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FANTASTIC BABY: K-Pop Music Videos & Discussion Panel (w/ Transcription)

Vivian Hua — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 08:42:36 +0000

music art film review - REDEFINE magazine

FANTASTIC BABY: K-Pop Music Videos & Discussion Panel (w/ Transcription)

Holocene and Redefine Magazine present.... A selection of music videos and discussion panel, as part of the ongoing SOUND & VISION series at Hollywood Theatre.Topics of discussion: * Repeated motifs and common techniques in filming contemporary K-pop videos: a technical analysis * Strength In Numbers: the rise of colossally sized K-pop idol groups with 10+ members * Eroding social conservatism and subverting gender norms in Korean culture through pop music and imageryMonday June 3rd, 2013 @ 7:30pm RSVP ON FACEBOOK Panelists: Allen Huang (JK POP! - Seattle / SSG Music) Ingmar Carlson (Shy Girls) Reese Umbaugh (JK POP! - Seattle) Jordan Becke (JK POP! - Seattle)Moderators: Gina Altamura (Holocene) Vivian Hua (REDEFINE magazine)+ DJ Initial P

In conjunction with JK POP! -- a monthly Korean and Japanese pop dance night in Seattle, every first Thursday at Barboza!

Transcription of Fantastic Baby Discussion Panel: Intro & Technical Components

Gina Altamura: I'm Gina Altamura, and I'm the talent buyer at Holocene. I also sometimes throw a [K-Pop] dance party over there called Happy Life Solution, and I've been extremely interested in this current wave of K-Pop music videos for a while now; their sort of insane visual splendor, just total decadence, I think far surpasses what's happening in a lot of American pop music in the States. And we put together this panel to kind of dive a little further into this splendid artform. Especially with the sort of burgeoning global phenomenon that K-Pop is becoming. We've seen the obviously insane YouTube mash of "GangNam Style" -- but we don't have to talk about that; we've seen Diplo producing tracks with K-Pop idols G-Dragon and TOP; we've seen Girls Generation on Letterman... so I think that K-Pop's steady march to world domination is an interesting thing to watch right about now. Vivian Hua: Hi, I'm Vivian Hua; I run a magazine called REDEFINE magazine. It's dedicated to kind of exploring the social implications of art and music. I was really obsessed with K-Pop as a teenager growing up, and with the recent kind of global interest in it, it's kind of spurred my re-interest in it. Tonight, we're just going to kind of talk about the social implications of K-Pop across the world. We have the session broken down into three segments: first, we're going to talk about the technical details of filming it and aesthetics; then we're going to talk about just gigantic boy and girl bands; and lastly, kind of the gender and social roles of what it means for South Korean society. Now, we're going to open it up to our panelists to introduce themselves. Ingmar Carlson: My name's Ingmar Carlson; I'm in a local band called Shy Girls; we're kind of an R&B sort of experience, but we're definitely very influenced by K-Pop... I'd say I'm kind of a K-Pop fanatic. You'll see on our website, which is really a Tumblr, we're constantly putting up all sorts of imagery, stills, shots from K-Pop, all this sort of thing. Um, yeah. I DJ some K-Pop every now and then, when I can, in town as well, so look out for the moniker DJ Shinhwa. Allen Huang: My name's Allen Huang. I help DJ the JK Pop Night in Seattle; we play Japanese and Korean pop music -- the poppier stuff, have people dance, have a good time. On the side, I am an album review editor at SSG Music, and I have a column there where I talk about pop culture. If you're talking about pop culture in the 2010's, you're probably going to talk about K-Pop, so I do that a lot. Reese Umbaugh: My name's Reese Umbaugh. I coordinate JK Pop in Seattle along with Allen and Jordan, and I also work at KEXP in Seattle, and I review J-Pop and K-Pop for our World Music show. Jordan Becke: I'm Jordan. I don't actually DJ music; I run all of the videos at JK Pop. My segment goes first, so I'll briefly run through that. Because I'm an editor, my interest comes down to how the videos are made, so I decided to focus on two aspects of K-Pop videos. One thing I noticed when watching a lot of videos is that there's a lot of focus on in-camera effects instead of post-production, so they'll do the lighting and the things in the scene, as opposed to taking it into an editor and doing things that way. And some of that is a product of sort of industrialization and studio systems that they have for the videos in Korea, so they'll re-use the same sets... it also forces a lot of creativity in trying to maximize the video while minimizing the cost. My video is going to have two segments; the first segment will be focused on the use of lighting, which is really interesting in K-Pop videos, and the second will be about the way that titles are used -- the way that the artist name and the song is integrated into the video itself, as opposed to being something that's on top of the video that you view afterwards. So the first segment will be a lighting segment; the second section I've added my own title information so that you then can know what to look for in the scene. Jordan Becke: There's one thing I forgot to mention. At the beginning of the first segment, there's an obviously live segment with G-Dragon; that was sort of the studio approach to some of the live shows they have. And again, the crazy digital approach is all on set; they weren't doing anything post-production. So yeah, that was my segment; Reese is next.

music art film review - REDEFINE magazine

FANTASTIC BABY: K-Pop Music Videos & Discussion Panel (w/ Transcription)

FEEL YOU SXSW 2013 Unofficial House Party Event Recap

Vivian Hua — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 20:40:27 +0000

music art film review - REDEFINE magazine

FEEL YOU SXSW 2013 Unofficial House Party Event Recap

REDEFINE's third unofficial SXSW house party went off with minimal hitches, as usual. With 1,250 free beers from Dos Equis with which to lubricate showgoers, we created a musical oasis in the midst of corporate SXSW chaos, full of good vibes, good music, and real human beings. Below is a brief recap of the day's festivities. Click here for the original press release, along with a 13-track mixtape download and stream featuring some exclusives.

