30/04/2007

Work in Progress

I've uploaded another working sketch of the new / temp / whatever it is site here. The animated elements are much slower and more subtle - they're also different in the way they change the image they overlay. I really like this... also how they slowly align if you don't move your mouse. There's no reason why the graphic used couldn't change all the time - not sure if that would be better or not. I've tried to briefly explore how it works with a bunch of different type of images.

I've also added a menu to give the site some functionality, so it's not completely 'useless'. This could be as simple or complex as we like. At the moment I've been thinking we'd start simple in order to get it up.

One thing I thought would be nice to try would be to add some video. This is amazingly easy in flash these days.

Web 2.0 has invaded our homes and married all our daughters

Once I’ve uploaded the in-progress site I’d like to look as you mentioned at the design of this blog before it’s made public. One question is whether blogger is the best we can do for an existing platform. I really just picked it out of the air. It seems fine – but there’s others out there that may be better. I noticed with wordpress that we can set up a flickr stream which could be quite nice. We passed this site around work today where all the content is piped in from wordpress. This kind of thing is exciting because it opens up the potential for people like you and me to run sites which WE design while all the content is managed through an existing – easy to use – automatically maintained database. Whilst myspace is a great tool for networking – it is disgusting to look at and use. It would be nice to send people to a site they can interact with – and we can constantly maintain with living content – including words, pictures and music. I will do some further research.

I like your statements on speed and intent to overwhelm. The current version I am working on is much slower as you suggested – though I must mention as an aside… you freaked me out with your school teacher tone in that post.

In the mean time enjoy this and this. Oh, and a video to explain it all.

hmmm, bloody surfer boys.

i like the designgraphik stuff a lot. what i particularly like, from the showreel attached to the header, is the speed of the movement, which is fairly slow. e-aesthetics have traditionally been built on sensory overload. this shows something i read many years ago about heavy music - the idea that velocity is a matter of mass as well as acceleration. basically the idea that you can be overwhelmed by things other than just the speed of movement/change/sound/images/etc. this stuff has a weight to it that speed would undermine. i like that a lot. i also like the transitions greatly.

29/04/2007

Language is always being hi-jacked

I like where you're coming from with the 'brother's keeper' concept. The problem is it will be almost impossible for anyone to hear the title and not think of this. I'm not adverse to the principle of working with / against unexpected connotations... but in this case - I just couldn't cope.

I have been working more on the temporary website concept. I had also thought of using some more text throughout - so if you have any particular relevant texts you'd like to include - send it through. I'd also like to get it up pretty much straight away, but not without making something we're happy with! I reckon I'll shoot for this week.

Have you seen this before - these guys have done some pretty seminal stuff i guess. In many ways it feels a bit lost in 2001... But I quite like this site none the less. Make sure you click on the header.

Here's our notes from the other night:

tape noise : bring up voices

this is the new thing : muddy kick
specialise synth
one offs in the middle (guitar string breaks?)

gem : title?
vocal
make mp3 without vocals

the sun sets on the age of the instrumentalist : do it

chuckles/populous : vocal hook

requited love : kill boominess
introduce vocals (sound? break?)
vocal record together?

blending the edges : harmonies

send away : structure
drop bass in last section?

item number : extra sound at ending to build intensity

smells like rain : song – celli

listening in for static :

28/04/2007

focusing on the finer points now

i like the new web stuff in principle. i do think it needs a slight bit of tweeking in terms of creating greater continuity - the movement of the dots, while i like, get annoying to me fairly quickly, and don't seem to quite be part of the same aesthetic as the images. keep the movement, but slow it right down and animate it rather than randomly positioned dots flickering on and off. and the dots themselves could possibly be played with a bit as well so that they fit with what they're sitting on top of. get it up as soon as you can though, i reckon. i'll post you the ftp details in a private e-mail.

i also like the 'i saw this...' (see, i CAN abbreviate) title. i'd like to state a case for 'am i my brother's keeper?' as well, though. i don't know a whole lot about the 'bra boys phenomenon, but it certainly has little to do with it. it's more about asking what is the responsibility of one human to another, and it is what most of the lyrical content i've written, and from what i can guess, you and marcella as well, is about. obviously it's a quote from cain when god asks him where his (dead) brother is, and to me it kind of sums up the attitude of western culture at this point in time. i think it's one of the most powerful stories in the bible. i also had a student a couple of years back do a rather impressive body of work based on the phrase, which has always stayed with me - i'll try and track down some images of it. ultimately, i like it mostly because it's a powerful, memorable phrase which relates very closely to the lyrical themes of the album.

could you possibly post the list of critiquing we did on thursday night up on the blog? i don't actually have a copy. it was good to go through and do that again. i'll work on what we've discussed and we can do it again in a few weeks.

also, you didn't give me the files for 'the sun sets on the age of the instrumentalist'. could you possibly get those onto one of the cd-rs and send it to me?

so when does telafonica want to play just like now again. i figure now there's some monetary incentive, we could probably play with any band we want who is willing to play. what about o||o? anything from july on is free.

