False Securities

Catch the 3rd installment of False Securities.

30 December 2005, 8pm

Spell#7, Little India, 65 Kerbau Road

click here for more info.

Quiet: The New Loud II

Quiet: The New Loud II
December 17, 2005, 7pm @ Singapore Art Museum
$8 at the door (from 6pm)

Leslie will be performing at this event at the Singapore Art Museum. Other acts include Ronin, Typewriter, Rushed and Amanda Tee. Do check it out if you can.

For more info, go to http://www.musicforgood.org

False Securities

Evan Tan & Zul Mahmod will be having their 3rd instalment of False Securites on the 30th, the last Friday of Dec 2005, at Spell#7, Little India, 65 Kerbau Road. Come with an open mind and experience digitally processed binaural field recordings in an headphone only environment.

For more information please visit False Securities

Dont forget to bring headphones!

ANDY YANG PAINTINGS FOR SALE

If you like the illustration on Blank Walls, then please come and check out Andy's exhibition. Having seen some of his work in person, Andy is a unique talent that is able to depict life's ironies in his paintings. Truly something to behold! Definitely worth the space on your empty and tortured wall!!! Also see www.andyyang.com

les.

ebb and flow

leslie will be officially launching his solo instrumental album, Volcanoes, this saturday, 1st Oct, at FluxUs with an instore performance at 6.30pm. The evening's line up will start off with leslie who will present a solo improvised set on laptop loosely based on material off his album. Following after is newly formed improv group Snake Blood Union. details in flyer below.

Did You Miss the SINKING OF THE TITANIC???

At TheatreWorks' soft opening of their new warehouse-style performance venue 72-13, with creaks and explosions and all, our dynamic duo, also our comic duo, Evan and Dharma presented their first foray into 'black ambient' delivered as a dark, sinister rendering of the most famous naval screw-up in history, also the most tragic example of man's pride and overwhelming ego.

Musically, it was a performance that stirred your insides and plunged you into deep dark waters swirling around this mammoth intrigue. In Evan's words, the sounds could become 'uncomfortable', something which listeners were cautioned about at the start of the gig. But there were many brave-hearted in attendance and many stayed to listen in the dark, and together with the musicians, venture farther and farther into an escalating wall of dramatic, multi-layered sounds that just got bigger and bigger. It was exciting hearing my own band budds doing something different and artsy as the event may be, i think the grand dame of all ships made quite an impact.

we recorded it all and will figure out a way to get it out there soon.

vi

Unreleased tracks for free

alright obs people,

we have uploaded the unreleased tracks which didnt make the cut on Blank Walls. these are now on our website as free mp3 downloads, 3 full tracks. The Absentee, Observations of Human Failure, Acid Pills outro (improvised jam). We really liked these but made the decision not to include them cos the album flowed much better somewhat. But as individual tracks, we hope you enjoy them. these ones are really for you all. spread the love...
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ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS: To download tracks, click on (listen). A small pop-up window will appear to load the mp3 for playback as Quicktime file but that's just for listening. For downloading, PC users can simply click on 'download mp3' and your computer should prompt you to "Save As". Mac users must hold down CTRL and click on 'download mp3' and select "Download Linked File As" before your Mac prompts you to save in your directory of choice.
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also have some new pics of the gig, we'll be uploading more onto our flickr album soon. See link to Flickr on right sidebar under 'A Photo Diary...'.

THANK YOU!

To all who made it to our concert, we wanna say a BIG THANK YOU!

We had quite a few tech screw-ups, no fault of the engineering crew, just hantu lah... did you realise it happened just at the point when leslie was about to sing "flying XXXX"? hehehe.... someone doesnt like our lyrics lah... but having you guys there made a huge difference. as evan would say, "thens har".

Thanks to those of you especially for supporting us by buying our tees and CDs. Some of it will go to paying those dear friends of ours who helped with design and production and what not. If any of you didnt get to buy the tee or any of the CDs but would like to, please write us at info@theobservatory.com.sg, there would be some more tees coming, not many but we'll have more sizes in stock if you like. Also, Leslie's Volcanoes and Evan's Coast to Coast plus some Blank Walls tees will all be available at Flux-Us at #04-34, Peninsula Shopping Centre.

