NEOPHYTE.

NEOPHYTE. FILM&TV. MUSIC. ART.

Living London with Saira Niazi

A photography project documenting the hidden gems of London Reynold Maunze talks Hood Documentary And the world of filmmaking

How to become an art collector

The Ultimate Seminar

(on a budget)

Your guide to all the insider news

You should be watching Jessica Jones

Judging a book by its cover The most beautiful cover art of the year

Find out why on page 30 Seventh Heaven for Coldplay?

We review album #7

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22 CONTRIBUTORS

Lauren Burgess EDITOR Corey Armishaw DEPUTY EDITOR Lei Fu ART DIRECTOR Julia Tsilman ART ASSISTANT Tenelle Ottley-Matthew ART EDITOR Karolina Zilenaite MUSIC EDITOR Tiasha Simon FILM EDITOR

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Welcome to the first, of hopefully many issues, NEOPHYTE. The definition of neophyte is a person that is new to a subject or activity.

For us, our readers are our neophytes. The aim of this magazine is to introduce you to the world of culture in all its forms - art, music, film and TV. In this issue, our art section explores the best of this year’s book cover art, explains how you can become an art collector in London without breaking the bank and discusses the work of photographer Saira Niazi. In music, we’re analysing Coldplay’s latest offering, getting an inside look at the exclusive event ‘The Ultimate Seminar’ and checking out some musicians whose looks don’t suit their sound.

For TV and film, we’re talking to documentary maker and popular YouTuber Reynold Maunze, finding out why you should be watching Jessica Jones and bringing you tons of reviews. And that’s just a start.

We hope you enjoy NEOPHYTE. and look forward to you becoming loyal readers.

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EDITOR’S LETTER

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Exploring London Through The Eyes Of

SAIRA NIAZI ‘Living London’ is a new and much-needed project from photographer Saira Niazi that explores some of the city’s most awe-inspiring places.

Word: Tenelle Ottley-Matthew

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hotography of London is having a moment, or has been having a moment for a while. People just can’t seem to get enough of images of this city no matter the weather or season. It’s easy to see why. Is there any street, or indeed inch, of London that a photographer’s lens doesn’t find alluring?

While London is a fantastic place to take photographs in, this means that it’s very easy to fall into a cliché trap. We’ve all seen these cliché images at some point; countless shots of Big Ben, Tower Bridge and (yawn) the London Eye, plus a whole host of others, many of which happen to be tourist attractions. Obviously these famous landmarks play a big part in making London the city that it is but there’s so much more to London, so why don’t we see its other nooks and crannies more?

Someone who’s been capturing London’s lesser-known spots is young photographer Saira Niazi. For the past eight

years, she’s been photographing unique parts of the city for a project she named Living London. The project website is full of photographs, places and stories.

The site, which resembles a Tumblr blog,

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is wonderful, and you could scroll for ages through the myriad of places that Saira has captured and shared. The most interesting feature, I find, is the ‘EXPLORE’ button. When you click ‘EXPLORE’, the site randomly selects a place that the user ends up in. The last time I ‘explored’ on Living London, I ended up at the Black Cultural Archives in Brixton (pictured), to my surprise. The building is about a year and a half old and it’s a place that I strongly admire and enjoy visiting.

In total, Living London consists of more than 800 places and spaces in London. Turn the page to see our five favourite places we discovered from Saira’s brilliant project.

House of Dreams This magnificent place resembles something out of a movie, a place that seems to have a life of its own. Located in Dulwich, South London, House of Dreams is the life project and home of outsider artist Stephen Wright. Saira writes “and the house spoke to me, as it was a living thing… for it felt alive, and it was filled with colourful objects, tiny figurines, shiny tinsel, records, mosaics, gem and comb studded pillars, and dolls and models that reflected his life and mundane everyday items that morphed into creatures.” We are also curious about the numerous quotes that can be found in Stephen’s home and can’t wait to delve into his world when we visit House of Dreams.

The Horniman Conservatory Most of us are familiar with the Horniman Museum but what about its other beauties? Arguably one of the most beautiful and elegant conservatories we’ve seen, The Horniman Museum’s Grade II listed Victorian conservatory was originally built way back in 1894. It seems like a great place to go and enjoy an amazing view and possibly indulge one’s nature-loving side.

With a backdrop this breathtaking, it’s no wonder the conservatory is regularly booked for ceremonies and wedding receptions as well as being popular with keen photographers! The conservatory is in Forest Hill, and is well worth exploring on a sunny London day.

The Tea Box Paradise for any tea fanatic, the Tea Box is the place to enjoy a good cuppa. With a selection of loose tea from around the globe, Saira describes it as “pretty” and “beautiful”, claiming to enjoy a jazz performance on a wet evening when she visited. The cosy lights and furniture alone are enough to entice you even if you’re not an enthusiastic tea drinker. Regular live music events add to the charm of the Tea Box, which is in Twickenham.

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ArtsLav An arts hub we’re very new to, ArtsLav is run completely by volunteers and is a big believer in promoting “creativity for all”. It actually started life as an underground Victorian gentlemen’s public lavatory – hence the name ‘ArtsLav’, get it? – but thankfully it’s now a restored Kennington landmark offering its space to the local community and beyond. Perhaps ArtsLav is one of the finest examples of proving that creativity really can be found anywhere and come from anything.

Paradise Parlour With a menu boasting tasty smoothies, milkshakes, cocktails, desserts and even shisha… Paradise Parlour’s tropical and colourful interior is even more tempting on a windy, wet, miserable day in London. It appears to be an appropriate place to pause and escape from fast-moving life. According to Saira it was “kind of like being on a holiday…but we were in Kilburn, on a nowhere winter’s evening.” Utterly mouth watering, we can’t wait to set foot inside Paradise Parlour and experience it for ourselves.

Saira Niazi’s Living London project shows that London has an equal number of places that are over-photographed and places that are barely known. London photography can be eye-opening and beautiful when time and effort is put into exploring what this amazing city has to offer, every inch of it! So many of us have lived in London for years, decades even, but have never seen or come across many of the fascinating places here. Living London shows that we all have our own individual relationship to this city and that we experience London in completely different ways. The project has inspired us to venture out more and unearth more of London’s unknown treasures.

Follow @livinglon on Twitter and Instagram to stay updated with Saira’s project.

All images by Saira Niazi ©

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5 Reasons You Should Support somewhereto_

somewhereto_ is a UK-wide project that is doing a lot for young people, especially those who are passionate about arts and culture. Read on to find out why we love them and why you should familiarise yourself with them!

Words:Tenelle Ottley-Matthew 1. Young people + free or underused space = Great Things Happening somewhereto_ help young people across the UK find spaces to do the things they’re passionate about, whether it’s creative or entrepreneurial.

