minimalist

Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head Earrings / Lady Robot Red Pocket Mirror

admin — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 08:57:00 +0000

I used to be a fussy gal when it came to keeping up appearances. I obsessively straightened my hair, checked my makeup many times a day, and had a sizable collection of collared shirts. Along the way—between the radicalizing of my politics, inheriting much of my grandmother's wardrobe, and deciding that what I call ugly chic best represents my humble upbringings and current socioeconomic situation—I put my flat iron in storage, threw out all of my makeup (save for a mascara wand for special occasions), and gave away all my collared shirts that required starch. I'm still able to fix myself up quite nicely, but the pretense is gone. I'm much more comfortable with a foundation-free face and fun jewelry to dress up my somewhat drab but functional clothing.

LaNinja, a friendly designer named Miia based in Stockholm, Sweden, makes accessories that speak to my minimalist, kitschy ways. All of her sterling silver jewelry is handmade in her studio, and her glass jewelry is hand-fired in her kiln. My silver Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head Earrings—a set comprised of one raindrop and one cloud—are perhaps some of the most sturdy yet dainty accessories I have owned. Both shapes were handcut, soldered, and oxidized with the oxidation lightly brushed for texture. I recently purchased new wellies to keep my feet dry during rainshowers, and I do tend to live in a dreary climate, so the more wet weather accessories—whether functional or just for show—are quite appropriate. I also enjoy songs about bad weather because I'm a bit of a curmudgeon by nature. These include titles like "Only Happy When It Rains" and my earrings' namesake. (I prefer the Burt Bacharach version.)

At 3.5 inches in diameter and adorned with a LaNinja original design, my Lady Robot Red Pocket Mirror puts to shame the dollar store mirror used by my co-worker to obsessively check her makeup and hair. She probably thinks I'm an unkempt mess, but I'd rather opt for more sleep and less primp time. I can use my mirror on the train to work if I really need a touch-up.

As office politics stress have brought on a strange bought of facial skin irritation of late, a mirror in my bag serves me well. I'm frequently red and bumpy without a full blown outbreak. My acupuncturist says I have stagnant qi. Thus, I enjoy the contrast of my red mirror, which is a more extreme color than I am. Why must robots always be portrayed as male? My female robot design is an appropriate nod to my past as a pseudo-techie and the recovery I have since thankfully made. Much to Donna Haraway's chagrin, I do not consider myself a cyborg feminist.

While LaNinja maintains an impressive Etsy shop, a larger selection of her designs and wares can be found on her own website. You don't have to be a granny clothes grouch like me to enjoy her goodies. In fact, if you like cheerful greens and blues, water themes, and gorgeous handmade silver designs, you'll probably adore Miia's work.

Written by: Brittany Shoot, November 14th 2009

Letter from New Virginia

admin — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 23:31:00 +0000

By Donny Hue and the Colors

Kora Records

Did you know that one of iTunes musical categories is “unclassifiable”? Such a description is apt for the music of Donny Hue and the Colors. The group uses many unusual instruments, including autoharp, melodica, glockenspiel, and theremin, as well as guitar and organ on an album that can alternately be described as psychedelic, minimalist, and orchestral.

The instrumental “Into the Woods” plays like the opening of a movie, setting the tone for the album. It is pleasant sounding yet laid back until the music stops abruptly and we hear a very very quiet sound resembling wings. Both the emphasis on melody and the bizarre use of ambient sound carry over as the album progresses.

“You’re On Your Own (We Could Help)” is a bit left of center, but whimsical in a Beatles-esque way. The lyrics make little sense: “Mr. Romo, how do you so elegantly bow?” “I Speak of the Hayseed Cousins” sports a country vibe with jangling guitar and laconic vocal while “Callidope” has a bluegrass feel and is marked by prominent harmonica and a fast-paced rhythm. We then have “Fairlady of the Springboard,” a waltz on which we hear piano and violin, and as with many other songs, the music obscures the vocals. It’s not that you can’t hear them, but that they don’t seem to be saying much, and the music is more the focus. The band gives a Southern rock feel to “Woods,” which has drawling vocals, ambling solos, and piano and horns that add to the crescendo finale.

Musically, Donny Hue and the Colors know their stuff, and while the album is interesting to listen to once, it doesn’t get any less strange or chaotic the second time around. Until the group learns to focus their talents more, I won’t be adding them to my playlist.

Written by: Karen Duda, October 26th 2009

Arminico Hewa

admin — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 09:13:00 +0000

By OOIOO

Thrill Jockey

When I was twenty, I flew off to Japan one spring with a stated mission “to be alone.” While this may sound more glamorous than it actually was, I did accomplish my goal. Unable to speak to anyone, wandering between cities and sights in dazed confusion, I was undeniably alone. It was either the best ten days of my life or the strangest—and really, it was probably both.

