CHAOS MAGAZINE

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WASH YOUR HANDS

WHEN WE WERE DECIDING THE NAME OF THE MAGAZINE, WE DIDN’T REALISE HOW ACCURATE IT WAS GOING TO BE IN THE FACE OF CURRENT EVENTS. IT ALL STARTED OUT WITH A PLAN, AND BECAME MORE THAN JUST ANOTHER PROJECT: A CREATIVE COLLABORATION. THEN, THE CIRCUMSTANCES TOOK A SUDDEN TURN AND WE HAD TO MAKE DO AMIDST THE CURRENT REALITY. WORKING FROM HOME, WE DID OUR BEST TO KEEP THE MAGAZINE TO THE HIGHEST STANDARD. IT WAS CREATED DURING THE CHAOS; BUT WE WANT IT TO BE MORE THAN THAT. WE WANT YOU TO GET LOST IN OUR MESS - TO FORGET ABOUT THE MESSED-UP WORLD OUTSIDE. WE HOPE THAT EVERYTHING WILL SOON CHANGE, AND THAT THIS IS THE ONLY CHAOS THAT REMAINS IN YOUR MEMORY. ENJOY!

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BENNY SINGS TALKS NOSTALGIA

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THE NEO-SOUL REVIVAL EGO ELLA MAY

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ENTERING JAYA’S DREAM JayaHadADream

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TWIN ATLANTIC

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JOIN THE CULT 60-65 CLOTHONSKIN

NEXT UP OUT OF NOTTINGHAM SKEETE

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IN REVIEW: 66-69 BY:LARM FESTIVAL

ALIENS ARE REAL KAMILLA HANAPOVA

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WHAT THE BLINDERS FANTASIZE ABOUT?

FLUME

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ARCH(ING) THE GAP ARCH

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BUY VINTAGE 72-73 PASCALE DAVIES

STALKING YOUR IDOLS MIHAELA KARADJOVA

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IN CONVERSATION WITH: LITTLE DRAGON

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GRETA KAUR-TAYLOR

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KATHARINA KUBRICK

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SWEET CREATURES JAZZ WADE

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YOUR NEW FAVOURITE PHOTOGRAPHER ZACHARIAH MAHROUCHE

BELGRADE RAVE SQUAD

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DAVE/OFCOM 79 CHAOTIC THROWBACK 80-81 DEAR LIFE 82-83 A MOMENT IN GRIME: BRISTOL JAY0117 AND SIR HISS

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STOP TAKE A B WE CAN REVOL AT HO

P AND BREATH, N HAVE LUTION OME

YOUR NEW FAVOURITE Once upon a time, in a local area of Cambridgeshire, 14-years-old Zachariah Mahrouche started taking photos on punk gigs. It was 2012 back then, when aspiring teenager found a way to express himself. Seven years later, his life became an amazing bundle of experiences which are constantly growing and inspired me to write this over again.

Once upon a time, in O2 Academy Brixton, 22-years-old Zac was on a gig.

Holding his camera. With a press pass hung around his neck. Commissioned by CRACK magazine. In a short distance from Tyler The Creator, he documented his show on the IGOR tour.

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Words by Kinga Ludwin

PHOTOGRAPHER

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“I had already bought a ticket for the show because I am such a huge fan of Tyler, and then I happened to get asked by CRACK to cover the show,” he says. But it wasn’t that smooth from the start. Zac didn’t have any contacts which could help him to grow from the beginning. “I had to reach out myself,” he says. He approached many musicians himself and with time, artists started getting an interest in his works and proposed collaborations.

Another project he had an occasion to work on was ‘Coming Out The Grove’. It was an idea of his and a group of 12 artists who were not satisfied with an exhibition of their works provided by University. “We chipped in money to hire our own space and put together a new exhibition. It was a really memorable night and went even more successfully than I had imagined,” he says.

As a Fashion Photography student, (now graduated) at London College of Fashion, he had to work hard to improve his portfolio. As one of his university projects, he created a hypothetical vinyl record for a single of a new upcoming artist Sinead O’Brien. “This was only intended to be used for my project, but when I presented it to her label they really liked the images and asked if I would like to shoot the next cover for a real record.

We did two shoots for two singles. Working with Sinead was special, as it was just the two of us in a creative partnership,” he says.

The most impressing collaboration he made was working as a photographer on one of the most recognisable festivals in Europe - Reading Festival. Being on the other side of the barriers, away from the crowd, close to the artists such as Billie Eilish or The 1975 sounds like a dream job.

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“I have done it a couple of times now but 2019 was my first time for the festival itself. They reached out to me and asked me to be part of their team. A lot of work in

ud to have worked on a concept that I hope represented them in the light that they deserve,” he says.

It’s hard to think how many amazing projects Zac is going to realise through the whole career as a photographer. He would like to collaborate with Laura Marling (the Brit Award winner in 2011) or Mitski (Japanese-American singer-songwriter). “I’d like the chance to document an artist for a long period of time without the pressure of it being a job or having a deadline, just when I feel it’s ready,” he says.

the sun but it feels very positive and it’s a unique experience to have so many artists in one place,” he says.

The most satisfying project for Zac himself was his first-ever cover for BRICKS magazine, featured with Australian band Amyl & The Sniffers. “I produced the concept from the very start and went through a process of creative direction with a really talented team. They worked so hard and I’m proud that it could come together in the end. It also provided me with the confidence to put myself forward for more work of this nature, whereas before I would have been a bit nervous regarding my ability,” he says.

He had an occasion to produce the cover story with one of his friends from LCF, which for both of them was rewarding. Seeing each other graduate and sharing their work together afterwards was the best gift ever.

“The band who we featured are incredible too. I’m pro-

The pressure of the deadline is the worst but when you do it with a passion even the worst nightmare can become a dream. “Photography is all I have ever really wanted to do. I love capturing a period of time and seeing how its context changes as we move further away,” he says.

That’s the most beautiful thing about photography – even if the time passes, your memories stay with you unimpaired.

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SINEAD O’BRIEN 12

AMYL AND THE SNIFFERS

by Zac Mahrouche

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It’s a common story, an aspiring jazz musician spending their formative years raiding their parent’s record collection, uncovering ‘The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill’ and adopting it as a contemporary gospel. Finding refuge in music, these artists would begin to reach audiences of their own with the likes of Soundcloud and Bandcamp just years later.

Hailing from the current capital of British music, South London’s Ego Ella May has been on the tip of many music aficionado’s tongues for some time now, with her latest album ‘So Far’ planting her firmly at the forefront of the neo-soul revival.

“I grew up on my parent’s music collection, it was really eclectic. But my favourite artist has always been Stevie Wonder,” she says, looking back on her earliest memories of musical infatuation. “I eventually started writing and putting my music up on Soundcloud about ten years ago, and it just naturally grew from there.”

Ego disseminates black British culture, city

living and the stresses of our modern political climate and combines it with a breadth of influence. Taking a more nuanced approach than the ‘blinged-out’ trap and UKdrill the charts are currently infiltrated with, her music is equally as hard-hitting.

verse to the next. One minute whispering softly about new-found love, the next a vitriolic take on how he never texted back - all the while being backed by crashing symbols, exotic instrumentals, and a good dose of electronic production.

Stories of dinners alone and complicated relationships in a post-Tinder world, Ego’s painfully relatable lyrics meld with experimental jazz fills and dynamic electronic production, bringing something that sounds both comfortingly familiar yet distinctively different.

London as a node of creativity leaves every artist spoilt for choice in collaborators and influences. ‘Come On’ featuring British rapper Kojey Radical is one of Ego’s latest tracks and a self-confessed personal favourite. “It’s bigger than me,” she admits. “It reminds me why I started making music in the first place.”

“I actually don’t like describing my music at all. I find that I don’t have a system when writing, and when I have a lot on my mind, that comes easily. My songs are very personal, so I’m only ever writing my truths,” Ego says, wrestling with the idea of collaboration and its toll on her own songwriting.

The multi-layered, multi-genred nature of her work allows for the emotional content of songs to switch up rapidly from one

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“I’m more interested in live music these days, but I still make a lot of music that’s heavily produced. I think that the biggest change in my sound has stemmed from working with more artists, whereas before I was only ever working with one person.”

Ego’s predecessors have come and gone in the shapes of Dusty Springfield, Sade, and the likes - all of whichly British that

being uniquely British sources that have inspired the sound of contemporary soul, evocative of the melting pot of culture and sound.

With a nod to each of these, Ego’s music is arguably the outcome of a golden age in soul, combined with an inventive era for jazz.

Subconsciously channelling positive female role models of days yonder, Ego’s sensitive approach to lyricism makes for music that any parent would be glad to have on their daughter’s Spotify playlist. Less sex and drugs, more deep feelings and self-love.

Now, creating some of her most daring songs to date, you can only imagine the trajectory that her new music will set her upon. “I’m really excited to release my next album,” she says, considering her steps going forward. True to her name, Ego’s relentless approach to her musical career can only lead to good things.

“If you don’t know my name by now, I ain’t working hard enough” might be Ego’s most telling lyrics of the current mantra in song-making.

But her presence in the music industry is now far from remote – her heartfelt tracks are gradually clawing back the years of absence in British soul music, and plating them up right under our very noses.

Words by Gemma Ross

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Ross McNae takes us behind the scenes of recording Power and tells 80s synth pop-infused story of making it for yourself in the commercial reality

Photo by Katy Cummings 18

“We fell back in love with making music and we can’t stop,”

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ANTTIIC N ATTLLA TWIIN N A W T

Emerging from Glasgow pubs, Twin Atlantic took the best Scottish altrock sounds on the world heights. Since 2010 they’ve released four LPs and played with finest of their genre, Biffy Clyro and Smashing Pumpkins. Supported by a fair share of devoted followers and hyped by critics, they’ve secured a sweet spot in the British cabinet of stadium rock curiosities. After four years of studio silence (and well-deserved break), they’re back. With a brand new sound for a brand new decade.

“We allowed ourselves to explore areas we’ve always been interested in but haven’t had the gift of time to chase down,” says Ross McNae on Power, the fifth, up-coming studio album. After splitting ways with their previous label, Redbull Records, Twin Atlantic took a step back and a break from commercial pressure. Decided to act upon the possibility of being in full control of their music; they’ve developed taste for self-producing.

Joining forces with Dan Austin, who worked as an engineer on their previous albums, Free and Great Divide, they’ve been exposed to another side of a process of recording. More intimate, less limited. “Making our own studio meant there was no watching the clock so we had time to explore sound design we didn’t really understand before this. There were a lot of happy accidents, and then we found ourselves here,” says McNae. Accidents like discovering their shared love for the 80s dance music. Taking a break from their emo-rock comfort zone, they’ve migrated to the land of ever-lasting electronica. For the first time, they’ve allowed themselves to tap to a different kind of sound source, spicing up their signature musical brew. That’s how Power was born. A record designed not only to sing along but also boogie to.

