Past Lessons, Future Theories
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Swoon 184 - April 23, 2007
Orbital- Sad But True (ffrr)
Andrea Parker-The Swamp (Quatermass)
The Quantum Hologram-All Over (That mix) (Kelp)
Shout Out Out Out Out - Self Loathing Rulz (Normals Welcome)
LCD Soundsystem - Us v Them (EMI)
Jamie Lidell - A Little Bit More (Warp)
The Flaming Lips - The Wand Supernaturalistic (Goldfrapp mix) (Warner Bros)
Luciano - Tonnerre (Cadenza)
Kupon - Zoom In (Curfew)
Popnoname - Kapital (Italic)
From Karaoke to Stardom - Uppers Downers Screamers (Rrygular)
Jurgen Paape - Nord (Kompakt)
Luca Bacchetti - What Ever (Wagon Repair)
Sleeparchive - Perspective (Ostgut)
Kiko - Solar
Little More Ying Yang – Reach (Little More mix) (Strictly Rhythm)
Spacebaby - Free Your Mind (Tall Paul mix) (Hooj)
Slacker – Imagineer (Jukebox in the Sky)
Rabbit in the Moon - Burning Spear (Hardkiss)
Ladycreme – Motherload (Hyptone)
Vegas Soul - Freeze (Bellboy)
Tim Hecker - Azure Azure (Alien8)
Labels: dance, dj, Music, Swoon, Techno, Tracklist
¶ 9:35 AM 0 Comments Links to this post
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Swoon 183 - April 16, 2007
The 7th Plain - Symphony for the Surrealists (Ostgut)
Burbuja - Recipe To Cook An Idea
Thomas Fehlmann - T r n t t f (Kompakt)
The Quantum Hologram - States of Grace (Kelp)
LCD Soundsystem - Someone Great (EMI)
Popnoname - No Doubt (Italic)
Paulussen and Cali - Destra (Lofi stereo)
Einmusik - Saw and Backings (Italic)
Audiojack - Coastline (20:20 Vision)
Claude von Stroke - Whistler (Audiofly remix) (Go deeva)
Octogen - C-side (D-beat remix) (Soma)
Riton - Hammer of Thor (Connaisseur)
Shiloh - Café del Mariachi (Hope)
Stephan Bodzin - Liebe Est (Spielzeug)
Lawrence - Along the Wire (Superpitcher mix) (Ladomat 2000)
Metope - Untitled AR01
Jeremy Caulfield - Licorice Wing (Dumb Unit)
Selway Vincenzo - Dream Stealer (Joel Mull mix) (csm)
Tim Hecker - They Call Me Jimmy (Alien8)
Burbuja - Recipe To Cook An Idea
Thomas Fehlmann - T r n t t f (Kompakt)
The Quantum Hologram - States of Grace (Kelp)
LCD Soundsystem - Someone Great (EMI)
Popnoname - No Doubt (Italic)
Paulussen and Cali - Destra (Lofi stereo)
Einmusik - Saw and Backings (Italic)
Audiojack - Coastline (20:20 Vision)
Claude von Stroke - Whistler (Audiofly remix) (Go deeva)
Octogen - C-side (D-beat remix) (Soma)
Riton - Hammer of Thor (Connaisseur)
Shiloh - Café del Mariachi (Hope)
Stephan Bodzin - Liebe Est (Spielzeug)
Lawrence - Along the Wire (Superpitcher mix) (Ladomat 2000)
Metope - Untitled AR01
Jeremy Caulfield - Licorice Wing (Dumb Unit)
Selway Vincenzo - Dream Stealer (Joel Mull mix) (csm)
Tim Hecker - They Call Me Jimmy (Alien8)
Labels: dance, dj, Swoon, Techno, Tracklist
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Thursday, April 12, 2007
Lost - Juliet revealed
Who knew Juliet had such a nice body underneath all those layered outfits she's always wearing? Booyakasha!
Labels: television
¶ 8:59 AM 0 Comments Links to this post
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Tobias Thomas - Please Please Please
Tobias Thomas' Please Please Please is one of the least melodic mix cds I have ever heard. That's not a bad thing, I just wanted to get it out of the way up front. It's minimal, and not melodic.
The first 13 minutes are beatless and almost shapeless, with two abstract tracks from Pantha du Prince and Adolf Noise intermingled. Things pick up as Thomas eases us into some beats with Krause Duo's "Kingpult", before sliding into Johannes Heil's "Aquarius", a suitably submarine track. Then some scratchy noises bring us into Vulva String Quartett's "Wild Wild Berry".
It's followed by various techno tracks from Ricardo Villalobos, The Kooky Scientist (fun acid blippiness), and others from the minimal and techno scenes. Most of the tracks are slower, and as I mentioned before, have no melody to speak of, at least not one that is hummable.
After this section, the speed picks up abruptly, with tracks from Thomas Burger, Reinhard Voigt, and less well known minimal and techno artists. It's a bubbly and fairly funky section.
