Goodbye Donna

RIP Donna Summer. You were one of my first disco loves, you glorious diva queen. I will always love to love you, baby. <3

Perhaps a mixtape of my lesser-known Donna favorites later on…

Coachella Mixtape Pt. 2: Post-Festival Favorites

Back from Coachella. It was great! I thought I’d make another mix tape to reflect what I actually ended up loving at the festival (surprisingly different from what I expected in some cases). Thought this might help some Weekend 2 goers as they gear up for this weekend too See below for the mixtape and my highlights/recommended sets.

Post-Chella Mixtape

1. The Rapture “How Deep is Your Love” (Cassian remix). The Rapture was my favorite set of the entire weekend, and among my all-time favorites (This was my 6^th year. Just sayin!). DO NOT MISS THEM. In addition to dancing your MF’in azz off, you will also see/hear some of the craziest saxaphoning of your life!
2. Breakbot “Penelope Pitstop”. For those into the new disco/indie dance thing, Breakbot is your best chance to groove in the Sahara tent. Highly recommended dose of daytime disco with funkier beats than just about anything else on the electronic dance lineup this year. Quirky, colorful visuals add to the fun. Check out his video for “Baby I’m Yours” if you haven’t already.
3. Miike Snow – “Paddling Out” (Penguin Prison remix). My favorite act of Saturday, Miike Snow brought their moody synthpop-rock to the Outdoor stage with one of their best performances I’ve yet seen. I especially enjoy this great new highly danceable track. Many a good remix of it out there already. One of the best songs of the festival IMHO.
4. Feist – “How Come You Never Go There” (Beck remix). Feist was one of my biggest and best surprises of the festival. A beautiful performance by an ensemble of 20+ musicians led by her sheer rocking power. Another not to be missed.
5. Neon Indian – “Halogen (I Could Be a Shadow)”. Despite the misfortune of a midday Outdoor time slot Weekend 1, meaning the strongest wind and rain of the festival, without the shelter of a tent, Alan Palomo and the gang pressed on through their dramatic, psychedelic synthrock tunes…The synth freakout parts seemed intensified by the dark clouds looming overhead and high winds causing a clamor amidst the palm trees. Purple-bobbed keyboardist Leann Macomber was particularly easy on the eyes, too… I like ur hair, gurl. And my heart definitely went pitter-patter when she also played slap-bass on “Fallout”. <3
6. Arctic Monkeys “Crying Lightning”. Speaking of hotties, and their hottness, WHOAH, Alex Turner. Mega-swoon. Ok, the rest of the band is cool too. I mostly swoon because I love their musicianship and cool lyrics that tell weird stories. It just so happens that as sung by Mr. Turner said lyrics make me feel things. In my pants. And in my brain! Whoah! Plus, I danced. Highly recommended main stage set at sun set. They rock out hard.
7. Metronomy – “The Look” (Fred Falke remix). The best band of Sunday IMO, a pity they got a 2 pm set time on the Outdoor stage. If you can stand the heat, it’s totally worth it. They are a band of seriously quirky and fun individuals who clearly have a blast making original, danceable, and oddly relateable indie synthpop music. Highly recommended.
8. M83 “Reunion”. Aside from that one song, that makes everyone freak out, I really found their closing song “Reunion” to be the standout of the set, especially because everyone expected “the other one” to be the last song. Simply beautiful! So overpowering live. Highly recommended. I’m imagining it will be very difficult to get close for their set next weekend (unless you go to the Rapture beforehand, hint hint)

Aside from those, I feel inclined to comment on a few others:

Amon Tobin – I went into this set not really knowing what to expect other than something bizarre and highly visual. It was both of those things and so much more. Be warned though, if you are in the mood for dancing and partying, this definitely won’t do it for you. But if you can open your mind or just want to experience something completely different, DO NOT MISS. Simply astounding audiovisual art experience completely unlike anything you’ve ever seen or conceived of. One of the most astounding sensory “trips” ever visualized and actualized on amazing technology that has to be seen to be believed.

