Hasta La Ideas

Visitors are in for a multi-sensory experience pulling ropes to play music at Sonos Studio

Bringing their passion for the emotional connection to sound, Sonos opened the Sonos Studio in LA to celebrate the listening experience. The new event space will host listening parties, screenings, lectures, workshops, concerts, and art installations. At their first preview event, reggae legend Jimmy Cliff shared tracks from his upcoming album and an intimate live set for the first 100 people to visit the Sonos Studio. On the other side of the room, about 100 ropes hang from a large square pegboard by LA artist Luke Fischbeck for his installation, “Center of Attention”.

Each rope ends in a colorful metal tube resembling the aglet on a shoelace. A close look at the elements of his striking sculptural piece reveals tiny wires strung through each strand that when touched emit sounds from the wireless Sonos music system rigged above the grid. Instructions for how to interact with “Center of Attention” are posted on the canted gallery walls: “Touch more than one rope to play. Each rope carries a signal which is carried through your body. Touch another person. Combine the signals. See what sounds you can find.”

The sounds in “Center of Attention” have a mysterious, magical quality. Random tones flow together in the kind of piece that might be composed for a contemporary dance concert or modern production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, pairing nicely in the lighthearted activity within the space. After Jimmy Cliff’s set, the crowd gravitated to the installation and interacted with it by touching the ropes and each other, playing with the different tones made by the six colors for some sophisticated, fun Twister-like game play. Deeper investigation by studio visitors inspired some hand-holding, concentrated listening and happy smiles all around, it seemed.

The playful experimenting with sound is just what the creators of Sonos had in mind when they hatched their plan to open an interactive studio space. Their new studio in the La Brea Art and Design District features everything they need to experience state-of-the-art sounds through live and recorded music, multimedia events and art installations. The custom-built pyramid-shaped red and black foam sound tiles that line the ceiling not only help the acoustic but also add a graphic element to the 4,000 square foot room.

With the intention of creating a community space, Sonos asked architect Rania Alomar of RA-DA, interior designers from The Studio Collective, Tyler King of Coffee Commissary, and furniture deisgn by Knibb Design to all collaborate on the space. Skateboarding legend Natas Kaupas also created a skateboard lending library complete with a playlist to accompany each deck.

Fischbeck’s “Center of Attention” is the first major art installation in the Sonos Studio. The artist often collaborates with Sarah Raha under the name Lucky Dragons on work exploring and experimenting with sound and touch for shows at MOCA and in the Whitney Biennial. We caught up with Fischbeck to learn more about the process behind creating “Center of Attention”.

How did the idea for the piece about?

It started as a way of trying something out, to see what would happen. I’ve been wondering about the way our sense of touch connects us through technology, as an easy way to extend ourselves into the world. On the other hand, when we touch one another directly we share a sense, actively. There’s a choice in this that is often playful, kind, sympathetic—and can bridge many differences.

Why is the Sonos Studio the right space for this installation?

As a site-specific installation, this piece would have turned out completely differently in any other space. I was drawn to the idea of Sonos Studio as a sort of in-between space. It’s both a gathering place, defined by a series of public happenings, and a place for objects, a place to listen and touch. It’s a platform for the presentation of things, but also a thing in itself, with its own very strong identity. Visitors taking part in an event find themselves caught between engaging with one-another and engaging with things. The installation tries to build on this in-between-ness, it’s a potential performance at all times, waiting to be activated in a playful way by anyone who stops by, and until then, just a part the wild background.

What materials did you use?

Pegboard, oak, painted steel, electric fence rope with conductive wire braided into it so that it carries a current along its length, a few electronic components, a lot of connecting wire, and a computer running custom software.

What was the process for installing the piece into the gallery?

Actually way more intense than originally planned: I’d wanted the installation to be an extension of the ceiling, hanging down almost to the floor so that it appeared to be both a part of the space and also floating independently off the ground. It turns out it takes four friends to help properly attach and align a floating rectangle! Then there was a lot of tedious wiring to get the electronics to work right, but hopefully now it just goes on its own.. until we have to take it down!

How long did the installation take from conception to installation?

There was a long quiet period after the initial idea, and then a big hurry at the end while we figured out the practical details and put it together…altogether about six months I think!

Explain how the touch activated elements work.

Each of the conductive ropes carries its own signal, a tuned circuit at an individual frequency. When you touch a rope you carry that tuned signal on your skin—touching another rope, or another person who’s also touching a rope, will combine signals, creating combinations of frequencies that are turned into sound by the software. Different kinds of touch, from gentle tickles to full grasps, affect how much of each signal is combined, meaning that each point of contact contributes to the overall sound.

How does the number of bodies in the space change the sound?

