maanantai 31. tammikuuta 2011

zwei sendungen

one for my mum and one for the finnish (boy)friend.

**leonidas belgian schokolade/suklaata
(went to bruxelles this weekend.)
(mum's package is larger because I included the marimekko joulutee [finnish xmas tea] and a couple souvenir mini-china plate things [amsterdam] from a couple trips ago.)

sunnuntai 30. tammikuuta 2011

markus malin

Finland’s Markus Malin competes in the snowboard halfpipe semifinal
at the FIS Snowboard World Championships in La Molina, Spain January 20, 2011
(reuters/Susana Vera)

winter sports beat winter blues, boston bigpicture. 01.11.

lauantai 29. tammikuuta 2011

ice hockey on the elbsee

Youths play ice hockey on the frozen Elbsee Lake near Aitrang, Germany
as the sun sets January 5, 2011. (Karl-Josef Hildenbrand/AFP/Getty Images)

winter sports beat winter blues, boston bigpicture. 01.11.

perjantai 28. tammikuuta 2011

Hurts :: Happiness (2010)

artist: Hurts, from Manchester, UK
album: Happiness
label: Sony UK
release date: 14.09.2010
genre: ballad, pop, 80s synth, alternative
rating: pretty good.

preview / purchase

The record plays great, feels great, and sounds even better. Are we talking about a band that transcends barriers and may have universal appeal? At some point yes, but not quite yet. Someone pointed out to me that maybe we are just too cynical to recognize the innocence in the simple lyrics to a ballad, or that maybe the state of pop music has taken us away from the real essence of it. So is it the record's naivete that fails to surpass the mark or our jaded ears that do not allow us to look beyond its facade?

Happiness is not a five-star album by any means, but it has achieved more than it set to be. By flashing back to an era relished by everyone as magical, carefree, it has regressed to the simplicity of the complex; it catapults the saxophone solo, the epic synthesizer arrangement, the power chorus to a new phase that the languid structure of the indie pop song cannot possibly convey.
–amazon reviewer, 08.09.2010.

torstai 27. tammikuuta 2011

sf welcome kit

going the extra nine miles for houseguests (or possible couchsurfers).

keskiviikko 26. tammikuuta 2011

tiistai 25. tammikuuta 2011

blue/green hues

on the drive back from hollister after xmas.
2010 by jessica y.

maanantai 24. tammikuuta 2011

in the mood for love (2000)

in the mood for love / 花樣年華 (2000), directed by Wong Kar Wai (王家衛).

excellent film. I highly recommend it.
so stylistic, I love it.
I haven't watched such a film with such pleasing beautiful cinematic style in quite some time.

you can check rt or imdb if you don't trust my taste in film.

sunnuntai 23. tammikuuta 2011

lauantai 22. tammikuuta 2011

the long pull

Huacan Chen stretching out skeins of noodle dough
in the kitchen of Hung Ry, a restaurant that opened in October in NoLIta.

the long pull of noodle-making. nytimes, 25.01.11.

perjantai 21. tammikuuta 2011

ASOT500 NL line-up

April 9th – Brabanthallen, Den Bosch (NL)
Alex M.O.R.P.H., Aly & Fila, Andy Moor, Arnej, Arty, Ashley Wallbridge, Ben Gold, Cosmic Gate, Daniel Kandi, Gareth Emery, John O’Callaghan, Markus Schulz, Mat Zo, Menno de Jong, Myon & Shane 54, Ørjan Nilsen, Paul Oakenfold, Roger Shah, Sean Tyas, Sied van Riel, Signum, Tenishia, Ummet Ozcan and W&W.

