#event: carrie cd release

[derekklenadaily]

Flashback Friday: Derek and Christy performed their songs from Off-Broadway musical 'Carrie' at Barnes and Noble in Sept 25, 2012. This particular event was to release the cast recording/signing by the 'Carrie' cast.

[warpwoof]

Brian Eno

Whatever you now find weird, ugly, uncomfortable and nasty about a new medium will surely become its signature. CD distortion, the jitteriness of digital video, the crap sound of 8-bit - all of these will be cherished and emulated as soon as they can be avoided. It’s the sound of failure: so much modern art is the sound of things going out of control, of a medium pushing to its limits and breaking apart. The distorted guitar sound is the sound of something too loud for the medium supposed to carry it. The blues singer with the cracked voice is the sound of an emotional cry too powerful for the throat that releases it. The excitement of grainy film, of bleached-out black and white, is the excitement of witnessing events too momentous for the medium assigned to record them.

[putschki1969]

Promo Video for "Yūyami no Uta"

The official twitter account of the Sengoku Youko anime adaptation has shared a brief message video of KEIKO and Yuki Kajiura promoting their collaborative single "夕闇のうた/Yūyami no Uta" which serves as the appointed ending theme of the first arc "世直し姉弟編/Yonaoshi Kyodai-hen" (World Reform Siblings Arc).

◆Ending theme Vocals: KEIKO "Yūyami no Uta" Lyrics, composition, arrangement: Yuki Kajiura ✅Released on January 24th The TV size is already available in digital format

Keiko is very excited to work together with Yuki Kajiura for her very first anime tie-in as solo artist. When looking at the music sheets during the recording session, Keiko noticed that the phrase 大地/Daichi (Earth) was a recurring theme throughout the lyrics. She wonders if Yuki Kajiura was trying to convey the "energy of the earth" through the song to reflect the overarching themes of the anime. Yuki Kajiura says that the anime feels surprisingly grounded despite its fantastical story. She appreciates the earthy component which just makes it a very grounded tale and she thinks that Keiko's voice is a perfect match for this kind of story since it is also very earthy and profound as if the weight of every character's lifetime (of all the hardships and joys) was carried across it. There is a very steadfast quality to her voice, when you listen to the song you feel a sense of security like you are standing firmly on the ground

Hopefully next week we'll get some details on tokutens/release events/etc. I finally need to make all of my orders. So far I've only ordered a copy of the regular edition and CD+BD edition on amazon.co.jp to receive a mega jacket.

[project-sekai-facts]

have you seen that theory about vbs not being the original owners of their sekai, and if so what are your thoughts about it?

i stared at this post for a few minutes wondering if you were talking about a post that was written by me and then i checked twitter and a post about RADder being the original owners popped up on my fyp so i'm assuming that's what you're talking about (also i realised that my post is. still in my drafts).

i go full pepe silvia under the cut. uh. sorry.

yeah anyway i do agree with that theory. kinda. The Street SEKAI is mentioned multiple times in the initial cards to have been around for a while, though this could be referring to the fact that SEKAI take time to grow before they manifest fully to the owners (think about School and Wonderland SEKAI, which probably took years to reveal themselves). But it could also imply that someone else contributed to the SEKAI before VBS. I actually talk about the theory briefly in that first linked post, so we'll continue from there.

so I don't think it was RADder. And yeah basically my only reason is that they're too old. MEIKO was released in 2006, considering the only date mentioned in the game is (Autumn) 2021, this is after An was born, when RADder was already pretty successful. Also we don't know enough about SEKAI physics to confirm this, but Miku seems to be more important than MEIKO so maybe space-time wasn't broken until 2007, and RADder is probably even more successful at that point because of the CDs they recorded when An was a baby.

the SEKAI just doesn't work in the time frame. What we know is that the Street SEKAI was formed by dreams and aspiration. Which is kinda the case for most SEKAI but Street SEKAI was more specifically formed by the passion its creators have for these dreams. and while RADder had big dreams to be top musicians in the world and was passionate about that, they were like realistically never gonna achieve that, but also they were at a point where they were doing very well and were very successful and on their way there. they didn't really need the help from Miku as much as VBS needs it.

Now the way Nagi talks about some things in Light Up the Fire definitely could be read a certain way, especially when she talks about passing on RADder's dream to the kids in the audience at RW, but I still don't think RADder being the original owners entirely works. Honestly the easiest point to argue for that claim is that the Street SEKAI has a very strong attachment to RAD WEEKEND, which on the one hand could be part of the fact that Taiga very clearly never moved past it and never fully processed the death of his sister, but it makes a lot more sense to be a trait tied to the people who aspire to surpass it. also MEIKO outright says that's why the attachment to RW is there in her initial 2*.