Golden Spun from Brooklyn, NY

Beca from New York, NY

Young Pharoahs from Austin, TX

Ethereal & The Queer Show from Portland, OR

Brainstorm from Portland, OR

Darktown Strutters from Dallas, TX

eyes, wings and many other things from Dallas, TX

Delicate Steve from Newton, NJ

Party co-presenter Marjorie Owens, modeling beerz on behalf of Pour Le Corps Records and Clumsy & Shy.

Party co-presenter Gina Altamura, enjoying a beer on behalf of Portland's Holocene.

Vivian Hua, Editor-in-Chief of REDEFINE, giving out free beers, yo.

Def Rain from Denton, TX

Xander Harris from Austin, TX

music art film review - REDEFINE magazine

FEEL YOU SXSW 2013 Unofficial House Party Event Recap

FEEL YOU (#25) SXSW 2013 Unofficial House Party Mixtape

Gina Altamura — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 16:47:22 +0000

music art film review - REDEFINE magazine

FEEL YOU (#25) SXSW 2013 Unofficial House Party Mixtape

REDEFINE magazine, Pour Le Corps, Clumsy N Shy & Holocene present...
FEEL YOU: a house party at the intersection of psych and dance
Saturday, March 16th, 2013 @ House Of Commons 2610 Rio Grande St., Austin, TX 3:00pm - Late ALWAYS FREE, ALL-AGES, DIY & 100% UNAFFILIATED W/ SXSW AND OH YEAH +++ FREE BEER +++ RSVP ON FACEBOOK Good things come in threes. Three months after the world hasn't ended, the all-female booking trifecta of Marjorie Owens (label owner of Pour Le Corps and influential blog Clumsy N Shy), Gina Altamura (talent buyer at innovative Portland nightclub Holocene), and Vivian Hua (Editor-in-Chief of REDEFINE magazine) return to SXSW for the third year in a row. We call upon this heap of holy trinities to inspire ferocious whimsy at yet another free, all-ages, and unofficial house party for all who are weak and worn from the usual festival circuit. An oasis for mythic musics at SXSW 2013, FEEL YOU is all about creating clarity, harmony and POSI VIBES in an oft-overwhelming week of chaos. Our focus is on music that muddles introspective psychedelia with exuberant dance, so expect revelry and epiphanies. FEEL YOU blesses showgoers throughout its duration first and foremost with a GOOD ZONE -- while also boasting an excellent lineup, attention to audiovisual delights, a profusion of girl power, and - uh - plenty of FREE BEER. Join us in the spirit of liveliness (or even just post-non-apocalyptic aliveness) in the year 2013! TRANSCENDING SOCIAL CONSTRUCTS ++ REVELING IN SHARED PARADIGMS

Stream Mixtape

Download Mixtape (98 MB)

