Circulation volume 4 issue 3 by Circulation Magazine

volume 4 / issue 3 / november 2014 / free

C I R C U L A T I O N e

THE ACID + WOMAN’S HOUR CIRCA WAVES ALEX G

EDITOR’S NOTE

CONTENTS

THE TEAM EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

LIVE Alice Lawrence

MANAGING DIRECTOR

The Amazing Snakeheads

Lily Grant

DJ Jazzy Jeff

SECRETARY

Nat Barker EVENTS MANAGERS Ely Villanueva Iglesias Maisie Kelly CHIEFS OF THE AIRWAVES Oliver Mangham Dan Wynn PR + PUBLICITY Nancy Saul FEATURES EDITOR Sophie Brear REVIEWS EDITOR Harry Rosehill COMMENT EDITOR Holly Hunt LIVE EDITOR Kyle Picknell ARTS EDITOR Georgia Marshall DESIGN Alice Lawrence WITH THANKS TO Jack Turner Kasimiira Kontio Jack Davis Maddy Crammond Alice Miller Bradley Chalker Scott Clarke Martha Wright Elliott Ball Kit Lockey Charlotte Morrin Lucy Wegerif Ali Amer Emily Garthwaite

Jungle

The Wytches

RECENTLY RELEASED 5 5

MF Doom + Bishop Nehru 6 6

Alt-J

Bonobo

Jessie Ware

Julian Casablancas & The Voidz 7 8 8

Caribou

Ariel Pink

Flying Lotus

INTERVIEWS 9 11

The Acid

Woman’s Hour 13

Circa Waves 14

Alex G

New Street Adventure 16

Mono Life

COMMENT 17

You Wanna Get Serious? 19 20

Audi/No Visual

Why I Love Dancehall

ere it is - the final issue of Circulation brought to you by the team in its current form. This week is elections - all change and a chance for anyone and everyone to step up and make this magazine collective do its thing. Before we leave, we’ve brought you interviews with quite an eclectic bunch. The fascinating three-pronged attack that is The Acid grace our cover, while inside, Woman’s Hour, Circa Waves, Alex G, New Street Adventure and Mono Life swirl around our pages like a new music whirlwind. We’ve bent our ears around several of October’s albums, from previous cover star Jessie Ware, to Flying Lotus’ musings on death and Julian Casablancas’ answer to the eternal question: what happens after The Strokes? Locally, York greeted the returning students with a feast of live music this term - we’ve covered the best bits and are looking forward to what November offers Elsewhere in this issue, we’ve discussed music videos, internet nasties and dancehall delights. It’s been a tricky one to edit - there are some big opinions put forth, but I hope you’ll join in the conversation. This whole magazine and this whole year has been a blast; it feels good to be passing over to others to have their share of the fun. See you at elections, or if that doesn’t sound fun, there’s our launch party too. - Alice Lawrence

circulation-mag.com / circulationmagazine@yusu.org / facebook.com/circulationmag / @circulationmag

IMAGE: JACK TURNER

the amazing snakeheads live:

THE DUCHESS, YORK 12 OCTOBER

ale Barclay is the lead singer, guitarist and unequivocal force of nature in The Amazing Snakeheads. He sports a small tattoo on his right shoulder that reads ‘Wild at Heart’. Presumably this is a reference to the Elvis Presley-inspired, David Lynchdirected, crime movie of the same name, and not the soppy ITV series about an animal hospital. Regardless, it’s fitting. Barclay is the best frontman I have seen in a very long time. He spent most of the show meandering through a tightly packed Duchess with guitar and microphone stand in tow, setting up and playing wherever he felt like. This led to a raucous rendition of ‘Truth Serum’ in the middle of the dancefloor and although the crowd were slightly bemused at first, they quickly warmed to Barclay’s infectious energy and appetite. He is a man of small stature but with the heavy rhythm section pounding on and on behind him he feels seven foot tall. Particularly when he sings. He can bellow, growl or howl his way through songs but his minimal use of vocal means that the result strangely melodic rather than gratuitous. Barclay’s (think of

gravel-throated singing the pelican cement-mixer

from The Flintstones) is an absolute breath of fresh air in comparison to the whiney, frustratingly Americanised inflections of other Scottish bands (cough Twin Atlantic cough Biffy Clyro). Instead, The Amazing Snakeheads are wholeheartedly and unapologetically authentic and this is why I have no comments to make about Dale Barclay’s crowd interaction between songs - I had absolutely no idea what he was saying. Fortunately for me, the music did most of the talking. The Amazing Snakeheads are a gritty mix of The Stooges and The Bad Seeds, both famous backing bands to their deified lead singers, yet are dynamic enough as a three piece to succeed where five-plus members is the norm. The set slithers along through the sheer will of the bassline and bass drum alone, which is no bad thing. Take opener, ‘Here It Comes Again’ for instance. A three minute shot of adrenaline, the song is mostly an uptempo instrumental with the titular mantra repeated during two verses (if you can call them verses) that become increasingly manic. Live, it was utterly hypnotic and set the bar high for the rest of the set. However, my own personal highlight must be awarded to the unashamedly Glaswegian “Where Is My Knife?”. Bass player William Coombe and drummer Scott

Duff lay down a dark Stooges groove whilst Barclay stalks across the stage like a man possessed, murmuring lyrics about a knife and a girl called Sally. He eventually veers back into the audience for a rip-roaring climax of blues guitar licks (did I mention he can play a bit as well?) and this time the crowd are with him through every note, swaying with him as he does so, almost mechanically, crouched over his Fender Telecaster, with his eyes gripped wide and bare chest dripping with sweat. This is an image that lasts, let me tell you; it’s pre-emptively iconic. It’s hard to put into words why The Amazing Snakeheads are as engaging and as visceral as they are, but in truth, most of it comes down to the energy of Barclay who seems to play a show as though he might drop dead as soon as gets backstage. Unsurprisingly, he appears physically exhausted when he abruptly exits whilst Coombe and Duffy are still wrapping up the closing song of the set. The crowd, desperate for an encore, lose all hope when the Duchess lights flash on and that old saying, ‘always leave them wanting more’, reverberates around the room as loud as the feedback from Barclay’s guitar, left on, resting against his amp. The Amazing Snakeheads indeed. KYLE PICKNELL

ARTHUR RUSSELL

LET’S GO SWIMMING

MARY MARY

k tape c bamix w ro

SHACKLES

1986

Because his tribute album that came out last month feels like the perfect wake for a most deserving person. - ALICE

2000

Because it’s a great track for boosting your mood, and now has a pretty entertaining video to match. - HOLLY

SLUM VILLAGE ft BUSTA RHYMES

Because when Busta pulled out of this year’s Outlook I never quite got it out of my system. - NANCY

WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT 2000

DIONNE WARWICK

Because it was one of my favourite songs from Jazzy Jeff’s setlist at

MF DOOM

Because this November will mark the ten year anniversary since the

WALK ON BY 1964 his York show. - LILY

After indulging in so much new music for the magazine, the circulation committee cast our ears back to the songs of yesteryear.

listen to Young’s back catalogue for the rest of my life. - HARRY

live performing and more importantly, it ensured a reasonable bedtime for Jazz (as I shall from henceforth refer to him). Unfortunately, it also led to a pretty subdued atmosphere with a significant proportion of the crowd seemingly unsure of how to approach or (God forbid) mount a dancefloor at the indignant time of 9.30. Jazz didn’t really seem that bothered though as he took the stage with his MC Dayne Jordan, and began to give the crowd a lesson in classic hip hop. And let me tell you, there really were some classics on show. From A Tribe Called Quest to Notorious B.I.G. to Dr Dre and Snoop Dogg, we had a pretty extensive tour of 90s hip hop. We were then led through some more modern tunes: both Kanye and Jay-Z were shown a lot of love by Jazz, culminating in “No Church in the Wild”, probably the most

IMAGE: HOLLY HUNT

Not long into his recent set at Fibbers it was easy to see why, with near unparalleled mixing and scratching skills “The Magnificent DJ Jazzy Jeff” (as the sticker on his laptop proclaims) knows how to put on a show. The night started surprisingly early and this was its biggest issue - a gig rather than a club night. Whilst I can see some of the advantages of this, further blurring the lines between DJing and

Because this came on in Earworm and reminded me that no matter

COMES A TIME 1972 how much new music I desperately search out, I could happily just recent song in the set that I recognised. Then came one of the strangest leftfield and brilliant pieces of mixing I’ve ever heard, going from the “Watch the Throne” tune seamlessly into Toto’s “Africa”. There were a few moments however when Jazz’s immense DJing skills possibly got in the way of my enjoyment. He regularly couldn’t hold back his will to scratch through some famous intros teasing the crowd with the knowledge of what was to come, and then just at the moment of release he switched the track up. He’s a talented guy, but there was a palpable sense of disappointment in the crowd when they realised they weren’t going to be able to hear all of Kanye’s “Homecoming”.

