Taking a break...

Paris by werkunz (used with thanks)

We're off on a roadtrip tomorrow for the next two weeks (and a day) - we're heading to Paris for the first week then Scarborough for the second.

I have no idea what my connectivity will be like in France... so please go on the assumption that I wont be posting anything on the ol' nanolog. I will see what I can do when I get to Scarborough.

We all need time away to take stock, recharge and come again at things from a new angle, from time to time. This is my time.

Adieu, mes amis, je vous verrai plus tard!

Tx

PS - if there is anything you'd like to see more of on the ol' nanolog then leave a comment... and I'll see what I can do.

One of my pics was featured on F*** Yeah Glasgow

Was honoured to see one of my pics featured on F*** Yeah Glasgow... especially considering I didn't know the name of the bridge and this fab wee tumblr blog not only names it (South Portland Street Suspension Bridge) but gives some details on its history.

I've become a firm fan of this blog... albeit I am openly uncomfortable with the name - I get its a "tumblr thing".

Anyway... I was thankful that Mr Happy (above) spared my blushes in the screendump.

Recommended... if you can see beyond the name (and I hope you can).

Tx

Urban exploration... with Billy Campbell

Abandoned underground station from Billy Campbell on Vimeo.


Cardross Urban Exploration Letus Ex3 from Billy Campbell on Vimeo.

Found these videos from Billy Campbell (via F**K Yeah Glasgow) fascinating... I love the concept of urban exploration and its fab to see some beautiful spaces close to home.

Urban exploration really is something I'd like to explore (sorry for the pun) more... but just don't know of any good locations.  Will need to keep an eye out.

Enjoy the videos... I did.

Tx

This is my Glasgow

Glasgow from thirteensquared on Vimeo.

This is my Glasgow... captured by thirteensquared with a Canon EOS 5D Mrk II (*the* camera I am lusting after right now).

The majority of the locations shown are places I can (and have) gone for a donder to... here's the "squiggly bridge" for example:



Truly fab video! My thanks to aldakila for the heads-up.

Tx

This is way cool :: "End Love" by OK GO

Another fab no-budget video from OK GO.

Tx

Marceline's House

Marceline's House, originally uploaded by Fred Seibert.

From Adventure Time... created by Pendleton Ward.

Mt Cragdor

Mt Cragdor, originally uploaded by Fred Seibert.

From Adventure Time... created by Pendleton Ward.

Marceline's Kitchen

Marceline's Kitchen, originally uploaded by Fred Seibert.

From Adventure Time... created by Pendleton Ward.

Really diggin' :: Beck's Record Club & INXS' "Kick"

One of the first albums I ever bought... on vinyl... "kick" by INXS will always have a special place in my heart. It is truly an awesome album... one that, up until tonight, I was of the opinion should be left alone. That is... until I heard these fab covers... including some awesome vocals by St Vincent (the curly haired lass).

Beck has brought together some amazing musicians and really facilitated some awesomeness. Their approach to the songs walks on the knife edge of reverence and the-sound-of-now... and I really like that.

True brilliance!

Enjoy these videos... and marvel at the genius of their whole.

Tx


Record Club: INXS "Never Tear Us Apart" from Beck Hansen on Vimeo.


Record Club: INXS "Need You Tonight" from Beck Hansen on Vimeo.


Record Club: INXS "New Sensation" from Beck Hansen on Vimeo.

Record Club: INXS "Guns In The Sky" from Beck Hansen on Vimeo.

Five from bandcamp #1

I've posted on bandcamp before. It is a site that I'm obsessive about at the moment. My only criticism of the site is that there is too much choice... and it takes time to narrow things down. Their is a need for trusted curators to separate the wheat from the chaff.

Now... I'm not saying I am a "trusted curator" or that I have an opinion of value other than the fact I like what I like... but I think I am going to post semi-regularly... when I find five new albums/eps on bandcamp that have captured my attention.

Hopefully you'll find something of value in the recommendations I make...



First up in this five is "the pumpkin patch cabin ep" by Abraham the poor... whose acoustic guitar orientated indie folk is simply divine. Simple without being simplistic... with some glockenspiel thrown in to make me very happy... his is the music for late nights and lazy days. This is the kind of EP I wish Olly would make.

Pay what you want.



I was very fortunate and extremely grateful to receive a free copy of "seafront" by lowercasenoises. I posted on his other album "marshall" recently... I really dig his post-rock soundscapes... and "seafront" is my kind of wonderful. Luscious and languid... haunting and emotive... powerful and moving. Well recommended.

