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September 10, 2007
Audio. Land of the Lost EP
Audio. Land of the Lost EP: J*Davey has been one the most buzzed about emerging groups in recent memory. Songs like No More and Mr. Mister, whet the appetites of listeners in search of something new. The self-described "post hip-hop electronic new wave funk punk jazz band" signed with Warner Bros. in March and they seemed to be well on their way to bringing their new sound to the masses.
Alas, reports surfaced in June that the group's major-label debut, 4000 A.D. had been shelved indefinitely. Could industry rule number 4080 be ruining another promising career? Who knows? Well, what's up with J*Davey now? They have put together a mix in association with DJ Lindsey and the Fader, it includes some of the stuff they've been working on as of late. For the uninitiated as well as the die-hards, the Land of The Last EP will not disappoint. Unlike most free mixes released over the web, this is the one you'd pay good money for.
Email us and get a free copy in the mail! [Hit me]
Posted by james at 09:17 PM
Books. Check The Technique
Books. Check The Technique: Brian Coleman has compiled the stories behind 36 beloved rap albums. Check The Technique: Liner Notes For Hip-Hop Junkies gives you the inside information on the influences, atmosphere, equipment, samples, and random things that went into creating classics from the 80s and 90s.
He was recently interviewed by Jesse Thorn about the book. It was cool to hear them discuss the process of writing a book, about the process of creating a record. Brian and Jesse grew up listening to hip-hop and because of that their discussion had a tone rarely heard on public radio. [Listen]
Dork recommends Check The Technique. Purchase it [Here]
Posted by james at 04:00 PM
People. Is Lupe dumbing down his music?
People. Is Lupe dumbing down his music?: According to popular opinion, hip-hop is a dish best served dumb. Swagger is everything. This puts thoughtful, intelligent artists in a most precarious situation. Do you compromise your music in order to sell records, or do you stay true to yourself and starve?
Jay-Z said it best on Moment Of Clarity, his take on his own music: "I dumbed down for my audience to double my dollars." As cynical as it sounds, it's smart to be stupid, if it makes you rich. So is Lupe taking Jay's advice? It's too early to tell, but his latest single Dumb it Down, gives you insight into this common dilemma.
Watch Lupe Fiasco's Dumb it Down after the jump
Posted by james at 02:06 PM
Film. Be Kind Rewind
Film. Be Kind Rewind: We just watched the trailer for Michel Gondry's latest film, Be Kind Rewind, and we can't wait to see it in January. The movie looks like fun. Who doesn't like a comedy with a good heart?
Here's the synopsis: "A man whose brain becomes magnetized unintentionally destroys every tape in his friend's video store. In order to satisfy the store's most loyal renter, an aging woman with signs of dementia, the two men set out to remake the lost films, which include Back to the Future, The Lion King, and Robocop."
Watch the trailer for Be Kind Rewind after the jump
Posted by james at 11:20 AM
September 09, 2007
People. Robin Footitt keeps growing!
People. Robin Footitt Keeps Growing: Robin is the man. Over the last few years we've watched our friend take the art world by storm. He's not slowing down any time soon either.
Last week Robin had an opening reception for his Stand Apart exhibit which will be installed until September 28. As reported, "Nancy Victor is pleased to announce the first London solo exhibit of promising British artist Robin Footitt. The exhibition assembles recent drawings, paintings and media work with a print portfolio commissioned by musician KT Tunstall for her forthcoming album 'Drastic Fantastic,' to be released this month." In addition Robin also opened his online store, where you can find a few of his select pieces. If you're in London visit Robin's exhibit at 36 Charlotte Street.
Read more about Robin Footitt and visit his website [Here]
Posted by taj at 08:31 PM
Events. Wallpaper* covers SS08 Fashion Week
Events. Wallpaper* covers fashion week: Wallpaper* mag is a classy publication. Their layout and content is well put together. With their strong move toward the web, they're creating a dual platform of readership many publications aspire toward. One example is their coverage of fashion week.
"From the front row, wallpaper.com is covering the September fashion weeks seen through its expert eyes. The 2008 Spring/Summer shows will reveal what New York, Paris, Milan and London's best fashion designers have to offer." The wallpaper.com fashion week coverage went live last week and will continue until October 8th.
Read more about Wallpaper*'s coverage of SS08 fashion week [Here]
Posted by taj at 05:23 PM
September 07, 2007
People. Tip & Common
People. Tip & Common: When we were in college there was a rumor about a group called Intergallatic. People speculated that Pharoah, Jeru, Black Thought & Common were going to form a rap group. Obviously it didn't happen. Rats!
Well here's another hopeful mega-group. This time it's Common and Tip. I think we'd lose our mind over here if this happens. I hope the Label Crusades part ways and let this one happen. From XXL: "In an exclusive interview with XXLMag.com, A Tribe Called Quest frontman, Q-Tip, reveals he’s forming a new group with Common entitled The Standard. 'Me and Common [are] getting ready to form a group,' Tip tells XXLMag.com. 'We’ll probably run it through the Uni [Universal Records] joint because we’re both on Universal.'”
Read more about Tip and Common at XXL [Here]
Posted by taj at 01:25 AM
Link Heavy. Wii Development Sketches
Link Heavy. Wii Development Sketches: We love this stuff. Gizmodo posted early sketches and a conversation they had with Matt Presta regarding the development of the Wii. We recently got a Wii at the office and it really is AWESOME. Big Brain Academy is THE BEST (c) DJ Khaled.
As Matt Presta told Gizmodo: "We were brought in to help [Gyration] pitch their gyro technology (which had previous only been used in pointing/mouse devices) to Nintendo for more complex use in gaming—an idea way ahead of its time back in '01. Based on a requirement to roughly preserve the existing Game Cube button layout we created usability concepts that would work for one- or two-handed gaming. We experimented with different configurations through sketches, models and interviewing various hardcore gamers."
Read more information about the Wii and Matt Presta's wisdom [Here]
Posted by taj at 01:01 AM
People. Futura & Parla
People. Futura & Parla: BeingHunted continues to bring us great interviews. This time they've penned a conversation with Futura and Jose Parla. Both artists inspire Dork and it's good to see them together.
From BeingHunted: "Futura and José Parlá exhibited in London recently for their Pirate Utopias show at Elms Lesters Painting Rooms. It was a mixed media affair, featuring lots of new pieces, along with some good old classics we’ve come to know and love. We caught up with two old friends of Beinghunted, Futura and José in the afternoon before the launch, to find out how they were doing, and what the exhibition was all about."
Read more about Jose Parla & Futura's collabo exhibit [Here]
Posted by taj at 12:41 AM
September 06, 2007
Events. The Brooklynites
Events. The Brooklynites: We've had the good fortune of watching these guys put together a collection of photos that mean something. Seth Kushner and Anthony LaSala are true documentarians (c) Black Star. You can read our interview with them from a few years back when they started their debut project, The Brooklynites [Here].
You can also catch up with Seth and Anthony's work this month at powerHouse Arena. It all starts tomorrow. As Jonathan Lethem said, “Brooklyn is the conscience of New York. While Manhattan tears everything down and changes everything, Brooklyn does a similar thing, but fails miserably at it. It is a crazy quilt of a place. A mongrel place of sorts. It mixes old and modern in a haphazard way. It represents a tiny microcosm of the world—a functional utopia.” Don't miss it.
The Brooklynites Exhibit at pH 37 Main St., Brooklyn, NY from Sept 6 - 30
Posted by taj at 12:49 AM