San Francisco-based shoegaze act Tamaryn has swept us away with their first full-length studio release The Waves. Think of it as a Mazzy Star redux but with more drive and rhythm. To get a better idea, check out the single “Love Fade”, a sweeping post-rock romance in a wash of guitars. [Free download link courtesy of RCRD LBL below.]

Tags: shoegaze, Tamaryn, The Waves

A recent article on Mr. Tyler Brûlé in New York magazine confirmed our admiration for the Canadian-born (mini-)media mogul. For the uninitiated, Mr. Brûlé was the force behind Wallpaper* magagzine in the late 1990s, which brushed off traditional celebrity and elevated design to front page focus. Since 2007, Mr. Brûlé has been back in the scene with Monocle, a savvy London based journal that combines global political and economic reportages with a melange of culture, design, and travel features. Being the jet-setting publication it is, Honolulu has appeared quite a few times in Monocle–include a report on the Hawaiian sovereignty movement and more recently, in 2010, features on Honolulu’s place among the most livable cities in the world and the Waikīkī Edition hotel. Apparently, Honolulu holds high marks amongst the editorial team, and we’re not complaining.

Flattery aside, we quite appreciate Monocle’s old-school media approach that emphasizes intelligent, cultured writing and a smart, international perspective. One issue seems to pack in more than we would get in a semester in grad school. Plus, Monocle’s now offers weekly podcasts along with seasonal culture features—the latest installment features all you need to know about the music scene from South Korea.

WHERE TO BUY

Monocle is available in Hawai‘i at Barnes and Noble and Borders. However, be forewarned, the delivery time from across two ponds and a continent often means a delay of several weeks. Avid readers will want to pay their 75 pounds (no extra fee for foreign subscriptions) and subscribe directly from London.

Tags: Honolulu, Monocle magazine, Tyler Brûlé