Beginning this edition of Sound Selection is Cassia with their song Small Spaces. In this tuneful song, Cassia deliver a wave of fun and brightness with top-notch energy and splendid production that will have you dancing.
Sofia Dragt Blameless
Shifting our frequencies to more filmic-like music, we have Blameless by Sofia Dragt who brings majestic-like vocals and cinematic type production. Having released Blameless, we are eager to see what’s next for Sofia Dragt.
Wy Pavements
Bringing more fantastic energy are the fantastic duo behind Wy. Having both played in bands for some time, they both decided to form Wy in 2015. With Pavements released, we are thrilled to see what is next for Wy, a truthfully electrifying duo.
De Maynes A Walk To Paradise
Bringing neo-classical music to us is the wonderful De Maynes, who combines emotionally-driven melody, brilliant dynamics and filmic vibe in his latest piece A Walk To Paradise. You will be hooked to this piece for a fortnight to come with its magical feel.
To Life Sunrise Terracotta
The final song to enter this edition of Sound Selection is by To Life, a trio based in London. In one their latest songs, Sunrise Terracotta, the trio deliver striking strings with a reflective-like guitar that helps to enhance the dynamics of the track throughout. Sunrise Terracotta is part of Being Human, an eleven track album.
Andrey Zvyagintsev, a prominent filmmaker from Russia known for his family themed dramas, has made quite the name for himself in the last ten years with films such as Leviathan, Loveless and Elena.
Here is our short list of films by Zvyagintsev that we recommend you should watch.
Leviathan (2014)
Oscar-nominated film Leviathan has become one of the most important films to come out of Russia in the recent years. It tackles and explores the themes of corruption, family dynamics and friendship.
The film follows Nikolay, played by Aleksey Serebryakov who is forced to fight corruption against the flawed town mayor. Nikolay is joined by his friend Dmitriy, who is a lawyer, played by Vladimir Vdovichenkov. However, misfortune and pain come his way due to this new addition of supposed help.
Cast: Aleksey Serebryakov, Elena Lyadova, Vladimir Vdovichenkov, Roman Madyanov, Anna Ukolova, and Aleksey Rozin.
Loveless (2017)
Loveless, a family-themed based drama, is another splendid film by Zvyagintsev which dives into deep themes with terrific editing, eye-pleasing visuals and real-life characters.
The film follows an unhappy couple going through a divorce, who must team up to find their son Alyosha who disappeared during an acrimonious argument between the couple. Unsurprisingly, Loveless is also an Oscar-nominated film, as it received its nomination for Best Foreign Language Film in 2018.
Cast: Maryana Spivak, Aleksey Rozin, Matvey Novikov, Andris Keiss, Aleksey Fateev, and Marina Vasileva.
The Return (2003)
The Return, a Golden Globe nominated film, is the first feature film by Zvyagintsev. It focuses on the themes of brothers and family dynamics, much like a lot of Zvyagintsev’s work.
In The Return, two brothers must face conflicting and uneasy emotions as their father, who they only knew from a single photograph, comes back into their life.
Cast: Vladimir Garin, Ivan Dobronravov, Konstantin Lavronenko, and Nataliya Vdovina.
Elena (2011)
Elena, a 2011 drama that won Best Feature Film at the Golden Eagle Awards in Russia, is another must watch film by Zvyagintsev.
This film follows Elena played by Nadezhda Markina, who must find a new plan when an unexpected illness and an unanticipated gathering loom over her potential inheritance.
Cast: Nadezhda Markina, Andrey Smirnov, Elena Lyadova, Aleksey Rozin and Evgeniya Konushkina.
The Banishment (2007)
The Banishment, a 2007 drama, a film that focuses on themes of family and struggle is another powerful film by Zvyagintsev. It was nominated for the Palme d’Or in 2007.
The Banishment follows a family which goes on a trip to the pastoral countryside, however, it all goes south as a dark and unpleasant truth is revealed in their visit.
Cast: Konstantin Lavronenko, Maria Bonnevie, Aleksandr Baluev, Dmitriy Ulyanov, and Vitaliy Kishchenko.
The New Year calls for a wardrobe update and this summer and spring is the perfect opportunity to try the latest fashion trends. Vogue reveals that lightness of touch and neatness of finish would prevail at many of the top fashion houses this year. They also predicted that the 80s would be a big part of many designers’ inspiration and that the season would be dominated by shades of beige.
