Nike thinks the way forward is self-lacing sneakers, and to put its tech to performance use, has created the Adapt BB, a focused basketball shoe determined to improve player performance that leaves no stone unturned. Watch as Bryan ‘Botak’ Chin and Julian ‘Sunflower’ Leong get enamoured by the self lacing tech, the build quality of the Adapt BB, and its ease of use.
Toko Kilat Indulges In Beautiful Self-Destruction With Newly Released Single, Ratu Malam
Written by Aida Rashid
Toko Kilat has drawn numerous parallels with several other bands, namely Interpol, and their new single ‘Ratu Malam’ is a shining example of such a comparison. Featuring an enticingly beautiful woman, ‘Ratu Malam’ is an ode to forbidden love between a man and a woman whom he just could not resist, as his love for her is laced with obsession and addiction that destructs him. The composition of the song grips its listeners with booming, yet refined energy in the instrumentation, especially with a unique feature of a sexy as hell saxophone solo by none other than Haji Zainal Rahman.
The guitar instantly hooks on to you, a groove you can’t quite shake off that you’ll subconsciously nod your head to, which is generally a good indicator for their debut EP called TOKO that’s coming soon in March, after having spent 2 years perfecting, and refining their art. Pre-orders have sold out, but it’ll be available on digital platforms and physical copies will be sold on their website on the date of release.
How To Upgrade Your Fit By Making Small Changes To It
Written by Sean Ho
Even if you have only a passing interest in fashion, you’ll definitely be familiar with the constant over the top fits you see at sneaker events and fashion shows in the scene. To score a good outfit, imagination is your limit, but where do you start? I think before anything, focus on the small areas of your fit where changes can lead to real, and significant improvements. It’s a new year and so, in the spirit of new beginnings, I’ve picked out five pieces and ways you can do to give a serious upgrade to your everyday look.
Rings & Chains
Rings and chains are probably the most versatile accessory you can find, being able to find em for as low as RM 20 from street markets to mid range designer brands such as APC, Paris to high end designer brands from David Yurman, or Ben Baller’s brand, If And Co. If you’re attending a formal event , limit yourself to one or two single band rings. If you’re aiming for that high fashion streetwear look, nothing is ever over the top.
High Waisted Trousers
Trousers are essential, if not, even more so than your top. So much so that it can either be the highlight, or the breakdown of your fit. Your trousers should be able to dress you down with sneakers and just as easily wear it to a job interview. With that being said, it’s always a good idea to invest in a good pair! It should have structure, but not feel too restricting when you put it on. Brands like Dickies and Carhartt are entry level brands that you can get them at varying price points, from bundle to retail, but if you’re a little more materialistic, try looking at brands like Acne Studios or Dries Van Noten. The key here, is to find out what cuts you’re most comfortable with, and how your shoes look when you wear them. It isn’t a really good idea to wear swift trainers like the Nike Zoom Fly SP with a pair of baggy jeans.
Mixing The Highs and Lows
I would never have a total look from one brand, except of course if it’s a suit, and I always like to experiment my fit, combining high street bits with more generic items. Simple navy trousers with an Off-White sweater, then throw in a pair from the ‘THE TEN’ collection to complete the look can go a long way into becoming your daily. To me, it’s outfits like these which I love. It doesn’t have to all expensive head to toe. Experimentation is part of the process, and if you’re comfortable with it, stick to it.
Layering
Layering is something most of us wish to do but do not have the chance to, because the Malaysian weather is so bloody hot all the time, but in the case that you do want to layer, something that I live by is that I spend slightly more on my outer wear. To me, these pieces are the ones you’re able to wear it to the ground and still maintain its quality over a long period of time. The question is not whether you should add a few outerwear pieces to your wardrobe or not, but rather which should you add to your wardrobe. If you’re an outdoor person and love adventures, invest in some good quality parkas and shell jackets. The North Face is a good brand to start with, or ARC’TERYX. If you’re an urbanite that likes to be gaudy, you can tap into brands like Gucci and LV for some flashy jackets, like the very recent release by Virgil Abloh at LV. Or for me personally, understated coats like Sacai do the job just fine.
