Tag Archives: supernatural

5 Visually Stunning Films Inspired By Art Masterpieces

We’ve touched on the symbiotic relationship between film and art in the past, such as our comparison between Blade Runner and Barry Lyndon. Let’s take a look at a few other examples. Hope you enjoy the article below and as always, if we have missed any please comment at the bottom of the page.

Art and cinema, two powerful forms of creative expression, often intersect in fascinating ways. Many of the most visually stunning movies, like the examples below, take their cinematographic style from the world of fine art. While fine artworks are only single frames, they are able to convey a sense of movement and story through their composition, perspective, form, color, and style.

For example, dynamic brushwork and lines can create a sense of energy and movement, while color and contrast can evoke emotion and progression in the narrative. Those same creative techniques are used by cinematographers to create unique cinematic experiences that resonate with audiences. And in some cases, a film’s visual inspiration is taken directly from specific fine art pieces rather than an overarching fine art visual style.

For artists, examining how filmmakers have drawn from fine art can help gain insights into how visual elements impact storytelling, convey emotions, and engage audiences, offering a wealth of inspiration and new approaches to consider in their own work.

The Exorcist – A Surreal Dance of Light and Darkness

The Exorcist,” directed by William Friedkin, is a seminal horror film that tells the chilling tale of a young girl possessed by a demonic entity. This film’s stark and realistic visual style heightens the horror of the supernatural events unfolding on screen. There’s a scene in the film where Father Merrin, played by Max von Sydow, stands in front of the MacNeil residence, a street lamp casting an eerie glow in the foggy night.

The exorcist visually stunning movie

Scene from “The Exorcist”: The eerie glow of the streetlamp mirrors Magritte’s paradoxical day and night, setting the stage for a chilling tale of good versus evil.

This iconic scene (also used for the movie poster) pays homage to René Magritte’s “Empire of Light” series. In Empire of Light, each painting in the series features a paradoxical scene where it is simultaneously day and night – the sky is bright and clear as if it’s daytime, while the landscape below is shrouded in the darkness of night, often with a single-lit street lamp. This juxtaposition creates an eerie, dreamlike atmosphere that challenges the viewer’s perception of reality. 

Magritte’s signature surrealism style often embodied contrasts and contradictions, combining ordinary objects to create a sense of mystery and intrigue. In “The Exorcist,” the same visual concept was used to create a sense of dread and foreboding, using the bright light from the windows above against the lone streetlamp lit on the dark, desolate street. The use of this visual reference amplifies the film’s underlying theme of the clash between good and evil, light and darkness.

art for Visually Stunning Movies

Empire of Light” by René Magritte: A surreal dance of light and darkness that challenges our perception of reality.

William Friedkin, director of the film, commented on that scene during an interview.  He said:

“I chose the house to match the Magritte painting. . . I saw [this painting] in the Museum of Modern Art in New York, it’s called Empire of Light by Rene Magritte. I had that in mind, and I chose the house to match the Magritte painting… the streetlamp…the shaft of light.”

Using the same style of juxtaposition as Magritte’s painting helped Friedkin create tension and foreboding seen throughout this film. Whether it’s the contrast of light and dark, old and new, natural and artificial, or any other disparate elements, this technique can be a powerful tool for creating compelling and provocative art.

Also, by referencing a well-known piece of art, “The Exorcist” connects with the audience, adding depth to the film’s visual storytelling. Incorporating references to other works of art can be a way to engage the audience, create a dialogue with other artists, and contributes to the ongoing conversation that is art history.

Inception – A Labyrinth of Dreams and Reality in Visually Stunning Movies

Christopher Nolan’s “Inception” is a mind-bending exploration of dreams and reality. This visually stunning movie is characterized by its complex, surreal architecture and mind-bending visuals that defy the laws of physics. The scene where the dream architects fold the city onto itself is a clear homage to M.C. Escher.

Inception, a visually stunning film

Scene from “Inception”: The city folds onto itself, creating a multi-dimensional dreamscape that echoes the impossible spaces of Escher’s work.

Escher’s work is renowned for exploring impossible spaces and optical illusions, often playing with perspective and gravity to create mind-bending visual paradoxes. “Relativity” is a prime example of this, featuring a labyrinthine structure where staircases ascend and descend in various directions, defying the laws of gravity and normal spatial orientation. 

Inspired beautiful movies

“Relativity” by M.C. Escher: A mind-bending labyrinth of staircases that defy the laws of gravity and spatial orientation.

In Inception, Nolan employs similar visual trickery. The cityscape folds and twists in impossible ways, creating a multi-dimensional space that simultaneously feels possible and impossible. The scene is difficult for our minds to comprehend, much like the world depicted in Relativity. The scene is a visual spectacle and serves the narrative by symbolizing the boundless possibilities within the dream world.

