It’s been a while. How’s it going? New pets, dogs, girlfriends, boyfriends?
After taking some time to step away and grow professionally and personally, WE BACK!
Can’t wait to get to it.
Passionate, Odd, Grateful
Passionate, Odd, Grateful
The One Year EP is the second album from Chaz Hearne, a Chicago folk musician. Chaz leads the way on the guitar/banjo with Alex Giliwicz accompanying on the cello as the album takes the listener on a journey through a young couples' relationship.
C: I've always loved concept albums. I like to use songs to tell a larger story. And so, we follow a young couple who moves into a cabin away from everything. The seasons show the passing of time as they explore different elements of a relationship.
A: Playing with the different textures and soundscapes of the cello in the folk context, applying those to create the different seasons in the world Chaz has envisioned, has been really enjoyable.
In writing the album, Chaz and Alex found a way to feel the authenticity of seasons.
C: To create from this lens, each song was written in the opposite time of year to capture the essence of each season.
Unique in vision, the emotion within the change of season is brought to light. Crisp autumn air comes alive through finger-picking while the budding optimism of spring is lyrically evident. If you get the chance, you'll want to check out a live performance.
C: Most people don't go to concerts just to see songs, they go because they want to have fun. My goal is to create a performance that goes beyond simply performing songs. Since all of my albums follow some sort of narrative, I've had a lot of fun enhancing my shows with costumes, kazoos, glow sticks... anything to get the audience involved.
Regardless of whether or not a live show is in the cards for you, stop reading and go take a listen. It's a journey you have to experience yourself.
You can also watch Chaz play the fifth track on the album, Yes We Will.
Summer 2016
What up ya'll. It's been a little quiet out here but we've been hard at work behind the scenes to put together a solid collection of gear for the chirping birds and sunny weather.
Unfortunately after some unforeseen delays, it looks like the defco Spring/Summer 2016 release has become a Summer 2016 release.
Although I'm still waiting for everything to get here... I've got some summer staples just itchin' for new homes, so they're going live right now! Check it.
definition company | Summer '16.
Contemplative, Connected, Curious
The stage feels sacred. There's a certain presence or emotional energy that hovers above the room
Contemplative, Connected, Curious
This is Sedgewick. A (sometimes) three-piece dream-folk band out of Chicago.
Formally, there are three of us. Functionally, we're a six-piece, explains Jake Hawrylak (guitar), one of the founding members along with Oliver Horton (bass) and Sam Brownson (guitar). When we play out we've got Mitch Settecase (drums), Sadie Glaspey (violin) and Alison Gaines (cello). Functionally we're a six piece.
Last year was a pivotal year for Sedgewick as they released their EP, Gardens.
With whimsical lyrical progressions and chords, The World in You - the first song off the EP - is the perfect background to that daydream you have as you stare out the window from the back row of math class. Beneath the Fireworks will have you thinking back to a summer love from long ago.
S: Nostalgia was definitely a theme because they were songs that Oliver and I wrote in college that we revisited. Recording them was a little bit like taking some material of sentimental value that’s haunted you for a while, throwing it in a bottle and casting it out to sea so you don’t have to carry it around anymore.
What's next? After finding success as a band, the guys have started work on their sophomore album. The new album will reflect their individual growth as well as the evolution of Sedgewick's sound.
O: My hope for the new album is for us to come into our sound. In the last album we landed on something unique. I want this next album to fortify our sound, but still sound new. For example, I want the voices to still be on the forefront but the backdrop and atmosphere to be something no one has heard before.
J: I'm doing away with the lofty visions I had when I was younger about trying to be groundbreaking or trying to be different. Instead, I want to welcome a space where the songs, the record, the shows, are all just a reflection of the people we are at this time.
S: We are taking a step towards an edgier, darker side of our sound with the new album. It’s an acknowledgement of where we are as a band and as individuals, and that’s a place that’s not always sunny and pleasant, but there’s always some beauty in it that we’re trying to dig out.
Their soundcloud is great and all, but give this Sedgewick video a listen. You wont be disappointed.
Passionate, Creative, Rebellious
Write your own story
Passionate, Creative, Rebellious
Robert Rashid's debut album, "Self Titled," hit shelves earlier this month. A percussionist by trade, Rashid's precise articulation flows over feel-good beats.
My father – being the jazz pianist that he is – started me out taking piano lessons when I was about 6. I really disliked the limited physically that comes from hashing through beginning piano and got discouraged. I transitioned to drums, which turned out to be a wonderful decision for me personally. I was able to apply my athletic tendencies to my musical work. As a kid, I mostly wanted to move around and hit stuff and have that stuff make cool sounds, hence, drumming was perfect.
"Self Titled," was written in 2015, during a time of change in Rashid's life.
