duchess

Magnetic Movie from Semiconductor on Vimeo.

more work by semiconductor

Semiconductor 200 Nanowebbers from Semiconductor on Vimeo.

Brilliant Noise from Semiconductor on Vimeo.

Sylvania ad from Thailand

animation by Brian Frisk

Duchess:2008:05:30 71.5mb 128kbps mp3
01 Gobbledigook [Sigur Ros] 00:00:00:00
02 Poor Me [Eugene Francis Jr] 00:03:02:35
03 I Will Possess Your Heart [Death Cab For Cutie] 00:07:46:69
04 The Gentle Rain (RJD2 Remix) [Astrud Gilberto] 00:16:02:57
05 white winter hymnal [fleet foxes] 00:21:54:20
06 Out On The Street, Again [Etta James] 00:24:17:70
07 should i stay or should i blow [brighton port authority] 00:28:24:63
08 hold it in (Andrew Maury remix) [jukebox the ghost] 00:30:54:67
09 No Biterz (Lowclub Radio Mix) [Miss TK & The Revenge] 00:34:45:55
10 Stragglers Moon [The Fratellis] 00:39:03:61
11 Hare Krishna (King Britt Funke Remix) [Tony Scott] 00:43:17:34
12 wildbirds [The Moths!] 00:50:10:62
13 Black Pashmina [Dert] 00:53:40:42
14 I Go I Go I Go [wavemachines] 00:57:36:46
15 Kenya Dig it? [The Ruby Suns] 01:00:39:38
16 Do you blame me [the pragmatic] 01:04:47:21
17 Cool Green [The High Violets] 01:08:13:13
18 erasmus (broke one RMX) [The Phonograph] 01:11:47:55
19 Inversion [Mark Ronson] 01:16:18:28

Brighton Port Authority [featuring David Byrne & Dizze Rascal] – Toe Jam

Duchess:2008:05:30 73.1mb 128kbps mp3
01 Dinah and the Beautiful Blue [Thomas Feiner & Anywhen] 00:00:00:00
02 Naked Hour [Baby Fox] 00:05:19:69
03 Ghosts (Toxic Avenger Mix) [Ladytron] 00:08:11:30
04 This Boy’s In Love [The Presets] 00:11:46:27
05 I’m Good, I’m Gone [Lykke Li] 00:15:50:01
06 Childhood Blues [Nôze] 00:18:56:00
07 Do You Mean That? [He Said] 00:27:15:53
08 Da Da Da [Señor Coconut] 00:30:48:54
09 How We Do [Mount Sims] 00:34:02:22
10 Sycamore [Negativeland] 00:37:50:44
11 The Saddest Song [Morphine] 00:39:50:12
12 Supermayer Lost In Tiergarten [Rufus Wainwright] 00:42:39:68
13 All We Are (Robjn Radio Mix) [Fischerspooner] 00:56:03:28
14 We Live As We Dream, Alone [Gang of Four] 00:59:16:34
15 Raintime [The Wolfgang Press] 01:02:50:50
16 Walcott [Vampire Weekend] 01:07:22:33
17 End Of The World [Rob Dickinson] 01:10:58:18
18 mirando [ratatat] 01:15:59:69

Jarratt Moody

Duchess:2008:04:28 71.7mb 128kbps mp3
01 You Know I Tried [D*R*I] 00:00:00:00
02 On The Dub-Ble [DJ Krush] 00:03:30:62
03 Cold Shoulder (Basement Jaxx) [Adele] 00:09:12:50
04 Happy Ending [Pizzicato Five] 00:11:58:48
05 Hard To Beat (Minotaur Shock Mix) [Hard-Fi] 00:16:51:00
06 Spit It Out [IAMX] 00:22:11:48
07 I Don’t Know [Lily Allen] 00:25:47:25
08 Space For Rent [Whomadewho] 00:29:10:23
09 Mr.Maker [The Kooks] 00:34:13:44
10 Goodnite [Melody Gardot] 00:37:10:49
11 Believe [Gus Gus] 00:40:09:49
12 And Relax! [The Cinematic Orchestra] 00:47:16:74
13 Umbrella [Scott Simons] 00:52:04:49
14 Do you love me? [Amanda Jenssen] 00:55:41:52
15 The Creator Has A Master Plan [Brooklyn Funk Essentials] 00:59:11:10
16 yoa (the twelves remix) [Theatre of Disco] 01:04:53:09
17 Adore [i:Cube] 01:08:58:58
18 Heartbeats [Jose Gonzalez] 01:15:36:14

