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Entries with keyword "music"
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Mike Perry: Insound 10 Classic
(17 August 2009) - After the success of last year's Insound 20, the indie music retailer hits us again with another run of exclusive band designs. While the former collection envisioned new designs for contemporary groups, Insound 10 Classic features 10 seminal punk, new wave or indie bands, all active between 1977 and 1997 and many of which are now defunct. This year's designer is Mike Perry, who...
(17 August 2009) - After the success of last year's Insound 20, the indie music retailer hits us again with another run of exclusive band designs. While the former collection envisioned new designs for contemporary groups, Insound 10 Classic features 10 seminal punk, new wave or indie bands, all active between 1977 and 1997 and many of which are now defunct. This year's designer is Mike Perry, who...
Sonos CR200 Touchscreen Controller
(11 August 2009) - Putting control of multi-room music playback into a smaller, easier to navigate device, Sonos' new remote makes their already winning system even better. Over the past several years using Sonos' Multi-Room Music System, we've been loving the balance it offers between quality, control and options. For the uninitiated, the Sonos system plays music from computers, the Internet or any attached storage device, wirelessly and...
(11 August 2009) - Putting control of multi-room music playback into a smaller, easier to navigate device, Sonos' new remote makes their already winning system even better. Over the past several years using Sonos' Multi-Room Music System, we've been loving the balance it offers between quality, control and options. For the uninitiated, the Sonos system plays music from computers, the Internet or any attached storage device, wirelessly and...
K-Box Portable Speaker
(05 August 2009) - Adding another dimension to portable music experiences, Kerchoonz's lightweight K-box speakers bring deeper bass response, making for to a spontaneous, on-the-go party-starter. Using patented Gel Audio technology to convert any smooth, solid surface into a giant speaker, the K-box generates an actual increase in the sound—the deeper the surface, the deeper the boom. Seeing it in action proves how nicely the K-Box syncs with...
(05 August 2009) - Adding another dimension to portable music experiences, Kerchoonz's lightweight K-box speakers bring deeper bass response, making for to a spontaneous, on-the-go party-starter. Using patented Gel Audio technology to convert any smooth, solid surface into a giant speaker, the K-box generates an actual increase in the sound—the deeper the surface, the deeper the boom. Seeing it in action proves how nicely the K-Box syncs with...
Grado SR60i and New GR8 Headphones
(04 August 2009) - For over fifty years Grado has been making audio equipment in Brooklyn, introducing high-end dynamic headphones in the late '80s. We've been using the small company's entry-level SR60i headphones (pictured right), a pair that for the $80 price tag delivers high-quality, crisp sound that competes with the larger, pricier brands. The SR60i's bare-bones design wins points for its utilitarian appeal, fitting comfortably around noggins....
(04 August 2009) - For over fifty years Grado has been making audio equipment in Brooklyn, introducing high-end dynamic headphones in the late '80s. We've been using the small company's entry-level SR60i headphones (pictured right), a pair that for the $80 price tag delivers high-quality, crisp sound that competes with the larger, pricier brands. The SR60i's bare-bones design wins points for its utilitarian appeal, fitting comfortably around noggins....
Of Montreal: Yellow Bird Project T-shirt
(03 August 2009) - by Julie Wolfson Electro-art rockers Of Montreal recently unveiled a t-shirt, featuring a cat sprouting George Washington and Ben Franklin heads in vivid Christmas colors, for the Yellow Bird Project to benefit the Saint Jude Children's Research Hospital. The bizarre aesthetics come as no surprise from a band that just last week shared the same bill with Dengue Fever and Grace Jones, filling the Hollywood...
(03 August 2009) - by Julie Wolfson Electro-art rockers Of Montreal recently unveiled a t-shirt, featuring a cat sprouting George Washington and Ben Franklin heads in vivid Christmas colors, for the Yellow Bird Project to benefit the Saint Jude Children's Research Hospital. The bizarre aesthetics come as no surprise from a band that just last week shared the same bill with Dengue Fever and Grace Jones, filling the Hollywood...