Japanese band OOIOO recreate the strangeness of that experience. Their all-female lineup, which has made space for the likes of Sean Lennon in the past, plays a mix of experimental and minimalist noise rock. Much like their counterpart band, The Boredoms, OOIOO vacillate between enjoyably listenable and disturbingly avant garde.

On Arminico Hewa, tracks range from under two minutes to over six. Songs like “Ironrun” and “Konjo” run together and sound like Japanese tribal chants—if such a thing exists outside of a Kabuki theater. “Polacca” could almost be mistaken for a rock song. For balance, tracks like “Ulda” bring to mind the shoegaze fuzz of My Bloody Valentine. MBV's Kevin Shields scored much of the music for Lost In Translation. It all comes together, no?

My partner’s brother—a twin in DNA only—recently returned from a conference in Osaka with pleasant things to say about his time abroad. While I’ve recently warmed to the idea of returning to the islands nation, I’d no doubt do better with some company this time. As demonstrated by the constantly shifting OOIOO lineup, comfort—or at least safety—comes in numbers.

Written by: Brittany Shoot, October 20th 2009

Stark Ring

admin — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 09:15:00 +0000

By Stacy Christopher Jewelry

I love simple. - Stacy Christopher

The Seattle-based jewelry maker of Stacy Christopher Jewelry does indeed. The beautifully elegant and thoughtfully minimalist Stark Ring arrived in a simple brown, tuck-top box with the image of a crow hand-stamped on its face. I felt like I was opening a birthday present and was delighted at the gift inside.

Stark is industrial in its look and feel, but has smooth edges that are comfortable and elegant. It is just under a third of an inch wide, which is rather thick compared to most of my other silver jewelry, but this ring is anything but heavy. I can tell by the design that it is meant as a men’s band; however, I wanted to wear the ring myself so I’m enjoying it on the thumb of my left hand. (It would look just as stunning on a black rope chain around your neck as on any finger.) This special piece of art has an ability to make me feel girly even though it is quite masculine. I like the occasional pretty thing, but I am most often drawn to clean lines and pieces I can purchase knowing I will still love them in ten years.

The Stark ring joined me on my first day of work at a new job. It won a couple oohs and aahs from my new coworkers, who were immediately sent to the artist’s site for details. Christopher's other work is just as beautiful and keep with her "I love simple" style, but I was still draw to the Stark. Its unique appeal is its amazing handiwork, which is visible to the naked eye. It looks like I'm wearing a piece of an airplane.

Artist Stacy Christopher works as an engineer during the day and designs jewelry as her passion. It's not often (or ever) that the simple addition of a silver band on my thumb has invoked such feelings of grace and strength at the same time. I can tell there is a little additional shopping from her collection in my future.

Written by: Rachel Petzold, September 5th 2009

Gea

admin — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 13:11:00 +0000

By Mia Doi Todd

City Zen Records

When Mia Doi Todd’s _The Golden State _was released in 2002, I thought her work was oddly impressive. Her strange voice as captivating; if not always soothing or particularly enjoyable, it impressed me and kept me tuned in. Her first (and only) major-label album, it compiled tracks from her previous independent records, and it looked like Todd might Sony/Columbia Records’ new “it” girl.

Time passed. Her contract wasn’t renewed. She contributed to other, better known musicians’ projects while two more solo albums came out to much less critical acclaim. Gea, her latest effort, arrived at my doorstep weeks ago, and sadly, I can barely manage to listen to the entire record despite its short length of ten tracks.

Todd is a unique hybrid of American East Coast woodsy and East Asian influence. Practically unclassifiable, her insanely minimalist music doesn’t make sense to a lot of people. Often only a piano or guitar accompany her haunting voice, and she is also known to remix much of her own work and create new albums from it (which is an odd choice considering much of it isn’t particularly well received these days anyway). I’ve never known anyone who was a rabid Mia Doi Todd follower, and recently, when I played a Gea track for a friend with no information or introduction, he asked if Todd wasn’t a slower, less Celtic Loreena McKennitt. Ouch.

I can’t give Gea my love because it’s boring and painfully repetitive. It also bears too close a resemblance to every other Mia Doi Todd track I’ve heard, and this sadly doesn’t impress me. I wanted to stand confidently behind her latest effort, but Todd’s voice and songwriting skills are much better suited for collaborations than her own solo career. I hope she’ll consider doing more partnered work in the future.

