Plutonic Rainbows2020-12-17T17:06:53+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.comAlbums 20202020-12-15T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2020/12/15/albums-2020<p>Short list this year - not reflective of the number of releases or their quality. I just wanted to concentrate on what I truly enjoyed. These are in no order. Often, they are difficult listening but also sometimes haunting and yet life-affirming too.</p>
<ul>
<li>Oneohtrix Point Never - Magic Oneohtrix Point Never</li>
<li>Votel, Canty & Shipton - Popular Mechanics 4</li>
<li>Japan - Gentlemen Take Polaroids</li>
<li>Blod - Livets Ord</li>
<li>Yellow Swans - Going Places</li>
</ul>
Xerjoff Alexandria II2020-12-03T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2020/12/03/xerjoff-alexandria-II<p>Trying out this fragrance for a couple of days now. I bought the first sample some weeks back and felt unsure about it. Now I’m starting to get into it more. It does have a rather addictive quality that sort of creeps up on you.</p>
<p>There is a lot of lavender in the opening. Some apple and a few other rather gorgeous things going on that make it feel regal and expensive smelling.</p>
<p>Is it worth the money? No, absolutely not.</p>
<p>But is it worth it for you? That’s an entirely different question that only you can answer.</p>
Nishane Ani2020-11-26T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2020/11/26/nishane-ani<p>Spectacular winter fragrance featuring vanilla and ginger. Incredibly rich and opulent. A lovely fresh opening that has blackcurrant and bergamot. It leads on to a creamy ginger. Great sillage and longevity. It’s expensive but if you love vanilla, this fragrance is for you</p>
JFK Airport2020-11-21T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2020/11/21/nishane-ani-waiting<p>Waiting for a fragrance. Currently at JFK Airport.</p>
MFK Amyris Homme Extrait de Parfum2020-11-03T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2020/11/03/mfk-amyris-homme-extrait<p>Superb. A man absolutely cannot go wrong with this. A super-sexy scent, to say the least. Projection and longevity are very good on me.</p>
<p>At times, it does remind me of Chanel Allure Home Sport but then you get whiffs of other things that set it apart. I suppose I’d say it’s like a better blended Allure Sport but with higher quality ingredients. It evolves very nicely as time passes.</p>
<p>The ingredients in this fabulous composition are:</p>
<p>Top Notes:</p>
<ul>
<li>Mandarin oil from Sicily.</li>
<li>Cinnamon oil from Ceylon.</li>
</ul>
<p>Middle Notes:</p>
<ul>
<li>Saffron Accord.</li>
<li>Iris oil from Florence.</li>
</ul>
<p>Base Notes:</p>
<ul>
<li>Amyris from the Caribbean.</li>
<li>Vanilla accord.</li>
<li>Tonka beans absolute from Brazil.</li>
</ul>
<p>For me, this is one of those scents that make you keep smelling your wrist. Very addictive indeed. I think this would be extremely attractive to a woman of any age.</p>
<p>The only downside is the cost. No matter how you look at it, £245 for a 70ml bottle is something you should consider buying only very carefully. However, I think with Maison Francis Kurkdjian, you do get what you pay for. It’s mainly the quality of the ingredients.</p>
<p>Also, this is a very versatile scent which helps you justify the high price. You’d certainly get the wear out of it.</p>
<p>A superb entry into niche quality while retaining a few designer sensibilities.</p>
<p>Final thoughts:</p>
<ul>
<li>
<p>Don’t think of this as an Allure clone. I only mentioned the Chanel as a point of reference. Maybe it’s the Tonka in the base. Some days, it only faintly reminds me of that fragrance. It is still very much it’s own thing.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Get a sample first. You should probably be doing that for any expensive fragrance you are thinking of buying.</p>
</li>
</ul>
October To November2020-10-18T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2020/10/18/october-to-november<p>Moving into much cooler weather now. Enjoying <a href="https://www.franciskurkdjian.com/?lang=en">Maison Francis Kurkdjian</a> <em>Gentle Fluidity Gold</em> and <em>Grand Soir</em>.</p>
New Albums2020-09-26T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2020/09/26/new-albums<p>Two new albums I’m looking forward to hearing. The first is <a href="https://bleep.com/release/205599-oneohtrix-point-never-magic-oneohtrix-point-never">Magic Oneohtrix Point Never</a> from OPN.</p>
<p>Bleep:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>After scoring one of the most critically acclaimed film scores of recent history Uncut Gems in 2019, artist and producer Daniel Lopatin is back with his new album Magic Oneohtrix Point Never.</p>
<p>Named as a reference to a misheard play on words of Boston’s Magic 106, it is a nostalgic reference to radio landscapes. Loosely structured on radio’s journey from day into night, it is interspersed with digital hallucinations that appear as ghosts between the dials. Collaging together archival recordings of various American FM station’s “format flips”, in which detourned DJ sign-offs collide with advertisements and self-help mantras to form darkly humorous reflections on American music culture.</p>
<p>The album’s opening ‘DRIVE TIME SUITE’ is Magic Oneohtrix Point Never’s appeal in microcosm. Curtain-raising vignette ‘Cross Talk I’ crams hypnagogic infomercial sounds and uncanny, Holly Herndon-esque vocal manipulations into a mere twenty-two seconds, its sharp aural left-turns prefiguring the FM radio-style shifts which periodically break up Magic Oneohtrix Point Never. ‘Auto & Allo’ subsequently expands this aesthetic, its halcyon electronics and twisted echoes of baroque-pop landing somewhere between Sophie and Actress. The balladic elements which lurk in ‘Auto & Allo’ are brought out further still on the following number ‘Long Road Home’, a track where Lopatin’s robotified vocals are accompanied by Caroline Polachek and set against a hyperreal chamber-pop instrumental.</p>
<p>Magic Oneohtrix Point Never is another thrilling, boundary-pushing record of electronic compositions from this multi-faceted artist. It amalgamates his rich history of production work, his chamber-pop songwriting of his previous albums and his earlier explorations of plunderphonics, into a record that is as much of a reference to the artist’s past, as Lopatin dialling inwards into his sonic world of 0PN, creating a parallel universe for the listener to exist in, during these tumultuous times.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The second album released this November is a remastered re-release of Coil’s <a href="https://boomkat.com/products/musick-to-play-in-the-dark">Musick To Play In The Dark</a>, originally released some 21 years ago.</p>
<p>Bandcamp:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Convening at Balance and Christopherson’s vast Victorian house / studio in the coastal town of Weston-super-Mare, they began a series of ambitious sessions aided by inner circle associates Thighpaulsandra and Drew McDowall. Although the creative process was admittedly “iterative” and “a bit of a drug blur,” the results are astoundingly inventive and well realized, winding through shades of divination dirge, wormhole kosmische, noir lounge, ominous humor, and black mass downtempo, guided by Balance’s cryptic lunar muse, which he announces on the opening track: “This is moon musick / in the light of the moon.”</p>
<p>What’s most remarkable about the album 20 years after its release is how brazen, insular, and unpredictable it still feels. The songs follow an allusive, altered state logic all their own, warping from microscopic ripples of glitch and breath to widescreen warlock psychedelia and back again, as much hyper-sensory as inter-dimensional. Even within a catalog as eclectic as Coil’s, Musick is a mystifying collection, oneiric evocations of desire, decadence, dinner jazz, and dietary advice, far beyond the pale of whatever gothic industrial ambiguity birthed such a journey.</p>
<p>The record closes with a slow, starlit shuffle, bathed in seething sweeps of spectral texture and high cathedral keys, like approaching the altar of some arcane temple. As the trance thickens Balance’s voice rises, processed into an increasingly eerie, gaseous haze, but he resists these unseen forces, intent on delivering a final sermon: “Through hissy mists of history / the dreamer is still dreaming / the dreamer is still dreaming.”</p>
</blockquote>
While Loop in Python2020-09-11T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2020/09/11/while-loop<div class="highlighter-rouge"><pre class="highlight"><code>n = 0
numbers = []
while n < 6:
print "At the top, n is %d" % n
numbers.append(n)
n = n + 1
print "Numbers now: ", numbers
print "At the bottom, n is %d" % n
print "The numbers: "
for num in numbers:
print num
</code></pre>
</div>
Jon Collin & Demdike Stare2020-09-10T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2020/09/10/jon-collin-demdike-stare<p>Ostensibly Demdike Stare’s first proper full-length collaboration, ‘Sketches Of Everything’ weaves dark moorland ambient blues into guitarist Jon Collin’s windswept Americana. It’s a highly evocative swing between porchside strums, sludge doom and weathered dub noise somewhere between Bruce Langhorne’s soundtrack for ‘The Hired Hand’, Neil Young’s ‘Dead Man’, Loren Mazzacane Connors at his most swoonsome and a screwed Prince Jazzbo - proper stoner vistas.</p>
<p>Technically Demdike Stare’s first official collaboration, ‘<a href="https://boomkat.com/products/sketches-of-everything">Sketches Of Everything</a>’ was recorded between Stockholm and Manchester and finds Miles Whittaker & Sean Canty inspired to create some of the most quietly expressive scapes of their career, feeding into Jon Collin’s strung-out vibe with a mix of layered and smudged backdrops that usher us through ravines of feedback and unexpected midnight hallucinations.</p>
<p>Across two long, elliptical sides the results draw spectral parallels between the Pennine moors and ruined industry of Demdike’s native Lancashire, and the kind of moody Western Americana best described in ‘The Hired Hand’. Collin acts as lead protagonist with a lyrical form of guitar that sometimes takes the lead, and at others fades into mystic swirl, rendering naked strums into vapours redolent of Loren Mazzacane Connors or the loner Norwegian blues of Terje Rypdal.</p>
<p>In a sense it’s an album that applies dub mixing techniques to aesthetically dissonant source material, a sort of stream of consciousness flowing into the murkiest, most beautifully low lit interiors.</p>
Blod - Livets Ord2020-09-08T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2020/09/08/blod-livets-ord<p>Low-key synth & keyboard studio album by Swedish all-rounder Gustaf Dicksson. Limited edition of 300 copies with insert.</p>
<p>From the early days of the found-sounds recordings (like the downright scary Unga Röster album and the hilarious Mandys Bil 7”), the homespun kitchen recordings/tape collages of the still-going Idiotmusik series to the more carefully elaborated and precise Leendet Från Helvetet and Knutna Nävar albums, the massive Livets Ord dropped like a bomb when it originally surfaced as a self-released cassette in 2018.</p>
<p>Heavily based on synths and keyboards and clocking in on no less than close 70 minutes over 4 LP-sides, this is arguably THE epic album from the cluster around the Förlag För Fri Musik empire. Gustaf Dickssons’ fascination for christianity/religious assemblies shines through once again, the title Livets Ord (“The word of life”) derived from the Swedish free church/sect with the same name that was based in Uppsala between 1983-2013 and casting a pastoral shadow over the ambient music of the album.</p>
<p>While dabbling with a long tradition of kosmische musik and private-pressed new age wonders, Blods now patented sound of a Björn Isfält-gone-sour still lingers throughout the entire recording. A cornerstone in contemporary Gothenburg underground music. Featuring guest appearances by Emelie Thulin and Jerker Jarold.</p>
<p><a href="https://boomkat.com/products/livets-ord">Vinyl</a> and <a href="https://aguirrerecords.bandcamp.com/album/livets-ord">Digital</a>.</p>
Judith Hamman - Peaks2020-09-07T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2020/09/07/judith-hamman-peaks<p>Boomkat:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Stepping from the metaphoric shadow of her peers, ‘<a href="https://boomkat.com/products/peaks-6561ab56-cab6-4d2c-a5f1-98a8b854e66a">Peaks</a>’ presents Hamann as a skilled sorceress of quietly rustic, funereal music It’s sorta dewy with pastoral melancholy in a vein recalling everyone from Laura Cannell to Anne Guthrie and Kassel Jaeger in her dreamlike transitions between real instruments and their processed apparitions.</p>
<p>Deftly repatterning her daily life into a woozier dream state, Hamann combines fragments of recordings made on tour into a pair of durational dreamscape collages that, to our ears’-eye, sounds like a music for steep sided valleys to the ‘Peaks’ of the title, hugging wooded clefts where the sun doesn’t always get through and life deciduously goes on in the shade.</p>
<p>Her decayed, organic decompositions connote a sense of melancholy whoch can be taken as intended - reflecting a state of homesickness on tour - or perhaps a sense of sehnsucht for something more indescribable, existential, most like Elodie or Akira Rabelais, that’s always going to haunt and soothe us at the same time, especially when it’s done well; just like this very fine introduction to Judith Hamann’s dream world newly uncovered by Oren Ambarchi’s ever on-it Black Truffle.</p>
</blockquote>
Gentle Fluidity Gold2020-09-06T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2020/09/06/gentle-fluidity-gold<p>I thought the Silver edition was nice but the Gold is just absolutely stunning. A truly beautiful blend of Vanilla, Nutmeg, Coriander and Spices. This smells like true class. A man or a woman can wear this easily. Maybe better for Autumn and Winter.</p>
<p>This is the second fragrance I’ve tried from <em>Maison Francis Kurkdjian</em> that I’ve been really impressed with.</p>
Blod - Livets Ord2020-09-04T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2020/09/04/blod-livets-ord<p>Heavily based on synths and keyboards and clocking in on no less than close 70 minutes over 4 LP-sides, this is arguably THE epic album from the cluster around the Förlag För Fri Musik empire. Gustaf Dickssons’ fascination for christianity/religious assemblies shines through once again, the title <a href="https://aguirrerecords.bandcamp.com/album/livets-ord">Livets Ord</a> (“The word of life”) derived from the Swedish free church/sect with the same name that was based in Uppsala between 1983-2013 and casting a pastoral shadow over the ambient music of the album.</p>
<p>While dabbling with a long tradition of kosmische musik and private-pressed new age wonders, Blods now patented sound of a Björn Isfält-gone-sour still lingers throughout the entire recording. A cornerstone in contemporary Gothenburg underground music. Featuring guest appearances by Emelie Thulin and Jerker Jarold.</p>
Yellow Swans - Going Places2020-09-01T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2020/09/01/yellow-swans-going-places<p>Tenth anniversary reissue that still sounds remarkably good. It could have come out yesterday, to be honest.</p>
<p>Boomkat:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Perversely and brilliantly, Yellow Swans disbanded right at the point when they were tipping into wider recognition, just as the rest of the world was catching up with the noise scene which shattered into myriad strains of kosmische noise, Neo-industrial and power noise and would give us everyone from James Ferraro to 0PN, Wolf Eyes and Prurient. But a decade later Yellow Swans’ ‘Going Places’ feels like a scrawled note left by a lover who has fucked off to somewhere more exciting, and leaves behind a ragged palimpsest of memories, forgotten or suppressed emotions and maybe even an encrypted map of where to find them in the future.</p>
</blockquote>
Britbox August Updates2020-08-20T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2020/08/20/britbox-august-2020<p>Today, the video streaming service created by the BBC and ITV released a nice new selection of classic 60s and 70s entertainment - mostly focused on science fiction.</p>
<ul>
<li>The Prisoner</li>
<li>Sapphire and Steel</li>
<li>U.F.O</li>
<li>Thunderbirds</li>
<li>Randall and Hopkirk Deceased</li>
<li>The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy</li>
<li>Captain Scarlet</li>
<li>Space 1999</li>
</ul>
<p>If you’re a fan of these shows, you’ll be thrilled at this news with the added benefit that many of them are in HD too.</p>
Gentle Fluidity Silver2020-08-13T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2020/08/13/gentle-fluidity-silver<p>Testing out <em>Maison Francis Kurkdjian</em> Gentle Fluidity Silver today. It’s a quite unique (to me) scent that is fine for the summer. It may be not quite so good in really high humidity but overall, I am quite impressed.</p>
Little Lies2020-08-10T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2020/08/10/little-lies<p>Robert Pattison revealed in an interview with <a href="https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/film/all-eyes-on-tenet-the-spy-movie-with-everything-to-prove-1.4318677">The Irish Times</a> that he was forbidden from revealing his audition for the part to anyone - including his Tenet director Christopher Nolan. Except, considering Nolan is perhaps the master of secrets, Pattinson’s “lie” didn’t pass.</p>
<p>“<em>I had to be really secretive about Batman stuff,” the actor said. “So I had to lie to Chris about having to go for a screen test</em>.”</p>
<p>“<em>I said I had a family emergency</em>,” Pattinson explained. “<em>And as soon as I said</em> ‘<em>it’s a family emergency</em>’ he said: ‘<em>You’re doing the Batman audition, aren’t you?</em>‘”</p>
More Functions II2020-08-09T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2020/08/09/functions-II<p>Return the value of one function and use it as an argument of another function.</p>
<div class="highlighter-rouge"><pre class="highlight"><code>def add(value_1, value_2):
return value_1 * value_2
def subtract(value_1, value_2):
return value_1 - value_2
def divide(value_1, value_2):
return value_1 / value_2
def multiply(value_1, value_2):
return value_1 * value_2
age = add(6,45)
height = subtract(7,1)
weight = divide(210, 2)
BMI = multiply(105, 6)
print "Age is: %d." % age;print "Height is: %d." % height;print "Weight is: %d." % weight
print "BMI is: %d." % BMI
what = add(age, subtract(height, multiply(weight, divide(BMI, 2))))
print "That becomes: ", what, "Can you do it by hand?"
</code></pre>
</div>
Amouage Reflection Man2020-08-05T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2020/08/05/amouage-reflection-man<p>Bit late to the game as this first appeared back in 2007. I found it very underwhelming. A floral, powdery scent that has decent sillage and longevity but isn’t for me. It’s not that it’s too feminine but more that it just doesn’t warrant the kind of money asked.</p>
<p>It strangely reminds me of the powdery quality in Versace Pour L’Homme. For an expensive niche scent, it’s a major disappointment. I’m glad I only bought a sample. Never blind buy a fragrance that costs £270 - no matter how much it gets hyped on YouTube.</p>
Myers, Votel & Canty - Human Engineering2020-08-04T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2020/08/04/human-engineering<p>Boomkat:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Sean Canty and Andy Votel explore new territory within the realms of broken music, mechanical composition, spoken-word and noise collage with the help of multi disciplinary artist and longtime cohort Rick Myers, feeding Pre-Cert’s gothic ambience into more unnerving corridors. We’re very here for it.</p>
<p>Myers is Votel’s longest running collaborator (and co-author of his very first releases in the mid-90’s) and alongside Sean Canty the trio find a genuine and naturalistic plain to create some of the collective’s most bizarre and beautiful installations yet. Devised fast and loose via cassette overdubs between Manchester and Massachusetts, and further expanding the syncopated vocal work found in Myers’ very limited “Obstacle #69: Sentences In A Magnetic Field” from 2019, the two longform pieces that make-up this release are narrated by Myers in a way that sounds like a forlorn John Cooper Clarke riding some abstracted, unheard and unfathomable b-cinematic sound design.</p>
<p>Inspiring an ongoing practice of automatic non-musical sound composition while drawing long term influences from lesser known sound-art projects, such as Milan Grygar’s Acoustic Drawings in Prague or Hungarian sound poet Katalin Ladik, and Swiss-German mainstay Dieter Roth, this first soundset reduces the trios reactions with dense and elongated results, piloting this ongoing series under the name HUMAN ENGINEERING. This limited cassette release, housed in artwork based on Myers personal work, proceeds an upcoming vinyl project under the same name, while providing a welcome addition to each members catalogue via Pre-Cert, Popular Mechanics, Demdike Stare, Cacophonic and Rick’s own printed work for Primary Information in America, Neives in Zurich and his own Northampton MA based Editions Muta forgery.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>You can get a copy <a href="https://boomkat.com/products/human-engineering">here</a>.</p>
War2020-08-03T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2020/08/03/war<p>Wars come and go. What remains are only the values of culture.</p>
Percival Pembroke - Vitality Suite2020-08-02T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2020/08/02/vitality-suite<p>Fauvist <a href="https://percivalpembroke.bandcamp.com/album/vitality-suite">synthesizer excursions</a> dedicated to the brave men and women who invested in British computing technology during the years 1983 - 1992.</p>
Britbox August 20202020-08-02T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2020/08/02/britbox-august-2020<p>Some great cult TV coming on the 20th August from <a href="https://www.britbox.co.uk">Britbox</a>. <em>Space 1999</em>, <em>The Prisoner</em>, Gerry Anderson’s <em>U.F.O</em> and <em>Captain Scarlet</em>. To top it off, the streaming service will have the complete series of <em>Sapphire & Steel</em>.</p>
TikTok2020-08-01T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2020/08/01/tik-tok<p>President Donald Trump has announced he is banning the Chinese-owned video-sharing app TikTok in the US.</p>
<p>He <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-53619287">told reporters</a> he could sign an executive order as early as Saturday.
US security officials have expressed concern that the app, owned by Chinese firm ByteDance, could be used to collect the personal data of Americans.</p>
<p>TikTok has denied accusations that it is controlled by or shares data with the Chinese government.</p>
<p>The fast-growing app has up to 80 million active monthly users in America and the ban would be a major blow for ByteDance.</p>
Midnight Star Media - Sky Limousine Ocean Nights2020-07-20T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2020/07/20/midnight-star-media<p>Dreamy, hypnagogic ambience from this Chicago artist. Great for twilight summer listening.</p>
<p><a href="https://midnightstarmedia.bandcamp.com/album/sky-limousine-ocean-nights">Download on Bandcamp</a></p>
Savings Function2020-07-19T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2020/07/19/savings-function<p>Simple one.</p>
<div class="highlighter-rouge"><pre class="highlight"><code>def result(saving, number_of_days):
return saving * number_of_days
print result(167, 123)
</code></pre>
</div>
<p>I post these more for my own benefit (as refreshers) than as anything really new.</p>
Dilemma2020-07-19T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2020/07/19/dilemma<p>What to wear today? I initially went with <em>Chanel Bleu</em> and then thought about the <em>Cologne Sport</em>. Finally decided on <em>Edition Blanche</em>.</p>
Xerjoff2020-07-15T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2020/07/15/xerjoff<p>Two very nice summer fragrances from this prestigious company would be <em>Nio</em> and <em>Renaissance</em>.</p>
Kassel Jaeger - Swamp/Things2020-07-09T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2020/07/09/kassel-jaeger-swamp-things<p>Resting at the junction of concept, emotion, and phenomena - tapping the multidimensional potential for narrative and meaning possessed by each - Swamps/Things encounters an artist of remarkable craft, delving toward the unknown, deploying organized sonority as object and environment, as much as action, movement, passage, and arc.</p>
<p>Seemingly possessed by an entropy entirely its own, the temporal gives way to the poetics of space, while the density of an endlessly evolving climate, laden with cacophonous happenings, renders itself still. Flickering images of the natural world - memory and the imagined reformed as sound - present an operatic double for human action and thought.</p>
<p>From deep, fog like banks of minimalist long tone, to industrial clamors left as tracks in the mud, or the collisions of shifting pulses, overtones, and textures - captured from across the murky, drone laden waters between the acoustic and synthetic realms - moody, howling cries and tense meditations merge in ambient sheets, capturing a fleeting image of where decomposition gives way to new growth.</p>
<p>You can get it <a href="https://kasseljaeger.bandcamp.com/album/swamps-things">here</a>.</p>
Votel, Canty & Shipton - Popular Mechanics 42020-07-07T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2020/07/07/popular-mechanics-4<p>Boomkat:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><a href="https://boomkat.com/products/popular-mechanics-vol-4">Volume 4</a> is perhaps the most unsettling and uncanny in the series so far, mirroring the latter stages of The Caretaker’s ‘<em>Everywhere At The End Of Time</em>’ series with what sounds like a trace echo of disembodied choral voices floating in and out of field recordings and found sounds coalescing in ghostly formation.</p>
<p>As per usual, we’re not gonna attempt to guess any of the included material, except to say that to us it sounds like deepest drone, concrète and sound art deployed at an almost imperceptible BPM, with diffused obscurities merging into foley, industrial and phantasmagoric atmospheres and the kind of multi-layered chicanery this lot have become so effortlessly good at piecing together.</p>
</blockquote>
Ennio Morricone2020-07-06T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2020/07/06/ennio-morricone<p>Legendary film composer has died aged 91. My favourite works from him include <em>The Mission</em>, <em>The Thing</em> and <em>State Of Grace</em>.</p>
Exhalation2020-07-04T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2020/07/04/exhalation-continuation<p>Continuing to read Ted Chiang’s <em>Exhalation</em>, a wonderful collection of short stories.</p>
Dalhous - Lost, Discarded Or Simply Forgotten2020-07-03T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2020/07/03/dalhous-demo-tape<p><a href="https://dalhous.bandcamp.com/track/lost-discarded-or-simply-forgotten">Digital release</a> of a 2015 tape originally issued on Blackest Ever Black. A collection of demos from 2009 - 2015.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.tinymixtapes.com/cerberus/dalhous-lost-discarded-or-simply-forgotten">Ryan Simpson at Tiny Mix Tapes</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The process of taking a song from a “demo” to a “finished” track is puzzling to me. I’m not a musician, so maybe there is some aspect of it that I am missing out on, but when I hear a b-side or demo collection I inevitably find myself scratching my head over why tracks were shelved. This is, of course, the case here, where what is advertised as a series of demos or forgotten tracks feels as fleshed out and solid as a full-fledged album.</p>
<p>I enjoy this collection more than either Dalhous album and the reason is simple: sonic diversity. Maybe it was an attempt to stay stylistically and thematically focused but I have a hard time separating the tracks on those albums; they all kind of lump together into a mass of gently floating electronics. With this cassette collection of demos there is an adventurousness and a willingness to experiment that seems (intentionally or not) bred out of other Dalhous releases. It makes you wonder why these pieces were rejected from release on either album or EP in the first place; what about the songs here made the creators say “naw, let’s shelve that one.” Because maybe they were wrong.</p>
</blockquote>
Gianni Versace2020-06-30T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2020/06/30/versace<p>Watching documentaries on the untimely death of this iconic fashion designer. I remember his <a href="https://www.bellazon.com/main/topic/17691-versace-ads/page/4/#comments">lavish photos adverts</a> in magazines from back in the day.</p>
Hey Rolls Out2020-06-27T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2020/06/27/hey-rolls-out<p>The new <a href="https://hey.com/">email service from Basecamp</a> has finally rolled out to the public. It’s a pretty unique take on email with some nice quirky features. The service costs $99 a year but once you’ve paid for your first year, you get to keep the email address forever - even if you subsequently cancel.</p>
Enrico Coniglio & Giulio Aldinucci - Stalking The Elusive2020-06-22T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2020/06/22/stalking-the-elusive<p>Powerful and emotionally overwhelming electronic atmospherics from this duo. Together they carve out huge swathes of monumental sound - as heard on <em>Until the End of Remembrances</em> where a vast church organ embraces the soundstage. This are big pieces and I urge you to check out this EP <a href="https://dronarivm.bandcamp.com/album/stalking-the-elusive">here</a>.</p>
Hey Email2020-06-20T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2020/06/20/hey<p><a href="https://hey.com">$99 a year</a> for an email service.</p>
Alva Noto - Xerrox Vol 42020-06-19T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2020/06/19/alva-noto-xerrox-vol4<p><a href="https://boomkat.com/products/xerrox-vol-4">New dark and brooding ambience</a> from the fourth installment in this series. ‘Xerrox Calypsoid 2’ features some twinkling atmospherics that remind me of Eno’s classic <em>Shutov Assembly</em>.</p>
James Ferraro - Neurogeist2020-06-13T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2020/06/13/james-ferraro-neurogeist<p>Beautiful <a href="https://jjamesferraro.bandcamp.com/album/neurogeist-2">new album</a> from this New York artist. Like a digital wave of 80s fm synthesis washing over you. Evocative and haunting.</p>
Summer Fragrances2020-06-09T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2020/06/09/summer-fragrances<p>This is a list of summer fragrances I currently like.</p>
<ul>
<li>Guerlain L’Homme Ideal Cologne</li>
<li>Terre D’Hermès Eau Trés Fraîche</li>
<li>Tom Ford Neroli Portofino Forte</li>
<li>Haeckels Pegwell Bay</li>
<li>Chanel Allure Homme Sport Eau Extreme</li>
</ul>
<p>The Guerlain is one I still use in summer but only occasionally as its now discontinued and prices are getting higher.</p>
<p>Terre D’Hermès Eau Trés Fraîche is a nice rather one dimensional scent that smells of earthy oranges in a pleasant but simple way. It’s not too expensive and is quite popular.</p>
<p>The same can be said for the Tom Ford. It’s a rather lovely Neroli that performs better than the standard edition. What hampers this fragrance is that like the Hermès, it’s rather linear and more importantly, the price is frankly ridiculous for a scent of this type.</p>
<p>Pegwell Bay is the relative newcomer but it’s a bold, complex fragrance that is perfect for summer. It has both strength and longevity which is unusual for a scent of this type.</p>
<p>Chanel’s Allure Sport Eau Extreme is a fantastic all-year round scent that is great even on cooler summer days.</p>
90 Percent2020-06-07T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2020/06/07/90-percent<p>So with careful battery management, I’ve just hit 90%. That’s 19 months and 22 days since it was optimal.</p>
Peter Blatty - Dimiter2020-05-21T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2020/05/21/dimiter<p>Finally got around to ordering this book. It was released back in 2010 with exceptionally good reviews. Publishers Weekly awarded Dimiter a starred review, calling it “a beautifully written, haunting tale of vengeance, spiritual searching, loss, and love”.</p>
Two Sides2020-05-13T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2020/05/13/two-sides<p>The corona virus pandemic brings out the devastating inequalities in British life. You have people forced to used food banks because they cannot get government aid after losing their jobs; you also have the rich talking of the <em>utter misery</em> of not being able to play golf for six weeks.</p>
Nothing But Flowers2020-03-22T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2020/03/22/nothing-but-flowers<p>Which is worse?</p>
<p>Wishful thinking?</p>
<p>Or wishing, with hindsight, that you had been more careful what you wished for?</p>
<p><a href="https://medium.com/a-longing-look/if-this-is-paradise-i-wish-i-had-a-lawn-mower-62c0da9d2892">Link</a></p>
FSOL - A Controlled Vista2020-03-19T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2020/03/19/fsol-a-controlled-vista<p>This is a surprisingly good album, harking back to those incredible broadcasts they use to do back in the day. It has all the copyright watermarks etc to give it a real archive feel.</p>
<p>While there are quite a few new pieces int this continuous forty-nine minute piece, they cleverly sprinkle in lots of old early 90s samples that had me misting up.</p>
<p>Great stuff.</p>
<p><a href="https://touched.bandcamp.com/album/touched-by-silence-please-note-fsol-is-cd-only-boxes-will-ship-in-early-feb">Link</a></p>
Surreal2020-03-12T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2020/03/12/skam<p><a href="https://bleep.com/release/167656-the-fear-ratio-they-cant-be-saved">New Skam release</a>.</p>
<p>Got a copy today. Very solid release which will please Skam fans everywhere. I think I’ll be playing this quite a bit.</p>
<p>It’s slightly surreal working on stuff while a BBC News Feed plays on one of the office monitors. And I’m listening to ‘The Fear Ratio’ whose latest album is called ‘They Can’t Be Saved’.</p>
Castelvania on iOS2020-03-04T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2020/03/04/castlevania-ios<p>Completely out of the blue, Konami have released a port of the classic 1997 game. It’s <a href="http://apple.co/2wq0Q2X">available</a> on the App Store now. It appears to be based on the PSP and PS4 versions of the game rather than the PlayStation original.</p>
<p>There’s support for external controllers, achievements, and a <em>new continue feature</em>. It can be played in six languages: English, Japanese, German, French, Italian, and Spanish.</p>
Lucy In Disguise - Unknown Frequency2020-03-03T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2020/03/03/lucy-in-disguise<p>Catchy hooks, dreamy pads, broken beats & thumping bass take you back to the 1980s.</p>
<p><a href="https://innerworksrecords.bandcamp.com/album/unknown-frequency">Link</a></p>
Steve Wilson2020-03-02T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2020/03/02/steve-wilson-perfect-life<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOU_zWdhAoE">Perfect Life</a>.</p>
The Caretaker - Deleted Scenes, Forgotten Dreams2020-03-02T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2020/03/02/deleted-scenes-forgotten-dreams<p>The Caretaker has abandoned darker and hard to grasp memories in favour of an altogether warmer journey which upon exposure invades the very core of your being. This is a very personal album for the listener, pre-soul music from a bygone era which will attack your senses in a way both comfortable and uncomfortable all at once.</p>
<p><a href="https://thecaretaker.bandcamp.com/album/deleted-scenes-forgotten-dreams">Available</a> from Bandcamp.</p>
The Quietus reviews Lame Impala2020-02-27T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2020/02/27/lame-impala<p><a href="https://thequietus.com/articles/27845-tame-impala-the-slow-rush-review">Cal Cashin</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>It took Kevin Parker five years of reclusive writing before The Slow Rush was ready for human consumption. His group Tame Impala started off at the dawn of the 2010s as a charming psych-revival curiosity, but second and third albums Lonerism and Currents saw the group slowly mutate into something far bigger; an escapist pop act capable of headlining festivals.</p>
<p>Notoriously, Parker is one of these musicians that spends literal years labouring over fine details to ensure everything is the best it can be. He rigorously considers every single drum sound, piano loop, and vocal texture, and pours unimaginable quantities of energy into the signature Tame Impala sound. Parker is clearly a talented producer, and has shown in the past that his musical graft often reaps satisfying melodies. It is this perfectionism that defines 2015’s smooth-but-insubstantial Currents, and new LP The Slow Rush is certainly cut from the same cloth.</p>
<p>So that begs the question; if Parker is such a perfectionist, how come all of his songs are fucking terrible?</p>
<p>Tame Impala frustrate throughout The Slow Rush. Whilst Parker’s talents as a producer certainly flicker throughout, his limitations as a songwriter prevent any songs on the record from really catching light at any point. The Slow Rush is background music, it’s supposed to bring good vibes but it dims every room that it is played in.</p>
</blockquote>
New Stuff2020-02-13T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2020/02/13/new-stuff<p>Picked a new album from <a href="https://rvng.bandcamp.com/album/sea-to-sea">Sign Libra</a> - channelling that mid-80s Laurie Anderson vibe. Also some dark ambience from <a href="https://greatcircles.bandcamp.com/album/radere-i-do-not-want-what-i-have-lp-grcr-017">Radere</a>. These two albums are really polar opposites. Also managed to get a nice discount on the new Tom Ford Beau De Jour - a clean, lavender fragrance that will be great in the coming months. I’m about halfway through the new William Gibson novel, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/books/2020/jan/22/agency-william-gibson-review">Agency</a> but I haven’t (so far) found it particularly engaging compared to <a href="https://www.npr.org/2014/11/01/358118728/william-gibson-skypes-the-future-in-the-peripheral?t=1583074391500">The Peripheral</a>.</p>
Battery Update2020-02-10T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2020/02/10/battery<p>I’ve been using some Bluetooth peripherals lately which has meant I’ve been charging my phone two or three times a week. Consequently, Peak Performance has now dropped to 95%. I suppose that’s still pretty good for sixteen months. Also, I need to keep the following in mind:</p>
<ul>
<li>Apple claims a 20% for 500 cycles.</li>
<li>Assuming I charge about 50 cycles in 60 days (two months).</li>
<li>That’s roughly a 2% loss for 2 months usage.</li>
</ul>
<p>I’m nowhere near that so I think the battery is still doing fine.</p>
TikTok and the coming of infinite media2020-01-04T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2020/01/04/infinite-media<p>Nick @ Rough Type:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>If Instagram showed us what a world without art looks like, TikTok shows us what a world without shame looks like. The old virtues of restraint — modesty, discretion, taste — are gone. There is only one virtue: to be seen. The future has arrived, but you don’t get fifteen minutes of fame. You get fifteen seconds.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><a href="http://www.roughtype.com/?p=8677">Full Article</a></p>
A New Year2020-01-01T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2020/01/01/new-year<p>Happy new year to everyone. Lots of new books and music are due this year.</p>
Battery Update2019-12-29T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2019/12/29/ninety-seven-percent<p>Peak capacity drops another point to 97%. Still pretty good for fourteen months in. Still charges to 100% from 10% in 1hr & 45 mins.</p>
Doctor Who on Britbox2019-12-26T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2019/12/26/doctor-who-britbox<p>All of Doctor Who Classic has landed on BritBox from today, bringing a whole host of Time Lord adventures, documentaries and more to the streaming service.</p>
<p>Launched this winter, the joint venture between BBC and ITV offers British TV box sets to subscribers for £4.99 a month in a bid to take on Netflix. With lots of the Beeb and ITV archives still on BBC iPlayer and Netflix, though, BritBox needs exclusive content to stand out from the crowd – and it doesn’t come more impressive than the biggest Doctor Who Classic collection ever streamed in the UK.</p>
<p>27 pieces of Doctor Who Classic content are available on the service, comprising episodes, spin-offs, documentaries, telesnaps and more and many rarely-seen treasures. 129 complete stories, which totals 558 episodes spanning the first eight Doctors from William Hartnell to Paul McGann, form the backbone of the collection.</p>
<p>Reemah Sakaan, Group Director ITV SVOD:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>BritBox becoming the first complete digital home of Doctor Who Classic creates a special opportunity for fans and streamers across the UK. We are looking forward to expanding the collection even further by working with the show creators to lovingly restore lost and previously unavailable episodes in the months to come and offering a truly exclusive experience.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Sally de St Croix, Franchise Director for Doctor Who at BBC Studios adds:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>It’s thrilling to partner with BritBox and see all this amazing Doctor Who Classic content congregate in one place where subscribers can stream to their hearts’ content – some experiencing the show for the first time whilst others will simply be enjoying it all over again.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The arrival of Doctor Who comes just as BritBox expands its reach: subscribers are now able to access the service on Chromecast, as well as via web, mobile, tablet and select connected TVs.</p>
Dries Van Noten par Frederic Malle2019-12-22T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2019/12/22/dries-van-noten-frederic-malle<p>This fragrance <a href="https://boisdejasmin.com/2013/02/dries-van-noten-par-frederic-malle-fragrance-review.html">has been out for a few years now</a> but I’ve only recently discovered it. Some of the reviews are mixed but I’m looking forward to trying it out.</p>
Various Artists - Cornucopia - A Compendium of Practical Occultism2019-12-15T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2019/12/15/practical-occultism<p>Back in the 1980s, British occultists in the know strove to get their hands on the releases from a series entitled Cornucopia - A Compendium Of Practical Occultism. A collection of private-press cassettes, these tapes were sound art compilations which oscillated between tales of magick, instructional spoken word, drone music and blissful ambiences that could have been described as new-age if they weren’t so intimately linked with the dark arts. This stuff comes off as woozy, often beautiful, rather than black-hearted.</p>
<p>The Cornucopia releases are some of those records which could easily have been lost to history. They are almost impossible to track down, even through internet search engines, and hardly any of the original copies are still in circulation. What a boon, then, that Folklore Tapes boss David Chatton Barker has managed to procure the audio of one Cornucopia volume for a new cassette release. Over two lengthy sides of tape, this record delivers a sort of hallucinatory, curious sound collage that serves as the missing link between Nurse With Wound and Hype Williams.</p>
<p><a href="https://bleep.com/release/158011-various-artists-cornucopia-a-compendium-of-practical-occultism">Sold Out</a></p>
Django2019-12-02T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2019/12/02/django<p>I thought I would take a look at <a href="https://www.djangoproject.com">Django</a>, a high-level Python Web framework. It may prove useful going forward.</p>
Albums 20192019-12-01T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2019/12/01/Albums 2019<p>I listened to quite a lot of stuff this year. These were my favourite things in 2019. The Boards of Canada entry is a compilation of other artists they curated for the Warp 30th Anniversary so it doesn’t really belong here but was extremely good.</p>
<p>Some are albums from decades past that I rediscovered buried in my collection - musing on memory and in the process, unearthing some things I’d rather have forgotten.</p>
<ul>
<li>Mikron - Severance</li>
<li>The Caretaker - Everywhere At The End Of Time (Stage 6)</li>
<li>Fennesz - Agora</li>
<li>5HTTP - Since Then</li>
<li>Duran Duran - The Wedding Album</li>
<li>New Dreams Ltd (Vektroid) - Initiation Tape</li>
<li>… - No Title</li>
<li>Pino Donnagio - Dressed To Kill</li>
<li>Kim Carnes - Mistaken Identity</li>
<li>A Guy Called Gerald - Black Secret Technology</li>
<li>Midnight Television - Midnight Television</li>
<li>Klaus Schulze - Silhouettes</li>
<li>Barry De Vorzon - Night Of The Creeps</li>
<li>Phenomena - Phenomena</li>
<li>The Caretaker - A Stairway To The Stars</li>
<li>Steely Dan - Gaucho</li>
<li>Moon King - Hamtramck ‘16</li>
<li>Konx-om-Pax - Ways Of Seeing</li>
<li>Blue Chemise - Daughters Of Time</li>
<li>Mort Garson - Mother Earth’s Plantasia</li>
<li>Virginia Astley - Hope In A Darkened Heart</li>
<li>Coil - Theme From The Gay Man’s Guide To Safer Sex</li>
<li>Boards of Canada - Societas X Tape</li>
<li>Julio Iglesias - Non Stop</li>
<li>Cyclobe - Sulphur-Tarot-Garden</li>
<li>Mark Isham - The Beast</li>
<li>Tangerine Dream - Logos</li>
<li>Basil Kirchin - Quantum</li>
<li>Jim O’ Rourke & CM von Hausswolf - In, Demons, In!</li>
<li>Black Zone Magic Chant - Voyage Sacrifice</li>
<li>HTRK - Over The Rainbow</li>
<li>Maurice Jarre - After Dark, My Sweet</li>
<li>Rafael Anton Irisarri - Solastalgia</li>
<li>Mystery - Mystery</li>
<li>Chris Spheres & Paul Voudouris - Passage</li>
<li>David Sylvian - Brilliant Trees</li>
<li>Plaid - Polymer</li>
<li>William Basinski - On Time Out Of Time</li>
<li>Rosie Vela - Zazu</li>
<li>Shell Money - Family Tapes 89-93</li>
<li>Xvarr - Echoes of Time</li>
</ul>
Brave's Privacy-First Browser2019-11-17T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2019/11/17/brave-privacy-browser<p>Another company <a href="https://brave.com">promising privacy in a browser</a>. I don’t see what’s so different about this compared to Firefox or Safari. Personally, I just use <a href="https://adguard.com/en/welcome.html">AdGuard</a> which sits at the OS level meaning you are not tied to any one browser.</p>
<p>I think the Basic Attention Tokens that apparently run through blockchains is an interesting idea but will it take off? People don’t like paying for things - that’s the reason Facebook and Twitter have huge market share.</p>
Chanel Bois Des Iles2019-11-16T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2019/11/16/bois-de-iles<p>A very refined sandalwood fragrance but the opening is just too feminine for me.</p>
Autumn & Winter Fragrances2019-11-14T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2019/11/14/autumn-winter-fragrances<p>In rotation for this Autumn/Winter are some things that you might like. These are all fantastic fragrances that I totally recommend.</p>
<ul>
<li>Tom Ford Noir Extreme</li>
<li>Valentino Uomo Noir Absolu</li>
<li>Dior Homme Parfum</li>
<li>Carner Barcelona El Born</li>
<li>Parfum Prissana Ma Nishtana</li>
</ul>
<p>And if you can still find it, the EDT of Chanel Coromandel.</p>
Wired reviews the Pixel 42019-10-22T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2019/10/22/pixel-4<p>Jeffrey Van Camp <a href="https://www.wired.com/review/google-pixel-4-and-pixel-4-xl/">writing for Wired</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>For once, Google’s latest phone falls short. Its predecessor is just as good … and cheaper</p>
</blockquote>
Watchmen2019-10-21T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2019/10/21/watchmen<p>HBO’s Watchmen is a companion-piece to the Watchmen comics by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, set in present-day Tulsa, thirty years after the events of the comics.</p>
<p>First episode is quite compelling. Visually stunning and rewards a repeat viewing. There are a lot of great details you’ll miss the first time. If you’ve seen it already and want a recap, there is one <a href="https://www.comingsoon.net/tv/features/1106038-watchmen-season-1-episode-1-recap">here</a>.</p>
<p>HBO must have spent a fortune on this show. Looking forward to the remaining eight episodes. It will be interesting to see how this all unfolds.</p>
Blockchain in Python2019-10-20T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2019/10/20/basic-block-chain<p>A script that gets a basic blockchain up and running.</p>
<div class="highlighter-rouge"><pre class="highlight"><code>import hashlib as hasher
class Block:
def __init__(self, index, timestamp, data, previous_hash):
self.index = index
self.timestamp = timestamp
self.data = data
self.previous_hash = previous_hash
self.hash = self.hash_block()
def hash_block(self):
sha = hasher.sha256()
sha.update(str(self.index) +
str(self.timestamp) +
str(self.data) +
str(self.previous_hash))
return sha.hexdigest()
import datetime as date
def create_genesis_block():
# Manually construct a block with
# index zero and arbitrary previous hash
return Block(0, date.datetime.now(), "Genesis Block", "0")
def next_block(last_block):
this_index = last_block.index + 1
this_timestamp = date.datetime.now()
this_data = "Hey! I'm block " + str(this_index)
this_hash = last_block.hash
return Block(this_index, this_timestamp, this_data, this_hash)
Create the blockchain and add the genesis block
blockchain = [create_genesis_block()]
previous_block = blockchain[0]
How many blocks should we add to the chain
after the genesis block
num_of_blocks_to_add = 20
Add blocks to the chain
for i in range(0, num_of_blocks_to_add):
block_to_add = next_block(previous_block)
blockchain.append(block_to_add)
