Of shitty internet & new beginnings.

The internet has not been cooperative over the past few days. I've missed various writing deadlines for articles that I had wished to put up here for everyone's perusal. They have all disappeared into the Internet heaven known as connection-goddamnint-timeout. So this will have to do for now.

Site news first. There is no Red-Eyed Devil episode this week as Manchester United did not play any matches. We had the unedifying site of Wayne Rooney doing his best to remind us all that he still has a darkside that isn't as easily hidden as Palpatine's,regardless of the positive result which saw England qualify for a major international tournament. R-E-D Ep 3 will be up on Monday, with analysis and opinions on the Liverpool-Manchester United tie. I have been cautioned against calling it a derby, by a Scouser who happens to be a head taller than me. Even though he speaks less English than I do.

There was no Xplitshock column last week as I was travelling, and there will be a delay for this week's column due to news that I will be disseminating shortly. Xplitshock Ep 2 will be up next week, on either Tuesday or Wednesday.

Now, on to the more important issues of the day. First of all, it is a great pleasure for me to actually say what I'm about to say : I have been offered the opportunity to be the latest member of Lucideas Creative! I got the call on Monday, with Melissa's smile actually being communicated through SMS before I actually heard it in her voice on the phone. And it was the start of a quite astonishing week.

Never mind the actual work that I had to rush to be able to take up my new responsibilities at Lucideas. Never mind the extra hours being put into planning the big move from hometown to megacity. Never mind the extra headaches and financial outlay required to make this all happen.

As the day of departure nears, I am swamped with feelings of elation and sorrow. Of excitement and trepidation. Of joy and sadness.This is it, you know? I'm leaving. For real. No more dress rehearsals for the job interviews. No more guarantee of being able to come back to the hometown when the money runs out. The time has come for the next chapter, the next act.

My chest seems to want to burst simultaneously with both pride and panic. Will I be a success? Will I be a complete and utter failure? All pertinent, yet irrelevant questions. Because they don't offer the ultimate measure upon which this adventure, this journey, will be judged. Each time you undertake an endeavour that requires a commitment beyond what you had ever done before, do not judge the merits of such outings on such a tangible and arbitrary manner.

Because all I really need to know, is this : Will I be able to find myself?

Music Review - ATB : Distant Earth

Credit: born2trance.com

This article first appeared here :

Read more: http://www.infobarrel.com/Music_Review__ATB_-_Distant_Earth

 ATB - Addicted to Bass, or All-new Tech Beats?

Credit: www.urban.ro

The DJ World's left-field man is back.

This is certainly a departure from Andre Tanneberger's previous efforts. Let's get that out of the way first.

The German DJ, widely considered to be one of the best in the world having been ranked at number 11 by DJ Magazine for the past 3 years, is best known for hits such as his debut 9p.m(Till I come) and trance anthems such as Ecstasy. However, those that are looking for similar musical stylings from this album, his latest album since 2009's Future Memories, will be left disappointed.

Persevere though, and the listening experience becomes a pleasurable one, if slightly jarring along the way.

ATB - Distant Earth (Minimix HD)

ATB's Latest Album preview

 

Disc 1

Let's get loud.

Disc 1 sounds as though it is intended to be a blend of trance and house, with tracks seemingly covering the penumbra between these two genres. Is it chillout? Is it dance? That seems to be a question of personal interpretation, although it has to be said that there are elements of both in almost all tracks.

Whilst this writer does indeed recognise the peaks and troughs of typical trance music (4/4 timings, 130bpm, characteristic 'drops' / climaxes), these sorts of musical staples are used sparingly throughout, and only seem very obvious on songs with a wider spectrum of sound, such as Apollo Road, All I Need is You, and Move On. Apollo Road (a colllaboration with Dash Berlin) deserves a special mention however, as it is the only song on the entire album that bears any relation to ATB's previous trance anthems, with its grandeur-filled climaxes, consistent beat, and beautifully laid out arrangements of various electronica instruments. 


