Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Music: Kap Bambino


They look like...Crystal Castles.
They sound like...Crystal Castles.

They're an electronic duo from Bordeaux, France. Known for their wild vocals and electronic metal mixes. Sound familiar? Well, they've been around long before Crystal Castles. There probably just isn't room for both.

Check out the similarities and differences here: www.myspace.com/kapbambino

Artist: Josh Keyes

These phenomenal paintings are from Washington native, Josh Keyes. His work displays the natural world that we might live in (assuming we're still around) due to global warming and our current effects on our environment. Stellar use of colour.

Music: Mixylodian

Here's a band from Montreal that just released their single "Fairly Well" in Australia. They sound like Mates of State's extended family. And the ever changing family the band began as Mike Wray's solo project and then has grown into a nine-piece horn and string collective, down to a five piece pop ensemble, a four piece boy-band to a two-piece chiptunes dance duo. It's exhausting, but isn't change good??

Here's photos of two of their incarnations:



Visit them on myspace at myspace.com/mixylodian

Music Video: Hercules and Love Affair



Here's a cool video of Hercules and Love Affair performing on a rooftop. Nice animation at the beginning, and a voguer. Cool.

Artist: Brian Hart

Why is light painting so continually awesome?




Check out more of Brian Hart's work.

Artist: Adrian Kenyon

Check out these amazing intricate and detailed collages done by Adrian Kenyon. He combines nature images with pop culture to create these amazing works. Here are a couple close ups.


For more of his work visit : http://adrian.kenyon.free.fr/

Monday, March 30, 2009

Music: Apes & Androids



I thought that I had already posted about Apes & Androids once before, but I just did a quick search...nothing. I'm also sad to say that I've never been witness to their live show, but these photos will help.





Dance, electro-pop, and best of all GLAM ROCK! There name Apes (past) and Androids (future) helps to explain the past and present references to their music and stage show.


The photos helped, but a video is ALWAYS better:


Apes & Androids is going to the UK from Apes & Androids on Vimeo.

www.myspace.com/apesandandroids

Music Video: The Bloody Beetroots



Here's a great video shot by Francesco Calabrese for The Bloody Beetroots. File this under party jams.

Street Art: Dan Witz

Dan Witz is a street artist who has placed images of grates in various places. Behind these grates are images of someone stuck behind, or people making out. I think the main reason I enjoy this, besides the creativity, is I like messing with people's minds. Try it sometime.



Visit his site for more www.danwitzstreetart.com

Skateboard Art by Damien Hirst



Damien Hirst for Supreme skateboard decks are going to be released this week. The collaboration features some of Hirst's Spin art paintings. The decks will be released online and in-store on Thursday, April 2nd.



Images via High Snobiety


Here's a short clip of Damien talking about the skateboard:

Photography: Kidults



Here's a few selections from a photo series done by Polish photographer Marcin Cecko. He's photographed adults in a few common scenerios that children might find themselves in. The results are both intriguing and hilarious.




Via My Modern Metropolis

Ad: Ray-ban




Ray-Ban is playing on the photoshop craze in their new campaign behind their "Never Hid" collaboration. In conjunction with Cutwater and photographed by Thomas Rusch the prints looks like they were photoshopped. But don't believe everything you see. The models were painted to appear photoshopped:




Here are a few more images from the campaign:



The campaign also includes these amazing ones with illustrations by Sebastian Onufszak and Sakke Soini.

Timewaster: Omegle


Apparently, to be the inventor of time wasting websites is one of the most coveted and valued job in our world today. The latest is Omegle. Basically, it's an anonymous chat room. It randomly connects you with one other user and then you can...chat.

"Talk To Strangers!" the tagline of the website is displayed across the top of the website. It might not seem that thrilling, but there is an attraction. Sometimes the most obvious ideas are the best ones. You just have to think of them first.

Friday, March 27, 2009

CALLING ALL BANDS!


For more info on Rock 4 The Kids, click here.

Music: Bombay Bicycle Club

Bombay Bicycle Club are an indie rock band to the core. They even started their own label Mmm...Records releasing their first two EPs under the name. They've since upstreamed to Island Records and will be releasing the single Always Like This on April 13th. (video below). Their debut full length is slated for release in June 2009.

Always Like This


Visit them at myspace.com/bombaybicycleclub

What was I doing 2 years ago today?



I present to you The Presets. It was March 27th, 2007. But it was a Tuesday. Probably the best crowd I've seen at a Tuesday show in Toronto ever.

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Artist: Erik Parker

Here's some bold work by German Erik Parker. It reminds me of the animation of Ren & Stimpy with the psychedelia of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Super stimulating!


The NY TIMES' art columnist describes it well:
“Working under the influence of acid rock posters, underground comics, Mad magazine, Ed (Big Daddy) Roth, Giuseppe Arcimboldo and Peter Saul, Mr. Parker has created a series of zany, neon-bright, imaginary portraits: goggle-eyed heads that are disintegrating into spaghetti-like strands and countless little blobs. Viewing them is like seeing into a mirror through the eyes of a furiously hallucinating drug fiend.”

Pod Castaway

Can I have one?




For more info on Free Spirit Spheres, click here.

