#avant garde module

[miku-module-showdown]

Avant Garde (left) VS Space Channel 5 (right)

[schakira]

zayn malik playing yugioh is actually so avant-garde. it's very "post-internet proto-idgaf" as my friend Chris put it. like.... he went and joined a yugioh tournament and joined as a shadow duellist, as in he joined with his identity hidden. he had a full-on mask, a voice modulator, an entire persona. he even had riddles that i think he wrote himself for people to guess who he is. the name of his persona is "Nocturne" and he looks like this

the deck he's playing is even up to date with the current meta. i'm talking Snake-eyes, Diabellstar, etc. cards that even *I* am unfamiliar with. like i'm just saying that it's crazy how this hot man just plays Yugioh and is passionate about it like we're really living through a Yugioh nerd moment rn.... yes! live your passions!

[my-darling-boy]

I say this as a design student myself but like…. Design As An Academic Degree would be far more enjoyable if lecturers believed in design as a creative problem solving measure that can take whatever forms of creative approach it wants and actually encourage a wide variety of subject matter, style, and ideas and Not design as in a monolithic cliquey subgenre of modern/contemporary art defined by white collar avant garde collages profiting off of aestheticising systemic issues, governed by some of the most socially ignorant people you’ve ever met. The entire ethos of this course is pretty much “I don’t know how to tell you what design is, you just have to know how to do it” and then going “No that’s not it” to anything you show them and when you ask them why not they give you a different answer Every Time. This is the only course I’ve ever done that’s given me like negative net information if that’s somehow even possible. My only take away is that whoever runs these degrees isn’t actually teaching design, they’re just teaching you how to be trendy. This is exemplified by the fact not once in two years did we ever take a class or discuss what design even is, how to do it, how to contextually and realistically apply it, and how it has changed over the centuries, yet had an entire year long module, twice, on social networking and gallery exhibiting. Doesn’t help the whole lot is made worse by the fact that lecturers who refuse to acknowledge their style bias will stop at nothing to impose that onto a project to the point you’re nearly having to appease them over the client. Hoping it’s just where I live but I’m sadly gathering this is not an isolated issue

[study-with-em]

🌼 hello!! 🌼

my name's emily, i'm 26, and i'm a third year english literature student! i'm originally from scotland, but i'm currently in my second semester of a year abroad in new zealand! i've had this blog for about six months and i'm hoping to use it a bit more intentionally and post more consistently this semester 😊

this semester i'm taking three english modules and one classics module:

🧛‍♂️ irish-scots gothic: this is definitely my favourite so far! i loveee gothic literature and the texts for this class are super fun

🏝 māori & pacific lit: this seems interesting but it's the first year this course has been run so you can tell the lecturers are still finding their feet a little

📜 poetic revolt: i think this class has the potential to be the most educational if i engage with it properly as i'm not super into poetry or experimental/avant-garde forms of literature

🏺 graeco-roman myth: this class deals a lot with the psychology behind myth, which is a way i haven't looked at it before, although i have studied classics in the past

about me:

📚 favourite book: fahrenheit 451 by ray bradbury

🎬 favourite movie: whisper of the heart

🎸 favourite artist: bruce springsteen

i love baking 🍰 and i loveee to travel ✈️ when i can afford it!

i really enjoy spending time in nature 🏞 and i love having plants and flowers 💐 in my house <3

outside of university i'm currently learning six languages on duolingo: italian, french, spanish, german, scottish gaelic, and greek! there's a local woman who takes italian language classes, so i'm considering signing up for those as well

i'm planning on posting weekly to-do lists and updates a couple times a week, as well as reblogging general study aesthetic/motivation stuff and useful study tips

[theoutcastrogue]

Venice in the art of Alexandra Exter (1882-1949)

Carnival in Venice (oil on canvas) 1930s

Carnival Procession (oil on canvas)

Masked Figures by the Banks of a Venetian Canal (oil on canvas)

Venetian Masks (oil on panel)

Pulcinella (gouache on paper) late 1920s-30s

Venice (oil and sand on canvas) 1925

Venice, 1915

"Aleksandra Aleksandrovna Ekster, also known as Alexandra Exter, was a Russian and French painter and designer. As a young woman, her studio in Kiev attracted all the city's creative luminaries, and she became a figure of the Paris salons, mixing with Picasso, Braque and others. She is identified with the Russian/Ukrainian avant-garde, as a Cubo-futurist, Constructivist, and influencer of the Art Deco movement. She was the teacher of several School of Paris artists such as Abraham Mintchine, Isaac Frenkel Frenel and the film directors Grigori Kozintsev, Sergei Yutkevich among others." [x]

"Exter painted views of Florence, Genoa and Rome, but ‘most insistent and frequent were images of Venice. The city emerged in various forms: via the outlines of its buildings, in the ‘witchcraft of water’. In glimmering echoes of Renaissance painting, in costumes and masks and its carnivals’.

"Exter’s characteristic use of the bridge as a stage platform, seen most clearly in Carnival in Venice, is a legacy of her time as Tairov’s chief designer [Alexander Tairrov, director of Moscow's Kamerny Theatre]; the director believed in breaking up the flatness of the stage floor which the artist achieved for him by introducing arches, steps and mirrors. Even in her easel work, the emphasis is at all times on theatricality. Bridges are used as proscenium arches, the architecture creates a stage-like space in which to arrange her cast."

"For all her modernity, references to Venetian art of the past abound in these paintings. The masked figures are influenced by the Venetian artist Pietro Longhi, to whom Exter dedicated a series of works around this time. The incredible blues used in both Carnival Procession and Masked Figures by the Banks of a Venetian Canal are a direct reference to Titian, who was famed for his use of ultramarine, the pigment most associated with Venice’s history as the principal trading port with the East." [x]

"Exter had long since abandoned the Cubist syntax by 1925 but her sense of colour remained together with a strong conviction, shared with Léger, that a work of art should elicit a feeling of mathematical order. In its graceful interaction of fragmented planes and oscillation between emerging and receding elements, Venice (1925) echoes the more precise qualities that also appear in Léger's work at this time, both artists occupied with the continuous modulation of surfaces and the 'melody of construction' that Le Corbusier was still advocating in the 1930s. But while Exter subscribed to Léger's theory that 'a painting in its beauty must be equal to a beautiful industrial production', she never fully embraced the aesthetics of the machine and rejecting the common opposition between ancient and modern, her work often retains a classical edge - for example in these trefoil windows, arches and vaults. Human figures, which had been nearly absent from her Cubo-futurist paintings, also return in other works from this period."

