Eudon Choi, a known name at London Fashion Week, has presented his latest spring and summer collection via a digital short film. The theme for the collection is Fuga Estiva (Summer Escape) takes inspiration from hunger to escape the city for a relaxing summer vacation in Italy. The collection includes summery hues of terracotta, sand, grass green and Mediterranean blue, making it a perfect mix for summer. Fabrications of cool linens, crisp kinds of cotton and silks are fused with a bold leaf print.
Lucy Dacus Joins Hamilton Leithauser on New Version of ‘Isabella’
Hamilton Leithauser has released a new version of his song ‘Isabella’, featuring vocals from Lucy Dacus. The track originally appeared on the former Walkmen frontman’s latest solo LP, The Loves Of Your Life. Take a listen below.
Explaining how the new version came about, Leithauser said: “I was just playing this groovy riff in my home studio and it suddenly sounded like it might work on my song ‘Isabella’. I guess this amounts to the kind of evolving a new song goes through after a few months on tour… but without the tour. So I just hit record, and a few minutes later I had this whole new version of the song that I kind of loved. I asked my friend Lucy to sing on it—I’ve loved her voice since we used to sing together on stage every night during my I Had a Dream That You Were Mine tour. She recorded it at home and sent it to me. Once I put it all together I thought ‘well hell, why not share this with the world?’”
Dacus added: “Hamilton hit me up about singing on the song in June when I was in a bleak spot. Working on it really got me out of a funk and let me have some fun. We toured together in 2017 and I sung on a song in his set, it felt good to return to that. He’s a nice guy with good songs who’s easy to work with and lovely to talk to.”
Hamilton Leithauser recently unveiled a new live album, Live! at Cafe Carlyle. Back in June, he appeared on NPR’s Tiny Desk (Home) Concert. Lucy Dacus’ last album was 2018’s Historian.
Watch Megan Thee Stallion Perform ‘Savage’ and ‘Don’t Stop’ on ‘SNL’
Megan Thee Stallion delivered a powerful performance of her single ‘Savage’ at the season premiere of Saturday Night Live last night (October 3). Later in the show, Young Thug joined the Houston rapper for a performance of their recent collaborative single ‘Don’t Stop’. Check it out below.
During Meg’s performance of ‘Savage’, the text ‘PROTECT BLACK WOMEN’ was boldly displayed behind her. Halfway through the song, the rapper played audio from Malcolm X (“The most disrespected, unprotected, neglected person in America is the black woman”) and activist Tamika Mallory (“Daniel Cameron is no different than the sellout negroes that sold our people into slavery”) before making her own statement:
“We need to protect our black Women and love our Black women. Because at the end of the day we need our Black women. We need to protect our Black Men and stand up for our Black men because at the end of the day, we’re tired of seeing hashtags of our Black men.”
Meg also made an appearance in a sketch about hoes in the NBA bubble and rapped a verse as part of comedic music video. Watch that below as well.
Next Saturday (October 10), Justin Bieber is set to take on the SNL stage.
Films on MUBI in October
MUBI, the cinema loving streaming service of Efe Cakarel, has released their lineup of films for the month of October. Among some of the selection we a presented with The Deer Hunter, Stories We Tell, and Voices of the Moon by Federico Fellini. MUBI will also debut Two/One by Juan Cabral, which will be shown exclusively on MUBI.
Here is the full list of films appearing on MUBI in October.
