D3o, created by d3o Lab in England, is a flexible, rubber-like material sewn into the cap that hardens upon impact -- immediately. There isn't a chance to blink -- it hardens to protect your head that fast. And as soon as the impact is over, the material becomes soft and mushy again. This is one of those concepts that's somewhat hard to grasp -- how can something become hard that fast? -- but once you see it in action, you get it right away. Wearing a Ribcap, which is guaranteed to work down to approximately -10 degrees,  gives you a stylish alternative to wearing a helmet on the slopes. Instead of a cumbersome hard structure, you get a soft and cozy knit cap made of a wool/polyester blend that helps reduce itching.

The first batch of hats, designed by Berlin-based design company Frisch, premiered in 2005 -- six years after Ribcap founder Jürg Ramseier, a former ski instructor in the Swiss Alps, concepted the idea. The latest designs came to life by Basel design duo, Lisa & Tom. All in all, there are 10 styles in various colors and designs. Ribcaps are available at retail throughout Switzerland for about $100 and from a few online shops, which are all written in German.

The beauty of d3o is that is can realistically be woven into nearly anything -- pants, gloves, shoes -- to offer ultimate protection against problems in everyday life, even the impact of (the off-chance of) getting hit by a car can be greatly reduced. There are already a number of sports recreation clothing companies incorporating d3o technology into their products -- and I only imagine this will continue to permeate the fashion industry.
 

Brooklyn's Afrobeat Heroes Spark a Fat One

If Antibalas served as a snapshot for how the world should look, there would be a lot more harmony on our planet. Their diverse world rhythms, described through a blending of jazz, reggae, soul, funk and, of course, Afrobeat made popular by the legendary Fela Kuti, infuse enough light to brighten even the darkest corners of the Earth. The group's eighth studio album (and first for the celebrated indie label) delivers a treasure trove of eclectic beats, energetic sounds, political musings and agreeable voices that come together in a perfect musical statement. Only seven songs long, the nearly hour-deep collection packs a serious punch, delivering enough diversity while remaining consistent and true to the group's rebel roots. While claiming more than 500 shows since their 1998 inception, Antibalas is the larger-than-life Brooklyn orchestra that could – and Security is just another notch in their collective belt.

Apparently I'm not the only one who likes this. Ami over at CoolHunting is diggin on it too. Buy it now.

Bloc Party is the latest band to announce its support of Al Gore's mega-concerts, Live Earth, planned to span 24 hours on July 7 all over the world. The initial lineup of 25 artists was released yesterday (Feb 15) and will reach more than 100 before the concerts take off. Working with the team that produced Live8, Gore hopes to further bring awareness of his Global Warming campaign to the masses. The initial lineup of aritsts shows a mix of genres but is also very mainstream -- likely to attract the mainstream to watch. But the addition of Bloc Party gives hope that this series of worldwide concerts -- being staged in London (Wembley), Sydney, Rio, Shanghai, Kyoto, Johannesburg and a to be determined U.S. city (my guess is either NY or Philly) -- will actually pull in some amazing new talent. Think the Police will show up to this too?

Other artists in addition to Bloc Party already set to perform at Live Earth:

Pharrell, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Foo Fighters, Snoop Dogg, Lenny Kravitz, Bon Jovi, Paolo Nutini, Sheryl Crow, AFI, Melissa Etheridge, John Mayer, Damien Rice, Corrine Bailey Rae, Duran Duran, Snow Patrol, John Legend, Black Eyed Peas, Akon, Enrique Iglesias, Fall Out Boy, Mana, Keane, Kelly Clarkson, Korn, Faith Hill and Tim McGraw, Ray LaMontagne, Robin Thicke and Kenna.

The first episode features Thom Yorke solo on a piano introducing a number of songs from Radiohead's forthcoming album, a set from the White Stripes and an off-the-cuff session between Four Tet's Kieran Hebden and legendary jazz drummer Steve Reid, who has played with everyone from Miles Davis, James Brown and Sun Ra. Episode two features Beck and Jamie Lidell. While future shows have yet to be announced, you can register to stay on top of the news. Godrich told Pitchfork in a recent interview:

"We've got a lot of people that I'd like to see on the show [that] we're talking to. [But] I don't want to mention their names. Obviously, I'm really interested to capture some really iconic, bigger names-- really the whole point is to get people who are having their moment, to try and get a definitive record of what they're doing."

"And also, I've got a lot of friends in smaller bands," continued Godrich, "and there's an element of trying to promote stuff that we think is good."

View the trailer or download the first episode to your iPod.

Cloud Cult has already broken through on college radio and is a favorite in those ranks, but The Meaning of 8 could see big crossover in the vein of Death Cab or Modest Mouse. Their expressive sound is reminiscent of the Arcade Fire, Sufjan Stevens and, to some extent, the Polyphonic Spree, albeit with a more experimental rock edge. Their music is such that it could easily be backed by a full orchestra, the sound building with the addition of rows of strings, heavy artillery in the way of drums and the burning crash of massive cymbals.

Opening song "Chain Reaction," is an odd romantic ditty ("put your face on mine") with twirling blips that turn into relaxed guitar-driven chords while "Take Your Medicine" exhibits the band's natural ability to combine various sounds and musical genres in an experimental package delivering the song in such a way that's so radio ready. And on many tracks, the band plays around with such verve, but connects the progression through seamless transitions. Cloud Cult writes clever lyrics about everyday life but sets them to a progressive sound that makes the story that much more interesting. They definitely have indie leanings but straddle various genres -- folk, psychedelic, electronic -- that give Cloud Cult a unique edge. The band embarks on a national tour in March -- with a stop at SXSW -- and extends through May. You can order the album directly through their site -- that way they make twice as much money ... and isn't that the way it should be?

Listen to Take Your Medicine

Watch the video for Chemicals Collide:

Last year, Josh introduced Paz's vocals on his release Subtitulo where the pair dueted on the beautiful "The Man Who Doesn't Know How to Smile."

On Jan. 30, Josh will release the five-song EP She's Spanish, I'm American, a new side project with Paz, whose breathy voice perfectly complements Josh's gorgeous light singing. The collection is a dreamy, refreshing escape from reality that's ironically seeped in reality. Through poppy keyboard strokes, bouncy drumbeats, kicky cowbell and Jerry Garcia-like electro guitar, the EP is a quick snapshot of a couple in love.

The idea for the project sprouted after Paz toured with Josh to support Subtitulo. He said, "I thought it would be fun to do something with Paz cuz I like her voice, I like female singers with accents and I had some songs I thought she would sound good on."