Timber Timbre
(31 July 2009) - Toronto-based Timber Timbre's third self-titled studio release keeps a soft and moody vibe with eight simply structured songs that seem meant for listening to in the dark. Taylor Kirk, the man behind the project, has a singing voice that’s both folksy and restrained. He calls on other artists to fill in strings, banjo and accompanying vocals, while his percussive backdrops anchor the low-key tunes.Pick...
(31 July 2009) - Toronto-based Timber Timbre's third self-titled studio release keeps a soft and moody vibe with eight simply structured songs that seem meant for listening to in the dark. Taylor Kirk, the man behind the project, has a singing voice that’s both folksy and restrained. He calls on other artists to fill in strings, banjo and accompanying vocals, while his percussive backdrops anchor the low-key tunes.Pick...
Naomi Shelton and the Gospel Queens Interview
(27 July 2009) - by Danielle Kosann Born into a family of musicians, 66-year-old Naomi Shelton grew up singing gospel with her sisters at churches throughout Alabama. Eventually, she moved to New York, where she spent most of her life performing soul music in Brooklyn nightclubs. Now, more than forty years since her arrival in New York, Naomi recently released her first full length album, "What Have you Done,...
(27 July 2009) - by Danielle Kosann Born into a family of musicians, 66-year-old Naomi Shelton grew up singing gospel with her sisters at churches throughout Alabama. Eventually, she moved to New York, where she spent most of her life performing soul music in Brooklyn nightclubs. Now, more than forty years since her arrival in New York, Naomi recently released her first full length album, "What Have you Done,...
Ghostly Discovery iPhone Application
(22 July 2009) - Ever ahead of the music industry curve, Ghostly International today released its first (100% free) iPhone application, Ghostly Discovery, a slick listening app that uses mood-based tagging to generate playlists from the Ghostly International and Spectral Sound (its dancefloor-oriented arm) catalogues. Designed in conjunction with o2 creative solutions, Discovery represents a unique departure from the "if you like this, you'll like this" approach to...
(22 July 2009) - Ever ahead of the music industry curve, Ghostly International today released its first (100% free) iPhone application, Ghostly Discovery, a slick listening app that uses mood-based tagging to generate playlists from the Ghostly International and Spectral Sound (its dancefloor-oriented arm) catalogues. Designed in conjunction with o2 creative solutions, Discovery represents a unique departure from the "if you like this, you'll like this" approach to...
Diego Stocco: Music From a Tree
(16 July 2009) - Using everyday materials or whatever happens to be at hand, sound artist Diego Stocco makes his instruments out of the most unlikely of materials. More recently, the Italian-born sonic craftsman stepped outside to draw on his natural environment to create "Music from a Tree." Bowing, plucking and tapping the tree's trunk, branches and leaves, Stocco builds a a mini-orchestra of the most unlikely sort....
(16 July 2009) - Using everyday materials or whatever happens to be at hand, sound artist Diego Stocco makes his instruments out of the most unlikely of materials. More recently, the Italian-born sonic craftsman stepped outside to draw on his natural environment to create "Music from a Tree." Bowing, plucking and tapping the tree's trunk, branches and leaves, Stocco builds a a mini-orchestra of the most unlikely sort....
Wurst Clothing
(10 July 2009) - Switching his tune from record label entrepreneur to fashion designer, My Cousin Roy, aka Roy Dank's new clothing line Wurst perfectly channels the downtown-meets-uptown feel. Inspired by Vivienne Westwood's brazen Anglomania line, the quality of craftsmanship found in vintage YSL and Dior and the downtown demeanor of Glenn O'Brien's TV Party, as well as brief respites in upstate New York, Dank's menswear line mixes...
