The Blog
08 Dec 2012 I do like a good aphorism: Civilization is the process of turning the incomprehensible into the arbitrary.
http://feeds.ribbonfarm.com/~r/Ribbonfarm/~3/VCOWDvYQlP4/   From Incomprehensible to Arbitrary »William James' observation, "The progress from brute to man is characterized by nothing so much as by the decrease in frequency of proper occasions for fear" has long seemed to me a near-perfect defin... [from: Google+ Posts] Critical analysis via neologisms as a way of throwing light on Retromania
Take 3 suffixes; -phobia, -philia, -mania meaning a Fear of, Love of or an Unhealthy Mania about a subject. Now apply these to the past and you have the following. Retrophobia, Retrophobe : Retrophilia, Retrophile : Retromania, Retromaniac This allows us to see that Simon Reynolds' ongoing obsession with the Retromania (c) tendency in western art and music looks principly at a view of the past that is an "Unhealthy Mania". A decadent view of the past that simply repeats it endlessly in pattern work without adding anything new except context. It also points out at least 2 other possible standpoints in relation to the past. Retrophilia might be a celebration of the past. Not just as a curator but perhaps also as a stepping off point but without the unhealthy obsession. This is the positive, non-decadent counterpoint to the negative, decadent practice of Retromania. For symmetry then, there is also Retrophobia; the fear of the past. Which might express itself as a denial of the past and an attempt to airbrush it out of existence. So for instance some aspects of Modernism can be seen as Retrophobic. Similarly the practice of re-writing history. In cultural terms, the unfortunate habit of Hollywood to re- write history so that the Americans did everything might be an example of the consequences of Retrophobia. That neatly dispatches several possible reactions to the past. What about the future? Neophobia, Neophobe : Neophilia, Neophile : Neomania, Neomaniac First, Neophobia or Fear Of Change. conservatism with a small c that wants to keep things as they are. There's often a relationship here with Retrophilia that wants to return to the certainties that our parents represented when we were too young to know better. Or to a rose tinted golden age of early adulthood when you mistook the shock of the new for enduring value. The counterpoint is then Neophilia: Love of the New. Embracing progress and change and taking pleasure in each new experience. It might be easy (for a neophile!) to portray this as almost wholely positive. But of course it can easily slip into one-up-manship. The hipster cliche of "I was into them before they were famous". Or the failure of full appreciation in the too rapid discard of each item because of the next "ooh shiny" moment. Which brings us to Neomania: The Unhealthy Obsession with the New. This can be child like where a short attention span means that the latest toy is thrown out of the pram for being boring. It can also have almost vampyric quality when aplied to artists where we consumers demand to be made to feel the same way we felt when we first ecountered an artists work. It can also result in the "Rapture of the Nerds". Simon Reynolds again. Here's some classic neo-mania in the final words of the book of Retromania: "I remember the future-rush. It's different from the thrill of encountering a true original. The sensation is electric but impersonal; It's about new forms not new faces; It's a much purer, harder hit. It's the same scary-euphoric rush that the best science fiction gives: the vertigo of limitlessness. I still believe the future is out there." As if that wasn't enough, there's also the suffix -phagy literally meaning "to eat" or "eating". So for instance, Anthropophagy is usually a euphemism for Cannibalism. Literally the eating of humans. But it's been used by an Art school in Brazil as a metaphor for eating cultural references in the Anthropophagista. I suspect they should really have called themselves Sociophagists but then this was the 20s of Surrealism so perhaps the implied real Cannibalism as well as metaphorical cannibalism was deliberate. If we apply the same suffix to rerto and neo we have Retrophagy and Neophagy. Putative artistic movements or standpoints that eat past and future influences, ruminating and regurgitating them to produce something new. I'm not sure how real this is but I think there's still plenty to explore for another day. Even though Retrophagy is a pretty ugly word! [from: Google+ Posts] Is the Earth Fxxkered?
