#while post-h is more matured and retrospective feelings

[a-little-lostecho]

Okay so, I’m currently working on a magical archives style type post for my ccau oc Yuulo but in looking at the designs i noticed something.

Their s h o e s.

Which admittedly, is a very weird thing to notice but all of them just stood out to me. Ignoring event outfits (only counting things they wear in the main storyline/displayed in the magical archive) each character has 4 different sets of shoes: Ceremonial Robe shoes, Dorm Uniform shoes, Gym Shoes, and Casual/School Uniform shoes. Now, let’s ignore the first two I mentioned in the list bc those are universal designs (excluding Ortho for obvious reasons) and that leaves us with 2 Unique shoe designs per character.

Which is probably obvious in retrospect, but then I started to rly just look at each of their picks individually and everything just feels so well thought out. Every pick feels like it fits the character and thats just so fucking cool that Yana thought out everything for every single one of them since initially in my head I was thinking they’d all just had the same design but nope!

Let me get into some examples now,

Only a handful of them have typical “anime school uniform type shoes” (for lack of a better term im sorry i don’t know shoe types that well—) and even in those cases they’re different in overall design and fit the characters. Those being: Deuce, Trey, Jack, (not gonna include Octavinelle, ill get to them soon), Silver, and Sebek which isn’t a lot! And then again, all unique in their own rights,

Deuce’s are black loafers with a rounded point giving them more of a younger look, Trey has dark brown loafers with a more pointed shape which opposite of Deuce’s makes him look a bit more mature, Jack has much wider dark mahogany loafers which fits with his physique better, Silver’s who defaults to brown loafers again though this time with more of a curved point to them and an indent cut out in the strap, and finally Sebek who has the pointed dress shoe-like black shoes but his are entirely smooth with no laces.

And since I mentioned the dress shoes so much i’ll go onto the ppl who wear those now too. Them being, Riddle, Azul, Jade, Floyd, Vil, Malleus, and Lilia (Vil and Lilia included too bc I dunno where to put them otherwise—)

All mentioned except Riddle, Vil, and Lilia wear the normal style dress shoes you’d see if you just googled it with a few different color variations here and there. Azul’s being brown with laces, Malleus and Jade having black shoes with laces, and Floyd’s being black without much like Sebeks (maybe I should’ve considered Sebek in this category too but eh hindsights)

And smth also interesting to note is that Malleus’ and Jade’s while the same in concept just… feel like they’re from different brands idk I cant explain it I think it’s bc of the way the seems or stitches look but who knows

Then the first three i mentioned, Riddle’s have a deep red portion on the middle part of his shoes, Vil’s are pointed heeled with a flared tongue and decorative strap thats blue and black to match his dorm colors (actually wait im looking at his more and i think they might even be boots..? The tongue throws me off and is a weird design on boots but the gold accent continues up so i think they are boots ahdjfksn), and then finally Lilia’s who like vil, has a higher golden colored heel that adds a bit of fancy to shoes that otherwise would be loafers and thank FUCK his aren’t boots in disguise too.

Something unrelated to shoes that’s also interesting is his pants??? fancy little old man got special pants lol

and i’m getting exhausted writing everything now idek how long i’ve been writing about SHOES but im gonna speed this up now—

Basically everyone else wears sneakers, exceptions being Cater who wears white casual slip on shoes, Leona who has his toes EXPOSED (he wears some sort of flip flop sandals looking hybrid), Kalim who’s wearing arabic curled toes which i believe are called multani khussa with a gold anklet, Epel who’s wearing a pair of very cute decorative boots with red plaid details on them (which i’m willing to bet Vil got for him—they look expensive and less practical than i think Epel would prefer), Rook who’s in tan combat/work boots, and Ortho bc well he doesn’t have feet.

Anyways I’ll talk abt the sneaker ppl and more thoughts on this if people really want me to bc I do have more but i’ve spent the last at least 30 minutes talking about SHOES of FICTIONAL CHARACTERS and I’d like to get back to drawing lmao and don’t rly think this is smth many people would be interested in so <33

Have a nice day u weird person who just read through all my twst shoe related rambles /lh go drink water and touch grass

P.S. (and forgive me any shoe specialists I may have offended, pls feel free to go and educate me for my incorrect descriptions of shoes)

#twisted wonderland #twst #twst wonderland #disney twisted wonderland #twst thoughts #twst shoes #twst shitpost #thoughts #weird thoughts #what do i tag this #what type of content is this s h o e speak

[hes-writer]

One of My Own

Summary: Harry falls out of love with Y/N

Warnings: angst!

Word Count: 3.1k

Based on: Y/N and H being a couple for a long while, however, H falls for someone else and that person turns out to be Y/N's sister. @littledreamybeth

Harry came into Y/N’s life at the best time possible. Although she lived away from her family, she received news and updates from her sibling who did stay with their parents. It was bad. Every night, Y/N’s parents fought about the tiniest things and her brother, Carlos, did his best to intervene so it wouldn’t get any worse, but to no avail. It was unfair for him since he was so young, he was only in high school too; he didn’t deserve to be muddled in their parents’ mess. Daniela, their sister, was a few years older than Y/N and had decided to travel for the past two years meaning that she couldn’t do anything about it since she was far away. Y/N tried to come home as much as she could, she didn’t want Carlos to be alone more than he should but it was difficult for her as well. She was in university; broke and barely had the necessities to make ends meet, surely she didn’t have money to spend to travel to and fro from campus residence to a three-hour train ride back to her hometown. But she tried her utmost hardest.

When Harry and Y/N met, her parents were just beginning their disagreements. They mentioned divorce during dinner once with Daniela joining through video chat from across the world--probably the last family dinner that they’ll have-- and Y/N took it the hardest since she was the closest with both of her parents. Carlos got on well with their dad and Daniela preferred their mom more. Y/N was the middle ground, the middle child, and her relatives often asked her if she was doing okay when she younger because apparently that the second of three children was the one who was often forgotten or not paid attention to enough. That wasn’t the case for Y/N’s family because for as long as she was aware of, her parents were loving and passionate, both of her siblings were normal--some teasing here and there but all in all, they were the picture perfect family of five, the only thing missing would be a furry pet dog.

The stress of her education, the environment of her job, and the state of her crumbling family took a heavy toll on Y/N and suddenly, everything she did required a little more effort from her already weak body. The simple things, like getting up in the morning or making herself eggs for breakfast was substantial for her and Y/N slowly slipped into depression. She was in denial at first, having experienced some unhappy moments in her life, but she could tell that this time around was dissimilar. She was uneducated you could say, she had a schema of what it was like to have depression and most of them were false and untrue. Y/N always thought that that had to sprout of a giant traumatic event-- which could be the case-- but she hadn’t thought that her parents’ upcoming divorce would be a reason for it. Hell, they didn’t even make it official yet! It was only a suggestion so Y/N was a bit confused why she was waking up sluggishly, walking lethargically, and seemed to have no motivation for anything. Y/N realized, then, that depression didn’t have to begin with something so huge-- it could be small things that build up into something bigger and bigger and before she knew it, she was in this state.

