Metior Magazine - Live and Wired

M

LIVE AND WIRED

ABOUT THE MAG / Metior is a student-owned and targeted publication run by the Murdoch University Guild. Established in 1975 Metior has a long and proud history spanning decades, launching the careers of students and bringing down a Vice Chancellor or two.The views expressed within Metior are not the views of the Murdoch Student Guild or of the Metior editorial staff, but of the individual writers and artists. New contributors are always welcome to join us, and get involved!

FROM THE EDITOR / If I were to pick the two things that have supported me in Semester two they would be music and social media. However, these are also the same two things that have kinda fucked me up. If I’m being more specific, by music I mean music festivals and by social media I mean procrastination. I try and do the right thing.. Check my assignment dates before I buy that festival ticket, and give myself a time limit on Facebook, but then I figure I’ll just leave the suffering to my future self. In this issue, we look at a music festival with a big local line up coming to Murdoch, Perth’s upcoming rappers, social media stalking, Guild clubs, the latest Guild goss and the WA Detention centre crisis. As always, a big thanks to all of our contributors. - Ed EDITOR’S CHOICE / In this issue, my personal pick goes to Georgia Renee, for her article Social Media Stalking. Not only an interesting topic, but well written (and in your own style), well edited, and submitted on time. Thanks Georgia - enjoy that Tav voucher!

EDITOR IN CHIEF / Harry Cunningham SUB EDITOR / Simon G Beaton VISUALS / Milly Cooney (Current page), Charlie Hill (Cover) CONTRIBUTORS / Sam Coten, David Thai, Erin Shay Horrigan, Georgia Renee, Kyle Williams, Raviv Mezhubovski, Simon G Beaton CREATIVE DIRECTOR / Harry Cunningham THANKS TO / Ben Da, Ananda Chanmugum, Harry Morse, Murdoch University Guild, Scott Print CONTACT US / Email: metior.editor@student.the-guild.com.au Facebook: www.facebook.com/metiormagazine Instagram: @metiormagazine

METIOR 1

Contents 3. MURDOCH CHEERLEADERS 5. WA DETENTION CENTRE CRISIS 7. FILM REVIEW: TOP KNOT DETECTIVE 9. SOCIAL MEDIA STALKING 11. STUDENT EXPOSURE: CHARLIE HILL 17. PERTH RAPPERS YOU SHOULD KNOW 19. INTERVIEW WITH MARLINSPIKE 21. MURDOCH CHESS CLUB 25. GUILD BALL ACCUSATION 27. THE MUSIC REVIEW 29. CODE RED FESTIVAL INTERVIEW METIOR 2

MURDOCH CHEERLEADERS “Stunts, tumbling, and jumps!” Erin Shay Horrigan

Murdoch University’s resident cheerleading team, Murdoch Cheerleaders are a group of athletes who are excited to represent Murdoch University in the way they know best: through chanting, dancing, tumbling, jumping and stunting. All members of the team are current Murdoch students from a variety of disciplines, from the arts to teaching to the sciences; they all have their love for cheer in common. I spoke to the Vice-President and Treasurer of the cheerleaders, Shannon Renner to find out more.

Hi Shannon, tell me a little bit about Murdoch University Cheerleading team.

Well, the 2017 the team comprises of 21 amazingly talented female athletes. This year we have a level two all-girls team. Level one is the beginner level and it goes all the way up to level five. This year our team traveled to Australian University Games to compete at the Gold Coast against another Australian level two cheerleading teams. We’re also competing in three local WA competitions, finishing up with the Cheer Unlimited Australia Stars n’ Stripes competition in November. Our routine this year consists of a crowd leading chant, with some stunts, tumbling, and jumps!

How do the competitions work?

In Western Australia, we have a few companies who run local competitions, so for us, this means we enter the competitions as the Murdoch University Cheerleading Team and we verse the other university teams, such as the Curtin Crusaders and the ECU Jets. There are also national cheerleading competitions such as Australian University Games. The cheerleading competition season runs from July to November.

What have the Murdoch University Cheerleaders won?

In 2016, Murdoch University Cheerleaders competed at four local WA competitions. We came first in three of the competitions.

In the last competition of the year, held by Cheer Unlimited Australia, we came second after the Curtin Crusaders.

What do your training sessions look like?

Our team trains on Thursday and Sunday nights for about one and a half to two hours. We usually train longer when we have competitions coming up. When the team arrives, we usually warm up and then go through the stunts we’ve been working on.

Now that we’ve got competitions we are doing “full-outs” during our sessions, which means we’re running through our whole

METIOR 3

Do people get injured a lot in cheer?

We don’t have major injuries too often in lower level cheerleading, but it can definitely happen. Most of the injuries are minor, like strained wrists, pulled muscles and bruises, although you rarely leave training without bruises! One of the worst injuries I’ve seen was when two girls caught their flyer [the smaller cheerleaders who get lifted up and tossed around] in a cradle and hit heads because they were standing opposite each other. One of the girls started bleeding from the lip and the other had a blood nose – they both made a full recovery!

