Harder Better Faster Tumblr

motionaday: Nightvision Monday: Taiyo Yamamoto

Wed, 15 May 2013 23:18:04 -0400

Nightvision

Monday: Taiyo Yamamoto

You cannot live life without consequences. Whenever you do...

Wed, 15 May 2013 23:15:00 -0400

You cannot live life without consequences. Whenever you do something, there will be a consequence. Just like violence [on film] only works if there’s a consequence. You can’t just be violent for violence’s sake, because it’s not emotionally engaging. - Nicolas Winding Refn

The Great Gatsby: The Videogame.

Wed, 15 May 2013 22:27:15 -0400

The Great Gatsby: The Videogame.

Ocho ensayos de Spring Breakers aquí.

Mon, 13 May 2013 00:25:42 -0400

Ocho ensayos de Spring Breakers aquí.

Spring Breakers une como nadie los universos de Disney, E!...

Sun, 12 May 2013 23:30:00 -0400

Spring Breakers une como nadie los universos de Disney, E! Entertainment y Naughty America. Es trashy, es artsy y es tan del 2013.

Esos créditos iniciales con la tipografía original (muy neón, muy California) acompañados de Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites de Skrillex son mágicos. Es grandioso saber que un adulto (Korine recién cumplió 40 años) capturó la esencia del spring break en un par de minutos. Bikinis, cerveza, playa, cerveza, música taladrándote los oídos, pezones, cerveza, fajes, besos, arena, excesos, locura, cerveza cerveza cerveza. Ese momento es brutal, pero al mismo tiempo es poético darse cuenta que estas cuatro chicas no solo están obsesionadas con coger cuanto antes —sin dejar de ser selectivas— sino que para ellas este viaje significa dejar de estar aburridas de si mismas; es buscar todos aquellos excesos y situaciones extremas que no tienen en su día a día con tal de saber quién demonios son en realidad. Todos pasamos por ahí y las experiencias que tengamos son vitales en nuestra futura personalidad.

Fue muy extraño descubrir que el personaje de Selena Gomez desaparece cuando faltan, no sé, ¿cuarenta minutos? Me pareció una gran idea que fuera tan diferente al resto de las delincuentes del grupo, y su nombre, Faith, es hermoso. El primer asalto está filmado con un cuidado fantástico, con esa perspectiva misteriosa desde la camioneta de la conductora que se termina revelando tiempo después.

Luego, James Franco. Gulp, es grandioso. Por un lado pareciera un gángster despreciable que gusta de Scarface, solo quiere coger y tener dinero —esa secuencia donde acaricia con billetes a Vanessa Hudgens es lo más— pero su discurso de ‘lo único que quiero ser es malo’ en cualquier otra persona se pudo haber sentido falso, idiota, vacío, pero él y sus asquerosos dientes lo dicen de un modo convincente. Ese momento donde él empieza a besarlas en la cama y ellas ceden hasta que lo someten y él empieza a hacerle un blowjob a la pistola fue completamente inesperado, por lo menos para mí. Las secuencias en la alberca son sexy a madres, siendo sutiles —Alien metiendo los dedos en alguna de las chicas— y explícitas cuando es necesario. Korine jamás es un hipócrita al mostrar 4,000 pezones a cuadro sin hacer lo mismo con las protagonistas. Amo que detrás de esto hay una fuerza mediática de utilizar a estas actrices con pasado Disney para ponerlas semidesnudas, fajando, metiéndose cocaína desde el ombligo de una extraña mientras hay bocinas blasteando alrededor.

El final remata el tono de toda la película. Una vez que las chicas averiguan quiénes son y de qué son capaces, se apropian del lugar y vuelven a su sitio de origen, pero siendo otras. Me encantaría ver una (imposible) secuela para saber qué harán al volver.

Pues sí, me encantó Spring Breakers. Una vez con la sala vacía y mientras sonaba Ellie Goulding en los créditos, pensé en lo que la crítica ha dicho de la película —de mediocre no pasa, según lo que he leído. El jefe de redacción de La Tempestad twitteó un link a un ensayo que incluso asegura que ´Korine no ha leído un libro en la última década…’. PFFFFFFF. Eso qué. Harmony está maldito. Hace una película absolutamente de nuestros tiempos y aún así pareciera ante la mayoría de la gente que algo se quedó en el pasado. En cuanto dejé la sala prendí el iPod y puse Everytime, porque creo jamás olvidaré ese mashup entre las chicas asaltando, poniendo una pistola en la sien y ambas piernas alrededor del cuello de un sujeto al que le están quitando su dinero mientras en las bocinas solo se escucha (( I may have made it rain • Please forgive me • My weakness caused you pain • And this song’s my sorry )). Jamás veré a Britney Spears del mismo modo.

Las historias de ladrones siempre tienen un lugar especial en mi...

