Think $60 video games are too expensive? You won't hear any argument from us, but you might from JJ Hendricks, a collector who just paid a clinically insane $17,500 for an obscure NES game from 1990. The game in question is an ultra-rare, gold-coloured version of Nintendo World Championships, a cartridge specially produced for use in a Nintendo-sponsored gaming contest. According to Wikipedia only 26 were created, and Hendricks calls it the "Holy Grail" of video game collectors. The game itself has a time limit of just 6 minutes and 21 seconds and consists of three short segments from other NES games: Super Mario Bros., Tetris, and Rad Racer. Players are scored according to their performance in each game, and their scores are totalled once the time limit expires. Doesn't sound too riveting to us, but then somehow we doubt Hendricks is in it for the game play. And while $17,500 might seem a bit much for a collection of ones and zeroes, Hendricks actually got a bargain: the game was originally listed on eBay for a cool $25,000
The story behind the release of Zee Avi's self-titled debut album is very much a 21st century tale. The Borneo-born, Kuala Lumpur-raised singer/songwriter began posting songs on YouTube at a friend's behest. Soon after she began to accumulate a fan base, eventually including the head of Monotone Records, who, in tandem with the people at Jack Johnson's Brushfire Records, signed her to a deal. The resulting record keeps very much in tune with the Brushfire aesthetic, with a warm and cozy sound, intimate vocals, and a general feeling of calm. While her songwriting is strong and she dishes out many fine melodies and perfectly fine lyrics, the real draw is Avi's vocals. Breathy, quiet, and sweet as spring, yet never wandering into cutesy territory, she hooks the listener in right away and never lets go. Songs like "Honey Bee," "Monte," and "First of the Gang to Die" are probably the most beguiling on the album, as they feature only Avi with guitar backing her vocals, but the instrumentation on the remainder never gets in the way (as you might expect from a Brushfire release). It's a very promising debut by an artist who already seems in total control of her gift; the trick now is to maintain the momentum and keep making records this good.
HP Space is a pan-Asian reality television series that celebrates the spirit of creative innovation and encourages aspiring talents to discover their potential. The show provides a community that creates a unique space and environment in which young, creative hopefuls can express their talents during eight, one-hour episodes.
