VOL. XXIV, Issue 2, OTwo

See Inside: Interview with Rusangano Family A Brief History of Bollywood Louis Copeland Fashion Shoot A Tour of Wales’ Capital Volume XXIV, Issue 2 10th October 2017

CONTENTS Arts & Literature Page 5 – 8 Games Page 9 Film & TV Page 10 – 13 Interview with Rusangano Family Page 14 – 16 Music Page 17 – 19 Food Page 21 Fashion Page 22 – 25 Travel Page 26 Aperture Page 27

CREDITS EDITOR Aoife Hardesty

ONLINE OTWO EDITOR Conor O’Boyle

DEPUTY EDITOR Ruth Murphy

CONTRIBUTORS Izzy Dempsey Ritika Sureka William Higgins Priscilla Obilana Sambhavi Sudhakar Tadgh Treacy Cormac Lehnen Paurush Kumar Arnoldas Jursys Megan McGrath Adam Lawler Aoife Mawn Daniel O’Brien Matthew Derwin Clara Brannigan Zoe Nicholson Bébhinn Campbell Megan Fennelly Lucy Byrne

ART & DESIGN EDITOR Joanne Olivia OTWO CO-EDITORS Claudia Dalby Orla Keaveney CHIEF OF ILLUSTRATIONS Meadhbh Sheridan CHIEF OF PHOTOGRAPHY Phoebe Ireland ARTS & LITERATURE EDITOR Dylan O’Neill GAMES EDITOR Katie Lalwani FILM & TV EDITOR Alexander Glover MUSIC EDITOR Cian Montague FOOD EDITOR Aurora Andrus FASHION EDITOR Shane Cullen

VISUAL CONTENT CONTRIBUTORS Rhea Cassidy Danielle Crowley Alex Fagan

Welcome to the second issue of OTwo magazine. Great to see you again!

We’ve got a brilliant issue lined up for this week, if we say so ourselves.

Last weekend, we bumped into each other on a walk, and remembered that we needed to take a photo for this issue of OTwo. Conveniently, Claudia’s friend with a professional camera happened to be walking on the same route. Lucky, right? Couldn’t have planned it any better if we had the choice.

Now, we know that UCD has gotten very political in the last few weeks.

You probably haven’t been able to get from one lecture to the next without hearing a certain name that rhymes with “fiasco.” However, OTwo magazine is a safe haven from all that chaos – in these pages, you’ll find entertainment of a far less Trump variety.

In the Film & TV section, you’ll find reviews of upcoming movie releases; a look at whether ‘Netflix and chill’ is replacing the romance of the cinema; some highly binge-worthy shows; and even a glimpse into the colourful world of Bollywood.

Meanwhile, our Games section takes a look at where the industry is headed in the next few years, from the amazing possibilities to the potential dark side.

The Food section serves up an interview with Ireland’s biggest food blogging duo and a serious investigation of Dublin’s best doughnuts.

Over in Fashion, we take a look at high-fashion in supermarkets, updates from New York Fashion Week, and the growing trend of women’s suits. Plus there’s an exclusive fashion shoot, showing UCD’s menfolk how to be really, really, ridiculously good-looking this autumn. Don’t worry that the pictures are so small: we’re pretty sure that in real life, the models are at least... three times bigger than that.

In Arts & Literature, we have a look at female characters in popular fiction, the favourite books of fellow students, an insight into Ireland’s exclusive artists’ association, a look at some of the best trope-defying genres, and original poetry from one of UCD’s resident writers.

Finally, check out the Music section to find out why The Weeknd’s ‘House of Balloons’ is a modern classic, get an insight into the work of the Rusangano Family, see our guide to Dublin’s upcoming gigs, hear what a popular UCD club is listening to, follow the highs and lows of Donald Glover’s music career, and read reviews of the latest albums (the one on Miley is deliciously scathing).

On top of all that, we have an exclusive interview with festival favourite Farah Elle, an article exploring Cardiff, our section editors’ picks of the best onscreen pets, super-legit horoscopes, this week’s ‘hot or not,’ and sage advice from everybody’s fave president, Andrew J. Geeks.

If the contents of this magazine inspire you, it’s not too late to sign up for our mailing list. This issue, first-time contributors got to enjoy perks like seeing new movies ahead of their release date and taste-testing some free doughnuts (if that doesn’t convince you, we don’t know what will). Simply google “University Observer,” scroll down on the website, click “Join the Team,” and fill in the short form to let us know which sections you want to hear about.

Anyway, we won’t hold you up any longer. There’s plenty to read in the following pages!

Hope you enjoy,

Orla and Claudia

Soapbox:

Not Slow Walkers but Stoppers

Mystic Mittens Aquarius Jan 20 – Feb 18 You are not going to fail that module, stop worrying, you’re in UCD. Enjoy your time here. It could be worse, you could be in Trinity.

Pisces Feb 19 – March 20 Like the fish you bear the sigil of House Tully, and just like this great house, you bear the motto: Family, Duty, Honor. Continue to uphold this proud zodiac and riches will be yours. I mean it’s not like you can change your star sign.

Aries March 21 – April 19 Be careful what you eat as you might get the shits.

Taurus April 20 – May 20 Strong and steadfast is the bull, but like the bull you must also be coerced to movement. So let me oblige; it’s Week 5 and that essay isn’t going to write itself. Get to work!

Gemini May 21 – June 20 It takes two to make a thing go right. A tango takes two. Two heads are better than one. Catch 22. And that’s my two cents on the issue.

Cancer June 21 – July 22 You got this!

Leo July 23 – Aug 22 Like the proud lion you are named after, you are the king, or queen, or gender-neutral ruler of your dominion. Don’t settle for second best, baby!

Virgo Aug 23 – Sep 22 Did you remember to log out of Facebook?

Libra Sep 23 – Oct 22 Hey, it’s your birthday or it’s almost your birthday, or it just was your birthday. Whatever the case, have a great day. You’re the best…for this issue.

Scorpio Oct 23 – Nov 21 You should also get excited for your birthday. You are loved, especially if your name is Shauna. Happy Birthday!

Sagittarius Nov 20 – Dec 21 Things might seem like the world is about to implode, but don’t worry. The Earth has existed for 4.5 billion years and hasn’t imploded just yet. Mind you, the dinosaurs may have thought the same before that meteor hit.

Capricorn Dec 22 – Jan 19 Just like Prof. Stephen Hawking, who is also a Capricorn, you’re smart enough to know that the position of the planets at the time of your birth have absolutely no impact on your life.

Most people go on J1s. Instead, I decided to get away from this country for a whole year altogether by going to Canada on exchange. Although an altogether excellent experience, it inevitably brought to light a few things I love about the Irish. We mock each other to the point of abuse.

We’ll talk to anyone or anything over a few pints. We alone know how to make a decent cup of tea. To sum up, we are excellent craic.

Unfortunately, that is not all which has been brought to my attention.

Although not evident upon my immediate return, it is now all I am able to see as I walk around campus. Forget Slow Walkers. I am referring to Stoppers. It has come to the point where I now dream of such people.

At no point in Canada did I crash into somebody because they just so happened to decide that the middle of a busy hallway was the perfect place to take out their phone, have a chat, or just ponder life in general. At all times there are seemingly millions of us who have 10 minutes to make it from one side of Newman to the other. Clearly, a Stopper’s goal is to force one to choose between taking the stairs at a jog, and subsequently enter the room panting, versus barging in mid opening-slide and sheepishly taking an aisle seat.

Although the hallway is rife with these idiots attempting to part the crowds like the Red Sea, I can still operate around them. The same cannot be said for those who partake in doorways. Here the Stoppers seem to operate on another level. I’m convinced that half the gatherings are pre-planned. Why don’t you just admit that they are? Lay down a picnic blanket and share your lunch. You would be creating the same knock on effect but at least I would know you planned to stay long-term and would then have time to find another exit.

What is it about the Irish that makes this in anyway acceptable?

Personally, I’m convinced that it’s a bit of a Tit for Tat situation. Whilst we are blessed with laid back and carefree demeanors, we are simultaneously cursed with those who seem to live by the phrase ‘Time is a Social Construct.’ Mind you, it doesn’t help that we are genetically predisposed to apologise at any point, rather than address the perpetrator with a well-deserved “Excuse me, what the actual fuck are you doing?”

Author: Izzy Dempsey Illustration: Meadhbh Sheridan

OTwo //

Advice from Andrew J. Geeks How do I get a pet squirrel in UCD?

I find myself relieved that the rodent sought is an actual animal rather than a member of the zoophiliac furry kingdom. I am of the opinion that the perfect pet mirrors the characteristics of its noble owner, so I think it appropriate that the intrepid questioner seeks a companion which only mates once or twice a year.

Squirrels are so ubiquitous to UCD that you shouldn’t be afraid to leap with senseless urgency on any of the little critters you spot. Eventually you’ll luck out and find one unconscious; passed out after finding a half empty can of Bulmers tossed in a bush.

You should note, however, that squirrels are experts at adapting to human environments and their nature, so once you’ve found yourself with an wide-eyed, enthusiastic forest friend, prepare for it to very quickly settle into a half-hearted and antagonistic, emotionally abusive relationship in which the brute takes advantage of your sensitive and forgiving disposition.

Do not be surprised if you return from a long day of studying to find your apartment trashed and your squirrel pal passed out drunk on the couch, covered in a dried coat of vomit.

Remember that squirrels cannot digest cellulose so plan its meals carefully.

How do I become President of the Students’ Union?

Alas! There’s nothing we need more than another civic-minded strain of the populace; a genuine, salt of the earth practitioner of the jesuitical arts. Before you expose yourself to the public eye, make sure to disassociate yourself from Young Fine Gael, Ógra Shinne Féin, Young Republicans, and the SU Memes Facebook page.

An amateur politician would first sign the petition and vote to impeach Katie Ascough in the hopes that they could then stand for election. A more shrewd approach would be to prematurely sign a petition to impeach yourself. You could then claim that your controversial views on on-campus microwave-abortions are being silenced by liberal junkies and Rick and Morty enthusiasts, and simply await the inevitable swell of support from the biased media rags.

What’s Hot,What’s Not

Hot

The Return of Takeshi’s Castle Moving to Thailand, this hilarious series is making a comeback to television screens. Originally filmed in Japan in the late 1980s, hours were spent watching compilation videos on Youtube of the funniest moments that saw hundreds of contestants brutally injure themselves for our Western enjoyment.

Harvey Weinstein Having paid out at least eight settlements, Harvey Weinstein has been accused of sexual harassment by several women.

The New York Times investigated the Oscar-winning producer, and found allegations spanning over three years through interviews with former employees who worked at the Miramax and the Weinstein Company.

Fiachra’s Futons Come on down to Fiachra’s fine futons, we got a fine sale for you. Located at the intersection of the Filmsoc and Observer offices, come on over to pick up your luxury futon.

At incredible prices, we got more futons than we know what to do with. We can’t even give them away. For a limited time only.

Rick and Morty Season 3 finale A divisive finale, that’s for sure. The finale pressed reset on the series as a whole, with the final episode reverting the character dynamic back to that of the pilot. Filled with the usual nihilistic humour and sight gags lasting for a second, The Richchurian Mortydate had some fans feeling hungry for a cliffhanger that would build up anticipation for Season 4. While it was a solid episode in and of itself, there was nothing that pushed it over the edge for a finale episode, which is why it made this list.

Hacking the Facebook of a Students’ Union Sabbat Word of warning folks, LOG OUT of your Facebook account before you leave the room. Students’ Union Welfare Officer Eoghan Mac Domhaill learned this lesson the hard way, when last Friday he seemingly announced his resignation from his role on the SU. It was also the day the College Tribune relearned to fact check their information before publishing it online.

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NOT

The US vote not to condemn the death penalty for LGBT people The US does not condemn the use of death penalty for LGBT people. Like what?? Are we in an episode of American Horror Story? To have any country in the developed world not condemning this act of homophobic and transphobic abuse is ridiculous.

OTwo // Arts & Literature

Through a Feminist Lens

Photo Credit: Garrett Ziegler via Flickr

Ritika Sureka analyses male dominated literature from a feminist perspective.