Somewhereto_ has previously supported ambitious and talented young people such as Amy Win, founder of social enterprise 4Lunch and Hayel Wartemberg, founder of spoken word platform Word On The Curb. somewhereto_ are able to do these great things for young people everywhere because in 2012, they received a £7 million grant from the Big Lottery Fund, which will support the project’s nationwide expansion to September 2016.

2. They support young creatives and artists

In 2014, somewhereto_ set up a free festival that showcased young talent across the country. Musicians, visual artists, theatre performers, dancers and entrepreneurs came together and shared a collaborative space where they got the chance to network, inspire one another and show how amazing they all are. Ben Drew, aka musician Plan B, was among the industry mentors who supported 16 to 25-year-olds during the festival.

4. They organise fantastic (and free!) events

3. You get to ‘Pitch To The Mix’ Have an idea for an event and want to pitch it to one of London’s coolest arts centres? Each season, 16 to 25-year-olds get the opportunity to pitch ideas to Rich Mix in order to win free space for an event. Somewhereto_ even give you a pitching workshop to make sure you’re all sorted before it’s time to present your idea.

Previous winners of Pitch To The Mix include filmmaker Cecile Emeke, poet Samuel King, photographer Troy Pickersgill and more.

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Last month, somewhereto_ organised an event to help young people gain knowledge on how to develop their career in the creative industries, make money from their passions and network with industry professionals from companies like Coca-Cola, Google UK, Atlantic Records, FUTURE SNDS and more. It was packed out and lots of good vibes and knowledge were exchanged. They do things like this all over the UK, geared towards young people with wide-ranging interests. Go along to one of their events in the near future, we guarantee that you’ll find it fun and valuable.

5. They are a ray of sunshine in these challenging times for young people

Projects like somewhereto_ deserve to be celebrated and supported especially when young people are facing challenging times with rising tuition fees, unemployment and homelessness, for example.

The work somewhereto_ does shows that there are people out there who care about the development and success of the next generation. Show somewhereto_ some love, get in touch with them and see if they can help you achieve your goals.

The Guide to Have Your Own Art Collection in London Don’t let a lack of knowledge or limited funds keep you from the joy of owning art.where do you begin? What is the difference between an original work, a limited-edition print and a poster? Where do you shop for art — especially if you don’t have thousands of dollars to spend on a single piece? We will tackle these questions and more in this handy art-buying guide, including resources for collecting on a smaller budget. Words: Fu Lei

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arlier last month, a painting sold for a jaw-dropping $170.4 million, the second-highest price for a painting ever sold at auction and one of only 10 artworks that have cracked the $100 million mark. Big sales may take over all the headlines, but fortunately for the rest of us, collecting art doesn’t have to be a pursuit reserved for the 1%. And think you need a couple of thousand pounds behind you to invest in art? Think again. Either for passion or investment, you can always discover some art works at modest price in the hidden galleries around the corner in London. For those expecting to start their collection of art in confidence with little extra cash in the bank, we round up a step-by-step guide to buying your first piece of art in London!

Buy what you like. This is the basic rule. Yes, you can aim to purchase works that you hope will increase in value, but your focus should be on aesthetic rather than monetary appreciation. If you don’t know what you like, start by asking yourself: are there certain styles, colors or subjects that draw you in? Do you gravitate to black and white photography, modern abstract paintings, or still lifes, etc.?

Yet except knowing your favourite art categories or genres, to look around and explore your taste by seeing art firsthand is probably the best way to develop your eye. As a beginner, exploring and observing will build your confidence to collect art works, not to mention expose you to new styles and artists you might never have found otherwise.

As Nicky Wheeler, director of the Affordable Art Fair of London, suggested, “The first important thing to do is really get a sense of your taste and what you like. And the best way to do that is to go see a lot of art.” Student and graduate sales at art schools, auctions, antiques fairs and local galleries are all excellent places to start your search. Otherwise to pick up an art magazine or flip through a pile of art books are both a good start of becoming a qualified art collector.

Here is a list of some of London’s hidden galleries selling arts at reasonable price that you may not know about, but are definitely worth checking out!

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Whitechapel Gallery

A good way to start is to start small. As with most commodities in life, the bigger it is, the more expensive it will be. At the Whitechapel Gallery, smaller artworks make for the perfect beginning to any collectors. Not only are the price tags more modest, but being able to buy more lets you explore your tastes and experiment with different artists and different artworks. Prices starting from 50, the White Chapel Gallery has abundant collection of beautiful and affordable works of contemporary art, including various mediums.

The founder of the Whitechapel Gallery, Iwona Blazwick, is widely regarded as the most important art critic and dealer in the east London as well.

Price from £50 Whitechapel Gallery 77-82 Whitechapel High St London E1 7QX

Curious Duke Gallery is currently London’s leading urban and contemporary art space for emerging artists. Founded by 27-year-old Eleni Duke, Curious Duke Gallery not only has various street art pieces you can’t find everywhere else, but also obscure methods of art from laser cut to mixed media paintings.

As the only public and non-profit gallery in the UK and Europe dedicated to contemporary drawing, Drawing Room provides a unique resource for the promotion of drawing. Their art works incorporates a wide range of ideas and media, from the traditional to the experimental, and is informed by contemporary artistic practice. It both provides opportunities for collectors to find relatively lower-price artworks and for artists to produce, exhibit and Nelly

Curious Duke Gallery

Price from £15 Curious Duke Gallery 173 Whitecross Street London EC1Y 8JT

Nelly Duff is one of the first physical spac-

Drawing Room Gallery

As the only public and non-profit gallery in the UK and Europe dedicated to contemporary drawing, Drawing Room provides a unique resource for the promotion of drawing. Their art works incorporates a wide range of ideas and media, from the traditional to the experimental, and is informed by contemporary artistic practice. It both provides opportunities for collectors to find relatively lower-price artworks and for artists to produce, exhibit and research contemporary drawing.

Price from £125 Drawing Room Unit 8 Rich Estate, 46 Willow Walk London SE1 5SF 13

es to exhibit Street Art internationally.

Their works are collected by museums and private collectors across the globe.

Nelly Duff exhibits and sells prints and original pieces from artists at the forefront of the street, tattoo and graphic art world, including international artists from Canada to China. The gallery champions the development of high quality handmade edition of prints, and currently holds the world record for the highest number of screens used to produce a hand pulled screen-printed edition.

Nelly Duff Gallery Price from ÂŁ25 Nelly Duff Gallery 156 Columbia Road London E2 7RG

You can’t really buy art at the White Cube Gallery. But you can find amazing prints or reproduction, Fine Art photography

books there, including some of the most valuable first editions. As an art collector, you should understand that an artist profits only once from the sale of an original work, even if the work grows in value over time, it is the collector who profits.

