The Dilla Dimension

You'll be hard-pressed to find a producer more ubiquitously applauded and dissected than that of the late J Dilla. A formidable beat-maker whose production has been the bedrock of some of hip-hop's most venerated albums and artists, the man affectionately known by his fans and loved ones as Jay Dee passed away in 2006 on the eve of Donuts', his most successful album, release.

The shadow of his influence still hangs heavy and low over the face of contemporary music even nine years since his passing, which is why CGI-studio Cartelle Interactive has created this interactive browser film to commemorate Dilla's last record by transforming it into a kaleidoscopic tunnel-trip through a outer-spacial odyssey of confectionery oddities.

The Dilla Dimension is an interactive, short film that tells the story of two sugarcoated souls and their psychedelic journey through outer space. Each step of their voyage is crafted to a selection of tracks from J Dilla’s classic album, Donuts.

An alternate universe, blanketed with hypercolor sugar and fluorescent glaze, gives birth to an unlikely cluster of donut holes. Suddenly, they are split apart and scattered across a sea of hypnotic, interstellar chaos. But the impossible takes shape when a love is sparked, leading to a desperate search across the universe for one another.

Simpsons Pixels

This is such a gorgeously-animated tribute opening to the landmark American sitcom that I wish it was in an actual episode. It's not like the series has had openers that weren't as crazy or awesome as this one. Simpsons Pixels is the brainchild of animators Paul Robertson and Ivan Dixon, accompanied with music by composer Jeremy Dower.

Baby on board.

 It's a fair guess to make that if you frequent this site, you already know Robertson for his superbly intricate psychedelic pixel-art animations for Adult Swim and independent illustrations. This opener makes my heart yearn for a proper remake to the Simpsons Arcade game released in '91.

The Art of Jupiter Ascending

The Wachowski's latest major sci-fi epic Jupiter Ascending releases this friday, and the lackluster promotional campaign leading through this last week is worrisome to say the least. The film's premise was already a gamble to begin with; A galaxy-hopping-DNA-wolf-elf-assassin-princess-space-opera starring Mila Kunis and Channing Tatum? Hell, stranger things have found success. Though it also doesn't help that Warner Bros.' final trailer for Jupiter commits the cardinal sin of revealing that your movie can be adequately condensed into the space of three-minutes.

Original production schematics of the "Abrasax Clipper"

No matter how you feel (or don't feel) about the film's premise or promotion, one thing that  is unquestionably awesome about it is it's superbly audacious art direction (sort of like Syd Mead meets Final Fantasy) speared by a team of the Wachowski's long-time collaborators and a host of other industry professionals (many of whom have worked previously on such films as Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones and Man of Steel).

Warner Bros. knows the selling point of the film's release is going to be visuals; that's why they've launched this miniature online gallery showcasing some of the film's production art and costume designs. Check below the break for some of the choicest images from the selection and drop by the site itself to see the rest!

Aesop Rock - Cat Food EP

New-York rhyme-spitter Aesop Rock is one of the most lyrically-gymnastic and stylistically divisive rappers I have ever listened to. Where some hear intricately woven rhyme schemes worthy of diving into a thesaurus, other's hear contrived garbled nonsense. Personally, I've been a persistent fan of his work dating all the back to releases such as Float, Labor Days and the Daylight EP, so the surprise release of this EP was nothing short of exciting.

Featuring production by long-time collaborator Blockhead and cover art courtesy of concept artist Justin "El Coro" Kaufman, Catfood is a solid two-track release chock-full of awesome lines for hip-hop heads to ruminate over. Check the tracks "Catfood" and "Bug Zapper" below.

Childish Gambino - Sober

The music video for Childish Gambino's latest mix-tape single proves, yet again, that actor/song-writer Donald Glover and director Hiro Murai make a creative force to be reckoned with. Sober opens with a disheveled and sullen-eyed Gambino staring at a young woman seated across from him in a take-out diner. After wrestling with the decision to go up and talk to her, he lurches over like the living dead to sit next to her.

No, he's a zombie, he's just really really high. Though the video does have an undeniable Thriller-vibe about it, with Gambino launching himself into a full-on phantasmagoric display of dance moves in an attempt to woo this mysterious young stranger.  Ian Eastwood deserves a resounding round of applause for his exquisite choreography direction.

A Little Film About... Thomas Burden

A Little Film About... Thomas Burden is an inventive and inspiring look into the method and little madness of the film's titular 3D illustrator. In three minutes, Burden takes us through a day in his creative life, exploring the humble origins of his subject matter and style ( 60-70's National Geographic meets Argyll Story Catalog), the temperament of his quiet village home of Chichester, his home-life, and the intentions and motivations behind his work.

His pieces capture a vibe of child-like abandon and Clokey-like aestheticism. Burden is a meticulous illustrator and an adventurous tinkerer, smashing shapes together to create oddball creatures and miniature worlds of wonder. Check out more of his awesome work at his personal website, and give the guys and gals at Handsome Frank a nod too for making such a gorgeously Wes Anderson-esque video.

David O'Reilly's 'Heaven's Countryland' is Almost As Strange As The Reality It's Based On

I'm not one for pulling the "real-world" into the topic of posts, but given all that's been happening lately in regards to North Korea and the Sony hack and the indefinite suspension of The Interview's release, I thought it would be apt to turn some attention to David O'Reilly's terrifically animated short series for Adult Swim, Heaven's Countryland.

North Korea is a notoriously isolationist country known for its perpetual raw-nerve feud with its neighboring sister country. It's also most famously know for caricaturing the United States with claims of dick-dastardly do-no-goodery so absurd that they more often miss the point of legitimate criticism. I think O'Reilly and South African animator Mike Scott managed to encapsulate that paranoid vibe of personality worship and farcical weirdness perfectly in this 4-part series. Check out the rest after the break!

Adr1ft is "Gravity: The Video-Game" and That Alone is Worth Being Excited

I think we're sorely in need of games that emulate and creatively capitalize off of the inherent euphoria of weightlessness. With the exception of a couple games like Shattered Horizons, Gravity Rush, and Aether, the majority of our high-fantasy and sci-fi titles are grounded stubbornly on Terra Firma. That's where Adr1ft comes in.

What makes Adr1ft so promising in my eyes, aside from the impressive visuals and keen design choice for full-body awareness, is that it looks like a true dyed-in-the-wool survival-horror game. Not in the sense of fending off lumbering monstrosities or marauding flesh-ghouls, but through navigating and surviving a perpetually hostile terrain that remains utterly indifferent to the plight of your well-being. No release date as of yet, but you should definitely count this as a title to look forward to!

Eric Wareheim and Mr Oizo's 'HAM' (NSFW)

At this point there isn't much purpose in me talking about how weird Eric Wareheim's work is. We have come to a point where it would be more surprising if Eric Wareheim created something even half normal. Even with the expectation of weirdness, HAM still delivers in an eerie and uncomfortable fashion.

Set to the heavy and harsh electronic beats of Mr Oizo (also known for his work on Rubber and Wrong Cops), HAM holds the same feeling that I imagine gaining from a fast food induced fever dream. 

The tongue-in-cheek look at fast food culture is portrayed in an uncomfortable fashion, accentuated by some impressive makeup. John C. Reilly has always been a goofy looking dude, but the prosthetic work for HAM turns our beloved Dr. Steve Brule into a horrible caricature of obesity.

I'm really digging the more recent influx of Eric Wareheim's solo work and seeing him working with Mr Oizo is all I can ask for.

Worth Checking Out - 24 Killers

24 Killers is a life sim/mystery game where players assume the role of a disembodied shape-shifting skeleton who has been recruited by an anonymous benefactor to act as a ghost hunting private investigator in a secluded island town inhabited by monsters. If that description alone doesn't inspire you to back this, I don't know what will!

The spirits that haunt your house are involved in the best kinds of debauchery. They possess a new person each day to get a little taste of life again, but never have peace. As you slap these spirits out of their hosts, you'll learn about their plight and why they're stuck in this loop of unrest. Who are the 24 Killers?

As it exists now, 24 Killers is "complete", fully playable from start to finish. But in the interest of further fleshing out the components of game-play content, creator Todd Luke has set up a kickstarter page and offered a ton of incentives to coax potential backers, including art prints and a full digital glossary of the island's inhabitants.

The game features a truly inspired premise and art style, sort of like Animal Crossing if viewed through the painterly stylings of David Hellman. The game emphasizes humor and playfulness, balancing a sense of morbid mystery with an off-beat tongue-in-cheek tone. Check out the funding page and see if it strikes your fancy. And while you're at it, play the original browser prototype!

Birder Dash

Max Litvinov's first animated short is well...A really, really bad trip. Starring a hunter running through a forest in his attempt to capture a verity of birds in a jungle, Birder Dash is one hell of an unsettling short thanks to it's absolutely bizarre animation style and the madness inducing, warped score.

During this short you'll probably witness one of the strangest run cycles ever created, some of the strangest floar and fauna ever designed, and probably the only instance of a bird Voltron ever being assembled to take down a rather uncrupulous hunter. I'd highly recommend checking out Max's Tumblr for some truly amazing, bizarre art executed in the same warped style.

I Don't Even Know Where to Start With "Begin"

This is, without a doubt, one of more bizarre and terrifying 'music videos' I've come across lately. Stranger than Reboot, though not quite Going to the Store. Like something pulled kicking and screaming from the loins of Xavier: Renegade Angel. The most I've been able to gather is that this is the work of a mysterious experimental synth-electronic musician from New York who simply goes by 'Brian.' I wish I had more to go on than that, but this guy seems deliberately defiant to offer any easy explanations for his bizarre shenanigans.

The Stanley Parable demolishes player choice, releases Oct. 17

The Stanley Parable was originally released in 2011 as a user-created mod for Half-Life 2, inspiring both an outpour of critical acclaim and confused head-scratching from fans, critics, and detractors alike. Since then Davey Wredren, the one-man team behind the original, has enlisted a small team of dedicated modders to remake the game entirely in the Source engine for Portal 2.  Now, after nearly two years of development, The Stanley Parable will finally be released in its full, stand-alone form on October 17th over Steam.

The Stanley Parable, at its most basic level, is a first-person exploration game about choice and consequence. You play as Stanley, a man whose life is narrated by a mysterious disembodied voice that can predict almost everything that he does or is about to do. The game is a total mind-f*ck, but that's to be expected when a game's mission statement is, "You will make a choice that does not matter, You will follow a story that has no end, You will play a game you cannot win."

Personally, I loved the original, can't wait to see what the remake offers, strongly believe that it's one of the most "important" games to come out in the past decade and seriously, why are you not playing this game right now?! Wreden's team have released a demo for the game which can be downloaded here.

Masks

First came the music, then this animation by Patrick Smith. 'Masks' shows a group of smaller people finding themselves getting wiped out by a much larger group of masking wearing, uh, "men." An equally large scientist finally comes to the aide of one of the little guys. Or does he? It was amazing to see how well Smith was able to make the score fit the animation, when a lot of the time it goes the other way around.

Alfred Skimmy Celebrates Christmas

The bizarre and uncomfortable Alfred Skimmy is back, and this time, he means Christmas.  His Christmas is full of "midgets" (aka elves) and "rohndeer".  You know, the usual.  It's less than 2 minutes full of Mr. Skimmy's unnerving, cringeworthy voice and personality, and while I just want to turn it off, I just can't.  There's just something some delightful about a non-sugary-sweet little weird man during the holidays.

I Fink U Freeky

The South African group Die Antwoord is new to me, but I kind of like their sound. If anything, just for some great workout tunes. When I saw the teaser trailer for their new album Ten$ion the other day, I was really interested in the full music video for their single "I Fink U Freeky". The teaser trailer was weird, and somewhat creepy, always a good combo, right? The music was just recently released, and while it still has those same elements, it isn't as crazy as I had hoped it would be. Still, not bad. Not bad at all. Definitely worth a look!

Just Don't Trip Over The Wire

(Via)

This is where the magic happens: the entire East African Internet (well, except for satellite links) squeezes through this little sea cable system. Its fascinating that every piece of information that we know can be accessed while being sent through that one tiny pipeline.  Isn't technology beautiful?