I had been playing professional baseball, which I had been using as my identity whenever meeting new people or catching up with friends. After being released from the team that I was playing for, I felt really lost and my confidence plummeted. I considered myself a failure and stopped going out altogether because I was unsure of myself, unsure on how I would introduce myself to new people.
Rashid's focus shifted to music and he began playing percussion gigs in Chicago. He put more time into his musical career, and bit by bit his solo album began to take form.
I started asking myself, what would I regret to have never accomplished if I were to die tomorrow? My first answer to that question was writing a solo album. The writing process evolved into a way to try to prove to myself, and hopefully a few fans that my ideas have value and can apply to what other people go through in their lives. I wanted to be as truthful as possible because I think we all deserve honesty even though we’re constantly fed fabricated thoughts on a daily basis through the culture that we’ve built.
Rashid's album "Self Titled," is available on Apple Music and Spotify. Go have a listen.
Artist, Wild, Observant
I like making things beautiful, making beautiful things
Artist, Wild, Observant
This is Leah.
She always knew she wanted to be an artist. From a young age, art was a part of her life.
I would always draw. At restaurants, in church, everywhere. I wouldn't pay attention, just draw. The more I did it, the more I liked it. The more I liked it, the more I did it.
As she grew, her work matured as well. Leah found herself drawn towards the beauty that could be created through art.
Art makes things beautiful. Beautiful things that can trigger memories. When I make visual art, I want to trigger memories. I want to make a connection to the viewer. I want to make something that makes you giggle, or center the art around a mutual experience. I want it to be personal.
Leah's focus is on industrial design, or as she puts it, How to make people's lives better without them realizing it. Here is a selection of her work.
Creator, Mutant, Storyteller
Reggae music is the vehicle through which I express myself. You can feel the soul in good reggae music.
Creator, Mutant, Storyteller
Say what's up to Joji
Joji is the singer and guitarist for The Hydrolites, a roots/rock/reggae band out of Hawaii. He gave us some insight into the role music plays in shaping his journey.
Music has always been in my family, its always been on my mind, present in my life. To not pursue it would have been an injustice. Music is in my blood. My father introduced me to a wide array of styles. This sparked a lifelong love of art in all forms.
Here's "New Eyes," a Hydrolites original.
K.I.S.S. Shipping
You remember that acronym K.I.S.S. we all learned way back in the day? Keep it simple, stupid. Too often we over-complicate things in an effort to bring something new to the table. We're going to simplify shipping. $5 flat rate shipping to anywhere in the US. No longer will you be charged based on the number of items purchased. just $5 straight up, whether you order ten items or two.
K.I.S.S.
Edit Dec 10th: You know what won't cost $5 to ship? Our sticker packs! $1 shipping on sticker packs.
New Apparel?
Check out the popular clothing retailers, and you'll find a constantly shifting lineup of new apparel. These brands are consistently turning out new material for consumption as part of the fast fashion movement. Fast fashion revolves around the cheap, quick production of the seasons' latest trends. Now, whats wrong with that?
Mass producing clothing at a low cost to the consumer comes at a price. The clothing is often made to fall apart quickly, forcing you to buy the next trend. The fast fashion trend feeds itself. In order to create cheap clothing, big brands take advantage of cheap sources of labor. These cheap sources of labor often involve underpaying workers, sweat shops, and child labor.
Want to know more about fast fashion? Watch this piece by John Oliver.
That isn't the way we approach our apparel. Not only do we want our apparel to last, but we take pride in making sure our apparel represents our company, our aesthetic, and our beliefs. This takes time. We're always working on our concepts, but you wont find a new product here daily. What you will find are well designed, crafted, and thoughtful pieces.
We've all been guilty of fast fashion at some point, but, here are some tips on how to be smart about your consumption.
Ideas in Action
How do you define yourself?
One of the ways we define ourselves at definition company, is by our desire to improve the world around us. There are countless ways to do this. We want to make change right here in our industry.
We make sure that the materials we source come from verified sources that do not rely on the exploitation of their workers. However this isn't enough.
Avoiding the problem isn't the same as fighting the problem. Therefore, for the entire month of June, 20% of proceeds will go directly towards eliminating forced child labor and sweatshops from the global supply chain. Donations will be made to Green America, a non-profit organization whose mission is:
"... to harness economic power—the strength of consumers, investors, businesses, and the marketplace—to create a socially just and environmentally sustainable society." - Green America.
Not only do they tackle the issue of forced child labor and sweat shops, but the take on many other issues such as climate change and supporting Fair Trade. Eighty-seven percent of Green America's expenses go towards their programs. For a full list of programs, click here.
Join us to help make this change.
defintion company
Welcome!
What's up everybody! We're very excited over here at definition company to bring our website live. Hope you enjoy. Stay tuned, more products for our spring/summer line are on the way.
B+Q