alpaca fé

LOW/BASSERY: eight o eights

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 08:21:00 -0500

lowbassery [originally written for dipped in dollars]:

For an artist with a globally-recognized ego issue, it is perhaps a positive thing that one of his albums is almost always underappreciated.

After ending his previous effort, Graduation, by proclaiming his “stadium status”, Kanye West strikes a more private tone by “taking off his cool” in his…

Incoming: Impalas

Sun, 15 May 2011 19:43:00 -0500

A few days ago, Lincoln Hall was buzzing with anticipation of Australia’s highly acclaimed psych-rock group, Tame Impala. The chatter of how “nobody has made music like this in years” filled the venue and came from the old and young that had gathered there. It was almost too much. During Yuck’s very strong opening performance, where pop melodies, catchy hooks and growling, grungy guitar mixed wonderfully, the band gave a shout-out to the Smith Westerns, calling them Chicago’s version of the Beatles. Instantly, a crowd member disagreed, calling Tame Impala Chicago’s Beatles. While that is likely an exaggeration, it definitely conveyed a message of how much this town has a crush on the Perth quartet. And they didn’t disappoint (for the record, Chicago was the only city in North America where Impala played twice).

As they calmly walked on stage, they looked an odd bunch. I counted no less than 20 bare toes between them as they imported an Aussie aura to town. They wasted no time in establishing their distinct mood and demonstrating their talent. As their hit “Solitude is Bliss” came on, drummer Jay Watson was tight and enthusiastic (as he was throughout the performance) and front-man Kevin Parker instantly set an intense atmosphere in the Hall. Finally, the special marriage of mood, substance, and songwriting Chicago had been waiting for had arrived.

With Tame Impala, the Beatles parallels are inescapable: the Höfner bass, Sgt. Peppers feel and Parker’s almost uncanny vocal resemblance to John Lennon. Following “Expectation”, the group entered a darker transition with clear echoes to “I Want You (She’s So Heavy)”. An audio-visual guitar solo followed where Parker sat on his knees watching a projector visually react to his instrument. Heavy indeed.

With songs like “Jeremy’s Storm” and “Lucidity”, the band displayed intensity, presence, and talent that doesn’t appear too often. Delayed guitar, a strong rhythm section and created a mood and enhanced the strong songwriting. They balanced catchy hooks with psychedelic breaks and had the crowd in awe – and this despite bassist Nick Albrook rarely having more than a foot of space between his seemingly glued together knees (he, puzzlingly, remained in pre-pee position most the show).

The crush on Tame Impala, it turns out, is mutual. The band played their first ever American show in Chicago and were charming as they told the crowd of their favorite haunts and attractions (a vending machine in a nearby hotel). Unfortunately though, this was not enough to improve the only negative of the show that evening, the crowd. Given the strong performance, presence and charisma of the Aussies, it was Chicago that seemed tame – pity for a band that definitely deserved a wilder welcome.

That aside, the show was a success. The band opted to replace the artificial encore institution with a long, thorough, and intense gig. This didn’t seem to bother anyone as most left Lincoln Hall with a smug look on their face. Whether it was to witness the beginning of this promising group’s career or to rock out like they did years ago, fans walked away from a show that managed, like few do, to live up to the hype.

-–

[Originally posted for The Heard Project. View the original here.]

(Anti-)Social Media

Thu, 12 May 2011 17:33:00 -0500

Here’s lookin’ at you, kid.

Early evening in Chicago. I’m reading a textbook. A woman walks in. I recognize her from … ? After 10 seconds of looking for the Waldo in my head and I spot him. He’s flying a blue bird, Twitter. Yes, Twitter. V added me a couple weeks earlier, we once chatted about a mutual musical interests (Mount Kimbie & Gold Panda). Unlike me, she’s a 140-master and updates often so I’ve seen her goings-on for the past couple weeks. Sure enough, she writes she’s in that same cafe.

