Sonar // Issue 4 by samuel davies

SONAR Issue 4

free

SONAR ISSUE 04 Editorial Welcome to issue four of SONAR, and the first of 2011! A belated happy new year from us all… Inside this month’s issue we have information on RAG WEEK, taking place in the SU from 24th-28th January, a round up of the best games of 2010, as well as a look at a handful of forthcoming books to check out in 2011. Head to page 21 for an interview with the lovely Ellie Goulding and check out this month’s fashion shoot en route, shot on location in the beautifully snowy town of Bergen, Norway, by one of Solent’s very own talented photographers, Chris Aadland. Here’s to a promising year filled with exciting new releases and for all you third years, the end of an era. SONAR wishes you all the best over the coming months, and remember, work hard and party hard kids!

Laura J. Smith // Editor & VP Communications Email // sucommunications@solent.ac.uk Twitter // @SolentComms Facebook // solentvpcomms Creative Director and Designer // Samuel Davies

CONTENTS

THREE SU ELECTIONS FIVE BEAUTIFUL THINGS

SEVEN TALES FROM THE OTHER SIDE

NINE RAISE AND GIVE / RAGWEEK

ELEVEN WORLD CO-CUP

FIFTEEN COLD AS ICE TWENTY ONE STARRY - EYED

TWENTY THREE THE HARD WORKERS

TWENTY FIVE WHEAT FREE WAY

TWENTY SEVEN HOW LO CANYOU GO? TWENTY NINE RECOMMENDED READS THIRTY ONE REVIEWS MUSIC/FILMS/GAMES

BEAUTIFUL THINGS Words // Louise Dawson

Beauty treatments. We all enjoy them. But unfortunately, we can’t always afford them. Our prayers would be answered if we could afford to splash out on manicures and back massages every other week, but we all know the ugly truth: paying the bills has to come before getting a new set of nails. However, there are in fact, cheap alternatives that mean we can do both. Just before Christmas, I attended a taster beauty morning at the Kudos hair and beauty salon at Southampton City College. Like many of you may be, I was slightly sceptical about the standard of treatments I would be receiving, after all you think, ‘It’s a college’. But soon it became clear just how wrong those doubts had been. First on the list was a chance to test out some beauty treatments; we were greeted by the students (who are also the staff) at the Kudos beauty salon in the college.We were offered a list of beauty treatments by the young, yet qualified ladies, some of whom were already under various

types of employment at local professional salons. With the extensive list of treatments available, from manicures, pedicures, massages, facials and so on, it made me wonder why, when living on a student budget, everyone doesn’t just opt for treatments at a fraction of the high street price at the local college. Situated at the end of Saint Mary’s Road (just outside the university!), it’s very tempting if you have a couple of hours spare in between lectures. In the hair salon, directly upstairs from the beauty salon, we were again greeted in the same friendly and professional manner that you would expect in any professional place. It is easy to tell that the girls who work as staff in both the Kudos beauty and hair salons know what they are doing and have a passion for their trade. They have all trained up and practice under the knowledge of their tutors who are experts in their fields. Some of the products used at the hair salon are actually exclusive to salons only so you wont be able to buy them from your local beauty store, but one

£ £

thing for sure is that at a fraction of the high street price, treatments like the nourishing hair mask I had are easy and definitely affordable enough to keep you coming back for more. My morning at the Kudos salons had certainly laid any sceptical thoughts I’d had previously on attending a college salon firmly to rest. It also made me question my constant moaning from the past year and a half of never being able to afford to wind down with a facial or never being able to take care of my hair because of my constantly empty purse, thanks to the budgeted student lifestyle we live. Now I know just how good of a job the girls at the Kudos Salons are capable of, I will certainly be making myself some free time after lectures to get glam and girly on a student budget very soon indeed.

THE

TALES OTHER FROM SIDE Words // Alexandria Armour // BA (Hons) Photography Graduate “I suppose I am quite lucky in receiving such a good job title this soon after graduating but I definitely worked hard for it. The key to landing my job was aiming high and working hard! After Uni you’re almost definitely going to have to work for free for a couple of months; I worked in three internships full time whilst working at the weekends for money for about three months before I got fed up and started applying for full time roles. My current job as an Art Consultant for LUMAS Gallery Mayfair, is very sought after and I never thought I’d get it when I found out over 700 people applied! But with a little help in writing a professional and tenacious cover letter and learning how to conduct myself in a professional manner, I managed to land it and what I learnt in the run up to taking on this role has been invaluable. You may feel like you’re the ‘skivvy’ at times and it’s hard to see the worth in getting someone’s coffee or running around London

getting someone’s front door key cut for them but these are the contacts you’ll be making for life so ALWAYS be polite.You’ll be learning life lessons and skills without even realizing it and even if you’re learning new things in an area that isn’t directly connected to what you eventually want to do, it all helps. I started in a graphicsbased role at a financial marketing company, which then led to me working on picture desk at a publishing house for airlines and trains. These both contributed to me getting a threeweek placement at British GQ magazine, which I loved! All work you do will lead to somewhere better and there is a light at the end of the tunnel (that’s packed with tea making, picking up dry cleaning, being told to do things you’ve never learned about before and being blamed for expensive Lulu Guinness bags going missing...) Just remember it will all be worth it but also not to allow yourself to be exploited.”

