The synesthetic dreamworld

Longing

2012-02-23T13:34:00.001-08:00

The reflections of Nalla Naidoo

I long for the a society which doesn't love in order to hurt itself, of places faraway from the menaces and perils of the time, of sundowns that need no words to describe them and dreams that seem too good to be true. I want to wake up in the dawn's embrace one morning and look into her eyes and know that every inch of her feels the same way about me as I feel about her. I want to be faraway from this decadence, from the jaded character of the world before me. I want to understand, I want to discern the truth behind the mockery,the savagery, the hatred, the divisions of society. I want to know what the world has done to itself and if we are destined for another place, why are we still here fighting ourselves ? I want to know why the only audience for all these words is a musical instrument and a sheet of paper, why fallen leaves and butterfly wings are the only things that can hear the screams of the world, the pains of the past and the doubts of the present. I long for many things, and many more, but what good is longing when there's 7 Billion more that long for just the same ?

Wispy dreams

2012-02-22T10:23:00.000-08:00

For we have sung and dance and dreamed, higher and further than wispy thoughts could ever have carried us

Beyond the tuft- strewn fabric of soft white clouds in clear, unpolished skies

Far away, hidden in the refinement of a simple, beautiful moment

Alas, the world apart seems a world away, an echo astray

Time is but the now and the news, space, a bendy furl of smoke in the dry air

A toast ! To the twist of fate upon this forgotten road, a path of dance, song and untidy seams that have become our wispy dreams.

Porto

2012-02-20T09:02:00.000-08:00

Minha Oporto querido. My wonderful Porto

Streets that Speak: Rua Miguel Bombarda, Oporto, Portugal

2012-02-16T16:43:00.000-08:00

Porto, the home of Port wine and Porto football club and Francesinha's: I'm amazed by this city time and again. This time round, I came across some stunning grafitti on Rua Bombarda, right in the city centre that really made my day.

The Tale of A Feather In Full Flight

2012-02-14T12:17:00.000-08:00

I want to fly again
Into the wispy winds of time
Beyond the valleys and the seas
Over sandy beaches
And laughing children
Over hands held in love
And friends embracing
I want to fly again
Into dream-carved sunsets
Beyond dancing shadows
Over smokey fires
And smiling octogenerians
Over lovers locked in dance
And flowers in bloom
I want to fly again
I want to fly again

Photo Jamming : Jason's birthday

2012-02-14T03:14:00.000-08:00

Pics by my friend Supriya and myself : Check out Supriya's recently launched webpage for more of her amazing pics :

http://supriyaphotography.dpg.cc/gallery/who_are_we/

Blues Ahoy

2012-02-13T04:14:00.000-08:00

(Original article copied from The Copenhagen Post's In & Out Guide )

http://cphpost.dk/inout/reviews/concert-review-blues-ahoy

There are, admittedly, few places to go out on a wintry Monday night in Copenhagen, and fewer still in the midst of the cold spell that’s been gnawing at our fingertips and cracking our lips of late.

Nørrebro’s Kind of Blue is a bar that provides music of a different sort for those lonely Monday evenings when the streets seem darker and colder than usual. Now in its tenth installation, ‘Tangled Up In Blue’ is a singer-songwriter orientated evening that provides Copenhagen’s most talented names within the genre an opportunity to share their powerful, emotionally-charged music.

This particular installation of the event featured German songbird Paula Tebbens accompanied by pianist Edoardo Bottalico (EBDK), Americana rock nomad MC Hansen and folk singer Julie Dybvad, who was backed up by a remarkable array of instrumentalists. Tebbens and Edbk set things in motion, playing songs off Tebbens’ demo album Memory Box alongside other singles. The duo ventured deep into folk territory in a charismatic performance that resonated with echoes of the sort of music played by bands such as the well known Minnesota-based group Dark Dark Dark. The highlight of their set was the seldom played ‘Cotton Candy’, which seemed to ignite a sparkle in the eyes of both musicians as well as the audience.

Next on the stage was wandering MC Hansen (aka Mads Christian Hansen) accompanied by the established Jakob Chano Lundby. Hansen’s set strayed playfully into Americana-meets-folk pastures and shimmered with a blend of melancholic, reflective and playful flickers all at once.

Both musicians looked at ease and played with a glee that could only have emanated from the fact that they were well and truly enjoying themselves on stage.

Dybvad rounded off the show with a performance that was as dextrous as it was witty. Her hazy vocals were backed up by several outstanding instrumentalists playing the bass, trumpet, piano and guitar, all of whom added depth and dimension to what proved to be the highlight of an evening of quality music.

The next Tangled Up In Blue event is in two weeks time at Kind Of Blue (Ravnsborgade 17 in Nørrebro) and is by far the best bet for a top night out on a Monday evening.

By Allan Mutuku Kortbæk

The Audacity of Hope

2012-02-07T16:53:00.001-08:00

Anon Art

2012-02-04T12:03:00.000-08:00

Art should not have an identity. What matters is not the noun, but the connection to the noun. A noun is but a descriptive term, limited to the understanding of those who process it. An entity on the other hand, maintains its infinite relativity and as such, can be all manner of different things at the same time. Contradiction or fact ?

Things lose value when they get a name- language destroys essence and purity. May true art always remain anonymous.

Turn on, Tune In, Drop Out

2012-02-01T17:45:00.000-08:00

Wake up, smell the coffee, hear the sirens

The sound of inevitability edging ever closer

To your picket-fence world, your safe havens

Your sacrosanct heavens

Far from the maddening crowds

From the sewers and street wells

brothels, bordels and bare beat-broken barren wastelands

Beyond the walled fortresses of distortion

And the cold, numbing silence of social subjugation

Turn on, tune in, drop out

Of of your soul-void cavity

your dollar-bill disgrace

your Wall Street indecency

This is my world you're ruining

These are my forests you are felling

My children you are starving

This is our world that you are killing

Allez

2012-01-31T13:50:00.000-08:00

Winter tends to bring out the worst in people around here- I find myself wondering how people who are for the most part cheery souls for most of the year can be so shattered by the weather conditions. I still feel there's a certain charm to winter, despite the cold and the darkness, particularly now, with the sun high in the sky, bathing the icy, snow-clad landscape in a brilliant, enigmatic glow that radiates with the promise of the approaching spring. So why the damp spirits ? Viva La Vida ! Or is this revoltingly idealistic ? Here's a poem for my friends, keep hoping for the best and live life to the fullest !

Send me into comatose,

My thoughts vilified,

I feel shattered

Broken, bent, benign

Misconstrued from the dreary genesis of life

I remain void, devoid yet deft

The world shall see me yet.

AmK

Tainted dreams and shaded scenes

2012-01-30T11:19:00.000-08:00

Take me back to the humble staccato pulse of my wandering soul

To the genesis of all my hopes, my dreams, my stuttering crawl

To where the sun shines bright and the tide roars in and kisses my sand-stained feet

To the dusty , wispy spirals of smoke down life everlasting, a one way street.

Wake up people !

2012-01-25T13:02:00.000-08:00

Fact: Mike Romney, the Republican candidate for this year's election is a multimillionaire who pays 14% less in tax than the average American. Econ crisis my foot- the wealth of the people has simply been amassed by the degenerate horde of charlatans and thugs we elect to govern the scheme of things. Wake up world !

Coalition Of The Willing from coalitionfilm on Vimeo.

Alive

2012-01-21T12:52:00.000-08:00

I'm scared of the sound of silence
Of the sound of not expressing myself
Musically, artistically, consciously, subconsciously
As long as i'm in the light, where it's warm
Where life sings to me in dreamy chords and distant whispers
I'm happy, In a musical comatose that seduces my nerves
For I feel unplugged and disassociated from cultural constructivism
I'm back to my core, to being a part of seven million others here
In this dreamy universe of stanzas and octaves, paint strokes and genuine smiles
I feel alone and void whenever I'm not in this state of comatose,
When i'm not trying to kill my feelings to fit in with the rest of society
For in this place, my naivety and fragility wonder freely
They do not get accosted and waylaid by the wayside by greed and cruelty
I'm at one with the sunrise and at peace with the crimson sundown
I embrace imperfection and we laugh and sing together in boundless continuity
And nothing really matters, I'm caught in a moment and it's special
Eternal and unlike anything the real world could ever offer

What language do YOU think in ? Music ? English ? Art ? Humanity ? French ? Danish ? Spanish ? Music ? Feeling ? Light ? Colour ?

