IM // UR | The XX Mixtape

BEFORE TODAY by Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti

It doesn’t take much to make me feel stupid. Trying to find the words to describe the debut album of Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti at 4AD is just one of many examples I could give you. To me, ‘Before Today’ sounds like an album that Kevin Barnes could be recording if he loved goth bands more than funk ones. Or like the cold wave genre entering a multicoloured psychedelic stage instead of glazing at it's own depression. Don’t mind my threadbare examples; this is the album that will make it onto every interesting top 10 of the year and you don’t wanna miss it.

WE // R \\ WEARING

I can't resist (probably overpriced) basics-with-a-twist. My wardrobe, full of T by Wang, Oak, Bassike and yes, American Apparel is proof of this; and since in Australia, a new favourite has emerged in the form of Nathan Smith. His selection of supersoft tees, tanks and dresses have sucked me into buying multiples of a number of styles in different colourways. You just can't go wrong with these though! Addictively and endlessly wearable - and not in actual fact, overpriced in the slightlest - Nathan Smith is the way forward for your wardrobe.

WE // R \\ WATCHING

I don’t think any series will treat teenagers the same way that Freaks and Geeks did almost 10 years ago. Although relying on every teen American cliché they could, this series was the closest thing to reality you could get whilst still being something fun and interesting to watch – cause, you know, life is boring. With bands like The Who, The Clash and XTC being either part of episodes or the soundtrack, this 80’s based cult show was short-lived (only 18 episodes), but long enough to enrich the careers of some young actors (i.e. James Franco, Seth Rogen, Jason Segel, Busy Philipps and, erm, Linda Cardellini) and is greatly missed. Can we have a movie about them meeting again in the 00’s?

WE // R \\ GOING

Once, a friend of mine wanted to take me to this 'cheap Chinese restaurant', situated in the heart of Liberdade, a Japanese neighborhood in São Paulo. When we got there the place was packed, but because it looked cheesy and kinda poor, I didn't want to wait it out. It took another friend for me to go back there and fall in love with it. Now, every time the mood for some freshly made noodles (you can watch the chief making the noodle dough through a window) framed in some horribly painted pink walls takes me, I go for Rong He. Did I mention the food is also incredibly generous and cheap?

WE // R \\ READING

The ultimate in peeping tom into other, cooler, more fashionable, richer, quirkier and more-hipster-than-thou lives is Todd Selby's The Selby. Having previously been an internet only voyeur's dream, Todd has just last month released The Selby Is In Your Place, a book the coffee table tome full of twee drawings, colourful interiors and people showering. Half of the images in the books are favourites from the website and the other is stuff he hasn't published online yet. So go check it out, maybe buy it if you can to make your crappy coffee table in your crappy apartment that little bit cooler with pictures of someone else's cool stuff.

The XX Mixtape

Monday // August 03, 2009 at 18:00 // filed under Music

There is something about The XX that is building up such an excitement in me that I can't even describe. They are a foursome from London that sound like The Kills making love to the Howling Bells whilst playing CocoRosie as a soundtrack. Beautiful, small and fragile songs based uniquely in melodies. Their debut album will be released via Young Turks and is already one of the best releases of the year.

If you want to grab a taste of what to expect of The XX, the album, the band is giving away the song 'Basic Space'. Minimal percussion is laid down to a male/female vocal duo with velvet voices and crystallized guitars. So soft and pretty. I still haven't get over the fact they are English, they sound like the cool side of NYC's Brooklyn.

Flash Content

The XX - Basic Space [mp3]

The band did a mixtape for the Fact Magazine in which they not only mixed in some unreleased tracks of their own along with some that are about-to-be-released, but also sealed it with dubstep, minimal disco and alternative rock gems. This mix is brilliant for cold black days. Download it and check the tracklist below.

Flash Content

http://mp3.factmagazine.co.uk/FACT%20Mix%2070%20-%20The%20XX%20%28Jul%2009%29.mp3 [mp3]

The XX - FACT MIX (JULY / 09)

Tracklist | DOWNLOAD

1.Jamie xx - Ytinifni
2.The xx - Hot Like Fire (Jamie xx edit)
3.Skream - Sub Island
4.Four tet/Burial - Wolf Cub
5.Zomby - Test Me For A Reason
6.Sticky feat. Ms Dynamite - Booo!
7.The xx - Blood Red Moon (Jamie xx Bootleg)
8.CocoRosie - Raphael
9.The Crusaders - Young Rabbits
10.John Forde - Stardance
11.Theophilus London - Blindfolded
12.Mayana - Skips A Beat
13.The xx - Heart Skipped A Beat
14.The xx - Basic Space (Jamie xx Space Bass Mix)

POSTED BY RAPHAEL CAFFARENA

TAGS: Mixtape, The XX // LINKS: The XX