Search
SUBSCRIBE
Home Blog Page 1263

Kim Gordon, Bill Nace, and Aaron Dilloway Announce New Collaborative Album as Body/Dilloway/Head, Unveil New Song

Konstantinos Pappis
-
0
Kim Gordon, Bill Nace, and Aaron Dilloway Announce New Collaborative Album as Body/Dilloway/Head, Unveil New Song

Body/Heat, the duo of Kim Gordon and Bill Nace, have announced a new collaborative album with experimental musician Aaron Dilloway. Body/Dilloway/Head‘s self-titled album is out November 19 via Three Lobed. Below, listen to the new single ‘Goin’ Down’ check out the LP’s cover artwork and tracklist.

Body/Dilloway/Head will follow Body/Head’s 2018 album The Switch. “One of the things I like most about playing improvised music and especially in Body/Head with Bill is the constantly exhilarating freedom and surprise about what is going to happen at any given moment,” Kim Gordon said in a statement. “Making this record with Aaron Dilloway, who I have always admired so much, added in another layer of unknown and another way of giving up control. Aaron took our sounds / music as a source and had ‘his way with it’ so to speak, crushing whatever narrative that existed in order to enter into it and making something different than what we would have done as Body/Head.”

Body/Dilloway/Head Cover Artwork:

Body/Dilloway/Head Tracklist:

1. Body/Erase
2. Goin’ Down
3. Secret Cuts

Album Review: Low, ‘HEY WHAT’

Konstantinos Pappis
-
0
Album Review: Low, ‘HEY WHAT’

“It isn’t something you can choose between,” Low’s Alan Sparhawk and Mimi Parker sing on ‘Days Like These’, the lead single off their new album HEY WHAT. The married duo’s angelic harmonies sound cleaner than they did on much of its predecessor, 2018’s boundary-pushing Double Negative, before being crushed by a tide of distortion that threatens to rupture the song’s startling clarity yet only amplifies its potent sense of triumph: “Y’know you’re never gonna feel complete/ No, you’re never gonna be released/ Maybe never even see, believe/ That’s why we’re living in days like these again.” As they repeat the word “again”, the dense mix starts to dissolve into the ether, lit up by a curious lead synth that slowly gives way to a dark, unsettled ambience, all together evoking the psychic conflict that sits at the heart of the LP. The Duluth, Minnesota-based band have always been masters at building tension and slightly wary of releasing it, and here they find striking new ways of communicating the constant struggle for wholeness and faith without alienating listeners or ever fading into the background.

Low’s awe-inspiring 13th album finds them refining the otherworldly language they’ve been building with producer BJ Burton, who has worked with the likes of Bon Iver and Charli XCX and first teamed with the band on 2015’s Ones and Sixes, a rejuvenating record that still couldn’t prepare listeners for the boldness of Double Negative. But where that album’s eerie experimentation and vocal processing set a barrier between the band and their audience – and its inevitable political resonance makes it feel tied to a specific era – HEY WHAT feels timeless and immediate, inviting us to fully absorb each abrupt turn by retaining the frail humanity at its center. The album opens with the whirring cacophony of ‘White Horses’, before Sparhawk and Parker’s inimitable voices attempt to stabilize its pulse as they sing about the uncertainty of the future. “Still white horses take us home,” they repeat, uplifted and pushed to transcendent new heights by a vicious storm of noise. Double Negative was thrilling in its intensity, but this might be the most urgent and alive Low has ever sounded.

As they waver between light and darkness, and in deeper ways than was apparent on previous efforts, Sparhawk and Parker’s dynamic presence is the force animating HEY WHAT. The album focuses on intimacy not as a marker of loneliness but the strength of an enduring bond, and, in a similar way, frames the band’s ability to explore new sonic territory 27 years into their career as a sign not just of longevity, but vitality. While Double Negative’s abrasive production left nothing unscathed, HEY WHAT gives room for the two voices to interact with one another and the shifting environments around them, plowing to the front of a mix that repeatedly tries and fails to cut through them. On ‘All Night’, whose lyrics seem to deal with a partner’s battle with depression, their vocals join in perfect harmony even if one is clearly addressing the other: “I see the shadow in your eye confined, held up and trapped behind it/ I tried to be so quiet.” ‘Hey’ centers on the story of an emotional breakdown, Parker’s gentle vocal merging with Sparhawk’s distant echo before they’re both submerged in a shimmering ambience that, this time, is more soothing than discomfiting.