Thank you Piano Guys, for sharing a part of your soul.

Music Is My Ecstasy

2012-01-21T04:57:00.000-08:00

Music is my ecstasy,

My drug of choice

The central square of my spacious voice

I'm warped, bent

Twisted in lent

and confused at Christmas

Waylaid by this fantasy

The dreamy, wispy plumes of choice

I'm meandering, sweeping

Hidden in spring

and alive in summer

Music is my ecstasy

Niki & The Dove: Swedish Electropop On The Offensive.

2012-01-18T01:03:00.000-08:00

COPIED FROM MY ARTICLE FOR THE COPENHAGEN POST :

http://www.cphpost.dk/inout/reviews/concert-review-swedish-electropop-offensive

The massively hyped Swedish Electropop trio Niki & The Dove have got off to a sprinting start in 2012. Having finished fifth in the prestigious BBC Sound of 2012 award, the pop-inclined electro Swedes brought their cheeky blend of music to Lille Vega last night in a concert that turned out be quite an endearing affair.

With the frenzy of the festive period still hanging heavily in the frosty January air, Niki & The Dove were the perfect cure for the Christmas and New Year's eve hangover that many of us find ourselves caught up in. The trio were energetic, enterprising and at times even enigmatic in a performance that saw them predominantly play tracks off their charismatic debut album, “The Drummer.”

The purely instrumental “Sundog” got things going with its enchanting peculiarity, before last year's single “The Fox” gave lead singer Malin Dahlström an opportunity to showcase her sharp vocals, aided by a heavy-set vocoder that cut through Lille Vega like a knife through butter. Signature tune “The Drummer” was next in the lineup and got a few feet moving with its heavy Depeche mode -esque synth stabs alongside clear vocals whilst at the same time providing a welcome break to the more lackadaisical sounds of the band. This witty shift was something of a constant throughout the concert, yielding a fusion that sounded like a daring blend of vintage synth poppers “The Knife” and Brit diva “Kate Bush”

As things progressed however, awkward lengthy silences between tracks and a rather unenthused crowd put a bit of a damper on the proceedings. And whilst the charming Malin Dahlström did her bit to warm quite a few hearts with her poetic interjections in between songs, one was ultimately left with a sense of unfulfilled expectation and indeed a longing for some missing ingredient in the performance. Whether this was due to the blasé crowd or to the performance of the trio is hard to tell. What is certain though is that this is definitely a band to watch out for in 2012, a year that may well see the trio join the Scandinavian pop offensive as they follow in the footsteps of the likes of “The Knife,” “Robyn” and “Fever Ray.”

New Papapya Mag Out: Jan edition

2012-01-17T03:56:00.000-08:00

The latest version of Roskilde University's Papaya Magazine is out ! Focus in this issue is on hope in the midst of the current economic crisis. Screw the cynics who think 2012 is going to be worse than last year. There are interviews with What Happens Label Boss Tim Andresen, Flying Films Movie Director Kristian Håskjold, generative artist Kasia Stangrecka and pictures by Supriya Kolandevelu and Aina Poicello Mas. Check it out, for free at

www.thepapayamag.com

If you're interested in writing an article for the next issue, drop a line at thepapayajournal@gmail.com.

The Magic of everyday life

2012-01-16T07:36:00.000-08:00

I can feel everything this blank sheet of paper has ever been through
The sands of time seem to resonate through it, sneaking
Almost serpentine-like through visceral life

It's almost as if I need the music to stop every now and again
I need to hear the sound of silence,
My restlessness dancing with the vast blank night
The laughs and anxiety in the air
The sound of freedom tap-dancing somewhere far away

The Greek Man From Pakistan

2012-01-15T12:15:00.000-08:00

A comedy about a man who is subjected to verbal taunting based on his appearance. Ironically, he's actually Greek, not Pakistani, but gets bundled into the sort of social stereotyping that takes place every day in numerous societies in the world.

The Synesthetic Dreamworld: Wanderings of The Heart Through Poetry and Photography

2012-01-14T07:58:00.000-08:00

I finally did something i've been wanting to do for a really long time now. I've finished compiling My book, "The Synesthetic Dreamworld: Wanderings of The Heart Through Poetry and Photography" which I intend to get published soon. You can catch a free version of it by clicking on the link below. I am quite nervous about it, since a lot of the poems are quite personal but I hope they bring encouragement and hope to whoever reads them.

Open publication - Free publishing - More dreams

Back Deejaying

2012-01-10T18:57:00.000-08:00

After almost 2 years away from Deejaying as I explored other pursuits such as photography and concentrated on my poetry, I can no longer bear not playing music on a frequent basis. After not having made a set for the longest time, I realise now just how much it meant and perhaps always will. I feel alive when I play, connected to life through the music at my fingertips and to the people around me therein. This vivid sensation of life almost certainly dies a death of sorts when I'm not playing; then i'm usually plugged back into the system- a brain in a vat just comme il faut.

Here's a link to my latest Deep House mix on Soundcloud, Dark Bourbon. Enjoy !

Mutuk5 Bourbon by Papaya Breeze

What Would It Mean ?

2012-01-10T12:04:00.001-08:00

What would it mean if one could hear the flutter of a butterfly’s wings on a dreamy day ?

The whispers of warm winds into tranquil bays

What would it mean if one could paint the wealth of a generous heart ?

Or the thoughts of a beast struck with a poisoned dart

What would it mean if one could hear the screams of a tree chopped down ?

The strains and dissatisfactions of a polluted town

What would it mean if one could paint the passion of a dying saint ?

The tranquillity of peace ever so faint

What would it mean if one could see these things ?

Empathize with their instances as human beings

So broad the gate, so faint the canvas

The star starved night

2012-01-09T14:41:00.000-08:00

Intertwined between feuds of sapping fatigue
The day has passed with all its intrigue
And the tar-lit, star-starved night has ventured out
with its perils and its cold
the tales of the unforseen and of the aged, the old
Autumns blue blush has all but vanished
A once efflorescent cacophony, now muffled, hushed.

Pour le monde. For my world, our earth

2012-01-06T11:57:00.000-08:00

Had I a wish, just one wish, I’d wish for her to live forever

To blossom like the brightest rose blossoms on the clearest of summer days

And flourish like the daffodils strewn across a paddock in the peak of spring

To coruscate with vividness as the freshly fallen leaves of autumn

Had I a wish, just one wish, I’d wish I’d wish to see her live forever

To bloom like the boldest desert orchid blooms under a sweltering sky

And flush like dune evening primroses scattered in staccato fashion

To charm with verve as the fleeting, fading snow flakes of winter

Long live this beautiful planet we call home !

Scarlet Ricochet

Eden in Paradise

2012-01-04T17:57:00.000-08:00

Sometimes it seems as if the story of Adam and Eve was not merely a bygone tale from afar, but rather an everyday reality that manifests itself most evidently with every passing day. Earth or the world as we face her is a garden of Eden, perennially green and perennially adorned with lush excesses of light, love and colour and nourished with a sense of quintessential perfection. Man and Woman are the characters in this purlieus, a pair of anomalies in the natural world. Free will and the ability to rationalise are the emotional tools with which they wander wistfully into the world beyond. These are both their vices and vexations. The forbidden fruit is scientific “advancement”- our reckless desire to satisfy our curiosity and the consequent inability to pursue a means of soliciting good instead of pursuing comprehending the passing of the wind. With rationalisation comes ignorance and disbelief, a betrayal of instinct and an urge for falsehood in the name of clothing. Clothing here is not merely the desire to baffle, please, dominate and deny through ones attire. On a meta plane, the urge to clothe oneself is a tailored desire to hide the truth, to run from instinct by controlling and filtering it through the fabric of garment.

Just a thought...on a meta plane.

Caught up in Imperfection

2012-01-04T12:01:00.000-08:00

The weather is cold and erratic and the streets are cold, dark and bare, stripped of the decorations and people that crowded them with during the Christmas and New Year frenzy. I feel as if the best place to be is inside where it's warm and well lit, where the walls of this house pulsate with a heavenly aura. I'm playing my piano a lot to pass the time, untuned and out of sync as it were. I don't really know why I play, I just do, impulsively and without thought. Sometimes I wonder if it's even me that's playing, or whether it's a distant and forgotten part of a forgotten self in a forgotten time that's hammering away at the badly-tuned keys.