So without further ado, here are the some fascinating trends in womenswear, we believe you need to know about this year:
A new and improved tie-dye
Style Caster
What used to be a primary school arts and crafts project has made its way to high fashion. Style Caster notes it has become a full-blown 2019 fashion trend and has already permeated everyone’s favourite retailers. R13, Prabal Gurung, and Eckhaus Latta started the trend after showcasing tie-dye pieces at the New York Fashion Week. And this year’s trend is not like the tie-dye shirts and dresses from the 60s and 70s, as the updated versions feel more crisp and edgy, with the colours and tones completely separate from one another. Contemporary tie-dye has become a beautiful contradiction of order and chaos as well as invoking nostalgia.
Shades of beige
Vogue
Elizabeth von der Goltz from Net-a-Porter put it best when she said: “An inescapable sea of beige is coming this season”. The fashion industry has already given the colour some fancy names, calling it ‘contemporary oatmeal’ and ‘stony ground’. The Fashion Week catwalks were filled with all types of beige designs — whether it was a pair of trousers or a classic trench coat. It’s going to be one of the most worn colours this year, with fashion enthusiasts wearing it from head to toe.
Lace in unexpected places
Vogue
In the past, lace was something you would see on the hem of a skirt or the back of a dress. This year, lace is being reworked to create masculine silhouettes and the world’s top designers can’t get enough of it. Victoria Beckham has incorporated lace into oversized collared polos for women, Christopher Kane created an entire skirt out of lace, and Burberry used it as the main body of a dress.
Dressed-up flats
Catwalks used to be all about stiletto heels and while they looked great you wouldn’t want to spend all day wearing them. This year there was a big change as fashionable flats ruled the runway. Valentino and Simone Rocha’s models walked wearing comfy, fancy flats, proving that in 2019 the trend is going to more about style that doesn’t compromise comfort.
Cosy at sea
Woman Within
With body positive movements coming at consumers left and right, it’s no wonder designers are paying more attention to comfort before style. And this summer, California girls-inspired fashion will be big, with sweatshirts from Endless Summer and even wetsuits from Hermes. Double-duty resort wear will be a hit, too, including dresses that can easily be worn on the beach or at a cocktail party. Body positive brand Woman Within’s feature on cover-ups presents a wide range of options for those looking to marry comfort and style while in the sun. And just like tie-dye dresses and blouses, swimsuits will take inspiration from the past, with retro textured swimsuits and sporty tankinis.
Shorts that make sense
Harper’s Bazaar
Harper’s Bazaar sent its women down the catwalk this year wearing shorts that no one would have ever predicted would be classed as high fashion in previous years. Knee shorts and biker shorts are predicted to make it big in 2019, especially for stylish women who are always on the go. High shine spandex, yoga bottoms, and Capri-length leggings are also in this year, and when styled right can look chic and sophisticated.
Field Waves, the moniker of Jonny Martyr, a Melbourne based musician, has released his latest post-rock ambient EP Flow. The EP comes after the release of his six-track EP Diagrams, which features tracks such as Hand to Butterfly, Clockwork Bird, and Moon Dance. Diagrams was released in 2017 and features a mix of neoclassical and electronica genres.
Flow includes two tracks including a “reversion” of Diagram, from the previous EP Diagram. Furthermore, the EP also contains Flow, the track that shares the same name as the EP. Flow is a rather progressive track that builds on each element like a rising wave of tuneful and dynamically-driven sounds. A genuinely stunning truck to immerse into to.
Field Medic, a Los Angeles-based musician known for tracks such as uuu and POWERFUL LOVE, has announced that he will be releasing his upcoming album fade into the dawn on the 19th of April via Run For Cover Records.
Talking about his song henna tattoo Field Medic said, “It’s a song about being afraid to speak up for fear of what the truth might be,” explains Patrick. “So instead you remain in a state of unease & anxiety, because at least perpetual uncertainty isn’t as bad as the imagined worst case scenario”.
The first song to enter the 50th Sound Selection is by James Ollier named All That’s Good. The style of singing and tempo reminds us of artists like Nick Mulvey, Novo Amor and Sufjan Stevens – all who share a warm tuneful voice just like Ollier. With All That’s Good presented, we are eager to see what is next for Ollier.
