Iain
When loose internet threads find each other
I’ve been a fan of a book called The Cluetrain Manifesto since I first read it in 2001 or 2002-ish (early days of Poke). And I’ve mentioned it a few times on this blog. Anyway, huge inspiration. That’s loose thread one… Then a few years…
I Updated My Blog’s Sidebar!
It’s been in the works for over a year. But last week it actually happened: I left the building. Or rather stayed at home, and didn’t log into Zoom. Anyway, I don’t work for Wieden+Kennedy anymore. (You might know that this isn’t the first…
Office Based White Noise Generator
Simple and quite lovely. From The Kids Creative Agency in Berlin. https://imisstheoffice.eu/
Pink Trombone (FNAR)
It’s not what you might think. I’ve grown up now (yeah, right). This is in no way connected with a skin flute or a fleshy oboe, it is in fact a BRILLIANT simulator of the human instrument. Just fantastic.
Mayflies
The lovely Mr Nick Farnhill gave me a book the other day. Mayflies by Andrew O’Hagan. I’m only on page one and it’s great
Revenge Bedtime Procrastination
Ironically read at 00:37 during a classic bout of ‘Hell No, I’m not going to bed, rebellion”. From the always excellent Dense Discovery newsletter. Please go there and sign up and support them. It’s really really excellent.
Geeking out on TikTok
I’ve been mucking around in a very rudimentary and pointless way with a few nerdy things recently. Instead of making sourdough and hoarding blogroll, the impeding lockdown v2 has got me futzing with RunwayML and Wav2Lip. And god forbid…
I Love Internet Today
My faith in the Internet has been restored. It’s Saturday morning. I was doing a little Reddit scrolling. And this live stream caught my eye. There was just something about the combination of a tech house DJ and a man drumming on a box…
AI Lip Sync Magic
Made using this: https://github.com/Rudrabha/Wav2Lip Demo here: https://bhaasha.iiit.ac.in/lipsync/example_upload1
Proudest Father Moment
A couple of hours ago one of my daughters Rickrolled me. From a Google Slides Presentation about what she wants for her 11th birthday. Finally a sign that I’m bringing them up right! Although I’m unsure about the Fizzy Wine on the first…
Travis Scott vs The Girls
I posted a tiny snippet yesterday, but I went back into the video on my phone and pulled out some more insights from my primary anthropological research into Tweens and tech. Or to put it another way, here’s some funny shit my kids said…
Travis Scott x Fortnite
Took my kids to their first gig. I loved it. They thought it was cool. They’re not Fortnite players, but knew exactly what they were doing and how it worked with absolutely no instruction. YouTube videos and playground chat are great…
Lessons from Living in an Atomic Age
In the midst of all the craziness, the passage below seems to be doing the rounds. I’ve seen it popping up in a few places, from a New York Times podcasts to The Spectator Australia. It’s from an essay written by C.S. Lewis, called “On…
A blast from the past
I was stumbling through Google Drive the other day and this jpeg of a poster caught my eye. About 12 years ago I spoke at a conference in Istanbul. When I submitted my photo I thought it would be “funny” to send a picture of me in a wig at…
Solar-Powered Low-Tech Website
Love this… https://solar.lowtechmagazine.com/ Not because of what it is. But because of what it brings into question. I found the site via an article in Backstage Talks magazine where the founder of Low Tech is talking about how much…
The Mind of Herbert Clunkerdunk
Watch now. Absolute genius new-ish comedy on the BBC. Has the whiff of a cult classic. It’s like The Young Ones crossed with the Mighty Boosh made by people who loved Vine. It feels like what the world needs right now.
Behind the Lyrics on Spotify Droppin’ Truth
The Paradox on my Desk
Long Read – The New Propaganda
Long and very bleak but very important piece from The Guardian: Information Trap. My jaw was dropped for most of it. This blew my mind. In the case of the vote to leave the EU, Borwick, who seems to approach such challenges like a Rubik’s…
Saw this job ad in Peckham
Corel Draw, now that’s an app I haven’t heard of in a long time. A long time.
Billionaires (with cats) vs Psychedelic Freaks
Loved loved loved this quote from Holly Herndon in a print copy of Huck Magazine Her latest promo (at time of writing) is here:
Boom Boom Boom
Sometimes, the Vengaboys played very loud on a car stereo in a town full of drunk blokes really hits the spot. It’s as simple as that.
