I’ve had an affinity for this small artisanal tie maker in Singapore since I first discovered them some years ago. Extremely well made ties, often from rare and unusual fabrics. I’ve had the pleasure to meet the very friendly team behind Vanda in Singapore as well. Jacket from Caruso, Truzzi shirt, Eton ps and Incotex pants. Click on the headline for more pictures.
Old picture from a couple of years back. Very cold winter’s day in Sweden. Unusual colour combination based on green and purple. 7-fold wool tie from Isaia, Bladen (MTM) tweed jacket, Corneliani shirt and ps from Gieves & Hawkes.
Jacket from Lardini, tie from Drake’s, Berg & Berg ps, Borrelli shirt and sunglasses from Moscot.
I had given up that Sufjan Stevens could ever return to the heights of albums such as “Illinoise”, but this album was a stunning return to form. Most beautiful album of the year. Sufjan Stevens – Death With Dignity
Vince Staples – Summertime 06 A good year for rap and the race for best rap album is unusually hard, but I pick Vince Staples slightly before Kendrick Lamar, Young Thug, Future, Joey Badass, Drake, Rae Sremmurd, Fetty Wap and Donnie Trumpet. It is the emotional scope that tip the scale to Staples favour, there is room for everything on this album. Click on the headline for video. Vince Staples – Norf Norf
A lot was said in 2015 about the return of D’Angelo, but I have to be sacrilegious and state that he did not make the best R&B album of the year. That title goes to Miguel (again). A lot of good R&B-artists around right now, but Miguel rules them all. Miguel – Coffee
Those who have followed my lists know I love The XX, and of course Jamie XX is their sound architect. His solo singles and productions have been great and finally a whole album arrived and it fulfilled all expectations. He even got a summer hit (“Good Times”). But this was the best song on a great album. The minimalistic percussion that enters at 1:27 stays in your head for weeks. Jamie xx – Loud Places
A great album that only has one (small) flaw, it could have done with some editing. No rapper today that I know of has a greater technique, seems like he has an almost schizophrenic ability to channel many different characters. Deceptively smart lyrics too. And he actually managed to get away with a g-funk track! Kendrick Lamar – King Kunta
I regularly return to one of my favourite colour combinations: blues and browns. Tie and ps from Viola Milano, Burberry suit, Zegna couture shirt and Allen Edmonds shoes. Click on the headline for more pictures.
Claire Elise Boucher got a lot of flak when she decided not to stick to her quirky, electro-indie persona, but instead go in a more traditional pop direction. She proved all the doubters wrong with this album, that crosses over to the mainstream without losing originality. Unfortunately she hasn’t made a video of any of the albums best songs (like “California”). Yet. Click on the headline for video. Grimes – Flesh Without Blood