ping things

Thirty three years ago today...

noreply@blogger.com (mara's torment) — Sun, 19 May 2013 01:30:00 +0000

Today marks the 33rd anniversary of Ian Curtis' death, a tragic reminder of the loss of a very talented musician far too early in his life. As part of Joy Division, Curtis is responsible for a hugely influential body of work and his music remains both relevant and inspiring even after all this time.

I first discovered Joy Division in my teens a few years after Curtis' passing. At first they were "that band that became New Order" in my mind, but after more careful examination I realized they were so much more. They resonated in a truly unique way with the confusion and frustration that defined my life at the time. The more I listened, the more I recognized Joy Division as music for the lost and broken, songs of confusion and alienation, but all with a desperate desire to find truth and beauty amidst the wreckage and difficulty of day to day life. They mixed reason and chaos in an existential one-two punch that was perfectly timed with my blossoming personal philosophy. They were more than a band to me, they were the soundtrack of a solitary and troubled time that I was trying to make sense of, and I have faith that they were, have been, and will be the same soundtrack for thousands of other people trying to make sense of the world around them.

So take a moment to listen to some Joy Division today, and remember what a hugely important band they were on so many levels. Pay tribute to Ian Curtis' memory and immerse yourself in "Love Will Tear Us Apart", or the haunting sound of "Atmosphere". Revel in the celebratory sounds of "Ceremony" and "Transmission". Or just lie in bed and marvel at the use of the word "conquistador" in "Dead Souls". Take some time and really listen, really connect with the music. Maybe some of you will be grateful like I am that they were able to voice so many of the things that you couldn't find words for, or maybe you'll just appreciate how important Joy Division are to modern music as we know it.

But listen to them today. And remember.

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pt Book Review: "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern

noreply@blogger.com (mara's torment) — Fri, 17 May 2013 00:03:00 +0000

I couldn't help falling in love with the idea of Le Cirque des Reves in Erin Morgenstern's "The Night Circus". It's a magical and mysterious circus that travels from town to town enticing and beguiling everyone who visits. Described in lush detail by Morgenstern, it's a venue like no other, a constantly shifting kaleidoscope of wonders unlike anything anybody has ever seen or experienced. But it's also the site of a secret battle, the setting of a challenge between two magicians that unfolds slowly over the course of decades, and the effect of that challenge on the circus, on it's performers, and on the people that visit is where it's real power lies.

I really enjoyed the lush descriptions and details of "The Night Circus", and the way that Morgenstern carefully sets her scenes is most impressive. She's done a phenomenal job of creating a magical environment, and the loving way that she describes the circus really connected with me and brought me deeper into the story. I couldn't help but feel as if I were walking from tent to tent seeing all of the assorted wonders and marvels, and on a few occasions I found myself rereading passages and chapters just to experience the same attractions a second, third or fourth time, in much the same way that the characters of the book do.

Admittedly, I've read some criticism of the book for spending too much time on description and scene setting, often to the expense of plot development, but I don't think that's the case here. "The Night Circus" is a languid journey meant to slowly unfold in parallel to the challenge that the two main characters are entrenched in. It's a story that spans decades, and this kind of criticism of the book's structure only shows a failure to understand the story that's being told. "The Night Circus" is a prime example of the idea that the destination is only half as interesting as the journey getting there, and getting there in this book is a very lovely journey indeed.

Needless to say, I found "The Night Circus" to be a most enjoyable read and a beautiful story, and I very much look forward to reading more from Erin Morgenstern, who is currently at work on her second novel. In the meantime I'm always happy to read the tiny fictions she writes on her blog at www.erinmorgenstern.com where I've become particularly fond of a recent post called "a bluer blue blue sky". Check it out and see what you think, and if you enjoy what you read there then I have every faith that you'll very much enjoy "The Night Circus".

Keep up to date with ping things through the ping things twitter feed, the ping things facebook group and the ping things tumblr!

Free CDs for May 15

noreply@blogger.com (mara's torment) — Thu, 16 May 2013 03:01:00 +0000

ping things is giving away free CDs again and all you have to do is just ask for them.

