JUICE July 2016 - Tegan and Sara | Issue #214

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JULY 2016 ISSUE #214

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tegan and sara ALL HAIL THE QUINS

the slow issue

is a free monthly publication Published by JUICE Media Pte Ltd Under license from Catcha Media Group Pte Ltd

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When it comes to taking it nice and easy, Singaporeans are often the least-inclined. After all, we haven’t earned our rep as the “Nation That Works The Longest Hours” for nothing – as several news outlets have reported over the past years.

But this month, we urge you put on the brakes and take a moment to just...breathe. And enjoy this issue while you’re at it. We’re all about the slow movement this July.

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CATCHA MEDIA GROUP group head of publishing luke elliott chief operating officer ken tsurumaru chief executive officer patrick grove regional advertising enquiries voon tze khay [tzekhay@catchacorp.com T: +60-12-307-6737]

From follow-up albums that take forever to record (page 14) to Melbournian producer Nearly Oratorio’s pared-back approach to music-making (page 21); painstakingly produced fashion and wares (page 34), to pyjama-inspired threads (page 40); slo-mo cameras that freeze time (page 70) to the latest brunch spots for those lazy weekends (page 72) – we’ve got all the bases covered for a slackadaisical month ahead.

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CONTENTS TEGAN AND SARA Tegan and Sara own a spectrum-defying arsenal of pop, punk, rock, and dance that has held its wideranging fans in an almost 20-year thrall. After “working up a storm” for three years, they’ve got two pieces of good news to share with us. One: that they are due to perform here later this month, and two: that Love You To Death, the sisters’ eighth and latest album is a “quintessential Tegan and Sara record”.

Image courtesy of Pamela Littky.

WHAT TOOK SO LONG?

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Bands that took their own sweet time in between albums.

21

nearly oratorio Quieter side of this Melbournian musician a n d p r o d u c e r.

hands of time Designers who favour quality over rapidly-produced wares.

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DANA JASINKEVICA

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34

Rebelling against speed with complex prints and intricate knits.

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sleepwalking Channel that REM feeling with pyjama-inspired threads.

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SLOW BUT SURE

Ta k i n g t i m e t o a p p r e c i a t e f o o d a n d pop culture in detail.

TAKE IT SLOW

Devices that slow down motion and make it majestic.

72

70

easy like sunday morning Brunch at these new spots to while the day away.

JULY 2016

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SNAP OF THE MONTH

C ONGRATULATIONS @LIT TLEGREENDOLL! F O R YOUR DEDICATION TO IMITATION, HERE’S SO ME T H IN G T O K EEP YOU GROUNDED. THIS MONTH’S SNAP OF THE MONTH WINS A PAIR OF CONVERSE CHUCK TAYLOR ALL STAR II KNIT WORTH $119.90, COURTESY OF CONVERSE.

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obsessions

TAKE IT SLOW THINGS WE’RE CHILLAX-ING TO THIS MONTH.

LIGHT UP Putting a candle on while running a warm bath is one of life’s greatest peace-out rituals – for me at least. A good soak in the tub – at times with a read in hand – is how I like to destress after a crazy work week. New to my collection of pretty wax is this elegant mister from Lumira, a candle atelier from the Land Of Oz. Housed in gorgeous black glass holders is premium soy wax infused with scents like the m y s t e r i o u s A r a b i a n O u d , s e n s u a l C u b a n To b a c c o and summery Tu s c a n F i g – which, as we speak, is

SOUL SOUNDS There are few acts as meditative as taking a vinyl record out of its sleeve, carefully placing the needle on the grooves, and hearing the warm crackle before relishing an album in its entirety. If there’s any record that deserves to be immortalised in this ritual, it’s Pete Rock & CL Smooth’s 1992 hip-hop classic , Mecca And The Soul Brother . One of the golden age’s finest examples of collective creativity, the 16-track full-length debut from the N.Y. duo showcases Pete Rock’s gift of combining funky bass lines and smooth jazz with obscure R&B cuts, while CL Smooth waxes lyrical with slices of philosophy. Fourteen years on and still as potent as ever, the album gets a much-deserved 2LP repress on 180-gram audiophile virgin vinyl to keep the soul-searching spinning.

also my

US$42.99 (pre-order), available at soundstagedirect.com.

favourite so far.

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$75 (450g), available at naiise.com.

Trent Davis Lifestyle/Online Writer @trentobentogram

life s a beach

WHEN IT GOES POP Aaron Kok Fashion Writer/Stylist @ak.ok

Nothing (and I mean that literally) calms me quite as effectively as when I get my passport stamped by the immigration officer in a foreign airport. Yep, I’m one of those annoying buggers who abuse the wanderlust hashtag a little too much (and why shouldn’t we?).

Without launching into some philosophical waffle about travel, I will say that I’ve got my heart (and card) set on a stay at The Sun & Surf Stay on Bingin Beach in Bali. I can’t decide what it is about this hotel that I love more: the water sports that await, the hotel’s charmingly rustic decor, or that it’s far from the drunk-infested beaches of Seminyak. Either way, I can already feel my stress melting away. sunsurfstaybingin.com

Of late, it’s become a ‘thing’ of mine to just tune out the noise of the online feeds, cue up some vintage Red Hot Chili Peppers and dip into the books of writers who use the zeitgeist as their muse and antagonist. One of the best at it is Chuck Klosterman, whose tome Sex, Drugs and Cocoa Puffs is a supreme win. Parsing the spectrum of American (and therefore, global) mass culture, he arrives at witty, meta truth-bombs like, “Being interesting has been replaced by being identifiable” and “Winona Ryder is Luke Skywalker, only with a better haircut and a killer rack”. What appeals to me about books like this is that they’re punchy between-the-lines analyses of the most enduring punchline, ever: popular culture. And, there are no pop-up ads.

US$10.95, available on amazon.com.

SINGAPORE

SERVIN’ UP THE FRESHEST CONTENT

OUR EXCLUSIVE WEB HIGHLIGHTS THIS MONTH CHAT: OLIVER HELDENS

THE FACE OF FUTURE HOUSE RETURNS WITH A BRAND NEW BAG BEFORE PLAYING ZOUK THIS MONTH.

KEVIN DURANT’S NIKE KD9

THE NBA STAR’S GAME-CHANGING SHOE LANDS ON OUR SHORES.

REVIEW: YLLIS – ISLAND-01

THE MONSTER CAT FRONTMAN TRADES IN ROCK FOR ELECTRONIC ALCHEMY AS HIS NEW INCARNATION, YLLIS.

METAL MATTERS METAL EYEWEAR IS OFFICIALLY IN, FROM FUTURISTIC FRAMES TO SOPHISTICATED SHADES.

SINGAPORE SLOW JAMS

ESSENTIAL EASY LISTENING FROM SINGAPORE’S SMOOTHEST OPERATORS.

CHAT: THE SAM WILLOWS

WE “TAKE HEART” WITH SINGAPORE’S POP DARLINGS BEFORE THEY EMBARK ON THEIR ASIA TOUR.

SUMMER SYNDROME SUMMER EYESHADOW PALETTES TO SET YOU UP FOR FROLICKING UNDER THE SUN.

13 LITTLE PICTURES THE INDIE FILM COLLECTIVE HITS THE PROJECTOR FOR A FIVE-WEEK RUN OF LOCAL CINEMA.

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the feminine eternal Text Indran P Images Various Sources

Being in the tropics hasn’t made us immune to how bleary and humid it is now – if you’re not already, you’ll be sweating by the end of this sentence. And with the retreat to air-conditioned confines comes the plunge into lusher, more sensual sounds. Cue Anna Wise. The Berklee-trained, Brooklyn-based chanteuse opts for an earthily slow-burning, long-melting approach that has graced two of Kendrick Lamar’s reputation-defining albums. Now, she strikes it out on her own with debut EP, The Feminine: Act I. Equal parts feminist manifesto and sexy post-dubstep-and-neo-R&B melange, this small collection of songs is proof that Anna doesn’t just bring the beats, but that with her exquisite purr, she is the heat.

annathewise.com

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O TW RTS A E H 012

A R A S D AN AN

TEG music

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LOOK WITHIN AND ASK YOURSELF: WHICH MUSICAL ACT HAS COMMANDED LASTING RESPECT FROM BOTH THE MAINSTREAM AND INDIE WORLDS SINCE ITS INCEPTION? WE’LL SAVE YOU THE TROUBLE OF SOUL-SEARCHING AND ITUNES-SCROLLING WITH THE ANSWER: TEGAN AND SARA. THE IDENTICAL TWINS OWN A SPECTRUM-DEFYING ARSENAL OF POP, PUNK, ROCK, AND DANCE THAT HAS HELD ITS WIDE-RANGING FANS IN AN ALMOST 20-YEAR THRALL. WHEN WE HIGHLIGHT THIS TO TEGAN QUIN OVER THE PHONE, SHE EXCLAIMS THAT IT CAN’T BE THAT LONG; BUT IT HAS BEEN. AFTER “WORKING UP A STORM” FOR THREE YEARS, SHE PROUDLY ANNOUNCES THAT SHE’S GOT TWO PIECES OF GOOD NEWS TO SHARE WITH US: ONE, THAT SHE AND HER SISTER ARE DUE TO PERFORM HERE LATER THIS MONTH; AND TWO, THAT LOVE YOU TO DEATH, THE SISTERS’ EIGHTH AND LATEST ALBUM IS A “QUINTESSENTIAL TEGAN AND SARA RECORD”. AS EFFERVESCENT AS SHE IS INSIGHTFUL, SHE GOES ON TO ELABORATE. WISER, BETTER The question “How are you?” is more a banal pleasantry than something to be taken to heart.

But not for Tegan. When she asks this of us, she expects a detailed, sincere answer. Such is the extent of her candour and empathy that she doesn’t get on with our chat until she’s satisfied with what we’ve told her about ourselves. So, naturally, the first question we ask her is “How are you?”.

Text Indran P Image Pamela Littky Interview courtesy of Lushington Live Nation

“Oh my god, where do I start?”, she exhales. “When we turned 30, five years ago, Sara and I saw this as a closing of a chapter of our lives after the first 10 years in the business”, following a short pause before she reminds us – and herself – that age is just a number. Aside from the physiological changes her body has encountered, the biggest difference in the Tegan we’re talking to right now from the one that played here three years ago is where she’s at emotionally. “I feel confident, happy and in control of my life. A lot of the insecurities and big life questions I had in my 20s are gone.

I’m now taking more risks, because I’m older, wiser and have more to say”. And it’s this personal stocktaking and self-examination that has brought about an incredible transformation in the Tegan and Sara sound.

NOT AFRAID TO DANCE In 2013, the sisters – who had since their debut album, 1999’s Under Feet Like Ours, made catchy, guitar-heavy, box-checking indie rock – took a calculated risk and went in the opposite direction.

In a move that could have potentially alienated their core fan base, they embraced dance-pop on their seventh album, Heartthrob. Linking up with super-producer Greg Kurstin, whose handiwork has seen the likes of Sia, Kelly Clarkson and Ellie Goulding top the charts, the pair traded in their earthy, honeyed approach for dancefloor-shaking, ultra-gleaming, synth-pop ear candy.

“At that point, we stopped and asked each other what Tegan and Sara was going to be”, Tegan says, affirming that the “future” meant shifting the sound and aiming for a bigger audience. “We were ’80s

kids, and grew up on pop music like Prince, David Bowie, Cyndi Lauper, New Order, and Depeche Mode, and we wanted to sound like that”. With inspiration from their elders, the pair dipped their fingers liberally in the culture-, gender-, class-, race-cutting powers of popleaning dance music.

It was a jaw-dropping leap but it paid off tremendously. Merging their classical training with contemporary tastes and trends, the sisters successfully elevated their name to a higher level of artistic merit and fame. Says Tegan of her highest charting record to date, “We wanted to go deeper, be more emotional and still make a pop record that carved out room for the edge, passion and heartbreak of previous Tegan and Sara records”. It’s at this intersection of creative self-invention and emotional release that Love You To Death was born.

TOMORROW’S TRUTHS Culture and society are at a crossroads right now.

There’s the potential for great things to happen, as well as the flipside of a regression to the dark ages. The former scenario is what’s true of pop music in 2016, and Love You To Death is a brightly burning reflection of that. Since the walls of genre have been torn down, pop is now a business that champions experimentation. To their utmost credit, Tegan and Sara have capitalised on the endless scope of the idiom and made the most direct and focused record of their career.

At 10 songs and 31 minutes, Love You To Death doesn’t waste time, mince its words or pull its punches. Like good pop music, it speaks to the immediacy of the moment, of the pleasure of being alive right now and the pain of existing in such a confused, chaotic age. The sisters’ musical triumph unfolds against the unavoidable backdrop of the U.S. presidential elections, a monumental development with global implications – and Tegan is well aware of this. As a musician, activist and humanitarian, there has never been more for her to be outraged by. “I feel for the American

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people”, she sighs. But she also compares their situation to a “nightmare” and a “car crash”.

Still, she’ll have us know that it’s not all doom and gloom. “I think we have a social responsibility to use our platform for good”, she enthuses, when asked about the role of the artiste in society.

And as far as ‘platforms’ go, Love You To Death is a supremely empowering one. Throughout its dashing, thumping confines, hope and courage are writ large. The lead single “Boyfriend” encourages us to love who we want to love without fear of judgment. “100x”, the shimmering piano ballad, is a poignant call to do, not just feel.

But it’s on the surging, syrupy-sweet “U-Turn” that the sisters posit their most potent and powerful message: “Now I wanna write a love song / Even though you never ever asked me for one / Write you a letter, send sweet poems / Ask for forgiveness, tell you I was wrong”.

Asking for forgiveness and righting the wrongs you’re responsible for are amongst the central pillars of all healthy relationships. Rather than serve up love/breakup songs that we can sleepwalk to, or angsty screeds championing this or that agenda, Tegan and Sara have given us blueprints to a happier future, a better tomorrow.

TILL DEATH DO US PART With our time winding down, we ask Tegan what her biggest takeaway from her time in the spotlight has been and her response is sobering and passionate. “No matter what we do, one lifetime is not that long – so not I nor anyone else can be self-obsessed. I’m so grateful that we’re only just getting started, and hopefully, we’re going to do a lot of good with our career for as long as we’re around”. With stars like this, we can all rest a little easier.

Catch Tegan and Sara at The Star Theatre on July 29. teganandsara.com

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what took so long ?

MY BLOODY VALENTINE

HOW LONG:

LOVELESS (1991)

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M B V (2013)

PIXIES

WHY THE WAIT:

HOW LONG:

Dumped by their first label Creation Records after their path-lighting second album, Loveless, bandleader Kevin Shields and co. were later picked by Island Records for a £250,000 contract. Much of the sum was spent on building a home studio, which, it turns out, was beset with technical problems. This sent the band into a selfdescribed decades-long “meltdown”.

WORTH THE WAIT?: Absolutely. Nothing was lost in the time that MBV was inactive. Living up to his promise that m b v would be more “raw” and “elongated”, Shields turned in a revvedup collection where many songs crossed the five-minute mark. Leveraging on new influences like drum and bass, the band brought an intensity and complexity that defied the nonchalance of the ‘shoegaze’ tag.

TROMPE LE MONDE (1991)

INDIE CINDY (2014)

THE WHO

HOW LONG:

IT’S HARD (1982)

ENDLESS WIRE (2006)

HOW LONG:

It’s sad that it’s become a rock & roll cliche/truism that big bands have big egos. In 1982, The Who was one of the biggest bands in the world, with even bigger egos to boot. So it’s not quite a surprise their post-breakup salvo only features two members: singer Roger Daltrey and drummer Pete Townshend.

Yes. Lofty as ever, Endless Wire was born of a miniopera and novella penned by Townshend that saw the band’s most vital elements surfacing with renewed purpose. As they did when they were wee lads, Daltrey and Townshend celebrated the loud abandon of youth – this time, with a knowing wink. Talk about not going gently into the night.

Kurt Cobain, Thom Yorke and pretty much everyone on the planet swears by how influential the Pixies are, so you’d think they wouldn’t get stuck in a rut. But they were. Infighting led to their 1992 breakup and even corroded their 2003 reunion that bassist Kim Deal walked out from.

WORTH THE WAIT?:

Hell no! Though billed as the Pixies’ fifth album, Indie Cindy was actually a cobbled-together bunch of three very average EPs. Songs like “Green And Blues” and “Head On” were proof that these once-icons are now a shadow of their former selves. One does wonder what Kurt would think of his heroes’ Banal Rock phase.

BLACK FLAG

WHY THE WAIT:

WORTH THE WAIT?:

WHY THE WAIT:

BLACK FLAG: IN MY HEAD (1985)

WHAT THE… (2013)

music

WHY THE WAIT: The turnover rate of these hardcore legends is so baffling that it has spawned two bands – Black Flag and FLAG – that claim authenticity over the other.

Tired of the poverty and tensions that plagued them, the band called it quits in 1985 before a contentiously reconstituted lineup rose from the ashes in 2013.

WORTH THE WAIT?: Nah. Sometimes, an album’s cover art gives you a sense of what to expect. In this respect, the retching clown on Black Flag’s seventh offering prefigured the vomitinducing slop the once-visionary Greg Ginn fomented.

At 44 minutes and 22 songs, What The… was all empty threats and tired schtick. Lesson: punk is dead.

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THERE ARE PHYSICS ENTHUSIASTS WHO’LL TRY TO SELL YOU THE IDEA THAT TIME IS RELATIVE. STILL, WE CAN ALL AGREE THAT A LONG TIME IS A LONG TIME. AND IN THAT SPIRIT, HERE ARE EIGHT BANDS THAT TOOK THEIR OWN SWEET TIME BETWEEN ALBUMS.

CAT STEVENS

HOW LONG:

BACK TO EARTH (1978)

AN OTHER CUP (2006)

BIG STAR

WHY THE WAIT:

HOW LONG:

This is arguably the most famous release-gap in modern popular music. Cat Stevens was a globally beloved folk-pop star, until a near-drowning incident led him to the path of Islam and the renunciation of all things pop.

Shocked by the September 11 attacks, Stevens – now Yusuf Islam – resurfaced to bring the fun back to music.

WORTH THE WAIT?: The most objective answer to this would be “ish”. While it was great that Stevens/Islam returned to what he did so well, the new set of songs felt too sweet and a little preachy. On “In the End”, for instance, he invoked Bob Dylan’s “Gotta Serve Somebody”; a move that was poignant but unduly moralising.

THIRD/SISTER LOVERS (1978)

IN SPACE (2005)

THE SLITS

Text Indran P Images Various Sources

HOW LONG:

RETURN OF THE GIANT SLITS (1981)

TRAPPED ANIMAL (2009)

WHY THE WAIT: The Big Star story has long been part of the indie rock lore: geniuses whose merit was noticed only after the fact. In 1974, all the intra-band punch-ups and instrument-breaking had come to a head, leaving Alex Chilton and drummer Jody Stephens as the remaining members. Seventeen years later, and with outside help, the pair released In Space.

WORTH THE WAIT?: For sure! With help from Ken Stringfellow and Jon Auer of The Posies, Chilton and Stephens welcomed garage rock, funk and even r&b into the renowned Big Star imprint, and produced their musical aged-like-fine-wine coup. In Space was proof that ‘alternative’ in the 2000s could be smart, dynamic and hella charming.

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GUNS N’ ROSES

WHY THE WAIT:

HOW LONG:

These U.K. legends might have brought post-punk and dub together but they were also consumed by their own avant-gardisms. Imploding after their sophomore album in 1981, the band partially reunited in 2005 and returned with the messy, confused Trapped Animal, sans founding guitarist Viv Albertine.

“THE SPAGHETTI INCIDENT?” (1993)

WHY THE WAIT:

After Spaghetti, frontman and instigator Axl Rose had seen to it that all members, except for keyboardist Dizzy Reed, had either resigned or been fired. His megalomania resulted in Chinese Democracy being scrapped and re-recorded numerous times, under various lineups, as well as production costs of up to US$18 million.

WORTH THE WAIT?:

WORTH THE WAIT?: Not at all. Where they were once a ferociously original and stylish proposition, The Slits seemed like a spent force in 2009. From the one-sided feminist posturing of “I Am Woman” to the forced dancehall gestures throughout the record, Trapped Animal was, for all intents and purposes, an inadvertent act of self-sabotage.

CHINESE DEMOCRACY (2008)

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Weirdly enough, yes. As former guitarist Slash said in a chat with journo Joe Bosso: “It’s a really good record.

It’s very different from what the original Guns N’ Roses sounded like, but it’s a great statement by Axl.” Against the odds, Axl enriched the audacious, florid, hard rock mark of the band by taking it in an even more bombastic direction.

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A SUBLIME DANCE THE RANGE music

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THESE DAYS, YOU CAN’T BE BLAMED FOR RAISING YOUR EYEBROW IN SKEPTICISM IF SOMEONE TELLS YOU THAT THERE’S A SENSE OF ‘PURPOSE’ TO HIS OR HER YOUTUBE HABITS. BUT YOUR “OH, REALLY?” DISBELIEF HAS TO STOP AT JAMES HINTON’S DOOR. AS THE RANGE, THE 27-YEAR-OLD BROOKLYNITE HAS TRAWLED THE FURTHEST, DEEPEST REACHES OF THE WORLD’S MOST INESCAPABLE VIDEO-SHARING PLATFORM FOR VOCAL SAMPLES TO ENRICH HIS PRODUCTIONS; SOUNDS THAT COLLAPSE EVERYTHING FROM DUBSTEP TO POP INTO A GLOWING LISTENING EXPERIENCE. HIS LATEST ALBUM, POTENTIAL, IS AN OPEN INVITATION INTO THE HEARTS OF OFTEN-UNSEEN UPLOADERS, AS WELL AS A CHRONICLE OF HIS OWN EXCITING PROCESSES. HERE, HE GIVES US AN EXCLUSIVE BTS.

In a nutshell, what changed for you on Potential compared to your last album, Nonfiction?