Literature is one of the best ways by which someone can expand his or her consciousness. While this often leads to various issues, female representation seems to be one of the most prominent in literary texts of the past centuries.

While noteworthy literature has been produced in the last century, one of the major features missing is a well-rounded female character that can be juxtaposed to the male characters in the texts.

Jack Kerouac’s On the Road, for example, documents an experience that every teenager dreams of living: travelling across America with a couple of eccentric lads, a smoke in one hand and apple pie in the other. This novel was considered the bible for readers at an age when most of us donned t-shirts emblazoned with “rebel!” and professed to the world that we were “different,” just like every other teenager around us.

Kerouac drew us into a world of “mad ones… the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, desirous of everything at the same time.”

However, it is still a male-dominated novel. While Sal Paradise’s enthralling descriptions of perfect purple sunsets and adrenaline-fuelled bohemian experiences with Dean Moriarty fascinated me, I couldn’t help thinking of his girlfriend MaryLou’s point of view.

Marylou participates in almost every one of Sal and Dean’s escapades.

Yet, all we know from Sal’s narration about her is that she’s “a golden beauty,” “awfully dumb,” and “a whore.” Such a cursory description is bestowed upon every female character that the men encounter. Their personalities are based on their appearance and sexuality; other traits remain unexplored regardless of whether

they’re secondary or minor characters.

With such blatant misogyny present in the novel, one can’t help but imagine the story from Marylou’s perspective.

What would a brilliant, but obviously gender biased novel such as On the Road be like if it were told from the secondary female character’s point of view?

Though literally dominated by men, The Handmaid’s Tale showcases the importance of women in societal roles.

While Marylou isn’t much described in the novel apart from being equated to a sex object for Dean, it is through hers and the characters’ actions towards her that the reader can get a better idea of her. It certainly is no mean feat for a woman to travel across the country with two men today, but traveling that way in America in the 60s would have been dangerous and downright scandalous.

Taking this into account, Marylou’s characterization completely changes; she’s no longer a “dumb blonde” as Kerouac portrays her, but a progressive individual quite ahead of her time.

There is no easy resolution for misogyny in the male-dominated world of

the 60s. For a woman like Marylou, there isn’t a way to find validation in society of that era. The fact that she’s bold enough to challenge the norms, and is labeled a “whore” is where her ultimate victory lies over Sal and Dean.

A modern example of this misogyny in literature can be seen in the Harry Potter series, by J.K. Rowling. The character of Hermione Granger, who is written to be academically superior, plays second fiddle to the titular Harry.

Rowling forgoes the issues facing a generation of female readers and focuses on the traditional characteristics of this epic fantasy novel. Facing a glass ceiling in her own career, Rowling had the potential to highlight the pressure put on young students, especially female students to achieve academic excellence. Also apparent in the series, but not developed as a topic, is expectation for the female characters to later work a desk job in the ministry, rather than the more dangerous occupation of “auror.”

In this respect, Rowling promotes the institutional misogyny of wanting to keep women safe and out of jobs that would see them in harm’s way.

Had the series been told from Hermione’s perspective, the reader could follow the journey of a young witch, discovering her powers, thus keeping the magic surrounding the series alive, while developing Hermione as a feminist icon. Her transition from a bright young girl to her advocating for the rights of house elves to being a fierce fighter on the battlefield is a story arc worthy of its own book series.

Finally, the most recent example of subjectivity of female characters can be found in Margaret Atwood’s The

Handmaid’s Tale. Unlike the previous two examples, this novel is told from the perspective of the protagonist, Offred.

This novel creates a scenario in which women have been completely stripped of their rights and reduced to carrying out one sole purpose. In doing so, the reader is subjected to the themes of identity and one’s place in the world, in this dystopian future. Though literally dominated by men, The Handmaid’s Tale showcases the importance of women in societal roles.

This novel creates a scenario in which women have been completely stripped of their rights and reduced to carrying out one sole purpose.

A feminist critique of these novels is valid in the way such commentary is applicable today through the tremendous popularity of novels such as Margaret Atwood’s A Handmaid’s Tale. Although one can’t judge Kerouac’s spokesperson, Sal, for having such views about women in the 60s, or Rowling’s conformity to societal expectations, one can judge the mindset that, though much reformed in the last sixty years, is still present in people today.

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OTwo // Arts & Literature

The Aosdána Association Dylan O’Neill looks at the prestigious and exclusive Aosdána Association and its selection process for potential members.

Portland, Oregon

by William Higgins The line between nature and soul isn’t manicured.

It’s a wild hedgerow that splits cool dirt, a tree through the window or the river that arches like a spine through the campus.

Mold runs across Aosdána was established by the Arts Council in 1981 to recognize the achievements of Irish artists in many different mediums, such as Visual Arts, Literature, Music, Architecture, and Choreography. The association houses the top 250 living artists in Ireland and is decided upon by a general assembly of the membership.

They remain a member until they submit their written resignation to the toscairí, or die.

At this assembly, the members decide on the policy going forward, discuss the financing of the association, and review the current artists in Ireland.

To be accepted into the association, potential members must be nominated and elected by current sitting members.

According to the electoral procedures detailed on the Aosdána website, the potential member must have produced a “significant body of work, and be a resident for at least five years in Ireland.”

After these pre-requisites are met, and the candidate has received

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a nomination and a strong recommendation by a current member which has been seconded, the toscairí of Aosdána compile a list of nominated candidates and bring them forward to a ballot. The members of the candidate’s discipline vote to determine the candidate’s fate, taking into account their work and the influence it has had on society. If 50% plus 1 of the ballots votes in their respective disciplines, then the quota has been reached and the candidates are informed of the outcome, moving forward to the final stage.

The final stage involves a list of potential candidates being voted upon by the General Assembly of the Aosdána.

The candidate with the most votes is elected into the first available seat on the association, and so on until all remaining seats are filled. Finally, when the potential member has been elected, they remain a member of the Aosdána until they submit their written resignation to the toscairí, or in the event of their death.

The last General Assembly met on the 25th April 2017 and saw the election of visual artist Eddie Kennedy, visual artist Trish McAdam, writer Rosaleen McDonagh, writer Gerry Murphy, visual artist Niamh O’Malley, choreographer Fiona Quilligan and visual artist Anne Tallentire to the Aosdána.

These new members are now eligible to apply for a “Cnuas,” a financial

aid amounting to €17,180, which allows the artists to concentrate their time and efforts on their art. To apply for this aid, members must outline their creative work and provide proof that their income doesn’t exceed “one and a half times the value of the Cnuas” to the Arts Council.

The Arts Council also provides members of the Aosdána with a contribution pension scheme. A notable Cnuas recipient is Eugene McCabe, author of the contemporary classic Death and Nightingales.

A select few members of Aosdána are fortunate enough to receive the title of Saoi. This title is awarded to members that have proven themselves and shown distinction in their work, and is held by no more than seven members at any one time. Similar to the process of electing candidates, the members of the Aosdána elect a Saoi. After the Saoi had been elected, the President of Ireland then confers the recipient with a golden Torc, the symbol of the office.

Among the seven highly respected recipients of the Saoi title is former associate Professor of Music in UCD, Seóirse Bodley. Bodley accepted the title in 2008 and is a founding member of the Aosdána Association.

From its inception in 1981, the Aosdána Association has provided a safeguard for the works of Irish artists and ensured the protection of the arts in society in today’s world.

crown moulding in the French room and mildew fills the air.

A bookshop grows a block long beneath the earth like a magnificent Armillaria.

The line between nature and soul isn’t mani-cured, and denizens mine along that line. With a splayed compass on a duster or bong shaped like a snake. I walk back from night class between the creek and the green and am afraid of a pair of sewed-on devil horns moving out from behind the heavy elms.

OTwo // Arts & Literature

Picture Credit: Wikimedia

Character Twists – An Ode to The Grey Characters

Priscilla Obilana looks into the arrival and purpose of indefinable protagonists.

The trend of difficult to define protagonists has recently gained immense popularity in modern literature. Traditionally, we could count on protagonists to be reliable, consistently good or bad people who easily fit into righteous or evil binaries. For the villain, they would be absolutely so; a morally degradable beast incapable of any natural feeling, with a complex backstory that led to their reprehensible behaviours.

For the hero, they would face a conflict along the way, lose sight of their true nature and start doubting themselves, veering slightly off-path. Nevertheless, these characters would inevitably stay on track. The guiding moral compass who would ultimately drift them back to their true north.

This has led to a powerful resurgence of the Grey Protagonist in recent years. The not so heroic hero and not so antagonising antagonist. No longer are we reading about solid colours but rather the morally grey. This archetype has been around for years and has grown in popularity, showing that it is here to stay. Still, it comes as a shock when your main character whose identity you have decided for yourself, switches on you.

Of course, plot twists have been around

since the very invention of storytelling, what I speak of now, is a completely separate creature, a character twist, if you will. It is characters such as these, that will have you put the book down and try to think back to find clues or hints that you may have missed.

The first book (or play rather) I read that elicited such a response was Macbeth. Upon initial reading, the reader’s expectations are led to anticipate that Macbeth will resist the witches bait and emerge the hero. Unfortunately for Macbeth, he fails to appreciate his own title and pursuing that of the king’s, ultimately leads to his downfall. Macbeth crushes all expectations and descends into utter villainy. This is the type of character twist that looks your pre-conceived notions of main characters right in the eye and spits in it.

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn, is another example of a character twist that has caused a similar response in readers.

The reader has no idea who the hero is nor the villain. They don’t know who to root for or against. Support is divided between Nick and Amy Dunne for over half the book. When the novel climaxes, and these two characters can change sides no longer, the full picture is made clear.

The hero is faced with an opportunity to redeem themselves and uphold the traditional ideals of a hero, even if to do so would lead to their own detriment. Again, this does not happen. The hero lets the reader down and leaves them robbed of that triumphant feeling of catharsis when a protagonist fulfils their purpose.

A sense of disappointment arises when a book’s hero is found to be lacking. Like the hero in Gone Girl, Pip from Great Expectations, is a perfect example of when the protagonist doesn’t manage to actualise the future the reader has predicted for them. In such cases, it can be extremely frustrating. Despite this, a popularity for such protagonists has surfaced. One reason for this phenomenon is because these books remove a need to pass judgement on the protagonist’s character, the reader relates to them more, leaving us to simply read their stories and enjoy the twist and turns.

Despite the outrage and heartbreak when a main character who is perceived as a “good-guy” falls short and adopts the characteristics of a villain, we as readers, constantly flock to bookstores in order to purchase the next details of similar shortcomings in protagonists.

It is impossible to deny that there is a

market for them. It is also obvious why the market also includes novels which showcase this character twist for villains.

It is refreshing when a character shocks you for the better. This has been a common occurrence since Ebenezer Scrooge, in A Christmas Carol, provided the Cratchit family with the presents on Christmas Day. Moving to modern times, with Tyrion Lannister being a hero despite his last name, in A Game of Thrones. A redemption story provides hope. One of the most notorious character twists for a presumed villain, is Marvel Comic’s Black Widow. The femme fatale, ex-Soviet spy, provided a female role model in a traditionally male-dominated franchise and reached a pinnacle of popularity with viewers when her character was portrayed by Scarlett Johansson in the 2012 film, The Avengers.

The point of this new trend in books is to illustrate the lack of need for readers to support or oppose main characters. This method brings a change that proves readers can appreciate an interesting journey whether they like the protagonist or not. Sometimes all the reader needs is to be able to sit back and watch the narrative unfold.

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The God of Small Things On the subject of her favourite book, Sambhavi Sudhakar explains why The God of Small Things makes the cut.

With its complex plot delivered in the most lyrical prose, ‘The God of Small Things’ is a celebration of love amidst loss.

A story of a fractured, discordant family in Kerala, India, the book traverses decades of crashed hopes and lost lives.

The novel begins with thirty-one-yearold Rahel returning to her hometown Ayemenem to meet her twin brother Estha, from whom she considered herself “physically separate, but with (a) joint identity.” Two lives forced apart by a treacherous turn of events, they seek solace, worship and refuge in each other.