25/04/2007

A visual essay

I've posted my work from today here. It's basically a sketch of something I'd like to try. I really like the way the image scales with the browser window - it adds a nice element of user control over how the image actually looks. My original idea was that the animated elements would only feature while images are loading, but I quite like the way the flickering colour works with the static images. I could set something like this up so it's easy to update the images... it could work nicely as an ongoing visual diary. thoughts?

I'm okay with the whole publicising of the blog, but maybe not immediately - I'll get back to you on that one!

The flickr account is a great idea - it's something I too have been thinking of. In fact I set up an account today.

I think there is some definite possibility amongst those titles and some I would rule out (the bottom two i don't really like - too 'bra boys' and I don't think the album really is a collection of 3 min laptop solos... maybe it's ironic, but i dunno). Misformed haikku is too wanky. I like the concept behind it, so perhaps we could explore a different sentence. Still quite fond of 'Saw this and thought of you'...

24/04/2007

definitely the chicken

i've been thinking over the last few days - we actually have two sites already running that cover things like inform people about gigs, releases etc (myspace) and news/philosophy (this blog). although neither are what you'd call brilliant aesthetic pieces, they actually serve a large part of what people look for on the web at the moment. and they are in places (well, for the moment, the myspace page at least) where people are regularly likely to randomly stumble across it. i don't know that the regular website currently has that kind of exposure. but anyway, my point is, let's just make the telafonica website an artwork, ditch any notion of it being functional in the traditional web sense, and just do whatever we want on it. myspace and blogspot can look after the functionality. if we want to aestheticise those later, we can, but my impression is that the less gloss, the better anyway for those sites, though i do think this blogspot needs something). i'm quite keen to start publicising this blogspot - do you have any objections to me doing so? do you want to work on its appearance at all before that happens? i don't think random passers by are allowed to comment at the moment - can you change that setting (i can't, my admin level is not high enough - you could fix that too if you wanted).

i'm feeling something similar about gem. i think it's a big jump forward, but the song itself feels like it's just the song sung through over a soft section, and then repeated over a loud section. i've already edited down what marcella sang in order to hold of the melodic climaxes until the second part, but i think it can be tightened up more.

i'd like to make it a priority to get marcella out here and record some proper vocals for this is the new thing and requited love (at least). i'd like to start shipping them out to various folk for remixing, but that process in itself is likely to take at least a month or two, so an e.p. is still a few months off. so we need to get some proper vocal recording done very soon.

a list of possible titles based on already made suggestions and a few others (no editing involved) ...

i saw this and thought of you
misformed haikku texts
we float around these days
boom blip blip
am i my brother's keeper?
(a collection of) 3 minute laptop solos



i, too, dream of living/working in a space like the cody hudson one. if you ever stumble across one and it has the means of supporting myself and a family financially, let me know!

i shall come over on thursday evening.

p.s. i did something i've been meaning to do for a while and set up a flickr account. this is a page i intend to update every couple of weeks or so which links back to the flickr page.


The Chicken or the Egg

I like the idea of something organic to happen in place of the site as we develop the new version. I might try and start on it tomorrow in the spirit of the anzacs. Something playful and direct which I’ll try to tie into the process of developing ideas for album / ep names and artwork etc. T’would be nice to move into a space of seeing and doing with all this stuff, rather than just blogging about it till eternity!

I haven’t read this article yet but both cell and I felt thoroughly inspired by the images of this studio space. It’s always been my dream to create such a studio – both functional and beautiful. I like this guys work too!

band of the day

I’m not sure about the actual song of GEM at this stage. I think it might need some re-thinking. I don’t think it needs to be re-done… just the vocal structure and melody aren’t quite there. In terms of what you’ve done with the production, I’m really loving it. Really loving the rattling bass line and fluttering synth sounds that develop. I like the static – but having it at the start and end of the song at the moment sounds a bit of an after thought.

Thursday night is good for me.

17/04/2007

microeconomy

hmmm - i'm beginning to see the idea a bit better. yes - individual little sites that are things in and of themselves, not records of other things. that's exactly how i feel about packaging, which we've discussed lots in the past. this idea fits in very well with that. my only initial concern might be the cost of owning a bunch of different domains... would you be interested in making an initial site focused on one particular thing to get it going? for now we could put that up as the 'telafonica' site, until more are developed. an idea to promote a forthcoming release, or even just an art thing that doesn't specifically relate to telafonica music at the moment? just to get the ideas started.

i hadn't imagined that the e.p. would need a title, i kind of just assumed that it would be the title of the lead track - the 'single'. but i'm not opposed to the idea of a separate title.

