Lost AT E Minor

Steven LaRose’s abstract, inky paintings and drawings are a modern interpretation of Japanese textile and scroll art. While not directly representational, except for some repeated flower-like shapes, LaRose’s images are like apparitions, vaguely hinting at more tangible and recognizable forms. Read more

Beijing-based band Hanggai write original songs in the traditional folk styles of their Mongolian ancestors — throat-singing, horsehair fiddles, lutes — spearheading an Asian version of the old-time revival. Though it’s only through the digital age that the rest of the world can access this beautiful music, it makes you want to slow down and reflect on what we’ve lost as a species. This stuff makes every flavor of the month indie band seem vapid and meaningless.

In celebration of an election year, Attus Apparel is offering thirty percent off all of their rad shirts using the promo code “rexforpres” at checkout. In conjunction with the big sale, they are dabbling a little in politics by introducing their own candidate for President, Rex Vanderwoodsen, representing the Strange Party. They have kicked off the campaign with a blog, campaign posters, buttons, stickers, and have all sorts of fun stuff on the way like campaign parties, and videos. Read more

I started reading a very funny book over the weekend by the English writer Toby Young called The Sound Of No Hands Clapping. Brilliant. Never has a title been so apt as Young bumbles his way through the fickle Hollywood movie industry. It’s an excellent study in human nature. And a mighty big whack to to the shallowness of the celluloid world along the way. [illustration by Cecilia Carlstedt]

We have a bunch of new playlists up on our sister site, My Secret Playlist, a music discovery website and weekly email publication in which we invite our favourite bands and musicians to give us the rundown on their eight favourite songs right now. Over the past few weeks, acts such as The B52s, Team Genius, Pivot, Jukebox the Ghost, Moby, Katy Perry, and the Dandy Warhols, among many others, have written about the music that inspires them. To sign-up to receive the weekly My Secret Playlist publication, just enter your email address into the website’s subscription box.

Melbourne’s Alice Euphemia has been a swinging shrine to Australian independent fashion for a decade now, hosting some of our favourites including Romance Was Born and TV amongst countless others. The success continues, with Alice Euphemia having opened a second store in 2007 in the old Craft Victoria building on Gertrude Street in Fitzroy, Melbourne. Read more

This interview with James Lavelle gives a fascinating window into the making of the latest UNKLE opus, End Titles, Stories for Film.