Johnny Marr has announced his Fever Dreams Pt 2 EP with two new songs, ‘Tenement Time’ and ‘Sensory Street’. Set for release on December 17, it’s the second installment of what will eventually become the double album Fever Dreams Pts 1-4. Listen to the new tracks below.
Speaking about ‘Tenement Time’, Marr said in a statement: “That’s the experience of growing up in the inner city as a little kid, running around being quite wild. This idea of “forever, forever is mine” – it’s about running around Ardwick [in Manchester], bunking into warehouses and getting chased. That was the first time I was self-consciously into culture: around people who wore certain clothes, and it was part of being a little Manchester boy, really. I have a real romanticism about that period of my life.”
Fever Dreams Pts 1-4 is due out February 25, 2022 via BMG.
NNAMDÏ has announced a new EP, Are You Happy, which arrives this Friday (November 12). Today, the Chicago producer and multi-instrumentalist has shared two tracks from it: the new song ‘Backseat’, and a remix of last year’s Brat track ‘Glass Casket’. Take a listen below.
Since releasing Brat, NNAMDÏ has remixed tracks by Porridge Radio and Anjimile. In the fall of 2020, he teamed up with Lala Lala for a cover of Sixpence None the Richer’s ‘Kiss Me’, and, earlier this year, he covered Kacey Musgraves’ ‘Lonely Weekend’ for Secretly Canadian’s SC25 Singles.
Are You Happy EP Cover Artwork:
Are You Happy EP Tracklist:
1. Barely Reason for a Smile
2. Glass Casket (Remix)
3. Doing Too Much
4. Backseat
5. You Don’t Know [feat. Sen Morimoto]
Growing up, Hana Vu documented her life the only way she knew how: writing songs and packaging them into collections that she put out at the end of each year. After picking up a guitar her dad had lying around and teaching herself to play, the 21-year-old Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter discovered the local DIY scene and started self-releasing her bedroom pop experiments on Bandcamp; her earliest projects, which are no longer available on the platform, date back to 2014. She went on to collaborate with Willow Smith on the 2018 track ‘Queen of High School’, but it was the song ‘Crying on the Subway’ that caught the attention of Gorilla vs. Bear, which released Vu’s self-produced EP, How Many Times Have You Driven By, on their Luminelle Recordings imprint that same year. Vu followed that up with a double EP, 2019’s Nicole Kidman / Anne Hathaway, before signing with Ghostly for her debut full-length, Public Storage, released last Friday.
In many ways, Public Storage is an album steeped in conflict, almost all of it internal; its title is a reference to Vu’s experience moving around in Los Angeles as a child and making frequent use of self-storage units, but it also alludes to her relationship with songwriting: an honest means of capturing her emotions, but something whose value partly – and sometimes uncomfortably – comes from rendering them public. Vu’s meditations on self-worth, failure, and identity are punctuated by a stark vulnerability and emotive performances; it is a thoroughly striking album about “waiting for something/ anything striking,” a frequently anthemic pop album about succumbing to hopelessness. “I’m vain and conceited,” she sings on the defiant title track, adding, “Tomorrow is evil/ And so are the people/ Who say that they’re not the same.” The final song, the transcendent ‘Maker’, finds her begging some unknowable force: “Can you make me anybody else?” But whatever Vu has in store for the future, it’s clear her captivating voice has grown into its own fully realized force.
We caught up with Hana Vu for this edition of our Artist Spotlight interview series to talk about her relationship with songwriting, her headspace going into Public Storage, and more.
I thought the title of the album, Public Storage, would be a good place to start, because it relates to your experience of moving around between neighbourhoods in Los Angeles and having to use these self-storage spaces quite often. What was that like for you, and when did it become an important metaphor for your songwriting?
I moved around a lot as a kid. Not a lot, but maybe every three years or so I’d move around, and then when I became an adult I moved around like every year. So I just remember me and my sister would go looping our Razor scooters, when my dad had to go to a Public Storage, which was so emotionally exhausting, probably, for him to put all of his stuff in there and revisit it and log everything around with him for all of his life into this unit. And we would just scooter around the whole building. And then when I was 17 I moved out, and I was moving around so much – I was just so aware of how much metaphorical or physical stuff you carry around with you your whole life. And the stuff that you carry around with you, it’s like your identity.
