Friday, March 14, 2008

do androids dream of electric sheep?



or do podbean players dream in compressed formats?

In Berlin someone started a midday nap service with a room where you can go to sleep. You pay per hour, receive clean bedding, and can order coffee, juice or a croissant when you wake up. In Tokyo, tired businesspeople catch 40 winks in tiny sleeping capsules just big enough to lie down in.

Sleep is a funny thing: before becoming a parent I used to work through the night to meet deadlines, but I've never felt worse than I did at the end of a 12 hr, long haul flight, contemplating the night with a wide awake, 1 yr old nilpferd jr...

My picks this week:

Cucumber slumber, by Weather Report. Despite the title, a wake up call: infectious congas and an outrageously funky bass line on this early jazz-funk classic.

Narcossa, 808 State. An android's ear-worm might sound like this.

Bleeding star, JPS Experience. Best track by a legendary kiwi band.

Singing in my sleep, The Chills. Nicely poppy track from NZ's best known indie band.

Sleeping bee, Mel Torme. A nice soft one to lull you off... perfectly paced, wonderfully arranged backing by Marty Paich.

(Podbean player is just having a nap. She'll be back soon)

1 comment:

.... said...

Very much like the JPS experience - I'm a sucker for saturated guiters like that. Kerrrrrannnnggggg! Very much enjoying The Chills and donds im voraus für Mel Tormé of whom I am a massive massive fan. Have you heard his interpretation of "Blues in the night"? It just tops all the others. On the sleep issue, I was very amused to read that the Spanish government was tentatively thinking of doing away with siestas. The Spanish do really go home and sleep until the heat subsides and then come back to the office and work until much later. I think the announcement was greeted by a resounding...snore.