TITLE
Erin Morrison Motoi Yamamoto PULP ART BOOK Amiina Little Dragon Battles VON SONO Le Sang Des Betes and more
No.3 TITLEMAGAZINE.NET
TITLE MAGAZINE No.3 | Aug/Sept 2009
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No.3 August/September 7 STAFF 8 EDITOR’S NOTE
art & design 12 GUGLIELMO CASTELLI
Eclectic illustrations are made when an artist’s main inspiration is fashion
22 SAM SONGAILO
Putting about forty hours of work into each painting, Sam Songailo paints results he well deserves
36 USELESS IDEA
Despite the name, his art is definitely not useless
48 THOMAS MAZZARELLA
Thomas Mazzarella prefers wood over canvas because it is more “living”
58 GUY SARGENT
Driving along the European coast, Guy Sargent captures scenes that seem to be not part of this world
70 ERIN MORRISON
Who knew skyscrapers and cellular towers could look so good
86 NEIL KRUG & JONI HARBECK’S PULP ART BOOK
Expired polroid film, desert and a beautiful girlfriend, what more could Neil Krug ask for
98 MOTOI YAMAMOTO
“Salt seems to possess a close relation with human life beyond time and space.”
110 SHERWOOD FORLEE
Sherwood Forlee creates some quirky solutions for our common problems
116 GALLERY
music 134 AMIINA
Sólrún Sumarliðadóttir from the string quartet, sits down for a conversation about the effects of children....sorta
fashion 158 VON SONO
Juxtaposing textile and texture with a modern touch
164 LE SANG DES BETES
It may translate to Blood of the Beasts, but a look at Trang Chau’s clothing does not give you any of those frightful ideas
168 BRASS LABEL
Designer Zoe Watt wishes there was a whole world made out of cashmere
172 INDEX
138 LITTLE DRAGON
Little Dragon shows us how their close bond made the band’s unique genre
142 BATTLES
John Stanier of Battles won’t just jump into bed with anybody
146 MIHO HATORI
From overgrown reptile friends to tasty lyrics, this singer/musician/ metaphorical mastermind shares a slice of her societal views
148 JACASZEK
Michał Jacaszek on his latest release, PENTRAL
150 ALBUM REVIEWS
CONTENTS | 5
T EDITOR-IN-CHIEF CREATIVE DIRECTOR Catherine Bui ASSOCIATE EDITOR Christopher Nguyen WRITERS Jeanne Le Krystal Miranda Callie Rice Garrett Yim CONTRIBUTORS Michelle Nguyen Daniel Jones Alex Rajabi Ryan Miranda Scott D. Mackie Misael Galdรกmez Vivian Ngo Ryan Zschomler Jack Dolan Kari Elam Roberto Kai Hegeler WEB DESIGNER Nico Vece
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T EDITOR’S NOTE It’s already been half a year since the first issue of Title was released. From that point onward we’ve gotten so much support and positive feedback from our readers. I’m very proud to be part of a strong collaboration between my friends and family, dedicated staff, and other writers and artists that have contributed. After Issue No.1 and No.2, I felt the need to give Title a different look and design—a design that I hope will carry on in future issues. In regards to design, I have also worked on a new site design with Nico Vece, a skill-
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ful web designer from Italy, who was kind enough to help me get the new site design up and running. The site now has a blog and an upcoming section we call the “Interview Archive,” where readers are able to look over unedited interviews between the writers and the artists. OOH! I almost forgot, you can now get a glimpse at the faces of the Title staff on our “About” page. Thanks to Patric Sandri for the illustrations. And many thanks to you, our readers! -Catherine Bui
artwork by Gareth Roberts
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GUGLIELMO CASTELLI by Krystal Miranda
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RIGHT FROM THE START, Guglielmo Castelli has viewed the world around him with an atypical eye. As early as age six, he began dipping into the field of art with a new and refreshing vision; his first illustrations told a love story between Little Red Riding Hood and the wolf, an unusual paradox from the classical fairy tale plot. Nowadays, Guglielmo continues on with illustrating ideas and, more specifically, clothing he is inspired by. His representation of pieces from Prada’s 2007/2008 Fall and Winter collection, as well as the Maison Martin Margiela L’Incognito glasses sported by a mysterious, numbered figure, are but a few other examples of Castelli’s talent for transforming the habitual into the remarkable. Born and currently living in Turin, Italy, Guglielmo has been involved in the world of contemporary art for a few years; he mentions having always worked as an illustrator, spending the majority of his time in his small laboratory. It is only a room, he says, but for him it holds inside a whole other world, filled with imagination and inspiration. He deems that spot as his favorite place to be¬. While he has experimented with other mediums, including a series of wax children he constructed, Castelli disliked the restraints and limits they held, and still con-
tinues to stick with his first love of paper. Guglielmo’s style, simply put in his own words, is “aware, kaleidoscopic, real, actual, and ethereal,” a somewhat odd choice of description between the ideas of a tangible reality and a ghostly outer world, but it all manages to tie up smoothly when you catch a view of his illustrations. Delicacy, with a soft, wistful feel, runs through each piece and adds a dreamlike aura, traits that one wouldn’t exactly expect from an artist who dreams of working with darker illustrators such as Glenn Brown and Erwin Olaf. Guglielmo’s art is a tribute to the melancholy, inspired by “American art of the 50s, the rigor of Japanese art, and the cheeks of my mum,” he explains, with ties to memory and the past through his use of faded, pastel colors. Castelli’s work is nothing short of oneof-a-kind. Guglielmo has an upcoming show this January, a project “on the sense of guilt and on today’s vacuity.” You can find him this summer in New York, admiring the Prada boutique and the shark of Damien Hirst; he also discloses that you can “find me around 5th Avenue at five o’clock in the morning in front of Tiffany & Co.”
“I spend most of my time in my small laboratory. It is only a room, but inside there is a whole world with rockers, windmills and rabbits.�
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SAM SONGAILO by Callie Rice
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WHAT DO YOU GET when you mix bold colors and a Bachelor’s degree in visual communication and geometry? Why Sam Songailo of course. This Australian artist creates daedal works on canvas incorporating signature uses of dimension, hue, and intricate shapes. “I used to work as a graphic designer... As my interest in making art grew stronger I decided that I need a job as far removed from pairing as possible” Songailo explains, “now I work at the post office part time.” Upon looking at Songailo’s work it’s easy to understand his influences as a graphic designer. The pieces incorporate winding tracks of linear design. Each painting can be described as many different things—consuming, engulfing, unique and
bold, however, daunting is not one of them. “Art can be very inaccessible at times. I am aiming for an instant experience,” promotes Songailo, who gathers inspiration from life’s complexities. “I like things like microchips, nature, systems, the future... I am trying to create an environment that communicates.” The labor that goes into each painting (about forty hours per piece), stretches beyond just the canvas; the most challenging portion of his work is the “non-art making activities,” which include the search for grant money and exhibitions. However the rewards of the opening night of exhibits go unprecedented. The detail in Songailo’s distinguishing style can be found in the occasional video piece highlighting his exhibits.
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USELESS IDEA by Misael Galdรกmez photos by Useless, Maurizio Carucci and Giuseppe di Lernia
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STARTING TO DRAW on walls at the mere age of 13, the anonymous Italian wall artist and illustrator defines what he does, who he is, the project, all as a Useless Idea. Useless idea is defined as perfectly imperfect, born from the passion of a rebellious young man who tries to express himself without compromise. “Because what I do is born of a passion and not a fashion, if I had to change the way I ask, create, communicate, would be like giving myself up,” Useless described. Art is a form of communication for Useless, what he does is a reflection of his personality. Admitting that it is creativity that creates things unnecessarily, a pointless idea, thus naming his project after this perspective: Useless Idea. Behind Useless Idea, however, lies not an artist who seeks to be recognized, but rather, someone who doesn’t give importance to himself, choosing to remain anonymous except to the close round of people whom he trusts. Useless speaks with philosophy behind his ways of art and life, speaking with reason behind all remarks, Useless isn’t afraid to tell what is bluntly the honest truth. He points out, “No one is able to communicate these days because everyone is too busy pretending to be important and happy.” For this reason, he chooses to cover his face. Because painting is an extension of his
personality, Useless finds himself painting when he feels the need to, whether in broad daylight or at nighttime and taking as long (or short) as he needs. These works of art that Useless creates does not occur in just one location. No, Useless is an intruder; someone who has an instinct to explore new places, charming places in degradation, places in abandonment. The exploration of these places, along with a passion for wall painting culture, fuels Useless’ approach to design; one that always finds itself within the urban context. An approach found in cities like Genoa, a place that matures at same pace as both his job and his person. And it is in cities like Genoa where Useless paints. Where he paints with black, white, and fluorescent spray paints, where he paints on walls, where he paints on aged cards, where he paints passionately. Painting not to represent something explicit, but to express himself and to create unnecessary ideas—to be uncompromising in everything he paints, in everything he does. And that is his goal for the future: No compromise. To remain true to the ideas and thoughts that make him up. Too often we see others changing for success. Useless acknowledges that he will not be one of them. “There can be nothing better than to be myself for the improvement of my work.”
