Tempus Mag UK Autumn 2020

TEMPUS

ISSUE one autumn EDITION

WELCOME! HELLO AND WELCOME TO THIS edition OF TEMPUS MAGAZINE. THIS EDITION reflects on RELEASES BETWEEN SEPTEMBER AND NOVEMBER 2020, AND WHAT A PERIOD THAT WAS! DESPITE EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED, MUSIC REALLY FLOURISHED AND SOME AMAZING ALBUMS AND SINGLES were released! many of which we have reviewed here for you!

I HOPE YOU ENJOY THIS EDITION OF TEMPUS!

THE TEAM EDITOR- MYRTLE GOLDSMITH DEPUTY EDITOR- MASON MEYERS SUBEDITORS- CAITLIN WEBB & RACHAEL GARVEY DESIGN- MYRTLE GOLDSMITH

WRITERS- MASON MEYERS, DUNCAN ROUYER, CAITLIN WEBB, SAM CHALLIS, CHARLEY MURFITT, DYLAN HAZELL, LIWIA BARWINSKA, RACHAEL GARVEY TONICHA GILBERT

CONTENTS THIS SEASONS SNIPPETS!

PAGE 4

LIVE AT THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL - ARCTIC MONKEYs

PAGE 6

GENDER ROLES

PAGE 8

NIGHTMARE VACATION - RICO NASTY

PAGE 14

USE ME - PVRIS

PAGE 16

COOL GIRL - DODIE

PAGE 19

SUNDARA KARMA

PAGE 20

POSITIONS - ARIANA GRANDE

PAGE 28

MAN’S WORLD - MARINA

PAGE 31

SARPA SALPA

PAGE 32

STICK TO WHAT YOU KNOW - SARPA SALPA

PAGE 35

COPYCAT KILLER - PHOEBE BRIDGERS

PAGE 36

SONGS - ADRIANNE LENKER

PAGE 38

THE MANDALORIAN SEASON 2

PAGE 41

LUNA BLUE

PAGE 44

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THIS SEASONS SNIPPETS

B

BILLBOARD AWARDS 2020

ack in business, October saw The Billboard Music Awards return as if nothing had even happened. With a no-nonsense attitude, the show went on as it would

every year - minus the buzz of a live audience of course - and with few remarks about The Virus That Shall Not Be Named.

Post Malone scored himself the most awards, securing nine in total including Top Artist. Billboard atoned for their 2019 mistake of lacking in hip-hop performers by having Ty Dolla Sign perform with R&B singer Brandy. Swae Lee also performed with Kane Brown and Khalid, who took home the award for Top R&B Artist.

Stand out moments included K-pop megastars BTS effortlessly performing Dynamite from the Icheon Airport of their hometown, Seoul; Bad Bunny devoting his win of Top Latin Act to women, declaring “Down with violence against women!”; and of course, oozing with sophistication in a dress painted with “VOTE”, Lizzo dedicated her acceptance speech for Top Song Sales Artist to empower viewers.

Referring to the looming election she asked: “would I be here now if it weren’t for the big Black women who refused to have their voices be suppressed?”

While it may not have been the norm, Billboard still managed to showcase a memorable show.

WORDS BY TONICHA GILBERT

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Kanye FINALLY appeared on the Joe Rogan podcast

I

n true Yeezy style, Kanye West made a last-minute appearance on the Joe Rogan Experience Podcast, years after

the original announcement this Autumn.

Right in line with his late but memorable 2020 presidential campaign, the Louis Vuitton Don graced Rogan’s new red studio in Austin Texas to talk about pretty much anything the Podcast host could get him to rant about. From Jesus to Star Wars, episode 1554 of the podcast was arguably one of the most memorable in the history of the hit show. And luckily for Ye, he managed to avoid any major controversy’s and even talked sense.

WORDS BY MASON MEYERS

There’s A New Foo Fighters Album On The Way! Rock icons Foo Fighters have announced their 10th studio album Medicine at Midnight is on the way and debut new Single Shame Shame. This will be the bands first new music since 2017’s Concrete and Gold which reached number 1 on both the Billboard Charts and the UK Official Charts. In an interview with NME Dave Grohl stated that the new album will have more of a party feel than their previous work. Originally scheduled for a 2020 release, Medicine at Midnight has been pushed back thanks to Covid-19 and is now set to release February 5th 2021.

WORDS BY SAM CHALLIS

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live at the royal albert hall arctic monkeys WORDS BY MASON MEYERS

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rctic Monkeys have proved in the past decade and a half that they are unequivocally one the best live bands to ever grace the stage of guitar music.

However, six albums in, Arctic Monkeys have yet to release a live album; that was until now. Live at the Royal Albert Hall sees the Sheffield superstars playing their hottest songs from every major release so far.

Starting with their 2018 hit Four Out Of Five, the Monkeys fill the room with synthesisers, mystery and a good dash of Bowie-esque, northern crooning sex appeal from frontman Alex Turner.

The vibe created by this slow and sexy opener is then instantly dismantled with follow up track, Brianstorm. Smooth is replaced with energetic, and jangly piano parts are replaced with an equally beautiful feature from an onslaught of Londoners chanting the iconic guitar melody; the result is

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PHOTO BY AARON PARSONS

anything but “calm [and] collected”, as the lyrics would suggest.

