The Very Pulse of the Machine (Love, Death and Robots)- Episode Review

A while back I did a review of Love, Death and Robots Season 1 and, whilst I appreciated an animated anthology series, I felt it was a bit too edge-lordy for its own good. Much like manga and *sigh* 'Japananimation' in the early 90s here in the UK, what we were getting was the extreme, gratuitous violence and sex stuff. Now, there's nothing wrong with that but I don't think many would disagree that Doomed Megalopolis, Wicked City or Urotsokidoji were the best examples that the medium had to offer at the time. We were getting them as they sold and found a cult niche here in the West after interest in Akira. However, it took a while for the great stuff to get here; Bubblegum Crisis, Dragon Ball, Nadia: Secret of Blue Water or any of the Ghibli films (except the bastardised Nausicaa- Warriors of the Wind) .

And so, after three seasons I think Love, Death and Robots has finally produced a masterpiece short film which deserves recognition. 'The Very Pulse of the Machine' is a gorgeously animated film in the style of Moebius from animation studio Polygon Pictures. The story is based on a short from Michael Swanwick and looks at the journey of a lone astronaut, Martha, stranded on the moon of Io, trying to find her way out whilst her oxygen slowly depletes. It is a psychological piece as we have Martha, superbly voiced by Mackenzie Davis, having a conversation with an invisible entity, or it could delusions caused by a mixture of hypoxia and morphine.

It's a very existential piece, not just because of the isolation of the astronaut, but because the individual is in conversation with something greater than herself. I found that very interesting as the dialogue was very philosophical and profound in places. I won't spoil it but the film evokes memories of 2001: Space Odyssey and the Star Child; death is not the end but a new part of the journey and that's a beautiful thought. The crescendo of the soundtrack at the denouement is spectacular and still sends shivers down my spine when I hear it.

For me, 'The Very Pulse of the Machine' is the high watermark for Love, Death and Robots. I look forward to seeing where the series goes from here.

God of War: Ragnarok- Videogames As Art

I’ve been with the God of War series since it smashed it's way into our hearts on the Playstation 2 and continued with the trilogy and the handheld games. It was good and edge-lordy but since then it has gone through a kind of soft reboot with 2018s God of War. That game put you in the shoes of angry dad Kratos who was trying to connect with his tween son whilst trying to hide his murderous past. I found this whole ‘middle-aged angry dad looking after a kid’ trope was an amazing one for Kratos as it developed his character but was concerned with the linearity of the story of the sequel after playing Elden Ring. However, I needn’t have worried as GOW: Ragnarok was a compelling game with an engaging story, great voice acting and solid graphics. Okay, it didn’t blow me away like its 2018 incarnation had but it was a wonderful narratively driven game and well worth the 30 hour playtime.

Below are screenshots of my playthrough.

It's the End of the Year As We Know It (and I Feel Fine)- Reflections on an Interesting Year.

It's that time of year where many of us reflect on the passing of time. Successes and failures; we look back at the goals and targets we set ourselves this time last year and see if we have accomplished what we wanted to do, become what we wanted to become etc.

My resolution from last year was to meet and understand people better. This might make me sound socially awkward but, to be honest, after lockdown and the isolation that entailed, I have found that I’m a lot less confident than I used to be. That might be to do with my age too as I’m now middle aged.

On an analogue level, I continued to play in the local weekday football league, where I would participate in weekly games with my fellow dads and lads. We started a team during lockdown about a year and a bit ago and it's been great to build relationships with these guys as I find that it's become more difficult to build friendships as I've got older. It could be that my older friends, the ones I've known since school/college etc, have kept me safe in a walled garden of my own making; stepping away can be a challenge when you are comfortable. It's been strange as I've had to take pause and slow down in conversation and open up a little more as these newer friends don't know me that well and nor I them. We have no shared history, so it's like building the structures of friendship one brick at a time.

Also, I read a lot biographies and autobiographies over the past 12 months… and I mean a lot! Yes, these were often of celebrities who wanted to show their best self and were not your typical lay person but it has been interesting to see how candid they were and actually critical of their own actions or inactions. I read the autobiographies of Oliver Stone, Cassandra Peterson (Elvira), Tegan and Sara, Mel B, Louis Theroux, Reggie Fils-Aime, Simon Reeve, and Seth Rogan as well as the biographies of Peter Falk (Columbo), William Blake and Robin Williams. As well as this I listened to a lot of audiobooks on people including the excellent Dermot O’Leary podcast People, Just People and the perennial favourite Desert Island Discs. I learned a lot from these and, even though many of these people lived vastly different lives to mine, I found many shared the same worries, concerns and dreams as I and, I assume, many other people have.

Finally, I also got into philosophy, specifically Moral Philosophy. I studied Anthropology at university but have always had an interest in the human condition, the reason why we are here and all the other light fluffy stuff that makes me such a great conversationalist at parties. However, the idea of reading thousands of years of philosophy and ethics is daunting so, as well as reading some books recently by Ernest Becker, Rumi and Noam Chomsky to get myself caught up, I read a couple of books by Mike Schur (creator of The Good Place, The Office (US version), Parks and Rec and so much more.) What I gained was a distillation of thousands of years of moral philosophy and ethics in a couple of handy tomes. My main takeaway was of T. M. Scanlon's Contractualism which posits that we should act upon rules that others could not reasonably refuse i.e. create and follow reasonable rules that are built on interpersonal relationships. This is a good way to think about society as, generally, people need people need people.

