ISLAND LIFE SHORTS
From the Hip
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MUSICIAN’S DOING HIS PART
Dorian Wright, inset, was born with the music gene, as the son of 1970s rock star Gary Wright, but he’s made his own way with an up-to-date musical career, writing music, producing and creating dance, pop and R&B music for his company, L Records, from a North Shore studio.
But his interest goes beyond music, with a conscious effort to be green.The producer, musician and environmental activist is also a yoga instructor at the Diamond Head Yoga Studio. His music studio runs off solar power.
“In Hawaiçi, we have a great source of wind and solar power that can be used to create our own energy, and the music coming out of our studio is a perfect example of that,” says Wright. His recent album, “L Bar: Disco Nights,” isn’t served up in a plastic CD case, but on a biodegradable
paper card embedded with wildflower seeds, with a code for online downloads. And he goes local, too: “Citizen of the World” contains track “39 Hotel,” a shout-out to the Chinatown club.
As a producer, his musical range goes from deep house to rock ’n’ roll; he’s currently working on a rock album with the band Acoustic Medicine from Kauaçi. “I believe that there is an artist in everyone, and it’s my job to bring it out,” he says. Download the sound at www.l-records.com and hear more at www.myspace.com/dorianwright.
— Lacy Matsumoto
DJ DECEPTION GIVING OUT FREE CDS AT WARD
Tony Balbuena might go by the name DJ Deception, but there is nothing deceitful about his music. As a member of the Nocturnal Sound Krew, his roots lie in Hawaiçi, but he resides in St. Louis, and occasionally stops in the Islands for gigs.
Balbuena recently collaborated with DJ Jay-E (who has produced music for rappers, including Nelly), to co-produce the new album “French Fries,” a mashup of old-school funk, new Top 40 songs and classic R&B.
As a tribute to his fellow Islanders, Balbuena is giving out 100 free copies of the CD today at the Ward Centre branch of Kicks HI, at 1200 Ala Moana, Suite 633; 591-8018, www.kickshawaii.com. How to get it? Bring a cut-out (or print-out) of this article to the store.
For more information on DJ Deception, go to www.myspace.com/djdeception808.
— L.M.
AEROPOSTALE: IT’S WORTH A LOOK
Eager customers were already waiting at the door to get in when Aeropostale opened its first Hawaiçi store May 22 on the third floor of Ala Moana Center. The trendy casual/smart store, targeted to teens, is popular for its comfortable styles at value-conscious prices — good for running around or kickin’ it at the beach. Even if you’re older than 18, the good prices make it worth a look at the jeans, belts and Ts.
Aeropostale’s second Hawaiçi store opened May 29 at Windward Mall, so its cute looks are now available on both sides of the Pali.
— Melissa Chang
NEW SOUNDS FOR EVERY TASTE
Check these new(ish) releases:
New York Dolls: “Cause I Sez So” — The New York Dolls were at the very forefront of the punk revolution, forming in 1971 and being the primary influence on early U.K. punk bands such as the Sex Pistols and, to a lesser degree, the Clash. The original group broke up in the late ’70s, but David Johansen and Sylvain Sylvain reunited the band in 2004 and put out their first studio record since 1974 in 2006. Now they have another gritty rock platter for us — recorded at Utopia Sound Studio on Kauaçi — in “Cause I Sez So.”
Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band: “Outer South” — Former Bright Eyes poster boy Conor Oberst returns in rootsy guise for his second album with the Mystic Valley Band. He now resides firmly in that space between alt-country and pop that is occupied by Wilco.
Fischerspooner: “Entertainment” — The New York electroclash duo have typically had long breaks between albums, and “Entertainment” is their first full-length release since 2005’s “Odyssey.” Fischerspooner is among the poppiest of the acts in the electroclash canon and its debt to Depeche Mode and New Order is on full display here.
Ben Harper and Relentless7: “White Lies for Dark Times” — Ben Harper’s ninth studio album is a blast of pure major-label rock.
— Sarah Zupko, PopMatters.comǝ
SALES & BARGAINS
• Dress up your weekend outfit and make it beachy-chic with a pair of cute dangly (but not precious) earrings. We love the simple designs of Noelani designs, and the price tag has us sold! Many beautiful hoops with semiprecious stones hover around $50; www.noelanidesigns.com.
• We all desire that “sun-kissed glow,” but the sun doesn’t kiss each of us in the same way. Our solution: fake it. A little shimmer goes a long way. Here’s a trick we recently discovered: Under foundation or powder, apply a light shimmery cream just below the outer corner of the eyes, up to the temples, and below the cheekbones; then apply a darker shimmer from the apples of the cheek up toward the temples. Blend out, then apply powder or your tinted moisturizer over the whole face for a light that appears to emanate from within. Try the Copacabana and South Beach shades of NARS’ Multiple stick; it’s multipurpose, so you can use it on eyes, cheeks or lips. We like these particular colors by NARS because they’re extremely versatile and work on most skin tones. Many other brands make their own version of the multiple stick, but these remain top sellers for a reason: They’re awesome. For assistance and demos, we like the help we get at Nordstrom, Ala Moana Center; 953-6100, www.nordstrom.com.
• Scrap the extra baggage of an extra-large tote — it’s too hot to cart around so much bag. Instead grab a cute clutch. How much stuff do you really “need” every day, anyhow? Plus clutches make great travel purses, as they can be easily shoved into a duffel. Express has cute ones for just $35. Express, Ala Moana Center; 955-5211, www.express.com.
• Now this is hot: Grab a $19/piece suit from Pualani. That’s right, just $19, online and at the Pualani boutique in the New Otani hotel, adjacent to Kaimana Beach. Pualani’s pieces, skimpy and not, stay put and are fit for all your water adventures. Mostly extra-small and large sizes remain, but they’re worth a look. Pualani, 2863 Kaläkaua Ave.; 923-0753, www.PualaniHawaii.com.
— Pualana Lemelle
WHAT’S ON YOUR IPOD?
Dorian Wright, L Records
1. “Rocket Love,” Stevie Wonder
2. “Spies,” Coldplay
3. “Bark at the Moon,” Ozzie Ozbourne
4. “Fragile,” Sting
5. “We Don’t Have That Much Time Together,” Terence Trent D’arby
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