In an interview with “Wired,” Nolan spoke about the influence of paradoxical architecture on the film and stated, “In trying to write a team-based creative process, I wrote the one I know.” Noting that he and his team “liked the idea of exploring paradoxical architecture,” the concept became a key element in the film. The visual correlation between Escher’s “Relativity” and the dream architecture in “Inception” is unmistakable.

For fine artists, the “Inception” and “Relativity” examples offer valuable insights into the power of perspective and the manipulation of space. By referencing “Relativity,” “Inception” brings these impossible spaces to life, creating a visual spectacle that serves the film’s narrative about the malleability of dreams.

Although these surrealist works go to the extreme in manipulating perspective and space, the same idea can be used in non-surrealist works to provide unusual viewpoints, adding a sense of intrigue and dynamism to other traditional art styles. 

The impossible, labyrinthine architecture also serves as a visual metaphor for the complexity and unpredictability of the human mind. Artists should consider how visual elements can provide more than aesthetic value or overt narrative context. They can also convey deeper meanings, alternate themes, or subtexts, making the artwork more interesting and evocative.

There Will Be Blood – The Struggle of Man and Nature

Paul Thomas Anderson’s “There Will Be Blood” is a captivating film that delves into the ruthless world of oil drilling in the early 20th century. This beautiful movie’s visual style is stark and gritty, reflecting the harsh realities of its setting and pays homage to the works of Charles Marion Russell.

Jerked Down by Charled Marion Russell

“Jerked Down” by Charles Marion Russell: A dramatic depiction of the struggle between man and nature in the American West.

Russell’s work often captures the dramatic tension and struggle between man and nature in the American West as exemplified in works like “Jerked Down,” depicting a cowboy being thrown off his horse amidst a thunderstorm – a powerful representation of this struggle. In There Will Be Blood, the scene where an oil derrick catches fire and creates a towering inferno against the barren landscape is reminiscent of Russell’s painting both in style and content.  

There will be blood, a visually stunning movie

Scene from “There Will Be Blood”: The towering inferno of the oil derrick, a stark symbol of man’s destructive ambition, mirrors the tension and drama of Russell’s painting.

Both works use light and shadow to heighten the tension and drama of their respective scenes. In “Jerked Down,” Russell uses stark contrasts between the dark stormy sky and the lightning-lit foreground to create a sense of impending danger. Similarly, in “There Will Be Blood,” the scene of the burning oil derrick is dramatically lit, with the fiery glow of the inferno starkly contrasted against the dark, barren landscape. This creates a visually striking image that underscores the danger and destruction caused by something uncontrollable.

Additionally, both works use composition to emphasize the scale and power of nature compared to man. In “Jerked Down,” the cowboy is depicted as small and vulnerable against the vast, stormy landscape, emphasizing the power of the natural elements he is up against. Similarly, in “There Will Be Blood,” the oil derrick, while man-made, is dwarfed by the towering inferno, symbolizing nature’s overwhelming response to man’s intrusion.

These similarities in the use of light, shadow, and composition create a visual link between the two works, suggesting a stylistic influence or at least a shared visual language in their depiction of man’s struggle against nature.

The visual elements create drama and a sense of tension but, more importantly, have a huge impact on the narrative. Depicting a struggle between opposing forces can add a sense of dynamism and narrative to an artwork. 

Imagine the same scene in Anderson’s film, but instead of the character being small compared to the fiery event, the main character was in the full frame looking up at the fiery plume, which from that perspective, would be far above in the background of the shot. Such a change would remove the idea of a struggle between forces and minimize the metaphor of the oil derrick representing the protagonist’s destructive ambition.

Melancholia – a Psychological Masterpiece of Beauty and Despair

Lars von Trier’s “Melancholia” explores its characters’ psychological and emotional turmoil against the backdrop of an impending planetary collision. This beautiful movie’s visual style is lush and dreamlike, reflecting the inner worlds of its characters. One of the film’s most memorable scenes is directly inspired by John Everett Millais’ “Ophelia,” a painting that depicts the tragic heroine from Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” floating in a stream before her death.

Ophelia

“Ophelia” by John Everett Millais: A serene yet tragic scene that captures the beauty and despair of its titular character.

The painting is renowned for its detailed and emotive depiction of the famous character and for its lush, vibrant colors, intricate details, and sense of serene despair. In Melancholia, von Trier captures a similar mood in the scene where Justine, played by Kirsten Dunst, also floats in a stream surrounded by flowers and foliage. Justine’s floating figure, the serene water, and the surrounding nature all mirror the composition and mood of “Ophelia.” The scene is visually striking and serves the narrative by symbolizing Justine’s despair and resignation in the face of the impending planetary collision.