Any number of people can play the installation directly, by touching different ropes. People can also change the sound by bridging between those playing it directly. Any point of skin contact affects the ways the different signals mix together. There’s a range of effects that can be heard, from drastic swooping melodies to very subtle changes in texture, hopefully enough chaotic possibilities that it’s fun to play with…experimenting together with other people!

What other projects are you currently working on?

A community radio station, a platform for collaborative drawing (“Sumi Ink Club“), a few light-sensitive synthesizers… we’ll see!

“Center of Attention” by Luke Fischbeck in on view at Sonos Studio 9 May—6 June 2012.

Our interview with the rockstar designer on his debut collaboration with Philippe Stark

Each spring Salone del Mobile arrives in Milan, bringing with it the world’s top designers, architects and design enthusiasts. Among the many highly anticipated product launches, pop ups and parties, this year saw iconic Italian furniture company Kartell formally introduce a series of pieces designed by both new and known designers, including rock star Lenny Kravitz. Although better known for his music, Kravitz can include designer on his CV, having founded his own studio, Kravitz Design Inc, in 2003. In recent years he’s been involved with multiple large-scale hotel projects, a collaboration with Swarovski and now, is collaborating with none other than famed design personality Philippe Stark on a new rendition of his Mademoiselle chair.

Kravitz touched down in Milan to celebrate the collaboration at Salone, where we caught up with him at the Kartell booth. Here we had the chance to chat about his love of design, where he finds inspiration and his experience with Kartell.

When switching between music and design do you need a break to switch mindsets or find a workspace?

Not at all, I do a lot of design work on the road. I can’t be at my office, obviously, like one would expect. So I have to work where and when I can. So that’s on the tour bus, on the plane or hotel, backstage, and days off. The design team is just three of us, so they’ll come out on the road and whatever project we’re working on we’ll do what we have to do and then they’ll go back to the office and carry on. And then we’ll meet up again. We do a lot by computer and all. But no, no break at all. I’m always thinking about design and music.

Do you see design an alternative way to exercise your creative mind?

I like having different mediums to express myself, I do photography, I have a design company, I make music and I’m doing films now. It all comes from the same place. The thing about design I love so much and why it’s been in my life for so long is that for me in making music—or being creative in general—the environment has so much to do with it. Ever since I was a kid I was really concerned with how my room was, even the lighting, how things were laid out. Because it made me feel a certain way, made me hear music a certain way or create music a certain way, just by that feeling. It’s all about making your environment so comfortable and inspiring and sexy, that you want to be creative.

With your design studio being based in SoHo you must spend a lot of time in New York, where do you go for design inspiration?

All over. You know I grew up between Bed-Stuy in Brooklyn and the Upper East Side. So I have a real feeling for things that are very luxurious and very upscale, I love the UES between Fifth and Madison from the upper 60s to the low 80s, I grew up loving these beautiful Beaux-Arts buildings and spending time in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. But at the same time I love Brooklyn—and I’m talking old school Bed-Stuy—and Alphabet City and Times Square, when it was Times Square. I love the whole high-low thing.

Since starting your design studio have you thought about doing collaborations?

Actually most of the stuff we’ve done hasn’t been collaborations. Like the Paramount Bay, the 47-story luxury condo we’re doing, that’s us. And we’re doing a hotel project in Toronto right now, that’s us. The only collaboration we’ve done so far is with Philippe Starck. So, not a bad place to start. I have to say that’s been very enjoyable.

How closely did you actually work with him on the Mademoiselle chair project?

He gave me a lot of freedom. So we basically did what we did and he gave his opinions and edited. And of course the piece was already designed, the Mademoiselle chair, which is completely iconic. He’s done his job, right? So it was just about reinterpreting it. But who knows where we will go in the future. We like each other very much, we’ve known each other for a long time. He’s been very supportive. He’s one of the people who saw my work early on and encouraged me to really move forward, so that’s incredible to have someone like that in your corner. But I’d love to collaborate with more people, yeah.

Your style is definitely bold and very masculine, whereas Starck’s designs tend to be more playful and feminine, how did this play in with transforming the chair?

We made the legs, they’re not see through anymore. In fact when looking from a distance you don’t know if its wood or solid. I just wanted to give it that “thing”. Like you said, it already has its playful, you know, feminine edge. So it was just about giving it a bit of… you know, me. And I think they work very well together.

Talk a bit about your choice of materials.

I like things that are organic and natural, I love reptile patterns and fur—we used faux fur. The nature. You know. On the other end the Bahamas chair, the one that’s a woven fabric, it’s very organic and a nice contrast to the plastic.

Another recent project you did was some custom wall papers with Flavor Paper, do you think wallpaper is under appreciated in contemporary interior design?

