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Month: November 2015

Review: Burnt

Written by Erin Griffiths on . Posted in Film.

John Wells provides us with the story of Adam Jones (Bradley Cooper)—an arrogant yet passionate Michelin star chef, who aims to re-establish himself in the culinary world in London after his hedonistic past in Paris. Not only are we taken on Adam Jones’ mission to earn his third Michelin star, we are also invited into his life of romance, revenge and redemption. Despite the promising plot and talented all-star cast at John Wells’ fingertips, the film oozed a disappointing amount of potential.

The familiar story of a troubled character, who intends to rebuild their previous success after their past of self-destruction left them desperate, is executed well by the fluctuating regression and progression throughout Adam Jones’ journey. The subplots—involving competitors and romance—appear to be included as spare parts due to their shallow exploration by John Wells. But they successfully support John Wells’ intentions to enhance Adam Jones’ ruthlessly manipulating and intimating character. Although the unexpected arrival of the end credits followed an unsatisfactory ending, I was left with a completely changed opinion of the main character.

Bradley Cooper’s admirable depiction of the Gordon Ramsey inspired character, is unsurprising from the thrice Oscar nominated star. Cooper explores an array of emotions throughout the film—from extreme anger to reluctant emotion, which created an exciting tone to the film due its psychologically conflicted protagonist. In addition, the bilingual script, which wavers between French and English, enables Cooper to demonstrate his linguistic skills; while also adding an element of realism to the film. Furthermore, the reunion of the critically-acclaimed American Sniper couple, Bradley Cooper and Sienna Miller, encourages us to expect big things from the relationship between their characters in the film.

However, not only does their romance play a small part in the film, it also does not seem to come across very naturally. As Adam says to Helene in the film, “you’re the only girl I know.” This line is precisely what their relationship appears to be driven by—John Wells has almost forced the two eligible characters into an unnecessary romance. Not only does Wells take advantage of Cooper and Miller’s characters, he fails to exploit his exceptional cast: Emma Thompson, Uma Thurman, Lily James (Cinderella) and Omar Sy (Intouchables). These renowned actors encouraged an expectation of promising performances—yet their limited appearances in few scenes led to disappointment.

Considering the culinary theme of the film, the numerous closeups of world-class dishes and intense detail in the cooking is expected and welcomed—particularly for those self-confessed foodies out there. The film reveals the high-intensity atmosphere of Michelin star kitchens in various scenes, providing us with an insight into a world that many of us would find foreign. Discovering the behind the scenes action always evokes peoples’ interests—and this film successfully reveals the pressure and intimidation in the kitchens that many customers wouldn’t be aware of when dining at a Michelin star restaurant. This film is an accurate representation into a world that has such a great passion for food, encouraging people to appreciate the care that goes into the dishes served to them in established restaurants throughout the world.

I would recommend this film to Bradley Cooper fans who are appreciative of his impeccable acting skills, foodies who are interested in the concealed world of first class cooking, and experts in the Michelin star field. However, the film’s disappointing use of remarkable actors, an underwhelming plot and a forced romance prevents Burnt from reaching the full satisfaction promised.

3/5

Live: Hallé 12/11

Written by Matthew Brew on . Posted in Music.

The latest concert in the Hallé Thursday series was a varied and interesting one, with a broad scope of Romantic, emotionally-charged music. Arguably, the concert was watered down a little from the usual programme due to the presence of four classes from different primary schools as part of the Hallé’s initiative to cultivate interest in classical music in young children. Despite seemingly enjoying the music at the beginning, by the end of Beethoven, fidgeting was at a summer-holiday-6-hour-car-journey high.

Despite these (forgivable) distractions, the conducting of Nicholas Collon was energetic, demonstrating good control of the orchestra and keeping a laudable balance of sound throughout the whole concert, especially impressive when adding the solo playing of Jian Wang’s cello into the mix. His springy and spirited conducting was only outdone in vigour by the waving arms of the primary school kids.

Strauss’s ‘Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks’ was first up, a tone poem chronicling the adventures of the cheeky trickster Till Eulenspiegel (ironically appropriate considering the unusual presence in the audience). This was very well balanced, with the orchestra producing a resonant, warm tone.

Following this was Saint-Saen’s ‘Cello Concerto No.1’ featuring the solo cello of Jian Wang. Wang’s presence was immediately felt, despite his small stature, with amazingly intricate, technically expert playing. This initial surprise was then surpassed with the depth of feeling in the second subject, showcasing Wang’s true range, from melodically animated to emotionally resonant. This continued on into Dvorak’s ‘Silent Woods,’ which served as another showcase of Jian Wang’s expert solo playing, and Nicholas Collon’s control over the orchestra with a constantly appropriate balance.

Following the interval was the main event, the longest piece of the night, Beethoven’s ‘Symphony No.7’. Premiered in Vienna at a charity concert for soldiers in December 1813 with Beethoven himself conducting, the second movement was encored immediately at the time and still maintains its impact today. It was definitely the highlight of the work, building in intensity and emotion. The entire symphony was played beautifully, demonstrating once again the quality of the Hallé.

My only criticism is that there wasn’t more.

9/10

Live: Real Lies

Written by Matthew Staite on . Posted in Music.

Soup Kitchen

25th October

8/10

Real Lies’ Manchester show fell both at the end of the first UK tour and on a Sunday night. They would be forgiven being completely burned-out shadows of their former selves. A slightly subdued set would even have been acceptable. But this isn’t how Real Lies play ball. The tour concluded the same week that they released their (brilliant) self-titled debut album, and they were determined to go out with a bang.

Despite the set being quite short in length, it proved ample time for Real Lies to demonstrate their exciting potential as well as the broad range of genres that feed into their music. Ska-infused opener ‘Dab Housing’ gets the crowds moving, as does follower ‘Seven Sisters’, with its beat borrowing heavily from modern dance music. ‘One Club Town’ sounded surprisingly good in a live setting, and while it’s impossible to separate its sound from influences like The Streets, it would be unfair to say that Real Lies are stuck in the past. Arguably, Real Lies are carving their own unique genre—post-rave. The spoken word on tracks like ‘Deeper’ and ‘North Circular’ perfectly encapsulate the drabness of a bus journey home after a night out, or the comedown at the end of big weekend. ‘North Circular’, the band’s first track to be released last year, proved to be the highlight of the night, its combination of spoken word over the thumping beat truly being an explosive combination. Once again, it’s hard to ignore similarities to groups such as New Order and the Pet Shop Boys, whether they were influences to the band or not.

Unfortunately the pint-sized choruses of ‘Lovers Lane’ failed to make an impact, which was a shame. While this is partly due to the off-key singing of the guitarist, I think that the intimate size of the crowd certainly can’t have helped. The absence of ‘Gospel’, a late gem in the album featuring an awesome ravey vocal sample, was also disappointing. Apart from this omission, the tracks sounded amazing, and it is great to see a new band so polished at such an early stage.

While closing track ‘Sidetripping’ works as an album closer, it doesn’t work so well live, leaving the night on a slightly bum note. However, the band had spontaneously decided to play it after calls from the crowd to carry the gig on, so this can perhaps be forgiven. On this note, the crowd on the night were excellent, their reaction to each track creating a euphoric atmosphere that clearly energised the band and repressed their self-confessed hangovers. In addition to the music, the creative set up of the gig saw the band playing against a projected backdrop of gritty footage of London, which created a really cool atmosphere visually as well as sonically. The slightly tatty basement of venue Soup Kitchen proved to be perfect for Real Lies’ gritty sound. With Manchester’s heritage and current position as the dance music Mecca of the UK, we can’t help but feel Real Lies may have found their spiritual home.