So, what now? Surely it’s odder to sit quietly and/or communicate with somebody who doesn’t know you’re 10 feet from them. Social media is, at least nominally, social. If she tweets about her thoughts and locations multiple times a day, she must be open to spontaneity. If anything, it’s creepier and voyeuristic not to say hello, right? Also, she runs a web site that’s cool and I wanted to hear about. So in the end, I follow my better-to-regret-doing-than-not-doing mantra and go to introduce myself.

She’s embarrassed despite my unthreatening advance (I wasn’t hitting on her). After the fact, she did what I knew her for, and typed:

Recognized via twitter while tweeting emo shit in the coffeeshop. #thatjusthappened

Unsurprisingly, she didn’t remember our web chats but that wasn’t the point. I explained that this was the less creepy of my options and thought I’d simply say hi. Apparently though, she shares that she’s stayed incognito in such situations before (read: I violated protocol).

So if you post your name, photo, thoughts and locations all while easily beginning dialogue with strangers online, an “IRL” sponto hello doesn’t fly. It seems awkward won, so I returned to my book after an odd goodbye and left the cafe soon after.

Doubly embarrassed, as the boy was very nice.

Ha. So my being friendly is more embarrassing? Somebody get me a copy of Book for Kids Who Can’t Tweet Good. Still, I’m trying to take positives from my odd pseudo-rejection.

On platforms like Twitter at least, social media is much more media than social, no matter how open and “friendly” users (who I thought were once people too) are. This comes as no surprise to most but I had some naïve idea that the divide between web and world is not so wide. If anything, I can rest comfortably in my wider world of webonymity. With that, I guess, see you later – in silence…

img: thx.

a.fé - re.cáp

Fri, 06 May 2011 15:15:00 -0500

Hello tumblr. I am mirroring this elusive anti-season known as “Chicago Spring” and inadvertently teasing you. But rest assured, my love never waivers – only my goldfish-style attention span does.

Recent times have featured ignoring my academic duties with mixed success, enjoying Chicago, loving the radio show, typing on a website, discovering the shortcomings of social media, reviving my sub-par acting abilities, and a brief but much needed recharge return home.

In more clickable terms, I’ve started writing for the indie music website, The Heard Project. Check out my reviews of Pantha du Prince, and Mount Kimbie; as well as an interview with the French band, Jamaica. On a different note, check out my chat with Malice of Clipse for CY Magazine.

For radio radness, be sure to visit our tumblr, Bare Breeze Radio and download podcasts. The UK Special, Trios Tribute, and Detroit Specials are good places to start.

Finally, a big shout out to a.fé favorites Dipped In Dollars who mentioned us in relation to our friends, Black Light Dinner Party. Nice!

Connect @2lfr3d to have a conversation. In the meantime, I’ll be teased while waiting for summer. Wish me luck.

Table Manners with Black Light Dinner Party

Thu, 07 Apr 2011 15:01:00 -0500

I’ll have what they’re having.

Tough to keep your feet off the table and on the dancefloor? These guys’ll help.

Black Light Dinner Party is an outfit from what seems to be somewhere between Boston and Brooklyn. Solid songwriting and production are the core of this strong debut. But what sets them apart from the rest is their darker/deeper atmosphere to complement the strong grooves and catchy melodies.

Want seconds? Keep your elbows off the table and click over to Neon Gold’s blog to download their first single and check out their impressive video (by Dreambear Productions) below. Bon appetit.

Older Together by Black Light Dinner Party

7 Sins, 11 Tracks, 1 Vice Mix

Fri, 11 Mar 2011 08:24:00 -0600

How and why I haven’t posted this eons ago is among the many questions I asked myself while trying to sleep for 3 hours last night. Crunch time today. This mix has helped me through many a tough time. Check out his Sketches EP as well - a great one.

Do yourself a favor: click, cruise and question below. You won’t be disappointed.

