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5 Destinations for Your Next Photographic Holiday

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5 Destinations for Your Next Photographic Holiday

In the age of Instagram and digital photography, capturing stunning images has never been more popular.

Whether you’re an amateur photographer looking to hone your skills or a seasoned professional seeking fresh inspiration, a photographic holiday can be the perfect opportunity to explore new horizons and improve your craft.

So, if you’re palming your next getaway, here are five destinations that promise breathtaking scenery, diverse subjects, and an unforgettable photographic experience.

1. Iceland to See the Northern Lights

One of the most mesmerising phenomenons in nature, the Northern Lights can often be observed in Iceland. This beautiful display of vibrant greens, pinks, and purples dance across the night sky in a bucket-list opportunity for any photographer.

Winter is the best time to witness this spectacle in the sky as clear, dark night’s are essential for capturing the best view.

The key to photographing the aurora is a sturdy tripod, a wide-angle lens, and patience to wait for the perfect moment.

2. Singapore for Urban Green Spaces

If you want to combine a city holiday with nature, you can’t go wrong with Singapore. This urban landscape is full of green spaces and gardens that will provide you with beautiful photo opportunities.

One of Singapore’s most famous garden spaces is Gardens by the Bay, and every night their Supertree installations display an incredible light show for you to photograph.

And, with the cityscape in the background of your photographs, you’ll be able to create interesting blends of nature and urban life.

3. South Africa for Wildlife Photography

South Africa is home to a wide range of incredible species, making it a great place for you to hone your wildlife photography skills.

And, if you’re also looking to give back and make a difference, you could consider volunteering with organisations such as Conservation Travel Africa. This way, not only can you capture incredible photographs during your stay, but you can also help to protect some of the world’s most endangered animals and preserve these species for generations to come.

4. Italy for Rustic Living

Italy’s rolling hills, picturesque vineyards, and mediaeval towns are a feast for the eyes and the camera. The country’s golden light, especially during sunrise and sunset, bathes the landscape in a warm, magical glow.

City’s such as Florence, with its Renaissance architecture and art, offer a wealth of indoor photographic opportunities as well. Food photographers will also delight in capturing the delectable local cuisine.

So, if you’re looking for a holiday that can engage all of your senses and your camera, then Italy is the perfect destination.

5. New Zealand for Beautiful Landscapes

New Zealand’s diverse landscapes range from lush rainforests and pristine beaches to rugged mountains and diverse cities, making it an ideal destination for photographers.

The South Island’s Fiordland National Park, with its dramatic cliffs and waterfalls, is a highlight, while the nearby Milford Sound offers misty, moody seascapes.

Whatever type of photography you want to specialise in, New Zealand is the perfect place for you to hone your skills and get some incredible shots for your portfolio.

Have you recently embarked on a photographic holiday? Share your experiences and favourite destinations in the comments below and inspire others to follow in your footsteps!

Vape pods: Shaping tastes and trends in modern culture

Our Culture Mag & Partners
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Vape pods: Shaping tastes and trends in modern culture

Vape pods have emerged as a significant element in the vaping culture, primarily due to their innovative design and convenience. These compact devices have revolutionized the way people consume nicotine, offering a smoke-free alternative that aligns with the lifestyles of teens and young adults. Their sleek design and ease of use have not only contributed to their popularity but have also positioned them as a fashionable accessory within modern culture. This transformation has set the stage for vaping from brands like https://vapevendingmachine.com/ to make a considerable impact on modern art and entertainment, reshaping perceptions and influencing trends. Switching to vaping has become a popular alternative for those looking to reduce the risks associated with traditional smoking. With options like Zland vapes, users can enjoy a smoother experience while minimizing exposure to harmful toxins.

The widespread adoption of vaping among younger demographics can be attributed to several factors. The allure of vape pods lies not just in their functionality but in their aesthetic appeal and the personalization options they offer. From customizable skins to a variety of flavors, vape pods cater to a generation that values individuality and innovation. This appeal is further magnified by the portrayal of vaping in social media and entertainment, where it is often associated with a modern, edgy lifestyle.

