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Month: March 2019

Photo: Dave J East @ Trap Door Agency

Album Review: The Japanese House – Good At Falling

Written by Georgina Davidson on . Posted in Music.

Electronica-inspired music has recently seemed to float to the fore across a number of album releases from bands and collectives alike. Ideas and concepts amongst this style of music can often become entangled and muddled across a desire to touch on wild ideas across the genre. However, in the dreamily composed solo project of Amber Bain (A.K.A The Japanese House), a clear understanding and passion for this genre in evident.

Following suit along a personal pathway carved throughout the last few years, the record is directed across a field of whirring electronica sound and low ambience. This, paired with Bain’s synthesised vocals and heavier drum beats, forms an animalistic soundscape that encircles tracks such as ‘went to meet her’ with an enchanting and mysterious quality. The Japanese House has always possessed a sense of mysticism, with the name itself taken from a childhood haven that clearly had a deeply profound effect on Bain and her work. There has been a constant nostalgia-driven feel to said work; the continual combination of ethereal melodies and jangly guitar riffs has been consistent across her EPs, indicating that these qualities still remain crucial to the very essence of The Japanese House.

A glimpse of this ongoing style had been seen in the 2018 single release ‘Lilo’, which explored themes of freedom and the necessity of escaping bad habits and ritualistic behaviour. The tone blends beautifully with the general aesthetic of the album’s track list, conveying Bain’s keen attention to detail and commitment in curating a sound that takes the listener along a deeply personal and emotive journey. It seems a lot of the initial walls Bain presented in her earlier work have graciously fallen down – and it’s glorious.

By the end of the album, there is a subtle change of tone. The lyrics in particular seem to reach a reflective conclusion, summarising the turbulent and emotionally-charged journey portrayed across Good At Falling. ‘Worms’ delves into a power dynamic between the expectations and realities of becoming over invested in a particular moment. In contrast, the following track ‘f a r a w a y’ acknowledges the danger of these emotions. Here, an indulgent, melancholic tone frames the lightly electronic drum beat around the track. This doesn’t act as a step back but rather, it deals with the uneasy nature of change that people confront in those moments.

Aside from interpersonal issues, the themes of space and apparent loneliness appear most frequently throughout the album. At times it seems that it entraps the lyricist rather than freeing her as she had hoped and dreamed. Each track builds upon Bain’s quest to find “her” – an entity open to interpretation. Is it in reference to a personal solace within or perhaps the solace found within the togetherness of a relationship? This speculative premise allows the album to be an apt expression of the turmoil that so often comes with navigating both love and life itself.

Good At Falling beautifully and cohesively depicts a difficult journey amongst a puzzling world of voices, opinions and the influence of environment upon the emotional state. It is intriguing to see that Bain has elaborated with the stylistics present in previous work, using this to inspire many of the choices in this LP. There are cases in which artists have jumped erratically to bridge new territory musically and lost their wayin the process. Thankfully, this is not the case with Good At Falling and it is very encouraging to see an artist like Bain continue to explore and develop their discography.

Is it a hugely progressive leap at this very moment? Perhaps not. However, it will be interesting to see the ways in which the album translates into performance considering the imagery that such sound and expression already conjures within the mind. Progression can manifest in a variety of ways and I believe this album has great potential to build a unique sonic and visual experience.

8/10.

Photo: Nordiske Mediedage @ wikimedia commons

Thank you Louis Theroux

Written by amytaliamorris on . Posted in Opinion.

Louis Theroux’s newest documentary The Night In Question hit our screens last week and it is exactly what we needed. The Night in Question looks at the grey areas of many rapes that take place at university, primarily when a girl has been drinking.

It follows one man in particular, Saif Khan, who was accused of raping a fellow Yale student in 2015. While he was not convicted by a criminal court due to lack of evidence, at the time of filming he was going through the university tribunal.

Although I am a huge Theroux enthusiast, I am always sceptical of this subject. It is always uncomfortable when talking about rape to put the alleged perpetrators at the centre of the piece, giving very little time to any victims.

Louis mentions early on that Saif’s victim refused to talk to him when asked if she wanted to be part of the documentary, but it is still uncomfortable. It is something that many viewers on Twitter could not let go.

But I would like to argue: what would be achieved by Louis talking exclusively to victims? While it would be great to hear their voices, unfortunately I don’t think this would change many people’s minds about the prevalence of rape, especially this kind of ‘grey area’ rape. 

All too often, campaigners are stuck preaching to the choir. All too many times I have been in a room listening to a feminist discussion surrounded by those wearing the same t-shirts and holding the same banners, wondering what is this actually achieving apart from giving ourselves a good pat on the back.

Saif begins telling his account of what happened on the night in question, crying and telling us that ‘he is just so tired’. However, later Saif responds to Theroux’s comment that at least three witnesses testified that they saw the victim incapacitated and repeatedly vomiting, by saying that “billions of people believe in specific gods does that make them right?”

In a time when there is story after story littering the media on false accusations and how prevalent they are, saying that “no one (man) is safe!”, Theroux brilliantly gets people to question the truth of this. He first entices people into hearing Saif out and then shows the many flaws in his story and character. This is what will change people’s minds — the people who will want to believe Saif and not his victim. They cannot escape the conclusion that Saif is not the victim he tries to come off as, but a lying, abusive manipulator.

It is such a shame that so-called ‘meninist’ groups focus on false accusations, instead of real issues facing men. Instead, they turn their attention and energy to hating feminists and any woman who speaks out. In reality a man is 230 times more likely to be raped himself (or sexually assaulted as legally men cannot be raped by women – a separate issue) than to be accused of being falsely accused of rape. You didn’t know that statistic, did you?

If you are at all sceptical of this article at all, then I beg you to have a watch — maybe Theroux can change your mind.

Photo: Sundara Karma - Higher States (YouTube)

Album Review: Sundara Karma – Ulfilas’ Alphabet

Written by Jake Oliver on . Posted in Music.

Sundara Karma – arguably the saviours of the mid-10s indie music scene – have always posited themselves as something much more than just a band. Their EPs, whilst dripping in danceability, had a prolific, spiritual nature to them, and their ground breaking 2017 debut Youth Is Only Ever Fun In Retrospect was equally as transcendent. But there was always a persistent intelligence and depth to their work which marked them out as something special. Now two years on, the foursome are back with their sophomore project, Ulfilas’ Alphabet, a record of equal intrigue and spectacle.