However,

I don't think it's entirely out of the question for some of the other side characters to have an influence over the Street SEKAI. As I've mentioned, the SEKAI has a strong attachment to RW, and all of them have the same goal of surpassing the event. Also the 4 older VSingers in the SEKAI (MEIKO, KAITO, Luka, Miku) all takes traits from the members of RADder. Which makes a lot of sense for the main mentor figures in the SEKAI to be based on the people that the kids look up to.

There is an argument to be made though that they gave up on their dreams to easily. In LUTF, Taiga decides to crush all their dreams and Tatsuya (+ his group), Arata and Kotaro all leave, like, they just give up while (an admittedly very shaken) VBS sticks with their dream.

Tatsuya and EVER leave because all this time they'd been just carrying on until they eventually saw victory, but after taking a beating from Taiga, they realised that there's some things that you won't be able to overcome and give up.

Arata leaves because even though he has skill, Taiga was able to get through to his weakness - Souma. Taiga realises that Arata has experienced a similar loss and grief to he did, and although Arata is trying to carry Souma's dream on his behalf, Taiga knows from experience that Arata is just clinging on to Souma's dream as a way of coping with his loss, rather than actually trying to uphold it (basically he calls him selfish). Arata isn't able to argue back, feels a lot of guilt over that, and leaves.

Kotaro is like. particularly interesting and also most eligible for Miku therapy. He's genuinely really scared and overwhelmed by Taiga's challenge, and gives a poor performance when he has to stand up to him, and straight up gets called shit and weak by Taiga and the audience. Dead serious. Afterwards he literally has a breakdown, calls himself an idiot for not being able to sing and then goes on about how he's shit at everything and apologises because should've given up ages ago because all he's ever done is drag everyone else down before literally running away and DAMN do I hope he gets development on that in the Toya event.

all things considered i'd honestly say that all of them to some degree could've contributed to the formation of the SEKAI, Souma included (honestly he seems the most passionate about it even though he was forced to give up). all of them were passionate about it but then there's always the fact that they all gave up really easily, although they were reluctant. that said, toya did the same thing in the main story so...

Although,

There's still an argument that the Street SEKAI was just formed by the four of VBS, and Kohane was just the final piece of the puzzle that made it reveal itself. Three passionate people who are wholeheartedly devoted to their dream and one ordinary girl who wants to do something that she can dedicate herself to and feel passionate about. inverse MMJ if you will. fate is probably canon in project sekai also like i've mentioned this a few times before so that could play a part in all this.

but come to think of it, the sekai doesn't even reveal itself to Akito and Toya until really late in the main story. supposedly they still heavily influenced it but that's a bit... odd? don't you think? like the only other times that happens is N25 and WxS, wherein the SEKAI was made by only one person and let the others in later, but this was a SEKAI that was supposedly made by all 4 of them. so if you think about it hard enough, could the street sekai maybe do that again?

Also,

Nagi is very important to the VBS story and lore despite the fact that she was very obviously written in much later in development. Going back to the fate thing, at RW she states that since RADder is over and she's over, she now has a new dream, that being that she wants the next generation to be inspired by what they achieved and carry on their legacy. While when she says that, she's talking about An and Akito in the audience at RW, it's stated multiple times that the "next generation" includes all of VBS, and all the side characters. so yeah, the fate thing. I doubt the game will ever do anything about it since they're side characters, but I think it can be argued that they contributed to the SEKAI a bit.

i wrote this in so many increments and in the wrong order and now it lacks any cohesion whatsoever and i have no idea what i'm even saying at this point and i think i sort of proved it and disproved it simultaneously but like. yeah. it's an alright theory. i have some thoughts on it.

[themanwhowouldbefruit]

“Whatever you now find weird, ugly, uncomfortable and nasty about a new medium will surely become its signature. CD distortion, the jitteriness of digital video, the crap sound of 8-bit - all of these will be cherished and emulated as soon as they can be avoided. It’s the sound of failure: so much modern art is the sound of things going out of control, of a medium pushing to its limits and breaking apart. The distorted guitar sound is the sound of something too loud for the medium supposed to carry it. The blues singer with the cracked voice is the sound of an emotional cry too powerful for the throat that releases it. The excitement of grainy film, of bleached-out black and white, is the excitement of witnessing events too momentous for the medium assigned to record them.” -Brian Eno

[mayamidnightmelody]

The 1990s was a pivotal decade for geek culture, solidifying many of the trends and franchises that continue to influence pop culture today. Here's an exploration of the various facets of geekdom in the 90s:

Video Games

The 1990s were a golden era for video games, seeing the rise of iconic franchises and gaming consoles.

Consoles and Games:

Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) and Sega Genesis were at the forefront of the early 90s gaming scene. Classics like "The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past," "Super Mario World," and "Sonic the Hedgehog" became household names.