I think it was much more plotted-out from the beginning. I started to be hungry for something more after Nonfiction. While I was trawling YouTube when making Nonfiction, I was wondering who these people were and wanted to draw out the story. There are these people out there, who, for various reasons, haven’t been really been given any attention and I think on multiple levels, I began to ascribe a lot of the qualities of my life to the people on the album. This was the biggest difference for me.

Why is YouTube so central to what you’re doing?

To be honest, it’s just a force of habit. For over 10 years now, YouTube has been a place where people go to post videos of themselves. It’s becoming almost like an archive, a big international library for things, where you can search for things using filters like a library index. It’s a natural part of life now and it’s strange that it’s an actual company, but it is the way of the world at this point. For me, it’s also a very rich sampling site.

Did you have any sort of selection criteria as to whom you picked for the songs?

When you search for something on YouTube, it usually gives you the most popular results. So I had to reverse engineer the search process to get things that are much tinier. There are still millions of videos on YouTube that don’t have a lot of views and lots of people fit that criteria. I was most excited about finding people on whose faces I could readily see that I could be friends with and if they were sharing all the same feelings that I was feeling. You can tell when someone is going through something similar to you and that’s the unique human quality that we have. So that was the final narrowing factor for me.

The hit “Florida” plays like a club song, yet has a cozy feeling to it. Was that something you consciously intended?

I wrote that when I was on tour in 2014, before I even found Kai Mars, the singer. Usually, I let the YouTube sample drive the whole song, but for “Florida”, it was more about a vibe. I’m glad you said that it’s like a club song, because I feel the same way too. But there’s also an emotional side to it, something about the way Kai covered it. I think it’s one of the best examples of how a song can be a very personal thing as well as an emotional club experience where people can embrace each other in some way.

Text Indran P Images Alexandra Gavillet Interview courtesy of Hostess Asia

Using YouTube for work requires a tremendous amount of discipline.

Did you ever get sidetracked with cat videos or anything irrelevant?

I’m only human, man! I’m only human! Yes, of course. I did the math – I think it took about 200 hours of hard study, but that’s not including over 200 or 300 hours of cat videos. I’m weak, man.

How would you describe your music to someone from the mainstream pop world?

I think I’m trying to deliver not just one genre, so I would say it’s a mishmash of a lot of things. “Florida” has steel drums, which is quite interesting to me. It has a beautiful vocal, it’s evocative and it’s pretty emotional. It’s interesting in a club, but there’s also the idea that someone could be driving to work or just living their life and find emotional interest in what I’m doing. That’s how I talk about it to people on the street who ask what I do.

Can we expect you in Singapore any time soon?

I don’t know if you consider next year ‘soon’, but I’ve wanted to come to your country for so long. You will hear about it hopefully around fall this year. Hint hint!

therange.us

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YOUNG AND DANGEROUS

you’ve got no money, like us, you end up just being stuck there! The main reason we started a band is so we’d have something to do!

“Driveway Birthday” seems like it comes from that place.

It is about Stroud, actually. And the frustration and mental health issues that can occur from being stuck in your house for weeks on end.

Critics have been comparing you to Nirvana. How do you feel about that?

Well, there are definitely worse bands to be compared to! We love Nirvana and grew up listening to them so it’s not a bad thing. I don’t hear it so much in Vile Child though! It’s just because we use a lot of fuzz.

There’s been a ’90s resurgence in much of pop culture and fashion. What do you make of this?

It’s a good thing, if you ask me. The ’90s had a lot of good bands and is one of my favourite time periods for music, so if more people are getting into it, then it’s all good with me.

MILK TEETH SOMETIMES, ALL YOU NEED IS THE DAY-TO-DAY EXPERIENCE OF MUSIC AS A LIFE FORCE. SOMETIMES, IT’S HEARING THAT ONE SONG FROM THAT ONE BAND THAT INSTANTLY WILLS YOU INTO ACTION. THAT’S HOW IT’S BEEN FOR THE BRITISH QUARTET OF BASSIST-FRONTWOMAN BECKY BLOMFIELD, GUITARISTS CHRIS WEBB AND BILLY HUTTON, AND DRUMMER OLI HOLBROOK. FEELING LIKE THEY WERE HELD CAPTIVE IN THEIR SMALL TOWN OF STROUD, GLOUCESTERSHIRE, THE BAND INVOKED THE POWER OF ’90S ALTERNATIVE TOUCH STONES AND FUSED IT WITH A SPEED AND INTENSITY THAT MAKE THEIR DEBUT ALBUM, VILE CHILD, THE SCREAMING TRIUMPH THAT IT IS. TO FILL YOU IN ON WHY PUNK AND ROCK AREN’T DEAD, HERE’S CHRIS WEBB.

Congrats on Vile Child! Now that it’s out, what would you say is the thing you’re most happy about it?

Thank you! We are all so happy it’s out and overwhelmed by the reaction it’s gotten.

The record is a masterclass in raw, uncompromising guitars. Yet, there are great pop hooks. How did you manage to balance the two?

I don’t know, to be honest. I guess we take our influences from all kinds of music so there’s going to be a bit of everything in the pot. We just write what comes naturally.

You hail from Stroud, Gloucestershire.

How does coming from a small town inform the music you make?

Mostly frustration! Stroud is really pretty but there isn’t an awful lot to do.

And it’s so far from everything, so if

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How has the touring life been treating you?

It’s so much fun! We love touring as much as we can. The band’s main goal from day one has been to play as many different places and meet as many new people as we can. Don’t get me wrong, we’re all a bit tired but we wouldn’t have it any other way!

You parted ways with vocalist/guitarist Josh Bannister earlier this year. Has that affected the band in any way?

It’s brought us a lot closer and made us a lot tighter as friends and as a band. I think it’s definitely a step-up too, since new guitarist Billy Hutton is such a good musician and singer. It really made our live shows better than ever.

Lastly, with dance music so popular in the mainstream and underground, do you see rock (guitar-based) music as having to compete with electronic music for attention now?

I’ve never really thought about it like that, actually. I don’t know if it’s a competition, though. People will always have different tastes. There is definitely a lack of guitar-based music on the radio these days and I’d like to see that change. Maybe it will, fingers crossed.

milkteethpunx.bandcamp.com

Text Indran P Image Andy Watson Interview courtesy of Hopeless Records

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LIFE OF T H E PA R T Y RAGING TILL DAWN IS HARD WORK. AND IT TAKES A CERTAIN KIND OF DJ TO KEEP HIS FLOCK POGO-ING ON THE DANCEFLOOR INTO THE WEE HOURS. LISBON NATIVE RUBEN DE ALMEIDA IS THAT DJ. AS KURA, HE PACKS BOTH THE STAMINA AND THE HIGH-ENERGY FIREPOWER TO LEND HIS BRAND OF ELECTRO HOUSE THE ALL-NIGHT-LONG DANCEABILITY THAT FANS ALL OVER THE WORLD CRAVE AND TESTIFY TO. BEFORE HE TAKES HIS CHARMS TO ZOUK, HE GETS COZY WITH US HERE.

KURA On being in DJ Mag’s ‘Top 100 DJs’ list two years running.

It’s an honour to be amongst the most popular DJs in the world. I’m quite happy I’m listed for the second year in a row as this means people believe in my work.

Text Indran P Image Jasper Suyk Interview courtesy of Zouk Singapore

On representing Portugal in EDM. It’s a huge responsibility. Portugal has had a historic presence in electronic dance music since the early ’90s, thanks to the Underground Sound Of Lisbon.

With the worldwide success of Buraka Som Sistema more recently, I feel the responsibility of carrying on the Portuguese flag. I’m working towards getting more doors opened for new and upcoming producers from Portugal and other territories, by showcasing their music on my Ambush Radioshow platform.

On the unique scene in his home city.

Lisbon is a great city and, like any capital, it has a lot of people and tourists, so it isn’t hard to find amusement there. Due to its great weather, we can enjoy food and drinks outdoors longer than most European countries. Nightlife comes alive from Wednesdays to Sunday mornings (yes, we party hard!) and you can find the most options along an avenue called 24 de Julho (which translates to “24 July”) where there are lots of bars and clubs.

On the importance of being eclectic.

I don’t think I consciously decided to play a certain style, but my sets are filled with big-room sounds and electro house because I appreciate energetic music. If you listen to the Ambush Radioshow, you’ll understand that my musical spectrum is much wider than one particular style.

On working with Hardwell.

Hardwell is my biggest influence ever – not only as a DJ and producer, but also on various levels. He helped shape the image of DJs not as unapproachable superstars, but as normal people.

For me, it’s a true privilege to be able to collaborate with him.

He’s one of the key figures in the industry and one of the most loved by fans, and rightfully so. Seeing our song “Calavera” reach the number one spot on Beatport was a dream come true, and having a collab with Hardwell become so successful is everything I could ask for.

On the energy he brings.

I think energy is a key idea when people think of my music, and of me as a DJ. I try to explore a lively sound because I believe people want to feel the power of the music when they’re out partying. At the same time, I do experiment with other sounds – there might be a few surprises in store in the near future.

On what we can expect from him live.

I try to mix these two elements: hard drops and melodic emotive breakdowns.

When I play, I always try to please the crowd by playing the records that I like. I do my homework, and also play a lot of my own bootlegs, most of which are 100 per cent exclusive. I try to bring that surprise factor to every gig. Besides that, I’m super pumped behind the decks and very responsive to the crowd.

So expect to have a lot of fun!

Catch Kura at Zouk on July 29. soundcloud.com/kurapt

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BLANK SHOT

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THERE’S DEFINITELY SOMETHING DARWINISTIC ABOUT ‘BATTLE OF THE BANDS’-TYPE COMPETITIONS. HARD ROCK RISING IS ONE SUCH MUSICAL SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST, IN WHICH BANDS FROM AROUND THE WORLD SQUARE OFF WITH EACH OTHER FOR THE CHANCE TO WIN $50,000 AND A TRIP TO PERFORM IN IBIZA, SPAIN. SO, IT’S WITH UTMOST PRIDE THAT WE UNVEIL THE SINGAPOREAN CONTENDERS OF THE PRIZE: PUNK TRIO, BLANK SHOT. WE CATCH UP WITH VOCALIST-GUITARIST ANDREAS, BASSIST-VOCALIST OMEIGAR, AND DRUMMER RAF, TO GET THE 411 ON THE BAND AND THE STATE OF PUNK. The Blank Shot Story We found each other through one of the local music forum websites. At first, we were simply jamming to music of artistes that we liked. Then we realised that we should try our hands at writing our own music. We’ve gained invaluable experience doing so and it’s been eight years now. Our band name, Blank Shot, came about through an inspiration we got from the song, “Bankshot” by Operation Ivy. We did not want to directly copy the song title for what it is, so we decided to give it a twist and came up with the name ‘Blank Shot’, which is also an unintentional pun. Go figure.

Punk Mentality What we like about punk rock is its message. Contrary to popular belief, it actually has more positivity than you would expect. We like how it teaches you to have a positive mindset and a fighting spirit in life. It also sings about family and friendships, because in life, these are the people who will truly stay by your side.

Punk Is Not Dead It’s probably just drunk and having a hangover. We wouldn’t say it’s dead, because it doesn’t really exist in the first place. Punk isn’t a physical entity. It’s an ideology and a state of mind. It’s an attitude. How do you kill an idea? Punk’s not dead. It just went underground again.

Their Original Hit “Sail Away” “Sail Away” is a song we hold very dearly. The lyrics were written at a point in our lives where we weren’t the most optimistic. It’s about naivety, the pursuit of freedom and letting go. However, looking back, we were probably too young,

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and constantly desiring the ideal life. After all, life is filled with ups and downs and we have finally come to terms with how happiness is not in the absence of problems but how we overcome them.

Singapore’s Rising Punks Being able to emerge as champions from this competition means a great deal to us. It’s a confirmation of our hard work and effort for the past few years. We are also heartened to know that there are people who appreciate punk rock and the music we love to play. It is an honour to be representing Singapore in the next stage of the Hard Rock Rising competition.

The Game Plan If we were to be chosen, we’d definitely like to play and introduce our original music pieces to the audience. We take pride in our music and would like to share it with the rest of the world. With that said, covers are fun to play and can easily engage the audience if they are familiar with the songs, so we may sneak in one or two to hype up the crowd.

World Domination Our dream is to share our music with the world, in hopes that it will be relatable or even spark an inspiration in others. Music is a medium that allows strangers to communicate and connect in a way unlike any other.

What is most important for us is that we continue to enjoy playing and writing music that we are passionate about. Life is too short to worry about having a ‘blank shot’.

soundcloud.com/blankshotband

Text Indran P Images & interview Hard Rock Singapore

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YOUNG PUNKS

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WIZARDS OF OZ

THESE BANDS FROM STRAYA ARE FLYING THE FLAG VIOLENT SOHO

If you caught their set at this year’s edition of Laneway, then you know what this Brisbane quartet brings to the table: chanty, fist-up grunge-powered anthems that have emotional mileage and staying power. Proof that guitar-rock, like chivalry, isn’t dead.

THE PREATURES

Toting a sing-along ’70s FM pop sound and dressing their Fleetwood Mac-isms in a strutting aplomb that is thoroughly contemporary, the Sydney band has seen its profile explode remarkably – all testifying to how needed their feel-good ear candy is. Jimmy Kimmel’s a fan, too.

KINGSWOOD

THE SOUND OF SILENT The first time we heard “I Would Not” by Melbourne musician and producer Simon Lam, we thought it was a demo. But remarkably enough, the track was a finished product, along with four other scrappy but beautiful diamond-in-the-rough cuts from his new EP, Tin. As with the aforementioned song, there were two things that informed Tin’s unfinished quality: the songs were very raw and very, very slow.

Artistes making lo-fi, unadorned straight-from-the-heart music isn’t anything new. In fact, the singer-songwriter mould practically insists on it. Even then, though, Lam’s output under his beguiling moniker is quietly baffling for how averse to conventional standards it is. As a many-hatted talent – he plays drums in the indie rock outfit, I’lls, and, together with his cousin Chloe Kaul, makes glitch-pop as Kllo – his challengingly unconventional approach here rewards attention and patience.

Unlike what we’ve been conditioned to look out for in the popular realms of both the mainstream and indie worlds, Nearly Oratorio’s music resonates mostly because of lack.

It’s in the lack of pounding, cluttered noise and a blitzing pace that we experience an artiste interrogating his psyche for answers to questions that only he would ever ask himself. It’s the most hushed of Lam’s three incarnations and the most reflective.

Nearly Oratorio manifests as whispered, half-sung words over music that probes the extremities of whatever ‘minimal’ means, but never in predictable ways. As “Occlude” shows, ethereal sounds can segue into an earthy, urgent jam. And, after repeated listens, “I Would Not” feels like a gorgeous, slowly surfacing revelation.

nearlyoratorio1.bandcamp.com

They go by a rather disingenuous name but these Melbourne gents more than have the goods. Cue “I Can Feel That You Don’t Love Me”, a rollicking blues-rock cut that struts with a keyboard solo in tow. The rest of it is a riffy good time.

Text Indran P Images Various Sources

HILLTOP HOODS

Disregarding Kylie Minogue, Oz has come to be known as the only Englishspeaking country outside of the U.K. and U.S. that reliably produces scintillating rock bands. But hip-hop, too, is strong there, and this Adelaide trio is proof.

Peep their skills on “Cosby Sweater”.

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BAT FOR LASHES

KISS THE BRIDE 022 Picture this: You’re on the way to your wedding – the most life-changing ‘Big Day’ of your existence – when you get word that your spouse-to-be is killed on the way there. Even for those with a hyperactive imagination, this is one of those scenarios that are crammed deep below, in the darkest regions of the subconscious. But for Natasha Khan, it’s a concept ripe enough to inspire her upcoming fourth album, emphatically titled, The Bride.

In her most harrowing opus yet, Khan follows a character – the titular Bride – through the anticipation of impending matrimony; the shock of the accident and the subsequent blood and wreckage; and finally, to a solo honeymoon where

she has an emotional reckoning with herself. But this isn’t a campy survivor’s story riddled with cliches. As Khan sees it, it’s more a “classic road trip through the heart” and not about an ending that gravitates to either of the simple outcomes of happiness or despair.

The arena of modern romance is a frustratingly complicated one, haunted as it is by the illusions of ‘connectivity’ and the false sense of affection a ‘Like’ button bestows. It’s into this minefield that Khan casts The Bride’s central concern: “How many times do you want to repeat the same pattern of thinking that once you find the love of your life, everything is complete? Can you transmute that

fairytale beginning and get to a place of truth and reality?”.

When she dazzled us at her Laneway stint three years ago, Khan affirmed in the flesh that for all her cerebral interests, she could bring forth the dance in vividly beautiful ways. Don’t expect this from The Bride. There’s not even a shadow of pop sensibility here, and as lead single “In God’s House“ shows, the sonics veer between the extremes of being icy and fiery. After all, where is the middle ground in losing the love of your life on your wedding day?

batforlashes.com

ENDLESS ECHOES

FUR AND GOLD (2006) This was the launchpad that blasted Khan into the critical attention of both the mainstream and indie worlds. On gems like “The Wizard”, she showed how chamber folk could be balanced with electronica to magical effect.

TWO SUNS (2009) Scott Walker and Yeasayer both weighed in on this second showing, which was an existentialist masterpiece staged in outer space – where the beats are cold and the sensuality infectious.

THE HAUNTED MAN (2012) Guided out of a crippling period of writer’s block by Thom Yorke himself, Khan took comprehensive drawing and dancing lessons and released her rawest, most direct album yet. Don’t be scared to cry.

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SEXWITCH (2015) Along with producer Dan Carey and British psych-rock band Toy, Khan formed SEXWITCH and released an eponymous album wherein she reimagined folk songs from Iran, Morocco, Thailand and the U.S. The kicker: it was recorded in a day.

Text Indran P Image Various Sources

NATASHA KHAN’S HAUNTING TRAJECTORY

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VEGAS THE CRYSTAL METHOD This is one of the most important albums of my life.

FINDING NIKO

BLADE RUNNER SOUNDTRACK VANGELIS One of the best soundtracks to one of my favourite movies ever. It heavily influenced my love for anything related to the ’80s cyberpunk theme.

THE LAST RESORT TRENTEMØLLER A dark, moody and minimal album that was on repeat during many of my late-night adventures out and about as a teen.

“UNBORN” DARK TANTRUMS I was very fortunate that my first dubstep experience in a club was with Mala playing at Cielo in NYC, on a Funktion-One sound system. When this track dropped, my life changed.

NO ROOTS FAITHLESS One of those albums you have to listen to as a whole. Very well-thought-out and well-produced. My favourite work from Faithless.

WELL DONE ACTION BRONSON In my opinion, this is Action Bronson’s best work to date, with stellar beats provided by Statik Selektah. Definitely one of my favourite rap albums.

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Text Indran P Images Various Sources

SHADOWS FLOATING POINTS The soundtrack of my life back when when I was living in New York City. I absolutely adore this.

AWARDS AREN’T ALL THAT MAKETH THE MAN, BUT THEY’RE A GOOD SENSE OF WHAT HE BRINGS TO THE TABLE. AND BESIDES HIS STRING OF ACCOLADES, NIKO ALPHONSO BRINGS AN EXQUISITE PAYLOAD OF BASS-HONOURING SOUNDS WHENEVER HE’S BEFORE THE DECKS. WHETHER IT’S DEEP- OR TECH-HOUSE OR HIP-HOP, HIS WAY AROUND A GROOVE IS IMPECCABLE. ONCE PERFORMING AT THE HALLOWED MAIN STAGE AT NEW YORK CITY’S WEBSTER HALL AND PLAYING WITH THE LIKES OF FLOSSTRADAMUS, HE’S BACK IN SINGAPORE NOW, FLYING THE FLAG FOR LOCAL AVANT GARDISTS, PHYLA DIGITAL, AND HIS OWN ONLINE PLATFORM, PANOPTKN. HERE ARE THE SONIC INGREDIENTS OF HIS POWERS.

BECOMING X SNEAKER PIMPS The album that got me into the world of trip hop. I love Portishead, Massive Attack and the likes, but this was always on top of my list.

3 HONEYHONEY I’m absolutely loving this alternative folk group after hearing them on my favourite podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience.

I WANNA BE AROUND TONY BENNET If I could only pick a few albums to listen to for the rest of my life, this would be one of them.

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IGNITE! MUSIC FESTIVAL 2016

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There has never been a better time to be a local musician. Tunes by homegrown artistes are blessing our airwaves, and some acts are even selling out entire concert venues. Music festivals that honour and showcase local music are also surging in popularity. One such example is the IGNITE! Music Festival. Ever since it broke into the scene eight years ago, the annual outdoor festival has been gaining momentum and creating a reliable platform to showcase Singapore’s emerging talents. The fact that it is almost entirely run by students makes this festival all the more spectacular. This year, the two-day event outdoes itself with an impressive lineup of eclectic and intrepid acts. Rally the troops and head down to Republic Polytechnic to enjoy the music and end your July with a bang.

IGNITE! is legitimately spoiling us this year because this edition will be its biggest staging yet. And have we mentioned that the festival is free? Appearing on the first day will be Disco Hue,

the quickly rising new kids on the block who will take you back to the ’80s with their electronic hooks, infectious melodies and groovy bass lines. Influenced by Daft Punk, this synth-pop band sets out to prove that disco is alive and kicking. No stranger to the music festival circuit, Stopgap will also take the stage and pump up the crowd with their energetic and jangly tunes.

We still can’t get their unrelentingly upbeat song, “Nervous”, out of our heads; here’s hoping they’ll play it at the show. Familiar faces are always a plus, and Take Two is a returning act that will take the main stage again. The indie-rock quintet has some potently catchy choruses to sing along to, and have proven themselves as fan favourites. We also can’t wait for homegrown rapper THELIONCITYBOY to bring the ruckus for the evening, and singer-songwriter Linying to serenade us with her wispy, hypnotic charms.

