Apocalyptic folk

David Tibet and Current 93 played for the first time in their career in Sweden. Namely in a former churchbuilding which now gives room to the the club-enviroment known as Babel, in southern city Malmö.

I thought I should share these two photos taken by my cell-phone to at least give a little place on this blog for the event that took place. The music they play are often called neo-folk, but one can find all terms lacking. Safe to say that it is apocalyptic. This video below is taken from the concert:



In contrast I want to post a studio recording which is much softer, one of the many examples in which different singers interpret Idumea. Here featuring Bonnie 'Prince' Billy:

Be quiet: We might be witnessing the end of an Industry

Writer Megan McArdle wrote an article named "the freeloaders", published in the May 2010 issue of The Atlantic. I've read the article and found it raising a couple of questions of great interest to me. McArle's article discusses the challenge of the record-industry and the ongoing piracy or "free-loading" trend.

Although Megan talks about intellectual property and about an industry set in a downward spiral, she ends the article with the following optimistic statement:
"When the printing press was invented, many monks mourned the decline of vellum and the loss of the illuminator’s art. They were right, of course—but they were even more wrong. Maybe something better is coming, even as the transition racks the nerves of writers and artists. As the old joke goes, we may be losing something on every unit—but perhaps we’ll make it up in volume. "

The blog disquiet writes about this article in the following way: "It purported to assess the impact of file-sharing on the music industry, but it framed the argument in a manner that (in my mind) contributed little to the important ongoing discussion about the nature of copyright in the Internet Age; instead, it simplistically equated the “music industry” with the record industry, and pointed an accusatory finger."

Disquet focuses on "Reflections on ambient/electronic music & conversations with the people who make it". In other words, we are speaking about creators of art. The same people who en masse are supposed to be mourning the ongoing file-sharing culture of the young generations. This is of course not so much the case, if we are not to believe that every artist shares the view of Metallica and the more successful acts who have rallied around the copyright lobby.

What is more interesting is that disquiet also pointed me towards another type of response beyond the medium of a blog-post. They rallied a number of composers who have written musical responses to the article and Jeremy Traum's accompanying illustration. It took the form of an album that can be downloaded and listened to via archive.org. Listening at a glance, it is clearly not my cup of ambient (tea!), but nevertheless very ambitious and thought provoking.

My idea of music is contributory in nature. An ongoing process where listener and composer are part of the same creative subject. It appears to me that we are moving beyond the age of the record industry, which has put its wet blanket of conformity over the cultural sphere for a short period of time in the industrial society. It has also cemented the role of a strict division between band / composer / musician on the one hand, and listener / fan / consumer on the other. The distinction are being consciously blurred by artists such as those behind the Multiple Artist Ambient Project, which invites people to mix different ambient pieces together in whatever way the person so prefer.

This evolution is to my mind exiting for a number of reasons. First and foremost should we realize that the music as a sellable item is part of the industrial paradigm linked to consumer culture. It may or may not last. On a moral level I don't mind smaller or bigger artists attempting to sell their music on LP/CD/MP3 at all. The belief on the other hand that music culture equals with the success or lack of success of a specific business model advocated by record labels HQ:s in the past is naive.

There is music after the feared death of an industry, and there are reasons to assume that it is going to be better then what it has been. In the best of worlds it will not be as defined by what others tell you is the big thing right now, but part of a much richer and diverse eco-system of culture. Some people will probably never want to be part of a participatory cultural process, which is fine. Pop music will probably not die even if the industry dies, as long as people will continue to request simple pop songs there will probably be artists who are more then willing to create these songs.

The interested parties who want to keep the industry making large amounts of money have resorted to more and more drastic measures of lobbying for tighter laws which is said to be in the best interest of copyright holders. It has become an ongoing quest which has contributed to a shrinking regime of rights of integrity on the Internet. But there is light in the horizon. In the ongoing flux of the recording industry creative commons and other forms of participatory cultures are growing. With this in mind: we have every reason in the world to be exited!

The Greens and the Röyksopp

This last week has been intensive. I've had important meetings about my working situation and my engagement with the local section of the green party has deepened.

