Julianna Barwick’s musical style lies somewhere between the collective voice of a choir and what the ghost of a pod of whales might sound like. Consisting of loops and wordless vocalizations that recall a higher-pitched cousin of throat singing, it’s a decidedly unique listening experience.
Arts
Psych rock, polyamory, and cult life: The Source Family documentary to open nationwide
During the 1970s commune boom, a charismatic man known as Father Yod founded a vegetarian restaurant in Los Angeles. Named The Source, this and his background in several religious movements led to Yod attracting a group of followers who viewed him as both father figure and spiritual guru. This “family” went on to form a psychedelic rock group known as Ya Ho Wa 13 but was forced to flee to Hawaii when local authorities began questioning its unconventional activities. Barely a year later, Yod died in a hang-gliding accident.
This is an abbreviated history of The Source Family.
Tattoo Nation documentary traces the evolution of black-and-gray ink
Chances are that you or someone you know has a tattoo. Statistics say that one-third of adults under 40 have at least one, and, as this writer can tell you, they become addictive. But tattoos weren’t always the greatly detailed portraits and canvases you see now. Pre-drawn designs, or flash, was it. So what changed?
I only want you to love me: Miles Aldridge’s Stepford sexuality
Photographer Miles Aldridge poses women in traditional roles. Secretary, socialite, stay-at-home mom — you’ll see all of these portrayed in his work. But looking deeper you notice that something is deeply, horribly wrong. These women, while engaged in what might be enjoyable activities, all possess the dull stare of living mannequins.
Tool to release Opiate special edition for EP’s 21st anniversary
Tool has announced a special-edition reissue of its debut EP, Opiate, for the album’s 21st anniversary on March 26, 2013. Named after the famed Karl Marx quote, the original album was released in 1992 on Zoo Entertainment.
“Hollywood Dooom”: Wild GIF-iti art for Thom Yorke’s Atoms for Peace
Atoms for Peace: Amok (XL, 2/26/13)
With super-group Atoms for Peace dropping its debut album yesterday, it’s fitting to stop and take a look at the LP’s excellent artwork.
Designed by longtime Radiohead collaborator Stanley Donwood, it shows Los Angeles suffering meteoric doom. And as part of the promotion for the record, XL Recordings commissioned one crazy GIF-iti piece by artist INSA over its Los Angeles office.
Down’s Phil Anselmo announces Housecore Horror Film Festival
Heavy metal has always paired well with horror. The album covers, the lyrical content, the feeding of celebrities to your god on stage (thanks, GWAR!) — it all lends itself to an image of fear and darkness. Well, Phil Anselmo of Down and Pantera is taking things to their logical conclusion.
Audible color, expounded: Chromatic contributor David Metcalfe presents “Visual Music 101”
A contributor to our book Chromatic: The Crossroads of Color and Music, David Metcalfe is a researcher into the relationship between tone and color. If you’re in Chicago, don’t miss his talk “Visual Music 101” this Sunday, February 17, at the Spudnik Press Annex.
Watch insane strobe and LED effects set to Norwegian art-metal band KILLL
Featured in our book Chromatic: The Crossroads of Color and Music along with member and über-collagist / visual artist Are Mokkelbost (who also records as Single Unit), KILLL is/was a live-only art-metal project from Oslo that must be experienced in person. Now, chances are that you haven’t been to Oslo, so you’ll have to make due with this, an excerpt recorded at the band’s final show on September 13, 2012.