Words // Michael Middleton-Downer // BA (Hons) Film Graduate “After completing University in the early Summer, I was immediately able to go into full time work. I had sent my CV out to various contacts within the Film industry earlier in the year and finally heard from someone in June. It was all night shoots for the finale shoot for a micro-budget film, GUINEA PIGS (trailer now available at: http://www.traileraddict.com/ trailer/guinea-pigs/trailer). The film was a blast and even though I had previous experience on film sets (IMDb: http://www.imdb.com/name/ nm3476385/), it was my first experience with night shoots. Very odd. It was a weird feeling having breakfast at 3pm and supper at 10am! From there I received a phone call from a girl I met on set, who was working on a feature called I AGAINST I (IMDb: http://www. imdb.com/title/tt1568834/), who was heading out to shoot pickups with the director James Marquand (whose father, Richard Marquand, directed Return of the Jedi!). The experience on I AGAINST I was different than before. As it was for pickups, there was not much of a budget

left, leaving me to be Unit Driver, Runner, Production Assistant, 3rd Assistant Director, Chef and also Hand Actor! After that, I was called upon to run on four commercials for Channel 4, who were producing advertisements for Sainsbury’s Campaign for the Paralympics. This was completely different to anything I’d ever worked on. The corporate world is a cold one - but a lot more solid and reliable than the Feature Film Industry. Lastly, whilst at the Bestival music Festival on the Isle of Wight I was called up regarding a job on the London shooting leg of PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN 4: ON STRANGER TIDES (IMDb: http://www.imdb.com/ title/tt1298650/), as the Director’s PA, which unfortunately I could take on due my enrolment in a Masters degree at Bournemouth University set to commence two weeks after.”

WORLD CO-CUP Words // Dan Brett

The World Cup, highly regarded as the biggest sporting competition on the planet, has thrown up yet more controversy this month thanks to typical English stubborn mentality, allegations of rigged voting and once again, Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini. With the news that the 2018 World Cup will be held in Russia, with the following tournament breaking the mould in the United Arab Emirates for the first time in the history of the game, questions have been asked of not only those voting on the bid, but the integrity of both FIFA and UEFA. England were among those wishing to host the 2018 World Cup, with backing from Prince William, David Beckham as well as Franz Beckenbauer, leader of the successful German bid of 2006.With Blatter seemingly buttering up the English contingent, classing the country as

'the home of football' and 'the origin of the game', it seemed likely that the country would go on to seal plans, bringing 'their game back home. However, this wasn't to be, as an emotional U-turn allowed Russia to take the reigns, with an inquest launched by the English press and football fans' world wide. Acts such as these can be seen as 'typical British', thinking we have the god-given right to do what we like, however the facts are there to be seen. We not only have several purpose-built stadia across the country and a sporting fan base that spreads the length and breadth of the nation, but the passion for the game which has seen it prosper both in local communities and on the global stage. Russia, who are widely regarded as a country known for hooliganism and corruption within sport was the first of the pair to be drawn

as World Cup hosts, with delight from the Russian Football Federation, bringing football to a country which already has a wide-spread football coverage and global interest (with Zenit St. Petersberg one of the country's biggest sides, winning the UEFA Cup in 2008). However, a country known for chilling weather is stark contrast to Qatar, also known as 'Destination 2022'. The Arab country of Qatar poses many issues regarding the hosting of this major tournement, first and foremost starting with the weather. What has become a major issue amongst FIFA is Qatar's request to move the World Cup from the traditional summer tournament, to that of a winter game, allowing the heat in the country to decrease and allow for a more welcoming temperature for participating countries. Sexuality has also been an interesting talking point amongst Qatar's delegates, coupled with

issues surrounding religion. Largely a Muslim country, it is feared that religious intolerance is still rife amongst the population of cities surrounding proposed venue stadia, as well as homophobia, two instances of discrimination that FIFA has been working tirelessly over the past couple of decades to eradicate from the game â&#x20AC;&#x201C; thus placing the 2022 World Cup on a knife-edge, either cleansing the country of prejudice or bringing the game into disrepute.

Big stu ff, little pr ices.

10 14

REGOLIT Pendant lampshade

£ .52

KLIPPAN Black 2 seat sofa

152.17

LACK Red side table

£ .10

GISLEV Floral rug, 195x133cm

20.42

Cooked breakfast for 99p Monday to Friday when you sign up to our FREE IKEA FAMILY advantage card.