Celeste Father’s Son
Making her comeback in Sound Selection is the highly-talented and genuinely one of the most exciting artists to watch Celeste. In this emotionally-driven song, Celeste explores themes of father and son relationships. Like always, Celeste delivers it with a stunning vocal performance that is hard to criticise for its rawness and beauty.
Victor Furbacken The Fire
The final song to enter our Sound Selection is by the promising talent Victor Furbacken, who delivers a journey of a song with mellifluous vocals and an emotional tone. Having released The Fire, we will sure to keep an eye out for Furbacken in the months to come. This one is for the playlists.
Craig Finn, a Minnesota-bred singer-songwriter currently based in New York City, has announced that he will be releasing a new album named I Need A New War on the 26th of April.
To support I Need A New War, Craig Finn will tour around North America and Europe.
Finn will support I Need A New War with a North American and European live schedule. He tours the UK in support of Brian Fallon on the following dates.
Tour Dates
5 FEB 2019 / UK / Newcastle / Wylam Brewery*
6 FEB 2019 / UK / Edinburgh / The Queen’s Hall*
7 FEB 2019 / UK / Manchester / Albert Hall*
8 FEB 2019 / UK / London / Union Chapel*
9 FEB 2019 / UK / London / Union Chapel*
11 FEB 2019 / NL / Amsterdam / Meerwart*
12 FEB 2019 / BE / Brussels / AB Flex*
13 FEB 2019 / DE / Bochum / Christuskirche*
15 FEB 2019 / DE / Munich / Neue Theaterfabrik*
16 FEB 2019 / CH / Zurich / Dynamo*
17 FEB 2019 / IT / Milan / Santeria Social Club*
19 FEB 2019 / DE / Hamburg / Markthalle*
20 FEB 2019 / DE / Hannover / Capitol*
22 FEB 2019 / UK / Cambridge / The Junction*
23 FEB 2019 / UK / Brighton / St George’s Church*
24 FEB 2019 / UK / Bath / Komedia*
25 FEB 2019 / UK / Cardiff / Tramshed*
26 FEB 2019 / UK / Manchester / Albert Hall*
27 FEB 2019 / IE / Dublin / Academy*
8 MAR 2019 / UK / London / Electric Ballroom / The Weekender^
9 MAR 2019 / UK / London / Electric Ballroom / The Weekender^
10 MAR 2019 / UK / London / Oslo / The Weekender^
Tomberlin, a Louisville, Kentucky based artist, has announced the dates for her European and United Kingdom summer tour. Among the many cities, Tomberlin will be visiting Brighton, Manchester, London and Berlin — to name a few.
Tour Dates
Sat 18th May, Germany, Kulturkirche, Cardinal Sessions Festival
Mon 20th May, UK, Brighton, The Hope & Ruin
Tue 21st May, UK, Manchester, Yes (Basement)
Wed 22nd May, UK, Leeds, Community Room @ Brudenell Social Club
Thu 23rd May, UK, Glasgow, The Hug and Pint
Fri 24th May, UK, London, The Lexington
Sat 25th May, Netherlands, Amsterdam, London Calling
Mon 27th May, Belgium, Antwerp, Trix Bar
Thu 30th May, Spain, Barcelona, Primavera Sound Barcelona
Sun 2nd Jun, Germany, Munich, Unter Deck
Mon 3rd Jun, Germany, Munster, Pension Schmidt
Wed 5th Jun, Germany, Nürnberg, Kantine
Sat 8th Jun, Portugal, Porto, NOS Primavera Sound
Mon 10th Jun, Germany, Berlin, Monarch
Tue 11th Jun, Germany, Jena, Trafo
Wed 12th Jun, Germany, Hamburg, Aalhaus
Thu 13th Jun, Netherlands, Rotterdam, Rotown
Fri 14th Jun, Belgium, Brussels, Botanique / Rotonde
Sat 15th Jun, Germany, Mannheim, Maifeld Derby Festival
When decomposed human remains are discovered in a suitcase behind a locked door in the home of an elderly man, Detective Karen Hart thinks the facts speak for themselves. That is, until she finds the warning: It’s time to pay for your crime.
