OH MY GOD YOU GUYS OH MY GOD
Posted by andyleclair | Filed under Art
THIS IS THE MOST AMAZING VIDEO EVER PRODUCED.
PAUL ROBERTSON IS MY PIXEL GOD.
Tags: Awesome, Kings of Power, Paul Robertson, Videos
SUBTLETIES
Posted by andyleclair | Filed under Music
Subtle is a band that makes music that I really enjoy. I recently acquired a copy of their new album, ExitingARM, and it’s been on heavy rotation. Their latest album is a blend of hip-hop, avant-garde electronica, pop, and indie rock. They use layers of dense sound to create otherworldly pop soundscapes, telling the continuing story of Subtle’s main character, HourHero Yes. I’ll admit, this album is the first I’ve heard of Subtle, so I don’t really know much about the story going on here, save that the main character has basically fallen into an evil alternate world and is kept captive, writing perfect pop songs without the use of the word “I.”
Bizarre, I know, but it’s all part of the charm. I have to admit that I have a thing for sprawling musical epics, though. I used to really enjoy Coheed and Cambria (yes, take away all of my cred), but Subtle’s got something really cool going on here, instead of a ludicrous sci-fi monstrosity that hasn’t really gone anywhere.
I like this. It sounds so different and unique. I hope Subtle makes it to Boston so I can tell them how much I enjoy this album in person.
Subtle - Exiting Arm
Subtle - Hollow Hollered
Tags: Electronic, Hip-Hop, Music, Subtle
UPDATED
Posted by andyleclair | Filed under Maintenance
I just updated to WordPress 2.6 today in anticipation of a major site overhaul this weekend (+ new posting!).
Everything looks good on this end. If you see anything, leave me a note.
MIXA+
Posted by andyleclair | Filed under Music, Tech
I’ve just gotten back to Maine today from my lovely Pennsylvania vacation, and what do I see on one of my favorite places on the whole wide internet? Mixa! I think that this is pretty cool, but I don’t think that it’s cool enough. My idea: take a 1-gig mp3 player, add the slidy-functionality (or find one with slidy-ness) and then package it into a cassette adapter, thus allowing for your Mixa+ to play through a real tape deck!
Thoughts?
Tags: Awesome, Hype Machine, Mixa, Project
SECOND STEPS IN CFDG
Posted by andyleclair | Filed under Art, Programming
I’ve been making more stuff in CFDG! Here are two variations on try # 2.
Stupidly, I forgot the variation for the first one, so I have no way of reproducing it. The image above is all I have. The second image is variation LAE.
A note about variations: Since CFDG allows for non-deterministic outcomes, there are “Variations” on every image, which account for the randomness of each image (or at least that’s how my naive understanding works). The same code produced both of the above images.
My .cfdg file is available HERE.
Also: Hi to Kate from the past!
Tags: Art, CFDG, Conext Free
FIRST STEPS IN CONTEXT FREE ART
Posted by andyleclair | Filed under Programming
I downloaded Context Free the other day,and I was playing around with it a little bit. This is the first thing I’ve come up with. I thought it was pretty sweet!
(Clicky for big version)
Grab my .cdfg file for this here.
Tags: Art, CDFG, Context Free
WAIT, YOU CAN RAP?!?!
Posted by andyleclair | Filed under Music, Northeastern
It’s said that the best things in life are free. My fellow Northeastern brother proves that proverb to be right on the money. Jelani has just released his first full album, a free download, on his website. What does your $0.00 get you? A damn fine rap album, that’s what. Damn fine.
I’m not going to go into Jelani’s backstory of how he came up in Harlem, or about his dad, Dapper Dan, I’ll leave that to him. I wanna focus on what’s important here - a fucking fantastic rap record. Wait, You Can Rap?!?! is dripping with sincerity, and what I mean by sincerity is that you can tell that this record is really the culmination of a life’s effort devoted to making something wonderful. He says it better than I can, so instead of trying to paraphrase and losing the meaning, just take a look at the first lyrics of this record:
There’s nothing anyone can say or do to me to stop the music, the product that I’m gonna put out, and at the end of the day, the talent will overcome anything. To have the right to talk about what I want, to have the right to give my opinion, because I back everything up. You all thought I was talking !$#? when I first came out? Now y’all see I back everything up. Back to back to back to back to back. So, basically, shut the #$&! up. Stop talking to me. And I’m not coming on some ‘Do you want me to do music? Do you want me to not do music? ‘ I want to do music, because I know people need my music.
Speaking of music, let’s talk about that. This album has some decidedly tight beats, from the simple piano and drums of “The Proposal” to the sample of “Stand on the Word” by Celestial Choir playing in the background of “Pain.” I particularly like the “Stand on the Word” sample. Listen to what the song is about, and tell me that a chorus of “That’s how the good Lord works” isn’t perfect.
Now, I’ve got to be honest, Jelani’s style isn’t my usual thing. I’m more of an Aesop Rock/MF DOOM kind of hip-hop guy, but I’ll make an exception for this album. I’ve already recommended it to all of my friends, and really, it’s a great album, and it’s free! Go download it now! If you dig it, leave Jelani some love on his MySpace, and tell him Andy sent you.
Tags: Jelani, Northeastern, Rap, Wait You Can Rap?!?!
A BRIEF INTERLUDE
Posted by andyleclair | Filed under Maintenance, Music
I’m working on a couple of major posts - album reviews for Jelani and Eroica - but I’m still working on them. These are good guys making good music, and I want to give them the best review I can put together (unbiased, of course).
Downside: No review now.
Upside: Random tracks!
These two tracks are a summery couple that I like to hear on a sunny afternoon. First, I’ve got a track from a new band from Seattle II, DANANANANAYKROYD. Is that name completely ridiculous? Yes. Is it fun to say? Even more yes. This track is from their super fun EP, Some Dresses.
DANANANANAYKROYD - Some Dresses
Secondly, this one is a classic At The Drive-In track from one of their earliest albums, Acrobatic Tenement.
At The Drive-In - Star Slight
Tags: At The Drive-In, DANANANANAYKROYD, Eroica, Jelani, Procrastinating
MIDLAKE: REMIXED
Posted by andyleclair | Filed under Music
I’d heard the name Midlake thrown around a few times before, but I’d never checked out their stuff until last week when I heard an absolutely mindblowing remix from Beyond the Wizard’s Sleeve over at Electrorash. I was listening to my Hype Machine feed at work and this song came on and I stopped. I was floored at my desk. Floored. When I get into “the zone,” the music I’m listening to takes a backseat as code flows from my fingertips, comme Moses at the rock, but this song made me stop and take notice. For seven minutes of pure beauty. BtWS have done with this track what I think all remixers try to do: take a track that’s already good and make it a masterpeice. Why are you still reading this? You should be listening by now!
Midlake - Roscoe (Beyond the Wizard’s Sleeve Remix)
I have a second Midlake remix as a bonus! Here’s a remix of Young Bride done by Cassettes Won’t Listen. I wouldn’t say that I’m as impressed as I was with the BtWS remix, but this one is still really good. I’d think about including this track as part of a calm section in a set.
Midlake - Young Bride (Cassettes Won’t Listen Remix)
Tags: Beyond The Wizard's Sleeve, Cassettes Won't Listen, Midlake, Roscoe, Young Bride
POP LEVI
Posted by andyleclair | Filed under Music
ME SLEEPY NO MAKE WORDS GOOD
MUSIC MAKE EARS HAVE FUN
POP LEVI GOOD
Pop Levi - Dita Dimone
Pop Levi - Sugar Assault Me
Pop Levi - Never Never Love (Pink Enemy Mix)