HAPPY INSIDE WWW.IKEA.CO.UK/SOUTHAMPTON

See more at IKEA.CO.UK/SOUTHAMPTON

dfdfdfdfdfdfdfdfdfdfdfdfdf

PHOTOGRAPHY

// CHRIS AADLAND

Stylist // TONE ANETTE ELDE // MODEL // NINA WEDVICH - SHOT ON LOCATION in BERGEN NORWAY dfdfdfdfdfdfdfdfdfdfdfdfdf

Starry Eyed Words // Laura J. Smith Interview // Dan Windle

As the self-penned information on her site reads, her name is Ellie and she plays guitar. But who is Miss Elena Jane Goulding? First, some vital statistics. Miss Goulding was born on 30th December and is currently 24 years of age.The British-born starlet rose to fame after topping the BBC Sound of 2010 poll and winning the Criticsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Choice award at the 2010. Having written songs since the age of 14, back in 2009 Ellie finally found herself signing to Polydor, leaving behind her Drama course at the University of Kent behind to pursue her music career full time. Releasing her first EP, An Introduction to Ellie Goulding in 2009, her debut full-length album followed last year, Lights, which was released later in the year as Bright Lights (featuring the addition of six new tracks). Currently touring the UK, SONAR magazineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Dan Windle caught up with Ellie at her Southampton show.

22 SONAR: Hi Ellie, nice to meet you. So before we talk music, tell me what you’ve been upto in the streets of Southampton this morning… Ellie: I went running with some of my fans! We were giving out free tickets to tonight’s show to anyone who came for a run with us this morning. S: Ah yes, we heard about this, in association with Nike right? E: Yeah. My label, Polydor, have partnered with Nike Running and they’ve been setting up runs for all the cities I’ve been playing gigs in. So I get to train alongside my fans! It’s quite a cool thing to be involved in, just quite different, and I think [Nike] were interested in the idea of getting music fans out there running and engaging in sport/exercise for a change, instead of just targeting the usual people who are already really into sport. S: How’s the tour going? E: Really good, the first night was obviously the one with all the teething problems, but it’s just got better and better, and we’ve all more

confident. It’s been loads of fun. I feel like I haven’t spent as much time with the band as I did on the last tour because I’ve been back and forth to London a lot, but for the rest of the tour I’m gonna be on the bus with them, so I’m looking forward to that. S: Tonight’s show has been sold out for months now, are you looking forward to getting up there and showing Southampton what you’re made of?! E: Definitely! I’m very excited about tonight. We’ve just been soundchecking for the show. The Guildhall is an amazing venue, fantastic high ceilings. I don’t get to play venues like this very often so I’m really looking forward to it. S: Thanks for speaking to us Ellie, just one last thing – what have you got planned for 2011? E: Well, I’ve got new stuff in the pipeline, and then we might do another tour next year and hopefully a tour in America after that. I guess we’ll just see how well the new album does, see the reaction it generates, and then who knows! S: Three cheers to the future Ellie, see you in 2011!

THE HARD WORKERS CLUB Words // Zoe Whitfield

“For Hard Working Photographers everywhere” is what they say and one of the most exciting photography blogs out there is what we say. More than just a blog though, the Hard Workers Club is a platform by which up and coming photographers can be seen and heard by you, me and your gran, plus maybe an industry bod or two. The brainchild of one Joe Miranda and one Andrew Braithwaite, the HWC showcases wondrous photography online alongside interviews with the artists, and are soon to release a publication of some of their favourites through the Hard Workers Book Club. Based in Melbourne via London via Essex, the Club boasts a simple aesthetic with glorious content aplenty.

Sonar: So Joe, what were you up to pre-HWC?

We caught up with the aforementioned Mr. Miranda, who once made me swallow my tooth in a game of stuck in the mud, circa 1996.

S: And then?

Joe: I tried a foundation course after a year off after my sixth-form evading ND course in Graphic Design, made a buttload of contacts, did lots of work for friends for free, made some things happen for me and my mates, then I went down under. In April 2009 I curated the curation of my first ‘proper’ exhibition in the Take Courage Gallery above Amersham Arms*. There were, originally, four of us, and I had intended to split the month so that each of us had a week to set a brief for the rest of us to complete. It turned out that the space and workload were a little larger than I had anticipated, so I doubled the workforce, thus halving the workload. Genius, really.