Tasty Mix
Came across some lovely tracks on Piff Records out of Bristol. Ended up listening to this tasty mix. I’m not all the way through yet. But it’s tickled my fancy. Anything that kicks off with the Hell Interface remix of Midas Touch gets my…
Found this random SWF on my HD. Made me all Poke / Orange / Balloons nostalgic.
Road
Brick Lane, London E1. Love the Birmingham phone number. No idea why.
Coldwar Steve at The Social
Totally by chance ended up at The Social on Little Portland Street last night. Sophie suggested it. I’ve not been there for more years than is decent. Imagine my delight as I found that the @Coldwar_Steve exhibition was still in full swing…
Coldwar Steve at The Social
Totally by chance ended up at The Social on Little Portland Street last night. Sophie suggested it. I’ve not been there for more years than is decent. Imagine my delight as I found that the @Coldwar_Steve exhibition was still in full swing…
Breakfast Beer and Bingo
I’ve known the wonderful Mr Bingo for many many years. In fact, this morning, he announced that the freelancing he did for Poke was his first proper creative gig (after working at Size?). Anyway, I bumped into him on Friday – he was…
Fetishising Smaller Boxes of Life
Last night I found myself down a web-wormhole of high end paper-based-products. It’s a perversion of sorts. But better than some of the alternatives, right? I ended up at Present & Correct, a purveyor of the loveliest of stationery. Look…
Nose Picking Game Design Masterclass
This is ace. In a story about the Design of Gold Digger (a mini game from one of the Wario titles) there’s much for all of us to learn. https://kotaku.com/the-making-of-nintendo-s-best-nose-picking-game-1829686979
Familiar Five
I love everything about this. Came out in January, but only just discovered it. Late to the party as usual. Amazing track by Marcus Marr. Massive chugging bass. Bizzaro lyrics. Super simple but lovely video.
My Search for an Interactive Music Video with Windows in it
Last night I was trying to find a particular interactive music video. I tried mailing a couple of people: “You know, the one where there’s a window in the middle, and objects come out of it in other windows, and I think you could buy them…
That Glasgow Airport Tee
Yeah yeah blogged it last week. Now all the kids at Dekmantel are wearing them
Glasgow Airport Tee
Frae the Party Chat gang. Thank you friends! I loved the vacuum packed pack. And the blurb on it. Cheeky! Git on the partychat.buzz.
More Lovely Rave Nostalgia
This new video from Ross From Friends is quite lovely. Especially the back story. Aaaaah.
Warp nail the GDPR reminder email
I’ve seen lots of people trying to get a bit fruity or fresh with their GDPR reminders. None of them stuck, until now. Swearing isn’t big, or clever, but it does work on me (sometimes)
Adult Swim Rave Up
Magical.
Bus Crash at Amsterdam Airport
ZOMG Japanese Knife Porn
Man buys rusty old Japanese knife for $3 and transforms it. Stick around to the end. Ridiculous. It’s been seen by 24m people (at the time of posting). But that means there’s still a lot of us who hadn’t seen it. Including me. Until just…
The Outline is an antidote to the shitweb
I don’t fully agree with all of it all the time, but The Outline is a wonderful thing. A publication that’s well written and beautifully designed for phones and computers. Loved this piece that came in the email yesterday: Productivity Is…
FULL TRANCE REVIVAL in progress…
When Katy Perry gets Paul Van Dyk in to produce her next album we can celebrate Peak Trance. But in the meantime if 90s trance is a pleasure (guilty or otherwise), you need this in your ears… Trance Wax appears to be a side project of…
Bucolic post-rave melancholia
Honestly, BPRM (as I’ve just labelled it) is my new favourite audio-visual subculture. It combines rural/suburban landscapes with sounds that feel like your brain on a come-down (with a few fading bubbles of euphoria fizzing round the…
This track naming thing is getting ridiculous
A cornetto, a SIM card, a Vogue, and some Bitcoin please
Like Whiplash Meets The Chemical Brothers
Andrea Belfi – Lead. Outstanding hypnotic track. Album launch in London on Oct 30th. Find out more.
Shopageddon.biz – VR Black Friday Nonsense
VR often feels like this expensive and complicated world that requires loads of fancy kit and dosh to get into. But we’ve been playing about, to see what’s possible on a limited budget. Thanks to A-Frame it took some talented people on the…
Aux B – Audio Nerds Rejoyce
This game’s been around for a year or so, but it’s new to me. And in the last few hours it’s brought me so much pleasure. Who’d have thought that wiring up speakers could be so joyful. Aux B is available on IOS and Android. Designed by…
New Printed Pages Out Now
It’s proper good – Josie agrees. Nice work It’s Nice That friends.…