Challenge #3 - As Above, So Below (Steven's Entry)

Chaos in a dark place. I have no idea how to explain or describe this journey. It's angry, it's cynical and intentionally a little raw/rough around the edges. (And don't worry, I don't expect much love for this.) But after much thought, the only way I could approach this was by combining songs into a continuous mix. I know this sort of breaks the concept of the mixed tape, but I wanted to reflect music bumping into each other, becoming noise. A friend heard this mix a quarter of the way through and declared, "I can't stand this! Please turn it off. I feel like I am losing my mind..." With that, I knew I had accomplished the abstract combination I intended. And I don't think I will ever do a mix like this again... ever.

About the artwork:

Marc made me laugh today, because he kinda gave me a WTF, regarding it. I thought that was a great reaction. But then I realized none of you know me to get my sarcasm and why this represents a hellish end. Rather than let you guess, let me explain a little about it: This photo was taken by a boyfriend who was a photographer. It was 1992 and he liked to take these moody, Sinead O'Connor (yes, Marc Almond-esque!) photos. There were lots of candles, crosses and religious symbolism. It was cool (read: sarcasm). Then as our relationship unraveled, I soon discovered that much of it was lies. Including discovering many of the guys in the photos displayed around our house (including this artwork) were guys he'd slept with. I am not sure why I have kept these photos around, but they remind me of a brief period in my life that felt like a living hell. And this photo (sarcastically) seemed to fit my "chaos in a dark place" mood.

Download As Above, So Below

(Available in two formats, podcast friendly m4a should list the song tracks, or an mp3, if the m4a format won't work for you.)

Tracks include:

Funerale - Corteo

Dead Boy - Aiden Shaw

Intro - Pulled from a Junior Vasquez mix

The Anarchist Movement - Infamous

Allah, Mohammed, Char, Yaar - Diamanda Galas & Nusrat Fateh Ali Kahn

Back in Baby's Arms - Patsy Cline

Schrapnell - Isolee

Hot Monkey, Hot Ass! - Black Moustache

Fanatica - Eisbrecher

Animoid Row Pt 2 - Vangelis

Money Back - Cazwell

le Disko - Shiny Toy Guns

Pop Ya Cork - Stanton Warriors

So Alive - Love & Rockets

The Host of Seraphim - Dead Can Dance

Beautiful Burnout - Underworld

My Soul Yearns for Peace - Blitzkrieg Tiger

Long Snake Moan - PJ Harvey

Myxomatosis - Radiohead

I Fucked Your Boyfriend - Nick Name

She's Lost Control - Joy Division

Lolita - Elefant

Up in Flames - Julee Cruise

Evil California - Annie Ross

Opening 3 - Thomas Newman

Readymade - Snow Lion

Furious Angels - Rob Dougan

Rich People - The Hospitals

Only Dreaming - Red Lorry, Yellow Lorry

Stratoscape - Front 242

Snatch of Fury - Frankie Goes to Hollywood

Rainfall - Naomi

Kernkraft 400 - Zombie Nation

Psycho Boy Jack - Dust Brothers

John Wayne Gacy, Jr. - Sufjan Stevens

Julia - Eurythmics

Not the Red Baron - Tori Amos

Running Up That Hill (Datassette Remix) - Kate Bush

Painted Black - Anneli Drecker

Vergissmeinnicht - Eisbrecher