It seemed that meeting Harry was the one good thing in her life at the moment and it was true. He sparked up joy back into her life, made it feel like it was worth living. Her grades were on an all-time high ever since it decreased last semester, her home wasn’t as much of a mess, most importantly-- he made her feel loved again. It was a slow burn for their relationship and it took months before he had the courage to ask her out on a date. Their feelings for each other were pretty obvious, but Y/N didn’t want to risk losing their friendship so she shut up about it. Besides, most of her relationships never ended well, and she lost parts of herself to the people that didn’t deserve it. Soon, he asked her to be his girlfriend in the cheesiest way and Y/N was a happier person than she was before meeting Harry. She seemed to have a deeper understanding of her parents’ decisions and her heart didn’t ache as much when she envisioned the future of her family.

Y/N knew that self-care was the utmost achievement that she needed to reach. For years, she had been building up, fundamentally gathering the pieces she lost to make herself a better person; more open-minded and less secluded from people around her. Of course, she wasn’t always like this. Her mother kept saying that it was high school that changed her, and that time of school did change her. Except that being two years younger than Daniela caused some problems for Y/N. You see, Daniela was the stereotypical popular girl. Both of them were pretty but Daniela was prettier. Both of them were smart and made the honor roll, but Daniela was smarter and situated herself on the principal’s list. The sisters were equally talented but the eldest had the guts to actually showcase it at school talent shows. Y/N was the one left in the shadow of her sister; always being approached by the teachers to recommend Daniella to try out for this club or congratulate her for whatever achievement she somehow outshined Y/N on.

And Y/N didn’t really care for boys, not until Billy Watson (her first real crush) approached her when she was putting books away in her locker and saw him from her peripherals. Her heart was pounding and she could hear warm blood rushing through her ears and she swore that her cheeks had turned pink. He smiled at her, making Y/N want to combust from swooning right then and there, but she also wanted to run away as fast as her legs would take her to squeal to her best friends about how he even looked her way. But none of those things happened because Billy asked if her ‘sister was single’. Suddenly, the blush on her cheeks were ones of embarrassment, wondering how she ever conjured up a thought that he was coming over to talk to her because of her. Of course, it was going to be about her sister. That was the story of how Daniela stole Y/N’s first crush. It wasn’t really stealing, but she felt as though she did.

Daniela didn’t just steal Y/N’s first crush away from her; she also managed to snag Y/N’s first boyfriend. It was puppy love, Y/N thought in retrospect. He and she had feelings for each other and didn’t know any better but to join the bandwagon of relationships. They were dating for a solid two months when Leo came up to her after class and asked if they could speak in private. Y/N was glad because he was finally talking to her again. Some communication had been lost between them leading up to their talk. Leo led her into the parking lot to talk about how it ‘wasn’t working out’ between them and that he found a more ‘mature’ person to be with-- his words. Since it was puppy love, Y/N got over it quickly, nodding at him in understanding and hoping him for the best with his new partner. She rarely saw him in school afterward, not until Daniela announced that she was having a guy over to study and he might ‘stay over for dinner’ did Y/N find out the more mature person Leo was talking about was her sister. It was a shock to Y/N to step into the dining area, sitting down at her usual spot around the table only to be met face-to-face with her ex-boyfriend. She was flabbergasted when Daniela took his hand into hers and made the official declaration. Her parents had some obvious concerns because Leo was younger than her, but Leo swooped in to explain that he was wiser for his age. Her sister didn’t know that Y/N and Leo were dating; he never mentioned it and Y/N didn’t either.

That wasn’t all though. There was an instance during Y/N’s senior year and she fell hard for a guy named Kelvin. She hadn’t dared get into another relationship after Leo for quite some time, but when Kelvin approached her with a bouquet of flowers with a nervous quip to his voice, she thought to herself that maybe all guys aren't the same. It was her longest relationship thus far, ten months and Y/N was smitten with him. She wanted it to be that way forever, it was a powerful bond between them and Kelvin was the sweetest to her. They made plans for their post-secondary institutions, noting not to go too far away from each other. They went to senior prom as each others’ dates, and they graduated together. It was during the summer when their relationship fell through the cracks and Y/N got the message that Kelvin met someone new. He explained to her how he never cheated on her and thought that it would be best if they broke up because he didn't feel the same as he used to. His feelings were ailing, thinned by the insignificant distance between them and it was being developed for the woman he had met. Imagine her surprise when Daniela came home during the holidays with a man wrapped around her arm to see that it was Kelvin.

After that, she abstained from getting into relationships while Daniela was around. It wasn’t that difficult since she was timid and hesitant when meeting new people. Plus, she was fine on her own. She moved out from her parents’ house and into residence. She learned to be independent with herself and not co-dependent with another person that will only hurt her in the end. In summary, Y/N’s experiences weren’t the textbook example of finding true love or fate bounding you to your soulmate because it inevitably concludes to her sister getting the guy she loves.

So when Daniela announced her journey to travel the world, Y/N was saddened by the loss of her sisters’ presence, but she was hyped about finally having her chance at love without the possibility that she was going to steal that away from her as well. It was for two years, she had said. Months after, her parents started fighting and then she met Harry.

-----

Harry and Y/N have been together for such a long time. Y/N was afraid of commitment because of her sister’s actions, but Harry had somehow broken down the barrier and he single-handedly tore it down with his kindness. Y/N knew that Harry genuinely loved her, not only through him saying it but also through his actions, his eyes and the way he looked at her with so much love that she could drown in it. He was different. He was mature, caring, and loyal. Trustworthy, she thought. He was the best match for her and he reassured her that his love won’t be swayed--ever. Y/N believed him once her heart started feeling lighter instead of denser when she was around him. It was a feeling that she couldn’t ignore because no matter how much her brain flashed to warn her to get away, her heart fluttered tremendously and Y/N took that as a sign that maybe he was the one.

The best version of herself appeared when he flashed her the brightest smile that she couldn’t help but mirror his expression. His humble heart and the knack he had to help others influenced Y/N to be the same.  A little kinder to the world, he’d say before wrapping his arms around her from behind. He’d give her kisses on her cheek and act like the most adorable person ever. She was full of love, love for Harry and the feeling was reciprocated. It wasn’t like the past and Y/N gained hope each and every day that things can turn around for the better.

-----

Daniela was set to return in a week, just in time for her to talk to their parents and help finalize the divorce; help them settle if this was what they really wanted. She had asked Y/N to pick her up from the airport since her driver’s license had expired during her time abroad, but Y/N had to take an important test that day. Needless to say, Daniela was disappointed and Y/N’s softer heart couldn’t bear to hear her sister’s sad voice through the phone. She offered for Harry to pick her up instead.

