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WE'RE SUPPORTING

Anyone who has ever been a fan of those old school cut and paste zines, band fliers, and the like, will really dig the work of Brooklyn illustrator, Ted McGrath, who creates the most fabulously rough and raw, spontaneous collages and ink drawings. Be sure to keep an eye out for the latest edition of American Illustration as McGrath has had the honour of creating this year’s cover. Read more

WE'RE TRAVELLING TO

Disregard the buzz that surrounds those other cupcake shops in New York City. Cheeks Bakery in Williamsburg houses the best cupcakes that I’ve eaten. The clean and understated decor extends to the menu, where being fancy doesn’t rule on the cupcake shelves. Cheeks offers, simply, vanilla and chocolate cupcakes with either vanilla or chocolate cream. But if you do want more, Cheeks has that as well, a limited selection of pies and cakes.

WE'RE WEARING

These vegan designer bags from Matt & Nat are made out of anywhere between 15 and 55 recycled plastic bottles. It also uses no leather, which is a big plus given that according to the UN, raising cattle generates more greenhouse gases than all the cars and trucks in the world combined.

WE'RE THINKING

Finnish illustrator Rikka Sormunen’s sultry figures are simply stunning in their ability to convey a powerful sense of mystery and dense ambiance. I simply can’t get enough of them. Read more

WE'RE READING

We got the inside word from Josh Diamond of New York experimental group, Gang Gang Dance, on the music that is moving him right now and he started off by propping the beautiful Ryuichi Sakamoto track, Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence: ‘It’s just an amazing piece of music — serene, austere (in a heavy, beautiful way), emotional, a great mix of electronic sounds, patient, and a wonderful melody, with a quality of yearning for a better place. Every time I listen to this song, it puts me in a trance’. Read the rest of Gang Gang Dance’s Secret Playlist.

The very talented Jess Snow, the first video artist to be featured by Female Persuasion — the original site for provocative and political female artists — has created this ethereal short video for Lost At E Minor. We feel it. We love it. [see also the promo video Lifelongfriendshipsociety created for us]

WE'RE LISTENING TO

I haven’t been this excited by a band in a long time. Florida’s Black Kids have crept under — and now over — the radar through a demo and some serious internet buzz from NME and Pitchfork. Not only are they ridiculously good, they’ve also offered their four-song demo — Wizard of Ahhh’s — for free on their MySpace page. Sweet.