Thanks to you all! We hope to do another gig soon. Meanwhile, Olives should hopefully appear on radio soon. If not, we really arent too bothered. Just keep in touch and we look foward to seeing you lot again.

vi

Many Many Volcano

As said, there will be a new release by Leslie. A spanking new instrumental album by the name of 'Volcanoes'. Believe it that it is smouldered by magma !! During the hiatus of 4 months between the finished recording and the mix of blank walls, Leslie, who backside itchy decided to do an album where he could experiment and see what he can get out of it. And the result... a lava hot album of an interesting and progressive mix of noisy music that reminds me of the band Mandarin Movie. Played, recorded and mix everything himself somemore. One man band vibe. Steady lah. Do buy a copy at the launch. Support!

By the way, Les is wondering if he should name himself "Sonic Bacteria" for this album. That one he must decide for himself. Sonic Bacteria sial !! "Sonic Bacteria with his new album Volcano Amour " I think he's just kidding. Better be. Usual, the designer is the same dude who designed the Blank Walls cover Mr Ferret Yuen Chee Wai, purveyor of unusual designs and ultra small fonts. Don't ask me why his name is Ferret. Manimal scene maybe...

Anyway, Flux Us, the shop at Peninsula Shoppin' Centre will probably stock it after the launch.
They are the experimental nice guys. Experimental but nice. Or Nice and experimental...whichever. Which reminds me that on the 10th Sept there will be another in-store performance by 1) Minister 2) Sembawang Air Experimental Research Station, featuring Harold and Justin Seah, brought to you from the far off lands of Sembawang to a CD store near you and lastly 3) Li Chuan, a composer who has been doing all sorts of experimental music in the arts scene. And a jam session between the 3 after.
Ok lah..
Baik lah...


e

Reminiscing - our trip to Norway

finally sorted out all the photos of our trip to Norway. rather than bore you all with the whole lot at one go, i'll be trying to organise them in some sort of a recognisable order. we've hosted them up at flickr. simply click on this http://www.flickr.com/photos/theobsgallery or our side bar link and check in every few days for newly uploaded pics. first up, our 1st days in Bergen, where we got off to a promising start at Duper with Jorgen, our mixer. Bergen just had such a nice vibe, so laid back and physically a small town, yet with endless creative things going on. gigs, music, art installations, we were quite exhausted after the long plane ride on the 1st morning and had to go straight in to the studio to start. but mentally, the vibe of Bergen and Duper and Jorgen combined had a strangely focusing effect on us.

viv

new website is up!

the new website is up!

www.theobservatory.com.sg

also check out an obs audiocast interview in straydog scraps

Tees & CDs

hello...for those of you who've been inquiring about Blank Walls. here's a quick update. there will be a limited number of T-shirts for sale ($25) & the new album as well. If you purchase Blank Walls at the launch, early buyers will get a launch concert poster free until we run out. Also on sale will be some solo project CDs, Leslie Low's new album called Volcanoes available for the first time as well as a limited number of Evan Tan's EP, Coast To Coast.

Pic of our T shirt

new site under construction

hello,

just want to let you know that our official website www.theobservatory.com.sg will be taken down very soon as we are preparing to launch a new website...

a bit sad...but the new site will be more functional for you and me and just as nice.

it will be done by the same designer and good friend, Jason from Kinetic Interactive.

in the meantime, you can still find us here at blank walls...

victor

Blank Walls - Final Track List

hello everyone,

i promised a tracklist of our final songs that made it to the album. first and foremost, we'd like to make a note of regret that two and a half songs did NOT make it. Observations of Human Failure (the 'passing rain' song) and The Absentee were both cut as they just didnt fit in with the other tracks. We also had another instrumental outro at the end of the album we recorded as part of a jam that we really liked but it too, didn't fit in somewhat. BUT... the good news is we'll be putting these on our WEBSITE as soon as the album is launched as FREE DOWNLOADs!