“Harry? Who’s that?” Daniela questioned. Y/N gulped, not knowing how to respond. The memories flashing back into her head.

“H-he’s my boyfriend,” She whispered and she wished that her sister didn’t hear her.

“Y/N Y/L/N, why did you not tell me that you have a boyfriend?”

Because I was afraid that you would take him away from me like you’ve done before.

“Slipped my mind, I guess.” She concluded. “What time is your flight?”

“10 and woah woah woah. Aren’t you gonna tell me about him?”

“Um … he’s not your usual type,” Y/N began, but she decided that Harry was someone that she wanted to show off. “He’s the kindest person ever and his heart is made of gold, I swear.”

“Ooooh, sounds like a keeper. Is he hot?”

She changed the subject after that.

--------

It was three nights later since Daniela got back. Y/N was currently putting on her make-up for a catch-up dinner with her sister and Harry. She was too busy with school to spare time for Daniela, but she said that she understood and that she appreciated Y/N for having met Harry. An alarm would usually start blaring in her head, but she ignored in favor of Harry’s loyalty to her.

“Harry, are you ready yet?” Y/N asked while carefully applying black liner over her eyelids. He didn’t respond to her even though it was her second time saying it in the past minute or so.

He hummed back at her and she couldn’t help but turn around to face him to see what had him so distracted that he couldn’t even reply to a simple question. He was sitting on her bed, legs spread open showcasing his muscular thighs in his black dress pants. His dress shirt was a pale blue, the first couple buttons unbuttoned to expose his chest. His blazer was hung in front of her closet to avoid getting wrinkled while he sat down, waiting for her. He was on his phone, clutched between his large hand and close to his face that meant he was chatting with someone. His small mannerisms were what Y/N noticed the most about him.

“Who you chatting with there?” She joked, taking steps towards his direction so that she could grab the pair of heels she’d planned to wear tonight. From the corner of her eye, she could see that Harry had twitched to make his phone inaccessible to her, his finger pressing on the lock button quickly. That was another warning she had failed to label as important.

“Just Dani,” He slipped out casually, phone lighting up against his palm indicating that he had received a new message.

“Dani?”

“You sister, innit?” He told her, looking up for a brief second.

“Oh uh, why are you texting her?” Y/N asked, nibbling on her lip while she fiddled with the straps of the shoes.

“Is it a crime to text?”

Y/N paused her actions, alarmed at his defensive tone. “No, it’s not,”

“She said that she just left. She’s on her way at the restaurant,”

She nodded at his brief update.

----

HIs attention was divided, she could tell. If it wasn’t for his long response time, it would be his actions. The couple arrived first at the restaurant despite Daniela saying that she had left earlier than them-- according to Harry. They were seated in a decently sized table, it was only three of them. Y/N was in the middle of talking about her busy week but she couldn’t help but notice Harry anxiously turning his head in circles as if he was looking for someone. He was fine, he said. And he proceeded to ask Y/N about Daniela with the excuse that he hadn’t heard her talk about her sister that much in the months that they were together. Y/N thought it was sweet that Harry was making an effort to get to know her sister.

When Daniela arrived, it was Y/N who spotted her sister first, standing up from her chair to rush over and give her sibling a hug after not having seen her in a long time. The hug was short and it was filled with a gracious exchange of ‘i miss you’ and ‘how have you been’. Y/N never really noticed how much she missed her sister until she was standing right in front of her. They pulled apart from the hug, Y/N walking them over to the table were Harry sat quietly with a small smile and a gleam in his eyes.

��You’ve already met but Harry, Daniela. Daniela, Harry”

As Y/N sat back down, an uneasy feeling settled itself in the pits of her stomach as she watched Harry stare at her sister conspicuously as if she was an art piece in a gallery. It didn’t help that Daniela was looking at him right back with a bitten lip that Y/N could only label as desire.

She brushed it off but thoughts and conclusions bounce through her head the entire dinner. She couldn’t help but compare herself to Daniela again like she did when she was younger. The make-up she’d applied felt heavier as she looked at Daniela’s natural looking face, emphasizing that she didn’t need to do much to look beautiful. She wore a pale blue dress as well, almost white with the lighting whereas Y/N decided to wear an eggplant colored dress that she now realizes doesn’t match Harry’s dress shirt combo. 

It was an accidental coincidence, it’s not like they planned it, she thought.

-------

new series, let me know what you thought!

@ynm1505 @kissme-hs @agoddamnmango

#harry #harry styles #harry styles one shot #harry styles angst #harry styles writing #harrystyles #harry styles one shots #harry styles oneshots #harry styles oneshot #harry styles writings #harry styles imagines #harry styles imagine #harry styles fanfic #harry styles fanfiction #harry styles fan fic #harry styles fanfictions #harry styles cheating #affair #hes-writer #my writing #harry styles x you #harry styles x reader #harry styles x y/n

[hcmj]

HCMJ’s Favorite Albums of 2019!

Listen to a mix featuring these albums here: HCMJ’s 2019 End Of Year Mix

Other Favorites:

David Bruce - The North Wind Was a Woman

galen tipton - fake meat

upusen - Highland Ave.

BLACKPINK - Kill This Love

Starkey - Earth EP

Lamp - ‘A Distant Shore’ Asia Tour 2018

AWITW - Ｓｈｅ Ｗａｌｋ Ａｌｏｎｅ う者姻

Seaketa - Gion ぎおん

SNJO - Diamond

BONNEVILLE - AFFORDABLE LUXURY

20) Gareth Davis & Scanner - Footfalls

I first found the experimental composition/clarinet music of Gareth Davis in the early 2010′s during my initial dive into the Miasmah catalog. Teamed up here with another electronic musician/clarinetist, Footfalls uses long, poetic waves of deep woodwinds and synth improv to describe hauntingly desolate environments. It only seems fitting to start the list with one of many bookends on a decade in the grim, cold grey of Philadelphia.

BANDCAMP | APPLE MUSIC | SPOTIFY

19) Barker - Utility

Arp and delay-driven rhythmic expression that recalls late-era Kraftwerk, building a pristine sci-fi future with ear-pleasing, rich, and laser-sharp production. Like disembodied trance or house music searching for a strong beat that never comes, Utility is absolute, skillfully-stated synth pleasure.

BANDCAMP | APPLE MUSIC | SPOTIFY

18) Sean McCann/Seth Graham w/Kymatic Ensemble  - Split Series Vol. IV

Seth Graham’s Gasp was a big favorite in 2018, here condensed and re-imagined for chamber ensemble. Sean McCann’s “Vilon” finds a blissful middle-ground between electronic ambient music and traditional western instrumentation, like a poignant hymn sung somewhere far away, while the new “Gasp” arrangements are full of expressiveness and surprises.