You get one common question about cheerleading. Can you shed some light on this?

People asking who we cheer for! They assume we cheer for the Murdoch University football or soccer team. I always tell them that we compete at cheerleading competitions on behalf of Murdoch University against other university teams. Cheerleading is its own sport!

What does it take to be a cheerleader?

Many people think you need to be able to do back handsprings and really advanced tumbles to make it onto the team, but Murdoch always has a beginner team available, so not much experience is needed. Being able to forward roll or cartwheel is definitely an advantage, but not required. All the skills you need to learn to be on the team, you’ll learn from our five-time Cheerleading Worlds coach.

The whole team is women. Can guys join too?

Yes! Men can definitely join! Every year we strongly encourage males to come along to our try out and training sessions to understand the sport and see how they like it. In 2016 we had a co-ed team with one male on the team, this year we didn’t have any interest from males so we have an all-girl team.

How can people follow the cheerleaders?

“Check us out on social media!

Facebook page: facebook.com/MurdochCheer/ Instagram: @murdoch_cheer

METIOR 4

WA DETENTION CENTRE CRISIS Sam Coten

“Western Australia’s juvenile detention system is in an undeniable state of crisis.”

Western Australia’s juvenile detention system is in an undeniable state of crisis. By all accounts, Banksia Hill, Western Australia’s major juvenile detention centre, is in a state of disrepair as far as rehabilitation and justice are concerned.

Several years ago, the Department of Corrective Services took steps towards remodeling the culture behind the state’s juvenile justice system through a WA Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) 2015-2018. Commissioner James McMahon highlighted the urgency of adopting this plan as a means of supporting Aboriginal people in the department’s care. At the time of release, it reported a series of shocking statistics showing that in 2013-2014, 78% of incarcerated youth detainees were Aboriginal. In addition, 61% of young people serving community-based orders were Aboriginal.

This RAP is supposedly being implemented right now and is due for review. In theory, this means there must have been some sort of evident progress in reconciling the issues identified.

Shockingly, this does not appear to be the case. Quite the reverse.

Over the course of the RAP’s implementation, we’ve seen a consistent stream of reports condemning the operation of WA’s only youth detention centre, Banksia Hill, and criticising not only it’s daily running but more worryingly for the community, its long-term rehabilitation chances.

“Aboriginal imprisonment in Western Australia is significantly higher than any other jurisdiction.”

In June 2017, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Western Australia, Wayne Martin AC, commented, “I am ashamed to admit that the rate of Aboriginal imprisonment in Western Australia is significantly higher than any other jurisdiction.”

Why is there such a failure in our system despite all the talk? Shamefully for WA, the current ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) data reveals that the rate of Aboriginal imprisonment in the state is 4011 people per 100,000. Clearly, this RAP – as well as the 1991 Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody (whose recommendations focused on reducing the number of Aboriginal people in prison system) – have been ignored, disregarded as ‘too hard’.

One of the prime reasons it is likely to be too hard is that WA’s entire prison workforce is only 4.2% Aboriginal. This paltry percentage of staff is absurd, given that such a huge proportion of youth held in care or incarcerated by Correctional Services are Aboriginal.

METIOR 5

“These young people are alienated from the mainstream of wider society” If we hope for, and expect, positive change or even a glimmer of rehabilitation for Aboriginal youth, systematic custodial change is imperative. Cultural equilibrium is essential if we are to instill at least some hope amongst the disadvantaged young people in the department’s care. These young people are alienated from the mainstream of wider society and spotlighted in the corridors of the department’s detention facility.

This issue has more recently been addressed in the report released by United Nations special rapporteur on the rights of Indigenous peoples, Victoria Tauli-Corpuz. A substantial section of this report (like countless publications before it), condemned the exponential growth of Aboriginal incarceration rates in Australia, labeling it a ‘major human rights issue’. The report again cites the recommendations of the 1991 Royal Commission – recommendations that, over 25 years later, are still to be actioned. The report further details the urgency of the issue, recommending that the Australian government implement a country-wide action plan ‘as a matter of national priority.’

As far as concrete action is concerned, the UN report delivered by Tauli-Corpuz in September 2017 calls on the Australian government to incarcerate Indigenous youths as an absolute last resort. Her call came alongside recommendations of raising the age of criminal responsibility, and a view to taking a more preventative approach to justice.

The $12.4 million allocated to stopping family and domestic violence in the 2017 WA State Budget is a welcome and encouraging move in the right direction. This is also the case for the $7.3 million to be focused on mental health facilities in Kalgoorlie, and similarly, $13.2 million dedicated to specialized mental health programs, for students in 300 schools.

