Archive for the ‘Real Genius’ Category
Real Genius: Informatics – Dance to a Dangerous Beat (1980 – 1985)
Previously unreleased, masterfully minimal work from Australia’s cutting edge art-school synth-pop outfit Informatics. This material dates from 1980 – 1985 and is finally seeing the light of day thanks to Josh at Dark Entries in SF. Not sure what the hell is going on this video, but who cares?!
SCHEMATIC: Quirky, poppy, punky synth track “What A World” after the jump… Read the rest of this entry »
Robot Rock du Jour: Liaisons Dangereuses – Los Niños Del Parque (1981)
German EBM (Electronic Body Music) pioneers, Liaisons Dangereuses are goin’ for it full throttle on this track. This particular live version was filmed in Manchester in 1982. Acid synthlines abound, making this track a landmark Chicago/Detroit precursor. iSpy my favorite synth duo the Korg MS-20 and MS-50.
SCHEMATIC: Live in Düsseldorf, synths, famous female band member…
Icons: Robert Moog’s 78th
Check out Google’s mini-moog emulator in honor of what would have been Robert Moog’s 78th birthday! Adjustable filters, modulation control, four-track recording. How awesome!
SCHEMATIC: One-page instruction manual… Read the rest of this entry »
Robot Rock du Jour: Bernard Fevre aka Black Devil – Dali(1975)
Then the French said, “Let there be dark disco.” And it was really, really good.
Right?! 1975. Whoa.
As a music genealogist, moments where new musical (sub)genres are born are pretty much the stuff of dreams.
Within this span of 84 seconds, from an offbeat library (ie music snippets) album “The Strange World of Bernard Fevre,” foundations are laid for the deepest, darkest, most esoteric disco album ever made, Black Devil’s”Disco Club” in 1978.
SCHEMATIC: The entire legendary “Disco Club” LP and a live performance! Read the rest of this entry »
Icons: R. Buckminster Fuller – Expo ’67 Pavilion (1967)
Bucky Ist Über-Nerder. What I wouldn’t give to ride these escalators!
Who makes stuff like this anymore? No one. Everything is so damned commercial and self-conscious now. Oh wait, Greg and I did resurrect The Imaginarium at Stanford. I guess that counts.
Thanks to Jer for spotting this.
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Icons: Leon Theramin
Leon Theramin, electronic music pioneer and russian spy. Awesome.
Great article in the BBC yesterday.
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Robot Rock du Jour: Factory Floor – Real Love (2010)
I interrupt your regularly scheduled whatever to bring you this uncut diamond from the London underground.
Factory Floor has future classic written all over them. Shows in NY and Philly in late September and early November.
SCHEMATIC: Real Love (Album Version), Lying and Wooden Box… Read the rest of this entry »
Robot Rock du Jour: LCD Soundsystem – Someone Great (2007)
So, I pretty much avoid big time acts and there are very few “modern” bands that make what I deem to be exceptionally rad music. LCD Soundsystem, however, is the king + queen of them all.
I created this stop-motion video as part of my graduate program thesis work. 100 hours of wood cutting and photographing. If you dig it, peep my process photos.
SCHEMATIC: Videos for Home, Daft Punk is Playing at My House… Read the rest of this entry »
Robot Rock du Jour: Daft Punk – Derezzed (2010) (TRON: Legacy)
TRON: Legacy + Daft Punk. Full coverage of the original film and remake soon.
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Robot Rock du Jour: Units – High Pressure Days (1979)
There is no substitute for the unadulterated, analog muskiness of an über rare, private pressing 7″ from a pioneering synthpunk band.
These recordings were digitized from near mint copy of this seminal work. Each track is mind-blowing and considerably more raw than the versions found on the 1980 LP, Digital Stimulation. Make sure to check out iNight, too
SCHEMATIC: Original recordings of Cowboy and Cannibals…