Unfortunately, the prevalence of the Selfish Gene theory alongside Hobbesian philosophy, makes many of us believe that the world is a dark and horrible place where only the strongest can survive: It’s dog eat dog out there. We can sometimes form a poor view of our fellow man which create the Mean World Syndrome that is often supported by the rolling 24 hour news coverage of terrible acts committed by apparenty terrible people. Even though we are currently living in one of the most peaceful times, where poverty has dropped substantially and the average life expectancy has increased, we think the world is going to ‘hell in a handcart.’ However, that is patently not true.

So, I know I'm rambling somewhat but I suppose my central message is of peace, growth and transcendence. I believe that people must come together as there is an intersectionality where the betterment of the state of the world is for the benefit of everyone and not just the few. Another person can change your life without remaining a permanent part of it. In fact, people can leave an imprint or act as a catalyst for (re)discovering something about ourselves. I've started a process of deep reflection and self-examination. The Greek philosopher Socrates said, ‘Know Thyself’ and an essential part of knowing yourself must be to recognise the limits of your own wisdom and understanding- knowing what you do genuinely know and knowing what you have yet to learn. Boomers, Gen X, Millenials, Gen Z or however people choose to classify themselves (or are labelled)- we can make the world a better place by coming from a place of understanding and learning from each other.

Anyways, that’s my two cents worth… have a grand new year one and all!

LINK- How to be Perfect: The Correct Answer to Every Moral Question by Mike Schur- Book Review

LINK- The Good Place and Philosophy- Book Review

LINK- Utopia for Realists- Book Review

LINK- Humankind: A Hopeful History- Book Review

LINK- The Future Starts Here: An Optimistic Guide to What Comes Next- Book Review

LINK- On And On And Colston ( Or, How We Kinda Sort of Learned to Talk About the Legacy of Colonialism and the British Empire)

LINK- ‘Natives: Race and Class in the Ruins of Empire’

LINK: Let’s All Create a ‘New Normal’.

It's Lonely at the Centre of the Earth- Graphic Novel Review

Comics are amazing as they can open our minds to a whole world of imagination. There are many comics and graphic novels which are based on real life and tell us about the human condition and humanity and It’s Lonely at the Centre of the Earth by Zoe Thoroughgood is one such book.

It's an introspective, relatable and very truthful graphic novel about depression. I haven't felt depressed for many years but this comic did send me back into my memories of my difficult mid to late teens where I questioned everything and wasn't sure of my place in the world. Looking back that was more existential and a feeling of ennui than clinical depression but nonetheless, it felt monumentally overwhelming at the time. Thoroughgood describes her depression as something biological and chemical; 'I am not my depression. But sometimes it's comforting to believe that's all that I am' and 'Even on beautiful days like this one-it feels impossible to imagine a future where I don't kill myself.' When her depression hits it hits hard and the lockdown during the pandemic heightened her sense of isolation.

Through its varied art styles, including collage, manga, super deformed as well as videogame style like pixel art, we get to connect to her moods and feelings. Thoroughgood is effective at being self-deprecating but also brutally and harshly critical of herself and her process.

I enjoyed the graphic novel and, even though some parts were heartbreaking, I liked the honesty and earnestness of her writing.

Life is Strange: True Colours- Videogames As Art

About 7 years ago, the first of five episodes of Life Is Strange was released onto an unsuspecting world. The creators, Dontnod, had previously produced an okay but unremarkable game called Remember Me- it was pretty forgettable-so the episodic tale of an introverted photography student with the power to rewind time did not garner much excitement. However, it ended up being one of the most talked about games of the year, garnering strong reviews and approval from the video games community at large. Since then we have had the prequel Before the Storm, and a whole new storyline with new characters in Life is Strange 2.

What appeals with these games is the mumblecore movie like vibe; authentic sounding dialogue delivered well with only a occasional clunky pieces of dialogue. The games are usually shot with an eye for cinematography, a great central mystery that pulls you in and likeable or relatable characters.

I played the latest entry, True Colours and loved getting to know Alex Chen and see the effect her empathic powers had on her. There were the usual moments of wonder, surprise and tenderness that will stay with you long after the game is over but it's the characters portrayed with depth and personality that are the real triumph here- I like the portrayal of strong women in videogames who don't need rescuing.

The game was a great palette cleanser from the open world fatigue I've suffered from after playing Elden Ring and Horizon Zero Dawn: Forbidden West for over 200 hours.

Love and Let Die: The Beatles, James Bond, and the British Psyche - Book Review

John Higgs is an exciting and enthusiastic cultural historian and author who I first came across whilst reading the KLF biography, The KLF: Chaos, Magic and the Band Who Burned a Million Pounds. After enjoying that book immensely, I bought, read and thoroughly enjoyed Higgs' other books, 'The Future Starts Here: An Optimists Guide to What Comes Next' and also ‘Blake vs. The World.’ I think a lot of the reasons as to why I like Higgs is  due to the way he brings difficult concepts to life by providing clear examples using very simple terms and understandable layman's terms.

