Kemado

Largely the project of Swedish singer and multi-instrumentalist Gustav Ejstes, the psychedelic rock revivalists return with their signature spectral guitar solos, primitive and groovy beats, and jazzy flights of flute. On this fourth album, Ejstes has delegated, among other instruments, guitar duties to longtime collaborator Reine Fiske in order to focus on song structures, piano-playing, and vocals that are tender with a touch of menace. Highlighted by the warming harmonies of “Mina Damer och Fasaner”, the resulting ten songs present a band (in its truest sense) that’s tighter and more elegant than ever.

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Photography by Dan Monick

It can all change in a week. Life, death, love, indie rock trends—these are products of moments, not years. Everything can come together, or fall apart, in a flash. For Mikel Jollett, it all changed in March 2006. A writer, Jollett had just started his first novel. Those plans were quickly derailed in days. His mother was diagnosed with cancer, to match his terminally ill father. Jollett himself was diagnosed with a genetic autoimmune disorder, then pneumonia. And he broke up with a longtime girlfriend. “All this shit happened in the same week,” he recalls. “Everyone was sick. I felt sick. I felt everyone was dying. I thought I was going to lose my mind.” One day, Jollett picked up a guitar. He played for four hours straight. The next day, he played for six hours. Then eight hours. Everyday. For a year. “Out of nowhere,” he says, “I realized suddenly I had all this music in me.” As full-fledged songs soon developed, Jollett enlisted mutual friends from the Los Angeles area — drummer Daren Taylor, violinist Anna Bulbrook, bassist Noah Harmon, and guitarist Steven Chen — to form the Airborne Toxic Event.

badeschiff.at

Okay, the European Cup is over. The streets of Vienna, where the Spanish claimed European victory, have been scrubbed clean and the hooligans (strangely absent without England in the tournament) are back home. But hey, it’s still warm at night and this is still the always-cool capital of Austria. So, grab your swim trunks and your RVCA T-shirt and head to Badeschiff, a converted orange-dipped ship moored on the banks of the Danube. Spend the day in the pool, pop down to the main floor and eat a bratwurst, then run back up to watch the sunset. The heated pool, which is open till well past midnight, is on deck, while the two levels below offer more than a night’s worth of decadent entertainment. At night, the cargo hold is transformed into the main club. Badeschiff’s eclectic nature keeps it packed with the city’s slickest, from club freaks to Viktor and Rolf-clad hipsters. If you’ve never partied on a boat in the summertime with a thousand of your best Austrian friends, this is the place to do it.

Canal between Schwedenplatz and Urania   +4306 99 1513 07 49

Photography by Noc-Op

If you’ve ever wanted in on the fashion industry but weren’t sure where to start, you might consider adopting a designer. Yes, you read right. A relatively new trend called “crowdfunding”, which entails several people making small financial contributions to a single project or business via the Internet, recently made its way to the runway via Catwalk Genius’ Adopt-a-Designer program. In addition to making the wares of various small, independent designers available all over the world, Catwalk Genius allows fans of particular designers to “adopt” them for 15 Euros (about $23). Participants in the Adopt-a-Designer program not only provide concrete support to their favorite designers, they also share in their designer’s profits, which are split between the designer, Catwalk Genius, and the designer’s supporters. Despite the fact that they have to share a portion of their profits, for the designers the program provides the exposure and cash flow to keep their businesses growing — and for burgeoning fashion moguls it’s a great way to get a feel for the industry without too much risk.

bar25.de

Poor landlocked cities. While some hipsters fall from bed to Bondi Beach, others have no white sand to run to during those balmy summer months. But humankind is especially resourceful, and many cities, like Berlin and Paris, have imported all those tiny grains, giving rise to the city beach bar. In Berlin, none of the beach bars can touch Bar 25. It may not be the easiest bar to get into (the bouncers aren’t looking for the prettiest people in the crowd; they’re searching for the right people), but once in, the games begin. The joint has a Wild West feel, with ranch-style décor — and disco balls overhead. Bar 25 is archetypal Berlin: wild, vibrant, unpolished, and real. Join the lawless masses inside: minimalist freaks dancing next to old-time punks next to graffiti artists next to the ultra-chic. Nothing is off-limits, nothing too risqué, and that’s what keeps the Berliners coming back. Stay the whole night at one of the overnight cabins for rent, or leave at dawn and head to another club. This Bacchanalian bar never stops — at least not until winter comes again.

Holzmarktstrasse 25     +49.172.4494058

City Slang/Domino

Over two decades, the Notwist have dabbled in both the chugging riffs of indie rock and the synth-glitches of electropop. But six years after the landmark Neon Golden — a gorgeous and infectious album that presaged the appeal of Postal Service — the German quartet has returned with a more melancholic affair. Somber acoustics and wistful vocals suffuse songs like “Gone Gone Gone” and the title track in starkness. “Good Lies” and “Gloomy Planets” both open with gentle strums but soon ignite into an epic swirl of binary blips and whirring synths. It all makes for another superb sonic odyssey.

www.gbardeijing.com

After a long day of watching others strive for perfection at the Olympics in Beijing, it’s only natural that you’ll crave a well-crafted drink to satisfy your thirst. There may be many options in this burgeoning city, but few come with as much style, grace, and quality as Q Bar. The reason is simple: the bartenders. The mixologists, George and Echo, are so deft that they have built this bar into something special. Sometimes patrons have to wait a bit for their drink, but that’s the price of getting an impeccably made cocktail each and every time. Sure, there are other reasons to visit this spot: The panoramic, tree-lined rooftop deck is definitely one; the welcoming atmosphere of locals and expats another. But it’s the signature drinks — like the Q martini (vodka, crushed mint, and vermouth) — that keep the narrow bar full-up. After your thirst is properly slaked, run off to your next event and watch the athletes try to be as flawless.

Nansanlitan Road     +86.10.6595.9239

ililinyc.com

Lebanese mega-diner Ilili delivers on all the noteworthy virtues of a lavish dinning experience: high design, impeccable service, and a gourmet twist to classic dishes. Upon entry, one is struck by the richness of texture — from the shapely red dining chairs to the wood paneled walls and granite flooring — commingling with reflections of candlelight in the glass and flatware. The cuisine, by chef-owner Philippe Massoud, is a nod to traditional Lebanese fare but modernized by fusion concepts. Fortunately, the menu specializes in mezza, or small plates, because everything from the daily hummus specials, to the seared Branzini with sweet sesame and orange to the moist beef shawarma — is a feast of spices and flavor, and it’s great to come with a group that loves to try a bit of everything. Sweet manna, indeed!

236 5th Avenue    +212 683 2929