Design Milk: The Beat Boxed 19

Check out my latest The Beat Boxed: Jonsi, one of my favorites of the moment!  So super bummed I missed his LA concert a few weeks ago.  Did any of you go?!

 

Jónsi, the mastermind behind the Icelandic group Sigur Rós, released his solo album Go earlier this year and I have been absolutely captivated by it. The music explodes deep into you, sprinkles you with fairy dust, ties a little string around your heart, lifts you up and takes you to magical places.
Check out the amazing video for “Go Do”:

Jónsi - Go Do from Jónsi on Vimeo.

The video production is absolutely brilliant and the live stage shows take the performance to an entirely different level. 59 Productions has created a truly mind blowing show that blasts your senses through a hybrid of art and performance. The journey you go on throughout Jónsi’s show is something you will never be prepared for. The main inspiration behind the live stage shows was the photography of the 2008 fires at Deyrolles, the strangest and most famous taxidermy shop in Paris. As devastating as this was, photographer Laurent Bochet was able to capture this hauntingly beautiful moment that has become such an inspiration to many. 59 productions has taken these moments and Jónsi’s creative ideas and translated this into a dynamic visual performance of life, death, and freedom of animals and nature. Take a peek into the making of the live show:

Jónsi live show by 59 Productions from Jónsi on Vimeo.

Not like that in itself isn’t enough inspiration, but the Jónsi’s song “Go Do” is being used in the latest commercial for Dulux’s Let’s Colour Project. This project is all about spreading color throughout the world to engage and bring happiness into communities that were once gray.

 Above three photos from the Let’s Colour Flickrstream.

As I translate Jónsi’s music into an interior I have been very influenced by both the animal and nature concept behind Jónsi’s live shows and the Let’s Colour Project. I have combined the bold and brilliant colors with the raw and lifeless to create a contrast with depth and emotion. The pattern and texture in each of the pieces evoke a sense of excitement.  While the energy in this room swirls around and dances with you!

1. Finn Juhl Baker Sofa 2. Taxidermy Photograph by Laurent Bochet 3. Gyrofocus Extendable Fireplace 4. Hans Wegner Circle Chair 5. Carnival Wool Rug 6. The Hummingbird Cushion by Alexander McQueen 7. Curiousa + Curiousa Blown Glass Lamp 8. Paul McCobb Planner Desk

Design Milk: The Beat Boxed 18

Check out my latest Beat Boxed for Design Milk.

Next month will be The Beat Boxed 1st birthday so please send me any suggestions of artists you would love to see.  You can take a look at all of the Beat Boxed posts right here.  Also please share any ideas and comments because I love to hear your thoughts!

 

Five things to know about The Naked and Famous:
1. The first time I heard the song Young Blood on KCRW its pure energy shot through me and shocked me out of my morning trance.
2. They are from Auckland, New Zealand.  One of my favorite places!
3. The Naked and Famous is an awesome name and they took it from the lyrics of a Tricky song.
4. They just won the APRA Silver Scroll, New Zealand’s most prestigious songwriting award, for their number one single Young Blood.
5. Their video for Young Blood rocks and is directed by the über-talented Special Problems. Don’t trust me though…check it out for yourself NOW!
 

The music of The Naked and Famous magically makes me feel carefree and at ease. As it plays, all my favorite things in the world start flashing through my mind. My favorite country in the world is New Zealand, my favorite place to be is outdoors, and an outdoor shower on the mountainside… yeah that’s in my dreams! Oh and music, well it just makes my world go round. So take a look into The Naked and Famous inspired “room” (aka outdoor shower on the mountainside in New Zealand) and see my dreams come true! After you spend just a bit here you’ll feel fresh and rejuvenated just as the music makes you do. 

1. Hills Clubhouse Patterson Architecture 2. Dyno Outdoor Shower by My Your 3. Chameledeon Lights 4. Oil Lamp 5. Tambor Table + Arpa Lounge Chair
“Rock The House” this back-to-the-basics project transcends the simplicity of nature in its most usual forms. This guest house was carefully fabricated on the rocky coastlines of Spain. It blurs the lines between architecture and landscape and appears to be just another mossy colored boulder on the coastline. It’s not that at all. “It’s a piece of nature built with our own hands,” García-Abril says. “A space within a stone that blends with the surroundings. A contemplative space, a little poem.” The music of The Naked and Famous speaks the same way to me. Their latest album Passive Me, Aggressive You isn’t genre-breaking or even genre-defining, but it quickly dives into you, makes you feel all giddy, and carves out its own magical space on the inside.

