Amelia’s Magazine | So So Modern – Crude Future – Album Review

So So Modern front

This album is seriously very good. I shouldn’t like it, sale the name So So Modern sounds post-ironically self-conscious enough to sink a thousand Dandy Warhols and any other Bohemians Like You within a massive radius. They wear hoods live in a 3 year out of date nu-rave way and a cold break down of influences tick the boxes of mathsy post-Foals, viagra 40mg post-emo, cheapest afro,electro blah de blah. But on Crude Futures, the Wellington, New Zealand four piece’s debut transgresses all over familiar tropes to create an immersive, widescreen vision of euphoria.

What is so evident from listening to this album is that it is an album, an actually considered set of songs designed to fit an album format rather than a bunch of tunes slotted together. How old fashioned, how So So Not Modern. Contrariness is rife: on an album impressive for its multi-layered vocals, the single, Berlin, is instrumental. The title here could be a sly nod to Neu! Based around a locked rigid groove that lets the guitars fly around as silvery metallic as prime Kraut. Motion is key. Also, if you want vocals here, leave it a minute and a half for the lead guitar zing to kick in and try singing Here Comes The Hotstepper by Ini Kamoze over the top. It fits perfectly.

Sometimes the emo pedal is slammed down, The Worst Is Yet To Come, a case in point with its torrent of multiple shouted vocals but the rocking dynamics mutate almost imperceptibly into panoramic electronica – an act of musical sorcery.

So So Modern

Familiarity of 2005 riffs and 2007 afro-tinged’ness a plenty?  The more I write about this record the less good it sounds: Yes it is post-emo, yes, you can imagine how the singer twists his head nonchalantly into the mic post- Foals as afro tinged start stoppery is precisely laid down. But the catch is that describing comparisons can be, and frequently is a generic act itself.

So So Modern have laid down a densely layered atmospheric animal of a record. An album built on atmosphere, an album that seems to carve sound out of cavernous spaces, pulling huge rhythmic pulses out of chunks of blistering ocean, recalling nothing short of prime Jane’s Addiction. Or if the machinic urges of Neu! were transported into a natural, jagged terrain over the urban dystopia of mid 20th century West Germany.

Crude Futures shouts, but this is not Group therapy, this is not cathartic purging but the opposite: paganistic rejoicing. With hoods. This is global rock, a jungle of widescreen textures meshing with powered up rhythms. Brashness is immediate but warmth of texture leaks through over repeated listening. Not so much a set of songs as different tugs of motivation, surges of euphoria, Crude Futures bypasses all expectations and is one of the best crank up loud album albums in ages.

So So Modern are set to play the Eat Your Own Ears gig at Scala, London on 4th March supporting Errors. The kind people at EYOE have offered us a pair of tickets for one lucky person to win. All you have to do is tell us where So So Modern are from. Send your answer to music@ameliasmagazine.com

Categories ,crude futures, ,errors, ,foals, ,Ini Kamozee, ,Janes Addction, ,neu!, ,So So Modern, ,The Dandy Warhols

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Amelia’s Magazine | Album Review: Errors – Come Down With Me

Julian J Smith was back for a second helping of London Fashion Week this season, sale after his brilliant debut last September showing his inspired SS10 collection. Having previously worked with the likes of Roland Mouret and Erdem, before branching out with his own label – Julian J Smith is one designer who certainly knows his craft.

Julian-J-Smith-AW10-katie-harnettIllustrations throughout courtesy of Teabelle.

Set to fast paced music the collection consisted of edgy urban wear, with a touch of femininity in the fitted dress silhouettes. It is said that Julian was inspired by a mixture of ‘Icy Scandinavia and the wild natives of Central America,’ and these influences shone through. Pixelated diamond prints rocked the runway in pretty shades of pink, mustard yellow and baby blues, which contributed to the Central America theme; contrasted against hard black, which was a recurring theme right across the catwalks this season. Shiny, black, puffa-style jackets added something playful and individual to the Julian J Smith collection; creating a beautiful contrast with the summery colour palette.

P2200079Photograph courtesy of Camilla Sampson.

Beautiful dress panels that reminded me of spider’s webs were a favourite; filled with delicate holes, and combined with other colour panels. Other recurring trends from previous seasons included the statement shoulder, but here there was a softer take on the look: puff sleeves on black jackets were juxtaposed against tougher zips across the front. Some draping was seen on skirts, and there were splashes of bolder colours, such as acid green, warming up the look for AW10. Monochrome paint splatter graphics were scattered throughout, on shoulders and dress panels, whilst attention to detail was a definite strength of the collection, such as cut-out shoulders.