However – financially speaking – if we are to address the critical Aboriginal juvenile detention issue fairly and equitably, funding ought to be distributed more disproportionately. The issue we have is that spending is spread across the entire community. If we are to move closer to achieving the recommendations of the 1991 Royal Commission and the more recent UN recommendations on the issue of Indigenous incarceration, funding must be focused more directly on Indigenous populations, so as to ensure that correcting their ratio of disadvantage, in line with the population’s imbalance of imprisonment, approaches ‘equality’ to that of the rest of the nation.

Youth Offenders Youth offenders made up 16% (6,466 offenders aged 10-17 years) of the Western Australian offender population in 2015-16. This was the highest proportion of any of the states and territories.

More than half (56%) of the Western Australian youth offender population in 2015-16 had a principal offence in one of the following three divisions: - Theft and related offences (23%, or 1,463 youth offenders) - Unlawful entry with intent (17% or 1,100 youth offenders) - Acts intended to cause injury (16% or 1,053

METIOR 6

FILM REVIEW Top Knot Detective

Raviv Mezhubovski

Finally, the cherry on top, this film is a mockumentary that felt so real that it made me believe in that the Japanese TV series Top Knot Detective actually existed. McCann and Pearce created a realistic environment recieving praise when in fact the TV show had been fabricated.

How amazing is that? This is amazing and brilliant. It is so amazing and brilliant that I saw it, and for me it was absolutely flawless.

Have you heard of a TV show so weird that you have to just watch it? If you have there’s a fair chance it is probably from Japan. This Mockumentary, directed by Aaron McCann and Dominic Pearce parodies a cult-following Japanese TV show called Top Knot Detective. The mockumentary conducts interviews with the different characters as if it were a real phenomenon.

Now, let’s get the elephant out of the room. This film is brilliant! Everything was just so well-made and had a great mixture of scenes from the series, interview footage, news scenes and fragments of newspapers. This combination created an engaging story and an interesting plot.

Not only that but the scene transitions are very smooth which progresses the film from comedic and humorous to serious and violent. This gave the film so much depth that it takes your attention straight away.

The comedic and humorous parts generated genuine laughter mainly because of how bizarre and how amusing they are.

Another thing that I loved about this film is the acting, it is so good and amazing. They gave their characters so many emotions, characteristic and appeal that I, as part of the audience, believed every action and every motive that they made and had.

METIOR 7

Even if it had some mistakes, the audience probably wouldn’t notice due to the outstanding performance by the actors and the strength of the plot. Everything was so well-made that I was completely engaged from beginning to end. It started by making the audience question whether the series was real. By the end of the film, you really do believe that the TV series existed.

Overall, as I said many times before, this film is absolutely brilliant! Watch it, watch it, please, for the love of cinema, watch this amazing film! 10 out of 10 for me!

METIOR 4

SMOECDI AI AL S TA L K I N G “Where’s the line?”

Georgia Renee

You told yourself you’d go to sleep at 10. Now its 2 AM and you’re 2008 deep into your ex-boyfriend’s new girlfriend’s younger brother’s Facebook posts.

Your eyelids start to droop; your thumb begins to tire and it’s only the pure adrenaline of one slip away from a like that sustains you. Maybe your brain even unhelpfully supplies scenarios where you commit the ultimate stalking mistake –the accidental share. Once that happens, you can only look down at your shaking hands, at the carnage you’ve caused, and think – how did it ever come to this? All that’s left is to wait for the inevitable nuclear war with North Korea because your social status is already dead. Goodbye, Insta-fame.

For those of us whose careers in social media stalking continue, it’s become a really acceptable part of life. Whether it’s because you want to make sure your tinder match isn’t a creep, find out if the girl your friend likes are hot or see if your ex is miserable without you – pretty much everyone has a quick stalk now and then. On multiple occasions, new friends have messaged me and openly admitted to stalking my profile after I accepted their request. It’s definitely the done thing and people aren’t afraid to admit it.

But can there be times where stalking someone on social media crosses the line into not-okay territory.

Cyberstalking is a crime in Australia, and although a regular peek at your ex-boyfriend’s Instagram likes doesn’t make you a proper criminal, if someone’s repeatedly contacting you on social media in a way that makes you feel threatened and uncomfortable that definitely crosses the line! It’s always good to know what your rights are in this kind of situation and don’t be afraid to ask for help, but of course, the first step you can take is hitting that block button!

METIOR 9

While that line might be clear, there’s a lot of things that can be less transparent on the stalking scale – and not just harmful to the person you’re keeping tabs on, but harmful to you too.

If you love Aubrey Plaza, you might have heard about Ingrid Goes West, a movie where she becomes obsessed with this woman who has the ‘perfect life’ on Instagram so she literally moves across the country and steals her dog in order to engineer them becoming buds. That’s real extreme – but it’s easier than you might think to become obsessed with the lives of ‘influencers’ whether it’s Kylie Jenner or a girl from uni with 10K followers, buying what they wear or eating where they eat (although in Perth you’re probably just obsessed with good brunch, like literally everyone else).

If you wanted, you could literally know where a friend or partner was every second of the day.

