Leopoldo D’Angelo, more commonly known under the alias of Dangiuz, has released some superb 3D work over the years which has been influenced by the genres of Cyberpunk and Synthwave. This is a showcase of just some of Dangiuz’ best work.
Find more superb visual work by Dangiuz here.
With their breakout 2018 debut LP, Future Me Hates Me, The Beths – aka singer/guitarist Elizabeth Stokes, guitarist Jonathan Pearce, bassist Benjamin Sinclair, and drummer Tristan Deck – showcased their knack for stringing together tight hooks, sharp lyrics, and driving melodies, resulting in one of the most invigorating indie albums of that year. So despite Stokes’ cautious attitude on the opening track of their sophomore album, ‘I’m Not Getting Excited’, it’s hard not to get excited when those riveting guitars kick in, bolstered by rapid-fire drumming and a ferocious guitar solo around the midpoint that seems to exist for the sole purpose of assuring the listener that none of the band’s fervour has been lost in the two years since their debut.
But the rest of the album, titled Jump Rope Gazers, hints at a new direction for the band, one that rests on a more mature and refined sound that’s accompanied by earnest, vulnerable songwriting. It may not exhibit the same kind of fiery energy that powered their previous effort – at least, not all the way through – but this affords the band a lot more space to explore the tension introduced by the opening track; that insecure state of not knowing whether you should give yourself fully or try not to get your hopes up too high when things seem to be going well (“Being patient’s never been my forté,” Stokes admits on ‘Do You Want Me Now’, while elsewhere she sings, “Stay, my hopes are prone to elevate”). Though a cleaner approach is often a common signifier for the much-dreaded sophomore slump, that emotional restraint doesn’t hold back the band’s sound – instead, it allows for a more dynamic, rich palette that opens it up to new possibilities.
Stokes might be wary of coming off too sincere, but some of the album’s most memorable moments are also its most unabashedly sentimental. The title track marks the most radical departure from Future Hates Me, a nostalgic, 2000s inspired ballad that earns most of its potency from that one line: “We were jump rope gazers in the middle of the night,” Stokes reminisces. In an interview, the singer explained she imagines this jump rope as a connection between two people, and those observations about distance and relationships add another layer of tension to the album’s content. “Long distance is the wrong distance/ And there has never been a gulf that’s quite as great,” she sings on the tender ‘Don’t You Want Me Now’. If the sentiment of the track reminds you of Death Cab for Cutie, that’s not entirely a coincidence – The Beths recently went on tour with the band, whose influence seeps through most obviously on the moving, acoustic-driven ‘You Are a Beam of Light’, an unexpected but nevertheless gorgeous highlight.
Part of what makes Jump Rope Gazers so delightful is that Stokes’ witty, self-deprecating lyrics are often contrasted with the pure, unadulterated joy of tracks like ‘Acrid’. Despite lines like “Tragic, the messages I send, my mind post-midnight/ Are showing seen but no reply” during the verses, the band breaks into a soaring, blissful sing-along chorus that feels like a ray of sunshine. The buoyant ‘Mars, the God of War’ contains some of Stokes’ most playfully inventive lyrics that once again return to the subject of texting, this time imagining the computer as a “war machine” used to fire reactive messages. The track boasts another one of the album’s catchiest hooks: “I wish that I could wish you well,” she repeatedly laments, “Instead I’m hitting my head and hitting backspace on ‘Can’t you just go to hell?’”.
Moments like these serve as reminders that there’s still a lot of bite and personality to the band’s songwriting, even if overall it anchors in a sweeter, more conventional sound. The albums is full of self-aware reflections that make it feel both relatable and all the more personal: “I’m sorry for the way that I can’t hold conversations/ They’re such a fragile thing to try support the weight of,” she sings on ‘Dying to Believe’. Self-doubt keeps creeping back in throughout the album’s 10 tracks, but it’s heartening to see it end on a relatively hopeful note with the aptly titled, beautifully melodic ‘Just Shy of Sure’. “Hey, you can’t win without entering,” Stokes ultimately reasons. When it comes to Jump Roze Gazers, though, there’s no doubt about it: the Beths have once again served up one of the most captivating pop-rock albums of the year.
NYC collective MICHELLE have shared a vibrant, groovy new single called ‘SUNRISE’. The track arrives with a music video animated Kohana Wilson and fellow NYC creative Niko Chang. Check it out below.
“’SUNRISE’ holds some kind of a summer air, but more so a longing for someone who could never really show up,” the group said in a statement. “A sentiment as sticky, sweaty, and fleeting as summer. Sunrise is as bittersweet as it is groovy. We’re grateful that the first song we’re releasing since HEATWAVE gets to be one we’ve held on to, sang, rewritten, and lived with for so long.”
