Come Play With Magazine #018

COME PL AY WITH ALT-J BLOOD RED SHOES

TINYUMBRELL AS / APRE / ELI SMART T H E N I N T H WA V E / P E A N E S S / E M PAT H M O RG A N H A R P E R - J O NE S / K AT HL E E N F R A N C E S HONE YGL AZ E / HOLODRUM / HOME C OUN T IES ALCOPOP! / ANNA HELLER AND LOTS MORE...

BEHIND THE SCENES AND UNDER THE SKIN OF ALL THINGS MUSIC

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WHAT'S INSIDE DIRECTOR Tony Ereira (he/him) tony@cpwm.co

NEWS 04 FROM THE TEAM LONG READ 06 ALT-J 26 BLOOD RED SHOES

MAGAZINE Andrew Benge (he/him) andy@cpwm.co

NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH 14 ANNA HELLER / KYIV 32 THE NINTH WAVE / GLASGOW

LABEL Eva Davis (she/her) eva@cpwm.co ARTIST DEVELOPMENT Scott Lewis (he/him) scott@cpwm.co

THE KIT LIST 16 HONEYGLAZE

DIVERSITY PROJECTS Antonia Lines (they/she) antonia@cpwm.co

INDUSTRY EXPERTS 23 JACK / ALCOPOP! RECORDS

DIVERSITY EVENTS Lily Sturt-Bolshaw (she/her) lily@cpwm.co

AWAY FROM THE NOISE 24 MORGAN HARPER-JONES 34 APRE DIGGING DEEPER 29 PEANESS

SPECIAL THANKS

PHOTO BOOTH & ART WALL 12 ELI SMART 18 KATHLEEN FRANCES 30 HOLODRUM

and in no particular order... Matilde, Ian, Lily, Ella, Thom, DT, Chris, Paddy, Jamie, Balla, Jess, Rach, Liv, James, Matty, Luke, Joly, Jack, Anna... all of the artists, other contributors and everyone else who took the time to tell their stories and helped make this happen.

5 QUESTIONS 14 TINYUMBRELLAS 25 HOME COUNTIES 35 EMPATH

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ALT-J COVER George Muncey BLOOD RED SHOES COVER Blood Red Shoes

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NEWS

FROM THE TEAM Welcome to another edition of our magazine - our first of 2022 and incredibly, our 18th!

Here in the UK we seem to be almost without any COVID restrictions but it’s been another very difficult period for many musicians we work with. At the time of writing, Help Musicians have just reopened a new round of their Emergency funding which is great - but so much more is needed so please do buy music/tickets/ merch and do what you can to support independent musicians.

Despite several digital singles and a couple of

compilation albums that we’re incredibly proud of, 2021 was our quietest year for a long time 7” singlewise! We’re putting that right though with a couple of singles lined up early this year with the first being a split release with Elephant Arch Records featuring two brilliant Yorkshire bands Green Gardens (Leeds) and Oh Papa (Sheffield).

We’ve got a bunch of live activity planned again this year - thanks to some repeat funding from Arts Council for our Come Platform Me project - that started with our I Know A Place Afterparty featuring Pleasure Centre and

FIKA on 28th Jan at the Brudenell Social Club in Leeds. It’s another hook-up with those brilliant folks of Independent Venue Week and follows our panel and workshop event of the same name earlier in the day.

The team at CPWM has expanded - in the last couple of months we’ve welcomed Elle, Sadie and Matilde to the team, joining Eva, Toni, Scott, Lily, Andy & Tony. So holler if we can help with anything...

Sending love to everyone except that fraud in No. 10.

Has he gone yet….??

Tony

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ALT-J 6

This Is All Mine: Alt-J lead singer and guitarist, Joe Newman explores the evolution of the band, from Leeds to Mercury and around the world, as they simultaneously prepare for the release of the new album ‘The Dream’, and the 10th anniversary of their debut.

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Approaching the release of Alt-J’s fourth LP: ‘The Dream’, we simultaneously inch ever-closer to the decennial anniversary of ‘An Awesome Wave,’ the Mercury Prize-winning debut album from a band that took an unmistakable narrativefocused folktronica past the bounds of indie venues and into the worldwide mainstream. Tattooed into the memory of 2012 Tumblr users, alongside Born To Die, Lonerism and Coexist as ¼ of most four-tile popularalternative album posts, its tracks were written and had their first live audience at number 24 of Leeds’ Ash Grove, a street known by most of the students who live in the area as a vital link in the common journey between the second year lifestyle of Hyde Park, and the maturity of third-year post-grad life in Burley Park and Headingley.

“I think (Leeds) epitomised all of the exciting feelings you have when you leave home for the first time… meeting a whole set of new faces, a new dialect, navigating new ways of thinking, a northern warmth that you don't get down south… it's probably the most exciting period of your life.”

lines, to rattling sub-bass textures, made listening to their records cinematic, like watching documentaries.

Yours’, selling out Madison Square Gardens, and another mercury nomination for third LP, 2017’s ‘Relaxer’.

"WE WERE KIND OF LIKE COWBOY BUILDERS; WE DIDN'T REALLY KNOW HOW TO CONSTRUCT A SONG. OUR APPROACH WAS FINDING VIGNETTES THAT WE LIKED AND THEN GLUEING THEM TOGETHER…"

When your trajectory is as steep as it was for us, you don't know any different.

We had never been in bands before and I don't think we ever thought we would be successful. I think we were more overwhelmed that there were people in the music industry that were taking us seriously enough to consider the opportunity to actually write an album.”

“We were kind of like cowboy builders; we didn't really know how to construct a song. Our approach was finding vignettes that we liked and then glueing them together… Netflix, podcasts, a story you've heard from someone else or even overhearing conversation - it all finds its way to that sinkhole inside of you that then, in that darkness, creates a story.

You can never really turn the inspiration off; if it goes through the filters and makes you feel a certain way, you inevitably hold on to it.”

From their Hyde Park living room to the Lending Room to Brudenell Social Club the then-students followed The collaboration of the familiar progression of allegorical, allusion-ridden Leeds bands, except, instead lyricism, with a juxtaposition of acoustic, world-influenced of splitting up once their degree was complete, they rhythms and electronic took what they had written elements, was moving in its with them and won the UK’s originality. Tracks like Taro most prestigious music prize. with its researched storyline From there, it was global and supporting prosody, or tours, festival headlines, Fitzpleasure with its violent a Grammy nomination for dynamic leaps from acapella 2014 follow-up ‘This Is All chanting and pretty guitar 9

As the touring calmed to a halt, the trio took 2019 off as a year to ‘reflect and recharge’, coming together again in January 2020, at their studio in East London, to begin working on ‘The Dream’, and in August 2020, recording began with the award-winning producer behind the first three albums, Charlie Andrews.

