whirly.

in an attempt to calm down
from this past rapid weekend in new york city
the bus ride home was spent winding down to the soundtrack of Orchestra of Bubbles by Ellen Allien and Apparat.

driving from the herald square/madison square garden area [thanks to boltbus...a new love of mine] uptown by morningside park [a beautiful past haunt of my brother's in his bygone Columbia days] and cathedral parkway and emerging out of Harlem, then seemingly out of the city. the music prodded me along with the journey rather than dwelling of thoughts on the long weekend just spent.

it always seems unfortunate to leave new york, especially now when i would be there over living here in boston if the choice was offered. however, this option has not yet presented itself and to ease my mind from the lovely, exciting, vanishing scenery of the city listtening to a favorite travelling album of mine was really the only way to go.

the album is really a perfect listen for travel in all forms:::
train
bus
car
subway
plane...

perhaps only hang gliding would not mesh with a listen.
the music itself is light enough to allow for multiple thoughts and introspection processes...if that's what you want. OR just a good listen. Allien's voice is entrancing in a way that keeps the listener focused introvertedly on the music. however, the industrial pumping sounds fueled by allien's aesthetic paired with what can only be described as pretty embellishments so characteristic of apparat maintain this thought process, which generally happens when travelling.

my personal thoughts when travelling are ever only focused on where i've just been and where my compass is currently pointed.

in this case, New York...was a success in part due to being avle to just be comfortable around some old/good friends that have been sorely missed in the past few months, like my very talented friend alex [who has been making some excellent music that i will be blogging about in the very near future] and new friends, like the guys and gal that are "the slowest runner in all the world." Listening to the cello, violin, and keys of a song they were recording in the brooklyn apartment/studio where i was staying was a rare treat. so nice and relaxing it all was.

did i mention modeselektor?

to continue from my last post:::

YES.

the show on 24 january at the bowery ballroom was one of the most exciting [and excited] shows I have ever enjoyed. the venue was cool and classy though the sound system clearly was not intended for techno shows but rock shows instead. the lack of good volume and thumping bass was actually noticeably a drawback to the bowery for a show like this.

example::: i could hear myself talking throughout the night...

yet, the berliners of modeselektor knew how to make up for that fact in intensity and -in a word- showmanship? let me say i've seen some crazy stage additions to Dj's like fairies on stilts and spiky headed gas mask monsters on stilts. but, at some point during the crazy dancing and hard beats, the audence was treated to dancers of a different sort. two guys dressed up, one as a butcher and the other in a proper silly chicken costume began to shake it on stage. about that time a...real pig's head, no joke, was beginning to be passed around among the crowd at the front of the stage: 44% more meaningful?, in this case, yes. All of a suddent, modeselektor are announcing their love and desire for champagne which was then opened and sprayed on the crowd, supplemented by bags of tiny white feathers.

vielen dank for that, germany. really.

needless to say my shoes and shirt from that night happen to still be covered in white feathery remnants.

on that note, its time for some delicious/free food from the boy at his job and then a bit of a workout conducted to Hello Mom!

good day and good luck.