The chronicles of cool

Massan Fluker: NYC T-Shirts

2010-06-04T07:28:00.000-07:00

San Francisco based cyclist Massan Fluker takes his bike – and his love of the sport – with him wherever he goes, and these t-shirts are evidence of that. Documenting old pals like Mike Hernandez days before the election of President Obama and Keith Hufnagel ollieing over several bikes, his photographs have now manifested themselves onto a small collection of graphic tees that depict some of Fluker’s favourite spots to ride. Available at Chari and Co NYC. The Chronicles of Cool likes this collection alot!

The Cool Kids - Tacklebox Mixtape

2010-06-03T19:47:00.000-07:00

The latest Mixtape that The Chronicles of Cool has sunk its teeth into is The Cool Kids – Tacklebox, and as expected, it hasn’t let us down. Click on the image below for a free download.

Mad Decent 'Favela on Blast'

2010-05-24T05:19:00.000-07:00

Favela on Blast, the directorial film debut from Diplo, and his partner Leandro HBL, documents a vibrant and innovative musical subculture that has emerged in Brazil's impoverished slums, known as favelas. Well beneath the radar of mainstream society for the last 20 years, they have their own language, style and heroes. Their music and culture have gone mostly unnoticed outside of South America until now. Favela on Blast captures the rarely seen stories of MC's, DJ's, dancers, and cultural producers through the eyes of Diplo and Brazilian filmmaker Leandro HBL, with memorable appearances from funk superstars Deize, Tigrona, Mr. Catra and Duda Do Borell.

Favela on Blast documents the culture surrounding "Funk Carioca," a musical rhythm that mixes the American electronic funk of the 1980's with the most diverse influences of Brazilian music. It is one of the most interesting musical movements in the world and it comes from one of the most violent and poorest places too: the slums of Rio de Janeiro. Bombastic rhythms coming from the Miami Bass and loops and samples are united to powerful rap vocals using Brazilian slang. This music is designed to be listened to as loud as possible and with high bass pumping through the tropical nights of Rio. The heroes are the creators- the musicians. Their pace is set between colossal street parties; propped with rudimentary sound-systems, warring drug factions, and an eerily tense city where the Police and societies elite have the upper hand until it comes to their musical culture, always Brazil's heart and nation's identity

Due for release on July 20th, The Chronicles of Cool cant wait for the first installment.

Pete Versus Toby

2010-04-08T09:29:00.000-07:00

With the first full day of sun in England this year, signalling the start of summer, The Chronicles of Cool feels there is no better way to update the wardrobe, and put the Christmas jumpers away for next year. Pete Versus Toby is a group of Australian artists and ‘enlightened souls’, printing their artwork onto organic cotton. We first spotted Pete Verus Toby on Made From Plastic, and their range has gone from strength to strength. The Chronicles of Cool’s favourites include...

Jayou - Year End Mixtape for Mad Decent

2009-12-22T16:54:00.000-08:00

The Chronicles of Cool will be the first to take Electro over Dubstep, but we couldn’t turn a blind eye to Jayou’s end of year Mixtape for Mad Decent. Click on the track list below for a full listen...

Franki Chan - November 2009 Mixtape

2009-12-08T17:12:00.000-08:00

The Chronicles of Cool thinks anything that includes a mix of Major Lazer is worth a look, so here we have Franki Chan’s November Mixtape. With tracks from the likes of Mowgli and Nadastrom, and mixes from LA Riots, Jack Beats and Beataucue, the whole mix makes love to your ears. To download, click here.

What The Hell Is A Dim Mak?

2009-11-24T19:13:00.000-08:00

This may not be the newest mix tape to hit the streets, but The Chronicles of Cool likes what it has stumbled upon. Mixed by Fashen & Thee Mike B, What the Hell is a Dim Mak? features tracks by MSTRKRFT, The Bloody Beetroots and Dim Maks very own Steve Aoki. Click on the link below to fill your ears with Electro joy.

What The Hell Is A Dim Mak?

Fred Perry: Stussy 'Blank Canvas' Collection

2009-11-20T09:47:00.000-08:00

This is another Fred Perry collaboration, The Chronicles of Cool likes alot. The British sports label and the American street wear brand Stussy, have teamed up to produce the ‘Black Canvas’ collection. The collection is built around six different pieces including tees, polos and collared shirts. The collection will be available from February 2010 through Oki-Ni.