BANDCAMP

17) 猫 シ Corp. & t e l e p a t h - Building a Better World

Deep bass pulses and distant rain welcome us to a familiar comfortable place, but as the unmistakable sound and melodic freedom of telepath’s original synth work bends its way over rolling toms in the reverb-soaked hifi opener, it becomes clear that this album is something new and special. Full-on new age drenched in an endless downpour, it’s a huge and beautiful world that’s blissful to be lost in.

BANDCAMP | APPLE MUSIC | SPOTIFY

16) Various Artists - Oneironaut

Another rare case of a compilation that is actually worth listening to, Japanese indie powerhouse Local Visions assembles the best talent from the sax-loving, jazz-infused, post-vaporwave electronic underworld of Japan and beyond in the indomitable Oneironaut comp. Notable contributions from Utsuro Spark, upusen, Tsudio Studio, tamao ninomiya, and countless others deliver a hazy daydream.

BANDCAMP

15) wai wai music resort - WWMR 1

Also from Local Visions comes this special collection of tracks caught somewhere between “lost LP found in a record crate” and “bedroom 4-track” - two distinct lofi flavors that mysteriously meld seamlessly on WWMR 1. It sounds new and old, youthful and mature, and full of affection for love and the music it references.

BANDCAMP | SPOTIFY

14) EXID - Me & You

There’s something about this mini-album, a Christmas time snowy nostalgia as the sun sets on another chapter of life (and era of kpop) in tracks like “나의밤” and “WE ARE..,” the Jamiroquai funk of “내일해 (Urban Mix),” or club igniting title track - EXID may never exist in this form or at this level again, and like so many of my favorites this year it reflects the recent history of its genre brilliantly.

APPLE MUSIC | SPOTIFY

13) Fire-Toolz - Field Whispers (Into the Crystal Palace)

Field Whispers is the stunning next step in the evolution of Fire-Toolz that feels completely at home on the finely-curated Orange Milk. Extended sax-soaked dreams collide with splinters of music jumbled and broken, elegant and disjointed, all bouncing off each other while still leaving room for moments of soaring guitar and dreamy synth pads.

BANDCAMP | APPLE MUSIC | SPOTIFY

12) Hakobune - The Last of Our Time Together

With over 50 releases (4 just this year!), Hakobune’s discography can seem like an impenetrable wall of ambience, but like classics Seamless and Here and Love Knows Where, The Last of Our Time Together stands out - monumental and multi-dimensional - a slow dance skidding along the frozen surface of an endlessly deep, rich sea of emotion.

BANDCAMP | APPLE MUSIC | SPOTIFY

11) FM Skyline - Advanced Memory Suite

As nostalgic electronic music continues to evolve and find itself elevated in the hands of increasingly-focused musicians, FM Skyline delivers a joyful retrospective on a decade that gave new life to so many old sounds. Exploring the inner recesses of our memory and delusion, Advanced Memory Suite turns the page on a decade of chillwave/synthwave/vaporwave/whateverwave. It’s a hypnotic monument to the modern renaissance.  

BANDCAMP | APPLE MUSIC | SPOTIFY

10) emamouse - Black place on the edge

It was a huge year from the prolific Tokyo-based visual artist and musician emamouse, whose non-stop creative output continues to challenge the very nature of reality. Black place on the edge was a standout favorite this year, layered and mysterious - incidental music for the surreal dreamworld described in mou’s most unnerving illustrations. Like waking up and finding yourself trapped inside Quest 64.

BANDCAMP

09) Koeosaeme - Obanikeshi

My favorite Orange Milk release of the year, Koeosaeme delivers another absolute hurricane of hyper-detailed, sensory-extreme, buckshot-to-the-face arrangements. The sheer amount of data on this album is staggering, with more musical information packed into a few minutes of its blissful chaos than most full length albums combined.

BANDCAMP | APPLE MUSIC | SPOTIFY

08) Jaeho Hwang - Non-self 비자아

I was super fortunate to play a show with Jaeho Hwang in Tokyo during this year’s Neo Gaia Phantasy tour - his immense set started so intensely it’s as if the entire room was cast under a shamanistic spell, hypnotized by percussive expressionism, drawn to the light of digitally melting faces and occult rituals playing out on the screen behind him. Non-self 비자아 is without mercy and full of powerful and primal energy.

BANDCAMP | APPLE MUSIC | SPOTIFY

07) Weyes Blood - Titanic Rising

Natalie Mering’s subtly expressive, velvety voice on its own is enough to make anything she touches turn to gold, but her songwriting is so masterfully dialed in on Titanic Rising it’s as if Harry Nilsson came back from the dead to write a new volume of pop rock ballads to get us through the next 50 years. It’s an album dripping with love for all the best parts of the 1970′s (Stardust-era Willie Nelson, early ELO, “Lost Weekend” Lennon and friends, etc), but also showcases the compositional chops to match and sometimes surpass its musical lineage (e.g. “Picture Me Better”).

BANDCAMP | APPLE MUSIC | SPOTIFY

06) Monari Wakita - RIGHT HERE

Off the heals of last year’s jaw-dropping Ahead!, ex-Especia Monari Wakita continues to defy modern conventions while asserting herself as one of the most powerful female voices in jpop. “エスパドリーユでつかまえて” sounds like Hitomitoi when she was a rising star, FRIEND IN NEED continues the new jack swing flirting, “やさしい嘘” sounds like it’s begging to be sampled by a future funk artist, and the lead-off single “Just a Crush for Today” is somewhere in a stop-and-go freefall between Billy Joel and Sonic R.

VIDEO 1 | VIDEO 2

05) Yeule - Serotonin II

Beneath the subtle power and diffusion of a voice like an extra-dimensional Julee Cruise, Serotonin II’s beautifully bleak paintings of the world it carefully constructs are reflective of Yeule’s transcendence into the artist’s next form. Crumbling brutalism under a blinding white sky, aliens in a graveyard - the romance of eternal torment in the spiral - all in dark room illuminated by a computer monitor sometime in the 00′s.

BANDCAMP | APPLE MUSIC | SPOTIFY

04) The Caretaker - Everywhere at the End of Time - Stage 6

The final release for this multi-year project, capturing a mind being lost to dementia, also marks the end of Leyland Kirby’s multi-decade spanning Caretaker project - a project that has had an immense impact on my perception of the limitlessness of music. Now completed, Everywhere at the End of Time towers as a 50 track, 6.5 hour journey from dreamy lucidity to terrifying confusion and darkness.

BANDCAMP

03) Tsudio Studio - Soda Resort Journey

Tsudio Studio brings a contemporary frame to leisure fantasy. Instant classics “Kiss in KIX,” “Asian Coke Light,” and “Like a Ruin” expand on the electro-bossa pop of Port Island, while surprises like “Beijing Cat” expand and explore new worlds of sound. One perfect chord after another, from start to finish, Soda Resort Journey is bubbly and delicious to listen to. Play it looped, close your eyes, be where you’d rather be.

