1,474 Megapixel Image Of The Inauguration

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Wow. You can literally zoom forever! I'm currently scanning the crowd for anything out of the ordinary/funny.

Why can't I spend similar amounts of time on tasks like University work? I'm too easily pleased by the most meaningless things...

Stella Luna - "Stargazer"

Stargazer

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1. Change (6:35)
2. Stargazer (5:01)
3. Antares (8:19)
4. A Bridge To Nowhere (6:30)

When you're presented with an album entitled "Stargazer" by a band called Stella Luna, you begin to assume absolute knowledge of the artist, the music and the story. "Typical Shoegaze done typically" comes instantly to mind. What makes Stella Luna's 2002 EP special is that it isn't typical Shoegaze. Of course there are evident borrowed ideas but there isn't that overbearing sense of plagiarism that taints the majority of the bands and artists currently working in and around the Nugaze scene. It's refreshing. It's good! Swathes of rich riverberated walls of distorted guitars coupled with driving rhythms and steady, solid drumming are the key players within the 4 tracks on show. There is a strong sense of euphoria present too which caught me completely off gaurd instead of the usual ethereal, distant, almost cold feeling you'd expect from any other contemporary Dream Pop act.

Unfortunately, Stella Luna has since then fallen from this Earth and finding information on them or their follow up Full-length which was planned for late 2002 is more than difficult. At least we got a taster of their abilities and maybe we'll see an album in the future.

8.3/10

Herd of Elephants

I think these get better and better as time goes by.

Why don't they just man up and make an actual cartoon?! I'd definitely watch it.

Charlie Cooper, rest in peace.

Clicky

One half of one of the most genuinely promising acts in and around the Post-Rock and IDM scene has died. Telefon Tel Aviv had the potential to do great things for years and years to come but sadly, on the 22nd of January, Charles Wesley Cooper III passed away. While it's still pretty vague and reasons behind the late musicians death are uncertain, it's the wishes of the friends, family and collegues of Charlie that we speculate no further.

All I can say is that they have my deepest condolences. My thoughts are with them all.

"The funny thing about cancer"?

Clicky

An interview with Jamie Ross, 19 year old Scottish lad with Cancer and a great way with words. His blog, cataloguing the trails and realisations of dealing with his affliction, is a million light-years away from usual intense doom and overbearing gloom of the regular Cancer story. It's genuinely funny.

http://cancerouscapers.blogspot.com/

Ben And Bruno - "100 Grim Reapers"

100 Grim Reapers

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1. Life Will Recover (1:49)
2. New Friend Song (2:55)
3. Take Hold Upon (5:44)
4. Out From Where (1:42)
5. 100 Grim Reapers (3:06)
6. Given The Attributes (4:29)
7. Casting Shadows (3:49)
8. O You Sad Life (0:59)
9. Pack Of Light Blue Birds (4:39)
10. Chant 1 (0:45)
11. To Fill The Void (4:00)
12. () (1:08)
13. Do You Mind What You See? (4:05)
14. Famous (1:40)
15. Torn And Pulled (3:37)
16. Next To Your Side (4:04)

“Ben and Bruno” is a group of songs based on one character named Ben. After losing his mother at a very young age, Ben is abducted by a religious fanatic who has been living in the apartment above the family. Ben, during his trip while fleeing from the police, falls in love with the woman who has abducted him. The story continues after the capture of his new love and he grows older…marrying, having two daughters, divorcing his wife.

Sometimes you just have to take a step back from life and lose yourself in a piece of music. If you ever feel the strongest urge to do this, then please, immerse yourself in the story behind 100 Grim Reapers. It's upsetting but in the most devastatingly beautiful way. I really want to critique this album but, in all honesty, and in full knowledge that it isn't the best record ever, I can't bring myself to do it. It's too special.

N.A./10

Alva Noto - "Xerrox Vol.2"

Xerrox Vol.2

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Raster-Noton Records
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1. Xerrox Phaser Acat 1 (12:11)
2. Xerrox Rin (0:51)
3. Xerrox Soma (7:11)
4. Xerrox Meta Phaser (6:23)
5. Xerrox Sora (6:54
6. Xerrox Monophaser 1 (8:04)
7. Xerrox Monophaser 2 (5:31)
8. Xerrox Teion (2:03)
9. Xerrox Teion Acat (5:26)
10. Xerrox Tek Part 1 (5:28)
11. Xerrox Monophaser 3 (6:14)

Finding the words to describe volume 2 in Carsten Nicolai's Xerrox series isn't easy. What we have is a dense and rich atmosphere of vibrant sounds and dreamy drones that flow and merge seamlessly into one majestic opus. While the intention was to hark back to the idealism of film score, employing a linear aesthetic to the music, you can't help but feel that there's something much greater here. The theme itself would require the use of other means of sensory stimualation, but I feel Alva Noto has done more in this collection of sounds than what any picture or word could possibly add to or expand on. Using samples and collaborations from his recent tour of the USA, we find weathered borrowings from Stephen O'Malley and Michael Nyman as well as rehashings of Alva Noto & Ryuichi Sakamoto's encore from 2004's "Insen" tour. This is an out and out masterpiece. A true work of great art.

9.3/10