Truth be told, there is a lot of variety on this part of the album, and in some places, it flows extremely well, with most tracks obviously related to a thematic sound that ATB has seemingly put together. However, there are tracks that seemingly do not fit in at all with the overall musical theme of the 1st disc. The biggest offender is clearly This is Your Life, with Fuldner failing to impress with his pseudo rap, followed by poor vocal work by JanSoon and a lack of polish from ATB himself on the rather risible Gold. 

Standout tracks? Apart from the afore-mentioned Apollo Road, nods go to Twisted Love featuring Christina Soto,  as well as HeartBeat with Amurai and Melissa Loretta. Both Melissa and Christina recall the beauty of the vocal stylings by Tiff Lacey on Ecstasy (2004), yet have their own unique sound.

Disc 2

Let's get comfy.

Disc 2 is far more consistently paced compared to Disc 1. Unfortunately for most people, it will be paced far too slowly. The bpm is a lot lower, there is no track that anyone could conceivably dance to. It is, for lack of a better word, a Chillout session on a disc. It is this slower pace that undoubtedly helps it along.

How so? Because musical flow is far more pronounced on Disc 2 than Disc 1, with no tracks really standing out as party poopers. And it is on this Disc that ATB really shines. You will find some of the most beautifully emotive electronica music ever made on this part of the album, with standouts being Vice-Versa (with Armin Van Buuren), Magnetic Girl and Moments in Peace.

credit : born2trance.com

A nod has to be thrown in the direction of the rather delightful Moving Backwards, featuring Kate Louise Smith. It is not the best song on the album, but it is one that this writer keeps on coming back to. Simple lyrics with a simple yet elegant electronic arrangement are indicative of ATB's talent for massaging beauty out of what most laymen consider random beats and beeps. 

The titular track Distant Earth is another triumph of simplicity and elegance. However, the disc is not without missteps. Trinity, whilst a beautiful track in itself, sounds more like an orchestral composition than a thematically linked song with the rest of the Disc. City of Hope hopes to achieve the same levels of elegance and simplicity as other tracks, but falls short due to what seems to be formulaic and filler-style arrangements. Strenwanderer never seems to make any sort of momentum whatsoever, with the diminished sound coming off as banal.

Disc 2 is clearly meant as an excuse to whack up the hifi system and just bathe in the sounds of a clearly relaxed and matured ATB. It has some of his most brilliant work yet.

So should you?

Is ATB worth your time?

Undoubtedly, he is. This isn't the bombastic trance fest that could conceivably be expected by someone who has grown up listening to ATB's Ecstasy (still his biggest hit to date), but it is an accomplished effort that warrants space on your music shelf. Even if you are not an electronica fan.
Yes, there are missteps and jarring additions that do not belong on this album's musical canvas, but they are not dealbreakers. From the soaring efforts of Apollo Road to the studied miasma of Magnetic Girl, it is a triumph of brilliance and clearly shows the work of a settled, confident artiste at the top of his game.

This article first appeared here :

Read more: http://www.infobarrel.com/Music_Review__ATB_-_Distant_Earth

Of traveled souls and weary flight.

The new XplitShock column was supposed to be put up today, but I've had to delay it as I'm still on the road and traveling. For that, I apologise.

As I type this, I'm sitting on an uncomfortable and barely padded bench in Miri airport, counting down the hours to my flight back home to Kuching. (For the record, it's scheduled for 9.05pm, 3 hours from now. Oh joy). I barely got to see anything of interest in Labuan, due to my own tiredness and the sheer tedium of having to sit through a regional sales meeting. It seemed a nice enough place, and I might pop back over in the future.

My thoughts for the day have centered on two things : future job opportunities, and what to do if I do get one. The question of money is not the main thing, although that is obviously part of the motivation in finding gainful employment. I find myself wondering how, if at all, I'm going to grow. This is all moot, however, should I not find meaningful employment in the fantastically hectic settings of Kuala Lumpur. The yearning for answers to these queries serves to indicate, more than anything else, my intense desire to make something for myself. At least, that's what I believe it to be.