On day two of the festival, the volume will be dialled to 11 as heavier bands mount the stage.

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Having opened for veterans such as Yellowcard and Mayday Parade, The Summer State is a godsend for those of us who were raised on a healthy dose of pop-punk anthems of the early noughties. Headbangers will surely appreciate the hard-hitting breakdowns and melodic riffs of alt-rock-and-post-hardcore quintet, Tell Lie Vision, and the soaring vocals and guitar solos of progressive rock outfit, Bear Culture. Joining these artistes will be a selection of bands from Republic Polytechnic, along with an unannounced act that will be picked through an audition process.

If you haven’t been keeping up with our local music scene, IGNITE!’s the place to catch these burgeoning acts right in their element. Mark your calendars to avoid FOMO heartbreak.

IGNITE! Music Festival happens at Republic Polytechnic on July 29 and 30. Admission is free.

Text Indran P and Jerlene Ng Images Various Sources

100% HOMEGROWN

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LOCAL HEROES

MADE-IN-SINGAPORE MUSIC IS AN ISSUE THAT IS POWERFULLY CLOSE TO OUR HEARTS – MORE SO FOR THE TEAM BEHIND INVASION SINGAPORE, A COMMUNITY-LED INITIATIVE DEDICATED TO TAKING LOCAL MUSIC INTO THE MAINSTREAM. IF YOU HAVE BEEN LUCKY ENOUGH TO EXPERIENCE THE *SCAPE SCHOOL INVASION SERIES OF TOURS, YOU HAVE THEM TO THANK. BUT BEFORE YOU DO, GET ACQUAINTED WITH THESE DEDICATED MUSICAL PATRIOTS.

*SCAPE SCHOOL INVASION HYDER ALBAR

FOUNDER AND CEO

A musician himself, Hyder pounded away on the drums for West Grand Boulevard before fusing his background in multimedia infocomm technology and his urgent calling to elevate the local scene to start Invasion Singapore in 2007. Problem-solving is one of his most formidable attributes, and his portfolio of clients from his time as a marketing intelligence consultant includes the likes of UOB, DBS, Abbot, 3M, M&C Saatchi, and Danone. It’s this marketing savvy and eye for synergy that’s contributed to the *SCAPE School Invasion tour counting 98.7FM, The National Library Board, Coca Cola, and Nokia as partners. He is the rocket fuel of the enterprise.

INCH CHUA

CO-FOUNDER AND COO

Whether as the siren of former alt-rock outfit Allura or in her incarnation as a solo musician, Inch has made it clear that she will always stand for local music. Raised in a family of theatre pedigree, that she’s now a renowned singer-songwriter with a strong storytelling approach that almost feels like destiny. Into our trove of locally produced art, Inch has deposited her 2015 EP, Letters To Ubin, a pastoral offering recorded when she sequestered herself in the eponymous island. In it as in everything she does, her love for the country she creates in shines through.

VYGESHWARI

EVENTS AND SOCIAL MEDIA EXECUTIVE

We’re not being biased when we call Vygesh a firecracker. Not only does the New Media graduate from Republic Polytechnic possess a vivacious charm, she’s also a go-getter with an eye-of-the-tiger intensity when the situation calls for it. Inspired by drawing and design, she made the transition to local radio during an internship where assistant programme director of Lush 99.5FM, Vanessa Fernandez, took her under her wing. That stint sharpened her administrative, video production and social media know-how, and aided in her becoming the ‘heart muscle’ of Invasion Singapore.

ADIN KINDERMANN HEAD OF PRODUCTION

The frontman of local indie rock outfit Stopgap truly does have a meticulously discerning ear.

Armed with a keen appreciation for sound and an honours degree in audio production, Adin has lent his expertise to television series and has done audio post-production for several short films and documentaries. A great testament to the *SCAPE School Invasion tour, Adin, together with Stopgap, was on the 2015 lineup and has joined the Invasion Singapore fold to spread the good word of local music. Besides thanking the bands, thank him for making them sound great onstage.

Text Indran P Images Invasion Singapore

CHRISTIAN SNG

EDITOR, CONTENT DEVELOPMENT

Young in years he may be, Christian wears many hats and wields many talents. The 22-year-old has a diploma in law to his name, as well as the singer-songwriter chops that have allowed him to strike it out on his own under the moniker chris.sng and strap on a guitar for Drive Vibes Distribution Ring (formerly known as The Sets Band). As an avid reader with a way with words, he puts his abilities to good use as the curator of Invasion Singapore’s online content.

For the *SCAPE School Invasion tour schedule, visit scapeinvasion.com. invasionsg.com music

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TEENAGE FANCLUB It’s always encouraging when a celebrated and long-existing band like Teenage Fanclub returns with a single titled something along the lines of “I’m In Love”. That a band that’s more than proven itself it for almost 30 years can still feel that way enough to make a rousing song about it is just incredible.

The syrupy, hooky track is a shoegazing adrenaline blast from the band’s first album in six years, Here.

Recorded with the original lineup, the album will be the band’s tenth full-length offering, making it possible for the headline, “10 Times Teenage Fanclub Won At Alternative Rock”. teenagefanclub.com

NIGHTTIME FUNK

HARD AS NAILS Could it be that the members of Mastodon are one-upping each other? A few months after bassist Troy Sanders announced that him and members of Queens Of The Stone Age and At The Drive-In have formed a band called Gone Is Gone, guitarist Brent Hinds has formed the absurdly named band Giraffe Tongue Orchestra with other heavy-hitters.

Alex In Chains’ William DuVall, the Mars Volta’s Thomas Pridgen, Dillinger Escape Plan’s Ben Weinman, and Dethklok’s Pete Griffin round up the lineup. Their lead single “Crucifixion” is brutal. partysmasherinc.com

CHANGE IT UP, PLEASE! Bemoaning the alleged banality of EDM isn’t just the prerogative of underground DJs or Deadmau5 anymore. Enter Montreal producer, Kaytranada.

“Like straight up, pop stars and EDM DJ collabs are like boiled chicken with no seasoning”, went his indignant tweet shortly after Rihanna and Calvin Harris’ “This Is What You Came For” was released.

He’s since clarified that he wasn’t hating on Riri and explained that all he wanted to do was push his fellow creators to produce more original music.

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BAG THIS

Whether or not you view them from the perspective of rock or rap, The Beastie Boys are amongst the most influential and trailblazing groups of our time. So, it’s with genuine confusion – and a little frustration – that we convey this to you: Mike D has designed a “Grown Man” bag.

Priced at a ridiculous $705, the rather insipidlooking canvas tote is the result of collaboration between D and designer Clare V. We’re all for musicians branching out, but we also believe that if you’re going to make a bag, make it a nice bag.

HOT IN HERE

There’s nothing to declare here except for the fact that Deftones frontman Chino Moreno recently performed inside a volcano! The band were in Iceland to play at the Secret Solstice festival, and during their downtime, their head honcho played a special three-song acoustic set in the shaft of the Thrihnukagigur volcano. Only 20 tickets were released, and though each came with a $1,970 price tag, the ‘gig’ was, in all honesty, ‘sold out’.

Text Indran P Images Various Sources

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As far as collabs go, this one is awesome: Californian chillwave duo Nite Jewel and West Coast funk legend Dâm-Funk have locked arms to become NITE-FUNK. And on the lead single “Let Me Be Me” off its forthcoming self-titled EP, the trio shows what its existence means for us. In a nutshell, chanteuse Ramona Gonzalez’s hushed, earthy coo over a shrouded, nocturnal house backbeat and funked-out synths. It’s a gorgeous ode to the tantalizing possibilities that nighttime unlocks and it’s oh-so-inviting. soundcloud.com/damfunk

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BEHOLD THE WEIRDNESS Fact One: Aphex Twin hasn’t released a music video in 17 years.

Fact Two: His latest video was directed by a 12-yearold child. Yes, the visuals for “CIRKLON3 [Колхозная mix]”, are the handiwork of Ryan Wyer, a Dublin native who Twin discovered on YouTube. The clip features Wyer and his family decked in Aphex Twin merch, as well as the terrifying Aphex Twin masks, while engaging in seemingly mindless activities. This young one’s future in weird, unsettling art is certainly a done deal. warp.net

when the music speaks up Musos displaying an exemplary sense of justice in addressing various forms of injustice.

180 MUSICIANS ON YOUTUBE Not too long ago, Radiohead’s mouthpiece Thom Yorke likened YouTube and its parent company Google to Nazi Germany. Now, Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor, The Black Keys’ hitter Patrick Carney and rock gawd Jack White are amongst 180 musicians who are taking the video streaming platform to task for allowing users to upload copyrighted material for anyone to hear. Their protest comes in the form of a signed petition addressed to the United States Congress and urges it to make YouTube accountable for copyright infringement issues.

JOHNNY MARR ON BREXIT We don’t know what it is with British musical geniuses and Nazi metaphors, but the former

POST-POST-ROCK

Three years after their seventh album, Kveikur, Iceland’s non-Bjork musical edifice, Sigur Rós, has resurfaced with a new missive called “Óveður”. It shows the band in their usual majestic form but lights the way to what could be a radically different Sigur Rós artistic signature.

Where their earlier work was characterised by a liberal play on light, space, shadow, and scale – often to filigreed effect – here, the sonics are darker and more dramatic; the overall vibe made more visceral by sharp IDM fragments, as opposed to “atmospheric”. sigur-ros.co.uk

guitar-slinger of The Smiths sent out a series of tweets that compared the U.K.’s withdrawal from the European Union to Nazi propaganda. When roused to battle with the Twitterverse, he alleged that pro-Brexit views were indistinguishable from “fascism”. While Brexit has far-reaching implications and is indeed a controversial development, it’s encouraging to see public figures like Marr engage with fans openly – and calmly – about his views on a globally resonant issue.

TIME FOR LOVE

FLYING LOTUS ON RAPPERS FlyLo is known more for his jazz-led odysseys into the

The young leaders of the garage revival, Disclosure, don’t believe in lounging on their laurels. Guy and Howard Lawrence have followed up their 2015 second showing Caracal with a new EP, Moog For Love – and it’s incredible.

Love finds a middle ground between the uptempo, R&B-inflected house and wonky of the brothers’ 2013 debut, Settle, and Caracal’s ornate synthpop. Expect kinetic, lush highlights like “BOSS” and the Al Green-sampling “Feel Like I Do” to become club staples very soon. disclosureofficial.com

astral plane than he is for his hand in conventional hip-hop and rap. But as one of the foremost producers in cutting-edge modern music, he’s intimately connected to the harsher realities of the industry. Recently, via a string of Tweets, he voiced his ire at rappers who don’t compensate the producers and beatmakers they engage.

“Hella rap artists are rape artists. Taking advantage of abilities thinking it’s a good look for us! Most my people behind the scenes is broke”, he wrote. No rapper has responded.

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FOR GOOD MEASURE

BY INCH CHUA

SLOWPOKE

Buzz. Click. Swoosh. Ding. It’s 9.15am and I’m out the front door, besting my personal record of getting ready. The hasty pace of my heels accompany me while I balance a well-thought-out combination of throughout-the-day necessities – folders of documents, my guitar, a duffel bag with a change of clothes, a tote bag full of merchandise, my packed lunch – all clasped or slung between my armpit and elbows. Swiping away on the phone with my one free pinky finger, I ferociously check my emails, Twitter feed and my watch for my crime against punctuality. Time check: 9.26am. Good. The train will be here soon.

Huff. I breathe, almost for the first time today and wait in the uncomfortable pause. Forced to submit to the slows, I turn my gaze to the reflection on the tinted glass and feel the weight of all the lives I wish I could be living on my back.

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Gruggung-screechhh. The train (ironically) interrupts my thoughts and I snap back to the pace of urgency. Studio time, number-crunching, deadlines, dealing with people, replying emails, attending meetings, press conference, band rehearsal, media event, photoshoot, soundcheck and show; it’s a marathon of emotional output until it’s stupid o’clock and I finally punch the clock when my body tells me I’ve earned the sleep. I throw myself to the mattress, feeling thankful to be horizontal again.

Silence. This is the part where the slows catch up with me and, as much as I resist, emptiness weighs in. But I jolt from my bed and lace up my running shoes. I toggle through my list of bookmarked podcasts and settle on Star Talk Radio with astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson. Today’s topic: Gravitational Time Dilation. Simply put, the closer you are to a large gravitating mass like our Earth, the slower time runs. That’s right, gravity makes time run slowly.

A MOON SHAPED POOL RADIOHEAD (XL Recordings)

#Sorrynotsorry, but it’s GDMF-ing Radiohead. And since we know the score, where it came from and where it’s at, we will totally fan-boy over their latest album till kingdom come. Hell, we even loved “Spectre”, written (but unused) for the last James Bond movie. For the babes-in-thewoods, Radiohead is alternative rock royalty. We could wax lyrical over their ninth studio album but constraints engender the use of a few key descriptive words: submission, detachment, being human, a “low-flying panic attack” (“Burn The Witch”). Maybe Thom Yorke’s recent relationship from his partner entails a return to earth, but for the band, it means revisiting the heart, instead of reinventing the conceptual nous of Radiohead.

The podcast ends and I remove my earbuds to find myself in the peace of crickets and the rustling of trees. How do I beat gravity? How do I beat the slows? Setting my gaze to the skies, I release the tension in my body with a long exhale, hug my knees and search the heavens for an answer.

“The only way is up”, I whisper to myself. Truth is, I cannot beat heartache, I cannot beat the slows, and I cannot beat gravity.

Not now, at least. So I’ll just run from it all. I’ll travel fast like the speed of light and bolt out into the stratosphere where I gain time and distance. I’m guilty of choosing the hard-and-fast life so that I can leave my feelings behind. It’s not the most ideal way to live, but I take comfort in knowing that this is all temporary and stand convicted my head’s better beyond the clouds. At least until something worthwhile grounds me. I just hope I don’t forget what I leave behind or wander too far off into space.

I spring up to my feet anticipating the slows closing in again.

I’m ready to flee. For good measure, I put on my earphones, searching through my playlist for a soundtrack to accompany my ethos and decide upon the wisdom of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. The stars could not look any more limitless as the chorus embraces me and compels me to sing out to the cosmos: “Slowpoke, we got some things to find / When I was faster I was always behind.”

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COLORING BOOK CHANCE THE RAPPER (Self-released)

Commercial viability and spirituality in music are not antithetical; Chance the Rapper’s third full-length project puts paid to any ideas that these concepts are incompatible. It is the first streaming-only album to chart on Billboard 200 and it treads in the popular hip-hop genre. At the same time, it hails from an independent rapper, who built this album on the foundation of gospel music and faith (and also, star billing – Justin Bieber, Kanye West, Lil Wayne and Future are here). The Chicagoan has turned from singing about smoking drugs to praising God, but the shift in focus becomes a strength.

The Chicago Children’s Choir and gospel musician Kirk Franklin are guests, the lyrics are optimistic, and the music’s uplifting. The rapper sounds inspired to renew gospel music tradition and go against the grain of populist R&B to actually make a change.

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PICKS OF THE MONTH THE COLOUR IN ANYTHING

SPIRITUAL SONGS FOR LOVERS TO SING

SKIP A SINKING STONE Mutual Benefit

James Blake

(Polydor Ltd) That choirboy voice, the moody post-dubstep soundscapes – James Blake was the critics’ golden boy of 2011. In 2016, the post-dubstep sound has permeated the mainstream, and so Blake thaws out to include Frank Ocean, Rick Rubin and Bon Iver for a change.

Strange then, that these 17 tracks feel more isolated. It’s as though Blake feels no need to impress, but to only grow at his own pace.

(Wolf Parade Productions) Brief and compact at four songs, EP4 is an impressionable reintroduction to the reunited Canadian indie rock luminaries, Wolf Parade. It’s bad that it’s only four songs-long; we jump right into the synth-flushed “Automatic”, coast through the classic-indie rock sounding “Mr. Startup” and urge ourselves through the pulsating “C’est La Vie Way”, to only end at a temperate “Floating World”.

LUH

(Love Da Records) This is not for the fainthearted: former WU LYF frontman Ellery Roberts’ unrelenting rasp and revolutionary fervour, matched with his partner, Dutch visual artist Ebony Hoorn’s more centred and softer voice, and wrapped up in Bobby Krlic AKA The Haxan Cloak’s electronic orchestrations, make for a neo-industrial maelstrom that’s big on intent and dramatic on execution.

Be blown away or be turned off.

(Mom + Pop Records) Instruments cascade in “Madrugada”, before Jordan Lee and his revolving collective get into the album proper with the lush “Skipping Stones”. Lee made a splash with Love’s Crushing Diamond, a more robust and adventurous debut compared to this calmer, more meditative follow-up. It’s a humbly tinseled tin of a dozen low-lit orchestral folk tunes, languid lozenges to soothe jittery, homesick nerves.

STRANGERS

BOTTOMLESS PIT

TEENS OF DENIAL

HOLY GHOST

(Bella Union) Marissa Nadler’s like an angel singing gothic folk music. A more mundane comparison would be Angel Olsen crossed with, eh, Lana Del Rey (especially on “Janie In Love”). Nadler enchants by merely being herself, armed with voice and guitar. But on this, she sings as various personae, with producer Randall Dunn layering the songs with more instrumentation; a breakthrough of sorts for this crepuscular singer-songwriter.

(Harvest Records) Listening to Death Grips is like listening to noise from the TV, radio, and faulty musical hardware all at the same time – at triple the speed. The band has an anarchist’s idea of rhythm and melody that lends itself to hyperbole – but we insist, Death Grips is the sh*t! Their latest is their most accessible yet, mangling rap, glitch, drum and bass and whatever crosses their path into a recharged sound.

(Matador Records Limited) “You’ve got no right to be depressed / You haven’t tried hard enough to like it” declaims Will Toledo in “Fill In The Blank”. “Vincent” begins simply with a guitar twang loop before romping into a rocking number. “The Ballad Of The Costa Concordia” is an 11-minute epic that paraphrases Dido’s “White Flag” melody and lyrics. It’s like hearing Pavement, Sonic Youth and Modest Mouse in a one-man tornado.

WELCOME HOME

AUGUST 26TH

ULLAGES

(Megafauna) Think shoegaze is too navel-gazing and metal too loud for your crowd? Clear some space for Megafauna then. The Austin trio downs proto-metal, prog and psychedelic rock through their chute and compactor-packs them into digestible stacks. Pop the wiggy first single “Desire” in, chomp down on the rollicking “Doubt”, and masticate on the chewy, proggy, closing eightminute title track.

(Self-released) “White Iverson” was a guilty pleasure, it being a novelty trap song that one couldn’t take too seriously, nor dismiss completely. And it didn’t help that Post Malone, the white rapper-singer behind the hit, had a whiff of Riff Raff around him. Will this mixtape fix his shady repute? Yes, and no; Atlanta production duo FKi works some magic, but the 10 songs sound like ‘under-fangled’ versions of “White Iverson”.

(Partisan Records/ Knitting Factory Records Inc.) Make space between The Cure, Joy Division and the many others that followed after them for a new Leeds band well-poised to take a stab at postpunk: Eagulls. Their debut was them shouting to be heard; this sophomore is them speaking loudly to be understood.

And it’s a mournful, anxious struggle to be accepted, be it direct (“Euphoria”) or grandiose (“Aisles”).

Marissa Nadler

Text Chris Ong Ujine Images Various Sources

EP 4

Wolf Parade

Megafauna

Death Grips

Car Seat Headrest

Post Malone

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Eagulls

Modern Baseball (Run For Cover Records) In the fourth wave of emo, Modern Baseball is credible for having a band member (Brendan Lukens) experience mental illness and speak out about it, which is more consequential than externalising the facile woes of growing up that lesser emo-rock bands tend to superficially present. Emotive and immediate, Holy Ghost acts as a waypost and thankfully, not a post-script, of the evolution of the genre.

OH NO

Jessy Lanza

(Hyperdub) Fear not, pop music naysayers; as beleaguered as we are by worldconquering stars like Biebs and Tay Tay, there are always edgier, cooler beings making far more pointed sounds. Jessy Lanza is Aaliyah going synth-pop; Grimes softening her weird ways; Janet Jackson making fresh R&B moves with Yellow Magic Orchestra. We dare you to not to bop your head to “It Means I Love You”.

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SHINE FESTIVAL 2016

ZOUK SOUNDSYSTEM PRESENTS OLIVER HELDENS WITH LINCEY

FRIDAY JULY 1 – SUNDAY JULY 3 AT ORCHARD ROAD Watch out, this annual youthoriented festival will be taking over the streets of Orchard Road again. Headlining the event is Korean-American artiste Jay Park, and homegrown rapper ShiGGa Shay, who will be sharing the stage.

We can’t front – we’re so ready to have our minds blown by this collab. zoukclub.com.sg

FRIDAY JULY 15 AT ZOUK You don’t need an expert to tell you that the EDM scene is currently saturated with DJ hopefuls, but this young trailblazer stands out from the crowd with his future house sound. With heart-pumping tracks like “Gecko” and “Koala”, you’ll want to party like an animal once Heldens hits the decks. zoukclub.com.sg

RITUAL: SOHASO X LOSSLESS SHOWCASE FEAT. SHOW-B

DO HITS X DARKER THAN WAX FEAT. HOWIE LEE

SATURDAY JULY 23 AT CANVAS Based in Beijing and trained in London, Howie Lee fuses the bass-heavy tunes tailor-made for the club with Chinese melodies and sonic textures.

Always experimenting with his sound, this DJ-producer has commanded sets along stars like Hudson Mohawke and Peter Hook from Joy Division.

It’s going be a great night, so save the date. canvasvenue.sg

SATURDAY JULY 2 AT KYO Having spent his formative years around record stores and vinyl records, Mathias Shober AKA Show-B always knew that house music was ‘The One’ for him. House elements continue to form the foundation of his sets, even as he branches into warmer, more contemporary sounds. Don’t expect gimmicks from this DJ, just good music that will stand the test of time. clubkyo.com

WINE BAR SESSIONS BY POP STUDIO DJ PRESENTS SOLOMON H FRIDAY JULY 8 AT WINE BAR AT ZOUK Fusing electrifying synths and groove-laden melodies, Solomon H guarantees movement.

