SYNESTHESIA

Lewis Levi and Alex Motlhabane, aka The Rest, are the creative duo behind 99% of Slowthai’s videos and visual productions. They tell us about their teenage years, when the three of them were experimenting with sounds and visuals in Slowthai's bedroom. They talk about the layers of meaning is Ty's most  famous videos and the hidden symbolism in "Tyron"s record sleeve. Expect also conversations over b-movie horrors, the late 00's alternative music scene and the directors who had the biggest impact on their work.  

Nejc Prah is a graphic designer and art director who’s worked with artists such as Frank Ocean, Gillian Moss, and brands like Boiler room. After graduating from Yale, he spent a few years at Bloomberg Businessweek in New York. In 2019 he moved back to Slovenia where he’s from, and opened a studio in its capital, Ljubljana. We talk about his career and music-related projects along with co-host Eva Tkautz, product designer and creative developer based in London.  

Emma Shore is a graphic designer and art director who has worked for influential institutions and brands in the arts and music field, such as the National Theatre and Boiler Room in London. Since 2018, she's taken over the role of art director at Bandcamp: we talk about how she's been able to leave her visual imprint on Bandcamp's editorial features, her curation style, her way of liaising with artists and the coolest record sleeves she's seen recently.  

Jacob Adam Alvarez is the creative behind “Marquee Marauders Club”. He is a young angeleno who’s gained reputation among music lovers and artists for his music-related bootleg action figures, featuring some of the biggest acts of our times – and some old school ones too. We chat about his craft, his recent collaboration with Arlo Parks and his plan to turn this side project into a full time job, involving live shows, original merch and exhibitions. 

Riley Blakeway is an Australian award-winning filmmaker and photographer. His films have screened at festivals around the world and have been featured in leading international newspapers and magazines. We chat about his collaboration with Genesis Owusu – Australia's  2021 breakthrough act – on the videos of “Gold Chains” and “The Other Black Dog”. 

Weirdcore is an audiovisual artist who has created designs and animations for acts such as Aphex Twin, Arca, M.I.A, Radiohead, Charli XCX, Tame Impala, Oneohtrix Point Never and other game changers in the world of contemporary music. We chat about his background; his career's turning points; the places where he looks for inspiration and the cultural stuff he rates; his outstanding live shows and his latest experiments with NFTs.   

Ayomikun Fagbemi is the co-founder of “Play Nice”, a “creative studio building intersections between communities”, a cultural/social enterprise that incarnates the diversity of London's creative scene. We talk about “The New Rave”, their recent short film commissioned by the Design Museum, which highlights the role of black diaspora in the birth and evolution of club music, turning a spotlight on London’s contemporary underground scene. 

Jason Jägel is a painter, educator, and commissioned public artist.  He's been living in SF for 30 years, collaborating with cutting edge artists such as Madlib and MF Doom. As for the latter, Jason designed the iconic cover of his 2004 album "MM..Food". We begin from this record sleeve to discover the artworks, stories, passions and influences of the artist behind it.    

Michael Leuffen and Philipp Maiburg are Heads of Music at Carhartt WIP. We chat about their careers before landing a job at one of the most influential streetwear brands in the world. Then we talk over the past, present and future of Carhartt's WIP commitment to independent music and counterculture; sharing insiders' stories about their radio, artist partnerships, and most iconic collaborations – from Motown and Trojan to the latest "Relevant Parties" capsule collection.  

Gaurab Thakali, illustrator and artist based in London, is one of the most influential visual interpreters of South-London's contemporary jazz scene. We chat about his upbringing in Nepal; his coming of age in London; his discovery of jazz culture as a student at the Camberwell College of Arts and the musicians and clubs that shaped his imagination.
Last but not least, he gives us a spoiler on the  multidisciplinary exhibition "Return to Slygo", his latest collaboration with fashion designer Nicholas Daley, on display this spring at Greenwich's NOW Gallery.