issue 21 spring fashion $5.00 cdn $7.90 US
Tasha
Photography Fiona Garden
www.fasterbymarkfast.net
CONTENTS new news 14 Letting it all hang out
Music 18 Uffie knows best? 20 Tanlines look good in black and white 22 LCMDF is a drug against bored
art 24 Daniel Egnéus wants to draw you like an animal
Feature 28 Until Sundance 84 Bande à part
Fashion 36 Portrait of a lady 46 Philosophy in the boudoir 58 Boys will be boys 72 Here comes our man
Review 94 Lessons in monogamy from Hot Chip, a mix tape from Midnight Juggernauts 96 Hitting the buffet with Rob Pruitt, pulling art students with Jeff Wall
Cut out 98 Cover Girl
Cover photography benny horne model tasha tilberg bloomers (worn as collar) marc jacobs collection amethyst ring christine j. brandt wooden earrings model’s own custom wedding bands stephen webster
masthead Preface While poring over the pages of this issue before printing, I was struck by yet another reason I love magazines: their pace. Forgive me for sounding a tad old-fashioned, but sometimes the internet drives me fucking nuts. Don’t get me wrong – I understand the merits of instant gratification. Not to mention the lightning speed at which ideas travel and the astonishing reach they have, all thanks to Al Gore (wink). But I have a hard time truly enjoying things like fashion and art by repeatedly clicking the Safari tabs on my MacBook Pro. Of course, there are amazing examples of visual aesthetics online. But there’s something so viscerally pleasing about a perfectly-composed, glossy photo of a well-styled model – on paper – that drives me to my local newsstand to drop money on imported titles. Holding them, the photos seem more real, more permanent, than a jpeg on the internet (even if I do drag it to my desktop and make it my screensaver). In magazine-form, images and ideas actually exist – in my room, on my coffee table, in my hands – and I’m free to visit them as often as I like. Maybe it’s a power thing. With that in mind, we invite you to take in a collection of work by countless talented creators – artists, writers, musicians, makeup artists, stylists, photographers, actors, designers, models – that takes more than a fleeting moment to digest. Like our “Madame X” story with model Tasha Tilberg, inspired loosely by the John Singer Sargent painting; the raw and titillating boys’ shoot by Kevin Amato; Scott Sternberg’s playful mockery of clichés with Band of Outsiders; and the watercolour, ink, and photo collages of artist Daniel Egnéus, whose own work gives staying power to the images from his dreams. That’s what creation is about: taking something inspired, something ephemeral, and making it concrete. And as you flip through these pages, reading the words and absorbing the images, you play a part in taking these ideas, designs, and dreams, and making them last. We hope you agree it’s powerful stuff.
Susan Locht, Editor In Chief
Editor In Chief Susan Locht Creative Director Kris Blizzard
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Associate Editor Jennifer Croll Style Editor James Worthington DeMolet Assistant editor Carmen Lam Designer Eric Roddy Editorial Interns Keisha Green Isabel Urbina
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Contributors Kevin Amato, Kenshin Asano, Amanda Ash, Paula Ayer, Carl Ayer, Sarah Berman, Geneva Bokowski, Megan Brand, Louis Christopher, G. Joel Chury, Nicole Cama, Carolina Dali-Tesch, Lauren Deleo, Daniel Egnéus, Steven Evans, Kristin Gallegos, Ali Gitlow, Zia Hirji, Benny Horne, Stevie Huynh, ioulex, Lara Kordic, Stephanie MacDonald, Lucy Madison, Enrico Mariotti, Raymond McLaren, Midnight Juggernauts, Alison Munn, Jamie Onderdonk, Ysa Perez, Kris Pethtel, Ryan Pfluger, Michael Schwartz, CJ Swanton, Samantha Trinh, Karl Vilhjálmsson Editorial Inquiries Story ideas and letters to the editor should be directed to editor@theblockmagazine.com. Please note that, due to the volume of submissions, we may not be able to reply to all inquiries. The publishers are not responsible for manuscripts, photographs or other unsolicited materials.
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NEW NEWS Words Jennifer Croll
Essential Art House If you didn’t take Film Studies in university you missed out on an easy A and, more importantly, the chance to flirt with guys who, in low light, could maybe pass for Wes Anderson. Kiss the Dean’s List goodbye, but you can still pick up some adorable nerds at the coffee shop with a little education courtesy of the Criterion Collection. The latest edition of their Essential Art House series, Volume 5, features Federico Fellini’s masterpiece 8½, François Truffaut’s provocative Jules and Jim, and Miloš Forman’s Czech New Wave classic Loves of a Blonde, among others. Namedrop these like crazy and you’ll be some budding auteur’s muse in no time flat. www.criterion.com
Shelter Serra If you can’t figure out whether to spend your bonus on new boobs or a new handbag, you’re in luck. Artist Shelter Serra brings you the best of both worlds with this silicone Hermès Birkin. The 16” x 5” x 15” plastic mold sure looks real, though we imagine it feels a little stiff. No word on whether it’ll help you jump the line at nightclubs. www.shelterserra.com
Robert Geller
Opening Ceremony If the florescent lights of Duane Reade make you withdraw in horror, why not try Opening Ceremony? Their brand new location underneath the Ace Hotel in New York will sell you toothpaste, condoms, and snacks in a civilized environment. Bonus: the shop also stocks custom robes and pajamas from the likes of Proenza Schouler, Comme des Garçons, Band of Outsiders, and Alexander Wang, so you might as well not pack those old grey sweatpants. And if you find yourself a little bored, the shop also stocks edgy alternatives to the usual drugstore magazines and DVDs: rather than US Weekly and The Nutty Professor, you’ll find McSweeney’s and Criterion Collection. www.openingceremony.us
14 news
The first person we think of when we look at Robert Geller’s S/S10 collection? Prince. Geller’s New York-based label boldly mixes shades and patterns that most people dare not, and redefines purple as a neutral shade. These looks are for attention-seekers: think The Joker as modern dandy, a court jester dressed in haute couture, or, yes, The Artist in his heyday. This is what it looks like when doves cry. www.robertgeller-ny.com
Michael Kors Our boyfriend thinks he’s tough when he puts on his steel-toed boots. But we could totally kick his ass in our Michael Kors. These killer peep-toe booties going by the name Bottillons Noirs Nora don’t mess around. Four inches of stiletto, black leather, and gleaming studs are enough to strike fear into the heart of anyone in our path – and they look damn good with a pair of skinny jeans. www.michaelkors.com
SoPopular
Thierry Lasry Why bother with rose-coloured glasses when you can have the whole rainbow? These eye-popping shades from Thierry Lasry combine playful retro aesthetics with sleek functionality, perhaps due to the young designer’s pedigree as the son of a designer and an optician. And we can’t imagine a better accompaniment to a sunny day (or denim jeans). www.thierrylasry.com
There comes a time in every young man’s life when he must take the baggy jeans he’s owned since Grade 10, neatly fold them, and relinquish them to the Salvation Army. And then go shopping. That’s pretty much the philosophy behind German line SoPopular. SoPopular was founded by three young designers who wanted to translate their love of streetwear into something a little more sophisticated. And it shows in the Berlin-based label’s crisp tailoring, preppy silhouettes, and penchant for using moody young models with high cheekbones. www.sopopular.net
Pierre Hardy We love ice cream, and we love sneakers too. So of course we adore these Pierre Hardy hi-top sneakers in sweet creamy shades that make us dream of summer days. Bonus: these leather beauties won’t melt in the heat, which is more than what we can say for that Neapolitan triple-scoop. www.pierrehardy.com
Reborn What do you do when you’re an ex-model, exDJ, ex-J. Lindberg designer? Well, we’re pretty sure starting your own clothing brand is a better choice than becoming a drug dealer, and lucky for us, David Lindwall chose the virtuous path. His brand, Reborn, features screen-printed tees, the latest line of which resemble the album covers of 80s bands like Sisters of Mercy and Joy Division. Coincidentally, Lindwall also does album covers for a band named “Blonde Acid Cult” and makes custom-order leather whips, so we’re willing to bet he was bored stiff in his former position designing polo shirts and khakis. www.davidlindwall.com
Alexander Wang Who needs pants anyway? Clearly not Alexander Wang. His S/S10 line for women, T, is just that: a series of loose-fitting, semi-sheer lightweight tees (okay, scattered in the mix are also a few dresses, a romper, and a lonely pair of sweatpants). We love the casual tailoring and the flattering fits. And best of all, these beauties look good between the sheets or on the streets, so all we need to worry about is what to wear underneath. www.alexanderwang.com news 15