The moody anthemic crowd-pleasing tunes continue to work their way through the tracklist, with the boys playing their dark, slow fan favourite hits Crying Lightning and Do I Wanna Know?. Booming bass, buttery-soft vocals, and Matt Helders’ powerful drum performances drive these songs to blissful perfection.

The real highlights of the album, however, come in the form the inclusion of some of the more under-appreciated Monkeys gems. The inclusion Pretty Visitors, Knee Socks and the “life threatening” The View from The Afternoon provide perfect fan service for die-hard Arctic Monkeys songs.

Live At The Royal Albert Hall has once again provided the Arctic Monkeys with a classic album and is a complete triumph in live album creation. A single listen to this incredible album is sure to get anyone “really bloody in the mood”.

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photo by Chiara Gambuto

GENDER O L E S

M

ixing

punk

and

grunge

with

britpop-esque

choruses, Gender Roles provide nostalgia while cre-

ating a unique sound. With their second album in the making and their name on Download festival’s line-up, the Brighton band is looking at a bright future. From ‘toilet venues’ to touring Europe, the band is now at the forefront of the circuit they love and are poised to reach the top. As the guitarist

Tom said, they’re planning on

“World domination in a friendly polite way”

I

sat down with Jordan, the band’s drummer. By which I mean I sat in my kitchen, him in his living room and a zoom call connecting us. The first ques-

tion asked was “are you planning on using the video recording?” Him in a sweatshirt and hat, me, fresh off a plane, we both seemed tired. No one will see the recording. Despite my weary voice, sparkles of excitement came out of his eyes when talking about his band.

We started with small-talk around Christmas. He then jumped straight into it and told me how he was staying in Brighton but how the studio he was supposed to record at was not accessible anymore. In a disappointed voice he said “our producer got COVID the night before, and it got cancelled. They’ve got to quarantine forever now, and they’re tier 4 now, whatever that means...” Their plan was to find the perfect studio and get acclimatised quickly so that they could start recording straight away.

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photo by Chiara Gambuto

F

ollowed by how they met, he leaned forward and started to personify his mate’s voices to tell me how they met at a party in 2015. “We met in my old

g

flat, one of those party flats and were like ‘oh...., should we make a band? Okay!’.

You know how it’s like, ‘he plays drums’, ‘ah okay, I’ve got some songs’ You know, the usual story and then we just wanted to play some gigs with our mates in Brighton, and now they’ve all split up, so we’ve got to carry on. That’s the start of it, and then it moved on to being able to tour and shit, that’s what we’ve always wanted to do so yeah, it’s been sick!”

Moving the conversation forward to the album they’re working on, Jordan explained how COVID-19 has changed their plans. “We would have basically just been touring all this year but we’ve kind of just been in the studio as much as we could instead, every day after work and we wrote the second album”. He was hesitant to say more but explained how the amount of material they created fits into two different projects. In his words “it seems to be going into two vague cat-

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egories, both sonically and emotionally”.

W

r

hen asked about the general narrative within their first album and the theme they’re currently working on, he expanded slightly on Prang’s

meaning “’prang’ is a word for us to define a sort of worry and anxiety, something around these feelings. So, everything came out in the lyrics related to that”.

Jordan also expanded on singer Tom’s capacity of coming up with words and Lyrics. He said in an envious voice “Bennet has a fantastic way of creating these little worlds for every song and it’s like immediate, as soon as we start playing, he comes up with these words, and then he’s like: ‘ohh no, it’s about this guy and this girl, and they’re going to a swimming pool but like she’s afraid of swimming’. He will just say something random like that, and the it’s decided what the narrative is and I kind of envy that as a songwriter as well”.

The conversation then shifted into talking about their first album more in-depth, and he explained how the album cover reflects the theme, Prang being around the idea of home and the way people perceive it. With a twitching smile he said “We don’t talk too much about specifics and Bennet would never explain exactly what a song is about ‘cause it’s not about anything specific but we kind of dug going

“They’ve made up their own idea of whatever Prang is and that’s way cooler than us telling you!”

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around playing all these songs and seeing how people reacted to it. It means something to all these other people; we don’t want to talk about it. It’s just killer to go and see all these other people go crazy at these songs and singing the words.

They’ve made up their own idea of whatever Prang is and that’s way cooler than us telling you”.

A

fter cutting me short on my quest for the specifics, I went on to chat about touring and Brighton’s live circuit. We had a chat about the cancelled gigs

and the upcoming festivals. It seems like the band has reached some success in Germany as he told me about the festivals there that they are playing again. Although, he remained sceptical, seeing festivals as a “bonus” and emphasised that their main focus is on the album. Nonetheless, he went on to tell me about their

photo by Chiara Gambuto

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next gig at the Chalk in Brighton on the 28th of January with a happy tone, although it may not happen regarding Brighton going into tier 4. Overall, they are ready to face the challenge of socially distanced and cancelled gigs. Their main goal being to have a laugh and make each other laugh as he said later “the main goal is to make each other laugh, that’s all we really try and do. And then if we can make some music it’s like WOO that’s cool!”

