Words by Rachel Day

There is an inherently creative element to relationships. The way that two beings choreograph their lives together, move together within shared space, find excuses to discretely brush fingertips through hair or over bare skin, or conversely avoid touch, is a unique dance. Voyeuristic to witness, maybe. But it’s interesting to see how couples interact with one another physically. The interest deepens when movement becomes instinctive and sincere. Strip away the desire to portray a relationship in a certain way to the public, subtract conscious emotions, and a couple is left with pure physical magnetism. Paul Schneggenburger has found just the way to witness this phenomenon: by documenting the sub- or semi-conscious movements that occur during sleep.

The concept is simple: tuck a couple into bed for the night and set up a camera overhead to take a long-exposure shot over the span of six hours. The resulting image depicts a night’s worth of interaction between two people whose intentional movements form a working relationship during the day. Schneggenburger’s photographs are haunting–his subjects are blurred phantoms in dream states whose limbs intersect and meld together. Some couples seem to need constant contact to make it through the night. Others keep to their sides of the bed but venture on occasion to meet in the middle. Some deep sleepers move with their partners in unison, others cling to their lovers as though their waking relationships depended on it, or receive embraces but offer none.

The photographs are mesmerizing. The black and white forms move gracefully within the frame, some more adventurous sleepers spilling over the edges of the bed and tangling themselves in the blankets. The beauty of the photographs comes from how organically and uniquely they take form.

Visit Schneggenburger’s website for more information on his concept and soak in more of the stunning prints.

Welcome to May y’all, so welcome to the IPaintMyMind Digital Dig from the past month. Shouts to Evan, Nasty Nod and Select Inverse for some curating contributions!

You can also get it on Soundcloud. Be sure to follow IPMM.

C-Edits – The time is now
Deeeeeeep! The vocals are haunting, bassline subdued but groovy and the drums have that oldschool grit. It’s the kind of track that makes staying till 4AM at a basement party worth it just to hear. Thanks to Nasty Nod for the tip!

Tessela – Hackney Parrot
Speaking of party tracks – this (the first one out of the preview) is a peak time banger! The chopped drum breaks allow this to work in a few settings but it’s the vocal chops that really got me into this one!

Tim Zawada – Send Me Away
Local Chicago DJ Tim Zawada is killing it right now! He’s got hundreds of edits to his name and it’s great to see them coming out, where they belong: on wax! This one is a perfect warm-up groover that’ll get the dancers out without getting too rowdy for the conversation crowd.

Tokimonsta & MNDR – Go With It (David Heartbreak remix)
David Heartbreak’s bouncing bassline and washed out vocal/synth work make this a great summer track. Shouts to Select Inverse for putting me on this!

Alice Russell – Heartbreaker (Falty DL Remix)
I’m really liking the balance between UK funky/garage rhythms and organic percussion sounds. Falty DL stays true to Alice Russell’s funk n soul roots while keeping a foot in futurebass. Great art lounge track!

Robin Thicke – Wanna Love You Girl (Kaytranada Bootleg)
OK, Blurred Lines is the Robin Thicke jam right now, but this bootleg is also heat and fit for other contexts. Slow banger that’d work at a beats/headnoddin session with Thicke’s voice that all the ladies love.

Mike Gao – Count on You
Mike Gao gets the trappy/futurebass RnB sound to the T on this one. Lots of intricate noise/perc programming and subtle wash/rises but I think it’s the pitch-bent 808 kicks and summer time synths FTW.

Rich Jones X Sev Seveer – Irving Blue
Sev Seveer and Rich Jones are two more Chicago heads that are killing it right now. I’ve been following both of their solo work and happy to see ‘em converge with this ode to the CTA we love to hate so much.

Hologram Kizzie (Psalm One) – Spent ft ShowYouSuck and EBrown
Another hiphop cut from some of Chicago’s elite MCs. Rhymesayers’ Psalm One, ShowYouSuck and EBrown keep it real about artists and finances over hard hitting synth-bap. A good balance between all-gold-everything pop rap and starving artist backpack b-sides.

Cloudeater – Always on the way
Evan pick - Cloudeater blends elements of metal, breaks, electronica and alternative rock bringing drama to this rock track.

Snubluck – Buddha Statue
Evan pick – Lush synth arpeggios and swelling pads bring the listener up into the clouds where funk lines, chip-tuned blips and pipa plucks flock together.

Mo Kolours – Bomptious
Evan pick – You can’t go wrong with jazzy vocals over low-key synths, dusty drums and acoustic basslines. This track keeps the grit in downtempo with subtle details and ambient found sound, setting the vibe for the coolest coffee shop you’ve ever gotten a mocha at.

Words by Rachel Day

Described on his website as “A unique delineation of the landscape based on a stripped down reality,” Ian Mitchell’s minimalist prints exemplify effective simplicity. His prints offer a casual nod at the structure and carefully depicted natural grace of topographic maps; blocks of color and geometric lines that mingle naturally with organic, voluptuous curves in spectacular medleys of movement. For those who know the British countryside, the power of Mitchell’s work comes from his ability to capture weather or light patterns particular to that unique terrain. Dull colors characteristic of cloudy days on the moors inspire a slight shiver down the spine. One carefully placed block of bright accent color causes our eyes to squint from the sun. A smooth stretch of road calls to a lazy weekend drive with the windows down and a cool, crisp breeze flowing between outstretched fingers.