Tue, 07 May 2013 20:25:00 -0400

Las historias de ladrones siempre tienen un lugar especial en mi corazón. Cuando las unes con arte clásico y dilemas psicológicos —donde no sabes qué es real y qué no— suenan mucho mejor. El estilo visual y el guión, hace que, por lo menos, existan tres momentos inolvidables en Trance:

A) Cuando vemos a Rosario Dawson caminando lentamente hacia James McAvoy, con unas tetas perfectas.

B) Cuando un pene explota en un primerísimo plano.

C) Cuando medio cráneo de Vincent Cassel sigue hablando con el protagonista. Danny Boyle nunca fue tan Cronenberg.

¿Ya todos se dieron cuenta los muchísimos géneros que ha hecho Danny Boyle donde en el peor de los casos el resultado es ‘bueno’? Slumdog Millionaire, Sunshine, Millions, 28 Days Later, Trainspotting, Shallow Grave. Nada nada mal.

Scarlett Johansson | Desire

Tue, 07 May 2013 18:52:27 -0400

Scarlett Johansson | Desire

U.S. President Barack Obama said Friday it’s time to recognize...

Sat, 04 May 2013 14:56:00 -0400

U.S. President Barack Obama said Friday it’s time to recognize the impressive progress that Mexico has made to create more prosperity for its people, as he seeks to push immigration reform in the U.S. and foster more fruitful bilateral relations with a key trade partner. Here is the text of his remarks:

Remarks for President Barack Obama

National Museum of Anthropology, Mexico City, Mexico, Friday, May 3, 2013

Hola! Buenos dias! It is wonderful to be back in México, lindo y querido. I bring with me the greetings and friendship of the people of the United States, including tens of millions of proud Mexican Americans.

This is my fourth visit to Mexico as President. Each time, I’ve been inspired—by your culture, by the beauty of this land, and most of all, by the Mexican people. You’ve welcomed my wife Michelle here. You’ve welcomed our daughter Malia and her classmates to Oaxaca. And as a proud dad, I have to say—her Spanish is getting pretty good. It helps that she is smarter than me.

It is an honor to be back in Mexico City—one of the great cities of the world. Es un placer estar entre amigos. It’s fitting that we gather at this great museum, which celebrates Mexico’s ancient civilizations and their achievements in arts and architecture, medicine and mathematics. In modern times, your blend of cultures and traditions found its expression in the murals of Rivera, the paintings of Frida, the poetry of Sor Juana and the essays of Octavio Paz.

Paz once spoke words that capture the spirit of our gathering today—in this place that celebrates your past, but which this morning is filled with you, the young people who will shape Mexico’s future. “Modernity,” Paz said, “is not outside us, but within us. It is today and the most ancient antiquity; it is tomorrow and the beginning of the world; it is a thousand years old and yet newborn.”

That’s why I wanted this opportunity to speak with you today. You live at the intersection of history of which Paz spoke. You honor your heritage, thousands of years old, but you are also part of something new, a nation remaking itself. And as our modern world changes around us, it is the spirit of young people, your optimism and idealism, that will drive the world forward.

You see the difference between the world as it is and the world as it ought to be; between old attitudes that can stifle progress and the new thinking that allows us to connect and collaborate across cultures. That includes how we think about the relationship between our two nations.

Despite the deep bonds and values we share, attitudes—in both countries—are sometimes trapped in old stereotypes. Some Americans only see the Mexico depicted in sensational headlines of violence and border crossings. Some Mexicans may think America disrespects Mexico, that we seek to impose ourselves on Mexican sovereignty, or, alternatively, wish to wall ourselves off. And in both countries, such distortions can breed myths and misunderstanding that only make it harder to make progress together.

I have come to Mexico because it is time to put old mindsets aside. It’s time to recognize new realities, including the impressive progress in today’s Mexico. For even as Mexicans continue to make courageous sacrifices for the security of your country; even as Mexicans in the countryside and in neighborhoods not far from here struggle to give their children a better life… it’s also clear that a new Mexico is emerging.

I see a Mexico that is deepening your democracy. Citizens who are standing up and saying that violence and impunity is not acceptable. A courageous press working to hold leaders accountable. A robust civil society, including brave defenders of human rights who demand dignity and rule of law. Political parties that compete vigorously, transfer power peacefully, and forge the compromise on which progress depends. And even as the work of perfecting democracy is never done—as we know in both our countries—you go forward knowing the truth that Benito Juarez once spoke: “democracy is the destiny of humanity.”

I see a Mexico that is creating new prosperity. Trading with the world. Becoming a manufacturing powerhouse—from Tijuana and Monterrey to Guadalajara and across the central highlands—a global leader in automobiles and appliances and electronics. But also a center of high-tech innovation, producing the software and hardware of our digital age. One man in Querétaro spoke for an increasing number of Mexicans. “There’s no reason to go abroad in search of a better life,” he said. “There are good opportunities here.”

Indeed, I see a Mexico that has lifted millions from poverty. Because of the sacrifices of generations, a majority of Mexicans now call themselves middle class, with a quality of life that your parents and grandparents could only dream of. This includes new opportunities for women, who are proving that—when given the chance—you can shape the destiny of your country, too.

