How Important Is Originality In Music?

[Jerome]

I like 70's electronic music (mainly JMJ & Tangerine Dream ) but the 80's synth pop stuff is too simplistic-sounding to me. The 70's stuff had 'layered sounds' which gives it a kind of depth and atmosphere. The synth pop stuff sounds 'thin' to me. The same instruments are used for both genres but it's just how they are being used that makes the difference. I have often tried to figure out why JMJ appeals to me so much and I think it's the fact that he composes in an orchestral way - he thinks in classical terms but utilizes electronic instruments. His pieces also evolve/develop as they go along. The synth pop stuff just stays in the same rut all the time, mostly driven by a pre-determined beat which does not allow the music to breathe in any way. EDM is a case in point. With JMJ there are rhythmic structures as well but they change and sometimes disappear at times so that the music can move to a different plane or movement. Hard to explain but that's about as close as I am ever going to get to describing my perception of electronic music.