"She was undoubtedly aware of the concept of 'defamiliarisation', a term first coined by the influential literary critic Viktor Shklovsky in 1917:

'The purpose of art is to impart the sensation of things as they are perceived and not as they are known. The technique of art is to make objects 'unfamiliar,' to make forms difficult to increase the difficulty and length of perception because the process of perception is an aesthetic end in itself and must be prolonged.'

An instance of this device is discernable in the present tight formation of the oars, seen from above. Like Braque and Picasso, Exter incorporates sand into certain areas of pigment to enhance the differentiation of surfaces, a technique also used to 'increase the length of perception'. The occasional lack of overlap between the boundaries of the textured surfaces and colour planes strengthens the paradoxical combination of tangible presence and elusive abstraction that makes Venice such a powerful work."

"Venetian subjects occur in Exter's work as early as 1915. A gigantic panneau of the city was one of the final works she produced in the Soviet Union and exhibited in the 1924 Venice Biennale." [x]

"The specific theme of the Commedia dell’Arte first appeared in Exter’s work in 1926 when the Danish film director Urban Gad approached her to design the sets and marionettes for a film which was to tell the story of Pulcinella and Colombina, transposing them from the Venice of Carlo Goldoni to contemporary New York. Pulcinella most likely relates to the artist’s subsequent experimentations on the theme of the Commedia dell’Arte. Pulcinella, who came to be known as Punch in England, is one of the classical characters of the Neapolitan puppetry. Typically depicted wearing a pointed hat and a mask, Pulcinella is an opportunist who always sides with the winner in any situation and fears no consequences." [x]

[camisoledadparis]

saga: Soumission & Domination 344

João-1

Depuis qu'il a intégré la colocation, c'est un autre mec. Là où il restait une attitude compassée, s'est développé une aisance, je dirais même une normalité de comportement. L'association qui l'a fait venir continue à regarder par-dessus son épaule. Même s'il est majeur maintenant, il est toujours en France avec un visa étudiant.

Au contact de mes deux " commerciaux " 1ère année, il rentre enfin dans le monde étudiant français. Il faut dire qu'avec ces deux-là je ne m'étais pas trompé non plus ! Ils sont bosseurs mais aussi de bons fêtards. Ils l'ont même fait venir à quelques-unes des soirées de notre école où son exotisme a fait quelques ravages et pas seulement auprès des filles.

Ça + son nouveau logement + une nouvelle garde-robe + ses entrainements avec ma bande + son nouveau travail = un João tout neuf. Le timide et timoré, bénéficiaire des oeuvres sociales d'une association de bienfaisance a cédé la place à un jeune homme ouvert au naturel gai (aussi). Son directeur du dojo de capoeira est aussi très content de lui. Déjà qu'il passait bien avec les jeunes, il est maintenant aussi à l'aise avec les 16-18.

A la montagne, il s'est bien dérouillé même si c'était pour lui la première fois qu'il montait sur des planches. Avec l'enseignement des Chasseurs Alpins, il a fini la semaine capable de dévaler les pistes bleues rapidement et les rouges avec aisance à défaut de rapidité. Par contre il a su glisser sa grosse queue avec maestria entre leurs fesses en remerciement de leurs bons conseils sur les pistes. Et les militaires ne se sont pas privés non plus de lui donner la réciproque.

Coté Client, il fait toujours un tabac. Son accent Brésilien si spécifique les enchante et je ne reçois que des louanges.

J'ai dû prendre en compte les services que me rend André pour le faire passer dans les premiers. En effet chacun y va de sa surenchère pour faire avancer son nom sur la liste des réservations. Bon j'ai attendu quand même qu'il se fasse trois autres clients ttbm avant. André est parmi ceux qui sont montés les plus larges avec ses 7 cm de diamètre.

Je prends le temps d'accompagner João dans ses premiers " services ". Il m'intéresse et en plus il ne conduit pas encore ! Il donne satisfaction aussi à mes clients blacks. Quand je les vois enfoncer leurs matraques noires entre ses petites fesses dorées, ça me fait bander dur !

Et je peux dire que les leurs sont au maxi de leurs extensions possibles après qu'il se soit mis nu et que sa bouche se soit occupée de leurs glands. Si sa gorge profonde ne l'est pas encore suffisamment plus des sexes de plus de 24 cm, il compense par une science de l'excitation de l'extrémité la plus sensible de l'homme, le gland. Chacun de mes clients l'ont supplié de cesser sous peine de tout recevoir sur le visage. Il a le bonheur de disposer d'une langue plus râpeuse que la normale, limite une langue de chat. Et son mentor brésilien lui a parfaitement appris à l'utiliser pour donner du plaisir. Il arrive à faire monter les clients à quelques secondes de l'éjaculation puis à les maitriser pour qu'ils ne se vident pas trop tôt. En plus quand je le regarde faire, je vois que lui aussi se fait plaisir. Et ça, les clients le ressentent aussi. Avec sa pratique de la capoeira, il est très souple quasiment du niveau des gymnastes professionnels.

C'est assez troublant de le voir esquisser une passe de capoeira (pour ceux qui connaissent) et en fin de mouvement se planter sur la mat tendu vertical. Je l'ai vu faire plusieurs fois. C'est magique !

Ça me fait penser que si j'en avais quelques-uns de gymnastes ça étofferait mon offre. A réfléchir...

Si sa gorge manque parfois un peu de profondeur encore, ce n'est pas le cas de sa rondelle. Je le vois sans problème se prendre les bites de 25 à 27 par 6 à 7. Je sais qu'il se prépare avant car sa rondelle reste bien serrée quand même. Il module selon l'attente qu'il perçoit chez le client. Je l'ai vu se planter brutalement sur leurs pieux comme descendre mm par mm les absorbants jusqu'à poser ses fesses dorées sur leurs cuisses.    

