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Posts published in March 2012

Le Le’s “No”

Le Le, are you going to take the honor of being hottest track of Summer 2012 after your massive success being hottest track of Summer 2010???

Were you also decent enough to give us the track in Dutch, echoing Kraftwerk’s tendency to release both German AND English versions of their songs???? YOU WERE.

Could I love Le Le any more? I have high hopes for their next album. I still listen to Flage on the regular. Watch this dang music video and get real pumped.

Com Truise’s “Terminal”

Com Truise (aka Seth Haley) is back with this DOS-inspired video for his track “Terminal” from Galactic Melt. I’ve discussed my love of this record before here and this song is a perfect example of what I like about it. It’s the first track and serves as an intro to the rest of his brand of lo-fi, mid-tempo electronic spacescapes. I only wish the LP wasn’t out of print.

Hey, Ghostly, get on the ball and repress that motherfucker already.

Six hours of amazing Kraftwerk jams

I know, you didn’t wake up this morning and think, Man, you know what I need today? 6 hours of awesome Kraftwerk jams. I find that pretty weird since I’m not sure a day goes by that I don’t think that.

Luckily for you, DJ Food—Matt Black and Jonathan More(Coldcut) from Ninjatune—have been spending all of March posting about Kraftwerk after being inspired by their upcoming dates at MOMA. Additionally, they’ve put out six hour-long mixes of Kraftwerk remixes, covers, and originals interlaced with interview audio and other soundbits from Kraftwerk’s legendary career.

Tracklisting:
Michael Bailey – Solid Steel intro
Fearless 4 – Rockin’ It
Pelding – It’s More Fun to Compute
Trouble Funk – Trouble Funk Express
Makoto Inoue – Europe Endless / Neon lights
The Divine Comedy – Radioactivity
Senor Coconut – Trans Europe Express
Senor Coconut – The Man Machine
Souxsie & the Banshees – Hall Of Mirrors
Senor Coconut – The Robots
Balanescu Quartet -The Robots
Tafkafb – Waltz Mit Der Robot
Apoptygma Berzerk – Ohm Sweet Ohm
Frenchbloke & Son – Neon Love (Cha Cha Cha)
Jason Moran – Planet Rock
Tremelo Beer Gut – Das Model
Big Black – The Model
Rammstein – Das Model
Ride – The Model
Frenchbloke & Son – Sexy Model
Buffalo Daughter – Autobahn
Dark Side of the Autobahn
Rot Front Trikont – The Robots
Senor Coconut – Showroom Dummies
Girls On Top – I Want To Dance With Numbers
Afrika Bambaataa & The Soul Sonic Force – Planet Rock (Elecktric Music Classic Mix)
Coptic Rain -The Robots
Erasure – Blue Savannah (Der Deutsche mix)
DMX Krew – Showroom Dummies
Melt Banana – Showroom Dummies
Aqua Vista – The Model
Senor Coconut – Home Computer
Senor Coconut – Tour De France
Elakelaiset Poro – Reindeer/Robots

Tracklisting:
Das Erste Wiener Gemueseorchester (First Viennese Vegetable Orchestra) – Radio Activity
Casio VL80 calculator – Computer World
April Nine – Radioactivity
Papa Dee – The Model
Laether Strip – Showroom Dummies
P.O.D. – Die Roboter
The One You Love – Trans Europe Express
Uter – ohm sweet ohm
Terre Thaemlitz – Ruckzuck
The Manatees – The Model + Jerky Boys – The Gay Model
Chris Whitely – The Model
Hikashu -The Model
The Treble Spankers – The Model
Miladojka Youneed – Pocket Calculator (live)
Satoru Wono feat. Meiwa Denki – Dentaku
Black Wedding – Taschenrechner
Lloyd Cole & the Commotions – Pocket Calculator (live)
Senor Coconut – Radioactivity
Diplo – Percao feat. Pantera Os Danadinhos
Drop da Bomb – Computerworld
Dhiva – Tashenrechner
P.M. Dawn – If I Wuz U
The Balanescu Quartet – Pocket Calculator
Erasure – Blue Savannah (die Deutchse remix)
Laiboforcen – Numbers
Anthony Rother – Numbers/Computerwelt
Dynamix II – Techno Bass
Le Juan Love feat. DJ Man – Mega Mix (House Style)
Anthony Rother – Trans Europe Express
Kurtis Mantronik – Original Electron
Snakefinger – The Model
Galaxy Sound Orchestra – The Model
David Byrne & The Balanescu Quartet – The Model (live)
Frenchbloke & Son – Sexy Model (Strings)
Electric Six – The Model
Westbam – Monkey Say, Monkey Do
Think Tank – Hack Attack
The Balanescu Quartet – Computer Love