01/10/20 CURE / Kiyoshi Kurosawa / The Uncanny Universe of Kiyoshi Kurosawa
02/10/20 BROKEN EMBRACES / Pedro Almodóvar / Magnificent Obsessions: The Films of Pedro Almodóvar
03/10/20 AMATEUR / Hal Hartley / Isabelle Huppert: The Incontestable Queen
04/10/20 THE DEER HUNTER / Michael Camino
05/10/20 SOUTH TERMINAL / Rabah Ameur-Zaïmeche / Viewfinder
06/10/20 THE AVIATOR’S WIFE / Éric Rohmer / Éric Rohmer: Comedies and Proverbs
07/10/20 STORIES WE TELL / Sarah Polley
08/10/20 THE SELFISH GIANT / Clio Barnard
09/10/20 THE OTHER SIDE OF HOPE / Aki Kaurismäki / How to be a Human: Three Films by Aki Kaurismäki
10/10/20 TWO/ONE / Juan Cabral
11/10/20 THINGS TO COME / Mia Hansen-Løve / Isabelle Huppert: The Incontestable Queen
12/10/20 JOURNEY TO THE SHORE / Kiyoshi Kurosawa / The Uncanny Universe of Kiyoshi Kurosawa
13/10/20 OM DAR-B-DAR / Kamal Swaroop / A Journey Into Indian Cinema
14/10/20 A GOOD MARRIAGE / Éric Rohmer / Éric Rohmer: Comedies and Proverbs
15/10/20 BLUE BOY / Manuel Abramovich / Brief Encounters
16/10/20 THE OTHER LAMB / Małgorzata Szumowska
17/10/20 THE FALLING / Carol Morley
18/10/20 THE SKIN I LIVE IN / Pedro Almodóvar / Magnificent Obsessions: The Films of Pedro Almodóvar
19/10/20 FINDING VIVIAN MAIER / John Maloof, Charlie Siskel / Portrait of the Artist
20/10/20 BEAUTIFUL NEW BAY AREA PROJECT / Kiyoshi Kurosawa / The Uncanny Universe of Kiyoshi Kurosawa
21/10/20 GHOST STRATA / Ben Rivers / Double Bill: Ben Rivers
22/10/20 MALINA / Werner Schroeter / Isabelle Huppert: The Incontestable Queen
23/10/20 WUTHERING HEIGHTS / Andrea Arnold
24/10/20 VOICE OF THE MOON / Federico Fellini / Fellini 100
25/10/20 PAULINE AT THE BEACH / Éric Rohmer / Éric Rohmer: Comedies and Proverbs
26/10/20 WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS / Taika Waititi, Jemaine Clement
27/10/20 NOW, AT LAST / Ben Rivers / Double Bill: Ben Rivers
28/10/20 CREEPY / Kiyoshi Kurosawa / The Uncanny Universe of Kiyoshi Kurosawa
29/10/20 THE YOUNG OBSERVANT / Davide Maldi / Viewfinder
30/10/20 MEEK’S CUTOFF / Kelly Reichardt
31/10/20 THE HILLS HAVE EYES / Wes Craven
Artist Spotlight: Arlo Parks
Arlo Parks’ soulful brand of indie pop plumbs emotional depths with striking sensitivity and detail. Stringing together poetic lyricism, mellow vocals, and shuffling beats, the South London-based artist makes deeply empathetic music that bridges the confessional with the universal, speaking to an entire generation of youth with its intimate portrayals of mental illness and complex relationships. The singer-songwriter first started making waves last year with her Super Sad Generation EP, capturing a kind of generational malaise: “When did we get so skinny?/Start doing ketamine on weekends/Getting wasted at the station/And trying to keep our friends from death,” she laments on the stirring title track. But the rest of the songs on the project also showcased a particular knack for painting beautifully nuanced interpersonal scenes, a skill she developed further on her second EP, Sophie. So far in 2020, she’s released a series of incredibly successful singles – ‘Black Dog’, ‘Eugene’, and ‘Hurt’ – became an ambassador for the suicide prevention charity CALM, and joined Phoebe Bridgers for a haunting rendition of Radiohead’s ‘Fake Plastic Trees’. Rather than resting on the melancholy mood her music might have initially been associated with, her latest releases radiate hopefulness and compassion without minimizing others’ experience: “Just know it won’t hurt so/ Won’t hurt so much forever,” she reaffirms on ‘Hurt’. It’s the kind of statement the world needs right now; and with a debut album on the way, it’s safe to say we’ll be hearing more from this emerging artist very soon.
We caught up with Arlo Parks for this edition of our Artist Spotlight series, where we showcase up-and-coming artists and give them a chance to talk about their music.
Do you remember the first song you wrote? What was it about?
I don’t remember what the song was called but I remember it being a quite angsty, emotional song about someone I had a crush on. I was listening to a lot of Sufjan Stevens and King Krule at the time, so it was written on the guitar with a few simple chords, I’m sure I’ve got the voice note somewhere.
