--->>>See job--->>>find CV--->>>update CV--->>>make it fit the job description--->>>(is this ethical? probably.)--->>>save as pdf file--->>>merge pdf--->>>what about that one story tht shows how awesome I am?--->>>merge pdf.--->>>double space?!--->>>merge pdf.--->>>what about the cover letter?--->>>should I try be humourous?--->>>yes, probably.--->>>show how witty and awesome I am at writing mean shit--->>>maybe someone will read this blog sometime and hire me to write their memoirs--->>>almost definitely going to happen I think--->>>just after New Year--->>>moving into 2011, it will all be clear and set in stone--->>>for now, might as well enjoy summer--->>>big rave with thousands of wasted children tonight--->>>I think I will need to concoct some BZP repellent--->>>choice.
So I had a lovely first date with the nanny state this morning - the colourful bunch at Work & Income. My case manager was at first a little stand-offish, a little staunch, a bit by-the-book. I mean, she's seen it all, right? WINZ attracts a 'melting pot' of people, looking for that wee bit of assistance.
Anyway, I think she felt sorry for me...after all, my story is the classic recessionary tale really isn't it? It's not that I want to hang out all day with Uncle Benny, but more that I don't have too much of a choice in the matter.
But we met, and I really think we connected. It was an exercise in pleasant conversation and happy times. More fun than small talk, but not exactly two souls meeting in the deep sands of time. SO, I qualify for accommodation supplement and maybe temporary financial help. And from what my CM was saying, being on unemployment sounds like more work than full time work. Next time someone complains about dole bludgers, remember they probably work harder than you do just to stay on the bennie.
Because of the wonderful mismanagement I encountered over the phone, I had no idea I needed letters from my employers confirming that I work for them, and my passport too. So today's plan? Retrieve said documentation, rendevous at the meeting point and await further instructions from CM. Excitement increasing exponentially inside extremities.
Yeah it's mellow and obscure, but when you're lost in a world of uncertainty and financial insecurity, sometimes this swirly minimalism makes sense.
I have finished my Post-graduate Diploma in Journalism. What am I most sad about? Losing that wonderful student allowance. NOW I require income........
I've been trawling job websites, searching and sending emails, looking for work in hospo or, heaven forbid, in what I've been training to do. It's no surprise that there is around about, ooh, I don't know, fuck all out there really huh? Anyway, tomorrow morning, I have an appointment for something I've never had to do before - welcome to the wonderful world of Work & Income New Zealand.
All I need is some help to keep my rent paid while I continue my hunt for work. Got a job bro? Send it my way.
Anyway, this blog is going to be an account of my hunt for professional work, or at least how to get help living from the government. Apparently forst stpe is to embrace the dole, not resent it. Um. Yeah.
Bought this in 2007 at the wonderful Funky Soul Stop record store in the heart of Oakland, CA, and this tune is potentially one of my most played records over the last few years. Aretha's voice soars awesomely once she comes in...but that's about two minutes into the tune. Almost too much.
1x Aretha Franklin 'Just Right Tonight' 1x shot of tequila with ginger beer and a squirty of lime 1x flax mat in Grey Lynn backyard 1x pair of sunglasses 1x very long, but wholeheartedly entertaining book
Mix well, for a long period of time. Who needs a job?
My limbs remain sore from last thursday's nocturnal activities. I was thinking about writing the whole narrative thing to go along with it, but haven't made up my mind entirely yet. So, instead, here's something way more exciting than all the words put together in a cake with raspberries that have the consistency of a floury apple except actually taste lovely.
Part of me really wants to go here, but I'm fairly certain that's only because this video is entitled 'PsychoTrance', and that sounds too hilarious to miss.
Last year at Kiwiburn I decided I was going to get an art grant and build something. What I wanted to build wasn't relevant at that point - what was important was that something was going to be made, and Kiwiburn were going to give me some money to help pay for it. It was like an epiphany, and was indeed a beautiful moment. But gosh, little did I know it was to get better. This is the tale of a table; the story of a surface.
A moment of inspiration not long after deciding to do an art project: something surreal and out of place would be the theme. With Kiwiburn being in a fairly mundane paddock, this wasn't going to be too hard. But something surreal and interesting, maybe something like this...
Well maybe not.
What about something menial? Something everyday? Something you wouldn't ecpect to see in a paddock? Something like a dinner table?