Low’s relationship with different producers – including Kramer, Steve Albini, Jeff Tweedy, and Dave Fridmann – is often seen as partly responsible for any stylistic re-orientation the band undergoes, and though Burton deserves a lot of credit for the challenging soundworld of HEY WHAT, this assumption can undermine the dynamic between the band and their producer. In a recent interview, Sparhawk spoke of Parker’s ability to rein things in when his tendency is to make the guitar sound like “[puts almost-closed fist to side of head and starts shaking it].” “Even just her presence is enough for us to be like, okay let’s try harder, we’ve gotta find a way to make it so it passes through the gates,” he explained. The result is one of miraculously controlled chaos, where no weight is too crushing for sparks of beauty to slip through the cracks. The decaying noise and wordless vocals of the two-minute ‘There’s a Comma After Still’ give way to the heartbreakingly tender ‘Don’t Walk Away’, the closest the album has to a traditional ballad, which itself cuts to one of the group’s heaviest ever songs, ‘More’.

So when all this culminates in the emergence of an actual drumbeat on the closing track, ‘The Price You Pay (It Must Be Wearing Off)’, catharsis seems more than just a possibility. But its slow disintegration is once again inevitable – a tangible reminder that patterns are made to repeat themselves, that light will always be followed by darkness, and that the trick is in catching the flickers of hope that will render the final note one of quiet resolve. The track’s build-up bears a faint resemblance to the band’s slowcore records, but where the quietness that came to define the subgenre could be interpreted as a form of retreat, a place to sink in, ‘The Price You Pay’ sounds like a gradual ascent with no end in sight. So what if the thrill is bound to wear off? “That disappearing horizon,” they reassure themselves, “it brings cold comfort to my soul.”

Hellessy SS22

Modestas Mankus
-
0
Hellessy SS22

Sylvie Millstein’s ready-to-wear brand Hellessy revealed their Spring and Summer 2022 collection. The brand has created a magnificent collection that oomphs glamour and confidence with a continued focus on timeless pieces. The collection took inspiration from Millstein’s visit to the Superblue Art exhibit in Miami. The exhibition consisted of an immersive James Turrell installation of linear lights and colours that centres upon an immersive digital environment of blooming flowers. Informed by this experience, the collection featured hues such as fuchsia and cobalt, alongside linear and architectural silhouettes.

Find the collection by Hellessy below.

What Similarities are Shared Between Virtual Trading and the Online Casino Industry?

Our Culture Mag & Partners
-
0
What Similarities are Shared Between Virtual Trading and the Online Casino Industry?

Some individuals are wary about becoming involved with the world of investments, as they liken this approach to gambling. Interestingly enough, this is at least partially true. The online casino sector and the world of investing actually do share a number of traits in common. What are some of the most notable features of each and why are a growing number of traders becoming interested in virtual casinos? You may very well be surprised with the observations highlighted below.

A Copious Amount of Research

Casino players appreciate the learning curve involved with their trade. Although beginner’s luck can sometimes occur, research is crucial for anyone who wishes to enjoy long-term success. Poker enthusiasts spend untold hours analysing successful strategies. Blackjack players are often interested in statistics. Those who enjoy slots take into account concepts such as return-to-player (RTP) and volatility.

These approaches are just as valid within the world of online investing. A great deal of research must occur before becoming actively involved with a specific asset class. This can involve methods such as Fibonacci retracements, candlestick charts and technical analyses. Either way, the main intention is to make the best decision with the help of the right information.

A Host of User-Friendly Platforms

Online trading and virtual casinos have come a long way thanks to modern digital technology. It is now possible to access trusted platforms with the click of a button. Most major providers likewise offer dedicated smartphone applications that are ideal for those who wish to remotely access these services. So, it is just as easy to play online slots as it is to execute a short-term Forex (currency) trade. These are some of the very same reasons why so-called novices are becoming interested in both sectors. As the middleman has essentially been taken out of the equation, the potential to enjoy higher profit margins is undeniably attractive.

Risk Versus Reward

Investors and casino enthusiasts both understand that it is impossible to eliminate all risks. Their intention is instead to mitigate the presence of these risks. In the same respect, some ventures are more volatile than others (while also offering more tangible rewards). Margin trades are sometimes known for their unpredictable nature and high levels of exposure. Certain casino games such as roulette can also be quite turbulent due to their seemingly random nature. Simply stated, investors and online gamblers will therefore need to weigh these risks in relation to the possible rewards.

The Ability to Learn from Mistakes

Finally, both individuals accept the fact that mistakes will be made from time to time. As opposed to becoming frustrated and walking away, they view these scenarios as learning experiences. This is indeed one of the best ways to progress to the next level and beyond.

