Audio = Ground Zero

JBL Live Pro 2 TWS + TWS

JBL has much more to offer than the array of Bluetooth speakers it has become known for over the last couple of years, as the brand has contributed heavily to the improvement of speakers at large over the last hundred years.

Not only did JBL set the de-facto standard in concert touring speakers and sound systems in IMAX theatres, but their technology is inextricably linked to legendary recording studios like Abbey Road and their playback speakers and festivals like Woodstock.

In the realm of manufacturing superb headphones, JBL has firmly established itself on the forefront of offering cutting edge products in each tier, be it for affordable and cheerful options or higher end products for the dedicated audiophile.

When it comes to feature laden low-frequency depth in-ears, JBL’s stem styled  Live Pro 2 TWS earbuds offer a powerful audio performance, which manages to masterfully accentuate both high and lows along with functionality in the noise cancellation department, a ten band customizable EQ and a full-featured app with hands-free Alexa and Google Assistant.

Coming equipped with three pairs of silicone ear tips, it is ensured that they fit snugly, which enhances the easy-to-operate capacitive touch panel on the outside of each earpiece where simple tapping switches between ANC and ambient modes, as well as enabling the Talk Thru mode. 

Simple tapping the respective earpieces is again the name of the game when it comes to handling playback, with double tapping skipping tracks forward, and triple tapping taking one to the previous song. Double tapping on either earpiece accepts incoming calls and ends any in progress. 

IPX5 water-resistance  ensures that the Live Pro 2 can withstand splashes and low-pressure jets from any direction. 

Housed in medium-sized Qi standard supporting wireless charging case, which is enhanced by a status LED display, reveals the remaining battery life of the ten hours it can last in addition to the thirty hours the case itself can provide, while a USB-C port sits on the back for the included USB-A-to-USB-C charging cable. 

Having used the Live Pro 2 TWS in-ears while travelling, I appreciated the exquisite quality noise cancellation for the price, which manages to expertly take out distracting noise in casual environments. 

During workouts, the automatic pause is a handy feature as it stops the music when an earbud falls out and the Find My Buds feature helps to locate each one individually by resonating with a high-pitched beep.

Summa summarum, JBL’s Live Pro 2 is a small, sleek looking, well-rounded and feature-packed pair of true wireless earbuds that ticks all the boxes in terms of style, energetic sound quality and affordability. 

Stepping things up a notch or two and geared towards connoisseurs is the beauty that is the JBL Tour Pro+ TWS True Wireless Earbuds not merely because of the aesthetically pleasing packaging they come in, but with the extensive gear they are accompanied by, i.e. five differently-sized ear tips, a USB-C charging cable, a charging case, and two differently sized sets of stabilisers.

While this little numbers comes with all the features the aforementioned Live Pro 2 came with, what sets it apart is the schmick design of the superbly built compact and sturdy yet lightweight LED equipped charging case, which is understated and classy, along with the minimalist details of the scratch and sweat resistant, oval shaped earbuds with touch-sensitive surfaces, protruding from the ear just the right amount so they can be easily inserted and pulled out.

Hands-free functionality is ensured via smart capabilities, i.e. Alexa, Siri and Google Assistant voice activation and as far as active noise cancelling technology is concerned, JBL’s Tour Pro+ maximises audio quality by drawing on both external and internal microphones to reduce distracting noises. 

Compared to the Live Pro 2, the Tour Pro+ do not merely deliver punchy bass but also excel in the mid-range and top notes department and with up to 32 hours of playback time, this baby will keep you going all day.

Another fantastic feature the Tour Pro+ accomplishes compared to similarly priced competitors is the crystal-clear communication courtesy of six microphones focusing on placing your voice front- and centre.

By personalising EQ settings, one can create customising frequency levels of the balanced sound signature, which I love.

In essence, the Tour Pro+ TWS proves to be one of my favourite products from JBL, especially because of the design, the quality of voice calls and the equilibrium between price and high-end performance.

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images from company website

Arrival in Our World Is Really a Departure

It should not come as an epiphany that we produce more clothing than ever before, with the driver being monetary gains rather than human necessities.

Needless to say, it did not take long for the more caring facets of the fashion industry to engage in what is commonly referred to as circular economy, i.e. the commitment to reusing, re- and upcycling by design which at the best of times can be challenging as the composition of most clothing is complex, sheer endlessly variable in terms of source materials and unlike metal, paper or glass simply not designed to be recycled. 

