act like hi-tech versions of tape exchange. You will find things there that you simply won't find on Spotify both because they are not available through the service and because there's no one to say 'hey this is cool give it a listen'. Maybe it's better if you're with a group of friends but the service seems more like a virtual jukebox which doesn't strike me as the way I'd listen to music with friends.

Second criticism I assume it's because I'm on the free service but I'm not terribly amused by the adverts that keep popping up especially as they're laughably inaccurate. Someone who's just searched for the above named bands plus Skullflower (there), Walter & Sabrina (not there), Hang on The Box (not there), Magma (there), Tumans Water (not there) and Incapacitants (not there) is hardly likely to be interested in The fucking Script. Jesus.

At the moment although I can find things there that I might have difficulty tracking down otherwise to date they all seem to be things that I could find through other routes that have a bit more community, a bit more human contact about them. I don't like the word soul because I think it's a nonsensical concept but there's something missing at the heart of the Spotify experience at present.

Update 20/3/9

Okay I've had a bit more time to search around and there are slightly more features available than initially meets the eye. The overviews, biographies and artist radios provide some links to other artists that you may not have heard of. Or may have heard of but never actually listened to. That said you still need a starting point and an enquiring mind. On the whole the service still strikes me more as a jukebox for things you know or know about. If you want to be connected with new things or stuff you haven't heard of then Last FM, MySpace, peer to peer, download blogs and the like are still the place to go.

This is also true of spoken word things. There are names you'd expect to find - Burroughs, Ginsberg and Giorno but no Bob Cobbing, Henri Chopin, bpNichol - all of whom you can find elsewhere. Thinking about it for tracking avant garde music and spoken word I've found Google Video and YouTube more likely to throw up interesting things I might not have thought of.

Overall I'm a little warmer toward Spotify than I was a couple of days ago but it's still not going to be the first place I turn. Incidentally if you're thinking of paying for the premium service then check out the Boomkat service 14 Tracks first. Essentially they send you a weekly email with a tracklisting for a themed virtual compilation - a recent one was early electronic music. You can use this as suggested listening, buy the whole lot, or just the tracks you want. I'm sure other labels, record stores and radio shows do something similar and I'd love to hear about it if they do. I mention 14 Tracks as one that I know which has the kind of added value I don't currently see with Spotify.

Update 21/3/9

Cool. After arsing about for a bit I've found the function that allows Spotify to scrobble tracks to Last FM - that kind of hook-up with a more social network is a lot of use. Still finding gaps of course - no Peverelist, no Appleblim, no Drexciya... no I'm bored of this game now.

I can also, as I have this morning, listen simultaneously to different things on Last FM, Spotify, iTunes and a podcast - plus noisemakers and iPod in docking station. An easy way to piss off neighbours/flat mates.