Whether it’s someone you know or someone you don’t, spending more time stalking what other people are doing online rather than doing the numerous other things that could be doing isn’t a healthy habit. In fact, a study in the journal of Cyberpsychology, Behaviour and Social Networking found that regularly ‘stalking’ a partner on social media after a distressing breakup can be really unhealthy and enable obsessive and dependent behavior, as well as making it harder to move on.

Social media sites aren’t making it easier for us though. Responding to consumer demand, Instagram and Facebook have both unveiled the story functions (tbh no one’s using that FB one tho lmao) which means that across those and Snapchat we’re seeing what our friends are doing often you actually have to put in more effort not to know what they’re up to. And while location Facebook and Instagram had the OG location tagging function, Snapmaps takes it to a whole new level. If you wanted, you could literally know where a friend or romantic partner was every second of the day.

Ultimately, stalking someone on social media is usually harmless. It can give you lots of useful information: like when you accidentally forget someone’s name you met but you know their friends, or you want to know if someone’s single. But it’s too easy to be blasé about the fact that it’s only getting easier for someone to find out information about you from your social media. Sure, posting a few photos is harmless, but what happens if someone pieces all that information together?

Will they know something about you that you'd rather they didn't?

METIOR 10

Who is Charlie Hill?

I’m studying a double major in graphic design & photography. I love surfing, Overwatch, League of Legends and drinking lots of coffee.

What gear do you shoot with?

Canon 70D. My favourite lenses are a 50mm f1.4, a Standard 18mm-135mm lens and a 70240mm telephoto.

I gotta say Charlie your landscape work is my favourite. Is this your go-to style in photography?

Generally, I try to shoot people, I find them more interesting than a landscape.I find that it’s easier to photograph a subject because with a landscape it can be quite boring because it can be hard to find something unique about it.

So why are landscapes shown so frequently in your work?

I like to travel. I guess I just get good landscapes because I’m in the right place at the right time. If I wasn’t into exploring I wouldn’t take photos of them. I kind of just stumble upon them in a way.

Where have you travelled recently?

New Zealand, Bali, planning to go to England. I’m a huge Lord of the rings fan, so I went to Mount Doom, and the shire.

“If I wasn’t into exploring I wouldn’t take photos of them. I kind of just stumble on them in a way.”

Why do you like the 50mm lens so much?

I like the open aperture for the shallow depth of field.

This is good for portraiture as it blurs the background nicely.

How do you make your photos look like 35mm film? Do you shoot on film?

I’ve only just started to shoot film, I recently got a Pentax K1000. I make digital photos look like film by using desaturation techniques by adding a lot of grain, reducing contrast, increasing the shadows by about +43 and decreasing the highlights by -100. This is all done in Lightroom.

Where’s your next travel destination?

Once I finish uni I’m going back to England as that’s where I’m originally from. I haven’t actually explored my home country as much as I would have liked. The goal is to explore areas such as Wales, Scotland, Ireland.

“The glacier is in New Zealand, the day after the earthquake hit.�

@charliehillphoto www.charliehill.me

PERTH RAPPERS (YOU SHOULD KNOW) Harry Cunningham

By Harry Cunningham

Personally, mainstream Australian hip-hop still hasn’t quite managed to find it’s feet.

For me, breakthrough groups like Hilltop Hoods, Horror Show and Bliss N Eso have been progressive for Aussie hip-hop only in that they’ve helped launch it into the somewhat mainstream. However, when artists have to conform to a set of expectations to get commercial play time, their style can become oversaturated. What should be encouraged in Australian hip-hop is originality, innovation, a progressive message, and like Australia’s multicultural society - embrace music and sounds from everywhere.

Here are a few Perth artists who are progressing hip-hop with their own unique sound.

SPLIT FIGURE

Butter smooth flows and catchy R&B hooks. Fremantle artist Split Figure has only entered the scene a couple of years ago, but bangers like Persian Wine and Brûlée prove he’s got a bright future ahead of him.

Stream his latest EP Créme De La Créme on Spotify or Soundcloud.

Favourite track: Persian Wine (Prod. Mateo) Sounds like: BONES, Rob Bank$

T$OKO T$oko is a Zimbabwean born, Perth based rapper. Solid tracks like Blasphemy/ The Mirror honor hip-hops true roots. While hard-hitting singles like Parlay make you want to experience his energy live.

Favourite track: Blasphemy/ The Mirror (Prod. Darrell “Rideout”) Sounds like: Kendrick Lamar, Joey Bada$$

TUFF BOYS

These guys are breaking new ground in the Perth hip-hop scene. We’ve been slow to adopt Hip-hops modern trap sound but these guys not only have it down but will blast it in ya ear! I’m itching to see these guys live. TUFF BOYS released their debut album Competition Orange earlier this year which is available on Spotify and Soundcloud.

Favourite track: Traffic Ft. Eric Saunders Sounds like: A$AP MOB, $UISIDEBOY$

POW! NEGRO

Fast, crazy and out-of-this-world creative. POW! Negro has a unique sound that brings a whole lot of energy to the table. I haven’t seen a Perth band blow up as fast as these guys did - and I’m not surprised either. These guys are killing it and there’s no stopping them.

