cex

The seemingly non-random preferences of my iPod

I’ve talked about this before, but it keeps happening and I need to remind myself that nothing nefarious is going on.

For the fourth time since I started the tunequest, I’ve had to question the randomness of my ipod. first, there’s cex’s being ridden and being ridden instrumentals, which were played pretty much back to back. Then there was Danny Elfman’s Batman scores. more recently, the device decided to play nothing but drum-n-bass for a while, despite that particular genre’s relative scarcity in my library.

Today however, no sooner had Nirvana’s unplugged session finished than i was presented with Pearl Jam’s performance of the same.

To be fair, I have to remind myself that these sort of coincidences are completely natural. Indeed, four instances within the 135 days of the project thus far is nothing to get choked up about. Still I always raise an eyebrow when I notice a new pattern. In today’s case, maybe the iPod just wanted to further perpetuate the music-media-manufactured feud between Cobain and Vedder.

But believe me, I’m not complaining. Both performances are mind blowing. Come As You Are sounds phenomenal on Nirvana’s unplugged record and Pearl Jam’s unplugged rendition of Porch is the best one in existence.

Cex – Lyrically Superior, & Random iPod thoughts

I know Apple has repeatedly assured the world that both iTunes and the iPod are truly random devices. And I know that by definition, randomness is unpredictable and that when I’m surprised that my iPod chose to play both Cex’s Being Ridden and Being Ridden Instrumentals within an hour of each other, it’s because my mind is seeking to add order to a chaotic system, searching for a pattern among the data points.

I know true randomness allows for, and even anticipates, such coincidences from time to time, but that doesn’t make the phenomenon any less disconcerting. Not that I’m complaining. Both of Cex’s Being Ridden albums are true works of lyrical and musical poetry and it was a joy to listen to both his nuanced, straight-ahead, hard-charging lyrics and his well-composed music. Without the lyrics, the instrumentals take on a smooth, relaxing, almost orchestral quality, the way the best idm does.

That Kid Rjyan has got some real talent and puts on a good live show too. Mix equal parts Fresh Prince and Eminem, but take away their schtick and you’ll get something close to these albums: a singable but poignant electronic-rocky-hip-hop-hybrid that’s really not like anything you’ve ever heard.

check out these lyrics from Earth-Shaking Event, easily Cex at his finest. Now there’s an ideal I can get behind.