‘Meridian’ is a homage to the sherpas who schlepped explorers up Mount Everest: men and women who did not traditionally venture into the high peaks but whose strength and resilience to the cold and altitude made them indispensable to Western mountaineers wanting to put their flag on everything.

This kind of person is constantly on the move, and so what they wear must be super comfortable. KLOKE designer Adam Coombes has a background in millinery and garment construction (and making quilts with his mum). This means each piece is devised from a keen technical mind, with ease of wear the top priority.

This season the KLOKE lady is utilitarian but elegant. She can climb that mountain while sipping a fucking martini if she wants to. She does this in Japanese field pants, straight knife pleat skirts, and an incredible wide dropped shoulder coat that falls to the thigh.

Guys, you’re going to conquer life in crew neck polar fleece sweaters, merino wool marine hand knits and puffer vests made from Japanese technical waterproofing. Handcut leather trims and hidden plackets make everything a little bit beautiful.

Based on screenwriter Will Reiser’s real-life diagnosis with a rare spinal tumour, 50/50 gets that having cancer can be both funny and terrifying. Sure, there are gags about medical marijuana and sex with Voldemort, but that’s basically because Adam (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is a twentysomething dude. The black humour he and his best mate Kyle (Seth Rogen) bring to his half-and-half odds of dying feels normal, and refreshingly non-maudlin.

Of course, Adam’s composure is also a defence mechanism; at first he swats away offers of help from his distressed mum (Anjelica Huston), and reacts antagonistically to the therapeutic sorties of his rookie psychologist Katherine (Anna Kendrick). (Adam’s her third patient.) I really liked the way that Katherine’s evident awkwardness with her expected role is what ultimately makes her Adam’s lifeline. By contrast, Adam’s artist girlfriend Rachael (Bryce Dallas Howard) enthusiastically volunteers as his carer, with hypocritical results.

It’s deeply affecting to watch Adam lose his bravado as he befriends two older fellow chemotherapy recipients, Alan (Philip Baker Hall) and Mitch (Matt Frewer), and the reality of his illness sinks in. This one scene where Adam’s mum comforts him in the hospital – I just about sobbed like a little baby.

Alan Palomo is Neon Indian in the way Trent Reznor is Nine Inch Nails. The son of a minor Mexican popstar, Palomo released his debut LP Psychic Chasms on Lefse Records back in 2009. Made from glistening, kool-aid synthesizers and crunchy guitar, Palomo’s first album sounded like it’d been inspired by the soundtrack to a late ’80s cyborg time travel flick (on VHS). Some blogger called this kind of music ‘chillwave’, and the internet started arguing over whether it was cool, possibly forgetting that all music ever is inspired in some way by older music.

Reason prevailed, Psychic Chasms got awesome reviews, and Palomo/Neon Indian followed up by collaborating with the Flaming Lips on a rather tautologically named EP, The Flaming Lips With Neon Indian. As it stands, this record is probably the only concept album in history built on the theme that David Bowie is dying; a niche it could dominate for some time. Most recently, Palomo has released Era Extrana, a swirling vortex of electronica that confirms he’s one of the most talented young dudes in music right now. He even wants to take acid with you, but probably not at The Prince Bandroom where he’s performing this weekend.

Callum Twigger: (Presses ‘Call’ on Skype. After about ten seconds the phone rings out and a bizarre message tone clicks in. Each subsequent call goes through to the message tone, which sounds like a drowning robot moaning ‘leave a message’ over a busted synthesiser. On the seventh attempt, someone picks up). Hello? Is this Alan Palomo?

Alan Palomo: Why yes, yes, this is him. Sorry, my apartment has really bad reception, so I had to step outside.

CT: You’ve a very Neon Indian message tone. The production values were off the chain.

AP: (laughs) It’s been a crazy runaround trying to tie up all the loose ends before I leave town. I’ve been preparing with the band for some of the new songs we’re gonna be playing.

CT: Who are you bringing on tour?

AP: Leanne Macomber and Jason Faries, who’ve been playing since the start. And Josh McWhiter, who plays guitar on the record, is going to be traveling with us. Ed Priesner is the newest member; he’s going to be the wall of electronics that we have to bring with us to keep the operation going.