That was it. A dinner table. Whipping up a quick proposal to send to the art grants committee, I entitled it "Tomorrow Never Dines". That was probably due to being somewhat stained at the moment of typing. Anyhooooo there were only a few steps necessary. First, find some chairs. Trademe. Then sand them back, and stain them with timber stain. This took about an hour per chair, and I got it done on a hungover sunday. $60 all up I think. Next task was finding fabrics to make a flash-looking tablecloth. A store called Ned's (???) Fabrics on Dominion Road has this covered. Cost was about $7 for all the fabric needed. A table frame was generously donated to the cause, so that was it. On site, I scavenged a square of plywood, and set about putting it together. Time count - probably about 5-6 hours to do EVERYTHING.
Next step was further decoration. This came in the way of cheap lights, plastic plates, cups, knives and forks, and the centrepiece of hilarity - condoms and packets of lube donated by somebody who had loads. For some reason.
Placement was key, and because the installation was fairly small, I got to put it where I wanted. This was somewhere close to camp (because I was hungover when it was put together, and I was lazy) but fortunately in an area of high traffic. Happy coincidence. Anyway, this is the finished product: The Screwed Plate. Ridiculously easy.
I first heard of this sub-genre of a sub-genre (possibly of a sub-genre) in late 2008/early 2009 on what has now become the ego mess that is dubstepforum. Without really pursuing it, Skweee kept peeking around the metaphorical corner and winking at me. When Rusko released a Skweee remix of Kotchy, I honestly dismissed the style fairly quickly.
not so into that one to be fair...
However, recently I have been watching skweee pop up in my internet meanderings again, and I thought it only fair to give it a real digital whirl. To my happy surprise, skweee is really fucking awesome. Everything I like about fruitbeat is in it, and in addition, some nordic funky analogue sounding synthesizer shit that sounds like dam funk wrapped up in several giant jackets sitting cosily by a fire in fucking Scandinavia or something similar. (NB : Czech dis shit out)
Well, after that little jaunt down adjective avenue, here comes the kicker.
Listen to the shit out of this badboy...if gypsies made funk it would sound something like this I think. Best of all, that wee package is utterly free. Who new post-dubstep could be so enlightening!
More linkies and information come from 'ere and old uncle google too.
For a lovely introduction piece, have a read of this little morsel from The Guardian.
And now for something not completely off topic - it is about Scandinavia - but what may be the newest low for reality TV...
I stumbled upon this Andrew Leipzig chap whilst searching for something entirely different (the internet is good like that eh!) and my jaw dropped so far I now have an enormous bruise from when it busted through several floors with the velocity seen only in space travel, before finally coming to rest atop a snow capped mountain...?
Some of the most creative and forward design art I have seen – bizarre juxtapositions between the classical and the modern, traditional portraiture and steampunk technology – and so it continues. Onwards and upwards, etc etc.
The only thing that springs into my mind when I look at his imagery is the phrase "ORWELLAIN AS PHUCK." Skeptics may disagree...
I first stumbled across the name "Greymatter" on the Jus Like Music "Oscillations" compilations - as spoken about earlier in the scroll - with the track "Too Much". Dig that one outta yer archives to take the taste test...
Anyway, so Greymatter have a series of remix EPs on the go - the first featured mixes from the likes of the Romanian cosmonaught TRG and fresh 3024 lieutenant Illum Sphere. This one comes correct with stonking shuffles from another 3024 camp member and Hyperdub Illuminati...actually he just rules. Definitely my favourite of the forward-thinking, onward-moving funky soldiers: Altered Natives. African? vocals glide over broken funky beats...something for the clubs this winter I think!
Also featuring on this particular package is Mr Lager, with a smooth mix of "We Are One". This beat is reminicent of Mr Lager's style - remember his tune on Subfreq, "Tell Me"? Lovely hihat work pushes this tune through it's paces, and the percussion energises it so there is little doubt how well it would work on a (perhaps more educated) dancefloor.
Also a lovely house reworking of "Raw Root" from Klic - my house music spidey sense isn't as strong as it could be but I think it's choice...more on house later. It's a goodie.
"I love these remixes" - DJ Marky (BBE / BBC Radio 1) "Brilliant! Full support!" - Simbad (Raw Fusion / G.A.M.M.) "The Altered Natives remix is sick!" - Brackles (Planet Mu / Blunted Robots) "Strong release from Greymatter" - Kidkanevil (First Word)
(Nice work of the external quoting there I thought!)
Even more fortuitously, you can pick up the Throwing Snow remix FREEEEEEEE from the Jus Like Music Bandcamp. Shot fullas.
This EP lands next monday...pick it up from everywhere you like to buy music - vinyl and digital will be swimming over the airwaves this time next week...(I Expect.)
