Apposite Morsels

This album is pure bliss. I can’t wait to see him at...

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 22:24:51 -0700

This album is pure bliss. I can’t wait to see him at Coachella.

Super excited for the new album!

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 21:56:52 -0700

Super excited for the new album!

What a fantastic second album.

Tue, 22 Jan 2013 21:27:51 -0800

What a fantastic second album.

4 days!!!

Sat, 12 Jan 2013 17:49:09 -0800

4 days!!!

This song blows my mind every time I listen to it. Gopher Guts...

Wed, 09 Jan 2013 16:26:00 -0800

This song blows my mind every time I listen to it.

Gopher Guts by Aesop Rock on Grooveshark

Revisiting my favourite cover (Radiohead’s ‘How to...

Tue, 08 Jan 2013 18:28:00 -0800

Revisiting my favourite cover (Radiohead’s ‘How to Disappear Completely’ sung by Katie Noonan with the Australian Chamber Orchestra) which I was fortunate enough to see live in ‘08. Truly sublime.

Definitely going to be listening to this one while lazing on the...

Mon, 03 Dec 2012 18:08:00 -0800

Definitely going to be listening to this one while lazing on the beach and in the park this summer.

Boom. And that’s how it’s done.

Sun, 28 Oct 2012 04:57:36 -0700

Boom. And that’s how it’s done.

zeroing: National Geographic photo contest Fog and pigeons?...

Sat, 27 Oct 2012 17:41:36 -0700

zeroing:

National Geographic photo contest

Fog and pigeons? Gotta be SF.

It’s as clear as the Ann on plain’s face; new season...

Sat, 06 Oct 2012 22:48:43 -0700

It’s as clear as the Ann on plain’s face; new season is on its way!

awesomepeoplehangingouttogether: Amy Sedaris, Will Arnett and...

Sun, 16 Sep 2012 17:31:14 -0700

awesomepeoplehangingouttogether:

Amy Sedaris, Will Arnett and Amy Poehler

Celebrating the start of the US Open with a hot fudge sundae.

Mon, 27 Aug 2012 20:35:25 -0700

Celebrating the start of the US Open with a hot fudge sundae.

Tiffany Singh @ The 18th Biennale of Sydney, Pier 2/3Photo by...

Tue, 14 Aug 2012 21:34:44 -0700

Tiffany Singh @ The 18th Biennale of Sydney, Pier 2/3

Photo by Michael Young

Hot Chip - In Our Heads

Mon, 13 Aug 2012 20:06:00 -0700

Hot Chip always struck me as a boisterous lot, so it came as quite a surprise that their fifth offering, In Our Heads, is a contemplative manual on how to be devout. Don’t believe me? Check out the cover of the album and tell me it doesn’t look like a stained glass window. Welcome to the Church of Hot Chip, where fun is mandatory, but so is growing up.

Apparently, growing up isn’t all drudgery. On “How Do You Do?” we learn that “a church is not for praying/it’s for celebrating the light that bleeds through the pain”. What is “the light”? Alexis Taylor sums it up nicely on the album’s most prolific track, “Let Me Be Him”: “work hard, play hard at work/lend me your ideas/but not too fully formed”. For Hot Chip, fluid creativity and being positive is the passage to fulfillment.

As with Hot Chip’s other albums, In Our Heads is a stylistic grab bag, but unlike its predecessors, it never feels lacking. Obvious elements of dance and techno are interspersed with R’n’B, psychedelic rock and gospel to achieve a multitudinous sound that is decidedly complete.

This wouldn’t be a Hot Chip album without an appeal to dance and be merry, and there’s plenty of that. But while most dance music acts as a form of escapism, In Our Heads is a plea to embrace life as it is and its simple joys; and therein lies its distinction.

