[MuppetFace]

It's 5:50 am. Right now I'm parked in an empty lot, watching the blood moon eclipse with a friend.
Listening to the new Zola Jesus and Flying Lotus albums (w/ a bit of Caribou thrown in the mix).
 
Just checked Thirdworlds. Went down right at the blood moon.
Could be from people checking it, but it would be cool if Death Grips released their last album now.

 

[mutabor]

  Are there better brands available nowadays? There used to be Underground boots as well, but they used to be crap. The fact that mine has held up for more than 15 years and still going strong speaks loads and loads about the quality that they used to have. Oh, and yes, these have been through numerous Swedish winters and summers, meaning freezing cold weather, salt, warmth, water, and so on.

 
Getting nice looking urban ( less bulky) winter boots was a headache of mine recently. Winters are very cold so I need warmth. But the majority of boots ( Columbia, the North Face etc) are too bulky. I bought Ecco low rise shoes with Gore Tex ( Yak leather). With thick socks they are warm enough if you don't walk for too long in the cold. Ecco has a range of nice boots. For example, I got attracted to these boots in a shop and their low rise variant. They look modern, technological and durable.

 

[jgray91]

Currently listening to Aphex Twin's Selected Ambient Works 85 - 92. Tracks 1 to 5 definitely not for me to listen after work in the car. I'd fall asleep lol.

Now track 6 is something else. So far liking it.

EDIT: Stopping for the night at Heliosphan. It's amazing.

 

[driver 8]

re: shoe talk: I like Red Wings.  I bought some Dr. Martens for a Halloween costume one year, but they never quite fit me right and I was too lazy to return them.
 

effusive

 
****, what a great word.  How have I never seen it before?
 
People I know tend to resist liking Lil B until I force them to watch some of his videos, then they realize that The Based God loves them and their families and become more positive people for it.
 

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All I've been listening to consistently the past couple of days is Perfume Genius' new album and a handful of old Susumu Hirasawa things.  Just got Zola Jesus' new album*, though.
 

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I've been in an apathetic hole of Dark Souls 2 and dumb **** on YouTube lately.  Thinking of just beating another NG+# to get the slash and grab out of my system and then setting it aside for awhile.  I really hate the new parry/magic meta game -- matches last like 2 seconds and the outcome is usually lag-based since it's really easy to parry someone who's seeing you a second or so in the past and so many weapons are a OHKO once you're stuck laying on the ground for no real reason.  
 

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*(currently on track 8 of this now) While I have no idea whether or not their critique of the album should result in -4.1 cool points or whatever, I think the overall frustration presented by the Pitchfork review is at least somewhat valid in that the tracks I like most on this album probably don't have the sort of mainstream appeal that Zola Jesus seems to want, whereas I don't think the others are powerful enough to really reach out to and touch people (um, metaphysically, I mean) as she'd like to either. 
 
I'm not sure it's possible to make a work of art more inclusive without muddying your own voice and depth of emotion.
 
I really think Zola Jesus sees beauty in a lot of the same things I do, but I'm a ******* weirdo.

 

[DigitalFreak]

http://headphone.guru/calyx-audio-the-calyx-m/

For those interested, I'm selling my AK120 for the CalyxM. I'm glad to report the audiophile DAP market has finally started to listen and have begun to put more complete and polished products.

 

[compoopers]

I bought this janky USB ->3.5mm headphone and mic adapter for my laptop since my headphone port broke. But the sound isn't amazing. Also, it's way too freaking loud, even at 10% volume its as loud as 50% vol from my old port.

 

[MuppetFace]

EDIT: Stopping for the night at Heliosphan. It's amazing.

 
Really glad you singled that track out, as it's definitely a favorite of mine as well. So pretty.
 
 
 

  All I've been listening to consistently the past couple of days is Perfume Genius' new album and a handful of old Susumu Hirasawa things.  Just got Zola Jesus' new album*, though.
 

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*(currently on track 8 of this now) While I have no idea whether or not their critique of the album should result in -4.1 cool points or whatever, I think the overall frustration presented by the Pitchfork review is at least somewhat valid in that the tracks I like most on this album probably don't have the sort of mainstream appeal that Zola Jesus seems to want, whereas I don't think the others are powerful enough to really reach out to and touch people (um, metaphysically, I mean) as she'd like to either. 
 
I'm not sure it's possible to make a work of art more inclusive without muddying your own voice and depth of emotion.
 
I really think Zola Jesus sees beauty in a lot of the same things I do, but I'm a ******* weirdo.

 
 
Yeah, the Perfume Genius (almost typed 'Perfume Jesus') album is addictive. Those songs keep getting stuck in my head.
 
Maybe it's because I listened to all of Taiga while watching a blood moon eclipse, but personally I find the album to be really powerful. The only real misstep I hear is the first half of "Hunger" with its blaring horns that just falls a bit flat. Overall though, the album has this really cool "wilderness fairytale" quality to me, with foggy woods and synthetic birds and vague, unseen dangers lurking in the distance.
 
