All posts by Redscroll Records

Live Music: Supertouch & Life In Your Way (in 2011)

Live Music: Supertouch & Life In Your Way (in 2011)
So, back a while we did a post about a Supertouch show that unfortunately had to be rescheduled.  Fortunately, it got rescheduled.  It is on Friday. 
And then on Saturday Life In Your Way is doing a comeback show.  They had a hugely successful kickstarter campaign for the new album and you’ll probably get to hear at least a couple of those tracks at this:

8th Of July 2011 Update

8th Of July 2011 Update of New and Key Restocked Items
at Redscroll Records

LPs & 12″s
______________________
A Billion Ernies / Informant    “A Billion Ernies / Informant”
A Storm Of Light    “As The Valley Of Death Becomes Us Our Silver Memories Fade”
Alkaline Trio    “Damnesia”
Aoi    “Funnelweb”
Autumn    “Synthesize”
Bon Iver    “Calgary / I Can’t Make You Love Me / Nick Of Time (Bonnie Raitt Cover)”
Borden, Ferraro, Godin, Halo & Lopatin    “RVNG FRKWYS 7 (+ D/L W/ Bonus)”
Broken Water    “Whet (Triangle)”
Buke And Gass    “Riposte”
Caddywhompus     “Remainder”
Canvas    Ashes
Crowley, Aleister    “The Evil Beast”
Deerhoof     “Milk Man”
Disembodied / Brother’s Keeper    “Oxymoron”
Dreams, The    “Morbido”
Eden & John’s East River String Band    “Be Kind To A Man When He’s Down”
Eyehategod    “Take As Needed For Pain”
Foreign Objects    “No Sensation”
Friedberger, Eleanor    “Last Summer”
Fuckin’ Boneshakers, The    “1995 Masterbation Sessions”
Gardens & Villa    “Gardens & Villa (+ D/L)”
Garrincha And The Stolen Elk    “Void”
Guitar Wolf    “SpaceBattleShipLove”
Hawkins, Screamin’ Jay    “The Singles 1954-1957”
Hollywood Rose    “The Roots of Guns N’ Roses”
In Flames    “Sounds Of A Playground Fading”
Integrity    “Detonate World’s Plague”
Interpol    “Try It On”
Khann    “Erode (Ltd. Color + D/L)”
Krieg     “The Isolationist”
Men, The    “Immaculada (Reissue)”
Missing Monuments    “Painted White (+ D/L)”
Motion Sickness Of Time Travel    “Luminaries & Synastry (+ CD)”
Mudboy    Volume IV: This Is Folk Music (Ltd. Ed. + D/L + Poster)”
Newell, Martin    “Songs For … A Fallow Land”
Night Beats    “Night Beats”
Nine Inch Nails    “Pretty Hate Machine”
Noveller    “Desert Fires”
Pala    “We Don’t Exist”
Paperhead, The    “Focus In On… The Looking Glass”
Potter, Grance & The Nocturnals    “Grace Potter & The Nocturnals”
Pulling Teeth    “Funerary (+ D/L)”
Seraphim    “The Light In The Distance (+ D/L)”
Shabazz Palaces    “Black Up (+D/L)”
Tazartes, Ghedalia    “Diasporas (Handnumbered /500)”
Terrors    “Lagan Qord”
Tones on Tail    “Weird Pop”
Trial    “Through The Darkest Days / Foundation”
TSOL    “Code Blue”
Twin Sister    “Vampire With Dreaming Kids + Alternates (+ D/L)”
Victims / From Ashes Rise    “Victims / From Ashes Rise”
Washed Out     “Within And Without”
Wax Museums, The    “Eye Times”
Whitmore, William Elliott    “Field Songs”
Williams, Lucinda    “West”
Zomby    “Dedication”

