Hello

New Reel

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 15:48:00 +0000

Imeem, the streaming media service, was bought by MySpace and re-branded MySpace music. Meanwhile, back in the real world, thousands of Imeem users - including myself - lost all of their playlists and uploaded audio. And it happened with no warning. I've received one email from MySpace, informing me of the change after the fact. Very poorly handled, MySpace. Boo. Anyway, I have an updated reel courtesy of those waveform lovers, Soundcloud. Hats off to you, Soundcloud.

Updated Reel

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 16:33:33 +0000

New stuff on the reel, including music from series 2 of 'The World's...And Me' for Firefly/Channel 4 and The Family: Teen Stories for Firefly/Channel 4 Education.

Good mental health?

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 16:21:03 +0000

The radio adaptation of Nikita Lalwani's award winning debut novel, Gifted has been nominated in the Radio Drama category for the Mental Health Awards. I must admit, I never saw that one coming. Meanwhile, work on the second Dolan series for Firefly continues and music for the short film 'The Happiness Salesman' is coming along nicely. I met Chris Gill, the editor of 28 Days Later and Sunshine last week. He said, 'always take risks, always push boundaries and never accept the safest option'. Fine words on which I intend to base the rest of my career.

The World...And Me

Sun, 10 Aug 2008 17:13:05 +0000

Series 2 of 'The World's..And Me' which sees comic Mark Dolan straddling the globe in search of particularly tart examples of human diversity, has been commissioned. This time the music will be fully embracing the alt. folk and underground rock of the Portland music scene. With thanks to Mr. Jim O'Rourke, Fleet Foxes and Sufjan Stevens - none of whom come from Portland, so I clearly have no idea what I'm talking about. Between series 1 and 2, I produced music for Radio 4's adaptation of Nikita Lalwani's novel, 'Gifted', Pulp UFO documentary series, 'Britain's Closest Encounters' and Channel 4 Education's take on the big Autumn extravaganza 'The Family'.

Also, check out www.youmightfindthisinteresting.com for more up to date musings on digital shenanigans.

In search of...

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 12:57:20 +0000

I've been working on a new music commission for a Channel 4 documentary series by Firefly. Its going to have a twisted road journey aesthetic, bit Louis Theroux, bit something else. Before getting down to business, the series producer and I agreed a musical canvas - basically swapping compilations. The creative direction is disgruntled, ramshackle gypsy folk meets childish music. There are some samples of the work on this site and I'll post more at some point.

I'm also working on the Radio 4 adaptation of Nikita Lalwani's debut novel, Gifted. Its a book about mathematics, so I'm going to try and use mathematical algorithms in the compositions. We'll see. I was never much of a mathematician. Much more of a buffoon. Josh reckons I should use MAX, but it looks like more of a programming platform rather than an application.

Demos

Fri, 01 Feb 2008 20:33:25 +0000

Moodboard

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 09:54:33 +0000

Mixa

Thu, 25 Oct 2007 23:13:28 +0000

Nice idea, nicely done. Well played. I love it and am slightly jealous that my own secretly held 'big ideas' are nowhere near as simple and cool.

Make a Mixa

The fear of being crap

Thu, 25 Oct 2007 23:05:29 +0000

This is interesting. I think a lot of digital agencies struggle when building their own websites. But I think the root of this problem lies a little deeper than the often quoted 21st century conversation killer 'way too busy'. I think its about a fear of being crap.

This website neatly sidesteps the situation by offering users the opportunity to make the decision for them. The attention to detail and execution indicates that Nonsense, the agency in question, have plenty of time. But, perhaps what they are lacking are the stones to make a decision themselves.

I've always thought the difference between commerce and art was that, in art, there was no need to compromise. And you could do what you liked. Maybe art is about being compelled to do what you like.

Anyway, when introducing ourselves, maybe we should fess up about the kind of people we are. And if that means turning up in a rare pair of plaid pantaloons and pink blouse, then so be it.

nonsense. High Time We Had A Website.