It’s been two years since the six-piece self-released their debut studio album, HEATWAVE. Back in May, the group unveiled a remix of ‘THE BOTTOM’ by Rosa Walton of Let’s Eat Grandma. Earlier this year, they covered Roberta Flack’s ‘Killing Me Softly’.
Kanye West has apparently announced the title, tracklist, and release date of his upcoming album in a since-deleted tweet.
The tweet showed a handwritten tracklist for an album called Donda (the previous title was God’s Country), to be released next week on July 24. It featured 20 songs, including the previously released ‘Wash Us in the Blood’ featuring Travis Scott and ‘Donda’, a tribute to his late mother. It also includes one track called ‘God’s Country’ and another called ‘In God’s Country’, as well as ‘New Body’, which was supposed to appear on Yandhi and has since been floating around the internet for a while.
Of course, West’s fans know all too well that this does not mean we are getting a new album next Friday. If it doesn’t end up having the same fate as the rapper’s multiple shelved projects – including Good Ass Job, Watch the Throne 2 and Turbografx 16 – there’s a good chance it will at least be repeatedly delayed, as was the case with Jesus is King. Besides, it’s still unclear why West deleted the tweet.
Despite reports surfacing that the rapper and 2020 presidential hopeful would be dropping out of the presidential race, West is currently petitioning to have his name listed on the South Carolina ballot and has since filed paperwork with the US Federal Election Commission.
Kanye’s deleted album announcement: DONDA pic.twitter.com/gn538VM7vg
— Watching the Throne (@KanyePodcast) July 18, 2020
Jhené Aiko has unveiled a new track called ‘Summer 2020’. It’s taken from the deluxe edition of the singer’s third LP, CHILOMBO, which dropped this Friday (July 17). Check it out below, alongside a music video directed by Eyes.
“Tryna beat the heat and summer madness/ Only thoughts of you can get me by,” Aiko sings amid warm, sun-drenched production.
The deluxe edition of CHILOMBO also includes a piano rendition of ‘Above and Beyond’, a remix of ‘B.S’. featuring Kehlani, ‘Down Again’ feat. Wiz Khalifa, and more. The original album was released back in March and features appearances from Future, Miguel, H.E.R., Ab-Soul, Nas, Big Sean, and others.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has revealed that indoor concerts and performances will be allowed in England starting August 1st, 2020. The official announcement was made on Friday, July 17th as part of a wider discussion about phase four of England’s five-stage reopening strategy for live events. UK culture secretary Oliver Dowden then confirmed the news in a tweet.
Social distancing measures will be enforced in all indoor performances, in addition to reduced capacity for venues, required online ticketing, frequent sanitization and deep cleaning requirements, and staggered sets.
“The UK’s performing arts sector is renowned across the world and I am pleased that we are making real progress in getting its doors reopened to the public with social distancing,” Oliver Dowden said in a statement. “From August indoor theatres, music venues and performance spaces will safely welcome audiences back across the country.”
The new reopening policy applies only to England since the rest of the UK – Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland – are governed by their own national administrations.
Earlier this month, the UK government announced an emergency stimulus package of £1.57 billion for arts venues and cultural spaces that have suffered financial difficulties from the COVID-19 pandemic, marking the “the biggest one-off investment in UK culture”.
Read our feature on how the COVID-19 crisis is affecting independent musicians.
From 1 August socially distanced audiences can return for indoor performances in theatres, music halls and other venues. This builds on pilots with @londonsymphony and others. So pleased to make progress to Stage 4 of our road map for culture. pic.twitter.com/Js7dQUghZ6
— Oliver Dowden (@OliverDowden) July 17, 2020
Rapidly rising music producers Tobtok and Mahalo have come together to present an ear-pleasing summer track named This Town featuring Timpo. This single marks another big track for the 27-year old Tobtok, who has also released As I Sleep featuring Charlee, which has over 11 million streams and Something ‘Bout The Music which has over 6 million streams. Mahalo is also a rising name in the world of electronic music; in fact, his single So Cold in collaboration with DLMT featuring Lily Denning has reached over 11 million plays via Spotify alone. Both of these artists are wide awake and are constantly pushing for more in the highly competitive and saturated electronic music world.
This Town is now available to be streamed via Spotify.
Many readers are adamant that the book is always better than the movie, but this may not be a fair comparison because of the difference in form. Films don’t often have the time to explore every detail included in their source material, especially longer classics. But sometimes, screen adaptations bring something new to the original story that offers a new perspective. This is particularly refreshing in the case of books written long before an adaptation is made. Here are ten examples of excellent book-to-screen adaptations, including those in the form of television or web series.
