BACK. So… Nick has been intensely holding down the fort at UNKITSCH and the summer has been kinda slow for the rest of us but I assure you that it has not gone by as one unproductive blur of beer infused with sunshine..(maybe a little). Nay, I’ve been opening my eyes to the wonders of Europe and meeting fantastic people all along the way. A colourful experience whether I was roaming through volcanic Iceland or stumbling down La Ramblas in Barcelona during the wee hours of the morning.
While it is a shocker to go from 100km/h traveling and then suddenly find yourself back at home, I’m taking it in stride. I have a plan to continue some of the best things I learned while backpacking, like meeting new people. The world is filled with people you just haven’t spoken to yet. So my advice today is to look at that person sitting beside you on the subway.. what are they doing? reading a paper? skip.. staring into the abyss? gogogo smile and give them your best line. Is there a pickup guide for friends? Because “Baby are you an angel, I think I just died and went to heaven”– doesn’t really work in normal situations ; )
In other news… I’m now living in Hong Kong full time. I’ll be switching my music coverage up… probably be a bit more cantopop thrown in there haha
A few days ago we had a guest speaker at my school, an account planner named Simon Law, a man responsible for work such as Hewlett Packard’s “The Computer Is Personal Again” campaign. He was a great guy and preached about ‘good’ advertising versus ‘great’ advertising, the idea was that it was a tale where ‘good’ is the bad guy. Really inspiring stuff.
He showed us a variety of advertisements that exemplified ‘great,’ but one that I really enjoyed was a Nike SkateBoarding ad. I found it online and decided to post it here. I find this ad simply amazing, it embodies everything that a skater would cherish living the lifestyle– in short, they hit the mark with this advertisement. Also great about it? The track they used, titled ‘It Was a Good Day’ by Ice Cube (who also makes a cameo in the commercial with a variety of other celebrities). Such a smooth, chilled, rap song. It’s a must download, so I’ve uploaded it as well as the instrumental version (which is fantastic). Watch that vid and download the tune, why deny yourself a little taste of ‘greatness?’
I had this idea to do posts once in awhile featuring artists that we here at Unkitsch are big fans of, the idea is to take a trip down memory lane. So, without further adieu, I present the first ‘Unkitsch Uncovered,’ this weeks artists? None other than the Parisian duo: Justice.
Justice is composed of two French guys, Xavier de Rosnay and Gaspard Augé. I believe they started out as Graphic Designers, then went the musical route after the success they received from their first single. They took the electronic scene by storm with their remix of Simian Mobile Disco’s “Never Be Alone.” After acclaimed success and many awards, they released their first studio album in 2007, entitled “†” or better known as “Cross.” They are signed to my one of my favourite labels, Ed Banger Records (also famous for Busy P, Uffie, Breakbot, and more). After more awards they released a live album to coincide with their documentary, both titled “A Cross The Universe.” I saw them touring to promote this record and they were badass. Since then they’ve released various quality remixes, their own line of clothing, won even more awards, and much more. I attribute Justice to bringing electronic music to a new level, introducing the sound to a whole new generation of listeners. Like other French electronic musicians (coughDaftPunkcough), Justice made “electronic concerts” cool and hip– don’t believe me? Look at the Coachella line up a few years ago and then look at the lineup that was featured this year… Lots of DJs playing now, eh? In my opinion, you can thank Justice for that. They brought such a cool style and an ‘edge’ to electronic music and I’ll always be grateful for that. Here’s to hoping for some new material from them soon, I can only replay these old songs so many times, ya know?