The name of the LP itself references Ulfilas, a man responsible for the Gothic Alphabet, the format in which the Bible was translated in to for people to read and understand. Throughout the album, frontman Oscar Pollock’s insightful lyricisms harken back to the concept of a constructed language – the power of words and the meanings ascribed to them form an intense focal point. Ulfilas’ Alphabet is an expressive exploration of communication, sonically and lyrically.

There’s a genre-hopping quality present throughout the record that lends itself well to this lofty concept of language creation. Whilst Youth… was a bona fide collection of classic indie tracks, the instrumentals on Ulfilas’ Alphabet dip and dive in to a much broader soundscape. There’s flashes of classic 70s-esque disco on songs like ‘A Song For My Future Self’ or ‘One Last Night On This Earth’. Elsewhere on ‘Ulfilas’ Alphabet’ and ‘Little Smart Houses’, Pollock seemingly channels some David Bowie (à la ‘Let’s Dance’ or ‘Ashes to Ashes’) to an eerily good standard. Usually one would anticipate some of this sound experimentation to go awry, but here, Sundara Karma manage to pull off this versatility not only with apparent ease, but with perfect execution.

Ever the innovators, Sundara Karma also manage to expand their musical lexicon to bold new heights. The surprisingly jittery, techno-infused ‘Higher States’ is a sonic deviation from tradition, but still retains the wisdom and idiosyncratic atmosphere of their older discography. Album closer ‘Home (There Was Never Any Reason To Feel So Alone)’ carries the same anthemic feel of Youth’s ‘Happy Family’, reaching a powerful and emotive climax, one that will undoubtedly be sung back to the band with unquestionable passion at their upcoming live performances.

Lyrically, Ulfilas’ Alphabet is Sundara Karma working at an even more profound state than before; each track feels more like a poem than a song, set against the backdrop of infectiously catchy instrumentals. ‘Symbols of Joy & Eternity’ explores the incessant pursuit of success in a competitive and jaded society, with lashings of spiritual imagery sprinkled throughout. The sombre ‘Ulfilas’ Alphabet’ conveys a desperation to be understood in an era of communicative uncertainty and ambiguity – “It’s crazy what it takes to make amends”, laments Pollock as the track concludes.

Embedded within the soaring melodies and crescendos, Ulfilas’ Alphabet seems to reference a dystopian existence that we are not entirely too far off from. A combination of futuristic synths and distorted guitar riffs across the track list help elevate this concept whilst keeping the album grounded in the present. Initially optimistic in tone, by the time ‘Sweet Intentions’ is reached, there is a growing sense of futility and displacement, a tangible disdain for both society and the self. “You’re both the sinner and the saint, the wolf, the man the things you hate”, “Save yourself, confront the darkness” and “You ask to speak with your eyes ‘cause they’re safer than words” perpetuate this idea and give listeners something meaningful to take away with them.

Sundara Karma have managed to cement themselves as a formidable, ethereal entity with this release. It’s a perfect summary of everything going on at the moment – ineffective communication, a sense of disillusionment and feelings of existentialism. All of this is layered in sounds to throw you off the seriousness. But in some ways it’s liberating. We need an emotive outlet for these emotions. Ulfilas’ Alphabet is a seminal piece of work that dabbles in playfulness and poise and it’s exactly what we need.

9/10

Photo: Jacob Greenhalgh-Lee @ Theabrooksofficial

Hot Right Now: Thea Brooks

Written by Georgina Davidson on . Posted in Music.

Amongst the vast music scene expanding out across Manchester there is a relentless, ever growing community of indie-rock bands. Of course this isn’t necessarily terrible considering the high quality of music that is produced. However, it does mean that when something materialises within this setting and demands your attention, it is pretty impressive.

One artist who is currently forging herself a path with such energy is Manchester-based solo artist, Thea Brooks. Blessed with a strong and distinctive voice, she strikes through tracks with relative ease and a honed elegance comparative to the likes of Paolo Nutini and Newton Faulkner. Supported by a talented backing band, her current singles combine a structure of gentle acoustic guitars with a buildable intensity.

Her latest single ‘Give Me Power’ marks a very powerful stride out into pop punk ballad territory with a clear progression into slightly darker lyrical content. Brooks seems to delve into the power and beauty of a relationship within a darkened world. The track has elements of a Nirvana-like grunge about it and there is something quite rousing and a moody about her change of tone from the previous stylings of her singles.

The very power of Thea’s work becomes evident when her tracks echo and radiate through the plethora of live venues she often performs at. This is where her music really comes alive and there is a sense of her passion for creating cosy and unique experiences at her shows.

Wondering where to catch a show? Check out Thea Brooks and her band as they are set to play an acoustic gig at Jimmy’s NQ on Sunday 10th March. It has also been revealed that she will be performing in various venues across Manchester during late spring and summer. Don’t miss this opportunity to see a talent, singer songwriter as she sweeps through Manchester, chasing an ever present and highly intriguing sound.

Photo: The 1975 @Wikimedia Commons

Record Reappraisal: Music For Cars – The 1975

Written by Jasmine Bennett on . Posted in Music.

Six long years ago in 2013, The 1975 dropped their third EP Music For Cars. The significance of this introduction to their sound, three LPs later, feels somewhat impossible to deny. The influence of the EP has extended far beyond its release, leading to the current era of the band’s aesthetic to be christened with the eponymous same name. 

Just like now, The 1975 matched the pop of what would become one of their best hits – Chocolate – with low melancholia and instrumentals. The EP opened with ‘Anobrain’, a short and layered introduction to the group’s ability to create entire stories in less than two minutes. Through the neologism of ‘Anobrain’, it feels evident that Healy’s songwriting has always been one of his biggest strengths. Even then, the careful intelligence of the lead singer thrummed gently beneath the surface in a tale of romance against a backdrop of teenage suburbia. Albeit, there was definitely an element of pretension – but this now gives the EP a perfect feeling of nostalgia. Soft, slippery synths move against vocals in a way that now feels familiar but then felt new and raw. As Healy’s vocals murmur “I’m so high, I think I love you”, there’s a heart-wrenching reminder of the struggle with substance abuse that continues to linger in the heart of their lyrics. 

