RIP Alex Pretti

MUSIC

Ghost Warrior - “Pulse”

New to me, but Ghost Warrior has been self-releasing since 2013. One of few producers to successfully transmute the darkside dread of the best UK tunes into tracks that maintain muscular engineering. “Pulse” is new to his Bandcamp this month: it coasts at dubstep tempo, but the stuttering rhythms trip over themselves in a way that feels closer to drum and bass.

Leonardo Martelli - “ULTIMA VOLTA”

Back in 2015-16, Leonardo Martelli released a couple of excellent mini-LPs on Paris’ Antionte, showcasing moody, smoked-out electro and melancholy house. He was probably a little too late to cash in properly on the LIES/lo-fi house rush, but those records still entice. I’m excited to see him back on the radar with “ULTIMA VOLTA,” another slice of Twin-Peaks coded, blunted electro. As of now, I’m one of only two supporters on Bandcdamp, but I hope more is on the way.

Sega Bodega - “SL-X”

I am not an expert on Sega Bodega, but I can’t stop listening to this. I was vaguely familiar with his work— most recently an ambient album featuring a Vashti Bunyan collab—but I caught this on Instagram somehow and had to track it down. Apparently a rework of a ten-year-old track, this sounds to me like Evian Christ spinning up a long-lost grime instrumental. Saturated trance synths and builds contrast sharply with introspective, fuzzed-out melodies and juddering rhythms. It goes hard. 

MINNESOTA

The continued ICE occupation of Minnesota is “reminiscent of civil war.”

Again linking to an article from Taylor, who details how Minneapolis is eschewing traditional media (and propaganda) in favor of alternative information networks that are “much more timely, useful, trustworthy, and actionable.”

While on that site, stumbled across this breakdown of how “not political” online spaces have become platforms to discuss ICE in Minnesota. Quoted in the article: “When the driving range guys are talking about masked agents of the state you’ve probably made a strategic error if you’re the state.”

Also worth nothing: the top Republican candidate for Minnesota governor who has abruptly dropped out of the race, citing the ICE surge and openly criticizing the party. 

If you’re looking to act, check out the many ways you can support Minnesotans affected by ICE, as well as what to do if ICE invades your neighborhood.

LINKS

Aphex Twin surpassed Taylor Swift in monthly YouTube listeners, but the story is in the details. Rather than a new wave of fans, “QKThr” has been used to soundtrack countless short-form videos, which accounts for the spike. Notably, the RA piece is sourced from Roman Pang’s Instagram post, an IDM influencer the algorithm has surely shoved your way if you care even a tiny bit about Autechre.

Pitchfork has added a $5 subscription that allows readers to submit their own album review scores. It’s interesting enough as a revenue experiemtn for a sinking music-journalism business. I’m curious to see whether creating an owned micro-social network has any impact, and even more curious about the inevitable chaos of user scores. Less convincing is their justification beyond cash: that “music and music criticism are inherently social.” I mean yeah, I guess? Is there a part of culture that isn’t? 

When AI-produced creative is a hot button issue, “human touch” creativity and behind-the-scenes content becomes mandatory. My coworkers and I keep circling this idea ad nauseum, and I don’t expect it to go away anytime soon.

It’s been just over a year since David Lynch passed away. His work remains resonant and inspirational. A reminder that cigarette addiction, COVID, and climate change-fueled fires are what ultimately sent his emphysema over the edge. 

MORE

My huge rolling Spotify playlist has been renamed and updated with new wormholes to crawl through. (I’m looking to switch away from Spotify but don’t have a plan yet—open to suggestions.)