Calculating the Lowest Common Denominator

Ben and Emerson unravel the story of LCD, from their early days of film photography to a print-only magazine, record label, streetwear and beyond

Lily Rosen (she/her) // Crew Writer
Lauren Howard (she/her) // Illustrator

Lowest Common Denominator (LCD) isn’t just a creative venture—it’s a whole ecosystem. Founded by Benadryl and Emerson in the Lower Mainland, LCD is a magazine, a record label, a merch brand, and a hub for local creatives building community. The duo handles everything in-house, from photography to graphic design to writing, save for the occasional collaborators, such as @_erv_____. With Issue Two of LCD Magazine dropping soon, the boys sat down to discuss LCD’s journey so far, the messy creative process and why print is still king.

You might be wondering who Ben and Emerson are. Shrugging, Emerson says, “It’s more important what the company is. We’re just some guys.” Their story began like your classic pandemic project, but LCD’s evolution is anything but typical. “I was really into Travis Scott at the time,” Emerson continues. “I looked at his Instagram and thought, ‘Wow, these photos look so cool, I wish I had cool photos.’ Then I found his photographer, @rayscorruptedmind, and was like, ‘Whoa, he shoots on film!’ So, I hit up [Ben] like, ‘Wanna take some Travis Scott drip pics?’”

One borrowed camera from Emerson’s dad later, the duo plunged into film photography. “We realized [when we got into photography] Instagram fucking sucks as a way to display your work. So, we thought, ‘What better way than physical media?’” What started as a low-key electronic publishing concept blossomed into something bigger and pricier, and Emerson remarks on deciding, “Nah, we’re not releasing this for free. No freeloaders.”

Keeping LCD Magazine print-only is intentional in today’s swipe-and-skip culture. “On the Internet, it’s easy to just skim something, say ‘Oh, that’s cool,’ and move on,” Emerson says. “We want our readers to sit down and absorb it. And there’s something about the permanence of print. Instagram servers might shut down one day, but if someone has our book on their coffee table, it’s gonna exist until the world explodes, ideally.”

Issue One came with similarly explosive creative energy. Ben remembers the process as something organic: “The first thing we ever made was the conspiracy board page in November ‘22, over a year before publication. We built the magazine from a bunch of little ideas like that, where we came up with a concept and then attacked it step-by-step.”

Emerson recalls, “We were interested in elaborate photography: storytelling, staging, sets and props. At first, we were worried it would end up like a photobook. So we did fake ads, two interviews and even an ARG puzzle that still isn’t solved. We just wanted to make cool shit and see what stuck.”

With Issue Two on the horizon, the boys are levelling up. “Where Issue One came from old Internet, glossy Y2K aesthetics, Issue Two takes a more esoteric, mystical, folklore-inspired approach,” Ben explains. “About a third of it is like a graphic novel. Overall, Issue Two is just bigger and better.”

The LCD ecosystem doesn’t stop at print. Their record label supports and showcases local creatives they believe in. “Music is central to all kinds of art,” Ben says. “A lot of our friends and affiliates are great musicians, but they struggle with presentation. So, we help with cover art, music videos—anything visually representing their work.”

Emerson chimes in, “With our support, we’re not in the business of royalties. You make the music; that’s your bag to chase. We’re just here to help independent artists actually make some money.”

Then there’s the merch. LCD’s streetwear collection, which started with a simple knit toque, has taken on a life of its own with an exclusive range of high-quality, affordable pieces. “We just wanted our own cool shit to wear, and people fucking loved it,” Emerson says. “Our beanies and shirts have flown off the shelf.”

Rumour has it they’ve dabbled in the rap scene, too. “I’ve been known to cough up a sixteen or two,” Ben laughs, dubbed the ‘Father of Freestyle’ by Emerson. “Our friend @808_kalyan is a super talented producer, so whenever we hang out, I tap him on the shoulder like, ‘Hey man, can I punch in?’” Emerson hints, “There might be something medium to long-term in the works, but we’re not going to speak on that yet.”

Balancing all these endeavours—the magazine, label, merch, events and even rap—is no small feat. So, how do they keep it all together? “We don’t!” Emerson says. “It all depends on deadlines. We have a pop-up in two and a half weeks, and we’re scrambling to put together a new product.” Ben adds, “But we always make it work.”

As Ben and Emerson continue to grow LCD’s brand, one thing’s sure: no matter the venture, they’re making waves. LCD is about fostering a creative community and carving a lasting impact. And they’re just getting started.

When asked what they’d like to promote, the boys pointed to some of their artistic connections, which can be found on Instagram; @maxdahlsam, @jonahwingelman, @xand333r, and @f1lmedbyjean. Learn more about LCD on their website lcdmagazine.com or on Instagram @lcd.magazine.