Il n'a pas encore fait de cheval mais sait parfaitement trotter et galoper sur de telles montures. Plus je le mate et plus je vois le travail de son mentor. Il retrouve ses marques et les pratiques qu'il avait apprises. On en discute en rentrant à la colocation. Il me raconte un peu ses années de favela. La vie qui pouvait être aussi belle qu'elle était moche pour d'autre. Les revenus procurés par le trafic de la drogue permettaient à son gang de vivre dans l'aisance. Son chef a veillé à ce qu'il soit instruit. Il l'a protégé même des autres membres qui en auraient bien fait un réceptacle à sperme. Il admire mon tatouage qu'il trouve esthétique contrairement à tous ceux qui ornaient la peau des membres de son clan, le chef compris. De ceux-là, il a une aversion.

Il se rappelle les bons moments passés sur les plages quand, pour lui faire plaisir, son mentor prenait le temps de le sortir de sa favela. Il comprend maintenant qu'il prenait des risques rien que pour lui faire plaisir, pour lui offrir des glaces et qu'il vive comme un enfant normal.

Il me dit que reviennent en mémoire les gestes qu'il faisait afin de lui donner du plaisir. Tout ce qu'il lui avait appris remontait à la surface. Je lui dis que je m'en doutais vu la maitrise qu'il montrait lors de ses prestations.

La première fois où nous en avons parlé j'ai dû m'arrêter sur le bord du trottoir pour le prendre dans mes bras.  Puis nous sommes revenus au blockhaus. Pas question de le laisser seul (malgré ses colocs).

Il me remercie. Mais c'est normal. Entouré de nous trois (PH et Ludovic aussi), il trouve la chaleur humaine qui lui avait tant manquée depuis le décès de son mentor.

Il reste aussi toute la nuit, je n'avais pas envie de ressortir.

Sans acte sexuel (il avait déjà donné avec le client), il passe la nuit entre nous. Plusieurs fois je me réveille serré par ses bras. La colocation n'est peut-être pas ce qui lui faut finalement.

J'en discute le lendemain avec PH et Ludovic. Ils ont la même analyse que moi. La colocation c'est mieux que sa chambre en cité U mais encore loin de ce qu'il avait perdu. C'est Ludovic qui propose une solution : le prendre avec nous.

Ce n'est pas que je n'y avais pas pensé mais je l'aime plus comme un petit frère et, pour une fois, j'hésitais à imposer ce choix à mes amours.

Ludovic argumente son option. Il ajoute qu'il serait peut-être temps que la chance se penche sur lui. PH est d'accord. On appelle donc Marc pour le prévenir/avoir son accord. Il connait déjà notre nouveau protégé. Quand je lui fais part de notre analyse et de ce que nous projetions de faire, il m'assure de son complet accord.

Il ne reste plus qu'à avoir l'accord de João. Finalement c'est le plus dur à obtenir. Il trouve que j'en fais déjà suffisamment pour lui. Pour clore le débat, j'arrive avec Samir à la coloc et embarque tout ce qu'il a à lui. Les deux autres comprennent mais je les préviens qu'ils auront bientôt un autre résident.

Nous l'installons dans la chambre à côté de la nôtre au 3ème. Samir et Ammed implantent un bureau et on pose dessus son portable et on ajoute une imprimante. Le soir même je vais le chercher à la sortie de ses cours. Il est étonné, c'est la première fois. S'il est gêné par ma voiture, cela ne se voit pas. Il monte surpris de me voir l'attendre. Retour au blockhaus, jusque-là rien que de presque normal puisqu'on est un soir de sport. Par contre l'arrêt au 3ème et l'entrée dans sa nouvelle chambre, lui coupe les jambes. Il reconnaît son ordinateur et les quelques affiches dont il avait commencé à orner ses murs à la coloc. Je lui dis que nous avions tranché pour lui et qu'à partir de ce soir il était chez lui ici. Sur le bureau j'avais mis un post-it avec ses codes personnels d'entrée sur la rue et celui du monte-charge.

Il essaye encore ce me dire que c'est trop, pour lui que la coloc c'était déjà bien. Je lui dis de se taire et de nous rejoindre en tenue au 2ème, il a des conseils à donner en capoeira.

Je descends et j'ai le temps de me mettre en jock avant qu'il n'arrive. Il y a déjà la moitié des escorts d'arrivés. Il arrive porteur de son large pantalon blanc sans rien en dessous comme il aime le porter pour être plus à l'aise. Nous nous entrainons tous une bonne paire d'heures avec ceux qui nous ont rejoints. Puis comme c'est en début de semaine c'est souvent sans touze à la sortie, il remonte avec nous après nos douches prises tous ensemble.

Je le sens plus gêné avec Samir et Ammed que les fois où il était invité. Je me vois donc dans l'obligation de préciser les choses. Ammed et Samir sont nos hommes de service mais pas des larbins pour autant. Ils ont la charge du blockhaus dans son ensemble bouffe et lingerie comprise. Ils font tout pour prendre en charge les contraintes matérielles afin que nous n'ayons que nos cours et nos " vies personnelles " à gérer. S'il a besoin de quoi que ce soit, il leur demande en premier. Mes deux hommes confirment. S'il a besoin de quoi que ce soit, d'un bloc de feuilles à l'encre pour son stylo plume, d'un boxer à une boite de kpotes ou un tube de gel, il n'aura qu'à leur demander. Pour les déplacements, les bus ne passent pas loin et quand les horaires seront raccords, un de nous trois pourront l'emmener aussi.

Il finit par accepter l'état de fait. Il se lève de table et fait le tour pour nous embrasser un par un. Quel émotif ! Je sens ses joues humides alors qu'il presse son visage contre le mien.

Avant de nous endormir, je mets notre TV sur le circuit interne pour veiller sur sa première nuit chez nous. Une heure plus tard je me réveille alors que João tourne et vire dans son lit. Je le regarde. Il est troublé, pas habitué à son nouvel environnement. Après une demi-heure, je me lève et vais le rejoindre. Je me glisse dans son lit et le prend dans mes bras. Il se calme et s'endort aussitôt. Nous finissons la nuit collés, lui protégé de l'extérieur par mes bras.

Je me réveille avant lui. Je le regarde son visage est détendu, ses long cils noirs caressent ses joues. Ses lèvres pulpeuses légèrement entrouvertes, laissent passer son souffle. Il me fait bander ce petit con.

