selvehealing mat

Juliaan Lampens

2010-04-12T08:36:00.000-07:00

If you have a thing for rough, unfinished concrete like I do, Lampens is for you.

Long Live Sten Egil Dahl

2010-04-04T22:26:00.000-07:00

Stop whatever it is you're doing and watch Reprise.

Logorama

2010-03-31T21:51:00.000-07:00

The Oscar-winning animated short.

spreadin' love is the brooklyn way

2010-03-31T20:13:00.001-07:00

Inside Roman & Williams

2010-03-31T09:31:00.000-07:00

A visually stunning look into the NYC design firm Roman & Williams, responsible for the incredible Ace Hotel and The Standard. Have a look and be wowed.

iamwhoami

2010-03-29T09:44:00.000-07:00

No one knows who you are. However, if you watch these in sequence, it's pretty awesome. Turning out to be an impressive project. Who are you?

Map: DC bar crawl

2010-03-29T09:33:00.000-07:00

Brickskellar has a beer list that puts the Pitchfork 500 to shame and a bartender that knows all of them. The Dubliner was full of Congressmen and weren't too happy that we were there. Capitol City Brewing has a $9 sampler where you can try everything that they brew there. All in all, a pretty solid night, for starting at 6 and ending around 11.

View DC crawl in a larger map

Live Event

2010-03-29T09:06:00.000-07:00

The term "live" is deceiving. Pittsburgh has two speeds; "normal," and "raining." One of them is the speed of a snail; the other is that of a brain-dead three-legged Greyhound. You can figure out which one is which.

Here's a live event that I absolutely encourage you to play with.

<a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=fec282640a" >Online Journalism</a>

Review: Autechre - Oversteps

2010-03-28T23:05:00.000-07:00

Autechre, formed in 1991, has enjoyed a long career of critical success and wide alternative audiences. Yorkshire, England duo Sean Booth and Rob Brown, influenced by the dark, abstract proto-jazz of Coil, the primal, Dadaist terror of Cabaret Voltaire and the plastic-snapping crisp percussion of European club music, amassed an impressive amount of gear before they even graduated from high school. Rather than creating music that dripped with emotive affectation, opted to create sharply digitally textured collages of rhythmic, hyper-processed sound that ebbs and flows with a distinct pulse.

Their latest, Oversteps, is a more album-centric effort than 2008’s Quaristice. This time around, Autechre sounds like a more analog, jazzier Gridlock, mixing overdriven bass fuzz hits with skittering drum machine patches. Square wave blips and saw wave bass lines thud and collide with MIDI General Instrument-sounding intervals in a kind of foreign parroting. Oversteps, crafted of artfully-sliced Odyssian passages of moods, push the edges of electronic rock like the thin walls of a slowly blown-out latex balloon, hearkening to early 2000’s digitally-sourced electronica, around the time when we were figuring out what Google was and Napster was still a good idea. (Some of us were there, man.)

Enjoy a Warp-provided album sampler below. Pick it up from Warpmart if you like what you hear. (The packaging is beautiful.)

New McQueen photos

2010-03-26T09:38:00.000-07:00

What a guy. 20 never-seen-before photos.

Joanna Newsom, Live in DC

2010-03-26T09:16:00.000-07:00

Awesome trip, great friends. I'm really happy I got to see her.

Filmed guerrilla-style as the recording Nazis at 6th & I were shutting everyone down for taking pictures.

RIP Alex Chilton, 1950 - 2010

2010-03-17T21:29:00.000-07:00

The great Alex Chilton is dead. Long live Alex Chilton.

"I guess that my life has been a series of flukes in the record business. The first thing I ever did was the biggest record that I'll ever have."

Bryan Schutmaat

2010-03-16T16:34:00.000-07:00

A degree of separation to the guy, I guess. Beautiful portraits and landscapes from Bryan Schutmaat.

xxxkydkfgh

2010-03-15T13:05:00.000-07:00

Dear Diary,

God bless America! Since we all keep our hands in our pockets when it's cold instead of wearing gloves, and scarves are for people who like the idea of scarves, and umbrellas don't really work too well with bicycles. Fender fanders.