previous_block = block_to_add
# Tell everyone about it!
print "Block #{} has been added to the blockchain!".format(block_to_add.index)
print "Hash: {}\n".format(block_to_add.hash)
</code></pre>
</div>
Security Code Autofill2019-10-20T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2019/10/20/autofill-sms<p>Apple engineer <a href="https://twitter.com/rmondello/status/1185596493232607239?s=12">explains the story</a> about how this small but extremely useful function came into being.</p>
Good Battery Management2019-10-19T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2019/10/19/good-battery-management<p>Some sound advice from <a href="https://www.wired.co.uk/article/improve-battery-life-phone">Wired UK</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>A phone battery is made up of two layers, one of graphite and the other of lithium cobalt oxide. Energy releases when lithium ions move from the graphite layer to the lithium cobalt oxide layer. Charging up a battery shifts the lithium ions back the other way, preparing the process to start again.</p>
<p>What you this tells us is that the real sweet spot for a battery is a 50 per cent charge – when half of the battery’s moveable lithium ions are in the lithium cobalt oxide layer and the other half in the graphite layer. This equilibrium puts the least amount of strain on the lithium ions that power your battery, and basically extends the number of charge cycles it can take before degrading. Therefore it’s best to keep your your battery between 20 and 80 per cent, and regularly top up with partial charges.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The article also talks about badly engineered apps and the downside of trickle charging - which is what I was doing with the Belkin.</p>
Belkin Wireless Woes2019-10-18T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2019/10/18/belkin-wireless-woes<p>Decided to buy a Belkin Wireless Charger two weeks ago and it already seems to have had a detrimental health on the XS Max battery capacity. I’ve previously had 100% capacity for almost a year.</p>
<p>Actually, looking at my diary it is exactly a year ago today that I bought the XS Max, so it’s disappointing that I couldn’t keep the 100% record intact - which I’d achieved by careful battery management. Which brings me back to the Belkin and its effect on battery capacity for the iPhone.</p>
<p>Within <em>fourteen days</em>, it has fallen to 98%. This is due to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/the-best-way-to-charge-your-phone-2015-9?r=US&IR=T">trickle charging</a>.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>According to Battery University, leaving your phone plugged in when it’s fully charged, like you might overnight, is bad for the battery in the long run.</p>
<p>Once your smartphone has reached 100% charge, it gets “trickle charges” to keep it at 100% while plugged in. It keeps the battery in a high-stress, high-tension state, which wears down the chemistry within.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>I’m going back to my old way of just using the 30W USB-C every few days and try and put the thought of the £50 I spent behind me.</p>
Pegwell Bay2019-10-14T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2019/10/14/pegwell-bay<p>Haeckels, based in Margate capture the essence of the sea with their parfum.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Unkempt beauty, a natural haven to birds, insects and animals of all shapes and sizes but accessible for man to wonder at its beauty and roam the paths of Pegwell Bay. Along the side of each of these beautiful walks is fennel; growing from bulb to high hollow stemmed bush whilst on the salt marsh that lays between you and sea can be seen orchids, salt marsh thrift and marsh grasses.</p>
<p>Remnants of an industrial past lay all around, clues to its history but all this is thrown into a shadow as the natural beauty of this place truly takes over; the senses are met at all sides with sights, smells and textures which makes walking through and experiencing it a special journey.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Available <a href="https://haeckels.co.uk/product/pegwell/">here</a>.</p>
iTunes Store Down2019-10-08T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2019/10/08/itunes-store-down<p>A sizeable number of iPhone, iPod touch and iPad users are experiencing an issue with some Apple services at the moment. More specifically, there are some reports about an unknown message that has appeared on iOS 13 and iPadOS. The iTunes Store error simply pops up on the screen unexpectedly and for several times.</p>
The Joker2019-10-06T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2019/10/06/the-joker<p>Given all the hype, you could be forgiven for thinking that <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joker_(2019_film)">The Joker</a> is some deep analysis into the mind of someone tipping into insanity. However, I came away feeling as if I hadn’t really learnt anything new. Great performances but I just couldn’t get with it. Maybe a second viewing will change things.</p>
HTRK - Over The Rainbow2019-10-05T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2019/10/05/htrk-over-the-rainbow<p>Unexpected, gorgeous new LP from HTRK, a follow-up to their recent Ghostly album ‘Venus in Leo’, it’s the soundtrack to Jeremy Peixoto’s Scientology documentary ‘Over The Rainbow’, mastered by Rashad Becker. A rare and unexpected all-instrumental showreel, their suite of original music is testament to a haunting soul that’s long lurked under the hood of their singular, hugely evocative sound.</p>
<p>The soundtrack strips away HTRK’s signature vocals and drum machines in a commission to fit the mood of Peixoto’s feature - a film that seeks to better understand Scientology through a range of perspectives, from psychologists to former members. Jonnine Standish and Nigel Yang use their considerable knack for conjuring haunting, heavy-lidded feels and ohrwurm hooks to map the mood, deploying a trademark, incisive sense of detachment that colours the film’s intersection of real beliefs and ideas of Scientology as a sect.</p>
<p>In the absence of Jonnine Standish’s vocals and Nigel Yang’s 808 boom, HTRK’s musick is pared to its essence of synths and electronics and painted in hazy, illusive strokes from a palette of smudged pastels mutual to both South California and the band’s native Australia. The result is a 13 part mosaic tiling hazy blue cues with aqueous ambient pads and baroque themes, playing out like the atmospheric strokes to LA noir in a way that silhouettes the film’s probing narrative and rhetoric and also reflects its fascination with American culture and the supernatural in a similar way to Eno’s ambient classics or Lynch flicks and their scores.</p>
<p>Ultimately ‘Over The Rainbow’ is an instant play-it-again entry to HTRK’s catalogue, one that supplies a sort of crystal ball window onto their practice and most subtly illuminates the duo’s masterful control of tonal sensitivity and floating, chamber-like composition. A big recommendation to all lovers of classic ambient music, from Pinkcourtesyphone to Gigi Masin, AFX and Eno.</p>
<p><a href="https://boomkat.com/products/over-the-rainbow-b6bdbada-80a4-4912-af32-b146996b7187">Boomkat Editions</a></p>
XVARR - Echoes Of Time2019-10-04T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2019/10/04/xvarr-echoes-of-time<p>Boomkat:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Enchanted UK synth alchemist <a href="https://xvarr.bandcamp.com/album/aeons-revolve-ep">XVARR</a> blesses Good Morning Tapes’ vinyl series with a gorgeous suite of ambient electronics certain to resonate with disciples of 0PN, Eno, Zoviet France, Colin Potter.</p>
<p>An eldritch beauty ripe with autumnal tone and mushied lushness, ‘She Healed Him In Her Sleep’ follows in the creeping vein of XVARR’s acclaimed 2018 tape ‘Serpent Power’ to bloom his sound with an organic, elemental quality and energy that binds Sufi trance to original kosmische and the kind of quietly humming, pastoral vibe typical of early British synth music.</p>
<p>In four tracks XVARR paints rolling sinewave vistas that unfurl with a timelessly slow-burning and romantic vision, ranging from cinematic sentiments that Eno would be proud of, to passages of amniotic ambient atavism and dream sequence arps that seduce listeners to the sweetest soporific states of mind and distract from everyday reality.</p>
<p>The gently elegiac synth-brass fanfare and strings of the title song unmistakably owe as much to 0PN as Eno’s stately early work, while the plangent jangle of ‘Past Masters’ surely recalls the hiraeth and pull of the sea and land found in Zoviet France’s enigmatic rituals. The pulsing ‘Echoes of Time’ most poignantly brims with the Eastern-oriented optimism of ‘60s and ‘70s electronics, channelling Harmonia via JD Emmanuel, and ‘Terminal Manoeuvre’ instinctively dowses a bout of BoC-like nostalgia in 3 minutes of lilting melody and elliptical oscillator wooze.</p>
<p>We could hardly imagine a lovelier fanfare for the change of the seasons. Time it all with sunset, fleeces and freaky fungi for optimal immersion (and possible optical side-effects).</p>
</blockquote>
<p>You can purchase the EP <a href="https://boomkat.com/products/echoes-of-time">here</a>.</p>
Full Throttle2019-10-01T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2019/10/01/full-throttle<p>New short story collection from Joe Hill is <a href="https://geni.us/LzyQAA">now available</a> on Kindle.</p>
New Books2019-09-13T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2019/09/13/new-books-september<p>Currently reading ‘The Second Sleep’ by Robert Harris with Ted Chiang’s ‘Exhalation’ due to follow that. Finally, there is a new Stephen King novel, ‘The Institute’ which also looks interesting.</p>
Films2019-08-18T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2019/08/18/films-august-2018<p>Currently watching <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Shape_of_Water">The Shape of Water</a>. A few days ago I also saw <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Once_Upon_a_Time_in_Hollywood">Once Upon a Time in Hollywood</a>. Both were good movies.</p>
Guardian Server Update2019-08-16T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2019/08/16/guardian-vpn-update<p>Finally Guardian VPN Firewall has added a UK server to its functionality - it was essentially useless before - blocking all streaming services. If you reset your configuration and are in the UK, you should now see <code class="highlighter-rouge">london-ipsec-3</code> as your host server.</p>
808 State Return2019-08-04T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2019/08/04/808-state-return<p>It’s thirty years since they broke out with their album ‘90’ in 1989. The album contained the stunning ‘Pacific State’ which became an instant classic. They finally return on October 11th with ‘<a href="https://www.magneticmag.com/2019/07/808-state-new-album-transmission-suite/">Transmission Suite</a>’, their first new album in almost twenty years.</p>
<p>You can watch a video for one of the tracks, ‘Tokyo Tokyo’ <a href="https://youtu.be/htYHQ5agIdc">here</a>.</p>
Guardian Firewall for iOS2019-08-02T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2019/08/02/guardian<p><a href="https://guardianapp.com/blog/2019/06/introducing-guardian-firewall-for-ios/">Guardian Firewall</a>, a brand new VPN that claims to be the best iOS firewall on the market. It’s proved useful so far <del>but who would ship a product that has a broken subscription sign-up panel? Hope they get that fixed asap</del>.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Update: The subscription issue has been fixed but two problems are now quite pressing. Firstly, the settings tab is empty which is not good at all. Secondly, Guardian is setting my host server to somewhere in the US so this is playing havoc with streaming services that I use - Amazon Prime, Netflix, Apple TV etc.</p>
</blockquote>
Christian Chevallier2019-08-02T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2019/08/02/christian-chevallier<p>Listening to this <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/463652-Christian-Chevallier">French composer</a> who turned up on the <a href="https://bocpages.org/wiki/Societas_x_Tape">Societas X</a> tape.</p>
50 Years2019-07-21T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2019/07/21/fifty-years<p>Listening to the <a href="https://brian-eno.net">Brian Eno reissue</a> and watching <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Man_(film)">First Man</a>.</p>
Instagram Sharing2019-06-09T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2019/06/09/instagram-sharing<p>Looks like Instagram have removed the option to share with the iOS share sheet and consequently the ability to run shortcuts from within their app. It’s still seemingly available if you try with Safari. Now when you try to share, you are presented with a list of the people you follow and nothing more.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>This has now been fixed. The share sheet option has now been moved to a different place in the menu.</p>
</blockquote>
Current Listening & Reading2019-05-25T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2019/05/25/current-listening-reading<p>At the moment, I am listening to Cyclob’s <a href="https://www.isotank.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=14557_14574_16704&products_id=50217&zenid=1qa5a5g6cu2jneh6fsu9qpl4a6">Sulphur-Tarot-Garden</a>, the excellent <a href="https://boomkat.com/products/in-demons-in">In, Demons, In!</a> By Jim O’Rourke & CM von Hausswolff.</p>
<p>I’m also enjoying some (fairly) old Vaporwave from <a href="https://theinfinitipool.com/album/midnight-television">Midnight Television</a> and <a href="https://midnightdeluxe.bandcamp.com/releases">Palm Grove Galleria</a>. All good albums that I totally recommend.</p>
<p>I’m still reading the new Thomas Harris novel, <a href="https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/104/1042037/cari-mora/9781785152207.html">Cari Mora</a>. I’m currently waiting for a signed US edition as well as a <a href="https://www.goldsborobooks.com/product/cari-mora-deluxe-edition">rare UK slipcase edition</a> from Goldsboro books that was limited to 150 copies. This was out of stock quickly but I see Goldsboro have <em>managed</em> to find some more copies and are now offering them at twice what was originally asked.</p>
Theresa May Resigns2019-05-24T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2019/05/24/may-resigns<p>From her departing speech:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“Compromise is not a dirty word. Life depends on compromise.”</p>
</blockquote>
Fennesz - Agora2019-03-28T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2019/03/28/fennesz-agora<p>Four tracks of stunning beauty and life-affirming sounds to get lost in. Available from tomorrow <a href="https://fenneszreleases.bandcamp.com/album/agora">here</a>.</p>
Apple Credit Card2019-03-27T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2019/03/27/apple-credit-card<p>Apple getting into credit cards. I feel deeply uneasy about this but I don’t know exactly why. I think it’s an uncomfortable look for them but hey, it’s yet another potential revenue stream and money is what matters - don’t let Apple ever convince you of anything else - despite all the empty platitudes and virtue-signalling at their events. Also don’t be fooled by the Apple privacy hype. Goldman Sachs are apparently being trusted with all the information.</p>
<p>The Verge:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Similarly, Apple’s approach to data privacy differs from other credit card companies: Apple is banking on Goldman Sachs to secure users’ credit card data, which also means that Apple won’t be the one held responsible in the event of a breach. Again, Goldman Sachs declined to comment.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>I don’t think this is going to be anywhere near as exclusive as all the Apple fans would like - despite the Titanium design. American Express and Chase Sapphire (among others) are where the (relative) exclusivity lies with ownership fees as much as $550 just to own the card for one year. This is more like a tier 2 card rather than a 4 or 5 offering.</p>
<p>In addition, metal cards are very much a USA/Canada thing; Europe not so much. Amex in the UK don’t offer any cards in metal despite the sky-high ownership fees. I would not be surprised to see this launch in the UK as a plastic version. Hope I’m wrong as it will probably force Amex to up its game.</p>
<p>** As of 11th June 2019, Amex Platinum is now a metal card in the UK.</p>
Introduction to Loops2019-03-12T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2019/03/12/loops-intro<p>A simple script for displaying how loops work.</p>
<div class="highlighter-rouge"><pre class="highlight"><code>i = 0
numbers = []
while i < 8:
print "At the top i is now %d" % i
numbers.append(i)
i = i + 1
print "Numbers now:", numbers
print "Number at the bottom is now: %d" % i
print "The numbers:"
for num in numbers:
print num
</code></pre>
</div>
Salary Calculator 22019-03-04T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2019/03/04/salary2<p>Here is a slightly modified script for the Salary Calculator. This time we are writing the result to a text file. Some folks over on the Python forum helped me with <code class="highlighter-rouge">target.write(str(round(total, 2)).encode())</code> as I could not figure a way to round the decimal place correctly.</p>
<div class="highlighter-rouge"><pre class="highlight"><code># -*- encoding: utf-8 -*-
from sys import argv
script, answer = argv
def salary(weeks, payments):
return (weeks * payments)
weeks = (float(raw_input("Weeks: ")))
payments = (float(raw_input("Payments: ")))
total = salary(weeks, payments)
target = open(answer, 'w')
target.truncate()
target.write(str(round(total, 2)).encode())
target.close()
</code></pre>
</div>
Salary Calculator2019-02-27T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2019/02/27/salary-calculator<p>This script uses quite a few new things including a function. It calculates two user input values and then gives an answer depending on the outcome. The user is asked for the number of weeks and the payment each week.</p>
<div class="highlighter-rouge"><pre class="highlight"><code># -*- encoding: utf-8 -*-
def salary(weeks, payments):
return (weeks * payments)
weeks = (float(raw_input("Weeks: ")))
payments = (float(raw_input("Payments: ")))
total = salary(weeks, payments)
print "\nThe total is {0:.2f}".format (total)
if total < 7999 or total == 7999:
print "That's not good enough.\n"
else:
print "You are on target.\n"
</code></pre>
</div>
<p>The script also uses <code class="highlighter-rouge">float</code> and <code class="highlighter-rouge">format</code> for currencies and values that use decimal places. Don’t forget to declare <code class="highlighter-rouge">-*- encoding: utf-8 -*-</code> at the beginning of the script.</p>
Data Length2019-02-25T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2019/02/25/length-calculation<p>These few lines of code are useful to calculate the size of a file. Later, we’ll combine it with another script.</p>
<div class="highlighter-rouge"><pre class="highlight"><code>from sys import argv
script, filename = argv
a1 = open(filename)
data = a1.read()
print "The size of the file is %r bytes." % len (data)
</code></pre>
</div>
Condensing2019-02-18T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2019/02/18/condensing<p>In the last script, I mentioned about condensing the lines down. It’s actually very simple to do. Just insert a semi-colon between lines.</p>
<p>For example:</p>
<p><code class="highlighter-rouge">from sys import argv script, filename</code> becomes <code class="highlighter-rouge">from sys import argv;script, filename</code></p>
<p>If you apply this in your scripts, things become much more manageable to read. Here is the previous script with the new additions.</p>
<div class="highlighter-rouge"><pre class="highlight"><code>from sys import argv;script, file_name = argv
print "Hello. let's erase the contents of the file called: '%s'." % file_name
print "If you do not want this, hit CTRL-C."
raw_input("?")
print "Opening file..."
target = open(file_name, 'w');target.truncate()
print "Contents now erased."
line1 = raw_input("Line 1: ");line2 = raw_input("Line 2: ");line3 = raw_input("Line 3: ")
print "Writing three lines..."
target.write(line1);target.write("\n");target.write(line2);target.write("\n");target.write(line3);target.write("\n")
print "Done.";print "Let's close the file."
target.close()
print "All finished."
</code></pre>
</div>
<p>As you can see, most of the time is saved with the part where the script asks for <code class="highlighter-rouge">raw_input</code> and when using <code class="highlighter-rouge">target.write</code>.</p>
Erasing and Writing to a Text File2019-02-11T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2019/02/11/erasing-writing-data<p>This looks quite complicated but that’s only because a lot of the lines can be condensed. The script opens the file, erases the contents and then allows the user to write in new data. Used with other scripts, it’s quite a powerful few lines of code.</p>
<div class="highlighter-rouge"><pre class="highlight"><code>from sys import argv
script, filename = argv
print "We are going to erase %r." % filename
print "If you don't want that, press ctrl-c."
print "Otherwise, hit Return."
raw_input("?")
print "Opening the file..."
target = open(filename, 'w')
print "Truncating the file...Goodbye"
target.truncate()
print "Now I am going to ask you for three lines."
line1 = raw_input("Line 1")
line2 = raw_input("Line 2")
line3 = raw_input("line 3")
print "I am going to write these to the file."
target.write(line1)
target.write("\n")
target.write(line2)
target.write("\n")
target.write(line3)
target.write("\n")
print "And finally, we close it."
target.close()
</code></pre>
</div>
Reading a Simple Text File with Python2019-02-08T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2019/02/08/reading-simple-text-with-python<p>Here’s a script to read the contents of a text file.</p>
<div class="highlighter-rouge"><pre class="highlight"><code>from sys import argv
script, filename = argv
#open the file and read contents
txt = open(filename)
print txt.read()
print "Read the file again?"
file_again = raw_input("> ")
txt_again = open(file_again)
print txt_again.read()
</code></pre>
</div>
Prompting, Unpacking and Variables2019-02-05T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2019/02/05/unpacking<p>Remember that you need to call the script from the command line and then list the things you want to show.</p>
<p>So for instance, if the script is called ‘ex12.py’, then you would type ‘python ex12.py apples strawberries pears’.</p>
<p>The results will then be printed out as:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The script is called: ex12.py</p>
<p>Your first variable is: apples</p>
<p>Your second variable is: strawberries</p>
<p>Your third variable is: pears</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Anyway, here is the script.</p>
<div class="highlighter-rouge"><pre class="highlight"><code>from sys import argv
script, first, second, third = argv
print "\n"
print "The script is called:", script
print "\n"
print "Your first variable is:", first
print "\n"
print "Your second variable is:", second
print "\n"
print "Your third variable is:", third
print "\n"
</code></pre>
</div>
Fahrenheit Calculator2019-02-04T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2019/02/04/fahrenheit-calculator<p>Simple script that calculates degrees Fahrenheit.</p>
<div class="highlighter-rouge"><pre class="highlight"><code># -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
x = float(raw_input("°C: "))
fahrenheit = x * 1.8 + 32
print "Fahrenheit: {0:.1f}°F".format (fahrenheit)
</code></pre>
</div>
Nightfliers2019-02-03T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2019/02/03/nightfliers<p>Truly there is some absolute rubbish on Netflix. Quite how this sci-fi drama got remade is probably solely down to the success of the writer George R.R. Martin and the <em>Game Of Thrones</em> series.</p>
<p>However, don’t be fooled. This series is simply dreadful. No coherent plot, poor acting and characters that do not engage the viewer whatsoever.</p>
Halide - New App2019-02-02T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2019/02/02/halide-new-app<p>So it seems that Halide, the makers of the camera app for iOS have something new launching this month as mentioned <a href="https://twitter.com/halidecamera/status/1091781918088093696">here</a>. I wonder what they could be up to? There are already dozens of photo editing applications out there - my go to for RAW editing is <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/adobe-lightroom-cc/id878783582?mt=8">Adobe’s Lightroom</a>. It would seem pointless to go up against that. Maybe it’s not even photography related.</p>
Mikron - Severance2019-01-31T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2019/01/31/mikron-severance<p>New album due on Friday following up <em>Warning Score</em> from 2016. Previews hint at a more atmospheric set of tracks than before. It will be available in a number of formats and you can <a href="https://bleep.com/release/122798-mikron-severance">buy it</a> from Bleep.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Update</p>
<p>This is very good indeed. More atmospheric (and somehow more complete) than their debut album - not that I didn’t like that. But this is a different beast altogether. Standouts for me are: <em>Embers</em>, <em>Lyre</em>, <em>Aldergrove</em>, <em>Sunken Paths</em> and <em>Cast on a Clock Face</em>.</p>
<p>Best thing I’ve heard so far this year.</p>
</blockquote>
Strava2019-01-30T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2019/01/30/strava<p>I began using this app yesterday. It uses Location Services and GPS in order to track your movement. Great for hiking. It also gives you lots of other useful stats such as calories used and a map of your progress. You can read more about Strava <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/strava-run-ride-training/id426826309?mt=8">here</a>.</p>
Face Time Woes2019-01-29T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2019/01/29/face-time-woes<p>Juli Clover at MacRumours:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>There’s a major bug in FaceTime right now that lets you connect to someone and hear their audio without the person even accepting the call. You can force a FaceTime call with someone and hear what they’re saying, perhaps even without their knowledge.</p>
<p>We tested the bug at MacRumors and were able to initiate a FaceTime call with each other where we could hear the person on the other end without ever having pressed the button to accept the call. To exploit the bug, all you have to do is add your own phone number to a FaceTime call you’ve already initiated, which apparently creates a major FaceTime issue.</p>
<p>Adding your own phone number to Group FaceTime a second time causes the call between both parties to connect. You can hear the person on the other end and they can hear you, even though the call wasn’t accepted.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>What’s weird about this is that I had an unknown FaceTime caller a few days ago. I’ve disabled FaceTime until Apple issue an update.</p>
Walking2019-01-28T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2019/01/28/walking<p>Finally got out today as the weather is better. Still cold but clearer skies.</p>
Smart Battery Case Charging Time2019-01-26T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2019/01/26/charging-time<p>Today I let the phone and case drain down completely - to the point where the iPhone shut down. Using a 30w USB-C Lightning connection, these are the times it took to charge. What’s really interesting is that with USB-C, the case and phone charge in parallel.</p>
<p>1hr</p>
<ul>
<li>iPhone 85%</li>
<li>Smart Battery Case 79%</li>
</ul>
<p>1hr 15 mins</p>
<ul>
<li>iPhone 93%</li>
<li>Smart Battery Case 90%</li>
</ul>
<p>1hr 24 mins</p>
<ul>
<li>iPhone 96%</li>
<li>Smart Battery Case 96%</li>
</ul>
<p>1hr 30 mins</p>
<ul>
<li>iPhone 97%</li>
<li>Smart Battery case 98%</li>
</ul>
<p>1hr 32 mins</p>
<ul>
<li>iPhone 98%</li>
<li>Smart Battery Case 100%</li>
</ul>
<p>1hr 40 mins</p>
<ul>
<li>iPhone 100%</li>
<li>Smart Battery Case 100%</li>
</ul>
<p>Update:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>When I left the iPhone unattended all night, by 10:30 am, the battery had dropped by 10%. I think this because I had <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/dark-sky-weather/id517329357?mt=8">Dark Sky</a> constantly using Location Services. I’m also going to make it a practice now to have the XS Max on <a href="https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT205234">Low Power Mode</a> unless I’m away from the house and keep Bluetooth disabled. This is because I have my computer and iPad, should I need them.</p>
</blockquote>
SubEthaEdit2019-01-22T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2019/01/22/subethaedit<p>This great application is <a href="http://appshopper.com/mac/developer-tools/subethaedit">now free</a> and open source. I recommend this if you don’t want to pay almost a hundred dollars for Panic’s Coda.</p>
Tidying2019-01-21T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2019/01/21/tidying<p>Spent the best part of the day tidying away magazines.</p>
Apple Smart Battery Case2019-01-20T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2019/01/20/apple-smart-battery-case<p>Released this week, this case is optimised for iOS and features wireless charging and two internal batteries. It <em>will</em> work with an iPhone X but the software is not set up for this particular phone and the speaker grill will also not align correctly. The price is £129. There are cases available for the XS Max, XS and XR models in either Black or White. You can see what’s available <a href="https://www.apple.com/uk/shop/iphone/iphone-accessories/cases-protection">here</a>.</p>
Pythonista2019-01-19T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2019/01/19/pythonista<p>Incredible iOS application I only recently discovered. Now you can write Python anywhere. The price is £9.99 - very reasonable for what’s inside. Head over to the <a href="http://geni.us/Aew4k">iOS store</a> for more details.</p>
Thomas Harris - Cari Mora2019-01-14T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2019/01/14/cari-mora<p>Announced back in October 2018, this is the author’s first novel in thirteen years.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Twenty-five million dollars in cartel gold lies hidden beneath a mansion on the Miami Beach waterfront. Ruthless men have tracked it for years. Leading the pack is Hans-Peter Schneider. Driven by unspeakable appetites, he makes a living fleshing out the violent fantasies of other, richer men.</p>
<p>Cari Mora, caretaker of the house, has escaped from the violence in her native country. She stays in Miami on a wobbly Temporary Protected Status, subject to the iron whim of ICE. She works at many jobs to survive. Beautiful, marked by war, Cari catches the eye of Hans-Peter as he closes in on the treasure. But Cari Mora has surprising skills, and her will to survive has been tested before.</p>
<p>Monsters lurk in the crevices between male desire and female survival. No other writer in the last century has conjured those monsters with more terrifying brilliance than Thomas Harris. Cari Mora, his sixth novel, is the long-awaited return of an American master.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Available to <a href="http://geni.us/bGsad">pre-order</a> on Amazon.</p>
HMV 19852018-12-29T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/12/29/gone-not-forgotten<p>HMV <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/hmvgetcloser/with/5387168841/">photographed</a> during the mid-1980s. I used to shop there. That was a long, long time ago.</p>
RAW & HEIF2018-12-18T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/12/18/raw-heif<p>Shooting RAW images and looking at them after in the photo viewer with Halide, the camera seems to be taking a JPG rather than an HEIF file (even though I’ve specifically set it to shoot RAW/HEIF). I’m on an iPhone XS Max with all latest updates.</p>
Decorations2018-12-08T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/12/08/decorations<p>Started putting up Christmas decorations these last few days. Also put up a <a href="https://jasoncnewton.myportfolio.com">link</a> to some old photos from between 2006 and 2009. I’ll leave it in the footer notes too.</p>
SK U KNO - U KNO (Digital Edition)2018-11-17T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/11/17/sk-u-kno-digital-edition<p>This arrives on Friday with some extended stuff that only makes a great EP even better. You can pre-order the album <a href="https://boomkat.com/products/u-kno-d6bfeaeb-0a18-4484-b8be-7a59ac27fc1e">here</a> and the vinyl is also still available too.</p>
Sandra Kerr & John Faulkner - The Music From Bagpuss2018-11-12T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/11/12/music from bagpuss<p>Due this Friday (16th November).</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The 32 tracks that make up the main body of the compositions are – like all good folk music – a patchwork of traditional pieces, half-remembered tunes and pure improvisation. It’s testament to Sandra Kerr and John Faulkner’s musicianship that the recordings work so well, not only within the context of the television episodes, but as an album in its own right. Of the recording, Oliver Postgate (in his exquisite autobiography ‘Seeing Things’) says: “Between them Sandra and John could play every sort of instrument from a mountain dulcimer to an Irish fiddle. They knew and could sing every tune in the world and didn’t bother with written music, except as a last resort. They were exactly suited to Gabriel the Toad and Madeleine the Rag Doll and in those roles were happy to play whatever music and sing whatever songs would be needed.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p><a href="https://bagpuss.bandcamp.com/">Link</a></p>
Various Artists - Don't Look Now: Aural Apparitions from the Geographic North2018-10-09T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/10/09/geographic-north<p>Boomkat:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Geographic North present an expertly curated, horror-themed compilation of exclusive aces from Félicia Atkinson, Pinkcourtesyphone, Ka Baird, Suzanne Kraft, CV & JAB, Jefre Cantu-Ledesma, Eluvium, Clarice Jensen, Arp, Ilyas Ahmed, Algiers and many more, all right in time for Samhain 2018.</p>
<p>Mantled in reference to the seminal Nicolas Roeg flick, ‘Don’t Look Now’ (1973), Geographic North’s 2nd collection of Halloween music shares much in common with the titular film’s classical scenery and unsettling psychology, with each contributor preferring inference and shadowplay over anything explicitly gory or sh*t-the-bed scary.</p>
<p>Bookended by prologue and epilogue from Sweden’s Arp, the set runs to 21 pieces in total, amounting to induce a nervously furtive state of mind fleeting between clammy anxiety, pensive midnight romance, and unshakeable uncanniness. It’s testament to Geographic North’s fine-tuned ears that the whole thing works so well, holding our attention by a silk thread for its feature-length 90 minute duration.</p>
<p>Like a movie, it’s best consumed in one go, but it’s worth pointing to key scenes such as Ka Baird’s nest of shivering keys in ‘Clearing’, and the cool tension between spiralling rhythms and tranquil chords in Felicia Atkinson’s ‘Little Things’ as crucial to the sequence, especially when contrasted with the more dread-filled nooks such as Robert Donne’s crushing dedication to Mika Vainio in ‘Rakkauslaulu’, the carmine seep of Jefre Cantu-Ledesma’s viscous organ wooze in ‘O Virtus Sapiente’, and the starkly sepulchral dynamic of ’Stabbing’ by Suzanne Kraft.</p>
<p>For our money comps rarely work, but much like PAN’s Mono No Aware, Geographic North prove that with the right curation you can sometimes end up with something much more weighty then the sum of its parts, in this case an engrossing narrative full of darkness and light.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><a href="https://boomkat.com/products/don-t-look-now-aural-apparitions-from-the-geographic-north">Product Information</a></p>
Rafael Anton Irisarri - El Ferrocarril Desvaneciente2018-09-28T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/09/28/rafael-anton-irisarri<p>In the dreamlike trip of <a href="https://boomkat.com/products/el-ferrocarril-desvaneciente">El Ferrocarril Desvaneciente</a>, or ‘The Vanishing Railway’, <em>Rafael Anton Irisarri</em> regales the story of an overnight train journey across Spain he took many years ago.</p>
<p>Marking Rafael’s 3rd release with Mexico City’s Umor Rex in just over a year, this one finds him in a beautifully heavy-lidded state of reverie, using distant pulses and finely tempered rhythmic noise to connote a sense of intimate movement through vast space, while his gauzy harmonics and half-heard melodies limn the fondly remembered journey with an intimate, nostalgic poignancy. Ideal walkman fuel for your next long journey, and fans of <em>Tim Hecker</em>, <em>The Caretaker</em>, <em>Lawrence English</em>, <em>William Basinski</em>.</p>
Tim Hecker - Konoyo2018-09-27T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/09/27/tim-hecker-konoyo<p>New ambient excursions from Tim Hecker on the Kranky label. <em>Konoyo</em> finds this Canadian artist expanding his palette of sounds in new and interesting ways. On this album, Hecker works with the Tokyo Gakuso Ensemble to stunning effect. The pieces are beautiful and confounding - his trademark sound. Highly recommended.</p>
<p>Konoyo is available <a href="https://boomkat.com/products/konoyo">here</a> on vinyl, compact disc and digital downloads.</p>
The Radiophonic Workshop - Possum (OST)2018-09-26T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/09/26/the-radiophonic-workshop-possum<p>Pioneering UK electronic research lab The Radiophonic Workshop has announced the Possom OST, its very first soundtrack for film.</p>
<p>The minds behind the Doctor Who theme song have come together for the soundtrack, which contains remastered material from the <em>Delia Derbyshire</em> archives – discovered in boxes of tapes in the late composer’s attic.</p>
<p>These tapes make up the foundation of the soundtrack, as the collective marry dread synth tones with bowed percussion and pastoral flute for a sound that is reminiscent of classic Italian Giallo scores and British industrial giants <em>Coil</em>.</p>
<p>Possum is the directorial debut from Matthew Holness, most famous for co-writing and playing the title role in cult horror-comedy series Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace.</p>
<p>Returning to the genre with a much straighter face, Possum tells the story of a disgraced children’s puppeteer returning home to face dark secrets that have taunted him throughout his life.</p>
<p>The Possum OST arrives on CD and digital formats on November 30, with vinyl to follow in 2019. You can <a href="https://radiophonicworkshop.bandcamp.com/album/possum-original-motion-picture-soundtrack">preorder</a> the score at The Radiophonic Workshop Bandcamp. Possum arrives in cinemas on October 26.</p>
SK U KNO2018-09-25T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/09/25/suzanne-kraft-u-kno<p>Suzanne Kraft beautifully paints outside the lines on ‘SK U Kno’, offering studio-rendered snapshots of material that gradually evolved into the pieces in front of you, drawing woozy connections between wistful ambient contours and more vaporous, hypnagogic loops, into unstable House and abstracted midnight Blues. One of the loveliest/smudged listens this year, huge recommendation.</p>
<p>On the A-side Kraft seduces with eight minutes of wilting chords and percolated synth voices in ‘Gaze’, before ‘Vast Mute’ breezes close to the kind of DJ Screw-style magick found in 0PN’s ‘Chuck Person’s Eccojams’, but to more abstracted, hazy effect.</p>
<p>His B-side follows with the beautifully mellow strums of ‘To Make A Stone Weep’ probing a Jim O’Rourke-like transition from acoustic balm to digital saltiness, and then we finally get to hear the full version of ‘Accelerate Me Wildly’, which now comes with an extra 12 minutes of astral synth-scaping and GRM-like electro-acoustics before it drops into killer, airborne funk trills and levitating chords with a proper West Coast US steez.</p>
<p>Available <a href="https://boomkat.com/products/u-kno-d6bfeaeb-0a18-4484-b8be-7a59ac27fc1e">now</a> on vinyl. Digitals coming in November.</p>
Phono Ghosts - Photons In Fashion2018-09-24T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/09/24/phono-ghosts-photons-in-fashion<p>Phono Ghosts returns with ‘Photons in Fashion’ featuring eight new tracks of intricately spliced tape samples, continuing the psychedelic eclectic sound that marked out his previous releases on Fonolith (Solar Dream Reel) and Skam (Chrome Position).</p>
<p>Over 30 minutes, ‘Photons in Fashion’ careers between the forceful ‘80s digi-funk blast of ‘Cassential’, space-lounge groove of ‘Binary Dynamics’ and hypnotic disco of the title track; progressing through to the brooding ‘Dramakai’ and slinky fretless bass of ‘Observatory of the Soul’, interspersed with dream-like fragmentary interludes, before closing out with the idiosyncratic synth bleeping of ‘Hear Me Read My Genetic Chirpy Chip’.</p>
<p>Vinyl, Cassette & Digital are available <a href="https://phonoghosts.bandcamp.com">here</a>.</p>
Apple Event Tomorrow2018-09-11T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/09/11/apple-event-today<p>Tomorrow we’ll likely see new iPhones and Watches. Should be interesting. Maybe the AirPower charging mat will also make an appearance. There may be other surprises too.</p>
<p>What to expect:</p>
<ul>
<li>iPhone XS 6.1 inch LCD display</li>
<li>iPhone XS 5.8 inch OLED display</li>
<li>iPhone XS 6.5 inch OLED display</li>
<li>Apple Watch Series 4</li>
<li>AirPower</li>
<li>AirPods</li>
</ul>
<p>The announcements begin at 10am in Cupertino, California. There are a variety of places you can stream the event.</p>
Claude Speeed - Sun Czar Temple2018-09-03T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/09/03/sun-czar-temple-ep<p>An EP from 2015 that you may have missed.</p>
<p>Boomkat:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Second EP by Berlin-based Scotsman, Claude Speeed. Steeped in all sorts of mannered loveliness, from classic American minimalism to cinematic post-rock and retro-futurist electronica, its intent is matched by its reach over five succinct pieces fanning out from the distorted dream sequence of ‘Traumzeuge’ to soaring synth scape ‘R U Sorry?’ via the curling chimes and zinging digital harmonics and binary cream of ‘Dr. Liz Wilson’, ascending to the crashing MIDI drums and longing vocal glossolalia of ‘Fret’. RIYL Oneohtrix Point Never, Kuedo, Mogwai.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Available <a href="https://boomkat.com/products/sun-czar-temple-ad7657ac-e616-4a8f-b020-ee1077dca153">here</a>.</p>
Apple Invites Media to September 12th Event2018-08-30T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/08/30/apple-invites-12-september<p>Apple today sent out media invites for its annual iPhone-centric event that will be held on Wednesday, September 12 at 10:00 a.m. at the Steve Jobs Theater on the Apple Park Campus in Cupertino, California.</p>
<p>The media invites released today give a first look at the theme of the event and feature the tagline “Gather Round,” likely referencing the main ring-shaped building at Apple Park.</p>
Apple Announcement2018-08-28T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/08/28/iphones-and-watches<p>Looks like new stuff coming very soon. My guess is Apple will hold an event on the 12th with pre-orders on the 14th and availability on the 21st.</p>
Blue Chemise - Daughters Of Time2018-08-24T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/08/24/blue-chemise<p>Boomkat:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Beautifully haunted, tripped out and richly absorbing set of apparitions recalling the most sylvan shadows of <em>Aphex Twin’s ‘SAW II’</em>, <em>Leyland Kirby / The Caretaker</em> at his creepiest and the spectres of <em>Loren Connors</em> “airs”, a huge recommendation to followers/fans of any of the above…</p>
<p><a href="https://boomkat.com/products/daughters-of-time">Blue Chemise</a> is the alias of Australia’s Mark Gomes and this is his debut for Students Of Decay, recorded direct to Dictaphone with minimal post-production to convey something poignant and eerily intangible.</p>
<p>Following from two similarly etheric gestures, both self-released on Greedy Ventilators, and a 7” with I Dischi Del Barone, Gomes here supposes 16 new passages of time that hold the listener’s aural gaze with uncanny ability. Most effectively, they conjure the sensation of solitude shared with paranormal spirits,, drawing the listener into possible parallel dimensions with a dusky, autumnal subtlety.</p>
<p>If you’ve been charmed by the desiccated but richly absorbing atmospheres of fellow antipodeans such as F Ingers or LST, those early BoC wildlife documentary interludes, or even the creepiest stuff on Mark Harwood’s Penultimate Press, we wager this one will rule your world. We’ve been listening to it on a loop since early in the morning and really not sure if we’ll shake off that hypnagogic feeling for the rest of the day…</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Available on vinyl from today. Digital on September 7th</p>
Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century2018-08-20T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/08/20/nomadland<p>I am currently reading this excellent book about the American Economy and its darker side.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>From the beet fields of North Dakota to the National Forest campgrounds of California to Amazon’s CamperForce program in Texas, employers have discovered a new, low-cost labor pool, made up largely of transient older Americans. Finding that social security comes up short, often underwater on mortgages, these invisible casualties of the Great Recession have taken to the road by the tens of thousands in late-model RVs, travel trailers, and vans, forming a growing community of nomads: migrant laborers who call themselves “workampers.”</p>
<p>On frequently traveled routes between seasonal jobs, Jessica Bruder meets people from all walks of life: a former professor, a McDonald’s vice president, a minister, a college administrator, and a motorcycle cop, among many others–including her irrepressible protagonist, a onetime cocktail waitress, Home Depot clerk, and general contractor named Linda May.</p>
<p>In a secondhand vehicle she christens “Van Halen,” Bruder hits the road to get to know her subjects more intimately. Accompanying Linda May and others from campground toilet cleaning to warehouse product scanning to desert reunions, then moving on to the dangerous work of beet harvesting, Bruder tells a compelling, eye-opening tale of the dark underbelly of the American economy–one that foreshadows the precarious future that may await many more of us. At the same time, she celebrates the exceptional resilience and creativity of these quintessential Americans who have given up ordinary rootedness to survive. Like Linda May, who dreams of finding land on which to build her own sustainable “Earthship” home, they have not given up hope.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>You can get your copy <a href="http://geni.us/zR1Tm">here</a>.</p>
Gift from Berlin2018-08-12T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/08/12/gift-berlin<p>Received some lovely <a href="https://spacy.io">@spacy_io</a> stickers from the very generous Ines Montani, who works on AI, Machine Learning and NLP. Thanks so much. You can follow her at <a href="https://twitter.com/_inesmontani?lang=en">@_inesmontani</a>.</p>
Creating and Amending Lists2018-07-04T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/07/04/creating-amending-lists<p>A quick example that loops through a predefined list of colours and creates an additional empty list to which a ranger of numbers are added and then printed out.</p>
<div class="highlighter-rouge"><pre class="highlight"><code>colors = ['red','blue','green']
assets = []
for colors in colors:
print "The colours are: %s" % colors
for n in range(1, 10):
assets.append(n)
for n in assets:
print "The number is now: %d" % n
</code></pre>
</div>
Boolean Rules2018-06-10T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/06/10/boolean-rules<p>One thing I need to learn before I go further with Python is to thoroughly learn the logic rules. Sure, you can just learn the concepts but being able to write actual code will mean memorising these rules.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>not</strong> False = True</li>
<li>
<p><strong>not</strong> True = False</p>
</li>
<li>True <strong>or</strong> False = True</li>
<li>True <strong>or</strong> True = True</li>
<li>False <strong>or</strong> True = True</li>
<li>
<p>False <strong>or</strong> False = False</p>
</li>
<li>True <strong>and</strong> False = False</li>
<li>True <strong>and</strong> True = True</li>
<li>False <strong>and</strong> True = False</li>
<li>
<p>False <strong>and</strong> False = False</p>
</li>
<li><strong>not</strong> (True <strong>or</strong> False) = False</li>
<li><strong>not</strong> (True <strong>or</strong> True) = False</li>
<li><strong>not</strong> (False <strong>or</strong> True) = False</li>
<li>
<p><strong>not</strong> (False <strong>or</strong> False) = True</p>
</li>
<li><strong>not</strong> (True <strong>and</strong> False) = True</li>
<li><strong>not</strong> (True <strong>and</strong> True) = False</li>
<li><strong>not</strong> (False <strong>and</strong> True) = True</li>
<li>
<p><strong>not</strong> (False <strong>and</strong> False) = True</p>
</li>
<li>1 <strong>!=</strong> 0 True</li>
<li>1 <strong>!=</strong> 1 False</li>
<li>0 <strong>!=</strong> 1 True</li>
<li>
<p>0 <strong>!=</strong> 0 False</p>
</li>
<li>1 <strong>==</strong> 0 False</li>
<li>1 <strong>==</strong> 1 True</li>
<li>0 <strong>==</strong> 1 False</li>
<li>0 <strong>==</strong> 0 True</li>
</ul>
Blockchain Hype2018-05-17T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/05/17/blockchain-hype<p>This happens with anything fairly new in the industry. Currently, Blockchain technologies are the magic fairy-dust that will solve all of the security problems, as well as validating everything from photos to news feeds.</p>
<p>Ersin Akinci writing for <a href="https://medium.com/swlh/dont-buy-the-blockchain-hype-3eae869e2de0">Medium</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>So then why are there so many blockchain startups appearing? Two words: hype and monetization. The hype around blockchains makes fundraising easier if you’ve got one.</p>
</blockquote>
Back Again2018-05-15T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/05/15/returning<p>Moved back to Panic’s Transmit after a week or so with Sublime Text. It’s too quirky and the workflow is odd. Sometimes more expensive <em>is</em> better.</p>
More Functions2018-05-14T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/05/14/multiply-numbers<p>Another attempt at multiplication with slightly better output. Of course, it doesn’t need to be math-based - you can use anything. That’s the beauty of it.</p>
<div class="highlighter-rouge"><pre class="highlight"><code>#multiply two numbers and divide by the third.