Given the obsession with Burning Man, it wasn't too hard to give the Wolf + Lamb chaps a listen. These two New York types changed their music direction entirely upon visiting the desert for the first time, and now that week on playa is what influences them most throughout their year. I guess I can understand what they mean! Anyway, deep house and minimal techno...worthwhile listens - being the fan I am of afterhours parties and the fascination with the deep music one exposes oneself to there, this stuff really grabbed me.
Check out the Disorient Deep Playa mix, and the 2009 Afterhours series...
Massive funk soul brotha type shit...the Diesler LP "Tie Breakers" arrived in my inbox from the good kids at Jus Like Music this morning - what a tasty way to start the holiday. After neglecting many things - this blog for instance, and catching up on new beats - due to university constraints, it's just plain nice to have global riddims such like deeze turn up unexpectedly. Anyway, enough gush - give the album a whirl on Mr Diesaler's Soundcloud. And if that's not enough to get you excited, try a free 320 mp3 ...here. Right click, save as on the link named Diesler, Deepest Cut...
Jus Like Music said good things, as follows...
Tie Breakers encompasses elements of nu-jazz, funk, hip-hop and electronica. Imagine the wild offspring of the more recent Mr Scruff material and the infectious horn and rhythm stylings of Quantic - then you'd be getting closer. But, comparisons aside, the UK's Diesler (AKA: Jonathan Radford) has managed to strike a golden balance between amazing instrumentation and dancefloor rhythms. Incredibly well constructed tracks that would be just at home on your headphones as they would in a club.
Cheerfully tasty stuff. Anyway, 'ave a go at this one folks...
Exciting stuff - fruitbeat is well and truly still alive in Auckland shitty - rockin' many a morsel at the Ginger Minx for Slipper Sessions on a Wednesday, radio on Saturday, and, shockingly, even a gig from time to time. Who'da thunk?
I've been giving the first Warren G album a good going over - it's really something else. Nothing sounds like summer like a big stonking swelling synth to me. G funk captures my favourite nitty grittys in rap music, and I wish there were more like it!
What else have I to say? Probably more later when the stainage commences propa...
Maybe something from the wonderful xlr8r site, perhaps some future beat from a chap called Bath?
What about this?
Or hiphop? I love hiphop. I listen to Mos Def Mos Dayz. Or I listen to Team Dynamite, and their wonderful LP located for free HERE!
I love Desmond Dekker, but I got to know him through the majesty of my youth heroes, Rancid. Without them, I may not be quite so obsessed with all things old and decrepit. Well, maybe it's not that bad. Anyways,
Good gosh golly, what a lack of writing for a blog entry. Is it because I haven't entered here for some time, or merely that I am painfully lazy about it? Definitely, definitely the earlier option.
Lastly for this evening, as I attempt to curb this foray into procrastination with some amount of self control and motivation - read: fuck knows - what's better than hot chicks, guitars and drinking whiskey. Join me.
So one week or so after discovering the how awesome the Jus Like Music compilation is - which has been on repeat on my system allllll week - they bring out another one, which you can find here. What a choice thing to stumble across as soon as you wake up when you really should be writing an ethics essay...
This one features ill beats from the likes of me ol' fave Slugabed, the very cool 8Bitch, and a whole bunch more. It probably won't leave the speakers for some time.
Been playing loads off the first compilation up at radio and at the Ginger Minx on Wednesdays, the ultra synth flavoured, bass-heavy wonky goodness is just awful hard to pass up on!
So anyway, THIS IS THIS SATURDAY! DON'T FORGET! COME ALONG, IT WILL INDEED BE THE THE FUNNEST OF TIMES IN THE MOST GLORIOUS OF SURROUNDINGS WITH THE MOST ENTERTAINING OF PEEPS!
"Vibes inside the ride!"? - Thats me sounding like a real promoter, not the pretend one I actually am...!
Alright, so the ID and Baobinga behemoth was ballistically bangin' and buckwild, well, I found another free album, ironically linked from the very cool bassmusicblog where the Binga & ID beats originated...how gloriously convoluted!
Anyway, here it is, one of the wickedest in wonky, worry-free wonderful warthogs I've come across. Download it for free. Beats from that man Om Unit again, Le N?ko, T. Hemingway...gosh it really does just go on.
Also incoming is the crazy, strange, weird and wonderful combination of Gonjasufi - A Sufi & A Killer. Pitchfork had this to say on the matter...
And, looking a little deeper, I found you can get free download of their track "Ancestors", at the Warp Music site here. The Realness!
And because, whats a blog post without a video, I bring you this:
If you find yourself in the Pacific Northwest for the NZ winter, then make sure you keep an eye on Photosynthesis Festival...this may or may not be related to the above vid...