I liked the phrase Public Storage, and I think I’ve always thought about songwriting in that way, where every year when I was in high school and middle school I would just write a bunch of the songs and then release them as a Bandcamp album at the end of the year. It’s kind of like a journal. But the public aspect of music, the releasing it and sort of business of it, was kind of a subtle theme in this album. Because I thought a lot about how, if I just genuinely wanted to just make music, then I would just make music and not release it or have a campaign or a record deal or anything. There’s something deeper there; I think about people who want to perform stuff for the world, you know. So I thought it was kind of fitting.
Because you’re making it known with the album title that that’s what you’re doing?
Yeah. I mean, Public Storage is a brand name, so maybe that’s the initial analysis, but I also think those two words describe my relationship to music and the topics that I write about.
You said you always thought of songwriting as a way of storing memories and experiences. How far back does that go?
I started writing songs when I was like maybe 13. I never thought a song was enough, so I would just write throughout the year and I liked releasing little albums of my year or the grade that I was in. Kind of like having a yearbook that you can look back on. I don’t think I was consciously like, “I want to look back on this when I’m older.” But I do now, and I really appreciate that that’s how I thought about it.
You mentioned Bandcamp, but was there a point where you were just writing for yourself?
I think probably before I ever entered high school, I was writing a lot for myself. I was in freshman year of high school when I made a good friend, and I just revealed to them I make all these songs. And they were like, “You should do something.” And I was like, “Okay.” And that was the start of like, my endless show playing and intentionally making something that I thought people would hear.
What do you think it is about songs that makes you consider presenting them to an audience in a way that you wouldn’t if they were a diary? What do you think you get back from it?
I think validation. [laughs] Validation and respect, if it’s good. I don’t know, glory. That’s like the whole pinnacle, is like everybody, or at least I do and a lot of people I know, you want money, power, glory. And then you’re just like, what is the path to getting there?
How do you feel when you’re revisiting those early songs?
It’s kind of like a touchstone, where if I ever become lost in whatever, I will hear something that I wrote a long time ago and I will just remember the actual core of why I write songs, which is obviously not for like, money and power and glory, that sort of public aspect, the releasing music aspect of it. But surely, because that’s how I just process and exist. Everybody needs to express themselves or say something, and I think that’s what I needed to do when I was younger. I feel like my oldest, like when I was an early teen, I will listen to it and it obviously isn’t that good or anything, but it speaks to me because I wrote it, so I know what was happening and what I was feeling.
Do you still feel that need now, to write songs that are not intended for the public in any way?
Yeah. I think as you become a more self-aware songwriter, you’re kind of thinking too much about how you’re going to be perceived, but every time I’m thinking about it too hard, I will listen to how raw and emotional the music of my early teenage years and kind of tap into that home base.
After graduating, how much of a risk did it feel when you decided to devote your time to music?
Yeah, it was definitely a risk. I never intended on being a musician professionally. In high school I played a lot of shows and it was just kind of fun – there was a big DIY community right where I was, and I just wanted to be cool, like all my friends were in bands and playing shows too, and that was kind of like my hobby. And then in my last year of high school, I just had released a song for fun, as I do, and then it got kind of got picked up. And then I got signed to a label when I was a senior in high school, and so when I was deciding whether or not to go to college, there was just a lot going on. I didn’t really want to pay for college because I didn’t really know what I was trying to do, and when I got signed, I thought at the time, Oh, this is like my job now in a way. It kind of just happened to me – I had been releasing music for a good amount of time before that, but I wasn’t trying to take it anywhere.
Did you expect that bigger things would come in the following years?
I don’t even think bigger things came, I think I just kept releasing music and kept playing shows. Like, nothing crazy has happened to me yet. I’m not like a superstar or anything, I just sort of write songs and release them and go on tour sometimes. I think while writing this record through I was really desperate to get to a place where I felt successful with my music, and I think that was also a big theme. But now when I think about it, I’m like, that just wasn’t real. We’re talking so much about my early music, and I was never really that concerned about being a big act, I just wanted to make songs. So I’m trying to get more in touch with that than being obsessed with things that don’t matter.
How do you think of success now?
I was very caught up with the opportunities that I would get or wanted opportunities that I wasn’t getting, but now I think it’s more: I want to be like these other artists that I think are making respectable work, and having a very rich body of work versus getting like getting a playlist or something like that.