The mid-90s introduced the Sony PlayStation and the Nintendo 64. Games like "Final Fantasy VII," "Metal Gear Solid," "Super Mario 64," and "The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time" revolutionized the industry with their storytelling and 3D graphics.

PC Gaming:

The rise of PC gaming brought titles like "Doom," "Quake," "Warcraft," and "Starcraft," which laid the groundwork for modern first-person shooters and real-time strategy games.

The introduction of the CD-ROM allowed for more complex and graphically intense games, expanding the possibilities of game design.

Comic Books and Graphic Novels

The 90s was a transformative period for comics, marked by a combination of innovation and market upheavals.

Marvel and DC Comics:

Marvel experienced a surge in popularity with the introduction of new characters like Deadpool and the significant events like the "X-Men's Age of Apocalypse" and "Spider-Man's Clone Saga."

DC Comics shook the world with storylines such as "The Death of Superman" and "Batman: Knightfall."

Independent Publishers:

The formation of Image Comics by former Marvel artists brought a wave of creator-owned series like "Spawn," "The Savage Dragon," and "WildC.A.T.s."

Vertigo, an imprint of DC, produced critically acclaimed titles such as "Sandman" by Neil Gaiman and "Preacher" by Garth Ennis, pushing the boundaries of mature storytelling in comics.

Science Fiction and Fantasy

The 90s were a golden age for science fiction and fantasy, both in literature and on screen.

Television:

"Star Trek" had a strong presence with "The Next Generation" continuing its success, followed by "Deep Space Nine" and "Voyager."

"The X-Files" became a cultural phenomenon, blending science fiction with horror and conspiracy theories.

"Buffy the Vampire Slayer" redefined the fantasy genre on television, combining teenage drama with supernatural elements.

Movies:

Blockbuster franchises like "Jurassic Park," "The Matrix," and "Men in Black" showcased cutting-edge special effects and imaginative storytelling.

The re-release of the original "Star Wars" trilogy in special editions prepared the groundwork for the much-anticipated prequel trilogy.

Anime and Manga

The 90s saw the global explosion of anime and manga, making Japanese pop culture a mainstream phenomenon.

Anime:

Series like "Dragon Ball Z," "Sailor Moon," and "Pokémon" became immensely popular worldwide, introducing many to the world of anime.

Films by Studio Ghibli, such as "Princess Mononoke" and "My Neighbor Totoro," received critical acclaim and international recognition.

Manga:

Manga series like "Naruto," "One Piece," and "Berserk" began their runs, setting the stage for long-lasting popularity.

The publication of "Shonen Jump" in English brought many of these series to Western audiences.

Role-Playing Games (RPGs)

The 90s were a significant decade for tabletop RPGs, with many classic games being developed and popularized.

Dungeons & Dragons:

The release of the second edition of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (AD&D) in 1989 carried through the 90s, with campaigns like "Planescape" and "Dark Sun" becoming fan favorites.

Other RPGs:

"Vampire: The Masquerade" by White Wolf Publishing introduced the World of Darkness, a setting that offered a dark, gothic-punk alternative to traditional fantasy RPGs.

The cyberpunk genre was well represented by games like "Shadowrun" and "Cyberpunk 2020," capturing the gritty, high-tech, low-life aesthetic.

Collectibles and Trading Card Games

The 90s witnessed the birth and explosion of collectible card games (CCGs), with "Magic: The Gathering" leading the charge.

Magic: The Gathering:

Created by Richard Garfield and released by Wizards of the Coast in 1993, "Magic: The Gathering" became a groundbreaking and immensely popular game, sparking a new industry of collectible card games.

Pokémon:

The Pokémon Trading Card Game, released in 1996, quickly became a massive hit alongside the video games and TV series, contributing to the global Pokémon craze.

Internet and Technology

The rise of the internet in the 90s played a crucial role in shaping geek culture.

Early Internet Communities:

Bulletin board systems (BBS), forums, and newsgroups like Usenet allowed geeks to connect and share their interests in ways that were never before possible.

The creation of fan sites and the use of IRC (Internet Relay Chat) facilitated the growth of online communities dedicated to various fandoms.

Technology:

The proliferation of personal computers and the advent of the World Wide Web democratized access to information and entertainment, allowing geek culture to flourish and expand globally.

In conclusion, the 1990s were a transformative decade for geek culture, characterized by the rise of influential media, the advent of groundbreaking technology, and the growth of vibrant communities. The era laid the foundation for many of the trends and franchises that continue to shape geekdom today.