21:00-07:00 (CET)
Tickets, click here.

more djs announced for ASOT500 line-up.

shiiiit
Wish I would still be in Europe in April so I could go to this.
fuu~~

torstai 20. tammikuuta 2011

coachella2011 line-up announced

yes. no. YEESSS??? :DD

festival passes go on sale tomorrow, 21.01.11, but I haven't enough money on my bank card here, and Wells Fargo cut off my credit card when I tried to use it online here since I neglected to inform them that I'd be abroad.

but it shouldn't be sold out on March.. and I should be able to procure a ticket.

keskiviikko 19. tammikuuta 2011

Orkidea :: Radio Unity 025 [19.01.11]

Orkidea :: Radio Unity 025
broadcast on ah.fm.
direct download /137.51mb / soundcloud.
originally posted by Ericc B:
Have any of you guys ever noticed that Orkidea sets cause time warps? He starts and poof an hour is gone before you know it.
01. Daft Punk: The Grid
The best soundtrack of 2010 which will hopefully bring Daft Punk at least nomination in Oscars. The soundtrack does such justice to the legacy of the original film and work so well with the amazing sound design of the film. Highly recommended!

02. Ivan Nikusev & Wav-E: Aurora (Airwave Breaks Remix)
Belgium legend Airwave delivers sublime breakz trance remix to Mystique Music which is filled with emotion and paints a futuristic sonic picture of wide atmospherics and subsonic basslines. Retro and futuristic at the same time.

03. Eelke Kleijn: On The Edge
Dutch deep prog maestro Eelke Kleijn is featured once again in Radio Unity with his melodic and trancey prog house sound. Reminds me of the classic Sasha & Digweed prog sound of late 90s. After his 'Untold Stories' album Eelke seems to be in fine form overall.

04. Petar Dundov: Distant Shores
This stunning 12 minute track was in my 2010 Top 10. Peter Dundov's Sparkling Stars in 2009 was already epic piece of music but this... this is really SOMETHING! Bridging techno, progressive house and trance with a true hypnotic "journey" track which has been supported by variety of jocks from Sven Väth and Nick Warren to Gareth Emery. This was also my NYE gigs' highlight when played at 08am at Helsinki afterhours from a proper soundsystem to full dancefloor. True epicness but done in such a quality way without a hint of cheese.

05. Pryda: Illusions
Swedish techno house lord doesn't seem to know how to fail does he? Another guaranteed piece of uplifting Pryda big room action. This mixed with Pryda's 'Glimma' intro opened my evening NYE set and sounds pretty huge from a proper system. Prydz' tracks are also some of the loudest out there with kicking good 3-6 dB louder than anyone else. Yet they manage to feel dynamic at the same time and not just maximized and squashed like many digital files nowadays.

06. Michael Cassette: Crockett's Theme (Original Mix)
Taken from the Michael Cassette's very strong 'Temporarity' album on Anjunadeep. This Finnish duo is also known as Komytea and couple other aliases. They definitely know their 128 bpm groove and bad ass basslines. Once again their stuff is something that sounds good at home but is taken to another level with a good big room PA. The album had many highlights from which to choose from but this is the winner to me.

07. Voltaxx, Paul Thomas, Lissat & Russell G: The Real Life (Paul Thomas & Russell G Remix)
Now we take things into more pumpin' clubby groove. This is the kind of the sound Marco V has been playing a lot recently which to me is the perfect, full on, big room, groovy stuff. And once again something that sounds completely different from your "multimedia speakers" and a big club system.

08. My Digital Enemy, Mary Pearce: Release My Soul (Olav Basoski Remix)
Another Marco V powerplay which was also one of the highlights of my NYE set at Clinic. I was surprised that Olav Basoski (who is more known for his housey stuff) did a remix this hard and pumping but I'm absolutely loving it! The groove and bassline are irresistible and so intense. This stuff is also very old school yet modern at the same time. Full support!