DJ JAZZY JEFF

azzy Jeff is a talented DJ. The wider public may know him for his productions with Will Smith as The Fresh Prince and Jazzy Jeff, and later getting thrown out of houses a lot on The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, but in the hip hop community he is known as a real “DJ’s DJ.”

NEIL YOUNG

live:

FIBBERS, YORK 15 OCTOBER

VOMITSPIT 2004 fantastic MF Doom released his first record, ‘Mm.. Food’. - NAT

Things shifted for a while in the middle of the set when Jazz started playing some of his own beats live, as Jordan so gracefully informed us. Again I found myself overwhelmingly impressed with his ability to fit this into his set and I was reminded of Jazz’s brilliant production abilities, especially when this was quickly followed up by one of his classics with Will Smith, “Summertime”. A special shout out must go to Jordan, I usually find MCs at DJ sets have an incredible knack of sucking the joy out of an experience and distracting you from the music, but Jordan knew just when to pump the crowd up and when to stay quiet. He was even allowed to let rip with a couple verses of his own, the best of which was done over Jazz mashing up samples from Super Mario videogames. The night was a great experience, but I couldn’t help feeling how it could have been a little later, with a crowd who would have certainly been willing to stay up for it. HARRY ROSEHILL

JUNGLE live: IMAGE: KASIMIIRA KONTIO

leeds beckett student union, leeds 14 OCTOBER

n 2013, an anonymous production duo only known by their initials J and T dropped a 7’’ under the name Jungle. The name itself provokes ideas of mystery, possible danger and tropical heat, which is something that Jungle more than certainly is – in addition to being insanely cool. In Leeds, Jungle took over the Leeds Beckett Student Union with a bang. Arriving to the stage like modern day cowboys escorted by the screaming audience, this now 7-piece band proved to be just as flawless and magical as their self-titled record released earlier this year. Combining elements from 1970s disco with modern soul, Jungle has created something that could be called contemporary Motown. Jungle has a sound that celebrates reinvention. Risen from the ashes of indie band Born Blonde, Josh LloydWatson and Tom McFarland (a.k.a the mysterious “J” and “T”) have managed to form a super group consisting of seven incredibly talented musicians and singers. In Leeds, Jungle proved to be every bit as enigmatic and energetic as

their debut record suggests them to be. Kicking things of with “Platoon” and moving on to gems like “Drops”, “The Heat” and “Time”, they served an overwhelmingly good set that made the audience beg for more time in the world of Jungle. The intensity of the gig was highlighted by brilliant use of lights. Each track was accompanied by a vibrant lightshow that brought variety to Jungle’s performance. Eventually the audience was blinded by both Jungle’s performance as well as the flashing lights that were skillfully designed to bring out the bling and glamour of the band. Jungle brought the tropical heat to cold and windy Leeds. They are pioneers of modern soul with a flair for good ol’ Motown and Bee Gees-esque disco. They’ve created something unusual and exotic that is easy to listen to, yet its brilliance lies in long drops, fantastic vocals and unbelievable bass. As they left the stage, they certainly left Leeds craving for more. More bass, more dancing but most of all – more Jungle. KASIMIIRA KONTIO

WE WANT PHOTOGRAPHERS circulation is always on the lookout for people to photograph live shows. no accompanying words necessary! contact circulationmagazine@yusu.org

if you’d like to get involved.

emerged brilliantly. The pained chorus was something unusually emotional for an otherwise sonically dark band, but the sound was undoubtedly effective. By this point in the gig the atmosphere had definitely improved, being far less a wall of impenetrable noise, as earlier on. Whether the better time I was having was due to my then mashed ears, or to the band’s greater attention to fuzz-like effects on both bass and guitar, I am not entirely sure, though I expect the latter. Fortunately, the closing section of the set carried on in the same vein. The powerful and noise-filled choruses were all the better for the simple fact that they had started to stand out from other sections of the tracks. Unfortunately, I’m not able to recall having heard the killer “Crying Clown” so fear it was potentially lost in the earlier fuzz-dominant part of the gig. The final track I wasn’t familiar with, and was heavily adapted to aggressively bleed into an eight minute long outro. Though again seeping into the same excessively distortion heavy songs as before, it was undeniably an impressive exit. Perhaps all the more had it been the ultimate climax of what could have been a better designed set.

Expecting noise, but at least coupled with wailing psych riffs and surf beats, the first two tracks were aurally pretty surprising. With no set list to hand (rumour has it from the merch man that “they don’t write it down”), I am only able to guess that one of the two openers was “Robe for Juda”. On the most part, the initial sound was far from impressive

A personal highlight and probably the point where the audience relinquished its otherwise 16-year-old-angst-let’smosh vibe and genuinely responded was with mid-set track “Weights and Ties”. By far The Wytches’ most subdued track to date, the waltzing pace gave room for the three-piece to show what they are able to do. The very welcome variation induced a definite sway and communal appreciation in the crowd, and for the first time in the evening Bell’s wrought vocal

SHABAZZ PALACES

MARIKA HACKMAN

BAD FOR LAZARUS

TACOCAT

BALLET SCHOOL

MAC DE MARCO

CIRCA WAVES

GROWLERS

PERFUME GENIUS

SLAVES

JAMES BAY

SIMONE FELICE

ADULT JAZZ

HOOKWORMS

PARQUET COURTS

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 8 THE WARDROBE, LEEDS

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 9 FIBBERS, YORK

MONDAY NOVEMBER 10 BELGRAVE MUSIC HALL, LEEDS

TUESDAY NOVEMBER 11 BELGRAVE MUSIC HALL, LEEDS

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 12 BELGRAVE MUSIC HALL, LEEDS

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 21 FULFORD ARMS, YORK

MONDAY NOVEMBER 24 IRISH CENTRE, LEEDS

MONDAY NOVEMBER 24 THE WARDROBE, LEEDS

TUESDAY NOVEMBER 18 WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 26 BRUDENELL SOCIAL CLUB, LEEDS THE BASEMENT, YORK

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 19 WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 26 BRUDENELL SOCIAL CLUB, LEEDS THE WARDROBE, LEEDS

DISCOVER MORE MUSIC - CHECK OUT OUR NOVEMBER PLAYLIST AT CIRCULATION-MAG.COM

NOVEMBER PICKS

THURSDAY NOVEMBER 6 OPORTO, LEEDS

JACK DAVIS

LIVE:

THURSDAY NOVEMBER 6 TUESDAY NOVEMBER 11 BRUDENELL SOCIAL CLUB, LEEDS THE DUCHESS, YORK

THE WYTCHES

elf-proclaimed as surf-psych or surf-punk, it is immediately evident that The Wytches are a tough band to pin. Their studio tracks (and even some acoustic live sessions) offer a solid balance of Kristian Bell’s gritty vocal, and punchy bass lines and simple beats that drive a powerfully raw aesthetic, even when played low. Contrary to the apparent impossibility of surf sub-genres existing anywhere other than pop, there is definitely an element of all three aforementioned in their tracks. One must always be careful, however; The Wytches themselves state that “surf doom was a joke, let it die.” The Duchess gig only added to the confusion of obscure, often dark sounds and visuals, a lot of heavy, top end cymbals and overarching distortion and noise.

and was actually quite disappointing. The band gave little introduction, which I accept adds to the mystique of an already fairly mysterious band, but the feel was more an awkward and forced aloofness than one of natural cool. Putting it down to nerves, I tried to enjoy the two tracks, but was barely able to distinguish verse from chorus and even further from grasp was any sort of melody. Despite bad beginnings the set picked up with the more spacious “Digsaw”, in which the soundscape let breathe for brief moments of insight into what the band were actually capable of. The reduced nature of the verses that more gradually build to choruses and thick fuzz climaxes were far more engaging and the separation made the noise at the core of The Wytches’ sound tenfold more appreciable.

live:

THE DUCHESS, YORK 14 OCTOBER

ALT-J - THIS IS ALL YOURS MF DOOM + BISHOP NEHRU - NEHRUVIANDOOM

RECENTLY RELEASED

f debut indie pop hit ‘An Awesome Wave’ documents Alt-J’s prepubescent forages into adulthood, then their follow-up album sees them slamming into puberty full throttle. The pacey, racy tone of ‘This Is All Yours’ oozes sex, the weird romance of “Let’s Tessellate” replaced by an evocative desire to ‘turn you inside out and lick you like a crisp packet’. This record is all about emergence and self-examination, capturing a both sense of journey and one of place. Alt-J alternately transform themselves into lovers, murderers and monsters, perfectly combining the arresting imagery of their lyrics with a blissful cacophony of noise.

hen I first heard that MF Doom was making a record with Bishop Nehru, an undistinguished seventeenyear-old rapper from Rockland County, I was intrigued. But after listening to ‘NehruvianDoom’, the anaemic fruit of their collaboration, I’m simply mystified. Rather than securing a future for the young rapper, the album marks a rare lapse in judgment on behalf of his guru. Let’s start with the positive. Billed as Doom’s long-awaited return to the producer’s chair, the album was bound

This second record is similar to their first in many ways. The distinctive multiple layers of sound and the finely crafted juxtaposition between suspenseful, downbeat verses and climatic choruses are reminiscent of the strange, melancholy indie pop that got them noticed back in 2012. The characteristic mournful crooning of lead singer Joe Newman remains as much an instrument as anything. However, it is clear the band have done some experimenting. ‘This is All Yours’ throws out a few unusual curve balls for instance, “Left Hand Free” is a joyful, bluesy bombshell, and the soft refrain of “Pusher” is also something new, a refreshing break from their characteristic, crashing, downbeat assonance.

hit track “Every Other Freckle” is dirtily, jazzily suggestive, cementing the band’s tearaway from strange indie darlings. It’s exciting, intense, empowering – a fitting documentation of Alt-J’s metaphorical progression from boy to man and of the discoveries made in the process.

