MillionYoung – “Hammocks”

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Mike Diaz aka MillionYoung has released a series of EPs that boast the melodic qualities of Panda Bear and the bouncy synths of acts like Neon Indian and Washed Out. The music is both soothing and danceable, making Mike one of many homegrown acts that make beautiful sounds out of the confines of their bedrooms. This brief Q&A describes Mike’s entry into music as well as his love for all things Kraftwerk and Jon Brion. →

Back in the day, we had musical family outfits like the rockin’ Everly Brothers or the soul-slamming superstars, Jackson Five. Our current generation can now look forward to listening to precious folk newcomers, Ortolan, where their ties provide an endearing experience and equally appeal to the auditory sensations. This set of New Jersey sisters bring pleasant melodies that uplift any melancholic day. Read what the songbirds had to share with Evil Monito. →

100 ft tall baby chicks, massive strawberries, and flying fish will be part of your trip with Jeff Jordan …

Great art always provokes more questions than answers. His art is a surrealist stab at the ‘how’ and ‘why’ beyond the psychic space that develops around an image, by jolting linear thought processes, and pushing the outer limits of creative evolution. Jeff Jordan’s hybrids and irrational relationships are birthed by his relentless attempt to broaden mental pliability, and expand our desire to inquire. →

After a precipitous rise in popularity last year, Brooklyn’s Xylos is set to release their debut L.P. Tropical rhythms and boy-girl melodies make up the band’s recognizable sound thus far, although they’re just as inspired by Fleetwood Mac as they are to Swedish pop group Abba, making their music rather unpredictable and surprising. In this Q&A, founding member and lyricist Eric Zeiler talks about living in Brooklyn, some lessons learned as a band and the suggestive power of cover design. →

EM: What made you guys both decide to photograph and document the graffiti scene? What in particular  interested you about it?

We started photographing graffiti in the 90’s because in east village there was a lot of graffiti. My husband ran into friend from graffiti and he asked if he could photograph some of his artwork which happened to be by the track side. This beautiful graffiti made us want to track out more,it became an addiction. Last free forms of art, they needed photographers to document their work. →

Marc Collin is one-half of the brains behind perhaps the most endearing cover band of all time, Nouvelle Vague. Collin and his partner Olivier Libaux grew up listening to eighties New Wave and punk music, and their appreciation grew into something entirely unique–covering the music of their youth with a sixties bossa nova palette. Their latest record, 3, features guest appearances by the very musicians they idolized–Depeche Mode’s Martin Gore and Echo and The Bunnymen’s Ian McCulloch all sing in new versions of their songs. From Paris, Marc took time out to tell us about his latest projects and favorite cinema. →

Tank top, Club Monaco. Metallic Top, NADA

Nada Shepherd is a Canadian designer that injects imagination and energy into her designs.  She creates wearable tailored and lady like clothes, ones decorated with lace flounces, sharp shoulders and space like accoutrement and shape . Elegant yet strong, these are clothes one could work in and make a statement in, especially ladies who like wearing leather and long gloves while drinking tea on the Ritz. →

Photo by Jake Bergman in Bloomington, IN

Daedelus (né Alfred Weisberg-Roberts) is one of LA’s hardest working musicians. His music sounds like a concoction of unlikely samples and effects that warp and shift into often beautiful, sometimes monstrous forms. His manner of dress takes cues from the Victorian era, and his aesthetic reminds me a little of what Steampunk might be in a musical context, merging the past and future into a fantastic present. A founding DJ of Dublab and an avid crate-digger, Daedelus answered our questionnaire to talk about his upcoming EP Righteous Fists of Harmony (Brainfeeder), living in LA and inventors of musical instruments. →

EM:  Occupation and Position

QUACH: Creative Director at PRVCY Premium, a part time poker player, and I also start various projects not related to art or fashion.

EM:  What neighborhood do you closely identify with?

Over the last four years I’ve lived in Alhambra for the Chinese food, Silverlake for the interesting entrepreneurship, and Downtown LA for the faster pace of lifestyle.  After months of searching I decided to purchase a loft in downtown.  Downtown is unique in the way it houses designers & businessmen.  This leads to a lot of interesting relationships that don’t happen in other cities.  It’s smaller then most cities so it’s very pedestrian-friendly.  I really believe the more people walk, the prouder they are of their neighborhood. →

EM: Your portraits are life-like and seem to capture the everyday experience. What sort of stories are you trying to convey, if any?

Most of the time, I’m not trying to convey a particular story but much more an atmosphere. That’s why the expression and gesture is so important to me and it is also the reason why my drawings are often stripped down to the human figure itself. →