Julian-J-Smith-AW10-2-katie-harnett

The looks were teamed with French plaits, opaque tights, and glossy black plastic headbands with touches of grey that had something a little sci-fi about them (but were most likely the ‘Icy Scandinavia’ influence). Finally there was a subtler approach to the sheer trend, with just sleeves being presented transparently.
Julian J Smith is definitely on our list of ones to watch next season, with his talent most definitely growing from strength to strength. With recurring trends being a key focus for the collection, Julian J Smith deftly manipulated them to his advantage in a way that only an emerging design talent could.
Julian J Smith was back for a second helping of London Fashion Week this season, information pills after his brilliant debut last September showing his inspired SS10 collection. Having previously worked with the likes of Roland Mouret and Erdem, visit before branching out with his own label – Julian J Smith is one designer who certainly knows his craft.

Julian-J-Smith-AW10-katie-harnettIllustrations throughout courtesy of Teabelle.

Set to fast paced music the collection consisted of edgy urban wear, buy with a touch of femininity in the fitted dress silhouettes. It is said that Julian was inspired by a mixture of ‘Icy Scandinavia and the wild natives of Central America,’ and these influences shone through. Pixelated diamond prints rocked the runway in pretty shades of pink, mustard yellow and baby blues, which contributed to the Central America theme; contrasted against hard black, which was a recurring theme right across the catwalks this season. Shiny, black, puffa-style jackets added something playful and individual to the Julian J Smith collection; creating a beautiful contrast with the summery colour palette.

P2200079Photograph courtesy of Camilla Sampson.

Beautiful dress panels that reminded me of spider’s webs were a favourite; filled with delicate holes, and combined with other colour panels. Other recurring trends from previous seasons included the statement shoulder, but here there was a softer take on the look: puff sleeves on black jackets were juxtaposed against tougher zips across the front. Some draping was seen on skirts, and there were splashes of bolder colours, such as acid green, warming up the look for AW10. Monochrome paint splatter graphics were scattered throughout, on shoulders and dress panels, whilst attention to detail was a definite strength of the collection, such as cut-out shoulders.

Julian-J-Smith-AW10-2-katie-harnett

The looks were teamed with French plaits, opaque tights, and glossy black plastic headbands with touches of grey that had something a little sci-fi about them (but were most likely the ‘Icy Scandinavia’ influence). Finally there was a subtler approach to the sheer trend, with just sleeves being presented transparently.
Julian J Smith is definitely on our list of ones to watch next season, with his talent most definitely growing from strength to strength. With recurring trends being a key focus for the collection, Julian J Smith deftly manipulated them to his advantage in a way that only an emerging design talent could.
errors_come

Being signed to Mogwai’s label certainly sends out indicators to what’s in store. Much in the same way that Rock Action’s inceptors have long become a hardy perennial of having a very particular sound over forking down any new roads, what is ed the new album from Glasgow based 4 piece Errors doesn’t take any big risks or curveballs. Two years on from their debut It’s Not Something But It Is Like Whatever, sildenafil we have more of the same sharp, clean and medically precise electro rock – yet, this is no bad thing.

What they have learnt is a honing in of their craft, they’ve locked it tight, made it solid. Hermetically sealed almost. Admirable though it was, their debut had a feel of studiousnous, of meticulous “rock school” perfectionism that left the end product somewhat cold. Here, much of what flawed their debut works to their advantage.

Errors love clean sounds, precisions, crispness and angles. This is music that could only ever be made after someone had already made Tortoise: that Chicago band born out of an intense one night stand between a Hardcore that can no longer suppress its futuristic inclinations, and its old nemesis musicality, itself tired of the dullness of its own knowledge.

Errors are direct descendents of this spiky yet somehow eggheaded family tree. Cousions of Pivot, nephews of Kieren Hebden and Tyondai Braxton and grandchildren of Mogwai, great grandchildren of Slint, somehow along the way blood ties with Mike Patton and Richard James remain strong.

1273338733_l

Although, perhaps just as their great forebeares Tortoise did one hot night, Errors now have a massively aroused horn, a swollen crush on records from Manchester with serial numbers like FAC451, they are eyeing up cocktails at the bar, cocktails with neon tinged 80s names drank to make one feel like your on a yaught. They will go home tonight lusting after these sexy items as they spoon their mathematically precise post rock partners. A few years ago M83 transformed their dreamy layers of synth into something more sparkly, in a similar, if more visible way, here Errors begin a slow, subtle shift.

The 7” A Rumour In Africa is sunny, optimistic and almost sounds like a festival band, clean shiny guitars lay the signature down weaving in and out of the crispy, quantised beats. The stand out comes third in, Supertribe is a beautifully rendered collision of old and new – early nineties clean synths and drum patterns like acid era Factory records mechanically but sensitively rebooted into a post – emo, post – electro, post – post rock world.

