It seems like a brave move allowing the audio to shift back and forth behind the dialogue in each scene but the result here is great.

After the huge success of their first album ‘Leftism’ I remember some of the material from this follow up LP being delivered alongside pretty dramatic visuals like the Afrika Shox video by Chris Cunningham and the Guiness advert featuring Phat Planet. I’m not sure this video achieved such a high profile but in my mind it’s the perfect delivery for the track… different people in different places, each getting down with their own vibe.

Now go find yourself a copy without the dialogue and turn it up loud for that break around the 3.30 mark.

Props to Iloobia for the heads up above and big thanks to those of you that are still checking in here from time to time despite the lack of updates.

Posts here may have slowed significantly but there is still a pulse. This game’s not over yet.

The 11 episodes released so far include parts 1-6 of Skate and Create, parts 1-3 of Graffiti and a couple of brief artist profiles on Swoon and Os Gêmeos…

Visit the site to check out all the episodes so far at…

http://www.wk.com/wke/show/diy/

Written, directed by : Patrick Jean
Director of Photography : Matias Boucard

1923 (aka Heaven) is one of two animation loops directed by Max Hattler, inspired by the work of French outsider artist Augustin Lesage (1876-1954). 1923 is based on Lesage’s painting A symbolic Composition of the Spiritual World 1923.

The second animation loop, 1925 (aka Hell) is based on Lesage’s painting from two years later A symbolic Composition of the Spiritual World 1925.

Thank you Lassi for the tip off on these. Check them out full screen and in HD for maximum effect.

“MAKE IT COUNT is a four-part documentary, which showcases Element’s defining moments and delves into its compelling story. From its humble beginnings, to a forward thinking global brand, this film covers two decades of stories and imagery.”

Here’s links to the Chapter 1 and Chapter 2 posts with embedded video as above. Visit the Make It Count website to watch and download each episode in a variety of resolutions.

“The first incarnation of Element came in the form of a small collaborative, East Coast company called Underworld Element. Most often referred to as Underworld, the company was inspired by the hip-hop movement and used a mixture of urban styles and reflected a raw and controversial vibe.

Soon after its inception, Underworld was plagued with many challenges, and the business began to collapse. Its original crew had all moved on, and Johnny was left with two choices: either turn the struggling brand around, or abandon Underworld altogether and start something entirely new.”

You can watch the above on the Element site at a variety of resolutions here.

If you’re into the documentary then the first Element video ‘Fine Artists’ (above) is a good follow up move.

This is to some extent a compressed interpretation of Dan Sicko’s book, Techno Rebels which comes highly recommend if you’re into the subject matter (a revised edition of which is apparently in development although the last update on that appears to have been in April).

Techno and it’s early roots in Detroit are the focus here. Unlike Sicko’s book which I remember as relatively reserved in it’s accounts, this initially suffers a little from the barrage of overwhelming ego’s on parade. There’s some pretty bold and potentially quite questionable statements being thrown around regarding certain individuals views on what techno is and who’s ultimately responsible for it, the kind of conclusions I would prefer to draw later for myself as opposed to being fed as an introduction. Don’t let this put you off though as it’s by no means a deal breaker and easily explained as an inevitable consequence of the level of passion involved.

It’s an informative story on a number of levels. A big highlight for me being the inclusion of academic Jerry Herron with his accounts of the city’s social and economic history of the last 50 years and it’s role in shaping the circumstances and environment in which all this could manifest.

If you’re not a fan of techno I would still suggest you give this a go. You may be pleasantly surprised and if it leads you onto the book, there’s a whole other level of in-depth and worthwhile material to be explored there in regards to creative drive and progression in general.

From Plexifilm…

“HIGH TECH SOUL is the first documentary to tackle the deep roots of techno music alongside the cultural history of Detroit, its birthplace. From the race riots of 1967 to the underground party scene of the late 1980s, Detroit’s economic downturn didn’t stop the invention of a new kind of music that brought international attention to its producers and their hometown.

Featuring in-depth interviews with many of the world’s best exponents of the artform, High Tech Soul focuses on the creators of the genre — Juan Atkins, Derrick May, and Kevin Saunderson — and looks at the relationships and personal struggles behind the music. Artists like Richie Hawtin, Jeff Mills, Carl Craig, Eddie Fowlkes and a host of others explain why techno, with its abrasive tones and resonating basslines, could not have come from anywhere but Detroit.”

“MAKE IT COUNT is a four-part documentary, which showcases Element’s defining moments and delves into its compelling story. From its humble beginnings, to a forward thinking global brand, this film covers two decades of stories and imagery.

In creating Chapter 1 of 4, “WIND” Kirk Dianda (director) followed Johnny Schillereff (Element founder & president) and dug into his history, interviewing the very people that have shaped his life and the company. The opening and closing sequences give you a small taste of the diverse community of people interviewed for the entire project, topics covered, and nostalgia that was un-earthed.”

The remaining three chapters are to be released on the first of each month. Use the button on the bottom right of the player to view full screen. Alternatively, you can watch and download in medium and high resolution here.

“Few skate spots on earth can claim the notoriety of philadelphia’s love park. its location and design have made it the focal point of east-coast skateboarding. for the first time, ricky oyola, stevie williams, josh kalis, kerry getz, tim o’connor, and a host of local notables tell the tale of this legendary landmark.”

