For the love of music and anime: VICTOR JARDEL
I'm a 27 years old French, I live in Paris. I spent 5 years in a Parisian graphic school and made 2 short films with my friends Eddy Loukil and Ghayth Chegaar there -- I was mainly focused on the animation, and listened Senbeï's music in a loop.
After I started to work as a freelance animator. And one night when I went to see Smokey Joe and The Kid playing live (a group former by IRB and Senbeï), I wanted Senbeï's autograph on my newly bought album, just like all fans… but I got to talk to him about my job. I told him that I really wanted to make animated music video. Our collaboration started there.
I started this collaboration with the clip Robbery Anthem Song: a universe had already created in my mind by its sound. I stayed in contact with my friend Eddy Loukil and told him (as an also Senbeï's fan) he could help me to make that clip. So the Grey Monkey Production was created.
We made another clip together for Smokey Joe And The Kid (with Senbeï so) Slow Drag.
I made videos for Senbeï's live then, but Senbeï wanted some simple visuals, so I did it on my own.
Then Senbeï wanted me to make the clip Rain. I really wanted to make live video and feature my characters in 3D. It is a type of video that I really wanted to have in my portfolio. So I went filming in some corners of Paris I like.
It took me 2 months and a half to complete that video (including the inspiration time and the pre-production). I would like to have much more time, but I saw this small leap like a challenge.
My main inspirations come from Ghibli’s universe (the productions studio, Princess Mononoke, Le Voyage de Chihiro ...), Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas, and some draws I make.
The art is for me the expression of our dreams or nightmares. My creativity comes a lot from my nightmares, I’ve had some sleeping troubles for a while and I think that affects my ideas. I can't complain much because it helps me with work and I love my work.
Introducing new age multi-media platform: OPENLAB
In a world where supply and demand is ever important and where the supply side of multi-media representation is ever increasing, staying unique and ahead of the game is essential. We had a look at newcomer multi-media platform OpenLab to see what the new kid on the block has to offer.
Trance-genre Godfather Robert Miles, the internationally acclaimed DJ whose track 'Children' sold over five million copies, founded OpenLab with the objective of creating a premium multi-media platform offering the “now-and-the-next” in music, design, art, technology, architecture and ecology – on demand.
The self-proclaimed ethos of would-be ‘hostess-with-the-mostess’ OpenLab is a promotion of possibility and diversity in output, without compromising quality or the ambition to bring about all that is most desirable in “tomorrow’s world…today”. It is a boutique concept and compared with larger, more detached streaming platforms such as Spotify it may well offer users and artists alike a more personal experience. What really sets it apart from its competitors is what seems to be a carefully curated assortment of various modes of artistic expressions.
The OpenLab brand has a rather couple of ahead, launching a curated music service and digital download store, a subscription streaming service, a social network, and finally opening a creative space in Ibiza for collaborating artists. With astounding visuals and a strong portfolio the platform creates a unique use of music and visual content online, perhaps pioneering the way for a new era, in which we witness a comeback of the radio. And, in doing so, which achieves another important goal – “broadcasting the spirit of Ibiza”.
The OpenLab community, whose partners include household names such as International Music Summit, IBZ Entertainment, Ghostly and Rough Trade, now boasts more than 700,000 users in 140 countries and numerous of the world’s best independent record labels, musicians and visual artists.
Songwriter Ralegh Long on the meaning of music #interview
WHEN & WHY
I started very young, aged 4 or 5, by strumming a guitar without fretting any chords and singing nonsense lyrics. I used to record on a boom box, and make tapes. It's a slow evolution.
MUSICAL MEMORIES
Jamming with my band from the age of 15 onwards in the summertime. Just setting up at my house, annoying the parents, getting lost in music. We wrote hundreds of songs and filed them away. Just pure curiosity and experimentation. I'm definitely pulling a few of those songs out in the future. We still play together.
FIRST SONG YOU LEARNED
Sara by Bob Dylan.
I ADMIRE
Artists I admire include Mark Eitzel, who changed my idea of what live music could be when I saw him play when I was about 18. The Innocence Mission, for their lyrical grace and beauty. Darren Hayman, who has been kind and taught me a lot.
MY INSTRUMENTS
My first instrument was a classical guitar. It had a new guitar smell and I remember being very excited when I got it, and that it was a lot bigger than me. Nowadays I play a beaten up Shaftesbury guitar who were this crazy copy make in the 60s and 70s. They've got microphonic pickups so they sound really harsh. I'm also quite partial to Nashville tuning, which is where you string an acoustic 6 string with just the top 6 strings of a 12 string set. It makes the guitar really high and it's useful when I'm playing live as it leaves space for Ed Ellis' Piano and Jack Hayter's Pedal steel.
STAYING INSPIRED
I tend to like things filled with light and a sense of grace. I like Sisley, and Debussy, I was really into Cy Twombly when I was younger. Musically I normally look for clarity, and distinctness of vision. I love Joni Mitchell, Bill Fay, American Music Club, lots of pretty emotionally difficult stuff. But I also love '80s college rock like The Wipers, The Reivers, The Dbs. Umbrella by The Innocence Mission is on heavy rotation at the moment. They are band from Pennsylvania who started in the 80s and are still going. Moving from a Cocteau Twins dream-pop sound to a simple folk vibe through the years. I love them.
