Faux.
Vol 1.0
DELPHIC // WES ANDERSON // 20 BEST ALBUMS OF THE DECADE YEASAYER // LEGGINGS // DEUS EX // ESTHER REBEL Cover Photo // Neil Thompson
Photo : Eleanor Doughty
CONTENTS
INFO
Editorials // 04
This isssue was made by: Mike Coleman, Eleanor Doughty, Annabelle Moore, Chris Wheatley, Liam Haynes, Martyn Cooling, H annah Cox, Paul Cook, Daniel Willis, Annie McKenzie, Steph Wilson, Theodora Wakeley, Lily Aspinall, Faye Isaac, James Edwards and Cheryl Burns.
Martyn Cooling, Liam Haynes, Hannah Cox and Eleanor Doughty...Talk.
One Decade // 06
We take a look at the 20 best albums since the year 2000.
Bottle Rocket // 12
Mike Coleman guides through his love for Wes Anderson.
She’s Hearing Voices // 16
For all editorial contact: Liam.Haynes@ireadfaux.com For all marketing enquiries email : Advertising@ireadfaux.com
Annabelle Moore and photographer Eleanor Doughty’s vision of a trouserless universe.
Want to stock Faux in your place of business: Stockists@ireadfaux.com
Esther Rebel // 22
Any further enquiries should be directed to: Info@ireadfaux.com
Through The Looking Glass // 26
Faux Magazine is published by Faux Media. All content (unless otherwise stated) is copyright of Faux Media. Any opinions expressed within do not neccessarily represent the opinions of Faux Media.
Faye Isaac introduces Esther Rebel.
Liam Haynes looks at Deus Ex and its massive influence on modern gaming culture.
MARTYN COOLING
LIAM HAYNES
I quit my job! It’s such a good feeling, Faux Magazine is my push forward into forming the career of my choice. This isnt to say my previous job wasnt good and I enjoyed it for the 3.5 years that I called it my career. Hell, to be honest I pushed other (probably more important) things aside to focus on it.
You remember when you were about 16 and everyone had incredible house parties every weekend of the year? Back before Topman had started selling skinny jeans, so the only person with them was that guy who had an Uncle in Camden? Those parties were incredible, like a mass of limbs, vodka, smudged eyeliner and shattered educations.
Director of Faux Magazine
Im not going to go into it too much, but I worked as a DJ and Promotions Manager. There is only so long you can spend defacing student halls with your posters and only so many times I can play Mr. Brightside or Place Your Hands to drunken 18 year old girls. Its 2010 and so comes the time to push all of my previous experience into what is hopefully going to be the most exciting thing to happen to publishing since....umm.....paper?!?
Editor of Faux Magazine
Then, every weekend was a mass of opportunities. You could put out a zine, start a band, learn to skate, and fuck someone from the grammar school all in the space of 48 hours. Fast forward to the “real world” and things are different. That level of enthusiasm is distant and retro. I want that to change, I want Faux to rekindle the anything-is-possible aesthetic that drives discovery and excitement. Fuck reading Q because you’re over 30, fuck reading NME because it’s “cutting edge”. This is it, no pretention, no arrogance, giving it to you straight up and true.
Anyway, keep reading, keep giving us your opinions, keep visiting the site, fuck it-just get involved. Send us work/photos/cd’s/beer, anything. It’s your magazine as much as ours. Faux is going to go a long way and we want you You deserve something new. something neither to be a part of it. student or local. National and regional at the same time, with content you give a fuck about Heres to the decade of Faux! and an aesthetic that is to the point and honest. but I won’t tell you what you need, you’ve known it yourself for years. 04 || www.ireadfaux.com
HANNAH COX
ELEANOR DOUGHTY
The weekend came around giving me ample opportunity to not only have a social life, but also the time to write about it. Friday night was my opportunity to experience ‘Indieoke’ a once a month event in Islington. I was sceptical. It seems the current trend in London is to get working class pastimes, giving them a ‘cooler’ name and therefore making it socially acceptable for scene middle class kids who wear Beyond Retro and pay a fortune to live in Bricklane as long as it’s done in an ’ironic’ fashion. Examples include ‘Stitch n Bitch’, ‘Underground Rebel Bingo’ etc
There’s a Facebook group called ‘Radiohead ARE your favourite band, you just don’t know it yet’. Probably true, I love Radiohead so I would tend to agree. Groups like this amuse me and I do love Radiohead. They’re my go to band when I need some “thinky” music, I put them on and they always cheer me up. I’ve done photo shoots based on one song (for the record it was ‘2+2=5’), all in all Radiohead make me happy.
