MIND THE GAP by byjordanwhite

MIND THE GAP

LAUREN AQUILINA CALL ME LOOP • THOMSTON • HUNTAR VICKI MANSER • TOM ASPAUL • FLAWES CHERRYADE • SUSAN • PATAWAWA VOL. 1

MIND THE GAP The first travelcard I purchased with my own money went towards venturing into the city for a gig, so this feels quite fitting. Since then, I kept repeating the cycle and accumulated enough tickets to plaster my bedroom walls with.

London is monumental, it’s overwhelming and I’ll sound like a broken record for as long as I live when I claim it to be the best city in the world because to me, it is. ‘Mind the Gap’ combines my own personal interests with the artistic culture the capital has on offer. In a place flourishing with opportunity, the idea of this project is to showcase individuals simply trying their best to create and be seen. Join me on this commute through new talent. Enjoy yourself and please, mind the gap.

EDITOR’S LETTER

I began writing on the back of each ticket what I’d done with it that day, from strolling around the streets of Kensington; shooting college projects with my best friend; exploring places so unlike my hometown. I couldn’t get enough. Five years on, I still can’t.

Each zone indicates a new section of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Mind the Gapâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. The numbers indicate how familiar one may be with the featured talent in the zone.

CONTENTS

6 8

ZONE 6 Location, Location, Location Susan Yumi Zouma at Moth Club

10 12 18 26

ZONE 5 Cherryade Jukebox Flawes

28 30 34 36

ZONE 4 Caroline Polachek at St. Pancras Old Church Tom Aspaul London Boy ZONE 3 Vicki Manser If I Could Turn Back Time Huntar

42 44 46 52 58 60 66 72

ZONE 2 Thomston Sound of the Underground Call Me Loop

78 80 88 94

ZONE 1 Home Coming Lauren Aquilina

100 102 108

MIND THE GAP

SPECIAL ARTISTS APPLY Patawawa

Sometimes itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s worth looking a little further afield to discover something great.

PATAWAWA DERBYSHIRE DIAMONDS SPAN THE GROUNDS OF MATLOCK WITH GLITZY DISCO REMEDIES. So how on earth did these three begin to brew up exquisite droplets of funk? “The funkiness and happiness that disco music brings has always run through the tunes we have brought out, one way or another,” Sam expresses. Patawawa follows the crowd of Franc Moody and Yusek sound-wise with 90s/00s French House tendencies and sublime dancefloor fillers.

Sam, Rory and Beth–the best of friends in little ‘ol Matlock–were infatuated with music by the ages of 14. Sam’s world opened up through music channels on television and with this he began writing his own lyrics, Rory contrastingly had the heart-eyes for music since receiving a Smurfs CD when he was still in nappies. Beth, like everyone else with taste, had her musical epiphany via the Spice Girls, singing along to the defying ‘Viva Forever’ until her little brothers would chase her around the house pleading her to stop (right now, thank you very much…) 8

Their expertise in extended plays have prepared Patawawa for the operation of creating something grander with a full length project. “I think the process is the same really,” they declare, shrugging off any pressure one would assume they had, “you just have to make a few more songs than you usually would and have to make sure that they are all at the high standard that you want them to be.” The group’s only concerns are not knowing when to tell themselves “stop” and wrap a project up, “you’re always listening back and having little thoughts in your head, it’s a wonder we ever release anything.”

“THE PLAN FOR US WAS ALWAYS TO MAKE PEOPLE DANCE AND BE HAPPY AND IF WE ARE DOING THAT THEN I IMAGINE WE ARE ALL HELPING EACH OTHER OUT” As someone who has never visited the town before, I ask the trio to sell Matlock to me in a single sentence. “Lovely town with undertones of indie disco,” I’m booking my train ticket immediately. Patawawa are part of a trailblazer crew in the Midlands, paired with up and comers Diggle & King Emerald and Karma Kid, “who’s been on fiyah for a long time.” Their group’s mission is to reignite the disco flame and popularise the genre into the current decade.

Perfectionists they are, and groove makers they’ll continue to be, Patawawa’s plans to revive disco are on track. The trio isn’t swooning for the capital, they’d rather trace the familiar grounds of their hometown and find comfort in the minuscule surroundings. Regardless I insisted they choose their favourite location in the city: Sam has a journal in his mind full of enchanting memories in Kentish Town; Rory has no idea about London at all, “I’ll hazard a guess at the London Eye, I’m sure that’s got its own station,” close enough. Beth relies on St. Pancras, “cause that’s the station that gets you back to Matlock!” You can’t win them all over with the allure of the city, but one thing we can all agree on is that dancing is the cure for all our troubles and continues to be Patawawa’s mantra on their discotheque journey.

After a cataract of EPs sailed the three friends through the last five years, attracting fellow funk fugitives with jivey numbers ‘Patagonia’ and ‘THAT GUY’ along the way, their horizon is now set on settling down and grafting together the all-important debut album. “We started writing songs for it about 18 months ago,” explains Rory, “we always said this was going to be the first release from the album.” The song is question is ‘Just Not with You’, a boycott to Valentine’s Day; cheery, catchy and undoubtedly Patawawa. “It’s a proper bopper, we hope to have people dancing and singing along in no time.”

Zone 6 Location, Location, Location

Susan

Yumi Zouma at Moth Club

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION. I often reminisce the days of spending £15.70 on a travelcard from my hometown station getting into the city. Departing from fresh Essex air to the Big Smoke in a matter of 37 minutes, strolling the city streets and visiting South Kensington at every opportunity, where I’d convinced myself I’d be living by the time I hit my twenties. Alas, I trade in my SW7 dream for the serenity of N8. Living in the residential hub of north London opened up a plethora of transport links and if only I had the N29 patrolling the roads of Chelmsford back during my college years – that would have saved me a lot of time waiting around for my then hourly bus service. Now I’m 22, living mere minutes from the centre of the city and saving a lot more money on travel than I used to. Still reminiscing, I visit my favourite places in the capital almost biweekly to remind myself of why I fell in love with them in the first place, and now I’m going to share them with you.

HOLLAND PARK

Fact: In the rare occasion that you’ll find peacocks roaming around one of London’s 3,000 green spaces, Holland Park is your best bet to catch them in action. Except the action comes in sparse waves, as these feathery species are amongst the tamest in the city. Selling point: The Kyoto Garden is what makes Holland Park feel like home. In the midst of exotic plants, shrubs and waterfalls, admiring the garden’s Japanese-style landscape comes easy for those looking to reflect and trade congestion for tranquillity. Soundtrack: Serenity is best enjoyed with a companion, or four. New Zealand’s Yumi Zouma excel in a sun kissed environment and being only a stone’s throw away from the sound of crashing waves. The Kyoto Garden shines for its soundscapes and beaming sunshine on a crisp Spring morning, made even better by the soundtrack of ‘Willowbank’, the groups sophomore effort.

GREENWICH Fact: The Royal Observatory located in Greenwich soon became the notable point in which the measurement of time began. Before the Observatory, there was essentially no track of time, and for 19th Century mariners–as well as modern-day folk–a world stripped of its time would have been very confusing. Selling point: Aside from being the home of tourist attraction royalty–the Cutty Sark clipper ship–Greenwich acquires a home-away-from-home novelty about it. Not many boroughs in London feel as if they are separated from the capital, yet strolling through the wonders of Greenwich’s independent markets and vast parks comes with its own suburban warmth. Soundtrack: The delights of this town ought to be soaked in with a selection of British nuggets – the early creations of Kate Nash; plaintive melodies from Aquilo or south London diehard Florence + the Machine for instance. Headphones or not, a stroll in beaming Greenwich can even be enjoyed by the sounds of its nature.

BARBICAN Fact: Barbican Centre prides itself by being the largest multi-arts and conference venue in Europe, with its Brutalist architecture, renowned library, theatres, halls, and concert spaces. The Grade II listed building is also a residential area in the heart of the City of London, home to over 4,000 individuals. Selling point: The Conservatory consists of over 2,000 species of tropical plants and trees in addition to an array of exotic fish and an entire room dedicated to cacti and succulents. Open to the public every Sunday makes it the optimum weekend getaway spot. Soundtrack: Admire the greenery with subdued airwaves courtesy of Kisses’ debut record ‘The Heart of the Nightlife’ or Paramore’s ‘After Laughter’ drenched in vibrant 80s new wave – both acquiring the perfect balance of leisurely relaxation and living adventurously.

SOUTH BANK Fact: As one of the most central locations in London, the South Bank has it all. From the National Youth Theatre, skateboard cemetery, Southbank Centre, BFI film theatre (Britain’s largest screen, FYI) and of course, The Eye. Selling point: Despite the towering amount of tourists surrounding the South Bank area, don’t shy away from the views of the river come sunset as the herds begin to flee. Suckers for fluorescent lights and miniature stools will find themselves in their element, and those looking to see representative London landmarks won’t be left disappointed. Soundtrack: Put some groove into your step with Franc Moody’s ‘Dopamine’. Rumour has it the disco tendencies and glittering funk produced by the duo really does release the dopamine chemical and… it seems pretty believable.

PECKHAM Fact: Peckham may be a victim to the gentrification of London, though this actually just means the location has a lot more to offer today. Rooftop bars, Plex cinema (£4.99 tickets!), Peckham Rye park and a whole lot of diversity. Selling point: If you’ve been on the gram at least once in your life you’d have seen your mate posing in a decorative pink room, or, maybe you’re the mate, which in this case you’ve already discovered Peckham’s aesthetic secret; Bold Tendencies / Frank’s Café bar. Soundtrack: The delicious ‘Thinking Of You’ from Mabel reigns through the veins of Peckham. Its 90s-esque sound and tender R&B components capture the lounged atmosphere and community spirit of the south London town.

S U S A N REIGNS SU E PRE ME

PACKING AWAY THEIR BELONGINGS IN NOTTINGHAM AND DESCENDING DOWN SOUTH JUST SHORT OF THREE YEARS AGO TO STUDY MUSIC IN WEST LONDON, SUSAN IS SET ON PREVAILING IN THE CAPITAL. “I’m so glad I moved,” Sue expresses. “Small town mentalities don’t exist here and neither do the musical boundaries of certain areas that I once lived.” London is the perfect place to be as a youth figuring out future movements. For artists like Susan, it’s a blessing to be able to attend the endless musical functions taking place around the city and support friends in their chosen industry. “I suppose the disadvantage for me is that because there is always something on I have intense FOMO if I don’t go out. But I recently realised that If I have nothing to celebrate then what am I celebrating for? I need to work harder!”