Traveling like this though, with the lonely solitary nights in hotel rooms and the isolationist feel of being on your own, is probably something I won't miss too much regarding my current position of employment. Flying around all the time, being a supposed jetsetter, has its perks. You're part of the jetset, right? But all that solitude.. Sometimes, it just gets too much. Missing loved ones, your kid, your family and friends. It's a special kind of courage that is required to truly make the most of such a situation. To keep on boarding that plane that takes you away from all that you value most and love.

I just want to stay at home with my daughter and play hide-n-seek till I run out of energy. Which will be long before she runs out of hers.

As it is, I'm grateful at least, for this sort of experience. Suffering depravity amplifies the simple mercies that life affords us. Whether it be waking up to the cries of your children making a mess of breakfast, or the oddly comforting sound of your siblings arguing with your parents. I know that my future employment choices will mean that these mercies will be taken from me. I understand the concept of the price that I will be paying in order to find myself. What I probably do not understand yet, is the depth of the price that will have to be paid for that to happen.

Then again, the cost of merely staying in a comfort zone and coasting along in life.. It does not bear thinking about.

The sun has set here in Miri. I consider it a poignant coincidence, as I ponder the sunset of one phase of my life, and the potential dawn of another. The brilliance of such happenings mirror the fantastical parallels that accompany our journey through the different chapters of our existence. In a week when the world's most famous tech company mourned and celebrated the end of an era and the emergence of a new one, I eagerly await the birth of another.

My own.

End of an Era - RIP Steve Jobs, 1955 - 2011

I am currently on a business trip to Labuan, and it was with a sense of deep sadness that as I checked into my room and switched on CNN, I was greeted with the announcement of the death of former Apple CEO and Apple Chairman, Steve Jobs.

I am not a huge fan of Apple products. Maybe in the future I will provide an insight into that stance, and why I have an issue with their technological vision. As for the man though, he is undoubtedly one of the greatest technology CEOs that has ever lived. Better eulogies have been written all over the internet for the man, and I will not attempt one myself until I feel ready to fully expand on the ideas that he has inspired in me.

So rest in peace, Steve. Your genius will not be forgotten.

image : Apple.com

Of queried labels and finite time.

What a day it's been. I've been in KL for two days now, taking in the sights and sounds, and getting down and dirty with why I came here in the first place.

Job interviews.

I had a very interesting one today. One that combined my appalling propensity to talk too much, with my equally dreadful habit of talking too quickly when even slightly nervous.

The company in question is called Lucideas, and is a marketing communications company located in KL. I had been spectacularly nervous before this, because I had never done any campaign planning or presentations as part of any interview process. The jitters before said interview were some of the worst I had ever experienced. Having been in debate tournament finals before, I can safely say which one is scarier! (Hint - not the debating)

However, the late afternoon interview soon became an early evening chat, and I found myself comfortable and openly engaged by the wonderful people that had taken time out to speak to me. My hat is doffed in the direction of Zac for being a good sport, and especially to Melissa, who offered much warmth and encouragement as I underwent the interview process.

I loved the vibe at the office, and I seemed to find it very easy to get along with the personnel that I met. They have a very different work culture at Lucideas, compared to where I had been to before. It is a place that I sincerely wish to be a part of. My fervent hope is that they consider me good enough to become part of the family there. It helps that an old friend, whom I haven't seen in YEARS, actually works there (talk about coincidences and cue the singing for *It's a small world after all*).

I am not getting ahead of myself, however. There are still some obstacles in the way. Major obstacles, as it is.

At the very least though, for one day, I can feel happy that I was welcomed with open arms at Lucideas. Hopefully I'll be back.

Red-Eyed Devil : Ep 2 - A Blip, or the start of a slide?

Past weeks' results :

Stoke 1 - 1 Man Utd
Man Utd 3 - 3 Basel FC
Man Utd 2 - 0 Norwich

And so we've emerged from three games we would ordinarily have expected to win, with two draws instead and a solitary win over Premiership newbies Norwich. Whilst a case can be made for the excellence of Stoke on the day, many more questions need to be asked of United after their rather tepid performances in the subsequent fixtures.