$7 USD



Now... this album - "qualia" by Paul Kwitek - is something else... altogether. An extremely coherent collection of haunting hypnotic atmospheric ambient electronica and progressive house tracks with a real world flavour... this could be an album from One Giant Leap. His use of "found sound" as well as obscure percussion is just simply breathtaking.

I cannot recommend this album enough.

Pay what you want.



Back towards a post-rock bent... "natural process" by new century classics is full of the instrumental post-rock soundscapes that I just soak up. Imaginative and lively... with multiple instruments - strings... guitars... keys... glockenspiel... accordion... percussion - coming together to create a wonderfully healthy sound-salad... that feeds the soul and makes a chap like me very happy indeed. Truly first class!

Pay what you want.



Last up... we have "11-11" by AM Pacific. Rocky with a generous flavouring of electronica... underpinned and enhanced by sensuous and fabulously intriguing female vocals. There is something timeless about this album. Well worth checking out.

Pay what you want.

Food for thought from @nametagscott

More food for thought from Scott Ginsberg. Thoughts?

Tx

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This is way cool :: "Traveling Denim" by Takayuki Akachi

" Traveling Denim " Recording color fade for two years from Takayuki Akachi on Vimeo.

I thought this was wonderful... Tx

NAG Photosters

NAG Photosters, originally uploaded by euan_pics.

A cheeky wee pic of my photogeek chums... taken by Euan using Marc's Fisheye lens. Good times!

Euan Fraser
Marc de Ridder

Tx

My thought from Sunday is on Something Beautiful

Grateful to JD for posting my thought from Sunday AM as a wee special episode of the Something Beautiful podcast. On it I name check Jason Dukes and Nametag Scott Ginsberg (both well worth checking out)... and talk about living lives of love... sent into the places and spaces we live and love in.

Enjoy... and as always, if you have any thoughts... please leave a comment.

Tx

Disturbing... yet fascinating ::Guillaume Nery base jumping at "Dean's Blue Hole"

Seriously... this gives me the total willies. Water terrifies me... deep, running water that is... I'm not a soap-dodger.

This video was beautifully shot on a breath hold by Julie Gautier with a Canon 5D mark II... at Dean's Blue Hole, the deepest blue hole in the world.

Eeeek!

My thanks to notcot #31,436 & today and tomorrow for the impending nightmares!

Tx

Lovin' you... another wee mixtape from me to you

This week's mixtape is what happens when I miss my wife... I won't elaborate any further other than to say

"she... completes me!"

The mix is pretty random... jumping from one genre to another... but then love, the theme of the mixtape, is pretty random too. This kind of eclecticism is becoming my thing... and I hope you dig it too.



Download "Lovin' You" - Mediafire - 87.25mb

As always... please support the artists and take the time to tell the one you love... that you love them.

All we need is love!

Tx

This is way cool :: "Breathturn" by Hammock (video by David Altobelli)

Hammock - Breathturn from David Altobelli on Vimeo.

Beautiful!

Tx

Awesome music from bandcamp :: The Echelon Effect - "Wires and Tapes" collection

"leaving it behind" - part 1 of the "Wires and Tapes" collection.



"reference reflection" - part 2 of the "Wires and Tapes" collection.



"distant desire" - part 3 of the "Wires and Tapes" collection.



"reunion"by The Echelon Effect finishes the "Wires and Tapes" collection. It's possible to play all 4 records seamlessly between each other, and also loop the entire collection back to Ep1 from the end. It was recorded and programmed in London, Mastered at Sundlaugin Studios in Iceland (owned by Sigur Ros) by their engineer, Brigir Jon "Biggi" Birgisson.

All I can say is WOW! The Echelon Effect make some wonderfully immersive instrumental post-rock... and to offer 3 eps and 1 album as free downloads on bandcamp is pretty spectacular, to be honest. The production is first class... enhancing some fantastic artistry and musicianship.

I'll let the music speak for itself... please take the time to check these releases out and support truly independent music.

Tx

More bandcamp music that obsesses me...

I love jazz... but don't listen to it as much as I used to. I think my listening patterns are cyclical.

Wynton Marsalis needs no introduction... he is *the* jazz trumpeter of now... at least the *big band* trumpeter of now. His work is very visual with a wonderful sense of movement... with such graciousness and elegance.