Now lets get to the good stuff: Justice’s sound. I think they’re the ‘Heavy Metal’ of electronica, their sound is like a muscle car being ground up in a high-powered blender. At sometimes it almost hurts your ears, but it’s a good pain. I uploaded my favourite mix of theirs, Justice at Einslive Clubbing. This mix got me into mixes, listening to it gets me all nostalgic. Next up is my favourite track off of “Cross,” “Phantom Pt. II”- this song is the Justice sound. I’ve also uploaded some remixes, the first being Justice’s remix of MGMT’s “Electric Feel.” They did a better job with this song than MGMT did, it’s a must have in your library. Also is a remix of Death From Above 1979’s “Blood On Our Hands,” this is such a cool song, its got so many levels of electronicy bliss to it. Last, but certainly not least, is a MSTRKRFT remix of perhaps the most popular Justice song, “D.A.N.C.E.” If the buildup in this song doesn’t pump you up then I think you might be deaf…
Also thought I’d post some videos of Justice. They make great tunes but thanks to Ed Banger they also put out amazing music videos. The first is for their critically acclaimed “D.A.N.C.E” and I think it might be one of my all time favourite videos. So many cool designs in this one, if you love graphic design this is a must watch. The same goes for DVNO, which I’ve also posted, so many cool designs to make a badass music video (must watch for those who are interested in Type). The last video is the trailer for their documentary “A Cross The Universe.” I’ve watched this movie so many times, it’s packed full of entertainment and debauchery. Ah, good times… Goooood tiiiiimes. Enjoy!
Homeworkhomeworkhomework. I’ve got lots of it but for the past few hours ended up dicking around downloading patterns, brushes, and gradients for Photoshop… Although, I don’t feel like it has been a complete waste of time, considering some of these will help me do some future homeworks. In the end, I suppose it has been procrastination… Oh well, time to get to work now I suppose.
I’ve been working on a Typography assignment. My inspiration? Non-Format. Never heard of these guys? Well, two words: 1)BAD 2)ASS. They do the coolest work. Well, maybe I’m getting ahead of myself here. For those of you who have had your head in the sand: Non-Format is a company run by two dudes, Kjell Ekhorn (Norwegian) and Jon Forss (British), who have worked together since the year 2000. They have done a range of projects ranging from art direction all the way down to fashion and yes, even typography. You’ve probably seen their work in The Wire, that music magazine, as they have art directed it in the day. They are basically just really, really, really good graphic designers, in my opinion. Don’t take my word though, see for yourself and check out their site that I linked above.
So, I’ve had the visual inspiration for this assignment, and you can bet your asses that I’ve also had the musical inspiration. What have I been listening to inorder to design some kickass posters? None other than Mr. Etienne de Crécy. I’ve taken the liberty of uploading my favourite tune of his (that has been getting replayed over and over while I’ve been working on these posters), ‘Fast Track,’ aswell as a live version he did where he mashes that tune up with Camille’s ‘Someone Like You’ and Simian Mobile Disco’s ‘Never Be Alone.’ Amazing stuff. Also check out the video that I put up, which features ‘Fast Track’ and the amazing live set de Crécy toured around with (props to Alfie for originally showing me this, this set would make Daft Punk proud). SO COOL!
So, my education over here started last Monday. One week has flown by and I’ve already learnt more than I expected to. On Friday I had a Typography class. When I first glanced over my schedule I was surprised to see a whole class devoted to Typography… I thought to myself, “how can we spend hours talking about fonts?” I’ve seen some pretty stellar Typographic work in my day, but didn’t know very much about the craft itself. Well, let me tell you, Typography is a fuckin’ science. And a complicated one at that! Contrast, Space, Harmony, Typeface, Typefamilies, Ligatures, Dichotics, OSFs, Leading, Kerning, PICA, 12x14.4/28, an em, and so on and so forth. No idea what I’m talking about? Neither do I (I’m working on it, okay!). I’m sure if there are any Typographers reading this they are probably laughing their asses off. Shit’s whack I tell you, hah. Don’t get me wrong though, Typography is interesting as hell and I encourage anyone intrigued with the ‘science’ to look into it.
As an introduction to Typography we watched a documentary called “Helvetica,” which dealt with the world-renown typefamily: Helvetica. It has always been my favourite font, there’s something so ‘perfect’ about it. It’s sexy, modern, and clean. I love it. The film interviews many who hold the same opinion and some who don’t. But it also explores Typography, as an art, a profession, and much more. It was a fantastic watch, I recommend it to anyone, whether you’re interested in design, typography, or are just looking for a great movie to watch. Viva la Helvetica!
