WE'RE SUPPORTING

“Black ink warlock” Justin Bartlett has done some of my favorite metal album covers of late, such as the one for Bohemian Grove’s Age of Retrogression and Pentemple’s self-titled record. His outsider-ish style reminds me a bit of the work of Rudimentary Peni frontman, Nick Blinko, but he has much more sophisticated sense of design and layout. Read more

WE'RE TRAVELLING TO

As I sit writing, I can’t shake the feeling that I’m breaking an unwritten code among travellers. How do you write about a destination that’s paradise because no one knows about it? You tell the right people. So before I change my mind, here goes. Take a boat about two hours off the south coast of Cambodia, and you’ll reach a tropical hideaway called Lazy Beach on the Island of Koh Rong Saloem. Run by two English guys who’ve redefined the meaning of chillin’, it’s turquoise waters and white sands are everything you’d expect. From beachfront bungalows with snorkelling right off the beach, to a restaurant that cooks up the local fishermen’s daily catch. This is one deserted island you won’t mind being stranded on.

WE'RE WEARING

Boxfresh is a British streetwear company notable for its emphasis on DIY fashion. Their Boxfresh vs Series, a collection of collaborations ranging from straight fashion into the bicycle arena, has just launched their latest battle — between Boxfresh and Pete Fowler, of Super Furry Animals artwork fame. Read more

WE'RE THINKING

On my best days I feel just like a great white shark. Not all-conquering and indestructible — though I have my moments — but rather that if I ever stop moving, if I take a moment to correct myself in the full glare of the light, I’ll probably sink. Read more

WE'RE READING

The Boston Globe has posted some pretty phenomenal pictures taken from the space shuttle Discovery during its recent mission. It’s almost impossible to imagine that one day views like these could become mundane. Read more

Set in a remote Chinese village in the 1920s during a cholera outbreak and with a revolution bubbling in the background, The Painted Veil is a wonderfully tortured love story which excels on all levels. Based on the W Somerset Maugham novel, it was a labour of love for stars Edward Norton and Naomi Watts, who also produced the film. Read more

WE'RE LISTENING TO

Yat-Kha are a stunning Tuvan band that combines throatsinging and traditional folk music with straight-up rock. Their album ReCovers is an awesome collection of covers of songs by Led Zeppelin, Joy Division, and Motörhead among many others, reflecting their general approach to music on the rest of their impressive catalog. Despite the modern elements, the Moscow-based group still conjures the vast steppes and endless skies of the small Russian republic in southern Siberia.