If I hadn’t already posted it before, Aphex Twin’s “Ziggomatic V17″ would be the only other song that could follow o9′s exquisite “Terminal Orange.” However, this mix o’ mine needs a bridge to the somewhat more sedate songs I have planned at the end, but that bridge needs an intensity too, something only Boards of Canada can do.

boc-skyliner“Skyliner,” from their most recent Trans Canada Highway EP, is yet another in a long line of monumental BoC tracks, perhaps second only to their paean to Beck’s “Broken Drum.” In all sincerity, if you have haven’t heard that remix, one which Beck claims as his favorite remix of all, you must find it. Or wait patiently for me to post it next week.

I couldn’t possibly say enough about Boards of Canada, nor even begin to add anything that hasn’t already been said a million times. Their music defies easy classification, transcends any recognizable era, and pretty much exists on its own plane. While many ape elements of their style, their music remain instantly recognizable — both old and new, with a heavy dose of the now too:

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I saw them play one of three lives shows in the past ten years at Warp’s We Are Ten parties in London. Not only was their set flawless, and full of songs that would not see the light of day for several more years, but their visual arrangement tops anything and everything I have seen since. I remember like it was yesterday, listening to the opening song “Zoetrope” while watching the most enchantingly grainy loop of blurry-faced children move in reverse on playground equipment — floating back up the sliding pole, jumping backwards off of the merry-go-round, and so on. One of my fondest memories for sure, easily topping that night’s live sets of Autechre and Squarepusher, and a djing Aphex Twin!

That’s how I feel about tankt right now.
Too many other more enticing ideas on my mind:

  • I wanna see who. (Not really sure how.)
  • Building and simultaneously demolishing grids.
  • User vs. Designer vs. Developer. And the astonishing difference in my expectations depending on my current position.
  • Apathy, decency, and subtlety. Fuck ‘em.
  • The future. It’s about time.
  • Too many tees. (They’re a walking banner ad.)
  • You say you want a revolution. Get up. Stand up. Save your own damn self. Take the time to think.
  • Is it feathers on a bird or lotsa different chickens?
  • Machines for living.
  • Embrace the glitch.
  • Fragments. Bridges. Limited editions. 10″ wax presses. Social mixes. Unconventional remixes. Oh, and a Truitt / Brown collaboration known as TruBro. Is that offensive?
  • Outside.in in Brooklyn. Warp Records in London. Family in Ohio. Three in San Francisco.

And,

Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.

- Steve Jobs

What was once and always ‘all in my head’ is now ready to see the light of day. Like branches on a tree, some will thrive, while others whither and die. It matters not which is which, merely that they exist.

The rich tapestry of life seems especially so these days. After several years of deep and difficult introspection, I feel whole again, and stronger than ever. I am loved and loving more than I ever thought possible. I (really, we) feed and sustain me.

I am grateful for my lot in life, truly blessed, and finally prepared to share it with the world, not for gain or glory, but for the chance to make new connections, gain new experiences, and maybe just get a little closer to a deeper understanding of the world.

As always, more soon.