Sunglasses
Sunglasses occupy a unique space as far as accessories goes. On one side, they can be considered a purely functional and utilitarian piece, while on the other, they can be luxury status symbols, and above all, a strong indicator of the wearer’s sense of personal style. Critical to pulling off a good pair of shades is finding a pair that suits your face to complement and accentuate the facial features. Handmade items include sunglasses from Cutler & Gross, Moscot, Oliver Peoples, and Garrett Leight, but for the more high fashion taste, Thom Browne’s 14k gold offerings stand out from the others. For the streetwear enthusiast, Heron Preston’s got some glitz with Nike, and A Cold Wall*’s Samuel Ross recently collaborated with Oakley.
Upcoming Albums We’re Anticipating In The Local Scene
Written by Zim Ahmadi
We’re two months into 2019, so of course, there’s a lot more to expect from the local music scene! Here are some Malaysian artists who have announced that they’re planning to release an album this year. Some of these albums have confirmed dates while others are still in the purgatory between “done” and “under construction”. Whichever they are, we’re still extremely excited for them!
Lust – Tekesima
Release Date: March 2019
Psychedelic group, LUST, has released two singles so far, and both of them have hinted at the breadth of the band’s new sonic landscape. While the song Desire shines as an anthemic post-punk cut, U I ADORE beckons listeners into a slightly malevolent territory, punctuated by bright trippy riffs & harmonies. In comparison to their previous album, Chingichanga, LUST seems more bent on poppier sounds. None of this comes at the price of the out-of-this-world milieu the band is still capable of producing in their music. The album is produced by the band itself, in collaboration with Syabil Al-Yahya, lead singer of psychedelic rock band, Golden Mammoth. Mixing and mastering is handled Shariman Shuhaime of Melodiya Recordings and who is also a member of New Wave electro group, Enterprise. Tekesima is the album that’ll come out the earliest on this list since it’s set to be out by March!
The Venopian Solitude
Release Date: TBA
It’s been 5 years since their debut album, Hikayat Perawan Majnun, but the fictional world of Venopia from the minds of frontwoman Takahara Suiko has not left us entirely in the dark. The experimental indie group has been performing and churning out new materials live. The band also released the EP Hikayat Ubi Berisi in 2017 which features the demo for Layar. Judging from their frequent performance of that song live and the session they did for Red Bull Music & Culture, the song has evolved into what seems like completion and would definitely be in the upcoming album. Tracks like Pelacur Muzik, essentially a rant about people who think poorly of artists who want to make money, have also been a favourite on their live setlist. Earlier this year they performed at ATASbyBijanFX for the Big Jan Show and received plentiful of amazing reception for their new song Bubar. The apocalyptic and dramatic nature of the song is proof that The Venopian Solitude has improved their art of storytelling, not just alive in Takahara’s lyrics, but also in the intensity and variety of its production. This is fitting considering that, in an interview with the Daily Seni, Takahara Suiko has stated her plan of making an album that could be turned into a play. Although no official release date has been announced, 2019 seems like a more than plausible year. In the same interview as above, the band has mentioned that the title of the album is related to the acronym HGB.
Ramayan
Release Date: TBA
Ramayan broke into the scene with their first single Oh Dewiku, sealing their place in local music as the band that deftly combines nostalgic Nusantara melodies with psychedelic tendencies, the latter more evident in songs like Sepintas Sastera Hati. Their love for remaking the old into their version of the new is found even in their self-titled EP, where vintage instrumentation and production meet lyrics that are equal times romantic and epic. From their new songs such as Intan and Lamunan Anak Bulan, Ramayan is opting to pay tribute to the poppier side of the 60s. The band’s knack for crafting sweet melodies feels more unfiltered and more direct. As if you need another reason to anticipate a new Ramayan album, it is also produced by Mondo Gascaro, an Indonesian artist who was also involved in the production of Noh Salleh’s Angin Kencang and Payung Teduh’s Dunia Batas. Mondo is a wonderful musician and singer renown for his revival of 70s pop sounds with his album Rajakelana. This album has been in the works for the past year or so, it’s reasonable to expect it coming out this year.
Couple
Release Date: TBA
Yes, that Couple, the power pop outfit who has been releasing indie anthems since the early 2000s, from Now That I Can See to Tentang Kita. They were around even before the movie KAMI came out, an iconic film that boosted the Malaysian indie scene to larger audiences. The band is perfectly aware of how long they’ve been in the scene, often cracking jokes about it. Last year, Couple was awarded the Ipoh Heritage Band status in conjunction with Hari UNESCO 2018. During their performance on that day, lead singer Aidil said “We’d like to say thank you for the award. Usually when people say ‘heritage’ that means someone died. But don’t worry, we’re still alive. And we’re in the process of making a new album!”. Based upon the new songs they perform live (one of which is a song about being “blue-ticked” on Whatsapp by your crush), Couple has not strayed from a sound that belies their identity.
