Why Does Google Hate Detroit Techno?

Not really. I mean... I don't think so.
Let me back up for a sec. and start over...

Google Street View for Detroit went live yesterday. As the 11th largest city in the country... whoa, tangent: When the hell did San Diego, San Antonio, Phoenix and San Jose pass us? What is that about? Those were considered cute resort towns when I was a kid, if they even existed back then. Anyway, as the 5th largest city in the country (in 1970), one might figure Detroit would be one of the first to be photographed by Google's Immersive Media's army of New Beetles. Well knowing that Detroit is generally considered a third world country within the borders of the United States, we don't take anything for granted. That's why it's a pleasant surprise whenever someone thinks we're important enough for something like early adoption of Google Street View.



Street View is a fantastic application, and I'm really impressed with the extent Detroit is documented so far. The thing is though, the very first place I went was Techno Boulevard - specifically the block of Gratiot which is home to Transmat, Metroplex, KMS and the Atlas Building. It turns out this the only block of Gratiot not documented on Street View. You can get as close as the corner of Gratiot and Russell, but not close enough to get a good view. I suppose it's no big deal for me, since I'm down there all the time, but I have to imagine that block would be the primary site of interest for techno tourists.

Chances are the camera car took a left turn into Eastern Market and just forgot to go back and cover that block. Still, it's entertaining to think there's a conspiracy at foot. (I'm easily entertained sometimes.)

Oral Fixation: Stuffed Poblanos and Halibut with White Asparagus and Bacon

The third installment of our irregular food feature, where I gab on about something I cooked.

I went into Westborn Market after work last night with no idea what I was going to make for dinner. Sometimes the best meals come from just walking around to see what looks good. (This can be really dangerous when you're hungry.) The first thing that caught my eye was a beautiful pile of fresh poblano peppers - not something we see so often in Michigan in December. The hunt was on for what to stuff them with and what to serve alongside. I've never attempted to make poblanos before, or even looked at recipe for that matter. The fun of cooking is making it up as you go.

I brought a pair of peppers home and stuffed them with mushroom goat cheese, sauteed baby spinach, spicy pickled garlic, lobster mushrooms, diced bulb onions and tomatoes, poured olive oil over the lot and popped them in the oven. Meanwhile in the skillet was white asparagus, chopped garlic and bacon. (Bacon makes everything better.) When the asparagus was done, we put two gorgeous pieces of wild halibut in the same pan and seared them right in the bacon fat with some sea salt and white pepper. This was a last minute decision that could have been disastrous, but I think ended up being a moment of divine intervention that pulled the whole meal together. The hint of smokey flavor the bacon grease added to the sashimi quality fish was phenomenal and unlike anything I've ever tasted.

When plated, the poblanos were topped with shaved machengo, fresh salsa and guacamole. The guac was a simple mixture of avocado, diced tomatoes and the same spicy pickled garlic in the peppers. The asparagus/bacon medley and the halibut was drizzled with the juice from the baking pan. I'm not sure exactly what that was, but can presume it was a combination of olive oil and fluids cooked out of the vegetables and cheese. Whatever it was, it was tasty.

This went surprisingly well with an '06 red Zinfandel. We actually had a Weiss beer poured as well, since beer seems to go better with most Mexican food, but the hearty red worked better in this case. The bacon, the cheese, the garlic... whatever it was, it worked. This is definitely something we'll be making again. ¡Buen apetito!

For Posterity

From Allen's Best of '07 Post:
If this list says anything about 2007 its that DJ-culture is no-longer about the filler that Philip Sherburne, or the like, will chart. Parties have become about small, unexpected moments, but most importantly DJ’s have taken back the song from the bloggers.

Hell, we've been trying to articulate that since 2001, but I could not have said it better myself.
Bravo, Mr. Goodman. Bravo.

Balls

A Minor History of Giant Spheres from Cabinet Magazine.
[via Archinect]


Newton Cenotaph by Étienne-Louis Boullée, 1784

Visionary French architect Étienne-Louis Boullée designs his Cenotaph for Newton, a giant sphere punctured by holes that create the illusion of suspended stars. He writes, "O Newton! … I conceived the idea of surrounding thee with thy discovery, and thus, somehow, surrounding thee with thyself. … From whatever side we look at this shape, no trick of perspective can alter the magnificence of its perfect form... as soft and as flowing as it is possible to imagine."

BLDGBLOG had a couple of great posts related to Boullee's monuments a while back. Well worth another look. For even more tangentary reading, see Pruned's entry about Jean-Jacques Lequeu.

Eugenio Recuenco

The photography of Eugenio Recuenco

(Yes, I've posted this before, but his work never fails to delight.)