DJ Chernobyl - Dancefloor is not a serious place

2009-11-16T09:21:00.000-08:00

Next up is a mix from DJ Chernobyl titled ‘The Dancefloor is not a serious place’, and has been blasted on full Bass since The Chronicles of Cool discovered it. Chernobyl, from Brazil who’s been credited with bringing Baile Funk (brazilian booty beat) to the world of rock through his band "Comunidade Nin-Jitsu", throws almost everything into his free new mix tape from Major Lazers ‘Pon de Floor’ to Michael Jacksons ‘Dont stop til you get enough’

Download here, whilst browsing the tracklist:

Gaiteiro 96 – Marlboro

Buffalo Bill – DJ Woody

Empina a Pipa (Dex Remix) – Chernobyl feat MC Gi & Cabal

High Explicit VS Balança – Mixhell & Brodinski VS Chernobyl & Praga

Joga Bola VS Thunderstruck – Solo VS AC/DC (Chernobyl edit)

And how we live – Dance With White Girls

Pon de Floor – Major Lazer

Lions – Malente & Dex feat Acid Boyz

Bulgarian Chicks VS Got Your Money – Balkan Beat Box VS Ol Dirty Bastard (Chernobyl edit)

Goldreggen VS Bounce -NOHA vs MSTRKRFT (Chernobyl edit)

Makumba – Batida

Aqui para Vocês – Buraka Som Systema feat Deise Tigrona

Bangkok – Malente & Dex feat Bonde do Role

Pobum Coco – Daniel Haaksman

Saudade da ex – Genghis Clan

Gringo Oba Oba (cokeslaves Chernobyl mix) – Killer on the Dancefloor

Na Europa é Assim VS D.A.N.C.E. VS Me Against the Music – DJ Edgar VS Justice VS Madonna & Britney Spears

Don´t Stop Till Get Enough (Sandrinho rmx) – Michael Jackson

Satisfaction (Sandrinho Rolling Stones rmx) VS Short Dick Man (20 Fingers) – Chernobyl edit

Boom da (Chernobyl Baile banger mix) – Mixhell

Love Bites (Chernobyl remix) – Deff Leppard

I Got Money Bitch – Bass Ill Euro

Solta o Frango VS I Just Can´t Get Enough – Bonde do Role VS Depeche Mode (Chernobyl edit)

The Art of Osamu Tezuka: God of Manga

2009-11-11T07:37:00.000-08:00

Osamu Tezuka has often been called the Walt Disney of Japan, but he was far more than that. Tezuka was Disney, Stan Lee, Alan Moore, Tim Burton and Carl Sagan, all rolled into one incredibly prolific package and he changed the face of Japanese culture forever. This lavishly packaged book reveals what made a shy doctor one of the key figures of 20th Century pop culture. Packed with stunning, never-before-seen images, it tells the story of Tezukas amazingly prolific life, and connects it to his manga and anime work. Tezuka created hundreds of characters, many known worldwide, drew over 150,000 pages of art and scripted dozens of movies; he created graphic biographies of Jesus, and the Buddha yet a huge amount remains untranslated into English. The book is accompanied by a DVD with a fly-on-the-wall documentary, The Secrets of Creation, made in 1986 and never before translated or shown in the West.

Available through Amazon, The Chronicles of Cool recommends that everybody throws this onto their Christmas list.

Puma 2009 Halloween Sneaker Pack

2009-10-31T07:59:00.000-07:00

After three months out of the loop, The Chronicles of Cool is back running. With Halloween upon us, Puma have launched a special Halloween sneaker pack. The first design is the Basket Boo, which is made up of a white leather base with a ghost graphic on the sole and back. The other is the Mr Bones Mid, playing on the scarecrow theme, the trainer is packed full of checked fabric and shows of crude exposed stitching. The Halloween 2009 sneaker pack is available at selected Puma retailers

Fred Perry: 2010 World Cup Polo

2009-07-28T14:00:00.000-07:00

With the World Cup in South Africa looming, and with the countdown beginning, Fred Perry has introduced a Polo Shirt, similar to the anniversary for every team involved. Not only are we at The Chronicles of Cool hopeful that England qualify so we can see our footballing heroes grace the pitch, but also the fact that if England don’t quality then neither does the shirt from the collection. Although the Polos don’t hit the stores until 2010, its something to look forward to besides the football.

