Long time visitors to the blog will have seen a number of Web3/NFT/Crypto posts over the past few years. From early explorative discussions I had while walking the Camino to my own drops more recently. It’s a part of the tech world that fascinates me and has been a hugely interesting experience to delve into. One of the greatest aspects of that has been the community experience and often the real-life connections that have been made. Here’s a fun post from one of the people I’ve connected with along the way about how Web3 has changed his and his family’s life… featuring a little bit of me. 🙂
I don’t think I mentioned this before, but we set up a fun online gallery space for my images, some with animation and music. You can check it out over here. Have fun exploring! 🙂
Here is another new favorite. I feel like each one I release is my new favorite, but I guess that is a good problem to have.
This piece, in particular, promises to whisk you away on a voyage of intriguing novelty, charting a course through unanticipated beauty. One of the many reasons it has enchanted me is its uncanny ability to present each snapshot, each frozen moment in time, as a standalone tableau, a singular spectacle, and I think each frame can stand alone as its own piece of art.
The symbolism? I find a certain charm in allowing each observer to overlay their personal interpretation, to see reflected in it the echoes of their own unique life story. However, if I were to venture my own interpretation, I am drawn to the notion of an inherent, pulsating energy. An energy that flows with serene inevitability, once unshackled, once allowed to be…
It is an energy that possesses the potential to heal, to mend the fractures and fissures that life inflicts upon us. I believe the heart, that fragile stronghold of our deepest emotions, poses the most formidable challenge to mend. Yet, the cure, the balm to soothe its wounds, resides in the very energy that beats within us.
This music is by Erol Arda and the song is “Take it Back” – I first discovered it in this longer mix on Soundcloud called The Bright Side #09, Wild Dark – enjoy!
How much do I love Jon Hopkins? Let me count the ways. First, let me tell you a story… Gather round gather round…
I’m a visual artist. I have no skill in making music. I’ve tried a little but… the universe just kinda told me that it’s not what I’m here to do. That’s fine… I can’t do it all, nor do I have any need to be poly-artistic across sensorium realms. The visual stuff keeps me more than busy enough. But, like YOU, I’ve always loved music and I know what I like. From very popular stuff to very “niche” stuff… I just kinda know what I like when I hear it. There is nothing unique about my experience, and I bet you feel the exact same way… but that is a little amuse-bouche for the story.
Now, I happen to run in some very interesting circles and meet people from all walks of life. I met this cat, Chris Craker. He’s from the music industry… kind of a big deal with like a billion records sold from Sony, Universal, Warner, blah blah blah then he got sick of that whole thang and started up his own zen serene music studio situation in Thailand. He was the producer with Hans Zimmer on Interstellar and has done all kinds of crazy stuff… I won’t get into it all – but let’s just say I ran into a guy that knows more about music than JK Rowling knows about bathrooms. Not the best analogy, but you get the idea. 🙂
Anyway, to make a short story longer, I talked to him for a few hours. We got to know one another, and he saw my… errr… quirky ways? And then I said, okay, well dude, you’re the music man… I don’t know if you are good at psycho-analyzing people, but I have a feeling you ARE. Let’s test it. Give me the name of a musician that you think I would like. Without hesitation, he recommended an artist named Jon Hopkins, someone I was yet to discover, so I loaded it onto my iPod… did I have an iPod at the time? I can’t remember… too many drugs… or not enough drugs… anyway… HE WAS RIGHT.
I think this is one of the first songs I fell in love with… I can go on and on and tell you all sorts of reasons this music resonates with me. There are layers that are so intricate, and the storytelling is absolute genius. It’s completely fine if others don’t connect with this music the way I do—it only enhances its unique appeal to me. Similarly, I understand that not everyone grasps my art, and that’s perfectly okay too.
Here is a special music video I made for Jesse “The Scumfrog” Houk for his Truth and Gravity tune. It takes you on a mystical magical journey through his soundscapes. Enjoy! You can see more about this track and in its overall collection here – Enjoy!
This is one of the images from my Fine Art collection which get fabricated in Germany by those Master Printers at Grieger… Recently I did a fun collection of NFTs where there were 6 that had a physical artwork attached. If you hold the NFT on a set date you get the physical print too. That claim period is now open for those who hold them and I can’t wait to see where they end up!
Join me on this musical and visual meditation as we explore a complicated array of fractals that end up making a strange amount of organic sense. These complex and often intricate patterns unfold and evolve in seemingly infinite ways, yet somehow manage to evoke a feeling of organic coherence. Through the blending of sound and visuals, this experience aims to provide a soothing escape from the chaos of daily life, allowing you to relax and unwind in a realm of enchanting beauty.
As you embark on this journey, allow the harmonious blend of carefully crafted melodies and atmospheric soundscapes to wash over you, creating an enveloping sonic landscape that resonates deep within your soul. This auditory experience, seamlessly interwoven with the stunning visuals, takes you on an explorative adventure through the depths of fractal patterns, revealing their hidden intricacies and remarkable symmetry.
The fractals themselves, though seemingly complex, manage to maintain an underlying sense of order and familiarity, providing a comforting sense of balance amidst their captivating beauty. These patterns mimic the natural world, drawing parallels with the spiral of a seashell, the branches of a tree, or the veins in a leaf, evoking a sense of wonder and awe at the interconnectedness of all things.
As you venture further into this meditative realm, allow yourself to be fully absorbed by the experience, letting go of stress and tension as you become one with the intricate dance of colors and shapes. The soothing visuals, paired with the calming soundtrack, are designed to transport you into a state of deep relaxation and tranquility, offering a much-needed respite from the challenges of everyday life.
So take a deep breath, let go of your worries, and lose yourself in the enchanting world of musical and visual meditation.
Machine Elf Long Mix #1 – Music and Visuals | Scumfrog & Trey Ratcliff
Welcome to the evolved Machine Elf Long Mixes, a groundbreaking audiovisual experience that transcends the usual YouTube party mix… Delve into a mesmerizing fusion of styles, including psychedelic journeys, good ol’ fashioned parties, acid tunes, and mushroom beats, all intricately woven with some of the most mesmerizing visual meditations you’ve ever seen. Immerse yourself in chillstep, spiritual awakenings, and consciousness expansions as these mixes guide you through the hypnotic realms of DMT soundscapes, shamanic rhythms, and cosmic frequencies.
Enjoy the show alone, with a few loved ones, or a bigger group to spread the love.
Each Machine Elf Long Mix is a captivating adventure, where cutting-edge music production meets awe-inspiring visuals that flow seamlessly together. The breathtaking artistry and innovative animations elevate the music, creating an immersive experience that transports you to a new dimension of sensory exploration. Unleash your imagination and embark on a journey of self-discovery with the evolved Machine Elf Long Mixes – the ultimate fusion of music, art, and consciousness.
Music from The Scumfrong – Full Moon at the Lagoon
I’ve always been captivated by the ceaseless struggle between chaos and harmony in systems, particularly in the biological realm where DNA orchestrates the battleground for these opposing forces. This intricate mathematical fractal delves into the emergence of life across different scales. Accompanying it is music by Tipper, an artist I discovered during my time at Burning Man. One morning, while navigating a disoriented walk to the portable restroom with lingering traces of LSD in my system, I stumbled upon a camp featuring a massive airplane structure with speakers as its jet engines. A solitary DJ atop the structure played this very song. With no one else on the makeshift dancefloor, I stood there in my underwear, absorbed in the music and visualizing an array of images reminiscent of this fractal.
Brass and Unity just shared a podcast I recently recorded with them. We cover all sorts of topics including Art, AI and DMT. You can listen here or watch it…
