when there is nothing left to burn, you must set yourself on fire.

and my second favorite friday morning activity (uninterrupted sleep = #1), came back with a vengeance for the new year. steve harrington and justin kreitemeyer from national forest graced us with stories about their art center beginnings, lying to clients (in good ways) and tips on how to ignite the spark within to yield both creative and personal riches.

after a free cup of coffee, half a chocolate donut and unexpected attendance from the old boss, it was a great way to kick off creative mornings 2012 (even if the parking situation at ford & ching leaves much to be desired.)

-t

there's someone here who laughs too hard at everything.

swedish (with a new york connection) outfit, miike snow throws us some vocal curveballs in their latest single, "paddling out". the drop hits around the 1:15 mark and plays nicely against the familiar croons of frontman andrew wyatt.

happy to you hits stores this march.

-t

i'm trying to do better than good enough.

thursday afternoon trifecta: i dig her art, her handwriting and the sigur ros song accompaniment.

herakut: nuart 2011

watch till the end for the sigur ros typo.

-t

you forget too easily and i remember too fast.

my smaller and more intimate orbit of confidants have had a reoccurring topic on the table for the past few months: timing. whether it's about relationships (of varying kinds) or professional uncertainties, we can't seem to stop discussing the missed opportunities or incorrect moments of clarity that prevented a different definition of balance in our lives. 

when i heard the latest single from matthew dear, it served as a reminder to many of those conversations while also stimulating my own opinions with the subject.

matthew dear featuring jonny pierce- "in the middle (i met you there)"

-t

the point at which you really get to know someone is when they can surprise you most.

the cut and pasted new video from MNDR shows off her rad bag of white-girl dance moves while also proving that not all undercuts have to be obnoxious.

MNDR - "#1 in heaven"

with a bullet,

-t

i'm ninety nine miles from LA.

if you're anywhere but home, it's time to make your way back.

air tycoon - "los angeles"

-t

just cause they're my favorite celebrity friendship.

-t

i can't remember if i liked what i said.

the new(ish) single from chad valley has a genuine sense of shared mediums. it's undeniably sensual but manages to retain his signature sweetness. it vibes of simplicity but relates a fleshed out feeling of execution. it's corresponding bare bones directed video clip is also as chill as it's source material.

chad valley - "reach lines"

-t

words can fly a thousand miles.

if you're in the mood for a lullaby of bells, hi-hats and handclaps, let detroit producer shiegto tuck you in.

shiegto - "huron river drive"

-t

smile like you've got nothing to prove.

don draper.

50% of the cast of bridesmaids.

and the always handsome adam scott.

bring.it.on.

friends with kids hits cinemas march 9th.

-t

looping state of mind.

sometimes a behind-the-scenes video is so awesome that i forget that there's an alternate result that also needs to be watched. but in the case of the making of cusp, my interest was already satisfied that i unapologetically bypassed the actual video.

check out the making of cusp below and if you still feel compelled to view the finished product click here.

-t

no. i said, what kind of bird are you?

"i'll be out. i'm going to find a tree to chop down."

moonrise kingdom

wes anderson and friends hit the theaters this may.

-t

a place to lay my heart.

there's something about san francisco that makes me feel alive. maybe it's the intense feeling of possibility in such a small but impressive city. and the newish video from san francisco twosome, midi matilda, is yet another reason how (and why) the city by the bay elicits nothing but good vibes.

midi matilda - "day dreams"

-t

i can't drink you out of my mind.

with the new year comes the usual promise of unwavering positivity or an interior change towards bigger or better things. like new years resolutions, this outlook keeps us moving with a different kind of urgency. 

the new single from los angeles four piece, princeton, seems to also bask in a specific groove of confidence. a blanket of strings and keys anchors the pace as "remembrance of things to come" moves with good intensions and future sentiments.

see you gents at the bootleg tonight.

-t

consciousness depends on manipulating time.

vacations provide a release from the beat of the daily grind. they remove the excess stresses lodged in your mind and introduce scenarios that reconnect you with the ideas of adventure and indulgence. and despite it's temporary status, vacations often leave imprints that hold dual citzenship in your memory and consciousness.

check out the new single from local beatsmith shlohmo, off his forthcoming vacation EP.

shlohmo - "wen wuu"

-t

like we always do at this time.

whose down to travel to sweden for a cup? according to the muppets, it's faster if we travel by montage.

koppi kaffe & rosteri by tim ciasto

-t

my crown is tipped up, my world is zipped up tight.

it's an intimidating 83 degrees outside, as the sun has set it's glaze upon the sweaty people of los angeles. while british producer, tropics, appears to be weather appropriate mood music, his latest self-released album is less beachside oasis and instead offers a blend of darker and more complex layers that perfectly counterbalances the january heat wave. stream it below.

tropics - nautical clamor

-t

don't think twice, it's alright.

yesterday i had an unfortunate encounter with someone whose ignorant reflections and opinions made me feel quite terrible. i wondered if his tirade came at the cost of his own loneliness and his need to bring others to his state of mind. but then i realized that his words were simply his ordinary. and whether he was actually trying to be offensive or not, he was sadly just being himself.

when i finally decided to not give in to his negativity, i recognized just how precious my own sense of ordinary had become and wouldn't compromise it for another's opposing words.

stream "new ordinary" from orlando twosome, dayjoy, below.



-t

regardless of how much they missed you, the reality is that the whole world went on in your absence.

a year and some change later, i still stand by everything i said.

-t

this will be our year, took a long time to come.

i spent most of january 1st 2012 attempting to feel like a human being again. shoutout to one of the most random new years eve celebrations in most recent memory.

for my peoples, i dedicate this song to you and may it sincerely reign true for us all.

memoryhouse - this will be our year (the zombies cover)

-t