I KEEP CREATIVE…
By letting the songs come to me rather than going looking for them. I find that two or three days without playing will normally result in a song or two when I start again.
IN THE STUDIO
For the first two E.Ps I self-produced. For this record I worked with Michael Page at The Combination Of. Mike's a producer in the old sense and it was a real experience making this record with him. He's fiercely intelligent. I think we think about music in contrasting ways and that was a fascinating thing to explore. We went into Soup Studios in East London, which is a great analogue studio. We cut the basic tracks in two days and then went back to The Combination Of to work on overdubs. For me on a day to day basis being in the studio means writing. Songs tend to come fairly fully formed, in one go at the piano. Vocals, melody, chords and lyrics. From there I will tinker and amend, revisiting songs until I feel there's a body of work emerging. It's a very circular process.
MUSIC MEANS…
It means a lot. I feel like I'm always thinking about it. It's an art-form, it's a pre-occupation, it's a spiritual practice, it's what I do for fun.
Ralegh Long
BUSDRIVER: A jazzy ride with the LA Rapper and Producer
Regan Farquhar aka Busdriver, LA
WHY & WHEN
Rap overtook me right about when I turned 13. That was also the same year and began piano lessons.
My teacher soon after, refused to teach me do to my lack of focus.
FIRST TUNE
I don't know, but the first vocalesce jazz song I learned was 'Cloudburst' by Jon Hendricks
I ADMIRE
Brian Eno, D'Angelo, Sly from Sly and the Family Stones. In particular, Sly getting that huge settlement in unpaid royalties recently should be a personal victory for all makers of intellectual property. It's a huge deal because you get a sense of how much poverty can stifle the lives of even our most coveted of innovators.
MY INSTRUMENTS
The voice. This has been my only real instrument. When I was in the band Physical Forms, I played the Q-chord and photo-sensitive sound governors build into welding gloves. Aside from that I use a few Roland drum machines. And the computer. And the fingers.
MUSICAL MEMORIES
Music is mainly something I experience and am swallowed whole by. So getting to actively spend time creating it for quite a while is an unusual privilege.
There were key moments when my appreciation became performative and when my own music became the response to music that I would or would not hear. The Goodlife was my earliest experience with this dynamic. There was a danger and confidence to the styles and personal outlooks in that place that I still can't shake. Something changed in me over the few months that I attended that open mike and got acquainted with the Lifers. It awakened something and compelled me to make make make.
A good deal of my fondest musical memories revolve around improvisation. Rapping with young jazzmen in Leimert Park at 5th Street Dick's comes to mind when I think of the euphoria in the improvised verse. Also, my years MCing in the Hip-hop and Drum'n'Bass room of LAs Concrete Jungle with Mikah-9 Daddy Kev, Hive and eDIT are some of my most favoured. I learned the dangers of dark rooms there, and really fell in love with rapping's possibilities in an unabashed way. Even though these memories all take place in venues freshly screamed into being, all my time in these holes felt personal. Like the community aspect locked all the moving parts into place.
READY, STEADY… STAGE!
I get nervous when I have to freestyle nowadays. It’s a volatile practice. My mind can barely hack it.
LAST WORDS
The powerful are looking for a particular kind of surrender from us. Whether you know it or not, you've already agreed to the terms of either or. Find that perfect hair and demystify its wiles. Or don't.
Introducing French Touch 3.0: French Kiwi Juice
Founded in 2012, the Roche Musique label generates a signature sound that is futuristically classy and – better still – unmistakably French. Found amongst the Roche Musique alumni, which is one heavy-hitting bunch including artists such as Kartell, Cézaire and Cherokee, is 24-year-old resident FKJ. His criminally smooth sound, sophistically transcending the limitations set by traditional music making, is totally addictive (and a personal favourite). We had a chat with one-to-watch FKJ about music, Paris and all things groovy.
Tell me a little bit about yourself?
My interest in music started early on. I would visit my uncle’s studio in Sydney and even though I didn’t know how to use any of the equipment I was completely hooked. I would even sleep there. My earliest musical encounter was listening to my father’s records from the 70s and 80s – you know, Police, Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd... that kind of thing. Later my friends and I would listen to Hip-Hop on the radio. I was really into that for a while. I always loved music and sure, it was a dream to be able to make music for a living, but that dream was big. When I moved to Paris three years ago I had a job letting sound equipment for photo shoots and commercials. I didn’t like the job much but I got to use the equipment and was able to do some recordings. There wasn’t really a “defining moment”. I was doing odd-job gigs one moment and suddenly I was making music!
Tell me about about the way you work?
For the last two months I’ve had a real studio, which has made an enormous difference. Before I was working in my bedroom and because of my roommates I had to stop at 10pm. Now I can go on until 5am, if I’m feeling it. I share the studio with two other artists from the label – Kartell and Darius. Whereas especially Kartell keeps quite a regular schedule, I work more hardcore hours. During the day I’m out a lot, taking pictures, having lunch with friends, going to art exhibitions and often having a few drinks at night. I live in Paris and I love to get lost in the city – there is always something to do and I manage to find inspiration everywhere! If something hits me, I will record a vocal melody on my iPhone and then go to my “emergency studio” at home, where I have the essentials to compose if I need to. The best songs are the ones in my head – the spontaneous ones. I often find that too much planning makes mediocre music.
What does music mean to you?