We can now see that trading and the casino sector share a number of unique metrics in common. Regardless of which one suits your fancy, either approach can represent an excellent way to generate a substantial side hustle.

Taking Advantage of Bonus Offers

The has always been associated with a formidable amount of competition. This is why casino platforms make it a point to entice new users. These often come in the form of lucrative bonus programmes and first-time registration rewards. Matched deposit bonuses, free spins and different membership tiers are all examples of how casinos market their services to a discrete demographic. Of course, users are always keen to take advantage of such offers.

This same principle can be applied to the world of online trading. Major platforms understand the simple fact that investors appreciate the value of a personalised rewards structure. Free trades, access to the latest investing news and automatic membership within private financial forums are some of the ways in which portals can resonate with the end user. There are also instances when investors who reach a certain level are provided with the option of a VIP membership plan.

Focusing Upon a Single Category

Those who enjoy success within the world of online gambling rarely dilute their skills by playing a host of different games. On the contrary, they tend to focus upon a single category (such as blackjack, poker or slots). This enables them to understand the intricacies of each as well as to further develop a discrete winning strategy. As more experience is gained, these skills can be applied to different variants of a specific game (Texas Hold’em poker and five-card stud are applicable in this sense).

Investors have embraced the same mindset. We rarely hear of a trader who claims to be an expert in Forex investments, commodities, CFDs, and ETFs. Instead, he or she places a great deal of attention towards a certain asset class. This is arguably the best way to rise above the masses.

Coldplay and BTS Announce New Collaborative Single ‘My Universe’

Konstantinos Pappis
-
0
Coldplay and BTS Announce New Collaborative Single ‘My Universe’

Coldplay and BTS have announced a new collaborative single called ‘My Universe’. The track, which is set for release on September 24, was written by Coldplay and BTS and produced by Max Martin.

‘My Universe’ will appear on Coldplay’s forthcoming album Music of the Spheres, which is out October 15. Previously, Coldplay unveiled the lead single ‘Higher Power’ and the 10-minute closing track ‘Coloratura’.

This Week’s Best New Songs: Maxo Kream & Tyler, the Creator, Low, Francis of Delirium, and More

Konstantinos Pappis
-
0
This Week’s Best New Songs: Maxo Kream & Tyler, the Creator, Low, Francis of Delirium, and More

Throughout the week, we update our Best New Songs playlist with the new releases that caught our attention the most, be it a single leading up to the release of an album or a newly unveiled deep cut. And each Monday, we round up the best new songs released over the past week (the eligibility period begins on Monday and ends Sunday night) in this segment.

On this week’s list, we have the new collaboration from Tyler, the Creator and Maxo Kream, who delivers lines like “I’m the trap Barack Obama” over a triumphant horn sample on ‘Big Persona’; the new single from illuminati hotties, ‘Threatening Each Other re: Capitalism’, which is less energetic but no less captivating than any of the previous teasers from Sarah Tudzin’s upcoming album; ‘White Horses’, the magnificent opening track from Low’s new album; Nation of Language’s new single ‘A Word & A Wave’, which captures the emotional fluctuations of our day-to-day social lives over an engrossing synth backdrop; Circuit des Yeux’s beautifully epic ‘Sculpting the Exodus’, the second offering from her upcoming album -io; the unnerving, dynamic new single from Francis of Delirium, ‘Come Out and Play’, which veers the project in an intriguing shoegaze direction; and ‘Guerilla’, another vibrant, playful cut from Remi Wolf’s forthcoming debut.

Best New Songs: September 13, 2021

Maxo Kream feat. Tyler, the Creator, ‘Big Persona’

Song of the Week: Low, ‘White Horses’

illuminati hotties, ‘Threatening Each Other re: Capitalism’

Nation of Language, ‘A Word & A Wave’

Circuit des Yeux, ‘Sculpting the Exodus’

Francis of Delirium, ‘Come Out and Play’

Remi Wolf, ‘Guerilla’

a

MTV VMAs 2021 Winners: The Full List

Konstantinos Pappis
-
0
MTV VMAs 2021 Winners: The Full List

The 2021 MTV Video Music Awards took place at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn last night, with Doja Cat hosting the ceremony. Lil Nas X won the top prize of the night – Video of the Year – for his single ‘Montero (Call Me By Your Name)’, while Justin Bieber, who was up for the most awards with seven nominations, received two. Olivia Rodrigo, who performed for the first time at the VMAs, took home the Song of the Year award for ‘drivers license’. See the full list of winners below.