Rahel’s arrival at Ayemenem takes the reader down the lane of time where the narrative unlocks episodes from the past. The reader encounters Ammu, the

twins’ mother, whose bold defiance of convention is her own undoing. We also witness Baby Kochamma’s disenchantment with life following the bitterness of unrequited love. Most importantly, we meet Velutha, an untouchable, whose physical and moral obliteration bears testimony to the vilest degradation of the human spirit.

Velutha combats vehemently against social assault and oppression caused by members of his caste. It is his struggle and ultimate sacrifice in the face of custom that defines the contours of the plot. His union with Ammu is significant as it is a common streak of rebellion that both unites and annihilates them. Their spirits that fought and perished in the name of love are rekindled by Estha and Rahel who once again “break the Love Laws that dictate who should be loved, and how… And how much”.

The novel ends on an optimistic note, with the characters looking forward to a better tomorrow notwithstanding their adversities, leaving the reader stirred at its haunting beauty.

On a personal level, what distinguishes The God of Small Things from other books is not only its unique language or narrative style, but the means in which it delicately creates a balance between the personal and the political.

Stringing multiple events into a song that touches every note on the full scale of human emotion, The God of Small Things is a rich and rewarding experience.

Photo Credit: Wikimedia

The above line from Arundhati Roy’s The God of Small Things is a clear example of the grand, masterful narrative within the novel. With its complex plot delivered in the most lyrical prose, ‘The God of Small Things’ is a celebration of love amidst loss.

The Freud Project with IMMA

Picture Credit: Richard Anderson via Flickr

Dylan O’Neill explains why you should see the Freud Project in the IMMA.

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The Irish Museum of Modern Art is hosting fifty works by the famous painter, Lucian Freud, (son of famous psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud) in an exhibition until the 20th October. The exhibition is being housed in the Garden Galleries of the museum.

Freud made his fame from his ability to capture the human form in his paintings, along with key themes such as stilllife, animals, and nature. The exhibition documents the artist’s works starting from his early work of Painter’s Mother Resting 1, which Freud painted after his father’s death, when his mother suffered from depression in 1975.

From 1985, the exhibition takes you through Freud’s interests in the social and natural world with his paintings on the intertwining human and animal limbs in Double Portrait. A portrait that features a female sitter and her dog, this was the first time that Freud had showcased an animal which would develop into a key interest of Freud’s work. He would later go on to complete Triple Portrait.

During the late 80s and early 90s, Freud developed his signature style of human portraits, beginning with his sisters Belle and Esther, who would be regular sitters for the artist. The two would pose in awkward and askew ways for Freud, reclining on a chesterfield sofa.

Freud, however, managed to make his work appear with a sense of ease and relaxation on the finished canvas. In 1998, he completed a portrait of The Pearce Family, a painting of Rose Boyt, Freud’s daughter, and her husband, Mark Pearce.

As we move upstairs we see Landscape with Bat which included the artist’s garden in London. It is here that we also see Freud’s interest in the psychological relationships between his sitters.

Man in a Check Cap, which he completed in 1991, featured Mick Tobin, a retired boxer, who Freud met by Covent Garden underground while selling newspapers.

The highlight of the exhibition is located in the 3rd room of the first floor.

Here we see the artist’s works with naked models. The unfinished Naked Portrait details the technical stylings of Freud’s work. From these works, the viewer can see Freud’s use of a variety of heavy and light pigments and the intense detail that went into the finished portraits on show in the rest of the museum.

The Freud Project is a must-see for anyone with an interest in art history or just looking for a causal way to spend the day. Admission is free for full-time students.

OTwo // Games

Photo Credit: Maurizio Pesce

Virtual Reality and Gambling: What’s in Store for the Future of Gaming?

Tadgh Treacy takes a look at some emerging trends and challenges facing the future of the games industry.

With games such as Destiny and Overwatch, along with sleek new models of consoles being released every other day, it seems as though gaming has finally come into its own. In recent years, the entire gaming culture has prospered, and we seem to be living in the golden age of gaming and possibly gambling.

So many of the pillars that hold up gaming as a phenomenon have grown comfortable over the years. Developers churn out first-person shooters like Battlefield between free roaming RPGs such as Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare as though they’re on a conveyor belt.

This has led to gamers bemoaning the “sameness” of this year’s blockbusters, with the likes of For Honor earning mere moments in the spotlight before being quickly cast aside. What gaming needs is the “next big thing” to hit the market and shake up a landscape that’s grown stagnant over the last few months. The question is: what?

There’s no avoiding the fact that virtual reality (VR) has arrived and it’s here for its fair share of the market. Those of us lucky enough to have experienced VR at some stage in our lives will recognise the “wow” factor attached to headgear such as the Oculus and HTC Vive and the amazement of stepping into an alternate reality. Imagine the thrill of a zombie horror, where you look around to see nothing but faint darkness around you while looking down at your own hands you find yourself carrying a gun and flashlight. This is the level of immersion VR can provide, taking gamers one step closer into the shoes of our on-screen heroes.

Those of us lucky enough to have experienced virtual reality at some stage in our lives will recognise the “wow” factor attached to headgear such as the Oculus and HTC Vive and the amazement of stepping into an alternate reality.

Fortunately, the fall in price of these systems, the creation of wearable controllers and the recognition by developers that VR is the future, have allowed games of true substance to emerge.

‘The Lab,’ for example, started as a Valve Corporation play-pen and grew to become one of Steam’s few games

with “overwhelmingly positive” reviews.

Of course, there’s much more to the gaming than just technological advancements. Consider developments within the games themselves: in particular, one of the most disappointing aspects of highly-rated games today, microtransactions. These are low cost add-ons that are optional for a player to purchase. Typically in the range of 50c to €5, they often unlock new levels or features on mobile games, or more cosmetic features such as a new colour of armour in larger games. Candy Crush infamously thrived on these so called “microtransactions,” offering defeated players another chance to play after waiting one hour or immediately at the low-low cost of 99c.

Some prefer a one-off payment for your games, while others like how microtransactions offer the opportunity to play a game after multiple smaller payments. What we can all agree is that certainty surrounding exactly what you’re purchasing is vital to the experience. Or at least, it was. Nowadays however, microtransactions serve as an innocent placeholder for one of the most toxic aspects of modern gaming, and one of the greatest challenges facing its future: gambling.

Fifa: Ultimate Team has created its own subculture surrounding gambling in recent years. Players are offered the opportunity to part with their hard-earned cash in exchange for “points,” which can then be used to purchase player packs, akin to the booster-pack style of beloved trading card games. While seeming

innocent on the surface, digging deeper reveals many of the problems models such as this instigate.

The random chance aspect of purchasing packs creates a pay-to-win culture, one not usually found in games with a €60+ price tag. While a fraction of the player base will pay for packs, an even smaller fraction will try again if they’re disappointed with the outcome.

In essence, players with deep pockets are that bit more likely to come across a Ronaldo or Messi just by throwing money at the system. It’s the monumental issue with this ever-growing trend which is really concerning: this is gambling in an environment rated ‘E for Everyone.’

Children are playing these games completely unsupervised, with mammy or daddy’s credit card in hand. While that itself is a failure on the part of the parents, any system that thrives from underage gambling will need to change soon.

In the past 20 years, changing technology has completely changed the world around us, including the gaming experience and the next 20 years hold even more possibilities for change.

With both exciting tech developments and fresh challenges to overcome, the games industry is certainly set for an interesting future ahead.

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OTwo // Film & TV

Film Reviews Breathe Reviewed by Paurush Kumar.

Andy Serkis’ directorial debut is a well-intentioned film set in the 1950s that deals with issues surrounding treatment of people with disabilities. This theme is brought to life via a retelling of Robin Cavendish’s life story.

Cavendish (Andrew Garfield) is a charming young man who is diagnosed with polio at the age of 28. The plot focuses on Cavendish’s struggles, with his inner self and in his relationship with his wife (Claire Foy), and his desire to help those in similar positions as himself despite being told by doctors that his life was effectively over.

Garfield’s portrayal of Robin Cavendish is heart-warming. The actor’s ability to depict a bed-ridden man with such an appetite for life is simply applaudable.

Foy as Diana Cavendish does a good job with what she is given but tends to over-sentimentalise at times. Much needed comic relief is provided by Tom Hollander as Diana’s twin brother and Hugh Bonneville as Teddy Hall, the inventor of Robin’s wheelchair.

A film based on true events is not easy to depict, and William Nicholson had a lot of material to communicate in his writing. However, Andy Serkis manages to get the best out of the material and offers

a film the Cavendishes would be proud of.

The film was produced by Robin Cavendish’s son Jonathan. This direction coupled with Robert Richardson’s cinematography manages to capture the British essence of the 1950s in the style of contemporary filmmaking. The film does, however, lose some of its steam and impact because of its pacing. With a running time of 117 minutes, the latter half of the film seems to drag but the performances keep you emotionally invested. The film offers subtle undertones of a father-son relationship which ultimately turns out to be heart-wrenching as the movie climaxes.

Andy Serkis makes a brilliant début with Breathe. His direction ensures that the film does not waver from its goal and ultimately reaches it despite some tediousness. It is shocking to see the treatment of people with disabilities only a few decades ago. Pacing and an overly-sentimental Foy are the only pitfalls with this picture.

However, don’t be surprised to hear it talked about as a potential award winner.

In a nutshell: A solid debut from Serkis, Breathe leaves you with immense positivity.

Writer: William Nicholson Release Date: 20th October

Photo Credit: Goodfreephotos

Director: Andy Serkis Starring: Andrew Garfield, Claire Foy, Tom Hollander, Hugh Bonneville.

Loving Vincent Reviewed by Cormac Lehnen.

In an industry dominated by franchises and 3D animation, directors Dorota Kobiela and Hugh Welchman attempt to disrupt the norm. Loving Vincent comes together thanks to 65,000 hand painted frames created by over 100 artists trained in Vincent van Gogh’s style. Witnessing van Gogh’s distinctive impasto animated on the big screen is visually stimulating, but is there depth beyond the kinetic spectacle?

Unlike the film’s distinct artistry, the plot follows a rather imitative storytelling approach. Armand Roulin (Douglas Booth) becomes the audience’s gateway into the story of Vincent’s (Robert Gulaczyk) final days. Armand is tasked with delivering a letter, written by the late van Gogh, to the artist’s brother. Initially reluctant, Armand assumes the role of the narrating sleuth as he becomes the audiences key piece into unravelling the increasingly suspicious circumstances concerning the painter’s death.

The film sees Armand connect with people who were impacted by Vincent, like meetings with ghosts of his past.

Through the stories told about him, the audience is brought into the disturbed life of a man who would never see his greatness recognised. All the while, the

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film questions whether Vincent took his own life or if it was taken by the hands of another. The people Armand encounters paint different portrayals of Vincent, each creating a new dimension to this shadowed character.

The film boasts solid performances from its cast which includes a wealth of Irish talent. Chris O’Dowd voices Armand’s father, Saoirse Ronan voices the character of Marguerite and Dubliner Aidan Turner also has a small role.

With just over a ninety-minute running time, this cinematic experiment explores how, with his brilliance, notoriety intertwines Vincent’s very fabric. Even as the central character, he remains the most ambiguous. Ultimately, Loving Vincent does not set out to answer the questions it poses: instead, it lets them haunt you.

Loving Vincent’s animation, although transfixing, can be uneven yet, within this deeply personal homage, there is a true sense of wonder for cinematic possibilities. This film bridges a true connection between van Gogh’s art, his captivating story, and a 21st century audience.

In a Nutshell: This cinematic experience breathes life into the old expression “a picture tells a thousand words.”

Writer: Dorota Kobiela, Hugh Welchman and Jacek Dehnel Release Date: 13th October

Photo Credit: Wikimedia

Director: Dorota Kobiela and Hugh Welchman Starring: Douglas Booth, Saoirse Ronan, Aidan Turner, Chris O’Dowd, and Robert Gulaczyk

OTwo // Film & TV

Do we still Love the Cinema?