Design Milk: The Beat Boxed 17

Here is my latest Beat Boxed: La Roux from Design Milk.An 80’s-inspired revivalist act, a trendsetter fighting against the trends, the anti-pop star pop star, whatever has been said about La Roux, the uniqueness of their futuristic sounds and Elly Jackson’s empowering lyrics is undeniable. The synth-laden pop has taken over charts in the UK and the US and continues to have an effect on everyone who listens. This appetite for synth pop keeps getting bigger and bigger, taking the once underground act the mainstream way. Although this was not the intention of La Roux (it was actually something they were against) but as it’s happening they are embracing it. Elly is easily recognizable with her signature wild red hair and her distinctive androgynous style and has become the photographer’s easy target. Their new album Sidetracked is now out, which is a snapshot of their biggest musical influences, but features only one of their new songs.

I love this video of “I’m Not Your Toy” for its pure quirkiness. We’ve got the tribal fashion and vibe, mixed with the futuristic personas and glowing sticks. The crazy characters dance weirdly around the pool in a steamy greenhouse and lounge around in retro wicker chairs…

Take a peek into the La Roux-esque bedroom. The eclectic style is 80’s inspired, but definitely goes above and beyond. Much like the video it’s filled with weird juxtapositions that oddly work together to create something funky and offbeat. The music and style of La Roux exudes characteristics that are definitely not mainstream, but are keen to a style that will attract you and dominate your senses. The retro 70’s regency bed frame and 50’s art unite with the 80’s bedding fabric. These styles unpredictably combine with the modern rug, chair, and side table to just fascinate you. The room just wouldn’t be the same without the Plexiglas fish tank!
1. Wholearth Wall Decal 2. Panoply of Rayguns 3. Arden Quin “Oedipe” 4. Pressed Glass Light Bead by Tom Dixon 5. Palm Beach Antique Regency Headboard 6. Vintage Fabric for Bedspread 7. Feather Kuma Pillow 8. Plexiglas Fish Tank 9. Bend Table by Established and Sons 10. Crash Chair 11. Wood Rug by Established and Sons

 

These interior shots from Casa D magazine conceptually remind me of La Roux. These pink walls cannot be forgotten and will get everyone’s attention much like Elly Jackson, the “red-haired one.” The room is a blast of style, but is not about creating the standard space just as all others do. It can still remain androgynous in style and form. The bed sits behind closed doors just like Ben Langmaid does…pure genius, but not too eager to be exposed. When you close off these doors the space appears to be solo, but little do you know what a masterpiece is hiding behind them.

Hope you enjoy the music. You can download an awesome mixtape here. Ready. Set. Go.

Design Milk: The Beat Boxed 16

Here is my last weeks Beat Boxed post for Design Milk! I am still obsessing over the music of Theophilus London! I even got my mom listening to to it:-)

Were you one of the lucky ones who got to see Theophilus London perform at Hard NYC this past weekend? A couple weekends ago, I stepped into the Purple Lounge at the Standard not knowing what I was about to experience. Next thing I know I’m standing on the couches next to the stage grooving away. I was mesmerized by the performance of Theophilus London. His voice crept inside and soothed me while his beats moved me…literally! I see a lot of live shows and it’s rare that one can unexpectedly captivate me like this. I didn’t even have to hear it to know it…“It’s possible that he’s the arrival of a once-in-a-generation talent: Theophilus London is very much in this moment but not of it,” Hypebeast says. His music is a blend of rap and pop laced with creativity that doesn’t stop and it becomes something for everyone.
It was “This Charming Mixtape” that got him noticed, and it’s the “I Want You” mixtape that I have been obsessively listening to on repeat. I know you’re dying to hear it so go and download it NOW!

Now check out “Humdrum Town,” his first single available on Green Label Sound.

