Cool Hunting
| 16 February 2007view entries from: this week | this month | view previous day | view next day |
Antibalas: Security
by Ami Kealoha
Security is the first ever Afrobeat soundtrack. Irreverent, hip, rough, political, moody and soulful, it's like an afro-funkier Curtis Mayfield score for a Blacksploitation film that only exists in the mind of the listener. As told by Brooklyn’s twelve-member Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra, the story unfolds like a hypnotic trance.
With a new record label (the coincidentally named ANTI-Records) and new producer John McEntire (Tortoise, Stereolab), Antibalas is breaking new ground with Security, their fifth and most experimental studio album in their ten year career. The new record is a clear turning point for the band. Staunch Afrobeat traditionalists may be disappointed by its lack of Fela Kuti worship. But with Security, Antibalas has made that transition that all true artists must make when transcending the limits of their genre to create something exciting and new. Incorporating diverse musical influences—from free jazz to rock—and non-traditional instrumentation, they also experiment with the form itself, adding extended b-sections that take the tunes much further than rhythm breaks and give the album an epic air.
Favorite tracks are difficult to choose on an album that is a pleasure from start to finish.
OKOK Gallery: Free Parking
by Tim Yu
Seattle's OKOK Gallery recently opened “Free Parking,” a collection of ink and graphite drawings by ten emerging artists. Often drawings incorporated into exhibitions are mere accents to the main attraction, however OKOK cleverly curates a group of works that explore the experiential and immediate nature of drawing. Mel Kadel's "Surrounded by Angels" (pictured, click for detail) is a humorous and playful use of the classic and fundamental artform. More images by John Casey, Ian Francis, Jen Corace, Zac Culler and Zachary Rossman after the jump.
Free Parking
10 February-8 March 2007
OKOK Gallery
5107 Ballard Ave. N.W.
Seattle, WA 98107 map
tel. +1 206 789 6242
PlanetTran Hybrid Car Service: San Francisco Bay Area
by Ami Kealoha
Recent years have seen OZOcar in NYC, ecoigo and green tomato in London, an Ecolimo in Melbourne and an (unrelated) Ecolimo serving NYC, S.F., Washington D.C. and Los Angeles. Just last week PlanetTran introduced the first fleet of Priuses for hire to the San Francisco Bay Area. (They launched their Boston service in 2003.) Serving Oakland, San Jose and San Francisco airports, like OZOcar the Priuses are equipped with WiFi, adding convenience to an eco-friendly ride.
via Inhabitat
Duct Tape Wallet Kit
by Ami Kealoha
It doesn't get anymore DIY than a duct tape wallet. But simple as they may seem, there's a right way and a wrong way. MyDuctbills Duct Tape Wallet Kits comes with step-by-step instructions written by the pros behind dbclay, the Portland-based company that makes quality duct and (more recently) gaffers tape wallets. For $20, you get a booklet and all the materials you'll need, including three strips of colored duct tape for decoration. Pick one up from myDuctbills. If you'd rather leave the crafting to the experts, you can still get a ductbill (the original duct tape wallet that preceded dbclay's gaffers tape wallets) here.