But what does this mean for the cultural scene? The integration of vape pods into daily life has blurred the lines between a nicotine delivery system and a cultural phenomenon. As vaping becomes more entrenched in the lives of young people, its influence extends beyond mere consumption to become a statement of identity and belonging.

Vaping’s influence on the entertainment industry

Vaping has seamlessly integrated itself into the fabric of the entertainment industry, finding its way into movies, music videos, and celebrity culture. This visibility has played a pivotal role in normalizing vaping, especially among younger audiences, and has contributed to its perception as a trendy and acceptable behavior. The depiction of characters vaping on screen or musicians using vape pods in their music videos sends a powerful message that vaping is not only acceptable but desirable.

The influence of vaping in entertainment is not accidental. It reflects and reinforces contemporary pop culture, resonating with a generation that is constantly seeking to redefine norms and embrace new trends. Celebrities and influencers, often seen as trendsetters, have been instrumental in popularizing vaping. Their endorsement of vape products, whether through casual mentions in interviews or more direct promotion on social media platforms, has lent vaping a certain cachet that traditional nicotine products never achieved.

The health implications of vaping

As vaping becomes more embedded in popular culture, its health implications have sparked intense debate among medical professionals, regulatory bodies, and the public. While vape pods are often marketed as a safer alternative to traditional smoking, the long-term effects on health remain a subject of ongoing research and discussion.

Understanding the health debate

The conversation around the health impacts of vaping is multifaceted, encompassing concerns about nicotine addiction, respiratory issues, and the potential for vaping to serve as a gateway to traditional smoking among young people. Studies have shown that while vape pods may contain fewer toxic substances compared to conventional cigarettes, they are not free from harmful chemicals. Nicotine, a key ingredient in many e-liquids, is known for its addictive properties and potential to harm adolescent brain development.

Public health campaigns have sought to raise awareness about the risks associated with vaping, emphasizing the need for further research to fully understand its long-term effects. These efforts are complicated by the rapid pace of innovation in the vaping industry, which often outstrips regulatory and scientific scrutiny.

Oceanator Announces New Album, Shares New Single ‘Get Out’

Konstantinos Pappis
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Oceanator Announces New Album, Shares New Single ‘Get Out’

Oceanator – the project of Brooklyn singer-songwriter Elise Okusami – has announced a new album called Everything Is Love and Death. The follow-up to 2022’s Nothing’s Ever Fine is set for release on August 30 via Polyvinyl. It’s led by the single ‘Get Out’, which is accompanied by a Paul DeSilva-directed video. Watch and listen below.

“‘Get Out’ is about fighting your brain and depression when it’s trying to immobilize you,” Okusami explained in a statement. “I wanted to do a video on film, and the inspirations were Buffy and The Outsiders. So we figured if we were going Buffy anyway, might as well make it about literally fighting your demons and the idea for the video was born. Paul and Liz and I had a bunch of talks putting the idea together, and I’m very pleased with how it came out.”

DeSilva added: “The concept for ‘Get Out’ came largely from Elise (of Oceanator) who wanted to create a fight scene homage to some favorites like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the Outsiders. With the lyrics being a sort of rallying call to fight back against depression, we settled on a demon character who would steal a symbol of her tranquility and she would chase him down, stopping at nothing until she had regained that peace. Shooting on film was the obvious choice to get the gritty, textural quality we were looking for and Cinematographer Martin Parsekian did a great job capturing the mood, especially during the chaotic fight scene. We hope you enjoy our video for Oceanator’s ‘Get Out!'”

Everything Is Love and Death finds Okusami working with Grammy-nominated producer Will Yip. “I feel like these songs are honing in on and parsing the same themes as previous records, more settled and clearer,” Okusami said. “I’ve gotten better at listening to the rational part of my brain, the understanding that things aren’t going to work. I know better but I’m gonna do it anyway, because everything is love and death.”

Check out our Artist Spotlight interview with Oceanator.

