But for the moemnt, I just wanted to mention that, in case you haven’t yet heard, I will be competing in the 6th annual Seattle Laptop Battle tonight at Chop Suey. I know, I know, that’s no notice at all, really. But it would be splendid if you could pry yourself away from your seasonal festivities and come out to cheer me on, or pick up on of my new (and free) CD-R promos.

That’s all for now…but expect more here in the New Year, if not before.

In case I haven’t mentioned it here yet, the live debut of the D.iscontent crew takes place on May 25th, at Static Glide Part 2, with Miniature Airlines (aka your truly) and Hjalti playing live PA sets at the Baltic Room, with DJs Travis Baron and Levitation Device keeping things bouncing. It’s free before 10, so you have no excuse for missing this. It’s also my birthday, so you have no excuse for not buying me drinks all night..

Static Glide Part 1, featuring Telephone Jim Jesus and DJ Egadz, went off last night, but not exactly as planned. Originally slated for the VIP Room at Neumo’s, the show was merged with Broken Disco at Chop Suey at the last minute. Damn Seattle Fire Marshall, making things all complicated! It still went off well, and hopefully interest will carry over onto our show in two weeks.

…is out. Get it here. 6 tracks of retro-futurist synthpop, in .mp3 and .flac formats. Totally free, totally fun. Enjoy…

Saw TV on the Radio on Friday at the Showbox. The venue is nice, a very spacious theater with multiple bars (3 or 4?) and some interesting decor. I especially love the main support pillars that have blooming, floral structures just below the ceiling, lit bright red from somewhere inside the pillar. It’s a unique architectural touch that adds a classy, almost retro ambiance to the room. The band was awesome live, high energy and spot-on performances. The set seemed a little short, but I think that was just because I was blown away by what they’re playing. Time flies, and all that. But when they returned for an encore of “Staring at the Sun” and an incredible, beatboxed version of “Ambulance” (originally recorded as an a capella track) that “blown away”-ness got bumped to “truly next level.”

The next day was an exciting one too, for totally different reasons. I feel like I have a lot to say about that day, but everything’s been said so well here, by Serene, that I can’t think of anything I need to add, other than to reiterate the thanks to Tracy and Sean for welcoming me into a very intimate, incredible moment in their lives, and to Elliot Matthew, for making me gasp, cry, and smile, all uncontrollably.

Pretty much finished with my new Miniature Airlines EP. The mixdowns have been sent off and I have a date for mastering this Saturday. Which means that in the next week, in between a Mirah show and a Big Lebowski themed party, I really should try to get my cover art finished. I’ve got a start on it, but I’m not sure of what I’m going to do on the backside. Inspiration? Are you there? It’s me, Dylan…

More later.

First up is my impending trip down to San Francisco tomorrow night, to attend the 2006 Alternative Press Expo, meet up with California friends, and just generally live it up.

Then, as soon as we get back, we’ll be heading to Neumo’s to see Subtle, Fog and Jel on the 11th. Then there’s a free Calexico in-store at Easy Street Records in Queen Anne.

That weekend I’ll be heading up to my hometown of Abbotsford, and then on to visit family in that area of BC, some of whom I probably haven’t seen in over a decade. Sadly, I’ll have to miss the baby shower that Serene organized for Tracy that weekend though.

After about a week of relaxation, we’ll be hitting up a records number of shows, seeing Mates of State, Pinback, and the Books. We would’ve gone to see David Sedaris too, but that sold out immediately.

While all this is going on, I’ll be scrambling to get my latest EP mixed down and mastered (panicNow is working in mostly analog for the mastering process now, so I’m excited about that!), and get artwork done. I’m hoping for a release on Belladonna Records by the end of the month…we’ll see. I also need to have a new track ready for a compilation on that label by May 15th. And I still haven’t settled on a new artist name…

Oh, and I’m also working on a ground-up redesign of this site.

So, if I seem a little out of breath, that’s why.

More later…

I picked up a great stack of music at Amoeba a week or two ago, when I was down in SF meeting up with some of my compadres from EM411.com (pics by John). Some Jaga Jazzist, the Morr Music Slowdive tribute compilation, the new Doseone album, Owen’s last album, a Hood promo single, and the last Funkstorung (with brilliant multilayered packaging). All quite fun, especially the Doseone. I had a promo copy of the Funkstorung album (Disconnected) at some point, and the tracks were layered over with spoken commentary in order to discourage piracy, so it’s nice to have an unmarred copy now.

I’ve also been slowly collecting more music through, ahem, more illicit means. How have I not listened to the Jim Yoshii Pile-Up before?They’ve really got the classic emo formula down, in a way that’s not overwrought, but sort of refined and dramatic. I’d group them more with classic Karate than other emo bands though, really. And that’s a good thing.

Also managed to acquire the new Why? album, Elephant Eyelash (and I can see by my referrer logs that a lot of people are curious about this one as well). All I can say is, buy it. It’s good. Did you like Sanddollars? This is like that; quirky, off-kilter, accessible pop music with that good ol’ Anticon Flava. Seriously, album of the year contender.

On the topic of my own music: slowly plucking away at a few projects, including a new track for a compilation that will be out in Novemeber. Thent he 2 EP projects that are next in line, and a spot on a Sonic Youth tribute, with no fixed release date yet…

Also: the Apparel EP has been picked up for re-release by the lovely netlabel Kendra-Unique, and should be available on their site soon. Check out the other music there, from Samarah and the Great Mundane while you’re at it. Some fine folks to be associated with…

The Comics Blog is comig along nicely, but the whole reason I started it is so you wouldn’t have to read about that sort of thing here if you didn’t want to. So click thorugh if that’s your sort of thing.

More later, as I think of it.

Phone and DSL service are back up (third time’s the charm, hmm SBC?), so now I’m free to waste hours on the internet again. I’ve already fallen back into that habit, alas. Still, being so close to everything, and being without the distraction of television (excepting my Arrested Development Season One DVD), I find that I have more time lately, a lot of which I’ve spent reading (currently: Revolting Youth, thanks Serene!) or taking short bike trips to the grocery and/or record store.

I’m putting the finishing touches on my remix project, with some direct feedback from a member of the band, which is a nice way to work. I’m feeling pretty good about how it ended up, and it’s nice to have someone giving me feedback on little technical fixes and arrangement ideas. Makes the project feel a little more collaborative.

As for remixes of my own stuff: I’ve got one remix back so far. Joey finished up a remix of an Apparel track (which I don’t have a final file for yet), and even sent a bonus remix of my old track “Pushpin Revolution”, which kicks so incredibly much ass. I’m gonna have to really beef up the original in order to not be shown up by him. Bastard! I’m not sure when I’ll release that, but the plan is to put out a remastered “Pushpin Revolution”, with a new B-side and Joey’s remix, as sort of a stopgap release while I’m working on my new project.

I’m kicking around ideas for another musical project, but I need to talk to the people I’d like to involve before saying anything about it…

Oh yes, and I’m trying not to panic about the apparently dead hard drive with all of my MP3s and digital photos. Grrr.

Anyhow. More later….