Directed by Jovan Todorovic. From the album Rennen.
Listening / Viewing: Pavo Pavo – Ran Ran Run
Directed by pierre_xoxo. From the album Young Narrator in the Breakers.
Listening / Viewing: How To Dress Well – Lost Youth / Lost You
Directed by Ben Tricklebank. From the album Care.
Island Songs by Ólafur Arnalds
Over the course of 7 weeks, as part of a project titled Island Songs, Icelandic composer and musician Ólafur Arnalds has arranged to collaborate with local artists across Iceland to create and perform a song each week, and release the audio and a video performance online (shot by director Baldvin Z).
Arnalds comments: “I always want to make everything sound perfect, but I also know that perfection doesn’t necessarily make for good music. So these projects grew out of an internal fight with myself, a need to create something spontaneous and improvised.”
The real-time, traveling project can be followed at islandsongs.is, new songs are released every Monday. Here is the video of Arnalds’ collaboration with music teacher and organist Dagný Arnalds, 1995.
Review: u-Jays On-Ear Headphones
u-Jays headphones are the result of two years research and development, with an emphasis on simplicity in design, balanced sound, and comfort, by the Stockholm-based audio brand Jays. The on-ear, closed-back design steps up Jays’ game, and places these headphones in the premium category, with their handsome, minimal form, based on ultra-durable construction. The form factor and matte-finishing put them right up there as some of the best looking headphones on the market; they aren’t flashy, but definitely read as smart design.
u-Jays are boxed with the exchangeable (available in limited metal finishes) ear cups detached, setup being very simple. They come in just under 8oz, and are built on a spring steel and wire core with integrated screws; because of this solid design, they do not completely fold, but the ear cups are capable of folding 90 degrees, allowing the headphones to fit perfectly into the included carrying bag. The viscoelastic ear cushions are designed to adapt to the shape of the wearer’s ears for a close fit without sound escape, and while this design is effective, like most on-ear headphones, they become slightly uncomfortable after some time worn; this might be because u-Jays clamp more to the wearer’s head than they rest on the ears. A rubber, slim-profile headband is comfortable on the head or when resting headphones on the neck, but the material choice is bit of a magnet for dust. A detachable audio cord is available for iOS, Windows, or Android systems, and includes a MEMS technology microphone and three-button remote. Technically speaking, the speakers consist of a 40mm Japanese-silk diaphragm dynamic speaker with a sensitivity of 100 dB, SPL @1 kHz, 32 Ohm @ 1 kHz of impedance and frequency response of 10 to 20,000 Hz. For a richer bass response and air flow, they are surrounded by vent holes covered with acoustic tuning filters.
