Designer Roots

Jacqueline Carlisle's ever improving Think magazine recently released their fourth issue in time for Earth Day. My editorial contribution in the latest issue comes in the form of a piece entitled 'Designer Roots' and aims to introduce readers to the existing world and potential of Biomimicry. In conjunction with this field, architects such as Oslo based Bifokal have opened my eyes recently to the potential design can have as a tool for tangible knowledge value as opposed to the hot air we have become accustomed to from certain other designers in recent times. Design inspired by nature has a refreshing ring to it in the hangover of a period of excessive consumption and greedy attempts to defy nature's logic. As much as I felt for those left stranded and apart from loved ones, there was something refreshing with the recent flight restrictions due to a volcanic eruption in Iceland. It would be great if for one week a year we could plan in advance to stop all flights as to ease congestion and stop the incessant and ridiculous notion that we need to move non-stop around the world at all times. Master of marrying the poetic daydreams of yesteryears philosophers to modern day dilemmas - Alain de Botton published a great article about the notion of a world without planes. Read it here.

photo from Biomimicry workshop at AHO in Oslo by John Christer Høiby 2010.

Catch of The Day

Way back mid 00s; amongst the energetic illustrations and polemic wordage of hyperdope Lowdown magazine I came across a write up on a guy called Flying Lotus. Didn't need any encouragement to hit up his myspace after reading up on the Coltrane and Dilla links and wasn't exaclty dissapointed! What has happened since then, not many could comprehend. Going into Summer 2010 it is as if we have gone back to the early 90s - the heydays of triphop, beats and 808s - when post rave festivals such as Tribal Gatherings were getting off to DJs like Krush and James Lavelle (pre Unkle). Sounds from 'grimey London', 'sunny Cali' and the 'motorcity folklore of Detroit' stir the imagination before even listening to anything so it has been of great pleasure to recenty discover some Nordic talent outside of these big hitting 'beats' hotbeds. A graphic designer and hottly tipped producer to boot, Offshore comes from my hometown Aberdeen. His beats and mixes meld raw energy with maturity and music knowledge that are rarely found by Djs over indulging in one of the many genres that he splices and blends with ease. Over the North Sea, Inko has been surviving the Norsk winters for over five years developing a sound which shares the melodic rough bristles of Flying Lotus with exotic boombap depth. Be sure to try catch them at the following DO IT! nights;

OFFSHORE - DO IT! abz - May 7th at The Tunnels

INKO - DO IT! oslo - June 25th at Bla