(10 July 2009) - Switching his tune from record label entrepreneur to fashion designer, My Cousin Roy, aka Roy Dank's new clothing line Wurst perfectly channels the downtown-meets-uptown feel. Inspired by Vivienne Westwood's brazen Anglomania line, the quality of craftsmanship found in vintage YSL and Dior and the downtown demeanor of Glenn O'Brien's TV Party, as well as brief respites in upstate New York, Dank's menswear line mixes...
Otto Real-Time Beatslicer
(02 July 2009) - Taking the remix to the next level, Otto is a new prototype that enables real-time manual beat slicing. The brainchild (and master's thesis) of Luca De Rosso, made using open-source hardware, the handheld electronic instrument lends the user the sense of holding the sampled music in their hands. It works by connecting to a computer and using software to feed the sample into the...
(02 July 2009) - Taking the remix to the next level, Otto is a new prototype that enables real-time manual beat slicing. The brainchild (and master's thesis) of Luca De Rosso, made using open-source hardware, the handheld electronic instrument lends the user the sense of holding the sampled music in their hands. It works by connecting to a computer and using software to feed the sample into the...
Coil Guitars
(02 July 2009) - Bruce Jacob's pioneering instrument fuses his two passions—guitars and computer system engineering—to create Coil Guitars. Coil revolutionizes electric guitar customization, allowing guitarists to engineer their favorite tones without having to open up (and potentially damage) their instrument's circuitry. We spoke to Bruce to find out more about what makes Coils a must-have for the discerning guitarist. There are a multitude of different guitar production agencies...
(02 July 2009) - Bruce Jacob's pioneering instrument fuses his two passions—guitars and computer system engineering—to create Coil Guitars. Coil revolutionizes electric guitar customization, allowing guitarists to engineer their favorite tones without having to open up (and potentially damage) their instrument's circuitry. We spoke to Bruce to find out more about what makes Coils a must-have for the discerning guitarist. There are a multitude of different guitar production agencies...
Yamaha Bodibeat MP3 Player
(01 July 2009) - Eliminating the tedious task of carefully curating a workout mix, the Yamaha Bodibeat music player takes your pulse and shuffles your music accordingly. The device matches the beats-per-minute of the 125-song playlist to your heart rate, then chooses the best fitting song for you to jam out to. Arriving full preloaded, the MP3 player is ready for use, but we recommend adding your own...
(01 July 2009) - Eliminating the tedious task of carefully curating a workout mix, the Yamaha Bodibeat music player takes your pulse and shuffles your music accordingly. The device matches the beats-per-minute of the 125-song playlist to your heart rate, then chooses the best fitting song for you to jam out to. Arriving full preloaded, the MP3 player is ready for use, but we recommend adding your own...
J. Howells Werthman: We Are Making Plans
(30 June 2009) - J. Howells Werthman (JHW), a brooklyn native and co-founding member of the Nuclear Family music collective, recently released his first solo album We Are Making Plans. Taking advantage of Nuclear Family's "extensive community of music makers and artists, guys we've been doing shows with for years," the carefully crafted album features a curated list of guests that proves hip hop lives on. Although JHW...
(30 June 2009) - J. Howells Werthman (JHW), a brooklyn native and co-founding member of the Nuclear Family music collective, recently released his first solo album We Are Making Plans. Taking advantage of Nuclear Family's "extensive community of music makers and artists, guys we've been doing shows with for years," the carefully crafted album features a curated list of guests that proves hip hop lives on. Although JHW...
Voltaic: Songs from the Volta Tour
(25 June 2009) - The queen of her own stratum, Bjork's talent is the type where we've come to expect the unexpected. As is the case with all her projects, I've been gleefully indulging in her new multimedia undertaking Voltaic as if I were discovering the Icelandic chanteuse all over again. Closing the chapter of the past powerful two years of her career, this reently-released live album is...