Marketing Director of Camden Crawl
So ... the night, the venue was the Buffalo Bar. It was easy, one page of A4 indie hits, sign up at the DJ booth and once the song is gone, its gone. I turned up when doors opened, I chose a crap song – Trouble by Shampoo - and with the help of a full live band, rocked it. I won’t lie, it was a laugh. There were people that took it too seriously (you know who you are; Vampire Weekend). I especially enjoyed jumping on stage and rapping over the top of Teenage Kicks to the revulsion of some Faris look-alikes spitting out their continental beers. So have I been converted? Well no actually. The compere was funny, thats was about it. I am a simple soul. I would enjoy the karaoke at the local pub, and I didn’t need a full band and a journey across London to do so.
Guest Photographer
Perverse; some might say, to talk about a band that produce so-called “depressing” music, and say it actually makes you happy. If you delve into the lyrics, properly mind, not just on auto-pilot, they are incredibly uplifting. That aside, it amuses me how so many people jump on the pro-Thom Yorke bandwagon with no real intention of doing anything other than name checking the band on their facebook. Most people have heard Creep- it’s pretty iconic, but as far as I’m concerned it’s far from their best song. It’s one of those songs that you either love or hate. Lots of people think that just because they like it, they’re fully fledged Radiohead fans. Not that I’m the world-expert on who is a justifiable Radiohead fan or not, but they’re just one of those bands that so many people think it would be really cool to jump on the band wagon of. No. Please refrain from being so contrived. www.ireadfaux.com || 05
ONE DECADE
Introduction: Liam Haynes
Some would say that the past decade is the decade that the album died, I'd say it's the decade the album was forced to live. In a climate where portable media players went from zero to hero, digital distribution of music took off (first with Napster, then with iTunes), and music videos jumped from MTV to on-demand services like Youtube; it was down to the album to justify it's own existence. Sure, there were some marketing moves like bonus DVD's and internet tiein content but the real way the album survived where the single failed is by maintaining it's form. You can read the best chapter in a book but it won't make much sense, and likewise consuming just the singles from an album doesn't give you the full experience. This is where bands truly shine, by producing a unified body of work that is crafted and designed around being consumed as a whole. So as the decade comes to a close two things have happened. Firstly, the idea of the single has become, if it's possible, even more singular. A single is just that, a lone song that is normally purchasable online around the same time it hits radio. B-sides are the real casualty here, instead being replaced with remix packages to increase the reach of the original track. Secondly, the album has become even more isolated. It is increasingly the only way in which the music of an act is available in a physical form, and as such has moved even further away from it's previously reasonably close companionship to the single. All of this means that it is more important than ever for the LP to work well as a complete body of work, helping you avoid the temptation to skip, shuffle, or just stop listening altogether. Despite it's endangerment, some fantastic albums have been produced over the past decade. We asked some of our writers to contribute some of their favourites so we could create a collection of what we considered to be the best albums of the decade. It's in no way a definitive list, in fact it's not in any kind of order at all. However as a reflection of the tastes of everyone at Faux, it's perfect. This was the last decade, enjoy.