In you, Mexico’s youth, I see a generation empowered by technology. I think I see some of you tweeting and WhatsApping right now. And whether it’s harnessing social media to preserve indigenous languages, or speaking up for the future you want, you’re making it clear that your voice will be heard.

And I see a Mexico that is taking its rightful place in the world. Standing up for democracy in our hemisphere. Sharing your expertise with neighbors across the Americas—when they face earthquakes or threats to their citizens or go to the polls to cast their votes. You’ve joined the ranks of the world’s largest economies, and became the first Latin American nation to host the G-20, another confident step on the world stage.

Just as Mexico is being transformed, so too are the ties between our two countries. As President, I’ve been guided by a basic proposition—in this relationship there is no senior partner or junior partner. We are two equal partners—two sovereign nations that must work together in mutual interest and mutual respect.

Just as I worked with President Calderon, I have reaffirmed with President Peña Nieto that the great partnership between our two countries will not simply continue, it will grow even stronger, even broader. In my time with President Peña Nieto, I’ve come to see his deep commitment to Mexico and its future. We share the belief that as leaders our guiding mission is to improve the lives of our peoples. And so we agree that the relationship between our nations must be defined—not by the threats we face—but by the prosperity and opportunity we can create together. And if we are serious about being equal partners, then both our nations must recognize our responsibilities.

Here in Mexico, you’ve embarked on ambitious reforms—to make your economy more competitive and your institutions more accountable to you, the people. As you pursue these reforms, know that you have the strong support of the United States. Because whether you’re looking for basic services, or trying to start a new business, we share your belief that you should be able to make it through the day without paying a bribe. And when talented Mexicans like you imagine your future, you should have every opportunity to succeed right here in the country you love.

In the United States, we recognize our responsibilities as well. We understand that the root cause of much of the violence here—and so much suffering for many Mexicans— is the demand for illegal drugs, including in the United States. Now, I do not believe that legalizing drugs is the answer; instead, I believe in a comprehensive approach—not just law enforcement, but education, prevention and treatment. And we’re going to keep at it—because the lives of our children and the future of our nations depend on it.

We recognize that most of the guns used to commit violence here in Mexico come from the United States. In America, our Constitution guarantees our individual right to bear arms, and as President I swore an oath to uphold that right—and I always will. At the same time, as I’ve said back home, I will continue to do everything in my power to pass common sense gun reforms that keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people—reforms that will save lives in both our countries. Meanwhile, we’ll keep increasing the pressure on the gun traffickers who bring illegal guns into Mexico, and we’ll keep putting these criminals where they belong—behind bars.

We recognize our responsibility—as a nation that believes that all people are created equal—to treat one another with dignity and respect. This includes recognizing how the United States has been strengthened by the extraordinary contributions of immigrants from Mexico and by Americans of Mexican heritage.

Mexican Americans enrich our communities, including my hometown of Chicago, where you can walk through neighborhoods like Pilsen and La Villita, dotted with murals of Mexican patriots, where you can stop at a fonda or hear the rhythms of timeless ballads, and where we are inspired by the deep faith of our peoples at churches like Our Lady of Guadalupe.

We’re grateful to Mexican Americans in every segment of our society—for teaching our children, running our companies, serving with honor in our military, making breakthroughs in science, and standing up for social justice. As Dr. Martin Luther King told Cesar Chavez, we are “brothers in the fight for equality.” Indeed, without the strong support of Hispanics, including so many Mexican Americans, I would not be standing before you today as President of the United States.

Our shared future is one of the reasons that we in the United States also recognize the need to reform our immigration system. We are a nation of laws, and like every nation we have the responsibility to ensure that our laws are upheld.

But we also know that, as a nation of immigrants, the immigration system we have in the United States now doesn’t reflect our values. It separates families when we should be reuniting them. It’s led to millions of people living in the shadows. It deprives us of the talents of so many young people—even though we know that immigrants have always been an engine of our economy; starting some of our greatest companies, pioneering new industries.

That’s one of the reasons I acted to lift the shadow of deportation from DREAMers—young people brought to the United States as children. And that’s why I’m working with our Congress to pass common sense immigration reform. Reform that continues to strengthen border security and strengthen legal immigration, so citizens don’t have to wait years to bring their family to the United States. Reform that holds everyone accountable— so immigrants get on the right side of the law and so immigrants are not exploited and abused. Most of all, reform that gives millions of undocumented individuals a pathway to earn their citizenship. And I’m optimistic that—after years of trying—we’re finally going to get this done.

Obviously, we seek to work with the Mexican government on all issues related to a well-regulated border. But I also believe that the long-term solution to the challenge of illegal immigration—so we’re not dealing with this, decade after decade—is a growing, prosperous Mexico that creates more jobs and opportunity right here.

I agree with the Mexican student who said, “I feel like we can reach the same level as anyone in the world.” And so I firmly believe…juntos, podemos lograr más. Together, we can achieve more. So with the remainder of my time today, I want to focus on five areas where we can do more.