I think Higgs is pretty much spot on with his analyses in his works as you can see it happening in the world. The fact that he provides context and a humanist approach to his subject matters make his work non-judgemental and approachable. He is skilled in  finding intriguing connections between seemingly unrelated subjects and the concepts of 'reality tunnels' and the theory of a 'circumambient story,' where we as people, create a cohesive story based on what we curate from our experiences and understanding, is one that you can see happening everywhere. His insight is one of the reasons why I look forward to his books and pre-order them; you're guaranteed a thrilling journey.

With 'Love and Let Die: The Beatles, James Bond, and the British Psyche' Higgs takes us on a journey about the lives, loves and legacy of both The Beatles and James Bond. Now, they don't seem to have much in common at all, apart from the extraordinary coincidence that The Beatles’ first single 'Love Me Do' was released on the same day as the first James Bond film 'Dr. No' on Friday 5th October 1962... well, that and 60 years after release the legacy of both is still strong. However, by looking at it through the lens of their contrasting world views, Thanatos and Eros (the Freudian Death and Love Drive) we see how both were battling it out for the soul of post-war England for what it means to be 'English' and 'Masculine' in what we would now consider a culture war.

Now usually with Higgs I can see where he is going, even if I don't fully understand it but with this I wasn't so sure initially; The Beatles were all peace and love whilst Bond was the epitome of a cold hard killer, right? So, why compare these two cultural touchstones. Well, over the course of a few hundred pages we find that actually they had a lot of overlap and coincidences that made them opposites in some ways yet inextricably linked:

- Christopher Lee was related to Ian Fleming and appeared as Scaramanga in 'The Man With the Golden Gun' as well as McCartney's band Wings cover.
- Paul McCartney revived his flagging career with his Bond song 'Live and Let Die'.
- Ringo Starr married ‘The Spy Who Loved Me's Bond Girl Barbara Bach, and so much more.I suppose with them being so closely linked in time and space, some overlap was inevitable but the connections Higgs finds are fascinating.

The last few chapters of the book look at the real world and how Bond and The Beatles have both become the 'norm' with Bond representing death and The Beatles representing peace and love.

The chapter 'A Golden Thread of Purpose' is wonderfully Higgs in that he looks at how the 2012 opening ceremony of the Olympics by Danny Boyle and Frank Cottrell Boyce, used William Blake's idea of Albion to show Britain as a parochial and wonderful place, including placing God at the centre of the world but also at the periphery filled with different characters (including Albion) which have entered into our national mythology and identity. These British characteristics have deeper and hidden meanings which have been misinterpreted or misunderstood by many over the years and Boyles opening ceremony seemed like a threat to the established order. Higgs compares this with the closing ceremony which seemed to support the Norman Continuity Empire, where the Royal Family and their supporting Lords and Ladies staked their claims to the land, and separated the people from their plots forever.

The next chapter, 'What is the New Evil in the World?' is fascinating as it looks at real-world Bond-like plots like Putin's annexation of Crimea, the bots and trolls from North Korea and Russia turning the West against each other through planned culture wars and the social media shit posting. It does seem like Bond was ahead of the curve with its presience.

'Love and Let Die: The Beatles, James Bond, and the British Psyche' is a fascinating book and well worth a read. You may not always agree with Higgs connections and points but I guarantee that his 'reality tunnels' and theory of the British 'circumambient story' will stay with you long after you put the book down; it's an interesting journey well worth a look.

LINK- The KLF: Chaos, Magic and the Band Who Burned a Million Pounds- Book Review

LINK- On And On And Colston ( Or, How We Kinda Sort of Learned to Talk About the Legacy of Colonialism and the British Empire)

LINK- ‘Natives: Race and Class in the Ruins of Empire’

LINK: Let’s All Create a ‘New Normal’.

LINK- Mario Odyssey- Video Games As Art

LINK- Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice- Video Games As Art

LINK- An English Geek in Saudi

Elden Ring- Videogames As Art

I've been playing videogames for a looong time (click here for my article on this) but Elden Ring has been a game changer for me. When I wasn't playing it, I was thinking about it. When I wasn't thinking about it, I was reading about it. When I wasn't reading about it, I was watching video essays on YouTube about it. The thing took over my gaming life and most of my nights for most of this year- my wife even complained when I entered the bedroom past midnight most nights due to the game. It's my most played game ever with over 155 hours clocked.

I didn't know how much I needed this experience. I've become used to more linear experiences in the past decade or so but From Software’s masterpiece demanded focus and attention. The scope of the game is sublime and the map(s) opens up very early on. Gone are the parochial way finding icons splodged on the map, removing any hint of a surprise (I'm looking at you Ubisoft) to a more natural, diegetic method of discovery and wonder. Okay, I don't pretend to understand all the nuance if the narrative but man, this is one of the best games ever made and it’s been a heck of a ride getting to the end. Below are screenshots of my playthrough.

The Artful Escape- Videogames As Art

I've often said that videogames can be the most amazing form of media as they can be as varied as movies and novels but they also have the added benefit of player agency.