(25 June 2009) - The queen of her own stratum, Bjork's talent is the type where we've come to expect the unexpected. As is the case with all her projects, I've been gleefully indulging in her new multimedia undertaking Voltaic as if I were discovering the Icelandic chanteuse all over again. Closing the chapter of the past powerful two years of her career, this reently-released live album is...
Limited Edition Two Tone Posters
(22 June 2009) - As influential as the music they supported, the Two Tone Records graphic system created an iconic look for British bands that fused Jamaican ska and rocksteady with contemporary punk and pop in the late '70s. Known for the black and white checkerboard and crisp, bold elements, the treatment unified the fashion and music of the period and remains a highly referenced theme today. Two...
(22 June 2009) - As influential as the music they supported, the Two Tone Records graphic system created an iconic look for British bands that fused Jamaican ska and rocksteady with contemporary punk and pop in the late '70s. Known for the black and white checkerboard and crisp, bold elements, the treatment unified the fashion and music of the period and remains a highly referenced theme today. Two...
The Mos Def Music Tee
(19 June 2009) - by Julie Wolfson Actor and MC, the Mighty Mos Def has a long list of unique collaborations and projects including starring on Broadway in Suzan-Lori Parks play "Topdog/Underdog," playing a video store employee in Michel Gondry's "Be Kind Rewind" and hosting "Def Poetry" on HBO. Now Mos Def is one of the first artists to release his new album, "The Ecstatic," in a t-shirt format....
(19 June 2009) - by Julie Wolfson Actor and MC, the Mighty Mos Def has a long list of unique collaborations and projects including starring on Broadway in Suzan-Lori Parks play "Topdog/Underdog," playing a video store employee in Michel Gondry's "Be Kind Rewind" and hosting "Def Poetry" on HBO. Now Mos Def is one of the first artists to release his new album, "The Ecstatic," in a t-shirt format....
Interview and Giveaway with Moto Boy
(16 June 2009) - by Mike Giles Born Oskar Humlebo in the Swedish village of Färila, Moto Boy first fell in love with music during a boys choir rehearsal in a London cathedral at the mere age of eight. After joining a choir back home, discovering the guitar and then leaving home to study music in a neighboring city, Moto Boy spent his teens exploring jazz and experimental music....
(16 June 2009) - by Mike Giles Born Oskar Humlebo in the Swedish village of Färila, Moto Boy first fell in love with music during a boys choir rehearsal in a London cathedral at the mere age of eight. After joining a choir back home, discovering the guitar and then leaving home to study music in a neighboring city, Moto Boy spent his teens exploring jazz and experimental music....
The Swedish Model
(16 June 2009) - By Mike Giles We are all fed up with the cat and mouse game when it comes to the legalities of current music distribution models and file sharing. The Swedish Model is an organization that consists of seven Swedish indie record labels working together to restore focus on the creation of music rather than the distribution of music in the digital age. A worthy cause,...
(16 June 2009) - By Mike Giles We are all fed up with the cat and mouse game when it comes to the legalities of current music distribution models and file sharing. The Swedish Model is an organization that consists of seven Swedish indie record labels working together to restore focus on the creation of music rather than the distribution of music in the digital age. A worthy cause,...
The Wailing Wall: Hospital Blossoms
(15 June 2009) - Any fan of introspective music on the alternative end of things must check out The Wailing Wall's debut album, Hospital Blossoms. The brainchild of NYC-based musician Jesse Rifkin, The Wailing Wall brings together an immensely talented group of musicians to tell a story of sadness, acceptance and catharsis. Rifkin relates the concept behind the album to a phoenix rising from the ashes; it's about...
(15 June 2009) - Any fan of introspective music on the alternative end of things must check out The Wailing Wall's debut album, Hospital Blossoms. The brainchild of NYC-based musician Jesse Rifkin, The Wailing Wall brings together an immensely talented group of musicians to tell a story of sadness, acceptance and catharsis. Rifkin relates the concept behind the album to a phoenix rising from the ashes; it's about...