Electronic 12″s
______________________
Anti-G    “Anti-G Presents Kenje’sz Beatsz (+ D/L)”
Beyonce    “Run The World (Girls) Remixes”
Bibio    “K Is For Kelson”
Blake, James    “Lindisfarne / Unluck” 10″
Blake, James & Airhead    “Pembroke” 10″
Blondes    “Business & Pleasure”
Com Truise    “Galactic Melt (+ D/L)”
Commodo VS Lurka    “Airtight / Gassin”
Daft Punk    “Tron Legacy Part 2 (PIC LP)”
Elgato    “Tonight / Blue”
Exile / Free The “Robots Exile / Free The Robots (Los Angeles 10/10) 10″”
Falty DL    “Make It Difficult”
Four Tet    “Rounds”
Instra:mental    “Leave It”
Joe    “Claptrap / Level Crossing”
Kryptic Minds    “Can’t Sleep (3×12″)”
Machinedrum    “Sacred Frequency”
Negrot, Aerea    “Right Body Wrong Time”
Pangea    “Inna Daze / Won’t Hurt”
Pearson Sound    “Blanked / Blue Eyes”
Peverelist    “Dance Til The Police Come / Fundamentals”
Sigha    “I Am Apathy, I Am Submission”
Soul Clap    “Social Experiment Sampler”
Various Artists    “Hessle Audio: 116 & Rising (3xLP + 2xCD Collection)”
Various Artists    “Werkschau 2 (Bpitch Control)”
Vezelay    “Lyre”
Wat    “Kill Kill EP”

HIP HOP
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Beastie Boys    “Make Some Noise Remixes (Sp. Ltd. Ed.)”

9″s
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O Pioneers!!! / Andrew Jackson Jihad    “Andrew Jackson Jihad / O Pioneers!!!”

7″s
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Aeges “Roaches”
Art Museams “Dancing With A Hole In”
Against Me  “Russian Spies” (BLUE!)
Bad Banana “Cry”
Call To Preserve “Validation”
Daniel Striped Tiger / Teenage Cool Kids
Dark Lion
Have Heart “2003 Demo”
Homewrecker / The Love Below
Nu Sensae / White Lung
Pylon “Cover & Remix”
SOS “I Owe You Nothing”
Withdrawal “Faith Flesh & Blood”
Xerxes “Twins”
Xerxes / Midnight Souls

CDs
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13 & God “Own Your Ghost”
Caretaker  “Empty Bliss
Death In June “Discriminate
Eno, Brian “Drums Between”
Group Bombino “Agadez Volume 2”
Pure X “Pleasure”
Zomby “Dedication”

BOOK
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Slade Vs. The Monkeys: A Collection Of Rock Caricatures
Yeti #11

Reviews
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Canvas Ashes LP

(Get Young Records)
Canvas is a new Connecticut indie rock band that leans heavy on the pop-punk side. Pop punk isn’t a go to genre for me, but any band started by Ryan White (Call It Arson, Stabyou) & Chino (The Distance) is worth checking out. I know they’ve had to work through some line up changes but, it seems things are solid with Mario (Cold Snap) & Justin fleshing out the rest of the band. “Ashes” is 8 songs, 7 originals and a Springsteen cover. I hear bits and pieces of bands like Jimmy Eat World & Thrice, but honestly anything Ryan sings over in his passionate & powerful voice is uniquely his own. I just made a joke to Rick as he was opening a box of records that if Ryan was to sing over the sound of rustling plastic, it would still be good. Not to take anything away from the musicianship, because it’s solid all the way through. It’s also worth mentioning that “Ashes” was released on Get Young Records, which is a label run by CT kids living in Boston, but repping their home state hard with releases by Heavy Breath & Cold Snap coming later this summer.
[Reviewer: Josh]

Unknown Mortal Orchestra Unknown Mortal Orchestra LP/CD

(Fat Possum Records)

There’s an unusual “retro” flavor this album, as if surf, funk, and psychedelic rock evolved together. Opener “FFunny FFrends” has an instantly recognizable “old-school hip-hop” beat with reverb-soaked vocals and sharp guitars licks reminiscent of the 1960s. The description on Fat Possum Records’ site says it best, though, calling it “alien beatnik pop music” echoing “psychedelia and krautrock minimalism with just a hint of gentle weirdness.” The twanging guitars, laid-back vocals and generally fuzzy, “sunny” sound help solidify this album’s influence from that decade. It also sets UMO apart from other recent beat-and-guitar-driven lo-fi acts such as Sleigh Bells, who focus more on slamming, hydraulic-ready blasts. “Nerve Damage!” begins with a bizarre “talking guitar” sound that I’d expect to hear from Black Moth Super Rainbow, but it quickly launches into more traditional garage/surf rock. With other highlights including the acid trip “Jello And Juggernauts” and the curiously dark roller-disco grooving “Strangers Are Strange,” this album is a very unique experience covering more musical ground than a more predictable “indie” record.
[Reviewer: Mark]