Okay... here is the tracklist of our 2nd album BLANK WALLS:

1 acid pills
2 olives
3 my whole life
4 oddball
5 sea of doubts
6 failed recollections of a fool
7 finch
8 i didn't see her
9 a good thing
10 strength from the sun

IT'S FINISHED!

We're back from Norway, with the finished master on CD. Cant believe it's all done. And cant believe how inspiring and frriggin tiring it's been. not least because we were doing near 10 hour days in Duper, but also the fact that we really packed in a whole of other stuff as well, The Lost Weekend Festival on some small island off Bergen called Askoy, the crazy rides we spent hanging on for dear life in Jorgen's tiny BUT FAST (he insists) speedboat. Bergen fishcakes... the foosball games... Landmark and the many hugs from the crazy, wonderful people we met who far outdo us in their passion to make or help make music, regardless what the deal is. Oya festival, sonic youth... shining... kill... meeting Martin of Jaga. Our little apartment in Bergen. Sharing a room with the guys in the Oslo hostel, ALL four snoring pretty much different riffs, polyrhythmic and polyphonic too! Jeez... So many memories in so short a time. My sentences getting shorter cos this whole intense experience and the long plane ride home has been too much... i'm knackered and will update you all more on the final tracks on Blank Walls and photos of our trip soon! after a 12 hour snooze maybe....


vi

Off to see the wiZard!

we're off to bergen tomorrow night. not sure if i've packed too much or correctly for the weather there. i mean it's summer but it's not hot like here and it's apparently chilly at night. but it sure will be fun to be with the rest of the guys for 2 whole weeks! No work just music coming out of every pore. hehehe... and jorgen, Mr Yohoo, of course. he should be so pleased, to get his maxon and john, his fuzz explosion kits. hope the bloody security at the airport wont give us grief... i mean it looks like it could be a bomb assembly and it says "explosion" kit. i've brought the invoice but it's in bloody japanese. really hope we're dont get given a hard time.

the more important question now is ... should we bring merger mer or not? and what flavour or flavours should they be. That is what's bothering me now.

vi

Blank Walls eflyers

Blank Walls eflyers for our launch performance at the Esplanade coming 2nd September.

Illustration by Andy Yang. Art direction by ferret.

Hope to see you there!

We've printed some limited number of these as A2 size posters, available on night of concert. They're nice...

FLUX US

FLUX US is a newly opened shop at Peninisula Shopping Centre (#04-34) . They stock CDs/DVDs/books/T-shirts, etc from experimental music labels like Touch, Erstwhile, Mego, Soul Jazz, Kranky, PSF and the likes. The last time I asked, the catalogue is constantly growing as we speak . FLUX US is an initiative of sporesac. Sounds like some kind of fungus outbreak, doesn't it ? sporesac is actually the Singapore Sonic Arts Collective. "A loosely-based organisation of individuals and interests dedicated to promoting sound exploration and design through convergence and dissemination" Yup, that's what the flyer says. According to FLUX US, they will be having in-store performances periodically. Dates and schedule of performers from July to Sept on their flyer (see link- ) . Sure beats having lion dancers warding off bad vibes but I am positive it will be just as noisy taking a look at the programme. Some familiar names like George Chua and Zai Kuning will be playing. Even Rocket Scientist (with ETC) . Rocket Scientist (and ETC as well) have not be playing for a while so it will be kinda interesting to watch. There's also the "guitar ambient" duo aspidistra fly .Anyway, its great to have shops like these available. Don't have to use the internet everytime to get the CDs we like. Especially if its just a couple but with the same hefty shipping rates. Long Live the fungus outbreak and FLUX THEM !

Link http://www.flux-us.com.sg/event/subterfuge.jpg

welcome to the obs blog...

hello,
and welcome to our blog...
visit our website too at www.theobservatory.com.sg