The first 13 minutes are beatless and almost shapeless, with two abstract tracks from Pantha du Prince and Adolf Noise intermingled. Things pick up as Thomas eases us into some beats with Krause Duo's "Kingpult", before sliding into Johannes Heil's "Aquarius", a suitably submarine track. Then some scratchy noises bring us into Vulva String Quartett's "Wild Wild Berry".
It's followed by various techno tracks from Ricardo Villalobos, The Kooky Scientist (fun acid blippiness), and others from the minimal and techno scenes. Most of the tracks are slower, and as I mentioned before, have no melody to speak of, at least not one that is hummable.
After this section, the speed picks up abruptly, with tracks from Thomas Burger, Reinhard Voigt, and less well known minimal and techno artists. It's a bubbly and fairly funky section.
As a finale, Thomas changes gears again, and goes into a slower, poppy ending anchored by two tracks. The first is by International Pony, with a very out of tune melody. But it's oddly catchy. The second is Thomas Geiger's "Stella Dreams", a house ending with strong female vocals.
It's a very interesting, idiosyncratic mix that certainly stands out from the crowd. There are no commercial hits or anthems to make you rock out. Still, it's a good listen. If you can handle the lack of melody, go for it.
It will be out on Kompakt on April 30.
Labels: dance, dj, minimal, Music, Techno
¶ 11:34 AM 0 Comments Links to this post
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Swoon 182 - April 9, 2007
Pantha du Prince - Seeds of Sleep (Dial)
Burbuja - Miss Tortilla de Patata
Gudrun Gut - Cry Easy (Pole mix) (Monika)
Kalabrese - Body Tight (Stattmusik)
The Black Dog - Tactile (Soma)
Robag Wruhme - Ikkes Schlonze (Musik Krause)
Adultnapper - Kaitlin (Superfreq)
Luciano - Somewhere Near This Heat (Cadenza)
Ame - Fiori (Ostgut)
Tim Hecker - Shipyards of La Ceiba (Alien8)
Tiga - Welcome to Planet Sexor (Turbo)
Tiga - Far From Home (Turbo)
Automat - Prelude 4 (Karat)
Scratch Massive - Shadows
Matzak - Harmony (Boxer)
Tv on the Radio - Tonight (Interscope)
Trentemoller - While The Cold Winter Waiting (Poker Flat)
Neon Tetra - Hidden Secret (Noise Factory)
Burbuja - Miss Tortilla de Patata
Gudrun Gut - Cry Easy (Pole mix) (Monika)
Kalabrese - Body Tight (Stattmusik)
The Black Dog - Tactile (Soma)
Robag Wruhme - Ikkes Schlonze (Musik Krause)
Adultnapper - Kaitlin (Superfreq)
Luciano - Somewhere Near This Heat (Cadenza)
Ame - Fiori (Ostgut)
Tim Hecker - Shipyards of La Ceiba (Alien8)
Tiga - Welcome to Planet Sexor (Turbo)
Tiga - Far From Home (Turbo)
Automat - Prelude 4 (Karat)
Scratch Massive - Shadows
Matzak - Harmony (Boxer)
Tv on the Radio - Tonight (Interscope)
Trentemoller - While The Cold Winter Waiting (Poker Flat)
Neon Tetra - Hidden Secret (Noise Factory)
Labels: dance, Music, Swoon, Techno, Tracklist
¶ 1:06 PM 0 Comments Links to this post
Friday, April 06, 2007
Why are digital cameras so much more expensive in Canada?
I bought a new digital camera. The model doesn't matter, but for price, what country you buy it in obviously does. After shopping for months, I settled on a camera and began comparison shopping. Eventually, I bought it from Amazon in the US, for a total of $396.50 Canadian, which was the price of the camera plus one spare battery. The same package, from Henry's, a large and well-known Canadian retailer, was $695.37. The difference is $298.87. This goes far, far beyond what one could reasonably expect to pay "extra" for in Canada, such as shipping, exchange rates, tariffs and duties.
To further my point, the camera I bought is replacing an older model. The older model has fewer megapixels and features and more noise in the pictures, according to the reviews. The older model is currently on sale at Sears for $490.19, which would include all taxes, no spare battery. It's also on sale at Futureshop, a Canadian chain owned by Best Buy, and Best Buy Canada, for $376.19, again, all taxes, no spare battery.
So, why are digital camera so much more expensive in Canada? I wish I knew.
To further my point, the camera I bought is replacing an older model. The older model has fewer megapixels and features and more noise in the pictures, according to the reviews. The older model is currently on sale at Sears for $490.19, which would include all taxes, no spare battery. It's also on sale at Futureshop, a Canadian chain owned by Best Buy, and Best Buy Canada, for $376.19, again, all taxes, no spare battery.
So, why are digital camera so much more expensive in Canada? I wish I knew.
Labels: economics
¶ 10:24 AM 0 Comments Links to this post
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
Efdemin - Untitled
¶ 10:38 AM 0 Comments Links to this post
Efdemin's "Untitled" album is full of haunting and sad techno. The album starts at a fast clip, with "Knocking At the Grand", a brief opener. Next is the previously released "Lohn Und Brot", a simple minimal track with lots of noises and a deep bassline.
