Fieldnotes: Week 432
We’ve been on the move a lot this week so I’d like to share with you the podcasts that have been filling the space between my ears with ideas and inspiration.
Lately, I’ve been listening to a lot of podcasts … For me, the following can all relate back to design practice in some way or other; they feed and inform an evolving outlook on the world and in turn how to be a better designer. That said… only a couple of them are actually “design podcasts” (phew!). Perhaps a common thread is that they all do a fantastic job at shining a broader lens on creativity and/or culture. I think there is likely to be something for everyone in here. Hope you enjoy…
Still processing.
Consistently excellent. Two New York Times critics (Jenna Wortham and Wesley Morris) typically in conversation and dissecting a story from the week… In essence it’s critical thought on pop culture; often through a lens that unpacks the complicated layers of colour and gender around the weeks most interesting stories in pop culture. It sounds high brow but it’s really not… our click bait ecosystem of culture should not be without reflection of what really matters and what needs a little bit more prodding. Recent topics include Beyonce and Jay Z’s music video in the Louvre, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (twenty years on). Spike Lee’s latest film Black KKKlansmann and Gwyneth Paltrow’s brand GOOP. My favourite episode of late was a two-part special where Asian-Americans talk about the racism they experience and how that stacks up against the racism experienced by other people of colour.
Web | Apple podcasts
Song Exploder
Some exploder is such a simple format. Each episode is only around 15 minutes long, the episode takes one musician or band and gets them to take one of their recorded songs and tell its full story… from the kernel of inspiration through to the recording process. Typically you here a song being built track by track. It’s an extraordinary insight into the creative process… If you appreciate play and perseverance in creativity dive right in. The Michael Kiwanuka episode was a recent favourite.
Web | Apple podcasts
The David Chang Show
I’ll be honest, I’ve never eaten his food but I love this chef, I’ll go further… lately I’ve been thinking that if you want a finger on the pulse of culture you’d do better to look away from art and design and look towards the kitchen… Chef’s like David Chang, Rene Redzepi and Alex Atala are a huge inspiration for me… The first few episodes of this podcast follow Dave struggling with the ins and outs as he opens a new restaurant in LA (‘The pre-opening diaries’). It’s a really interesting portrait of a creative bringing a major project into the world, the inspiration, the motivation and what happens along the way… ethics, obstacles, vision and drive. The episode that touched on dealing with critics was especially interesting.
Web | Apple podcasts
The Observatory and The design of business the business of design
Double Whammy! I love these two podcasts, both are created by designers Jessica Helfand and Michael Bierut … The Observatory is similar to Still Processing… observations and thoughts on a story or event from the week just passed, however this time from a design perspective. The business of design the design of business is an extension of Helfand and Bierut’s teaching at Yale… typically a guest joins the two to discuss from an executive level the impact of design on their organisation. If radio was like this I’d give up my television.
The observatory: Web | Apple podcasts
The business of design the design of business: Web | Apple podcasts
Serial
Serial is back with a really interesting third season unpacking the American criminal justice system by spending an entire year at one courthouse in Cleveland. I’m assuming if you haven’t listened to a podcast before you probably did hear the hype around it’s first season… Believe the hype this is a really good production and a great entry point to podcasts. Start at episode one and binge your way through.
Web | Apple podcasts
99% Invisible
Another design related podcast… though not design with a capital D which is entirely welcome. Each episode in one way or another takes an artefact that on the surface seems simple enough but given a closer look unfolds into a microcosm of interesting stories. Recent episodes unpack The Shipping Forecast, How doctors break bad news and post-narco urbanism.
Web | Apple podcasts
This American Life
This American Life is running it’s own race, you really just have to tune in, this is storytelling at its finest. Pick an episode title that takes your fancy and start there.
Web | Apple podcasts
How I built this & The Entrepreneurs
I’m a bit of a sucker for startup stories, whilst this can be a bit formulaic it certainly does a great job at giving a human face to big success stories… memorable episodes are Airbnb, Patagonia, WeWork and Kate Spade… on the startup stories front Monocle 24’s The Entrepreneurs is often good… check out the David Hieatt or Patagonia episodes, both incredibly inspiring.
How I built this: Web | Apple podcasts
The Entrepreneurs: Web | Apple podcasts
Mothers of Invention
I have just started listening to this one, it’s about women driving powerful solutions around climate change. It is both hilarious and incredibly timely…I imagine it would be easy for a climate change podcast to feel like a soapbox but this is full of real people doing simple things that make impactful waves…from the family who decided in one year they would change their habits to only make one trashcan of rubbish (for the entire year!!!) to the Kenyan Environmental Minister who changed the law to stop plastic bag use and manufacture in the country… (fines starting at $38,000!).
Web | Apple podcasts
The Tipoff
Really ace concept … investigative journalists discuss how they chased a story… there is some great analogous insight into better design research here.
Apple podcasts
On Margins
Essentially this is designer Craig Mod inviting guests to talk about the production and future of books. the Jan Chipchase episode is particularly ace. Web | Apple podcasts
The Butterfly Effect
Writer Jon Ronson follows the impact of a porn website and the ripples (and shockwaves) it produces across lives across the world.
Web | Apple podcasts
See you next week.
