Forum.RttP{Musical eugenics}

Many zines mistrust Beithíoch because the music is free. It pays to be wary of freebies. They're usually either crap or have a catch (or both if you're really lucky).

Beithíoch is different. For a genre oversaturated with bands, giving away an album for free is a shrewd move for a new band. It puts you at an advantage instantly to anyone selling their demo/album - potential listeners haven't got to weigh up whether the album will be a waste of money, nor do they have to wait very long to get ahold of it. People can be introduced to new music free, quickly and, especially important for bands who stress that an album is a complete work, properly.

Profit of course is nil, short term. long term however has other prospects, if you want to take them.

You could be forgiven for thinking after Díolaim that Beithíoch were your average, no-hoper one off bedroom black metal band. Wrong. Despite the minimalist, lo-fi sound Beithíoch is a serious project. The ideas and the music are deliberate, genuine and thought out. I want this music to be measured against the greats and I want it to enhance your life as much those classics do.

There then is the other factor - nothing exposes a work more to scrutiny than to make it freely available. There are no clever marketing teams to peddle an image and theres nothing to stop people hearing the music and deciding for themselves whether its any good. The ultimate musical eugenics.

http://www.hiarctow.com/music/beithioch

This makes sense to me. Make the barrier to hearing the work be nothing; but, let the work stand on its own merits and be harshly judged. If I still listened to black metal, I'd be all over it.

It leads me to my own form of musical eugenics, which is downloading mp3s. I download relentlessly, and delete all but a few items. If they're still there after six weeks, they get bought, if still in print. I think this rewards the artists I want to reward -- only the best.

Let the rest starve in obscurity. It's just natural selection.