14
1
10
contents
4
3
Editorial
4
Timothy Garrett, the journey of an ambient artist Vacancies by KONNEKT Underrated Movies of 2016 You Probably Haven’t Seen
6 8
10
The Man who Built
Executive Committee
Administrative Team
Writers
Media & Designers
Magazine Design
Cover Design
Johann Agius Kristina Saliba Manuel Xuereb Nicole Borg
Jessica Arena Cyreille Delmas Charlene Arapa Matthew Debattista
Nicole Borg Denise Grech KONNEKT Johann Aguis Nicole Piscopo
Nicole Borg Andrea Said Charles Mercieca Federico Barbaro Sant Kurt Abela
Pascale Spiteri
Pascale Spiteri
2
editorial It’s the most wonderful time of the year, isn’t it? With a little bit of more time on our hands during these holidays we can get to spend some quality time with our loved ones, catch up on the series we follow, and read another issue of The Insite Online! In this edition you will find an interview with musician Timothy Garrett carried out by Denise Grech that tells us all about his upcoming album Leçons Clinique. Following that you can find 2 of the latest job opportunities kindly provided by KONNEKT. Learn all about the three most underestimated films of 2016 by Johann Agius and finally get your hands on Nicole Piscopo’s first ever short story with Insite revolving around humanity’s relationship with the environment. Wishing you all the best!
Nicole Borg Executive Editor
3
editorial
Timothy Garrett, the journey of an ambient artist Denise Grech
Ahead of the release of Timothy Garrett’s second album ‘Leçons Clinique’, Insite spoke to the ambient artist to talk about his musical journey and ventures. Timothy Garrett has been playing bass for 9 years and has most recently added guitar and electronics to his repertoire. Has the album been in the making for a long time? Work on Leçons Clinique started over a year and a half ago after I discovered the concept of generative music. The tracks on Leçons Clinique were essentially born out of improvisational jams I would do every so often. Initially, this album had a different tracklist and originally used the audio from Ian Mackaye’s lecture at the Library of Congress. After some time and some more work, I changed the playlist and the audio to Tim Hecker’s lecture for the Red Bull Music Academy, as I felt that was more appropriate. I also have some tracks which didn’t make the cut for the album that I’m going to release on a separate compilation later on in 2017. What inspired the album and track title names? Originally I wanted to name each track after people who took part in the Stanford prison experiment, but after my research didn’t yield fruitful results I decided to instead name the tracks after different psychological experiments. The album’s title itself comes from the name of painting by Pierre Aristide André Brouillet called ‘Une Leçon Clinique à la Salpêtrière’ which is found in the Descartes University in Paris. 4
lifestyle
What is the inspiration behind your sound? The inspiration behind my sound doesn’t come from any one particular place. Musically I’d say I channel sounds from the abstract/ ambient/drone/experimental music scenes. Other than that I’m really interested in how field recordings, interviews or samples from movies, industrial sounds and such can add a different subversive element to the music I’m making, which I explored extensively on my album LOCAT(I)ON (https://timothy-garrett. bandcamp.com/album/locat-i-on).
You are also in a band, Krishna, with Liam Formosa. How does your solo work differ from the music in Krishna? I’d say that the biggest difference between Krishna’s music and my own music is that the music of Krishna perhaps has more structure to it. Even though Krishna’s music is also based on improvisation, the fact that there’s input from two people somewhat alters the song. I feel that me and Liam guide each other whenever we play music together, providing some sort of direction for the particular song we’d be playing. In that sense, I feel like my own music is more experimental, as that guidance is only coming from one person, so the pieces I write can really go anywhere, it’s different every time. Finally, are there any future plans in the pipeline which you can unveil? Krishna have recently performed at the latest edition of Prog the Islands, Archipelaprog, so for now we’re back in the rehearsal space working on new music and planning future shows. In the meantime I’ll be performing a set of newer material with Beanstalk & Friends, featuring Cikku Frendo on bass and Pete Galea on drums, at Maori (Valletta) on the 4th of January 2017, just 3 days after the release of Leçons Clinique. Timothy Garrett’s new album, Leçons Clinique, will be released on the first of January. You can find Garrett’s bandcamp link here as well as listen to a few pre-released tracks here.
5
lifestyle
Vacancies by KONNEKT graphic designer Our client, an internationally recognised brand, represented in 46 countries on 5 continents, are currently in the process of opening their offices in Malta. They are looking to employ a Graphic Designer to join their team here in Malta. As a Graphic Designer your responsibilities will be for conceptualising the graphic design process of a wide array of promotional material including brochures, posters and presentations, to generating websites. Other responsibilities will be for advertising material across all print and web channels as well as maintaining social media, to ensure that the promotional and advertising material is effective in meeting the company’s needs. The ideal candidate will be creative and results-driven and have an excellent command of Illustrator, Photoshop and Indesign, 3D and video editing. You also need to possess excellent communication and presentation skills, a good eye for detail as well as a high level of enthusiasm. You will be able to work under pressure within tight time-frames, be organised and possess an established portfolio of graphic design compositions.
6
vacancies
IT Sales Executive Our client is an established provider that offers IT Enterprise Solutions and Services. They are currently looking to recruit an IT Sales Executive to expand their dynamic team. Reporting to the Business Development & Marketing Manager, you will be responsible for establishing and maintaining client relationships, and assisting clients with their requests in recommending the use of the company’s IT products. This will involve leading the sales process which entails generating leads and finalizing business deals. Additionally, you will need to provide a high level of customer care and support to clients in establishing IT solutions to their needs. The ideal candidate should possess a Diploma in IT or a minimum ‘A’ level standard of education in Computing/IT. Excellent communication skills in Maltese and English is a must for this role where you must be self motivated, target driven and a good team player. In this rewarding role, salary is based on both fixed salary and commission will also be provided. Licence B is required to be eligible for the role.