Favourite track: RacketBall Sounds Like: Rage Against The Machine, BBNG, Koi Child

HYCLASS Maori/Samoan rapper HYCLASS produces some insanely catchy beats which compliments her world-class flow. Her latest project I NEED YOU is a must listen. Her EP offers some ol’ fashioned raps and hip-hop beats that everyone can vibe to.

Favourite track: Down Homie Sounds Like: Dat Brat, Lauren Hill

ZIGGY RAMO Ziggy Ramo’s music provides an insight into the silent injustices of Aboriginal Australia among other social issues. Ramo’s lyrics provide a strong and hard-hitting message. Catch him live at Fidelity Festival in December.

Favourite track: Black Thoughts Sounds Like: Mos Def, REMI

AND BEYOND

And Beyond comprises of rapper Insane the Prince and producer ZYTGYST. Insane’s mellow vocals and catchy lyrics make me want to listen for hours. The duo produce a clean, creative and modern sound. which compliment their contemporary discourse on topics affecting the youth of today.

Favourite track: Clouds (Prod. ZYTGYST) Sounds like: Tim Gent, Mike Floss

LBFR MIKEY LBFR Mikey spits evocative, smooth and R&B infused flows and provides hooks that prove the upcoming artist’s mature talent. Mikey frequently links up with Perth producer talent Dub A. Together they create a world-class sound.

Favourite track: FEEL 4 U (Prod. Dub A) Sounds Like: 6Black, Russ

Musicians of Murdoch

Interview with Marlinspike

Simon G Beaton

A few weeks ago, Metior Magazine sat down at the Tav, and shared a couple of bevvies with Harry and Ananda. Two boys who are not only students at Murdoch University, but are also two of the members of the alternative, psychedelic pop-rock band, Marlinspike.

Well, first things first - whose in the band?

Well, we’ve got Benny Trouchet on guitar, Morgan Bennet on the bass, Ananda Chanmugam on the drums, and myself (Harry Morse), doing vocals and guitar.

How’d the name, Marlinspike, come about...that’s a nautical term, some type of tool right?

Yeah it is, and that’d be a fair assumption, but it actually wasn’t linked to our band name at all. We decided on the name two years ago. We had a gig lined up and we realised we needed something. Have you ever watched The Adventures of TinTin? It comes from there – Marlinspike Hall is the name of Captain Haddock’s home.

Got any cringey gig stories?

When we started out we had one gig where we pretty much only had Benny’s girlfriend to play to. It wasn’t great. After that, we sat down, we talked, and we said no more of those. We’ve become pretty selective – we don’t just say yes to anything. It means sometimes in a month we might not play a single gig...but then in others we might play three or four. It just all depends on what comes our way.

How have you found the recording experience?

Well for our first EP, Marigold Comedown, the whole thing was recorded on tape in a friend’s living room. In one day, in pretty much one single take (well, lot’s of takes, but we had to pick one). That was fun.

I know you’ve just put out a new EP, Time Capsule. Tell me about this.

For Time Capsule, we took off for a week down south, and recorded all the songs digitally. We took our time and got it to sound how we wanted it to sound. Definitely a very different experience with a different type of creativity. We walked out of there with five completely different songs than what we walked in with.

Where would you like to see Marlinspike go?

Wherever it goes. Go with the flow, as cliché as it sounds, it’s true. We’re thinking this time next year it would be great to have an album ready to release. I mean, pipeline dreams, but yeah, that’d be pretty alright.

Has Murdoch influenced anything relating to your music? Has there been any connection?

Well, I’m [Harry] doing the audio course, and that definitely plays in my head when we’re recording and stuff.

LATEST RELEASE:

TIME CAPSULE (EP) Dandelion, Technicolour, Sleep. Awake, Into The Deep, 3017

“Marlinspike’s EP Time Capsule is a welcome addition to the collection.

Defiantly nonconformist, their aesthetic is genre-defying, garage gold.

While this band may fit into the lo-fi mould, they also resolutely defy it through their lackadaisical underdone, psychedelic aesthetic and explorative musicality.” - Happy Mag Available on Bandcamp:

https://marlinspike.bandcamp.com/

marlinspike__

/marlinspikemusic

MURDOCH CHESS CLUB “Chess tips, chess squad and pizza”

David Thai

In chess, your fight for survival starts on your opening move. What you do at the start is crucial on how you live in the game. There are 20 ways to open: Move each of the 8 pawns either 1 or 2 squares ahead or move the 2 knights. When moving knights, however, there is a little thing to consider: No one wants to be shoved against a wall or into a miserable corner. Do you? Exactly, ’cos then you won’t get much room to move around otherwise. Well, neither do knights, so don’t move them to the edge and definitely, don’t move them in a corner. It’s best to move them towards the centre. In fact, anything on the chess board will prefer the centre.

