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Waaay back in 2008, I became aware of . His films Kings of Power 4 Billion % and Pirate Baby's Cabana Battle Street Fight 2006 are as immensely entertaining as they are absurdly violent. Over the years, Robertson has done a ton of work for Adult Swim - particularly Rick & Morty - as well as tons of short animations on his Instagram, @probzzzz. That's a long winded way of saying, I'm a fan and suggest you indulge as well.
The latest Robertson offering is Jimmy and Baby, a twenty-minute short film of a diamond heist complete with all of the tentpole attributes one would hope for in a Robertson animation. It's unbelievably well crafted and downright hilarious. It's even a little sexy. 10 out of 10, do watch.
The latest Robertson offering is Jimmy and Baby, a twenty-minute short film of a diamond heist complete with all of the tentpole attributes one would hope for in a Robertson animation. It's unbelievably well crafted and downright hilarious. It's even a little sexy. 10 out of 10, do watch.
Last week I announced that Annie Williams had joined the yk Records roster of artists and announced her debut album Visitor is due May 29th. Lastly, we released the first single "Midnight" - streaming everywhere now.
Visitor strays a little bit from the typical vibe you may associate with my little indie label. It's a bit more intimate and much less high-energy rock (tho, you know I love that). Annie's voice has a melancholy quality to it that is just undeniable. I'm honored to get to work with her and excited for everyone to hear the album.
If you have not read this GQ interview with Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, please do so at your earliest convenience. It's remarkable to read their insights on being a creative pair at this stage of their careers. Nine Inch Nails really took off in 1994 - thirty years ago. Reznor and NIN still feel associated with the same kind of ominous, dark, angry energy but the man did the score for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem and Soul. That's not to say he isn't always moody but he's a lot more diverse than most folks think of.
I admire a lot of things about both of them - their work ethic, their commitment to pushing their own boundaries, and their lack of fear on talking about topics that (basically) every other person of their status steers clear of. This bit of Reznor talking about streaming music is great:
Even if you don't consider yourself a fan of their work, it's a worthwhile read simply as an invigoration for yourself and your own projects. These two have no obligation to score a soundtrack, write another NIN album or play a live show ever again but they have found a way to make all of it rewarding. That's a great goal.
I admire a lot of things about both of them - their work ethic, their commitment to pushing their own boundaries, and their lack of fear on talking about topics that (basically) every other person of their status steers clear of. This bit of Reznor talking about streaming music is great:
“I think the terrible payout of streaming services has mortally wounded a whole tier of artists that make being an artist unsustainable. And it’s great if you’re Drake, and it’s not great if you’re Grizzly Bear. And the reality is: take a look around. We’ve had enough time for the whole ‘All the boats rise’ argument to see they don’t all rise. Those boats rise. These boats don’t. They can’t make money in any means. And I think that’s bad for art. And I thought maybe at Apple there could be influence to pay in a more fair or significant way, because a lot of these services are just a rounding error compared to what comes in elsewhere, unlike Spotify where their whole business is that. But that’s tied to a lot of other political things and label issues, and everyone’s trying to hold onto their little piece of the pie and it is what it is. I also realise, I think that people just want to turn the faucet on and have music come in. They’re not really concerned about all the romantic shit I thought mattered.” &emdash; ReznorIt's not like he's trying to be brash or controversial, he's just calling bullshit on what he see's as bullshit. How refreshing.
Even if you don't consider yourself a fan of their work, it's a worthwhile read simply as an invigoration for yourself and your own projects. These two have no obligation to score a soundtrack, write another NIN album or play a live show ever again but they have found a way to make all of it rewarding. That's a great goal.
The Fediverse of Things
a quick ponderance on the potential of how the IoT could evolve with ActivityPub. The breakdown makes it not so scary to imagine everything have some of Internet address
I've seen a good bit of hype surrounding the new Cindy Lee album, Diamond Jubilee. The record is only available on YouTube and Geocities. It's also just over 2 hours long. Damon Krukowski wrote a long treatise about how it contrasts the new Taylor Swift. Pitchfork wrote up a legitimately meaningful review with a score of 9.1. Cindy Lee used to be a member of the band WOMEN, which seems to push the hype even further!
Given all that, it's very easy to assume this album will not actually be enjoyable to listen to. Or that the distribution tactic of making it exclusive to a few platforms is what people are appreciating more than the music itself. Surely this is just some sort of exposition that only gatekeeping music journalists can manage to appreciate?
The answer to that is a resounding No! Diamond Jubilee does have a lot of hype surrounding it but it's absolutely legitimate. The Pitchfork calls it "the greatest radio station you’ve ever come across" and that's impossible to argue with ( it surprises me to say it but you really should read the whole thing). There are a ton of ideas across these 2 hours, most of which are influenced by Doo-wop girl groups and bedroom indie pop... but it really can't be reduced that easily. It's an impressive blend of uniqueness and familiarity all at once.