This time around it's "A Fire is Meant for Burning" by Vlor, and "Gone but Not Forgiven" by Portal.

"A Fire is Meant for Burning" by Vlor features some really amazing guitar based collaborations between members of Remora, Aarktica, Lycia, Rivulets and more. "Gone but Not Forgiven" by Portal features some wonderful shoegaze-y guitar-y awesomeness.

Both discs are free for the asking (plus $3 shipping per disc of course), just mail me at rik@pingthings.com

Remember though, quantities are limited and this offer is only valid while supplies last. Once they're gone, they're gone. And of course in the event that there are more requests than discs available I'll send out discs on a first come, first served basis...

Keep up to date with ping things through the ping things twitter feed, the ping things facebook group and the ping things tumblr!

A New video by Silvercord and Shantamo

noreply@blogger.com (mara's torment) — Wed, 15 May 2013 02:43:00 +0000

I've probably mentioned to you about my appreciation for Silvercord a few times in the past, and I'm quite sure that I've told you about how awesome "I Smiled Because I knew Death is But a Door" is.

So now I am going to tell you how much I enjoy this brand new video by Silvercord and Shantamo. And then I am going to shut up so you can enjoy it for yourself...

Keep up to date with ping things through the ping things twitter feed, the ping things facebook group and the ping things tumblr!

Commander Chris Hadfield sings "Space Oddity" from the International Space Station

noreply@blogger.com (mara's torment) — Mon, 13 May 2013 11:01:00 +0000

I'm quite sure that thousands of people have posted this video today, and I'm quite sure that thousands more have already seen it, but I can't help sharing it with you again. There's something so beautiful and inspirational to it, and in many ways it fills me with hope for the future...

Keep up to date with ping things through the ping things twitter feed, the ping things facebook group and the ping things tumblr!

Remembering the week that ended May 11

noreply@blogger.com (mara's torment) — Sun, 12 May 2013 20:53:00 +0000

Wow. That was a fast week, wasn't it? Temporally it kind of only feels like it was four days long, maybe five. Certainly not seven days long...

Anyway, it's time to review the week and post links to all the ping things things that have come and gone over the last week. Come, walk with me and we shall remenisce together...

Free CDs for May 6 - I posted some more free CDs, and some of you took advantage of the offer, which was nice...

Butterfly Effects - The Relaxed Machinery Ning Community released a new compilation of artists reinterpreting and re-envisioning the music of James Johnson. Very cool!

Gnome and Spybey release "Three" on Crime League - Crime League are taking pre-release orders for "Three", the latest collaboration between Tony D'Oporto and Mark Spybey...

New Displacer! - ... and speaking of Crime League, they're also taking pre-release orders for a new EP from Displacer!

Neil Wiernik and Heiki, live at Musideum - Like it sounds, Neil and Heiki are playing a show together at Musideum on Saturday May 18th. You should totally go!

pt Book Review: "The Drowning Girl" by Caitlin Kiernan - In which I review "The Drowning Girl" by Caitlin Kiernan, a really awesome novel from one of my favorite writers that I quite enjoyed...

And that my friends is the week that ended May 11!

Keep up to date with ping things through the ping things twitter feed, the ping things facebook group and the ping things tumblr!

pt Book Review: "The Drowning Girl" by Caitlin Kiernan

noreply@blogger.com (mara's torment) — Sat, 11 May 2013 13:49:00 +0000

As I've mentioned on numerous prior occasions, I'm a big fan of Caitlin R. Kiernan. I've enjoyed her work since the 90s when I stumbled across "Silk" at Bakka when they were still on Queen Street, and I've been increasingly impressed with each book she's released since then. She's amassed quite an excellent catalog of work and I would heartily recommend all of them.

Of particular note though is "The Drowning Girl", which I've been meaning to write up here on the ping things site for some time, but ummmm, er, I haven't gotten around to doing so until now. Better late than never though, and even though she's released a couple of books in the interim, it still bears drawing attention to this one.

