S.o.t.D. - Soulfull Sorrow – Smote

Soulfull Sorrow – Smote

Typically epic chugger from Smote.

S.o.t.D. - Toys – EastColors

Toys – EastColors

Tune! I need to pay attention to that Program label.

S.o.t.D. - Dust (Floex remix) – Hidden Orchestra

Dust (Floex remix) – Hidden Orchestra

S.o.t.D. - Come Before Christ And Murder Love – Death In June

Come Before Christ And Murder Love – Death In June

D.i.J. are playing in Toronto tonight. Will I be there?

S.o.t.D. - In Your Room – Depeche Mode

In Your Room – Depeche Mode

S.o.t.D. - Techno Pop – Kraftwerk

Techno Pop – Kraftwerk

Brilliant. I can still recall how this album, and more specifically, this track techno popped my world in 86. You could grumble about scant and infrequent output from them, but upon hearing some of the sounds and catchy bits and production they put into this, it sated. The part a half minute in...hhmmmhhh.

S.o.t.D. - Rainy Way Back Home – Nujabes

Rainy Way Back Home – Nujabes

Such a hauntingly sweet tune. Just beautiful. (And if you enjoyed this, and I sure hope you did, a kind soul put together this hour long edit.)

S.o.t.D. - A.O.R. – Towa Tei (with Lina Ohta)

A.O.R. – Towa Tei (with Lina Ohta)

A groovy little chugger, in the same aloof style of Röyksopp. With a sexy, yet unsexy video.

Innis & Gunn White Oak Wheat Beer

Inspired by the aromas and flavours more typically found in a cup of Earl Grey tea, this German style Kristallweizen beer has been brewed at a warmer temperature to encourage sweeter, spicier flavours to develop. The brew has been aged over oak and then infused with dried bergamot and blood orange to create a fragrant and refreshing finish.

Yummers!

The Beaches

Was in Toronto for a rare visit last week. Covered 13 kilometers on foot on Sunday and and another 28 on Monday. Both days were beautiful, and I wanted to both hit a few shops and also just to walk for walkings sake. One of the places I went to was the Beaches (although some call it just the Beach.)

On one of the rock breakwaters.

Looking back towards Toronto in the west. When I used to live out here, I came out to the breakwaters almost daily for an evening smoke and listen to tunes on headphones. 

S.o.t.D. - Spessujopo – Elaksi

Spessujopo – Elaksi

Epic and monolithic feel to this...yet flexible and silky. Well done.

Scientists try to answer why Dutch people are so tall

I was having a conversation on Friday night with a friend (whose background is also Dutch) about this very subject.

Scientists try to answer why Dutch people are so tall 

S.o.t.D. - Praise The Most Fly (Zuper Remix) – AbJo

Praise The Most Fly (Zuper Remix) – AbJo

Tasty stuff. I prefer this remix more than the original mainly because the drums were too much in the original. I mainly just dug the melody and the swing of the tune. Which this gives.

S.o.t.D. - Respire E Parar! (LongLiveJayDee...) – AbJo

Respire E Parar! (LongLiveJayDee...) – AbJo

Really sweet track with the crystal guitars delivering a great tune over the really fun and playful trippy trip hoppy beats.

S.o.t.D. - Noon Affair – Force Of Nature

Noon Affair – Force Of Nature

Suuuuuper chilled out. Great on headphones. Great on a beautiful chilled out afternoon.

S.o.t.D. - Tribute To Jb Family – The Last Minister

Tribute To Jb Family – The Last Minister

Not familiar enough with all of James Brown’s stuff to tell you exactly what’s all being sampled here, but what I do know for certain that this Italian artist created a track that is an absolute barnstormer.

S.o.t.D. - Sharpness – Jamie Woon

Sharpness – Jamie Woon

My pal Trish said this is smoovy. Groovy and smooth.

S.o.t.D. - Twenty Questions – Ivy Lab

Twenty Questions – Ivy Lab

Gorgeous voice perfectly complements this dark and soulful D&B track.

S.o.t.D. - Before You Leave – Soular Order

Before You Leave – Soular Order

S.o.t.D. - Ganja Farmer – Bandulu Dub (with Ras Bruno and Sammy Gold)

Ganja Farmer – Bandulu Dub (with Ras Bruno and Sammy Gold)

I’ve known a few ganja farmers in my time.

S.o.t.D. - Don’t Give Up (On Love) – Blinkie

Don’t Give Up (On Love) – Blinkie

Great vocals, great tune, great production.

S.o.t.D. - Chunky – Format:B

Chunky – Format:B

Fulfilling the requirement for more cowbell.

S.o.t.D. - Fratres – Arvo Pärt

Fratres (for wind octet and percussion) – Arvo Pärt

Appropriate for today.

