The Alex Chess of AM Eyewear from Australia. Gimme gimme! I should just fork over the $250 AUS, shouldn’t I? Another option is mebbe the X-ray vision sunglasses from Karen Walker. *sigh* I really have turned to the dark side - I used to be so against shades.
While I’d still like to hear new material from “The Avalanches,” I’m just as easily contented/excited by ex-members James de la Cruz’s DJ mixes and Dexter’s audacious new GRRILLA STEP project. I never thought anything good would ever come from the clown dancing Krump scene, but take a look at these vids:
It just looks like so much fun. There’s more on MySpace.
I’ve written a first post on my company’s blog. It’s a step forward for us (the blog, not my post hehe).
My first* DJ gig went well I’m happy to say. I lost sleep over it, and it turned out alright. So, I guess I don’t feel bad for claiming to want to be a DJ now.
*sort of
Tune of the night was Crookers’ Love to Edit. It’s like 7-8 months stale, but I’m pretty sure nobody knew just judging on reaction. (And I’d never heard it played out, so it sounded fresh even though I’ve heard it 1000x on downloaded mixsets). I really did want to bang out some of the more minimal/techno tracks I’ve been into recently, but the system wouldn’t have done them any favors and they prolly would have cleared everyone out, unfortunately. Regardless, I had a good time, my friends had a good time and there was only one person complaining they wanted to hear Biggie.
I saved my tracklist. Obviously, I bit off of my favorite DJs - wasn’t trying to re-invent the wheel or anything - so a big “Thank You” to them. (I was going to hate on myself for playing all hits, but it was my first time - what was I going to do? play filler for posterity’s sake? Na, it’s just a party for my friend’s birthday). Pictures are here.
Update: My buddy Luis and I are doing lists for the first half of 2008 since we agreed our memories suck for our end of year lists. Watch this space.
This Friday is my friend Katherine’s birthday party at Loreley in the LES. She’s turning twenty-five, or a quarter of a century - same age as me, actually. There will be a special DJ playing - one of my favorites, and I’m giddy with anticipation. It’s a secret, but let’s just say he’s someone I’ve wanted to be since I was 18 or so.
Wait for the ending (it makes up for the beginning). Out May 19th.
Hatcham Social - Guardian Weekly Podcast Interview (4/24/08) (extracted)
Well, I’ve taken a serious interest in them.
“Til The Dawn” directed by Nicola Probert
Staying in all the time leads to depression. I’ve been almost masochistic in my self-imposed jailing, especially given the recent change in weather. I re-watched episodes of Twin Peaks and Strangers with Candy, and indulged in the occasional SC VOD, though. This week, I discovered Billa’s flickr account (he’s the photographer for SuperSuper magazine) and ended up sinking hours into middle-click-photo, middle-click All Sizes, right-click-v-left-click-ing through his 19k+ photos of East London club characters.
On tonight’s party: It’s nice to feel at home when you go out, to know you’re going to enjoy yourself, to hope for the time of your life and come away satisfied. It was a small slice of fulfillment - til the next one.
KZR - Decay (from KZR’s Floating E.P.)
Chic - I Want Your Love (Todd Terje Edit) (pre party listening)
Alexander Robotnick - Problemes D’Amour (Dub) (A song I never thought I would hear in a club until I did tonight)
This summer’s going to be EPIC.
“It is happening.” — The Giant
Matt Walsh, Thomas Von Party and D.I.M. all in one night at Studio B, May 9th. Please tell me how much you hate going there (I might agree). And then tell me how much you hate dancing to great music.
This just in: Looks like it’s just gonna be a German-Canadian-British lineup. Proxy is no longer on the bill - prolly so he can work on his album. Which is really fine with meeeeeee.
Really funny Turbo press releases
The Proxy - Dance In The Dark
Out May 5th. (Sorry, it sounds like popcorn in a microwave oven at this quality, but you get the point).
Matt Walsh MySpace (check for mixes - his APR mix is my current fav).
Lo and behold, there may be a silver lining in it all. But will it happen?
I’m not really ashamed to say I only attended 1 of the 4 parties previously posted here this year. (There were more, but I deleted them) . In short, I’ve missed too many - part of it was my inane new year’s resolution, part of it was the cold weather -> being sick.
After scouring MySpace and Yelp (for parties and hair stylists, respectively), I decided on THE REAL WORLD, and an aggressive, ’80s bowl cut from Mousey Brown Salon (which I don’t recommend at all). The afterparty (location TBA) will be DJ’d by Princess Julia (The P.i.X zine) and The Lovely Jonjo (Durrr). The occasion? My 25th birthday.