Duchess:2008:04:07 72.6mb 128kbps mp3
01 Fools [The Dodos] 00:00:00:00
02 Undatow [Huski] 00:04:16:23
03 break [cinematics] 00:08:21:44
04 I.C.E. [antibalas] 00:12:16:71
05 Crimewave (Crystal Castles vs Health) [Crystal Castles] 00:20:25:33
06 Never Talking To You Again [Foo Fighters] 00:24:40:51
07 Nylon Smile (Scienticians Remix) [Portishead] 00:26:13:40
08 Sgt. Rock Is Going To Help Me [XTC] 00:31:01:34
09 Time To Pretend [MGMT] 00:34:34:70
10 Don’t You Worry [Jim Noir] 00:38:51:34
11 Ant Music [OK Go] 00:42:16:40
12 Cliquot [Beirut] 00:45:07:43
13 Mambo Sinuendo [Ry Cooder & Manuel Galban] 00:48:53:40
14 Kriss Kross [Guillemots] 00:51:17:29
15 Paper Float [Cassettes Wont Listen] 00:55:37:17
16 Frustration (Mazen Murao Master) [The Whip] 00:59:47:61
17 Got The Time [Joe Jackson] 01:04:38:10
18 lights and music [cut copy] 01:07:28:60
19 sunrise girl says… [lismore] 01:12:05:10
20 Hello Fuji Boy [Oh Astro] 01:15:56:33

The Man Who Sold The World. December 1979. SNL

Duchess:2008:03:24 72.2mb 128kbps mp3
01 Lolita [Throw Me The Statue] 00:00:00:00
02 The Trees Were Mistaken [Andrew Bird] 00:03:34:25
03 Half My Kingdon [Alina Simone] 00:09:58:57
04 Wátina (I Called Out) [Andy Palacio & The Garifuna Collective] 00:13:19:04
05 Soon We’ll Be Found [Sia] 00:17:55:60
06 Mercy [Duffy] 00:22:06:09
07 contort yourself (august darnell remix) [james white and the blacks] 00:25:40:02
08 big lost [diplo] 00:31:41:23
09 No Comply [Studio] 00:36:10:32
10 An Cat Dubh [U2] 00:41:44:05
11 Where Is My Mind [Yoav] 00:47:46:39
12 In Our Talons [Bowerbirds] 00:50:59:66
13 Run [Gnarls Barkley] 00:54:47:59
14 Disco [The Blows] 00:57:21:50
15 What Am I Fighting For? (LA Priest Remix) [Unklejam] 01:00:44:43
16 1685 (Bach) [Nosaj Thing] 01:04:20:46
17 Money [Jesca Hoop] 01:05:28:66
18 The White Flash (Featuring Thom Yorke) [Modeselektor] 01:10:27:08
19 3 Ghosts I [NIN] 01:14:59:61

Duchess:2008:02:28 72.4mb 128kbps mp3
01 Inside Out [The Mighty Lemon Drops] 00:00:00:00
02 Move With Me (Dub) [Neneh Cherry] 00:03:18:15
03 Elegia [New Order] 00:06:13:12
04 Run [Air] 00:10:16:38
05 You Only Live Twice [The Postmarks] 00:14:16:70
06 Winjer [Underworld] 00:17:07:51
07 Pass This On [The Knife] 00:21:34:11
08 bathroom gurgle [Late of the Pier] 00:25:12:38
09 Isla de Encanta [The Pixies] 00:29:46:41
10 Little Spot of Soul [Skeewiff] 00:31:25:64
11 This World [Supreme Beings of Leisure] 00:35:20:72
12 Yes/No [Bunky] 00:38:44:57
13 League Chicanos [Sebastien Tellier] 00:40:46:19
14 Golden Star (Alias Remix) [My Brightest Diamond] 00:43:50:19
15 tonight you belong to me [the bird the bee] 00:46:56:60
16 double down quick (nebulae’s sunset mix) [hot bitch arsenal] 00:49:39:60
17 is it any wonder [shortwave set] 00:54:30:00
18 Tu Moi Aussi? [Urbs] 00:58:53:20
19 Eden [Hooverphonic] 01:04:09:19
20 wish [Solvent] 01:07:37:74
21 Natri Ba Makom [The Apples] 01:10:49:47
22 Paris is Burning [St Vincent] 01:14:46:40