new news
The Gentlewoman
You’d probably never guess this, but we didn’t go to finishing school. Never fear, we plan to redeem ourselves by carefully studying the pages of The Gentlewoman. The brand new women’s fashion biannual is a spinoff of the much-respected and well-dressed Fantastic Man (whose publishers, Gert Jonkers and Jop van Bennekom, also produce gay mag Butt). Boasting Man’s highbrow aesthetics and sartorial prowess tailored to the fairer sex, the first issue features Céline’s Creative Director Phoebe Philo on the cover, as well as in-depth features with a number of creative ladies, including architect Kazuyo Sejima of SANAA and artist Jenny Holzer. www.thegentlewoman.com
Aurel Schmidt We always saw the Minotaur as an antisocial recluse, but Aurel Schmidt knows what he really is: a true party animal. Schmidt’s latest piece of creepily beautiful art, Master of the Universe/FlexMaster 3000, renders the man-bull through coloured pencil, acrylic, beer, and dirt, dressing him up with some rather dapper shoes, a sixback of Bud, a shitload of half-smoked cigarettes, and a handful of Magnum XLs. So where’s the party at, Minotaur? Turns out it’s at the Whitney Biennial, where this piece will be showing until May 30. www.whitney.org/Exhibitions/2010Biennial
Covet There are some risks attached to wearing this sexy orange cotton silk shirt-dress from Covet. First and foremost: attracting an unreasonably large number of admirers. Second: acquiring a unique back tan. A bit of sunscreen and a few slaps on the wrist should deal with both. www.covetthis.com
Dr. Martens Dr. Martens, the British working class footwear brand that was adopted as a fashion statement by a string of rebellious subcultures (punk, new wave, and grunge, just to name a few) has turned 50. But unlike some other countercultural figures (we won’t name names, Johnny Rotten), Doc is still looking pretty edgy. To celebrate, the brand is re-releasing a bunch of classic designs. And to further relive five decades of boot-stomping, they’ve commissioned a few musicians to cover classic songs by bands known for sporting Docs, and signed up some big-name directors to create music videos for each. We can’t wait to see what Anthony Burrill does with Buraka Som Sistema’s cover of Buffalo Stance, or what Ace Norton comes up with for Dam Funk’s reup of The Things That Dreams Are Made Of. www.drmartens.com 16 news
Deste Fashion Dakis Joannou has a big rep as one of Europe’s premier collectors of contemporary art. So when Joannou asked fashion photographer Juergen Teller to create a “Fashion Capsule” to add to his Deste Foundation collection, Teller did the smart thing and said yes. The resulting series of works, documenting the “five movements” the photographer thought important to fashion in 2008, manages both the polish and provocation that Teller’s known for. With any luck, Joannou will lend Deste Fashion to an art gallery someday. Till then, we can find it on our coffee table in this gorgeous book from Steidl. www.steidlville.com
Catwalk Countdown Attending Fashion Week is fun, but for young, upcoming designers, it’s both a make-it-or-break-it test of sartorial mettle and the chance to prove to the world that they’ve truly arrived. In their “Catwalk Countdown” series, The Sundance Channel lets us experience the nerves and excitement of fashion’s biggest event through the eyes of rising stars like Erin Featherston, Vena Cava, and Shipley & Halmos. It’s kind of like watching Project Runway, except with designers who actually matter. www.sundancechannel.com
Trussardi 1911 If you’re a fan of French concept store Colette, you probably already know about Trussardi 1911, the garments and accessories line from the store’s cofounder Milan Vukmirovic. This clutch from the Italian-made brand may feature trippy embroidery and a leather fringe, but nobody will call you a dirty hippie if you pair it with some killer heels. www.trussardi1911.com
VPL Victoria Bartlett’s line known for turning underwear to outerwear classes it up for Spring 2010 and quite literally delivers what its name promises: visible panty lines. The new collection, inspired by anatomy, also delivers a lot of sheer flowing fabrics, sporty accents, criss-cross straps, leather sandals, big beaded necklaces, and slim leggings – no room for Spanx here, thank you very much. www.vplnyc.com
Jennifer Behr There’s nothing Minnie Mouse about this headpiece from New York-based accessories designer Jennifer Behr. A sleek patent leather bow dotted with tiny metal spikes, it’s equal parts schoolgirl and punk rock, the perfect accessory for any good girl trying to go bad. www.jenniferbehr.com
Holygrapie If you genuinely wish you could smell fresh as a baby’s bottom, Jun Takahashi’s perfume collaboration with Comme des Garçons will be right up your alley. Inspired by Takahashi’s child, Grapie, this scent comes in a really pretty bottle and it smells very, very nice – in fact, according to the press materials we read, it’s a divine mixture of “babies, kindness and sensuality.” news 17
The Bitch is Back
Ed Banger’s enfant terrible Uffie returns, new record and baby girl in tow Words Ali Gitlow Image Ysa Perez
On her new single “MCs Can Kiss,” Uffie gets defensive straight from the get-go. “I’m an entertainer, not a lyricist” she rap-sings, atop Mr. Oizo’s hardhitting, bouncy beats. The 22-year-old resident vixen of Ed Banger Records has received much flack for her bratty party girl antics since her career began in 2004 after she organized a fashion event and booked producer Feadz to spin. The pair started dating (they were linked until 2008), and Uffie wound up supplying vocals to some of Feadz’s tracks, including “Pop the Glock” and “Uffie & Me,” as well as Justice’s “Tthhee Ppaarrttyy,” all of which became dancefloor staples as the Parisian electro scene picked up steam. Ultimately, it matters not that Uffie’s persona overshadows her actual music. Her unique voice is like a futuristic, mutant version of Debbie Harry’s rap on “Rapture” – and it has launched her into full-on muse status. Uffie, whose given name is Anna-Catherine Hartley, was born in Miami, raised in Hong Kong, and currently lives in Paris with her newborn baby Henrietta (whose father is French nightlife impresario and graffiti artist André Saraiva; the pair briefly married in 2008 but are now divorced). Sitting in a downtown 18 music
New York hotel room wearing a muted sweatshirt and black scarf, this mommy exudes none of the cocksure swagger for which she is best known. Amidst the ruins of her stay – cigarette butts, three-day old bananas, rumpled sheets – she gives off a polite innocence, giggling as she discusses why it’s taken so long for her debut album, Sex Dreams & Denim Jeans, to be released. “For three years, me and Feadz were on the road. We’d come home for a week and I’d be like, ‘I’m going to my bed,’” she explains, pushing her short dyed blond hair behind her ears. Perhaps this delay has worked out for the best. During the time between her initial thrust into the limelight and today, Uffie has had the chance to mature both personally and as a performer, honing her sound to produce a more varied record than anyone would have expected a few years ago. The album includes past hits as well as new tracks produced by the dudes who have nurtured her from the beginning, Oizo and Feadz. Mattie Safer (formerly of The Rapture) provides beats and vocals on “Illusion of Love,” a melancholy duet about heartbreak and loneliness accented by swirly synths and minimalistic drum claps. Uffie’s label mate SebastiAn contributes beats for “ADD SUV,”
a heady electro/hip-hop tune about poppin’ pills and doin’ drugs to keep the party going, which features rhymes by Pharrell Williams. In an unexpected move, a number of tracks are produced by Mirwais, former member of ‘80s French New Wave band Taxi Girl and, most recently, Madonna’s go-to production guy. While Uffie is used to crafting machine-made club bangers, she was challenged by Mirwais’ polished pop sensibility. “He really encouraged me to start singing on the tracks. I’ve never really gotten the chance to experiment with ‘feelings,’” she describes, using air quotes. “I think people will be surprised by the depth of it.” With Sex Dreams & Denim Jeans finally available, Uffie has started to tour again, both with the Ed Banger party crew and with her own band. Now, her biggest challenge is to balance her music career (and club kid ways) with the responsibility of caring for her daughter. “The partying every night and being so carefree… I used to be so good at it,” she muses. “Now it’s kind of hard to get back into that, then go home and be a mom.” Leave it to the ever-badass Uffie to find a way.