Shouts to Patricio for the Raglan fest, big up all the crew who made it down...shit I hate to think when the next outdoor frivolity may be...might have to head south for a bit of mid winter psy! (couldn't find any decent quality videos...take my word for it)
What am I going to do today? get deep into some free music at the free music archive...linked is the Polka section...
As promised, here is the flyer! Getting excited for this one, theres so much great music out there at the moment to smash out in a genre non-specific show such as this one.
This chap Om Unit is on some next level style at the moment. Check his soundcloud for a whole lot more, including free download of his Mizz Beatz "My World" remix.
While loitering on soundcloud, check out a fellow called Benjamin One, and have a gander at what he's got going on. Lots of tasty treats there!
In other news of the world, might I direct your attention to this lovely piece of video:
I'm not the hugest Bassnectar fan these days, but this video - woohooo more Burning Man - motivated me to track down a bunch of dope stuff for a sunrise set this sunday morning at the Raglan Dance Festival...
Flyer soon to come...the man is a absolute legend of electronic music, releasing on some of the most well renowned and loved labels about - Good Looking, Hyperdub, Warp, Deep Medi - the list goes on and on.
One Auckland show only! Kfm HQ, upstairs 204 Krd in the gallery space. Boosted sound, epic visuals, only 15 hukka on the door. Saturday 17th April. Be there or be a kind of smaller oblong sort of a shape.
So anyway, because this exciting show is on the horizon, its time to share some of the beats I like so much...
Dirtbox (Harmonic 313):
Battlestar (Harmonic 313):
Heavy As Stone (Mark Pritchard):
Wind It Up (Mark Pritchard):
The Way (Global Communication) :
There you go...rich, full and varied! I have no idea what to play before him, but being the professional I am, I do have one or two sneaky ideas up my sleeve...
Ikonika 'Fish' - the last record I bought
Also maybe some DJ Mujava, if not just to jump on that tropical / afro house bandwagon so many people are on at the mo...perhaps some of the ol' Concept of Dorian, some o' dat FlyLo shit!, perhaps a wee bit of funky, maybe some deep house...omnitempo multigenre is the only path to travel down I think.
Other news come in the form of a block party - fuck yo shit up out the back of the Ginger Minx this friday! I can't wait. I will be joined by the always-wicked Scratch 22 and his aural geekiness himself, Mr Stinky Jim.
What else to say? Things are crazy busy right now, hard to find time to dig through tunes, spend money on music, let alone do thousands upon thousands of dense readings on ethical theory...
Next week, hopefully, I'll throw up a transcript of an interview with one of the most interesting people around, the icon that is Kiwi. Never heard of him? Then best get yer ass out to the desert this year for Burning Man.
I'm in the crowd somewhere. Gosh!
Yours sporadically yet vehemently volatile and veracious,
No radio tomorrow night, circumstances outside of our control deign otherwise. Instead, some tunes and exciting news from the week that sit well within the realms of fantastic music that you won't catch many other places...
Firstly, this week brought deeper listening from the wonderful character Bullion, in the form of his tunes "Crazy Over You" and "Say Goodbye To What?". Absolutely strange and fruity yet catchy and moving.
Secondly, great news from one of my favourite remixers of the unconquerable Flying Lotus material, a chap by the name of Dimlite. He has released a tune for free on the Fabric site, and its well worth the 3 minutes it ought take to download. Played it at the Ginger Minx this past wednesday and it sounded wicked on the system there.
What else has happened? Well, its just lovely being back at university after a break. Also, wander on over to BassmusicBlog for the free album that was released last week. Other than that, watch this space for particularly exciting news relating to a tour of New Zealand being announced soon. All I can say at this point is keep saturday the 17th of April free at this point...
Anyway, watch this and remember what dubstep used to be...
Online petition to save Radio New Zealand from the commercial slags HERE! Which reminds me, I oughta listen to it more frequently (read: at all). Instead I'm listening to Autechre...
Part of a stellar lineup of residents at the luscious Ginger Minx is me doing my bit on Wednesday nights. Make a date with destiny and pop yerself down. Thursdays the taste master Stinky Jim foibles is Traktor down, Friday Roger Perry and Benwah nip in, and Saturday Andy Beck does one of his many things. Wholesome, hearty, licentious (perhaps) fun. Each month a special edition with guest disc jockeys throwing down in a civilized manner. Right. Self promotion blitz done for now.
From 6-8pm every Saturday on www.kfmradio.co.nz NZT...we even have tracklist this time! Hosting soon come perhaps...in the meantime, czech some of these beats and beatettes on youtubular as soon as utterly possible. It may or may not change your life.
