i-Assist: Alisha Dobson

Red and yellow and pink and green, purple and orange and blue; super hair stylist Alisha Dobson can dip-dye your hair any colour of a rainbow and stitch you a sick weave too.

Working part-time in the back of WAH! Nails' trend trail-blazing hair salon Bleach, 25-year-old London based session stylist Alisha Dobson is hair legend Lyndell Mansfield's right-hand woman. First meeting her CLM signed master and mentor by chance, Alisha had long been an admirer of Mansfield's editorial work. The first lady of fashion's follicles, Mansfield's groundbreaking, polished and accomplished styling skills have graced the glossy spreads of the world's most prestigious magazines. Today, Alisha is coming up on her own, working independently with up-and-coming stylists, photographers and make-up artists, putting the skills Mansfield has helped her perfect into practise. Part of the next generation of talent taking over, i-D Online caught up with Alisha to get the low down on her blow dry and pick up some tips on how to keep our locks looking fly.

How did you first come to assist Lyndell? A chance meeting with her previous first assistant in Cornwall, Lyndell was on the look out for someone new!!

What aspects of her work do you admire? It's everything I love in hair, from groomed to grunge, she always creates beauty whether in the quality or the quirk. She works hard and plays hard! She has an amazing amount of energy that out runs everyone!

Tell us about some of the shoots you've assisted Lyndell on?Shooting in Paris, not so exotic but Lyndell knows the city and chatting in French with her Australian accent is something to witness! My favourite shoot with her was with Ellen von Unwerth in a London graveyard... so beautiful!

How would you describe your own aesthetic? I am still learning and developing. I’m trying out new things and learning new techniques constantly.

When did you first discover your passion for hair styling?Having curly hair as a child that my mum couldn't control was my starting point, I had to learn how to tame it!

What styling products could you not live without? Bumble and Bumble's seaweed shampoo and super rich conditioner, prep and hair powder and Moroccan oil!

Tell us something about Lyndell no-one else knows? When she was little she would get into bed wearing her favourite or newest shoes just to wear them for longer, always the fashionista!!

What hair trends are going to be big in 2011? Lots of pastel colours either all over or pastel highlights through blonde or browns. All about colour this year.

What photographers, stylists and makeup artists do you work with most? Pandora Leonard and Annabel Callum Mua.

What would be your dream shoot to work on? A Tim Burton and Tim Walker collaboration with Lyndell on hair and Andrew Gallimore on make up!

alishadobson.tumblr.com

Text Milly McMahon
Images Courtesy Alisha Dobson

tUnE-yArDs - 'Bizness'

Tribes - We Were Children

Electronic Sheep i-D Online

Creating graphically patterned knitwear inspired by hard rock and bad behaviour Electronic Sheep is the over-sized accessories label stocked and supported by London based art collective Jaguar Shoes.


Growing up together, causing trouble and sneaking into clubs on school nights, Brenda Aherne and Helen Delany are the spirited Irish design duo behind fluro-flavoured label Electronic Sheep. Stumbling upon common ground, discovering a mutual love of art and hard metal music, the two girls finished at school and graduated from Dublin's National College of Art before travelling around London, Munich and Rome researching alternative methods and techniques employed within traditional and contemporary knitwear. Opening the business and label in 1999, Electronic Sheep is now stocked in boutiques all over the world. The girls have also become involved with various educational and ethical initiatives, being strong believers in the practice of sustainable fashion and the celebration of global and tribal motifs within design. Discussing their quirky processes of editing collections Helen explained, “Scarves get treated like people when we're designing. We look at each and think, would you make it into this club? And if they wouldn’t they’re not getting into the collection." Designing for us, you and them, Electronic Sheep is forged by friends and powered by passion.

Preparing for the forthcoming release of an exclusive, limited edition cape, designed in collaboration with notorious DJ duo The Broken Hearts Club, the Irish lovelies are also working on an extension of the label, to be released next year. i-D Online trotted off down to Jaguar Shoes boutique No-One for a rustle through the railings and a chat in the changing room with one half of the sheep, Helen.

electronicsheep.com

Text Milly McMahon

i-N Session with Husband

i-N Session with Husband

Italian synth duo ‘Husband’ are the atmospheric boy/girl band making sinister, penetrating soundscapes created to haunt, enchant, and disturb. Scare easy? Don’t look down.


Growing up in the traditional territories of Bologna, Gianlorenzo and Chiara are Robot Elephant Records' recent signing. Making intriguing electronic waves of abstract, muted metal-infused thrash, the blogosphere has gone mad for this oddly understated pair. Teaching themselves to play a plethora of obscure instruments and write music, Husband is the creative coming together of two like-minded individuals. Keeping things under wraps for the time being and positioning themselves correctly to strike at the right time, the affecting scores of outlandishly brash beats the duo deafen their audiences with are going down a right treat. Paying considerable attention to each layered bass and percussion speckled chorus they put out, Husband's debut EP is delicately fine-tuned and, subsequently, full of fine tunes. Unconcerned with image, onstage presence or profit, when Gianlorenzo and Chiara play, people listen. Husband are entirely about the music, the true mark of good talent.

myspace.com/husbandworld

Text Milly McMahon

Death Cab for a Cutie LEAK

DEATH CAB for CUTIE - Home Is A Fire by ATL REC.