TV Binge: Top Buzzer

Written by Jane Simmons on . Posted in Film.

Forget Breaking Bad and Narcos—unsung mid-noughties comedy Top Buzzer is the perfect drug program that you’ve never heard of. Starring James Lance as yuppie-music-producer-turned-part-time-weed-dealer Sticky, and a young Stephen Graham as his scouse sidekick Lee, they both, with varying degrees of success, try to run a small drug business together, making for a hilarious little TV series ideal for lazy viewing.

First airing on MTV in 2005, Top Buzzer was never destined for big commercial fame. It is, however, a shame that it has not been picked up by on-demand platforms such as Netflix, because it is a great independent series that’s funnier than a lot of the shows you can watch on E4 today.

Set in gentrified North London, it follows posh DJ Sticky and his lethargic stoner flatmate Lee in their ‘top buzzer’ flat as they experience the many pitfalls and pleasures in dealing cannabis to their eclectic clan of mates, including a predatory Scottish gangster, young attractive drama student Daisy, and So Solid Crew and Top Boy star Ashley Walters’s grime artist ‘Buggsy’. (Also spot the cameo appearance from two famous Madchester icons…) The cast work brilliantly to make this little comedy function, particularly Lance and Graham together, because they form an excellent comedy duo as Sticky and Lee. Stephen Graham’s acting career has ballooned, and deservedly so since his role as thug Combo in This is England and his menacing portrayal of Al Capone in Boardwalk Empire, but it’s great to see him shine in a comedy role too, and fit the part of a loveable scamp.

Like many TV series it takes a few episodes to get used to the style of Top Buzzer. At first the intrusive, loud splicing of soundtrack can prove a bit irritating, and the scenes can move a bit too quickly, but by the time you get used to the set-up and start laughing, the scrappy beginnings will be long forgotten.

The humour in Top Buzzer is perfect; ranging from subtle cultural references to out-and-out slapstick comedy, it’s a laugh-a-minute program that could easily cheer you up when you have nothing to do. One particular scene: when the buddies’ friend Carlton argues that Daisy will not appreciate a particular strand of weed, he says ‘It’s like giving Lee a 64’ Chateau La Tour’, to which Lee responds ‘I don’t even drive…’.

Overall, Top Buzzer is a light-hearted, hilarious subtle show with a stellar comedy cast. Unfortunately, its lack of presence on any online or on-demand platforms means it may be one to hunt down in the depths of HMV or Amazon, but if you can, it’s definitely worth the watch. It’s surprisingly warm and heart-felt for a show that depicts the antics of two petty drug dealers. The script is so understated yet clever, and with such a treat of a cast, it’s bound to have you thoroughly entertained.

HOME Pick of the Week: Tangerine

Written by Jake Sanders on . Posted in Film.

It is Christmas Eve and on the grimy streets of Los Angeles transgender prostitute Sin-Dee (Kitiana Kiki Rodriguez) has just been released from prison only to find out from her best friend Alexandria (Mya Taylor) that her boyfriend/pimp has been unfaithful to her during her time on the inside. What follows is a grimy crawl through the underbelly of the decidedly unglamorous side of the City of Angels as Sin-Dee goes on the warpath in her search for answers and vengeance. Much of the conversation surrounding Tangerine has centred around the fact that it was shot entirely on an iPhone 5, with some assistance from an added lens, rendering it an intriguing companion piece to Danny Boyle’s Steve Jobs. More of a budgetary necessity than anything else, the low resolution aesthetic is a superb choice for this intimate, social-realist drama, capturing all of LA’s urban decay with a hand-held, frenetic energy that gives the film a sense of palpable energy.

Tangerine is poised to become the go-to edgy answer to “what’s your favourite Christmas film?” and the festive elements go beyond juxtaposing the sun-soaked squalor of the LA streets with the wintry, wholesome Christmas decorations scattered around the city. Instead, Tangerine carries on in the grand tradition of holiday filmmaking as a tender exploration of the importance of friendship in difficult times. The relationship between Sin-Dee and Alexandria is fascinating, and the film bristles with vitality whenever the two are on-screen. Watching them tear through Hollywood, leaving behind them a wake of chaos, is a joy, but the pair also exhibit an intimacy that implies a wealth of shared history. They bicker and fight, but when the chips are down, it’s clear that there is real love at the centre of their tumultuous relationship. Though Rodriguez and Taylor are certainly the film’s stars, and are responsible for bringing to life two of 2015’s most memorable characters, a portion of the film is also dedicated to Armenian cab driver Razmik (Karren Karagulian), a family man with a penchant for what Alexandria and Sin-Dee have to offer. Director Sean Baker is wholly non-judgmental in his presentation of Razmik and finds real pathos in a character who could have easily been played up as a sleaze or a figure of ridicule.

Yet, despite exhibiting a keen eye for capturing on-screen emotion, Baker never allows Tangerine to descend into sentimentality. A sub-plot involving Alexandria singing at a bar avoids the obvious narrative beats whilst still remaining deeply affecting, and the film’s ending offers no contrived lifelines for its protagonists. Though certain scenes suggest Baker might be exploiting his subject matter for shock-value, the presentation of life and love in the most desolate of places makes Tangerine one of the most interesting and charming films of the year.

5/5

Top 5: Songs in Scorsese

Written by Jack Lunn on . Posted in Film.

5) The Ronettes – ‘Be My Baby’ (Mean Streets)

Partially tainted by those insurance flogging meerkat bastards, this classic number’s original scene-setting usage is its most powerful. It accompanies the home-recording-style opening credits, creating a jovial atmosphere to shots of Little Italy’s mobster inhabitants. They embrace their surroundings with plenty of Italian charisma and tradition.

 

4) The Animals – ‘House of the Rising Sun’ (Casino)

Sound and vision are brilliantly aligned here by Martin Scorsese. The sparse guitar intro begins as the on-trial mob bosses decide the fates of potential informers. The song builds to a frantic keyboard-led instrumental section, which is matched by a rise in the action’s tempo. Hit after brutal hit ensues to the tune of the vocalist’s howl. The house always wins.

 

3) The Rolling Stones – ‘Jumping Jack Flash’ (Mean Streets)

One of many inclusions of Jagger and Richards’ music from Scorsese’s films, but also one of the strongest. Johnny Boy (Robert De Niro), the maverick of the gang, is introduced strolling into the bar with a woman under each arm. He oozes cool as the verse kicks in to this early Stones classic, and it’s clear he’s the centre of all attention.

 

2) Cream – ‘Sunshine of Your Love’ (Goodfellas)

Goodfellas contains a plethora of moments elevated exceptionally by its music, but this is something else. Jimmy (De Niro) encapsulates pure evil in plotting a kill using only a stare as Eric Clapton’s immortal riff plays in the background, Jimmy only interrupts his wickedly unhinged gaze to take a drag from his cigarette. A moment where he appears equally cool as he is deranged.

 

1) The Rolling Stones – ‘Gimme Shelter’ (The Departed)

Keith Richards’ gritty guitar licks perfectly reflect the Boston street backdrop during The Departed’s opening sequence, where an inspired piece of Frank Costello (Jack Nicholson) narration confirms him as a badass from the get go. The powerful female backing vocals are a more than fitting soundtrack to Costello’s atrocious acts, which win him a grip over the Massachusetts capital.

The Bad Truth behind Destiny’s Development

Written by Robert Parris on . Posted in Games.