def calc(value1, value2, value3):
return value1 * value2 / value3
value1 = (float(raw_input("\nThe number: ")))
value2 = (float(raw_input("\nMultiplied by: ")))
value3 = (float(raw_input("\nDivided by: ")))
answer = calc(value1, value2, value3)
print "\n{0:.0f} multiplied by {1:.0f} and divided by {2:.0f} is: {3:.1f}\n".format (value1, value2, value3, answer)
</code></pre>
</div>
Reading Files and Numbering Lines2018-05-10T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/05/10/rewinding-your-file<p>Python can read other files (as we know) but it can also rewind and print the lines again. Just define a function called <code class="highlighter-rouge">rewind</code> and you’re all set to go.</p>
<div class="highlighter-rouge"><pre class="highlight"><code>from sys import argv
script, input_file = argv
def print_all(f):
print f.read()
def rewind(f):
f.seek(0)
def print_a_line(line_count, f):
print line_count, f.readline()
current_file = open(input_file)
print "First, let's print the whole file:\n"
print_all(current_file)
print "Now rewind."
rewind(current_file)
print "Let's print three lines:"
current_line = 1
print_a_line(current_line, current_file)
current_line = current_line + 1
print_a_line(current_line, current_file)
current_line = current_line + 1
print_a_line(current_line, current_file)
</code></pre>
</div>
Creating Lists2018-05-09T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/05/09/creating-lists-again<p>Looking through lists again. How to create a simple list and assign it to a variable.</p>
<div class="highlighter-rouge"><pre class="highlight"><code>albums = ['Meddle', 'Atom Heart Mother', 'Dark Side of the Moon', 'Wish You Were Here', 'The Wall']
for albums in albums:
print "An album by Pink Floyd: %s" % albums
</code></pre>
</div>
String Length2018-05-01T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/05/01/string-length<p>Python’s <code class="highlighter-rouge">len()</code> method can be used to easily find the length of a string. It’s a simple and quick way to measure the length of a string (the number of characters) without having to write a lot of code. The syntax for using the <code class="highlighter-rouge">len()</code> method is fairly straightforward, and hard to mess up. Even I can manage it.</p>
<div class="highlighter-rouge"><pre class="highlight"><code>from sys import argv
script, file = argv
source = open(file)
indata = source.read()
print "The file called '%s' is %s bytes in length." % (file, len(indata))
</code></pre>
</div>
<p>Remember that <code class="highlighter-rouge">len()</code> calculates the string so it can be used for characters too. You could ask Python to count the letters in a word or sentence.</p>
Music for Installations2018-04-29T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/04/29/music-for-installations<p>Out next Friday (May 4th) is the long-awaited Brian Eno box set, featuring <em>some</em> previously unreleased music; despite what the PR machine might say. You can order it from <a href="http://geni.us/Acau">Amazon</a> or <a href="https://bleep.com/release/96443-brian-eno-music-for-installations">Bleep</a>.</p>
Error2018-04-29T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/04/29/error<p>Did anyone spot the glaring error in the last script? It misses the <code class="highlighter-rouge">len(indata)</code> which calculates the file size. I have corrected that now. Thanks to everyone who contacted me.</p>
Coda to Sublime Text2018-04-24T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/04/24/coda-to-sublime-text<p>Panic’s <a href="https://panic.com/coda/">Coda 2</a> is an expensive piece of software when you are only writing in Python. I recently moved over to <a href="https://www.sublimetext.com">Sublime Text</a>. It’s actually free, if for the occasionally prompt to buy it. If you’re on a budget, I totally recommend it.</p>
Copying Again2018-04-19T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/04/19/copying-again<p>A simple script that just checks the file size and copies the file to a target destination that you specify. That’s done when you pass in <code class="highlighter-rouge">script, file_from, file_to = argv</code> at the very beginning.</p>
<div class="highlighter-rouge"><pre class="highlight"><code>from sys import argv
script, file_from, file_to = argv
file_in = open(file_from)
indata = file_in.read()
print "The file called '%s'is %r bytes in length" % (file_from, len(indata))
file_out = open(file_to, 'w')
file_out.write(indata)
file_in.close()
file_out.close()
</code></pre>
</div>
Functions in Math2018-04-17T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/04/17/multiplying<p>I’ve been looking again at functions and how they work. They are great for simple math but can do a lot more besides. With that in mind, here is a simple way of multiplying numbers with user input. Remember to tell Python to use <code class="highlighter-rouge">float</code> when handling numbers.</p>
<div class="highlighter-rouge"><pre class="highlight"><code>def calc(value1, value2):
return value1 * value2
print "\nLet's multiply two numbers.\n"
value1 = (float(raw_input("Enter a number: ")))
value2 = (float(raw_input("Enter another number: ")))
answer = calc(value1, value2)
print "\nThe answer is {0:.2f}.\n".format (answer)
</code></pre>
</div>
A Neural Network in 11 lines2018-04-11T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/04/11/neural-network-in-eleven-lines<p>A great tutorial provided by <a href="https://twitter.com/iamtrask">@iamtrask</a>. It teaches back propagation using a very simple toy example written in Python. You can follow the lessons <a href="https://iamtrask.github.io/2015/07/12/basic-python-network/">here</a>.</p>
Another While Loop2018-04-06T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/04/06/another-while-loop<p>As the title says, just another <code class="highlighter-rouge">while</code> loop for practice.</p>
<div class="highlighter-rouge"><pre class="highlight"><code>i = 0
numbers = []
while i < 7:
print "The number at the top is now: %d" % i
numbers.append(i)
i = i + 1
print "Numbers are now", numbers
print "The number at the bottom is now: %d" % i
print "The numbers:"
for num in numbers:
print num
</code></pre>
</div>
Analyzing Cryptocurrency Markets using Python2018-04-06T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/04/06/analyzing-cryptocurrency-with-python<p>Part of the Python Data Science Guide, this is a great introduction to Cryptocurrency. Recommended reading, if a little difficult to follow.</p>
<p>Patrick Triest:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The goal of <a href="https://blog.patricktriest.com/analyzing-cryptocurrencies-python/">this article</a> is to provide an easy introduction to cryptocurrency analysis using Python. We will walk through a simple Python script to retrieve, analyze, and visualize data on different cryptocurrencies. In the process, we will uncover an interesting trend in how these volatile markets behave, and how they are evolving.</p>
</blockquote>
Manuscript decoded using Artificial Intelligence2018-04-05T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/04/05/decoding-15th-century-text<p><a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/mysterious-manuscript-decoded-computer-scientists-ai-a8180951.html">Article in the Independent</a> relating how text appears to be written in Hebrew with letters rearranged, according to algorithms employed by Canadian researchers.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Artificial intelligence has allowed scientists to make significant progress in cracking a mysterious ancient text, the meaning of which has eluded scholars for centuries.</p>
<p>Dated to the 15th century, the Voynich manuscript is a hand-written text in an unknown script, accompanied by pictures of plants, astronomical observations and nude figures.</p>
<p>Since its discovery in the 19th century, many historians and cryptographers have attempted to unravel its meaning - including code breakers during the Second World War - but none have been successful.</p>
<p>While some have written the Voynich manuscript off as a hoax, use of modern techniques has previously suggested the presence of “a genuine message” inside the book.</p>
</blockquote>
Math Functions 22018-04-03T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/04/03/math-function-2<p>Some more math functions in Python. Make sure you use your <code class="highlighter-rouge"># -*- coding: utf-8 -*-</code> or the formatting will not work correctly.</p>
<div class="highlighter-rouge"><pre class="highlight"><code># -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
def add(a, b, c):
print "\nADDING %d + %d + %d" % (a, b, c)
return a + b + c
price = add(12, 12, 12);print "The price is £{0:.2f}\n".format (price)
def multiply(a, b):
print "MULTIPLYING %d * %d" % (a, b)
return a * b
multiply_price = multiply(10, 10);print "The price is £{0:.2f}\n".format (multiply_price)
def subtracting(a, b):
print "SUBTRACTING %d - %d" % (a, b)
return a - b
subtract_price = subtracting(100, 50);print "The price is £{0:.2f}\n".format (subtract_price)
def division(a, b):
print "DIVIDING %d / %d" % (a, b)
return a / b
division_price = division(90, 2);print "The price is £{0:.2f}\n".format (division_price)
</code></pre>
</div>
Books on A.I2018-04-02T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/04/02/books-on-AI<p>Michele Baker gives a <a href="https://www.thedigitalmarketingbureau.com/artificial-intelligence/best-artificial-intelligence-books">list</a> of recommended books on Artificial Intelligence.</p>
Sunday2018-04-01T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/04/01/sunday<p>Weather is very dark and gloomy with frequent rain. Not something that goes nicely with Easter. Still, there is plenty of chocolate. Been listening to the new music releases most of the weekend. There is a lot to get through. I’ll try and get back on the work & study program tomorrow.</p>
Easter Weekend2018-03-31T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/03/31/easter-weekend<p>It’s cold, wet and raining in my part of the world. So here’s some Python for converting Celsius to Fahrenheit.</p>
<div class="highlighter-rouge"><pre class="highlight"><code># -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
x = float(raw_input("°C: "))
fahrenheit = x * 1.8 + 32
print "Fahrenheit: {0:.1f}°F".format (fahrenheit)
</code></pre>
</div>
<p>Staying indoors, I am listening to the new album <a href="https://bleep.com/release/95633-dedekind-cut-tahoe">Tahoe</a> from Dedekind Cut - and also enjoying <a href="https://bleep.com/release/75783-dedekind-cut-uccessor-ded004">the previous one</a>. There is also a new album from <a href="https://bleep.com/release/94132-chris-carter-chemistry-lessons-volume-1">Chris Carter</a> that sounds good. As well as a <a href="https://boomkat.com/products/fog-shrine">Flame 1 release</a> which features Burial in a collaboration with The Bug.</p>
<p>Boomkat:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>London’s dankest relay palpably paranoid pressures from the capital on The Bug’s newly minted Pressure label, hopefully the start of an ongoing collaboration between the pair.</p>
<p>Spying those hours of the dance when the smoke machines are puffing but there’s nobody there yet, Fog finds them melding charred bass hustle with billowing greyscale atmospheres in a time-honoured style shared by both artists.</p>
<p>On the flip, Shrine distills their meditative intensity to more suspenseful degrees with exceedingly brittle drums bearing the huge, brooding weight of a slowed down dread bass and glowering pads = minimal fuss for deadly, concentrated impact.</p>
</blockquote>
Revision2018-03-30T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/03/30/revision<p>It was a long week for me. I’ve decided to spend these two days just looking over things I’ve already covered. It’s so easy to forget fundamentals when you do not build revision into your learning.</p>
Struggling with Blockchain2018-03-22T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/03/22/struggling-with-blockchain<p>Lots of this code doesn’t make sense and I am finding it a struggle to remember what comes next. I think the way to approach it is to perhaps map out the steps I need to take; otherwise it just seems like a convoluted mess. I also need to look at lists <em>again</em>. Onwards and upwards.</p>
Blockchain2018-03-20T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/03/20/blockchain<p>This week I am working through a tutorial on creating a simple <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blockchain">Blockchain</a>. Some of the stuff, I don’t yet understand but as I am following a separate course, this week’s lesson is to look through sample code on the Internet.</p>
<div class="highlighter-rouge"><pre class="highlight"><code>import hashlib as hasher
class Block:
def __init__(self, index, timestamp, data, previous_hash):
self.index = index
self.timestamp = timestamp
self.data = data
self.previous_hash = previous_hash
self.hash = self.hash_block()
def hash_block(self):
sha = hasher.sha256()
sha.update(str(self.index) +
str(self.timestamp) +
str(self.data) +
str(self.previous_hash))
return sha.hexdigest()
import datetime as date
def create_genesis_block():
# Manually construct a block with
# index zero and arbitrary previous hash
return Block(0, date.datetime.now(), "Genesis Block", "0")
def next_block(last_block):
this_index = last_block.index + 1
this_timestamp = date.datetime.now()
this_data = "Hey! I'm block " + str(this_index)
this_hash = last_block.hash
return Block(this_index, this_timestamp, this_data, this_hash)
# Create the blockchain and add the genesis block
blockchain = [create_genesis_block()]
previous_block = blockchain[0]
# How many blocks should we add to the chain
# after the genesis block
num_of_blocks_to_add = 20
# Add blocks to the chain
for i in range(0, num_of_blocks_to_add):
block_to_add = next_block(previous_block)
blockchain.append(block_to_add)
previous_block = block_to_add
# Tell everyone about it!
print "Block #{} has been added to the blockchain!".format(block_to_add.index)
print "Hash: {}\n".format(block_to_add.hash)
</code></pre>
</div>
Mastercard2018-03-16T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/03/16/master-card<p>Interest rates are high on credit cards. Use the script below to calculate what you are paying on an APR of 1.45%.</p>
<div class="highlighter-rouge"><pre class="highlight"><code># -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
def percentage(balance, divide, interest):
return balance / divide * interest
balance = (float(raw_input("\nEnter Balance: ")))
new_total = percentage(balance, 100, 1.45)
print "\nOn a balance of £{0:.2f} there is £{1:.2f} in interest.\n".format (balance, new_total)
</code></pre>
</div>
Ikebukuro Owl Police Box2018-03-14T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/03/14/ikebukuro-owl-police-box<p>Atlas Obscura:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Since the police box is within a stone’s throw of <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/wMPjqunD8VE2">Ikebukuro Station</a> and very eye-catching, many people use it as a meeting point. It’s probably one of the safest meeting points in Tokyo, right next to police officers.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><a href="https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/owl-police-box-ikebukuro-station">Link</a></p>
New Words2018-03-13T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/03/13/new-words<p>Artificial Intelligence: 人工知能.</p>
<p>For example, 大学から2年間ぐらい人工知能を勉強しました。</p>
<p>Neural Network (i.e Python’s Tensor Flow): ニューラルネットワーク.</p>
<p>Machine Learning: 機械学習.</p>
<p>For example, 21世紀に機械学習の問題は増えます.</p>
While Loop & Exit2018-03-12T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/03/12/loop-exit<p>A simple script that asks a user to guess the number. It uses a <code class="highlighter-rouge">while</code> loop that will continue to ask for user input until the condition is met. We then use <code class="highlighter-rouge">exit()</code> to break the loop.</p>
<div class="highlighter-rouge"><pre class="highlight"><code>from sys import exit
while True:
print "Try and guess the number."
guess = raw_input("> ")
if guess == "7":
print "You guessed correctly."
exit(0)
else:
print "Wrong."
</code></pre>
</div>
Week 112018-03-11T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/03/11/week-11<p>Next week’s work will be solely Japanese; namely Kanji and sentence construction. I’m also going to try and get a short story finished. A busy week ahead.</p>
Calculations and New Job2018-03-09T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/03/09/new-job-calculations<p>Started a new job today. Wrapping up this week’s work with Python revision, so here’s a simple division calculator using <code class="highlighter-rouge">(float(raw_input(">")))</code> to get user input. I also use <code class="highlighter-rouge">\n</code> to create clean lines when terminal gives you the results.</p>
<div class="highlighter-rouge"><pre class="highlight"><code>def division(value_1, value_2):
print "\nDividing %d / %d\n" % (value_1, value_2)
return value_1 / value_2
value_1 = (float(raw_input(">")))
value_2 = (float(raw_input(">")))
result = division(value_1, value_2)
print "\nThe answer is %d.\n" % (result)
</code></pre>
</div>
Putting Loops and Lists together2018-03-06T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/03/06/loops-and-lists<p>This seems like a lot of code (at least for a beginner like me), but it uses loops and lists so that the user can navigate around with varying outcomes.</p>
<div class="highlighter-rouge"><pre class="highlight"><code>from sys import exit
def money_room():
print "There's plenty of money here. How much do you take?"
next = raw_input("> ")
if "0" in next or "1" in next:
how_much = int(next)
else:
dead("Please type in something useful.")
if how_much < 50:
print "Nice. You're not greedy. You win!"
exit(0)
else:
dead("You are greedy. You lose.")
def guard_room():
print "There is a guard here."
print "The guard has a magazine and is reading it."
print "The guard is stood in front of a door."
print "How are you going to get rid of the guard?"
guard_moved = False
while True:
next = raw_input("> ")
if next == "take magazine":
dead("The guard takes out his gun and you're toast.")
elif next == "distract guard" and not guard_moved:
print "The guard has moved from the door.
You can go through it now."
guard_moved = True
elif next == "distract guard" and guard_moved:
dead("The guard gets annoyed and pulls out a gun.
You know how this ends.")
elif next == "open door" and guard_moved:
money_room()
else:
print "I have no idea what that means."
def insanity_room():
print "What is this place?"
print "It is the room of insanity."
print "Do you run for your life or simply bash your head against the wall."
next = raw_input("> ")
if "run" in next:
start()
elif "head" in next:
dead("Well, that's the end of you.")
elif "bash" in next:
dead("Well, that's the end of you.")
else:
insanity_room()
def dead(why):
print why, "Good Job!"
exit(0)
def start():
print "You are in a dark room."
print "There is a door to right and left."
print "Which one do you take?"
next = raw_input("> ")
if next == "left":
guard_room()
elif next == "right":
insanity_room()
else:
dead("You stumble around the room until you are dead.")
start()
</code></pre>
</div>
While Loops2018-03-05T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/03/05/while-loops<p><code class="highlighter-rouge">while</code> loops are a good deal more difficult as you have to visualise what is actually happening. One condition will keep running potentially forever until that condition is no longer met. The script below appends numbers to a list and stops doing so when the value is equal to or greater than 6.</p>
<div class="highlighter-rouge"><pre class="highlight"><code>i = 0
numbers = []
while i < 7:
print "The number at the top is now: %d" % i
numbers.append(i)
i = i + 1
print "Numbers are now", numbers
print "The number at the bottom is now: %d" % i
print "The numbers:"
for num in numbers:
print num
</code></pre>
</div>
The Quietus on Leyland Kirby2018-03-04T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/03/04/the-quietus-leyland-kirby<p>The Quietus on The Caretaker’s ‘Take care, It’s a Desert Out There’</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Yet I can’t help feeling a sense of quiet optimism in the melded fragments of Kirby’s record. Somewhere, a tonality moves to a major key, there is still life <em>somewhere</em>. No matter what the textural aesthetics are telling us, the position it is coming from - the fog of dead voices, the crackle of the analogue era when futures weren’t entirely lost - still maintains that something remains.</p>
<p>The melodies of <em>Take Care</em> are questioning in nature, a “What if?” in a haze of almost engulfing hopelessness. But as long as the questioning remains, so does a slight glimmer that the system around us will eventually give way, that it won’t stumble on somehow still further than it already has post-2008 and certainly post-2016.</p>
<p>What was once simply withered has now turned rotten. There is moss growing in small patches, on the stones that mark the decaying remnants of what we once were, from the time when we had a future. But all is not yet lost.</p>
</blockquote>
Easier Loops2018-03-04T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/03/04/easier-loops<p>I have found loops and lists quite difficult to follow so I’ve broken it down to something more simple; along with comments.</p>
<p>On the weather, most of the snow is melting quickly now as the temperatures move into positive figures.</p>
<div class="highlighter-rouge"><pre class="highlight"><code>#build an empty list
elements = []
#add numbers in the range 1-10 and append them to elements
for n in range(1, 11):
print "Adding %d to the list." % n
elements.append(n)
#loop through the list and print the numbers
for n in elements:
print "These are the numbers: %d" % n
</code></pre>
</div>
Loops and Lists2018-03-01T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/03/01/lists<p>I started looking at loops and lists today - while it’s snowing outside. More snow tomorrow apparently. The new addition today is the <code class="highlighter-rouge">range()</code> function.</p>
<div class="highlighter-rouge"><pre class="highlight"><code>elements = []
for i in range(1, 6):
print "Adding number %d" % i
elements.append(i)
for i in elements:
print "The numbers %d" % i
</code></pre>
</div>
Percentage Calculator2018-02-27T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/02/27/percentage-calculator<p>This script will ask you to enter your amount and the percentage to be deducted before finally giving you the new amount.</p>
<div class="highlighter-rouge"><pre class="highlight"><code># -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
def percentage(input_sum, divide, calc):
return input_sum / divide * calc
def reduction(input_sum, answer):
return input_sum - answer
input_sum = float(raw_input("\nEnter sum total: "))
calc = float(raw_input("\nEnter Percentage: "))
answer = percentage(input_sum, 100, calc)
reduction_total = reduction(input_sum, answer)
print "\nYou are left with £{0:.2f}\n".format (reduction_total)
</code></pre>
</div>
Limiting File Size to Copy with Python2018-02-27T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/02/27/limiting-file-size<p>This script uses some of the things that I have learnt so far; <code class="highlighter-rouge">open()</code>, <code class="highlighter-rouge">read()</code> and <code class="highlighter-rouge">len()</code>. I use <code class="highlighter-rouge">import argv</code> to pass in the file I wish to use.</p>
<p>The script then makes a decision using <code class="highlighter-rouge">if</code> and <code class="highlighter-rouge">else</code> as to copying it based on the file size. In this case, 290418 bytes. Once copied, the files are then closed, as this is good practice in Python.</p>
<div class="highlighter-rouge"><pre class="highlight"><code>from sys import argv
script, file_from, file_to = argv
file_in = open(file_from)
indata = file_in.read()
print "\nThe file size is %s bytes.\n" % len(indata)
if len(indata) > 290418:
print "Sorry. The file is too large to copy."
file_in.close()
else:
raw_input("\nPress enter to copy file.\n")
file_out = open(file_to, 'w')
file_out.write(indata)
print "All done."
raw_input("Press enter to close the files.\n")
file_in.close()
file_out.close()
</code></pre>
</div>
Making Decisions in Python2018-02-26T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/02/26/making-decisions<p>This is a short script that shows how to use <code class="highlighter-rouge">if</code> as well as <code class="highlighter-rouge">elif</code> and <code class="highlighter-rouge">else</code> so that Python can make decisions based on the input it is given.</p>
<div class="highlighter-rouge"><pre class="highlight"><code>people = 100
cars = 30
buses = 15
if cars > people:
print "We should take the cars."
elif cars < people:
print "We should not take the cars."
else:
print "We can't decide."
if buses > cars:
print "That's too many buses."
elif buses < cars:
print "Maybe we could take the buses."
else:
print "We still can't decide"
if people > buses:
print "Alright, let's just take the buses."
else:
print "Fine. Let's stay home then."
</code></pre>
</div>
How Rice crippled the Japanese Navy2018-02-25T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/02/25/rice-tokyo<p>There is a <a href="https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/rice-disease-mystery-edo-tokyo-navy-beriberi?utm_content=bufferf5e35&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer">great article this month in Atlas Obscura</a> detailing how fine, polished white rice helped destroy the Japanese navy and upset most of the residents of Tokyo.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Gleaming white rice was a status symbol—it was expensive and laborious to husk, hull, polish, and wash. In Japan, the poor ate brown rice, or other carbohydrates such as sweet potatoes or barley. The rich ate polished white rice, often to the exclusion of other foods.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>In his book <em>Beriberi in Modern Japan: The Making of a National Disease</em>, Alexander R. Bay describes the efforts of Edo-era doctors to figure out the disease. A common suspect was dampness and damp ground. One doctor administered herbal medicines and a fasting regimen to a samurai, who died within months. Other doctors burned dried mugwort on patients’ bodies to stimulate qi and blood flow.</p>
Memorizing Logic2018-02-25T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/02/25/memorizing-logic<p>Today, I will start trying to memorise the Truth Terms. Basically if something is true or false. These symbols forms combinations to tell Python what to do in a given situation. Now it’s just a case of making them stick in my mind. Most of them seem fairly self-explanatory.</p>
<div class="highlighter-rouge"><pre class="highlight"><code>and
or
not
!= (not equal)
== (equal)
>= (greater than equal)
<= (less than equal)
True
False
</code></pre>
</div>
Adding2018-02-24T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/02/24/addin-function<p>I wrote a simple script for adding that uses a function to hold two variables and then add them together. You create a function by using <code class="highlighter-rouge">def</code> and then giving it a name.</p>
<div class="highlighter-rouge"><pre class="highlight"><code># -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
def add(value_1, value_2):
print "Adding %d and %d together." % (value_1, value_2)
return value_1 + value_2
cost = add(2345,1234)
print "The cost is: £{0:.2f}".format (cost)
</code></pre>
</div>
<p>Be sure to use the <code class="highlighter-rouge">utf-8</code> value at the top or else Python will not understand the currency character.</p>
Dedekind Cut - Tahoe2018-02-23T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/02/23/dedekind-cut-tahoe<p>Great <a href="https://boomkat.com/products/tahoe">new album</a> from Lee Bannon. <em>Tahoe</em> has huge, cinematic sweeps often accompanied by feelings of sadness or unresolved strife. A really excellent addition, if you’re into atmospheric ambient works.</p>
Calculating Time2018-02-22T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/02/22/calculating-time<p>Simple script to calculate days between two dates.</p>
<div class="highlighter-rouge"><pre class="highlight"><code>from datetime import *
today = date.today()
past_date = date(1994,2,10)
diff = today - past_date
print "That was %d days ago." % diff.days
</code></pre>
</div>
<p>I don’t understand the need for the asterisk on the first line.</p>
Terekke - Improvisational Loops2018-02-21T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/02/21/terekke-improvisational-loops<p>Pure 80s ambient style bliss now available on the <em>Music From Memory</em> label. You can order it <a href="https://boomkat.com/products/improvisational-loops">here</a>.</p>
Revision2018-02-21T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/02/21/revision<p>Going through the first twenty exercises once again. It will not become second-nature if I do not build revision into my learning. The trick is to make the revisions enjoyable.</p>
The Nightcrawlers - The Biophonic Boombox Recordings2018-02-20T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/02/20/the-nightcrawlers<p><a href="https://anthologyrecordings.bandcamp.com/">Anthology Recordings</a> is set to issue a collection of recordings from Philadelphia / New Jersey experimental synth group The Nightcrawlers—a trio comprised of brothers Tom and Peter Gulch and Dave Lunt.</p>
<p>Titled <em>The Biophonic Boombox Recordings</em>, the release will be the group’s first ever retrospective and features cuts pulled from over 40 cassette tapes that the trio released from 1979 to the early ’90s under their Synkronos Music label imprint. These early electronic explorations drew influence from the cosmic minimalism of the Berlin School (<em>Klaus Schulze</em> / <em>Tangerine Dream</em>) and other European pioneers (<em>Cluster</em> / <em>Popul Vuh</em>) and were recorded straight into the mic of a JVC Biphonic Boombox as fully improvised performances.</p>
<p>It’s available on the 23rd February from <a href="https://thenightcrawlerspa.bandcamp.com">here</a>.</p>
Sign Libra - Closer to the Equator2018-02-19T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/02/19/sign-libra<p>A <a href="https://antinoterecordings.bandcamp.com/album/atn039-sign-libra-closer-to-the-equator">wonderful little gem</a> that puts me in mind of all those late 80s New-Age albums that appeared on esoteric electronic labels such as <em>IC Innovative Communications</em> and <em>Narada</em>. If you remember those types of albums, you’ll feel right at home with this. The EP is available on the Antinote Label. Bleep also have <a href="https://bleep.com/release/93628-sign-libra-closer-to-the-equator">a vinyl release</a>.</p>
CV & Jab - Zin Taylor's Thoughts Of A Dot As It Travels A Surface2018-02-17T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/02/17/cv-and-jab<p>Boomkat:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>CV & JAB is Christina Vantzou and John Also Bennett, two artists that might already be familiar to many of you from their individual work over the years for the Kranky and Spectrum Spools labels. Together they have made this slowly engrossing album for Shelter Press - who else - perhaps one of the most elusive, uncanny and multi-layered “Ambient” albums we’ve heard in what feels like a long time, a worthy follow-up to a frankly astonishing sequence of releases on the label that started with Felicia Atkinson’s modern classic ‘Hand In Hand’. If you’re into anything from Chris Watson’s field recordings to <em>Vangelis</em> and <em>Badalamenti</em> at their most romantic and evocative, or even <em>Boards of Canada’s</em> early forays into wildlife documentary pastiche, this one will sooth your mind like nothing else.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Don’t let the very pretentious title put you off. This is excellent stuff. Vinyl and Digital are available <a href="https://boomkat.com/products/zin-taylor-s-thoughts-of-a-dot-as-it-travels-a-surface">here</a>.</p>
Flagging Extremist Content2018-02-16T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/02/16/flagging-content<p><a href="http://uneasy.in/2GlajIE">Great article</a> from <em>ASI Data Science</em> on Binary Classification and ROC Curves.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>It is well known that online propaganda from terrorist organisations plays a key part in radicalisation in Europe and the UK. In collaboration with the UK Home Office, we recently developed and tested an AI algorithm designed to detect such propaganda on the web.</p>
<p>Following media coverage of the classifier (see, for example, BBC News and The Guardian), there has been much talk of how it works and its performance. In this post, without exposing the inner workings of the algorithm, we’ll do our best to outline the general approach we took to design the classifier. We also specify precisely the metrics used and the performance achieved by the classifier.</p>
</blockquote>
Counting Things2018-02-13T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/02/13/4th-july<p>This (fairly) simple few lines calculates the days between two dates - in this case, the 4th of July 2020. That’s 888 days as of February 13th 2018.</p>
<div class="highlighter-rouge"><pre class="highlight"><code>from datetime import *
today = date.today()
future = date(2020,07,20)
diff = future - today
print "There are %s days left." % diff.days
</code></pre>
</div>
Loan Calculator2018-02-11T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/02/11/loan-calculator<p>Using the Functions available for Maths, I built a simple loan calculator -including the <code class="highlighter-rouge">elif</code> and <code class="highlighter-rouge">else</code> statements so that Python can make a decision. I am sure there are much simpler ways of doing this but as I am still learning, it’s all I can do right now.</p>
<div class="highlighter-rouge"><pre class="highlight"><code># -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
def amount_to_borrow(loan_request, twelve_months):
print "Calculating 12 months interest totalling £{0:.2f}.\n".format (twelve_months)
return loan_request + twelve_months
loan_request = (float(raw_input("How much do you want?\nEnter Amount: ")))
monthly_payments = loan_request / 12
twelve_months = monthly_payments + 15.00 * 12
interest_payments = 15 * 12
total = amount_to_borrow(loan_request, twelve_months)
raw_input("Press Return to get your decision.\n")
credit_limit = 5000
print "The cost of your loan is £{0:.2f}\n".format (total)
print "That's £{0:.2f} in 12 monthly payments".format (monthly_payments)
print "And £{0:.2f} in Interest Payments over 12 months.\n".format (interest_payments)
print "The limit for your account is £{0:.2f}\n".format (credit_limit)
if total < credit_limit:
print "Your loan is approved.\n"
elif total > credit_limit:
print "Sorry. You are not approved.\n"
else:
print "Please come into the branch to discuss it.\n"
</code></pre>
</div>
Using Functions to do Maths2018-02-09T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/02/09/using-functions-to-do-maths<p>Mathematics isn’t really something I’m good at but luckily, Python makes it easy when using functions. I’m also using <code class="highlighter-rouge">.format</code> to correctly show decimal places - as well as <code class="highlighter-rouge"># -*- coding: utf-8 -*-</code> so that Python can print currency symbols..</p>
<div class="highlighter-rouge"><pre class="highlight"><code># -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
def add(a, b, c):
print "\nADDING %d + %d + %d" % (a, b, c)
return a + b + c
price = add(12, 12, 12);print "The price is £{0:.2f}\n".format (price)
def multiply(a, b):
print "MULTIPLYING %d * %d" % (a, b)
return a * b
multiply_price = multiply(10, 10);print "The price is £{0:.2f}\n".format (multiply_price)
def subtracting(a, b):
print "SUBTRACTING %d - %d" % (a, b)
return a - b
subtract_price = subtracting(100, 50);print "The price is £{0:.2f}\n".format (subtract_price)
def division(a, b):
print "DIVIDING %d / %d" % (a, b)
return a / b
division_price = division(90, 2);print "The price is £{0:.2f}\n".format (division_price)
</code></pre>
</div>
Rewinding2018-02-07T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/02/07/rewinding<p>This will not sink in. Have to keep looking at it over and over again. I’m just not clever enough, I think. The only way to make it stick is to look at the previous variables etc.</p>
<div class="highlighter-rouge"><pre class="highlight"><code>from sys import argv
script, input_file = argv
def print_all(f):
print f.read()
def rewind(f):
f.seek(0)
def print_a_line(line_count, f):
print line_count, f.readline()
current_file = open(input_file)
print "First let's print the whole file:\n"
print_all(current_file)
print "\nNow let's rewind. Just like a tape."
rewind(current_file)
print "Let's print three lines:\n"
current_line = 1
print_a_line(current_line, current_file)
current_line = current_line + 1
print_a_line(current_line, current_file)
current_line = current_line + 1
print_a_line(current_line, current_file)
print "\n"
</code></pre>
</div>
Defining a Function2018-02-04T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/02/04/functions<p>Ended the week with revision. Have to build this into learning if I want to remember what I’ve studied.</p>
<p>Defining a function:</p>
<div class="highlighter-rouge"><pre class="highlight"><code>def print_three(arg1, arg2, arg3):
print "Name: %r, Surname: %r, Country: %r" % (arg1, arg2, arg3)
print_three("Elle", "Macpherson", "Australia")
</code></pre>
</div>
Copying Files2018-01-31T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/01/31/copy-files<p>Learning how to copy files with Python. The script also checks the file size in bytes.</p>
<div class="highlighter-rouge"><pre class="highlight"><code>from sys import argv
from os.path import exists
script, from_file, to_file = argv
print "Let's copy from %s to %s." % (from_file, to_file)
in_file = open(from_file)
indata = in_file.read()
print "The size is %s bytes in length." % len(indata);
print "Does the target file exist? %r" % exists (to_file)
raw_input()
out_file = open(to_file, 'w')
out_file.write(indata)
in_file.close()
out_file.close()
print "All done."