Too often, the headline games are about shooting and killing, or worse, matching three fruits/ gems/ numbers! However, every now and again a game comes along that refreshes the palette and offers you look at the medium through a different lens and that's what The Artful Escape does. It's a story of a young musician living in the shadow of his dead famous Uncle who wants to express himself musically but feels he can't. By going through a trippy journey across alien backgrounds and worlds, many of which could have been lifted from the prog rock album covers from the 70s, he finds the strength to be true to himself.

It's a short journey, lasting about 3 hours, but boy is it a spectacle. The visual flair on show is phenomenal whilst the music matches the epic-ness of the game. If you haven't, please do check out The Artful Escape as it's a pretty unforgettable journey. Okay, all you do is press right and occasionally jump but not everything need to be a frame-reading, ball-buster of a game.

Gamesmaster: The Oral History- Book Review

Gamesmaster turns 30 this year and, to mark this occasion, a new book has been released about the making and evolution of the show.

The book is well made and has good paper stock, giving it a premium feel.

For the uninitiated, Gamesmaster was a challenges based show where gamers would compete with each other and challenges to earn the coveted 'Golden Joystick'. I watched the show religiously as a kid as it was the only gaming show available and was typically zeitgeisty. The show was very 'extreme' 90s, with all the positives and negatives of that era including lads, ladettes, booze, innuendo and casual sexism. Now, a lot of the stuff wouldn't fly today but it was of its time and so, reading about it whilst watching the show on YouTube has been a fascinating look back at this moment in time.

The book covers the heady highs, cratering lows and the redemptive arc of the show and main host, Dominik Diamond. The fact that they were able to get all the core people involved, including the Producers, Executives as well as Diamond, Dexter Fletcher and Dave Perry is amazing as there were quite a few egos on the show that caused friction but also gave the show its anarchic dangerous feel.

I also enjoyed reading about the process of deciding what theme each season would be, often a tiny budget meant the economy of design led to the set designer doing magic with very little. The Atlantis set for season 6 was the real standout and Dominik agrees in this book too.

The inclusion of photos, production sketches and other material really brings the stories to life and the anecdotes are amazing. The hedonism of the main players, young men who found success early and didn't always know how to cope with the attention and money, shows the pitfalls of fame and Dominik is very honest about his chemical demons.

The whole book was a fascinating read, but there were several sections in the book that really struck me, such as how much Dominik hated the red coat in season 2 and how it led to his decision to leave. Also, when he was brought back in season 4 after ailing ratings in season 3 when Dexter Fletcher took over, how he doubled his pay after they killed his character off at the start of season 3. I was fascinated to learn about season 7, which was commissioned after the memo saying the show was over was never read or sent. They had a grand send off in season 6 and had then scattered to the wind, only to be reunited once again for one last blowout.

It's a redemptive story of a plucky underdog of a show that could, a host who came from very little, found success unexpectedly then worked extremely hard to make the show better and, towards the end, all parties decided to have more fun and be less serious about it all.

I loved the book and consumed it within a few days. As a fan of Gamesmaster, it was insightful and often hilarious. The honesty and candidness of all involved makes this a fascinating and essential read.

The Transportive Nature of Objects (and the Power of Mini Consoles).

I recently purchased the NES Mini and the Megadrive Mini as these consoles were a hugely formative part of my life, being the consoles I played the most between the ages of 10 to 16.

I've been into gaming for nearly all my life and, whilst in my younger years I sold my collection to buy the upgraded consoles and games, ever since the N64, PS2 and GameCube era, I've kept my favourites games. About 10 years ago, I dabbled in the retro game collecting scene, buying much of the older games I had liked in my youth for the Mega Drive, Master System and Gameboy, as these were the systems I most associated with my youth. Needless to say, I built up a pretty solid collection of games which I've kept and loved but I've had no desire to be a hardcore collector and have every game on a console system or have a complete set of anything; I just collect the things I love and have a curator's approach.

However, a lot of the systems I've got have no way of being played on modern tellies without buying expensive wires, hardware mods or by purchasing increasingly rare, bulky and pricey CRT sets. This is part of the reason why mini consoles were initially so appealing; an easy way to play the games you loved on modern screens at a reasonable price. As gaming becomes more ephemeral it's nice to have something physical where you can revisit things without fear of it being taken off a digital storefront or being removed due to licensing issues. I managed to get the SNES Mini on release at cost price which, looking back, was incredibly lucky.

However, during the pandemic, many retro games and mini consoles were unobtainable at a reasonable price. Mini consoles in particular were often being resold or scalped at more than 4 times their retail price. During one of the early lockdowns, the Megadrive Mini was being resold at around £200 or so, way more than its £59 RRP.

The surge in retro gaming sales was unprecedented and retro games, consoles and mini consoles of retro systems broke records in terms of sales during Covid. I think it's fair to say that when things go bad people like to remember better times and often it's the sepia tones of childhood and the past that appeals. I know that allure as I bought the Numskulls 1/4 mini Bubble Bobble arcade machine purely for the feelings of nostalgia and affection for my childhood days with this game. Despite that though, I couldn't justify buying these mini consoles at the hugely marked up prices so I bided my time and waited.