The Bloody Beetroots

2009-07-28T13:19:00.000-07:00

The Bloody Beetroots are an Italian Duo of Bobby Rifo and DJ Tommy TEA, signed to Dim Mak Records, they have been pumping out their own blend of Electro Indie for the last two years. The Chronicles of Cool have been in love with them for a while now and they first came to our attentions after putting their touch onto Robyn’s ‘Cobrastyle’, since then they have collaborated with WeSC Headphones, making music gold with The Cool Kids and giving their helping hand to launch 55DSL’s 15th Birthday. With the release of an album coming out this year, entitled “Romborama”, The Bloody Beetroots are definatley worth a little look…

LMFAO

2009-06-09T07:27:00.001-07:00

After browsing the internet for fresh new tracks for hours, The Chronicles of Cool stumbled across an absolute gem in the form of LMFAO, an electro-hop duo of Sky Blu and his partner in Rhyme, Redfoo. From Hollywood, LMFAO have brought a different dimension to the Electro scene, with club bangers including La La La and I’m in Miami Bitch, along with touching up the likes of Kanyes ‘Love Lockdown’ and BEP’s ‘Boom Boom Pow’. They aren’t touring Europe at the moment, so in the meantime have a little dabble…

Paul Smith: New London Rubbish Bin

2009-06-04T12:49:00.000-07:00

Paul Smith is a very busy man, with recent collaborations with Oakley, his new ‘Project 10’ bag collection and at the same time, producing sharp suits, Paul Smith has turned his attentions to keeping the streets of London tidy. The ‘New London Rubbish Bin’ will be showcased in Covent Garden and Holland Park for the next four months to encourage recycling and to give the litter police a bit of a rest. The five foot bunny bins, with ears that light up when you deposit your waste is Paul Smiths contribution to Super Contemporary – an exhibition which opened yesterday at the Design Museum.

H&M: Fashion Against Aids

2009-06-04T12:13:00.000-07:00

Its not often that fashion labels which support good causes, does the charity they raise money for, any justice in terms of style. But H&M have bucked this trend with their most recent ‘Fashion Against Aids’ campaign. H&M have joined forces with the some of the biggest names in music, fashion and style to spread awareness for the cause and to help design t-shirts and t-shirt dresses, to spread the message. The ‘Fashion Against Aids’ range was launched a few weeks ago, but now the likes of Dita Von Teese, N.E.R.D and Yoko Ono have all jumped on the bandwagon. The Chronicles of Cool likes this collection a lot, With t-shirts under £10, with 25% of that going to the charity, it would be rude not to.

Nike Play Hard Terminators

2009-05-25T08:53:00.000-07:00

Whilst we are on the summer vibe, Nike Japan have launched their Terminator ‘Play Hard’ campaign for Spring/Summer 2009. The classic Terminator Lo and Hi Basic all come in the dominant white colourway, with the likes of yellow, red, green and purple thrown on top. The Chronicles of Cool aren’t usually fans of colourful trainers, but the Play Hard Terminators hit the right spot.

Paul Smith: Oakley Frogskin Glasses

2009-05-25T06:40:00.000-07:00

There’s nothing better than a nice pair of Sunnies, so The Chronicles of Cool were delighted when we saw a collaboration between Paul Smith and Oakleys floating about. The Paul Smith designers have put down their beautiful suits for the time being, to jump on the retro Sunglasses bandwagon, teaming up with the eyewear giants. The glasses, based on Oakleys iconic 1986 Frogskin frames, are inspired by ‘the surf and skate’ generation, when pretty much everybody with long hair looked cool. This limited edition release (only 500 available) for Spring/Summer 2009 features the Sunnies in four different high voltage colourways – Pink, Purple, Blue and the outrageously nice camo design.

55DSL: 15th Anniversary Adidas Nizza High

2009-05-22T18:39:00.000-07:00

Here at The Chronicles of Cool, we like collaborations between labels and designers, just as much as the next person, especially when its two fashion giants. To celebrate 55DSL (Diesels youthful collection) reaching the ripe old age of 15 years, they have teamed up with Adidas, to produce their own take on the Nizza High trainer. Adidas are still rocking out the three stripes, but 55DSL have come along and thrown their signature red and blue all over them, to make them look different (and may we add, a lot better) than the ordinary Nizza High. Due to be released in September, these will only be available in limited quantities, so save your pennies for then.

Fred Perry: Limited Edition Vespa Scooter

2009-05-21T16:03:00.000-07:00

Following on from the Fred Perry Centurion Polo, the iconic sports brand has collaborated with Vespa, to create a limited edition scooter to continue the celebrations. There will be only 100 of these floating about, and like The 100 Year Polo, these will be produced in the classic Fred Perry colour way and feature the centenary laurel. No price has been established for these and they are expected to be priced at a premium, much to The Chronicles of Cools dismay.