“It’s more modern in its use of instrumentation. Softer, but heavier. Less direct emotionally, but somehow more rousing,” says McNae. The trip that Power takes you on is indeed an intense one.

Freely bouncing between rock ‘n’ roll and electronic pop, Power may give you a concussion while taking in all at once. Such an eclectic mix makes a statement. “I suppose it’s really just been about writing a new manifesto for the band - a reason to record another album, rather than just because,” says McNae and lists influences that brought the new Twin Atlantic to life.

“Time. The studio as an instrument. Experimentation. Real-life. The idea of creating a new path for ourselves after a decade of being Twin Atlantic. What can we bring to music that is new for our fans experience of the band,” he says.

The question is whether their fans will share their passion for experimentation. Whether they’re ready to face a disco-rock rush that the band has prepared for them. If not, shame on them seems to suggest Twin Atlantic. They’re here to push the boundaries and head in the direction where they feel the most comfortable. There’s no stopping now.

It’d be absurd to not take the audience’s opinion into consideration though it’s influence on the creative process has its limits, explains McNae. “It has done in the past and in a sense, it always will because of the platform we’ve been given and we’re grateful for that, but at least personally I try not to imagine what people will think,” he says.

Bowie, McNae’s never-to-be dream collaboration, would support this kind of attitude. “I think David Bowie would be particularly scary and inspiring to be around,” McNae says. Dreaming big and getting ready for the Power release UK tour, Twin Atlantic are not forgetting where they came from.

Knowing the Glasgow scene in-and-out, they put a spotlight on up-coming names on the horizon, predicting Lucia & The Best Boys and The Ninth Wave to make the most noise as the next hottest Scottish bands.

Still hooked on Power and with the new material to promote, Twin Atlantics are already back in the studio, figuring out the next step on their journey. “We fell back in love with making music and we can’t stop,” says McNae. Go on then.

Words by Aleksandra Brzezicka 19

POSITIVE FORE POSITIVE TOGE

E ENERGY EVER, E ENERGY ETHER

Nottingham R&B singer Skeete is one of the most exciting up and coming artists from the city. He is tenderly following the footsteps of a slew of underground Notts based acts who went from busking to the big time. Starting from humble beginnings in 2016, Skeete went on to score a place on Nottingham’s BBC Introducing in December 2017, alongside the likes of Easy Life and has racked up hundreds of thousands of streams on Spotify.

While we all may believe we have Mariah Carey’s range in the shower, these self-delusions often end the minute our feet touch the bathroom floor. Yet, a lucky few are gifted enough to maintain their singing careers beyond the shower curtain as is the case for Skeete whose career started from his bedroom.

“I did used to sing around my house, and my family would hear, but no one ever said anything, which was weird! So, I never really thought to show the world. Until one day, I was singing in the kitchen, and my sister came down like ‘was that you?!’. From then I thought yeah, I need to take this further.”

And so, he did taking to is Instagram account to upload a John Legend cover. “It received a massive reaction from my followers, so I started writing my own songs.”

Like many before him, Skeete was able to launch his music career from his bedroom using just his trusty iPhone, ambition and of course, the internet. “I had to get my music out there. So, I started recording stuff on my old iPhone and put it onto the computer that I still have to this day! Before uploading it to Soundcloud.

Even now, people still bump to my Soundcloud music even though the quality is terrible!”

The process of making songs comes naturally to Skeete who admits he writes at home where he feels more comfortable before heading to the studio to record.

“Music inspiration for me comes from what I’m experiencing and how I’m feeling at the time. If I’m going through anything with family, myself, a girl, a friend, anything I write about it. If I get into an argument or I’m in a bad mood I don’t even look to do anything else I start writing, the lyrics fly out from there.”

“People will ask me when new stuff is coming out and tell me that they relate to my music and I’m like ‘wow people are going through similar stuff that I am’.”

The therapeutic nature of music has soothed souls almost since time began and Skeete’s music brings this into the 21st century while reviving the UK R&B scene which has become deflated in recent years.

Skeete’s part of Nottingham’s growing music scene which has created several breakthrough acts, from country singer Jake Bugg 22

to rap duo Young T & Bugsey. And the world’s starting to pay attention with Spotify recently creating a ‘We are Nottingham’ playlist that celebrates the best in the city, including Skeete. The playlists description states, “Notts is thriving; this is what the 0115 has to offer.”

Music is often tied with culture with looks and even language intertwining. The rise of Nottingham’s urban music scene has led to the city to be coined as ‘The 5’. But while some believe that this refers to the ‘5’ in Nottingham’s area code 0115, others think it’s from the postcode NG5 in Nottingham.

As a man from both Nottingham and Bestwood (NG5) Skeete is well informed to give his verdict. “I’m saying the 5 is 0115.

I am from Bestwood, but I’m never there. There’s no point singling out any areas, we all live here, we are all the same.”

As his success snowballs, Skeete has his eyes set on collaborations with fellow Nottingham act Young T & Bugsey.

Who after being signed a couple of years ago, have gained 3 top 40 songs and recently dropped their debut album which debuted in the top 40 album chart.

“If I could collaborate with anyone in the UK it would be Young T & Bugsey. And that’s not even because they’re from The 5 I’m just a fan. Whether it happens or not depends on professional things like labels and stuff. But, in terms of music, I think it could happen!”

The UK music scene is booming, and eyes are being drawn away from the capital. Some of the biggest names in the chart right now are from the four corners of our island. For music junkies looking for the next underground hit add Skeete on to your ones to watch.

‘Kryptonite’ Skeete’s latest single is available on all platforms.

Words by Rosie Vacciana-Browne

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KAMILLA HANAPOVA 25

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ALIENS ARE REAL

Let’s move back to 2010, when being a photographer was a thing.

Having a camera was a real flex. Going out for photoshoots in the meadow, taking all of outfits with you and acting like professionals – that was a real teenage dream. At that time, Kamilla was absorbed by painting but photography was a trend which tempted her for a long time. She decided to transfer her art from paper to reality. She bought a camera. “With time I found out that photography is more than a trend for me,” she says. Now it’s her whole life. Most of the time she spends on carrying equipment. „It’s tiring work, but definitely worth the effort cause it brings a lot of satisfaction and self-fulfilment,”she says.

Kamilla Hanapova, now 23, she studied photography in Saint-Petersburg. Unfortunately, the University is not the one she owes her development to. Her expectations were way bigger. “I graduated in 2018. Unfortunately, this university didn’t give me the knowledge and experience that I expected. I do love self-study and as a matter of fact, that situation pushed me to work even harder,” she says. Now her portfolio is a treasure. Choosing one of the better work is an extraordinary challenge. Kamilla through her photos transforms imagination into reality. Each work is unique and shows different visual cultures. Some are quite controversial but all of them have something to convey.

Kamilla is the type of artist who doesn’t realise how much of individuality and goodness she introduces to photography. “Honestly, I am highly critical and I see a lot of inadequacies when it comes to my works, it’s very difficult to make me satisfied but of course I have some favourites. The first which came to my mind is Existence. It’s an old project which suffers technically but it’s personal and sincere. The second one is the Anarchy which I did recently. I am pretty happy with the way I worked with the light and collages,” she says. Although, she usually criticises what she does, she admits her sentiment to all of the projects as all of them bring a history. “I always leave a part of my soul and emotions in each of them,” she says.

Kamilla’s projects are verbatim, out of this world.

She created her alien which looks like taken out from the most intergalactic movie. “This character is a mix of different sources. I took inspiration from Shape of Water (legend about Sirens), Alexander McQueen’s collection from 1998 and cyberpunk culture, as a reference for digital effects. I always try to find absolutely different foundations which mixed together, create unique images and styles,” she says. Creating this type of content invokes various opinions. Being controversial is a difficult task to handle. Unless you know how to deal with it. “I don’t have a lot of negative feedback but of course, some people misunderstand my projects and it’s okay. I can’t force anyone to love what I do, it’s impossible. I have people who can adore a particular image and others who can be disgusted by that.

Honestly, I like to see different reactions to my works to investigate how people interpret what I do.

And I do love when people criticise my work constructively, it always opens my eyes on something I didn’t notice,” she says. Everything has to be under control. You can’t get lost into other’s expectations. Maintaining your personality is a priority. “The most important is to follow your way. Don’t change it to please others, it’s pointless. I know a lot of artists who tried to follow the crowd’s opinion and at the end, they lost their unique vision,” she says.

The biggest issue of being a photographer is that it’s usually not taken seriously. People think it’s all about pressing a button. “Photography is not about cameras. It’s about a person behind it, a vision and a whole implementation. You can’t become a painter when you have brushes.

Same with photography, having a camera doesn’t make you a good photographer,” she says.

The better side of this profession is the opportunity of working with talented people. ”You can create any character and represent it in the exact way you imagined in your head,” Kamilla says.

Her favourite photographers are Nick Knight (she loves his ‘SHOWstudio’ project), Harley Weir, who shoots advertising campaigns/lookbooks for major brands including Celine, Balenciaga, Stella McCartney and Jacquemus and Sølve Sundsbø who’s a master of new editing techniques. “I also love art in all its manifestations and there is no difference for me if you are a musician, performance artist or a photographer. We all create art and we have to be open-minded and get inspiration from different things/people/styles,” she says.

Some of her dream collaborations are: i-D, Dazed, Massive Attack, Florence and the Machine, Maison Margiela, Jim Sander, Rick Owens or Alexander McQueen. From contemporary artists – James Turrell or Marina Abramovic which exhibitions can often be seen in UK museums.

Asked for the best advice for beginners she says: “I think it’s really important to learn from your own mistakes, to risk, to leave your comfort zone, to try new styles and approaches. Do your job sincerely, follow your emotions and feelings. Also, you have to work really hard, developing yourself as a person itself and as a professional. Strive to achieve greater, otherwise, you can get stuck and lose the passion for work. I follow these rules, which got me where I am now and I believe it’s only a beginning.” s to follow your way.

Don’t chanWords by Kinga Ludwin

ge it to please others, it’s you have

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BY KAMILLA HANAPOVA

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ANARCHY

by Kamilla Hanapova 30

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At the sweet sweet age of 17, I listened to Flume’s second album ‘Skin’ on repeat, breaching the hundreds of interminable plays.

Like a coven of Flume, my circle of friends worshipped tracks like ‘Say It’ and ‘Helix’ with an intensity only music-obsessed teens could possess. Now, almostfive years down the line and a journalism degree later, I was tasked with interviewing the man who helped define my taste in electronic music.

In 2016, Flume’s music sounded something alien compared to his recent releases. Glitchy pop beats dissolving into the angelic voices of Aluna George and Tove Lo - now compete with his new experimental computer-contorted sounds.

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“The original stuff I did was probably more hip-hop than dance.