Susan Reby is a student, which means attempting to balance education, a careerpassion and a side job all at once; to summarise, it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. “The whole process is difficult,” she admits. “Sometimes you have to skip one or the other to fit it all in.” Through moments of working full-time hours to give into the extortionate London rent prices, Susan reminds themselves that “there has to be something better for me.” At this point, education is at the bottom of Sue’s priorities, “much to my mum’s disagreement… but I’m the happiest I’ve been in ages, so I must be doing something right?”

“This project really started with me not knowing how to use music DAW’s properly,” Susan outlines on the growth of their musical origin, “…just making sounds that sounded right to my brain? Does that make sense?” Sampling the sounds of glass smashing mixed with irate screams on Logic became a regular activity in Sue’s bedroom at 16. “I probably have underlying issues.” This age comes with vivid memories of waltzing into HMV to buy copies of Charli XCX’s ‘True Romance’ and Lorde’s ‘Pure Heroine’ – definitive records in her upbringing. The majority of Susan’s projects are made alongside friend and saviour James Hollingsworth, responsible for his input in production and lyrics. “For the next project he’s taken the reins with some of the production and it’s been such a blessing to have somebody else giving a completely different approach,” she voices. “I think James enjoys producing properly and technically, then I come in and mess it all up, but it sort of works?” Together the pair are unstoppable, utilising the best of both their abilities to discover innovative ways to approach music and doing everything they can to keep each other on their toes. Moving to Elephant & Castle last summer made putting on gigs around south London extremely accessible. The live shows are a celebration of abstract acts breathing eternally outside of the mainstream with a line-up consisting of Sue’s close pals. “I say to my friends: whoever ‘makes it’ first is dragging the rest up by their hair.” Susan’s mantra is that there’s enough space for everybody in the industry and it’s paramount that exposure is given to every type of art, which is why hosting these gigs around London is vital in not just the promotion of her own projects, but the art of those she respects.

“WE’RE THE NEXT MOVEMENT I SUPPOSE AND IT’S TIME PEOPLE START WATCHING”

Susan embodies the DIY movement of the 21st century. Doubling up as a way of saving money and projecting a true representation of her music, she’s spent the build-up of her career constructing visuals by herself. “I think the style of how I shoot is really ‘in the moment’ and I carry a camera around with me at all times to capture whatever I feel could work,” she elaborates. “I want people to see how I’m living, which coincidentally affects how I write, almost giving another level of understanding of who I am as an artist.” The subsequent project, ‘suepreme’, sees a collaborative side working alongside videographers to enhance and evolve Susan’s vision; a part of her craft she’s only ever touched before. 2017 saw an incognito version of Susan that used disguises for the entirety of her first project ‘acne’, keeping the enigma of ‘Susan’ alive. Posting a single image on social media became a major event and through ongoing experimentation, Sue gained an understanding of how she wished to represent her brand. “Visuals are such a delicate thing and with ‘suepreme’ I really want everything to be pristinely thought through.” Alongside the pressures of succeeding in a degree, Susan is determined to snatch each opportunity and run with it; resulting in a résumé of dreams. Last summer saw Susan on the stages of Latitude, Brighton Pride and Forest Sessions billed next to forever idols. “It’s stupid, to be honest,” she beams. “To be on the same poster as some artists is just indescribable.” Running through Henham Park after a surreal Latitude set to catch Solange perform ‘Losing You’ doubled as a coming-of-age moment where “everything just kinda made sense in the world.”

Next for Susan is freedom. After spending the past two years living in a freezing flat in Fulham she feels ready to leave her favourite part of London and cherished station, Parsons Green, behind. “In the summers, my friends and I would float over to the parks by Parsons and just eat sushi and listen to music,” reminiscing, “it was so vital to my existence at that point in my life. There are just so many sweet memories.” Having not been left to her own devices for very long, the anticipation of what’s going to come post-university keeps Susan’s spirit at summit levels. “I’m just so gassed to be able to release music again and hear what people think. I’m ecstatic.”

YUMI ZOUMA ZOUMA AT MOTH CLUB Yumi Zouma are a bunch of New Zealand treasures. Yumi Zouma are also immaculate background music to accompany many a breakdown whilst writing one’s dissertation, but we won’t go down that road…

The Kiwi’s return to MOTH Club after almost 4 years, where the group were previously seen commemorating putting out their debut record ‘Yoncalla’; it would only be tradition to return back to the east London dig.

Tonight is no ordinary show and the entire room are here to celebrate the release of Zouma’s third record ‘Truth or Consequences’ – their first release as signed artists to Polydor. Upon the group’s suggestion of performing at either Omeara, the twinkly delight hidden between Borough and London Bridge, or MOTH Club, the glitzy, golden nugget buried in Hackney Central, the choice became clear that the latter held greater significance for the band.

The husky ‘Bruise’ commences their return to the glittery stage before leading into the appropriately titled ‘Southwark’ and sophomore stunner ‘Depths Pt. I’. “This is a song about New Zealand,” the band’s Josh Burgess informs us before the fluorescent ‘December’, a number that represented the beginning of a new era for Yumi Zouma, and initiated a very special summer for my nineteen-year-old self back in 2017.

We reminisce with ‘Sålka Gets Her Hopes Up’, a jewel dug up from the band’s first EP, before heading straight back into the forceful lead from Truth or Consequences, ‘Right Track / Wrong Man’. The growth between their first collection of songs and their now third record is immense and sonically noticeable, but through major shifts in departing band members and halts between projects each song remains authentically Yumi Zouma.

Ending on ‘Alena’ and the entire room are ordered on their knees for its bridge, kneeling till the punch of the final chorus hits. “Come over here and dance with me, it’s true that you’ll never see me feel better,” we all pulsate to the ceiling. Squeezing 16 songs into just over an hours set, Yumi Zouma’s performance at MOTH Club felt like something of a reunion tour; playing the classics, deep-cuts and glossy new material. The band said tonight was everything they’d dreamed the beginning of their new era would be, and for us, it was a pleasure to welcome them back to our wonderful city.

I’d love to say this was an evening of great singa-long moments but if we’re being honest, the lyrics to 90% of Yumi Zouma’s music is unknown. It’s a conspiracy that’s been in motion since the group first appeared and has led to on-going detective work carried out by their supporters to decipher what frontwoman Christie Simpson is saying. It’s wild and brilliant and potentially makes all of us enjoy the music a bit more? Either way, lyrics have been released in their new album’s booklet, so if that can’t convince you to cop a copy then nothing else will.

Zone 5 Cherryade

Jukebox

Flawes

C H E R R Y A D E BANG. POP. GO CHERRYADE! Alex and Ella bonded over their mutual adoration for artists M.I.A, Lil’ Kim and Britney Spears and through this connection they began to give music a go themselves. A concoction of alcohol and Logic later and the creation of Cherryade was brought to fruition, “we kind of replaced the alcohol with Haribo or sushi though.”

Not just a tasty beverage. Childhood friends turned brat-pop leaders Cherryade use tongue in cheek lyricism as a way of venting about the things that piss them off. It’s excellent. The name ‘Cherryade’ originates from the duo’s pre-drink speciality, alas these days they’ve gravitated towards the higher end cocktails, you know, a classic Pornstar Martini from Wetherspoon’s, or something along those lines. “…or whatever’s free!” 30

My ice-breaker for the pair was to make up a bio for Cherryade if they joined the dating app world. Right off the bat, Ella comes in with: “Taco emoji + aubergine emoji = winky face emoji.” Getting straight to the point, Alex suggests: “Young, dumb & hung…” If this doesn’t give you an indication as to the type of people Cherryade are, then nothing will. The pair are far from serious musicians. Their sound gives off a clear representation of both their personalities; “we’re both trashy,” Ella communicates, Alex swiftly concurs. Though, aside from their inelegant creations, visuals are prominent within the Cherryade brand. “I think we’re both just really creative people and love to make stuff all the time, whether it’s writing music, doing our own press shots or shooting music videos for other people,” Ella explains. “It’s just what we’ve always loved to do.” “THE VISUALS ADD ANOTHER DIMENSION TO WHAT OUR MUSIC IS - REALLY FUN, AND NOT AFRAID TO BE A BIT CONTROVERSIAL OR OUTSIDE THE BOX.” Cherryade’s visual identity flares from the group’s ‘passion for fashion’ and following upcoming designers, borrowing their styles and injecting their vision into music. The new decade sees the duo churning out music at an accelerated pace, resulting in a 24-hour creation of their ‘Sinking Ship’ EP. “We usually write pretty quick anyway, but were just on a roll and needed to get it all out of our systems,” says Alex. “We both had a pretty shit year with projects that fell through and some US managers that let us down so it just sort of blurted out,” Ella emphasises.

Taking “new decade, new me” to the extreme, the EP views Cherryade in a new light. “It’s mostly positive and happy both in lyrics and production, so that’s a dramatic shift for us.” The majority of the duo’s lyrics draw from the current climate of politics and society. “It’s kind of surprising we wrote something positive with all the shit going on at the moment.” Right now, the pair are in the studio writing for K-Pop artists, letting their creative freedom take the reins. Not being ones for public transport, both of them are most likely to be seen walking to the studio. “I like the weird light tunnel in King’s Cross” Alex mentions reluctantly. “They’re dirty!” declares Ella as I push for a station name. “I guess Elephant & Castle is my favourite because I love Elephants… and castles.” I’ll take it. 32

J U K E B O X

WELCOME TO MIND THE GAP’S JUKEBOX! CAN I HAVE THIS DANCE? YES? PERFECT. PLEASE INSERT 50P AND TAKE YOUR PICK OF A CAREFULLY CURATED COLLECTION OF MUSIC MADE FOR MOVING HIPS AND CUTTING RUGS. THIS IS A JUKEBOX, AFTER ALL, SO THEY’LL BE NO TEARS ON THE DANCEFLOOR. UNLESS THEY’RE TEARS OF JOY, THEN, IN THAT CASE, CARRY ON... JOSEF SALVAT: IN THE AFTERNOON A simplified ditty fantasizing one sweltering afternoon with a crush, elegantly detailing their every move. “You like your coffee black and your drinks strong, and I like you,” Josef whirls around the thought of a potential future with this person he’s laying with, the kind of gut turning emotion that feels so good it hurts. JOSIE MAN: UNCOMFORTABLE Tinges of Corinne Bailey Rae blended with the sun-kissed temperatures of Spring present the powdered essence of Josie Man. Josie lives her life inside a Polly Pocket daydream, mesmerising her head over heels fantasies for romance. In ‘Uncomfortable’ she admits that her lover “got me so comfortable, that it’s making me uncomfortable,” her heart inflating as this transfixion on love grows each day. Recently brokenhearted? This will be a nice pick-me-up. 34