I took the opportunity to interview a few members of the Murdoch University Chess Club to hear more about the sport and their club...

What do you enjoy most about chess?

Adam Phillips: Chess engages the brain, it challenges you. I also love the fact it’s competitive while at the same time, being a social event.

Clancy Payne: We get to have pizza sometimes during chess meet ups.

Do you find chess difficult to play?

Adam Phillips: It is hard only when your opponents are more advanced than you – i.e have a higher chess rating. When you’re playing with someone at a lower level than you, then it’s easy.

Clancy Payne: Having to think ahead is quite hard.

Simran Vijayakumar: The hardest thing about chess is making the effort to try and learn openings and strategies instead of playing on the go.

Do you think some pieces are more favourable than others?

Jason Lum (not from Murdoch Chess Club): It depends on which stage of the game you’re at. At the start of the game, bishops are more maneuverable than the knights. Mid-game, they switch and the knights become easier to move. Finally at the end game when there are only a few remaining pieces left, the bishops regain their mobility. Save your rooks and bishops for the end of the game.

Does castling really help?

Adam Phillips: Castling helps to protect the king because it brings the king to the outside of the board since people want to attack the centre. Pawns on the edge of the board are usually in their starting position untouched.

Clancy Payne: Castling helps to get a rook out because the pawns in the centre tend to be moved forward more than those on the edges of the board.

The Murdoch University Chess Club currently meet: Mondays in room 440.2.050 from 3:30-5:30 Thursday in room 330.2.050 from 1:30-3:30

METIOR 21

NEW BOOKS @ MURDOCH LIBRARY Follow @murdochlibrary on social media for our latest news:) THE INTERNET OF US:

Knowing more and understanding less in the age of big data.

THE TRAVELLER:

Notes from an imperfect journey around the world.

ELON MUSK:

Tesla, Space X and the quest for a fantastic future

MODERN ROMANCE:

A hilarious, in-depth exploration of the pleasures and perils of modern romance.

Photography: Charlie Hill Location: New Zealand

Guild Ball accused of cultural appropriation.

Kyle Williams

When Carmel Hooshmand, General Secretary of the Murdoch University Guild, organized a ball around the theme of Arabian Nights, she could not have imagined the swift and brutal backlash she would receive on social media. In fact, she told me that “I didn’t expect this because simply put, I am not racist.” Yet within hours multiple students had commented on the post, accusing her of culturally appropriating Arabian culture, contributing to the marginalization of that culture within Australia, and even selling out her own people.

Cultural appropriation is the utilization of elements of a marginalized culture for profit. In this context, the marginalization of the culture is extremely important to whether it is a case of appropriation: although the 2016 Guild Ball used elements of English folklore there was no such reaction to it, whereas Carmel’s attempt to continue the fantasy theme “Arabian Nights” drew accusations of racism. The Guild has often been derided for its association with “political correctness,” or a collection of concepts and ideas, including safe spaces, clamping down on “hate speech,” and trigger warnings for potentially traumatising subjects (such as sexual assault, racism, etc.) to be put into practice as to avoid the marginalisation of minorities and other vulnerable communities. As such, cultural appropriation often comes with a politically heated discussion regarding the protection of marginalized communities, and whether certain elements of the political spectrum are seeking to limit the freedoms of students, such as freedom of speech and expression, in order to achieve this.

METIOR 25

In a response on social media to some of her critics, Carmel contended that the theme of the ball was not racist, but rather a way of sharing and expressing her culture. She later told me that she has “watched Australians engage with middle eastern culture through food and music and arts, and every time I see it, instead of screaming cultural appropriation, I’ve felt touched that western society has shown appreciation of my families culture. It makes me feel like a little Australian born Persian hybrid like me, has a place in this increasingly diverse country.” She also contended that Arabian Nights was just a theme for the ball, and that many of the commenters misinterpreted what the event would be, claiming that “once it was pointed out that this is a black tie event and not a costume party, which is glaringly clear to anyone who read the event description, everyone complaining about racism hushed up.” On the other hand, her critics contended that even if she had good intentions, and that she was unwittingly allowing for the propagation of racism and for the exploitation of Arabic culture

by Australians, that she was promoting a view of Arabic culture that lacked nuance and therefore was little more than demeaning stereotypes.

“black tie event and not a costume party...”

However, despite the good intentions of those complaining about cultural appropriation, some questions do need to be raised about the context. Beyond some of the more vitriolic attacks on Carmel for selling out her race, and the question of whether a line of attack accusing someone of selling out their race is an appropriate response to what is perceived as racism, there is the issue of whether it is appropriate for a person of a culture to be told they cannot base an event around it by someone outside of that culture, as some commenters raised. Are privileged white people telling people of colour how they can or cannot utilize or express their culture? Is this still racism and a continuation of the white man’s burden? Is the purposeful prevention of people to enjoy cultures if they are not a part of the relevant group the continuation of segregation, and the antithesis of the multicultural society in which we live?