Not only did they embrace continuity with production, but while assessing the source of musical inspiration, for Newman at least, the influences remained the same as well.

“I don't know if this comes as a surprise but, I find that I'm listening to less music as I get older. As years go by, creating work seems to become more of a job, like the upkeep of paying attention to new releases, seems to overwhelm, I think. So, I revert to podcasts and Netflix as a way of winding down, where once I was listening to music. I discovered where my passions lie and I think I've reached a comfort zone in knowing what inspires me to

important moment for me as amount of authenticity that a writer and as a musician.”

I think translates well when you play it to other people.”

“Over time I think, as a 10 years on and, much like This personal element songwriter, I became less the students migrating from also weaves its way into self-conscious. I was always Hyde Park to the outskirts of The Dream’s musical troubled by the fact that the city, Alt-j have walked up arrangement; the album I wasn't a tortured soul. opens with a recording of the the hill and into somewhere I come from a pleasant recognisable, yet still band’s sound tech enjoying upbringing and I didn't comparatively new. Familiar a Coke on tour and closes have much to sing about are the dynamics, the with Newman laughing - a so I would often take other timbres of the percussion, welcome relief after some people's work and then the narrative lyricism and of the saddest lyricism I’ve sing about that…in time, I Joe Newman’s unmistakable heard in a while. The recent started singing about things falsetto tone; new, is the single & ‘Left Hand Free’ that I was more interested effect of the passage of of the new album, ‘Hard in personally. In this album, time. No longer are they uni Drive Gold’, features a I think you hear that in a students writing solely about greater capacity than maybe voice note of synth player, emotional rollercoasters they Gus Unger-Hamilton’s mum on previous albums.” aren’t actually on, but merely saying ‘scum’, while his To read the full version of this magazine you can buy print watching from the splashwife provides backing on The Dream does feel more zone; this time, really does ‘Theto Actor’. drummer intimate album highlight copies- an delivered direct youPlus, from our Bandcamp oritsupport feel that bit more personal.

Thom Green’s girlfriend ‘Happier When You’re Gone’ Patreonand forNewman’s even more exclusive goodies! parents also begins withus the via line ‘Joe, ‘The Dream’ is released feature. only fuck-ups need clean 11th February 2022 via starts’; although in keeping with the band’s trope of Just click on the links below:Infectious Music/ BMG and "OVER TIME I THINK, will be available on CD and referential lyricism (the vinyl. There will also be a song inverts the narrative of AS A SONGWRITER, I limited-edition hardback the Hendrix-famed classic, BECAME LESS SELFbook CD that reproduces the ‘Hey Joe’), it is impossible CONSCIOUS. I WAS notebook Joe Newman used to ignore the relevance of to write the album, featuring the lead singer’s first name.

ALWAYS TROUBLED his original handwritten Similarly, the chorus of the

BY THE FACT THAT I lyrics and drawings. recent heartbreaking single WASN'T A TORTURED ‘Get Better’, was developed Fans can also enter a draw from a phone recording of SOUL." to win a replica of the guitar Newman singing his partner Newman used to write through bad period pains.

The Dream, inscribed with “My mum just had to say hot.

While the storyline of losing the lyrics of the song. All She did about 30 takes and a loved one is not only proceeds from the draw will even the take we went with universally relatable but go to Plan International – a wasn't quite right but, in a particularly poignant right global children’s charity now, at the heart of the track way, not perfecting the brief working in over 50 countries is a nice thing in itself. It's is an anecdote. to create lasting equality for just my mum being my mum girls and protect the rights of and that's more important “If you're telling a story I all children. than getting it right. I think think, for the person telling it's a nice accolade, to the story, one of the most your relationship. When important elements is truth, my parents inevitably pass and I think that can come away, my memories of them from personal experience. won't just be in pictures If you weave your personal or video footage - it will experience into a fictitious be intertwined in a really story, it locks in a certain write music of my own.”

Words by Lily Fontaine

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Photography by Rosie Matheson

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PHOTO BOOTH Just

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ELI SMART / KAUAI CREATIVES My name is Eli Smart. I’m 22 and I make tunes. I grew up on the island of Kauai into a musical family. Everybody around me is always working on something groovy, being surrounded by creativity is what grounds and inspires me. I now make music part time in the UK and half back home on Kauai. Home is a magical place for me. What makes it so special to me are the people I connect with here. I’ve been so fortunate to have found such an inspiring pool of people who support each other in everyone’s creative endeavours. It’s so important to find your team of people who got your back and want to see you grow, I feel that we all want that for each other here and for that I’m eternally grateful for. Kauai has got a lot of groovy stuff going on and I’m sure I’m only aware of a fraction of it.

My dream is to connect with as many people as possible here and

across the ocean and for all of us to feel supported.

Lemme introduce Jordan Paul, Sami Livé, Chris Whiteroot (aka Hamster), Maluhia Castillo, Jordy Fleming, Cory Mira and Megan Anderson.

These people are my creative world here.

Everyone always has some cool projects in the works and is down all the time to help me accomplish whatever wacky vision I have in my head.

Jordan has got a solo project of his own stuff and it’s insane, voice like Smokey Robinson, I’m forever jealous. We write tunes together and play plenty of shows, he has an insane taste in style 12

and always brings the groove and good energy. He introduced me to his good friend Cory Mira who is a wicked guitar player and songwriter too, we’ve all played shows together and they’ve been in a few of my recorded

live sets. Cory plays a big role in helping encourage music in the community by teaching loads of music classes and running music workshops. Sami Livé has been behind the lens and designing everybody’s album artworks since

day one.

She’s the one responsible for making everything look pretty and giving our music flow and context. She is a badass and also runs the local Kilauea Bakery which fuels us all with spice chai and bagels. Very key ingredients to the whole process. I don’t know what any of us would do without her. Chris (Hamster) will forever be holding down the groove on everyone’s project. He is the tastiest drummer around and is also an INCREDIBLE

know. He is often playing bass or lap steel on my live recordings bringing a tone to the mix that is like butter. He also has a solo project coming soon that will blow your mind when you hear it, we’re all so lucky to have his musical presence.

Megan Anderson has also been handling the visual side of things for a very long time as well. She has the most beautiful eye for portraying Kauai and all of us in it. Photo shoots with her are a constant laugh attack, it’s tough to get serious shots, but we try. I feel like I’m only scratching the surface of talent by taking about any of these people as there are so many more behind the scenes creatives that bring us all together and help give our dreams life. If you dig epic art and raw creativity look these people up and have a listen/look at what they create. I wouldn’t be where I’m at today if I didn’t have the support of these beautiful people on my creative journey, Kauai has got a lot of insane talent and I can’t wait to see everyone keep doing their thing.

songwriter and guitar player, all around badass.

His debut EP we recorded in my room is coming out soon and I couldn’t be more excited for it. Jordy has the voice of an angel and is an insane songwriter and musician, she studies music in Liverpool currently but when she’s back home we’ll all do shows together, write and record. She has also been releasing music consistently and there are very exciting tunes in the works for the new year!! Maluhia Castillo is the real deal, he’s the most badass all around musician any of us Words by Eli Smart

Jordan Paul @jordvanpaul Jordy Fleming @iamjordy Sami Livé @funkyflowr Cory Mira @caramariexoxo Maluhia Castillo @maluhia.music Megan Anderson @megaan Hamster don’t have an insta :) 13

5 QUESTIONS

TINYUMBRELLAS WHO ARE YOU?

Hi! My name is DT, but most people who know my music will know me as tinyumbrellas.

I’m a 19-year-old creator of DIY day-dreamy indie jams.

WHAT DO YOU DO?

I’ve been writing songs since my early teens. The process of merging my love for poetry with my background in classical music only felt natural, and picking up the ukulele and guitar later on also helped massively in the creative process.

During secondary school, I started posting covers and

originals on SoundCloud and Instagram, inspired by my favourite internet musicians, and released my first single ‘Stardust’ in summer 2020 (which was created as a lockdown project to stop me from going insane). Since then, I’ve released some more songs which have amazingly had support from Spotify editorial playlists and BBC introducing, which was something I never imagined would happen 2 years ago.

More recently, I’ve been playing my first live show which has been a new and exciting experience.

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WHY DO YOU DO IT?

Music is my outlet. I find writing to be a more creative method of journalingnobody enjoys the monster of overthinking, but when I share these soundscapes of situations and specific moments from my comingof-age story, it’s so reassuring to hear other people tell me they relate to my songs. Being able to connect with people through music feels magical to me, and it amazes me to think that each person who listens to a song will have their own perspectives, memories and sentimental value

attached to it. tinyumbrellas is a project that feels so personal to me, from writing songs, to producing them, to creating my own artwork and music videos. It’s so cool to be able to share art that can bring joy to other people, and my experiences of playing live is a continuation of thatphysically seeing people engaging with my music and enjoying it as much as I do is really special.

WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW?

I released my song ‘Purple Smoke’ a couple of months ago (I managed to get ‘Mario Kart’ into the lyrics which I’m quite proud of…) and I’m currently preparing for the release of my first EP ‘Kaleidoscope Towns’ which will be coming out in

March- I’m so excited for it! I’ve recently moved up to Leeds for university from my small town in Norfolk, and as strange as it is to be living away from home for the first time, it’s been super fun getting involved with the music scene here. I’ll be playing various shows over the next few months too which I’m looking forward to!

WHAT'S THE HOT TOPIC?

I’m not very good at keeping up with music that’s trending, so I don’t think I can answer this question very well!

Though one thing I’m really enjoying about music at the moment is the accessibility we all have to smaller artists who may be less established but create music that deserves to be heard. Through social

Words by DT

media, I’ve found a bunch of incredible musicians and creators, and it’s the greatest feeling to discover undercover artists whom you can support from the beginning and root for. It's so powerful to have these platforms that enable literally anyone to share their art and appreciate others’. It’s enabled me to make friends with other artists too which has been so so cool.

My next song ‘Please Don’t Make This Weird’ will be released on February 15th, and the whole EP ‘Kaleidoscope Towns’ will be out on March 16th!

I’ve got a gig at Headrow House on February 12th too, so please come along if you’re free!

Photography by Andrew Benge

A SERIES OF PODCASTS FEATURING KINDNESS QUINN CHRISTOPHERSON CHARDINE TAYLOR-STONE SELF ESTEEM DENAI MOORE ERIN RAE TOM ASPAUL

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THE KIT LIST

HONEYGLAZE DR NELSON VOCAL STEAMER

Singing every night tends to put a strain on the vocal cords, especially since I'm someone prone to losing my voice even when not singing. It’s easy to carry around and quite fun too.

- Anouska.

INTRODUCTION

Honeyglaze is a trio from London made of Yuri Shibuichi on drums, Anouska Sokolow on vocals, guitar and keys, and Tim Curtis on bass. An ungodly fusion of 3 humans into a clamouring superorganism. It eats only fish and demands undistracted and constant worship. FFO Power Rangers, Salvador Dalí.

LONGFELLOW GUITARS

My guitar has a custom-built hollow aluminium body and Gretsch Filter’Tron pickups. It’s amazingly light but it has a really rich sound. Longfellow Guitars is a family business in London run by a metalworker, so there’s nothing quite like what they make. - Anouska.

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THULE XT L ROOF BOX We are lucky enough to only

have 3 members, and we were lucky enough to be invited on a support tour where the headliner brought their own backline.

Even with an extra guitar and synth, we saved a lot of money by sticking this roof box on a tiny Fiat Panda instead of hiring out a whole van. We don’t recommend the Fiat Panda unless that’s all you have. - Tim.

our shows, which tend to be very loud at some points and very quiet and more textural in others. Also super satisfying for swells. - Yuri.

DARK GLASS VINTAGE MICROTUBE

22” ISTANBUL DARK LEGEND RIDE W/ RIVETS

I feel like a darker sounding ride that is also crashable, with the combination of rivets creates a wide range of expression that I feel suits and is needed for

Essential when we want to sound heavier especially as we are a three-piece having a drive really adds some depth and contrast to the sound. A blend/mix parameter for drives are always useful for achieving a slightly saturated sound as opposed to a clearly overdriven or distorted sound as it allows great versatility from 1 pedal, especially with the

Words by Honeyglaze

era knob which essentially works as a tone control but in an eraspecific way. - Yuri.

Honeyglaze's self-titled debut album, is due out 29th April 2022 on Speedy Wunderground.

Main photograph by Holly Whitaker

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PHOTO BOOTH

KATHLEEN FRANCES Kathleen Frances is a Bristolian songwriter who is set to release her debut EP 'Through The Blue' on March 2nd. The artwork and photography for the EP were all created in collaboration with her twin sister Michaela Frances. In the interview below, they speak about what inspired their photography choices, the arduous process behind film photography and their relationship as twins.

Can you tell me about your relationship as twins? How close are you to one another?

Michaela: I mean we're pretty close. There's a thing isn't there about some twins not being very close out of not wanting to be associated with each other all the time.

We have different enough personalities that we don't

ever really clash.

Kathleen: Well, we do sometimes but it's not often.

I also think because we're not identical twins it is a bit different. I guess, it means we can be really honest with each other about things and that can be really helpful in the creative process as one of us can just say 'I don't like that that's crap' and nobody is offended. I think as well because I don't have that much experience doing photoshoots, I sometimes just feel really uncomfortable in front of the camera. And also there's so many things where I'm like, 'eurgh, I don't like my face like that, cringe, cringe, cringe', whereas I know you know what I like and that's really helpful.

M: Even when I develop 18

photos and scan them, I look at them and know instantly whether you're going to like them or not [laughs].

Have you been working together creatively throughout your lives?

Does anything you've done together particularly stand out?

K: This one makes me laugh because I just think about the school plays we did because we both really love drama.

Really, the photography has been a nice way of doing it because it's for my music and your photography so it's really nice to come together like that.

M: It's very nice to have different creative pathways that still overlap because then you still have your own ownership over each of those things.

things that had been abandoned or areas that looked like that. That's what brought the haunting element in to the pictures and artwork. A lot of that was influenced by William Christenberry and Jason Lee.

Did you have any specific influences? How did they influence the work?

M: When we were looking at different ways of experimenting with film there was a lot of stuff I was seeing through social media but one person that really stood out to me was a guy called Jeremy Lachance. He's done a lot of experimenting with film and making prints where you have scratches on the negative.

He also uses different media on film to evoke a different feeling from the photograph.

I really liked that work and it really stuck with me. We also wanted to choose locations where there were structures or things in the background or the distance, Words by Kathleen & Michaela Frances

The debut EP 'Through The Blue' is out on March 2nd.

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Photography by Michaela Frances

NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH

KYIV, UKRAINE WITH ANNA HELLER

INTRODUCTION

Hello, this is Anna, Oana Oama or @oanawhoama which is my nickname on social media.

I’m an audiovisual artist from Ukraine and I produce experimental electronic music, sound design, digital art and videos. I have been studying vocals and piano at classical music school as well as arts, design and architecture. In music school, I’ve also learned how to play guitar, bass and synths. For me, music starts from an arrangement.

You probably don’t know me, so I’ll add a few links that you can check out. My mini album and a set of remixes are ready to drop in February. I have a few projects with my friend called Pitch Patrol, BVVVDMO, Jasmine Liqueur and I also curate an electronic music label, OBRIY, which we have founded in 2021 to create our aesthetic visual world.

I temporarily live in Chernihiv and there’s literally nothing interesting to talk about here, so I will tell you more about another city nearby which I’ve been living in for a long time and still visit for projects and partying — Kyiv. Even though the music industry in the country is still not as developed as in the UK, France, Germany etc, it definitely has its unique flavour.

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FAVOURITE ARTIST & PERSON

Of course, I want to say some words about my music partner and master at this point.

Sasha Crime, which is his main alias, has a lot of projects and experience in music production, sound design and engineering. I met this person when I was just learning electronics, and he taught me a lot of stuff. I saw him working on commercials, pop hits, rap songs, soundtracks and sound design for movies, intelligent electronic music and a lot of other things. I was also a part of some projects and definitely recommend this person as a great sound producer!

He also started learning digital arts last year, so I started to respect this guy even more.

He’s got style! instagram.com/sashacrime

IT ALL STARTS AT FUSION JAMS

One of the most fascinating cultural things in Kyiv that I am excited to highlight is FUSION Jams, an independent music community and a platform for open-minded jazz/soul/ hip-hop inspired musicians to play together, share their vision, meet soulmates and express themselves through improvisation. There were generally two types of jams in Kyiv before: “professionals only” with all that tricky classical/jazz stuff and extra snobbery, or “totally amateur” events where musicians could feel a little confused and disappointed due to all the chaos during the process. ‘FUSION’ takes its place right in the middle, between those extreme points. It’s a place for artists who already have some kind of music background but still want to discover something new about the sound and each other. No judgement, no bullying - just fun and communication through music. FUSION became a place where artists can meet for the first time, and then you see them forming a band or recording something together in a few weeks or stuff like that. Amazing, isn't it? I took part in two events at the very beginning of the FUSION era.

It felt like a huge underground flow of passion and wild energy from musicians as well as people who just came to check out what was going on. I started struggling with mental health back then,

so I couldn't join any more events, but I feel grateful and proud of how much they have accomplished. Fusion is not a regular thing, so you can check out their social media account for upcoming events, and you will have to sign up to join one of them as a musician. You can also just come to listen to this magic and feel the vibe as a guest - definitely an unforgettable experience when you are in Kyiv!

from around the world. They curate some festivals as well.

Strichka festival in spring with three floors of different types of music. Brave Factory in the summer and Black Factory (avant-garde electronic music festival - the Last one was December 2021)

instagram.com/fusionjams

TO EAT, DRINK, PREPARTY

There are a lot of different cafés and bars to hang out in Kyiv, both cosy and conceptual ones. What do you expect from the capital of Ukraine! But I can recommend some If you eat no meat, and you're on your feet. ORANGUTAN is a lovely vegetarian sandwich bar for you to have a quick lunch.

They have 3 locations, a photo zone with neon lights and plants at one of them. You can also go to Kyiv Food Market for plenty of different types of street food and bars. China HI is the most aesthetic and tasty Chinese food in town. Milk Bar for breakfasts and desserts.

I would also recommend visiting Kosatka if you want some traditional food, drinks and listening to music on vinyl.

I also like HVLV, a bar where they invite some interesting artists and DJ’s to play.

LET'S DANCE!

If you want to party hard - you can go to Closer! where you can find local DJ’s and guests 21

There are also interesting festivals like Rhythm Buro, a hybrid experience of dance music and visuals. One of the Rhythm Buro founders is a Ukrainian DJ, electronic producer and influencer, Vera Logdanidi, whom I respect as an artist and Ukrainian electronic scene activist.

She has also created Kashtan Radio and Label to support local electronic music, not limited by genre definition.

LGBTQ+ SCENE AND COMMUNITIES

As our country makes its first steps towards tolerance and inclusion, it’s still dangerous to be queer in Ukraine sometimes. There are a few places and clubs where LGBTQ+ members can feel free, there is also the KyivPride organisation created by the government to promote full human rights for LGBT+ people in Ukraine. But you should be careful anyway.

Mysticrax is like a collection of science-fiction novels expressed in music. In 2021 they’d released a various artist compilation and designed a flash stick with “DJ TOOL” engraving, which I think is cool and funny.

RECORD LABELS & RADIO

So, I really want to share the story of our label OBRIY and I hope that you’ll be interested, especially if you are a musician! We are just starting out in the industry but we already have some original releases on the label. This year we are going to focus more on visual accompaniment to music so all of us started learning different methods of digital art production.

The main idea is to create an alternative space for music on the edge of different genres and cultures and to explore a whole range of sounds.

KASHTAN record label and the radio created by Ukrainian DJ, electronic producer and influencer Vera Logdanidi to support local electronic music not limited by genre definition.

Another one I’m gonna mention is a conceptual label called Mysticrax. I like the story behind the label as well as its visual style. MYSTICRAX is a parallel world, more technologically advanced, and each release is a kind of communication between this future world and ours. They have ambient, experimental and dance electronic. The music is released digitally and physically.

You can also check our 20ft radio based in Kyiv to explore Ukrainian (but not only) electronic artists. www.20ftradio.net

HISTORICAL FACTS

Well, I won’t tell you the whole history of the city, but I can tell you about the time I was growing up in Kyiv. In 2013, I was in high school studying arts when Euromaidan started, it suddenly became dangerous to visit some cultural places and to just hang out downtown. A lot of things changed in the creative industries as well.

THE HOUSE OF CULTURE After this, the war with Russia started and culminated with “MASTERSKAYA” the annexation of Crimea This is a creative space, by the Russian Federation in created for the development 2014. Since the invasion, we of young and original have been living in stress and musicians. It was founded by the famous Ukrainian musician confusion. Now the situation in the country is quite and producer Ivan Dorn. dangerous. As I am writing There you can rent a few this, about 100,000 Russian studios for your recording, troops have been deployed production and mastering near Ukraine. The media says: needs. There is plenty of modern analogue equipment, “Ukrainian people are living in so you will have fun! They also a state of constant emotional do workshops and showcases terror, trying to go day-byday with routine tasks while for young talents and have a starting to plan evacuation YouTube channel where they strategies and packing review new music demos emergency bags.” This is how they receive from people in it is. Nonetheless, I am really Ukraine and near countries. proud that our people still try to create beautiful things and develop the culture during these tough times.

LINKS soundcloud.com/oanaoama

MODULE EXCHANGE ELECTRONIC EDUCATION

This is electronic music online/offline courses and community curated by local experts. instagram.com/ module.exchang Words by Anna Heller

VINYL STORE

I mostly buy music online, but there is a vinyl store called DISKULTURA you can visit.

There, you can find about 10k releases of different genres.

The guys who run that place are cheerful and openminded. instagram.com/ diskultura

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obriy.bandcamp.com fresh electronic minimal music

INDUSTRY EXPERTS

JACK CLOTHIER / ALCOPOP! RECORDS

WHO ARE YOU?

Hi - I’m Jack from Alcopop!

Records. I started the label with Kev in sunny Oxford back in 2006, and have been running it to this very day.

WHAT ARE YOUR JOB TITLES?

I should probably call myself Owner, CEO or Grand Vizier but it just sounds so bloody corporate.

Job titles are tough to pin down with record labels as you have a lot on your plate.

WHAT DOES THAT ENTAIL?

The beauty of running an indie label is that every day is different.

There’s no ‘turn up, do your tasks, go home’ – which makes it a wonderful, if at times frustrating, occupation. I’m lucky enough to work with an in-house team of magnificent people at the top of their game who look after the PR, radio, art, digital and that sort of stuff - so I guess a lot of it is organising the chaos that proliferates around them so they can sail smoothly off into record label paradise. Yesterday was tough. There was a lot of long calls, pretty tight scheduling meetings and working out the Words by Jack Clothier

impact of the global vinyl issues (pushing back schedules, working realistic timescales etc) but today has been far more fun. The new (old repress) Johnny Foreigner arrived on vinyl, so I’ve been checking that for size and the good news is it sounds bloody magnificent. This afternoon I’ve got to build a 3D zoetrope ‘animated duck cinema thing’ that we’re giving away with the new Helen Love album so we can photograph it. Broadly though there’s a lot of creative thinking, uploading metadata, managing budgets, plotting campaigns and hanging about with LOVELY people.

HOW DID YOU GET INTO IT?

Got drunk with my friend Kev. Borrowed some money from my dad. Gambled it on a football match. Trésor Lomana LuaLua scored to give Portsmouth a 1-0 victory, we won and *HEY PRESTO* had enough cash for our first release which was a 3” CD in a 6 part 3” CD series. It’s all sort of spiralled from there really!

Not a career path I’d necessarily recommend but it just about worked out for us!

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WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE OTHERS?

If you want to get into running an indie label then good luck!

It’s a wonderful thing to do and has led me to meet and hang out with some of the very best people in my life. If I had two pieces of advice, they are thus…

1) Believe in yourself! The recordbuying public doesn’t want some pale imitation of something else they were into some time ago.

They want you. Your ideas. Your creative spin. Your personality and your dynamism. Be you. Don’t be afraid of fucking up and just go for it! 2) No one owes you anything. That’s an important one too. Everyone has their stuff to deal with, so make what you’re doing special. Make people want to be a part of it.

Thanks so much for having me pop by, and if you do fancy having a listen to what we’re up to – do come on over to www. ilovealcopop.co.uk - the Hooch is lovely! Oh – or check out the Alcopop! Bandcamp where you can get a Pay What You Want 2021 Sampler. It’s well worth a listen (I guess I would say that though)

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AWAY FROM THE NOISE

MORGAN HARPER-JONES SWIMMING & CROCHET...

I’m 25, I grew up in Rochdale and now I live in Manchester.

I've sung for as long as I can remember and written little songs since I was about 7 (one of my favourites is The Llama Song which I wrote with my best friend Amelia when we were about 11, we were very strange).

A generic hobby for 2021 I know, but I started doing a lot of outdoor swimming this year.

I’ve always loved being by/on/ Words by Morgan Harper-Jones

in water whether I’m sat by a lake or the sea or in a boat or swimming. I always feel so calm and ‘connected’. I love jumping into the water, as long as I know it’s safe / the water is deep enough I’d jump any height I fucking love it haha. I miss being able to travel, the UK has some amazing spots for a dip but it can get so cold, and most of my trips would revolve around what oceans/ lakes/rivers I could sit beside with a coffee or jump into.

Switzerland was one of my favourites for this.

Also I love to crochet, still learning to knit very slowly! I did loads in the first lockdown after Grandma Joyce taught me. I found a box of wool in her house, and she’d been storing it for years. There was wool that belonged to 24

My Great Grandma Gladys, Grandma Joyce and my mother. I got a couple yarns of my own and used it all to make this crazy scrap jumper. I wear it all the time and it’s so warm and cosy.

My next EP will have entered the world in full form by the start of the year! There’s 3 singles out already, go stream them! And my first ever headline gig will be 16th March at St Pancras Old Church which is pretty fucking mental.

Main photograph by Katie Sylvester

5 QUESTIONS

HOME COUNTIES WHO ARE YOU? I’m Will from the rock group Home Counties.

WHAT DO YOU DO? I play guitar and sing (questionably). Collectively we make wonky pop songs about 60’s buildings and village greens.

band practice. At the end of the day, it’s a great activity to keep decade long friendships ticking over.

WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW? We’ve just moved from Bristol to East London (traitors), so we are all trying to get used to the hustle and bustle of the big smoke. We are frequenting WHY DO YOU DO IT? a lot of pubs and cafés to try After watching School of Rock and ground ourselves. We in our youth there was no have also just finished our new looking back on the path of EP 'In a Middle English Town', band life. We’ve moved on a which is due for release in little from Sweet Child O’ Mine February with a new single covers since then, but still coming out imminently. When end up playing the same songs that comes out we’re going on we did 10 years ago at every our first headline tour, which Words by Will / Home Counties

25

we are very excited about.

WHAT'S THE HOT TOPIC? The hot topic at the moment in music is Wet Leg. We love their music and we met them in the Green Man car park in summer (before realising who Wet Leg were). They seem very down to earth and what they have released so far is a step above a lot of what is coming out at the moment.

Our new EP comes out in February followed by our first headline tour of the UK, culminating in a big show at The Lexington on 24th February.

Photography by Tatiana Pozuelo

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BLOOD RED SHOES Brighton’s Blood Red Shoes are all grown up with their sixth studio album GHOST ON TAPE. We talk the disturbing, the dark and David Lynch and what inspires a band after 18 years.

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Not many bands can boast the fact that they’ve regularly released music, started a label, toured with Pixies and still get on after 18 years, but Blood Red Shoes are indeed that band. The band have just released their sixth studio album, written before the chaos of COVID. It is an eery, fear-inducing middle finger to polite society. In fact, the album’s name; GHOSTS ON TAPE sums it up perfectly.

Imagine an 80’s punk ghost is trying to make contact with you through an old school synth machine. Even the tracklist reads like a poem, each song title in capital letters, interspersed with small spooky soundscapes with names like (I’ve been watching you) to add to the suspense. Perhaps the songs are shouting at you from across the void.

‘Our tastes and the things we’re drawn to are really dark.’ Stephen, one half of Blood Red Shoes, tells me over zoom. ‘The kind of films we watch and music we listen to are pretty emotionally heavy or quite gothic. I think we both do have fascinations with death. Especially serial killers and the outsiders, the really extreme end of humanity. It’s been a real influence on what we’ve made. We’ve always been obsessed with David Lynch.

Usually, the creepiest, most extreme David Lynch is the stuff where you don’t really understand what’s going on, it just makes you feel really uncomfortable. We were trying to recreate that on this record.’

David Lynch is definitely right. Written in LA, the album feels like a concept piece dedicated to the seedy underbelly of the city of

angels and serial killers. ‘A lot of that influenced the record because once you’ve made a lot of records, you’ve got to go with the things that are in your orbit. We go with the stuff in a very instinctive way that we feel ‘this is where we’re at right now’. A lot of the time people ask ‘what have you been listening to’ and it’s not actually music, it's podcasts about serial killers.’

"I THINK WE BOTH DO HAVE FASCINATIONS WITH DEATH. ESPECIALLY SERIAL KILLERS AND THE OUTSIDERS, THE REALLY EXTREME END OF HUMANITY." Overall, GHOSTS ON TAPE answers the question ‘what do you get when you mix post-punk with offbeat 80s electronic pop?’ This is summarised with MORBID FASCINATION, an upbeat dance-inducing track to launch you into the upsidedown. That was the track that cemented the album for what it was. ‘We got to that and decided this is what we’re making. This makes sense, it’s got a gothic feeling to it, it’s got a twist on the sounds we were using which we were into because we were listening to loads of 80s music like Depeche Mode and Tears for Fears.’

Whilst the idea of singing about serial killers might feel a bit extreme for some, arguably this is where the good art comes from. Writing in a place where you’re 27

exposed to the outcasts of society makes for good inspiration. ‘I think you should be a bit wrong in the head to make [art]’ you know.

I think you have to embrace that. I say it jokingly, but I don’t want to hear music made by normal people. I don’t want to hear your view on the world as someone who works behind a desk. I want to hear music from people who are outside of that, the fucking insane people, the strange people, the weirdos.

That’s where the interesting perspectives come from. I don’t want normality in my art ever.’

But for all its LA influence and the duo’s move towards the undead as divine inspiration, this sixth album still feels true to who the band has always been.

Maybe that’s because it was recorded in the sleepy town of Eastbourne all the way back in 2020 before the world changed inexplicably.

‘It’s got this really strange story arc where it’s been written in this really glamorous, over the top, showbiz city of Los Angeles, recorded in the grey sleepy seaside town of Eastbourne.

Then two days after we finished it, lockdown! So it was a really weird time.’

In all honesty, being able to discuss a sixth album with Stephen in 2022 feels even more surreal than an episode of Twin Peaks. As a kid growing up in Brighton, knowing Blood Red Shoes was a small yet powerful badge of honour. It’s Getting Boring By The Sea was an anthem for the slightly misfit kids who used to spend their hard-earned pocket money on gigs at the Concorde 2.

I remember seeing Blood

Red Shoes there, the band ecstatic they managed to sell it out. GHOSTS ON TAPE is mature, focused, but it’s still the same band.

a really popular song. It was designed to piss those people off. It’s very "Blood Red Shoes" that whole thing.’

deal.’ This is a sentiment echoed by many artists.

Phoebe Bridgers launched Saddest Factory records and The Growlers’ Beach Goth.

‘Once we saw it from the inside, which increasingly artists are coming round to, were like f*** this. A really good record deal, they take 80% and you get 20, and they are not doing 80% of the work.’

Brighton has its pull, for sure.

Stephen himself explains that he’s never really left, aside from a year in Berlin and spending over 200 days a year on a tour bus.

I moved back at the start of the second lockdown to get out of a dying city and spend more time by the sea.

Since its conception, Jazz Even though on bright, crisp Life has been working hard evenings the promenade is by putting out music by the full of fire breathers, roller band and others such as skaters and impromptu Queen Kwong, Shit Girlfriend musicians, I’m curious and Brighton’s own Tigercub. to know whether others ‘Talk about the Brighton To read the full version of this magazine you can buy print With the both of us sitting consider Brighton to have a scene, that was the first thing in the comfort of our livingdirect buzzing scene atour all. Bandcamp we released actually, we copies delivered to music you from or support rooms, on opposite ends of ‘Do you know what, I was released that before we even usthat viawePatreon for to even more goodies! the same city love, it about say people go exclusive to released our band. We’ve would be hard to deny that London and they never come put out artists from LA, Brighton hasn’t influenced back to Brighton because artists from France, Belgium, the music, even if that itclick feels really smalllinks after below: Brighton. If we see it and we Just on the influence is feeling like you that, until lockdown. Then like it, that’s it. And we give never really fit in. everyone went ‘I really want them almost all the money, to be there because even if because we never want to ‘When we first started, we nothing is going on, at least treat people the way we were actually felt like Brighton you can be by the sea.’ I treated.’ didn’t like us very much. I’ve guess the age-old question never fully understood it. remains when coming home, Now, the band are just We’d been previously in real do you leave in search of excited to play the album live DIY punk bands, that’s the more excitement? Or do you for the first time, no matter scene we started in, and they come back and build the where it is ‘It’s been a long hated us because we write things you think are missing? time. I am really excited to pop songs, you know. We still play Brighton because it’s do, we still write choruses One answer to that question going to be a good show, but and we write things to dance is Jazz Life, the label Stephen I don’t know where we’re to. That punk scene was all and Laura-Mary started in going to play. I actually really black hoodies, black flag 2014, and still operating out love playing the Concorde. I tattoos, really serious men of some pretty snazzy studios grew up in Horsham, so not shouting.’ in a newly renovated part very far, I used to come to of Brighton. ‘We hate the punk shows at the Concorde.

In fact, It’s Getting Boring record industry. It sucks. You I grew up coming to them and

By The Sea was conceived spend your whole teenage thinking I’m gonna play on because the band felt years thinking ‘I want to be that stage one day. It still has unaccepted in the punk in a rock and roll band and a bit of that for me.’ scene. ‘It was a f*** you get a record deal!’ and then to that scene. It’s us you get a record deal and you GHOST ON TAPE is available deliberately trying to piss off realise record deals suck. to stream and buy now. the punk scene, trying to be They screw you over. We got more punk than the punks! a record deal for 3 albums, I’m proud that we did that then spent 3 albums trying to and I’m proud it became get the fuck out of the record ‘We never did anything because we thought it would make us really cool or make us rich. As an artist, you’re always moving away from what you’ve previously done, but your soul is the same.

You’re still trying to make the thing that at the time you’re creating feel genuine, and we are still the same people that you would have seen on stage or who made that same record in 2008.’

Words by Ella Guthrie

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Photography by Blood Red Shoes

DIGGING DEEPER

PEANESS RANDOM GIFTS...

I have a real love for weird things you find in charity/thrift shops and giving them or handmade things as gifts for people at Christmas and birthdays. There's such pressure around these times to get the perfect gift, to spoil someone with something fancy.

While there's always a time and space for that, I feel like twice/three times a year is totally unnecessary. People get themselves into all kinds of financial problems around the belief that showing that you love someone means you need to spend loads of money, which just isn't true.

My friends and I always do this for each other now, and it's really nice because we can just do little random gifts throughout the year too and it's the most wholesome thing ever.

As long as something is heartfelt or funny in some way they're the Words by Rach / Peaness

best things and my most prized possessions.

I hope this will inspire someone out there to get someone a daft present for their next birthday/ Christmas or just for the sake of it because you'll treasure it forever!

Here’s a list of examples: - Fish flops for my brother - Richard and Judy Christmas special from 1997 - Balla's homemade vegan brownies that are THE TASTIEST THINGS KNOWN TO MAN - A frog air-freshener coz Jess bought about 100 of them online when she was drunk - Porcelain drumming angel - Possessed teapot - A plush lobster - Princess Diana cup - Jubilee mug with the Queen beaming smugly - Cuttings from a spider plant I had in the house I grew up in - The recipe book I made for my best friend full of the weird stuff we made in uni when we had no 29

money - Battery-powered Jesus candle - Make your own bug that Jess got for Balla and me, in the spirit of the 'How I'm Feeling' video - Paul Hollywood mug that says 'I love your soggy bottom' - A short story about a hamster named Hannibal - An assortment of plastic fruit - Wallet called 'Dave the cashless king' - Colin caterpillar cake for me and my flatmate when we had Covid - Handmade portable backgammon game - 99p CD of 'Candle In The Wind' - Multipack of guava juice - Picture of Nantwich in the 1800s for Jack our sound engineer - Children's book about farmyard animals - Gail Platt air freshener - Indie tracks badges that Jess got for Balla and me when we heard the festival was ending. instagram.com/peanessband </3 Photography by Andrew Benge

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ART WALL

Just click on the links below:

JOY

WITH HOLODRUM

• •

Jonny Wilkinson (JW) Emily Garner (EG) x Jonathan Nash

JW: Hello, I’m Jonny and I play the guitar and do graphic design for Holodrum and I also do illustration under the ‘Idiot’s Pasture’ moniker.

of ‘Joy’ because we all need those moments in our life that give us nothing but bliss. The whole point of this band is to have fun with your friends and the shared joy of creating collaboratively.

Outside of music one of my main sources of joy is walking the hills of Sowerby Bridge in the Calder Valley where I live - to be lost and to exist with no other purpose than to be and improvise with the landscape around you. The images I’ve picked are some short comics documenting

EG: I’m Emily ^___^ I sing and Jon is at the kit. We collaborate as Pastel Fortress in pixel art and animation!

JW: We’ve chosen the theme 30

two of my walks. I’ve also given you two pictures of my cats (Pom Pom and Louie Louie) because where’s joy without animals?

EG: We’ve chosen a series of stills from our newest piece of video art. We worked on it together here at our home studio in Leeds through the winter months of 2021. We chose themes of adventure, travel, games and hardware.

These are all things that bring us JOY.

I have also attached a snap of my little Pom Pom. We have only memories of purest joy with her!

Our first LP is being released through Gringo Records on February 25th We are playing two dates: - Leeds, Brudenell Social Club, 8th September - London, Servant Jazz Quarters, 10th September Emily and Jon Nash have animated a video for ‘Free Advice’ on YouTube.

Words and illustrations by Jonny, Emily & Jon / Holodrum

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NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH

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GLASGOW, SCOTLAND WITH THE NINTH WAVE

INTRODUCTION

Hallo. My name is Haydn and I am a quarter of a band called The Ninth Wave. We’re from Glasgow (Glaschu, in Gaelic, which translates to “Green Glen”). I’ve been a musician all my life and have fronted this band since I was seven years old. Eighteen years later and I still can’t play Thunderstruck with one hand.

Sometimes I’m working

in a bakery, sometimes I’m delivering potatoes, sometimes I’m running, sometimes I’m cycling, sometimes I’m weightlifting, sometimes I’m cooking up a miscellaneous selection of vegetables, sometimes I’m reading and sometimes I am writing music.

I love the countryside and the natural world, but I also love the city of Glasgow, which is a much more nurturing place for a musician who wants to show the rest of the world the music they write, as nice as the countryside is (I’ll live there one day). I’m going to tell you about the city and everything good here, even in the seemingly eternal rain.

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BEST SPOTS

Everyone knows that Glasgow nightlife, especially the live music, is great, so let’s start somewhere else. My favourite spot for a walk in the city is the Forth and Clyde Canal towpath. It weaves its way through the heart of the city, but as soon as you walk up onto the path, you instantly forget that you’re in a bustling city. I go here for peace, quiet and to see nice dogs.

I’ve walked, cycled and ran along the banks of the canal countless times and it’s a really special place to go when I’m craving a bit of the quietness that time spent in nature usually instils in you.