The Producers
Born in the studio, Tanlines makes music destined for the dancefloor Words Lucy Madison Image ioulex
In the traditional sense of the word, Tanlines – the musical duo that is Jesse Cohen and Eric Emm – is not exactly a band. They certainly do make music: Emm is a veteran guitarist, formerly for the bands Storm & Stress and Don Caballero; Cohen was raised on the drums and keyboard (most recently playing for the band Professor Murder); and Tanlines’ debut EP, Settings (True Panther), thumps with electrifyingly diverse instrumentation – bongos and steel drums convene with airy guitars, hooky synth riffs, and thumping bass lines to create a sort of tropical disco dance party. But Cohen and Emm barely play any actual instruments on the album. Like a growing number of young experimental DIY pop musicians, they translate their musical ideas from their brains straight to their super high-tech computers. “For us, the writing and the recording process are the same,” says Emm. “I think the evolution of our band is kind of the opposite of the historical evolution of a band. With a band, you start out writing music in a practice space and then go to a studio. We go to the studio first.” If Tanlines’ evolution as a musical group seems out of order, it may be due to the lack of premeditation behind their decision to form a band. “We were friends,” says Cohen, who met Emm at their now-shared studio while recording with Professor Murder. (Emm is also a part of the production 20 Music
team Brothers, responsible for the likes of !!!, Free Blood, and Telepathe.) “Professor Murder wasn’t doing much at the time, and Eric didn’t really have his own project going on either,” says Cohen. “So I would hang out with him at the studio. Tanlines grew pretty organically out of that friendship. We sort of spontaneously began working on music together. It wasn’t as much a band as it was a way to use the studio creatively.” In fact, it wasn’t until Tanlines was asked to contribute a song to a collaborative art project that the duo even contemplated making an original composition. “At first, we just wanted to do remixes and produce songs,” says Cohen. “That was all we thought we could do. But an artist we knew was releasing a book of poetry, and she asked some different musicians to do music based on the poems.” The response to their contribution was positive, and the song, “New Flowers,” ended up being Tanlines’ first single. “It just sort of clicked that we could make music ourselves,” says Emm. “It was fulfilling in a different way than what we’d been doing previously – and so, very quickly the direction of the project shifted to becoming more like a band.” Since then, the duo has steadily put out original tracks, including the dancey, bongo-heavy, Calypso-
informed “Bejan,” included in 2009’s seventh annual Kitsuné Maison Compilation – a crucial cred-building milestone for up-and-coming musicians. True to their history, however, Cohen and Emm are still working out the details involved in being in an actual band. “It was hard to make the transition to playing live,” says Emm. “We had to figure out how to do all of the things in a live situation that humans just can’t do.” Not to mention the fact that neither artist had previous experience developing vocal parts. “Writing lyrics is something I haven’t done before,” continues Emm. “It’s a challenge. It’s like I’ve been learning how to play this new instrument.” But at the core of the Tanlines project – be it a “band,” or a “production duo,” or whatever other name you deem appropriate – is the desire to make interesting and experimental music you can move to. “As a small child I was more known for dancing rather than playing music,” says Cohen. “Part of what we do in this project is reflect on different kinds of rhythm-based music.” And while the growing demand for new music from Tanlines will inevitably push them to put out a full-length, Cohen and Emm plan to continue working at an organic pace. Says Cohen, “I like the idea that we could produce music in a way that it reflects the way that we consume it.”
Unhappy Hipsters
Finnish pop vixens LCMDF have it out for boredom Words Kris Pethtel Image Karl Vilhjálmsson
Emma Kemppainen, the lead singer and primary creative force behind LCMDF, has an obvious talent for writing tightly constructed, madcap pop songs filled with catchy beats and brassy vocals, but it’s the energy she brings to her music as much as her clever synth hooks that makes her songs so appealing. “The immediate impression (of our band) is kind of a riot,” she says, “because we’re from Finland, and Finland isn’t really known for having any pop music. It’s mostly a heavy country, known for heavy metal and dark techno, so I think a lot of our band looks and sounds like a riot because we’re kind of rebelling against Finnish rules of how to be and what you can play.” The video for “Bitch of the Bitches,” the first song Emma, now 21, created when she started the band as a solo project four years ago, backs up that claim. It’s a rapid-fire series of photos of Emma and 19year-old sister Mia, who plays guitar and provides backing vocals, pulling faces and goofing around in front of the camera in time to the track’s drum machine. The result is a frenetic three-minute burst 22 music
of mania that looks every bit the result of a couple of teenage girls, a few grande lattes, a camera, and video editing software. The sisters have been called hipsters thanks to their slick hair and retro-glam style, but they’re really something rarer: stylish, enthusiastic optimists with no use for the world-weary, the self-conscious, or the inhibitory. If their positive, visceral approach is a rebellion against the anger of heavy metal and the cerebral austerity of dark techno in their homeland, their more recent songs may be a response to the hipster scene in Euro music mecca Berlin, their current base when not touring. In “Cool and Bored,” they mock hipsters with lines like, “Don’t move your face, you’re gonna look so stupid! Don’t say anything, you’re gonna sound so stupid!” Many have misinterpreted the song as being about the band, but, as Emma puts it, “I think we’re everything else but bored. I think bored is really out, and wasted is out, too. I think happy is the new cool.” But the group is in a period of transition. They recently lost a third member to music biz burnout, and they
shortened their name to an acronym. Their original name, Le Corps Mince de Francoise, French for “The thin body of Francoise,” arose from Emma’s desire at 17 to be a thin, French model, but now she’s grown so tired of explaining it that she’s fabricated numerous stories about its origins. And with many record labels unable to find a profitable model for music in the digital age, new acts are struggling to publish records. LCMDF has toured Europe, travelled to LA to make a music video, and received plenty of favourable press, but there’s not much money in music without reaching the masses. “The record is ready. Switch (who worked with MIA and Santigold) is going to mix it,” says Emma, “but we haven’t got a record deal yet.” In the meantime, they continue to refine their songs. “The refrain for ‘Something Golden’ goes like, ‘The mistakes that I’ve made will create something golden,’ and that’s us singing about all the past songs we put out and all the press we’ve done and now we’ve been young and now we’re going to do something new and put out the record.” If only the labels’ outlooks were as good as hers, things would already be golden.
