Archive for November, 2011

So we’re in Colorado doing a couple Tycho (w/ full band + visuals) dates with Emancipator. This is the first time Tycho has played Colorado so we’re really excited to bring the show out here. We’ll have some posters, the deluxe Dive vinyl, and CDs so come back to the merch booth and say hi if you make it out. Details follow:

Friday, Nov. 18th – Aggie Theater, Ft. Collins, CO – Tickets
Saturday, Nove. 19th – Summit Music Hall, Denver, CO – Tickets

See you there!

Photo from Music Hall of Williamsburg show by Every.Seven

Jimmy Turrell launched his new website recently and I spent the evening pouring through his work. Really great stuff, my favorite is this set of designs for Yellowire. Check out the rest of his work here.

So apparently there is this guy in Switzerland who either owns or has access to many of the most iconic product designs from the 60’s and 70’s. He also takes amazing pictures of them, and posts them in high resolution for us to enjoy / print. This man is a hero.

I always wonder though, would having these artifacts make me happy? Would being surrounded by the objects of my desire actually fulfill my need for order and beauty? Or would I obsess; constantly dusting and arranging them symmetrically on walnut desks made by George Nelson? Probably all of the above, but for now one can only dream.

Whenever I get to lusting over design like this I start thinking about the nature of appreciation. What abstract facet of the human condition allows us to seek and covet objects which may not necessarily provide any meaningful function or benefit our daily lives? I can’t tell you how many fellow designer’s homes I have visited to see various defunct or otherwise unused products neatly displayed on shelves, never again to serve their intended purpose. Why do we surround ourselves with these relics? Devices which through some perverse twist of fascination have been stripped of their intrinsic usefulness and rendered as some fetishized monument to our personal design sensibilities, gathering dust on a mantle.

That’s probably reading way to deep into things so I’m going to take the easy answer and say it’s simply the act of art appreciation. There is just something about the fact that these were originally designed as functional objects that throws a wrench into the whole concept of approaching them purely as works of art. At any rate, I want every single thing up there, in my house, now.

Design Icons by Afghtiga

After mostly doing darker shows with Araabmuzik, Salem, OoOoo, etc. Beacon has released a melodic and passionate EP that translates into an amazing live set, i’ve caught their shows a handful of times this past week and its got hints of different style for everyone packed into one. They have a great sense of humor and their visuals unveil that at times, the rumbling dirty south low end makes it easy to loosen up, and both Jacob and Tom are really into performing so you feel like they’re there to entertain which is sometimes nice if done properly when were talking electronic music.

Our Tom Croose is back with an EP on the label that just put out the Caribou side project with all the edits. This tasteful upbeat cut isn’t all in your face and has that perfect tempo, also great for a night at home with a drink and vinyl. Pick up the 12″ here

So the Drive Soundtrack is all the rage, Michna went ahead and started us off with a more dancefloor early night edit of the College track, download it here for free

If you’re hungry for bliss then you’ll love Slow Magic, his name really delivers.

Went hunting around Soundcloud this morning for some songs that i’ve been meaning to hear, first stop was this Portishead cover Doldrums that Alley from School Of Seven Bells shared, instantly feel in love with the drums, feels fresh to the ears, what a perfect re-interruption.

Shigeto has way with remixes, usually starts really broken up and separate feeling then makes everything work together until you have this elegantly orchestrated song swaying into of you.

Once again OPN’s Ford & Lopatin comes with soundscapes that take on these tones where you feel like you’re living in poorly kept VHS taped world and that always was my dream.

Le Révélateur: pssssssssh! you sir are genius. I mean come on, this level of hypnosis/ambience doesn’t get reached by many artist that try to make this, he’s unreal, and the visual live?! I can’t handle watching it, its too good, makes me too happy, I feel like i’m glowing.

Checked in on old favorite Network Osaka today and was reminded of what an excellent body of poster work he has amassed over the last few years. Always great to see modern designers paying homage to such classic design ideals. More over here.

Network Osaka

If you’ve seen the Drive movie you’ve probably looked for the soundtrack and you’ve figured out that College did the song you loved off of it, soo happy to see this music finally getting some recognition beyond Daft Punk. I went over to College’s soundcloud and found this great mix he recently did, download it and enjoy.

DOWNLOAD HERE

TRACKLIST
01 – Stephen Falken – See The Unseen
02 – Ken Scott – Dancer (Single Version)
03 – Freak Electrique – Cloud Surfer (Remix)
04 – Electrick Dragon – Italian Inspiration
05 – College – Blue Camera
06 – Maethelvin – Looking For Love
07 – Young Monday – A Written Description
08 – Yellow Beach Balls – Kissing Tail
09 – Smackos – The Age Of Candy Candy
10 – Gianni Rossi – Theme From Star Vehicle
11 – The Parallax Corporation – Lift Off (Album Remix)
12 – Teenage Bad Girl – Keep Up With You (Lifelike Remix)
13 – Synergy – Warriors
14 – M83 – Midnight City

I picked up a few used books from the second-hand store last week and finally had some time to scan them in. These images are from Model Soldiers by Henry Harris. Growing up, one of my favorite books was The Indian in the Cupboard, and this led to a fascination with the Warhammer 40K figures at the local comic book store. This book doesn’t contain any space marines, but its meticulously modeled miniatures remind me of the tiny battlefields I was drawn to back then. The detail they manage to include at this scale is amazing.

I finished up a remix of Little Dragon’s song Little Man right before we went on tour together and it’s finally out. This is the first remix I’ve ever done and also the first time I’ve worked with vocals in such a literal way. Was a very inspiring experience to say the least; hoping to do more with vocals in the future.

You can download the remix here or have a listen below. Enjoy the weekend…

Last night I realized I should be listing the shows of some of my favorite acts, I mean here and there these musicians freely share their art with us and I wanted to add a new level of support on the ISO50 blog, obviously I can’t share every tour schedule so i’ll pick shows weekly in NY and LA that are worth checking out.

Fri. 11/11
NY: Matthew Dear @ Public Assembly
LA: Holy Ghost! @ The Music Box
Sat. 11/12
NY: Braille, Tim Sweeney, Heathered Pearls @ Zablotski’s
LA: Real Estate @ The Echo
Sun. 11/13
NY: Skeletons, Andrew W.K.(DJing) @ 285 Kent
LA: —
Mon. 11/14
NY: Youth Lagoon @ Mercury Lounge
LA: —
Tue. 11/15
NY: Beacon @ Glasslands
LA: Frank Ocean @ El Rey Theatre
Wed. 11/16
NY: Innergaze @ Shea Stadium
LA: Flying Lotus @ The Music Box
Thu. 11/17
NY: Balam Acab @ Le Poisson Rouge
LA: Future Islands @ The Echo

Above are photos by Bryant Eslava of Sepalcure and Mux Mool from last nights Africa Hi-Tech show at Le Poisson Rouge.