Coldewey's Curiosities

Photo

Thu, 17 May 2012 18:25:31 -0700

"And now flutes with many stops breathed forth in sweet accord a Lydian air. But though their strains..."

Fri, 11 May 2012 18:59:05 -0700

“And now flutes with many stops breathed forth in sweet accord a Lydian air. But though their strains charmed the hearts of the spectators with their sweetness, Venus was sweeter far; and she began to move gently and to advance with slow and lingering step and body lightly swaying to and fro and softly bowing head, and with delicate gestures she kept time to the sound of the flutes and made signs with eyes now mildly closed, now flashing threats, and sometimes all her dancing was in her glances.”

- Apuleius, Metamorphoses

“Glory to the Fatherland of Heroes!”

Thu, 10 May 2012 11:49:52 -0700

“Glory to the Fatherland of Heroes!”

Page 1: Great Expectations

Tue, 08 May 2012 14:06:42 -0700

Page 1: Great Expectations:

The first page of Great Expectations, as rendered by 70 different designers.

The Microphones - “I’ll Be in the...

Mon, 07 May 2012 11:33:00 -0700

The Microphones - “I’ll Be in the Air”
Don’t Wake Me Up

Early Phil Elvrum is occasionally hard to tell apart form late-era Phil Elvrum. In this case the pensive vocals and roiling guitars could have come from practically any of his projects and albums. It is in fact from 1999’s Don’t Wake Me Up, part of a very fertile period in his songwriting career. I can’t tell if that’s Mirah singing backup, but it’s possible.

Life in Life

Sun, 06 May 2012 12:38:36 -0700

Life in Life

Saturn’s moon Enceladus

Fri, 04 May 2012 17:21:35 -0700

Saturn’s moon Enceladus

"On the whole, I had rather judge men’s minds by comparing their thoughts with my own, than..."

Thu, 03 May 2012 15:41:00 -0700

“On the whole, I had rather judge men’s minds by comparing their thoughts with my own, than judge of thoughts by knowing who utter them.”

- Oliver Wendell Holmes, Autocrat of the Breakfast-Table

Lowcloudcover - “Skeleton Key”Separation...

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 14:57:51 -0700

Lowcloudcover - “Skeleton Key”
Separation Anxiety

Confident, competent, and well-produced, this Lowcloudcover album sounds great but not particularly original. But reliably good, slightly-extended (all but two of the songs clock in between five and six minutes) psych-rock is surprisingly difficult to find and this is a fertile source. They must also be given extra credit for actually using the bass rather than letting it slog along deep in the low end.

Go Right

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 14:55:00 -0700

Go Right

Astrophotography, Ivan Eder

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 11:28:30 -0700

Astrophotography, Ivan Eder

Holi - the Hindu color festival, in slow motion

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 21:14:11 -0700

Holi - the Hindu color festival, in slow motion

"He swoops all-conquering, borne on airy wing, With fire and sword he makes his harvesting; Trembles..."

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 18:19:44 -0700

“He swoops all-conquering, borne on airy wing,
With fire and sword he makes his harvesting;
Trembles before him Jove, whom gods do dread,
And quakes the darksome river of the dead.”

- Apuleius, Metamorphoses

Ruined Polaroids, William Miller

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 16:02:28 -0700

Ruined Polaroids, William Miller

Earthereal, assembled from high-resolution images taken from the...

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 15:28:35 -0700

Earthereal, assembled from high-resolution images taken from the ISS

"Some things are rushing into existence, others hastening to dissolution; and of those which now..."

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 18:02:10 -0700

“Some things are rushing into existence, others hastening to dissolution; and of those which now exist, some parts are already flown off and vanished. The world is renewed by continual change and fluctuation, as time is by perpetual succession. Who then would set any great value on things thus floating down the stream, and of which we cannot for a moment secure the possession? One might as well love a sparrow, which flies by us and is instantly gone out of sight. Such is the life of every man; a mere vapor exhaled from the blood; a momentary breath of air, drawn in by the lungs.”

- Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

Jonsi & Alex - “Stokkseyri”Riceboy Sleeps A...

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 13:47:23 -0700

Jonsi & Alex - “Stokkseyri”
Riceboy Sleeps

A rich, contemplative soundscape that manages to faultlessly merge digital and organic tones. Perhaps closest to Sigur Ros’s ( ), but more subdued and blue-grey. (insound)

The secret life of the harvest mouse

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 17:20:14 -0700

The secret life of the harvest mouse

"The first among elegances is idleness."

Sat, 21 Apr 2012 17:18:57 -0700

“The first among elegances is idleness.”

- Les Miserables

Fata morgana

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 12:45:32 -0700

Fata morgana:

Fata Morgana is a type of mirage that occurs when a layer of cold air bends light downwards, creating a superior-image effect and making it look as though what is below one’s line of sight is actually above it. The name is derived from the superstition that Morgan Le Fey created illusionary castles at sea with which to seduce sailors. More information here and here. (The images above are extremely inaccurate)