Archive for the 'video' Category
Check out gmunk’s new showreal, amazing as usual.
Review from Grandcrew.com
Carl Craig + « Les siècles » orchestra + the pianist Francesco Tristano ? An improbable alliance that was quite simply mind-blowing ! This unique meeting between a classical ensemble and techno music was powerful, solemn and danceable all at once! For the concoction to work, it needed a guide: Carl Craig. Originator of the project, the emblematic Detroit producer/DJ worked with pianist Francesco Tristano to arrange his compositions for an orchestra. The result is impressive: a unique sound aesthetic that breaks down barriers between seemingly incompatible music styles – as described by François Xavier Roth, musical director and conductor of the “Siècles” orchestra: “There is no hierarchy in music, only a quest for high standards”. Historic concert !
The Fist Official Digital Amp-Art Release MXM - Dislok8ted Science
AMP-ART MUSIC STORE - Buy Dislok8ted Science
First Digital release on brand new label Amp-Art. The label will be dedicated to bringing high quality compositions from across the electronic music spectrum with its roots firmly in the past whilst reaching out to the distant future. First off we have label co-owner and producer MxM (Literally short for Maxim) with a 4 piece electronic workout for you to bathe your ears and convulse your body to.
Track one is Teklooterz, a grungy distorted beat greets you as the tune kicks into gear, gradually becoming more and more melodical before the melody’s entwine and the kick drops back in. Soulful pads drench the bleeping rhythms and freestyled analogue keys pitch fade thier way though the door, before resuming course into the basic groove. Making for a good floor filler and DJ tool.
Track two is Dirty Language, called so because the dusty samples talk the talk on this one. Another one for the dance floor as the chord riff works it way through the tune with evolving rhythms and 70’s synth swooshes bringing you up. Music is the universal language and an apt piece of commentary lifts the tune into act2 where layers of pads and synth stabs progress the track into darker territory before the curtain falls on act3 and everyone lives happily ever after.
Track3 is Safe Journey; a track with more than a head nod in the direction of the motor city’s deeper producers. With Minor chords and basic bleeps the tune soon gains access to the facility of a bass line, which allows it to bring dark funk into the equation. The rhythm becomes increasing complex and some of the under patterned percussion almost sounds and if the filtered drum machine has the flu and complains with intermittent coughs and sneezes. A large hand clap asserts the tune before a haunting synth pitch slides a sonet over the top. Lovely Stuff
Track4; I think I broke Detroit. Experimental sparse broken beats, belching zippy bass lines, sawing strings and a heavenly analogue based melodic climax give this tune its character. Sounds a bit like you left your Detroit tunes and favourite west London vinyl nuggets in the sun together. They melt and you get this. Ah…if only all accidents where this happy.
MxM has released music on Hydrogen Dukebox, Combination Records, Snap-Shot and has forthcoming releases on Cynet Media, Philpot and Neo-Ouija. Our First Vinyl Release on Amp-ART will be out Just after Christmas will contain stunning tracks by MXM and Linkwood (Firecracker, Prime Numbers) Stay Tuned. AMP-ART MUSIC STORE - Buy Dislok8ted Science
All tracks written and produced by Maxim Sullivan, Artwork by Ben Lowden.
Tracks Mastered by Matt Colton of Matt Colton Mastering.
The demoscene is a computer art subculture that specializes in producing demos, which are non-interactive audio-visual motion graphic presentations that run in real-time on a computer. The main goal of a demo is to show off programming, artistic, and musical skills.
I first was made aware of the demoscene back in the early nineties when a friend lent me a floppy (fnar) disk for my amiga and told me to check it out.
I think it was called Acid Jesus or something along those lines and it totally blew me away. I never imagined that my humble little amiga could produce anything that visually exciting on a 880k disk. The graphics and music where better than anything produced by the large software houses at the time.
The demoscene first appeared during the 8-bit era on computers such as the Commodore 64 and ZX Spectrum, and came to prominence during the rise of the 16/32-bit home computers (the Atari ST and the Amiga). In the early years, demos had a strong connection with software cracking. When a cracked program was started, the cracker or his team would take credit with a graphical introduction called a “crack intro” (shortened cracktro). Later, the making of intros and standalone demos evolved into a new subculture independent of the software (piracy) scene.