WTF?

Thu, 28 Jun 2007 22:43:58 +0000

Not to put too fine a point on it, this is bonkers. Apparently, the 'Washlet' will make you feel fresher and happier than you've ever felt before.

It's a toilet seat. Sold with a Scientologists zeal.

The company name is Toto, a reference to The Wizard of Oz, extending the sense of wonder and magic this toilet seat is designed to offer. The many aspects of the seat are sold by a multicultural group of impassioned and enlightened individuals who are initially introduced with their clean, refreshed and toned buttocks pointed directly at the viewer. Unashamed and unafraid. You know why? Because their asses have never been cleaner. This is self-realisation, through the introspection, vulnerability and, ultimately, cleansing of one's bowels. I wish I'd thought of it. As some kind of perverted campaign to highlight the absolute bankruptcy of our civilisation.

Clean is happy

Julia Fullerton-Batten

Sun, 24 Jun 2007 21:47:19 +0000

Caught this via Newstoday. I like intricate, posed photography - there's something really cinematic about it. These have a whiff of suburban anonymity about them, but with the twisted, post-atomic Americana of the attack of the 50 ft woman and the awkwardness of adolesence added to the mix. Beautifully lit to boot, isn't it. She's originally from Germany, but now in the U.K.

www.juliafullerton-batten.com

The intellectuals and the masses

Fri, 22 Jun 2007 20:31:38 +0000

Andrew Keen has written a book called The Cult of the Amateur: How Today's Internet Is Killing Our Culture. I can't comment on it in any detail, because I haven't read it. Nor am I likely to, because I find that the most outspoken cultural analysis is often deeply conservative in nature. This book appears to be no different, in that the author apparently laments the loss of professionalism in favour of an emerging culture of 'the amateur'. This sounds ominously familiar. It sounds like the voice of a cultural elite fearing the erosion of their influence due to the democratisation of the arts. I, for one, am happy that we have a culture of amateurs. I am happy that dissident voices can broadcast from war-torn or oppressed countries, that - with very little training - minority or disenfranchised communities can begin to tell it like it is in their own voice. I'm happy that the power of the Daily Mail is being diminished by the progressive and liberal voice of the digital community. That teenagers in their suburban garage can make truly revolutionary ideas real. Get over it, Mr. Keen - wake up and smell the daisies.

Internet Smackdown: The Amateur vs. the Professional

Say cheese

Fri, 22 Jun 2007 16:29:42 +0000

Almost a century ago and without the aid of any pixel-generating computer software, the itinerant photographer Arthur Mole (1889-1983) used his 11 x 14-inch view camera to stage a series of extraordinary mass photographic spectacles that choreographed living bodies into symbolic formations of religious and national community.

Cabinet Magazine Online - Dead Troops Salute

ubroadcast™

Fri, 08 Jun 2007 11:43:46 +0000

"Have you ever wanted the forum to discuss any topic you wanted? Can’t find anything worth listening to on the radio? ubroadcast’s Station Manager Software lets you broadcast LIVE and uncensored content quickly and easily with no broadcasting or technical experience."

ubroadcast™

Photosynth

Thu, 07 Jun 2007 23:39:22 +0000

Using photos of oft-snapped subjects (like Notre Dame) scraped from around the Web, Photosynth creates breathtaking multidimensional spaces with zoom and navigation features that outstrip all expectation. Its architect, Blaise Aguera y Arcas, shows it off in this standing-ovation demo. Curious about that speck in corner? Dive into a freefall and watch as the speck becomes a gargoyle. With an unpleasant grimace. And an ant-sized chip in its lower left molar. "Perhaps the most amazing demo I've seen this year," wrote Ethan Zuckerman, after TED2007. Indeed, Photosynth might utterly transform the way we manipulate and experience digital images.

TED | Talks | Blaise Aguera y Arcas: Photosynth demo