Video of the Year

Cardi B – ‘WAP’ [feat. Megan Thee Stallion]
DJ Khaled / Drake – ‘Popstar’ (Starring Justin Bieber)
Doja Cat – ‘Kiss Me More’ [feat. SZA]
Ed Sheeran – ‘Bad Habits’
WINNER: Lil Nas X – ‘Montero (Call Me by Your Name)’
The Weeknd – ‘Save Your Tears’

Artist of the Year

Ariana Grande
Doja Cat
WINNER: Justin Bieber
Megan Thee Stallion
Olivia Rodrigo
Taylor Swift

Song of the Year

24kGoldn – ‘Mood’ [feat. Iann Dior]
BTS – ‘Dynamite’
Cardi B – ‘WAP’ [feat. Megan Thee Stallion]
Dua Lipa – ‘Levitating’
WINNER: Olivia Rodrigo: ‘drivers license’
Bruno Mars / Anderson .Paak / Silk Sonic – ‘Leave the Door Open’

Best New Artist, Presented by Facebook

24kGoldn
Giveon
The Kid Laroi
WINNER: Olivia Rodrigo
Polo G
Saweetie

Group of the Year

Blackpink
WINNER: BTS
CNCO
Foo Fighters
Jonas Brothers
Maroon 5
Bruno Mars / Anderson .Paak / Silk Sonic
Twenty One Pilots

Push Performance of the Year

September 2020: Wallows – ‘Are You Bored Yet?’
October 2020: Ashnikko – ‘Daisy’
November 2020: Saint Jhn – ‘Gorgeous’
December 2020: 24kGoldn – ‘Coco’
January 2021: JC Stewart – ‘Break My Heart’
February 2021: Latto – ‘Sex Lies’
March 2021: Madison Beer – ‘Selfish’
April 2021: The Kid Laroi – ‘Without You’
WINNER: May 2021: Olivia Rodrigo – ‘drivers license’
June 2021: Girl in Red – ‘Serotonin’
July 2021: Fousheé – ‘my slime’
August 2021: Jxdn – ‘Think About Me’

Best Collaboration

24kGoldn – ‘Mood’ [feat. Iann dior]
Cardi B – ‘WAP’ [feat. Megan Thee Stallion]
WINNER: Doja Cat: “Kiss Me More” [feat. SZA]
Drake – ‘Laugh Now Cry Later’ [feat. Lil Durk]
Justin Bieber – ‘Peaches’ [feat. Daniel Caesar and Giveon]
Miley Cyrus – ‘Prisoner’ [feat. Dua Lipa]

Best Pop

Ariana Grande – ‘Positions’
Billie Eilish – ‘Therefore I Am’
BTS – ‘Butter’
Harry Styles – ‘Treat People With Kindness’
WINNER: Justin Bieber – ‘Peaches’ [feat. Daniel Caesar and Giveon]
Olivia Rodrigo – ‘good 4 u’
Shawn Mendes – ‘Wonder’
Taylor Swift – ‘Willow’

Best Hip-Hop

Cardi B – ‘WAP’ [feat. Megan Thee Stallion]
Drake – ‘Laugh Now Cry Later’ [feat. Lil Durk]
Lil Baby – ‘On Me (Remix)’ [feat. Megan Thee Stallion]
Moneybagg Yo – ‘Said Sum’
Polo G – ‘Rapstar’
WINNER: Travis Scott – ‘Franchise’ [feat. Young Thug and M.I.A.]

Best Rock

Evanescence – ‘Use My Voice’
Foo Fighters – ‘Shame Shame’
WINNER: John Mayer – ‘Last Train Home’
The Killers – ‘My Own Soul’s Warning’
Kings of Leon – ‘The Bandit’
Lenny Kravitz – ‘Raise Vibration’

Best Alternative

Bleachers – ‘Stop Making This Hurt’
Glass Animals – ‘Heat Waves’
Imagine Dragons – ‘Follow You’
WINNER: Machine Gun Kelly – ‘My Ex’s Best Friend’ [feat. Blackbear]
Twenty One Pilots – ‘Shy Away’
Willow – ‘Transparent Soul’ [feat. Travis Barker]

Best Latin

Bad Bunny / Jhay Cortez – ‘Dákiti’
WINNER: Billie Eilish / Rosalía: ‘Lo Vas a Olvidar’
Black Eyed Peas / Shakira – ‘Girl Like Me’
J Balvin / Dua Lipa / Bad Bunny / Tainy – ‘Un Dia (One Day)’
Karol G – ‘Bichota’
Maluma – ‘Hawái’