The body belongs to a former teacher, Oliver Fox, who vanished from the village thirty years earlier. Hart’s instincts tell her there is something untoward about this rural Lincolnshire community—especially when she uncovers evidence suggesting that, although Fox was a victim, he certainly wasn’t innocent. As the extent of Fox’s crimes becomes apparent and the web of lies continues to unravel, almost nobody in the village is above suspicion.
When there are whispers of child abuse in connection with the case, it’s clear someone is willing to do anything to keep the sinister truth buried. Can Hart find the culprit before more lives are lost?
One sunny August afternoon, the residents of Cedar Close throw their annual summer barbecue. Children play in the cherry-tree lined street, tables are laden with food, and the wine is flowing. For Laurie Mills, it’s her first time meeting the neighbours. And it’s the first time she discovers her husband Robert is having an affair.
Cedar Close has always been a nice place to live – a quiet suburban street where everyone looks out for one another and bad things don’t happen.
Until late one evening, when Robert Mills is found dead in his bedroom.
Downstairs, in their beautiful kitchen, his wife Laurie sits alone in the dark with her head in her hands.
She can’t remember the last few hours, but she knows she didn’t kill Robert.
Emmett Farmer is working in the fields when a letter arrives summoning him to begin an apprenticeship. He will work for a Bookbinder, a vocation that arouses fear, superstition and prejudice – but one neither he nor his parents can afford to refuse.
He will learn to hand-craft beautiful volumes, and within each he will capture something unique and extraordinary: a memory. If there’s something you want to forget, he can help. If there’s something you need to erase, he can assist. Your past will be stored safely in a book and you will never remember your secret, however terrible.
In a vault under his mentor’s workshop, row upon row of books – and memories – are meticulously stored and recorded.
Then one day Emmett makes an astonishing discovery: one of them has his name on it.
On a routine flight from Africa to England, Dr Mason Palmer is tragically killed when the light aircraft he’s travelling on crashes and disappears in dense bushland.
Ten months later, Nicole Palmer is still trying to block out the grief of her husband’s sudden death. Until one morning she receives a photo of Mason through the post, along with a cryptic message. A message only he could’ve written.
But when Nicole tries to find out if Mason is really alive and what actually happened to him in Africa, everyone she turns to for answers ends up dead.
Determined to find the truth, Nicole uncovers a conspiracy that spans the globe, and discovers there are powerful people who are prepared to kill to keep her silent.
They say your first kiss should be earned. Mine was stolen by a devil in a masquerade mask under the black Chicago sky. They say the vows you take on your wedding day are sacred. Mine were broken before we left church. They say your heart only beats for one man. Mine split and bled for two rivals who fought for it until the bitter end. I was promised to Angelo Bandini, the heir to one of the most powerful families in the Chicago Outfit. Then taken by Senator Wolfe Keaton, who held my father’s sins over his head to force me into marriage. They say that all great love stories have a happy ending. I, Francesca Rossi, found myself erasing and rewriting mine until the very last chapter. One kiss. Two men. Three lives. Entwined together. And somewhere between these two men, I had to find my forever.
One blustery October morning in a quiet Copenhagen suburb, the police make a terrible discovery. A young woman is found brutally murdered with one of her hands missing. Above her hangs a small doll made of chestnuts.
Ambitious young detective Naia Thulin is assigned the case. Her partner, Mark Hess, is a burned-out investigator who’s just been kicked out of Europol. They soon discover a mysterious piece of evidence on the chestnut man – evidence connecting it to a girl who went missing a year earlier and is presumed dead; the daughter of politician Rosa Hartung. The man who confessed to her murder is behind bars and the case long since closed.
Soon afterwards, a second woman is found murdered, along with another chestnut man. Thulin and Hess suspect that there’s a connection between the Hartung case and the murdered women. But what is it?
Thulin and Hess are racing against the clock, because it’s clear that the killer is on a mission that is far from over . . .
The perfect town is hiding secrets. Two teenagers are dead. Two murders unsolved. And a killer who claims to be coming back. Ellery’s never been to Echo Ridge, but she’s heard all about it. It’s where her aunt went missing at age sixteen, never to return. Where a Homecoming Queen’s murder five years ago made national news. And where Ellery now has to live with a grandmother she barely knows, after her failed-actress mother lands in rehab.