Happy 2012 !

2012-01-01T15:27:00.000-08:00

2012 is here ! The New Year's eve festivities shot by so fast, like a visceral blur on an immemorial section of a film reel. Happy NewYear to you all, wherever you are, whatever you're doing. I hope this year turns out to be fulfiling and most of all, fun !

Oil paint in water

2011-12-23T18:22:00.000-08:00

The night before Christmas

We're descending towards Kastrup and the sky is a wonderfully enlightening shade of misty crimson that seems to dance on into all eternity. IF I could choose a moment to be stuck in for all of time, it would probably be this one, high above the curious white patchwork of clouds a few hundred feet below me looking at the glistening aluminum wings of the plane on the first day after the winter solstice. I don't care about what lies beneath the clouds but still it interests me as I sit here feeling the force of the plane descending, that beautiful feeling of free fall that is so wholeheartedly unfamiliar yet so indescribably elating. It seems as if we're flying into the pink / crimson horizon, as if in a flash we'll be on the other side of a new and utterly different world of warmth and colour. And even as the crimson fades and its beauty is relegated to static vibrations that linger ever so daintily, I still love this place, and these fleeting colours before me, and I wish that everyone around me could feel what I feel, for all eternity

The construction of Morality

2011-12-22T11:44:00.000-08:00

I'm not an advocate of atheism as such, but if I had to choose between a reserved atheist who remains indifferent to religion and a religious fanatic, I do believe logic could make the choice for me without me having to think that much. In a world where one country prays for the downfall of another, through one religious standpoint or other, it is evident that someone is inevitably going to be disappointed..Could it be, as Carlin says, everybody ? Religion in this case can represent anything from the fundamentalism that the conservative Bible states in The U.S advocate for or the insanity that drives terrorists to all the heinous acts they commit all over the place to the capitalist and materialist sensastionalisation that created Santa and the crisis in which we're in. So in theory, nation of atheists capable of independent critical thought would probably be a lot better than a bunch of religious fundamentalists who do what they are told without question, irrespective of whether doing so is morally sound.

The Best Concerts of 2011

2011-12-22T05:47:00.000-08:00

2011 was not just about about crises and recessions, doom and gloom. Musically, there were a lot more exciting developments taking place. Distortion was colossal even though it posted a huge loss financially, Roskilde was a haven for the underdog, as the high rollers failed to live up to the ruckus caused by smaller names at the venue and Vega continued to play host to decent live acts throughout the year.

Here are The Copenhagen Posts' In and Out teams' picks of 2011. (Mine included)

(Click here)

James Blake : The Soft-spoken beat genius, Blake managed to win quite a few hearts at Roskilde with his critically acclaimed performance.

Band of Horses: Provided a fair deal of warmth in the midst of a cold winter with their show at the barnd spanking new Tap1 venue back in Feb.

When Saints Go Machine : Unleashed a new album that's starbound as things stand, and followed through with a solid performance at Vega. Lead singer Jonas Kenton's solo project Kenton Slash Demon is also listed in our In Out favourites.

Cuatro Torres / Plaza De La Castellana

2011-12-21T07:17:00.000-08:00

2 days before the winter solstice, Madrid, Spain. The sun is high and distant, bathing the glass shards before me in a piercing hue of white, like a pair of sharp scissors cutting through frail crepe paper. I felt relegated to the real of the infinitesimal as I stood and glared upwards at 250m of shimmering glass.

Inspiration (listen as you glance)

From Madrid. En directo

2011-12-20T03:40:00.000-08:00

I'm back in Madrid after almost 2 years and boy does it feel great to be here again. Everywhere I go, there's extensive talk of the crisis and a lingering wave of uncertainty hangs menacingly in the air. In spite of this, Madrid is still Madrid, a pulsating colossus of life and energy, and a welcome change to the cold, wind-swept Nordic winter. It's lovely to see and feel the sun again !

Cuatro Torres / Plaza De La Castellena I

Cuatro Torres / Plaza De La Castellena II

La Plaza mayor : A haven for tricksters and street artists

Sun-soaked leaves by La Catedral de Santa María la Real de la Almudena

La Catedral de Santa María la Real de la Almudena

The Royal Palace

Christmas market, somewhere near La Plaza Mayor: Madrid has trimmed the lighting expenses this year, but still looks like a well decorated Christmas tree for the most part.

Madrid by night: Weaving in and out of the busy streets by scooter is by far the best way to really experience this city.

Lamplit Orange

2011-12-19T04:24:00.000-08:00

Burnt orange in winter

And the smell of smoking embers

The kiss of a cool mountain breeze

And the sound of a rose petal falling through the air

Or the purr of a cat content on velvet feet

The dance of a moonlit shadow in the wind

Or the simple stroke of a brush upon the canvas of life

These are few of life's endearing things.

Scarlet Ricochet

(From the song above)

An old man said
"Live one day at a time
Who can add a day to his life by worrying?"

Though we're young
We've seen what worry can do
So embrace the worried songs we sing to you

So mournful the elegy
And so comforting the hymn
So mournful the elegy
And so comforting the hymn

On the road with the Raveonettes

2011-12-18T03:37:00.000-08:00

The mind of an artist is a complex and intricate place that sometimes doesn't gets well and truly explored through his or her art.

Here's a video about the Raveonettes and the creative process behind their latest album, told in the narrative of band member Sharin Foo, a short clip that delves into the thoughts and sentiments of Denmark's shoegazing darlings.

I Culture, You Culture, We Culture

2011-12-17T04:17:00.000-08:00

Collaborative Culture Through Art

In a world dominated by technological expressionism, the role of craftsmanship and traditional manual skills has been somewhat relegated to the background.... Let's go back to the primordial.

I, CULTURE serves as both a flagship project and the catchphrase for the cultural programme of the 2011 Polish Presidency of the EU Council propelled by the initiative of the Adam Mickiewicz Institute

The recently concluded initiative saw over 260 volunteers across 12 capitals all over the world hold creative workshops that posed fundamental questions as to the role of crafts and manual skills in contemporary civilisation where technological development has somewhat overshadowed more traditional forms of expression. Fashion designer and artist Monika Jakubiak was at the helm of the project which aimed at meeting with various artists, hearing their ideas relating to exhibitions and projects in their country of residence and helping turn these ideas into reality through dialogue and creative exchange.

The I, CULTURE Contemporary Craft project aims to create an awareness of each person's relationship and active engagement in culture, especially those who do not work in any artistic profession. Over the 6-month term of the Polish Presidency of the project, participants from the 12 different cities (Berlin, Brussels, Kiev, Copehnhagen, London, Madrid, Minsk, Moscow, Paris, Beijing, Tokyo and Warsaw) created each individual square of this puzzle, both symbolically in the form of a textile mosaic spelliing out the I, CULTURE logo, where each city involved in the project constituted part of the logo, and practically, through the involvement of different cities in creative workshops.

Last weekend saw I, CULTURE visit Copenhagen for the grand finale of the project, held at Den Frie udstillingsbygning by Østerport station.

Click here to visit I, CULTURE'S official webpage

Promo video from I, CULTURE Warsaw

Rock on Raveonettes !

2011-12-16T05:40:00.000-08:00

Many thanks to the endearing shoegazing duo from Sønderborg, the Raveonettes for an enigamtic, charming show at Vega last Saturday. Here's a copy of my article for The Copenhagen Post about the show.

(The original article can be sourced here (Click) )

Indie darlings the Raveonettes gave an unstoppable, unforgettable show at Store Vega on Saturday in a performance that saw the enigmatic Danish shoegazing duo cement their well-established reputation as one of the best local acts on the current scene. With the memories of a decent Roskilde Festival performance still lingering in the minds of many present at Saturday’s show, and the rising success of their latest album Raven In The Grave, the New York City based Raveonettes had plenty to live up to on the night.

Sharin Foo and Sune Wagner straddled the fine line between the more sentimental sound of their Everly-brothers inspired lyricism and the wittier, more-upbeat dimension of their music with a sophisticated sense of perfection that was as spellbinding as it was entertaining. The show was anything but a bombastic, stadium-filing affair, but rather a more intimate, well-woven two hours of dreamy adventures into the surreal and spacey sounds of alternative rock, delicately capped with a personal touch from the group’s distinguishable sound.