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anting to know more about their inspiration and looking wearily at my sheet of questions while he was looking at the screen waiting expres-

sionless, I came up with “When you jump in the studio what do you guys play to warm up?” In previous years, the band played frantic cover sets at Sticky Mikes Frog Bar in Brighton reflecting on their punk and rock roots. He leaned back and laughed “at the moment we usually just end up playing some really heavy metal songs like really heavy metal stuff, and it’s really technical stuff ‘cause I don’t know it’s just fun, but it sounds fucking crazy it’s like we need to get it out of our system to be able to write some Gender Roles music.”

Finally, when I felt like the vibe was right to ask my rather pertinent question “How has getting pissed helped you to move forward?” I asked him, linking how they met with how they signed to Big Scary Monster. We laughed and Jordan said “I thought about it as well. I think it’s easy to get carried away with that shit but we’re only really doing this to have fun right? So, we’re making each other laugh.

Like, when we’re on tour, when we’re with each other doing whatever” WORDS BY DUNCAN ROUYER

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nightmare vacation RICO NASTY WORDS BY CAITLIN WEBB

R

ico Nasty isn’t a stranger to putting her heart and soul into new releases, having made her name through fiery mixtapes for the majority of this

cursed decade, but 2020 marks genuinely new ground for the punky powerhouse of trap. As well as spending the year promoting her previous singles through TikTok, where she’s inspired countless women of colour to show off their alternative aesthetics in subcultures like goth and steampunk that are so often whitewashed, she’s been recording material for her debut studio album Nightmare Vacation.

You’d be well within your rights to worry that a studio venture from someone so tied to independent, uncensored releases would take away some of her magic, but this record shows Rico Nasty to be as characterful as ever.

As she’s done throughout her career, Rico Nasty refuse to be boxed in by the limitations of genre. Nightmare Vacation blends her distinctive snarling verses with elements of trap, nu-metal, punk and even the emerging genre of hyperpop. IPHONE, produced by 100 Gecs’ Dylan Brady, is probably the best example of this; the spikiness of Rico Nasty’s vocal delivery is a perfect match for the rapid-fire pitch shifts we often see in hyperpop. Brady’s beat, more like an over-revved engine than anything else, propels the track forward while Rico has an opportu-

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nity to show off her voice with incredibly catchy melodies. A personal favourite track that also highlights Rico’s proclivity for genre-bending is 10FO. Boasting a darker, more twisted beat with the kind of industrial influences found in bands like Ho99o9, this track masterfully adds tension to Rico’s raspy delivery

T

his is preceded by singles like STFU and

OHFR?, which are more “classic Rico” with their energetic delivery and endearing aggression. The

lyrics on OHFR? in particular position her confident punk-inspired appearance and attitude as a point of pride; like a studded jacket, she’s basically untouchable.

Lines like “I do the same thing that you do, it’s just with me they feel it” definitely carry the same righteous rage as sends she’s put out before like Smack A Bitch.

I am resigned to mention that particular song, though, because it’s remixed at the end of Nightmare Vacation with artists like Sukihana and Ppcocaine and it’s just…not it. Ppcocaine’s rise to TikTok fame during the first lockdown now feels incredibly tired, making this track one of the only songs on this record I’d recommend skipping.

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use me PVRIS

WORDS BY SAM CHALLIS

I

t seemed like everything that could’ve gone wrong, did, for American electro-pop/alternative band Pvris and the release of their third full length LP Use

Me. Initially scheduled for release on May 1st, the album was pushed back not once, but twice due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Things got worse when the album was leaked for the world to hear back in June and the final nail in the coffin came just two days before the album’s release when guitarist and founding member, Alex Babinski, had to unfortunately be fired from the band due to allegations made against him. Despite all this, Use Me was finally released on August 28th.

Use Me is the first release from Pvris to be an outlet from solely Lynn Gunn after she made the announcement that she would be taking complete creative control of the band. Because of this Use Me is easily the most personal release of Pvris’ discography, focusing heavily on themes of depression, uncertainty and vulnera-

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bility that the band’s previous outings only slightly dabbled in.

U

se Me was preceded by two singles released earlier this year. The first of which, Dead Weight, instantly became one of Pvris’ defining tunes; the

catchy drum hook mixed with the fuzzy bass and various synth sounds presented throughout complement Lynn Gunn’s uniquely dark and instantly recognisable voice to create a track that perfectly evolves the Pvris sound without straying too far from what we’ve come to expect from the band. Dead Weight is textbook Pvris: dark electro-pop with fuzzy guitars and catchy choruses. On the contrary, the second single, Gimmie A Minute, sounds like nothing Pvris have released before.

The song starts off sparse, with just Lynn’s vocals over a synth. The instruments

youtube

gradually build, first with the high hats followed by some light drumming and a

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muted guitar line. It’s not until 2 thirds into the song where the guitars and bass fully kick in and the final 40 seconds provide an all-out Knights of Cydonia style guitar jam that may well be the catchiest riff of Pvris’ discography.