Lead single, “Hunger of The Pines” is punchy and dangerous, with a sense of urgency that seems to permeate much of the album. This is a song to walk through the night to. The trio of “Nara” songs neatly sets up a narrative throughout the record, adding to the sense of exploration and journey that is reiterated over and over again, from the beautiful, fragile simplicity of the piano used in “Arrival in Nara” to the lyrics ‘ooh/coming out of the woods’ in “Gospel of John Hunt”. Other

The striking lyrics of Alt-J’s first album highlight their fascination with a kind of ephemeral, all consuming ecstasy, as touched upon in songs like “Bloodflood” – ‘a wave/an awesome wave/that rushes skin and widens in blooded veins’. ‘This Is All Yours’ continues this fascination, including the pleasingly symmetrical “Bloodflood Pt II”. This is a collection of songs to get lost in, or maybe to get lost to.

to have something to cherish musically. From the opening track (“First Day of Class”), the listener is greeted with an inventive beat – a funky guitar riff accompanied by a lo-fi drum loop is craftily laid over a crowd of dialogue samples. Fellow Doom acolytes will recognise his signature style at play here, as he blends soul music with snippets of obscure pop-culture gems (such as Saturday-morning cartoons) to create a sense of carefully-orchestrated madness.

a classic, and vital, element of all hip hop music. But when your raps are devoid of any hooks or storytelling talent, these brags are exposed as nothing more than empty posturing and silly chest-beating.

But Doom’s prowess here also has the unfortunate side-effect of underlining his protégé’s weaknesses. Bishop Nehru is a perfectly serviceable emcee. Only seventeen at the time of recording, he exhibits flashes of verbal flair and a measured flow beyond his years. But against the backdrop of Doom’s layered production and lyrical wizardry, he comes up tragically short. Throughout the album, the NYC native repeatedly hypes himself up, claiming on “Darkness” that he is a ‘villain, illin’ with killin’ flows’, while reiterating on “Great Things” again and again that he is destined for (yep, you guessed it) ‘great things’. Braggadocio is

Is ‘This Is All Yours’ a tome of love songs for the modern generation, then? The album points up the concerns of today’s youth with songs as much about sex as romance; confident, dangerous and thrillingly self-aware. As “Left Hand Free” proclaims, ‘Baby I’m hot/Like the proverbial sun’. The new record seems a bigger, badder brother alongside the tremulous innocence of ‘An Awesome Wave’.

MADDY CRAMMOND

Nehru also makes the mistake of repeatedly drawing attention to his young age, as if that alone were enough to convince us of his future ‘King of NY’ status. It’s not that genius can’t be found in rappers of a young age – Nas, for example, was only eighteen when he recorded some of ‘Illmatic’, regarded by many as one of the best rap albums ever produced. But whereas Nas traded in on his promise with deft wordplay and social commentary, Nehru offers only childish sex-humour (see “Mean the Most”) and facile religious allusions (“Om”). In light of this, it’s hard to buy his world-weary cynicism when he claims it’s a ‘cruel world’ and all he’s ‘seeing is darkness’ (“Darkness”). Overall, ‘NehruvianDoom’ will be a disappointment to anyone with a passing knowledge of Doom’s catalogue. But if it’s a failure, at least it’s a mystifying one. OLIVER MANGHAM

Love’ shows a degree of experimentation on Ware’s part, in particular with the underlying percussion and the album’s recognisable eighties influence. Tracks such as “Tough Love”, “Want Your Feeling” and “Keep on Lying” epitomise this, though more contemporary than out of place, following the increasingly retro trend that is becoming more apparent in modern day music. Ware’s distinct mellow vocals complement the eighties aroma well, giving the album a ‘Kate Bush-esque’ feel to it at times, thereby producing a romantic ambience present throughout. Through tracks such as “Pieces” and “Desire”, the album produces a relaxed atmosphere much like that of ‘Devotion’. However, across the entirety of the record, this is perhaps a little too much. Only “Champagne Kisses” and “Say You Love Me” offer something slightly different to the rest of the album; the rest has a significant lack of diversity. The restrained tone of vocals that listeners have come to recognise Ware for, although pleasurable, leave the listener expecting a little more, especially as the album has a slightly ‘samey’ feeling to it at times.

In comparison to her earlier efforts, ‘Tough

ALICE MILLER

The record also suffers from transitional weakness, as the individual tracks struggle to flow into one another, surprising given the similarities between them. Ware’s eighties inspired use of synths will further divide opinion, with tracks such as “Sweetest Song” not quite to everyone’s taste. These are, however, minor criticisms in the scope of what is generally successful work on Ware’s part. Lyrically, the album is passionate, focusing on experiences in love. Her recognisably subdued tone, which listeners have come to love, transmits passion, helping the listener to share the feelings Ware sings about, in particular on “You & I (Forever)”. ‘Tough Love’ is a worthy successor to Ware’s debut. Its eighties inspired and mellow nature is on the whole pleasurable, yet overall the album leaves the listener with a sense that Ware has more to give. Nevertheless, ‘Tough Love’ cements the impression that Jessie Ware has a big and bright career ahead of her, leaving listeners excited for what is to come. BRADLEY CHALKER

JESSIE WARE - TOUGH LOVE

ebut success ‘Devotion’ saw British soul-pop artist Jessie Ware burst onto the scene. Brit awards and Mercury prize nominations reflected how both the everyday listener and the critic acknowledged her obvious talent, with her soothing vocals introducing something unique to other more established artists. Expectation soon followed, expectation that the release of ‘Tough Love’ would build upon its predecessor’s success and cement the glowing reputation Ware holds within the musical hemisphere.

So, does Bonobo deliver with ‘The North Borders Live Tour’? Absolutely. From the first track, “Cirrus”, Bonobo transforms his contemplative, easy listening studio

This release is not only about the music though: Bonobo’s ‘TNBLT’ sets out as a piece of memorabilia, incorporating not only a CD of live performances but also a DVD and seventy page booklet of tour photos and memories through the years. Far from pandering to the collectionist and discographer, the album has been executed with such excellence that it can be excused its potential self-indulgence. After ten years of writing and producing and an eighteen month worldwide tour, Simon Green (aka Bonobo) is well deserving of the praise he has garnered for his work.

RECENTLY RELEASED

hy do we buy and listen to live albums? Is it because we think they will offer us something more than the studio recorded album? Often, yes. Do they deliver this? Often, no. Because, if we are honest with ourselves, live music albums are too often nothing but a cash cow targeting the collector who, surely, doesn’t really want the distractions of crowd noise. So can live albums ever succeed in offering something new? In some cases, yes they can, and when they do they

A good comparison of a well-executed live album is Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds’ 2013 ‘Live from KCRW’, recorded after their acclaimed tour for ‘Push the Sky Away’ and after the addition of Warren Ellis to the Seeds. ‘Live from KCRW’ incorporates all that is loved from the studio album whilst also offering up reinterpretations of old and well-loved songs from as far back as Cave’s days in The Birthday Party. Ellis’ signature stylised violin adds to songs like “The Mercy Seat” so perfectly that it becomes almost impossible to remember the other version, which had before seemed so faultless. A good live album can be both a fresh reward for the old fans and an enticement for the new.

recordings into the excitement and electricity of live performance. ‘TNBLT’ manages to retain the high quality of a studio recorded album, whilst not letting the interjections of cheering from the crowd distract from the performance. Bonobo delivers what is not a live version of the studio album but instead a taster of what a true live performance might be like, with his flare as both DJ and producer tangible in every song transition.