Midday Veil - "The Current" (Translinguistic Other) Seattle's prolific Midday Veil have taken over their hometown with art installations, video projections, curation efforts, and plenty of musical genre-mixing. They are busy folks, and the latest result of their efforts is their forthcoming self-released album, The Current. The album offers quite the spread of guitar-driven ass-kicking and droned-out synth-heavy space jams, but "The Current", as album opener, serves as an apt reminder of the band's strengths to combine those two elements into (pretty extended) pop songs. __ VIVIAN HUA
Rites Wild - "Rites Wild Theme" (Not Not Fun) On "Rites Wild Theme", Australia's Stacey Wilson excavates the deepest of her homeland's mysteries and brings them to the surface, where she buffs them soiled diamonds to a shine, slowly and patiently. What starts off with droney vocals and slow dubbed out basslines soon turns cosmic, thanks to some major delay action and harp-like washes that glitter. __ VIVIAN HUA
eyes wings and many other things - "Long Lost" (Pour Le Corps) MIXTAPE-EXCLUSIVE TRACK Empty your mind, relax, and eyes wings and many other things' "Long Lost" can take you on a pretty magical journey. The repetition of the drums and bass conjures up a tribal vibe in which the Moog and ghostly vocals keep you adrift. The slight shifts of movement and sound are a pleasant brain wash that can take you from the shore of a beach into the galaxies. This track comes from the band's forthcoming album, Long Lost. __ MARJORIE OWENS
Rose Windows - "Native Dreams" (Sub Pop Records) Another REDEFINE writer recently (and lovingly) referred to Seattle's Rose Windows as a "poor man's Black Mountain", and the reference isn't just used because both bands drink from the same rain-fed waters of the Pacific Northwest. The new Sub Pop signees' latest single, "Native Dreams", certainly has folk elements; but without ever getting too woodsy, they tangle up the backcountry with far out guitars, androgynous vocals, and super super super righteous organ wizardry (seriously, that guy...) to create quite the flurry of psychedelic energy. __ VIVIAN HUA
Darktown Strutters - "Silver Bullet" With "Silver Bullet", Darktown Strutters throw down a vibe like none other, that's part sexy secretary, part private eye, and good portions of playful funkiness for your ears (and more importantly, your ass). Darktown Strutters are a band that, echoing the cover of the '70s blaxploitation film of the same name, encourages you to "GET DOWN AND BOOGIE!", possibly in ways more tantalizing and freaky than you might be used to. __ VIVIAN HUA
Psychic Twin - "Strangers" (Polyvinyl Records) Chicago-based electropop group Psychic Twin are a last-minute addition to our SXSW showcase! The universe of music that Psychic Twin reside in is one of glowing, radiant dance pop with ethereal female vocal stylings -- and though that certainly isn't anything ground-breaking by description, it is always the sleight tricks that make one great band stand out from other mediocre similarities. Something about vocalist Erin Fein's breathy mumble-melodies just tickle me in the right ways to make Psychic Twin stand out from the others, and in "Strangers", the layers of vocal effects create a hypnotic element that touches the psychedelic sphere with respectable subtlety. __ VIVIAN HUA
Wampire - "Spirit Forest" (Polyvinyl Records) Upon hearing a title like "Spirit Forest," a Studio Ghibli fable of lovable enchanted creatures springs to mind. However, the Portland-based duo of Rocky Tinder and Eric Phipps are exploring the dark underbelly of dream-pop, crafting tunes which trade the wispily ethereal for the utterly eerie. In this dark forest of the Wampiric mythical landscape, Ariel Pink might be the reigning chief banshee. Ariel, that dream warrior for warped pop, could understand the youthful urgency that brings the yearning and pining of a pop song romance to staggering intensity. It's a tense yet captivating magic at play here, as Wampire skillfully straddles weirdo-pop surrealism and the visceral thrills of garage rock. Indeed, a carefully balanced tension seems at the very root of "Spirit Forest": that buoyant, funky rhythm section which stays steadily insistent despite being occasionally drowned out by menacing organ dirges. __ GINA ALTAMURA
BRAINSTORM - "She Moves" (Tender Loving Empire) Portland-based beatific pop trio Brainstorm have churned up another sonic delight at which to marvel. "She Moves" is one of their most overtly psychedelic and heavily intoxicating jams yet. As drummer/vocalist Adam Baz sings of falling prey to some particularly seductive feminine wiles, we find ourselves caught up in a whirling sensory rush, equal parts beautiful and delirious. The compelling psych-pop voyage is made all the more intriguing thanks to Patrick Phillips' distinctive guitar technique, which brilliantly incorporates elements of African Highlife into the mix. The sound is something like "Strawberry Alarm Clock" crash-landing in the Sahara, and the imagery evoked is of a vixen in a Mod mini-dress stepping out of the grainy black & white of a Troggs video and into a technicolor rose garden. Light some incense before you click the play button on this one; it's all about indulging the senses. __ GINA ALTAMURA
Delicate Steve - "Afria Talks To You" (Luaka Bop) New Jersey's Steve Marion, aka Delicate Steve, is my personal Guitar God. Always one to be drawn to story songs, latching onto narratives first, I was pleasantly surprised with myself when his second album, Positive Force -- an entirely wordless record -- became one of my most beloved releases of 2012. What draws me in so powerfully is the sheer euphoria expressed here, the warmth and triumph that Marion conveys so cleverly with his instrument. The songs feel absolutely life-affirming, and we're given just enough context clues to reassure us that the feeling is right on. There are clues in the song titles like "Positive Force" and "Love", sure, but also in Steve's presence at his live shows, wherein his radiant optimism is contagious. __ GINA ALTAMURA
Ethereal And The Queer Show - "Horse" (Pour Le Corps) "Horse" is named appropriately; right out of the gate, its electric gallop and wispy vocals create a magical landscape. The Portland duo's dream pop jam immediately draws you in and is one of those rare gems you want to listen to on repeat. And don't be surprised when you find yourself humming it days after your last listen. It sticks with you in such a good way. __ MARJORIE OWENS
Diamond Age - "The Shoreline" (Pour Le Corps) If one were to imagine the coastal edges that Diamond Age are referring to in "The Shoreline", they certainly wouldn't be the simple west coast of the United States or even the singularly-defined boot of Italy. No, more likely, the shoreline would be of the kind seen in fractal nations, of neverending length, which can be measured into infinity as one zooms in closer and closer. From the first moments of the track, one gets caught in a intricate web of mazed electronics, and it's hard to ever free oneself from their spinning. __ VIVIAN HUA
Beca - "Born To Fly (Morgan Wiley Remix)" (This Is Music Ltd) MIXTAPE-EXCLUSIVE TRACK Julliard-trained musician Beca is a one-lady petite powerhouse, with a repetoire that is wide, wide, wide-reaching. On the original version of her single "Born To Fly", Beca works around varied tropical percussion, shots of laser beams (!), and springy basslines to bring forth her crystal clear vocals. Here, with a remix by Morgan Wiley of Midnight Magic, her music turns into a club-heavy banger over the course of seven-and-a-half-minutes. __ VIVIAN HUA
Xander Harris - "Agriplex" (Not Not Fun) MIXTAPE-EXCLUSIVE TRACK Imagine it's 3013. You're in a spinner hovering over a space highway in the midst of a chase with Mad Max-like fugitives. In comes Xander Harris, aka Justin Sweatt of Austin. "Agriplex" is a sci-fi jam for a dystopian world -- but it's not a song for a world completely without hope; its rhythmic, electronic tones give off an energy that shines for a utopian change that leaves us feeling there's hope for those organic bots yet. This is an unreleased b-side from Chrysalid. __ MARJORIE OWENS