The songs on Public Storage feel deeply personal, though not necessarily in an autobiographical way. There’s this line on the title track: “I don’t really care now/ Or that’s what I’ll say/ Who knows if it’s true/ I don’t think that I even know that I do.” I was wondering how true the songs feel to your experience and the headspace that you were in then versus now.
When I was writing that, I thought of myself as this sort of character, and sort of emphasized the parts of this character who I had been this whole time of writing that. I think there are a lot of themes, like ‘Everybody’s Birthday’ and ‘Maker’ being this very empty, desperate person that I was leaning into. You think of yourself as this character, at some point, at least a lot of people I know, you tell yourself, I’m a happy person and these are the things I do and that’s just who I am. And so, I thought of myself as this character that I didn’t really know if it was true to myself anymore.
In what way?
It’s kind of like a fake it till you make it type of mentality. Like, if something is happening to you that’s upsetting and you’re like, “I don’t care.” It might not be true, but that’s what you tell yourself.
I think this relates to something you’ve said, too, which is that even though you’re not religious, you felt this “punitive force” when writing these songs, which to me explains the sort of self-defeatist attitude that comes through on the record. If not some higher power, where do you think it comes from, this tendency to see yourself in that way?
This is very vague and conceptual, but it’s kind of like, how do you think about life in general? Like, do you inherently think that you deserve something or deserve good things? Do you believe in fairness? I just had always had the notion that nobody really deserves anything, and I was like, if there is some sort of force, it’s really fucked up. Because good things happen to awful people and horrible things happen to very good people who maybe have done nothing in their life wrong yet. It’s this absurdity of like, what do you think you deserve? So it’s kind of a battle within myself, having all these goals and having all these expectations for myself, but knowing that no one really deserves anything or gets what they actually deserve. There are awful people who rise to the highest order, and then there are people who are truly suffering for doing nothing.
I know the lyrics aren’t necessarily meant to be taken literally, but I was curious what your thoughts are outside of the character who’s singing them. There’s this line about being the world’s worst talker, which relates to one of my favourite lyrics on the record: “What can I sing that isn’t song/ Words become lost.” This idea that words are useless and you can’t communicate except through songwriting.
Well, you know, it’s like that Depeche Mode song, “words are meaningless and forgettable.” There’s something I’m drawn to in songwriting and in other people’s songs: you can just say things, quite simply and quite frankly, and it’s a little bit more pungent than if you were to – you know, people talk all the time, it doesn’t really mean anything. It’s kind of like if you were just to write in a journal, but in a more intentional and kind of coded way. I think songwriting is this balance of being personal but being a little bit vague and simple in a true way to yourself, at least that’s what resonates with other people.
Considering what we’re talking about with the dynamic of private vs. public, what was it like to open up this world by having a co-producer, Jackson Phillips, help bring that vision to life on this record?
It was really freeing. Before, I had never worked with a producer because I had such a – I think like before 2016, the DIY culture of doing everything yourself was the most respectable, and I had thought that people who don’t produce and write and engineer and mix all their own songs, like, they’re lame. [laughs] At the time, I wanted to be more of a respectable musician, and I was like, I need to do what I’m good at, and I need to have that space and trust in someone else to think in bigger picture terms, versus wasting a lot of time and energy doing production that I’m not that good at anyway. I really wanted to focus on the writing of it and the bigger picture, what I wanted the record to be and how I want it to feel.
Can you tell me a bit about the cover artwork for the record? I saw the photo is credited to you.
Yeah, I took the picture of my iPhone. When I was talking to the creative director of my record label, Molly Smith – it was a very primitive preliminary type of talk, and she was like, “What are you thinking about record cover?” And I was like, “I want a very dark aesthetic. I feel like that’s sort of my personal aesthetic, and it’s a nice contrast to the music that I think sounds very lush and layered.” And then I was like, “I really don’t want it to be my face.” She was like, “I get that, but also I think people like having record covers of their face because it’s like you’re getting a piece of the artist. You’re being more personal with your audience.” But I was thinking about that concept, and I just feel like when it’s like a portrait of them, it’s not really about “How does this represent my music?” It’s kind of more like, “How good do I look in this photo?” And I think it would become that if it had been my face.
