reframe

Beats from the Wild Blue Yonder

// September 28th, 2005 // Art, Music & Poetry

A few months ago I was chilling in “Albert and Arthurs Pad of Change” trying to do a little personal reflection. I had listened through some tracks I usually use for that kind of thing, but it just wasn’t getting me there mentally so I started trying out some new things. At one point I had my favourite film, Waking Life by Richard Linklater, playing in the background so that the dialogue was rolling gently over the funky beats of Hungary’s Yonderboi which I had playing in the fore.It sounded awesome.

Waking Life is… (deep breath).. a collection of 15 philosophical monologues, strung together as a dream sequence, all filmed out of Austin, Texas, on digital film that has been animated over by various artists. It is a film that defeats other films in countless ways. First, its unrivalled content. Second, the artistry in which each individual screen is composed- you can literally stop this film at any given second and it looks beautiful. Third, the soundtrack is powerful and original. And finally, the connectivity of the concept is amazing- it discusses dreams in a dream story, with a technique that renders the film itself with a dream-like quality. Even if you don’t buy movies, buy the Waking Life DVD, you will watch it countless times and be better for it.

László Fogarasi Jr, aka Yonderboi, is a Hungarian DJ/Composer who kicks ass. The Oracle says his music is “somewhere between Future Jazz, Downtempo and Trip Hop”- but I have no idea about such classifications. He has two very sweet albums; “Shallow and Profound” and “Rough and Rare”. If you buy music, buy “Shallow and Profound” its a worthy addition.

Anyway, coming back to the “Pad of Change” and the moment of awesomeness. I realised then that I had a new project for my time in Egypt. I needed to mix up an album, bringing together Waking Life with Yonderboi- a salute to the incredible work of Linklater and Fogarasi, a tribute to unlikely synergies in the universe.

Now, I am a complete novice at mixing and Im using some cheap software. But such is the mastery of these artists, that it actually seems to work. Here is a sample of the Linklater/Fogarisi Mix: “Yonderboi Finds Philosophy”, Track 6: No Answer From Boatcar Guy.

(Vocal samples: Waking Life, Beats: Yonderboi)