[als0als0]

“Whatever you now find weird, ugly, uncomfortable and nasty about a new medium will surely become its signature. CD distortion, the jitteriness of digital video, the crap sound of 8-bit - all of these will be cherished and emulated as soon as they can be avoided. It’s the sound of failure: so much modern art is the sound of things going out of control, of a medium pushing to its limits and breaking apart. The distorted guitar sound is the sound of something too loud for the medium supposed to carry it. The blues singer with the cracked voice is the sound of an emotional cry too powerful for the throat that releases it. The excitement of grainy film, of bleached-out black and white, is the excitement of witnessing events too momentous for the medium assigned to record them.” - Brian Eno

[yyh4ever]

Welcoming a New Year of Harmony

"Yu Yu Hakusho 100% Maji Battle" New Year Event

This event was first held on New Year 2020, the Year of the Rat. Puu dressed up as a little rat is too cute.

Story: Yusuke, Kuwabara, Kurama, Hiei, and Puu gather for the New Year?

Vídeo:

Also, enjoy the BGM in the video! It's a folk instrumental version of the anime opening theme "Hohoemi no Bakudan", played with traditional Japanese musical instruments. 

Translation:

"Welcoming a New Year of Harmony"

Yusuke: Year's over! Happy New Year!

Puu: Puu, Puu!

Kuwabara: I wonder what kind of year it's gonna be, I'm so stoked!

Kurama: Happy New Year. Wearing a kimono is kind of uplifting.

Hiei: Hmph

Yusuke: Ouch, hot, hot! I wonder why New Year's zouni soup is so tasty!

T/N: Zouni is a Japanese soup containing mochi rice cakes. It is a tradition to eat zouni on New Year's Day.

Kuwabara: I know right! After we finish eating, let's start the kakizome!

Didn't you use to do that when you were a kid?

T/N: Kakizome is "the first calligraphy". It's when people write the New Year's resolution on a paper, usually on the 2nd of January.

Yusuke: I'll pass! After eating the zouni, I'll take a nap.

This is the New Year of staying home sleeping!

Kuwabara: Oi, oi, you'll get fat if you keep eating and sleeping!

Hiei: .....

Kurama: Hiei, what's wrong?

Hiei: What's that?

Kurama: Oh, that's called "mochi". It's a food of the Human World, often found lined up on New Year's dining tables.

It's delicious, would you like to try it?

T/N: Mochi is a Japanese rice cake, and a traditional food for the Japanese New Year.

Hiei: I don't want it.

Kurama: Is that so? ... But it's a New Year's staple.

Kurama: Huh, Kuwabara-kun...?

Puu: Puu...?

Hiei: ?

Kuwabara: *Stomach growling*!! My, my stomach hurts…

Yusuke: Dude, you were the one preaching people! Here, lie down.

Yusuke: That's what happens when you get carried away and eat too much.

Kuwabara: Ugh ... 10 mochis, I ate too much after all...

Hiei: Humpf, idiot.

Kuwabara: Whaat ... Hiei, you should try it too!

You dare say such a thing, cause you've no idea how delicious mochi is!

Yusuke: Ahhhh ... here we go again!

Yusuke: The New Year ain't gonna change anything! They will always be like that, right?

Kurama: Ha-ha-ha, what do you think?

Yusuke: Happy New Year for now!

Kurama:  Yes, I also wish you a Happy New Year!

T/N: The New Year's greeting in Japanese - kotoshi mo yoroshiku onegaishimasu - means something like "I look forward to working with you this year" or "I look forward to your help and support in this new time". I translated Yusuke and Kurama's lines simply as "Happy New Year", because that's the most common translation for this expression.

-The End-

The guys wearing beautiful kimonos, the big brushes for the first calligraphy of the year, the tradicional soundtrack ... everything is too beautiful! It's such a pity that Maji Battle is going to end. I hope they release an OST CD.

I wonder if Hiei tried the mochi, do you think he liked it? The answer will be in the event about the New Year 2021, which I'll post later🤭

Happy New Year! 2023 is The Year of the Water Rabbit. 🐇

[emeritus-fuckers]

Could I have a match-up please? Overall, I'm open to anyone but I do have a soft spot for the Papas.

I'm a 24 year old bi woman (she/her). I'm about 5'1 with pale skin, slightly overweight, short blonde hair, and blue eyes. I wear glasses and tend to wear joggers with graphic t-shirts and sneakers, a jacket/hoodie and boots when it's cold.

Personality wise I can be a little reserved. I'm not the most social person and prefer to stay in my little group. I can also get a little obsessive of my interests which tends to lead my social life by finding people I can talk about those things with.

I enjoy going to theaters and watching musicals, Phantom of the Opera being one of my favorites. I also enjoy playing Playstation games and am currently playing the Insomniac Spider-Man games.