He’s mixed tunes everywhere from back alleys to megaclubs, playing the perfect kind of music that you can chill out to on a Friday evening – wine glass in hand. zoukclub.com.sg

MAN WITH A MISSION ASIA TOUR 2016

WEDNESDAY JULY 27 AT MILLIAN Don’t write off their wolf masks as a wacky stunt, because the music these guys create is as high-octane as it comes. Formed in Shibuya, this Japanese rock band’s love for punk runs deep and it becomes apparent every time they take over the stage. Come take a walk on the wild side. millian.sg

FOUNDATION FEAT. CHUS + CEBALLOS

SATURDAY JULY 9 AT CANVAS This DJ-producer duo from Spain made a name for itself by pioneering the ‘Iberican Sound’, which blends house and techno with a great dollop of soul. On top of creating an underground movement, the pair is known for its official remixes for superstars like Madonna. Transcend the hype by seeing them live. canvasvenue.sg

SKULL FIST LIVE IN SINGAPORE

TUESDAY JULY 12 AT ALIWAL ARTS CENTRE Last June, Skull Fist founder Zach Slaughter left the band to the chagrin of heavy metal fans, only to surprise them by rejoining three months later. This time, they’re back for good and gearing up for their Asian Invasion tour. Put on your blackest clothes and get ready to rock out, ’cause these guys are “Heavier Than Metal”. aliwalartscentre.sg

REWIND FEAT. LINDO MARTINEZ

FRIDAY JULY 29 AT KYO With so many international superstars hailing from the Netherlands, expectations for Dutch DJs are that much higher. Thankfully, Lindo Martinez doesn’t disappoint. His sets are often described as ‘journeys’ of driving grooves, filled with sensual rhythms accented with tech house and soul. These silky tunes are definitely something you can groove to all night long. clubkyo.com

MODULATE FEAT. OLIVER OSBORNE

SATURDAY JULY 30 AT CANVAS Having been raised on a steady diet of jungle, drum and bass, and hip-hop in his early days, London native Oliver Osborne found himself gravitating towards house and techno sounds. A regular spinner at some of the best underground clubs in Asia, he can be found working crowds from Bangkok all the way to Mongolia. Time to get sweaty to his sick beats. canvasvenue.sg

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Text Jerlene Ng Images Various Sources

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Text Aaron Kok Images Various Sources

genteel gentlemen Amidst fashion’s ever-changing palette, the one thing that’s been on a steady rise across the runways is a shift towards a softer approach in menswear. Lace is no longer a material reserved exclusively for the fairer sex, and in the case of Kim Seo Ryong’s Spring/Summer 2016 collection, shiny suits and silk tops can still turn out dapperly. Centred aroud eye-catching prints, the collection graduates into a more muted palette, where pearlescent gingham and vintage stripes set the base for a collection of softly-tailored suits, pyjama tops and cropped trousers. Mixing in leather and duchesse satin for that added shine, Kim’s man is equal parts relaxed and confident.

kimseoryong.com

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THROUGH CLASSIC SILHOUETTES AND ERGONOMIC DESIGNS, ADIDAS ORIGINALS BY ITALIA INDEPENDENT MAKE THE ART OF WEARING SUNGLASSES THAT MUCH COOLER. If there’s one thing that the Italians do better, it’s in the constant pursuit and refinement of what it means to truly live well. Be it through fashion, food or culture, their passion is evident. In the same vein, adidas Originals by Italia Independent brings a dose of la dolce vita to their latest line of sunglasses and optical frames.

Designed to accompany you on your daily adventures through function and style, the sunglasses marry cutting-edge technology with adidas’ street sensibilities to allow maximal comfort as you make your way through the day. On our recent gallivant through Tokyo, Japan, we put some of these frames to the test. Needless to say, the results were molto bene.

ALL EYES ON THIS

ADIDAS ORIGINALS BY ITALIA INDEPENDENT

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STYLE WITH EASE The first thing we noticed about the frames is that they are practically weightless, thanks to the feather-light material used to form the frame body. It’s so easy to forget you even have them on, and yet, these frames hold up to daily wear and tear, thanks to the bi-injection technology used.

By working with two different moulds to assemble different components, the combination allows for not only a variety of colourways to appeal to all your fancies, but also delivers better support and lasting durability. Through this method, TR90 – a high-performance polymer that lends each pair its flexibility and strength – is fused with rubber to create a long-lasting pair of shades that’ll amp up your street cred.

TAILOR YOUR LOOK Life’s not black and white all the time, so why should your frames be dull? Fortunately, this collection fills the gap with cheery options to brighten up your days. That’s not to say that people who swear by monochromatic colours won’t get their fix, as there are plenty of options in classic black and white.

Imbuing the collection with vibrant hues and precise details, the digitally-printed textures draw inspiration from adidas Originals apparel and footwear, paying homage to the brand’s signature logo (which also appears on the temples of every piece).

COMFORT IS KEY Speaking of temples, every piece in the collection is designed to create the illusion of an invisible frame, resulting in minimalist and sleek silhouettes that flatter all face shapes. On some models, frame arms are lined in rubber to provide better grip. This innovative manufacturing method brings added comfort and support, so you won’t have to constantly readjust your frames while on the go.

Recognising that every wearer’s nose differs from the next, the adidas Originals by Italia Independent line also features interchangeable nose pads made from TR90, which provides the best sit that fits your face. Furthermore, the sunglasses are fitted with lenses that offer the highest level of UV protection, so you can look good but protect your peepers from sun damage all at once.

The adidas Originals by Italia Independent collection retails from $130 onwards, and is available at all authorised optical retail stores in Singapore. For more info, check out eye-trendy.com today.

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VANDA FINE CLOTHING

Menswear enthusiasts will attest: no suit is ever complete without the right accessories to match. Enter Vanda Fine Clothing, a label founded in 2011 by Diana Chan and Gerald Shen that has become a go-to stop for well-crafted menswear accessories made in Singapore. The husband-and-wife team found their speciality in creating hand-sewn pocket squares and ties, and as their products proved to be a hit with fellas across the world, they began expanding their services to offering bow ties and lapel pins as well. Still, their designs are deeply rooted in the brand’s ethos of creating products that are transcendent of passing trends, while ageing beautifully with use and time. vandafineclothing.com

hands of time

THE PACE AT WHICH FASHION FUNCTIONS SEEMS TO ONLY GET FASTER WITH TIME, BUT A HANDFUL OF HOMEGROWN BRANDS ARE GOING IN THE EXACT OPPOSITE DIRECTION. RELYING ON TIME-TESTED HANDIWORK, THESE LABELS ARE PART OF A GROWING WAVE OF DESIGNERS WHO FAVOUR QUALITY OVER SPEED.

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Those with a penchant for hand-printed textile designs would do well to pay Fictive Fingers a visit. Run by sisters Hani and Aisah Dalduri, the eye-catching prints behind the brand are all hand-drawn by the two.

This adds a certain organic touch to otherwise graphic illustrations, and, when printed onto high quality linen fabric, creates a wealth of textiles that can be used to make a variety of products. Since its launch in 2008, the team has expanded its repertoire of print and product offerings to include coin purses, clutches, bags, kimonos, and even traditional Japanese wrap cloths to keep your picnic grub in. Whether you’re into lush floral prints, architectural lines or quirky geometric shapes, the sisters will find a pattern to cater to your fancies. To get a taste of the work that goes behind it all, head to their studio on Saturdays and try silk-screening your own patterns. fictivefingers.com

KAY-JEN

Just under two years old and the tailoring company has already amassed a steady following – thanks to its trendy approach to the art of traditional menswear tailoring with sleeker silhouettes. Having trained under a tailor for five years, the brand’s founder, Matthew Lai, struck out on his own in 2014 to infuse the sometimes-stuffy world of tailored menswear with a new verve. That’s not to say that he skimps on quality and fit. On the contrary, his bespoke tailoring makes use of premium English and Italian fabrics that cater to the style leanings of each individual customer. A typical job by Lai includes a minimum of three fitting sessions, and customers are given the freedom to choose their preferred details based on budget, body shape, and lifestyle needs. Hand-tailored, hand-fitted and hand-finished – what more could you ask for? facebook.com/kayjentailored

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MATTER

Touted as “pants to see the world in”, the good folks behind MATTER are the champions of social responsibility in the local fashion circle. Sounds like a lot of convoluted mumble, but as you experience the products up close, it’s easy to understand why – they’ve taken an approach that not only benefits their artisans, but also allows customers to be exposed to the timetested art form of block printing. Started by Yvonne Sūner and Renyung Ho, the brand works on specially loomed fabrics that rank high on comfort and breathability. Further accentuating the practicality of their trousers, the team works with artisans who specialise in the traditional art of block printing to create updated patterns that will resonate with the modern-day woman. Each pair is fitted with flexible closures as well, so you get the most personalised fit. matterprints.com

THE SHOEMAKER’S ELF

If, like us, you are a firm believer that there’s no such thing as having too many shoes, pay a visit to The Shoemaker’s Elf. Since 2013, the atelier has been working with customers to create their dream soles. From flats to skyscraper heels, you are given the freedom to pick and select the specific details you want on your pair. Customise the heel height to one where you can comfortably strut about in, select from the wide range of silks, laces and leathers, then make the finishing touches to your personalised creation – the sky’s the limit. And if you’re constantly on the fence about whether you prefer slingbacks or ankle straps, the affordable price tags means you don’t have to break your piggy bank for both. facebook.com/the-shoemakers-elf

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THE J.MYERS COMPANY

When business is mixed with passion, good things are bound to happen. Launched by photographer Jeremiah Ang, The J.Myers Company shows that through fastidious detailing and user-friendly design, handmade leather goods can and should inspire its users. From conceptualising the finished piece to exploring raw material options, meticulous hours are poured into researching what each item requires – and all this effort is spent before a single piece of leather is even cut. During the prototyping and creation stages of the commissioned project, Ang will work with clients through every step of the way to achieve an end result that they can proudly flaunt. From wallets and watch straps, to messenger bags and even pouches for your earphones, there’s no request too tedious for the team. jmyersco.com

Text Aaron Kok Images Various Sources

OBBI GOOD LABEL

With its ‘Made In Singapore’ insignia proudly stamped onto the products, there’s no mistaking the origin of Obbi Good Label. Based out of a cosy shop on Perak Road, the brand is known for designing and creating products by skilled artisans for discerning customers. While it’s common sight to see a team of leatherworkers toil over one design, OGL employs a different route. Each product is assigned to one artisan who will see it through from concept to the final product, thereby ensuring a standard of quality that is kept throughout the manufacturing process. Whether you’re buying a ready-made design or having something created uniquely for yourself, the guys behind Obbi Good Label have you sorted. obbigoodlabel.com

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EYES

MARIANNA SENCHINA SPRING/SUMMER 2016 While Marianna Senchina never sought to pay homage to the passing of the late David Bowie, it is undeniable that Ziggy Stardust was a major influence in her collection. Citing a mixed bag of references – which includes glam rock, disco fashion, Western films, and iconic Bowie style – Senchina’s Spring/Summer 2016 outing proves to be a surprisingly coherent celebration of everything that the ’70s was known and loved for.

Despite her references, the Russian designer navigates the oft-tacky design cliches with aplomb, choosing to stick to a modern vision of the singer’s style. It is, after all, so temptingly easy for a designer to rely on literal translations when working with Bowie’s vast influence over fashion.

Thankfully, through Senchina’s well-edited vision, she’s successfully brought Aladdin Sane into 2016.

Needless to say, we have to point out the several nods to Bowie’s lasting style legacy. A good handful of the outfits sport a distorted star motif, almost mirroring the deconstructed star shapes that showed up on Bowie’s final album, Blackstar. The usage of red and teal was probably inspired by his signature thunderbolt makeup. In one outfit, bold stripes race down a pair of ballooning trousers reminiscent of Bowie’s infamous Kansai Yamamoto jumpsuit.

Applying this same principal while taking notes from Western films, Senchina’s forward-looking sensibilities come through in a fringed dress, with extra-wide collars, patchwork flames and leather welt pockets on each side. This could easily qualify as a costume in any other form, but with her application of emerald green with powdery pink, finished with chunky heels, the outfit is elevated with a clever dose of chic.

The obvious choice to use fringe comes as no surprise – given the nod to Old West movies – but the metallic foil lashes cascading down a black shell top and swishing gaily over flared trousers give the outfits an electric touch. Another standout look took fringing one step further, by interweaving hand-cut leather paillettes into the tassels. Set against a simple, black coat, the golden vines of the fringed foil become a sublime focal point.

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Without dwelling on one inspiration to the point of indulgence, Senchina’s efforts amalgamate into a collection that retains relevancy despite being inspired by a bygone era in fashion. And it’s this unwavering attention to reinvention – coupled with her impeccable eye for detail – that makes Senchina’s clothes unquestionably out of this world.

mariannasenchina.com

Text Aaron Kok Images Marianna Senchina

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S TA R S IN HER

Text Jerlene Ng Images Reinis Semēvics

DANA JASINKEVICA ‘COMPLETE’ COLLECTION

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For better or for worse, it is undeniable that the sheer speed and scope of the Internet has made us more interconnected than ever – compressing time and space, and closing in on human interaction. But not everyone has come to terms with this rapidly shifting technological landscape. Latvian fashion designer, Dana Jasinkevica, gives her two cents through her newest collection, ‘Complete’ – a meditation on the interconnectivity that accompanies technology. As an ironic gesture, she does the counterintuitive by pairing complex prints with irregularly knitted pieces that take a fair amount of time to spin; constructing silhouettes that are anything but streamlined.

With a key focus on willfully deconstructing the existing assumptions of what clothes should be, Jasinkevica experiments with the conventional.

Almost every piece in the collection is given an amply baggy silhouette; seemingly suggestive

SPEED OF LIGHT that behind the computer screen, we are all but anonymous, shapeless identities existing in an age of technology. A baggy knit sweater, with an extended hem way below the knees, sends a clear message that it is not simply an oversized dress. Paired with wide-legged pants, which feature a large and complicated knit pattern, the look creates a rather satisfying optical illusion.

The most novel of the ensemble is a vest constructed from ribbons of twisted and connected fabrics, weaved into a wearable work of art. These pieces crisscross each other like intricate and efficient networks. The speed they symbolise is contrasted with the heavy layering of textures, as if to deliberately highlight the painstaking effort and time taken to create them. Topping off the entire outfit is a black cap with an extended back flap, calling to mind a medieval helmet, or a deerstalker

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revamped for the 21st century. Covering the wearer from head to toe in varying grey hues, these elaborate garments become the full-body armour of the modern woman.

Yet, non-descript grey is not the only colour that makes an appearance. Various shades of pink break the monotony, offering a feminine touch to an otherwise androgynous collection.

A shocking pink satin blouse, a baby pink leather jacket with dark grey lapels, and chiffon pants made in the softest shade of blush offer an airier alternative to the heavier knits. Placed side by side, the two colours balance each other out, offering a sense of completeness. With an unconventional take on the most hackneyed of concepts, Jasinkevica shows her fascination with continuous change and development, and an aspiration for the unknown.

notjustalabel.com/designer/dana-jasinkevica

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STAND IN LINE WILFRIED LANTOINE SPRING/SUMMER 2016

The first thing that strikes you about this collection is its dominant colour, khaki. Literally meaning

“soil-coloured”, khaki isn’t the first colour that catches your eye when you flip through a Pantone colour chart, and can be seen as casual or basic. However, Lantoine puts it up front and centre, highlighting its laidback character with a fresh spin. Overcoats, vests and trousers are all dipped in khaki, but made in duchesse satin that gives the modest hue a luxurious revamp. Black lace patterns run down these pieces in strips, adding a touch of character and class to otherwise understated garments.

Shying away from free-flowing forms akin to drapery, he borrows from the structure of uniforms but smoothens the edges out, resulting in rounded

shoulders and softer silhouettes.

The utilitarian aspect of uniforms does not go to waste, as tastefullyplaced pockets prove that form meets function in these comfortable looks. Khaki-coloured drawstring bottoms appear multiple times, emphasising the overall relaxed vibe of the series.

Stripes are clearly the key pattern in this collection, as they attain a life of their own in all sorts of permutations. Wide and narrow blue lines wind their way gracefully across button-down shirts; their light and dark hues forming interesting contrasts against the fabric. The way the stripes curve leads to quirky results – coloured

collars and sleeves abound here; rigid symmetry replaced in favour of organic movement.

Taking a step back for one final survey, the most apparent thing in Lantoine’s thesis of uniforms this season is that we should all find new ways to reinvent our own uniforms.

You know, the ones that we reach out to every morning when we can’t decide what to wear, or simply because it’s a convenient sartorial choice to make in a hurry. Because if fashion is about self-expression, then the ‘uniform’ that we put on should always reflect our identity.

wilfriedlantoine.com

Text Jerlene Ng Images Justino Estévés

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Time and again, there’s something about uniforms that draws Wilfried Lantoine back to their utilitarian qualities. On his Tumblr feed, a photo of a man dressed in a simple blue mechanic’s jumpsuit is tagged as ‘inspiration’. The designer has toyed with the idea of uniform-inspired garments in his last collection, playing with proportions and creating denim pieces that are both prim and practical. This season, however, he takes the boxiness down a notch, but continues exploring what else the humble uniform has to offer.

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Sleepwalking BRING THAT R.E.M FEELING WHEREVER YOU GO WITH A WARDROBE OF PYJAMA-INSPIRED PIECES.

PHOTOGRAPHY CHUCK REYES STYLING AARON KOK STYLING ASSISTANT JERLENE NG MAKEUP WEE MING USING SHU UEMURA HAIR JANSON TAN / KIMAGE STUDIO MODELS ANGUS W / UPFRONT AND INNA K / LOOQUE SPECIAL THANKS TO THE GOLDEN BAR

ON ANGUS COTTON SHIRT TOPMAN DISTRESSED JEANS UNIQLO SILK ROBE H&M ON INNA SILK TOP H&M EMBROIDERED JEANS TOPSHOP PATENT LEATHER HEELS CHARLES & KEITH VELVET SCARF H&M METAL EARRINGS H&M CHOKER FOREVER 21 PLASTIC BANGLE LOEWE METAL RINGS (WORN THROUGHOUT) FOREVER 21

COTTON SHIRT CALVIN KLEIN UNDERWEAR COTTON T-SHIRT (WORN UNDERNEATH) TOPMAN DISTRESSED JEANS BERSHKA

POLYESTER CAMISOLE ZARA COTTON T-SHIRT (WORN UNDERNEATH) TOPSHOP POLYESTER SHORTS MANGO BEADED SILK ROBE H&M SOCKS STYLIST’S OWN SUEDE HEELS H&M METAL EARRINGS H&M METAL AND CRYSTAL CHOKER BIMBA Y LOLA

COTTON HOODIE TOPMAN SILK COTTON SHIRT (WORN UNDERNEATH) SANDRO COTTON TROUSERS UNIQLO WOOL AND LEATHER SNEAKERS PEDRO METAL-RIMMED SUNGLASSES OLIVER PEOPLES

VISIT YOUTUBE.COM/JUICESG FOR A BEHIND-THE-SCENES LOOK AT THIS SHOOT.

SILK TOP BIMBA Y LOLA POLYESTER ELASTANE PLEATED SKIRT TOPSHOP METAL-RIMMED SUNGLASSES FENDI METAL EARRINGS BIMBA Y LOLA CRYSTAL NECKLACE SWAROVSKI

wardrobe trend

louis vuitton valentino

viscose shirt, $79.90, topman raf simons

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lanvin

FIFTY AND FAB

HERE’S A THROWBACK MOMENT FOR YOU LADS – THE ’50S ARE BACK WITH NEWFOUND STEAM. CUBAN-COLLARED SHIRTS, DUSTY COLOURS, AND A TINGE OF MIAMI-CHIC ARE MAKING THEIR RETURN TO THE RUNWAY. WITH THE SUMMER HEAT LOOMING, THERE’S NO BETTER TIME TO EMBRACE A PAIR OF SLIM-FIT CHINOS AND SOME CHELSEA BOOTS. SET YOUR PENNIES ON A STREAMLINED SHIRT FROM TOPMAN, AND WEAR IT WITH PIZZAZZ.

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wardrobe trend

engraved silver bangle, $329, thomas sabo

braided leather bracelet, $9, asos at asos.com

cotton polo shirt, $69.90, mango man

metal ring with semi precious stone, $25, asos at asos.com

crepe shirt, poa, marc jacobs

cotton polo shirt, $250, msgm

watch with leather strap, $208, skagen at nordstrom.com

braided fabric belt, poa, tommy hilfiger

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acetate sunglasses, $614, oliver peoples cotton and velvet jacket, $1,170, kapital at kapital.jp

Text & Coordination Aaron Kok Images Various Sources

leather portfolio case, $497, mark cross at barneys.com

suede penny loafers, $140, cole haan

cotton chinos, poa, club monaco

suede boots, $129.90, h&m

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cotton chinos, $189, polo ralph lauren

wardrobe trend

gucci

EMERALD CITY

crochet dress, $676, sibling at club21b vetements

3.1 phillip lim

marques’almeida

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BE THE ENVY OF EVERYONE ELSE IN THE ROOM WITH A SOLID SHADE OF GREEN. START WITH A STAND-OUT PIECE LIKE THIS KNITTED NUMBER FROM SIBLING, AND TEAM YOUR VIRIDIANS WITH OFF-DUTY DENIM AND SUMMER-APPROPRIATE ACCESSORIES FOR AN ACE TAKE ON THE TREND.