09. Protoculture: Early Bird (Max Graham remix)
Here we see the most promosing talent of recent years in trance (=South African Protoculture) teaming up once again with a true prog legend from the 90s (=Canadian Max Graham) with yet another great result. Very nice feel good big room action going on here. Protoculture was one of the big stars of 2010 to me with a great album and so many good remixes under his belt. can't wait what he will deliver for 2011 and really hope we could see him in Finland too during this year ;)

10. Pulser: In My World
Why don't they do more trance like this? One of the best trance tracks of 2010 to me. Also one of the NYE highlights when played at 03am in Clinic. Nice combination of great chord, strong bassline and catchy plucky melody. 10/10 trance from Garuda!

11. Daft Punk: Overture
Another pick from the Daft Punk's Tron soundtrack closes the circle and brings the first Radio Unity of 2011 to an end. I guess this show was a blueprint of how I hope Radio Unity will sound like this year: mixture of deep, atmospheric & emotional prog, groovy & pumpin' big room stuff and quality 21st century trance. Hope you'll tune in next month too and thanks for listening!


FUUU~~~~ I should have booked my flight from Finland back to Berlin after New Year's Eve, so I could've gone to the Clinic NYE party in Helsinki in which Super8 &Tab and Orkidea headlined!!! (even if flight prices were much more steeper..)(and gdmit house'd sensation white.)

tiistai 18. tammikuuta 2011

above roofs

by niklas j.s. santa cruz, ca. 01.2011

maanantai 17. tammikuuta 2011

over the bridge

by niklas j.s. bay area, ca. 01.2011

sunnuntai 16. tammikuuta 2011

blow through

by niklas j.s. santa cruz, ca. 01.2011

lauantai 15. tammikuuta 2011

sc balcony

by niklas j.s. santa cruz, ca. 01.2011

perjantai 14. tammikuuta 2011

sc beach

isabel g. by niklas j.s. santa cruz, ca. 01.2011

torstai 13. tammikuuta 2011

wash ashore and decay

pregnant beached whale along the (highway) one. santa cruz, ca.
by niklas j.s. 01.2011.

keskiviikko 12. tammikuuta 2011

palin propaganda

spotted in Hayes Valley by iPhone photog Brian Reynard,
who believes they were posted within the last 24 hours.

uptown almanac, 12.01.11.

tiistai 11. tammikuuta 2011

são paulo street art

by erika h. nov.2010.

really rich and vibrant street art in south america.
(see 2 relevant previous posts.)

maanantai 10. tammikuuta 2011

something awesome, but not quite a review.

event scheduled to begin at 21:00. capacity hit by 21:35.
(fire code "capacity" as ucsd likes to limit us by, but still.)

tom hong on the photog work. eppie/dvc vice prez on the decks.

chris perry/crab guy/dvc events coordinator

volpato on the visuals

DVC, I miss you guys.
much love from Dianne/"dy/dt" in Berlin.

alright, I can't exactly write a review of an event that I did not attend.
also wouldn't be able to write a legit review coming from someone on the inside rather than from a partygoer.
(clarification: I am part of dvc, but currently studying abroad for a semester.
there's a live video stream [but no audio] of ucsd price center plaza, and I watched my friends set-up, but then time zone differences, and I didn't get to witness the party and how quickly the plaza filled up.)

anyhow, from social media, I've gathered that Something Awesome was something awesome.
The event (incl. set-up and break-down, and coordination with staff pro, etc.) went smoothly (vs many previous dvc events, esp. last year's "Let's Bounce" in which someone pulled a fire alarm), the crowd was amped/lots of raging was had, everyone's sets were bomb, and it was overall a great night.

wish I was there.

ttv (triton tv) recorded some footage, and I can't wait to see the final video.
also, many props to this year's (dvc) president Jordan Clarno.

photos by nima nouri. more here. Something Awesome, 08.01.11. fb event pg.

note: "Let's Bounce" is traditionally held at this date, but due to campus maintenance on the ballrooms (ballrooms a & b in price center), the only venue we could secure for this weekend was the outside plaza. As such, capacity is significantly lowered without the ballrooms, so we made this the second edition of "Something Awesome". "Let's Bounce" is now scheduled for spring quarter, with the inclusion of the ballrooms to make it the signature annual 3 stage edm event at ucsd.

sunnuntai 9. tammikuuta 2011

something awesome indeed.

the stage set-up


photos by Thomas Hong. 08-09.01.11. more here.