Lots of off-beats and more instrumental, kind of Flying Lotus inspired,” he says, sitting back in his Shoreditch hotel room after an 11-date European tour. “I just get bored easily. The pendulum swings around and I know it’s time to change it up,” he admits.

“I feel like it’s a blessing in disguise... especially when lots of artists will stick to doing one thing throughout their whole career. But sometimes it’s tough when I change style, you get those people who are like ‘we want the old Flume back!’”

But after seven years since his self-titled debut album first dropped, his fan-base only seem to have grown in parallel to his ever-changing sound. Inspiration for his music comes directly from the thing that has catered to each of our music tastes: Spotify.

He pulls up his phone to show me what he’s been listening to recently - quickly stopping on one name. “A friend recently introduced me to this guy, John Maus. It’s kinda like... goth-pop.”

When the conversation turned to Burning Man, the topic went a little less music talk, and much more juicy goss. Having been filmed during a ‘sexual act’ with his girlfriend at the festival, the Australian producer could only laugh it off.

“That was the most press I’ve ever gotten; over any work I’ve ever released. There’s a Google analytics chart where my first album shows a little spike searching for my name. Second album another spike and so on, and then ‘eating ass at Burning Man’ it’s like...” he says, making exaggerated hand gestures showing just how many people must have Googled that.

If you were to Google his name now, you might see some more strange reasons Flume has been in the press in recent weeks.

After his release of ‘Rushing Back’ featuring Vera Blue, he was seen popping up on stage with a marching band playing the track note-for-note on the saxophone. “It’s the only instrument I can actually play!” he laughs.

The music video for ‘Rushing Back’ received praise for its artistic ingenuity upon release just two weeks ago. He talks about the man behind the talent, Jonathan Ziwada, and how it came together. “Jonathan did that video and the mixtape visualiser too, I completely trust him to be the main visual force behind every project. We usually just get on the phone, figure it out and chat together, brainstorming ideas.”

“I just went to the Olafur Eliasson exhibition at The Tate. I love going to see modern art, I always find amazing concepts and ideas which I can then apply to my shows or videos. I’ve actually wanted to make an installation with Jonathan for a while, we’ve got the full idea but have to find the time to implement it.”

For Flume, reinvention of sound marks new beginnings for every record produced. “I’m just going to dedicate this next year to writing. I’ve always taken my time with these things. I thought it would be fun to try the opposite and put a little pressure on. I’ll just solo travel with my laptop, seeing what happens,” he says.

“I miss my dog when I’m travelling, though. I wish I could take him everywhere with me. Sometimes I sneak him on the plane!” he adds, recounting tales told to air stewards of ‘canine anxiety’.

It’s just another leg in an ongoing journey for Flume.

Words by Gemma Ross

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Words by Rosie Vacciana-Browne

idea (to start Arch) came just before I went to New York last year, I wanted to film radio stuff while I was over there and then my flatmate said, ‘why don’t you make it into an entity?’.”

From London to New York and back again.

Arch (noun): a curved symmetrical structure spanning an opening and typically supporting the weight of a bridge, roof, or wall above it.

And so Arch was born, an online space created to connect and promote East Coast and UK artists. With a collection of social media accounts, a website and Soundcloud to share tracks, Lauren is aiming to build an online communityfor both artists and fans.

In the case of the online music platform, Arch, the weight supported is the bridging of the music scenes in New York and London.

Launched in 2019, it gets its name from both its function and its founder: Lauren Arch.

Walking through the vibrant streets of Bushwick, Brooklyn felt like ‘home’ for Lauren. She’d always dreamed of going to the Big Apple and touching down at JFK signalled more than just a holiday. It was the start of her very own creative platform.

After scoring a solo show on Peckham based, female-run station - Foundation FM Lauren began championing her favourite music; alternative US East Coast and UK rap and striking up relationships with artists through interviews.

Like areas in London, gentrification has turned Bushwick from the wrong side of town to a creatives haven. The calling for artists was one heard by Lauren from across the pond. With a vision and the right links, she set out to record artists doing live sets to post on Arch.

“Connecting them (the UK and US music scenes) came naturally, I started my show on Foundation and found myself playing half UK, half US East Coast stuff. I thought ‘This sounds so good together!’ And some of the artists already knew each other, so it just made sense to connect them. The

“Meeting artists was cool; I’d spoken to most of them through Instagram.

I’d interviewed Deem Spencer 36

over the phone for my show. But some artists I’d never spoken to before, they’d been looped in through a friend. I do what I do to connect with people so to meet everyone was so sick. The internet is crazy to connect people like that.”

Ah, the internet, the 21st Century’s take on Hollywood. For many millennials like Lauren, the ‘gram’ (Instagram) is paved with gold.

Coveted Kardashian posts are worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. And a following of millions can be amassed without you even leaving your bedroom. For those with a dream who are savvy enough, they can find real success on the world wide web.

Now not to burst this bubble, but even the internet can’t wholly eradicate the admin behind creating an international platform.

Lauren confessed: “My greatest challenge has been organising the takeovers (sets) because organising a group of men is a myth!

Trying to get 6 or 7 artists in the room at the same time is hard.”

Alas, the road to success never did run smooth, but Lauren’s platform is going from strength to strength. In just a few months Arch has become an entity that has amassed hundreds of social media followers, put on a sold-out event with UK artists alongside ‘Keep Hush’ in London and recorded and shared the US sets.

But this is not sheerly through luck and the powers of the internet. Lauren has invested in every corner of Arch, getting graphics made to solidify her brand’s identity and even making merch.

“I wanted to take ownership over the music I was playing on my (Foundation FM) show, and I felt like there wasn’t anyone connecting the dots between the US and the UK scenes.

I wanted my platform that I had my creative control over.”

Words by Rosie Vacciana-Browne

For Lauren, her most significant achievement of all is launching the platform which she plans to expand throughout 2020. Head to Instagram and follow @ar____ch for the best East Coast and UK underground acts to drop into a convo with your friends, it’ll make you look cool, promise.

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Not so often you can see Mac Miller clenching fists next to the Ziggy Stardust holding a skull in outer space. Or cigar-smoking Keith Richards above casually strolling Joker and skateboarding kool kids. Stalkersince1993 made it all happened.

Under the enigmatic alias hides Mihaela Karadjova, Bulgarian freelance illustrator and National Academy of Arts MA graduate; featured in Kaltblut Magazine and Curated By Girls. Racing between commercial works and personal projects, she stopped her engine for a while to let us into her 70s-music-blasting creative reality.

Started as a kid, able to draw a few circles and lines, she ended up entangling art into her life and identity. Once hooked up on it, she went all in. “I haven’t noticed I was drawn into art up until I was in high school […]. Illustration came around my second year of studying in the art academy and we are inseparable ever since,” Mihaela says.

Her style became a mix of the holy trinity of artists she admires.

Ignasi Monreal who painted pure magic for Gucci’s SS2018 campaign. Alexandre Nart, author of her beloved band’s Parcels music video (“so clean, so fresh, so fun”). Her sister/ partner in art, Borislava aka @borislavamadeit. “I was able to see the process of becoming a great artist from a close-up look. I was always (and still am) looking to her as an inspiration and a teacher. She’s a great illustrator and art director even though she does not realise it this much,” Mihaela says.

Being a part of the skater scene in Sophia, it’s natural that her early works are overflowing with scrappy teens on boards roaming the hood. Though her truest love was always music. “One thing I can’t start and end my day without is music. […] As my dad is a musician and I was introduced to the world of bands like Queen, The Beatles and The Rolling Stones and the world of classical music at a very young age. I was enchanted by it. So I think this kind of led me to always look for what’s behind the music - the musicians, the lifestyle, photographs, especially their lyrics. I’m a very romantic soul, so I always look for ‘the meaning’ and that’s what I’m trying to include in all my works,” she says.

Her illustrations are beyond cool, bursting with life in all kinds of hip, dramatic poses and colours. Reinventing her icons through cartoonish, eclectic lenses of a young creative she is, makes her stand out.

“You have The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Elvis, Chuck Berry, The Doors, Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, The Clash, Led Zeppelin, Elton John, Queen and so many brilliant artists,” she names her muses. “Musicians who created revolution and evolution themes. Golden years for rock ’n’ roll music and fashion and I say ‘golden’ because today we are still looking to them as idols and they still inspire our looks! And I think that’s how it’s going to be until the end of the world. If someone invents the time-travel machine - these are the decades I will visit and illustrate on 100%.” It looks like she already has.

digging a purpose of art as a tool of social activism. With her sister, she collaborated with a non-profit organization for social creative solutions, Fine Acts. ‘Captive and Invisible’ series of portraits she drew for United Nations, incarnate real-life stories of disadvantaged people facing abuse, violence and neglect worldwide. “I think it’s really important to share a message and try to solve problems through art and that’s what these series of illustrations did - they shine a light on this issue,” she says.

Her up-coming project sheds a light on the sexual taboos in Bulgaria. “Vagina Matters is essentially a pocket guidebook with the answers to all the burning questions that girls might have about their sexual health,” Mihaela says. It’s the first, accessible and free, illustrated sex educational book for women’s health in Bulgaria, a country with the highest rate of teen pregnancies in EU. Awaiting its publication, Mihaela’s working on the new exhibition, commission for Bulgarian Post and a few top-secret projects. She’s also dreaming ahead and planning on expanding to the fashion industry, as she’s already made the first move. Teamed up with Borislava, and under one name, Sisters In Draw, they’ve printed their designs on silk scarfs. Website and online shop are due to launch soon.

Mihaela Karadjova is one of the most exciting and soon to be hyped, Bulgarian illustrators. While her work is the portal to the times of glory and gory, a mirror in which ordinary is extra, her mission is simple.

“When someone sees my work, I want him/her to feel the hope, love and light. To see that even in the darkest of times, there is a way out. To be brave and to share your thoughts and feelings no matter if they scare the hell out of you,” she says.

While her characters are incarnations of wild and free, Mihaela is more of the traditionalist in methods, using almost exclusively pencil, black ink and iPad pen. “It almost became like a tradition to use only these materials and somehow they are like ‘my pals’. I’m thinking to extend the family a little bit and experiment more with gouache, watercolours and colour pencils,” she says.

Despite infusing her art with the nonchalance and mystic coolness, imaginary clashes hard with harsh reality. Being an emerging artist in Bulgaria scene is tricky. The scene is small. People, stuffed with free digital art are not willing to pay for the real thing. “It’s always well-known faces shown in galleries, magazines, interviews. It’s like the comfort zone is well secured with popular artists. So, it’s really hard to get your work seen and appreciated if you are new,” Mihaela says.

Words by Aleksandra Brzezicka

Thirsty for the revolt, she grasps every opportunity for creating,

Illustrations by Mihaela Karadjova 41

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Moving chaotically around the room adorned in a flowery perspex jacket, Yukimi dances alongside the band, perfectly framed by hand-painted walls and soft pink and blue lighting. Thousands of fans watch, but not a single one of them is in the room. “Hello and welcome to the Little Dragon headquarters,” she announces as the live stream gig kicks into action.