When science fiction shooter Destiny released in September 2014, it was clear that something had gone wrong. In the months leading up to its release, grand promises were made, hyping up the already anticipated title. Destiny was described as a visceral, shared world shooter—the first of its kind, established in a rich story-driven background. Roughly two years ago, Bungie COO Pete Parsons explained in an interview: “We want people to put the Destiny universe on the same shelf they put Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter or Star Wars.” Tragically, the final product was an underbaked package.

The grand story promised was largely absent and what was there was mediocre at best and incoherent at worst. Missions were dull and repetitive, and the endgame loot system was little more than a miserable grind requiring monotonous repetition of already repetitive endgame content. This was particularly surprising considering the games heritage. This was a game developed by Bungie, creators of the critically acclaimed Blockbuster franchise Halo, one of the defining games of the sixth generation. So what went wrong during the game’s development? Bungie, and publisher Activision, have so far remained tight-lipped about the rocky development of Destiny, and the only evidence of the game’s haunted past has been a few leaks mostly from internal testers of the game.

That was until just over a month ago, when Kotaku published a profound article regarding Destiny’s history. The article, despite its length, is well worth a read, as some shocking revelations are unveiled. The only reason this information is available is due to leaks from people claiming to be current Bungie employees who are risking their jobs and potentially court action to put this news forward.

Photo: Bungie, Inc., Activision Publishing Inc.

“Two years ago, something went wrong. Destiny’s writing team, led by the well-respected Bungie veteran Joe Staten, had been working on the game for several years. They’d put together what they called the ‘supercut’—a two-hour video comprising the game’s cinematics and major story points. In July, they showed it to the studio’s leadership. That’s when things went off the rails, according to six people who worked on Destiny. Senior staff at Bungie were unhappy with how the supercut had turned out. They decided it was too campy and linear, sources say, and they quickly decided to scrap Staten’s version of the story and start from scratch.”

Unfortunately, for consumers this is an example of the increasing influence that disassociated managers have over creators, and in many cases this negatively affects the gaming experience. Ironically this is not the first time that this has happened to Bungie. In November 2004, Halo 2 was released, developed by Bungie and published by Microsoft Game Studios. The title was critically acclaimed upon release and is often praised for laying the blueprint for online console shooters. However, one aspect which was repeatedly criticised for years afterwards was the games cliff-hanger ending. In order to prevent spoilers, I’ll just say that the story didn’t have an inherently bad ending, but rather it just stopped without resolving any of the earlier conflicts in the story. The reason for the abrupt ending was literally because Bungie had run out of time to finish the game, and they had to meet the deadline imposed by Microsoft.

However, this scenario represented a failure, ultimately on Bungie’s part on missing a deadline. At the end of the day, the team on the ground so to speak, had complete creative control over the project. Destiny on the other hand represents something more insidious, businessman taking control over an artist’s job. “In the summer of 2013, just over a year before Destiny came out, the story got a full reboot,” according to six people who were there. Bungie ditched everything Joe Staten and his team had written, reworking Destiny’s entire structure as they scrapped plot threads, overhauled characters, and rewrote most of the dialogue. “In the coming weeks, the development team would devise a totally new plot, overhauling Destiny and painstakingly stitching together the version that’d ultimately ship a year later, in September 2014. The seams showed.”

Critics and fans alike believed that the game felt rushed despite its apparent four years in development. One common complaint was the lack of compelling endgame content, and if you want to be harsh, content at all. That’s because Destiny as we know it was largely put together in a year, according to the employees. What I find incomprehensible about this story is that the studio’s leadership essentially rejected a story, which despite its flaws, was an actual tale with an apparent beginning, middle and end. Juxtaposed to the complete lack of any story in the final product, and the subsequent lack of content, this was a fatal error. It is important to bear in mind that this leak is not in any way verified, but details of this haunting tale add up, and has helped shed some light on this game’s troubled past.

Album: Grimes – Art Angels

Written by Aileen Rose Duffy on . Posted in Music.

Released on November 6th via 4AD

The fourth album from artist Grimes—real name Claire Boucher, is nothing short of perfect. With her last album, Visions, charting at #67 in the UK, Art Angels is currently sitting pretty at #26.

Art Angels comes after Boucher’s reported scrapping of material for the album earlier this year after the preliminary release of the single ‘REALiTi,’ a song that was intended to be thrown out with the other material but managed to feature on the digital version of the album—though completely remastered from its original demo.

Despite this, it doesn’t stick out as a totally misplaced album track, but it does manage to stress the melancholy Boucher must have felt before she started creating the new material that eventually made it to the album: “Oh baby every morning there are mountains to climb/taking all my time/oh when I wake up this is what I see/welcome to reality.” It’s interesting that she chose to save this song, as the rest of Art Angels is an incredibly upbeat, signature weird-pop performance that we’re used to hearing from Grimes.

The album is a real development from her past work, with Boucher having taught herself guitar, drums, ukulele, and the violin—all to feature in the new material. The overall sound we get from this is a warm and explosive 90s nostalgia episode—particularly heralded in the first official track released from the album, ‘Flesh Without Blood,’ an instantly catchy “fuck you” anthem. Yet, at the same time, the track holds that special dash of insanity that Grimes likes to birth into all of her music, and it shows off the creative eruption that symbolises the rest of the album.

It’s brilliant to see Boucher finally embracing her fantastic vocal ability on Art Angels, no longer relying so much on the extensive mixing and reverb we heard in Visions. It’s particularly evident on ‘Belly of The Beat’—a song which is in itself, self-descriptive, as listening to the upbeat hooks feel as though you’re present in the party of her creating the ‘beat.’ Grimes manages to keep her beautifully haunting vocals present, but also demonstrates immense flair and flow in the way she sings her story.

Interestingly, Art Angels has been criticised as a very ‘chart worthy’ piece of work—and that’s not necessarily a bad thing as it shows Grimes is becoming much more accessible than before. However, Boucher is clearly unhappy with this accusation towards her new sound, as she tweeted on 8th November “there is so much beauty in music. I wish perceived commercial ambition was not the topic sometimes.”

Grimes’s last album is brilliant, yet very dark—Art Angels has embraced the passions and extensive talents Boucher has and it’s created a really explosive, captivating listening experience. We can still feel a connection to her past with ‘Life in the Vivid Dream’ and ‘World Princess, Part II’ as they hold stronger electro, darker themes than the rest of her album. What may be the best track on the record is saved until the last: ‘Venus Fly’ which features Janelle Monae, has a fantastic mix of house, grime, pop and synth— and is sure to become one of the most loved tracks from the album, along with ‘Easily,’ a soft edge piano-driven melody about a past breakup that defends how great Grimes is, now on her own, without her former counterpart.

Listening to the album feels like an electrifying journey around the total theme park that is Claire Boucher’s head. This new wave of Grimes’ sound demonstrates the best of her ability, and her best is utterly overwhelming—Art Angels is a clever and exciting musical masterpiece that has been a long time coming, and boy should you be glad it’s arrived.

9/10

Album: Shane Filan – Right Here

Written by Elizabeth Gibson on . Posted in Music.

Released on 25th September 2015 by East West Records

6/10

I would never call myself a Westlife fan, but I have no objection to their music; I wouldn’t leave a room if it came on. On these terms I agreed to review ex-member Filan’s second solo album: Its tracks might not blow me away, but I probably wouldn’t find them objectionable.

My prediction turned out to be more or less correct. Nearly every one of the songs, on its own, I could listen to with no complaint and, maybe even some enjoyment. However, ten in a row is hard work. I listened while working, and every now and then would sit up and think, is this a new song or still the last one? I really don’t know. That’s how similar they are. The one song I really don’t like is ‘I Could Be’, his duet with Nadine Coyle, which feels like a bad Irish Eurovision entry: stereotypy Celtic music mixed awkwardly with pop and meaningless lyrics.