If you understand this, it makes sense for original pieces to have a higher price and the value of prints or reproduction. Generally, apart from original works, there are still three types of art that you can buy as a private collector: prints, limited-edition prints, posters, and Fine Art photography book; the fewer prints available, the higher both the price and the value.

White Cube Gallery

Price from ÂŁ40 White Cube 48 Hoxton Square N1 6PB London

The world of art buying has become much more democratic in recent years, thanks in great part to the influence of online retailers and auction sites offering well-curated art collections, available no matter where you are and at every price point.

Here are a few of the most popular sites!

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JUDGE ME

BY MY COVER

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e are taught not to judge anything by the way it looks, but perhaps an exception should be made when it comes to books? Book cover illustration is an artform often overlooked, and undeservingly so. A great deal of creativity and skill goes into translating hundreds of pages into a single image in ways that are subtle, intriguing and eye-catching. It’s an intuitive, almost spiritual process which, if done right, turns the cover from a decorative work into a symbolic one.

And like marks on a treasure map, these symbols guide bookworms through the piles of books in libraries and bookshops. Here we will celebrate four of the most creative and beautiful book covers of 2015 which tried to make a journey of finding the perfect read a little bit easier for all of us.

Words: Julia Tsilman

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A Darker Shade of Magic February 2015

Design: Will Staehle This 398 page fantasy book has an intricate plot: its main character Kell is a rare magician with the ability to jump between four parallel Londons, and that’s just for starters. Yet artist Will Staehle masterfully translated this complicated scene into a simple monochrome illustration. There, two contrasting worlds are connected by the river to represent parallel realities. And while Kell’s proportions and position highlight his unique status, his bold red coat - like superman’s cape hints at his travelling superpowers. The chosen colour scheme is suggestive of the topics of power, oppression and resistance discussed in the novel.

Like all great book cover designers, Will Staehle has storytelling skills worthy of a bestselling author, and his illustration for “A Darker Shade of Magic” is definitely a work of art.

The Secret Wisdom of the Earth January 2015

The cover design of this debut novel says little about the plot of the book; instead, it conveys its general mood and the scenery of summertime in Southern America. Landscape and the natural rhythm of life play massive roles in this novel about a young boy named Kevin discovering the world around him and building friendships while coping with the death of his younger brother. All these dynamics of the plot are visible in this simple but timeless cover design. The fact that the book touches on environmental issues adds extra meaning to the illustration, with its clear sky and vibrant sunset.

Scotton’s novel has been compared to the literature masterpiece - Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird” - and this spirited cover makes it obvious why.

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Satin Island February 2015

Design: Peter Mendelsund Satin Island is the opposite - it’s the most experimental book on this list, primarily because of its broken up style of writing and a rather confusing plot, or the lack thereof.

The protagonist U is hired as a cultural anthropologist by a company to create a “great report”, yet nothing about that report is ever specified. His confusion is illustrated beautifully with the crossed-out words on the cover, and the rainbow stains do a great job at mirroring the chaotic way in which U documents his thoughts. Unlike the rest of the covers, this one tells us more about what the book aims to be than what it actually is. Satin Island tries to serve as a metaphor for modern society’s obsession with self-documentation, but whether or not it succeeds in doing so is debatable. One thing is clear: Peter Mendelsund’s vision of the book is spot on.

When the Doves Disappeared February 2015

Design: Kelly Blair This cover has some thought-out elements which not only unveil the main storylines of the plot, but also reveals a great deal about its lead characters. ‘When the Doves Disappeared’ is a tale of the occupation of Estonia during the Second World War by Nazi Germany and then Soviet Russia. The yellow toned cover resembles an early-20th-century photograph. And similarly to Edgar - the central figure of the narrative - the man portrayed on the cover seems to be torn between two powers, following whichever is more convenient while loyal to none. Likewise, he refuses to show his true face. The bird, on the other hand, is a symbol of Estonian resistance and the other lead characters’ fight for freedom.

The cover art is simple but tasteful, and it conveys beautifully the tragic history of wartime Estonia.

Honorable mentions

by Corral & Martinez

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by Debbie Berne

by Sara Wood

THE KING OF MUSICALS:

THE LION KING Beautiful colours, powerful voices and a familiar storyline — all come together in a spectacular production of the Lion King musical!

Words: Karolina Zilenaite

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here is nothing more exciting than seeing your childhood brought to live in a beautiful venue of the Lyceum Theatre.

The audience varied greatly from excited children and teenagers, to even more enthusiastic adults, ready to relive the Disney’s magic.

As the lights went out, the spine-chilling lyrics of the “Circle of Life” beautifully opened up the musical, impressing not only with the powerful voices belting out the familiar words, but also the grand entrance of the side characters and the mechanical wonders of the stage. The audience was moved greatly, as loud cheers and applause erupted through the theatre.

When talking about The Lion King, you simply have to give credit to two aspects of the musical: the costumes and the stage. The phenomenal work of costume designers definitely took the attention. From makeup to clothing, each look of a character was unique and truly impressive. The stage worked fantastically.

Lights, backgrounds and moving floors, made the breathtaking African landscape come to life.

Following the storyline of Walt Disney’s classic, the actors surprised with quite a few up-to-date jokes, relevant to all the spectators of the musical. The laughs were brought by well portrayed meerkat Timon and warthog Pumbaa, as well as baboon Raki, talking to the audience in Zulu language.

The reprise of the “Circle of Life” brought the grand finale, yet again tugging on the heartstrings of the spectators, closing the show with legendary scene of Simba and Nala climbing up the Pride Rock, the Lion King taking over his lands.

It doesn’t matter, if you have been living in London for a while or just came to visit, the Lion King musical is a definitely must-see!

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MUSIC INDUSTRY’S INNER SECRET It could be described as one of the music industry’s inner secrets. The Ultimate Seminar went all out this year, as the big names of the industry gathered under one roof to share their knowledge with young attendees striving for a head start in the industry.

Words: Karolina Zilenaite

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ollaborating with the University of Westminster, the ‘Cre8ting Vision’ team pulled out all the stops to give as much insight as possible for the following generation of music industry professionals. The seminar welcomed Mark Williamson from Spotify; Jo Charrington, representing Capital Records, and Lizzie Francis from Spilt Milk Music. The event also brought in established artists, producers and songwriters like Diztortion, Ian Archer, Disciples’ Duvall and WSTRN. From the very beginning the Ultimate Seminar was full on, as the first panelists for “Knowing Your Business” tackled the current serious issues within the music industry. Online music streaming has become one more platform for musicians to be heard. Mark Williamson (Spotify) stressed the positives of digitalisation within the industry, saying that “Spotify has really developed as an antidote for music piracy”, since users can get all the music legally, without necessarily having to pay for it.