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wardrobe trend

metallic lurex knit top, $330, golden goose at ssense.com denim shirt, $123, maje

watch with glitter rubber straps, poa, swatch

cotton knit sweater, $250, topshop unique at topshop

metal and pearl bracelet, $105, tory burch

metal rings (set of 3), $19.90, mango

metal and pearl earrings, poa, marc jacobs

polyester spandex skirt, $59.90, h&m

cotton blend tote, $268, mm6 maison margiela

Text & Coordination Aaron Kok Images Various Sources

leather sneakers, $112, nike

patchwork cotton trousers, $60, j.crew at jcrew.com

crystal and pearl long necklace, poa, swarovski

slim fit denim jeans, $59.90, uniqlo

stretch cloque dress with cut-out, $239, opening ceremony at openingceremony.com

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satin and leather sandals, $316, marni

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vault

metal and stone earrings, poa, cos

convertible crystal necklace, $950, maison margiela

silver-plated metal safety pin earrings, $85, marc jacobs

NAUGHTY NOUGHTIES

crepe camisole, $510, helmut lang at club 21b

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polyester dress, $45.90, zara

satin dress, $149, topshop

metal and leather box clutch, poa, aldo coated canvas sandals, $99.90, zara

embellished leather heels, $117, asos at asos.com

sequinned skirt, $89.90, h&m

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Text & Coordination Aaron Kok Images Various Sources

leather clutch, poa, coach

THE ’90S ARE BACK, AND THE BEST WAY TO PAY TRIBUTE TO THE ERA IS WITH A SLIP DRESS AND LOTS OF BUBBLES. TAKE A PAGE OUT OF KATE MOSS’ STYLE BOOK WITH A SEXY LIL’ NUMBER, MAXIMALIST JEWELLERY AND A SASSY ’TUDE.

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cotton bucket hat, $61, herschel supply co. at bratpack

cotton bucket hat, $34, hype at zalora.sg

cotton bucket hat, $77.60, j.crew at jcrew.com

reversible cotton bucket hat, $27, asos at asos.com

canvas bucket hat, $78, carhartt

THE BUCKET LIST

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Text & Coordination Aaron Kok Images Various Sources

TRANSITIONING FROM THE ’90S TO BECOMING A MODERN-DAY STREETWEAR STAPLE, THE BUCKET HAT GETS A PRINTED RE-DO THIS SEASON WITH FLORAL AND FAUNA FOR A SIZZLIN’ SUMMER.

canvas reversible bucket hat, poa, polo ralph lauren

cotton bucket hat, $35, quiksilver

canvas bucket hat, poa, stussy

canvas reversible bucket hat, poa, polo ralph lauren

canvas bucket hat, poa, huf at da’cave

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TURNING JAPANESE

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There’s something about the way the Japanese approach design that makes it so unique to their culture – few things are quite as consistent as an item from Nippon. One of the things that so deftly defines it as a whole is the idea of harmony – or, as termed in Japanese culture, the concept of Wa. It is the paradoxical approach to design that aims to blend polar opposites and extremities into a singular item that users can benefit from.

At times, it can be hard to identify this, but you only need to look closer to realise that it’s there – the way a Japanese customer fervently chases after the ‘new’ in a city that’s been built around old spaces, or that a world-renowned brand such as Uniqlo can and does make clothing deemed anonymous. But that’s exactly what the brand strives to accomplish, as we discovered during our recent trip to Tokyo, Japan, to preview its upcoming Fall/Winter 2016 collection.

MAKING LIFE BETTER On a blustery late May afternoon, we arrive at the cavernous space of Belle Salle in Shibuya to preview the Fall/Winter 2016 lineup of LifeWear – together with Tadashi Yanai, founder of Uniqlo’s parent company Fast Retailing; and John Jay, global creative president of the brand. Just so we get a better understanding of what’s to come, Yanai explains that the concept of LifeWear is to create better clothing for everyday living. “People want real things, and that’s what we are trying to do,” Jay elaborates. “We are trying to touch all aspects of your life. If you look at the tagline, it says, ‘Simple made better’. We used to think simple was the end. No. Simple, classic, and quintessential can be improved too. We operate in the fashion industry, but we’re not a fashion company. We’re LifeWear”, he adds.

That drive to improve its offerings is made obvious as we step into the exhibition hall that houses the brand’s nine sub-concepts for the season, broken down into focus areas like Essentials, Work, Sport, Home and Kids & Baby.

As the athleisure trend continues to reign, the design team ensures that the new-season pieces

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are made with wind-repellent, water-resistant and sweat-wicking properties, and given a roomier cut for ease of movement.

In the runway show later in the evening, models showcase a master class on layering pieces of varying proportions, lengths and textures. Down jackets – an item that the brand takes exceptional pride in – show up in almost all of the looks, layered over blazers and undercoats. The other highlight is in tonal dressing, from slight fluctuations in hemlines to the way the layers interact with each other, resulting in a multi-dimensional outcome despite being in a single colour. Speaking of colour, the palette largely rests on a selection of jewel tones like burgundy, chartreuse, teal, and terracotta to serve up some punch, as well as charcoal grey, olive and inky black.

FASHION ANONYMOUS As impressive as the styling may be, every piece in the collection possesses a chameleonic quality that can be easily adapted into your personal style. “LifeWear is a design that is specific and yet anonymous,” Naoki Takizawa, design director of Uniqlo, tells us.

“We want people to feel calm and comfortable when they wear Uniqlo. You don’t want to be dominated by the clothes that you wear, and we have to be sensitive to the people we dress, regardless of the geographical boundaries.

Anonymity in design means that the same item can be interpreted by different people all over the world, regardless of their style”.

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in detail...

Text Aaron Kok Images Uniqlo

And that’s where the paradox lies. For a brand that produces admittedly “anonymous” clothing, working with big names in fashion – like Ines de La Fressange and Carine Roitfeld – seems counterintuitive to its anti-fashion stance. “We need to be clear with one thing: Uniqlo is not a fashion brand,” says Takizawa, when pressed with this question.

“We create clothes. Carine and Ines are fashion icons, but more so, design icons. They aren’t fashion designers, but are primarily our customers.

They select our clothes to wear themselves on a day-to-day basis. On the other hand, the most influential designers from top brands surround them, and the idea of what works in fashion and what makes people comfortable is naturally embedded in them. So if Carine or Ines picks up something from Uniqlo to wear, then it means that our item embodies something that is found in these premium brands”.

Seeing the collections from Takizawa’s point of view does bring about a refreshed approach to the clothes on display. The third collaboration collection with former Vogue editrix Carine Roitfeld has wielded a series of gauzy silk shirts with razor-sharp biker jackets. When put together, they call to mind Roitfeld’s signature style; but when pulled apart, the range offers many options to those who may not necessarily identify with her look. This ability to parlay design into an everyday function becomes, in essence, Uniqlo’s claim to “anonymous” design.

UNIQLO LIFEWEAR FALL/WINTER 2016 IN TOKYO

The six collections to know.

Essentials

Work

Jeans and chino pants are given

This line of office-appropriate clothing

a streamlined, tailored look for a

allows more room in the cuts, thereby

sleeker overall appearance, while

promising comfort throughout the

knitwear will abound next season,

day. Shades like camel, cool grey and

accompanying you on your vacations

forest green complement the cosy

to wintery destinations.

cardigans and tailored shirts.

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Sport

Home

Employing sweat-wicking fabrics

Focused on fabrics that are gentle on

that are wind- and water-resistant,

the skin, the loungewear collection

the high-stretch leggings and sturdy

offers the perfect ‘lazy’ uniform,

sport jackets keep up with your

featuring hoodies and jogger pants in

high-octane lifestyle so you’ll look just

a light colour palette of coral, wheat

as stylish at a post-run brunch.

and mélange grey.

Ines de La Fressange

Carine Roitfeld

Evocative of the late-’60s Left

glam-rock meets modern-day

Bank look, the collection blends

working girl – where chubby faux fur

The look of the season is

masculine influences with a

coats and razor-sharp suits collide

quintessentially feminine appeal –

with pussybow blouses and low-front

think pyjama tops and tweed jackets

tops, and biker jackets in brown

worn with wide-brimmed hats and

tweed and black leather are cut with

cable-knit sweaters.

military precision.

uniqlo.com

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NO SLEEP TONIGHT

F.R.S When you started F.R.S, did you consciously decide to ensure that your pieces could be worn out of the bedroom?

Absolutely! I have always adored pyjamas since I was a child. The first thing I’d do when I come home is to change into pyjamas, as it makes me feel more comfortable and elegant at the same time. I started to get them tailor-made with more elegant textiles, in order to be able to wear them also outside, and a world opened up for me. For this reason, I decided to start a small line.

What do you pay the most attention to when designing your pieces?

Wearability is fundamental, because the pyjama needs to be comfortable. Also, having a sexy touch is important, but it must be done in an elegant manner.

As a designer, who inspires you?

Well, women with strong DNA, regardless of which designer they wear, such as art collector Marella Agnelli, fascinate me.

QUITE POSSIBLY THE BIGGEST TREND OF THE SEASON, SLEEPWEAR IS LEAVING THE BEDROOM AND TAKING OVER THE STREETS. BEATING THE CROWD TO THE GAME, FOR RESTLESS SLEEPERS IS KNOWN FOR ITS LIVELY PRINTED SILK PYJAMA SETS THAT COULD BE YOUR BEST COMPANION, WHETHER YOU’RE IN THE BOUDOIR OR THE BOARDROOM. SPEAKING TO THE BRAND’S FOUNDER FRANCESCA RUFFINI, WE LEARN ABOUT HER LOVE FOR PJS, AND THE WORK THAT GOES INTO DEVELOPING EACH SET OF PYJAMAS.

What is the inspiration behind your Spring/Summer 2016 collection?

Tell us about the work that goes into developing your prints.

Honestly speaking, I don’t start with a single idea. A big source of inspiration are the archives of the weavers in Como, of which some have over 100 years of textile history. I’ve also collected books for years – in my office, I have a library with more than 2000 books with images, all properly catalogued. I start working from these images with the silk factories, to print the designs and try various textile techniques to realise them.

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Text Aaron Kok Images courtesy of For Restless Sleepers

The sleepwear look is a huge trend on the runways at the moment. Did you ever imagine that this would happen?

Absolutely not! But I hope it will remain a niche market, and not just a temporary trend.

What has been your proudest achievement with F.R.S so far?

I’d say having achieved the recognition outside the world of sleepwear and transferring the attitude of dressing in pyjamas with a certain nonchalance.

Share one style tip for the F.R.S wearer.

Always accessorise your pyjamas as if it were a normal suit.

forrestlesssleepers.com

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mouse hunt

Since Steamboat Willie, Mickey Mouse has whistled his way into everyone’s hearts. This season, he gets a fashionable makeover, thanks to these two collabs.

DISNEY X COACH

AAPE BY A BATHING APE X MICKEY MOUSE

Pairing two American greats into one, this collaboration comprises limited

Turning the cheerful mouse on his head, the collection’s key piece features a

edition homeware and leather goods in classic designs – including the

grimacing Mickey, as if ready to erupt into a street brawl. In this ‘dark’ iteration,

Saddle, the Kisslock and the Dinky. The collection sees Mickey etched into

you’ll also find Mickey on the front of another tee, sulking and standing with

supple glovetanned leather – from bearing a cheeky wink to roller-skating

arms tucked back. While subversive, AAPE retains its DNA through the five-piece

across the front – along with hangtags, sneakers, oversized leather Mickey

collection by turning its trademark ape-camo print into one that features the

dolls, and silk bandanas reimagined with his iconic silhouette.

mouse’s grumpy mug.

Available at Coach, #02-19 Wisma Atria.

Available at i.t, #01-18 orchardgateway.

TRAPPED IN STYLE

SHADY SUMMER

JULS X SWATCH With vibrant designs and quirky graphics in spades, the watch brand continues to surprise with its latest partnership, featuring Singaporean artist, Juls. Inspired by her experience as the artist-in-residence at the Swatch Art Peace Hotel in Shanghai, the timepiece features comical doodles – which depict faces and expressions layered in a delightfully riotous manner – splashed across the watch face and strap.

$103, available at all Swatch stores.

Well-known for its collaboration with cult brands that would otherwise elude the masses, Puma ties up with London-based Trapstar for a capsule range that’s set to launch next season. But first, to get you pumped, they’re rolling out a reworked model of the PUMA Disc. Riding the lo-fi wave with an all-over glitchy print reminiscent of white noise, enjoy the same comfort and style points of the well-loved model and rep Trapstar’s cult-worthy street design at the same time. $220, available at Leftfoot.

Looking to crystalline waters, sun-drenched shores and rose-tinted sunsets that make the quintessential summer vacay, Linda Farrow’s latest drop offers frames in shades of dusty rose, blanched blue and luxurious gold in a series of aviators and oversized sunnies. For the men, classic ’50s silhouettes inform the designs, with retro-inspired pilot shades and circular frames rounding off the seasonal line.

From $990, available at Pedder On Scotts, Level 2 Scotts Square.

TICK TOCK Summer calls for fun times: mid-year escapades, hours of sun-drenched fun and a general carefree attitude. With that, Seiko has launched nine chronograph watches this season to keep your wrist game on high. Get to know the collection with these need-to-know numbers.

Every strap is affixed with a three-fold clasp and a push button.

The total number of chronograph watches in this seasonal drop.

The number of hours the chronograph records till.

Water resistance to a depth of 100m? Check.

From $478.29 onwards, available at all Seiko boutiques. fashion

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THEORY TAKEOVER It’s easy to see why Uniqlo and Theory are joining hands to create a capsule collection of menswear.

After all, both brands are passionate about creating well-fitted garments that are easy to integrate into your daily wardrobe. While focused solely on tops, the collection features a range of polo tees and crew neck T-shirts that subtly incorporate interesting details and fabrications. Case in point: polo shirts done up with a button-front and given hunting pockets. Each piece in the series is also made with Uniqlo’s Dry Ex fabric, which boasts sweat-wicking and quick-drying functions. $29.90 to $39.90, available at Uniqlo.

BOLDR While watchmaking trends come and go, it’s often the well-designed pieces that stand like a rock in the changing scape of horology. Hailing from the +65, co-founders Travis Tan, Leon Leong and Isa Ghani first caught worldwide attention in 2015 with their Kickstarter campaign, bringing the brand’s first watch – The Voyage – into the limelight. Hot off the launch of new watch, The Journey, we check in with the boys to find out more about what keeps ’em ticking.

COMEBACK KICKS Hot on the heels of its recent 50th Anniversary pack, the American icon in skateboarding shoes releases the Vans Pro Classics Anniversary collection. By looking back on the illustrious list of skateboarding and BMX icons – all of who have worn Vans shoes while making history in their circles – the series grants these evergreen styles a refreshed, modern touch. It features upgraded Ultracush HD sockliners that are oh-so-comfy, and the Duracap reinforced underlays for better tear-resistance. Now go and tear up the streets. $95 to $119, available at Vans.

GREATEST HITS

How did the idea of the Boldr Journey come about, and what was the creation process like?

As with all of our watches, we spent a lot of time brainstorming and sketching – first on paper, then on our computers. Many different things inspire our watches, which in this case are vintage aviator dials and styles. When we were deciding on names for the individual Journey models, we came up with the idea of naming each of them after famous historic airplanes. It just clicked.

HIT THE BOOKS! THEN HIT THE DISCO! Leave the tight Celebrate alldresses at home things-British and in favour of one of pay homage to the the brand’s bodyheralded halls of skimming denims Oxbridge. Think and pair with a lurex prim shirts and top and wallpaperheritage fabrics, such as houndstooth printed sheer shirt.

For an extra edge, and tweed, given complete the look with a killer jacket; like this Topshop’s signature rock-chick makeover. statement-maker with a shearling collar and As seen in this pairing of a mannish blazer whipstitched detailing. with a rebelliously short denim skirt.

$126 to $629, available at Topshop ION Orchard.

PLEAT FOR STYLE In a sea of boring workbags, A.palepetal’s architectural wonders will make you stand out from the snooze crowd. Hailing from Thailand, the label brings with it a range of signature pleated bags that are both stylish and functional. From totes to sacs and buckets, each piece is made from high quality polyester fabric and come with adjustable straps to be toggled to the perfect length. Add this to your ‘Want’ list, pronto. $129 to $140, available at Gallery & Co., National Gallery Singapore.

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What’s been your proudest achievement for the brand thus far?

We’ve been extremely humbled by the worldwide reception we received when we relaunched BOLDR. In less than 16 hours, we hit our goal on Kickstarter, which completely blew us away. This wouldn’t be possible without the support from our previous campaign backers, friends and family, as well as the help from the media and people willing to give us a click or share to help us out. It may seem small to them, but to us it’s a huge, huge deal. So we can’t thank everyone enough!

boldrwatches.com Text Aaron Kok Images Various Sources

Whether you’re mulling over school work or planning a hot night out with the girls, Topshop Unique’s Pre-Fall 2016 collection has all your bases covered.

Text Aaron Kok Interview and images courtesy of BOLDR

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What sparked your interest in watches?

Watches have an intrinsic value, as most of us have been wearing them since we were young. We wanted to build watches to inspire the world, and to bring the art of horology into modern, everyday watches.

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Text Jazmin Kelly Six Images Various Sources

gild trip A kiss from the sun, a hint of beaming radiance – this season’s tan is far from polished. A departure from matte textures that can look overdone, artists backstage at Alberta Ferretti, Carven and Carolina Herrera opted for a dewy sheen that resembles a post-beach workout glow. Embracing the natural, imperfect finish that’s authentic and relatable, light touches of colour and brushed-up arches are matched with loose, windswept hair to conjure an updated summer ’do. For an extra dash of luminosity that’s healthy and young, fluff a layer of highlighting pigment across the skin for that athletic #fitspo aesthetic.

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royal ffllflush

CAN WE BE HONEST? GETTING AN EVEN, GOLDEN TAN BY BAKING UNDER THE SUN IS SERIOUSLY TOO MUCH WORK. NOT ONLY IS IT TIME-CONSUMING, IT CAN RESULT IN PATCHY SKIN-TONE AND ALSO PHOTO-DAMAGE. TO LIFT YOUR LOOK AND YOUR SPIRITS AT THE SAME TIME, COUNT ON THESE BRONZING ESSENTIALS TO GET YOUR GLOW ON THIS SUMMER – QUICKLY AND SAFELY.

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YSL SAVAGE ESCAPE LES SAHARIENNES BRONZING STONES

NARS LAGUNA TIARE BRONZER

BENEFIT DEW THE HOOLA LIQUID BRONZER

Inspired by the trails of golden sand dunes in the Sahara Desert, this sheer powder-balm delivers a sun-kissed glow without any shimmer or glitter, resulting in a natural-looking luminescent tan that’s not overly shiny. The ultra-fine pigments help to conceal the look of pores and imperfections, and go on smooth for a lightweight, seamless finish. $79 (available in three shades), available at YSL Beautè.

A classic in an updated, mock wood grain compact. Expect the familiar fine texture – updated with a floral tiare blossom scent – that comes with micro shimmers to highlight and sculpt. It comes with a mini Ita Kabuki brush that helps to blend the product easily for a natural-looking warmth; a little goes a long way. $90 (10g), available at Nars counters.

Whether you use a synthetic fibre brush or just your fingertips, this lightweight liquid cream is easily blendable and creates a sheer matte tan that warms up the complexion sans shimmer. It offers a natural, lit-fromwithin finish that is highly buildable to the intensity required, and has a floral scent that’s sweet and pleasing. $49 (30ml), available at Benefit counters.

Text Jazmin Kelly Six Images Michael Kors SS16 and various sources

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BY TERRY TERRYBLY DENSILISS SUN GLOW

MAC ALL THE RIGHT ANGLES CONTOUR KIT

Besides giving skin an all-rounded smooth tan, this diligent multi-tasker also provides added skin-loving properties – like anti-ageing and colour-correcting.

Infused with micro-prisms and super-fine pigments that blur blemishes, the formula offers the treatment benefits of a serum while adapting to skin’s natural tone to create a flawless finish that’s satiny and soft. $135 (30ml, available in three shades), available at Escentials.

An all-in-one option that caters to your sculpting and bronzing needs, this nifty palette contains three separate pigments – a cream base, sculpting and contouring powders – in a travel-friendly compact. Use the versatile cream base as a dewy highlighter, the semi-sheer matte sculpting powder to shape, and the soft shimmery contouring powder for depth and dimension. $60 (in four shades), available at M.A.C counters.

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URBAN DECAY BEACHED BRONZER Thanks to its super soft, coated micro-milled powders, the compact applies like a dream and does not streak even after multiple layers.

Besides effortless blending, it offers a luminous, matte finish that’s sheer but buildable. Even on a hot day, it lasts a full six hours – making it great for this humid weather. $42 (9g, in two shades), available at Urban Decay.

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SUNNY SIDE UP THE HEIGHT OF SUMMER CALLS FOR MORE FUN IN THE SUN BUT BE SURE TO LOAD UP ON THESE PROTECTORS BEFORE HEADING OUT.

YSL OR ROUGE UV PROTECTION SPF 50 / PA+++ Without weighing down on skin, the cream melts on contact into a layer of smoothness to shield and refresh.

POA, available at YSL Beautè.

THE BODY SHOP SKIN DEFENCE MULTI-PROTECTION ESSENCE SPF 50 PA++++

CHANEL UV ESSENTIEL SPF 50+ / PA+++

ORBIS SUNSCREEN FREENCE SPF 30 PA+++

This milky formula is armed with red algae and antioxidant vitamin C to help brighten and protect skin from environmental stressors. $34.90 (40ml), available at The Body Shop.

Sans oil so skin feels comfy and light, the milky texture glides on to veil skin with a gentle protection that provides hydration. $22 (50ml), available at ORBIS counters.

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KIEHL’S ULTRA LIGHT DAILY UV DEFENSE MINERAL SUNSCREEN SPF 50 PA+++ Sensitive skin types will find a solution in this sheer formula, which offers slight coverage and is gentle enough for acne-prone skin. $72 (50ml), available at Kiehl’s.

