New Album Preorders

Posted on March 7th, 2012

Filed under: Music News — Karl Olson @ 5:55 pm

Actual Order Page: Here.

Key Information:

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I Can’t Believe You’ve Done This

Posted on March 6th, 2012

Filed under: General,Music News — Karl Olson @ 7:24 pm

So, after years of fighting it, I finally caved and added a Mac Mini to my veritable harem of computing devices. After all, a lot of musicians use Macs, and more annoyingly, use Logic Pro, which is Mac-specific audio software. However, for all the gabbing about just how easy life is on a Mac, I find myself fairly unimpressed with certain aspects of Mac life. For starters, I miss Windows 7’s snap-to-side function. Grabbing a program Window and quickly giving it half my screen worked wonderfully, especially when writing papers. I was going to finish an assignment up last night on the mac as test drive, but I was quickly off put and back on windows.

However, that’s a petty nitpick compared to the big ticket problem: I can’t update the iLife suite. It came free with the computer, but I even after logging in, clicking to accept the apps does nothing. Clicking update brings up a ‘NULL’ error. This is comically bad. After all, I was able to pull an update for the OS itself directly from Apple, so I don’t get why this is such a chase for the apps. I’ve sent off a support email, but for now, I feel unimpressed. Windows may lack a store entirely, but what’s included with the OS updates almost too easily, and I can easily get what’s not included through great sites like Ninite.

I am corresponding with Apple support right now, and I hope I get to follow this up with a retraction, but I hate that it came to this in the first place. Considering I managed to build a Windows 7 box from parts and get everything running and lovely on it in about a day last weekend, sitting around fighting for an app update is annoying at a minimum.

I mean, this is the kind of goofy trouble Apple made fun of Windows for, and in fact, I haven’t even had this kind of trouble with Linux since I started to used it on the original eeePC in 2007. That’s problematic.

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“Specialization Is For Insects” – Heinlein

Posted on February 19th, 2012

Filed under: General,Music News — Karl Olson @ 4:12 am

Computer programming and music, the strands of art and science that simultaneously define my life, alternate between being in harmony and loggerheads with one another. This week has definitely been the latter.

On one hand, I not only have praise for my personal musical output, but for my creative work for other prominent individuals. To be blunt, I’m doing some production work for MC Lars, and he digs it. That’s praise is getting other parties interested in what I do as a musician. That’s good too, because I could use some pocket money and general attention. Doing production for other artists provides both.

At the same time though, I’m still enjoying fumbling my way around Racket for my AI class, while learning C# for a couple problems in my Multimedia class. I’m not a bad programmer, but I am a notorious procrastinator, and nothing gets me distracted like music. Add to that the general malaise that comes with recovering from a cold and a solid fall, and I’m surprised I’m on task at all. That likely speaks to how interesting I fine the programming work too; even the relatively dry AI class is pretty cool as the problems are quite thought provoking. Once I dig in, any track of time is lost. I become entranced by pondering how to attack and conquer the problem.

The multimedia class provides some excuse to fuse the two passions, but at the moment, I am balancing that fantastic Heinlein quote in the title again another very valid quote:

“A house divided against itself cannot stand.” – Abraham Lincoln.

I can’t wait to get these bigger projects off my mind. I can dilettante about with collabs here and there during university, but doing that, plus 3 good albums, plus homework, is tricky. Though, I probably spend too much time on the internet no matter how you cut it, and that’s the lamb most worth sacrificing. Though, it’s hyper-distracting nature makes the internet hardest to shut off.

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It Keeps Happening.

Posted on February 17th, 2012

Filed under: General,Music News — Karl Olson @ 3:39 am

The previously discussed fan video has cracked over 1100 views in under two weeks. I clearly need to do stuff like that more often, by which I mean rap on very specific subjects in a rather relaxed, clear fashion over a fairly simple, but well-produced beat. Then, luck out, and have a fan devoted enough to cut a video for it.

I should stop trying to make a delicate mousse, and just make a good steak. Then pray that a restaurant critic walks in unprompted.

This is a bad plan, but only partially. I need to shoot music videos, even if that is just strings of images that relate to the lyrics. It’s clear that helps get my music out there in a multimedia age, and while I don’t to write for other people’s expectations, and I want those who can relate to my music to be able to find it and embrace it.

Metaphors and idle plans aside, I have a lot to clear off the plate before break is over. Well, really I only have to get an assignment done for my Artificial Intelligence class, but I’m still feeling out Racket. It’s a weird language. To make matters more interesting, I’m also going to be picking up C# for Multimedia class. Granted, that’s a pair project, and my fellow team member is so rad he has a game up on the XBox Live store. I hope I can keep up with him.

I also have some production work to take on. I have materials sitting from Rai Kamishiro and Death*Star, and my ears and sinuses are finally calm enough to take on a pair of headphones for a few hours. I may also being doing some production for some people other than myself, Rai and Nursehella, but it’s a test run thing. Hopefully, I hit the mark.

Grades come first, of course… (glances shiftily)

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I’ve Fallen Yet I Must Get Up

Posted on February 15th, 2012

Filed under: General,Music News — Karl Olson @ 2:38 am

Last Saturday, I fell down half a flight of stairs as I excitedly exited my parents’ house to drive to my show. It lacked any simulation of grace. I even managed to smash the lip off of one of the steps. I am still pretty sore from that tumble, but ultimately I made it out to the show.