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THOMAS MAZZARELLA by Callie Rice
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LOOKING AT THE BOLD, bright colored lines of a Mazzarella Thomas painting, it is easy to get swept up into the face value of images. At first glance, it’s not very obvious that his paintings on wooden planks, rather than your run of the mill canvas, are flooded with satire. “My inspiration comes from many things I observe around me. People, individualism and the absurdity of our society, popular culture, social conflicts and some of my personal experience of course. I try to talk about all these things, and many others with dérision and cynicism.” Thomas manages to separate the chaos of his paintings from his own life by not displaying any of his work in his own home. “There is a time for Art and time for Life,” explains Thomas, “seeing then permanently would make me crazy.”
In every piece of Mazzarella Thomas work; whimsical meets rigid, daily life meets devastating – and all the while the paint posts intrigue. Thomas has an unparallel ability to cross controversial topics and present them in a way of simplicity, making his side of the argument seem “obvious.” The contrast from color to color is a reflection of the collision in mundane life and social uproar. Thomas’ oblong, planar scenes are capable of dragging even the most optimistic of minds to scream controversy. Though currently the obscure juxtapositions of Mazzarella Thomas are only available thought acrylic paint, this politically incorrect artist is looking into new mediums. “I have some ideas for comics or animations,” he explains.
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GUY SARGENT by Mukta Mohan
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IN A SOCIETY that equates solitude with tranquility, Guy Sargent’s photographs offer an escape from that mindset for individuals willing to get lost in each piece. Inspired by a desire to communicate his feelings and observations about each location photographed, he visits places so isolated from the surrounding world that one can’t help but feel at ease in each image. After leaving school at the age of 16, Sargent spent most of his working life in carpentry; however, recently photography has dominated. As a teenager, he would visit places like the National Gallery in London whenever possible. He became very interested in art. “This interest fuelled a desire to make images, but I had no real desire to paint, so a camera seemed like a natural replacement,” states Sargent. Born and raised in England, Guy Sargent developed a love for travel after spending four months on a collective farm in Israel at the age of 20. Since then, he’s been able to travel throughout Europe, to Ireland, Wales, Scotland, France, Germany, Italy and Holland in order to take pictures for his current project, What Lies Beneath the Surface. Spontaneity guides him daily, as he doesn’t tend to know where he will end up by evening. He drives a Volkswagen van up and down the coast of the United Kingdom and Ireland to capture the splendor of the beaches in the early light
before dawn and at dusk. What happens between those hours is unknown and “can be fantastic and inspirational or equally can be a huge disappointment.” Like a Planet Earth documentary, Guy Sargent’s photographs evoke a sense of wonderment and appreciation for the untouched world. Details are not lost amid his strong composition. With each closer look, lines and repeating patterns emerge, textures that you want to run your hand over appears and soothing colors are found. Each image possesses the same foggy, grey overtone that only a visit to Europe can replicate. Using a single landscape camera, the Ebony RSW45, with one fixed lens and color negative film, Sargent ties all of his photographs together by keeping the consistency within them. As far as hobbies go, watching reruns of Rising Damp and Curb Your Enthusiasm, looking through photographic books by Brett Weston and Irving Penn, and listening to Bob Dylan, Mozart and Bach are among his many pastimes. Sargent hopes to travel to Scotland and Japan soon and continue his series, along with potentially publishing his photographs in book form. Whether he’s photographing the ocean or architecture, the composition of his pieces are simple and direct, capturing the raw beauty of each location in it’s natural state.
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ERIN MORRISON by Ryan Miranda
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WHEN IT COMES to Erin Morrison’s work, a little bit can go a long way, and her keen sense of interest does not let her down either. Her pieces are full of simple and delicate lines, colored pastel pigments, and architectural silhouettes, yet there is nothing fussy about the resulting composition. The use of negative space and brush strokes almost appear effortless. Clouds and fog close in on various industrial structures, creating ghostly but alluring scenery. At the same time it also leaves you to believe that there was once a presence living there, without any human form actually existing in the frame. Born in Little Rock, Arkansas, Morrison pursued her skill and attended the Memphis College of Art, which also led her to enter a brief program at the California School of Art. For three years she resided at MCA, and
the knowledge she acquired has definitely not been wasted. She has never been one to simply look at something, but rather take in all it has to offer. In order to embrace its full essence, she has a discrete approach, “I feel the need to fully inspect things…whether it was smelling something to grasp its complexities, or imagining how it was made.” She goes on to explain, “I feel this overactive sensitivity drew me closer towards wanting to create a thing of my own that others can react in this way too.” Taking on this outlook plays a big part in assisting her to create the enchanting work she does today.
Each of Morrison’s landscape pieces includes some form of skyscraper or industrial piece. Having a father who worked in construction, it is no wonder as to why she chooses to incorporate such structur-
es. “I feel that by representing them I am in some way assembling a portrait of the people behind them. People who work in construction do so much to make it easier for the rest of us and get paid relatively little for it.� With this said she takes her observations and, through art, uses it as an approach to do justice for the labor of those workers. Despite all the talent she has, Morrison states that she was not always attracted to a career with the art she is currently working with. Growing up she was only taught the ways of Bob Ross by watching videos of his landscape paintings. Rather than being inspired by his work, she only felt the opposite (no disrespect to Mr. Ross of course). However, it was his pieces that eventually assisted Morrison to develop her own style of landscape art.
Her work has graced the walls of many exhibitions, some included in the Fecal Face Dot Gallery, Sean Bloemer Gallery, and the Complex Gallery. At the moment she is busy finishing a series of drawings that will be featured in a show at the William Bennett Gallery this upcoming September. Morrison has clearly made her mark in numerous cities, it would be tough not to share her obvious talent.
“I feel a need to fully inspect things, not just look at them.�
“From a society of indulgence where we thought just about everything was biodegradable to one where we are starting to appreciate objects of handmade quality (and the time it took to make them), I finally feel I am in the right time to make my drawings.�
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Neil Krug & Joni Harbeck’s
PULP ART BOOK by Daniel Jones
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NEIL KRUG MAY BE YOUNG, but he has an eye for that deliciously crisp retro feeling that rivals that of many photographers twice his age. The 25 year old promo director has been making waves in the art world with his upcoming book PULP, a collaborative series of psychedelic imagery both iconic and beautiful. With his stunning girlfriend, model Joni Harbeck, he crafts instantly identifiable scenes of wonder, heartbreak, and violence. We had a chance to talk to him about the book, as well as his first movie project Invisible Pyramid. “The movie focuses on two teenage girls escaping the loss of a loved one, in search for a life affirming answer they need to carry on.” says Neil. “We photographed the film primarily in private canyons outside of Kansas and in the sand dunes of Texas to give it the look of films such as, Zabriskie Point, or Gerry. The desert backdrop of those films in particular has a special quality of isolating the characters in such a unique way. It’s definitely something we were influenced by during the making of this film. The project is also two years in the making, so I’m excited to see what happens once I get it out of
my house.” The film stars Kalee Forsythe and Ainsley Burke, and is entirely an independent work. Neil: “Because it is solely financed through me, it’s been a much longer project than I ever anticipated. Fortunately for the project, a producer friend of mine has shown an interest in helping it get screened at some major festivals.” The idea for PULP came not just from Neil; it was birthed from a chance meeting in Texas. A mutual friend introduced Joni to Neil during a job in Texas, and eventually the two began dating. A photographer with a supermodel girlfriend is bound to get up to some interesting ideas. Late one night they were messing around and taking Polaroid photos of Joni with and Indian headdress she’d made and a cigarette. After posting one of the photos online, they received a ton of positive praise, which led to similar shots and, eventually, the idea to self-publish the photos in a coffee table book. “The book itself is broken up into several vignettes; some carry a storyline, while others are merely beauty shots captured in the moment” Neil says. “These vignettes are connected by a taste of the social and media dynamic of the 1960s and
1970s that we are both inspired by in our work. Pulling from our favorite movie posters to old book covers to retro LP covers, we have attempted to capture the feel and nostalgia of that era and express it with our own creative twist. Ranging from Robert McGinnis to Alejandro Jodorowsky, our style of photography, imagery, and creative ideas reflect those influences.” With so many eye (and mind)-grabbing shots, it’s hard to pick a favorite; Neil’s changes daily “to Joni’s great frustration” and Joni herself has a hard time of it. “There are a handful I absolutely stand behind, ones we have captured my mind’s eye perfectly, which is not easy thing to accomplish being that I am a raging perfectionist,” she says. “But if I had to choose right now I would say BONNIE-2. I had to force Neil to accept it for the book and for prints since he initially was not in love with this action shot, but it has become one of our most popular shots. Now, of course, he loves it.” One of the greatest strengths of the book is that it contains so many strong, recognizable archetypes. Looking at the images, you can’t help but create a movie in your mind, and in fact
the two have already started working on commercials and short films based on the characters.” You can already watch a short commercial for the book at pulpartbook. com. Even better, there’s a chance for a PULP-based film to happen relatively soon, possibly born out of a new project called ORANGE MARMELADE. According to Neil, “ORANGE MARMELADE is set to shoot in the desert within this next year as a short film. We may tie it into some of the film work we have done for PULP, however, and create a full length feature film instead.” Wherever the pair goes from here, Neil Krug and Joni Harbeck are destined for big things. With PULP, they’ve crafted something that touches on the fantastic and leaves the viewer filled with wonder. “Some of our vignettes are merely beautiful to look at” says Joni, “While others challenge societal roles...we suppose if any part of this project speaks to every person then we have achieved something great.”
