DJ Technics and DJ Ayres Discuss The Past And Future of Baltimore Club

April 12th, 2014

I edited this conversation between DJ Ayres and DJ Technics on the past and future of the Baltimore Club sound for Thump.

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Read more at THUMP

JON LANGFORD ON DRONE WARFARE, ALTERNATIVE ASTRONOMY AND HONKY-TONK

February 26th, 2014

I interviewed Jon Langford for VICE

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Read JON LANGFORD ON DRONE WARFARE, ALTERNATIVE ASTRONOMY AND HONKY-TONK at VICE

NOISEY: CHIRAQ

January 23rd, 2014

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I edited the 8-part documentary series NOISEY: CHIRAQ, produced by Andy Capper and hosted by Thomas Morton.

Starting January 22nd, NOISEY presents a weekly, 8-part documentary on the music, culture, politics and young people behind Chicago’s current rap music scene. An access-all-areas pass to some of the city’s most notorious streets, the series examines the personalities, controversies and social forces behind one of the most gang-related, criminally convicted music scenes in recent history.

EPISODE 1: WELCOME TO CHIRAQ
In the first part of Noisey’s 8-part documentary CHIRAQ, we head to Englewood, one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in the city of Chicago, to meet Chief Keef, the most famous rapper in the drill scene. Unfortunately at the time, Chief was facing legal trouble, so we instead found Young Chop, a producer credited with shaping drill music, and he gives us an overview of the scene. Later, fellow 3Hunna members Lil Durk and Lil Reese expand on Chop’s thoughts, and we learn extensively about the violence surrounding the area, and the social and cultural challenges the city faces.

EPISODE 2: KEEF IN NYC / CHIRAQ’S NEW KIDS
In the second episode of Noisey’s Chiraq, Chief Keef and his crew head to New York while we catch up with MGS and Global Gangstas Entertainment, two other rap collectives in Chicago. They, along with the Chicago Police Department, speak extensively on the social and cultural challenges faced by the community. Near the end, we’re introduced to Yung Trell, a 14-year-old rapper from Englewood who’s looking for his break.

EPISODE 3: ALIEN vs. PREDATOR vs. CHIEF KEEF
In the third episode of Noisey’s Chiraq, we pick up where we left off in Englewood, and get a taste of the new music coming from the area. Then we jump back across the country and join Chief Keef, Fredo Santana, and others wandering around Times Square. They say what’s up to Alien and Predator before heading backstage for some free styling as they prepare for a show.

EPISODE 4: LIL DURK TERRIFIES THE CITY
In the fourth episode of Noisey’s Chiraq, we catch up extensively with Lil Durk, the next superstar of the Drill scene and go to a show with fellow 300 / OTF member Lil Reese. It’s the night of Lollapalooza, but that doesn’t matter because inside and outside the venue, the crowd is packed to the walls. Afterwards, we roll through the South Side of Chicago with Durk and meet his family, learning about the life from which he came, and why he “terrifies the city.”

EPISODE 5: SAVEMONEY BUSTS JOEY PURP OUTTA JAIL
In the fifth episode of Chiraq, we step outside of drill music and catch up with Chicago rapper Vic Mensa and the rest of his SAVEMONEY crew. They spend the day gathering cash to bail fellow rapper Joey Purp out of jail, and on the way we chat about the city’s scene. Vic doesn’t associate himself with the Chiraq lifestyle because he feels it’s too negative, but understands the struggles of those who come from that part of the city. He’s also, surprisingly, a really big fan of Rage Against the Machine.

EPISODE 6: YOUNG CHOP ON CHIEF KEEF AND SEGREGATION
In Episode Six of Noisey Chiraq, we tag along with rising super-producer Young Chop, who despite being the most successful beatmaker to emerge from the Chicago rap scene, still doesn’t have his drivers license (his mom drives him around). Song-maker for artists like Chief Keef, French Montana, Juicy J, Big Sean and Pusha T, Chop visits Chicago’s Bean for the first time ever and we find out the extent of racial segregation in the city.

EPISODE 7: HOW TO MAKE IT OUT OF CHIRAQ
In Episode Seven of Noisey Chiraq, we continue exploring the Sosa phenomena, the segregation of Chicago, and the societal forces behind the violent lives of the young people on the South Side. Later, we catch up with Young Chop, who explains what he’s done to succeed, and he introduces us to fellow drill producer Paris Bueller, creator of Lil Durk’s “L’s Anthem.”

EPISODE 8: CHIEF KEEF TAKES THE SUBURBS
In our final episode of Chiraq, we discover what the Nation Of Islam thinks about the Chiraq phenomena then finally get an audience in the court of Almighty Sosa, a.k.a. Chief Keef, a.k.a. young Keith Cozart. Filmed at his house in the suburbs of Chicago, Keef spends his time whipping donuts around the backyard on an ATV.

