*edit* to the people in my local gamestation, it's not about the whole 'the internet is made of pipes' thing (or severed penises - where the fuck did you get that idea from!?), it's about Belgian surrealism... and Mario.
Monday, July 31, 2006
Sunday, July 30, 2006
Made a bit of a momentous decision this weekend...
Well, for me it is anyway. Basically my Japanese PSP is officially knackered, I'm not entirely sure how (although I think Loco Roco may have something to do with it) the right trigger button has become jammed or something and it's now pretty much impossible to play anything on it. And you know what? I don't think I'm going to replace it.
*Gasp!*
The PSP is undoubtedly a great little gadget; it's got a wonderful screen - plays music, videos and games, but I've come to the conclusion that I can cope with life fairly easily without one. When it came out I was amazed with games like Lumines and Ridge Racers, but since then I don't think there has really been anything that has occupied me for more than a weekend if I'm being totally honest. And looking ahead at the depressing release schedule of games (only Tekken interests me, and even that is tainted by the fact that beat-em-ups are only really enjoyable when played against a real live person that you can taunt when you win and whine when you lose), I can't see there being a game that will occupy me coming out any time soon.
Could this be a sign of things to come? I'm already seriously thinking of not getting a PS3 - big deal for me, I've brought pretty much every console since the Dreamcast on release day. New found maturity? Yikes!
Anyway, just wanted to get that off my chest. Now for something completely different: Europop.
Well, for me it is anyway. Basically my Japanese PSP is officially knackered, I'm not entirely sure how (although I think Loco Roco may have something to do with it) the right trigger button has become jammed or something and it's now pretty much impossible to play anything on it. And you know what? I don't think I'm going to replace it.
*Gasp!*
The PSP is undoubtedly a great little gadget; it's got a wonderful screen - plays music, videos and games, but I've come to the conclusion that I can cope with life fairly easily without one. When it came out I was amazed with games like Lumines and Ridge Racers, but since then I don't think there has really been anything that has occupied me for more than a weekend if I'm being totally honest. And looking ahead at the depressing release schedule of games (only Tekken interests me, and even that is tainted by the fact that beat-em-ups are only really enjoyable when played against a real live person that you can taunt when you win and whine when you lose), I can't see there being a game that will occupy me coming out any time soon.
Could this be a sign of things to come? I'm already seriously thinking of not getting a PS3 - big deal for me, I've brought pretty much every console since the Dreamcast on release day. New found maturity? Yikes!
Anyway, just wanted to get that off my chest. Now for something completely different: Europop.
europop...
The Knife - Silent Shout
Anyone in the know would have heard about this Swedish duo sometime ago, a brother and sister combo (I think) who produce slightly off kilter techno pop, and strangely on one track a sort of weird techno waltz. They also have a refreshing attitude to completely screwing around with the vocals which I guess is why they get compared with Aphex Twin sometimes. They make really cool videos and are also responsible for the tune behind the Sony Bravio advert with the bouncy balls (you really need to hunt down the One World Session version of Heartbeats... seriously, it's brilliant). Here's the wonderfully melancholic title tune.
MP3: Silent Shout
Spillsbury - Raus!
I was first made aware of this band through a post on the blog of Moebius Rex (which sadly seems to be inactive, shame really). They are a German pop-punk band, nice fast friendly beats and cheesy keyboards with punk rock bass and shouty vocals. You have to be in the right mood I guess, but when you are I think they are up there with someone like Bis (damn shame they called it a day). Bit eighties maybe, but who cares? It's fun!
MP3: Schlagzeile
The Knife - Silent Shout
Anyone in the know would have heard about this Swedish duo sometime ago, a brother and sister combo (I think) who produce slightly off kilter techno pop, and strangely on one track a sort of weird techno waltz. They also have a refreshing attitude to completely screwing around with the vocals which I guess is why they get compared with Aphex Twin sometimes. They make really cool videos and are also responsible for the tune behind the Sony Bravio advert with the bouncy balls (you really need to hunt down the One World Session version of Heartbeats... seriously, it's brilliant). Here's the wonderfully melancholic title tune.
MP3: Silent Shout
Spillsbury - Raus!
I was first made aware of this band through a post on the blog of Moebius Rex (which sadly seems to be inactive, shame really). They are a German pop-punk band, nice fast friendly beats and cheesy keyboards with punk rock bass and shouty vocals. You have to be in the right mood I guess, but when you are I think they are up there with someone like Bis (damn shame they called it a day). Bit eighties maybe, but who cares? It's fun!
MP3: Schlagzeile
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
Sunday, July 23, 2006
Me and a bearded lady:
I think it may be love... More pictures from the Studio Artois film festival thing here.
I think it may be love... More pictures from the Studio Artois film festival thing here.
Sunday, July 16, 2006
I've been playing Prey most of the weekend, I thought is was dead good unlike this somewhat average review. It's basically Doom 3 but with enough weird little twists (including some mind-bending levels involving localised gravity effects and portals which allow you to watch yourself run into a room) to make it more interesting than most run and gun games.
I can't help but think that Freud would have a thing or two to say about some of the imagary.
I can't help but think that Freud would have a thing or two to say about some of the imagary.
Monday, July 10, 2006
And I'm back!
A month away, and do I have news! Well, actually no... It's basically been a month spent watching football, avoiding the heat by reducing my activity levels to something approaching hibernation and restarting bad habits...
I gave up smoking on New Years Day, that lasted until the middle of May, by June I'd stopped sneaking around and trying to hide the fact I'm smoking again, now I'm back on pretty much a 20 a day habit. It's all too easy really, I get bored very easily or something - not exactly happy about the whole situation.