Best R&B

Beyoncé / Blue Ivy / Saint Jhn / WizKid – ‘Brown Skin Girl’
Chris Brown / Young Thug – ‘Go Crazy’
Giveon – ‘Heartbreak Anniversary’
H.E.R. – ‘Come Through’ [feat. Chris Brown]
WINNER: Bruno Mars / Anderson .Paak / Silk Sonic – ‘Leave the Door Open’
SZA – ‘Good Days’

Best K-Pop

(G)I-dle – ‘Dumdi Dumdi’
Blbackpink / Selena Gomez – ‘Ice Cream’
WINNER: BTS – ‘Butter’
Monsta X – ‘Gambler’
Seventeen – ‘Ready to Love’
Twice – ‘Alcohol-Free’

Song of Summer

Billie Eilish – ‘Happier Than Ever’
WINNER: BTS-  ‘Butter’
Camila Cabello – ‘Don’t Go Yet’
DJ Khaled – ‘Every Chance I Get’ [feat. Lil Baby and Lil Durk]
Doja Cat – ‘Need to Know’
Dua Lipa – ‘Levitating’
Ed Sheeran – ‘Bad Habits’
Giveon – ‘Heartbreak Anniversary’
Justin Bieber – ‘Peaches’ [feat. Daniel Caesar and Giveon]
The Kid Laroi / Justin Bieber – ‘Stay’
Lil Nas X / Jack Harlow – ‘Industry Baby’
Lizzo – ‘Rumors’ [feat. Cardi B]
Megan Thee Stallion – ‘Thot Shit’
Normani – ‘Wild Side’ [feat. Cardi B]
Olivia Rodrigo – ‘good 4 u’
Shawn Mendes / Tainy – ‘Summer of Love’

Video for Good

WINNER: Billie Eilish – ‘Your Power’
Demi Lovato – ‘Dancing With the Devil’
H.E.R. – ‘Fight for You’
Kane Brown – ‘Worldwide Beautiful’
Lil Nas X – ‘Montero (Call Me by Your Name)’
Pharrell Williams – ‘Entrepreneur’ [feat. Jay-Z]

Best Direction

Billie Eilish – ‘Your Power’ (dir. Billie Eilish)
DJ Khaled ft. Drake – ‘Popstar’ (dir. Director X)
WINNER: Lil Nas X – ‘Montero (Call Me by Your Name)’ (dir. Lil Nas X and Tanu Muino)
Taylor Swift – ‘willow’ (dir. Taylor Swift)
Travis Scott feat. Young Thug & M.I.A – ‘Franchise’ (dir. Travis Scott)
Tyler, the Creator – ‘Lumberjack’ (dir. Wolf Haley)

Best Cinematography

WINNER: Beyoncé / Blue Ivy / Saint Jhn / WizKid – ‘Brown Skin Girl’ (cinematography: Benoit Soler, Malik H. Sayeed, MOHAMMAED ATTA AHMED, Santiago Gonzalez, Ryan Helfant)
Billie Eilish – ‘Therefore I Am’ (cinematography: Rob Witt)
Foo Fighters – ‘Shame Shame’ (cinematography: Santiago Gonzalez)
Justin Bieber ft. Chance the Rapper – ‘Holy’ (cinematography: Elias Talbot)
Lady Gaga – ‘911’ (cinematography: Jeff Cronenweth)
Lorde – ‘Solar Power’ (cinematography: Andrew Stroud)

Best Art Direction

Beyoncé / Shatta Wale / Major Lazer – ‘Already’ (art direction: Susan Linns, Gerard Santos)
Ed Sheeran – ‘Bad Habits’ (art direction: Alison Dominitz)
Lady Gaga – ‘911’ (art direction: Tom Foden, Peter Andrus)
Lil Nas X – ‘Montero (Call Me by Your Name)’ (art direction: John Richoux)
WINNER: Saweetie ft. Doja Cat – ‘Best Friend’ (art direction: Art Haynes)
Taylor Swift – ‘willow’ (art direction: Ethan Tobman, Regina Fernandez)