music art film review - REDEFINE magazine

FEEL YOU (#25) SXSW 2013 Unofficial House Party Mixtape

Shy Boys Fly Girls K-Pop Mixtape (#24) Download & Stream

Ingmar Carlson — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 02:46:43 +0000

music art film review - REDEFINE magazine

Shy Boys Fly Girls K-Pop Mixtape (#24) Download & Stream

With PSY having achieved billionaire/Bieber-destroyer status just in time for the holidays, here's a mix of not-so-Gangnam s(e)oul jams to recap 2012 and usher in the new year. These aren't quite for the club; they're more for staying in -- with your boo, or just you -- and making it through the rest of the winter. And you'd better make it, because 2013 is gonna be the Year of the K-Dragon. (Silly rabbit, snakes are for planes.) Curated by Ingmar Carlson of Shy Girls Editor's Note: Given the valued aesthetics of the K-Pop industry, each of these tracks is paired not only with a track and MP3, but a killer music video as well. Enjoy.

Stream Mixtape

Download Mixtape (93.1 MB)

Jay Park - "Come On Over" // 박재범 - 놀러와

Turn off your phone, girl. Listen up. It's Jay Park. Think of him as a 25-year-old Korean evocation of Usher, if you like, or even the solution to Frank Ocean's inability to read Hangul. Ultimately, there's little need to situate him, though; Park is truly a singular talent. He actually writes the bulk of his own material, and in the context of K-Pop, that rather lends him the carriage of a polar bear walking through a tropical rainforest. He's also American, hailing from Seattle. Allen Huang of SSG Music and JKPOP! told me he was a childhood friend. One day his mother asked, "Whatever happened to your friend Jay?" He'd skipped town and become a star. www.jaypark.com + www.instagram.com/jparkitrighthere
Jay Park - "Turn Off Your Phone" // 박재범 - 전화기를 꺼놔
BigBang - "Bad Boy" / 빅뱅 - "Bad Boy"

Naughty or nice, five-guy supergroup BigBang have certainly been the K-Boys of the year. The NYTimes called them the "true wild heart of K-Pop," and Alive made it on fuse's top 40 albums of 2012. "Bad Boy" is a masterpiece. Sure, "Fantastic Baby" will keep folks on the floor, and it's perfect for rudely awaking your roomies, but it can be a bit much in your headphones. "Bad Boy" is truly a jam for all seasons. The MV is already a classic. It finds the boys in Williamsburg trying to kick it, albeit to no avail, with what looks like a choice selection of Russian supermodels. (Really, it's only one instance of this hyper-urban-industrial MV style that YG Entertainment has been harping on lately. The "Blue" MV, for instance, is essentially the same idea. No sense in arguing over which is better. Your choice. Drop it on me.) ygfamily.com
EXO - "What Is Love"

EXO is S.M. Entertainment's newest project, a prototype pitch at taking Chairman Lee Soo-man's theory of ,cultural technology' to the next level. EXO actually conssts of two distinct detachments: EXO-K, which is the Korean contingent, and EXO-M, which is the Mandarin export, each made up of a specific set of six members. This shotgun method enables SM to tailor the same material to linguistically disparate markets with the utmost precision. It's a novel strategy, even brilliant. (It's also all you need to take your table tennis game to the next level, btw: a Chinese offense and a Korean defense.) That isn't to say, however, that both versions of this track are equally successful; I do think the song works much better in Korean. The two iterations intimate something of the substantive phonetic unity of music and language. Just as in poetry, the identity of any lyrical-melodic idea in vocal music is inextricable from the language in which it is articulated: the phoneme, well before the word itself, is as much a part of the thought as its pitch and rhythmic placement. I suspect that this song was written first in Korean and later translated, which might be why the Mandarin sounds rather forced at times. That said, you gotta love the wushu-style moves in the Chinese edition of the video. For me it's really been a toss-up between this and "Bad Boy," and I'm leaning towards EXO. exo-k.smtown.com + exo-m.smtown.com
TVXQ! – "Destiny" // 동방신기 - "Destiny"

Since their debut circa 2004, TVXQ (aka DongBangShinGi or "Rising Gods of the East") have proven to be one of SM's soundest investments. "Destiny" is one of the under-plugged standouts on their latest full-length Catch Me, and not least because of that kick and snare. It straddles the line between a true jam and pure balladry, weaving seamlessly from one idiom to the other. To be honest, when I put on Catch Me, I generally skip the title track/single and head straight for this and the other chiller (filler) spots on the record. It gives me the feeling that Chairman Lee hasn't been playing his best mens' strongest hand, though "Humanoids" might be enough to shut me up on that score. tvxq.smtown.com + dbskconfessions.tumblr.com
BtoB – "U&I" // 비투비 - "U&I"
BtoB (Born to Beat) are Cube Entertainment's latest offering, "U&I" being one of my favorites off their second mini-album Press Play. K-Pop has managed to safeguard the delectable kind of acoustic guitar stylings that flourished in the peak years of '90s pop and R&B, which have lamentably fallen into disuse. Wonder Girls' "Girlfriend" (below) is another great example.
btobofficial.com
Super Junior – "From U" // 슈퍼주니어 - "너로부터"