J: After helping with my girlfriend’s exhibition I was approached by some friends who were

running Diesel:U:Music Radio and became their resident photographer for the two months they were at Amersham, which gave me the chance to photo Benga, Busy P, Cutting Pink With Knives, Kano, the guys from Young & Lost Club, Domino, 1965, Modular… S: And then you went to Oz and set up the HWC? J: Yeah, It’s been really refreshing having worked for four or five years, having my photos unaccredited, working not even for free but at a loss, and having the majority of my fighting spirit beaten out of me thanks to the ‘let’s shit all over the type of person I was now that I’ve ‘made it’’ attitude a lot of the big players have. Having been in Oz and finding all the friends I have like OWT, Clinic, Holy Ghost, FEVER, Blood Of The Young, etc, it’s so refreshing to know there are people out there that just want to help each other out and chip in to push the collective effort forwards, rather than just look out for itself. I think one day I was looking for some of my ‘coolest’ images to send to a blog and have them

post them, skipping the work I actually liked, when it struck me that I’d been doing this, to no avail, for ages now. I thought, too, about how many of my peers were in the same position, how hard it is to gain exposure if you’ve not had it before, how expensive it is to get your work out there, and how a lot of the blogs alive out there, knowingly or not, were like online cliques. I hate cliques. And so, with that in mind, I set about, with my good friend Andrew, to create as good and as welcoming and all-encompassing platform for peoples with nice work who work hard to get themselves out there. S: And what’s it all about? J: Hard Work. Just hard work. And nice images. We love working with people that want to work hard and we don’t work with anybody who just phones it in. S: So it’s 2011, what’s in-store for the HWC? J: We’ll be at Sticky Institute’s zine fair in Melbourne in February, we’re hoping to put some stuff out with our new friends from across the world, an international exhibition, and keep working hard for our hard workers. Ambition is key. And I’m desperately trying to get back Down Under, away from this cold, and back to a stable house/desk combo. Ta, Joe. Now go do some hard work at www. thehardworkersclub.com * ‘Trendy’ pub/space down the road from Goldsmiths College, London.

THE WHEAT-FREE WAY 0F LIFE

Words // Hannah Blake

According to Coeliac UK, 1 in 100 people in Britain suffer from some sort of wheat allergy. After going to the doctors what seemed like a million and one times with headaches, stomach pains and constantly itchy skin my doctor suggested I gave up wheat…and since then, touch wood, I have never been back. However not everyone reacts to wheat in the same way. There are three main categories which are ‘wheat intolerance’, ‘wheat allergy’ or ‘coeliac (pronounced see-liac) disease’, the latter being the most serious form. Accumulating wheat intolerance can happen over a period of time and symptoms can include depression, anxiety and fatigue, whereas symptoms of coeliac disease can include bloating, abdominal pain, nausea, tiredness, anaemia, headaches, skin problems, joint or bone pain and nerve problems. When people diagnosed with coeliac disease eat gluten, which is found in wheat, barley and rye, the body’s immune system reacts to the gluten, making the body attack itself.

Giving up wheat is not like any old diet fad; you can’t just eat what you like – so many things have wheat in them. There is the obvious bread, pasta and cakes but gluten can also be found in some gravy mixes, chocolate bars with biscuit like Twix or Maltesers and even some types of vegetable oil. Benefits of a wheat-free diet can include help in the relief of joint pains, digestive and IBS relief and can sometimes be doctor recommended for people with blood or brain-related illnesses. Being wheat-free can also help maintain and possibly lose weight. By eliminating wheat from the diet, the body’s natural metabolism doesn’t have to work as hard because wheat can stay inside the body long after the nutrients are pulled. If you have possible wheat intolerance, the doctors always recommend you wait a month before trying wheat again because that’s how long wheat stays in your system. Also because most processed foods in packets have wheat in them and all fast-food is cooked in batter or breadcrumbs, you find your diet will

become a lot healthier. Meat, vegetables, fruit, potatoes and rice are the staple diet of a glutenfree person. At the end of the day, being wheat-free shouldn’t be seen as inconvenient – we can’t help how our bodies react but we can choose what we give them. There are many gluten-free guides on the internet and plenty of sites on Facebook that have up-to-date listings of places to eat and recipes to try. Being wheat-free is not the end of the world and never will be. Give it a go; your body may thank you for it! If you think you may have coeliac disease or want to find out more information, visit www.coeliac. org.uk or speak to your doctor.

H0W H0W H0W L0 L0 L0 CAN CAN CAN Y0U Y0U Y0U G0? G0? G0?

Words // Laura J Smith

3D…a new lease of life for the ‘dying’ industry of cinema? Perhaps. In some respects this is certainly the case, especially in terms of how it’s not (yet) possible to download pirate versions of films in all their three-dimensional glory. Arguably, 3D film encourages us to actually leave the comfort of our homes, go to the cinema, and PAY to see something. How very old-fashioned of us. But what about the future for the rest of cinema, and for the ‘old-school’ techniques that have served filmmaking so loyally for the past 100 years or so? Are they to be completely erased from contemporary cinema? Since the origins of filmmaking itself, the cinematic world has often strayed from portrayals of realism, using fantasy as escapism, and utilising the cinematic frame for the exploration of the creativity of humanity itself. Even as early as the 1900s, French filmmaker Georges Méliès (Voyage to the Moon) pioneered primitive special-effects techniques to create dreamlike mise-en-scene. Such films combined the practice of early animation and live-action techniques, allowing them to inhabit a very specific aesthetic, one of impossibility and imagination.

