September 2008: Polypunk 34 is Polypunk, tout simplement.

Covers, contexts, constrains/diversity. And Danceable too.
Enjoy.

34: POLYPUNK (*.mp3)

 Subscribe (RSS feed)

Polypunk group on Facebook
Get the tracklist
Send your Polypunk vocals (hit ‘rec’ say ‘polypunk’ save it send it) I always need some new voices for Polypunk.

For previous episodes (direct *.mp3 link)

Season 4
33: POLYPUNK
POLYPUNK ETE
Polypunk After All: Daft Punk selected
Polypunk 030
Polypunk 029
Polypunk 028
polypunk at the edge
POLYPUNK SEXE

Older episodes can be found here

“Rencontrer avec son propre travail le travail des musiciens, des peintres ou des savants est la seule combinaison actuelle qui ne se ramène ni aux vieilles écoles ni à un néo-marketing.” - Gilles Deleuze, 1977

Fascinating read (in French)

I am very much looking forward to the show as I think it will offer a good insight into the current (young) japanese contemporary art scene.

It is always hard to make a representative selection of current trends, especially in art, but I believe curator Gabriel Ritter has selected artists that are gaining visibility here in Tokyo. Will they be the next Murakami? I’m not sure, but I don’t think Tokyo Nonsense tries to answer that question, but more to provide clues of the Tokyo scene in 2008.
The fact that the show is taking place at SCION, a non-profit space (supported by the Toyota brand of the same name), in Los Angeles rather than New York, will also make this an interesting event.

It’s going to be a very friendly affair anyway, with exhibiting artists Chin↑Pom, Ai Kato, Ichiro Endo (of GO FOR FUTURE fame), Taro Izumi, Sachiko Kazama, and Iichiro Tanaka.

Taro izumi

I am personally looking forward to Taro Izumi and Sachiko Kazama works, but Kato, Endo and Tanaka works are not to be missed. And Chin↑Pom of course! A great lineup for sure.

Tokyo Nonsense
SCION Installation Los Angeles
October 5-25

Opening reception
Saturday October 4, 7-10 PM
with performances by Ai Kato (aka ai madonna) and Ichiro Endo
live DJ set by Digiki

Scion Installation L.A.
3521 Helms Avenue (at National)
Culver City, CA. 90232
310.815.8840

You can watch a Pecha Kucha presentation of Tokyo Nonsense by Gabriel here

Thanks to Gabriel for the invitation. Expect a (non)sensical Tokyo-themed Polypunk live set. Or something.

////

Digiki in LA

What’s more, I will be in Los Angeles from September 29 to October 5, looking for my usual fix of art/people/music/fashion (and more). The thing is, my last time in LA was 15 years ago, and no, I don’t drive, so it will pretty much be a new beginning for me in California. Things to do, places to see, people to meet: suggestions are welcome!

The only event (other than Tokyo Nonsense) on my schedule is this. Exciting.

“People want to get out of that cookie-cutter experience and have a shared experience that has some meaning and authenticity, and some story behind it.”

I think we are into something here. Bringing back authenticity into, well, authenticity. But in the end it’s about the quality of the people and the unexpected encounters. And good food (and wines) of course. I got to find places like that in Tokyo (and Osaka).

New York Times - The Anti-Restaurants

info http://www.clubshaft.com/

and Sunday too:

Thanks to all who came to the special event at Apple Store Ginza last Saturday. Things went well, and it was interesting to talk a little bit about the process of doing a Polypunk and comment about the selection. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.

I posted details of the playlist of the live Polypunk on the Polypunk Facebook group. The Pixies, Smith N Hack, Peter Bjorn and John reinterpreted by Kanye West and then Shugo Tokumaru, Arthur Russell, xxxchange, Nigerian music, Citrus, Joy Division, Kumisolo, a new Digiki remix by Hypo & EDH and even a track from my forthcoming album: it was a Polypunk indeed.

Today, a little present for you: a mini mix I did of Dense Music to give you a better idea of what my new album is about. The album is out now on iTunes, Juno, Amazon, HMV…

Digiki - Five Minutes of Dense Music (*.mp3)

Enjoy and feel free to share!