“Our sound has changed over the years simultaneously as we’ve changed as people. I feel like a completely different person to the Yukimi who wrote that first album, and I don’t want people to judge me just based off of that,” she explains.

“After we release our music we never really listen to it again.

It doesn’t feel like it’s ours anymore so we just let it go out into the world to do its thing.”

“This feels like the second best thing after touring, being able to get creative in this situation!” she tells Chaos just 24 hours before the virtual performance and the release of Little Dragon’s sixth studio album, ‘New Me, Same Us’. “It was weird to go out on the road, play three shows and have to head back home. We felt so ready for it. But of course, we were just happy to come home safe.”

Almost three years on the dot since their last album, Little Dragon have continued the momentum with live shows, bringing back tracks which now run riot in the world. “A lot of songs can change when we play them live. They become something different - I guess it’s really about the energy between the crowd and us on the stage."

‘No worries, no worries, no, you’re gonna be alright’ are the opening lyrics of ‘Are You Feeling Sad?’, Little Dragon’s latest single and ultimate track on the new album featuring

The Swedish four-piece have moved at an unstoppable pace since their very first album some 13 years ago. ‘New Me, Same Us' sees a whirlwind of synths, velvety vocals and the occasional soulful ballad, etching into the long history of the band and their undeniable chemistry.

Columbian-American star Kali Uchis. The song effortlessly finds its way through a spectrum of heartbreak and self-love, backed by an expanse of glittery percussion.

“It’s crazy, this is our sixth album and we’re still learning things with every release. Times change so much in the music business, it’s not a case of knowing everything by your third album. We’re always learning and making mistakes,” says Yukimi, reflecting on their previous releases. “You just have to stay on your feet.”

“We’ve never really had anyone on our tracks before, but when it feels right, it feels right. She really compliments the song,” says Yukimi. “We’re used to being on other people’s tracks!” she laughs, alluding to Little Dragon’s endless range of collaborators - from Gorillaz, to Kaytranada; Floating Points to SBTRKT.

But Little Dragon’s consistency to impress plays harmonically to their ever-changing sound and the calming semblance that comes with each release. ‘New Me, Same Us’ is bathed in positivity; something that shines through equally in Yukimi, and something that perfectly exemplifies the band’s idyllic work/play setting of Gothenburg.

Yet, the band still prove difficult to categorise. “Any music that comes into your brain inspires you whether you like it or not. I recently came back to an old influence that I forgot about, Leon Thomas. Kind of spiritual jazz, whatever you wanna call it. I find comfort in listening to him.”

“I guess we’re a bit isolated here from a lot of musical sub-cultures that you get more of in the UK. Maybe this is in some ways to our advantage because it’s helped to define our sound”, she says.

With such an impressive trajectory in their musical career, it can only beg the question: ‘what’s next?’. “Our next plans are to take things day by day and see where we are at the moment. Oh, and be creative! I love doodling and drawing.

There’s a lot of fun homemade stuff you can do and people really appreciate the handmade touch!”

Powered by their own gauge on genre-freedom, Little Dragon spent their formative years juggling sounds while denying a sense of belonging to one genre or another. “We met at school, I was fourteen at the time. We took extra music classes and after a while, it dawned on me that we were a band. It was something we always dreamed about but seemed like a far-fetched fantasy.”

“Hopefully we’ll be able to play for our fans again once it’s safe,” she says, equal measures optimistic and prepared.

While the future is uncertain in these unusual times, one silver lining that comes in the shape of Little Dragon’s new album has us singing along in isolation, completely out of key.

Words by Gemma Ross

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female creatives have to stand their ground and support each other if the change is to come

Greta Kaur-Taylor, 17, is a multi-creative, DIY loud and brown creator of Soundwaves, soundest zine in town. In between jumping cities, venues and college’s classrooms, she caught a break to talk about music industry’s reality, filthy men at gigs and the hottest bands on the scene.

Soundwaves zine is Greta’s most precious project and the space that consume most of her energy. Since 2016, she successfully puts a spotlight on the new up-and-coming faces in the DIY music scene and brings to her audience their already favourite bands. Supported by a team of passionate writers, Greta gives a voice to the young creatives and a chance for recognition.

All started with love for music and the desire to experience it fully. “When I was about 12, I realized I couldn’t get to any gigs because they’ve all been for older people and I couldn’t afford gig tickets. So I thought if I start writing about it I’ll be able to speak to more people and go to more gigs,” she says.

“It was just me on my own, no one would read it. I used to be crap, I only eventually get better,” Greta adds, and shares her first experience with journalism - writing advises for troubled kids at school. It was a long way from there. “Now we’ve got 8000 readers and I’ve worked for lots of great bands,” she says and recalls her recent shoot for Lady Bird and, the collaboration she’s the proudest of, the Heavy Music Awards. Working an event she used to obsess about in her emo phase (she was 11) was a big deal.

“There are so many opportunities now and I feel like it [zine] gave me the confidence to talk to people. I’ve never used to talk to people before. Now, some of my best friends are people that I’ve met through music. It allowed me to have an output where I give back to the scene that I’m in,” she says.

“Local scene got so many great bands right now.

People don’t even realise. There’s so much going on,” she says. She points on punx duo, Earls as her always top one, followed by, The People Assembly, Factory Girls, Kermes, Courtney Askey and Jools.

GRETA KAUR-TAYLOR MUSIC SCENE, ZINE AND THE ART OF DOING IT ALL

Though Greta’s all sparkly and excited thinking about next gig she’s going to, not many shares her enthusiasm. In the need-to-know kind of culture, people don’t want to take chances or go to gigs to get drunk. “They spend £65 to see The 1975. I’ve done that [she laughs]. But then they won’t spend a fiver in their local city. They could really love it. It could be their new favourite band. Or it could not be. But you still go and support your venue,” she says and mentions up-coming Independent Venues Week.

Check it out, be there. “Support your little venues.

Take chances. Don’t spend a fiver to go to mosh for a night you won’t even remember. Go to a gig and after if you still want to go to mosh, do it,” she adds.

All excitement aside, the scene is not always, as open-mined, diverse and appreciating as it supposed to be. If Greta got a tenner every time when she’s been belittled, talked down or given orders, she’d probably gather a gig life-fund.

Factory girls

support your little venues take chances support your little venues 46

“When I promote/put on gigs, people talk to me like I’m just a girl on the door, and they’re asking who’s in charge – and it’s me. 4’ 11’’, brown, young me. People just can’t deal with it. The amount of times people assume that I’m just going out with someone from the band,” Greta says.

There’s also every artistic industry haunting nightmare, money. While working for free might be beneficial for you in some aspects, usually, it’s not.

“You’re paying your accountant when you’re supposed to but you wouldn’t pay a creative person engaged in the project. It’s ridiculous,” Greta says.

Besides the capitalistic greed or lack of resources, education is to blame. “In school, I was told that doing art and photography, it’s not a real job. And now I’m making most of my money from it,” she says.

Female creatives have to stand their ground and support each other if the change is to come. “Women need to be given more platforms to do it and not be scared to do it. It’s a scary thing to put yourself out there. We need to take over,” she adds.

Jools

Greta is taking over. “I was assaulted at the birthday party last year. I confronted the guy that did it and he basically said: ‘Oh, I’ll pay for your therapy session.’ It made me so mad.

There are so many women that it happens to.”

Shocked by it, she created a space to fight for a change. For empowerment. “Leicester is supposed to be multicultural, but everyone is in their own little groups,” she says, noticing that margins are represented only if it benefits organisers. Take your power back is the name of her new zine as a response to the patriarchal regime and her personal experience. All-inclusive and non-binary “bible of everyday women stories.” Launching this year.

New-wave zines are making a comeback both on digital platforms and paper. She encourages anyone will to try to get themselves out there. “Just open a website, don’t use Wordpress. Use Wix. Go for it. [..] Just write. Write all the time,” she says and mentions Some Might Say and Weirdo, that she wrote a piece about growing up dual-heritage for, as her top favourite zines right now.

Splitting her spare time between a zine, preparing for three A-Levels and being an active member of Young People’s Council in Leicester, advocating for mental health and improvement of NHS that “are awful because of cuts and austerity,” is tricky.

“Balancing everything can be quite hard,”= she says catching a breath. Though that creative cycle is what gets her going “I could never imagine myself doing 9/5 behind the desk. It would kill me. But who knows, maybe it’s gonna happen to me.” Oh, Greta. There’s not a chance.

Fontaines d.c..

Words by Aleksandra Brzezicka

Photos by Greta Kaur-Taylor

female creatives have to stand their ground and support each other if the change is to come

“When I first started, I’ve had lots of creepy male promoters […] telling me how to do my job, directed me when I know what I’m doing,” she says.

take chances support your little venues take chances support your 47

GEMMA ROSS SPEAKS TO MULTIFACETED KATHARINA KUBRICK ABOUT ALL THINGS ART ...AND HER FATHER: STANLEY KUBRICK

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WORK BY KATHARINA

Four years too young for the watch, and forty years too late to the bandwagon, I perched on the edge of my bed alone watching A Clockwork Orange. A first-time watch, and a first-time adventure into the Kubrick chronicles. Blasted by retro-futurism, Nadsat, and a blinding-eyeful of outrageous costume, I had already declared it my favourite film upon the opening scene and vowed to dedicate my life and soul to the occult of Stanley Kubrick from there on out.

her mother still resides some 42 years later, there’s an element of sentimentality to both women’s art. “It’s beautiful, and a perfect setting for Christiane’s work. She loves painting gardens, so naturally, it’s really fitting”.

“I’m a different person to my mother, so my paintings are different. There’s no conscious decision to my style. But she inspired me to be bold with colour and not be afraid of what I want to paint. It’s very personal,” she says.

It was the art that drew me there, and the art that now brings me to a family I’ve only ever iconised. It’s been a mere seven years since that fateful night, and now I find myself sat in the very home of Stanley Kubrick, being taught how to paint a vase by his daughter, Katharina. How did I end up here?

Outside of the painting classes, both Katharina and Christiane host bi-annual art fairs selling hand-made goods and homemade foods. Much unlike her photo-realistic paintings, Katharina now takes pride in her handicrafts; jewellery making. “I picked it back up about 11 years ago. I always liked beads and trinkets as a child”.

It always comes back to the art.

Concentric circles surround both mine and Katharina Kubrick’s lives, imagining a brain map of Venn diagrams; film, art, and an undying love for her father. Stepping foot on to the Kubrick property, Childwickbury House, for the first time to take part in an art class, I could only imagine the array of Stanley fans and aspiring artists alike, intertwining together in creative chaos.

But it’s something else that we each found, despite the looming prospect of Stanley Kubrick; a sanctuary, a haven.