As spectators, we are repeatedly drawn to cinematic techniques that evade the mundane aesthetics of day-to-day life (Britain’s recurring penchant for social realism aside). So is there still a valid place for a ‘cinema of the handmade’? Certainly, many contemporary filmmakers have continued the lo-fi practices evident in the very earliest of cinematic productions. Michel Gondry, with his love of all things cardboard, Spike Jonze and the furry-costumed characters of Where the Wild Things Are and the ‘homemade’ robots of his recent short I’m Here, and Wes Anderson with his recent move into the stop-motion animation wonders of Fantastic Mr. Fox; all display a similar desire – to pursue ‘old-fashioned’ techniques and propel them into a modern, technologicallyswamped world. Claire Tennant, a modelmaker and set designer whose back catalogue includes the moving Claymation, Mary and Max and Anderson’s Fantastic Mr. Fox, believes these films achieve a different quality to their CG counterparts. “I love the way one has to be creative when trying to create effects without the assistance of digital additions. In Fantastic Mr. Fox, the explosions

are cotton wool and the fire is pieces of carved translucent soap. It always adds an extra element of interest when you know that it’s a handmade effect. I love trying to figure out how each thing is done. Hitchcock was the king of in-camera effects. It’s amazing to watch his films and think, ‘There was no post-production in this’.” Such a traditional, hands-on approach allows for a more timeless aesthetic, particularly when compared with CG techniques that seem to have a very short lifespan. Tennant feels there is a true ‘art’ to lo-fi effects: “It’s a skill that will never be forgotten. It’s always possible that we won’t be able to turn on a computer; but you can always take a piece of material and shape it with your hands. There is something really beautiful about re-creating a piece of life. Stop motion appeals to our sense of humanity and what it means to exist.” So what are the strengths of lo-fi, and what can it add to both the aesthetics and storytelling of a film? As Tennant believes, “real models will always add a tangibility to film; people

will always have a greater believe in a story if they can picture themselves in that situation or holding that thing. CG just hasn’t quite mastered that yet. It could well happen soon, but I believe in the Japanese idea of the ‘Uncanny Valley’ – a human will always recognise a ‘representation’ of a human as a fake.” Therefore, the obvious but endearing ‘fakery’ of techniques such as stop motion allow for a different spectatorial digestion. Ultimately, there will always be a place for lo-fi: “Stop motion is engaging, charismatic and tactile. These practical models will never be completely replaced by CG for the same reasons that plastic can never fully replace wood. It’s just a different quality, and perhaps the two serve different purposes.” And so it seems there is hope for the future of a ‘traditional cinema’. With too many CGI productions tainting human creativity by providing clean-cut constructions of the imagined, there’s never been a more pertinent time to embrace the art of the handmade. Go on, get your hands dirty.

OUT WITH THE OLD, IN WITH THE REVIEW Words // Hannah Blake The late Irish writer and Politician, Richard Steele, once said that “reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body,” which seems appropriate at this time of year, when many people are concerned about dieting in order to make up for all the food and drink consumed over the holidays. So take Steele’s advice: feed your mind instead of your stomach and make sure you grab these up and coming releases over the next few months…

A Girl Like You – Gemma Burgess Due for Release: 6th January 2011 After breaking up with her boyfriend, Abigail Woods must learn from scratch how to be single. With advice from London’s most notorious guys, the new Abigail is calm, cocky and composed but what happens when she meets her match?

Prima Donna – Karen Swan Due for Release: 21st January 2011 When a devastating accident threatens to cut short the career of sexy ballerina Sophie’s assistant, Sophie has to step out of the shadows and face up to the demons in her own life.

Little Princes – Conor Grennan Due for Release: 3rd February 2011 When Conor volunteered in the Little Princes Orphanage in war-torn Nepal, he did not expect to be risking his life to save the children he had come to love as his own.

You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me // Sarra Manning Due for Release: 3rd February 2011 Sweet, bookish Neve Slater always plays by the rules and the number one rule is that goodnatured fat girls like her don’t get gorgeous William, heir to her heart since university. Somewhere between losing weight and losing her inhibitions, Neve loses her heart – but to who?

Billy Brown, I’ll Tell Your Mother // Billy Brown Due for Release: 17th February 2011 A vivid and lively story of Britain emerging from the ruins of the war, following the hunger of opportunity, the growing pace of modernisation and the pride that held communities together.

