Posts tagged with Swell Maps
November 9, 2009 | New Music |
by Gerry Mak |
Beijing’s thriving music scene has no shortage of good bands, but few are as unabashedly innocent and giddy as Carsick Cars. Inspired by the blazing post-punk of Swell Maps, the aloof experimentalism of 90s shoegaze bands, and occasionally the discordance of Glenn Branca, Carsick Cars are equally influenced by the bands around them — PK-14, Joyside, Gar – singing in Mandarin and transcending the derivative unoriginality that marked the Chinese rock scene just a few years ago. Catch them this month on their US tour with PK-14 and Xiao He.
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Andrew Holder is a hidden secret. With an impressive client list and a fantastic website, there isn’t nearly enough press surrounding the Californian-based artist. Using his amazing eye for both colour and form, he creates dramatic illustrations from basic block shapes. The use of gradients, pattern as texture and offbeat colours create real depth.
Here’s an awesome map generated from Nasa satellite radar measurements of tree density in the United States.
The Deal sisters have dropped off the indie-rock radar of late, but this clip of them covering Hank Williams’ I Can’t Help It reminds us why we all loved them so much back in the day. Incidentally, the Breeders are set to release their new album, Mountain Battles, in April.
These fascinating mosaics of twenty-first century human habitation are proof that planned housing isn’t always dull and distasteful, for the bird’s-eye photographer at least. What may be endless rows of generic streets and blocks at ground level suddenly become giant patchwork quilts from the air, perhaps in a weird way proving that there is more to life than what meets the pedestrian’s eye. Read more
Breakbeat duo, Evil Nine’s new album, They Live!, is one of the standout releases of the year. They Live! is powerful second album after 2005′s, You Can Be Special Too, its gruesome lyrics paying homage to all those misunderstood zombies out there. The duo — Automatom and Pardytron — compiled a Secret Playlist for us, writing about their eight favourite songs right now. Their first selection? Why, Toto’s Africa, of course [listen below]: ‘The epitome of smooth music, words can’t express how much this song rules! When the synths come in and the drums echo in the night, I’[m immediately transported back to my youth. Some people might say this is a guilty pleasure, but I don’t feel no guilt. I just stick it on and bask in their mellow might’. Read the rest of the Evil Nine Secret Playlist.
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The hottest indie act around right now? Perhaps. Fullerton, California’s Cold War Kids not only have the slickest name going, but they have a batch of songs that are so good it’s frightening.
New York-based eco-line Loomstate create the coolest tees made of organic cotton. Each printed t-shirt not only celebrates nature but is stylishly crafted, with contrasting stitching coupled with signature twisted side seams for a sleek fit. My favourite is the Seabra design [pictured below]. And, boys, don’t fret because Loomstate cater for males, too. Read more
WE'RE POSTING / SOME OF THE BEST
Baltimore Mural by Josh Van Horne
My friend Josh Van Horne, a local Baltimore artist, did this amazing mural in our neighborhood that depicts the history of this warehouse-laden area.
Get lost in a daydream or a craving for something sweet while gazing at these cool sculptures by Brooklyn-based WiNK WiNK PONY. Made using clay, tree bark, wood, and mossy moss.
Pitched as ‘Ulterior Motives in Contemporary Art’, Disorder Disorder is running until November 14 at Penrith Regional Gallery. It’ll be well worth the trip out west of Sydney: the Australian, Japanese, American and European cast reads like a warriors of street art roundup and includes Mike Giant, Ed Templeton, Anthony Lister [artwork above], Ozzie Wright, and Jonathan Zawada. Read more
Francoise Nielly’s Yellow series
Parisian visual artist Francoise Nielly brings technicolour to the forefront in her latest series, Yellow. Featuring thick impasto palette knife strokes and trippy neon hues, Nielly captures the vulnerable expressions of her muses to a tee. Read more
Here are a couple awesome pieces by Matt Leines that were recently on display in the Doubting Thomases exhibit at Nudashank gallery in Baltimore. Gives me ideas for Halloween. Read more
Fourth is King make limited edition unisex t-shirts, printed on 50 percent polyester and 50 percent cotton construction, with custom embroidered tag on the left sleeve. Read more
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