</code></pre>
</div>
Kuniyuki Takahashi - Early Tape Works 1986 - 1993 Volume 12018-01-30T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/01/30/kuniyuki-takahashi<p>Bleep:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The Amsterdam crew delve deep into the archives of Japanese deep house sensation Kuniyuki to bring us six entrancing early compositions. MFM027 collects some of the choice early recordings from a man known for his expert sound design and earthy, percussive leaning dance tracks. The songs that Tako & Jamie Tiller have opted for show a rough and slightly amateur sounding approach to the stylistic traits that would go on to define a career. Blurring the lines between kosmiche, ambient, dub and electro this record is top quality as you’ve no doubt come to expect from the label.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><a href="https://bleep.com/release/94159-kuniyuki-takahashi-early-tape-works-1986-1993-vol-1">Vinyl & Digital from Bleep</a></p>
The Radiophonic Workshop - Burials In Several Earths2018-01-29T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/01/29/the-radiophonic-workshop<p>Boomkat:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><a href="https://boomkat.com/products/burials-in-several-earths-0816ca86-78d0-4669-9adb-ccb0936e281c">Burials In Several Earths</a> is a brand new work by the legendary Radiophonic Workshop. Nearly two decades after the Workshop was decommissioned, original members Peter Howell, Roger Limb, Dr Dick Mills, Paddy Kingsland and long-time associate composer Mark Ayres are back working together, featuring guest appearances from Martyn Ware and Steve ‘Dub’ Jones, creative an evocative suite of synth improvisations.</p>
<p>At first glance a new album from The Radiophonic Workshop may be viewed as something of a surprise, arriving long after the pioneering group’s last long player together. But it does make sense. A fair chunk of modern day archivalism has rightly focused on the group’s work for the BBC, after the workshop was established by Desmond Briscoe and Daphne Oram in the late ‘50s and crafted soundtracks that were well ahead of their time. This renewed interest led to core original members reconvening The Radiophonic Workshop in 2012 to undertake a series of live performances.</p>
<p>From this we now have <em>Burials In Several Earths</em>, released on the group’s own Room 13 label - the name a canny nod to the BBC Maida Vale studio where they did so much great work. Recorded with celebrated engineer Steve ‘Dub’ Jones and Human Leaguer Martyn Hare, this album finds the veteran work shoppers freed from the constraints of working to a script and expressing their creativity in a spontaneous manner. The resultant five tracks occupy a strange – but totally alluring – place; sat somewhere between the Workshop’s own iconic work and a cadre of modern day practitioners who have undoubtedly been profoundly influenced by them, such as <em>Pye Corner Audio</em>, and <em>Alessandro Cortini</em>.</p>
</blockquote>
Pool Boy - Pool Boy LP2018-01-28T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/01/28/pool-boy-lp<p>Apparently <em>Deluxe Oceanview</em> was created in, and inspired by, a coastal Vancouver view, but the label upon which <a href="https://coastalhaze.bandcamp.com/album/pool-boy-lp">Pool Boy LP</a> was released (Coastal Haze) is keeping the identity of the producer a secret.</p>
Jonas Reinhardt - Conclave Surge2018-01-27T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/01/27/jonas-reinhardt - conclave surge<p>Great new album from this artist. <a href="https://boomkat.com/products/conclave-surge">Conclave Surge</a> is a set of soaring pieces that bring to mind the work of <em>Tangerine Dream</em>, <em>Jean Michel-Jarre</em> and <em>Klaus Schulze</em>.</p>
<p>I also enjoyed <a href="https://boomkat.com/products/plant-age">Terekke - Plant Age</a>.</p>
<p>Pitchfork:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Terekke’s music is like a warped, alternate-reality version of Burial. Though the two producers conjure disparate moods (where Burial is rainy and despondent, Terekke is warm and hopeful), they take a similar approach to abstracting dance music into its own world, inside your headphones and your head. The two producers also share an affinity for using samples from pop stars like Mariah Carey or Beyoncé, melting their voices into gooey echoes that feel familiar but unplaceable. On last year’s “i wanna what love is,” Terekke molded Carey’s voice into a spectral image, and on 2014’s “Untitled B1,” under his X alias, he sampled Sade’s “Is It a Crime” into a loose, rippling club jam. Terekke’s skeletal, dubby approximations of house reflect the same deconstruction-reconstruction of dance music as Burial, though Gardner meshes inspiration from Chicago house and Berlin dub techno, where Burial reflects the musical legacy of the UK underground.</p>
<p>Plant Age is an album as comfortable and versatile as your favorite sweater—it’s lived-in, welcoming, and warm. Recorded sporadically over the past five years, it’s considerately sequenced and is glued together in a fairly uniform haze. The congruousness of Plant Age, the ubiquitous smoky gel that cushions all of his tracks, speaks to Terekke’s fondness for recording to cassette tape. The album effectively sets a mood and continues to reveal itself more deeply upon repeated listens. “BB2” is the clubbiest cut on the release, a muted yet pounding house track that sounds like it’s being played through a pillow. “BB2” hews closest to Terekke’s older material, with gorgeous oozy chords peeking through a smoky haze, and a ghostly vocal sample makes the song both spooky and forlorn.</p>
</blockquote>
Palmbomen II - Memories of Cindy 2018-01-26T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/01/26/memories-of-cindy-again<p>Listening to this <a href="https://palmbomen-ii.bandcamp.com/album/memories-of-cindy">new album</a> today while I try and understand how Python calculates a file size and then copies it to another file.</p>
<div class="highlighter-rouge"><pre class="highlight"><code>from sys import argv
from os.path import exists
script, from_file, to_file = argv
print "Copy the %s file to the %s file." % (from_file, to_file)
#get file size
in_file = open(from_file)
indata = infile.read()
print "The file size is %d bytes." % len(indata)
print "Ok. Does the output file exist? %r" % exists (to_file)
print "Hit return."
out_file = open(to_file, 'w')
outfile.write(indata)
out_file.close()
in_file.close()
</code></pre>
</div>
Johnny Jewel - Digital Rain2018-01-25T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/01/25/johnny-jewel-digital-rain<p><a href="https://boomkat.com/products/digital-rain-081b2ea2-a653-4b7d-955b-cfdad0f219e1">Brand new album</a> from Johnny Jewel (whose work recently featured on the Twin Peaks revival). This new work is devoid of guitars and percussion - focusing instead on atmospheric (and somewhat) romantic electronics.</p>
<p>Boomkat:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>In the most classic sense, Johnny evokes his themes with beautiful subtlety and clarity throughout the entirely instrumental suite of Digital Rain, using filigree synthesis and a rarely paralleled feel for narrative to convey the sensation of rain on skin or hail on a roof, precisely evoking all the feelings of nostalgia you’d arguably associate with electronic music’s cinematic representations of rain, romance, and enigmatic intrigue.</p>
<p>It’s an ideal album for creating your own movie on the fly, acting as a sort of soundtrack to your life, likely to turn late night drives for a pint of milk into the most dramatic scenarios, or maybe turn your next commute into a Love on a Real Train (Risky Business) situation. Might want to be careful with that 2nd one, though.</p>
</blockquote>
Opening & Reading Files2018-01-25T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/01/25/coding<p>Trying to get my mind around this. It’s probably very simple for some people.</p>
<div class="highlighter-rouge"><pre class="highlight"><code>from sys import argv
script, file = argv
txt = open(file)
print "Hi there. I am the '%s' script. The file called '%s' is shown below." % (script, file)
print txt.read()
print "Type the file name again."
file_again = raw_input("> ")
txt_again = open(file_again)
print txt_again.read()
</code></pre>
</div>
<p>In other news, Alva Noto will release a new album next month.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Carsten Nicolai (a.k.a Alva Noto) will release a new album, UNIEQAV, on March 16.</p>
<p>The 12-track release will be the third and latest edition of the Uni series, an outlet for his more rhythmic and dancefloor-oriented work. The series began when Nicolai was booked to play live at the club UNIT in Tokyo and had to adapt his sound accordingly for that environment.</p>
<p>UNIEQAV is described as a continuation and development of the concept of Alva Noto’s Unitxt and Univrs albums and completes the third part in the trilogy, whereby each record is both unique and part of the bigger picture. This is also mirrored in the artwork for each, which when combined form a triptych spelling “Uni.”</p>
<p>Described by Carsten as “sonically representing an underwater dive,” UNIEQAV brings, as usual, an inherent artistic, conceptual, and scientific depth. Mathematics, data, unit systems, grids, rhythms, codes, text, language, spoken word, DNA, science technology, and nature are all utilised, for both inspiration and execution.</p>
<p>As with the last two Uni releases, the French sound poet Anne-James Chaton collaborates here, on “Uni Dna.” Where on previous records Chaton first provided a vocal track to which Nicolai composed, this time the duo flipped it; the poet wrote for an existing track, adding his vocal approach to recite amino acids that constitute the DNA molecule.</p>
<p>UNIEQAV is preceded by two albums on NOTON featuring Alva Noto: Live 2002 with Mika Vainio and Ryoji Ikeda and Glass with Ryuichi Sakamoto, released January 19 and February 16 respectively.</p>
</blockquote>
Sun Electric - 30.7.94 Live2018-01-24T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/01/24/sun-electric-live<p>Lovely early 90s ambient electronics from this often forgotten group consisting of Max Loderbauer and Tom Thiel. <a href="https://boomkat.com/products/30-74-94-live">30.7.94 Live</a> harkens back to those days with dreamy, billowing synth washes, echoing samples and uplifting melodies.</p>
Alva Noto & Ryuichi Sakamoto - Glass2018-01-23T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/01/23/glass<p>Exceptional release from this duo is due on February 16th. There is a video of the live performance available <a href="https://vimeo.com/191205737">here</a>.</p>
<p>Fact Magazine:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Out February 16, the LP is a recording of a live improvisation by Sakamoto and Noto at the architect <em>Philip Johnson’s Glass House</em> in Connecticut. Rehearsing only one day before the performance, the duo experimented with a keyboard, mixers, singing glass bowls, crotales and the architecture of the building.</p>
<p>The recording was informed by an exhibition at The Glass House of work from 87-year-old Japanese artist <em>Yayoi Kusama</em>, which comprised the installation ‘Dots Obsession – Alive, Seeking For Eternal Hope.’</p>
<p>“When I was offered to perform at The Glass House, the first idea that came to my mind was to use the house itself as a musical instrument,” says Sakamoto of the recording, adding that it was “100 percent improvised.”</p>
<p>Sakamoto continues: “Looking at the beautiful landscape through the glass wall with Kusama’s dots was something, and it affected me, affected us, I should say, a lot. It’s a strange mixture of natural, nature, and artificial things, art.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>You can pre-order the album <a href="https://noton.greedbag.com/buy/glass-41/">here</a>.</p>
Pendant - Make Me Know You Sweet2018-01-18T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/01/18/pendant-make-me-know-you-sweet<p>Huerco S. releases a new album tomorrow under the alias, Pendant. It’s also the first album on his <a href="http://westmineral.ltd">new label</a>. You can also have a look at <a href="https://boomkat.com/products/make-me-know-you-sweet">Boomkat</a>, who have audio to listen to.</p>
NST on Chanel Bois Noir2018-01-17T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/01/17/chanel-bois-noir<p><a href="http://www.nstperfume.com/2009/02/03/chanel-bois-noir-fragrance-review/">NST on Bois Noir</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>It seems most people believe objects from the past are better made, more lovingly created, and more beautiful than today’s ‘products’. At the museum where I volunteer, I always hear people pining for the past (“…if only the medical care were better!”) As I’ve gotten older, like Bois Noir, I’ve lost my sparkling top notes, my lemon-scented optimism. Not so long ago, I ignored ugly facts about people and places and eras I love; now, I face those hard facts head-on and look for deeper meaning, something to learn.</p>
<p>Though it does not compare with my shocking discovery that Colette (one of my idols) sometimes, as a young woman, beat her small dogs with a riding crop to train them, the fact that Bois Noir is not really ‘superior’ to Égoïste is ever so slightly startling…but freeing! Colette mellowed as she aged and learned that kindness and intense observation led to the best-trained dogs — and men — and I’ve learned that chasing after what is gone, fretting over the “expired,” crying over the extinct, are draining, time-consuming and futile pursuits.</p>
<p>We can all learn a few lessons from Bois Noir:</p>
<ul>
<li>
<p>If you like a limited edition fragrance or if you learn a beloved perfume is on the way out – buy as many bottles as you can afford.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>If you missed out on a fragrance, remember that <em>everything and everyone</em> will eventually disappear, and never having smelled Bois Noir (or Jean-Marie Farina Extrait de baume de Pérou or Lubin Enigma or Rigaud Un Air embaumé or Parfums de Rosine Aladin) is NOT a tragedy.</p>
</li>
</ul>
</blockquote>
<p>Something to keep in mind when you’re thinking about your next vintage fragrance.</p>
Mark Fisher - Ghosts of My Life2018-01-13T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/01/13/ghosts-of-my-life<p>A great book which I really enjoyed last year. Mark Fisher wrote about how we are haunted by futures that failed to happen. In <a href="http://geni.us/sw7sT7m">Ghosts of My Life</a>, he searches for these lost futures in the work of David Peace, John Le Carré, Christopher Nolan, Joy Division, Burial and many others.</p>
<p>Sadly Mark Fisher died a year ago today.</p>
тпсб - Sekundenschlaf2018-01-12T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/01/12/тпсб-sekundenschlaf<p>Bleep:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Having dropped a red-eyed techno 12 MS Ghost for Dark Past Bright Future in 2016, Blackest Ever Black call on Russian artist тпсб for an exercise in this very vivid form of dread-jungle. This is the sort of sound that made <em>Foul Play</em>, <em>Omni Trio</em> and <em>A Guy Called Gerald</em> such staples within our ’90s listening habits, and it’s great to see BEB pushing this lesser-explored corner of ambient-jungle (tekno).</p>
<p>Sounding rather heavy-eyed from what we assume is many nights staying up late in front of a monitor and crunchy tower block running Cubase, carefully piecing together the album’s complex web of breakbeats and dreamlike BST atmospherics, <em>Sekundenschlaf</em> is sort of like the reverse sound of <em>Pessimist’s</em> paranoia-drenched DNB chill. Where that record was full of scything breaks, <em>Sekundenschlaf</em> is more restrained, held back for the dream squad. When it hits though, the breaks roll with a fierce velocity that is fine-tuned by a mind well-educated with the expanding possibilities of early hardcore and techno. Making it a strongly suggested listen for all <em>AWOL</em>, <em>Black Dog</em> & <em>Dream Catalogue End Of World Rave</em> revellers.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><a href="https://bleep.com/release/91280-sekundenschlaf">More Info</a></p>
Paper Dollhouse - The Sky Looks Different From Here2018-01-12T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/01/12/paper-dollhouse-the-sky<p>Bleep:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Paper Dollhouse unveil the radioactive ambient pop of new album <em>The Sky Looks Different Here</em> via the group’s independently run MoonDome imprint. Produced by Planet Mu’s Asher Levitas and featuring artwork by Finders Keepers’ Andy Votel. <em>The Sky Looks Different Here</em> is an incredibly vivid journey through a nuclear nightside dreamworld.</p>
<p>Having previously recorded two albums for Jane Weaver’s Finders Keepers sub-label Bird and the Glasgow based imprint Night School, <em>The Sky Looks Different Here</em> features twelve tracks that draw parallels between the project’s past roots in spidery post-punk electronica and a neon-lit, radioactive ambient pop sensibility. This has lead to the creation of what is sure to be the most concise and realised Paper Dollhouse record yet.</p>
<p>Recorded between North London’s New River Studios with Asher Levitas and Nina’s studio in Suffolk, together they have crafted twelve tracks of ambient electronica blended with field recordings of the surrounding studios environments, shot through a spectral technicolour narrative. One that mixes the group’s signature brand of darkwave influenced left-field pop, urban field recordings and electronic composition.</p>
<p><em>The Sky Looks Different Here</em> is a journey through a city drowning within the endless downpour of metallic rain and a radiant haze of dawn, a map through a vivid and bucolic utopia.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Pre-order <a href="https://bleep.com/release/94180-paper-dollhouse-the-sky-looks-different-here">here</a>.</p>
Take care, it's a desert out there2018-01-11T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/01/11/take-care<p>Back in December 2107, Leyland James Kirby (The Caretaker) released a new album dedicated to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Fisher_(theorist)">Mark Fisher</a>.</p>
<p>Entitled <em>Take Care, It’s A Desert Out There</em>, copies of the first album were first made available during Kirby’s performance at London’s Barbican on December 8th for an event organised by Unsound.</p>
<p>350 CD copies of the album were made available on Boomkat over the weekend, but quickly sold out. Each of them were signed and individually numbered. The album features previously unreleased material from Kirby, comprising a single, 48-minute long track.</p>
<p>You can <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=846&v=zStMy1ORJek">hear it on YouTube</a> and another general release of the album will appear sometime this year.</p>
Wednesday 10 January, 20182018-01-10T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/01/10/edith-wharton<p>Edith Wharton (1862-1937)</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“But I have sometimes thought that a woman’s nature is like a great house full of rooms: there is the hall, through which everyone passes in going in and out; the drawing-room, where one receives formal visits; the sitting-room, where the members of the family come and go as they list; but beyond that, far beyond, are other rooms, the handles of whose doors perhaps are never turned; no one knows the way to them, no one knows whither they lead; and in the innermost room, the holy of holies, the soul sits alone and waits for a footstep that never comes.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The Ghost Stories of Edith Wharton.</p>
<p><a href="http://geni.us/PHuGaWP">Amazon</a>.</p>
Nuearz - Funny Bone & Last Straw2018-01-09T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/01/09/nuearz<p>Two new albums from this Japanese artist whose work has often been released by the Skam record label. His latest works are <a href="https://nuearz.bandcamp.com">available now</a> on Bandcamp.</p>
Ex-Terrestrial - Ex-Terrestrial2018-01-09T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/01/09/ex-terrestrial<p>Woozy, spaced out electronics from this Canadian artist. Surprisingly alluring music. Samples on <a href="https://boomkat.com/products/ex-terrestrial">Boomkat</a> but currently out of stock. You should still be able to find a good retailer somewhere.</p>
Kindle & Apple Books2018-01-09T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/01/09/books-amazon-apple<p>A few people have asked about my books since I migrated from Squarespace and lost those landing pages. Squarespace is a great service but too expensive for me. At the moment, I publish on two platforms, Amazon Kindle and Apple Books.</p>
<p>Inexact Shadows</p>
<blockquote>
<p>On a remote island, scientists have made a fantastic discovery. A technology thought impossible. Sabotage investigator John Miller is brought in when the labs are destroyed and something stolen. He is joined by Peter Williams, a soon to retire MI5 agent. As part of an unlikely group, together they must solve what has happened. Their discoveries trigger a whole chain of unwelcome events both past and present.</p>
</blockquote>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://geni.us/prJ60fv">Amazon Kindle</a></li>
<li><a href="http://geni.us/cdug">Apple Books</a></li>
</ul>
<p>The Wind Took Your Answer Away</p>
<blockquote>
<p>A collection of ten short stories. A tour through time and space. Enter a strange past with stories that almost could be or might have been - A post office hides an unwelcome secret; a world where words are cyclical; cherry blossoms that herald something unspeakable and a boy who finds beauty among the tidal pools.</p>
</blockquote>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://geni.us/soyuL">Amazon Kindle</a></li>
<li><a href="http://geni.us/5OrRLG2">Apple Books</a></li>
</ul>
<p>I am currently working on a third book published sometime late 2019 or sometime in 2020.</p>
<p>My Amazon Author page is <a href="http://geni.us/hER5">here</a>.</p>
Ryuichi Sakamoto - Async - Remodels2018-01-09T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/01/09/async-remodels<p>Long-awaited remix album of last year’s <em>Async</em>. Includes reinterpretations by OPN, Andy Stott, Fennesz, Alva Noto and Jóhann Jóhannsson. It arrives on February 22nd.</p>
<p><a href="https://bleep.com/release/94107-ryuichi-sakamoto-async-remodels">More info at Bleep</a>.</p>
Apple investors urge action on smartphone addiction2018-01-08T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/01/08/smartphone-addiction<p><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-42608822">BBC picks up on the story of Apple investors calling for limits on how long children can use their smartphones</a>.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Jana Partners and the California State Teachers’ Retirement System (CalSTRS) called on Apple to consider the impact excessive use of smartphones had on the mental health of young people.
The two are worried that if Apple does not address growing concerns about smartphone use, its stock market value and general reputation could become damaged.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-apple-shareholders-children/apple-should-address-youth-phone-addiction-say-two-large-investors-idUSKBN1EW0WS">According to a Reuters report</a>, half of US teenagers believe they are addicted to their mobile phones and feel the need to respond immediately to messages.</p>
Writing2018-01-07T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/01/07/writing<p>Spent today writing as I haven’t kept up with that this past week. It’s pretty sunny outside but the wind is strong.</p>
Saturday 6 January, 20182018-01-06T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/01/06/epiphany<p>Today is <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/42565054">Epiphany</a>. It also makes me think about <a href="https://www.discogs.com/David-Sylvian-And-Russell-Mills-Ember-Glance-The-Permanence-Of-Memory/master/222037">this excellent track</a> from the 1991 David Sylvian & Russell Mills collaboration - Ember Glance: The Permanence Of Memory. I particularly have always loved the <a href="http://www.japansylvian.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=717">spoken word samples</a> on this, especially that of Irish Poet, Seamus Heaney, whose words are lifted from <em>A Northern Hoard</em>.</p>
<p>I should to spend some time this weekend going back over the first seven sessions as I find it has become very complex quite quickly - at least for me.</p>
<div class="highlighter-rouge"><pre class="highlight"><code>formatter = "%r %r %r %r"
print formatter % (1, 2, 3, 4)
print formatter % ("one", "two", "three", "four")
print formatter % (True, False, False, True)
print formatter % (formatter, formatter, formatter, formatter)
print formatter % (
"I had this thing.",
"That you could type up right.",
"But it didn't sing.",
"So I said goodnight."
)
</code></pre>
</div>
Maelstrom2018-01-05T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/01/05/maelstrom<p>Central Processing Unit announced another new album, <a href="http://shop.cpurecords.net/album/alph4">Alph4 from Maelstrom</a>. It’s also available on a limited 12 inch. It comes out on 16th February.</p>
<ul>
<li>Followed exercise six, creating multiple strings and text in Python.</li>
<li>Two hours of written Japanese</li>
</ul>
<p>Today I learnt that you need to use single quotes when inserting text (that you have not declared as variables) into strings.</p>
<div class="highlighter-rouge"><pre class="highlight"><code>print "Mary had a little lamb.
print "Its fleece was white as %s." % 'snow' (not a variable - so I use single quotes)
</code></pre>
</div>
Tutorials2018-01-04T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/01/04/tutorials-python<ul>
<li>I tried to follow a tutorial on how to write <a href="https://www.guru99.com/variables-in-python.html">variables</a> into <a href="https://www.tutorialspoint.com/python/python_strings.htm">strings</a>. I also made conversions from imperial to metric values.</li>
<li>Studied Japanese for two hours.</li>
<li>Went walking in the woods.</li>
<li>Some more Japanese for an hour.</li>
<li>Took photos of decorations and the outside lights.</li>
</ul>
<p>The main thing for today is writing variables to strings.</p>
<div class="highlighter-rouge"><pre class="highlight"><code>name = Gail
print "%s is a good girl." % name
</code></pre>
</div>
Python Introduction2018-01-03T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/01/03/python-introduction<ul>
<li>Worked through a Python introduction, explaining simple math, the <a href="https://www.linuxnix.com/python-print-statement-examples/">Print </a>command and basics of variables. Built a simple monthly payment calculator.</li>
<li>Wrote two thousand words for writing project</li>
<li>Went through kanji cards.</li>
</ul>
New Year2018-01-02T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/01/02/python<p>I am learning <a href="https://www.python.org">Python</a> this year.</p>
January Reading List2018-01-01T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2018/01/01/books-january<ul>
<li>Harlan Ellison - <a href="http://geni.us/B6rwry1">Angry Candy</a></li>
<li>Carl Sagan - <a href="http://geni.us/CLB0">Cosmos</a></li>
<li>M.R James - <a href="http://geni.us/308xZ2J">Ghost Stories Of An Antiquary</a></li>
<li>Donna Tartt - <a href="http://geni.us/NUN7">The Goldfinch</a></li>
</ul>
Looking to 20182017-12-27T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/12/27/looking-to-2018<p>Looking to the year ahead, I am going to try and post more on books and films as well as music. Hopefully there will be some great new things coming in 2018.</p>
<p>Best wishes to you for the new year.</p>
Albums 20172017-12-15T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/12/15/albums-2017<p>In previous years, I’ve posted fairly long lists but I think I’ll keep it short this time. There were others but these in particular are great albums that kept me spooked or blissed out.</p>
<ul>
<li>Claude Speeed - Infinity Ultra</li>
<li>William Basinski - A Shadow in Time</li>
<li>Niggas With Guitars - Ethnic Frenzy</li>
<li>Ossining - I Will Be Missed</li>
<li>Danny Wolfers - Swan Song of the Skunkape</li>
<li>Aaron Dilloway - The Gag File</li>
<li>Nadia Struiwigh - Lenticular</li>
<li>Huerco S. For Those Who You Have Never (And Also Those Who Have)</li>
<li>Pessimist - Pessimist</li>
<li>Phil Struck - QTT5</li>
<li>The Hardy Tree - Through Passages Of Time</li>
<li>Alessandro Cortini - AVANTI</li>
<li>Sky H1 - Motion</li>
<li>Konx-om-Pax - Caramel</li>
<li>Depeche Mode - Spirit</li>
<li>Martial Canterel - Lost At Sea</li>
<li>Ciaran Byrne - Galtrim</li>
<li>Broken Lift - Kosmosu</li>
<li>The Focus Group - Stop-Motion Happening</li>
<li>Gatekeeper - Optimus Maximus</li>
<li>Hans Zimmer & Benjamin Wallfisch - Blade Runner 2049</li>
<li>Naaahhh - Themes</li>
</ul>
Last of 20172017-12-14T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/12/14/last-of-2017<p>The last albums of 2017 I’ve heard are <em>Bheal</em> by Ian Martin, <em>Where Things Are Hollow</em> by Pye Corner Audio and <em>Other Infinities</em> by Claude Speeed.</p>
<p><a href="https://newyorkhaunted.bandcamp.com/album/nyh35-ian-martin-bheal">Bheal</a> is an album of dark, dense and somewhat disturbing electronics. There is an undeniable tense quality to many of the tracks. Clearly aimed at listeners who want to be unsettled by their listening experiences.</p>
<p>Claude Speeed follows on from <a href="https://boomkat.com/products/infinity-ultra">Infinity Ultra</a> earlier this year with <a href="https://boomkat.com/products/other-infinities">Other Infinities</a> - a selection of pieces that did not make it onto that album. This new release has some catchy hooks such as on <em>Invocation of the Spirit of RUSSIA</em>. In truth, a lot of these pieces feel like demos and offcuts of varying quality and it’s not too difficult to see why they didn’t fit with the previous album. However, they are still curious pieces in their own way and worth a listen.</p>
<p><a href="https://boomkat.com/products/where-things-are-hollow">Where Things Are Hollow</a> sees Pye Corner Audio setting out over four tracks of sequencer driven goodness. As usual, there are hints of John Carpenter and much of it has a film soundtrack quality.</p>
Damon Wild - Cosmic Path2017-12-09T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/12/09/damon-wild-cosmic-path<p>Great end of year surprise from <em>Damon Wild</em>, delivering his third album and thirteen years since his last one. This is a superb blend of techno ambience, dreamy soundscapes and evocative sequencer driven melodies. Wonderful stuff.</p>
<p>You can get if from <a href="https://boomkat.com/products/cosmic-path-60094f16-1a52-4bb4-b5ca-1fe865d8da3f">Boomkat</a> in a variety of formats.</p>
Scanner - Fibolae2017-12-08T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/12/08/scanner-fibolae<p>Bleep:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Anna von Hausswolff’s Pomperipossa Records becomes the first label to host a new Scanner LP in eight years. <em>Fibolae</em> deals primarily with the changes that have happened in Robert Rimbaud’s life since 2009’s Rockets, Unto The Edge Of Rockets. Beginning with a series of answer phone messages left by lost loved ones - his brother, his mother and Coil’s John Balance to name but three - the LP touches on doom metal, techno, post-punk and synthwave while remaining firmly in its own lane. ‘Spirit Cluster’ is a John Carpenter theme that never was, while ‘Savage is Savage’ is an unrelenting assault of drums and synths that brings to mind a less refined version of These New Puritans’ Hidden.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>You can buy it <a href="https://bleep.com/release/92515-scanner-fibolae">here</a>.</p>
S>>D - Co Intel PRO2017-12-05T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/12/05/co-intel-pro<p>Bleep:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>S»D aka Sean Dorris from Belfast delivers his debut album called <em>Co Intel Pro</em> on CPU. Refined sampling alongside hip hop influenced breaks sees S»D operating in a similar dimension to VHS Head. Reminiscent of 1980s sci-fi soundtracks interwoven with IDM-tinged electro, haunting atmospheres prevail throughout with hints of a genre that has yet to emerge. Presented over 2x12” vinyl at 45rpm for superior sound quality.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Fans of Pye Corner Audio, Gescom or indeed anything on Skam will certainly dig this. You can listen to the album previews <a href="https://www.kudosrecords.co.uk/release/cpu00110111/s-d-co-intel-pro.html">here</a>.</p>
James Ferraro - Troll2017-11-27T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/11/27/james-ferraro-troll<p>Stereogum:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Enigmatic vaporwave prankster James Ferraro has just behaved like enigmatic vaporwave prankster James Ferraro and uploaded a new collection of music to Bandcamp without any warning or description. Appropriately enough, it’s called Troll, and its cover art appears to be a poorly compressed MS Paint doodle. But the music is both weirder and better than that slapdash presentation suggests, and you can hear all five tracks <a href="https://jjamesferraro.bandcamp.com/album/troll">here</a>.</p>
</blockquote>
Rod Modell - dawn, dusk and darkness2017-11-24T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/11/24/rod-modell-dawn-dusk-darkness<p>The first book of photography by Rod Modell, a collection of over 100 personal photographs made during an 8 week stay in Barcelona during April-June 2016. A CD of Barcelona field-recordings and emotional atmospheric sounds by Rod Modell (that were influenced by the images) is also be included.</p>
<p>These unique images and musical textures emphasize the darker, nocturnal side of Barcelona, and capture fleeting seconds that occurred between the moments that others noticed.</p>
<p><a href="https://boomkat.com/products/dawn-dusk-and-darkness">Boomkat</a></p>
Obsequies - Organn2017-11-23T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/11/23/obsequies-organn<p>Knives are proud to present the debut release from Belgian artist Obsequies, entitled <a href="https://obsequiesknv.bandcamp.com">Organn</a>.</p>
<p>At its core, Organn is a record about love and duality. Taking inspiration from Isidore-Lucien Ducasse’s poem ‘Les Chants de Maldoror’, the record is antagonistic yet often drops its temper to reveal blistered beauty within the fray. Such are the condradictory elements within the compositions themselves: widescreen claustrophobia; glimmering sludge; piercing VHS ambience.</p>
Yamaneko - Spa Commissions2017-11-22T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/11/22/yamaneko-spa-commissions<p>Very nice album from this artist. The music is very evocative of those New Age Healing tapes that were popular back in the mid-to late 1980s.</p>
<p>You can read an <a href="https://noisey.vice.com/en_us/article/bj7kba/yamanekos-spa-commissions-stream-interview">in-depth interview</a> with the artist and buy the album over at the <a href="https://localactionrecords.bandcamp.com/album/spa-commissions">Bandcamp</a> page.</p>
Meat Beat Manifesto - Impossible Star2017-11-14T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/11/14/meat-beat-manifesto-impossible-star<p>You can preview one track from the forthcoming album, ‘We Are Surrounded’ <a href="https://m.soundcloud.com/igloomag/mbm-we-are-surrounded">here</a>. The album is due on 19th January. <a href="https://meatbeatmanifesto.bandcamp.com/album/impossible-star">Pre-orders</a> are available at Bandcamp.</p>
Garrett - Private Life2017-11-14T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/11/14/garrett-private-life<p>Boomkat:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>For Damon G Riddick’s legion of fans it doesn’t come much better, especially seeing as he’s been shy on the release front since 2016’s DJ-Kicks and the odd short format serving in recent years. Anyway this makes up for that gap in spades, swooping in with the gilded dawn of Apocalyptic Sunrise and taking it there with track, from the pointillist drum patter and arcing chords of Right Now thru the loose and sprawling vibes of Slow Motion, to chrome-squirting G-funk on It’s Time, with 12 minutes to cool out in the serene waters of Angel Reflections, before taking it Home on the downstroke to the sun-warped bliss of The End Theme.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>A fine album from this LA artist. A slick homage to 1980s styles. If you like that sort of thing, you will totally enjoy this.</p>
<p><a href="https://boomkat.com/products/private-life-79696e09-cb4a-4241-98b1-51a69894c22c">Private Life</a> is available from Boomkat on vinyl and digital.</p>
Pinkcourtesyphone - Indelicate Slices2017-11-13T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/11/13/pinkcourtesyphone-indelicate-slices<p>Boomkat:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Richard Chartier ponders another poignant predicament as Pinkcourtesyphone with <a href="https://boomkat.com/products/indelicate-slices">Indelicate Slices</a>, the project’s ninth full length, arriving after sojourns to The Tapeworm and Champion Version in recent seasons.</p>
<p>This is contemporary ambient music at its most opulent and intoxicating, sashaying rococo corridors of gold and red velvet smudged to shimmering pink hues, spinning solipsistic thru a permanent twilight zone of pharmaceutical haze, self-medicated and shielded to an omnipresent darkness that lurks beyond the rose beds.</p>
<p>It’s immaculately smashed and illusive music that slips under the skin and stimulates the imagination with uncanny efficiency, emulating none-more-rarified feels between the old world elegance of Romantic Threat and the digital drizzle of In Voluptuous Monochrome, secreting some stunningly sensitive, psychedelic passages in the 24 minute piece Minimumluxuryoverdose and the 12 minutes of OOBE like plasmic suspense of <em>Above Chandeliers</em>, with the systolic pulse of <em>Problematic Interior</em> rendering something like a recording of an anechoic panic room.</p>
</blockquote>
Pauline Anna Strom - Trans-Millenia Music2017-11-12T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/11/12/pauline-anna-strom-trans-millenia-music<p>This week I have been listening to the immensely moving record from this artist - completely new to me.</p>
<p><a href="https://igetrvng.com">RVNG Intl.</a> have released an album from synth pioneer Pauline Anna Strom - a selection from her extraordinary records and cassettes from the 1980s.</p>
<p>The Quietus:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Given the cosmic, futuristic leanings of the instrumentation, coupled with the classical, film-score motifs in tracks like <em>Morning Splendor</em> and <em>Gossamer Silk</em>, it’s understandable that many have pointed out the sense of timelessness to Strom’s work. But the notion of time seems to stretch even beyond this collection’s sonic parameters. <a href="https://igetrvng.com/shop/rervng10/">Trans-Millenia Music</a> feels like a body of work completely distant from a need to be placed in a contemporary context. It’s not in the least bit dated, but neither does it feel under any pressure to pave a way for future trends. Each glimmering, ascending pattern instead seems to rise above its listener, beckoning you to just be present with it. In its remarkable, honest and human embrace of both the futuristic and the classical, Strom’s music transcends and pervades the present. It takes you into a space where there is no nostalgia for the past, no anxiousness for the future, only the present company of sound and the lived experience of it.</p>
<p><em>Freedom at the 45th floor</em>, <em>In Flight Suspension</em> and <em>Cruising Altitude 36,000 Feet</em> are blissful, all cascading and beaming arpeggios moving with gyroscopic hypnotism. Elsewhere, <em>Warriors of the Sun</em> and <em>Gossamer Silk</em> feel like ancestral, spiritual calls repurposed for a plane of experience where there is only music and the majesty it holds.</p>
<p><em>Rain on Ancient Keys</em> and <em>Spacial Spectre</em> are haunting, moody ventures into something altogether more mysterious and unknowable, suggesting an understanding of the sonic plane that is perhaps enhanced for someone who is deprived of sight.</p>
<p>It doesn’t all necessarily work. <em>Mushroom Trip</em>, feels like a queasy experience of its namesake, floating somewhere in between playful and seasick. <em>Bonsai Tree</em>, while an interesting example of one of the collection’s few percussive moments, doesn’t slot into the flow of the album - it feels unwieldy, the wrong type of disorienting.</p>
<p>But Trans-Millenia Music is nonetheless a wonderful collection. As the yelped vocal and theremin-like melodies of <em>Virgin Ice</em> and the balearic pace of <em>Energies</em> course their way through your mind and body, it’s hard not to feel like she will soon claim a place as a true legend of experimental electronic music.</p>
<p>While this music cannot predict the future or return us to the past, it seems to understand them both. And in doing so, Trans-Millenia Music brings a sort of ease to the experience of right now. More than three decades on, it seems there’s still no time like the present.</p>
</blockquote>
Joe Hill - Strange Weather2017-11-11T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/11/11/Joe Hill - Strange Weather<p><a href="http://geni.us/RB5TO">New collection of novellas</a> from this great writer. Four in all. Really good tales. Available now on Kindle and Hardcover from most retailers.</p>
Palmbomen II - Memories Of Cindy2017-11-10T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/11/10/palmbomen-memories-of-cindy<p>Due for release January 2018, Palmbomen II returns with <a href="https://palmbomen-ii.bandcamp.com/album/memories-of-cindy">Memories of Cindy</a>, an intimate collection of eulogic, supernatural house music made for a muse and to bemuse those who make (first) contact. A haunted memory hole of hardware grooves, celestial synth pads and lonesome vocals, Kai Hugo’s warped west coast vantage has never seemed so surreal but certain.</p>
Tangerine Dream - Particles2017-11-09T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/11/09/tangerine-dream-particles<p>An excellent collection of studio and live material, issued last year. It includes a version of the <em>Stranger Things</em> theme to the Netflix TV show. A great showcase of their material although I very much prefer the 1980s material such as <em>Mothers Of Rain</em> and <em>White Eagle</em>.</p>
<p>The highlight of the album is the incredible ten-minute closing piece, <em>Shadow And Sun</em> which echoes back to their earlier styles with remarkably ease and forms a majestic and uplifting close to the album.</p>
<p>If you are a fan of the band, this is an essential purchase. It’s also a good introduction to those who are just discovering this legendary and influential group.</p>
<p>The album is <a href="https://www.edgarfroese.de/shop/products.php?p=8a551f">available directly</a> from TD at their Eastgate Music shop.</p>
Aaron Dilloway - Switches2017-11-08T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/11/08/aaron-dilloway-switches<p>The master of twisted noise is adding a new album to his incredible discography. Following his monumental album <em>The Gag File</em> on Dais, ‘<a href="https://cejero.bandcamp.com/album/switches">Switches</a>’ is the next chapter in the evolution of Dilloway’s sound. Created on piano and tape ‘Switches’ is a spiralling journey into the rugged mind and soul of one of the most influential figures in radical modern music.</p>
<p>Pressed on 180 g colored vinyl and housed in a reversed board sleeve illustrated with artwork by dutch artist Henri Jacobs on front and label.</p>
Pye Corner Audio - Where Things Are Hollow2017-11-07T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/11/07/pye-corner-audio-where-things-are-hollow<p>Due for release on <a href="https://boomkat.com/products/where-things-are-hollow">15th December</a>. Boomkat has the description on what to expect.</p>
<p>Boomkat:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The return of Pye Corner Audio to Lapsus Records with <em>Where Things Are Hollow</em>, comprised of four new songs and a twenty-four minute duration.</p>
<p>Martin Jenkins explores emotive techno in <em>Resist</em> and <em>Northern Safety Route</em>, two tracks that coast through progressive arpeggios, slow pulsating beats and soaring pads. Meanwhile <em>Mainframe</em> and <em>Continental Drift</em> move through more ambient and melancholic terrains, two cinematic songs that are perhaps reminiscent of works by <em>John Carpenter</em> or <em>Delia Derbyshire</em>. In short, <em>Where Things Are Hollow</em> is a beguiling analogue electronica EP that is guaranteed to delight Pye Corner Audio fans and new listeners alike. This special release will also feature the collaboration of two of the country’s most prestigious independent graphic artists, Alex Trochut and Basora, whose artwork for <em>Where Things Are Hollow</em> is sure to become a collector’s piece.*</p>
</blockquote>
Ossian Brown - Haunted Air2017-10-30T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/10/30/haunted-air<p>Penguin Books:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The roots of Hallowe’en lie in the ancient pre-Christian Celtic festival of Samhain, a feast to mark the death of the old year and the birth of the new. It was believed that on this night the veil separating the worlds of the living and the dead grew thin and ruptured, allowing spirits to pass through and walk unseen but not unheard amongst men. The advent of Christianity saw the pagan festival subsumed in All Souls’ Day, when across Europe the dead were mourned and venerated. Children and the poor, often masked or in outlandish costume, wandered the night begging ‘soul cakes’ in exchange for prayers, and fires burned to keep malevolent phantoms at bay.</p>
<p>From Europe, the haunted tradition would quickly take root and flourish in the fertile soil of the New World. Feeding hungrily on fresh lore, consuming half-remembered tales of its own shadowy origins and rituals, Hallowe’en was reborn in America. The pumpkin supplanted the carved turnip; costumes grew ever stranger, and celebrants both rural and urban seized gleefully on the festival’s intoxicating, lawless spirit. For one wild night, the dead stared into the faces of the living and the living, ghoulishly masked and clad in tattered backwoods baroque, stared back.</p>
<p>The photographs in <a href="https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/1085775/haunted-air/">Haunted Air</a> provide an extraordinary glimpse into the traditions of this macabre festival from ages past, and form an important document of photographic history. These are the pictures of the dead: family portraits, mementos of the treasured, now unrecognisable, other. Torn from album pages, sold piecemeal for pennies and scattered, abandoned to melancholy chance and the hands of strangers.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Amazing selection of photographs. Totally recommended.</p>
Danny Wolfers - Swan Song of the Skunkape2017-10-29T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/10/29/danny-wolfers-swan-song<p>A beautifully, haunting score from the Legowelt alias, this <a href="https://legowelt.bandcamp.com/album/swan-song-of-the-skunkape-original-soundtrack">2015 soundtrack</a> to the ten minute documentary about the elusive Skunkape, that apparently resides in the Florida everglades is a mesmerising album and one you simply must own.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The soundtrack for Brad Abrahams documentary on South Florida’s strangest bipedal resident, as told by the rare few who claim they’ve encountered the creature. At over 1.5 million acres, the ‘Glades are the largest wilderness area east of the Mississippi, with thousands of acres untouched by man. If indeed something this strange could exist, it would surely be here.</p>
<p>These tracks were all written for the documentary, most didn’t end up in the final cut, mostly because the movie is just under 10 minutes long. But these sounds will linger beyond the images of the screen for a long time.</p>
</blockquote>
Blade Runner 20492017-10-10T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/10/10/blade-runner-2049<p>I was extremely wary of this film when it was first announced. I thought the whole thing was a recipe for disaster - an unnecessary follow-up to a film that for me, is a sort of holy grail. I didn’t like the casting. The thought that the studio would just make a mockery of the original.</p>
<p>I am more than happy to be proved completely wrong. This film was utterly stunning from beginning to end. The sets, visuals, design etc was incredible. The acting was superb - even Jared Leto wasn’t too bad. Small screen time probably helped there. The technology was cool, the story was well-written, intelligent and thought-provoking. It didn’t feel like nearly three hours, at least for me. A total immersive world brought to life on screen. Absolutely amazing. This is a film I will want to watch over and over again.</p>
<p>I think the reason I like it so much was simply this: The people who created this film <em>totally understood</em> what made the original so good.</p>
<p>I only really had two issues with the film. The first, really minor I guess. The world they envisioned in 2049 didn’t seem ‘lived in’ compared to the original where there were really old, ruined buildings, piles of refuse etc. It made it all seem very believable. I’m thinking about the litter blowing along the streets, neon signs working intermittently, the grimy elevator in Deckard’s building, Pris covering herself in newspapers while waiting for Sebastian and the closing section in the original where Roy is chasing Deckard through dilapidated, rotten buildings with water dripping everywhere.</p>
<p>In 2049, the world of Los Angeles seemed sleek, angular and clean in a CGI way that I didn’t believe in. It felt like all the signs of human habitation had been brushed away. That’s a sobering and frightening thought if the future does indeed play out that way. Where are all the people?</p>
<p>The second (more problematic issue) was the soundtrack. Within the confines of the movie, it was okay ( but as a stand-alone work that you would want to listen to in the same way fans still enjoy the Vangelis work from 1982), Hans Zimmer’s score was lazy and unimaginative. When you look back at truly epic films from decades past, Ben Hur, Lawrence Of Arabia, Ryan’s Daughter, E.T, Star Wars and many, many others; they had a film score that was so truly wonderful, it could survive without the film and exist on its own for decades.</p>
<p>A film as beautiful and memorable as Blade Runner 2049 deserved something far, far better, in my opinion.</p>
<p>Overall, Blade Runner 2049 is a stunning achievement.</p>
Videodrones - Nattens Hævn2017-10-09T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/10/09/videodrones-nattens-haeven<p>2nd album from Danish synth-improv duo Videodrones, dives deeper their brand of throbbing synth themes from the goriest movies that never were.</p>
<p>Boomkat:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“It’s easy to hear the starting point of Videodrones: From italian composers such as Fabio Frizzi, Marcello Giombini, Riz Ortolani - or even Morricone & Alessandroni at their most industrial. But Videodrones adds a touch of previously unheard madness to their Giallo-themed synth-gasms. Based largely on improvisation, Videodrones tosses and turns - it’s like the thing is ALIVE: leaving slimy trail of electronic musical styles in their wake: there’s toxic levels of italio disco, German kosmiche musik, new age, even some stabs at holy grails of 70’s and 80’s pop.</p>
<p>The record culminates in a Synth-proto-doom track - Nattens Hævn (Revenge of the Night): too weird to live, yet too rare to die. Videodrones improvisations are far from boring: chopped into smaller bits the album is of a suite-like nature - keeping the odd, jagged energy of improvisation, every part adds to a whole, larger narrative. The result is a suite-like walkthru, often changing pace, dropping notes or drifting in scale. The images Videodrones convey is collectedly strangely solemn - almost uplifting at times, in their maddening state of constant synth flux.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>You can purchase the album <a href="https://boomkat.com/products/nattens-haevn">here</a>.</p>
Trish Keenan2017-09-28T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/09/28/trish-keenan<p>Happy Birthday, <a href="https://nosdam.bandcamp.com/track/t-r-i-s-h">Trish</a>. Gone but not forgotten.</p>
Martial Canterel - Lost At Sea2017-09-25T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/09/25/martial-canterel-lost-at-sea<p>This artist is fairly new to me. His work totally encapsulates the cold synths of early 1980s British electro-pop, made famous by bands such as Visage, The Human League, Soft Cell, OMD and countless others.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.daisrecords.com/products/martial-canterel-lost-at-sea-lp">Dias Records</a>.</p>
Odd Nosdam - Level Live Wires2017-09-24T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/09/24/odd-nosdam-level-live-wires<p><a href="https://nosdam.bandcamp.com/album/level-live-wires-10th-anniversary-remaster">Great tenth anniversary reissue</a> of an earlier work by this artist. There are some real gems in here if you like his work - such as the strange yet uplifting ‘Fat Hooks’ and the haunting vocals on ‘Up In Flames’. All manner of instruments are there buried down in the mix of strange, distorted loops of decay.</p>
Unheard Delia Derbyshire2017-09-20T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/09/20/delia-derbyshire-future-guests<p>Christian Eede on The Quietus:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Delia Derbyshire was a prolific producer of music and sound, both within and outside her role in the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, and premiering is a never-heard-before piece of music created from elements of her lost tape archive.</p>
<p>‘Future Guests’ is being premiered as part of a new documentary charting 60 years of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, of which Derbyshire was a part. Derbyshire’s lost tape archive consists of 300 or so reels of tape which were discovered in her attic when she died in 2001.</p>
<p>The dark, atmospheric piece has been composed from original elements of music by Derbyshire that the Radiophonic Workshop have worked together into a new piece. The elements are from tapes that Derbyshire made beyond the BBC on some of her later film and theatre projects - the exact details of which are lost to time.</p>
<p>As part of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop’s 60th anniversary, a compilation entitled Burials In Six Earths has been released via Room 13 Records, with contributions from Martyn Ware, while Ware will take part in events involving the Radiophonic Workshop at the British Library next month. On October 13, Late At The Library will see a celebration of the Radiophonic Workshop, who will perform live with guests. For tickets and more information, click <a href="https://www.bl.uk/events/late-at-the-library-the-radiophonic-workshop-and-guests">here</a>.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>This is great news. You can listen to the piece on <a href="https://youtu.be/HO0onKRdCPQ">YouTube</a>.</p>
Claude Speeed - Other Infinities2017-09-18T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/09/18/other-infinities<p>Mention of this additional material (I assume from the same sessions that were responsible for the album) has popped up on a Planet Mu newsletter. I spoke with the artist on Twitter and he claims there may be as many as fifteen new tracks.</p>
<p>No release date but I imagine it will be quite soon.</p>
iBooks2017-09-17T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/09/17/inexact-shadows-ibooks<p>I finally managed to publish my first two books on iTunes. The sign-up process is a little laborious but doesn’t take too long.</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://geni.us/4hoiVqi">Inexact Shadows</a></li>
<li><a href="http://geni.us/xKd8f1">The Wind Took Your Answer Away</a></li>
</ul>
<p>The first is a technological thriller. The second is a collection of short stories.</p>
Phil Struck - QTT52017-08-31T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/08/31/phil-struck-qtt5<p>This new release on the <em>Quiet Tapes</em> label is something quite special.</p>
<p><a href="https://quiettimetapes.bandcamp.com/album/phil-struck-qtt5">Quiet Time Bandcamp Page</a></p>
Ossining - I Will Be Missed2017-08-24T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/08/24/ossining-i-will-be-missed<p>Trawling through Boomkat’s back catalogue, I came across this gem.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Digitalis activist Brad Rose maps out three passages to synthetic galaxies with Kevin Danchisko of Sovetskaya Gone. For the keenest of observers, they dropped two tapes last year, but ‘I Will Be Missed’ is their first vinyl release, containing three new tracks of vast and mysterious drones punctuated with starbursting synth patterns and a wide-eyed effect harking back to early 90s ambient qualities with a nod to narcotically laced Americana that fans of Oneohtrix will adore.</p>
<p>However, as it’s a Digitalis release, there’s something disturbed and just a little squinted lurking in the background, especially with the lengthy A-side composition ‘Mirror Warmer’. The near psilocybic queerness of the melodies and spacious harmonics also recall Leyland Kirby’s distorted memories but threaded with howling inhuman voices shrieking way back in the ether while the symphony continues to phosphoresce regardless, almost ignorant of the pain underneath.</p>
<p>On the other side the choral voices (or are they just synths?) of ‘Go For Pinks’ recaptures the spirit of a chill-out room for a midwest American rave, but with a more sinister, brown speckled twist. ‘Moons’ completes the album with stray arpeggiations, godly vocal harmonics and bloopy sequences masking an underlying tension, perhaps saying that this form of dosed-up, lethargic escapism has something intrinsically wrong and unusually disturbing. Fans of feeling strange should book themselves on this trip without delay…</p>