I'm doing a write up for the album now, and one of the concerns I express with this direction Nika is taking is that she's limiting her voice to narrow pop sensibilities. While I think people are taking her words that she wants to album to sell well and become popular a bit out of context, I think it's clear that she's currently enamored with certain pop singers, and she's been studying them intently. What attracted me to her in the first place however was the uniqueness of her voice; even if she sounded a bit raw, the power of her singing could send chills down peoples' spines. When I read commentators saying her voice has "come into its own" or sounds "more powerful than ever," I have to disagree. I think she's still best served by the classical training she had, as she has really great operatic tendencies. I'm hoping future albums see her finding a happy median.
 
Still, I have to say that I'm liking Taiga more than Conatus so far. It feels like she's reconnected with her past, and through that continuity she can now find her way out of the darkness that filled Stridulum.

 

[driver 8]

   
 What attracted me to her in the first place however was the uniqueness of her voice; even if she sounded a bit raw, the power of her singing could send chills down peoples' spines. When I read commentators saying her voice has "come into its own" or sounds "more powerful than ever," I have to disagree. I think she's still best served by the classical training she had, as she has really great operatic tendencies. I'm hoping future albums see her finding a happy median.

 
Yeah, ditto to all of this.
 

 Still, I have to say that I'm liking Taiga more than Conatus so far.

 
I think I'd agree with this as well.  Not as many tracks in Conatus I see myself going back to. 

 

[jgray91]

EDIT: Stopping for the night at Heliosphan. It's amazing.

Really glad you singled that track out, as it's definitely a favorite of mine as well. So pretty.

And accidentally too, as I can't really sleep with music and my body refuses to let me listen any longer.

Track 6; can't remember its name; is pretty jarring coming from the first 5 tracks, but IIRC the one before Heliosphan is pretty good before the amazing. EDIT: another derp. I'm talking of the same track. Definitely could work for a work day. Time to go to Amazon. Hopefully it would let me ship to Malaysia. I'm derp. Of course the physical would cost hundreds, silly. Time for digital. \o/
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Reported that there was a bombing in Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur, a busy entertainment district/section of the city. 14 injured, 1 of them critical. Apparently it's some gang wars. This is scary ****. KL is just 20 minutes from where I work/live...

And just now there's some sort of jet aircraft flying low. I know there's a nearby airport from my office, but even then, the noise is very loud. I wonder....
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My work laptop keyboard is ****. Well I got it coming myself since I've been using some sweet-ass Cherry MX red mechanical keyboard. Stupid Dell and your stupid mushy keys.

 

[Coq de Combat]

If you are allowed to, bring your own mech keyboard jgray, or have them buy one for you. My IT manager bought me one the first week I worked there, and a real mouse as well. I can't even begin to tell you the difference in productivity it makes for me to work with a good keyboard and a good mouse instead of those mushy pieces of crap they send with our computers (we have HP, same crap). I know already two more that have changed their gear for the better at work, with the argument that it raises their productivity (less typos, etcetera).

I think it's a legit argument, so try and ask them.

 

[jgray91]

I don't know. I don't want to be "that geek". In workplace is actually pretty um "flexible", as in we don't really have fixed places, and I already have my own mechanical keyboard.

But then again I already used a trackball mouse in the office... Might as well...

 

[mutabor]

Decided to give Zola Jesus's Taiga a try in order to follow Pitchfork's reasoning. 
 
First thoughts, Danilova's singing is clearly influenced by black singers. It is how Beyonce, Rihanna, Adele, Birdy ( I like Birdy) and a legion of other female singers sing nowadays. I don't see here how Danilova's opera leanings come to play. Her music in Taiga is also a very accessible pop. Though I have listened 4 songs so far. I need to listen the whole album.
 
Edit: Listened to the whole album. It is pleasant to listen. But it is formulaic. It is the album that some Rihanna wanna-be would make. Especially the song #5 "Go ( Blank Sea)" sounds so familiar and generic, I have a feeling that I have heard exacty this song somewhere and in different variations and by similar voices. My score 7.9

 

[Coq de Combat]

Mutabor, I've been eyeing some Eccos now and some are actually nice looking. I know Eccos are supposed to be good but catch flack from certain snobby enthusiasts, how are yours in quality? Think they'll last you a couple of winters?

 

[mutabor]

Mutabor, I've been eyeing some Eccos now and some are actually nice looking. I know Eccos are supposed to be good but catch flack from certain snobby enthusiasts, how are yours in quality? Think they'll last you a couple of winters?

 
Mine are fine. Wore them the whole last winter with snow and cold all the time. They may last several years. I like them because they are shoes not boots. But they are rugged. It is exactly my model on the photo.
 

 

[mutabor]

Russian female R&B singers