I caught my first glimpse of K-Pop unwittingly, on a billboard in Seoul. It was an epic hi-def composite of a troop of model-level dudes with unrealistically well-did hair, accompanied by the moniker 'Super Junior' (a lot like this only bigger, better, and not a desktop wallpaper made by a Filipina Fangirl). I hadn't the slightest idea what it referred to: a fashion label? a hair salon? a lifestyle? The answer came later while I was flipping channels at my hotel and stumbled upon a music network. There it was again. (If memory serves, it was "Mr. Simple" video. I was glued to the tube for at least two hours thereafter, and I've been addicted to the stuff ever since.) superjunior.smtown.com
Girls' Generation - "Love Sick" // 소녀시대 - "Love Sick"
I initially conceived this as an all-K-Boy mix, but those hits at 1:08 virtually kicked the wind out of my musical chauvinism -- with heels. I can't get over those greasy gospel guitar gestures à la maniere d'Angelo. Girls' Generation (aka SNSD) are bonafide K-Girl royalty. They figure heavily in The New Yorker's article on K-Pop by John Seabrook. www.girlsgenerationusa.com
Ailee – "My Love" (Feat. Swings) // 에일리 - "My Love" (feat. 스윙스)"
While rookie of the year Ailee's debut single "Heaven" sounded something like K-Perry/K-Clarkson, "My Love" is a hidden gem that takes K-Girl R&B nearly to the point of period accuracy (i.e. Aileeyah) without sounding too 'dated.' The synth-bass and e-piano on this track are almost too good to be heard, Swings featured verse is right in the pocket, and Ailee's delivery is absolutely exquisite. This is pure K–R&B gold. www.facebook.com + www.ymcent.com
G.NA – "(Drop It (Cut It Off))" // 최지나 - "때려 쳐"

If I didn't know any better I'd think this was Jay Park before the vocals came in. (The opener on Bloom does feature Jay, after all, so I suppose I wouldn't be too off base.) G.NA is effectively his female counterpart, being Canadian-born–raised just across the border in Vancouver, BC -- and those common roots show. Both betray a palpably new-world sensibility in their work. I wonder if they'd ever date (publicly). The global netizenry would soil itself. www.playgna.com
Wonder Girls – "Girlfriend" // 원더걸스 - "Girlfriend"]

Perhaps no other K-Pop group has been as fiercely marketed in the States as Park Jin-young's flagship Wonder Girls. His dreams of crossover success have seen them on tour with the Jonas Bros, on a bill with Bieber, starring in Disney made-for-TV movie, and featuring Akon on a recent single (right). "Girlfriend" is one of the big hooks on their latest release Wonder Party, the smoother correlate to the dance-ready single "Like This". The Girls are currently on an extended hiatus. Perhaps they'll be back Stateside after the dust has settled from the BigBang (but by then things might look a whole lot different around here). www.wondergirlsworld.com
miss A – "If I Were a Boy" // 미쓰에이 - "남자 없이 잘 살아"
"If I were a boy it wouldn't be this hard / If I'm over you I'd laugh after remembering nothing." Hey girl, That's sexist. Don't sell yourself short. If you were a boy you'd be a shy girl, and I really mean that as a compliment. Besides, you're an independent lady: you don't need a man. All the same I've been thinking... Coffee some time? Also, are you really into Beyonce? www.missaworld.com

music art film review - REDEFINE magazine

Shy Boys Fly Girls K-Pop Mixtape (#24) Download & Stream

Boomarm Nation’s Deep Listening Mixtape (#22) Stream & Download

Vivian Hua — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 19:16:00 +0000

music art film review - REDEFINE magazine

Boomarm Nation’s Deep Listening Mixtape (#22) Stream & Download

REDEFINE magazine, record label Boomarm Nation, and Portland nightclub Holocene are collaborating together on an evening for zoning out and tuning in to exploratory and diverse new sounds. Ambient, dub, psychedelic, minimal, and experimental tracks, with reference points in the global and otherworldly, will submerge listeners in a hypnotic world that stresses meaningful listening experiences over mindless fleeting ones. The event will take place at Holocene on October 14th, 2012, and will feature sounds from Portland musicians like Strategy, Ethernet, Daniel Menche, Gulls, and Invisible Ziggurat, with projections by E*Rock and VEE. This mixtape serves as a preview of the Deep Listening experience to come, and follows with a breakdown of all of the performers' works -- including an exclusive new track from the well-reputed Strategy. FACEBOOK INVITE Curated and Mixed by Jesse Munro Johnson of Gulls and Boomarm Nation

DOWNLOAD MP3

TRACKLISTING Lucky Dragons - Clipped Gongs Gas - Side D - POP Echospace - Orbiting Tim Hecker - Currents to Electrostasy Ethernet - Kansai Alva Noto - M03 Vladislav Delay - The Second Quarter Walter Carlos - Fall Echospace - Lisbon Rhythm and Sound - Roll Off / B Sound People - Plastic Bag Mobile Kudsi Erguner - Ulvi CV313 - Beyond the Clouds (reprise)

TRANSCENDING SOCIAL CONSTRUCTS ++ REVELING IN SHARED PARADIGMS

Strategy

Closing out the Deep Listening evening will be Portland musician Strategy. It will be his first headlining gig in Portland in several years, and his latest full-length, released by LA's Peak Oil, has been getting rave reviews (see: Rhapsody and XLR8R). The exclusive track below comes from his forthcoming Boomarm Nation release, which will be out December 4th, 2012 on cassette and digital formats.