Words cant do these scooters justice, so have a little browse...

Fred Perry: 100 Year Polo Shirt

2009-05-11T12:18:00.000-07:00

To mark his 100th Birthday, Fred Perry the Wimbledon hero and the man behind the sports fashion label, is bringing out the Fred Perry 100 Year Polo Shirt. From what we have seen, The Chronicles of Cool likes this collection a lot, in three classic colour ways and an enlarged logo, this is certainly a fine piece for your wardrobe

This limited edition range is available from the 18th May, the very day of Fred Perrys 100th Birthday, online and in stores, so snap these up….

Topman: White T-Shirt Project

2009-05-10T08:53:00.000-07:00

Next up is Topman, the Nations favourite high street retailer, who are bringing out a range of white t-shirts. Nope they aren’t your average white tee, Topman has collaborated with some of the most innovative fashion designers out there, including the likes of Henry Holland and Richard Chai. The reason behind the project was for each designer to produce their own take on the staple wardrobe piece, the white t-shirt, and from some of pre release pictures, The Chronicles of Cool likes them a lot.

So get yourselves down to Topmans Oxford store when these beauties will be released on the 28th May.

Selfridges: 100th Birthday

2009-05-09T08:04:00.000-07:00

With 100 years under their belt, Selfridges the Department Store have brought out a limited edition range of clothing, accessories and products to commemorate their birthday. Having collaborated with the likes of Ralph Lauren, Converse and Levis, the collection has been designed with the iconic yellow, which is heavily associated with the store, in mind. Since yellow is the theme of this collection, Selfridges have thrown it all over their jeans, trainers and watches. The attire in the range is surely going to be snapped up quickly, so here are a few of The Chronicles of Cools favourite gems…

1. Ralph Lauren Polo
2. Fender Guitar
3. Converse Trainers

Steve Aoki

2009-05-08T14:29:00.000-07:00

Sometimes The Chronicles of Cool has to ask the question, when do people like Steve Aoki have time to sleep? Signed under the record label Dim Mak, and hailing from Los Angeles, Steve Aoki has been banging out smash after smash in the Electro scene. The Chronicles of Cool have been bopping away to Aokis Mega Mix for a couple of months now, and combined with his new mix of N.A.S.A – Gifted, it leaves nothing but a nice taste In your mouth

Steve Aoki has got his fingers in many different pies, not only is he dabbling in the music scene, he is also bringing out his own fashion label which The Chronicles of Cool is very excited about. To get a little taste of Steve Aokis sweet sounds, have a gander….

N.A.S.A (Feat. Kanye West, Lykke Li and Santogold) – Gifted (Steve Aoki Remix – Mastered Version)

Steve Aoki - Mega Mix

Martinique

2009-05-08T12:52:00.000-07:00

The latest brand to catch our attention is Martinique, who The Chronicles of Cool certainly gives the seal of approval to. Founded in 1973 by Niels Martinsen, Martinique has been making stylish garms for thirty six years. Boasting two collections for Summer 2009, Martinique has designed both the Black and Blue labels. The Blue label is the more colourful of the two, with graphic tees, cargo shorts, bright cardigans, casual pants and summery scarfs amongst the collection. The Black label includes the more formal attire with suits, blazers and crisp shirts.

This is a brand The Chronicles of Cool especially love and since the summer is coming, what better way than focusing our attentions towards Martiniques Blue label. Enjoy…..

Boat Shoes

2009-05-07T15:56:00.000-07:00

When a friend brought up the subject of boat shoes, The Chronicles of Cool laughed at him. Only after riding through London on the underground, and seeing many people bopping about in these, we regretted being so sceptical about them. Trawling through the internet, our attentions were diverted straight to Asos, were they are stocked in different colours, are cool and look a whole lot better than the ones your grandad wears. Although they are not designer, they are still rather nifty.

Teen Wolf

2009-05-04T07:35:00.000-07:00

After having a little browse through Hype Machine (which Made from Plastic nicely recommended), The Chronicles of Cool came across something we liked a lot.

Teen Wolf, who hails from Las Vegas, has literally blown up the electro scene with their saucy remixes. Like Crookers, Teen Wolf has put his own spin on tracks by the likes of M.I.A and J-Kwon, and made them that much better.

