| |
 Guy Moorhouse
convergenewsletter.com |
| |
| Hello you. It's me again.
Hopefully I'm not an unwanted intrusion to your inbox. But if you'd rather I just left you alone, all you've got to do is unsubscribe.
Also, a little reminder that you are receiving this email because you subscribed at convergenewsletter.com (or possibly at the now retired getrevue.co if you are more longstanding subscriber).
It feels like it's been a little while since the last one of these. A month's quite a long time I guess. I might look to increase the frequency a little in future, but for now this feels manageable.
It's been fun gathering everything to send out to you for this one – I've really enjoyed it and have also been building some new things behind the scenes. I'm starting to properly content manage what goes into these emails which will give me lots more flexibility with publishing in future — scope to do blog posts, annual round ups and that sort of thing. Anyway more on that another time perhaps.
Before I go and leave you to get on with the rest of the issue, please forgive me a shameless little plug. At some stage next month, it looks like I might have availability to take on a new freelance contract or two. Maybe drop me a line if you hear of something that might be a good fit?
Right, enough of that. Let's go... |
| |
|
Work & Projects |
Adept AI 3D, design and build As mentioned a couple of issues ago, I've been working with US start-up Adept since the beginning of 2023. Adept works in the realm of AI, building general intelligence by enabling people and computers to work together creatively.
I've been really enjoying the chance to flex creative muscles across a wide variety of disciplines. From creating a visual system in 3D, to designing and building the website, as well as exploring the design of the interface of one of their first products, it's proving to be a real challenge and a lot of fun. 🔗 adept.ai | |
| |
|
Remarkable |
Marc David Spengler Artist I first discovered Spengler's work through his prolific sketchbook pages, which he shared on Instagram. I immediately fell in love with his bold use of color and line.
His website is a treasure trove of similar work, including murals, garments, prints, animations, and more. 🔗 marcdavid.studio | |
Greyscape Architecture Greyscape celebrates the beauty of brutalist and modernist architecture with some great examples from around the world.
I wish the website was less cumbersome to navigate, but that aside, if you push through, there's some really interesting stuff in there, especially in the locations section.
The accompanying Instagram account is worth a follow too. 🔗 greyscape.com | |
| |
|
Useful |
Raycast Productivity Software Raycast is extremely useful. It's described as "a blazingly fast, totally extendable launcher. It lets you complete tasks, calculate, share common links, and much more."
Well yeah, it can do all these things and it just sits in your menu bar waiting to do so at the click of a quick keystroke of your choosing.
The ability to save and access multiple things from my clipboard alone has made this a worthwhile install. (Cheers to Tommy P for recommending :) 🔗 raycast.com | |
Github Copilot AI assistant Copilot is essentially AI autocomplete for programming. It is a little bit of software you install alongside your editor that has been trained on billions of lines of code across dozens of languages.
In the few weeks I've been using it, it has already saved me literally hours of work. I will be signing up and paying for it, but for now I've still got some time to run on the free three month trial. 🔗 github.com | |
| |
|
Creative Spotlight |
Guillaume Kurkdjian Animator and Illustrator I've followed Kurkdjian’s wonderful animation work for a while – definitely since I made a website for his agents, Handsome Frank – and likely before.
This Electronic Items project shown here is by no means new, but years later, I’m still a real sucker for these isometric animations. I love how perfectly executed his work is and the 90s nostalgia feels it evokes.
There's loads more good stuff like this to dig through in his portfolio, it's well worth heading over. 🔗 guillaumekurkdjian.com | |
| |
|
Watch |
Whiplash Film Whiplash is a 2014 film from director, Damien Chazelle. It's been sat on my 'to watch' list for years, but somehow I haven't got round to it until a couple of weeks ago. And man, was it worth the wait.
It's an intense drama that follows the journey of young, ambitious jazz drummer, Andrew, who is mentored by an abusive and incredibly demanding music instructor, Fletcher.
It's painful to watch in places, but the overriding message that no one can be truly great at their craft without losing some other part of themself to it, really resonated for me. 🔗 letterboxd.com | |
All Quiet on the Western Front Film No doubt you've heard of this as it was everywhere a little while ago after picking up a whole raft of BAFTAs. But if you haven't watched, you really should – it's an incredible film.
As a very graphic and visceral presentation of the First World War from a German perspective, it's not for the squeamish and pulls no punches. You witness a group of enthusiastic teenagers signing themselves up for war and then going on to experience the reality that confronts them. It's heartbreaking and eye-opening.
I also very much recommend watching the accompanying making of documentary, which gives some great insights into it's production. But watch it afterwards to avoid spoilers. You can watch both on Netflix. 🔗 netflix.com | |
The Swimmers Film This isn't an amazing film so much as an amazing story. It's based on the true story of two sisters, swimmers from war-torn Syria, and the risky journey they take to Germany to seek refuge, which ultimately takes them to the 2016 Rio Olympics.
At a time when the UK government makes insane decisions impacting the wellbeing of refugees and migrants, it's particularly topical and heart wrenching. 🔗 netflix.com | |
| |
|
Listen |
Fred Again — Boiler Room DJ Set Prior to seeing this, I had only streamed Fred Again's albums and hadn't seen or heard any of his live DJ sets.
And wow, he's bloody good.
This Boiler Room set from Summer 2022 in London is an absolute banger. I have to go and see him when I can.
Watch out for the lovely moment at 23:40 when a guy in the crowd accidentally stops the music. Fred deals with it beautifully and all the while with a smile on his face. 🔗 youtu.be | |
| |
|
Read |
Quiet by Susan Cain Non-fiction I've just finished this book and for me the experience was quite profound. I felt seen, like Cain was putting into words things I've felt for many years but been unable to articulate.
Quiet is an insightful bit of non-fiction that celebrates introverts and highlights different ways they can contribute to society and succeed in their personal and professional lives.
I was particularly taken by the section on 'free traits' which explores how despite someone's predisposition towards introversion or extroversion, they can still behave in ways that contradict that trait if it is important to them in a given context. But that they will pay the price afterwards and need to do this in restrained, tactical ways.
Overall, Quiet is an interesting read and I'd recommend it to anyone, but particularly those that lean towards the introverted end of the spectrum like me or have loved ones that do. 🔗 literal.club | |
| |
| Right, we're done here. Thanks for reading.
If you have a suggestion for something I should include in a future issue, please submit it here or just reply to this email. No, really! I would love to hear from you.
Cheers then, see you next month for number ten. Hopefully it'll have stopped pissing down with rain and refusing to be Spring here by then! (•◡•) / |
|  |
| |