The switch between the captivating, nomadic sounds of the band – epitomised by the likes of ‘War in Heaven’ and more abstracted numbers such as ‘Apparitions’ – was typical of the duo’s eloquent juxtaposition of contrasting influences and styles and gave a refreshing sense of variation to a concert that compelled and mystified all at once. This creative exchange left one feeling lost and evanesced at times and at others compelled to sway from side to side in collective appreciation with an almost-sold out audience.

And whilst the Raveonettes were on top of their game almost throughout, one may arguably have been left thirsting for a bit more engagement on their part, if for nothing else to break the monotony of the introspective, non-confrontational shoegazing style that dominated the better part of the concert. This didn’t stop the audience calling them back not once but twice, for a grand finale that ebbed off elegantly with the appropriately placed, well-delivered ‘The Christmas Song’, a tune that summarised all that was good about the night. Ultimately, Saturday’s show will be remembered most for the unique chemistry between Foo and Wagner, stark and palpable at times, and at others consigned to the background by the overpowering drone of upbeat guitar arrangements and colourful cacophonies

I don't know you

2011-12-15T14:10:00.000-08:00

Even though I have never met you, I Love you, every last inch of you. I love all 7 billion parts of you.

Visceral life, comme il faut. Stuck in the flicker of a moment in the colour of sound

Love, your rippled reflection

By Scarlet Ricochet

The Collapse of Capitalism. Fiction, Fable or Reality ?

2011-12-13T15:46:00.000-08:00

I'm increasingly convinced that politicans, left, right, centre or everywhere are completely and totally incapable of changing the world for the better good. Art on the other hand is a dimension that one can afford to have some faith in, as the short film below shows, most poetically.

Quite frankly, the complete and total collapse of Capitalism, Communism and other doctrines of governance is something that should have happened a long time ago, and no, i'm not advocating anarchy. Idealism leads me to believe that the better nature of man is one that is inherenty apt at sharing, that is before social constructivism storms into the picture and rips the canvas to shreds. Peer to peer governance and Resource-Based Economics that allow for a free, fair and transparent bill of rights for every individual in society, not just those that are born in the bastions and castles of the elite provide provide potentially sustainable solutions to the ills and predicaments of life on earth as we know it today. It all sounds so lofty and it's easy to write about, but will it ever happen ? Well, with Canada pulling out of The Kyoto protocol, in itself a flop, and yet another failed climate conference, the road to the seabed seems to have been shortened somewhat for our dear mother earth, the Titanic ship in which we sail. The real question is, will the band keep on playing until the end, that is will the party go on as the elite jump into lifeboats and flee the scene as the proletariat remain onboard, doomed to drown or will a new world doctrine based on equality and fairness emerge ?

Chariots of Fire

2011-12-08T09:20:00.000-08:00

Few forces are capable of denting the seemingly impenetrable shade of darkness and the bitter winter cold that December brings with her than the light and warmth of a candle flame. Add heartwarming music and the mis en scene of a church with age-old whitewashed walls that tower up towards the sky and you've got a combination that is sure to shatter the intensity of the cold surroundings around you. Trinitatis Church, by Rundetårn (The round tower) plays host to singer / songwriter evenings every Tuesday as part of its weekly yuletide service. The acoustics of the church and the very fact that independent, free-thinking artists can get the chance to perform in a surrounding that in many countries is all too often associated with heightened and often exaggerated notions of what religion should be about make for a wonderful atmosphere, unlike any other in the world. The fact that the priest who conducts the ceremony is a lesbian also adds a level of religious freedom to Trinitatis church that is unlikely in many other nations who are still caught up in impertinent battles against social taboos that have no moral founding and serve only to sever the bonds of social unity. Here are some pictures from this week's service featuring Kira Martini and her jazz band, who are on the brink of releasing an album that is sure to set a few hearts alight.

You can listen to Kira's music by clicking here

The two other bands on the evening were Just Me Maya, whose soulful, impassioned music can be listened to here. and the endearing Maja Hartnack and her band Det Glemte Kvarter. Grab a listen of her music here.

Viva La Vida

2011-12-03T09:57:00.000-08:00

This is for the sole pink rose for miles around, a dreamy chorus of beauty in the cold decadence of my garden and for the most beautiful sunrise I've seen this year. For my friends and for the petty details in the sensory bombardment of life that make it worth living.

I'm amazed, stunned
Shuttled away in all infinity
Where Only the stars dance
In this maze of Eden
I see no dreams
Just people, tears and laughs
I'm charmed by the green hue of it all
It soothes me as it prances skywards
I'm baffled by the perfect eloquence
Shuttled, stunned, amazed
In all infinity where only love roams

Scarlet Ricochet

Independent Thought. How far from the truth is humanity today ?

2011-11-28T18:35:00.000-08:00

Each person is at each moment capable of remembering all that has ever happened to him and of perceiving everything that is happening everywhere in the universe (C.D Broad). Language and social constructivism turn the brain into a filter of reality, one that inhibits us from understanding the collective totality of our reality and turns society into herd animals incapable of independent reasoning. Coincides with Nietzche's position on man being born into and limited by his contructs.

Collective delinquency. This is what marketing, branding, collective religion (i.e. as opposed to individual religion), family structures and the general consensus in our imbalanced societies preach. No wonder the banks, Republicans, elitists, fashion firms, media houses and politicians got so wealthy ! Milking comformity is profitable business !

Straddling the petal parade

2011-11-27T11:41:00.000-08:00

Straddling the petal parade

Tempestuous and charged, a timely charade

Pried from the inside out

Penned in stone within and without

Shimmering, the windy serenade

Tempered and confined, a script made

Particular like the petals of a rose

Peeved by the moment, meek and morose

Straddling the petal parade

Temperamental and coalesced, a timely charade.

Scarlet Ricochet

When The Moment Parts

2011-11-25T04:41:00.000-08:00

A letter from Scarlet Ricochet to the wandering flickers of her youth.

When the moment is gone and faded with the passing wind, mourn not for it for I am with you still and I will forever linger upon your shoulder as long as the sun shines upon this beautiful world.

Fear nothing, stop at nothing, take nothing less than the most beautiful flower of fate in your dainty hands.

Life passes people by as they find themselves scheming the grandest plots and stringing the wittiest tales of self betterment. My friend, be wise and dance in the shadows of the moment you live in presently.

Do not fret nor fumble about the ways of the future for they will avail themselves to you as surely as the day avails itself to the dark and wandering night.

Scarlet Ricochet

Farewell Phantom Stranger

2011-11-23T12:35:00.000-08:00

Farewell phantom stranger

I wish you well on your saunter

Yonder where the valleys grow fainter

And the plumes of the twilight glitter.

Fare thee well dreamy drifter

Be one with your restless flutter

At peace with the midnight shutter

Beyond this place of rain and chatter

Adieu fabled danger

I bid you benedictions on your canter

Towards the setting sun and the ether

Love be your staff, harmony your stature.

AmK

Polarity in shaded sequences

2011-11-21T09:57:00.000-08:00

Many a time, I fear I have lost all faith in humanity, melancholic as it may sound. The world around me is falling apart and the air is heavy with the fumes of exploded glass-shards and the decaying scent of recently extinct species.

Consider this:

Less than one per cent of what the world spent every year on weapons was needed to put every child into school by the year 2000 and yet it didn’t happen. We live in a world in which we have somehow prioritised the ability to blow our entire universe up an indefinite amount of times over feeding the poor and the needy within our global society. Still, we arrogantly presume that we are the most intelligent species on this planet, yet how intelligent is a species that willingly and consciously brings about its own extinction ? How intelligent is a species that has the ability to co-exist in perfect harmony with itself and its natural environment yet that somehow manages to do neither ?

I feel desperate and disconsolate and i'm consigned to writing about mere facts that everyone is already aware of to quell my frustration as I continue to live amongst the wasteland of materialism and consumerism within which I find myself, a wasteland that plunders the rest of the world for its resources so that we, the West can prosper whilst a modern day Holocaust of poor people the world over suffer and die in abject poverty.

My generation and the one before it remain passive and cool-headed, too unconcerned to care about the fate of the generations after us. The youth of my day waste their time talking animatedly about orchestrating systemic change before assimilating into the flaws of the same very system and dropping all their lofty, idealistic rhetoric. That's all we do, you, me and everyone else of this generation that could have changed the world- we talk, we draft plans and lofty resolutions just like the U.N do and we hope some deus ex machina will fall from the heavens to do our job for us. If talking about all we could do could cure the world's ills, we'd long since have rid this earth of its inequalities and injustice. The fact is however, talking cures nothing and recognising that there is a problem and a need to act is an amateur step in solving it that we should have gotten past hundreds of years ago.