BANDCAMP | APPLE MUSIC | SPOTIFY

02) Minuano - Butterfly Dream

Lamp vocalist Kaori Sakakibara’s side project Minuano is like some mutant variant of Lamp - equally complex while slightly less disorienting arrangements (although there are a few re-worked Lamp classics on here), tighter pop sound, stunningly immaculate vocal production - all while maintaining the unique orchestral jazz pop that makes both bands such a euphoric joy to listen to. “Memory of Soda Pop” was my favorite track released by anyone this year.

BANDCAMP

01) EQUIP - CURSEBREAKER X

This was the year of EQUIP. No better story for this year, no better sound than CURSEBREAKER X - the songs from this album will always bring back a thousand memories of smoke-filled clubs, dark forests, and snow-capped mountains from across Japan - the building promise of absolute freedom and a happier tomorrow as we all lived the Neo Gaia Phantasy.. But even without my personal connection to the music, the hardware-driven “perfect sound” VGM and EQUIP’s signature cassette tape destruction has never been better balanced than it is here - it’s loud, and filled with unforgettable melodies and unknown lands. It’s monumental and iconic and will stand the test of time and it was my favorite album of 2019!

BANDCAMP | APPLE MUSIC | SPOTIFY

#vaporwave #nuwrld #haunted ballroom #orange milk #chinabot #100% electronica #jpop #kpop #year end #2019

[emblem-333]

In Retrospect, Henry Clay and the Elections of 1824 and 1832

The American “Antebellum Era” is seldom spoken about. Sandwich between the revolutionary and civil war periods, the antebellum age is defined by various titans of the time. 1824 was when the first generation of America’s Goliath’s began to exit stage right into retirement. In the formative years of the republic the position of Secretary of State was seen by many as a stepping stone to the presidency. After all, future presidents Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and even the aforementioned James Monroe held the prestigious position before elevating to the Executive Mansion. Whomever Monroe selected to be his Secretary of State likely would succeed him in the presidency.

Henry Clay desperately wanted to be that man. So much so, he tried to dictate his own faith by crowning himself John Quincy Adams’ Secretary of State after making him president in after the hotly contested election of 1824 went to the House of Representatives, where he was House Speaker.

In any other previous election Clay would have been President. In 1824 Clay was young, vibrant, still riding off the fumes of his war hawking for conflict with Great Britain twelve-years earlier. Ironically, it was his nemesis Andrew Jackson ultra-successful campaign in New Orleans which shifted not only the tides of the war, but saved Clay’s career. By 1815 the British had enjoyed smashing success against the Americans after recently vanquishing the French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, the red coats no longer needed to fight off the pesky Americans with one hand tied behind their back.

Four months and thirteen days after Bonaparte’s abdication, in 1814 the British burnt America’s capital to the ground. Though the Americans outnumbered the British by more than three-thousand men, the U.S militia groups proved not on the same level as the expertly skilled British fighting force already experienced from fighting Napoleon and his various allies. The White House burned, as well as many other public buildings, followed by the brief occupation of the District of Columbia. If it weren’t for Mother Nature and her conjuring up sudden, heavy thunderstorms and throwing in a tornado for good measure, forcing the British back to their ships, the capital likely suffers the fate similar to Carthage at the hands of the Romans - except no salting of the Earth in the literal sense.

If such events occurred, it is safe to assume the war’s main proponent, Henry Clay, his political career would go up in smoke. Instead, the Battle of New Orleans gave the United States the leverage it needed for its diplomats to carve out a favorable peace, basically resulting in the status quo ante bellum. The British dream of reconquering their lost colonies extinguished and the United States would never again face a on-land invasion. The War of 1812 didn’t benefit anyone besides Andrew Jackson and Henry Clay. The two people who’d continuously duke it out for supremacy in the world of politics.

It is initially believed before the Civil Rights and Voting Rights Acts of the 1960s only white men could enjoy the privilege to vote. This is definitely true, but it is far too narrow of a description. You also must be rich and own land none of which easy to come by. This is how you get leaders who are not necessarily rockers of the boat into the White House under the perceived guise of anointment. Andrew Jackson represented the downtrodden poor and he saw himself as their champion.

1824 is the precursor to the election we just witnessed in 2016. A frustrated, vitriolic base in America feeling ignored find their man to pin all their hopes and identity on no matter what the facts are. Bypassing accomplished, skillful politicians along the way in favor of continuing the practice of scapegoating various minority groups.

Now, Henry Clay and those in his flock accomplished more than the establishment guards today could only dream. You can say many things about Clay, you cannot say he merely sat around and voted on bills that renamed post offices. Known as “The Great Compromiser” Clay saved the nation numerous times in 1820, 1833 and 1850 that did prolong the American Civil War and continue the practice of slavery. If you are to hold that last paragraph against Henry Clay I will not call you out on it. But at the various times it seemed war between the regions was unavoidable, the north and south were on even plains, the north becoming more industrial and advanced as time marched forward setting the stage for a war where the north held substantial advantages.

But the outcome of the American Civil War wasn’t a forgone conclusion. At many points the Confederates could have secured their independence. Clay successfully kept a ambivalent south obviously itching to succeed, from doing just that in times they likely would have won.

By 1824, Henry Clay started a war, ended one and saved the nation. At forty-seven Clay ran as one of the four Democratic-Republicans in the swan song election during the “Era of Good Feelings.” After the collapse of the Federalists, the Democratic-Republicans were the only viable political party in the U.S. The Federalists lived on in the Northeast, particularly New England in representative John Quincy Adams. A great man. An honorable, distinguished gentleman from Massachusetts whose unjustly forgotten in history. What did the Federalists in wholly was the Hartford convention in December of 1814, when the War of 1812 looked its most bleak for America. The convention called for removing the three-fifths compromise, which gave slave states disproportionate power in Congress and controversially flirted with New England seceding. When Jackson essentially won the war, the Federalists came off as unpatriotic to those outside of New England. This damned the already fledgling Federalists into their coffins.

Adams, son of second President John Adams, embodied the fictitious views we hold of the founding fathers today. Adams wasn’t a slave owner, fought against its expansion and later became a fervent abolitionist. Hamstrung by a congress becoming ever more friendly to his foe Jackson and lacking the skills someone like Henry Clay has, Adams’ presidency goes down rightfully as a failure and as merely a buffer between eras. Sort of like how no one can name the quarterback of the Miami Dolphins before Dan Mario and after Bob Griese. You’d be hard pressed to find people who know who David Woodley and Don Stock are. And you’d be equally taxed finding someone who gives two damns about John Quincy Adams.

Clay retired from his role as House Speaker, his term officially ending when the new congress is scheduled to have sworn in. His last act as House Speaker in 1825 is manipulating the House to bend to his whim and elevate Adams to the presidency after neither candidate in the 1824 election achieved the majority in the electoral college. Despite Jackson running away in both the electoral college (99) and popular vote (41.4%), it was Adams who’d be sworn in on March 4th, 1825. If Henry Clay won just three more electoral votes, enough to secure third-place from William H. Crawford of Georgia, “The Western Star” possibly is able to work his magic to select himself over both Adams and Jackson.