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BOTTLE ROCKET
Words : Mike Coleman
Animated films have had a notable resurgence as of late; whilst faith in their quality may have been shaken marginally by previous lacklustre efforts like Pixars’s vapid and hollow Cars and DreamWorks’ frankly crushingly shit Shark Tale, on the whole 2009 saw a notable increase in quality afforded to us by these giants of animation. Sharper in both wit and aesthetic, the adoption of 3-D technology allowed already charming movies to flourish into works of spectacular immersion. From the astonishingly poignant, meticulously crafted adventure of Pixar’s UP to the joyously anarchic rabble of Dreamworks’ excellently voiced BMovie homage Monsters Vs. Aliens, 3-D added a wondrous finish to honed works of impressive depth. Animating in 3-D wasn’t a big budget perk solely for animation’s dominating powers either - even independent producer Laika Inc.’s macabre fairy tale Coraline adopted the third dimension to add further visual flair to its already stunningly realised parallel universes. For Coraline, the adoption of the comparatively archaic technique of stopmotion animation - rather than 3-D was what truly set the film apart from all else. Whilst Coraline’s foreboding visuals revelled in the visually stunning aspects of digital 3-D, focus remained on the immaculately puppetry; charming and warm in a way that digital animation often struggles to replicate inevitably leading some Directors, like Fantastic Mr. Fox lead Wes Anderson, to adopt an altogether more antiquated look.
“...CRITICS WORLDWIDE RUBBING THEIR HANDS TOGETHER IN GLEE.” Wes Anderson is very much a directorial marmite, one man’s subtle genius and another man’s preening, pompous hipster. Yet Anderson has long been considered a veritable darling - perhaps even a godfather - of independent film. From his directorial debut Bottle Rocket to his current (and first animated) feature Fantastic Mr. Fox, the tone of Andersons creations have been recognisable and consistent - Blatantly stylized, brimming with airy nostalgia and quirky, oddball dialogue. The real debate amongst critics however, is whether these are nuances born of an inspired creative mind, or indicators of a cold, calculated example of style over substance. Anderson’s directorial debut, Bottle Rocket, opened to minimal success, but warm critical reception. The film simultaneously launched the careers of both Anderson and the Wilson brothers, Owen and Luke (the former cowriting with Anderson and becoming a staple of Anderson’s pictures) marking Anderson’s rise to critical acclaim and cult status. Whilst the dry, slackergone-bank robber comedy was chosen by Martin Scorsese as one of his personal favourites of the 1990’s, establishing Anderson as a presence to watch in Hollywood, it was near-eclipsed by his next feature co-written with Owen Wilson, the seminal cult high-school movie, Rushmore. www.ireadfaux.com || 13
Rushmore established that many of the quirky aspects of Anderson’s debut weren’t simply one-offs, but instead were a sort of thematic idiosyncrasy, an oddity, but an oddity at home in Anderson’s creations. Everything, from the immaculate use of lilting, chiming, invasion-era British rock to soundtrack his scenes, to Anderson’s trademark slow-motion finish, is intentional, successfully capturing a feeling of blustery nostalgia throughout. A melancholy, whimsical paean to romance and passion, Rushmore features a handful of now long-time Anderson contributors on top form, including Bill Murray and Jason Schwartzman, expertly fleshed out by lines of Wilson & Anderson’s immaculately shaped and distinctive dialogue. The films many deft touches and excellent direction won Anderson critical acclaim for his work. This acclaim continued with the release of 2001’s The Royal Tenenbaums, where Anderson continued his recognisable fusion of quirkiness, sadness and comedy to create a picture of crumbling post-adolescent family life after 3 successful young siblings experience the disappointments of the period where youth becomes nostalgia.