What is hence the solution to our plight ?

Politicians need to be held accountable for their actions, democracy needs to be completely overhauled, world debt needs to be scrapped, grain and meat surpluses from the developed world need to cease to exist, so do import tariffs. The religious institutions of the world need to have their power annullled. More people have died pursuing religious crusades in the history of the earth than have been killed in all the plagues and natural disasters that we've seen. Schooling needs to reformed- people need to be taught how to be human first, how to love their brothers and sisters from all walks of life first before loving the sciences, math and other disciplines. Humanities as a subject need to be prioritized within the schooling system. Economics need to become resource based and financial institutions need to be under the control of the people, not family-run cash cows as they are currently. Political leadership needs to be a peer to peer process. No one man or woman should be held accountable for the leadership of any nation, why not have one constitutionally elected leader per every x number of inhabitants, all of whom are to have equal rights and should ideally hail from different backgrounds and social classes ? Peer to peer sharing and peer to peer politics, the possibilities are endless. It's too late to be a pessimist ! ^Source

For the wind that lies still, in waiting
The misty evening promise compensating
The dim hue of the amplified light
Far out, hazed and out of sight

For the sun that's gone and departed
The fallen stranger, benevolent and bold-hearted
The cold glare of the arriving plight
Vanished, vacant vapid and contrite

aMk

When Saints Go Machine : A Divine show !

2011-11-16T13:05:00.000-08:00

Danish electro pop darlings When Saints Go Machine caused something of a divine mayhem at their concert at Stor Vega a couple of weeks back. I managed to make it to the concert and write an article for the Copenhagen Post about them :

Check out my review for The Copenhagen Post here (Click)

Their music is a cross between Andy and the Johnsons and Hercules and Love Affair with a witty twist: Give them a listen below (You can also check out "Kenton Slash Demon", the second of the two videos below. KSD is The WSGM's sister project composed of 2 of the members of the band and represents the wilder, more erratic sound that's fitted so seamlessly with Jonas Kenton's rich falsetto renditions in his capacity as the Saints lead singer.

The promise of tepid nights

2011-11-15T12:56:00.000-08:00

It's mid-November and the nights are long and laden with a tar-esque abyss of blackness that seeps through the ether with a sharp and decadent vengeance. I long for the warm, sweeping days of summer and for the winter's swift passing as I prance around restlessly indoors where it's warm and calm. I'm reminiscent, nostalgic for the memories of the laughs and smiles of times gone by as I glide through my psyche on my chariot of thoughts.

Back to the primordial.

The Promise of tepid nights on the savannah.

Oh how I linger and long,

For the promise of a tepid night
The smile on your face upon your delight

For the clasp of your hand in mine

For the witticism of a split moment stolen from time

For the flickers of your blue eyes

The rose blush on your cheeks as you sigh

For the bond of your happiness to mine

For the silence of an isolated insurgence, riddled with rhyme.

I linger and long

AmK

Elevate me to my individuality rob me of my conformity pt II

2011-11-09T16:19:00.000-08:00

We are larger, smaller and equal to the universe simultaneously. Atom democracy is governed by equality unlike our own far-fetched political doctrines. It follows that the inequalities of the world must have arisen from our interpretation of the relative nature of the universe. Reality must be relative for everyone, how can it possibly be standardised to solicit the collective conscience of all 7 billion plus of us ?

A poem I wrote last year:

I never did see the lie that the others saw,
Through fiery earth and pouring rain, the spring’s thaw
I did wish to envisage this poignant transgression
Subtle in its vengeance, rabid in its regression

I never did bear witness to the simple sinfulness of conformity
Alone and maladroit, devoid of the slightest dignity
I did hope to embrace this delicate, derided passion
Subdued by her wit, mighty in her right

I never did pay homage to the wilfulness of indignity
Acrid and putrid, a horse tail hair short of insanity
I never did smooch this imbued pilgrimage
Eroded, exhausted and enshrined in the wispy plumage of this adage

I did bear witness to this ship sinking
And rallied with the decadent masses, and their malevolent manners
I did watch the slipstream slip beneath my feet.
And into the wilderness we wandered, meek, minute and mild

70 DKK a month for a Better world

2011-11-07T08:55:00.000-08:00

The social inequalities that characterise the modern day world within which we live are, for lack of a better word, appalling. 1 out of every 6 individuals lives below the poverty line in abject starvation and social malaise. In fact, two thirds of the planet slaves away for the benefit of the remaining third, who live in comparitive luxury. Colonisalism and Post-Colonialism continue to hamper efforts at reversing such odds, as do corrupt political systems in the very countries in need of help. By and large the efforts of governments in tackling the issue of social inequality and worldwide poverty are nothing short of a total failure for they only succeed in either providing short term, spur-of-the moment solutions or, more commonly, in reproducing the repressive elements of the class system that defines the majority of political regimes of our age.

Private organisations such as Mellemfolkeligt Samvirke, Denmarks oldest and largest aid organisation is a private NGO that's supported in part by the Danish Institute for Aid Abroad, DANIDA and for the better part by private donors, are the way forward in aid-related matters. MS works with established local and civil organisations in numerous nations in Africa, Central America and Asia, with the aim of providing help to self-help to citizens of these countries who find themselves faced with poverty-related problems. The solutions to such challenges are by no means simple and straightforward. MS works towards sustainable, long-term relief to issues such as corruption, unfair trade and illegal land use. Emphasis here is on working with local residents and not dictating terms as has been the case with numerous aid models hitherto; help to self-help as it were.

A clear example of the working model of MS would be the horn of Africa, a region that is currently home to over 10 million starving citizens in what is possibly the worst drought experienced in the area. MS is currently involved in the donation of immediate food and medical aid to those afflicted due to the acute nature of the problem at hand. However, longer term solutions are also in motion; these include the construction of water containers that will be used in collecting rainwater that can be stored up for periods of future drought and working together with local farmers to establish better cultivation techniques that will improve harvest yields. Improved harvests allow for the storing up of food supplies that can also be turned to in times of future drought.

Monthly donations of 70, 100, 150 and 200 Kroner respectively can be made through MS' webpage or via the team of fundraisers that scour Copenhagen's streets in search of potential members. These donations get multiplied tenfold by the Danish Institute for Aid Abroad, DANIDA who also monitor the way in which the funds get used and publish statistics germane to the above.

www.ms.dk

Ventures into the carnivalesque

2011-11-05T10:06:00.000-07:00

For tonight we have seen and dreamed and danced, with more intensity than in all of my wandering days in this bewildering maze of life. I love every minute of it, every second, every passing particle that is part of the ballad of sensory bombardment that pelters my conscience. The air is heavy with the thick scent of campfire smoke, of wet wood that's told its story to the voracious dark. There's a hanging intermittence over it all, it's as if it never happened.

Tonight's story will live on, in pictures, in colour, in tapestry, in words, in dance, in the lofty grandeur of a memory set in stone, cast in the continuity of the winds, today, tomorrow, forever and yesterday.

Pics by Allan Mutuku Kortbæk and Monsieur Jason Moisio

A scientific explanation of positive karmic vibes

2011-11-03T11:13:00.000-07:00

TED is one of the few television shows left that has some sort of educational and moral value in the wasteland of popular television of the age in which we live.

Here's a particularly interesting excerpt from TED, Dr Paul Zak's position on the release of oxytocin, the molecule that gets released by humans in times of empathy.

Oxytocin, a.ka. the moral molecule is the chemical that's released in the brain as a result of empathy with and trust in other human beings, strangers included. Dr Zak maintains that oxytocin can be released through amongst other things, hugs, random acts of kindness and wait for it... the use of social media.

Check out the full video below. It's all quite logical, wouldn't you agree?

The Papaya Mag launches online radio station

2011-10-30T05:16:00.000-07:00

Morning world !

Here's a side project i've been working on for a while ! The Papaya magazine has finally got its radio station up and running. Check us out at :

http://blip.fm/Papayamusic

The human predicament

2011-10-29T17:16:00.000-07:00

I'm in the middle of working on a bit of an arty project at the minute, so my blog time is a tad limited. I did however happen to stumble across a hilarious Youtube video which i'd like to share. It's as comical as it is philosophically sound. Ladies and Gents, the human condition.