Ashley Young : Missing Versus Basel (credit : free-football-wallpapers.com)

An examination of United's Champions League exertions in midweek reveal two very telling things : Tom Cleverley continues to have his reputation grow in the absence of credible performances from his stand-ins, namely Michael Carrick and Darren Fletcher; United without Ashley Young, Rooney and Welbeck on the same pitch look one-paced, one-dimensional and vulnerable.

Whilst Sir attempted to mitigate the effect of missing personnel by packing the midfield with the 4-5-1 formation of yesteryear, United were far too open and kept on losing possession in rather dicey situations. The chief culprit for the Basel game has to be Anderson, who seems to be an accident waiting to happen every time he receives the ball in front of the back 4 (a rather shocking mistake VS Chelsea a few weeks ago comes to mind).

Anderson has been making a lot of mistakes

(credit : whoateallthepies.tv)

The perpetual motion machine that registered such barnstorming results over Arsenal and Bolton relied on continuous movement and fluid passing to starve the opposition of the ball and prevent opponents from having enough of the ball to provide any sort of meaningful and sustained pressure. United had so many players rotating and pressing all over the pitch that the opposition were drawn out of position regularly, and could not get organised quickly enough to launch proper counter attacks.

Without this sort of fluidity in attack, defence becomes inherently harder. With Rio looking like he's elsewhere and Vidic out, the back 4 has been in a constant state of upheaval. With a new goalkeeper that doesn't speak English as well to integrate into the backline, and a green recruit (Jones), it is no wonder that the defence hasn't been as solid this season. Without the benefit of out-of-position opponents as a result of an expansive attack, United have made themselves susceptible to opponents who themselves attempt to attack with pace and directness.

Most of Basel's most fruitful attacks (and their goals) came as a result of mistakes made with sloppy, slow passing in midfield, and swift counter attacks up the field. The same could be said of Norwich's opportunities, although they lacked the class of players such as Alexander Frei to make the most of them, resulting in the rather flattering scoreline. United had too many players up in attack trying to mix it up, resulting in gaping holes that the opposition can exploit. Their goals incidentally came when United just decided to play it simple. If we play like this against Barcelona, we'd be well and truly rogered.

So where do United go from here? There is a scary resemblance to the rather dour and grinding performances of United circa Sept '10, and yet United still managed to win the title. The answer does not seem to come in the shape of Berbatov, who is beginning to look like Ruud van Nistelrooy in his last year at United. A classy player no doubt, but one ill-suited to the pace and tempo that this United team want to play at. A return to the marauding performances of August requires a return to the mindset that characterised them. Fearless, effervescent and energetic, with pace and power.

Cleverley : Missed? (credit : livesoccertv.com)

The impending return of Cleverley is one that all United fans are looking forward to, with Anderson looking like something close to being reliable and solid with the young Englishman to partner him. Rooney has got to stop trying to do everything, because he is far more useful upfield where he can do the most damage. Carrick should never be used as a starting player against anyone save for the lower reaches of the Premier League, because his lack of dynamism merely serves to illustrate the slow-paced nature of his play, which in turn hinders the rest of the team.

The impending games versus the old enemy (Liverpool) and the noisy neighbours (Manchester City) are not season-defining, but are important in the context of making sure that United do not fall into the clutches of a slump, and continue their previous good form. The match in between, versus Champions League newbies Otelul Galati, should (and I say this with the most amount of caution I can muster) be dealt with ably.

Upcoming fixtures :
12 45 GMT 15.10.2011 Liverpool Vs Manchester  United
19 45 GMT 18.10.2011 Otelul Galati Vs Manchester United
13 30 GMT 23.10.2011 Manchester United Vs Manchester City

Of tired minds and old party animals that won't retire.

I was thinking about a lot of things at this late hour. Chief among those concerns was how am I going to make ends meet once I get out there into the real world. I appreciate all that my parents have done for me, and the employment opportunities that have been presented to me by them. Nothing can adequately express the love and gratitude I feel for their role in my life.