Again, in Music For Cars we were introduced to The 1975’s unique ability to join genres in the transition of ‘Anobrain’ into hit ‘Chocolate’.  One of their first breakthrough songs, it was The 1975’s first real adventure into the world of catchy chart-toppers. Again but also differently, it was a song dedicated to small towns and wasting time with lawless behaviour – perfect for capturing the hearts of teenagers all around the country. ‘Chocolate’ might be grating these days but back in 2013 it felt anthem-like. 

Swiftly transitioning into ‘HNSCC’ and you can hear The 1975’s talent for instrumental pieces and the production that has never faded as a focus. A combination of guitar masked with soft vocals, synths, and electronics retells a loved one’s experience with cancer. The profoundness of The 1975 even back in 2013 is remarkable – of the entire EP, this is the track that feels most recent in its quality.

The final duo lie in the hazy space between ‘Chocolate’ and ‘Anobrain’. Penultimate ‘Heads.Cars.Bending’ feels much like the first self-titled album. Not as developed as their current music, six years later the track comes across as naïve in a manner similar to ‘Chocolate’. Despite this, the production is still remarkable, especially when considering the band’s professional recency in 2013. Upon initial listen and now, it is the last track that feels like the star player on this EP.

The deeply melancholic ‘Me’ shifts between the perspective of Healy and his father in a relatable tale of guilt and mental fragility – themes that carry all the way to ‘Ballad of Me And My Brain’ on I like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it and ‘I Always Wanna Die (Sometimes)’ on A Brief Inquiry. The heavy remorse combined with a cry for help – “I was thinking about killing myself, don’t you mind?” – is as strikingly sad as it was on first listen. A song dripping with personal pain, The 1975 once more provide timeless relatability that other bands rarely manage to do in one song, let alone albums. Music For Cars is a classic EP that introduced the band’s incredible experimental musical ability. The soundtrack to so many teenage years already, the EP was a cohesive and beautiful body of work that provides the foreword for The 1975’s success.

Photo: Emma Sheehan @ Wikimedia Commons

Opinion: Leave Ari Alone!

Written by Alexander Corns on . Posted in Music.

Let’s clear some things up first: I am not, nor have I ever professed to be, an Ariana ‘stan’. I got bored a few songs into her latest album (admittedly, I listened to it in bed and hungover), I find the cutesy all-lower-case song titles on her last two albums irrationally unsettling, I find some of her tweets downright annoying, and I hold her solely responsible for the three month headache I had to endure from near incessantly rolling my eyes at the same Instagram caption (you know the one) at least 19 times every time I opened the app.

In other words, I am not an Ariana Apologist and am not heavily invested in what she does with her career. Oh, I’ve also never been to Manchester’s Pride Festival.

So, I thought I’d write about the furore surrounding the fact that Ariana Grande is headlining Manchester Pride Live.

A pervasive argument against Grande, a cishet singer, headlining is that she takes a place that could be going to an LGBT+ artist. And, as with literally every festival ever, there have been many alternative suggestions. But isn’t the point of Pride Live to entertain you, the LGBT+ people who have paid to attend? Of course, LGBT+ representation at a Pride festival is hugely important, but regardless of the act, their role at Pride is to perform for you. That is what they are being paid to do.

And a lot of LGBT+ people love Ariana Grande. In fact, she is arguably more popular in the LGBT+ community than Dannii Minogue (2015 headliner and famously not Kylie) and 2017 headliner Melanie C, both of whom, incidentally, are straight. As Years & Years (headlining Saturday) singer Olly Alexander put it: “line ups are a mix of artists depending on their availability and the need to sell tickets. [We should] try harder to support all the amazing queer talent [but] if more people listened to and supported LGBT+ artists – they’d get more slots.”

Ariana Grande headlining Pride Live sells tickets. Granted, an unfortunate by-product of her popularity is that straight people, uninterested in Pride, will buy tickets that could have gone to LGBT+ people because it’s Ariana. Whilst this is a shame, does bemoaning it not imply that as soon as a queer artist gains a straight audience, they too lose their eligibility to perform at Pride? Of course, there will be straight people in her audience, but it does seem a stretch to suggest that hordes of Ariana-Grande-stanning-homophobes will flock to Mayfield Depot to stick it to the gays.

But if selling tickets is what it’s all about, say critics, then the whole meaning of Pride is corrupted. Pride is a protest, an unabashed celebration of LGBT+ people and a demand for a true equality that has still not been achieved. It is not a pink capitalist hellhole in which money is everything and LGBT+ people do nothing but supply it.

All of this is true. However, Manchester Pride Live is a fundraising event. Its purpose is to sell as many tickets as possible in order to support LGBT+ causes in Greater Manchester. The Parade – which is the primarily ‘protesty’ bit of the weekend – is free. A Gay Village ticket – available from £10 – is cheaper than it was last year. Yes, £64.50 for a weekend ticket is extortionate, but there is an element of lose/lose for organisers. They’re either criticised for an underwhelming, cheap line up, or criticised for delivering a world star but at too expensive a price. It’s unfortunate that people will be priced out of live music this year, but top acts cost money – they just do.

It is often jarring seeing corporations in the Pride Parade, some of whom are arguably themselves contributors to global inequality. Likewise, the Conservative Party – a party whose own leader has a beyond dubious LGBT+ rights record – always seem embarrassed at the hush that greets it. The police, those famous friends of LGBT+ people worldwide, too. There are lots of hypocrisies and questions to be asked about Pride, but someone of Ariana Grande’s stature headlining does seem a bit of a one-off. She is and has always been (aside from some recent queer-baiting) an ally of the LGBT+ community, and is an honorary citizen of the city.

By all means, be cynical of Pride as a whole, but let the queer people who love Ariana enjoy what will be a special show without feeling guilty, and enjoy the weekend even if, this time, you can’t afford to see the headline act. There are greater enemies of LGBT+ people than Ariana Grande. Focus your anger on them.

Photo: West Point - The U.S. Military Academy's Photostream @ Flickr

Review: ‘Mouth Full of Blood’ by Toni Morrison

Written by Amy Hagan on . Posted in Books.

Toni Morrison has released a new collection of essays, speeches, and meditations concerning issues of race, gender, and globalisation. Structured into three parts, she explores the subject of writing and reading, while also expressing concern over the current American political climate, the role of the media, and the importance of the artist.