Justice – was a huge disappointment. They really blew it weekend 1. Granted, tech problems are not entirely their fault, but there was a long time gap before they played. It should have been figured out. They went on 25 minutes late and only played 30 minutes, most of which was occupied by extra-long (read:10 minute) mixes of A/V/D and DANCE. Plus, the sound cut out entirely toward the end. The only part I thought was really good was the opening with “Genesis”. Hopefully it will go better for Weekend 2 people.

Other pleasant surprises: Pulp was surprisingly fun, their stage setup and the antics of Mr. Cocker are worth checking out. The visuals of Sub Focus are also pretty amazing and made them the best thing of Saturday night for me (not a Radiohead fan at all, their performance did nothing for me.)

Overall, a great year though quite strange in some ways (mostly the weather!). I’m praying to the Coachella gods for lots more disco, synthpop and indie dance flavor next year though… (not just top-to-bottom euro-trance/house cheeze!!! /rant)

Coachella 2012 Pre-Party Mixtape

Mixtape time!! Coachella draws near, and I’m getting really excited. Here are a few of my favorite songs from the lineup this year. Who are you most excited to see?? Me: Breakbot, Neon Indian, and Metronomy, among many others.

1. GIVERS – “Ceiling of Plankton”

2. Kaskade feat. Dragonette – “Fire in Your New Shoes”

3. Breakbot – “Baby I’m Yours”

4. Housse De Racket – “Synthetiseur” (Housse de Racket remix)

5. Arctic Monkeys – “Brick by Brick”

6. Metronomy – “The Bay”

7. Justice – “Helix”

8. Madeon – “Icarus”

9. Neon Indian – “Polish Girl”

10. Metronomy – “A Thing for Me” (Breakbot remix)

Mary Katrantzou

Uhhh OMFG. Mary Katrantzou = my new favorite designer. My eyeballs are pretty much having orgasms taking in all this colorful futuristic goodness.

The patterns can be a bit of an overload at times, making some of it less wearable perhaps, but really going more in the direction of wearable art. I love the shapes, texture, color, pattern… the overall feel. Total fashion candy.

I feel as if all my favorite film fashions have come to life but even bigger and better. I also have a powerful hankering to pull out the sketchbook since these are so sci-fi fantasy fantastic!

I mean, yeah. I could just go on and on and on. There are so many amazing pieces, the collection of them all almost reminds me of the Jem Wardrobe in terms of outlandish futuristic fantasy and colorful intricacies. Except like, even better.

 

Especially love the middle 2 looks and the bodice of the leftmost one. It’s fun to imagine the futuristic girl who would wear these and her adventures… comic book, just sayin’.

I. am. drooling. That is all. (for now.) I would wear the look on the right today and not think twice (except about how *awesome* is is!) Love the stripes in particular.

Oskas

I didn’t end up watching the Oscars, but was very pleased to hear that The Artist did so well, including the Best Picture win. The first time since 1929 a silent film has won. So cool.

I always enjoy checking out what everyone wore, too. Where the Grammys fashion is usually about flash and fun, trend and trash, the Oscars are just straight up the Glammest of the Glam. I’m not going to do a full outfit roundup, but here’s a few of my faves.

Michelle Williams looks simply adorable in a gorgeous Vuitton gown. I just love every detail of this look. So very sweet yet so stylish. It’s just perfect for her.

I totally LOVE Gwyneth’s chic, sleek white Tom Ford gown and cape. Understated yet futuristic, very polished. I love that it reminds me of the “future fashion” of movies like Metropolis, Things to Come, Forbidden Planet etc, but is so subtle and refined.

Love everything about Glenn Close’s look. She exudes power with a feminine edge in a Zac Posen gown that’s just the right color, fabric, and fit. Especially love the Art Deco styling of the bustier-type top. The sheer train and stylized blazer complete an interesting and lovely ensemble.