As debates over political correctness, campus culture and race relations rage, these questions will have to be answered. Until that happens, however, all I can do is to wish those who did attend the ball a memorable night and good will to those who chose not to attend.

METIOR 26

THE MUSIC REVIEW DEMON DAYS - “KILLER BEES” (Single) Simon G Beaton

YOUNG THUG - “BEAUTIFUL THUGGER GIRLS” Harry Cunningham

Perth local neo-soulsters Demon Days recently dropped their new single, Killer Bees - and it is exactly what you would expect from the group. Neo-soul laden vocals from Bella ‘Bubba’ Nicholls, quirky chord progressions from Josh ‘Lit Fam’ Chan, and unexpected shifts in the beat from both bass player Marley ‘Bassface’ Donnan and the percussion of Mark ‘Lil Boug’ Ashforth.

The single was dropped early this September, just prior to the band’s first national tour and within eighteen months of the bands formation.

In a single word, Killer Bees is unified. The vocal melody sits in and follows the progression – punchy then soft, punchy then soft. The bridge falls back musically, with lyrics that stylistically fall more closely in line with the spoken word before the vocals fall back as an indie infused jazz breakdown builds. It is all well constructed and stays incredibly consistent with what has previously been heard from the band. True neosoul infused indie-jazz-funkiness, reminiscent of Hiatus Kaiyote, perhaps even with a sprinkle of HOMESHAKE felt in the tone of the synth.

What separates Killer Bees from earlier work of the band is best exemplified by a clear step-up in the maturity of the product as compared to earlier recordings, and a writing style that also seems to be growing up. Demon Days seem to really be establishing their own style and voice, which makes right now an exciting time in terms of where the band will head next, how far they will push their style, and how they will shift as this relatively young band grows together.

Young Thug is truly one of the leading contemporary creative forces in Hip-Hop’s wave/ evolution of trappop sub-genres. Beautiful Thugger Girls isn’t much of a stylistic advancement in terms of his start-stop flow and roaming, stream-of-conscious lyrics – preaching about his extravagant lifestyle. But there’s a difference in tone that reinforces Young Thug’s originality. Thugger rides the recent wave of organic sounds worked into trap, however, there are no flute instrumentals here. Similar to Post Malone’s 2016 single Go Flex, Beautiful Thugger Girls seamlessly fuses R&B vocals, acoustic guitar instrumentals and trap kicks.

The fourteen track LP gives an insight into the numerous relationships around the twenty-six-yearold. Whether it’s with the women in his life, his eight kids or his self-perception. Although I wouldn’t look too deeply into this project’s inner meanings. It’s stacked with bangers, but it’s not what you’d expect.

Stand out tracks like Daddy’s Birthday present hooks that are mellow yet punchy -“New coupe, new shoes, ooh” “Red bottoms, I’m kicking shit, yeah I’m flossing on you fools”. You Said fully exposes Young Thugs talents as he serenades and flows over fast Spanish guitar work- “Say now, ooh, ooh, ooh”.

Young Thug stays true to his original description of the album being a “Singing album”. However, toward the middle of the album, his tracks become more shallow and bland. On Fire takes a minimalist turn compared to the rest of the album. The instrumental plops and bobs, expose Young Thug’s lackluster repetition of simple, throw away flows.

Even his feature with Snoop Dogg and Lil Durk was a slight disappointment. Although his creative lines gave the track some humor – “Roll up some gas, I’m not talkin’ a car”.

The album ends on a positive note with Take Care followed by For Ya’ll (feat. Jacquees). For Y’all is Spanish-trumpet-and-Flamenco-guitar-pop which keeps building on the good vibes. Thugger’s creativity paid off once again, as he produced a menu of tracks that have organic originality and are catchy as hell.

RATING: 6.5/10 STREAM: Spotify, Apple Music

RATING: 7.5/10 Favourite Track: Family Don’t Matter (Ft. Millie Go Lightly). Stream: Spotify

METIOR 27

LOCAL AND GLOBAL TORO Y MOI - “BOO BOO” Harry Cunningham Toro y Moi’s (aka Chaz Bear) ‘Boo Boo’ takes you on a drive through dreamy landscapes of sound, stories of lost love and a search for connection, in his latest 80’s inspired R&B pop-electronica project. ‘Boo Boo’ shows how much the Singer-songwriter-producer has grown sonically and lyrically. There’s no doubt that Chaz’s new release is a solid and well thought out project.

The album kicks off with layers of drawn-out synth, which builds a vast, dreamy sonic landscape, with opening track Mirage setting the tone. Copious amounts of downtown rhythms before adding layers of vocals, claps, and synth. Themes of confusion and self-reflection over past relationship persist across the opening tracks. In Mona Lisa he acknowledges his flaws, and what they have cost him – “My baby got fed up with my ego”, while Pavement takes a dark and twisted turn. Haunted, deep piano keys chime to reveal a feeling of emptiness while voices echo around amidst Chaz’s whisper-like lyrics.