30 The Story of Us // Felicity Everett Due for Release: 3rd March 2011 For Stella, Bridget,Vinnie, Maxine and Nell, life in 1982 revolves around demos, parties and nostrings sex.Twenty years on, tragedy brings them back together, giving them a chance to refocus themselves on their friendship and their survival.

My Soul to Take // Rachel Vincent Due for Release: 24th March 2011 If being a teenager wasn’t hard enough, Kaylee Cavanaugh has realised that she’s not like her classmates - she has the unnerving ability of knowing when someone near her is about to die. And when that happens, a force beyond her control compels her to scream bloody murder. Literally.

Tiger,Tiger: A Memoir // Margaux Fragoso Due for Release: 14th April 2011 “I still think about Peter, the man I loved most in the world, all the time. We were friends, soul mates and lovers. I was seven. He was fifty-one.”

Cold Light – Jenn Ashworth Due for Release: 12th May 2011 A new body is unearthed on the day Lola’s hometown gather to remember her best friend Chloe, who died in a suicide pact on Valentine’s Day. Lola finds herself alone in her knowledge of the dark story that links these deaths.

The Butterfly Cabinet // Bernie McGill Due for Release: June 2011 Touching powerfully on themes of motherhood, class and religion, this story is about two very different women who are linked by their roles in a tragedy.

Everything or Nothing’// Araminta Hall Christian and Ruth’s marriage is (just) OK; beneath the surface they are heading for a disaster, yet their Nanny Agatha, for 3-year-old Hal, seems perfect. Too perfect. Ignoring all the warning signs, they let her run their family, until something awful happens. “I give this book 5/5. I was hooked right from the start and couldn’t put it down until I had finished (needless to say it only took me two days). Hall writes as if you are there with them, going through what they go through; sympathising through Christian’s affair and feeling Ruth’s heartbreak for her child who can’t eat. It had such a strong, powerful hold over me whilst reading, that many a time I wanted to throw the book on the floor out of anger or annoyance. I find that when I read a book there is often that one character that bugs you so much because you know they are there to ruin everything. And that is exactly what Agatha is there for. I highly recommend this book, out on 20th January.” Araminta Hall has been working as a journalist since 1994, on well-known magazines Bliss and New Woman. Since 2000 she began freelancing for a variety of magazines and newspapers, as well as ghost-writing supermodel Caprice’s column for the Mirror.‘Everything and Nothing’ is her debut novel, due to be published by Harper Press.

NICKI MINAJ // PINK FRIDAY W0RDS // NATASHA SMITH

Ah Nicki Minaj, she never could have lived up to the massive amount of hype that was pushed upon Pink Friday. Alas, after her amazingly popular and fabulous mix tape ‘beam me up scotty’ and the greatness of tracks such as, “itty bitty piggy’ and ‘I get crazy.’ High hopes were put on Nicki Minaj and sadly she hasn’t delivered greatly. The album is supposed to showcase Minaj’s brilliantly fresh rapping abilities and unique delivery of well thought out lyrics, yet the album consists of a lot of singing and the songs on the album which are heavily rap based are centered around the same subject matter.The main theme is her constantly proving to people that she is the baddest chick in the game. It gets old quickly and many of the songs seem to mesh into one. Never the less there are some brilliant tracks on this album. The second track Roman’s Revenge is Nicki Minaj at her best as she growls, “Rah Rah like a dungeon dragon,’ and the back and forth battling with Eminem is pure greatness, which ends with Nicki screaming in her mock cockney accent. She also doesn’t hold back on tracks ‘Did it on em,” as she explains how she

defecates on her components, but she doesn’t say it that nicely. ‘Fly’ is also another great song as Nicki Minaj’s and Rihanna’s voices intertwine perfectly and any song Rihanna features on there is guaranteed commercial success.This will definitely be a chart topper. You can definitely see where her record label have influenced this album for chart topping tunes rather then showcasing Minaj’s greatest talents. This is evident with tracks like the especially horrific “Check it out,’ sampled with the one hit wonder ‘Video killed the radio star,” Will-I-ams annoying tendency to auto tune every syllable has gone to another level as both stars sound like dieing Furbie’s. “Last Chance,” featuring Natasha Bedingfield. No idea how this collaboration came about and it just doesn’t work. Nicki Minaj will possibly look back on Pink Friday and see that there is great room for improvement. Thankfully the good tracks on this album show that Nicki Minaj is fresh in a genre that has long needed a wake up and she could and probably will be unstoppable.