Various Artists 116 & Rising 3xLP+2xCD Collection
 
(Hessle Audio)

Hessle Audio has carved itself a niche at the forefront of forward thinking electronics – specifically in what might be called post-dubstep.  Yes, we’re already onto the post era of that.  The internet speeds everything up just that fast.  With James Blake on here it cements the validity of any such term (facetious?).  Let’s move past that (or let me – you are just reading after all).  This stuff is all so solid that I’m not going to be able to comment on each and every track – check the whole list here.  It’s basically the IDM of today.  What Warp was (not to discount what Warp does now, but it’s a completely different animal these days) in its early days is what I might equate Hessle to now (or maybe Planet Mu or somewhere in between; you get it, I hope).  Smart, but not striving to be above your head.  Electronic music for smooth listening as well as occasionally getting down.
[Reviewer: Rick]

Withdrawal Faith, Flesh & Blood 7″

(a389 Recordings)

Canada has once again spit out another great hardcore band. Withdrawal sounds like a more sonically dense early-Ringworm meets Tragedy. The single track on the B-side, the 5+ minute long metal-core epic, “Kingdom Come” is certainly going to have room fulls of sweaty kids crawling all over each other to get a piece of the mic on their upcoming North American & European tours. A389 does it again! Hail Lord Dom!
[Reviewer: Josh]


Xerxes Twins 7″

(Mayfly Records)

Xerxes seem to have a knack for grim-as-fuck artwork, judging by the cover of this 7″ and the split release they have with Midnight Souls. So I was totally thrown when the needle hit the record and I got a more standard emotionally dark hardcore sound ala Modern Life Is War when I was expecting something with more of a Southern Lord bleakness to it. This is still really good though, I like that its pretty raw, cause everything that’s been coming out lately in this style is super polished and over-produced.This will definitely appeal to fans of bands like Defeater & Touche Amore, but I would have to say that Xerxes has more in common with core bands of the early 2000s. Though, I do have a hard time shaking the image of the dude from 300 when I say the name out loud.
[Reviewer: Josh]

Spotlight: DJ LOKASH

Spotlight: DJ LOKASH
Loukas/LOKASH and I (Rick) go a little ways back – him following (not like a tag-along, just in sequence) me as both a music director and Program Director at WNHU while attending the University of New Haven.  He still holds down a radio spot with the same name (Bassment Beats), but now on WESU (not coincidentally where I work part time weekday mornings).  He’s always been completely legit and what you might refer to as the real deal.  A Hip-Hop DJ, but not in simplest terms.  He’s got a diverse palate.  Worldly even.  He’s been seen supporting names like Sketch the Cataclysm (Antfarm Affiliates), Mizery Crew (Cardboard City), YC the Cynic (RDAC), Seme Rock (HiCru), Left Field Rhythms, Bisco Smith (Embedded/Ivee), and Blitz the Ambassador (EmbassyMVMT).
You might also know the name DJ LOKASH from DJ’ing in-store at past Redscroll events or from this past Record Store Day when we had him do a mix for us (CD included in the goodie-bag).  If you missed it it’s still available to download on his site here.
He’s currently involved in a contest to get on a show BET is doing (Master of the Mix).
The contest voting has now ended.
Interview time (Redscroll Questions in bold. LOKASH answers follow.)

 [LOKASH]

What introduced you to DJ’ing and then what lead all the way up to teaching at the Scratch Academy?  