1. Bjork – Hidden Sphere (Illum Sphere Remix)
2. Gold Panda – Snow and Taxis
3. Blawan – Bohla
3. Usher – Nice And Slow (Bad Autopsy Remix)
4. Jamie xx & Fantastic Mr Fox – untitled
5. Fantastic Mr Fox – Evelyn
6. Julio Bashmore – Battle For Middle You
7. Jamie xx – Far Nearer
8. SX – Bricks
9. Sepalcure – Fleur
10. Airhead – Black Ink
11. Unknown – Transmission

Download ‘Fantastic Mr Fox – Vice Mix’ > here

Thx.

Post-Genre Audiotech

Tue, 22 Feb 2011 01:10:00 -0600

When I heard that “Chillwave” was a genre, music categorization became dead to me. It seemed that any pre-post-core-funk-wave-tech tune that popped up would get its new self-defining stamp.

Maybe I’m just jealous I don’t have my own sub-obscure genre to brand my band with. (Subcore anyone?) In any case, it’s no surprise I’d (I now shamefully admit) roll my eyes upon seeing this Post-Dubstep mix.

Well, rewind and repeat because this mix (and the blog generally) are well worth your earospace. With an all-star line-up that would even make the Miami Heat blush, this mix has all the a.fé favorites: James Blake, Jamie xx, Mount Kimbie, Burial, Fantastic Mr. Fox and Deadboy. So it’s time for me to stop hating and for you to turn this up. Hardcore.

Post-Dubstep: An Introduction by Krnlya on Mixcloud

Thx to fellow tumbloggers Post-Dubstep

Ride the Wave

Mon, 21 Feb 2011 01:42:00 -0600

The Graveyard gets Groovy.

People hear “graveyard” and think bad thoughts. I hear graveyard and yap away. Such are the perks of midnight radio.

Though it’s my second crack at the radio thing (big ups to my old buddy at my old station), I’m a newbie in Chicago so I gotta fight for my radio real estate to rise in the ranks.

So without further ado, introducing… “Bare Breeze" on Chicago’s WHPK 88.5 and iTunes. My buddy and I play a mix of musics we like with the hope that you will too. Download mp3 recordings here and book our faces here.

foto: thx.

Powder Music Whenever I told people I was moving to Chicago,...

Sat, 04 Dec 2010 13:50:00 -0600

Powder Music

Whenever I told people I was moving to Chicago, the first reaction was almost always about the killer cold. I shrugged it off, how much worse could it be than Berlin? "No, you don’t understand - your face hurts and you want to cry.“

Last winter in Technotown was both rough and tough, with my shoes not touching sidewalk for three months thanks to serious ice. I’m stuggling to see how it could get worse, (I’m sure I’ll find out very quickly). Before my face goes under attack, I’m gonna enjoy the first flurries of snow, get my snowball game up to scratch, and get cozy with some great winter tracks.

To kick things off, meet Sonolmoss. An electronic artist from LA who’s been between Paris and Boston in recent years, his début album Imaginetically hits the spot.

Start with this track, Cut Sunday Snow and help yourself to free refills (with two other tracks) if your fancy has been tickled.

Clap Clap, Soul Clap

Tue, 09 Nov 2010 18:06:00 -0600

Meat Packing gets Musical

I knew it was here somewhere. I had heard about it, and just needed time to dig and wander down the rabbit hole to find what I was looking for.

Two months into my Chi-time I found a damn good night of music and mischief to shake my tail feather to. Thanks to funk-infused tracks of Boston’s DJ duo, Soul Clap, I was able to boogie till the wee hours of the morning in Chicago’s old meat packing district and boy did it feel good. Friendly folk, no curfew, and a vibe that reminded me of Berlin badness - my hunch was true.

Another great experience at a Wolf + Lamb show (in addition to the fun had at Horst Krzbrg in Berlin a few months ago) just reemphasized the label’s signature marriage of soul and funk to beats and bytes in a way that gets me grinning and grooving like few other things can.