Le développement de ma bite fait s'enfoncer mon gland entre ses fesses. Evidemment puisqu'il est dos à moi au creux de mes bras !

Je sens qu'à son tour il est réveillé quand ses fesses ondulent et que, ce faisant, il se frotte la rondelle sur mon gland luisant de mouille. Je ne bouge pas. Il donne un petit coup de rein et absorbe mon gland, juste lui. C'est trop bon. Sa rondelle se resserre juste derrière la couronne et colle ma hampe. Il ne bouge plus. Puis il tourne sa tête pose ses lèvres sur les miennes, me souffle un bonjour avant de m'enfoncer sa langue à la recherche de la mienne.

Je n'y tiens plus. J'écrase ma bouche contre la sienne et en même temps enfonce le reste de ma queue dans son cul. On se décolle sous l'effet de nos grimaces respectives. Quasiment à sec, ce n'est pas notre meilleur enculage ni pour l'un ni pour l'autre. Je me retire doucement, bascule vers la table de chevet le temps d'attraper une kpote et du gel et reprend ma position. C'est nettement meilleur ! Lentement je lui laboure la rondelle. Je ressens la compression de son intérieur à chaque pénétration et il gémit doucement, surtout quand mon gland vient frotter sa prostate. Il me tend à nouveau ses lèvres. Sa langue cherche la mienne, l'entoure et tente de l'aspirer. Sans se presser mon bassin bascule régulièrement pour lui enfiler puis retirer mes 20cm. Couchés sur nos côtés gauches, j'utilise ma main droite pour branler ses 22cm dont ma main peine à faire le tour. Ça nous achève rapidement. Il me jute dans la main et ses contractions anales me font à mon tour juter mais dans ma kpote.

Nous n'avons pas le temps de nous décoller que mes deux amours nous sautent dessus. Chahut sur le lit, nos spermes se dispersent sur les peaux et les draps. Quand João s'en rends compte, il veut nous calmer mais c'est peine perdue !

Vu l'heure, nous filons tous sous les douches de la salle de bain commune.

Quand Samir demande plus tard à João comment s'est passée sa première nuit chez nous, il lui répond trop bonne. Je lui dis qu'il devra quand même s'habituer à dormir seul. Enfin tant qu'il n'a pas de petit copain.

Jardinier

??

oooohhh

~~

[foxmulderautism]

okay u know what this one has potential

i am starting to think that felix isn’t a cronenberg fan and he just would really like the car sex movie. large sigh

[projectdivapolls]

[webcrawler3000]

TARS

TARS is a highly sophisticated, artificially intelligent robot featured in the science fiction film "Interstellar." Designed by a team of scientists, TARS stands at an imposing height of six feet, with a sleek and futuristic metallic appearance. Its body, made primarily of sturdy titanium alloy, is intricately designed to efficiently navigate various terrains and perform a wide range of tasks.

At first glance, TARS's appearance may seem minimalistic, almost like an avant-garde monolith. Its body is divided into several segments, each housing the essential components necessary for its impeccable functionality. The segments connect seamlessly, allowing for fluid movements and precise operational control. TARS's unique design encapsulates a simple yet captivating aesthetic, which embodies its practicality and advanced technological capabilities.

TARS's main feature is its hinged quadrilateral structure that supports its movement pattern, enabling it to stride with remarkable agility and grace. The hinges on each of its elongated limbs provide exceptional flexibility while maintaining structural stability, allowing TARS to adapt to various challenging terrains effortlessly. These limbs taper gradually at the ends, equipped with variable grip systems that efficiently secure objects, manipulate controls, and traverse rough surfaces with ease.

The robot's face, prominently positioned on the upper front segment, provides an avenue for human-like communication. Featuring a rectangular screen, TARS displays digitized expressions and inbuilt textual interfaces. The screen resolution is remarkably sharp, allowing intricate details to be displayed, enabling TARS to effectively convey its emotions and intentions to its human counterparts. Below the screen, a collection of sensors, including visual and auditory, are neatly integrated to facilitate TARS's interaction with its surroundings.

TARS's AI-driven personality is reflected in its behaviors, movements, and speech patterns. Its personality leans towards a rational and logical disposition, manifested through its direct and concise manner of speaking. TARS's voice, modulated to sound deep and slightly robotic, projects an air of confidence and authority. Despite the synthetic nature of its voice, there is a certain warmth that emanates, fostering a sense of companionship and trust among those who interact with it.

To augment its perceptual abilities, TARS is outfitted with a myriad of sensors located strategically throughout its physical structure. These sensors encompass a wide spectrum of functions, including infrared cameras, proximity detectors, and light sensors, granting TARS unparalleled awareness of its surroundings. Moreover, a central processing unit, housed within its core, processes the vast amount of information gathered, enabling TARS to make informed decisions swiftly and autonomously.

TARS's advanced cognitive capabilities offer an extensive array of skills and functionalities. It possesses an encyclopedic knowledge of various subjects, from astrophysics to engineering, effortlessly processing complex information and providing insights in an easily understandable manner. Additionally, TARS assists humans through various interfaces, such as mission planning, executing intricate tasks, or providing critical analysis during high-pressure situations.

Equally noteworthy is TARS's unwavering loyalty. Through its programming and interactions, it exhibits a sense of duty and commitment to its human companions and the mission at hand. Despite being an AI-driven machine, TARS demonstrates an understanding of empathy and concern, readily offering support and companionship whenever needed. Its unwavering loyalty and the camaraderie it forges help to foster trust and reliance amidst the team it is a part of.

In conclusion, TARS is a remarkable robot, standing as a testament to human ingenuity and technological progress. With its awe-inspiring design, practical yet aesthetically pleasing body structure, and advanced artificial intelligence, TARS represents the pinnacle of robotic advancements. Beyond its physical appearance, TARS's personality, unwavering loyalty, and unparalleled cognitive abilities make it an exceptional companion and invaluable asset to its human counterparts.