First panelists (left to right): Obi Asika, Allan McGrath, Myles Keller, Mark Williamson, Simon Long, Chris Panayi

Christ Panayi, founder of C.C. Panayi & Co. accountants and business advisors company, picked up on the point made

by Mark Williamson and addressed the problems from a standpoint of the ones creating music — songwriters and producers. When royalties are paid out to record labels from Spotify, the artists get a small cut. His talk highlighted that there are still unsolved issues with the

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way musicians receive royalties from the digital environment. One could say that musicians felt cheated, as their music builds up millions of streams, yet those numbers don’t relate when it comes to collecting royalties.

Allan McGrath, label director at Anjunabeats, gave his views from his label’s perspective, regarding music streaming: “The fact is, streaming is the future, but

Raleigh Ritchie shares his own advices to the audience.

Credit: Paul H

Melissa Steel talks about her road to becoming a singer.

Credit: Paul H

Filled up Portland Hall at University of Westminster.

Credit: Paul H

Joe Charrington gives an insight as a A&R. Credit: Paul H

THE ULTIMATE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD GOES TO...

A&R Jo Charrington (left)

Songwriter Ian Archer (left)

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A&R director Glyn Aikins (left)

for one stream we make less than one a battle with big industry names such as download.” He also noted that it’s not easy Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber or Beyonce. work to put your act out there on Spotify, Asika continued, telling the audience and saying that “Spotify will take more than the panelists that it’s a hard work trying to what we get back”. McGrath continued, showcase a young talent, when all these explaining that It takes lots of people to veteran names claim the spotlight. push the artist to the top tier of Spotify This was received with loud cheers of playlists, and they all need paying for support from the young attendtheir work. The investment in ees, all hoping to make it online streaming, doesn’t in to one of the most necessarily mean profit. competitive indusRaw emotions poured tries in the world. out as Obi Asika, direcThe panel left the tor at Echo Location audience thinkTalent, started a heating hard about ed discussion with the the real struggles panelists. Pinpointing surrounding the problems regarding the business aspect of environment the young the industry.

Obi Asika artists find themselves The following panel in today. Asika present“Be an Astronaut in the ed hard facts that boiled the Music Business” brought atmosphere of the seminar. The “on down the heat and continued air on sale” phenomenon brought a lot of the day on a lighter note, bringing laughs controversy within the music industry. from the audience, as they shared stories The sole purpose of “on air on sale” policy and tips of their own. is to prevent the copyright infringement With all the serious talk in the beby making legal digital downloads accesginning, the professionals shared the sible as soon as recorded music is made positives of the music industry. Jo Charavailable. rington, A&R manager (Artists & Reper“What this does to all our young arttoire) at Capitol Records, pointed out that ists,” Obi Asika passionately explained, “it the industry still get big artists such as means, that they don’t have fanbases big Adele, which, knowing the amount of acts enough to get in charts anymore. […] We today, is a very big plus. She also stressed put all these things into one place, so we the BBC as one of the perks, that only the can get streaming and not looking at the UK’s music industry has. Abbey Ennis, long-term impact. And that’s the serious Creative Services manager at Universal, problem.” Once a young artist gets his/her caught onto the fact that the industry is music on streaming platforms, it becomes more open now, and how it is possible to a battle for the throne. Even though it is access much more information about the one extra way to build up fans, it’s also competitive career path.

“They don’t have fanbases big enough to get in charts anymore” -

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Char Grant, Lizzie Francis, Jo Charrington and Abbey Ennis, also gave their opinions on women within the Music Industry, which had a positive attitude throughout. Most of the higher positions are occupied by strong and influential women today and that fact alone encouraged the female audience to cheer for the important achievements.

As the day progressed, the attendees got to listen to Glyn Aikins, A&R director at Virgin EMI Records, tell amazing stories about his journey into the music industry and all the interesting things that has happened to him during his career.

Known musicians and producers also shared their stories on making it in the industry — Diztortion, Melissa Steel, Raleigh Ritchie and Duvall from Disciples.

Filled with positive attitudes, the conversations flowed easily.

Nicola Charles, Kwame Kwaten, Andrea Euell, the Cre8ting Vision team, put on an amazing day-long seminar with the big dogs of the music industry. Minds were undoubtedly buzzing with ideas as knowledge and insights were shared throughout the day.

If you are one of the people trying to get into the music industry, the Ultimate Seminar is your golden ticket. You can’t catch that many professionals under the same roof in one day, willing to share everything they can in any other place.

Don’t miss out the next opportunity to attend the event, as it could be your only chance to get a head start!

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Seventh Heaven?

Left: What would their mothers say about this mess?

Beyoncé, Tove Lo, Noel Gallagher and Barack Obama all appear on Coldplay’s synth filled, joyful return, but does it live up to the hype? Words: Corey Armishaw

“This is by far the most mainstream Coldplay have ever gone”

COLDPLAY A HEAD FULL OF DREAMS Parlophone Out Now

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ell, it’s that wonderful time of year again. No, not Christmas. Coldplay are releasing a new album.

There was no world tour for last years Ghost Stories, (the somber, Gwyneth uncoupling album) meaning Chris and the gang jumped straight back into the studio to write record number seven. With only a year and a half between them, it’s the shortest time between Coldplay albums ever.

Full disclosure, I’m a big Coldplay fan. Ever since 2008’s Viva La Vida, I’ve been hooked. Because of this, it’s quite disappointing for me to say, this album is not their best. In fact, it may even be their worst.

On production duties were Norwegian duo Stargate, who are more used to writing hit singles for Rihanna than producing albums by rock bands. This creates the biggest issue, in that the album lacks coherence; it feels like a collection of songs, not a complete package.

With that said however, some of them are rather special. Lead single “Adventure of A Lifetime” soars with its twinkly guitar riff and funky bass groove. The profound anthem “Amazing Day” is both enchanting and inspiring. A personal favourite is “Fun” featuring Swedish singer Tove Lo. It’s a breakup song in disguise, with the two voices meshing beautifully on lines such as “I know it’s over, a parting of ways, and it’s done; but

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didn’t we have fun?”

Then there’s “Hymn for The Weekend”.

This is by far the most mainstream Coldplay have ever gone. A party song with Beyoncé on backing singer duty, Martin professes “Life is a drink, and love is a drug” over brass and bouncy piano accompaniment. It’s quite a shock on first listen. With repeated play however, it’s clear this is destined for radio glory.

Sadly, not all the songs are standouts.

“Army of One” is inherently forgettable.