Something Awesome 2011 @ucsd price center plaza,
presented by the dvc (deejays & vinylphiles club @ucsd).
the dvc on fb.

lauantai 8. tammikuuta 2011

the big rush down

by erika h. nov. 2010.

in são paulo, rolandia, mococa, or unicorn ze. I dunno.
South America is on my list of places to travel.

perjantai 7. tammikuuta 2011

strumming am strand

erika h. nov. 2010.
in são paulo, rolandia, mococa, or unicorn ze.

torstai 6. tammikuuta 2011

bird in hand

by erika h. nov. 2010.

keskiviikko 5. tammikuuta 2011

darker than dust

by niklas j.s. west cliff, santa cruz, ca. 01.2011

tiistai 4. tammikuuta 2011

bottlehood sd

Eco-friendly, upcycled glassware made from recycled bottles from our neighborhood...
tumblers, juice glasses and vases created from wine, beer, soda and liquor bottles.

bottlehood, san diego.

maanantai 3. tammikuuta 2011

Whiteroom – The Whiteroom

When people look back on the decade that was the 2000s, they will see that 2004 (how I can EXTRA-BOLD this??) was the greatest of those years in trance. Among dozens of other reasons for this, The Whiteroom is one phenomenal track and has already established itself as a classic born out of that year.

To me, this track is the greatest hybrid of the stellar ambience of psytrance and the build-up/breakdown structure of progressive to date. A simple enough bassline plods along and its repetition is present enough to put you in a trance, but made subtle enough by all the other different elements that you maintain interest. Hypnotic, indistinguishable vocals, by 2004 already a legendary trademark of Andy Moor, are scattered tastefully throughout those nine, blissful minutes. Yet, they are such a massive component of The Whiteroom's overall force, keeping the listener in a constant of suspense and chills. I say this out of respect for the notion that, somehow, all trance releases are supposed to give listeners goosebumps, which has surely become a bastardized cliche by this point. No, something about The Whiteroom simply justifies that old adage about trance music, they way it manages execute impeccable timing, knowing when and where to bring in new elements, while removing others.

Seven minutes inward, as the song's ever genuine build-up culminates to one steep climax, a much anticipated breakdown strikes and, even after the full-blown impact is delivered, the ambience is never lost, but rather grows. The vocals become intense and are backdropped by an utmost spooky melody played on the leads. I'll leave the rest to the reader's imagination.

Absolutely stunning.
OMG truthful trance review. Thank you discog reviewer.

sunnuntai 2. tammikuuta 2011

something awesome 2011

the deejays & vinylphiles club (DVC) at ucsd present:
SOMETHING AWESOME
sat. 08.01.2011 | 9pm-2am
Price Center Plaza, UCSD Campus | 1400 capacity
FREE for UCSD STUDENTS | $5 non-UCSD students
– must have valid college ID –

— LINEUP/SET TIMES —
09:00 Eppie (Elizabeth Epps) dirty electro
09:50 Just the Tip (Donnie Briggs & Jacob Gray) electro/nu disco/indie dance
10:40 JPG (Steven Oey & Jerry Lin) random
11:30 Pasternak (Arthur Pasternak) house
12:20 DJ kMerch (Kyle Merchant) trance
01:10 JameRSun (Jameson Rikel) acid crunk/dubstep/drum'n'bass

fb event page with links to 20min. demos by the djs

lauantai 1. tammikuuta 2011

amos goldbaum


very cool line drawings.
I've seen this guy on Market a couple times;
wanted to support him and buy a drawing or something, but student budget.. :/
maybe next time.

ONNELLISTA UUTTA VUOTTA!!
(happy new year in Finnish)