contestatariobe

08 janvier 2010

My music:

BEST CDS of 2009

Best CD:

Circlesquare – Songs about dancing and drugs

Others (in alphabetical order):

Bodycode – Immune

Dâm-Funk - Toeachizown

Danton Eeprom – Yes is more

Depeche Mode – Sounds of the Universe

Fever Ray - Fever Ray

Gui Boratto – Take my breath away

Hell – Teufelswerk

Junior Boys - Begone Dull Care

Louderbach – Autumn

Miike Snow – Miike snow

Neon Indian – Psychic games

Simian Mobile Disco – Temporary Pleasure

Tiga – Ciao!

The xx – xx

Yacht – see mystery lights

Special mention:

Architeq – Gold+Green

Basement Jaxx – scars

Ebony Bones! – Bone of my bones

EDGE – A new french electronic music generation

Estroe – Elemental Assets

Fischerspooner – Entertainment

All Kitsuné compilations

Matias Aguayo - ay ay ay

Thunderheist – Thunderheist

5 Years of Hyperdub (compilation)

<

06 janvier 2010

TOP40 - BEST TRACKS/ mixes of 2009

Once again I have selected the best tracks & remixes I have heard during the past year. It's not easy to select the best among so many different & great music... I came to the following list bellow (check the videos or the music in the links), in alphabetical order, different styles yet all interesting! Maybe you'll discover something new in the list. Next list to be published in the next days, the best albums of the year (yes, they still do complete albums...).

>
Ali Love > Diminishing Returns (Luca C. & Brigante Remix)
Azari & III > Hungry For The Power
Bibio > The Palm of Your Wave (Bibio Remix)
Calvin Harris > Ready for the Weekend
Delphic > Counterpoint - The Chain Remix
Delphic > Doubt
Depeche Mode > Peace (The Exploding Plastic Inevitable JK Disco Dub)
DJ Hell feat. Bryan Ferry > You can dance
Don Diablo > I am not from France (Cagedbaby's Rollerdisco Lcross Campaign Mix)
Estroe > Le Flaneur feat. Miss Kittin
Franz Ferdinand > Ulysses (Beyond The Wizard's Sleeve Re-Animation)
The Golden Filter > Favourite things
Grizzly Bear > Cheerleader (Neon Indian 'Studio 6669' Remix)
Grizzly Bear > Two Weeks (Fred Falke Extended Mix)
Gui Boratto > I Feel Love
Jamie Jones > Summertime (Extended Radio Mix) [feat. Ost & Kjex]
The Juan Maclean > Happy House (Cut Copy Remix)
Julius Papp feat. Gina Rene > A Thousand Years (2009 Main Vocal Mix)
Jump Jump Dance Dance > Do It For Love
King Midas Sound > Waiting for You
Kollektiv Turmstrasse > Flaschenpost
Krikor & The Dead Hillbillies > God will break it all
Lindstrom & Christabelle > Lovesick
Maps > Let Go Of The Fear (Dub)
Memory Cassette > Asleep At A Party
Miike Snow > Animal (Fred Falke Remix)
Misstress Barbara > Dance Me To The End Of Love
Munk feat. Asia Argento > No Milk - Mercury Remix
Neon Indian > Deadbeat Summer
O Children > Dead Disco Dancer (The Golden Filter Remix)
Passion Pit > The Reeling (Miike Snow Remix)
Peaches > Lose You (Yuksek and Brodinski Remix)
Phoenix > Listztomania (Classixx version)
Simian Mobile Disco > Audacity Of Huge (Allez-Allez Remix)
Social Disco Club & Maia > The Way You Move (Greg Wilson Version)
Tensnake > Holding Back (My Love)
Tiga > Love Don't Dance Here Anymore
Washed Out > Belong
What Kind Of Breeze Do You Blow > Love of Luxury (Lake Heartbeat's Lake Luxury Remix)
Yacht > Psychic City (Classixx Remix)
Yas > Get it right (Heartbreak's heart of Q mix -Mirwais edit)
Solomun > After Rain Comes Sun
<

Y.A.S. - GET IT RIGHT with text (directed by Stephane Sednaoui) HQ from ouiiiii on Vimeo.

Brussels_bashing: Diabolo fee...

I was surprised the other day when I took the train from the Central Railway station in Brussels to the airport. Instead of the previous 3€ I paid 5€. That was an increase of 60% and I thought the machine (yes they have 2 automatic ticket machines, primitive as they might be...) was crazy... I blamed it on the cold weather, but had no time to check. On the way back, already in 2010, it had already increased to 5.05€. And the loudspeekers announced a certain "Diabolo fee" (interesting name) for anyone travelling from or to the airport.

Checking the SNCB website I found out that they are building a new track to Antwerp (they say also to Brussels but that is not true, it exists already). So they're asking everybody who is travelling to and from the airport (mostly foreigners, tourists or people who come for business) to pay 2.05€ that will be paid to this Diabolo company (good name!) to build this track to Antwerp, in the middle of the E19 highway. Good business! We, who use this (not so good infrastructure) have to pay now so that others will be able to have access to an infrastructure in the future.

But let's not forget the trains... You should have seen the train I took from the airport to central Brussels... a relic from World War II, undoubtedly. Or maybe they bought it from Ceausescu's Romania... I do not mind paying well for public transport services, but I like also its quality to improve accordingly. Forget it. Even though the rail link between Brussels-centre & the airport has improved in recent years - now instead of 30 or 40 minutes it only takes 20 (or 15 if you're lucky) - which is basically due to the fact that most trains now only stop at Central station and North station (instead of the previous 5 - yes you read well 5 stations - the previous 2 with Schaerbeek, Diegem and Zaventem). So that is 20 minutes to travel 12 kms. Nowadays it's not bad, even though at times one would walk faster than the train, I have the feeling. And when the train stops at North station for loooong minutes?...

Anyway, despite the well known capability of belgian to provide efficient public services, I would advise the SNCB to travel to some european capitals like Stockholm (Arlanda airport is 40 km away from the city centre and the train takes 20 minutes to do that) or Oslo, for instance, to check how you do it. Even in Portugal, which is certainly not one of the most developed european countries, I take 40/45 minutes by train from my town (and it's not a central airport) to central Lisbon, 75 kms away. That is 100 km/h. And it stops once. The train called "airport-express" in Brussels takes 15/20 min to do 12 km. That is an average of 48 km/h (or 36).

No further comments, but these guys are clever... Finally in 2009, they realised Antwerp needed a fast link to te airport (and yes not paid by the wealthy locals, no, paid by all travellers to Brussels airport). This is a best practise case and should be reproduced, everywhere.

12 août 2009

NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS

From now on, there will not be one but three BLOGS from "contestatario!
This "contestatariobe blog" will continue for comments on politics, economy and social affairs.

A new blog called MusikandSounds will focus on music and cinema, with film reviews, music playlists, reviews and videos.

Finally another blog will be used for travel pictures and impressions, of present and past journeys - Kosmicjourneys.

I will try to update blogs regularly, as far as possible, or when there is something relevant to say. But i don't promise anything.