Sure it might be the middle of the week, but give your ears an early gift with these tasty tracks.

Dreams Of Tomorrow by Soul Clap

Death On The Balcony - Cruel Banana by Soul Clap

Neukölln's G Spot

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 00:52:00 -0600

It’s a story that’s made the rounds in Kreuzberg and many an area inside (Prenzlauer Berg) and outside Berlin (in Chicago’s Wicker Park). But now it’s personal.. and I guess I’m partly to blame.

I lived the dream in Neukölln, a traditional Turkish neighborhood with a history of crime and unemployment, from August ‘09-Sept '10. In recent years it’s become a hotbed for student and artist immigration, with the bars, cafés, galleries and buzz that brings with it.

This is me as the bad guy. The guy who you’re hoping doesn’t get the girl at the end: college kid from out of town, club mate in hand, working to live the life in Berlin (and there’s a word for us: I was just another Zugezogener or newcomer). The problem is, the reason why I came to Berlin is also part of the reason it’s changing. Without wanting to, I am both a victim and perpetrator of gentrification.

This film is a simple yet strong protest against the Neukölln Zugezogeners by the founder of one of the areas first and foremost bars, Freies Neukölln. He complains that the bar was meant to simply be a local social spot, not the first of a new generation of bars and galleries to have popped all over the area. He cries out against the students and creative classes that are pouring in and changing the area’s charm equation, against "the nice girls in pantyhose" who are now spotted walking along Weserstraße, and conforming to imported standards of bars and service. It seems like I, pantyhose excluded, fit this mold.

“You are and will forever be tourists when you don’t stop to believe you are not to blame.”

Though I don’t agree with many of his allegations, I understand his frustration. It’s true, too many techno-tourists arrive in Berlin with the idea that it’s just a playground and party-pit. To be fair, it is arguably the best at both those things. But Neukölln, and other large chunks of Berlin, are lucky enough to have their own character (sadly, an endangered species), which are more than a worthy motive for migration.

That said though, I’m torn between feeling guilty and accepting the reality of gentrification as a change that is both bad and for the better. It’s hard to blame newcomers who are attracted to cities and their blossoming neighborhoods. Not all the change is bad and it’s tough to pull through some of the protectionism and prejudiced stereotypes (mothers with strollers, artists, Barcelonans) the film sets forth.

One thing is for sure, I strived not to be another habitat consumer – not another colonizer, coming to bite into Neukölln’s natural resources (character, personality, atmosphere) and impose my foreign standards and expectations on them. I like to think I succeeded in respecting the area, but I’m not so sure to what extent this is actually possible.

For what it’s worth, I’m hoping present and future migrants will do what they can to integrate and embrace Neukölln for what it is and we won’t lose the charm so many lived there and the attitude we see here.

for more on the g word, read here and here. foto: thx.

Alpunka Funk

Fri, 05 Nov 2010 01:41:00 -0500

Contagious Cuts

Viral is bad when students are being threatened with being indirectly kicked out of college because we’re not getting our flu shots in time for winter.

Viral is good when animals mock people. One of my favorites is the this-never-gets-old classic that is our fellow Tumblog Hipster Puppies. (Classic posts are here and here.)

Viral is great when not just animals, but the champagne of animals – as objectively judged by this blog – alpacas, mock with their mops. Enter latest viral sensation to hit the net: Alpacas With Post-Punk Haircuts.

Who ever thought alpacas could look so mesmerizing in sporting such anti-establishment ‘dos? Me neither. But thanks to the internet, which continually feeds us pointless yet priceless gems, we do now.

a.fé - re.túned

Tue, 02 Nov 2010 22:37:00 -0500

“I was elected to lead, not to read.” - A. Schwarzenegger, Simpsons

WARNING: Body paint (ie. breasticles) appears in the video.
Street-smart screening suggested.