SEPHORA SPF 50+ SUNSCREEN FACE LOTION

DR. ANDREW WEIL FOR ORIGINS MEGADEFENSE SPF 45 ADVANCED DAILY UV DEFENDER This chemical-free sunblock not only combats UV rays and pollution, but also has moisture retention and skin brightening functions. $70 (30ml), available at Origins counters.

Scented with the tropical tiare flower, this intense sun warrior guards against the formulation and deterioration of dark spots. $28 (50ml), available at Sephora.

AVEDA DAILY LIGHT GUARD DEFENSE FLUID

NIVEA PROTECT & WHITE LOTION SPF 50 PA++

Its pure minerals-derived sun protection properties protect against UVA and UVB rays, while organic kukui seed oil and ayurvedic rice bran help neutralise free radicals.

POA (30ml), available at Aveda Experience Centres including #B1-32A Ngee Ann City.

On top of regular sun shielding benefits, this water-resistant licorice-infused formula also protects against skin darkening by inhibiting melanin production. $24.35 (125ml), available at leading personal care stores.

HADA LABO AIR AQUA UV SPF 50 / PA+++ A daily priming option for added sebum control so skin remains matte for longer, this lightweight emulsion also boasts anti-ageing and hydration capabilities.

POA (30g), available at leading personal care stores.

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Text Jazmin Kelly Six Images Various Sources

While offering a high barrier from harmful UV rays, the lightweight formula leaves a glowy matte and soft veil on the skin. $85 (30ml), available at Chanel Beauty.

trend

better than sex waterproof mascara, $35, too faced at sephora

sweet almonds powered by matcha in mayfair market mews, poa, nails inc at sephora

brow liner in light to medium, $32, eyeko at sephora

shimmering skin perfector pressed in topaz, $62, becca at sephora

vibe tribe studio sculpt defining bronzing powder in delphic, $58, m.a.c cosmetics

lip balm in blossom beige, $24, estelle & thild at sephora

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Text & Coordination Jazmin Kelly Six Images Various Sources

naked skin one & done in medium light, $50, urban decay

GOLDEN GIRL

caviar repairx multi-vitamin heat protection spray, $50 (125ml), alterna at sephora

WHETHER IT WAS THE IRONIC FUR BIKINI OR THE FACT THAT SHE ONLY HAD THREE LINES IN THE ENTIRE ONE MILLION YEARS B.C. MOVIE THAT SHOT HER TO FAME, WE CAN ALL LEARN A THING OR TWO FROM RAQUEL WELCH – THE “MOST DESIRED WOMAN” OF THE ’70S, ACCORDING TO PLAYBOY. STEAL HER UNFORGETTABLE SUMMER GODDESS LOOK FROM THE 1966 FLICK, COURTESY OF THESE BEACH-BABE ESSENTIALS. made up

monoi body glow II, $88 (100ml), nars

sugar sport treatment sunscreen spf 30, $36, fresh at sephora

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CLEAN UP YOUR ACT We can pile on the foundation for a flawless facade, but if makeup isn’t properly removed at the end of a long day, no amount of concealer will be able to hide the breakouts that ensue. For a thorough but gentle cleanse, try the peony-infused L’Occitane Pivoine Sublime range. Start with the Perfecting Make-Up Remover, which removes stubborn, waterproof makeup from the face, eyes and lips. Next, use the 2 In 1 Perfecting Scrub, which contains micro-pearls and active enzymes to exfoliate and refine skin for smoother texture. Lastly, prep your mien for nourishment with the alcohol-free Perfecting Toner to renew and reduce congestion. $34 (toner), $36 (remover) and $48 (scrub), available at L’Occitane.

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Give dull, sluggish skin the boot with these invigorating formulas.

ESTÉE LAUDER NUTRITIOUS VITALITY8 Powered by a potent blend of pomegranate extract, mangosteen and superberry complex, new to the line are the Radiant Energy Mist, a light mist that instantly refreshes skin while you’re on the go; and the Pomegranate Glossy Lip Balm, which gives the puckers a soft pink glow. The newly formulated Radiant Energy Lotion – Fresh Moist quickly moisturises and preps skin for the rest of your skincare routine, while the Intense Moist

KULT KITS

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We confess: when this mother of a makeup kit from NARS landed on our desks, we had to stop everything we were doing to investigate. Packed with 11 swoon-worthy classics for fans and makeup addicts alike, the Cult Survival Kit includes the Orgasm blush, Laguna bronzer, Schiap lipstick and Turkish Delight lip gloss. For those not looking to a big purchase, Survival Kit 1 and 2 will delight all the same. The former contains an essential palette of rich neutral tones – like the Naiad eyeshadow and Off Limits blush, along with a lip gloss and mascara; while the latter offers deeper shades – like the Galapagos eyeshadow and Day Dream blush – for those who prefer the smouldering look.

From $85 to $410, available at NARS counters including Robinsons The Heeren.

lotion comforts dry skin with a comfortably hydrating texture.

From $40 to $76, available at Estée Lauder counters.

LANCOME ÉNERGIE DE VIE With active antioxidant-rich ingredients that give skin more resilience, prep your mien with the Smoothing And Plumping Pearly Lotion, composed of translucent little pearls that moisturise and energise the skin.

For freshness and radiance, use the Smoothing And Glow-boosting Liquid Care, an all-in-one formula that boasts the intensity of a serum and rich comfort of a cream. To repair skin after a busy day, the Overnight Recovery Sleeping Mask reinforces the skin’s natural barrier and maintains its optimal moisture levels.

From $55 to $160, available at Lancome counters.

SHU UEMURA TSUYA SKIN Fans of the series know the prowess of this

WATER BABY You know how it is. Summer heat is on high and our hiding within air-conditioned spaces can lead to dry skin if we don’t protect it with a heavy-duty moisturiser.

Those battling rough, dry skin can look to Biotherm’s Aquasource Everplump, which provides a whopping 72 hours of intense hydration while plumping up skin from within. Thanks to its serum-gel consistency, it penetrates instantly and leaves behind only a thin, silky film after application.

It also smooths skin instantly like a primer, making this an ideal option to start your daily makeup routine with. $55 (40ml) and $69 (50ml), available at Biotherm counters.

rhamnose-empowered range – it triggers cell regeneration from within to return dull, tired skin to its youthful, supple state. To add on to the lineup of radiance boosters, the brand introduces the TSUYA Skin Youthful Vita-glow Activator. The first step to kickstart your regime, it features a new SkinVital Complex that revitalises fatigued cells by producing vitalising molecules, and works in tandem with the lotion to help cell detox and prevent oxidation.

$118 (30ml) and $148 (50ml), available at Shu Uemura counters.

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LOCK THIS DOWN Sure, it’s fun colouring the mane all sorts of crazy, but be sure to put in the same enthusiasm in aftercare to maintain a healthy head of hair. For easy maintenance to keep your locks silky smooth, enlist the help of Kevin Murphy’s professional hair care line.

Not only do the products come in pretty, IG-worthy packaging, they are sulphate- and paraben-free and do not weigh down on the tresses. Those battling dry and damaged strands can try the Repair-Me.Wash shampoo and the shea butter-infused Repair-Me.Rinse conditioner to give ’em a healthy sheen. For an extra boost, tame frizzy hair with the Re.Store conditioning treatment in place of your wash and rinse.

From $45 onwards, available at leading hair salons.

PINK POWER The chase for youthful skin emanating with a pinkish radiance is eternal – our Korean counterparts will attest. And who better to come up with formulas that help this exact cause? To bring back a healthy glow to skin, try Etude House’s new Pink Vital Water series, which contains peach tree sprout extract and vitamins A, C and E. With its watery consistency, the Serum absorbs easily into the skin and provides intense moisturisation. For an extra boost of hydration and antioxidants, leave the Wash-off Pack on for 10 minutes before rinsing off to reveal a rosy glow.

From $20.90 to $28.90, available at Etude House.

Text Jerlene Ng Images Various Sources

SPLIT PERSONALITY Sometimes you’re girlie and demure, other times you’re fierce and loud. Most days you’re kind of a mix of both. Express your mood and fancies with NYX’s Ombre collections. Besides providing two separately usable colours in one, the Lip Duo also helps to achieve the gradient lips trend, where puckers are painted softly with a bright pop of colour in the centre. Complete your look with the Blush, which is easily blendable to create a multi-dimensional finish, or use the colours separately as both a cheek paint and highlighter. $18 (blush) and $23 (lip duo), available at Sephora.

K-PALETTE X DISNEY ALICE IN WONDERLAND Curiouser and curiouser!

The brand’s best-selling 1 Day Tattoo Eyeliners and Eye Pencils now come in a super adorable, limited edition Alice In Wonderland packaging. Infused with essences of sage and chamomile, the formulas contain high molecule polymers that repel water, sweat and oil, so your ‘wings’ stay pristine and smudge-free all day. The eye pencil now comes with a blending tip and an improved formula that is smoother and longer-lasting, while the eyeliner features a micro-fibre soft brush that ensures tug-free application. $21.90 each, available at leading personal care and departmental stores.

DOWN TO EARTH 063 Born from a desire to provide her patients – who were recovering from harsh skin conditions and procedures – with makeup products they could use without aggravating existing problems, paramedical aesthetician Pauline Youngblood launched an eponymous mineral makeup line to fill the gap. Now available on our shores, the noncomedogenic formulas are just what sensitive and problem skin types need. To achieve a flawless canvas, try the bestselling Loose Mineral Foundation: an ultra-fine powder that offers buildable coverage and a soft radiance. For a smooth, matte finish, the Pressed Mineral Foundation boasts impressive coverage and oil-control properties. $68 (loose) and $74 (pressed), available at all AsterSpring outlets.

LA ISLA PINITA Materialising the tropical summer escapade is The Body Shop, which launches two season-appropriate collections to whisk us away to #islandlife. Combining real shredded coconut with fruity pineapple, stars of the Pinita Colada range include the Exfoliating Cream Body Scrub, which envelops the skin for a soft and smooth feel; and the Body Sorbet, which offers a cooling burst of moisture to beat the summer heat. On the other hand, the Polynesia Island Tiaré range features the EDT fragrance: a luscious scent with warm accents of Polynesian Tiaré blossoms, frangipani and ylang-ylang, coupled with creamy coconut and vanilla.

From $12.90 to $56.90, available at The Body Shop.

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MUD MAGIC

IT’S A COOL, COOL SUMMER

If you’re the sort of guy who’s too busy (or lazy) to follow through numerous skincare steps every day, then Biotherm Homme’s T-Pur Blue Face Clay is just for you. Empowered with Moroccan rhassoul volcanic clay and regenerative blue algae to unclog and tighten pores, this mask smoothens skin and reduces redness in a mere three minutes. Even better, you only need to mask up twice a week for optimal results. Bid farewell to pesky pimples and say hello to clear, mattified skin. $48 (50ml), available at leading departmental stores.

Alright, we may not be able to escape the dreadful summer heat, but we can definitely alleviate the discomfort that accompanies high levels of humidity.

Generously slather on Aesop’s Petitgrain Reviving Body Gel – a lightweight cooling formula suited for most skin types – after exposure to the sun to refresh and calm the skin. Made with aloe vera and panthenol to soften and soothe, and extracts of petitgrain, grapefruit and lemon to cool, it absorbs quickly and reinvigorates with a fresh citrus scent. Here’s a tip: for a stronger cooling effect, pop it in the refrigerator before use. $53 (150ml), available at Aesop.

SPLASH ON THIS BATH BUDDY Bath time just got elevated with Innisfree’s new My Body Line – a collection of scented body cleansers and lotions that aims to transport you to the relaxing plains of Jeju.

With a wide variety of scents that cater to all your fancies, choose from 10 offerings, such as the foresty Cedar Wood, or Pure Soap, whose powdery scent calls to mind crisp, fresh linens. The body cleanser lathers to a rich, fine-textured foam to cleanse and moisturise skin, while the lotion deeply nourishes with its hyaluronic acid, shea butter and brown algae-infused formula. $14 (300ml, cleanser) and $18 (300ml, lotion), available at Innisfree.

FIT FOR A KING

GET A BOOST Long, weary days at work just get the better of us sometimes. For a quick pick-me-up at the end of a long day, try the Origins GinZing Energy Boosting Treatment Lotion Mist to refresh and hydrate the skin. Panax ginseng offers an instant jolt of energy, while witch hazel sweeps away dull skin flakes to restore radiance. For those struggling with clogged pores and tired skin, the GinZing Peel-Off Mask can help revitalise your mug. It peels away dirt and stubborn dead skin cells with its gentle lemon, orange and apple fruit acid complex to reveal tighter-looking pores and smooth skin in 10 minutes. $42 (150ml, mist) and $50 (75ml, mask), available at Origins counters.

Harking back to days of yore when English and Bedouin luminaries crossed paths in the Orient, Atkinsons has crafted a smoky fragrance befitting of the man who inspired it – King Faisal I, a legendary figure of Arabian history. His Majesty The Oud EDP is a bold fragrance that places the musky scent of oud in the spotlight, while contrasting it with an accord of lapsang souchong tea. Blended with cade oil for its dark, smoky facets, the lapsang souchong attains a unique complexity and quintessentially British feel. Rounding these off are leathery, spicy nuances of the southern Mediterranean styrax, which complement the voluptuous cedar and sandalwood. $305 (100ml), available at Robinsons The Heeren.

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Text Jerlene Ng Images Various Sources

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If your mug does not (yet) show any lines or signs of ageing, congratulations. But trust us when we say that your skin is indeed ageing by the day. Add to that dehydration and environmental stressors and the process is nothing but accelerated. Coming to the rescue is Algenist’s Splash Absolute Hydration Replenishing range, which contains a protective red microalgae polysaccharide to defend against water loss, and alguronic acid to reduce fine lines and wrinkles. The Gel Moisturiser also helps restore hydration, balance skin moisture and improve the appearance of dry skin. For optimal recovery, use the Sleeping Pack to intensely rehydrate your mien as you snooze.

From $75 to $91, available at Sephora.

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Text Trent Davis Images Impossible Project

instant impression Good things come to those who wait. For those who swear by Polaroid film, 20 years was well worth it.

Designed by The Impossible Project – a small team that purchased the last standing Polaroid factory to keep instant film alive – the I-1 Analog Instant Camera is the first system in two decades to use the original Polaroid photo format. Equipped with an advanced ring flash to capture your subject in any environment, the camera’s dedicated iOS app also allows users to take control with manual mode, remote triggers, and creative features like superimposing images and light painting. It seems that digital convenience with an analogue format isn’t impossible, after all.

€299.00 (without film), available at eu.impossible-project.com.

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WITH EACH NEW CAR, COMPUTER, SMARTPHONE AND EVEN FOOD FAD, THERE ARE TWO THINGS THAT ARE ALMOST ALWAYS UNIVERSAL: WE WANT THEM FASTER, AND WE WANT THEM TO BE FASTER. BUT IN AN AGE WHERE WE’RE BOMBARDED WITH MORE INFORMATION THAN WE CAN HANDLE, IS OUR NEED FOR SPEED SLOWING US DOWN? GRASSROOTS MOVEMENTS AROUND THE GLOBE THINK SO, AND THEY’RE TELLING US TO TAKE IT SLOW. “Slow down!”. Your younger self would’ve irrefutably heard these two words as you wolfed down your dinner without pause, hurriedly explained a nonsensical story, or bicycled beyond your parents’ grasp towards impending injury. As children, it often felt that we were continually told, even encouraged, to take things slowly for our unforeseeable benefit – while, on the contrary, growing up too fast was a source of concern for our caregivers. However, at some indiscernible age, that very quickly changed.

We begun scrambling to apply for universities and internships; swiftly adopted new lingo so we didn’t fall behind the times; rushed through the doors of the latest nightclubs and restaurants for bragging rights; heck, even typed “first” in the comments sections of online videos. Many of us find ourselves wrapped up in a life that moves faster than we can comprehend, but there are some who took the expression we were told as young’uns to mean much more than a caution against immediate threats – rather, a way of life.

S LO W I N G D O W N F O O D

Even outside of the beacons of obesity that are fast food chains, the idea of waiting for food is one that few are willing to tolerate; with the exception of standing in snaking queues in front of whichever eatery has earned recent hype. And when queuing is simply too taxing, there’s a plethora of delivery services that’ll come to the rescue without you ever leaving your office. To satisfy this need, those who can produce food quickly tend to outlast those who make it carefully – and what quicker way to make food than to mass-manufacture it? The Slow Food movement takes issue with this, and posits that not only is ‘fake’ food ruining our health, but also decimating our culture.

Birthed by a group of activists protesting the construction of a McDonald’s restaurant at the Spanish Steps in Rome in 1986, the international Slow

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Food organisation was founded in 1989 to defend gastronomic culture and tradition, while promoting food that is healthy, economically accessible and environmentally-friendly. It’s no surprise that the concept was conceived by Italians (they can easily stretch each meal well beyond a few hours at a time), whose immense respect for fresh food and its importance in the social context stands at odds with factory-made frozen goods that do no favours for our bodies, nor our local communities. While adopting this attitude in our own backyard since the establishment of a Singaporean Slow Food chapter in 2013 hasn’t been quick, reframing the way we interact with what we eat takes time. However, with annual events like Kueh Appreciation Day promoting local culinary traditions and heritage eateries, there’s a chance that these treasures can be protected from being lost to the unforgiving clutches of 7-Elevens.

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S LO W I N G D O W N T V

Perhaps one of the most surprising realms in which the slow philosophy has piqued interest is television. Notoriously nicknamed the “idiot box” on which upto-the-minute news, loud talk shows, and relentless commercials are broadcasted from station to station, even network TV finds itself in a panic to keep up with the speed of online information. Now, with the advent of on-demand streaming services, we don’t even need to wait for our favourite programmes to air. We are able to watch series and films back-toback without a moment of pause, save for the occasional popcorn top-up. Maybe this is why conventional networks like the BBC are adopting an approach that slows things down, giving us a break from the unyielding media fed to our retinas.

Pioneered by Norwegian state TV broadcaster, NRK, with documentary programmes including a seven-hour train ride, 18-hour fishing trip, and 134-hour cruise (all of which were uninterrupted), the BBC has also found an audience keen to view content that’s in no hurry. Having dedicated an entire week to slow series last year, BBC Four’s slow programming has seen unexpected levels of excitement and interest, including its critically acclaimed Christmas special, All Aboard!

The Sleigh Ride, which took viewers on a silent two-hour journey through the Arctic with indigenous Sami peopleled reindeer. Similar to ambient music championed by the likes of Brian Eno, the lack of presenter, captions, and music allows viewers to escape into the natural sights and sounds that surround us. In fact, this Zen-like television has even prompted the likes of post-rock band, Sigur Rós, to drive through the Icelandic countryside while recording a score in real-time to the scenic majesty around them. Apparently, the revolution has been televised.

Text Trent Davis Images Various Sources

S LO W I N G D O W N A R T

Taking the time to appreciate quality food isn’t the only we thing we’ve sacrificed in our shift towards abbreviated lifestyles. Rather than soaking in a work of art by simply observing it in the flesh, now it’s all too easy to take a picture of it with a smartphone for later inspection, only to never look at the photo again.

Even that has proven to be too time-consuming; London’s Victoria and Albert Museum made headlines for instituting a controversial policy that prohibits both photography and sketching in its exhibition halls – the latter constituting one of the principal ways great artists learnt their craft – all in the name of preventing congestion and maximising ticket sales. In light of our fleeting attention spans and rapid online media, Slow Art Day puts the brakes on art consumption by encouraging the appreciation of each artwork with the most valuable commodity known to man: time.

Starting as an experiment by founder Phil Terry – the CEO of a consultancy firm who had little interest in art – to see if his experience changed

by spending an hour in front of only two works in a museum, Terry found that he discovered details and emotional impressions in the works that he would have otherwise missed had he attempted to cover as much ground as possible.

Evolving into an annual volunteer event in which participating museums can select up to five works for visitors to observe for five to 10 minutes each, viewers around the world have keenly adopted the practice of taking the time to understand art and, consequently, develop a personal connection with it, rather than treat artworks as check boxes on a museum bucket list. Going from 55 participating venues in 2010 to 205 in 2015, slow art is fast growing.

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While it often feels like we’re powerless to lift the thumb off the fast-forward button, sometimes a metaphorical (or even physical) deep breath is all it takes to stammer the endless barrage of stimuli that we subject ourselves to through online activities and unmeasured lifestyles. It may seem crazy to slow down when we’re already clamouring to keep up with the dizzying pace of current events, but in order to truly appreciate the beauty of the food, arts and entertainment we have at our disposal, perhaps it’s time put a stop to our gluttony for distraction. Perhaps it’s the one thing we need to do fast.

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N I N O I S VI N O I T C A with the

LAST MONTH, WE INTRODUCED THE FIRST TWO VISIONARIES OF OUR LOCAL FILMMAKING SERIES, ‘VISION IN ACTION’. TASKED WITH CREATING A SHORT FILM THAT EXPLORES THE MEANING OF NOSTALGIA WITH THE POWERFUL ALL-IN-ONE ENTERTAINMENT HUB, THE ASUS ZEN AIO PRO, WE HEAR FROM THE NEXT TWO FILMMAKERS ON THEIR JOURNEY TO INSPIRE INNOVATION.

SYA M S U L B A H A R I WHILE HE EXPLORES THE THEMES OF LOVE AND DEATH WITH DARKER UNDERTONES AND VISUALS, SYAMSUL BAHARI’S FILMS LEAVE VIEWERS WITH A DELICATE SENSE OF OPTIMISM. THIS TIME EXPLORING LOST LOVE THROUGH ARTIFACTS AND MEMORY, HIS POWERFUL STORY BRINGS ON TEARS WITH ITS UNEXPECTED TWIST. Finding The Fun In Filmmaking Back in secondary school, my friends and I would do crazy Jackass-inspired stunts (mostly while in school uniform) while I recorded them with my camera phone. I ended up editing the videos into a montage, and that six-minute video got me started and wanting to ‘create’ more. As an aspiring filmmaker, I’m able to express myself more fluidly and suavely through film.