P

vris made the decision to include three of the tracks off 2019’s Hallucinations EP on the track list for Use Me, those being Death of Me, Hallucinations and

Old Wounds. This is a bold move, especially since they’re all clumped together right in the middle of the album. If you’re familiar with the Hallucinations EP this may seem to disrupt the album’s flow, however they will begin to fit better on subsequent listens and will eventually become one with the rest of the album.

Elsewhere, tracks like Loveless, Good To Be Alive and January Rain provide somber moments to truly kick back and appreciate Lynn Gunn’s craft, especially January Rain with its looping snare pattern and background vocal samples that will most definitely go on to become one of Pvris’ best deep cuts. January Rain leads beautifully into the album’s title track Use Me. One of Lynn Gunn’s best vocal performances to date, Use Me features hip hop artist 070 Shake whose addition perfectly complements Gunn. The album closes with the upbeat and incredibly catchy Wish You Well. Serving as a light at the end of a dark tunnel, Wish You Well thrives on its funky bass line and provides some much-needed happiness on such a vulnerable album.

Use Me had a lot to live up to but Lynn Gunn managed to shatter all expectations, taking Pvris in a new direction without losing sight of the band that so many love.

Pvris have an incredible track record and Use Me only adds to their near perfect discography and brings more excitement for the return of live music. Look out for the future of Pvris, they’ll no doubt become one of the biggest bands of the 21st Century.

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COOL GIRL DODIE

A

s one of the newest songs released off Dodie’s new

album, To Build A Problem, Cool Girl is a throwback to the singer-songwriter’s early music that so many fell in love with. The artist made her fame on YouTube through her vibrant personality and ukulele backed ballads about love and her life, namely Adored By Him and She. This slow and moody song detailing a need to be different but equally blend in with those around you relates to much of what an average teenage girl goes through; the struggle of trying to find yourself in a relationship, not wanting to stick out from your peers, not wanting to upset your boyfriend or make a fuss. The plodding nature of the song as a backdrop to these equally sad and doting lyrics leads me to envision this song in an indie coming of age film such as Lady Bird, painfully relatable as a young woman in a stingingly comforting way. The gentle guitar and Dodie’s soft, wilting voice creates a calming atmosphere for the lyrics of self-suppression to pierce through. Overall, as an old fan Dodie’s, I intend to thoroughly enjoy this new, but nostalgic, era of Dodie in comparison to her more poppy and upbeat tracks.

WORDS BY CHARLEY MURFITT

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S U N DARA

O K

A R M A

FF THE BACK OF SUNDARA KARMA’S NEW EP KILL ME, MASON MEYERS CATCHS UP WITH LEAD SINGER OSCAR POLLOCK ON THE BACKGROUND SURROUNDING THE EP AND THE PAST YEAR

“we’re not hopping around, we’re honing in with each release.”

I

t’s 2 pm on a dull Wednesday and Sundara Karma frontman Oscar Pollock sits alone in a Zoom waiting room. On the other side of the call is me, a frantic interviewer, desperately trying to mop up the spilt tea from my

laptop keyboard that was forcing my laptop to restart and making me look like a Zoom interview newbie.

Eventually, we are united for the first time, the screen flicking on to show Oscar sat in his East London home, his blonde hair hanging down by his black mosquito-emblemed long-sleeve. Me, flustered and dishevelled and Oscar, looking particularly blurry, exchange our first pleasantries. A quick-fire quiz round and a chat about live music brings us together, building a connection seemingly stronger than the WIFI’s hosting the two of us.

Oscar Pollock famously loves Westlife, with the Irish ex-heartthrobs making

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appearances from time to time on his social media pages. However, as the interview progresses Oscar reveals that the Sligo four overlook him. Hung on his wall in what – due to the pianos, speaker systems and computers – can only be assumed to be his home studio, was a huge poster of 90s icons. “Pretty cool right?” It was pretty cool, in the kind of so uncool, it’s ironically cool way.

O

scar comes across as a champion of young people. From his positive messages on social media to the themes found in his lyrics, everything Oscar

stands for revolves around love and acceptance. He talks for a bit about young people being used by big industries for their free labour. “All that free work stuff really pisses me off. What you have is people that come from a very privileged background, and they are the only ones that can afford to work in that structure.

What you end up with is a whole generation of people in these positions that are

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only there because they could afford to work for free.”

T

his release sees the band changing styles dramatically, something we have seen them do throughout their whole musical career. The Reading boys

dip their toes into multiple different musical pools, but state “we’re not hopping around, we’re honing in with each release.” The lyrical content found throughout the short five tracks on Kill Me are honestly raw, with lyrics about antidepressants and bulimia littering the EP’s title track. “This time around I’m being consciously introspective,” Pollock tells me.

As the interview progresses, it becomes more apparent that Oscar still worries about the sound of their music. “nothing I have done yet feels like the right move for me or has gone down smoothly.” Later the singer asks me about my feelings on the band’s evolving sound, seeming genuinely interested to find out the opinions of fans. “I’m interested to know that… we have chucked a variety of music out there, it’s good to know you haven’t been put off. It’s just good to know people like you exist, to be honest.”

