Adidas - Unite All Originals

Adidas' new advert was created by SoMe, an artist I've been a huge fan of for years. His effortless animation style really struck my imagination before I knew what it really was. I remember coming home from school and seeing Kanye West's Good Life video on the music channels and just being inspired. I was mad into digital art at that age. Looking back on here I've realised I've previously wrote about SoMe, nice to know I'm consistent over the years, eh!? And also that I did teach myself to rotoscope after mentioning here that I wanted to learn, can I get a woohoo for self improvement?!
After researching the advert I discovered via digitalartsonline that there's an interactive element which can be found on Adidas' website here. The video can be controlled by human interaction, following a tutorial, you're invited to either say or type what you see, making the video react to your input. A brilliant idea from Adidas, the novelty value alone is a winner, but teamed with Run DMC, SoMe and A-Trak, anyone with an interest in sports or urban culture is going to be sucked in like fat kid in a water slide. Absolutely raging I don't have my Stan Smiths anymore - as in, I have no recollection of throwing them away, so they must be somewhere... but where!?
I'm a lover and a hater of how fashion recycles - it's always when I give up hope and get rid, that bygone era makes a come back. If Bench ever becomes fashionable again it will be a day of silence in my house. I had enough of the stuff to dress a small army and got rid of it in a de-chav wardrobe revamp a few years ago, so naturally it's bound to be the new 'it' streetwear brand any day now...

One year hiatus

It's been nearly a year since I've shown this blog a bit of TLC. I've been busy moving country every few months for the past year and unfortunately blogging has taken a back seat in all of that. But now I'm semi settled in Dublin, after a crazy few months travelling around Austria, Croatia and the Czech Republic. I can't promise blogging will become as religiously a part of my routine as it was back in the day, but I'm feeling inspired. What better way to come back to this than with a bit of inspiration? So, my "welcome back" post is going to be music based. I've been out of the loop for the past 7 months, keeping up on current trends back home through chance meetings with English people who are sober enough to tell me what's happening in the mother land... which means I've had to do all the leg work since I've been back. Current obsessions are as follows,

Sampha

Anyone who knows me knows that Sampha isn't a new found love, but a rekindled romance. I've been lucky enough to catch him live twice, and he does not disappoint. His voice and stage presence are exactly what you'd hope for from such a soulful voice. I was so excited to arrive home just in time for the release of his new EP 'Dual' so I could get my hands on it straight away. Having had it on repeat for the past day or so I've come to the conclusion that Indecision is my favourite song - after some internal debate. The hopefulness in the lyrics and the melody just shine through so much and I can't help but feel uplifted by the end of the song.

Bondax

Not a new song by any means, but Bondax were a staple listen for my time in Prague. Sunny days on old town square were marked by somebody breaking out in song "you're gold, is not" with a chorus of "enoooooooough". With Bondax remixing the Blackstreet classic which everyone and their mum has their hands on 'No Diggity' my love for the grew even more and I decided to check out their back catalogue, and I'm happy I did!

Chet Faker

Another artist to make their mark on 'No Diggity' in a completely different style, Chet Faker was first introduced to me a few months ago. I never really took notice of him until recently, dare I say it I thought he was boring :( silly me. His lyrics are seriously something else. So poetic and refreshing, you really feel the cogs of his mind working when you listen to his songs. They seem so simple and obvious you sit and think "why didn't I think of that!?" but you didn't, and that's why you're not as cool as Chet Faker. I predict huge things for this guy.

Sam Smith

The current golden boy of the UK, Sam Smith's voice and package just does it for me. Since hearing him on Disclosure's Latch last year I was blown away and couldn't wait to hear more, then I heard Lay Me Down and my first reaction was "THANK GOD". Production on his singles so far has been perfect, I'm seriously overjoyed Simon Cowell or someone equally as trashy hasn't got their hands on this voice. Like, seriously "All your worries can be put to, can be put to sleep" MELTING, Sam Smith you are making me MELT.

FKA twigs

This final video is an artist I only just found today so I've been on a bit of a binge between this song and maybe 2 others, I'm scared to delve too deep incase I don't like her other songs, as so far I'm in love. Quirky, trippy beats and haunting lyrics, this girl reminds me of Bjork in her oddness, and I love Bjork.

And last but not least, I've just come across this festival and oh wow, do I want to go. YES, YES I DO. PARIS COME AT ME!