“I loved working in the movies growing up. It was my upbringing and my dream job. It’s a pity I had to give it up, but I went back to my roots and started painting again. Then when I developed chronic RSI in my hands, I had to find something else to do. So I turned to design and started making jewellery,” says Katharina, lost in nostalgia.

It was her upbringing that pushed the creative cogs, and her adult life that led her naturally to the place she always belonged.

Katharina worked on some of the most highly acclaimed films of the 20th century - Midnight Express, The Shining, Eyes Wide Shut, to name a few. But it was always the creative side of the industry that she fell into, whether art assistant or location scouter.

“Originally, we wanted to have life drawing classes with models.

That was about 15 years ago now, and it quickly shifted when people started asking for painting lessons,” says Katharina, reminiscing on the opening of the art school. With an artist mother and a filmmaker father, it was almost inevitable that Katharina would follow visionary suit.

Her father’s creative process still reverberates through her own.

“He always said to follow your heart and work hard. Be thorough, and don’t be sloppy,” she recalls. “I remember going to his film sets as a child. It was always fun, and so interesting. It really made me want to work in the business”.

Acclaimed in their own right, both Katharina and her mother Christiane settle the futile debates of female empowerment in a creative industry given their overwhelming achievements.

Single-handedly, and without the help of Stanley’s name, both women have established life-long careers in art.

Although it may be the filmic influence, the legacy of Stanley Kubrick that entices one, it’s much more profound than we might believe. What lies beneath the filmmaking process, more specifically Stanley’s, is art. It always comes back to the art.

“It’s nice that people keep coming back to the art school, we must be doing something right!” Katharina continues. Hosting classes over the first weekend of each month, in the home that Words by Gemma Ross

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Words by Kinga Ludwin

Being an artist is such a challenge. It always was. Previously, when controversial art was taking first steps, and the opportunity of showing works wasn’t that easy, but also now when the amount of artists is rapidly growing. These days, being distinctive is vital. And being distinctive means to be brave. Not everyone is courageous enough.

The judgement of the environment is overwhelming. Its power is usually taking plans and dreams away. But for our fortunate, many artists share their works and Jazz is one of them.

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Meet Jazz Wade, 24, raised in Leicestershire, currently living in Sheffield. Surrounded by art since childhood. He got into painting very easily: it was in his blood. Inspired by mum and grandad, he decided to express his view of the world. His passion has its beginning in primary school and is continuing till now. “Making art is something I find myself not being able to live without. It’s the therapeutic time in my day”, he says. As same as results. It’s therapeutic too. His artworks are hypnotising. All of the colours, mixed and matched together, all of the shapes, and concept; a daily dose of a psychedelic, but sober trip.

Jazz usually bases on colours but he also likes black and white, “to give a completely different feeling,” he says. His preferred media is pen and paint, as it’s versatile but he likes experimenting with all sorts of materials. His favourite series which he made is called ‘people’; watercolour paintings of human groups.

“I like to draw what goes on in people’s heads, representing the weirdness in life around us,” he says.

He did colourful, but also all blue people’s paints.

His creatures don’t look ordinary. Weird grimaces and distorted postures are his trademarks. Disproportion is beautiful and Jazz wants to show it. “I want to get across the world I see personally. Unless my work is commercial and someone’s idea in my style of drawing it’s just a reflection of how I see life, but also I love focusing on detail and homing in on them, while they are not normally seen,” he says.

Jazz not only paints in spare time but also skates. He likes to connect these two things. That’s why he made a series of best skate spots in the cities around the UK, including Leicester. Skateboarding also plays a huge role in his life. The ‘people’ series was featured in a skateboarding magazine called ‘Vague’. It’s like a perfect combo; two passions in the same place together. It is similar with his inspiration, Mark Gonzales. He’s a professional skateboarder and artist who is absolutely incredible on both stages. But it’s not the only one source of Jazz’s creativity. Asked about what inspires him the most, he answered: “Life around me, natural forms and people, in general, inspire me. Other illustrators, music and skateboarding.

Artists such as Tynan Kerr (AMTK) and Egon Schiele, but also Instagram is a great platform for daily inspiration too.” He also inspires others. One of his achievements was getting his work published in Leicestershire magazine called ‘The Whistle’.

“That also came with an interview. It was something I was very hyped on, as it reaches a much varied audience”, he says. He also took part in a pop-up organised by St Martins Coffee Shop in Leicester, selling his works with other local artists.

In the future, Jazz hopes to keep painting and drawing. He would like to do it more commercially. “I want to leave the world of a 9-5. But also, I kinda like just doing it for fun. It just would be better to get my work seen by more,” he says. His advice for everyone who starts or is into art is to get your word out there, in the world. “Art is subjective and you have a voice that needs to be heard, regardless of what your medium or ideas are. Art is all we got in this world. Let’s get creative,” he says. And that is true.

Don’t be scared. It’s easy to say, but don’t. And do whatever you want cause your life depends on you.

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2021 BE O YEA

WILL OUR AR

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At 21 years old, Benny recognised an unwieldily force, drawing him back to a past sentiment. He sat and listened to the voice now nestled into an old tape recorder. It was sweet; nostalgic. The voice was his own, from some 10 years prior, singing songs that only childhood naïvety could cultivate.

‘I was fed up with all the extreme music.

I wanted to return to the nostalgic sweet lullabies I made when I was young to make myself calm again,’ Benny says, cracking open a can of Heineken in his dressing room, two hours before he’s due to play Eurosonic Festival. Behind him, his supporting band of backing singers, drummers, and one trumpeteer take turns practicing their parts.

Benny Sings is the alias of 42-year-old Tim Von Berkestijn. ‘That’s my Dutch name, so Benny Sings is an anagram of that. When I was a beatmaker, the anagram was Benny V Kreamtits,’ he laughs, just as the trumpeteer starts playing.

Since the 1980s, Benny’s life has been playing out on a musical trajectory. Delivering techno sets at illegal house parties seems like a far distant memory now - particularly when Benny’s current sound is quite the opposite. ‘Benny Sings started when I was 21, and it was pretty clear what I wanted. Light-hearted music with a lot of hip-hop influence. I guess that’s never really changed,’

‘There was a certain period around 2008 - 2012 where I was a bit confused, it was a much darker time for music. There was that whole new-wave era and Depeche Mode was the sound, you know. My sound didn’t fit in with that at all. But in the past three or so years, it’s come in vogue again to be soulful and light with people like Chance The Rapper and Anderson .Paak.’

A master of disguising sentimental lyrics through the rouse of upbeat pop, Benny’s lo-fi sound perfectly compliments the feeling of nostalgia that resonates through both his discography and music videos.

When trying to muster up a word for his genre, Benny says; ‘I guess it’s like weird soul. I don’t know what it is, I’m trying to make soul but not succeeding. My music is the end product of that.’

His recently released single and music video titled quite self-explanatory, ‘Music’, sees Benny as a child in his hometown of Dordrecht, Netherlands. ‘Music, help me through this’ sings his fluffy vocals atop jazz piano.

But for Benny, music isn’t all about keeping up with current fashions. ‘I’m totally unaware of pop culture at the moment, I’m a father so I only really listen to Peppa Pig,’ he laughs. ‘I’m always listening to Andy Schauf, Mac Demarco…’

‘It really amazes me how engaged the audiences are in other countries like France, Words by Gemma Ross

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England, America, Japan. They’re totally focused and enjoy the ride. Dutch people including myself, they tend to talk more during concerts, being with friends and making jokes,’ says Benny, contemplating the reception to live shows in his home country.

‘When you’re on stage in France, you notice they’re like wow, ‘THE ARTS!’,’ he shouts, mimicking some progressive French millennial. ‘They’re totally in awe and England is where pop culture started, so everyone is really involved. Holland is a tough crowd.’

While there’s a proverbial saying about old dogs and new tricks, Benny’s breakthrough success is beyond the usual format of ‘attitude laden 20-something’. At 42, he’s approached his recent recognition with the amount of thankfulness that a lot of musicians seem to lack. ‘Last year was an extraordinary year for me, which I didn’t expect any more. I’m 42 and I’m like done, you know,’ he says nonchalantly.

Now, with 6 albums under his belt and a signing to Stones Throw Records, Benny Sings is generating ripples via the crutch of his musical background. While he’s set to spend 2020 writing his next record and taking a well-deserved break with his wife and kids, his fans can eagerly await a 7th studio album, soaked in nostalgia and honey-flavoured soul.

Words by Rosie Vacciana-Browne

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It was an overcast afternoon in mid-January, terrace houses stretched up and down the street grazing the drizzly skyline.

Everything was grey. Everything but a single burst of colour beaming from a window; it was wide open, the vibrant green and yellow of a Jamaican flag dancing in the blistering wind. X marks the spot.

ing the genre. One of those leading the charge is Daily Mail writer, Good Morning Britain presenter and online troll, Piers Morgan. Piers is ever labelling liberals as ‘snowflakes’ and loves to head to his Twitter to have online spats with those who he does not agree with (popular rapper Stromzy being amongst them).

This window belonged to 20-year-old rapper and student JayaHadADream (Jaya). A Cambridge native, Jaya started her musical journey in 2019 after moving to Nottingham to study. Like many creatives, she balances her art alongside other responsibilities. “I rap, I sing, I produce, and I study at the University of Nottingham.” Diverse in every sense of the word, JayaHadADream is a self-sufficient musical entity with the brains to back it.

It seems at this point, a rite of passage for those at the forefront of activism to receive an online attack from Mr Morgan.

As a political, black female rapper, I knew that Jaya could be at the top of Piers’ list if she were to burst into the mainstream, but to block or to reply? That is the question with Twitter.

“I’d 100% reply, he’d probably end up blocking me, but I’d reply. I’d love Piers to message me. It’d make my day because I hate him so much. I’m sorry it must be said. The whole Good Morning show needs to be banned. They can’t be reproducing that.”

Her music is powerful, as much a challenge to society as it is rhythmic in its beats. Her debut album, titled Hypersensitive, was released late last year. It explored love, life and the experience of a mixed-race woman living in a culture that is quick to label people as “hypersensitive snowflakes”. From top to bottom throughout every inch of her music, Jaya is trying to spread a message. She challenges austerity cuts, politicians, misogyny and explores her Irish/Caribbean heritage, emotions and mental health. A bucking of the rap trend that often focuses on monetary and physical booty.

Greeted with a warm smile, JayaHadADream opens the door to her student digs. “Come in. We’ll go upstairs. My friend uses the living room to sell his Depop clothes.” On paper, this could be a house share in gentrified London or the plot to Netflix’ next big series ‘The Rapper and the Fashion house’. “Do you want a tea or anything?”, her hospitality was beyond anything I had experienced in halls.

We headed upstairs to discuss her music and upcoming ventures.