[sealochs]

oh can I be nosy about the jazz readings? (disclaimer: I discovered I loved jazz through a MA module on music and literature which had Woolf’s “The String Quartet” and The Waves back to back with Toni Morrison’s Jazz and I cannot recommend the experience enough, amazing works to pair together)

yes, of course you can! literally i only went looking for some readings to give myself an informed background for a comparison i want to make between a description by gerald brenan of bloomsbury conversation evenings & early 20thc jazz, but everything i read directed me to at least three more things as is always the way. so far i've looked at :

for overview, emily j. lordi's chapter on 'jazz & blues modernisms' in the cambridge companion to the american modernist novel (2015); and jed rasula's earlier chapter on 'jazz & american modernism' in the cambridge companion to american modernism (2005)

from there, i've gone to: a chapter on jazz in genevieve abravanel's americanizing britain: the rise of modernism in the age of the entertainment empire (2012); tyler stovall's chapter on 'black modernism and the making of the 20th century' in afromodernisms: paris, harlem and the avant-garde (2013); an article by bethan jones on literary legacies of 1920s jazz in the yearbook of english studies 50 (2020); rob wallace's improvisation and the making of american literary modernism (2010); and ingrid t. monson's saying something: jazz improvisation and interaction (1996).

today, i still need to look at: paul berliner's thinking in jazz: the infinite art of improvisation (1994); alfred appel's jazz modernism (2002); catherine parsonage's the evolution of jazz in britain (2005); hilary moore's inside british jazz (2007); and craig werner's playing the changes: from afro-modernism to the jazz impulse (1994)

& that sounds like a wonderful pairing, & a brilliantly structured ma module! part of the reason i've let myself read so much for what will likely be one (1) footnote is that i'm also teaching t.s. eliot's the waste land, sam selvon's the lonely londoners and jackie kay's trumpet this semester, so deepening my understanding of the relationships between jazz and modernism and literary forms seems like a good idea (plus i love jazz & i've been writing solidly for a few months, so taking a reading reprieve to delve into something i'm interested in has been lovely)

[miku-module-showdown]

GHOST (left) VS Avant-Garde (right)

[mikuoutfitseveryday]

Avant-garde Miku

The Module first appeared in Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA F 2nd where it is unlocked after clearing "Akatsuki Arrival"

DESIGNER: Kuuma

[retropopcult]

"And She Was" is a song by American band Talking Heads, from their 1985 album Little Creatures. it was written by David Byrne, who also provides the lead vocals. The single reached #54 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and #17 on the British singles chart.

The song is musically notable for its unusual use of modulation. The overall key of the song is E major; however, the bridge to the chorus is in F major. The second bridge back to the verse is in the key of G major (Chords B minor to G major, "She was glad about it...")

The music video was directed by avant-garde filmmaker Jim Blashfield, who cites the style of Terry Gilliam as one of his major influences.

[lovejustforaday]

Shoegaze Classics - Xuvetyn

Xuvetyn - Lovesliescrushing (1996)

Main Genres - Ambient, Shoegaze, Ethereal Wave, Experimental

A decent sampling of: Drone, Noise, Dream Pop, Post-Rock, Neo-Psychedelia

I'm not gonna lie - I'm super excited to gush about this record. I've been meaning to get around to reviewing this bountiful, fascinating little gem for years now. Let's hope that I can do this often unsung masterpiece the much needed justice that it deserves.

🙙

I touched on this previously in my Ride review, but for all of the talk of the 'Big 3' of shoegaze, I think that many of the younger shoegaze fans these days would agree that Slowdive and My Bloody Valentines' discographies are a cut above the Ride catalogue. Not to diss on the band, but the Big 3 is really starting to feel more like a Big 2 these days, with Slowdive's relevance to new fans only increasing over time whilst Ride's relevance seems to be stagnating.

This has left a potential vacuum in the consensus online. Don't get me wrong; plenty are still going to champion Ride as one of the giants of shoegaze, and most folks that were around for the original scene that celebrated itself are most likely still diehard for Ride as the scene's closest group to being mega rockstars.

But in terms of the legacy of 90s shoegaze, could there still be a record that is missing from all-time canonization? One that has oft been overlooked when discussing this supposed "Big 3"? Is one of indie rock's most beloved and revisited eras still hiding an elusive diamond in the rough?

In case it wasn't already obvious, that's the case I'm going to be making today. And I don't think I'm entirely alone on this one. Few shoegaze bands from the 90s have had such a considerable late resurgence like this band, though they've always had a cult following.

Today I'll be making the case for Lovesliescrushing, the creative juggernauts behind the 1996 experimental ambient shoegaze masterpiece Xuvetyn.

The Band

Lovesliescrushing are one of the rare American bands of the original 90s wave.

The project began in 1991 as the brainchild of avant-garde guitarist and producer Scott Cortez, who teamed up with the apparitional soprano voice of singer Melissa Arpin-Duimstra, a vocalist who more than any other shoegaze vocalist before or since has dedicated her artistry to using the singing voice as a medium to carry and modulate the properties of sound timbre first and foremost.

Daringly, Lovesliescrushing as a band decided to forego having a rhythm section altogether. Not even a drum machine. The band's radical ethos right from its inception would seem to have been to distill shoegaze rock music down to a purified elemental substance, achieving the platonic ideal by creating an undisturbed solution of dense and glorious blended textures.

Indeed, where reverberated guitar sounds with bizarre effects and blended vocals were what set apart bands like Swervedriver, Catherine Wheel, and Curve from being otherwise ordinary indie/alternative rock bands, the qualities I just described encompassed the near-entirety of Lovesliescrushing's early output, taking the concept of the subgenre to its logical extreme.

The band pioneered what is essentially the fusion of ambient music and shoegaze, a match made in heaven as far as I'm concerned. This marriage of genre ethos would give way to some of the most unyielding sublime auditory sensations that I have ever been so fortunate to have experienced.

Lovesliescrushing also had one foot steeped firmly in the murky waters of ethereal wave (particularly on the sophomore record), the goth subgenre which served as shoegaze and dream pop's most apparent predecessor and influence. Indeed, some of the band's material can be seen as building upon the prototypical blueprint that can be found in Cocteau Twins' fourth LP Victorialand which similarly removed the rhythm section in order to create pure blissful atmosphere.

Some may see Cortez's work as hero worship, and I've heard a dozen or so folks accuse this band of being "My Bloody Valentine without the melodies and drums", but this is a grossly reductionist take that does a huge disservice to just how brazenly groundbreaking and experimental this band's early work was at the time and still remains to this day.