Best Visual Effects

Bella Poarch – ‘Build a Bitch’ (visual effects: Andrew Donoho, Denhov Visuals, Denis Strahhov, Rein Jakobson, Vahur Kuusk, Tatjana Pavlik, Yekaterina Vetrova)
Coldplay – ‘Higher Power’ (visual effects: Mathematic)
Doja Cat / The Weeknd – ‘You Right’ (visual effects: La Pac, Anthony Lestremau, Julien Missaire, Petr Shkolniy, Alexi Bailla, Micha Sher, Antoine Hache, Mikros MPC, Nicolas Huget, Guillaume Ho Tsong Fang, Benjamin Lenfant, Stephane Pivron, MPC Bangalore, Chanakya Chander, Raju Ganesh, David Rouxel)
Glass Animals – ‘Tangerine’ (visual effects: Ronan Fourreau)
WINNER: Lil Nas X – ‘Montero (Call Me by Your Name)’ (visual effects: Mathematic)
P!nk – ‘All I Know So Far’ (visual effects: Dave Meyers, Freenjoy Inc)

Best Choreography

Ariana Grande – ’34+35′ (choreography: Brian Nicholson & Scott Nicholson)
BTS – ‘Butter’ (choreography: SON SUNG DEUK With BHM PERFORMANCE DIRECTING TEAM)
Ed Sheeran – ‘Bad Habits’ (choreography: Natricia Bernard)
Foo Fighters – ‘Shame Shame’ (choreography: Nina McNeely)
WINNER: Harry Styles – ‘Treat People With Kindness’ (choreography: Paul Roberts)
Marshmello / Halsey – ‘Be Kind’ (choreography: Dani Vitale)

Best Editing

BTS – ‘Butter’ (editing: Yong Seok Choi from Lumpens)
Drake – ‘What’s Next’ (editing: Noah Kendal)
Harry Styles – ‘Treat People With Kindness’ (editing: Claudia Wass)
Justin Bieber feat. Daniel Caesar, Giveon – ‘Peaches’ (editing: Mark Mayr, Vinnie Hobbs)
Miley Cyrus feat. Dua Lipa – ‘Prisoner’ (editing: William Town at Modern Post)
WINNER: Bruno Mars / Anderson .Paak / Silk Sonic – ‘Leave the Door Open’ (editing: Troy Charbonnet)

U.S. Global Icon Award

Foo Fighters

Best Breakthrough Song

Masked Wolf – ‘Astronaut in the Ocean’
WINNER: Claire Rosinkranz – ‘Backyard Boy’
Bella Poarch – ‘Build a B*tch’
Yung Baby Tate – ‘I Am’ [feat. Flo Milli]
Whoheem – ‘Let’s Link’

Best Comeback Song

WINNER: Aly & AJ – ‘Potential Breakup Song’
Destiny’s Child – ‘Bills, Bills, Bills’
Fleetwood Mac – ‘Dreams’
Simple Plan – ‘I’m Just a Kid’
Boney M. – ‘Rasputin’
Missy Elliott – ‘Work It’

Best Artist x Creator Collab

WINNER: Mustard Watermelon by @Lizzo x @yayayayummy
‘Blackbird’ Duet by @joejonas x @itsbenhorsburgh
Fan Duet by @charlieputh x @jvke
Soup Song by @johnmayer x @itsjamiebiotch
Mom It Was Never a Phase by @alltimelow x @yungricepatty
‘Unwritten’ Dance by @natashabedingfield x @rony_boyy

Best Audio Mashup

WINNER: ‘Shaxicula’ (‘Toxic’ x ‘Love Shack’ x ‘Dragula’) by Britney Spears / The B-52’s / Rob Zombie x @djcummerbund
‘Baby One More Time x Levitating’ by Britney Spears / Dua Lipa x @adamusic_
‘Castaways x Dilemma’ by The Backyardigans / Nelly feat. Kelly Rowland x @djbabyq
‘good 4 u x Misery Business’ by Olivia Rodrigo / Paramore x @nikjaay
‘Watermelon Sugar x Seaside’ by Harry Styles / SEB x @SEBS_LOVESONGS

Best Viral Dance

WINNER: ‘Twerkulator’ by City Girls x @layzchipz
‘Adderall (Corvette Corvette)’ by Popp Hunna x @yvnggprince
‘Gimme More’ by Britney Spears x @jaedengomezz & @karaleighcannella
‘Ooowwweee’ by Peewee Longway & Money Man x @thats.so.bre
‘Savage’ by Megan Thee Stallion x @keke.janajah
‘ Up’ by Cardi B x @theemyanicole and @cchrvs

Shock Art is Certainly Shocking; But is it Art?

Abbie Wilson
-
0
Shock Art is Certainly Shocking; But is it Art?

Artists have always used their imagination to try to shake people out of the safe confines of their lives, views and assumptions. From composer John Cage of the avant-garde school (he produced the famous 4’33”, a piece in which a full symphony orchestra assembles for 4 minutes and 33 seconds and sits in silence) to Marcel Duchamp of the Dada art movement (he produced The fountain, which was actually a common men’s room urinal) artists of every generation have always tried harder and harder to challenge their audiences. Some, though, go so far as to make people wonder if what they come up with is still art. Here are three examples.