“... BEWILDERING BUT ULTIMATELY CHARMING ...” The Royal Tenenbaums recieved wide critical acclaim including an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay. However, this appeared to be Anderson’s zenith as regards critical reception. Having adopted the same stylistic touches in three consecutive productions, critics turned on his 2004 release, The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou, a frankly bewildering but ultimately charming adventure once again starring Bill Murray. The Life Aquatic... kicked up a veritable shit storm from critics, with what was seen as a pretentious, smug tone, an independent director run amok and creating a dangerously self satisfied piece of garbage. The picture however, is not without its curious charm. Following the final adventure of an aging, derided nautical scientist and documentary maker, The Life Aquatic... is an exercise in rampant surrealism. Everything from interspersed appearances from stop-motion fishes to a deck-hand strumming his way through David Bowie’s back catalogue imbue the film with a dream-like quality. It is this surrealism however, that presents the problem. The film feels like a pastiche of Wes Anderson’s style and his creations, allowing critics to prey on the previously charming touches that Anderson had applied to his other films. It is still very much accessible for a Wes Anderson fan, but it requires a particular familiarity with his directorial habits. Becoming self-parody could have quite easily sunk Andersons Fantastic Mr. Fox, the only trace remaining being the sound of critics worldwide rubbing their hands together in glee. Thankfully however, Anderson’s stop-motion creation is not only a triumph for him, but a triumph for animation.
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With the protagonist charmingly voiced by an excellently cast George Clooney and supported by a host of Anderson regulars (Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, Jason Schwartzman) the vocal talent is in no short supply. The animation not only holds its own in the face of the hulking presence of 3-D in other films, but betters it with its charmingly tatty aesthetic and obviously painstaking attention to detail. The film, even though animated, is Anderson through and through - if it wasn’t for the fact you’re watching a badger talk to a fox, you could place the dry, sharp dialogue in any Anderson film. This is not, however, to claim that Fantastic Mr. Fox is either exclusionary to anyone not yet in Anderson’s thrall, nor is it say that it is derivative of his previous efforts. The style, quality and execution of the animation all breathe an effortless charm, and combined with the dry wit of Anderson’s scripting, seamlessly create an engaging and charming piece of animation.
The ever expanding clamour for bigger gimmicks, bolder visuals and better effects means that 3-D is here at the right time, and for a lucrative stay indeed. However, 3-D visuals may mean bigger, but will by no means guarantee better. Andersons Fantastic Mr. Fox hasn’t a hint of CGI about it, looking more like it was put together in a more ramshackle manner than even the most eccentric tramp could even conceive of. The eccentricities weave throughout the dialogue in a giddy manner, an effortless charm pervading visually and aurally as Clooney’s Mr. Fox and his motley group of woodland creatures battle the sinister farming trifecta of Boggis, Bunce and Bean (often to a typically Anderson-esque 1970’s soundtrack). Special effects aficionados may be unimpressed by the lack of explosive CGI, but the charmingly homespun effects are phenomenally executed and compliment Anderson’s casual, dry wit perfectly. Anderson has doubtlessly redeemed his stylistic misjudging and fashioned an accessible, natural animation with genuine appeal and heart. Thanks to Andersons sublime direction, this joyfully unpolished creation has a shabby heart more genuine than any sterile CGI creation could hope to ever pixelate. Fantastic Mr Fox is out on DVD 01/04/10 For more information on Wes Anderson’s work check out his website... www.rushmoreacademy.com
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SHE’S HEARING VOICES
Photography : Eleanor Doughty Model : Lily Aspinall Styling : Annabelle Moore
Top : Asos
Leggings : Topshop
Shoes : Model’s Own
Top : Vintage
Leggings : Topshop
Shoes : Model’’s Own
Vest : Model’s Own
Leggings : American Apparel
Shoes : Model’’s Own
Leggings : Topshop
Shoes : Model’’s Own
Top : Vintage
Leggings : Topshop
ESTHER REBEL
Words : Faye Isaac // Photo : PR
Replications of pop art from the love and peace era of the 60s, through to the disco decade of the 70s, can be seen in today’s contemporary art, along with similar ideology and thought provoking interpretation. One prevailing German artist, Esther Rebel (31) has taken to this genre with greater astuteness and an alternative angle, incorporating subconscious messages metaphorically weaved through the canvas on which she paints. Born into a family with a strong history of artistic relations, it was only assumed that Esther, the waif-like, vintage clad, style individualist with washed out blond hair, was soon to become a budding artist. “I was born and raised in an artist family. My father, my uncle and my great-grandfather are artists, too,” she explained. Rebel reaps most of her inspiration from numerous fields within society, all of which conjure up negative issues of which she aims to raise awareness of. These issues mainly cover stereotyping in the media and wider afield. Originally from Hamburg, Germany, she has set up home in the modish city of Berlin, where she works humbly from a studio in her home. Her inspiration is all around her. The walls are lined with shoes and old LPs fixed on the wall, drawing attention to her likes and interests, passions and motivations in life. It seems music, fashion, poetry and of course, art, provide Rebel with the stimulation to produce her unique work. She describes her love for music; “I have been inspired by all kinds of music, from past right up to present. To narrow it down it would have to be all kinds of sub and pop culture, but especially rock and punk music.”
