Homemade postcard of the day

Homemade postcards of the day

Gusgus – attention (CD)

I found this in the DVD section at renaissance Montréal. I was next to the movie Top gun. The sixth album from this Reykjavik, Iceland band (formed in 1995). It came out on Underwater Records in 2002. I had high expectations here, especially after hearing the magnificent `this is normal` (their third album). Total disappointment. Don`t get me wrong this album is good, it`s well made, good production values. They mix up electronic with house, downtempo, electro, disco (à la Daft Punk) and ambient. This sound too commercial for my taste buds. It sounds like they wanted to be a big hit on the dance floor. On a good note, one track caught my attention big time

8 – Detention (2.32 minutes) = a short & sweet beautiful chill-out ambient piece. I`m sure they sold tons of copies of this album. It`s good, believe me it just don`t work for me that`s all. It`s a good thing I bought this for two dollars only.               

Various Artists – Zen CD a Ninja Tune retrospective (two CD)

A monster double CD baby of various styles, mixing electronic music with leftfield, trip hop, downtempo, jazz, techno, nu jazz, lo-fi, rap / hip hop, break / broken beats and lounge. You will hear 32 songs from the likes of DJ Food, Coldcut, Amon Tobin, Bonobo, Mr. Scruff, Wagon Christ, Kid Koala, Luke Vibert, Hexstatic , Cinematic Orchestra, Funki Porcini, DJ Vadim, The Herbaliser, 9 Lazy 9, Up, Bustle & Out and Jaga Jazzist. This compilation serves as a nice introduction for the Ninja Tune roster. A good way to discover interesting, original artists / bands. I liked everything. My favorite artists are Wagon Christ, Amon Tobin and Mr. Scruff. Nice 

art is everywhere part 71

Malok on display today

Malok
P.O.BOX 41
Waukau
Wisconsin
54980
USA

Osman Arabi – burning sigils (CD)

Osman Arabi is a guitarist, music producer and sound designer from Tripoli – El mina, Lebanon. Burning sigils is his first album. It came out in 2008, on fractured spaces records. FSR was a label focusing on various types of underground music: industrial, dark ambient, dark folk, drone, martial, noise. They released six albums before calling it quits in 2010. This album consists of a single track titled burning sigils (38.25 minutes). It is a long piece of ambient electronic music with evolving repetitive, yet highly hypnotic percussions. The percussions gives the track a ritualistic feel. It`s relaxing, meditative and also addictive. It feel like a toned down version of Muslimgauze. I like this a lot, Fans of Muslimgauze will definitely enjoy this album. Contact: http://www.osmanarabi.com/

Mika Vainio – in the land of the blind one-eyed is king (CD)

Mika Vainio, was one half of that internationally renowned Finnish electronic music project named Panasonic (or Pan Sonic).  This is his sixth solo album. First time I hear him going solo. Upon the first listen I really didn`t like this. It took me more listens to appreciate it. To be honest it`s the seventh time I`m hearing this album and I love it. Not a user friendly CD, that`s for sure. Here`s what it looks / sounds like

1 – Sunder here, sailor (1.10) = a short but not sweet noisy assault.

2 – It is existing (8.30) = glitch + drones + ambient noise + random percussive elements = sweet minimalism.

3 – Ahriman (4.37) = lo-fi & harsh frequencies = ambient minimalism.

4 – He was a sound sometimes (9.50) = processed frequencies / rhythmic noise morphing into meditative ambient noise.

5 – Colour of plants (6.53) = minimal ambient noise with strangely meditative qualities.

6 – Streets (1.07) = lo-fi noise drones meets dark ambience.

7 – Motel (3.23) = minimal lo-fi + droning noise bytes (you`re testing my patience aren`t you).

8 – Snowblind (6.30) = a symphony for drones and glitches.

9 – Further, higher (1.59) = beautiful ambient darkwave. Recommended for people with an open ear for experimental sounds / music. Contact: http://www.mikavainio.com/

Alan Lamb – original masters – night passage (CD)

Alan Lamb`s born in 1944 in Edinburgh, Scotland. In his childhood, he joined a choir and played piano privately (8 to 17 years old). Nowadays he`s a biomedical research scientist. He likes to experiment with the wind, using at times wind organ, singing wires, or hang wooden / metal rods, tubes and hang them by string from the wires. Then the wind activates it, thus creating sounds and nearly random rhythms. Original masters is his third effort. It came out on Dorobo in 1998. Dorobo was a post-industrial record label run by Darrin Verhagen (Shinjuku Thief) between 1992 up until 2004. You will hear the following three pieces

1 – Night passage (24.51 minutes) = stars off peacefully with lo-fi rhythms, moves slowly into noisier droning, loud ambient noise, random loud rhythmic moments and minimal noise.

2 – Last anzac (12.54 minutes) = a random aural joyride ambient noise / drones / loud ambience / sonic minimalism.

3 – Meditation on spring 8 (12.11 minutes) = shifting slowly between loud droning ambience and peaceful minimal soundscapes, majestic. Fans of harsh noise will hate this. People who hate noise might like this. An interesting and challenging listen. Recommended if you want to try something different (if you can find it).