Written by: Brittany Shoot, January 22nd 2008

Fabriclive.36

admin — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 19:37:00 +0000

By James Murphy, Pat Mahoney

Fabric Records

If you want to get the party started, here is the album to get the job done. Fabriclive.36 features James Murphy and Pat Mahoney on this release of electronic disco to minimal disco. The Fabriclive.X repetoire features a new artist release on a regular (if not monthly) basis out of the Fabric night club in London. These works are compliations of artists spun up for the night club dance crowd. Fabric is the brainchild of founders Keith Reilly and Cameron Leslie—featuring three separate rooms totaling over 25,000 square feet, independent sound systems, and a body sonic dance floor.

Murphy and Mahoney are a couple of American born and bread boys from Wonder Breadland America who learned at tender ages what music was all about. Moving through the “my dad wanted me to play sax” and the garage bands, these two guys now share a spot on the DJ listing at Fabriclive. The music is dance, dance, dance, and more dance. That’s not a bad thing when you really need a great dance disc to get folks moving. The high energy mix was well received by everyone in the house; these guys do a great job of generating sonic energy and moving it right through. And it sure made Saturday morning chores go a heckuva lot faster too!

Written by: Mary O'Hara, January 20th 2008

Death of the Sun

admin — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 16:22:00 +0000

By Matteah Baim

DiChristina Stair Builders

Former singer/songwriter of the Metallic Falcons (with CocoRosie's Sierra Cassady), Matteah Baim branched out on her own not long ago and has come forth with her debut solo album, which includes collaborations with some of today’s biggest names in hipster folk, including Devendra Banhart and 90 Day Men’s Rob Lowe. While the musical composition stands out to me more than Baim’s crackling voice, her cover of the African-American spiritual, "Michael Row Your Boat Ashore (Michael Row)," is a delightful surprise halfway through the disc. The title track is a short but powerful ascent over a sonic incline, and “Who Knows” and “Far Away Songs” round out the disc’s haunting, minimalist flavor.

To say that this collection resonates with me would be a bit of a lie, but to say this isn’t a solid album with important collaborations and a couple of excellent stand-out songs would also be unfair. Clocking in at only thirty minutes, the album is composed of nine tracks that highlight to Baim’s style. Despite how much this record grew on me over the course of the weeks it spent in my stereo, I suspect this is one of those genre albums you either appreciate or won’t adopt based on this effort alone.

Written by: Brittany Shoot, October 4th 2007

Summary

admin — Fri, 06 Jul 2007 01:55:00 +0000

By BARR

5 Rue Christine

I can’t listen to this record without thinking the word "self-indulgent." Imagine you are in a room with a piano, a bass guitar, a microphone and your thoughts. Nothing is written down. In fact, the lyrics and instruments stream out in paragraphs. You talk about your life, friends, family, text message conversations. You sometimes sing, but the rest is basically spoken word.

This about sums up Barr's (Brendan Fowler and Corey Dieckman) new release, Summary. What’s important about this album is the lyrics. Fowler pushes the boundaries of what you can include in a song, but still keeps the songs relatively short. However, Barr pushes this stream-of-consciousness over a bland background of noise. While I appreciate the stripped down sound, it’s hard to pay attention to a mind-bending lyric if I only hear the same note being played over and over again. Maybe I just don’t understand the appeal, but this was a hard album to finish once. The best part? The second song is “The Song is The Single," and the lyrics tell all: “The song is the single and the single sucks/it never sounded good/it always sounded bad.” I can appreciate their honesty.

Written by: Courtney Ham, July 5th 2007

Transparent Things

admin — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 14:19:00 +0000

By Fujiya & Miyagi

Deaf Dumb & Blind

“We were just pretending to be Japanese,” say Fujiya & Miyagi. Surprise! Fujiya (reference to the cult record player) and Miyagi (pop reference to Pat Morita’s Karate Kid character/racist stereotype) are three white men from Brighton, UK. Much like fellow Brits Hot Chip, they bring minimalist, poised electro with their ambiguous irony.

Fujiya & Miyagi cite Krautrock such as CAN and Neu! as influences. Certainly the German imprint is there in the album’s low-key, layered grooves and artful calculation. But Fujiya & Miyagi's style is more playful and light, lacking the aggression and grittiness of either CAN or Neu!. Rather, Transparent Things is preciously clever in the vein of a subtler LCD Soundsystem.

Despite their off-putting inclination towards composing entire albums of ironic racist and musical insider references, I enjoyed this record a great deal. Fujiya & Miyagi utilize their expansive musical vocabulary and impressive chops to cut some fabulous tracks, and their lightheartedness is charming. It’s a great record, but it would be a lot better if Fujiya & Miyagi were a little more race-conscious.

Written by: Amory Ballentine, April 15th 2007