New Album - Riker Up - Charly Records - Adventures in AI Land

We were asked to give views on this so here is my reply.

I buy all the Soul compilations and many new contemporary or older Soul songs and albums. I will not be buying this personally though of course others will.

I gave my thoughts extensively on AI 'Soul Music' generally in the earlier thread on it, so no need to repeat it. While I might be intrigued by the method and output, I cannot see myself choosing to play the music, so no need to buy it. There is already a lot of Soul music that goes unbought so I'd buy more of that before this release (and I do spend a fair amount each month already).

Where the origins of the music are made clear from the off, I don't doubt the sincerity of those making it to try and create Soul-like music. Beyond the initial intrigue, that's all is is for me Soul-sounding but not Soul Music - which is only my personal choice. Even if it sounds right, it's not a path I am inclined to follow.

I don't want to be second-guessing music I listen to and like the human connection, stories about the artist etc. In particular, I definitely want a living, human vocalist emoting and hopefully some musicians. I also want a song that's written not derived from other songs by a machine. That's only my personal interpretation of what Soul Music is to me though.

A lot of people in the original thread didn't seem worried and the younger/next generation may not at all. It may open some really interesting areas, but like video creations of dead actors, that's where with my origins, that I intuitively feel it's not for me.

Where the origns aren't made clear and the music is released for purchase on such as Bandcamp, implying the music is unknown vintage artists (as is happening by other labels and then the music withdrawn when questioned) - that feels more dubious.

I also feel that if songs have been fed in to create the music, this should be stated so the songwriting royalities are attributed in the right way.

I feel ultimately a lot of the AI Soul-like music will float by through Youtube, streaming, Soul Radio and struggle to 'land'. It might get some plays, but I don't see how it roots itself without people involved or to front it.

Perhaps my feelings around it are similar to how the pure pop came into Northern Soul, the right beat and superficial production, but no actual Soul. I don't end up ever playing those pop songs even if I did earlier in my life, unless someone asks.

I've nothing against those exploring it and I probably would if younger, but I cannot keep up with the human productions as it is!

Edited Monday at 20:013 days by Thinksmart

Bandwagon...jump on comes to mind. Don't give a F--k if it makes a quick buck!

Soulless, synthetic and lacking any depth and connection to life. ....sits alongside Chat GPT in terms of the neatly packaged (lack of) depth of socio-cultural expression we seem to be faced with: devoid of rough edges, supermarket ready, disposable, amorphous, blandness.

simulacrum /sĭm′′yə-lā′krəm, -lăk′rəm/ noun

1. That which is formed in the likeness of any object; an image.

2. A shadowy or unreal likeness of anything; a phantom; a vague, unreal representation.

3. A formal sign; a sign which represents a thing by resembling it, but does not indicate it, or stand for the actual presence of the thing.