FRANC MOODY: CHARGE ME UP Dust off the toolbox and hang that disco ball to the ceiling – Franc Moody have arrived. The north London collective infuse funk-pop into the lives of dedicated groovers, and if you don’t count yourself a groover, ‘Charge Me Up’, the irresistible power-charged ode to the dancefloor, is soon to change your mind. HONEY MOONCIE: CHECKMATE Bonding two entities–Jazz and Pop–to form her own musical palette, Honey’s whispering presence charges through ‘Checkmate’; an open letter dismissing a friend’s other half for snooping around, “staying out late” and proceeding with his sly games, all of which Honey has witnessed before! Think Dua Lipa’s ‘New Rules’ for jazz lovers, Honey is keeping ‘girl code’ alive. FIKA: ONLY ONE A swanky lo-fi take at contemporary R&B, ‘Only One’ is a plead for devotion from the south London duo. Fika are instrumentalists, vocalists, all of the ‘ists’ you can possibly imagine, and they’ve applied each striking skill to this dizzy soul-soaked confessional. Their sound is lowkey, but their words are undoubtedly plangent. CHARLI XCX: FOREVER Charli is making a self-isolation album and giving herself a month to do so, all from the comfort of her living room. What could go wrong, you ask? Nothing. This is the pop star of the future. Recruiting her fanbase to curate this record with her, as a collective they will form together artwork, adjust lyrics and assist with the sound. Writing and co-producing ‘Forever’ in two days alongside A.G. Cook and BJ Burton, its direction is reminiscent of her supersonic ‘Pop 2’ mixtape. PIP MILLETT: HEAVENLY MOTHER “She don’t love the things you do, nor do I, bye bye bye…” sings the earnest Pip Millett, using her tender range to dispose of that one person doing her wrong. The soulful aura of ‘Heavenly Mother’ is utter perfection, comforting in those late-night evenings of overthinking and remorse. Millett’s melodic tone is a star quality that shines in each masterwork, but here is where her eloquence is at its brightest. 35

F l a w e s

38 Photography EVA PENTEL

FLAWES MAJOR IN BASHFUL ELECTRONIC INDIE-POP RIPENED FOR AN INDULGENT LISTEN. FORMING IN 2015, VOCALIST AND KEYBOARDIST JOSH CARRUTHERS (JC), GUITARIST FREDDIE EDWARDS AND DRUMMER JOSH HUSSEY (HUSS) ARE THE EFFICACIOUS TRIO WHOSE RHYTHMIC AGENDA APPETISE THE MASSES. The bold choice to hibernate outside the spotlight for 18 months to produce their debut album ‘Highlights’ has worked in their favour, enabling the trio to intensify their sound. “The songs that got us initially noticed were very atmospheric and slower-paced,” JC elaborates, touching on how they achieved their big break, “but the more time we spent writing together, the more we realised that we naturally wanted to make more energetic music.” A year and a half in isolation and away from the public eye is a risk that can very much kill a career, although these lads felt they must make it priority to exhibit the best versions of themselves. “We’re all really glad that we did and love the direction the music has taken.” ‘Highlights’ contains an assortment of hi-res pop accompanied by dynamic ambiences and silky falsettos. It’s a sonic evolution that sees Flawes endeavour into collaborations for the first time – their first subject being powerhouse ROZES for ‘Ghost Town’. “Originally when we wrote it, it wasn’t meant to be a duet,” they pose, “but when the idea was put forward it just made so much sense. We’ve been fans of ROZES ever since she released ‘Roses’ with The Chainsmokers so when she said yes we were over the moon.” Beginning as a mystery act whose imagery around their first releases focused on scenic photography, the hibernation period sparked realisations that Flawes were in need of a refurb. “We’re using much bolder tones to reflect the music, and we are also personally featured in the photoshoots a lot more.”

JC and Huss were in bands of their own before the birth of Flawes and through their transitions have subconsciously carried over elements of their former projects to inject into Flawes’ identity. “We all grew up around different styles of music at home,” Freddie reflects on bandmates and his earliest memories of musical upbringing, “but I think we all took it upon ourselves to pursue learning our instruments to this extent.”

Before moving to London, Huss and Freddie could usually be found making music in Huss’ parents’ Huddersfield attic, equip with leftover crates of Heineken from previous tours to keep them going. Now in the city and spoilt for choice, the magic can happen pretty much anywhere. “We don’t have a specific way of writing or a formula we stick to, we just take inspiration when it comes!”

“As a band, you go through so much together,” all three admit, “just because of the amount of time you spend with one another. We’ve definitely all learnt a lot over the last 4 to 5 years, I think patience is one of the most valuable things to learn, especially in this industry.” Having buried their music for years at a time then gradually digging up 12 songs and curating a record requires the utmost of patience, and it’s a process Flawes have only recently gotten the hang of.

Their collective decision on North Greenwich being their desired tube stop–“because the atmosphere is great as it’s always filled with excited people going to a concert or event at The O2”–isn’t the reason why moving to London became crucial in the process of catalysing ‘Highlights’, rather it’s a city where producers and studios are just an arm’s reach away on the tube. “The sentiment of a Flawes song didn’t differ,” JC divulges, sending out reassurance that London hadn’t changed the boys, “but I think we got to experience different styles of production and really figure out what Flawes’ ‘sound’ was becoming.” In every cliché way possible, Flawes confess that ‘Highlights’ had taken blood, sweat and tears to bring to fruition. Proclaiming that “it was written to be listened to in one sitting, so if people do that, that would be amazing.” Now that they’ve given us some clear orders, who are we not to obey?

Zone 4 Caroline Polachek at St. Pancras Old Church

Tom Aspaul

London Boy

Caroline Polachek AT ST. PANCRAS OLD CHURCH Caroline Polachek performing in St. Pancras Old Church. As you can imagine, it’s quite the holy experience... an extremely pleasant exorcism, if you will. Everyone is drinking. So many rules are being broken. We’re all sinners and Jesus wouldn’t have it any other way.

Opening with a haunting rendition of ‘The Gate’, before leading into ‘Pang’ and ‘New Normal’ Polachek admits that she’s “always wanted to play these songs in this environment,” following with the fact that the majority of ‘Pang’ was made in London - so this was a special one for all of us there tonight.

To a crowd of only 150, this is probably the last time anyone will observe Polachek play to a room this small, and what better way to spend an evening than to witness rearranged versions of songs from Polachek’s debut solo record ‘Pang’ for one unique night.

You know when an artist makes their crowd wait till the end of the night before they unleash their hit? Not Polachek. Fifth song in and the addictive ‘So Hot You’re Hurting My Feelings’ kicks in. “In church tradition, sing along if you know the words,” she says.

A St. Pancras Old Church environment is superior to standard live sets in the way that there’s no huge production to hide behind and no pulsating lights to distract one from Polachek’s otherworldly performance. Just a stage cluttered in instruments and fake candles, Polachek at her piano and microphone wires surrounding her feet… which she tripped over repeatedly, bless her.

The best factor of these kinds of performances is the satisfaction of viewing an artist in ‘real conditions’. Polachek’s clumsy personality shone on stage, showing us a different side of her that is otherwise hidden in some of the seriousness of ‘Pang’. “Let’s hope I don’t knock anything else over,” she jokes before instantly elbowing her mic off its stand. It’s perfect.

“I was going to use a backing track for ‘Parachute’ but the file isn’t loading: this is the universe telling me something,” Polachek admits as she reveals her nerves behind playing the song on the piano for the first time. “This isn’t for Instagram, this is for us.”

Polachek thanks Annie Mac for having her at her showcase. But honestly, Caroline, the pleasure is all ours.

Photography Fabiola Bonnot

T O M

A S P A U L

TOM ASPAUL IS A TONIC FIZZING HIS WAY THROUGH THE GATES OF THE POP KINGDOM. Two relationships in Tom’s life recently reached their final chapters, the first: his longterm boyfriend of 5 years, and the second: London. One followed the other and Tom moved out of the city and back to the West Midlands out of necessity after his breakup, which led to carrying out the ‘typical gay male process’ one does once they’ve just broken up with someone: bleach their hair, get hench and lose weight. This, along with his project ‘Black Country Disco’–the soonto-be debut LP from Aspaul–has consumed his new life in the West Midlands. “I used to get put in five songwriting sessions a week, with whoever was hotly tipped or flavour of the month,” Tom answers when asked about the noticeable differences as a musician flying away from the capital, “now I have no idea who is hotly tipped and I consume music much more organically.” Aspaul experiences isolation as a musician and sees himself rarely attending any live shows since moving away, but manages to turn the situation into a positive, allowing him to focus on his sound and craft rather than worry about what others are doing. As and when he needs, London remains in arms reach at just two hours away by train. Relying on Highbury & Islington for its transport links to his at the time home in Hackney, Tom values this station for its speedy Victoria line… and because of its close proximity to KFC – an obvious bonus. It remains his favourite station, alongside Westminster for its dystopian architecture, because it gets him back to the haven of Wolverhampton. 46

“Gil Lewis, who I’m producing this album with, still lives near Victoria Park in east London. I do sessions with him every other week or so to finish the songs and record vocals.” Some days he’ll come down in the morning and be back home by 9pm, so Tom doesn’t feel he’s missing out on London life, other than the rent prices, where he found a lucky escape. On a deeper level, Tom “needs” London both to remain in contact with friends, and to still feel part of the city in some way. “IT’S

VERY HARD TO ‘LET GO’ COMPLETELY AFTER 11 YEARS”

Now proudly flying the flag for Wolverhampton, Tom recommends either a night out in town after a Wolves match, a get together at “the dogs” to watch racing greyhounds (with the bonus of cheap drinks) or a canal boat ride down the locks – endless forms of leisure courtesy of the West Midlands! ‘W.M.’ dusts off its dancing skates for a camp disco sound for the first instalment of Tom’s album. “The song started life as a rough demo I made based around a Clare Maguire sample. I love Clare, we’ve had a couple of days writing and she was on my podcast a couple of years ago. She’s from the West Midlands too, so it felt right!” The sample directs from Clare’s track ‘Jungle Gardenia’ sung from the perspective of a drag queen who’s been disowned by their parents, and these elements of melancholy and pain are apparent in ‘W.M.’, where Tom finds himself in solace, unknowing of what will happen in his life next. “I guess it’s been done to death, but these painful topics just sound so bittersweet when the campness in the music is turned up a notch. Think early Kylie or Robyn. Or even ABBA.” 48

To make things camper, and to give a rough idea on what the vision of ‘Black Country Disco’ is set to entail, ‘W.M.’ is plastered in Victoria Beckham references. “It just happened?” Tom reports, with a Spice Girls tattoo on his arm. “I was on a treadmill listening to my demo and maybe I’d been listening to Victoria earlier and they just fell into place and fitted in with the rest of the pre-chorus and said what I needed them to say! I hope her lawyers don’t come after me. That would be very camp.” ‘Black Country Disco’ is a title originating back to Tom’s sixth form days where he began producing demos for an EP of the same title, something that never came to fruition. Proceeding on to study a degree in Architecture meant Tom didn’t get back into music until much later, and after some valiant attempts at cracking the industry as an artist, he decided to side-line everything to write songs for other people.