If you’re starting from the city centre (at Speirs Wharf), you can walk along until you reach the Stockingfield Junction in Maryhill - from here you can either continue west until you reach Bowling, where the canal reaches the sea. This is a lovely spot and I love the way the landscape around you changes as you move through the city and out to Clydebank, The Erskine Bridge, and then the outskirts of Dumbarton. Or, take to the north at Stockingfield and the path will take you through Possil Marsh, Kirkintilloch, The Falkirk Wheel and eventually to the sea on the east coast of the country. It’s a great place to cycle (especially if you’re nervous about cycling on roads) and it’s a good place to run. I learned to run a marathon on the paths during the first lockdown.

Other green places worth a mention are Alexandra Park, Pollock Park, Botanic Gardens, Kelvin Walkway.

BEST BARS

Okay I guess I better get this out of the way. Some Words by Haydn / The Ninth Wave

of my favourite bars/pubs: The Ben Nevis in Finnieston - they often have live trad groups playing Scottish and Irish jigs, reels and other tunes that make you feel like you’re sitting in a pub in the highlands instead of the city centre. Chinaski’s at Charing Cross does nice drinks. Bon Accord is a classic “old man” pub, as is The Laurieston - we used to rent a studio room around the corner from here, where we guzzled many postrehearsal pints and made big plans for the future beneath “The Cherry Picker”. If you visit The Laurieston you’ll see this slightly unsettling sculpture that keeps an eye on the bar and its patrons.

Some other great bars are Variety Bar on Sauchiehall Street, The Lismore in Partick and The Aragon on Byres Road.

Dirty Duke). There are too many to mention - the city is teeming with talent

OTHER SPOTS

Tchai-Ovna is a Czech-styled tea house in the west-end of the city. They have an amazing selection of teas and I’ve loved it since my mum brought me here for the first time when I was very young.

Mixed Up Records is next door and they have a great selection of new and used vinyl records. There are a lot of vintage clothes shops too, such as Mr Bens, City Retro and Starry Starry Night.

Some of my favourite cafés/ restaurants are; Sylvan, Silla, Morning Glory, Roots and Fruits, Willow Grove.

THE MUSIC SCENE

The best spots for music: Nice ’n’ Sleazy (of course) and The Hug & Pint always have good gig listings. The QMU and SWG3 always have bigger gigs too.

Studios: there are a few rehearsal studios, as well as Green Door Studio, La Chunky Studio and Dystopia Studio.

Some producers working in and around Glasgow are; Chris McRory, Jamie Holmes, Luigi Pasquini.

Thanks for reading. We’ve got some gigs in March in Manchester, London and Glasgow, after the release of our second album, on the 11th of the month. See ye in the fuckin' pit!

Some Glasgow bands and artists that I love are; Lucia & The Best Boys, Walt Disco, Happy Tears, Doss, Free Love, Kaputt, TAAHLIAH, Orla Magdalene, Nova Deus (previously known as Damn 33

Main photograph by Neelam Khan Vela

AWAY FROM THE NOISE

APRE PHOTOS AS INSPIRATION (FOR LIFE NOT JUST MUSIC)...

In lockdown I found myself needing a new hobby, and as my Grandad had been an avid I am Jules from the band APRE photographer, I gravitated towards film photography and my bandmate Charlie as I had always found the and I have been writing aesthetic of the faded colours music together for as long so inviting. Soon I had 4 film as I can remember. We have cameras from the 60s and 70s released many EP’s and have (purchased all together for toured the world playing to no more than £50!!) and was more people than my small out on walks taking pictures. It innocent 10-year-old brain then dawned on me that even could have ever imagined. walking up my street with We are currently in the midst my camera made me look at of releasing songs from our everything I took for granted new mixtape ‘A001’ which on these walks differently. comes out on February the 1st, it is centred around I started being fascinated both Charlie and I coming to with taking photos of buzzers, terms with breakups from lampposts, I started looking our relationships as well as out for weird imperfections attempting to get back to in walls and trees. It was the feeling we first had when liberating and led me to we started making music return to my house most together.

Words by Jules / APRE

34

mornings feeling inspired to write music about even the smallest of items I had found. I since pasted all of these photos across my wall, often in clumps that I feel belong together, and if I ever find I need inspiration from the mundane, the assumed, then I simply look up at one of my clusters of photos and imagine what connects them, make up a story around them, feel how the colours make me feel. That camera lens has been the result of so many new songs for both APRE and beyond, and I have it to thank for simply making me stop and notice all the things that busy London wills you to ignore.

The mixtape A001 is released on February the 1st under Beach91 records.

Photography by Isy Townsend

5 QUESTIONS

EMPATH WHO ARE YOU?

I am Catherine Elicson, 28 years of age. I was born and raised in the Midwestern United States and now live on the East Coast. A few of my astrological placements are Virgo sun, Aquarius moon, Libra rising.

WHAT DO YOU DO?

I write songs, play the guitar and sing in Empath, work at multiple food service establishments, watch Real Housewives, text, and hang out. I also read literature and daydream.

WHY DO YOU DO IT?

Writing music is the best thing I can think of to do; it lets me experience the world the way that I want to. If I wasn’t writing music I would Words by Catherine / Empath

be dreaming about doing it. I work to pay my rent, support my lifestyle choices, and socialize. I watch Real Housewives, text and hang out because I’m a 28-yearold American woman. As far as why I read literature and daydream, I guess I like to explore other people’s ideas and then explore my own ideas.

something positive, but I keep thinking about my friends who are in popular bands that are selling out of records yet still broke and struggling. The drive to create music doesn’t hinge on financial success but it’s frustrating to witness talented, accomplished musicians barely scrape by. I hope we can all be comfortable someday.

WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW?

On a brighter note, Lil Yachty is working with the same producer as we did, which is thrilling to me.

I’m currently in the Florida Keys in an RV because our tour got cancelled. I just saw an iguana run across my path and took a video of it on my iPhone. I have been watching the NFL playoff games and reading Swann’s Way.

WHAT'S THE HOT TOPIC?

I was trying to think of 35

Our album "Visitor" is out Feb 11th. We have tour dates coming up this spring - they should be announced any day now. You can Venmo the band at @empath-band :) Photography by Marie Lin

COME PL AY WITH BLOOD RED SHOES A LT - J

TINYUMBRELL AS / APRE / ELI SMART T H E N I N T H WA V E / P E A N E S S / E M PAT H M O RG A N H A R P E R - J O NE S / K AT HL E E N F R A N C E S HONE YGL AZ E / HOLODRUM / HOME C OUN T IES ALCOPOP! / ANNA HELLER AND LOTS MORE...

BEHIND THE SCENES AND UNDER THE SKIN OF ALL THINGS MUSIC

PICK ME UP FOR FREE OR BUY PRINT COPIES ONLINE / #018