Morrison reveals in Mouth Full of Blood how writing is a necessity rather than a gift to society. Artists and their work are suppressed and censored because they are threatening. Acts of art, according to Morrison, reveal the underbelly of society and its flaws and blemishes we see every day in the forms of race, gender, and sexuality.

‘The Slavebody and the Blackbody’ is an essay in which Morrison asks the question: are the slavebody and the blackbody different from each other? The slavebody is slavery, as an institution and a major part of American history both culturally, socially, and politically. The blackbody is the African-American who is meant to be enjoying the freedom and liberty won after the abolition of slavery and desegregation.

For Morrison, slavery and racism “are two separate phenomena”. The origins of slavery are not necessarily racist — slavery as a form of commerce and capitalism has existed all over the world at many different times. For example, the ancient societies of Greece and Rome were economically built on slavery, and slavery existed in the form of serfdom in eastern Europe. “Selling, owning people is an old commerce”, regardless of race, religion, and ethnicity. Everyone is implicated in the institution of slavery. Morrison highlights how through a form of racism based on transcendent whiteness, the slavebody has disappeared and morphed into the blackbody, becoming a synonym for criminality, poverty, and a “flash point for public policy.”

One chapter in Morrison’s book that stood out to me was ‘Cinderella’s Stepsisters’. Morrison uses the fairy tale of ‘Cinderella’ to highlight the violence women inflict on one another professionally, competitively, and emotionally. In the politically and culturally charged climate of today, in which the #MeToo movement reverberates, and countless stories of sexual abuse and harassment come to light, this chapter induces “feeling[s] of urgency”.

The fairy tale is about a household of women who are gathered and held together to abuse another woman. Morrison’s tone of controlled anger and urgency highlights a problem in society that must be addressed. Yes, we are moving in the direction of freedom, but with this freedom comes the responsibility to free others, including other women. Morrison encourages us as a society to not do things out of self-fulfilment, but rather to take actions you see as unsafe. These actions with risk carry the most value.

Moreover, Morrison makes the point that women should not have to suppress or erase that part of themselves which is traditionally stereotyped and cause for gender discrimination in a heteronormative society. Women should not “enslave [their] stepsisters” with their personal ambition. Women should be nurturing and caring towards their stepsisters and not sacrifice that part of themselves in order to overcome difficulties in the professional and domestic worlds.

Mouth Full of Blood offers a powerful and artistic insight into today’s society by looking at both the past and present, and issues – cultural, societal, and political – that must be brought to the forefront in order to attempt to resolve them. Morrison argues that as readers, we should not be merely participants in the narrative but also help write it by being attuned to what she calls the “invisible ink”.

The ‘right’ reader can see the hidden lines beneath and around the text instead of making instant assumptions. This reader is not passive. According to Morrison, race and gender have certainties — there exists certain expectations, reactions, and projections when it comes to race and gender. When given facts and information such as place, livelihood, and personality, gender and race are assumed and imposed on a character even when such details are never revealed. The ‘right’ reader can look past these certainties and read the “invisible ink”. Reading therefore becomes an art in itself.

Morrison’s collection of essays, meditations, and speeches delivers unwavering truths about society in the past and in the present. Spanning five decades, the pieces in her book emphasise her incredible ability to analyse and comment on issues like race, gender, politics, and culture with controlled anger, a wide range of knowledge, and hope. Mouth Full of Blood is a reminder that many questions are still left unanswered and that there is much work still to be done to deal with the past and work towards a future where everyone can read the “invisible ink” of society.

High Street, Manchester Photo: David Dixon @ geograph

Mancunians increasingly being priced out of the city centre

Written by Sam Honey on . Posted in News.

House prices and rents are increasing in Manchester City Centre, as more properties are being bought by international buyers. This is putting families with a lower income at a disadvantage as they are unable to afford these properties.

Manchester City Council leader Sir Richard Leese defended this issue, saying: “Money is international, so working with good partners who are in it for the long haul is clearly a way of helping us build places and build communities.”

However, it has been claimed that this makes young buyers more vulnerable. “Prices are only going up at the moment”, says Sam Evans from Manchester. “I think it is a difficult place for a young person to buy. There is a lot of uncertainty from a young person’s perspective. Developers do want to sell to the highest bidder and that’s often not young people.”

Manchester has been described by Deloitte as one of Europe’s fastest growing cities, with properties selling three times faster than London. Over 15,000 houses are being built, but with limited affordability. Many worry that Manchester will become like London, whereby people with average salaries will no longer be able to live anywhere central.

BBC Inside Out North West identified that 48 out of One Smithfield Square’s 77 apartments are owned by international buyers from Hong Kong, Singapore, and Saudi Arabia. 24 are owned by companies registered in the British Virgin Islands. 20 apartments are owned by British property companies, and the remaining 9 are owned by the people who live in them.

Dr Jonathan Silver, from the University of Sheffield, argues that homes for Mancunians are being “turned into assets and security boxes for off-shore wealth.” Silver postulates that, without affordable housing, “shop assistants, nurses, teacher and many other workers will be unable to access housing in central Manchester.”

Tory Brexit. Photo: Tiocfaidh ár lá 1916 @ Flickr

Manchester MPs attack post-Brexit fund for Northern towns

Written by Sam Honey on . Posted in News.

Greater Manchester MPs have expressed displeasure at a new government fund, organised in a bid to reduce the effect of Brexit on struggling towns across the country.

Although the funding will amount to around £1.6 billion in total, it will be split between a variety of towns cross the Midlands and the North, and the North West will only have access to around £40 million for the entire region until 2026.

Theresa May launched the proposal on a platform of assuring equality in prosperity, but many see it as a thinly-veiled attempt to gauge support for her faltering Brexit plans in low-income communities, and areas that voted to leave in June 2016.

However, the new fund has once again been placed at the heart of the regional inequality debate, with key figures across the Greater Manchester political scene expressing the insignificance of the new investment in comparison to the widespread cuts forced open councils since 2010.

For example, since 2010, Oldham council alone have been forced into over £200 million of involuntary cuts, a figure five times the size of the North West’s slice of the new struggling towns pot.

Oldham West and Royton MP Jim McMahon criticised the government for an error of focus.