I've decided I'm going to re-write a second grade science textbook using dog years as units of measure (20,000 dog years under the sea / 20 dog years to the moon / 3.5 dog years since we last hung out) and Cheerios as units of "work" (in place of Kelvins, Netwon-meters, calories per second, and so forth) since not only do they fill hot dogs, veggie hot dogs, and maybe real dogs, but they also fuel robots at General Mills that, in turn, make more Cheerios. Self-sustainability!

Anyways, it's been an average day, Diary, and I just want to start sharing some more things with you.

James

On the subject of: Post-Punk

2010-03-15T09:44:00.000-07:00

A Certain Ratio - Shack Up

Virgin Prunes - Theme For Thought

The Wake - On Our Honeymoon

Ike Yard - We Are One

POST PUNK

2010-03-15T09:26:00.000-07:00

Food design by R&E Praspaliauskas

Piano Man: a short film

2010-03-12T07:53:00.000-08:00

Piano Man from Andrew Wilding on Vimeo.

Mix: 333

2010-03-11T22:54:00.000-08:00

Since apparently my city is being faced with "The Worst Flood Since 1986," I made this mix for the oncoming storm. The Earth is saying, "enough," and we don't care. We never will. I paced this like how I've seen storms transpire after spending most of my childhood outdoors - all-out and posturing at first, then peacefully consistent.

Download MP3 (Mediafire)

Track listing:
1. Rachels - Systems / Layers
2. Neurosis - From the Hill
3. Sleep - Numb
4. True Widow - Minor it Down
5. Mount Fuji Doomjazz Corp. - Strange Dreams
6. Black Motor - Aamen
7. Grouper - Second Skin-Zombie Wind
8. Mount Eerie - With My Hands Out

cuban linx

2010-03-10T08:51:00.001-08:00

a cursory guide to krautrock

2010-03-09T12:38:00.000-08:00

Krautrock was an experimental music form in the early 1970s, born in Germany and offensively named as such by the war-obsessed post-World War II British music press. Krautrock was rooted in psychedelica but evolved into its own true art form. Instead of following the beaten path of Western music and the German state-sanctioned deustche Schlager (inoffensive, bland pop music), Krautrock bands broke musical conventions and experimented with early synthesizers, drones, and avant-garde arrangements. Bands like Faust, Neu!, Can, Amon Duul, and the supergroup Harmonia continually expressed themselves freely and without any fear of mainstream rejection.

NEU! - Hallogallo

Can - The Theif

Faust - It's A Rainy Day, Sunshine Girl

Harmonia - Veterano

Cluster - Hollywood

mag wheels and x-ups

2010-03-05T22:14:00.000-08:00

Found these photos via Scott Hansen's ISO50 blog. This was my early adolescence, only later, in 1998. Play the song and stare at these photos.

Minor Threat @ the 930 club, 1983

2010-03-05T21:24:00.000-08:00

RESPECT.

Via Secret Forts.

APRICOT, a short film

2010-02-26T11:32:00.000-08:00

APRICOT, short film by Ben Briand (sponsored by his incredible actors and crew) from Moonwalk Films on Vimeo.
Do you remember your first love? ... Do you remember your first kiss? ... Do you remember? ...

Georg Bohle Piano Table

2010-02-26T11:29:00.000-08:00

via DYT

Designer Georg Bohle has merged the musical and practical in this special dining room table. Georg Bohle’s Piano Table has hidden a full-size, 88-key electric piano under its surface, available to be played with the simple flip of a top-side door. More at TheCoolist.

Mix: Run For Your Money vol. 2

2010-02-25T21:07:00.000-08:00

Listen. Rarely do I present such things with such enthusiasm but I really think this thing gels like nothing I've been involved with before. The Run for Your Money series I'm doing with Rory might just have found its tone.