Her room was vibrant and energised. The walls painted a mustard yellow, covered in pictures of friends, family and her boyfriend. There were incense sticks and a mic already set up. It felt like her music, the consciousness of her lyrics scrawled across her room. “I try and get the most run-down places, so they can’t complain about me smoking weed.”

This bedroom was the beginnings of a rap star, I was sure.

While some have greatness thrust upon them, others seize it by choosing a stage name like ‘JayaHadADream’; An intentional nod to Martin Luther King Jr’s ‘I Had A Dream’ speech. It seemed fitting to ask what Jaya’s dream for present-day Britain would be. “It’s quite unrealistic, but if I could eradicate inequality, a lot of other things wouldn’t be a problem. Like cultural appropriation wouldn’t be a problem if everyone was equal and respected equally.”

In recent years, the right-wing press has made its views on British rap abundantly clear, tearing down artists and demonis-

The 14-tracks on Hypersensitive take listeners on a journey through JayaHadADream’s mind; it’s honest and real. I asked her to pick her three favourite tracks for people to listen to if they wanted to get to know her music. The First song she chose was ‘Admittedly’.

“It perfectly encapsulates the daily routine of my life before I was proper making music and came to university; writing music, smoking weed and feeling angsty and depressed. Things weren’t right and so much was unfinished before I left (home). It reminds me of where I am now and of habits that everyone has like ‘admittedly I spend too long on my phone’.” The track features rapper Ben DSP.

Her second choice was ‘Challice’ 99’, a song that challenges the (unwanted) opinions put onto us by older generations.

“I wrote it in summer, I was just chilling, I had no Wi-Fi, and my head was in a weird space, but I made some sick music.

I like the way I mixed my harmonies and what it’s about. I respect a lot of my elders. But, I think a lot of them can be quite condescending when it comes to music because it’s very different now and it’s way more possible (to make it), I think some of them try and hold you down for their ego. Not all of them, a lot of them have helped me, but there’s a few I get a vibe off.

The songs quite vengeful but sometimes that’s necessary.”

Jaya’s third and final track was ‘Real Love’ a modern-day sonnet and love letter for the youth. “It bounces up and down it’s so hard to perform because it’s singing, then slightly singing, then rapping, then singing - there are no breaks.

It’s just about the difficulties in love because I think social media and expectations have ruined a lot of things.”

JayaHadADream is only just at the beginning of her career but has a bright year ahead as she takes on numerous performances across the country. On April 2 she’ll be at the Nottingham, and Cambridge stops of rapper Shay D’s Queens of Arts Women in Hip Hop Tour 2020. “That was a big thing for me, especially to meet and network with all those female artists.” Seeing JayaHadADream live is an experience that goes far beyond your average gig, so catch her while you can.

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CLOTHONSKIN CLOTHONSKIN CLOTHONSKIN CLOTHONSKIN CLOTHONSKIN CLOTHONSKIN REVOLUTION

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JOIN THE CULT

The fashion industry has only recently started to wake-up from the self-obsessed, consumerist nightmare to face up the plastic waste reality. All it takes is a five-minute walk from London’s Tottenham Hale Station on a Thursday night to experience, in the reddish artificial light an industry turned upside down. To get to see one of the faces of fashion’s long-due revolution, Clothonskin.

Joshua Grice, 23, student of MA Fashion Futures at LCF, is the mastermind behind Clothonskin. Growing up surrounded by designers and attending shows on daily basis, as his mother was a course director for a designer degree, he’s found fashion his true calling.

And he has a little regard for the industry.

Experiencing first-hand its elitism and competitiveness, he turned his back on the corrupted mainstream to fight for a change. “There’s a lot of problems in the fashion industry. In fact at every single stage of a garments life cycle, whether that’s growing of the crop, manufacturing, overconsumption, washing and care or even waste management,” he says.

Out of that rage and disgust for worship of consumerism, Joshua decided to set up his own brand. “Clothonskin started as a way for me to express creativity after I finished my BA really. I’ve never been into brands or labels but I’ve always enjoyed more daring clothing. So I just started to create my own using old clothes,” he says.

Daring it is. Clothonskin pieces do not belong on runways. They deserve to live on the backs of revolutionaries, to preach their philosophy to the so-called blind masses.

Captions embroidered on them speak volumes about what we fear, what we desire Stay ignorant. Ignorance is bliss. Happiness has consequence. It’s cool to be sad. Lost.

They give a glimpse of what we are as a society and offer a path of redemption by getting involved, by joining Clothonskin’s cult.

How do join the cult? “You’re already a part of it,” says Joshua. A manifesto-like zine, produced to complement collection, provides a follow-up. ‘The consumerism and marketing cats are the real cults. They have the strings of our purses tied like nooses around our necks,’ it says and comments upon demons of capitalism, fast fashion and the illusion of choice. “‘Join the cult’ is a marketing strategy that plays on the state of society. If you look at the core foundation of a cult and compare it to society in a simplified way they’re not that different. I feel we’re all part of the cult whether we like it or not,” Joshua explains.

In the post-modernist spirit, Clothonskin, follows its own rules, re-using worn-out pieces and mocking elitist fashion industry, to pave the way to the new perception of clothing.

Sustainable and free of industry’s daunting past. “But to be honest I think it has a lot to do with guilt... I’m just very aware of the true cost of fashion and I don’t want to feel awful for doing something I love,” says the designer. Striving for sustainability, he’s inspired by those who successfully fight the same battle as LCF graduate, Bethany Williams.

“She embeds a lot of social activism in her work and helps out communities,” he says.

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Clothonskin is in its core a DIY brand. Every piece is a one-off. “The way I work is vastly different from that of the fashion industry. Design teams create pieces based on trends and bestsellers; their only real restrictions are costs and quantity. They’re constantly battling with the production team as to what is cost-effective or possible. I create pieces based on used products. The limitations are a lot higher. I can only really use what I’m able to find,” Grice says.

Playing around limitations is what makes his work unique. A twisted homage to the creative power of destruction. Re-invented, nonchalantly subversive, covered in chains and half-torn garments give flashbacks to the fashion’s glory and gore days - grunge and punk. “I missed the eras when fashion was an expression; a tool to tell the world what you stand for. Now it’s all about who you’re wearing and not why you’re wearing it,” Joshua shares.

For Clothonskin, ‘it’s who you know,’ according to the photos on social media that were used for the promotion of brand’s latest London-based event – a hybrid of an exhibition and eclectic DJ set. “A lot of what we’re doing is a complete experiment. We just wanted to try something different than an event on Facebook,” says the designer.

If everyone is a part of the cult, anyone can be a face of it. In that satire of a marketing campaign, we see a celebrity crème de la crème. Paris Hilton, Drake and Jeremy Corbyn are shedding black tears and sharing an invitation to join the WhatsApp guestlist.

That shift from one platform from another, less social media focused, is deliberate.

“I thoroughly hate social media. You may have noticed that I haven’t posted since the event. Simple because I feel I need a break and to focus on my studies until my deadline is done. I’d love to find a perfect way to market without social media,” Joshua says. His confession sounds radical in the era of FOMO and likes driven, black screen society. Shadowing low-profile fashion designers like Martin Margiela or Phoebe Philo, Joshua desires to make his public persona non-existent, not mentioning his name in/on any of Clothonskin projects.

Instead, he insists on perceiving his project as a collaboration. ‘Clothonskin is first and foremost a family. A family of like-minded spirits.

A tribe of chose family,’ he says in the zine, inviting anyone brave enough to rebel against the establishment to join their forces. “I want to push my designs even further in the future and keep bringing people together,” he says, focusing on the planning of upcoming events.

Don’t be fooled by appearances. Clothonskin is all about clothes but also so much more than that. It is, anarchist by looks, well-planned revolution striving to conquer and cure the diseased industry. They may dream big but the power lays in unity. “Join the cult. Spread the good word,” Joshua says. Then, their voice may be strong to rise from the underground into fashion’s future.

Words by Aleksandra Brzezicka

Photos by Clothonskin

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Cascading down snowy roads, some falling, some sliding for the fun of it, by:Larm-goers treat the moments between gigs as an invitation to become children again. When not surrounded by music, we’re inundated with laughter, and that is everything a good festival should provide.

Norway’s capital plays host to the elusive but not-so uncharted festival of by:Larm for three days every February; coincidentally the most outrageous month when it comes to the Scandinavian snowfall. Over the weekend, conferences take place for industry pundits, and venues open their doors for the musically-driven.

With a line-up dominated with experimental sounds, it didn’t take long for the creativity to roll. Artists and DJ’s alike were dotted around Oslo’s most favourable venues, some of which acting as hideouts from the cold. For its 22nd edition, by:Larm boasted a long list of names teetering on the verge of success.

Some hometown names topped the lists, including Bristolian duo Giant Swan who kicked Thursday night into full swing. Layering droning vocals atop their boisterous techno seemed arduous at first, but played well to an increasingly sweltering venue. One half of the duo very quickly abided to the ‘tops off’ tradition we know

oh-so-well in UK sweatboxes.

Georgia Ellery and Taylor Skye are the brains behind Jockstrap, another UK pair who provided experimental sounds to the tiny Kafe Hærverk. Their avant-garde electronica sounded unlike anything else we’d heard over the weekend - a flawless blend of warped synths and pitched vocals setting up for Georgia’s even more surreal violin solos.

Where genre was concerned, by:Larm’s festival booker didn’t come unstuck.

Though a serious amount of unusual electronic music lined many of the venues, an equal measure of bands and solo artists seemed to be sprinkled into the mix. Just to top that off; a 50/50 gender split amongst performers meant by:Larm wouldn’t be seeing the same backlash that some UK festivals have received in recent months.

Oslo’s own Pan-Al served some jackedup Boards of Canada inspired sound to the city’s more familiar venue, Blå. Other artists who graced the stage of the graffiti-spattered locale came in the likes of UK’s Klein, and the multi-faceted collective CURL. For us Brits attending the festival who see snow as little as we see the sun, the blizzard that came on Saturday was even

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more reason to stay inside the venues (while £10 pints were arguably the only things that strived to push us out). A foot of snow embossed the city like a Monet painting, but the party continued.

With an opportune time to stay indoors until late, plenty caught Beta Librae’s midnight set. Her experimental breaks were enough to transform the underground venue into a full-fledged club for a short 75 minutes.

D.Tiffany touched down with handfuls of debauchery, her hypnotic set overflowing with rapid-fire breakbeats and 4/4 kicks. A self-confessed ‘sustainable DJ’, her ethos is restorative in an industry filled with private jet riding regulars. On the other side of the river, Buttechno bookended the festival as the last act of the weekend, delivering industrial techno to the less fatigued.

While by:Larm unashamedly self-proclaims as ‘the most essential meeting point for Nordic music’, the three-day weekender becomes a righteous escape from highly-commercial offerings littering the rest of the festival calendar.

New sounds and previously undiscovered artists now make their way to the tip of everyone’s tongues.