Back in the day, this would have bothered me. I'd always been there on release days, but I was not going to pay a premium to some chancer of a scalper for the privilege of owning these systems. The main reasons I wanted and got these mini consoles was to revisit some old classics with my daughters and experience some games I didn't get to play back in the day. I could wait for a more reasonable price before buying these systems.

So, after selling some old games that I had no way of playing as well as some I no longer wanted in my collection, I got both the NES Mini and Megadrive Mini for pretty much cost price. At CEX, I used my newly minted credit note and even had a couple of quid credit to spare. I just bought the consoles without the £10 extra for the boxes, I wasn't into collecting these for collecting sake but rather it was the easiest way to play these games.

Previously, I was playing some of the games on my Retron 5 clone system with original controllers (which I've reviewed here) but it was such a faff, so I thought I'd go for the easiest and cheapest (illegal emulation excepted, of course) option. I had these games on emulation of course but it just wasn't the same for me as there is a transportive nature to objects, they can open a door into the past- taking us to another place or time. As I held the NES Mini in my hands, I had flashbacks of my friends birthday party where I'd eaten so much and played Mario Bros. for so long that I went home that evening and promptly threw up-best day ever! I've talked about how Nintendo has been a constant in my life prior and how it became a formative part of my youth.
When I held the Megadrive Mini I remembered seeing Sonic playing at the local Comet and being amazed at the graphics and the speed when I had a play at the kiosk. I also remember part exchanging my Master System, tonnes of games and cash to get the Megadrive and Sonic game at the local comic/ book/ videogame/ manga and anime shop... Yup, I was a silly kid and was fleeced by the trader at the shop but there ya go. You live and learn right?

It's funny the memories you have on to when you hold something sentimental close to you. However, there is also a danger in revisiting old games; discovering that the games you held dear are rather bad but, due to a kind of Stockholm Syndrome brought about by only being able to buy games every couple of months, you got used to it and convinced yourself you loved it. I've recently played the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles NES game again for the first time in about 30 years and the poor level layout, unfair enemy placement, slow gameplay and lack of save points really grated on me now but back in the day I thought it was merely me being a crap player. I'm sure we've all got stories of revisiting something and finding it not like we remember, however, I hope to play my way through the games on these systems and writing my opinions on these, as well as sharing some screenshots of my playthrough.

LINK: Japan- My Journey to the East

LINK- My One True Gaming Constant in Life- Nintendo

LINK- On, and On and Conston (Or, ‘How We Learned to Talk About the Legacy of Colonialism in GB’)

LINK- ‘Natives: Race and Class in the Ruins of Empire’

LINK: Let’s All Create a ‘New Normal’.

LINK- Ms Marvel Can Change the World

LINK- The Stone Tapes: Cult TV Review

LINK- Tom’s Midnight Garden: Cult TV Review

Devon Comic Con and Gaming Festival- Review

A couple of weekends ago, my daughter and I attended out first Devon Comic Con. Now, this wasn't our first rodeo as regards Comic Cons; my daughter has attended two Tonbridge Comic Cons whilst I attended a few in London, but neither of us has attended one in quite a while.

My daughter was very excited as it was the first Comic Con she was attending where she would be wearing a costume and possibly recognise some of the shows and media represented.

We left on a sunny Sunday morning and had a short 20 minute drive to the Westpoint Centre in Exeter. When we got there, the parking assistants guided our vehicles to allocated spaces, it was all extremely smooth.

We then headed down to the centre and saw lots of stalls selling all manner of geeky goods at a fair price including anime, manga, video games, clothing, bags and Marvel and DC comics. There were a few celebrities doing signings and photos including Sylvester McCoy, Hattie Hayridge (Holly from Red Dwarf) and a few from some other shows which I don't watch.

There were lots of people dressed up, representing various fandoms and the atmosphere overall was great. Loads of adults and children took the opportunity to let their inner geek out. My 7 year old daughter loved the appreciative comments from people about her Ms. Marvel costume and we had a few conversations with random people talking about the show, comics and Partition. I've always said that representation matters and it was heartening to meet people and chat about our respective cosplays. I also wore my Ms. Marvel t-shirt and red shemagh scarf so my daughter and I looked like a team.

Dotted around the hall were lots of items and photo opportunity pieces of memorabilia which you could snap away at. My daughter and I met the Daleks and a Warhammer robot thingy and we saw a replica of the Batmobile and the Stranger Things set.

I've attended quite a few Cons but this was my first Exeter Comic Con. I like how it was well organised with stalls separated well so you could walk around without fear of a bottleneck. The cafe was reasonably priced whilst the food market outside was calm and had lots of seating.

All in all, this was a great Con and, whilst not as expansive or impressive as its London counterpart, it was a worthwhile experinece and highly recommended for its inclusivity and family-friendly atmosphere.

Jean Michel Jarre Oxymore- Album Review

Jean Michel Jarre is going a bit more experimental in his old age and for some that's great; an electronic maestro flexing his skills to push boundaries. However, for others it's a fear that he's gone up his own backside for the sake of 'art' and is a bit more generic in this Sound Cloud age.

