ARTS: MUSIC 19
THE FOUNDER February 2022
The Founder Recommends A
s part of a new feature, each issue of The Founder will feature some of our editor’s recommendations for their favourite songs, albums, and artists. So, have a read if you want to find something new to listen to or even be reminded of one of your own favourites.
Editor in Chief, Abra’s picks:
Favourite Artist: Jack Garratt
Favourite Song: Buttercup – Hippo Campus
Abra has chosen the British singer-songwriter and composer, Jack Garratt, as her favourite artist and loves his extensive discography, finding that ‘you can listen to one of his song’s no matter what mood you are in’. She says that she cries to some of his songs and then dances around the room to others. Situating Jack in a genre is hard, but he flicks between indie-pop, trip-hop, and alternative R&B, so there is something for everyone in his music. In 2016, he received the Critics’ Choice Award at the BRIT Awards and was BBC’s Sound of 2016. Abra saw him live in that year when he toured his debut studio album, Phase, and still listens to him daily.
The final song on their 2017 album Landmark, Abra recommends Hippo Campus’ track, Buttercup. She describes it as ‘one of the most feel-good tracks of all time, despite its break-up focused lyrics’ and finds particular happiness in the chorus of the song when the American indie rock band sing, ‘I’ll be fine on my own, she said, I don’t need you inside my head’. The band were formed in 2013 in Minnesota and have even performed at Reading and Leeds festival. Abra loves how the song builds with one big rise in power, and she draws attention to how cool the interaction of instrumentation and vocals is. Favourite Album: Recomposed: Vivaldi, The Four Seasons – Max Ritcher (The Deutsche Grammophon Recording) Recomposed is a modern adaptation of Vivaldi’s beloved Four Seasons. The album takes you through Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. Using only 25% of Vivaldi’s original material, Richter loops and phases parts to create a minimalistic, postmodern soundscape. Abra has been playing violin for 15 years, so has been forced into her fair share of Four Seasons rehearsals and performances with high school and college orchestras, but she thinks it is very refreshing to hear a new take on the piece. The opening to Spring featured at the very top of her Spotify Wrapped playlist for 2021.
Source: Flickr, WFUV Public Radio
Review: Turnstile Live at O2 Forum, Kentish Town ARIEL TANDIARAK | CONTENT WRITER
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lectric doesn’t do justice to what Baltimore’s finest sound like live. Turnstile returns to the U.K with their debut live performances of their latest album GLOW ON which received critical acclaim in the latter half of 2021, reaching number 30 in the Billboard Charts. The hardcore prodigy capitalised on the UK’s recent dropping of COVID restrictions to give new and long-time fans a chance to experience a taste of this new wave of hardcore punk rock that America has to offer, with support from West London’s own, Chubby and the Gang.
Their powerhouse performance at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town channels aspects of punk shows of yesteryear and twists them with their own unique blend of a multitude of genres all packed into a pink and cloudy hardcore package. A shirtless Brendan Yates (vocalist) and hooded Franz Lyons (bassist) lead the rowdy crowd in enticing mosh pits and crowd surfing all to the sound of teeth grinding guitars riffs and groovy drum lines supported by Brady Ebert (lead guitar), Pat McCrory (rhythm guitar), and Daniel Fang (drums). In his performance, Yate’s fuels his inner Fugazi and Black Flag attitude by letting himself be taken by the rhythm of music. He mixes in karate kicks with the swaying of his hips as well as the occasional flip to further his stage presence. His movement is complemented by Franz’s frantic ballet twirls as he tries not to let the g-forces take hold of his bass. Fang, clothed this time, has the sitting crowd above bumping in unison to his atmospheric playing as he provides the backbone to the tempo of their headbanging in the echoey halls of the O2, while guitarists Ebert and McCrory both in power stances pluck out the jarring melodies that drive the whole concert.