You’ve described yourself as an empath. How does that side of your personality factor in to your songwriting process?
It’s crucial to the way I both create and consume art. It allows me to tell the stories of people around me, it means that I feel a lot at once and influences the sensitive side of my music heavily. Everything I write is an exercise in empathy.
Your songs often reflect the issues affecting young people, especially when it comes to mental health. Has the response your music has gotten inspired you to approach those issues from a different angle in any way?
I think it’s encouraged me to keep being vulnerable, keep talking about difficult feelings – it’s made the desire to help others overshadow the fear of feeling exposed.
Are there any songs or albums that you’ve found yourself clinging to over the past few months?
I’ve been clinging onto familiar albums: In Rainbows by Radiohead, Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd, Mama’s Gun by Erykah Badu and the song ‘You’re So Precious’ by James Blake has been on repeat.
What was the inspiration for your latest single, ‘Hurt’?
I was inspired by Just Kids by Patti Smith, Inflo’s production and Wes Anderson movies. I wanted the song to feel like you were watching a surreal film unfold – like you were looking down the lens of a camera. My aim was to make something uplifting.
How is the writing for your debut album going?
It’s officially all done!
What are you most excited for in the near future?
Putting my record out, finishing a poetry collection and playing gigs again finally.
‘Hurt’ is out now via Transgressive.
Watch BTS Wrap Up Week-Long ‘Fallon’ Residency with ‘Dynamite’ Performance
BTS wrapped up their week-long residency at The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon! last night (October 2) with a performance of their latest single ‘Dynamite’. Watch it happen below.
Earlier in the week, BTS delivered an a cappella version of the same track with talk show host Jimmy Fallon and the Roots, as well as a show-stopping performance of the Love Yourself: Answer track ‘Idol’. In other BTS news, the K-pop phenomenon recently announced a new album titled BE (Deluxe Edition), set to arrive this November. Since releasing ‘Dynamite’, the group have performed at the MTV VMAs, The Today Show, and NPR’s Tiny Desk (Home) Concert.
Denzel Curry Unveils New Protest Song ‘Live from the Abyss’
Denzel Curry has released a new protest song called ‘Live from the Abyss’. Check it out below.
Though clocking in at just under two minutes, the track is rife with politically charged commentary, sampling a news broadcast on the June Minneapolis protests in the wake of George Floyd’s death. “I don’t fuck with my president/ Tried to block all Mexicans/ If he hear this message/ Please don’t send swat to my residence,” Curry raps.
All proceeds from digital sales of the track until the end of October 2020 will be donated to Dream Defenders, a Florida-based youth organization fighting against police brutality, prisons, deportation, and war.
Back in June, Curry joined Terrace Martin, Kamasi Washington, G Perico, and DaylytBack on the protest song ‘PIG FEET’. Earlier this year, he teamed up with Kenny Beats for the collaborative LP Unlocked. More recently, he featured on The Avalanches’ ‘Take Care In Your Dreaming’ alongside Tricky and Sampa The Great.
Watch the Trailer for Robert Zemeckis’ ‘The Witches’ Remake
Robert Zemeckis’ remake of Roald Dahl’s The Witches is heading to straight to streaming next month. Starring Anne Hathaway, Octavia Spencer, Kristen Chenoweth, and Stanley Tucci, the adaptation of Dahl’s beloved 1973 children’s story of the same name was originally scheduled for released this month, but Warner Bros have announced the film will go straight to HBO Max in the US on October 22.
“This film, with its stellar cast, is outstanding,” said Casey Bloys, Chief Content Officer for HBO and HBO Max. “We are thrilled to be able to use our platform to deliver timely, relevant and engaging new content during this time when the theatrical experience is not available to everyone.”
Zemeckis co-wrote the script with Kenya Barris and Guillermo del Toro. Warner Bros’ official logline for the film reads: “Robert Zemeckis’s visually innovative film tells the darkly humorous and heartwarming tale of a young orphaned boy who, in late 1967, goes to live with his loving Grandma in the rural Alabama town of Demopolis. As the boy and his grandmother encounter some deceptively glamorous but thoroughly diabolical witches, she wisely whisks our young hero away to an opulent seaside resort. Regrettably, they arrive at precisely the same time that the world’s Grand High Witch has gathered her fellow cronies from around the globe—undercover—to carry out her nefarious plans.”