"Here…Now., is a ballet choreographed by Judith Jamison for the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. The piece is dedicated to and inspired by the triple Gold medalist at the 1988 Olympics, runner Florence Griffith Joyner, “Flojo”, who died of an epileptic seizure at the age of 38. Wynton Marsalis’ specially commissioned music is edgy and frenetic reflecting the pace of athletes in training and competition, themes also reflected in Judith Jamison’s choreography. Costumer Emilio Sosa captured Flojo’s glamour with her six inch nails and colorful running clothes, and Al Crawford’s brilliantly abstract lighting and set evoked the actions in and around the track."

Brilliant... and free!



"Marshall" by lowercase noises is an amazing collection of instrumental post-rock soundscapes created by Andy Othling. I found this album to be particularly moving... especially the last track - "how deep the father's love" - which is a favourite hymn of mine... and is wonderfully yet faithfully reimagined. To come at the end is so climatic ... it had me in tears... and then had me playing it on repeat.

Pay what you want.



"the tumbled sea songs by the tumbled sea is more instrumental post-rock... but with a greater emphasis on piano-based soundscapes. Wonderfully atmospheric and engaging. Reminiscent of Sigur Ros... but not as grandiose. Subtle synths and rainfall make this very relaxing... this is very much "the melody of an empty room".

Free... from the Future Recordings netlabel... as is:



When an album is described as an...

"8 song masterpiece of hazy noisy ambient soundtrack orchestrated beauty in pill form."

... I tend to listen. I found the listening to "we sit on floors" by Woodworkings very rewarding... because it filled my days with luscious orchestral instrumentation and engaging organic ambient soundscapes. This music is the aural equivalent of coffee on the maker... whose essence permeates the house when on.

Free.



"Versicolour" by Aidan Knight has more of an indie vocal vibe over an orchestral folk & post-rock backing. Powerful & climatic... intimate & tender... with some subtle glockenspiel action in there to make me extra happy. Lovely!

Pay what you want


Please check out these artists and directly support truly wonderful independent music.

Tx

Inspired by... Pure Water

I attended a "briefing" at the Radisson Hotel in Glasgow on Thursday... and this bottle was on the table... filled with cool, still water. I got pretty obsessed with it... and asked one of my fellow participants to "put it in her bag".

I just love the simplicity of its design... especially the stopper, which is a ball of spongey plastic.

What has inspired you recently?

Tx

Happy Birthday Olwyn!

Happy birthday Olwyn...

The fact you are willing to put aside your fear of flying... and rise above the head-cold you have... so you can actively participate with the Bellshill Salvation Army Band in Worthing this weekend is an inspiration to me. And on your birthday too.

Words can't express how much I love you... but I will try by saying "words can't express how much I love you".

Tx

OMGoodness... I'm on Something Beautiful!

Something Beautiful

Please check it out...

Tx

Guest post on Johnny Laird's blog

Forgot to mention... I've posted some ramblings on Johnny Laird's blog on the topic of “relating to the geek and the radical”. I think I may have even made some sense...

"...The only way to effectively relate to others is to share with them something… some commonality… that allows you to be parties on an equal footing.

This commonality may be space / location… it may also be interest. All my passions above, if taken seriously, are opportunities for such commonality.
And from this commonality comes community.../"

Go to Johnny's blog for the full post.

Grateful to Johnny for the opportunity and, more importantly, the challenge. However, please note, I did not receive any money for the complements I showered him with.

Tx

Obsessed with Bandcamp #1

I've become obsessed with the fab music site bandcamp. Their approach is to give artists their own pages - the sites are distinctly and uniquely the artists' own. Bandcamp are the enabler, the market-maker, without interfering too much. I like that!

The majority of tunes I have downloaded have been in the post-rock and electronica sub-genres. Some I have paid for... and some I have downloaded for free. I love the fact that I can pay-what-I-want or download for free... and that the artist has the choice as to how they are remunerated.

This is artist-to-fan in as direct a manner as possible... in some cases even cutting out the record label. I believe this is the future of music.

Anyway... here's the first five albums that have grabbed my attention:



First up is Matt Stevens with his second album "Ghost". Matt creates some fantastic acoustic guitar orientated soundscapes of which I have become a big fan... since I discovered his previous album "Echo" (which is also available from his bandcamp page and well worth checking out). Matt has really revitalised the "Spanish guitar" for me... just as Rodrigo Y Gabriela did when I discovered them... but takes it further with his adept loops and (in places) quirky electronics and the ubiquitous (and loved) glockenspiel. I think his albums will be a memorable part of our Paris-Scarborough roadtrip later in the month.