“Last year that all ended when I left my management, broke up with my boyfriend and departed London,” he earnestly admits, “everything fell apart and it almost felt like I was back at square one, back to when I was threatening to release an EP called ‘Black Country Disco’, so it came full circle.” Tom is adding the finishing touches to ‘Black Country Disco’ as an independent artist as he comes to the end of a lengthy publishing deal. “Leaving my management was the biggest change,” he reveals. “I won’t lie and say it’s easy, because it isn’t. You have to be your own A&R, press person, organise photoshoots, be your own booking agent, organise and coordinate sessions.” This is the first point in Tom’s life where he’s felt that music is “basically a full-time job”, that being said, thriving off the stress is what spurs him on. “I wouldn’t have achieved all of this any other way.”

50 Photography Kasia Clark

Whilst it seemed like Tom had a sufficient timeline to conceptualise his debut album, his at the time songwriting career seemingly occupied almost every minute of his life. Resonating back to writing for others, labelling it as “deeply stressful and souldestroying in equal measures”, the time for writing from his own perspective is now. “This whole transformation occurred and suddenly I was so inspired, musically, visually, everything was firing on all cylinders at once.”

No one is making music that excites Tom Aspaul more than his own. “I think as an artist that has to be your reality, otherwise why bother?” Devoting much of his time helping other people write songs, Tom realised that these people often had no vision of what they wanted. “I think I’ve been around for a while, made mistakes and I know exactly what I want.” The prospect of people listening to ‘Black Country Disco’ on vinyl–front to back–is something of a dream for Aspaul. It’s short and consistent; 30 minutes of magic that Aspaul hopes to blast into people’s lives. He breaks down the structure of the album, hoping it feels apparent upon first listen. “The songs are in a very specific sequence, starting with being unhappy with life in the music industry, then my relationship breaking down, leaving London and then starting this new life in the W.M.”

“Visually I’m really proud we’ve created this really bold and consistent aesthetic. A lot of my early inspiration for ‘Black Country Disco’ was based around the imagery of West Midlands bands like Slade, Black Sabbath and ELO.” The logo for ‘W.M.’ is taken from an old 70s street sign to celebrate the glory of the West Midlands, but the landmarks don’t stop there. “The album cover is going to be a big celebration of the Black Country, but in a new and interesting way.”

‘Black Country Disco’ ends on a positive note, aiming to give a sense of the wild year Tom has experienced through his journey. Tom’s end objective is for us to find a piece of ourselves within the world of ‘Black Country Disco’, and to embrace our experiences by dancing the pain away with an obligatory G&T in hand – I’ll go fetch the tonic.

Styling-wise Tom took himself down to Brick Lane for a rummage through vintage second-hand stores, searching for clothing to channel the disco pastiche of John Travolta: big hair, wide collars and a token leather jacket. “I don’t know why, but red is a really important colour for this project, especially the contrast of my white-blonde hair onto red.” These visions have rooted themselves in Tom’s mind and are evolving as he reaches the deeper levels of the project. Sonically, influences for ‘Black Country Disco’ were pulled from the music of Chic, Grace Jones, Diana Ross and whatever he found through shazam-ing at nights out to Horse Meat Disco. “Some later 80s influences from Olivia Newton-John, The Pointer Sisters, Michael Sembello too and then I’ve been rediscovering more recent music from La Roux, Empire of the Sun and Daft Punk.” 51

YOU KNOW I LOVE A LONDON BOY...

Taylor Swift has found herself in the arms of British actor Joe Alwyn, lounging around at his Highgate pad whilst in the process of writing her seventh album ‘Lover’. Sandwiched between a bouquet of heartfelt moments is ‘London Boy’ – a number detailing Swift’s adventures in the city accompanied by her other half.

Now one of Swift’s finer qualities is her ability to visualise a story through her lyrics: “But something happened, I heard him laughing, I saw the dimples first and then I heard the accent. They say home is where the heart is, but that’s not where mine lives.” Taylor has desires to taste the forbidden fruit of London Town. Willing to give up the endless drought of California to be welcomed by an endless downpour across from the Atlantic, she is preparing to embark on a journey through London’s cultural boroughs.

As a self-proclaimed Swiftie and London aficionado, I feel it’s my duty to analyse Taylor’s journey around the city as sung about in ‘London Boy’, list off my own recommendations for the places she steps into and give the pair some essential travel advice. From a non-expert, here goes… 52

Well, no one’s going anywhere let alone Camden without a valid travelcard, so first Taylor needs to tap her way through the tube barriers. By now Taylor seems important enough to own an AMEX so we’ll go with this as her form of payment. As previously mentioned, Miss Swift takes a stroll around Camden, but what will entice her? Endless amounts of incense? One of those t-shirts with ‘Normal People Scare Me’ stamped across the front? A cannabis lollipop? She is simply spoilt for choice.

“You know I love a London boy, I enjoy walking Camden Market in the afternoon”

Highgate

Camden Town

Alwyn takes Taylor back to north London’s residential area, hopping onto the Northern line from Camden Town for a speedy 8-minute tube. The leafy surroundings of Highgate are known to be, well, quite high. Here the couple and said “best mates” can catch-up over G&T tins in Highgate Wood, or take a short trip down to Parliament Hill to take in the city skylines.

“He likes my American smile, like a child when our eyes meet, darling, I fancy you. Took me back to Highgate, met all of his best mates”

“And now I love high tea, stories from Uni, and the West End” If Taylor Swift wants high tea then that’s what she’ll get. Boarding the Northern line once again down to Leicester Square, where she then changes for the Piccadilly line to Green Park, Swift can swiftly exit the tube and walk straight through the doors of The Ritz, or for us regular folk, the Caffè Nero opposite.

Highgate

After tea, Taylor wants to breathe in the West End, in which case she can either tube it back to Leicester Square, or stroll down to Shaftesbury Avenue and take a pick of London theatre the likes of Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, Les Misérables or Thriller. Before making that decision it’s best that the pair download the Today Tix app– the #1 place to snag all of your West End tickets–and bag themselves some ‘Rush’ seats at a discounted price – we all love a steal.

Leicester Square Green Park

“You can find me in the pub, we are watching rugby with his school friends”

Green Park

Like most Brits, Taylor loves a drink. Posttheatre the couple meet up with Alwyn’s rugby mates again back at Green Park station for a few IPA beers at The Clarence, a place that prides themselves as ‘the best pub to watch the 6 Nations rugby around Trafalgar Square’. “Show me a grey sky, a rainy cab ride,” London has approximately 106 rainy days a year, so this shouldn’t be too hard. The pair ditch their mates for some taxi sightseeing by the Thames.

Brixton

“You know I love a London boy, I enjoy nights in Brixton”

Shoreditch High Street

If we assume that Taylor’s cab took her around the Thames and then back to Green Park, she’ll easily be able to reach Brixton via a 9-minute journey on the Victoria line. Once south of the river Swift and Alwyn enjoy a date night at Pop Brixton–home to over 50 local and independent businesses and the perfect spot for a bite to eat–before heading over to Brixton Jamm for a boogie.

Brixton

“Shoreditch in the afternoon”

“Took me back to Highgate, met all of his best mates”

The stop-outs have landed themselves in the middle of Brixton at 5 in the morning, leaving them no option but to bus it over to east London by catching the 35 bus to Shoreditch High Street. Hitting up the vintage market and buying copies of her own albums in Rough Trade, they both whip out their phones to see which bars are open on the DUSK app so they can unwind over a free hangover-cure cocktail.

These two really love meeting up with Alwyn’s mates. Still in Shoreditch, they walk to Old Street and catch the Northern line 18 minutes to Highgate. Highgate

Old Street 54

“So please show me Hackney” Taylor has clearly lost her sense of direction by this point, having just travelled from East to North, but we mustn’t argue with a pop star. Northern line again back to Camden, walk through the market and over to Camden Road where she taps into the Overground through to Hackney Central. Arriving East she heads to Hackney City Farm to reminisce her childhood of growing up on a Christmas tree farm and then heads over to the butterfly house to ooze in the nature.

Highgate

Hackney Central Camden Road Camden Town

“Doesn’t have to be Louis V up on Bond Street”

Hackney Downs

The Overground again from Hackney Downs to Liverpool Street for an interchange to the Central line will get Swift back into Zone 1 in half an hour to meet up with Alwyn on Bond Street. There, in the middle of retail workers and tourists, Swift proclaims her love for the man: “Just wanna be with you, wanna be with you.”

Liverpool Street Bond Street

“Stick with me, I’m your queen, like a Tennessee Stella McCartney on the Heath” In the midst of all of this, the couple are probably getting elbows in the face for being in the way of commuters, and so Taylor declares that she wants to go and act like royalty in Hampstead.

Hampstead Heath West Hampstead

20 minutes fly by on the Jubilee line to West Hampstead with a prompt change to the Overground to Hampstead Heath and finally the two of them are able to relax by the lido, but not before a pit-stop to the supermarket to pick up a meal deal – essentials for any visit to the park.

Bond Street

“You know I love a London boy, I enjoy walking Soho, drinking in the afternoon”

Belsize Park

Swift clearly isn’t a fan of staying in one place for too long and insists on heading back into central London to feed her wine habit. They walk 12 minutes to Belsize Park and get the Northern line down to Tottenham Court Road and, like the majority that step foot into Soho for a drink, end up at G-A-Y bar.

Tottenham Court Road

“Took me back to Highgate, met all of his best mates” Having shared round the Jägerbombs and dancing to her own singles in G-A-Y, Taylor wraps up her escapade around London by returning home to Alwyn’s Highgate house, just short of 15 minutes away on the Northern line again, where presumably they both crash onto the sofa after an exhausting day of roaming back and forth across the city.