Arguably, the most damning political miscalculation during Clay’s first chapter in politics is not the “Corrupt Bargain,” but the naked ambition it failed to mask. If Clay simply not accepted Adams’ invitation to become Secretary of State, perhaps he’d become President feasibly in the near future.

So what-if Clay had become President in 1824? For starters, he’s more aggressive in pursuing his legislative goals than Adams. Like Barack Obama long after him, Adams fell under the delusion his political enemies were acting under good faith and not out of naked partisanship.

Clay dreamt of an American economy independent from the British through protective tariffs on foreign goods imported to the states. Part of this principal resides in Clay’s famed “American System.” It’s core tenets are:

• It’s main tenants are the establishment of a protective tariff, a 20%–25% tax on imported good.

• The establishment of a national bank would promote a single currency.

• The improvement of the country's infrastructure, especially transportation systems.

Much of this cannot be accomplished in four-years - especially with the Jacksonians wrestling more and more power away from people like Henry Clay. In two-years the newly formed Democrats takeover the House, Senate and the Executive Mansion by 1829.

Like Adams, a Clay presidency only is viewed in a better light by historians who admire their apparent foresight and compassion regarding the plights of native Americans and enslaved blacks, comparably when held up against expansionist slave owners like John C. Calhoun who referred to the institution of slavery as a “positive good.” While Clay acted as an unabashed war hawk in Congress in 1812, twelve-years have passed since then and he’s matured somewhat. Both Clay and Adams believed the Union was big enough as it was and foresaw the only way for the complete emancipation of slaves is through warfare.

Historian H.W Brands, author of the fantastic “Heir to the Founders” described the complex Clay as a slave-owning emancipator. As a slave owner himself southerners were more receptive to Clay’s rhetoric than Adams. Clay believed slavery to be evil, not just for the enslaved, but the slave owner and thought if given the chance the horrible institution would die the way it did in the north. The north did not have a fit of morality when they eventually abandoned slavery. Economically it became untenable. Such fate awaited the south.

The one flaw with this is logic is having to believe all the south wanted was to be left alone. In reality, the faction labeled “Slave Power” fought mightily to drag the north to not only accepting their wrong, but for them to join them in calling it right. When the Fugitive Slave laws passed and was signed by President Millard Fillmore, effectively making every norther complicate in the slave trade having to notify authorities if they suspected a black man to be an escaped slave, the Republic was firmly in the bloody grasp of the pro-slavey faction.

However, Henry Clay did not want to see the expansion of slavery and he didn’t want to see the expansion of the union, less they continue to open Pandora’s box again and again.

That all being said, imagine losing someone like Clay in the heated moments following Jackson’s elections. Numerous times before the Confederates firer on Fort Sumter, the Union nearly split itself in half. If Clay decided, after suffering defeat at the hands of Jackson in 1828, to retire can Daniel Webster, John Quincy Adams or anyone else hold a candle to how he handled the calamitous situation? Hardly. A Henry Clay presidency in 1825 likely leads to civil war between the regions and likely the loss of half a union.

Fast forward eight-years later, Jackson and his acolytes have firm control of the government. Jackson is running for re-election and during this time the following issues dominate the campaign:

• The expiring charter of the 2nd National Bank

• The Indian Removal Act

• The ongoing Nullification Crisis

The Democratic-Republicans splintered off, Jackson carrying the banner for the Democrats and Henry Clay running under the label “National Republican” made up remnants of the Federalists and Democratic-Republicans loyal to Adams and Clay.

Jackson despised the national bank because he believed it was directly funding Clay’s campaign. The American people perceived banks to be solely for the elite. Believing the national bank to be corrupt, Jackson set out to destroy it and by securing re-election the destruction of the bank was all but assured. The blame of the subsequent Panic of 1837 befell Jackson’s successor, Martin Van Buren, few realized it was his predecessor who laid the groundwork for the economic collapse.

Coming into the contest Clay had little chance of unseating the incumbent Jackson. Riding a wave of popularity, “Old Hickory” was viewed as one of the common folk while Clay a part of the political elite (because he was). Only way for Clay to pull victory from the jaws of defeat is if one of the following happens.

1. Andrew Jackson dies

2. Economic strife becomes prevalent sooner

3. Clay campaigns on his part in ending Nullification crisis and not stressing the importance of banking to an electorate which was at best apathetic on the matter.

Now the Nullification crisis was still ongoing during the election. South Carolinian John C. Calhoun renounced his role as vice-president to Jackson in favor of being elected senator to better oppose Jackson’s tariff bill. Ironically, Calhoun began his career as an ally to Henry Clay. South Carolinian politicians blamed the economic downtown of the 1820’s primarily on the tariff of 1812 which promoted American manufacturing heavily at the cost its European competition.

While Jackson and Calhoun nearly came to blows, Clay carved out a compromise which lifted the protectionist tariff until 1842.

If there ever was a time to fear monger about possible succession prior to the civil war, it was during the 1832 campaign.

So what if Henry Clay pulls off the monumental upset and unseats King Andrew I?

Well, for one, we see the president play a crucial legislative role in putting out the fires caused by Calhoun and Jackson. Back in the early 19th century, the presidency didn’t hold the powers it holds today. It mostly acted as a rubber stamp for congress, using their veto powers sparingly. Even the vicious King Andrew only used his executive powers to veto a bill he didn’t like twelve times in his eight-years in office. Times were different and the country was still finding itself.

Another plus for Clay and the nation is his election wipes away the travesty committed by the U.S government known as the “Trail of Tears” a series of forced relocations of Native American tribes west to make room for white settlers. The Supreme Court, headed up by Chief Justice John Marshall, said the Indian Removal Act was unconstitutional and the government had no right to do it. To put it bluntly, Jackson could have given less of a shit and relocated the native Americans anyway. Over 4,000 natives died on the trail.

The United States also averts the Panic of 1837 thanks in large part to Clay’s American System and the re-charter of the second national bank. Quite possibly, America missed out on one of their best presidents in Clay by not electing him in 1832 and saving themselves the worst of Jackson’s reign.

Course, the Democrats might’ve still held control of the House until 1840. The National Republicans/Whigs slowly ate away at their deficit culminating in them sweeping the House, Senate and Presidency with William Henry Harrison as their leader. How much Clay could have reasonably expected to accomplish is up for debate. What isn’t up for debate is the fact I believe Jackson did more harm to this country than good and like Trump, his greatest feat is his swindling of the American electorate to believe he emphasized and understood their plights. While Jackson can claim to have the best intentions, his disregard for the complexities of governance lead to much disruption and chaos.