His last few albums have been interesting with revisits to old themes (Oxygene 3 and Equinoxe Infinity), collaborations (Electronica 1 and 2), his dalliance back into his musique concrète roots (Amazonia) and his embracing of VR with his 'live' VR show (Welcome to the Other Side: Live at Notre Dame).

With his latest album he leans into the latter two genres, mixing his musique concrète roots with VR. The concept here is of a binaural VR album where the music surrounds you. I've experienced synesthesia through the Bjork exhibition and through playing videogames like Tetris Effect and Rez Infinite and I have to say, the effect is electrifying. I don't have access to the Oxymore VR experience so I'm just listening to the binaural album with my Sennheiser PX200 headphones.... Hardly the optimal experience, I'm sure, but it's all I have so I'll judge the album on this, the lesser experience.

Oxymore was a much-hyped collaborative work with musique concrète pioneer Pierre Henry, but before the work to come to fruition Henry died. Luckily, Henry's wife provided Jarre with the music stems and so the album is more Jarre's work with a little Henry thrown in. Now, I'm not familiar with Henry's work so have to context for what the project would have sounded like if it had been completed fully but nonetheless, it's a fascinating listen.

It's a soundscape which is often abstract and difficult to pin down. The album works as a whole piece and I don't imagine listening to one track independently. It is very much a tapestry of sounds to immerse yourself in. It can be a challenging listen in that there are very few standout pieces but the whole is quite engaging and interesting. I can imagine listening to it after a hard day at work, just letting the crunchy beats and Jarre signature arpeggios wend their way around me. Standout tracks include Animal Genesis, an 80s synthy piece that sounds very Stranger Things, Zeitgeist, a track that has the most hummable melody in pretty much the whole album, Brutalism, a catchy, upbeat synthy piece, and Epica, a fitting finale for the whole album which uses elements seen throughout to end on a pop-filled high.

Jarre is a pioneer and, rather than leaning into his greatest hits, I love seeing his evolution as an artist. That said, that doesn't mean I've enjoyed all his recent works but that's what good artists do; they stretch themselves and try new things. It may not work out but it's better than being generic and boring, eh? Personally, I'd admire his range and willingness to try something new or different.

Oxymore is an interesting album and well worth a listen but is by no means classic essential Jarre. For a similar style I'd recommend Jon Hopkins who has a more melodious and crunchy beat to his work or, if you're feeling nostalgic, Burial is pretty awesome too.

LINK- Amazonia Album Review

LINK- Equinoxe Infinity Album Review

LINK- Planet Jarre Celebrates 50 Years of Jarre

LINK- Jean Michel Jarre Oxygene 3 Album Review

LINK- Jean Michel Jarre Electronica Vol. 2 Album Review

Ghostwire: Tokyo- Videogames As Art

Ghostwire: Tokyo is a stunning survival-action horror game, which doesn’t lean too much into the gore or scares. The game follows a man who is possessed by a spirit after a Rapture-like event wipes out the population of Tokyo. Instead, yokai and malevolent spirits roam the land and impede your mission to rescue your ill sister who is taken by an evil man in a mask looking to break the walls between the human and spirit world. The game is okay but the fighting does get samey and drags on after while but the animations and rain effects are incredibly beautiful. I finished the game at about 8 hours so it doesn’t overstay its welcome but it does feel like a typical Tango Studios game, great ideas that don’t fulfill their potential.

Anyways, enjoy the screenshots of my playthrough!

Dear Ambivalence: The Mustachioed One, The Witches And The Suspended Body- Book Review

The title is a lot, but when the writer is Deadly Premonition creator Hidetaka ‘Swery’ Suehiro what did you expect? The distinctively quirky auteur has produced some intriguingly singular videogames include Deadly Premonition, D4, The MISSING, and The Good Life. His reputation for building interesting worlds filled with quirky characters with a somewhat irregular tone is known. As a pop culture and cult TV and film fan, his references hit hard and fast and so we get influences by David Lynch, The Cat People and a lot of general Americana.

This novel is not a slight undertaking, coming in at an impressive 484 pages. The blurb is peak Swery and pulls you in:

"When the naked, hairless, brutalized corpse of a young girl is discovered in the British countryside, everyone finds themselves asking the same question: Who did this, and why...?
Normally, this quiet idyllic town's policemen spend the bulk of their time chasing around lost sheep.
But then, one day, they found her... Elizabeth Cole. 17 years old, female... Hanging upside down from the town's symbolic elm tree... Dripping with morning dew, shaved completely hairless, missing every last one of her organs.
Witch hunts... Magic wands... Milk lorries... Nuts and coffee.
Neverending rumors... Inescapable sins.
Emily, a detective who was recently demoted from her post in London, teams up with a small moustachioed gentleman named Poco in order to bring the truth to light."

On day of English language release, I bought the book and have been reading it as my October Halloween read. I can say that it is a very Swery book; the fact that the narrator is a cat took some getting used to but it works as a literary device.