Melancholia - A visually stunning movie

Scene from “Melancholia”: Justine floats in a stream, her despair and resignation in the face of impending doom mirroring the tragic serenity of Millais’ Ophelia.

The Pre-Raphaelite style that Millais helped pioneer, characterized by its vibrant colors, attention to detail, and emphasis on emotion, is apparent throughout the film, and the visual correlation between this particular scene and the painting is unmistakable. 

By referencing Ophelia, Melancholia brings the beauty and tragedy of Earth’s impending doom to life, creating a visual spectacle that serves the film’s narrative about the psychological impact of the event.

The Whispering Wheat Fields of “Days of Heaven”

In the world of beautiful movies, Terrence Malick’s “Days of Heaven” stands as a testament to the power of visual poetry. The film’s imagery, a symphony of natural light and earthy tones, seems to whisper stories of the American heartland, echoing the quiet intensity of Andrew Wyeth’s painting “Christina’s World.”

Christina's world

“Christina’s World” by Andrew Wyeth: A quiet yet intense depiction of solitude and longing in the vast, open landscape.

“Days of Heaven” is a cinematic canvas where the characters are painted against the vast, open landscapes, much like the solitary figure in Wyeth’s work. The characters, dwarfed by their surroundings, become part of the landscape, their stories intertwined with the whispering wheat fields and the ever-changing sky, where humans are but a small part of the larger natural world.

Just as Wyeth captured the subtle play of light and shadow on the grass and Christina’s dress, Malick uses the soft, diffused light of dawn and dusk to paint his scenes, lending them an ethereal, almost dreamlike quality. This masterful use of light enhances the film’s visual appeal and adds depth to its narrative, reflecting the characters’ hopes, dreams, and inevitable disillusionments.

Days of heaven, a visually stunning movie

Scene from “Days of Heaven”: The characters, dwarfed by their surroundings, become part of the landscape, their stories whispered by the wheat fields and the ever-changing sky, echoing the quiet intensity of Wyeth’s painting.

The visual language of “Days of Heaven” speaks volumes about its influences. While Malick is a man of few words, letting his films speak for themselves, the cinematographer Nestor Almendros once mentioned that Malick wanted the film to resemble an “old family album.” This desire to capture the past’s fleeting, ephemeral moments resonates strongly with the nostalgic undertones of Wyeth’s work, suggesting a shared artistic vision.

So, what can fine artists glean from this? First, the power of light. Just as Malick and Wyeth used light to infuse their work with a certain mood, artists can experiment with light in their own work to create a specific atmosphere or to highlight certain aspects of their subject. Second, the importance of the environment. “Days of Heaven” and “Christina’s World” shows how the setting can become a character in its own right, influencing the work’s narrative and emotional tone. Artists can think about how the environment interacts with their subjects and how it can be used to convey deeper meanings and themes.

The Enduring Dialogue Between Cinema and Fine Art

The intersection of cinema and fine art is a fascinating exchange that enriches both mediums. As we’ve seen in these examples, beautiful movies like “The Exorcist,” “Inception,” “There Will Be Blood,” “Melancholia,” and “Days of Heaven” have drawn inspiration from fine art masterpieces, creating visually captivating films that audiences will enjoy for decades.

These films demonstrate how the language of fine art – its techniques, motifs, and themes – or its basic principles – such as composition, color, light, and symbolism – can be applied to other mediums to convey emotion, tell stories, and engage audiences.

Ultimately, the dialogue between cinema and fine art is a testament to the power of creativity and the endless possibilities of artistic expression. Whether you’re a filmmaker, a fine artist, or simply an art lover, there’s much to learn and appreciate in this fascinating intersection of art and cinema. For the Silo, Steve Schlackman/artrepreneur.

Connections Between UFOs, UAPs and Presidents Of The United States

Theodore "T.R." Roosevelt, Jr. was an American politician, author, naturalist, soldier, explorer, mason and historian who served as the 26th President of the United States.
Theodore “T.R.” Roosevelt, Jr. was an American politician, author, naturalist, soldier, explorer, mason and historian who served as the 26th President of the United States.

With ongoing UAP/Drone activity hitting the news cycle and without any official explanation of what is happening over the skies of New Jersey and the rest of the world,  it is fascinating to consider that this phenomena is in fact not new and has been reported for over one hundred years.

The drones have become unsettlingly frequent in Monmouth County, New Jersey (Picture: Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office. Dec 2024)

When one thinks of U.S. Presidents and UFOs several of our Chief Executives come to mind. Firstly, there is President Eisenhower purportedly meeting aliens at Edwards Air Force Base in 1954.

