In the immortal words of Ebenezer Scrooge:

BAH, HUMBUG.

THANKS Y'ALL FOR 2009!

ROLLER ON // 2010! X

SHAKE IT GIRL

NEED I SAY MORE?

How could you miss the hype about Delphic? The word 'delphic' is defined as 'ambiguous or enigmatic'; but it's also attached to the name of an important Greek oracle. And a lot of today's so-called oracles of music have been lauding Delphic as 2010's next big thing.

Next big thing aside, call me slow, but my jury's still out on this matter; but the track I'm talking about today (and that lots have been throwing around, particularly the remix that Riton threw in which goes alright too) is 'Doubt'.

I prefer Ramadanman's super cool remix though, giving the track his dubby touch. He pares back the instrumentation, removes the original's off-accented beat played with rather frenetic live drums and replaces them with more aloof electronic ones. But the sweetness of the synths and even bird song samples more than makes up the warmth on the remix.

It's the kind of track I'd use as part of my soundtrack home (you know the ones where in your head you frame yourself in a camera and pretend you're in a film? No? Fine). Or in my late night groove zone (oh lord I have one of those. And I just called it 'my late night groove zone). Wicked stuff.

Henry  McCausland

Say hey to our artist of the month, UK based illustrator Mr Henry McCausland! I met Henry whilst we were both travelling some years ago, when we both happened to be in Berlin.

We've kept in and out of touch since, and to wrap up 2009 I was super chuffed when he agreed to whip up an illustration for this month's background. Henry's work has a gorgeous depth and texture; his drawings are serene observations about the world around him, which he articulates with a gentle touch. Henry's drawings are often from an above perspective, suggesting the distance of a quiet onlooker viewing the scene.

His work for IM//UR is all about one of his all time favourite films, Trading Places, a Christmas classic starring Eddie Murphy and Dan Akroyd. "I liked the '//' in IM//UR, so it's sort of about the rich//poor, haves//have-nots; and set around Christmas and the Stock Exchange and financial games... somehow it seemed appropriate right now."

How and when did you know you were going to be an illustrator?

I don't remember ever choosing, I think I just never found anything else I was any good at to stop me drawing. Though I thought I was going to be a footballer until I broke both my legs and shattered my pelvis in a motorbike accident when I was 15. I was bedbound for nearly a year and just drew the whole time. When I could walk again it was still all I wanted to do.

What have been are your biggest influences?

My biggest inspiration right now is probably running through town so early in the morning that no one else is around. It's sort of beautiful and post-apocalyptical at the same time. Otherwise, I like to use the cartoon semiotics from my youth, watching too much TV framed like a film, trying - trying - to give forms weight like a Picasso drawing.

Who would love to work for or collaborate with?

I don't know...If I could somehow get a job where I got to hang round with Arsene Wenger perhaps being his personal illustrator or Shigeru Miyamoto's concept artist (if I could speak Japanese); or hanging round with David Attenborough, just gleaming wise words and doing drawings. I would like that.

What did you dream about last night?

I was working in a bar and a man in a suit and tiny round glasses asked me for a drink. I couldn't make out what he said. Every time I asked him to repeat himself, he became more and more inaudible. I couldn't give him a drink and then the bar caught on fire and then I woke up.

Favourite medium?

Medium rare.

Go follow Henry's lovely work on his BLOG

They Want War

photograph by Harley Weir

These New Puritan's lead single 'We Want War', from forthcoming album Hidden has got it's first remix in; with the vehemently whispered declaration of "We want war" pushed to the forefront - the remixed track being just as full of tension and suspense as the original. But unlike the original - which I feel is like a soldier marching towards the battle field with guns and bombs blazing nearby - the remix as interpreted by SBTRKT seems to find the track in the midst of crawling through the underbrush, guerilla styles, with the war blazing on overhead. It's a little more intense, being propelled forward by beeping synths, but keeping the super dark and ominous undertones of the original. Brilliant.

The winners of the British Fashion Council (BFC) New Generation sponsored by Topshop for London Fashion Week's A/W 2010 have just been announced! Winners all listed below in their categories, as well as some of my favourite looks from the designer's most recent SS 2010 collections.

