Emma De Sèze

This year I came across a new sound in the techno realm that took me for a loop from a young lady named Emma De Sèze. We found each other through the mighty wasteland that is MySpace and after talking back and forth a number of times we decided to release her music on the Race Car Productions imprint. A relationship was made and I ended up remixing one of her songs on the release. Her music is quirky with deep and dark elements. It isn’t at all the trend but stands on its own as a new voice with roots in many different arenas. Her debut on Italo Business was not as producer but as a vocalist on Hernan Bass’ song entitled Francesa; however, she has released Bambi through us and the I Can’t EP through Tao Dan Records. It is safe to say that she has a warm and burgeoning career ahead with a myriad of labels. Do yourself a favor, have a listen to her latest DJ set and her discography. This is one to watch.

Emma De Sèze – October Mix [feat. music from Sir Von Rohr and bernstein] October mix by EmmadeSèze

Let's Dance!

It seems that all the male Books and Blood readers should take heed and start dance classes. US psychologists Cindy Meston and David Buss unveiled details of their new book ‘Why Women Have Sex’ this week and revealed that men who are good at dancing communicate subliminal messages of being better mates.

“In fact, in our studies, we found that some women had sex with men simply because they'd been impressed by their dancing,” the sex specialist professors told the Daily Mail, “(The women in our study) were more attracted to men who displayed larger and more sweeping movements. They also rated these men more erotic,” they said.

So men, get to work! If you need a little help read The Disco Handbook. Smiles.

The Disco Handbook

Obsolete

As most of you would assume, I am actually a librarian. It’s not just a catchy name. I don’t like to dwell on my daytime job. I figure most of the blog universe is inundated with complaints and concerns rather than just an appreciation for art and the pursuit thereof which has primarily been my focus up until now. However, when I read an article that views books as obsolete it makes me question the world I live in. David Abel writes, “When I look at books, I see an outdated technology, like scrolls before books,’’ said James Tracy, headmaster of Cushing and chief promoter of the bookless campus. “This isn’t ‘Fahrenheit 451’ [the 1953 Ray Bradbury novel in which books are banned]. We’re not discouraging students from reading. We see this as a natural way to shape emerging trends and optimize technology.’’ This is a preposterous notion regardless of its emerging relevance. I use books daily to great effect, but who am I kidding, I still buy vinyl. Evil grin.




All things noted, I am not a typical librarian. Often times when people find out my profession they say something quip like, “I bet you really like to read, huh?” I usually respond with a yes, but quickly spout out that that had nothing to do with my decision to become a librarian. I plainly enjoyed the adventure of the quest for information. I value continuing to be a life long learner. A day in my life is spent working with code and helping students with the overwhelming and daunting task of finding information. The latter is my enjoyment.

Therefore, my view of books is not as antiquarian as it is out of a passion to have a novel sitting beside my bed. I am not going to bore anyone with the fact that some books are very useful in research and absolutely imperative for certain subject matters but I will say that James Tracy is ignorant in his knowledge of research and his ability to listen to the most important expert on the matter, his school’s library director.

Sad indeed.

Coffin Couches

Books and Blood will be dedicating some time to home decoration for a few posts. This is courtesy of Neil/Jessica and would be in my home now if I could obtain it financially. The company is called Coffin Couches. They recycle used coffins to make home furnishings. From their website:

We at Coffin Couches have the mindset of thinking "Green" and we know it is different but we strongly believe in recycling. Our niche happens to be 18 gauge steel coffins which we collected from local funeral homes primarily in Southern California. It is a health and safety law that funeral homes cannot resell used coffins to the general public. We approached funeral directors with the attitude of recycling. These coffins are not used for burial due to slight cosmetic inconsistencies. They are reconfigured and modified resulting in a finished product - a unique one a kind coffin couch. If you notice (although it may be too small) the sixcast iron heavy duty legs are embossed with the universal biohazard insignia. The reason we utilize this sign is because safety is our utmost concern. If you are not aware, once a human body is placed in a coffin it is considered biohazard tissue. The legs have the embossed insignia for precautionary reasons in the event body fluids are exchanged on these coffins.

Creepy and well, lovely.

Harmonie Interieure

As some of us begin to move into dormitories, new crash pads, or even into the daunting life of home ownership, decoration is key. Here to help you with your new beginnings is a "home decoration workshop" named Harmonie Interieure that offers unique ideas and inspirations for your comfy abode.

Learn more here.

Who's That?

Commonwealth

My recent musings have all had a common thread. Many of the greatest design teams are comprised of both female and male counterparts. This has been explicated by the likes of Dethlab and Passarella Death Squad in my more recent musings on Books and Blood. Today I realized another design team worth noting here, there, and everywhere.

Founded in 2005 by Zoe Coombes and David Boira, Commonwealth is an art and design studio based in New York City. Harnessing a new fluidity enabled by machine languages, Commonwealth's interests are as material and emotional as they are technical. Working within the worlds of contemporary art and industrial furniture design, Commonwealth aims to produce work that embodies a sense of elegant desire through an engagement with both the newest of tools and the oldest of techniques.

I have presented a couple of their ideas here; however, much can be achieved from visiting their webspace and further delving into their respective visions. The ‘Lard Series’ makes no claim to break to break from the easy markers of Euclidean space. Instead, it embraces both a sense of defined regulation and a perverse appreciation for irregular, lard-like form. Like the opening of an animal, it is the moving parts of the ‘Lard Series’ that enable the greatest moments of surprise. In the case of the bureau, the exterior finish is discretely detailed with a minimalist sense of precision. With a soft push of a drawer, a dampened spring exposes the exquisite insides in glossy white.