CRC Jianian: The Chinese Music Connection
(12 June 2009) - by Tisha Leung When 38 year-old Toby Record revealed that as the Executive Director of CRC Jianian Inc., he had access to the Chinese government’s largest body of recorded historical and contemporary music, I was impressed—to say the least. Then he told me that rap producer Oh No laid some beats over a Chinese Peking Opera tune for the video game, Grand Theft Auto. So,...
(12 June 2009) - by Tisha Leung When 38 year-old Toby Record revealed that as the Executive Director of CRC Jianian Inc., he had access to the Chinese government’s largest body of recorded historical and contemporary music, I was impressed—to say the least. Then he told me that rap producer Oh No laid some beats over a Chinese Peking Opera tune for the video game, Grand Theft Auto. So,...
Kinny Stereo Acoustic Guitars
(10 June 2009) - Add new dimensions to guitar recording with Paul Kinny's Stereo Acoustic guitars, which use two sound holes to create a richer, more dynamic sound. The mammoth design, both intriguing and off-putting, is reminiscent of harp-guitars employed by innovative musicians Andy McKee and Michael Hedges. The two holes, oddly positioned towards the musician in lieu of his audience, separate the resonant bass tones from the...
(10 June 2009) - Add new dimensions to guitar recording with Paul Kinny's Stereo Acoustic guitars, which use two sound holes to create a richer, more dynamic sound. The mammoth design, both intriguing and off-putting, is reminiscent of harp-guitars employed by innovative musicians Andy McKee and Michael Hedges. The two holes, oddly positioned towards the musician in lieu of his audience, separate the resonant bass tones from the...
David Lynch: Dark Night of the Soul
(02 June 2009) - by Julie Wolfson A physical exegesis of the album Dark Night of the Soul, controversial filmmaker David Lynch collaborated with the album's creators—Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse—to create a two-room installation at the Michael Kohn Gallery in Los Angeles. The intermingling of the music and photos was no accident. A huge fan of Lynch, Danger Mouse approached the filmmaker about working together on a project. Lynch,...
(02 June 2009) - by Julie Wolfson A physical exegesis of the album Dark Night of the Soul, controversial filmmaker David Lynch collaborated with the album's creators—Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse—to create a two-room installation at the Michael Kohn Gallery in Los Angeles. The intermingling of the music and photos was no accident. A huge fan of Lynch, Danger Mouse approached the filmmaker about working together on a project. Lynch,...
Abigail Washburn: Afterquake
(01 June 2009) - Nashville-based folk artist Abigail Washburn, long-known for her interest in China, recently collaborated with The Shanghai Restoration to produce a benefit album entitled "Afterquake" for the survivors of last year’s Sichuan Province earthquake. Created to raise awareness and provide financial support for the Sichuan Quake Relief, the album consists of field recording remixes from the quake zone. ...
(01 June 2009) - Nashville-based folk artist Abigail Washburn, long-known for her interest in China, recently collaborated with The Shanghai Restoration to produce a benefit album entitled "Afterquake" for the survivors of last year’s Sichuan Province earthquake. Created to raise awareness and provide financial support for the Sichuan Quake Relief, the album consists of field recording remixes from the quake zone. ...
Cool Hunting's Summer 2009 Playlist
(29 May 2009) - This collection of tracks (click here to launch a player) represents a selection of our favorite new jams and a few classics, all inspired by the warm days of summer and activities like beach trips and rooftop parties. When we all started listening compulsively (the crowd-pleasing soundtrack played at my own Memorial Day BBQ), we knew we had a winner on our hands. —Ami...
(29 May 2009) - This collection of tracks (click here to launch a player) represents a selection of our favorite new jams and a few classics, all inspired by the warm days of summer and activities like beach trips and rooftop parties. When we all started listening compulsively (the crowd-pleasing soundtrack played at my own Memorial Day BBQ), we knew we had a winner on our hands. —Ami...
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