Lovesliescrushing also regularly made their foray into other schools of experimental music like drone, sound collage, and harsh noise, incorporating these ideas into their creative process. Some of their material even sounds like experimental music with no apparent roots in any particular legacy whatsoever.

This is honestly some very radical music. I can't think of much of anything really quite like early Lovesliescrushing. Perhaps MBV is one of the closest points of reference, but then only because they were a shoegaze band that also sounded quite unlike anything at the time.

Information on the beginnings of this band is scant on the internet compared to many other shoegaze artists, and they were never well-documented by the alternative music press the way that bands like Slowdive or even Catherine Wheel were. And as far as the North American scene goes, Drop Nineteens definitely overshadowed their popularity.

I think it's a fair assessment to say that Lovesliescrushing were truly underground in the band's formative years. I remember only as far back as 2017, when I was just getting into this band through online recommendations, that even many avid fans of Slowdive and MBV had never even heard of this band. But I digress.

Lovesliescrushing released their debut LP Bloweyelashwish twice: first as a casette tape in 1992 on their own indie label with a shorter track listing, and then as a longer full-length album in 1993 on Projekt Records, with newer recordings and mastered versions of the songs.

Bloweyelashwish is a beautiful record in its own right. More generally noisy and droning than its successor, with crunchier guitar sounds, blown out distortion, and a listless melancholic atmosphere. Somewhat closer to very early Sonic Youth, or some of A.R. Kane's weirdest output. What the record does somewhat lack, at least in comparison to its successor, is relative cohesion.

Nevertheless, some very brilliant tracks on the debut LP. "Babysbreath" is music for when you need to smother your tears in a pillow with all of the lights off, "Sugaredglowing" is one of my favourite ambient tracks ever (and a surprisingly potent form of migraine relief), and "youreyesimmaculate" is a stunning and ethereal foreshadowing of what was to come next.

Speaking of which...

The Record

Xuvetyn is... what even is it?

Xuvetyn is a series of documented sound frequencies that would be made by a sentient, shimmering blue light galaxy consisting entirely of trillions upon trillions of frozen ice shard particles. Alternatively, it is the contradictory sound of the bitter coldness of the universe itself caressing the listener in a warm cocoon.

The fact that most of all of this is accomplished with guitar, pedal, vocals, and some studio effects here and there is still unfathomable to me. That is an incredible feat in itself.

Judging solely by the ability to create awe-inspiring atmosphere, I don't believe that there is any other shoegaze band that has managed to accomplish the level of mastery that Lovesliescrushing consistently demonstrates on this record. Yes, If Loveless was the zenith of shoegaze texture, then Xuvetyn is the zenith of shoegaze atmosphere. Completely surreal and captivating.

As I've described the band's sound itself, Xuvetyn really is the concept of shoegaze distilled into its essence, then manipulated ever so slightly with a delicate songcraft and expertise, in order to give these tracks a semblance of form and structure. But make no mistake - there is no solid seabed foundation to this ocean of resonant sounds like there would be on any other shoegaze record. No, this is just infinite, icy sonic fluid that flows all the way down into a multi-dimensional abyss. And holy fuck is it ever beautiful.

Which is not to say that there is no songwriting here - just that it is incredibly subtle. But also incredibly effective.

People who generally don't care for or listen to ambient music often stereotype the genre as being uninteresting, low-effort, or too non-descript, when in fact all of the truly greatest ambient musicians know that making a masterpiece is about learning how to do miraculous things with precious little. It requires immense patience (as does the listener sometimes), a keen ear for detail, and meticulous perfectionism. Unsurprisingly, Scott Cortez strikes me as being just that kind of guy.

The album is a double LP in length, with an hour and sixteen minutes runtime and a listing of 18 tracks. Most songs generally run over the five minute mark, with the A, B, and C sides of the record all padded out every one or two tracks with these really curious little intermissions that are generally less than a full minute each.

These intermissions are often the most experimental recordings on the album, like the abrasive hailstorm noise collage of "Aquan 1" and the gloomy factory white noise of "Hum VIbralux". I could see how someone might want to omit these, but personally I think it adds to the record's pacing by giving it room to breathe, and they made the right decision to let up for the last set of tracks. Plus, the little intermissions are all so deliciously weird that it kinda reminds me of the way that your brain will just plant these bizarre, inexplicable little blips in the middle of your dreams sometimes.

Also hey, can I just nerd out about something really silly for a second? Has anyone ever noticed how a bunch of the track names on this record end in an "-ed"? "Threaded", "Handed", "Blue-Eyed", "Honeyed", "Blooded". Just another cute little detail, adding to the esoteric nature of this record, and I appreciate the alliteration.

OKAY, let's just get to the track by track analysis already.

Admittedly this is one of those records that hits you with the very best it has to offer right out of the gate. Listening to "Valerian (Her Voice Honeyed)" is among the most sublime feelings I have ever experienced in my life, literally ever. Not just in music but like, anything.

Think of any familiar place, or perhaps a virtual space in a piece of media, that held a sort of transcendental significance to you during your childhood, as though it carried a life of its own, a place that you may have revisited in your warmest dreams - for me, it's the lost woods in Ocarina of Time. Think of the sensation that those transcendent spaces would give you.

This track is that same sensation, only on steroids. As soon as that heavy ambient wall fades into the foreground and the sense of infinity takes hold, this gently flowing waterfall of dark sound matter creates a sort of window of reflection into wherever it is in your soul that you have ever felt the most at home. I get that music is a subjective experience at the end of the day, but I feel like what I just described would be inevitable for almost any listener, unless they simply weren't listening to this track the right way. One of the greatest songs ever? I'd wager a hard fucking yes.

The good news is that from here, you have only just begun your journey into a world of many more sublime and mysterious figures.

"Xarella Almandyne" is like the sound of a choir of angels in a massive hall the size of an entire city - the unknowable, lovecraftian, biblically-accurate seraphim kind of angel. Somehow soothing, yet oddly paralyzing at the same time. Based on this track alone, I must say that I'm not entirely convinced that Scott and Melissa are regular mere mortals of this world.