Animal Instincts
Daniel EgnĂŠus creates new worlds filled with strange creatures in his delicately whimsical art Words Sarah Berman Art Daniel EgnĂŠus 24 Art
left Ghost 2009 watercolour, ink, pencil on carton below Bridge of sighs 2010 Ink, watercolour, pencil, spraycolour
They say grass is always greener on the other side. But for Swedish-born illustrator Daniel Egnéus – having already absorbed the beauty of London, Prague, Berlin, and Rome – the prettiest pastures exist in his dreams. “I always prefer to draw places and things I can’t go [to] geographically,” he says, reached at his centuryold home in Milan, Italy. “You have to draw them to imagine them – and then you can maybe feel a little bit safer, when you fantasize.”
feel very angry or stupid,” Egnéus says. Emblematic of his dreamy romanticism, the hatters explore anxiety and escapism through gestural line and globby watercolour. “I just thought it would be so nice to put on a hat – you know? A shark hat if you’re feeling angry, or a polar bear costume,” he explains casually. “It’s just about avoiding people when you’re too tired to confront reality. Or when you’re too ugly to go out – you look at yourself in the mirror and think ‘Oh my God.’”
Although his ink-and-paper drawings rarely depict explicit cityscapes, the bold fashion and luxuriant architecture of Milan shines through many of Egnéus’s designs. The baroque sophistication of his “Italian rooms,” foregrounded by daring antlered ensembles, confirms his city remains his most valuable muse. Yet with whimsical touches of watercolour, his art is simultaneously otherworldly.
Egnéus himself has worn several creative hats. Throughout his travels, his work has been adapted for PepsiCola and Häagen-Dazs advertisements, H&M t-shirt designs, and Time magazine spreads (to name just a few commercial projects). He has even illustrated an award-winning recipe book for dogs.
Egnéus’s striking series of “mad hatters,” creature-coiffed figures sporting stark, apathetic expressions, conjures the darker feelings that influence his gracefully minimal illustrations. “It’s really about when you wake up in the morning and you
Comforted by bike rides and the stray cats in his studio courtyard, Egnéus feels content in his current environment, yet still dreams of moving to Paris. “I always think about where I might go next,” he muses. “Maybe I could keep my studio art 25
here and then live halfway between Paris and Milano.” Delayed (if only by his uncertain grasp of the French language), Egnéus recalls the many other times he’s packed his books and belongings into boxes: “I’ve moved a lot but it was never on purpose. You meet a girlfriend, you fall in love, and you move around.” Though an ex-lover initially brought Egnéus to Italy, the 17th-century atmosphere and variety of peculiar vintage shops convinced him to stay. On sunny 26 art
afternoons, Egnéus often finds himself rummaging through old shops in the historic district of Milan, in search of bizarre items he uses to practice still life drawing. As a result, Egnéus has amassed a personal collection of preserved butterflies and other tiny creatures. “Some are really ugly,” he notes. “I think one is a sort of giant insect from New Guinea – almost 20 centimetres long.” Along with a set of large
buffalo horns, passed on by his Russian grandmother, Egnéus enjoys incorporating these unusual animal artifacts into his drawings. “[They are] nice to study with a looking glass. They are really constructed in a mechanic way. Insects are actually perfect, as animals,” he says. “Though I prefer them dead and behind glass.” Having no formal training whatsoever, Egnéus held many less-glamorous gigs before becoming a full-time
far left Villa Valguarnera: Portrait of the princesse Vittoria Alliata di Villafranca on her terrace with dog 2009 watercolour, ink, pencil, spraycolour, crayon, photocollage left Pelicanthief 2009 ink, watercolour, crayon, spraycolour below SantaLucia II 2010 Ink, watercolour, spraycolour, pencil
illustrator at the age of 24. “I quit school at 15 or 16. I was from a small town so I moved to Stockholm,” he says. “I worked in bookshops and cleaned hospitals, but always drawing in the nighttime.” He adds, “It was really far from what I was dreaming about.” Twenty years later, with many of those dreams now realized, Egnéus continues to escape into his verdant imagination: a place both magical and strange, where geese are appropriate seasonal headwear. art 27
Images Ryan Pfluger Words Carmen Lam
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Profiles
The Sundance Festival is about more than just film: at its heart, it’s a celebration of creativity. And when we visited Utah this January, we met a parade of actors, directors, and writers who truly push boundaries when it comes to the pursuit of art. More than what meets the eye, these kids boast talents on and off the screen. 28 Feature
tilda swinton Few Hollywood actresses can transform themselves from one role to the next, especially if that transformation is becoming a man. 49-year-old Tilda Swinton, who played the gender-bending title role in Orlando, a film adaptation of Virginia Woolf’s novel of the same title, and the androgynous archangel Gabriel in Constantine, proves this kind of versatility involves a lot more than just a well-placed ball of socks. For the Scottish-born mother of twins, acting is just one of many talents: a glance at her most recent CV shows that Swinton’s creative output is all over the map. She’s the muse for fashion house Viktor & Rolf, wrote and narrated the 2008 documentary Derek, sang backing vocals on Patrick Wolf’s 2009 album The Bachelor, and founded the travelling film festival, The Ballerina Ballroom Cinema of Dreams.
Swinton’s current project pairs her with Italian director Luca Guadagnino for the film Io sono l’amore (I Am Love). Swinton plays Emma Recchi, a Russian socialite who marries a wealthy Milanese businessman. As matriarch, Emma’s life is dedicated to her husband and children. That is, until the family chef Antonio, played by Edoardo Gabbriellini, catches Emma’s eye. A torrid affair ensues, leading Emma on a whirlwind sexual journey. Unsurprisingly, critics were captivated by Swinton’s portrayal of a high-society matriarch. And there’s nothing this Scottish lass can’t do. Word on the street, Swinton has agreed to play redhead Conan O’Brien – provided he occasionally walks the red carpet on her behalf. Feature 29
Nathaniel Brown Enter the Void is a grisly and euphoric film by infamous director Gaspar Noé. Noé’s 2002 film, Irreversible, had Cannes audiences walking out, but the director probably wasn’t surprised. The film includes an uncensored 15-minute rape and a man’s skull being viciously crushed. His new film, Enter the Void, is similarly shocking.
body and hear his voice without seeing his face, so I thought I should find someone who wants to direct, who wants to participate in the process,” said Noé in V magazine. “When I met Nathan, he said that he wanted to study cinema and I immediately thought, he’s the perfect guy.”
The main character, Oscar, played by Nathaniel Brown, is a drug dealer and user who dies on a bathroom floor after police shoot him during a nightclub drug-raid. For the soon-to-be 22-year-old Brown, this was a dream role, not because of the character he got to play, but for the opportunity to step behind the lens.