“Our towns have been left devastated by decades of under-investment and the loss of quality jobs and hope for the future,” he said. “Brexit was a wake up call that things had to be different, but instead we are offered the same old cynical politics of the worst kind.”

Wigan MP Lisa Nandy was also among those that attacked the fund as a one-off payment that didn’t address deeper-seated issues.

Many see the fund as a way of mitigating the short-term impacts of Brexit, while failing to address the lasting division between North and South.

Salford Mayor Paul Dennett was keen to ensure that funding was not dependent on supporting May’s deal: “Our town centres are in desperate need of investment and I sincerely hope this funding isn’t conditional on supporting the Prime Minister’s Brexit deal, nor do I hope that this results in further cuts for local government as we enter the next spending review.”

Meanwhile, Communities Secretary James Brokenshire backed the new funding, say that councils could apply for it on a needs-based basis: “We have listened to people who are concerned by momentous changes to their communities and I am determined to provide the support they need to create a more prosperous future beyond Brexit.”

Photo: Mike Faherty @Geograph

Homeless charity Lifeshare locked out of premises

Written by Chloe Hatton on . Posted in News.

Manchester-based homeless charity Lifeshare have been locked out of their premises following a “breakdown in communication.”

On Saturday the 2nd of March, volunteers arrived at 6am to cook breakfast. However, upon arrival they found that the locks had been changed, with all their food and equipment still inside. The volunteers went to a local supermarket and bought sandwiches and drinks so they could serve something for breakfast.

On Sunday, SPIN, a local charity based in Ardwick, supported Lifeshare so that their volunteers could give out some hot food and drinks.

Lifeshare is a charity that has been serving breakfast to those who need it, including the homeless, for the last 25 years. Alongside this, they also offer a change of clothes and a chance to have a hot shower.

During this time, they have been based at the Charter Street Ragged School, located next to Angel Meadow. Lifeshare rented the premises — which are in the process of becoming listed — from The Charter Street Mission, the charity that owns the building. Two years ago, Lifeshare were asked to leave.

Vinny Tarpey, a trustee of Lifeshare, said to The Mancunion: “the area was once pretty much unloved but is now prime development territory.”

In the two years since initially being asked to leave, Vinny says that there has been “debate and negotiation”, but that ultimately there was a “breakdown in communication.” They have attempted to find a new base, but “it has been impossible to find somewhere cheap, central, and happy to take our clients in, despite help from the council, Andy Burnham, and various local charitable organisations.

“We think we have a new base in the pipeline which will be a bit further away from the city centre. We hope to be able to confirm it in the next few days and move in within a few weeks if all goes well. Until then we’ll be serving our clients on the street and praying for mild and dry weather!”

The Mancunion has contacted Charter Street Mission for comment.

 

Photo: Wokandapix @Pixabay

University students suffering from mental health problems at an all-time high

Written by Shivani Kaura on . Posted in News.

A poll conducted by the Insight Network has suggested that students in higher education are at a high risk of developing substance abuse and thoughts of self-harm, whilst others are more likely to suffer from anxiety and loneliness.

Figures showed that around four in 10 (44.7%) students admitted using alcohol or drugs to cope with their mental health problems, while one in 10 (9.5%) said they did this often, or all the time. One in three (33.9%) had experienced a serious psychological issue for which they felt they needed professional help.

Students also reported high levels of anxiety, with 42.8% often or always worried. Around nine in 10 said they had struggled with anxiety at some point during university, which is 18.7 per cent greater than 2017 figures.

One in five said they had a current mental health diagnosis, most commonly depression, at 10.2 per cent, and anxiety, at 8.4 per cent. Although, around three-quarter said they would hide it from their close friends and family.

Around 37,000 individuals took part in the self-selecting survey, from 140 universities across England, Scotland and Wales.

Many universities tend to focus on the wellbeing of first years, as leaving home tends to be quite a shock to most. Figures in this report stated that 12.1 per cent of second-years suffered from mental health problems, especially when it came to self-harm, compared to 9.2 per cent of first-years and 11.1 per cent of third-years.

Tom, a third-year student at the University of Manchester, said: “My mental health issues were definitely made worse at university, and so universities definitely have a duty to do more.

“Perhaps personal advisors should be given more of a role, my personal advisor admitted he knew something was up when I didn’t respond to his emails, but didn’t actually know how to help as he couldn’t get hold of me.

“Maybe DASS could work with personal advisors to keep a look out for warning signs of deteriorating mental health, and provide help more quickly in the hope of preventing a potential mental health crisis.”

When asked about how good the university’s mental health services were at issuing help, Tom said: “currently they’re not great, but I’m hopeful the upcoming Greater Manchester initiative, which the university is involved in, will be improvement we’ve needed.”

Tom also stated that wellbeing week at the university is “a good idea in practice but those resources would probably be better focused towards year round support groups”, although offered at the university for specific cases, many are still unaware of these facilities.

Following analysis of the report, Dr Stephen Pereira of Insight Network, has concluded that the transition from second year into third year is mentally, more challenging than leaving school and moving to university, thus has urged universities to come forward and invest more into counselling and support services.

John de Pury, mental health policy lead at Universities UK which represents the UK higher education sector, said: “Universities cannot address these challenges alone and we are working closely with the NHS locally and nationally to make sure that students get the care they need.”

Image: photographic-leigh @ Flickr

Burnham calls for increased ‘stop and search’ to crack down on knife crime in Manchester

Written by Emily Broncz on . Posted in News.

Mayor Andy Burnham has recently announced that police in the region should look towards implementing tougher techniques to prevent knife crime.

The plan included the proposal of increased ‘stop and search’ as well as harsher penalties against those found carrying a weapon.

Andy Burnham’s address was delivered after the death of Burnage teenager Yousef Makki, 17, who was killed in a brutal knife attack in Hale Barns, Trafford earlier this month.

The Home Secretary, Sajid Javid, is looking to meet with police chiefs from across the country after the number of murders committed in 2019 rose to 20, which includes Yousef’s death last weekend.

Burnham firmly outlined his plans for delivering safer streets to the Greater Manchester area. Speaking about what measures he would be prepared to introduce, Burnham stated: “One thing I am prepared to consider as police and crime commissioner is more use of stop and search. Not in a discriminatory way.”

Burnham explained that the ‘stop and search’ technique would be helpful, as the issue of knife crime was not limited to “one particular community or any one group.”

Clarifying the issue further, Burnham stressed that the method would not be subjected to unfair stereotypes: “As I said this is a problem that seems to go across all geographies and social classes. It will be more when police have evidence or reasonable suspicion that a young person is carrying a knife that police can carry those stop and searches out.”

Greater Manchester Police are also looking to recruit 320 more police officers to be able to properly meet growing demands on the police force. The employment of additional police officers will be funded by a rise in council tax.

The idea of a national knife crime crisis was also raised by Burnham: “I think we do need action at a national level. The question is do we need tougher penalties for people caught carrying knives and I think there is a strong case that says ‘yes we do’ to give that powerful message to young people that it’s not OK at all to leave home with a knife.”

Free bus travel for teenagers as well as delivering higher levels of support throughout education and apprenticeships were a few suggestions made by Burnham relating to how the government can help alleviate adversity faced by many youths.

 

Transport in Manchester Photo: David Ingham @ Wikimedia Commons

Better Buses Action Week to support regulation of Manchester’s buses

Written by Lucy Menage on . Posted in News.

Better Buses Action Week took place from the 4th-11th March in an attempt to sway Greater Manchester’s mayor, Andy Burnham, to re-regulate Manchester’s buses.

Burnham must decide between regulation of the bus network or entering into a partnership.

The action week was started by the campaign group Better Buses for Greater Manchester who want Greater Manchester bus services to be regulated.

The group found that 76% of people polled want re-regulation of buses in Greater Manchester.

Meetings with local leaders on buses and bus stops across Manchester took place over the action week to help convince Burnham to re-regulate the buses.

Re-regulation would allow control over bus fares, bus routes, and the ability to use a convenient travel card similar to the oyster card used in London.

Importantly, regulation would allow cross-subsidisation where money taken from busy bus routes can be used to pay for routes which are more socially necessary.

Local authorities currently have no control over the fares or routes of 80% of buses in Greater Manchester.

Despite this, 40% of the bus revenue comes from public money.

Greater Manchester buses were de-regulated in the 1980’s and by 1996, buses in the North of Manchester were sold to Stagecoach and buses in the South were sold to First Bus.

Bus usage since the 80’s has declined by 40% due to restricted routes and unreliability.

The call for re-regulation is strongly supported by the MP for Ashton, Angela Rayner: “I’ve seen how the withdrawal of vital bus services in my constituency – often without proper consultation – has affected passengers.

“I understand that there are times when difficult decisions have to be made and I know that some services become financially unviable. But it is vital that all options are explored before key services are cut. Anything less is unacceptable.”

Sir Richard Charles Leese, who has been leader of Manchester City Council since 1996, also agrees with the calls for re-regulation: “Manchester Labour is determined to make public transport serve the public by extending democratic control over bus services with straightforward smart ticketing covering bus, train, and tram.

“This fully completely aligns with the aims of the Better Buses campaign and we fully support the Better Buses Action Week.”

Photo: Stephen McKay @Geograph

Concerns raised regarding Piccadilly Gardens

Written by Josh Sandiford on . Posted in News.

Concerns have been raised about the deteriorating condition of Manchester’s Piccadilly Gardens, despite the council promising an overhaul in 2017.

A damning ‘special report’ published by Manchester Evening News has argued that in recent weeks the Gardens have been as “bad as they’ve ever been.”

The article describes the area as a “hotbed of violence, drink and drug abuse in the heart of the city centre.”

Last week, two stabbings occurred near Piccadilly Gardens in one night, just a few hours apart and there are often reports of violence and anti-social behaviour in the area. Last year it was revealed that knife crime in Manchester city had gone up by 34 per cent.

According to the report, ‘sweeps’ are often carried out in Piccadilly Gardens to find weapons scattered around the area.

The report also notes that the area has become a “magnet for social problems” with increased numbers of homelessness in Piccadilly gardens. Homelessness is often visible for passers-by in the city centre, sometimes on drugs including spice, heroin and crack cocaine.

In addition to the social ills, the article also notes some aesthetic issues with Piccadilly Gardens such as the grass in Piccadilly Gardens regularly turning into a mudbath. There have also been issues with the fountains in Picacdilly Gardens, with the cost of fixing them reportedly set to top £1 million.

Meanwhile, Place North West is reporting that Manchester City Council is developing fresh proposals for the revamp of Piccadilly Gardens. This comes after existed proposals which proposed 2 million pounds of improvements for the area were withdrawn.

Photo: Kirstie O'Mahony

Majority of students ‘exposed to unwanted sexual behaviour’

Written by Josh Sandiford on . Posted in News.

A majority of students across the country are being exposed to unwanted sexual behaviour according to new research.

A survey of 5,649 UK university students has found that 53% of respondents experienced unwanted sexual behaviours from another student such as inappropriate touching, explicit messages and being forced into sexual acts.

Despite this, only 8% of respondents said they had reported an offence.

Nearly half of all women said they had been touched inappropriately, with 26% of women saying they were sent unwanted sexually explicit messages.

30% of all incidents took place on campus. The survey also found that women are more likely to experience unwanted sexual behaviour than men.

The research revealed that only 25% of students who were forced into having sex went on to report it and also showed a significant gap in understanding of consent and what constitutes sexual harassment and violence.

56% of respondents said they had experienced unwanted sexual behaviours at university yet only 15% realised that these behaviours counted as sexual harassment.

In addition, the survey showed that students experienced confusion around sexual consent – especially where alcohol is involved – with only half understanding that it is not possible to give consent if you are drunk.

The research notes that a contributing factor to this lack of awareness may be the inadequacies of sex education in schools. The survey showed that relationships and sex education (RSE) is still heavily focused on STIs and pregnancy rather than consent and harassment.

The survey, which is the largest of its kind, was designed by Brook and distributed through the Dig-In database.

Helen Marshall, Chief Executive of Brook said: “While we firmly believe that relationships and sex education (RSE) needs to start in school, this worryingly low reporting rate suggests that much more needs to be done at every stage of academic life. It’s really important that universities provide students with information and education on sexual harassment and the law, and ensure that their reporting procedures and support services are accessible and welcoming.

