Cool Hunting
| 05 September 2007view entries from: this week | this month | view previous day | view next day |
The Lovers
by Leonora Oppenheim
There's nothing like a late night radio discovery. On the brink of sleep Monday, I was jolted wide awake by the witty, sexy, upbeat chansons of The Lovers' lovemaking session on the Rob Da Bank show on Radio 1.
A little bit saucy, a little bit kitsch, a little bit tongue-in-cheek and oh so very very French, they make Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin seem chaste! An on-air cover of The Cure's "Lovecats" was suitably smooth with a Bossa Nova beat and puuuuurrrrring lyrics from Marion Benoist, whose previous incarnation was as a bunny girl. Her partner in crime is Fred de Fred, who has been described as a rock n' roll gypsy.
Based in Sheffield, U.K., their overt Frenchness has an interesting twist. In fact, several of their songs were co-written by none other than Sheffield native Jarvis Cocker, who, by the way, now lives in Paris. Quelle Franglais!
The Lovers by The Lovers is released on Gut Records in the U.K. You can listen to their songs on their MySpace page.
Cabana Cachaça
by Jacob Resneck
On the heels of the enduring Caiprinha craze, Cabana Cachaça is "double distilled" and is one of the latest brands to capitalize on the rising popularity of Brazil's national spirit in North America.
Unlike conventional rum which is made from molasses, cachaça is the product of pure cane sugar and is an excellent ingredient in cocktails. It's the standard-bearer spirit in Brazil and popular throughout Latin America but has only made landfall in the United States and Europe relatively recently and deserves a try.
Cabana Cachaça's creator, Matti C. Anttila, is working hard to lead the resurgence of cachaça, a quality spirit that for years Brazilians dismissed as common compared to name-brand imported whiskey, vodka and gin.
The resurgence of cachaça has attracted the notice of longtime observers of mixology trends and the booze industry. "They're touting the whole double-distilled thing to move their cachaça out of its historical realm of peasant drink," notes Liquor Snob magazine. According to Liquor Snob, what's long been dismissed as a drink for the rural poor is now being enjoyed by the young yachters and captains of industry who recognize it as a fine spirit and by "mixologists" who make gourmet Caipirinhas with muddled lime and sugar with quality cachaça.
Core77's Hack-2-School Guide
by Ami Kealoha
Core77's outdone themselves again with their online Hack-2-School guide for design students.
Divided into five categories, it's full of need-to-know information tailored to the unique needs and challenges facing students who are likely going to be spending a lot more time with Photoshop than they are with Freud. Advice includes a lot of original content as well as links to other sites, ranging from DIY dorm room build-outs and design resources on the web to tips on pitching websites (including yours truly) and ways to not be obnoxious in a crit.
It's a wealth of tricks and tidbits applicable for new students, old students and those of us who just wish they were students.
Carsten Höller
by Lost At E Minor
Carsten Höoller, creator of the magnificent slides shown at the Tate Museum earlier this year (above left, click on image for detail) and a beguiling room of 10 ft. mushrooms hanging from the ceiling (above right, click on image for detail), is a renaissance man of sorts. A scientist with a concentration in olfactory communication in insects, he saw a problem with a profession of ever-increasing specialization. In the 1980s Höoller turned to the wide-open field of contemporary art, creating interactive and wondrous works that poke at one's perception of experience. Inducing doubt and confusion, the majority of his installations and sculptures seem to use the audience as subjects of perceptual and psychological experimentation.
See more of his work here.
Modernist
by Fiona Killackey
U.K.-based label Modernist makes their debut at London Fashion Week this month. Created by Sierra Leone's Abdul Koroma and Newcastle's Andrew Jones who met during their time at Max Mara, Modernist places an innovative twist on modern couture.
Since its inception in September 2005 the label created by the Kingston School of Fashion graduates has achieved a number of accolades, including the coveted Top Shop New Generation Award. Given that this is their first time before an international crowd of buyers, editors and stylists at LFW, it's likely Modernist will be one label we're hearing of (and wearing) a lot more.