The smooth vibe and sensual groove exude from the walls of this Theophilus London-inspired room. The rhythm of the Flavor Paper dances around like the fans at a show while the facets on the mirror reflect like the shades on his nose. The Tom Dixon couch stands tall and wraps you inside the walls. While the vintage Knoll chairs create a repeat like the strong and seductive beat. The chandelier shines bright and branches out just like London is about to do. This room radiates with confidence and sparkles with glamour and it’s the darkness that makes you stammer. This is the guy’s chill out room, the place to let your ideas go and your rhythm flow.1. Flavor Paper Mirage 2. Modo Chandelier 3. Jannis Kounellis 4. Mirror 5. Warren Platner Chairs 6. Tom Dixon Wingback Sofa 7. Alice Coffee Table 8. Bolon Graphic flooring 9. Crate and Barrel wine glasses 10. Sagafoam Bottle Cooler

Design Milk: The Beat Boxed 15

I'm a little late on posting my last The Beat Boxed: Beach House article, but since it feels like summer is just beginning here in Venice Beach it feels a bit more appropriate today! Enjoy!

Teen Dream by Beach House is the perfect album for these lazy days of summer. Lying beneath the soft sultry sound is something a little deeper and slightly darker than what may initially appear at the surface. You might even say it’s something to the likes of a David Lynch movie. It’s the slower than average tempo and the dreamlike beauty in the voice and instrumentation of Alex Scally and Victoria Legrand that flutters into your mind and dances around like it’s the only thing there. You all should know the rules at the beach house. Relax, Relax, Relax.

And do just that as you watch the video for the Norway, the first single off of Teen Dream:

Now I am just going to imagine I’m at the Lazy Ole Moon Motel in some rugged beach town. The evening haze sets in, and the air is warm and humid on this hot summer night. The hammock gently sways as the warm breeze blows through the open doors. Beach House playing in the background and the vinyl record and the fireplace crackle in harmony. The stone like ceramic chandelier casts soft rays of light throughout the room as the wallpaper appears to dance with the music, soft and seductively. And you can hear the crashing of waves coming from somewhere beyond and the sounds of the night beginning to come alive as I lay in that hypnotic state.

1. Striped Ceiling (source unknown) 2. Vintage Sign 3. Tres Tintas Perlas Wallpaper 4. Heather Levine Pottery Pendants 5. Le Beanock Hammock 6. Faded Rose Printed Rug 7. Manchester Stand + Portable MP3 TurnTable 8. Whale Ashtray (from Urban Outfitters, no longer available) 9. Table with yellow legs (source unknown) 10. Oiled Hardwood Flooring 11. Heath Ceramics Fireplace Tile

Well you know you don’t have to just imagine this. You can head over to the The Surf Lodge in Montauk, take your Beach House Teen Dream LP and spend your days of summer relaxing in the sun, doing yoga overlooking the water, or just detoxing. Sounds like heaven to me!

The Beat Boxed: Warpaint

I just realized I forgot to post my last Beat Boxed article on Warpaint, one of my FAVORITE Los Angeles bands!
I have mad respect for these three beautiful female artists and that one badass male drummer. I’ve been lucky enough to see Warpaint perform live many times and have stood front row with hips swaying, head bopping, and jaw dropping. I just let them take me away into this gorgeous ethereal hypnotic state. Their live shows are mesmerizing and when you close your eyes it’s as if you’re laughing and running against the wind through an open field and into a dark forest with bright streams of light filtering in. This is definitely a band to watch for in 2010.

The music of Warpaint is filled with energy and although at times it can be dark and eerie, the sounds are always beautiful. All parts work together to create something so surreal. The chemistry is natural and everything is perfectly unperfected. The sound really strips you down to a raw and unpolished state and just lets you feel.


As I interpret Warpaint into an interior I feel such a beautiful sense of mystery with this sweet, dark, and supernatural feel. When Warpaint was asked which movie best described their music the answer was Poltergeist, which literally means, “noisy spirit.” Each individual piece is beautiful, but the spirit behind the pieces is much darker. The Smoke and Mirrors piece deceives the eye while the Rope Lights dangle like nooses above the bronze sculpture. Soft feminine details of the moulding contrast with the raw concrete floor to create a slightly chilling effect. You can’t listen to Warpaint without, at some point feeling like you’re running through the forest, so this lamp is perfect with its turned base that emerges from an actual tree branch. Sit back and relax as the “Felt Up” chair wraps around you with its soft and gentle form and protects you from the beautiful eeriness that surrounds.

Design Milk: The Beat Boxed 10

In 2010 a few of my goals are to take more baths (rather than showers that is), meditate often, and see The Flaming Lips perform live! Every January I start looking forward to Coachella and the release of the much anticipated lineup. Well, my original article was written last week and since then the lineup was released and the Flaming Lips will not be playing:-( The lineup is insane, so I cannot complain! I can still lounge around in my Flaming Lips inspired bathroom and listen to their latest album Embryonic!

