Shonzilla, a pattern-seeking animal

Hello world, hello 2015!

I’ve been quite busy but also lazy to update my blog.
Time to stop being lazy and post do it.

This balkan jazz mixture resonates with my Balkan soul. :-)

The rhythm and arrangement sounds like it could originate from anywhere between South Serbia and Turkey… perhaps all even further away to Middle East.

Even though this version comes from the famous Brazilian jazz percussionist Airto Moreira, apparently the original author of “Peasant Dance” is a Bulgarian jazz pianist Milcho Leviev.

A passionate and insightful view of human existence, the priceless yet elusive moments of passion, love and insight.

A stream of consciousness about the insight and love just like the passion for insights and pattern-seeking that can be seen in this video by Jason Silva.

I welcome Jason to my internet bubble.

Wow! Very good direction in the real-world 1st person shooter bad mofo.

Note: Due to some graphic content (nothing to gory), you may need to be logged into YouTube and your Google profile you state that you’re an adult. ;-)

What I really like is a proper remix to a wonderful tune. This one moves into the a new, dance-friendly register (house in this case) while keeping what’s delicate in the original.

If you haven’t heard of London Grammar, be sure to check out how they originally sound in their big hit that came straight out of nowhere - Hey Now.

BTW, hearing this remix, you wouldn’t believe where DJ and producer Switch came from. Hint: Major Lazer (project with Diplo). Another hint: Pon the floor.

Make it last!

That’s what needs to be said about this tune and the smooth and silky groove that permeates it. Definitely a tune for the girls and ladies out there (check the date of this post) as well as their men, boys and toys.

Australian producer and beatmaker Ta-Ku partners with vocalist and songwriter JMSN. Ta-Ku got my attention and with this tune he’s moving closer to wider audience.

Ta-Ku and JMSN create one sweet, seductive tune, nicely portrayed by this girl in the video not wanting to wake up from her dream where this music is played, I’m sure.

Enough reasons for this one to go straight into my bedroom playlist. ;-)

Hear this wonderful downtempo balad now from the new Metal and Dust EP. I’ve had in in my ears ever since I’ve heard it on the Gilles Peterson Worldwide show a couple of months ago and its mesmerizing effect on me is not withering yet. This makes is more than a tune-of-the-week, but I’m making up for not sharing any music wonders in a long time. 

The sensuous alto of the singer Hannah Reid will very likely take you places where your emotions have once flourish, while your body will very likely experience some fine goose gumps.

Pitchfork describes describes this song appropriately:

The materials of the song’s title concern the crumble of a life built on trust, a relationship where a couple argue, but never fight, and the house around them. The elemental metaphor is appropriate; London Grammar account for every slippery string, vocal echo, ultrasound heartbeat, and wordless, holy vocal peal on “Metal and Rust”, the second in a so-far immaculate collection.

Pay attention to grammar - London Grammar, a trio from you-know-where.

Inventing on Principle - a truly awesome talk and presentation by a genius called Bret Victor.

Take my word - you need to watch this and you’ll thoroughly enjoy it. You’ll see some  very user-friendly and explorative tools he has built:

1. for understanding how programs you write actually work (without having to think like a computer),
2. for understanding how electronic circuits work (by making the invisible visible and changes simple),
3. for creating animations in a surprisingly intuitive way. 

Then take some more time to think about your life guiding principles.

If you want more, check out Bret’s website.

p.s. in case you’re having problems viewing the Vimeo clip above, try the YouTube clip.

bicbicbicTour de France might be interesting if you’re a proper cycling geek and have plenty of time to spare. The last TdF winner Bradley Wiggins, the first British to do achieve that feat ever, was definitely a hero for many. The bicycle he was riding to victory is a Pinarello Dogma2, a carbon road bike with a price tag of over 10k€.

The above video demonstrates possibly the coolest demonstration of human skills on this fine bike almost in the league of the awesome Danny MacAskill. Enjoy!

For someone into yoga and enjoying breakdancing, this is a granslam homerun. These amazing flexing/dancing skills come from a young skinny Frenchman called Arthur Cadre. The song is called “Sail” from Awolnation which I first heard in another awesome YouTube video by that bat-shit insane wingsuit stuntman Jeb Corliss.