On the NEWGEN catwalk will be:

Mark Fast

Mary Katrantzou

Meadham Kirchoff

Peter Pilotto

The Greek born, Rhode Island School of Design educated and then Central Saint Martin's graduate, Mary Katrantzou's self proclaimed hyperrealistic prints and bold palette are gorgeous.

Mary Katrantzou

I remember seeing the debut LFW Peter Pilotto show back in 2007. It was fab then and they're still maintaining two short years down the track:

Peter Pilotto

And holding NEWGEN Presentations will be:

Holly Fulton

Louise Gray

Maria Francesca Pepe

Sykes

Holly Fulton states her career highlight as when “Alber Elbaz telling me I was wearing the biggest necklace he'd ever seen.” And how could you forget those super graphic designs? I'd kill for a Holly Fulton piece...

Holly Fulton

and NEWGEN at the Exhibition will be:

Atalanta Weller (footwear)

Christopher Raeburn

Craig Lawrence

David Koma

Dominic Jones

Fannie Schiavoni

KTZ

LP.BG

Michael Lewis (footwear)

Michael van der Ham

Natascha Stolle

I'd been perving on Christopher Raeburn's designs for months; I meant to post about him but it got buried under everything else on my desktop. He takes my Bladerunner see-through plastic fetish to the next level. Anything in fashion that's 'ethically aware' could generally not have a hope in hell of looking cool, but Raeburn does this to dazzling effect. Wicked stuff.

Christopher Raeburn

Sculptural and body conscious, David Koma's super sexy and powerful designs got him stocked at Brown's Focus having just graduated this year with a distinction from CSM.

David Koma

The dearly beloved duo of one of London's fashion must-stops, Kokon To Zai's three year young label KTZ is rocking it for accessible, democratic, highly creative peops. Keep it coming.

KTZ

WOO congratulations to y'all - here's to the New Generation!

We Want War

I LOVE THESE NEW PURITANS. I cannot say this enough. I am still addicted to Beat Pyramid; I think it was wayyy ahead of it's time, so the anticipation that I'd harboured for their forthcoming album Hidden was absolutely immense. I'd been sending weekly emails for about a month checking for it, and when I finally had a listen, I felt supremely elated/smug/vindicated that the wait was justified: These New Puritans surpassed my hopes and expectations.

The lead single from the album is 'We Want War' and it is POWERFUL and EPIC - and so is the beautiful video, directed in all it's surreal and cinematic drama by Daniel Askill.

Honestly, the dynamic journey that a TNP track will take you on, starting with 'We Want War', is as close to a religious experience as I get.

Turn it the fuck UP and IMMERSE yourself. If anyone could stir up some kind of feeling in this our (generally) apathetic generation, it's These New Puritans...and I'm also giving more than a nod - more like a body slam salute - to HEALTH in that statement (and yes I'm thinking of you superfan James Penycakes as I type this).

TNP have cobbled together snippets from Hidden to give you a preview in the mp3 below, but I'm warning you, download that shit at your peril because it's a total tease, and will leave you with the musical equivalent of blue balls.

Seriously, RUN, RUN NOW and order 'We Want War' here and here.

Yo Sydney, what y'all doing tonight/tomorrow? YOU SHOULD COME CHECK THIS:

Drop in at the Finders Keepers SS // 09 Independent Art and Design Markets over at Carriageworks, bringing together all kinds of cool people doing cool shit in art, design, fashion and publishing.

I'll be there tomorrow looking after the stall for one of the magazines I write for (which also happens to be one of the most beautiful and inspirational independent publications EVER. No seriously, it actually restores my faith in publishing AND in humanity. I know right!); Dumbofeather, Pass It On so come and say HIYAAAA.

OPEN FROM:

Friday 4th December from 6pm - 10pm

Saturday 5th December from 10am – 8pm

WHERE and HOW TO GET THERE:
The inside foyer at CarriageWorks - 245 Wilson Street, Eveleigh NSW 2015.

The pedestrian entrance is at the corner of Codrington Street and Wilson Street. Wheelchair ramp and level access at all entrances. Fully accessible toilets.

Nearest train:
Redfern or Macdonaldtown and its only a short walk from King Street in Newtown.

SEE Y'ALL THERE!