For me it is about the music in itself, not the genre or style. Some periods I am deeply into one thing, two months later it’s something else. When you listen to a lot of different things, and listen properly, you begin to understand the style and the different elements proper to each style. You appreciate not only the music, but the context as well. For me the main thing is having fun in the studio – with a stick, a glass, vocals, anything really. If I feel something is missing I will explore that particular cord obsessively until I really know it. I am always discovering and there continues to be stuff to learn. The beauty is that you can learn anything from anyone; the more open you are, the more you can absorb!
And Roche Musique, what’s the story?
I’ve been part of Roche Musique for two years and it is like a little family. The manager, Jean Janin (Cézaire), is one of best friends and we were friends long before either of us got into music. We are eight to ten artists under the label and we all know each other and hang out every week. Sometimes we do tracks together, mixing sounds and playing around with some tunes. The process is interesting because you never know how it will turn out. Despite the similarity in style we all have different tastes and approaches. For example, I recently created a track with Darius and the way we combined our styles to create something distinctive from both our sounds was awesome and it really worked. On the other hand, the first time we tried it didn’t work – it was too planned!
So, to you, what makes Roche Musique stand out?
I don’t know any other label that brings this level of French groove – that uniquely French touch. I really feel like we are the best representatives of French funk. Apart from that, and the environment of course, I also like the visual side of the label, the cover artworks. For someone who has always loved visuals and photography, that means something too. Essentially, it’s a super supportive environment, in which we all share one main goal – it’s all about the groove!
What inspires you?
I am very much influenced by the atmosphere around me. If I were alone in the world, if nobody was around to listen, no doubt my music would be different. That atmospheric inspiration would be missing. But, once that is said, I make music first and foremost for me. There is a lot of pressure on young artists, once their music starts to take off, to conform to what is “expected” of them. Because of the type of music I make I am often associated with the club scene, but personally I don’t really care about fitting a certain scene. When I was younger I was more concerned with these artificial boundaries, trying to “fit in”, but all that really resulted in was fixing limits for my creativity. You have to stay true to yourself and the kind of stuff you enjoy making – even if it transcends borders. That makes your music honest and honesty is vital.
For sure! And finally, what’s the best part of making music?
When my state of mind is right, it’s euphoric. It’s better than any drug, and such a big part of my music. Of course travelling and making gigs is always amazing. Meeting people and performing, having the opportunity to communicate the euphoric state I was in when I created a track is a special feeling. More than anything, I’d like to be able to think of myself as a composer of good atmosphere. That’s it, that’s what it’s all about for me – creating something groovy and having fun while I do it.
Ryley Walker, exploring new sounds
From Chicago, Ryley Walker, exploring new sounds, sung in a deep voice and matches various oft-referenced folk-rock and plain folk styles until they become totally crisp.
When and why did you start playing?
At 12 years old. I was bored and wasn’t good at skateboarding, so guitar was the next best thing.
What was the first tune(s) you learned?
Led zeppelin - Going to California
Which famous musicians do you admire? Why?
Hm..like mega famous? I suppose David Crosby because he is most likely an alien God sent here to uncover all of America's deepest conspiracies and I admire that.
Describe your first instrument. Other instruments.
Shit knockoff of a Stratocaster that I eventually smashed to pieces.
What are your fondest musical memories? In your house? In your neighbourhood or town?
Going through garage sales and finding floyd records at a very young age.
Who are your favorite musicians? Groups? CD’s?
John Martyn - Bless The Weather.
Do you get nervous before a performance or a competition?
Just a bit tipsy.
Something that you would like to say to the audience…
send your cash to Dead Oceans Records and buy my new long player on March 3.
Saturday 18 of April at Sebright Arm
The great, astonishing and wonderful Iceland band Rökkurró
Rökkurró returned in October 2014 with a new studio album Innra, produced by multi-instrumentalist Helgi Hrafn Jónsson. The three year gap between the two albums gave Rökkurró the space to meticulously expand their luscious palette into the beautiful, dreamy soundscapes that is Innra.
New members Helga on piano and Skúli on bass have been added to the line-up and time spent by the bands members between Tokyo, London and Reykjavík inspired Rökkurró to record their first part-English speaking record.
Here some words from Helga, the keyboard player in Rökkurró.
When and why did you start playing?
I don't remember when I started playing, I'm pretty sure it was as soon as I could hold my head up. My parents were music teachers so it was pretty inevitable.
What was the first tune(s) you learned?
I started regular piano lessons with my dad when I was 3 years old so I don't really remember which ones were the first tunes. When I grew into my teens however I started learning songs by my favourite artists. I think I started with songs by Tori Amos, Joni Mitchell and Nobuo Uematsu.
Which famous musicians do you admire? Why?
One of my all times favourite artists is Björk. She always keeps on growing, making every new album to be a new experience, growing as an artist and raising the bar for herself. I'd say the same thing about Emiliana Torrini, Tori Amos and many more. The musicians I admire have in common that they are doing their thing and growing with each album, not trying to recreate what they've already done. Sometimes the experiments might not pay off completely, but they're not content to just sit in the same rut forever. They're making music for themselves and out of passion and that is admirable.
Describe your first instrument. Other instruments.