Sure, I wasn’t elected at all (that said, I do hope you went out and voted if you care about those who are), but by the powers invested in me by the Tumblr Kingdom and the Wide World of Web, I have made an executive decision to ham up the music side of this blog. And this video is a darn good place to start.

A great song by the Young Turks’ Catalan comrade, El Guincho, and fantastic video by Nicolás Mendez, which is part of a larger film project based on the album. Beautifully shot and cut images complement a dreamy and pulsating track smoothly and intriguingly.

Two references come to mind. Visually, and this is probably because I like it but have trouble putting my finger on why, some of Mendez’s shots remind me of Antonioni’s classic, Blow Up. Also, the steel drums echo the sounds used all over Pantha du Prince’s newest album, Black Noise, and that’s a very good thing.

The more I watch, the more I want to listen – and vice versa. To me, that’s the sign of a sweet audio-visual collaboration. So with that, dance, dream and undress to both these songs. That’s an order.

Pass the Tissues: Facebook Break-Ups Visualized This is damn...

Tue, 02 Nov 2010 15:26:00 -0500

Pass the Tissues: Facebook Break-Ups Visualized

This is damn interesting. A visualization at the highest form: revealing, surprising and yet somewhat foreseeable.

This image describes Facebook break-ups (defined by a relationship status change to “Single”). Sure, I knew that spring break was wild, commitment and summer don’t sit well together and, for those who make it through spring break, the lingering temptation of spring often breaks you eventually. What I wasn’t expecting though, were so many Christmas cop-outs and the tough April mondays.

For more on Facebook and data, check out this great portrait of Zuckerberg by the New Yorker. In the meantime, enjoy the last 6 weeks of your relationship.

Logoland

Fri, 29 Oct 2010 08:14:00 -0500

Since being back Stateside, I’ve rediscovered many a treat I had forgotten about: ice cream sandwiches, maple syrup, candy corn and free-refills.

One thing I don’t miss so much is the incessant branding of everything from “The official drink of the PGA golf tour” to the “official whiskey of the NHL Playoffs”.

Yes, I’m not proud at how well I scored at this logo quiz on the procrastinator’s paradise for all things pointless, Sporcle. Once I saw this clip though, it hammered home the troubling extent to which corporate logos are xeroxed in my mind.

Are you any worse? Watch and worry, above.

bed and breakfast - Mixtake

Thu, 28 Oct 2010 19:25:00 -0500

bed and breakfast - Mixtake:

Speaking of yings and yangs, my academic self struggles without the proverbial “fries with that” to accompany it. Okay – maybe that was more my hunger than mind typing – but the truth is I work less well without beats (and, evidently, bread) to complement my books. With that in mind, here’s my first attempt at moving my mental muscle in a way my books+highlighter routine isn’t.

Enter: Mixtake. My first foray into musical mixing, this is a demo for a project a friend and I are launching Chi-side: bed & breakfast. Striving to get more air on your teeth, we’re about having a good time – and passing it around.

So bookstore, meet dancefloor. Brain, meet boogie. Let’s dance.

bednbreakfast:

Mixtake - Tracklist (click image to download)

Bonaparte - Do You Want To Party
Gorillaz - Rock the House
Metronomy - A Thing For Me (Breakbot Remix)
Notorious BIG & The xx - Juicy
The xx - VCR (Matthew Dear Remix)
2ManyDJs - No Diggity (Soulwax Remix)
Escort - Cocaine Blues
Ray Charles - I Got a Woman (Diplo Remix)
Chromeo - Night By Night (U-Tern Remix)
Yuksek - Extraball (Breakbot Remix)
Yuksek - So Down (feat. Chromeo)
Gramophonedzie - Why Don’t You
Fake Blood - Fix Your Accent
Simian Mobile Disco - Audacity of Huge
Daft Punk vs Gorillaz - 19-2000 Funk
Zapp - So Ruff, So Tuff

Turkey Times Twelve

Wed, 27 Oct 2010 09:36:00 -0500

Novelty keeps things interesting. It pushes you out of your comfort zone makes you (re)act in ways you didn’t expect. Long live discovery of the novel and unexpected. The yang to this ying shouldn’t be written off too easily though.