First, let’s do more to expand the trade and commerce that creates good jobs for our people. We already buy more of your exports than any other country. We sell more of our exports to Mexico than we do to Brazil, Russia, India and China—combined. Mexican companies are investing more in the United States, and we’re the largest foreign investor in Mexico—because we believe in Mexico, and we want to be a partner in your success.

Guided by the new economic dialogue that President Peña Nieto and I announced yesterday, let’s do more to unlock the true potential of our relationship. Let’s keep investing in our roads, bridges and border crossings so we can trade faster and cheaper. Let’s help our smaller businesses, which employ most of our workers, access new markets—the big markets right across the border. Let’s empower our young entrepreneurs as they create the startups that can transform how we live. And let’s realize the Trans-Pacific Partnership, this year, so our two nations can compete and win in the fast-growing markets of the Asia Pacific.

Second, let’s not just sell more things to each other, let’s build more things together. With many of our companies operating in both our countries, parts are now being shipped back and forth across the border as they’re assembled. So every day, U.S. and Mexican workers are building things together—cars, aircraft, computers, satellites.

I believe this is only the beginning. Given the skills of our workers, it makes even more sense for companies from around the world to set up shop in our countries. As Mexico reforms, we’ll be able to do even more business together. And the more that our companies collaborate, the more competitive they’ll be and the more products we’ll sell to the world.

Third, as we secure our economic future, let’s secure our energy future, including the clean energy we need to combat climate change. Our nations are blessed with boundless natural beauty—from our coastlines and farmlands to your tropical forests. And just as the science of climate change is undeniable, so is the fact that our economies must become greener.

In the United States, we’ve made historic commitments to clean and renewable energy, and reduced our emissions of harmful carbon pollution. Here in Mexico, you’re a leader in cutting carbon emissions and in helping developing countries do the same. Together, let’s keep building new clean energy partnerships by harnessing wind and solar and the good jobs that come with them. Let’s keep investing in green buildings and smart grid technologies so we’re making our planet cleaner and safer for future generations.

Fourth—and this is part of staying competitive, too—let’s do more together in education so our young people have the knowledge and skills to succeed. Here in Mexico you’ve made important progress—with more children staying in school longer, and record numbers of students like you getting a university education.

Just imagine how much the students of our two countries could do together and learn from each other. That’s why President Peña Nieto and I announced a new partnership in higher education—to encourage more collaboration between our universities and students. We’re going to focus on science, technology, engineering and math. It’s part of my broader initiative called 100,000 Strong in the Americas. We want 100,000 students from the United States studying in Latin America, including Mexico. And we want 100,000 Latin American students—including Mexicans like you—to come study in the United States.

Finally, to help energize your careers and spark the industries of the future, let’s truly invest in innovation, research and development. Here in Mexico, you’re now a global leader in graduating engineers and technicians. One of Mexico’s leading scientists, Rafael Navarro-González, is helping analyze data from the rover on Mars.

Together, let’s remember that every dollar and every peso that we invest in research and development returns so much more to our economies—more jobs, more opportunity. So let’s forge new partnerships in areas like aerospace, IT, nanotechnology, biotechnology and robotics. Let’s answer the hope of a young woman—a student at the National Polytechnic Institute—who spoke for many in your generation, so eager to make your mark. She said, “give us jobs as creators.” Give us jobs as creators.

Mexico, I know there are those—in this country and beyond—who are skeptical of your progress; who doubt your capacity to make the most of this moment. They say the headwinds you face are just too stiff. They say Mexico has been here before, eyes fixed on a bright horizon, on the verge of great possibility, only to be blown off course.

It is true that nothing is inevitable. Progress and success is never guaranteed. The future you dream of, the Mexico you imagine—it must be earned. And no one else can do it for you. It can only be earned by you. You are the future. As Nervo wrote in “La Raza de Bronce”—tu eres el sueño. You are the dream.

For just as it was patriots, young and old, who answered the call when Father Miguel Hidalgo rang that church bell two centuries ago, you—your lives, in a free Mexico—are the dream they imagined. And now it falls to you to keep alive those virtues for which so many generations of Mexicans struggled.

You are the dream—the generation that can stand up for justice and human rights and human dignity, here at home and around the world.

You are the creators, the builders, the climbers, the strivers who can deliver progress and prosperity that will lift up the Mexican people for generations to come.

You are the men and women who will push this nation upward as Mexico assumes its rightful place in the world, as you proudly sing: “in heaven your eternal destiny was written by the finger of God.”

You are the dream. This is your moment. And as you reach for the future you know is possible, always remember that your greatest partner—the nation rooting for your success more than anyone else—is your closest neighbor and strongest friend, the United States of America.

Viva México! Viva los Estados Unidos! Que Dios los bendiga!

Source: White House

Mi favorito de Cannes. Más, acá.

Thu, 02 May 2013 00:18:31 -0400

Mi favorito de Cannes. Más, acá.

killscreen: How Twin Peaks finds new life in the world of...

Thu, 02 May 2013 00:03:13 -0400

killscreen:

How Twin Peaks finds new life in the world of Deadly Premonition

‘Dance Dance Evolution’. Un aumento para quien lo...