++++++

i sometimes forget to look at comments, but have got all of them eventually so far.

++++++

scot (victor x-ray) likes the remix a lot and intends to use it (whether it actually ever gets pressed onto vinyl will probably depend on how the first release, due out about now, fares). lcd soundsystem is truly great, and he's even older than me!

++++++

just found out today via an m.r.i. scan that the knee that collapsed under me in a trial game a few weeks ago actually completely ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament and will need a reconstruction to ever function again. same operation as i had on the other knee 4 years ago. it's a 6 month recovery period as a new ligament made out of a piece of hamstring has to fully grow back into place etc. my season finished before the comp even started. so i'll have a bit more time to focus on telafonica stuff. :(

16/04/2007

Let's just publish books, make magazines etc as well as everything else there is to do!!

What I love about the Miranda July site is that it illustrates the versatility of good concepts. The execution of the sight flows naturally from the idea… rather than controlling or distorting it. I like the way that the site is used to serve one purpose as you said – I love the idea of making websites as a project in themselves, rather than a platform to present multiple projects / information / products. This kind of thing does exist around the web, but it’s not something I’ve ever really done. It’s nice because it allows you to do things that would never work in a normal context where flexibility and longevity are such key design factors.

The neubau site is integrated with their body of work so nicely. I love the wall of sound approach – I like the way it blurs the line between a site that shows work and a site that is work in itself. I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about how we could present content on the new telafonica site – trying to decide how much to separate different elements, or perhaps allow every ‘item’ on the site to be one ‘project’ and show all these projects together… www.mylleager.dk is an nice example where all the content is basically placed in one section, but you can sort how you’d like it to appear. I do like the idea of treating everything equally, and allowing a user to sort through it…

In terms of the album title, I’m all for a title, though what are your current thoughts on the EP? Did you get my blog comments about that?** I feel like the EP approach gives us the ability to continue full steam while still allowing some time for the full album to develop. I’m certainly happy to decide on names for both as soon as possible. I haven’t had any major inclinations, but I’ll give it some more focused thought.

**I’m not sure whether it’s best to post specific and quick responses to posts as comments – or try to make a new post each time. Thoughts?

I have signed up for a Monday night six a side comp which starts next Monday… not sure what time the game will be on. What about this Wednesday? I really need to get these other files to you.

Post script: did you ever get a response from the victor x-ray remix? Also - Did I mention I got the new LCD album? It’s quite wonderful in my opinion.

13/04/2007

linked up

the neubau site is incredible. there was a feature on the company in the last idn magazine so i had seen some of the work before, but not the site. needless to say i am excited about the upcoming remember/revolver release. don't you want to just publish books, make magazines etc as well as everything else there is to do?!!

no-one belongs here... i laughed out loud going through that site, then bec sat down and looked through it and laughed - serves it's purpose incredibly well. it's a fairly narrow purpose, of course, so i'm not sure what we could appropriate from it, but it is a great, original site.

the myspace one - yeah... i sent a friend request but didn't get overly excited about the music. maybe i would have 6 months ago, but you can just hear the shelf-life of this stuff winding down. and unless you're one of the originators with something unique to contribute (say, presets, lcd soundsystem etc) what is the point really? it's the indi equivalent of australian idol.

did you have anything from those sites you saw as possibilities for ways forward aesthetically?

can we start to get near settling on a title for this album? i think i really need it.

i've done some work on gem over the last little while and think it's starting to kick into shape. i think the song/vocal structure could do with some editing to lift the dynamic, but it's getting much closer. i've also compiled a new collection of works in progress to see how it's sounding as an album. it's feeling fairly good, i think, and there are very strong links between tracks. i've got 12 tracks on the latest version:

tape noise
this is the new thing
gem
the sun sets on the age of the instrumentalist
chuckles/populous
requited love
blending the edges
send away
hearing but never understanding
item number
smells like rain
listening in for static

'hearing but never understanding' is really sticking out as the odd one out at the moment, and i've tried it alongside a few different things. i've also still got reservations about 'item number' as a track on this album, though i like it extremely as a piece of music. i'm hoping maybe the 'berlin' thing may fall in more organically. i also think 11 tracks and just on 50 minutes is the way to go - the above 12 tracks clocks in at about 56 and feels just a tiny bit too long. i shall bring a copy of that disc next time i see you. are you free next monday evening - i wouldn't mind maybe coming in and having another sit down to listen through everything and redo our to do list and get it moving again. i feel everything we discussed a couple of months ago has been done and it's time to refine again.