I’m interested in that rawness, of giving a piece of myself to the audience in this sort of raw way without being shrouded in like, “How does this photo look of myself look?” So I worked with this graphic designer, Collin Fletcher, who took a bunch of pictures of my face. He was looking at a lot of Bruce Nauman’s Studies for Holograms and Ann Hamilton’s portrait series. The Bruce Nauman ones really are so raw, and you really get to see like a human face, kind of like the grossness of reality and the human body. So that was the impetus for that.
You mentioned ‘Maker’ before, and I think’s the perfect closer for this album. Because it’s not stereotypically hopeful, but it does signal a desperate desire for something to change. I was actually wondering if you’ve ever seen that song in relation to ‘Fighter’, from your double EP, Nicole Kidman / Anne Hathaway. I think it’s interesting how it changes from wanting to be that powerful force, that savior, to then calling out for one.
Yeah, it goes back to the idea that I think I had felt at the time of writing this record, like, I want all these things and I want to be all these things, but I’m not in charge of my actual life in terms of who I want to be in this world. You can try as hard as you want, but it’s not really up to you to get what you think you deserve. I still don’t know, but I think at the time I was like, I don’t know who it’s up to, I don’t know who I have to beg to be somewhere where I feel good about myself. Is it some sort of rich guy who has all of the power? To God? It’s that desperation.
There’s still that desire, though, right? It goes from “I want to be able to save me, to save you” to like, “Well, I know I can’t, but I still want it to happen somehow.”
Yeah. Like a very defeated type of trajectory, I think, from ‘Fighter’ to ‘Maker’.
But in the trajectory of the album, I think it’s a positive shift.
Well, not defeated in the quest, but in the activeness of it. You’ve given up hope, in a way, but you still want a better life for yourself, always.
I realize we got into some heavy questions, so I wanted to end with a lighter one. And because we started with a question related to the album title, I thought it would be nice to end with another title-related question. Going back to your EP, Nicole Kidman/Anne Hathaway, you said that there were so many other actors by the time that it came out that you were obsessed with. What are some things or people or actors that you’re currently obsessed with? Or has that need to obsess over things gone away?
I don’t obsess over things anymore, but I still heavily idolize celebrities. I was just consuming so much content at that time. And I was studying actors because it was cool to see a different kind of art that I have no business in. It was such a novelty to me. But I love all the classics: Amy Adams, Natalie Portman. I think after that record came out, Hustlers came out, and I was like, Constance Wu is a force to be reckoned with. Julianne Moore. I’m trying to think about what I’m watching now. Oh, I’ve been watching Grey’s Anatomy, and Sandra Oh is so amazing in it.
You don’t idolize musicians in the same way?
No.
Because you are one?
Because I am one, yeah. [laughs] There’s no glory, to me at least.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity and length.
In the Islamic community, dating before marriage is still a taboo topic that isn’t openly discussed. However, there are still many great works that explain the experiences of those who share this faith but are still looking for love. Of course, since there are numerous Muslim communities in many different countries that have unique customs and accepted social standards. Those experiences are hardly uniform and, in fact, run the whole spectrum from normal romance to forbidden love.
It’s very important to understand at least the basic cultural norms, just in case you find yourself at a dating site for Muslims and need to know how to communicate. Fortunately, there are several films that can show you what it’s like to search for a romantic partner for a Muslim person. Here are a few that are definitely worth seeing if you can find the time:
Sabah (2006)
This groundbreaking movie details the experiences of a Syrian immigrant to Canada who struggles to balance between traditional standards of behaviour and the freedom found in the new country. The female protagonist has to deal with her family and their expectations while trying to fit into Western society and develop a romantic relationship with a man. Ultimately, the story has a happy ending and serves as a model of how people from different cultures can find happiness together. The film was directed by a Muslim woman and features actors from this background, so its depictions of dating in this culture are very realistic.
Persepolis (2007)
Growing up in the Islamic Republic of Iran and the difficulties of balancing womanhood with the pressures of a religious fundamentalist society are some of the topics covered in this adult animated movie. Its charming portrayal of teenage rebellion in a place where individualist attitudes in women can be dangerous is unique in modern cinematography. While it’s not explicitly a film about dating or romance, it carries an important political and feminist message that resonates strongly with anyone familiar with the current situation in most Islamic nations. It’s a statement about the power of youth but also a warning about the dangers of stepping out of the role proscribed by religious leaders.