Enter the Void is the model-turned-actor’s first feature film. For Brown, growing up home-schooled with a film-heavy curriculum attracted him to filmmaking: he lists John Hughes, Wes Anderson, and David Fincher as favourite directors. Having moved to New York at the age of 18 to pursue a career in directing, Brown was cast in editorials for i-D magazine and Barneys New York instead – consider it a stepping-stone into the industry. With his first role a success, Brown’s dreams are coming true.
“Because of the camera’s perspective in this movie, there are times you see [Brown’s] 30 Feature
John Hawkes You probably don’t know John Hawkes by name, and his credits may not help (remember Pete Bottoms, Liquor Store Clerk, in From Dusk Till Dawn?). But a history of solid supporting roles has kept audiences engaged throughout his 25-year career. Born John Perkins, the 50-year-old actor’s recent TV roles are pure primetime: Deadwood, Eastbound and Down, and Lost. He’s earning accolades, too: his performance in the movie Buttleman landed him the prize for Breakout Performance at the 2004 Sedona Film Festival. Now Hawkes’ current film, Winter’s Bone, is keeping audiences on edge with his gritty performance as Teardrop. The Grand Jury Prize-winner at this year’s Sundance, Winter’s Bone begins with a family discovering their meth-dealing father put up their home to pay his jail bond,
and to make matters worse, he’s gone missing. Determined to save her family from living on the streets, Ree Dolly, played by 19-year-old Jennifer Lawrence, journeys through Missouri’s Ozark Mountains in hunt of her father. She’s left to rely on her intimidating, drug-dealing uncle, Teardrop, as guide. Despite his long resume, Hawkes has only been at Sundance a handful of times. But then, he’s got other things to keep him busy, from fronting folk-rock band King Straggler, to trying out different characters while hitchhiking across the country (if you see him on the side of the road, he’s unlikely to answer to “John”). But we’ll excuse his absence. Who can be upset with a man who so coyly sings, “Do you want to hold hands?” Feature 31
Dax Shepard and Katie Aselton Before Dax Shepard earned infamy as a small screen improv troublemaker on MTV’s Punk’d (he played the repo man who made Justin Timberlake cry), he spent eight years persistently auditioning for roles in tampon commercials (or so he likes to joke). But The Freebie, an ultra-low budget film, is propelling Shepard (and the film’s director) into indie-darling stardom. “It may be the only time I will be able to use the word ‘beautiful’ for a film I’m in,” tweeted Shepard. The Freebie, written and directed by Katie Aselton (a former Miss Teen USA firstrunner-up), was one of the buzz films at Sundance this year. The plot, inspired by conversations between Aselton and her friends, revolves around Darren and Annie (Shepard and Aselton), a happily married couple of seven years who have 32 Feature
lost interest in having sex. To spice things up, they both agree to take one night off from their relationship and sleep with a stranger. In real life, Shepard and Aselton are both in deeply committed relationships, no questions asked: Shepard is engaged to actress Kristen Bell (his When in Rome co-star) and Aselton is married to director Mark Duplass (his film Cyrus, starring Marisa Tomei and Jonah Hill, also premiered at the festival). Critics considered Aselton’s first directorial debut a delight, proving that acclaim isn’t tied to a big budget. “Kevin Costner’s The Postman was really expensive and really sucky,” Aselton told indieWIRE online. “I attempted to do the exact opposite.”
Paz de la Huerta Twenty-five-year-old Paz de la Huerta loves being promiscuous – on film, anyway. She played Donald Sutherland’s seductress maid in Fierce People, a sex-siren named Nude in The Limits of Control (alongside a blonde cowgirl Tilda Swinton), and Nico, a nympho in Choke (a film about a sex-addict con-man played by Sam Rockwell). Adding to the roster, Huerta did a cover and full editorial spread for 2009’s French Playboy. So it’s no surprise why Gaspar Noé chose Huerta to play Enter the Void’s salacious character Linda. The film’s teaser – jarring bright lights that could almost cause a seizure – provides a lot of thematic foreshadowing. In Void, recently orphaned Oscar makes a lifelong commitment to take care of his sister, Linda. But when Oscar’s drug-fuelled
lifestyle spirals out of control, Linda needs to fend for herself. She becomes a stripper, with some forays into prostitution. Ultimately, it’s a story about emptiness and the things we’ll do to fill it. The many euphoric moments in the film, from Oscar’s rapturous drug-trips to Linda’s sexual highs, weren’t easy to shoot: one 20-minute take required Huerta to portray sexual ecstasy that cascades into a full-fledged mental breakdown. And Huerta makes it look effortless. Maybe it’s the years of walking down runways for the likes of Zac Posen, or being trained by The Actors Studio, or starring in dozens of big and small screen roles that have made her so easy onscreen. But it doesn’t really matter, because Huerta has us seduced. Feature 33
Juliette Lewis It’s been a long time since Juliette Lewis moaned and growled her way through a cover version of PJ Harvey’s “Hardly Wait” in Strange Days. But the 36-year-old actress still nimbly balances her music and acting careers – fronting The New Romantiques and starring in several films a year – and marries them when she can. No surprise, then, to hear Lewis co-stars Mark Ruffalo’s directorial debut, Sympathy for Delicious. Delicious is a dramatic and music-driven film about a paralyzed DJ who finds out he’s been given the gift of healing. “He takes his God-given gift and prostitutes it for sex, drugs, rock and roll, and fame,” explains Ruffalo in the Sundance Film Festival’s Meet The Artists video blog. 34 Feature
In the Dramatic Special Jury Prize-winning film, Lewis returns to familiar musical ingénue/druggie territory. She vamps on-stage and pops painkillers as Ariel Lee, the bassist in the band Burnt the Diplongs, alongside Orlando Bloom, who plays the self-important lead singer, The Stain. In the film, Ariel offers DJ “Delicious” Dean, played by writer and real-life paraplegic Christopher Thornton, the opportunity to exploit his talents by joining the Diplongs. “It’s a super strange movie which I like, and I’m told I’m pretty good in it - Ha!” tweeted Lewis. But the icing on the cake is Lewis performing all the songs live, not a trace of lip-syncing or air guitar to be seen.
Diego Luna In many ways, Diego Luna and Gael García Bernal are like Mexico’s Matt Damon and Ben Affleck: inseparable on and off film. The pair, who have been acting together since their adolescent days starring in telenovelas, now put out Sundance-approved flicks through their production company, Canana Film; their past successes include Rudo y Cursi and Sin Nombre. This year, Luna’s second outing as a director, Abel, has Bernal serving as executive producer. (Luna’s directorial debut was J.C. Chávez, a biopic about Mexican boxer Julio César Chávez.) In the film, the audience is introduced to Abel, played by Christopher Ruíz-Esparza, a young boy newly released from a psychiatric ward. Once home, Abel has difficulties
adjusting to the absence of his father, who walked out on the family. Solution: Abel takes on the role of patriarch – acting as father to his siblings, and as husband to his mother. But life gets complicated when, inevitably, his father returns home. Though some scenes are mildly incestuous, the film is less disturbing than it is endearing, and features pitch-perfect performances from its young cast. We wouldn’t expect anything less from Luna; after all, he’s played everyone from a teenager experiencing a sexual awakening (Y tu mamá también) to a neurotic Michael Jackson impersonator (Mister Lonely). It seems Luna is a true Jack-of-all-trades: transitioning from actor to director and back, performing beautifully on both sides of the lens. Feature 35
Madame X Images Benny Horne Words Susan Locht Fashion Editor James Worthington DeMolet
For supermodels, lucrative and creative work is the reward, and longevity is the challenge. Canadian-born Tasha Tilberg, a 5-foot-9.5-inch stunner who’s graced the pages of Vogue, W, Bazaar, V, and i-D, has both. Working on major campaigns with serious names in photography since the mid-90s, Tilberg continues to storm catwalks and light up photo shoots all over the world. She’s been photographed by the likes of Steven Meisel, Kayt Jones, and Mert and Marcus, and walked the shows for Karl Lagerfeld, Lanvin, and Alexander Wang. Her long list of ad campaigns include Marc by Marc Jacobs, Louis Vuitton, and H&M. On-set for “Madame X,” Tilberg makes the whole thing look easy. Off-set she is reserved – somewhat shy, even – but one step into the lights, dressed in Comme Des Garçons and Givenchy, and she’s
in control. “When I started modelling, I didn’t like it at all,” Tilberg explains. “I was very uncomfortable with the idea that I got paid just to have my picture taken while I knew so many people who worked so hard for almost nothing.” But modelling offered what she describes as a “freedom from shyness” and a chance to collaborate with some amazing artistic visionaries. “I definitely enjoy it more now… For me it’s about the process, the experience of working with these [creative] people.” When we met, Tilberg had just moved from Echo Park, Los Angeles into a Lower East Side apartment with her wife, Melissa Mortensen. Tilberg says they returned to Manhattan for one big reason: for her to model. We hope this means we’ll be seeing more of this tattooed, laid-back beauty.