“Brook’s expert RSE and wellbeing support is provided nationwide within various education settings. We will be launching an online consent course in 2019 which will help students to understand the law, the gender norms, stereotypes and cultural factors which may affect their ability to consent and will support them to communicate about consent with partners.”

Last month, a 3500-strong crowd marched from Owens Park to Manchester Students’ Union to ‘reclaim the night’, calling on Manchester City Council to make women’s safety a priority.

Photo: Stocksnap @Pixabay

Tuition fee cuts could hurt under-represented students the most

Written by Emily Broncz on . Posted in News.

An article in Times Higher Education has recently argued that cuts to university funding could impact those from less-privileged backgrounds the hardest.

Several universities have committed themselves to widening participation and creating more opportunities to prospective students from all backgrounds. Times Higher Education noted that Russell Group universities are currently spending £1,000 from every £9,250 on making university education accessible to those from under-represented groups.

Queen Mary University of London was hailed as a good example of an inclusive university, where spending to improve representation amounts to £10 million per annum. 90% of the student cohort at Queen Mary come from state schools, 60% from black, Asian and ethnic minority (BAME) backgrounds and 27% who attend come from households with an annual income of less than £10,000.

Times Higher Education has suggested that any proposed cuts to tuition fees would directly affect the pool of funding reserved for helping to widen opportunity and participation at universities. If faced with insufficient funding, schemes at universities which endeavour to deliver support to underrepresented groups could face a strong likelihood of being scrapped.

Photo: Ilovetheeu @ Wikimedia Commons

78% of Grads fear Brexit will negatively impact careers

Written by octaviaspray on . Posted in News.

Graduates are doubtful about their prospects of obtaining a job in their desired sector due to the uncertainty of Brexit, as major corporations cut their recruitment numbers.

Private sector organisations were recruiting 10% fewer graduates by the end of 2017. This explains why 52% of graduates are doubtful about their prospects of securing a job in 2019, while 78% believe it will negatively impact their salaries.

In recent research, Milkround, a UK graduate job board, has discovered that these sentiments strongly correlate to the graduates’ attitude about the job market during the 2008 financial crisis.

In 2008, Graduates took an average of eight months to find a job in the sector they wanted. However, the job market is in a very different condition, considering that it is still currently expanding. So why are there these parallels between the financial crisis and Brexit?

Jonathan Portes, the Brexit and labour market economist at King’s College London remarked that uncertainty caused by an EU exit crucially affected the labour market: “Given the current healthy state of the UK labour market, it might seem surprising how pessimistic 2019’s prospective graduates are about the impact of Brexit. But history suggests that they are right be to be worried.

“Brexit may well prove not just to be a short-term economic shock, but to do long-lasting damage to young people’s career prospects. Given the uncertainties, new graduates will need to be flexible and adaptable; that may mean accepting jobs in a different sector or location to their first preference if it gives them a foot on the ladder.”

Milkround has shown that the number of graduate roles advertised on its platform increase by 104% every year, regardless of Brexit. As much as 70% of employers have projected that Brexit will not impact their recruitment practices. Many even predict an 18% increase in the number of graduates that they are planning on recruiting this year.

The Institute of Student Employers (ISE) was fairly positive about graduate prospects, in their 2018 annual survey. In fact, they showed that these major corporations were recruiting 7% more graduates in 2018 than in the previous year, even with the uncertainty of Brexit looming.

In the survey, ISE asked employers about their main worry for the year ahead was and only 15% stated that Brexit was one of them. This was a very different case back in October 2016, when Brexit was number one on the list of topics employers were most concerned about.

This all suggests that graduates should not put off applying for jobs after university as the job market is still expanding and Brexit, as of yet, has not had a disastrous impact.

Photo: Charlie Nguyen @ Flickr

Homosexuality and science: the good, the bad, and the ugly

Written by Jacklin Kwan on . Posted in Science & Tech.

From the Kama Sutra to Sappho’s lesbian love poems, homosexual behaviour has been recorded across a diversity of cultures for thousands of years. The evolution of social attitudes towards homosexuality have been continuously sculpted by our understanding of its causes and manifestations. Along with dynamic ethical, religious, and social considerations, we see that science, far from being an objective and apolitical study, has been crucial in reflecting and changing cultural attitudes.

In the 18th and 19th century, there was a growing belief that the scientific method could provide answers to long-standing questions. One such question was the nature of homosexuality, which became an increasingly policed issue with the rise of big industrial centers. One of the first essayists in the West that attempted to explain homosexuality was Karl Ulrichs, a pioneer of the modern gay rights movement. His argument, that homosexuality was a natural biological variation (and that therefore it should not be criminalised), evolved to be the crux of future scientific investigation.

Quite abruptly, homosexuality became a huge point of study in medicine, biology, and the budding field of psychology. There were polarised views as to how homosexuality should be framed. Some psychiatrists, such as Albert Moll, studied homosexuality with the underlying assumption that it was similar to a pathogen – an ‘illness’ that caused people to deviate from a healthy heterosexual default.

Doctors like Moll believed that non-heterosexual inclinations were due to developmental errors that occurred in puberty or childhood. Children would be born with “undifferentiated” sexualities or as blank slates, and would later develop into adulthood as heterosexuals. Those who didn’t were stuck in a child-like state. Therefore, therapy or medical intervention could help homosexual adults “move on” (a frighteningly similar conclusion to much of modern conversion therapy).

Other psychiatrists such as Sigmund Freud refused to make distinctions between socially acquired traits and inherited ones. Freud himself disapproved of singling out homosexuals from the rest of society as his theories of the unconscious meant that all people could potentially express homosexual behaviours at some point in their lives. However, the psychiatric model began to dominate how ‘sexual problems’ were treated. Treatments focused on resolving the ‘mental conflict’ that prevented people from actualising a heterosexual state, leading to the traumatic abuse and isolation of LGBTQ+ people in asylums.

The most powerful challenges to this worldview came when many biological studies documented the ubiquity of homosexual behaviour in animals and in human beings. Notable scientists like Alfred Kinsey showed how common homosexual experiences were, and developed models that introduced sexuality as a scale or a spectrum rather than rigid categories. Psychologist Evelyn Hooker also pushed back against the classification of homosexuality as a mental disorder. She showed that there was very little quantitative correlation between mental illness and sexuality. Soon, there was a slow naturalisation of the LGBTQ+ identity. The push for LGBTQ+ equality was bolstered by new scientific thought that destigmatised homosexuality.