Words by Gemma Ross

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“We allowed ourselves to be a lot more sensual than at the album we had” Hail the new order, The Blinders are back. After getting their twisted tunes out in the world, followed by months of studio silence, they’ve shed the skins of revolutionaries and turned upside-down on the second album, Fantasies Of A Stay At Home Psychopath. Bassist Charlie McGough commented on their new-found fantasies and ways of expression.

was a lot of really different novels. We were picking up bits of narratives from them and looking at how to develop our lines, styles based on those novels,” McGough says.

Nick Cave’s influence can be heard throughout the whole The Blinders’ discography. So it’s not surprising when asked about the songs they wish they’ve written Charlie mentions Cave’s Bright Horses and There She Goes, My Beautiful World. “It’s the hope of those songs. […] Seeing the troubles of the world but also looking at the beauty of it. Clinging up to that beauty and clinging up to life. I think if you’ll try to get this kind of ethos in the way you live, in the way you write that can go quite a long way,” he says.

On their, named after Manson’s dystopia, debut, Columbia, they’re trying to make sense of all the despair and drama in the society, they’ve mixed Orwellian influences with social commentary to provide an album-size catharsis. Mission accomplished. What now? According to Charlie, a change of direction into looking inwards.

That’s what their newest single, Circle Song, is about.

Despite clinging on to the greatest, The Blinders are not blind on the movements of the British music scene. “We’re always looking for new influences and new records. Now looking at some more electronic stuff which you may not expect us to listen to,” Charlie says and lists his favourited act right now: “obviously incredible” Idles, Yellow Brain, Document and Porridge Radio.

“The song is looking at reaching a point in your life where you are at the crossroads. I think it carried to the point we were at. After releasing our first album we got to that point we are, slightly at the crossroads. […] Feeling slightly lost. Feeling very helpless and feeling empty,” he says.

Words by Aleksandra Brzezicka

They’ve poured that feeling into the new material.

“We allowed ourselves to be a lot more sensual than at the album we had. On Columbia there was more distance, characters and that world of dystopia but the second record so much more original,” Charlie says. The ‘new’ Blinders are experimenting with keys and piano while sticking to their dark/pure energy dogma. More sophisticated. Just as devilish.

Coming from Doncaster, they’ve struggled to find as a responsive audience as in bigger cities like Manchester (their current location) where there’s like five great music venues on one street. “Being in the band is obviously not easy but neither it should be,” says Charlie. Despite the odds, they’ve stolen the hearts of many and got their own “little sphere” of an audience.

“We were sort of pulling them apart [songs] and we realised what there were the constant themes and things that were constantly coming back. All that was to it, was the feeling of sort of lostness, helplessness and anger. Getting a lot of those songs related to the points in our lives that we were at then and then related them back to the world issues of feeling very lost in them and looking at how global politics were fitting into our personal relationships. It feels like the second album was more of a personal record,” Charlie says.

Grateful for that, him and Thomas, having a pile of unpublished lyrics and poetry, came up with an alternative to the social media platform, The Room. Space where they could connect with fans in a way they feel comfortable in.

“It’s something we’re really excited about and something we’ve worked quite a while on. Sharing our thoughts on the songs that are coming out. We’re looking at the ways we can develop that in, making it slightly more of a communicative process where people can feedback, a have some sort of Q&A and get involved,” Charlie says.

Named after the song that never made it to the record in its original form, Fantasies Of A Stay At Home Psychopath, are less of a concept album than Columbia was.

“The first one was heavily influenced by dystopian literature, Orwell and Huxley’s books. We are past that so obviously we dropped looking at dystopia,” he says.

Collectives like that are extremely important right now when, out of the sudden, we’ve found ourselves on the verge of Orwellian-like disaster and the music industry is suffering greatly. “Take it day by day and see what’s gonna happen. People have to look after themselves and look after one another,” says McGough to the fans and fellow musicians.

Though as lovers of words, The Blinders are still knee-deep in literature. “With the second album, we were looking towards poetry. There’s one song From Nothing to Abundance which comes from a poem,” Charlie says. Re-visiting their heroes and inspired by artists they admire like Steinbeck, Bowie or Dylan, they’ve written their own stories.

“There wasn’t maybe one book this time. I feel like there

While you’ll be blasting The Blinder’s through your home-speakers, they’re getting ready for revolution 2.0. “Waiting to get back out there, waiting to record and waiting to play live. Can’t wait to see how people take it. Hopefully, people will enjoy it and receive it well. Fingers crossed,” Charlie says.

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BUY VINTAGE Her style has been changing over the years. “I’ve always been a real tomboy. I love to be comfortable over anything and actually spend a lot of my time in hoodies and tracksuits,” she says. However, the clothes she sells are more feminine and styled bravely. Pascale’s grandma had amazing style and she was the one who inspired her. “I remember her wearing lots of leopard print,” she says. Old-fashioned clothes are back in favour.

Small bags, tight tops and low-waisted jeans are going on top of a fashion list again. “I do love 90’s sports illustrated style glam and sometimes just dressing extra feminine. Honestly, it’s just a massively eclectic mix,” she admits. The most important part of her wardrobe is jewellery. “I don’t feel like me without my gold jewellery on,” Pascale says.

Luckiness and patience is a huge advantage in this business. But it’s worth it. Owning and then, selling something unique is a special feeling.

Pascale found many of very rare pieces. “I had an amazing Dior hardcore saddle bag from the John Galliano era. Recently, an unworn box-fresh pair of 2003 Air Jordans for like £50, which doesn’t sound that cheap for a pair of trainers but they are selling online for up to a grand. Also an amazing reversible Fendi coat - sometimes I just feel like I have to keep some things,” she says.

Not only finding well-rated brands are important, but also creativity is the key. Remaking clothes and providing them with a bright future in someone else’s wardrobe is the best feeling.

Pascale was experimenting with trousers. “Jeans are actually one of the most damaging items to make so if you have a pair that fits you great - I would definately recommend having them patched rather than throwing away! A few brands such as Levi’s offer repairs - even for vintage jeans - so if you are not confident sewing, you just need to take them in,” she says. It’s becoming a trend to buy vintage/second-hand

GO VINTAGE BE VINTAGE

BE AWARE

It all started in 2013, innocently enough. At that time, she was a textiles design student, decided to earn some extra cash and as a matter of fact, to save the world. Instead of throwing things away, she decided to give them another home. Depop was the best place to start. She became consistent with uploading new items and cared about clothes presentation. Eye-catching shots of funky, vintage pieces like a magnet attracted many people. She started growing and seven years later 25-year-old Pascale Davies owns a depop vintage shop followed by 67k people.

pieces, as more people become concerned about the planet and environmental issues. It’s good to be conscious and the fact that some brands are getting involved in changes is very influential.

Pascale is also aware of the global warming threat. She persuades to changes. Fast fashion and buying clothes on impulse has its consequences.

“The idea of buying something to wear once for a night out and then never again is just so alien.

I really can’t understand that concept,” she says.

There are millions of clothes produced for chain shops and never used. And It’s all about producing cheap and selling ten times more expensive.

Pascale has some high street brand experience which will stay with her forever. “I was previously working as a menswear designer. I managed to convince myself to stay on for three years but it really cemented to me that these big brands are just money focused,” she says. It needs to stop.

The only way it can happen is through consumers who should start saying no and stop buying from these places. Even if it sounds cliché for you, all of us can indeed become world savers.

Pascale as a vintage seller truly recommends buying vintage. “You get the best feeling when you find something amazing. It’s like a treasure!

You also have the guarantee you’re never going to be in a room with someone who’s wearing the same thing as you. Plus, you get the added kick of knowing that you are doing something amazing by giving an item a new lease of life,” she says.

It’s also good to support depop sellers not only for the environment but for their motivation.

Running such an account requires sacrifice. “I hate being on my phone so it’s all kind of bittersweet. I get to work to my own schedule etc. but my phone is literally glued to me from the moment I get up to going to bed. There’s never really a break,” she says. But it’s worth it.

For costumers, Earth but also self-experience.

Vintage/second-hand clothes have their own story behind and that’s beautiful.

“One of my friends who is also a seller found an old Dior monogram bag and inside was a newspaper sheet from the New York Times dated from around the 70s,” she says.

This industry is growing and there is a hope that 2020 will be the year of changes. It’s good to think twice before buying clothes. If there are many ways to avoid chain shops, why not to do it? Let’s be creative and become a part of a vintage family.

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“Try this,” says one of three Serbian girls occupying the table I’m sat at, passing over a shot glass full of golden-brown liquid. “It’s called Rakija, it will get you ready for the night!”

mas lights up in mid-February. The girls blamed the ‘lazy’ government, before pulling me through industrial sizeddoors leading to a dark maze of a club.

After throwing back the mysterious liquor, my night continued in the footsteps of said three girls, pulling me towards the epicentre of fun for that specific night as if hounds sniffing out the tastiest grub. They were as intrigued in me as I was them; “what’s London like?”, “are the raves good?”, being retorted with “how’s Serbian nightlife?” and “where next?”.

They had opened up the doors to hundreds more people just like them - each with a similar fascination in UK electronic.

What felt like a fever-dream shortly turned in to a beautiful experience; the girls paraded the venue saying hello to each and every person, who in turn introduced themselves to me with open arms and the same curiosity as the girls.

“There’s a group called Belgrade Rave Squad on Facebook which we’re all in. It’s basically a big group of mates who love the same music. We’re pretty much all here tonight!”

Anja laughed, still on a procession of hugging.

Where next was certainly one of the better questions.

Emerging from the strange underground bar where we’d been candidly gushing drunken chatter - a bar that felt more like a school sports hall but with the addition of burly Balkan men - we made our way through Belgrade towards the black-hole of buffoonery.

With almost 200 members, Belgrade Rave Squad is no joke. It wasn’t just these three girls, there were hundreds more walking the streets of Belgrade and possibly beyond.

Speaking to the founders of the group, it was clear that this was more in the name of community-spirit than anything else.

Although I’d never met these girls before this chance adventure, my brain habitually gives me the go-ahead in reliance where good music tastes are involved. Jungle, 2-step garage, old school dubstep; all discussed, but with one small niche. This was all UK music.

“We set up the group to support local people in the music industry. But now it’s just a big group of mates in a super friendly atmosphere, helping each other out.” Says Radivojević, one of the founders. “There’s this new wave of rave scenes in Belgrade with all kinds of new labels and organisations popping up.”

Hence why the girls were so intrigued. When asking if they’d ever been to London, the in-sync response chimed “NO!”, dragged out a little by the noticeable sad tones in their voices. “It’s a dream, we’ve always wanted to go. Especially to Bristol,” said one of the girls.

Bristol is, at this stage, the hub of all niche UK music. With every next man being some type of producer or DJ, the amount of new music oozing from the borders of Stokes Croft and Clifton is incalculable. But it was strange that these girls had found one of the most specific pigeonholes in the entirety of the UK.