Photo Credit: Wikimedia

The Irish are the most frequent cinema-goers in Europe. Arnoldas Jursys investigates if this will last with the rise of streaming services.

WHAT DOES a visit to the cinema mean to you? A chance to bond with friends and family? An opportunity to shyly put your arm around your crush or a chance

Streaming services are a blessing in disguise for the Irish film industry and potentially for cinema in general. to stuff your face with popcorn without shame or judgement?

The cinema offers an escape from the stresses of the world around us. The cinema was there for me in the time leading up to my Leaving Cert. With the pressures of this ‘life-changing’ event constantly looming over me, there was nothing better than writing a fake note to get out of Irish class, legging it to the 4pm screening of the latest release and letting myself get washed over in darkness as the opening credits of the film appeared on-screen.

The scent of cinema popcorn can stir up delightful nostalgia for most of us.

We remember the fear of navigating from the counter to the screen whilst carrying massive buckets of the stuff, as well as equally massive buckets of Coke, trying our best not to drop anything. Now, we try our best to not get caught sneaking in bags of Manhattan popcorn thanks to

the price of the bloody stuff.

Many of us had our first love at the cinema. How could we forget the days of looking at a teenage heartthrob or femme fatale on the big screen and contemplating that boys or girls weren’t quite as icky as we might have first thought? Nobody will ever forget that kiss from 2002’s Spiderman.

Whatever your reason is for going to the movies, most Irish people are still choosing to do so and admission rates have been rising. Ireland now has the highest cinema-going rate in Europe at an average of 3.3 admissions per person per year, equal with France, according to The International Union of Cinemas (UNIC) annual report.

This comes at a time when the popularity of streaming services such as Netflix is growing year on year.

There has been debate about whether streaming services will eclipse cinemas one day. During this summer’s Cannes Film Festival, a controversy developed over the festival’s refusal to allow films produced by Netflix, Amazon, etc. to be considered. This was on the grounds that they do not receive French theatrical releases.

Mark Kermode, a well-regarded English film and television critic, discussed this controversy in his YouTube vlog Kermode Uncut. His opinion is that the future of cinema will be one of simultaneous distribution, where films will be released both in cinemas and streaming services at the same time, and that the film industry simply must adapt to this duality.

Kermode asked his viewers the

question of what separates “streaming versus screening.” Some of the answers he received referred to cinemas having a “communal experience,” this feeling that the group of people sitting in the theatre with you are experiencing the same events as you. This community can cheer together at the triumph of Harry over Voldemort, laugh together during a Monty Python film, or be utterly confused together at what is even happening in Inception.

The sense of community that cinema generates stands as superior to the isolating effects of streaming services.

What do streaming services have going for them? Their on-demand nature means you can watch what you want, when you want and where you want, and there’s no fuss over scheduling conflicts or release periods. With a press of a button, you’re off.

Secondly, the cinema experience is not all the romanticised heaven we hear so much about. The “communal environment” can act as a con as well as a pro. How many screenings have you been to with a bunch of kids talking through the entire film? How many times have you had to sit beside someone making all the noise in the world trying to open their chocolate bar? Most recently I remember being annoyed at a crying child during the Jungle Book. Was it my fault for being there? No, it was an evening showing and that child had no right to be there, fight me!

Streaming services will remain as an alternative to cinema. Cinema has survived VHS, DVD, Blu Ray, online piracy, you name it. Cinema will survive Netflix.

That said, the power and significance of

streaming services cannot be overstated either. They provide an alternative to traditional means of film distribution, allowing films to reach a wider audience.

This has certainly not been lost on Irish film distributors. A quick search for Irish films on Netflix America brings up the Young Offenders, Sing Street, Handsome Devil and much more. Of course, these films also saw a theatrical release, but streaming allows them to reach an audience they might not be able to through traditional means. Streaming services are a blessing-in-disguise for the Irish film industry and potentially for cinema in general. We just need to accept, adapt, and embrace it.

Does your visit to the cinema make a better experience than watching the film in the comfort of your own home?

Can you justify paying the same amount to see one film as you would pay for unlimited movies on Netflix for a month?

We all have our preferences, but there’s room for both.

Ireland now has the highest cinema-going rate in Europe at an average 3.3 admissions per person per year.

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OTwo // Film & TV

Bollywood Through the Ages Paurush Kumar introduces us to Bollywood via its storied history and how it developed into what we see today.

Driven by the desire to offer a greater sense of realism and understanding of the common man and their problems, movies like Bhuvan Shome and Calcutta 71 came and offered a new take.

In the 1950s, Satyajit Ray and Bimal Roy started making social-reformist films.

These pictures cast a critical eye on the social practices of the time such as the dowry system, polygamy, and child marriages. Pathar Panchali and Devdas are examples of how these directors paved the way to bolder and better film-making.

These movies received warm reception from all classes, leading to better cinema going forward. Mother India is another example which revolutionized how female heroines were considered in those times.

Driven by the desire to offer a greater sense of realism and understanding of the common man and their problems, movies like Bhuvan Shome and Calcutta 71 came and offered a new take just as Ray’s movies were fading in prominence.

The theme of the common man and their problems is well depicted in the recent A Wednesday, which makes the point that little has changed since those times and the common person is neglected even today.

It was only in the early 1970s that the concept of “Masala Films” came into existence. A “Masala Film” is a mash of genres including action, comedy, and melodrama laced with songs and dance numbers. “Masala Films” are still made, and are unanimously appreciated.

“Masala Films” are necessary. They make you forget the worries of your routine life and transport you to a world where nothing is real. The concept began

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Photo Credit: Top: Wikipedia // Bottom: Maxpixel

The name ‘Bollywood’ is a play on Hollywood, where the ‘B’ comes from the main city where the film industry is based: Bombay (now known as Mumbai). The Hindi film industry began its lucrative journey back in 1913, with films where the principal characters were borrowed from mythological characters, and plots were based on the central idea of victory of good over evil.

Slowly and steadily, the Hindi film industry began to shift towards depicting historical events, and started to import some action from Hollywood. The action genre began early in Bollywood, and the depiction of the rich trampling on the poor received warm reception because of class distinctions prevalent at those times.

with Manmohan Desai’s Amar Akbar Anthony and Chhalia and is still in practice as seen in the recent Golmaal Again.

In the 1990s came the “king of Bollywood popcorn flicks,” director David Dhawan.

Hilarious films, such as Biwi No.1, Coolie No.1, and Haseena Maan Jayegi, did well at the box office.

The 2000s were a mixture of various types of cinema. Realistic cinema and masala cinema were prevalent. There was a gradual shift from problem depiction of classes in the society to the caste issues. This change was welcome but began to focus on the average person rather than the caste.

These movies were content-driven

The recently released Lipstick Under My Burkha speaks about the chains in which women are still bound to in the society today.

but could not outdo the commercial success of “Masala Films” which were superior in the eyes of the viewers. Films promoting family values were preferred over those that really brought forward the problems of the society. Vivah and Refugee are films that speak about the preservation of culture and were released over a decade ago, receiving a

positive reception.

The current situation in Bollywood is revolutionizing. The love stories being written in today’s times are no longer concentrated on the same old formula of “meeting-leaving-loving.” Movies like Dum Laga Ke Haish’, Jab We Met ,and Cheeni Kum speak about love in an altogether new light and depict love in small towns of India.

The recently released Lipstick Under My Burkha speaks about the chains in which women are still bound in the society today, and how certain sections of society still do not shy away from chaining women. Pink is another bold movie that deals with the concept of a woman’s consent, and how it was high time that the society stopped treating women as objects and the inferior sex.

Up to the 2010s, it was the star power and the ‘Masala Films’ th+at decided the box office revenues of movies. Lately,

the content-driven cinema has taken the driving seat and movies like Masaan, Newton, and Black are being appreciated and getting their dues at the ticket windows. Even in this changing time, Bollywood still feature some beautifully artistic movies, such as Bajirao Mastani and Ram Leela. ‘Masala Films’ have taken a backseat and are only offered occasionally. Nowadays, these movies are not guaranteed to succeed: they must be of high-quality to impact the box office.

Bollywood’s shakeup has not left sentiment, satire, and melodic numbers behind. However, more prominent consideration is presently paid to plot, character development, and sensational strain. Unfortunately, much like its Californian counterpart, Bollywood is still dominated by sheer star power.

OTwo // Film & TV

Gems of Television With television content being produced at a higher rate than ever before, Megan

McGrath suggests some gems you may have missed.

Photo Credit: Orphan Black: Vimeocdn // Fringe: Static Flickr // Firefly: Wikimedia

There are TV shows that become huge hits, that are referenced regularly in pop culture, and that span seasons of drama. Then there are those which more quietly become cult classics, with loyal fanbases, which are just as good, if not better, than their more popular counterparts.

Firefly is a Wild West-style sciencefiction series. Set five hundred years in the future, it follows the crew of the spaceship Serenity, each of whom is wanted for one crime or another. The show follows their story as they travel through unknown parts of the galaxy trying to outrun the authorities who are out to get them.

Unfortunately, the show was cancelled after only eleven of its fourteen filmed episodes had been aired. The show’s short lifespan may have been in no small part due to the episodes originally being aired in the wrong order. A movie sequel, Serenity, was released three years after the show. The show and movie have become cult classics in recent years and there were even talks of the shows being brought back

These unsung series are just as good if not better than their popular counterparts. for a second season on Netflix, though those plans have since fallen through.

The cast of Firefly has also become increasingly popular over the years since the show’s release. This stellar cast included Nathan Fillion (Castle and Guardians of the Galaxy), Gina Torres (Suits and Westworld) and Morena Baccarin (Gotham and Deadpool).

Another underrated TV series, and one that is very close to my heart, is Fringe. This show follows FBI agent Olivia Dunham as she navigates the world of fringe science with the help of the mad (and more often than not, high) genius Dr Walter Bishop, and his equally intelligent con artist son Peter Bishop.

The show delves into parallel worlds, alternate timelines, and the untapped potential of the human brain, often with the help of LSD. This shows makes the viewer think, and requires multiple viewings to truly appreciate the sheer number of Easter eggs and the intricacy of the storyline. I have rewatched this show multiple times and am still surprised by the aspects I had not previously noticed.

It’s amazing to see things that I knew

I love this show not only for its amazing storyline but also for its leading lady.

would play vital roles in the seasons to come. Interestingly, fans also tracked all of the show’s hidden glyph-code, which is present in each episode.

Fringe lasted five seasons and aired one hundred episodes, the magic number on TV. Leonard Nimoy appeared once in each season, playing Dr William Bell, the former friend and lab partner of

Walter. Each episode of this science fiction series is odd, but there was a tradition of making the nineteenth episode of each season be even stranger, for example, episode 19 of season three, “Lysergic Acid Diethylamide,” was almost entirely animated.

Though my heart will always lay with Fringe, my all-time favourite show

with a cult following has to be Orphan Black. This series follows streetwise Sarah Manning who, upon seeing a girl who looks exactly like her jump in front of a train, is thrust into the world of human cloning. She even meets several of her “sisters” (clones), like soccer mom Alison Hendrix, dreadlocked scientist Cosima Niehaus, and serial killer Helena.

The show raises many questions about the ethics of human cloning, personal identity, and nature versus science.

I love this show not only for its amazing storyline but also for its leading lady. Tatiana Maslany plays not one but four main characters at any one time and over eleven clones in the show’s history. Memorably, Maslany played a transgender character named Tony. It took three days of binge watching this series before I finally comprehended that each of these amazing and unique individuals were being played by one person. I can now even tell when one clone is trying to impersonate another.

There are five seasons and fifty episodes of this show and despite having to refilm scenes multiple times to accommodate the different clones, each season was released one year after the other. However, this meant that there could only be ten episodes per season.

Sadly, the final episode of this series was aired in August and I’m not ready to say goodbye to it yet!

These are just three of the amazing shows that are already, or are set to become, cult classics. Given enough time I could probably write about hundreds of these hidden gems, but these are the ones that I have watched and loved the most.

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OTwo // Interview

An Interview with

rusangano family

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OTwo // Interview

God Knows of Rusangano Family chats to Cian Montague about making his family proud, Irish hip hop, and (reluctantly) top fives.

