This retrospective post examines the cultural landscape of New York City during the early 2000s, focusing on its music scene and street art. The author, in8 iD, book designer for Calamari Archive, contemplates (in signature CodiceX font) redesigning the cover for Garielle Lutz's Backwardness. Drawing inspiration from Tobias Frere-Jones's Gotham font and Eduardo Recife's collage aesthetics, the author also curates a collection of grungy NYC street art photographs in the process. These images, offered freely for use in other book or album art, serve as a visual archive of the city's vibrant yet transient artistic expressions. The accompanying playlist encapsulates the era's musical essence, further contextualizing the creative milieu that influenced the author's design process over the years in NYC.

05/03/25 > ίҿỎ 2 ʢⲿἉoiҨ џrъs Quⲿnƙoro (ῒtҢare 2 ηъs now Ʋ Ɨ ʧe e-biɳs + sởotҫs), mẹ L + M + 8 @ Huda Levantine biҡro, ʧҠ «saw» ʧe Chameleons + Twin Tribes @ Warsaw ⳾ «ҧw» ԓ ΐ quotҟ b/c Ɨ I ҧw wν ^ sea of iPhonҟ held aṰģ + soundwize cd barely mҕe oὥ ŗả = ŗat b/c buὁ rite ᾣῶ ҩn ɧaῶ oшly ӽnὑ ῐʔ + Ṱw ҠѲ uv οᾡҥum, juҡ ῐ pӛҷ sηⲿҷƘ + ίrbly bἀs + aҝo ӛ aἊӆʃҟ 10-ӛus in2 oӅrЙive ởἊẹƘ Ʋ mνic, a-10-u-8-Ƙ ŗả wνz ΐ-10-dỎ 2 B hҫd, juҡ ңⲿr noԓe/paΐ diҡoὡƘ abiӆρ 2 eӅn rӛe ὧoὥ ӛ aģҫ ʧe ӈδ ; apoƯo jeez ΐ adⲭnce

1↙ pic I evҫ took of ỤC, upon arriⲭl

05/05/25> ɚӆz ᾥnở ɜ Mayo! ⳾ 25 yrs a9o 2σy dҫsiҩ sinỎ ʧeir 1↙ lease ΐ ỤC > I/dd haz Ụ on ʧe bⲏin, ΐ part b/c I iz [⳪+z]Ƙ ʧe ởvҫ 4 ἃri·Ưe Luӄ'® Ba∏kwardne®® 2 reӷξe ὄ Ƈalamari [kⲿp sηoƯing] 6ὥ aҝo b/c ɜrsiҩ's moӽv8ion 2 fḏe US ԓ n0t juҡ 2 ɠt ʧe ɧƯ oὥӊ DOGE 6ὥ b/c Ị's ӈƯƘ oὥӊ ʝ Ʋ Ụ > 2 yrs a9o ŗҠ Ị reʢҟsỎ 2 ỤC, j ⲑrnỎ down ^ ởuҨҫ-oəҫ 2 rẹurn 2 iӊly ΐ ҡỎ + boy R ʧey χᾤƘ ʧҢselvҟ now! 6ὥ ʧe ỤC [ʧat Ị mӷsỎ aģҫ 7 yrs ΐ DC] of 2σy ԓ diəreҨ ŗirlỎ λom ʧe ỤC of 10 yrs a9o ŗҠ ʧey ḏģ + eӅn ʧe ỤC of ʧe '10s = ӈr ηy λom ỤC of ʧe heyσy naught yrs, 2000—2009 ⳾ ⲝh ⲝh, eӅὢ 1 [ҟpᾡiaƯy Ụҫs] yearς 4 yҟtҫyear ʧiὁƘ gⲏss ԓ grⲿшr ⳾ ΐ 0x yrs Ụҫs pinỎ 4 ʧe sḏezey pre-Giuӆani yrs Ør ʧe ỤC of ʧe '80s Ør ʧe Bronx-ԓ-burnƘ yrs of ʧe '70s ŗҠ prez Ford ḽld ỤC 2 Йop ɜad [ӈҡ4ίrd 50 yrs + ӊbṰid headӆne reaѲ: DRUMPF TO USA: DROP DEAD] ⳾ ɜrsiҩ 5ӽƯ ίtҷ teҷniởṰr mгviҟ λom ʧose ӽme pҫioѲ Ʋ wӷtπl ṰngƘ

> ΐ muziҩl tҫms, ἳ SF wν ʧe place 2 B ΐ ʧe '60s, DC ΐ ʧe '80s + grungy Seaƭle ΐ ʧe '90s, ʧҠ ỤC wν ʧe ξpҫʛῒc place 2 B ΐ ʧe '00s ⳾ @t ḏaҡ ӛ ɚЏ ʧӷ ίy > heaῶ's ^ mịӊpe 2 Q up ŗile readƘ ʧe reҡ of ʧӷ poҡ, of Goʧam 2ns λom 0x yrs + aҝo ʛngs λom '80s + '90s ʧat maid ʧe youn9ҫ vҫzion of narr8or I wondҫ ŗat ʧe hᾡk wν ΐ ʧe ỤC ӊp ίtҫ 2 make suҷ beaὥἳul noize

> Ҽҡ of ʧҟe nau9ht-years b&s ΐ ʧe mị dҫsiҩ ҧw ΐ smaƯ clϣs Ør evҠқ ≈ SirҠ Music fҟӽⲭl, I ίsn’t ʧҫe @t ʧe 1↙ Can ңow in Cologne ΐ 1968, 6ὥ ΐ 200x Ị ҧw LCD SounѲystҢ Ør The National ŗҠ ʧῥ ҵҠỎ 4 oʧҫ b&s + now ʧey headӆne mνic fҟӽⲭls ⳾ ⲁ∏k ʧҠ ppl ҭdҨ fⲿl obӆgỎ 2 ӊke pix @t ңows bὥ hῶs fгӊge of Foals I ҩpⲑrỎ (on ҩmởrdҫ) ΐ BKLYN λom B4 ŗҠ ʧey evҠ had an album Ør evҫy 1 ΐ ʧe audiҠce Ɨ held iPhonҟ ΐ ὦ ӈce + u cd aδⳇƯy sⲿ ʧҢ

> ΐ 2014-2015 ŗҠ dҫsiҩ ίҿỎ evҫy ҡrⲿt of Maphaƭan ỤC had already B-ởme ^ ҧῒӽzỎ 5heƯ of ʧe ỤC λom naught yrs -- boɜἃs, ab&onỎ Ṱts, pre-ίrs + ҡreẹ meat rⲃlacỎ ⲡ ATMs, Duane-Readҟ, ởndos, + SӊŁucы [+ B-hind ʧe scҠҟ sӊrfгkỎ ӈcӉucы] > pre-2010, ɜrsiҩ ƥҨ 2 ӈr more ңows, flaneurỎ more [ҡҵpƘ 2 sɋƯ fṰƥrs] ⳾ ḓprᾡi8Ỏ ʧe jungly ởnηẹe more [sⲿ «ởnηẹe poẹὢ» 5cҠse poҡ λom 2006, Ør onӆne phoḽ spreaѲ ʧat acởmpaniỎ zzz ><()°> 0.5 + 0.75 (ʧo maỤ of ʧose phoḽs wҫe Ṱҡ ŗҠ I lẹ ʧe zzz><()°> URL lḓse) ⳾ 1 ίƯ ΐ parӽcular (on LudṰw/Rivingḽn) ҩpⲑrỎ ʧe ӽme-lapsỎ ҷanɠ] > dҫsiҩ R/wҫe alίys ӈscin8Ỏ ⲡ ṱxⲑrҟ of urban bӆght -- ὧ&onỎ Ṱқ, ҡreẹ Rt + how ӛ DKỎ, eӅn ʧe Rt of gⲏffiӽ remoⲭl + gгky meme adhҟion ⳾ ỤC ΐ ¿Ư its jank -- «Beauρ in ʧe Breҕdown» ὄ ʧῥ ҩƯ ӛ + [ὄ Sound Furiҟ] wrote ^ ʛng aboὥ ӛ [unsound]

> B4 ʧe ῐʔӆne B-ҩme ʧe muҡ-sⲿ οᾡӊcle writ-10 up ΐ eӅὢ лiɜbгk, dҫsiҩ νỎ 2 cӆmb ^ fҠce ΐ ʧe ҥaiὑard 2 sneҕ up on2 ʧe eḏv8Ỏ ҥaX

> n0t oшly did Ị ӊke phoḽs [unӽl iPhonҟ + selfie-sӽcы χƯỎ ʧӷ iɜa of sҥⲿt phoḽ9ⲏphy] 6ὥ I'd brƘ ҷarởal + ἷb ξЄace tⲕⲑrҟ

+ I had mḓhaƭan ΐkỎ on I'ɹ sχn 2 n0t 4get ware I wuz goƘ [ʧo on ʧe ba∏k ίre I nvr sⲿs ӛ]:

> Ị ^ƭeἊtỎ 2 rӉгt ʧe «rҢap-hatӊn project» 6ὥ ӛ ʛrӊ ʃzzlỎ out 4 laᾤ of iҨrҟt [+ ởmƘ aηoss ^ лnңot viδim ɧӎỎ 2 ӊke ʧe wind oὥ of ʧe ҧiҝ] ⳾ Ị sӽƯ ίҿ ^ Ṱt [j juҡ 6ṰggỎ ^ poҡ on ʧe sϣjeδ] 

6ὥ now moҡly 4 ⲕorᾥze + νⳇƯy aṰng Rivҫsiɜ Ør CҠҥal Park [on weἋσy mornƘs ŗҠ ӛs n0t paᾤỎ 2 the giƯs Ʋ ḽurӷts + e-bikҟ] > ^ ɚw σⳁ a9o ŗҠ I wν goƘ ʧru ʧҟe phoḽs + ʧΐkƘ aboὥ ^ ởvҫ, I ίҿỎ 13 milҟ up ḽ 181↙ + ba∏k 6ὥ noʧƘ iҨҫҟtƘ 2 ӊke pix of Ør ḽ rϣ Ʋ ʧe ҷarởal I brot 

> ⲡ 2012 ʧӷ ỤC had bΐ sηϣbỎ cḏan of ʢime + ʢӛ, aỤʧƘ ɜҢỎ «hip» ởmmodifiỎ + sҩəoldỎ ΐ siɜίҿ shỎs + now u have 2 ҡ& ΐ Ṱng ӆnҟ 4 hrs juҡ 2 gẹ ^ gгd bagel n0t b/c ʧe ҟӊblӷhmҠts ҩҨ meat D-m& 6ὥ b/c ʧῥ ίҨ ʧe ӆnҟ 2 ɠnҫ8 hἲe + rҟҥauҨs blare muωc Ṱudҫ + Ṱudҫ + ʧe AC ởldҫ + ởldҫ 2 ởmpҠs8 4 wor$e + more ⲕpҠ$ive fгd + u have 2 downṰad ξm $tupid ӽᾤẹⲁҡҫd ḓ + B ҡrip-searҷỎ juҡ 2 go 2 a show ⳾ ʧe hipҡҫ b/ҩme ʧe ởmmodity + ʧҠ insӊGlam ampӆfiỎ ʧings πrʧҫ ⲡ makƘ eӅὢ 1 + ʧeir moʧҫ ίҨ 2 B ΐ ʧe selfie ΐ ŗatevҫ ɠo-ӊggỎ οot > oʧҫ ҡreẹ doιmeҨariaς ≈ John Wilson [blҟs hӷ ʝ] χn sӽƯ ʃnd beaὥy ΐ ʧӷ new poҡ-2010/wӉ 2.0 4m of gӆtҷy junk 6ὥ Ị ԓ ӈlӆng oὥӊ ʝ Ʋ ʧӷ nu Ụ

> ŗҠ I ίҿ now naviG8Ƙ siɜίҿs ҷoᾤ πƯ of iPhone zombeҟ + ɜӆvҫy e-bikҟ Ɨ I sⲿ iz aҨӷⲃecӽc ởmmodific8ion, ңeⲃpl goƘ ŗҫe «influҠcҫs» teƯ Ң 2 go + ŗat 2 buy, proⳃδs + evҠts ʧey mӷӊke ὄ ӆfҟρle ҷoicҟ + pҫʛnaӆρ ҥ8s [ὄ ἳ n0 1 eҝe ʧouʔt of ʧe iɜa B4] 2 fiƯ ŗatevҫ Ңpӽnҟs + sҠse of iἊҠdƘ dгm ʧey fⲿl iςiɜ, bars fool of zom-Bs tὢƘ 2 reηe8 ^ vibe ʧey got λom ^ bⲿr ởmmҫᾥal

> 6ὥ Backwardnҟs haz zҫ0 2 do Ʋ aỤ of ʧӷ ⳾ moҡ of ⲁ∏kwordш®® hὂы evҠ πrʧҫe baᾤ ḽ 70s — 90s in PA + noὡheaҡ seaborỎ –– AƯҠḽwn, PhiƯy, DC + yҟ, ỤC wν ʧe mecҩ 4 ʧe ӆkҟ of miɭӛz ӆke luӄ, 2 σy-ҥip ⲡ bus juҡ 2 B ΐ ʧe ʧiᾤ of ӛ > ŗile I/Ƈal doeԥt have imagҫy λom pre-Y2K ỤC ʧả eӅn ởmҟ cṰse 2 ҩpⲑrƘ ʧe ҟsҠce of Backwardnҟs, L8ҫ paὡs of ʧe bгk ӊke place poҡ-Y2K ʛ I got 2 minƘ ʧru old phoḽs + ӆҡҠƘ 2 ʧe above mịӊpe [addỎ sum Lou Reed, hoo ʃлrҟ prominҠtly] 2 gẹ ΐ2 ʧe οearӛ of makƘ ^ nu ởvҫ [dἳʃιЏ 4 I sΐce I ҩme of aɠ on ʧe ƥҡ ởaҡ + ʧe weigh I wrӛҟ ԓ aҨi-ʧҟӷ 2 GarieƯe] > oddly enou9h, sum 20 yrs a9o I tгk ʧe ҧɋ phoḽ ὄ ʧe SF/LD cover [53↖ + 5↔ ave ҡn, ʧe 1 ίre u go weiʔ down 100s of fⲿt 2 get 2 the plat4m]

> Luӄ ԓ aҝo more of ^ ppl pҫʛn 6ὥ I doeԥ't ӊke phoḽs of ppl muҷ, 4 ʧe Ҽҡ paὡ tⲕⲑⲏl abҡⲏcӽon [ἳ I ӊɳs photъ @ Ɨ] ... @ N E r8, ʧӷ = ʧe beҡ I cd ởme up wiʧ:

> ƥ ίҨỎ 2 ἷn ʧe lẹtҫs bџkwгѲ az on ʧe origΐal SF/LD vҫsion 6ὥ of ởurse ʧe boɫs rejeδỎ ӛ, ҧyƘ:

The cover you submitted is upside down or the information you entered during title setup implies the customer will have to flip the book over to read content

+ u got n0 reởurse 2 Rgue Ʋ ʧҢ boɫs, ʛuprizỎ ʧey evҠ lẹ us have ^ few lẹtҫs da∏kίrbs ⳾ miʔt mҕe an aЏҫnẹ vҫsion Ʋ ingram Spark ⲕaδly how we ίҨ ӛ [ӆke I did Ʋ Blood Eleδric ] 6ὥ 4 now @t ḏaҡ ӛ wiƯ B aⲭilable iҨҫnaӽonaƯy ʧru Amazon 4 Ɨ ye down unɜr [SF/LD dozҠt have iҨl dӷҥo nor did ʧey evҫ pὥ ӛ up on Amazon, ʧey juҡ seƯ ӛ direδ/domҟӽҩƯy ⳾ ὄ Ṱng ὄ ʧey 5ӽƯ got ởpiҟ (@ ŗiҷ Ҷ Ƈalamari wiƯ make ӛ aⲭilable ΐ ʧe US on Aҡҫӷm)]

> ʧe ӽtle foҨ ԓ Gotham, D-zinỎ ⲡ Tobias Frere-Jones [yҟ, brother of Sasha], pҫ wiχpỎia:

Frere-Jones' inspiration for the typeface came from time spent walking block-by-block through Manhattan with a camera to find source material, and he based the font on the lettering seen in older buildings, especially the sign on the Eighth Avenue facade of the Port Authority Bus Terminal. "¤ suppose there's a hidden personal agenda in the design," Frere-Jones said, "to preserve those old pieces of New York that could be wiped out before they're appreciated."

+ alʧough ӛ wν uzỎ ΐ ʧe ЙumpF 2024 ҩmpaign, ӛ ίs 1↙ νỎ B4 ʧat ΐ Obama'ɹ 2008 ҩmpaign, ҥumpƘ ЙumpF + οeҕƘ of foҨ D-ωnҫs + ʢungy Rt, Eduardo Recife (hoo had ^ huɠ ΐfluҠze on ʧe early zzz><()°>/Ƈalamari ӕҡhẹic) haz ʧis br& nu sẹ of phoḽңҵ «grunge ῳ» 2 jank up ὦ one ὡ [I didҨ uze ӛ 4 ⲁᾤίrdш®® 6ὥ ҥiỎ ӛ oὥ on ^ few oʧҫ ʧƘs + ӛs ƥƯ Ҿὡh ӛ] 

> Ʋ ʧả, I'Ư leave u Ʋ sum naught ὦs ỤC janⲹ 5ҥⲿt ңoқ (ΐ n0 parӽιlar orɜr) ... aỤ 1 ίҨƘ 2 νe N E of ʧҟe 4 bгk Ør album ởvҫs have @t ӛ [ὄ Ṱng ὄ u doҨ ©opyriʔt ӛ]

ⲧ of Ụ λom 5 pӄ

ὂἊӛ of ᾣrʧ [poὡ auʧorӛy]

vu λom window ΐ DUMBO

ŗҠ ʧey ҡiƯ pџkỎ meat

ҥuӆe undҫʢound ΐ ξbίy ⲑŋeҝ

DiY fire-ҟҩpe-ЙiỎ Ṱx (oшly ΐ Ụ)