Currently, scientific study into the nature of LGBTQ+ variations continues. There is increasing interest in how prenatal hormones and genes affect sexuality. In a way, science today reflects the idea that we are “born” with our qualities. Though it is a far cry from the prejudiced undertones in science during the 19th century, current science may still be highly restrictive. Genome mapping and the study of maternal environments can fail to account for complexities. Often people experience attractions that vary across time and context – a dynamism that is lost by understanding sexuality as a purely inherited trait.

The history of research into homosexuality shows the difficulty in challenging entrenched social beliefs. Science can be a tool for oppression when researchers fail to critically evaluate their invisible assumptions. But in its best form, science can liberate us from the prison of our prejudice.

Photo: Tourist - Apollo (YouTube)

Album Review: Everyday – Tourist

Written by Jasmine Bennett on . Posted in Music.

Tourist, the London-based musician born as William Phillips, should be a household name by now. Back in 2015, he won the Grammy for writing everyone’s favourite one-night-stand anthem ‘Stay With Me’ alongside James Napier and Sam Smith, and the poignant delicacy that caused everyone to fall in love with the track is just as evident in his own work. After his breakthrough 2016 debut U, detailing the end of a four year relationship, and EP Wash, which produced phenomenal collaborations, Tourist has stamped his name on the industry.

The second album from the artist, Everyday, is nothing short of a masterpiece. Dreamlike, fuzzy, and meditative, it really is a record for just that — the moments that make up our lives as it goes along. More sombre and slow than previous projects, its nature as a therapeutic work is apparent. Described by the artist as a “reflection on family, mental health, love and loss,” the tightly produced LP seems to seep into your brain as you listen. Layers of sample work and synth fill the record with soft and intricate sounds that display Tourist’s deft talent. The progression from U is incredible. While Tourist has always been good, the development in technology usage and sound is undeniable.

The album opens with ‘Awake’, which feels like a melodic interpretation of when you first wake up. The fuzziness of sound, combined with small elements of vocal sampling about two minutes in, draws to mind early mornings. The track is an artistic representation of that soft space between being sleep and awake, where you’re half-eyed and the light is just coming through. It’s an excellent introduction to Tourist’s sound and the intricacy that comes with it. It is delicate and stunning.

The use of vocal sampling on the album is really something. The next two tracks, ‘Emily’ and ‘Someone Else’, are shining examples of this. The former’s introduction features a soft male voice talking of “days when you wake up and you just wish at the end of the day that you hadn’t, cuz you haven’t done anything it’s just been a trial,” before dipping into transcendental, looping electronica that begins to crescendo. Deeply layered and detailed, it feels fragile. The reflection on mental health adds to the overall feeling that the album is a form of catharsis for the artist — something to reveal a rawness of emotion still possible in the genre typically associated with the dance floor. Similarly, in ‘Someone Else’, the title is repeated throughout, humming low beneath synths and beats. It’s a personal favourite. The ambiguity of the track gives it a yearning and aching feeling — is the artist longing for, or to be, someone else? Has the subject found someone else? All is uncertain, and that sense of uncertainty seems to carry across the record. Reflection isn’t easy, nor straightforward. Just like the tracks Tourist provides, it feels consuming, emotional, and layered.

As for the slightly more upbeat, Tourist provides this in the forms of ‘Love Theme’, ‘Violet’, and ‘Hearts’. The first is of particular quality in its steady, heartbeat-like rhythm that remains constant despite increased synths and distortions. This metaphor for love’s power does not go unacknowledged. Once more, Tourist displays his poignant ability to capture emotions musically. The heavier beats of the first two, with entrancing and steady rhythms, feel more akin to the tracks experienced on Tourist’s debut, but this is no bad thing. However, they do not betray the overall cohesiveness of sound, and still feel just as dreamy and bittersweet.

The album closes with ‘Affection’, a whispery and beautiful track which drags you into Tourist’s hypnotic, enriched world that feels simple and complex all at once. Soft, humming, and explorative, ‘Affection’ fades out to offer that sense of emotional release.  The record feels contemplative and ambient. It belongs to these new, warmer days and to those liminal, blurred spaces between awake and asleep, day and night, friendship and romance, love and heartbreak. It is an album of reflection that manages to capture the human experience with hardly any words at all. Everyday is electronic music at its finest. I could listen to it any day of the year.

9/10

Photo: Loyle Carner via Wikimedia Commons (Nicolas Völcker)

Single Review: Loyle Carner – Loose Ends (feat. Jorja Smith)

Written by Aaron Georgious on . Posted in Music.

Two of the UK’s most promising stars and recognisable faces — Loyle Carner and Jorja Smith — have come together for their much-awaited first collaboration. With both releasing their debut albums to much critical praise and garnering huge fan followings, it’s hard to still call either artist ‘up and coming.’ This feature was a combination that always seemed destined to happen and the track is exactly what you would expect.

Loyle brought his typical brand of personal lyrics, reminiscing on his past struggles and the people around him. The themes of the song can be summarised in one line from the chorus: “a lot of people that I wish I knew then.” He talks about how everyone around him now keeps him strong, wishing he could have had such supportive friends all the way through his life and the hardships he has faced.

Loyle reminisces not just on his life but also on his music career, with a nod to Roots Manuva’s ‘Dreamy Days’ as well as ‘Ain’t Nothing Changed’ a single from his debut album. The beat is produced by Jordan Rakei and is comprised mostly of piano and drums, adding to the introspective vibe of the song. It sits on the boundary between happy and sad and feels like it would act as a nice conclusion to his upcoming album alongside recent releases, ‘Ottolenghi’ and ‘You Don’t Know’, reflecting back on where he’s come from to where he is now.

Jorja comes in for the first half of the chorus, her voice sombre and emotive as she repeats vocal swells, allowing Loyle to take over. It might have been interesting for Jorja to have tried rapping as she has displayed in the past such as on ‘Lifeboats’, in order to increase the interaction between the pair but her contributions filled out the beat well to create a mood. Overall as I said the song is what you would it expect its good and the pair worked well together however neither seem to be pushing themselves stylistically or thematically. Both seem to be very much occupying the same space they have in prior releases and it might be nice to soon see a bit more variety from both artists.