(Julian and Sophie)
Fashion UK or fuk.co.uk’s played an important role in my life. I was a sorry, depressed teenager, living in cultureless suburbia, and I really ate up everything I could find through magazines at Tower and sites on the internet, including news items and LFW coverage on fuk.co.uk.
This is really just an ode to them and 2 of my favorite designers over the years who have consistently created in a style that seems to me a complete bubble. I think Basso and Brooke’s Autumn/Winter 05 collection was the one that hit me the hardest.
I would include Julian and Sophie (nothingnothing), but they broke up a while back…not exactly sure what they’re up to now. I do know Julian’s done some really genius MySpace bulletins lately haha, if that could ever be an artform.
Basso and Brooke
Antonio Ciutto
JULIANAND’s MySpace
BLOW PR
fuk.co.uk
SUPERSUPER
I bought a pair of his black and white bunny shoe/boots at the end of last year. Admittedly, they’re kind of an eyesore at first - not in the neon blow-your-head-up sense - just a little more visual stimulation than you’d expect from canvas that covers your feet. But the best part is they have a really cute design. And that’s what I like about Peter’s clothing. It’s just cute.
More info on the TRÈS BIEN SHOP blog.
Just came across this even though I guess it’s been up for almost 2 years. Anyways, I converted it to mp3 and cut it up, so it’s just his mix and the post-mix interview.
Tracklist:
1. j-zone - pimp palace magic [zone]
2. j-zone - hit n run [zone]
3. nerd - thrasher [virgin/emi]
4. toto - rosanna [cbs/sony bmg]
5. mulatu astatke - emnete [soundway/creative vibes]
6. prince - i wanna be your lover [paisley park/warner]
7. prince - raspberry beret [paisley park/warner]
8. little dragon feat yukimi nagano - test [off the wall 7"]
9. some grime track
10. josh rouse - come back [rykodisc/warner]
Interview
In other Avalanches news, they keep saying they’re almost finished with the 2nd album. I just got bored and reversed their latest Relaxation mixtape.
James de la Cruz on Stylin (straightup.com.au)
The Avalanches’ Yoga Mind Meld Zombie Relaxation Tape (normal)
Relaxation (backwards)
The Swampmaster has additional info.
I saw Norman Jay play in SF (when I was still in college and rather friendless), and he rinsed the most raw and unknown funk I’d ever heard with disco. And all these kids my age were going nuts on the dancefloor. (Can’t vouch for the Cielo crowd this time, but I’m sure he’ll pull out the jams for MLK Day).
Good Times [mp3] Check the second segue!
Dexplicit is the guy who did the Lethal Bizzle track “Pow” [mp3], which if you’re into your grime supposedly got banned from clubs for its ability to induce gang violence. Insanely fun “speed garage” or “bassline house” or “niche” on his MySpace. Looking forward to hearing him on the Love soundsystem. $10 reduced list.
Band from Oxford. Very post-punk. Very art-rock. Can-not argue with the venue - still my favorite. $13 advance tix.
vs.
Robot Mixage
The Avalanches - Some People, Brains Teazer, Beneath The Surface (23.11.04)
Fred Deakin - Triptych
Justice - Essential Mix 6/10/07
I-F - Le Mouv, Paris 6/10/00
Skull Juice - Live at Trash, Serious Fun
We’re Not Cool! - Bugged Out! Competition Mix
Bugged In - Erol Alkan (OLD)
Rory Phillips - Live at Our Disco 2/22/07
DURRR Podcasts - Rory, The Lovely Jonjo, Rory, Rory, Matt Walsh
Luis Morales - Mad Muggy Mix
Sheila B - Jazzman Radio
Long Players
MIA - Kala
Late of the Pier - Zarcorp demo
Amy Winehouse - Back To Black
Printed Matter
Dummy
Oyster
Wax Poetics
Preen
Sweet Jesus! I’m Blind! I’m Blind!