That being said, finding really deep lyrics anywhere on the album is pretty hard. Before listening, I flicked through the album notes and randomly selected a lyric to see how uninspiring it would be. It was, I kid you not: “Remember when we watched the sunrise, The nights we’d lay beneath the stars?” (from ‘Beautiful to Me’). Oh, Shane.

I’m not slating this album. There is a large demographic whom it will appeal to—those who like cheesy, simple love songs with a folksy influence. The fact that Westlife did so well demonstrates that this demographic exists and is large. Additionally, there are a few songs that I may return to. The title track is quite nice and could possibly pass for a Take That effort (which is a compliment; I’m not a great Take That fan either but at least Mr Barlow can write songs). ‘Your Love Carries Me’ sounds like a hundred other songs, ‘You Raise Me Up’ especially, but is very listenable. One other thing: Filan sings with feeling. He really seems to mean every word, even when the words have little meaning, and his earnestness considerably lifts this album as a listening experience.

Right Here will be a dream for some people, and I can imagine very painful listening for others. Just don’t expect to have your outlook on life transformed.

Top 5: ‘Hidden gems’ of online shopping

Written by Rebecca Thomas on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

As great as the brand Goliaths are for releasing covetable items daily, the field of online shopping is extensive, and it is well worth having an off-piste foray into the less well-known shops for fresh inspiration. Here is a rundown of some of the hidden gems at the best lesser-known websites on the market:

1. Runway Bandits (found at http://www.runwaybandits.com/)

Photo: Runway Bandit

The ethos: Soft-focus, with monochrome and block pastels. Featuring elegant girly with collars, dresses, and skirts.

If it was a person: Collects ‘texture’ cushions, especially Mongolian ones, and likes Yankee candles. Least likely person to fall over in a puddle.

Best of: The Silas dress or the Narth Dress.

 

2. Olive Clothing (found at http://www.oliveclothing.com/)

Photos: Olive Clothing

The ethos: Casual heritage. Much knitwear, including knitted hats and jumpers, styled with tartan skirts. Baggy, stripy layers under dungarees.

If it was a person: Has a beard/dates a beard. Most likely to be surrounded by exposed wood, bookshelves, coffee, and lots of literature. When being photographed will always look somewhere other than the camera lens.

Best of: The Corduroy Pinafore dress, every single one of the striped tops, and for men, the Brixton Beanie.

 

3. Front Row Shop (found at http://www.frontrowshop.com/)

Photo: Front Row Shop

The ethos: Eclectic, no definitive overall ‘vibe’ other than being streets ahead of trends. PU skirts, faux fur coats, and tapered trousers.

If it was a person: Unpredictable. Pursuer of wide-ranging hobbies including: chess-boxing, life drawing, and panto society. Most unconsidered dancer you will meet.

Best of: Robot Resin Earrings, Navy two-piece ‘Spliced’ dress.

 

4.     Beyond Retro (found at http://www.beyondretro.com/en/)

Photo: Beyond Retro

The ethos: The vintage holy grail. Every clothing imaginable, beaming between ’20s Flapper Girl to ’90s Grunge. Extra special lingerie section including vintage slips and bed jackets.

If it was a person: Has perfected pin-up victory rolls and the Gibson girl, and is in demand for their in-depth knowledge of fashion evolution. Has been to every Itchy Feet night at Mint Lounge and teaches Swing dance classes.

Best of: The range of leopard print faux fur coats, or the entirety of the ‘Gothic Regal’ section.

 

5.     Nasty Gal (found at http://www.nastygal.com/)

Photo: Nasty Gal

The ethos: Every item is a ‘statement’, bold verging on Rihanna. Chains, rips, laces, deep thigh slits, sequins, and flares; sounds anarchic but looks amazing.

If it was a person: Has a wall calendar just for house parties. Has already clocked the ‘glitter roots’ hair trend and bought the tools ready for take-off. Is fiercely protective over their cat, and once drunk-ordered it a tent.

Best of: Katarina Mesh Blouse in beige, or the ‘Renaissance Woman’ Bell Sleeve Velvet Top

PLY

Written by Elena Gibbs on . Posted in News.

When advising new contributors on what to include in a review, I tend to say the same four things: layout/decor, service, food, atmosphere. These headings more or less encompass all one needs to know about a place.

However, not everyone cares about all of these things. Some love what’s on their plate, but don’t care if they’re sitting on a gold throne or a Hessian bean bag. Some love the music, and are indifferent to hostile service. Some want it all, but to make it easier to digest the expanse of comments under each heading in reference to PLY, they are split here visually into slices of information.

 

LAYOUT.

It’s not until

you look around that

you realise how big PLY actually

is. Up a few stairs and through a door,

you’re faced with a large bar taking up the

majority of the front-facing wall. The middle has a

few low sofas and chairs for relaxing on, and either side has

long tables suitable for large parties and creative

events. The right side with high chairs that

seems to mark the spot for after-work

drinks, the left more suitable for

casual dining and creative

pizza-box doodling. PLY

has a second level,

which outskirts

the

perimeter,

making for a more

private and intimate setting

for those not wishing to mingle in

large open space. For those with work to

do, PLY also has an area designated to reading,

complete with a colour-coded bookshelf.

 

SERVICE.  Everyone who works

in PLY is also a really big fan

of the place. The staff are

friendly, upbeat and

so ready to plug

their own

establishment.

Customers are always

greeted with a smile and are

attended to in a timely fashion. Any

questions will behappily answered and

requests always welcomed; even the tap water

is served in a quality glass with ice, straw and a sprig of mint.

When such care is taken with no money involved. that

really shows a genuine attitude in a place.

 

FOOD.

PLY are the  proud owners of a

unique mirror-balled

disco pizza oven,

the object

responsible for

its production of

irresistibly chewy sour-

dough Neapolitan flatbreads,

all topped with a range of gourmet

ingredients. From porcini mushroom with

garlic oil to fennel sausage and wild broccoli,

courgette taleggio and flowers, confit tomatoes,

rocket and goat’s cheese. Gluten Free dough is also

available, confirmedly as chewy and delicious as the real

thing. Drinks start from a range of bubbly draught

beers to a well-stocked fridge of carefully

selected bottled varieties such as the

Beaver Town Gamma Ray pale ale

and ABC Crate Digger coffee

stout. Wines have been

chosen to comple-

ment the food

and the

atmosphere,

and a range of in-

house cocktails such as

‘Kid in a Sweetshop’ reflect

PLY’s playful and creative nature.

 

ATMOSPHERE.

PLY is more than just a bar-restaurant, it is a

creative space that plays host to exhibitions, artwork,

and youthful eclectic parties. Due to the many areas sectioned

around the venue, there is a sense of being in a school workshop, an

art day where the staff are the supervisors (also serving beverages)

and everyone is encouraged to think outside the box. Customers

are encouraged to get involved with the displays and have

some down time for artistic thinking. At the moment

they’re exhibiting pizza-enthusiast Scott Wiener’s

box artwork, where, on the opening night,

people could meet Scott and have their

own go at designing a luxury

takeaway container.

Previously, there

has been a DJ-

style pizza

booth

where patrons

could animate their

own topping-designed

slip mat. PLY’s vibe, put simply,

is fun.

 

26 Lever Street,
Northern Quarter,
M1 1DW

plymcr.co.uk/

The Pomegranate Soirée

Written by Elena Gibbs on . Posted in News.

Having moved into a new flat with a wide, spacious kitchen and matching living area, I thought it was time to host my first dinner party of third year. Originally cooking for two, I got carried away with invitations and soon eight people were coming to eat.

For large parties, I think it best to present a range of options for people to select from and fill their plates with. A buffet of sorts, but not one that conjures images of Iceland oven-ready sausage rolls. Heavens no.

This was an Ottolenghi-style smorgasbord. When you get that hit from all the flavours, I guess you could call it a smorgasm (but only if you really want to).

Here’s the menu, complete with recipes:

 

Aubergine imam biyildi stuffed with Ghanaian stew

Imam biyildi is one of Turkey’s national dishes, which is unsurprising considering the use of aubergine in many of their traditional recipes. The name translates to ‘the imam fainted’, which arose as a Turkish imam’s reaction to tasting the dish. It’s delicious, but it’s even better if you can stay conscious. I chose to do a twist by stuffing the vegetables with Ghanaian stew, in homage to my flatmate, who introduced me to the pantry-staple dish.

The Imam:

4 aubergines, halved lengthways and immersed in cold water

Olive Oil

Salt

The stew:

1 onion, finely chopped

Rapeseed Oil

A mix of spices (see method)

2 tins of tomatoes

Sweetener (I use date syrup, but brown sugar works well too)

To start, flesh out the aubergine until you have a thick and robust hollowed shell left, put these back into the cold water. Chop the sponge-like flesh until you are left with small and fine uniform-enough pieces. Heat the oil in a saucepan and begin to brown.

Meanwhile, heat the rapeseed (can sub any other oil) in a saucepan and add the onions, softening on a medium-high temperature for around 15 minutes. This stew is one that is liable to change with every attempt, so it’s best to not be too strict with the spice amounts. I tend to throw in a healthy shake (about a teaspoon) of: madras, cumin, cumin seed, coriander, nutmeg, ground cloves, ginger, chilli (use less), paprika and black pepper. Add a little sweetener, about a teaspoon, then add your tinned tomatoes and the browned flesh of the aubergine. I find that the date syrup compliments the spices well, and I buy mine from Worldwide in Rusholme, £3 for two jars.

Leave the tomatoes to boil and simmer for around 30 minutes until thickened and spitting, add water if necessary and for extra flavour add a stock cube and some bay leaves, as the traditional recipe calls for.

At this point, remove the aubergine shells from their water and heat the oven to around 200 °C. Place the shells onto a large baking tray, drizzle with olive oil and bake for around fifteen minutes. After this time, remove from the oven and fill with the thickened stew. Back in the oven, roast for around 15 more minutes, until the skin has deepened in colour and looks more loose than spongy—the rigidity should be lost.

Once ready, present overlapping in a square glass bowl and top with fresh herbs and pomegranate.

 

Beetroot, red lentil and courgette cumin curry

1 onion, chopped

2/3 cloves of garlic

4/5 small beetroot, or 2 large beetroot, peeled and chopped

1 large courgette

Handful of red lentils

Cumin seeds, cumin, coriander, ginger

Heat the onion in a little oil and begin to soften, add the courgette and turn up to medium high. Meanwhile, immerse the beetroot in hot water in a separate saucepan and boil until the courgette in the other pan has begun to wilt and brown. Add the dry lentils, spices and beetroot mixture along with the pink residue that bleeds into the water. Boil until it begins to form a thicker, less watery mixture. Turn the heat down and let simmer to combine, stirring occasionally and adding more water if necessary.

It’s ready when you’re happy with it. Feel free to add more spices, some sweetener, extra vegetables, stock or fresh herbs. It’s very versatile and has a great colour.

Top with fresh coriander and pomegranate seeds.

 

Spicy cashew rice

1/2 tsp of the following spices: turmeric, paprika, coriander, cumin, salt

1/4 tsp of: chilli powder, ginger, ground cloves

1/2 cup cashews

I do this in the rice cooker, but similar if not the same results can be achieved by using a large saucepan with a lid. Allow 1.5 cups of water for 1 cup of rice.

Rinse rice in a sieve until water runs clear, then add all ingredients to rice cooker/pan with lid on for 25 minutes. After this time, remove lid and it should be ready, add more water if necessary.

Top with fresh coriander and pomegranate seeds.

 

Cardamom chilli chocolate olive oil cake

Adapted from Nigella, I modified this to suit the middle eastern flavours by including spice and replacing sugar with date syrup. This is also suitable for those avoiding dairy, gluten and refined sugar.

150ml olive oil

50g cocoa powder

125ml boiling water

2 tsp vanilla extract

3 cardamom pods, crushed

1/2 tsp chilli powder

pinch of salt

150g ground almonds

1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 cup of date syrup (or 200g caster sugar)

3 large eggs

Preheat the oven to 170° and lightly  grease a round tin with oil and baking paper.

Whisk the cocoa powder, vanilla extract and spices with the boiling water to form a runny paste and set aside.

Whisk the date syrup, eggs and oil in a separate bowl with an electric mixer until thick, frothy and bubbly for about 3 minutes. Add the cocoa mixture and combine. Fold in the ground almonds, salt and bicarb until incorporated into the mixture. Tip the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 40-45 minutes until the sides are set and the centre looks slightly damp. A fork (or cake tester if you’re a pro) should come out virtually clean but for a few chocolatey crumbs clinging on. The date syrup gives a rich, earthiness to the cake, which also makes it more syrupy, so do watch out for it to prevent burning. My advice is to check after 25 minutes and play the timings by ear.

Let cool and serve on its own or warm with coconut ice cream if you’re feeling especially decadent. Oh, and top with pomegranate, of course.

Review: Guys and Dolls

Written by Tori Blakeman on . Posted in Theatre.

Set in the exciting underworld of 1940s New York, Guys and Dolls is the classic tale of gangsters, gamblers and nightclub singers. Direct from the West End, this whimsical revival brings a newfound thrill to this golden-age musical.

The show follows the gambling adventures of notorious Sky Masterson, dice game arranger Nathan Detroit, and their dolls, feisty missionary Sarah Brown, and nightclub singer Miss Adelaide.

Sophie Thompson leads the diverse, strong cast, with her comic delivery of showgirl Miss Adelaide. Her amusing portrayal of the ditzy character brings moments of the show to life that should otherwise go unnoticed. Playing alongside David Haig as the unsettled Nathan Detroit, the altercations between the pair are delightfully amusing.

Equally as comical is the unconventional duo of Gavin Spokes and Ian Hughes as Nicely-Nicely Johnson and Benny Southstreet. Faultless harmony and exquisite comic timing left these characters adored throughout. Energetically and humorously fronted by Spokes, the brilliantly clever feature number ‘Sit Down you’re Rockin’ the Boat’ was a highlight of the production.

However, the most outstanding performance unquestionably lies with Jamie Parker for his heartfelt representation of the audacious Sky Masterson. Bringing a unique innocence to the role, Parker delighted the audience with his timeless voice, reminiscent of the classic 1950s musical film. His impeccable rendition of the famous ‘Luck be a Lady’ enlivened the audience, and his amorous performance of ‘I’ve Never Been in Love Before’, in duet with Siubhan Harrison as Sarah Brown, was endearing.

The dazzling artistic choreography of world-renowned Carlos Acosta and Andrew Wright uplifts the at-times slow storyline, markedly portraying the infamous Havana and Crap game scenes in an impressively imaginative and extravagant fashion. A special mention must go to the incredibly sharp chorus for their energetic presentation of the challenging balletic choreography.