It is, however, time to move on.

It was when considering the relative merits of certain money-making ideas that I realised quite belatedly that the weekend is upon us. Whilst I would normally greet such a happening with a quick scroll through the handphone contact list and arrangement of various get-togethers and club-hopping, nothing of the sort happened to me when I woke up earlier today (Friday). All I could think about, was where I was going to find the means to pay my own bills (and of course, meeting special someones).

It was a seismic shift in terms of outlook. I didn't even realise I had gotten so far along this train. Am I glad it has happened? Yes, up to a point.

I enjoy parties as much as anyone can possibly enjoy them. I live it up when I can, with a daughter in tow and other responsibilities to fulfill. It has been the way of the land for me for quite a while now. I was comfortable.. And to quote Incubus, "going nowhere fast." This is a big step for me, and one that I hope to appreciate more in the coming days as I finally, FINALLY, decide to actually grow. It leaves me with one burning question though.

Will I ever be able to experience the highs and happiness of years gone by? Will I be able to appreciate those sorts of moments with the same intensity and elation of yesteryear? Can I possibly hope to find the points in time that have anchored the various periods of my life, that stand out to me as defining benchmarks of how I should feel and emote?

Or will I be too obsessed with moving on quickly to the Next Important Thing, or the New Project that will surely dominate my future life, at the expense of savouring the here and now?

I do not know. One thing is for sure. I invite you all along with me on the ride, to find out.

Red-Eyed Devil : Ep 1 - An Introduction

This is simply, a Manchester United and Football column. There, that wasn't hard, was it? :)

Est 1878

 I have been a Manchester United supporter for over 20 years. My first memory that I can clearly recall of Man U was watching them on TV in the UK, when they whipped Nottingham Forest 5-0. Before that, we (my family and I) had gone to Old Trafford a few times as part of our driving holidays, as my parents were students studying their Masters Degrees in Scotland. We never actually got to attend a match at OT, but seemed to show up their on matchdays when on holiday. Some of my most cherished possessions include photos taken with Mark Hughes and Neil Webb.

Credit : Jordan M Brumley (http://studentweb.fortlewis.edu/JMBRUMLEY/Soccer.html)

I realise that to some United supporters, and probably most Mancunians, my credentials do not stand up to consideration when assessing what makes a true United supporter. I stand by my club, however, regardless of the 'Bandwagon' jibes that are inevitably directed my way by those that consider birthplace a pre-requisite for being a supporter. I understand that viewpoint, because football at heart is a tribal sport, and one that appeals to our individual need to be part of the collective. We are one tribe after all, and tribes tend to be geographical in nature first and foremost, before attracting followers and converts from elsewhere.

Nick Hornby probably does a better job of describing it than I ever could, regardless of how many blogposts I put up about it.

To those that do not know who or what Manchester United are, I urge you to go visit their website and read up on them. :) (psst, it's www.manutd.com).

This column will be a weekly affair, with updates to come on Monday or Tuesday. So do come back, for your weekly dose of Red-Eyed Devil.

XplitShock : Ep 1 - An Introduction

I'll start off with an explanation of what this is supposed to be.

Every week, owing to my propensity to play games far more than is considered healthy for a 20 something male, I will be writing a column that expresses my love for this particular medium and discussing topics of the day. Or week. Whichever comes to mind.

First of all, why XplitShock?

Xplit (Split) comes from my own personality, being the indoor gaming hermit that I am, coupled with my propensity for outdoors-y activities such as sports, the occasional party and odd debate tournament or public speaking competition.

The DualShock3

Shock comes from the Sony PlayStation's controller, the DualShock, and indicates where I do most of my gaming. I suppose that must have been quite obvious to the well-informed among you.

As it is, the motivation behind this column is simple - I want to share my love of videogames with the world and my views on it. It is a dynamic medium, an interactive playground where your imagination, principles and views are merged with and challenged by that of the developers that have done their best to bring you into their world. No other medium of entertainment comes close to this sort of interactivity and immersion.