Highgate

Tottenham Court Road

So, what are we to make of this whole ordeal? That Taylor’s favourite tube line is ultimately the Northern line? That she fits in with all other Londoners and refuses to go West of the city? Or that it’s very, very strange to be witnessing an American use the phrase “I fancy you” in the chorus of a song?

If you do want to visit all of the places Taylor namedrops in ‘London Boy’ then please, set up an easier route before leaving the house to save you all of the 5 hours that Swift spent on public transport. Unless, like me, you love the tube and in that case: go wild!

My advice to you, Taylor: download Citymapper, you’ll thank me later.

Zone 3 Vicki Manser

If I Could Turn Back Time

Huntar

BACKSTAGE WITH...

VICKI MANSER

62 Photography DANNY KAAN

MEET VICKI MANSER, THE LADY TREADING THE BOARDS OF VARIOUS WEST END STAGES LEADING TO HER NOW HEFTY CV WITH FORMER ROLES IN BAT OUT OF HELL, UNDERSTUDY CAROLE KING AND GENIE KLEIN IN BEAUTIFUL: THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL AND HER NEWLIER APPEARANCE IN THE THEATRICAL PHENOMENON SIX THE MUSICAL PLAYING THE ALTERNATE ROLES OF ANNE BOLEYN AND ANNA OF CLEVES. Earning her rightful title of ‘Leader of the Alternate Pack’–something I just made up, but felt fitting–at Six, Vicki has seen herself step into the customised and crystalised boots of each of the six queens over her yearlong reign at the Arts Theatre. In the day in the life of an alternate, Manser plugs in the gaps where original cast members fall sick or injured and in true theatre style, insists that the show must go on.

Six adapts its characteristics from the Spice Girls, where ‘girl power’ is at the core of the show’s purpose. “Girl power to me means uniting, supporting and working together to create something empowering and inspirational,” Manser voices. “That’s important in the workplace regardless of the ‘girl’ part in order to create the best version of the show you possibly can. Teamwork makes the dream work!”

“The crowd at Six are very different to any other musical theatre show audience I have ever encountered,” Vicki dwells, “not only are they invested in the show, but they are also invested in you as an actor and as a person.” Six is a punchy pop extravaganza in the form of a concert telling the story of the six wives of Henry VIII if they were alive and knew each other today. The queens hold a competition to discover who will be the leading lady of their famous pop group and the criteria for that is whoever had the worst deal as wife to the king.

When Aimie Atkinson–the lady responsible for originating the role of Kathrine Howard in 2017–departed Six to seek new endeavours, Vicki kissed goodbye to her alternate costume to become Atkinson’s replacement. Kathrine Howard belts ‘All You Wanna Do’, a 7-minute power-pop spectacle to 350 people ten times a week. If anyone can handle the stamina of K-Howard, it’s the one who knows the production by heart... Say hello to a hot pink dip-dyed haired mistress too determined for any gentleman, prancing from left to right on stage, blowing innocent air kisses and sending flirtatious winks to the faces before her – precisely how Vicki portrays her teasing rendition of the fifth wife.

“I always find it incredibly generous and overwhelming when people make me scrapbooks because of the time and effort that goes into making them,” Vicki expresses, gaining a tight-knit group of supporters since joining the Queendom. “It’s always lovely receiving a tweet or being mentioned in a story with words of support, I feel incredibly lucky however people reach out to me.”

Not a moment passes where Vicki isn’t sat pinching herself waiting for her sudden awakening where she isn’t part of the diverse Queendom of Six. Granted that will never happen, and whilst the production is inches away from opening night on Broadway, Manser will remain a legacy in the West End where the witty script courtesy of postgraduates Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss first got its place to shine.

Vicki fell head over heels with Six the moment she perceived its differences to all other theatre productions. Each queen resonates with members of the audience in some unique form, whether it be the ambiguous personalities that win them over, or the individual flare one attains. “There will always be someone on that stage that they can relate to which gives an instant connection between the performer and viewer.”

IF I COULD TURN BACK TIME

THERE’S CERTAIN RECORDS THAT SOMEHOW MANAGE TO SHAPE YOUR LIFE INTO WHAT IT IS TODAY. THOSE QUINTESSENTIAL ALBUMS THAT PUT IT ALL INTO PERSPECTIVE. IF I COULD TURN BACK TIME... IF I COULD FIND A WAY... TO EXPERIENCE LISTENING TO THESE RECORDS FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME AGAIN, I WOULD JUMP AT THE OPPORTUNITY.

‘Alright, Still’ has back-to-back stunners. The playfulness of ‘Smile’ where Lily finds joy in seeing her cheating-ex now desperate and lonely is classic behaviour from the then 21-year-old. Right through to ‘Knock ‘Em Out’: one for the ladies which depicts the awkwardness of men approaching your group of mates at the bar, attempting to chirps his way through each and every one of you, Lily obviously taking none of it. The ironically titled ‘Everything’s Just Wonderful’ reflects on the current state of affairs in the world of 2006, from brawling to get on the property ladder to the ridiculous beauty standards pushed by the fashion industry. In her monotone ways, Lily shrugs off the world with the conclusion of, “it’s just the way the cookie crumbles,” realising that whining won’t change anything, so why bother?

LILY ALLEN: ALRIGHT, STILL (2006) In an album full of double entendres, my eight-year-old self viewed Lily Allen’s lyrics in an innocent light, now 22, all has drastically changed. Her lyric, “you’re not big you’re not clever, not big whatsoever,” in 2006 was a slam-dunk insult, a telling off by Allen in the highest form, my innocence back then failed to detect that this very line had been detailing the size of Allen’s ex’s dick the entire time.

Album closer, ‘Alfie’–a number about her little brother who became a bum at a young age–powders itself in the essence of a nursery rhyme. A delicate, high-pitch vocal asking her dear brother to “get off your lazy arse” and get a job because “the bills need to get paid,” you know, usual adult stuff. ‘Alfie’ shines within ‘Alright, Still’, it’s the perfect ending to the perfect fairy tale that Allen lived in for her debut record. Alfie may be tedious, but he’s family, and Lily will love him earnestly.

37 minutes’ worth of sarcastic commentary sounds a bit overwhelming, but apply some rose-coloured lenses over the typically British scenarios Lily gets herself into and you’ll soon be twirling around the high street in a prom dress and a pair of Nike Airmax.

‘Mariella’ follows on as an anthem for the lonely. “If I wanna play, I can play with me, if I wanna think, I’ll think in my head” she announces over one persistent piano. Inspired by Tim Burton’s ‘Vincent’, Mariella is happy in her own little world, wearing black to be deemed mysterious and gluing her lips together so that she needs not to utter a word to anyone. Teachers at school think Mariella is just going through a phase, but Mariella refuses to conform to society and is in it for the long run.

KATE NASH: MADE OF BRICKS (2007) Think of the most British lyric in existence. Keep thinking. Nope, sorry. You’re wrong. “I use mouthwash, sometimes I floss, I’ve got a family and I drink cups of tea”, now this, this is the closest it can possibly get. Who would think up such a line? One angsty twenty year old Kate Nash, that’s who.

‘Merry Happy’ concludes the album and contains which is probably the second most British lyric in existence, the striking: “Dancing at discos, eating cheese on toast.” It’s Kate Nash at her most representative and incorporates all of the niche characteristics we know and adore her for. A break-up number that feels as if your heart is taking a hit by a dagger, ‘Merry Happy’ finishes on the solace “I can watch the sunset on my own”, with sincerity in plain sight and a sense of optimism in the air. Why would she need someone by her side? She’s Kate Nash: a headstrong, independent woman of the 21st century and no one can take that away from her.

‘Made of Bricks’ is the debut album that gave us ‘Foundations’; a karaoke staple amongst groups of ladies on their hen nights, the mic in one hand and a Cosmopolitan in the other. It gave introverts in their bedrooms a newfound voice. Lastly, it gave me, a 13-yearold in Year 7, a sense of direction through high school. Songs like ‘We Get On’ innocently describe a crush Nash has on a guy, detailing how she aims to win him over by conducting plans to “bump into you most accidentally”. In the second verse Nash attends a party where she has a strategy to make a move, but then discovers her crush’s lips around some other girl’s. That’s when the track takes a turn with Nash spurring out insults and naming this girl a “tart” – so melodramatic, so teenager. 69

“Mathematics is a difficult thing,” Boots starts on the appropriately titled ‘Mathematics’ before diving into the equations of a functioning relationship. “Take just a little of my mind and subtract it from my soul, add a fraction of your half and you’ll see it makes me whole,” the pure chaos through the chorus takes the breezy pop we’ve seen so far to greater heights, a level where Boots gets technical. “Multiply it by the times that we’ve never been apart, you’ll see nothing can divide just a heart plus a heart,” memorised all of that? Great, it’ll be in the next Edexcel paper.

LITTLE BOOTS: HANDS (2008) Once labelled the “British Lady Gaga” during her first album campaign, Little Boots provided an intelligent and savvy pop effort that proved her musicality on her debut album ‘Hands’.

Alternatively, ‘Earthquake’ unravels a dysfunctional relationship and the points where the aforementioned equations do not always match. “Every little earthquake, every little heartbreak going unheard,” she dazzles over an out-of-Earth soundscape, wrapping herself and her toying emotion inside a blanket of synth.

Pop songs, in theory, are seen as the easiest type of music to make. Wrong. You can make very, very bad pop songs. You can also make nuggets of pop that stand the test of time a decade on: Little Boots has mastered this.

Turning a shoulder on toxic partners in ‘Remedy’, Little Boots dances the dusk away in her magnum opus – the defying song that will live on in her name.

“Heard you’re new in town, want someone to show you ‘round? Well, no one knows this place just quite like me,” sings a perky Boots, her hand out awaiting your grip. ‘New in Town’ is a firm introduction, the gates are open and all are welcome to huddle into her universe.

‘Hands’ applies science to calculate right and wrongdoings of love, presenting the findings in the form of an electro-pop supper. Since the release of the experimental ‘Hands’, Little Boots has mastered the art of electronic music, adding twists and turns to further LPs. Despite the more polished outlooks her recent projects have had, ‘Hands’ is where the fun began and listening back after 12 years feels like rediscovering a rare pop time capsule – one that must be protected at all costs.

Starsmith teams with Ellie to craft the fantasy world of ‘Lights’ with his production on the bulk of the record, including the exceptional stand-out ‘Every Time You Go’ – where the question “maybe we forgot, are we awake, or not?” countlessly wraps itself around the bridge before bursting into its closing chorus. It’s a whirlwind from the first synth to last, packing a punch for the entirety of its 3 minutes and 25 seconds.