We Share Our Mother’s Health – The Knife
directed by Motomichi Nakamura

Duchess:2008:02:10 70.8mb 128kbps mp3
01 Vanishing Girl [Dukes of the Stratosphere] 00:00:00:00
02 Creepy Street [Walter Murphy] 00:02:57:56
03 Brown Piano (Remake By Studio) [A Mountain Of One] 00:04:25:18
04 Ms. Wilhelmina And Her Hat [Pepe Deluxe] 00:14:33:49
05 Gatekeeper (One Room One Hour Mix) [Feist] 00:20:46:73
06 Rhino Stomp [The Starlight Mints] 00:23:26:44
07 Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God) [Placebo] 00:26:51:18
08 Track 08 [Gaslamp Killer] 00:31:42:33
09 Just Abuse Me [Air Traffic] 00:35:55:70
10 Hold on [Apparat] 00:38:17:73
11 Witness [The New Mastersounds] 00:42:23:29
12 Club Thing (Gutter Remix by Aaron LaCrate) [Yoav] 00:47:40:64
13 Raquel [Neon Neon] 00:51:45:49
14 Divine [Sébastien Tellier] 00:56:46:63
15 New Soul [Yael Naim] 00:59:51:07
16 paper aeroplane [angus and julia] 01:03:23:26
17 Chasing Pavements [Adele] 01:06:56:56
18 Little Blue Mailbox [Fink] 01:10:22:47
19 happy rabbit [breakbot] 01:14:19:44

Elton John’s Yellow Brick Road by David LaChapelle

Duchess:2008:01:13 70.9mb 128kbps mp3
01 Paris [Friendly Fires] 00:00:00:00
02 Starts with One (Young Americans Remix) [Shiny Toy Guns] 00:03:43:60
03 what’s a girl to do [Bat For Lashes] 00:08:48:71
04 Foundations [Kate Nash] 00:11:42:60
05 Your Lips Are Red [St. Vincent] 00:15:31:73
06 GhettoWays [Scissors for Lefty] 00:20:04:60
07 Polite Dance Song [The Bird And The Bee] 00:24:32:16
08 Dashboard [Modest Mouse] 00:28:14:24
09 Atlas [Battles] 00:32:18:11
10 You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb [Spoon] 00:36:23:04
11 The Minaret [John Vanderslice] 00:39:11:49
12 Failsafe [The New Pornographers] 00:43:35:72
13 23 [Blonde Redhead] 00:46:04:20
14 Merrymaking At My Place (Kissy Sellout Remix) [Calvin Harris] 00:51:09:56
15 Breaker [Low] 00:57:14:11
16 The Way I Am [Ingrid Michaelson] 01:00:00:22
17 A Postcard To Nina [Jens Lekman] 01:02:10:22
18 Fraulein [Pale Young Gentlemen] 01:07:05:69
19 See A Penny (Pick It Up) [YACHT] 01:10:06:17
20 Most Likely You Go Your Way… (Mark Ronson Re-Version) [Bob Dylan] 01:13:46:67

One of my favorite bands of my youth, introduced to me by my friend Leigh. Must admit that once Hugh Cornwell left, I refused to listen to anything since. No other vocalist could do those songs justice. If you need a relatively concise history, try Wiki. And some may draw conclusions that Duchess is a Stranglers reference; they would be right. So here is a small grouping of their early videos, showcasing that distinctive gritty sound: complex bass lines, swirling Doors keys, and proto-punk attitude.

