Friday, August 22, 2003
Woo to the mutha funkin Hoo! My new Definitive Jux DVD has arrived, and it comes with a free CD! I've had a quick listen to it and posted some thoughts in the usual place, along with opinions on the Warpmart compilations and Henri Pousseur CD's I was listening too a few days ago
bonus CD
Various - The Revenge Of The Robots
This is a bonus CD which comes with the new Definitive Jux DVD. Four tracks, first up RJD2 takes us on a 15 minutes trip through the definitive jux discography with his megamix. The next three tracks are live ones, El-P does Stepfather factory, RJD2 does a live version of The Horror and Mr Lif does front on this. The first two I've already seen as video clips on The Horror EP, and to be honest without the visuals they fall a bit flat as does the Mr Lif tune. Still, this CD is a freebie that comes with the DVD, that has over 3 hours of Def Jux goodness! I haven't seen it yet (it only turned up today), but I'm looking forward to it.
Various - The Revenge Of The Robots
This is a bonus CD which comes with the new Definitive Jux DVD. Four tracks, first up RJD2 takes us on a 15 minutes trip through the definitive jux discography with his megamix. The next three tracks are live ones, El-P does Stepfather factory, RJD2 does a live version of The Horror and Mr Lif does front on this. The first two I've already seen as video clips on The Horror EP, and to be honest without the visuals they fall a bit flat as does the Mr Lif tune. Still, this CD is a freebie that comes with the DVD, that has over 3 hours of Def Jux goodness! I haven't seen it yet (it only turned up today), but I'm looking forward to it.
arty crap
Henri Pousseur - 4 parabolic mixes
Henri Pousseur is a Belgian avant-garde composer, this CD is a live recording where 4 artists, Robert Hampson, Philip Jeck, Markus Popp and the composer himself attempt to create a parabolic mix based on Pousseur's 8 ètudes paraboliques. So as you can guess we're up against some seriously pretentious nonsense, chances of finding a tune or a rhythm are going to be slim, an I'm sorry I've no idea who Henri Pousseur is, and I'm damned if I can work out what a parabolic mix is, does the tempo or structure follow some a basic parabolic curve? I'm not sure they do here, anyway I'm not any sort of mathematician or wire journalist so I'm not going to go into details. All I'm here to do is describe what they sound like and if I like them. Well Henri Pousseur version is the least interesting in my opinion, too chaotic - basically he mixes effects with a couple of sound sources playing randomly generated mono-synth samples. Hampson's is much better, more ambient but with teeth and he's not afraid to mix in a few extra sound sources such as towards the end when a brass instrument is heard in the background along with general crowd samples. Jeck's is my favourite, normally he uses old battered record players and vinyl - I'm assuming he's doing the same here - ambient music at it's most sinister. Last mix is from Markus Popp of Oval, my only exposure to Oval is from playing Rez on the PS2, I can hear the connection here - Popp mix basically transforms the original into his own. So, my opinion on this CD? Well, it's hard for me to recommend since I find it quite hard work to listen to so I know other's will have more trouble with it. It's interesting... and good to listen to semiconcious...
Various - Warpmart1
This is a sampler from Warp Records online shop, I recommend a look at it since they stock plenty of other CDs from obscure record labels (the Pousseur CD is a case in point). Anyway on to this compilation, well it's difficult to review for one major reason: track 14 - Closed Shoulders (cLOUDDEAD Remix) by Boom Bip. It is so fucking good! The sort of song the Boards of Canada would kill for! I haven't really listened to the other tracks as much, not that they are bad: tracks by Ardisson, The Gasman, and Intricate are all very good... just not as good as that damn cLOUDDEAD mix!
Henri Pousseur - 4 parabolic mixes
Henri Pousseur is a Belgian avant-garde composer, this CD is a live recording where 4 artists, Robert Hampson, Philip Jeck, Markus Popp and the composer himself attempt to create a parabolic mix based on Pousseur's 8 ètudes paraboliques. So as you can guess we're up against some seriously pretentious nonsense, chances of finding a tune or a rhythm are going to be slim, an I'm sorry I've no idea who Henri Pousseur is, and I'm damned if I can work out what a parabolic mix is, does the tempo or structure follow some a basic parabolic curve? I'm not sure they do here, anyway I'm not any sort of mathematician or wire journalist so I'm not going to go into details. All I'm here to do is describe what they sound like and if I like them. Well Henri Pousseur version is the least interesting in my opinion, too chaotic - basically he mixes effects with a couple of sound sources playing randomly generated mono-synth samples. Hampson's is much better, more ambient but with teeth and he's not afraid to mix in a few extra sound sources such as towards the end when a brass instrument is heard in the background along with general crowd samples. Jeck's is my favourite, normally he uses old battered record players and vinyl - I'm assuming he's doing the same here - ambient music at it's most sinister. Last mix is from Markus Popp of Oval, my only exposure to Oval is from playing Rez on the PS2, I can hear the connection here - Popp mix basically transforms the original into his own. So, my opinion on this CD? Well, it's hard for me to recommend since I find it quite hard work to listen to so I know other's will have more trouble with it. It's interesting... and good to listen to semiconcious...