Mitchell explains that his limited-edition landscape series was created in remembrance of 20th century travel posters of the British countryside, which certainly explains why his prints spark a desire to leave all belongings behind and trek into nature. In his prints, if a small country house is in view in the distance, or a towering lighthouse sprayed with sea foam is in stark focus, there still lingers a feeling of isolation and an invitation to explore that appeals to our adventurous side. In the end it beckons to us, asking us to look deeper into past horizons to see what we can find. What would we find in the layers of fog that rolls through the mountains in the distance, or how deep would our toes sink into the sand by the ocean?

His careful choice of color and line give his prints depth that is worthy of pause.

Mitchell’s profile and statement are available on his website, check it! He als has a Facebook page.

This is one of those instances where the artist can describe him or herself better than we ever could. Vandal Expressionism works through the mind of Joseph Meloy, whose ability to engage via colors and shapes is summarily victorious. The reality is that Meloy’s forays into his own breed of expressionistic shape and color are summarily great. Characterized by geometry and a tactile sense of existence, the lines and shapes herein are indicative of something which IPMM has always held true; the technicality involved in creating work is academic, but the emotions imparted are what make art powerful. In this case, technicality and emotion come together perfectly, as vibrant pieces balance out there darker ones while still communicating with a playfulness of heart that facilitates good feelings. Hailing from New York, and with a new website to be unveiled, if you’re into expressionism or any permutation thereof, you’ll love Joseph’s work.

VandalExpressionism.com will be up and running soon! You can also link up via his Facebook page.

Words by Emily Levant

Ennio Morricone didn’t have a piano in his studio…and neither does Guts. A self-proclaimed “DJ, producer, and beat-digger”, Guts gets it right with the Django Remix EP. With the context of contemporary “orchestral” sound, Guts has the ability to keenly meld seemingly dissonant sounds in a manner that travels. The title track from the Django Remix EP pays fitting homage to Ennio Morricone’s ubiquitous Spaghetti Western style while infusing it with Guts’ own je ne sais quois: a globally-influenced sound that effectively reminds you how much fun music can be. Marked by cadences and the overarching allure of a soundtrack, recontextualizing sounds associated with Quentin Tarrantino’s latest masterpiece only proves Guts palette to be flawless.

Not to be overlooked on the Django EP is the second track, Music for fun, which evokes the wistful optimism of a barbershop quartet none of us will ever meet. The sultry Mambo Fighting Party hooked me up with an NSFW dream sequence that occurred in a cabana somewhere close to the equator, and … I digress. The point being, this music is thematic and powerful.

It’s interesting to note that Ennio Morricone never left his native Rome, or learned ‘Merican, to compose his music, yet the sounds as though  he could have defined the Western film genre in equal measure to, say, John Wayne. So too, does Guts, a native Frenchman, effectively render geographical locus meaningless. Through his universally enjoyable tracks, and a truly continental ear, he’s someone we’re sure to keep tabs on.

For all the vinyl heads, the Django Remix EP is also available on 180 gram Limited Edition, 12″ vinyl. Get your copy here, it looks proper.

Connect with Guts on…

Soundcloud

Mixcloud

Twitter

Facebook

Click for more Guts

Words by Evan La Ruffa

This incredible artist from Buenos Aires, Argentina is tuned in. She seems to be able to communicate with creative ghosts, beings that inspire and inform. Lent third eye’s and mirrors enable the color and motion these paintings convey, and we’ve been swept away by the possibilities. The work feels like multiple scenes coming together, with color being persuaded by airflow, as they amazingly coincide, mingle, and divide. It’s brightness makes it feel whimsical, but most of Estela Cuadro’s work appears to exist in explosively creative atmospheres; I could swear a big bang is responsible for these. The amorphousness of gases in galaxies could be how these were born.

There’s chaos in this creation. At the same time, the fluidity of shapes suggests femininity, a delicate hand, and well, a positive outlook. Born in 1979 and with a long CV, the image on her info page imparts a sense of peace. Estela Cuadro’s work is all about what can exist when a mind is unbound. After receiving her work as a submission, we knew she’d make our pages. We look forward to her future output and encourage you to check out the rest of her work.

Check out Estela’s full portfolio …

Words by Evan La Ruffa

We’ve rebranded our catalogue of mix episodes to include sound shapers of all kinds. What was the DJ Series is now the IPMM Audio Series, and Haz Solo has kicked it off. Bring on the sunshine, we say, and so does he. We’ve been in touch with this old soul known as Haz Solo after finding his Nice To Meet Me mixtape and Shmaz Shmolo releases. Both are must-downloads, and you can find them among his other releases on his site. He’s from Milwaukee but you might see him in LA, he wears his heart on his sleeve, and he’s always making awesome sounds. We can surely say that Haz Solo will be a creative person every day of his life.