I take this time to try and sneakily, frantically, pull up my notes. My laptop

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blares as the video I had been watching before the call makes its way across the

S

internet directly into Oscar’s headphones. He looks confused but chuckles away my schoolboy error and continues to answer my question about the past year.

A year with no live music for a singer would usually be a hard sell, but with the whole world being in the same boat, it seemed Oscar has come to terms with live stream performances. “I think anything that can strengthen and bring value to communities right now is perfect, it’s what we need. “

B

ut what was the past year of Oscar’s life like? Darker lyrics indicated something sinister behind closed doors, something deeper than the struggle we

had all felt. Oscar was surprisingly open with talking about his mental health.

Hearing him voice his problems to me was more than a breath of fresh air; it was a gust of pure morphine. “It’s been a whirlwind, very up and down. Overall

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amazing, I’m very happy with the way things have turned out, but there have

k

definitely been moments of real desperation. I’ve really had to dig deep, and I got to know myself a lot better. “

O

scar planned a trip alone to India this year to deal with the struggles he had been facing; a trip that eventually never came to fruition. “I needed

to shock myself out of a really bad depressive episode”, Oscar told me about his need to explore the world, one that he felt he needed to do alone. However, the words of his peers “eventually got through” to him, convincing him not to go.

The trip to India, however, still happens in the lyrics of the EP’s title track, “fled to India, give you bulimia”. Whilst Pollock assured me that the lyrics were not autobiographical, he described the lyrics as a metaphor; one that works in place for the old tired “the grass is always greener on the other side” trope.

Despite fame and a fan base, the biggest shining quality of Oscar Pollock was just how human and in touch with his emotions he was. “Unfortunately, I think a lot of the suffering I have experienced is because, I want what I don’t have, and don’t want what I’ve got.” Whilst he is in a better place, self admittedly “okay”, his entire being seems to inhabit a cornucopia of conflicting emotions, ones he details throughout the EP. And as the interview ended and we said our final goodbyes, I wished him well, as he seems to be a man that deserves it.

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positions

youtube

ariana grande

G

WORDS BY DYLAN HAZELL

one are the Thank U, Next days of self-critiquing and introspection for Ariana Grande, with the surprise release of her confident, carefree album Po-

sitions. As she professes in the title-track single, she’s “switching the positions for you” - and switch things up, she certainly did. Grande’s sixth studio project is a refreshing change of genre, style and lyrical content, delving into previously unexplored areas of music for the artist, while still getting the best use out of her famously enchanting vocals.

The album opens with the orchestral-pop track Shut Up, a beautiful clash of pleasant strings and superbly juvenile lyrics. “If only you would shut up...”, Grande repeats in an impressive vocal run. Never have blatant insults sounded so sweet

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- this is a song that Lily Allen would be proud to release. The blend of sugar and salt continues in a pattern throughout the record; Six Thirty and Obvious delve into the singer’s sensual side, using warm strings to accompany her explicit lyrics. “If I put it quite plainly, just gimme them babies”, she practically laughs over the inuendo-filled 34+35.

P

ositions contains three featured artists, all of whom complement Grande’s unique tone impeccably. Doja Cat, who rose to fame in 2019 with her Bill-

board Number 1 song Say So, acts as the perfect support for the funky Motive. Her growly, gritty rap is a stark contrast to Grande’s fluffy vocals, but they’re surprisingly well suited. Off the Table presents Ariana Grande and The Weekend’s second collaboration after their 2014 hit Love Me Harder, and this follow-up is equally as sensual and evocative. A rare dip into romance over passion on this record, the R&B ballad explores the tribulations of finding love again after a long-term relationship, and regaining self-worth. “Do I sit this one out and wait for the next life?”, Grande and The Weeknd croon over a sultry beat. Ty Dolla Sign concludes the features on the album with the equally seductive Safety Net. A highlight of the record, this song’s addictive chorus follows Grande’s lack of emotional self-preservation as she seeks new relationships. Acting as her voice of confidence, Ty Dolla Sign encourages her motives throughout; “You know we came too far now girl/It’s time for you to play your part now.”

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rande’s most impressive vocals come in the form of POV and My Hair, the latter providing a jazzy interlude in the midway point of the R&B-fuelled

album. As she sings about (quite literally) letting down her hair for someone, she suddenly bursts into a full verse of whistle notes against the smooth steel drums.

It’s clear from this record alone that Ariana Grande has come to know her range well, and uses it to perfection. The soft ballad POV closes out the album and is easily the most heartfelt song, describing Grande’s desire to see herself from her lover’s viewpoint, in the hopes of understanding what makes her deserving of love; “For all of my pretty, and all of my ugly too/I’d love to see me from your point of view”. Her gentle voice follows the soaring strings of the chorus, making for a touching end to the record.

This project is probably best enjoyed having heard the two records prior to it, Sweetener and Thank U, Next. Going from lyrics of such pain and anguish, to being on a clear path of self-acceptance and love gives this record a unique breath of fresh air in Ariana Grande’s discography. At the end of a very difficult year for many, this feelgood record came just in time to bring some much-needed tranquility. Some albums are just made for comfort listening in cold winter months,

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and Positions is one of them.

