Valerie

Cherrycoke “Acoustique” – simple & timeless acoustic guitar album

Melancholic music with sweeping guitars that induce a melodic reverie. Apart from a Myspace site and a Jamendo page as well as the fact that he's from France, there is hardly any information on Cherrycoke and his music. Acoustique creates dreamy and melancholic bliss that engages every acoustic lover out there. Music like this can be described as transcending the language barrier. Its simplicity is actually its beauty and its appeal. By not having any complex guitar work and essentially just "sticking to the basics," Cherrycoke creates appealing music that works.

Panda 3D – free game engine rendering program

A full 3D open source game engine that you can toy around with. If you have been dying to try out your game rendering skill but don't want to spend tons of cash getting commercial software for it, then Panda 3D could help you in that department. Panda 3D is a free open source game engine that can help you with all your basic game rendering needs. The software was originally run and developed by Walt Disney VR Studio while additional developments were put in by Carnegie Mellon University for the open source version. Panda 3D works great in cutting back cost and fulfilling game projects at a relatively faster pace.

No Face by Redmind – metal mayhem from France

Unique French rock metal filled with thrashy guitars and loud vocals. Despite the lack of information on this band online, there is an abundance of rock and roll in Redmind. No Face is filled with 6 tracks that embody what this band is about. Their music is a mixture of rock neometal with speedy guitar licks, growling vocals and heavy drums to match. Redmind's No Face might sound typical and the band might not break any boundaries with their music, but they do manage to pull through and create a solid sounding demo.

The Black Atlantic – Reverence for Fallen Trees

Surreal acoustic folk pop that reminds you of being completely lost in the woods yet feeling happy. Groningen based group The Black Atlantic has finally released a full length album in follow up to their Send This Home EP. Released back in August 2009, Reverence for Fallen Trees has been receiving praises and great reviews left and right. Recorded and created in a log cabin somewhere in the Adirondack mountains, the album is a dreamy, fragile and sweet acoustic folk pop that makes sweeps you from your feet. All 10 tracks are crafted to embody harmonious vocals, sweet strumming and makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside. Perhaps one of the most intriguing bands of the recent months, The Black Atlantic has certainly released an instant favorite with Reverence for Fallen Trees. The album title is a metaphor for "honor the dead" which was used in reference to the van der Velde's grandfolks who passed away in the year before the release of this album.

Stellarium – free planetarium for your computer

Have a penchant for staring out into the night sky? Always giddy at the thought of going to planetariums and getting awed at just how vast the universe really is? If you said, yes, to both questions, then you would enjoy Stellarium. Stellarium is a free planetarium for your very own computer. It can give you a great picture of the vast universe by giving you access to 600,000 stars, the constellations of 10 different cultures and more. You can enjoy astronomer level access right at your very own computer. Stellarium is perfect for kids and adults alike who have a fascination for the stars and planets surrounding us.

Pulse by Elle Lefant – Indiefolk Pop with Wicked Vocals

Catchy indie folk pop with solid vocals. With the artsy name, you can almost swear that this band hails from New York and no other place. Well, they are from New York, but that's Poughkeepsie NOT Brooklyn. This mini album from Elle Lefant is a gem and showcases how this band needs to be taken seriously even if they don't really take themselves too seriously. Pulse has four tracks that are catchy and builds great melodies with powerful vocals. A concoction of strings, synth beats, and various knick knacks makes this EP worth a listen.

BZ Flag – fun 3D battle tank game

Battle City game? Why not try this game out instead. BZ Flag is a fun 3d tank battle game which lets players go against each other in a network. Essentially, the rules are simple. You get 5 teams, red, blue, green, purple and black (rouge tanks). You score a win if you blow up the tank of the other team while you score a loss if you hit your own team member. Simple, right? Despite the simplistic gameplay, BZ Flag is surprisingly an addictive and entertaining game. It's a great way to beat the stress of if you're simply hanging out with a few buddies and have nothing better to do.

The Walt – Something We Did Not Have

Solid indie pop rock band that incorporates shouty vocals with dancy rhythm. The Walt is the product of former band We vs. Death, Kismet and Dawn of Awakening. Something we did not have is their latest EP and a mixture of loud indie punk rock sound that gets anybody up and about. Something we did not have is the quartet's first EP after playing for 4 years together. Recorded under indie label, Beep! Beep! Back Up The Truck, all 5 tracks are available for free download under a creative commons license. If you are into plenty of head bobbing and loud indie/punk rock, take a listen and enjoy.

Samandal Comics Magazine – taking comics to a whole new level

Samandal is a Lebanese, French and English comics slash magazine that caters to a variety of styles, themes and interests. It is also available in all three languages. Samandal magazine is released quarterly and the group that puts together the comics accepts contributions from almost artists and writers almost anywhere in the world. Moreover, the publication contains a creative commons license. Samandal Comics "aims to lift the stature of comics to that of mature art form capable of tackling more than superheroes and their baffling hairdos."