Mark Grondin

Mark Grondin

@spectrum-pulse.ca

Canadian author and critic. On YouTube. Strategist elsewhere. Metamodernist punk. Postmodern audiophile. He/him. If you know you know. Host of Spectrum Pulse. https://www.spectrum-pulse.ca/

1.9K followers152 following21.1K posts

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Mark Grondin
@spectrum-pulse.ca

Yeah, this is a big and possibly niche one. Live early to Patrons and YouTube Members, "Boards of Canada, The Avalanches, and Why Critics Struggle with 'Niche' Genres" - enjoy!

Mark Grondin reposted

The Amityville Jordan (1979)
@jackal27.bsky.social

i try to brighten my friends’ days by sharing good news whenever i see it, but this now being the third time i’ve seen very positive climate news lately, i’m gonna get a lil mean: climate doomerism is misinformation and spreading it, even just in jest, is antithetical to the values you espouse.

Rowan Hooper@rowhoop.bsky.social

Something to cling to and promote the hell out of: leveraging POSITIVE TIPPING POINTS www.theguardian.com/environment/...

theguardian.comClimate solutions most likely to reach ‘positive tipping points’ revealed by scientistsGlobal shift towards clean electricity could trigger ‘cascade’ of progress, helping reduce air pollution, cut waste and revive oceans
Mark Grondin
@spectrum-pulse.ca

In the late 2000s at Catholic school, despite being a multi-year athlete of the year and, with gold honour roll (90%+ average), I got hauled into the VP's office for hanging anarchist symbols and literature in my locker. (ironically it was probably more libertarian than anarchist but still)

LC von Hessen 𓆙 💀@lcvonhessen.bsky.social

So the "advice" doled out in this column makes me INCREDIBLY fucking angry as a former kid who was repeatedly taken to task by teachers for "inappropriate" drawings, culminating in a 9th-grade suspension spurred by Columbine paranoia and residual Satanic Panic. Arionne here says that was JUSTIFIED.

Mark Grondin reposted

256 Pi / The Wonky Angle
@256pi.bsky.social

huh that guy randomly showing up around the 13 minute mark infodumping on the history of IDM sure seems familiar bsky.app/profile/spec...

Mark Grondin@spectrum-pulse.ca

And we're live for everyone, folks: A songwriter showdown... but also a longer discussion of how niche genres are approached, set between Boards of Canada and The Avalanches. This one is a long one, but one of my best scripts in a while - enjoy! youtu.be/SQ3RS8HlFsY

youtu.beSONGWRITER SHOWDOWN: 'Inferno' by Boards of Canada vs. 'No Bad Memories' by The AvalanchesYouTube video by Spectrum Pulse

Mark Grondin reposted

Al Shipley
@alshipley.bsky.social

"Drake is 40" "no, 40 is Drake's producer" "Noah Shebib? he's 43!" "no, he's 40" "well Drake is 40 too" "neither of them is 42!"

Mark Grondin
@spectrum-pulse.ca

Looks like YouTube is now - for some reason - blocking age-restricted videos... despite the fact that I'm CLEARLY an adult who should be able to see this content?? (yes I'm watching my colleague @shadowtodd.bsky.social here to check something, this might just be a glitch but wtf)

Mark Grondin reposted

Nash
@radiodeadair.com

You should give me money instead of other YouTubers like Ethan Klein because I can promise I will never ever ever make knowing who I am an imposition on your day.

Mark Grondin
@spectrum-pulse.ca

Spoiling this here, the next video essay is discussing electronic music and Boards of Canada come up. Got a very relevant collaborator who quite frankly overdelivered to help here too :) Honestly kind of hoping it won't prompt a certain video essay response by a certain someone, but hey...

Mark Grondin@spectrum-pulse.ca

Finally listening to a lot of Boards of Canada... The first three albums that got public release are great in their own very unique ways, but I can't help but think 'The Campfire Headspace' might have the most replay for me?

Mark Grondin
@spectrum-pulse.ca

Nothing I say about this proposed revival will be kind. I'll leave it there.

Pop Base@popbase.tv

🚨 A ‘GLEE’ revival has been officially ordered at Disney+ and Hulu. No cast members are currently announced to return.

Mark Grondin
@spectrum-pulse.ca

Actually, I'll say this: what will be the revival's downfall is every attempt to make memetic moments that the original came to out of the sheer derangement of its creators. I don't see them able to capture the authentic extreme highs and even deeper lows. And it'll never impact the charts again.