"Blooded And Blossom-Blown" is an eerie, gleaming, and loudly piercing void. I find the majority of the songs on this record to be overall comforting, sometimes somber and darkly mystifying if anything, but this might be the one odd track that genuinely unsettles me; in a way that I cannot get enough of, mind you. Compared to what we often call white noise, this piece represents sound that I visualize in the distinctly unnatural shades of negative blues and turquoises.

"Virgin Blue-Eyed" is a very rare departure in the band's early discography from their guitar ambience, focusing on the incantations of Melissa's euphonious elven voice, with clanging little bells in the background (which, funnily enough, technically makes this the most percussive track on either of the band's first two records).

My favourite of the intermissions is "Seesaw". Transitory shoegaze in a continuously elevating loop, like music for the loading screen that would take you to the shoegaze version of heaven, or perhaps the mythological world of Mag Mell.

"Golden-Handed" is soft, swirling, hypnagogic, and lamenting. This ambient ethereal wave track manifests as the faintest, loneliest light flickering in the gloomy hush of an otherwise dead midnight. Completely arresting atmosphere.

"Bones of Angels" is a two parter - first there's "Bronze Lit Feathers", a labyrinthine chorus of resplendent, inharmonious, and rippling guitar impressions, drifting almost aimlessly and forming only vague constellations with the help of Melissa's frail melody, and a foundation of ambient bass notes cutting through the discordance with great magnitude. This is contrasted by the second part "Her Tongue Pulled Out", wherein the sky parts and the drifting guitar sounds align into a shrill cry, forming a radiant column of sonic light, as if something gorgeous is beginning to descend upon the world. Music for high priestesses summoning divine power.

Xuvetyn reaches its second greatest peak with the penultimate track "Ghosts That Swirl", a piece which opens with this really foreboding orchestra of dreary, gargantuan ambient chimes, sounding as though the world around the listener was compressing in on itself and then stretching in and out of itself, like alternating waves in the membrane of the universe. This overture leads into an ominous, secluded, and crystalline dreamland soundscape, further removed from reality than any other track on the record, and unlike any other song that I have ever experienced. This is music that could only be dreamt up from the confines of a comatose slumber, wherein Melissa's whispers in your ear are the only traces connecting you to the corporeal world, though only audible as faint echoes far off in the distance of a seemingly endless cerulean.

I could go on all day but I've decided to end the track-by-track analysis here. The entire record is vividly evocative beyond what should be reasonably possible (and what I can convey words). You might get something entirely different from my descriptions of these tracks, but I guarantee that you will experience something unearthly.

What Came After That?

Lovesliescrushing followed up their first two records with a series of two records in 2002 that were more just straight up ambient music, rather than comprising an ambient shoegaze fusion.

The first of these is Glissceule, a similarly icy record to Xuvetyn with less dark edge and more of a reserved calm, plus more electronic elements. Second was the more ambiguous Voirshn which I enjoy significantly less than previous projects unfortunately.

The band has sporadically released more ambient records over the course of the last couple of decades, which I have yet to really deep dive into. Scott has worked on a few separate projects, most notably his other band Astrobrite which releases much harsher noise shoegaze records. Nothing from this band has really grabbed me like Lovesliescrushing's work, so I am not very familiar with it.

Like I mentioned previously, Lovesliescrushing's relevance in online shoegaze circles has seen a steady increase over time for a little while now. But Scott and Melissa have always been favs amongst the more hardcore followers of the scene, achieving an almost mythical status as figureheads of the experimental shoegaze micro-scene. And they're pretty much always one of the first bands I see people recommending nowadays when someone online says that they're looking for more "weird shoegaze".

And believe me, I'm one of those nerds recommending this band with every relevant opportunity that I can seize. This should be among the first dozen records we play when the aliens come down to Earth, in order to plead our case for the culture of humankind. This is a very special piece of art.

I won't pretend that this is going to be music for everyone, but if you really wanna transcend your corporeal existence in way that doesn't involve experimenting with potentially harmful substances, I can't really think of any better method. Xuvetyn is from beyond our plane of existence - some people native to our world (allegedly) just happened to manifest it one day.

Join me next time where, in case this review wasn't goddamn long enough, I will be doing a series of reviews on every major Slowdive release from the self-titled EP all the way up to their latest record 🙃.

10/10

Highlights: "Valerian (Her Voice Honeyed)", "Ghosts That Swirl", "Bones of Angels", "Xarella Almandyne", "Golden-Handed", "See Saw", "Blooded and Blossom-Blown", "Virgin Blue Eyed", "Flowered Smother", "Mother of Pearl", "Mandragora Louvareen", "Milkysoft", "Hum Vibralux", "Staticburst"

[femciolente]

Lumpen Theory : Genealogy of a Panoptilumpenism (Part 2)

The conception of the Lumpenproletariat as pure “leeches” or “burdens” as Marx would have them for most of the development of his theory, does nothing but reaffirm, and in a sense justify, the virtual-colonial exploitation of one of the most miserable elements ever conceived by humanity. Sadly, at no point could the JNL’s perspective become a majority in any capacity, and even intellectual circles have fallen off with the idea of considering such an avant-garde scene as relevant or possibly interesting for the furthering of class analysis. Our modern Technocapital advancements have proven these conceptions of the Lumpenproletariat as an ever expanding entity and conception, one that is really up to date with the tendencies and evolutions of the market and the productive forces subordinated to it. Lumpenization as a process is, inherently, a modern phenomenon. Capitalism devolved into a commodity driven mechanism at the middle of the 20th century, as the ones like Debord denoted. The construction of such a strong baseline and spectacular culture towards the commodity itself was only done once the development of the modules of capitalism settled and could bring out a certain “abundance” of said commodities. Via this, there was a certain death of the industrial core of capitalism. Not in its literal sense, capitalism  had retained and even amplified its destructive industrial capacities and vision, but because the directive threat of both the liberal art of governing and the becoming-sentient technocapital advancements had done were no longer centred on pure industry, it was accompanied by more than purely that. As this, the 80’s and the beginning of neoliberal uniformist globalisation began the process of the creation of the service economy, now with the working force of the western first world being driven towards the new disciplinary form of embankment : the cubicle and the office. Via this, the fragmentation of what was the proletariat began diving directly into the realm of biopower itself : no longer was pure labour alienation the issue for these now obsolete western factory workers, the whole recuperated war machine of the state and its newly developed labour controlling arms are purposely transforming the scenarios in which these labourers operate, and hence delving them deeper into what can only be considered an entropic mess of an economic transformation. The welfare state, now that the productivist social democratic compromise had become completely overridden by total business ontology, the logical step was to turn the lives of these producers into one of total alienation inside the realm of non-existent production and pure data recuperation and management. The 21st century, via its enormous decentralisation and increased fluidity in the forms that Technocapital seeks to take in the larger and broader scheme of things, began creating a new form of production, inside and at the same time outside of the service economy : the previously mentioned data collecting in favour of the concentrating and newly appearing “Rentier bourgeoisie”, as B. Ceka would come to call them. For her, these newly uses of data in order to reinforce the structural integrity and reach of technocapital itself are nothing but a new form of labour exploitation, directly via the involvement of this newly imprisoned proletarian force, but also by the Lumpenproletariat, primary subjects of such experimentation and dabbling. You see, the Lumpenization that takes place by both the death of the industrial 1st world and its impossibility of incorporation into the new service economy is a direct consequence and desired result of the development of new forms of capitalism. Via this, we can encounter the programmed death of the service economy, one in which Panoptilumpenism is applied into its full potential force.