silk gown Stephane Rolland vintage lace top Amarcord Vintage wooden earrings (worn throughout) model’s own custom wedding bands (worn throughout) stephen webster
feathered dress Prabal Gurung vintage petticoat Amarcord Vintage
gold lacquered dress Stephane Rolland feather necklace Candace Ang silver claw earrings Pamela Love
silk trench Burberry vintage lace top Amarcord Vintage
layered tulle trench Burberry vintage petticoat Stella Dallas black belt Stephane Rolland latex boots Natacha Marro silver claw earrings Pamela Love
sequin dress JAN TAMINIAU silver cross necklace and silver icicle earrings Pamela Love wood ring Christine J. Brandt
beige transparent dress and leather strap Comme Des Garรงons bra Alexander Wang belt Stephane Rolland vintage petticoat Amarcord Vintage cuffs Rick Owens silver claw earrings Pamela Love shoes Givenchy
vintage lace top Amarcord Vintage union jack flag dress On Ying Lai silver icicle earrings Pamela Love
Hair Enrico Mariotti at See Management Make Up Kristin Gallegos at Bryan Bantry using Shu Uemura Casting James Worthington DeMolet Model Tasha Tilberg at One Location Root Brooklyn Fashion Assistant Lauren Deleo Special thanks Marco and Jennifer at amarcordvintagefashion.com lace top ChloĂŠ green shredded dress Topshop leather leggings Erro amethyst ring Christine J. Brandt
t h e b e a u t i f u l o n e s Images Louis Christopher Fashion Editor James Worthington DeMolet Chantal wears leather dress Iris van Herpen veil Vintage
Josefin wears black silkdress Longchamp leather jacket Katie Gallagher leather mask And_I
Thana wears black lace mask Jennifer Behr jewellery Model’s own
Tetyana wears gold sequin jacket Devi Kroell spectacles Vintage
Kristina wears knit dress Giles custom face mask made by kenshin
Hannah wears printed silk top Givenchy gillet PARKCHOONMOO leather horned headband And_I
Melo wears silk suit Prabal Gurung black leather skirt (worn as top) Givenchy mask And_i custom head piece made by kenshin
Yulia wears sleeveless fur coat PARKCHOONMOO patent leather cincher Victor de Souza tights American Apparel
Simona wears leather jacket PARKCHOONMOO veil Vintage
Rel wears sequin dress and headband JAN TAMINIAU
Hair Kenshin Asano at Lateliernyc.com Make Up Samantha Trinh for Dior Beauty at Atelier Management Models Kristina Krivovmazova, Hannah Johnson, Josefin Hedstrom, Tetyana Melnychuk, Yulia Leontieva, Melo Dagault, Rel Dade, Chantal Stafford Abbott, and Thana Kuhnen at Marilyn Location Canoe Studios NYC Special thanks Marilyn Models Yulia wears sleeveless fur coat PARKCHOONMOO
Chantal wears leather dress Iris Van Herpen veil Vintage
boys Images Kevin Amato Fashion Editor James Worthington DeMolet
all clothing Roberto Cavalli
black mesh top, overcoat, and leather shoes Prada black leather trousers Erro black leather headband Jennifer Behr silver rings Makoto
all clothing Dior Homme black leather headbands Jennifer Behr geometric pendents Lady Grey all rings Makoto
all clothing Gareth Pugh
all clothing Rick Owens black leather headbands Jennifer Behr crystal necklace Paige Novick green beaded necklace Stylist’s Own
black leather jackets Thomas Engel Hart cotton t-shirts Yigal AzrouĂŤl geometric pendent Lady Grey black leather headband Jennifer Behr
all clothing Rick Owens black leather headbands Jennifer Behr crystal necklace Paige Novick green beaded necklace Stylist’s Own
all clothing PARKCHOONMOO black leather headband Jennifer Behr shoes Model’s Own
all clothing Ohne Titel
all clothing Thomas Engel Hart gold pinky ring Sequin black leather headband Jennifer Behr
TOP all clothing Y-3 black leather headband Jennifer Behr bottom all clothing Lina Ă–sterman
Fashion Assistant Lauren Deleo Hair Kenshin Asano at Lateliernyc.com Make Up Stevie Huynh at The Wall Group NY Casting James Worthington DeMolet Models In Order of Appearance Ian at Ford, Ryan Medina, Seven at Red, Dallas at Ford, Marc at Request, Junior at Red black and silver jacket and black and white sleeveless jacket Rad Hourani shorts Yigal AzrouĂŤl
black wool jacket, oxford, bow tie, and shoes Thom Browne pinstripe trousers and pleated skirt Comme Des Garรงons silk pocket square Tom Ford
f a r a w a y e y e s Images Michael Schwartz Fashion Editor James Worthington DeMolet
black tuxedo jacket Marc Jacobs Collection wool knit top Paul Smith black leather headband Jennifer Behr
grey wool three piece suit Spurr shearling vest Amarcord Vintage black leather t-shirt 3.1 Phillip Lim
cotton suit and black leather backpack Patrik Ervell silk oxford, grey knit vest, and black cardigan Prada wool neck tie and shoes Thom Browne
silk houndstooth overcoat Prada black leather trouser 3.1 Phillip Lim cashmere t-shirt and white cotton blazer Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche white leather sandals HUGO by Hugo Boss
tweed blazer Lanvin cotton t-shirt Spurr black silk scarf with rhinestones Dolce and Gabbana white printed scarf Paul Smith
grey wool blazer Adam Kimmel white cotton waistcoat HUGO by Hugo Boss tank (worn underneath) Dior Homme grey cotton t-shirt Acne crown Abracadabra Vintage
white cotton oxford Paul Smith black sleeveless jumpsuit (worn underneath) General Idea translucent nylon wrap Thom Browne custom black leather cummerbund Jennifer Behr sunglasses Linda Farrow Vintage shoes Thom Browne
white nylon windbreaker Tim Hamilton black wool trousers Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche white oxford Patrik Ervell black silk necktie Dolce and Gabbana custom black leather cummerbund Jennifer Behr shoes Thom Browne
white cotton coat Spurr wool trousers Dior Homme silk oxford Lanvin white cotton blazer Gucci bowtie Tom Ford custom rhinestone horns Jennifer Behr
Photograpy Assistant Jamie Onderdonk Hair Raymond McLaren Make Up Carolina Dali-Tesch for Armani Cosmetics Fashion Assistants Nicole Cama and Lauren Deleo Casting James Worthington DeMolet Model Simon Nessman at Major Special thanks to Andrew Castro at Major white tuxedo jacket Marc Jacobs Collection grey silk top Z Zegna body chain Bliss Lau
black paillette tuxedo and shoes Thom Browne white oxford and grey silk bow tie Tom Ford
Band of Outsiders new york city, september 12, 2009 Images ioulex Words Susan Locht
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Last September, the world got its first glimpse of Band of Outsiders’ Spring 2010 collection. The New York air carried a hint of autumn, wind pushing the odd, dry leaf up the street. But inside Chelsea’s Milk Studios, it was warm and sunny. Bright murals of sky and ocean lined the walls, heaps of sand covered the floors, grass poked between boulders, and small toy boats floated in pools of water. Skipping Fashion Week’s catwalks for the sort of daring presentation the label is known for, BOA dropped their 43 male and female models into quirky California beach vignettes.
