Reviews

Happy Elf “Sexmachine” – free funny electro-pop album

Happy Elf is the performing name of Dutch multi-instrumentalist Jeroen Elfferich. As Happy Elf, Elfferich has released more than ten albums since 1999. He considers his music "electropopmusic," but the truth is that it is a good mix of various styles thrown together with a nice electronic beat. His latest release is "Sexmachine," a five-track mini-album that's all about dreams, sex, love, and relationships. Don't expect a thoughtful and introspective album, though; as the release information says, "[D]on’t take it too seriously: it’s Happy Elf!"

Old French Fairy Tales – a public domain novel written by the Comtesse de Ségur and illustrated by Virginia Sterrett

If you're a fan of good triumphing over evil, of love conquering all and happily afters then you will love this charming little book written by the Comtesse de Ségur and illustrated by Virginia Sterrett called Old French Fairy Tales. It was published in 1920 and is now part of public domain. In it are five timeless fairy tales and eight breathtaking full page color illustrations dotted with smaller (but no less dramatic) black and white drawings for children of all ages - or even just children at heart.

Nasdat “Already Late” – a fresh alternative rock album

Already Late is a 7-track album by Nasdat, a band from Monterrey, Mexico. With musical influences from bands like Papirringas and Arizona Tea, Nasdat is able to produce a unique sound along the lines of the alternative and rock music genre. This rising band has already played in many local pubs and bars in Mexico, before they finally released this debut album.

EditPad Lite – Free Text Editor for Windows

Do you feel that your usual plain text editor needs a little more "oomph" into it? Are you looking for features that the Windows default just doesn't have? Then EditPad Lite may be the program for you. EditPad Lite is a free text editor on the Windows platform that may be small and compact (the installer file is only 3.1 MB, and the installed file can easily fit in your portable storage device of choice), but it's powerful enough and delivers many new features, including opening tabs, find-and-replace, and color customization, to satisfy your basic word processing needs.

Confusion is Next “The Generation of this Order” – band’s third release under Creative Commons License

Confusion is Next is a four-person alternative rock band. The band, which takes its name from a lyric by Sonic Youth, was established in Monza, Italy in 2004, and has since created and released three albums. Their first album, "Spread the Spirit," was released in 2005, while their second album, "Lost in Dark Days" was released in 2008. Their latest release is "The Generation of This Order," which contains five new songs (in English). The album is now available for free download on the Spanish netlabel Trastienda.

Entertainment For The Brain Dead “Seven (+1)” EP – a melodic treat

Entertainment For The Brain Dead is the one-woman band of Julia Kotowsky. Only 21, Julia is based in Cologne, Germany, recording her songs with a USB microphone connected to a PC. She writes, composes, and records her own music and even makes the album covers by hand (available only on demand). She has released three albums so far, the latest of which is "Seven (+1)", a charming, whimsical acoustic album accentuated with ukulele strains, the sound of hollow paper bins, and even pepper mills.

Icy Tower 1.4 – an addictive free adventure game for all

Icy Tower 1.4 is a freeware game that features the main character Harold the Homeboy. Don’t be fooled by Harold’s title, though, because he is anything but a boring homeboy. Rather, Harold the Homeboy is your regular kid who wants to impress his friends. To do this, he jumps to the highest level of the Icy Tower. Unbelievable as it may sound, this game’s simple premise has earned it more than a million of downloads.

Mike Kinsella “Owen” – his first indie free solo album

Owen is a solo project of Mike Kinsella. People in touch with the indie music scene in Chicago can easily recognize who he is. Mike is part of the three Kinsella brothers, all of whom are known for their involvement in many bands in Illinois. Mike himself is a member of the following bands: Cap'n Jazz, Joan of Arc, The One Up Downstairs, American Football, Owls, Maritime, and Aloha.

[TEDTalk] Golan Levin makes art that looks back at you

Golan Levin is an artist and an engineer. Wait, what? Artist and engineer? Isn't it kind of an odd mix? Well, Levin realizes that and revels in the fact. The man has worked as an academic at the prestigious MIT as well as a computer technology and software engineer. Nowadays though, he spends a lot of his time as a performance artist, using his background as an engineer to fuse technology and art in his amazing work. Levin's philosophy is pretty straightforward: art should be a way for us to discover ourselves. One way to go about it is to create art and interact with it using one's body and voice.