Kreepie Kewpies

Hirst inspired cellphone charm?

"Sometimes, there is no border between Loveliness & weird..."

OK.
Be sure to watch the promotional video.
[via Gizmodo]

The Daydream/The Disconnect

Tycho's new single is released today on Ghostly Digital. A recent addition to Ghostly SMM family, Tycho [a.k.a. Scott Hansen] weaves organic and electronic sounds into a lush and delicate web. The Daydream feels like soft sunlight on your face on this rainy December morning.

Allen's Best of 2007

To be a bit different this year I decided to identify the boldest choices that I heard from various DJ’s this year. Be them renowned or unknown the following gave me some of the best moments as far as I, the club-goer, was concerned.

What makes some of these selections interesting is that most appeared on albums or compilations that had a single that was more casually played. While this is certainly not the case for some, ‘The Magic Position’ or ‘D.A.N.C.E.’ for instance, when I initially heard most of these tracks they appeared obscure but most went on to some sort-of notoriety outside of the club scene.

If this list says anything about 2007 its that DJ-culture is no-longer about the filler that Philip Sherburne, or the like, will chart. Parties have become about small, unexpected moments, but most importantly DJ’s have taken back the song from the bloggers.

Black Kids ‘I’m Not Going to Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance With You’
Simian Mobile Disco ‘Wooden’
Gui Boratto ‘Mr. Decay’
Chromeo ‘Bonafied Lovin’ (Tough Guys)’
Kalabrese ‘Not the Same Shoes’
Pantha du Prince ‘Saturn Strobe’
Apparat ‘Limelight’
Battles ‘Atlas’
Caribou ‘After Hours’
Dan Deacon ‘The Crystal Cat’
The Field ‘A Paw in My Face’
Jay-Z ‘Pray’
Jens Lekman ‘Sipping on the Sweet Nectar’
Justice ‘D.A.N.C.E’
Kanye West ‘Good Life’
LCD Soundsystem ‘Us v Them’
Liars ‘Houseclouds’
M.I.A. ‘XR2’
Patrick Wolf ‘The Magic Position’
Prodigy ‘7th Heaven’
Radiohead ‘Bodysnatchers’
Mirage ‘Lady Operator’
The Tough Alliance ‘Miami’
Studio ‘Out There’
U.G.K. ‘Intl’ Players Anthem’
!!! ‘Break in Case of Anything’
Kathy Diamond’s ‘Racing thru Time’
Dizzee Rascal ‘Da Feelin’
El-P - Run the ‘Numbers’
Pharoahe Monch - ‘Body Baby’
Lil’ Wayne ‘Sweet Down Load’

P.S. The National’s ‘Boxer’ was the best album of the year. Kanye West’s ‘Graduation’, Jens Lekman’s ‘Night Falls Over Kortedala’, A-Trak’s ‘Dirty South’ Dance’, St. Vincent’s ‘Marry Me’, and Burial’s ‘Untrue’ are all essential. Also, Arcade Fire’s ‘Neon Bible’ was more enjoyable than Radiohead’s ‘In Rainbows’ but both are terrific.

Just for Allen

Lowfish is always up for a challenge, so he's submitted additional Best of 2007 selections that were actually released in 2007...


Dr0nken electro royalty at Oslo.

OK. Three more that really are from 2007.

SPOTTERS ROCK

1) Psyche "Unveiling The Secret" (Rude 66 Remix) (Tractor Records)
I don't know when Ruud did this but Italy's DJ Gio mc-505 released this on some promo thing very recently and it's been playing non-stop since I got it. I very much wish he carried the vocoder action thru the whole track but maybe that's what keeps me hitting the rewind. (Psyche had a new cd out in Oct too.)

2) Claro Intelecto "Warehouse Sessions Volume 4" (Modern Love)
Brooding, dark and very fat 4/4 business.

3) Various "200" (Planet Mu).
P_mu is all over the place but Mr. Paradinas hits gold for me every now and again. This release includes the wicked Neil Landstrumm track "Bleep Biopsy"...

God is in the Details

Audi RS4 engine compartment


Lexus IS-F engine compartment

The pictures say more than I ever could. More here.

(For those who aren't total gearheads, we're looking at two comparable +/- $60K compact sedans with massive V8s stuffed under the bonnet.)

[photos by Jalopnik]

On a side note, it's somewhat interesting that - if I remember correctly - Ludwig Mies van der Rohe's classic quote was adopted as Lexus archrival Infiniti's very first marketing tagline. Here's the G35 for comparison. Audi still clearly kicks everyone's ass when it comes to beautifully designing every little thing down to the last detail. Germans...