"The Drowning Girl" is a story that travels along a variety of narratives simultaneously, a story told by India Morgan Phelps, also known as Imp, who is living with schizophrenia and is unable to trust her experiences. As much as Imp wants to share what's happened to her, she recognizes and regrets that she is an unreliable narrator, but she continues on just the same trying to discover truth and clarity by telling her story to the best of her ability, looking for clues along the way as to what is real and what is only real within her own mind.

Over the course of it's length "The Drowning Girl" is a memoir, a ghost story, a love story, and a story of self-discovery, and Kiernan weaves all of these elements together in a skillful and engaging way that reminds me how very much I enjoy her work. I was immediately drawn into Imp's world, feeling the same confusion and need that she does, trying to make sense of shadows and fog, unsure of what's been done or said, and what it all means. I commend Kiernan for doing such an excellent job of capturing Imp's voice so well, the very human and real voice of a young woman living with enormous challenges, and the steps she must take to bring clarity to her life.

As noted earlier, I've been a fan of Kiernan's work for some time, but "The Drowning Girl" stands out as a particularly impressive novel in her catalog, and is certainly one of her books that I will introduce to new readers as among her best reads, both on a personal and artistic level. A very impressive novel by a very impressive talent.

Keep up to date with ping things through the ping things twitter feed, the ping things facebook group and the ping things tumblr!

Neil Wiernik and Heiki, live at Musideum

noreply@blogger.com (mara's torment) — Fri, 10 May 2013 13:12:00 +0000

Our friends Neil Wiernik and Heiki Silaste will be perfoming at Musideum (401 Richmond St. West in Toronto) on Saturday May 18th. The show starts at 8pm sharp and cover is $10.

I'm quite excited about this one as the promise of collaborative performance by the two is most interesting. Needless to say Neil and Heiki are both wonderfully talented musicians, and this promises to be an excellent performance that you won't want to miss.

Find out more by visiting the Facebook event.

Keep up to date with ping things through the ping things twitter feed, the ping things facebook group and the ping things tumblr!

New Displacer!

noreply@blogger.com (mara's torment) — Thu, 09 May 2013 11:12:00 +0000

In addition to the announcement of the new Gnome and Spybey release "Three", Crime League is also releasing new music by Displacer! Featuring new beat driven material, "The Curse of the Black Lotus" is available for pre-order through Bandcamp for only $1, and promises to be an awesomely awesome collection of music from the amazingly amazing Mike Morton!

Preorder "The Curse of the Black Lotus" now on Bandcamp!

Keep up to date with ping things through the ping things twitter feed, the ping things facebook group and the ping things tumblr!

Gnome and Spybey release "Three" on Crime League

noreply@blogger.com (mara's torment) — Wed, 08 May 2013 11:30:00 +0000

The very brilliant and very cool Crime League has announced that they will be releasing the latest collaboration by Tony D'Oporto and Mark Spybey on May 14th. "Three" by Gnome and Spybey is the third album by the duo, and appropriately enough is also the third release on the Crime League label.

Needless to say, Crime League is fast becoming one of the coolest ambient electronic labels going, and "Three" promises to continue the already high standard of quality set by the label's first two releases.

"Three" by Gnome and Spybey is available now for pre-order from Bandcamp.

Keep up to date with ping things through the ping things twitter feed, the ping things facebook group and the ping things tumblr!

Butterfly Effects

noreply@blogger.com (mara's torment) — Wed, 08 May 2013 00:54:00 +0000

I'm quite excited about the new "Butterfly Effects" compilation from Relaxed Machinery. The original idea started in 2011 when James Johnson agreed to release a variety of sound sources from his earlier albums to the Relaxed Machinery community to remix and recreate his work. And "Butterfly Effects" is the result, a series of re-imagined tracks that capture the essence of James' music as envisioned by nine very talented artists. Featuring Northcape, Altus, Somnarium, Disturbed Earth, Aairria, Andrew Quitter, Eyes Cast Down, Chris Russell, and Scott M2, "Butterfly Effects" promises to be an epic compilation!