From the BFI website… “Jennifer Baichwal’s award-winning documentary centres on renowned artist Edward Burtynsky whose large-scale photographs portray the devastating impact of industrial expansion on the environment.

Baichwal observes the artist at work amid some of the most surreal landscapes of the 21st century: China’s mountains of computer waste; the Yangtze River where whole towns are disappearing in the flooding caused by the Three Gorges Dam; the shipbreaking yards of Bangladesh; Shanghai, with its increasingly crowded skyline and millions of new inhabitants.

Eschewing polemics, Burtynsky aims simply to bring these landscapes into our consciousness, to provoke reflection on some highly inconvenient truths. Yet Baichwal’s film also exposes a tension between ethics and aesthetics: aren’t these images of apocalyptic splendour just a little too seductive? One thing’s for sure: it’s a terrible beauty that’s born.”

I saw this about a month ago and it blew me away. Although it was filmed back in 2006 it only saw a UK DVD release this week via the British Film Institute so I’ve been resisting the temptation to write this post until now.

Manufactured Landscapes is the most visually stunning documentary I’ve seen in a long time. It seems to have received a little criticism for the lack of any overtly ethical component in it’s narrative but for me that worked out well, providing an opportunity to absorb all the information on offer and consider the ethical connotations for myself once the film was over. As a film about social and economical issues, arguably perhaps it does lack something in addressing it’s ethical responsibility but as a film about a photographer and his work, I think it’s right on point.

I read another review where the author called the film boring (!!) which to me is madness. There’s no doubt this documentary takes it’s time but (in my view) anything else would be inappropriate and fail to do justice to the unquestionable depth and detail of Burtynsky’s work. For me, the combination of relaxed pace and calmly meandering, non didactic narrative was close to perfect. I seriously can’t recommend this enough.

If you’re still not convinced, there’s a well executed New York Times review here from sometime around the films US release date last year.

Finally, here’s a 10 minute compilation of excerpts from youtube…

In an effort to maintain regular updates, I’m inviting a few friends to come up with guest posts. This one comes courtesy of Natural Self, thank you mate…

“This is a song and video that a friend of mine recently brought to my attention. The singer is Brazilian but now resides in London. The song is a cover of a piece by Tom Waits. This is an unusual kind of love song, written as it is, from the point of view of the lover who has already passed away to the lover who remains alive. The video by Gustavo Guimaraes and Adams Carvahlo is perfectly pitched to carry its sombre and gentle beauty.”

Machine Molle is the Paris based motion and graphic design agency responsible for the crazy good ‘DVNO’ video doing the rounds at the moment. Make sure you check it in the Music Videos section of their site and see how many of the visuals you recognise from the last 30 years.

Along with the various other motion graphics work (check the air one too), there’s some real tasteful Design and Illustration.

website: http://machinemolle.com/

I posted a bit of info here back in December about extended multilink family member Iloobia’s collaboration with Studio Rarekwai on their book RackGaki. Since then he’s dropped by and filled me in on some other recent projects.

There’s been another three projects with the Rarekwai guys; contributing sticker designs for their forthcoming sticker book, editing a 20 minute documentary about HIV/AIDS in kenya as well as editing and post production for an hour long Dubstep documentary due for Japanese DVD release later this year.

He also showed me a short film he’s completed for Ninja Tune artist Max & Harvey’s track ‘Thieves’ from the forthcoming Big Amoeba Sounds album (keep an eye out for this, the album is amazing).

Next up is a documentary co-directed with Brighton writer and philosopher Neil Cantwell about music and religion in Japan which is due to start filing in April.

You can view an animation reel of past projects via the holding page for his new website. If you like what you see, please read on here and help us out…

www.iloobia.com

…he also has an entry in e4’s annual competition to produce stings for their channel. Having made it to the final stage where 28 finalists face a public vote, you can check it out here (it’s the one called Chicken Shaman) and show your support by helping him win. Voting ends at noon on the 29th Feb.

Born in France 1976, Stephane Tartelin start mixing traditional drawings with computer graphics at 15 years old. After 5 years of professional visual communication school, he fulfilled his childhood dream and started working for various video games development studios in Paris.
Operating as a freelance graphic designer, illustrator and motion designer since January 2000, he now works for a range of international advertising, broadcast and publishing clients and continues to explore all facets of graphic design, animation, 3D, photography and illustration .

www.tartelin.com

In the meantime, have a bit of ‘Purple & Brown’. This just about sums up my mental capacity at the moment, enjoy…

Iloobia has passed me an article on filming this that I’ve put aside for the new issue early next year but you might want to think about picking up the DVD/book now as it’s been around for a while. Available from Laurence King Publishing in all good book stores…

2007 rework of the Depeche Mode original. This track has seen it’s fair share of cover versions including efforts from Johnny Cash and Marilyn Manson. This version appears on ‘My Favourite Kind Of Irrelevance 1997-2007‘ on Hydrogen Dukebox, a kind of ‘best of’ collection that draws together choice cuts by Lee Norris under his various aliases. Highly recommended.

Devoid of yesterday is an arts based collective specializing in the creation of personal short film projects and not for profit commissions. The group is made up of motion directors Rob Chiu and Chris Hewitt alongside audio designer Ben Boysen.

Have a look at their work together in Things Fall Apart which reminded me it’s been a while since I watched Katsuhiro Otomo’s Akira.