Everything Is Love and Death Cover Artwork:

Album Review: Billie Eilish, ‘Hit Me Hard and Soft’

Konstantinos Pappis
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Album Review: Billie Eilish, ‘Hit Me Hard and Soft’

In the era of self-aware pop stars, Billie Eilish knows how to play the game. Despite claiming, in an interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe, that she and her brother Finneas made Hit Me Hard and Soft “without any or much thought of other people,” they immediately seem all too conscious of the ubiquity of ‘What Was I Made For?’, especially since its release arrives just a few months after yearning Barbie ballad made Eilish the youngest two-time Oscar winner in history. Album opener ‘Skinny’ broaches the theme of growing up under public scrutiny through a similarly existential, if less overtly metaphorical, lens: “People say I look happy/ Just because I got skinny/ But the old me is still me and maybe the real me/ And I think she’s pretty,” she sings, before wondering, “Am I acting my age now? Am I already on the way out?” This delicate vulnerability has always marked Eilish’s ballads, but the song is also a reminder of how self-awareness serves not as a tool to handle her image but really the only means of wrestling with it, a trait she still can’t shake off.

Though it revisits the subject of fame that was at the core of 2021’s Happier Than Ever, ‘Skinny’ effectively introduces Eilish’s new album by meeting us on a human-to-human level. Then, like lovers in a messy relationship, it’s eager to move on – not because it’s dissatisfied with what came before, but because it follows impulse rather than logic. As a whole, Hit Me Hard and Soft is prone to unpredictable shifts, beat switches, and elegant flourishes that are as much a sign of Eilish and Finneas’ musical ambition as they are of an underlying anxiety – it’s cohesive without ever landing on a note of stability, reaches climactic heights without really aiming for catharsis, and cuts songs in multiple parts without always letting each of them breathe. Not only is the siblings’ growth obvious – Finneas is bolder in his production choices as Eilish opens up her songwriting and stretches her vocal abilities – but they communicate it in ways that reflect the uncertain, shapeshifting nature of the love in Eilish’s songs better than her lyrics are able to convey. It’s a loose and ambivalent album that sometimes gets lost in trying to bring disparate elements together; one that, for all its grand gestures, leaves something to be desired.

In the space of a single song, Eilish and Finneas usually express the paradoxical simultaneity of the album title in quite a linear (if reversed) fashion: tender, then ominous, ecstatic, or downright aggressive. The album generally toes the line between the moody aesthetic of When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? and the jazzy introspection of Happier Than Ever, and you can tell pretty quickly which direction a song is going to lean in, but its playfulness comes through in the outros. More often than not, they’re as effective as they are unexpected: the one in ‘L’Amour de Ma Vie’, which careens from a groovy R&B ballad to a euphoric club banger, is the most jarring, a “kill-the-main-character-type beat” if there ever was one (though Finneas has used that phrase to describe another highlight, ‘Lunch’). It doesn’t change the tone of the song so much as it sucks the dreariness and subtlety out of its menacing, jagged edges. ‘Bittersuite’, on the other hand, works as little more than an awkward translation of a music pun, slinky and vaporous yet unsure how to drive its point home; it doesn’t help that the lyrics don’t hold much weight, either.

The songs here also find more dramatic ways to luxuriate in the darkness and inertia that pervaded Eilish’s previous albums. In a Rolling Stone profile, Eilish framed the making of Happier Than Ever as “difficult and confusing” and suggests (like that ‘Skinny’ lyric) that Hit Me Hard and Soft is partly an effort to chase back her When We All Fall Asleep-era self. But though she offers glimpses of it, the new album sounds just as, if not more, difficult and frustrated as its predecessor, especially when she indulges fans in the sinister sounds of her debut, like on ‘The Diner’, where she assumes the perspective of a stalker. At the same time, the arrangements expand on the tasteful sophistication of Happier Than Ever, even incorporating strings by the Attacca Quartet on a few songs. This approach accentuates intimate moments like ‘Skinny’, while the swirling synths that pulse through ‘Chihiro’ offer an entrancing conclusion, if not solution, to Eilish’s muted desperation. But it sometimes ends up drowning, instead of evoking the immensity of, the claustrophobic thoughts that run through her mind: when they can’t find a way out, the instinct seems to be to go big, delivering back-to-back crescendos on ‘Wildflower’ and ‘The Greatest’ to the rather obvious point of fatigue.