I’m pretty sure the television was my first introduction to the DJ as a young kid. But my first exposure to vinyl was my father. When I was an infant I used to tear up his record collection and make a mess and scratch them up and stuff. Based on the records I ruined I had developed pretty good taste in-utero. I probably would have been ill back then if I had motor skills. From that it was just pause tapes for friends and then into collecting punk/HC/metal 7”s. I didn’t actually have access to turntables and a mixer until long after that when I was living in Queens. It was there that I started playing out and I didn’t start dealing with Scratch until after that in 2004 after living out on the West Coast for a while.
What cool experiences has that also lead to?
Um. There have been a bunch. I guess the first one that comes to mind is The Campus Invasion Tour with Muse. Overall any time the crowd and the vibes are good it’s a cool experience. Especially if you’re being properly compensated and leave feeling satisfied. I really try to connect with the crowd without having to be in their ear on a mic. 
[LOKASH & Common]

Meet any heroes?  Have any fun stories about any of that?

Yeah, a few actually. I met Paul Mooney backstage at an awards event at BB Kings that I was performing at with Blitz the Ambassador, and ended up in a crazy conversation about history and culture with MC Supernatural and Abiyodun from the Last Poets. He put me on to a movie called Good Bye Uncle Tom which is a very sobering film from a few decades back about the history of slavery. I highly recommend it.

How has your interest grown from the beginning of your DJ career?   I know you have more of a diverse approach these days – trying to bring in more than just hip-hop to your sets/the crowd.

Well I’ve always had very eclectic tastes in music and I think trying to really express that has become my mission. I love hip-hop and I do a lot with hip-hop, but I think it’s important to really draw everybody in to whatever vibe you’re trying to create, and it’s hard to try and figure out what songs you can weave together that will hold everybody’s interest while staying true to your own preferences and ideals. I think also more than ever the world is coming together and I really want to touch every single person in the world with music. Creating my own music that does that will be the next big hurdle to overcome.
[Rockin’ the RSR 2009 Shirt]

You’ve also been skating since a kid – has that ever worked against you in hip-hop?  Do people group you with the old backpackers?  I know that isn’t really a stigma right now, but it was for a second.  I know you also have a skating cameo in a Blitz video so it’s worked for you at times, right?

Yeah a bit, I know I used to skate around with one (backpack) for years. So… yeah, ha. I think ever since more corporate money started flooding into the sport over the past decade, it has changed the way it’s perceived. It’s not the same counter-culture that it used to be in a lot of ways. But it’s cool that it’s growing. I think in a lot of ways I get lumped into that backpacker group because of the music I generally play on my radio show, Bassment Beats. It also happens that a lot of those artists are supported by, or come from the skateboarding community as well. I’m hoping to be able to have more of a presence in some of the events and other things going on in the skateboard community. And just counter-culture in general. Some of my favorite gigs have been roller derby bouts just because of the diversity of music I get to play.
How has growing up in CT and living both there and in NYC directed you or influenced you?  The Third Unheard?
Well I definitely got exposed to a different cross sections of life at a younger age than I might have otherwise. Both of my parents are from the Bronx so there’s always been family in the city, but also being up in CT, it’s just a different vibe and a different way of life in a lot of ways. I think I have a certain appreciation for both that other people might not have. But all of the elements of hip-hop (graff, mc’ing, dj’ing, breaking, knowledge) combined with the skateboarding & the hardcore scenes all had a huge influence growing up as did the communities that fostered them. So in addition to all of the things that came out of NYC, you had people like Stezo, Egon, Dooley-O, Bel, Cycle, Donney Barley, Tony DaSilva, Rick Pelletier (RIP), Jasta 14, 76% Uncertain, Wide Awake, added to that list of influences when I was a kid.
When you first started traveling did that open your eyes to any stark regional differences that lead to any revelations (or even long after you first started now that you’re a world traveler)?  How does SxSW compare to playing in say Pereira or Bogotá?
Absolutely. Just moving from Queens to the Bay Area for a while was crazy. I mean talk about an area that is heavily steeped in it’s own regional culture. It was very eye opening for sure since that was the first time having to navigate a scene that wasn’t mine and wasn’t really trying to hear East Coast music like that. But yeah, it’s a whole different story when you’re abroad, especially if you’re not comfortable with the language. At that point you just have to do what you do and get the people to ride with you whether they want to or not. That’s when you realize that music is truly universal when you can take a big room full of strangers and get all of them to let their wall down for a little while to expand their mind and have a good time. 
Thanks to LOKASH for the time and definitely check out all his links and keep an ear and and eye out for him playing records on your radio, computer or live p.a. in your area.  Take a second and vote for him in that competition too.  I hesitated to use those banners with the big name advertising, but let’s just think about the ultimate goal here.  CT on top!