There are still stagnant sections of diaglogue at times; however, this is most definitely down to the original script, not the production. The impressive choreorgraphy, refreshing new set design, and clever direction from Gordon Greenberg have together transformed and uplifted this classic musical.

Blogging 101: The Student Edit

Written by Kassi Allcock on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

1) Tell us a little about yourself and your blog.

Emily: I started blogging in January 2014, so I’ve now been writing about all things fashion, beauty, and lifestyle on emiloue.co.uk for nearly two years. I don’t have a very large following, at roughly 400 people, but I personally judge the success of my content by engagement through comments, tweets, and emails. It’s a lot more fun feeling like I have a group of supportive friends reading what I have to say! I always say that I write for me, and I think people respond to the fact that I’m not trying to be anyone else—I’m just sharing the things that I love.

Sjoukje: My name is Sjoukje, I’m 17 years old and live in Amsterdam (The Netherlands). I started my lifestyle blog lemontierres.com on a boring afternoon in July 2014, and I’ve gathered about 1150 Bloglovin’ followers in the past year-and-a-half or so.

Chloe: My name is Chloe and I’m a 21-year-old petite fashion blogger and English Lit student. I started my blog a few years ago after blogging on and off since I was 17, and since then ‘The Little Plum’ and my social media channels have been growing ever since!

 

2) What/who inspired you to create your blog?

Emily: I started watching Zoella on YouTube and soon found her blog, which led to me discovering so many others. Once I learned about the community behind blogging I found Anna Gardner (ViviannaDoesMakeup) and Lily Pebbles, both of whom were a huge inspiration to me as I love their personal writing and photography styles, and I grew to really trust their opinions. Eventually I started my own blog which was very review and OOTD-based, and it slowly evolved into what it is now.

Sjoukje: I wasn’t inspired by a specific person, even though I already read and followed quite a few blogs. My passion for photography initially inspired me to start my blog, and I found out that I also really like to write along the way.

Chloe: I was really into photography when I was a teenager, and used to invite girls over from my school to give them a makeover and take pictures of them in front of my bedroom fan! This just progressed into a keen interest in fashion photography and then fashion; I’ve always been really creative, and fashion blogging seems to be my outlet.

 

3) How does being a student have an impact on your blog?

Emily: It has a huge negative impact! I truly applaud any student that can post regularly while getting uni work done as I really struggle to find a balance. Unfortunately it means that blogging has to take a back seat every now and then as writing essay after essay is so draining, but I really appreciate that the community welcomes me back with open arms when I pop up a post after weeks of silence! I’m a bit of a homebody anyway, but I try to have occasional nights to myself where I can sit with my laptop and blog to my heart’s content.

Sjoukje: Being a student affects my blogging activities both negatively and positively: negatively because it obviously takes away a lot of my time, but positively because being a university student is so different to being a high school student—the new things I experience give me so much to write about.

Chloe: I have no time and I have no money—two crucial aspects to blogging. I can’t attend events, or buy the latest boots, or even necessarily commit to an amazing opportunity because I have other time sensitive jobs going on. It’s really tough juggling a job, blogging, a degree, and a social life. I won’t try and pretend that it’s possible either, because it’s not. Something has to give all of the time.

 

4) What is the best experience that you’ve had as a result of blogging?

Emily: Being asked to do things like this is pretty great, and I can’t lie that being sent a product to review is darn exciting. However, I have to say that when someone who reads my blog sends a tweet or Instagram comment or an email my way, I really understand how far a little blog can reach. It’s incredibly heart warming when someone comes to me for advice or just wants to reach out and chat like we’ve been friends all along.

Sjoukje: The best experience I’ve had as a result of blogging must be related to the social aspect of it. I’ve made quite a few great friends through blogging, both online and offline, friends I most likely wouldn’t have met in real-life.

Chloe: I got to take my ex-boyfriend to the FA Cup Women’s final after filling him with pizza and cocktails which was pretty amazing.

 

5) What are your favourite type of blog posts to write and why?

Emily: I honestly just write whatever I feel like at the moment, so this answer changes all the time! I do love outfit posts as I like to chat about why I picked certain pieces, but I’ve recently been working on more personal posts and I’ve been finding them really enjoyable to write. Audiences respond to more honest, authentic posts these days too, so I find that anything showing off my personality and interests is both fun to write and to put out there, no matter how daunting at first.

Sjoukje: I was going to answer ‘every blog post I publish’, but if I’m very honest I think my favorite type is ‘personal’. Creating personal posts feels like writing in a diary, the only differences being that people actually read this and sometimes even leave a comment that makes me think, inspires me, or motivates me to do things differently. It’s absolutely great when people leave a comment on any type of blog post—but when people take the time to write something to me personally as a response to a personal post, that makes me genuinely happy.

Chloe: My favourite to create are OOTDs, but my favourite to write are usually rant-y opinion pieces or anything from the heart.

 

6) What is one piece of advice that you would offer to blogging beginners?

Emily: Just be you and write what makes you happy. You can take part in all the tags and reviews and ‘common’ posts you like, but try to take your own spin on them and develop your own voice and style. Don’t be afraid to take inspiration from others, but always let yourself shine through!

Sjoukje: Just do it. I don’t think you need an extremely clear vision of who you want to be as blogger; your online personality will evolve over the years anyway. As an example, I started out as a beauty blogger and I never ever write about just beauty products anymore. It also is very important to write about what you love and not about what you think others will: your passion will shine through. Don’t think about how many people read your posts, that’s not the most important thing. Starting a blog brought me so many beautiful things and I’d recommend it to anyone.

Chloe: Take the pressure off—I remember when I started blogging I was so concerned with numbers and views and blah blah blah, but trust me, the time comes for that. The best thing about starting to blog is meeting girls that will be your friends and follow your journey with you the whole way through. Don’t be afraid to comment and make gal pals! 

Live: Cory Henry and the Funk Apostles

Written by Pierre Flasse on . Posted in Music.

Band On The Wall

13th November

9/10

Cory Henry, the man behind Snarky Puppy, worked on request with Robert Glasper, P. Diddy and The Roots. Henry positions an incense candle and a mug of tea behind his keyboard, which is set to jazz organ.

It’s almost impossible to know where to begin in describing what was one of the best gigs I’ve ever been to. The outfit has Cory on keys, often brandishing a vivacious tambourine and dancing around the stage in a frenzy. There’s a synth player, guitar, bass and dual drum set up. This man set up the Funk Apostles in January 2015, and they’ve just embarked on a four month tour.

Knowing Cory from Snarky Puppy, it was easy to recognise similarities between those tunes and this, but his sound is like an unleashed wild version of Snarky, combined with gospel, cranking funk guitar lines and insane energy. Each tune blends into another, and there’s only actually four breaks across all the charts, as everything merges into another. The music is entirely transformative and develops into a creature, an entity let loose and free from the night’s beginnings.

The music itself has rigid drum sets in military synchronisation, with often heavy synth lines, beautiful jazz organ riffs and Cory’s soothing voice across the top. Each solo brings a new dimension to the band, from the guitarist descending into playing with his teeth, the drummers moving their sticks faster than my eyes can register, and Cory’s simply jaw-dropping jazz organ solos. He lays down the most incredible, fast music, and doesn’t even look at his fingers.

They come down to a gorgeous broth of energy, hype, noise and excitement on a new level, combined with pure, absolute, virtuoso skill. I’ve been left awestruck by the new funk fusion kids on the block.

Review: Listen to Me Marlon

Written by Jake Sanders on . Posted in Film.