Lucy Maud Montgomery’s classic Canadian book series has been adapted for the screen multiple times. Still, two of its most popular adaptations are Kevin Sullivan’s 1985 film (followed by the 1987 sequel, and the slightly deviant third instalment in 2000) and the more recent Netflix series Anne With an E (2017).
The story of Anne Shirley begins when she arrives in Avonlea of Prince Edward Island after a bleak childhood as an orphan. Despite her loveless upbringing, Anne is a vibrant character full of imagination, and her adoptive parents love her for it. The 1985 film adaptation stars Megan Follows as the leading character, while Anne With an E stars the young Canadian-Irish actress Amybeth McNulty. Both give endearing performances as the beloved young heroine.
Sullivan’s adaptation is much closer to the books than Moira Walley-Beckett’s grittier Netflix series, but both bring the characters to life in the same dreamlike setting. The series introduces themes and characters that aren’t even mentioned in the books, including LGBTQ+ characters, people of colour, and First Nations indigenous characters. The series also presents a more realistic portrayal of Anne’s journey. She isn’t immediately accepted in her new home and must face bullying and discrimination for her appearance, her background, and her quirky personality.
Roald Dahl’s popular children’s book has also been adapted for the screen more than once. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005) stars Johnny Depp as Willy Wonka in a fun, colourful, and slightly more modern take on the original story. However, the 1971 film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is the more beloved and critically acclaimed adaptation. In the earlier film, Willy Wonka is portrayed by Gene Wilder, who brought fun and enigmatic charm to the character and gave Wonka his own touch.
Perhaps the difference in titles is significant because Mel Stuart’s Willy Wonka focuses more on its titular character, whereas Tim Burton’s later adaptation centres more on Charlie. Visually and stylistically, Burton’s film resembles other films he’s directed, with its darker gothic edge offset by quirky characters. Even the movie poster matches his other works, whereas Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory‘s poster looks like a children’s fantasy – which it is. In any case, both adaptations do an admirable job of bringing the magic of Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory to life.
Gillian Flynn’s 2012 novel was adapted for the big screen in 2014. David Fincher directs this mystery thriller, which stars Rosamund Pike and Ben Affleck as Amy and Nick Dunne, a troubled married couple.
When Amy goes missing, Nick is one of the main suspects of her disappearance. He adamantly denies any involvement or influence, even as strange details about their past emerge.
The film brings to life the eerie, elusive nature of the mystery and of the characters themselves. A sleek and gloomy approach to the cinematography dramatically aids in this portrayal, as do the actors’ performances; Rosamund Pike scored an Oscar nomination for her role of Amy Dunne.
JK Rowling’s bestselling Harry Potter series is one of the greatest book-to-screen successes. If such a beloved story and set of characters had been passed into the wrong hands, many book fans would have been disappointed. Luckily, the seven-part journey of Harry Potter’s life as The Boy Who Lived saw great success on the big screen.
Each film takes place during each of Harry’s seven years at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry – except for the final two Deathly Hallows films, which follow him, Ron, and Hermione on their quest to destroy Voldemort’s seven Horcruxes, each of which contains a part of his soul. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) is the film that stands out in the franchise.
Alfonso Cuarón directs the third instalment, introducing a sense of darkness after Chris Colombus’s first two, lighter instalments. Known for award-winning films such as Gravity (2013) and Roma (2018), Cuarón brings a more cinematic quality to the third Hary Potter film. The Prisoner of Azkaban serves as a transition from childhood to adolescence as well as discovering the magical world and introducing its evils; the darkness in the film’s sound and cinematography suit the film’s themes and Harry’s loneliness.
Suzanne Collins’ dystopian trilogy is another popular book series that could have been a disaster onscreen, but the films were taken seriously and approached with a degree of maturity that served the adaptations well. They propelled Jennifer Lawrence to stardom and featured performances from a number of more experienced actors like Woody Harrelson, Donald Sutherland, and Julianne Moore.
The Hunger Games is set in futuristic North America, now called Panem. The country is divided into twelve Districts and a Capitol of wealthy, privileged people. Each year, the Districts must offer up one male and one female tribute, aged between twelve and eighteen, to fight to the death in a battle broadcast to the entire population of Panem.
The second instalment is the closest to its respective book, which may be why it’s the most popular. Having found its footing in the YA zeitgeist, the film is more modern and refined – perhaps thanks to Francis Lawrence’s directorial hand taking over from Gary Ross – and the characters reveal more depth following the events of the first film.
Louisa May Alcott’s classical novel follows the four March sisters, Jo, Amy, Beth, and Meg, as they grow into young women. The story is told in a comedic way that makes the girls’ youth palpable and enjoyable to read, but the narrative voice relates their tales of joy and tragedy with understanding and respect.
