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August 28, 2013 Backdoor Pharmacist

Ambien or zolpidem is a prescription hypnotic of the imidazopyridine class. It is the chemical relative of Sonata (zaleplon), Imovane (zopiclone) and Lunesta (eszopiclone). Colloquially, these nonbenzodiazepine drugs are referred to as “Z-drugs” and are some of the most commonly prescribed “oh just go to bed already” drugs. The Z-drugs work their magic via potentiating […]

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August 27, 2013 Andy Cush

“Listen In” is a weekly feature in which we ask musicians to curate a mixtape-length YouTube playlist of songs they’re currently digging. This week’s playlist is courtesy of Heavenly Beat, aka erstwhile Beach Fossils bassist John Peña, and leans heavily on breakbeats and ’90s nostalgia. Hits from the middle of that decade, when radio-friendly “alternative […]

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August 26, 2013 Marina Galperina

ANIMAL’s feature Artist’s Notebook asks artists to show us their original “idea sketch” next to a finished piece. This week, Danish artist Jacob Kirkegaard — one of the artists exhibiting at MoMA current “Soundings” show — shares the inspirations and audio from his sound art piece Labyrinthitis, sent to us just before his recent performance of the piece at Eyebeam. I […]

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August 22, 2013 Michael Rougeau

Edward Snowden: traitor to his country, true American hero, or video game protagonist? Pick two out of three. The man who blew the whistle on the NSA is no longer holed up in a Russian airport terminal, washing his hair in the sinks of public restrooms with travel-sized bottles of shampoo. Now he’s the star […]

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August 21, 2013 Marina Galperina

Have you done LSD, psilocybin or mescaline? You are no more likely to exhibit symptoms of mental illness or find yourself in mental health treatment, says a new study from Norway. Johns Hopkins School of Medicine psychiatry department psychologist Matthew W. Johnson says, There seems to be no evidence of overall negative impact — and even some […]

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August 20, 2013 Andy Cush

“Listen In” is a weekly feature in which we ask musicians to curate a mixtape-length YouTube playlist of songs they’re currently digging. This week’s playlist comes from the synth punks Holograms, who curated a list heavy on Swedish compatriots like Makthaverskan, Skriet, and Idde Schultz, peppered with a generous helping of American chillwave via Memory […]

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August 19, 2013 Marina Galperina

ANIMAL’s feature Artist’s Notebook asks artists to show us their original “idea sketch” next to a finished piece. This week, artist Tristan Perich shows us the beginnings and production of Microtonal Wall, a piece currently on view at the MoMA “Soundings.” Made up of  1,500 tiny speakers, Microtonal Wall emits a texture of sound that changes as you walk along […]

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August 13, 2013 Andy Cush

“Listen In” is a weekly feature in which we ask musicians to curate a mixtape-length YouTube playlist of songs they’re currently digging. This week’s “Listen In” comes from Brooklyn’s own Grooms, whose own music pairs ’90s shabby romanticism and energy with propulsive arrangements and crystal-clear production. For their playlist, the’ve compiled a genre-hopping mix that […]

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August 12, 2013 Marina Galperina

ANIMAL’s feature Artist’s Notebook asks artists to show us their original “idea sketch” next to a finished piece. This week, Brooklyn-based artist Kyle Petreycik talks about his latest, material-centric sculpture “BYOB.”  Specifically for this piece, I selected a few objects and then simply put them ‘into play’ within a physical space. I’ve found myself working mostly intuitively at the […]

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August 7, 2013 Backdoor Pharmacist

Caffeine is a strong stimulant of the xanthine class. Naturally occurring, it’s the world’s most commonly consumed upper. Religions even exempt caffeine from restrictions on intoxicants because no one would worship a god that didn’t let you have a tea or a Coke. Caffeine is an addictive psychostimulant drug. It’s not known exactly how many […]

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