ELLIE GOULDING: LIGHTS (2010) Ellie Goulding is a diamond. Before the obsceneness of the over-produced third LP ‘Delirium’ came the haunting heartbreak record ‘Halcyon’… and before that, we were introduced to a bright-eyed twentyish-yearold exploring her folktronica roots. Goulding has been through a sonical journey, but is it cruel to claim her start-off sound most victorious?

‘I’ll Hold My Breath’ shows Ellie at her lyrical best. “Until you see me in your dreams, we’ll stay awake beneath the trees, we’ll watch the buildings turn to dust, a sky of diamonds just for us.” The transcendent chorus is the pinnacle of romantic victories; proof that Goulding is up there with the greatest storytellers in music.

‘Starry Eyed’ catapulted Goulding into stardom, a voice so extraordinary it leaped out against any other voice on the radio. Her reign continued from thereon with an Elton John cover and the title track ‘Lights’ which exploded in the U.S.

‘Lights’ is a collection of songs made up on the guitar over the space of two years, songs that ventured through multitudes of styles and identities before becoming what they are now. Written in Starsmith’s Bromley bedroom for the most part, the Ellie Goulding we see on her debut is full of wisdom, charm and hope; factors that make returning to this record a treat.

Goulding’s goldmine, however, lures within the deep cuts, where her nimble words made a real impact. Exploring visceral feelings on ‘This Love (Will Be Your Downfall)’, Ellie dissects her relationship, suggesting that the end is near, thus will be the downfall for the both of them. It’s graceful, dainty and the rest of the album follows suit.

HUNTAR HUNTAR IS THE FIRST MUSICIAN TO EVER SELF-PROCLAIM THEIR DEBUT LP AS A COLLATION OF “GREATEST HITS”. ALONG WITH THAT, HE’S WRITTEN ENOUGH SONGS IN HIS 5 YEARS UNDER THE PSEUDONYM OF ‘HUNTAR’ TO LIVE OUT A CONGENIAL CAREER, YET HIS DRIVE IS FAR FROM COMING TO A HALT. Lewis Mokler used to go by his ordinary name, going down the folk route in the early 2010s. A success story in no time, Lewis was picked up by boy-with-a-guitar trailblazer Ed Sheeran meaning he soon became a heartthrob for the masses. As time passed and musical trends transitioned, Lewis seemingly hatched himself away before rebirthing as the synth-pop tangled with electronic-R&B marvel he’s seen as now. “I’d relentlessly written songs over the years,” Lewis says, discussing how he came to craft ‘The Ride’ – the notorious “greatest hits” LP. “With the next record it’s been a bit more organic, I’ve still written way too many songs for it but this one more feels like a puzzle I’m piecing together.” Having known Lewis since 2015, I’ve been fortunate enough to experience demos, voice memos and a multitude of unreleased music that have ended up on the cutting room floor. There are around 60 tracks sitting in an ‘Unreleased’ folder somewhere in my iTunes library compact with bona fide classics, yet they collect dust as Lewis just isn’t convinced, certain that he can better himself. At points, I sound like a broken record when my only response to a new demo is “this is the one,” because if we’re being honest, every song was.

Each year ends in progression for Huntar. In 2017 he landed a slot on the notorious FIFA soundtrack with ‘Anyway’–a virulent piece of energy with a pop-drop chorus–just moments after mingling with American label executives in LA. “I was chatting to a woman named Bianca about my dreams and I said I’d love a song on FIFA, she literally said ‘we’ll go to EA on Thursday then’, completely unprepared, I replied ‘sounds great’.” Fittingly written after breaking his foot playing football, ‘Anyway’ secured a place on the soundtrack with a ten-day turnaround to produce both a master file of the song and artwork to accompany it. “The was a mad 10 days.” Last year also saw Lewis pitching ‘Tell Me When It Ends’ for the motion picture Joker, a number teeming with pitch-black concepts and disconcerting elements to appetise the film’s narrative. “I spend a lot of time listening to music and thinking I’m in my own movie like everyone seems to do on the bus or train, looking out of the window like a Kermit meme,” he expresses. “To write for projects I just invest myself into that storyline and location and focus on the points of it I want to emphasis.” Finding Joker surprisingly easy due to the iconic imagery of both the character’s grin and laugh, Lewis envisions a lengthy soundtracking career, this being the first step. ‘The Ride’ is one of those deluxe selection boxes packed with fan favourites that have previously only been heard live at a Huntar gig. “I had so much anxiety about whether they were as great as I thought and if they didn’t sound as good as they did live,” he conveys, and thankfully the translation paid off better than he’d ever imagined. Reflecting for a brief moment, “I feel so honoured because no matter how big this is getting, I always recognise the ‘day ones’ in the crowds around the country and even in the U.S.”

“Once you’re here, you’re here forever,” Lewis claims, and he’s right! The relationship between Huntar and his fan base is superior to his peers and he’s always thinking of interactive ways to engage with his audience. “I love to share new demos with the fans who share the music the most,” as an example, he’ll often tweet out demos for a maximum of 24 hours to not only feed listeners new material but to retrieve feedback to enhance the music. “I always want new music from my favourite artists so I’m trying to be like that for them.” 74

Lewis residents in London and is set on Victoria as his favourite place to visit on the tube, “I like the name,” and even shot the artwork for his debut LP on a bench inside Green Park station. Aside from these locations, he finds himself able to work in any environment at any given time. “I take inspiration from anywhere, I’d write in a cupboard if that was the only place available.” He’s already set on a sophomore release, and fortunately, no cupboards were used in the process, rather he’s spending 90% of his time in Northwood Hills studio alongside artist and friend Daniel Briskin.

The sophomore material dissects subjects Huntar has yet to touch grounds on, recently opening up the floor to artists–including himself–suffering from mental health. “The music industry is hard, it has thousands of artists in it & you have to find your own lane and place in that world,” acknowledging the hardships of being an independent artist in an industry that often screws those people over, Lewis soon realised he had to take an alternative approach when creating. “I think once I started making music I wanted to listen to instead of listening to my favourite artists, that’s when I became one of my own favourite artists and when I really felt I had a reason to make music.” 75

Huntar doesn’t find many free days in the calendar lately and with the urge to constantly create and evolve as an artist, even if he did have a sporadic weekend off he’d ensure he fills it productively. “The band side of Huntar is amazing because we’re always together and talking about new ideas,” he lets on, stating that even past trips to Winter Wonderland were spent together, presumably discussing ideas on the Waltzers. But now is the perfect time for Huntar to take a backseat from releasing music in order to perfect his already immaculate craft… and to entertain the new addition to the family, Charlie the cocker spaniel. Supporters will remain by Huntar’s side throughout the silence, this is because he named his fanbase ‘diamonds’, and diamonds are forever.

Zone 2 Thomston

Sound of the Underground

Call Me Loop

Photography Lewis Vorn

THOMSTON

Before the breakout period of streaming and algorithms laid a universe where SoundCloud acted as the be-all and end-all, and finding yourself on Hype Machine’s popular page meant you were pretty much set for life. New Zealand trailblazer Thomston (Thomas Stoneman) lived through this phase and experienced the transition to rising streaming platforms first hand, noticing changes happening around him and shifting his methods as a way of surviving in the industry. “Most of the blogs I was in back in 2014 are gone now! Or they’ve been cannibalised by a conglomerate.” Thomas speaks of the platforms he used formerly as a primary output. “It made it pretty easy to seem like you were buzzing.” 10,000 plays on SoundCloud half a decade ago used to mean something of monumental heights, but transfer those plays into Spotify streams and you’ll be approximately £0.005 richer, a transition that doesn’t seem like a fair trade-off. Ultimately, now is a much more convenient time to be an emerging artist, as previously a hit on SoundCloud didn’t generate revenue meaning there was a high reliance for music blogs to give you the pedestal treatment. “Starting out independent, if you have one song that the streaming algorithm picks up, you get real money. That real money can be the building blocks of a selfsustaining career.” Beneficial it’s proven to be, having seen the decade out with the birth of ‘London / Los Angeles’ – couplet extended plays written in the locations they were named after. Cohesivity has held importance for Thomas since the emergence of his ‘Argonaut’ EP six years ago and it’s fluid over the entirety of his work. “I’ll bend over backwards to make sure there is some sense of flow and cohesion to the songs,” he voices, “essentially, you’re creating a world for the listener to live in, which makes it super immersive.” Admitting that the records that truly defined a time in Thomas’ life were all cohesive bodies of work, adoration fades faster when he sees projects slashed together with lack of thought behind them. 83

With the tendency to turn his creations into stories, be it a standalone or long play, cohesivity is a process that has remained an unconscious operation developing in the back of Thomas’ mind. “It’s amazing when it’s pulled off, and I try…” He begins. “But simultaneously I don’t want to constrict myself to a narrow, linear narrative when I’m in the writing process.” To level up the songwriting and artistry of the ‘Thomston’ agenda remains an important aspect for him, but only if it’s organically achieved. “It’s best to just let the songs happen and then try to build a structure like the songs are LEGO.” Going from ‘Topograph’–a debut record the 24-yearold found almost impossible to tour–to making music he’s now desperate to perform in front of the masses, the changes in the creative process that has led up to the ‘London / Los Angeles’ projects have been prominent throughout. “There’s a lot more selfawareness in the writing,” he reveals. “I feel like I write knowing that it’s my job and that the music will be performed live.” Released almost four years ago, Thomas is reaching Rihanna levels of album delays and soon come there will be people outside of his home chanting, “where is the album? We want the damn album.” “LPs still have a great density to them and deserve a little more care and attention. That’s not to say my singles and EPs are undercooked. I still think incredibly hard about concept and narrative but at the same time, I think people’s attention spans are shorter. If you’ve got the fanbase that will wait 4 years for you to drop a project, then by all means, spend 4 years making something perfect!” Born in England before growing up in New Zealand, Thomas recognises the traits and differences shared between the two countries. “England just feels older, in a good way, very regal… established. New Zealand feels greener.” At this moment, New Zealand isn’t in need of a ULEZ charging zone to drive on its congested roads, so it’s quite hard to disagree with this one…