As mentioned before I played piano before I can remember. I think the first piano we had had its sound board crack from the dry air in Iceland while me and my dad were playing together when I was only 1 year old. My earliest memories of our pianos was moving house and having to sell our piano because it couldn't fit up the stairs. Pianos are so unhandy. The first instrument I bought for myself was a Kawai electric piano when I moved to Reykjavík for university. It served its purpose but I can't say I really bonded with it. Later I got a beautiful Washburn Western acoustic guitar from my family and I now have a smaller bodied Guild acoustic which sounds amazing. My all time favourite instrument that I have ever owned is my Nord Electro 3 which I'm using right now. I bought it at a time when I had no money but it's paid off many times since. It's a keyboard player's dream: an instrument that you can strap on your back and take in hand luggage (although sometimes you have to smooth talk the airport staff a little bit). Knowing that you have an instrument with all your sounds that is always in tune is a privilege keyboard players should never take for granted.
What are your fondest musical memories? In your house? In your neighborhood or town?
Some of the fondest memories are from get togethers at my house when I was a child. My dad would always whip out the guitar and everybody would join in singing. My parents' vocal quartets or recorder groups rehearsed at home so music was a part of every day life. At the moment I live with two other musicians so it's nice to experience that setting again. I think my favourite memory of a live performance is when I saw Sigur Rós play their outside concert in Ásbyrgi in the north of Iceland, only an hour away from my home town. I had just decided to go study music in the city and that concert was so immersive and effortless that it just solidified everything I had been planning to do with my life.
Who are your favorite musicians? Groups? CD’s?
My favourite musicians are many and varied. Björk, Tori Amos, The National, Elbow, Simon & Garfunkel, etc. I also had a long period of listening solely to film music so Thomas Newman, Dario Marianelli and Danny Elfman also deserve a mention. At the moment I also listen quite a lot to Banks, Lucius, Little Dragon and Bombay Bicycle Club. Some of my all time favourite CDs include Relationship of Command by At the Drive-in, Vespertine by Björk, Blue by Joni Mitchell and the American Beauty score by Thomas Newman. It really fluctuates what I'm listening to.
Do you get nervous before a performance or a competition?
It's been a while since I've really felt nerves before a show. There's always a feeling of excitement and uncertainty of how the gig will be, but not exactly nerves. I learned a few years ago that the way to avoid nerves is to be 110% certain that you know your stuff, that it's as easy as breathing. So not much before. But it can happen that if you're not connecting with the music or you don't feel in the zone that you psyche yourself out on stage. It happens to every musician; if you get the feeling on stage that you're not completely on your game you get in your head and in your way, so much that you mess something up that you've done hundreds of times. The real challenge is to learn how to not psyche yourself out. It's still a work in progress for me.
Something that you would like to say to the audience...
Music is such a great thing and I think that everybody who wants to should be able to take part in it. So many people think that music is only for a select few to do, but I think that's not the case. You don't have to be a master chef to enjoy cooking. So to all those that want to take up an instrument or want to sing but are afraid they're not good enough I say, it's never too late. Go for it!
2 Feb - Start The Bus, Bristol (UK)
3 Feb - The Tin Music And Arts, Coventry (UK)
4 Feb - Sebright Arms, London (UK)
AIAIAI Mix 010: HWLS
The 10th edition in the AIAIAI mix series sees rising, Australian duo, HWLS, come correct with a downcast, beat-driven mix repping Evian Christ, The Weeknd, Clams Casino and Tinashe, among many other genre-expanding artists and producers. Comprised of Aussie beat heads Ta-Ku and Kit Pop, HWLS are the latest in a long line of remarkable producers to come out of the music-savvy Australian continent. Check the chat with Kit Pop about their influences, their creative process and the thoughts behind their stripped-down, black/white, visual aesthetic at aiaiai website.
Viet Cong -Viet Cong
Canadian band Viet Cong manage to blend it all into something scattershot yet coherent, unified by a strong stylistic through-line and an abundance of energy. They've filled this album -Viet Cong- with cool but addictive melodies, distortion and sewing sounds together, guitar work that can sooth or bludgeon at will, and plenty of sonic atmosphere. They're making it clear they have the talent and smarts to become a major force in Canada's indie community.
TOUR DATES:
[all tix + tour dates: jagjaguwar.com/tour]
01.28.15 – Union Pool – Brooklyn, NY **
01.29.15 – Mercury Lounge – New York, NY
01.30.15 – Bar Le Ritz PDB – Montreal, QC ^
01.31.15 – The Garrison – Toronto, ON
02.04.15 – Oslo – London, UK
02.05.15 – The Deaf Institute – Manchester, UK
02.06.15 – Broadcast – Glasgow, UK
02.07.15 – Brudenell Social – Leeds, UK
02.08.15 – Green Door Store – Brighton, UK
02.09.15 – Le Point FMR (Ephemere) Paris, FR
02.10.15 – Paradiso – Amsterdam, NL
02.11.15 – West Germany – Berlin, DE
02.12.15 – Loppen – Copenhagen, DK
02.13.15 – Pokalen – Oslo, NO
02.14.15 – Mejeriet – Lund, SE
02.15.15 – Hafenklang – Hamburg, DE
02.16.15 – Rotown – Rotterdam, NL
02.17.15 – De Kreun – Kortrijk, BE
02.18.15 – Le Botanique – Brussels, BE
02.26.15 – Commonwealth – Calgary, AB
02.27.15 – The Artery – Edmonton, AB
02.28.15 – Amigos Cantina – Saskatoon, SK
03.03.15 – Mississippi Studios – Portland, OR
03.05.15 – Rickshaw Stop – San Francisco, CA
03.06.15 – Echo – Los Angeles, CA
03.07.15 – Soda Bar – San Diego, CA
03.08.15 – Valley Bar – Phoenix, AZ
03.11.15 – Record Bar – Kansas City, MO
03.12.15 – 7th Street Entry – Minneapolis, MN
03.14.15 – Dionysus Club at Oberlin College – Oberlin, OH
03.24.15 – Larimer Lounge – Denver, CO
03.25.15 – Kilby Court – Salt Lake City, UT
03.26.15 – Treefort Music Fest – Boise, ID
03.27.15 – Barboza – Seattle, WA
* w/ Ought
** w/ Honey, PC Worship
^ w/ PC Worship, Unblonde
The mysteriously, stunning and dazzling Norwich band: THESE GHOSTS
The mysteriously, stunning and dazzling Norwich band play today at The Shacklewell Arms.