Jaggfuzzbeats
Release Date: May 2019
Jaggfuzzbeat’s debut album Rest Now was chosen by multitude of local portals as one of the best local albums of 2017. They stand out because of the way they channel their influences into a sound that makes them hard to categorise in a Malaysian indie rock scene that’s mostly reviving the sound of 2008, opting for the dream pop sound sweeping the world or psychedelia. Comparisons have been made to the Strokes or other bands of the post-garage rock revival scene of the early 2000s, but what’s certain is that Jaggfuzzbeats has managed to skillfully use the familiar and carve a completely different path. In their upcoming album, lead guitarist and singer Azrul has cited the influence of bands like Wisconsin power-pop four piece, Locksley. Brighter sounds with a little bit of British Invasion in the mix keeps us at the edge of our seats for their future work. This is especially true when you see the band perform live, as they haven’t eschewed from their soaring solos and danceable riffs.
Zamaera – Z The EP
Release Date: 1 March 2019
Zamaera broke into the scene like a bomber plane with her single Helly Kelly, and since then she’s been showing that her bars belong in every type of beat. Besides killer lines and an untenable rap voice filled with attitude, she’s also shown her chops in conscious rap songs like Wanita, or the beautifully personal Z v Z. For Z the EP, Zamaera took her record to the United States for production. At this point, she’s shown a multitude of range, including the solid R&B cut Truth. How can you not be excited for an album from one of the best Malaysian rappers out there at this very moment?
Golden Mammoth – Skyscraper Towards The Sun
Release Date: April 2019
Psychedelia is the major arsenal of Golden Mammoth’s sound, but integral to their music is also an impeccable sense of groove. Nobody says you can’t illustrate a whole anthology of otherworldly tales without sticking to primal rhythms filled with fuzzy guitars reverb, and Golden Mammoth continuously proves exactly that in their music. After their last album Metaphoric Quadraphonic back in 2016 and the release of memorable singles like Malicious Judicious, the band continued working on their next big thing. The only hint we have of what they’re going to sound like in their next project is the single they released early last year, Ominous. From that, we see them sharpening their world-building abilities. Never shy about the magnitude of their music, Ominous sounds like a space Western anthem loaded with intense drama. If the track is any indicator, we’d say April is a definite month to look out for. Especially if you want your playlist to not just ease your ears, but also to take you on a journey.
Nike Pays Homage To All Female Athletes That Broke Ground And Defied Convention In New Video
“If we show emotion we’re called dramatic. If we want to play against men, we’re nuts. And if we dream of equal opportunity, delusional,” A determined Serena Williams narrates throughout the course of the video. Looking back at history, women have always been at a disadvantage in terms of biased rules, or because before no woman have participated in the event and cemented societal norms back during its inception.
This bias was clearly defined as Katherine Switzer, decided to join the Boston Marathon to prove to her running coach that she wasn’t too fragile to run one, registering for a competition that had banned women from joining, having her bib ripped out by a race official, and yet, finished the race, subsequently destroying the gender barrier as the female ban was lifted 5 years later.
It was considered crazy, and out of this world, that a woman would want to compete with other male runners that the idea was downright ridiculous and she’d had absolutely zero chance of winning, until it was done.
This ad then, serves as a reminder that the idea of a woman changing her sport, playing to the international level of football, dunking, coaching a team, were all crazy ideas, until it was done.
Dream crazier, and Just Do It.
More Colourways Of The Air Max 720 Arise
Including “Desert Gold,” “Eclipse,” and a Turquoise to Blue gradient colourway
The push for new Air has never been this aggressive in a very long time. With inspirations hitting the northern side of the globe, the Nike Air Max 720 gets shrouded in three new colours after the first drop was released.
For those who need to get up to speed, the Air Max 720 is Nike’s effort to reinnovate air every year, and 2019 presents a few significant changes, of which its highlight includes the tallest air bubble that Nike has ever made. Which is all well and good, as the 720 looks towards the future, properly reinnovating a tried and tested formula by making it taller.