Ad Video: Skype - 4D Conversations

We love Skype's first ever global TV campaign. Talk about Art Direction at its finest:



Agency: Albion London
Art Director: Liz Moss
Copywriter: Aimee Lewis
Production: Stink London

Video: Phil Lumbang



Here's a short video of Phil Lumbang doing some street art.

Ad video: Let It Shine


‘Let it Shine’ ad for the Honda Insight shows a massive grid of the new vehicle using their headlights to create something that must be the worlds largest LED screen. Organizing something of this scale is really inspiring.

For those of you who really want the back story, check out the 'Making Of'

Directed by Erik van Wyk
Advertising Agency Wieden+Kennedy, Amsterdam.

Buuuurn!



via ALL OF YOUR MIND

Film: Part of the Weekend Never Dies



There was obviously a blip in the space/time continuum. I'd never seen this trailer or heard of this doc before. Luckily for the internet, there should be a copy on its way to me now.

To get an idea of what will be contained in this DVD, besides appearances by Busy P, Justice, Tiga, Erol Alkan, among others. I can quote Soulwax as saying:

“Where the Beastie Boys filmed one gig with 50 cameras, we filmed 120 shows with one camera in Europe, Japan, US, Latin America and Australia”

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Artist: Josh Poehlein

Here's a project currently underway by Josh Poehlein. He takes landscape photographs and draws line images creating an entirely new dialogue. Very creative!



Images via BOOOOOOOM!

Please visit: www.joshpoehlein.com

Trailer: Where The Wild Things Are

I've already had 4 people mention this trailer to me in the last hour. BUZZZZZZ!! Arcade Fire track goes amazingly too

Music: Tobacco


Tobacco, real name Tom Fec, is the frontman of Black Moth Super Rainbow. In his solo release, entirely recorded with analog equipment, you can find lots of synthesizers and tape machines. Rolling Stone the album is "one of the year's best stoner-rock records". I'll smoke to that. Comparisons are the worst but always necessary, I'll roll this one up with Boards of Canada and Ratatat.

Visit the myspace: www.myspace.com/tobacco

Music Video: Handsome Furs "I'm Confused"



I could swear I was at this party. I just must have bounced out of there before all the black paint started getting spat around.

Artist: Drunk Park


Drunk Park is the solo alias for Graphic Designer & Illustrator, Seb Godfrey. Since relocating to London in 2006, the ever expanding client base for the Drunk Park studio is growing. With his distinct illustration and design style carving out a niche in todays music & fashion scene, Seb has gone on to have his artwork featured internationally in numerous books, magazines & exhibitions.



Check out more work at www.drunkpark.com

Gig: The Twelves


The Twelves have been releasing some of the greatest remix in the last couple years. They've tackled Black Kids, The Virgins and New Young Pony Club. Now you can catch their live show in Toronto tomorrow (Thursday, March 25th) at The Social. Their live show consists of live keyboards, drum machines, mash-ups and remixing.

Hot Docs Unveils 2009 Lineup


Yesterday Hot Docs announced their 2009 line up. The festival will be running from April 30th to May 10th this year.

Tickets are now on sale at the:
Hot Docs Box Office (55 Avenue Road)
online at www.hotdocs.ca
or by phone at 416-637-5150

Please check out the full story on BlogTO: Hot Docs Unveils 2009 Lineup

Posted using ShareThis

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

SXSW Sketch


Mike Rohde documented his experience at SXSW Interactive ‘09. He sketched his notes in a moleskine notebook and they’re now available on his flickr. God bless creativity

Art: Monsters

Idea Generation Gallery out of the UK will running a show titled "Inside the minds of The Gods of Monsters" from April 8th until May 4th 2009. The exhibition will showcase more than 100 monster images outlining the development of monster illustrations from the minds of their creators, to the sketch pads, all the way to the gallery wall.

An 800 square foot wall piece will be shown of Pete Fowler's surreal and pyschadelic Monsterism Island. Who wants to fly me to the UK? Oh...no one?

Music Video: Saint Pauli



I had never heard of Saint Pauli before I saw this video for "I Need Rhythm". It's an amazing representation of a city coming alive with street art. As for the music, if you're into Boys Noize you'll appreciate this.

Gig Montreal: Hollerado


So I can't take credit for finding them. Heck, I can't even take credit for seeing them, but HOLLERADO is in Montreal tomorrow night, and any self respecting Weezer fan should give these guys a go.
Here's the video for Americanarama, however I recommend also checking out their MySpace and hitting up the track "Juliette".



For those of you in Montreal, enjoy the show! Hollerado will be playing at La Tulipe.
For directions, click here.
To visit Hollerado's MySpace, click here.

Gig: The Asteroids Galaxy Tour


So, you've likely heard their song "Around The Bend" on the Apple iPod Touch commercial. But tonight The Asteroids Galaxy Tour will be tearing up Wrongbar. Also opening will be my local favorites Styrofoam Ones.

$16.50 advance at Soundscapes and Rotate This.

Here's the video of the song from the iPod commercial, if you already haven't heard it enough.

Robot Love


I'm a lover of all things robot. Here's a cool wall mounted hanger made of recycled metal. They come in silver or red. Check them out at Rompstore.com