Yes, yes I do. When I grew up as a kid you’d go to your aunt’s house or grandmother’s house and there’d be wallpaper everywhere. I love wallpaper. It’s a really simple way to dress a place up and give it a whole new appearance by just apply paper. I use it a lot. I think that it’s getting more popular. And I think people like Flavor Paper who are young and modern are doing really interesting things with paper. It’s helping to bring it to the forefront.

Having now worked with Starck and Kartell, if given the opportunity to work with any other designer—dead or alive—on a project who would it be?

Dead or alive? Wow. I’d probably want to go to Spain and hang out with Gaudi. Yeah, yeah. It was the first thing that I really fell in love with when I came to Europe for the first time. I fell in love with Art Nouveau. And that’s where it all really started. Although you don’t really see that in any of my stuff right now. But I was a big collector even of the French, of Majorelle furniture. But I think Gaudi would have been really interesting to hang out with, and work with.

Our chat with Dev Hynes about his musical past, his inspirations and basketball

In our latest video we had the chance to sit down with Devonté Hynes, the musical mastermind behind Blood Orange. This latest iteration of Hynes’ music talent combines live performance and vocals with a driving, otherworldly electronic backbone. We spoke with Hynes in a studio space in Brooklyn, NY about his inspirations, roots and future.

Exclusive content and Sub Pop’s showcase live streamed to parties in five cities during SXSW, courtesy of MasterCard®

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We’re bringing you exclusive content from Austin and bringing a little bit of the city to you courtesy of MasterCard PayPass®. You’re familiar with the Cool Hunting motto “Always More”, so it’s no surprise that one party isn’t enough. That’s why we’re throwing five parties. At the same time. This Friday night, 16 March 2012, you can join us in NYC, LA, DC, SF and Chicago to see a live stream of the Sub Pop SXSW Showcase featuring Niki & the Dove, Spoek Mathambo and THEESatisfaction.

The events feature outstanding DJs like Boy Wonder and Jon Huang in Chicago, Chances With Wolves in NYC, Chris Holmes + Brie Larson + Elijah Wood + Turquoise Wisdom in LA, Stretch Armstrong in D.C. and Claude VonStroke in San Francisco. Each will have an open bar and our special South by Southwest cocktail created by celebrated mixologist Jim Meehan, along with food from some of the country’s best food trucks—all for free. You can RSVP via the city links above, just make sure that you bring your MasterCard, or a friend who has one.

For those of you who can’t make it to one of the parties you can watch the stream live on the Tap Into SXSW section of Cool Hunting. In addition to the bands mentioned, Debo Band and Gashcat will also be streamed lived starting at 9pm CDT.

We’ll be adding new content daily to the Tap Into SXSW section of Cool Hunting, so check back often for exclusive interviews, videos and more.

Visit Tap into Austin 2012 to catch the Sub Pop Showcase livestream on Friday night and learn more about what’s happening in Austin during SXSW.

The Brooklyn band ditches discs for posters printed with download codes

By: Davey Barrett

At the close of a recent show at the Music Hall of Williamsburg, Jocelyn Mackenzie of Brooklyn-based band Pearl and the Beard held a screen-printed poster before a stupefied, packed house. Foregoing the disposable medium of CDs or LPs, the band employs the poster as the only tangible key to the band’s “Prodigal Daughter Extended Single” release.

“The music industry has changed and a new model needs to be discovered to get a band’s message across,” Mackenzie announced. “The way that made sense for us to communicate with you was through art instead of shiny silver disks, which we throw out, or at least I do. So you can buy our single as a poster or a postcard with a download card on the back.” Merging design with music, the poster and postcard, designed by Jonathan Schoeck (of the band Larcenist), aptly match the overall aesthetic of the Prodigal Daughter Extended Single.

Baroque inflections, gospel sensationalizing and mirthy back-room jazz mark the band’s character and, even in moments of darker introspection, an underbelly of clever wit shines through their performances. A brightly lit traipse across style and content, Pearl and the Beard’s music reflects the work of three songwriters: Mackenzie, Emily Hope Price and Jeremy Styles. All three members sing, accompanied by guitar, cello, glockenspiel and melodica, among others. Contagious hooks cross both belting vocals and dynamic cadence. The Extended Single itself contains one solo track from each of the three artists, drawing into relief each of their strengths.

The melancholic drone of indie rock today hints that music need not be an enjoyable experience, that thoughts and lyrics must be heavy in order to carry weight. Pearl and the Beard refutes this, imploring the audience to “Enjoy yourself, because we certainly are.”

With an innovative packaging strategy, an opening slot on the current Ani DiFranco and upcoming Ingrid Michaelson tours, Pearl and the Beard is poised for an increasing wave of attention. Check out their recently debuted music video for “Prodigal Daughter” and get the full Extended Single here.