The band formed in 2010, finding each other in the wilderness of the Norfolk fens – a fortuitous meeting of minds that led to brilliant first album You Are Not Lost, You Are Here.
The album was quickly followed by 2 stunning singles that hinted at greater potential for the group, and after spending some time in University purgatory with Skype & Whatsapp their only means of jamming, the 3 friends finally reunited to finish off what they started.
Indie electronica frequently compared to Radiohead. The LP was recorded with Jonny Cole and Matthew Herbert, released in September 2015.
For more information on These Ghosts, listen to a number of tracks from Still The Waves via the band’s Soundcloud.
Clever, stunning and beauty dream by Teen Daze
Teen Daze is the name used by Jamison from Vancouver.
Jamison has been making music for years now, putting out a inconspicuous EPs, records and excellent remixes that have garnered him a great deal of fans. His new track “Reykjavik, January 2015″ goes between dream-pop, ambient, and downtempo. He is again seducing us with a clever, stunning and beauty dream.
Today at Birthdays. Doors 8:00pm
Five Outstanding Composers To Watch
The past year of cinema has been accompanied by some magnificent film scores, with the composers perfectly shaping the unforgettable images of 2014.
The past year of cinema has been accompanied by some magnificent film scores, with the composers perfectly shaping the unforgettable images of 2014 .
1. Alex Ebert
Lead singer and songwriter of Ima Robot and Edward Sharpe and the Magentic Zeros, Alex Ebert, won the 2014 Golden Globe for Best Original Score for his work on J.C. Chandor’s film All is Lost. Ebert has reunited with Chandor to work on A Most Violent Year. The stand out original track America For Me shows Eberts anger towards what is to be a good citizen while you also support negatives by being this. It’s interesting to see this personal song within the soundtrack for a film on corruption. The whole soundtrack is influenced by America in the 1980’s and is a character study of the lead Abel, creating a calming yet powerful outcome.
2. Mica Levi
The lead singer from Micachu and The Shapes this year stepped into film composing. She created A beautiful soundtrack for Under The Skin perfectly enhancing Scarlett Johansson’s seductive performance whilst also creating an unsettling feeling throughout. The track ‘Love’ is the perfect example of this, the slow paced beauty being contrasted by seemingly tense chords pulls together the desired image of the unusual.
Levi said of her own work that 'it's not necessarily going to sound very nice. It's supposed to be physical, alarming, hot.' This is definitely achieved through the use of the viola being able to contour the flow of the film. I would be interested in following Levi through her work if she did any further composing.
3. Justin Hurwitz
Hurwitz is a long time friend of Whiplash director Damien Chazelle, so it was no surprise for him to be asked to help create the soundtrack for the Oscar nominated film. The duo have previously collaborated on what started as a student film 'Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench'. From there their collaborative friendship has bloomed and Hurwitz is expected on Chazelle's next Singing In The Rain style feature. Hurwitz says planning for the soundtrack of Whiplash began even before filming which is unusual in film production. Hurwitz got to improvise and play his own music with fantastic big band pieces. The music is the glue to the film, without the perfect soundtrack it wouldn't be what it is.
A whole film score composed of a drum beat is an unusual route to go down, but for the Alejandro González Iñárritu masterpiece Birdman Sánchez has completed this major task. The constant drumming helps you see the theatre style of the film and confuses the line between reality and fantasy. Michael Keaton's performance is amplified by the beat following him round, showing his mental instability and the pressure he faces. Birdman was nominated for Best Original Score, but has now been disqualified due to the ratio of classical music to original score.
5. Jonny Greenwood
Radiohead lead guitarist, computer programmer, composer. Johnny Greenwood has an impressive resume behind him. His first work as a composer was on the documentary Bodysong, showing the story of human life through found footage. He's gone onto score many films thereafter. His most recent work is on Paul Thomas Anderson's Inherent Vice. This is the third time he has scored one of Anderson's films. The score was recorded with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the soundtrack includes an unreleased Radiohead song. There are elements of the score which are dreamlike and subtle but the soundtrack itself contrasts this with funky beats. Greenwoods work is forever developing as he makes his mark as one of the greatest modern musicians.
Easy Riding with Action Bronson
Ahead of the upcoming launch of his album Mr. Wonderful, New York rapper Action Bronson released the single Easy Rider last summer much to the delight of hip hop lovers everywhere.