For me, the independent and underground illegal beginnings of the scene share parallels with that of graphiti, and in its own right this mostly unknown art subculture is as valid as any artform out there. It may not have had the same impact as Graphiti on mainstream culture, but for me growing up it was as influential as any art form could be. It introduced me to motion-graphics and computer visualisation and it also was influential in getting me into electronic music.
Fast forward to 2008 and the scene is still very much alive, with coders making demo’s still for all platlforms still including the old 8bit and 16bit computers of the 80/90s.
Of course with technology taking massive leaps since then so have the demos.
Below are my current top 11 of these motion graphic code based masterpieces. A deserved art-form in its own right and I for one hope the scene continues to grow.
11: Sincere by The Black Lotus
10: Receptor by TBC
Drum and Bass visual treat.
9:Demoscene Outreach Reel
A montage compiled by NVision and is an excellent example of modern day demos. Many of the clips featured here will feature down the rest of this page.
8:Midnight Run by ASD
Really like this one because its not your normal demo with the obligatory camera down wobbly tunnel rave video cliché’s.
7: Stargazer by Andromeda & Orb
6: Final Audition by Plastic
5: Media Error by Fairlight , cncd & Orange
4:FR-042: Debris by Farbrausch
This really should be at number one but for some unknown reason. Even to me. Its not.
The astonishing fact about this demo is that its complete unzipped state its size is only 177k.177K! - Its really pushing programming to the limits that lazy game studios just don’t bother with these days. Listen to the music, watch the video and then answers on a postcard exactly how this is 177k. I’m going with witchcraft personally. Anyway watch, scratch your head and enjoy.177k??!!! download if you go to their website they explain how its done if you really need to know.
3:The Seeker by Still
2:Lifeforce by ASD
Brilliant demo this, but the music has some incredibly dodgy moments including a wailing rock out guitar moment that for a minute had me thinking I was watching a Michael Bay film, right at the climactic moment where he likes to reach cheese critical mass. Normally with some angled jaw wooden actor diving down an explosive corridor in slow motion to save a baby who was inexplicably in harms way. Get passed that though and there are some wonderfully conceived and well visualised moments in this demo that mixes after effects style 2d motion with traditional Demoscene 3d.
1: Only One Wish by Fairlight & The Black Lotus
Fairlight have been around since I can remember and this demo, with sceners The Black Lotus, is my current favourite.
All above videos are available to download in their binary executable format for viewing in real-time on a PC. www.pouet.net and www.scene.org have them all to download.
Links for the Demoscene:
www.capped.tv
www.scene.org
www.nvision2008.com/
www.pouet.net
www.demoscene.tv/
http://still-scene.org/
www.farbrausch.de/
Whilst vegtablising myself in front of the TV last night I caught an advert for Carphone Warehouse; who obviously deem minimal techno mainstream enough now to put in there ads(Ohh the grannies will lub it!). I kinda liked the tune in the background so hopped on-line to find out what it was and in my research managed to dig up this on youtube.
The track is called Hitchhikers Choice by Minilogue; it’s video is pretty much the same as the advert so I assume a lazy ad exec thought, wow that’s cool, I’ll get these guys to make my ad then pass it off as my idea! Job done.
It’s stop motion using a white board and the Swedish artist ljudbilden has a blog which can be found here
Regardless of lazy advertising executives the original video and tune are great. So here it is.
Enjoy.
Minilogue - Hitchhikers Choice
Great video doc from Current TV about photographer Martha Cooper and the first documented pictures of graphiti and hip-hop in early 80’s New York.
Exciting times at GLHQ at the moment. The legendary Neo-Ouija label is about to restart with a brand new compilation. Diaspora : Cottage Industries 5 is a 2 CD comp packed with electronic goodness. CD1 shows a new direction for Neo-Ouija concentrating on Detroit influenced minimal electronics and house while CD2 gives a nod to the labels past with all new tracks from new and old artists.
CD kicks off with Gone Loko’s very own MXM and the track Untitled Deep.
Other artists include, Move D, Remote_ , Sense, Nacht Plank, Maps & Diagrams and many more.
It will be available in August. More Details closer to the time.
Throw away your moogs and 303’s, the future of bass is here.