“...ARTISTS LIKE WARHOL, LICHTENSTEIN, SCHIELE, MUNCH AND THE OTHER GERMAN EXPRESSIONISTS ARE GRAVE INFLUENCES ON MY WORK AND EXPLAIN THE STYLE OF MY ART.” The close relationship between fashion and music categorises eras past. Rebel is a very good example of this; she greatly resonates the 70s, not only in a fashion sense but an artistic one too. This theme echoes through her work and also helps the consumer to understand the artist behind the painting. Not only does she gain her influences from artists, she has a fond penchant for poetry too. “I like best the beat literature and French poetry from the likes of Baudelaire or Rimbaud, they have inspired me greatly,” she revealed. “Artistically speaking, artists like Warhol, Lichtenstein, Schiele, Munch and the other German expressionists are grave influences on my work and explain the style of my art.” In relation to the 70s, Esther certainly leads the rock and roll lifestyle, though not of the generic culture we see today. Together with friends David Vacant and Alex Suicide, they form a DJ-trio entitled Up-Tight who are widely respected on the Berlin nightlife clubbing scene. www.ireadfaux.com || 23
Her art certainly displays her experiences, as her subjects portray a vision of life we recognise day to day. Every artist has a drive behind the pictures they produce. Esther describes with a poetic tone, “Art is my natural medium to express my thoughts, my feelings, my experiences, my impressions and my hopes and visions. This is why I compose such pieces of art. The purpose of my work is to share this with others.” Her artwork imitates images from mainstream media and other genres in society as well as personal photos. She furthers; “My interests like music or fashion give me the material to combine it with my daily life. I use personal photos, pictures from magazines and own drawings to work in a collage style.” Though one can identify the original image, she translates it in such a way, with her unique signature and personalisation, in order to own it. “I draw my work from existing publications such as magazines, because today, they are a huge part of pop culture.” Her basic outlining and interpreting of these images simulates the pop art produced by such art barons as Warhol and Lichtenstein, though they are created in such a manner that detaches itself away from replicating their artistic style. As seen with these two established artists, they each follow the same genre; however, they have an individual, recognisable style that automatically formulates their own brand. Along with her subjects dominating the pictures, Rebel uses the medium of poetry to project her message across to her audience. Her short, sharp words are minimalistic but have a strong impact and somehow explain the whole work in one word or phrase. Rebel mainly focuses on female subjects, seemingly due to their immediate beauty and desirability to capture the attention and spark a talking point. 24 || www.ireadfaux.com
Subconsciously, we all label images we see in the media and wider world, without saying it. With Rebel, she does this for you. She personifies the word as a character and visually conjoins the two. Though it may seem a stating of the obvious, it raises awareness of inset issues in society which are repeatedly instilled into our minds via visual mediums. As seen with both of Rebel’s projects, “Unconditional” back in 2006 and more recently, “Sluts and Dolls”, Rebel has often literally branded the subject with demeaning words or phrases, creating the impression that wherever they go, this persona is somewhat ‘tattooed’ onto them like a stigma that can’t be severed. Regarding the feedback of Rebel’s work, overall it has been positive. She seems to have established herself in Berlin with further promotion from her interests outside of art.