All these classes has meant lots of homework, which subsequently means lots listening to music while I work! So, have I ever got a sick bunch of tunes for you all this time around. Slower songs first: I came across this tune “Beaman Park” by Collarbones. Haven’t heard of the artist before, but it reminds me of Toro Y Moi or Washed Out, has ‘glo-fi’ written all over it. Also uploaded that remix by Jens Lekman of Au Revoir Simone’s “Shadows.” Amazing song, download it.
Now onto the more ‘dancier’ beats here: “Oh No!” remixed by Grum. Awesome, it’s like some sort of 80’s dance tune featuring that great voice of Marina and the Diamonds. Oh no? Oh Yeah! I’ve uploaded a remix of Housse De Racket’s “Oh Yeah!” I love this song and the french lyrics that seem to drive it, Housse De Racket are a solid act. New Soulwax!!! Well, at least a remix… Not the greatest but I was honestly relieved to hear that signature ‘Soulwax sound’ once again. One of my favourite uploads this time is a Two Door Cinema Club remix of “What You Know” by Cassian. Two awesome acts collide to create a badass little tune, you must check it out. I also uploaded another remix of the same song, by LightsoverLA. I kind of prefer this remix more, they left that awesome guitar track as the main focus and it really does it for me. Have a listen for yourself and decide which you prefer on your own. New Shinichi Osawa album dropped at the end of June, titled SO2. Here’s my favourite from it (so far). True Shinichi fashion, if you’re a fan you’ll love this. Another favourite of mine lately is called “Bliss” by a new guy on the scene, Mix Chopin. Apparently he’s from Toronto, so nothing but love for this guy, he’s already making a fellow Torontonian proud (plus he’s using the name of my favourite classical artist– man after my own heart). “Bliss” has a fat bass line going ontop of a really funky beat driven song, it’s a must download, it has received many a-repeats. Last, but certaintly not least, is a remix of the Foals’ song “Miami” by Tim Fuchs featuring Flight Facilities. Flight Facilities have been superb lately, and this song is no different. When it gets to the half way point the song goes all piano driven (Flight Facilities influence, no doubt), certainly eargasmic material. But enough of my rambling– download the tunes and listen to them yourself.. Enjoy!
I know I’m like the UNKITSCH with the least posts but I hope that gems like the one I’m about to share with you right now will more than make up for my long absences. (Find the downloadable mp3 link at the end of the post!)
I was in a car in the sunshine when this crazy song by Yolanda Be Cool and D Cup got put on by the man on the radio… He loved it so much he played it AGAIN right after the song finished — clearly, that says something. This is a very refreshing turn for the old and tired techno vibes. And it’s just so quirky and cheerful! It’s so brazenly EUROtrash and proud to be just the way it is, how can you not like?
On another note, I’ve opened an online boutique on Etsy. If you’re into curious wearables like the rings I’ve made and pictured above, come and show me some love. Over and out.
Holy Ghost! have just released a new remix (it’s been awhile, they’ve been busy putting together their live show/making their own tunes)- their take on Monarchy’s “Love Get Out Of My Way,” with the aid of Berlin based producer Dixon. I really love the touch they added to this song, it’s got DFA/Holy Ghost! written all over it: fat basslines, cool synths, and disco beats all-up-in-your-face. Monarchy first released this song under the moniker of Milke awhile back. Turns out it is going to be their first official single, due out July 26th. I’ve taken the liberty of uploading Holy Ghosts’ mix, the original version by Monarchy, and a remix by Designer Drugs.
Also fresh is the official music video for Miami Horror’s “Moon Theory.” Don’t have the track? Find it here. It would appear that their album is coming out August of this year, so look out! Oh and here’s the video (it’s pretty cool):
Was just hanging out with Tristan and Alfred and they were watching some wonderful videos. Of those were some speeches made by Sir Ken Robinson at the annual TED Conferences.
What is TED you ask? Here’s what they have to say for themselves:
TED is a small nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. It started out (in 1984) as a conference bringing together people from three worlds: Technology, Entertainment, Design. Since then its scope has become ever broader. Along with the annual TED Conference in Long Beach, California, and the TEDGlobal conference in Oxford UK, TED includes the award-winning TEDTalks video site, the Open Translation Program, the new TEDx community program, this year’s TEDIndia Conference and the annual TED Prize.