Wed, 01 May 2013 21:05:50 -0400

‘Dance Dance Evolution’. Un aumento para quien lo ideó.

Smashing Pumpkins: Disillusionment, Obsession, Confusion,...

Wed, 01 May 2013 11:00:14 -0400

Smashing Pumpkins: Disillusionment, Obsession, Confusion, Satisfaction. Los Smashing en la portada de la Rolling Stone, el 16 de noviembre de 1995.

Exclusive Interview With Daft Punk in Obsession Magazine —A note...

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 22:52:06 -0400

Exclusive Interview With Daft Punk in Obsession Magazine

—A note from CastleAwesome:

Our first translated interview was pretty popular, so I thought I’d obtain another one. Credit goes to StanV of thedaftclub.com. The following is writing is, ‘as is’. Please enjoy.

INTRO

1993. An English journalist describes the music of Darlin’, a little French band consisting of 3 big rock fans, as “Daft Punk”. Not feeling spiteful, two of the musicians change directions to launch their new project, inspired by electro. This move sends them towards an undeniable glory: 20 years later, Daft Punk has become the most wooed band in the world, one of which nobody dares to say anything bad about. Their dance anthems are embedded in our collective mind. “Da Funk” in 1996, “Around The World” in 1997, “One More Time” in 2000, “Harder Better Faster Stronger” in 2001, “Technologic” in 2005 have allowed Daft Punk to sell millions and millions of albums across the globe. And all that despite their taste of not often appearing in public, not often performing concerts and not often making albums. Four albums (and a soundtrack) since 1993…These guys take their time before steering their project towards its destination. They have reinvented techno with “Homework” (1997), which was the first album in this genre to be large-scale, they re-installed the taste of synthetic disco of the 70′s with “Discovery” (2001) before returning to the present of rock with “Human After All” (2005), the latter badly received on release.

“Our leitmotif,” says the band, “is never doing anything twice. For each project, everything needs to be reinvented. This has been clear for us since the beginning because it would be really easy to duplicate all our songs all the time. Starting with this mindset, all directions became possible”

Paradox: known all over the world, Daft Punk are also the most anonymous band thanks to their robot masks that are both their brand but also a shield against being a celebrity. With a covered face, wearing washed jeans, an old black T-shirt, a grey sweater, Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo could be virtually anyone random. Protected by their android counterparts they are not infected by the Facebook-culture. Thomas Bangalter shares his life with the actress Elodie Bouchez, but he never searches to lead a “glam couple” life. Luckily. When Thomas goes to the department store or he buys a baguette at a bakery, he doesn’t feel being “Daft Punk” at all.

THE VALLEY OF THE UNKNOWN

Nonetheless, when Guy-Manuel and himself put on their uniforms, which do not allow a single centimeter of skin to be shown, their silhouettes straighten up. The black costumes – designed by Hedi Slimane for Saint Laurent -, the chrome reflecting helmets give them very mechanic looking movements. Seeing them up close in their robot appearance causes an immediate curious sensation, both physically and mentally. This feeling that one gets when seeing a robot acting human was theorised by the Japanese ‘robotician’ Masahiro Mori in 1970. He baptised his theory as “the valley of the unknown”. Spending a few hours with Daft Punk is quite like that: discussing with beings from somewhere unknown but at the same time also very close to us.

DISCO, SURREALISM AND PSYCHEDELIA

Their new album, “Random Access Memories”, is planned for the end of May. A familiar sounding blend, but certainly futuristic, it consists of fragments of the history of disco and punk, projected in the middle of house and electro sounds. Its ambition, as explained by its creators, is to rediscover the magic of the 1970′s and 80′s, the years of Michael Jackson, Chic or Fleetwood Mac – sounds that have transgressed their era and that have become classics.

To keep the entirety of the project under control, the two musicians have financed the complete production of the album – “we hade the luxury to say to ourselves that if we did not like it, we could throw all of it away. Having a label behind us to care about would have been frightening.”

The process went by slowly and wisely thought out: “We begun our work in 2008, after eighteen months of touring. At first, we went to our studio to put ideas aside

After that, we took a break for one year to work on the music of Tron: Legacy. When that was done we retook our work, recording with several musicians but still without having conceptualised the album in its entirety. Only about one and a half year ago, in the middle of all the chaos, a link appeared to us, on which we based the title.” Random Access Memoriesreferences, but in plural, to RAM or the working memory of computers. “There is a parallel between the brain and hard drives, between computers and humans.” The idea of fragmentation -another term from ICT- also features on the album. “During all of the recording, we had this impression of being disorganized and following this almost psychoanalytic process where nothing is fixed, nor linear. All of it was constituted on associations of random ideas.”

AN ALBUM CALIFORNIAN

Recorded between New York, Paris and Los Angeles, “Random Access Memories” sounds like an album produced under the Californian sun. Since a few years and since their work on the soundtrack of the Disney super production “Tron: Legacy”, Daft Punk spend a lot of time in L.A.. “All of the albums of the 1970′s-1980′s that we love have this West Coast side to it: they breathe a sweetness of life, an impression of sunset and of light. Los Angeles is full of history, but it’s also a city of sadness full of broken dreams. It has a bit of nostalgy to it: its archeticture preserves something from an America that has disappeared. Living there, it’s a bit like being cut off the world, all while being in a factory of dreams.”

THE MAGICIANS-ENGINEERS

Up until now, Daft Punk could have summarized themselves this way: a duo that tortures machines in such a way so that it creates emotion, groove and sweat. “An engineer of a very controlled universe”. Daft Punk do not deny anything (it’s simply not their way of being), but has spending two decades delved inside these machines made them bored of them? As usual, their answer is more subtle. “The internet has caused human relationships to become more and more virtual. With this album,” explains Thomas Bangalter, “we still stay inside this illusion and this secrecy while also giving ourselves the joy of working in a team. When we make synthetic music, we create sounds, these ranges that still are just simulations of reality. Here, the idea was to capture moments of magic, moments of elegance. What is it about the first notes of “Hotel California” that creates the impression that you are in the sun, surrounded by crickets? How does that work?” To find the alchemy of this sound that ran through the United States in the middle of the 1970′s until “Thriller” (1982), the duo contacted some of the biggest artists of that era such as Nile Rodgers and Giorgio Moroder. “The album,” says Thomas Bangalter, “goes well beyond being a homage to all these people who have shaped our creativity: to interact and create with them has been an incredibly strong experience.” The album excludes, for example, the use of drum machines to make way for drummers who drum with a irrefutable precision but with variations that no machine could reproduce. Still robot, but “human after all”.

METHOD VS. CHAOS

We imagine Daft Punk as being control freaks -which is not entirely false-, but this time, they let everything go so they could reconstruct all of it. This method proved to be risky. “We found ourselves in this surreal dimension, almost psychedelic. We got passioned by diving in these complex musical ramifications and organizing this chaos.” The recordings went in a way that ressembled a series of extraordinary parts, phrases and cut sequences that “once pasted together became something very interesting for us.” And they cite, as reference, the book of Mark Z. Danielewski, House of Leaves, “which is readable through all senses and which can be started by reading from the top, from the bottom, …”

Twenty years ago, the samplers used by Daft Punk only had but a few seconds of memory. This capacity has today become gigantic, unlimited: “Machines now have a lot of power, but the content created has become extremely poor these past few years. For Random Access Memories, we used this technological infinity to record significant things, to channel the sprawling, overflowing proportions of things we had recorded during the course of the sessions.”

CINEPHILIC ROBOTS

Seasoned fans of science-fiction, mingled with references of the genre, the two Daft Punk memebers often halt their conversations to go into detail of a certain passage of “2001: A Spacey Odyssey” or a scene from their fetish film “Phantom of the Paradise” (which they discovered together at the age of 15 and in which plays Paul Williams, also invited on their album). With them, in their studio, we can imagine laying here and there DVD’s of “Tron” (the original) or “Star Wars”. Only recently, they participated both in an Adidas advertisement that put them along with various contemporary pop figures (David Beckham, Snoop Dogg, Oasis) inside the original Star Wars movie. Seeing them next to C-3PO or R2-D2 is sort of an epiphany. Daft Punk compose albums while having the universes created by George Lucas or Steven Spielberg inside their head. In 2007, they create a movie together, “Electroma”, where the universe consists of figures resembling their own robot look. An esthetic borrowed of films by Gus Van Sant, notably “Gerry” and its journey across the desert. Daft Punk organized this movie as an art-y exit out of their usual world, [une saillie cinéphile dans un espace peuple dé leurs clones] “We are fascinated by cinema because it is a collective art. A movie, it basically is a group of people who realize a masterpiece together.” They already tested this type of work during the creation of “Electroma” and they wanted to return to something like this, above all costs. In order to survive. “After having created our first three albums, we didn’t really want to return to the studio and begin work as usual with just us two. That would have been a much less enriching experience compared to opening ourselves towards others. It might sound a bit cliché, but we wanted to attempt a human adventure such as those on the albums that inspire us.” After twenty years of living as a couple, the robots have need for others.

TWIST THE PAST, FABRICATE THE PRESENT

Daft Punk are skillful theoricians. And they are able to analyze their compositions with both strange but at the same time original arguments, which is something unique for musicians. When asked if they aim to produce retrofuturistic music, they answer: “Our idea is rather to create portals towards some sort of space-time unique. We isolate things of the paste, we twist them, we manipulate these flashbacks to fabricate a window outside of time.” Only to continue with a relentless observations on current music production: “Today, inside studios, the music is no longer recorded; it is generated by computers. The process of capturing something, then sharing it with others is about to disappear. Our idea was to hide the technology, to put it at the bottom, never in plain sight.” This does not mean that computers are nowhere to be found: “Touch” is an ambitious piece created and written with Paul Williams and consists of 250 different tracks. The album has been created after long months of productions, of post-production, of recordings and of re-recordings. They have written, erased, re-written… But always with a sense of spontaneity and musicality. “The process could be compared to what one can see in The Mystery of Picasso by Henri-George Clouzot, which shows a painter working on five paintings at the same time. It is also comparable to the creation of a movie by Terrence Malick, who often works years on a very utopical movie without really knowing where he’ll end up.” The final result and its coherence is most likely due to their manner of working together with the two of them, which started more than twenty years ago. They describe themselves as two complementary guys. Thomas has his nose on the screen (moviescreen, computerscreen) and Guy-Manuel is in the back, the ears on alert. Even during the interview, their attitude is the same: “Guy-Manuel has always been seated in a couch behind me while I was in front, facing the machines, talking to the musicians – or to journalists.”