While we're on the subject, I've been wanting to do a feature on engine compartment design for a while. It's such a rare treat when manufacturers practice solid Gestalt theory, it deserves to be rewarded. I'm asking all of our readers to send photos/links of exceptional under hood design to mike[at]burnlab.net. We'll create a little gallery post right here with the best examples.

Lowfish's Best of 2007

Our first year-end list comes from Canada's electro ambassador Lowfish:


Lowfish at Oslo, Detroit - September 2006 [photo by Bethany Shorb]

I'm sure some spotters will tell me some of the below are 2006 or something but here's the top 10 reks/traks I was into this year (since you asked).

In no order...

1) Jegor Teplow "L A C / Russia" (STAMP 001)
Everyone know who this is? The perfect example of dstep meets pan_sonic meets 808. All the samples and stuff should give away who it is...

2) Loefah "Mud Vip" (Track) (Planet mu)
I can live without the stupid MC intro but after that this is one of the sickest 808 tracks I've heard in years. The bass is a touch out of hand and you have to really pull it down hard if you aren't paying attention in a mix...

3) Minisystem "Madingley" (Noise Factory Records)
Toronto analog head/people slept on this release.

4) Trentmoller "The Last Resort" (Poker Flat Recordings)
Guy is a sick producer with next level analog skills and a real musician. I get grief for propping him so much from "real" electro heads/min_waveindustrialcoolpeople. whateve. Check out the just released "Chronicles" of all his earlier 12's/rmx's.

5) Junior Boys "So This Is Goodbye" (Domino)
A little sappy yes - but some of the best "songs" this year for me...

6) Anthony Rother "Skin" (Datapunk)
A good analog stomp. He kinda messes it up a touch towards the end with a melody he might have tried harder on but interesting 4/4 action.

7) Solvent "Demonstration Tape" (Ghostly)
Two new unreleased traks that are wicked and all his hits in one place you can't go wrong with this.

8) Modeselktor "Happy Birthday!" (BPitch Control)
A proper, well sequenced "album" (remember?) - lots of value here with a wide range of tracks from dstep'ish stuff to IDM with Mr. Radiohead singing on top plus a couple stompers for the party people. I can imagine this is pretty popular. I get grief from the hardcore for liking this too...

9) Heuristic Audio "Shaded Mind" (Satamile)
Dark, emotive and well thought out/produced new school electro. People also sleep hard on this one.

10) Skatebård "Vuelo EP" (Radius Records)
New school robo-disco and a lesson in out-board effects. Steers well clear of the cliches that grate but is close enough to the template to appeal to weirdos, heads AND Italo librarians/collectors.

Site Updates Update: Conspirators and Listmania

First order of business:
As part of the Burnlab 4.0 overhaul, I'm cleaning up the Conspirators section. A lot of our editors have updated their accounts to Blogger 2.0, but many still have not. If you haven't, please log in to Blogger and update your account so that you can post here. if you've misplaced your log-in info, just send an e-mail to mike[at]burnlab.net and I'll cheffy out a fresh new invite lickity-split. (I'm talking to Jon O, Liz Copeland, Dave Pinter and a handful of others.)

Second order of business:
It's that time of year - when we make lists and check them twice! The last time we did a truly comprehensive recap of the year in art, design, music and culture was way back in 2003. As a group blog of self-proclaimed tastemakers (or something,) it would be great if we could have that level of detail with our year-end recap of 2007. All Burnlab editors are encouraged to post their Best of lists for any and all categories, in any format they see fit, from now through January. As moderator, I ask only that you standardize the title - such as "Chris' Best of 2007" or "Andy's Best of 2007", and that you hyperlink to sources wherever possible.

Third order of business:
We are always looking for new Lab Report editors. Approval can be a convoluted, whimsical, demeaning or magical process - depending on our mood - but most of the time it's easy as the click of a button. (Nobody has had to waer the donkey costume since Doc came on board.) We would love to hear from you if you think you'd like to be a Lab Report contributor. Send us a note and tell us why you're the awesomest!

Circlesquare

I'm re-posting Circlesquare's video for Fight Sounds Part 1 [directed by Bienvenido Cruz] just because it's awesome.... and everyone [myself included] needs to be reminded now and then just how awesome a video this is for such an awesome song by such an awesome artist.



Fight Sounds earned the #3 spot for both pop single and album/EP on my Best of 2006 lists. I didn't do a music video list last year, but the above clip would have certainly commanded a top 3 spot as well... possibly number one.

So what's up with our favorite Canadian cognitive libertarian/electronic musician/visual/installation artist and Emily Carr Institute graduate since the venerable Output Recordings met its self-inflicted demise? It looks like 2008 is going to be a big year for Jeremy Shaw a.k.a. March 21 a.k.a. Circlesquare. Rumors, conjecture and reliable info include a new label, a new record and new awesomeness. We can't wait!

