Spun Threads

Why can't I get the 1972 Aromaster K20?

Designed by Florian Seiffert, the K20 came out of an extraordinary period at Braun—an era shaped by Dieter Rams and a team of designers who created objects that still look remarkably relevant today.

So why hasn't someone decided to put this classic back into production? As a matter of fact, why haven't we seen a proper reissue of more of these Braun design classics? Braun, Bodum, Cuisinart... are you listening?

Great design shouldn't only be something we admire behind glass. I want to use it. And in this case, I want it to make my coffee.

We keep calling these designs timeless. Okay... prove it.

Bring them back.

I was gonna talk about Afro-Caribbean Mixtape from Nicholas Payton, but I’ll save that for another Monday.

To take on two classic albums by two of the most influential artists of the 20th and 21st centuries is ballsy. I’m usually super critical of remakes—my own hang-up, I guess.

BUT, this one is different.

Nicholas Payton and Butcher Brown put a nice contemporary twist on these classics without losing sight of what made them special in the first place.

“All Blues” is the standout cut for me. It doesn’t try to recreate the same mood or atmosphere of the original. Instead, they take the composition somewhere else—keeping it recognizable while making it completely their own.

That’s how you revisit a classic. Don’t imitate it. Bring something new to the conversation.

And big ups for the Josef Albers-inspired cover. Music and design working together. I see ya!

A Supreme Blue — Nicholas Payton & Butcher Brown.

Take a listen.

Yes, Thomas Dolby.

Most people think of the hit “She Blinded Me with Science,” but The Flat Earth, the follow-up to The Golden Age of Wireless, is worth a revisit.

In my opinion, this is Dolby’s masterpiece. He’s at the height of his powers and running on all cylinders.

You would think he’d go straight down the dance-floor synth-pop road—and he does a little on cuts like “Hyperactive!” and “White City.” But it’s tracks like “Mulu the Rain Forest,” “I Scare Myself,” and the standout, “Screen Kiss,” that make this album something else.

Even my brother was digging this one!

I know what you’re thinking. Really?

Yes. Really.

The Flat Earth by Thomas Dolby.

This is one to rediscover.

Take a listen.

If you’ve ever seen an Eichler house in person, it’s not inspiring at first glance. It’s always the double take.

It’s not supposed to hit you over the head with curb appeal. It’s about function—and how does it make you feel?

Now, when you walk inside, that’s another story.

The glass. The open floor plan. The connection between inside and out. Everything feels considered without trying too hard.

And here’s the interesting part: Joseph Eichler wasn’t an architect. He was a developer who worked with architects to bring modern design to everyday families.

Maybe that’s the point.

Good design doesn’t have to be out of reach. And it doesn’t need to announce itself.

I’d been listening to this CD for a while. I remember seeing Glasper in the documentary Icons Among Us: Jazz in the Present Tense and thinking, this guy is doing something.
So I’m at a backyard party in Bed-Stuy, telling a friend about the album—who will remain nameless because it may call their musical taste into question, lol.
Their response: “It’s alright.”
My response: “You’re kidding me. You need to really listen to this.”
They laughed.
Well, I guess the rest is history. Glasper went on to become a multiple Grammy Award winner—and of course, my friend’s musical taste is still in question.
Standout cuts: “No Worries” and “All Matter.”
Take a listen.

Scally… who? That’s what most people say when they hear the name. But forget about all that. These guys can play.
Another debut album that not many had a chance to hear. Standout cuts like “Jasmin” and “Groovy Couple” are already worth the purchase, but the real cut for me is their cover of Steely Dan’s “Do It Again.” They don’t just cover it—they completely make it their own. Funky, loose, and just familiar enough to remind you why the original was so good.
This is one of those records you stumble across and wonder, how did I miss this?
Annie Get Your Gun — Scallymatic Orchestra.
Take a listen.
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$24,850! Yep, that's what it'll cost you to own a Papa Bear Chair.
Is it out of reach for the average guy? Probably. Should great design be? I don't think so.
But let's stick to the chair, shall we.
Handcrafted over two weeks in walnut or oak, every detail has a purpose. The profile. The sculpted “claws” on the armrests. The way it somehow manages to look inviting from every angle.
More than 70 years later, it's still one of the greatest chair designs ever created.

Who starts a debut album with a lullaby?!
Living With Owusu & Hannibal isn’t just a debut—it’s pretty much a one-off. That’s right. They were only supposed to make one album, and they packed it all in.
Standout cuts like “Upstairs, Downstairs,” with its Minneapolis sound, “Le Fox,” and the downtempo “Elephants” show just how much ground these two covered.
If you’re gonna be one and done, this is how you do it.
Great ears on these two.
Take a listen.

Celebrating 100 years of John Coltrane with A Love Supreme. There are no words to describe how influential this album has been for so many. This is our small tribute to a record that changed the way so many of us hear music.

It's unfortunate we lost Shaun Martin so soon, but what he left us with is 7 Summers.
I first heard "Lotus" while I was driving, and I must have played it five times in a row. "Madiba" and "All in a Day's Work" are standouts, but "Introduction" is why I love this album. It gave us an honest look into what it took to make this record.
It all paid off.
7 Summers by Shaun Martin.
Take a listen.
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