Tacked onto it is hidden track “X Marks the Spot” which sounds like an experiment the guys forgot to delete before publishing.

Furthermore, “Kaleidoscope” features a poem that Chris Martin claims changed

RANKING THE COLDPLAY DISCOGRAPHY 7.

6.

Its not a bad album, but it has a lot to live up to, and unfortunatly, it doesnt.

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The breakup album. A stark contrast to Mylo Xyloto, this is an ambient, atmospheric but overall bland collection of songs.

Despite giving us “Fix You”, X&Y played it safe and stuck to the established Coldplay formula.

3.

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A big change after Viva and divided opinion among fans and critics.

Despite the pop influences its still an alternative rock album at heart.

2.

The first LP. A quiet, soft sounding, alone in your bedroom kind of album. Perhaps the only one to still suite the name ‘Coldplay’

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Classic Coldplay. The difficult second album that expanding upon the first and improved it in every way.

Bonus Round: The EP’s

After the less creative X&Y, Brian Eno produced 4th album was more ambiguous, more ambitious and arguably the best.

his life, and ends with a sampled Barack Obama singing Amazing Grace. It’s intended to be profound and to inspire.

While succeeding, it also stands out like a sore thumb, furthering the lack of cohesion and overall vision.

Coldplay’s past three albums have all started with a short instrumental motif, which would then make an appearance at (or as in MX and now AHFOD, near) the end of the album to tie it up into nice little bow. They try the same trick here in the form of the song “Colour Spectrum”. It’s an ambient and calming sound, but the effect is frankly, uninspired, ineffective and unnecessary.

Average tracks include “Birds” and “Everglow”. Both have their moments

1999 brought the release of the 3 song Brothers & Sisters. Its raw sound and dark tone is a far cry from the Coldplay of today.

The Blue Room has similar sounds to Parachutes, but still much moodier and atmospheric.

but overall lack longevity. Album closer “Up&Up” carries uplifting messages of not giving in, encapsulating the essence of Coldplay perfectly. But, the production choices hold it back, leaving it sounding empty when it should be stadium filling.

If Ghost Stories was the rain, A Head Full of Dreams is the rainbow. Done lamenting the end of his marriage, Martin has rediscovered his love for life, and is now expressing it through the medium of full on pop music. Even the emotional moments on the album feel more sweet than they do bitter.

It’s hard to criticise this album, because it wasn’t made for the critics.

It was made by Coldplay, for Coldplay.

The entire family of each band member

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Prospects March featured songs that didnt make the cut on Viva La Vida, as well as some remixis of songs that did.

and producer, plus a couple friends like Brian Eno, make a vocal contribution in “Up&Up”. Not that you can tell. But it goes to show, A Head Full of Dreams is Martin making the album that he wants to make, without being constrained by anything.

Still, they’re asking us to buy it, which is why I have to put my foot down and say, despite some great songs, it remains a disappointment. Coldplay’s seventh is not a bad album, but it’s not a great album either.

Top Tracks:

Fun | Amazing Day | Adventure of a Lifetime | Hymn For the Weekend

Face

SWAP.

Ever seen someone’s face and had a certain expectation of what their voice would sound like, yet when they open their mouths it comes nowhere close? The same happens with music; some of the most powerful voices come out of the most unexpected people. There are the mainstream people such as Adele, but then there are the less known people, the people you’ll hear but never catch the name of the person to search their face. Words: Tiasha Simon

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King Krule

eep husky tones float over Archy Marshall’s indie jazz-fusion tracks.

“Indie jazz-fusion” being the closest thing to describe his songs, that flow in and out of genres and sounds, from haunting tracks such as Cementality with the piano behind his wallows, to the shouty guitar heavy Easy Easy. Whatever music you’d expect the hollow-faced 21 year old to make, it most likely wouldn’t be what it is.

His music is soothing and calm despite his angry, rough vocals droning effortlessly throughout; you’d almost expect he was bored. Experimental and alternative, King Krule’s music is distinctive.

He has been likened to Gil-Heron Scott and Sinatra, with musicians such as Frank Ocean proposing collaborations and praising the artist.

His last album was released in 2013, then the brooding artist seemed to go on a hiatus- until he randomly created an Instagram account, posting a picture simply captioning it “ANP2D coming soon...” at the beginning of the month.

Following the announcement King Krule released a new multi-disciplinary project entitled ANP2D, acronym for “A new place 2 drown”, on December 10th including a book, soundtrack and documentary.

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Mac DeMarco

cBriare Samuel Lanyon DeMarco is a Canadian born singer, and whilst his gap toothed smile and dungarees may fool you; the musician produces solely harmonious gems.

DeMarco has been hailed the ‘goofball prince of indie rock’.

Normally when you think of Indie Rock you’ll picture the fake ‘mysterious’ brooding type, strumming at their guitars with monotone voices singing of some type heartbreak. This artist changes that prototype.

The smoothness of his voice drifts through Chamber of Reflection, from his 2014 album, with soft drums carrying it’s listener into a daze. Demarco has been described as one of the most distinctive songwriters in guitar music, and that he is, creating a romantic haze and sense of bliss.

From the music he makes you’d expect him to be the pretentious artsy type, however the artist hates that notion. He states, “I’m just like the kids that listen to my music”.

The kids that listen to his music are rowdy, his gigs being a blur of booze and vomit. Why anyone would want cause a riot over DeMarco crooning love lyrics is a mystery; yet it’s the norm.

No matter what vibe the artist wants to give off, his music is the opposite.

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JESSICA JONES: A Hero For A New Generation

Netflix’s Jessica Jones makes a fantastic addition to the world of superhero TV and film. With a take-no-prisoners, ass-kicking heroine leading the charge, this feminist neo-noir should be on everyone’s must watch-list. Words: Lauren Burgess

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essica Jones may not be the hero we asked for, but she’s the hero we needed.

Relatively new in the Marvel world, (introduced in 2001) Jessica wasn’t exactly a hero in high demand.

The fact that the character was to get her own TV show over the dozens of more established characters was a surprise to many. Reactions ranged from “Why?” to “Never heard of her.” Thankfully, the surprise never had the need to manifest itself into disappointment. Jessica Jones will go down in history as one of the best superhero TV shows ever made.

Hot on the tails of the critically acclaimed Netflix original Daredevil, Jessica Jones explores a dark and seedy post-Avengers world where the public is equally fearful and thankful for the revelation of the ‘gifted’ people among them. Having attempted to use her powers (the true origins of which have yet to be revealed) for good but then punished by a cruel and powerful witness, we find Jessica at the start of a new venture; a fledgling private detective agency ‘Alias Investigations’. Haunted by

her past and searching for her place in the world, Jessica has pulled away from the people who loved her and found few answers at the bottom of whisky bottles, though certainly not through lack of trying.