CT: Sweet. The title of your latest record is ‘Era Extraaaahna’, pardon my atrocious accent…

AP: Hey dude, that was pretty good.

(more…)

Dance music represents more than just a frivolous past time. The ‘stabs and beats’ of disco was the sound of sexual liberation in the 70s, while the ‘pop, dip and spin’ of 90s voguing presented an outlet for the black and Latino drag queens of the New York house ball scene.

JD Samson, as much known for her moustache as her role in Kathleen Hanna’s Le Tigre, is taking the Riot Grrl politics of Second Wave Feminism out of the 90s and into the ‘naughties’ with her potty-mouth and electro-punk band of merry (gay, even) MEN. Songs like ‘Credit Card Babies’ bitterly express the practical obstacles of queer parenthood, while the funky ramble of ‘Rip Off’ mourns capitalism and its effects on ‘our truth’. Samson and her cohorts are coming to spread the word at Perth Festival. JD’s also going to be DJing at some bangin’ free parties before the gig and post-gig, in the Gardens. We spoke with JD, who quickly had us moving to the mantra of civil liberties.

Steph Kretowicz: You’ve spoken about how you’ve coopted dance music to spread the word of equality. Where do you think you fit in its tradition for representing minorities?

JD Samson: I’m here to represent a human. I am and will continue to be myself and be vulnerable with that for as long as I am able to take it. People dance to come together in movement and I think it’s beautiful to watch.

SK: There has been a resurgence of 90s icons lamenting the lost days of Second Wave Feminism and a return to conservative attitudes recently. Would you agree with that perception?

JD: It’s hard for me to be objective. My community, facebook and twitter feeds are full of an incredible feminist dialogue, almost every day. So to me feminism is alive and in charge. But, of course, we have a way to go… still. From my perspective, there is always a cycle of backlash. As the Le Tigre lyrics exclaim, “one step forward, five steps back”. I honestly believe we will be in this cycle for the rest of my life. (more…)

What happens when a cashed-up Belfast hard man has nothing to do but kick around Thailand and have sex with tourists for the foreseeable future? Well, pretty much what you’d expect. But not quite. The clever thing about Melbourne writer Chris Flynn‘s debut novel is the way he reverses the old trope of events conspiring to throw the protagonist’s mundane life into chaos.

The hero of A Tiger in Eden, Billy Montgomery, has just escaped the violence of Ireland in the mid ’90s. He has spent most his life blowing shit up and bursting skulls. Now he’s on the run from the law and is forced to exist in near total tranquillity. How he deals with that tranquillity is the focus of the book.

Billy spends equal time working on his tan, getting his rocks off, beating people up and then getting philosophical about it. None of it would work if Flynn hadn’t got Billy’s voice totally right. It helps that Flynn grew up in Ireland and knows exactly how to make Irish verbal tics work on the page. He paints Billy as a man whose small horizons are expanding and, in the end, Billy’s fascination with the way things work makes him an endearing character to kick around Thailand with.

English Angora rabbits are cotton balls that eat carrots and make poop. They’re raised for their wool – one of the finest, fluffiest and warmest wools known to man. It’s ethereal wool, so soft and so light that it almost doesn’t exist. Stroking an English Angora is like waving your hand in front of a heating vent or caressing a cloud. Or, more concretely: sheep wool is a paper towel, English Angora wool is an aloe vera tissue.

The actual animal beneath all that fluff is an excruciatingly polite animal. If bothered by excessive patting, they will nip you ever so lightly as a friendly warning (like true gentlemen). If about to give birth, they will pluck wool from their own chest to prepare a bed for their brood (like nice ladies). Unlike the tactless cat, English Angoras refuse to regurgitate fur balls, leading to potentially fatal complications for the rabbit. This condition is known as wool block. It’s also known as impeccable manners. English Angoras will even let you spin the wool straight off their back. Failing that, they are equally content with clipping, shearing and plucking. In fact, they’re pretty much content with anything.