The mystic of Andrew Jackson was just far too much to overcome for any mere mortal. It too five-years, the retirement of Jackson and an economic collapse that would not be rivaled until the Great Depression to shake the people out of Jackson’s trance.

#free coinage of silver #Henry Clay #Andrew Jackson #Bank War #Whigs Party #Alternate History #what-if

[thekidsarentalright]

the difference between pre&post hiatus fob music is that pre hiatus songs are for when it’s autumn/winter - when it’s cold out, and the newer stuff is for when it’s warmer in the spring/summer . that’s the separation between them . they’re good all year round this is just when they’re at their Best . i’m not sure how to word this all properly rip

omgg no ur literally right like... this isn't exactly the same concept but ive always thought srar was like a late summer/early fall album and abap was mid-summer, so they're vibes are different but they kinda come from a similar place? but i think the same can be said for pre and post h... all pre-h albums feel so wintery/autumnal and post-h is more or less Summer its so interesting how right u are about that being when they're best

#i think that just also goes into how ive talked before abt how pre-h is unrefined in the moment feelings of depression and anxiety etc #while post-h is more matured and retrospective feelings? so like both stem from a similar place #they're just executed differently and processed differently . same w seasons . #idk pre-h and post-h are two sides of the same coin. maturity changes things man #asks #anon

[poolofpisces]

Depression - 1

Hello, thanks for reading this, I hope that some of what I write can spread insight and understanding, or help you with your own depression. 

Today I had an 11 o’clock Therapy appointment. I see a therapist whose office(?) is about a 9 minute drive away, not far from a hospital and a myriad of other medical offices and suites. My appointments are usually about an hour long and with insurance only costs 11 dollars. Which is an odd number. 

The meetings usually start by her asking me what I want to work on, if I do not answer right away, she’ll ask some probing questions and we explore my life to find something to talk about. Today, we talked about moving forward. Getting a job, continuing with school, and setting deadlines and trying to achieve them. 

During our therapy sessions she made an analogy that I really liked. Depression is like a bench or a couch, you can sit in it and watch the world move on, be an observer, a non-actor in life. Having a bout or an episode of depression is like sitting down on the couch, or at the bench. You sit down and watch the side-reel of life as it passes you by.

I love this analogy, and the more I think about it the more I want to add things to it to personalize this analogy, but I that is not necessary. 

I have been sitting on this bench for a long time. Years of my life have gone by and for the most part, I have not gotten off. I do not have a serious depression, it is mild. But it is not managed. People who manage depression live life almost symptom free. They might have a few days or so where they are in the depressive slump, but that is not something to be ashamed of. The more I try and move forward with my life, the longer I am off that proverbial bench. 

Though, if there was a physical manifestation of this bench, it would be my bedroom. I sit in my room basically all day. Where I am typing this right now. 

My current assignment is to write my doctor for a possible new prescription to help get my head a bit more out of water, and to finish writing and editing my cover letter for this entry level position at Banfield. Applying to be a Vet assistant. I haven’t had a job in 2 years. 

We also talked about how my anxiety and frustration really spikes when job searching. When this happens I tend to walk away from my computer and look into a mirror and try and neutralize the negative self-commentary. I’m currently trying to stem the “I hate myself” and turn that into “I am frustrated with myself” and eventually turn that into “This may be hard, but I can do this” or something more positive. 

In our last session she gave me an assignment that I have been struggling with. Write 5 things that you want to hear, from yourself or someone else, something positive like “You can do this” and 5 things physical that you want from someone else like a hug, something as simple as a hand on the should with eye contact. She gave me this assignment after we talking about love languages and what probably works best for me.  She recommended this website: ( http://www.5lovelanguages.com/) 

So after the appointment I went there and did the thing, it’s not a very long quiz-thing, and as someone who likes to pick out patterns, I realized that some questions are like “eliminating” questions where they try and determine “this or that” There’s a name for it in coding-speak, I might remember it at some point. like data funneling or something. 

I tied for Physical touch and Words of Affirmation. I was not entirely surprised, because I am a Pisces, and after going through my natal chart and related stuff, this seems to fit in pretty well - like my stars probably already say this and I might vaguely recall it. I digress. 

My total score:

*10-Physical Touch* *10-Words of Affirmation* 7-Quality Time 3-Acts of Service 0-Receiving Gifts these are pretty self explanatory, plus the website details them for you. 

As you might be able to guess, from these 5 things, I don’t care for gifts. Money is nice, but I do like quality time, usually alone time, personal time, just us, with someone. I am a very 1-on-1 person. Acts of service is like, I cleaned your room while you were gone! or I thought of you and did this house chore, or took care of  your car, or did x,y, or z for you. 

The list of 5 things I have to write has been difficult. I have 3 things written down so far, 2 verbal and 1 physical. Seriously considering what will help me is difficult. The physical thing is a bit hard because ideally it is what you want someone to do these to you. I have “hug” written down, and giving myself hugs is not the same as receiving a hug from someone else. I might try and hug myself with a blanket or a large pillow. 

Having friends helps. I am 25. I have no friends that can help me in this because we as friends haven’t been supportive of each other. We’ve been more or less independent. 

Now I am going to talk about my depression as it is with me. There are two general categories of depression, Biological and Psychological. 

I have both. 

I have a mutant variant of the MTHFR gene, which is primarily active in your liver, so they can do a cheek swab to figure out if it is a normal variant or not. The variant I have is less active than the normal variant.

 What does this mean?

MethyleneTetraHydroFolate Reductase -https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/gene/MTHFR

MTHFR (The motherfucker gene ;)) codes for an enzyme that converts B9 (Folate) through a few steps into L-methylfolate. 

Why is this important?

Folate is important for the health of your brain, for the synthesis of Serotonin, Dopamine, and Norepinephrine. Folate cannot cross the Blood brain barrier (BBB). L-Methylfolate can cross the blood brain barrier. 

Serotonin is important for mood and brain health, Dopamine for happiness and motivation, I can’t remember what norepinephrine has to do, I think it has something to do with pain. (People with anxiety tend to feel more pain when hurt than people without anxiety, this might be related.)

With the mutant variant I have, I do not have enough L-Methylfolate going to my brain. Which means My brain does not have enough Serotonin, Dopamine, and Norepinephrine. So my moods are a little wonky. I take a supplemental form of L-methylfolate, but I might need something more. 

I have experienced depression since I was 7. I think it might something to with my body growing larger than what this mutant variant could handle, cascading my depression. I have no way of testing this at the moment, but it sits in my thoughts. 

I have been alone for a long time. People I call my friends tend to leave my life after 3 years. I have 2 friends who have not, we are not super close though.

Depression sucks. It drains your vitality, your lust for life, and leaves you with an unquenchable longing. I can be really poetic at describing the beast that is Depression. 

This demon that chains you to the past. Sabotages you with anxiety. Ruins you with negative thought. Blinds you with a veil of apathy. Holds your heart hostage as you move through the day. Steals your face so that you wear a mask around in public. Your soul burdened. 