To apply, send your CV to careers@konnekt.com or apply on www.konnekt.com 7
research
Underrated Movies of 2016 You Probably Haven’t Seen Johann Agius
This past year was not short of blockbusters, franchise additions and somewhat pointless remakes. But as always, the best movies are often set aside and ignored by the masses, to eventually become cult classics that are appreciated for their originality, strength or overall inspirational cinematic experience. Unless of course they are deservedly noticed if they get nominated for an Academy Award.
follows the title character’s exploration into his ancestry and identity, including the fate of his missing father. It boasts a near-perfect balance of drama, adventure, suspense, action, comedy and romance, all accompanied by beautiful visuals and thrilling plot. Talented voice actors like Charlize Theron, Matthew McConaughey and Ralph Fiennes push the story along flowingly, although Art Parkinson (who voices Kubo) is undoubtedly the shining While Zootopia was very well-executed, and is star here. What one would expect to be a sure contender for the Best Animated Film another flick for the young ones, becomes a Oscar title, the stop-motion marvel Kubo & pleasantly unique coming-of-age film that The Two Strings is a newly accomplished feat keeps its audience engaged and excited up in animation. This feature set in Ancient Japan until the very end.
“
But as always, the best movies are often set aside and ignored by the masses, to eventually become cult classics that are appreciated for their originality, strength or overall inspirational cinematic experience. “
8
entertainment
I’ve never been a fan of horror films that rely on gore and unnecessary shock value to make a noise. On the other hand, my interest has always lied in psychological horror films, which in almost all cases, in my opinion, turn out to be even scarier. I had been looking forward to checking out The Witch since the first time the trailer caught my eye back in 2015. Set in 17th century New England, a family banned from a Puritan plantation relocate to the isolated countryside. Upon the sudden vanishing of the youngest child, things get creepy and terrifying as what they believe to be forces of evil become a fatal threat to the whole family. It is truly unbelievable that such an astoundingly dark and intriguing movie is merely a directorial debut for Robert Eggers, who also wrote the script. The Witch has been described by critics as hugely thoughtprovoking and visually compelling, and with that I wholeheartedly concur.
Yet the most unique and positively absurd movie of the year, which I absolutely loved experiencing, was the dystopian romantic comedy and drama The Lobster. This film is a perfect example of merging of genres done right. Starring an array of talented actors, led by Colin Farrell and Rachel Weisz, the story is set in a hotel for single people where the residents who check in must find a partner in 45 days, or else they must be transformed into an animal. Weird enough? Well, that’s just the first 5 minutes of a highly-imaginative rollercoaster of suspense, hilarity and emotion. If you want to be challenged by a memorable film that will keep you endlessly guessing, this one is definitely for you.
9
lifestyle
The Man who Built Nicole Piscopo
He saw the trees and was mesmerised. Taken aback by their beauty, their elegance, standing unapologetically tall against the sweet wind which was caressing their leaf-feathers. And he saw flowers of all sorts, and grass stretching out beyond his field of vision, into a meadow; a field of fresh hope and new dreams. And the blades of green beneath his feet bowed down to his black boots, and just for a second, for a fraction of a second, his legs felt guilty. Guilty for having placed their unwelcome burden on this untouched soil. Because what he saw around him, was something too pure, too divine, too virgin, to be touched. And he 10 arts & culture
hesitated. But not long enough. Not long enough to go back and change his mind, to turn back to the grave he came from. So he started to build a new one. A new grave. He sawed down the trees, one after the other, systematically; meticulously. In a rush of adrenaline and in the name of progress, he built an empire. An empire of bricks and lost hope. And it wasn’t so bad. Because he built schools, where children could learn. He built houses, where families could live. He built hospitals, where the sick could heal. And he built. And he built.
But it wasn’t so bad. Because it was progress. Because it was glorious. And because he knew in his mind this was necessary. This was the future. This was destiny. Yet in the schools, they learnt about trees. In the houses they planted shrubs. And in the glorious city they once again built meadows. But they kept them within fences and they decorated them with children’s playgrounds and animals behind bars and they called it a park.
of all sorts. And a meadow, stretching out beyond the canvas. And all felt right again. Because it looked pure. And it didn’t look lifeless.
Time rolled by and the builder retired from his bloodthirsty ventures. And he lay in his castle, on his armchair, atop his empire, with his black boots resting on the wooden, lifeless table in front of him. And he sighed with relief and satisfaction, letting out a breath of built-up smoke and corrupt dust. He reeked of impurity and mistook it for success. But something wasn’t right. He looked around his castle: at the lifeless wood contorted into chairs. At the lifeless books which he never read. At the lifeless rock enclosing him in flawless precision, the most flawless precision only money can buy and at his lifeless black boots, a new pair, to replace the old. And something wasn’t right. Not quite. The walls were bare and the air bleak. He left his house and he entered one of the many shops he had built. And fuelled by pride and an aura of unplaced and unfixed emptiness, he bought something.
This was the future. This was destiny.
He carried it home himself, under his eager shoulders. And he entered his bare castle. And on the bare wall, he placed the painting. And it was mesmerising. A divine painting. Of trees. And flowers 11 arts & culture
12