Jessica Jones excels at portraying an extraordinary character battling some relatively ordinary problems. You won’t find world-saving adventures and daring rescue missions of government officials.

Jessica’s battle is an inherently personal one. The entire series is her coming to terms with, and eventually seeking revenge for, the abuse she received at the hands of Kilgrave. Known in the comics as ‘The Purple Man’, he had controlled her with his powers for eight months, culminating with Jessica being forced to murder an innocent woman. Obviously, this isn’t an ‘ordinary’ event, but for the many people dealing with PTSD as a result of abuse and manipulation, there’s a lot to relate to in Jessica Jones. In the first couple of episodes, Kilgrave torments Jessica from afar. She has nightmares about him and imagines hearing his voice before discovering that her latest case has

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been orchestrated by his hand. All the more surprising since she believed he was dead. Throughout the rest of the show, Kilgrave ramps up the chaos in an attempt to rekindle what he believed was a great love with Jessica.

Krysten Ritter has described the role as a “game-changer” for the usually comedic actor. When asked how it compares with her previous roles she said, “You know, it doesn’t. This is just a way more intense, way more all-encompassing – I didn’t do anything besides Jessica Jones for nine months. Nothing. I didn’t talk about anything, I didn’t do anything, I didn’t leave the house. I’d go to work, I’d come home, go to sleep, wake up a few hours later and get back in the van to go back to work. This was the most immersed I’ve ever been in a world or a character.” Ritter’s dedication really shines through. Despite dealing with some heavy dramatic themes, she always has a great energy and a little of the darkly comedic wit that makes the actor so easy to watch.

Ritter has repeatedly acknowledged that she and Mike Colter (who plays Luke Cage) had instant chemistry, which made

their on-screen relationship all the more believable.

The show doesn’t shy away from its depictions of sex and relationships. There are two main relationships in the series, both of which are still rarely seen in mainstream TV and film; the interracial Luke and Jessica, and the lesbian couple Jeri Hogarth (gender-swapped from the comics and played by Carrie-Anne Moss to steely perfection) and her assistant Pam, whom Jeri began seeing whilst still married to long-suffering doctor Wendy Ross-Hogarth. The women in the show are all complex and fleshed out and haven’t been subjected to the tired tropes you might expect them to have been. Jessica wouldn’t be caught dead in

David Tennant & Krysten Ritter

Krysten Ritter

an LBD for the sake of extracting delicate information. Mainly because she doesn’t have to, she’ll just beat it out of them, wearing her jeans, leather jacket and sensible combat boots.

The villain is equally fascinating and the insights into his past have you teetering on the brink of sympathy.

David Tennant’s performance as Kilgrave is remarkable. The quiet menace that emanates from him is horrifying to watch, and the casual way he orders those around him is a highlight of the show. At one point he tells the entirety of a busy restaurant to shut up so he can hear his phone. It’s a stark reminder of his power and the arbitrary reasons he will employ it for.

A dark, neo-noir, feminist character

Mike Colter & Krysten Ritter

Krysten Ritter

Carrie-Anne Moss &Krysten Ritter

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The heroes and villains of jessica jones Like most adaptations, Jessica Jones took some liberties when it came to how they represented their characters. Check out the information below to get their comic stats. Words: Lauren Burgess

Jessica and Luke are now married and have a daughter named Danielle

Jessica Jones AKA JEWEL

Zebediah killgrave aka the purple man

luke cage

Gender: Male Height: 6’ 6” Weight: 425 lbs (193 kg) Eyes: Brown Hair: Black Powers: Superhuman strength and durability/accelerated healing First appearance: Luke Cage, Hero For Hire #1 Jun 1972

The Purple Man started out as a Croatian physician and then became an international spy

Gender: Female Height: 5’ 7” Weight: 124 lbs (56 kg) Eyes: Brown Hair: Brown Powers: Superhuman strength and durability/flight/telepathic resistance First appearace: Alias #1 Nov 2001

Gender: Male Height: 5’ 11” Weight: 165 lbs (75 kg) Eyes: Purple Hair: Purple Powers: Mind control/accelerated healing First appearance: Dardevil #3 Oct 1964

Nuke was created by the same people who made Captain America and enhanced Wolverine

frank simpson aka nuke

Patsy walker aka hellcat

Gender: Male Height: 6’ 3” Weight: 270 lbs (122 kg) Eyes: Blue Hair: Blond Powers: Cybernetic enhancement/ weapons and combat expert First appearance: Daredevil #232 Jul 1986

Gender: Female Patsy Walker is one of Height: 5’ 8” Marvel’s oldest characters, Weight: 135 lbs (61 kg) but she didn’t appear as Eyes: Blue Hellcat until 1976 Hair: Red Powers: Trained in martial arts/can sense ‘mystical’ phenomena.

First appearance: Miss America #2 Nov 1944

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Reynold Maunze Talks Hood Documentary And What Comes Next

Reynold Maunze is only just starting his career but already has several accomplishments under his belt. The 21-year-old worked alongside Kayode Ewumi and Tyrell Williams to bring to life the Hood Documentary, which has raked in viewers at a phenomenal speed. Words: Tiasha Simon

F

reshly graduated Reynold Maunze is out to make a mark in the music video industry, yet his directing abilities don’t simply start and stop with music videos.

The director dabbles in different areas, not limiting himself to one thing. We sat down with the filmmaker to delve into his work on the Hood Documentary, how he came into the business and future career plans.

A quick look on his social media accounts will tell you he’s a man with aspirations, with the word ‘dreamer’ being proudly placed in his bios. Yet those dreams are propelling into reality faster than the director may have imagined.

Reynold Maunze, or as he prefers, Rey, is only just starting his career but his accomplishments are piling up. He now has the title of being the director of photography of one of the most amusing mockumentaries of 2015.

In both October and November, the 21-year-old worked alongside Kayode Ewumi and Tyrell Williams to bring to life the Hood Documentary, which raked in viewers at a phenomenal speed.

Kayode Ewumi gained popularity with his humorous Vines which spread through Twitter like wildfire. When talk of a mockumentary came into play, it was

highly anticipated. Since then the internet has been abuzz with U.K celebrities and Twitter fans quoting parts of the mockumentary, the character of “R.S”, acronym of “Roll Safe” having people in fits of laughter.

When celebrities spread word of something he had worked, it came as a shock to the system, “It was weird seeing celebrities tweeting the link to the Hood Documentary. It’s humbling to see that support from them, and of course that helped push the Hood Documentary even more. I think for me ultimately it just means that a career doing what I love is possible because now a number of people have seen my work, and who knows what doors this could open.”

The first episode of the mockumentary series has over one million views, with the second which was released on November 25 already closing in on the same figures.