Sampling from Mazhar ve Fuat’s 70s psychedelic rock track Adımız Miskindir Bizim, Easy Rider makes for a great chill-out tune with the power to transport its listeners to a land of desert sunsets, warm evening breezes, and motorcycle road trips much like those portrayed in the track’s eclectic music video.
Speaking behind the scenes during the filming of the music video, the big man himself described Easy Rider as a culmination of all his thoughts and feelings. With help from photographer and filmmaker Tom Gould, we are taken on a crazy trip through Bronson’s mind.
Set for release on the March 24, Mr. Wonderful has become one of the most highly anticipated albums of 2015; with the likes of Mark Ronson and The Alchemist featuring as producers, the albumpromises to take Action Bronson from his current status as promising music industry up-and-comer to fully fledged hip hop deity.
Whiplash: The Most Intense Cinematic Journey of the Year
Damien Chazelle’s new feature, Whiplash is one of the most thrilling films of the last decade.
Andrew Neiman (Milles Teller) is an aspiring jazz drummer under the critical command of conductor Terence Fletcher (J.K. Simmons). Fletcher pushes him as he works himself into a whole fury of blood, sweat and tears. The tension Whiplash brings will have any viewer out of breath trying to keep up with the emotions of Neiman. It’s cut to the pace of the beat keeping you constantly involved with the music and soundtrack. The cinematography brilliantly enhances the jazz look, making you feel fully immersed. Chazelle originally could not get the funding for the film, so instead made a short film version. After screening at Sundance, it won the short prize and he got the money to make the feature, now nominated for five Oscars. This includes the well-deserved best supporting actor for Simmons, his intense and torturous performance really pulls the piece together, constantly demanding your attention. You cannot look away. This is the type of film you really need to see in the cinema while you can, you cannot get the full experience of this in your own home, and what better way to support the film industry than watching one of the films of the year.
Spooky Black aka Corbin feat. Psymun at Birthdays, Dalston
An hour and a half before the show, I overhear the crowd queuing for Spooky Black and Psymun in front of Birthdays in Dalston, discussing how fast the tickets to his show sold out back in December – in a mere two hours, my friend tells me, as the entire line of casual yet cool people await in the cold to see Soundcloud sensation Spooky Black, now known by his real name Corbin. Some people have even come up all the way from Brighton and even Germany, and the excitement is palpable in the air, as this is one of Corbin’s only dates in Europe.
Corbin, an American teenager whose music video Without U went viral back in 2014, is, to put it simply, impressive on the stage. Rather than make use of superficial sounds and take detours in his music, he delves deep into the songs of his latest album, Black Silk, and his EP Leaving. Covering also Radiohead’s Weird Fishes/Arpeggi, Corbin delivers everything that his online presence promises – a bizarre, yet sensuous show that doesn’t care what you think. It is too busy being good to care.
Paired with the exceptional Psymun on the guitar, the atmosphere quickly shifts from warm and impatient to a haze of dancing bodies slowly entering a trance. Corbin also sings a song which he will ‘never release’, a mixture of a funky, groovy tune and chilled R’n’B – not exactly a departure from his dreamy, sleepy-like songs, but still quite different. It’s touching, gentle, fresh, new and probably one of the most promising sounds of the year.
This is an artist who leaves you thinking ‘this is what music should be about’ after every track: restless young people changing the face of music without artifices, bringing us back to the days of the dark’n’dirty gigs in the basements of dubious venues. A small and dark room of sweaty, scantily-clad bodies chanting desolate tunes and jumping up and down when hearing their favourite song come up (the crowd responded amazingly to every song, and the climax came when he finally performed Without U).
Corbin’s stage presence was perfect, and although unpretentious it came off as shy – he remained simple on stage, with no dramatic lighting or smoke, which turned out to be a smooth decision since it allowed him to deliver everything in his songs. At his peak, his performance was ethereal, anxious, perfect, thrilling, gentle and ferocious at the same time – it’s not Spooky anymore, it’s Corbin and we’re glad he’s owning up to his talent. His voice suddenly enriches all the possibilities of R’n’B and makes you wonder why he isn’t a much bigger deal – because he should.
Corbin’s gig was a haunting siren’s call for the deepest parts of us –the longing, the yearning, and the beautiful. Atmospheric, and slightly erotic (as all good music is), his ghost-like voice is complimented by the excellent Psymun, who, although always there, is sometimes not given enough credit. Corbin takes his music seriously –just the way he languorously clutches at the microphone, eyes half closed and pushing himself to deliver on certain parts of a song.
The show was definitely a must-see and one that remained flawless, and we cannot wait to follow his next steps – Corbin is heading in the right direction.
On our radar: 5 new albums to look forward to in 2015
By AC Speed
Panda Bear - Panda Bear meets the Grim Reaper
Release date: 13 January via Domino Recording Company
Although set to meet the grim reaper on a day some would call unlucky, this is one Panda that shows no sign of becoming the subject of anyone's endangered species list!
Co-Founding member of Animal Collective Noah Lennox, aka Panda Bear not only graced us with a truly enchanted EP entitled 'Mr Noah' in 2014, he also teamed up with French electro pop dance kings Daft Punk on the highly addictive song 'Doin' it right'.
Panda Bear finished off the year by releasing a tantalizing glimpse of things to come with the enigmatic single 'Boys Latin', offering a truly diverse and underground cult like sound. With such an original approach to his craft 'Panda Bear meets the Grim Reaper' looks set to become one of the most unique albums of 2015.