By the I Fiamminghi, the Orchestra of Flanders under the direction of Rudolf Werthen.

S.o.t.D. - Metal Field – SPK

Metal Field – SPK

A long time ago a friend gave me a video tape with a live SPK performance, circa 81 or so. Shocking imagery, and chaotic noise. This track was featured though and it was surprisingly catchy. It always stuck in my head, but only just now did I go on the hunt for it. After sifting through a bunch of chaotic noise, I found out what it was. Yay! Interwebs.

S.o.t.D. - Nag Nag Nag – Cabaret Voltaire

Nag Nag Nag – Cabaret Voltaire

Noisy and catchy all at the same time.

S.o.t.D. - That Time of Day (Again) – Jaywalkers

That Time of Day (Again) – Jaywalkers

Features a sample from Bridge Through Time by Lonnie Liston Smith.

S.o.t.D. - Poppy’s Song – Big Muff

Poppy’s Song – Big Muff

S.o.t.D. - Just Move – Uneaq

Just Move – Uneaq

Deep hop. Samples Joints & Jam by the Black Eyed Peas.

Conical Supernumerary Tooth

I know. You’re probably saying to yourself, “Vree, what the unholy hell is that?!’

Well, let me tell you.

It is a conical supernumerary tooth. The medical condition is called Hyperdontia. When I was, not certain any more, 14, 15, I had an extra tooth grow out of the roof of my mouth, behind my normal teeth. I thought it was pretty damn cool. Made me fairly certain I was a vampire, because that sure as hell looks like one of my fangs coming in. My mom insisted I have it removed however. I hissed and spread my cape, but she wasn’t having any of it. Damnit!

All the dentists came to have a look at the freak with the fang. Then it was unceremoniously yanked out. They cracked it and chipped it a bit in doing so. I should have sued for dental malpractice. Damaging my priceless fang like that.

I drilled a hole in it, and made an ear ring out of it.

I know. You’re probably saying to yourself “Vree, you’re unholy, but I consider myself pretty lucky that I know a sideshow freak like you.”

S.o.t.D. - Down The Road – Lurob

Down The Road – Lurob

Discovered this on a Mark Farina Mushroom Jazz set. So, triphoppy.

S.o.t.D. - Dinosaurs (Jon Kennedy Remix) – Bonobo

Dinosaurs (Jon Kennedy Remix) – Bonobo

Bonobo is pretty much godlike, but that greatness can still be compounded by a good remix.

S.o.t.D. - Through These Eyes – Quantic

Through These Eyes – Quantic

A bit peppier than I am used to from Quantic, but certainly not in any way a bad thing.

S.o.t.D. - Touched the Sky – Dennis Ferrer

Touched the Sky – Dennis Ferrer

Still one of the best house tracks ever. Timeless classic.

S.o.t.D. - Kemistry (Grooverider VIP) – Goldie

Kemistry (Grooverider VIP) – Goldie

I’ve featured the Doc Scott remix of this track before. I’ve also seen this track credited to Rufige Kru, who I gather is none other than Goldie.

Bibliophilia: Horrorstör – Grady Hendrix

Horrorstör – Grady Hendrix

Clever, and very fun, take on the haunted house story. A modern take on an old standby, as it’s set in an Ikea like store. And the book is designed with a nod to their catalogues. The illustrations of furniture that precede each chapter become more sinister as the book goes on. From student dorm to torture chamber. I hear there is talk of making it into a TV show. Well suited to it.

An examples from the divider pages.

6° of Russack

Years ago my girlfriend was on a flight to Vancouver to connect with a flight to Australia. Woman sitting next to her. A greeting is exchanged but not much more. A while later a stewardess comes around with a meal.
“Meal for Russack.”
They both answer in the affirmative. Not a very common surname. As they’re both looking at each other with surprise, the stewardess says,
“K. Russack.”
They both answer in the affirmative.
Okay. This is getting weird.
“Vegetarian meal for K. Russack.”
And once again, they both raise their hand.
She was a Karen Russack, a vegetarian from Winnipeg. Mine was a Kathryn Russack, a vegetarian from London, Ontario by way of Australia. Seated beside each other.

What are the odds of that?

Hitchcraft: Button Knots

The lace on my Merrell Pulsates broke. 

Good thing I have a bin of parachute cord at my disposal. I had a choice of brown or desert camo. Went with the latter. 

I have no way of adding an aglet (what the little thing at the end of your laces is called - there to help get the lace through the eyelets and prevents the cotton most cheap laces are made from from unravelling.) 

I put a button knot on the end. My main interest was in preventing it from pulling back through the eyelet.

Crafty and jazzes them up a little bit.