In a culture of rising stars, Kid Cudi is visibly pulling away from the pack and setting himself apart in the industry.  His is a face and voice you’re going to be getting more familiar with as time goes on.  After what seemed like some light virtual beef spurred by one of their blogposts, Complex.com recently did an exclusive interview with the artist to set the record straight and get the latest from Cudi himself. →

Now that Tom Ford’s speed-and-sex aesthetic is no longer in style, up-and-coming designers seek to take his place in the capricious world of fashion. Croatian-born Damir Doma has been turning heads lately with his draped silhouettes and androgynous expressions. Having studied under Raf Simons and Dirk Schoenberger, Doma is young and visionary in his fashions. His latest collection is available at oki-ni. →

Remember how indignant and desperate EMI became when Radiohead decided to release In Rainbows as a pay-what-you-want online download? Since then, the industry has gotten busy with innovative ways to reach new audiences. In that vein, Babelfish and EMI, in collaboration will screen Ceri Levy‘s Bananaz, a documentary film on Damon Albarn’s Gorillaz that premiered at the 58th Berlin Film Festival. Since then, the film has gained cult status and is making its way to theatres in the U.S. The film will stream in its entirety at Babelgum, so check the website out for all-new updates on the band. →

Future Ghost Plays with Starving Daughters
The Scene Bar – Glendale, CA
3/25/09
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The Scene Bar presents Los Angeles-based, new kids on the block – Future Ghost, along with musical comrades,  Starving Daughters who took a break while recording their full length album.  Their release will be out soon on Tender Loving Empire.

If you’re into noisy, pop-shoegaze, this show will feed your lust.

LOCATION:
Scene Bar
806 E Colorado
Glendale, CA 91205

Will the Dollar Lose Dominance in Currency Exchange?

A week from Thursday, G20 leaders will gather in London to participate in the 2009 summit.  The meeting’s agenda is to restore faith into the global economy this year.  As the date of the G20 summit approaches, China’s central bank unveiled a proposal to create a new currency reserve to replace the dollar’s value. This announcement will raise huge concerns →

I sat down with British DJ/Producer Adam Freeland this past week at SXSW to discuss his new album, his move to Los Angeles and the greatness of Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

EM:  Your upcoming album, Cope, is a bit of a departure from your solo works.  You also had collaborations with a lot of well known artists.  How did this all come about?
FREELAND:  Well, it’s a project I’ve been tinkering with for about 4 years, I’ve just had a lot of hiccups along the way.  I moved to Los Angeles about 2 years ago and I didn’t really know many people.  So it just sort of happened by chance →

Dengue Fever’s Sleepwalking Through the Mekong
The Echoplex – Echo Park, CA
4/9/09
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During the filming of their documentary, Sleepwalking Through the Mekong; the American band, Dengue Fever, arrived at the Baasac District, Cambodia’s shantytown near the Tonle Sap River on the outskirts of Phnom Penh.  En route their destination, they passed fires built by residents, giving off acrid fumes of burning plastic.  In the shadows, a young boy squatted on the sidewalk and huffed a plastic bag of glue.  It was morning and his brain was already fried—flying off a cheap, powerful high. →

Opening Ceremony is at it again! Pairing up with Betsey Johnson, the two powerhouses will collaborate to rethink designs from Johnson nearly four decades in the industry. Titled Betsey Johnson Archives, OC founders Humberto Leon and Carol Lim will be responsible for updating selected vintage Johnson designs that will hit their stores on both coasts in August.

Mas Exitos
Verdugo Bar – Glassell Park, CA
3/24/09
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Join Mas Exitos tonight with resident selectors: Chico Sonido, Lengua, Ganas, Enorbito and Hoseh as they spin Central and South American Psych and global grooves.  The event is free. Ages 21+. →

I came across the inscrutable street artist, Stinkfish, hailing from Bogotá, Colombia, while browsing the Wooster Collective website.   Immediately struck by his vibrant hues of electric blue and fuchsia, the artist used the gritty walls of Guatemala’s urban landscape in hues that paralleled the colorful textiles the country produced.  His stark visual language and  unique style grew to represent the South and Central American streets which he uses regularly as a canvas for his work.

EM:  What neighborhood do you closely identify with?  What makes your community so unique?
I identify a lot with the neighborhood in which I live here in Bogotá: Chapinero. →