The Swedish boys of Lo-Fi-Fnk are bringing the electro funk frenzy to Highline Ballroom this Saturday, March 1st. Spinning tasty synth-pop tracks from their 2006 Moshi Moshi release, Boylife, and beyond, Leo Drougge and August Hellsing know how to keep an attractive crowd hot on their toes. Also on the lineup are Canadian indie dance rockers The Cansecos, Boston’s beatmaker Sluttt (a.k.a. Red Foxx), Finger On The Pulse DJs and the Fluokids straight from France. Put on your brightest neon duds and hightail it to the Highline Ballroom for this GBH and Big Stereo sponsored megabash!

Highline Ballroom, 431 W. 16^th St., Doors 11:30 p.m. $10. 18+ with I.D.

Meet Dosa Kim, an Atlanta-based graphic designer and illustrator with a knack for creating the most surreal (and sometimes disturbing) works of art through various forms of media. Kim’s latest solo exhibition, High Contrast, will flood the walls of Invisible NYC Art Gallery come Thursday, featuring massive canvases in primarily black and white paint, but with added splashes of bright color. After studying graphic design at the Art Institute of Atlanta, Kim now keeps himself busy with consulting work for ad agencies, promoters and Georgia-based clothing lines, in addition to spending time in the studio. Though Kim’s pieces can be described as minimalistic, they are always bold in design, often incorporating pseudo-traditional Asian aesthetics to portray the rich culture of the American south. Head to Invisible NYC’s Lower East Side art space this Thursday evening for the opening reception of High Contrast, and see Kim’s eye-opening artwork for yourself.

Invisible NYC, 148 Orchard St., (212) 228-1358
Opening Reception: Feb. 7th, 7 - 9 p.m.
Gallery Hours: Tues. - Sat., 12 - 8 p.m. Runs until March 15th.

Do the folks at Kitsuné Maison ever sleep? The answer seems to be “mais non!” since the powerhouse Parisian electro label is about to crank out Kitsuné Maison 5, the collective’s fifth installation to their growing list of dance-happy compilation albums. Due out February 4th, the comp will feature some very exclusive tracks and remixes by the likes of Fischerspooner, M.I.A., Digitalism, Autokratz, Big Face and Yelle - in addition to much more madness. Visit Rough Trades or Colette to pre-order yourself a coveted copy - which is wrapped in gold, nonetheless.

With five years of style and design experience under her belt, and a former position as the production manager of NYC super brand Supreme, Erin Magee has firmly planted herself in the midst of a growing streetwear industry. Magee left Supreme with aspirations to start her own women’s line, which she successfully launched this past fall under the moniker, MadeMe. Her “First of Fall” collection flew off the racks, proving that she has a bright future ahead of her in the urban apparel market.

MadeMe’s spring line, dubbed “The Immaculate Collection,” is made up of fun, sexy pieces with a hint of androgyny. “I have always found power and attractiveness in women that dress with a masculine style,” says Magee, who cites Vivienne Weswood, Halston, Balenciaga and Madonna as icons of her inspiration. “The Immaculate Collection” gives off a vintage vibe with acid washed denim shorts, pop-art influenced tees, and ‘70s-style geometric print spandex leggings made in collaboration with Kansas city designer Peggy Noland. A striking motorcycle jacket made of plaid cotton fabric, suspenders and high-waisted trousers give the line a unique edge for street-wear loving ladies not scared of making a statement. With her keen sense of style and individuality, Magee is taking the shifting women’s streetwear market by storm as one of the youngest female designers in the field.

Visit MadeMe’s website for stocklist information.

As the child of a busy British dress maker, Osman Yousefzada has had his heart set on fashion for as long as he can remember. The self-taught Yousefzada learned to wield a needle and thread long before his acceptance into Central Saint Martin’s highly regarded design program, and he hasn’t looked back since. In addition to his fondness for Eastern Indian culture, the emerging British designer’s vision is one of structure and clean lines. Yousefzada plays the role of an architect, using the finest chiffon and cotton blends to construct garments with modern silhouettes.

As the winner of the New Generation sponsorship and thus the sole newcomer offered a spot in London’s Spring/Summer ‘08 Fashion Week, Yousefzada’s progressive “Tribal-Bauhaus” collection turned heads as his models marched down the catwalk draped in shimmering ensembles - sans shoes, nonetheless. “Tribal-Bauhaus” offers a broad array of pieces for every occasion, including crisp white button-downs, footless knee socks in the vein of Prada and stunning metallic bodices constructed from twisted wire - the perfect conversation piece. While Yousefzada’s Spring/Summer pallet largely consists of whites, creams and blacks, the occasional pop of bright color adds a fun and unexpected element of surprise. Other collection highlights include several sheer bell-shaped hoop skirts, the incorporation of geometric cut-outs, and silky dresses in a rich shades of cranberry, electric or midnight blue.

Yousefzada’s pieces are currently available at Liberty, Podium and Fred Segal in London and already popular among fashion-forward models like Kate Moss and Lily Cole - so remember to keep this designer on your fashion radar. Yousefzada is certainly a name to look out for in the coming seasons.

Push that monopoly board aside and prepare to party like a rock star this New Year’s Eve. Nitrus, Tik Tok, Dim Mak and Modular Records are throwing the First Annual HARD NYE Music Festival - which may just be the biggest New Year’s Eve bash to ever invade L.A.’s downtown art district. Featuring some of the hottest names in hip hop and electronic music, the party’s headliners include the life-altering 70’s funk mixes of Parisian power duo, Justice, along with Peaches, 2 Live Crew, Dim Mak’s own Steve Aoki, Busy P of the Ed Banger dynasty, DJ A-Trak and over 25 other bangin’ DJs and bands.