But Eilish and her team are canny – and, naturally, self-aware – about every other sequencing decision. She only jumps into her trademark whisper on ‘The Diner’ after proving her vocal chops, in the form of some impressive belting, on ‘The Greatest’. The upbeat ‘Birds of a Feather’ injects some much-needed colour and sincerity before a run of songs brimming with irony and conflict. And then there is, of course, the transition from ‘Skinny’ to ‘Lunch’, which is scintillating not only for how confident and lustful the latter song is, but the sheer giddiness with which Eilish delivers lines like “I bought you something rare/ And I left it under… Claire” and the instantly quotable “It’s a craving, not a crush.” At just three minutes, ‘Lunch’ wastes no time, but Eilish revels in an altogether different kind of delight on the final track, ‘Blue’, the longest on the album and the closest thing to ‘A&W’ to actually (probably) win a Grammy. With all its musical and lyrical pieces spliced together, ‘Blue’ is where you can finally hear the and in the album title. “Too afraid to step outside/ Paranoid and petrified of what you’ve heard,” Eilish sings, probably to another celebrity. The haunting twist is that, once she and Finneas flip the switch, you’ll probably recognize the feeling, too.

Amyl & the Sniffers Release New Songs ‘U Should Not Be Doing That’ and ‘Facts’

Konstantinos Pappis
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Amyl & the Sniffers Release New Songs ‘U Should Not Be Doing That’ and ‘Facts’

Amyl & the Sniffers are back with their first new music in over three years. The Australian quartet recorded ‘U Should Not Be Doing That’ with Nick Launay, and it arrives alongside the B-side ‘Facts’ – out on limited edition 7″ on May 24 via Rough Trade. Check out a video for ‘U Should Not Be Doing That’ and listen to ‘Facts’ below.

“Lyrically they’re both self-explanatory,” the band’s Amy Taylor shared in a statement. “U should not be doing that makes me laugh, but it’s also in a way poking fun at the shock that people still feel at a little bit of skimpy clothing, and the bitchy high school way that the music community still is (yes I’m talking to you random 40 year old metalheads sitting around a table doing lines and bitching about a 28 year old chick in a band for wearing shorts and “selling out”) but it mainly makes me laugh. It’s unconscious and meant nothing at the time of writing it but now I think it’s a comedic way of rubbing the dog’s nose in its own dog piss after it wee’d on your favourite rug or something.”

Amyl & the Sniffers released their sophomore album, Comfort to Me, in 2021.

DIIV Release New Single ‘Raining on Your Pillow’

Konstantinos Pappis
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DIIV Release New Single ‘Raining on Your Pillow’

DIIV have shared one more single ahead of the release of their new album, Frog in Boiling Water, this Friday via Fantasy Records. ‘Raining on Your Pillow’ follows earlier cuts ‘Brown Paper Bag’, ‘Soul-Net’, ‘Everyone Out’, and ‘Frog in Boiling Water’. Check out a video for it below.

“‘Raining on your Pillow’ is a song which brings to mind the shameful past (and present) of American imperialism,” the band explained in a statement. “Lost in a terrifying landscape, a lone soldier ruminates on the existence of a landscape of his own far removed from conflict. Does it matter if this place is real or not? Is a false sense of hope enough to give our lives meaning in the midst of despair? A looping guitar figure plays underneath a driving rhythm in a cloud of murky atmosphere of analog synths and tape loops. Menacing, doomed, and strangely hopeful.”

Horse Jumper of Love Announce New Album, Enlist Wednesday’s Karly Hartzman for New Song

Konstantinos Pappis
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Horse Jumper of Love Announce New Album, Enlist Wednesday’s Karly Hartzman for New Song

Horse Jumper of Love have announced their next album: Disaster Trick will be released on August 16 on Run for Cover. Following the band’s 2023 mini-album Heartbreak Rules, the 11-track LP includes the previously shared song ‘Gates of Heaven’, as well as a new single, ‘Wink’, featuring guest vocals from Wednesday’s Karly Hartzman. Check it out below and scroll down for the album cover and tracklist.