God Knows Jonas is late for the interview but he’s all apologies. He was just about to leave his house when he got cold-called by a salesman, and couldn’t get away. He’s unbothered though, “You’ve got to be kind to that guy, ‘cause he’s trying to do his job.” This remark is in line with the lasting impression given

by God Knows during our interview.

He’s funny, friendly, unguarded, and we

We make music for the people! chat freely. At the end I am shocked to see it has been a full hour.

God Knows forms one third of the Limerick-based Rusangano Family, alongside fellow MC MuRli, and producer mynameisjOhn. The trio are a rising force in Irish music, and just weeks before our talk, performed a bombastic set at Electric Picnic (“one of our favourites this year”). March saw an incredible success for Rusangano: a Choice Music Prize for Irish Album of the Year. Footage from the ceremony shows the group’s shock upon the announcement, and God Knows relishes in the memory, “There was a lot of people that we love and respect, so like oh, OK. We won? What?

It was incredible.”

Rusangano are the first hip hop act

to win the award, but nevertheless, God Knows is reluctant to infer a change in Irish music tastes. He is quick to praise earlier pioneers like Scary Éire and Messiah J & the Expert, and thinks that for Rusangano, it was simply that “the stars aligned.” Coming off the back of strong live shows at Vicar Street and on Other Voices, he says the feeling was: “Oh my gosh, these guys are killing it! If they don’t win, there’s something wrong!.”

Rusangano’s 2016 debut, Let the Dead Bury the Dead, is full of moving lyrics like the following, taken from ‘Kierkegaard,’ ‘I’m not a doctor, I’m not a lawyer, to the eyes of my family I’m still a failure.’ Has their recent success seen an improvement here? God Knows’ answer is heart-warming: “You know what, yeah… It kind of changed when ‘Lights On’ came out. Because all my aunts called me, and they were like, ‘Oh, your dad is so proud, anyone who comes to the house, he shows your video to them.’

Now when I talk to him about music, he’s like, ‘What are you gonna do next?’”

Another factor has been important to this reversal. God Knows’ great-uncle, Cde Chinx Chingaira, a legendary Zimbabwean musician, and somewhat controversial figure in his home country, passed away in June. God Knows, who is clearly proud of his uncle’s musical achievements says that his death and

the revived interest in his legacy saw a rejuvenated spirit in his family: “[Now they say] ‘you’re going to be a legend too, one day, hopefully.’” No pressure, then.

God Knows says that when writing about the fear of being a disappointment, Rusangano hoped to provide inspiration to up-and-comers, “Maybe there’s someone who loves music as much as we do, who’s like… ‘I have this big dream, should I go for it?’ And hopefully they can be like, ‘you know what? if Rusangano did it, I could do it.’” He emphasises the universal nature of this worry, “We make music for the people and I felt everyone could resonate. We all want to make our parents proud.”

This is not the only time he mentions this idea of ‘making music for the people.’ It also comes up in our discussion of Rusangano’s track ‘I Know You Know,’ which was released over the summer. The song dives headfirst into mental health issues in a way that is still quite unusual for hip-hop. The pre-chorus goes: ‘Feeling inadequate, feeling unfit, losing my confidence, trying to conceal it.’

“Definitely it was brave from us to be like, ‘let’s be vulnerable,’” but he explains that “the world needs that. We make music for the people! What do the people need right now?” God Knows says, “That’s why we went from ‘I Know You Know’ to [their most recent track]

‘Tea in a Pot,’ where it’s like, even though it looks like the world is falling apart, let’s just have a cup of tea! Take a little break right now. It’s a perspective.”

God Knows seems genuinely delighted when I tell him I spotted his Chance the Rapper hat at the Choice Awards. I wonder if, as unsigned musicians, Rusangano Family take inspiration from Chance, who is probably the biggest independent rap artist in the world right now. In response, God Knows highlights the potential contradiction, where nominal independents like Chance can still make exclusive (and lucrative) deals with Apple Music or other platforms.

For his part, Chance has defended this action, saying that although he was paid $500,000 for a two-week exclusive of Coloring Book, he had total control over the product released.

God Knows highlights this in way that comes across less as a gripe than as a recognition of America’s different playing field, and God Knows is keen to express his admiration of the young Chicagoan: “I am definitely inspired by Chance. He does take those risks as well.” In particular, he is impressed by Chance’s willingness to make his music available for free, also citing Run the Jewels in this regard. “If we could give you this music for free, we would and that’s the truth, ‘cause it’s for the people.

Whatever we can do for our fans we

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OTwo // Interview

will do, and that’s one thing I do admire about Chance.”

Rusangano have previously opened for Run the Jewels and God Knows laughs when I mention that he knows them, “It’s very weird to say that, but yeah!” He is emphatic in his description of them: “They are cool. They’re like superheroes, man.” He talks about El-P’s joking around backstage and ability to find humour in harsh truths, something for which he had earlier praised the Rubberbandits. He recalls how excited RTJ were to see Rusangano again at Electric Picnic this year. “That’s a testament to them, like: for you guys to still know who we are and when we’re performing! That was inspiring.”

From RTJ we segue to Outkast. God Knows mentions that André 3000 is his all-time favourite rapper, but groans when I ask for his top five. “You can’t do that to me, man… You know what? Let me just say my influence. Some people might stop being my friends after this.”

The second person he names is Kanye, “If anyone wants to pinpoint what I loved about Kanye, it’s that he made

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regular cool as hell.” He suggests that Kendrick Lamar, who he says is probably his favourite MC today, might not have had the same career without Kanye’s influence.

God Knows continues his list with Pusha T, although he says that as a Christian he identifies more with Push’s brother No Malice. To round off he gives me Jay-Z and Eminem, “’Renegade’ is one of those songs that I always come back to.”

I bring up a line from ‘Kierkegaard,’ ‘You can’t tell me you’re the best MC if you don’t know Chuck D.’ In response, God Knows tells me: “When I was 18 I would go to the library and I would ask for different books and I would go on the internet and search deeper and deeper. I realised, in order to be the best MC, you really have to study.” He is mid-sentence when he suddenly exclaims: “oh my gosh, I forgot to say Tupac!”

God Knows is glad that when Tupac died in 1996 there were other older influences around. “It was nice that somebody loved me enough to go, ‘you know what? Here is All Eyez on Me. Just listen

to this and soak it in.’” With the Chuck D line, he was hoping to do the same, “So maybe that was my subtle way of directing some of my younger brothers, to be like, before you say “I’m the best MC”, go and listen to Chuck D.” We move on to a recent documentary featuring Rusangano Family, ‘The Truth about Irish Hip-Hop.’ This title implies the existence of some misconception about Irish hip-hop. What exactly does God Knows think the truth is? “I think that there was one documentary that blemished a lot of things. It made everyone look really shabby and not serious. I think the truth about Irish hip hop is that we work hard, and we are doing our thing. One thing that I respect about everyone, is that everyone is on their hustle. Some of the best MCs that I have seen with my own two eyes are Irish MCs.” What of the future for Irish hip-hop?

Here he makes a comparison to the UK grime scene, using Skepta as an example: “2015 is when the light suddenly shone on him, when the likes of Kanye and all those guys have shouted him out.

These guys had been killing it for years and years. I think maybe a community, the way that they have a grime scene, is what I hope that we would have. Usually they go, ‘oh Cork is a great scene,’ or Dublin, or Limerick. Nah, I just want everyone to say, [Ireland has] a great music scene.”

And finally, the most important question: when can we expect new music from Rusangano? “We have a lot of new music cooking up right now.

We’re back writing, and mynameisjOhn is always cooking up heat!” When I ask about the possible direction of their new writings God Knows laughs: “Come on, I ain’t gonna let the cat out of the bag this early!” It looks like we’ll have to wait and see.

Rusangano Family play Button Factory on November 24. They play Galway, Cork, and Limerick in December.

OTwo // Music

An interview with Farah Elle Aidan Crilly sits down with Farah Elle to discuss her music, her roots, and how poor music is like McDonald’s.

Farah El Neihum, better known by her stage name Farah Elle, is a rising star on the Irish music scene. With ethereal vocals and haunting melodies, she explores issues like identity, her personal life, and honour killings.

The veil metaphor in ‘Silk’ is often mistaken for a criticism of the burqa.

Although she moved to Ireland at the age of two, she finds that her Libyan roots leave their mark on her music. “I never thought about it; I only realised it when I came out with it for the first time in ‘Silk,’” Farah acknowledges, referring to her single.

“But I don’t like to force it: if it happens, it happens. My brother plays the piano in this Arabic mode all the time, and he doesn’t even realise. And when my oldest brother played the guitar, he had that essence as well. I’m the most Irish one in our family, and it’s still something that’s in there, somehow.

It’s so weird, I just don’t understand it.

Sometimes it’s there, sometimes it’s not really there that loudly. Most of the time it’s like a mix of everything I ever listened to.”

I have no goals of becoming a pop star, no goals of being famous.

Her other influences are very differ-

ent to traditional Libyan music: System of a Down, Lupe Fiasco, Amy Winehouse, The Specials, Tool, Ratatat, and David Marley. She adds, “I was a massive punk when I was 16, I just hated pop music.”

The emphasis on her heritage means that sometimes her songs are

misinterpreted. The veil metaphor in ‘Silk’ is often mistaken for a criticism of the burqa. “I haven’t worn a burqa in my life. The ‘veil’ is everyone’s façade, how everyone has a front that they put on. [‘Silk’ is about] what’s underneath it, what you’re hiding.

While Farah expresses her own feelings through her work, she also covers politically-charged topics, particularly in ‘Shafilea.’ The single was inspired by the honour killing of British-Pakistani teenager Shafilea Ahmed for refusing to go through with an arranged marriage.

“Her parents killed her when she was 17.

They got away with it for years. That’s just one of the horrible stories. It’s a very common issue everywhere, even in Ireland, but nobody talks about it.”

Farah was asked to write ‘Shafilea’

by Jasvinder Sanghera, an honour abuse survivor and founder of the charity Karma Nirvana. The two met while recording an episode of ‘The Women’s Podcast’ for the Irish Times. “She asked me to come to Leeds, where the charity is based. They had a national day of remembrance. It was to be loads of survivors getting up and telling their stories, and they wanted me to play some music as well.”

Writing ‘Shafilea’ for the occasion was a challenge, as Farah had to change from her more introspective style to capturing the horrors of something she had never experienced first-hand. “They sent me case studies, and loads of poems written by Shafilea.”

“Usually I just sit at the piano and see whatever I want to get out but this was more trying to see things from another perspective altogether: what I felt for her and for all the people, and trying to imagine what they felt, and somehow make a balance. I just knew how much more difficult it was for [the survivors] to get up and tell their stories. All I wanted to do was try and do it some sort of justice, with some music. I couldn’t just write any old song.”

Farah is keen to use the power of music to highlight issues in society. “I’d love to be able to use song-writing as a means of getting rid of problems in our culture, and open communication.

I definitely think it’s important to use it

as a safe space, to express things, to just make things better. Say for example, if you’re absolutely heartbroken, you need a good song that understands your feelings.”

Farah feels that listening to good music is as important as a nutritious diet.

“You know people who [talk about] the importance of eating healthy? People need to have the same attitude to music.

I’m not going to eat alone in McDonalds, all day, every day. So why would you listen to horrendous music that has no substance to it, no meaning – the McDonalds of music.”

Over the summer, Farah has been travelling across Ireland, performing at all the biggest festivals including Body and Soul, Electric Picnic, Arcadian Field, Castlepalooza, and more. “There was one called Sunflower Fest in Belfast, and I love sunflowers, so it was just the nicest thing ever: there were sunflowers everywhere.”

Now that the chaos of festival season is over, Farah is settling down to work on her debut album. “I’ll probably be doing a big show with my friends at the start of December, but over the next few months I’m just going to try and put my head down and get some song-writing done, before I record everything in January – just loads of pre-production.”

After performing all summer with two backup singers, a bassist and a drummer, Farah is readjusting to working with herself and her piano, the same way she started out at 19. “I’m back to doing everything solo now, but I like that too.