Tracklisting:
Skanfrom – Phon Sweet Phon
Compulsion – Home Computer live
Evil Twin – Trans Europe/ JT
DJ Danielson – Partisans of the Lesser Known (Man in Suit)
Mannequin Depressives – The Model
The Cardigans – Das Model
Sopor Aeternus & The Ensemble Of Shadows – Modela
Jack n Madness – I Like Percussion
Z-Entropa – Antenna
Orchestral Manouvers In The Dark – Neon Lights
U2 – Neon Lights
Makoto Inoue – Europe Endless/Neon Lights
Koto – Trans Europe Express
Empire State Human – Hall of Mirrors
Terre Thaemlitz – Schaufensterpuppen
Bowery Electric – Freedom Fighter
X-Ecutioners – A Journey into Sound
Mitja V.S. – Neon Lights
Jay-Z – (Always Be My) Sunshine
MC Lyte – Cha Cha Cha
2 Live Crew – My Dick Almighty
Frenchbloke & Son – No Expo
Terre Thaemlitz – Mensche Machine
Fink – Autobahn
Tragic Comedy – Autobahn
Gary Lucas – Autobahn
Kimitaka Matumae – Atem/Harmonika
Beitthron – Airwaves
Teruo Nakano – Computer Love
Alva Noto – Man Machine
XCRanium – The Man Machine
Terre Thaemlitz – Tour de France
Terre Thaemlitz -Morgen Spazergang
Skanfrom – Phon Sweet Phon
Xingu Hill – Electric Café

Tracklisting:
DJ Flywheel – Solid Steel intro
Bigg Ocean Mobb IV-1-5 – Gangster Driven
Wagon Christ – unknown studio session
Coldplay – Talk (instrumental demo)
MC Duke – I’m Riffin’
X-Men – It’s More Fun To Sample
DMX Krew – Homecomputer
Luke Vibert – Homewerk
P.L – Transeuropa Express
Rodney Bakerr – Numbers
Torul – It’s More Fun To Compute
Alenia – Home Computer
LCD Soundsystem – Dicso Infiltrator
MAW – Electronic Tranz
Love Tractor – Neon Lights
Bass Junkie – Robotechno
Coldplay – Talk (Thin White Duke remix)
Beck – Get Real Paid
Poison Clan – Dance All Nite
Audio Science Trans Europe Express
Yoshinori Sunahara – The Telephone Call
Biochip C – Steal It and Deal It (DMX Krew edit)
Zoot Woman – The Model
Partia – Das Model
King Automatic – The Model
Top of the Pops – Autobahn
Gorefest – Autobahn
The Balanescu Quartet – Autobahn
Roni Size feat Rahzel – Out of Breath
DJ Godfather – Ping Pong / Ping Beatz
Ionic Vision – Tour De France
Fresh Prince and Ready Rock C – Live at Union Sq outtake
DJ Craze – DMC 2000 Final routine
Morocco Moe – Task
The Beat Konductor – Open (space)
Trans Am – Man Machine (live)
Coldcut – Everything’s Under Control (Theory 0.1)
Rozmarinke – Radioactivity
Videosex – Spacelab (Gus Gus remix)
Albert Kuvezin and Yat-kha – Man Machine

Tracklisting:
Samarkan | Solid Steel Intro
Turf Talk ft. E-40 & Young Mugzi | Do The Robot
Wallenstein | Exis O1 Intro
Kollo | Franz Schubert (Kollo remix)
LCD Soundsystem | Get Innocuous
(Soulwax version)
Bit Weapon | Spacelab
Bubblyfish | It’s More Fun To Compute
Death In Vegas | Kontroll
Para One | Showroom Dummies
Crazy Girl | Showroom Dummies
Breakout | Planet Rock (Jazz version)
Kollo | Autobahn (Kollo remix)
Bit Shifter | Antenna
Primal Scream | Autobahn 66
Sany Pitbull | Funk Alemao
Aurelius ft. Ashanti | My Number Babe
Modified Toy Orchestra | Pocket Calculator
Clones | Clones
6Blocc | Digits
Fink | The Model
Terre Thaemlitz | Die Roboter
Kalyanji Anandji | Y.O.G.A.
El Aviador Dro | El Modelo
Fatboy Slim | Radioactivity
Cha Cha 2000 | Autobahn
San Jose Cow Muzak | Autobahn
Case Managers | Autobahn