Then there is JFK’s memo to the CIA asking for disclosure on UFOs ten days before his assassination:

More humorously but perhaps true is the story of Richard Nixon treating comedian Jackie Gleason to a view of dead alien Grays at Homestead Air Force Base in 1974. 

But what about Teddy Roosevelt?

Is anyone in the UFOlogy Community even aware of a documented UFO sighting over the 26th US president’s home, Sagamore Hill, in Oyster Bay, New York on August 1, 1907 when he was in his second term of office?

Teddy Roosevelt Globe

According to an old clipping found by UFOlogist Kay Massingill from a newspaper called the D.C. Evening Star dated August 2, 1907, two events of a mysterious nature occurred in the town of Oyster Bay in a twenty-four hour period and both concerned Mr. Roosevelt.

In the latter, the town librarian Miss Denton opened up the library on the morning of the 1st and discovered a beautiful mahogany chair donated by Teddy to the museum from his days as Governor of New York had split down the backside sometime the night before. More peculiar was the fact that on the reverse back of the chair was the Bald Eagle Seal of the United States of America and it was split in half! An ominous sign indeed! Was it an omen?

Newspaper Headline Lights Over Sagamore

However, the main event occurred the evening before between the hours of 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. when a brilliant white light was seen to hang motionless over Sagamore Hill.

According to the dispatch, it was a light “considerably larger than a star” and hung about 300 feet in altitude over the house according to numerous witnesses. It was an “intense white light” and after 11 p.m. it began to fade to a spark and then extinguished. Meanwhile in the library a short distance away, a chair associated with Sagamore Hill’s occupant was coming undone in a most mysterious way.

The home on Sagamore Hill
The home on Sagamore Hill

Was Mr. Roosevelt home the night of the UFO sighting? The article doesn’t say and we’ll probably never know but it is known that Sagamore was called Roosevelt’s Summer White House and it was the middle of summer.

So the main question to ask is why would a ball of light attend to Mr. Roosevelt in the heat of 1907? Two clues can be found concerning his agenda as President that year.

One clue was his December 3, 1907 Annual Address to Congress.

The speech is mundane for the most part dealing with anti-trust actions, railroads, the Department of Agriculture, conservation, unions and such but near the end of it Roosevelt begins to lay out the groundwork for creating the world’s most dominant modern navy. It seemed Roosevelt had a great grasp of what was happening in the world concerning Japan, Germany and China and their eventual rise on the world’s stage. He specifically recommended dredging Pearl Harbor to make it a world class naval base and increasing Alaska’s defenses. Did he know something about the world no one else did? His maneuvering just months after the Sagamore Hill incident directly led to America’ emergence as the modern world’s greatest Suprerpower. Did he have help from E.T. whispering in his ear? During his tenure America’s Navy grew from 5th to 3rd in the world in size.

The second clue is the very interesting coincidence of the Second International Peace Convention held at The Hague, Netherlands that year from June 15 to October 18, 1907 which was during the Sagamore Hill sighting. That convention was the brainchild of none other than Teddy Roosevelt! It was an attempt to codify the rules of war – particularly naval warfare. More importantly, it was seen as the world’s first attempt at an international governing body – a forerunner to the League of Nations and the United Nations.

The Tin Foil Hat Question 

Are aliens attempting to lay out the groundwork for, or interfere with, the earth’s direction in the 20th and 21st centuries? And might they have been in contact with American Presidents long before Eisenhower’s 1954 encounter? To see the complete newspaper clipping go to http://www.worldufowatch.com/historical_newspaper_clippings    For the Silo, Robert Spearing.

True Cases Of Phantom Transmissions And Hijacked Television Signals

The call letters KLEE-TV had not been broadcast since July 1950, more than 3 years before a viewer in London, England picked up their transmission on his television set.

Adding to the mystery was the fact that while in operation KLEE-TV was based out of Houston, Texas- an entire continent and ocean away. Since this was an era before satellite t.v. transmission how could the images be picked up? Was it simply a hoax?

klee tv signal cardThough debunkers have stated that this story first appeared in Readers Digest, it actually was first reported in 1953 by TV Guide: a viewer based magazine that organized and listed television programming and reviewed highlighted television shows. Hugely successful and widely distributed- it seems counter-intuitive to consider how this might affect an already paranoid and anxious viewer body. After all, the Cold War and the Space Race were underway. Many Americans were building nuclear bomb shelters and keeping their eyes to the skies.

Television was still a new form of media and to many it transcended the boundaries of space of time.