Grant Morrison’s Doom Patrol

Sometimes when reading comix I find the art so inspiring I need to snap a phone pic to remember it, especially if I borrowed the book from the library or a friend. Such has been especially the case with Grant Morrison’s Doom Patrol series, which has some of the most wacked-out, colorful, and inventive art – the characters and storylines are equally insane.

One of the coolest pages ever. Reminds me of Promethea –> always a good thing.

(Where applicable plz to forgive crappy phone quality. Just wanted to talk about how awesome this series is, so you should really check it out for yourself. These panels are from Vol 2: The Painting That Ate Paris and Vol. 3: Down Paradise Way. I’ve only read the first 3 of 6 in his run on the series, have not read any other incarnations of it so I cannot compare it to them…)

The antagonist team in Volume 2 is the Brotherhood of Dada. Clearly not your typical villains. They include The Quiz, who has every superpower you’ve never thought of, and Sleepwalk, pictured below:

She can only use her powers when asleep, so she takes sleeping pills and listens to Barry Manilow before battle. In other news, I totally want to copy that makeup idea.

One of the most unusual series I’ve read in pretty much every way. Shares a few things with the superhero genre, but spins off from it in a loopy, mutated way that is usually more dark. These would-be “heroes”, though fighting for the cause of good, feel like freaks and rejects themselves, and their “powers” often cause them considerable pain or trauma.

However, despite that serious overarching theme, there is a lot of humor, most of it bizarre. I absolutely love how flat-out WEIRD this series is.

Haha. I love that so much.

One thing I have to just come out and say though, I’m not a fan of the original covers of the single-issue comics, which are included in the trade paperbacks. I feel they don’t mesh with the series itself, which is wacky and colorful… the covers are very harsh and realistic, drab color schemes, and totally different in tone and style… some of them are kind of gross! It makes me sad. Cause when I come across old single issues, my first instinct is to cringe, and then I’m like, “Oh! Doom Patrol, though.”

Anyway! Give it a look if you’re so inclined, try your library catalog or from Amazon.

Happy Valentimes

I like these “Glam” candy hearts. Despite many of the hearts being totally defective/illegible, they taste pretty good (less chalky than I recall the “regular” kind being).

Also, Reminder to check out my Valentine’s Disco Mix! It’s day-appropriate, because it’s about love and stuff. But not sappy, so you can still enjoy it even if you are your own Valentine.

Crazy-ass SF Grammy dresses

Not a fan of the Grammys, didn’t watch them, but….

Sasha Gradiva sporting a seriously badass gun arm. Most commentators are being like, “WTF, UR NOT GAGA” but I must say I’m loving it.

Songwriter Bonnie McKee in another inventive sci-fi creation. I’m not a fan of the streamers, but I love the dress itself. “Romantic Disco Cyborg” is definitely a look I support.

B.Fett

Me wearing EJ’s Xmas present from me to him, but secretly from me to me.

Also, to make this entry about Boba Fetts, or should I say, Bobas Fett, observe:

Master Chief fends off an attempt to intrude on his special moment. Meanwhile, Bro-Ba Fett is like, “Yeah, Bro!”. (From a J-town toystore window.)

And, in other news:

Spock bust cookie jar! OMG. I suppose this type of cookie jar of anyone is actually kind of disturbing though since you have to take off their head. Sorry Spock! Me want cookies.

Valentine Mixtape

Mixtape #2: Valentine’s Edition! Songs about love, for lovers, except, y’know, not lame. Nothing quiet about this disco storm. Equally suited for dancing or loving…. It’s sugar frosted, baby.

Tracklist:

“Running Back to You” – Perseus

“Prisoner of Love” – Jessica 6 (feat. Antony)

“Sugar Frosted Lover” – The Flakes

Lab File #11 – Tiger & Woods (haha, unromantic name for a DOPE track.. I think of it as the “Romeo and Juliet” one)

“I Just Love What You’re Doing” – Hot Chocolate

“Where You’ll Stay” – Falcon Punch

“With You Forever” – PNAU

“Don’t Stop the Dub” – Majesty’s Pleasure

“True Romance” – Citizens! (Cassian remix)

“2 Hearts” – Digitalism