Come on!

Anyway. I got a bad headache so before I take a break off the internet, a few links you might enjoy.

////

Sonic Youth for Opening Ceremony

Olympics: Opening Ceremony guest blog for the New York Times. Martin Margiela for canoe/kayak? count me in. Terrence Koh interview here.

///

Mashup the web: Lilly is a plug-in for Firefox to create apps running inside the browser. Check out the demos here. Shane (and others), you gonna love it.

///

Boxes: I’ve wanted to see this for a while and now it’s in full on google videos. Stanley Kubrick’s Boxes. A documentary about, well, Kubrick, and his boxes.

//

Bikes: Feed Cycling project, more bikes less cars poster series. Minimal and efficient. Check out the Flickr gallery.

/

Favorite mix/tape of the moment: We Make It Good Mix Series Vol. 04 by xxxchange. It’s about film soundtracks, pop songs and more. Love it. Grab it here, with detailed credits.

++++

See you on Saturday in Ginza for my in-store performance. Expect a live Polypunk (!), some never heard before Digiki music (!!) and possibly even some work in progress from my 2009 album. Exciting & New.

++++

(click on the map for more details)

Yes, I’m touring. Japan, that is. if you are in Tokyo, Osaka, Sendai, Fukuoka, or anywhere near, catch me in da club (or in the store, as I am playing a handful of dates at Apple stores - no, I don’t get a discount)

The dates:

8.16 (this Saturday!) - Tokyo - Apple store Ginza 6-7:30 PM
special in-store event. I might ipod DJ, I might play some live tracks, I might talk in between all of that. Or maybe just do a slideshow in iPhoto or a quick presentation in Keynote. Anyway, it’s going to be fun, and it’s in the auditorium upstairs. Come and chill, free wifi!

8.23 (Sat) - Sendai - Club Shaft - 9 PM -
“After Dark” all-night club event. With friends Kinkies, KazuNoco and the one and only SoccerBoy. Come on!
www.clubshaft.com

8.24 (Sun) - Sendai - Apple store Sendai 6-6:30 PM
Mini in store DJ set.

9.22 (Mon) - Fukuoka - Decadent Deluxe 10 PM -
“FUK / USK release tour” all-night club event. I have no idea who USK is, but I know Home Cut and SoccerBoy will be there.
www.d-deluxe.jp

9.23 (Tue) - Fukuoka - Apple store Fukuoka 5-5:30 PM
In-store mini DJ set. More computers.

9.27 (Sat) - Osaka - Apple store Shinsaibashi 8-8:30 PM
Kansai here we come! In-store mini set, some kind of a warmup before…

9.27 (Sat) - Osaka - Doniflex 10 PM -
…the big club night.

10.xx (TBA) - Tokyo
The tour final stop, sometimes in early October.

More Digiki news coming… stay tuned.

////

Sunday. Listening over and over again to Arthur Russell’s work. The music of Russell is beautiful. It’s relevant and timeless, mysterious and emotional. Generous. His music moves me. It’s hard to put emotions into words. Immerse yourself into his world, it’s well worth it.

Russell was a disco producer and did produce some amazing singles (Dinosaur Kiss me again comes to mind), proto-garage tracks etc but I think it’s essential to see his work in a broader sense. He was a composer that sometimes did disco singles (with David Byrne on guitar by the way), but a composer first, going to clubs for research purpose. His commercial side was never really successful, though the singles he produced became classics. It’s amazing to think the same guy did Kiss me again or It’s all over my face and highly personal releases such as World of echo or Another thought, both masterpieces. (but pretty much everything is essential anyway)

As Phil Glass once said about Russell, This was a guy who could sit down with a cello and sing with it in a way that no one on this earth has ever done before, or will do again. Do check his music. I am curious to see the documentary presented at this year Berlin film festival.

All of this to say, I just found a great, long “lost” interview with Arthur Russell. He rarely gave interviews (David Toop for The Face I think) so this is a rarity. Thanks to Jay Vee at ilxor.com for posting it (two years ago, I’m that slow)

A long lost Arthur Russell interview (1987)