July | 2007 | NikGomez.com

Daft Punk’s Electroma

Posted on July 29, 2007 by mygoodgomez

I must say that I was surprised by Electroma. After seeing the trailer on Daft Punk’s site and hearing that all spoken words were left out, I was worried that it would turn into some obscure metaphorical movie I wouldn’t get. Turns out I was wrong (well, kinda).

Electroma is the story of two robots (Hero #1 & #2) in the Daft Punk costumes wandering around the California desert when they arrive at the quintessential “Southwestern America” town, except for the part where every townsperson is also wearing a full Daft Punk outfit. In the initial driving scene you see the license plate that reads “HUMAN”, cluing you into the duo’s desire. After going through an external transformation to become human and the failure that follows, the final journey sequence depicts the self-destructing nature of their goal in which they both choose to destroy themselves rather than remain in robot form.

It’s a simple story of the desire to be something you’re not, and the consequences that follow. In no way shape or form is it an optimistic tale. All that junk about being who you want and making more of what you have is thrown out of the window.

Apart from the depressing subject matter, I really enjoyed the film. I disagree with the claims that the scenes are drawn out far too long. But if you go into this movie hoping for some sort of a candy coated picture that looks like Discovery sounds, you will be sorely disappointed. Don’t get me wrong, Electroma looks beautiful, not because the colors are popping out, but because of the composition Bangalter puts together with the various cut views of each scene.

On top of the amazing picture, the music featured in the film fits perfectly. None of it is Daft Punk music, which is surprising at first, but no Daft Punk music would really fit in here. The music used isn’t really odd, but it’s not mainstream music either (just like the movie). Although I know that a soundtrack won’t be coming out seeing as the movie is only about an hour, I’m going to try to research what songs are in it because each and everyone is sick.

This is a movie that tells a simple story in a very abstracted form, but it’s not hard to understand. If you can view Electroma not wanting to be entertained the entire time, it will be an enjoyable film for you too.

And I thought Daft Punk couldn’t live up to the hype…

Posted on July 25, 2007 by mygoodgomez

I almost feel bad writing this, almost sorry for you. But I also feel that I would be doing you a disservice by not letting you in on the most revolutionary concert I have ever been to. I can honestly say that the full 5 hours that I (and a friend) spent at the LA Sports Arena were well spent. Here is a rundown of the experience (because it was an experience).

We arrived at the arena at around 6:15 pm, and we were definitely surprized by the number of people who were already in line. It seemed like we had shown up for the wrong concert. There was only about 20 people in the Loge/Concourse line (our line) and probably about 40 in the Floor line (not our line). I know that the show didn’t start until 8, but I honestly thought that there would be way more people.

So we go in around 7 when the doors opened and got prime seats in the Loge section with barely anyone around us. We sat around ’till 9:15 when SebastiAn and Kavinsky started spinning. There was a fair amount of people inside now, but it was clear that most people weren’t too interested in the openers. I need to say that I love SebastiAn, and I am glad that they played more of his material than Kavinsky’s (not my favorite).

Oddly, I noticed that I actually recognized a fair ammount of the songs that were mixed between their two sets (it was a DJ set to open and fill time between Ratatat and Daft Punk). Here’s what I recognized:

Justice – D.A.N.C.E., Waters of Nazareth (Justice Remix), Let There Be Light (DJ Funk’s Bounce Dat Ass Remix), Phantom Pt. II, and Genesis.
Uffie – Ready To Uff
The Prodigy – Smack My Bitch Up
SebastiAn – RossRossRoss, Head/Off, Walkman, Killing In The Name (SebastiAn Remix), Greel
Kavinsky – (I don’t know the song, but it was obviously his, he has a distinct style)
Busy P – Rainbow Man

Let me say that the music was up so loud that every one of SebastiAn’s songs hit like a knockout punch. His Killing In The Name remix was a song that my friend and I wanted to hear, and the crowd went insane when it was played near the end of the set (obviously Coachella kids in the crowd). Sadly, the remix ends before the “FUCK YOU, I WONT DO WHAT YOU TELL ME… MOTHERFUCKERRRRR!” part… I found the number of Justice songs being played to be kind of odd, but I love Justice, so it was welcome; I don’t have a problem with inter-label promotion at all.

On to the actual live performances. Ratatat obviously had less stage space than Daft did (that pyramid doesn’t appear out of thin air), but they don’t really need much of a stage. Their music is amazing at that high of a volume. The bass really hits and the guitars whine all night long. Their DVD playing behind them was kind of cool, but their music is so unique that it blows me away every time I hear it. Great set. SebastiAn and Kavinsky spun again, and our attention was split between the DJs and the flashing test lights emmitting from behind the huge curtain pulled around the pyramid.

Finally the lights went out and the place erupted. Daft Punk opened just as they did in Coachella two years ago with the “HHUUMMAANN RROOBBOOTT” slowly gaining pace to preface Robot Rock. Much of what they did was the same as their recent concerts pertaining to the progression of songs and eventual introduction to different uses for their lights.

The first major change came came at Around the World (Harder Better Faster Stronger Remix) when the first “around the world” came and the entire floor lit up with the lights that were placed encircling the entire arena! It was amazing how perfect it seemed. The lights seemed to be the same kind of lights they have as the grid on either side of the pyramid. Watch the video at the end of the post and you will see what I mean. They look white in the video, but the can do every color just as the grid can.

From there on, it was nonstop dancing and French Touch killing everyone’s preconceived notions about what a “show” should be. Because of the extended set time, Daft Punk played (~~what seemed to me to be~~, but wasn’t…) an extended version of Too Long. Maybe they didn’t, but I thought it was longer than the Coachella set (~~I have the full audio on my computer~~, it was normal). Oh yeah, there was one other reason why it was longer…

The encore. It was amazing. I didn’t think that there would be an encore, and boy was I wrong. For a while, it seemed pointless standing there shouting for what seemed forever, but when the lights never came on, it was apparent that something was going to happen. Eventually they came back on stage and played what people have said was a remix of Music Sound Better With You. Then the new suits came out. They were amazing, and so was the way that they presented them (with the red light leading up to them through the stage. That topped it all off. If there was a question that Daft Punk is the best, there is no such question anymore.

Please, everyone, if you get the chance to see Daft Punk, do not pass it up. It will be an event that you will never forget. Also, if you were there, or have anything to say, leave a comment!

Update: I added a few songs I remembered (re-recognized) were played during the SebastiAn/Kavinsky set.

Continue reading “And I thought Daft Punk couldn’t live up to the hype…” →

Daftbastianvinskatatat Concert

Posted on July 15, 2007 by mygoodgomez

Concert Montage

In case you don’t get it (I don’t expect you to), the title is to be translated to be Daft Punk/SebastiAn/Kavinsky/Ratatat Concert. This is the concert a friend and I will be going to on July 21 in LA. Words cannot really express how excited I am about this.

I will start with Daft Punk. I really do love their music. As much as it pains me that they are very close to stealing material and slapping their name on it, I feel that they are innovative in their sampling ways and deserve as much praise as they get. They have succeeded at not disappearing as so many electronic fad artists do. Why? Because they are more than their music.

Daft Punk has become a level of quality in persona and live shows on top of their amazing music that other artists can only strive for. One of the big reasons that electronic music isn’t big in the States is because of the difficulties of putting together entertaining live sets with real visuals. Just watch a YouTube video of a recent Daft Punk concert and you will see that this isn’t a problem for them.

SebastiAn is my favorite electronic artist in terms of music right now. Everything of his, from his albums to his remixes, blows me away. Just read my latest assessment of the Ed Banger crew for more on SebastiAn.

Kavinsky is still a bit mysterious to me. He is the artist who’s music I have heard the least of. I have his two EPs but I don’t feel that they do him justice. His sound is a retro-house electro type thing. Old 80s synths are all over the place in his songs. I like it, but I hope there’s something more for me to grasp at the concert.

Ratatat is the ugly duckling of this group. Not because I don’t like them (I LOVE them) but because they actually play instruments. I’m really looking forward to hearing their very unique sound blasted at me through a huge sound system. To me, Ratatat is a sort of a Dueling Banjos funneled through the electronica scene with a drum machine thrown in for size. I have never heard anything like them, and I love it.

So there you have it, a short assessment of the artists I will see on Saturday, July 21, 2007 at about 9pm. Jealous?

Ed Banger Records (Part 1)

Posted on July 14, 2007 by mygoodgomez

Ed Banger Crew — the heavy hitters of the Ed Banger crew

There is no use in disputing the point: Ed Banger Records is the king of electro. EdRec’s superb lineup consists of (left to right in the picture) Feadz, SebastiAn, Vicarious Bliss, Uffie, Busy P, So Me, DJ Mehdi, and Justice (not pictured: Krazy Baldhead and Mr. Flash). As of now, I cannot say that there is a single artist that I dislike. Each artist has a unique sound that doesn’t attempt to mimic any other artist on the label (or any other artist in general). Enjoy! (Part 1 consists of Busy P, Feadz, Justice, Mr. Flash, and SebastiAn)

in alphabetical order… also, please click on the artist’s names to go to a HypeMachine search for their music…

Busy P: How fitting he is the first on this list. Busy P, aka Pedro Winter, is a DJ/producer, manager of Daft Punk and Justice, and owner of Ed Rec. It is safe to assume that whatever Busy P touches turns, not to gold, but to platinum immediately. While I could speak on Daft Punk for pages (and I will in a coming post), Busy P’s music is more important right now. He sticks alongside what the label is known for: French electro house. It’s not as grimy or as disco as Justice, not as punch-you-in-the-face as SebastiAn, but the sound definitely holds its own against P’s label-mates.

Feadz: Aside from being Uffie’s love interest, he is also her producer. The majority of his current material has been released through Uffie. Pre-Uffie, he worked with Mr. Oizo on Analog Worms Attack (a sweet album if I may say so). The beats he lays down for Uffie are characterized by their stuttered distorted nature. It sounds as if Feadz takes each and every sample and cuts/chops/pastes them into any mashup that resembles a semi-ordered form to create his music.

Justice: The constant praise coming from all sides about this DJ duo hasn’t seemed to slowed down since their first EP Waters of Nazareth was released a little over a year ago in June of 2006. They take whatever material they are given (or make up) and filter it to sound like heavy metal had a head on collision with disco funk. Like many of Ed Rec’s artists, Justice are amazing remix artists as well as superb at creating original material. Their recently released debut LP titled † is varied and remains true to Justice’s signature style resulting in an album that will stay in rotation for quite some time. Reading about Justice in popular magazines signifies that electronic music might be able to become mainstream once again.

Mr. Flash: From what I’ve heard (which isn’t much), Mr. Flash mixes electro with tweaked hip hop and a tad of disco thrown in for flavor. The song Disco Dynamite which is featured on Ed Rec Vol. 2 is one of my favorite songs on the compilation album. He’s been producing music for TTC since about 1999, and had an mix-comp titled Monsieur Sexe come out in 2005. A slew of EPs and remixes have followed, but I haven’t been able to get my hands on much.

SebastiAn: My favorite artist on Ed Rec. His album RossRossRoss is something I put on only when I can’t be uninterrupted with the volume at max. He is probably the best remixer I have ever come across, and Daft Punk has said that his remix for Human After All was the best remix that they had ever commissioned. What he does to songs isn’t really fair. In terms of remixes, he makes the original artist sound like an amateur. In terms of his own music, it’s so aggressive that you might have to have stitches after listening to just one track. It’s glitchy, distorted, stuttered, and sounds like he took each sample and filtered out the highs and lows leaving the mids (and then ripped them to shreds). Please listen to anything of his.

There you have it, Part 1 of the two part series on Ed Banger Records.

Transformers fulfills all of my expectations

Posted on July 9, 2007 by mygoodgomez

Seriously, Transformers met every expectation of mine, both good and bad. Rather than go through a review of what I thought of it (I loved it), here’s just a list of my expectations:

BIG robots fighting for most of the movie
Cheesy scenes meant to make little kids laugh uncontrollably
One of the most simple plots ever made to sound complicated
The climactic end fight scene
- The final showdown between Optimus Prime and Megatron
Good triumphs over evil
Loud noises throughout
Teenage romance
- Complete with geek and white-trash girl falling in love
Long transforming sequences
Half-second transforming sequences
SPARKS & EXPLOSIONS
Government information exposure
Hacking by people too pretty to understand what hacking is
Did I say robot fighting?

Kanye West’s Daft Punk-aided Stronger video

Posted on July 2, 2007 by mygoodgomez

I am no fan of Kanye West. Let it be known before you dive headfirst into this intriguing column of mine. He is cocky and irreverent of any other musical artist on the scene. Remember when he ran onstage to ruin Justice and Simian’s award for “We Are Your Friends”? No? Well that was my last straw, and the video is after the jump.

So, this new video for Kanye West’s song “Stronger” has been talked about for a long time. It has a Daft Punk sample! It’s an expensive video! It’s off his new album! Directed by Hype Williams! Too bad the video amounts to some eye candy and a plot just as confusing as Justin Timerlake’s “SexyBack”… Putting Daft Punk in BOTH your song and video is quite a feat, but it won’t get you video of the year.

The video features some futuristic looking animation with Kanye being reborn by some kind of a Matrix-type machine. It looks cool, but it’s a bit literal of a translation of the song title. Like I said, Daft Punk is sweet anywhere they are placed. Kudos for that one. The sun(?)glasses are equally awsome; I wish I had some. Here is the part that frustrates me: the lack of continuity. There are some great scenes, but they don’t amount to anything. The video for “Jesus Walks” was amazing because it told a story (all three versions were powerful). I don’t feel that there is anything holding “Stronger” together.

Google’s counter to SiCKO

Posted on July 1, 2007 by mygoodgomez

Google, in a suprizing and dissappointing PR move, has decided to come out against Michael Moore and offer to place HMO ads directly across from search results that include SiCKO. Why? Because Google believes that:

Moore attacks health insurers, health providers, and pharmaceutical companies by connecting them to isolated and emotional stories of the system at its worst.

Like many people, I have already seen Michael Moore’s SiCKO, the film about the sad state of the health care system in the United States. I saw the movie before it came out in theaters because Moore let it known that he wants people to torrent it, and that he didn’t mind at all that it was ripped to YouTube (although later taken off). But that’s beside the point.

I am fairly confused at Google’s reaction to the movie. Is this Google’s first overt move to reject it’s public user-base, turning instead to the big business ad customers? Of course, Google has more money to make by doing what it has done, but is it really worth it? SiCKO has received near universal praise for its criticisms, and I agree with the New York Times when they say that it is a “cinematic indictment of the American health care system.”

Apart from the purely capitalistic point of view (which is that Google is doing the right thing), today’s market relies on more than just your big money customer base. Companies must look out for the public, and I find this especially true for Google. While we, the average searchers, aren’t the ones directly paying Google, we are the ones looking at the ads. We don’t hold the large wallets, but in our massive numbers, we hold far more power than the businesses Google is trying to cater to.

This move by Google confuses me. I really hope that this does not become a trend in Google’s business tactics; it could lead to the gradual diminishment of one of the largest internet companies we know.

Update: Google has retracted the statements of their employee.