Her DJ status signifies her character and how it has worked alongside her profession. The crowd she pleases through the night are ultimately going to investigate her alternative sides. Her past exhibitions have given Rebel the chance to interact with her audience and view their interpretations of her work as well as sharing her own. It has been a good base for her to realise her progression within the industry and how it is being received. “The contrast between the intent of my work and perception of my work is not largely different. Fortunately at my exhibitions I often experience most of the people sharing my intentions.” It seems the mix of blatancy and hard hitting visual impact creates the favoured reaction from the audience. Regarding the intentions of her work, the question needs to be asked as to whether the work reinforces the stereotype or allows the consumer to recognise the issue within society and be critical of preceding publications and images. The issue of gender stereotyping is extremely prominent within society and particularly in media and consequently, magazines. Rebel’s work helps to realise this. “Magazines, certainly the ones influencing my work, reinforce stereotyping. This is one the most important things in modern mass medium, also including TV, advertisement and the internet.” From exhibitions and feedback from her work, Rebel explained, “Generally, the critical and personal viewpoint of my art leads to discussions and consequently, awareness.” As her art is still working its way up, through promotion and word of mouth, there is a possibility her artwork could be misinterpreted, though due to her close proximity to her consumer market, there seems to be a reassuring mutual opinion between the artist and her viewers. Her work has been successful up to date, with both good consumer purchasing and a resounding positive response. “With my exhibitions and at art fairs I have had very good feedback and sales.” Rebel announced.
Rebel may well attempt to create her ideal response, and her audience interpret it in their own individual way, her followers may wonder what her work encapsulates when it is surrounded by white space and the focus of much debate and pondering. Rebel was more than happy to share this with us; “The message I aim to send through my work is simple. The variety of individual sensations, in a world more and more characterised by public actions. I hope that my work will now and in future be an important contribution to the market of contemporary art.” Rebel concludes. Like her legendary mentors, Warhol, Liechtenstein and Munch, Rebel wants her work to be a useful tool in society as well as allowing for it to be an enjoyed and appreciated talent. For more information visit... www.myspace.com/estherrebel
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THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS
Words : Liam Haynes // Photo : Eidos
Out of the huge list of now defunct games development studios, Looking Glass Studios is perhaps the most missed and fondly remembered. Responsible for creating some of the most memorable and imaginative games of their ten year existence, they created ideas and franchises that are still alive today. In the classic System Shock and System Shock 2 they created worlds and ways of playing that went on to become the main inspiration for what could arguably be called a spin-off successor, BioShock, itself now a large franchise. With the stealthy Thief series they put in place many of the ideas that would go on to influence franchises such as Metal Gear Solid, Splinter Cell, and Assassin’s Creed. But it wasn’t until the studio eventually folded, it’s most talented employers being rolled up into the burgeoning Ion Storm studio, that they created their most masterful piece of work, the Deus Ex series. Set in a dystopian future not dissimilar to that of Blade Runner, the game’s central plot follows rookie United Nations Anti-Terrorist Coalition agent JC Denton as he sets out to combat terrorist forces which have become increasingly prevalent in a world slipping ever further into chaos. A lethal pandemic known as the Gray Death ravages the world’s population, especially within the United States, and has no cure. A synthetic vaccine called Ambrosia, manufactured by the company VersaLife, nullifies the effects of the virus but is in critically short supply. Because of its scarcity, Ambrosia is available only to those deemed “vital to the social order” finding its way primarily to government officials, military personnel, the rich and influential, scientists, and the intellectual elite.