Rae Morris - Unguarded
Release date: 26 January via Atlantic Records
Born under the shadows of grim grey northern skies in 1993, Rae Morris started shining her musical light onto the world at just four years old by learning to play the piano. She followed a musically orientated education through college and moved to London in recent years being picked up by Atlantic Records along the way.
Morris released 'Under The Shadows' late last year which instantly brought her career into the commercial spot light. An ever present influence of 80s driven base lines can be heard throughout the latest offering and we can't wait to hear the full album to see what pop influenced wonders await.
Hyenas - Deadweights
Release date: 15 March via (self release)
A politically heavy hardcore band from Germany not for the faint hearted, Hyenas really are a pack of wild animals! Formed from the ashes of several disbanded punk bands in 2012 they've spent the last year storming around Europe leaving a trail of defiled scent like noise in every venue that allowed them in.
In true DIY punk/art style the group single handedly made a limited and numbered edition of their first EP released back in January of 2014 met with critical acclaim amongst musicians and journalists alike.
Highly anticipated album debut 'Deadweights' is set to be a complete game changer in the hardcore scene, one that will grip it's vicious teeth into your soul and will not let go.
Viet Cong - Viet Cong
Release date: 20 January via Jagjaguwar
Although the name suggests a group of war torn patrons from a Peninsula of Southeast Asia, this band of Viet Cong actually hail from Calgary, Alberta and seemingly don't embark on many holidays to Cambodia.
A post punk outfit that have individually been through their fair share of tragedy over the years released an ensemble of atmospheric and Joy Division inspired songs earlier
in 2014, drawing the attention of underground indie fans across the UK.
New single 'Silhouettes' offers an insight into the development of a band trying to find it's own eclectic sound of emotive yet atmospheric noise whilst drawing inspiration from great artists such as Interpol and The Velvet Underground.
Expect big things from the new Viet Cong album, not least a revolution in tonality and creativity.
Tame Impala -TBA
Release date: TBA 2015 Via TBA
Formed down under in Perth, Australia around 2007 Tame Impala shot straight to the top with their psychedelic release 'Lonerism' back in 2012. The offering of chilled beats, space aged electro synth sounds and melodic pop vocals quickly made this a cult classic amongst indie and house lovers around the world.
With only a few hints from their management team about the release we can only guess at what the new album has in store for us, one thing we do know for sure is that we can't wait to hear more from the boys down under.
Footprints: A Walk Through Five Decades of Style and Subculture
Beginning in France in the early 1970s when designer Jacques Chevallereau created the first 'jean boot’, influenced by the newly-vocal youth movement of the previous decade - Kickers has been a youth brand, synonymous with identity, central to the uniform code of one youth movement after another.
Student riots in Paris had demanded a fairer, more democratic society and the cultural climate, including the bold play Hair, expressed a desire for a never-before-seen personal freedom. Since its inception, the iconic Kick Hi shoe has been part of the culture and image of many youth movements - really gaining popularity in the late 1980s and early 1990s on the Manchester music scene.
The celebrated the brand which is recognised as a part of history - for its 40th anniversary, Jocks&Nerds and Kickers came to together to create a series of five films, which underpin the significance of the Kick Hi shoe, interviewing key protagonists from some of these movements.
We see Johnathan Joseph aka DJ Spoony talking us through the origins of the UK Garage scene, noting how “the real super notchers - the top dons” would have “loads of the little Kicker tags” visible, photographer Ian Tilton discussing the ‘Madchester' scene, photographer Gavin Watson discussing the rave scene of the mid-1980s, and Kevin Sampson noting how the boys wore blue and the girls wore red Kickers during the distinctive dress code which is regarded as the “casuals”.
Some of my favourite tracks of 2014
Putting together a ‘top ten tracks of 2014’ is like trying to get a man pregnant – an impossible task
Putting together a ‘top ten tracks of 2014’ is like trying to get a man pregnant – an impossible task. So instead, we give you some of the things we found titillating this year. In no particular order:
Jack J - Looking Forward to You
Jack J, half of Pender Street Steppers and Mood Hut affiliate, stepped out on his own and delivered “Looking Forward to You”. A nod to a number of classic dance genres, the song’s easy drums, groovy bass line, and cooing vocals will have you wiggling your hips through an after party or bobbing your head smoking j at the beach.
Moodymann feat. Andres - Lyk U Used 2
Moodymann has been putting out fantastic house records for nearly twenty years. “Lyk U Used 2” is a soulful number that came from his self-titled LP that dropped earlier this year. Although the songs vocals tell the woes of a flame burning out, it really gets me in the mood… to dance.
FKA Twigs - Two Weeks
“Two Weeks” is a tantric song where FKA Twigs exudes empowered femininity. Twigs is seducing a man out of another relationship claiming that she can take better care of him.
Floating Points - King Bromeliad
Sam Shephard, aka Floating Points, dropped this lovely jazz-influenced house track via his label, Eglo Records. The song opens up with sounds of a crowd chatting (or a party?) and then shakes its head clear into loose drums, keys, and, squirming synths. Its dark and moody.
Pender Street Steppers - Openin’ Up
The Pender Street Steppers and other Mood Hut affiliates have placed Vancouver’s underground scene on the map. Their track, “Openin’ Up” is a hazy listen of something totally new.