Early on in Stevan Riley’s documentary Listen To Me Marlon, we are shown brief images of a young Marlon Brando messing around with his friends, laughing manically, playing pranks, mugging for the camera; the footage is grainy but hypnotic. Unquestionably beautiful, Brando appears playful, funny and sweet—a bitter contrast to the Brando with whom the public became familiar in his later years. Riley highlights this contrast  in excruciating detail. The dreamlike quality of the scenes encompassing Brando’s youth and early days as an actor are juxtaposed with harsh digital footage of a grossly overweight Brando weeping for his dead daughter at an intrusively public press-conference.

This is not to say that Riley brushes over the hardships of his subject’s early years. One sequence involves Brando recounting the way he and his father deceived the public with a facade of intimacy that concealed the years of abuse Brando and his mother had suffered at his father’s hands. This contributes to the enormous depths of self-loathing that Brando lived with, and that ultimately led him to pursue acting, seeking approval that was not provided by his home-life. Self-loathing, the search for validation, rage, and artistic fulfillment all seem to weigh heavily on Brando’s mind as he addresses the tape recorders that become the basis for Riley’s avant-garde portrait of the actor. Drawing on Brando’s own personal audio diaries and recordings of his therapy sessions ensures this is far from a conventional biography. Instead, it is a haunting eulogy for a deeply troubled man.

Riley’s decision to allow Brando’s own words to serve as narration for his film, and to eschew typical documentary tools such as talking heads, allows the audience a unique, intimate insight into a man who garnered infamy for his obsession with privacy. With such a wealth of footage, it also pinpoints some of the inconsistencies in Brando’s scattered mind. His opinion on acting seems to range from considering it a deeply personal, exhausting means of self-expression to an easy way to line his pockets. Hearing Brando describe the autobiographical elements of Last Tango In Paris, it is understandable that he gravitated from the former to the latter as time went on.

Though the audio elements of Listen To Me Marlon are undoubtedly the most appealing, Riley shows a real flair for matching imagery with narration. The bulk of the film uses archival footage, and scenes such as Brando describing the basis of method-acting, which are played over carefully-selected clips of his performances, are particularly compelling. As well as providing an insight into the mind of one of Hollywood’s biggest enigmas, Listen To me Marlon also touches on larger ideas, such as the often-close relationship between unhappiness and creativity, an idea that was similarly explored in Jeff Feuerzeig’s The Devil and Daniel Johnston, a film that also shone a light on a famously troubled artist.

Though Listen To Me Marlon has no pretense of being an all-encompassing biopic, there are some notable details of Brando’s life that are conspicuously absent. Namely, Brando’s position as a queer icon and his open admissions to bisexual tendencies go unmentioned. Although it never seemed as if Brando believed this aspects of his life were of great importance, he spoke openly about them throughout his life, and it seems odd that those unfamiliar with Brando might leave this film without an understanding of how he challenged heteronormative culture in a way that was simultaneously groundbreaking and nonchalant. It is perhaps out of respect, however, that Riley declines to include any footage from Brando’s career nadir: The 1996 disaster The Island of Dr. Moreau.

4/5

‘Time to Act on Climate Change’ meeting on campus

Written by Daniel Saville on . Posted in News.

Representatives from across the climate change movement met on campus to promote student and public protest ahead of the United Nations Climate Change Conference.

On the 12th of November 2015, Green Party Leader Natalie Bennett, Asas Rehman from Friends of the Earth and  representative of the Campaign Against Climate Change Martin Empson, addressed over 100 students and Manchester residents in the Auditorium of St Peter’s Precinct Centre.

The rally was organised by the Socialist Workers Party. It was intended to encourage local lobbying and action on climate change as well as promoting participation in a national demonstration. This comes weeks before the United Nations’ Climate Change Conference and the opportunity to bring about a larger climate movement.

Each speaker had ten minutes to address the audience. Natalie Bennett spoke of taking action and the need to talk about climate change in a way that was not negative, for as Bennett said, “historically the green movement has tended to say right, you’ve all got to change your ways or you’re going to die.”

But rather than solely talking  about the need to tackle climate change in isolation, all of the speakers outlined the economic, social and environmental issues facing the UK today. The rally focused on the need to tackle all of these aspects together in order to bring about tangible change.

Following the ten minute speeches from each of the delegates, a heated discussion about future action took place. Emphasis was placed on attending the upcoming Climate Justice + Jobs march in London on the 29th of November 2015, as well as the need to put a local perspective on climate change. Many of the students in attendance were keen to make the event the starting point of a student led campus movement, bringing up questions surrounding the possibility targeting the divestment of university funds from fossil fuels.

Over the next few weeks the climate debate will rear its head into public view. With the possible start of a new grassroots movement, expect more debate, protest and publicity.

Is the sharing economy forcing us to share to survive?

Written by Jessica Chow-Lau on . Posted in Opinion.

Enthusiasts praise the sharing economy as a return to simpler times with the same ahistorical nostalgia given to mason jars and 19th century handlebar mustaches. And the system that Uber, Airbnb, and TaskRabbit fall under is a return to the past, the medieval past.

Feudalism, a prevailing social structure in medieval Europe, consisted of lords, vassals, and serfs (peasants) who exchanged goods and services for protection and military support. Collaborative consumption, as termed by sharing innovator Rachel Botsman, is a sub-economy that rejects excessive ownership, thriving on the basis that people share what they already own. Collaborative consumption—or the more commonly known “sharing economy”—is set to become a modern day feudalistic network.

Sharing instead of buying is not a new concept. Low-income communities have been subsisting on the mutual kindness of neighbours since the inception of ideas pertaining to social class. Since the 2008 financial crash has destabilized so many people, the market for cheap labour has understandably attracted a vast group. But, companies emerging post-2008 are leaving sole proprietors to fend for themselves without any support. They are enacting policies that people wouldn’t accept, were they not desperate. It is taking advantage of an economic tribulation. It is disaster capitalism.

To keep a legal distance, companies will emphasise that working participants are independent contractors, essentially entrepreneurs. The label would be applauded if it weren’t for the absolute lack of workers’ assistance. In the United States, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) dictates that if you are self-employed—which, under the tax codes of these freelance companies, you would be—you would have to report your income, fill out a form called 1099-K, submit it, and then have your taxes deducted. It gets infinitely more complicated in cases like Airbnb, where the number of nights people pay to stay or what furniture you have will affect how much you pay in taxes. Many people are not aware of such esoteric tax policies, and so do not expect to owe the IRS money. When they do, they are put into debt when tax season comes around.

The strategy of distance to the extent of irresponsibility can be attributed to the model that collaborative consumption derived its success from. Built on a departure from the old model of hiring full-time employees—which are more expensive in the taxes they incur and legal damages from possible missteps—they distinguish themselves from a full-time employer because failing to differentiate between contracting a W2 employee and a 1099 worker on their taxes would lead to serious penalties. Freelance companies need to provide people with some amount of legal guidance in addition to introductory training. This training should notify members of their tax requirements. Ride share network Lyft, for example, has chosen to enact this policy of informing members that they should expect to pay taxes after submitting a form.

The sharing economy’s claim of being on the path to ecologically sustainable capitalism is failing itself and its people when the glory of a peer-to-peer economy relies on the legal problems that sole proprietors cannot afford to solve. A self-perpetuating cycle arises when “side hustles” slowly becomes people’s primary source of income and they in turn are forced to rent necessities because driving people around does not provide catalytic investment for financial mobility. Despite the sharing economy’s utopian image, the price of living in areas where they are most active is not cheap. Swapping resources won’t change that. In San Francisco, the influx of tech employees—many of whom work for companies like Uber—are putting pressure onto renters that then have to increase their reliance on places like Uber to have shelter. What results is people working, but not getting paid.