1st Of July 2011 Update & Reviews

1st Of July 2011 Update of New and Key Restocked Items
at Redscroll Records
JULY 4th (MONDAY) WE WILL BE CLOSED. Fun blog post coming about that Saturday morning (all queued up).
LPs & 12″s
______________________
Adam & The Ants “The Decca Demos & More (Unofficial)”
Alberich “Psychology Of Love”
Amorphis “The Karelian Isthmus”
Barem “After The Storm”
Bee Mask “Elegy For Beach Friday”
Big D And The Kids Table “For The Damned, The Dumb & The Delirious (+ D/L)”
Birthday Party, The With Lydia Lunch “Welcome To The Car Smash… (Unofficial)”
Boys Next Door “Door, Door “
Boys Next Door “The Lost & Brave Exhibitions Of The Boys Next Door 1977-1979 (Unofficial)”
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. “It’s A Corporate World (Debut Album)”
Exhumed “All Guts No Glory (Ltd. Ed. Colored Vinyl)”
Gay For ohnny Depp “What Doesn’t Kill You, Eventually Kills You (+ D/L)”
Goldberg, Sam “Having Had Forgot”
Jaar, Nicolas “Pepe Bradock & Dave Aju Remixes”
Krauss, Alison & Union Station “Paper Airplane (180 Gram + D/L)”
Kreng “Grimoire”
LA Vampires / Ital “Streetwise”
Lussuria “Ghost Entanglement”
Memory Tapes “Player Piano (+ D/L)”
National, The “Cherry Tree (+ D/L)”
Origin “Entity”
Otis, Shuggie “In Session”
Outer Space “Outer Space”
Panda Bear “S”urfers RMX (TECHNO PIC Single Sided 12″)”
Radiohead “Little By Little” (NOT AVAILABLE UNTIL 7-5-11 – Tuesday)
Ramones “Rocket To Russia (180 Gram)”
Roedelius, Hans-Joachim “Wie Das Wispere Des Windes… Like The Whispering Of The Wind….”
Siouxsie And The Banshees “Songs From The Void (Unofficial)”
Smiths, The “The Old Guard BBC Tapes Volume Two”
Stillbirth “Toward Sailor”
Temporal Marauder “Makes You Feel”
Tombs “Path Of Totality”
Tshetsha Boys “Snidyi”
Various Artists “The Funky 16 Corners “
Vomaseve, Tiyiselani “Votswelani”
Hip-Hop LPs
______________________
Atmosphere “God Loves Ugly (2xLP Reissue)”
Beneficence “Sidewalk Science”
Damu The Fudgemunk “How It Should Sound Volume 1 & 2”
Dr. Dre “The Chronic (Digitally Remastered)”
Heltah Skeltah “D.I.R.T. (Da Incredible Rap Team)”
J Rawls “The Hip-Hop Affect (+ D/L W/ Instrumentals)”
KRS-One & Buckshot “Survival Skills”
Left, The “Gas Mask (2xLP + D/L)”
Pharoahe Monch “W.A.R. (We Are Renegades)(+ D/L)”
Rock, Pete / Smif-N-Wessun “Monumental (SWPR)”
Slum Village “Fan-Tas-Tic Vol. 1 (Jay Dee Production) (+ Bonus 7″)”
Smif N Wessun “The Album”
Electronic 12″s + LPs
______________________
Beltran, John “The Best Of John Beltran: Ambient Selections 1995-2011”
Carte Blanche “White Man On The Moon (+ D/L)”
DOP “After Party”
Justice “Civilization (+ Poster + D/L)”
LV Ft. Josh Idehen “38EP”
Samiyam “Sam Baker’s Album (Ltd. Ed. + D/L)”
Tiger & Woods “Gin Nation”
Wandler “La Petite”
Wolfram (Featuring Haddaway) “A Thing Called Love”
10″s
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Brian Jonestown Massacre “Iluminomi”
7″s
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Against Me “Russian Spies” (Black Vinyl – Still Possibly Getting Blue Ones, But Not Yet)
The Mars Volta “A Plague Upon Your Hissing Corpse (/300)”
Off! “First Four EPs” (Back In!)
Pit Er Pat / Icy Demons
CDs
______________________
Aidan Baker “Still Life”
Bringers Of Disease “Gospel Of Pestilence”
Crone “Endless Midnight”
DJ Shadow “Endtroducing”
John Maus “We Must…”
MZ.412 “Domine…”
MZ.412 “Infernal Affairs”
Serpent Throne “White Summer – Black Winter” (Back In)
Tiger & Woods “Through…”
Cassette Tape
_________________________
Stephen O’Malley “Romeo” (EMEGO017C)
DVD