It is a gripping and idiosyncratic journey with very heavy nods to Twin Peaks; a cop-with-a-chequered-past Detective Emily constantly grazing on nuts is much like FBI Agent Dale Cooper constantly commenting on coffee and cherry pie, acerbic pathologist Francis Mackenzie recalling snarky FBI Agent Albert Rosenfield and the mixed up secret life of the victim, Elizabeth, is much like the tragic secret life of Laura Palmer. Added to all this is the fascinating lore of the area referring to a haunting tragic history of an English village. It's all very well done but this is obviously an outsiders view of England as there are turns of phrase or details that don't quite sound right; it's a facsimile of England but it doesn't really matter as the central premise is so interesting.

Overall, I found the story to be interesting and engaging enough that I read it within a couple of days. It’s not as eloquent as the works of Sandor Mirai, nor is it as stylised as Haruki Murakami or as mind-bendingly humanist as David Mitchell’s work but it is typical Swery and for those who like his work, this is just fine!

Elden Ring- Videogames As Art

Elden Ring is an absolute masterpiece. As more games have added bloat and pointless mission markers all over the map, losing the sense of discovery, From Software have trusted the intelligence of their audience and created a true open-world experience (at least for the first 90% of the game before it becomes more mainline). As a result, we have the most awe inspiring open‑world game where exploration is encouraged and the story is slowly unearthed. I’m 140 hours into the game and am still not finished yet, currently bashing my head against Malekith, The Black Blade, however I am loving the experience. Check out my screenshots so far!

Nosferatu- Film and Live Score Review

I have been a film aficionado for a long time. My father brought me up on classics like David Lean's adaptations of Oliver Twist and Great Expectations as well as the various black and white classic comedies of Charlie Chaplin and Laurel and Hardy. However, I became interested in cult TV series and films whilst attending University. Our campus was media-centered and as a result it had a huge catalogue of videos to rent, free of charge; I ploughed through many often taking the maximum 8 out at a time and consumed them voraciously.

As a result, I believe I am quite literate in films and TV but Nosferatu, the German Expressionist masterpiece is like the Rosetta Stone. Over 100 years old and nearly obliterated from history, this masterpiece still haunts my dreams with its otherworldly imagery. I've seen it on film and DVD at home lots of times but never on the big screen. A chance to see it on the big screen at my local theatre was too good to pass up. Throw in a live score and it was a must watch for me, so I quickly booked a ticket for just myself... this was a bit too niche for even my wife who still hadn't forgiven me dragging her to the Werner Herzog documentary, Cave of Forgotten Dreams over 10 years ago in Cambodia.

So, on a cold, dark Monday night I descended on the Teignmouth Pavilion, wondering what the audience would be like. I picked up my ticket and saw that there was a small group of about 30 people with the average age of 60. I was one of the youngest member in the audience apart from a couple of teenagers who came along with their elders.

The film itself is a masterpiece of early cinema, mixing humour like, 'She has a beautiful neck,' when Orlok sees a picture of Ellen (a Mina Harker-a-like) or when we see Orlok using his powers to carry the coffins onto a carriage before using his powers to get the horses to gallop, to full on dread like when Orlok rises from the coffin in the ship and the crew are slowly picked off. When the title card read, ‘The ship of death had a new captain,’ and I saw Orlok on the ship, which was slowly moving forward under his evil influence, it sent shivers down my spine.

All through this, the music by Chris Green enhanced the experience and offered a new way to appreciate the hundred year old movie. As the blueish tint gave way to a yellow hue it felt ethereal on the big screen. I have had a copy of the dvd at home since the late 90s but that had a different musical track so seeing this new soundtracked version certainly was a boon.

Overall, I loved the experience and hope that many more events like this come to our local pavilion theatre; it's a way for people to appreciate old classics and brings the media to a new audience.

Magnetic Rose (Otomo's Memories)- Cult Film Review

Katsuhiro Otomo is a manga legend, rising to prominence with his seminal masterpiece Akira. It was the first real breakthrough worldwide manga hit, spread initially by word of mouth and then gaining a cult fandom until it broke through to the mainstream thanks to the terrific but confusing film.

For his follow up work, Otomo went a little more left field, creating a comic anthology series of which 3 were turned into an animated film called Memories. I knew of the film due to the soundtrack that I purchased at Forbidden Planet for a then-princely sum of £25. I was intrigued by the cover and when I saw that one of the composers was Yoko Kanno, whose work I'd loved in 'Macross Plus, I bought it. The music was mesmerising, bringing together Puccini's Madame Butterfly with Kanno's wending jazzy brassiness. It is a hauntingly beautiful score and I played it for years before ever seeing the film.

In the late 90s, the emergence of the internet made buying, selling and trading anime much easier and so, after striking an friendship with a fellow manga and anime fan, I received a copied VHS of Memories.

Now, all three short films are worthy of attention but for this review I specifically want to shine a light on the first, Magnetic Rose. I only read one comic from the anthology series and that was Magnetic Rose, but that was after having watched the 50 minute enthralling sci-fi horror/ psychological film

I only recently found out that Magnetic Rose was written by the late, great, gone-too-soon Satoshi Kon who made Paprika, Perfect Blue, Millenium Actress, Paranoia Agent and Tokyo Godfathers, and looking at those works, the psychological angle is obvious. The storyline is about a salvage ship on their way home receiving a distress signal. Following protocol, they go to provide assistance only to find a graveyard of ships all merged together in the shape of a rose. As the crew explore the interior they encounter a facsimile of a baroque world but there seems to be a presence within which means harm.