Depression can be managed and when it is managed you can have little to no symptoms. The chains can be broken. The anxiety held at bay. negative thought turns positive. The veil can be lifted. Your heart rescued. Your face returned. Your soul lightened. Your life recovered. 

Your vitality restored. 

There is a hard truth. If you are not ready, if your brain is not ready, if certain things are not in place, you probably will not accept the possibilities of happiness in front of you. The options you have to change. I say this, and not that the you are blinded by depression, because maturity is crucial to recovery. 

For me, it took the tragedy of a break up for me to progress. Depression ruined a relationship because at some level I was not mature enough to change. I was fighting my depression the wrong way. Depression cannot passively be beaten, you have take action. I thought I could passively beat it with medication and sort of going through life. 

Retrospect makes me angry and frustrated. It is easy for me to look back and thing “This was obvious why didn’t I do this?” and “How could I be such an idiot?” Which are all negative thoughts and do not help in the recovery or management process. Taking responsibility is a hard thing to do sometimes. I look back and feel childish, immature. Which, I consider an insult to myself, but it is true. I was not ready to accept the truth. So I did not - until I was forced to reconcile with it. If you follow me, you may have noticed for a brief time I posted some sad things, some personal things.  That’s what that was. 

I react emotionally and then logically. Emotions can make things worse, and then I have to logically try and fix the problem. 

It sucks. I playfully say things like “I feel like I’m fighting my own brain sometimes”, dis-associative thoughts. Like, I feel like some part of my brain is a little smoother, lacking sulci and gyri, and that’s why I seem to be slow at reacting or changing. 

Thank you for reading this. Kudos for getting through all that. I hope you learned something and gathered some insight about depression. I’m just a dude who surfs on the oceans of thought. I am also a pool of Pisces. 

Like time, I ebb and flow. 

Wonder where it is I go.

Like time, I am hard to grasp. 

see visions that elicit a gasp.

 You may reach into the past, but I will give you a present.

And I will smile and you bewonder its advent.

#Depression #thoughts #therapy #depression-1

[hauntingtv]

Warning: Mature content. If boobs and blood offend you, return on another day, or check out this cute horror kids book I reviewed once upon a time: Spooky Skwerl Stories.

David Black of Darkness Visible

Today I have a written interview with the bass player, song writer, and singer of the Theatrical Horror Rock Band, Darkness Visible. David Black! David hails all the way from Melbourne, Australia. Today we’re chatting about the biggest, craziest music video his group has ever created. So if you liked the post I did about Anthrax’s Blood Eagle Wings then you’ll feel right at home here today.

JA = Jeanette Andromeda   *   DB = David Black

First, a little context

Here is one of the music videos from Darkness Visible to give you a tiny taste of the newest music video they have cooking up.

On to the Interview

JA: How did you start your journey with Darkness Visible?

DB:   Darkness Visible started off by accident. I was at a gothic night club called Apocalypse – totally drunk, fully gothed up and staggering around when a guy came up to me with a flyer and said he was creating the first ever Australian Darkwave compilation CD called Candles and Intrigue. He felt that because I looked so hardcore that I should be in a band. I felt the idea was a bit funny and went to show the flyer to some friends for a giggle, but they all took it seriously. So next thing, I signed the flyer and had to deliver a fully recorded song and do a photoshoot within a month. The CD came out, the song took off and the band made it into Mick Mercer’s book, the Hex Files.  Here is the Candles and Intrigue CD https://www.discogs.com/Various-Candles-and-Intrigue/release/768603

and an ad for the Hex Files https://www.amazon.com/Hex-Files-Bible-Mick-Mercer/dp/0879517832

JA: Oh wow! How long had you been playing/ creating music before the CD came out?

DB: We were in the right place at the right time for something big that was happening – namely the explosion of the second wave of goth. Before that song, I had been in a band before but it had been years before. The friends that pressured me into this all were aware of that .

Side Note: If you’d like to learn more about the origins of David Black and the band, make sure to check out his 1st band, Thrush in the pages of the Hardcore History Project.

JA: With your newest music video, what’s gone into creating it so far?

DB: Its the biggest to date. It had a cast and crew of around 50. Being the 9th music video and with such a long history, I ended up with a giant crew of many of the Melbourne Indie movie industries top people, and for the cast, the top of the acting, burlesque and carny scenes.

There were 4 camera crews going all day at the main shoot, and something like 4 truck loads of equipment brought in, a team of 5 or 6 make up artists, 3 photographers.

JA:  Wow, that’s Huge!

Pasties made for the dancers in the video

BD: It was months of pre production. Getting costumes and props ordered or made. Here are the paisties that were made for the ghoul nurses. Every little piece of costuming was weeks of discussions and planning. Same with make up and ordering things like glitter and studs and designing stuff.

JA: What’s been your favorite memory so far during the creation of the video?

DB:  Believe it or not, I was running around the whole day – most of the time covered in sweat, and I left the place delerious from the effort. I had cancer and had recovered, so this was my come back video – and the effort took it out of me.

JA: Holy cow. way to jump back in!

DB: There was one room where the documentary interviews were being done as well and I was running around so much that I almost didnt manage to do an interview.  Yep, for a guy that was just getting his energy back, in retrospect, I see that it was a bit ambitious – but it was impossible to imagine how busy it was going to be. I did sit down with them. While everyone was having lunch, I sat with the doco crew. Besides, the queue for lunch was massive anyway. We had a pro caterer there so everyone saw a fantastic array and just end up there.

JA: Gnarly effect make-up, David. Who did helped out with all the gore?

JA: How long did it take to put this video together?

DB: the video and song, once things really got underway, will have been around 1 years work. It was late April last year that I picked up with the work on both the song and video and started regularly working on it.

JA: I think it’s a great way to come back. Something big and exciting like this, seems like a great way to reinvigorate life.

DB: I agree, but it is also worrying to do something big as a come back too. Its like there is a pressure to have this do well now.

JA: Props to you

DB: It is fast. And often I did feel like I was burning the candle at both ends. The promo side too is important and we have gone on something like 8 radio shows, the tv and now getting some coverage in your magazine.

JA: Yeah, been there myself. But the thrill of the creative process is infectious. David, thank you for sharing some of what you’ve gone through to create this newest video. I can’t wait to see how it all comes together!

Darkness Visible in a recent TV appearance 

For the New Music Video

Either keep an eye out here or follow David and Darkness Visible so you don’t miss out when this new creation tears into the world. Here’s where you can find them:

Tumblr: davidbblack.tumblr.com

Facebook: facebook.com/DarknessVisible

One More Song for the Road

Darkness Visible: boobs, blood & surviving cancer. An interview w/ #goth musician David Black. Warning: Mature content. If boobs and blood offend you, return on another day, or check out this cute horror kids book I reviewed once upon a time: …

#band #David Black #Goth #Horror #Interview #music #Visible Darkness