Nothing beats the visceral satisfaction of finding music classics on vinyl at the local swap meet. Or better yet, swiping classic rock records from Dad’s forgotten collection. But there has to be something said about getting those old jams freshly remastered onto brand new, fresh-off-the-press wax. In that case, you’ll be happy to hear about Led Zeppelin remastered boxed sets on vinyl. Led Zeppelin IV (a record recently recognized by Spotify as a landmark record in music history) and Houses of the Holy have been freshly remastered and repressed into a true collector’s dream box set. Aside from having your favorite songs made a little cleaner and fuller sounding by Jimmy Page, other steps up the stairway to heaven include: individually numbered prints of the cover, download card of original audio and of course newly remastered music on vinyl (and CD) with companion audio and artwork. Also includes previously unreleased outtakes and an 80-page hardcover book. A must have for record collectors, rock enthusiasts and international air guitarists. Each remastered box set goes for $150.

One more peek onto the pages of Led Zeppelin after the Jump…

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The Micheal Lau (sometimes known as Crazy Smiles) Garden(palm)er collection continues. You may remember last installment from this past Spring, created in conjunction with How2Work toys. The third Garden(Palm)er Series finally shipped in late December after having preorders booked back since Summer. Each 10-piece set of 1/12th-scaled articulated figures went for $650, the toy figurines standing at about 18cm and having 16 articulated joints. Good news is that wait was made worthwhile, because a secret “bonus” figure got added to the batch. Meet RESPA — a little guy rocking a helmet, vintage Hawaiian shirt and Eastpak knapsack, with all the meticulous detailing you’d expect from a Lau piece. If you’re trying to get a set, or Respa specifically, contact Falcon’s Hangar — or scour eBay for help.

The always great Essential Mix series for BBC Radio 1 is gonna throw in a new twist this year. For 2015 the plan is to invite two great DJs/producers/artists together to collaborate on a single mix, creating something truly unique. First up to bat is Sweden’s great Eric Prydz, who teams up with protégé Jeremy Olander on a 2-hour excursion into Prydz school of melodic, deep, dark house — including several tracks by their respective techno aliases, Cirez D and Dhillon. Enjoy!

Full track list of the Prydz X Olander “Essential Mix after the Jump…

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Originally dubbed the New Sports Experimental, the original NSX shattered expectations for what an affordable supercar could be — or rather, should be. The new, second generation 2016 NSX has lofty expectations to live up to.

This morning Acura took the sheets off the single piece of machinery that will actually get Americans excited about the Acura brand: the NSX. Not just interested in, mind you, but excited about. The original NSX debuted 25 years ago next month, redefining the supercar paradigm in the process and creating a vehicle that changed people’s perception of the Honda brand.

Now the second-gen NSX will come out under Honda’s luxury brand, Acura, but they are ensuring the mid-engine supercar reflects all of the touch points that made the original legend so respected. This is the car that Ferrari allegedly bought and took apart piece-by-piece, in order to emulate the level of exact execution and finish. Some argue the NSX is the car most responsible for elevating the storied Italian marque from maker of exotic but flawed performance machines into the maker of exotic but flawless performance machines.

Fitting that Acura chose the Detroit Auto Show (NAIAS) to debut the vehicle, as the NSX will be very American-centric. Not only was it developed entirely in the USA, but it will also be built in the USA — at Acura’s new Performance Manufacturing Center (PMC) in Marysville, Ohio. A supercar built in America? Not common, but Acura brass were adamant to stress that the NXS will be a vehicle that reflects Acura’s well-established American roots.

“The NSX makes a powerful statement about the strong role being played by our North American operations in envisioning and building the future of Acura,” Executive VP Erik Berkman broadcasted from the NAIAS stage this morning. “Starting today, you will see Acura focus even more strongly on our core values and DNA as a ‘challenger’ brand — breaking some rules, and doing the unexpected to create new value for luxury buyers. Moving forward, you can expect premium products that place even greater emphasis on dynamic design, premium content and exhilarating performance.”

And that clearly starts with the second gen NSX.