Maunze still can’t fathom seeing those numbers on things he’s worked on, “I didn’t know how to react. I knew we had something special and different to anything else out there, but I couldn’t anticipate it getting as big as it did.” The cinematographer of the comedic success got into contact with the creators of the mockumentary Ewumi and Williams, through our generation’s most beloved

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creation; social media. “It’s a funny story really; Kayode and I knew each other from university. We shared a mutual friend and studied in the same building.

Then after university finished I started seeing Kay all over my timeline on Twitter via retweets. It was crazy. After about a week or two, I found his Twitter I just decided to message him about working together. One thing led to another, I met Tyrell, a close friend of his who is a writer and director now we’re the producers of Hood Documentary.” The Hood Documentary has a big following, and although the creators have announced they are focusing on other things, the thirst for another episode remains strong.

For most, it takes decades to get a foot in the door of the filmmaking business, yet Maunze is already chiselling his way through, and it has not been long since he started, “I knew I wanted to get into filmmaking when I was in year 13 at Sixth form. Media Production was one of my A-Levels despite having picked it to drop it, funnily enough. I made a last minute decision to change my degree from Advertising and Marketing to Media Production. I wasn’t sure if this was right for me at the time but I soon started to see myself loving and enjoying the art of film-making.”

The young filmmaker is now attending Q&A’s about his journey into the craft, gaining a following, and all the while building his portfolio.

However, his aspirations do not stop there, Maunze is the founder of a production company.

Why work under someone else when you can start up your own? That was the thought process of the director and his colleague Jack Dewar, who started the media company in their final year of university through ‘Speed Project’, which funds students and locals starting out in their business ventures.

Being responsible for the cinematography of a success is enough to inflate anyone’s head, yet Maunze remains humble, constantly thinking ahead and setting goals for himself. “I definitely want to get involved in more projects that have a bit more production value. I haven’t got involved in a lot this year in terms of short films and documentary, so hopefully in 2016 I’ll focus on getting myself out there through those mediums,” he says.

The director has a keen eye for intrinsic detail. His works of cinematography are artistic, scenic and simply beautiful. Take his work on Ice Stanley’s music video for Good Enough as an example. Ideas for his work come from anything, from everyday life to films he loves. There are others work he looks to for inspiration, mainly the work of music video directors, “Eif Rivera,

Nabil, Lawrence Lamont, Colin Tilley, and Director X,” he names. “They all have different styles to their work and it’s interesting for me to see that because that helps me in understanding my own style as a filmmaker.”

From the wide shots to the dark colour schemes, it can be said that there is a distinctive feel to the works of that produced

by Maunze, yet he begs to differ “I don’t think I have a unique style of work,” he says “but I think I’m starting to grow into my preferred style of work and the things I like doing and don’t like doing so much. I’m beginning to understand myself more and that’s a key part to developing a distinct look in my work in the future.”

And his future looks bright, if 2015 is anything to go by we will be seeing the filmmaker on the rise, whether through music videos of upcoming artists, to short films and documentaries. Maunze sums up by saying, “it’s my love for what I do. I enjoy my work and I’m always looking to make it better. The drive to always want to keep improving, it keeps me motivated”.

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IN CINEMAS

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2

Spectre

RUNTIME 137 MINS. DIRECTOR Francis Lawrence CAST Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth

RUNTIME 148 MINS. DIRECTOR Sam Mendes CAST Daniel Craig, Chritoph Waltz, Lea Seydoux

Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) and the army of district 13 face off against President Snow and the cruel regime of the Capitol, in the culmination of The Hunger Games trilogy.

Mockingjay suffers from the lack of an actual ‘hunger games’ and is considered to be the weaker of the three novels that the films are based on. Despite this, there are still plenty of thrills to be had. Part 2 of Mockingjay is everything that the first installment couldn’t be; it’s all pay-off with none of the slow-burning build up. The siege on the capitol is captivating, and plenty of blood is spilled in the quest for revolution. The pacing is a little off, with episodes of frantic action interlaced with dark drama, but it’s ultimately a great send-off for one of the best franchises in recent years. LB

Sam Mendes and Daniel Craig return for the follow up to the well received Skyfall. Unfortunately, it falls very short of the bar. In 2006, Casino Royale was a big shift in tone for the series. Bond was no longer a superhuman with zero faults and no emotions.

He came moments from death, and didn’t just seduce girls then leave. All of that was taken away in Spectre. Bond goes back to being invincible, making chase sequences lack any kind of suspense. He seduces the widow of a man he killed, on the day of the funeral. He eventually falls in love later in the film, but it’s so rushed that it feels ridiculous. With a criminally underused Christoph Waltz, and an unbalanced tone, Spectre drags Bond back instead of pushing It to new heights. CA

Black Mass

Carol

RUNTIME 122 MINS. DIRECTOR Scott Cooper CAST Johnny Depp, Joel Edgerton, Benedict Cumberbatch

RUNTIME 118 MINS DIRECTOR Todd Haynes CAST Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara

It’s been a long time since Depp really delivered. Black Mass, based on the true story of Whitey Bulger, begins in 1975 with him leading the Irish-American Winter Hill Gang in Boston, USA. With increasing pressure from rival gangs, Bulger uses his connections with the government to gain protection from the FBI by becoming an informant. While Scott Cooper may not be the best director, the story holds its own. Depp’s transformation is a testament to the prosthetics and makeup artists, and his performance shines through. However, it does serve as a constant distraction, reminding you that it is just a performance. Regardless, it’s certainly a return to form for an actor whose career has started to wain, and the story is one that was demanding to be told. CA

A romantic drama set in 1950s New York, about the blossoming relationship between toy-shop assistant Therese (Rooney Mara) and the mysterious older woman Carol, (Cate Blanchett) who’s in the midst of escaping a loveless marriage. The two have an undeniable attraction that’s difficult to explore, given the political climate of the time. The film touches on this briefly through Carol’s divorce proceedings, but it’s never at the forefront of the film. The focus is always on the tender relationship between the two protagonists. It does what all great romantic films should, makes you want the two together, despite the insurmountable odds they would no doubt face. It’s beautiful, slow and passionate.