In other words, if the objective of recycling is to culminate in arriving in a product close to the original, all components would first need to be separated, which would be a labour and cost intensive exercise.

Enter Brooklyn-based brand The Arrivals, the research lab of which has been tasked to creatively produce a net-neutral offering of products, culminating in their limited SS22 collection, which is comprised of responsibly constructed garments leveraging recycled, rehabilitated, and repurposed textiles titled SIGNAL LOST.

Centred around the reuse of vintage fabric and 100% repurposed organic cotton, the resulting carefully designed soft wear styles have been hand-dyed with graphical designs, giving them an idiosyncratic edge and promoting a mindful present and the endeavour to create the foundation for a meaningful future. 

I specifically dig The Arrivals’ collaboration with the outdoor and sports brand MAAP, as it was the first exposure to the cycling industry stepping up to produce a performance gear  built for distance capsule collection to blur the boundary between explorers and their surroundings, merging on-bike performance with an off-bike ethos with products like long sleeve tees made from Polartec Power Dry, containing 50% recycled PET fibre content and moisture wicking properties.

An immensely useful piece is the packable insulated jacket made from 100% post-consumer textiles and Primaloft Black Eco thermal insulation, with a water repellent finish, adjustable hood and multiple useful pockets. 

Born of frustration with the excessive of the world’s natural resource, the collaboration between The Arrivals and MAAP manifests the belief that social and environmental issues go hand in hand and through exploring the connection between these issues, syncing  sustainability and innovativeness. 

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image from company website

The Formative Years - Adrenalin O.D. 

Based in New Jersey and active from 1981 to 1990, Adrenalin O.D. pioneered blazing speed-punk with sarcastic lyrics and a humorous edge.

With their first emission they found themselves on what is considered the definitive document of the late 1970s punk and emerging hardcore scene, i.e. the New York Thrash tape compilation, which was released through the ROIR cassettes label in 1982.

Let's Barbeque was Adrenalin O.D.’s first vinyl release and along with their 1984 LP The Wacky Hi-Jinks of Adrenalin O.D. became instant cult classics. 

Originally released on the band’s own Buy Our Records label and capturing the frustrations and restlessness of suburban youth during the angst-filled Reagan era, the full length delivers fifteen songs in less than twenty-four minutes comprised of lightspeed paced riffing without running danger of lacking musicality, pummelling drumming and majestical onslaughts delivered to the point, peppered with wise-ass derision, comedic elements and mayhem in equal measure.

To this day Adrenalin O.D.’s first full length remains one of the most energetic offerings that has emerged from within the aforementioned historical continuum, creating the foundation for irreverent punk and speed metal to fuse and thereby effectively being one of the originators that spawned thrash metal and served as a source of inspiration for bands like Anthrax and Stormtroopers of Death.

Fulfilling social needs through well-made products: TEIXIDORS assimilates and ICEBREAKER differentiates

Full disclosure: It was not until very recently that I started to value the merits of wool, linen and cashmere, especially when it comes to high-end pieces manufactured with utmost care with the outcomes being tangible in terms of comfort, elegance, softness and moisture wicking insulation.

However, once I licked blood and tumbled down the rabbit hole of related offerings, I found the wool and fibre market increasingly difficult to navigate due to large discrepancies in both quality and price tags. 

After quite a bit of trial and error, my interest was piqued during a recent trip to Spain as through a local recommendation in Barcelona, I was made aware of a co-op that has been not only been focussed on crafting wonderfully imperfect textiles for close to forty years but has since its inception made the social integration of people with learning difficulties and at risk of social inclusion their key tenet.

Teixidors’ operations are centred around the manual loom, at which a person with a disability is trained to become an expert with an incredible capability to transform high quality raw materials such as cashmere and Merino wool into exquisite and unique blankets and shawls, the result of which is eventually being taken to market through some of the most exclusive stores on this earthround.

With the art of weaving requiring constant interaction by the weaver, an unwavering focus on the task at hand to count the passes of the shuttle and the ability to coordinate the movement of at times up to six different treadles to measure the pressure of the beater on the warp and weft, it goes without saying that these are skills that take years to perfect.

Via the precise movements and meticulous skills developed by the weaver, fibres are transformed into idiosyncratic handwoven pieces: There is a musical poetry to the process as the loom moves in unison with the vibe and energy of its operator, who subtly interchanges rhythms, ultimately translating into a permanent crossing of threads, leaving a stamp of individuality on each piece woven.

