The Report, if you don’t already know, is a 100+ page bi-annual journal, compilation and DVD package, containing the weirdest, wisest musings on culture, art and music. Contributors include Dent May, Ben Chasny, Rob Mitchum (Pitchfork), Devin Wolfe (Naturalismo), Justin Gage (Aquarium Drunkar), Molly Sarle (Mountain Man), Matt Mondanile (Ducktails, Real Estate), Sawyer Carter Jacobs (Underwater Peoples, Family Portrait, Emilie Friedlander (Visitation Rites, Arthur Mag, Tiny Mix Tapes), Madalyn Merkey (Irma Vep Tapes), and Cian Traynor (SeeWhatYouHear, Guardian), amongst many, many others. The cassette compilation, which also comes as a digital download, features a bevy of exclusive unreleased tracks, as well as songs that simply were overlooked or are soon to be released.

Pleasantly surprised that this looks like more than a one off group and that they’re playing off of sheet music, hence the presence of a tune!  And it’s great.  (via Nat Roe)

Watching the iPad video yesterday (and discussing with bandmate Pete) piqued my curiosity about the device’s musical potential. The release of the iPad is pretty exciting for followers and makers of electronic music, particularly improvisors.  It’s really only a matter of days before musicians start showing up on stage sporting one or more iPads.  For one thing, it’s big enough to display actual piano keys (or some version of a guitar neck), but also could function the same way any trigger pad like a tenori-on or monome or even a Wii remote or any other midi/OSC controller functions.  There are synth apps for the iPhone that already have Pd and Max/MSP guts (like RjDj).  This is a big (and relatively affordable) evolution in electronic music.  It will be exciting to see how experimental musicians use the iPad in the coming months, particularly in performance.