The TeleGarden is an art installation that allows web users to view and interact with a remote garden filled with living plants. Members can plant, water, and monitor the progress of seedlings via the tender movements of an industrial robot arm.

If that undertaking weren't impressive enough of a concept, keep in mind that this experiment took place between 1995 and 2004; the Internet was so young! There's video of it and it looks straight out of Jurassic Park.

via 2087

full album stream

Scott Lawson

OldSpice

an old b-side now available on the Internets

PICKWICK

Andre Occenstein

Animal

tl;dr - new yk records release from Forget Cassettes. Go get O Cursa.

I've known Beth Cameron since approximately 1995 and been aware of just about every musical endeavor she's been a part of. When she launched her Forget Cassettes project some twelve years ago, I was at the first show. Her albums Instruments of Action and Salt have both received heavy rotation from me. This is all to say, I've been a fan for awhile. So, it is with great pride that I can help her release her third full-length album, O Cursa. Musically, the album is a bit of a departure from her previous works. The instrument set has expanded from the traditional rock band setup into more electronic territory but not in such a way that the project is no longer recognizable. Beth's emotive vocals are still right up front, carrying the songs along. It's a dense album and I suggest giving it multiple listens to really let it all set in.

The album is available on gorgeous double vinyl - featuring Oxblood and Sea Blue colored records. The digital download comes with a PDF version of the artwork, so you're set either way.

[ Get the Vinyl | Get the Download | Spotify Stream | Rdio Stream ]

As you may remember from previous posts (see RGB Landscapes) I'm a sucker for an arty animated gif. These 13 Compoisitions by Yoshi Sodekoa are right up my alley. Particularly the circular animations but I like them all.

Brian Gossett has been running his mix blog since the summer of 2009 and it's always been filled with an incredible amount of great compilations. From the music selections to the artwork, they're all top notch. He recently relaunched with a snazzy new interface and new mix to celebrate. I can't recommend this site enough - bookmark it and visit it often.

There's something very creepy and disgusting going on with the work of Nick Edwards but that's precisely what makes it so appealing. It's reminiscent of the work of Michael DeForge and his Ant Comic - very surreal with a whole lot going on. The comics from Edwards are great but these character designs are even better.

Despite their somewhat silly (but amusing) logo, the Internet Defense League is doing good work in raising awareness for issues like SOPA, PIPA, CFAA, etc. They're even offering an easy to use script that brings those issues to whatever site it's added to. I'm tempted to add it here but realize the annoyance factor of politics and overlays. I'll just have to stay diligent about spreading the word on important issues.

Vimeo Staff

QOTSAmusic

first listen courtesy of NPR

Last year it became pretty obvious that the amount of free time that I had to dedicate to putting together a monthly mix was falling short. So, when 2013 rolled around I consciously decided to just put together a new mix once every quarter. This would give me more time to really sit with the music and create a deeper well to draw from. Plus, it would obliterate any potential stress or self-imposed guilt from not pumping out mixes on the reg.

Long story short, here's a new mix. It doesn't have a fancy name but it's a quality listen. Enjoy.

Q1 2013
[ Single MP3 | Single M4A | Individual MP3 ZIP | Stream It ]

1. Neon Neon - Neon Theme
2. Wavves - Gimme A Knife
3. Hotpipes - For Cowboy
4. D. Watusi - Little Heller
5. Yo La Tengo - Paddle Forward
6. Big Black Delta - Side Of The Road
7. Lazerhawk - Underworld (Legend of Zelda Remix)
8. Tristen - No One's Gonna Know
9. Beat Bums - Prelude
10. The Revival Hour - Hold Back
11. GASHCAT - Bonechild
12. Blinker the Star - You (George Harrison)
13. Photo Ops - It Makes Me Cry
14. Caitlin Rose - Only A Clown
15. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - Asshole (Beck)
16. REM - Talk About The Passion
17. Kelly Stoltz - Jewel of the Evening
18. Forget Cassettes - Catie Age 30
19. My Bloody Valentine - she found now

If you told me that a blog focused on the exploration of pop culture and graphic design as seen through the lens of Ex Yugoslovia was a fascinating read - I'd believe you 100%. Fortunately, you can judge for yourself by browsing through the pages of Once Upon a Time In Yugoslovia. There's an immense amount of design, architecture, a bit of artful nudity and photography to keep you clicking for awhile.

via James Bradley Reed.

The website is a little lacking but Yes by Yes Yes sounds like a perfectly simple and appealing conference.

Our concept was born from a conversation on the patio of the Hotel San Jose in Austin one rainy SXSWi night several years ago. We realized how much we loved this stimulating gathering of thinkers but wished it could happen without the conference structure, and without all the unwanted parts that had crept into our South by experience.

The theory was, if you get a group of smart, engaged individuals together in the right place that, even in the absence of an organized conference, great things would happen. We winkingly dubbed it Yes by Yes Yes.

Basically, it's a bunch of activated nerds sitting around talking about good ideas and inspiring one another to go back to their respective homes and continue being fired up. It will require a bit of self activation to talk to people but it's such a small group of folk that everyone will be connected in one way or another.

via Jed.

Can we all just agree that Sweden is a hot source for new emerging technologies? Pirate Bay and Spotify owe a bit to their Swedish backgrounds and now there's a promising Internet + DVR interface called Magine making the rounds. The UI is similar to what you'd see on any channel guide but slicker and not tied to any one device. I've not actually used it myself but it looks good. Hopefully it makes its way over to the States but I'm not holding my breath.

via Adam.