With sustainability, traceability of materials and environmental impact being at the core of Teixidors’ DNA, they work with a singular farmer in the Provence region of France and buy his entire production of wool on an annual basis, which is then washed and combed at a GOTS certified facility before Teixidors makes its own yarn in their workshop.

More exotic source materials like Yak wool and cashmere are sourced from co-operatives in Mongolia that were started by Veterinaries Without Borders in a bid to secure fair salaries and responsible production in the region. 

Avoiding the allure of using cheap materials and adding chemicals in the production process to manipulate the material into becoming softer and fluffier, Teixidors’ approach is informed by a well-calibrated formula balancing efficiency and profitability, thereby bringing out the very best in natural materials by using ecological soap, water and time, i.e. washing each pieces individually by hand.

In essence, Teixidors is an example par excellence for using their constraints and limitations as a strength for a market segment that desires a unique product – and doing good along the way.

When I started icebreaker I was 24, broke and had absolutely no idea what I was doing.

A chance meeting with a merino sheep farmer had sparked something inside me, a passion. From that moment I was hooked on the possibilities of natural solutions to technical apparel. Starting out was hard. Those years were pure belief and perseverance. Giving up never entered my mind for a moment. At the time, synthetics were king and wool was a non-contender.

Now over 20 years later, merino-based apparel is seducing wearers all over the world and we’re proud of the part we play in sharing the wonder and brilliance of the power of nature. Its beauty, resourcefulness and strength are qualities we are committed to and humbled by constantly.

Change of gear and location?

Inspired by what nature provides and a prototype of thermal underwear, Icebreaker has been channeling its alchemy in the realm of everything soft, silky and incredibly comfortable in the southwestern Pacific Ocean based on superfine wool shorn off the backs of merino sheep since 1995 and has since evolved to a veritable global player with flagship stores in Europe and the US.

If you are over unsustainable synthetic, plasticky outdoor fabrics - such as polyester and polypropylene – and are looking for a high performing natural merino fibre layering clothing system meant to keep you alive in the elements, you would be well advised to take note these Kiwi trailblazers.

Timeless and simple in terms of elegant designs, and designed around the philosophy of social ethics and sustainability, Icebreaker is pro-actively transcending single usage and with its multifunctional and purposeful pieces proves to be diametrically opposed to fast fashion. 

With a focus on natural fibres as the key ingredient of its fabric composition, Icebreaker’s ‘top to toe’ layering system is enhanced by combining merino with other fibres, e.g. with a touch of Elastane to enhance garments in terms of stretch and comfort, thereby organically adapting to your life and style, be it dedicated collections focussed on outdoor activities like skiing and snowboarding in the wilderness, biking, urban environments or accessories that keep you cosy within the solitary confinement of your abode.

A favourite of the current Icebreaker collection includes the Merino Ainsworth Hooded Jacket which provides cool-weather warmth and a subtly understated stylish refuge from the elements.

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image from Teixidors website

The Formative Years – Social Distortion

Despite having been formed in 1978, Social Distortion did not really enter my musical cosmos until the early 1990s via a taped version of their Mommy's Little Monster and Prison Bound LPs. Especially their debut album coloured me intrigued and sent me down a rabbit hole to track down a dubbed VHS version from Urs Völlmin (Apocalypse Now fanzine-fame) of the Another State of Mind tour documentary.

Mommy’s Little Monster captured essentially the DNA of adolescent punk rock, i.e. fast paced tempi, omnipresent teenage angst and timeless melodies that eventually became a trademark for Orange County based punk bands.

However, the Prison Bound LP with its country / western flavours and the band entering of what was to become classified as honky tonk influenced “cowpunk” did not manage to ignite my imagination, to put it mildly, and I was pretty sure that the band had peaked early on until, well, until I was taken by surprise by the release of the album White Light, White, Heat, White Trash in 1996.

The album saw Social Distortion return to a harder sound, let go of country influences and as the cherry on top, they managed to recruit former Danzig drummer Chuck Biscuits, who propelled the band forward in a live environment with his idiosyncratic drumming that is reminiscent of him beating up his drum kit. 

Apart from powerful, passionate and personal lyrics dealing with personal demons and an underlying darkness and sinister feeling all songs seem to be informed by, the album harbours the song Don’t Drag Me Down, which is easily one of the hardest songs Social Distortion has written, both in terms of the subject matter as well as musically. 

It was fantastic to catch them on tour in 1996 and witness them in a small venue packed to the rafters transition from the Rolling Stones cover Under my Thumb into Don’t Drag Me Down.