Download here

Tracklist:
01. A Broken Consort - For Nothing
02. Indian Jewelry - Walking on the Water
03. Fennesz + Sakamoto - Cendre
04. Oneohtrix Point Never - Format & Journey North
05. Origin Unknown - Valley of the Shadows
06. Venetian Snares - This Bitter Earth
07. Tricky - Makes Me Wanna Die
08. Ak-Momo - Women to Control
09. Fela Kuti - Trouble Sleep Yanga Wake Am
10. Bugskull - High Steppin' II
11. Killah Priest - Heavy Mental
12. Giuseppe Ielasi - Aix 03
13. Four Tet - The Butterfly Effect
14. Pivot - Nothing Hurts Machine

Previously: Run for Your Money 1

Patha du Prince - Black Noise

2010-02-25T06:04:00.000-08:00

It's nearly 9 a.m. and I've woken up absurdly early to get some music listening out of the way, mostly stuff I've passed on in the past week or so. I really think only I do this, waking up with the sole purpose of listening to and writing about music. Maybe it's just me; maybe there are millions like me. There probably are. Mostly staff writers.

In any event, this new Pantha du Prince joint Black Noise is exactly what I was looking for in color-balanced task light and black coffee haze. German-born Hendrik Weber has released similar-sounding music under a variety of monikers, but Pantha has ended up being his most nameable.

What sets this record apart from other minimal electronic acts is that Weber doesn't just lock into a groove for eight minutes; the tracks seem to play around and jam out a little, switching from sound to sound and from beat to beat. The end result is an organic-sounding, breathing, dynamic record, heavy on the psychedelics and much grittier than other Pantha jawn. This has been a favorable review.

Tortoise

2010-02-22T21:47:00.000-08:00

I saw Tortoise last week at Mr. Smalls'. For those unaquainted with their music, Chicago natives Tortoise revolutionized independent music in the '90s by incorporating more left-field influences into their post-rock compositions like Krautrock, avant-jazz, electronica, and classical minimalism. Leaning on crisp instrumentation, instrumental prowess and the dynamics of the players themselves, Tortoise swam alone in a punk- and rock-dominated music sea for a good while. The first album, Tortoise, cemented the tone for Chicago prog rock in 1994 and secured Tortoise's label, Thrill Jockey, as a mainstay label in the underground music world.

Tortoise broke the surface of the underground with Millions Now Living Will Never Die in 1996, followed by the seminal TNT in 1998. Standards emerged in 2001, followed by It's All Around You in 2004, a collaborative album with Bonnie 'Prince' Billy called The Brave and The Bold, numerous side-project albums, and 2009's Beacons of Ancestorship.

Tortoise, in all their musical proliferation and incredible connections to other major players in the music world, were pretty solid live. I was surprised by their relatively simple stage setup; I was expecting tons more equipment. Seems like old hat for these guys - and that's exactly what I saw; a well-oiled, legendary machine. Check out some videos below.

"I was in this long, dark tunnel."

2010-02-18T23:42:00.000-08:00

Blogs were meant for scientists to post their findings during research and other scientists could add their thoughts and provide feedback, not for kids with feelings to talk about their lives.

Excuse the lack of words. I never really wood-blocked it in my playpen; I drew on the mirror.

I'm excited to announce that the music department at WPPJ is actually in gear for once in two years. Awesome show, great job. Being a college radio nerd shouldn't be a negative experience.

A disclaimer before we start: I'm providing links to things that I'm trusting you with. Real trustworthy jawn. Buy it after you spin it, or delete it. Simple as that.