Tracklisting:
New David – Computer Love (mp3)
Glass Candy – Computer Love (Italians Do It Better)
8-bit Operators – Computer Love (Astralwerks)
Kraftwerk – It’s More Fun To Compute (Busy P remix) (mp3)
DJ Tameil – Trans Newark Express (Money Studies)
Between The Sheets – Late Night Radio (Bootlegs)
Keith Mansfield – Electromatics (A&B) (KPM)
The Simonsound – Tour de Mars (Project Blue Book)
8-bit Operators – The Robots (die roboter) (Astralwerks)
Santogold – Anne (Switch mix) (CDR)
Dreamland Happy Times For All – Showroom Dummies (Spill)
Christian Prommer – Trans Europa Express (Sonar Kollektiv)
Doormouse – Werkin’ It (Addict Records)
Para One – It’s More Fun To Compute (Phonofile.dk/The Orchard)
8-bit Operators – Pocket Calculator (Astralwerks)
Hajime Fukuma – Musique Non Stop (FGL Productions)
Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet -Autobahn (mp3)
New David – Autobahn (mp3)
Antediluvian Rocking Horse – Craft Work Out (Spill)
Fleetwood Mac – The Chain (Warner Brothers)
Vibravoid – Ruckzuck (Fruits De Mer)
Clowns Smiling Backwards – Hall of Mirrors (Spill)
The Cure – Like Cockatoos (Rhino /WEA)
Death in Vegas – Zugaga (Drone)
Soma Mestizo – Trans Europe Express (Soma Mestizo)
Two Litre Dolby with Chris Smith – Radioactivity (Spill)
Huon – Upfield Bike Path (Spill)
New David – Expo 2000 (mp3)

How great are these? Pretty great. Enjoy!

I really really love this

This gem comes from illustrator, artist, and cartoonist Lisa Hanawalt. You might remember her from the illustrated review of War Horse that’s been floating around. I absolutely love this drawing. I e-mailed Lisa promises of my undying love if she’d sell me a print. I suppose we’ll see what happens. I want to hang it in my office. Some interweb snooping reveals that she grew up in Palo Alto, a town neighboring where I grew up. Funny.

The curious case of Youtube videos


“About a few minutes ago.”

We all love Youtube. It’s a great place to find new music, to entertain yourself for hours with stupid minutes-long videos, to watch music videos, to watch movie trailers, to watch bits of TV shows, to watch videos of people hurting themselves, to watch videos of reporters fucking up the news, to watch Bill O’Reilly be an asshole in a million ways, to watch so many things all the time. It’s a wonderful place filled with wonder and mystery and terror.

Wait. Terror? What terror?

The kind of terror you see above.

I cannot fathom what brings people to post videos online like those I’ve posted above for you. Why on Earth would you post an unfocused, poorly shot, poorly conceived ramble on the internet? It makes no sense! “But, Joe,” you say, “you post unfocused, poorly shot, poorly conceived rants on The Black Laser all the time!” To that I say, I do not. My rants are focused, sharp as a tack, and brilliantly designed. But we’re not talking about me. We’re talking about the mindset.

At what point did cubsrule2040 decide that he wanted to post nearly 2000 videos on Youtube? His content ranges from elevator rides to overviews of his fast food floor dinners to poorly animated logos. Why does he post all these? What inspires him to video himself riding an elevator and then share it with the entire world? Especially when he makes mistakes sometimes? I would never put something online where I’d made a mistake. That’s what reshooting and editing are for.

And, what exactly possessed SenxOfFemur to post his thunderstorm review (“why did it record this way?”) when there was, in fact, no thunderstorm to be had? Did it need to go online? Was it something that his willing public (88 views, probably 15 of them mine) was dying to experience with him? The utter failure and collapse of a dream? And why did he not just rotate the video when he was cutting it? WHY DID HE NOT JUST ROTATE THE VIDEO? WHY?!?!?!?!?!?

Then there’s DRaymond1987’s nearly 9 minute stream of consciousness ramble about missing his girlfriend, the different timezone she’s in, and his interminable waiting for her. Why shove that vile looking blue ball into his mouth while we are forced to stare at his face? The way it turns his mouth blue? Oh my god! Get a haircut! Of course, he had more than 250 additional videos. And why call us “peeps”? Is this some sort of pet name we’ve all agreed on by being the 6th viewer on some of his videos? In one of his videos, he directs us to his Facebook “fanpage” which he never updates and to his Twitter account. If you’re not already one of his 104 followers, you’re missing such brilliant tweets as “Bitches are funny though” and “ROFLCOPTER, my battery gonna die.” and “Somebody help me LMAO”.

Maybe I’m being hypercritical, but come on. I started this blog to have a place to post various creative things I was doing, and, sure, yes, I am also a compulsive oversharer like these guys. But I do it with an eye on quality and a focus on continually improving my skills. I am not sure that cubsrule2040 has any interest, more than 1900 videos later, of improving his filmmaking skills as he posts 9 videos in a row of different coins. Why do something so consistently, so determinedly, so regularly, for no one, if you’re not trying to get better at something? Practice makes perfect, they say, but not if you’re not giving a second thought to the product you’re putting out. I guess, besides the strange mania of posting videos for no one, the thing that I understand the least is why they continue to put out complete garbage video after video after video.

If any of you three guys find this and want to chime in, please do. There are comments below. Yet, these three are not the only people posting videos like this. Youtube is full of them. If you’re one of them, tell me about why. If you know of someone else, share with me. I must get to the bottom of this incredibly strange phenomenon. Having a video camera does not mean you should use one. These are perfect examples of why.