Klazart
Twin Peaks
Strangers with Candy
We Fuck Alone
Valerie and Her Week of Wonders
A Night At The Opera
1. Joe Claussell @ Dope Jams 11/3
2. Amy Winehouse @ Joe’s Pub 1/16
3. DURRR @ The End 12/29
4. Kiiiiiii! @ Cake Shop 4/4
5. Justice (DJ Set) @ Studio B 10/20
6. Koop @ Hiro Ballroom 11/2
7. Rich Medina @ APT 11/21
8. Zoo Years Eve @ Catch 12/31
9. James Murphy @ 205 Club 12/3
Shop
Tokio 7
Levi’s
TRÈS BIEN
4 misguided azns tainting the otherwise uniformly Victorian-garbed art-rock crowd. Girls with bobs, guys with white, ruffled shirts. Special guest was Hatcham Social. Unfortunately missed Ipso Facto due to our taking 3 trains in the wrong direction and getting lost in Shoreditch. And how could I not mention The P.I.X’s lovely selection of oldies. The countdown to midnight was unnoticeably nonexistent.
Arrived late and missed half of them, but still caught the tail end of Rory’s set and saw Dan Deacon, Erol and Skull Juice lay the club in ruins. How good was it to hear The Proxy’s “Dance In The Dark” (dished out by Skull Juice) and Rory’s dub of The Teenagers’ Starlett Johanssan (played by Erol) on The End’s system. Nothing like affirmation of a whole year’s pining/wishing/downloading podcasts/wishing/chart mining.
I wish I’d grown up in NYC.
This compilation makes me laugh. Firstly, it’s not “trip hop” at all. It’s more booty/miami/90s dance than anything else. 2nd, it’s one of the few CDs from my childhood that I can look back fondly on. I had to reorder it last week because I threw the original disc away <shrug> - it was a present from my mom for Christmas over 10 years ago. I must have been a Freshmen in HS. I remember listening to it over and over in my Aunt’s bathroom and then again on the couch when everyone had gone to sleep.
The songs are saturated with cheese synths, stoopid samples and trashy diva vocals. Definitely a guilty pleasure.
Yay! Rory Phillips is coming back to play NYC! Hopefully it will be better attended than last time, but who knows. I’m dying to hear more Sonic Youth with Solex and indie-house bleepage mixed with post punk shakers - Shack Up! (Secretly, if it’s not any good I’ll know that the reign of Trash and Durrr is truly over. I’m kidding of course)…(Man, I am super in need of a night of dancing. It just needs to be dark enough, late enough, twisted and bangin’. It just takes the right intro…and I’m there).
Mercibeaucoup, continues to pump out daft designs for the A-Net Web Store. It’s deconstructed fashion at its best and most creative - of course, because of its sense of humor. The pics below will make you cringe with delight. You’ll laugh and swoon at the same time for the silly concepts, the clever sea-creature silhouettes - maybe it’s only because I grew up in the US but Mercibeaucoup, et al. DESTROY western fashion.
Christian Lacroix - Espirit De La Saison 2007 FW
Because it’s amazing everytime.
Just picked up the “new” issue. I’ve wanted to hate this magazine/”book” for the past few months because it changed its look and gained a little popularity - sort of became “World Hipster” instead of “World Fashion.” I started reading Jalouse, exploring online magazines and getting all uppity with my “do your own research” skills, following webpage links and “discovering” designers without the aid of a high gloss periodical. But alas, every edition of Oyster shows me who’s boss, and I’ve yet to flip through one and come away uninspired. Unbelievable. Big up the editors, directors, photographers, stylists, writers, designers, contributors of Oyster.
Photo-only fashion websites never really do Christian Lacroix’s shows justice because they only post one photo per outfit, which is incredibly misleading. Most of his pieces are multi-layered and the real beauty is revealed in the peeling of the outer clothing. This season the Czech-goth inspired coif, flat hat and wintry spells of satin and lace define the theme for the collection, shadowing his usually blinding color palette with black on black.
Wow. You might want to mute this video.
Her prints are - OOMPH - tasty. And surprisingly her dresses are affordable.
The 3-CD mix costs around $30 but the packaging is gorgeous and features 14 pages of liner notes detailing each of Deakin’s idiosyncratic selections. Fred Deakin and Lemon Jelly mixes are readily available on Soulseek with tracklistings.
His clothing has the fun/craziness factor but errs on the DIY side. The photoshoot for this collection is genius, though. And here is a video interview (subtitles, but no sound?) and a more informative text interview.
Ever since his Scarfun heels, I’ve been a fan. Not sure about the plastic bits at the end, but it’s all about the gardening hats and gloves. The poncho/jackets that appear to hang on the front add a pinch of silliness and the prints are ace as well.
The finest in Italo-house and lighthearted, Blade Runner-esque electro. (I also got my first speeding ticket while pretending I was in a race car video game and blasting the first mix).
Kiiiiiii is more about performance art than music. In a good way.
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