Mouth to Mouth

• Analogue Miniatures - Hand-made cardboard models of vintage electronics
  
  
• Amron Experimental - This Scott Amron dude is really intriguing to me. I first stumbled across him via his top prize in the concepts categroy in this year's ID Magazine design review. He developed a really interesting toothbrush that can direct a stream of water like a water fountain. So amazingly obvious! Upon further exploration of his world, via his web site, reveals that he has his fingers dipped into many different parts of design, from left-field conceptual objects (Like the Radio DJ mixing deck-- brilliant!) to a handful of short run products that he markets and sells by himself, apparently. What's the most interesting is he places all of his work on the same level, whether it's conceptual explorations or products he has in the marketplace. I like that.
  
  
• So Robert Brunner (ex-Lunar, Apple, HP) has left Pentagram to start Ammunition a new SF-based industrial design firm. Metropolis Magazine has a little interview with him on the subject. Obviously it's always interesting to hear about a new firm forming in the somewhat small world of American industrial design consulting, but what's most interesting is he's taking on entrepreneurial projects, where his team will be intimately developing design-centered businesses:
  

  In another recent project, I’ve been doing audio products in partnership with a fairly well-known hip-hop producer in L.A. which are coming out in early summer... it’s not a product development company, it’s a record company, and in both of those cases I’m helping drive the business and the design proposition together. I really want to be in that position where you’re not just hired to come and do something and move on, but you’re really integrated into the business and you use your talents and abilities to make it successful.

  What's exciting about this is the hybrid nature of the firm-- presumably it will be doing consulting, but it's also getting more deeply involved with projects and ventures it feels especially passionate about. This hybrid entrepreneur/consultant is becoming more common in the web design world, but is still somewhat rare in the product world. It'll be interesting to hear how it works!
  
  
• Summer music one liners:
• Burial has been laying down the evil and dark movie-soundtrack ambient dubstep.
• Chico Mann has pushed Afrobeat into the electro bedroom studio filled with tinny drum machines and 7 minute guitar vamps.
  
• Silversun Pickups have been a guilty pleasure that harkens the mid 90s sound of Hum and Smashing Pumpkins.
• Cadence Weapon works with the Antipop Consortium framework, and makes Edmonton sound slightly cool.
  
• Justice owns the summer.

  7/09/2007