There is a fine line of care and maintenance separating a healthy English Angora rabbit from a macabre plush toy. Keep them inside and keep them cool. Fibre-heavy pellets or chunks of pineapple should be added to their diet to prevent wool block. Weekly grooming is a must, otherwise your rabbit will become knotted and matted and will lose its brand-new-trackies feel. Make sure you wash them from time to time, as things like carrots and grass may stain their coats. According to a label on an angora sweater, dry clean only.

Marie Tussaud may have thought she was the ultimate wax when she decided to make life-like sculptures of Rousseau, Voltaire and Benjamin Franklin in the 1700s. But here we are in 2012, in need of some wax stimulation yet again. And you will find it in these here candles that become massage oil that become body balm.

Yes, the Kindle Kandle is a massage candle designed and made in Melbourne from a natural blend of cosmetic-grade soy wax, scented oils, shea butter and vitamin E. It can be used in three ways: As a regular candle, available in six scents including Orange & Mango, Shannonpea, Tahiti Rosette, Cane Sugar, Gardenia and Butter Bean; As a massage oil for yourself or your significant other once the wax has melted; Or as body balm once the wax cools down.

Something Else just dropped their new collection ‘Metamorphosis‘ and it’s wild. Not only are Natalie Wood’s established lines and cut-out-shapes ever present, but the prints of variegated florals and foliage are some of the label’s best work. The digital botanist behind all of that is their art director George Barnes.

We had a chat to George about his skills, which also include the sonic variety, so we got him to make us a mixtape – from wax! Treat it as the soundtrack to the collection.

Hayley Morgan: The floral prints are really unique in the way that they’ve been manipulated. What’s the process behind this?

George Barnes: The majority of the floral prints are screen printed. We played around with the designs, got them somewhere we liked them then decided on colour combinations… The colour selection is a really important part of the process.

HM: Were any other artists involved in creating the artwork for the collection?

GB: We always collaborate with a variety of artists each season and are always on the search for new artists from all over the world to work with. This season I worked alongside Christina K, Vissukamma Ratssphong and Georgina Cullum. We have some really exciting collaborations coming up in the new season

HM: Digital prints have exploded in fashion in the last 12 months (correct me if I’m wrong). Who’s impressing you?

GB: Yes every thing is digital these days! There are some really beautiful prints out there. I’d have to say my favourite textile designs come from Givenchy and McQueen.

HM: As half of SlowBlow, sound and music are obviously just as important to you as visuals, do you often draw on sounds when you’re deciding your intentions for a new collection?

GB: Yeah definitely, music is always around me whether I’m working on art or just at home. There is never really any escaping it! I don’t think I could ever remove music from my inspiration process.

HM: You’ve mad us a mixtape which we’re going to say is the soundtrack to the collection. What’s on it?

GB: I made this mix live using all vinyl. I’ve put together a pretty eclectic combination of everything from Paul McCartney, In Flagranti, Nick Cave, Soul Clap, Dr Dunks to Todd Terje and sooo much more. The end result is an interpretation of Metamorphosis, which I’m hoping you all vibe on too.

HM: If you had a soundtrack for your life, what song would play when you enter a room?

GB: Not sure if this is the soundtrack to my life but i do love Camarillo Brillo – Frank Zappa.

In the ’60s and ’70s, San Francisco was a city caught up in (if not at the actual epicenter of) the free love movement. We Were Here chronicles the dramatic effect AIDS had on that metropolis, transforming it from a free-spirited Gay Wild West into something more sinister. The images recounted herein sound like something out of a sci-fi horror film: strange sores and lesions covering the bodies of previously virile young men, untreatable and unexplainable; a room full of doctors sobbing; going to your local coffee shop to learn the barista who was there last week has mysteriously vanished.

Using interviews with just five long-time residents and some archival footage, David Weissman crafts a dynamic narrative. This is a city where at one time 50 per cent of the gay men were HIV positive, and more than 15,000 died over the course of 15 years – so you know it’s going to be full-on. But that shouldn’t scare you off, because it is also packed with humanity and hope.

“None of my friends are around from the beginning,” says Daniel. “I miss a lot of them a lot”. All the interviewees are fantastic, but east coast transplant Daniel Goldstein really shines – not just for the number and variety of personal tragedies he suffered, but also for his refusal to surrender to disinterest or depression, (more…)