It seemed possible that ghostly transmissions from another time and another place could occur. TV Guide pointed out in its story that at the time of the phantom KLEE-TV transmission, no other t.v. station in the world used those call letters.

For the next 12 year this enigma was forgotten but then in February 1962 Mrs. Rosella Rose of Milwaukee, Wisconsin witnessed the following. The KLEE-TV letters were flashed onto her screen as well as the images of an unknown man and woman arguing on a balcony, followed by the flashing of the word “HELP!” Then suddenly, her screen went blank. It seemed as though Mrs. Rose had witnessed an electronic netherworld. Could an alternate universe be superimposing its reality onto hers? The simplest answer is that Mrs. Rose was a victim of her time.

Phantom signal transmission in Stranger Things.
Phantom signal transmission in Stranger Things.

Perhaps as mentioned in Haunted Media Static and Stasis, “….The fleeting and inexplicable transmissions of KLEE are eerie in that they are symptomatic of a general loss of self presence felt socially in electronic communications as a whole.” I think it’s safe to say that Canadian Film Director David Cronenberg felt this way and successfully incorporated these themes into Videodrome. I think it’s also safe to say that the success of the recent Netflix series Stranger Things is due in some part to this notion of a technologically created netherworld. And what about the Australian reports of a Coke bottle and drinking flask being transmitted during the Moon Landing?

Today there are reports of phantom webcam transmissions, of strange beings quickly seen on a monitor or a tablet. If we are able to view images on our devices then is it so far fetched to imagine that we ourselves can be seen by others through our devices? And if that’s possible to what end are we being surveilled? For the Silo, Jarrod Barker.

The Max Headroom Signal Intrusion Incident of 1987

Captain Midnight HBO Transmission Hijacking

Recommended Reading- Haunted Media Electronic Presence From Telegraphy to Television by Jeffrey Sconce

Astrocartography Means Travel Destinations Based On Astrological Sign And Time Of Year

With spring on the horizon,  you may be scratching your head about where to vacation this year. Luckily, according to astrology, your star sign could be the key to whether you are destined for sun or slopes

With this in mind, our friends at BonusFinder Canada sought to discover the ideal holiday destination for each zodiac sign based on their astrocartography lines (a form of locational astrology which allows people to decipher which physical locations are best suited to them based on their birth chart) with the help of celebrity psychic and astrologer Inbaal Honigman.  Do you agree or disagree with these suggestions? Leave us your thoughts at the bottom of the post.

Psychic and Wiccan Priestess Inbaal Honigman.

Your star sign’s dream destination according to astrocartography lines:

  1. Aries (March 21-April 19): Alaska

Active and unusual Aries would be best adventuring through the idyllic landscapes of Alaska. Home to some of the world’s most beautiful views and the largest national park, Aries will always have somewhere to explore here.

Copyright: (Maridav) / Shutterstock.com

  1. Taurus (April 20-May 20): Los Angeles

Great food and extensive views are a true joy to a Taurus, and it doesn’t get bigger and bolder than Los Angeleswith over 30,000 restaurants and stunning wide-open beaches, Taurus will love everything about LA.

  1. Gemini (May 21-June 20): New York

Always awake and ready to party, Geminis will fall in love with the city that never sleeps, New York! From visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art to watching an extravagant Broadway show, Geminis will never be bored day or night. 

  1. Cancer (June 21-July 22): Iceland

For a dreamy and easygoing CancerIceland is the destination of choice. Between magical views of the northern lights and geothermal lagoons, Cancer will never tire of relaxing in one with nature.

Copyright: (Thampitakkull Jakkree) / Shutterstock.com

  1. Leo (July 23-August 22): Bordeaux 

The luxury fiend Leo must visit Bordeauxthe historic capital of Aquitaine, famous for its excellent wine culture. Between scenic beaches and exclusive vineyard tours, Leos will be able to find their true self. 

  1. Virgo (August 23-September 22): Rome 

The ideal destination for the neat and traditional Virgo is Rome, where they will undoubtedly relish an enlightening guided tour of the city’s ancient architecture and feel at home in the chic modern shopping areas.  

Copyright: (AlexAnton) / Shutterstock.com

  1. Libra (September 23-October 22): UAE

Classy and elegant Libras would adore the high rises in the desert of the United Arab Emirates; between luxury hotels and a mass of incredible culture, Libras will love discovering what this country has to offer. 

  1. Scorpio (October 23-November 21): Sri Lanka

Mysterious and original Scorpios can enjoy going off-grid in the temples of Sri Lanka. While exploring the rich heritage of the Gangaramaya Temple or coming up close to wildlife, Scorpios may find a little serendipity. 