"Butterfly Effects" is available now from Relaxed Machinery

Keep up to date with ping things through the ping things twitter feed, the ping things facebook group and the ping things tumblr!

Free CDs for May 6

noreply@blogger.com (mara's torment) — Tue, 07 May 2013 01:37:00 +0000

ping things is doing it again, giving away free CDs just for asking for them. This time around it's "Without Number" by Plumerai and "Into Stillness" by Isaiah Toran

"Without Number" is a brilliant piece of post-pop by our friends at Silber Records, and "Into Stillness" is a beautiful study of atmosphere and environment.

Both discs are free for the asking (plus $3 shipping per disc of course), just mail me at rik@pingthings.com

Remember, quantities are limited, and this offer is only valid while supplies last. Once they're gone, they're gone. And of course in the event that there are more requests than discs available I'll send out discs on a first come, first served basis...

Keep up to date with ping things through the ping things twitter feed, the ping things facebook group and the ping things tumblr!

Remembering the week that ended May 4

noreply@blogger.com (mara's torment) — Mon, 06 May 2013 02:15:00 +0000

So in some sort of fantastic geeky synchronicity, yesterday was both Free Comic Book Day and May the 4th (May the Fourth be with you...). This weekend also marked the beginning of the Summer Blockbuster movie season with the release of Iron Man 3 (we liked it, a lot...), and today is the annual Promise ambient event in High Park to celebrate the blooming of the Cherry Blossoms.

Needless to say, summer is coming soon, and that's very good news.

And in the spirit of good news, I'd like to take a moment to reflect with you on the week that's just passed us by, looking back fondly on what's come and gone on the ping things blog. I hope that you'll enjoy this time we spend together...

You'll note that most of this week's posts have to do with upcoming events of interest. Summer really is coming, isn't it?

Lost at Sea... - Our friends at the The House of Pomegranates are having a soiree, and their soirees are always the best...

dreamSTATE, Heiki Sillaste and Oureboros live in Hamilton - Our friends dreamSTATE and Heiki are playing a show in the Hammer, and you should most assuredly go...

Night of the Living Dead... Live - Seriously, what more do you need to know? It's Night of the Living Dead. Live!

Rediscovering "Ensoulment" by Remora - Looking back on one of the very first releases from ping things, Remora's very excellent "Ensoulment"...

The Ambient Ping in May - Come to the Ambient Ping in May for Ambient Transmissions featuring performances by QMT, Cameron/Davison, and D. Burke Mahoney...

Party like it's 1989... - There is a surprisingly high nostalgia quotient in this summer's touring schedule...

And that my friends was the week that ended May 4!

Keep up to date with ping things through the ping things twitter feed, the ping things facebook group and the ping things tumblr!

Party like it's 1989...

noreply@blogger.com (mara's torment) — Sat, 04 May 2013 19:27:00 +0000

I bought tickets to see the Pet Shop Boys today. While I haven't really kept up with them since "Bilingualism" I have a lot of fond memories of their work, and Carolyn has never seen them, so I thought it would be kind of fun. And then I started thinking about other shows we're seeing this summer, and I was struck by how much this year's concert calendar looks like 1989...

For example, Peter Murphy is playing a show at Lee's Palace on Friday May 10th to celebrate 35 years of Bauhaus by playing an all Bauhaus set.

Then Bjork is bringing her Biophilia tour to Echo Beach on Tuesday July 16th.

Depeche Mode will be playing at the Molson Ampitheatre on Sunday September 1st.

And as noted previously, The Pet Shop Boys will be playing the Sony Centre on Wednesday September 25th.

In addition, rumours are going around that The Cure, New Order, Nine Inch Nails and Simple Minds are all scheduling dates in Toronto over the summer.

Really. It feels like 1989.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm quite excited to see all of these shows, but there does seem to be a high amount of nostalgia on the touring circuit this year, perhaps a little more than usual. Maybe I'm mistaken, maybe it's always like this and I've just never noticed.

But there's no denying that it really feels like 1989.

But that's okay, because 1989 was a really great year for music...

Keep up to date with ping things through the ping things twitter feed, the ping things facebook group and the ping things tumblr!