“... A DYSTOPIAN FUTURE NOT DISSIMILAR TO THAT OF BLADE RUNNER” With no hope for the common people of the world, riots occur worldwide, and a number of terrorist organizations have form with the professed intent of assisting the downtrodden. It is not so much in the story however that Deus Ex innovates, it is in the way it involves the player in the world. In the words of its producer Warren Spector, “the game was conceived with the idea that we’d accept players as our collaborators, that we’d put power back in their hands, ask them to make choices, and let them deal with the consequences of those choices”. Of course this is now part and parcel of games like Fallout 3 or the Grand Theft Auto series, but in 2000 when Deus Ex was released it was far from a design priority. It is the legacy of Ion Storm and Looking Glass that we now have to thank for moving us on from titles like Half Life to the emergent story-telling displayed in more and more titles. Their drive, ambition, and dedication to creating an immersive experience is with us now in everything from The Sims to Dragon Age. Deus Ex 3 is currently in development at Eidos Montreal for release on PS3, Xbox 360, and PC in late 2010.
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ALBUM REVIEWS Delphic Acolyte (2010) Out now on Chimeric / Polydor There’s nothing warm about Acolyte, the debut release from Manchester’s Delphic. From the opening salvo of Clarion Call to the pulsing beat of Submission, it’s an album drenched in a persuasive sense of isolation. Whereas Delphic’s live sets are an involving and seamless blend of DJ sensibilities combined with the charisma of a well executed live act, this doesn’t manage to translate tangibly to Acolyte. Without getting too involved with Delphic’s sound, it’s easiest to place them alongside a band like Friendly Fires, where they clearly falter without the St Albans trio’s devastating pop-hooks. To me, Acolyte is a lot closer to some of Orbital’s later work, all encompassing and involving electronic euphoria from an age before a killer chorus was the number one priority for each and every track. It’s partly because of the past few years of Trashinspired indie/dance crossover, partly because they seem to have jumped musical narratives, but Delphic’s debut feels lost in itself, unsure, unsteady, unaware. Words : Liam Haynes
As tempting as they are, a review littered with Madchester comparisons would be unfair. Delphic should be praised for creating a sound that is simultaneously progressive and nostalgic. Opener Clarion Call is a fitting introduction to Delphic’s album, awash with thick synths, wailing guitars and taut, rattling drums, although it perhaps lacks the conviction that it’s name suggests. There are undeniably some lower quality tracks however; Ephemera is an example of the fine line between sonic experimentation and pretension, though the sheer atmosphere and vast space of this two minute interlude just about carries it off. But these weaker moments are fairly insignificant in the face of some of Acolytes more refined sections. Lead single Counterpoint is an escape into warm euphoria as rolling drums drive forward fluttering synthesizer lines. Even Halcyon, a song initially underwhelming, accelerates into a raucous jam complete with whirring guitar solo and radio-friendly sing-along. So this is an album of sublime electronics; from the arcade machine shimmy of Submission to the gorgeously vaporous trance of Red Lights , Acolyte is a truly immersive album of energetic nostalgia. It is evidence of a band that know exactly what a track requires. Whose deft and subtle sonic touches are so appropriately scattered and positioned that their tracks become immaculately crafted works of technical depth. Words : Mike Coleman
Romance Is Boring runs off on a different tack to its precursor, We Are Beautiful We Are Doomed. The pretention is gone; the fun is back. The angular guitar returns; the syncopation, the words of disenfranchisement, apathy and inadequacy.