might appear to be a high-end version of Gap. His unconventional approach extends to all of BOA’s endeavors. For example, instead of using models to shoot his lookbooks, the LA-based designer opts for actors, most often comedians: for Fall 2009, Sternberg himself shot Jason Schwartzman hamming it up in sharply tailored suits, shirts, and trousers (complete with a polaroid of Schwartzman splayed out on some stairs as though he had tripped and fallen). “I use actors because they tend to have more depth, and levity, than models.”
“I try to stay away from runway for a few reasons,” explains Scott Sternberg, the designer behind Band of Outsiders and the women’s offshoot, Boy by Band of Outsiders, both of which playfully reimagine preppy vintage. “First, runway feels a little antiquated, so why not explore other ways of showing the clothes and engaging the press?” Besides quality craftsmanship and detail in tailoring and fabrics, it’s the creative concepts behind the collections that make BOA stand out.
While he acknowledges there is something attractive about the slick advertisements the big European houses produce, Sternberg feels they’re bleak and boring, even old and out of touch. “One thing I’m always interested in exploring with Band of Outsiders is how to overcome what have become very tired visual clichés associated with fashion,” Sternberg explains. “The way I feel about clothing, about fashion, is much more playful, joyful, soulful, nostalgic, narrative, and even a little funny – not a pouty model in full makeup awkwardly holding a purse or something like that.”
“For Spring 10, the concept was very simple – turn Milk Gallery into a beach. We carted in tons, literally, of sand, and photographed a panoramic of a beach in Massachusetts that felt Malibu-esque.” The result? A very odd beach party – one at which ogling editors and adoring fans rubbed shoulders with Hollywood actors and the New York fashion media elite. Jason Schwartzman and Grace Coddington, Kirsten Dunst and Tavi, Rachel McAdams and Sally Singer. The juxtaposition was hilarious: guests in their New York best, most dressed head-to-toe in black, face-to-face with fresh young models in rolled-up chinos and Sperry topsiders, hair beach-blown and sun-kissed. One model sips a milkshake, another searches for coins in the sand with a metal detector. These offbeat scenarios highlight what makes Sternberg’s brand different. The clothes are inspired by vintage boys’ school attire, but the ways in which he shows them off brings a fresh take to what otherwise
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In seasons past, Sternberg has used actors such as Marisa Tomei, Michelle Williams, and Sarah Silverman for his campaigns. For Spring 2010, Sternberg photographed actors/comedians Donald Glover, Dave Franco, and Leslie Mann at a yacht club in Marina del Rey. California is a favourite backdrop for Sternberg’s photo projects. “LA is a funny place – a relatively young city, and from an architectural perspective quite cacophonous – and these settings are especially interesting when contrasted with the east coast, Ivy League aesthetic in the clothes.” Perhaps it’s unsurprising that a label named after a Jean-Luc Godard film would spend so much time considering context, image, and the emotional range of its models. Band of Outsiders seems to have gotten the mix right, because we can’t wait to see what they’ll do next.
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Listen to what I'm saying! Words Amanda Ash, Carl Ayer, Paula Ayer, Geneva Bokowski, Megan Brand, G. Joel Chury, and Zia Hirji
Bubu King Janka Nabay |True Panther
Broken Bells Broken Bells | Sony
It’s no secret that some of the world’s most soul-stirring music is born out of tribulation and struggle – but that doesn’t mean it has to be sad. Sierra Leone native Ahmed Janka Nabay proves it with celebratory songs that belie a more serious origin; he recorded them right in the midst of a bloody civil war. This modern revival of traditional Bubu music, a style with roots in Muslim Timini processional rhythms, contains a variety of influences ranging from Afrobeat to reggae to soca and calypso, all blended and funked out together with electronic flair and a driving tribal vibe. Now living in Philly, Janka Nabay is undisputedly the reigning Bubu King – who’d want to challenge him? – GB
Broken Bells is the new project by Brian Burton (aka Danger Mouse) and James Mercer (of The Shins), and their first self-titled album is a piece of suave pop perfection, filled with cool, arty melodies and sweet, existential rhythms. “Vaporize” starts off with an acoustic guitar accompanied by Mercer’s transcendent vocals, slowly climaxing into a sublime rock track. “The Ghost Inside” and “Sailing To Nowhere” need only 10 seconds of your time to become instant favourites. The same goes for the wildly addictive piano-pop number “October.” However, “Mongrel Heart” is the decorative icing on this delectable cake of an album, enticing newfound Broken Bells fans to go back to the beginning and dive in all over again. – AA
Pure Moods Lemonade |True Panther
Odd Blood Yeasayer | Secretly Canadian
Lemonade should change their name to guava juice, rambutan compote, or lychee black sesame sorbet. Any of these names would be a better match for the tropical vibe of their new EP, Pure Moods. If you tried to summarize the Brooklyn via San Francisco band’s latest effort by genre, which I don’t recommend, it would be future-dubstep-breakstropical-indie. Alternatively, you could just call it refreshing. The standout track (which is also the single), “Lifted,” includes xylophones, vocals crooning “I want to dance with someone like you,” and dubstep-influenced bassline. If you want to listen to the aural equivalent to jumping into a pool on the hottest day of the year, grab this EP. – ZH
Yeasayer’s 2007 debut, All Hour Cymbals, set headphones ablaze with its fresh take on the marriage between prog-rock and electronica. Now, on Odd Blood, the Brooklyn trio perfects their pop sound. File this album under psychedelic pop, halfway between the twee spaciness of MGMT and the delirious intellectualism of Animal Collective. Provided you skip the false start of the first track, Odd Blood packs a blend of new-wave inspired dance beats with the cadence and mood suitable for any movie montage training sequence. Perhaps the most fitting fodder, “Ambling Alp,” an homage to Italian boxer Primo Carnera, will get picked up by an indie-dance-pop loving director in the near future. Keep your eyes and ears peeled. – GJC
Heligoland Massive Attack |Virgin
One Life Stand Hot Chip | EMI
Though Massive Attack’s music has historically induced more head-bobbing than booty-shaking, the innovative spirit that brought the group fame in the 90s has driven Heligoland into new territory. With the return of original member Daddy G comes the soulful warmth that 2003’s 100th Window lacked, backed by danceable tempos and 2-step rhythms drawn from Bristol’s emerging dubstep scene. The influence of tour-mates TV on the Radio extends beyond lending lead singer Tunde Adebimpe to the opening track; though still dark and brooding, Heligoland possesses an uncharacteristic playfulness. A generation used to nodding along to Massive Attack’s undulating basslines might be inspired to get up and dance. – CA