E*Rock

Eric Mast, also known as E*Rock, is a musician, DJ, artist, and video artist who will be crafting visuals for Strategy for the evening.

Ethernet

Into the Woods by Ethernet

Deep Listening will be the record release show for Ethernet's latest record, Into The Woods, out on TAMARACKmusic. Expect a nature-inspired foray into ambient, drone, and deep house soundscapes, with visuals by VEE. Some tracks from the record will be played, and you can stream it in its entirety to the right.

Daniel Menche

Prolific Portland musician Daniel Menche is excited to take this opportunity to play a mellower set than his usual.

Gulls

Label owner, DJ, musician, and event curator Gulls will spin an array of sounds for the evening, similar to the ones in this mixtape he crafted.

Invisible Ziggurat

Invisible Ziggurat, also known as Neglect, will double-up with Gulls on DJ duty for the evening.

Press

Portland Mercury: DEEP LISTENING: STRATEGY, ETHERNET, GULLS, DJ INVISIBLE ZIGGURAT (Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) Working the soul out of a drum machine is no problem for Strategy, AKA Paul Dickow, who indulges us with ever-evolving forms of electronica—most recently delving into a futurized pop with vintage flair. A multi-instrumentalist and veteran producer, Dickow has continued to explore many different styles including ambient, experimental, and straight-up dance music with stellar results. Expect a live performance filled with any combination of drum machines, noisemakers, and synthesizers synced up to lay the groundwork for some impressive improvisation. The night's festivities are presented in part by forward-thinking arts and culture publication Redefine magazine and the experimental Boomarm Records. They have put together an exotic blend of ambient artistry sure to send you into an otherworldly orbit. - CHRISTINA BROUSSARD Willamette Week: Strategy, Ethernet, Daniel Menche, Gulls (DJ set), Invisible Ziggurat (DJ set) [SPACE IS THE PLACE] The subtitle for this incredible lineup of electronic and experimental performers is "Deep Listening," which speaks volumes about how far down a sonic wormhole you can go with everyone involved. To help you not get lost along the way, we encourage you to hold on tightly to the reggae-speckled house grooves of Strategy, Paul Dickow's longtime musical project that just released an electrifying self-titled album on Peak Oil Records, and Tim Gray's solo synth-drone experience known as Ethernet, also on board to celebrate Temples, a collection of songs created in a state of trance meditation. - ROBERT HAM Ω

music art film review - REDEFINE magazine

Boomarm Nation’s Deep Listening Mixtape (#22) Stream & Download

Portland Events: Six+Robert Henke, Nils Frahm, IASOS

Vivian Hua — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 20:20:50 +0000

music art film review - REDEFINE magazine

Portland Events: Six+Robert Henke, Nils Frahm, IASOS

Early Fall is apparently the time in Portland for experimental and ambient listening events galore. These exciting weeks begin on Sunday, September 23rd with a FREE six-channel installation at PNCA featuring Robert Henke (Monolake), Marcus Fischer, and many more local musicians. It continues on September 26th and September 28th with two sessions from New Age guru IASOS, and goes even further on September 30th with a REDEFINE-sponsored event with modern classical composer Nils Frahm. Frahm, Henke, and collaborators from Nueva Forma will also be playing at Seattle's all-encompassing electronic music festival, Decibel, from September 26th through 30th. Expect two more similar events next week, centered around Deep Listening and John Cage.

An Intimate Evening w/ Nils Frahm

Presented by Adso Ink, REDEFINE magazine, and Classic Pianos

In a live setting, contemporary composer Nils Frahm is known for working with whatever keys come his way, to improvise a new composition every time. The video below showcases his ability to stretch this out in a way that suits not only his personal style, but his immediate surroundings as well. Sunday, September 30th, 2012 @ Classic Pianos (3003 SE Milwaukie Ave, Portland, OR) $15 Advance | $20 Day of Show | All Ages

Pre-sale tickets FACEBOOK EVENT FULL DETAILS Frahm has rightly caught the attention of Thom Yorke of Radiohead and Kieran Hebden of Four Tet with his unconventional approach to modern piano. He will no doubt bring his playful and humble attitude to Portland, for an intimate evening at the beautiful showrooms of Classic Pianos. Portland-based sound artist Marcus Fischer will open the event. Please join us.