The Stranglers – Get a Grip On Yourself

The Stranglers – Straighten Out

The Stranglers – Bear Cage

The Stranglers – Duchess

The Stranglers – Nice ‘N’ Sleazy

The Stranglers – Sweden

The Stranglers – Nuclear Device

The Stranglers – 5 Minutes

Duchess:2008:01:06 74.9mb 128kbps mp3
01 Taper Jean Girl [Kings Of Leon] 00:00:00:00
02 Soul Finger [The Bar-Kays] 00:03:03:02
03 Impossible (Possible Remake by Studio) [Shout Out Louds] 00:05:07:33
04 Little Bit [Lykke Li] 00:10:26:15
05 all the pretty little horses [coil] 00:14:40:31
06 The Virus [Mutiny UK] 00:19:18:37
07 Archangel [Burial] 00:24:32:33
08 This [Brian Eno] 00:28:23:21
09 Early Winter [Keane] 00:31:44:47
10 Sin Frenos [Chico Mann] 00:35:43:56
11 Paris, Texas (InFlagranti Mix) [33hz] 00:41:50:25
12 All My Friends [LCD Soundsystem] 00:48:18:34
13 Shut Your Eyes (Glimmers Remix) [Snow Patrol] 00:55:51:59
14 Just You & I [dZihan & Kamien] 01:01:30:01
15 Banged And Blown Through [Saul Williams] 01:07:18:44
16 68 State [Gorillaz] 01:10:59:48
17 C’est Bien Mieux Comme Ca [Soha] 01:15:40:27

Declare Independence

Duchess:2007:12:18 71.7mb 128kbps mp3
01 If You Were Here [Cary Brothers] 00:00:00:00
02 Sua Jos Aattelen [Emma Salokoski Ensemble] 00:03:42:31
03 A and E [Goldfrapp] 00:06:49:61
04 Down Boy [Yeah Yeah Yeahs] 00:09:55:02
05 Electric Eel Wheel [27 11] 00:13:42:63
06 Jupiter Gives Wisdom To Those He Would Lose… [Cusp] 00:18:06:17
07 I exist therefore I sing [Tobiah] 00:23:01:49
08 Floating (Tronik Youth Mix) [Jape] 00:26:00:73
09 timebomb [Beck] 00:31:20:17
10 Valerie (live) [Amy Winehouse] 00:34:09:11
11 Twice [Little Dragon] 00:37:55:61
12 Lamaset (DJ Oud remix) [Jef Stott] 00:40:44:39
13 Moan (Trentemøller Remix Radio Edit) [Trentemøller] 00:46:50:72
14 Pick Up (four tet remix) [Bonobo] 00:50:16:73
15 Cold Blooded [Shivaree] 00:57:19:58
16 black apple (le freak cow bell version) [curtis vodka] 01:00:47:31
17 Zentrum [Echo Base Soundsystem] 01:08:00:72
18 Destroy Everything You Touch [Ladytron] 01:14:34:21

Larry Lessig: How creativity is being strangled by the law

This Sunday at the Bug Jar in Rachacha… there or square

Duchess:2007:11:21 71.9mb 128kbps mp3
01 we got we [1mm/sec] 00:00:00:00
02 Laisse Tomber Les Filles [April March] 00:04:10:24
03 numbers [booka shade] 00:06:11:37
04 505 [Arctic Monkeys] 00:09:31:04
05 Ear Parcel [Lamb] 00:13:35:32
06 perfect timing this morning [orba squara] 00:21:16:57
07 deadsound [the raveonettes] 00:24:39:47
08 need your needs [georgie james] 00:27:58:12
09 bombs [Faithless] 00:31:21:28
10 Ante Tus Ojos [Federico Aubele] 00:36:16:19
11 A Cautionary Song [The Decemberists] 00:40:29:44
12 Eveready [Turin Brakes] 00:43:35:45
13 Les Filles C’est Fait Pour Faire L’Amour [Mareva Galanter] 00:46:26:09
14 Toxic [Shawn Lee’s Ping Pong Orchestra] 00:49:09:68
15 Low is a height [Great Northern] 00:53:46:74
16 Weil weil weil [Einstuerzende Neubauten] 00:58:55:30
17 Idlewild [Julia Kent] 01:03:30:17
18 Tomoko [Hafdis Huld] 01:06:40:58
19 A Girl Like You [Mexican Institute of Sound] 01:09:52:56
20 Forces…Darling [Koop] 01:13:33:74

And a happy Turkey Day to all you dear readers/listeners et al; we are soon off to Brklyn to celebrate with Anti and klan.