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MOTOI YAMAMOTO by Jeanne Le photos by Roberto Kai Hegeler and Motoi Yamamoto
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AS A PART OF THE JAPANESE CULTURE, it is a custom to sprinkle a mourner coming from a funeral with salt as a form of purification. Born and raised in a port town of Hiroshima in 1966, Motoi Yamamoto had the creative freedom many Japanese youngsters covet. A childhood free of forceful studies or parental expectations, common among the Japanese culture, Yamamoto spent his days mountain climbing and conversing amid the residents there who have also impact his art today. The free-spirited life of Yamamoto’s life was interrupted by his sister’s death which caused him to question existence and coping with present ordeals within the social realm. In the winter of 1994, following the passing away of his sister to brain cancer, Yamamoto searched for mediums relatable to the circumstances in that desolate time. Yamamoto focused on a death custom
from Japan, “Kiyome-shio.” The custom is based on Shinto beliefs of warding away evil spirits and purification by using salt. “I was interested in the fact that salt is used in funerals and its subtle transparency,” Motoi described. Viewing salt as a ubiquitous commodity, a basic element available and present everywhere in the world, Motoi Yamamoto has a distinct fondness for the use of salt. Believing that the use of salt in his various Labyrinth exhibitions enfolds the “memory of lives,” each stroke’s direction is unplanned, rather it is affected by Motoi’s state of mind in the certain time being. The dilemma of grief and surprise is expressed in several of Yamamoto’s works: Labyrinth and Utsusemi, all having the common perception “nearly reachable, yet not quite.” The tedious works such as the Labyrinth and U-
tsusemi are often accompanied by both pain and pleasure while expressing a memory through an intricate toil. Motoi dispenses salt from an oiler, looking like a cake icing tube, the salt then gently falls out in elaborate lines extending in mazes like twists and turns across the room. The maze-like coils symbolize a trace of his memory that change and vanish as time goes by. The Utsusemi project on the other hand, expresses the same significance in salt blocks forming steps and tunnels instead of a labyrinth maze. Utsusemi means “both this world and the world after death”; it is a staircase of salt bricks leading to a destination that is not visible, a common perception of Motoi’s art. Requiring salt in the tons, six hundred blocks of salt to be exact, it takes two hours to make one and two months all together for preparation, the Utsusemi towers itself in a re-
markable way of awe and a bereft of speech. After an exhibit is due, the parting cannot be avoided. As much as Motoi would like to preserve his work, the time spent fabricating the piece is the most significant. Motoi and his assistant scrape up the salt and put it back in the sea. He says, “The salt which is melted is carried on an ocean current and spreads to the whole world. Possibly, you may eat the salt in the future.”
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SHERWOOD FORLEE by Jeanne Le
SHERWOOD FORLEE, an innovative product designer creates modern and quirky goods often solving everyday problems, such as the Sleep Safe Tape or the Easy PB&J Jar with a slight humor behind every product. Thinking that he would be able to travel to exotic destinations on someone else’s dime, Sherwood was inspired to become a product designer, but he was wrong. So today he is currently residing in New York City. Sherwood explains, “Living in New York is like living in any other city. The only differences include: more things to spend your money on and less sleep because you’re spending your money.” Graduating from Princeton University with a trailblazing and sophisticated title of “Mechanical and Aerospace Engineer,” Sherwood claimed traveling to 110 | DESIGN
different areas before becoming a product designer. Tokyo, where he was harassed by the Yakuza for selling his T-shirts, the Azores, where the bleak climate marooned him with no food in the barbaric environment for days, and Zurich, where he climbed treacherous heights while supporting two bikes on his weak shoulders. Seems quite unbelievable, but he replied, “All of it is true.” It leaves you wondering, “Maybe this guy is a nut and he does not know what he is doing.” But Sherwood proves you wrong; he has worked with several major clients under the Arnell Group, Ion Designs, and other high saluting companies and clients. Take a look at seven of the products from Sherwood that caught our eye.
Sleep Safe Tape
Walls Notebook
You get home in the morning, but you realize that work isn’t the next day. It’s in a couple of hours actually, not to mention the monotonous conference on top of that. This is when Sleep Safe Tape comes in handy. The 1/2” transparent tape features printed hazel-colored eyes, that not only look realistic, but the expression looks quite focused too!
Even though it’s nighttime and there is no patrol strolling around, but the fear still gets to you. This 80 page of New York City’s blank walls and objects from Sherwood can help you practice and plan out the perfect graffiti with a guilt-free attitude.
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Anti-Theft Lunch Baggies
Waistline T-Shirt
“Laissez faire!”, meaning “hands off!”, was a slogan popularized by Vincent de Gournay, a French intendant of commerce in the 1750s. Seems like the french government of the 18th century also suffered from lunch stealing co-workers and oppressors. These fool proof AntiTheft Lunch Baggies have dazzling splashes of mossy green hues for the perfect anxiety-free refrigerator dilemma.
A little overweight? Wear this shirt to keep track of every millimeter of excess you’ve been burning off. Maybe you’re just not the type that exercise, at least wearing this shirt makes it seem like you’re “trying” to make a change.
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Sink Bowl
Sink Plate
It is at the end of a soup or cereal meal and you’re still hungry. Some foreign specimens are sunkenly lost; so you take the spoon and blindingly scoop in circular motions in hope of finding loose noodles and such. The Sink Bowl can solve the problem with a simple plug, a bit like a bathtub, and drains out the liquid into a bottom bowl, without draining the leftovers.
It is like a sink! It is like a plate! Forget the formal dinning manners, this can save you a whole lot of time. Just prop the Sink Plate over the sink and eat. Did I mention that you don’t have to wash the dishes?
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Easy PB&J Jar
Mirror Plate
It’s easy to say that we’ve had problems sticking our butter knifes into single lidded jars, dishing out tidbits of peanut butter that’s left. Eventually, we throw those plastic jars away in frustration with little accomplishment. These sorry days can be solved by the brilliant Easy PB&J Jar that consists of two lids, top and bottom. Without the nooks and crannies, like the generic brands standard supermarkets carry, and slick glass, peanut butter can casually slide down with easy access.
We always tend to eat more than our stomachs can handle, therefore developing arising problems such as obesity, heart and colonary diasters, and other unwanted complications. There are diets avaliable, but you could really cut the problem by literally cutting the plate in half. The mirror is added to to give an effect as though your food is doubled the amount!
