This past Monday I finally received my highly anticipated Digital Harinezumi camera from the makers at Superheadz in Japan. The first thing that really struck me about this camera was it’s small size. Fitting directly in the palm of your hand, one might think that a camera of this size would not pack such a powerful punch. But it does. The Harinezumi shoots both digital stills and video. My experience so far with the Harinezumi this week has been nothing short of amazing; the pictures come out absolutely stunning, especially if you are  searching for those really nostalgic, over-saturated type photos.

Shooting video with the Harinezumi is nothing like shooting with a normal video camera; it mimics old 8mm cameras creating over-saturated colors, giving the video a more dreamy feel. The video setting produces no sound, but this give the user a chance to personalize their video with anything from their favorite music to any sound bite that one so chooses, leaving endless possibilities for the final product.  With a price tag around $150.00 this little beast is sure to please any photo enthusiast.

Harinezumi Test Shot #1

[View with PicLens]

Harinezumi Test Video #1

Digital Harinezumi-001 from Dfunkdamager on Vimeo.

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From abstract beats to acoustic dub, this multi-genre master producer, dj and musician Fin Greenhall aka Fink continues to surprise and delight.

Highlights include:

Fresh Produce (2000 – Ninja Tune)
This still finds its way to my player at least monthly. For all you dubstep fans, note that this was released around 2000 when Fink was based in Bristol. A release quite ahead of its time. Following on the heels of several tasty drum and bass singles for NinjaTune, there is still nothing quite like this release. Complex percussion flipping from half-time to double-time and back, layered with clever samples reminiscent of Scruff, anchored in dub, informed by hip hop and jazz, yet stretching into muscular bassline territory; there is way more here than just ‘downtempo’ as some have classified this release.

Sort of Revolution (2009 – Ninja Tune)
Step forward in time to 2006. Fink appears with a new sound, so different in style most would not realize this music is by the same person. Who knew that the master producer from Fresh Produce was also a master songwriter, lyricist, vocalist and skilled acoustic guitar player. Three releases later, this year’s “Sort of Revolution” continues in this vein and is so far, the culmination of Fink’s unique style. The subtleties of this work are amazing. Recording and touring with drummer and bassist, Finks’ soul/blues/dub stylings lick around the edges of world music and jazz. At some points during his vocal performance he slides from enunciating words into singing raw emotion. Kudos to Ninja Tune Records for keeping Fink on the roster to let his talent fully blossom as he so rightfully deserves.

Sideshow – Admit One LP (2009 – AUS Music)
Under his Sideshow moniker, Fink’s produced house, dnb and dub tracks. The current release on AUS Records entitled “Admit One” is full-on dub inflected with indy, jazz and even classical influences; created with both electronic and acoustic instrumentation from a number of talented musicians. Paul St. Hilaire (aka Tikiman), Tina Grace, and Cortney Tidwell provide powerful vocal performances.

With almost 60 years(!) of playing experience between them, guitarist/vocalist Tim Turner, drummer Rion Smith and bassist Matt Lapham continue to create magic as the band Shak Nasti. Their music is a unique and wondrous mix of funk, jazz, rock, soul, afrobeat, and dub stylings that inspires crowds to dancing at every performance.

The band has shared the stage with such acts as George Clinton and the P-Funk All Stars, Col. Bruce and the Codetalkers, The Fiji Mariners, Johnny Sketch and the Dirty Notes, Spam All Stars, Moonshine Still, Pnuma Trio, Brothers Past, and a host of other regional acts as well as being a Florida music festival favorite.

They’ve received numerous local and regional awards; and continue to build a huge fan base in their hometown of Orlando and elsewhere. They are currently are playing with Bobby Lee Rodgers and Roosevelt Collier of the Lee Boys on several dates, including music festivals up and down the East Coast.

Earlier this year, they released their second CD “A Way Inside” to much acclaim.
More info, including gig dates and music here: myspace.com/shaknasti

And now, I’ll let their words (and their music!) speak for itself:

E: How do you feel about the new CD? To my ears, it’s the culmination of all your hard work.. very refined and just amazing.

Tim: We’ve been playing these songs for over two years (except for A Way Inside)  so the songs flow with easy, but still have a tight groove.  Add to that the production from Rich Ott and Andy King, they we’re able to get that live feel, but still add a smoothness through EQing and separation.  It’s the next step in the Shak Nasti evolution.

Rion: I’m really happy to see everyone’s reactions to the CD- It’s always hard for me to talk about something I’m on, because I hear what’s wrong with it-  at least to my ears-  so often times I have to get away from a project like that just to be able to hear it fresh again.  I feel good that as a band we’ve been playing so much that we were able to go in and record without the use of a click track, and get a recording that feels good but with out being to processed or mechanical.

Matt: it’s a good representation of our music.

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It’s hard to pin down Martyn’s latest release on the 3024 label; but that’s what makes it so brilliant. Drawing from bits from dubstep, techno, house and early electronica amoung others, this full-length is a masterwork that fuses a myriad of style into his own, creating amazing music with broad appeal.

“Right?!Star” and “These Words” are classic, with hooky melodies drawing the listener in, anchored by huge basslines, and topped off with samples and vocals that create instantly memorable tunes.  The vocals by DBridge on These Words make this tune even more compelling.

Also included are ‘dubtech’ anthems “Natural Selection” and “Vancouver”.

Other tracks range from tribal bangers to glitchy dubtech to ambient soundscapes to dark garage inflected with rave stabs.

The album’s stellar production only adds to the appeal. A CD where all the elements equal something greater than just the sum of the parts. Highly recommended. 5 out of 5 stars.