James Holden: Everyone is making “Ableton Techno”

James Holden: Everyone is making “Ableton Techno”

22 August, 2008 | 7.17AM

• Section: Music News Topics: Beatport Blog
• Written by: Christen Reutens

James Holden was just 19-years old when he released his first single ‘Horizons’ in 2000.

At the time he was studying maths at Oxford University, but all he cared about was making music in his bedroom (that, and wearing goth T-shirts).

‘Horizons’ was an epic, progressive trance record that came at the tipping point when trance became too mainstream and progressive house emerged as its darker, more evil brother.

James Holden became an overnight sensation thanks to ‘Horizon’, with a little helpful support from German DJ Timo Maas (who was still riding high thanks to his ‘Dooms Night’ remix).

But in a recent interview it’s clear that Holden has no respect for the legions of Ableton producers out there trying to make it big through bedroom tunes.

“The change in dance music is that now everyone has a laptop and everyone can get a cracked copy of Ableton, so suddenly everyone is making what I call ‘Ableton techno’, and you get all these pedestrian records that just use the default sounds,” he said.

“When something is so common and easy to make, it has no value any more. I have to be careful as I always end up pissing people off who like that kind of thing, but I could be grumpy about it for hours!”

Yep, some people will be pretty pissed off by James Holden’s comments. Some may even call it hypocrisy.

But maybe Holden has a point.

Has the proliferation of Ableton Live created an army of carbon copy techno producers?

Click here for the full James Holden interview on endclub.com

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• Check out James Holden on Beatport