IASOS

Presented by The Hollywood Theatre and Xhurch

A double-feature with New Age founding father IASOS, who ushers in a captivating audiovisual performance at The Hollywood Theatre with Prism Band on Wednesday and aligns your out-of-tune body with a sound and healing workshop at Xhurch on Friday. Watch the video below or a slightly more humorous one HERE to see what kind of treat you're in for! Reservations are encouraged. Wednesday, September 26th @ The Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd., Portland, OR) $10 Cover | 7:30 Show Friday, September 28th @ Xhurch (4550 NE 20th St., Portland, OR) $12 Cover | 7:00 Workshop

FACEBOOK EVENT

SIX @ PNCA

w/ Robert Henke, Marcus Fischer, Solenoid, Strategy + Jetfinger, Swoemer, Mike Jedlicka + WNDFRM

For 2012, PNCA's Video & Sound Department has taken on the 5th edition of SIX, an experimental, six-channel surround sound performance series. Free and open to the public, the entire purpose of the event is to immerse listeners in a listening experience unlike any other. Patrons are encouraged to bring blankets, pillows, and anything that will help make them comfortable in the environment. Sunday, September 23rd, 2012 @ PNCA Main Campus (Swigert Commons, 1241 NW Johnson St., Portland, OR) FREE

FACEBOOK EVENT German composer, sound designer, installation artist, and co-founder of Ableton, Robert Henke, is well-versed in both academic and club-oriented aspects of contemporary sound, and will be a centerpiece of this event. He will also be presenting a lecture the following day, entitled Sound, Structures, and Machines. Details can be seen on PNCA's calendar. Henke will be supported by a host of extremely talented multi-instrumentalists and Portland locals Marcus Fischer, Strategy, Jetfinger, Solenoid, Dweomer, Mike Jedlicka, and Tim Westcott. Expect lots of tech, custom-made analog synths, and more. Ω

music art film review - REDEFINE magazine

Portland Events: Six+Robert Henke, Nils Frahm, IASOS

Motion & Movement in Music Videos: REDEFINE Panels at Bumbershoot, MusicfestNW 2012

Vivian Hua — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 03:18:27 +0000

music art film review - REDEFINE magazine

Motion & Movement in Music Videos: REDEFINE Panels at Bumbershoot, MusicfestNW 2012

REDEFINE magazine has teamed up with two of the West Coast's largest festivals, Bumbershoot and MusicfestNW, to present Motion & Movement in Music Videos, a pair of complementary panels exploring how dance and movement intersect with modern music videos. Select music videos will be screened, followed by an open community dialogue with associated dancers, directors, and musicians. Topics covered may include differences in dance styles among different musical genres, trends of modern dance in contemporary music video, and spontaneity versus choreography in the creative process. A related brochure, featuring Q&A with directors and musicians, will be distributed with further information about the participants and videos screened.

Bumbershoot

Seattle September 3rd, 2012 Leo K Theatre in Seattle Center 3:30pm - 4:40pm FREE w/ Admission (SCHED EVENT LINK + FACEBOOK EVENT LINK)

MusicfestNW

Portland September 7th, 2012 Holocene 6:30pm - 8:00pm FREE & Open to the public (FACEBOOK EVENT)

Panelists

HONEY OWENS BUMBERSHOOT + MUSICFESTNW Vocalist/Producer, The Miracles Club - "The Wheel" (Music Video Premier) RYAN BOYLE BUMBERSHOOT + MUSICFESTNW Dancer/Choreographer, The Miracles Club - "The Wheel" (Music Video Premier) SEAN PECKNOLD MUSICFESTNW Director, Here We Go Magic - “How Do I Know” ELY (EUGENE LEE YANG) BUMBERSHOOT Director, Polica - “Wandering Star” AMY O’NEAL BUMBERSHOOT Choreographer, Reggie Watts - “F_ck Sh_t Stack” ANDREW SLOAN MUSICFESTNW Director, Onuinu - “Ice Palace”

Director and musician Q&As after the jump!

Dance-Related Interviews and Q&As

tUnE-yArDs - "Bizness" Music Video (Q&A w/ Director Mimi Cave)

Polica - "Wandering Star" (Q&A w/ Director ELY)

Onuinu - "Ice Palace" Music Video (Q&A w/ Director Andrew Sloan & Choreographer Jin Camou)

The Mast - "UpUpUp" Music Video (Q&A w/ Band)

music art film review - REDEFINE magazine

Motion & Movement in Music Videos: REDEFINE Panels at Bumbershoot, MusicfestNW 2012

Mystical & Spiritual Ideas in Modern Music: REDEFINE magazine’s SXSW 2013 Panel Pitch

Vivian Hua — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 22:45:11 +0000

music art film review - REDEFINE magazine

Mystical & Spiritual Ideas in Modern Music: REDEFINE magazine’s SXSW 2013 Panel Pitch

John Coltrane once said: "My goal is to live the truly religious life, and express it in my music. If you live it, when you play there's no problem because the music is part of the whole thing. To be a musician is really something. It goes very, very deep. My music is the spiritual expression of what I am - my faith, my knowledge, my being." REDEFINE magazine is pitching "Mystical & Spiritual Ideas In Modern Music", a SXSW 2013 panel that will explore how creation is influenced when musicians have strong foundations in the metaphysical. Artists will share how spiritual beliefs affect musical creation and its end goals, how it supports transformation on individual and cultural levels, what role rituals and symbols play in art, and how to balance intent and intuition in the artistic process.

If you support our panel concept, please view its full description and vote for it at http://panelpicker.sxsw.com/vote/3484, between August 13th and August 31st, 2012. To drum up support for this panel, we have also created an infographic of quotes from great musicians, writers, artists, scientists, and philosophers, to timeline how the connection between music and spirituality has changed through the years. Below the jump, you can see the full graphic, which features 32 influential creators ranging from Ludwig van Beethoven to James Joyce and Albert Einstein, John Cage to Joseph Campbell and Flying Lotus. SEE IT HERE .