BONOBO - THE NORTH BORDERS TOUR LIVE

can be truly great. For this to work a live album needs to both subvert our expectation of a studio album replica whilst also achieving suitable familiarity.

JULIAN CASABLANCAS + THE VOIDZ - TYRANNY

The Strokes emerged onto the music scene with the freshness of any great band, but the media-machine created a shadow that it seemed would never again allow their frontman to experience the artistic liberty that comes without the weight of the world’s expectancy on your shoulders.

It’s this diversity that makes this album what it is, demanding but intriguing, and the same track, with its divergent segments, might evoke both love and hate. Take, for example, “Human Sadness”,

styles and genres. The music he has produced over the years could never be described as boring or ‘samey’. It has always been unusual, and very clever. Since 2011’s ‘Swim’, Snaith has evolved to create a sense of friendliness and warmth in his music, working with and alongside his experimental affectations.

CARIBOU - OUR LOVE

RECENTLY RELEASED

nitially adopted by critics around the world in a turn-of-phrase to ordain it the Petrarch of a rock and roll renaissance, ‘Is This It?,’ The Strokes’ debut LP, has finally ceased its haunting of Julian Casablancas.

Casablancas has finally broken from those shackles however, with the dignity that his closest fans will have come to expect. But even they could not quite have anticipated the new territory that he has decided to explore in his most recent project, a collaboration with new backing band The Voidz, as positively provocative as it is sincerely try-hard. Indeed, at times it can come across as if Julian Casablancas + The Voidz are trying too hard to fit too much in, but that’s exactly what ‘Tyranny’ is trying to achieve: to fill, bridge, and experiment within the gaps between genres. In a recent interview Casablancas revealed that his project with The Voidz has liberated him with “the most excited feelings [he’s] ever had”, offering license to experiment with the “weirder stuff”. And done that he has, in a mosaic of genre, seventies to post-modern, including hardcore punk, synthpop, modern classical, and even ‘nintendocore’.

record from the Canadian musician Caribou (aka Dan Snaith) has been highly anticipated. Snaith has been inactive as Caribou since 2011, having recently focused his efforts under the more house-orientated project Daphni in 2012 (and previously as Manitoba); his captivating LP ‘Our Love’, has assuredly pleased awaiting fans. Snaith’s musical career as Caribou has always been an eclectic sweep of

‘Our Love’ takes Caribou back into the music world with great exertion with its first track. “Can’t Do Without You” is delightfully simple and starts the album off with pleasant, electronic listening, yet also lets you feel the pure excitement from the eager Dan Snaith. The record explores the journey of love’s cycle - the first track comes across as obsessive and impatient from Snaith with its repeated phrase of ‘can’t do without you’. The emotional lyrics continue in “Second Chance”: ‘Yeah you know I’ll just keep on waiting’, moving through all aspects of love. The record takes you full circle and gives a sense of fulfilment

beginning with a nonchalant, sunsetlit groove and classical synth. Nice. Pending the chorus, it progresses into a distorted, high-pitch guitar solo best represented by nintendocore, changing the vibe dramatically (and for the worse). “Where No Eagles Fly” sets off with a rusty bass line, airy 80s drum beats and background noise; Casablancas returning to the more innocent origins of modern music, punk rock, and then co-opting that with the heavier, metallic sounds into which the chorus unconventionally breaks. A more modern listen, “Nintendo Blood” offers the best example of Casablancas’ ever-present casual vocals, over an assembly of chiptune synth, a funky monotone guitar riff, and some French house influence at times. ‘Tyranny’ stands as representative of Casablancas’ commitment to the art, reflective of his anti-commercial stance, for the album is edgy, unfashionable and weird, but definitely worth a listen. At the very least, you’ll leave with an opinion. SCOTT CLARKE

with both the opening and closing tracks being the two most energetic tracks of the record. Snaith leaves us with ‘The only thing I want is to caress you’ in “Your Love Will Set You Free”, mirroring the attitudes in “Can’t Do Without You”. ‘Our Love’ is a record rich with colours, as Snaith moves between a mix of instruments, snippets of dialogue samples, synths, vocals, bringing in Jessy Lanza on vocals, and Owen Pallett with strings. He transitions onto a new idea almost as soon as the previous one settles in. The record bridges the gaps between jazz, house, psychedelia and electronica in work that is unmistakably that of Caribou. Each song brings a new idea, a new tone, and a new genre to keep your ears satisfied. Dan Snaith has again created an album with enticing emotional intensity. A few tracks in and you’ll be hooked on his journey through love. MARTHA WRIGHT

He is the guy from the group who you feel uncomfortable with. He is deranged and doesn’t give a shit if he offends you or

When you look past the weirdest things he is constantly doing in public and the media, and instead get into the right state of mind, you realize this 69-minute long symphony to all things bizarre (and wildly inappropriate) is actually one of the finest records released this year. It

n some circles, naming an album ‘Until the Quiet Comes’, and then following it up with ‘You’re Dead’ is considered a plea for help. For Flying Lotus, however, it is simply the entry point into his extraordinary and colourful views of what happens to us once we die. Even from the album artwork, it’s obvious that this isn’t going to be a morose and dreary examination of the end. We see a bright light inviting us into our would

We’re not there alone though, as Flying Lotus brings the cavalry in on ‘You’re Dead’, featuring the likes of Snoop Dogg, Herbie Hancock, Thundercat, Flying Lotus’ own rap alter-ego Captain Murphy and most notably Kendrick Lamar. Lamar’s verse on “Never Catch Me” is in many ways the centrepiece of the album, summing it up extremely effectively with its examination of death but never in a depressing way. Lamar manages to crystallise the morbid curiosity that lies within each of us: ‘I can see the darkness in me and it’s quite amazing/Life and death is no mystery and I wanna taste it’. Other stand outs on the album include “Ready err No” which might be the best named track of the year. The name isn’t so great just because it draws a wry smirk out of the listener, it also sums up the

This record might be all fucked up but it is absolutely brilliant. Let’s all just forgive Pink for his love for everything deeply twisted and tune in on the Ariel Pink state of mind. After all, he is nothing but a “small, white, nice guy who just wants to make his mom proud and touch some boobies”. KASIMIIRA KONTIO

unsure wobbles we hear in the music, whilst also relating back to the album’s core theme. The physicality of death is inevitable whether people are ready for it err no. The album also seems not only an exploration of death but an argument that to understand death, one must look inwardly, as typified on “The Boys Who Died in Their Sleep”- ‘I look inside my mind and dream / About the worlds inside my eyes’. I really can’t understate how, for a record that is entirely consumed by death, this is not a depressing piece of work. It recurs to me that this record is a journey of discovery, and I don’t think it intends to be anything other than a hypothesis, or even a collection of contradicting hypotheses. It ends on the optimistic note that death might be beatable with “The Protest”, dying away with the hopeful chant ‘we will live on forever…’, and I think Flying Lotus might have ensure his own immortality with this career defining effort. HARRY ROSEHILL

FLYING LOTUS - YOU’RE DEAD

be protagonist’s head - a chance to have a short snoop around, as this is where we will find answers about death.

Consisting of a total of seventeen tracks, this record blows your mind with its creativity and uniqueness. Pink disguises the inappropriate lyrics with catchy melodies that are easy listen to yet they’re full of bizarre surprises. You’ll hear a girl speaking to an answering machine on the record’s first single, “Put Your Number in my Phone”, and tacky 1970s-esque supposedly-sosexy guitar riffs on “Sexual Athletics”.

RECENTLY RELEASED

riel Pink is the king of absurd. Seriously. You listen to him and you can’t help but think that this guy must be pretty mad, or an evil genius. He creates abstract avantgarde hallucinations that make you feel like you’ve got a one way ticket to a world of acid and psychedelia.

Pink’s tenth studio release (yet his first ever solo album credited to his name), ‘pom pom’, is Ariel Pink at his best: unapologetic, unfiltered and unreal. He tells us extremely fucked up tales of love, frogs, Jell-O and black ballerinas, combining cheap sounding lo-fi tones with baroque melodies. The whole record is like Ariel Pink’s personal quest for how far he can push things without being persecuted.

is a pop perversion that seduces with a twisted sound that only Ariel Pink could produce. It’s almost reminiscent of 1970s-80s progressive rock bands, but Pink makes this something else.

ARIEL PINK - POM POM

not. He is the guy who points out your flaws and says weird shit like “I love necrophilia” in the middle of an interview, yet there is something extremely fascinating about him. At the same time, he manages to be an utter genius and the most hated man in indie rock.