Homemade postcard of the day

Ghislain Poirier – breakupdown (CD)

Ghislain Poirier comes from my hometown Montréal and this his is fifth album. A long time ago, I bought his very first release a mini CD-R sold at Casa Del Popolo in a distroboto machine. Over the years I managed to dig out most of his release. To be honest I`m not into his music. I`m always curious to see an artist / band evolve / devolve. This album (20 tracks = 55.50 minutes) is my favorite one so far. The music is definitely electronically oriented, with some hip hop on the side. Ghislain combines / fuses elements of electro, rap, electronic, raga, hip hop, dancehall (à la Québécoise), with some great beats / breakbeats involved. Highly recommended. More information here; http://poiriersound.com/

Don`t waste my time department

Earlier on I wrote an article about Free online entertainment. This time around, I hate it when I watch a short movie or a full length and it turns out to be crappy / shitty / boring i.e a piece of celluloid garbage. I`m biased here. Everybody has different taste buds and it`s all good. We agree to disagree. Last weekend was a disappointment on various levels. Then again that`s life. Life is like a rollercoaster ride full of ups and downs with some nice / nasty curves / bumps at times. Enough with the melodramatic and let`s get back to business shall we. I lost some precious time watching this. At least the beer was good. It cost me a fortune in beer money just trying to ingest / digest the following one

The nutzoids at cannibal cove (short, comedy, horror, 40 minutes)

An uptight and strange Jewish family goes looking for their missing son. On the road they encounter a prostitute, an old clairvoyant lady and some zombies. There`s some cool psychedelic visual effect, it looks as if it was filmed in 1966. This one came out in 1989 folks. That was the good side. And now the numerous bad vibes department

-not much gore happening

-no laughing matter (sorry Hugh Morrus) here

-the image is often blurry (was this shot with a 8MM?)

-not much happening in the skin department either

-less talk more action please

-40 minutes is long when you`re watching crap. I drank my first six pack while watching this `masterpiece`. The beer entertained me. I took a dump after (it helped my regularity). It`s a good thing I didn`t pay for this. I watched it online. In case you have time to lose: https://vimeo.com/5427457 

Various – music from and inspired by the movie S.P.I.T. (CD)

A couple of years ago I was at a second hand record store, browsing through piles of used CD`s / DVD`s. I found this boxset with two documentaries inside

A – The street; a film with the homeless (1997).

B – S.P.I.P.T. – squeegee punks in traffic (2001).

I think I paid 5.00 $ at the time (2.50$ each, not bad). I watched both of them the same night. I like real life documentaries which has nothing in common with reality bullshit i.e. TV. Time passed. My apartment was full of CD`s / DVD`s they were just lying there. I made a pile, put them in a box and gave them to an old friend of mine. It< s a Sunday afternoon I`m scoping out the used CD`s at my favorite Renaissance Montréal store. I stumble upon this soundtrack. It almost feels like a local compilation, most of the bands come From Québec, some from Ontario, one from Malaysia and another one from the USA. The music is a mix of punk and hardcore with some exceptions. Roach does two spoken word pieces (about his life on the street). We end this CD with `Locos – sous la pluie on entend pas les gens pleurer` a beautiful instrumental track with acoustic guitar. Great ending. Local legends American Devices and Ripcordz are included  http://www.spit.ca/

From parts unknown (in America)

I got this envelope from the states (no return address) full of wicked goodies. Enjoy!

Various – 2003 hands (double CD)

I`ve been hearing this all weeklong. A massive (double CD) and impressive compilation from the fine folks at Hands productions from the land of Kraftwerk Germany. There`s 10 artists / bands doing three tracks each = 30 songs. You will hear tracks from Orphx, Klinik, Needle Sharing VS Squaremeter, Winterkalte, Placid, Ah Cama-Sotz, Synth-Etik, Ms Gentur, 5f_55 and Ms Mono. Some of those artists are known others wallow in obscurity. This compilation covers all types of obscure / underground (not for me folks) music styles; dark electronic music, industrial, ambient noise, electronic, experimental, noise, dark techno, rhythmic noise, drum & noise and lo-fi minimalism. Standout material by Orphx, dark electronics meet ambient noise with a dash of experimentations left and right. Good stuff. Details here: http://www.handsproductions.com

Short story of the day

Teddy bear                                                                                (François Marceau 04-10-2016)


John was at the bus stop waiting to meet Christine. They both met on one of those stupid online dating sites. John`s heart was beating real fast. The stress, the anxiety, the questioning was taking over. What does she sees in me? I`m different no doubt about that. She likes my writing, my music my paintings. She accepts my handicap, my insecurities the whole package deal. What`s the catch here. There`s no catch moron she`s into you. There`s no other possibilities. I never met anyone like her before. Than why am I so damned nervous? I cut part of my right ear while shaving this morning. There`s some blood still dripping. Now I look like some insane Vincent Van Gogh. I just hope she doesn`t think I`m crazy. I couldn`t sleep last night. My blue eyes are deep red now. Good God I look like Jeffrey Dahmer! I hope she doesn`t think I`m a psycho. This is my first real date in years. Not a one-night stand or friends with benefits. It`s just to discover if we`re compatible or not. Now I can`t stop sweating. The stress again. What does she sees in me? I`m losing my hair and I have this big belly. I look like a bald teddy bear. Oh my God she`s coming out of the bus. She`s smiling at me. What am I going to say? Hi John. Well, huh hi Christine. Now I`m mumbling like a damn fool. What should I say to her? Come here and kiss me Teddy.
              

mail art of the day

Various flyers / mail art lying around