Two of the most notable adaptations are the 1994 and 2019 films, both of which are female-directed (Gillian Armstrong and Greta Gerwig, respectively) and critically acclaimed. The earlier adaptation stars Winona Ryder as the aspiring author Jo March, while Saoirse Ronan plays a part in Gerwig’s film. The 1994 version is a fable-like retelling of the March sisters’ lives, while the 2019 adaptation adds more to the story through its clever direction. Both adaptations are loved by fans of the book, even if they are stitched together with slightly different strings.
The Martian is a 2011 sci-fi novel by Andy Weir, originally posted chapter-by-chapter on his website. After amassing a broad readership, traditional publishers became interested in printing and selling Weir’s story of a botanist named Mark Watney who accidentally ends up stranded alone on Mars.
Matt Damon stars in the 2015 film adaptation alongside Jessica Chastain, Kate Mara, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Jeff Daniels, and others. Directed by Sir Ridley Scott, best known for his high concept science-fiction and horror films, The Martian seamlessly and skillfully adapts Watney’s sarcastic inner monologues for the screen. Humorous, adventurous, and visually captivating, the film is accessible for enjoyment by a broad audience.
This is another one of Roald Dahl’s numerous works that have been adapted into movie form. Matilda is a young girl who doesn’t fit in with her family. When she develops telekinetic abilities, she uses them to assert her youthful independence in her household and at her school, which is run by an oppressive principal.
The 1996 film is directed, narrated, and co-produced by Danny DeVito – who also plays Matilda’s father – with a twist of dark humour. As the titular character, a young Mara Wilson impressively embodies Matilda’s charm and sly wit. The film has been praised by critics and continues to be a popular family favourite to this day.
Stephen Chbosky’s famous young adult novel was published in 1999 but was not adapted for the big screen until 2012. The film stars Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, Ezra Miller, Mae Whitman, Paul Rudd, and Nina Dobrev.
Lerman’s character Charlie is a troubled introvert whose only friend is his English teacher until he befriends a group of misfits in their senior year. He’s still processing the suicide of his late friend, and his behaviour frightens his family. Since the film wasn’t produced until 2012, it affords a lens of nostalgia that wouldn’t have been possible if it had been adapted earlier.
Jane Austen’s most renowned piece of feminist literature was published in 1813, far ahead of its time. Almost two hundred years later, her books continue to be read, celebrated, and adapted into films and television series. Two of Pride and Prejudice‘s best-known adaptations are the 1995 BBC series starring Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth, and Joe Wright’s 2005 film starring Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen.
Each adaptation offers a slightly different view of the Bennet family’s life. Elizabeth’s mother, Mrs Bennet, is fixated on finding wealthy husbands for her daughters. Elizabeth tries to ignore her obsessive attempts to get her married and instead follows her ambitions of becoming a respected woman. Both versions of Elizabeth are strong-willed and independent, but Knightley’s is decidedly more youthful, while Ehle’s is haughtier.
Given its longer running time, the series affords a more detailed glance into the lives of its characters. Wright’s film, on the other hand, is more concerned with style and cinematography, which works in the film’s favour.
I Can’t Give You What You Want is a brand new emotional single by Ben Wylen. This single marks the sixth song released from his upcoming album People Say, which is due to be published on November the 6th, 2020. With this song, Wylen showcases a superb level of songwriting alongside the co-writer Ed Harcourt, who has worked with star names such as James Bay and Paloma Faith. In terms of production, Wylen sticks with a commercial-ready sound, which is enriched by his mellifluous vocals we have come to hear in his previous singles.
Talking about the song Wylen said “The people that love you have certain expectations of you. They have expectations of the person you are today and the person that you will become. This song encapsulates what happens when you don’t live up to them.”
Shifting to electronic music we have Cellini with the club mix version of What’s After High. In this version, Cellini mixes a melancholic mood with a stable Techno kick and swirling sharp-like synths that you would hear in a Techno-loving nightclub on a typical Friday night. This version of the track marks a note of what we are missing in today’s world due to the current crisis.
Gone is Gone, the supergroup consisting of members from Mastodon, At the Drive-In, and Queens of the Stone Age, have shared a new track called ‘Everything is Wonderfall’. Check it out below.
Formed in 2016, the group includes Mastodon singer-bassist Troy Sanders, At the Drive-In drummer Tony Hajjar, Queens of the Stone Age guitarist Troy Van Leeuwen, and multi-instrumentalist Mike Zarin. Their latest offering follows the stand-alone single, ‘No One Ever Walked on Water’, which dropped back in 2018.
Gone is Gone’s last album was 2017’s Echolocation, which followed from a self-titled EP in 2016. Recently, Sanders revealed that he is also working on new music with Mastodon.
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