RIHANNA

L0UD W0RDS // NATASHA SMITH

It’s hard to believe that 22 year old Rihanna has accomplished five mega selling albums before even hitting her mid twenties. Lets delve into Rihanna’s latest installment- Loud. You have to commend Rihanna because most of the songs on this album are very good, she has given the listeners a great variation and shown everyone what she can do with her deep, voice like velvet singing style. ‘Only Girl(In the world)’ is an absolute female liberation anthem. Singing this at the top of your lungs on a night out, literally makes you feel like a million bucks. ‘S and M’ along with ‘Skin’ are both great separately, but having them both on this album is basically Rihanna screaming “I am not a victim,” after her domestic abuse case, with lyrics such as, “sticks and stones may break my bones, but whips and chains excite me,” and “I like it rough,” on Skin. ‘Raining Men,’ featuring Nicki Minaj is one of the best, as Minaj and Rihanna’s voices mesh together perfectly. ‘Whats my name ft Drake,’ has possibly the catchiest chorus from any song of 2010 and Drake’s gravel voiced tone has great juxtaposition with Rihanna’s silky, smooth

voice. ‘Cheers (Drink to that) is sampled by Avril Lavigne’s 2003 song “I’m With You,” this song will be a 2011 summer smash. Great song to listen to with your friends at a bbq or equally good at a club. Fading and Man Down break up this album fantastically and are placed perfectly as the slower tracks on the album. The two tracks that let this album down are ‘California King Bed’ and ‘Complicated.’ California King Bed is a strange track that starts of as a weak acoustic song. Then brings in an electric guitar type solo, that doesn’t mix well with Rihanna’s deep, soulful voice. You realise this song isn’t right for her at all. It sounds like a song much more fitting to a singer like Alanis Morisette. Complicated is exactly thatcomplicated for the listener to get to grips with. Rihanna is singing in power ballad style, but it has a meagre dance track style to it, but you can’t dance to it, because she’s belting it out like Celine Dion and the dance track is too slow and pitiful to get a good groove too. Out of the 10 tracks 7 of them are definite winners.

Jessie J @ Unit // 17/12 W0RDS // ZOE WHITFIELD

“The best singer in the world” according to Mr Justin Timberlake (apparently), London gal Jessie J turned her swag on for a Friday night set at Unit following a number of cancelled performances in le capital. With Lily Allen’s bangs and ‘tude, the Brit school grad made her way through the crowd before welcoming her fans with a friendly, ‘alright babes’ from the stage. The first night of her four-date regional tour, the lavly lady beamed in an eye catching black catsuit as she sang tracks such as the show stopping Mama Knows Best, the anti-industry Price Tag and the current single Do It Like A Dude, complete with crotch grabs and many an audience member on backing vocals duty. Singing pitch perfect with a voice that stretched from almost cartoon like proportions to that of a musical star by way of Mariah Carey, it’s clear to see why she’s just won the Brits Critics’ Choice Award (following Ellie, Florence and Adele in doing so). Not only did the performance showcase her range but her personality too, with stage banter of the highest form and a more than willing crowd.

‘I haven’t been in a venue I can hear the crowd talk in for a while,’ noted Jessie, before asking individual audience members what they thought of the aggressive Do It… video the first time they saw it; results were positive. Based on tonight’s performance it’s clear the You Tube friendly Miss Cornish ain’t doing it ‘like the man dem’ but on her own terms, and it’s clearly working; with the room in the palm of her hand throughout, it’s no doubt everyone present left a fan (read: rushed home to find every available performance the internet has to offer). We did, hello Jools Holland…

TRON: LEGACY // W0RDS // REESE HOWARD There’s been a lot of excitement surrounding this new 3D revamp of the retro classic. Featuring Jeff Bridges and an original soundtrack from Daft Punk, there seem to be a lot of reasons to go see Tron: Legacy. We are immersed into the world of Sam Flynn (Garett Hedlund), son of Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges) in a brilliantly shot, dark, city landscape, before being thrown into the visual masterpiece that is the new revamped CGI ‘grid’. Cyberspace has never looked this good. Neon blue lines, pierced with flashes of red, map out one of the most highly stylised, pristine clean cinescapes ever seen in a high concept Disney blockbuster. And if this wasn't enough, the crisp soundtrack pleasures your ears with the orchestral electrotechno soundtrack from the one and only robot DJs themselves, Daft Punk. Listening to Daft Punk in a Dolby Digital 7.1, 3D IMAX cinema is about as good as it gets. Even the 3D is good. It isn't gimmicky, it just adds an extra dimension, sucking you in just that bit further whilst on the

grid (the real world scenes are not in 3D, but this is a strength; it creates more of an impact during our encounter with cyberspace). Sam Flynn is his father's son, but unfortunately this is the only thing that defines his character. He has no personality, and feels the need to rebel against everything his father says, laying everybody else's lives at risk repeatedly, to save what is already safe. This would be all well and good, if he wasn't morally rewarded for doing so. Because everything works out in the end, we are left to believe that following your insecure emotions blindly and recklessly is fine, because your allies will always save you. Keep in mind this is being pushed as a family film, presenting a moral message for kids to soak up. In spite of this, Tron: Legacy is still a fantastic film, purely because of the beautiful production design, exciting visuals and vivid soundtrack. Go and see it if you haven't already, enjoy it, love it. Just don't fall for Sam Flynn. He's a bad role model.