Without knowing the context as to why this extremely niche music has ended up thousands of miles away in the heart of the Balkans, one assumed explanation could be the sister festivals, Outlook and Dimensions, taking place just a stone’s throw away in Croatia. Thousands of Brits take the pilgrimage each year to soak up the sun and dance to familiar music, influencing Balkan sounds.

“We have a group called Vazda Garant. It’s basically a collective for Serbian girls who love UK music like jungle, dubstep,” says Anja, who founded the group. She passed me a sticker, designed by herself, which read ‘Vazda Garant’, translating to ‘always a guarantee’, around a picture of dancing stick-people.

Previous nights spent in Dot and Drugstore, some of Belgrade’s better-known but lesser-liked competitors, now seemed archaic in the way of the friendship-fuelled night happening right before me. With an all-night boogie to some UK favourites and one too many Rekija’s, my Serbian adventure didn’t feel too far distant from home.

We arrived at the venue after walking what felt like the entirety of Belgrade, laughing at the novelty of having Christ-

Words by Gemma Ross

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eWords by Rosie Vacciana-Browne

Dave’s Brit Award performance was nothing less than stunning. Seldom do we get the chance to see a black man with a platform able to articulate issues within Britain.

bate whether Boris Johnson has or hasn’t made racist comments.

Unlike the passing jokes you may hear in the office that make your stomach recoil, Boris has solidified his thoughts and feelings in articles that he has written and edited. However, Boris’ backlash from said comments have barely tarnished his reputation, and despite them, he went on to win a landslide at last year’s general election.

The narrative of political issues in this country currently is focused on Brexit; with a firm fixation on immigration that has created an us vs them plight, with people of colour being ‘othered’. The fracturing of society has meant that many issues are circled as racially or religiously exclusive. But it is important to note that the issues raised in Dave’s performance are not black exclusive. They are British issues that we must tackle together.

To this day, many refuse to see the racism in his words. Only last week, Labour MP Dawn Butler, a woman of colour, had to defend herself on BBC programme Politics Live after Conservative MP Laura Trott said she found it “extremely offensive” to call Conservative narrative racist. It is, unfortunately, often the reaction to racism and not the racism itself that causes the most offence.

In his performance, Dave labelled Prime Minister Boris Johnson “a real racist”, called out the media’s treatment of Meghan Markle, hailed London Bridge victim Jack Merritt, called for environmental action, accommodation for Grenfell victims and support for the Windrush generation. All wrapped up into an under 5-minute, live performance that saw him also playing the piano. Nothing short of extraordinary.

For many, it was a breath of fresh air and showed exactly why he was worthy of winning The Brit Award for album of the year. And yet Ofcom received over 300 complaints. Social media was awash with hateful comments, and secretary of state Priti Patel herself denied the Prime Minister was racist following the performance.

The backlash was more than uncomfortable. It was a hard smack in the face that completely undermined the black British experience.

In other news, the royals were out celebrating ‘Commonwealth Day’, a union of nations that are mostly former empire states. A crazy juxtaposition, while there is a whole day dedicated to this union the Conservative government’s home office has spent the last couple of years trying to deport Windrush generation citizens.

But, while the royals are rubbing shoulders with Commonwealth leaders, Boris Johnson ruling the country unscathed and 300 Britons scouring at Ofcom’s report. There are people up and down the country who face adversity, deportations and a lack of support. Society is far from equal in any direction, but we can all share some hope and wonder in Dave’s performance and Ofcom’s decision.

Thankfully the powers that be at Ofcom threw out complaints, a landmark in social progression. In this instance, the system worked, but as Dave pointed out, we still have a long way to go in making Britain a safe and inclusive place for all. It is not up for de79

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The Shaggs, Philosophy of the World (1969/2016 reissued) Wiggin girls aka The Shaggs were the strange sisters of outsider music. Pushed into a rock band by their father, using pawn-bought instruments, and their quirky vocals, somehow they’ve recorded their only album. It’s an out of tune and off-key creepy masterpiece. As naïve and innocent, as disturbing it is. It’s a celebration of no talent, consistent chaos and absolute freedom. There’s no album like this one.

Listen: Who Are Parents?

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The Pretty Things, S. F. Sorrow (1968) Before The Who released Tommy, The Pretty Things has already got their hands on the rock opera and gave birth to one of the first concept albums, S. F. Sorrow and a titular boy’s journey straight out of the womb all the way into the tomb. It’s an exhilarating experiment on the edge of psych-pop/rock, madness and despair after the loss of illusions. A moloch-placed turmoil of love, war and loneliness, inviting you to jump right into it. Go ahead.

Listen: S. F. Sorrow Is Born

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Words by Aleksandra Brzezicka

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Sparks, Kimono My House (1974) Even though Ron and Russell Mael have gathered a cult of followers through the years, strangely they never got to enjoy mainstream Bowie-like mass success. In the alternative universe, they’d be praised as the princes of the new wave, reinventing synthpop and dressing it up in their theatrically sophisticated attire and quirky beats. As the true royalty, they’re still deep into the industry and are realising new album this year. In the meantime get a listen of the one that Björk, Morrissey and Sex Pistols obsessed about.

Listen: Equator

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Blab Happy, Boat (1991) Leicester lads, Mick McCarthy, Tony Owen, Jon Dennis and Jeremy Clay, took a spin on indie, mixing the grooviest of 50s beats with Blur-like brit-pop. Their happy blabbing got them two records deal, airplay on legendary John Peel’s radio show and supporting Radiohead. Boat is an exhilarating journey through the jolly land of 90s alternative bops. Give it a spin, especially Valentine and Wisecrack Me Up, to get hooked up on those groovy nextdoor bops sounding like The Beatles on acid.

Listen: Valentine and Inside Out

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It’s happening. The world is in renovation and this time we’re not the builders. Our task is to become pa-

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need tient and wait. Whether it means that to reach the peak of laziness and stick to a bed? It’s not an easy thing to change habits from being under pressure because of the lack of time to being under pressure, but having enough many days to finish

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everything on time. Spending your time at home is an easy way to get distracted. My bed since quarantine started is looking at me very suspiciously and whispers: “you still have enough much time”. That’s why napping is something difficult to run away from.

Everyone talks about self-care, focusing on yourself, eating healthy, being productive, but how long can we

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the morning with a smile be like that? Waking up on the face, pretending like the current situation is natural; with time it becomes overwhelming. How to accept reality while it sounds like a series with a complicated plot and an unexpected script? You don’t know what’s going to happen in the next episode of this pandemic

this

phenomenon. Uncertainty; is the main reason why we feel anxious. How to avoid that? There is no special solution - you just have to accept that. I truly believe that every feeling is needed. We need emotions and it’s natural to feel bad. You don’t have to do yoga at 7 am every day and be productive 24/7 to feel good. Make a day plan but don’t overdo it. If it’s not your day, you’re allowed to spend it in bed. If you want to cry, do it. If you want to get drunk, treat yourself.

together

We can survive reality .

Keep in touch with your friends. Ask them for advice and be supportive. I believe we all will get out of quarantine with new life purposes and hope for a better future.

Words by Kinga Ludwin

82

83

As we all look ahead to what seems an endless amount of time in isolation, it can be easily overwhelming. It’s Chaos out there, but while you’re indoors perhaps with your family driving you up the walls and running out of series to watch. Why not rediscover some music?

Come back to 2018 with us and meet Bristol’s grime movement.

In the back of a Bristolian boozer, some 100 miles away from the gritty London streets where grime began, sat Jay0117. Admittedly “nursing all sorts of hangovers” he was joined by producer Sir Hiss and their manager Blazey. Collectively they were on a mission to leave their mark on the London dominated grime scene.

Leading the Bristolian invasion on the capital is ‘Cheese&Bread.’

Initially started by Jay0117 as a clothing company he began to incorporate it into his image once he started spitting. They are 84

now collectively moving

Cheese&Bred into a record label.

As we sat in our puffa jackets, huddled over drinks, the lads opened up about their upcoming mixtape.

Produced by Sir Hiss and featuring Jay0117 alongside other grime artists from up and down the country.

Jay0117: The mixtape is nearly complete. We have all sorts of features: Vapour, Manga, Shogun, Cally, Darkos, Emz, Dash Villz, Eyez and Dubzy that’s all the people on it so far.

Sir

Hiss:

It’s

vibes,

there

are

tunes

for

everyone.

Jay0117: There’s refix’s of that old Sandman tune to like Darka 140.

All tracks will be pretty much 135 to 145 (bpm), there’s a lot of garage.

(Grime songs typically run at 140 beats per minute (bpm) while garage sits around their or slightly below).

Taking on this new mixtape has seen both Jay0117, and Sir Hiss head to Redbull Studios, London, to record. But, it wasn’t their first time there. In 2017, Jay0117 captained Bristol’s team in Red Bull Studio’s ‘Grime-A-Side.’ An intense freestyle, penalty like grime competition. Cities put forward their best spitters to create a team of 3. One by one, each artist will go head to head with someone from the opposing side. Viewers will then vote for their winner, knocking out groups until only one remains.

Jay0117: Grime-A-Side was fun, I enjoy taking the piss out of people, I’m not a cold guy or anything, I just like clashing, and Grime-A-side itself benefited me.

Sir Hiss has also competed at the studios for the producer clash ‘Riddim Rally’. In a similar makeup, producers go head to head in regional heats creating beats.

The very best four then go on to the final.

Sir Hiss: I flopped it really, I should have gone through. I also took part in the clash Beat Boss 6 last year. I enjoy (making War Dubs, another term for clashes), but it takes a lot out of you. I didn’t want to make grime after Beat Boss. I made like five beats the night before. I was up till like 6 in the morning. I work better under pressure.

While on the topic of War Dubs and clashes, we had to ask if there was anyone that Sir Hiss would like to clash in Bristol.

Sir Hiss: Yeah, I’d clash Hi5. It’d be a wicked clash.

Call

Sir

Hiss:

Since

we

him

out,

hear

*laughs* sat

down

It’s to

chat

that

Hi5.

all

love.

the

mixtape

Coming up later this month Jay will be releasing a remix of his single Bristol City which he says is complete. The release will include an 8 bar remix and instrumental, that will launch at ‘Size?’, Bristol. He will also be playing the Lonely Hearts stage at ‘Love Saves the Day’ festival during the Spring and is hoping to do a headline show in Bristol by the end of the year.

Sir Hiss will be dropping his much-anticipated instrumental Dani Uzi Vert on March 2nd. The release will be White label and vinyl only. There are only 500 units, and pre-orders have already sold out, all 500 shifted on the first day of pre-orders!

Keep a lookout for Jay 0117 and Sir Hiss, they have so much more to come, Bristol to the world.

85

Words by Rosie Vacciana-Browne

Jay:

86 Photo by Tom Ringsby

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