Vote for Mysticism & Spirituality in Modern Music: REDEFINE magazine's SXSW 2013 Panel Download Hi-Res Infographic

Vote for Mysticism & Spirituality in Modern Music: REDEFINE magazine's SXSW 2013 Panel Download Hi-Res Infographic Explore all articles related to influential thinkers

Mysticism & Spirituality In Modern Music from redefinemagazine

music art film review - REDEFINE magazine

Mystical & Spiritual Ideas in Modern Music: REDEFINE magazine’s SXSW 2013 Panel Pitch

BODY||MIND 2012: An Unofficial SXSW House Party Recap

Admin — Thu, 05 Jul 2012 16:55:04 +0000

music art film review - REDEFINE magazine

BODY||MIND 2012: An Unofficial SXSW House Party Recap

This post is long overdue, but it is a recap of our SXSW 2012 party, which you can read more about HERE. REDEFINE's second annual SXSW party was once again thrown with Gina Altamura of Portland nightclub Holocene and Marjorie Owens of Dallas blog Clumsy N Shy, who collaborated on an evening of acts that entranced your mind and made your body move. Beyond that basic premise, the bands that really held the crowd's attention and turned it from a 21-room college co-op into a home for all were those who really exemplified the ideal of the entire party, as captured by the Alan Watts quote below. They were the bands that provided in comfort to concertgoers, by providing a balance for all to see, hear, and feel -- and often with fantastic visual aids to boot. This quick recap, consisting primarily of videos, highlights some of our favorite acts of the day. Hope you can join us next year.

"The only thing you need to know to understand the deepest metaphysical secrets -- is this: that for every outside there is an inside and for every inside there is an outside, and although they are different, they go together." -- Alan Watts

Midday Veil

Midday Veil - "The Current" > Filmed and Edited by Lymay Iwasaki

Midday Veil - "Choreia" > Filmed and Edited by Lymay Iwasaki

Swahili

Swahili - "Into One" > Filmed and Edited by Lymay Iwasaki Swahili - "Contact" > Filmed and Edited by Lymay Iwasaki

Lumerians

Lumerians > Filmed and Edited by Lymay Iwasaki

Complete Lineup

{ INDOORS } 22:30 AU 21:30 Young Magic 20:30 Swahili 19:30 Midday Veil 18:30 The Night Beats 17:30 Jeffrey Jerusalem 16:30 Sam Flax { OUTDOORS } 20:00 Royal Baths 19:00 Lumerians 18:00 The Shivas 17:00 TOPS

AU

Filmed and Edited by Lymay Iwasaki

Sam Flax

Sam Flax - "Another Day" > Filmed and Edited by Lymay Iwasaki

Young Magic

Young Magic - "Slip Time" > Filmed and Edited by Vivian Hua Ω

music art film review - REDEFINE magazine

BODY||MIND 2012: An Unofficial SXSW House Party Recap

BODY||MIND 2012: An Unofficial SXSW House Party

Admin — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 00:32:29 +0000

music art film review - REDEFINE magazine

BODY||MIND 2012: An Unofficial SXSW House Party

Facebook Event: http://www.facebook.com/events/317699598279306/ Download a mixtape of BODY||MIND artists HERE (206 MB).

Friday, March 16th, 2012
@ House Of Commons (2610 Rio Grande St., Austin, TX)
Doors 4:00pm; Show 4:30pm ALWAYS FREE, ALL-AGES, DIY & 100% UNAFFILIATED WITH SXSW SXSW 2011 saw the wildly successful house party GARAGE _ PSYCH _ DANCE, the first joint effort of a dynamic booking trio consisting of Vivian Hua (Editor-in-Chief of Pacific Northwest-based publication REDEFINE magazine), Marjorie Owens (founder of the influential Dallas-based blog Clumsy N Shy) and Gina Altamura (an innovative curator of Portland nightclub Holocene). In 2012, the trio is at it again, with BODY||MIND -- a revelatory show that focuses again engages the body through dance rhythms and the mind through psyche-altering compositions. BODY||MIND aims to create a concept-heavy discotheque that encourages equally radiant inner and outer worlds. The unofficial house party will find its strength in moments where sounds and visuals work to transform consciousness – where mental liberation through hypnotic meanderings and physical liberation through carnal joys will lead to the celebration of psychedelia in its purest, most immediate form. Showgoers will be immersed at times in a complete intermedia experience that will make BODY||MIND unlike any other SXSW-related event. Last year's show attracted the attention of hundreds of people. BODY||MIND promises to be an even more unique and rich artistic experience for all. Please join us. TRANSCENDING SOCIAL CONSTRUCTS ++ REVELING IN SHARED PARADIGMS For more details, please contact: Vivian Hua (huav@redefinemag.com) or Gina Altamura (gina.altamura@gmail.com) ###

Complete Lineup & Schedule

{ INDOORS } 22:30 AU 21:30 Young Magic 20:30 Swahili 19:30 Midday Veil 18:30 The Night Beats 17:30 Jeffrey Jerusalem 16:30 Sam Flax

{ OUTDOORS } 21:00 Prince Sunarawma (Prince Rama + Sun Araw) 20:00 Royal Baths 19:00 Lumerians 18:00 17:00 TOPS

Sun Araw

Prince Rama

AU

Beat Connection

Lumerians

Young Magic

Royal Baths

The Night Beats

Midday Veil

Swahili

music art film review - REDEFINE magazine

BODY||MIND 2012: An Unofficial SXSW House Party