BLACK SWAN // W0RDS // GILLIAN SORE Darren Aronofsky is known for his twisted psychological narratives and complex cinematography. Combine this knowledge with rumours of much-loved actress Natalie Portman’s best performance in years and comparisons to Powell and Pressburger’s dramatic epic The Red Shoes, it’s hard to not be incredibly excited. In many ways, Black Swan follows the narratives of such ballet films that precede it, telling the story of a ballerina struggling with self-control, rivalry and tragedy. Crucially however, it embeds the basic elements of Swan Lake, taking significant themes from the famous ballet it pushes, moulding its story to new extremes. The film follows the New York ballet company’s production of Swan Lake, and is very much a character study of Nina, a dancer who is controlled not only by the pressures from her overbearing mother but also by her own need to be the perfect ballerina. She strives to become the next Swan Queen, a part for which she must portray the duality of her own subconscious, acting as the innocent white swan and its lustrous black twin.

Struggling with her portrayal of the Black Swan, Nina is under pressure from the company’s director to unleash the lustful nature of her inner self and begins to reveal the extremes of her personality.This is where Aronofsky’s expertise as a director truly shines. He dizzies the audience, not only through use of a well-crafted narrative, but in the constant sways and spins of the camera; using the mise-en-scene of the ballerina’s world of mirrors and costumes to create a distressing sense of Nina’s terrifying psycho-fragmentation, as she undertakes a stunning (and often quite literal) metamorphoses into the Swan Queen. Ultimately Black Swan is about Nina’s destructive desire for perfection. More horror than ballet, Black Swan is certainly one for those who want a thrill from cinema, its got sex, scares and is simply a beautifully crafted, truly interesting piece of cinema, I highly recommend it.

2010 // A GAMING ODYSSEY WORDS // DAVE MERRITT

2010 was a great year for gaming, with many rebooted franchises, old favourites and sequels all making up for a very full calendar for gamers. Here are just some of 2010’s highlights. The first half of the year saw some much underrated titles released, as was often the case for most of 2010, the best of which included Army of Two: The 40th Day, Darksiders and Red Steel 2. The biggest releases in the early months? Mass Effect 2, Final Fantasy 13 and Bioshock 2 all made their mark felt alongside Just Cause 2 and, of course, God of War 3. The Spring saw a host of sequels appear on the scene, including Skate 3, Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands, Super Mario Galaxy 2 and the new Splinter Cell: Conviction, which saw Sam Fisher get gritty but keep the goggles. We also saw two excellent racers get competitive in May when Blur and Spit Second: Velocity

went head to head for the racing crown. My opinion? Split Second was the better of the two, offering a challenging and awesome cinematic experience. The major release of the Spring, and possibly the year, was Rockstar’s open-world Red Dead: Redemption, probably the most true and brilliant ‘Wild West’ themed game ever, and not a plane, pimp or pizza parlour in sight. Throughout the Summer came more regular sequels.There was Green Day: Rock Band,Tiger Woods PGA 11, Metroid: Other M and the long awaited, Crackdown 2. Winter is a big time for developers, particularly with the Christmas period usually seeing an onslaught of great, and not-so-great, titles. Fifa 11, Medal of Honor, Sims 3, Mafia 2, Starcraft 2, Fallout: New Vegas and Dead Rising 2 all making the Christmas wish lists. We also saw the Playstation Move and Xbox Kinect go head to

head and of course, the most talked about release of the year, Call of Duty: Black Ops broke all sales records, becoming the best selling piece of entertainment software ever. So what is there to look forward to in 2011? Well there’s Batman: Arkham City and Infamous 2 for all you third-person action fans, and for all the shooters there’s SOCOM 4 and Dead Space 2 to enjoy. Naturally there is going to be plenty of FPS’s to look forward to, namely Portal 2, Battlefield 3, Doom 4 and I’m sure we can expect another COD installment before the year is out. For the sports enthusiasts, there will be the yearly update of most games, PES, Fifa, Tiger Woods, NHL and NBA sure to show their faces. Well, except for Tiger Woods, where it was recently shown that although the Golfing legend has not been dropped from the franchise, his face isn’t exactly predominant on the box art. 2011 is sure to be another major year for gaming with plenty to look forward to. Microsoft has

promised that the Kinect will play a big part in their line up this year, something which is both exciting and potentially worrying for most gamers. The biggest question this year though is whether or not this will be Nintendo’s final big push for the Wii and will the 3DS will be any more than a gimmick…?