It has arrived! After three long years Death Cab for Cutie has released their new album Codes and Keys. This being their 7th album it seems that on this new album they worked more on using experimental sounds which gives the album a more flourished sound. Setting aside their acoustic guitars they chose to use analog synths and soothing strings, which slowly unfolds throughout the album.
Codes and Keys is an album full of catchy melodies and beautiful compositions while Ben Gibbard sings of the growth of adulthood and the stability and optimism of the future. This album may just out do Death Cabs previous albums or not I will let you be the judge of that. Death Cab though is one of those few bands that have been able to evolve with their audience without leaving behind that magic that captured our ears in the early days of emotional and melancholy music.
If you want to hear the whole album then head over to NPR where you can stream the new album Codes and Keys.
These fresh looking Iron Animals were created by a Blog called The Given Collective. There blog is a subsidiary of an online portfolio for The Given Collective. This series is one of their designs and the style is very interesting. The detail on each piece is very clear and eye popping. If you have more time head on over to The Given Collective and see what else they have.
Summer time has arrived and with the hot heat comes a hot new playlist. Playlist-26 has some interesting new band names that's for sure. All great tracks though. One of my favorites off this one is the Jurassic 5 remix of What's Golden. It just has that right balance to kick the track up a notch. Another two tracks that are worthy is the SBTRKT track Wildfire and The Weeknd track High For This (NastyNasty Edit). If it doesn't get you moving, then well, I guess it's not your speed.
If you want to check out any of the other Playlist then click on Archived Playlist in this post or on the right hand side of this blog or in the menu.
Cover art by: Damion Schweizer
1. A Simple Test by Saltillo
2. Vultures (MJ Cole Mix) by Jess Mills
3. Smell It Starfucker Remix by Copy
4. Wildfire by SBTRKT
5. You Are A Tourist by Death Cab for Cutie
6. Girl U Want by Freelance Whales
7. Bowl Cut (Ft. Madeline of Cults) by Dom
8. The Key & The Rose by I Was Totally Destroying It
9. Waiting by Come On Live Long
10. We Are Young by Ennui
11. You're A Winner by Wild Ones
12. Lofticries by Purity Ring
13. High For This (NastyNasty Edit) by The Weekend
14. What's Golden (DJ Fergie Ferg Remix) by Jurassic 5
15. Watch You (Ft. Clinton Sparks) by Benny Benassi
The Flexbook is an interesting concept that I wouldn't mind seeing in production. The designed was created by Taiwan-based designer Hao-chun Huano. This portable, multi-use device was a concept that was shortlisted from over 1000 designs in Designboom's competition "A Life with Future Computing" and was organized in cllaboration with FUJITSU.
The Flexbook has a waterproof keypad and 21:9 screen and features a flexible structure with a center join. The laptop is able to be folded into a range of configurations, while a 180 degree swivel touch screen offers different viewing configurations, including a laptop and tablet mode.
If you want to read more about this concept then check it out on Designboom.
Jonahtan Mutch is a graphic designer from Toronto, who has a nice collection of designs in his portfolio. I found his work this morning while pursuing the internet. I picked out a couple of poster designs that I thought were well designed. If you want to see more of his work check out his website or follow him on Twitter.
The Hüttenpalast in Berlin is a new hotel concept, created by Silke Lorenzen and Sarah Vollmer. The hotel is setup in a former vacuum-cleaner factory where a group of renovated old campsite caravans were setup for your indoor campfire get away. The concept is aimed at the lower end budgets with rates starting at about $42 per night. They also have wooden huts to stay in as well if you didn't want to stay in the caravan.
Lorenzen and Vollmer are planning to offer more luxurious options as well over the coming months, and are currently in the process of building six en-suite rooms in an adjoining section of the factory. As they say, "it may not be a hotel in the classical sense, but who needs that in Berlin anyway?"
The 100% Box was once a crappy looking garage and now it's a mans pimp pad. This single level, one roomed residents was designed by Fabre/deMarien architects. I'm sure this has to be the talk of the street since it was built on a private road. They even added in a patio which allows for natural lighting and ventilation for the new organization. It also provides an extension of the main hall in good weather, with sliding windows. This single residents has everything you could need to live nicely in style. Either way I would totally rock out this place and have mini parties. If you want to see more pictures check them out on mugutu
Tim Navis a photographer, who goes by just Navis took some remarkable shots of the Mojave. I have never been there but these photos have a futuristic type feel to them. I also enjoyed reading about his adventure on how these photos came about. I highly recommend checking out his site and his collection. There are some great shots in his portfolio. Very inspiring!
Design Motion is what Naomie Ross does. She created a video called Letterpress that caught my attention. The style in which she presented the short was instructional. It kinda took me back to the time I use to work on printing presses back in the day. The feel to this video was also just simple, but engaging and beautiful as well as interesting. Some may see letter pressing as a dying race but I think that its still got a long way to go before it goes extinct.
If you want to check out more of her work then check out her website.