THE ACID NTERVIEW:

“W

hen we originally linked up, it wasn’t to start a band per se,” says Steve Nalepa. “It was to just make some music together, to experiment, to explore. The process ended up being incredibly inspiring, and the results were solid, so we answered the call and stayed the course”. Answering the call, spontaneous as it sounds, may well have been a life changing decision for Nalepa, on a creative, professional and even personal level. I am talking with one third of The Acid, a newly fledged musical collective consisting of Californian producer and composer Steve Nalepa, British DJ and producer Adam Freeland, and Australian musician Ry Cuming (aka Ry X). As a group kindled just last year, The Acid are firmly on the rise, having already released an EP and their debut album, ‘Liminal’. Having already toured in the UK, Europe and Australia, The Acid are now on their way through the US supporting indie darlings and label-mates Alt-J. “It has been going really well,” Nalepa says. “You never know when you are the opening act, a lot of the time people are there to see the headliner,

so you don’t know how it is going to go. You head out there, commit and play your music and hope to win them over.” With such a widespread fan base, The Acid have seemingly created a perfect alchemy of sound, their intricately climatic songs featuring the haunting vocals of Ry X alongside a delicate balance of synths, buttons and bass. “We all have been doing this for a while, developing our craft, and we are all passionate artists who love the creative process”, says Nalepa. True, the independent prowess of each musician is doubtlessly evident in their collaborative efforts. But I’m curious about how three such successful, independent musicians chanced across each other; whether it was an engineered collision or an accident of fate. The origins of The Acid apparently lie in both scenarios. “Adam and I are old friends and have collaborated before, while Ry and Adam originally met through a mutual friend from Australia,” Nalepa tells me. “Adam reconnected with Ry the day before we had planned to get together in my studio, and he hit me up the morning of saying he was going to bring him over. We wrote and recorded “Animal” on the

first day that Ry and I actually met, and at the end of the session we all felt that something special had just transpired”. Collaborations are often a difficult, gritty process, yet Nalepa, Freeland and Cuming seemingly avoided this issue altogether. “That initial EP session was very inspiring”, Nalepa says. “The music flowed effortlessly, we established our sonic palette, and the way was paved for our future creative collaborations.” Still, the individual achievements of Nalepa, Freeland and Cuming on their own terms makes me wonder what the benefits of a collaborative project are, compared to the strength of each musician’s individual career. Nalepa agrees that benefits come with both creative processes: “In your solo work, you make all the decisions, call all the shots. You can just trust your instincts and execute your choices and the result is your art. In a collaboration, there is more of a musical dialogue happening. You have to come to a shared agreement, find common ground.” Was it difficult? “Fortunately, our venn diagrams intersect rather smoothly. Sometimes there will be instances where

someone feels very strongly about a particular sound or decision and the others feel differently, so you have to really take that into consideration. The beauty of collaborations is that you are working with other artists who have different perspectives and oftentimes you’ll end up taking a piece of music somewhere you could never have envisioned it going on your own.” Nalepa, Freeland and Cuming’s status as critically lauded ‘global innovators’, creates something of a history for each of them. Was this a restriction on their new work, I wonder? “Initially we put our music up on Soundcloud anonymously as we wanted to people to discover it on its own merit,” Nalepa explains. “It is true that when people know who the artists are behind a piece of music, it does get viewed through that lens and comparisons are made. This project was something new and exciting for all of us, and we do have a lot of combined history. We wanted to let the music speak for itself, so we put it out there and made a pact not to tell any of our friends that it was us, just let people discover it.”

very different musical figures, whose influences and experiences are bound to be quite diverse. “I feel it’s a real strength to the project, we’re all learning a lot from each other”, he replies. “I’ve always felt that the more knowledge you have to pull from in different areas of study, the more of an opportunity you have to be a well-rounded artist and create something that can connect with people on a deeper, more timeless level. I’ve always felt like a node, someone who connects the dots, and the same is true for Adam and Ry.” Finally, I turn to the topic of The Acid’s sprawling online presence, in particular their arty Instagram and Tumblr accounts. “From our earliest days in the studio together, we’ve always been thinking and brainstorming about the visual aspect of the project. I used to run an art book publishing company, and Adam and Ry are

And discover it people certainly did. Did Nalepa expect the response that Liminal received? An 8/10 review from NME is certainly nothing to be ashamed of for a debut record. “Whenever you make a piece of art and put it out there, you set an intention and hope that it will resonate with people and inspire them”, he says. “We are really proud of the music we’ve been making together; the process has been inspiring and it feels great to be able to share that with people.” Perhaps some of their popularity stems from the fact that The Acid are born out of such a range of backgrounds – one third British, one third Californian and one third Australian - all unique musical bases. “We are indeed different people with very different backgrounds; it is a pretty interesting mix. We definitely have big areas of inspirational crossover and things we can connect on, but we also grew up in different corners of the world with different perspectives”. I ask Nalepa what he thinks about working with two

both very passionate about aesthetics. We definitely have a vision and nerd out on those sorts of ideas quite regularly”. I ask about the characteristic triangular three-dot symbol I’ve noticed across much of the band’s output. Are the three dots meant to represent the three of them? “When we first came up with the name The Acid, one of the things that appealed to us about it was the alchemy aspect,” says Nalepa. “Adam was digging around looking at all of these different alchemical symbols, and then came across the three dots. Given that the three of us came together from vastly different backgrounds to collaborate on something new, it made perfect sense.” MADDY CRAMMOND THE OUT

ACID’S DEBUT LP ‘LIMINAL’ IS NOW ON INFECTIOUS RECORDS.

“I

t was completely unconscious, completely accidental, like most good things I suppose” Fiona Jane Burgess, vocalist of Woman’s Hour tells me of the band’s genesis. Their sparkly debut album ‘Conversations’ is a sublime concoction of liquid vocals, rhythmic electro beats and Fleetwood Mac-esque riffs. I take a peek into the world of Woman’s Hour, a world which Burgess described as “intriguing, delicate but also immersive and captivating; something that’s a bit less ordinary.” At the time of my conversation with Burgess, the band was nearing the final dates of their first headline UK tour, before moving on to Germany and Scandinavia. I ask Burgess what their live reception has been like: “I didn’t even know we had fan bases in these areas of the country. For me, the reception has been amazing. You get a sense of supportiveness, like they don’t want you to fail; they want you to succeed. It’s great to play for people who are there to hear music that they really love”. After a spending much of the year supporting Metronomy and Anna Calvi and a summer sprinkled with festival appearances, Burgess tells me to have their own shows is a “luxury”, where they are not faced with the feat of having to constantly win people over. “(The audience is) already won over. Obviously you still have to put a lot of energy in, but it’s instant gratification.” Before the formation of Woman’s Hour, Burgess studied a degree in theatre. Just after she had finished her studies, her brother Will was moving down to London, leaving his previous band in search of a new project. Out on a limb, on the night bus home one night, she made a casual proposal to Will, that he should come round and they could try and work on something. “Suddenly I was just like, ‘fuck, what am I doing with my life?’”, Burgess laughs. “I had spent a lot of time writing, reading and getting my head down.” With her interest in theatre she “had always loved creating and being involved in performance” and was intrigued by the possibility of singing. As an avid music fan, Burgess comments

thoughtfully: “Within me maybe I always had this desire [to create music] but I’d never dared do anything about it”. When she did, she tells me she was freaked out that she had even suggested it and was incredibly nervous about singing. However, working with her brother was really advantageous: “I knew he was going to be really honest with me and tell me if I was shit. At least he would still love me. And secondly I really respected him as a musician and was really excited about working with him because he’s incredibly talented.” The siblings were later joined by mutual friends Josh Hunnisett on bass, and Nicolas Graves on keyboard. She admits that even when the band got started, it wasn’t a serious effort, but a distraction from their shared feelings of being a little lost in life: “It was an escape from reality. We’d get together on a night and it would be an excuse not to go to the pub. It was fun, but suddenly we were approached by a label and they asked us if we could release a record”. Shocked, flattered and bemused, they were suddenly faced with the decision of whether to take the band seriously and make a go of things. “As soon as you dare to take things a step further you also become very vulnerable.” Burgess confesses. I wonder, especially with such little past experience, if she feels particularly vulnerable as the singer, the voice that fronts the band and confronts the listener? “The difference between being a singer and being a musician is a funny question which I often try to get my head around… I suppose, the voice is the only human instrument. I step on stage and all I need is my body. Therefore I’m only relying on myself. In that way, you’re definitely vulnerable. There’s no mask in that sense.”

completely devalues what music is about”. Because “a lot of our experiences and emotions are transferable”, the listener may perceive something of themselves within a song and she “would hate to tell people that was wrong... The beauty of being an artist is to allow for freedom, so that we don’t feel trapped and have the need to explain everything”.

When I try to probe beneath the surface of the band’s lyrics, which flow clouded in mystery and wrapped in Burgess’ ethereal and silken vocals, pleasingly, I am met with yet more mystery. Such is the joy of art. Burgess tells me,“There’s so much more enjoyment in allowing listeners to form their own relationships with [the songs]. I think that telling listeners exactly what inspired the lyrics

After listening to the music of Woman’s Hour and considering their name, of seemingly immersive femininity, I somewhat judgmentally conceived that they were an all-female band, akin to Warpaint. So, I ask what inspires the name Woman’s Hour- is it some sort of gender statement? Turns out, no: “The band name was created with no agenda or specific purpose”, Burgess discloses.

INTERVIEW:

WOMAN’S HOUR

“We just wanted a way to reference (the demos), so we named them after Radio 4 programmes, because that’s what Josh listened to”. She laughs: “We had ‘The Shipping Forecast’, ‘The Archers’, ‘The World at One’... We weren’t taking ourselves seriously. We were just making music for the hell of it, with no ulterior motive or desire for it to be released”. Only when asked by a gig promoter for a name to put on the bill, did they feel the need to come up with one. “Afterwards, a friend told us that we should call ourselves ‘Woman’s Hour, so we’re gonna do that”. So, highly eclectic in her creative explorations, does Burgess feel that music is the most fulfilling creative pursuit she’s had? “Mmm, that’s a really interesting question” she replies. “No, I don’t think it’s

the most fulfilling. I get very immersed in whatever I’m doing, whether that’s writing, or being involved in performance, or directing, or acting, or singing, or writing my dissertation. If I’m passionate about it then I find it immensely rewarding and I get kind of addicted to it... I like to challenge myself and see if I’m capable.” Certainly, ‘Conversations’ proves that she is indeed capable of yet another creative turn. However, she recognises that nothing that is created is ever truly finished: “Even an album is never finished; it’s just where that thing was left. It’s just getting to a point where you are happy with [the work] and you know that it will take on a life of its own”. Whether this new life is in the listener’s response, in a live show or in future material: “it’s all interconnected”. Burgess goes on: “We’re

all four individuals with different ideas and influences and we’ll continue to make stuff and challenge ourselves, and continue to fail, because I think failure is quite important and nobody ever talks about it. But making mistakes and failing is really important as an artist I think.” So, a future of mistake-making and of continual creation possibly lies ahead, though I don’t venture to ask what Burgess thinks the future may bring for Woman’s Hour, because of course, it’s far better to leave these things shrouded in mystery. SOPHIE BREAR

‘CONVERSATIONS’, THE DEBUT LP BY WOMAN’S HOUR IS OUT NOW ON SECRETLY CANADIAN.

CIRCA WAVES INTERVIEW:

ffervescent, youthful garage rock quartet Circa Waves experienced becoming a band backwards. Before they were even a band, they had caught the attention of the media. Their first single ‘Young Chasers’ was aired by Zane Lowe on his ‘hottest record in the world’, and suddenly the eyes of the industry were upon a band which didn’t have a fan base, had only one member, and frankly, didn’t really exist. As drummer Sian Plummer tells me, “We had to become a band to meet that expectation. We spent about six months rehearsing, playing small shows and getting really tight as a unit. We approached it with the attitude that, although we’ve had an unusual beginning, and there’s already interest there, and there’s people watching us, we wanted to prove that we earned the right to get where we got to so easily.” So Circa Waves began, with “a lot of hard work and effort”, to evolve into an organic band, At the time that ‘Young Chasers’ was released, vocalist and guitarist Kieran Shuddal was the only actual member. So how did they form, I ask? Plummer tells me that they met at the urban festival Liverpool Sound City, where roles as stage manager, guitarist and punters collided in a chance meeting. Beginning with the humble goal of playing that

festival as a band the following year, they went on to achieve that and much, much more. 2014 has seen them play the NME tour alongside Royal Blood, Temples and Interpol, the Other Stage at Glastonbury and the Festival Republic stage at Reading and Leeds festivals - an impressive feat for a band with only a couple of singles. Plummer says simply of their assembly: “Right place, right time, definitely.” There is an inherent sense of nostalgia in Circa Waves’ energetic, yet highly melodic noise, taking the listener back to the early noughties, the hey-day of brash indie rock titans The Strokes and The Libertines. “I think the stuff that Kieran writes is very much grounded in that early noughties indie scene. We grew up around that time, so it has definitely left an impression... We hold the spirit of 2005, but we are not trying to be 2005. I think that’s an apt way of putting it”. Like fashion, music turns in cycles, and Plummer believes there is a general feeling that guitar music is making a comeback in a big way. “You can invoke feelings with guitars and drums and vocals that I don’t think electronic music would necessarily be able to reach. There’s just something about it, an energy and a purity that I think will always be wanted... People wanna jump around and have a laugh”.

Circa Waves embark on tour in November, so I wonder if they pull any crazy stage antics appropriate to their rambunctious sound? Sian laughs, “no, we’re all lovely lads. We don’t drink. We all like tea and biscuits and a crossword…” Perhaps all that raucous energy is a result of an overdose on sugary bourbons, I ponder. “Loads of energy” and “having a party” is what a Circa Waves show is about. When asked about their live reception, Plummer is humbled: “The crowds are getting more and more of a treat every time they see us.” He feels they have toiled and grown so rapidly as a live band over the past year, “People are starting to sing the words back to us now which is quite bizarre.” With their debut LP to drop early in 2015, is Plummer aware of all those watching the band? “My mum thinks [the LP is] cool, so that’s good enough for me.” As for what the record is like, he tells me that the album’s dynamism will probably surprise people. “We tried to capture the essence of our live shows as much as we can when we we’re recording in the studio all together... As little postrecording mixing as possible, so it is a genuine representation of us and our sound”. It appears that Circa Waves’ release will destroy any possible claims that they are manufactured by music media, as they stick honestly to their raw, natural sound, which fizzes with vitality. The main theme of the album is, says Plummer, “capturing that transition phase between being a teenager and going into your twenties. [It’s about] having to grow up and all the experiences and uncertainties that come with that, but also the sense of anticipation that those years bring you”. I ask Sian to leave us with some final words of wisdom. He professes that his “life philosophy” is: “Stay in school. Don’t do drugs.” And with that, he leaves me to eat his Subway. SOPHIE BREAR CIRCA WAVES PLAY THE WARDROBE, LEEDS ON NOVEMBER 8TH.

IMAGE: BRIAN VU

he Pennsylvania based artist Alex G is someone who really makes me look at my own life. A similar age to me and also a university student, the fact that he’s released countless records and EPs (culminating in this year’s ‘DSU’), makes me think that maybe I could be harnessing my time somewhat better. When I asked Alex whether the widespread attention and acclaim ‘DSU’ was attracting had affected his day to day life in any major ways, he seemed pretty modest, and simply said that he is now taking his “music more seriously” and touring more. Having shortened his surname for his stage name, Giannascoli’s music has found itself placed under the incredibly vague tag ‘bedroom pop’, but the way his songs manage to transplant the genuine warmth of music created in a small room through your speakers is beautiful. I asked him whether he was afraid that the move from self-releasing to working in a studio meant that some of his music’s earnestness would be lost. “I didn’t really fear putting it on a label or having it mastered as long as I could have the final say in what the tracks sounded like.”

special though; he has an innate ability to slightly alter what should be ordinary and elevate it to a more otherworldly plane. It’s best related by the album artwork, which I asked Alex for the story behind. “My sister told me about a dream she had in which she had painted a football player with a lot of gold and colours. I asked her to paint that image for my album because I thought it was interesting”. It is seeing the beauty in these run-of-the-mill situations that Alex has a knack for, and it’s what makes his music so fascinating. HARRY ROSEHILL ‘DSU’ IS RELEASED 10 NOVEMBER ON LUCKY NUMBER. ALEX G PLAYS SEBRIGHT ARMS, LONDON ON 19 NOVEMBER.

ALEX G

particular brand of slightly off-kilter suburban story telling (which reminds me more of films such as American Beauty rather than any specific musical act). He told me how a lot of these experiences are “loosely” based on reality. In album closer “Boy” we hear: ‘stray dog is walkin down the street/next to another dog/ they’re eating mud and/starting to smell me/two babies/dangerous and free’. The real situation this was based was much more an everyday experience that he just spun a song out of: “I was walking down the street and two stray dogs kind of confronted me and growled but they didn’t attack me. They eventually turned away and trotted off down the street together”. I think that’s what makes Alex’s music so

INTERVIEW:

‘DSU’ has been accused by some critics as a toning down of some of Alex’s more eccentric tendencies, but when I spoke to him Giannascoli denied this, saying: “I think ‘DSU’ and all of the albums are weird in their own way. I didn’t have any intentions of making ‘DSU’ weirder or less weird than the other albums. My thought process usually does not go beyond making songs that I think are effective and good”. We discussed the specific sound of the music itself and the specific influences on ‘DSU’, which are surprisingly varied. He listed Lucinda Williams, True Widow, The Knife, Cold Foamers, and Snoozer - not as influences for the record, just as what he was listening to when he was making it. “Aspects of their music probably bled into ‘DSU’ as I was writing it, but this was not intentional”. From here we moved onto Alex’s idiosyncratic lyricism, and his own

NEW STREET ADVENTURE INTERVIEW:

on his writing. “My time in Birmingham is an influence in so much as I wasted four years at University there and the experiences I’ve had in that time have contributed a lot to the lyrical content of the album”, before he goes on to quip that “perhaps it wasn’t a waste then”. As a band I initially heard supporting The Milk at a recent London show, it was their live performance that caused me to gravitate to them. The instrumentals, especially when it came to the bass lines, created an amazing atmosphere for frontman Corbin to lead through in style. Which means it’s no surprise that, whilst working with Mitch Ayling (who produced the album at his Woods Lodge studio) and the rest of The Milk, Corbin feels that NSA learned “a lot from them in terms of showmanship”.

ith a rise to prominence aided by Fred Perry, airtime from Radio 1 and production from a fellow soul band, New Street Adventure are finally gaining the audience they deserve. Since their inception in 2007, the band has seen some overhauls in sound and composition. Here I get a chance to pose some questions about these topics and more to a band who look like they may be on the verge of something brilliant. In a time where you can find yourself staring at a plethora of bands described as “the next indie sensation” or something along those lines, it can be hard to find acts with the kind of soulful vibe that NSA bring forward. And despite the strong theme of wicked guitar licks and blues-y vocals, in their latest album ‘No Hard Feelings’, Corbin explains how initially, the band were just another set of people on this indie bandwagon. “It did start as more of an indie venture but I was getting into a lot of soul at the time and those influences started coming into my songs naturally.” When it comes to those influences that helped shape the sound they’ve been creating for the past few years, the boys are never shy to mention the late Bobby Womack, for very good reason of course. I’m pretty sure it’s easier to track down

quotes from the band that mention him, than quotes that don’t, so it was no shock when bass player Ashley Hayden spoke of the legend’s influence on his personal favourite from the new album, “Lucky Lady”. Whilst they never hit a point where they seem to rip off Womack’s sound, the same ambience often shines through elsewhere on the record, which is no bad thing for sure. But amidst their talk of the likes of Womack and Mayfield, I couldn’t help but wonder what else helped build their unique sound, aside from soul legends. And Corbin was only happy to share with me, citing the likes of Arctic Monkeys frontman Alex Turner as a lyrical inspiration, along with the uniqueness of Ian Dury. Though they differ very much from the aforementioned two, in parts of ‘No Hard Feelings’, the lyrics do come across as simply brilliant. And the record’s title track even has resemblances to Turner’s side project, The Last Shadow Puppets. As ever, good lyricism can’t just come from listening to others; there is always going to be experiences or stories to draw the ideas from. Throughout the record there is a lot of reference to broken relationships, but Corbin revealed to me how his experiences of going to university in Birmingham (where the band take their name from the New Street station) before the band relocated to London, impacted

Along with the aforementioned change in sound, NSA have progressed as a band in other areas. With a line-up that has changed over the years, I asked if they felt they have finally reached perfection in their make-up. “I think what we’ve found is the perfect number of people! We all really miss having the girls around because they’re great people but having five in the band is a lot more manageable and we’ve been able to work a lot harder this year.” Corbin informs me that the band are “collectively sure on the sound [they] want to create”, only reinforcing the idea that they’re a band settling down within their style, giving me the sense that they’re definitely a close knit group. But, with the track record of their evolution up to this point, he conceded that “I don’t know what the future holds but I do want to experiment with some other sounds.” But overall, whether it’s a continuation of the fine-tuned soulful sounds found on ‘No Hard Feelings’, or something new entirely, it’s hard to contain my excitement for where these guys may venture next. Whether it’s down New Streets or old, they’re most definitely a band on an adventure. ELLIOTT BALL ‘NO HARD FEELINGS’ WAS RELEASED 27 OCTOBER ON ACID JAZZ RECORDS. .

aving been rather beguiled by all of Anonymous Records’ signings over the last year – Polo, Got Jump, Local F and Slyside – we caught up with the most recent addition to the family, Mono Life. Mono Life is the work of Mark Osborne, who “met up with the Anonymous boys a year ago after a few chats on social media”. After releasing his ‘Reimagined’ and ‘Coastal’ EPs with an Amsterdam dance label, this September saw Osborne sign to the York-based electronic label. Though he’s caught the interest of the Netherlands, and plans to finish some material he recorded in Ibiza recently, the signing is a return to Yorkshire, as his own home as well as his label’s. I ask about his connection to the county: “I don’t know if I can class myself as an honorary Yorkshireman yet as I was only imported ten years ago! It’s definitely home for me, and Mono Life was born in Yorkshire two and half years ago, so that helps too”.

Although the exact sound isn’t yet clear, Mono Life has big plans afoot for the coming year. “The first release for the label will be a special limited edition vinyl EP called ‘DISCO/MUSIC’ which will be released before Christmas this year. It’s the first time any Mono Life tracks get immortalised on wax - I’m very excited about this! I’m also looking to get out and play more gigs and DJ more, then I’ll get ready for the madness of festival season”. When Osborne mentions playing gigs, I’m reminded of a statement from one fan that said Mono Life’s music “makes me want to drive my car through the window of JJB Sports”. Is Osborne concerned by this? “It wasn’t my intention to write music that encouraged people to ram raid sports shops! I started off wanting to make interesting electronic music, create soundscapes and bring different influences together. After doing my first gigs it was great to see people dancing to the more upbeat songs and that influenced me to go more towards a dance

sound... I’d like to think I can still make some music that connects emotionally with people, tracks like “Coastal”, and then also get people dancing too”. Mono Life’s music certainly does get people dancing – he mentions “still pinching myself a year later” after seeing a video of Fatboy Slim’s Café Mambo set in 2013, featuring his very own track “Disco in Paris”, played “to a massive crowd!” Beautifully swaying down the fine line between connecting emotionally and getting people dancing is Osborne’s collaboration with Berri (of the nineties hit “Sunshine After the Rain”), a track called “The Perfect Kiss”. I ask how the project come about: “Berri is a local girl and is a friend of Mrs Mono! We got chatting at my birthday party last year and said we should record something together”. I’m excited to hear that “there will definitely be more to come from this collaboration”. It seems there will definitely be more to come from Mono Life in many aspects soon, including a special York release gig in the near future. To stay up to date with Osborne and the rest of Anonymous’ family, keep an eye on anonymousrecords.tumblr.com. ALICE LAWRENCE

INTERVIEW:

MONO LIFE

I wonder if there are local goings on that inspired the inception and continuation of Mono Life? “There’s been an amazing buzz in Hull since the City Of Culture announcement was made, reaffirming what the folks there already knew. The whole music scene is incredible, great talent and amazing togetherness, I feel lucky to have been a small part of that and seeing other local artists achieving success is always inspiring. The Humber Street Sesh Festival is an amazing event and great to play at - how many one day festivals with a lineup of just local artists can pull 40,000 people in?! Also in Hull, once a month, The Residents Association happens - the best party you’ll ever go to. A different DJ every twenty minutes and only one objective - keep the dancefloor heaving”.

what Mono Life sounds like! I guess there are common elements to the different tracks - big drum sounds, vintage synths. However each track tends to take on a life of its own when I get working on it”.

Indeed, some of Mono Life’s music seems to have precisely that objective, but other tracks are far more ambient – the delicate “Coastal” was recently chosen as a Headphones Moment for Lauren Laverne on 6Music. What kind of sound will Mono Life be pursuing under the Anonymous label? “I don’t have a definitive plan for the sound, and I always struggle to describe

have mixed feelings about online comment sections. In theory the idea behind them is admirable, a place where the commonplace music fan (or just anyone, on any article about anything) can put forward their own opinion or response to an article without having to publish their own piece that no one would probably read. The thing is, they often just turn into a gathering of trolls, without any insightful input, just looking to start a fight. God forbid they should actually get their fists dirty, so they battle from their bedrooms and they take the piss out of serious opinions that others hold dear. Except I don’t want to be entirely negative about trolls either, I frequently find their comments quite funny, especially if they have just come looking for a fight and everyone involved knows that nothing they say is really meant to be taken seriously. I know it tends to be inane 12-year-old humour along the same level as “your mum” or fart jokes, but there is still some childish part of me that those jokes appeal to (as bad as that is to admit). Then I came across a case of supposed trolling recently that you’d think would be right up my alley: the comments on Ben Aqua’s recent podcast mix for Resident Advisor. A bit of background on Ben Aqua is probably required first: he’s an American DJ, producer, visual artist and he runs the #FEELINGS label. As you could maybe guess, he exists in the very popular post-internet meta electronic music scene that is currently occurring and on our side of the Atlantic is represented mainly by the London-based

dance music – respect, tolerance, openmindedness, etc”. I find the fact that he’s gone and used the word supposed here fascinating, as I’m really starting to doubt whether dance music in its current state can really make any claim to these ideals. I find that a lot of dance music is currently rejected by music snobs if it isn’t serious enough. Whilst this isn’t always a steadfast rule, it is certainly a noticeable one and at its core, an exclusionist one. Some seem terrified of any change within their music scene. Now if we loop back to where I started with the trolls, a lot of the comments on the article start to make this all clear. “Chances are RA is hoping to attract a new demographic of listeners”, “I’ve never felt more angry about something I