Malcolm grew up in the shadow of the Homecoming Queen’s death. His older brother was the prime suspect and left Echo Ridge in disgrace. His mother’s remarriage vaulted them to Echo Ridge’s upper crust, but it could all change when mysterious threats around town hint that a killer plans to strike again. And the return of Malcolm’s brother doesn’t help matters. But his return is just a coincidence… isn’t it? Ellery and Malcolm both know it’s hard to let go when you don’t have closure.
Then another girl disappears. As they race to unravel what happened, they realise every secret has layers in Echo Ridge. The truth might be closer to home than either of them want to believe. And somebody would kill to keep it hidden.
How did English football – once known for its stale pies, bad book-keeping and hooligans – become a commercial powerhouse and the world’s premium popular entertainment?
This was a business empire built in only twenty-five years on ambition, experimentation and gambler’s luck. Lead by a motley cast of executives, Russian oligarchs, Arab Sheikhs, Asian Titans, American Tycoons, battle-hardened managers, ruthless agents and the Murdoch media – the Premier League has been carved up, rebranded and exported to phenomenal 185 countries. The United Nations only recognizes 193.
But the extraordinary profit of bringing England’s ageing industrial towns to a compulsive global attention has come at a cost. Today, as players are sold for hundreds of millions and clubs are valued in the billions, local fans are being priced out – and the clubs’ local identities are fading. The Premier League has become the classic business fable for our globalised world.
Drawing on dozens of exclusive and revelatory interviews from the Boardrooms – including Liverpool’s John W. Henry, Tottenham’s Daniel Levy, Martin Edwards and David Gill at Manchester United, Arsène Wenger and Stan Kroenke at Arsenal, Manchester City’s sporting director Txiki Begiristain, and executives at Chelsea, West Ham, Leicester City and Aston Villa – this is the definitive bustand boom account of how the Premier League product took over the world.
When Calouste Gulbenkian died in 1955 at the age of 86, he was the richest man in the world, known as ‘Mr Five Per Cent’ for his personal share of Middle East oil. The son of a wealthy Armenian merchant in Istanbul, for half a century he brokered top-level oil deals, concealing his mysterious web of business interests and contacts within a labyrinth of Asian and European cartels, and convincing governments and oil barons alike of his impartiality as an ‘honest broker’. Today his name is known principally through the Gulbenkian Foundation in Lisbon, to which his spectacular art collection and most of his vast wealth were bequeathed.
Gulbenkian’s private life was as labyrinthine as his business dealings. He insisted on the highest ‘moral values’, yet ruthlessly used his wife’s charm as a hostess to further his career, and demanded complete obedience from his family, whom he monitored obsessively. As a young man he lived a champagne lifestyle, escorting actresses and showgirls, and in later life – on doctor’s orders – he slept with a succession of discreetly provided young women. Meanwhile he built up a superb art collection which included Rembrandts and other treasures sold to him by Stalin from the Hermitage Museum.
Published to mark the 150th anniversary of his birth, Mr Five Per Cent reveals Gulbenkian’s complex and many-sided existence. Written with full access to the Gulbenkian Foundation’s archives, this is the fascinating story of the man who more than anyone else helped shape the modern oil industry.
At the bar of a grand hotel in a small Irish town sits 84-year-old Maurice Hannigan. He’s alone, as usual -though tonight is anything but. Pull up a stool and charge your glass, because Maurice is finally ready to tell his story.
Over the course of this evening, he will raise five toasts to the five people who have meant the most to him. Through these stories – of unspoken joy and regret, a secret tragedy kept hidden, a fierce love that never found its voice – the life of one man will be powerfully and poignantly laid bare.
Heart-breaking and heart-warming all at once, the voice of Maurice Hannigan will stay with you long after all is said.
Jonas Mekas, one of the most beloved figures in the world of experimental cinema, has passed away at the age of 96. Mekas will be remembered not just for his films but also his poetry and overall contribution to the world as an artist and as a person. Mekas remains one of the most important figures to come out of Lithuania and will certainly remain a shining light for new, old and unknown artists around the world.
“I make no decisions. I never know what I’ll film/tape/record next. I like to be surprised. Things keep coming at me.”
In 2017, we had the privilege of interviewing Jonas Mekas. You can read the full interview here.