</blockquote>
<p>I totally recommend this title. It only runs a little over 35 minutes but it is well worth listening to.</p>
<p><a href="https://boomkat.com/products/i-will-be-missed">Boomkat Download </a></p>
Konx-om-Pax - Refresher2017-08-11T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/08/11/konx-om-pax-refresher<p>This EP is a continuation of the work achieved on the phenomenal album, <a href="http://geni.us/PSBJD">Caramel</a> from last year. There are four tracks on the new release - two of which are new to me.</p>
<p>It begins with <em>Cascada</em>, a rave-fuelled piece of warehouse nostalgia and quickly moves on to <em>Species With Amnesia</em>. This second track has a lovely sinister vibe to it that I really enjoy. The remains of the EP are taken up with a remix of <em>Caramel</em> by u-Ziq, all cascading shimmering chords and then finally on to American producer Huerco.S who brings things to a slow and ambient conclusion with a thoughtful interpretation of <em>Beatrice’s Visit</em>.</p>
<p>Download from <a href="https://konx-om-pax.bandcamp.com/album/refresher">Bandcamp</a>.</p>
Dean Hurley - Anthology Resource Vol. 12017-08-07T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/08/07/dean-hurley-anthology-resource-vol1<p><a href="https://www.sacredbonesrecords.com">Sacred Bones</a> has just released Anthology Resource Vol. 1: △△, an album composed entirely of Dean Hurley’s sound design work for the new season of Twin Peaks. Hurley has worked with David Lynch for over a decade and acted as sound designer and music supervisor on Lynch’s last feature Inland Empire.</p>
<p>Twin Peaks: The Return has hosted an exceptional array of musicians performing at the Roadhouse, including “the” Nine Inch Nails and Hudson Mohawke. Hurley took the stage at the show’s iconic watering hole, as well, playing the drums with Alex Zhang Hungtai and Riley Lynch as Trouble in episode 5 of The Return.</p>
<p>You can hear and purchase the full compilation over at <a href="https://deanhurley.bandcamp.com/album/anthology-resource-vol-1">Bandcamp</a>.</p>
Steve Roach - Long Thoughts2017-08-06T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/08/06/steve-roach-long-thoughts<p>If you a fan of ambient electronic pioneer Steve Roach, you will be pleased to know he has two albums out now. The first, <a href="http://steveroach.com/Music/discography.php?albumID=576">Long Thoughts</a> is an epic 74-minute piece of deep, brooding electronics. The second album, <a href="http://steveroach.com/Music/discography.php?albumID=577">Nostalgia for the Future</a> contains a selection of shorter tracks - again in an ambient style.</p>
<p>Steve Roach has been one of the most revered and prolific artists for many years now and his new albums show that he has lost none of his fine sense of how to craft beautiful, shifting clouds of electronic aural bliss.</p>
<p>The new works are available in a variety of formats including a limited run of cassettes and 24Bit editions.</p>
NMESH - Pharma2017-08-01T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/08/01/nmesh-pharma<p>Vaporwave artist NMESH returns this Friday with a new album, Pharma on <a href="https://orangemilkrecords.bandcamp.com">Orange Milk Records</a>. It’s the first album since 2014’s Dream Sequins.</p>
<p>You can preorder the new album <a href="https://orangemilkrecords.bandcamp.com">here</a>.</p>
<p><code class="highlighter-rouge">Update: Tapes have are already sold out in 5 hours. However, other retailers may have it in the next few days. There will also be a repress later in the year.</code></p>
Odd Nosdam - LIF2017-07-26T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/07/26/odd-nosdam-lif<p>Friday 28th of July sees a new album from the San-Francisco based artist that continues his trademark sound of distorted loops and grainy ambience he has perfected over the years. LIF is his first new work since Music For Raising and follows on from the excellent Sisters released last year.</p>
<p>Preorder digital at <a href="https://nosdam.bandcamp.com/album/lif">Bandcamp</a>.</p>
Midnight Deluxe - Palm Grove Galleria2017-07-26T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/07/26/midnight-deluxe<p>This excellent Bandcamp vaporwave release available this week warps us back through time to strolling through a shopping mall in 1990. Midnight Deluxe has done a great job of creating the ambience of that vanished age from the muzak-inspired vapidness of Money and Minds to the slightly sinister Mannequins.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://midnightdeluxe.bandcamp.com/releases">digital album</a> is available now on Bandcamp.</p>
Elizabeth Fraser2017-07-26T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/07/26/elizabeth-fraser<p>This last Sunday (23rd), the inimitable singer of the much-adored Cocteau Twins made a rare public appearance and discussed the Blue Bell Knoll album with John Grant. The full interview is available at <a href="http://thequietus.com/articles/22917-elizabeth-grant-john-fraser-cocteau-twins-blue-bell-knoll-albert-hall">The Quietus</a>.</p>
<p>Elizabeth Fraser:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“I listened to Blue Bell Knoll for the first time in years and I cried, I just thought it was so lovely,” says Fraser, remembering the creative process as an opportunity for the band to escape the pressures of their private lives. “It was quite a difficult time, and I think we just decided to throw ourselves into the creativity. Getting immersed in that process and not worrying about how it would be perceived or the outcome, just going with the flow without expectations, no endgame, just enjoy it, and if it’s not working try something else.”</p>
</blockquote>
Claude Speeed - Infinity Ultra2017-07-15T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/07/15/claude-speeed-infinity-ultra-review<p>An album that was apparently five years in the making, <a href="http://planet.mu/artists/claude-speeed/">Claude Speeed</a> has delivered a work that in turns, mystifies and confounds all expectations. Drawing on many influences, Infinity Ultra is an album that will probably become one of my favourite titles of the year.</p>
<p>There is a lot to like on here from the early tracks that remind one of <em>Oneohtrix Point Never</em> and <em>Leyland Kirby</em> to latter parts that have a dreamy, 1980s quality which finds itself tapping into the vaporwave genre. There are nods to Boards of Canada on <em>Moonchord Supermagic</em> and the kind of hypnagogic pop that seems so popular these days on the final track, <em>Dreamdream.</em></p>
<p>There are elements of post-rock on <em>Entering The Zone</em> and the keyboard programming gets a full workout on the powerful and uplifting <em>Fifth Fortress.</em></p>
<p>Indeed, it is the final suite of tracks that begin with <em>Center Tech</em> that prove to be the album’s highlight. Tracks such as <em>Spirits</em> and <em>Contact</em> are just beautiful pieces of thoughtful electronica. Essential listening.</p>
<p>You can buy this album from <a href="https://claudespeeedmu.bandcamp.com/album/infinity-ultra">Bandcamp</a>, <a href="http://geni.us/TFMzdN">iTunes</a> and <a href="http://geni.us/hLN97">Amazon</a>.</p>
Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith - The Kid2017-07-11T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/07/11/kaitlyn-aurelia-smith-the-kid<p>Her new album is due later this year.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith follows up a collaborative album with <em>electronic music pioneer Suzanne Ciani</em> and her breakthrough long player <a href="https://bleep.com/release/69871-kaitlyn-aurelia-smith-ears">EARS</a> with her latest journey, <a href="https://bleep.com/release/86790-kaitlyn-aurelia-smith-the-kid">The Kid</a>. A double album in length that portrays the earliest steps of life’s journey through a majestic sense of awe, mysticism and wonder.</p>
<p>True to its childhood theme the album is split across four emotionally-inspired segments that take in the various stages of life’s first moments through to the realisations of growing up and apart. The first quarter draws its focus on the newly found feeling of confused astonishment - everything is brand new and glistening in the morning sun. This traverses through an emotional focus that takes hold, Kaitlyn’s lyrical content perfectly conveying these feelings of confirmation that turn into a sense of pure being, fittingly building further on the electronic experiments of her breakthrough EARS.</p>
<p>The second section starts up with an explorative feeling of reaching out and grasping the immediacy of the world around us, captured through a series of sonic experiments that reach deep into the soul and emerge armed with a range of sounds that stem from a Bollywood-esque low-end pulse melodies that call to mind the sound of <em>Julia Holter’s</em> wonderful experiments within her Ekstasis.</p>
<p>The second half begins by confronting the ideas of giving back to the formative forces of one’s upbringing, this is investigated with the range of influences that Kaitlyn’s music draws from as an entity, from cosmic electronica to the most out there pop sounds, this cross-genre feeling is both vast within its otherworldly approach, yet retains a familiarity that will dazzle all that get swept up in its EMS Synthi 100 led tropical ambient sound.</p>
<p>Drawing The Kid to its final notes, the fourth segment gives itself into Kaitlyn’s verdant orchestral moments that were all written and arranged for the EU-based Stargaze quartet. While the album reaches its final conclusion, the focus is drawn towards “a return to pure being, the kind of wisdom and peace that eludes most of us until the autumn of life”. A bittersweet refrain holds us tight with the album’s most striking line <em>one day I’ll wake up and you won’t be there</em> showing the way forward on a road that lies split between the closing moments of the record while shedding any melancholy resentment against loss that you may feel, overpowering these feelings with a grateful acknowledgement of life. These two roads crossing paths within the near perfect waves of sound, floating out of the speakers with an elegant flow while the music slowly unwinds to its end.</p>
<p>The Kid is another brilliant album from this unique talent, ripe with the imagined wonder and innocence of youth.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The album is due on the 5th of October.</p>
Falling Behind2017-07-10T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/07/10/falling-behind<p>There is a whole stack of stuff that I’ve yet to get through. I can now add to that the new albums from <a href="http://geni.us/8jL2mZ">Claude Speeed</a> and <a href="http://geni.us/tINwxVr">The Focus Group</a> - both of which ship this Friday.</p>
<p>The above links are for vinyl, Audio CD are <a href="http://geni.us/hLN97">here</a> and <a href="http://geni.us/xvKQkBa">here</a>.</p>
Nadia Struiwigh - Lenticular2017-07-03T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/07/03/nadia-struiwigh-lenticular<p>This is a great album of quite varied electronics that spans a variety of styles, calling to mind quite a few artists. Lenticular arrives from the Central Processing Unit and is totally recommended.</p>
<p>Bleep:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Central Processing Unit have a claim to being the label with the strongest identity in British electronic music at the moment. Each of their fifty-odd releases provide variations on classic acid and techno stylings. They never fail to deliver in sound and style, and each comes wrapped up in that pleasing white and black package. On Lenticular, Nadia Struiwigh softens the edges of the CPU sound while remoulding the core components into an LP of great deftness and beauty. Recalling Aphex’s best ambient works as well as top-of-the-range Boards of Canada, the tracks here mould well-worn analog stylings into the sort of late-night ditties that will bring wistful smiles to ravers of every generation.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Vinyl, Cassette and Digital Editions are available <a href="https://bleep.com/release/85936-nadia-struiwigh-lenticular">here</a>.</p>
Metro Riders - Europe By Night2017-07-03T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/07/03/metro-riders-europe-by-night<p>An artist recommended to me by a friend. Metro Riders is the project set up by Stockholm producer, Henrik Stelzer.</p>
<p>The album shares quite a bit in common with artists like <code class="highlighter-rouge">1991</code> and <code class="highlighter-rouge">Sand Circles</code> - it has that same dreamy lo-fi quality that I like very much.</p>
<p>Metro Riders Bandcamp:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Europe By Night is the gripping and intoxicating debut album by Stockholm, Sweden based Metro Riders (real name Henrik Stelzer) and the first release on newly minted contemporary global imprint Possible Motive. Employing outdated software and now obsolete analogue recording equipment, Metro Riders conjures a suspenseful and gloomy, true to the era re-imagining of lost sounds. A real labor of love, Europe By Night encompasses a very niche palette, everything from the prophetic visions of John Carpenter, to the warbled world of Troma films, to Italian horror flicks, euro-crime and the cybernetic sewers of The Skaters.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The album can be found <a href="https://metroriders.bandcamp.com/album/europe-by-night">here</a>.</p>
July Releases2017-07-01T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/07/01/july releases<p>There have been so many new albums lately that I don’t have time to listen to them all. However, in the next few days I will be taking a listen to <code class="highlighter-rouge">Lenticular by Nadia Struiwigh</code> and <code class="highlighter-rouge">Life of Love by Moon Diagrams.</code> There is also a new Richard H Kirk album that I have yet to look at.</p>
Michael Crichton - Dragon Teeth Review2017-06-29T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/06/29/dragon-teeth-review<p>I recently finished reading <a href="http://geni.us/idsE6x9">Dragon Teeth</a> and enjoyed it. Micheal Crichton has been a favourite author of mine for many years. His blend of technology and thriller has proved remarkably successful over the years, in particular <a href="http://geni.us/7LWWSY">Jurassic Park</a>. This tale of genetically-engineered dinosaurs roaming a theme park has been remarkably successful, spawning a sequel, <a href="http://geni.us/0LXo">The Lost World</a> as well as <a href="http://geni.us/U6ZT">a number of movies</a>.</p>
<p>Dinosaurs are still very exciting but long-dead ones - not so much. What I also found slightly disappointing was that the sections devoted to fossil-hunting were few. For much of the novel, it felt like nothing more than a slightly unbelievable western.</p>
<p>Of course this was an unfinished novel so it’s more than likely Michael Crichton would have spent a lot more time on it before publication.</p>
<p>If you like Michael Crichton’s books, you’ll enjoy this but be warned, it’s not the work it probably could have been.</p>
Kraftwerk - 3D - The Catalogue2017-05-26T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/05/26/kraftwerk-3d-the-catalogue<p><em>Haven’t we been here before</em>? That was my first thought as I settled down with this latest from the pioneering German electronic outfit. Perusing the lavish box that this arrived in (with Blu-ray discs and a coffee-table size book), I was struck with the realisation that not only have we been here, we have been here <em>many</em> times. It was only back in 2009 that the band re-released their entire set of eight remastered albums.</p>
<p>Anyway, on this occasion Kraftwerk have chosen to release their live shows on 3D Blu-ray and it does look and sound wonderful. The audio CD edition is spread across eight discs and while most of these tracks sound <em>practically identical</em> to their counterparts from the Minimum-Maximum album released twelve years ago from their world tour in 2004, the main value of this set is the visuals and 3D sound which is stunning.</p>
<p>If you’re new to Kraftwerk, I would advise checking out some of their albums before you make this heavy purchase. Their work pretty much defines electronic music over the past thirty years.</p>
<p>I <em>do wish</em> they could write something new.</p>
<p><a href="http://geni.us/UCcJA0H">Vinyl</a></p>
<p><a href="http://geni.us/fIx0">Audio CD</a></p>
<p><a href="http://geni.us/qjsRGWU">Blu-ray DVD Audio</a></p>
Bola - D.E.G2017-05-25T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/05/25/bola-deg<p>This is the first new album from Bola (a.k.a - Darrell Fitton), an electronic music artist from Manchester, England in ten years and issued on the influential <em>SKAM records</em> label - also responsible for <em>Hi-Scores</em> and <em>Music Has the Right to Children</em> by the esteemed and elusive Scottish electronic music duo, <em>Boards of Canada</em>.</p>
<p>Bola first came to wide-spread attention and critical acclaim back in the late 90s, creating almost organic-sounding electronic music which was both fresh and exciting on records like <a href="http://geni.us/hmrWunu">Soup</a> (1998) and <a href="http://geni.us/EgoKL0d">Gnyase</a> (2004). These are albums where one senses that absolutely every note has been pored over in exquisite detail - with tracks like <em>Effanajor</em> and <em>Glink</em> having a polished touch that gives them the auditory equivalent of intricately assembled jewels.</p>
<p>His last album, <a href="http://geni.us/n6BoH">Kroungrine</a> (2007) was a beautiful blend of intriguing textures and unusual atmospherics, coming a year after his 1996-2006 compilation of unreleased tracks called <a href="http://geni.us/BPSBUF">Shapes</a>. One only needs to hear the dreamy sonar pulses evident on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zw2B2SQOqPA&t=345s">Squib (Nuclear)</a> in order to fall under its spell.</p>
<p>His long-awaited new album, D.E.G. features ten tracks including a suite in three parts entitled <em>Pelomen Vapour.</em> Fans were were recently treated to a <a href="https://soundcloud.com/skam/06-bola-pelomen-vapour-1-fade">SoundCloud upload</a> from the aforementioned title.</p>
<p>The album starts with the piano introduction of <em>Fhorth</em> and its long voice sample stretched out over everything. <em>Herzzatzz</em> is more familiar territory with Bola’s signature rhythms allowing the melody to slowly develop in the background. It’s not until the third track that one can appreciate why it probably took so long to produce D.E.G - <em>Avantual</em> has an intro that wouldn’t sound out of place on a TV ident or commercial from the 1980s. It then builds really nicely with some alluring yet unusual textures that are the artist’s trademark. Along with the final part of Pelomen Vapour (which is discussed further down), this is Bola at his finest.</p>
<p><em>Evensong</em> is less successful with some synthetic vocals proving more of a distraction than a necessity. It is a fairly gorgeous track anyway so I cannot see why there was a need for it. <em>Landor 50X2</em> sets the arpeggiators in motion but I found the drum patterns to be very harsh and while it’s an okay piece, by Bola’s standards it doesn’t really hit the mark. Thankfully the last minute or two sees the brittle drum patterns fade away and some nice looping textures take their place. There is an utterly incredible sound right at the end that almost makes up for what came before.</p>
<p>I suppose the true heart of the album is the majestic <em>Pelomen Vapour</em> suite. This sees the artist stretch out his style employing all the techniques that have made his music so engrossing over the years. Part 1 builds a really enjoyable pattern of drums and keys while an addictive melody slowly creeps out of the mix. Part 2 continues with the same patterns but here they seem disjointed before resolving into Part 3 where endless cascades of crystalline, shimmering chords and falling synth lines finally carry the suite away along vistas of blissful oblivion. For me, it’s the highlight of the album.</p>
<p>The penultimate piece, <em>Kappafects</em> features more synthetic vocals that don’t really do anything interesting and once again ruin what might have been a good track. I appreciate the intention to do something a bit different, and I’m sure there is a great deal of technical programming involved in creating artificial voices but it comes across more as some sort of <em>Kraftwerk</em> homage than any identity of its own. It also feels about two minutes too long. This isn’t the first time Bola has incorporated vocal samples into his work but it was a lot more successful (and dare I say, memorable) on a track like <em>Aguilla</em> from his first album in 1998.</p>
<p>The final piece is <em>Maghellen</em> which may be the lightest and most accessible track on D.E.G, gentle keyboards and guitar seem to meander without some ultimate purpose. You end up feeling as if you are waiting for some moment that never arrives. Maybe that was the intention. It does however feel like a rather inconsequential way to end the album.</p>
<p>As with all of Bola’s albums, the music has a scientific feel as though cultivated and engineered inside some fantastic, secret laboratory. One must also make mention of the artwork. As with previous albums, the artwork on D.E.G looks like a diagram lifted from a medical textbook. The sound-design on D.E.G as with previous albums is both mysterious and inspiring.</p>
<p>Albums from Bola may be few and far between and one hopes that we do not have to wait a further ten years for the next one.</p>
<p>Overall, one comes away from D.E.G with the same impression as with all his work, the sense that Bola has coaxed machines to life and then simply let them give birth to sonic organisms with unique, internal lives of their own. This is an album that will repay repeated listening as you bury down into the details of incredible sound-design and exemplary production techniques.</p>
<p>D.E.G is available on <a href="http://geni.us/pReBgbx">Audio CD</a> as well as <a href="http://geni.us/Sn5D6S">Vinyl</a> and <a href="https://bleep.com/release/83554-bola-deg">16Bit Lossless Digital Formats</a>.</p>
<p>Skam Records can be contacted on <a href="https://twitter.com/skamrecords?lang=en">Twitter</a> for further enquiries.</p>
Burial - Subtemple2017-05-19T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/05/19/burial-subtemple<p>New two-track from Burial features his sprawling ambience and echoing rave nostalgia. The title track has a vaguely defined melody drifting like a spectre through the piece. Snatches of vocals only increase how mysterious this work sounds.</p>
<p><code class="highlighter-rouge">Beach Fires</code> is the better of the two with blurred memories and ominous fragmented bass-lines. It’s pretty difficult to describe this EP so maybe better to just listen yourself.</p>
<p><a href="https://burial.bandcamp.com/album/subtemple">Burial Bandcamp</a></p>
Claude Speeed - Infinity Ultra2017-05-17T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/05/17/claude-speeed-ultra-infinity<p>New album from German electronic music producer, Claude Speeed will be available from July 14th on Planet Mu Records.</p>
<p>You can listen to a track, <em>Fifth Fortress</em> on the artist’s <a href="https://soundcloud.com/planetmurecords/fifth-fortress">SoundCloud page</a>.</p>
Biosphere - The Petrified Forest2017-05-11T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/05/11/the-petrified-forest-review<p>New extended EP of wonderfully evocative tracks from the Norwegian electronic artist, Geir Jenssen. It comes not too long after the recently lauded <em>Departed Glories</em> - although this is markedly different with more recognisable themes in the music.</p>
<p>While I did enjoy this previous album, the dark, gothic ambience ensured that I only occasionally spent time with it. In contrast, this new EP is much more readily accessible.</p>
Stephan Mathieu - Before Nostromo2017-05-09T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/05/09/stephan-mathieu-before-nostromo<p>Recorded back in 2015, this nine-track album of pieces inspired by the characters in the movie, <em>Alien</em> (1979) is like peeking into some strange future. The concept of this collection is that in the minutes before the Nostromo crew awakes from hypersleep, each member has a dream.</p>
<p>This is cold, other-worldly electronics for those who still enjoy the original movie.</p>
<p>Before Nostromo is available in <a href="https://schwebung.bandcamp.com/album/before-nostromo">24Bit Digital</a> only from Stephan Mathieu’s bandcamp page.</p>
Penguin Cafe - The Imperfect Sea2017-05-09T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/05/09/penguin-cafe-the-imperfect-sea<p>Listening to the exquisite audio rendered on the 24Bit edition of this, my impression is of quite an ambient album compared to their older works. The world music elements that marked earlier incarnations of the ensemble have disappeared altogether.</p>
<p>This latest album begins with the beautiful and bumbling rhythm of <em>Ricercar</em> - it’s summer music for driving with the top down. <em>Control 1 Interlude</em> is an atmospheric piece that reminds me of American minimalist, <em>Harold Budd.</em> Subtle and somehow menacing strings are broken by careful and considered piano notes. <em>Protection</em> builds very nicely before <em>Rescue</em> heads away into darker territory before exiting into sunlight with strong piano chords and insistent, driving strings. <em>Now Nothing Rock Music</em> is an excellent piano piece that has a strong 1980s feel to it (although I cannot explain <em>exactly</em> why) - maybe it reminds me of a film score or something. The last piece, <em>Wheels Within Wheels</em> feels like it is heading somewhere but fails to arrive at any sort of conclusion. Maybe that’s the point.</p>
<p>What I enjoy most about <em>The Imperfect Sea</em> is that Penguin Cafe have been able to alter their style significantly and yet the essence of what makes the group so nice to listen to remains as always.</p>
<p><a href="http://geni.us/x0FM">Audio CD</a> and <a href="http://geni.us/7fxLD">Vinyl</a>. A <a href="http://www.hdtracks.co.uk/new/the-imperfect-sea-443654">24Bit edition</a> is available from HD Tracks.</p>
Brainwaltzera - Aescoba EP2017-05-05T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/05/05/brainwaltzera-aescoba-ep<p>Nobody seems to know the true identity of this enigmatic electronic producer - one theory is that it’s another alias for <em>Richard D. James.</em> Listening to this EP, one could easily imagine the tracks having been conceived in the Aphex Twin studio. Whatever the truth, there are some very nice moments on this record, harking back to the early 90s.</p>
<p>Bleep Records:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Brainwaltzera wears the ’90s electronica influence on his sleeve with the Aescoba EP, a one to watch artist if you are plugged into any AFX’ian channels.</p>
<p>Having gained attention in 2015 when a certain <em>user18081971</em> commented on the Sound Cloud upload quilat spring 1 [outtake], the ambient electronica masses have been waiting for some extended sessions from the mysterious artist to emerge, and the Aescoba EP carries on the level of high-end production that has seen his work catching the ear of a certain Aphex Twin.</p>
<p>Aescoba moves between late period Wisp style fuzzy rave cave techno as on <em>ghaint [berl]</em> with <em>detro[id]</em> to more Bogdan style breakbeat exertions such as <em>10_muddy_puddle Trot,</em> its looped drums calling to mind many moments from the sadly deceased Rephlex imprint. While the whole vibe gets distilled into a hazy memory on <em>poly_ana summers [schoolyard surph beat]</em> capturing perfectly the flashback memories of a very unique time in electronic music.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><a href="https://bleep.com/release/83711-brainwaltzera-aescoba-ep">Vinyl & Digital</a> at Bleep.</p>
Jon Brooks - Autre Directions2017-05-04T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/05/04/jon-brooks-autres-directions<p>This is the new album from the prolific and talented electronic musician, Jon Brooks who also operates as <em>The Advisory Circle</em> releasing some wonderful music under that name with evocative albums such as <em>From Out Here</em> and <em>Other Channels.</em> Brooks belongs to those artists mining the hauntological detritus that litters the 1970s and early 1980s.</p>
<p>However, <em>Autre Directions</em> finds him turning his attention to rural France, with evocative atmospheres and gentle ambience. There is preview track, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ry40i3iH7sg">Lanverec</a> on YouTube.</p>
<p>Jon Brooks:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>I have a natural affinity with France, which seems to span a large proportion of my adult life. This
album is based directly on experiences, feelings and emotions garnered from times spent fairly
recently in Brittany and Normandy, on different occasions.</p>
<p>There’s a certain feeling, when you enter a rural French village on an Autumn mid-afternoon. It’s a
slower pace of life than we’re generally used to; the Centre Ville can feel deserted, as many of the
inhabitants are, ironically, away on holiday. As the village church clock tolls, it strikes home a
simplicity, a purity of existence that couldn’t really exist elsewhere.</p>
<p>There’s a feeling of unabashed romance upon waking up in the early morning, opening a window
onto a field of fog, as the sun hasn’t quite started to rise; with the only real movement belonging to
a car headlight in the distance, making a journey to somewhere undisclosed.</p>
<p>Whenever I’m travelling, I take with me a means of recording ambience and constantly listen out
for interesting situations where sound can be captured and transformed. Field recordings play a
significant part in the tapestry of the album. The textures underpin, envelop and frame the work,
adding a sense of context and grain.</p>
<p>I spent a lot of time thinking about how I wanted the textures and atmospheres to be on an equal
footing to the melodies. The ‘wake up’ music which begins the album, I composed as a piece that
could, theoretically, be played by a ferry company to wake passengers upon their early morning
arrival into dock, over the small speakers installed in ferry cabins. To create the atmosphere, I took
the recorded piece onto a ferry, bound for France, and played it back in the cabin over a speaker,
capturing the playback with a microphone, allowing the sound and reverberant space of the ferry
cabin to influence the ambience of the piece.</p>
<p>Other ways of bringing the ambience of situations into the recorded pieces involved playing back
textures (that I’d created electronically in the studio) in various places (disused barns, country
lanes etc) and capturing them again on a microphone and building pieces around those
atmospheres. I also noticed that, preparing to leave the ferry, there were various metallic pitched
drones that just seemed to hang in the air, combining naturally with idling car engines - these
became music and it was from these distinct pitches that I added complimentary electronic textures
around them.</p>
<p>I also liked the idea that various people that I encountered on my travels could be featured on the
record. For example, the woman who owned a Boulangerie in one of the villages probably didn’t
realise that she would become part of a recording, but fragments of her voice can be heard,
contributing a distinct texture.</p>
<p>All of this leads to, for me, an interaction between the studio and the elsewhere; bringing two
distinct worlds closer together, to form an impressionistic aural painting that lives and breathes in a manner that hopefully puts the listener in a situation where they can feel these experiences in quit a tangible way.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The new album is available (tomorrow) May 5th on vinyl - although it’s out of stock right now, there will be a second pressing on transparent orange vinyl sometime in June.</p>
<p>You can also find digital editions on the <a href="https://cafekaput.bandcamp.com/music">Cafe Kaput</a> site as well as <a href="http://ghostbox.co.uk">Ghostbox</a> - who specialise in this music.</p>
The Radiophonic Workshop - Radiophonica2017-05-03T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/05/03/the-radiophonic-workshop<p>A <a href="https://electronicsound.co.uk/blog/the-radiophonic-workshop-how-we-made-radiophonica/">12-track album</a> of never-before-heard collaborations, mixes exclusive to this collection of tracks from their forthcoming album of analogue improvisations, and some <code class="highlighter-rouge">Delia Derbyshire</code> archive material which has been worked on by the likes of Tom Middleton (Global Communication) and Dot Product.</p>
<p>The CD album comes in a gatefold sleeve and initial quantities include a unique tape loop obi, a little reminder of the physical roots of the Radiophonic Workshop’s method.</p>
Barry Lynn - Taurus Tapes Vol 22017-05-02T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/05/02/barry-lynn-taurus-tapes<p>I haven’t heard volume one but this second outing finds Barry Lynn delivering a very solid album of <code class="highlighter-rouge">new-age</code> style atmospherics with beautiful shimmering guitars and floating keyboards. The whole album has more than just a passing connection to astronomy given the album cover. It’s a nice touch.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>After 2015’s Esalen Lectures LP for Touch Sensitive, Barry Lynn returns to the label under his given name with a twin set of ambient cassettes.</p>
<p>The majority of the music on the Taurus Tapes results from live looping experiments using an electric guitar as the sound source, although a few tracks on Volume 1 were also created using synthesisers, and embellished with loughshore birdsong and fretless bass guitar.</p>
<p>The result is an intimate and evolving sound, sculpted live in the moment. Moving away from over- arching concepts, the tracks are mostly titled after the constituent stars in the constellation of Taurus, Barry’s star sign, and a common sight in the northern winter sky.</p>
<p>Shades of Fripp’s experiments with Eno can be detected in the Gibson fuzz tone and drifting loops, as well as more Gottsching-styled exercises in tight repetition.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><a href="https://touchsensitiverecords.bandcamp.com/album/taurus-tapes-vol-i">Volume One</a> & <a href="https://touchsensitiverecords.bandcamp.com/album/taurus-tapes-vol-ii">Volume Two</a> are available now on cassette tape and digital download.</p>
Jonn Serrie - The Sentinel2017-05-01T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/05/01/jonn-serrie-the-sentinel<p>Released back in February, <a href="http://geni.us/AH8lU">The Sentinel</a> is the latest from the American Space Music composer, Jonn Serrie.</p>
<p>Over the past thirty years, Jonn Serrie has been creating some of the most beautiful electronic music, dating back to his Mirimar album <em>And The Stars Go With You,</em> originally released in early 1986. Since then, he has captivated audiences around the world.</p>
<p>Jonn Serrie:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>My goal is to dissolve the veil between source and destination, so my audience feels the music the way I do and I feel the music the way they do.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>I first heard Jonn Serrie way back in 1988 and his work, particularly the first three albums had a very profound effect on me during that time. Indeed, his debut album still sounds remarkably fresh even after all these years. While music technology has changed greatly in the last thirty years, there is something haunting and timeless in those early works, I feel.</p>
<p>He originally wrote early music for planetariums throughout the 1980s and this is very evident on his debut album as well as Planetary Chronicles Volume 1 & 2 (both which appeared subsequently during the early 90s).</p>
<p>His <a href="http://geni.us/AH8lU">latest album</a> takes the listener on a sonic journey from touring the abandoned, empty starships endlessly orbiting some far-away star towards new worlds as yet undiscovered. A fantastic trip through time and space.</p>
<p><a href="http://geni.us/lAjUm">Jonn Serrie Discography</a></p>
Biosphere - The Petrified Forest2017-04-30T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/04/30/biosphere-the-petrified-forest<p>Coming quite quickly after last year’s <code class="highlighter-rouge">Departed Glories,</code> the Norwegian electronic artist has a mini-album called <a href="https://biosphere.bandcamp.com/album/the-petrified-forest">The Petrified Forest</a> due on May 12th.</p>
<p>A single, <a href="https://biosphere.bandcamp.com/album/black-mesa-single">Black Mesa</a> was recently released and will give listeners a feeling of what to expect. The new work sounds very promising.</p>
Ryuichi Sakamoto - async2017-04-29T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/04/29/ryuichi-sakamoto-async<p>Long-awaited album from this esteemed electronic artist. The tracks on the new album have an electro-acoustic feel and carry with them a ghostly melancholy that is always just out of reach.</p>
<p>Bleep Records:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The key to Sakamoto’s genius lies in his ability to transform the sounds of his instruments into objects that sound like they are being transmitted from some far off land, from the <em>Monolake</em> rebreather style heart beat of <em>Zure</em> through the haunted rainfall that cloaks the late night wonderings of <em>Walker,</em> the sounds within async are further testament if any were needed of the acute musical genius of Sakamoto.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The new album is available on <a href="http://geni.us/WakxlEb">vinyl</a> as well as <a href="http://geni.us/mF1R8">Audio CD</a> and <a href="http://ototoy.jp/_/default/p/73093">24Bit 96kHz digital</a> from Japanese site, Ototoy.</p>
Kelly Lee Owens - Self Titled2017-04-29T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/04/29/kelly-lee-owens<p>Haunting debut album from Kelly Lee Owens, brimming with ethereal, floating vocals and almost sensual European house & techno. She has previous worked with <em>Jenny Havl</em> and <em>Daniel Avery</em> and they both appear on this album too.</p>
<p>A striking new album that deserves attention for the dizzying set of styles apparent on this debut piece. It’s available as a <a href="https://kellyleeowens.bandcamp.com/album/kelly-lee-owens">digital download</a> in the usual places and on <a href="http://geni.us/qxck">Audio CD</a> and <a href="http://geni.us/cImXsq6">vinyl</a> as well.</p>
<p>Totally recommended listening.</p>
College - Shanghai2017-04-29T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/04/29/college-shanghai<p>College is the alias of David Grellier, a French electronic artist who contributed one of his songs on the soundtrack to <em>Nicolas Winding Refn’s 2011 film Drive.</em></p>
<p>The album is a collection of film scores that are highly evocative - so much so that listening to these tracks, I kept wishing for some visual accompaniment. There are lots of slow-moving synth pads and plenty of space around them for the listener to fill in the gaps. Many of the tracks draw on 90s sounds in the fashion of <em>Mark Snow</em> and <em>Angelo Badalamenti.</em></p>
<p>Shanghai is available on <a href="http://geni.us/Elob">Audio CD</a> in addition to <a href="http://geni.us/qsk4E88">vinyl</a> from the Invada label.</p>
Séigén Ono - Seigén2017-04-28T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/04/28/seigen-ono<p>This album dates all the way back to 1984. Despite that, I’ve only just got around to listening to it. It’s a pleasant enough collection of strings and jazz that caused quite a stir back in the day. During the early 1980s, this would have appeared in many stores under the New Age banner. I remember seeing it mentioned in many magazines of the day as an essential album for relaxation and so forth. In many way, it <em>really was</em> a different world back then.</p>
<p>It also became a staple for the Japanese fashion house, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comme_des_Garçons">Comme des Garçons</a> - who used various works by the artist for their runway shows. Séigén Ono went on to compose albums of music specifically for the shows.</p>
<p>In truth, this album falls in with the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windham_Hill_Record">Windham Hill</a> collection and sounds a lot like <code class="highlighter-rouge">George Winston</code> and other artists of that era. Gentle piano appears on ‘Manhattan’ and although not typical of the album as a whole, it’s a pleasant piece.</p>
<p>These days, albums like <a href="https://www.discogs.com/Seigen-Ono-Seigén/release/8769715">Seigén</a> are largely forgotten but often find a new if somewhat strange after-life in the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaporwave">Vaporwave</a> genre.</p>
<p>Seigén is available on <a href="http://geni.us/8WoG1">Audio CD</a> as a Japanese Import.</p>
Aaron Dilloway - The Gag File2017-04-28T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/04/28/aaron-dilloway-the-gag-file<p>Aaron Dilloway is an artist still very new to me. He is also someone who has seemingly no understanding of, or interest in, the supposed limits of experimental music.</p>
<p><em>The Gag File</em> his first new album since <em>Modern Jester</em> in 2012 is an abstract, visceral selection of experimental electronics and vocal manipulations that make for uneasy listening.</p>
<p>I don’t really know what to make of The Gag File but absolutely nothing on this record is typical or expected.</p>
<p>You can pick up the <a href="https://bleep.com/release/83464-aaron-dilloway-the-gag-file">vinyl</a> from Bleep and digital editions are available from the artist’s <a href="https://aarondilloway.bandcamp.com/album/the-gag-file">Bandcamp</a> page.</p>
Lone - Ambivert Tools (Vol 1)2017-04-27T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/04/27/lone-ambivert-tools-vol-1<p>Brand new three-track EP from Lone sees him continue to develop his own style. <em>Crush Mood</em> takes its cues from 90s rave while <em>From A Past Life</em> traverses darker terrain in a more satisfying way than elsewhere on this release.</p>
<p>You can order the new EP from most specialist retailers including <a href="https://bleep.com/release/82060-lone-ambivert-tools-volume-one">Bleep</a> & <a href="https://lone.bandcamp.com/album/ambivert-tools-volume-one">Bandcamp</a>.</p>
Bibio - Beyond Serious EP2017-04-26T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/04/26/bibio-beyond-serious<p>Bleep Records:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>His first music since the release of his 7th album, Bibio hooks up with collaborator, Olivier St. Louis (Olivier Daysoul) for an EP brim filled with discoed delights and funky flecked rhythms. The title is tongue in cheek of sorts, with the lyrical content covering confused loves, blurred lines, unnecessary stresses and lonely nights. Serious only in the feat of love. The terrifically groovy guitar playing is the highlight of ‘Why So Serious’ though it is almost equally matched by St. Louis’ excellent vocal delivery, which glides from a pained whisper to a wailing chanteuse in seconds.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><a href="https://bleep.com/release/75247-bibio-the-serious-ep">Link</a></p>
William Gibson - Agency2017-04-25T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/04/25/william-gibson-agency<p>Renowned science fiction writer will publish a new book, <code class="highlighter-rouge">Agency</code> next January. It will serve as both a sequel and prequel to his last novel, <a href="http://geni.us/rkg2kBF">The Peripheral</a>.</p>
<p>New York Times:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>William Gibson’s science fiction is so eerily prophetic that sometimes it seems as if he’s creating the future, not just imagining it.</p>
<p>He coined the word “cyberspace” and popularized the concept through his 1984 debut novel, “Neuromancer,” well before the internet transformed human communication and daily life. He was crowned a prophet of the information age and has been credited with foreseeing the ways technology shapes our identity, and the rise of reality television and technological innovations like Google Glass.</p>
<p>But last fall, Mr. Gibson’s predictive abilities failed him. Like so many others, he never imagined that Donald J. Trump would prevail in the 2016 election. On Nov. 9, he woke up feeling as if he were living in an alternate reality. “It was a really weird and powerful sensation,” he said.</p>
<p>Most people who were stunned by the outcome managed to shake off the surreal feeling. But being a science fiction writer, Mr. Gibson, 69, decided to explore it.</p>
<p>The result is “Agency,” Mr. Gibson’s next novel, which Berkley will publish in January. The story unfolds in two timelines: San Francisco in 2017, in an alternate time track where Hillary Clinton won the election and Mr. Trump’s political ambitions were thwarted, and London in the 22nd century, after decades of cataclysmic events have killed 80 percent of humanity. In the present-day San Francisco setting, a shadowy start-up hires a young woman named Verity to test a new product: a “cross-platform personal avatar” that was developed by the military as a form of artificial intelligence. Meanwhile, characters in the distant future are interfering with the events unfolding in 2017, through technological time travel that allows them to send digital communications to the past.</p>
<p>For the most part, people living under President Clinton carry on as if nothing unusual has occurred. “The characters in the book are scarcely aware of the broader political landscape,” Mr. Gibson said. “No one ever says, ‘Thank God we’re not in that other time track.’”</p>
<p>In some ways, “Agency” functions as both a sequel and a prequel to Mr. Gibson’s noirish 2014 novel, “The Peripheral,”set partly in the same futuristic, postapocalyptic London, after the world has been devastated by climate change, droughts, famines and political chaos. The novel’s plot also hinges on technological time travel, which enables people from the future to alter past events and create a “stub,” or an alternate time track.</p>
<p>Mr. Gibson never set out to write a sequel, but the plots of “Agency” and “The Peripheral” converged unexpectedly last fall. He had spent about a year writing “Agency” when the 2016 election rendered the fictional world he had created obsolete. “I assumed that if Trump won, I’d be able to shift a few things and continue to tell my story,” he said. But when he tried tinkering with the draft, he realized that the world had changed too drastically for him to plausibly salvage the story. “It was immediately obvious to me that there had been some fundamental shift and I would have to rebuild the whole thing,” he said.</p>
<p>He changed the framework by resurrecting the time-travel mechanism he created in “The Peripheral” and making the world in which Mrs. Clinton won the presidency a stub, an alternate branch of reality created by a meddling time traveler.</p>
<p>Perhaps not surprisingly, given his grim vision of the future, Mr. Gibson tries to shrug off the prophet label. He’d rather not be called a prescient visionary.</p>
<p>“Every imaginary future ever written is about the time it was written in,” he said. “People talk about science fiction’s predictive possibilities, but that’s a byproduct. It’s all really about now.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>There is no pre-order page yet but I imagine it will appear in the next few months.</p>
Gas - Narkopop2017-04-23T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/04/23/gas-narkopop<p>New release from Kompakt. Gas has crafted an album of droning, mounting dread mixed with symphonic reveries that take the listener away to other worlds.</p>
<p>As an ambient album, it’s okay but I found my attention wandering during the latter half with some pieces being too long and unmemorable.</p>
<p>It’s available on <a href="http://geni.us/qSWaQ">Audio CD</a> and <a href="http://geni.us/Ul8x">vinyl</a> but it’s pricey, I think.</p>
Roger Waters - Is This The Life We Really Want?2017-04-22T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/04/22/roger-waters<p>Ex-Pink Floyd member releases his first new album since 1992 on June 2nd. Not much is known as at this time but there is a <a href="https://vimeo.com/214109720">video</a> for one of the new songs, <code class="highlighter-rouge">Smell The Roses.</code></p>
<p>The new album is available on <a href="http://geni.us/lNd01o">Audio CD</a> & <a href="http://geni.us/s8i1uZ">Vinyl</a>.</p>
Kraftwerk - The 3-D Catalogue2017-04-22T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/04/22/kraftwerk-3-d-the-catalogue-<p>Kraftwerk release a new box set featuring all eight of their albums (again). This time, it’s live 3-D multi-media performances from around the world. Available on May 27th.</p>
<p>Personally I do wish they would have spent the last ten years writing new material instead of endless re-issues. Honestly, is there any point to more of the same? Fans will likely disagree.</p>
<p>The new (old) albums are available in a variety of formats below.</p>
<p><a href="http://geni.us/UCcJA0H">Vinyl</a></p>
<p><a href="http://geni.us/fIx0">Audio CD</a></p>
<p><a href="http://geni.us/qjsRGWU">Blu-ray DVD Audio</a></p>
Niggas With Guitars - Ethnic Frenzy2017-04-18T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/04/18/niggas-with-guitars-ethnic-frenzy<p>A somewhat esoteric release from a rather obscure band/artist. The music is uneasy and haunting.</p>
<p>Boomkat:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Heavily engaged mission music from the mysterious sect of Niggas With Guitars, coming correct with a stunningly evocative debut vinyl for Digitalis. In the vein of Dylan Ettinger’s ‘New Age Outlaws’ or Leyland Kirby’s muddled memories, ‘Ethnic Frenzy’ is a vivid internal soundtrack for hypnagogic dreamers, warping the memes of Vangelis or Carpenter in much the same way Pat Maher’s DJ YoYo Dieting did to DJ Screw or Indignant Senility to Wagner.</p>
<p>Cruising in to the A-side we’re slowly immersed in smoked-out and sludgy choral drones punctuated with fractured gasps of drum machine reminding of the 1st Chasing Voices 12”, before we reach the bottom and everything becomes blissed out and stargazing with a soulful slopped and screwed ending.</p>
<p>The second side is more unresolved, amping the drama with a weirdly affecting orchestral synth score before tipping over the edge into paranoid, muffled voices while clammy Italian horror hooks give a dank atmosphere and we’re dumped from the boot to blunted back alley 808s. Check the samples for yourself, but we should stress that spending a bit of time with this record is a memorable experience.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><a href="https://boomkat.com/products/ethnic-frenzy">Digital Edition</a></p>
Lone - Levitate2017-04-13T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/04/13/lone-levitate<p>This album was released almost a year ago but I’ve not written about it until now. Lone, otherwise known as Matt Cutler, a British electronic musician released five or six albums up until now but <a href="https://lone.bandcamp.com/album/levitate">Levitate</a> is without doubt, the best so far.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Following the blockbuster success of previous album <a href="https://lone.bandcamp.com/album/reality-testing">Reality Testing</a> (and it’s all conquering single <a href="https://lone.bandcamp.com/album/airglow-fires">Airglow Fires</a>), Cutler was left at somewhat of a musical impasse – a six month dry period with no new inspiration that was showing no signs of abating.</p>
<p>The ‘epiphany’ moment came, during an enforced short break from touring in New York. Bed ridden and feverish for days Cutler started to hallucinate;</p>
<p>“It was pretty terrifying – I’d try to go to sleep and I’d be hearing these mad rave tunes form in my head. When i recovered i was left with all these ideas for fast, feverish tunes. Following that we went to LA and hung out with friends, driving round all day in the baking sun playing these jungle and hardcore edits – all the best bits from rare jungle tunes, spliced together…</p>
<p>There was something that really seemed to fit hearing these ridiculously energetic tracks whilst speeding around LA under perfect blue skies, that was amazingly similar to the music I’d been dreaming up whilst in New York. I couldn’t wait to get home and start putting this together – I had a new theme.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Levitate is a short but very beautiful album, atmospheric and some way, quite haunting.</p>
<p>The album is available on <a href="http://geni.us/zDw30">Audio CD</a> and <a href="http://geni.us/j6fzlD">Vinyl</a> editions.</p>
Nummer - Second Sight2017-04-12T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/04/12/nummer-second-sight<p>Bleep Records:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Out via Brian Not Brian’s Going Good label (Moon B, Aquarian Foundation), Nummer’s <a href="https://bleep.com/release/82709-nummer-second-sight">debut full-length</a> is the artist’s second release on the imprint following 2014’s Reach EP. Opener ‘Liege Trinite’ neatly details what is to come, moving between classic after-hours house, Balearic lead lines and Bladerunner synth soundscapes, and the title track is a masterfully curated spool of grooves that lasts a full ten minutes. Neatly juggling both deep house and techno with more ambient interests as well as occasional nods to breakbeat and other leftfield club musics, Nummer’s eleven pieces here are the sort of edge-of-the-dancefloor fare to make clubgoers swoon as well as sounding great at the afterparty.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>I haven’t heard this yet (except for the previews on Bleep but it certainly sounds interesting.</p>
Richard Barbieri - Planets + Persona2017-04-11T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/04/11/richard-barbieri-planets-and-persona<p>Released last month, this new album from the ex-Japan keyboard player is his third solo album. This has the usual soft-jazz leanings and elegant drum patterns one has come to expect. They are augmented by some very exquisite samples but I can’t help thinking that inspiration this time is a little short in supply.</p>
<p><em>Night Of The Hunter</em> and <em>Unholy</em> prove to be the exception with the latter proving that Barbieri can still conjure some magic.</p>
<p>The album is available on <a href="http://geni.us/ZSUq">Audio CD</a> and <a href="http://geni.us/i1Hz">Vinyl</a> and should please fans, even if it doesn’t ever reach the perfection that was evident on <a href="http://geni.us/ZNc9S">Things Buried</a>, his 2005 debut album.</p>
Lindsey Buckingham & Christine McVie2017-04-11T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/04/11/lyndsey-buckingham-christine-mcvie<p><a href="http://geni.us/nfmt">Self-titled album</a> from the Fleetwood Mac duo is expected to be released on Atlantic Records on June 9th. This is the first time they have collaborated together and the album was recorded at The Village Studios in Los Angeles. The album features ten tracks.</p>
<p>Lyndsey Buckingham:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>We were exploring a creative process, and the identity of the project took on a life organically. The body of work felt like it was meant to be a duet album. We acknowledged that to each other on many occasions, and said to ourselves, ‘what took us so long?’</p>
</blockquote>
<p><a href="http://geni.us/Ix9B">UK pre-order vinyl</a> is quite reasonable.</p>
Varg - Nordic Flora Series Part 32017-04-10T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/04/10/varg-gore-tex-city<p><a href="https://bleep.com/release/82315-varg-nordic-flora-series-pt-3-gore-tex-city">Gore-Tex City</a> is the latest from the Swedish producer. A record of dark ambient and gothic techno.</p>
<p>This is the third release in the series and maybe the most inventive. Given the variation on this title, it will be interesting to see where the series goes next.</p>
Future Islands - The Far Field2017-04-10T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/04/10/the-far-field<p>Bleep Records:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>People change, but some bands never do. In the case of Future Islands, they have come back with a new album entitled, <a href="http://geni.us/0rJ8s">The Far Field</a>.</p>
<p>A meaty streak of Born in the USA-era Springsteen cuts through singles like ‘Ran’ and ‘Cave’ as well as obvious nods to <code class="highlighter-rouge">Depeche Mode</code> and other 80s synth-pop greats. The addition of a live drummer (Michael Lowry, who initially joined the band for that now-legendary ‘Seasons’ performance) brings a groove and swing that the band has sometimes previously lacked, and one is pleasantly surprised to find Debbie Harry guesting on ‘Shadows’.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>There is also a <a href="http://geni.us/rgZCN0u">vinyl edition</a>.</p>
Palamino Blackwing 602 Pencils2017-04-10T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/04/10/palamin-blackwing-602<p>Recently I’ve been spending quite a lot of time with these lovely writing tools. I originally found them while on study leave in Japan and went on-line to have a look at them in more detail.</p>
<p>The <a href="http://geni.us/HYJdj">Blackwing 602</a> features a very smooth and firm graphite inner. It comes in a gunmetal grey finish and also features the iconic square black eraser on the end. These erasers are replaceable. The pencils themselves last quite a long time.</p>
<p>These (slightly) expensive pencils come in packs of twelve and are highly recommended.</p>
Keith Seatman - All Hold Hands And Off We Go2017-04-10T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/04/10/keith-seatman-all-hold-hands<p>New album from purveyor of 1970s hauntology. <a href="https://keithseatman.bandcamp.com/album/all-hold-hands-and-off-we-go">All Hold Hands And Off We Go</a> takes you down the (now well worn) paths traversed by The Advisory Circle and Belbury Poly. Lots of vintage electronics, ghostly children’s voices and early 70s BBC radiophonic workshop vibes. This album doesn’t push the genre forward in any way but maybe it’s not meant to.