But I feel it’s all more simple than the role of sexuality in dance music: it is at its core a fear of change and being left behind. Whilst this “dance-music-conservatism” can inform homophobia (as it did with disco) it also stifles creativity within the scene. The thing is if you don’t like this music then just don’t listen to it. Your music will still be around as one of the trolls so helpfully highlights: “Let me tell you young lad, this music wont be around in 20 years time like “boring” dub techno has been, lets see if this mix sounds relevant in 10 years time, no, lets look at it again in 2 years.....it will be the musical equivalent of the mullet hair cut...trust me.” I guess maybe that’s why I’m so annoyed by all this instead of the mild amusement I usually get from trolling in a comments section. These people aren’t trying to get a rise out of others by insulting what others hold dearly, they’re trying to disguise what they’re doing as trolling, but they genuinely seem scared. And that’s just kind of sad.

YOU WANNA GET SERIOUS?

At one point in his defence, he brings up what he calls “the supposed core values of

don’t have to listen to” and “im just scrolling through this mix and laughing. stop trying to sell this shit its fucking pathetic and sad to see literal actual paid journalists and writers falling for this garbage”. Then there’s the idea that many people who are hating on this mix are being homophobic, and the arguments devolve from there onwards.

COMMENT:

collective PC Music. Now PC Music are a whole other thing worth looking up - they’re doing some incredibly innovative and interesting things whether you like them or not, and it will amaze you how many introductory pieces there are on them that are covered in the word “divisive”. So back to Ben Aqua, who isn’t formally attached to PC Music, just somewhat parallel to them (and does drop a few of their songs in his mix), and this comments section. If you look now at the mix online, the first thing you will see is a comment from the editor of RA effectively stepping in and having to defend not only Ben Aqua but also his own decision to publish this mix.

HARRY ROSEHILL

IMAGE: KIT LOCKEY

AUDI/NO VISUAL COMMENT:

here are a few things that can ruin a good song: having sex to it like you’re in an episode of The OC; when your Grandma hears it on the radio at Sunday dinner and asks you who it’s by, so she can have sex to it like she’s in an episode of The OC; or if you found it on Majestic Casual, whereby god forbid you could ever show it to anyone you know let alone respect for fear of letting them know your big secret: that they do sometimes post good songs. Nowadays, though, you can’t get the audio without the visual, and a song’s music video is just as likely to make or break it as the bare bones of the audio itself. A song and its artist’s success, or more importantly, integrity, currently very much depends on the cash poured into and sex pouring out of its music video. MTV culture has revolutionised the way we get to interact with artists on any technological platform. We don’t just want the track anymore, we want the track to be illustrated and expand before us into something more than what just our ears can give us. We want to see the beauty as well as hear the beauty of the music. Watch the video for Rhye’s “Open” and try not to be at least a little enraptured by the emotive narrative and (perhaps a little OTT) romantic cinematography. A video to this level of affecting beauty and sharp production heightens our experience of the song indefinitely. I remember being left for hours the night after first viewing it, wondering about both the song and its video’s meaning, who the characters were, how the video’s narrative fits in with my own weary ‘lovelorn on my gap yah’ interpretation that I had placed upon the song. This is something we all do really, use a song for our own ends, and put upon it our own story. The fact is that the video’s narrative didn’t fit in with my own at all. I felt a bit foolish after finally having seen that I was forcing rather than following my feelings into the lines of the song. YouTube left me feeling like

IMAGE: LUCY WEGERIF

a right boob. The song no my decided purpose for the decided purpose of and therefore lost its

longer served it; it served the directors hold on me.

Videos don’t just extend songs into the corporeal; they also extend the director’s vision and chosen story. A cash-orientated autonomy over most mainstream (and unfortunately a lot of non-mainstream) music videos has been thrown, leaving video auteurs on somewhat of an autopilot. Put a thigh-gapped girl and a bloke with an undercut together and the deal is done. The video no longer mirrors the song, it mirrors what its producers wants the song to achieve – money and fame. The music listening public deserve to be provided with an abundance of artistic

videos with integrity, not to be starved of them. It’s angering to see good songs’ videos going against the tracks themselves. It says a lot about “Bound 2”, a soulful and, dare I say, decent track, that I would rather watch James Franco and Seth Rogen swapping sexual fluids on a stationary motorbike than Kimye whilst listening to it. And if that parody wasn’t available to me I probably would just gouge my eyes out before viewing. Music videos are killing it, in the worst sense of the term. It’s frustrating to know that if you took any worthy song by any good artist and put them naked on a random vehicle for the video it would get the attention it really deserves. Jessie Ware, here’s looking at you for not getting them out yet. \ CHARLOTTE MORRIN

If you’re looking for an upbeat genre and something a little different from your day to day Spotify safe choices then Konshens – “Stop Sign”, Vybz Kartel - “Yuh Love”, and Popcaan “Where We Come From”, should be a good start. I’m off to get some tapas. NAT BARKER

AND YOU SHOULD TOO

Let me explain. Think of what it is that you love about hip-hop, or R’n’B, or indie, or punk, or house, or whatever. Well, I’m willing to bet that you can find that quality in dancehall. Just like the guy who loves chips and the girl who loves seafood and the other person who loves spice can get their kicks out of tapas (this is the last reference I will make to tapas, I promise), you can get your musical kicks out of this grossly overlooked genre.

WHY I LOVE DANCEHALL

If dancehall music were a cuisine, it would be tapas. Because a lot of people haven’t tried tapas, but when they do they fucking love it. Because how could you not like tapas? It’s got everything you could want from a meal, almost by definition. Likewise, dancehall combines a myriad of the things that make music enjoyable for different listeners into one delicious package - often a compilation CD smothered in garish colourful font and images of women wearing earrings whose enormity is eclipsed only by their colossal buttocks.

Any proper indie head knows that proper indie (and here ‘indie’ can mean ‘indie punk’ or ‘indie rock’, too) is fundamentally to do with artistic musical expression which is unconcerned with how it is received, or achieving mainstream success. It has a story to tell, and it will tell it how it likes. Dancehall is the same; it’s not bothered about world domination, or (sometimes problematically) political correctness, or anything like that. It’s only interested in fuelling and enhancing the atmosphere and culture of the Jamaican clubland.

Dave Schilling of Vice recently drew attention to what he terms ‘the booty genre’, pointing at artists like Jennifer Lopez and Jason Derulo. Well, dancehall takes booty to a whole new level. Ever heard of daggering? One glimpse of this dancehall-inspired club activity (because it isn’t really a dance) will make twerking seem like something out of a Catholic Church service. J Capri, my favourite female dancehall artist, makes Nicki Minaj look like Mary Berry. But she manages to do so without any of the horrible corporate fakery of Minaj, and even without seeming to cheapen herself. You will have to listen for yourself to agree, but to me Capri’s music both champions and demands control of her sexuality, rather than just commodifying it.

COMMENT:

Nevertheless, I absolutely love dancehall music (which, for convenience, though I realise generic labels can be confusing and unhelpful, is the term I am using here to refer to the work of artists like Vybz Kartel, Mavado, Konshens, Gyptian...). I want to explain and bestow this passion upon you, like a mother bird regurgitating zany fandom down her offspring’s gullet.

to sort you out. On the other hand, if the gangsta thuggery of hip hop is what you’re after, look no further. Mavado and Vybz Kartel, two of the biggest names in dancehall, were once embroiled in a Nas/ Jay-Z type feud which got so out of hand that they hand to have a meeting with the Jamaican Prime Minister to try to put an end to the mob violence that it had fuelled throughout the streets of Kingston. Kartel is now serving a life sentence for murdering someone with an axe. Suck on that, ODB.

IMAGE: ALI AMER

irst, an important disclaimer: I am a middle class white boy from the rural South West of England. I have never been to Jamaica. I will probably never go to Jamaica, because I’m deeply frightened of crime and curried goat. I trust the astonishing ignorance of this last statement highlights just how little I know about Jamaica. In short, I do not represent the target audience of dancehall artists at all.

Some examples. For starters, if you’re all about those catchy pop choruses, where singers like Sam Smith croon about their erstwhile lovers, every dancehall artist and his dog has a whole host of tracks

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