Finding Fatimah (2017)
As one of the works that most directly deal with Muslim dating and some of the typical issues that people in this community experience, Finding Fatimah raises some very uncomfortable questions. On the other hand, the format of a romantic comedy softens the blow and allows the viewer to sympathize with the plight of the on-screen characters. Watching them wrestle with hard emotional issues while also having to answer what it means to be a Muslim in a world where old values must be reconsidered provides far more food for thought than comic relief. That’s why this movie is a great place to start exploring the specificities of dating culture among Muslim people.
Verses of Love (2008)
The events of this Indonesian movie are set in Egypt, where the young protagonist must learn how to handle his feelings towards the women he encounters. This film directly addresses the issues that many Muslims are familiar with, namely how to divide the platonic side of the relationship between a man and a woman from the forbidden, carnal side. Since the main characters are deeply religious, it’s interesting to see how they resolve some of the inner conflicts resulting from emotional engagement. The audiences were thrilled by Verses of Love, which broke attendance records in Indonesia.
Marock (2005)
A very controversial but also commercially successful, this film discusses romance between members of mutually hostile religious communities. Set in the Moroccan city of Casablanca, it tells a story about young people who dare to ignore traditional divisions between Muslim and Jewish faiths. It’s a modern love story coloured by the ghosts of the past, wonderfully brought to the screen by one of the most talented filmmakers in the Islamic world. This is definitely one of the films you should see if you are interested to learn more about the clash between romance and religion.
For successful online dating and relationships with Muslims, you need to know their culture and customs. A great opportunity to learn more about is to watch films that show relationships with Muslims.
Online slots work in a pretty simple way. You press the spin button, wait for the reels to spin, and hope Lady Luck is on your side. You win if the symbols match, and you lose if they don’t. The hope of winning is what gets you spinning more reels in most cases.
Game developers have, however, introduced a concept that not only gets you hoping for a win but also leaves you excited and immersed in the online slot game. This concept goes by the name RPG, and it led to the invention of RPG online slots.
What are RPG Online Slots?
Online slots are a new breed of slot games that feature the gameplay of traditional slots combined with a storyline and level progression system. RPG slots differ from conventional slots in that they incorporate the RPG concept into the gameplay. RPG is short for role-playing games. It stands for games where a player gets in the role of a fictitious character in a made-up setting and follows a storyline to win or complete the game.
RPG games have the following characteristics:
Fictional characters (like a warrior, a bandit, or a wizard) – they are imaginary, and they don’t necessarily have to be humans;
Fictional setting – the setting may be an imaginary or unknown world;
Strong storyline – most RPG games have a narrative that runs from the beginning to the end;
Level progression system – as the player progresses with the game, they unlock new levels and gain new skills and abilities.
RPG slots offer players a more immersive experience. They contain these RPG characteristics to make the game more attractive and exciting. A player can follow along with the intriguing narrative as they hope to win. Other RPG elements that may be part of a slot game include:
Exploration and adventure
Combat
Interface and graphics
RPG slots still follow the gameplay of traditional slots, whereby an RNG (random number generator) determines whether you win or lose. They are still games of chance.
How do RPG Slots work?
Game developers have incorporated the RPG concept into slots in numerous ways. Here are a few examples:
3D slots
3D slots are video slots designed with 3D graphics, although they don’t require you to wear 3D glasses. 3D slots usually have a life-like character and immersive storyline that gets players invested in the game. Players also aim to reach certain levels to progress in the game. 3D slots are designed to entice players to unlock levels and keep playing. It’s not only about winning.
A level system
In some RPG slots, players are tasked to battle monsters and enemies to win free spins and bonuses. Killing and defeating the monsters enables the player to collect points, climb higher on the leaderboard and earn more points. Winning also allows the player to unlock higher levels and gain new abilities and weapons. The player may also get a bigger payout if they defeat the archenemy or boss monster in the RPG slot.
Decision-based bonus rounds
RPG slots are still 100% luck-based, although some allow you to make decisions that may affect the bonuses and bonus rounds you get. You can choose between different playing modes, among other things.
The Bottom Line
RPG online slots have added fun and functionality to traditional slots. The difference between conventional slots and RPG slots is that RPG slots follow a storyline and have fictional characters in a made-up setting. These slot games make the experience more exciting and immersive. The player not only plays to win, but they also enjoy following along the storyline, unlocking levels, and gaining more skills and abilities.