Although I like going out, I tend to spend a lot of time at home. Outside of that, I like traveling and spending time with those I love. My favorite time of year is Halloween, I try to attend at least one event/haunted house during this time each year. I always love dressing up and having some drinks at Halloween parties.

This post is part of the 1000 followers match up event. Entries for the event are now closed.

Your match is... Papa Emeritus IV

You two met at the theatre, he enjoys going too and noticed you there.

Then discovered you both enjoy playing games and you got talking properly. He couldn't tear his gaze away from you and asked "would you like to join me in the Papal box? It's got the best view of the stage sì?"

You enjoy chilling together on an evening playing PlayStation games. Copia is just the happiest person ever because he now gets to share his favourite things with you.

He adores dressing up at halloween! He gets totally carried away.

He also takes you to lots of Halloween parties, the Clergy throw a massive one every year at the Ministry. You two were the guests of honour.

He knows how much you love the Phantom of the Opera musical. So when Ghost covered Phantom of the Opera he dedicated it to you. Before it was released he put the recording on a CD then signed it for you and left it out for you to find.

He lends you his hoodies when you are cold. It's started when he saw you shiver while playing a game and he just took his straight off and handed it to you. Now whenever it's cold he'll have a spare one that he passes over to you, it's super warm and cozy and still smells of his aftershave.

~

Written by Nyx

[kamenwriter]

Saw this game described as "old PS1/FF7 seen through blurry screenshots you find in EGM" vibes and I immediately thought of the Brian Eno quote:

“Whatever you now find weird, ugly, uncomfortable and nasty about a new medium will surely become its signature. CD distortion, the jitteriness of digital video, the crap sound of 8-bit - all of these will be cherished and emulated as soon as they can be avoided. It’s the sound of failure: so much modern art is the sound of things going out of control, of a medium pushing to its limits and breaking apart. The distorted guitar sound is the sound of something too loud for the medium supposed to carry it. The blues singer with the cracked voice is the sound of an emotional cry too powerful for the throat that releases it. The excitement of grainy film, of bleached-out black and white, is the excitement of witnessing events too momentous for the medium assigned to record them.”

I'm not a big horror guy but apparently the game has an option where you can turn off enemy encounters and just have an exploration experience.

[jeff-rees-jones]

It's World book day...

https://www.angelbright.org/news-and-events

Listen to Fenella reading the first paragraph ...https://soundcloud.com/jeff-rees-jones

ANGEL BRIGHT CD AUDIO VERSION-2 DISC SET.

On Monday the 18th and Tuesday the 19th of June 2018, I spent two days in a London recording studio with my all-time favourite actress, the magnificent Fenella Fielding OBE. She starred in one of my all-time favourite films, Carry On Screaming, and now she was going to narrate my Christmas book, Angel Bright.

When she came into the studio on the first morning she seemed tiny and frail, but at aged almost 91 years old, looked fabulous and still had more energy and spirit than most people half her age, and there was still that mischievous twinkle in her eye. I was completely awe-struck meeting her so I just gave her a quick hug, but truth be told, I almost bowed!

Once she was seated in front of the microphone there was an extraordinary moment when she spoke, and one of the most recognisable voices on the planet said, 'are we ready darling?'.

She still sounded exactly like the star of fifty years ago, and it sent shivers up my spine.

She was still a busy lady and much in demand, plus she was regularly reading to sell-out crowds from her recently released memoirs, Do You Mind If I Smoke?. I was absolutely honoured that she'd agreed to voice my book.

We had two fascinating days together and with the magic of her voice, personality and perfectly nuanced delivery, she took my simple Christmas story and turned it into a fable to touch your heart. There were tears in the studio those two days.

Sadly she passed away on the 11th of September after suffering a severe stroke two weeks earlier.

Angel Bright was her final project.

I dedicated this audio version to Fenella, and this two-disc set was released on what would have been her 91st birthday, the 17th of November 2018.

angelbright.org

[thisskirt]

“Whatever you now find weird, ugly, uncomfortable and nasty about a new medium will surely become its signature. CD distortion, the jitteriness of digital video, the crap sound of 8-bit — all of these will be cherished and emulated as soon as they can be avoided. It’s the sound of failure: so much modern art is the sound of things going out of control, of a medium pushing to its limits and breaking apart. The distorted guitar sound is the sound of something too loud for the medium supposed to carry it. The blues singer with the cracked voice is the sound of an emotional cry too powerful for the throat that releases it. The excitement of grainy film, of bleached-out black and white, is the excitement of witnessing events too momentous for the medium assigned to record them.” Brian Eno — A Year With Swollen Appendices, Faber and Faber | 1996

[uttersorcery]

Lee Riley "From Here We Are Nowhere".

pic: Nicola Onions

On 28th July we release drone/ ambient/ doom artist Lee Riley album "From Here We Are Nowhere". Oxford based experimental composer Lee Riley goes right back to the origins of Eyeless Records and this is a joint venture with his own imprint Iller Eye. It will be released digitally and on stream as well as a ltd lancing pack CD and contains some of the most immersive drone music this year. I caught up with Lee to ask about his process to complement the album...

