Clambering over rock beds and through snowfields on a fully-packed fatbike is all well and good, but nothing can compare with the glory of carousing French roads on a full-dresser randonneuse road bike.

Victoire Cycles last project was to create a tribute to the Golden Era of frame building, but with modern conveniences; A Rohloff internal rear hub, for instance, with it’s natty handlebar-mounted twist-shifter, and the SON dynamo front hub and lights.

Without luggage, the weight comes in at 13.4kg, complete with pump, lights, fenders and racks. That’s pretty comparable to any modern tourer, but as far as style goes, Victoire’s Randonneuse takes the gâteau.  You can read more about the details of this bike on CycleEXIF

Chinese artist DU Kun has long harbored a reverence for music and rockstars and he has created these amazing oil paintings.  Each oil painting depicts the face of a musician as if it were a temple built in devotion to a god and borrows elements from Buddhist and Confucian architecture. Eyes are depicted as windows, tree branches or waterfalls as flowing hair, and the surface of skin as ornate wood facades gilded with gold.

Kun is currently exhibiting the “Revels of the Rock Gods” series as part of his first solo show in Japan at Mizuma Art Gallery in Tokyo through February 13, 2016. You can explore close-up details plus an archive of Kun’s work on his website.





Source: Colossal

It was a sad day for DJ's and vinyl fans when the best turntables in the world suddenly went out of production. Well that mood is finally about to change due to Panasonic has announced that the Technics SL-1200 line is back with the brand new Technics SL-1200GAE Turntable ($TBA). This marks the 50th anniversary of the classic table, which is not only the preference for DJs, but also makes a great centerpiece in any home audio setup. The resurrected deck added some subtle design changes, along with a high sensitive tonearm and a brass top platter. The SL-1200 line will officially be back this summer and I for one will have to get me a pair.

Welcome to the New Year and to The Collective Loop Playlist-81! A new year means new music and new sounds to get your ears listening and your feet moving.  In this installment we have new music by Zhu, Christine and the Queen, SWIMM and more...

If you want to check out any of the other Playlists, then click on TCL Playlist in the menu.


Cover art & photo by: Damion S. 

Tracklist

This year we have a softer take on 2016's Color of the Year. Let me introduce you to Rose Quartz and Serenity Pantone 13-1520 & Pantone 15-3919. Rose Quartz and Serenity demonstrate an inherent balance between a warmer embracing rose tone and the cooler tranquil blue, reflecting connection and wellness as well as a soothing sense of order and peace. This is the first time Pantone has blended two shades. Rose Quartz is a persuasive yet gentle tone that conveys compassion and a sense of composure. Serenity is weightless and airy, like the expanse of the blue sky above us, bringing feelings of respite and relaxation even in turbulent times. Check out Pantone for products that you can acquire with Rose Quartz and Serenity.

What a beautifully designed speaker. The House of Marley's Get Up Stand Up ($300) combines the unparalleled audio with a stunning design. Soulfully crafted featuring FSC-certified and responsibly harvested dark walnut and birch wood with a satin velvet finish as smooth as the tunes played from this handsome system. Get Up Stand Up is powered by precisely engineered dual 4.5" speakers and 1" tweeters for that signature Marley sound. Recycled plastic enclosures and Bluetooth convenience round out this home audio system for superior audio quality that should be heard and seen.





Source: Uncrate

Stumbled upon Kevin Dart's Science and Nature collection today and I'm glad that I did. His style is interesting with the fact that it's such a mixture of shapes with a little realism's, but has that futuristic look.  If that even makes sense. Well check out his work on his site and if you like any of the ones below they're for sale and he has more than just these.

So Google and Samsung have both come out with a type of VR for Android phones, however it seems that Apple made it an afterthought for iPhones.  Not anymore though, Figment VR ($55) is the world's first virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) phone case.  Its slim and sleek design makes it pocketable and accessible.