Pay what you want.



Next up is some awesome progressive rock from a band called Electric Sorcery. Their fusion and mastery of multiple genres makes for an entertaining and heady mix. Dubby. Funky. Hard-rocky. Their tunes on "Electric Sorcery" and "Electric Sorcery II" are infectious... and wonderfully delicious. Well worth checking out... even if you are prejudiced towards all things "prog rock".

Pay what you want.



Adam Greenhead's track "how to kill pedestrians" has appeared on one of my mixtapes... I'm a sucker for a glockenspiel, afterall. Adam's music centres around the piano which makes for wonderfully catchy and unique tuneage... livelier than "ambient"... his work reminds me of earlier Moby for some reason. Fab instrumental music without any distinct genre... and stronger as a result.

Free.



Moving into more ambient electronic realms are a band called Borland who I found out about through my friend Radio Scotvoid. They are my kind of electronica with their immersive glitchy synth-orientated soundscapes, sequences and crisp beats. Their albums Quantum Woman (above) and Supernova Lovers (below) deserve a place on your iPod.



Pay what you want.

Please check them out and support truly wonderful independent music.

bp's new logo?!

, originally uploaded by Greenpeace UK.

If its not... it should be!

Tx

adidas Originals - Star Wars™ Cantina 2010

I have to say... I'm not sure about this one. It is very well done... and got my Dayna giggling at Greedo's demise... but I'm not sure. Is it too much? Have we gone too far in our commoditisation of the past? Does it cross the line into "blasphemy"?

I celebrate Adidas' attempts to celebrate the originality of Star Wars... but I think this may be a step too far.

Thoughts?

Tx

Music Monday :: "dancin' in the dark..." a mixtape for @cowpunkmom

OK... so the story goes like this:

@jdblundell: "@cowpunkmom you might be able to talk @headphonaught into creating a dance mix. :-) #DanceDancePartyParty"

To which both Paula aka @cowpunkmom and I said "yeah... ok"

After much humming and hawing... tweaking of playlists and hours of listening then relistening... out pops a wee dance mix to enjoy.

Now... my dancing days are behind me... some may argue they were never in front of me... but I've brought together some of my fave big beat/techno/drum and bass/electro faves into 70mins of sonic joy.

If your soul doesn't giggle and your bum doesn't shoogle to these beats then there is something wrong and you should seek professional help... right now.

Here's the tracklisting:



I think this mix will be pretty good in the gym. I hope to give it a whirl sometime soon.

So yeah... I hope you like?! If you do, please support the artists featured.

Tx

dancin' in the dark :: 103mbs :: mediafire.com

The broader one’s understanding of the human experience, the better design we will have.

"Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn’t really do it, they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while. That’s because they were able to connect experiences they’ve had and synthesize new things. And the reason they were able to do that was that they’ve had more experiences or they have thought more about their experiences than other people.

Unfortunately, that’s too rare a commodity. A lot of people in our industry haven’t had very diverse experiences. So they don’t have enough dots to connect, and they end up with very linear solutions without a broad perspective on the problem. The broader one’s understanding of the human experience, the better design we will have."

Steve Jobs

...as quoted by youmightfindyourself and kitsune noir.

We need to broaden our understanding of the human experience.

Tx

A pretty rough guide to screen printing

A pretty rough guide to screen printing from Andrew Bell on Vimeo.

I want to learn how to screen print... and this video has gotten me all excited again about it.

Fab video from Andrew Bell at Glasgow MET... which I found inspirational for videomaking as well as the subject matter.

Thanks to swiss-miss for sharing the video.

Tx

Are you listening... church???

[ email sent with the "Multi-Photo Email" iPhone application ]

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"the past WE inherit... the future WE build"

"the past you inherit... the future you build" ... never a truer word said, IMHO., originally uploaded by Headphonaught.

I've been meditating on this phrase... "the past you inherit... the future you build".

I noticed it on the gates of the Summerlee Heritage Museum & Park. It immediately struck a chord with me.

So much so... I snapped a pic and tweeted the image to my friends.

You may have been one of them... so I thought I'd ask you this... what does this phrase mean to you?

Please leave a comment... and, who knows, we may get a dialogue happening.

Tx

U*P*D*A*T*E
I've misquoted the phrase... its "the past WE inherit... the future WE build". Oops. Possibly more meaningful for folks? Who knows? Let me know. Tx