Lucas Wakamatsu, a Brazilian illustrator and graphic designer who is based in São Paulo, has released a personal project named Between Shapes. The impressive project explores a variety of interesting and unique textures, compositions and character styles.
Talking about his work Wakamatsu said: “My style is a modern mix of simple shapes and eye-catching colours, creating pleasent characters and compositions, through these elements I communicate feelings and concepts. My go is to produce vibrant and rich imagery to brands, people and products.”
Lucas Wakamatsu is currently a full-time freelancer. You can check out his work on Behance or his portfolio website.
Franz Sussbauer, a German photographer who has become known for his architectural photography, has released one of his latest projects Munich Squares which explores the use of long and double long exposure.
Talking about Munich Squares, Franz Sussbauer said “The photographing technology in the series ‘Munich Squares’ I prefer is long exposure. Some of the pictures like the title picture is a double long exposure with two exposures of a second exposure time. The identification of the series is that they are distortion-free, deserted and a mostly clear cloudless sky. This components multiply the feeling of abandondment of these normaly very busy squares in Munich. Details are very clear photographed and the camera position is highlighting the building skins and struktures – thats the reason why architecture and space merge to a unique and surreal composition.”
Mozes and the Firstborn, a four-piece garage-pop band, have released their new album Dadcore. Furthermore, they have premiered the music video for Sad Supermarket Song on Noisey NL.
Talking about the album Melle Dieleson said: “Dadcore is a love letter to rock music. It’s an ode to being in a band. After eight years we still sometimes play shows where only twelve people show up, there’s no backstage and the fee is a case of beer and a place to crash. Nonetheless, there’s four people up on that stage rocking out as hard as they can. That’s Dadcore to me.”
Mozes and the Firstborn European Tour Dates:
1st March – Frankfurt, Das Bett
2nd March – Osnabrück, Rosenhof
7th March – Amsterdam, Bitterzoet
11th March – Paris, Supersonic
12th March – London, Shacklewell Arms
13th March – Hasselt, Muziekodroom
14th March – Utrecht, EKKO
16th March – Amsterdam, AFAS Live
Anne van den Berg, a respected artist and illustrator from the Netherlands, alongside Diewertje van Wering have released a series of Papercraft Illustrations, which combine vibrant colours, stunning shapes and clean typography to make for an eye-pleasing design.
Talking about her work Berg said, “Next to papercraft and drawing I have always had a keen interest in insecurities and helping people get rid of them. Strangely enough, insecurities are diminished by the courage to be vulnerable. It is my mission to help people out with this, to help them find strength in fragility. This power often gets concealed by our culture of more, more, more in which we are applauded for being busy and tough. To me, less really is more. I want to encourage people to slow down and pay real attention to what is in front of them and what they are doing. To be authentic, soft and still, instead of running, avoiding and numbing. To play and look at the world with childlike wonder.”
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.