Auckland has a place called Mercer Bay, or Te Unuhanga-a-Rangitoto, that leaves Thomas breathless with each visit. Enormous cliffs that plummet hundreds of feet into the ocean make for a fitting location to write music in; he finds himself a frequent visitor. In the UK, albeit, not much writing takes place. “I just like to get swept up in it and live.” And now Thomas is living in Los Angeles. Talk about jet setter. “It’s dreamy. Obviously, America is a very weird place to be right now, and in many ways, it feels kinda tense. People are very wary of ‘the other’” Nevertheless, there’s no need for panic, as “Chipotle is pretty tight.” “I’m at a point where maintaining momentum is quite important.” Larging it with musical creators releasing alongside himself, Thomas and friends celebrate with casino outings on $20 budgets. “If you win, it’s great, if you lose, you have music dropping at midnight, so it’s a win either way.” Alternate ways of celebrating for Thomas is by relaxing for a hot second before turning the cogs on a sophomore effort. This is also the man that has consistently kept his momentum at speed and fed his audience with music every year since debuting, which evidently means his sophomore is already in process. Sharing a lyric from what could be the opener of the record: “I like the night, so you stay awake with me, baby, watching the glass fog up,” he warns that “it’s tough to know what will end up on the record” as, after all, we are only in its early stages. This is the last we’ll hear from Thomas for a while, at least up until he’s ready to unleash his next body of work. Being one for going incognito, if by any chance you do need him just hop onto the Jubilee line to Westminster, the station makes him feel like he’s in a lunar compound. “I wanna go to the moon.” 87

SOUND OF THE UNDERGROUND

As a society, we often find the commute to work the most tiring, meaningless part of our day. Some take it as an opportunity to discover new music, revisit gems from their past musical tastes and indulge into current allures. Others use this time to read books, sift through podcasts and peer through the jungle of sweaty arms of fellow commuters in the hope of catching a glimpse at someone’s copy of the Metro. Commute playlists are sacred, they offer lifeless journeys a pounding heartbeat. Think of this segment as a ‘commuting museum’: a place for us to share what gets us through our dreaded (and sometimes lovely!) journey to work each day.

JORDAN WHITE My usual route straight down the Piccadilly line takes around 40 minutes to reach Hammersmith, so I fill this time wisely by energising myself with some playful pop that doesn’t take itself too seriously and will ease me in nicely to the work day. I descend underground by tuning into Shura’s ‘religion (u can lay your hands on me)’ as she provides me with a holy aural experience, followed by B*Witched’s ‘Rollercoaster’ as a little throwback moment and partly because the tube can at points feel like a rollercoaster. Sunlight gradually creeps through the window as we depart Earl’s Court and travel the rest above ground, so I switch over to ‘When You Feel the Time Is Right’ by Kimchii and imagine I’m sipping on a rhubarb & ginger gin in someplace at least 30 degrees – pure bliss.

JOSH MILTON Considering that my commute stretches an hour-long, I curated a mammoth, XXL playlist that I can shuffle and not think about while I do the pilgrimage to work. I hop on the TfL Rail from Romford to Stratford, then usually wait about a decade for an Overground train to Highbury & Islington. The playlist, just called “music”, is a real laundry bag, everything from Kylie Minogue’s ‘Wow’ to the Cocteau Twin’s ‘Cherry-coloured Funk’, anything by HÆLEOS to anything by MARINA. A lot of Duran Duran and Morrissey. Anything I can either zone out from as I read the news, or bop along to to dull the pain of being stuffed into a man’s armpit for 60 minutes.

STEVEN STOKEY-DALEY At the risk of sounding like a terrible cliché, I listen to ‘After Dinner’ by Unloved (featured on Killing Eve) to feel like I could trample all over the day? Then usually some upbeat pop bops, more recently ‘Hands Off ’ by MUNA. To top it off I love a good power ballad and I’m often that person that sings with headphones on so I’d have to go with ‘Late Nights & Heartbreak’ by Hannah Williams & The Affirmations.

SAM COX With early starts being a huge part of my weekly commute, I need a pick me up from the get-go. My commute, or as I like to call it, my dance-routine to work, begins with Ariana Grande’s ‘Be Alright’ as it never fails to put a spring in my step leaving the house. I hop onto my train to the anthemic sounds of ‘Want You In My Room’ by Carly Rae Jepsen and twirl through the front doors of work to Todrick Hall, specifically ‘Nails, Hair, Hips, Heels’ as it makes me feel unstoppable.

SAMI BAKER Thankfully, I’m blessed to have a short commute to work, sitting at only 20 minutes door-to-door. As a result, I built a playlist to complement my Jubilee line journey from West Hampstead to Bond Street. Short and sweet, but one that packs a punch to prepare me for the day ahead, armed to the teeth with synth-pop cuts from CHVRCHES, Allie X and Aly & AJ. For the days when I’m feeling confident, or need to walk faster to the station because I’m running late, Megan Thee Stallion and Doja Cat join me for the ride.

GEO BLACKMAN My commute isn’t awfully painful, it also isn’t a dreaded long one either. Seventeen minutes on the Piccadilly line to Holborn is a concoction of stuffy heat and dust floating about and travelling into my airways; the classic London Underground feeling. Distracting myself from this tends to be easy by entering a different world with some rapid indie tunes. Coventry bands, Idle Noise, Parade and Candid tend to provide a continuous flow of upbeat songs that I need to prepare myself for my rather demanding job as a barmaid. The other side of my shift which is the night-time journey home to Turnpike Lane, Australian band DMA’s are always needed. A mixture of stunning vocals and light strums of the acoustic guitar winds me down after a long and draining day.

BAILEY SLATER For my commute, I switch from the stuffy, sweaty, and generally repugnant Central line to the equally stuffy yet less-densely packed promise of a seat on the Victoria line. My journey from door to door is around 40 minutes, which is more than enough time to tuck into a book and a couple of tunes before work. I swear by using a monthly playlist, mine is a pick’n’mix of synth-pop, trashy Eurodance and any jungle/tech remixes of Björk or the Sugababes I can get my hands on. This month I’ve had a major The Drums phase, and also a dip back into Madonna’s discography (Ray Of Light and American Life eras if you were wondering). I switch to something with a bit more bass and speed when taking to a usually grey skied Notting Hill, imagining that if my life was, in fact, a movie, I hope it would be soundtracked by Jamie XX in this part.

CALL ME LOOP

CALL HER THE SUPERSTAR REIGNING SOUTH LONDON. CALL HER THE ICON RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SPORADIC COMEBACK OF THE PUSSYCAT DOLLS. ACTUALLY NO, JUST CALL HER LOOP! ‘Loop’ is an adaptation of childhood nickname ‘Loopy-Lou’, which has no real connection to her birth name Georgia Buchanan, but who needs rules when you’re a pop star? Loop’s singing fantasy began at the age of five, writing poems and songs amidst receiving an array of musical related birthday gifts, including a karaoke machine that could play CDs whilst simultaneously recording her voice onto a cassette. “It was the best pressie ever.” Musical festivities only grew from thereon. School musicals, talent shows and spending summer holidays away at pop camps to learn new songs and choreography led to ticking most musical related activities off her list by the time she hit her teens. “I’ve just always been obsessed with pop music… I bloody love it.” Pop music with a tongue is its own genre made specifically for Loop; she’s got a mouth and she ain’t afraid to use it. “I wouldn’t say I’m hugely outspoken, but I love to talk,” she expresses, “and if I feel strongly about something I’ll voice that opinion.” Visuals play a prominent role in Loop’s creative direction, where her single ‘Give ‘n’ Take’ introduced the star to a world of technicolour. “I definitely don’t have chromesthesia,” she says, “although someone I used to know had it and I’m super intrigued by it.” Block colours ranging baby pink, mint green and blood orange had infiltrated Loop’s single artwork leading up to the release of the ‘Drama’ EP, a palette acting as “the perfect visual representation of my musical direction at the time.”

Loop ties her creations together in one synergistic package with the artistic vision she’s acquired since her debut. “You have to have a 360 approach with music, especially pop music,” she says definitively. “The songs are always the most important thing, but I want the listeners of my music to be able to see the visual stories too.” A perfectionist at heart, Loop’s one aim is to build a world for her audience, done so by injecting her vision into music. A true city girl alike, Loop’s imagination expands from her experiences in the big smoke. “I don’t necessarily find inspiration in specific places, I’m not one of those people who has a ‘special spot’ or anything, although I’m kind of envious of people who do, I think it sounds so romantic.” Being a writer or artist in a city can easily become suffocating, although Loop finds herself at home amongst the crowds. “If anything it’s better for me when writing,” she ponders. “I love going to other smaller cities to write as well, like Copenhagen and Stockholm, but I like coming home and being a growing fish in a big pond.”

When dissecting the future of ‘Call Me Loop’, Georgia explains the dying art of long-plays and why an album isn’t in the pipeline as of now. “I think albums are still so important, it’s just such a shame that they’re a far less profitable business model these days as so many listeners consume purely through streaming and playlists.” Hoping that musicians–including herself–will continue to make bodies of work, “as that’s got to be the best way to consume and fall in love with an artist,” for now, Loop is swimming by each day without the stress of setting timelines for future projects.

Her time in London as a “growing fish” has resulted in career milestones. Not only has Loop kept herself busy with a string of standalone singles and two EPs, but she’s also endeavoured into songwriting for other musicians. Her first culprit? Only The–bloody–Pussycat Dolls. “Such a pinchme moment,” she exclaims, bagging herself a writing credit on the group’s comeback single ‘React’.

Upon her entrance into the new decade, Loop set herself some resolutions. “Re-learn Spanish, start to meditate,” she pauses, “and write down positive affirmations each day of things I’m grateful for or small things I want to achieve each day.” Don’t be surprised if 2020 is the year you find Loop perched to the piano in the concourse of her favourite station, King’s Cross, either. “I love big stations like that, the world is your oyster [card] and you could just jump on a train to anywhere.” Spread your wings, Loop!

99 Photography JIMI HERRTAGE

Zone 1 Home Coming

Lauren Aquilina

A tour of one writerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hometown, one nostalgic memory at a time.

HOME COMING

Until recently, Essex was a county that had always ‘been there’ yet held no significant cultural impact, at least online. The rise of reality television put not only my county on the map, but pushed a persona onto everyone living here. The Only Way Is Essex was a piece of infamous history I’d often try and forget growing up, little did I know I’d end up thankful for the exposure it gave us.

These journeys occurred in 2013, where I’d strictly listen to Lorde’s ‘Pure Heroine’, identifying with every lyric she sang. A ‘small town, big ideas’ mentality flows in the veins of this record, and cliché it may be to say she understood me, she absolutely did. Back then I was just as angsty as she was, the same age too. We practically lived out identical lives, minus the sudden stardom on my part.

I’d lived the first 19 years of my life in Wickford, just a stone’s throw away from where the show was filmed. Even our neighbour Billericay got its big break as a prominent location on Gavin and Stacy, but somehow Wickford remained anonymous. I think, in general, TV love to take the piss out of Essex and overexaggerate the mannerisms that our lot have and, well, if that’s going to be my county’s claim to fame then I’ll happily take it.