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Waffle Maze
Speak-er
Who ever thought of the poorly designed waffle with rectangular ditches scattered across the bread? Sure, it does do the job containing the syrup within its ditch, but what about the other ditches that are restrained from the sweet syrup? It’s just not right! With this amazing labyrinth maze waffle presser, not only does the syrup entertainingly swivels its way around, but every single corner gets some sweet syrup, now that’s fair!
We call them speakers, but haven’t ever really thought of it as speaker-ers. Simple-minded Sherwood goes back to the roots, creating these honest speak-ers that are illustrated from its very own definition.
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GALLERY PHOTOGRAPHY
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Paul Phung
22, Manchester, United Kingdom What camera(s) do you usually work with? Nikon D80 and Canon AE-1. I also have some medium format cameras and some Holgas but I dont really use them as much. Your photos always seem to involve people. What is it about humans that appeals to you? I love to create dramatic atmospheres and moods within my images and this is the best way I know to do this. What are you essentially aiming for in your photography? Well for my university projects to pass! Haha but no as
I said before to create very dramatic atmospheres and i love to work with narrative within my images so to create a strong story line. What is your philosophy behind photography? Ask me in about 20 years!!! What is a hardship about being a photographer? Hardship about being a photographer is for me a picture never explains the feeling you get when you’re actually taking it
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INES ARMANDON 23, Ibiza, Spain
What camera(s) do you usually work with? Canon 400D I’ve noticed that different shades of white are a main factor of simplicity in much of your photography. What about that appeals to you? Humm.. I don’t really know, I don’t search for a simple photo, it usually comes out always simple. I like saying things with little. And I love white as it is the sum of all the colours and the colour that reflects more the light. For me white is tranquility and light. I probably am inspired by white because my island is called the white island and my house in my hometown is completely white. Being from Spain, how has that been an impact on your style or influence?
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I think that music inspires me more than the fact to be from Spain, and maybe having grown on a little island as I love lighthouses, the sea, country houses… You have a million dollars, what do you do with it? A little house in the countryside, a new camera and then a round the world ticket. I’ll go to New Zealand, Patagonia, Chile (Atacama), I would love to do the Kilimanjaro, and then go to Namibia, I would go to Tibet, then Vietnam, Laos, Mongolia, I’d love to see San Petersrburg too… there is so much to see. If you could spend a day with anybody, who would it be? The band, The National
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STEVEN BECKLEY 27, Canada
What camera(s) do you usually work with? Mamiya RZ67, Canon Rebel Ti, and Rolleiflex 3.5F. I also have a Polaroid SX-70 that sits on my shelf, lonely and filmless.
ply taking the emotion with them, even if they don’t understand anything else in the photograph. It gives them access to a part of you, which is strange, but I’m okay with that.
Are many of your photos spontaneous or planned out? Most are planned out, but some of my favourite photos come from spontaneous clicks. Thinking isn’t always a good thinking.
You also have photos where the subject’s face is covered. Why the anonymity? All my subjects are facially deformed and if their heinous mugs were to be visually processed by anyone, it would be a travesty I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself for. No, all my subjects are beautiful, but the anonymous is always more relatable.
There is a constant theme/feeling of “affection” in many of your photos. What about this appeals to you? I guess I’m a sensitive person. I don’t really try to inject that into any of my work, but I guess it comes across through simple inherency. Emotion makes a photograph easier to understand. Most people are satisfied with sim-
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What about polaroids that you feel is more aesthetically desirable? They give you nostalgia in a square in a matter of minutes.
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Irina Gusakova 21, London, United Kingdom What camera(s) do you usually work with? Mostly Analog cameras - Canon EOS 3000, Olympus mju II and Polaroid. Where are your favorite place to go take photos? Anywhere, as long as there’s plenty of sun and lots of outdoor space and not so many people. In many of your photos, there usually one person in a simple environment. What about this feeling of loneliness and simplicity, appeals to you? It’s just that I’m most confident in that environment. Also, it helps to make a connection between me and the subject
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I’m taking photo of. When there’s a direct interraction and no distraction from the main point the photograph speaks more clear to me. You are inventing a new type of camera, what features would it have? It’d be transformable so one could switch from one format to another. I’d incorporate digital with analogue, and built-in polaroid option! You have a million dollars, what do you do with it? Go travelling! I’d love to go to Scandinavia, Iceland and Faroe Islands. My dream places.
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Mirjan van der Meer 21, Netherlands
What camera(s) do you usually work with? I have a Canon EOS 400D & an analogue Nikon FE Camara. But mostly I use the digital one. Although I really like the old feeling of an analogue. I remember reading somewhere you lived in Sweden? Or was it Germany? Or is it even any of those? Nevertheless, the environment in your photos is just lovely! I wish I lived in Sweden haha! No, I live in the Netherlands. On a farm, together with my family. The freedom I have and the environment are amazing here. My home is my studio. One step out the door and I am among nature. Which I love. Most of your photos always have a sense of nature
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in them, whether they are photos taken outside or when taken inside you have flowers or leaves. What is about nature that appeals to you? Yes, nature is really important to me. It is pure just like we all are. We are a part of nature. And flowers always have something romantic. Movies like Pride & Prejudice, the nature and emotions, I love that. If you had a million dollars, what would you do? I have no idea. I think I would get confused with so much money. The first thing that comes into my mind is that I would share it. You can only survive on one type of food for the rest of your life, what do you pick? An apple.
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Thomas Krauss
33, Saint Laurent de la Salanque, France What camera(s) do you usually work with? Nikon D700 Many of your photos have children as your subject. Are these all your own children? Thank god no ! I’d need quite a few women to have so many but that’s an idea I need to talk polygamy with my wife! Why focus on children and not other age groups? I started taking pictures when my first daughter Lili was born so it’s quite naturally that children –mine and friends’- became my main source of inspiration. Describe to us your process of photographing someone.
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I try to keep at hand as often as possible my camera bag. The character, the moment, the mood are making the rest. If you had a million dollars, what would you do? Finish off what has to be done in my house, buy the barn at the bottom of my garden, make it into a studio, buy a digital medium format camera. You can invent a new type of camera, what features would the camera have? Le charme de la pellicule, la facilité du numérique... The old fashioness of the films and the handiness of digital cameras.
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Argijale (Aitor Isasa Arruti)
29, Donostia-San Sebastián, Basque Country What camera(s) do you usually work with? The camera I use is Canon EOS 400D, its the first reflex I’ve had and I’ve carried this for a year and half, taking photographs. I just bought a Holga to experience the magic of the spool. But I suppose I’ll invest later in a better camera. Simplicity has a major role in many of your photos. What about simplicity appeals to you? Yes, I think a message stripped of things that hinder it and clean it is better and more effective. Apart from being a supporter of less is more, I like using negative spaces to bring air to the image and give a lot more strength to the subjects that appear in them.
Where is your favorite place to go photograph? Anywhere, anyone, everyday. I always find things wonderful. I guess I like places with more people, to portray. You have a million dollars, what do you plan to do? Buying a house without having to be someone else and to travel, meet different people and places, together with a camera... You can only survive on only one food, what would it be? Cualquiera hecha por mi madre. Any of my mother.
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AMIINA by William Le photos by Lilja Birgisd贸ttir
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EVERYBODY KNOWS Sigur Rós these days. What many people don’t know are the four ladies that were providing S.R. with the orchestral arrangements on albums such as ( ) and Takk... When I say “four ladies,” what I mean is, none other than the Icelandic musical quartet: Amiina. The quartet is comprised of Hildur Ársælsdóttir, Edda Rún Ólafsdóttir, Maria Huld Markan Sigfúsdóttir, and Sólrún Sumarliðadóttir. After releasing their debut album, Kurr, in March 2007, Amiina became an independent act, established in their craft and in their own right, the quartet
found themselves quickly embraced by an international audience for their distinctive sound. On stage, Amiina can be found with many common instruments, and many things that are not instruments. As The Guardian (UK) so aptly put, “Kurr, a collection of delicate, chiming, other-worldly music which friends were using to soothe their babies.” Indeed. After two years since Amiina’s debut release and one year since leaving Iceland, I got a chance to have a small conversation with Sólrún.