________________________
Invasion Of Thunderbolt Pagoda (Ira Cohen)
Joy Division: Substance 1978-1988
Slices Issue 2-11 (FREE)
Reviews
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Light Asylum In Tension EP 12″
 (Mexican Summer)
If you haven’t heard by now, there is a full darkwave resurgense happening (and coldwave and minimal wave and blah blah blah wave etc.). I’m not going to pull any punches here. I pretty much enjoy it all on some level. That is my favorable prejudice. Some of it I go back to less and realize it’s a poor copy. Some keeps me coming back for more. I have listened to this Light Asylum EP of four songs about four dozen times in the past two days (perhaps a bit of hyperbole there, perhaps). Shannon Funchess has a voice on par with Andrew Eldritch, Peter Murphy and Dave Gahan (yea, I completely believe all of that). Listen and understand. “Dark Allies” is clearly the stand out track (I’ll post the video for it below) and one of the tracks has the “True Faith” (New Order) beat and all of it keeps me coming back for more. The horse naying samples in the first track are ridiculous in theory, but in practice work real well and do not come off hokey like a Revolting Cocks gimmick (though there is a place for that from time to time). Embrace the darkness (take a fluorescent light-stick).
[Reviewer: Rick]
Ultrabunny Volume Merchants / Unsafe At Any Age LP
 (TPOS Records)
I saw these CT locals open for An Albatross at the Heirloom Arts Theatre back in 2008. They play wild improvisational rock with elements of jazz, psychedelia and noise. This record begins with moody, otherworldly feedback waves, eventually merging into dissonant guitar-and-bass zephyrs that are reminiscent of 1980s experimental rock, such as early Sonic Youth and Boredoms. About midway through the second side, some freaky, cartoonishly high-pitched vocals kick in, breaking down into maniacal chipmunk laughter on “Hot War.” Basically, what I’m trying to say is that this record is really something else. The tracks build from basic elements (traditional drum patterns and guitar/bass chords) to create layers and evolve into a moody, almost post-apocalyptic atmosphere. The mixing and mastering job is impressive as well, considering this album’s content is from six different live performances in Connecticut, New York and New Jersey.
[Reviewer: Mark]
Woods Sun And Shade LP/CD
 (Woodsist Records)
One of the most “summery” albums I’ve ever heard, Brooklyn-based Woods’ Sun And Shade combines catchy, sunshine-tinged folk music with the inventive, nostalgic sound of lo-fi indie rock. I don’t want to sound cheesy, but this album is perfect background music for walking through the sunny and shady parts of the woods. I imagine tracks like the highly uplifting opener “Pushing Onlys” are the audio equivalent of what aging hippies see in their minds; fuzzy, dream-like memories of spending seemingly endless days dancing carefree in nature. However, “sunshine pop” is not a proper term to define this album as a whole, since they explore more subdued feelings as well, such as the intimately morose, acoustic “Wouldn’t Waste.” The analog sound is perfect for the acoustic guitar, drums, and a host of more “experimental” sounds. Plus, the lower fidelity certainly adds warmth without overdoing it. Woods certainly aren’t afraid to experiment; “Out Of The Eye” is backed with a long, shimmering mechanical hum that’s remini scent of krautrock, and “Sol Y Sambra” is the most freestyle sounding, like a nature walk intended for self-reflection.
[Reviewer: Mark]