Seatman weaves a pleasant, if disturbing spell that fans of <a href="http://ghostbox.co.uk">Ghost Box</a> will love. While it’s a well-executed album, the genre is flooded with people doing this now and an uncharitable view would be that it’s all starting to sound the same.</p>
Stephen King & Owen King - Sleeping Beauties2017-04-09T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/04/09/stephen-king-sleeping-beauties<p>New book due on 26th September 2017.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>In a future so real and near it might be now, something happens when women go to sleep; they become shrouded in a cocoon-like gauze. If they are awakened, if the gauze wrapping their bodies is disturbed or violated, the women become feral and spectacularly violent; and while they sleep they go to another place…</p>
<p>The men of our world are abandoned, left to their increasingly primal devices. One woman, however, the mysterious Evie, is immune to the blessing or curse of the sleeping disease. Is Evie a medical anomaly to be studied? Or is she a demon who must be slain?</p>
<p>Set in a small Appalachian town whose primary employer is a women’s prison, <code class="highlighter-rouge">Sleeping Beauties</code> is a wildly provocative, gloriously absorbing father/son collaboration between Stephen King and Owen King.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Pre-order <a href="http://geni.us/jCOY">here</a>.</p>
Michael Crichton - Dragon Teeth (Update)2017-04-09T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/04/09/dragon-teeth-update<p>If like me, you’ve had your Amazon pre-order cancelled, you’ll be pleased to know that the publisher has resubmitted the book <a href="http://geni.us/SgZZz">here</a>. The release date is now June 1st. The book also seems to have climbed in price.</p>
Alan Moore - Providence (Act 1)2017-04-09T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/04/09/alan-moore-providence-act-1<p>Avatar Press:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Due to overwhelming demand, we offer one final printing of the <a href="http://geni.us/dXG3v">Providence Act 1</a> Hardcover! Alan Moore’s quintessential horror series has set the standard for a terrifying reinvention of the works of H.P. Lovecraft. It is being universally hailed as one of Moore’s most realized works in which the master scribe has controlled every iota of the story, art, and presentation. The result has been a masterpiece like no other and a true must-have addition to his essential works in the field. We present a collected <em>Providence Act 1 Hard Cover</em> edition that contains Providence issues #1-4, and all the back matter, in this one-time printing of the edition. There will be <a href="http://geni.us/JmU3g">Act 2</a> and Act 3 Hardcovers in the coming months, also limited to single production runs. This will not be kept in print any further and this is the final opportunity to get a hardcover edition of the first chapter of Alan Moore’s horror masterpiece .</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Act 1 is available <a href="http://geni.us/dXG3v">here</a>.</p>
Bola - D.E.G2017-04-08T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/04/08/bola-skam-deg<p>Without doubt this is perhaps my most anticipated album of the year. The last release from Bola was back in 2007. There is no news right now except for SKAM having <a href="https://twitter.com/Skamrecords/status/839804799805718528">posted a tweet</a> regarding the release date of May 5th.</p>
<p>Update: It’s <a href="https://twitter.com/Skamrecords/status/852110507330990080">now 26th May</a>.</p>
Dopplereffekt - Cellular Automata2017-04-07T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/04/07/dopplereffekt-cellular-automata<p>Their first <a href="https://leisuresystem.bandcamp.com/album/cellular-automata-2">new album</a> in ten years, released on the Berlin-based System Leisure label. The style harkens back a little to the 1980s output from Peter Mergener and Michael Weisser and their band, Software. Some tracks heavily remind me of <a href="https://www.discogs.com/MergenerWeisser-Software-Visions/release/1950619">Software Visions</a> from 1988. Dopplereffekt have created an intriguing blend of sounds that you will want to return to again and again.</p>
Clark - Death Peak2017-04-07T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/04/07/clark-death-peak<p>Clark’s new album, <a href="http://geni.us/1BYAx8e">Death Peak</a> for Warp Records is a thunderous progression of drums and keyboards, with sweeping grandeur and oddly uplifting melodies. It’s one of his best in some time and a stark contrast to his 2013 album, <a href="http://geni.us/2YMPV">Iradelphic</a>. It feels like a work of clever programming and yet it never feels like the work of machines. For Clark fans, this will be an instant buy. For everyone else, it’s a good place to start.</p>
Jon Brooks - Autres Directions2017-04-07T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/04/07/autres-directions-pre-orders<p><a href="http://www.claypipemusic.co.uk/2017/03/jon-brooks-autres-directions.html">Pre-orders</a> are open now for the vinyl edition. No idea if this will get a CD release too but I imagine there will be digital downloads in some form, probably Bandcamp.</p>
Depeche Mode - Spirit2017-04-06T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/04/06/depeche-mode-spirit<p>Released a few weeks ago, I purposely held off mentioning it here until I had time to listen to it properly. This is dark, brooding electro-pop which won’t suit all tastes. I can’t say I enjoyed it much to begin with but it’s got better over time. Sprit is available in many formats including 24Bit editions. The <a href="http://geni.us/8moR">standard</a>, <a href="http://geni.us/AzQ8">deluxe CD</a> versions and <a href="http://geni.us/C3mAjco">vinyl</a> are available here.</p>
<p>There is also an expensive Blu-spec CD2 Japanese import <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Spirit-Japanese-Deluxe-Depeche-Mode/dp/B01MYE5AKY/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1491483119&sr=8-2&keywords=depeche+mode+spirit+deluxe">here</a>. However, the track listing is <em>identical</em> to the European and U.S deluxe edition.</p>
Broken Lift - Maximum Comfort2017-04-05T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/04/05/broken-lift-maximum-comfort<p>An absolutely beautiful <a href="https://brokenlift.bandcamp.com/album/maximum-comfort-2">three track EP</a> I discovered last summer - even though I’ve only just got around to posting it on here. This recording takes all the haunting melancholia found in the vaporwave genre - conjuring memories of long-forgotten shopping malls from the 1980s.</p>
Klaus Schulze - Androgyn2017-04-04T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/04/04/androgyn<p>Beautiful <a href="http://geni.us/wjfPV">new work</a> from this famed German composer. His signature sequencer patterns are very much in evidence but he also adds some haunting vocal samples and soaring keyboards to tracks such as ‘Back To The Future’. This is an excellent album for those who are looking for a good introduction to an artist whose work spans four decades.</p>
HLLW - Restitution2017-03-13T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/03/13/hllw-restitution<p>London-based dance music empire Lobster Theremin release what seems to be the first 7” amid their impressive back catalogue of sub-label encompassing contemporary electronics. <a href="http://lobstertheremin.com/album/restitution">Restitution</a> just also happens to be not just one 7”, but a triple pack of them featuring productions from the relatively unknown HLLW. Based in Denmark, HLLW crafts ‘twisted techno, effervescent electro, speedy electronica and machine music’, a post-Warp heyday homage to the futuristic outlook of the ’90s rave era. Thunderous kick drums set the scene with the A1 before the collection of tracks moves into more dubbed out, polyrhythmic atmospheres.</p>
Heavenly Music Corporation - Lunar Phase2017-02-04T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/02/04/heavenly-music-corporation<p>Nice reissue of 90s ambient electronics.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Epic ambience from Heavenly Music Corporation, originally recorded for a Japanese ambient radio station that plays music 24 hours a day and is programmed around current tidal movements. Basically it ticks all the right boxes and is a huge ‘recommended’ from all here.</p>
<p>Somewhat of a forgotten champion of the 90s ambient scene, Kim Cascone also worked as assistant music editor for the surrealist films of David Lynch. Taking his HMC moniker from the Fripp & Eno collaboration, the project began after his industrial-tinged group Poison Gas Research began to break away in the early 1990s.</p>
<p><a href="https://bleep.com/release/79652-heavenly-music-corporation-lunar-phase">Lunar Phase</a> was conceived specifically for the Japanese satellite radio station St. Giga, a channel devoted to relaxation through sound and the furthering of mental well-being. This archival reissue comes recommended not only to fans of Astral Industries or HMC fanatics but to anybody with a taste for the extraordinary. Bird calls, rhythmic meanderings and synth programming to make you grin from ear to ear at the mere fact that you’re alive.</p>
</blockquote>
Ssaliva - We Never Happened2017-01-23T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/01/23/ssaliva-we-never-happened<p>Incredible sonics from this Belgian artist on the highly-cited <em>Ekster label</em>. This <a href="https://eksterlabel.bandcamp.com/album/we-never-happened">vinyl-only</a> release is limited to 500 copies. A showcase for beautiful sound design.</p>
Naaahhh - Themes2017-01-22T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/01/22/naaahhh-themes<p>New EP from the Blackest Ever Black label. This release created by some mysterious artist who dwells ‘somewhere under London’ consists of five dark, brooding visions that conjure the fading ecstasy of post-rave walks home at 5am. Highly recommended.</p>
<p>Order from <a href="http://blackesteverblack.com/releases/themes/">Blackest Ever Black</a>.</p>
William Basinski - A Shadow In Time2017-01-15T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/01/15/a-shadow-in-time<p>This week I had a chance to listen to the new William Basinski album, A Shadow In Time. It follows his usual style for faded electronics and uses a saxophone (to somewhat curious effect) on the David Bowie tribute track. If you have never heard Basinski before, I suggest checking out ‘The Disintegration Loops’ first. You’ll definitely get a feel for his work with those albums.</p>
<p>The album is available from Friday on <a href="http://geni.us/FLx7bo">vinyl</a> and <a href="http://geni.us/OLx3B">compact disc</a>. The vinyl features an exclusive mix.</p>
SKY H1 - Motion2017-01-10T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/01/10/sky-h1-motion<p>Great EP of very solid tracks from this promising Belgian artist. You can pick up a copy at <a href="https://boomkat.com/products/motion-6a4abfd8-2727-4be1-ba67-6ddd2825a32a">Boomkat</a>.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Blinding first volley of ambient grime feels by Belgium’s Sky H1, crystallising one of 2016’s most striking entries with Motion for Bill Kouligas and Visionist’s PAN X Codes imprint.</p>
<p>If you’ve had an ear to PAN’s recent NTS shows or frequent the likes of Berlin’s Creamcake or London’s Bala Club, it’s possible that you’ve at least seen her name, if not been wowed by Air - a pensile, elegiac wonder rent in noctilucent chorals and arcing Autechrian pads - which heads and opens up the emotional floodgates of Sky H1’s debut EP.</p>
<p>With a vaporous construction inversely proportional to its emotional gravity, Air outlines a sense of melancholic catharsis mutual to music by Elysia Crampton, Visionist or Holy Other; expressing a struggle between states of melancholy and joy that stem from a personally turbulent period which perfuses the rest of the record.</p>
<p>Where many other producers are currently playing out hyper-violent beat-em-up scenarios, the more reserved Motion indulges a plangent lushness to aching affect; oscillating nervous percussion and agonised choral cadence in Hybrid with glassy soft and weightless chimes in Night/Fall/Dream imbued with the pink rawness of freshly picked scab skin, before she finds an impish sort of rave diva spirit in Tell Me, and the final couplet, Land and Think I Am beautifully nail a sort of R&B blessed with baroque posture and ambient aura.</p>
<p>It’s all inarguably up there with the best, most addictive new music we’ve heard in 2016, and hugely recommended if you know what’s good.</p>
</blockquote>
Brian Eno - Reflection (Review)2017-01-08T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/01/08/reflection-review<p>I enjoyed this new album but it’s far from his best ambient work. Having lived with the iOS app edition for a few days, it quickly tires. The main problem with ‘Reflection’ is that the actual sounds Eno has chosen to program into the algorithm that produces what you hear are pretty uninspiring.</p>
<p>21st century Brian Eno has a very peculiar idea of what constitutes a beautiful sound. The actual textures and atmospherics don’t do an awful lot for me and are, dare I say it, old-fashioned. They are the sort of sound he was producing back in his Koan period.</p>
<p>I appreciate that he’s trying to let a machine dictate what happens but he could have given it better sounds to play with. While I applaud his desire to bring generative music to the fore, nothing on ‘Reflection’ even remotely comes close to the beautiful sounds on albums like ‘Thursday Afternoon’ (1985) and ‘The Shutov Assembly’ (1992).</p>
<p>Ironically, the instruments he used on Shutov Assembly (I’m guessing late 80s Korg Series, Roland D50 and Yamaha DX7 all treated and maniplulated) sound more modern and futuristic than the (largely) uninspiring sounds on ‘Reflection’.</p>
Reflection2017-01-01T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2017/01/01/reflection-january<p>Brian Eno’s new long-form ambient album is out today. There are a variety of formats including <a href="http://geni.us/eno2016">compact disc</a>, <a href="http://geni.us/r2016v">vinyl</a> and a quite expensive <a href="http://geni.us/w6e2FyP">iOS app</a>.</p>
<p><a href="https://bleep.com/release/77609-brian-eno-reflection">Digital downloads</a> are available from Bleep.</p>
Folklore Tapes Mix2016-12-29T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/12/29/folklore-tapes-mix<p>Five years ago the British folklore research project Folklore Tapes released Two Witches by label heads David Chatton Barker and Ian Humberstone. A vinyl version was released soon after by Demdike Stare and Andy Votel’s Pre-Cert imprint. To celebrate, Folklore Tapes has put together the mixtape and zine project: Library Catalogue Cassette Volume 1: 2011–2016, which includes an extensive history of the label written by Jez Winship. It went on sale on Bleep last week and sold out in a staggering two hours.</p>
<p>The label has offered a <a href="http://www.thewire.co.uk/audio/tracks/five-years-of-folklore-tapes">stream of the mixtape</a>. And you can read more about Folklore Tapes over at their <a href="http://www.folkloretapes.co.uk/folklore-tapes">website</a>.</p>
Michael Crichton - Dragon Teeth2016-12-23T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/12/23/michael-crichton-dragon-teeth<p>A new novel from the late author is due next year in June.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The year is 1876.</p>
<p>Among the warring Indian tribes and lawless gold-rush towns of America’s western territories, two paleontologists pillage the Wild West. They are hunting for dinosaur fossils, while surveilling, deceiving and sabotaging each other in a rivalry that will come to be known as the Bone Wars.</p>
<p>Into this treacherous territory plunges the arrogant and entitled Yale student William Johnson. Determined to survive a summer in the west to win a bet, William has joined world-renowned paleontologist Othniel Charles Marsh on his latest expedition. But Marsh becomes convinced that William is spying for his nemesis, Edwin Drinker Cope, so he abandons him in Cheyenne, Wyoming, a locus of crime and vice.</p>
<p>Soon William joins forces with Cope and stumbles upon a discovery of historic proportions. The struggle to protect this extraordinary treasure tests William’s newfound resilience, and pits him against some of the West’s most dangerous and notorious characters.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>You can order from Amazon <a href="http://geni.us/wenehr">here</a>.</p>
Connections (1978) BBC Television2016-12-22T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/12/22/connections-bbc-tv<p>Enjoying watching a series of science programmes first broadcast in 1978. Interesting to see how the future was spoken about and the point at which science was back in the late 1970s. Most of these are available on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWuUdJo9ubM&list=PLCMBSttd0ytQyCkGSCaB5ELVeATw1asu_">YouTube</a>.</p>
Reflection iOS2016-12-21T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/12/21/reflection-ios<p>Brian Eno has spoken a little about the up-coming app edition on iOS devices.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Eno’s follow-up to his 2016 album The Ship further expands his pioneering catalog of ambient releases, including his full length LUX in 2012. Composed of just one 54-minute title track, the generative edition of Reflection was developed by Eno and his long-time collaborator Peter Chilvers. Here’s more from Eno on the generative Reflection versions being made available on Apple TV and iOS:</p>
<p>Reflection is the most recent of my Ambient experiments and represents the most sophisticated of them so far. My original intention with Ambient music was to make endless music, music that would be there as long as you wanted it to be. I wanted also that this music would unfold differently all the time – “like sitting by a river”: it’s always the same river, but it’s always changing. But recordings – whether vinyl, cassette or CD – are limited in length, and replay identically each time you listen to them. So in the past I was limited to making the systems which make the music, but then recording 30 minutes or an hour and releasing that. Reflection in its album form – on vinyl or CD – is like this. But the app by which Reflection is produced is not restricted: it creates an endless and endlessly changing version of the piece of music.</p>
<p>The creation of a piece of music like this falls into three stages: the first is the selection of sonic materials and a musical mode – a constellation of musical relationships. These are then patterned and explored by a system of algorithms which vary and permutate the initial elements I feed into them, resulting in a constantly morphing stream (or river) of music. The third stage is listening. Once I have the system up and running I spend a long time – many days and weeks in fact – seeing what it does and fine-tuning the materials and sets of rules that run the algorithms. It’s a lot like gardening: you plant the seeds and then you keep tending to them until you get a garden you like.</p>
<p>The app-based edition comes alongside more conventional vinyl LP, CD, digital download and streaming offerings. “Moving the composition into software allowed an extra opportunity,” said Chilvers. “The rules themselves could change with the time of day. The harmony is brighter in the morning, transitioning gradually over the afternoon to reach the original key by evening. As the early hours draw in, newly introduced conditions thin the notes out and slow everything down.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The new album and the iOS app are released on the January 1st 2017.</p>
Albums Of 20162016-12-15T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/12/15/best-albums-2016<p>There was lots of great music this year. A few discoveries came (as always) from the electronic music forum, <a href="http://forum.watmm.com/forum/16-new-upcoming-releases/">We Are The Music Makers</a>. These guys are passionate and very informative.</p>
<p>Below are the albums I enjoyed this year.</p>
<ul>
<li>Odd Nosdam - Sisters</li>
<li>Sandra - The Long Play</li>
<li>Patrick Cowley & Candida Royalle - Candida Cosmica</li>
<li>1991 - No More Dreams</li>
<li>Ulrich Schnauss - No Further Ahead Than Today</li>
<li>Suzanne Ciani - Lixiviation (1969-1985)</li>
<li>Delia Derbyshire & Elsa Stansfield - Circle Of Light</li>
<li>Blue Oyster Cult - Mirrors</li>
<li>Peter Bardens - Write My Name In The Dust</li>
<li>Phenomena - Phenomena</li>
<li>Casino Versus Japan - Frozen Geometry</li>
<li>36 - The Infinity Room</li>
<li>Pet Shop Boys - Super</li>
<li>A Guy Called Gerald - Black Secret Technology</li>
<li>Frankie Goes To Hollywood - Bang</li>
<li>Laura Branigan - Self Control</li>
<li>The Caretaker - Everywhere At The End Of Time</li>
<li>Def Leppard - Pyromania</li>
<li>Tears For Fears - Songs From The Big Chair</li>
<li>John Carpenter - Lost Themes II</li>
<li>Rick Wakeman - Rhapsodies</li>
<li>Vangelis - Rosetta</li>
<li>The Art Of Noise - Into Battle With The Art Of Noise</li>
<li>Philip Bailey - Chinese Wall</li>
<li>Propaganda - Noise And Girls Come Out To Play</li>
<li>David Bedford - Star’s End</li>
<li>Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - Crush</li>
<li>Borden, Ferraro, Godin, Halo & Lopatin - FRKWYS Vol 7</li>
<li>The Future Sound Of London - Environments 6.5 & 6.0</li>
<li>Yello - Toy</li>
<li>Journey - Raised On Radio</li>
<li>Biosphere - Departed Glories</li>
<li>Lustmord - Dark Matter</li>
<li>Phono Ghosts - Solar Dream Reel</li>
<li>Daryl Hall & John Oates - Big Bam Boom</li>
<li>Ian William Craig - Meaning Turns To Whispers</li>
<li>Pye Corner Audio - Stasis</li>
<li>Devon Folklore Tapes - The Lost Village Of Clicket</li>
<li>Broken Lift - Maximum Comfort</li>
<li>Bernard Herrman - Mysterious Island</li>
<li>Laurie Anderson - The Heart Of A Dog</li>
<li>Basil Poledouris - Conan The Barbarian</li>
<li>Pino Donnagio - Dressed To Kill</li>
<li>Maurice Jarre - Julia And Julia</li>
<li>The Human League - Crash</li>
<li>Disconcious - Hologram Plaza</li>
<li>Paul Giovani - The Wicker Man</li>
<li>Cliff Martinez - Drive</li>
<li>Maurice Jarre - No Way Out</li>
<li>Odd Nosdam - More Lost Haunted Remains</li>
<li>Mark Isham - The Beast</li>
<li>Howard Jones - Human’s Lib</li>
<li>Aphex Twin - Cheetah EP</li>
<li>Pino Donnagio - Don’t Look Now</li>
<li>Ennio Morricone - State Of Grace</li>
<li>The Northern Lights - City Of Angels</li>
<li>36 - Seconds And Forever</li>
<li>Fabio Frizzi - The Beyond</li>
<li>Howard Shore - Dead Ringers</li>
<li>Circles - Structures (1985-1989)</li>
<li>Odd Nosdam - Trish</li>
<li>Sand Circles - Motor City</li>
<li>Jerry Goldsmith - Poltergeist</li>
<li>Vince Clarke & Paul Hartnoll - 2Square</li>
<li>Plaid - The Digging Remedy</li>
<li>Maurice Jarre - After Dark, My Sweet</li>
<li>Pye Corner & Dalhous - Run For The Shadows EP</li>
<li>Belbury Poly - New Ways Out</li>
<li>Nile Rodgers - B Movie Matinee</li>
<li>Wham - Make It Big</li>
<li>Eighth Wonder - Fearless</li>
<li>Steve Hauschildt - Strands</li>
<li>Donna Summer - Donna Summer</li>
<li>Sandra - Into A Secret Land</li>
<li>Paul Williams - Aquarius</li>
<li>Duran Duran - The Wedding Album</li>
<li>Enigma - The Fall Of A Rebel Angel</li>
<li>Sangam - You Forget This</li>
<li>The Orb - COW/Chill Out, World</li>
<li>Anodyne - Nothing Lasts</li>
<li>Winter Sleep - Dreams</li>
<li>Brad Fiedel - Let’s Get Harry</li>
<li>Lone - Levitate</li>
<li>Alan Silvestri - Shattered</li>
<li>Radiohead - A Moon Shaped Pool</li>
<li>Paul Simon - Stranger To Stranger</li>
<li>Heruco S - For Those Of You Who Have Never (And Also Those Who Have)</li>
<li>Metallica - Master Of Puppets</li>
<li>Jean-Michel Jarre - Oxygene 3</li>
</ul>
T.E.D Klein - Dark Gods2016-12-14T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/12/14/dark-gods<p>This collection from 1985 is one of the best books I have read in recent years. It features four tales that have a meticulous construction and subtle use of horror.</p>
<p>Critic S.T Joshi:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>In close to 25 years of writing Klein has only two books and a handful of scattered tales to his credit, and yet his achievement towers gigantically over that of his more prolific contemporaries.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>I totally recommend finding a copy if you can.</p>
The Ninth Configuration2016-12-12T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/12/12/the-ninth-configuration<p>I recently watched the <a href="http://geni.us/AfC2lH">Blu-ray edition</a> of William Peter Blatty’s ‘The Ninth Configuration’. It’s a very strange and somewhat disturbing experience. Recommended.</p>
<p>Mark Kermode spoke about it a few years ago. <sup id="fnref:n"><a href="#fn:n" class="footnote">1</a></sup></p>
<blockquote>
<p>a breathtaking cocktail of philosophy, eye-popping visuals, jaw-dropping pretentiousness, rib-tickling humour and heart-stopping action. From exotically hallucinogenic visions of a lunar crucifixion to the claustrophobic realism of a bar-room brawl, via such twisted vignettes as Robert Loggia karaoking to Al Jolson and Moses Gunn in Superman drag, Blatty directs like a man with no understanding of, or interest in, the supposed limits of mainstream movie-making. The result is a work of matchless madness which divides audiences as spectacularly as the waves of the Red Sea, a cult classic that continues to provoke either apostolic devotion or baffled dismissal 20 years on.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>There is also a book available <a href="http://geni.us/Ccnc">here</a>.</p>
<div class="footnotes">
<ol>
<li id="fn:n">
<p>Reviewed by Mark Kermode, British Film Institute - Sight and Sound, July 1999 issue <a href="#fnref:n" class="reversefootnote">↩</a></p>
</li>
</ol>
</div>
Return To Ommadawn - Update2016-12-10T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/12/10/ommadawn-update<p>Mike Oldfield’s follow-up to 1975’s Ommadawn will have a release on January 20th. It will be his twenty-sixth studio album. As well as CD and vinyl editions, there will also be a CD+DVD edition which features a 5.1 surround mix.</p>
<p>Pre-order from Amazon <a href="http://geni.us/d4EQpRs">Compact Disc</a> and <a href="http://geni.us/rKBssOQ">Vinyl</a>.</p>
Mike Oldfield - Return To Ommadawn2016-12-07T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/12/07/mike-oldfield-return-to-ommadawn<p>Multi-instrumentalist returns to his classic 1975 album that paved the way for the ethnic and pastoral electronica that became so fashionable during the 1980s.</p>
<p>You can pre-order from the official store <a href="https://mikeoldfield.lnk.to/ReturnToOmmadawnFP">here</a>.</p>
Paper Dollhouse - Nightside A: Selected Dreams 2012-2014 (Volume 2)2016-12-06T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/12/06/paper-dollhouse-nightside-a<p>New album on the MoonDome Imprint, released tomorrow - probably on Bleep. Hopefully another selection of ambient and glacial electronics. Recent works have been quite small cassette runs. I imagine this will be the same.</p>
The The - Moonbug2016-12-05T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/12/05/the-the-moonbug<p>Somehow I missed this excellent soundtrack when it was released a few years ago. The music is meant as an accompaniment to the documentary directed by Nichola Bruce regarding the moon landings. The film follows renowned photographer Steve Pyke on his extraordinary journey across America to meet, interview and photograph his childhood heroes – the men who went to the moon.</p>
<p>This 80 page deluxe hardback edition features 17 new tracks from THE THE, portraits of the Apollo astronauts by Steve Pyke, an extensive interview with Steve Pyke by Matt Johnson plus notes from the director and stills from the film.</p>
<p>It can be found on the Cineola site <a href="http://www.thethe.com/shop/edition-de-luxe/moonbug.html">here</a> or on Amazon <a href="http://geni.us/NloA">here</a>.</p>
Edward Williams - Life on Earth (BBC TV Series 1979)2016-12-03T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/12/03/edward-williams-life-on-earth<p>This is currently <a href="https://trunkrecords.greedbag.com/buy/life-on-earth-music-from-the/">only £4.99</a> from Trunk Records. A beautiful, haunting record.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The ever-reliable Johnny Trunk has outdone himself yet again, pressing up and reissuing the previously unavailable Edward Williams soundtrack to the 1979 BBC TV series ‘Life On Earth’.</p>
<p>According to the backstory behind this treasure, a lucky digger stumbled upon one of the original handful of copies privately pressed up by the composer for the musicians involved with the score. Trunk got wind of this, and as you can imagine became quite rightly overjoyed, as to his knowledge it was never commercially available. David Attenborough’s original series was considered a groundbreaking piece of natural history television, and as anyone who has viewed any of the BBC’s nature programmes will know, the music always plays a crucial role in the narration and ambience of such viewing. In contrast to the slightly ripe ebullience of soundtracks to todays HD, slow-motion nature-porn, ‘Life On Earth’ has a rich, and often haunting chamber suite backing, played by a majestic orchestral array of flutes, clarinets, strings and harp with subtle embellishments of Radiophonic electronics.</p>
<p>The effect is remarkable still, even without the visuals, but we do have small markers in the titles, like ‘Fish of the Sea - Shoals and Loners on the Reef’ mirrored by shimmering harps, warbling clarinets and dreamy washes of synthesizer, or the gracefully alien drift of ‘Comb Jellies - Gymnopedie for Jellyfish’, with Satie-like flutes and angelic harps.</p>
<p>It’s an overwhelmingly wonderous and magical listen that any fans of Trunk records should be salivating over, while everyone else should really make the investment for the good of your record collection. Amazing.</p>
</blockquote>
Oxygene 3 Review2016-12-02T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/12/02/oxygene-3-review<p>A surprisingly powerful and varied album. It features a suitable selection of pieces that hark back to the classic ‘Oxygene’ sound. It feels a bit short. I somehow wish it was longer but its sleek, minimal sounds are wonderful in places. Parts 17 & 19 are probably the most immediate things on here but there are other sections that will reward you.</p>
<p>You can get it from places such as <a href="http://geni.us/EnJB9">Amazon</a> and other retailers.</p>
William Basinski - A Shadow In Time2016-12-01T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/12/01/william-basinski-a-shadow-in-time<p>New album will be available for pre-order from December 7th. It is due out on release on January 20th 2017.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.mmlxii.com/products/583344-a-shadow-in-time">Pre-order link</a>.</p>
Warren Ellis - Normal2016-11-29T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/11/29/warren-ellis-normal<p>Just started reading the new novel by Warren Ellis, ‘Normal’. This was originally issued as monthly publications but has now been collected into one.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Some people call it “abyss gaze.” Gaze into the abyss all day and the abyss will gaze into you.</p>
<p>There are two types of people who think professionally about the future: foresight strategists are civil futurists who think about geo-engineering and smart cities and ways to evade Our Coming Doom; strategic forecasters are spook futurists, who think about geopolitical upheaval and drone warfare and ways to prepare clients for Our Coming Doom. The former are paid by nonprofits and charities, the latter by global security groups and corporate think tanks.</p>
<p>For both types, if you’re good at it, and you spend your days and nights doing it, then it’s something you can’t do for long. Depression sets in. Mental illness festers. And if the “abyss gaze” takes hold there’s only one place to recover: Normal Head, in the wilds of Oregon, within the secure perimeter of an experimental forest.</p>
<p>When Adam Dearden, a foresight strategist, arrives at Normal Head, he is desperate to unplug and be immersed in sylvan silence. But then a patient goes missing from his locked bedroom, leaving nothing but a pile of insects in his wake. A staff investigation ensues; surveillance becomes total. As the mystery of the disappeared man unravels in Warren Ellis’s Normal, Dearden uncovers a conspiracy that calls into question the core principles of how and why we think about the future—and the past, and the now.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><a href="http://geni.us/Z6GO">Amazon Kindle</a></p>
Jean-Michel Jarre - Oxygene 32016-11-28T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/11/28/jarre-on-friday<p>Third album in the series is <a href="http://geni.us/EnJB9">released this Friday</a>. This comes after the last album back in 1997. Jarre was someone I greatly followed back in the 1980s and early 90s but he slipped off the radar sometime after that - I found his stuff lacked any real inspiration. Lately he has been involved in some collaboration work but I guess most fans have really been waiting for this new work.</p>
<p>I’ll post my thoughts on the new album later in the week.</p>
Burial - Young Death/Nightmarket2016-11-28T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/11/28/burial-new-ep<p>Revered artist Burial <a href="https://bleep.com/release/77905-burial-young-death-nightmarket?utm_source=Bleep&utm_campaign=1e22e5061a-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2016_11_28&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_db8ca97389-1e22e5061a-1857845">releases a two-track EP</a> of gritty, urban atmospherics evoking distant city lights and last trains home.</p>
Enigma - Fall of a Rebel Angel2016-11-26T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/11/26/enigma-fall-of-a-rebel-angel<p>Enigma return with a new album that sounds very much like all their others. The <a href="http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/UICY-15589">Japanese SHM-CD</a> comes with two additional tracks.</p>
Pye Corner Audio - Stasis2016-11-25T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/11/25/pye-corner-audio-stasis<p>Ghost Box label <a href="https://ghostbox.greedbag.com/buy/stasis-3/">reissues</a> this album released earlier in the year.</p>
<p>My opinion hasn’t changed much. Lots of generic John Carpenter chase sequence pieces and some other stuff that rattles by without making an impression. I still find that ‘Ways Regained’, ‘Verberation Lab’ and ‘Mountain View’ to be the best - basically the last fifteen minutes of the album.</p>
Paul Williams - Aquarius2016-11-25T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/11/25/aquarius<p>Beautiful if fairly obscure 1987 album available on vinyl only. Copies regularly go for high prices on Discogs. If you can track this down, it’s well worth it. Lots of wonderful late 1980s new-age bliss.</p>
Chuck Person's Eccojams Volume 12016-11-23T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/11/23/eccojams-volume-1<p>A <a href="http://pointnever.bigcartel.com/product/chuck-person-s-eccojams-vol-1">remastered edition</a> of the classic vaporwave genre gets a release today.</p>
Stranger Things (Invada Pressing)2016-11-22T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/11/22/stranger-things-vinyl<p>Invada have pressed up a deluxe vinyl edition of the Netflix TV show. Personally, I was not a fan of the show with its blatant, unapologetic borrowing of just about every 80s trope imaginable - yet singularly unable to create even a single idea of its own. The soundtrack is also a suitable accompaniment - even if it feels like it has been generated by some music aggregator that has been fed a mixture of John Carpenter, Tangerine Dream and Vangelis.</p>
<p>If you’re still interested, the vinyl is available from <a href="https://bleep.com/release/76037-kyle-dixon-michael-stein-stranger-things-vol-1-a-netflix-original-series-soundtrack">Bleep</a> and other distributors.</p>
Alan Moore - Brighter Than You Think2016-11-21T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/11/21/brighter-than-you-think<p>Due for release on the 6th of December, <sup id="fnref:1"><a href="#fn:1" class="footnote">1</a></sup> this collection of previously unpublished short fiction includes critical essays by Marc Sobel. You can pre-order a copy <a href="http://geni.us/b26Ps">here</a>.</p>
<div class="footnotes">
<ol>
<li id="fn:1">
<p>This has now moved to December 27th. <a href="#fnref:1" class="reversefootnote">↩</a></p>
</li>
</ol>
</div>
Various Artists - Glisten2016-11-20T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/11/20/glistens-various-artists<p>Fantastic compilation of 1980s library music, compiled By Ed Macfarlane. It features a number of elusive pieces including ‘Shining Ice’ (1986) by Paul Williams & Andrew Grossart. It was famously sampled by The Future Sound Of London on their album, ISDN.</p>
<p>The compilation is <a href="http://www.lorecordings.com/release/glistens/">available</a> from Lo Recordings.</p>
Phono Ghosts - Solar Dream Reel2016-11-19T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/11/19/phono-ghosts<p>The shadowy Phono Ghosts drifts back to the forefront of abstract electronica with a richly detailed album on the newly minted and self-operated <a href="http://www.fonolith.com">Fonolith</a> imprint.</p>
<p>Having dropped some of the best Skam releases as Phono Ghosts and under the rather tasty name Meat Bingo (a tribute perhaps to the infamous meat raffles that are a traditional Northern pub feature) Phono commits his own brand of chop ‘n’ drop synth sounds to wax and the fan fave format cassette. Clocking in at fifteen tracks, Solar Dream Reel perfectly mixes the disco fun(k) of Kerrier District with a strong sensibility that should see him aligned with the new wave sounds of Bok Bok’s last EP but matched with the cloak and dagger approach of the best out-on-the-edge 0161 tracks.</p>
<p>Having been rinsing this over recent weeks, our fave’s have to be the rotational swerve of Megacycles, or the VSnares going mad in the classic house racks of Iron Tones. Adding depth and variance, pieces like Mystery Lingers As A Branch Of Heaven blend atmospheric synth work with unknown sample sources of gurgling vox and film dialogue. Hands down though, the absolute highlight has to be the album closer Saturation Valley. A low-fi piece that verges on synth-pop, but executed with a rain-sodden sensibility that could easily find its way into the sets of Blackest Ever Black or Optimo.</p>
Robert Rich - Vestiges2016-11-18T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/11/18/robert-rich-vestiges<p>Beautiful new album from long-established American ambient artist. There is a <a href="https://robertrich.bandcamp.com/album/vestiges-24-bit-96-khz">24Bit edition</a> on his bandcamp page. Robert Rich constructs beautiful worlds once again.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Adrift on slack tide, trending out into the vestiges of fading light.