Oxford 

What’s the scene like in Oxford at the moment? When I was there it was incredibly collaborative and supportive and it’s where Eyeless was born…are you part of a strong community there or are you more independent as an artist?

Lots of great music as always in Oxford, the promoters at Divine Schism are bringing exciting bands to town regularly. I have a variable taste and like lots of types of music. A few favourites and highly recommended, on the heavier side bands like Ghosts In The Photographs, The Hope Burden, Sinews are doing well with recently released material or playing regularly. The experimental side there are things happening, I feel more independent but have many friends in other bands who support other.

I don't play solo live much. But would love to play more. I have had a close connection to Oxford over the years both in music and the arts. 

It was great being involved in the early incarnation of Eyeless and working other promoters who have left Oxford. Since 2007 I have carried on both musically and visually. Studying sonic art and forming collaborative projects with other musicians, dancers and artists. I have curated sound art exhibitions and occasionally events too.

Influence 

Who informs your practice?  There’s a remarkably rich sound to your pallet feels like there’s a lot going on in there…scraping, drones, dissonance percussion vocals x

I wanted to play a bit more on these recordings, still working with layers of drones and noise. But having more textures. No vocals but the guitar can be manipulated in a way it sounds like a voice.

I wanted to mix acoustic and electric guitar on this album, I still need to try it live at some point.

I have many influences sometimes films and TV shows like Dark. I admire musicians like Stian Westerhus, Tim Hecker, Sunn O))). I have always tried to do my own thing and find new ways to enhance what I create. 

Method 

Is there a lot of layering or is it more live? To what extent does improvisation inspire your process? Or is it very tightly controlled?

The album is very succinct was it difficult to keep the tracks quite economical considering the genre you were working in?

As mentioned above I wanted to play more being able to control the sounds more instead relying heavily on delays and layers. I wanted to separate the sounds to allow space and depth to the recordings.

It feels like in your work you are exploring the possibilities of prepared guitar and extended techniques of playing guitar….

I have always treated the guitar as a sound tool and not and instrument. Such as using the body of the acoustic guitar or bowing and scraping the strings, etc. 

I have worked with Mike Bannard in the Studio for a few releases, he understands my approach and what I want to produce and he suggests different mixing/recording techniques. He works with lots of bands and has a relaxed environment at Safehouse Studio and he is always up for exploring new ways of recording. This is my 3rd release with him on board. He has really helped bring out the details of my sounds and we collaborate in a group called UNMAN.

Influence 

The final track “No one knows what’s inside “ offers a climactic ending of noise and crescendo…is tension and release a big part of your compositional method?

My approach has always had a loose improvised feel but I feel that the composition elements evolve from playing and having creative freedom helps. I know how to make certain sounds but it's how I use them. It's ike a blank canvas layers of sounds replacing the paint. They sound similar yet different each time or when put together.

This session was made into these pieces, revisiting them like sketches. Some sounds repeat on different tracks, this helped me arrange the sequence of the tracks as a whole but they also work as individual pieces of music.

As mentioned above films and TV shows often have great sound design and atmosphere. I have always tried this whilst making my music, probably sounds cheesy but taking the listener or audience on a journey.

Are there any albums you are excited by atm would you like to talk about these?

I really like the recent album by Wolf Eyes album.

I can't wait to see Big Brave again in September, there albums sound so good and have lots of depth to there sound. Stian Westerhus has some new recordings coming soon, look forward to those.

Also I highly recommend you listen to the Recent Ghosts In The Photographs album, I had the privilege of guesting on one of the tracks. Really great underated band from Oxfordshire.

Future Plans 

What’s next for you as an artist?

I hope to play solo live more both in Oxford and different places. It's been challenging for everyone making music or bands playing over the past few years, it still is. I like performing so we will see what happens. I have a new project called DHELTR∆ with Beth Shearsby and Jeremy Moors. We have played a couple of live shows and hope to record soon.

I also hope to work with UNMAN a ongoing noise group featuring myself, Mike Bannard, John Grieve and we have a new drummer John Jobbagy.  We played with Sly & The Family Drone recently which was good fun!

[mliter]

Sonic Frontiers.

I stayed up the night this released. The marketing cycle for this game was so eventful, making me more and more excited with every twist and turn.