Disaster Trick was tracked at Asheville, North Carolina’s Drop of Sun Studios with producer Alex Farrar. In addition to Hartzman, it features contributions from Wednesday’s MJ Lenderman and Squirrel Flower’s Ella Williams. “This was the first album I’ve ever done where I went into it with a very clear mind,” frontman Dimitri Giannopoulos said in a statement. “In the past, we would just show up at a studio, drink, and record. Here, everything felt purposeful.”

Speaking about ‘Wink’, Giannopoulos commented: “I was inspired by a Russian short story called ‘Leaves’ by Dimitry Bakin. The story is partly about people leaving their home for something better but when they return they are back to the same place they started. The story shed some perspective on my own life and the ebb and flow of pushing forward for something better and going back to your old ways.”

Disaster Trick Cover Artwork:

Disaster Trick Tracklist:

1. Snow Angel
2. Wink
3. Today’s Iconoclast
4. Word
5. Lip Reader
6. Wait By The Stairs
7. Heavy Metal
8. Curtain
9. Death Spiral
10. Gates Of Heaven
11. Nude Descending

Desire Release New Single ‘Vampire’

Konstantinos Pappis
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Desire Release New Single ‘Vampire’

Desire have dropped a new single called ‘Vampire’, following up March’s ‘Darkside’. It’s set to appear on the duo’s upcoming album Games People Play, which is due later this year via Italians Do It Better. Listen to it below.

Marina Allen Shares Video for New Song ‘Deep Fake’

Konstantinos Pappis
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Marina Allen Shares Video for New Song ‘Deep Fake’

Marina Allen has released a new single, ‘Deep Fake’. It’s the latest single off her third album Eight Pointed Star, following ‘Red Cloud’ and ‘Swinging Doors’. The track features Hand Habits’ Meg Duffy on guitar and synthesizer and arrives with a video directed by Callie Hernandez. Check it out below.

“‘Deep Fake’ felt like a little revelation,” Allen explained in a statement. “It spun from this writing workshop I took, led by Chris Weisman. I took guitar lessons from him when I was 20. He has all these tools for songwriting, and ‘Deep Fake’ came out of a prompt. I can’t even remember what the prompt was. It’s sort of two different songs that I just put together. I wanted the first part to feel really personal, like talking to someone you love. It’s also about naming all of these very complicated things that make up our culture. Recognizing them as a reality. But to confront them and see it as sacred.”

Hernandez added: “The video superimposes Marina’s face onto the faces of myriad women via sourced archival footage- AKA ‘Deep Fake.’ The latter half of the video was shot on a glitchy DV camera, which was intentionally used to further blur the line between reality and fiction; real and unreal.”

Eight Pointed Star comes out June 7 via Fire.

Youth Lagoon Returns With New Song ‘Lucy Takes a Picture’

Konstantinos Pappis
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Youth Lagoon Returns With New Song ‘Lucy Takes a Picture’

Youth Lagoon – the project of Idaho-based singer-songwriter Trevor Powers – is back with a new single, ‘Lucy Takes a Picture’. The track arrives with a music video directed by Tyler T. Williams. Check it out below.

“Once in a while there’s a song that feels like I’ve been trying to write it my whole life,” said in a press release. “Lucy is one of those.”

“In February, I walked past a bus stop and noticed a small piece of paper tucked into the bars of a metal bench,” he added. “In shaky handwriting that looked both deranged and Biblical, the note said, ‘This is the tale of my resurrection. I died so I could live again.’ l found the nearest patch of grass and lay down like a dummy. This note was either a message from an angel or the ravings of a pharmaceutical junkie — maybe both. Either way it was just for me. I don’t think it’s possible to have true character without first catching a glimpse of hell. Maybe that’s what it meant? In the words of W.H. Auden, ‘Don’t get rid of my devils, because my angels will go too.’ Whatever this poetic rascal, angel or imp was getting at, these words rang the bell of my soul. I went home and wrote ‘Lucy Takes a Picture.’”

Youth Lagoon’s latest album, Heaven Is a Junkyard, came out last year. Read our inspirations interview with Powers about the album.

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