Recent discoveries; this is 2010's version of a 'zine and yes, Virginia, I discovered them after you:

Oneohtrix Point Never - Rifts

Glistening, psycho-synthual drones done with Russian analog boxes and arpeggiators. The man behind the work, Daniel Lopatin, has feverishly recorded every bit of experimentation over the past two years. Rifts, over its odyssian 2.5-hour triple-album length, simultaneously evokes concepts of and emotional reactions to nostalgia and yearning for the future. (If you're of the mind to and can find emotional expression in drone music, high five. We should be friends.) Download part 1, part 2

Holly Miranda - The Magician's Private Library

Once upon a time, Miranda sung for the Brooklyn band The Jealous Girlfriends and on the side as Raven Mayhem. Now, behind her own name, Miranda has expanded lyrically and instrumentally, calling on talented instrumentation and some inspired production tricks to create what for you is a Shine On You Crazy Diamond for 2010. The Magician's Private Library sways and tumbles in on itself with pristine vocals floating above the narcoleptic whirlpool surrounded by a gold smoke-hazed laser show.

Mix: Proceeds the Weedian Nazareth

2010-02-16T11:37:00.000-08:00

Headstrong voyages through textured swamps. Good solo / headphone bedroom listening.

Download Here

Tracklist:
1. Amp - Matilda's Shorts Wave
2. High Places - Canada
3. Eagle Twin - I Dreaded That Frist Robin, So…
4. Heart Heart Julia - Lord Did She Sing
5. Mountain Man - Mouthwings (a capella)
6. Richard Skelton - Heys
7. Robedoor - Into Shadow
8. Sequoia - Liz.Sex.Dave

New Mix: Run For Your Money 1

2010-02-15T00:23:00.000-08:00

Produced in association with my boy Rory over at Stilltown; in effect this is part of a new series. Dude does some legit work; puts out a compilation of local hip-hop tracks every so often, as well as the occasional mix of stuff from other cities. Also posts a lot of really rare underground hip-hop; worth it if you're looking to expand your borders a little.

Download Here

Tracklist:
1. Lee Fields & The Expressions - Money I$ King
2. Discotheque - Disco Special
3. Divine Styler - Grey Matter
4. Squarepusher - Circular Flexing
5. Amighty Arrogant - Red Rain
6. Ichiro - Jibun no SUMO mix (clip)
7. Mandalay - Insensible
8. SALEM - Streets of Philadelphia
9. Morcheeba - Howling
10. Flying Lotus - Quakes
11. Impact All Stars - Easy Come dub
12. Phaseone - Confessio Amantis
13. Heiner Goebbels - So Wird Der Schrecken Ohne Ende Langsam Normale Leben
14. Aa - We've Come Too Far

A Poll

2010-02-14T23:45:00.001-08:00

THE RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS - your preference(survey software)

Mountain Man

2010-02-10T10:35:00.001-08:00

Watch and weep.

Mountain Man "Mouthwings" [part 1 of 3] from Yours Truly on Vimeo.

mix

2010-02-08T19:37:00.000-08:00

(INTRO)
SALEM - redlightsheath
Blissed Out - Jain
Bullion - Say Goodbye to What
Ooooo - sedsumthing
Soft Circle - Feel the Light
The Seven Fields of Aphelion - Grown
Sleepover - Your World is Night
(OUT)

Download and enjoy.

Brooklyn Banks closed

2010-02-07T15:16:00.000-08:00

The iconic skate park that was never supposed to be is closed until 2014 due to construction on the expressway above. The skateable future of the underground landmark remains unseen. Skate legend Mike Vallely talks about the banks in the video below. An important history lesson for anyone on the East Coast with no knowledge of this fulcrum of culture.

Low - The Great Destroyer

2010-02-04T20:34:00.000-08:00

This album hit me when it was new as achieving that spellbinding quality that so many other acts strive for. Then, like the good late high school student I was, I listened to the rest of Low's back catalog. Vintage or no, The Great Destroyer is a sonic masterpiece. Download it if you like; listen to it here below.

The Great Destroyer - Low

Been a while

2010-02-04T00:01:00.000-08:00

All apologies. "Real life" has eclipsed the blogging world. I'm really feeling this stuff right now.

Yellow Submarine infuser

2010-02-01T09:36:00.000-08:00

Good news for tea-drinking Beatles fans; Ototo's Tea Sub tea infuser lets you geek out a little. Good concept. From KR.