The night that dawns knows nothing of this passing thought.
Quietly slipping past the buoys, ever farther from shore’s embrace.</p>
</blockquote>
Brian Eno - Reflection2016-11-15T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/11/15/brian-eno-reflection<p>Brian Eno is due to release a new ambient album on 1st January 2017. You can pre-order it from <a href="https://bleep.com/release/77609-brian-eno-reflection">Bleep</a> and other places.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Brian Eno presents Reflection, his new album on Warp Records.</p>
<p>Reflection follows in the lineage of Brian Eno’s long-running collection of ‘Ambient’ recordings that started with his 1973 collaboration with Robert Fripp, (No Pussyfooting) and 1975’s Discreet Music.</p>
<p>Consisting entirely of one long form composition, Reflection mirrors perfectly Brian Eno’s idea that ‘Ambient’ music is a term “to distinguish it from pieces of music that have fixed duration and rhythmically connected, locked together elements”.</p>
<p>Due for release on January 1st, Reflection promises to be a much-needed catharsis at the start of a brand new year.</p>
</blockquote>
Sandra - The Long Play2016-11-13T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/11/13/sandra-the-long-play<p>Fantastic <a href="https://www.discogs.com/Sandra-The-Long-Play/master/65259">electro-pop from 1985</a> produced and engineered by Michael Cretu. The album is a kind of cross between Madonna and Eighth Wonder.</p>
Candida Cosmica2016-11-11T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/11/11/candida-cosmica<p><a href="http://www.darkentriesrecords.com/store/vinyl/patrick-cowley-candida-royalle-candida-cosmica-ep/#tab-description">Dark Entries</a> continue the brilliant work they have done of reissuing the crucial electronic and disco work of Patrick Cowley and Candida Cosmica could possibly be the most crucial release from his archive yet. Produced in collaboration with the adult film star Candida Royalle, <a href="https://bleep.com/release/77375-patrick-cowley-candida-royalle-candida-cosmica">Candida Cosmica</a> is an escalading journey of visionary cosmic experiments.</p>
Ulrich Schnauss - No Further Ahead Than Today2016-11-08T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/11/08/ulrich-schnauss<p>New album from esteemed German electronic artist issued on Scripted Realities. Available from <a href="https://bleep.com/release/76778-ulrich-schnauss-no-further-ahead-than-today">Bleep</a> and many other places.</p>
Delia Derbyshire and Elsa Stansfield - Circle of Light2016-11-07T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/11/07/circle-of-light<p>Jonny Trunk’s ability to dig out the rarest dusty reels and DATs from the archives, basements and attics of the Radiophonic workshop’s various entourage has turned up possibly his most unbelievable find yet. Delia Derbyshire and Elsa Stansfield’s original electronic soundtrack to the avant-garde film Circle of Light: The Photography of Pamela Bone, directed by Anthony Roland.</p>
<p><a href="https://bleep.com/release/74453-delia-derbyshire-and-elsa-stansfield-circle-of-light-original-electronic-soundtrack-recording">Circle of Light</a> was premiered in 1972 and within three months was selected to represent Great Britain in the Art Film class at the Cork International Festival where it won first prize. Surprisingly for a film held in high regard, the nocturnal drones that Delia and Elsa produced to soundtrack it has never been commercially released before on vinyl. Believed to be Delia’s longest surviving work, elements of her more esoteric workshop material bleed into the two compositions, Blue Veils & Golden Sand spectral tape loops glow in the midst and unravel a sinister edge to the soundtrack, while the second side’s birds chirping casts a dreamlike haze that’s both sedating and disorientating in the best way possible.</p>
1991 - No More Dreams2016-11-06T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/11/06/new-album<p>New album from Gothenburg producer, Axel Backman who records as 1991. You can get a copy <a href="https://bleep.com/release/76977-1991-no-more-dreams">here</a>. This new album continues his signature low-fi sound with faded 90s techno.</p>
Vintage Fashion2016-04-02T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/04/02/vintage-fashion<p>These past three years, I have been increasingly interested in vintage fashion from the 1980s and early 1990s. A good site I recommend is <a href="http://www.uneasynostalgia.com/blog/">Uneasy Nostalgia</a>. They have some great magazine scans from years gone by.</p>
Scrivener iOS2016-04-02T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/04/02/scrivener-ios<p>Can it really be true? Literature & Latte, the company behind the excellent Scrivener word-processing software have announced on their <a href="https://www.literatureandlatte.com/blog/?p=675">blog</a> that it has now entered the beta stage. It’s been a very long wait. I remember when this was first announced back in 2009.</p>
New Order2016-04-02T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/04/02/music-complete<p>New Order have announced that their album Music Complete will be re-released as <a href="http://geni.us/Fht">Complete Music</a> with all the extended remixes that were previously only available on the vinyl. It will available on May 13th.</p>
<p>Track Listing is:</p>
<ol>
<li>Restless (Extended Version)</li>
<li>Singularity (Extended Version)</li>
<li>Plastic (Extended Version)</li>
<li>Tutti Frutti (Extended Version)</li>
<li>People On The High Line (Extended Version)</li>
<li>Stray Dog (Extended Version)</li>
<li>Academic (Extended Version)</li>
<li>Nothing But A Fool (Extended Version 2)</li>
<li>Unlearn This Hatred (Extended Version)</li>
<li>The Game (Extended Version)</li>
<li>Superheated (Extended Version 2)</li>
</ol>
Listen to The Ship2016-04-02T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/04/02/listen-to-the-ship<p>Brian Eno’s ‘The Ship’ is now available for preview. It’s only on Spotify so you’ll have to <a href="http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/hear-brian-enos-epic-sweeping-21-minute-song-the-ship-20160330">download</a> the app just in order to listen to the title track. Alternatively, (and much less hassle), you can hear it on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pn1riJSHhkY">Youtube</a>.</p>
Escada Pour Homme2016-04-02T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/04/02/escada-pour-homme<p>A few people have asked me recently about Escada Pour Homme. This is a relatively difficult fragrance to find and quite expensive too. If you’re looking to find out more about it (before pulling the trigger), then my <a href="http://www.uneasynostalgia.com/blog/2014/8/21/escada-pour-homme-1993">review</a> may be informative.</p>
Amazon S32016-04-02T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/04/02/amazon-s3<p>Moving months of HD movies from S3 to save some money. <a href="https://aws.amazon.com/s3/">AmazonS3</a> is an excellent storage facility but once you you get some <em>serious</em> TB action, the costs mount up pretty quickly. The cheaper option is to put everything in <a href="https://aws.amazon.com/glacier/pricing/">Glacier</a> but then you have the problem of trying to retrieve stuff using the AWS console.</p>
Morning2016-04-01T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/04/01/morning<p>Slept straight through about twelve hours. Not surprising as I hadn’t slept the previous two days. Long distance travel is exhausting unless you have the money to travel in first class.</p>
<p>Trying to sort out my room a bit. So much stuff. Great to have so much space to move around in.</p>
Home2016-03-31T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/03/31/home<p>I made it back in one piece. Feels a bit strange to be here even though I have only been gone for a year. I tried everything I could to make it work but in the end, you have to know when it is time to move on.</p>
Last Day2016-03-29T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/03/29/last-day<p>My last day here has arrived. I made up one last parcel today and sent it off. It will be months before it arrives but it was very cheap to send.</p>
<p>I seem to running a pretty big CloudFront bill. I’ve switched html logging off as it was already over one hundred thousand entries.</p>
<p>I won’t have time to post for the next two days as I will be travelling.</p>
Odd Nosdam - Sisters2016-03-28T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/03/28/sisters<p>Listening to the <a href="https://bleep.com/release/70622-odd-nosdam-sisters">new album</a> from Odd Nosdam. Check out the incredible remix of the <a href="https://bleep.com/release/71047-odd-nosdam-sisters-boards-of-canada-remix">title track</a> by Boards of Canada.</p>
Shoes2016-03-28T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/03/28/shoes<p>I booked the train this morning and started to dispose of the last few things I cannot bring back with me. This includes a pair of shoes I am fond of. They’ve barely had a year’s wear but I can always buy another pair when I get home.</p>
<p>I spent most of the afternoon in the town office when it turns out I didn’t really need to. Still, they are aware I am leaving now.</p>
<p>Tomorrow is my last day here and then it’s time to finally go home.</p>
The Witch2016-03-27T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/03/27/the-witch<p>I watched this horror movie this evening. I thought it was quite interesting and inventive but not so sure about all the praise that has been heaped on it. I guess the majority of stuff that comes out now is so derivative that any movie that shows even a small spark of originality is going to be talked about. The cinematography was pretty striking and when you consider it was made on a budget of a million dollars, it puts many other more expensive movies to shame. I recommend you see it if you get the chance.</p>
<p>Update.</p>
<p>You can now <a href="http://geni.us/1xcg">pre-order</a> the Blu-ray from Amazon. Release date is set for July 18th.</p>
Suitcase2016-03-26T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/03/26/suitcase<p>Finally managed to arrange everything I wanted to take back in my suitcase. I hope the weight is okay. I sent it from the hotel using a baggage courier service. It has a couple of days to get to the airport. There isn’t a great deal of preparation left now.</p>
Vintage Fragrances2016-03-26T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/03/26/fragrance-list<p>A list of vintage mens fragrances known to exist:</p>
<ul>
<li>
<p>Giorgio Armani - Armani Pour Homme</p>
</li>
<li>Calvin Klein - Calvin</li>
<li>Calvin Klein - Obsession</li>
<li>
<p>Calvin Klein - Eternity</p>
</li>
<li>Cartier - Santos De Cartier</li>
<li>Cartier - Pasha De Cartier</li>
<li>
<p>Cartier - Must De Cartier (female fragrance)</p>
</li>
<li>Chanel - Antaeus</li>
<li>Chanel - Antaeus Sport Cologne</li>
<li>Chanel - Égoïste</li>
<li>Chanel - Égoïste Cologne Concentrée</li>
<li>Chanel - Pour Monsieur</li>
<li>
<p>Chanel - Pour Monsieur Concentrée</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Christian Dior - Fahrenheit</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Escada - Escada Pour Homme</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Jean Patou - Patou Pour Homme</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Loewe - Loewe Pour Homme</p>
</li>
<li>Paco Rabanne - Paco Rabanne Pour Homme</li>
<li>Paco Rabanne - Sport De Paco Rabanne</li>
<li>
<p>Paco Rabanne - Ténéré</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Ralph Lauren - Polo</p>
</li>
<li>Yves Saint Laurent - Kouros</li>
<li>Yves Saint Laurent - Kouros Eau De Sport</li>
<li>Yves Saint Laurent - Kouros Fraicheur</li>
<li>Yves Saint Laurent - Pour Homme</li>
</ul>
Hotel2016-03-25T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/03/25/hotel<p>I finished packing everything yesterday. This morning, looking at the empty room, I was faced with a few unpleasant realities I had chosen to ignore this last year. In truth, I couldn’t have afforded anything better even if it had been offered (which it hadn’t).</p>
<p>The hotel has wi-fi, cable TV and BBC World News. I can survive here for a few days. A proper bed too.</p>
<p>Tomorrow my suitcase goes to the airport. I am sending it now to avoid any delays.</p>
Apartment2016-03-24T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/03/24/apartment<p>This is the last day in my apartment. I sent off the last box today by sea mail. It has some magazines and clothes. The weight still came to nearly fourteen and a half kilograms. Now I just have to clean everything and pack the suitcase.</p>
<p>I found <a href="http://www.uneasynostalgia.com/blog/2016/3/24/helena-christensen-1993">a great picture</a> of 90s Danish supermodel, Helena Christensen. Some people have contacted me about where some of the best magazine scans can be found. <a href="http://stefmodels.fr/index.php">This</a> is a good place to start.</p>
SAEC SHC-200FS2016-03-23T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/03/23/saec<p>I bought a new headphone cable today as the Shure cable I’ve been using has started to fail. It probably hasn’t helped with the way I have had to travel and store them this past year. SAEC is a Japanese audiophile company that that seems well-regarded within the industry. I also bought new ear pieces as the Comply branded ones I’ve been using this past year are truly awful. A waste of money. I’ve managed to get the Shure ear tips again.</p>
<p>I managed to get the teaching resources sent off today as well as get a small visa extension.</p>
Just The Beginning2016-03-22T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/03/22/murkier<p>The Apple versus FBI encryption issue just became more confusing.</p>
<p>Dave Lee <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-35863861">writing for the BBC</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>If the method proposed by the “outside party” works, here’s the question: will the FBI engage in responsible disclosure with Apple after it has accessed the iPhone used by Farook?</p>
<p>If it does, Apple will surely seek to fix the flaw immediately, putting us back to square one when the inevitable next case comes around.</p>
<p>But if the FBI doesn’t share the method, what will that do to the reputation of Apple’s products if it’s known the US government is openly in possession of a security flaw of this magnitude?</p>
</blockquote>
More Postage2016-03-22T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/03/22/more-postage<p>I sent most of the compact discs today. They went via EMS, which offers speedy transit times and tracking. Another box will go tomorrow but that will be by sea. So much cheaper.</p>
<p>The hotel problem has been solved and I finished at the last school today. Now I just begin preparations for going home.</p>
Hotel2016-03-21T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/03/21/hotel<p>Now it looks like I’m going to have trouble booking a hotel. All the rooms in this town are booked for a sports festival.</p>
<p>Sadly, I’ve closed down the Yahoo Auction feeds as I don’t think I could order anymore things to arrive in time before I leave.</p>
Sunday Finds2016-03-20T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/03/20/sunday-finds<p>Found a few more first pressings today. These will be the last ones that I can get before I leave due to postal times.</p>
<ul>
<li>Emerson, Lake & Palmer - The Best Of (32XD-397)</li>
<li>George Benson - Give Me The Night (38XP-2)</li>
<li>Phillip Bailey - Chinese Wall (25DP-5219)</li>
<li>Eighth Wonder - Fearless (25.8P-5021)</li>
<li>ZZ Top - Eliminator (32XD-133)</li>
<li>Wham - Make It Big (25.8P-5182)</li>
<li>Chicago - Chicago 16 (38XP-36)</li>
<li>Chicago - Chicago 17 (38XP-81)</li>
</ul>
<p>I also bought the new Underworld album with the strange title of <a href="http://geni.us/2EGL">Barbara Barbara, We face a shining future</a>. There are a few reviews floating around and it seems to have been pretty well received.</p>
<p>In addition, I ordered <a href="http://geni.us/2y9r">Discovery</a> & <a href="http://geni.us/BCi">The Killing Fields</a> from Amazon Japan.</p>
<p>I’ve been thinking of moving all my general photos to Photos on OSX rather than worrying about <a href="https://lightroom.adobe.com">Lightroom</a>, Adobe’s photo manager seems too cumbersome for my (rather modest) needs.</p>
Barry Hines, creator of Kes, dies at 762016-03-20T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/03/20/barry-hines<p>The <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-35855544">BBC are reporting</a> that the author of this well-known book has died. <a href="http://geni.us/4c7">A Kestrel for a Knave</a> - about a young working-class boy named Billy who finds and trains a kestrel, was published in 1968 and filmed the following year.</p>
<p>This book had a big impact on me as a teenager. What I admired the most was how the gritty life of 1960s Britain was portrayed. I also remember the really bleak ending. The author resisted the urge to give the story some kind of emotional compensation. As in life, sometimes there are no silver-linings.</p>
More Madonna2016-03-19T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/03/19/more-madonna<p>I recently found some more Japanese first pressings.</p>
<ul>
<li>Paul McCartney - Give My Regards To Broadstreet (CP32-5458)</li>
<li>Toto - Dune Original Soundtrack (P33P 50011)</li>
<li>Madonna - True Blue (32XD-449)</li>
<li>Madonna - Like A Virgin (32XD-102)</li>
<li>Madonna - Self Titled (32XD-318)</li>
<li>Van Halen - 5150 (32XD-435)</li>
<li>Tears For Fears - Shout (32PD-37)</li>
</ul>
<p>I also bought the new Clark album <a href="https://bleep.com/release/69628-clark-the-last-panthers">The Last Panthers</a> from Warp Records.</p>
<p>I’m looking for photographs of vintage supermodel <a href="http://www.uneasynostalgia.com/blog/2014/10/23/gail-elliott-1991?rq=gail%20elliott">Gail Elliott</a> but there don’t seem to be that many out there.</p>
Migrant Graveyard2016-03-19T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/03/19/migrant-graveyard<p>A distrubing piece from the <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-35840397">BBC</a> today.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>This year alone, more than 360 migrants have died attempting to cross the sea between Turkey and Greece. Last year was the deadliest on record for people drowning in the Mediterranean. Some of the bodies get washed ashore in Turkey, and many are never identified.</p>
<p>In the last six months, more than 100 bodies have been laid to rest in a cemetery in Izmir.</p>
</blockquote>
Friday2016-03-18T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/03/18/egoiste-platinum<p>Second one down. Only one more visit and I am done.</p>
<p>A very nice bottle of vintage Chanel Egoiste Platinum arrived today. A sealed 100 ml bottle. Very happy.</p>
<p>Had a twitter message from the supermodel Josie Borain. She was one of <a href="http://www.uneasynostalgia.com/blog/2015/6/4/josie-borain-1989?rq=josie%20borain" title="Josie Borain at Uneasy Nostalgia">the most iconic faces of the 1980s</a>. I’ve been trying to find <a href="http://www.bell-roberts.com/?book=5" title="Josie You And Me">her book</a> and without much luck I decided to reach out to her.</p>
First of the last2016-03-17T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/03/17/first-of-the-last<p>Finished at the first of the three today. It didn’t end so badly. Two children (Takata Hinata & Hamamaki Shiho) got upset when they heard the news. I was surprised at that. Maybe I made more of an impression than I thought.</p>
<p>Tomorrow, I finish at another school.</p>
Midweek2016-03-16T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/03/16/mid-week<p>Spending the evening on resumé writing and letters. I am not really used to writing in Open Office so it’s a little slow getting things formatted exactly how I would like it.</p>
Robert Aickman2016-03-15T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/03/15/robert-aickman<p>The Supernatural Tales Blog are running a poll on their favourite Robert Aickman story.</p>
<p>The nominations are:</p>
<ul>
<li>The Swords</li>
<li>Bind Your Hair</li>
<li>The Hospice</li>
<li>Ringing the Changes</li>
<li>The School-Friend</li>
<li>Ravissante</li>
<li>The Inner Room</li>
<li>The Cicerones</li>
<li>Never Visit Venice</li>
<li>Pages From a Young Girl’s Journal</li>
<li>The Houses of the Russians</li>
<li>The Same Dog</li>
<li>The Wine Dark Sea</li>
<li>Meeting Mr Millar</li>
<li>The Unsettled Dust</li>
</ul>
<p>You can add yours to the list by heading over to <a href="http://suptales.blogspot.jp/2016/03/polling-update.html">Supernatural Tales</a> and letting them know.</p>
Shifting Clouds2016-03-14T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/03/14/shifting-clouds<p>I’ve been using Dropbox since it first came out and I always knew it ran on Amazon S3. Not anymore. Apparently, two and a half years ago, Dropbox began to build their own storage infrastructure.</p>
<p>Vice President of engineering, Aditya Agarwal:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Just getting the bits out of Amazon and into other data centers was an epic task. Digitally moving petabytes of data from one machine to another isn’t exactly on the same scale as downloading a few songs for your laptop. Even the fattest Internet pipes only have so much bandwidth. Transferring four petabytes of data, it turned out, took about a day.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>You can <a href="http://www.wired.com/2016/03/epic-story-dropboxs-exodus-amazon-cloud-empire/">read the full article</a> on Wired.</p>
Calvin Klein2016-03-14T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/03/14/calvin<p>Found a bottle of vintage Obsession for a very reasonable price. It’s one of my favourite fragrances from the 1980s. I don’t imagine many people wear it now - the original formula is pretty strong by today’s standards. I still like it because it hasn’t really ever been copied faithfully. The modern-day version is pretty weak by comparison.</p>
<p>I found a copy of Madonna’s debut album today - a Japanese first pressing with the matrix 32XD-318.</p>
<p>I’ve been watching <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4270492/">Billions</a>, the TV drama about the power struggle between a hedge-fund manager and and a U.S attorney. It’s fun to watch. A bit of escapism. An hour a week spent watching ludicrously wealthy people fight each other.</p>
Final Week2016-03-13T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/03/13/final-week<p>Tomorrow is my last full week of work here in Japan. There are some things still to sort out. I also need to look again at my visa shortly. This week I will spend most of the time getting my resume edited and sending out application letters. I’m sad that Japan is nearly over but the reality is that this time it was <em>nowhere near</em> the experience I previously enjoyed when I lived in Osaka for five years.</p>
<p>Maybe it is life’s way of telling me I need to forget about what was and to move ahead to the future and to what <em>might</em> be.</p>
Dalhous - Composite Moods Collection - Vol 12016-03-13T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/03/13/dalhous-new-album<p>Firstly, before I get to talking about this album in detail, what is with that title? Yes, it <em>does</em> sound like one of those new-age compilation discs that were everywhere in the early 90s. The kind of stuff you could order from mail-order catalogues or via the home-shopping channels.</p>
<p>However, that’s where the comparisons end because this is a thoughtful, sobering meditation on mental illness. The music itself is something of a small departure for the artist, (Marc Dall) who doesn’t impose so much rhythmic structure this time around. The album opens with ‘Response To Stimuli’ with dark, reverberating chords. It’s a good introduction to the pieces that follow. The album features cold, crystalline keyboards and in other places such as on the beautiful ‘On A Level’ warm, billowing chords that work nicely against each other. There is also more than a nod to the Scottish band, Boards of Canada. Some of the pieces on this album have a kind of transient, haunting quality that the group are known for. ‘Research Network’ has a flutey opening that leads on to what seems like a gorgeous Roland D50 (think Clannad on their 1989 album, ‘Atlantic Realm’). There are also hints of late 1980’s Tangerine Dream - well at least it feels like that for me. In fact, listening to this album over and over, I’m reminded of TD, Steve Roach and BOC. Your mileage may vary. It’s all beautiful, heady stuff.</p>
<p>I guess if I could best describe this album it would be to say that it has a fragmented, blurred feel that is totally engrossing.</p>
<p>The production and sound quality on ‘The Composite Moods Collection, Volume 1’ are excellent and I have no trouble at all recommending it to fans of ambient electronic music. It’s my favourite album of the year so far.</p>
<p>Just a shame about that title.</p>
<p>You can <a href="https://blackesteverblack.bandcamp.com/album/the-composite-moods-collection-vol-1-house-number-44">order</a> physical or digital copies at their bandcamp page. I’d also urge you to check out <a href="https://blackesteverblack.bandcamp.com">other titles</a> from their label, ‘Blackest Ever Black’.</p>
In Memory2016-03-11T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/03/11/tohoku<p>Today is the 5th anniversary of the Tohoku earthquake. It was the most powerful earthquake to ever hit Japan and the fourth most powerful earthquake in the world since modern record-keeping began in 1900.</p>
<p>I was working here at the time and I remember the day and those that followed. It was a terrible time and five years on, the country is still trying to find a way to deal with both the financial (and more importantly), the psychological damage.</p>
Friday2016-03-10T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/03/10/friday<p>It’s nearly Friday again. This weekend I will be parcelling up some of the stuff I have bought while over here. Next week is the last five days of work. It’s going very quickly now.</p>
March Reading List2016-03-09T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/03/09/march-reading-list<p>This month, I am reading the following books. They have all been on my list for a while now.</p>
<ul>
<li>Loren Eiseley - The Invisible Pyramid</li>
<li>Nicholas Carr - The Shallows</li>
<li>Ray Bradbury - A Graveyard for Lunatics</li>
<li>Stephen Gregory - The Cormorant</li>
</ul>
Loewe Pour Homme2016-03-07T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/03/07/loewe<p>Got some writing stuff done today. A nice bottle of Loewe Pour Homme also arrived. It’s a vintage and hard to find so I am very pleased. I managed to find it for a good price, especially when compared to eBay.</p>
Two Weeks2016-03-06T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/03/06/two-weeks<p>I only have two weeks of school left. Hard to believe. I will not miss getting up at six in the morning, that’s for sure. I have found the travelling every day to be quite difficult. It effectively adds three hours onto the day.</p>
<p>Two more compact discs today:</p>
<ul>
<li>Black Sabbath - Never Say Die (PHCR-2053)</li>
<li>A Clockwork Orange (38XP-69)</li>
</ul>
<p>I’ve been lucky with this last title. That’s the second ‘target’ copy. It’s a pretty rare disc.</p>
Surprise Visit2016-03-06T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/03/06/surprise-visit<p><a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-35739429">BBC Scotland</a> reports:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>JK Rowling spent two hours at the library on Saturday, taking part in a book group that was discussing her novel The Cuckoo’s Calling.</p>
<p>Senior library assistant Stewart Bain had invited the author to attend the group over Twitter the previous day - but never expected her to come.</p>
<p>Mr Bain said everyone in the group was “gobsmacked” to see her.</p>
<p>“It really was quite unbelievable. We’d heard a rumour earlier that she had arrived in Orkney and then all of a sudden she was there,” he said.</p>
<p>“I think it’s fantastic that she came all the way here to see us and shows the level of support and passion that she has for her readers.”</p>
<p>The Saturday Slaughters book group was discussing JK Rowling’s 2013 crime novel which was written under her pseudonym Robert Galbraith.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Wish she would come and visit our library.</p>
Sunday2016-03-06T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/03/06/sunday<p>An overcast day. Some more compact discs to pick up tonight.</p>
<p>Apparently there has been a biscuit shortage in the UK according to the <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-cumbria-35696027">BBC</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Storms Desmond and Eva left swathes of Cumbria, Lancashire and Yorkshire under water, causing widespread personal pain and huge economic cost.</p>
<p>They also submerged Carlisle’s McVitie’s factory ovens, halting production of custard creams, bourbons, ginger nuts and table water biscuits.</p>
<p>Biscuits started disappearing from shop shelves. A nation which had looked on in sympathetic disbelief began to feel the crisis bite closer to home.</p>
<p>Dire circumstances demand a restorative cup of tea and a cup of tea demands a biscuit.</p>
<p>Carlisle artist Lydia Leith, now living in London, knew something was dreadfully wrong when she came home for Christmas and the usual “sweet sugary scented” aroma from the factory was noticeable by its absence.</p>
<p>She said it was “very upsetting”.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Not sure how much of a crisis this really is. There are plenty more brands to choose from.</p>
<p>House of Cards Season 4 has proved a lot more enjoyable than series 3. As I expected, Douglas Stamper has proved to be the most interesting character once again. There is something very elusive and enigmatic about the cold, quiet character played by Michael Kelly.</p>
Updates2016-03-05T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/03/05/loewe<p>Hard to believe it is already the beginning of March. This time last year, I was preparing to come to Japan again. Only eleven working days left now. Two weeks plus one elementary day. My time in Japan is coming to a close. It will very probably be the final time. Never say never.</p>
<p>Have arranged to have my final salary paid into a friend’s account. It’s easier that way.</p>
<p>I picked up more compact discs this week:</p>
<ul>
<li>Prince - 1999 (32XD-105)</li>
<li>Journey - Raised On Radio (32DP-423)</li>
<li>Christopher Cross - Another Page (32XD-347)</li>
<li>Prince - Purple Rain (32XD-316)</li>
</ul>
<p>I am spending some of today watching the new season of <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1856010/">House Of Cards</a> on Netflix. Another thirteen episodes to get through.</p>
<p>It’s a pretty sunny day today but the mornings are still very cold. I managed to find a bottle of Loewe Pour Homme vintage on Yahoo Auctions for a good price.</p>
<p>Picked up three more <a href="http://geni.us/sMy">Ray Bradbury</a> titles on kindle - ‘R is for Rocket’, ‘S is for Space’ and ‘A Graveyard for Lunatics’.</p>
Setting an example2016-03-05T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/03/05/america<p>Watching the Republican debate yesterday, I wonder how this looks to the rest of the world. It doesn’t cast America in a good light. These men are running for president.</p>
The Twilight Zone2016-02-28T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/02/28/twilight-zone<p>Watching some of the superb episodes from the 1980s series. You can pick up the <a href="http://geni.us/Pkb">complete box</a> set for a pretty good price. Good value for 13 discs. The cast featured such stars as Bruce Willis, Helen Mirren, Morgan Freeman, Martin Landau, Joe Mantegna and Fred Savage. Episode Directors include Wes Craven, William Friedkin, Joe Dante and Martha Coolidge.</p>
Sixteen2016-02-28T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/02/28/sixteen<p>That’s how many working days are left. Time to begin collecting up all the cards and books, the resources I used this last year. I also need to book a hotel for four nights from the evening of the 26th.</p>
<p>I am hoping to set up a wire transfer too but I need further documentation for that.</p>
Boxes2016-02-28T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/02/28/boxes<p>Managed to get everything sent on Friday. It seems expensive but when I factor the cost per kg, it’s not so bad. I mostly sent the bulky stuff that would be impossible to get into my suitcase. There is no way I could manage all that.</p>
<p>Some more compact discs arrived the past few days.</p>
<ul>
<li>Pet Shop Boys - Please (CP32-5131)</li>
<li>Frankie Goes To Hollywood - Welcome To The Pleasure Dome (P400-2001)</li>
<li>Donna Summer - Cats Without Claws (32XD-338)</li>
<li>Donna Summer - Self Titled (32XD-385)</li>
<li>Simon & Garfunkel - Collection (35DP-13)</li>
<li>Ricki Jones - Self Titled (32XD-382)</li>
<li>Asia - Alpha (35DP-80)</li>
<li>Chaka Khan - I Feel For You (32XD-317)</li>
<li>Allman Brothers - Eat A Peach (P58P-25005)</li>
<li>Nile Rogers - B-Movie Matinee (32XD-308)</li>
</ul>
<p>I’m trying to pick up as many as possible now because once I leave Japan, the chance of finding many of these are practically non-existent. Plus I would have to pay hefty customs charges on each item.</p>
Brian Eno - The Ship2016-02-27T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/02/27/the-ship<p>Coming from <a href="https://bleep.com/release/70817-brian-eno-the-ship">Bleep</a> on April 29th.</p>
<p>Press Release:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Humankind seems to teeter between hubris and paranoia: the hubris of our ever-growing power contrasts with the paranoia that we’re permanently and increasingly under threat. At the zenith we realise we have to come down again… we know that we have more than we deserve or can defend, so we become nervous. Somebody, something is going to take it all from us: that is the dread of the wealthy. Paranoia leads to defensiveness, and we all end up in the trenches facing each other across the mud.</p>
<p>On a musical level, I wanted to make a record of songs that didn’t rely on the normal underpinnings of rhythmic structure and chord progressions but which allowed voices to exist in their own space and time, like events in a landscape. I wanted to place sonic events in a free, open space.</p>
<p>One of the starting points was my fascination with the First World War, that extraordinary trans-cultural madness that arose out of a clash of hubris between empires. It followed immediately after the sinking of the Titanic, which to me is its analogue. The Titanic was the Unsinkable Ship, the apex of human technical power, set to be Man’s greatest triumph over nature. The First World War was the war of materiel, ‘over by Christmas’, set to be the triumph of Will and Steel over humanity. The catastrophic failure of each set the stage for a century of dramatic experiments with the relationships between humans and the worlds they make for themselves.</p>
<p>I was thinking of those vast dun Belgian fields where the First World War was agonisingly ground out; and the vast deep ocean where the Titanic sank; and how little difference all that human hope and disappointment made to it. They persist and we pass in a cloud of chatter.</p>
<p>Written in the late sixties, Lou Reed’s song ‘I’m Set Free’ seems even more relevant now than it did then. Perhaps anybody who’s read Yuval Noah Harari’s ‘Sapiens’ will recognise the quiet irony of “I’m set free to find a new illusion”… and its implication that when we step out of our story we don’t step into ‘the truth’ - whatever that might be - but into another story.</p>
<p>This album is a succession of interleaved stories. Some of them I know, some of them I’m discovering now in the making of them.</p>
<p>Wave. After. Wave. After. Wave.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Sounds very pretentious. Hope the music is better than this nonsense.</p>
It Could Happen2016-02-27T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/02/27/it-could-happen<p>People are beginning to ponder the idea that Donald Trump could actually be the next president of the United States. Historically, one wonders if the same fears surfaced when they elected a movie star to run the country.</p>
Apple versus the FBI2016-02-27T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/02/27/apple-versus-fbi<p>I have a feeling this FBI versus Apple thing is going to drag on for years. There is simply too much at stake on both sides.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.wired.com/2016/02/forcing-apple-hack-iphone-sets-dangerous-precedent/">Wired</a> article:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>At first glance, the issue seems simple: Why shouldn’t law enforcement have access to information that could help us hunt down other terrorists or even to help prevent other terrorist attacks in the future?</p>
<p>But this simplification overlooks the reason why companies have built their systems so securely to begin with: namely, to prevent criminals, terrorists and hackers from gaining access to our private and sensitive information. It’s a huge technological breakthrough that engineers are able to build systems so secure that even their own architects cannot break into them. And it’s why major players in the tech industry—from Facebook and Twitter to Microsoft and Google—are lining up to support Apple’s stance.</p>
</blockquote>
The worst video game in history2016-02-22T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/02/22/the-worst-videogame-in-history<p>The video game of Steven Spielberg’s ET is considered to be one of the worst of all time and has even been blamed for triggering the collapse of Atari. Howard Scott Warshaw, the gifted programmer who made it, <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-35560458">explains how it was rushed out in a matter of weeks</a> - and how he feels about those events in California now.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“Things just started to unravel,” says Warshaw. “It’s awesome to be credited with single-handedly bringing down a billion-dollar industry with eight kilobytes of code. But the truth is a little more complex.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>I remember hearing about the landfill story many years ago. I had no idea it was true.</p>
Not a marketing strategy2016-02-22T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/02/22/apple-encryption<p>Apple has shared a new <a href="http://www.apple.com/customer-letter/answers/">Q&A page</a> that explains why the company is opposing a court order to create a unique version of iOS that would bypass security protections and allow an iPhone to be unlocked by way of a brute-force attack.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Law enforcement agents around the country have already said they have hundreds of iPhones they want Apple to unlock if the FBI wins this case. In the physical world, it would be the equivalent of a master key, capable of opening hundreds of millions of locks. Of course, Apple would do our best to protect that key, but in a world where all of our data is under constant threat, it would be relentlessly attacked by hackers and cybercriminals. As recent attacks on the IRS systems and countless other data breaches have shown, no one is immune to cyberattacks.</p>
<p>Again, we strongly believe the only way to guarantee that such a powerful tool isn’t abused and doesn’t fall into the wrong hands is to never create it.</p>
</blockquote>
Lost Sounds of Antiquity2016-02-21T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/02/21/lost-sounds-of-antiquity<p>Great piece by Adrienne Lafrance in <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2016/02/byzantine-angel-wings/470076/">The Atlantic</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>History is mostly silent to us now. Thousands of years of human stories have been told in paintings, and sculptures, and sheet music, and text; in shards and shells, and other fragments of things left behind. But because the history of recorded sound is only 160 years old, the original sounds of the distant past are lost to time.</p>
</blockquote>
A 150 million dollar failure2016-02-21T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/02/21/150-million-failure<p>Eli Stokols writing for <a href="http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/02/jeb-bush-dropping-out-set-up-to-fail-213662">Politico Magazine</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“The rules all changed this year. It was all about taking on the establishment,” said a Republican operative close to the Bush family. “When you’re the son and brother of former presidents, the grandson of a U.S. senator, how do you run in a year like this? It is just a year of personality, not message. All of a sudden, there was no path for him. They just kept falling back on his record as governor, which is all he has—and no one gives a shit.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Surprising that it took the Republicans <em>this</em> long to figure that out. There was simply no way the public were ever going to tolerate a third Bush in the White House. It at least proves that money does not buy everything.</p>
The Road Through The Woods2016-02-20T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/02/20/the-road-through-the-woods<p>A short excerpt:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>All of this happened a very long time ago, before you and I were here. There once was a place in the world that looked a little bit like here but it was actually very different indeed. Autumn lay in the fields and along the empty road through the woods where no-one ever went anymore.</p>
</blockquote>
Rain2016-02-20T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/02/20/rain<p>Beginning to wonder if it will ever stop raining. Some CDs I ordered arrived recently. I have been trying to pick up as many reasonably priced items as possible because it is unlikely I will ever be returning to Japan. To import would mean higher prices and customs charges.</p>
<ul>
<li>Grace Jones - Inside Story (CP32-5186)</li>
<li>Genesis - The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway (28VD-1030)</li>
<li>Rush - Signals (258P-5169)</li>
<li>Propaganda - A Secret Wish (P35D-20007)</li>
<li>Laura Branigan - Branigan (38XP-64)</li>
<li>The Cars - Heartbeat City (38XP-76)</li>
<li>The Human League - Crash (32VD-1041)</li>
<li>Alan Silvestri - The Abyss (VSD-5235)</li>
<li>Toto - Hydra (35DP-42)</li>
</ul>
<p>Went to the Post Office about the delivery pick-up but it seems I have to phone them. Only twenty work days left.</p>
Leaving Japan2016-02-20T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/02/20/japan<p>I made the decision back in July of last year that I would leave Japan permanently. It simply doesn’t give me the same lifestyle anymore and I think there is a better long-term future back in England. I don’t believe it was ever my intention to live here forever.</p>
<p>I need a greater degree of financial security than I currently have. I also am thinking more and more about saving and buying my own property. I have amassed a lot of stuff over the past ten years but I wonder how much of it has really made me happy.</p>
<p>Waking up each morning and enjoying the prospect of the day ahead is something that is more important to me as I get older.</p>
<p>This last year has really been like a farewell note to a country I enjoyed for many years. In some ways I feel sad that I cannot stay here but in truth, my interest in Japan has waned over the last five years. Maybe that’s only natural. I don’t think <em>that</em> many people have the same interest for their entire life.</p>
Ghost Story2016-02-18T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/02/18/ghost-story<p>I decided to re-read <a href="http://geni.us/3MHa">Ghost Story</a> by Peter Straub. I first read it in the early 90s and thought it was time to revisit again.</p>
<p>It’s nearly the end of the week.</p>
Twenty-Three2016-02-16T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/02/16/twenty-three<p>That’s how many working days I have left. Printed out my customs forms ready for the weekend.</p>
Alternative Workspaces2016-02-15T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/02/15/alternative-workspaces<p>Mark Johanson <a href="http://www.bbc.com/capital/story/20160120-alternative-workspaces-turning-your-home-into-a-breadwinner">writing for the BBC</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>When 48-year-old Londoner Cathy Eastburn had to give up full-time work in early 2015 due to ill health, she began looking for ways to make some additional income. That’s when she stumbled across Vrumi, a website that helped her rent out her living room as office space for location independent workers.</p>
</blockquote>
Numerous2016-02-14T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/02/14/numerous<p>This past year I have been using the excellent <a href="http://numerousapp.com">Numerous</a> to keep track of things. I currently have twenty-five teaching days left.</p>
Lost Geographies2016-02-14T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/02/14/lost<p>Still working on my new book (title as above). Also continuing with a young adult fantasy tale that has been in development for some time. I’d like to get that one finished in the next few weeks.</p>
<p>I only have six weeks left now before I return to England. Trying to get everything together now. It takes time.</p>
Books2016-02-14T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/02/14/books<p>Just a reminder that my two books, a novel and a collection of short stories <a href="http://geni.us/I5i">are available on kindle</a>.</p>
<p>I am currently reading Algernon Blackwood’s <a href="http://geni.us/3k0C">Four Weird Tales</a>.</p>
After Dark, My Sweet2016-02-14T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/02/14/after-dark-my-sett<p>I recently saw this film from way back in 1990. It has an incredibly good Maurice Jarre score but that is only matched by the sheer excellence of the film itself.</p>
<p>Roger Ebert review from 2005:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“After Dark, My Sweet” is the movie that eluded audiences; it grossed
less than $3 million, has been almost forgotten, and remains one of the purest and most uncompromising of modern films noir. It captures above all the lonely, exhausted lives of its characters.</p>
</blockquote>
Writing2016-02-11T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/02/11/writing<p>Continuing with my new writing but it’s slow right now. Sometimes it’s just a case of waiting for inspiration to arrive. Writing about the past is sometimes not a good way to spend my time. It’s better to live in the moment.</p>
Ticket2016-02-11T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/02/11/ticket<p>My ticket has been booked now and I will be flying on Sunday, March 30th. It also means that I will get to see China - well at least the airport in Shanghai.</p>
Wrapping2016-02-10T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/02/10/wrapping<p>I went into Okayama today to try and get a decent amount of bubble wrap for my boxes of magazines. I went to the main Post Office. Also went to the doctor about my cold. I managed to find a shop just up the road that had loads of cheap bubble-wrap.</p>
Interior Darkness2016-02-09T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/02/09/interior-darkness<p>Peter Straub has a <a href="http://geni.us/3jXV">collection</a> of his tales released on February 16th. The book encompass a range of his short stories spanning some twenty-five years.</p>
<p>Amazon:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Peter Straub has spent forty years at the forefront of modern literary horror. The stories assembled here represent his astonishing range and his ability to terrify, transport, and hold a reader hostage. “Mr. Clubb and Mr. Cuff” is a darkly comic masterpiece in which a stern estate lawyer known as the Deacon hires a pair of “Private Detectives Extraordinaire” to investigate and seek revenge on his unfaithful wife. In “The Ballad of Ballard and Sandrine,” a man and his much younger lover explore their decadent and increasingly sinister fantasies on a luxurious yacht in the remotest stretch of the Amazon River. “Blue Rose” finds violence and power in the hands of the most innocent among us, leading to a conclusion that is fully surprising and devastating. Each story cracks the foundation of our reality and opens our eyes, taking us further and further into the darkness that normally remains deeply, and safely, hidden. Interior Darkness is the gold standard of literary horror.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>I’m not sure about the ‘gold standard’. I’ve found his work to be of varying quality over the years but I’m happy to be proven wrong. My biggest concern is that the collection doesn’t feature anything new or previously unpublished.</p>
Packing2016-02-07T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/02/07/packing<p>Started packing my stuff properly now. The magazines are boxed and I now need to get the paperwork put on the side and some more wrapping inside.</p>
<p>I also cleared out a good deal of the stuff I accumulated this past year that I won’t need. It feels good to be finally getting my things ready to go back home.</p>
Windows Phone2016-01-30T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/01/30/windows-phone<p>Tom Warren, The Verge:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>With a lack of hardware, lack of sales, and less than 2 percent market share, it’s time to call it: Windows Phone is dead. Real Windows on phones might become a thing with Continuum eventually, but Windows Phone as we know it is done. It won’t stop Microsoft producing a few handsets every year as a vanity project, but for everyone else it’s the end of the line.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>I don’t think anyone ever thought this had a future.</p>
Mike Oldfield2016-01-30T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/01/30/mike-oldfield<p>Next month sees the release of two albums from his work in the 1980s. The first is <a href="http://geni.us/2y9r">Discovery</a> from 1984. The second is <a href="http://geni.us/BCi">The Killing Fields</a>, the soundtrack to the film of the same name released in 1985. Both releases feature new masterings and bonus tracks. The Japanese editions also come in paper jacket sleeves with SHM-CD discs.</p>
House of Cards2016-01-30T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/01/30/house-of-cards<p>The 4th of March sees new episodes following the Machiavellian Frank Underwood, who is now mid-election as sitting President of the United States - and has spared no-one along the way.</p>
<p>I am hoping for something better this time. The last season was slow and plodding with most of the surprises easy to predict.</p>
The Circus2016-01-30T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/01/30/circus<p>The race to the White House. Those that are running are some of the wealthiest, privileged people in the world and yet that is not enough. Somehow, their egos have deluded them into thinking they can run a country.</p>
Jacob's Ladder2016-01-28T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/01/28/jacobs-ladder<p>I recently sat down to watch this and was reminded of how much movies have changed in many respects. Quite simply, a film like this would never be made today. Indeed, back when the film was originally released, the reception was muted. However, over the years it has attained some degree of a cult following and I can see why. There is something very odd about the movie in general, quite apart from its subject matter.</p>
<p><a href="http://geni.us/2lJR">Jacob’s Ladder</a> was released in 1990 and directed by British director, Adrian Lyne. It concerns the strange and hallucinatory experiences of Jacob, played by Tim Robbins. In part, the story is derived from the tale, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/An_Occurrence_at_Owl_Creek_Bridge">An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge</a> written by American author, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ambrose_Bierce">Ambrose Bierce</a> (1842-1914). There is also some inspiration from the work of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Bacon_%28artist%29">Francis Bacon</a> - especially in terms of the creature designs. The haunting and evocative music was written by Maurice Jarre, one of the greatest films composers ever - although having said that, his work on Jacob’s Ladder (apart from the main piano theme) feels more like something he may have been commissioned to do between other scores. It’s not his best work but it does work well within the confines of the film. The gritty exteriors of late 1980s New York (a world that has vanished now) are all there on screen and work very well. The subway sequence near the beginning is also very nice.</p>
<p>The problem writing about the movie is that it is very difficult to do so without giving too much away. The story revolves around the ideas of parting, loss and the possibility of the after-life. If these things appeal to you, I highly recommend the film. You can pick it up <a href="http://geni.us/2lJR">here</a>.</p>
Flu Continues2016-01-28T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/01/28/flu-continues<p>Despite being dosed up with plenty of medicine, this bout of flu still has a hold of me. I’ve missed the last two days of work and with tomorrow being Friday, I don’t think I will be back to normal until Monday.</p>
<p>Trying to catch up with some reading. So many books. I’ve probably got more than I can realistically get through.</p>
<p>I picked up the new <a href="http://geni.us/2zqW">Steve Wilson</a> album a few days ago but I don’t find it as interesting as his last few albums. In fairness, it’s mostly a series of tracks that didn’t fit in with previous albums.</p>
<p>Also, I’m managing to get a little more writing done.</p>
Maurice Jarre2016-01-28T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/01/28/dreamscapes<p>Listening to <a href="http://www.discogs.com/Maurice-Jarre-Dreamscape-Original-Soundtrack/release/1928746">Dreamscapes</a>. A somewhat obscure soundtrack from the early 1980s. It isn’t one of Maurice Jarre’s best works but it does have a few good moments. The film is also worth looking out for.</p>
Apple Watch2016-01-28T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/01/28/apple-watch<p>Justin Blanton writing on <a href="https://anxiousrobot.net/i-don-t-miss-my-apple-watch-ff5096556394#.kx0c04s4d">Anxious Robot</a> about why he got rid of his Apple Watch.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>I knew from jump that I was going to get one. I mean, of course I was. But, I bought it thinking that it likely wouldn’t provide me enough utility to remove permanently the mechanical beauties from my wrist. For a short time I was wrong. I wasn’t terribly happy about it, but that was the reality. Then I came to my senses.</p>
</blockquote>
Super2016-01-27T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/01/27/super<p>A new Pet Shop Boys album is due on April 1st.</p>
Dalhous - House No. 442016-01-27T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/01/27/dalhous<p>Really excited to hear <a href="http://blackesteverblack.com/releases/the-composite-moods-collection-vol-1-house-number-44/">this</a> album. One of my favourite discoveries in recent years. I really enjoyed their past few releases.</p>
Flu2016-01-26T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/01/26/flu<p>Coming down with the flu again. Despite all my best efforts to ward off a cold, it’s the season for headaches, shivers and runny noses. My working environment doesn’t help but what can you do? I’ve got the surgical mask and portable soap dispenser.</p>
<p>Stoked to see a new/old reissue for <a href="https://boomkat.com/products/amore-ost">Vangelis</a> on Boomkat. Pricey but essential.</p>
Serving Fonts with Cloudfront2016-01-25T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/01/25/cloudfront-fonts<p>Running into some issues trying to get fonts to appear correctly using AWS Cloudfront. They are fine when viewing the site endpoint but as my domain name points to a cloudfront distribution, they refuse to appear. I have tried modifying the behaviour of the forward headers but still no luck.</p>
Bad Weather2016-01-24T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/01/24/snow<p>Keep hearing that we might get some snow today. Time to put on more clothes.</p>
Neil Gaiman2016-01-24T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/01/24/sleeper-spindle<p>Neil Gaiman has a new fantasy book out. It’s called <a href="http://geni.us/iKe">The Sleeper and the Spindle</a> and you can pick it up almost anywhere. It’s a fairy tale of sorts.</p>
Nine & 1/2 Weeks2016-01-24T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/01/24/nine-and-a-half-weeks<p>With the forthcoming release of ‘50 Shades of Grey’, I was reminded to look again at a film I have not seen in its entirety for quite a few years. The film is called <a href="http://geni.us/13WG">9 ½ Weeks</a>, released in 1986 and directed by Adrian Lyne. It starred Mickey Rourke and Kim Basinger. At the time, it was a commercial disaster with low ticket sales and poor reviews. Lyne had previously made ‘Flashdance’ and went on to direct ‘Fatal Attraction’ which was a very pivotal film during the late 1980s. He also made ‘Indecent proposal’ with Demi Moore. Lyne has mostly constructed films that revolve around the powerful and destructive nature that govern romantic relationships. He was also part of a group of British directors that were more or less totally responsible for saving the fortunes of Hollywood during the 1980s. The others were Ridley Scott (and his brother Tony Scott) and Alan Parker.</p>
<p>Watching ‘9½ Weeks’ again, more than twenty five years later, I think it’s a real masterpiece that has been overlooked and forgotten. The story revolves around Elizabeth (Basinger) who works as an art gallery assistant. She becomes entwined with John, a very handsome and enigmatic Wall Street trader (Rourke). She quickly falls in love with him but their relationship soon begins to break all the rules. Cross-dressing, bondage and sex in public places. Doesn’t that remind you of a recently released series of books?</p>
<p>I haven’t read any of the ‘Shades of Grey’ books but just watching the trailer and reading the plot put me in mind of this film - one that had already covered similar territory very convincingly almost thirty years ago. ‘9½ Weeks’ was actually made in 1984 but shelved for two years.</p>
<p>It comes across now as a somewhat dated film in terms of fashion - although some will find a beautiful nostalgia in so many scenes, shopping at Commes Des Garçons, Elizabeth’s hair style and hat, John’s Nakamichi RX-505 cassette deck, McIntosh amplifier and Manhattan loft apartment. All these things were the height of cool once upon a time. Another point where the film excels is the beautiful photography with scenes filmed in a variety of atmospheric locations in New York. You can look <a href="http://www.onthesetofnewyork.com/9andahalfweeks.html">here</a> for a full list.</p>
<p>The soundtrack features many artists that were a staple of the 1980s but the best music is the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aakg0TAA_Z0">main love theme</a> written by Jack Nitzsche - a haunting and melancholic piece that somehow totally encompasses the emotions of the movie. Nitzsche was a master at this sort of thing. As a young man, this simple piano piece affected me greatly. Other composers included are Jean-Michel Jarre, Eurythmics, Stewart Copeland and Bryan Ferry</p>
<p>The acting in ‘9½ Weeks’ is really good and I cannot understand how it was so panned at the time. There is a real tension in the performances - which was fueled by rumors of on-set conflict between Mickey Rourke and Kim Basinger.</p>
<p>I do not know precisely why this particular film has had such a strange hold over me all these years. The plot is slight and in many ways, it could be criticized for having more style than substance. And yet it continues to haunt me. I think partly it must be the nostalgic value due to the fact that I first saw it as a teenager. But that doesn’t explain it all. I think it is a smart and stylish movie with a soundtrack that suits it very well. The closing minutes are also particularly memorable - especially as the main theme is repeated there too after Elizabeth finally leaves John and walks away crying into the New York twilight, surrounded by strangers.</p>
<p>If you get time, I strongly urge you to check out ‘9½ Weeks’. It remains a classic film from decades past.</p>
<p>You can pick up the DVD from Amazon <a href="http://geni.us/13WG">here</a>.</p>
The Wind Took Your Answer Away2016-01-23T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/01/23/wind<p>A collection of ten short stories. A tour through time and space. Enter a strange past with stories that almost could be or might have been - A post office hides an unwelcome secret; a world where words are cyclical; cherry blossoms that herald something unspeakable and a boy who finds beauty among the tidal pools.</p>
<p>You can pick it up <a href="http://www.jasonnewton.net/the-wind-took-your-answer-away">here</a> on Kindle.</p>
Listening in 20152016-01-23T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/01/23/listening-2015<p>As with last year, these are in no order. They were all enjoyable and inspired me in some way.</p>
<ul>
<li>Steve Roach - Emotions Revealed</li>
<li>Slashing Cousin - Fallen Gods</li>
<li>VHS Head - Sara Eat Neon</li>
<li>Jade Statues - Executive Towers</li>
<li>Devon Folklore Tapes - Mid-Winter Rites & Revelries</li>
<li>Pye Audio - Prowler</li>
<li>Samoyed - Saturday</li>
<li>Paper Dollhouse - Plutonic Rainbows</li>
<li>David Bedford - Instructions For Angels</li>
<li>Maurice Jarre - Fatal Attraction</li>
<li>MediaFired - The Pathway Through Whatever</li>
<li>Oneohtrix Point Never - Garden Of Delete</li>
<li>Keith Seatman - A Rest Before The Walk</li>
<li>New Order - Music Complete</li>
<li>Drab Majesty - Careless</li>
<li>Night Sequels - The Children Of The Might Make Music</li>
<li>Howard Jones - Human’s Lib</li>
<li>Mark Isham - The Hitcher</li>
<li>Wang Chung - Mosaic</li>
<li>The The - Hyena</li>
<li>Meat Beat Manifesto - Kasm02</li>
<li>Steve Roach - Etheric Imprints</li>
<li>Jon Brooks - Walberswick</li>
<li>Advisory Circle - Other Channels</li>
<li>John Carpenter - Lost Themes</li>
<li>Alva Noto - Xerox Vol 3</li>
<li>The Cars - Door To Door</li>
<li>Best Available Technology - Excavated Tapes 1992-1999, Vol 2</li>
<li>William Basinski - The Deluge</li>
<li>The Orb - Moonbuilding</li>
<li>William Basinski & Richard Chartier - Divertissment</li>
<li>Stewart Copeland - The Equaliser & Other Cliffhangers</li>
<li>Prince - Purple Rain</li>
<li>Tim Story - Beguiled</li>
<li>Oneohtrix Point Never - Commissions 2</li>
<li>Night Sequels - Crime EP</li>
<li>Steve Wilson - Hand Cannot Erase</li>
<li>Paper Dollhouse - Aeon Flower</li>
<li>Steve Roach - Invisible</li>
<li>Hans Zimmer - Interstellar</li>
</ul>
Inexact Shadows2016-01-23T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/01/23/inexact-shadows<p>My first novel is available on <a href="http://www.jasonnewton.net/inexact-shadows">kindle</a> if you feel so inclined. The story is a thriller set partly on an island.</p>
Introduction2016-01-03T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/01/03/introduction<p><em>The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde</em> tells the story of a lawyer investigating the connection of two persons, Dr. Henry Jekyll and Mr. Edward Hyde. Chief among the novel’s supporting cast is a man by the name of Mr. Poole, Dr. Jekyll’s loyal butler.</p>
<hr />
<p>Poole is the butler for <a href="http://jekyllrb.com">Jekyll</a>, the static site generator. It’s designed and developed by <a href="https://twitter.com/mdo">@mdo</a> to provide a clear and concise foundational setup for any Jekyll site. It does so by furnishing a full vanilla Jekyll install with example layouts, pages, posts, and styles.</p>
<p>There are currently three themes built on Poole:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://hyde.getpoole.com">Hyde</a></li>
<li><a href="http://lanyon.getpoole.com">Lanyon</a></li>
<li><a href="http://enfield.getpoole.com">Enfield</a></li>
</ul>
<p>Learn more and contribute on <a href="https://github.com/poole/poole">GitHub</a>.</p>
<h3 id="whats-included">What’s included</h3>
<p>Poole is a streamlined Jekyll site designed and built as a foundation for building more meaningful themes. Poole, and every theme built on it like this one, includes the following:</p>
<ul>
<li>Complete Jekyll setup included (layouts, config, <a href="/404.html">404</a>, <a href="/atom.xml">RSS feed</a>, posts, and <a href="/about">example page</a>)</li>
<li>Mobile friendly design and development</li>
<li>Easily scalable text and component sizing with <code class="highlighter-rouge">rem</code> units in the CSS</li>
<li>Support for a wide gamut of HTML elements</li>
<li>Related posts (time-based, because Jekyll) below each post</li>
<li>Syntax highlighting, courtesy Jekyll’s built-in support for Rouge</li>
</ul>
<p>Additional features are available in individual themes.</p>
<h3 id="browser-support">Browser support</h3>
<p>Poole and its themes are by preference a forward-thinking project. In addition to the latest versions of Chrome, Safari (mobile and desktop), and Firefox, it is only compatible with Internet Explorer 9 and above.</p>
<h3 id="download">Download</h3>
<p>These themes are developed on and hosted with GitHub. Head to the <a href="https://github.com/poole/poole">GitHub repository</a> for downloads, bug reports, and features requests.</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
Example content2016-01-02T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/01/02/example-content<div class="message">
Howdy! This is an example blog post that shows several types of HTML content supported in this theme.
</div>
<p>Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis <a href="#">dis parturient montes</a>, nascetur ridiculus mus. <em>Aenean eu leo quam.</em> Pellentesque ornare sem lacinia quam venenatis vestibulum. Sed posuere consectetur est at lobortis. Cras mattis consectetur purus sit amet fermentum.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Curabitur blandit tempus porttitor. Nullam quis risus eget urna mollis ornare vel eu leo. Nullam id dolor id nibh ultricies vehicula ut id elit.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Etiam porta <strong>sem malesuada magna</strong> mollis euismod. Cras mattis consectetur purus sit amet fermentum. Aenean lacinia bibendum nulla sed consectetur.</p>
<h2 id="inline-html-elements">Inline HTML elements</h2>
<p>HTML defines a long list of available inline tags, a complete list of which can be found on the <a href="https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTML/Element">Mozilla Developer Network</a>.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>To bold text</strong>, use <code class="highlighter-rouge"><strong></code>.</li>
<li><em>To italicize text</em>, use <code class="highlighter-rouge"><em></code>.</li>
<li>Abbreviations, like <abbr title="HyperText Markup Langage">HTML</abbr> should use <code class="highlighter-rouge"><abbr></code>, with an optional <code class="highlighter-rouge">title</code> attribute for the full phrase.</li>
<li>Citations, like <cite>— Mark otto</cite>, should use <code class="highlighter-rouge"><cite></code>.</li>
<li><del>Deleted</del> text should use <code class="highlighter-rouge"><del></code> and <ins>inserted</ins> text should use <code class="highlighter-rouge"><ins></code>.</li>
<li>Superscript <sup>text</sup> uses <code class="highlighter-rouge"><sup></code> and subscript <sub>text</sub> uses <code class="highlighter-rouge"><sub></code>.</li>
</ul>
<p>Most of these elements are styled by browsers with few modifications on our part.</p>
<h2 id="footnotes">Footnotes</h2>
<p>Footnotes are supported as part of the Markdown syntax. Here’s one in action. Clicking this number<sup id="fnref:fn-sample_footnote"><a href="#fn:fn-sample_footnote" class="footnote">1</a></sup> will lead you to a footnote. The syntax looks like:</p>
<figure class="highlight"><pre><code class="language-text" data-lang="text">Clicking this number[^fn-sample_footnote]</code></pre></figure>
<p>Each footnote needs the <code class="highlighter-rouge">^fn-</code> prefix and a unique ID to be referenced for the footnoted content. The syntax for that list looks something like this:</p>
<figure class="highlight"><pre><code class="language-text" data-lang="text">[^fn-sample_footnote]: Handy! Now click the return link to go back.</code></pre></figure>
<p>You can place the footnoted content wherever you like. Markdown parsers should properly place it at the bottom of the post.</p>
<h2 id="heading">Heading</h2>
<p>Vivamus sagittis lacus vel augue rutrum faucibus dolor auctor. Duis mollis, est non commodo luctus, nisi erat porttitor ligula, eget lacinia odio sem nec elit. Morbi leo risus, porta ac consectetur ac, vestibulum at eros.</p>
<h3 id="code">Code</h3>
<p>Inline code is available with the <code class="highlighter-rouge"><code></code> element. Snippets of multiple lines of code are supported through Pygments. Longer lines will automatically scroll horizontally when needed.</p>
<figure class="highlight"><pre><code class="language-js" data-lang="js"><span class="c1">// Example can be run directly in your JavaScript console
</span>
<span class="c1">// Create a function that takes two arguments and returns the sum of those arguments
</span>
<span class="kd">var</span> <span class="nx">adder</span> <span class="o">=</span> <span class="k">new</span> <span class="nb">Function</span><span class="p">(</span><span class="s2">"a"</span><span class="p">,</span> <span class="s2">"b"</span><span class="p">,</span> <span class="s2">"return a + b"</span><span class="p">);</span>
<span class="c1">// Call the function
</span>
<span class="nx">adder</span><span class="p">(</span><span class="mi">2</span><span class="p">,</span> <span class="mi">6</span><span class="p">);</span>
<span class="c1">// > 8</span></code></pre></figure>
<p>You may also optionally show code snippets with line numbers. Add <code class="highlighter-rouge">linenos</code> to the Pygments tags.</p>
<figure class="highlight"><pre><code class="language-js" data-lang="js"><table style="border-spacing: 0"><tbody><tr><td class="gutter gl" style="text-align: right"><pre class="lineno">1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8</pre></td><td class="code"><pre><span class="c1">// Example can be run directly in your JavaScript console
</span>
<span class="c1">// Create a function that takes two arguments and returns the sum of those arguments
</span>
<span class="kd">var</span> <span class="nx">adder</span> <span class="o">=</span> <span class="k">new</span> <span class="nb">Function</span><span class="p">(</span><span class="s2">"a"</span><span class="p">,</span> <span class="s2">"b"</span><span class="p">,</span> <span class="s2">"return a + b"</span><span class="p">);</span>
<span class="c1">// Call the function
</span>
<span class="nx">adder</span><span class="p">(</span><span class="mi">2</span><span class="p">,</span> <span class="mi">6</span><span class="p">);</span>
<span class="c1">// > 8</span><span class="w">
</span></pre></td></tr></tbody></table></code></pre></figure>
<p>Aenean lacinia bibendum nulla sed consectetur. Etiam porta sem malesuada magna mollis euismod. Fusce dapibus, tellus ac cursus commodo, tortor mauris condimentum nibh, ut fermentum massa.</p>
<h3 id="gists-via-github-pages">Gists via GitHub Pages</h3>
<p>Vestibulum id ligula porta felis euismod semper. Nullam quis risus eget urna mollis ornare vel eu leo. Donec sed odio dui.</p>
<noscript><pre>400: Invalid request</pre></noscript>
<script src="https://gist.github.com/13f94b734a4ddb132735.js?file=gist.md"> </script>
<p>Aenean eu leo quam. Pellentesque ornare sem lacinia quam venenatis vestibulum. Nullam quis risus eget urna mollis ornare vel eu leo. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Donec sed odio dui. Vestibulum id ligula porta felis euismod semper.</p>
<h3 id="lists">Lists</h3>
<p>Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Aenean lacinia bibendum nulla sed consectetur. Etiam porta sem malesuada magna mollis euismod. Fusce dapibus, tellus ac cursus commodo, tortor mauris condimentum nibh, ut fermentum massa justo sit amet risus.</p>
<ul>
<li>Praesent commodo cursus magna, vel scelerisque nisl consectetur et.</li>
<li>Donec id elit non mi porta gravida at eget metus.</li>
<li>Nulla vitae elit libero, a pharetra augue.</li>
</ul>
<p>Donec ullamcorper nulla non metus auctor fringilla. Nulla vitae elit libero, a pharetra augue.</p>
<ol>
<li>Vestibulum id ligula porta felis euismod semper.</li>
<li>Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus.</li>
<li>Maecenas sed diam eget risus varius blandit sit amet non magna.</li>
</ol>
<p>Cras mattis consectetur purus sit amet fermentum. Sed posuere consectetur est at lobortis.</p>
<dl>
<dt>HyperText Markup Language (HTML)</dt>
<dd>The language used to describe and define the content of a Web page</dd>
<dt>Cascading Style Sheets (CSS)</dt>
<dd>Used to describe the appearance of Web content</dd>
<dt>JavaScript (JS)</dt>
<dd>The programming language used to build advanced Web sites and applications</dd>
</dl>
<p>Integer posuere erat a ante venenatis dapibus posuere velit aliquet. Morbi leo risus, porta ac consectetur ac, vestibulum at eros. Nullam quis risus eget urna mollis ornare vel eu leo.</p>
<h3 id="images">Images</h3>
<p>Quisque consequat sapien eget quam rhoncus, sit amet laoreet diam tempus. Aliquam aliquam metus erat, a pulvinar turpis suscipit at.</p>
<p><img src="http://placehold.it/800x400" alt="placeholder" title="Large example image" />
<img src="http://placehold.it/400x200" alt="placeholder" title="Medium example image" />
<img src="http://placehold.it/200x200" alt="placeholder" title="Small example image" /></p>
<h3 id="tables">Tables</h3>
<p>Aenean lacinia bibendum nulla sed consectetur. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.</p>
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Name</th>
<th>Upvotes</th>
<th>Downvotes</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tfoot>
<tr>
<td>Totals</td>
<td>21</td>
<td>23</td>
</tr>
</tfoot>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Alice</td>
<td>10</td>
<td>11</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Bob</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>3</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Charlie</td>
<td>7</td>
<td>9</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>Nullam id dolor id nibh ultricies vehicula ut id elit. Sed posuere consectetur est at lobortis. Nullam quis risus eget urna mollis ornare vel eu leo.</p>
<hr />
<p>Want to see something else added? <a href="https://github.com/poole/poole/issues/new">Open an issue.</a></p>
<div class="footnotes">
<ol>
<li id="fn:fn-sample_footnote">
<p>Handy! Now click the return link to go back. <a href="#fnref:fn-sample_footnote" class="reversefootnote">↩</a></p>
</li>
</ol>
</div>
What's Jekyll?2016-01-01T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2016/01/01/whats-jekyll<p><a href="http://jekyllrb.com">Jekyll</a> is a static site generator, an open-source tool for creating simple yet powerful websites of all shapes and sizes. From <a href="https://github.com/jekyll/jekyll/blob/master/README.markdown">the project’s readme</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Jekyll is a simple, blog aware, static site generator. It takes a template directory […] and spits out a complete, static website suitable for serving with Apache or your favorite web server. This is also the engine behind GitHub Pages, which you can use to host your project’s page or blog right here from GitHub.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>It’s an immensely useful tool. Find out more by <a href="https://github.com/jekyll/jekyll">visiting the project on GitHub</a>.</p>
Jekyll and CSS2015-07-13T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2015/07/13/css<p>One of my favorite things about Jekyll is how it gets out of the way and lets you, the designer, actually design. Jekyll imposes no type of structure or framework, no default classes, layout, or coding conventions. You’re free to structure and style your content as you see fit. As such how you plan and author your styles is entirely up to you. There are, however, a few things you want to keep in mind when writing CSS for a Jekyll site.</p>
<p>###Location</p>
<p>Normally I like to keep styles in a directory titled <strong>_css</strong>. This naming convention doesn’t work for Jekyll, as an underscore at the beginning of a directory signals Jekyll to process the contents of the directory and not to include it in the final directory structure. As such to ensure your CSS is copied to the finished site be sure to name it <strong>css</strong> or a similar name that doesn’t start with an underscore.</p>
<p>###Linking</p>
<p>There are essentially two ways to link to external resources like CSS within Jekyll pages and templates. One would be to use the site baseURL to prefix your CSS files:</p>
<figure class="highlight"><pre><code class="language-html" data-lang="html"><span class="nt"><link</span> <span class="na">rel=</span><span class="s">"stylesheet"</span> <span class="na">href=</span><span class="s">"{{ site.baseurl }}/css/main.css"</span><span class="nt">></span></code></pre></figure>
<p>If your site will always be served from the root folder, you can eliminate the <code class="highlighter-rouge">site.url</code> object and just use a <strong>site-root relative</strong> link:</p>
<figure class="highlight"><pre><code class="language-html" data-lang="html"><span class="nt"><link</span> <span class="na">rel=</span><span class="s">"stylesheet"</span> <span class="na">href=</span><span class="s">"/css/main.css"</span><span class="nt">></span></code></pre></figure>
<p>It’s important to note here that relative links for assets like CSS can be difficult when hosting sites on <a href="https://pages.github.com/" title="Github Pages">Github Pages</a>. Essentially there are two ways to host pages on Github Pages, as either user/organization pages or project pages.</p>
<p>User and organization pages live in a GitHub repository dedicated to only the GitHub Pages files and are stored in the <strong>master branch</strong>. This repository must be named after the account name, which will be <strong>username.github.io</strong>.</p>
<p>Project Pages are stored in the same repository as the project they are for, except that the website content is stored in a specially named <strong>gh-pages</strong> branch. The <strong>master</strong> branch can hold the project itself, or even be empty.</p>
<p>This matters because if the site is served through a project page, its baseURL changes as the site is served through a subpath of your user domain at <strong>username.github.io/project</strong>. This means that in these cases, you’ll need to set your baseURL to <code class="highlighter-rouge">/project-name</code>. Note the leading slash and no trailing slash. This can also lead to problems when testing the files locally, so be sure to read Jekyll’s documentation on <a href="http://jekyllrb.com/docs/github-pages/" title="Github Pages documentation">hosting with Github Pages</a> for a full account.</p>
<p>###Jekyll and SASS</p>
<p>Jekyll comes with built-in support for SASS, so there’s no need to install or modify your configuration in order to make it work. There are, however, one or two things you need to keep in mind as you work with SASS in Jekyll.</p>
<p>First, in order to ensure Jekyll processes SASS files, you need to put an empty front matter string at the top of the page. You can include a comment if you’d like, but it doesn’t really matter. So include this at the top of each SASS file:</p>
<div class="highlighter-rouge"><pre class="highlight"><code>---
# Front matter added to ensure Jekyll processes file.
---
// write styles after front matter
</code></pre>
</div>
<p>If you look at Jekyll’s default directory structure, you no doubt saw the <strong>_sass</strong> directory, which can lead to some confusion about where to place SASS files. Jekyll copies over any processed SASS file in the exact same location it was processed. So, if you have the file <strong>css/styles.scss</strong> it will be processed and placed at <strong>css/styles.css</strong> in the generated site. The <strong>_sass</strong> directory is for SASS import files. If you place the partial <code class="highlighter-rouge">.scss</code> files that you are importing and use <code class="highlighter-rouge">@import</code> to assemble them into your main stylesheet, Jekyll will process and assemble them at runtime.</p>
<p>So if you do something like this in your main <code class="highlighter-rouge">.scss</code> file:</p>
<div class="highlighter-rouge"><pre class="highlight"><code>---
# Front matter added to ensure Jekyll processes file.
---
// Imports
@import "type";
@import "layout";
@import "components";
//styles
</code></pre>
</div>
<p>Place the files <code class="highlighter-rouge">type.scss</code>, <code class="highlighter-rouge">layout.scss</code>, and <code class="highlighter-rouge">components.scss</code> in the <strong>_sass</strong> directory and Jekyll will do the rest!</p>
Markdown Basics2015-06-29T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2015/06/29/markdown-basics<p>In Jekyll, content for pages and posts can be written in either HTML or Markdown. Although there will be times that HTML is the more appropriate choice, Markdown provides a more natural writing environment that makes blogging easier and less of a chore. In this post we’ll examine how Jekyll uses Markdown and cover some basic Markdown syntax.</p>
<p>If you’ve never used it before, Markdown is a text-to-HTML converter that let’s you write text naturally in plain text format and then convert it to valid HTML. To learn more about it, read John Gruber’s post introducing Markdown on <a href="http://daringfireball.net/projects/markdown/" title="Introducing Markdown">Daring Fireball</a>.</p>
<p>Jekyll supports multiple Markdown rendering engines and allows you to specify which engine to use in the site’s configuration. Currently Jekyll supports <a href="http://kramdown.gettalong.org/index.html" title="Kramdown">Kramdown</a>, <a href="https://github.com/vmg/redcarpet" title="Redcarpet">Redcarpet</a>, and <a href="http://dafoster.net/projects/rdiscount/" title="Rdiscount">RDiscount</a>, although you’re free to use any rendering engine you have installed or even write your own!</p>
<p>To specify a rendering engine, simply add this line to your <strong>_config,yml</strong> file:</p>
<div class="highlighter-rouge"><pre class="highlight"><code>markdown: kramdown
</code></pre>
</div>
<p>For the most part, the rendering engines are the same, although they do have subtle differences in syntax and element support. Currently Kramdown is the default Markdown renderer for Jekyll. Let’s take a look at some basic Kramdown syntax.</p>
<p>The following passage:</p>
<div class="highlighter-rouge"><pre class="highlight"><code>#My main heading
{: .intro }
This is my initial paragraph. In it I’d like to provide a link to the [Jekyll homepage](http://jekyllrb.com/ "Jekyll"). I want to add **bold** and *italic* formatting to text as well using the `strong` and `emphasis` tags.
This is another paragraph. I’d like to follow it with an unordered list.
* item 1
* item 2
* item 3
</code></pre>
</div>
<p>Would be rendered in HTML as:</p>
<figure class="highlight"><pre><code class="language-html" data-lang="html"><span class="nt"><h1</span> <span class="na">class=</span><span class="s">"intro"</span><span class="nt">></span>My main heading<span class="nt"></h1></span>
<span class="nt"><p></span>This is my initial paragraph. In it I’d like to provide a link to the <span class="nt"><a</span> <span class="na">href=</span><span class="s">"http://jekyllrb.com/"</span> <span class="na">title=</span><span class="s">"Jekyll"</span><span class="nt">></span>Jekyll homepage<span class="nt"></a></span>. I want to add <span class="nt"><strong></span>bold<span class="nt"></strong></span> and <span class="nt"><em></span>italic<span class="nt"></em></span> formatting to text as well using the <span class="nt"><code></span>strong<span class="nt"></code></span> and <span class="nt"><code></span>emphasis<span class="nt"></code></span> tags.<span class="nt"></p></span>
<span class="nt"><p></span>This is another paragraph. I’d like to follow it with an unordered list.<span class="nt"></p></span>
<span class="nt"><ul></span>
<span class="nt"><li></span>item 1<span class="nt"></li></span>
<span class="nt"><li></span>item 2<span class="nt"></li></span>
<span class="nt"><li></span>item 3<span class="nt"></li></span>
<span class="nt"></ul></span></code></pre></figure>
<p>As you can see, Markdown frees you from many of the structural restraints that would make it difficult to author something like a blog post using HTML. To write two paragraphs, for example, you simply write two paragraphs, no <p> tags or special formatting required. Let’s take a quick look at how to format some of the basic HTML elements in Kramdown.</p>
<p>###Paragraphs</p>
<p>Consecutive lines of text are formatted as a single paragraph. As a block level element, you must to add a blank line after it to separate it from other block-level elements.</p>
<div class="highlighter-rouge"><pre class="highlight"><code>This is a paragraph.
This is as well.
</code></pre>
</div>
<p>Renders as:</p>
<figure class="highlight"><pre><code class="language-html" data-lang="html"><span class="nt"><p></span>This is a paragraph.<span class="nt"></p></span>
<span class="nt"><p></span>This is as well.<span class="nt"></p></span></code></pre></figure>
<p>###Headings</p>
<p>There are multiple ways to format headings in Kramdown. The easiest is to preceed the heading with hash characters (<strong>#</strong>) equal to the heading level. An <code class="highlighter-rouge">h1</code> for example, would be written as <code class="highlighter-rouge">#heading 1</code>.</p>
<div class="highlighter-rouge"><pre class="highlight"><code># This is a heading 1
## This is a heading 2
### This is a heading 3
</code></pre>
</div>
<p>Renders as:</p>
<figure class="highlight"><pre><code class="language-html" data-lang="html"><span class="nt"><h1></span>This is a heading 1<span class="nt"></h1></span>
<span class="nt"><h2></span>This is a heading 2<span class="nt"></h2></span>
<span class="nt"><h3></span>This is a heading 3<span class="nt"></h3></span></code></pre></figure>
<p>###Blockquotes</p>
<p>Blockquotes are formatted using the “greater than” character (<strong>></strong>) at the start of the blockquote. Text inside a blockquote is wrapped with a paragraph.</p>
<div class="highlighter-rouge"><pre class="highlight"><code>> This is a blockquote.
</code></pre>
</div>
<p>Renders as:</p>
<figure class="highlight"><pre><code class="language-html" data-lang="html"><span class="nt"><blockquote></span>
<span class="nt"><p></span>This is a blockquote.<span class="nt"></p></span>
<span class="nt"></blockquote></span></code></pre></figure>
<p>###Ordered Lists</p>
<p>To create an ordered list, simply type a list started by a number followed by a period. Each list item should be on a separate line. Nested lists are created by indenting a list underneath an existing list item.</p>
<div class="highlighter-rouge"><pre class="highlight"><code>1. This is the first item
2. This is the second item
3. This is the third item
1. This is a nested list
2. More nested list
4. This is the fourth item.
</code></pre>
</div>
<p>Renders as:</p>
<figure class="highlight"><pre><code class="language-html" data-lang="html"><span class="nt"><ol></span>
<span class="nt"><li></span>This is the first item<span class="nt"></li></span>
<span class="nt"><li></span>This is the second item<span class="nt"></li></span>
<span class="nt"><li></span>This is the third item
<span class="nt"><ol></span>
<span class="nt"><li></span>This is a nested list<span class="nt"></li></span>
<span class="nt"><li></span>More nested list<span class="nt"></li></span>
<span class="nt"></ol></span>
<span class="nt"></li></span>
<span class="nt"><li></span>This is the fourth item.<span class="nt"></li></span>
<span class="nt"></ol></span></code></pre></figure>
<p>###Block-level attributes</p>
<p>Often you may wish to assign attributes to block-level elements. To do this, follow the element with a <em>block inline attribute list</em> (block IAL). A block IAL consists of a left curly brace, followed by a colon, the attribute definitions and a right curly brace.</p>
<div class="highlighter-rouge"><pre class="highlight"><code># Apply the class “main” to this heading
{: .main}
</code></pre>
</div>
<p>Renders as:</p>
<figure class="highlight"><pre><code class="language-html" data-lang="html"><span class="nt"><h1</span> <span class="na">class=</span><span class="s">"main"</span><span class="nt">></span>Apply the class “main” to this heading<span class="nt"></h1></span></code></pre></figure>
<p>Classes are applied with the syntax <code class="highlighter-rouge">.className</code> and IDs with <code class="highlighter-rouge">#ID-name</code>. For any other attribute you simply write the desired syntax:</p>
<div class="highlighter-rouge"><pre class="highlight"><code># Another heading with the ‘role’ attribute applied
{: role="banner"}
</code></pre>
</div>
<p>Renders as:</p>
<figure class="highlight"><pre><code class="language-html" data-lang="html"><span class="nt"><h1</span> <span class="na">role=</span><span class="s">"banner"</span><span class="nt">></span>Another heading with the ‘role’ attribute applied
<span class="nt"></h1></span></code></pre></figure>
<p>For multiple attributes, create a space-separated list inside the blockIAL.</p>
<div class="highlighter-rouge"><pre class="highlight"><code># This heading has two classes and one ID applied
{: .class1 .class2 #ID-1}
</code></pre>
</div>
<p>Renders as:</p>
<figure class="highlight"><pre><code class="language-html" data-lang="html"><span class="nt"><h1</span> <span class="na">class=</span><span class="s">"class1 class2"</span> <span class="na">id=</span><span class="s">"ID-1"</span><span class="nt">></span>This heading has two classes and one ID applied<span class="nt"></h1></span></code></pre></figure>
<p>###Inline formatting</p>
<p>Emphasis can be added to text by surrounding the text with either asterisks or underscores. This will result in wrapping the content in either the <code class="highlighter-rouge">strong</code> or <code class="highlighter-rouge">emphasis</code> tag depending upon how many are used:</p>
<div class="highlighter-rouge"><pre class="highlight"><code>I want to wrap **this text** in a strong tag and *this text* in an emphasis tag.
</code></pre>
</div>
<p>Renders as:</p>
<figure class="highlight"><pre><code class="language-html" data-lang="html"><span class="nt"><p></span>I want to wrap <span class="nt"><strong></span>this text<span class="nt"></strong></span> in a strong tag and <span class="nt"><em></span>this text<span class="nt"></em></span> in an emphasis tag.<span class="nt"></p></span></code></pre></figure>
<p>###Links</p>
<p>You can create a link by surrounding the text with square brackets and then directly following it with the link URL in parentheses. To add a title attribute, add the desired title in straight quotes (“ “) after the link URL.</p>
<div class="highlighter-rouge"><pre class="highlight"><code>I usually search using [Google](https://www.google.com "Google").
</code></pre>
</div>
<p>Renders as:</p>
<figure class="highlight"><pre><code class="language-html" data-lang="html"><span class="nt"><p></span>I usually search using <span class="nt"><a</span> <span class="na">href=</span><span class="s">"https://www.google.com"</span> <span class="na">title=</span><span class="s">"Google"</span><span class="nt">></span>Google<span class="nt"></a></span>.<span class="nt"></p></span></code></pre></figure>
<p>###Images</p>
<p>Images are similar to links, but use an exclamation mark before the square brackets. The link text will become the alternative text of the image and the link URL specifies the image source.</p>
<div class="highlighter-rouge"><pre class="highlight"><code>![My dog](/images/Baxter.jpg)
</code></pre>
</div>
<p>Renders as:</p>
<figure class="highlight"><pre><code class="language-html" data-lang="html"><span class="nt"><img</span> <span class="na">src=</span><span class="s">"/images/Baxter.jpg"</span> <span class="na">alt=</span><span class="s">"My dog"</span><span class="nt">></span></code></pre></figure>
<p>As you can see, Markdown is simple to write, and once you’ve learned the basic formatting options, generating semantic HTML is fairly simple. One of the most powerful Markdown features is the ability to nest HTML directly inside a Markdown document. That way if you’re unable to use Markdown to get exactly the HTML you need, you can simply inject HTML into the document and then continue using Markdown.</p>
<p>For more information on Kramdown and for a more complete reference, visit Kramdown’s <a href="http://kramdown.gettalong.org/index.html" title="Kramdown">project page</a>.</p>
Basic Commands2015-04-30T00:00:00+01:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2015/04/30/basic-commands<p>To control Jekyll you’ll run a series of commands within your command-line interface. The Jekyll gem gives you the <code class="highlighter-rouge">jekyll</code> executable, which has several commands and options you can use to build and serve your site. Let’s explore these commands and their options:</p>
<p>###build</p>
<figure class="highlight"><pre><code class="language-bash" data-lang="bash"><span class="gp">$ </span>jekyll build
<span class="c"># The current directory will be generated into ./_site</span>
<span class="gp">$ </span>jekyll build --destination <destination>
<span class="c"># The current folder will be generated into <destination></span>
<span class="gp">$ </span>jekyll build --source <<span class="nb">source</span>> --destination <destination>
<span class="c"># The <source> folder will be generated into <destination></span></code></pre></figure>
<p>Build does just that; it takes the contents of the current directory and generates it into the destination directory. If that directory is not specified, it defaults to the <code class="highlighter-rouge">_site</code> directory inside the current directory. Both the source and destination directories can be passed as options, just provide the path to the directory after the option.</p>
<p>###doctor</p>
<figure class="highlight"><pre><code class="language-bash" data-lang="bash"><span class="gp">$ </span>jekyll doctor
<span class="c"># Checks for URL conflicts</span></code></pre></figure>
<p>The <code class="highlighter-rouge">doctor</code> command checks your site for URL conflicts, errors with your permalinks, and deprecation warnings. This can be especially useful if you’ve moved pages around or reorganized your site.</p>
<p>###help</p>
<figure class="highlight"><pre><code class="language-bash" data-lang="bash"><span class="gp">$ </span>jekyll <span class="nb">help</span>
<span class="c"># Generates help documentation</span></code></pre></figure>
<p>The <code class="highlighter-rouge">help</code> command generates a small help document that lists the current version of Jekyll, and reviews available commands and their options.</p>
<p>###new</p>
<figure class="highlight"><pre><code class="language-bash" data-lang="bash"><span class="gp">$ </span>jekyll new <path>
<span class="c"># Generates new site scaffold in targeted directory</span>
<span class="gp">$ </span>jekyll new .
<span class="c"># Generates new site scaffold in current directory</span>
<span class="gp">$ </span>jekyll new --blank <path>
<span class="c"># Generates basic site scaffold with empty directories and files</span></code></pre></figure>
<p>The <code class="highlighter-rouge">new</code> command generates a default Jekyll site in the specified directory. This is an extremely useful way to understand how Jekyll works, as you can explore and modify the default site. It’s also a great way to jump-start development, since many of the files and directories you need to create a Jekyll site will be created for you. The <code class="highlighter-rouge">blank</code> option creates a minimal directory structure with no files and an empty index file.</p>
<p>###serve</p>
<figure class="highlight"><pre><code class="language-bash" data-lang="bash"><span class="gp">$ </span>jekyll serve
<span class="c"># Builds site and serves it at http://localhost:4000/</span>
<span class="gp">$ </span>jekyll serve --detach
<span class="c"># Same as `jekyll serve` but will detach from the current terminal.</span>
<span class="gp">$ </span>jekyll serve --no-watch
<span class="c"># Same as `jekyll serve` but will not watch for changes or autoregenerate site.</span></code></pre></figure>
<p>The <code class="highlighter-rouge">serve</code> command generates the site and launches a built-in development server that allows you to preview your site. In its default option the server watches the source directory. Any changes made to source files will result in the server automatically regenerating those files and updating the site locally. To preview your site browse to http://localhost:4000/ unless you’ve specified a different base URL, in which case you’ll add that to the end of localhost:4000.</p>
Blogging2015-02-28T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2015/02/28/blogging<p>This is where I will put my first text at the start.</p>
Quotes2015-02-23T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2015/02/23/quotes<p>In this post, I will try to find a way so that I can show a quote from someone using a an indented bar to indicate what they have said. Hopefully, it will go something like below.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>It was announced that the chairman of the company is to recieve a rise in his annual salary because he has done so well. However, investors worry that this is trent that shows no sign of stopping.</p>
</blockquote>
My First Post2015-02-23T00:00:00+00:00http://plutonicrainbows.com/2015/02/23/first-post<p>I have tried to write my first post. It is written using a static blog generator with Ruby and Jekyll. I have not added any css of my own yet. Hopefully, I can do that in time. If all goes well, I can get this thing up and running without too much fuss.</p>