Copyright: (Sergii Figurnyi) / Shutterstock.com

  1. Sagittarius (November 22-December 21): Tokyo

The adventurous and well-traveled  Sagittarius will love the unique streets and incomparable cuisine of Tokyo. Between climbing the Tokyo tower and sightseeing Mt. Fuji, Sagittariuses will always have things to explore. 

  1.  Capricorn (December 22-January 19): Melbourne 

Mature and hardworking, a Capricorn likes diversity and friendliness, and the best place for this is Melbourne. Named the friendliest city in the world* and home to the exotic Royal Botanical gardens, a Capricorn will feel right at home here. 

  1.  Aquarius (Jan 20-Feb 18): New Zealand 

January is the month of Aquarians  – unique and free-thinking, they will want to get truly lost in nature in New Zealand. With luscious open spaces and an abundance of beautiful scenery, Aquarians  can do just that. 

Copyright: (Daniel Huebner) / Shutterstock.com

  1.  Pisces (Feb 19-March 20): Hawaii

Romantic and shy Pisces‘ ideal travel destination is Hawaii, surrounded by water and an expanse of warm beaches. With volcanic national parks and surfing clear waters, Pisces will love getting back in touch with their aquatic roots. 

 Copyright: (photopmh) / Shutterstock.com

Inbaal Honigman, celebrity psychic and astrologer, explains:

“Applying astrology to well-being, romance or shopping is increasingly popular, but astrocartography isn’t often consulted… yet.

“Astrocartography is an extension of each individual’s star chart so that you can find the best locations for yourself worldwide. For example, the ‘Sun Line’ would be where you feel most yourself. Your ‘Venus Line’ is the best place to build your home, and Jupiter is the best place for holidays.”

For the Silo, Eve Loffman.

PUSH TURN MOVE Book Focuses On Interface Design In Electronic Music

Coming to Kickstarter April 18th. Meet the designers, makers, musicians and their instruments and learn how they have shaped the world of electronic music. Richly illustrated with a unique collection of sketches, photos and graphics and with a foreword by electronic music visionary Jean-Michel Jarre.


The book’s essence is to celebrate innovative interface designs, provide a categorization of gear and explore the functional, artistic, philosophical and aesthetic world of user interfaces in the context of making and performing of electronic music.

Featuring exclusive interviews with: Roger Linn, Dave Smith, Keith McMillen, Richard Devine, Suzanne Ciani, Olivier Gillet, Ean Golden, Brian Crabtree, Matt Moldover, Axel Hartmann, Dorit Chrysler, DiViNCi, Skinnerbox, Native Instruments, Ableton, Teenage Engineering, Roland, Elektron and many more.


A wide range of landmark pieces of equipment is featured along with chapters on design principles, interface elements, visualization of sound and instrument and controller concepts such as grids, touch and modular. PUSH TURN MOVE is the very first of its kind in both scope and depth. Please sign up on www.pushturnmove.com or follow along on http://fb.me/pushturnmove/

PUSH TURN MOVE is written by friend of The Silo-  Danish designer, author and electronic musician Kim Bjørn and edited by Mike Metlay, editor at Recording Magazine and Paul Nagle, reviewer at Sound on Sound Magazine.

Click me!

Book Snobbery, Fairy Tales And Reality

“The way to read a fairy tale is to throw yourself in.” ― W.H. Auden

“In a utilitarian age, of all other times, it is a matter of grave importance that fairy tales should be respected.” (Frauds on the Fairies, 1853)” ― Charles Dickens, Works of Charles Dickens

“If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales.” ― Albert Einstein

i dream of genie with blue djinn and darrens living room

I was “that child”, the one who wanted fairy tales and magic to be real. As far back as I can remember I dreamed about having supernatural powers (always good of course…well, almost always) having carpets that flew, potions that could transform anyone or anything, the ability to speak to animals. I never understood why Darren and Samantha worked so hard at concealment. Or why Jeannie didn’t dump the Major and go back to live with the Djinn….I mean, LOOK at the decor!!!! Who wouldn’t rather have scarves and pillows and elaborate brass lamps instead of that godawful avocado and mustard vibe?

Music for a fairy tale. Click me.
Music for  fairy tales. Click me.

Books fueled this. Small witches, talking mice, flying nannies, rings and boxes and mysterious rooms and islands all combined in a grand and glorious stew. Why couldn’t I have a wizard for a teacher? (maybe I would have learned math) Why couldn’t bullies simply be turned into flowerpots? Alas, eventually the adulting creeps in. And people stop being indulgent about your whimsy. And your imagination….