This was Sonic's newest flagship title after the tragedy that was Sonic Forces. This is an open zone world game, where Sonic can freely run around like in the Sonic CD intro. Upon starting the game, you'll find yourself in cyberspace, the first stage. It has as absolutely amazing track that introduces you to the tone for the rest of the game. Afterwards, you're in the game. After a quick tutorial, you're free to explore the game and do what you want. The game's structure is quite simple. Gather all the chaos emeralds, go fight the titans. You can approach that in any way or order you want. I look forwards to see how speedrunners will do this. Sonic controls buttery smooth, and if he doesn't, you can tweak how he handles to an intensive level. After years of debate as to what's the best Sonic control scheme, they just told us to do it our damn selves. I like that. Each island is sprinkled with little gimmicks from various sonic games. Springs, hoops, dash panels, you get the gist. There's plenty of mini Sonic levels just throughout the islands. The open zone format they were insisting on calling this really interesting to me. I don't know if we'll see it again, but damn was it good. My friends who usually laugh at me and write off sonic as dogshit picked this game up on a whim, and have already completed their 2nd playthroughs. It's fun to explore in this game.

The overworlds are fantastic. Kronos Island, Ares Island and Chaos Island are fantastic. Ares Island is my favorite to run around, and Chaos Island has my favorite theme. Each world has it's own gimmicks.

Combat's a thing in this game. Sonic realized that he's gonna need a lil more than a homing attack to take care of the enemies here (it would've been really cool to see him acknowledge this though...). It was really cool to see Sonic Team's take on how Sonic fights. And for me, they got it down to a tea. They represented the way he handles people perfectly. He's not strong like Knuckles, or a master of combat like Shadow. He's just fast. He uses his speed to confuse and overwhelm the opponent with intense aggression. Fighting as sonic isn't too complicated here. Many of his skills are mapped to easy 2 step button combinations that blend in with basic movement. This is the way to have Sonic fight. I think they did this flawlessly. I'm not sure if we'll see it again, but i hope we do. The Cyloop is also a welcome addition to Sonic's arsenal. It fits him perfectly.

The bosses also got an upgrade. The minibosses that will roam around the world are some of the best boss battles in the series. They dead put boss fights you'd see in a 2000's Sonic game as something you'd see on the street. And they're great. They all has specific themes, which escalates when Sonic lays hands on them. It makes the battles more intense and enjoyable. My favorites are the Fortress, Squid, and Ghost.

Now the boss BOSS battles? These are the best boss fights in all of Sonic the Hedgehog. Since the chaos emeralds play a big role in the story again, every world boss is a superpowered fight on grand scale. The production quality was UPPED. Giganto, Wyvern and the Knight are exceptional. My favorite is the Wyvern. I feel as if i'm flying around like in the Unleashed opening cinematic. Sonic fights like an absolute BEAST here as well. I can't remember the last time i've seen him fight like that in official media. It was amazing to witness for the first time. The way Super Sonic was moving, beating their asses had my jaw on the floor.

The story? I didn't expect it. Sonic team doesn't carry the shame of telling serious stories with Sonic and his friends. It's as if they've stopped listening to the reviewers and influencers that desperately want a blue hedgehog to shit on. Sonic, Amy, Knuckles, Tails and Eggman are almost unrecognizable here. From their mannerisms, to how they react to things, to even their voice acting, these faces feel like characters again. A running theme with all of them outside of Sonic is some sort of change or growth. By the end of things, they resolve to live their lives in ways that they've decided are better for them. It was amazing to witness. The lore of the series is back. And the story expands upon the sonic lore that's been stagnant for years, going as far as introducing a fantastic new character that's tied to one that's been around since the beginning. It was an absolute marvel to hear past events come up again as well.

Sonic Frontiers marks change. Like change, it wasn't perfect, and it got quite ugly at a few points. But it happens. The direction of Sonic is changing, the characters are changing. The management is changing. I think we're on a good path. There's confidence in this character again. I think we're heading back into the Sonic i fell in love with back then. This game made me happy. We're back.

[kokiafans]

KOKIA in flashback - 2019

KOKIA continues her 20th anniversary celebrations in 2019. The DVD release Journey to Me compliments last year's retrospective Bird Watching in that it only covers her performances from the year before, so the anniversary that Bird Watching was leading up to. Her March concerts are fittingly called Graduation, as she graduated from the 20 years before, and looks towards the future.

On April 29, her 21th anniversary and thus the end of her 20th anniversary year, KOKIA releases  ALIVE - The live history -, her first live best-of album, with the limited first edition in an LP-sized jacket (it still has CDs in it, not an LP). For the first time, KOKIA holds a live stream today: her LINE Live, in which she performs and chats about the album ánd her first book, Happii ryoku ('happy power'). It's about child rearing, which KOKIA now has experience with as Leo is turning 3 years old this year. The theme kind of carries over as she also releases her first ever picture book, Mama no daijisan (My life with my precious), with text in both English and Japanese. Finally, she releases her second jazz album, Watching from Above vol. 2, once again featuring Leo on the cover.

