EDIT: As has been mentioned in the comments, I referenced the wrong publication – it was Jockey Slut, not Muzik, which used the blindfold gimmick. It’s all just a haze . . . .
Back in the late 1990s, there existed a British dance music magazine called Muzik, which was supposed to be more ‘high brow’ and aimed at ‘serious’ music lovers. It was a well put together publication, if memory serves me well. One particular gimmick that they employed that has stuck in my mind was a review system they had.
They used to get in guest reviewers – producers, djs – blindfold them (they would be pictured with the blindfolds on – the review pages were pictorially driven) and then the vinyl would be played to them and they would give their opinions.
One particualr review pair stick out in my mind – Francois K and Maurice Fulton. And one particular record which they disparaged remains firmly ensconced in my brain. It was Octave One’s Untold 12″, which features Black Water. The reaction of both of them was ‘meh’ – no great shakes at all.
Amazing. Just shows that even those who are considered to be at the top of their field couldn’t spot a bona fide classic when they heard one. It may not be to everyone’s taste but you think they would recognise that it had a hook that would give it massive cross-over appeal.
I would love to avail of the gimmick that Muzik, though. When it comes to music, I am, unfortunately, predjudiced. I used to a complete music snob (insert ‘twat’) and have relaxed my strict doctrine – but not enough.
However, if I could go to a record shop (if there were any decent ones left in Dublin), have them blindfold me and then play me what gems they had on offer, I might find myself genuinely surprised, with previous inbuilt notions taking a serious battering.
No matter how much I try, preconceived notions play their part.
I do remember this gimmick and I always enjoyed reading the responses, as it showed when the industry pros weren’t behind the mixing console they are no different from the average consumer. While I understand wanting to reclaim the wonderment we once had with any genre of music that ship has sailed, so its up to each individual artist to “entertain us.” Spoils go to the victor!
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The copy I have of Blackwater is this one
http://www.discogs.com/Octave-One-Featuring-Ann-Saunderson-Blackwater/release/34601
I pretty much ignored the original version for ages , much preferring the E-Dancer vocal version, not really being bothered by the original.
Also, I buy quite a few records in All City in Dublin, Aidano. I’ve stopped buying as much online due to them and earwiggle in the same shop, so not entirely true that their are no good record shops left in the city, imo.
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Platinum Ray reply on February 15th, 2011 12:18 pm:
I 2nd that. All City / Ear Wiggle is a good place to stop by. Olan or Sunil might facilitate your blindfold request if you ask them nicely
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aidano reply on February 15th, 2011 3:54 pm:
probably have to pay double for that kind of action
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aidano reply on February 15th, 2011 4:00 pm:
Sorry, forgot about all city. but earwiggle is completely new to me. shows me how long it has been since i’ve gone record shopping . . . . and that ain’t gonna change.
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get off the internet and go to earwiggle!!!
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I was just thinking this today after listening back to a record I bought. It’s a Nicolas Jaar 10″ and much as I normally love his music I now realise the name definitely swung it for me. If i’d bought it blind I wouldn’t have parted with my dough. Definitely worth bearing in mind in order to be a bit more discerning!
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i try not to let a name influence my purchases entirely, but the usefulness of the artist’s name being on the record helps when sifting through potentially thousands of new releases. that and if i am kinda iffy on something but it is by a producer whose work i generally enjoy, i will usually buy it because it’s possible i just wasn’t in the right mood that day. generally, i don’t get too many misses this way.
that said, i have never been a huge Blackwater fan either, i don’t even own it.
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good read. blackwater is a classic imo , instrumental and the vocal, which you need to be in the mood. garnier did a nice string intro/outro between this and the streets turn the page on one of his comps. i dont know what way you could view that orginal article tbh. i tend to find the best music you dont really like the first time and it grows on you over time, although blackwater is a fairly ‘instant’ track. i liked muzik mag back in the day, got it all the time. it was the best one out there until jockey slut came along
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I gotta agree with the blindfolded FK and MF – I hated Blackwater when I heard it, and still kind of do. Insanely overrated – the fact is they probably *were* hearing better blindfolded, and would have mis-rated it if they’d known who it was. Mediocre tunes can still become “big”.
On the other hand, the Kaotic Special Rythyms instrumental version pitched down a bit – *that* is a prowling, grinding monster…
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I used to love Muzik. I rememeber when they asked allison goldfrapp top review some tunes and she gave 0 or 1 star for every tune. except fc kahunas hayling which got 2 stars from ms goldfrapp
good old days richie hawtin’s ratings were similar but he gave 4 stars for a circulation track 
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it was jockey slut i believe, that started this blind testing panel
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frank reply on February 22nd, 2011 9:32 pm:
the plot thickens: i never read jockey slut but i distinctly remember a blind testing panel in some publication.
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Similarly, one of my favourite ways of listening to new music is a mix for which I haven’t viewed the tl – the less I know, the better.
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jonny5 reply on February 18th, 2011 5:55 am:
yes, I also like this approach. I usually try and hold off posting a tracklist to mixes for a bit because i know some people are into this too. the stats for mix downloads increase massively once a tracklist is posted though, so i guess most people like to know what they are going to listen to (even though they might not know the tracks).
as far as blackwater goes, the instrumental used to get played a lot by by jeff mills at lost and i always loved how it sounded in his mix, but it got overplayed in the end.
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also hated blackwater the first time i heard it. that was the vocal version and was on some shitty carl cox promo cd – around the time he became shite. i had been a carl cox obsessive up to that point and id say my opinion of the track was influenced by how disappointed i was on hearing the mix. anyway, pretty sure i started to like the track after hearing it (instrumental version) in the jeff mills exhibitionist mix. i think it has a lot to do with the context i hear a track in whether i like it or not. it happens me sometimes with records i own, where i might decide i don’t like it anymore, then hear it mixed in a different context or on a club soundsystem and go mad for it again.
also agree with what tayor said – often the tracks i come to like most i don’t like on first listen.
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