Lnrdcroy - Sunrise Market (extended mix)
Lnrdcroy is another fantastic producer from Vancouver. “Sunrise Market (extended mix)” is an atmospheric dream. The track first appeared on his debut album on 1080p and later on Rhythms of the Pacific Volume 1.
Fatima - Do Better
It’s hard for a song to go wrong when you’ve got Floating Points heading production, Theo Pharrish assisting with writing, and, of course, Fatima’s lovely vocals. “Do Better” is the opening track from Fatima’s “Yellow Memories”. It was inspired by the pre-disco group 100% Pure Poison. People should start paying closer attention to this chick.
Seven Davis Jr. - Friends
Seven Davis Jr.’s “Friends” bursts with manic energy while remaining a pleasant and bubbly listen. Claps, frantic hi-hats, and Davis Jr.’s casual vocals make for a perfect weekend anthem.
The music videos of 2014 we watched and loved
We dug deep to bring you artist and directors who are totally changing the conventions of music videos. Here are some of our favourites from 2014 (in no particular order):
FKA Twigs: Two Weeks
Two Weeks is a siren’s song in which FKA Twigs is seducing someone from another relationship. In the Nabil-directed video, Twigs looks nothing short of an Egyptian sun goddess, dripping in gold with a Twigian tribe as her court (she plays every role in case you haven’t noticed). The video is one long panning shot, slowly rolling out the grandeur of the entire scene. The video appears to be a nod to movie ‘The Queen of the Damned’ where Aaliyah plays a badass vampire. The video showcases Twig’s empowered brand of femininity.
Tommy Kruise: Hers
Director Martin Pariseau is demystifying our notions of mental illness in Tommy Kruise’s Hers video (I was really taken aback and pleasantly surprised the first time I watched it). The video follows Bogdan Chiochiu, a (real-life) fan of Kruise’s with Asperger’s syndrome. Pariseau met Bogdan in Cejep, a pre-grad institution in Quebec. Bogdan speaks six languages, is passionate about his music, and is obsessed with radio waves. Parsieau paints the picture of how isolating life can be when institutionalized, but also makes audiences realize that they have more in common with Bogdan than they think.
Arca and Jesse Kanda: Trauma 1
Trauma is an ongoing film project by Arca and Jesse Kanda that was first partially exhibited at Moma PS1. Their works together are wonderfully demented. Trauma’s score takes from Arca’s musical works. Scene I depicts a disfigured baby dance crew – think Missy Elliot gone totally off the deep end – celebrating their inner and outer beauty in the limelight.
Jamie XX, Four Tet, Koreless, and John Talabot score Sofia Mattioli’s Continuum
Blame it on my bias for these producers being some of my favorites, but the concept of this video is why it’s on this list. The London-based artist and writer, Sofia Mattioli and collaborator Rebecca Salvadori presented a silent film they made to the four musicians; each was given a different bit of the movie to compose music for. Although separately written, all the songs flow seamlessly together and bring out the essence of their various sections of film.
Tiga: Bugatti
Tiga’s Bugatti music video is as if Luis Buñuel remade “Aspen Extreme”. The video consists of a deadpan Tiga and bits of surrealist corporate and ski scenes. Humorous, twisted, and 80’s aesthetic-fueled, director Helmi has perfectly embodied the quirky, fun attitude of the song.
Future Brown: Vernáculo
Future Brown’s Vernáculo is a tripped out reggaeton track featuring the dirty rhymes of Maluca. The video sheds light on the ridiculousness of beauty advertising by appropriating its language and esthetics. Future Brown products function as the base for physical perfection. It was commissioned by Pérez Art Museum Miami, who describe it as “an exercise in capitalist surrealism”.
Perfume Genius: Queen
Cody Critcheloe (SSION) directed the video that follows the journey of Mike Hadreas (Perfume Genius) and a female companion. The two are on a quest to find themselves – or something – I think. The video was inspired by the reactions that Hadreas faces to his identity by macho insecure dudes. The video is a charming surrealist tale about embracing yourself.
Mykki Blanco: She Gutta
It’s been a busy year for Mykki Blanco. Between creating music with the legendary Kathleen Hanna, and showing non-stop love and support for her contemporaries in Russia (currently swamped with oppressive anti-gay legislation) through various means, Blanco dropped the video for She Gutta, and it’s hectic (in the best way possible, of course). The video is shot like a documentary and follows the fictitious LA gangs Hoover Locos, Shadow Park Locos, and the Columbia Lol Psychos (that last one gave me a good laugh). The mainstream media’s frigid stereotypes are shaken up as nightwalker-esque women are thuggish with agency and homosexuality is paralleled with machoness. Violent news clips intermingle with anime cartoons which further adds to the videos manic energy. Mykki Blanco is the dopest.
Jamie XX: Sleep Sound
Directors Sofia Mattioli and Cherise Payne explore the themes of silence and sound. Inspired by personal experiences, the video follows a group of hearing impaired people from the Manchester Deaf Center who discover music through dance, emotion, and imagination. Warning: this one pulls at the heartstrings.
GEMS: Sinking Stone
The video for GEMS’ Sinking Stone tells the story of two love struck youngings getting in trouble with a couple of gangsters. Directed by BRTHR, the trippy film stars everyone’s favorite ratchet siblings, the ATL Twins. It's the kind of short that makes you crave trouble and a Bonnie and Clyde style romance.