1986 kitsch

2010-01-26T12:00:00.000-08:00

Chances are, the older it is, the better it's going to sound.

Inspiration: Vanishing Point

2010-01-26T11:09:00.001-08:00

Vanishing Point from Bonsajo on Vimeo.

New Clipd Beaks - "Blood" and "Home"

2010-01-26T07:23:00.000-08:00

Oakland noise-rockers Clipd Beaks' new one, To Realize, is out today on Lovepump United. It's evocative and slow, like a slow letting out of everything. A dirge. I'd give you the whole album, but instead, here are the tracks the band has given away thus far. Buy it - it's worth it.

Clipd Beaks - Blood

Clipd Beaks - Home

Download everything in the band's past discography here.

Feltron 2009 Annual Report

2010-01-25T11:44:00.000-08:00

Nicolas kills it again. Amazing data visualization. More; order.

Rest in Peace: Bob Noorda

2010-01-25T11:37:00.000-08:00

The Times is running a story on the death of Bob Noorda, the man behind the transit signage for the city of New York. Noorda died from trauma suffered in a fall on January 11 in Milan, Italy. He was 82. Noorda's designs represented a new age in Modernism, marrying Bauhaus simplicity to vibrant graphic styling.

Thanks to Ms. Packett for the heads-up.

Endorsement: Until The Light Takes Us

2010-01-25T09:19:00.000-08:00

Until the Light Takes Us is a feature-length documentary on the black metal movement in Norway in the early to mid-1990s. For those of you (not) in the dark, black metal rose to notoriety due to a rash of church burnings, murders, and suicides. However, along with this came an explosion of creative and artistic expression that would define an inexplicable rebellion against modern culture and Christianity, as well as a nihilistic exploration of the human condition.

Until the Light Takes Us opens in Pittsburgh at the Melwood Screening Room this Friday, January 29 until February 2. Opening night festivities include a live set by local black metallurgists Manahaga, accompanied by visuals by R. Henry and atmospherics by Forest Dweller. I will be there.

For those skeptical of the intellectual merits of black metal as a cultural phenomenon, the New York Times recently reported on an academic discourse on the genre that happened in Brooklyn. Read and be enlightened. Most interestingly, black metal is discussed as a part of the natural rite of confession. Hm.

After the jump, TRAILER, a black metal-themed image explosion (courtesy of Peter Beste's grade-A photo essay book True Norweigan Black Metal), and a couple of songs.

Wish list: Agent Gallery

2010-01-21T19:30:00.000-08:00

This past summer, I spent a little bit of time in the Midwest. Being from the suburbs outside of the rust belt, I saw a lot of industrial waste on a grand scale; entire skeletons of steel mills looming over old mill access roads I would take to friends' houses - which were, in turn, filled with furniture from Ikea and Target. The Midwest has a traditional quality to it; it's as if everything that was made or used there was meant to stay in use there in one form or another. The antique shops there are insane.

As covered by Mr. Michael Williams, Agent Gallery in Chicago has some excellent industrial lighting for sale, along with some interesting objects and well-worn furniture. Here are my picks from the inventory. All their prices seem pretty reasonable, considering the supposed rarity / condition. I'll have to check this place out if I'm ever in Chicago.

"The Cove" work light

Railroad desk

Ebonized work table

T-stand work light

Early American armchair

Grouper - Sputnik score

2010-01-21T13:28:00.000-08:00

Haunting, beautiful; the most amazing thing I've seen in weeks.

Serious Listen: Toro y Moi - Blessa

2010-01-20T18:23:00.000-08:00

Beer in a measuring cup. Causers of This out 2/2 on Carpark.

MP3: Toro y Moi - Blessa

Inspiration: Painted helmets

2010-01-20T18:16:00.000-08:00

Amazing what creativity the human mind resorts to when placed under incredible stress. Thanks to A Time to Get.

Nice jacket

2010-01-20T18:10:00.001-08:00

Cute girl, overdoing the tribal.

Welcome

2010-01-20T09:11:00.001-08:00

Welcome to my blog.