At high school I had my entire life set out. I knew I was going to thrive in the arts industry, I mean, you don’t just get into top set Drama for nothing. Either that or be a filmmaker. Media remained my strong suit and led me to study film at college. My best friend Michelle and I were properly introduced to the capital this way. We hired out a camera to shoot a short film in London, and after spending the entire day browsing the roads of Camden and eating lunch atop of Primrose Hill we realised the sun was setting and we’d shot next to nothing. We didn’t care. We were too fixated on this new lease of life – it couldn’t be any less Wickford.

Previously, the idea of telling new faces where I lived was something I shunned. “Err, Chelmsford way!” I’d retaliate, leaving them with the impression that I residence somewhere a bit more established. If anything I had only bent the truth, as I’d spend my weekdays as a 17-18 year old riding the 13A bus to Chelmsford College.

We returned, this time shooting a music video for ‘Promise’, a Ben Howard track. Our concept was to craft a scrapbook of city life when you’re in a relationship. The video ends with the couple parting ways, and the final shot is of a note that says “goodbye my love” floating through Camden lock. In ways, the video narrated my life post-college, where I was adamant to leave my hometown for city life.

My primary school laid opposite my house, so I never wandered far. My walk to secondary school involved a mid-point at Memorial Park – a hub for all school kids once the 2:45PM bell rang. I had the honour of walking through the park at 8 in the morning, where frosted grass and meadows of mist would restrict my view of the path I walked on.

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The high street in Wickford is nothing out of the ordinary. Charity shops, bank branches, a run-down shopping centre and a Co-op. Shops were either shutting down or remained empty for months, sometimes years at a time. After school, I’d sometimes walk into town and head straight towards Pisces, the fish and chip shop on The Broadway. The place has been there since before I was born, and will probably hold its ground long after I’m gone. Queues out the door on a Saturday suggest it was every family in Wickford’s weekend meal, not just my own. The latest rumour in town is that a new build of flats are on their way, as part of a “regeneration” plan to spruce up the place. I should be devastated by the news; the familiarisation of the streets I grew up in is next in line for gentrification, that connection is soon to be nothing but a distant memory. But I don’t want Wickford to end up a ghost town. Despite drifting further away than my peers have; as they grow up to rent their own places a mile down from their parent’s houses and pass their driving test at an appropriate age, paying bills and setting up direct debits for important things that aren’t Spotify and Netflix. It doesn’t deserve that.

15 minutes from my house lays the Hanningfield Reservoir and before it is acres of field and farmland. I return here every time I come home. At the top of the hill are herds of cows, my friends and I would use this as a hangout destination at the weekends. We made a den in the field next door and decorated the space with a tyre swing, it was all very DIY but we promised each other to keep our new home secret. In the next few weeks the place was torn to pieces, someone had destroyed our abode, but nothing lasted forever here. I find myself alone on this hill most evenings, just before the sunset. I can see the entirety of my town from up here. I can see the train tracks, heading East to deeper Essex grounds and West into the city. I listen to all of the songs that remind me of my friends, crushes and places I’ve been before, and urge to revisit again. I plan my future on this hill and shout into the air secrets I’ve only ever kept to myself. If hills really do have eyes, then this one’s seen an awful lot.

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As an adult, I’ve learned to appreciate coming home a lot more. In London, I get the 41 bus to Archway lurking outside my window, at home, I have a view of horses in the field behind my garden. I wouldn’t trade the intensity of the city for the serenity of my hometown anytime soon, but in times of needing to escape, I’m thankful that Wickford is there. When I hear next door’s cockerel bellow through the early dawn, I know that I’m home, and that’s what’s keeps me coming back.

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LAUREN AQUILINA

LAUREN AQUILINA IS A PRODIGY, A SINGERSONGWRITER ON THE CUSP OF STARDOM. SO WHY THE MOMENT SHE UNLEASHED HER ANTICIPATED DEBUT ALBUM ‘ISN’T IT STRANGE?’ DID SHE DECIDE TO HANG UP HER POP APRON AND EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY CALL IT A DAY? Underlying issues with mental health have taken a predominant role in the plurality of artist’s lives, only now has the importance of the topic been recognised in the music industry and discussions are being made. Just after Lauren announced her departure from music, done via a single social media post, her long haul relationship came to an end and she found herself slipping into a crater of depression. Quitting was far from an easy assignment, although essential for Lauren to learn how to listen and comprehend what was needed for her own health. “I didn’t want music to become this thing that I resented,” she confesses, “and if anything taking the break just made me appreciate it way more.” After months of isolation and applying for careers as an air hostess, her nowmanager persuaded Lauren to tackle a different angle of the music industry and instead of making music of her own, took a leap into writing for other artists. The revelation to remain in the industry and remove the spotlight from herself improved not only Lauren’s health but enabled her the creative freedom she desires. “As a songwriter, I can see my own improvement so clearly because I’m doing it every day and stopped putting such boundaries on what I can and can’t write,” she purports, discovering the ropes of her now fully-fledged writing career. “But I’ve still never written a song where I’m like ‘this is it, this is exactly what I’m supposed to make’. To be honest, I hope I never feel like that, it drives me to keep going.”

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“IT’S BEEN SO LIBERATING TO BE COMPLETELY IN CONTROL OF MY OUTPUT OF MUSIC AND IT REALLY DOES FEEL LIKE I CAN DO ANYTHING”

112 Photography BELLA HOWARD

Opportunities arose since Lauren took on the role of a songwriter, never finding herself in any one location for a prolonged period. “As a top liner, I just show up to different people’s studios every day so I really have been all over the place. I love travelling with work too so I’ll try and write in at least 3 or 4 foreign places a year.” Having learned how to adapt in various locations, the gained superpower of being able to write almost anywhere has come as a whopping advantage.

‘If Looks Could Kill’ rides the coattails of ‘Psycho’ as a vengeful self-empowering anthem originally written for a “very popular girl band”, following the same electro-pop direction Lauren finds herself in right now; a polar-opposite sound to her upbringing acoustics, a period where teen angst took prime position with lyrics spanning, “Where do you get your kicks? Is it from kicking my around?” traced Aquilina’s discography. The idea of writing music for others and then deciding it’s best kept for yourself, or rather it never sees the light of day when handed down to a label is a process Lauren faces first-hand. “Sometimes it’s frustrating because you can write a song that you know is really special but the artist or their label decides not to release it… or to wait 4 years,” she detests the situation as it’s completely out of her control. “But in general I love it and I truly believe it’s what I was always meant to do.”

In the wake of her songwriting endeavours, a rekindling joy for music had precariously sparked again, leading to the impulse decision of launching the comeback single ‘Psycho’. Written alongside writing partner Jonny Hockings and consisting of a single bass guitar and vocal, Lauren claimed it as “one of the best things I’d ever written.” A&R’s response to ‘Psycho’ was the same each time: “This is fucking amazing!” But nobody had any ideas about who could sing it, and so she kept it for herself.

“I FEEL ESPECIALLY GRATEFUL TO WORK WITH ARTISTS WHO WANT TO TALK ABOUT WORLD ISSUES”

After the release of ‘Isn’t It Strange?’ Lauren vowed to never put out a record again, claiming it as the first and last Lauren Aquilina album. Four years on from this infamous statement, whether it still holds true is something of uncertainty. “I’m definitely going to keep putting out music now, even if there are some longer gaps in between releases,” she indicates, “but right now I can’t see myself committing to a full album.” Spending 90% of her life in the minds of other musicians, building a universe for those with her own lyrics leaves minimised time for personal creations. “I think if I ever did wanna make an album again, I would start a band or a side project under a different name and just start completely fresh.”

Recent works with American musician and confidante FLETCHER discussing the #MeToo movement and the appropriation of Japanese culture with Rina Sawayama demonstrate Lauren’s urge to speak out on subjects that matter, using songwriting for the better good. “I love writing and hearing songs about bigger world issues rather than just stories of personal heartbreak,” she voices. “I really love all music and I think we’re coming into a time where a much wider variety of voices are having the opportunity to be heard. I just love when you can hear an artist really believing what they’re singing about.”

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Having lived in the city throughout her entire musical transition, Lauren bitterly bids farewell to her humble abode in Shepherd’s Bush Market, her favourite place in the city where nostalgia pulsates (and because of her Westfield addiction…) for the glamourous surroundings of Los Angeles. “It’s even bigger and crazier than London,” she digresses. “The thing I’m most excited about with LA is that I’ll only be a short drive from some really amazing landscapes, which you don’t get as much outside of London.” This is a year of change for one Lauren Aquilina as she tackles fresh surroundings and sets herself some responsibilities. “The goal I set myself this year was just to care more.. about everything I do.” Having maybe gotten a little too comfortable and complacent in her songwriting, Lauren’s time to push herself and excel further is now, with conjuring results impending.

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Transport for London, for their exceptional transport system, Johnston typeface and the influence behind the zoning of the contents in ‘Mind the Gap’.

Vice, for the inspiration behind ‘Home Coming’ and allowing me to visualise my hometown from the perspective of a capital city.

CREDITS ARTISTS

WRITERS

PHOTOGRAPHY & ILLUSTRATION

Lauren Aquilina Tom Aspaul Cherryade Flawes Huntar Call Me Loop Vicki Manser Patawawa Caroline Polachek Susan Thomston Yumi Zouma

Sami Baker Geo Blackman Sam Cox Josh Milton Bailey Slater Steven Stokey-Daley Jordan White

Fabiola Bonnot Kasia Clark Robert Frank Tom Goddard Jimi Herrtage Bella Howard TM Interiors Danny Kaan Kip Kat Cara Kealy Nic Ferguson Lee Eva Pentel Rebecca Quee Pete Scully Lewis Vorn Jordan White

MIND THE GAP Friends, You’ve made it this far and for that I thank you. ‘Mind the Gap’ has been a vision inside my mind for the past three years, itching to burst into fruition, and now it’s here. I hope your journey through each zone of rich talent has been insightful in discovering your new favourite artists, and that my collection of personalised essays have shown you a little piece of myself in the process.

The aim of ‘Mind the Gap’ is to showcase not only how great London is as a city, but how the capital’s output is amongst the best. Here’s to the best city in the world, here’s to new talent and here’s to the pulse of music staying alive. Until next time.

THANK YOU

Special writers and others I’ve enlisted along the way to help contribute towards ‘Mind the Gap’ have been pivotal in the making of this issue – I couldn’t have done it without you.