Los Campesinos! Romance Is Boring (2010) Out 01/02/10 on Wichita Recordings
However, there are confused moments, interludes which shoot off in all directions without developing any interesting ideas. It is a relief to hear “we need more post coital/and less post-rock” kick in with a firework display of a guitar riff and a joyous chorus chant which come together to form Straight In At 101; a song about sexual inexperience that only Los Campesinos! could pull off. The album’s masterpiece though is undoubtedly The Sea Is A Good Place To Think Of The Future. Here, the character creation developed well in the second album allows the exploration of anorexia, death and inferiority in the face of the world against a tidal rhythm section, swaying violin and sinisterly sing-song vocals. Ultimately, this album is the progression which was necessary; not lacking in the great fun the band obviously have in creating their music but also offering them greater opportunity to explore all the dark things they want to deal with. It is a success in places and not in others but the essence which runs throughout is of a band with more maturity than their years with a lot more to offer. Words : Daniel Willis First, a quick introduction. Beach House are vocalist and organist Victoria Legrand and multi-instrumentalist Alex Scally hailing from Baltimore, Maryland whom have plied their trade producing what can be best described as dream pop since 2004. Teen Dream is their third album, following their self-titled debut and sophomore effort, Devotion.
Beach House Teen Dream (2010) Out 25/01/10 on Sub Pop
Highlights from the album include opener Zebra, which sets the tone and opens the album perfectly. Walk In The Park, which features Legrand’s organ, offers a layered yet peaceful melody. Norway stands out on the album as one of the best tracks and is far from tiresome even a month after first hearing it. Stand out track however comes in the form of Better Times which builds slowly and perfectly sums up Beach House in its duration. Teen Dream builds around the expectations set by lead single Norway and delivers a much more mainstream sound that will hopefully expand Beach House’s reach to a new audience. The album’s tone is set from the start and continued until the final note, ensuring a brilliant level of consistency.. Words : Chris Wheatley
For an extended Delphic review/feature as well as more musical opinions head to ireadfaux. com. Over the coming weeks we’ll take a look at the new Vampire Weekend record and find out why autotune can work and also delve deep into the sound of Africa with Radioclit.
Fuck Pitchfork, coming over here with their beardier-than-thou squelch folk ‘collectives’ and getting our blogs all excited while rubbishing our own exports, they have quite a nerve. I could use this review to strike back at Yeasayer (in my own tiny, insular fashion), one of the bands which always turn up in their infamous end of year lists – perhaps I would, were this album not wonderfully, gleefully odd.
Yeasayer Odd Blood (2010) Out 08/02/10 on Mute / EMI
Album highlight and first single Ambling Alp buzzes and burbles along happily, picking up beeps and bleeps as it goes; imagine a TV on the Radio made up of malfunctioning robots and you wouldn’t be far wrong. Beautiful, intricate I Remember also stands out, the soaring vocals of lead singer Chris Keating lending the track a woozy, dreamy ambience. Let’s face it – this album is not going to set the world on fire. It’s far too strange to wheedle its way into the playlists of Radio 1 et al, and their convulsing psychedelia will never find itself on the front cover of the NME, but it’s to be enjoyed regardless; it makes for quite an adventure into the minds of the creators. Words : James Edwards Undoubtedly one of most known facts about First Aid Kit is bound to be their tender years, however don’t let this put you off giving them a shot. Swedish sister duo Klara and Johanna Söderberg have created a debut album armed with breathtaking harmonies and beautiful melodies all with an added unique simplicity. Not to forget their gift for lyrics which is surely beyond or at least equal to many accomplished song writers of today. Possessing slight similarities akin to that of the voice of Laura Marling and the harmonies and relaxed earthy folk of Fleet Foxes they will have no problem finding a place in the hearts of many new fans.
First Aid Kit The Big Black & The Blue (2010) Out 25/01/10 on Wichita Recordings
In The Morning is a perfect showcase for their powerful voices which is neatly accompanied with distant acoustics, swiftly followed by Sailor Song, which has the sheer ability to make any folk-hater rethink their position. The Big Black And The Blue is certainly a soundtrack for the chilling winter months and will make you feel as though you are walking through those enchanted Swedish woods with the girls themselves, we should be glad of their age, as it only means we may have many more years of this special music to come. Words : Cheryl Burns
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