The title track off Hot Chip’s One Life Stand opens with a suspicious line of questioning – “Tell me where you been to / Where have you been staying?” – posed over a sinister synth beat. The paranoia soon dissipates, however, as Taylor and Goddard tell us they “only wanna be your one life stand,” and the song morphs into a joyously thumping ode to monogamy. Hot Chip’s fourth studio album fuses cerebral lyrics with Chicago House and garage influences laden with 4/4 beats. Standout tracks include “I Feel Better” and “We Have Love” with its endearing Minnie-Mouse-on-helium vocals. It seems the band that famously claimed they would “break your legs, snap off your head” has finally bridged the mind-body divide. – MB
jj nº 3 jj | Secretly Canadian Swedish duo jj makes airy comedown music reminiscent of Saint Etienne, with an echoey lushness falling somewhere between Imogen Heap and Enya. It’s hard to imagine those other artists, however, beginning an album with a mournful piano ballad that pays homage to both Lil Wayne and to ATC’s cheesy Euro-house hit “Around the World.” If that sounds weird, well, it is; but jj’s breezy appropriation of often-maligned popular genres is pleasingly irony-free. Though nº 3 is a bit musically undernourished, with fewer memorable moments than 2009’s jj nº 2, any band that can so effortlessly entwine the worlds of commercial and indie music is worth paying attention to. – PA 94 review
mix tape It’s finally spring, and we can’t stop listening to this sunshiney mix tape from Australia’s Midnight Juggernauts. www.myspace.com/midnightjuggernauts 01. The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band A Child’s Guide to Good and Evil 02. Eroc Der Prophet 03. Midnight Juggernauts Fantastic Valleys 04. Rob featuring Sebastien Tellier Femme et Enfant 05. It’s A Fine Line Woman 06. Gold Ether In Armies 07. Gucci Mane Round One (Salem Remix) 08. Lemonade Big Weekend 09. FLRL Kq 10. Eraserhead In Heaven (Lady In The Radiator Song)
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I see you looking at me Words Amanda Ash, Carl Ayer, Sarah Berman, Steven Evans, Lara Kordic, and Stephanie MacDonald
The Ask: A Novel Sam Lipsyte Farrar, Straus and Giroux In the classic “Serenity Now” Seinfeld episode, an emotional Jerry invites George to share his feelings. The scene cuts away and when next we see them, Jerry has been scared straight, never to probe again. In my mind, George’s narrative of disappointment and self-doubt is similar to that of Milo Burke in Sam Lipsyte’s bleakly incisive comic novel, The Ask. Both characters are unemployed, full of self-loathing, and resentful of others’ successes. But while Seinfeld spares us, Lipsyte takes us into every dark recess of his character’s psyche. Escapism, this is not. Late in The Ask, Milo asks a coworker, “If I were the protagonist of a book or a movie, it would be hard to like me... right?” She responds, “I would never read a book like that, Milo. I can’t think of anyone who would.” – SE
EVERYTHING HERE IS THE BEST THING EVER Justin Taylor Harper Perennial Even if you’ve never dabbled in feline mercy killing, performed a bloodletting spell to make a former goth fall in love with you, or obsessed over Abu Ghraib while slicing deli meats, you will feel a tug of nostalgia when reading this darkly comic and occasionally profound collection of short stories by 20-something author Justin Taylor. Capturing the political volatility and apathy of the past two decades through the rolling eyes of young adults, Taylor finds apocalyptic dread in the pale glow of a video game and the fleeting joy of childhood in the plastic sheen of a Slip ‘n Slide. While he occasionally relies too heavily on cultural references and stereotypes (the Jewish parents in the story “Tennessee” seem a bit sitcomesque), Taylor reflects the confusion and frustrations of his generation with wit and empathy. – LK
Jeff Wall: The Complete Edition Jeff Wall Phaidon Overwhelmingly familiar, yet completely independent of reality, Jeff Wall’s photographs have long captivated and dismayed the art world for a good reason: Jeff is one hell of an erudite dude. This is abundantly clear in Phaidon’s new volume Jeff Wall: The Complete Edition, a meaty 280-page hardcover tome containing both criticism by notable art historians and essays by the photographer himself, alongside lush reproductions of Wall’s signature conceptual, composed tableaux. Do Wall’s pictures aestheticize politics, or is he politicizing art? Come to your own conclusion, but if you want to go to bed with an art school undergrad, nothing beats this book for pick-up lines: “Do you think Wall’s understanding of Cézanne’s sensitivity to the dialectic of the concave and convex informs his sacrifice to the modernist imperative of the integrity of the picture plane?”– SM
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Facehunter Yvan Rodic Prestel Yvan Rodic traverses the globe in search of beautiful, everyday people who take today’s commercial fashions and make them their own. After four years of blogging and photographing street style, Rodic has released Facehunter, a 320-page collection of stunning photographs of inspiring individual looks. Rodic’s subjects come from all over the world – Antwerp, Berlin, Jakarta, London, Mexico City, Montreal, Reykjavík, Singapore, Warsaw, and many more – producing what he calls an “international cocktail” of contemporary fashions. Rodic captures the charm and confidence of each face, of each intriguing garment combination, leaving even the most fashion-challenged reader to feel they, too, can be a trendsetter. In Rodic’s words, “The only secret is to wear what you feel and what fits you. Fashion is what you buy, style is what you are.” – AA
Pop Touched Me: The Art of Rob Pruitt Rob Pruitt and Jeffrey Deitch Abrams Pop Touched Me is a self-conscious reflection upon artist Rob Pruitt’s implausible journey through fame and failure. Now celebrated for painting shimmering panda bears, Pruitt was once excommunicated from New York’s art scene for a supposedly racist homage to black American culture. (Evidently he and partner-in-crime Jack Early were terrible rappers). It took nothing short of seven years and a 16-foot line of cocaine to catapult Pruitt back into creative popularity. Instead of chronicling his work through essay or autobiography, this art book offers hundreds of quotes from Pruitt’s personal friends and colleagues. Though the gushing compliments read more like product testimonials than actual criticism, it’s difficult to overlook such unabashed praises from the likes of Marc Jacobs and Kim Gordon. Apparently Sofia Coppola regrets missing the cocaine buffet to this day. – SB
We Live In Public DVD, Mongrel Media We Live In Public tells the story of Warhol-esque internet visionary Josh Harris; in a broader sense, director Ondi Timoner has documented the rise of social media and elimination of the fourth wall. Through his Internet television network (Pseudo.com), his cultish camera-rigged bunker (Quiet: We Live in Public), and his self-surveillance project (weliveinpublic.com), Harris warned his audiences that the blurring of lines between entertainment and social engagement, between subject and observer, would inspire and enable mankind’s most self-destructive behaviour. At the time, nobody believed that we were trading our privacy for connectivity. Through her non-judgmental depiction of artistic madmen (first brought to the public eye via Anton Newcombe in 2004’s DIG!), Timoner leaves her audience sympathizing with Harris and longing for the brief sense of community fostered by his bizarre social experiments. – CA
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Tilberg 2010 Watercolour, Pencil, Crayon, Spraycolour, Acrylics Daniel EgnĂŠus