Assemble 11 at The Ace Hotel

October 20th, 2013

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New York City’s Ace Hotel invited my friend and collaborator Pat Noecker, a.k.a. RAFT to host an ASSEMBLE event in their lobby this fall. The result was a performance of RAFT’s ensemble piece, “Transmissions, Long Tones in A and E” performed on Saturday, October 19 at 8 p.m. in the hotel’s lobby, for free to the public. The all-star ensemble brought together for the evening included Brian Chase (Yeah Yeah Yeahs), Sabisha Friedberg, Dana Schechter, Greg Fox (Guardian Alien/Z’s), J.G. Thirlwell (Foetus), Camilla Padgitt-Coles, Melissa Moore, Rachel Mason, Daniel Schlett and Pat Spadine (Ash Can Orchestra) and yours truly on video projections.

J.G. Thirlwell describes the Assemble experience thusly: RAFT gathers performers from NYC underground + experimental music scenes, scatters them around a room, and sets them loose — creating a personalized, fully immersive music experience that alters depending where you’re standing. The performance in its simplest form is 11 musicians working to sustain the notes of A and E.

This was one of my favorite performances of all time, and I feel incredibly honored to have been a part of it.

Above: video of ASSEMBLE XI, “TRANSMISSIONS in A and E” by Torsten Meyer

Noisey: Parkay Quarts Show Us Their New York In The Final Jansport Bonfire Session

October 18th, 2013

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I edited these videos featuring Parquet Courts talking about their adopted hometown of New York City and playing a concert in Williamsburg’s Havemeyer Park.

The band was kind enough to take us around their version of New York, which includes a graffiti’d shutter door store and a game of pickup basketball that has been going on since the sport’s inception.
– Noisey

Read more at NOISEY

Spun O Lith: Purity Control / Rebecca Gaffney / Matthew Caron / Peter Shapiro

October 1st, 2013

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Purity Control with Rebecca Gaffney performing in her Spun O Lith installation at Fitness Gallery on February 28th, 2013.

Live video mix by Matthew Caron & Peter Shapiro.

Spun O Lith: Purity Control / Rebecca Gaffney / Matthew Caron / Peter Shapiro from Matthew Caron on Vimeo.

“Rebecca Gaffney’s Spun O Lith installation at Fitness Gallery, during which the split’s recording was taken. The video itself, mixed by Matthew Caron and Peter Shapiro, is full of eplileptic-averse flashing and uncanny valley-oblitering facial distortion. Guess it’s that time again to freak out the squares.”Mike Sugarman, Ad Hoc

Read more about Spun O Lith and Purity Control at Ad Hoc

Vans House Parties: Les Savy Fav

September 16th, 2013

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I edited this episode of Vans House Parties featuring Les Savy Fav getting pedicures.



Tim Harrington and the rest of the dudes in Les Savy Fav share their standard pre-show rituals before their set at the House of Vans last month. Y’know, normal stuff like getting pedicures and celebrity gossip. It’s all about relaxation and awesome feet.
– Vans

Read more at VANS

Noisey: King Tuff In Seattle

September 14th, 2013

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I edited this two part feature on King Tuff’s performance at the Jansport Bonfire Sessions in Seattle.

PART 1

PART 2

Read more about King Tuff in Seattle at Noisey

Fyne, with a touch of terror and scattered howlers

September 9th, 2013

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PM014 – Matthew Caron – Fyne, with a touch of terror and scattered howlers

**Edition of 50 Full Color zines. Matthew Caron aka Your Friend Matthew is a video and installation artist who lives and works in Brooklyn. His style is a fusion of first-hand documentary elements with live camera feedback, improvisation with light and musical elements, frequently characterized by the use of inexpensive or busted gear and long-term collaborative projects with Mishka NYC, Long Distance Poison, RAFT, Fast Food Music Video, Rebecca Gaffney and Australian psych pop duo Gypsy & The Cat.

PURCHASE FROM PLANT MIGRATION RECORDS

This zine is a collection of images from his solo show at helper projects in Brooklyn curated by Plant Migration Records. Fyne, with a touch of terror and scattered howlers was shown on August 24th, 2013 and featured performances by RAFT, Mickey Fit, Lazurite and Rebecca Gaffney with Aaron Caleb

Fyne, with a touch of terror and scattered howlers from Matthew Caron on Vimeo.

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Pat Noecker of RAFT wrote about his experience at the Fyne opening, click here to read it.

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Pamela Love for Jawbone New York Fashion Week

September 5th, 2013

I edited this short film on designer Pamela Love’s inspirations and design process, directed by Joshua Zucker-Pluda for Jawbone.

Our newest, ultra-portable wireless speaker – MINI JAMBOX – is at the intersection of technology, fashion, culture, art and design. As part of the speaker’s launch at New York Fashion Week, we teamed with designer Pamela Love to create a story about the role music plays in her design process. Get a beautiful, meaningful peek into her imagination and vision in design with this short film.

Director: Joshua Zucker-Pluda
www.pamelalovenyc.com
www.jawbone.com
www.milkmade.com