Minibrute 2 announced

I thought there weren't any really interesting synths on market and I didn't have temptations to buy more gear. Then this thing was announced. At first I was like shut up and take my money. Now I am not so sure. I have Minibrute and Microbrute. This video didn't sell me the synth. I wouldn't be surprised if I have this by the end of this year.

I plan to get bigger eurorack next year. This would fit to that plan with eurorack connectivity. I also like how this didn't make original Minibrute obsolete. It can do some things this can't by itself. With eurorack this can do much more. If you think this as eurorack module it is reasonable priced. It is reasonable priced as individual synth but more so as eurorack module. It is good package of analog and modular.

Inspirational Katie Gately videos from Ableton

I found these videos inspirational. Field recording is something I like to get into. It is just that there is not enough time for everything I want to do. I like Cryo Chamber whose artists use field recordings. I have used them in some of my music. Mostly done by someone else. Getting own sound library to play with would be nice. It is just starting to records sound. I already have everything I need for recording and processing. These videos make me want to start recording sounds. They might do some to you to.

Fun with Make Noise 0-Coast

I hope you didn't want dry sound of Make Noise 0-Coast. This has lot of effects. It doesn't sound like this dry. Some effects used may not be obvious but there are lot of effects some going 100% wet by the end.

Video has only two instruments, Make Noise 0-Coast and Elektron Analog Rytm. Rest is effects. You might see 0-Coast getting midi signals during feedback section. That is because when freezing the track Ableton Live also freezes clips on that track after freezing the track on arragement view. You don't hear those notes in the video. This is what you get when you video the freezing and tweak effects afterwards.

Notable albums of 2017

I didn't plan to list favorite albums of 2017 or any top lists of 2017. Movies list would be pretty short since I have seen only few movies from 2017 so far. This is not top list and these are not in any order. These are albums I think you should check. List doesn't have Paloma Faith's new album because I haven't checked it yet or my favorite album of 2017.

I wrote yesterday how I found Lorde. I found her this year but Melodrama was released last year so it counts. One of my favorite albums of the year even after few listens.

I didn't like Lana Del Rey's Lust for Life as much as her earlier albums at first. After hearing it more I started to like it more. Same happened with Honeymoon.

I could fill this list with albums released by Cryo Chamber. I bought most albums they released 2017. Not all thought.  First example from their music is this collaboration between Apocryphos, Kammarheit and Atrium Carceri.

Arch Enemy's Will to Power was so good it made my buy their earlier album with new singer. Arch Enemy wasn't only band with which this happened last year. This video was selected because it was shot in Helsinki.

Second example from Cryo Chamber and another collaboration with Atrium Carceri. Guy behind name Atrium Carceri is owner of Cryo Chamber. So he is in few of their collaborations including one released this week. He is good as solo artist too. One of best artists in label. He is not in collaborations only because he owns the label. 

I assume this is official video release. Band's channel didn't have music videos from Derelicts. They talk about it and their gear but there is no music. I found Carbon Based Lifeforms late last year. Now their albums are on my wishlist and I will buy them one by one as time goes on.

I started to feel this list lacks metal. Some may say Myrkur is not metal. What ever her music is I like it. Mareridt was released this year and it deserves to be here.

It took a while to adjust to her voice. When I did Scarlet Sails' Future from the Past became one of my favorite albums of 2017. Guy from Dresden Dolls is in this band. That is how I found them.

I start to see pattern in this list. If someone sings it is female. The Creepshow's Death at my Door was the another album which made me accept band's new singer. Yes, I bought The Creepshow's previous album with new singer after this.

Male voices at last. And some metal. Wolves in the Throne Room returned to their roots with  Thrice Woven. They tried electronic music on their previous album. It was ok but this is where they are best at. This wasn't best track of the album. It was one they made music video.

I am surprised I found this video. I have all Sorrow Plagues' albums. I thought band was one man project which released music to Bandcamp. This is from 2017 album Homecoming. This is as underground something this good can be.

I didn't have high hopes when I heard about Me And That Man. It is Behemoth's Nergal's side project. Songs of Love and Death was way better I could have ever expected it to be.

This list lacks metal compared to how much I listen it. There weren't that many metal albums standing above the rest and I couldn't find official video for Mesarthim's The Great Filter/Type III. Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats released new version of their debut but that doesn't count. Old reliable bands released solid albums but which were not their best albums.

I couldn't add my favorite album because I couldn't find anything official from Nier: Automata's soundtrack. That album is over three and half hours of amazing music. It is game's soundtrack. You should not skip it because of that. Some games have really good soundtracks. Stellaris is one example but that was older than last year.

Lux Helsinki 2017

Lux Helsinki 2018 starts tomorrow. Here is video I shot from last year's event. You have to wait two weeks for this year's video. I don't know which day I go there. Probably not tomorrow. Which means I would have to do editing and music during workdays' evenings if I wanted video ready next week. Lux Helsinki 2016 had cold weather. This had little snow but weather was quite warm for winter and snow was melting away. This year it looks like no snow and even warmer weather.

You can find video from Lux Helsinki 2016 here.

New Year's Eve 2017

This is second part of lighting the darkness trilogy. First part was last week's Return of Black Christmas and third one will be Lux 2018. Each video show how to light the darkness that is Helsinki during end of December and beginning of January.

Weather was same as week before, but this time there were more people and fireworks.