From Industrial Noise to Serene Ambience: Exploring vidnaObmana’s Early Years Dirk Serries’ acclaimed ambient project underwent some pretty dramatic shifts as evidenced by these early recordings. Sep 19, 2017 Best of Opus Music
Ingmar Bergman vs. The Spirit of Our Age What happens when we make ourselves the highest goal of our own existence? Aug 27, 2017 Best of Opus Miscellany
It’s Time to Adopt a Block-Oriented View of Website Content Management Think of a webpage as a collection of discrete, self-contained blocks of content — and edit it accordingly. Aug 12, 2017 Best of Opus Web Development
Star Trek Has Always Been More Religious Than Its Creators Want or Realize It’s a stretch to say that “religion basically no longer exists” in the Star Trek universe. Jul 31, 2017 Best of Opus TV Nerdery Religion
As a Man, I’m Thankful for an Awesome Female Superhero Movie Or, some random thoughts about Wonder Woman, inclusivity, and how women are objectified in movies. Jul 1, 2017 Best of Opus Movies
Sometimes You Really Can’t Go Home Again The demolition of my childhood home and the impermanence of memory. May 31, 2017 Best of Opus Personal
PWR BTTM’s Disgrace Reminds Us That Separating Artists From Their Art Is Difficult Art can be transcendent — but enjoying it in spite of the artist’s flaws and transgressions can be difficult. May 17, 2017 Best of Opus Music
Finding Mono No Aware in Japanese Films These films typify “the sadness of things.” Apr 5, 2017 Best of Opus Movies
My Favorite Songs of 2016 2016 sucked in many ways. But there was beautiful music to be heard in the midst of the year’s ugliness. Dec 31, 2016 Best of Opus Music
The Perils (and Positives) of Politicizing Pop Culture Pop culture nerdery won’t save the union but it could help us understand each other a little better. Nov 19, 2016 Best of Opus Pop Culture Politics
What might happen in season two of Stranger Things? Also, some more thoughts about why, exactly, the show is so powerful and endearing for me. Jul 27, 2016 Best of Opus TV Nerdery
The Church Needs Music That’s More Than Just “Positive and Encouraging” If the Bible has room for Job, Psalm 88, and Lamentations, then the Church’s music should have room for such content, too. Jun 15, 2016 Best of Opus Music Religion
Youth Group Nostalgia Can Be Bittersweet As I’ve heard more stories from folks my age about their church experiences, I realize how fortunate I was as a kid. Apr 20, 2016 Best of Opus Religion
My Favorite Songs of 2015, Part 5: Honorable Mentions These songs may not have been in my top picks but they still deserve notice in their own right. Jan 5, 2016 Best of Opus Music
My Favorite Songs of 2015, Part 4: Noah, Pure Bathing Culture, RAIJ, The Soft Moon, Sufjan Stevens & U.S. Girls Sleepy trip-hop, atmospheric indie-electronic, religious experimental folk, harrowing post-punk/EBM, mournful folk & experimental electronic rock. Jan 4, 2016 Best of Opus Music
My Favorite Songs of 2015, Part 3: Kendrick Lamar, Lightning Bug, Luxury, Makeup & Vanity Set, mewithoutYou & Native Lights Incendiary hip-hop, soaring shoegaze, aggressive indie-rock, poignant synth-wave, thought-provoking emo & atmospheric rock. Jan 3, 2016 Best of Opus Music
My Favorite Songs of 2015, Part 2: Eons D, Carlos Forster, The Green Kingdom, Grimes, Holly Herndon & In Gowan Ring Soulful hip-hop, lo-fi psychedelia, ambient dub, soaring electronic pop, abstract electronica, and otherworldly neo-folk. Jan 2, 2016 Best of Opus Music
My Favorite Songs of 2015, Part 1: Alphaxone, Blackalicious, CFCF, Rob Clouth, Cold Showers & The Declining Winter Ominous ambience, funky hip-hop, pan-global instrumentals, crushing electronica, elegant post-punk, and forlorn post-rock. Jan 1, 2016 Best of Opus Music
What would happen if a song like L.S.U.’s “G.G.G.” played on the radio? If a song like this played on the radio today, it would result in outrage from multiple points on the cultural spectrum — though for different reasons. Oct 2, 2015 Best of Opus Music
Grace Is a Bowl of Strawberries I can’t imagine food alternatives really stacking up to the simple-yet-sublime pleasures of freshly picked strawberries. Jun 12, 2015 Best of Opus Miscellany