A FORM OF PERFECTION

During the entirety, one analyses, the other listens. Thomas argues for a long time, certain of his case, with a bright light in his eyes. Guy-Manuel pleases himself by dropping a cryptic phrase between two long silences, but his eyes shine with the same brilliance. Both transmit the same thing: we look for a form of perfection.

Everybody hates Skrillex—except for his fans in the media and...

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 11:00:16 -0400

Everybody hates Skrillex—except for his fans in the media and music industry.

—By Steven Hyden April 5, 2012

At the risk of making a gross understatement, times are good for 24-year-old Sonny Moore, a.k.a. Skrillex, the producer and DJ who’s become the figurehead of pummeling, high-energy American dance music. He has yet to release a full-length album, but he’s already racked up a career’s worth of music-industry honors and gushing media coverage. In February, he was awarded three Grammys, and while he didn’t win out in the Best New Artist category, The Recording Academy saw fit to put him in the company of music’s brightest young stars, including Bon Iver, Nicki Minaj, J. Cole, and The Band Perry. In the past month, he’s been the subject of a fawning Rolling Stone profile, a laudatory Pitchfork interview, and a complimentary write-up by Stereogum. (That’s in addition to recent coverage by The Village Voice and New York magazine, and an appearance on the cover of Spin last fall.) In the coming months, he’ll be a featured artist at a series of music festivals, including Bamboozle and Bonnaroo.

There are people who hate Skrillex’s music, of course. Lots of people. He’s been criticized by other artists in his genre, inspired anti-Skrillex fan pages on Facebook, and any article about him is bound to attract scores of vitriolic comments. (From the A.V. Club’s review of Skrillex’s Bangarang EP: “Mother of God, it’s all toilet sounds!”) In many ways, this adverse reaction has come to define Skrillex. “Around certain corners of the Internet, the comments section of this site often included, Skrillex is an instant punchline,” Stereogum’s Tom Breihan wrote in his “In Defense Of Skrillex” piece, before standing up for Moore’s “goofy name,” his “goofy haircut,” and the “simple, serrated bass drop” that’s became his signature musical flourish. Breihan, who wrote about Skrillex after seeing him perform at South By Southwest last month, was attempting to make a case for an artist that’s been mocked by a vocal part of his readership. But after looking at the totality of Skrillex’s career at the moment, he hardly seems in need of defending.

In fact, Moore has worked hard to become a front-runner, and obtained significant, and traditional, advantages from the music industry in securing that position. Moore made his name by following the most trusted blueprint for building a career as a pop star in the 21st century: He’s toured constantly (playing 300 shows a year) and aggressively utilized social media (he has more than 1 million Twitter followers, and more than 4.8 million likes on his Facebook page). In the process, he’s become a reliable live draw, a guaranteed sell-out who packs them in at increasingly larger venues all over the country. No wonder powerful music-industry insiders are already giving him awards: In a business where young, bankable talent always seems to be in short supply, Skrillex appears to be a brand name with a future.

Make no mistake: That name is being pushed hard these days. And the media, it appears, is finally on board. I don’t mean to question the enthusiasm that many music critics have for Skrillex, or what he represents for the future of pop and rock music. I don’t doubt that it’s sincere, though it does seem, at times, to be a little much. Check out this passage from Neil Strauss’ Rolling Stone story:

He joined his first indie and punk bands when he was 12, toured the world fronting the Top 40 screamo band From First To Last at 16, and signed a solo deal with Atlantic Records the year he turned old enough to legally go to the clubs he’d been performing at. Now, at 24, he’s … playing the most noncommercial music of his career—his tonally dirty, dynamically aggressive brand of bass-rattling dubstep—and to everyone’s surprise, most of all his own, he has become the most exciting thing happening in popular music this moment … And everyone is blowing up his phone, from Dr. Dre to Kanye West, who took Skrillex to Vegas in his private jet, watched him DJ and then invited him to his hotel room to cut some tracks.

I should probably state now, for the record, that Skrillex’s music fills me with indifference. I appreciate the physicality of it, the way it hits the chest when played at full volume, letting loose an infusion of endorphins into your bloodstream like a firehose blasting out Jolt Cola. But his music in no way speaks to my heart or my brain. I can feel it when it hits me, but when it’s gone, it’s gone. The best (or worst) I can say about Skrillex is that his music reminds me of the “intense,” heart-racing Muzak you hear in energy-drink commercials. It bulldozes, but it doesn’t leave a mark.