A piece of work

In 1961, Italian artist Piero Manzoni had a bizarre idea for a new kind of artistic expression — he canned his own feces in 90 tins, gave each an exclusive serial number, signed it as genuine and auctioned them all off at Sotheby’s. Not only did they sell, they fetched their weight in gold. Since then, the cans have repeatedly changed hands, generating excitement and major investment whenever they appear at auctions. In 2007, for instance, one can sold at Sotheby’s at more than €120,000.

As a general rule, owners of these cans do not open them — considering that an open can would attract concern over possible contamination, genuineness and weight lost to evaporation and result in lost value. Apparently, though, the tins do actually contain the contents described on the label — in 1994, when an art collector in Denmark lent a can that belonged to him to a museum in that country, improper handling by the museum led to leakage and a major odor problem. The museum was made to pay the collector the equivalent of $45,000 as compensation.

This work of art has been variously interpreted with connections drawn to Marxism and as a statement that explores the relationship between artistic production and other types of human creation.

Your art is your baby

Parents often see their children as a blend of who they are as individuals. Jacqueline Mary Breyer (1969-2007), an American musician and nurse, had the idea in 2004 to create such a blend, but in a different way.

Shortly after she married a fellow musician who went by the stage name Genesis P-Orridge in 1993 (and changed her name to Lady Jaye Breyer P-Orridge), she and her husband were seriously injured in a fire. When they won a large legal settlement for the injuries they suffered, they decided to apply it to turning themselves into their art through cosmetic surgery. Their idea was to have doctors work on them to make each look like the other. By this act, they saw that they gave up their own identities and became a new, third entity — a blended being called Breyer P-Orridge that lived in two separate bodies.

Unconventional art from someone on the inside

Wafaa Bilal, an Iraqi-American, is an artist who is unconventional in two ways — to begin, his art does frequently turn bizarre. The other part is unconventional by rebel-art standards — he is a conventional art professor. He has worked in that capacity at both the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and the Tisch School of Arts at NYU.

Bilal is known for two major works of art: Domestic Tension and The 3rd I. Domestic Tension was a 2007 live art installation at the FlatFile Galleries in Chicago. In this installation, Bilal confined himself to a room at the art gallery for a 30-day period. Inside the room was a web-controlled paintball gun and a WebCam that broadcast the proceedings in the room, nonstop. Anyone in the world could log on to the WebCam, see Bilal live and shoot at him with the paintball gun. Each shot would go off with a deafening blast and actually cause mild injury.

The purpose of the art installation was to artistically demonstrate the evils of remote-controlled warfare. At the end of the 30-day period, Bilal suffered posttraumatic stress disorder as if he had actually emerged from a war zone.

The 3rd I was even more controversial. In this art installation, Bilal surgically embedded a camera in the back of his head. The images that it captured as he went about his life were streamed live. The aim was to capture the choices that he left behind every moment that he went forward with the choices that he accepted. While the project was meant to run for a full year, he had to abandon it two months in, for reasons of unbearable pain.

Does shock art matter?

Critics have been debating the value of shock art for decades. Such art often does attract a great deal of curious interest. The Art Newspaper, though, has an interesting viewpoint. When conventional art makes a shocking change, people essentially still relate to it as the art form that they’ve always cared about. Since they care about the art, they care about the change and force themselves to consider what it means.

Shock art, though, tends to be more shock than art; since nearly no one is able to relate to it, they are unlikely to think about it. In this way, it can fail to help anyone change the way they think.

‘Yes Sir, I Can Boogie’ Singer María Mendiola Dies at 69

Konstantinos Pappis
-
0
‘Yes Sir, I Can Boogie’ Singer María Mendiola Dies at 69

María Mendiola, best known for singing the 1977 disco anthem ‘Yes Sir, I Can Boogie’, has died at the age of 69. The singer, who was one half of the Spanish duo Baccara, died in Madrid surrounded by her family and friends on Saturday morning. “She will always be remembered for her love, dedication and respect for the world of music and interpretation,” Mendiola’s family wrote in a statement. “We will always remember her smile.”