The Ambient Ping in May

noreply@blogger.com (mara's torment) — Fri, 03 May 2013 18:04:00 +0000

May 14th sees the return of the Ambient Ping to the Supermarket in Toronto's Kensington Market. This month features the annual Deep Wireless showcase in collaboration with our friends at NAISA, and it promises to be a very exciting evening of musical discovery.

"Ambient Transmissions" is the theme of the evening, and it will feature performances by QMT (a new trio featuring Matthew Poulakakis, James Bailey, and Alan Bloor, who are all very talented and all very groovy guys), Cameron/Davison (who I'm not as familiar with, but I have been told that they're very talented and groovy as well) and D. Burke Mahoney (who I'm quite sure will prove to be both talented and groovy too). As always, the very fine fellows from General Chaos Visuals will be providing lights, and I'll be selling CDs in the corner.

Doors open at 8pm with the first set starting at 9pm, and as always cover is pay what you can ($6 suggested).

I hope that I'll see you there!

Keep up to date with ping things through the ping things twitter feed, the ping things facebook group and the ping things tumblr!

Rediscovering "Ensoulment" by Remora

noreply@blogger.com (mara's torment) — Fri, 03 May 2013 01:40:00 +0000

Using the guitar as a sound source rather than as a melodic instrument, "Ensoulment" by Remora is a fascinating study in electro-acoustic improvisation. One of the earliest ping things net releases, "Ensoulment" features a single long form piece where Brian John Mitchell of Remora creates an aural landscape of surprising depth and beauty with just one guitar.

"Ensoulment" is available for free download from ping things...

Keep up to date with ping things through the ping things twitter feed, the ping things facebook group and the ping things tumblr!

Night of the Living Dead... Live

noreply@blogger.com (mara's torment) — Thu, 02 May 2013 01:27:00 +0000

Night of the Living Dead. Live.

I don't think I really need to say anything more. You're no doubt familiar with the movie, and if you have any appreciation for it, then you'll definitely want to see this fantastic live production showing at Theatre Passe Murraile in Toronto until May 19th.

To say that it's awesome is an understatement. It's better than awesome. It's Night of the Living Dead. Live. Go, buy some tickets now. You won't be disappointed...

Keep up to date with ping things through the ping things twitter feed, the ping things facebook group and the ping things tumblr!

dreamSTATE, Heiki Sillaste and Oureboros live in Hamilton

noreply@blogger.com (mara's torment) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:59:00 +0000

Good friends dreamSTATE and Heiki Sillaste will be playing a show with guests Oureboros in Hamilton on Friday May 10th at 8pm as part of the New Harbours Music Series at 252 James North. Find out more by visiting the event page on Facebook.

If you're in the area, definitely try to check it out!

Keep up to date with ping things through the ping things twitter feed, the ping things facebook group and the ping things tumblr!

Lost at Sea...

noreply@blogger.com (mara's torment) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 11:05:00 +0000

On Thursday May 9th, our friends at The House of Pomegranates will be presenting "Lost at Sea, An Evening of Magical Things" at Augusta House (152 Augusta Avenue, Kensington Market, Toronto, Ontario).

Featuring readings by David Keyes, Nancy Baker, Lynn Crosbie, and Liisa Ladouceur, along with presentations by Belinda Chun, Prof. Richard Greene, an un-named but assuredly insanely talented String Quartet, and much more, "Lost at Sea" promises to be a most entertaining event that you most definitely don't want to miss.

Visit the Facebook event to find out more information or to RSVP.

Keep up to date with ping things through the ping things twitter feed, the ping things facebook group and the ping things tumblr!

Remembering the week that ended April 27

noreply@blogger.com (mara's torment) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 00:09:00 +0000

Sooooo, laundry has been done, errands have been run, poutine has been consumed, and taxes are almost finished. Which means I have a little bit of time to relax and reflect on the last seven days of ping things, remembering the week that ended April 27... (Oh, see what I did there? Isn't that clever?)

The Genius of the Fake Criterions Tumblr site... - Brilliant...