So, I guess you could call me a Skrillex skeptic. Not a hater (I like Jolt sometimes), just a shoulder-shrugger. I don’t mind that Skrillex exists, but I wouldn’t care if he started selling shoes tomorrow. Which is why I’m intrigued by the idea that Moore “has become the most exciting thing happening in popular music this moment.”

In order to believe this, you have to buy into a familiar narrative that’s at least as old as Elvis: Moore has been positioned as the latest upstart with a “new” sound, threatening The Way Things Are by offending the sensibilities of out-of-it, stick-in-the-mud fussbudgets (commonly described as “old,” “white,” “rockist,” and/or “establishment” people). This narrative is inherent to much of the pro-Skrillex coverage of recent months, the idea that the forcefully rousing dubstep he’s popularized represents the future, and that it will act as a cleansing agent for the most tired forms of pop (namely radio-dominant rock) that everybody agrees is terrible and yet won’t go away already. It helps that Moore sort of looks like what we imagine the future to be, with his Mad Max clothes and haircut and music that sounds like androids having violent sex in the back of a space cruiser. I have little doubt that he’ll be the first pop star to tour in a flying bus.

There are a few problems with this “upstart” narrative, starting with what I’ve already alluded to: Skrillex is the sweetheart of the music-industry establishment. After breaking out as a solo artist five years ago, Moore made three albums’ worth of music that his label, Atlantic Records, opted not to release. It was a frustrating period for Moore, who was inspired to invent the Skrillex moniker and post his first EP, My Name Is Skrillex, as a free download in 2010. But Atlantic never gave up on him, sticking with an artist it apparently believed in enough to give ample space to evolve rather dramatically—from emo kid to dubstep kingpin—over the course of several years. (Even if Atlantic reportedly wasn’t immediately on-board with Moore’s Skrillex experiment, as detailed in Strauss’ story, it certainly didn’t dump him.) Once Moore started gaining some traction, The Recording Academy (the epitome of “old” and “establishment” if there ever was one) rushed to legitimize him by handing him multiple Grammys. That kind of corporate support makes Skrillex as much of an industry upstart as the iPhone 4.

Moore, in his wisdom, has downplayed this as much as possible. In his interview with Pitchfork, he says he was invited to perform on the Grammys telecast, but declined, because, “That’s not what I do. I don’t play on TV.” Moore added that he likes to cater his sets to the venue and the crowd, which is obviously impossible for a television audience. But not playing the Grammys also was a savvy career move. The mashup of electronic artists David Guetta and Deadmau5 with R&B singer Chris Brown and the decidedly rave-unfriendly rock band Foo Fighters was a widely derided trainwreck. Moore, meanwhile, was spared the embarrassment (and potential overexposure) of participating. He was like Orson Welles in The Third Man, looming large over the proceedings by being both present (he accepted his awards in a pre-show ceremony) and off-camera. Not doing the Grammys somehow made Moore seem like an even bigger star.

For the “upstart” narrative to work, Skrillex needs an opposing force to play off of. And that’s the other problem here: His opposition is a rather weak, harmless lot that clearly hasn’t impacted his career in any real way. The “torrent of scorn” that Pitchfork’s Ryan Dombal describes being directed at Skrillex comes mostly from an amorphous group of Internet trolls. Yes, people say mean things about Skrillex online. You know what else is (to borrow Breihan’s phrase) “an instant punchline” on the Internet? Everything that’s ever existed. The more successful you are IRL, the more hate you attract URL. And Moore is highly successful in both realms.

At the very least, saying that Skrillex is “playing the most noncommercial music of his career” and jet-setting with Kanye West in the same breath is patently absurd. Moore may very well be the next big thing, and his music could signal a sea change in popular music. But there’s another narrative about Moore with just as much truth to it: He was groomed to be a pop star, he was given the industry and media support to make it happen, and now it’s finally happening. This is also a familiar story, though it’s less romantic than the upstart narrative: The powerful set to out win, and they do.

Trance (2013). Danny Boyle nunca fue tan Cronenberg.

Sun, 28 Apr 2013 14:54:00 -0400

Trance (2013). Danny Boyle nunca fue tan Cronenberg.

The Gentleman’s Guide to a One-Night Stand

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 11:00:32 -0400

The Gentleman’s Guide to a One-Night Stand

Daft Punk Reveal Secrets of New Album - Exclusive In their first...

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 21:26:06 -0400

Daft Punk Reveal Secrets of New Album - Exclusive

In their first interview about ‘Random Access Memories,’ the dance duo explain the process and inspiration behind the LP

Battle of the Movie Posters: Remakes vs. Originals.

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 02:18:10 -0400

Battle of the Movie Posters: Remakes vs. Originals.

Inside the Battle of Hoth.

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 02:09:00 -0400

Inside the Battle of Hoth.

volcanicayexquisitaa:

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 14:49:26 -0400

volcanicayexquisitaa: