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2020 unwrappe d
ALBUMS, N EWS, GIGS AN D REVI EWS OF TH E YEAR + WTF IS HAPPE N I NG WITH SPOTI FY an d STREAM I NG? + a look at 2021
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s the “worst year EVER!!” comes to end, it is the perfect time to reflect on the few positives that we were given to remind us it’s not all doom and gloom. We have had some of the best albums ever released as well as some amazing films that you planned to see in the cinema but just watched on your sister’s Netflix instead. Happy Holidays from all of us at LDN.
Olly Childs
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his year has been a rollercoaster for all of us. I have been staying in Latvia since March and LDN is one of the few things that has kept my mind busy and made me work hard during these dark months. I miss my friend’s faces in London, but I still get the honour to showcase their talent between these pages. We’ll get through this. Together.
Anna Runa
SPOTI FY SCAN M E
WE LCOM E NOTEs
CONTE NTS 4 N EWS: WHAT HAPPE N E D I N 2020? 6 BI M M I ntroduci ng: Kaia Vi e i ra 8 2020 UNWRAPPE D: Albums, tracks, gam ES, FI LMS & TV 16 Album Revi ews 18 Live Revi ew: N iall horan 20 OUR TOP 5 ch ristmas movi es 21 get creative: drawi ng classes on zoom, for charity 22 fantastic Plastic: dev from i dles 24 OPI N ION: WH E N CIVI L RIGHTS M E ETS SOCIAL M E DIA 27 m ISSY'S M USI NGS: dRAG RACE uk SEASON TWO REVS UP! 28 TAKE A BREAK: TH E GI NS THAT SAVE D 2020
Publisher: Jo Kendall Associate Publisher: Dani Willgress
2020 i n n ews Wow, what a year we’ve had. The music industry has been shaken to its core and stretched to its absolute limit. N EWS EDITOR: thomas - Bradey Riseley
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n March this year, with the pandemic just starting its trajectory, live music had to grind to a halt. But promoters, venues and artists were extremely flexible in their response delivering live-streamed gigs and club events on platforms such as Twitch, Instagram and Facebook. We saw some socially-distanced concerts with table service at venues such as Clapham Grand, The Electric Ballroom and The Jazz Café; Mark Ronson’s Love Stream was the first real ‘party’ event in May and there was a even a drive-in opera, La Bohème, at Alexandra Palace in September. Live music became much more accessible - if not as lucrative - allowing for people to enjoy intimate and more personal live performances form the comfort of their own home. When Niall Horan performed a one-off live show, streamed from the Royal Albert Hall, it broke all boundaries. A co-promotion by live events company Driift and Pulse Films, it raised a heap of cash for WeNeedCrew, and you cab read more about it later in the issue (page 18). As the NHS stepped up to save the nation, musicians rallied to support them, too. Skindred released a fundraising T-shirt and bands such as the Manics announced shows especially for NHS workers in 2021. But the NHS wasn’t the only important cause: after the death of George Floyd in May, artists gathered to lend their voice, influence and finance. And with music venues in trouble, fundraisers by acts such as Frank Turner were a welcome boost for the Music Venues Trust. The Grammys served up their excuse for a nomination list, not short of surprises but more bizarre than we’re used to. Read more on our website, and watch Slowthai loose his shit.
Hall of fame: Niall and band go Royal
Little Richard: King (and Queen) of rock and roll
Unfortunately, like every year, we’ve lost musicians and, more than ever, their passing has had a significant impact – Little Richard, Neil Peart, Andy Weatherall and Eddie van Halen, naming just a few. 2020 has been tough but, much like our Christmas plans, it needs to be abandoned in preparation for what could eventually be an amazing 2021. Personally, I’m looking forward to the potential return of live music. Tyler, The Creator’s two-year album cycle is set to continue and hopefully he can continue his trend of growing creativity and the success and quality of 2019’s ‘Igor’.
Tyler: back for album six
According to Ed O’Brien, Radiohead are due to tour again in 2021, leading to rumours of a new LP. We can also look forward to new albums from Foos, Lana Del Ray, Ashnikko, Weezer, Rihanna, Adele, Arlo Parks, Steven Wilson and loads more… Stepping away from music I’m most looking forward to; chewing the fat down the pub, giving my nan a hug and playing football in the rain. I’m not asking Father Christmas for very much this year, I only wish for the safety and health of all of my friends and family and hopefully a breakthrough in the Covid-19 response – and maybe a PS5.
N EWS / 5
Parliam e nt discusses th e econom ics of m usic stream i ng Words: thomas - Bradey Riseley
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his December a panEuropean Parliamentary board opened the doors for industry professionals, music lawyers and musicians to put forward their view of how the payment of music streaming apps to artists affects artists and music industry professionals alike. Following Spotify’s long-criticised strategy and their latest message to new artists to take a hit on potential income for a chance to get more exposure, the discussion has drawn attention from musical A-listers such as Radiohead/EOB’s Ed O’Brien, Nile Rodgers and Elbow’s Guy Garvey as well as music lawyers and royalties accountants. The first two sessions laid out the Spotify business plan, starting with the fact that the price of a monthly subscription never changes despite the amount of listens – whereas getting permission for use of the music commercially, or physical sales reward the artist with royalties alike. Nadine Shah commented on how such little income has compounded the effects of the Covid pandemic,
so not being able to do live shows or get into a recording studio. Guy Garvey encouraged smaller artists like Nadine to “be more honest with their income” thus being able to qualify for more Government, union and charitable help. O’Brien mentioned his road crew, backing band and other technicians left behind by the Government’s selfemployed and creative industries Covid-19 relief plan. Nile Rodgers demanded transparency between partners claiming, “Every time I have audited a label, I have found money – and sometimes it’s staggering, the amount of money.” He also asked the panel if any of the ‘learned group of people’ knew how much a stream was actually worth – he or the artist isn’t allowed to know due to the label signing NDAs with the streaming services. According to The Guardian, analysists estimate a single stream is worth $0.00318, meaning for every 1,000 streams an artist would receive $3.18 or £2.41. It is common knowledge that Spotify doesn’t pay by the stream. But they
also don’t pay the artist directly, they pay the label or publishing company first, signed with an NDA, leaving the artist vulnerable. While not being the only music streaming app to exist, Spotify are at the forefront of the discussion as they are the largest and most influential app, and have been for years. In 2013, Beck stated, “what Spotify pays me isn’t enough for me to pay the musicians I work with, or the people producing or mastering my music. The model doesn’t work”. Neil Young famously pulled the majority of his catalogue from Spotify and started his own app ‘Neil Young Archives’, stating quality issues as the reason. Tom Gray (Gomez, PRS for Music and Ivors Academy) says “‘Spotify should pay artists more’ is a good rallying call, but it’s not a solution until you address the question of ‘how?”. If artists and industry professionals find solutions to their problem, now is the time to speak. At LDN, we look at Bandcamp and its regular fee-free Fridays. That’s a model that works for the artists.
"Som e of my fri e n ds are th i n ki ng of leavi ng m usic altogeth e r. It's real sham e but th e re is also a ce rtai n amount of faith that we wi ll get th rough th e oth e r si de."
Kaia Vi e i ra
BI M M I NTRODUCI NG / 7
Kaia Vieira is an up-and-coming artist from Bournemouth currently studying at BIMM London on the songwriting course. Vieira has a wide range of musical tastes including everything from modern soul and jazz to drum and bass. In 2020 she released her EP ‘Vikāra’ which features the track ‘Where Did You Go?’ and recently the Bladerunner remix surpassed 40,000 streams on Spotify. She talks to LDN about lockdown, finding “green spaces” and self-mercy Words: Conor Sharkey-GLACKIN
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ROM AN ARTIST’S PERSPECTIVE, HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE 2020? Unstable. Confusing. Pretty volatile. Yeah it has just been very hard to plan and how to set your ideas at the moment, but I find it’s quite sad as well how many of my musician friends are thinking of leaving it altogether. It’s a real shame but I think there is also a certain amount of faith that we’ll get through the other side and be able to resume another life, even if it’s a new life. DO YOU THINK STUDYING AT BIMM HAS PREPARED YOU WELL FOR BREAKING INTO THE MUSIC INDUSTRY? WOULD YOU RECOMMEND STUDYING HERE? I think the biggest thing for me are the contacts I’ve made. All these teachers are industry professionals and I wanted to treat it like that since day one, just show up and present myself as I would with any professional and I think that’s enabled me to find Paul [Ablett], my manager and one of my songwriting teachers, Ian Sillett who became my mentor as well. I think there is so much that you can learn but at the end of the day you must propel your own learning. The more you can incorporate that into your own career and your own journey it becomes much easier to do it and stay motivated. DID YOU NOTICE ANY MAJOR DIFFERENCES IN YOUR CREATIVE PROCESS DURING LOCKDOWN? WAS IT HARD TO FIND INSPIRATION? It was a real rollercoaster. There were times when the solitude was quite great in some ways to be creative. I often tried to get into nature and green spaces. I would also have real low points in lockdown like so many people have had. I think that’s just been the nature of it. I would suggest practising a lot of self-mercy and self-forgiveness during this strange time. You’re not going to get back to where you want to be without giving yourself some forgiveness and space first.
THE BLADERUNNER REMIX OF ‘WHERE DID YOU GO?’ HAS REACHED 40,000 STREAMS ON SPOTIFY, HOW DID THIS REMIX COME ABOUT, AND DID YOU EXPECT IT TO DO SO WELL? BIMM have this thing called Amplify where you get opportunities to work with other song writers, performers, and journalists. They can all get together and basically create business teams. I did that and I found it great and that was when I got the idea to do a remix to include in the EP. I’ve always loved drum and bass music which I’ve listened to since I was a teenager. I brought the idea to my manager who had a contact with Aphrodite, a drum and bass legend who was big in the 90s. He’s the head of an agency and through him I got in contact with Bladerunner. The track itself has done so well and the thing is it’s absolutely banging, I love it! HOW SATISFYING WAS IT TO PERFORM IN FRONT OF AN AUDIENCE AGAIN AFTER MONTHS OF NOT BEING ABLE TO? It felt so good. I recently began busking at a market in Croydon, which will return on the other side of lockdown. The performer in me had so much appreciation for being able to do it again, it felt like complete freedom. I could tell how much the people who I interacted with on the streets were feeding off it. My band and I are hoping to do another busking gig before Christmas and get some new music out to the people. WHAT CAN WE EXPECT FROM YOU IN 2021? I’ve got a lot of new material that I’m working on. A lot of stuff was written before and during lockdown so I’m figuring out what could work as a single or an EP. I’ve got big aspirations for an album and I’d like to get something out in spring. I’m also thinking about potentially doing a busking tour with my band. Find out more at www.facebook.com/kaiavieiramusic
BLADERUNNER'S REMIX OF "WHERE DID YOU GO?" IS AVAILABLE ON YOUTUBE AND ALL STREAMING SERVICES
2020
unwrappe d Th e TOP 20 ALBUMS
Voted by us! 2020 certainly has been an…eventful year. Despite all the ups and downs we’ve been gifted with some amazing albums over the last twelve months. Music that is a true reflection of the time we’re living in such as ’RTJ4’ or fantastic pop records that offer true escapism like Dua Lipa’s ’Future Nostalgia’ have made the soundtrack to a year that everyone wants to forget, quite memorable. Whether you wanted to get ’weird’ with YUNGBLUD or were entranced by the ’Folklore’ of Taylor Swift there was certainly something for everyone to listen to. Rock heavyweights The Strokes returned after a seven-year hiatus, Gorillaz unleashed their ’Song Machine’ upon the world and we said a poignant goodbye to Mac Miller on his emotional posthumous release ’Circles’. As we look ahead to next year with optimism, it’s important to reflect on how amazing the year was in terms of album releases. There were far too many great albums to include (we only had space for 20 after all). If you can take anything from this list it’s the fact that when listeners needed something to fill the void, the artists delivered. Words: Conor Sharkey-Glacki n
2020 UNWRAPPE D / 9
20
A Hero’s Death Fontaines D.C.
19
weird!
YUNGBLUD
18
Ultra Mono IDLES
17
BIMM Dublin’s alumni returned with a second LP of stark, stirring post-punk.
The Bonny Gerry Cinnamon
An LP of “Coming-ofage, self-acceptance and liberation,” said our reviewer Megan Hofman.
16
Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez Gorillaz
15
How do you follow ‘Joy As An Act Of Resistance’? With something even more pissed off. With album number two, the Scottish troubadour showed his wit, wisdom and way with a tune.
Positions
Ariana Grande
14
EDNA
Headie One
Stuffed with features, this 17-song collection took in Elton John, Robert Smith and Skepta.
13
Chromatica Lady Gaga
Grande grows up with the most adult record of her career so far. See page 17 for our review. Tottenham rap, trap and drill maker Headie pays a touching tribute to his late mother.
Dancefloor anthems are back with Gaga’s electroalien concept album.
10 / 2020 UNWRAPPE D
12
Self Titled
Working Men’s Club
11
Untitled (Black Is) SAULT
10
After Hours The Weeknd
9
The Manchester indie band impressed us with their synth-drum machine dance style.
8
A timely slice of soulful UK social commentary. See our review on p17.
The New Abnormal The Strokes
Plastic Hearts Miley Cyrus
7
Circles
The Grammys snubbed him, but not us. We live for the Weeknd.
Mac Miller
6
RTJ4
NYC’s finest art-rockers returned, exploring joyful new directions.
Run The Jewels
5
With rock and punk in her locker, Miley got raw. See our review on P16.
Women In Music Pt. lll HAIM
The much-missed rapper left this intriguing indie-singer-songwriter collection for all to enjoy. Righteous anger in an age of turmoil, RTJ’s best album to date. The three sisters delivered a tour-de force of soft rock songs and big beats.
4
3
SAWAYAMA Rina Sawayama
Bursting with character, the Japanese-British creator mashed up dance, rock, electro and anything else to hand in this bold and fun debut.
Notes On A Conditional Form The 1975
Much-delayed but worth the wait, Matt Healy’s group got us through the summer of Covid with a record of genreshapeshifting songcraft.
Taylor Swift
Teaming up with The National’s Aaron Desner and Bon Iver gave Tay Tay some indie-folk cred that worked surprisingly well. And then ‘evermore’ arrived…
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he’s come along way since her more undergroundsounding self-titled debut of 2017. Now Not only does Dua Lipa have six Grammy nominations under her belt, but ‘Future Nostalgia’ also won the top spot as our favourite album of the year. From super-catchy hit single ‘Don’t Start Now’, to the equally snappy ‘Good In Bed’, this disco-infused pop record has no skips. It is hard to choose a favourite track. Dua Lipa really outdid herself, as this album is a great successor to her first steps.
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2
folklore
FLOORtJE JANSE N
Future Nostalgia Dua Lipa
12 / 2020 UNWRAPPE D
bubbling un deR...
Film of the year: ‘Parasite’
The albums that got away.
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ou’ve seen our Top 20, but, once the industry realised that albums could be released still, even with a pandemic raging – the show must go on – there were plenty more records that just missed our chart. 2020 saw a strong indie rock showing with the releases of Nothing But Thieves’ third album ‘Moral Panic’ as well as Sport Team’s debut ‘Deep Down Happy’ and The Cribs eights album ‘Night Network’ (see page 16 for our review). The K-Pop force was strong with BTS in the charts – and BLACKPINK also blessed us with their LP ‘The Album’; meanwhile Kevin Parker, aka Tame Impala, pushed his psychedelic boat out further with ‘The Slow Rush’. The return of Slim Shady and Childish Gambino gave the rap and hip-hop scene to gush over with ‘Music To Be Murdered By’ and ‘3.15.20’. Respectively , everyone’s favourite Irish Directioner Niall Horan brought out his second record ‘Heartbreak Weather’. Nineties pop group Steps also had a comeback with ‘What The Future Holds’. Speaking of pop, internet enigma Poppy showed the world her frankly quite frightening, but also thrilling, nu metal sound with ‘I Disagree’. The year didn’t stop there as The Vamps also had a release with ‘Cherry Blossom’ and iconic bassist Thundercat had ‘It Is What It Is’ grace our sound waves. Truly a remarkable year for music, and life. Olly Alex Ch i lds
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he film industry took a bit of a hit this year, too, with some films such as the new James Bond movie ‘No Time To Die’ creeping back further and further into the decade and TV shows having to rethink filming in sociallydistanced ways. However, when the dust settled, there was much to enjoy on screens both big and small. Honourable mentions go to ‘Bill & Ted Face The Music’, ‘Small Axe’ and ‘The Rap Game’, who just fell outside of the main selections. Here’s to more great stuff in 2021. JK Fi lms Of Th e Year 1. Parasite 2. Tenet 3. The Assistant 4. Queen & Slim 5. 1917 6. Let Them All Talk 7. Bacurau 8. Jojo Rabbit 9. Eurovision Song Contest: The Story Of Fire Saga 10. The Trial Of The Chicago 7 TV Of Th e Year 1. Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker (Netflix) 2. The Last Dance (Netflix) 3. The Queen’s Gambit (Netflix) 4. Little Fires Everywhere (Amazon Prime Video) 5. Dead To Me (Netflix) 6. High Fidelity (Hulu) 7. The Crown - Season 4 (Netflix) 8. Noughts + Crosses (BBC One) 9. Never Have I Ever (Netflix) 10. Cheer (Netflix)
giulia lom bardo Read Giulia's Movie Soundtrack Wednesday each week at ldnmagazine.com
unwrappe d tracks of th e year
Borderline
Levitating
Blinding Lights The Weeknd
Therefore I Am
Tame Impala
Dua Lipa feat. DaBaby
WAP
Don’t Wanna
Save A Kiss
Cayendo
Eat, Sleep, Wake (Nothing But You)
Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion
Green Eyes Arlo Parks
HAIM
Frank Ocean
Billie Eilish
Jessie Ware
Bombay Bicycle Club
CODE TO LISTE N ON SPOTI FY SCAN TH E CODE TO LISTE N ON SPOTI FY
2020
14 / movi es an d tv REVI EWS Words: GIULIA LOM BARDO
TH E WI LDS T
he new series of Amazon Prime streaming from December 11, talks about a group of teenage girls, of various social backgrounds, forced by their parents to leave for a spiritual retreat to Hawaii. In the middle of the flight, the plane crashes and the girls find themselves on a deserted island. While trying to survive, they quarrel, make friends and develop rivalries
and dislikes, and discover the relative secrets they hide and the traumas they carry around. There’s the girl who falls in love with a famous author, the diving champion that suffers from an eating disorder, and her sister, who has always been an outcast. One twist after another, as the story takes shape, we realise that someone is watching the group through hidden cameras. So, what if the young girls didn’t end up on the island by accident?
TH E PROM A
n original Netflix film directed by Ryan Murphy (director of Glee, Hollywood, American Horror Story and Ratched) tells the story of Dee Dee Allen (Meryl Streep) and Barry Glickman (James Corden), two Broadway stars in decline. To rise from their tragic situation in an attempt to shine again, they decide to help a high school girl in difficulty. Her name is Emma Nolan (Jo Ellen
Pellman), a gay girl who is a victim of a terrible injustice from the PTA of the public school she attends in Indiana, because it forbids her to attend the prom together with her girlfriend Alyssa (Ariana Debose). This will give her strength to counter the student body’s backward and unjust reality; the misunderstood stars and Emma will have the opportunity to assert their rights, in a musical with a frantic rhythm and with an alluring cast.
gam es
2020 UNWRAPPE D / 15
During lockdown in 2020 we achieved a childhood dream: play video games all day, everyday. Though the world came to a halt the gaming world did not and throughout the year we were gifted with some outstanding games. Here a few picks that made the year that bit more bearable. Words: olly alex ch ilds
AMONG US
O
ne of the biggest games of the year was ‘Among Us’… who’da thought it? The online multiplayer gives players tasks on a spaceship. As a crew member you go around fixing the vessel and as an imposter you go around murdering everyone. Where the game really makes a name for itself is the meetings that take place after a body is discovered – the friendship-breaking debates trying to work out who the imposter/s is/ are is a barrel of laughs when the arguing turns to trying to find who is the most sus.
AN I MAL CROSSI NG: N EW HORIZONS
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eleased in March for Switch, ‘Animal Crossing: New Horizons’ could be labelled as the lockdown game of the year, released at the perfect time when we had nothing to do. This instalment of the super cute and popular Crossing series was the perfect escape from the virus, the news, social media, everything . As with most Animal Crossing games, you work your way up to create the ideal getaway island that grounded flights stopped you going to.
CYBE RPUN K 2077
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on’t believe the hype.” The age-old saying has never been more relevant than CD Projekt’s highly anticipated, seven-years-in-themaking game ‘Cyberpunk’. The futuristic RPG takes place in a rich fleshed-out world, with a strong, mysterious plot that could have made it the game of the year but it falls so short due to game-breaking glitches. The game was so panned by fans and critics that CD Projekts have been offering refunds to players that were left disappointed.
12 / ALBUM REVI EWS
m i ley CYRUS PLastic H earts It’s been quite a year for women in music, but no one had quite a year like Miley Cyrus. Thanks to her ’Heart Of Glass ‘cover that went viral, the anticipation for her ’Plastic Hearts’ album was bigger than anyone had ever had for her previous releases. This being Cyrus’ seventh studio album, you’d think this could be the same Miley songs recycled in a new jacket. We beg to differ; listening to this record feels like meeting the real Miley for the first time. Heavily influenced by new wave, rock and even punk, Miley is finally doing her voice justice. The mix of genres with her raw vocal offers a uniqueness that we all seek in our favourite popstars. This album is best listened to on volume 100 while you’re driving to the airport to leave your bad past behind.
REVI EWS REVI EWS REVI EWS
FLOORTJE JANSEN
Wakefield’s’ finest, The Cribs return with their eighth studio album ’Night Network’. This is the band’s first self-produced album and potentially their best in years. The album starts with ’Goodbye’, a slow start to an energetic record but what it lacks in speed totally makes up for with ethereal harmonies littered throughout the track. The LP is filled to the brim with the iconic Cribs sound fans have to come to love, with tracks such as ’Running Into You’, ’She’s My Style’ and ’Siren Song-Along’ continuing the ethos of the band using high-pitched guitar parts and twin brothers Ryan and Gary Jarman’s punk sing-shouty vocals. The band reunited with Sonic Youth’s Lee Ranaldo for the second time with a moody airy art-rock tune ‘I Don’t Know Who I Am’. Eight albums into a 20-year career and The Cribs have never sounded better. olly alex ch ilds
th e cri bs n ight n etwork
ALBUM REVI EWS / 13
D U TC HAVE L L I Dutch from th e 5tH The Scorsese film of drill albums, here’s a level of artistry that very few in their field can hope to achieve. The 16-song ‘Dutch From The 5th’ plays out like a crime film, each song representing a different scene in the movie, with Dutch narrating all these pivotal moments in his life, from his stint in prison to his heartbreaks, most fearful moments, and the deaths he’s had to deal with. The album is surprisingly deep with the former Rotterdam resident unfolding some of his more personal moments, something we’re not used to seeing from drill artists. The album is emotional, smart, and a true conquest of UK drill. GVIDAS PISCIKAS
sau lt untitle d (rise)
ARIANA G RAN DE POSITIONS ’Positions’ is a 14-track R&B infused album that is packed with plenty of innuendos to keep you on your toes. The album is aimed at embracing a new relationship and falling in love again, but sex also seems to be a common theme throughout, especially on tracks such as ’34+35’. You can work out what that adds up to yourself... ’Positions’ shows how Ariana has matured, as well as showing her softer side, particularly on tracks such as ’Safety Net’, a dreamy collaboration with rapper Ty Dolla $ign where their vocals intertwine as they deliver lyrics about accepting uncertainty and being vulnerable. ’Positions’ is an R&B masterpiece, mixed with her angelic vocals and melodies that, much like Ariana herself, are sweet, gentle, and mesmerising. JADE DADALICA
It feels as though the world has been redundant of protest music even though it is experiencing the most politically-charged era since the 1960s civil rights movement. Sault, the elusive and partly anonymous British music collective, has taken the reins of a bucking stallion of a year and released two phenomenal albums exploring revolt, rights, and righteousness. The first, ‘Untitled (Black Is)’, won BBC 6Music’s album of the year. The second, ‘Untitled (Rise)’ got my top album spot. ‘Untitled (Rise)’ is a melting pot of genres from R&B to soul and house to boogie. The seamless mixing on this record makes it feel like a euphoric journey from start to finish with adlibs and short skits, such as the minute-long ‘Rise’ and the warriorcharge energy of ‘Rise Intently’. These guys have clearly had a long hard sit listening to some Gil Scott Heron. joh n ny fry
18 / live revi ew
A N ight At Th e Royal Albe rt Hall With N iall Horan NOVE M BE R 7, 2020
A big charitable gig from a (slightly nervous) big star. Words: FLOORTJE JANSEN / photography: Conor MCDon n ell
On
October 14, in light of his COVIDcancelled ‘Nice To Meet Ya’ tour, Niall Horan announced a virtual charity gig at London’s Royal Albert Hall. He promised to donate every penny made by ticket sales, merch and extra donations to his unemployed touring crew and to the #WeNeedCrew relief fund. Hoping he would sell 70,000 tickets across four live streams, Horan spoke out about how the UK government has failed the live events industry. He outdid himself; 125,000 tickets were sold across 151 countries – resulting into more than £2 million in donations. Contrary to his usual up-tempo starts to shows, Horan’s setlist begins with ‘Dear Patience’. Dressed in a khaki jumpsuit, sitting alone in the dim-lit Hall, this is a subdued start featuring Conor Masterson’s on violin, his part stronger live than on the album, the instrument always a prominent feature on Horan’s more poignant, slower songs. As the last note finishes, Horan jumps up and joins the rest of his band for ‘Heartbreak Weather’, the title track to his recent second album. The performance is
energetic - however it would have had true justice done in a full arena where fans could sing (or scream) along. ‘Everywhere’ then starts slowly, and you can hear Horan’s voice tremble. “Are you nervous?” he asks a band mate. “Oh yeah, same, I am really nervous…” (Horan will later admit to Music Week that ‘I started freezing up a little bit’) and he soon gains his confidence again with the guitar-heavy, 70s-meets-2010s smash ‘On The Loose’, a song he’s performed countless times. Horan repeatedly emphasises that all proceeds will be donated to charity and says he wishes his fans were in the venue to see it live. When he plays his 2016 debut single ‘This Town’, he’s well in his comfort zone. For ‘Still’ and ‘Put A Little More Love On Me’ the empty arena enhances the sadder emotions of these tracks, too. LA singer Ashe joins Horan onstage to duet on her song ‘Moral Of The Story’. It’s the first time that the pair have ever met – Ashe flew in and quarantined especially for the show – and we see them sitting across from each other at an appropriate social distance, with a warm, conversational style to the performance of this romantic number. Their soft voices blend well, and Ashe does give
Horan a run for his money with the high note she hits at the end. Faster songs follow: ‘Black & White’, the uplifting new single ‘Cross Your Mind’, ‘Small Talk’ and Kasabian-esque indie dance tune ‘Nice To Meet Ya’. The latter two fuse together with a guitar solo by Jake Curran that adds a rock edge. To end, it’s back to Horan’s early days with the Fleetwood Mac-inspired, folky acoustic song ‘Flicker’. As his band leave the stage he sings, “Still
a flicker of hope that you first gave to me, that I wanna keep; please don’t leave”. It’s a symbolic and powerful ending, the touring crew starting to pack equipment up around him while he sings about wanting to hold on to something that has a small chance of staying. It adds to the image of how it is truly heartbreaking it is to see the live music industry like this. A perfect ending that demonstrates how much the events like these are needed to save what we all love: live music.
Th e Live streams of 2020...
Gorillaz Song Machine
Dua Lipa Studio 2054
Metallica Helping Hands
Burna Boy Live From London
Billie Eilish Where Do We Go?
Liam Gallagher Down By The River
20 / ch ristmas movi es
TOP 5 CH RISTMAS MOVI ES Every year, the first of December, I get ready for my annual Christmas movie marathon. With that, I mean watching Love Actually 12 times in a row. However, now that we’re locked-in during Christmas, me and my flatmates have replaced family dinners with holiday classics. Words: FLOORTJE JANSEN
1 2 3 4 5
Arth ur Ch ristmas
I’m not normally the type for animated updates of movies I haven’t seen yet, but ‘Arthur Christma’s definitely is a mustsee. It made me laugh out loud. Several times. Being able to do that in the middle of my winter depression and the pandemic is a miracle. I even might have had to brush away my tears at the end of the movie before my friends saw it. This is the kind of movie you can watch when you’re 6, 16, 26, or 600.
Last Ch ristmas
This one physically, emotionally, and mentally hurts me. I won’t reveal spoilers, but ‘Last Christmas’ might feel like a Christmas movie – but it is not. It is a heartbreaking movie, and will definitely NOT give you any Christmas spirit. However, I give it a pass (and a rewatch) because of Henry Golding, and the incredible use of Wham! songs.
LOVE ACTUALLY There is just no way around this one, and it is my all time favourite. I am not sure it is because my roommate is drooling over young Hugh Grant, or me just loving ‘River’ by Joni Mitchell playing in the movie, it is just that kind of movie you can replay over and over.
Santa Clause As far as classics go, ‘Santa Clause’ should always be included on your list. It’s funny, it’s stupid, and above all else: it makes me feel the Christmas spirit. I’m not sure if that’s because we’re a few days closer to the holiday, or because of this movie.
FRE D CLAUS ‘Fred Claus’ had been on my mind for a while, however the movie was not available anywhere. It truly felt as if it was only available on the North Pole (haha, get it?). So the extensive search for a copy of this movie hopefully felt rewarding, and I have to say this movie just never disappoints.
GET CREATIVE / 21
art house collective Looking for a New Year’s resolution that you’ll actually enjoy doing? Exercise your creative side with Art House Collective’s drawing classes. Words: dan i wi llgress
A
rt House Collective was created by Rebecca Vincent and Jade Clark, both tattoo artists finding themselves with a lack of work over lockdown. They wanted to use this additional time create a space for people that was fun safe and free for everyone. “We are not trained as teachers in the slightest” says Jade “But we have created a virtual space where it’s available and accessible to everyone. No matter your gender identity, race, ability., sexuality, age, etc.” The classes are free to join but charity donations are eagerly excepted. Currently the project is raising money for Crisis and they plan to raise money for different charities throughout the year. They’ll cover a range of styles, collaborating with a variety of artists holding sessions on Zoom two to three times a month so there will be plenty to keep you occupied. The project comes off the back of Rebecca’s drawing classes that were originally held on Instagram Live during the first national lockdown in the UK. Rebecca spoke to us about what it was like starting this community. “That hour or so after the session, when people are sending in their drawings, was always emotional,” she says. “Every artist said the same thing, how beautiful and humbling it was know that we’d been creating with people all over the world, bought together by art.” Art House Collective is open to everyone no matter their ability level, Rebecca says, “Everyone can draw! Even if you think
you’re crap, I guarantee it’s in there. The sessions are so relaxed and welcoming that I think people will soon see it’s going to be fun. There is no pressure to have your camera on or even share your work at the end.”
re becca
JADE
To join in, follow @thearthouse.collective on Instagram for updates and class schedules.
22 / FANTASTIC PLASTIC
"With Th e Strangle rs, I'd n eve r h eard a bass soun d that disgusti ng be fore."
Adam Devonsh i re I DLES
The superstar punk bassist and Record Store Day ambassador takes us through his record collection. Words: Conor Sharkey GLACKIN / PHOTOGRAPHY: BETHAN MCCON N ELL
WHAT GOT YOU INTO VINYL? Originally I bought CDs for a long time because I didn’t have a vinyl player. My family never really had one around the house, so it wasn’t something I was into until I got to the age of 15 or 16. Then all these amazing limited edition records started coming out with special tracks that weren’t available on the CD versions so it kind of grew from there, really. WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST VINYL? It was a seven-inch by a band called Gene that sounded like a Britpop version of The Smiths. It was a track called ‘For The Dead’. DID YOU FIND COLLECTING VINYL EXPENSIVE AT FIRST? I was from a council estate so there was not a lot of money going around at the time. CDs were the cheaper alternative for me to listen to new music. I worked part-time jobs, though, so I would find little bits here and there very slowly. I was also from Devon and there were not that many massive music shops around me, so it was quite difficult to find vinyl where I was from. AS A BASS PLAYER, WHEN YOU’RE LISTENING TO VINYL, DOES THE BASS STAND OUT TO YOU? You literally need to have a deeper groove to be able to hear the music better so generally, music just sounds better on vinyl. It’s a warm feeling that you don’t really get anywhere else.
'
The first time I played a Joy Division album those basslines really came through. The Stranglers was another one, I’d never heard a bass sound that disgusting before. WOULD YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF TO BE A VINYL COLLECTOR OR AN ENTHUSIAST? I’m more of an enthusiast. I like really interesting releases and I get into that side of stuff more than I do just collecting stuff for the sake of collecting it. I’m not that much of a hoarder as a person, so I will buy some choice pieces that I really appreciate. Whether it’s the packaging that it comes with or if it’s a limited-edition version, that’s mostly what I’m into. WHAT VINYL ARE YOU MOST DESPERATE TO ADD TO YOUR COLLECTION? There’s a number of Mogwai seven-inches that I would love to own, they’ve got such a massive back catalogue and there’s a few choice pieces from them I’d like to have in my collection. ‘Superheroes Of BMX’ in particular. WHAT PIECE OF VINYL WOULD YOU SAVE IN A FIRE? I’ve got an original first press 12-inch of ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart’ by Joy Division. In my opinion that is the best song ever written. I’ve got it framed. Ultra Mono By Idles Is Out Now Via Partisan Records
Dev s Desert Island Disco LCD SOUNDSYSTEM - LOSING MY EDGE JOY DIVISION – CEREMONY DONNA SUMMER - I FEEL LOVE METZ- GET OFF
24 / OPI N ION
Is Social M e dia Really Our Anti-Racism Ally? Words: sh e kh e m vig e
It's
A protester wears a mask while marching through central London on June 6, 2020, in England.
People demonstrate in Lyon, France, on June 6, 2020, to protest against the recent killing of George Floyd by police officers in Minneapolis.
my younger brothers…” That initial shock was from being reminded that because of the colour of our skin, we are more likely to be killed by the very same people that are meant to protect us. For me, that thought is always something that’s in the back of my mind, something I have to walk with daily. But when it’s placed in front of you in the form of a reallife situation, it’s a stark reminder of just how brutal a place the world is living as a black person. My second thought was, “This has been put on social media, which means it’s just going to
be another passing fad.” This second thought had me torn; on one hand I was happy and grateful that so many people were expressing how wrongly black people are being treated. On the other hand however I was very wary of the movement on social media. I am a person that does not like social media in general. I think it is a superficial space with no real substance. So for the issue of racial injustice to be placed on this platform didn’t sit right with me. In short, I do not think the hundreds of years of turmoil and anguish suffered by black people
Photos: Holly Adams (Getty) / Laurent Cipriani (AP)
a crazy time to be alive. It feels like we are all living out a real life episode of black mirror, with every day bringing new challenges and horrors to deal with. The latest, which that has been brought to everyone’s attention, being the racial injustice and discrimination faced by the black community every day. I say ‘brought to everyone’s attention’ because, although the murder of George Floyd is a heartbreaking atrocity, it is no different to what black people have been going through for hundreds of years. For want of a better term, this was just the straw that broke the camel’s back. So why has this incident created such an uproar across the world? In my opinion there is one main factor: lockdown. The outbreak of COVID-19 forced most of the world to come to a standstill, and a lot of us were inside with nothing better to do than scroll through our social media accounts or watch the news, listening and reading intently for the next update on the virus. So when the constant coverage of this deadly disease was suddenly broken up by the death of an unarmed black man, killed by an American police officer, everyone has the time, energy, and willingness to pay attention. As a black man I had a few initial thoughts and worries when I started to see the amount of traction the situation was getting. The first thing I thought (as I do every time something like this happens) was, “Damn, this could have been me, my father, one of
Image: Adrian Meadows / Fine Acts
Photo: Kathy Willens (AP)
26 / opi n ion
People chant during a Caribbean-led Black Lives Matter rally at Brooklyn’s Grand Army Plaza. 14 June 2020. New York, USA.