I recommend sitting with the entire record. My skepticism didn't fall away until I let the whole record play top to bottom. Like listening to the radio, I wasn't engaged the entire time but I was also never turned off. I imagine on future listens those bright spots and recessions will ebb and flow to different tracks depending on my mood. Some will argue that the record could have been reduced to one disc or a stellar 45-minute experience but I think that misses the point in this case. You're free to make your own version of the album but the real celebration here is the greatness of the abundance.
Given all that, it's very easy to assume this album will not actually be enjoyable to listen to. Or that the distribution tactic of making it exclusive to a few platforms is what people are appreciating more than the music itself. Surely this is just some sort of exposition that only gatekeeping music journalists can manage to appreciate?
The answer to that is a resounding No! Diamond Jubilee does have a lot of hype surrounding it but it's absolutely legitimate. The Pitchfork calls it "the greatest radio station you’ve ever come across" and that's impossible to argue with ( it surprises me to say it but you really should read the whole thing). There are a ton of ideas across these 2 hours, most of which are influenced by Doo-wop girl groups and bedroom indie pop... but it really can't be reduced that easily. It's an impressive blend of uniqueness and familiarity all at once.
I recommend sitting with the entire record. My skepticism didn't fall away until I let the whole record play top to bottom. Like listening to the radio, I wasn't engaged the entire time but I was also never turned off. I imagine on future listens those bright spots and recessions will ebb and flow to different tracks depending on my mood. Some will argue that the record could have been reduced to one disc or a stellar 45-minute experience but I think that misses the point in this case. You're free to make your own version of the album but the real celebration here is the greatness of the abundance.
Voyager 1 Resumes Sending Engineering Updates to Earth
NASA managed to write and send a code update 15 billion miles away. absolutely bonkers
A day with new music from Crumb is a good day indeed. This is actually the second release this year and the artwork certainly ties together.. fingers crossed there's a new record on the horizon.
The Man Who Killed Google Search
note to self: take time to read this - interesting stuff
I'm sure you've seen the Game Boy Camera, a 1998 accessory with a 128x128 pixel sensor and a 4-color palette. It's about as lo-fi as it gets but there's something charming about it as well. This 2 Bit Toy is an evolved version of the original that uses the original printed circuit board and sensor but now allows for filters and lenses. The available resolution and color palette are the same but it does improve the incoming data. The new results are still charming low resolution but there's a tiny bit of extra fidelity there that is fun to experiment with.
The Mountain came out in 2018 but only came on to my radar a day ago. Director Rick Alverson is familiar to me through their 2012 film, The Comedy and 2015 film Entertainment but in name only, I've not seen any of them. That's neither really here nor there but just to say, I'm intrigued. The Mountain trailer looks gorgeous and has some echoes of The Master in terms of the plot being hinted at.
Certainly adding this one to the queue.
Certainly adding this one to the queue.
I really enjoyed The Three-Body Problem novel (and the whole "Remembrance of Earth's Past" trilogy). I also enjoyed the Netflix series - tho it is certainly incomplete, they did a good job tackling a very difficult and dense topic. This explainer vid does a good job of breaking down that dense and difficult topic. Neil deGrasse Tyson can be bit grating sometimes but there's no arguing that he's enthusiastic, whip smart and passionate about breaking down big problems into consumable ones.
Stumbled across these embroidered jackets by Japanese designer Masafusa Shibuya, from the early 90s. They're made of satin, organdy and silk thread.
There's a surprisingly lack of information about the designer out there. So much so that part of me wonders if this is real at all. Fortunately, blog posts dating back several years ago sing its praises and there are early 90s Japanese discogs releases that cite them as the artist. If there's one thing you can rely on for factual credibility, it's discogs.
There's a surprisingly lack of information about the designer out there. So much so that part of me wonders if this is real at all. Fortunately, blog posts dating back several years ago sing its praises and there are early 90s Japanese discogs releases that cite them as the artist. If there's one thing you can rely on for factual credibility, it's discogs.
Menomena - The Insulation EP
new EP of old b-sides. Also the band is playing a show for the first time in a decade. Good news top to bottom.
Microsoft's VASA-1, from photo to talking head
like many AI papers, this looks to be equally scary and impressive
I've been listening to Rich Ruth's ambient composition's for a number of years now and they continue to expand and explore new territory. This video for "No Muscle, No Memory" is the first single from his upcoming June 2024 release Water Still Flows. Generally, "ambient composition" would summon very gentle, possibly lulling background music but that is not the case with Rich Ruth.