The world is a big and diverse place. People living in different cultures often see things differently. This can be true of how people perceive formal wear, as well. For example, you can buy indian outfits online from nihal fashions and find other cultures exciting too. this article, you will learn about some of the ways that different cultures perceive formal wear so you can better understand the wants and needs of your customers or clients!
Western
For a long time now, formal wear in the western world required longer sleeves. That’s why girls are trying to find a special long sleeve formal dresses collection for prom. This has been established as the standard for formal wear in Europe and America and become a part of their culture. Many other cultures have adopted this style as well, making it their own while still complying with the dress code traditions.
Formality is defined by different aspects such as fabric type and color, length/size of sleeves and neckline cut among others. The West has been very strict about formality, but there are also countries that are more lenient with these rules, allowing people to express themselves through fashion choices, even when attending special events or gatherings where one might need to look formal. However, all cultures can agree on one thing: wearing clothes that fit your body accordingly will always be better than not doing so!
Men are usually required to wear suits or tuxedos with a shirt. They should also wear a necktie or a bow tie, and the color of their shoes should match the color of the belt.
Japan
Japanese fashion is pretty specific and unique compared to what we see in the U.S. and other countries. There are some major differences that make Japanese fashion stand out from Western fashion, such as color combinations and fabrics used.
There are also different rules about which outfits you can wear for any given occasion. There might be separate dress codes depending on if you’re going to an office party vs out clubbing with friends after work. Here are some examples of what to wear in Japan and when to wear it:
Haori and Uchikake for the Coming of Age Day and certain funerals. Haori is a type of kimono, while Uchikake is an overcoat also known as a wedding coat that usually follows the pattern of the kimono underneath it.
Komon for everyday wear when going out on weekdays or informal occasions such as festivals and other cultural celebrations. Komon is casual outfits typically made from cotton with simple patterns compared to more elaborate fashion designs worn by people during special occasions.
Yukata are summertime garments often associated with fireworks displays, since they’re worn at Bon Odori celebrations. Yukata are also worn during summer festivals, and it’s the most casual outfit that is acceptable for wearing outside on weekdays or less formal occasions.
Cosplay is traditionally Japanese, but there have been more people around the world who’ve adopted cosplaying as a way to express their love of anime characters by dressing up in costumes resembling them.
Japan perceives formal wear differently than the West does because they have different cultural norms and values associated with what clothes are appropriate for certain occasions or settings. Formal attire means something very specific when you’re talking about Western fashion vs Eastern culture, so it’s important to understand both sides before drawing conclusions on “formal” garments around the world.
However, it should be noted that the Japanese also often wear suits!
India
Formal clothing in India is not perceived the same as in Western culture. There is a cultural shift that must be made to include and understand what formal wear can look like when it comes from India. The perception of fashion changes depending on who you’re talking about, but based on Indian culture there are different types of clothing used compared to other countries such as America or Europe.
The first thing people notice when thinking about Indian clothes is perhaps one specific cloth called “dupatta”. This type of apparel doesn’t really have much to do with western understanding regarding formality because this fabric also includes women’s underwear, which has nothing at all related to beauty and style. Yet, even if dupattas don’t exactly reveal your perfect curves, they are very much appreciated by Indian women.
Arabic cultures
Arabs have a recognizable style of dress that is very different from most other cultures. In general, Arabs wear loose clothing made out of large clothes, and they always have a head covering.
In the Arabic culture, it has been said that “there are two occasions in which Arab women show their faces: weddings and funerals.” Of course, this varies depending on what part of the Arabic culture you are from. In general, women cover their heads and wear loose clothing for modesty purposes.
In Arabic cultures, formal wear is called “Izaar” which means garment or dress in English. Izaar includes any long-sleeved shirt worn by men as a top layer with wide sleeves that fall to approximately mid-thigh length. Over this, they might also wear a thobe (a knee-length robe) made out of cotton, linen, wool, or silk depending on what season it is and where they live geographically within the Arabic regions/countries.
African Cultures
Formal wear in African cultures is very different from that of the Western world. African women wear a lot more color and patterns in clothing, paired with vibrant makeup and hairstyles to match their outfits. In addition, they wear jewelry made out of beads or shells as an accessory.