The Light In The Darkness I feel like my inspiration contrasts with my style to a certain degree. I’m a freak for crime/thriller films, leaning towards the psychological/horror genre. But what I take away most from these films is the human element that underlines their concept and story.

Connected Experiences Nostalgia is not just a sentimental longing

for the past, but more of an emotional connection; like remembering and feeling the presence, or lack of presence, of a lost loved one. It is not just a single or handful of nostalgic moments, but a series of memories shared that can also be nostalgic.

“The ASUS Zen AiO Pro’s 4K sharp display is perfect for a control freak like me.”

Streamlining Speed The ASUS Zen AiO Pro has been nothing short of fantastic. It has sped up my alreadysmooth workflow and given me an extra boost, both during and after production.

I’ve been lag-free ever since the first time I powered up the unit.

Taking Control The touch screen is a cool feature, but the main thing I love about the ASUS Zen AiO Pro is the 4K sharp display, which made my video editing more precise and is perfect for a control freak like me. It’s also extremely reliable; I’ve had two weeks with the PC and I’ve had no problem so far, even though I’m working on a totally different operating system.

It makes me want to get one just for myself.

The Search For A Story What drives me to continue is that I’m constantly learning and have become more curious about new ideas and concepts. There are so many stories yet to be told, and more styles and ideas yet to be discovered, and that pushes me to move forward.

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PRO POI NTS OF THE ASU S ZEN AIO PRO

CRAFTED WITH PRECISION

MA RC US CH EO NG

It only makes sense that your PC reflects the masterpiece you’re creating. Forged from a solid block of anodised aluminium and crafted into an elegant unibody shell, the ASUS Zen AiO Pro features a sophisticated, slim profile and an alluring shade of Icicle Gold for a timeless merger of design and technology.

INSPIRED TO TURN STORIES INTO A SHARED EXPERIENCE FOR VIEWERS, MARCUS CHEONG’S FILMS EXAMINE THE EVERYDAY EBBS AND FLOWS THAT MAKE UP OUR HUMAN EXISTENCE. DEPICTING UNIVERSAL CONCEPTS LIKE FAMILY TIES AND INDIVIDUAL STRUGGLES, HIS SINGAPOREAN BACKDROP EVOKES A POIGNANT FAMILIARITY. A Moving Medium It began when I was a kid; I enjoyed watching Lego stop-motion videos and would often try to replicate them on my own with a small point-and-shoot camera.

It was then that I discovered my desire to tell stories. In secondary school, I met a few friends and together we shot and edited videos for fun, to tell stories and our experiences through the medium. I think that’s when my passion really grew.

Seeing The Bigger Picture I really enjoy movies that make you think

that connected them both.

Comfort In Familiarity The ASUS Zen AiO Pro is great. The film is about nostalgia, so going back to a desktop after using a laptop for several years was a good feeling. The fact that the desktop I returned to is one with amazing quality made the experience even better.

RICHER COLOURS

Getting the right colours to set the scene is critical to transport viewers to your world. With a wide colour gamut of 82 per cent NTSC, 85 per cent Adobe RGB and up to 100 per cent sRGB, everyone from filmmakers to graphic designers can enjoy a richer viewing experience where colour is never compromised.

A Touch Of Brilliance When I was editing, I wanted to see how certain shots looked once they were

“The ASUS Zen AiO Pro worked perfectly; it was fast and responsive.” about values. Not just your own, but the values that the world puts out to us as well. They show you life in a way you never thought possible, and that’s what I like about them. Directors like Christopher Nolan and Quentin Tarantino are inspirations of mine.

Looking Back To Move Forward The concept of this film is to question what you perceive as nostalgia, and with that same spirit, fight for your dreams. Nostalgia is often associated with a place, time or even an activity. For me, I felt the same when thinking about a time and place which aren’t relatable one bit, but I had a feeling

colour-graded. With my previous laptop, the moment I put a coat of colour on my videos, it would start to lag really badly – but the ASUS Zen AiO Pro worked perfectly; it was fast and responsive. For me, the ability to handle effects and run several programs at the same time without lagging is great.

Becoming Something More Video can capture the very essence of life in their stories. Through visuals and sound, it’s like letting people live another life.

EXTREME PERFORMANCE

The last thing you need when that stroke of genius comes is to wait around for your software to catch up.

The ASUS Zen AiO Pro’s powerful 6th generation Intel® CoreTM i7 processor, 32GB RAM and 4GB video memory allows for lightning fast multi-tasking and resourceintensive videos without skipping a beat.

Stay tuned to our Facebook page to view the inspiring short films, and stand a chance to win up to $1000 in ASUS prizes by liking your favourite films. Visit facebook.com/juicesingapore for more info.

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TA K E I T S LO W FOR THE OCCASIONAL SHUTTERBUG

While you may not be on the hunt for a slow-mo-worthy spectacle, you can’t go wrong by having a smartphone at the ready that can capture it with clarity. The Samsung Galaxy S7 4G+ delivers in this department, equipped with a 12MP camera and Dual Pixel sensor for faster focusing and clearer images in low light. Don’t let the megapixel count fool you; as well as shooting 4K video, its effortless slow-motion function allows users to capture impressive on-the-fly scenes at 240 frames-per-second (fps) in 720p. Its waterproof body means you don’t need to fret when its wet, and the Samsung Lens Cover fisheye and telephoto lens accessories allow for unique looks right from the moment you hit record. $998, available at Samsung Experience Stores and authorised retailers.

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F O R T H E AV I D O B S E R V E R

When looking for a step-up from the smartphone but without added bulk, the Sony RX100 IV is a lightweight and discrete choice for capturing the moment in a snap. Packing 20.1MP and an Exmor RS CMOS sensor into a pocket-sized body, the point-and-shoot camera features a retractable electronic viewfinder and a lens-mounted control ring for manual flexibility. In addition to producing crystal clear images, it also has the chops to record video in 4K and a whopping 40x super slow motion at 1,000fps. With a 180-degree tiltable LCD screen to accommodate to awkward angels and 2.9x optical zoom to record the moment from a distance, you can record spontaneous street life and cherished family moments discretely. $1,399, available at all Sony Stores and authorised retailers.

F O R T H E V E R S AT I L E S H O O T E R

If you need a camera with greater focal length but don’t have the knowhow or budget for a DSLR and the lenses that come with it, the Nikon DL24-500 premium compact offers an easy fixed-lens solution with semi-pro results. With an aperture range of f2.8 to 5.6 and 21x optical zoom, the camera’s larger body and Dual Detect Optical VR stabilisation system allow users to shoot steadily from extremely long distances, with a whopping 42x Dynamic Fine Zoom to go the distance when necessary. In addition to 4K, slow-mo lovers will have a ball with the ability to capture the action at up to 1,200fps, making for some extremely slow screen time in vivid clarity from clandestine wildlife to action-packed concerts.

Price TBA, visit nikon.com.sg for updates.

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FROM HIGH-OCTANE SPORTS TO THE FORCES OF MOTHER NATURE, EVERYTHING LOOKS BETTER IN SLOW MOTION. THOUGH THERE ARE MORE WAYS THAN ONE TO ACHIEVE THE EFFECT, THERE ARE EVEN MORE DEVICES ON WHICH TO SLOW DOWN TIME AND MAKE THE MUNDANE LOOK MAJESTIC.

FOR THE FERVENT FILMMAKER

The moving image is what drives your passion, but you’re not quite ‘Spielberg’ enough to warrant splurging on a RED camera. Look no further than the KineMINI 4K. A Chinese camera-maker that’s taking the rest of the world by storm for its affordable filmmaking options, Kinifenity’s 4K body has the chops to not only shoot stunning scenes, but also to give its users ultimate control. With a customisable frame rate of anywhere from 6 to 225fps, what’s remarkable about this camera is that you can shoot up to 120fps slow-mo at 1080p without scaling the video down, ensuring that your viewers enjoy the full force of your slowed-down footage without sacrificing quality.

US$7,999 (body only), available at kinefinity.com.

FOR THE PHOTOGRAPHY BUFF

Despite being able to flex your photography skills with a DSLR, you know that some things just look better captured on video, and a beast like the Canon EOS 1DX II won’t fail you when the time calls to slow it down. Equipped with a 20.2MP full-frame sensor in rugged housing that can withstand the elements, photographers can enjoy a full-fledged DSLR experience without skimping in the video department.

Sporting the 4K standard with the ability to capture slow-mo scenes in Full HD at 120fps, the camera’s 61-point autofocus system also allows users to seamlessly keep the focus on the right subjects through the touch panel LCD screen, perfect for peculiar angles with the tap of a finger. $8,199 (body only), available at authorised retailers.

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Text Trent Davis Images Various Sources

F O R T H E S LO - M O P R O

A wet dream for filmmakers the world over, the Phantom Flex4K is undoubtedly the holy grail of slow-mo capture for those who are serious about their cinema. Armed with a 10MP sensor that has no trouble with expressive dynamic range even in low-light conditions, the camera’s super-35mm sensor offers a distinctive cinematic look that’s aided by intelligent temperature controls and ultra-stable imaging. Capable of shooting at 1,000fps at 4K and 2,000fps at 2K (i.e. really, really slow), the Flex4K is the first of the Phantom series to allow footage to be recorded in both raw and compressed formats, offering total control for cinematographers who are picky about their workflow and post-processing needs.

POA, available at abelcine.com

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CAFE NIDO

While the soft glow of the Edison bulbs over copper fixtures will prompt some to grab their latest Murakami read and bunker down with a coffee, others will seek solace in the cafe’s menu of fusion comfort grub. The PUMP It Up Hotcake ($16) is a winner for those with a sweet tooth, with cinnamon-spiced baked apple hidden inside the sizable pancake, topped with fresh berries, pomegranate seeds, crushed pistachios and vanilla bean ice cream. The Pulled Pork Benedict ($16) combines tender pieces of pork and an oozing poached egg with homemade barbecue sauce and a light hollandaise drizzle, while the Soft Shell Crab Curry ($18) is an eye-catching and aromatic display of old-meets-new, with a mild but robust blend of spices and crunchy crab pieces.

16 Morse Road 01-207, tel: 6352-0768.

Like the industrial-chic boutique hotel in which it resides, Cafe NIDO remains cool in the face of convention with a modest menu that’s attracting hungry hotel guests and passersby. The NIDO Homemade Pork Burger ($18.90) is a towering oddity for its succulent pork-instead-of-beef patty – but a hot mess that’s worth the sticky fingers – topped with streaky bacon strips, deep-fried onion ring, and sunny side up egg. The Salted Egg King Prawn Aglio Olio ($16.90) is yet another pleasant surprise, featuring a king prawn on a bed of spaghetti coated in minced garlic, olive oil, salted egg yolk and piping hot chopped chilli. And Instagrammers will need little convincing to flock to the fresh raspberry compote drizzled over the light and fluffy Raspberry Pancake with Honey Pistachio ($9.90).

162 Tyrwhitt Road, tel: 9112-6029.

EASY LIKE SUNDAY MORNING

WHILE THE INVENTION OF BRUNCH IS OWED MORE TO A DOWNRIGHT REFUSAL TO GET OUT OF BED EARLY THAN A CONVENIENT PORTMANTEAU, WE ALL HAVE THOSE DAYS ON WHICH WE NEED TO HIT THE SNOOZE BUTTON. IF YOU END UP MISSING OUT ON BREKKIE, FEAR NOT, FOR THESE NEW BRUNCH SPOTS WILL TAKE YOU UNDER THEIR WARM WINGS AND PERK YOU UP WITH THEIR MOUTHWATERING EATS.

THE LARDER CAFE Extravagant spectacles are not to be found at this dim and cosy Toa Payoh hangout, nor should they be, for The Larder Cafe is busy serving up simple, wholesome and well-executed dishes over photo ops. The Dowager’s Fingers ($10) are an addictive, delicious testament to this, made of crispy prawn wanton wrapped up into a stick and deep-fried, and served with a tantalising homemade honey mayo dip.

The Chicken And Avocado Wrap ($12) follows suit – a no-frills, everyday lunch pick comprising tender grilled chicken housed in a soft and light tortilla that satisfies without over-filling. If you stick around long enough for dinner to revive your appetite, the BBQ Pork Rib ($16) is a meaty porkloin that falls off the bone, alongside a serving of crispy fries and crunchy coleslaw to round it off.

Blk 177 Toa Payoh Central #01-124, tel: 6253-8382.

NOSHERY It wouldn’t be a stretch for us to say that Noshery is an Insta-dream come true. Dotted within the intimate but airy space – wallpapered with tropical leaf prints – are re-purposed vintage lamps, marble tables, rattan chairs, exposed wooden beams, and a barista station straight out of ’70s industrial Europe. While its regular menu offers a variety of snacks, desserts and mains – stars include the Pulled Pork Sandwich ($16) and Spicy Cold Roe Pasta ($18) – what stood out most were these gems in the all-day weekend brunch list. Crab Benedict ($20) with its fluffy crab cakes and yolky poached eggs slathered with a light, curry- and coconut-infused hollandaise, and Yakitori Salmon ($24), which offers a just-cooked slab of fish covered in crisp skin with a sweet teriyaki glaze, atop a bed of coconut-perfumed rice.

9 Rochester Park, tel: 9755-5015. navigate

Text Jazmin Kelly Six & Trent Davis Images Various Sources

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FUEL PLUS+

hit list

Most Iconic Hairstyle It’s a toss-up between Elvis’ classic pomp and Hulk Hogan’s sick mullet.

Dream Ride A 1945 Harley Davidson Knucklehead. Always loved how rigid and heavy old Harleys looked.

Six-String Wish A ’65 Fender Jaguar in Sunburst. And no, I don’t own one. However, my birthday is next month.

Hint, hint.

Weekend Watering Hole Potato Head Folk on a Sunday evening, especially when Singapura Dub Club has a show there. Dope burgers and reggae, need I say more?

Choice Cuts For Cutting To Sam Cooke, all day err day.

Slickest Shoes My all-black Vans Authentics are my go-to kicks. I’m on my fifth pair now; they are comfy as hell and easy to match.

Food Obsession Chicken rice from Rochor Food Town – has been for a while and will be missed dearly when they tear the place down in September.

K.C. MEALS

WHILE MANY WOULD RECOGNISE HIM FOR HIS FORMER ROLE AS THE SNARLING FRONTMAN OF POST-HARDCORE OUTFIT, CARACAL, K.C. MEALS CAN DO MUCH MORE WITH A PAIR OF SCISSORS THAN CUT OFF THE SLEEVES OF A BAND TEE. AS HEAD BARBER OF THE RETRO AMERICANA-INSPIRED GREASE MONKEY BARBER GARAGE, HIS SLICK CUTS, SMOOTH SHAVES AND REBELLIOUS OUTLOOK DEFY THE GENTLEMEN’S WAVE OF BARBERING IN SINGAPORE.

Text Trent Davis Images Various Sources

wetheuncouth.com

Vacay Vision Homer in Alaska. I’d love to go camping there and catch a huge salmon with my bare hands and cook it over a self-made fire. Real talk.

Top Tattooist Augustine Nezumi of Gimmelovetattoo, right here in sunny Singapore!

Favourite Flick Batman Returns, the one with Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman.

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ART FOR HER HEART

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NATALIE MILLER BENT ON GOING ON A PERMANENT DIGITAL DETOX AFTER YEARS OF WORKING ON COMPUTERS, TEXTILE ARTIST NATALIE MILLER DITCHED A HIGH-FLYING CAREER IN ARCHITECTURE FOR A DOWN-TO-EARTH CRAFTING LIFE – WHICH SEES HER TEACHING THE ART OF MACRAMÉ AND TAPESTRY WEAVING THROUGH INTIMATE WORKSHOPS IN THE HIGHLANDS OF NEW SOUTH WALES, AUSTRALIA. BESIDES CONDUCTING WORLDWIDE LESSONS AND TEXTILE TOURS THAT OFTEN SELL OUT IN A FLASH, MILLER’S LATEST ADVENTURES INCLUDE A COLLABORATION WITH AUSSIE FASHION LABEL, ROMANCE WAS BORN, AND A LARGE-SCALE CHINESE NEW YEAR COMMISSION FOR HONG KONG’S PACIFIC PLACE. WE SIT DOWN WITH THE NIFTY LADY FOR AN AFTERNOON CHAT AT HER STUDIO IN MOSS VALE, NSW, AND GET HER TO SHARE SOME TIPS FOR BUDDING CRAFTERS.

Hi Natalie, talk us through your journey in art and craft. How did you get started?

I am a trained architect and interior designer, and have been painting, drawing and making art for as long as I can remember. My mother was a professional dressmaker and macramé maker, and my grandmother was a knitter; I’ve grown up around textiles all my life. I made macramé as a child but revisited the knotting craft 10 years ago when I was doing up a house and wanted hanging planters. I also started dabbling in tapestry weaving then and did a year’s course. Now I teach both crafts through regular workshops at home and overseas, and conduct textile tours in various cities.

Being an architect is an attractive career, why did you leave all that behind?

I found that working in a modern western society, my occupation is very dependent on computers and technology; unlike earlier years where drawing and designing were done on a drafting board. I was losing the sense of creating objects with my hands in the real world; I needed to make things and regain a sense of touch to feel fulfilled. I find crafting very satisfying and meditative. I love to explore the different techniques of textiles, especially in weaving and macramé. I am put off by the saturation of the mass-produced, and feel that ‘handmade’ is unique and has personal meaning.

What inspires you when you’re making art?

Since moving out of Sydney, I no longer deal with the stress of a busy lifestyle, traffic congestion, and constant movement. The space and the stillness in the country really allows me to stop and think; it opens up my mind and my creative side. I simply adore colours and textures, and I like to experiment. I’m always inspired by the world around me – my travels, my surroundings and the people I meet.

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You recently collaborated with Aussie fashion label, Romance Was Born, on its current ‘Mysteria Wisteria’ collection. Tell us more.

Anna, one half of the duo behind the label, contacted me and invited me to work with them on the collection. I was super excited about the opportunity as outrageous outfits are very appealing to me. So I made two large woven garments in wool and roving (wool that’s been run through a mill on a carding machine). It was such a fun project! Since then, I’ve made quite a few outfits woven with wool. My next project is a bright yellow woven skirt.

Shortly after, you were in Hong Kong working on a large-scale commission for Pacific Place.

Yes, that was a project for Chinese New Year earlier this year. I was absolutely ecstatic to be given the opportunity but also very daunted at that time as the project was massive. I relocated to Hong Kong for two months and had planned on completing the lanterns on my own. After making the first panel, I realised I needed help and my good friend, Ingrid, jumped in. We worked 18-hour days, numerous night shifts and were under intense pressure. My arms were in constant pain and my fingers bled from the sheer weight of pulling the 20mm thick rope; there was 10km of it, and it weighed three tonnes. It was a very stressful process but one of the most amazing, hugely rewarding things I’ve ever done.

You conduct regular workshops and textile tours in Asia. Which are your favourite cities?

I just love Asia, period. I love Japan with a passion; how it’s so different to anywhere else in the world. The fashion in Japan is extraordinary and stylish; I am really intrigued. The islands in Thailand are just serene and beautiful, and Vietnam – particularly Hanoi – is special as well.

The hill tribes near Sapa are incredible, and the art of weaving there is mind-blowing.

Share some of your secret haunts when shopping for textiles and materials.

I love the garment district in New York – shops like Daytona Trimmings Company (251 W 39th St) and M&J Trimming (1008 6th Ave) are fabulous. In Japan, Tokyo’s Nippori fabric town is incredible.

Kyoto’s Walnut Yarn (facebook.com/walnutyarn) and Habu Textiles (habutextiles.com) are great for yarn and cotton. In Hong Kong, the Sham Shui Po area is a textile paradise – there are plenty of rope, fabric, leather, and button stores to source from.

Besides rope, wool and yarn, what other materials do you like working with?

Rope, wool and yarn are the primary materials I use most in weaving and macramé. However, I also like to use fabric, sari silk and leather.

Foraged vegetation is also great – like willow, reeds and paperbark.

Tell us about your upcoming workshops.

Where in the world will you be headed to next?

I’m teaching weaving and macramé in Hong Kong later in October, and Japan in November.

There will be textiles tours at these locations as well. Here in Oz, I run regular workshops in Sydney, as well as in my studio in Moss Vale.

Next year, we’ll be heading out to Bali in March for an artistic retreat. Bookmark my website for updates!

Many dream of peeling themselves away from their desk-bound nine-to-fives but can’t find the courage to do so. Any words of advice for those contemplating the plunge?

Go with your passion. If you love your work, make sure you work very hard. Be good at marketing and you will succeed. Most importantly, always be original and innovative.

nataliemillerdesign.com

natalie's top tips MACRAME 8dbW^cZ patterns from the ’70s with contemporary materials.

Text Jazmin Kelly Six Images Natalie Miller

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textures and fibres.

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and bottom of your weave to keep in your weft.

cords loose.

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arty

UNDER CON S T RU C T I O N

What are some of the core principles you need to keep in mind when creating concepts for video games and films?

For movies, there is definitely a lot of work, like set, prop, costume, and vehicle design, that needs to be properly thought out. What is very important is that a lot of these things also actually have to look good in real life. Many times a costume design looks great on paper, but when you translate that to reality and put it on an actor, it looks quite silly. Knowledge of real-life materials and manufacturing techniques for your respective design field are great bonuses that make you an essential asset in the production pipeline.

For video games, since nothing will really be built, you have a bit more creative freedom.

For example, when you design a gun for a movie, it’s better to start off with an existing model since it needs to function properly, be balanced and shoot blanks, etc. In video games, it doesn’t matter so long as it looks cool. For game environments, there needs to be a lot of consideration for gameplay, and often that will restrict what you can design, since gameplay is, or at least should be, the most important aspect of a game.

JAN URSCHEL

Unlike many other forms of art, your craft is usually subject to someone else’s creative

vision or story. Are there any challenges in realising someone else’s ideas?