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Man’s World MARINA

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n a sharp departure from crushing men’s hearts and dreaming of being a homewrecker, MARINA’s new single Man’s World rings in a new era of ethereal

feminism for the artist best known for songs like Primadonna Girl and Bubblegum Bitch. Still maintaining her well-loved wit, she has managed to encapsulate the everywoman’s thoughts in one perfectly crafted song. The song delves into how capitalism intersects with the patriarchy in references to the murdering of gay men being carried out by rich tycoons who own capital in America. This socially aware dig at the people in power and the world we live in tied up with a beautiful slow melody is the politest slap in the face to men holding up these toxic ideals.

The lyrics are not only truthful but clever and paint a vibrant picture. MARINA sings of the juxtaposition between the burning of so-called witches to men in the modern day calling women bitches for similar reasons in the first verse alone, and goes onto to ask to not be punished for not being a man- not only is the song beautiful in melody and production but highlights the mass oppression felt by so many nowadays.

WORDS BY CHARLEY MURFITT

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S AR P A A L P A N

orthampton based Sarpa Salpa are a five-piece band who are prominent members of the Midlands alt-pop scene. Having been

played on Jack Saunders’ indie show, where they earned resounding support for their 2019 EP Say Something, they’ve been dubbed as one of alt-pop’s most promising and exciting acts. I sat down with their guitarist, George, to discuss the new Sarpa Salpa and their plans for the future.

WORDS BY CHARLEY MURFITT

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Q: What was the inspiration around ‘Stick To What You Know?’

A: The song was written largely as a reminder to ourselves to pursue our dreams despite what a lot of people might say or think. I think so many people give up on their dreams to follow a stable job because it’s the normal thing to do and we wanted to encourage people not to settle for a job they can’t stand.

Q: Your first single ‘She Never Lies’ is now three years old. How do you think the band has developed since then?

A: The band has changed quite a lot since then. We were all in different places back then both mentally and geographically. When we started the band and wrote those songs we were still very much trying to find our feet. ‘She Never Lies’ became the song that pointed us in the direction where we wanted to take this band and since then we have been trying to refine that further.

Q: For a first time listener, which of your songs would you recommend to listen to?

A: That’s an interesting question. I’d say there are two different eras of Sarpa Salpa. Everything up to our debut EP Say Something was written and recorded when we were a four piece and that’s affected our songs so those tracks are a good place to start.

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However, since the release of ‘Forwards Backwards’ we’ve entered the second era of the band including our latest single ‘Stick To What You Know’. The next few tracks are more of this vibe and also a great place to start if you want to understand where we are at as a band now!

Q: Has the pandemic changed how you’re writing, producing music, and promoting your band?

A: Our writing process has changed a lot during the pandemic, previously someone would come in with a rough idea for a song and then during rehearsals we would hash it out as the five of us. During the pandemic we’ve not been able to do that so we’re getting a lot more used to writing individually on our computers which is leading to a lot of different ideas being created. There is also a noticeably more amount of synths on these new songs since they are the main thing we can record from home!

Q: What are you looking forward to when you can go back to touring?

A: Just the feeling of being on stage playing music together. We’ve fortunately been able to get together in rehearsals recently- honestly the feeling of being in that room with everyone was the best I’ve felt during the pandemic. Playing live is a huge thing for us and definitely our favourite part of being a band.

Q: Have you got anything exciting planned music-wise in 2021?

A: We’re planning on releasing our sophomore EP in the new year which is very exciting. This is the first collection of tracks we’ll have released as a five piece and we’re super proud of how they have turned out! We’re scheduled to go on tour in March, this will be our second headline tour and we’re looking forward to playing a lot of new venues in cities that we’ve not been to before!

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stick to what you know sarpa salpa

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nother underrated banger from the Northampton-based band Sarpa Salpa, Stick To What You Know is a poppy release. The upbeat track with notions

of breaking from the status quo is another shining feather in the indie-pop band’s cap. Stick To What You Know is the kind of song that you can’t help but bop your head to, and will be a huge success at live shows. The pop-like melody tells of breaking your own limits and people’s expectations. Upon first listen, the lyric ‘get yourself a better career’ was very reminiscent of the ‘work in cyber’ response from the government to struggling artists, and whether intentional in its release date or not, this song reigns true for many artists this year continuing to make music when everyone is against them. While it has a different feel from the band’s earlier work such as She Never Lies, this song as well as Forwards Backwards, rings in a new era and fresh sound for the band.

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WORDS BY CHARLEY MURFITT

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COPYCAT KILLER

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PHOEBE BRIDGERS

orget hot girl summer, Phoebe Bridgers gave us a sad girl year.

Just five months after releasing her Grammy-nominated LP Punisher, the 25-yearold Californian singer-songwriter gifted us with a captivating rendition of four of Punisher’s best on her Copycat Killer EP, with a little bit of tweaking from producer and arranger Rob Moose (who has also worked with Taylor Swift, FKA Twigs and Bon Iver).