Sólrún, thanks for your time, it’s very gracious of you! So this is really great. it’s been over two years since the latest/debut album, Kurr, and about a year since Amiina’s played any shows outside of Iceland. Quite a long time to keep such a low-profile, what’s Amiina been up to lately? Sólrún: Well, we decided to devote the whole of summer 2008 to touring with Sigur Rós, so that took up all of our time from May to September. After that we took a little break from touring, as María was pregnant with her little girl who was born in December. From October to February 2009 we did a few smaller projects, remixes, played a show at Iceland Airwaves and stuff like that. From February on we’ve been working on some new material with a couple of friends of ours who we’ve worked with quite a lot before - drummer Maggi and electronic musician Kippi Kaninus. We’ve already recorded some music with them and are going to the studio to mix in a few days. Super exciting! Amiina played a show at “Music Through Unconventional Means” in London a few days ago. What things have changed or how has the group grown this past year looking back? S: Obviously it changes things to have a baby on board. It makes us have to think about touring a little differently, so it’s a challenge. But absolutely a nice one! Doing that show with Valgeir and Shlomo was great fun, so nice to come and work full-on for 3 days and play a show at the end. Collaborations are always a source of inspiration. It’s really amazing the level of instrumentation that Amiina uses. Not that other musicians haven’t used similar instruments like glockenspiels or the musical saw, but mainly Amiina’s genre is hard to describe. David Peschek from The Guardian (UK) described Kurr as “a collection of delicate, chiming, other-worldly music which friends were using to soothe their babies.” What are your thoughts on that statement? S: We’ve always just gone with whatever sounds fascinating to us in one way or another. In many respects it’s this search for sound-textures that drives us musically. I guess that’s why we’ve ended up with so many instruments... I’ve heard before that the classical background in Amiina really lends a hand in the song-writing process, but it seems as though that’s only a
starting point. What’s the approach towards song writing, and then more importantly, how do you know when a track is finished? S: A track is finished when it feels finished. There’s no logic to it I think, just a feeling. Sometimes a song comes quickly to us, but sometimes we have to put it in a drawer and come back to it later. The starting points also differ from song to song. Sometimes it’s driven by a motive, sometimes we start with a chord progression, sometimes a soundscape. Then there is the fact that we write our songs together, the four of us, and all like coming to a song from different angles, so it’s sometimes a pretty chaotic process. It sort of caught me off guard, but it seems like only a few years ago the Icelandic music scene just started to “heat up.” Heavyweight artists like Björk & Sigur Rós really made a stamp on the music world a few years ago, but now even modest artists from Iceland (múm, Seabear, Reykjavík!) seem to be emerging on rock charts overnight. What, if anything, would you say is “in the air” in Iceland that’s giving such creative charge to the local music scene? S: The majority of kids growing up in Iceland have had access to musical education for decades now, so playing an instrument is a very normal thing to do. I think that’s one of the reasons why we have such a large music scene here. This combined with the fact that because we are so few, we can’t afford to have the boundaries between musical scenes to strict, and that allows for more fluent communication and mutual inspiration. People playing classical music have had access to the pop scene and vice versa for years and years, we all know each other pretty well. This June, Amiina’s doing some more touring around Europe and doing a limited release of some collaboration work with Kippi Kaninus and Magnús Trygvason Eliassen; where’s that going to be available? Any exciting plans on the horizon for Amiina? S: We’ll try and have a limited edition of the release ready for the tour, so we’ll sell it there. And hopefully we’ll have a web store up soon. We haven’t made any plans for formal distribution yet. Also we hope to be able to record a new Amiina album this year. And actually there’s another baby on the way!
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LITTLE DRAGON by Michelle Nguyen photos by SEEK
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IN POMONA, CALIFORNIA, there was a rare voice present on a musical stage, along with a gong, and a paddle. The four Swedish members of Little Dragon graced the stage with an airy presence and distinct originality that could make you believe that they were out of this world. Hailing from Gothenburg, Sweden, Little Dragon comes from the country that has introduced inventions such as the zipper and the flat screen moniter, to artists such as ABBA and Alexander Roslin to the world. The band consists of Erik Bodin on drums, Fredrik Källgren Walln on bass, Håkan Wirenstrand on keyboards and Yukimi “Little Dragon” Nagano as vocalist. As close friends in high school, the band decided on the name “Little Dragon,” which was Yukimi’s nickname. This group is not dynamic only for the music that they make, but also for the phenomenal respect that each member has for the other. The bands devotion to making music brought them through side jobs and all the other hardships that come with being a young musician. Their earlier influences of experimental electronic and jazz are beautifully combined with a modern, familiar, yet indescribable twist in their self-titled 2007 album, released on Peacefrog Records (the same people that brought you Nouvelle Vague and José González). Little Dragon’s debut album consists of opening ballad “Twice,” to
fun, upbeat songs such as “Recommendation” and “Test.” The unconventional instrumentals, along with Yukimi’s different approach to lyrics and melodies, as well as the band’s electric soul beats create a headbobbing, sing-along effect that will cause most, if not all, songs be stuck in your head for a while. Little Dragon’s sophomore album titled Machine Dreams will be releasing this upcoming August. The album is said to be more experimental than their debut; with sneak peaks from their performance, Machine Dreams gives listeners a taste of the past with a hint of flashbacks from the ‘80’s and early ‘90’s. Coming from different musical backgrounds, Little Dragon is influenced by American, as well as Swedish folk music, R’n’B, hip-hop, and jazz. Growing up with an American mother and Japanese father, Yukimi was introduced to many different realms of music. When asking Yukimi about experiences with collaborating with artists such as Koop, José González and close friend Hird, Yukimi replies saying that as fun as those projects were, she prefers writing her own lyrics and melodies. With this in mind, Little Dragon’s genre is unpredictable and soulful as Yukimi’s voice easily shines like a jewel through every unique song. Outside of music, she also draws influence from photographers and artists such as Evelina Hultquist, El AnatSui, and Hideyuki Katsumata.
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BATTLES by Alex Rajabi photos by Timothy Saccenti
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EMERGING FROM THE ASHES of a war with no more need for a tomahawk or helmet, John Stanier, the drummer of Battles, doesn’t know what he’s cooking for the next Battles record, and he can’t wait to taste it. With the precision of a drum machine and the sound of an African tribal circle, John mixes the fierceness of a young Neil Peart or John Bonham with a tone as dirty as Pamela Anderson, and it’s no surprise since two of the three are named as influences. But it’s hard trying to convince America behind a drum set these days without double bass pedals and playing as fast as you can. That’s why John’s out to get the world in his grip, and having already toured the globe mul-
tiple times in the past decade, he’s off to a good start. Since the release of their last album entitled Mirrored, Battles have traveled the festival circuit from Bonarroo to Fuji Rock and made television appearances around the globe, including Later... With Jools Holland, which has made bands like Radiohead and Portishead get to where they are today. It’s hard to see what kind of band will be around a few years from now, but it doesn’t take a wiz to add up that these math rockers are here to stay. I called John early one Thursday morning as he was heading to practice in hopes of scanning blueprints for his new record.
You used to drum for the band Helmet and now you’re with Battles, any reason why you go after names with fighting in them? John: You really think Helmet is a fighting name? It could be many things... I was also in a band called Tomahawk. For some reason I guess those are strong words. There’s no real reason for that, it’s just complete chance. How is playing in this band different from your past experiences in Helmet? J: The music is way different. The people are different. Tomahawk and Helmet are more traditional than Battles. The second we started was completely different in the way we approached the music. It wasn’t just, ‘Hey I have this new band called Battles, do you want to be in it?’, from the get go Battles was much different than any other band I’ve been in. How’s the songwriting process for you guys? Is there a lot of improvisation involved or does anyone specific start off something? J: Usually one person comes in with a tiny idea and we’ll come in and take that home..usually a cd with a bunch of loops. But no there’s not much improving going on. You mix the rest of the band’s low-fi electronic sound with some of the heaviest beats imaginable; did this come natural or was it something you guys worked on? J: We had no idea what we were doing at first, but it progressed into each person saying ‘I can do this’ and morphed into what it is now. Although I think the new record is going to be a little bit different than the last. For the most part, those things happen naturally. When we first started we had no idea what we were going to sound like so it took a long time to find our sound, we had no idea what to expect. What’s the new album called and how different is it going to be? J: Unfortunately I don’t have a title and it’s so early that it’s impossible to tell what it would sound like right now, we’re just starting right now. If you could collaborate with anyone who would it be?
