Category: Posts
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Casual, minimal live jam tactics
Since getting home from my sabbatical, I’ve been working on my live set a lot. I feel like I have all the technical pieces I need – to play the live set I’ve always dreamed of. At Catalyst, I was travelling, and was “improvising” with a couple of small portable controllers that I brought on…
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It Was Coming On
It Was Coming On is built around a public domain sample of a journalist interviewing people on the street, after the Pearl Harbour attack that kicked off World War Two. I flipped this somewhat dark sample material into a vocal for a playful, energetic and surreal tech-house tune with a bouncy groove. Today I celebrated…
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Live set tactics: Bitwig
This post is all about how my live set works. Every time I do a live set, I throw out everything I’ve done before, pick a new platform, and build it all again. Even with the same songs. This isn’t what I intend to do, it’s just what ends up happening. Now I’m using Bitwig…
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Tempelhofer Feld
Definitely keen for the abandoned airport. The promised “gastronomie” was not evident. Many BBQ-platz available though (BYO). 100% worth pushing through a mild hangover. There is also some kind of temporary housing project on site, fenced off between the (dead) airfield and the (paused hard) terminal. Prefab units connected together, with shutters, decking, and boardwalk…
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Hamburger Bahnhof
It’s way too hot here. Today we sought refuge in a contemporary art museum: Nationalgalerie der Gegenwart at Hamburger Bahnhof. In the cavernous ex-railway station main hall is Eva Fàbregas‘ Devouring Lovers. Definitely the spectacle, it’s good that it subtly jiggles occasionally. After exploring that we exited back to the ticket desk and wondered how…
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Parkplatz-Schlurfen
When I arrived at Catalyst on my first day I was a little nervous. I’d just arrived in Berlin the night before, couldn’t figure out the train tickets, so I got the tram ridiculously early and arrived there a bit after 9am (welcome time is 10am). My new school is in an industrial area; the…
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Laurie Anderson’s tiny tales
In Stockholm I visited the local contemporary art gallery: Moderna Museet. Lucky for me the feature exhibition was a Laurie Anderson retrospective. The first room celebrated a tiny “origin story” of Anderson’s grandad with a series of … photographs. He moved (from Sweden to USA) at age eight, started a business at nine and married…
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Skin on Skin under a motorway
While I’m in Europe I want to check out raves & clubs and generally get a feel for the scene over here – where it’s all happening! Here in Stockholm, Trädgården is running daytime sessions – ideal as I’m off to Berlin tomorrow. Even better, Skin on Skin is playing – you might have heard his…
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Armand Van Helden sampled Scorpions
I’m in Sweden and looking for things to go to – concerts, events, art galleries. Legendary 80s German rock band Scorpions are playing in the spherical Avicii Arena – this could be good! I only know Wind of Change, but it’s such an iconic song I’m happy to go along just to see that live.…
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Out of my shell in Uppsala
I normally take a couple of days to come out of my shell after travelling. When I land I need sleep, downtime, a supermarket for supplies. I don’t usually take many photos until I’m ready. Sometimes something grabs me though. It’s similar for holidays and weekends. During the working week I have lots of ideas…