Lol

First off, that title. It's not some textspeak thing, but the name of the character who this week has given us some of the most emotionally devastating scenes of drama I've seen this year anywhere. Last night's This Is England 88 on Channel 4 was absolutely compelling. Last part tonight, it's on catch-up at 4OD. Take this as the strongest recommendation possible. Not sure if I've ever even mentioned tele in this journal before, apart from the odd reference to Match Of The Day perhaps, and it's not something I'm likely to do much in the future either.

Right, no static has been giving you his albums of the year for the last 10 days. I'm about to start mine. Movies too. One a day starting.....now.

Album #10:
Ricardo Villalobos & Max Loderbauer - Re:Ecm

A deconstruction/reconstruction, re-working, re-structuring, call it what you will of existing material on the renowned ECM label. Two CDs full of minimal electronic ebb and flow. The real skill seems to be when to take it up a notch and when to strip it right back, Villalobos' credentials as primary exponent of house music meaning that when it comes to pacing and rhythm on an expansive scale he's one of the best. Pretty sparse, very precise, extremely refined and oh-so-rewarding. Sample track: Reblazhenstva

Film #10:
Melancholia

Not always the strongest narratively maybe, but Lars Von Trier certainly knows how to make an impact with his film-making. The opening scenes in particular are visually and aurally ravishing and the structure of the movie with it's two distinct halves is one that makes this into something very different from your average impending-apocalyptic event movie. Plus, I think I may be a little in love with Charlotte Gainsbourg, which helps.