It’s a fantastic website, definitely worth a bookmark and multiple visits frequently. Anyway, as I was saying, Ken Robinson’s address was such an enthralling watch. He attacks our education system at a global level, and explores how we have developed the need to suppress creativity. This notion struck a chord deep within me, I was left amazed at how well Robinson communicated this idea and above all else: how right this man is. As I find myself entering the creative industry I value Robinson’s philosophy more than ever and believe that we should all adopt it. Don’t believe me? Watch for yourself:
Some pretty inspiring stuff eh? Speaking of creativity, here are some pretty creative tunes. The first song is entitled “The High Road” by Broken Bells- I’m not too familiar with these guys but this has been a big song of theirs in 2010, so it’s fresh and neat (I love the ‘electronic element’ that they included) and worth some listens. I’ve uploaded another fresh song called “The Worse It Gets” by Penguin Prison as well as a remix by Shook. The next upload is by a new band called Lake Heartbeat. This band sounds wonderful and I’ve gotten ahold of most of their material, so check back for more posts featuring their smooth dreamy tunes. Also uploaded a new song by Clock Opera called “A Piece of String.” Apparently lots of this song was created using rather unique ‘instruments,’ ranging kitchen appliances to utensils. Last but not least is an Aeroplane remix that I came across, the duo never ceases to leave me impressed– this is a badass song! Enjoy and Vive Le Creativity!
Where do I begin when talking about the Monocle? Well, a good place to start is personal feelings: the Monocle is my absolute favourite magazine. I was first introduced to it by Tristan, perhaps this time last year. Immediately I took notice of the magazine’s clean, sleek, and sexy design. In fact, I don’t even think ‘magazine’ is an apt name for the Monocle– perhaps something like ‘monthly book of awesome’ is more fitting? Haha, maybe not… Before I go on a tangent I must say that the Monocle is consistently leaving me amazed each and every month: it is a wonderful source of information, ranging from world politics to national affairs, fashion, gadgetry, and much much more. The design of the magazine is perhaps it’s strongest trait: I am left inspired with the turn of each page. Here is Monocle’s own brief:
Launched in February 2007, Monocle is a global briefing covering international affairs, business, culture and design. Headquartered in London with bureaux in Tokyo, Sydney, Zürich and New York, Monocle appears 10 times a year in print and is updated constantly at monocle.com. Developed for an international audience hungry for information across a variety of sectors, Monocle’s team of award-winning editors and correspondents have been drawn from The New York Times, The Independent on Sunday, the BBC, CBC and a host of other news and current affairs outlets. More of a book than a magazine, Monocle’s designed to be highly portable (it’s lightweight and compact) and collectable (it’s thick and robust). On-line, the focus is on broadcasting with a wide array of films, slide shows and audio reports. Edited by Wallpaper* founder andFinancial Times columnist Tyler Brûlé, Monocle offers a comprehensive global briefing under a single editorial brand. In print and online, writers and photographers are dispatched to over 50 countries every issue to deliver stories on forgotten states, alluring political figures, emerging brands, fresh forces in popular culture and inspiring design solutions.
Each issue has five sections, separated by letters, and most issues come with a bonus insert (things ranging from “city surveys” to “style guides”) and a Japanese Manga titled “Kita Koga” penned exclusively for Monocle by Takanori Yasaka. I’ve provided a short little break-down of each section, so you understand exactly what is included in a Monocle release:
Section A deals with ‘affairs,’ ranging from worldly debates to those on a more national level. If you want to know what is going on around the globe, section A is where you’ll find out. Section B deals with ‘business,’ dealing with all those matters concerning finance, money, corporate image, and so on and so forth. Section A and B often converge, as you’d imagine. Section C deals with ‘culture,’ and usually takes a look at firms, people, places, and everything connected to the various societies that compose our globe. Section D concerns ‘design,’ which takes a look all the cutting edge, innovative, and intriguing elements going on in regards to a designing perspective. (This section is usually my favourite– it is fascinating to see what some of the people are coming up with in our world, as well, I take fashion rather seriously and they always provide menswear and womenswear editorials with wonderfully shot photographs of models and quality clothing– read it and take note of the well-crafted styles they create). The final section is E, which Monocle calls “edits,” where they throw everything else in that they can. Often in this section are beautiful photograph articles and hands-on experiences from the Monocle staff. Always a must read.