Vesterbro on a sunny autumn day

2011-10-24T15:44:00.000-07:00

It is with foliage as it is with many things in life, for it is at its most radiant just before it dies. The colours of the trees and vegetation in the autumn fascinate me, moreso in the light of the distant, fading sun. So too do people at this time of year, as we long for the bygone summer, start worrying about Christmas and the impending winter and begin to fade with the shortened days and the dropping temperatures.

Vesterbro on a sunny autumn day.

Occupy Wall Street Copenhagen

2011-10-23T12:11:00.000-07:00

Denmark's socialist and democratic ways have given this nation less reason to pursue the cause of taking the world back from the social elite with as much intensity than countries such as The United States of America. The political spectrum in this country is one that allows for a great deal of empowerment to the working class individual and as such, there is less cause to steal back from the rich to feed the poor. This notwithstanding, a decade of right and centre-right politics has seen an unprecedented rise in tax cuts and economic incentives for the wealthy. As a consequence, Denmark is nowhere nearly as socialist a nation as we once were.

There is reason to believe that the centre-left coalition that recently assumed the reigns of power in the general election will put a firm stop to the de-socialisation of the Danish welfare state. It is up to the ordinary man though, and indeed to you and I to ensure that they do so.

The Occupy Wall street movement has not been nearly as prolific in Denmark as it's been in The States and other nations. A small yet partisan group of people have however ensured the representation of the movement in the nation's capital. Here are some shots from Saturday's demo in the central square.

As a side-note to this article, I found it interesting that the most popular video hit when one types "Occupy Wall Street" on youtube is a right wing manifesto against the movement. This tragic fact is in itself tangible proof of there not being complete transparency with regard to freedom of expression. Where are all the videos of people fighting against the system for their rights ? The Western world casts a scornful eye at China and its laws against freedom of expression on Youtube, as if it is any better itself! Clearly, the fight for a better world is only just beginning.

The last of London

2011-10-18T05:53:00.000-07:00

Here are the last of my pictures from my recent visit to the English capital. There are shots from several intriguing exhibitions at Chelsea's Saachi Gallery, the endearing Camden town market, Kensington gardens and a single night shot of the London eye staring avidly at the serene night.

Cold, quaint Edinburgh

2011-10-17T07:35:00.000-07:00

A saunter through the quaint, quiet streets of Edinburgh on a cold autumn day.

London by night

2011-10-16T09:56:00.000-07:00

London by night; an inspiring cocktail of emotions that never ceases to impress, even on a cold autumn evening. I had quite a bit of fun playing with the shutter speed in these pics, whilst trying to keep my canon as still as possible in the billowing wind to avoid distorting the final shots. It was not as straightforward as it seems, but after a few attempts, I finally managed to get something that could be used.

Convent Garden

2011-10-14T08:47:00.000-07:00

Covent garden is one of the most inspiring places to chill out when one's in London. The food market itself is nothing extraordinary. The spacious market square however features live 30 minute street performances by all manner of artistes and eccentrics. I spent a good hour and a half or so soaking in the atmosphere at the garden last Sunday and here are the best of the pics from the day.

Ventures into the fictional reality of Harry Potter

2011-10-13T15:28:00.000-07:00

"What is real ? How do you define real ? If you're talking about what real you can feel, what you can smell, what you can taste and see, then real is simply electrical signals interpreted by your brain." Morpheus to Neo in "The Matrix"

Parallel universes have existed within the webbed world of culturally constructed reality within which we live for a considerable time now. These universes have taken the form of anything from graphic, gory first person shooter games to timeless works of fiction such as The Hobbit, Peter Pan, The wizard of Oz and many more familiar publications.

In a world of mass consumption, identity crises and social inequality, interpreting everyday life through the "unreal" has become commonplace for many an individual. As such, the thin veil between the "real" and the "fictive" is thinner and more translucent than ever before.

Dearest London

2011-10-12T15:05:00.000-07:00

My dear London

You have once again inspired me as only you can; enriched me with experience, love, colour and joy in a fashion known only to yourself.

More pics to follow....

The Victorian age: Paula's birthday

2011-10-02T14:20:00.000-07:00

In an age of conformity, capitalism and materialism; the carnivalesque encounters many a difficulty in featuring in the course of our lives. The extra-ordinary and indeed that which, alas, is different to the mundane monotony of everyday life are notions that seem to have been forgotten somewhat by society.

Here's a pictorial memoir of a tribute to the carnivalesque; a gaff of sorts, in the Victorian fashion; a stab at the excessiveness and seemingly spotless and smooth finish of the polished age of Queen Victoria. Happy birthday Paula !

Kira Martini, Hvid, Holkenov & Ærø

2011-09-30T11:41:00.000-07:00

Several weeks ago, on a cold, wet Monday in September, with the nostalgia for the warm days of the bygone summer ringing in my ears....

Shots from a jam session with songbird Kira Martini, the accomplished pianist Steen "Stoney" Holkenov and bassist Ida Hvid.

Watch our for the trio in any of Copenhagen's jazz venues and other intimate locations and indeed for Kira, who is currently working on quite a few solo projects, including the completion of an album that'll definitely warm quite a few hearts.

Check out Kira's Soundcloud (Click here)

Across the expanse

2011-09-24T02:24:00.000-07:00

Ad perpetuam memoriam

Across this expanse out of my window I stare

To the fleeting clouds who will my message bear

Over the sea and Sahara sands, to the fields of Eden

Past snow-topped mountains and misty seasons

Across this expanse out of my window I glare

To the vivid blues and greens that remind me of home

I arch my head towards the wind to listen to its whisper

And into it send my own message of happiness wrapped in silver

Merry Christmas mum

Interview with Yann Tiersen

2011-09-23T15:15:00.000-07:00

It's not everyday that one gets to sit side by side one's musical idols and chat lightheartedly away as the evening prances by. My dear mate Edoardo and I quite literally stumbled on the opportunity to interview the French composer and multi-instrumentalist Yann Tiersen back in May after his concert at Rust, Copenhagen. The interview was shot immediately after an epic, sweaty and packed-to-capacity performance that showcased snippets off his forthcoming album "Skyline." The interview was published in the last issue of Roskilde University's "Papaya magazine," which you're more than welcome to check out at www.thepapayamag.com

Yann Tiersen, as some may know is the composer behind film scores such as "Le Fabuleux Destin D'Amelie Poulin" and "Goodbye Lenin," films that have garnered their fare share of critical acclaim in their time.

Here's what he had to say when we caught up with him right after his show.

Paula Tebbens & EBDK at Blågårds Cafe 19th September 2011

2011-09-21T15:25:00.000-07:00

Pianist Edoardo Bottalico and singer / songwriter Paula Tebbens were at their unparalleled best last week at Nørrebro's lively Blågårds Apotek. I've never seen the place as packed as it was, tell-tale signs of a convincing if not entertaining performance.

Check out Paula's music on her myspace page:

http://www.myspace.com/paulema

Paula will be playing at the cosy "Løve's cafe" in Tove's gallery, Vesterborgade on Saturday in case you missed out on this show.

Save our street: Swopbox

2011-09-20T11:50:00.000-07:00

I've been out and about of late, roaming the grey streets in connection with work and other pursuits. Public space is always an interesting place to let one's thoughts wander as the peculiarity and genius of humanity manifests itself at its sharpest, most refined state. The street is where all of society comes together; the sick, the sickeningly rich, the decadent, the materialistic, the assured, the insecure...all prance and dance on together on the canvas of public space, a heartening cocktail of colour under the dull skies and fretful winds.

I stumbled upon an intriguing site last Thursday on my way home from work; a man riding a bike with a transparent plastic box filled with used syringes. I was instantly taken aback by the blood-stained contents and proceeded to inquire where they were from and what they were doing in a box attached to the front of a bike. The man on the bike, one Allan Hylbech promptly informed me that they were but a fraction of the 12'000 syringes gathered on the streets of Vesterbro every week.

Swopbox is an initiative that aims to help drug addicts safely dispose of their used syringes by offering 2 DKK per every syringe deposited in plastic containers like the one I saw attached to the bike. Ridding the streets of used syringes and their hazardous needles is the key philosophy behind the initiative run by Allan Hylbech, Michael Schmidt and Tania Henneberg. The dispensation of clean syringe kits via a 24 hour machine is another dimension to the project, which offers anonymous access 24 hours a day to drug users.