It’s not really that much of an issue, because I have to focus on my work now.”

She hasn’t settled on a name for the album yet. “I’ve had so many ideas, [but] I don’t want to think about the next part of it yet. I would never rush anything, which means I don’t know how long everyone’s going to be waiting for that album!”

In the meantime, she has plenty of music on SoundCloud and YouTube to keep her fans going. “I did a tune with Bantum, called ‘Feel It Out,’ and I have a song coming out with this hip-hop group called CunninLynguists from the States. I was obsessed with them when I was growing up.” She proudly states, “Basically, they liked one of my songs,

and asked me if they could use a chorus from it, and then we just made this tune out of it, called ‘Oh Honey.’”

Although her music is steadily gaining traction, Farah doesn’t let the prospect of fame go to her head. “I have no goals of becoming a pop star, no goals of being famous.”

The single was inspired by the honour killing of British-Pakistani teenager Shafilea Ahmed for refusing to go through with an arranged marriage.

“There’s no point in doing [music] as a self-fulfilling thing. I would much rather do it with purpose; to provide a voice for people who don’t have one, and shed a bit of light on issues that don’t get touched on. Just do something productive with it, as well as being able to express my feelings openly.

She sums up her thoughts, “People might argue that if you do really well commercially then you have that power that makes a difference or whatever.

But fuck that: at the end of the day, you just have to be comfortable expressing yourself, don’t you? And you have to be sound!” WORDS BY AIDAN CRILLY AND ORLA KEAVENEY

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OTwo // Music

Gig Guide Arnoldas Jursys gives a rundown of some upcoming Dublin shows.

ST VINCENT – 20-21 OCTOBER OLYMPIA The music of Annie Clarke (stage name St Vincent) has gone from strength to strength. After releasing several smaller projects, her first real breakthrough into the indie sphere came in 2007 with Marry Me, which set critics raving. Her subsequent work has built her into a true player in modern pop, collaborating with heavyweights like the Chemical Brothers and David Byrne of Talking Heads. Recently she’s dropped funky singles, ‘New York’ and ‘Los Ageless.’ Each comes with a visually distinctive music video, and a sound which retains her soft-pop roots while not shying away from some pit-ofyour-stomach beats. Tickets are €28.50 but running out, so move quick and move dirty to avoid disappointment.

GRACE JONES AND FRIENDS LIVE – 25 OCTOBER -IFI/LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA (DOCUMENTARY) STREET 66 (NIGHT OUT) Photo Credit: CBC Radio 3 via Flickr

Grace Jones is a pop culture phenomenon whose androgynous style and immense talent serve to make her a goddess in both music and fashion. The IFI and Light House Cinema will be showing a new documentary, Bloodlight and Bami, giving a glimpse into her life both on and off stage. After the screening Jones herself, live via satellite, will give a talk, along with some of her contemporaries. If you still haven’t had your fill, Street 66 will be hosting a night with guest DJs, where you can dance away to some of Jones’ finest.

Tickets are €11 (IFI) or €12 (Light House), while entry to Street 66 is free.

Modern Classics: The Weeknd - House of Balloons Adam Lawler looks back on the twisted nocturnal R&B classic that set pop on a dark path forever.

House of Balloons should come with the subtitle “The Weeknd album no Weeknd fan has heard.” This introduction to Abel Tesfaye’s shadowy world of drugs, isolation, and meaningless sexual encounters is replete with the scope, innovation, and cohesion that should gain it classic status.

The most urgent of the Canadian recluse’s 2011 trilogy of mixtapes, House of Balloons is a laser-focused mission statement of ill-intent. His is not a darkness populated by menacing figures. The only figures present are the narrator’s demons, and the plot is his choosing to wallow in self-destruction indefinitely. It’s intoxicating.

Although the songs unfurl slowly over cold synth washes and minimally spacious beats, a penchant for pop accessibility is always present. This can be seen in the title of “What You Need” being repeated ad nauseum over a glacial Kid A soundtrack, the walloping dubstep beat of opener “High for This,”

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and the bleary-eyed gorgeousness of “The Morning,” as well as the heightened melodrama of “Wicked Games.” There is also that voice, emitting from a nameless, mysterious figure. The high, boyish tone belied in turn the confident and pained lyrics, the latter only in tremulous vibrato.

Drenched in reverb, it evoked a heavy-lidded Michael Jackson even before Tesfaye covered “Dirty Diana” or became a poorman’s version later in his career.

“House of Balloons/Glass Table Girls” is the only song that could testily be described as upbeat, but its length, beat switch-up, undercurrent of skewed buzz-saw synths and Siouxsie and the Banshees sample place it firmly in an otherworldly zone. It is a dizzying evocation of train-derailing hedonism.

Tasteful alt-rock samples are a common thread throughout the project. Even the album artwork resembles Spiritualized in an opium den. Everything nodded to a quiet yet assuredly detail-orientated artist who knew his influences, but also how to

transcend the sum of them.

To glance outside the murky windows of the project is to see its indelible influence. Everything from Take Care’s nocturnal solipsism to artists such as Banks, Jessie Ware, Frank Ocean, and Selena Gomez bear his grimy fingerprint.

They may have adapted his sound into different strands, but the chilly underground minimalism and darkness are sewn into the DNA of all. A lot of people owe Abel cheques.

Subsequent projects may have shed some commercial light on the singer and allowed him to veer into self-parody, but they have added nothing to the legend, the character or the sound. This is a testament to the sonic world-building that he showcased so sublimely on House of Balloons. The Weeknd bridged the alternative and the accessible changing the landscape of pop forever. For that House of Balloons deserves a place in every record collection.

AIMEE MANN – 28 OCTOBER NATIONAL STADIUM Want to hear what real soulful music sounds like? Here’s an artist whose sound is not-quite-alternative, with trickles of folk and upbeat pop moments. A gripping storyteller, her recently released ninth solo album, Mental Illness, was memorably described by Consequence of Sound as ‘the equivalent of washing someone’s mouth out with soap.’ Mann is also known for her cameos in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and The Big Lebowski – think green nail polish! Expect songs both old and new from this veteran. Tickets are at €40, but for such a legendary artist, you will not regret it.

MULATU ASTATKE – 27-28 NOVEMBER SUGAR CLUB And now time for some Ethiopian jazz!

Lively melodies from vibraphones, conga drums, keyboards, and organs, with a wonderful Latin flavour are the minimum to be expected here. Astatke’s name has been spreading rapidly westwards, with his sound being sampled by Nas and Damian Marley, among others. He has worked with Harvard and MIT in developing updated versions of traditional Ethiopian instruments. Recent releases include his 2016 album Cradle of Humanity, a collaboration with Black Jesus Experience. Tickets are €33.50.

OTwo // Music

Photo Credit: Smoothwasves

Donald Glover Exceeds Across Many Genres as Childish Gambino

Donald Glover is not just an actor but a talented musician, Claudia Dalby explores.

Two weeks ago Donald Glover hit headlines, and made history by becoming the first black director to win an Emmy for work on a comedy series. He was also the first black man since 1985 to win an Emmy for lead acting in a comedy series. Atlanta, which he wrote, produced, directed, and starred in, was described as ‘enchanting’ and ‘vibrant.’

Atlanta follows the rise of the titular US city’s music scene through the eyes of a rapper and his cousin who aspires to be his successful manager, hoping to make it big and improve the lives of their families. It was highly praised for its sleek cinematography, sharp writing, and rich socio-political commentary. Glover humbly brushed this off: “I just wanted to make a really good show.”

Awards are not new for the California native. He’s been earning them ever since his career début in 30 Rock, where, fresh out of college, he was picked up by Tina Fey to write for her show, based off The Simpsons spec scripts he had sent off.

Writing was just the beginning for Glover, he has found success across a multitude of mediums, from music, to directing, writing, comedy, and acting, it can be hard to believe that this is just one person. In this case, you might say that there are two: Donald Glover and Childish Gambino.

It was not until Glover was picked to star in Dan Harmon’s Community as part of an ensemble cast that Glover was catapulted into celebrity. Glover starred in five hilarious seasons of Community.

He also picked up roles in Girls, Magic Mike XXL, and the animated Ultimate Spider-Man series.

His first studio album, Camp, is an exploration of the self. The lengthy formative stories on sparse beats reflect Glover’s tendency to overthink and express everything at once. Due to this, Camp received polarizing critical responses. On the positive side, the self-expression was seen as honest and refreshing. He is described as a rapper who wasn’t afraid to label himself as a nerd, and talk about rejection and who they believe they really are.

The Pitchfork review of Camp was miserable. It is true that amongst the revealing self-doubt and weak frustration, there are some awful punch-lines that stick out like sore thumbs. This is not to say that rap music is never silly, or tongue in cheek; think Eminem’s Encore, or any good Kanye lyric that fell flat with a bad rhyme. For Gambino’s Camp however, it falls into cringe territory. Many see this as the winning aspect of the project but for critics this was the last straw. The cramped self-awareness of Camp is likely what caused the strong dislike from critics, which follows Gambino everywhere he goes. He rarely shies away from difficult topics and tends to talk about what’s important to him.

In baring all that you are, the juvenile jokes and embarrassing memories, and basically being a complete dork, you will get people who love it, and people who think it is ‘self-obsession, without any self-awareness.’

He bounced back with Because the Internet, a glance at the intellectual reach Childish Gambino is capable of through a concept album. Because the Internet’s production is rich and satisfyingly thought-provoking, and the social commentary is challenging. What truly stands for him is his writing. It is sensitive and witty, with a distinctive flair and poise, always capturing a bigger picture.

What is evident from every one of his projects is the thought and effort put into each.

You probably wouldn’t expect much from someone who got their name from a Wu-Tang Clan rap name generator.

He has had a highly successful career so far. At only 34, he bounces easily between mediums, showing his talent for multitasking. Above all, he does them all well, putting the utmost effort into everything he does. His comedy is sharp and layered and his research is extensive. You probably wouldn’t expect much from someone who got their name from a Wu-Tang Clan rap name

generator. Creating his name may not have required that much thought, but his work certainly does.

What truly stands for him is his writing.

Most people thought Childish Gambino would lead the way for the future of hip-hop, before he took it back 40 years and made a funk album.

Awaken, My Love! was a totally different trajectory to his two previous albums.

The album has a 70s funk sound that is unlike anything that has preceded it.

Glover sings over the tracks with the same honesty as his other projects, the difference here is that the lyrics are less punchy and more evocative. In terms of the critical response, many praised the seamless production on the album, and exclaimed surprise at his ability to use his voice.

With a body of work spanning over a range of mediums, Glover would be kidding himself to think he was loved by all. Where reviews for Glover’s work around the small and on-and-off screen are wholly positive, his work in the recording studios is highly divided.

Ultimately he has achieved universal acclaim. Atlanta is his muse, a place where he has the space to flourish creatively.

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OTwo // Music

The Killers

Four Tet

Wonderful Wonderful

New Energy

Younger Now

Review by Aoife Mawn

Review by Matthew Derwin

Review by Daniel O’Brien

Wonderful Wonderful is the Killers’ fifth studio album, arriving some five years after the band’s last effort, Battle Born. This extended hiatus has been occupied by Brandon Flowers’ inescapable writer’s block; something which perhaps explains the lack of a defining theme here.

The Killers’ albums have a rocky history in this regard, and this release is no different. It gives the impression of pieces haphazardly thrown together, rather than that of a solid, cohesive, clearly linked body of work. On the album’s second track and lead single, ‘The Man,’Flowers brags, somewhat winkingly, about being “The Man,” before describing his wife’s crippling self-esteem issues in the following number, ‘Rut.’ This tends to be the Killers’ fatal flaw: they can craft great single pieces, but encounter difficulties in extending that intensity into a killer (excuse the pun) full album.

In truth, Wonderful Wonderful is easy background noise, something to nod along to while doing household chores or studying, but not enough to grip your attention and make you sit and listen. One song that does stand out is the penultimate track, ‘The Calling.’ Actor Woody Harrelson recites a Gospel verse, describing Jesus’ quest to save the unrighteous, before Flowers launches into Biblical metaphors, and musings on his faith and life. It’s the most striking song on the album, and offers a style begging to be further explored. It’s something different in a musical world saturated with tracks that all sound the same.