can be expressed through a phone screen. Of course, in this day and age the spreading of information on social media is inevitable. Anything significant that happens can and will be spread. Now we our Twitter and Instagram feeds slowly returning to normal. It is up to us as a society to make sure that "I was torn; the issue of racial on on e han d I injustice does not fade into the was happy an d darkness as it has grate ful that many a time. so many It is a common people we re trend for us to raise awareness expressi ng how about an issue as wrongly black it is happening, be people are outraged about it for be i ng treate d. a short time period, On th e oth e r then move onto the next. This does han d, I was ve ry not fix problems. wary of th e It is the equivalent move m e nt on of sweeping them social m e dia." under the rug; dealing with them on the surface and not tackling the root causes of the injustice. So I urge everyone who is reading this to make a conscious effort in your lives to address any racial biases or prejudices you have as an individual. Do not stay silent if you come across any racism in your life weather you are white, black or any other race. Change starts with the individual; only together can we fight the greater injustices within our society. Read, donate, sign petitions an d share: blacklivesmatters.carrd.co
Meet The Queens!
m issy's m usi ngs / 27
The world may be ending, but fear not, a brand new season of ‘ RuPaul’s Drag Race UK’ is here, on BBC iPlayer from January 14. The cast was revealed in a fully socially-distanced, Pride-themed photoshoot just days ago. But who are these new girls, I hear you ask? Words: m issy Fit, ldn's resident bio queen
Tayce’s beauty is striking: “I’m like a sexy owl!” Extremely on-trend, very Instagrammable, the embodiment of drag in the social media age.
tayce
siste r siste r
Comedy comes natural to Sister Sister. Her look is alternative but her face is beat, her hair is coiffed. She might have a trick or two up her sleeve.
“I’m almost the fat bastard of drag.” Lawrence brings the comedy and the curves. She’s here to show off the beauty of chubby queens, preferably lawre nce without singing or dancing. chan ey
a'whora
A’Whora designs most of her own looks, think severe, rhinestones, rich bitch. Her runways are a guaranteed serve, but how about the challenges?
“She’s camp, she’s glamour, she’s also a mess.” Tia Kofi wants to be a voice for queens of colour, as they remain underrepresented in the scene.
tia kofi
joe black
Joe Black – part-human, partvampire – is one of the most experienced queens here. She is a singer and multi-instrumentalist. “Nans love me,” she says.
We’ve got ourselves a Dancing Diva. Asttina’s style is very streetwear chique. Her goofy personality will convince the audience, but will her fashions do it for the judges?
Cherry’s look is spooky, club kid, and glamorous. Her qualifications as a mental health nurse allow a special connection between her and her fans.
Veronica is a professional singer and musical theatre star. Her look is classically beautiful. But is she innovative enough to take the crown?
astti na man de lla
ch e rry vALE NTI N E
ve ron ica gre e n
“Fancy a sliiiiiiiice?” Ginny describes themself as “an early 90s daytime TV presenter on acid.” They wore Crocs in the promo shoot. Icon.
Aged just 21, Ellie Diamond is representing the baby queens. She describes herself as “a cartoon character come to life.”
Bimini looks like she is part of the Cock Destroyers, therefore I am obsessed. As “East London’s bendiest queen” we should expect stand-out performances.
gi n ny le mon
e lli e diamon d
bi m i n i bon boulash
You can find weekly episode breakdowns with Missy’s Musings on ldnmagazine.com. Follow Missy on Insta @missyfit.bitch
28 / take a break
The 3 Gins of
Dri n kmas
When we look back on 2020 it seems to have gone in just a blink. It seems only yesterday we were cutting our own bangs, looking at buying pet tigers and baking the nation into a flour shortage. In the Spirit Of Christmas, LDN is here to provide you with the Gins of Drinkmas, to help forget the fact that we still can’t go to the pub.
If
2020 has taught us anything, it is that any liquid can be concealed in the appropriate mug. So to kick off Drinkmas the right way, lets see what’s first on the list. A personal favorite of mine, Beefeater Strawberry Pink. This gin has everything you could possibly want it a gin: its sweet, fruity and when mixed with the right mixer it tastes just like pop. proceed with caution, this drink will make you text your ex and tell your boss where they can stick it.
Words: em ily cliff
has a fine selection of flavoured and botanical gins. A favourite to spice up any passionfruit martini is the Passionfruit Gin Liquor, perfect to drink neat, or to spice up a cocktail. With those gins in mind, we hope 2021 brings endless possibilities to you and your home bars. And remember, it’s five o’clock somewhere!
Please drin k responsibly, When asking my friends LDN will not and family what gin got them be h eld through lockdown, apart from the account able overwhelming answer “a lot of it” for drun k or as my mum said “anything over texts to 40%” Whitley Neill was one of exes or the top ranking gins. From the visually aesthetic bottles, which bosses! by the way would make fantastic Christmas decorations, to the amazing gin inside. This gin is probably one of the most premium gins you can buy in a supermarket. We recommend Brazilian Lime, Rhubarb and Lemon, having these in your bar will be the perfect way to spice up your Christmas cocktail. Having a good gin doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg, while most of us just go for what’s on offer in Tesco or Sainsburys, Aldi
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