D-i-Y Records: Upset the Rhythm

Upset The Rhythm is the independent record label and club night set up to celebrate non-commercial music, encouraging everyone to get involved with wider circles of fresh talent.

Slowly establishing the label after a series of low-fi d.i.y gigs set up throughout the UK, the collective behind Upset The Rhythm were friends first and then colleagues. Working tirelessly to spread the word and promote the label's roster of self signed talent to open minded audiences, the UTR ethos is simple and exciting. Inspiring others to form bands, start labels and begin promoting shows off their own back for the love of it, the collective told i-D Online, “We look for music that is genuinely interesting, like a second nature. If a band are trying something different, through music or message or if they just slap a great big grin on our faces we’re happy to work with them.” Holding their first UK only based festival in 2010, UTR staged a two-day event called 'Yes Way' at Auto-Italia in an abandoned car showroom turned gallery, with a bill of UK-only artists. With the live music element of the record label prominent and integral to their sound, energy and unbridled passion is synonymous with the UTR flow. Promoting each artist through mates, social networking sites and good old fashioned word of mouth, this outfit is basic but brilliant. i-D Online went to find out what's up down at UTR HQ.

What genre of music does the label specialise in? Well according to itunes lots of experimental punk and electronic oddities, we don’t limit ourselves to any particular genres though, it’s a simple choice for us to represent music we genuinely enjoy.

Describe a typical day at work at the label? Woah – it's different everyday! I could be sitting in front of an inbox attacking the email mountain, driving a band on tour, helping record a new album or sitting in on some mastering, combing the streets for new venues, running a show/party through the night, racing around town sticking up posters, flyering in the rain, travelling half way around the world to meet up with UTR extended family. In short it’s never boring and always unpredictable!

What is the strongest band or artist you have signed to the label? I suppose our ongoing commitment to John Maus (now in its 6th year) is something to feel proud of. He’s such a unique and talented man and we feel honoured to grow as a label alongside his increasing success.

What are your plans for expansion? Presently we’re interested in setting up more singularly special events throughout London’s historic backdrop. We really want to engage with the city on a deeper level and I feel our recent festival entitled 'Spaghetti Tree' was partially inspired by April Fools Day, Peckham Rye and William Blake. This sort of cross pollination of ideas excites us greatly so perhaps we’ll move into talking guide books and maps! In the future we’d also like to run our own performance space in London, as it’s a city that really could do with a valid, autonomous zone for art and music on its own terms.

What are some of the up and coming D.I.Y record labels you tip for 2011? Right now we’re listening to a lot of Nightschool Records, Olde English Spelling Bee, 100% Silk and Pan releases.

Listen to Upset the Rhythm's exclusive i-D Online mix-tape here.

For more in the D-i-Y series, click here.

upsettherhythm.co.uk

Text Milly McMahon

THree Dee

THREEDEE
A GROUP EXHIBITION
PV: Thursday 21st April 2011. 7pm till late.
DreamBagsJaguarShoes
‘ThreeDee’ is a group exhibition curated by art collective Jaguar Shoes, comprised of artists who look to be the future of illustration and graphic design, it is the collectives selection of the finest new emerging talent in the UK. All work for this show has been produced in Anaglyph 3D and will feature wall sized images, screen prints, animations and sculptures. Jaguar Shoes will also be producing a limited edition 3D booklet with the lovely people at Ditto Press

ATP

The Return of MC DJ

A day at the seaside

Arctic Monkeys -- Don't Sit Down 'Cause I've Moved Your Chair

New Antlers

The Antlers - Parentheses by Frenchkiss

www.i-donline.com/i-spy/d-i-y-records-mr-intl

Mr Intl is the independent New York record label run by techno animal and house music legend, Andrew Butler, a.k.a. Mr Hercules and Love Affair.

Disenchanted by the furiously paced disposable nature of new music, DJ turned entrepreneur, Andy Butler decided to take a stand and dig deep into his own pockets to fund the formation of D-i-Y record label, Mr. Intl. Committed to reviving the classic first wave of 90s inspired house infused dance thrash which has fuelled his passion for music throughout his career, Andy's mission statement is fully focused on full on techno music, "I want to evoke strictly that sound on this label, so I've been pretty hard ass with people in terms of what the output is."

Working closely with Jason Kendig, one of the original residents at long-running Detroit party 'Family' and current resident for San Francisco's 'Honeysoundsystem Crew' the creative duo's taste in music and label ethos is niche. Totally exclusive of any new music which sounds pre '85 or post '94, Mr Intl. Records are adamant that their records must be born from analogue techniques and push the relevance of vinyl format.

