THINK magazine: issue 10

The latest THINK magazine came out this week making it a milestone of 10 issues. My contribution for issue 10 was an article following the theme of 'Style' and focusing on an impressive clifftop property designed by the Forma design group and located on the fringes of Los Angeles, California. Stunning views, impressive spatial design and all following a strict sustainable strategy - the Vicino House is something to behold. Read more about the building and other articles from issue 10 via the link here

Image from Vicino House, Los Angeles, USA

CITY: BERLIN

Finally made it to Berlin after five years of trying, cannot wait to go again. Locals may sway in favor of pre-gentrification past times but, the city still has a unique spirit compared to most other urban destinations. Panorama Bar was of course a deeply satisfying experience, took me back to visiting Rex for the first time in my teen years. Best bar was Paloma though, for the post-apocalyptic Blade Runner meets Warriors building and train station view out the futuristic angled windows.
Berlin phone snaps by Alexander Horne

art: Appplesmash

In a society where convenience and familiarity regularly wins over pragmatism and social openness,  I was delighted to discover Michael Tompert and Paul Fairchild's 12LVE exhibition this week. Although it can be argued that Apple products are a well designed piece of equipment,  recent episodes have left me feeling part of a minority observing swathes of cash ready consumers lurch towards the latest gadget in the brand-led belief that it will greatly improve their life. Turning your back to other punters in a cafe or bar to play a retro video games or being wired to emails buzzing through 24 hours a day is not a social progression in my eyes.  In Norway alone the statistics are startling, almost 20% own an Iphone. As much as a great gadget it is for business, watching grown up professionals fight to whack their gadget out reminds me of being in a Primary School gym class observing the tension between owners of a pair of Nike air sneakers and the poor chap with the Hi-Techs  mulling about in the corner. Which is why it is so refreshing to see someone smash up some Apple products for the sake of art. These products are not perfect untouchable icons, this exhibition reminds us of the lack of natural aura consumer products have and of their temporary existence. Read more  here.

photos: from the 12LVE exhibition by Michael Tompert and Paul Fairchild, San Francisco 2010

city: Bucharest Beat

All the blood, sweat and beers that go in to running events in two cities throughout the year seems to pay off (never financially!) in Autumn time. Last year DO IT! collective were hosted in Helsinki and Bergen for two differing gigs but equally fun trips during August. This year it was just me (Uraki Riddim) on a solo trip to Bucharest via Copenhagen in late October.   Copenhagen opened my ears to an exciting instrumental beats scene which is arguably the strongest right now in Scandinavia, the label Hobby Industries and New Folder collective making up the best of it. Bucharest peeled back my eyes to an otherworldly place.  Hosted by ex-pat DJ and journalist Tom Wilson, I was given the insight needed to map my way through a city that without assistance I would have struggled to grasp.  Full of contrasts, romantic and mysterious historical corners it is a metropolis like none other I have visited. Playing at Ota's minimal looking basement club (complete with kitchen for making hearty soups) alongside Tom was incredible, the crowd were so locked in and ready to dance - someone name checking and asking for a spin back on a Mike Slott tune will surely be a once in a lifetime request! Props to Fresh Good Minimal for press, check them out for a lowdown on the Bucharest scene.     

photo: from the excellent Bucharest based photo blog Revelator//Planet34 by Andrei Mocanca

Nou Norge Gem in the Rough

Scotland on Sunday recently published my travel piece on coastal Norwegian town Ålesund. The vibrancy of the town combined with the enthusiastic forward thinking from local creatives such as architects Sandbakk & Patterson and the owners of design hub and gourmet coffee cafe Invit left me with a memorable and favorable impression. Aside from these innovators there was room for restauarants with water-side access to allow for the delivery of fresh seafood everyday and a hotel designed by the world renowned architects Snøhetta, Hotel Brosundet. While the experience was resoundingly positive, when comparing my hometown of Aberdeen to Ålesund it paints a grey picture of the lack of culture vibrancy supported by the local state and private sector in Scotland's Granite City. With proposed projects such as concreting over a renowned Victorian garden (one of the only green spaces in the city centre) to become a carpark and consumer playground it is left to young artists to support themselves and develop Aberdeen's culture identity independently. One of the few sprouts of green shoots in the creative sector in Aberdeen has been the transofrmation of a derelict basement site into the base for 26 Collective. I hope that for the sake of the city, these young innovators are allowed to flourish and paint a more gleaming picture of the city.

scanned image of Scotland on Sunday, Spectrum magazine 9th May 2010.

À bon chat, bon rat

Suffering from post-cheap flight travel trauma and subsequent illness from the multiple chicken marching arrangements (extensive bus journeys, caged into tight squadrons of ill travelers before embarking and vice versa) put paid to any previous words about my recent Paris jaunt. Here are some nibbles from the French metropole of amour and tardy waiting staff; Staying around the Château Rouge area of Paris was grimey warm - like onion soup - charming, colorful and full of slapdash market stalls. The daily contraband operation at nearby Barbès metro was a theatrical masterpiece; sellers moving back and forth to the changing of traffic lights or loitering like seasoned flâners. One of the lures of Paris on this occasion was a return to the Rex Club for a set by legendary mixer Francois K. You can check out my review of this event on Resident Advisor. Ultimately, the best cultural olives in this swing-by-trip were the burgeoning design and culture scene in Bastille and the vibrant and youthful burst of bars in Oberkampf.

'ticket collage' by Alexander Horne, 2010

Itch magazine article

Just got an article entitled 'No Time For Pie' published in ITCH magazine. It's an attempt to examine the significance of the current economic situation to the creative industries with some conclusions. Click on one of the links to check it out.