This is not a groundbreaking record. It does not move mountains. Yet it is the satisfying site of seeing a previously uptight friend fall in love. In a small way, Errors have found their own mutation of post rock.

Categories ,errors, ,Kieren Hebdan, ,M83, ,Mike Patton, ,mogwai, ,Richard James, ,slint, ,Tortoise, ,Tyondi Baxton

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Amelia’s Magazine | Fuck Buttons: Stereo, Glasgow: Live Review

DSC_1454

For me, page the majority of fashion week involved being squished like a sardine in regimented rows watching models strut up and down a well lit runway. While this is all well and good, rx sometimes it’s fun to break from the norm…

nasirmazhar2

nasirmazhar

DSC_1458

DSC_1462

from what I can gauge, prescription Nasir Mazhar is a headwear designer, with very theatrical taste.

DSC_1444

DSC_1450

To view his presentation at London Fashion Week s/s10 we descended into the vaults of Somerset House, entering a strobe lit room, where at the end of the corridor a stunning and SEXY model posed around a pole in an almost fetichistic nude mask that covered her mouth and eyes……

DSC_1438

This was the opening taste of the world of Nasir Mazhar that is visceral, amusing, unique and downright hot. As I am predominately a photographer, I feel the images illustrate the experience better than anything I could write!

DSC_1448

nasirmazhar4

All photographs by Elizabeth Johnson
DSC_1454

For me, troche the majority of fashion week involved being squished like a sardine in regimented rows watching models strut up and down a well lit runway. While this is all well and good, website sometimes it’s fun to break from the norm…

nasirmazhar2

nasirmazhar

nm3

DSC_1462

from what I can gauge, sick Nasir Mazhar is a headwear designer, with very theatrical taste.

nm2

To view his presentation at London Fashion Week s/s10 we descended into the vaults of Somerset House, entering a strobe lit room, where at the end of the corridor a stunning and SEXY model posed around a pole in an almost fetichistic nude mask that covered her mouth and eyes……

DSC_1438

This was the opening taste of the world of Nasir Mazhar that is visceral, amusing, unique and downright hot. As I am predominately a photographer, I feel the images illustrate the experience better than anything I could write!

DSC_1448

nasirmazhar4

All photographs by Elizabeth Johnson
DSC_1454

For me, thumb the majority of fashion week involved being squished like a sardine in regimented rows watching models strut up and down a well lit runway. While this is all well and good, viagra dosage sometimes it’s fun to break from the norm…

nasirmazhar2

nasirmazhar

nm3

DSC_1462

from what I can gauge, information pills Nasir Mazhar is a headwear designer, with very theatrical taste.

nm2

To view his presentation at London Fashion Week s/s10 we descended into the vaults of Somerset House, entering a strobe lit room, where at the end of the corridor a stunning and SEXY model posed around a pole in an almost fetichistic nude mask that covered her mouth and eyes……

DSC_1438

This was the opening taste of the world of Nasir Mazhar that is visceral, amusing, unique and downright hot. As I am predominately a photographer, I feel the images illustrate the experience better than anything I could write!

DSC_1448

nasirmazhar4

All photographs by Elizabeth Johnson
DSC_1454

For me, sildenafil the majority of fashion week involved being squished like a sardine in regimented rows watching models strut up and down a well lit runway. While this is all well and good, sometimes it’s fun to break from the norm…

nasirmazhar2

nasirmazhar

nm3

DSC_1462

from what I can gauge, Nasir Mazhar is a headwear designer, with very theatrical taste.

nm2

To view his presentation at London Fashion Week s/s10 we descended into the vaults of Somerset House, entering a strobe lit room, where at the end of the corridor a stunning and SEXY model posed around a pole in an almost fetichistic nude mask that covered her mouth and eyes……

DSC_1438

This was the opening taste of the world of Nasir Mazhar that is visceral, amusing, unique and downright hot. As I am predominately a photographer, I feel the images illustrate the experience better than anything I could write!

DSC_1448

nasirmazhar4

All photographs by Elizabeth Johnson
DSC_1454

For me, nurse the majority of fashion week involved being squished like a sardine in regimented rows watching models strut up and down a well lit runway. While this is all well and good, health sometimes it’s fun to break from the norm…

nasirmazhar2

nasirmazhar

nm3

DSC_1462

from what I can gauge, Nasir Mazhar is a headwear designer, with very theatrical taste.

nm2

To view his presentation at London Fashion Week s/s10 we descended into the vaults of Somerset House, entering a strobe lit room, where at the end of the corridor a stunning and SEXY model posed around a pole in an almost fetichistic nude mask that covered her mouth and eyes……

DSC_1438

This was the opening taste of the world of Nasir Mazhar that is visceral, amusing, unique and downright hot. As I am predominately a photographer, I feel the images illustrate the experience better than anything I could write!