My father drove me to the venue, and for the first time ever, he saw me perform live at an actual venue. I think the volume of the soundsystem was off putting for him, but it was cool that he saw how people had come to see me. One person even researched me having seen the flyer, and another had remembered me from the frontalot forum, and remarked that my performance reminded him of Andy Kaufman. That’s pretty high praise, and a sign that turning my stage-presence-ruining pain into a joke worked. A promoter with the venue even said I should come to said venue’s (much busier) hiphop night, and that I should get in on its end of show freestyle. I’m glad my dad was their to see those interactions. There is something reassuring about being praised by fans in front of family members.

That said, it’s after Valentine’s Day, and I’m still a bit sore. Time for a couple of Advil, and some rest with a heating pad.

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“We Ain’t Even S’posed To Be Here” – Jay-Z

Posted on February 10th, 2012

Filed under: Music News — Karl Olson @ 2:03 pm

Specifically, the stage is where I’m not supposed to be I suppose. However, this Saturday, I perform with my friends Klopfenpop, Sketch and Enfold Stone in Seattle at the Shipwreck. Yet again, I get a surreal opening act, namely Magic: The Gathering tournament. I had heard it was supposed to be a free show, but according to this listing on the Stranger, it’s 5 bucks. It starts at 6pm.

Either way, I hope my fans will turn out and have a fun time as they watch me confuse and bewilder anyone who was just their to tap that deck. I’m still a bit under the weather, so I may sound more like DMX than my usual self. Maybe that’s a bonus?

Meanwhile, a devoted fan decided to cook up a fan video for one of my recent song releases. It has cleared over 600 views in 3 days. I’m pretty pleased about that.

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Remixes and References

Posted on January 29th, 2012

Filed under: General,Music News — Karl Olson @ 8:48 pm

To make this count towards my requisite blogging, I will start with this obvious filler sentence. Also, I broke a key rule from the previous lecture about brevity in sentence structure. Also, while I’m taking about class, I should put a notebook in my backpack, so I can do the in class writing assignments.

Hmm, that’s three sentences. I wonder if my prof appreciates the explicitly meta writing style that I’m employing, or whether he finds cliche and overdone.

Anyway, I wrote some music, and yes, it is about the same stuff I’ve been blogging about for the last week. (I bet that is even more annoying to the professor.)


Ultraklystron vs. Juno – Focus (Remix-Cover)


Ultraklystron – Katawa Shoujo

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Concerts, Conventions and Expansion

Posted on January 25th, 2012

Filed under: Music News — Karl Olson @ 1:08 pm

Even though I just played a show in Seattle last month, it seems I have signed on for even more. On February 11th, I’m playing a free show at the Shipwreck in Seattle. There is a Magic the Gathering tournament beforehand if you’re interested in that kind of thing. If not but you’re still in the area, please turn out. Later, on April 7th, I’m performing at Norwescon. In fact, on April 5th, Rai Kamishiro is also playing Norwescon, and I should at least be her DJ for that set, though I may jump on a couple of songs myself. Rai (and perhaps also myself) are also looking at doing a panel at SakuraCon the same weekend if the logistics can be sorted.

What does this “influx” of activity mean? As I’ve said previously, 3 (or 4) albums I am involved with in varying degrees are nearing completion. However, what’s become obvious to me now is just how close all of these releases might be. My own album, Animatic, is almost done as there are only a few outstanding collaborative elements to be sent to me, and even the bonus/remix disc is fairly well appointed and effectively complete. Neither Rai’s nor Nursehella’s albums will be as lengthy as mine, so while they each have more work do on them, I don’t doubt that they’ll be wrapped up sooner rather than later. Once the vocals are recorded, it should be an manageable, almost mechanical process. Therefore, it’s a safe bet to say this Spring should bring a unplanned deluge of music from myself and my associates.

Of course, with university soaking up the majority of my time, I won’t be touring. Gigging regularly in Seattle? Sure, as often as Death*Star, Klopfenpop and other artists in the Emerald Empire crew and overall Seattle Area will have me. I’d do shows up here in Vancouver if the opportunity could be seized (actually much easier said than done since I need some Seattlites to drive up to fill the bill.) However, I wouldn’t rule out some touring for Rai and Nursehella, albeit separately and in radically different venues probably. Still, both have pitched some very interesting plans. Should said plans come together, I hope my (largely overlapping) fanbase gets out to support them because it does directly support me.

Or to summarize, let’s put it in the words of rapper T.I.:

“Big things poppin’ […] failure’s not an option.”

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2 Days & 6 Songs

Posted on January 9th, 2012

Filed under: Music News — Karl Olson @ 8:38 pm

After what has been an admittedly long wait, it looks like things are really beginning to cook with Nursehella’s album. The recent studio sessions have run smoothly so far: we have six songs worth of vocals in the can after only two days in the studio, and she has material lined up for another five or six.

I’m not particularly sure how many of my instrumentals will underpin her album. That fact hinges a lot on her tastes, and how many other producers we can wrangle into working with us. She made a lot of good connections in the past year though, and perhaps it’s time to see how just how good they are.

In regards to my own album, I’m essentially just waiting on material from some of my collaborators now. Everything else has been locked down though perhaps once I have the collaborative elements in, I might tweak my vocals in a few spots. I could also draw the album out to 22 original tracks, plus 9 or more remixes. However, I think I’ll wait to see how long the collaborative tracks run. The final version of those songs could eat up the spare space.

Lastly, readers should expect more updates like this as I am obligated to blog an average of twice a week for a writing class. Not every update will be this extensive, but I figure that I ought to be forward about why I’m using my blog heavily.

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Listen And Watch

Posted on December 4th, 2011

Filed under: Music News,Videos — Karl Olson @ 6:11 pm

Watch and skip around my mixtape. Or just download it from one of these places:
Bandcamp
Multiupload
Google Music

After all, Hipster Please! liked it, and that blog is the Pitchfork of Nerdcore (or so I’ll claim.)

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