Clean syringe kits reduce the risks of HIV and other diseases spreading as a result of shared needles as does the collection of used syringes. Cleaner streets and therein more content residents as well as lower healthcare expenses related to the treatment of HIV patients are also goals of the Swopbox initiative.

Check out Swopbox's Facebook page for more details:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/SWOPBOX/131702130258856

Street art in Valby

2011-09-10T22:46:00.000-07:00

Toftegårds plads (Toftegårds square) is an expansive open space in the heart of Valby. The culture house located at one end of the square is a rather unique site inasmuch as the street art that decorates its walls and the area outside the house. The words of Roch Voisine's "Helene" stand out on one of the walls outside the house and were what first caught my attention. Whoever does the art uses different combos, styles and techniques as is evident from the pictures below.

The Papaya mag : Issue II

2011-09-06T17:05:00.000-07:00

The second of issue of Roskilde University's Papaya magazine has just launched ! We've got interviews with the world famous composer Yann Tiersen and French hip-hop group Hocus Pocus. There's also a comprehensive guide to all the best concerts in Copenhagen over the next two months, focus on the drought in Africa and loads more ! Check us out :

www.thepapayamag.com

Photos: Anders Guld

The simplicity of everyday life

2011-09-06T07:33:00.000-07:00

After several dramatic days that concluded an amazing summer, it's back to reality; to the hassle and bustle of everyday life. I took these shots back in June, at the peak of spring. At the time, I was particularly inspired by a pair of wine glasses I found lying in the garden shed. It's always the refined details in our daily lives that we miss, yet it's such details that are the most beautiful at the end of it all. Here's a pictorial tribute to them:

A Princess on my window sill

2011-09-03T06:22:00.000-07:00

A poem I written in the haze of unrequited love. The memory of a mere moment, tender and graceful yet full of life and vigour all the same. A moment i'll never forget, a sunrise whose symphonic overtures I will always remember. Je l'aime a mourir.

The sky was pink and crisp, dimly lit by the rising sun,

a charged overture that chased the lingering darkness away

My eyes were heavy with sleep, my heart heavier still.

You sat there, dreamy and serene, a princess on my window sill.

The sun rose, swiftly and imposingly over the pink horizon

Laurent Voulzy crackled softly through the speakers

My thoughts wandered, I was weary in the morning light

You sat there still, humming softly to the disappearing night

The clouds blushed in love-red tones against the crimson sky

An anthemic symphony of colour that sounded the time of day

My heart was knotted, taxed to understand such generous a fate

You sat there still, radiant in the morning mist, calm and sedate

Daylight came and the night was but a bygone wanderer

Dawn had done her deed, the dance was complete

My eyes stared fate straight, alas this romance would soon reel

And still there you sat, fragile and meek, a princess on my window sill

Primal Scream: Screamadelica live at Vega : 28th August 2011

2011-09-01T02:43:00.000-07:00

Alternative rockers Primal Scream were at their primordial best at their show at Vega on Sunday, as they re-lived their epic 20 year old album "Screamadelica." Here's a link to my article for The Copenhagen Post about the concert. A physical copy of the Copenhagen Post is also out today.

http://cphpost.dk/in-a-out/156-reviews/52069-concert-review-back-to-the-primordial.html

EOCEAN At Løve's Cafe

2011-08-28T18:50:00.000-07:00

The experience of watching a relatively unknown band play at an intimate venue is unlike any other sensation. I was lucky enough to stumble upon a pair of amazing musicians playing at Løve's cafe yesterday afternoon and I was deeply touched by their sentimental and at times jovial multi-instrumental folk music. EOCEAN have just started out on a tour of Europe, so you may well end up seeing them in some secret bohemian or intimate location in a city near you quite soon. Check out their myspace page for tour dates and tracks. Be sure to listen to the endearing, spirited tune "Ballon" at the end of the track listings.

http://www.myspace.com/eoceanmusic

No Known Cause.

2011-08-26T06:12:00.000-07:00

" We live our lives side by side, thin plaster walls dividing our existence. In "No Known Cause" new rules apply. A combination of performance, video and installation creates an alternative and distorted reality. Absurd meetings occur, conversations out of sync, you are a guest in the nature of your life. "

"No Known Cause" has to be one of the most intriguing, most engaging theatre productions i've ever seen. The one hour long production has been scaring, captivating and pleasing theatre lovers and other enthusiasts for the past week or so, staged at the endearing industrial surroundings of the Ny Tap hall, outside Carlsberg's factory by Enghave station. Part of The Metropolis festival for art and performance in Urban Space, "No known Cause" leads its spectators through the journey of a young man and his elation, sorrow, dilemmas, actions and reactions. In keeping with previous productions by the exciting Wunderkammer artistic collective, the audience are part and parcel of the plot of the piece. This particular production shepherds its audience through a series of hazy dreams and graphic sequences that epitomise and accentuate the fragility and significance of life. Be prepared to be guests in the ever-evolving patterns of your wandering lives !

Be sure to check out the remaining shows of the production, tonight, next Wednesday and next Thursday.

http://www.thewunderkammer.dk/

http://www.kit.dk/2011/METROPOLIS.html

Dreams in the shade of Crete Part II

2011-08-23T09:29:00.000-07:00

The last of the pictures from my Cretan escapades. Cretan sunrises and sundowns are some of the most spectacular i've ever seen. The whole world seems to stand still, hush and limp as the sun exits or appears imposingly over the horizon. I tried to capture this, if only partially through the lens of my camera though ultimately no picture nor eloquent language could ever replicate such resplendent moments. I've also included a few shots of my first attempt at taking photos over half a minute or more worth of shutter speed and a song by Nikos Xilouris, the bygone archangel of Cretan music whose house I was fortunate enough to visit whilst wandering around in the mountains West of Heraklion. The hospitality that was shown towards my travel companions and myself whilst we traipsed around the mountain villages of Anogeia and Zoniana made a deep and lasting impact on my life. Crete for me was epitomised most imminently in these rustic settlements where I wined, dined and listened to traditional Cretan music with gunshots ringing in the background in tandem with the pronounced, poignant sounds of the lyra in the foreground of the musical landscape. The manner in which those we met invited us into their establishments and shared their food and drink with us for no charge will forever linger in my memory. The comparitive selfishness of other societies in the world endowed (or cursed) with a lot more wealth (monetarily that is) became all the more obvious after my escapades in Crete, which added to travels through Portugal and Spain only serve to accentuate my affection for The Mediterranean and its homely people and culture.

Efharistoomay Κρήτη, Thank you Crete !

Dreams in the shade of Crete Part I

2011-08-22T10:17:00.000-07:00

I finally managed to edit and process the last of my pictures from Crete. Here's the first batch of them.

Heraklion harbour

Church in Retymnon, the interior of which is resplendent and immaculate

The tomb of Nikos Kazantzakis, Heraklion

The tomb of Nikos Kazantzakis, Heraklion II

Knossos I

Knossos II

Karpouzi (Watermelon) on the highway

Sunset in Rethymnon

Scenaria beach, Southern Crete

Scenaria beach, Southern Crete II

By the shores of lake Kournas

Stuffed wine leaves and Dhakos at Marko's restaurant on the shores of lake Kournas

Knives on display at a shop in Xania

Salted sardines at an undisclosed restaurant in Reythmnon

Crete's southern shoreline

Plakias beach

Beach party, Plakias beach I

Beach party, Plakias beach II

Beach party, Plakias beach III

Beach party, Plakias beach IV

Beach party, Plakias beach V

Beach party, Plakias beach VI

Beach party, Plakias beach VI I

Beach party, Plakias beach IX

Beach party, Plakias beach X

Shades of summer

2011-08-15T04:46:00.000-07:00

The skies are grey and heavy with the scent of rainfall. Summer seems to be but a bygone pilgrim, a warm nomad whose presence lit up our lives and brightened our doorway for the brief time she was here for. Yet the trees are still lush and full of life and the blue patches of sky that peer through the cloud swirls above have never been brigter. Here are some shots of what's been and gone.

Sundown in Valby

Hanging with 3 amicable Lithuanian buskers and EBDK

Stella Polaris 2011

Hanny & Luna. at Stella Polaris 2011

The Danish monsoon

Summer turned inside out

The dawn.

These falling petals.

2011-08-13T13:25:00.000-07:00

Here's to life !