I won't spoil it but the atmosphere created, enhances by the evocative operatic soundtrack, is second to none and the film will linger in your mind long after the denouement. The animation is sublime and has some of the most technically impressive multi-plane shots seen at the time, lending the film a lived-in free movement which is appropriate for space.

I've been into manga and anime for over 30 years and this particular film is one of my all-time favourites. Even after all these years, the film haunts me.

Yours Cruelly, Elvira: Memoirs of the Mistress of the Dark- Audiobook Review

If you grew up in America in the 80s, Cassandra Peterson's alter ego Elvira was a fixture in the horror world whether through her hosting performances, movies or TV appearances, she would be there cracking wise. Growing up in England, Elvira was not so prominent here but seeped into the cult viewing consciousness through cameos and references in a myriad of shows. I knew of Elvira in my teens but didn't know how or why- she was just there.

The audiobook is read by Elvira herself and contains her usual sass and cheesy jokes.

So, when the autobiography of Elvira came out, I decided to take the plunge and find out more about the life of Ms. Peterson. I bought the audiobook as Peterson read that herself and I felt it would be interesting to hear the words read by the author. What comes through is the wisdom that comes with age and experience but also a heartfelt survivors account of the early abuse, unwanted attention in her teens and the toxic masculinity that pervaded much of the world at the time and world and how much this was normalised. The most interesting elements for me were her accounts of her run in with celebrities, some of who were kind and polite, whilst others were predatory and hurtful. I'm not one for Hollywood celebrity stories but these recounts show the dark side of Hollywood and the entertainment industry as a whole was used as a way by those in power to leverage their authority on whoever they wanted. The names dropped come thick and fast including Elvis, Robert De Niro, Frank Sinatra, Frank Zappa, Freddie Mercury, Tom Jones, The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix and so many more icons and A-listers.

Peterson is candid and discusses her highs and lows with honesty. She owns the decisions she has made but also explains how many of her life choices and chances were limited by those in authority; when she didn't put out on the casting couch there were repercussions but she doesn't regret her choices. In light of #MeToo, Peterson says she is not surprised and that this moment of reckoning was well overdue.
She ends on a note of hope and opens up about her recent personal life and bisexuality.

I really enjoyed this audiobook and Peterson's enthusiasm and candour make this a worthwhile autobiography to listen to.

Hag- Audible Series Review

I love fairy and folk tales because they offer a window into the past where society had collectively agreed that the messages and morals were important enough to keep alive through the generations. I'm sure we all have personal feelings and experiences with fairy tales and what we take away from them rings true for different people for different reasons. Lots of these fairy tales have been Disney-fied, which often altered the moralizing through its retelling. For some, Disney's is a shallow style of retelling which tries to apply a formula or an agenda. I don't agree with this point of view per se, but I do think the essence of these stories has been altered.

Luckily, there are plenty of modern interpretations of fairy and folk tales that keep to the core message and one of these is Hag, a free Audible series, where a variety of writers each undertake retellings adding something personal and relatable. The stories are from across the UK and the interview with the writers and Professor Carolyne Larrington, a specialist in Old Norse and British fairy tales at St John's College, Oxford, offers provenance into the tales. As an old anthropology student, it's great to hear different takes and angles and to explore old and new meaning.

For a society that has taken the edge away from many of these tales of otherness, identity, faith, religion, gender and sexual trauma, this production is like a breath of fresh air. It's like a modern version of Angela Carter's ouvre, which looked at the power dynamics of females and their potency, or Neil Jordan's classic Company of Wolves, which looked at the often misogynistic or sexist moralising intended to keep the female power in its place and subverts them.

As the cold, dark nights close in, Hag is a welcoming chair near a crackling warm fire - Lovely unsettling stuff!

Koko Be Good- Graphic Novel Review

I bought this graphic novel upon release in 2010 and remember quite liking it at the time but not thinking it was anything special. So, after about 12 years, it's nice to revisit it.

This is a handsome book with good quality paper stock.

The book is a coming of age/ existential crisis tale that was popular during this period in time. It has a slacker comedy vibe but also some of the elements of mumblecore movies where young adults are trying to figure things out. In this story we follow Jon, a young college graduate who is leaving his American home to travel to work in an orphanage with his Peruvian girlfriend in South America. He had his doubts but as he is directionless, feels its a good thing to do. He collides with Koko, a narcissist who is in it for herself and together their friendship grows and they learn about what it means to be good people and function in a society. There is a b-story about Faron, a young boy looking for a safe home and future, but his story is sidelined for the most part.

The ochre colours are beautiful and bring the art to life.

Whilst the story is perfunctory and the dialogue a little too earnest and Dawson's Creek-ish in its navel gazing, the art is a real standout and the ochre water colours are lush and expressive. The silent moments, the moments when the tale is told purely through images, is often stronger than the narrative unfolding through dialogue. It reminds me of Reality Bites, the early 90s film about finding your true self. It sounds great but some of the dialogue was clunky and didn’t aged well and it doesn't here either. However, the comic is an interesting read and, whilst not essential, worth the hour or so required of your time.