11/04/2007

Two overwhelming websites

http://www.neubauberlin.com/
http://noonebelongsheremorethanyou.com/

no time to say anything about them now - but check it!

Spending time at the gym...

This person seems to be gaining some crazy popularity. have you listened? Self described as post electro-clash... funny too.

http://www.myspace.com/musclesmusic

07/04/2007

mesh counts



i've been e-mailing nick butcher (www.programmablepress.com) and he's been incredibly helpful with screenprinting info. i have learned that there are different mesh counts for silkscreen - kind of like resolution, i guess. the stuff he uses for superfine text etc is a 230count, much higher than the mesh i have. so we just need to get some finer mesh to do the fine detail stuff.

i've also got a quote from future classic for a deepchild remix. it's a fair bit from our perspective, but probably quite a good price for a remix. i just don't know if it's worth us risking the money on it. it could get a fair bit of publicity and airplay, but who knows? is it worth a large outlay for a name, or are we better off going for folk more at our level, which we can afford (because it's at a remix trade kind of level). i'd possibly have to say i would prefer that, especially if we organise trades, because that then pushes us working as well, rather than just buying credibility.

with what you've said, i think the lead track should be 'this is the new thing' with 'listening in for static' and 'requited love' getting remix treatments as well. it will involve us getting good vocals recorded for all in the near future, then we can start sending out for remixes.

04/04/2007

moving the ball forward

i'm free saturday, monday and either tuesday or wednesday (but i don't know which yet). after that, we're spending a bit of time away. do you want to come around one of those days.

back to real blog content.

i've been thinking that maybe we should get an e.p. out, featuring a 'single' and some remixes of something we've been working on. if we got a handful of remixes onto cd, it would gear up things like fbi, 2ser etc and give us some time to get the rest of the album together. if we were to do it, what track(s) do you think are possible contenders? fairly obvious is 'this is the new thing', but other contenders may be 'listening in for static' or maybe 'send away' - i'm thinking radio friendly at this point in time. i've also thought perhaps we choose one and have its original version as the lead track, but then get remixes of another track or two, as well as a remix of the 'single', so that it's not just 5 versions of one track or whatever. i've kind of lost a bit of confidence in the vinyl idea, mostly because of the expense outlay, but i think a reasonable run (100-150) of a cd could be good. it would also give us a chance to jump into some artwork ideas without them having to be 'the album artwork'.

there's a few people who would be eager to do remixes (lipstick, victor x-ray etc). i've tried to track down a quote for people like rick to do one but haven't had much success liasing with his label.

03/04/2007

we'll listen to anything at least once.

I absolutely love that line and what it sums up about the dicerning open mindedness of the 4-4-2
approach to music.

I am excited about this screen printing. how did you go making up screens this time? are we able to get a higher level of detail on the screen than with the morpheme stuff? be great to try some multi colour stuff. And i really like the photocopy / screen print combo. let's organise a play date.

02/04/2007

investing in dead technology


i've just made a purchase - got any time during the school holidays to come and have a play? (o.k. so now the link doesn't work!! i bought myself (or maybe school, i haven't decided yet, either way, i get to use it) a screen printing clamp thing so it only takes one person to print and you can register everything properly etc.)

i'm sensing a loudening call for some kind of content assistance? would that be correct? if you do want to go with telafonica output, should we maybe work from some lyrical starting points? there's a general mood to most of the lyrics i've been writing for this music, not every single thing, but a large enough thing to call it a body - would that be a good starting point?

i've almost finished a few print based things that i wouldn't mind showing you soon.

i didn't have a problem with the syrup helsinki navigation once i worked it out, but it did take me a little while to work it out. the main problem was when the menus all flew off to the left when you select something, i didn't work out how to get them back straight away, so that left me not being able to just scroll back, i had to reload each time which always took me right back to the beginning (and a new background pattern).

lost super highway

I'm a little confused as to which part of the syrup nav was hard to negotiate. It seemes pretty straight forward to me. Anyway... i quite like their aesthetic approach. Also they operate in a pretty similar way to what furnitureclub was meant to be... so i guess they're heroes in some way.

yep - i am continuing to make pictures, hopefully at a more and more prolific rate. I need to think more about ways to get images off the computer screen and into the world. Telafonica is one area I see as being a key output – so please feel free to input. I’d like to talk to you about doing some more screen printing together…

I’m not sure about that line as a title… it’s a nice conceptual reference point. Perhaps something we can expand upon in discussion.

Check out this loverly video.