I'm writing this a lot lately. Please go back and re-read "The Limits To Growth" along with the 20 and 30 year updates. Here's the TL;DR. version. Yes, this cycle of the Anthroposcene is fucked. If the decline in resources don't get you, the increase in pollution will. All the models show massive overshoot followed by a massive crash in the systems. The only question is whether it's our children or our great grand-children who have to cope with hitting the wall. http://io9.com/5966689/after-extensive-mathematical-modeling-scientist-declares-earth-is-fucked Enjoy it while you can.   After extensive mathematical modeling, scientist declares "Earth is F**ked" »Brad Werner has a simple question: Is the Earth fucked? He also has a remarkably complicated methodology yielding a very simple answer: yes, unless people start a serious global rebellion. [from: Google+ Posts] [ 08-Dec-12 9:01am ] 07 Dec 2012 Blawan - Bodies - Blawan - Why They Hide Their Bodies Under My Garage?
From the review here. http://thequietus.com/articles/10042-hyperspecific-16-dance-music-review-blawan-mark-fell-cut-hands You know those cautionary tales you'd get told in drug education sessions at school, or in overwrought TV dramas, about that one kid who spiked himself so thoroughly with home-cooked speed and cheap psychedelics that he flung himself off a multi-storey? a malignant drunkard, stood a few paces away from you at a bus stop in the early hours, issuing sinister threats from inside a can of Kestrel) [are] liable to lodge in the mind for weeks on end. [from: Google+ Posts] First post. Some nice dubby deep house for y'all
Moodymanc feat. Kuntri Ranks - State (Original) [from: Google+ Posts] [ 07-Dec-12 7:57am ] 05 Dec 2012 Lists of the Year
And so it begins. The bext XX of the year articles have begun. So now the year runs from Dec 1 to Dec 1? http://drownedinsound.com/in_depth/4145822-drowned-in-sounds-favourite-albums-of-2012--50-26   Drowned in Sound's Favourite Albums of 2012: 50-26 »The countdown of our favourite albums of the year continues... Firstly, Sorry... Drowned in Sound would like to apologise if our album of the y... [from: Google+ Posts] [ 05-Dec-12 5:28pm ] 04 Dec 2012 Simon Reynolds, Retromania and the Atemporality of Contemporary 'Pop'
If you've read Retromania, then you really must read this. And if you haven't but have even the slightest interest in art criticism, you really should read both. http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2118376 http://retromaniabysimonreynolds.blogspot.co.uk via http://www.scoop.it/t/hauntology "Yes, we could talk about the tyranny of generalization if we wanted to: we could point out that no sounds are without a history, that retromania is to some extent a necessary and permanent condition, that we have, in a certain manner of speaking, always been postmodern and that in this sense there is nothing intrinsically novel about the contemporary predicament. And every step of the way Reynolds would agree with us. Despite the rampant and sometimes dewy-eyed modernism with which he has pursued virtually his entire career, he is certainly no fool. Every step of the way, in other words, his provocation would still stand. Yes, I take your point, he would say, but still ... can we really not do better?"   Simon Reynolds, Retromania and the Atemporality of Contemporary 'Pop' by James Parker :: SSRN »One book dominated music criticism in 2011. A virtuoso work of both musical and cultural history, a strangely personal memoir of a life dedicated to pop and its [from: Google+ Posts] 02 Dec 2012 Cocktail of the week: Un-Named (so far)
Ok, we've got a problem here because this one is unfinished and has no name yet. It's inspired by going to one of the world's best cocktail bars, Zetter's Townhouse. http://www.thezettertownhouse.com Now, they do a cocktail called "Master at Arms", Dark Rum + Port evaporation + home made Grenadine. Now of course I haven't got any Port reduction or evaporation so I based today's version on the Manhatten and there are apparently things called "Cuban Manhatten" or "St Kitts Manhatten". So here we go: - 40ml Dark Rum - 20ml Red Vermouth - 2.5ml Grenadine - 6 drops Angostura Stirred over ice and strained into a chilled martini glass. Now this ends up a glorious blood colour and has a softness compared with a Manhatten without being too sweet. I'm going to try this again but with Port instead of Red Vermouth and perhaps with a really dark sipping rum as well. I feel like this ought to be called "Master and Commander" or something piratical. As it is though, it's caribbean with the rum and grenadine but Italian with the red vermouth and I'm having trouble thinking of a name that combines both localities. Caribbean (rum), Spanish (port) is maybe a bit easier but I wonder what class of pirate drank port. And the answer is an English, ex-Navy, upper class, privateer one. Does that make it a "Drake" (or a "Banker")? Italian Pirates were quite rare. But here we go. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vincenzo_Gambi Based in N Orleans, "one of the most violent and bloodthirsty men in the Gulf of Mexico", perfect. So perhaps we can name it after him? I give you, "The Gambi" I also like the idea of a cocktail called a "Black Bart" but it may already be taken, and Whisky, Rum, Blackberries, Lime, brown sugar syrup just doesn't sound right.  London Boutique Hotel in Clerkenwell, London | The Zetter Townhouse »There is a new House Cocktail Menu, new Lunch Menu AND a new Dinner menu to try. Highlights include the Rose Petal Gimlet, The Ploughman's lunch and Hamburger with truffle buttered bun. . NEW YEAR'S ... [from: Google+ Posts] Fuck Yeah Weird Bikes Dot Tumblr Dot Com
Nice work! http://fuckyeahweirdbikes.tumblr.com/  [from: Google+ Posts] [ 02-Dec-12 8:59am ] We are stardust, we are golden, we are caught in the devil's bargain,
Most of the atoms in your body have been through at least one supernova and are probably more than 6 billion years old. The lighter atoms, and in particular the Hydrogen were probably formed shortly after the Big Bang so are more like 13.5 billion years old. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/space/star-in-you.html  [from: Google+ Posts] [ 02-Dec-12 8:35am ] 01 Dec 2012 Picture the scene. It's christmas week 1964 and the Windsors are back in their castle. Charlie has done a mix tape of his favourite bands. Anne has organised some canapes and lashings of ginger beer. They've invited all their mates from Benenden and Gordonstoun. Andrew and William are a bit young so they're only allowed in till bed time. It's all Beatles and Stones until Charles puts on House of the Rising Sun. At that point the purple hearts and the contents of the detective's hip flask properly kick in. I'll leave the subsequent 16 year old debauchery in the "Crimson Room" to your imagination.
http://history-is-made-at-night.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/discotheque-enters-english-language.html   Discotheque enters the English language: 1960-66 »Thanks to Google news and other archive searches it is possible to date reasonably accurately when words came to be widely used, at least in printed form. I believe the term discotheque (which literal... [from: Google+ Posts] [ 01-Dec-12 6:53pm ] In praise of Massive Attack
With the release of a re-mastered version of Blue Lines, it's time to treat yourself to a trip-hop binge and listen to Blue Lines, Protection and Mezzanine in one hit, back to back and then finish off with a blast of No-Protection. They were of course rubbish after Mezzanine so there's no need to revisit the other albums! Massive Attack - Unfinished Sympathy Don't, whatever you do, read the Pitchfork review of Blue Lines or you'll start thinking that the whole Bristol Trip-Hop movement was just a derivative UK version of Chicago, Detroit and NY hip hop and rap. Yea, right, whatever. [from: Google+ Posts] [ 01-Dec-12 6:38pm ] Things to make you go "WTF?"
Yet another example of retromania weirdness, as a band do a show around a complete set of "The one who used to be called Prince's" Purple Rain http://thequietus.com/articles/10853-amanda-palmer-the-grand-theft-orchestra-new-years-show-purple-rain Is this a trend? Beck, Flaming Lips, and others making not quite perfect copies of famous albums or performances. http://retromaniabysimonreynolds.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/beck-retromania-art-versus-craft.html http://retromaniabysimonreynolds.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/wow-what-great-piece-on-afterlife-of.html This isn't quite the same as the Tribute Band although that seems to be a much bigger thing than I remember. Whatever it is, it's certainly Hauntological! http://www.scoop.it/t/hauntology   The Quietus | News | Amanda Palmer To Play Purple Rain In Full »Palmer set to play Prince's magnum opus at New Year's show in New York [from: Google+ Posts] [ 01-Dec-12 8:39am ] 28 Nov 2012 bOing-bOing's gift guide. I'll take one of each please!