In discussions to launch a live tour this summer, Mr Intl has a whole host of exciting releases coming up in 2011, stay tuned for more from Kim Ann Foxman, Aerea Negrot and Shaun Wright via the label. i-D Online kicked back with Mr Intl himself, Andy Butler to find out where he finds his new music fixes and what's next for the label.

How do you define good music? Emotional, deep, melodically strong, thoughtful.

Who are your strongest musical influences and references?Ultramarine, Chez Damier and Ron Trant, DJ Duke, Steve Reich and Godflesh.

What are your plans for the label's expansion? Vinyl, full lengths, new collaborations.

What are some of the up-and-coming record labels for 2011? The ones I pay attention to are already releasing stuff; Rush Hour is a good example.

What's next for Mr Intl? Another Butler Kendig, Mark Pistel with DHS and Jack Dangers from Meat Beat Manifesto and some solo stuff from me.

Click here to listen Mr Intl's magnificent new mixtape and see more from our D-i-Y Records series here.

myspace.com/mrintlrecords

Text Milly McMahon

See more here

Jarring together wonky, muffled garage-folk-rock, drenched in reverb and perfect for beach play, Brooklyn sextet Crystal Stilts return with their second studio album In Love with Oblivion.

Focussing their efforts on capturing the raw, live atmosphere that they have become famous for, In Love With Oblivion shuns new recording processes, sticking instead with the nostalgia of techniques past. Putting out their new material on limited vinyl releases via local label Woodsist, this latest eleven track offering is created by friends, for friends. These lads have a real sense of fun, allowing their sound to move effortlessly, exemplifying how great it must feel to be in a band and tour the world, playing main stages with your mates. Life is for living and this album is vicarious.

Vocalist Brad Hargitt stopped listening to music before entering the studio, so intent on putting out an original record that referenced his deep love of 60's psychedelic synth. Following instinct as opposed to musical trends, the Stilts' atmospheric glitches and hollow melodies resonate with a depth that is wholly affecting and strangely hypnotic. This is intelligent music that demands attention and will never get old. i-D Online caught up with band boys Brad Hargett, JB Townsend, Kyle Forester, Andy Adler and Keegan Cooke.

Crystal Stilts' top three stateside happenings
1. Woodsist
2. Kyles Corner
3. Academy Records

myspace.com/crystalstilts

Text Milly McMahon
Photography Rebecca Thomas

King Creosote & Jon Hopkins - Your Young Voice

i-Profile: Alice Goddard

Alice Goddard is the shy, ethereal model turned designer, who likes to hang out in her garden, bake cakes and rummage around London's markets at the weekend.

Besotted by the sunshine and in love with life, nineteen-year-old Alice has a mane of flowing blonde hair which angelically cascades around her shoulders. Baby blue eyes and long limbs, this stylish imp has a delicate disposition. A dedicated fan of throwback fashion and the Polo Ralph Lauren lifestyle, Alice can often be found hanging out around Portobello Market wearing the latest, greatest, cheapest bargain she’s rustled up from the depths of a bargain bin.

Inspired by her sister, Molly's creative flair and designing clothes along with her, little Alice describes their self-coined label as “sheer tops with things covering the boobies”. When she isn't modelling or designing her own clothes, Alice blogs, models and takes pictures of interesting objects. We caught up with the bedroom creative to find out what’s new in her wonderland.

Where is the most exciting destination modelling has taken you?
I went to Sweden last summer to shoot with Clare Shilland for ‘Love from Alice’.

How did you feel the first time you saw a picture of yourself in a magazine?
I never think photos of me look like me, so I’ve never really found it weird.

What's it like working with your sister?
It’s hard working because you don’t stop yourself saying what you think in the way you would with a friend. Our creative process involves a lot of shouting.

How would you like the label to progress?
We’d like to work together in the future, but keep what we’re doing now separate. I’m thinking about studying footwear next year. Molly does knitwear at Saint Martins and is amazing, I’d love to make the shoes and accessories for her collection but I’m too indecisive to work alone.

What is your earliest memory of how you began to discover your own sense of fashion?
I used to have this pair of stretchy nylon flairs which were my favourite when I was about six. They had thin orange stripes, I would actually really like to wear them now.

What are your top 5 best kept style secrets?
1. Petticoat Lane Market
2. Marks & Spencer sale
3. Lime Soda
4. Portobello Market shoe pile
5. Juz Lookin

Check out Alice's blog here and see the rest of our i-Profile series here.

Text Milly McMahon
Photographs courtesy of Alice Goddard

The Bullitts - Close Your Eyes

Oupa

Forget - Oupa (live in Daniel's home) from Oupa on Vimeo.

Mumdance

Mumdance by mumdance