WE'RE SUPPORTING

If I was a fashion photographer instead of an illustrator, I would probably be Maki Kawakita, or at least be like her. Read more

WE'RE TRAVELLING TO

Paintings from Nicholas Aoki’s new solo exhibition, Goodnight; Sweet, Hearts blur two worlds — one of mortals and one of Gods, skeletons and creature spirits. The Toronto-based Aoki uses watercolors and acrylics to create rich landscapes that he layers with the characters in this journey to death. And while the paintings contain a dark subject matter, they also contain flashes of light — a glowing full moon, say, or lamp posts helping guide the way.

WE'RE WEARING

The mesh of fashion and illustration continues unabated, as reflected in the mind-blowing designs that make up the Belle Sauvage label. Read more

WE'RE THINKING

Winnipeg Illustrator Kenneth Lavalee makes some lovely work. His delicate linework, muted colors and twisted tongue in cheek, drama-esque themes (all blood, obesity and creepy little lump people) are certainly worth a good look.

WE'RE READING

DJ Spooky — That Subliminal Kid — is just about the deepest crate digger around, trawling the barrels of long-lost record stores for choice vinyl to spin in his wickedly dubby sets. He gave us the inside word last week on his eight favourite songs right now via our sister website, My Secret Playlist. This is what he had to say about Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry’s Panic in Babylon: ‘If there’s anything that the twenty-first century has told us, it’s that dub is the real original hip-hop. Lee Scratch even had to make it clear in 1965 by adding “Scratch” to his middle name. Take that, Grandmaster Flash!’ Read the rest of DJ Spooky’s Secret Playlist.

Lasse Gjertsen is the future of cut and paste music. He’s just arrived ten years too early and with a really bad haircut.

WE'RE LISTENING TO

Major Stars are another throwback ’70s rock band, playing Sabbath-flavored, guitar-driven psych tunes. But what sets them apart from the horde of Zeppelin-worshipping clones is vocalist Sandra Clarkson, whose voice is clean and feminine, but loud and aggressive — she doesn’t try to affect a Janis Joplin rasp. The band’s music also skews heavily towards the Acid Mothers Temple end of the ’70s revival thing rather than the Wolfmother side, another plus. Nope, rock still isn’t dead.