My boy as a creepy bunny from Bioshock

Duchess:2007:10:28 69.3mb 128kbps mp3
01 Character Of The Moment (Sinewave remix) [Angelo Badalamenti] 00:00:00:00
02 15 Step [Radiohead] 00:04:23:57
03 Hilarious Movie of the 90s (Manitoba Remix) [Four Tet] 00:08:07:26
04 Little Words [Mint Royale] 00:13:37:47
05 Saliva [Mew] 00:17:58:58
06 Don’t Let Him Waste Your Time [Jarvis Cocker] 00:22:00:38
07 Yoga Means Union [Ambulance Ltd] 00:26:03:15
08 Milk and Honey [Prince Fatty] 00:30:49:59
09 Sordid [Amon Tobin] 00:34:29:57
10 Help Me Somebody [Brian Eno & David Byrne] 00:41:34:05
11 Get Myself Into It [The Rapture] 00:45:40:20
12 Chicago Falcon [The Budos Band] 00:50:17:49
13 Smiley Smiley [The Hylozoists] 00:53:57:51
14 Fluxus [The Dining Rooms] 00:55:34:07
15 100 Days 100 Nights [Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings] 01:01:18:52
16 Love Letter [The Easy Access Orchestra] 01:04:59:63
17 Mumble Head [Underground Lovers] 01:10:17:39

Liars – Plaster Casts Of Everything [dir Patrick Daughters]

Radiohead – Karma Police [dir Jonathan Glazer]

and another one directed by Jonathan Glazer:

U.N.K.L.E. – Rabbit in Your Headlights

Bat for Lashes – What’s a Girl to Do [dir Dougal Wilson]

I’ve come to a decision that hopefully will strip the tedium from maintaining this blog thingy. Since most of the commentary is seeded by notorious spammers, and my day is oft spent cleaning out the “awaiting moderation” folder; you (my dear listener) must now log in if you wish to comment. Wha?! you say… Well, if you really need to say something, send me a missive by clicking the all seeing X-eye at the top of the sidebar, and I will happily make you a member with all the advantages that go along with such a haughty status. As far as the stats show, most of you are content to listen quietly without the need to interject. So we’ll just try this for a while and see how it pans out.

Duchess:2007:09:30 69.9mb 128kbps mp3
01 Love Is Stronger Than Death [The The] 00:00:00:00
02 Library Chat [Michael Andrews] 00:04:34:01
03 Private Road [Bent] 00:07:17:74
04 My Melancholy Blues [Queen] 00:12:38:32
05 We Get On [Kate Nash] 00:15:58:06
06 Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa [Vampire Weekend] 00:20:24:67
07 Billy Brown [MIKA] 00:23:54:53
08 get lucky [dragonette] 00:27:02:49
09 How My Heart Behaves [Feist] 00:30:04:54
10 Three Changes [The Good, The Bad and The Queen] 00:34:19:13
11 Cars [Katzenjammers] 00:38:31:36
12 Oh Mandy [The Spinto Band] 00:41:14:11
13 Seeds Of Night [The Cave Singers] 00:44:34:17
14 Thursday (The Twelves Remix) [Asobi Seksu] 00:49:27:45
15 Fading [Baxter] 00:53:42:53
16 Fast As You Can [Fiona Apple] 00:59:21:56
17 the bomb [New Young Pony Club] 01:03:52:41
18 Sick [Sneaker Pimps] 01:07:58:02
19 Lets Go To Bed [Ivy] 01:12:09:52

Duchess:2007:09:04 66.5mb 128kbps mp3
01 Bloops, Bleeps, Bongos & Brass [The Coconut Monkeyrocket] 00:00:00:00
02 Last Words [The Real Tuesday Weld] 00:03:55:20
03 Mineral [air king sound] 00:08:44:29
04 Don’t Dream It’s Over [Sarah Blasko] 00:11:53:08
05 Les Femmes [Yelle] 00:16:25:51
06 Maybe Lately [Miracle Fortress] 00:20:37:44
07 Tempo Perdido [Pink Martini] 00:23:43:23
08 A Sunday Smile [Beirut] 00:27:20:71
09 Tonight Tonight [Rachel Z] 00:30:44:52
10 Crazy Afrobeat [Tony Allen] 00:35:54:48
11 Boogie No More (Reverso 68 Remix) [Dorfmeister Vs MDLA] 00:40:46:02
12 starz in their eyes [just jack] 00:46:13:41
13 lose myself [Lauryn Hill] 00:50:57:69
14 Momento [Bebel Gilberto] 00:55:24:38
15 Bamboo Houses [David Sylvian] 01:00:23:68
16 Burst Generator [Chemical Brothers] 01:05:40:36

I am still teetering on the edge of drive failure; and as I salvage my precious files, I was able to mix a quick podcast.

Beirut – Elephant Gun [video]

directed by Alma Har’el

if you’ve been a frequent flyer here, you know my love for the Beirut.
and the additional guilty pleasure of this season of SYTYCD [nudge.wink]...
here both needs are fed equally