http://boingboing.net/2012/11/28/giftguide2012.html   Gift Guide 2012 - Boing Boing »Is That All There Is?,. o. I discovered the work of Dutch cartoonist Joost Swarte before I read Hergé's Tintin, even though it's now clear to me that Swarte's style was inspired by Hergé. But I would ... [from: Google+ Posts] [ 28-Nov-12 1:56pm ] Clubbing in Shanghai
http://www.residentadvisor.net/feature.aspx?1568 This is not Shoreditch! Makes me wonder what clubbing in Kazakhstan might be like and I might just have a route to find out. Hey, Bruce, you need to add that RA article to your occasional "Musica Globalista" tag. http://www.wired.com/beyond_the_beyond/category/musica-globalista/   Clubbing in Shanghai »The Chinese metropolis has never had a club culture before, but as RA's Sanjay Fernandes explains, that's slowly changing. [from: Google+ Posts] [ 28-Nov-12 8:25am ] 26 Nov 2012 So, is there any truth in the rumour that Skrillex is playing the Glastonbury Sat night closing slot on the Other stage.
[from: Google+ Posts] [ 26-Nov-12 9:42pm ] Discovery
http://last.fm http://soundcloud.com http://www.discogs.com http://www.mixcloud.com http://www.youtube.com A Blog, Facebook, Twitter Events http://www.songkick.com http://www.bandsintown.com http://eventful.com Sales outlets http://www.tunecore.com http://bandcamp.com http://boomkat.com http://www.juno.co.uk http://www.beatport.com/ http://www.redeyerecords.co.uk http://www.surus.co.uk http://www.chemical-records.co.uk Misc PR http://aracityradio.com http://www.virtualfestivals.com http://www.newdust.com http://www.obscuresound.com/ http://www.indieshuffle.com/ http://indiemusicfilter.com/ http://undertheradarmag.com/ http://www.gorillavsbear.net/ http://www.youaintnopicasso.com/ http://nialler9.com/ http://nofearofpop.net/ http://pitchfork.com/ http://www.guardian.co.uk/music http://www.codaagency.com/ http://thequietus.com http://www.residentadvisor.net/ http://www.thefader.com/ http://www.factmag.com/ http://www.xlr8r.com/ http://mthrfnkr.com/ http://noisey.vice.com/en_us http://www.vice.com/en_uk/music http://www.dummymag.com/ http://www.wenkewho.com/ http://www.hipsterrunoff/ http://www.theneedledrop.com/ http://www.liveforthefunk.com/ http://www.prettymuchamazing.com/ http://yourstru.ly/ http://www.littlewhiteearbuds.com/ http://whitenoisereview.blogspot.co.uk/ http://shoreditchradio.co.uk/ http://www.zoneoneradio.com/ http://www.radio-ginger.com/ http://www.explosiveunsigned.co.uk/radio.html http://www.newmusicregistry.com/ Eagerly awaiting this album.
http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/17445-jummy/ "Art-House". How is this not a thing, yet? Amazingly, it's barely used on last.fm with only about 10 taggers. Compare http://www.last.fm/search?q=art-house&type=tag with all these myriad variations and sub-genres off House music http://www.last.fm/search?q=house&type=tag   Gerry Read: Jummy »The 20-year old British art-house producer's debut reveals a dedication to haze and clutter mostly absent on his early singles. Mixing big, wet drum sounds with short, cloudy bursts of piano and mumbl... [from: Google+ Posts] [ 26-Nov-12 9:55am ] 25 Nov 2012 Ben Hammersley's speech to the IAAC, last year.
Stumbled across this article again due to a technical quirk of my news reading. And while re-reading it I discovered this wonderful slogan that comes straight out of the Situationists! Expect everything. Expect it on your own terms.  My speech to the IAAC | Ben Hammersley's Dangerous Precedent »Ben Hammersley's speech to the IAAC, given on the 6th September 2011 [from: Google+ Posts] [ 25-Nov-12 8:40am ] 23 Nov 2012 Retrophagísta, The Retrophagists, Retrophagy.
An imaginary (currently) art movement that uses the deliberate and conscious consumption, rumination, recombination and regurgitation of the past to create the future and the new. A positive counterpoint to the negative, expensive ugliness of the cocaine decision that is Retromania. That just mines the past out of a fake hip nostalgia or cynically recapitulates the past for profit without adding anything new except context. [from: Google+ Posts] 
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