These instrumental tracks are "ambient" in that they create an ambiance - a vibe - but that vibe isn't the equivalent of a relaxing sauna, often it is something writhing and chaotic. I've not heard the entire album yet but given the evolution that has been occurring over the last few years, I have no doubt this will be one to sneak into your regular rotation as soon as it drops.
To be honest, I don't know of anything about the game POOLS nor do I have a way to play Steam games. However, the liminal space / backrooms aesthetic and gameplay that seems to be "look around" is very appealing. It's somehow both hyperrealistic and uncanny valley fake. I hope very long gameplay footage hits YouTube once it is released.
Jon Juarez, Prints
Production designer on Scavengers Reign; incredible art here
Dog Poo Golf
Do not let anyone tell you the Internet has no fun anymore
Octavia Butler and the Pimply, Pompous Publisher
fantastic story about a teenage sci-fi fan that convinced a respected author to contribute a legitimately influential piece about race and science fiction to his single issue zine. He even had the audacity to give her notes.
This is about as confusing as a pre-taped call-in show but stick with me. I've been releasing episodes of my podcast We Own This Town: Music for many years - some years more prolific than others. Today is the release of the 379th episode, which is actually the 365th compiled by me! There were fourteen episodes put together by other folks - excellent episodes but not my episodes. Follow that?
That means, if you so desired, you could listen to one episode of WOTT Music every day for an entire year and get a fresh dose of local music compiled by myself. Gotta say, I'm proud of that!
The episode itself is also a great example of the kind of diversity I love to showcase - some dance music, some indie rock, some hip-hop, some R&B and all points in between. And if that weren't enough, I managed to get Mac Burrus to edit it - the first time I've had an outside editor put together the show.
People say Music Discovery is hard but I disagree - just listen to this show and you'll be all set.
The episode itself is also a great example of the kind of diversity I love to showcase - some dance music, some indie rock, some hip-hop, some R&B and all points in between. And if that weren't enough, I managed to get Mac Burrus to edit it - the first time I've had an outside editor put together the show.
People say Music Discovery is hard but I disagree - just listen to this show and you'll be all set.
Humane AI Pin review: not even close
Another scathing review. This one is based on actual usage and seem like more than fair complaints. Even if this device is not The One, I am hopeful this is the start of a new era of devices.
GQ has been doing a similar series to this where actors break down their most iconic roles but I don't recall ever seeing one where a musician breaks down their iconic tracks. Any excuse I can get to listen to Reznor and Ross talk about their process and stories about how things came to be is great by me.
Stable Audio
there are plenty of options for generating audio with AI but this is the first time I have seen the option for 3-minute compositions. Results were not bad tbh.Promptordle
like Wordle but instead of telling you how many letters you got right, it gives you a vague riddle describing the answer
YouTube decided I needed to see this Magical Cat Compilation from Threadwood Studios and they were right, I did need to see it! It's five minutes and you should put down everything and just watch it with your full attention. The shoe bit is my favorite but I loved the whole thing.
One thing you should probably know about me is that I buy a lot of music on Bandcamp. I'm not saying I've got anywhere close to the largest collection on the service but with 2,707 purchases, I imagine I'm above the average. This is almost entirely because I buy music for my local Nashville music podcast We Own This Town rather than stealing it.* Here's a few recent releases you may want to consider for yourself.
There's a healthy collective of musicians in Nashville that cross pollinate and make a lot of "shoegaze inspired" music. It's never following the genre tropes like a recipe but you can't hear the lo-fi vocals and giant guitars without thinking "shoegaze" in some respect. This latest release from Celltower is such a great example of taking that comfortably familiar sound but owning it as their own. Nothing derivative here, just a fantastic wash of sounds best enjoyed loud.
Thomas Luminoso - "Speed Bug" / "Sugar Pill"
Interestingly enough, Thomas Luminoso is part of the same collective of musicians as Celltower. Similarly, you can hear the underpinnings of "shoegaze" in the deepest DNA of the work but Luminoso is steering it in a much different direction. This is the most confident work I've heard from him yet and I can't say enough great things about the vocal layering, the synth and the pitter patter drums on "Speed Bug." The b-side is wonderfully dark.
Sundaes "Anyway"
This is the first single from a larger release by Sundaes and I'm quite impressed. Going back into the deep discography of Sundaes, the sounds and techniques they were using back in 2017 were much different. That's the way it should be! It's been really rewarding to hear how this project has blossomed over the years. I love the guitars on this and the instrumental bridge could easily be expanded into 10 hours and I'd listen the entire time.
Celltower - Pegasus 93
There's a healthy collective of musicians in Nashville that cross pollinate and make a lot of "shoegaze inspired" music. It's never following the genre tropes like a recipe but you can't hear the lo-fi vocals and giant guitars without thinking "shoegaze" in some respect. This latest release from Celltower is such a great example of taking that comfortably familiar sound but owning it as their own. Nothing derivative here, just a fantastic wash of sounds best enjoyed loud.