The EP lays itself out as a beautifully arranged, string accompanied remix of four songs from Bridgers’ second studio album. The eerie and shrill orchestral interpretations of the songs heighten the ever-present anxieties of the singer-songwriter, while lustre violins harmonise almost idyllically with Bridgers’ vocals. It is nothing short of perfect.

Kyoto already had an orchestral twist with it’s horn section, but the rearranged piece leaves it’s predecessor for dead (if you’re a sucker for sloweddown sad songs, like me).

Phoebe whispers her lyrics

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about imposter syndrome, Elliott Smith’s heavy influence on her music going unmissed in this particular delivery.

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he reimagining of Saviour Complex, on the other hand, is heart wrenching.

Her vocals at the forefront, accompanied by soaring cellos. It’s a head-in-

hands realisation, an ode to an ungrateful partner, a yearning for emotional stability. These ideas are just amplified by the piercing and transcendental string instruments. The culminating lines of this track, “All the bad dreams that you hide/Show me yours” will ring hauntingly in your mind for days – just as Phoebe intended.

In Copycat Killer, the orchestral reimagining of the songs only elevates the wavering emotions that were already there in the originals. This somewhat unusual idea (for an indie artist at least) throws lyricism into the spotlight, Phoebe’s voice trembling at the very front. It was delicately curated, raising the bar for herself once more.

Thank god for Phoebe Bridgers.

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WORDS BY LIWIA BARWINSKA

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SONGS ADRIANNE LENKER WORDS BY RACHAEL GARVEY

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s we come to the end of a borderline traumatic year, now is a good time to look back on what we’ve lost and prepare for the new chapter ahead of us.

Adrianne Lenker (more commonly known as the frontwoman for Big Thief) does exactly this with her newest album ‘songs’; a record all about loss in life, chapters ending and new beginnings.

Opening track two reverse introduces the folk sound that Lenker’s solo projects are so well known for. The track is gentle, with a guitar that flows seamlessly alongside the soft vocals that guide you through the whole record. While some artists like to merge sad lyrics with upbeat melodies, Lenker decides against it. She sits in the sad reality with the melancholy music and details what it is she is feeling.

In this album’s case, it’s loss. The line “Is it a crime to say I still need you?” indicates this loss perfectly. There is however a sense of nostalgia that comes with two reverse, as Lenker sings the line:“Grandmother, Juniper / tell to me your recipe”.

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The line is short but it says enough:the nostalgic memories held within the mind of someone who has lost is better than nothing at all.

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he topic of loss carries on in the track anything, but this time it focusses on the loss of a relationship that Lenker would much rather keep a hold of.

The track itself is dream-like, with layered vocals that gently lull you through the song, along with a soft guitar that plays throughout. While anything is another track that allows one to sit in their sadness and contemplate it, there’s still a warm and welcoming nature to it.

The loss that Lenker feels crops up within the lyrics “Weren’t we the stars in heaven?/ Weren’t we the salt in the sea?”. These lines speak of two halves creating a whole; the sky would not be what it is without the stars, and so Lenker compares her relationship to that. She also covers the denial she feels when thinking about her relationship; not wanting to think about anyone or anything other than her partnerand what they had (“I don’t wanna talk about anything / I wanna kiss, kiss your eyes again / Wanna witness your eyes looking”).

zombie girl tells the story of Lenker’s sleep paralysis experience, in which she awoke next to someone who she knew to be dead: the zombie girl. This

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person seemed so real that Lenker could have reached out and touched them (“I sworn I could’ve felt you there / And I almost could’ve kissed your hair”), but she became aware that this experience was not reality (“But the emptiness withdrew me / From any kind of wishful prayer”); this is where the theme of emptiness comes into play. The lyrics “Emptiness / Tell me about your nature / Maybe I’ve been getting you wrong” attempt to understand this emptiness that she felt, and while she tries to understand it,she tries to rationalise it and fill it with something else (“Cover you with questions / Cover you with explanations / Cover you with music”).

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here’s a poeticism to ending songs on a song like my angel as it allows Lenker to do the thing she’s been avoiding this whole time: it allows her to let go.

Lenker can finally acknowledge the end of a previous chapter and begin a new one (“Wake to the bleeding blade of the sun / Returning to my oxygen”), preferably with someone new. Her angel.

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THE MANDALORIAN SEASON 2

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fter the disjointed disappointment that was the sequel trilogy, Star Wars’ adopted parent Disney decided to move in a different direction with the

beloved franchise and focus on episodic TV shows for the foreseeable future to support their new streaming service Disney+. With a metric tonne of new shows planned for the foreseeable future, including the highly anticipated “Obi wan Kenobi” and the long awaited return of Ewan McGreggor, it seems that Disney have found a new direction that works and have no plans to stop with Star Wars any time soon, but until they are released, fans have more than enough to tie them over thanks to the combined efforts of Star Wars mastermind Dave Filoni and soon to be legendary creator/producer/director Jon Favreau and their incredible brain child “The Mandalorian”.

(Spoilers ahead for both seasons of The Mandalorian).