The blame should not be put entirely on the model of collaborative consumption, but on the faux idea of co-operative that is sold by these companies when profits are not trickling down to freelancers. As a business consortium, Peers provides a safety net for workers in the sharing economy. But since it represents for profit upstarts, it is not a true worker-owned co-operative. If it weren’t for serious issues of attrition, Orwellian-level surveillance on workers, and unpredictable profile “de-activations” (i.e firings), such propositions would not be emphasized as heavily. But it is and I am. One could leave it to the lawmakers, but the US government hasn’t even offered an alternative to income taxes or capital gain taxes to fit the people’s changing needs—it’ll be a while before they discuss worker-owned labor brokerages.

Currently, freelance companies have taken all the drawbacks of full-employment and kept the part that bestows them as centralised profit (or what Sascha Lobo, a writer for Der Spiegel, has termed “platform capitalism”). On its current path, those with a disposable income will literally be served by those in financial chains. The reasonably well-off will get more free time (from people doing their chores), work more, and continue feeding the cycle of serfdom that makes it very difficult for individual contractors to move out of doing menial work. Creativity will be suspended as “vassals” become shut-ins (GrubHub advertises: “Everything great about eating, combined with everything great about not talking to people”) and “peasants” not being able to develop fleeting, otherwise complex, thoughts because their mental capacity is taken up by delivering someone’s groceries.

The sharing economy is a foreign and exciting territory that could be the future of how people work. But in order for that to happen, freelance companies need to take some initiative towards worker-ownership. If they start from a good place they’ll be able to expand the market in a way that truly is ecologically sustainable.

Record Reappraisal: Indigo Jam Unit – Roots

Written by Pierre Flasse on . Posted in Music.

We’ve come to Indigo Jam Unit’s 10th birthday and I, for one, think it’s time to look back at one of their defining midway points, Roots, released five years in. Indigo Jam Unit are one of the key centrepiece bands of Japanese jazz and the nu-jazz scene. This group has got to be one of the most energetic, vibrant and frenzied sounds I’ve ever heard. Their music allows you to indulge yourself in the throbbing upright bass, escape in each repeated riff, and get lost in every clean drum hit.

They formed as a trio in 2005 in Osaka, Japan before being suggested to add Takehiro Shimizu on the drums. This entirely transformed the sound of the group, with a twin drum setup and Shimizu’s recognisable rhythm defining their style. What’s magnificent about this group is that their outside influences are fully visible within the music, and set up each tune with a personality.

‘Roots’ is the title track, and gives the album momentum like you’ve never heard. It begins with barely any drums and a pulsating piano melody repeated again and again, until the drums and bass build into an energetic and fulfilling piano solo. This for me, is what jazz is and should be. This quartet can frame suspense like nobody else. This is pure, nervous, tense excitement.

Nu-jazz as a movement could far easier be described as what it isn’t. As a term, it remains an overly broad umbrella, loosely denoting the blending of multiple jazz styles, usually with electronics. Indigo Jam Unit don’t use electronics. Instead I see an amalgamation of jazz-hop, traditional jazz, soul and free improvisation. The free improvisation is key as each track on this album feels off the cuff, as if it’s caught in the moment and could never be recreated.

On ‘Voyager’, a tight and energetic drum and bass-like beat darts between the melody and makes you feel lost in the music. This then somehow opens up into a surprisingly zen and controlled piano solo above the twitchy bass,. It shouldn’t work, but it does.

You can imagine a curdling “yeeee” reeled across ‘La Tomatina’, their answer to Latin. This has got to be my favourite track on the album. It’s simply impossible not to move your feet, as they combine a samba piano line with irresistible drums and bongos. In an interview they named this the “Spanish Tomato Festival” but I would call it more Mexican jumping bean combined with chilli, because boy does it move. I beg you to listen to this track. The drums lose control, but the fantastic thing about this group is that every time they lose it, you’re right up there losing it with them. It’s sad to see no indication of them touring outside of Japan.

They’ve also done a funkier cover album with singer Alicia Saldenha, which again entirely pushes the boat out to another level. They are incredibly active on the scene, often doing joint gigs with Fox Capture Plan and SOIL&”PIMP”SESSIONS, lending their active groove to other band sounds. I find that their unique value is in their ability to dominate any style with their own characteristic take, and bring the listener right up into the moment with them. They are a proud trophy in the nu-jazz scene, demonstrating what jazz can do. Once Roots has grabbed you, listen to albums REALism (2007) and REBEL (2012) for further wig outs.

Live: Algiers

Written by Will Baldwin-Pask on . Posted in Music.

7th November

Gulliver’s

8/10

In the wake of race based riots, not-so-secret police violence and the ongoing presidential campaign of Donald Trump, self-reflection is something many argue the United States could do with at the moment. Atlanta-based band Algiers are holding up the blackest of mirrors to their mother country. Merging gospel, hip-hop, punk and everything in between, the dark hybrid sound that accompanies the socio-political message of the band is finally showcased for the hundred or so people gathered in Gulliver’s Pub in Northern Quarter.

The group enter to the sound of swelling doomsday strings and a recording of aggrieved African-American voices, an intense welcome to the next hour of small-stage social protest. The music remains similarly eerie as guitarist Lee Tesche’s instrument screeches and echoes, whilst frontman Franklin James Fischer gives a soulful, tortured vocal performance from the start. Dressed in a suit, Fischer resembles a preacher, wincing and wailing his way through songs—at one point, he even takes to the crowd, seemingly performing an exorcism on someone. There is a sense that this band are putting on the last gig on judgement day, a final funeral for the mesmerised audience.

Algiers’ strongest songs, ‘Irony.Utility.Pretext.’ and ‘But She Was Not Flying’ appear early on, demanding attention with handclaps, chants and violent harmonies, the latter track also providing the most impassioned of Fischer’s vocal performances. Although it can be hard to discern everything Fischer says, lyrics aimed at the powers that be do float up occasionally, as they are accused of “Deciding who is fit/To go out and die/And who is black enough/To be left behind”.

The crowd’s interest dwindles somewhat with ‘Remains’, bassist Ryan Mahan’s attempt to cause a clap-along by beating his own chest and head becoming insipid rather than inspiring; by the time ‘Blood’ comes on, the man who was exorcised has whipped out a vape pen and a middle-aged couple are seen kissing to the words “four hundred years of torture”. Matt Tong, the ex-Bloc Party drummer who has joined the band for live shows, can seem like a frustrated circus animal at times. His thwacks dwarf other elements of the music, yet the clinical ferocity he displayed in his old band never surfaces, which is a shame given this is one of the best drummers British indie music has seen.

Fears the band may have peaked too soon however are dismissed when they reach their slow moment. ‘Games’ is a beaten-up guitar ballad about faith, in religion and in humanity, switching the tone from aggressive to melancholic. This captivates the crowd entirely and going into final song, ‘Black Eunuch’, you can see they’ve been won over. With a fantastic guitar riff and Fischer throwing in some dance moves, just to show that it doesn’t have to be so serious all the time, the controlled noise builds flawlessly to the show’s successful climax. Although Algiers can hardly constitute easy listening, their message resolutely hits home.

Unlike other artists in America discussing similar themes, say for instance Kendrick Lamar, the band don’t seek audience participation through catchiness or an accessible style. This makes them a spectacle. Algiers stun you into silence and force you to listen to them so you think about what they’re saying. The show ends then on a last note as dramatic as its first. An incredible performance overall, they will surely grab the attention of the wider world, as they did to this small pub in Manchester, by virtue of being a truly relevant band for today.