A vinyl record in an onchain record

Quality Drop 09: A mind-bending concept album

In 2016 the anthropologist Arturo Escobar published a startling design manual for how to build a more interdependent and pluralistic world.

That book, titled Designs for the Pluriverse, called into question the assumptions of capitalism and colonialism and championed philosophies and ways of being based on indigenous principles instead.

Seven years later, a group of musicians and artists have come together for an ambitious project to express Escobar’s ideas in a very different context: as a concept album.

Ambiguities for Discontinuities is a ten-track concept album by the Oakland-based Essential Fictions inspired by Escobar’s work and commissioned by a group created to highlight their possibilities called Pluriverse.wtf.

This Quality Drop marks the global debut of this release, and offers collectors a limited edition copy of the album in beautiful, deluxe vinyl.

On the record page you can preview the album by listening to each track (all anchored onchain). You can also learn about the lore and concepts behind it in this interview.

Ambiguities for Discontinuities is available in 150 onchain records (.08 ETH/$150) that offer a claimable physical copy of the vinyl, as well as via traditional payment options ($100 / 100 editions).

Metalabel is real life

Last weekend, Quality Drop 05: The Idiot Film Exhibition debuted at the Metrograph theater in NYC. The sold-out screening turned works made for isolated phone screen viewing into a mesmerizing collective experience in the theater and on Twitch.

The screening earned a rave in Office Magazine, which wrote:

“Among this corner of the internet, one where reposted images are manipulated until overprocessed and abrasively sardonic until no longer deciphered, a new type of artist has risen."

Congratulations to the artists involved, and thanks to our neighbors at Metrograph for generously hosting us.

New Creative Era

Since dropping New Creative Era two weeks ago, 450 people have cosigned the call for a new spirit of collaboration and mutual support among creative people, and our initial run of 500 physical zines are completely gone (!!). (Not to worry: a second printing arrives today.)

In the next two weeks we’ll host the first two events of what we’re calling New Creative Era Summer where we’ll bring our fellow artists and creators together for an intimate experience sharing our work and challenges.

Cosign New Creative Era today to join the experience.