In a nutshell: Wonderful Wonderful isn’t terrible, in fact, the quality of each individual song is often great, but its lack of direction is glaringly obvious.

Four Tet, the brainchild of London musician Kieran Hebden, returns with New Energy after the release of Morning/Evening in 2015. His new effort is a wide-ranging, smooth electronic experience, seamlessly flowing from stripped-back drum beats and twitchy Oriental riffs to urgent, energetic dance tracks, and weighty bass-lines.

The standout songs of the album are ‘Two Thousand and Seventeen’ and ‘SW9 9SL.’ ‘Two Thousand and Seventeen’ has a calming quality, with dreamy synths and the skilful incorporation of a dulcimer. ‘SW9 9SL’ is a rhythmic dance piece, where Four Tet crafts an intricate soundscape through the gradual addition of more varied instruments, the only constant being the thumping bass. ‘Planet,’ which was released as a single in August, deserves an honourable mention, mixing elements from the tracks above with looped, ethereal vocals to create an otherworldly sound. This can also be observed on the much gentler piece, ‘Daughter.’

It’s often frustrating when albums include provoking but brief interludes when you would love to see them fleshed out into full tracks, but some, particularly ’10 Midi,’ do break up the album nicely. They provide a foil to the self-contained worlds that Four Tet creates in each piece. New Energy only really falters with the slightly flat production on ‘You Are Loved.’ However, this is almost negligible and aside from this, the album maintains a consistent standard of quality throughout.

In a nutshell: New Energy is a strong album for electronic fans, snugly fitting into Four Tet’s discography.

Miley Cyrus

The release of Miley Cyrus’ sixth studio album Younger Now is something of a U-Turn for the artist. Since her drastic image change back in 2013, Miley’s projects have been heavily reliant on her “bad girl” persona.

In particular, her embrace of hip-hop culture and her numerous and often cringe-inducing drug references.

However, Younger Now’s pre-release singles shared none of these traits, and signalled a new focus on softer, more lyrically driven ballads. The album is something of an apology tour for the last four years of Miley’s career.

This is an interesting strategy, but one that makes for an incredibly boring listen. The lack of any sort of fresh musical ideas here is almost impressive, as Miley plays it safe with a collection of breezy country-pop songs, each as bewilderingly forgettable as the last. The problem with stripping down her sound is that without all the gimmicks and distractions Miley’s flaws as a songwriter become much more obvious. On tracks like the lead single ‘Malibu’ and the deep-feigning ‘Inspired,’ her lyrics are vague and lifeless. Disappointingly, everything here gives the impression of someone who is trying their hardest, but who really doesn’t have anything to say.

In a nutshell: Miley’s new album focuses in on her skills as a singer-songwriter; a fine idea but one that fails almost immediately due to the sheer blandness of the project.

What are you listening to? UCD Mountaineering Club Hugh Irving: 1998 (Delicious) by Peace Nurina Iman Nizam, Secretary: Velcro by Clairity James Mullhall, Meets Secretary: Adrienne & Adrianne by Vulfpeck Mattie Purinton, Assistant Meets Secretary: I’m on My Way by The Proclaimers Eoghan Cunnigham, Climbing & Equipment Officer: I am the Resurrection by The Stone Roses In memory of Cillian Ó Corrbuí (1996-2017) former Club Treasurer: M.A.A.D. City by Kendrick Lamar

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Photo Credits: Killers: vougeonthenow via Wikipedia// Miley: wikimedia// Four Ted: Jwslubbock

Album Reviews

OTwo // Food

GastroGays talk Blogging Zoe Nicholson interviews Irish food blogging Guru’s the GastroGays.

Today, the GastroGays are back in Ireland focusing on the bounty of fresh ingredients and the hidden culinary corners not yet discovered by locals and visitors.

Russell Alford and Patrick Hanlon make up GastroGays, a foodie-driven blog filled with recipes, food-based travel guides, and coverage on their favorite obsession: Eurovision.

“We started GastroGays in 2013 within the depression in Ireland,” the duo explain. The dismal job prospects and economic thriftiness the nation was adopting during the crisis led them to write about the up and coming Irish food scene. “People were being thrifty with their money and going out to eat was a rare treat.” In the process they created GastroGays, which was originally a hashtag they used. After six months of restaurant reviews and job hunting, the duo packed their bags and moved to London, where job prospects were brighter.

“A UK audience quickly became interested in us and we realised that this was the new direction,” they said of their move. With a new angle, one that barred all reviews and focused on recipes and food-focused travel, Hanlon and Alford grew their brand for four years in London.

GastroGays said of themselves “The art of writing has been a bit lost and that’s sad to us because we’re writers. We’re journalists. We’re content creators specialising in communicating stories and information to our audience.”

Today, the GastroGays are back in Ireland focusing on the bounty of fresh ingredients and the hidden culinary corners not yet discovered by locals and visitors. “Irish produce has never had a better platform. It’s incredible right now and it’s amazing to see both produce and producer being championed so fervently,” they said.

With companies now using influencers for advertising, GastroGays don’t think it will last, “this influencer culture will wain when both advertisers and audiences see that the tangible ‘influence’ from these notable personalities is actually a percentage of a percent and that the whole online content creation sphere is just a stream of ads, sponsored content and partner campaigns now.”

Hanlon and Alford carved out a spot as one of Ireland’s top bloggers, with an engaging wit focused on the written word and an emphasis on eating farm-to-table.

On their site, you can find recipes for everything from a Tayto Chicken Fillet Roll to Whole Harissa Spiced Cauliflower, along with “48 Hours in…” guides to cities across Europe. The GastroGays release a diverse selection of content regularly and create conversation around Ireland’s food scene, which is continuing to become more exciting every day.

Do’s and Doughnuts While roaming the streets of Dublin in search of the perfect doughnut, it became apparent that much like the milkshake shops and burrito bars that came before them, doughnut shops are gradually making their way to every corner.

It is no secret that the doughnut craze is only new to Ireland. After many years of experiencing doughnuts vicariously through American TV Shows, we’re now able to experience the delight of a proper freshly-baked doughnut firsthand and not the store bought, second-rate pastries we’re used to in supermarkets.

It is no secret that the doughnut craze is only new to Ireland.

The most popular shops, the ones that arguably kicked off the whole craze, are The Rolling Donut, Aungier Danger, and Boston Donuts. Aungier Danger certainly sits high at the top of list, with unique doughnuts like ‘The Crime Scene:’ a reconstructed red velvet with the most delicious cream cheese filling and decadent icing. The dedicated Rolling Donut shops scattered around Dublin were perhaps the first of the craze, and have set a dedicated

standard in terms of pricing and quality.

Boston Donuts, the youngest of the three, has recently made a massive name for itself, even making its way into the UCD SU shops for €2 a pop, making them the cheapest of the “luxury stores.”

The newer brands to the game, Boomerang, Donutters, and Off-Beat, cannot be overlooked, however. OffBeat has made an impression on the city, and their success has even allowed for expansion into Dundrum Town Centre.

They offer some of the most vibrantly-coloured doughnuts of the lot and they are made fresh onsite throughout the day.

One popular choice is the Boston Crème, an American classic that holds its spot as one of the most delicious. Unfortunately, Boomerang and Donutters don’t quite compete with the rest of the doughnut shops in Dublin.

Despite the variety of colours and flavours available throughout these shops, the most pleasant surprise was the original, “hole-in-the-wall” Rolling Donut kiosk on O’Connell street. It has been stationed there since 1998. Their doughnuts are small, but the flavour makes up for that in spades. The batter is beautiful and buttery, and is a mouth-watering experience that everyone should try. Not to mention they’re only 80c each, which is more than a bargain compared to every other shop. While the craze may come and go, the original kiosk will continue to roll on as king.

Photo Credits: Stock Snap via Pixabay

With Doughnuts taking over Dublin, Clara Brannigan asks who does it best?

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OTwo // Fashion

Autumn in Ardmore Step out in style with these textured seasonal essentials.

Photographer Alex Fagan Stylist Shane Cullen

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Model Divin Kiokio

Model Thomas Fitzgerald

OTwo // Fashion

Clothing kindly sponsored by Louis Copeland and Sons, Burberry House, 18-19 Wicklow Street, Dublin 2

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OTwo // Fashion

Suit Up Bébhinn Campbell looks at why a staple part of men’s fashion has been adopted by women.

In March this year, fashion “It”-girl Alexa Chung paid tribute to one of her leading style inspirations, Woody Allen’s Annie Hall. The pages of InStyle magazine exhibited a muted array of checked blazers and wide-legged trousers, each pairing oozes a kind of laid-back masculine charm.

The piece fell in line with what would become one of the biggest trends of this season. Some call it ‘suiting,’ others ‘tailoring’ and Vogue titles it ‘Pantsuit Nation.’ Everyone seems keen to jump on the bandwagon. Zara’s website has given blazers their own section among the standard clothing categories as

they have become a wardrobe staple.

Herringbone printed jackets are styled in their ‘Retro Fiction’ edit, a spread which blurs the line between chic and professional. The name hits the nail on the head: the past is the first place we should look for inspiration.

This is not the first time Diane Keaton’s cool-girl character has been held up as a universal style icon. Alongside the film’s success in 1977, imitations of the ‘effortless’ look were carried out on the streets of London and Paris. The distinctive play on gendered styling has reemerged several times since. Floppy

It only makes sense that female equality should be represented through a suit, a timeless symbol of power.

hats, half-buttoned vests, untucked ties.

What is it about this messy masculinity that has caught designers’ attention time and time again?

While Annie Hall’s thrown-together attire may simply have been an expression of her ditsy personality, it spoke volumes about the flexibility of the fashion’s boundaries. Hall didn’t abide by any rules, she chose comfort over impracticality. Catwalks in the 1980s adopted that mantra, as Giorgio Armani debuted their pantsuit with bold shoulder pads and masculine cut-outs.

The return of the pantsuit says a lot about the modern woman, as politics stays closely to the runway. For example, last year’s “Thanks Girls” collection by Stella McCartney was dedicated to women in work. The impact of feminism on fashion is not a new thing. It only makes sense that female equality should be represented through a suit, a timeless symbol of power.

Fashion houses are now aiming to put a modern spin on the pantsuit classic. Calvin Klein have focused on the androgyny, sending models down the runway with minimal makeup and clunky heels. French label Jacquemus have incorporated a subtle femininity, delicate court shoes peeking out from the bottom of a tailored trouser. Whatever the twist and whoever the designer, the suit is here to stay.

Supermarket Chic Megan Fennelly discusses how Heidi Klum has brought the catwalk to the clothing aisle.

In an interview with Vogue, Klum explains that she chose Lidl because she wanted her line to be accessible to everyone.

In an interview with Vogue, Klum explains that she chose Lidl because she wanted her line to be accessible to everyone. With shops in 28 different countries and the most expensive piece retailing at €59.99, it certainly is that. This could have been a

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The key differences between Rihanna and Klum’s demographic are the age of their fan bases. different story for Klum had she chosen to collaborate with a high street clothes store. Rihanna’s women and menswear collection for River Island in 2013 was incredibly successful and arguably what inspired her own clothing line, Fenty.

The key differences between they are more likely to shop.

Before Rihanna decided to build her own fashion and beauty empire, every high street giant fought to work with the singer. 2013 was a big year for Rihanna, having just won a Grammy for Best Music Video. Rihanna’s dedicated young fan base would have bought her clothes no matter where they were sold, as long as they were affordable. Klum does not have the same pull. Teenagers who worshiped Klum in the 90s are now in their mid-thirties, with full-time

Photo Credit: fashionunited

Last month the popular 90s supermodel Heidi Klum unveiled her clothing collection Esmara for Lidl at New York Fashion Week. To the surprise of the fashion world, the former Vogue cover girl chose the German supermarket chain over establishing her own fashion house. Klum is not the first high profile celebrity to favour off the rack over haute couture, but why opt for a supermarket chain over the likes of high street options such as Topshop or River Island?

jobs and adult commitments. If nothing else, teaming up with Lidl was a clever business move.