“To see or not to see, to be in a gentle and magical form. Transparency and volume dancing together intertwining in a unique and endless hug. Floating, sensing and dreaming.” This description of the Arturo Álvarez Flu Lamp perfectly captures the feeling one should sense in this bathroom. The psychedelic kaleidoscope tiles dance on the floors and onto the walls with water like essence. The glass tub fills with water and disappears into the ground and you feel as if you’re floating inside the room. The veins of the black marble shoot through the prisms and create the powerful, but soft energy of water carving through rock. The lighting floats dreamily above while the energy and ethereal movements of the space make you feel like it’s some kind of hypnotist! Get it?!

DJS, this insanely gorgeous retail store in Hong Kong, designed by Panorama International at first glance probably does not make you think…”Oh yeah, The Flaming Lips!” ... I feel like if you put inside this store and turned me in circles I probably wouldn’t be able to find my way out. I’d feel like I was floating in mid air, much like I’m imaging the way I’d feel if I was that jumbo ball floating over the crowd at a Flaming Lips. Read the entire aricle here.

Design Milk: The Beat Boxed 10

For my last Beat Boxed of the year I thought long and hard about an artist that would take us out of here with a bang! To say that this guy will take us out with a bang is an understatement. Steve Aoki, aka Kid Millionaire, has beats that will keep you running, jumping, and dancing well through the New Year. His adrenaline is something incredible and you will without a doubt leave feeling it!

Check out the video "I'm In The House" and see if what he is saying is true! He told Spinner, “This is my new single with Zuper Blahq that jumps into your party pants and will make you dance dance dance.”

Steve Aoki I'm In The House Feat. [[[Zuper Blahq]]] from Dim Mak on Vimeo.

How can I possibly box all this energy into one space? I can’t! Think of it this way…it’s no longer about boxing it, but rather unleashing it! And that is exactly what I have done in this Aoki inspired office space.

For the entire article and all sources please visit the original post on Design Milk.

Not only is Steve Aoki a freaktabulous DJ, but he also runs Dim Mak Records, one of the greatest record labels ever! Dim Mak has been just nominated for “label of the decade” by URB magazine, so be sure to go cast your vote! Oh and did I mention he also has a really sweet clothing line? Happy Endings everyone and hope you all have a fabulous holiday — see you next year!

Design Milk: The Beat Boxed 9

This week on The Beat Boxed I'm dreaming of the opportunity to sit down to dinner with the talented group Metric! I am such a huge fan of their music and all the music of Emily Haines! This is a girl with an interesting perspective on life and I would love to just sit down and chat!

For links to all sources visit the actual post on Design Milk



I am also predicting who might just be producing their next music video. And my guess is the Montreal based company Soft Citizen whose new office designed by Ministry of the Interior is pretty fabulous!

Design Milk: The Beat Boxed 8

I am in love with the album XX the debut album from The XX. The intimacy of the soft and smoky duets make you feel like you’re floating on a cloud in the sky. All you need to do is lay back and let the sweet melody seep into your ears.

This interior reflects the music through its minimal decoration, exposed intimate details, and softness and freeness of form in a structure so sound.

Check out the entire post on Design Milk which also links to all sources!

Design Milk: The Beat Boxed 7

This is my favorite The Beat Boxed yet! Check out the entire article on Design Milk today!
A Tribe Called Quest is not only one of my favorite hip-hop groups, but one of the best hip hop groups of all times! Their song “I Left My Wallet in El Segundo” is the perfect follow-up to the “Oh my god I lost my wallet” kind of weekend I just had. For this week's The Beat Boxed I didn't think it fair to "box" in the beats of A Tribe Called Quest, so I decided to create a modern pop-up “kick-it” stop perfect for the Tribe as they continue along their instinctive travels. I was so inspired by how gorgeous the bright patterns and bold colors were as they contrasted with the bright sun and dry desert in this video. You must check it out!

I love this low-lying pleat sofa and it looks like it could almost be the backseat of a vintage 1970’s car. Pop that baby out, unroll your patchwork cowhide rug, scatter around your Moroso cubes from the M’Afrique collection, hang your brass ball pendants, and you are ready to kick it just like A Tribe called Quest did on their way to El Segundo. Oh and don’t forget your sombrero, you’ll need it in that hot desert sun!

Now what better place to kick it than at the Hotel Silken Puerto America in Madrid. I think this room by Mariscal y Salas may have just been designed for A Tribe Called Quest!