psychedelic stuff

The Metropolitan Correctional Center, or MCC, is a federal jail right in the middle of downtown Chicago. It’s a triangle-shaped skyscraper, 27 stories, with tall, super-narrow, irregularly-spaced windows up and down each wall. The outside walls look like old computer punchcards. As odd as it looks, each of these striking details serve a purpose. The architect, Harry Weese, made bold innovations that were solutions to practical problems. The triangular shape creates easy sight-lines for the guards inside.  The windows are narrow (5 inches) to prevent escapes (without requiring bars), but beveled out, to funnel natural light inside. The interior design was very thoughtfully considered as well. As stunning as it is, the building can also be a little hard to see from up close.  Producer/reporter Dan Weissmann worked nearby for years and rarely looked up at it. This is apparently by design, as well. The triangular shape keeps the building pushed back from the street, there’s a tall hedge between the sidewalk and the plaza in front of the jail, and the El train blocks the much of the view of the floors above.  But recently Dan kind of became obsessed with the MCC and discovered that Harry Weese’s groundbreaking design may still gain admirers from the throngs of people that pass it on the street, but for the 681 temporary residents inside, it may not be living up to Weese’s grand vision.

99 Percent Invisible, episode 26 The MCC: Chicago's Invisible Skyscraper

The Invention Studio discusses V-Day, 50 Shades, and #SNL40

Studio Sessions Episode 2

HYPHYYYY tribute to bar stars across the world. BENZYBANDZ does it again, this time a club BANGER teaming up with fellow MC: François €UROS for a track you won't soon forget.

Bar Star (BENZYBANDZ x François €UROS)

Pop Culture

Stephanie & Dr. Dan Ivankovich - 10/20/2015 - The Stephanie Miller Show

Monkey Ball

This is a cute little vocal thing I did in 1991 that I found as I was searching the dark corners of my external hard drive.

Someonehastakenmyshoesandtheyputtheminhell

"The Sursiks" are 3-7 classically trained, experimental-rock-band-seasoned musicians who delight in transforming non-musical material into music. For their debut release "I didn't know I was singing, vol. 1" (2006) they mirrored the rhythms and pitches of spoken voices from real answering machine messages with instruments and singing to create 16 mind-blowing songs. Their 2nd cd "Lydia Grace" (2007) employed the same methods with the improvised speeches of a 3 year old girl. 
The Sursiks' ability to transform completely improvised speech into catchy, danceable, elegant and fiercely interesting songs is nothing short of sonic alchemy. The arrangements include flute, bass clarinet, trumpet, saxes, trombone, violins, drums, marimba, xylophone, bass, guitars, piano, organ as well as some home-made instruments. 

The Sursiks' 3rd cd, "Christmas in March", uses found recordings from tv (shows, commercials, infomercials, news), radio (dj banter, news, weather, interviews), self-help and self-hypnosis recordings, children's lps, religious recordings, political speeches, stand-up comedy routines and more as the source material for its songs. 
The original recordings are taken apart and re-arranged in order to create new absurd, funny and bitingly satirical narratives which creatively reflect on the very material from which they're made. 
But then, The Sursiks take it one step further: The spoken parts are rhythmically and melodically tied to the musical arrangements, and throughout most of the songs they RHYME! "Christmas in March" is a collection of pop-culture mashups which imitate the rhythm, phrasing and rhyme schemes of poetry and songs, set to music by a real band! 
Gentle listener, as you journey through this remarkable cd, you can EXPERIENCE the sexy side of pain relievers, FIND OUT how the principles of television can help your marriage, HUM ALONG to to the melodies which are hidden in obnoxious pop-radio dj laughter, BE HYPNOTIZED into becoming a vampire, MARVEL at the president's plan to build a prison on the moon, and DISCOVER the one thing which is more painful than plucking eyebrows. 
"Christmas in March" consists of 15 tracks which blend seamlessly into one another. (a feature common to many popular "concept" albums, I might add). Five years in the making, this is an extremely detailed, funny, energetic, complex recording which reveals something new upon each hearing. 



Science and Invention

Keep it quiet

Love the 80's

This is a chill track I invented ... all based from the Korg with some effects. Guess when I did most of the recording?

September 1 2011

Easy Riders & Symbolic - Flashback (Sample)

Jon was here from Maui and wanted me to create a project of Amatie from one of her voice messages.  Here it is.

Amatie's Arty Project

Astrix - Trance For Nations///010 [Free Download]

- Track list:
 1. Astrix - Psychedelic experience
2. Easy Riders & Symbolic - Flashback (Astrix remix) http://www.beatport.com/release/stars-on-35/947302
3. Vertical Mode - Deep vibrations (Astrix remix) http://www.beatport.com/release/type-1-single/969074 
4. Astrix - Vicious cycles http://www.beatport.com/track/vicious-cycles-original-mix/3715717
5. Astrix & Ace Ventura -Drunk on dreams http://www.beatport.com/track/drunk-on-dreams-original-mix/2750134
6. Astrix & Deederah - Gayatri http://www.beatport.com/release/stars-on-35/947302
7. Astrix - Type 1  http://www.beatport.com/release/type-1-single/969074 
8. Astrix - Adventure mode (Major7 remix)
9. Astrix - Talking stones
10. Astrix - Dharma (Vertical Mode remix)
11. Astrix - Random moves
12. Astrix - Disco valley (Bliss remix)

Enjoy and don't forget to share ;)

More Astrix: 
YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/ASTRIXtv
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Astrix.Official
Soundcloud: @astrix-official
Twitter: twitter.com/astrixofficial
Instagram: www.instagram.com/astrixofficial/
Mixcloud: www.mixcloud.com/AstrixOfficial/
Beatport: pro.beatport.com/artist/astrix/7873



Astrix TV

Astrix - Trance For Nations///010 [Free Download]

Braintheft performing "Snap Yer Neck" at Impulse Wobble in About Blank on the 5th April 2012.

Braintheft - Snap Yer Neck Live @ ://About Blank

Psycho Orchestra - Live-Jam/Edit

Indie Electronic music composed of Nick QuickL - Vocals, keyboards, bass guitar, guitar, programming. Nick Reyes guest guitar and bass. Chris Toth guest guitar and bass. Brett Quickle Guitar and Bass Guitar. Currently working on new projects live.

Amatie's Arty Project

SBrownJWT

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