It is clear that I will have an opportunity to work in those areas that I have visions for. The future of my engagement is not yet written, but as it is now I will contribute to the leading document for what the party wants to in the field of culture in Karlstad.

Most of my readers may know that I am very interested in culture, and believe in the art to enrichen society in a way that can contribute tremendous amount of meaning for people and break down walls and barriers of race, age and gender. Especially when it is open and contributory in nature, such as in Creative Commons. I also think art has a special meaning and purpose for individuals and groups which live under social stigma.

This document in question will provide the foundation of the party's work in the municipal government after next years election; for the continuing four years. I have also been invited to work on documents in regional health care and see the the greens work in the city's social committee.

I am actually kind of surprised as to how my person has been received. To be able to contribute on such important fields this early, well, is something I did not quite expect to happen. I am also actually going to be a candidate for the green list for Karlstads municipal council. The order of the people who will run for office is not done right now, and where that will lead me is not quite clear.

I must admit that I am more then a bit nervous. Big things are being set in motion right now. With all this in mind I really needed a break this weekend. So I eloped to Stockholm to see Norwegian electronica-duo Röyksopp live, featuring Robyn and Anneli Drecker on vocals. They were amazing. The show was amazing. I danced and I danced, more then I have done for several years. I danced until I was nothing but rhythm and thought vanished.



So what better way then ending this post with one of Röyksopp's amazing songs: Only this moment.

On the Cover

The DJ gone artist producer Polaski just released a new free EP on excellent net-label Kahvi Collective, a great source for independent electronic music . I am the man resonsible behind the photography for the cover, which I am very happy to see together with the very soothing and relaxing music of Bendii Syndrome which is currently playing in my headphones.

You can download the release here.

That is not all though. I have just finished designed my first record cover for ambient artist Motionfield which is due release on Itunes and other spaces within two months. Seing as I am very much fond of his Laponia LP, it was quite an honour that he contacted me to ask me if I wanted to do the cover for his yet to be released album.

Kreativ Blogger Award

I got an award from the lovely Cottage Garden Studio today. I'm now officially a 'Kreativ Blogger'. I am happy and quite honored to have been awarded this. Sarah from Cottage Garden Studios in her turn received this from Tabitha over at her blog. This is the beauty of the blogosphere, that I can trace back who have revieved the award and find out all sorts of new inspirational people.



People who receive this award are encouraged to write down seven of their favorite things to go with this. Of course I will do this too. So, in no particular order whatsoever,

This is seven of my favorite things:

1. The feel of wind in my face. This is one of the reason why I love windy days. I close my eyes and experience the sensation of it. It amazes me and it is a very cool way to experience nature. I am still a bit concerned how people would view me if I would do this in public, which means that I often do this when people are not looking.

2. Any detail out of the ordinary both in the city and on the countryside. I like to capture these with my camera in all kinds of different angles. I am looking for those special little things that pop out. Things that lend itself to be part of my compositions.

3. Trees. I have developed a deep fondness for the birch. All the birches that flourishes in Sweden all have unique looks and forms that I too love to photo. Nowadays I cannot look on a tree the same way as I used to do.

4. New music. And when I say new, I mean new to me. It can be anything from Soul and Disco to Techno and Electronica. When I find out something new that's 'it' , it is very much like falling in love. Writing and occasionally performing music, well, that should deserve another place, but these are related.

5. The Tarot. 78 cards with a very interesting history or spiritual and religious nature. I like to go deep and have found something much more then a tool for telling the future. In fact, that is its least spectacular feature to my mind and something I am not very interested in.

6. Those special people who spread happiness to people around them. They really deserve to be mentioned here. People who make us feel connected to one another. Who care. Who do the little things without asking for anything in return. May your gifts find it's way back to your heart eventually.

7. Warm summer rain. In a similar vein to what I mentioned first, the last is about experiencing nature in a direct way. Just go out and just soak it in. You don't have to be naked or use your special clothes. But I have to warn you: there are chances that you going to get wet by doing this, but that is also the case if you take a shower.

Thanks again Sarah for sharing this with me. I also want to take the opportunity to give this award to momo jord. (rough translation: grandma earth) A swedish blog written by a very inspirational woman which I found out not so long ago.