You stop inviting your friends over to play make believe. Or, at least, they stop accepting. And you are encouraged to put away childish things. To accumulate the right kind of books….improving books. High tone books. Books with Purpose. The wishing frogs and tall towers and magic mirrors are packed away… Book Snobbery. Where Fantasy books in the annoying “Y.A.” category are barely tolerated. Stuff and Nonsense.(keeping it G rated here. I expect points…) Children should be encouraged to read whatever they reading-on-the-buswant and adults should enjoy the same free pass. You should be proud of displaying your book on the bus whether you are reading Kafka or Twilight. There are life lessons to be found in fantasy. Fairy tales teach you that sometimes bad things do happen. (The original version of some of the most beloved and well known can be a bit brutal.

For example, the Ugly Stepsisters in Cinderella actually cut their toes off to fit into the slipper. Kiddiewinkle Disney this ain’t.. ) But good and kind usually triumph. Sometimes help can come from unexpected areas. And there is always a way out of the woods. I do live in the real world. Drive. Work. Pay taxes. Cook, clean, shop. Watch the political situation (although “real” and politics lately….never mind) When I sit at a stop light I do not think a gnome is changing the colors. I rarely look for dragons. But I still yearn for them. Magic is everywhere and everything. It may not have glittery wings, it may not be vanquished with a sword, there might not be a house dropped on it or a incantation spoken…..but it is here.

Writers poets, artists, storytellers; all know this on some level. Even if we disguise it.The human imagination is ancient. The roots of stories are found far back in oral traditions and the tales were only modified later to make them illustrations of good versus evil. We do research, we discuss, we delve and write learned papers. We collect quotes and materials, and most importantly buy the books buy the books buy the books…. Books are the real magic. The tangible, in your hands, in your face, take you wherever you want to go – Magic. Read it. Whatever the cover, whatever the rating.

If you like it, read it. Do not let any house of cards pompous proclamation tell you it’s wrong. Secretly we are looking for the elves. We want there to be fairies in the garden. We never see a shooting star without wishing. And if you are very, very lucky. You will never lose that. For the Silo, Jaye Tomas. 

 

 

A Quest To Lost Arts In Chicago To Build My First Hyve Touch Synthesizer

I started out creating sound experiments while in high school, circa 1980 with circuit bent hardware and a cheap Casio keyboard.

I then entered the working world and forgot all about making music. Fast forward 30+ years, and the itch to make experimental music overtook me again, but now technology had changed drastically. I no longer needed hardware. I discovered apps on my iPhone, and music platforms like SoundCloud and Bandcamp were all that I needed. I was immediately obsessed.

Within a couple years, I had filled over seven free SoundCloud accounts, and two Bandcamp albums  as well as an artist page  with experimental music, and having a great time doing it. But, I started to grow tired of using the same software.

stylophone synthI yearned to use hardware/instruments again, but not being able to play an instrument is a definite hindrance 🙂 I searched for cheap keyboards on the net. I soon discovered the “Stylophone” and ordered one ‘sight unseen’. It was unique, inexpensive and fun, but quite limited in sound variety. I started mixing the Stylophone with app produced sounds/music, as well as other “found sounds”. (I really appreciate the functionality of software based mixing apps, which are almost essential to my creations these days). I then stumbled upon a couple of user videos of the Hyve synthesizer, and knew I had to have it. It was clearly non-musician friendly (and looked so different, cool and fun).

Then came the disappointment … You can’t buy one! (BUT I HAD TO HAVE ONE!!!) Turns out, the engineer/designer guru behind this awesome device (Skot Wiedmann), has work shops in the Chicago area, and you can go build your own, ( very inexpensively ). I knew what I had to do. I looked at a map, saw that Chicago was about 8 hours away, and realized that I had to go build it. I started to plan the trip. I knew that a fellow SoundCloud musician and Facebook friend (Leslie Rollins) lived in Berrien Springs, Michigan, about 2 hours outside of Chicago.

This presented a twofold opportunity. I could hopefully, meet Leslie face to face, and hopefully have a place to spend the night. I contacted Les and everything was A-OK! I purchased a ticket to build my Hyve, and started to plan my road trip. The workshop was going to be from Noon to 3pm, Saturday Sept.24 in a cool space called Lost Arts in Chicago.

I had the whole week off from work, because I was overseeing a contractor doing extensive yard work at my house all week, and I was hoping to leave Friday so as to arrive at Leslie’s place in the late afternoon or early evening, spend the night, and leave for the workshop Saturday morning. Alas, plans rarely work as hoped.