In celebration of this one, more colourways arise to give the shoe a much needed variety, and in the following pack, includes colours such as “Desert Gold,” a triple black model called the “Eclipse,” and another blue gradient shoe.
looking to purchase? The new Air Max 720 releases tomorrow on the 28th of disaster for a price of RM 735 a pair.
Where To Get The Yeezy 700 “Inertia”
Written by Sean Ho
Now that the Yeezy Boost 700 “Salt” has dropped, Kanye West has officially announced its next release of the Yeezy Boost 700. It looks like Adidas has no plans for newer silhouettes, but more towards curating new Yeezy colourways.
The Yeezy 700 “Inertia”, features an upper constructed from premium leather, light blue suede over laying the mesh. This upper is then finished with reflective hints on the heel and Adidas three stripe branding, all of which sits on top of a cream gum sole maintaining the Yeezy 700 look. The same Boost midsole is featured on the sneaker giving it more comfort for day to day usage.
This pair is set to drop on March 9 at adidas.com.my and at Adidas KLCC as well as Pavilion, Solewhat The Gardens outlet and also Crossover Mid Valley outlet, and is retailing at RM1400.
This G-Shock Costs Almost RM 300,000
You read that right. This G-Shock “G-D5000-9JR” costs at an astronomical cost of RM 282,000, and while that may put a couple of purists or even casuals off, die-hard collectors may find the price, somewhat justifiable.
This particular model you see here, is part of G-Shock’s 35th anniversary bash, where G-Shock basically throws itself a big party in celebration of the brand while travelling around the world to do so. The watch picks up from its 2015 concept watch, the GW-5000 “2015 Basel World Dream Project.”
The next bit is important.
The watch is not plated in gold, rather it is crafted with it. Pure, solid, 18K gold throughout, from the frame, to the screws, to the links, to the buttons, are made from the yellow stuff with the exception of the internals, which remain the same as the other models. The insides are the same, featuring split-second time correction from a multiband 6 timekeeping system, and is powered by Casio’s Tough Solar charging system.
Interested? You’ll have to part ways with 6 figures of your monies to have one, and that doesn’t exactly guarantee you a unit. The guest list could be long, so you best try your luck and pre-order at Casio’s website. This, or 3 Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Black Dials?
Nike Is Rereleasing The Spiridon’s Predecessor At The End Of This Month
Written by Sean Ho
Nike has a rich history in footwear and after being in business for more than 50 years, the brand has accrued quite the archive of sneakers. And the Swoosh has brought another classic up to speed, the Air Zoom Alpha, the first shoe to implement both Zoom cushioning, and an Air capsule in one.
You’ll come to notice, that it looks a bit like the Spiridon had a bit of an upper change, and you’d be half-right. The Air Zoom Alpha is the precursor to the Spiridon, having been released a year before the Spiridon in 1996, which the Spiridon then cheekily borrowed the midsole and throwing away the Air capsule.
To most people, the Zoom Spiridon was the more classic runner out of the two. But for being the very first Zoom Air shoe out of Nike, the Zoom Alpha has gone fairly under the radar over the years, but its good to see that Nike is bringing back one of their first Air Zoom sneaker.
Coming in three different colourways, the pack includes the OG colourway from 1996. Showcasing a detailed set of layers overlaying each other, a synthetic mesh, and the bulky sole unit very similar to the Spiridon. With the OG colour palette like this one, it features a mixture of Black, White, Orange, and Volt, resembling many classic features from the 90s.
The other two colourways don’t differ as far as the material goes but in terms of its colour scheme. One comes with a classic black upper with silver accents with a white midsole that creates a clean silhouette perfect to be your everyday beater pair. The other features hints of neon green overlapping a black base mesh, to keep it less striking Nike incorporated a white midsole to balance it out.
These three pairs are set to release on the 28th of February, retailing at USD150 (approx RM610) at Nike.com.
Joe Chia Recalls Having Left 2 Digits In His Bank Account After The Milan Trade Show I From The Thread EP 7 With Joe Chia
Joe Chia’s story is one of struggles, hardships, and pure strong will to succeed. Listen in to the podcast as Joe Chia and his partner, Melissa Deng recalls their blunders at the Milan Trade Show, leaving them with only 2 digits in their bank account, lugging 80 kilos of luggage up 6 stories in a Parisian apartment, to their first collab, sprinkled with stories of their humble beginnings as a budding fashion designer turned international household name.