Warp

Goddamn, what a label. I found out about Aphex Twin way back in high school, right around the time I started spending every last penny of my money on weed. Needless to say the combo knocked me on my ass and it's been on ever since. At this point I've listened to probably 80-90% of the labels massive catalogue and I have always been amazed (and super pleased) by how they stay consistently relevant and ground breaking while expanding outwards in many different directions. They've opened sooo many doors in my head over the years. In short, I think they are one of the greatest creative institutions on the planet, so I got the jonsing to fawn over their awesomeness, especially since it feels like they are back on top these days).

Yeah, so here's some recent videos.



Clark-Ted. Amazingly detailed footage of insects that have been moded out with some Japanese mech style enhancements. Video by 1st Ave Machine . You should actually watch this on their website instead because the video isn't as compressed as YouTube's, plus there is an equally amazing video for an Alias song. These guys are setting the bar REAL high.




Grizzly Bear-The Knife. This one got my anxiety juices flowing even harder then those bugs. At first I was like jesus, what the fuck was that, where was the knife? But I watched again and I think I get it...it's us, right? We've got the give and take all fucked up and one-sided and she's sad (or pissed). So then it's about the resulting subconscious turmoil, and how its presence hints that it's only a matter of time before the fundamental interconnectivity of our relationship with the planet is consciously realized, at which point, we'll be consumed? Cause that's what I'm picking up on...still, I can't tell if Star Trek guy is our creator or an alien observer, and if he's pining for the Earth's essence after she leaves or if he's just starting the draining process anew...or if the video is just the result of a bunch of dudes on drugs and I'm reading into it way too hard. Either way, thought-provoking stuff courtesy of Encyclopedia Pictura. Again, way better quality on their badass website plus a bunch of other videos with amazing CG organics.

Also, this reminds me a lot of Saul of the Molemen with it's campy yet visually unsettling approach. Random, but hey, sometimes that's how associations work.



Battles-Atlas. It's taken me awhile to warm up to these guys, but the more I listen, the more I like. I have a feeling they may be the new Animal Collective if they get enough exposure...they're equally unbridled and volatile, and they're getting surprisingly catchy. Diggin' the advanced vocoder action and the Superman 2 factor.


A deeply rooted nexus of amazingly talented people that are pushing the boundaries of human experience...or just a really really solid label. You choose.