Taking a small bite out of the Big Apple

Sat, 11 Aug 2012 22:11:00 -0700

New York is one of those places where a lifetime wouldn’t suffice to see everything it has to offer. Needless to say, my recent three and a half days there were just a tad too short, even considering that every moment was spent soaking in its multitude of cultural offerings. Nonetheless, my stay was fantastic and I perfected my time-management skills along the way. Here is my list of must dos for the time-pressed in New York:

Food

Pardon me for stating the obvious, but the pizza in NY is top notch. My first culinary endeavour was to Patsy’s Pizzeria in East Harlem, one of the few remaining coal oven pizzerias in the city. As it turns out, coal ovens are terrible for the environment and a delight to the taste buds. We’re talking impossibly thin, crispy crusts and the perfect blend of cheese and tomato sauce. I recommend the original coal oven pizza - simple and delicious. Next stop on the pizza agenda was to John’s of Bleecker St in the West Village where you’ll find yourself sat in front of something like this:

The crust was chewy without being overly so, and the toppings all of a high quality. Just around the corner is Mamoun’s Falafel, where for a mere $3 you can get an excellent falafel sandwich.

Comedy

Just a stone’s throw away from Mamoun’s is the Comedy Cellar. If you’re a fan of Louis CK you’ll know that this is the comedy club shown in the opening sequence of his TV show, and where he performs within the show. This place is comedy nirvana. Walking inside the tiny club, you’ll see hundreds of signed photos adorning the walls from all the big names in comedy - Dave Chappelle, Jerry Seinfeld and Chris Rock just to name a few. When you reserve a spot you won’t know who is performing until a few days before the show. Even then, big name comedians often show up unannounced to practice their new material. The night I went I was lucky enough to catch Judah Friedlander of 30 Rock and Aziz Ansari of Parks and Recreation along with four other billed acts, all of whom were hilarious. A word of advice: don’t sit in the front row unless you’re willing to be material! Similarly, I went to Whiplash at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre which was great, and free. If, like me, you appreciate the effort comedians put into their material and want to support good comedy, give a small donation at the end of the show.

Art

You don’t have to be a connoisseur to enjoy the art in New York - there’s something for everyone, be it contemporary or classical. My favourite was the Whitney Museum which currently houses a large exhibition of Yayoi Kusama’s work spanning the entirety of her career. Having been part of the New York art scene during the 1970’s, she was somewhat lost in the ether after relocating to Japan. This made seeing all her work displayed particularly special. Unfortunately, I missed out on Kusama’s special exhibition Fireflies on the Water so get there early and make sure to grab tickets.

Yayoi Kusama’s Fireflies on the Water (source: The Whitney Museum)

Yes, I will gladly be the 500 zillionth person to post Frank...

Wed, 18 Jul 2012 17:17:00 -0700

Yes, I will gladly be the 500 zillionth person to post Frank Ocean’s “Pyramids” because it’s AWESOME!

New Presets! Pretty cool video directed by Yoshi Sodeoka.

Thu, 28 Jun 2012 16:56:27 -0700

New Presets! Pretty cool video directed by Yoshi Sodeoka.

Album-to-album transformation is an oft-attempted, daunting task...

Tue, 05 Jun 2012 12:23:00 -0700

Album-to-album transformation is an oft-attempted, daunting task leaving many bands’ efforts feeling a little gimmicky. Then here comes Liars again, ever the effortless chameleons, with a new, fully formed transcendent sound that, as usual, succeeds. The Exact Colour of Doubt, WIXIW’s opening track, is a gently hypnotizing segue into what will be 45 minutes of foreboding. This constant state of unease is one of the few characteristics that carry through from Liars’ previous work, and they pull it off with aplomb.

Liars have never been much of a transparent band, and WIXIW is no exception to that rule. Pronounced “wish you”, the name of the album hints at a deliberate opaqueness. Its overarching chaos is a red herring; listen a little more closely and you’ll find borderline obsessive rhythmic organisation. Angus Andrews’ vocals waver between maniacal and fragile, adding to the album’s stark electronic elements. But it isn’t all a frigid soundscape; acoustic guitars and found sounds enter to momentarily provide relief from mechanical desolation. Liars have already proven their innovative prowess, so it it’s no surprise that this album sounds fresh. Their greatest achievement here is that WIXIW is an album of contradictions, yet the result is whole.

A very cool projection piece on The Sydney Opera House by...

Fri, 01 Jun 2012 13:25:15 -0700

A very cool projection piece on The Sydney Opera House by URBANSCREEN as part of the Vivid festival.

High-speed photographs of ink mixing with water by Alberto...

Tue, 29 May 2012 09:43:25 -0700

High-speed photographs of ink mixing with water by Alberto Seveso