I should add that my Teligu grandmother chose my name from a long list beginning with San, which was given to her by a brahman after he consulted his astrological charts, as is tradition in Indian families.

however, had it been up to my parents and what they were listening to at the time, my name may have been Paul, or Simon, Art, Garfunkel, Ringo, John, Lionel, Mick, or the female derivatives Paula, Simone, etc…

What do you think of the plans for this video game?

http://www.thesevenvalleys.com/

The Symphonies of Beethoven. The music of JS Bach.

SABRI BROTHERS!!!

There is no point playing difficult stuff like Messiaen, despite the fact that it is first-rate ladder music. This is because it takes training to appreciate it. Bach is the source of all Western Music in the post-Renaissance and it is all dedicated to the Glory of God. Avoid the holy minimalists like John Tavener and Arvo Part because they are only pretending to be holy and this comes out in the music.

I would like to ask, though, that when the foetii is born, how we integrate smell?

Apparently the olfactory center of the brain has a very large influence on the memory center, so smells may help build better brain function and retention.As adults we may assocate certain smells with the memory that they invoke.

I don’t know if its linked to aromatherapy, but if this is a living-breathing thing then what should he/she be smelling ?

/wonders how the MJ references fare in this environment

remember this Sarmad > Gulistan > http://www.neocrats.com/2006/06/29/bally-lesson/

the little baby should be bathed in rose water!

On another note: why do we tend to call them “WONDER women”? Is it because of the Comic Book character, or because deep down inside, we still regard a “super woman” with astonishment? “Huh? Where the hell did that come from?”

Speaking of superheroes, if you ever come across this graphic novel in a bookstore, and even if graphic novels aren’t your thing, then at the very least its neocratic content will enthrall you:
Watchmen, by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. (also the only graphic novel to ever have won a Hugo Award and appear on Time magazine’s “100 best English-language novels from 1923 to the present”)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watchmen

ps: do you think the reptition in Tin Tin was purely alliteration ?

Being belgian, my ties to Tintin are very deep, but in this case, I just think that the natural single-curl of a baby’s hair influenced me more. But definitely buy Tintin (allthough be warned: the collection is large, and the earlier work is somewhat lacking on the plot-side… But great art and colors by the father of the “ligne claire”-style, [clear-line])

PS: does anyone mind my post-illustrating posts that inspire me? feel free to tell me off!

nemo - perhaps gregorian chanting is so intricately layered my brain can’t comprehend it.

also, i never really thought about the name of Wonder Woman. I just liked her.

Also, Sigur Ross…an Icelandic band, but you need to be in a particular to enjoy it mood because they can be noisy and whiney, I would play Hoppipol after sunset only.

“Godspeed You! Black Emperor”
- “lift yr skinny fists like antennas to heaven”
- “F#A# to infinity”

same core band, with less musicians:
“Silver Mt Zion”

These guys are amazing… Less sad and whiny than Sigur Ros, and beautiful slow “Symphony of the New World”-ish movements…

Also, one of my all-time favorite albums:
“Wee Tam” by “The Incredible String Band”
This is like olives, an acquired taste, but uplifting care-free ladder-music!

On another very exciting note, If you recall the memory-smell tangent…today while rrading FP blog,I came across this amazing article which says this :

“Scientists studying how sleep affects memory have found that the whiff of a familiar scent can help a slumbering brain better remember things that it learned the evening before. The smell of roses — delivered to people’s nostrils as they studied and, later, as they slept — improved their performance on a memory test by about 13 percent.”

WOW!!!

amazing article in NY Times

Ok, I’m going OUT. For the first time in 2007, it’s 16 degrees and pure sun, in London.

I didn’t mean to slam Sigur Ros, I think they’re insanely beautiful, but dangerous if you’re feeling low, you know? not automatically “uplifting”..
In the modern symphonic/rock/near-instrumental multi-source/influence/instrument category of Sigur/Godspeed/Mt.Zion (what the hell do we call this kind of music?!?! i don’t even think the artists themselves know…), also try “The Postal Service” and “The Polyphonic Spree” (who by the way made a nice little online-experience/game: http://www.questfortherest.com/).

Talking of the wonderful Philip Glass: I bought John Adams’ “Road Movies” on a whim. Minimalist jazz-influenced composer, give him a preview on iTunes.

http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/15898/Bell_Orchestre_Recording_a_Tape_the_Colour_of_the_Light

As for film scores, GSY!BE have (as far as I know) only agreed to letting their music be used in one film: 28 Days Later. And they band didn’t agree on allowing it appear on the official soundtrack. I guess they’re pretty touchy about anyone stepping on their indie cred.

Also, if you find Sigur Ros a bit much but like the Icelandic musical landscape, check out Mum:

http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/20110/Mum_Finally_We_Are_No_One

Now that’s a heartbreakingly beautiful album.

I haven’t heard the latest Mum, and think GY!BE should get over it: that track worked PERFECTLY in ‘28 Days Later’. If RadioHead, dEUS and Zita Swoon did it, why not some indie Canadians?!