J: The list is too big. I don’t want to spread myself too thin and jump in bed with anybody. It’s gotta be right, but i have no idea. I’m not looking for it; it’s a full time job. How do you feel when magazines call Battles an instrumental band even though you have a vocalist? J: We don’t really get that much anymore, thank God. We used to when we kind of were an instrumental band when Ty used the vocals like an instrument. Nothing against instrumental bands, but I was always pushing for vocals. Are there any instrumental bands you like? J: I like Don Cabilrro of course. I also like Hella and Tortoise. With Battles, you’ve played in music festivals spanning the globe, from America to Japan; which one was your favorite? J: That’s a tricky answer. We just went to South East Asia, played Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, and China. I liked China a lot. I enjoyed that tour because out of the six places we played, only Singapore had our records in the stores, but the turnout was really good; a prime example of how the internet is a good thing for bands. We played to a thousand kids in Beijing because of the internet. If it wasn’t for the internet, kids wouldn’t have gone to the show and come up to us after asking them to sign out vinyl they got on ebay. I thought that was cool. I also love Chile and Argentina. Japan and Europe is really good... U.S. is good too... I can’t think of a place that’s a bummer to play! It’s been over two years since releasing your album Mirrored and have done some extensive touring after that, what are you most excited about in this next year? J: Definitely finishing our record and getting back out on the road; I’m already itching to get back out there. I think we really toured a lot on this last record. It was awesome, but it’s time for some new stuff. It’s an exciting time right now. I always like the beginning time of a record.
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MIHO HATORI by Michelle Nguyen photos by Ossip Kaehr
MIHO HATORI’S ECCENTRIC character contributes to the reason why her music stands out so well in today’s culture. For over a decade, this singer, songwriter and musician has stirred up the entertainment industry with her metaphorical lyrics as well as her genre defying approach to song writing. Miho is best known as the vocalist of New York based group Cibo Matto, co-founded by Yuko Honda, a former band mate in previous punk band Leitoh Lychee, in 1994. Miho was interested in music earlier on while she was growing up and working in a record shop in Tokyo, Japan where she also performed as a club DJ. After moving to New York in 1993 to study art she almost immediately started her first music project Leitoh Lychee, a punk band with Yuka Honda, where she provided vocals as well as violin through a distortion effects pedal. In 1994, Miho and Yuka Honda went on to form Cibo Matto, with Honda as the primary instrumentalist and Hatori as the vocalist. They released their first album self-titled EP in 1995 on El Diablo Records and soon caught the attention of Warner Bros. Records who then signed Cibo Matto later that year. The duo released their first full-length major album Viva! La Woman under Warner Bros. and produced by Mitchell Froom, which included songs such as “Know Your Chicken,” “Beef Jerky,” and “Birthday Cake.” All of these songs have lyrics that have to do with food. Cibo Matto is an Italian phrase meaning “Crazy Food,” directly associated to their related songs. Their single “Sugar Water” was an underdog radio dance hit, as well as “Birthday Cake,” which was featured on Xbox game Jet Set Radio future (where Miho was also appeared as a main character and role-model for female skaters). Cibo Matto had the chance to work with director Michel Gondry for their split screen 146 | MUSIC
“Sugar Water” music video that inspired many music videos thereafter. Along with Cibo Matto’s collaboration with Michel Gondry, the band has also appeared on television shows and movies such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Brain Candy, HalfBaked, and M. Nigh Shyamalan’s film Lady in the Water. In 1997, Cibo Matto introduced new members Sean Lennon, Timo Ellis and Duma Love by releasing a new EP entitled Super Relax. Following this, Lennon released his debut solo album Into the Sun, which featured Miho in songs “Into the Sun” and “Sean’s Theme” which was inspired and produced by Yuka. In 1999, Cibo Matto went on to release their third and final album entitled Stereo Type A, which was well received by fans as well as critics. The group continued to play and tour together until disbanding in 2001. Yuka Honda stated in an interview that “it was time,” and that the band thought that it was a “healthy decision in order to move onto the next step.” During Miho’s Cibo Matto time period, she was also involved in many other projects such as Butter 08 (which was formed with Yuka Honda, Russell Simons, Rick Lee, and Mike Mills) and Smokey and Miho, which was a duo that she formed with former Beck guitarist Smokey Hormel. Along with forming new bands, Miho also collaborated with Gorillaz (playing as the character “Noodle”), Beastie Boys, The Baldwin Brothers, Blackalicious, The 6th’s and Handsome Boy Modeling School. Miho also contributed to film
soundtracks such as Shindo (a Japanese film), The Killing Of A Chinese Cookie, and xXx Forbidden Love (clothing brand Diesel’s short film by Alexi Tan). Miho’s debut solo album “Ecdysis” was released on October 24, 2006 in Europe as well as the United Sates. Her first album is named after the process of which arthropods or reptiles shed their outer skin in order to develop, which could easily describe Miho’s journey to becoming the artist that she is today. The list could go on, but this fact would prove that Miho’s talent, drive, and personality earned her the recognition that she deserves. After a small performance titled “New Optimism” in Manhattan, New York to promote her second solo album that will be releasing, I was able to have a one-on-one chat with the artist herself to ask her about her musical process as well as insight on the world around her. MUSIC | 147
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JACASZEK by Garrett Yim photos by Kasper Glanz
SOUND IS UNIVERSAL, it transcends cultural boundaries and in it’s resonance it spreads out towards others and connects them in a way that words often cannot. Polish born musician, Michał Jacaszek, has never been to the United States before to display his brand of glitchy, yet highly orchestrated brand of electroacoustic music, but his latest album, PENTRAL, reflects upon things on a highly personal, yet in his own words, a very universal way. Jacaszek’s music can possibly be described as a mix between Fennesz, and one of his early childhood memories of sound, Frédéric Chopin; straddling a line between the line of his electronic, yet “classical” sound. However, comparing sound to other sound may only be pigeonholing his music, “I’d say the common thing for [my albums] is provoking the imagination to produce pictures. The pictures can be different: abstract, realistic, melancholic, spiritual psychedelic, but that’s how my music works: it makes visions.” Concerning his latest release, pentral translates to the words spirit and temple. “I pray everyday, I frequently go to the church, I believe in Jesus Christ. Probably it means I am
religious. PENTRAL is a result of fascination of gothic sacral interior. Of course first of all it is a place of religious ritual, but also a place with ancient history, with tremendously inspiring atmosphere, characteristic architecture, special light and acoustic[s]…“ yet, he went on to further elucidate, “All those things are so interesting, you do not need to be religious to feel it. That’s why I find PENTRAL as quite a universal album.” Although his album itself may be universal, being a native of Poland has created an incomparable and inspirational backdrop to his creation. A sense of reality and chaos, yet a sort of redeeming beauty to it all, “there is still [a] lot of inspiring mess here… small, partly ruined towns and villages, outsiders of all kinds. There are old churches full of praying people, there is truly beautiful nature here. Existing here is like living in a fairy tale that [became] a true story. Poland is a beautiful place, it inspires me on many levels. I don’t think I could work anywhere else.” Jacaszek hopes to play in the United States in 2010.