Set five years after “Return of the Jedi”, “The Mandalorian” tells the story of Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal), or as he’s more commonly referred to “the Mandal-

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orian” or just “Mando”, a Mandalorian bounty hunter on one of his missions who discovers a child that is strong with the force. Mando and The Child bond across many missions to avoid The Child’s capture by the empire and the nefarious Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito) who wants The Child for himself, with occasional help from friends Greef Karga (Carl Weathers) and Cara Dune (Gina Carano). Once again split into eight 35-45 minute long episodes, Season 2 focuses on Mando’s search for more of his own kind and help return The Child to the mythical Jedi, meeting a handful of returning Star Wars characters along the way including Boba Fett (Temuera Morrison) and the live action debuts of Bo Katan (Katee Sackoff) and Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson).

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he world building in “The Mandalorian’’ is part of what makes it so special and season 2 brings this in spades. From the Tuskan Raiders on Tatoo-

ine, to Bo Katan’s snarky remark about Boba Fett being a clone, “The Mandalorian” successfully brings together the original trilogy, the prequel trilogy and “The Clone Wars” and “Rebels” TV shows to create a sense of coherence across

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the Star Wars universe that is often hard to find in other Star Wars media.

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ur two lead characters have both evolved with season 2. Mando feels more vulnerable and humanised this time around, coming to terms with

the deaths of his whole tribe and finding out that the way of the Mandalorian is just an ancient tradition followed by a minority of his kind. We often see Mando without his mask this time around, and thanks to Pedro Pascal’s fantastic acting we can feel just how uncomfortable Mando is without it. Despite this Mando is still just as badass as he was before, if not more thanks to his newly acquired jetpack. The Child feels a whole lot more life-like in season 2, compared to season 1 where he would often feel like little more than a plot device. Not only do we finally have a name for him, but he tends to move around more and have more of a personality. This is especially present in episode 2 where he is obsessed with trying to eat the frog lady’s eggs and somehow manages to get more despite Mando and the frog lady’s efforts to stop him, as well as in the season finale which includes a hilarious scene involving two Stormtroopers and the force.

Star Wars has managed to achieve universal acclaim with “The Mandalorian” (no small feat with Star Wars’ notoriously divisive and hard to please fans) and breathe new life into the once struggling franchise. For the first time since the release of “The Empire Strikes Back” 40 years ago Star Wars is on top of it’s game and will no doubt continue this with its future endeavors, whether TV or theatrical releases, thanks to two men who know exactly what they’re doing.

WORDS BY SAM CHALLIS

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LUNA BLUE

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he indie band Luna Blue started in their guitarist Ryan’s university halls, but they’re moving onto big things. As a band, Luna

Blue are closing in on 8,000 monthly listeners and have hopes of eventually playing Glastonbury alongside indie greats such as Foals. Ryan and I took a look at band life, inspirations and living through a pandemic.

Q. The band has been going for years now, what are some of your favourite things about being in a band?

A. When we first started, if I told myself we are going to sell out a venue in Brighton and hit 30k streams on a single I would’ve thought ‘Never in a million years!’

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so I love seeing our progression as a band and reaching goals that seemed impossible at times. Seeing people discovering our music and interacting with fans on social media as well as at our shows is so great as well.

Q. You’re self-described indie but more specifically, how would you describe your sound and who are your biggest inspirations?

A. I would say it’s a mix of Two Door Cinema Club’s earlier music such as ‘Something good could work’ and Don Broco, with a little dash of our own originality!

We also would like to think we’re quite funkyyy (yes with 3 ‘Y’s). For the band’s aesthetic we’ve taken heavy influences from Foals, as well as Two Door Cinema Club and Don Broco as mentioned above; we also all listen to a lot of chart music and try to implement popular trends into our music.

Q. What would your pick-up line be if you couldn’t tell girls you were in a band?

A.’’I seem to have lost my phone number. Can I have yours?’’... From experience it does seal the deal.

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Q. As regulars round Brighton, in your expert opinion, where in Brighton is your favourite place for a night out?

A. Since going to university, we don’t really do a huge amount of clubbing, more of a chill one on the beach with drinks‌ Somewhere you can hear each other talk!

But if we do go out for a little boogie and a tipple, Bar 32 is pretty cool.

Q. In the wake of the pandemic, how do you think coronavirus is going to affect your band and other emerging bands as well as the music industry as a whole?

A. It is a perfect time to push ourselves online seeing as everyone is sitting at home! This is a difficult situation and depends on how bands want to utilize this time.

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he upbeat indie rock quartet have just completed a, now commonplace, livestreamed gig in aid of the charity Animals Asia. The band performed 6

songs that were live recorded to a digital audience with the aid of additional instrumentalists and backing singers playing from the comfort of their own home, creating this wonderful visual of artists joining forces once more. It gives a warm tingly feeling seeing artists doing what they do best, even if it is on a screen. One of the many highlights on this show, besides the music, is the cameo from several pets and stuffed animals, all helping to aid the awareness of the Animals Asia charity- an adorable edition on screen. The final song of the night was a poignant and beautiful version of Michael Jackson’s ‘Earth Song’, recorded with a choir especially for the event, gave a somber but deserving end to this absolute success of a live event.

Keep up with Luna Blue at https://www.lunablueofficial.com/ and follow them on Instagram @lunablueofficial.

WORDS BY CHARLEY MURFITT

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