Dub Mechanics - Deep In The Jungle Mono Poly - Get A Move On Snowman - Street Corner Music Bullion - Crazy Over You Lil Wayne - I Feel Like Dying (Flying Lotus Remix) Flying Lotus - Camel Lil Flip - I'm A Baller (Dorian Concept Remix) Dorian Concept - Trilingual Dance Sexperience Eprom & Profisee - Zoning (instrumental) Destiny's Child - Bills (James Blake Remix) Jack Sparrow - I & I Monk Fly - Birthday Funk Slugabed - Titans Rustie - Inside Pikachu's Cunt Dorian Concept - The Fucking Formula Detail - ET On The Bayou Ikonika - Phonelines VIP Jose James - Warrior Von D - Nouvelle Histore Crystal Fighters - I Love London (Brackles Remix) Slugabed - Ultra Heat Treated Jaybird - Word Dat Box Donae'o - Riot Music (Skream Remix) Slaughter Mob - Splurt (Skream Remix) Untold - Anaconda Untold - You Didn't Win The Holiday D1 - Just Business Baobinga - Ride It Martyn & DBridge - These Words (Roska Remix) Martyn - Megadrive Generation Ramadanman - Humber Oogun - Salegy Cyrus - Junk Yard Wedge - Running Away (Guido Remix) RSD - Naked Mario Kart Eprom & Profisee - What It Seems 21STFK & Rustie - Cafe De Phresh RJD2 - Ringfinger DJ G - The Gate Mizz Beats - My World
In a moment of wayward excitement I foolishly didn't get a chance to play the wonderful new James Blake EP out on the ever-impressive Hessle, but still let loose some behemoths nevertheless. Of particular note I'd point out the Eprom & Profisee bits, the Bullion and Mono Poly treats, and the musssssive new Slugabed EP previously mentioned some way down the page. Spoil yourself and buy the mp3s at beatport if you don't have the goannas to purchase the black crack.
A couple of large dubsteppers found their way in also, the James Blake remix of Destiny's Child is haunting and uncomfortable, Jaybird's entirely spastic "Work Dat Box" is a winner, as was the bro Oogun's wikked wild "Salegy". Keep an eye out for a release date. Forthcoming on Lodubs is the HUGE "The Gate" from SF's DJ G - buy it when it hits shops. No fucking about on that one. Delving into the realms of 130bpm territory we rolled Baobinga (more on what he's up to later), new Roska remix, and Lowquid reached for Martyn's broken beat "Megadrive Generation" whittling away on Hyperdub.
Somewhere on the internet for FREEEEEE is the Flying Lotus reworks of Lil Wayne...the Gaslamp Killer was dropping these on his NZ tour last week, and they really work on a dancefloor. Try google. These are most chur.
So Baobinga? Turns out him and his partner-in-crime ID are giving away an album of their music for free. Keep an eye on the very cool bassmusicblog for more...
Enough of this heady writing. What do you do on a sunday around midday in Auckland Fucking City? Why, mince about on the internet of course.
Whenever I think "Fruitbeat" ( thanks Splash ) the connotations are immediate. In some other beautiful dimension this man will be the President, everybody will communicate through synaesthesia and this will be the national anthem...
Robots would command much more respect than they do now, and would hold giant raves in the wide urban sprawls with the soundtrack going something like this:
Disc Jockeys would be treated like university professors, and strict measures would be taken to implement a quality control to this honorable title. One such measure would inevitably be to own a copy of this:
I may or may not have over-thought this concept a little. Any excuse to play this strange music loudly is fairly welcomed around these parts though I'd say. In fact, if we all did more of it, there would be so much more harmony because everyone would spend their time trying to track down the next uproarious synth line...hats off to the producers I must mention eh?
Gosh this blogging caper is good innit? Now to see if I can keep it up whilst staring right down the barrel of a very intense year of glorious, glorious academia.
So the inimitable motherfucking Gaslamp Killer touched down in AK last night. Despite being fraught with technical difficulties and strange results of sound the man's west coast phreakish hyphy-purple WOW-next level hiphop steez had a crowd going loony. Highlights in the form of phresh synth-laden goodness from the one and only flying lotus, and THAT tune I've been thrashing for some time, JAmes Blake's remix of "Stop What You're Doing".
Trying to DJ afterwards was hairy at best, I had been on a ballastic beatport bender earlier in the afternoon and had such treats as the new Slugabed and Kuedo from the wonderful quality control that is the Planet of Mu, but due to CDJ nightmares that didn't happen. A shame...
What to do now but linger in that trustworthy infallible mode of spinning large black discs on turntables...what a pleasure it is to drop "Midnight Request Line" on wax just about 5 years after it burst dancefloors apart with its arppegiated goodness.