Free CDs for April 23 - Free...

The Lady in the Shop - Curious...

pt Book Review: "Rat Girl" by Kristin Hersh - Review...

HTDA last night in Toronto... - Pretty...

No time to write, doing taxes... - Excuses...

And that my friends was the week that ended April 27!

Keep up to date with ping things through the ping things twitter feed, the ping things facebook group and the ping things tumblr!

No time to write, doing taxes...

noreply@blogger.com (mara's torment) — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 00:10:00 +0000

As noted above, no time to write, doing taxes...

Keep up to date with ping things through the ping things twitter feed, the ping things facebook group and the ping things tumblr!

HTDA last night in Toronto...

noreply@blogger.com (mara's torment) — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 01:23:00 +0000

Keep up to date with ping things through the ping things twitter feed, the ping things facebook group and the ping things tumblr!

pt Book Review: "Rat Girl" by Kristin Hersh

noreply@blogger.com (mara's torment) — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 00:19:00 +0000

I've been a fan of Kristin Hersh for a long time. I was introduced to her work in 1994 with the release of her first solo album "Hips and Makers", and immediately I was drawn to the personal and intimate quality of her work. Songs like "Me and My Charms", "The Letter", "Your Ghost", the whole album connected on a very primal and personal level that really resonated with me and it fast became a desert island disc that I still regularly listen to almost twenty years later. Hungry for more of her music, I went back and explored her earlier work with The Throwing Muses, and I was thrilled to discover a rich body of work that was intelligent and complex.

So flash forward almost twenty years, and my appreciation of her work has continued to grow as she's released more music, both solo and with the Muses. I've come to think of Hersh's lyrics as a unique poetry that I consider on a par with Patti Smith or Leonard Cohen, the words and thoughts of a particularly notable talent. I have a lot of respect for Kristin Hersh, and with the release of her book "Rat Girl", my respect for her has grown even further.

"Rat Girl" is a memoir taken from Hersh's journals that covers a particularly important year in her life, the year that Throwing Muses signed to 4AD Records, the year that her first son was born, and the year that she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. And through Hersh's very honest writing we're given a unique opportunity to share in her experiences and gain insight into how these events affected her life, how they influenced her work. It's a very candid memoir, and Hersh shows a tremendous bravery for sharing so much of herself, and for being so forthcoming about her experience. It's the true story of a year in a young woman's life, a year filled with all the ups and downs and life events that shape a person into who they will become. And while there are passages where I could feel real pain in my heart for some of the experiences described, there is also a very particular and very inspiring optimism that weaves through the entire book, the optimism of a tremendously talented artist who has the opportunity to express (and at times exorcise) her experiences and emotions through her art.

Undoubtedly "Rat Girl" is a very powerful and beautiful read, and I'm grateful to Kristin Hersh for sharing it with us.

Rik - ping things

Keep up to date with ping things through the ping things twitter feed, the ping things facebook group and the ping things tumblr!

The Lady in the Shop

noreply@blogger.com (mara's torment) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 10:57:00 +0000

I would like to think that the lady in the shop was Sally Sparrow....

Keep up to date with ping things through the ping things twitter feed, the ping things facebook group and the ping things tumblr!

Free CDs for April 23

noreply@blogger.com (mara's torment) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 11:08:00 +0000

So I'm giving away free CDs again today, this time it's "Sterility" by Methadrone, and "Noise Control" by Electronic Dream Factory.

"Sterility" is a personal favorite of mine, an album of dark and emotional drone based work, including two tracks with vocals by David Galas, formerly of Lycia. It's really dark and really good!

"Noise Control" is an impressive collection of songs exploring a wide variety of sounds, moods, and styles.

Each disc is free for the asking (plus $3 shipping of course), just mail me at rik@pingthings.com

Remember, quantities are limited, and this offer is only valid while supplies last. Once they're gone, they're gone. And of course in the event that there are more requests than discs available I'll send out discs on a first come, first served basis...

Keep up to date with ping things through the ping things twitter feed, the ping things facebook group and the ping things tumblr!