Mark Grondin reposted

Kevin M. Kruse
@kevinmkruse.bsky.social

There’s apparently someone named Ethan Klein having a scandal and I keep thinking it’s Ezra Klein and then keep realizing I still don‘t care

Mark Grondin
@spectrum-pulse.ca

I think there's such an overpowering desire for 'get back to an unthinking normal' among your average US Dem, that they don't recognize either the relationships that have been fundamentally broken, or that other people are only voting for harm reduction and not enthusiastically at that.

View full thread
Mark Grondin
@spectrum-pulse.ca

Because Canadians have been making the new calculation the past two years. Suddenly with our neighbour's animosity, we can't afford to not think politically. And I think there's a lot of Democrats in northern states that think if they win, relationships are going back to normal and... uh, nah.

Mark Grondin
@spectrum-pulse.ca

The definition of privilege that's stuck over the years for me is 'the freedom to not think'. If you have privilege, you don't have to engage your brain unless you have empathy. It's why the GOP demonizes and tokenizes empathy. And it's why the 'wanna go back to normal' Dems aren't selling enough.

Mark Grondin
@spectrum-pulse.ca

I think there's such an overpowering desire for 'get back to an unthinking normal' among your average US Dem, that they don't recognize either the relationships that have been fundamentally broken, or that other people are only voting for harm reduction and not enthusiastically at that.

Mark Grondin
@spectrum-pulse.ca

Like, I think @jessiegender.bsky.social is right that it's difficult to place much faith at all in the average "normal" Democrat politician or voter given how quickly they will throw trans people aside. And I'd argue it's largely how the average person doesn't want to think about politics.

Mark Grondin
@spectrum-pulse.ca

For trans people, they don't have the luxury to not care about politics in the United States right now. I assure you, they've thought through this calculus much deeper than your average American who doesn't want to think deeper has. And I won't begrudge them a knowing prophecy? You know why?

Mark Grondin reposted

lauren
@lauren.rotatingsandwiches.com

I don't want to hear any whining about fixing certs from the information security types today. you chose to join the techno-priest caste, now shut up and perform the rites of exorcism

Mark Grondin
@spectrum-pulse.ca

Finally listening to a lot of Boards of Canada... The first three albums that got public release are great in their own very unique ways, but I can't help but think 'The Campfire Headspace' might have the most replay for me?

Mark Grondin
@spectrum-pulse.ca

Zach Bryan's EPs > Zach Bryan's albums. (the exceptions are 'The Great American Bar Scene' and if he ever bothers to make that collab album with Future that will be the most toxic album I'll ever love)

Mark Grondin reposted

Todd in the Shadows
@shadowtodd.bsky.social

Replying to @shadowtodd.bsky.social

bunch of commenters defending celebrities not getting political... those of you who know me know that i'm a very big supporter of celebrities staying quiet, i don't need to know what they think, but there's nothing more obnoxious than celebs getting aggressive over saying nothing

Mark Grondin
@spectrum-pulse.ca

Expanding on this - yes, the view count is nice, but when I've dug into the 'Engaged Views' metrics, it's handily beaten out the majority of what I've put out this year, which is really reassuring. Man, I'm thrilled thirteen years in, I'm seeing a little more traction.

Mark Grondin reposted

Lindsay Ellis
@lindsayellis.bsky.social

Hard agree - if a claimant files a takedown/copyright strike on however many hundreds of channels but NEVER files suit, they get their right to claim revoked. End of. If there's a strike system for us the same should apply for claimants as well.

🌱 Jacen@jacenat.bsky.social

What irks me is that there are no consequences to abusing the system. IMHO the entity not filing a suit admits wrongdoing. This needs to be disincentivized. 8deally they should be banned, increasingly longer subsequentially, from using the system. They can ALWAYS use the legal system directly.

Mark Grondin
@spectrum-pulse.ca

Post-script: I think there's a very good (and true) argument on an increasing split between US pop music and that of the rest of the world, where other sounds are crossing over with broader cultural influence. I genuinely wish the data was easier to aggregate and track.

Mark Grondin
@spectrum-pulse.ca

Live early for Patrons and YouTube Members... Yeah, if you think something has been off with pop music in the mainstream in 2026, you're not alone. This is my attempt to explore why. Over ninety minutes - enjoy!

Mark Grondin
@spectrum-pulse.ca

They're fucking trying to get me back. I'm not saying it's working, but I can appreciate good game when I see it.

Dustin A. Chacón@lingdustin.bsky.social

I've heard people make claims that AI would lead to a new Renaissance, but I didn't imagine it'd happen like this: