We're on the road again next week, this time in glittering, business-oriented, internationally focused Hong Kong so posts will be limited. If you live in Hong Kong or have spent time there let us into your secret address book. We want to know everything about this regional capital....who and what is making waves in all disciplines of design/architecture, plus the most interesting things happening in lifestyle, retail and hotels/spas, clubs/bars etc. If you live in Hong Kong send us your tips...we're on the hunt for all the coolest things we don't yet know about. Tell us everything cnews@thecoolhunter.net (cnews@thecoolhunter.net)

Forget the sport..some of the most interesting things happening at the Beijing Olympics are coming from clever sponsors who have dreamt up creative ways to promote their brands at the mega global event. We're loving the offering from Mini Cooper, who have dragged traditional Chinese street transport into the 21st century with these great bike-powered Minis. Samsung has been equally creative, giving Olympics' fans a chance to view all of the action from their own "private" alien-like pods. Both of these offerings are a lesson to global brands: get creative and innovative in your marketing or risk being drowned out by the noise. - Laura Demasi

This Week in Fashionation (http://www.fashion-ation.net)

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For decades, overseas bands have hit America's highways and byways with lofty hopes of musical success. Some find it, and others call it quits at a rest stop outside Tupelo or Akron. The latest to brave the gauntlet: Australia's Pendulum. With their new album, In Silico, a mix of hard-rock-tinged, drum-heavy, electro bangers (check out the video for "Propane Nightmares" below), the sextet have topped the charts Down Under, in the UK, and elsewhere. There's just one problem: "The drum and bass scene in America never really took off," Pendulum vocalist Rob Swire admits to SPIN.com.

The band, whose only live U.S. show to date was a slot at Coachella, spice up their former club-only sound with heavier, Linkin Park-like hooks and beats, resulting in a show that's the talk of the blogosphere. "I'm looking forward to seeing people's reactions to the live thing," Swire explains. "It's a bit of a move forward from the straight drum and bass."

More on SPIN.com:
>> Video! Poolside at Coachella '08: Pendulum

What do Pendulum hope to show curious U.S. bystanders with their maiden voyage? "Something that hasn't been done before, which is live electronic music, but actually done live," Swire boasts. "So much of the other electronic stuff, when it's done live, they might be playing from a sequencer or they might have most of their tracks playing from hard disks. At the end of the day we don't really see that as live. We're recreating music with all the instruments."

And Swire thinks America just might be ready: "Two years ago, I would have never said that the Euro trance sound would have worked, but when you look at what Timbaland has done incorporating that sound into his R&B stuff -- it's taken off. I think if people get introduced to it the right way it could take off."

If Swire's promise holds true, fans can be in for a wild ride. Decide for yourself and check out Pendulum's "full-fucking ear assault" this fall, as the band tours from coast to coast, starting with a show at Boston's Middle East venue Oct. 1.

Now Watch This: Pendulum, "Propane Nightmares" music video

And check out an exclusive mix the band made to honor the North American tour, aptly title "Tour of the Americas."

Pendulum tour dates:
10/1, Boston, MA (Middle East)
10/3, Chicago, IL (House Of Blues)
10/4, Toronto, Ontario (Kool Haus)
10/5, Detroit, MI (IRock)
10/7, Milwaukee, WI (Turner Hall Ballroom)
10/9, Denver, CO (Blue Bird Theater)
10/11, Salt Lake City, UT (Murray Theater)
10/13, Los Angeles, CA (The Mayan)
10/14, San Francisco, CA (The Fillmore)
10/22, Atlanta, GA (The Loft)
10/24, Baltimore, MD (Ottobar)
10/25, New York City, NY (Webster Hall)
10/26, New York, NY (Bowery Ballroom)

While putting together FADER Number 56, our Fall Fashion Issue, we noticed a theme emerging: While other glossies explore layering and shades of black, we peeled back, uncovering designers, creators and musicians who are willing to buck trends in order to stay true. Unsurprisingly, the resulting DJ-mixed podcast of music, which you can download below, expresses that die-hard independence perfectly. It's bookended by two grimy dancehall bangers by coverstar Busy Signal, and littered with next level club anthems by other covermen The Tough Alliance and Gen Fs Little Boots, Larry Heard, Michna and Music Go Music. And for all the dudes and gyal-dudes who don't dance no more, we've got knee-dip joints by Charles Hamilton, Rodriguez, Nisennenmondai, High Places, Play N Skillz and Big Tuck. There's not a stain on this mix.

Download the FADER 56 mix as an mp3 (right click, save as)
Sign up for our podcasts on iTunes
Subscribe via your favorite RSS reader
Check the tracklist after jump.

Busy Signal, “Tic Toc"
The Tough Alliance, “Miami”
Larry Heard aka Mr. Fingers, “Can You Feel It”
Little Boots, “Stuck On Repeat”
Nisennenmondai, “Pop Group”
Charles Hamilton, “Rockstar Girl”
Michna, “Swiss Glide”
High Places, “Vision’s the First”
Rodriguez, “Sugar Man”
Music Go Music, “Light of Love”
Play N Skillz (ft. Lil Jon, Krazie Bone & Bun B), “1 Mo Gin”
Big Tuck, “Not A Stain (Dallas Remix)"
Busy Signal, “Jail”

Actually, Michael Phelps is the greatest Olympian ever. If you only take into account the fact that he won eight gold medals and might now feasibly be on the next Young Jeezy album, he has eclipsed our own dreams by knowing how to swim on the one hand and doing anything more than buying the next Young Jeezy album on the second. So for that, we celebrate him. However, last night and today, we witnessed the pop culture birthing of one Dayron Robles, Cuban 110 meter hurdler, world record holder and Olympic gold medal winner. Indeed, he is fast as all get out, and he seems heroically impervious to our fear of a hurdle wrecking our genitalia in Olympic ignobility, but that is not what makes him great.

First, in an Olympic Games populated with freakishly attractive athletes who train in world-class American, Chinese and European facilities, Dayron looks like Raj from What's Happening!. He wears wire-rimmed spectacles held in place by Croakies that look like they were cut from an old boot, hangs tinny gold chokers around his neck and keeps time with a fresh executive watch. He is truly a window into what it means to achieve in Cuba while reminding us all that vintage is always a good option when you are light on cash.

Second, he upholds the spirit of the modern Games as a megaphone for justice. The day before Beijing dazzled us all with the opening ceremonies, Robles' signature appeared on a letter issued by the International Campaign for Tibet, in conjunction with Amnesty International, to China's president Hu Jintao calling for him "to enable a peaceful solution for the issue of Tibet and other conflicts in your country with respect to fundamental principles of human rights… China is the focus of worldwide attention… Your decision on these issues will determine the success of the Olympic games and the image the world will have of China in the future." According to the Guardian, "After the letter's international publication yesterday [August 7th] several signatories asked for their names to be removed. Robles was not one of them." BADASSSSSSS. Just saying. No big deal, says Jintao. Or not? Today the Chinese government shut down Chinese iTunes after it was learned that 46 athletes in the Olympic Village downloaded Songs for Tibet, which had been offered to them free of charge. Songs for Tibet was promoted by the International Campaign for Tibet. It featured songs from Sting, Moby, Damien Rice and Alanis Morissette.

Third, we have yet to receive word that Dayron Robles was one of the 46 athletes who downloaded that album, so he also has good taste.

According to Baltimore's Get 'Em Mamis, "They Jockin,'" the Darkroom Productions produced track they laid for the seventh edition of our FADER/Southern Comfort 7-inch series, will get the elderly "doing the Yung Joc in their wheelchairs," and our guess is that it might also spark use of the ridiculous superlative "terrawesome" ("somewhere between terrific and awesome"). Over on the record's A-side, the whole Hood Headlinaz crew (Mata, Mali Boi, Dawgy Baggz, Jhi Ali and Gunt, as well as Wu-affiliate guest Rubbabandz) got together for their track "Tip Down." When we asked Paper Route Recordz CEO Dawgy Baggz to explain "tipping down" to us northerners, because we though it had something to do with cars (thanks for nothing, urbandictionary.com), he said it means simply "going bananas." Fair enough. And to wrap up this little present from us to you, artist Michael Genovese threw down some "tienda style lettering with a local Baptist church influence" on a wall in the Chicago Cultural Center and gave the two groups a little free advertising for the record's cover. E-mail contests@thefader.com with your name and address for a copy until we run out.