Repetition, though dull on its face, can be one of the best things around. Hell, it’s been the main ingredient for fun films and terrific tunes before. One dish I didn’t expect it to feature in? Thanksgiving.

Though based on questionable principles, Thanksgiving’s the one day I’ve missed more than most during my time away. And leave it to some fun Chi-folk to indulge in this festive feast not once, but a hearty twelve times a year. Yup, that’s a big pot luck, a lot of pumpkin pie, buckets of grain (baked and brewed) to go with good music and good people.

As simple as it is delicious, “Thanksgiving of the Month” is a damn good excuse to bring November’s laziest day on tour to the rest of your calendar. So don’t forget to rejoice at repetition and be thankful twelve times a year. That’s a diet I could get used to.

foto: thx.

Physically Fit

Mon, 25 Oct 2010 23:36:00 -0500

So I’ve never been Boy Wonder in the weight room. My old flatmates put me to shame with their gym sessions and protein-powered purées. Now, I’m living with three ladies again and they’re entrenching my Sir Sloth role. Little do they know that I recently shook my my money-maker without heading gym-side. My secret? Workout videos.

On an unsuspecting Sunday evening, after catching some DIY shows at Cafe Moustache, the seats were cleared and the screen propped up. Jake Myers, the video’s creator, told us we were in for a good time, and he was right on. Fun footage backed by a banging soundtrack (compiled by Chicago’s own The Hood Internet) and boom, you’ve got yourself a cool calorie-killing thirty minutes. So if you’re still wondering what to be for Halloween, do your best Richard Simmons impression to the tune of “You Better Work” and everyone will be wondering what’s in your protein shake. Enjoy.

You Better Work - Live:

foto: thx.

Game of Inches

Thu, 21 Oct 2010 12:30:00 -0500

An email from my main man, who recently became a Ph.D. student in Climate Policy:

This is the world I’ve entered…

“The snow Pool for 2010-2011 is on!
”It is that time of the year again. For those that forgot - we had 54.2" last year. This Fall, our precipitation has been closer to normal but after the very dry summer we are still behind in total precipitation. All this could play into your forecast - if you like - so let’s get at it!

“The 35th annual snow pool is now open for snow picks. Make your prediction of the total snowfall for the 2010-11 winter season. Enter soon before your pick is taken!

And this is the world you’ll thrive in amigo. It’s a game of inches. Make us proud Snowflake.

image: thx.

Foxy Town

Sun, 17 Oct 2010 01:40:00 -0500

Strange but true: I wrote another piece for unlike.net’s Berlin chapter way back when but it never made it up on the site. After being certain it was lost in an inbox somewhere east of Alex, I stumbled upon it yesterday. It put a smile under my whiskers and made me get kinetic about posting on a.fé again - double trouble. Here’s to hoping they start a Chi-town chapter soon… (View the original below)

Take a stroll along Neukölln’s Weserstraße strip and Fuchs und Elster will look like many other charming Berlin boozeries. Granny’s furniture and a cosy atmosphere make this an inviting and relaxing place to unwind with your buddies. Like with many of its best though, what meet’s the eye is often misleading.

Once you’ve made your way to the back and through the dizzying descent that’s wasn’t built for the tipsy or klutzy, you’ll see that you’re nowhere near Kansas anymore. A low, bricked and intimate space greets you (after a small entrance fee) and you’ll often find yourself in the middle of one of their many live shows, both of the analog and digital persuasion.

There’s a gypsy jazz feel to the cellar which, with the help of reasonably priced drinks and one of Bavaria’s finest brews, makes Fuchs und Elster a solid nook of Neukölln’s nightlife.

[A local collective, Fuchs und Elster’s foxhole buzzes Thu-Sat, despite how dormant the upstairs bar might seem.]