September 15, 2011Big ups to Kid Koala and Ninjatune for a dope night to launch the new book Space Cadet. In my older age this was my kind of mid-week launch night. Seats, crayons, hot chocolate, music at a good level. Plus it’s nice to go somewhere in East London where hipsters feel uncomfortably out of place. People found anything to sit…
September 12, 2011Hoya:Hoya crew absolutely smashed Fabric on Friday night, as did Night Slugs for that matter, who delivered an impressive lineup of fam including Bok Bok, Julio Bashmore and Kingdom working the decks brilliantly. The star of that stage though was L-Vis 1990 performing live for the Neon Dreams album launch, giving us something really special to witness as…
August 12, 2011I wrote about Dan McPharlin briefly in an article for Shook Issue #5 a while back, as the man responsible for the Mr Chop artwork on the producer’s seminal Lightworlds EP. The design on that record was loosely based on the world within the 8-bit format game Marble Madness, stunningly futurised even further according to Dan’s vision for the music.…
July 22, 2011UPDATE: Show now extended to September 30th. Only a few weeks left of this, been meaning to spread the word since I accidentally stumbled on it a few months ago. Whether or not you’re normally in to contemporary art, this is really good. I know we’re touching on something that’s a matter of opinion, but part of the appeal is…
July 4, 2011Six months ago if someone had mentioned to Chairman Kato that he’d be hosting his second art show in East London this week, he wouldn’t have believed it. Never one to walk away from an opportunity however, the musician / artist most definitely delivered with Underbelly – his incredible installation with Chris Stoneman – and is now following it up…
June 26, 2011Stumbled upon what seemed like a massive squat, but turned out to be one of the world’s most famous art communes. Kunsthaus Tacheles is an epic 9000 square meter building coated inside and out with art and graffiti. Gigs can be held on the bottom floor in the massive cellar and various basements, and as you go up the five…
June 13, 2011Saturday night was big. Recent obsession with the undiscovered side of live music means it’s been proper time since I’ve seen a lineup as epically important as the one at Koko this weekend gone. I definitely wasn’t alone in thinking that the sound system had been given something extra too. We’ve been talking a bit about Dorian Concept playing live…
June 6, 2011He of the tea – Chairman Kato – is officially well under way with putting together his next art installation in the basement of Tea Smith. With Underbelly properly closed off then, and no one left in risk of spoilers, they’ve thrown up the promo video, that, unlike the installation itself, can now live forever in cyberspace. Big shouts once…
May 25, 2011Either I’ve grown up and found a new appreciation for art or it’s gotten a whole lot better in the last 24 months. Taking place at The Crypt Gallery underneath the St. Pancras Church, the exhibition is running from 26th of May tot he 3rd of June, and is the collaborative effort of Ninja Tune musician Amon Tobin and London…
May 24, 2011This is some next level packaging. Chairman Kato has just put me on to New York artist Tristan Perich and his 1-Bit Symphony release which dropped last year. Like the original 1-Bit Music from 2005, the release is a ‘circuit album’ housed in a jewel case that literally performs it’s music once switched on. The music itself never has…