Neath the scattered dawn, the dreamy blue shades of hope draped in red
The genesis of another stanza, a symphony sculpted and scripted
These dreams are visceral, spread thinly over the beckoning depiction
A laugh, a smile, the fall of a petal. The morn has dispersed its benediction
And to the waters of these synesthetic dreams wanders my compass
To the golden shimmers that flicker fickle on the Southern pass
To you.

Amk

My Crete in pictures. Part I

2011-08-12T06:32:00.000-07:00

The first of many shots from the magical island of Crete, Greece's most populous isle. A pearl in the crystalline Mediterranean, Crete was an unforgettable experience for so many different reasons. The delicious food, the sinuous mountain roads that snake down to the rocky coastline and sandy beaches below, palm-fringed river deltas, Raki and the hospitable Cretans that live and dance under the sun...all will forever remain dear to my heart. Efharistoomay Κρήτη, Thank you Crete !

Bullet-riddled signposts I

Bullet-riddled signposts II

Sundown by the highway, Southern Crete I

Sundown by the highway, Southern Crete II

Descending into the Samaria gorge I

Descending into the Samaria gorge II

Rock temples in the Samaria gorge

Donkey in the Samaria gorge

Crete's rocky Southern coast.

On The Ferry from the beach by the Samaria gorge. A lush detail of life amongst industrial settings

Grilled Octopus, a local delight

Paximadia, two uninhabited Greek islands off the Southern coast of Crete

The Southern coast I

The Southern coast II

Sand and shingles

Paximadia

Near Agios Pavlos

Agios Pavlos I

Agios Pavlos II

Agios Pavlos III

Raki take I

Raki take II

Raki take III

Raki take IV

By the beach near Lake Kournas, Northern Crete

Raki take V

My dear London

2011-08-09T13:45:00.000-07:00

Oh dear me London. Such unbridled anarchy only serves to accentuate differences in a society that's suffering collectively as it is. Something's clearly well amiss amongst the generation of brats that are running around setting cars ablaze and looting en-masse.

Copenhagen ♥ Oslo

2011-07-25T15:46:00.000-07:00

Trying to find words to describe the merciless massacre of 86 innocent people that took place in Oslo and Utøya is next to impossible. The drastic tragedy that has befallen the peace-loving, liberal land of Norway will go down as one of the worst incidents in the history of the nation and forever live in infamy in the minds of everybody who witnessed it.

Of particular concern, over and above the irreparable cruelty that has been inflicted upon an entire nation , is the radical right-wing sentiment that Anders Breivik cited as cause for his actions. His 1516 page long manifesto published hours before his undeterred rampage is a document that, in addition to speaking out against the idea of multicultural societies, draws inspiration from numerous far-right political parties, organisations and ideologies in modern day Europe.

And whilst the actions of an individual that would stoop to such macabre a medium of airing his opinion cannot and should not be seen to represent anybody else's views other than his own, it is more obvious than ever before that the rise of the far-right in Europe is more prevalent now than it has been in over half a century.

Politics aside, irrespective of his viewpoint, Breivik's actions were anything but the heroic moment of self glory that he hoped they would be. His brutality has shaken us all yet Norway has stood firm and steadfast as a nation in the wake of this unprecedented attack on her democratic ideals. The solidarity that has been shown all around Norway, Denmark and Sweden over the last few days is a clear a sign as any of the better nature in us all. It is this better nature that can and must prevail today and forevermore in the face of hatred, xenophobia and political ideals that threaten to overwhelm the progress of the societies within which we live.

Thank you so much to the thousands that turned up at Gammeltorv, Copenhagen earlier today with candles, flowers and empathy. The warmest of thoughts and the meekest of sentiments to dear Norway at this dark and decadent moment in world history.

Copenhagen ♥ Oslo

maria mena "Mitt Lille Land" by maria mena

Kill The Geek : The making of "Maybe Monday"

2011-07-22T02:28:00.000-07:00

With the weather looking as frightful as it is at the moment, I found myself indoors yesterday evening in the company of a couple of friends who are working on their latest studio production.

"Kill The Geek" are a newly established Copenhagen-based outfit specialising in minimalistic electronic productions laden with progressive and ambient influences. Claus Sigesmundsen, a.k.a Zigges is the nerdier of the two "geeks," and oversees the more technical aspects of studio production whilst Gitte Hansen provides scope and insight to the process with her meticulosity and keen ears.

"Maybe Monday" is the latest track in the duos ever-expanding repertoire; an ambient journey through the process of quitting cigarettes. Like many of Kill The Geek tunes, "Maybe Monday" is riddled with numerous catchy live samples and organic, self-made synths that add personality and flair to their productions.

Here are the shots from the creative process behind the making of the track. Keep a lookout for it on Kill The Geek's soundcloud page, where it will be released in the near future.

Kill The Geek - Thunderfrog by Kill The Geek

Kill The Geek - Copenhagen Sunset by Kill The Geek

More tracks from Kill The Geek on their soundcloud page :

http://soundcloud.com/kill-the-geek

Facebook page: (Remember to click on the "Like" tab if their productions jazz you )

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kill-The-Geek/173207279390191?sk=info

kalvebod Common

2011-07-19T02:27:00.000-07:00

Kalvedbod common is an oasis of nature in the midst of the modern day development of the island of Amager and the Øresund region. Home to a bird protection area, young forests, swamplands and grazing areas, Kalvebod common provides an opportunity to seek peace and serenity, a stone throw away from the hustle and bustle of downtown Copenhagen. Camped under a starlit sequence of dancing stars, with the glow of the glistening moon bisecting the kaleidoscope of colours from the oncoming dawn, still waters to my left and rustling thickets to my right, I felt as if I could have been anywhere in the world.

Random sincerity

2011-07-18T04:01:00.000-07:00

Wandering through the urban canvas, amongst leafy shadows and serene scrap hinterlands in the heart of the pulsating city core. The witticism of life's tender moments, random, unplanned, shamefully honest.

Holly in the summer shades

Om shanti

Para mi hermano

Steel carnage

The invention of the wheel

Heart and soul in the foliage

Completely random. The goat that appeared from the flickers of the city mist

Big brother is not watching

The Invention of the wheel II

Playful Paka

Scrap serenity

Insight I

Insight II

Allan Kortbaek & Edo Bottalico. Serendipity

2011-07-16T11:26:00.000-07:00

Impromptu song by my mate Edo and I in the midst of the Roskilde festival, Thanks Oscar for the astounding camera work and commentary !

My Roskilde in Music : Names to watch out for Part II

2011-07-14T09:51:00.000-07:00

Following up on part I, here's a list of several names to keep an eye out for over the next year or so:

Janelle Monae

Janelle Monae is a popstar of a different sort. Though parallels have been drawn between her and show queen Lady Gaga, Monae's push for her own unique identity shines through a lot more consistently than it does with the first lady of today's pop world. Clad in a Tux and sporting the usual chic haircut that complements her juvenille looks and harmonic voice, Monae closed Roskilde festival's Cosmopol scene with an award winning performance that gave an indication as to why her 2010 album "ArchAndroid suites" has received as much praise as it has. Monae's self proclaimed identity as an android adds a geeky, entertaining element to her music and showmanship which shines through every aspect of her work.

Afrocubism

Afrocubism are a revelation in the genre of world music, fusing the musical influences of Buena Vista Social Club members with traditional West African musicianship in a combination that's garnered a fair deal of afficionados over time. Basic instruments such as the kora and the ngoni are given free reign in the lively, passionate music of Afrocubism, whose powerful vocals are complemented by detailed, varied instrumentation strung skillfully together by the veteran maestros that compose the band. Rich, rhythmic and rustic, Afrocubism are frontline ambassadors of contemporary traditional music.

Dark Dark Dark

The music of Minneapolis sextet Dark Dark Dark is the sort of stuff one would expect to hear at the peak of an emotionally charged movie scene. Grey's Anatomy have in fact used the band's most well known number, "Daydreaming" so don't be surprised if more of their music makes it onto the television screen in front of you. Soft, sentimental chamber folk featuring the piano, clarinet and banjo interspersed with poignant, piercing, spine-shingling lyrics just about describes what this band is all about, or does it ?

Charles Bradley Interview by "Sound Tracks'" Marco Werman

2011-07-13T05:50:00.000-07:00

Soul legend-in-the-making "Charles Bradley" ladies and gentlemen. His life story in a few minutes, courtesy of Sound Tracks.