The NSX Concept originally shown back in 2012 was considerably different from the final dress version that Acura unwrapped today. Through the car’s development it has gone through a number of different powertrains, and even a major engine placement switch. The second gen NSX has flirted with a naturally aspirated V6, and even a V10 — mounted on the front, no less, to the great consternation of NSX purists everywhere. But that has all changed considerably, with Acura moving from a transverse-mounted engine to a longitudinally mounted one. Oh, and they also bolted on twin turbochargers, and developed a first-in-class 9-speed dual clutch transmission.

Hit the Jump to continue reading about the 2016 Acura NSX Supercar…

“In the process of swallowing the extra motors & gears, the new NSX has grown larger…”

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If you’ve been to the Aspen lodge with Lloyd Christmas, or done a time-defying ski run worthy of a scene in Hot Tub Time Machine, you probably are in need of some proper head gear. Good, because the Osbe Proton Senior Ski Helmet is for serious hardcore snow athletes like yourself. Bragging points include: multi-impact resistant shell that will ward off your next concussion, visor with mirrored-flash for a little 007-gadget increased peripheral vision and UV protection, micrometric buckle — which means  adjusting with your gloves will make you feel less like a fumbling lobster — and then of course the  goggle-strap holder and helmet bag. Other perks (because yes, there are more) include the Direct Air Flux (DAF) ventilation system (because your brain needs central heating and air conditioning), removable plush lining, and if you’re really getting crazy you can purchase a music/phone accessory so you can call Mom while hitting the half-pipe. Do your next black diamond while looking like an astronaut for $299.

Newly available on the Rotofugi Limited store is the especially limited-edition exhibition toy-piece known as “The Passage — Ignited“. Created by Mark Landwehr and Sven Waschk of Coarse, “The Passage” is available on a strict one-per-household basis, with a total of 150 available in all. If you’re not familiar with Coarse, you’re probably not nearly nerdy enough, but you can take a catch-up course in coarse here, here and here. Also, here’s one more.

The accompanying backstory to the art is as follows:

“Ruth was gone. That much we knew. 

But for reasons obscure to me now, we did not join the search for her, linking arms in cornfields and dressing phone poles with her yearbook picture, but I thought of the search every day it happened. 

During the nights that followed I would lie in bed not quite asleep but not quite awake, dreaming with my eyes wide open. “Daydreaming,” my mother thought I meant. “But if you’re daydreaming in bed, isn’t it nightdreaming?” I asked. She said, “No, sweetheart, that’s just being alive”.

Hmm…

“What does it mean?” you say. To which we say: *Shrug*.

The latest addition to the urban streetwear bent of long-time luxury brand Louis Vuitton is the Louis Vuitton Trailblazer sneaker boot. Notable points include the textured look of the upper through a patchwork of mesh, perforated nubuck and calf leather materials, a color-contrasted inner lining and a two-tone outsole. Also includes a removable anatomic sock, rear rubber insert, Damier-embossed oversize label and spare laces. Get a shoe upgrade for $995 each.

Check out the rest of the LV color ways after the Jump…

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Imagine Claude VonStroke’s 2009 track “MonsterIsland” as the soundtrack blasting in a transformative yet alien environment you’re appearing in for the first time. You’d be about 10 times more stoked to be there. Hit the fast forward button to 2015, and VonStroke & Co’s Dirtybird record label is now 10 years old all grown up from its humble beginnings in San Francisco’s Lower Haight. As VonStroke explains in his own words, “I can distinctly remember hand stamping vinyl promos at home with my friend Fernando and trying to figure out the best way to mail them to Europe.” The Soundcloud playlist below is a preview of the upcoming Dirtybird 10 release celebrating their 10 year anniversary, with tracks from likes of Justin Martin & Ardalan, Eats Everything, Breach & Oliver Dollar, Catz & Dogz, Shiba and of course plenty of Claude VonStroke himself. These are all dancefloor stompers, strobelight in effect. Dirtybird 10 compiles exciting and crafty music that makes a woodpile of many genres and ties them together with twine made of House, and barrel made of techno.

Preview their upcoming January 27th release below and read the track list after the Jump…

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