IM // UR

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.

Posts tagged with dan_black

Dan Black re-Symphonised

Wednesday // January 27, 2010 at 11:58 // filed under Music

Polaroid by Richard Kelly for IM//UR at Topshop CTRL 2008

Dan Black is getting his American release at the beginning of February which can only led to one thing: re-re-re-releases! But in this case, for several reasons, it might be a good idea. First of all, he never got the exposure that he deserved and (I'm skipping to the final one) he is receiving lots of new remixes.

'Symphonies', that track that used to be called 'Hypnotise' and had Notorious B.I.G. lyrics, is the first re-release in a pack with three new remixes (and remember that the first time it had a Passion Pit remix).

From England comes a deep disco remix from the producer Duff Disco. Six minutes of mysteriously sexy sounds and one great bass line. One of the classiest disco drinks songs I've heard.

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Dan Black - Symphonies (Duff's Deep Disco Mix) [mp3]

There's also one of those hip hop edits that's basically the same as the original but with a featuring rapper in an extended intro. Kanye West's protégée Kid CuDi is responsible for this (American) radio friendly version. CuDi has such a good voice for rap!

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Dan Black - Symphonies (Kid CuDi Remix) [mp3]

If you like minimal house, you'll like Hot City's remix, but I hate it so I won't be posting. Sorry!

POSTED BY RAPHAEL CAFFARENA

TAGS: Dan Black, Duffy Disco, Kid CuDi // LINKS: Dan Black, Duffy Disco, Kid CuDi

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Dan Black's Symphonies

Thursday // May 28, 2009 at 15:29 // filed under Music

What would you come up with if you took 'Umbrella's drums, samples from eighties sci-fi movie Starman and the Notorious B.I.G. rhymes from 'Hypnotise'? Dan Black triumphantly came up with 'Hypntz' and for that he travelled around some 'next big thing' lists for 2009. Some months later and he has an album ready to be released - but turns out that he didn't get permission to officially release 'Hypntz' because oddly, Notorious' mum, the one who takes care of his legacy, doesn't allow any sampling of her son's lyrics.

So Dan Black, who couldn't and shouldn't lose that song, re-wrote the lyrics and created 'Symphonies'. Although some may say the cover was better, I do find it charming the way Black tried to keep the dramatic content of the original, but also dropped some crazy fun rhymes (e.g. focus with hocus pocus). And as the theme is sampling, the music video features some famous movie openings; from the sepia classics to the 3-D futuristic.

Dan Black - Symphonies

By the way, do you know what it sounds like when two hypes collide? It sounds like robotic voices, hyperactive drums and dry 90s synths. At least this is how the Passion Pit remix of Dan Black sounds, and you can download a 320kbps version below.

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Dan Black - Symphonies (Passion Pit remix) [mp3]

'Symphonies' will be released by June 29^th with ((un)), the debut album, following in the 6^th July!

POSTED BY RAPHAEL CAFFARENA

TAGS: Passion Pit, Dan Black // LINKS: Dan Black

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Ladyhawke in CTRL for April

Friday // April 17, 2009 at 19:46 // filed under Music // Fashion

It's Ladyhawke, innit.

Photograph by Matt Irwin

Topman has been giving emerging fashion designers a leg up in the industry via MAN, the only menswear show on schedule at London Fashion Week. Each season a panel of important industry types choose a line up of designers to showcase their collections alongside Topman Design. Topman has turned it's attention to music and CTRL is their platform.

Last month it was Metronomy, and this month Ladyhawke is curating Topman's CTRL series, having chosen Marina and the Diamonds, Dan Black and Fan Death for her gig. Here's the lady herself telling us a bit about it all, exclusively for IM//UR.

Ladyhawke in CTRL

The gig is on the 30th of April at Manchester's Deaf Institute. In the meantime, speaking of Fan Death, here's the sexily dark remix they did of Ladyhawke's 'My Delirium':

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Ladyhawke - My Delirium (Fan Death Remix) [mp3]

POSTED BY CHRISTEL ESCOSA