The film is still expected to hit UK cinemas in the coming months, but no release date has yet been confirmed.
Check out the first trailer below.
CHAI Share New Song ‘Donuts Mind If I Do’
CHAI have shared a new song called ‘Donuts Mind If I Do’. It marks the band’s first single for their new label, Sub Pop, and will appear on a 7″ with the B-side ‘Plastic Love’. Physical copies are set to arrive November 6. Check it out below, alongside a Hideto Hotta-directed video.
“When you’re feeling vigorous, when you’re feeling sick, you like what you like!” CHAI said in a statement. “No changing that! Even if what I like is as simple as a donut <3. It’s this type of song!”
Earlier this year, CHAI teamed up with Hinds for the track ‘UNITED GIRLS ROCK’N’ROLL CLUB’. Their sophomore LP, PUNK, came out in 2019.
Album Review: Deftones, ‘Ohms’
The new Deftones album opens with Chino Moreno vowing to “taste a lifestyle that never gets old.” The meaning behind Moreno’s lyrics has always been up to interpretation, but here they seem to clearly outline the premise of the alt-metal veterans’ ninth studio LP: following 2016’s experimental (and admittedly rushed) Gore, their latest sees the band leaning on their heavier impulses to deliver a record only they could make. Ohms calls back to Deftones’ earlier 90s output, mostly eschewing the more nuanced textures they’ve been exploring since 2000’s masterful White Pony. The album rests on a familiar formula that will no doubt leave fans both old and new generally satisfied, while also peppering in a few inventive flourishes that prevent it from feeling entirely uninspired.
One thing Ohms has going for it is that it builds a world where time has no bearing; everything is, as Moreno puts it on ‘Error’, “frozen in time”. Whether Deftones’ approach has become outdated is more or less an irrelevant question; you can slip in and out of the album’s vaporous soundscapes just as easily regardless. Moreno’s lyrics are as vague as usual, but they keep returning to the idea of sinking, floating, and other shoegazy tropes: “We’re turning time inside out/ Floating off in the ether/ We’re miles beyond the sound,” he declares on ‘Genesis’. Ohms is as much an active evocation of the past as it is a reflection on the present, and there’s something satisfying about the way the band’s music seems to exist in a liminal space, especially in 2020. Sure, the excellent title track includes the now-ubiquitous phrase “these changing times”, but in the Deftones universe, this could allude to pretty much any other point in human history.
An alternative explanation as to why it works – besides the fact that Deftones have managed to evade the concept of time – could be that the music is simply good. Which also happens to be the biggest issue with Ohms: it’s solid, refreshingly focused, and consistently enjoyable… but rarely rises above that. This is far from the first time the band is relying on the same formula that made them successful; this time, though, it feels like the recipe is there but that one secret ingredient is missing. The chugging riffs and pulverizing rhythm sections haven’t lost their appeal, but there’s very little here that stands out as either distinctly memorable or particularly imaginative, even upon repeated listens.
Thankfully, there are exceptions. The group lays down a ream of outstanding tracks halfway through the album, all of which make great use of atmosphere: ‘The Spell of Mathematics’ retains its pummelling, expansive tones across its five-and-a-half minute runtime, while the spacious ‘Pompeji’ allows some beautifully gentle sonics to seep in before segueing into what’s arguably the best song on the album, the visceral yet tuneful ‘This Link is Dead’. Earlier on the record, ‘Urantia’ finds Moreno infusing his lyricism with a considerable amount of detail, and the imagery is incredibly effective: “I slipped into the cloak you left/ I fiddle around in the ashtray/ To find your cigarette pinkish red,” he sings against a punishing riff. The song is clearly about a break-up, but once again it’s hard not to isolate one line in particular and read it as a promise from Deftones: “We’ll probably remain this way to the end,” Moreno reaffirms. For a band that knows how to stick to its guns without doing the exact same thing every time, that’s ultimately a good thing. To quote the title track, “Time won’t change this.”
