The Norwegian electronic duo Royksopp is a bit more popular over in the UK, but I’m guessing all y’all Yanks can dig it. While a lot of their music is deep electronic, it’s hard to categorize their work. The stuff below is on that downbeat tip, though, and they both have a similar trademark of building towards a climax.

“Triumphant” kicks of with a simple piano melody, gradually adding a variety of sounds, some electronic, some familiar instruments. As the melody is periodically reintroduced with subtle changes, it gains in enthusiasm which each new form until it climaxes in a mood of - well, triumph. It plateaus in that state and does a good job carrying on the mood until its finish.

The more heavily electronic and less melodic “Night Out” revolves around a driving, progressive rhythm that continually builds in intensity. But the climax hits mid song, where it leads into a bit of funk while still continuing with its central rhythm. The only let down is the last minute, when they bring back the first section when they could have introduced something new. While the melodies are simple - slight variations on the previous bar - Royksopp switches it up enough to keep it interesting.

Eyebeam, a technology and arts center, has explored the future of graffiti through its Graffiti Research Lab.They have lots of cool projects, but the one that seems as if it could actually have serious implications for the future of graffiti - and public art in general - is the Pixel Roller (first video). You upload an image into the roller, and then simply roll that image onto the wall. Also included below is a selection of some of their more interesting projects.Correction: Apparently, the Pixel Roller isn’t an Eyebeam project, I just came accross it on their blog. It’s in fact a rAndom International project, out of London.

I hope this happens in the States:

Oh, and spam of the day:
Subject - I want to be your whore, MikeM.

“Wanna Be A Star”

If you can get through the first 30 seconds, Walter Meego’s “Wanna Be A Star,” takes you out on an electro-pop filled night out in the McKibbin St. dorms - or their Chitown equivalent . The song keeps it uptempo with a classic clap, and takes some disco and funk influence for a fun filled 3 minutes. “Wannabe” has a great wobbly keyboard solo that leads into a deep instrumental which adds a lot to an otherwise two-time listen cut. But I like it. Its lead-out is good, too.

“Weekday” is also worth a spin, but the lyrics are sure to keep a lot of people away. “Let’s go to the mall”?? I’m sure it’s a joke, but it’s all they say, over and over again.

MYSPACE Profile: E. Victor

When I found this dude’s profile, I decided MySpace was worthwhile. I was randomly searching through the music database, and there it was: this profile that had maybe a hundred views, no label (at the time), and came out of Omaha, Nebraska (which apparently has a strong and progressive art scene, including graffiti.)

Make no mistake, this is high quality music. Every song on the profile is good.

A lot of it is like listening to the movie “The Terminator” interpreted through music, although it keeps a positive outlook, nonetheless.

“Blackshoe” is a “Verbal”-like song, that takes hip hop lyrics, and jumbles them all up so they become unintelligible, but keeps their musical quality intact. The beat is great, and it shuffles through a small library of samples and sounds, avoiding the monotonous, loopy quality of the lazy, beat stealing style of most hip hop. This song is like listening to a good rap cut without quarreling over the lyrics.

The only problem I have with E. Victor is the lead and end of “Symphonic Blank Stare.” The song begins with an apocalyptic sounding omen of war, but the rest of the song is summery in nature - except for the ending, which brings back the intro. It just seemed a bit unrelated to the rest of the song, which is great on its own.

All stitched together with the simple tap of an electronic drum, a series of layered rhythms with the piano, violin, acoustic guitar, xylophone - and what I think is that plastic thing that looks like a clarinet I got in 3rd grade - “Mike Mills” by Air creates song for reminiscing before stepping into the future. The song has a couple long excursions into repetitiveness, but is laced with subtle complexities. A lot of the intricacies are only noticeable if you pay close attention, making the song an exercise in listening that doesn’t fully pay off. But it makes for good wall paper music - good enough for something to listen to while working, for example. If they cut the song in half, it would have made it much stronger.

Big Pun didn’t get the elevated level of respect that comes with death in Hip Hop… Unless you’re from the BX.
With “Leather Face,” he flips some psychopath serial killer lyrics, but they’s funny, and the rhymes hold tight all the way through. The beat is tuff as hell, and his delivery is more on point than usual, too.