This combination headset and case lets you snap in your iPhone 6S or 6S Plus and enjoy immersive, high-quality VR right on your phone. Its built-in case offers protection, and its unique folding design means you don't have to remove it every time you want to go somewhere — just fold it to the rear and use/pocket your phone like you normally would. Available in white or black.  Back them on Kickstarter.

Welcome to TCL Playlist-80. One more month till 2016 and the end of 2015. So let's chill and enjoy the lasting moments of the year. In this months installment. We have new music by ODESZA, Day Wave, Grimes and more...

If you want to check out any of the other Playlists, then click on TCL Playlist in the menu.


Cover Art by: Damion S. 

Tracklist

Arhifab from Transylvania have created the Pogo line of lamps($96 to $258), inspired by nature. It has been designed using parametric tools, mimicking the opening of flower petals.  The elements are CNC machined and assembled by hand.  Its function is not only to illuminate, but it also decorates, enlivens and gives a personal touch to the places, thanks to its strong formal imprint and own identity. Check out the site for more images and pricing.

Finding the right balance to reduce the size of a bike for greater portability in the cities can be a challenge. Gianluca Sada tackled that challenge and created a versatile bike, safe, smart and sustainable. The result is called Sada Bike, which is a bicycle that, in one motion, may shrink to the size of an umbrella. This makes it perfect for commuters who need to make many short trips. It has a frame that folds in order to achieve maximum portability. It can be carried in a backpack-sized, with other objects! Unlike many bicycles, which usually get their strength from the spoke tension, the strength of Sada Bike is incorporated in the rims. The wheels of Sada Bike are no rays! This bike is currently available to the public, however it may be a while due to it is in a phase of re-prototyping, in collaboration with the Turinese studio MGRD.

Time to step up the game of the notebook with the Wipebook ($35-$3).  It's like having the combination of a portable notebook with a whiteboard in one. Each page is a reusable whiteboard that goes wherever you go. But unlike traditional dry erase boards that can smudge easily the patented hyper-gloss film formula on each page is easy to erase and create again, and a detachable binding allows you to remove pages to scan or share with others. Choose from a notebook, workbook, or journal and fill each page with notes, doodles, or brainstorm sessions. When the notebook fills up, just erase what you don't want anymore, ensuring you'll never run out of space to create.

Ed Fairburn an English artist use vintage maps and star charts as canvases for hand drawn portraits. Cross-hatched patterns and shaded regions inside roads, borders, and rivers assimilate into the contours of faces, as if the images had always been secretly hidden in the map’s topography.

Fairburn has a new show of works alongside artist John Wentz at Mike Wright Gallery from November 6th - December 19th in Denver, Colorado.




Source: Colossal.com

We all know of the dropped signals and dead zones in our luxurious homes. Right? The Luma WiFi System ($100), you can eliminate these problems with ease. It uses multiple smart access points spread across your home to cover your entire home in the best possible coverage. The app will tell you where to put them, creating a customized networking plan for your home, and also lets you monitor usage on individual devices, set content filters and time limits for kids, and approve new devices with a single swipe, while enterprise-proven security to helps protect your gadgets.




Source: Uncrate.com

Welcome to The Collective Loop Playlist-79.  Halloween is almost here and turning back the clocks is another reminder that winter is coming.  So in this months installment I want to give you some style and upbeat music to dance around that hour of time that will be missed.  We have new music by Big Grams, TroyBoi, Skylar Spence and more...

If you want to check out any of the other Playlists, then click on TCL Playlist in the menu.


Cover art and photo: by Damion S.

Tracklist

Patrick Schroeter who is a designer and craftsman has created these stunning Geodesic terrariums. The Geodesic terrariums are a fusion of styles and inspirations. The ornate glass houses of the Victorian Era collide with the dreams of science fiction to create something timeless yet disarmingly contemporary.

Each geodesic is made up of almost one hundred triangles, individually welded together and hand finished. The resulting geodesic structures incorporate a water tight bottom section that allows plants to be grown within. Low voltage LED lighting contained within a classical glass shade turns the geodesic into a striking light feature. Check out his site if interested in purchasing one.