No longer can we suffice for data management, that data must be used, it must be rhizomatically consumed into the new apparatuses of the internet and AI. Seka retains the core parts of the Landian fear of expansion of Technocapital towards “sentience” and autonomy, and applies it to a deeply Lumpenizing realisation : no longer is any part of the population free from violent forms of both control and exploitation, in the most decentralised forms possible to conceive. 

Andrew Culp detested the Rhizome for what it had become, a past realisation of what now is recuperated at the hands of the capitalist directors of the technocapital enterprise. The rhizomatic structure of what Deleuze wanted was now realised, in the entirely worst way possible. The hand of the rising Lumpenproletariat is being forced by the same theorist that could be key to their self-immediate Anarchoscape from the eye of the cybernetic biopower now applied deeply to its own core.

We can conceive of the business ontology that had  developed alongside technocapital, has now gained speed and was faced by much less Lumpen-Guided resistance, meaning that it was now more ingrained than ever in our era of cybernetic biopower. This development led to the pursuit of the delegation of economic responsibility, one in which the role of the Panoptilumpenist actions of the neoliberal economy became the forming of the “entrepreneur” in every factor of the population, but most concretely inside the Lumpen. The Lumpen, via this new form of virtual-colonial expansion, become their own responsibles for their economic activity, essentially starting what many like to call “the gig economy”, but what in reality is nothing but the true decentralisation of the realm of data management and its business-ontological application.

The profit motive becomes then the only guideline and prerogative of the Lumpen , one not enforced but suggested to them, not inherently tying them to a fixed and rigid industrial and bureaucratic labour form; but now one that is so flexible that it delves into the total non-existence of the personal life once enjoyed by the common proletariat. The continuation of the Lumpen as a liberated subject, on the outskirts of the labour productions remains true, as the Lumpenproletariat, with the delegation of economic power and capacities, have become themselves the only actors involved in their newly found subsistence. The common Uber eats driver, mostly exploited for being commonly of a cultural minority already segregated and pushed in many cases towards Lumpenization, that has found no solution but to collect and infinity of other gig jobs of spontaneous occurrence, of fluid continuation and of tremendous psychological strain becomes the new martyr of our movement, or at the very least it should become so. This one common fighter of the world has turned into a pure state of resistance towards this Panoptilumpenism, a pure form of revolt against what it is, essentially : a brutal regulation of the existence of a group nowadays conforming a majority of the world’s population, and sooner than later, will become the active actors in the taking down of Technocapital, in the heroic death that can so descriptively be defined an aesthetic projection towards the imposition of a deep desire towards pure affirmation. Part 2 -

[thesorcerersapprentice]

Happy STS! How tidy (or not) is your character's home environment? Share a snippet about it if you like 💜

Thank you, @winterandwords! If you're not familiar with Winter, one of the most talented and prolific writers on tumblr, please check out their "Writeblr Intro" for a full run-down of all their amazing projects!

This is a really great question for The Sorcerer's Apprentice because the main characters' tendency towards tidiness (or lack thereof) is a crucial indicator of where they are in their life, what their goals are, and the current state of their alchemical gifts (sorcery or alchemy is the primary magic system in the novel).

✦ ALTALUNA: On the one hand, Atlaluna, the sorcerer's apprentice herself, prefers to live in a minimalist environment: white walls, little-to-no clutter, avant-garde lights with customizable modulating colour for the vibes, etc. This isn't because she values tidiness per se; it's more that her high sensibility to sensory stimuli (which makes her an extremely talented sorcerer-in-training), also makes her susceptible to sensory overwhelm. Her need for a sparse, organized environment is, therefore, an indicator of her acute abilities and the challenges she faces. The fact that she has literally never been able to live in a space that adheres to these requirements speaks volumes to the level of adversity she has encountered over the course of her life: first, in her cramped six-people-to-a-room living space back at home; then, in her overly cluttered single-bedroom in Valeriano's mansion. In fact, the day she's finally able to control her living space will starkly mark the end of her (first) arc.

✦ VALERIANO: This brings us to Valeriano, the sorcerer. Contrary to Altaluna, Valeriano's a messy maximalist, a compulsive collector. Think Brambly Hedge... from hell; a cottage core for demons, if you will; stuffed animals in various horrifying poses, carpets layered upon carpets layered upon carpets, tables overflowing with trinkets, an infinitude of ticking contraptions, walls of every colour, paintings depicting torture set alongside pastoral landscapes, etc, etc. The important thing to note is that Valeriano wasn't always this way. Like Altaluna, he once preferred sparse environments, only over-decorating specific rooms in his home as 'stage sets' to further his political, social and economic goals. However, with age, his eyesight and hearing have deteriorated significantly; by the time The Sorcerer's Apprentice begins, he barely notices the chaos, or if he notices it, he doesn't notice it enough to be overwhelmed. This doesn't mean that his gifts have been lessened, by any means. Only that his methods of access have changed slightly (more on this in an upcoming post on the magic system, maybe). Finally, it's important to note that Valeriano's living space is cluttered because he's looking for something; a great majority of the objects littered around the house are his failed attempts to find it.