Anyway, anything positive? Well after 80 hours of gameplay I finally finished Dragon Quest.
My thoughts exactly Yangus - top game in my book.
I've also a huge pile of CDs to get through, thought I'd start off with some hero worshipping so here is a post of Justin Broadrick related MP3s.
A month away, and do I have news! Well, actually no... It's basically been a month spent watching football, avoiding the heat by reducing my activity levels to something approaching hibernation and restarting bad habits...
I gave up smoking on New Years Day, that lasted until the middle of May, by June I'd stopped sneaking around and trying to hide the fact I'm smoking again, now I'm back on pretty much a 20 a day habit. It's all too easy really, I get bored very easily or something - not exactly happy about the whole situation.
Anyway, anything positive? Well after 80 hours of gameplay I finally finished Dragon Quest.
My thoughts exactly Yangus - top game in my book.
I've also a huge pile of CDs to get through, thought I'd start off with some hero worshipping so here is a post of Justin Broadrick related MP3s.
Justin Broadrick appreciation post...
5ive - Versus
This 5ive are a band on hydrahead records, not the boy band famous for slam dunking 'da' funk. According to the blurb on the CD they are an instrumental rock band who use the bare essentials of guitar and drums, even though they have an apparently minimalistic approach there music sounds very busy - as many bands on Hydrahead, very much like Isis at times. The reason I bought this EP was for the Justin Broadrick mixes, it's really just the one mix but split into two bits - basically the music is slowed down and some atmospheric organ parts added on top. Pretty much what fans would have expected, won't here me grumble.
MP3: Soma Remix by JK Broadrick (Stage 1)
Godflesh - Streetcleaner
I was once a spotty long haired teenage metal fan (hard to belive I know!), but thankfully I found two albums that dragged me out of my rut. One was Nine Inch Nail's Pretty Hate Machine, and the other was Streetcleaner. I'd heard nothing like it, and to this day I don't think anyone has come close to it's relentless crushing power. What hit me more than anything was the simplicity of it all, beats were created using simple drum patterns, the vocals took on a mantra like quality at times, and Broadrick had this way of playing guitar riffs that made you want to freeze time and just wallow in the moment.
MP3: Head Dirt
Knut - Alter
Swiss metal anyone? How about remixed Swiss metal? I'll be honest I'm completely ignorant of most of the remixers and the source material. The only reason I bought this was the Broadrick remix, very brutal, very Godflesh at times, very enjoyable to listen to at volumes guaranteed to induce tinitus.
MP3: H/Armless
Agoraphobic Nosebleed - PCP Tornado / ANbRX
PCP Tornado was a 10 track, six and a half minute long album(?!) released on highly anti-social 6" vinyl by digital grindcore band Agoraphobic Nosebleed. There is a lot to be said for albums spanning such a short timeframe, frankly if you want to listen to grindcore properly you want it condensed into as short a time frame as possible. Kind of like a punch in the face, once is enough - being punched repeatedly is no fun! Someone though had the bright idea to add an album of remixes to this re-release, some of the remixers go for the trying to make as much noise as possible route (which is fine), there are also a few almost unlistenable gabba mixes, and then there is Broadricks which turns one of there songs into a Godflesh mix - pretty good trick for such a small amount of source material.
MP3: Flesh of Jesu Mix
5ive - Versus
This 5ive are a band on hydrahead records, not the boy band famous for slam dunking 'da' funk. According to the blurb on the CD they are an instrumental rock band who use the bare essentials of guitar and drums, even though they have an apparently minimalistic approach there music sounds very busy - as many bands on Hydrahead, very much like Isis at times. The reason I bought this EP was for the Justin Broadrick mixes, it's really just the one mix but split into two bits - basically the music is slowed down and some atmospheric organ parts added on top. Pretty much what fans would have expected, won't here me grumble.
MP3: Soma Remix by JK Broadrick (Stage 1)
Godflesh - Streetcleaner
I was once a spotty long haired teenage metal fan (hard to belive I know!), but thankfully I found two albums that dragged me out of my rut. One was Nine Inch Nail's Pretty Hate Machine, and the other was Streetcleaner. I'd heard nothing like it, and to this day I don't think anyone has come close to it's relentless crushing power. What hit me more than anything was the simplicity of it all, beats were created using simple drum patterns, the vocals took on a mantra like quality at times, and Broadrick had this way of playing guitar riffs that made you want to freeze time and just wallow in the moment.
MP3: Head Dirt
Knut - Alter
Swiss metal anyone? How about remixed Swiss metal? I'll be honest I'm completely ignorant of most of the remixers and the source material. The only reason I bought this was the Broadrick remix, very brutal, very Godflesh at times, very enjoyable to listen to at volumes guaranteed to induce tinitus.
MP3: H/Armless
Agoraphobic Nosebleed - PCP Tornado / ANbRX
PCP Tornado was a 10 track, six and a half minute long album(?!) released on highly anti-social 6" vinyl by digital grindcore band Agoraphobic Nosebleed. There is a lot to be said for albums spanning such a short timeframe, frankly if you want to listen to grindcore properly you want it condensed into as short a time frame as possible. Kind of like a punch in the face, once is enough - being punched repeatedly is no fun! Someone though had the bright idea to add an album of remixes to this re-release, some of the remixers go for the trying to make as much noise as possible route (which is fine), there are also a few almost unlistenable gabba mixes, and then there is Broadricks which turns one of there songs into a Godflesh mix - pretty good trick for such a small amount of source material.
MP3: Flesh of Jesu Mix
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