Then comes my favourite tracks, "Le Ratafia" and "Acid Bells". The first is melodic technno, at a relaxed pace. It's not complicated, but it's got nice melody and percussion. "Acid Bells" is the total opposite, with weird, haunting melodies and constant clanging of bells. It's very intense and some people will find it unsettling, but I like it a lot.
There are other decent tracks, like the shuffly "Back To School", the atonal sounds of "Further Back" and the housier "Salix Alba".
"Stately Yes"is certainly the strangest track on the disc, along with the lengthy "April Fool". They are probably the least successful tracks on the album.
The album ends with "Bergwein", which became an underground techno hit last summer. This isn't much of a surprise, the bassline and sweeping strings work together very well.
It will be released on Dial Records on May 7.
¶ 10:38 AM 0 Comments Links to this post
Luke Fair - Balance 011
Luke Fair is the latest dj from the progressive house scene to do a mix for the Balance series. His two cd mix is very good. When I received my copy I knew some of the artists but did not know a single track, so I wasn't sure what I was in for.
CD1 starts off in a mild mood, and then picks up into a fine house mix. Some of the standout tracks are King Britt's mix of Rich Medina's "Can't Hold Back", which features a great chord loop, Wamdue Project's funky "Home Planet", and Acca's spacy "Rain". In the second half, it gets a little more energetic, with David Holmes "69 Police", Kinka's "Burnin", Nightrider's saxophone bomb "Getaway". Overall, I prefer the first half to the second. It holds together a bit more, and I just like the tracks better.
CD2 is a little more of the progressive sound, and a bit faster. There's some serious funk from Dusk and Prayd, Elektrochemie, and Klmnt. The ending is quite fantastic. The last four tracks, from Marnix, Subtech, Michell and Humate bring things to a wonderful, exciting ending.
Both cds are very melodic, but they never descend into cheesy or excessively weepy territory. It's one of the best Balance releases in the last year or two.
CD1 starts off in a mild mood, and then picks up into a fine house mix. Some of the standout tracks are King Britt's mix of Rich Medina's "Can't Hold Back", which features a great chord loop, Wamdue Project's funky "Home Planet", and Acca's spacy "Rain". In the second half, it gets a little more energetic, with David Holmes "69 Police", Kinka's "Burnin", Nightrider's saxophone bomb "Getaway". Overall, I prefer the first half to the second. It holds together a bit more, and I just like the tracks better.
CD2 is a little more of the progressive sound, and a bit faster. There's some serious funk from Dusk and Prayd, Elektrochemie, and Klmnt. The ending is quite fantastic. The last four tracks, from Marnix, Subtech, Michell and Humate bring things to a wonderful, exciting ending.
Both cds are very melodic, but they never descend into cheesy or excessively weepy territory. It's one of the best Balance releases in the last year or two.
Labels: dance, dj, House, Music, Tech-house
¶ 9:30 AM 0 Comments Links to this post
Monday, April 02, 2007
Swoon 181 - April 2, 2007
Trentemoller - Take Me Into Your Skin (Poker Flat)
The Black Dog - The Weight (Soma)
NAW - Mid-Winter Sailboat Rescue (Noise Factory)
Minilogue - That's a Nice Way to Give Me Feedback
Artificial Latmavaki - Konstaapelin Ajan (Traum)
Touane - Eirtanz (LAN)
Alex Neri and Luca Banchetti - La fotografia
Mike Shannon - 8 bit rojo (Cynosure)
Luciano - Keridos (Cadenza)
Elektrochemie - Mucky Star (Get Physical)
Alex Maier - Made in Nebraska (Buzzin Fly)
Stardiver - Another Moment of Silence (Kompakt)
From Karaoke to Stardom - Hometown Bulkk Klubb (Rrygular)
Efdemin - Acid Bells (Dial)
Gudrun Gut - In Pieces (Burger/Voigt mix) (Monika)
Jeremy Caulfield - Lacewing Puff (Dumb Unit)
Midnight Operator - (Return of the Zombies) (Wagon Repair)
Tam Cooper - Galactica (Exercise One mix) (Simple)
The Black Dog - The Weight (Soma)
NAW - Mid-Winter Sailboat Rescue (Noise Factory)
Minilogue - That's a Nice Way to Give Me Feedback
Artificial Latmavaki - Konstaapelin Ajan (Traum)
Touane - Eirtanz (LAN)
Alex Neri and Luca Banchetti - La fotografia
Mike Shannon - 8 bit rojo (Cynosure)
Luciano - Keridos (Cadenza)
Elektrochemie - Mucky Star (Get Physical)
Alex Maier - Made in Nebraska (Buzzin Fly)
Stardiver - Another Moment of Silence (Kompakt)
From Karaoke to Stardom - Hometown Bulkk Klubb (Rrygular)
Efdemin - Acid Bells (Dial)
Gudrun Gut - In Pieces (Burger/Voigt mix) (Monika)
Jeremy Caulfield - Lacewing Puff (Dumb Unit)
Midnight Operator - (Return of the Zombies) (Wagon Repair)
Tam Cooper - Galactica (Exercise One mix) (Simple)
Labels: dance, dj, Swoon, Techno, Tracklist
¶ 4:55 PM 0 Comments Links to this post