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A L B U M REVIEWS
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Andrew Bird Noble Beast Fat Possum Records
Banjo Or Freakout Upside Down EP Half Machine
Boxcutter Arecibo Message Planet Mu
Andrew Bird is a very singular artist. It’s rare that any popular band integrates whistling so much into their sound and style, even though whistling is something nearly all of us can do. With Bird’s creative rhthyms and songwriting, the whistle fits well in a creative style of indie music. All the tricks up Bird’s sleeve come together like castaways who found a group of friends, and this album combines many rare sounds well. Surely flowing with creativity, Noble Beast is a stand out album, although it occasionaly loses the listener to too much ambience. Check out “Not a Robot, But a Ghost” for a good listen and “Masterswarm” for a taste of what Andrew Bird does best. -Ryan
This deceptively titled solo project of one Alessio Natalizia, an Italian living in London, contains no banjos (fortunately), and the occasional “freakouts” are better described as ebullient effusions of pure indiepoprock joy. Lovely freakouts. Comparisons might be made with Manitoba’s Up in Flames, in that both albums are comprised almost entirely of genius-level, semipsychedelic stream of consciousness songwriting masterpieces. Also, both are essentially solo works. The differences are instructive as well: the instrumentation on Up in Flames is analog, while BoF’s sound is largely electronic. BoF’s song structures are a little more conventional as well. The most significant BoF distinctive, however, is to be found in his achingly beautiful, massed-up layers of harmonies, which are like listening to the sound of falling in love. This will surely be your favorite Summer 2009 LP if you happen to be falling in love when you first encounter it, as I was! -Scott
Reading up on Boxcutter’s background, you could be fooled into expecting something quite different. Born and raised in the Irish countryside, he enjoys staying home, making music and going on long bicycle rides in the country. However, quaint Celtic folk this is not. His first two albums brought us huge deconstructed, glitchy dubstep rhythms with an abstract jazz influence thrown in. Imagine Squarepusher (in his heyday) playing at half tempo with even huger sound. Boxcutter’s third offering is even more adventurous, tackling house, funk and hip hop in his trademark style. “Mya Rave v2” is a delicious two-step pastiche, “A Familiar Sound” has huge crossover appeal thanks to catchy vocals, Ironically the title track is arguably the weakest. All in all, Arecibo Message is a must have for electronica fans and worth a listen even if you were hoping for a more quaint affair. -Jack
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Conor Oberst and The Mystic Valley Band - Outer South Merge Records Anyone who knows the rich namesake of Conor Oberst knows the potent lyrics in a large library of works. With a new line-up in a new band, Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley band have created an album that slides from his indie and emo roots over into country music. The album has it’s strong points, but does not demand another spin like Conor’s previous works. Opening the album with “Slowly (Oh so Slowly),” the album takes an up-beat pace. The lyrics take a back seat to the guitar, and the song falls into an average rock song. It’s not until “Big Black Nothing” that the cd touches a deeper note. Starting with a very dark, lyrical guitar riff, the song drives like a train into the poetic rhymes of Conor Oberst. The album has it’s strong points but does not stand out from the crowd. Check out “Nikorette” for some potent Conor Oberst Lyricism. -Ryan
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duo review on Intrusion - The Seduction of Silence & Brock Van Wey & Intrusion - White Clouds Drift On and On Echospace Electronic music is presently enjoying a period of unprecedented awesomeness, and one of the most exciting developments is the increasing cross-fertilization of styles. Traditional techno producers (e.g., Steve Bug) have been schooling themselves in IDM, while more experimental producers are moving in the opposite direction, sliding slippery dance groove floor-mats under dense dronescape architectonics (cf. the Raster-Noton label). Intrusion’s recent release, The Seduction of Silence, represents a novel hybrid, taking two fairly disparate styles, techno and dub, and forging a happy marriage that leaves you wondering why no one’s attempted it before. Perhaps the preeminent quality of The Seduction of Silence is its subtlety. Herein also lies its sole shortcoming: with its low-volume, unobtrusive production aesthetic, one can easily listen to it while multi-tasking, and completely fail to appreciate it. Such was the case with this present reviewer. I listened to it some 6 – 8 times, somewhat inattentively, without any effect. Because of Intrusion’s reputation, and even more so, the Echospace label’s, I kept listening, thinking that eventually I might find something. Then suddenly it hit. Hard. I finally got it and couldn’t get enough! The best cuts to start with are tracks 2 & 9, varying versions of “Angel” / “Little Angel,” which feature positively beautiful, yet casual as can be vocals by dub legend Paul St. Hilaire. Throughout the CD, however, are top-notch echodrenched instrumental dubscapes grounded by looping Pole-esque bass pressure. “Massive,” as Boomkat might say. Intrusion has his hand in yet another interesting and uncharted hybrid, which sees the union of blissdrones and dub on a split double CD entitled, White Clouds Drift On and On, also on the Echospace label. The first CD features six blissdrones by SF’s Brock Van Wey (aka bvdub), while the second disc contains Instrusion’s remixes of those same six cuts, in reverse order. While ultimately not as satisfying as The Seduction of Silence, White Clouds Drift On and On is still an excellent work, worth at least a few listens. -Scott
La Roux La Roux Polydor
Mid-Air Perspective and Texture Dedpop
Enter La Roux. La Roux is music that reaches beyond, into a mood and mindset. The second track, “Tigerlily,” finds La Roux’s vocals playing off itself – aggressive tones throughout the verses interspersed with the lighter demeanor through the chorus. The underlying drum n bass beat is a heavy parallel to the quick staccato snares and splashes of synth. “Tigerlily” is the dictating force in the album’s direction; it is hard and soft, aggressive and passive. La Roux is a masterpiece of vortex pop music. The album dwells in the artistry of juxtaposition. Even with the synthesizers on overhaul, there is no overbearing barrage of artificiality distorting the listening experience. The vocals, though airy and elevated at times, exude a sense of passionate apathy. La Roux eases the listener in with familiar eighties and early nineties club beats, but never loses focus on her place as an artist to create something authentic and uniquely hers. This album can be enjoyed as a stylistic dance party playlist, but as a music aficionado it is impossible to ignore the tone set forth by the lyrics and beat alike. The album is a ride; it is a night out. It begins in the familiar pre-game preparation place, then moves you to the club/lounge/bar, but by the third quarter of the collection La Roux drops off into a quieter place – like a walk of shame before any shameful act has occurred. All of this is to say that La Roux is exactly what she says it is. It dwells in the now, “Early nineties décor/It was a day for; We wanted to play/But we had nothing left to play for; Colourless Colour/Once in fashion, and soon to be seen.” Yet and still La Roux gets that the “now” is eternally becoming “then” so she might as well make the most of here and flesh out the fleeting. At the end of the day, great pop captures and encapsulates the culture as it is at its core; it provides the most authentic reflection of wherever it is. In a modern world of artificiality, La Roux somehow gives human depth to a most vapid of cultural eras: “My reflections are protection/They will keep me from destruction; My directions are distractions/ When you’re ready, come into the light.” Music is a drug, it is something used to alter a current state of being; just because the world is burning around us, doesn’t mean we have to be cynical. In a society that equates sanity with sterility, it is a diamond in the rough that manages to capture the style and substance beneath the sound mind: enter La Roux. -Kari
Perspective and Texture is a beautifully distorted cacophony of sound. Mid-Air builds a world of realistic fantasy in his latest 4 track EP. Chris Harbach creates an electro-heavy arcade fantasy underworld in the opening, only to follow with off-beat staccato drum n’ bass riding seamlessly against soulful guitar riffs in the next song, while a simple piano sample lingers beneath the sounds of an old radio in the final track. The album finds touches of Radiohead, Daedelus, RJD2, DJ Shadow, and Squarepusher, but is distinctively Mid-Air. It is art in the finest sense: t creates just that. In the midst of distortion and seemingly oppositional sounds, Mid-Air produces a sonic environment so incredibly real. Symphonic conflict evoking authenticity beyond logic; discordant sonic dialogues between sampled layers tactile enough to feel on one’s fingertips: that is all the perspective and texture I need. Mid-Air’s latest EP creates a fantastic reality bound to render any listener suspended in the midst of experimental atmospheric music at its finest. -Kari
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Moostache The Body Disagrees unsigned
Mos Def The Ecstatic Downtown Music
Warp 20 (Box Set) Warp Records
The Body Disagrees is the first full length from Orange County rockers Moostache. The album takes heavy rhythms and infectious melodies and drives them to rocking levels, and then smoothly takes the vibes back down to that at home, just-sittingon-the-porch-sort of feel. And all the while, the singing done by lead singer Patrick Wardell is somehow ethereal and poetic, yet so easy to sing along to. The whole album flows like a good drive, and the songs fluidly change rhythms and moods like the scenery changes on the freeway. Starting off with “Shape and Sound,” the album picks you up with a high, gripping guitar riff, holds you there for a second, and then drummer Brian Wardell slams in with a heavy beat that won’t let you go for the rest of the album. The Body Disagrees is a Groovy sing along song with an infectious beat. The following song, “Windows,” takes the album even deeper into the at home feel. The airy vocals and gritty “cha-cha’s” take the album down into a smoky room, where the music is so blue and thick you can see the walls and might feel the urge to open up the windows to let the air out. So give this album a spin and you might end up with a few brand new songs stuck in your head. -Ryan