I really do not give the justice that this ‘monthly book’ deserves. Please, if this at all interests you, go and purchase an issue, I guarantee you will not regret it. Stop buying those ‘GQs’ or ‘Cosmopolitans,’ you deserve better things to read, and the Monocle is that better thing you’ve been looking for. If the magazine isn’t enough to tickle your fancy, then the Monocle also has a top class website (linked at the beginning), constantly updated with all their information. As well, they release podcasts and videos online too (just checkout iTunes)- I’m familiar with these and they never fail to leave me impressed.
The Monocle doesn’t just stop at being a high-class magazine, it also has stores located all over the world (London, New York, Tokyo, and Zurich + seasonal stores, the next planned to reside in Hong Kong). They sell their own ‘Monocle-Branded’ products, ranging from quality tote bags to bicycles and even notebooks. As well, they stock quality brands and products that the staff have discovered. I’ve never been to one (I hope to change that soon) but from what I’ve seen they seem like great little boutique styled stores.
Here’s a cool little video I discovered that features a freshly purchased Monocle (ordered at The Monocle Shop) being unwrapped. Look at the quality that this company strives to deliver, it simply blows my mind. The video also provides a look into what a Monocle actually looks like inside (so you can get a peek at the ‘design’ that I’m talking about):
Don’t think that I’ve gone soft on you too… I can’t help but share some great tunes for our readers in my posts, so this update is nonetheless. What do I like to listen to when I’m browsing my new copies of the Monocle? None other than Kings of Convenience. Here are some great songs of theirs. Enjoy! Oh, and go buy a Monocle!
Tristan’s post left me a little inspired. Been cruisin’ the ol’intererwebs the past hour finding some new tunes and I came across a really sick music video for Phonat’s “Love Hits The Fan.” I think I first came across this song in an Edwin Van Cleef mix (Space Disco for the win!), it’s pretty awesome, and the music video is just as cool, I love the look/design of it. I feel like it has been awhile since I’ve come across a video that is synced with the song, or in other words, the video would only be half of what it is if there wasn’t the track to accompany it.
I’ve uploaded the Phonat song as well as a remix by Bestrack. That’s not all though, I’ve also put up the new Miami Horror song, “Moon Theory.” Gotta love the tunes that those aussies are making down-under, look out for their album later on this year, it’s gonna be eargasmic. Following the trend of intergalactic beats, I’ve also uploaded an oldie but a goodie: Rhythm Droid’s “Sunrise on Planet Tokyo.” It has a club beat to it alittle… But that doesn’t stop me from listening to it. Lastly is something from a Swiss producer (Ich liebe die Schweiz!) named Worship, it’s kind of a promising song with a funky-disco edge to it that seems to jump all over the place– I’ll be keeping my ears open for this dude.
All music shared on this site is copyrighted by the artists and is the artist’s property. These music are only meant as samples for promotional purposes. Please support these artists by purchasing their work, see them live and share them with your friends/family.
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Section A deals with ‘affairs,’ ranging from worldly debates to those on a more national level. If you want to know what is going on around the globe, section A is where you’ll find out.
Section B deals with ‘business,’ dealing with all those matters concerning finance, money, corporate image, and so on and so forth. Section A and B often converge, as you’d imagine.
Section C deals with ‘culture,’ and usually takes a look at firms, people, places, and everything connected to the various societies that compose our globe.
Section D concerns ‘design,’ which takes a look all the cutting edge, innovative, and intriguing elements going on in regards to a designing perspective. (This section is usually my favourite– it is fascinating to see what some of the people are coming up with in our world, as well, I take fashion rather seriously and they always provide menswear and womenswear editorials with wonderfully shot photographs of models and quality clothing– read it and take note of the well-crafted styles they create).
The final section is E, which Monocle calls “edits,” where they throw everything else in that they can. Often in this section are beautiful photograph articles and hands-on experiences from the Monocle staff. Always a must read.