I personally don’t find it a problem working along someone else’s vision; that’s what it means to be a production artist. Concept designers are not artists who throw paint at a wall and wait for inspiration. We are very much craftsmen that work in large teams in very expensive productions. Being able to communicate and work with other people and taking directions is a big part of our work.

However, despite being commercial designers, there is a creative side in all of us that drives us, and that needs to be nurtured continuously in order to not dry out. For that reason, it’s important to reserve enough time for your personal projects where you can make all creative choices and not be limited by other people’s opinions and commercial considerations.

You’ve worked on the films Terminator: Genisys and the upcoming Star Wars: Rogue One. Is there pressure when working on franchises like these in keeping to fans’ expectations?

I find that while fans are essential in making these franchises as big as they are and in keeping them alive over the decades, the masses don’t always know what they want. In the case of Star Wars, neither embarking on something new like the prequels, nor being purely fan service like Episode VII, is going to make everybody happy. The creative process cannot start with, “What do the fans want to see?”. The people who work on it and, most of all, the director, have to be allowed to make the movies their own. I think the more this trickles through to the rest of the staff, the better.

Nowadays, it’s very easy for us to bingeplay video games or watch TV and films in quick succession. Do you feel that audiences should take their time to appreciate the worlds that you and others create?

I wish people would take more time to appreciate fewer products more fully, as this would hopefully have the effect of companies taking more time to make a polished game or movie. But as long as the audience demands more and more of the same and allows every new superhero movie to make more money than the last, we will not see any change. We ultimately hold the power to tell those big companies what we would like to see.

hendrix-design.com

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Text Trent Davis Images Jan Urschel

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WHILE FUELLING OUR INSATIABLE APPETITE FOR INSTANT ENTERTAINMENT, IT’S RARE WE STOP TO ADMIRE THE SCENERY THAT’S PAINSTAKINGLY CREATED

BY CONCEPT DESIGNERS LIKE JAN URSCHEL. HAVING WORKED WITH SOME OF HOLLYWOOD’S BIGGEST STUDIOS AND GAMING’S HOTTEST TITLES, INCLUDING STAR WARS, ASSASSIN’S CREED, AND TERMINATOR GENISYS, URSCHEL GUIDES US THROUGH THE CREATION OF WORLDS THAT OFTEN ESCAPE OUR VIEW.

How did you get started in concept art?

My motivation to take up concept art came through my long passion for movies. Since young, I would watch my dad’s stash of VHS classics like Aliens and Terminator over and over again. Throughout the years, I amassed a large library of mostly sci-fi titles. However, I never made the connection that people were actually getting paid to make those movies. Through the Internet, I found things like Gnomon DVDs, but after trying out some of their techniques and, of course, failing miserably, I put art on the backburner and focused on my studies. Though, eventually, I had to give in, and by age 28 I enrolled in FZD School Of Design here in Singapore. The rest is, well, history.

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BETTER IN THE LONG RUN 078

NEW BALANCE RUN ON 2016

No race begins without a warm-up, so New Balance and The Local People have taken it upon themselves to whet your appetite for race day with the collaborative pop-up, ‘Lace Up’. Setting up shop at School Of The Arts (SOTA) on August 13 and 14, collecting your race pack is only the beginning of the pre-race shindig as you make your way through an art market bursting with local wares and delicious fare. After stuffing all the goodies you’ve scored into your NB tote – which contains your official race tee, customised race bib, and access passes to exclusive training

events to get your adrenaline in full swing – you’ll have one week to montage your way to Rocky-style greatness before taking to the track.

You may have completed last year’s 5km run without breaking a sweat, but this year you’ll undoubtedly begin to feel the burn. Extending the race to 7km, the run around the marina will see running enthusiasts aged 15 years and up come together at Gardens By The Bay to put their endurance to the test. Whether you choose to go the distance alone and bask in the glory solo, or assemble a team of runners with a common victory, you won’t want your feet to fail you before you hit the finish line. Not when there’s up to $200 in cash for individuals and $500 for teams up for grabs per prize category, with all finalists walking away with a fresh new pair of New Balance Vazee Rush worth $169.

What’ll truly set you apart, however, is whether you choose to go above and beyond by running an extra kilometre, earning you an exclusive badge and unlimited bragging rights.

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Whether you finish flying colours or come lucky last, everyone reaps the rewards of participating with a post-race party for the ages. After getting your electrolyte levels back in order, there’ll be little stopping you from a guiltless award of free truffle fries, ice cream and Wunderbar craft beer at the NB Pop-Up Festival, before moving your feet and burning calories once more for reinvigorating performances by electronic pop quintet, Riot !n Magenta, and ATTAGIRL! sonic ambassador, DJ A/K/A. Work hard, play hard; those are the rules.

If you need a little encouragement, sign your name on the dotted line and don’t look back.

Lace up, dig deep and get ready to rack up those medals.

New Balance Run On 2016 hits the track on August 20 at 5pm at Gardens By The Bay. For more info and registration details, visit nbrunon.sg.

Text Trent Davis Images New Balance

From the 996s that go with your denim to the 818s that get you through grueling workouts, New Balance is steadfast in pushing the boundaries of its running shoes. This time, for the return of the iconic footwear brand’s annual race by the bay, it will be devoted wearers who are pushed to their limits. Raising the stakes on all fronts, from race distance to post-run celebration, New Balance Run On 2016 promises to work you hard and have you partying even harder than before.

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SQUAD GOALS

THEIR METHODS MAY BE UNCONVENTIONAL, BUT WHEN THERE’S A JOB TO BE DONE THAT EVEN THE JUSTICE LEAGUE WON’T TOUCH, YOU CALL IN THE SUICIDE SQUAD. THOUGH THEY MAY NOT ALWAYS GET ALONG AND MOST CERTAINLY DON’T PLAY NICE, THERE’S A LOT MORE TO THIS DEADLY BAND OF MISFITS THAN MEETS THE EYE. HERE ARE SOME POINTS YOU’LL WANT TO ADD TO THE DOSSIER BEFORE CROSSING THEIR PATH.

Text Trent Davis Images Warner Bros. Singapore

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They’re Just Following Orders The truth is that they’re simply bad dogs on the government’s leash. First assembled by A.R.G.U.S agent, Amanda Waller, the outfit originally operated under the name of Task Force X (we can see why they went for something a little more menacing) to carry out dangerous missions in exchange for reduced prison sentences.

If you ever wondered how these villains kept ‘escaping’ their cages, it’s because the higher-ups wanted it that way.

They’re Not The Real Bad Guys You know that you’ve got a serious situation on your hands when you need to enlist a group of public enemies to save the day.

Imagine if Superman was roped in to eliminate every threat that comes up on the radar. ‘Discrete’ is not something in the Man Of Steel’s vocabulary. When it comes to taking out terrorist organisations and treading into territory where the government shouldn’t be, a group of criminal killers is probably a safer bet than a guy wearing bright red underwear.

They Don’t Play By The Rules The problem with caped crusaders is that they’re always conflicted by some virtuous moral code, constantly fighting the urge to put their foes six feet under to settle the score – and where does it get them?

A whole bunch of maniacs escaping Arkham and billionaire villains terrorising cities, that’s where. But not the Suicide Squad; these guns for hire don’t take half measures, and if they want a problem to disappear, a swing of Harley Quinn’s baseball bat or a bullet from Deadshot’s rifle will solve it.

They’re Entirely Expendable They’re named the Suicide Squad for a reason. Death is just an occupational hazard in this line of work, and for some, a fair trade to get out of handcuffs for a while. To make sure none of them step out of line while in active duty, each member has a microbomb surgically implanted to remind them of who’s in charge. The beauty of having convicts do your dirty work is that they tend to not be missed when they’re gone – at least, that’s how head honcho Waller sees it.

Suicide Squad hits the big screen on August 4. suicidesquad.net

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They Can Come Back From The Dead In the event that Rick Flag or Killer Croc catches a bullet while daydreaming of tearing Batman to shreds, Waller has a contingency plan should anyone in her squad perish. Having noticed that, true to their name, members of the Suicide Squad were prone to dying, she decided it was wise to find a way to resurrect them, by developing the Samsara serum. So don’t be too torn up if you see any of your favourites die on screen – they might just come back to fight another day.

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X-CLUSIVE NEEDS

BACK TO THE FUTURE

“Life’s Good” for LG after the hotly sought-after G5 modular smartphone, and the brand shows no signs of letting up with the new X series. Rather than cramming everything it can into one smartphone, its latest lineup caters different features to different needs – a simple concept that makes a surprising amount of sense. Totalling six models that each focus on a specific feature, such as battery life (X power), camera (X cam), performance (X mach) and screen size (X screen), the smartphone range gives users control over what specs they want, without paying through the nose for features they don’t need.

Price TBA. For more info and updates, visit lg.com/sg.

Taking place at Old Kallang Airport, Club Malam will be as much a throwback as it is a leap into the future. Inspired

by Singapore’s nightlife scenes of the ’40s and ’50s, eight artists from Singapore, Indonesia and Germany will transform our first commercial airport into an explosive rave, where music, digital media, installation and performance art collide. Highlights include NADA, a visual arts and sound project that conjures lost eras by reimagining traditional and popular Malay music from the ’60s to ’80s through a contemporary lens; and Senyawa, a two-man band that creates haunting, experimental music through their self-made instruments.

Free admission with O.P.E.N. pass, from July 7 to 9 at Old Kallang Airport. For more info, visit sifa.sg/theopen.

HP SPECTRE IN NEED OF A BUDDY PRONTO? PALLY ASIA HAS ARRIVED TO PROVIDE YOU WITH FRIENDS FOR A FEE, FROM PHONE CALLS WHEN YOU’RE LONELY TO LAST-MINUTE GROOMSMEN. IT SEEMS MONEY CAN BUY YOU ANYTHING…

BE A PART OF IT

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Back for its 8th edition, Art Apart Fair is taking art away from the conventional white cube format of the art fair and into the living room. For two months, Isetan Wisma Atria will be transformed to resemble a cosy home, while showcasing over 800 curated artworks for buyers to better visualise them in the context of their own residences. Keeping in theme, contemporary pieces will be matched with vintage, retrofitted furniture, while modern and pop art will be displayed alongside industrial furniture. Time to look at art with fresh eyes.

From July 8 to August 28 at Isetan Wisma Atria.

ONE-UP ON THE OTHERS Doing away with its initial invite-only formula, OnePlus’ latest flagship killer, the OnePlus 3, now allows all Android enthusiasts to get in on the smartphone that continually outdoes itself. Carved from a single slab of aluminium, its sleek, ultra-thin unibody design places it amongst premium flagship models, while packed to the brim with features that make it a multimedia monster. With a Snapdragon 820 processor, Adreno 530 GPU and 6GB RAM behind the wheel, games and resourceheavy applications, as well as its sharp 16MP camera, run seamlessly on the improved version of OxygenOS. That’s more than one plus if you ask us. $699, available at authorised retailers from July 30.

When a laptop adopts the name of a sinister organisation from a Bond film, you know there’ll be some devilishly good features in it. At a mere 10.4mm thin (roughly the width of a AAA battery), the Spectre’s CNC-machined aluminium chassis makes it the world’s thinnest laptop. Sporting a high gloss copper finish and a furniture-inspired ‘hidden hinge’ design for a dose of luxury, the 1.11kg PC’s 13.3-inch Corning Gorilla glass display and Bang & Olufsen stereo speakers are matched by the performancepushing hardware beneath, packing a 6th Generation Intel Core iProcessor, 8GB RAM and up to nine hours of battery life. Sounds like Q’s handiwork.

From $2,299, available at authorised retailers.

MORNING MUSE

Waking up to the smell of fresh coffee might be the greatest part of any morning.

Waking up to discover you’re out of coffee, however, might just be the worst. That problem ends with Joe Curious, Singapore’s first monthly coffee subscription to deliver beans ready for the grinding to your doorstep.

Rather than your typical cup of Joe each morning, each month you’ll be sent a new bag of roasted beans from an international roaster – from independent roasters in Hong Kong to big names from the U.S. – with your choice of espresso or filter varieties. That’s something worth getting out of bed for.

From $30 per month (single 250g bag). For more info, visit joecurious.sg.

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Akesson’s Madagascar Wild Pepper 75% 60g ($11.40)

dark desires Give a round of applause for the winners of this year’s Academy Of Chocolate Awards.

Sourced from farms located in the Sambriano Valley in North-Western Madagascar, this bold, aromatic bar offers a fruity-sweet tartness with

GOLD

hints of red berries and citrus, while combining the gentle spice and earthy accents of Madagascar’s rarest pepper, the voatsiperifery.

Marou ‘Treasure Island’ 75% 80g ($15) Made from Vietnamese cocoa beans from small, family-owned farms on

SILVER

the island of Tan Du Phong in the Mekong Delta, this limited edition bar is extra dark and intense, with a velvety texture that highlights hints of red fruit. A fine introduction to those new to Vietnamese beans.

Dick Taylor Belize, Toledo 72% 57g ($14.40)

Available at hellochocolate.asia.

Using a modern approach to the traditional European technique of making

BRONZE

chocolate, the beans of Belize’s Maya Mountains see full expression in this bar. Smooth and well-rounded, aromas of dried plum and cherry harmonise with the citrusy expression of the cacao.

NOSTALGIC NOISE

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While the charming aesthetic of old transistor radios can bring on a sense of nostalgia, the sound they emit often doesn’t stand the test of time. Combining retro appeal with modern sound, Goodmans’ Heritage II Portable Digital Radio is worth bringing out of the house for more than its looks. Enclosed in a veneered wooden cabinet, the 24W stereo speakers go beyond the radio functionality of its ancestral muses, boasting the ability to link up to additional Heritage speaker systems to boost the reach of your audio, while giving you access to the far reaches of the world with over 16,000 global radio stations through the UNDOK app and your go-to tracks on Spotify. This one’s definitely not behind the times. $599, available at Antė, including Level 3 Tangs Plaza.

Text Jerlene Ng & Trent Davis Images Various Sources

LOCO FOR COCO

LICENCED TO CHILL

This is a question that only true-blue chocolate fanatics can answer: What’s better than chocolate gelato? Dark chocolate gelato, of course.

With the sweltering weather on our backs, the folks at Chocolate Origin set out to concoct a chocolate-y antidote that distils its signature chocolate ganache cake into an icy cold gelato form. This project took five years in the making, but the chain has finally launched its very own Dark Chocolate Gelato. Made from premium fresh milk and rich Belgian chocolate, every spoonful gives you a bittersweet kick that leaves you craving for more creamy, velvety goodness.

From $4.50 per scoop, available at Chocolate Origin.

Sometimes the name says it all, and in the case of Chill AF Music And Art Market, there’s no second-guessing what to expect at this shindig.

Browse artisanal wares from the likes of The Half Half Studio’s concrete homewares, Operation Overhaul’s crocheted accessories and plym’s intricate tapestries to name a few, before digging into grub specially prepared by The Red Baron.

Acoustic performances by Disco Hue, Ellipsis, Take-Off and more are set to soothe the soul, and those who want a heads-up on the future can even seek the wisdom of a fortune teller – though, you probably already know, the answer will likely be “good vibes”.

On July 23 at Red Baron, Gillman Barracks. navigate

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ZOUK’S 25TH ANNIVERSARY, THE SILVER JUBILEE AT ZOUK THE SOUND OF SILVER

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EP!C PRESENTS KNIFE PARTY AT ZOUK DANCE FOR DAYS

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GUILTY PLEASURES AT OVEREASY ORCHARD SHAKE IT OFF

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BEAT CAMP FEAT. GRAVITY & DREM AT REFUGE BEATS AND BEYOND

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FORWARD FEAT. MIND AGAINST AT K YO FROM BERLIN WITH TECHNO

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W SINGAPORE X ZOUK PRESENT WET HOT SUMMER AT W HOTEL BOYS AND GIRLS OF SUMMER

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TIME MACHINE FRIDAYS FEAT. BRYNNY AT ALTIMATE PARTY SKY HIGH

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SUMMER STRIP AN ETERNAL POOL PARTY SERIES AT TANJONG BEACH CLUB GET YOUR BEACH ON

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THE BRONX - MR BOO’S BIRTHDAY BASH FEAT. OLLIE DES & SPECIAL K AT CANVAS HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BOO!

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MYSTERE CARNAVAL ATTICA 12TH ANNIVERSARY AT ATTICA VIVA CARNIVÀLE!

S H O P AT T H E S E S T O C K I S T S 3.1 PHILLIP LIM #01-16 MARINA BAY SANDS

COACH #02-13 TO 16 PARAGON

MARC JACOBS #01-11 MANDARIN GALLERY

SWAROVSKI #01-25 TO 27 TAKASHIMAYA

ALDO #B2-20 ION ORCHARD

COLE HAAN #02-11 PARAGON

MARNI #01-06 PARAGON

SWATCH #B2-37 ION ORCHARD

BERSHKA #B2-09 TO 11 ION ORCHARD

COS #03-23 ION ORCHARD

MSGM LEVEL 2 TAKASHIMAYA

THOMAS SABO #B1-26 ION ORCHARD

BIMBA Y LOLA #B1-04 ION ORCHARD

DA’CAVE #02-37 QUEENSWAY SHOPPING CENTRE

NIKE #03-19 ORCHARDGATEWAY

TOMMY HILFIGER #B1-27 ION ORCHARD

PEDRO #B3-10 ION ORCHARD

TOPSHOP/ TOPMAN #B2-01/#B3-02 ION ORCHARD

BRATPACK #02-10 ORCHARD CINELEISURE CALVIN KLEIN UNDERWEAR #03-19 PARAGON CHARLES & KEITH #B2-12 TO 14 NGEE ANN CITY CLUB 21B #01-07 TO 09 FORUM THE SHOPPING MALL CLUB MONACO #B1-41/47/48 NGEE ANN CITY

FOREVER 21 #01-10 TO 13 313@SOMERSET H&M ORCHARD BUILDING LOEWE #01-11/12 PARAGON MAJE #B2-109 MARINA BAY SANDS MANGO #02-23/24 313@SOMERSET

QUIKSILVER #01-04/05 ORCHARD CENTRAL RALPH LAUREN #01-01 TO 03 SHAW CENTRE SANDRO #B2-108 MARINA BAY SANDS STÜSSY #03-03 ORCHARD CINELEISURE

TORY BURCH #02-28 WISMA ATRIA UNIQLO #03-27 TO 34 313@SOMERSET ZARA LIAT TOWERS

final word

STUCK AT THE STARTING LINE

OUT OF THE THOUSANDS OF FILMS THAT ARE RELEASED EACH YEAR, AN EVEN GREATER NUMBER NEVER SEE THEIR SCRIPTS MAKE IT TO CELLULOID. BUT OF THOSE FILMS THAT ARE ABANDONED TO SUFFER A SLOW DEATH, THERE ARE A NUMBER THAT ARE WORTH DYING TO SEE. DIRECTORS, LISTEN UP!

NEILL BLOMKAMP’S ALIEN SEQUEL After countless Hollywood flops, fans were thrilled when the District 9 director unveiled unsolicited Alien concept art. But even with an enthusiastic Sigourney Weaver on board, the film was proverbially c*ck-blocked by original Alien director, Ridley Scott, who has his own upcoming sequel. If there are any more squids in this one, tables will be flipped.

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Carruth’s brain-melting time travel debut, Primer, showcased how big this director can go on a meagre US$7,000 budget.

However, for his ambitious decade-long project, A Topiary, US$14 million was too much for studios to bite, despite praising the script. We couldn’t wait to see a group of teenagers build artificial goliaths that end up taking over the world.

CLAIR NOTO’S THE TOURIST Centred on a community of disguised extraterrestrials in Manhattan seeking to return to their home planet, Noto’s sensual sci-fi novel proved too dark, challenging and sexy for studios to pull the trigger on. Instead of an atmospheric and existential story exploring the concept of alienation, we got Men In Black. You see, Hollywood, this is why we can’t have nice things.

TIM BURTON’S SUPERMAN LIVES Long before he became the subject of many-a-meme, Nicolas Cage was poised to don the red undies in Tim Burton’s Superman Lives. But after of countless script rewrites and a test suit that featured flashing lights, dreams of seeing the Con Air star floating above a devastated Metropolis crying, “How did it get burned?!” were butchered only months before release.

NICK CAVE’S GLADIATOR 2 While Maximus’ death closed the book on Gladiator, prolific Aussie musician, Nick Cave, imagined the lead’s return as a reincarnated immortal. Sent by the Roman Gods to go to battle throughout the ages, the script saw the Roman assassinating Jesus to fighting in ’Nam. As exciting as it sounded, studios were neither keen on the story, nor its title, Christ Killer.

ALEJANDRO JODOROWSKY’S DUNE From H.R. Geiger’s concept art and a Pink Floyd soundtrack to appearances by Orson Welles and Salvador Dali, the Chilean filmmaker’s take on the sci-fi epic, Dune, promised to be one of the greatest films ever made – and, also downright insane. But financiers saw little prospect in a film that may’ve run over 10 hours, and the creative team was dismantled.

CORMAC MCCARTHY’S BLOOD MERIDIAN The American novelist has seen his books hit the big screen to widespread acclaim – but his magnum opus, Blood Meridian, has been deemed too violent for film.

While he’s convinced his historical story about a gang of scalp hunters can be done, the “unfilmable” screenplay’s failed pursuers include Tommy Lee Jones, Ridley Scott, and, most recently, James Franco.

QUENTIN TARANTINO’S DOUBLE V VEGA Having toyed with the idea of bringing brothers Vic and Vincent Vega (from Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction, respectively) together for a standalone film for decades, Tarantino has said that he’s yet to find a story that warrants the novelty of an aged Michael Madsen and John Travolta stirring up trouble (in suits, sunglasses, and buckets of blood, no less).

Text Trent Davis Images Various Sources

SHANE CARRUTH’S A TOPIARY

FIND

HERE BARS & CLUBS

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