Chaz attempts to find his feet in Don’t Try while attempting to make sense of his dark situation, “Woke up only cos I had to” and “Don’t try and understand what you are”. Windows echos new-wave R&B before the instrumental Embarcardo slowly lifts the mood back up so that by the time Girl Like You begins, Chaz is in love again – “I can meet you downtown, take you where you want to be tonight”. While experiments with contemporary hip-hop and R&B tones as he uses vocal production reminiscent of up-and-coming rapper-producer Nav – “From the bottle, no cup”.

The twelve track LP shows that Toro y Moi’s creativity hasn’t slowed down. ‘Boo Boo’ adds another dimension to Chaz’s variance in sound as he introduces elements of contemporary R&B and hip-hop sounds covered in nostalgic 80’s soul. ‘Boo Boo’ is personal and tells a story, but I think even Chad feels the emotion is a bit over the top (as the title mocks his own soft side). The album feels washed out at times, and occasionally goes overboard with the nostalgia, losing groundedness throughout its journey. But overall ‘Boo Boo’ is a solid production, creative and accomplishes what it set out to do. Perfect for a scenic sunset drive.

Favourite Track: Girl Like You Rating: 7.8/10 Stream: Spotify, Apple Music

CHIP HAZARD – “CHIP HAZARD”

By Simon G Beaton This September, Chris Young, guitarist from local hip-hop group POW! Negro released his first official EP under the solo project name CHIP HAZARD. The thirty-two minute, four track EP has been constructed predominantly on guitar layering, with some very slight percussion, synth, a couple of samples, and no vocals. What CHIP HAZARD does with these instruments is to create an epic soundscape of a journey, self-labelled as “allowing the listener to use the music as a soundtrack to their own thoughts and reflections.”

This EP is, therefore, better analysed in its entirety, as each song while being unique, works and melds seamlessly into the next – more like chapters in a novel than tracks in an album.

Linking these chapters and permeating throughout lies a theme of immaculate and consistent technical ability, combined with an innate sense of playfulness. CHIP HAZARD constantly changes directions, and every time you feel like you know where the music is going, he throws you off balance with some other curveball.

If forced into a corner for a track of particular note, I would reluctantly go with Lost Conquistador, a journey lasting seven and a half minutes, that really does draw up images of a poor soul, lost and alone in a mysterious, shamanistic desert. At the beginning, the song has space, with an almost call and response feel, before delving into more consistent rhythm alongside emotive lead guitar.

I have attempted to find a flaw in CHIP HAZARD work, but I struggle to do so. Perhaps at times, the listeners may find themselves disengaged, and there are places when I feel the pace could have been quickened sooner. But even here this is simply my own opinion, and regardless, it is undeniably well constructed, intelligent, and musically advanced without being conceited. I should also acknowledge Samuel Widlake-Briggs, who assisted Chris Young during mixing, and mastered the EP. If you haven’t heard CHIP HAZARD work yet, and you have some time to spare, throw it on, and sink into his universe.

Favourite Track: The River / Rating: 8.5/10 Stream: SPOTIFY

METIOR 28

Interview with

CODE RED FESTIVAL Event Coordinator Ben Da Cruz

Harry Cunningham

We interview Ben Da, President of the Murdoch Sound Club and Audio Event Coordinator of Code Red Festival, a music festival coming to our campus here at Murdoch University.

WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO START CODE RED FESTIVAL? This all developed through the Murdoch Sound club, which I began last year. Along with Radio Murdoch our club wanted to create more events around campus to build student culture as well as exposing the music talent that we have on campus.

HOW IS THIS DIFFERENT TO PAST MURDOCH MUSIC EVENTS? Code Red is in a way a successor to Mud Rock. The difference would be that we’re bringing a larger music force, and for the first time the festival will not only be in the grounds of the Guild Tavern but will span out onto Bush Court.

WHO’S PLAYING? Heaps of great musicians who currently have ties to Murdoch. These include POW! Negro, Demon Days, CROW, Western Kinsmen of the Sun, Teeth Can, DJ Escue and DJ Rando. We’ve also managed to secure Stella Donnelly and Black and Blunt.

WHEN IS IT? HOW MUCH WILL IT COST? It’s on November 3rd at the end of this semester. We’ve giving a really low price for tickets, considering the big line up. The first release is $10 and second release is $15.

Tickets will be available online in the next couple of weeks.

METIOR 29

MURDOCH GUILD

M T W T F

TAVERN WEEKLY SPECIALS

$15 Carlton Dry Jugs Mid & Tinnyays $5 VB, Great Northern Little Green T-D

$14 Mercury Draught Cider Jugs Mid & Tinnyays $5 VB, Great Northern Little Green T-D

$9.5 Yak Ales Open daily from 11 am Strictly no smoking on the premises Over 18 years only

facebook.com/murdochguildtavern @murdochguildtavern www.murdochguild.com.au