By making her clothes available where her former fans would be likely to frequent, Klum guarantees success.

Even if her grown up fan base has not kept up with her career, the feeling of nostalgia at seeing her name in Lidl might prompt them to buy.

The range is nice, not particularly outstanding but not anything offensive.

If you are looking for a basic black jacket it is perfect, but her designs will not be going down in fashion history. Smart business-people know success is knowing your demographic. If yours regularly visits a supermarket, sell there.

OTwo // Fashion

New Rules in New York New York Fashion Week (NYFW) returned last month in all its fanfare glory as stylists, socialites, and designers came together to witness the premiere of Spring/Summer 2018 collections. This year, mismatching of bold colours, irregular cut-out pieces and motorbike stunts were just some of the highlights on offer. While the scheduled events were cut from seven days to six, attendees were still wowed by the catwalk shows.

If you give Alexander Wang a runway,

Exaggerated shoulders and shades of shimmering silver and pink covered the catwalk, as Ford separated the show into day and evening sections.

he will deliver. Aptly named “#Wangfest,” Wang presented the crowd with a lineup of 80s-style polo sweatshirts and tracksuit bottoms which kept in theme with scuba gear that was featured in collections previously. Wang’s Spring/ Summer runway collection boasted disheveled underground beauty, with models including Kaia Gerber wearing hairpieces with standout slogans such as “#WangFest” and “Party Animal”. Wang made the guestlist a millennial dream by featuring Bella Hadid and rapper Cardi B. Tom Ford did not disappoint the fashion goers at his show as he debuted a collection of glamorous silhouettes in Park Avenue. Exaggerated shoulders and shades of shimmering silver and pink covered the catwalk, as Ford separated the show into day and evening sections. American Model Binx Walton starred in both the opening and closing of the show. Walton emerged to Bowie’s “Fame” in a chainmail top and shorts suit, and closed in a sequined gown.

The star-studded front row included Kim Kardashian, Chaka Khan, and Julianne Moore. Ford’s guests were gifted with a bottle of his new fragrance “F**king Fabulous,” a modest Tom Ford touch to

close the show.

Taking time out of her highly successful Fenty Beauty launch, Rihanna was also a big talking point of New York Fashion Week as she showcased her Fenty x Puma collection for Spring/ Summer 2018. Among biker shorts and swimwear, Rihanna’s show included motorbike stunts and pink sand dunes.

The woman of the moment made her entrance blowing kisses to a captivated crowd on the back of a motorbike, as effortlessly jaw-dropping as she usually is.

Diversity was something taken very seriously at NYFW. This year more models of colour featured on catwalk shows than ever before. The numbers of plussize models also increased this year, in part due to plus-size label Torrid making their debut at the event. As Paris Fashion Week now gets underway, it is hoped that they take a leaf out of NYFW’s book; Fashion Week is a festival that everyone should be invited to.

Photo Credit: AFP

Lucy Byrne reviews the catwalks, collections, and changes at New York Fashion Week.

Campus Chic Name Rosa Course English - Final Year Favourite part of the outfit “I love the jacket!”

Name Andrew Course Sociology / Linguistics - Final Year Favourite part of the outfit “It’s really all about the socks!”

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OTwo // Travel

Surprising Finds in Cardiff

Photos Credits: Aoife Hardesty

Aoife Hardesty has a Wales of a time in Cardiff.

Wales might not be the first place that springs to mind when you think of going on holiday, and Cardiff might not strike you as the place to go for a city break, but the delights that await those who take a short hop across the Irish Sea are many and varied.

This exhibit features fossilised remains and castes of baby dinosaurs and discusses how paleontologists can learn about dinosaur development from these fossils.

I am a regular visitor to the capital of Wales. My boyfriend recently moved to Cardiff, and every visit together feels like a mini-holiday. Highlights of the city include an elaborate and historical castle, beautiful gardens, and a two-storey carousel.

Flights to Cardiff start somewhere in the region of €100. When I visit, I fly to Bristol (off-peak flights with Ryanair can be as little as €15) and get a bus from the airport to Cardiff for €15. The

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journey from Bristol to Cardiff is filled with spectacular views. A quick loop around the Bristol area offers a view of the Clifton suspension bridge which spans the Avon Gorge. Driving below, within the Gorge, you are enclosed on either side by steep cliff faces, with a view of the River Avon beside you.

Entering Wales from England, the bus drives along the Severn Bridge (“Pont Hafren” in Welsh). This bridge is almost two kilometres in length and spans the River Severn and the River Aust. The views of the rivers are striking, especially when you see the sunlight sparkling on the river-waters. Total travel time from the airport to Cardiff is roughly one hour.

Hopping off the bus, you walk across the Millennium bridge, a quaint red and white footbridge over a little river, and enter the magnificent Bute Park gardens.

During Spring and Summer, the garden is full of vibrant colour as flowers bloom everywhere around you. Trees loom above you, their branches stretching high into the sky, and in Autumn result in piles of fiery orange and crisp red, crunchy leaves, which are wonderful for jumping into.

Scampering constantly here and there are grey squirrels. At first you don’t notice their presence, and once you catch a glimpse of one, suddenly you realise that they’re everywhere around you. Hiding behind tree trunks, searching in the grass, even running out in front of you.

As you walk through the park, the trees will become sparser, and castle walls will loom before you.

The four walls of Cardiff Castle are perhaps one of its most interesting features. They have been built, re-built, and

built upon so that stories of the history of the city are hidden beneath them.

The Animal wall is topped with stone sculptures of 15 animals including a wolf, lynx, pelican, and ant-eater. The animals appear as though they are climbing over the wall, ready to pounce on passers-by, or anyone attempting to attack the castle.

Entry to the castle is a whopping £23, but is worth the price if you make time to spend a few hours inside.

Once inside the walls, the first object that captures your attention is a motte and bailey. The castle keep was built in the 11th century and is preserved to this day. It is possible to climb the steps all the way to the top of the keep and you are awarded for your efforts with a 360° view of Cardiff City.

It is possible to walk most of the way along the tops of the four castle walls, and even climb down into the wall interiors.

It is possible to walk most of the way along the tops of the four castle walls, and even climb down into the wall interiors. The upper walls were built on top of the remains of Roman walls, which were adapted for use as air-raid shelters during World War II. The castle that stands today, is incorporated into the

castle walls, and can be visited by guided tour for an extra £5.

Cardiff is full of beautiful old buildings, and in the University quarter of the city, these buildings house the Welsh Parliament, Cardiff University, and the National Museum of Cardiff.

A recent visit to Cardiff took me to the National Museum where I visited their current “Baby Dinosaurs” exhibit. This exhibit features fossilised remains and casts of baby dinosaurs and discusses how paleontologists can learn about dinosaur development from these fossils.

Continuing on within the museum, more dinosaur remains were to be found, along with fossils and models.

The museum takes you through the geological history of the Earth’s evolution.

Special viewing areas were designed to resemble volcanoes, or the night sky, with projected videos on the walls giving an immersive learning experience.

Walking around Cardiff city, there’s plenty to see. The shopping areas are all close together and make for pleasant walks through large pedestrianized areas. The presence of a giant two-storey carousel near the main shopping centre gives a Victorian vibe to a modern area and adds a splash of incredible beauty.

Along with two large shopping centres in the heart of the city, Cardiff has smaller arcades, the most beautiful of which is the Castle Arcade with its balconies, high ceilings, a secretive-looking violin shop, and a bakery with a live-in dog.

Everywhere in Cardiff is steeped with Welsh culture, Welsh is written in shops and signs more than Irish features in Ireland. The history is evident along every street, and the city has a cosy,

OTwo // Fatal Fourway

Fatal Fourway – Favourite Onscreen Pet Drawings top to bottom: Meadhbh Sheridan // Rhea Cassidy // Meadhbh Sheridan // Rhea Cassidy

Orla Keaveney

Gavin Tracey

Adam Lawler

Shane Cullen

Since I couldn’t decide on just one pet, I picked a few: well, one-hundred-andone, to be exact. Yes, I am talking about the puppies from the Disney classic, ‘101 Dalmatians’. Every single one of them.

I’m not even a huge pet person, if I’m perfectly honest. Before you start booing, I should clarify: I think animals are cute and all, especially dogs. But I barely have the energy to look after myself half the time,never mind another living creature.

But a few months ago, I put on 101 Dalmatians for my two-year-old niece, and I was completely mesmerised. There I was, a grown woman, completely engrossed in a children’s movie. My niece got bored after a few minutes and toddled off, so I didn’t even have that excuse. But I didn’t care: those puppies were sooooooo cute.

For a finish, I was even sympathising with Cruella de Vil a bit. Not that I wanted to kill the puppies, obviously, but I could totally get her insane longing for those adorable balls of fur. I even went as far as googling “dalmatian for sale Ireland,” though reading about their need for frequent walks triggered my laziness again.

For now, I’ll just have to own them vicariously, does anyone know ‘102 Dalmatians’?

When it comes to the question of the best television pet, there is only one answer that you can give with any degree of certainty. Never has there been an onscreen canine companion as endearing and loveable as the brown-and-white Jack Russell that is Eddie, the arguable star of hit 90’s sitcom ‘Frasier’.

To call Eddie a pet is in many ways not enough. Throughout the show’s eleven seasons, Eddie was the one character that stayed level-headed and stable through all the trials and tribulations of the Crane family. Yet he was not without his complexities and nuance. Who could forget the burgeoning romance he shared with the pigeon from the balcony?

Admittedly, it ended up in Eddie eating said pigeon, but doesn’t love make us all do crazy things?

His cold and relentless stare could pierce the soul of even the toughest, yet he remained the closest friend of Martin Crane since his wife died tragically young.

He was the character that said the least, but despite the Crane brothers’ pompous verbosity, in many ways Eddie said the most. He transcended the trope of the loveable TV dog to lodge himself firmly in the hearts of all who watched.

Cats and dogs are so passé. Can a cat breathe fire? Can a dog destroy cities with a roar? It’s time to admit that dragons are the best.

It’s hard to pick the most adoptable dragon out of the many friendly dragons that have graced our screens. Take Draco from ‘Dragonheart’: good-natured, really chill, terrible CGI. Plus, Draco isn’t even his real name. His actual name is unpronounceable because of its ancient nature, but in reality, it’s probably because Sean Connery is saying it.

On the other hand, you have ‘The Hobbit’ Trilogy’s Smaug; awesome, clever, super lazy. Basically a cat, except instead of lying on your laptop keyboard as you attempt to write an article about your favourite onscreen pet, Smaug lies on a considerably more boujee pile of treasure. Although I could boast that he’s voiced

by Butterscotch Cabbagepatch.

However, Toothless from ‘How To Train Your Dragon’ would be my pick.

Retractable teeth to prevent serious maiming. He can’t talk. He’s absolutely adorable and could decimate all my enemies; plus, cheaper travel than Ryanair, without the awful service. I’m off to the fictional pet shop right now.

For me, my favourite on-screen pet was Border Collie-cross, Pudsey. Pudsey, along with his trainer and owner Ashleigh Butler, rose to fame in 2012 after wowing the live show audiences on Britain’s Got Talent where the duo performed dance routines and a series of tricks with a Mission Impossible theme. The routines were so good that Ashleigh and Pudsey managed to earn a standing ovation from the judging panel (and presumably from four-legged friends tuning in), with Simon Cowell saying that Pudsey was “one of the best” acts he had seen on the show.

Following their win, Ashleigh and Pudsey went on to perform for the Queen at The Royal Variety show in 2012, along with various other reality and entertainment shows right through to 2013. By then, everyone (including myself) wanted Pudsey as their dog. A year later in 2014, “Pudsey: The Movie” was released, aptly voiced

by David Walliams. Butler appeared on the British version of First Dates last year where she revealed she couldn’t go anywhere without people asking of him.

In July this year, Pudsey sadly passed away after an illness, devastating fans around the world. Now if you will excuse me, I must wipe tears from my eyes as someone appears to be cutting onions…

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