Lightning (Final Fantasy XIII)

No, I'm not talking about Angry Birds. I'm talking about games such as the Metal Gear Solid franchise, Final Fantasy, Kingdom Hearts and God Of War. Games that transcend mere fun, and become genuine experiences that alter perceptions, raise questions and provoke discussions.

Having said that, I do intend to talk about the platforms themselves, as well as the state that the industry is in from time to time. After all, we can't have games without a games industry, can we?

So do come back, every Thursday or Friday, for your weekly dose of XplitShock. :)

The new NEW Facebook.

I've seen a lot of hate being spewed out over the Internet regarding the new Facebook interface. Comments have ranged from 'Stalker-ish ' to 'MARK ARE YOU CRAZY WHY I DUN GEDDIT?!' It is a source of amusement that this topic seems to provoke so much outrage at all, considering that Facebook has gone through many interface changes before.

Those changes provoked similar levels of vitriol and bile being directed at Messrs Zuckerberg & Co. But guess what? You're still on Facebook.

What continues to provide much mirth and merriment is that in spite of all that hate, people continue to use Facebook, regardless of its interface changes or liberal view on privacy. It is because of this that the Facebook team see no problem with all that they are doing. Hardly anyone is leaving Faecbook. There are hundreds and thousands of new users daily.

Simply put, they can do anything that they want, and people will put up with it.

This makes me wonder about the sort of expectations that people have on social networks such as Facebook and Twitter. Just what do you really want from all of these things? Everyone should know by now that the Internet is a domain that places privacy pretty low on the list of priorities, even if it's Facebook we're talking about. You put your information up there, and people can see it. "Ahh, but I can set privacy settings, right?"

Right up to a point. Because people at Facebook can still see what you've stuck up there. For you to have true privacy, indulge in a real physical social network, not an electronic one such as Facebook. Call your friends and family up. Meet them. Print out your photos. Make copies for everyone. That's what real social interaction is like. Have coffee. Make dinner parties. Consequently, and no surprise here, you can actually control who you meet, what they see, and what you want to keep to yourself. Job done, you have your 'privacy.'

I appreciate Facebook as much as the next guy, and I enjoy it for what it is. It is not the by-word for social interaction and privacy that many people seem to perceive it to be. Which is the point. Facebook will not replace your real friends or the secrets you share with them. Remember that the next time you complain that Mark and the Gang are stripping away every layer of privacy you have.

You asked for it.

Going out into the real world.

I have been rather active lately. Now that I've finally graduated, it seems as though plenty of new opportunities have the potential to present themselves. I'm not too sure what direction my life will take after this. Many things are up in the air. One thing is for certain though.

I will not go back to how I did things before.

I've applied for several different jobs in KL. All have either been advertising/branding/PR jobs or Writing. I realise that I have no work experience in these matters at all, but it's what I've always wanted to do. Playing the numbers game and the creative game at the same time? What a challenge to have!

Having said that, it hasn't been easy. I'm closer to 30 than 20, and I have never had to compete with anyone for a job in my life. I've never been exposed to the cruelty of the job interview or the crushing sense of disappointment that accompanies rejection. It's all new to me. It's something that I am having difficulty adapting to. Waking up, wondering what news shall greet me today, be it good or bad. Worrying where the next paycheck is going to come from.

Trapped by the freedom that comes without the safety net of a parental bank account.

I've been coasting along for so long in life, I barely even realised that any momentum I had ever built up, had already been filed away by the inertia of complacency. My growth has ground to a spectacular halt. I'm glad, for what it's worth, that I am able to even recognise this problem and to have the presence of mind to consider doing something about it. I owe much to those around me that have helped me see this.

Arrogance has been my undoing before this. I hope that humble ignorance can be the start of an epiphanic rebirth of the person that I am going to be, for the rest of my life.

I need an outlet of some kind.

And then I remembered I still own this little corner of the world to rant in.

*sigh*

I had so much more to say when I booted up the laptop. Now it's all gone.

I'm sorry.