M-Audio MicroTrack II

by Tim Yu

by Emily Scarlet Kramer

With professional quality and two-channels, M-Audio's Microtrack II mobile digital recorder has changed my life for the better. It's pocket-sized so I can take it anywhere and it's perfect for recording song structures and sketches, the occasional live show or an important interview. Sound quality is superior for a small on-the-go recorder and its simple and straightforward interface makes it easy to use. Cutting back on the oftentimes superfluous knobs in favor of a few straightforward buttons makes for a quick learning curve.

I'm most impressed with the MicroTrack's range. A tiny plug-in T-mic is able to pick up the most discrete library voice, but the ability to adjust levels allows me to record even the loudest dance music. Just make sure you aren't going into the red or you'll get some distortion on playback. A helpful tip (especially at loud shows) is to muff the mic a bit to cut back on overloads. That way you don't have to lower settings too much and you still pick up all the nuances and details of the music.

The gizmo records in both WAV and MP3 formats and getting files on your desktop is a cinch. The USB charges and transfer files. You can even rename files directly on it and use the recorder as a player during downtime. One drawback however is the short battery life, so get used to bringing the USB charger along for the ride.

Purchase the MicroTrack II for $300 from Musician's Friend.

Kahn and Selesnick: Eisbergfreistadt

by Jonah Samson

Artists Richard Selesnick and Nicholas Kahn have been collaborating to produce multi-layered exhibitions for the past 20 years, and their most recent project Eisbergfreistadt ("iceberg free state") is currently on view at Yancey Richardson Gallery in New York.

Eisbergfreistadt is an exhibition of photographs, paintings and objects that chronicle the developments of an imaginary utopian state during a period of economic and ecologic disaster. In their signature style, Kahn and Selesnick tell their story by blending together fact and fiction.

Their elaborately staged photographs are filled with dream-like stories, but the combination of these images with invented cultural artifacts (like the printed invitations to the "Eisberg Ball" in 1923), provide the show with a grounded sense of history.

The show ultimately explores the relationship between the economy and the environment in a period of hyperinflation and global warming.

Eisbergfreistadt
Through 3 July 2008
Yancey Richardson Gallery
535 West 22nd Street, 3rd floor
New York, NY 10011 map
tel. +1 646 230 9610

Baggu Stripes and New Colors

by Ami Kealoha

Since first writing about Baggu portable nylon bags, we've started paying more attention to similar concepts on the market. Countless versions preceded the Baggu and there will no doubt be countless imitators following, but the Baggu outdoes them on all fronts, not the least of which is their new colors and stripes.

My strategy is to go brightly-colored so that my Baggu always pops against whatever I'm wearing. Josh seems to have a similar approach, swiping the hot pink number that our friends at Baggu recommended we save for a gloomy day.

We envision the new range of stripes working in a similarly functionally fashionable way by playing against solids the way a layered striped tee does otherwise. A classic blue-and-white combo is a perfectly nautical addition for summer and we're loving the red, blue and grey versions as well.

As for the other features that we're praising so highly? Compared to other stowaway bags, Baggus fold flat (at least if you're OCD enough to do it right) and tuck easily into back pockets and other bags. The nylon used is durable yet lightweight and gussets mean they can carry a lot more bulk that expected. Last but not least, handles are large enough to carry over the shoulder for those times when you need your hands for other tasks. We recommend buying in bulk for gifting, stowing in every bag, car or drawer you own and for replacements. Baggus start at $10 a pop (but the more you buy the cheaper they get) from their site.

Kraanspoor: Dock Turned Office Building

by Lost At E Minor

The Dutch, the beautiful Dutch—in terms of architecture anyway. With Kraanspoor they have led the way again with this reuse of an old crane dock. A new glass office building, with a climatic façade of double glazing, motorized louvers on the outside and full length windows on the inside, hovers above the old dock.

The result of the architect Trude Hooykaas of OTH bicycling by and forseeing the opportunity for a new office, this project evolved from much determination and perseverance, as a developer had to be found and the authorities convinced.

This is an inspiring approach to urban reuse as the site was earmarked for demolition and probably for a bunch of condominiums. Again.