Dude, we ARE the cosmos!

Awesome matte paintings -check; Sweet 80s clothing -check; Pompous Vangelis synth score -check. I happened across Carl Sagan's Cosmos a few days ago and have been enjoying it thoroughly. Sagan adeptly draws upon a variety of diverse historical, scientific and philosophical sources and weaves them together into an easily digestible whole, exploring the cosmos and our place within it. Mildly tacky, deeply inspiring.

THESE ARE LINKS - Autotune

•  Lil Wayne records with Auto-Tune on – no untreated vocal version exists. In an era of powerful computers that allow one to audition all manner of effects on vocals after the recording session, recording direct with Auto-Tune means full commitment. There is no longer an original ‘naked’ version. This is a cyborg embrace.    (Frieze Magazine)
• Death of Autotune vs 99 Problems(Wallpaper Remix)    (RCRDLBL.com)
• We Are All Connected feat. Carl sagan    (YouTube)

The first is an article, an intelligent take on an interesting new musical technique, and I'd reccomend anyone who reacts badly to the idea of autotune has a read of it.  It's partly a defense against the idea that autotune is a sign of a lack of skill - a patching tool used by those without talent enough to sing proficiently - and partly a celebration of the musical progression through misuse of technology.
The other two links are tracks using autotune, one of which is a happy two fingered salute to one of the laziest rappers in the business, the other a heart felt song of togetherness, using the words of Carl Sagan and friends.

And for those who have one, there's an autotune iPhone app...