Stop thinking you’re listening when all you’re doing is waiting for your chance to speak.

Even if society never seems to learn from the mistakes of our pasts, at least we’ve got artists who never stop screaming with piercing voices and ground shaking bass.

Maybe one day we’ll listen. Like actually listen.

Like, stop thinking we’re listening when what we’re doing is waiting for the speaker to stop so we can say what was on our mind the whole time they were trying to open up to us.

Stop thinking we can ignore the issues of today as though they’ll go away tomorrow.

Stop thinking our problems are bigger than others; face it – we’re in this together so now’s the time to put your ego aside and embrace your neighbour. It’s the only way we’re going to make it through this mess. Politicians survive off fear mongering. Evil, manipulative people survive off of divisiveness – anything to say that you are better than the next person. You’re not better. We’re all a mess. And if you accept it, and accept that the person next to you on the street is just the same as you with a different history, then we’re one step closer to overcoming the politicians’ ploys and the manipulators’ tricks.

Your lack of true listening generates the fuel that feeds the ignorance of the world.

Let’s get smart, people, through collective consciousness… and not just an OM-chanting displaced place of the privileged “wishing/praying” for change… nope, this is the time for real grit and in-person commitment to one another, no matter the colour, time of day, trend of the day, dollar fluctuation, temperature, disaster or award ceremony – fuck those distractions. Connect for real. Get real, get brave with one another, and above all, actually listen to one another every single chance you get.

Metalheadz released this super sick 3-track EP by René LaVice & Future Cut today and this is how it made me feel.

Super raw, super real. Two artists who deserve to blow up.

Debby Friday.

Holy shit. Her recorded music is speaker-exploding, her live performance is scintillating.

Bandcamp rated Friday’s “Death Drive” the 26th best album of the year so -gddmn!- you’re bound to see|hear much more from her this year…

Sebastian Paul.

Inexplicably rugged and tender all at the same time. Addictive as fuck, too.

The clever Diplo/Mad Decent crew have already snapped this fella up so – yep you guessed it – big things in store for Paul…

You gotta give artists like this your love. They aren’t holding back one bit – every pore of their souls are poured into every beat, every lyric.

Raw and real, they remind us to be the same.

Get out there and support your local artists.

Love life. Be good to one another. Encourage one another to express yourselves freely and jump up and down and scream in unison when they take the stage and bare their souls. Be brave together. Crush the mediocre together.

Because we appreciate things that don’t last

This is brilliant. What a way to grab people’s attention to your music.

Release music that’s only available for one month.

Do it regularly so you can feature new artists all the time.

And how clever, to produce it easily and give it a super appealing low fi vibe, record it on a phone.

Love it.

Listen to Etran de L’Aïr‘s “Music from Saharan WhatsApp,” buy it, and keep tuned in for more from Sahel Sounds.

“For the year of 2020, Sahel Sounds presents “Music from Saharan WhatsApp.” Every month, we’ll be releasing an EP from a musical group in the Sahel. Every album will be recorded on a cellphone, and transmitted over WhatsApp, and uploaded to Bandcamp – where it will live for one month only. Available for pay as you want, 100% of the sales will go directly to the artist or group. After one month, the album will be replaced by another one, until the end of the year.” ~ Read more about this wicked project on their Bandcamp page.

/// another example of how brilliant and artist-supporting Bandcamp is. I’m such a fan of this platform. ///

Must listen album of 2019, with caveat

One of the most powerful and moving and important albums of the year, you must listen to Lingua Ignota’s “Caligula.”

The caveat? It’s heavy as fuck. The subject matter is dark (read Revolver’s excellent article), but that’s what makes this such an important album: the artist is taking the material on with fierce ferocity.

I witnessed her performance live in Vancouver on Dec 1, and as I tweeted, Vancouver just got Lingua Ignota’d.

Omg swoon Vancouver just got @LINGUA_IGNOTA_'d
🔦⚡🎤💥💣💥 pic.twitter.com/zQD5CZnBxD

— Ash Tanasiychuk (@formatnoauto) December 2, 2019

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

While the audience was awaiting Daughters, the entire venue (Rickshaw) was absolutely transfixed by Lingua Ignota’s performance. Silence during each song, and heartfelt applause after each and every one. We knew this was not a show for shock value. This was the real deal.

In my notes, I wrote:

The piano driven passion of Tori Amos with the impossibly epic goth vocals of Esben and the Witch and theatricality of Zola Jesus. Fucking unreal. Rickshaw was stunned and in love.

If the artist doesn’t agree with any of those references, I must say I mention them with total respect. Of course, you cannot compare anyone of such unique artistic expression as Lingua Ignota to anyone before.

Could research tools revolutionize the arts?

Through my current communications and marketing job, I come across a lot of very cool projects. Did I ever mention how satisfying and inspiring it is to realize that researchers are the same as artists – creating new things because they are driven to – only they work in academia, as opposed to nonprofits?

Anyway, the most recent inspiring thing I came across is this: The OSF (Open Science Framework). It’s “a free and open source project management repository that supports researchers across their entire project lifecycle.” In short, it makes researcher’s projects easier to manage, by allowing contributors, with the option to make parts of the project public. It manages files, data, code… streamlining everything to increase efficiency.

Read all about it here: cos.io/our-products/osf/

I want to do the same for the arts! Does anyone know a programmer I could work with and some grants I could tap into? Let’s make this happen!

I’ve been thinking a lot about bringing techniques and tools used by academic researchers into the world of art creation to shake up how artists do what they do. Sure, a lot of artists might not be into it, but I believe there are also a lot who would be! Those artists who already work in digital media or coding, for sure. Then the ones who regardless of their medium are already tweeting, streaming video, or using modern tech to further their careers.

If you’ve got any ideas on this subject or know anyone who’s already doing this, I’d appreciate if you’d share what you know! Send me your comments.

Oh, and I’m rarely going to end a post without some inspiring visuals or music. Here’s what’s been getting me going the last couple of days. New stuff!

Brand new Methyl Ethel album. This Aussie artist is so unique; this new stuff is on another level: Listen to Triage
(track 7 – wow!)

And I’ve always been a sucker for drum and bass, and Nobody Asks by TMSV is where it’s at.

Till next time, peace, love, art and respect!

Feelin’ Good, Every Season

Because this groove is just so irresistible.

I actually first heard this on Nightmares On Wax’s Late Night Tales album. But it’s a remixed version. Still awesome as f**k, and I’ll tell you, I played that album back in the day (mid-2000’s).

But hearing this full version is even better. Have to admit: while I recognized Damon Albarn (Blur, Gorillaz)’s voice, I was unaware it was a duo with Tony Allen, Afrobeat legend. Allen is still going strong, most recently recording an EP with techno legend Jeff Mills. What!

That’s mighty inspiring. Legends who just don’t quit! May we all have that level of energy and drive.

New music I love – Sep 2017

These might not all be newly released (most are, some aren’t) but they’re new to me, and I love ’em.
Maybe you will too. Brighten up your day, engage your ears, stimulate your mind. Listen… ❤

Mondo Cosmo – Plastic Soul
Off in a dream land.

Thelem – Ninety 3
Otherworldly.

Cat Clyde – Mama Said
Harken back to a simpler time, I think about it all the time. 

Cherry Glazerr – Told You I’d Be With The Guys
Oh, those vocals highs get me so high. 

Camila Cabello, Quavo – OMG This is how shit should sound. This is every trick in the book these days, but done right, done with quality talent.

Mad Zach – Belittle No One
Mental on top, deep bassy feet grounded below.

PUP – The Coast
But pretty much everything they make.

Campfire Stories 22 (Isotope Cobalt #5) by Roel Funcken
nearly 2.5hrs of beautiful ambient music on the incredible Silent Season label.

Brothertiger – High Tide
Lost in the bliss of a seaside high. 

Hundred Waters – Blanket Me
That climax is gorgeously goosebump inducing. 

River Whyless – Sailing Away
When you’re feeling worn out and need to be carried on a gentle breeze to the next stage.

The Black Angels – Young Men Dead
So heavy, when you listen to this you could walk through an inferno and emerge unscathed.

Brian Jonestown Massacre – Anemone
A timeless sound. Let’s take a road trip. 

Four Tet – Two Thousand and Seventeen
I’ve loved Four Tet since his early work, right through to his more recent club bangers. Here, he takes a somber look at this challenging year. 

Clairmont The Second with Cola H – Worth
Oooooh yeah, love this echo chamber of moody beats with smooooooth vocal delivery.