Thomas Luminoso - "Speed Bug" / "Sugar Pill"
Interestingly enough, Thomas Luminoso is part of the same collective of musicians as Celltower. Similarly, you can hear the underpinnings of "shoegaze" in the deepest DNA of the work but Luminoso is steering it in a much different direction. This is the most confident work I've heard from him yet and I can't say enough great things about the vocal layering, the synth and the pitter patter drums on "Speed Bug." The b-side is wonderfully dark.
Sundaes "Anyway"
This is the first single from a larger release by Sundaes and I'm quite impressed. Going back into the deep discography of Sundaes, the sounds and techniques they were using back in 2017 were much different. That's the way it should be! It's been really rewarding to hear how this project has blossomed over the years. I love the guitars on this and the instrumental bridge could easily be expanded into 10 hours and I'd listen the entire time.
* I do play these songs on a podcast without permission, so I'm certainly not throwing shade at anyone that does steal music.
It's possible this is a post likely best suited for the YK Records blog but Matt Glassmeyer (aka Meadownoise) has been playing a number of shows that lean into the improvisational and collaborative. It's certainly based in jazz and other live improv traditions but his instrumentation and style certainly makes it unique. This video is his band playing "Cliff House Kids" - a track from his 2020 album Threeve - tho this live version is quite different! Even if you do not know Meadownoise, this song or anything about any of the text in this post - I still suggest you hit play and see what ya think.
I've had these two tabs open for what feels like forever now and have not taken the proper actions that are described within them. I'm sharing them here not only for my own archival purposes but maybe they'll help someone else out that is looking to get a bit more serious with their AI usage and needs to better comprehend the tools to make that possible.
- Install ComfyUI on MacOS (M1, M2, M3) - Anyone that I've met that is even vaguely serious about using AI for creativity is integrating Comfy UI in their workflow. It's a backend that chains together different processes for a more robust end result than a singular prompt-to-media output. However, the installation instructions can be a bit much if you're just a curious or casual user. This video helps to demystify all that. I'm told.
- Using Comfy UI, EASY Basics - once it's installed, it's also a bit of a hurdle to make sure you're using it properly. This tutorial can help clarify the usage to get things started.
When I worked at KNI, I had the great pleasure of being introduced to Tom Dolan - a graphic designer, musician, artist and all around pleasant thinker. His passion for design - print or web - was infectious and admirable. It still is. He's alive and kicking and churning out more great work than ever. If you are unfamiliar, steer yourself over to his 2022 - 2024 works, dive into the notes and enjoy!
While you're at it, take some time to peruse 22 Truths, Dolan's book on "art and art-making." It's purpose is to provide sharp anecdotes on a path towards making better art. I have a copy and it is certainly worth procuring your own.
Thinking about "making art" is a difficult undertaking for me. I have made countless graphics, album covers, websites, posters, etc but they always strike me as functional, not think pieces. I also believe that making art is a privilege, not one that everyone has and not one that should be taken for granted. To pontificate how to be a better artist often feels self-indulgent.. for me. But I don't think that's actually the case. I am neurotic. I am filled with self-doubt. The process of making art and having tactics to unblock yourself applies to any challenging endeavor, not just "art."
In the same way that Brian Eno's Oblique Strategies isn't really about the recording story or writing music, it's about changing how you think. 22 Truths can serve a similar purpose; a means to an end of unblocking and thinking in a refreshed way.
While you're at it, take some time to peruse 22 Truths, Dolan's book on "art and art-making." It's purpose is to provide sharp anecdotes on a path towards making better art. I have a copy and it is certainly worth procuring your own.
Thinking about "making art" is a difficult undertaking for me. I have made countless graphics, album covers, websites, posters, etc but they always strike me as functional, not think pieces. I also believe that making art is a privilege, not one that everyone has and not one that should be taken for granted. To pontificate how to be a better artist often feels self-indulgent.. for me. But I don't think that's actually the case. I am neurotic. I am filled with self-doubt. The process of making art and having tactics to unblock yourself applies to any challenging endeavor, not just "art."
In the same way that Brian Eno's Oblique Strategies isn't really about the recording story or writing music, it's about changing how you think. 22 Truths can serve a similar purpose; a means to an end of unblocking and thinking in a refreshed way.
16-year old Austin, TX resident Noah Faulkner covers classic New Wave tracks on his pedal steel with his brother (Nate) and his dog (Kara). The videos are entrancing, the covers are great. There's even an NY Times profile on him. Word is out, Pedal Steel Noah is bringing the goods.
There's an EP called Texas Madness that dropped today, April 1st. It's three covers - Joy Division, The Cure, Tears for Fears - and two original tracks. It's streaming as well but you know a Bandcamp bump is always appreciated by anyone.