Review...kinda...

Got my first response from the collection of people I sent to CD off to. Rather than reviewing the album, Tokafi reviewed the packaging of the press release...i guess it's better than nothing.

"The way you present yourself visually as an artist is becoming ever more important. As Steven Wilson of Bass Communion and Porcupine Tree put it in a recent interview with us: "When you're an artist, then your creativity does not stop at the point you've created the music. It continues through to the way you present your website, to the way you present your live shows and professional photographs." In this continuous series, we are taking a look at how labels and musicians around the world are accepting this challenge to come up with stimulating, provoking, endearing or simply stunningly beautiful designs. Part one: The envelope used to send us a copy of "Baked" by Halogen on UK-based label Maternity."

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Frequency Nine

Carl Sagans Ghost

Awesome ambient (duo?). Very mellow, very slow shifting washes of sound and ebbing melodies.
Lots of stuff to download for free, and they have stared a collaboration project that i'm interested in. Check it out on the site.
http://carlsagansghost.com/

Daniel Klag

Was looking for some experimental music stuff for Lydia Loop to check out when she went to New York. Stumbled upon this guy. More mega ambient experimental stuff in the vein of William Basinski but with more composition and harmonic development. He told me he's looking for a label to release on, from what i heard i would suggest Moteer or Raster Noton.
http://www.myspace.com/danielklag

Album Update 2

Sent off 12 press packs today to various publications and radio heads, still have more to make and send. Went all out on the design in an attempt to make it more interesting for the person receiving the package, now i just hope they listen to the CD and give it a good review!
Giant hi-5 to my sister, Anna, for helping me out with the whole process, no one else will ever know the many ridiculous draft messages that were written to David Stubbs and Derek Walmsley of The Wire magazine.
Each jiffy bag was spray painted matt black with the address written in silver.
On the back was a stencil of a halogen bulb (made by magic Jake) along with the return address.
As wells as a copy of the press release and the album, was a black card each with its own unique photo i had taken and a personal message. This was then bundled up with string and stuffed in the bag.

Unique Beat Podcast

My buddy IG88 informed of a new podcast that featured my track 'Not The Remix'. Alongside it are some other pretty interesting tunes as well as something special from the aforementioned IG88 who i recently completed a remix for. You can hear the podcast here.

Album Update

The Halogen - 'Baked' debut album is being printed and duplicated as we speak. Trying to locate some places to sell it, review it and play it. Release date set for 5th October - so get the word out.
Album track previews can be heard on the http://www.myspace.com/halogenbulbs

Retrospectre

'Retrospectre' will be dedicated to those dusty musical masterpieces that i have had the pleasure of rediscovering. Like 'Frequency' only with old stuff that's been around a while.
first up:

Black Sabbath - Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
My goodness. This album hit me in the face with such intensity i nearly wept at its ferocious magnitude. One of the greatest rock records of all time, fill of sweeping melodies, bone crushing riffs and BIG BEATS. Ozzy is on top form, reminding us why he deserve the legend that follows him, and Iommi's guitar is heavier than any over produced metal record ive heard the last 20 years. Stand out tracks: 'Sabbra Cadabra' / 'Sabbath Bloody Sabbath' / 'A National Acrobat'

Coldplay - Parachutes
I've received a lot of stick for listening to the album, but it's fantastic.
Before Coldplay were a chart topping stadium rock band naming children after fruit baskets they were (still chart topping) post-uni boys making heart tugging tracks. The balance of instrumentation is impeccable (thanks to Ken Nelson production) and every member shows true skill with their instruments. The guitar have a post rock epicness to them, the bass is melodic and never stagnant, the drums are inventive and pronounced and Chris Martin's voice is angelic.
So so so so good.
Stand out tracks: 'Shiver' / 'Spies' / 'Sparks'

Junk Mail

SPAM and junk mail is a horrific defect of the cyber culture, clogging inboxes like matted hair in a sink. However, among the multitude of useless information lie some literary gems, albeit equally useless as the rest, they make selling Viagra far more cryptic and pseudo-philisophical than I had ever thought possible.
I used some edits of said junk mail for the artwork in my Recycled Broadcasts EP.
I fail to see the benefits of using these marketing techniques but would love to know how they are made. Here's a recent classic:

From: Stripling Arabajian
Subject: i yi ,h
M EXAMINATION PAPERS.* Ques. Give a rule for the use of the period? Ans. Every period must begin with a capital. Ans. A period is a dot written to the end of a sentence and is used to low the voice. Ans. A period is used for the topage of a sentence and to make our reading sound better than if we had no period. Ques. What is the chief occupation in the South Atlantic States? Ans. The ocoopations cold in the north part, but in the lower part rain seldom fails. FROM A SUNDAY-SCHOOL. The lesson was on The Ten Virgins, and the next Sunday the review question was asked, "What was the lesson about last Sunday?" and a bright boy gave the prompt answer, "About ten gals that went to a weddin." COMPOSITION LETTERS FROM YOUNG PUPILS. My dear teacher, God be with you witch I know he will, as the Song says God can see me every day when I work and when I play. again God is always near me when I pray. I shall nor for get Miss H. her name shall never die out Christ have mercy upon her If God calls her I will spect to meet her in heven at the last trumpet shall sound. I will be thair. Yours truly, Robert ---- Dear teacher, I wish I could write good. I have not done my duty. I will try the next time and do better. I am very sorry. I will try and do better. May God help me to obey my teacher. Miss F. is sick. I hope she will get better. I will try to be like Jesus. I have sign the pledge and have kept it. Now I will close my bad lines. I hope you will come back next year. Good by. Your aff Scholar, James ----