[Big thanks to Jason Patterson for turning me on to Circlesquare a couple of years ago.]

CHIRANJEEVI, We Heart You

He is, many would say, the most under-rated action hero of all time, i give you Chiranjeevi,Chiranjeevi, and yes, Chiranjeevi

SPRFKR for Ghostly

Hot new stuff at the Ghostly Store.


Say hello to the newest offerings from one of our favorite new clothing lines: Hot new stuff at the SPRFKR. Based out of a kitchen in Rialto, SPRFKR's striking graphics have been featured in magazines such as BPM and URB, as well as on the torsos of celebrities like Zac Efron (People Magazine). The man behind the magic, one Marco Antonio Rached Jr., describes his influences as "70's amateur porn, memories of things I wanted when I was a kid, B-horror movies with bad acting, Alfonso Mucha, James Beardsley, Jose Gonzales from the original Vampirella, Vaughn Bode's Cheech, Rat Fink, Rockin' Jellybean, psychedelic art, Ram Dass, Timothy Leary, LSGoons, and most importantly, my hometown, Rialto, California, 92377." We dig.

Flight 404: Magnetic Ink

Robert Hodgin a.k.a. Flight 404 has been an old fave since the glory days of experimental personal websites, circa 1999-2001. Robert shifted focus from Flash to Processing and has been creating some beautiful generative work the past few years. His latest explorations are called Magnetic Ink.



For the first step, over a period of 100 frames, the gravity orbs paint their cross-section onto the paper where it intersects it. The second step, also cumulative over 100 frames, has the particle orbs raining down a mist of ink. The third step is where it gets fun. Every 100 frames, all of the geometry collapses onto the paper. Voila! Instant chaotic hair balls.

To give the piece a little extra depth, every 300 frames (every 3 geometry collapses) the paper slightly blurs the image painted on it. Over time, the old content fades and blurs as new content is placed atop it.

Check it out here and here.

[via Computerlove]

The Pink Project

The Pink Project is an art installation created to raise awareness and funds for rebuilding in New Orleans. It consists of 150 disassembled tangram-based, pink-clad structures placed within 14 city blocks in the Lower Ninth Ward.


From Archinect:
While filming on a set in New Orleans, actor Brad Pitt became seduced by the powerful image of a pink-clad CGI house within the lush Louisiana surroundings. He saw the pink structure as a metaphor, representing the future of renewed housing for those displaced by the recent disasters.

With the vision fresh in his mind, he picked up the phone and described the concept to the Los Angeles office of Graft. A hurried telephone conversation was followed by a lengthy brainstorming session over a number of bottles of Pinot Noir. The master plan was confirmed, and work began the next morning.


Make it Right is a non-profit organization, founded by Brad Pitt, to act as a catalyst for redevelopment of the Lower Ninth Ward. The organization emphasizes Cradle to Cradle ideals, healthy living, and quality design.


The ultimate goal of The Pink Project is to transfer the attention received via the bold art installation into a fund raising effort to build actual homes to replace the 150 structures, rebuilding the Lower Ninth Ward community. The Make it Right website has implemented an innovative donation tool allowing visitors from anywhere in the world to visit the site, virtually, and maneuver a house to purchase specific elements to donate to the community, eventually building up the inventory required to construct all 150 homes. For the homes, Graft and Pitt commissioned designs from 13 architects representing local, national, and international perspectives.

BMG: Evil Genius

Video clip of Brendan M. Gillen at the past Saturday's 12 13+ hour No Way Back party.

We might have a proper review here once we get all our brain cells lined up again.
Until then, here are a few comments from around teh interwebs:
"[Interdimensional Transmissions] payed great attention to every aspect of the party. I was thoroughly impressed with the production. Great job, guys. And the artists all killed it."
"Easily the best party I have been to in a long, LONG time."
"I have not had that much fun in eons. Loved every minute. THANK YOU!"
"best party of the year. all I can say is.... WOW!"
"One of the best parties I have attended since, I don't know when! "
"holy f*cking christ."

There's more, but you get the point.
I will say that at one point the music was so evil, Bethany and I literally had to back out of the room for fear of our souls being eaten by snakes.
Awesome.

[And thanks to Decay for the clip!]

Your Journal of Meat Culture

Congrats to Meatpaper for being nominated Best New Publication by Utne Reader!
More meaty news here.

[thanks Alex Alexanian]


Related: Bethany Shorb's Meat series [Pictued above: Tripe 2, 2005]

What Up Do?

I´ve been feeling a bit nostalgic since watching that Snoop video and thought maybe it was time to resurrect that oh-so-80´s-Detroit greeting "What up do?"