11111

What are the chances?!

Oh, quite high actually…3x3x3x3x3=243 (‘3’ because the range of numbers is only 1,2 and 3)

So that’s a 1 in 243 chance. And if you include the odds of getting 22222 or 33333, then it drops to 1 in 81.

Still, it looks pretty.

Flippers do Diesel

Sometime collaborators of Cassette Electrik and On Rails – making our cool vids – have just produced the latest ad for Diesel’s Spring Collection.

It is actually a work of art and transcends mere advertising:

Nice work, guys!

 

 

Google Moogle

Loving Google’s Moog synth on their Google Doodle spot today, in honour of Robert Moog.

Here’s a quick challenge for you. Play this riff and let me know which classic 80’s song it’s from:

C C [ [ + + [ [
2 2 9 9 [
Q Q I I P

See it here: http://www.google.com/doodles/robert-moogs-78th-birthday
Official Google blog post: A tribute to Bob Moog, sonic doodler

Sinatra remix – Come Fly With Me

Here’s a remix of Frank Sinatra’s ‘Come fly with me’ I did for choreographer Nikki O’Hara. The dance piece it accompanies featured in the final year show at Bird College in 2011, and at the recent Move It dance festival/expo at Olympia in April 2012.

Was an interesting challenge to work with a piece of music that wasn’t recorded to a click-track. Ask me about how awesome Logic’s time-stretch functionality “Flextime” is for the full story.

I can’t embed a SoundCloud style file due to copyright issues – BORING! – so here’s an mp3 instead:

http://olifreke.co.uk/Sinatra/SINATRA_COME_FLY.mp3

(It starts getting tasty around the 1:45 mark…)

A nice Spotify app – Boil the frog

This is easily my favourite of the many Spotify apps out there: Boil the frog

Boil the Frog  is a Spotify App that will create playlists that gradually take you from one music style to another by analysing adjacent styles and creating an arbitrary path from one to the other.

Sadly not available to the public yet, but the creator of it, Paul, kindly did me one that went from Dubstep to Beethoven. Check it out: Dub-hoven

Gigging with Sylver Tongue

Here I am playing keyboards for Charlotte Hatherley’s awesome new outfit Sylver Tongue on Sat 28th April, at The Waiting Room, Stoke Newington.

More pics on Midnighta GoGo Facebook page.

Look out for the album later this year – it’s gonna be electrophonic!!

Sylver Tongue on Facebook & website.

An ode to my defunct Casio A220 Digital Illuminator Watch

An ode to the Casio A220

 

A birthday gift from
The Lady Wife
Who said I could have
ANY watch I fancied in the whole
World.

Ooh, exciting!

And even though I could have
Had a fancy Diesel
watch
For  £180.99

They were all horrible.

But the shop assistant man in Diesel
Had the best
Watch on
Of                                      all…

A £19.50 Argos
Casio A220M

So I went to Elizabth Duke
And got that
Instead.

(you’re fired, ed)

Sam Woollaston is a witless ninny

http://www.guardian.co.uk/tv-and-radio/2011/mar/06/wonders-of-the-universe-review

I suppose this witless TV reviewer would rather people didn’t try and make interesting and informative programmes about science.

I suppose he already knows everything there is to know about the evolution of the universe.

I suppose he could explain the somewhat tricky concept of entropy in about 5 minutes flat with only a sandcastle for a prop.

Etc.

Even if there are valid criticisms of the programme (possibly slightly too many sunsets and not enough hard science), writing a stupid sarcastic review is hardly the way to stimulate useful discussion on the matter.

Criticism is a study by which men grow important and formidable at very small expense. He whom nature has made weak, and idleness keeps ignorant, may yet support his vanity by the name of a critic.

Samuel Johnson (1709-1784)

Channel 5 ident

Lucy and I were asked to write the music for a couple of idents for the Channel 5 rebrand, the first of which is being broadcast today:

Keep an eye out for it when you’re watching the Gadget Show or CSI!

The second ident is due next week sometime; I’ll update this post when it’s on.

Maracatu & Samba-Reggae tomorrow!

Come to a lovely free gig of awesome drumming and dancing and Brazilian music:

(Tom DG – you have to come because you live round the corner!)

Maracatu and Samba Reggae Drum and Dance Workshops every month with Umbela Arts

Lets kick start the year with the first rehearsals for Maracatu and Samba Reggae, start 2011 with a bang!

Umbela Arts Presents…FESTA UMBELA!

Kicking off from 7.30pm, Umbela Arts host their regular residency; an entertainment filled evening which is totally FREE!

Our DJ’s will bring you the best in African, Brazilian and World Music. You will not be able to stop yourself from dancing!!

Dance performances to live drumming to amaze you and get your senses overflowing, and guess what, we haven’t stopped there, as there will also be live music from two of London’s finest Brazilian bands bringing roots music from North East Brazil to dazzle you!

Come to RICH MIX Cultural Foundation and party the night away with us!

REMEMBER IT’S FREE, BRING YOUR FRIENDS!

Links
Irineu Nogueira
Maracatu Estrela do Norte
ERI OKAN
RICH MIX

Websites
www.irineunogueira.com
www.maracatu.co.uk
www.myspace.com/eriokan
www.richmix.org.uk

There is also a dance and drumming workshop beforehand to which you all most welcome!

On Sunday 30th January 2011, two Carnival Groups based in London: Maracatu Estrela do Norte and Bloco-Afro ERI OKAN, will be hosting open workshops at Rich Mix 35-47 Bethnal Green Road, London E1 6LA Map. The classes will be in traditional drumming and dancing from the North East of Brazil, in preparation for Notting Hill Carnival 2011.

These classes are part of a series of monthly sessions that finish in August 2011.
Participation in the workshops does not oblige anyone to take part in the Notting Hill Carnival, and likewise, if there are people who would like to take part in carnival but cannot make all the sessions, that’s OK too!

Drumming
1pm – 3pm – Maracatu drumming
3.30pm – 5.30pm – Samba Reggae drumming

Dance
1pm – 2.30pm- Maracatu dance THERE WILL BE NO MARACATU DANCE LESSON DUE TO TEACHER SHORTAGE.
3.30pm-5pm – Afro Brazilian dance

Classes are £6 each. (£10 for two, if also participating in another class on the same day)