Various - Warpmart1
This is a sampler from Warp Records online shop, I recommend a look at it since they stock plenty of other CDs from obscure record labels (the Pousseur CD is a case in point). Anyway on to this compilation, well it's difficult to review for one major reason: track 14 - Closed Shoulders (cLOUDDEAD Remix) by Boom Bip. It is so fucking good! The sort of song the Boards of Canada would kill for! I haven't really listened to the other tracks as much, not that they are bad: tracks by Ardisson, The Gasman, and Intricate are all very good... just not as good as that damn cLOUDDEAD mix!
Thursday, August 21, 2003
My respect for Keanu Reeves has just plummeted after reading this quote about the upcoming Hellblazer movie:
"[It's] his anger. He's angry, but he's got a good heart,"
No! John Constantine is a complete and utter bastard! He might feel guilty afterwards, but he will fuck you over given the opportunity. I smell another ruined comic book film...
"[It's] his anger. He's angry, but he's got a good heart,"
No! John Constantine is a complete and utter bastard! He might feel guilty afterwards, but he will fuck you over given the opportunity. I smell another ruined comic book film...
Those of a nervous disposition may wish to turn away now.
...
I've been in two minds about this post all week, but I think it's important.
I have a personal website, if you read it you'll get to know I'm a big music fan who likes the more difficult end of the music spectrum, I play a lot of videogames which I take far too seriously, I like my comic books with deeply troubled heroes, I'm not that inspired by my job, and without fail I'll be drunk on a Friday night. But the other stuff, my more personal thoughts don't get documented - which is a shame, if this website is going to do the job it's meant to do, certain things need to be mentioned, no matter how uncomfortable.
Let's get back on track: 19th August 2000 was a big day in my life. It was the day my Dad died, it should go without saying that I miss him terribly and that he was a big influence on me. His love of cheesy 1950's Science Fiction films is probably responsible for my Star Wars obsession, my music tastes developed by being brought up listening to everything from Roy Orbison to some early New Order, with a bit of Led Zepplin and Blondie mixed in - and the Leicester thing is his fault.
He was diagnosed six months before he died with a form of cancer called Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, it's like Leukemia but it effects the lymphatic system, it's what Joey Ramone suffered from. If your feeling generous I remember cancerbacup being pretty helpful and the Lymphoma Association have a new website called LifeSite , which seems a worthy cause to support.
OK there you go, sorry if that was a bit too much, normal service will be resumed shortly...
...
I've been in two minds about this post all week, but I think it's important.
I have a personal website, if you read it you'll get to know I'm a big music fan who likes the more difficult end of the music spectrum, I play a lot of videogames which I take far too seriously, I like my comic books with deeply troubled heroes, I'm not that inspired by my job, and without fail I'll be drunk on a Friday night. But the other stuff, my more personal thoughts don't get documented - which is a shame, if this website is going to do the job it's meant to do, certain things need to be mentioned, no matter how uncomfortable.
Let's get back on track: 19th August 2000 was a big day in my life. It was the day my Dad died, it should go without saying that I miss him terribly and that he was a big influence on me. His love of cheesy 1950's Science Fiction films is probably responsible for my Star Wars obsession, my music tastes developed by being brought up listening to everything from Roy Orbison to some early New Order, with a bit of Led Zepplin and Blondie mixed in - and the Leicester thing is his fault.
He was diagnosed six months before he died with a form of cancer called Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, it's like Leukemia but it effects the lymphatic system, it's what Joey Ramone suffered from. If your feeling generous I remember cancerbacup being pretty helpful and the Lymphoma Association have a new website called LifeSite , which seems a worthy cause to support.
OK there you go, sorry if that was a bit too much, normal service will be resumed shortly...
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