We’re happy to have connected. It’s full of tracks we love and other things we’ve never heard of, in other words, the perfect combination. It’s available as a Free Download, just like every other episode of the IPMM Audio Series, enjoy.

Click Here to DOWNLOAD EPISODE 27 by Haz Solo

IPaintMyMind Audio Series: Episode 27 – Haz Solo by Ipaintmymind on Mixcloud

As always, in their own words:

“This mix is a dedication to my sweet friend, Summertime. I miss her dearly. Here are a few joints that will get the Midwest through the rain.

Peace, HAZ SOLO“

Track Listing:

Gaslamp Killer – Apparitions
OffBeatKid – Soul Vibration
Ohbliv – Erb Magik
LoVeMuScLe – maGic CarPet RiDe
Madlib – Infinity
Lakim – 1997
Mike Slott featuring Muhsinah – Deux Three
Illecism – Coinstar
TiRon & Ayomari – If I Had You
Georgia Anne Muldrow – Leroy
Melo-X – Heartbeat (Quadron remix)
vhvl – clds
Ta-ku – Hey Justin
Tere$∆jenee – romeo + juliet
Thundercat – Return To The Journey
MoGiLLaH – lOupz deville featuring PopTartPete
Esthero – Superheroes (Afta-1 remix)
Mia Doi Todd – Summer Lover
Mara Hruby – Take Off Your Cool

Click Here to DOWNLOAD EPISODE 27 by Haz Solo

Words by Evan La Ruffa

This work is beyond impressive. Indications of our inner workings, warnings, and pointing fingers draw our attention to the physiology in question. Wataru Yoshida is the mind behind what you see in front of you. Entire globes reside in temporal lobes, while color highlights nerves and vital connections as the machinations of a body prove paramount. The detail and line work is mind bending, as incredible systems come together in thoughtless synchronicity millions of time inside each human body in each fleeting moment. Part of what is so impressive is that the emotional state of looking at these images is that of plunging into an atom at light speed.

Born in 1987 and entering the Tama Art University in 2007, it’s hard to think this bright, young talent won’t have his work all over the place soon. He’s won some awards, been featured on Behance, and you can connect with him on Facebook. Whether you’ve seen a plant choose a foot as a flower bed or not, isn’t the matter. In fact, it’s the exact opposite. Dolphin and ram skeletons aren’t everyday occurrences either, but for Wataru Yoshida, it’s all in a days work. Lending itself to anatomies and structure, this Tokyo-based illustrator and graphic designer yields hope for any of us invested in arts’ ability to make the world more. Whether lungs or ashtrays, we’re glad someone has a microscope.

Wataru Oshida

Words by Evan La Ruffa

It’s the depth and texture of oil paintings that maker them so rich, so stark. Jean-Pierre Douchez seems to master it, bringing quiet moments to life, drawing tension or a lack thereof out from beneath the paint. It’s impressionism, but it has a biting edge. What’s strange is this edge is fortified by a placid sense of stillness. Sailboats reflect, a parent and their child enjoy a gray day. What’s uncanny is how you feel a movie scene can kickstart itself from the circumstances depicted in Jean-Pierre’s work. When shapes are approximations and the vision hinges on our own, impressionism can sometimes fall short; not activating the mind for some reason, not believable in its intensity. Douchez’s works conquer that hurdle, inflicting the onlooker with the peace of mind a skittish men and women fear. Hailing from Champ Haut in northwestern France, within the lower Normandy region, his oil paintings can at times convey feeling better than real-life can. His painting are part of private collections in Europe, as well as in galleries and theaters. IPMM would be honored to own a few of these, a true endorsement of arts’ transformative power.

Be sure to like his Facebook page or contact him directly to inquire about purchasing.

Record Store Day is back, and that makes us very, very happy. A holiday unto itself, April 20th brings us yet another batch of great releases, exclusive pressings, and limited edition gems. There are way more worthwhile releases, but we set aside a few that we can’t not blab about. Tomorrow we’ll be scooping Olafur Arnalds, ATDI, The Band, Blu, CSC Funk Band, Buddy Guy, GZA, Sigur Ros, and the Newport Blues Fest.

Find your local record stores here!

The IPaintMyMind RSD Picks

As per the Record Store Day About Section: 

“Record Store Day was conceived in 2007 at a gathering of independent record store owners and employees as a way to celebrate and spread the word about the unique culture surrounding over 700 independently owned record stores in the US and thousands of similar stores internationally.

This is the one day that all of the independently owned record stores come together with artists to celebrate the art of music. Special vinyl and CD releases and various promotional products are made exclusively for the day and hundreds of artists in the United States and in various countries across the globe make special appearances and performances. Festivities include performances, cook-outs, body painting, meet & greets with artists, parades, djs spinning records and on and on. Metallica officially kicked off Record Store Day at Rasputin Music in San Francisco on April 19, 2008 and Record Store Day is now celebrated the third Saturday every April. 

Record Store Day is currently managed by Michael Kurtz and Carrie Colliton, in coordination with Michael Bunnell and Eric Levin.”

Plot your next move with this list of every special release available tomorrow.