And will no doubt top dozens of this year’s ‘best of ’ lists. LB

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IN CINEMAS

Christmas Edition

Krampus RUNTIME 98 MINS

DIRECTOR Michael Dougherty CAST Adam Scott, Toni Collette, David Koechner, Allison Tolman, Conchata Ferrell

Believing Christmas is ruined after the arrival of his crass extended family, miserable boy Max (Emjay Anthony) tears up his letter to Santa Claus. The severe lack of joy and holiday spirit unwittingly summons the ancient demon Krampus who wreaks Christmasthemed havoc on the family home. The film

is a well-balanced blend between horror and comedy, and satirizes the enforced jollity and ridiculousness of everyone’s favourite capitalist holiday. Some of the best Christmas films are the antithesis of the twinkly and sappy stories that we associate with the time of year. Less Miracle on 34th Street and The Grinch, more

Die Hard and Gremlins. Krampus is one of the better Christmas films to come out of this decade and despite a liberal use of CGI and a confusing ending, presents audiences with a solid mix of warm sentiment, dark humour and suspense-filled scares. LB

friends and the tradition comes to an end, but not before one final round on the town.

With reference to Charles Dickens, each character is struggling with either their past, present or future, which adds depth to the characters and strengthens the Christmas theme. The humour is not for everyone, but if you enjoyed Seth Rogen's past films, this

one won’t disappoint. Despite its craziness, The Night Before is genuinely heart warming and one of the least cheesy Christmas film in years. Immature but hilarious with some great cameos, it should absolutely be on your Christmas watch list. CA

The Night Before RUNTIME 101 MINS DIRECTOR Jonathan Levine CAST Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen, Anthony Mackie

Ridiculous by nature, The Night Before is underlined with a touching tale of three friends trying to keep the Christmas spirit of togetherness alive. When Ethan (GordonLevitt) loses his parents to a car accident in 2001, his best friends become his new family and the tradition of getting very drunk each Christmas is born. Alas, ‘life’ happens for his

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E TO H D I U TE G RS MERC A M I ULT WA E R H A T S ST U O L U RIDIC

The hype is reaching breaking point for Star Wars: The Force Awakens. And with great hype, comes great merchandise.

Come with us on a magical tour of some of the most ridiculous examples.

Words: Lauren Burgess

Darth Vader and C-3PO Guitars Etsy £337.60 Admiral Akbar Singing Bass ThinkGeek $39.99

AT-AT Dog Costume ThinkGeek $14.99

The Star Wars Cook Book Amazon from £25.77

Inflatable Jabba The Hut ThinkGeek $169.99

Lightsaber BBQ Tongs FindMeAGift £16.99

Death Star Mood Light IWOOT £14.99

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Death Star Waffle Maker Amazon from $89.99

Death Star Ice Mold ThinkGeek $12.99

The Force Awakens Makeup Covergirl from $5.49

Millenium Falcon Cutting Board IWOOT £19.99

H

Han Solo Carbonite Mini Fridge ThinkGeek $159.99

CrossFire Saber Wiper Tag WiperTags $19.00

Marc Ecko Reversible Chewbacca Hoodie eBay from £207.27

Band-Aids Amazon from $2.88

Jelly Belly Star Wars Jelly Beans Amazon £4.49

R2-D2 Stained Glass Lampshade Etsy $400.00

X-Wing Knife Block FindMeAGift £48.99

Millenium Falcon Cockpit Bed Pottery Barn $3999.00Mill

Light-Up Chop Sticks ThinkGeek $14.99

Sphero BB-8 Droid Amazon from £134.99

R2-D2 & C-3PO Spice Shakers ThinkGeek $19.99

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12 DAYS OF Creative people often have peculiar tastes which can make it hard to guess what their dream Christmas present would be. So take a look at our list of practical, thoughtful and inspiring presents for all art fans.

Words: Julia Tsilman Subsription to VNA

“The Photographer ’s Playbook: 307 Assign ments and Id eas” by Jason Fulford & Gregory Halpern

£24

Surprise somebody you love with a subscription to a quarterly magazine about urban art - Very Nearly Almost - that’s loved for its superb interviews and photography.

£15 The challenges, tips and ideas found in this book will push photography enthusiasts to experiment, take risks and think outside the box.

“The Fox and the Sta r ” by Coralie Bickford- Smith

£19 The winner of Waterstones Book of the Year for 2015, this book’s heart-warming story and magical illustrations make a stunning Christmas present.

“Ar tist Paint Drip Glass” e xclusive to Tate Mod ern

£10

One of Tate Modern’s bestsellers, this glass will pretty up any kitchen table.

Win sor & NewtonAr tists’ Watercolour Set of 18 and 24

£24.95 / £44.95 High-quality watercolour sets which would make a perfect gift for aspiring illustrators and fine artists. Tip: best served with watercolour paper.

Lomo Kon struktor F

£33

It’s fun to get your hands on a new film camera, but nothing beats the excitement of using your own hands to build one.

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GIFT-MAS You can easily please a music lover with anyhing music related.

But if you are short on interesting and fun ideas, we got your back!

Words: Karolina Zilenaite

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Cassette MP

Coldplay “A Hea d Full of Drea m s”“

£10.93

Player

if you’re looking for something a bit more different, the cassette mp3 player is a great idea! It looks unique, vintage, yet still does its job as a mp3 player.

£9.99 The new album is out, and it has swept the music world in a flash. It’s a perfect end-of-the-year present! Don’t forget to read the review!

Mechanical music bo x set

£18.10

A fun and creative way to make their very own melodies that can be played on the music box instantly!

Papa Roach’s (ugly) Christmas sweater

£30.30 The best combination you can get - still get that rock n’ roll feeling, yet spread Christmas spirit at the same time.

Tickets to Muse’s concer t in Lond on

from £82.50 The megastars Muse are back and they are bringing the noise to London next year!

Don’t miss out and grab those tickets while their still hot.

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Ma rshall por table speaker

£179 An expensive choice for a gift, but no one can beat Marshall at the game of the best sound. And the design is signature flawless Marshall.

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Contribut Corey Armishaw Favourite film released this year: Ex Machina Favourite Christmas movie: The Muppets Christmas Carol Looking forward to watch: Assassins Creed

Tiasha Simon Favourite film released this year: Birdman Favourite Christmas movie: The Grinch Looking forward to watch: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Tenelle Ottley-Matthew

Favourite film released this year: Avengers: A ge of Ultron Favourite Christmas movie: The Polar Express Looking forward to watch: The Jungle Book

Fu Lei Favourite film released this year: Mad Max Favourite Christmas movie: The Nightmare Before Christmas Looking forward to watch: The Danish Girl

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tors’ Picks Lauren Burgess Favourite film released this year: Whiplash Favourite Christmas movie: Die Hard Looking forward to watch: Dead Pool

Karolina Zilenaite Favourite film released this year: Furious 7 Favourite Christmas movie: Home Alone Looking forward to watch: Suicide Squad

Julia Tsilman Favourite film released this year: Inside Out Favourite Christmas movie: Love Actually Looking forward to watch: Finding Dory

Special Guest:Jason John

Favourite film released this year: Chappie Favourite Christmas movie: Rare Exports Looking forward to watch: Civil War

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