KOKIA also brings back her 2016 concert LAYERS, although this time, she brings it over to Shanghai!

◆ Lives and events ◆

January 1

New year concert 2019 KOKIA with super 5 ~Passion＋Technique＋Heart＝WOW~ (Tokyo, Suntory Hall Blue Rose)   ※ 2 performances in 1 day (Promotion: KOKIA with super 5)

March 2

KOKIA ~ongaku o kudaru basho~ Vol. 2 ('The place where music falls') (Nagano, Yatsugatake Kogen Music Hall) (Promotion: Yatsugatake 2019)

March 28-March 29 KOKIA Graduation ~finally I can be KOKIA~ (Shibuya Cultural Center Owada, Denshou Hall) (Promotion: KOKIA Graduation 2019)

April 29 Live best album ALIVE release commemorative special program LINE LIVE ※ First ever live broadcast via LINE LIVE (Promotion: Line Live 2019)

June 29-June 30 KOKIA visuals and music music in the air (Tokyo, sonorium) ※ 2 performances on both days (Promotion: music in the air 2019)

July 13-July 14 KOKIA 2019 LAYERS in Shanghai (Shanghai Himalayas Center Daguan Theatre) (Promotion: Shanghai Layers 2019)

August 3 KOKIA 2019 Ikimono no ongakukai with ikimono ('concert of living beings') (TOKYO FM Hall)  ※ Two performances in 1 day. The afternoon portion was a concert that could be attended by parents with pre-school children. (Promotion: ikimono no ongakkai 2019)

September 7 KOKIA 2019 Watching from Above (NAGOYA Blue Note)  ※ 2 performances in 1 day (Promotion: Nagoya Blue Note 2019)

October 19 KOKIA Go back in time (Billboard Live OSAKA) ※ 2 performances in 1 day (Promotion: Billboard Osaka 2019)

November 4 KOKIA Aki no utakai~omoi uta ('Autumn song party~songs of thoughts') (Tokyo, Haremame (Haretara sora ni mame maite) ※ 2 performances in 1 day (Promotion: haremame autumn 2019)

December 25-December 26

KOKIA Chapel concert 2019 Prayers (Tokyo, Shinagawa Church Gloria Chapel) (Promotion: Shinagawa Church 2019)

◆ Releases ◆

March 28 Release of the DVD Journey to Me (anco&co.) ※ With her first performance in Paris in 8 years at the center, this is a video collection chasing after KOKIA for a year as she ran through her 20th anniversary year. (Journey to Me)

April 29 Release of live best-of album ALIVE -The live history- (Victor Entertainment) ※Hand-picked selection of audio recordings from concerts from 2010 to 2018, making her first live best-of release as the last cherry on top of her 20th anniversary memorial year. The first edition limited release comes in an Anniversary LP-sized jacket. (Alive the Live History)

June 12 Digital release in Korea and China of the live album ALIVE

September 7 Release of the jazz cover album Watching from Above vol.2 (anco&co.) (Watching from Above volume 2)

◆ Books ◆

May 23 Release of the book Happii ryoku, oyako no 'happii' o sodateru ('Happy Power - Raising 'happii' parents and children') (ASA Publishing Co.,Ltd.) ※ KOKIA's first book (Happii ryoku)

August 9 Release of picture book Mama no daijisan (My life with my precious) (Shufu to seikatsu sha Co., Ltd.) ※ KOKIA's first picture book. Advance sale at the concert venue of her August 3 performance, Ikimono no ongakukai ('concert of living beings'). (Mama no daijisan)

◆ Other ◆

June~ In-train advertisements for cocochia in the Mita and Oeda subway lines ※ Ads for cocochia, the organic product brand KOKIA has been modeling for with her son since 2018, are pasted in the trains of Mita and Oeda subway lines over the priority seats. (Promotion: cocochia)

[quotestomakemesmarter]

franticantelope • 11h ago "“Whatever you now find weird, ugly, uncomfortable and nasty about a new medium will surely become its signature. CD distortion, the jitteriness of digital video, the crap sound of 8-bit - all of these will be cherished and emulated as soon as they can be avoided. It’s the sound of failure: so much modern art is the sound of things going out of control, of a medium pushing to its limits and breaking apart. The distorted guitar sound is the sound of something too loud for the medium supposed to carry it. The blues singer with the cracked voice is the sound of an emotional cry too powerful for the throat that releases it. The excitement of grainy film, of bleached-out black and white, is the excitement of witnessing events too momentous for the medium assigned to record them.” -Brian Eno.