And if that weren’t enough, there will also be a special screening of Daft Punk’s new film, Electroma, in addition to performance art by Cirque Aerial Acrobats, Wish and J’Dagon! and The Engine. So kiss 2007 goodbye in style as you dance the night away in a sparkling cloud of hipster euphoria. And yes, of course, the Cobra Snake will be there to document all the scandalous events that you likely won’t remember.

Pre-sale tickets are available for $75 at wantickets.com up until 5 PM on January 31st. And while the VIP package will cost you a bundle at $175, you’ll arrive in comfort with valet parking, and be offered party favors, loads of premium champagnes and liquors and a separate no-wait entrance into an exclusive VIP only warehouse. Sounds like a deal.

HARD New Year’s Eve
Premiere Events Center
613 Imperial Street
Los Angeles, CA 90021
6:00 PM - 4:00 AM
21+ with ID

As I reminisce back on 2007’s plethora of musical offerings, I’m compelled to mention a particular band that’s remained somewhat under the radar, but are impressive in their own right. Stateless is an experimental five-piece from Leeds, UK, who’ve been patiently plugging away at their ethereal interpretation of rock and trip-hop since 2004, and are finally starting to turn some heads in the process. On their latest self-titled album, produced by Jim Abbiss (DJ Shadow, Bjork) and released by !K7 Records, Stateless effortlessly and elegantly fuse together ambient rock with piano, strings and subtle electronic elements, in addition to some hip hop nuances. The result is a soulful collage of spine-tingling songs that bare resemblance to the melancholy likes of Coldplay, Radiohead and Sigur Ros. “I think I might have inhaled you,” croons vocalist Chris James during “Bloodsteam,” the album’s restless single, featuring Lateef The Truthspeaker. It’s an alluring piano ballad layered with break beats, and it truly is the focal point of the album. Stateless continue to push the boundaries between genres while racking up slews of positive media reviews in the process. Visit the band’s MySpace to let their haunting music seep into your own bloodstream, or watch their video for “Bloodstream,” below.

If you’ve ever wandered down Greene or Spring Street in Soho, chances are you’ve probably stumbled upon the works of Andrew Cotton. Settled on the sidewalk, surrounded by an array of colorful canvases, Cotton embraces a grassroots approach when promoting his graffiti style artwork. Cotton enjoys his everyday interactions with pedestrians, understanding that the art community is made stronger with every bit of support one can secure. This sort of receptive mentality has certainly served him well. By simply remaining a public presence, Cotton has attracted the interest of several New York galleries, who’ve in turn offered him his first gallery shows.

Cotton has come a long way since his upbringing in Northwest London. Turned off by the banality of art school, he left to pursue his own forward-thinking techniques, rather than conform to his professors’ wishes. But after all, isn’t it true that artistic talent cannot be taught? Cotton uses spray paint, intricate stencils and paint splatter to create paintings of cityscapes and urban life with an otherworldly feel. Lately, he’s been experimenting with the process of oxidization, and recently held a collaborative show with Gregory Kirschenbaum, called “Exploration In Oxidization.” Besides the street, Cotton’s artwork is available online or at the Warde-Nasse Gallery, located at 178 Prince Street. Plans for an upcoming show in January ‘08 will be announced soon on Cotton’s website.

If you’ve yet to get a handle on your holiday shopping, kick-start your spending spree this weekend at BUST’s Holiday Craftacular third-annual . This Saturday, December 8th, “the magazine for women with something to get off their chests,” will be holding an all-day craft fair at the Metropolitan Museum, where the newfangled creations of 200+ chosen independent designers will be available for perusing. BUST is going all out this year: with three times as many femme-friendly vendors than in the years past, thousands are expected to show up. Booths will be offering a vast selection of kick knacks, doodads and other novelties, including Christmas ornaments, jewelry, knitwear, vintage clothing, home décor - and the list goes on. (Check out the full list of vendors right here.) In addition to the hand-crafted spread, you can grab a drink and hit the dance floor, or seek out the talented Amy Sedaris, who’ll be available for book signing. So come on girls, the dust is finally settling from the aggressive Black Friday consumers - there’s no more excuses, it’s officially safe to step into shopping territory.

BUST Magazine’s Holiday Craftacular:
December 8th, 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM at The Metropolitan Museum
125 West 18th St. (between 6th and 7th Ave.) New York, NY $1.00 for admission

On Thursday, December 6th, Londoners will gather in Trafalgar Square to celebrate the city’s 61st annual lighting of a majestic Norwegian Christmas tree. The Yuletide tradition stems back to 1947, when Norway first offered a massive tree as a symbol of their appreciation to Britain, who assisted them against Nazi occupation during the Second World War. Often described as “The Queen of Forest” by its Norwegian caretakers, a new tree is carefully selected for each holiday season (sometimes years in advance) from the forests that border Norway’s capital city of Oslo. The 70-foot-tall tree is decorated in traditional Norwegian fashion and topped with vertical strings of energy-efficient light bulbs, which will be lit by Norwegian Prime Minister, Jens Stoltenberg, and the Lord Mayor of Westminster, Councillor Carolyn Keen. The ceremony begins at 6:00pm, and will include bell ringing, carols sung by the Choir of St Martin-in-the-Fields and music by the Westminster Salvation Army band - a merrymaking celebration one shouldn’t miss.

Trafalgar Square Tree Lighting Ceremony: Trafalgar Square, Westminster, UK. 6:00pm, Free.