See some of Teen Wolfs latest handy work:

1. J-Kwon - Teen Drinking (Teen Wolf remix)

2. Rye Rye (Feat M.I.A) - Bang (Teen Wolf Remix)

3. Teen Wolf - Hypeman

4. DSKOTEK (Feat. Teen Wolf) - Livin’ In Las Vegas

Civil Society

2009-05-03T09:05:00.000-07:00

The latest brand to grab our attention is Civil Society. Civil Society combines finely tailored European details with an American contemporary twist, making their collection both smart and casual at the same time. Chronicles of Cool really likes their Summer 09 range, as it caters for everyone, selling the likes of graphic tees, braces and bowties amongst their current collection.

With the summer fast approaching, below are the lines The Chronicles of Cool especially love.

Vintage Rock T-Shirts

2009-05-02T18:59:00.000-07:00

Next up is a book we at Chronicles of Cool have had for a little while, and a piece of light hearted literature we just cant put down.

Vintage Rock T-shirts, written by Johan Kugelberg, is a book showcasing iconic t-shirts from the past, during the rock era when wearing a certain t-shirt wasn’t about fitting in with a certain stereotype, or trying to be fashionable….but about peoples affection and loyalty towards their favourite bands. The garments shown in Vintage Rock T-shirts contradicts what the fast fashion industry lives for, and were produced decades before the likes of Junk Food and Amplified came along with their recreations of the infamous AC/DC and Rolling Stones tops. Reading is not often seen by the younger generation as being ‘cool’, but Vintage Rock T-shirts is the kind of book you wouldn’t be ashamed of, if you dropped it in front of a crowd of pretty ladies.

The Chronicles of Cool especially recommends this, as the book covers the t-shirts from pretty much every band going in the 60’s and 70’s, and even if your not the biggest reader, the pictures are more than enough to keep you occupied.

Pleasure Principle

2009-04-30T13:20:00.000-07:00

Pleasure Principle is a relatively new brand, the concept of two New York designers in 2002. Adrian Cowen and Diva Pittala set out to create a range of tees and casual clothing, with the aesthetic of the brand being “casual bondage”. Cowen and Pittala don’t use much colour in their creations, and that’s what The Chronicles of Cool love, its not over the top. Pleasure Principle is showcased in only a handful of places across Europe, so if London is close to home try out Michiko Koshino on Broadwick Street or Concrete on Marshall Street

Below are a few designs that have caught our eye, The Chronicles of Cool especially love the ‘Die Laughing’ tee:

Book Club

2009-04-26T14:05:00.000-07:00

The latest brand that The Chronicles of Cool has fallen in love with is Book Club. Book Club is a relatively new brand which has come fresh out of Australia, a nation more famous for its scantily clad beach goers, than its fashion industry. Although Books Clubs clothing from a distance, seems very simple and very similar to other labels on the market, it’s the finer detail such as the leather trimmed pockets that The Chronicles of Cool loves and makes it so unique.

With Autumn/Winter 2009 their first collection, this is defiantly a brand that The Chronicles of Cool recommends for the future. With both designers still in their early 20’s, they can only get better, so expect more to come when the sun and the shades come out for Spring/Summer 2010.

Have a look at some of Book Clubs range for AW09:

Gold Teeth

2009-04-25T17:49:00.000-07:00

After browsing one of Mike Skinners new mixtapes (which hes banging out left, right and centre), Chronicles of Cool came across something magical in the form of Gold Teeth. Gold Teeth are a South London band pumping out what can only be described as ‘Afrobeat mixed with ska noir’, a strange combination at first (like Peanut Butter and Jam), but it grows on you. Still unsigned, which probably isnt for long, Gold Teeth are throwing on gigs at small venues across London throughout April, May and June (Including Camden Crawl). To see what the fuss is about, catch the band at their myspace. Chronicles of Cool especially recommend 'Everybody' which has both Tropical/Afrobeat flavours and an electronic pulse running right through it.

Humor Clothing

2009-04-23T13:40:00.000-07:00

To get the ball rolling with this, is a brand The Chronicles Of Cool has fallen head over heels in love with. Humor fuses together bright coloured clothing perfect for the summer months, influenced by the Metropolitan undergeround music scene from New York, Berlin, London and Copenhagen. The empahsis on the oversized belt loops on the denims and the offbeat colour combinations on the shorts and jackets makes this brand stand out from anything you can pick up off the racks in your average highstreet retailer. Heres a snippet of a few garms that have tickled our taste buds, all of which are available at oki-ni:

1. Humor Checked Jacket
2. Humor Jeans
3. Humor Multi-colored Shorts