The contractor wasn’t finished until Friday afternoon, and Les wasn’t getting home from a business trip until late Friday night.
New plan! Early to bed Friday. Early to rise Saturday (2:30 am), and depart for Leslie’s place in Michigan. It was an easy drive, and I got to Berrien Springs (a beautiful sleepy little university village) around 8:30 am. Met Leslie, and got to trade stories over a great breakfast in a local cafe. Then, I quickly admired Leslie’s impressive modular synth racks at his home studio “Convolution Atelier” and then left for “Lost Arts” in Chicago.

Lost Arts is located in a cool old industrial complex. The workshop provided everyone with a surface mount board with the touchpad on one side, and components layout on the back. A sheet listing components and placement was also handed out, along with tiny plastic tweezers. Everyone then had their component side “pasted” with a solder paste applied through a pierced template, in a process similar to silk screening. Everyone then started to receive their very tiny components from the parts list. Following the placement locations, the components (chips, capacitors, resistors, etc) were set into their pasted areas with the tweezers (magnification and extra lighting was a must). Once all the components were placed, they were carefully “soldered” into place by simply holding a heat gun over each component until the solder on the board had adhered it. Once this was done, everyone had their 9v battery and line-out jacks hand soldered into place by Skot , and then … the moment of truth, Skot tested each one for proper operation.

It was a fascinating process and great experience. I met a lot of cool people at the workshop, both builders and staff/helpers! I can’t say enough what a fantastic experience this was, and what an awesome, diverse and versatile device the Hyve is. I doubted my sanity when planning this trip, but it turned out to be very rewarding!

Leslie and I then went back to Michigan, stopped at a local brewery in Berrien Springs (Cultivate) and sampled a few of their excellent brews, and then proceeded to Convolution Atelier to play with Leslie’s modular system. (I’m a newbie to all things modular, and I received a great crash course from Leslie on his very cool array!) Then it was out to dinner with Leslie and his wonderful wife Lisa, and finally back to their house where I stayed for the night, and finally hit the road towards home the next morning. It truly was a great adventure! For the Silo, Mike Fuchs.

Crop Circles And Sacred Sites Of England Tour

Most patterns in crop circle formations are not readily visible from ground level but details can be noticed and pathways lead to contemplation, relaxation and discovery. Did you know that in Summer 2011 The Silo visited a crop circle in Port Dover,Ontario, Canada? Check back later- we will upload a photo soon CP
Most patterns in crop circle formations are not readily visible from the ground.

Most tangible of Earth mystery
Created anew each year
On underground currents of energy
By sacred sites do appear –
Bedazzle us with your beauty yet again!

 

There are few mysteries more accessible than crop circles. Each spring and summer these enigmatic patterns appear overnight in crop fields, particularly around the Avebury landscape temple in Wiltshire, England. Whenever possible we enter these beautiful creations within hours of their forming, when the energy of a genuine formation is at its strongest. Cosmic works of art, ET communications in sacred geometric format, pranksters’ hoaxes, spiritual guidance or a warning voice from Gaia, whatever your opinion crop circles are fascinating and truly remarkable.

We have access to the information network that provides breaking news on the latest formations. Some days expert researchers will join us in the circles to share their knowledge and perspectives with us, showing us what to look for or how to dowse for any energy present. You may want to sit quietly in meditation, try and discover what the pattern is (often difficult to tell from the ground inside a formation) or dance with the flow of the lain stalks. Everyone reacts differently to crop circles but no-one can ignore them.

 

 

This part of England is also home to some of the world’s most powerful ancient sacred sites including Stonehenge, Avebury and Glastonbury. We will take time to truly experience these places of power including exclusive access to the world famous Stonehenge for a private visit outside of normal hours. Being based close to the World Heritage Site of Avebury Landscape Temple we have daily access to such sites as Silbury Hill, West Kennet Long Barrow and the Sanctuary. In historic Glastonbury we will visit the Abbey, Chalice Well and the Tor.

We’re also offering a pre-tour extension to attend the prestigious Summer Crop Circle Lectures where you will hear fascinating presentations and meet the presenters as well as all the other ardent ‘croppies’.

 

May we recommend Track 7 Disc 2's "Trampled Underfoot" for listening to while walking through your Crop Circle? ;)
Track 7 Disc 2: “Trampled Underfoot”

 

Tour Highlights:

• Visits into crop circles
• An optional helicopter flight over these exquisite patterns
• Private out-of-hours access into Stonehenge
• Attendance at the world’s leading Crop Circle Conference with International researchers
• Visits to some of England’s most powerful sacred sites

Supplemental- Crop circles discovered West of Port Dover, Ontario?

We would have liked a higher vantage point. We saw geometric patterns in the crops. These patters were not visible the day before. This field was cut within 24 hours of this photo being taken. image: Mith Media/The Silo all rights reserved