Since the huge success of Black On Both Sides, Mos Def has struggled sustain his position at the forefront of alternative hip-hop. The release of his fourth album The Ecstatic went largely unnoticed but may well be his best effort since. Overtly political in it’s lyrical content, and eclectic in it’s production and use of samples, Mos is, as always, not afraid to do his own thing. The colossal first single “Life in Marvellous Times” is a tad out of place on this low-key album but nonetheless accomplished. One of the best moments comes from old school hiphop master, Slick Rick’s cameo on “Auditorium”; a refreshingly playful yet direct jab at the Iraqi occupation. Also check “History” featuring a beat by the late great J-Dilla, apparently from the grave! Oh, and if you do fancy picking up this album it’s available to buy as a t-shirt with a code on the label allowing you one free download! Just had to be different. -Jack
This is another release that should have any self respecting electronica fan soiling his/herself with excitement. Celebrating 20 years of the world-renowned British label, Warp has put together a retrospective box set, as you would expect, teaming with gems. The package comes in a beautiful 10 inch square case, designed by YES. In it you get; the “chosen” double album, both with warps top ten tracks, one voted for by you online, the other chosen by Warp cofounder Steve Beckett. The “recreated” double album has artist’s cover versions of each other’s songs with some amazing reworks by some surprising people. You also get a triple vinyl of unreleased material from the Warp vaults, an hour long mix of tracks from the last twenty years and a glossy book featuring every piece of sleeve art for every release ever!! Need I go on? This is an absolute keeper. If you can get hold of the money and a copy, seize the opportunity. -Jack
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www.michaelnhat.com
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VON SONO by Vivian Ngo photos by Ronald Dick
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IT’S NOT OFTEN that you see knitted masks that dangle to the ground and giant, stuffed, and braided scarves as recurring motifs in a fashion designer’s line. But for Stephanie Osberg, this is pretty much the norm when she’s designing for her line Von Sono, German for “From Sono.” Born and raised in Germany, Stephanie also goes by the nickname Sono, so it’s only fitting that she named her line just that. She says that everything in the line has been “From Me”. After graduating from college in 1999, Osberg began freelance designing and styling in Hamberg and Berlin to be able to finance her own work. In 2004, however, she moved to London and began spending most of her time on Von Sono. For five years now, Osberg has been developing and working on Von Sono. She has expanded to selling it in stores and online, a very impressive fact since she began the line with no financial backing and investors other than herself. This should be no surprise though when you see her work. In each collection, Osberg utilizes a mainly neutral palette with a maybe only a few colors here and there and instead concentrates on the shapes of each garment. This is where her main interest in designing is. “Which shapes you can wear,
what they become in different fabrics and textures, how the movement changes, how it hangs differently on the body…is what really interests me.” Modernized classics seem to be her signature. In each collection, she seems to pair a good number of strikingly simple pieces with her more modern, elegantly draped and billowing, oversized numbers. The overall effect is an odd combination of being ethereal while still giving one the sense that the designer is disciplined enough to counteract each dramatic idea with simplicity. In other words, it’s light and airy, yet still grounded and structured. Her garments in combination with her boldly experimental embellishments are an interesting combination. Knitted or crocheted masks and pillow-like scarves— she calls these her projects. The projects can only be seen in her last few collections, but they are beginning to be another of Osberg’s signature. “Last year I decided to work more on projects…[that] have always been more a side story to the main collection. But I want to concentrate more on these special pieces which are more crafty and time consuming.” It’s obvious that her projects are helping her to stand out from other independent designers.
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LE SANG DES BETES by Krystal Miranda photos by Trang Chau
WITH A NAME that translates roughly into “Blood of the Beasts,” one wouldn’t expect clothing label Le Sang Des Betes to hold the delicacy that it contains. Through a black and white medium running into both collections, with a pop of blue in the first and a pinch of salmon in the second, selftaught head designer Trang Chau brings a clean, constructed aesthetic to a whole new level. Her aim? To “prioritize quality and detail above all else and strive to reinvent the way clothing is constructed.” This philosophy is carried out by the use of all natural fabrics and the structure of striking, contemporary women’s wear. After earning her BFA in sculpture at Otis College of Art and Design, Chau desired to combine her skills along with her interests in fashion in order to create her ideal career. She began a couture collective line, We Are Lucid Dreaming, alongside a friend, but branched out on her own in 2007, creating her first line, Aborigine, by the following year. Soft and structured, yet comfortably playful, Aborigine maintains a tailored and simple feel without becom-
ing repetitive or boring. It was this collection that launched Chau into the fashion spotlight. True to self, Trang Chau’s clothing is a nod to her love for architecture and sculpture, with inspiration coming from the more specific types of gothic and modern design. Her latest collection, Swarm, is a smooth transition from the last, evolving into a more feminine look with subtle bursts of color amid the black and white to create a set of beautifully wearable pieces. Chau’s recent fascination with the detailing of insects and the layering of kimono dressing was the driving force for Swarm, which is evident in the pleats and layers in many of her dresses, as well as in the winglike construction of her cropped jackets. Trang Chau’s next collection, whose name has already been disclosed to be titled Lament, will stick true to her architectural roots, with the new inspiration of menswear, most especially the tuxedo. Take a peek at lesangdesbetes.com. And in the words of Chau, “dress simply but always be experimenting.”
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BRASS LABEL by Callie Rice photos by Edith Bergfors
STRUCTURE, SIMPLICITY, CHIC. Brass Label clothing sweeps the globe while replicating it’s geography in the stitching. Designer Zoe Watt may have hit the ground running in London with her designs, crossed both borders and oceans in retail, (her four stock lists include; SAUCEDubai, BRITTIQUE.COM- London/UK, PRECURSOR_ Paris, and CLACK CLACK- Vancouver), and her formal education in Fashion drips know-how and experience. But, her interest in fashion was sparked long before contact links, the University of Middlesex, or Peter Jensen and Boudicca. Her real training was in Perthshire, Scotland where she was born. “I was allowed to dress myself as a toddler (and still am)- Kilts and clogs were a favourite. So, yes, I realized from young ages the possibilities were endless!” jokes Watt. It is hard to ignore the streamlined appeal in each collection coming from Brass. Every piece works off of its predecessor, and sets the stage for the next. Unlike many designers, Watt is able to appreciate her craft for what it is and sports her favorite pieces from the line regularly. In the Brass Autumn/Winter ’09 collection, inspirations came not only from the subliminal messages of the streets of London- but also an unlikely trio of “circles, geeks, and Katherine Hepburn.” When designing, Watt adheres to “simple but interesting”- explaining “There is everything you can 168 | FASHION
imagine in London so ideas are constantly logged away as reference… I’ve never been one to ‘over design,’ so too much flounce and frills isn’t for me- I simply wouldn’t dress like that. Having said that there is a side of me that wants to make everything sparkly, bejeweled and dressed as animals.” Beyond the use of “pi,” glitter, and geeks Watt strives to avoid synthetic fabrics, “Ideally I’d like a whole world made out of cashmere,” while instilling a sense of “humour, loves, and icons,” with a taste for hands-on draping. “I’ve always been interested in how something flat once folded or manipulated becomes so different. Like building a model.” Between the lines of trend and cliché, Watt is able to undermine the times by looking for, “quality, timeless style and of course a flattering cut.” (Given the fate of only being allowed to wear one “color” for eternity, Watt appointed black. What is more timeless than a well thought out little black dress, or flattering than that hue?) Watt is also a member of a choir, (Coisir Lunnainn), and a self proclaimed film buff. Stating that “I’m a very visual person and don’t always want to think too hard with regards to ‘Art’; often things that aren’t/weren’t intended as art have the most impact on me.” Watt’s third Brass collection; Spring/Summer ‘10, will be available this August.
INDEX Amiina www.amiina.com Argijale (Aitor Isasa Arruti) www.flickr.com/photos/argijale Battles www.bttls.com BRASS LABEL www.brasslabel.com Erin Morrison www.erinmorrison.com Guglielmo Castelli www.myspace.com/guglielmocastelli Guy Sargent http://www.photography-now.net/guy_sargent Ines Armandon www.flickr.com/photos/lilly_photos Irina Gusakova www.flickr.com/people/parachutgirl Jacaszek www.jacaszek.com Le Sang Des Betes www.lesangdesbetes.com Little Dragon www.little-dragon.se Miho Hatori www.mihohatori.com Mirjan van der Meer www.flickr.com/photos/rooze Motoi Yamamoto www.motoi.biz Paul Phung www.flickr.com/photos/rephotography PULP ART BOOK www.pulpartbook.com Sam Songailo www.songailo.net Sherwood Forlee www.skforlee.com Steven Beckly www.stevenbeckly.com Thomas Krauss www.hurluber.lu/index.php
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Thomas Mazzarella www.mazzarella.be Useless Idea www.flickr.com/photos/useless_idea VON SONO www.vonsono.de
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