Mendiola formed Baccara alongside Mayte Mateos in 1977, and the duo signed to RCA Records in the UK after being spotted by record label executive Leon Deane. Their first single, ‘Yes Sir, I Can Boogie’, reached the top of the charts in 10 European countries in 1977, including the UK, where they became the first female duo to score a No. 1 hit. The single has sold over 16 million copies to date – the most ever sold by an all-female group – and has been covered by the likes of Sophie Ellis-Bextor, The Fratellis, and Goldfrapp. Later that year, the duo released their self-titled debut album, and follow-up single ‘Sorry I’m a Lady’ gave them another top 10 hit in early 1978.

That same year, Baccara represented Luxembourg at the Eurovision Song Contest with the novelty song ‘Parlez-Vous Français?’, taking seventh place. They released three more albums before parting ways in the early 1980s, launching two different versions of Baccara who recorded and toured separately. Mendiola’s incarnation of the band, initially called New Baccara and featuring co-vocalist Marisa Pérez, scored a trio of hits in the 1980s with the tracks ‘Touch Me’, ‘Fantasy Boy’, and ‘Call Me Up’. Pérez left the band after being diagnosed with arthritis in 2008 and was replaced by Cristina Sevilla, who announced the news of Mendiola’s death this morning.

“How difficult it is for me to publish this,” Sevilla wrote on Baccara’s official Instagram page.  “My dear Maria, wonderful artist, but for me above all … My friend, has left us today. Words cannot come out … I can only thank so much love how I have received from her part and tell her what so many times I had the opportunity to say to her in life … I love you.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by BACCARA (@baccaraoficial)

Making the Most of Your Arts and Crafts Hobby

Abbie Wilson
-
0
Making the Most of Your Arts and Crafts Hobby

You have a product that you have designed by hand and your talents in the field of arts and crafts have received praise from your friends and family. It may be an oil painting or a wooden sculpture of an animal which you have painstakingly created. Maybe your intention is to sell it and others like it. Your only problem is that although you have drawn acclaim for your work locally, you want to promote it to a larger customer base. Luckily there are various techniques for accomplishing this.

First of all, it is a good idea to show that you are capable of variety. Creating distinct pieces of art will demonstrate originality to potential customers, but also show that your abilities are not restricted to one area. The variety could be the subject of the piece or the medium itself. For example, you may have produced some watercolour paintings of natural landscapes, so perhaps create some others with an emphasis on architecture or the human form. If you forge mostly metal sculptures, then consider constructing some from wood or plastic with different themes.

Taking lots of good quality photographs of your work from many different angles is a prudent measure. If you feel that you are unable to for whatever reason, consider enlisting the assistance of an experienced photographer. This will complement your work and its quality and demonstrate your proficiency wherever these photographs are shown.

Using the photographs you have acquired, compose a small booklet of your work, complete with information on the pieces: the titles, dimensions, prices and the medium. If you travel around a lot visiting art galleries like Artmajeur Gallery and craft fairs, make sure you have a few of the booklets handy along with some business cards. Due to the social nature of these places, you may end up attracting new customers, resulting in a potential increase in sales or even an exhibition.

It is essential to have a good working website with an up-to-date portfolio of your work, including plenty of photographs and a concise and informative biography. A well-composed page about your background and experience and how you came to form your business can be a key factor when it comes to a customer purchase. Consider setting up a dedicated email address for the business which matches the name of the website. Contact information should be placed considerately, so customers can contact you with inquiries easily.

Making your business known on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest is probably the best way to generate a buzz around a large amount of people. Join arts and crafts groups online and spread word of your business on art directories. Again, post photographs, be descriptive and promote the name of your business. Attach relevant tags and share these posts around, linking them all back to your website.

When you are adding content to your website and social media profiles, it is best to hold some of it in reserve. Not showing people all your work at once will allow you to add new posts in the future. This will give the impression that you are active, creating new and exciting pieces on a regular basis. An added advantage of this is that you will have time to spare on other aspects of your business.

As your work begins to gain in popularity, you may have people contacting you with requests for a piece of artwork with their specifications. Being prepared for this and anticipating demand is all part of it. For example, you may be given a deadline by a customer seeking an item for someone’s birthday or other celebrations. Ensure that you have all the materials needed and have taken costs into consideration when pricing. This will make the task less stressful and more straightforward.

These may be some of the most effective approaches for developing a small arts and crafts business. However, the success you are looking for with your work depends very much on you, your confidence in it and how well you can handle its promotion. A combination of these assets and the preceding tips will almost certainly reward you with a favourable outcome.

1...1,2621,2631,264...1,663Page 1,263 of 1,663

Quick Access

Our Culture

Helpful

© 2025 Our Culture Mag Limited. All rights reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement (updated 2/1/2025) and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement (updated 2/1/2025). The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Our Culture Mag Limited.