Women often pair bright colors together when dressing formally. The use of accessories such as beads, bracelets, earrings is also common for African fashion designers. Also, many African women have colorful hairstyles to go along with their outfit choice(s) for the day.
Formal suits are often worn at African weddings, as well as by men who work in important positions, such as government officials and business owners. It is also common for a man to wear a traditional Akubra hat with a formal suit or tuxedo attire. Women too have been known to pair an Akubra with an outfit such as a ball gown.
Formal wear differs from culture to culture. In the West, people usually require you to wear long sleeves no matter your gender. On the other hand, other cultures have specific clothing and wear different, more traditional things. Japanese have special clothing for every occasion, while Arabic people wear loose clothing and women can rarely show their faces. Africans also tend to thrive towards more traditional clothing and don’t really condone western cultures.
Adele has previewed a new song called ‘Hold On’, which appears in a new holiday-themed commercial for Amazon. Co-written by Inflo, the London producer who has worked with the likes of Michael Kiwanuka and Little Simz, the track is the second offering from the singer’s upcoming album 30. Check it out below.
The first single from 30, ‘Easy on Me’, arrived in October. More recently, Adele revealed the record’s full tracklist, which includes a song called ‘I Drink Wine’ and a new version of ‘Easy on Me’ featuring Chris Stapleton. The album is out November 19 via Columbia.
Foo Fighters have announced a new horror comedy film called STUDIO 666. The movie stars Dave Grohl, Taylor Hawkins, Nate Mendel, Pat Smear, Chris Shiflett, and Rami Jaffee, and was shot in the Encino mansion, where the band recorded their latest album, Medicine to Midnight. It was directed by BJ McDonnell and written by Jeff Buhler and Rebecca Hughes, based on a story by Grohl. The cast also includes Whitney Cummings, Leslie Grossman, Will Forte, Jenna Ortega, and Jeff Garlin.
“After decades of ridiculous music videos and numerous music documentaries under our collective belts, it was finally time to take it to the next level,” Grohl said in a press statement, continuing:
Like most things Foo, STUDIO 666 began with a far fetched idea that blossomed into something bigger than we ever imagined possible. Filmed at the same house where we recorded our latest album Medicine at Midnight — told you that place was haunted! — we wanted to recapture the classic magic that all of our favorite rock and roll movies had, but with a twist: hilarious gore that fucking rocks. And now, with the help of Tom Ortenberg and the team at Open Road Films we can finally let this cat out of the bag after keeping it our best kept secret for two years. Be ready to laugh, scream, and headbang in your popcorn. STUDIO 666 will fuck you up.
STUDIO 666 will be released in theaters on February 25, 2022.
Bill Callahan and Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy have enlisted Hamerkop for a cover of Scout Niblett’s ‘Kidnapped by Neptune’. It’s set to appear on the newly announced Bind Date Party compilation, which collects all 19 covers the pair have released over the past year. It’s due out December 10 via Drag City. Listen to their version of ‘Kidnapped by Neptune’ below.
Callahan and Will Oldham last released a cover of the late John Prine’s ‘She Is My Everything’ back in March. Blind Date Party includes their take on songs by Steely Dan, Yusuf / Cat Stevens, Dave Rich, Billie Eilish, Robert Wyatt, Lou Reed, and more. Each of their covers features at least one guest; Hamerkop is the duo of Bachelorette’s Annabel Alpers and Adam Cooke, who issued their debut album Remote on Drag City in 2019.
Philadelphia band Caracara have returned with a new single called ‘Hyacinth’. The track was produced by Grammy-nominated engineer and producer Will Yip. Check it out below.
“I suppose it’s like an oxygen mask, and that theoretical moment in which one should put on their own before helping someone else,” vocalist/guitarist Will Lindsay explained in a statement. “I’ve never been on a plane when the masks drop but in all honesty, I can’t say I necessarily envision myself looking out for my own safety and then politely helping a neighbor. I think a lot of us are sitting there now, frozen.”
Lindsay continued: “New preoccupations pile up, hate begets chaos begets injustice begets polarization, we try to look inward and outward at once. It’s a song about megachurches and myopia, the gods and the sciences at war on a small screen, alcohol and anxiety and anger and the internet and the aimless desire to help with everything all at once.”