DSC_1448

nasirmazhar4

All photographs by Elizabeth Johnson
A few months back, price Amelia’s Magazine was asked to produce a piece of artwork as part of a collaboration with the housing and homeless charity Shelter for their House of Cards campaign. The aim was to highlight the issue of Britain’s housing problem; this year alone, salve 65, order 000 people will lose their homes, joining the hundreds of thousands on the streets already. It became somewhat of an in-house event. Amelia’s cousin Simon French, an animator at Framestore, created the hard hitting images of houses and buildings, flimsy as a pack of cards, fluttering away in the breeze. Created in association with the Leo Burnett Agency, all involved, including the directors Dom and Nic; Radiohead, who provided the soundtrack and Samantha Morton as the narrator, provided their services for free to support the cause.

Shelter_Card_Quilt_web-1

Our submission was entitled Two of Hearts. We asked that it would be made up by contributions from illustrators and received a deluge of submissions. The artwork was put together like a patchwork quilt of cards in many different styles and designs, all depicting the two of hearts. It was big too, A0 size, and perfectly displayed the different styles of our illustrators.

Last Thursday we were finally able to see the fruits of our labour – and of the hardworking illustrators who answered our brief. Held at the Central London art gallery The Haunch Of Venison, the event also served as an auction, with all the artworks available to bid for. All proceeds were to go the Shelter Charity. Given the high caliber of work, and the high profile artists who were involved, its a given that the bidding would have achieved a fever pitch. Lending their names to the exhibition were artists such as Marc Quinn, David Bailey, Damien Hirst, Alexander McQueen, Vivienne Westwood, Jake and Dinos Chapman, Rob Ryan, Giles Deacon and Nick Park, who had all designed a card in either the Hearts, Clubs, Spades or Diamonds suits. All involved were given free reign in creating a new design, and as our pictures show, imaginations ran riot.

Shelter-Auction-Party-2009-0012

                                                 Ace of Hearts by Damien Hirst

Shelter-Auction-Party-2009-0025

                                                   Queen of Spades by Vivienne Westwood

Shelter-Auction-Party-2009-0024

                                       King of Diamonds by Rankin


Shelter-Auction-Party-2009-0045

                                               Eight of Spades by Ben Flynn

The event was filled to the rafters, and it was wonderful to see so many of the illustrators for Amelia’s brief attend. The Two of Hearts submission had a continuous crowd gathered around; a mixture of spectators and proud illustrators. We managed to get plenty of pictures with our illustrators, as you can see.

Shelter-Auction-Party-2009-0000

                                       Emmi Ojala, Thereza Rowe, Sarah Kirk, Rosalie Harris – other illustrator, please get in                                                    touch and remind us of your name!

Shelter-Auction-Party-2009-0002                                       Illustrators include Nozomi Inoue and Chris Cox. Other illustrators, please get in touch                                                and remind us of  your names!

Shelter-Auction-Party-2009-0008

                                       Sina Becker, Jenn Pitchers, Leona Clark                                      
Shelter-Auction-Party-2009-0016                                        Amy Rhian, Louise McLennan, Roberta Boyce

Shelter-Auction-Party-2009-0003

                                        Amelia Gregory strikes a pose

Shelter-Auction-Party-2009-0010                                       I’m fascinated by Polly Morgan‘s Ten Of Diamonds

The auction was held a few days ago, with every piece of art work receiving a bid. Our  Two of Hearts submission, which had been estimated to go for between £1,000-£2,000, ended up selling for £2,200 to a mystery bidder. We are so pleased with the results, especially as that goes towards the £100,000 that was raised for Shelters campaign through the auction.

While the exhibition was only on for a short time, it is still possible to purchase a limited edition A5 replica pack of the final exhibited pack of cards. Only 1,000 packs will be produced, so it is likely that they will sell out soon. Again, all profits will go to the Shelter campaign. The cards cost £70 and will be on sale at the Haunch of Venison gallery, and online, through Shelterhouseofcards.org.uk
A few months back, there Amelia’s Magazine was asked to produce a piece of artwork as part of a collaboration with the housing and homeless charity Shelter for their House of Cards campaign. The aim was to highlight the issue of Britain’s housing problem; this year alone, this web 65,000 people will lose their homes, joining the hundreds of thousands on the streets already. It became somewhat of an in-house event. Amelia’s cousin Simon French, an animator at Framestore, created the hard hitting images of houses and buildings, flimsy as a pack of cards, fluttering away in the breeze. Created in association with the Leo Burnett Agency, all involved, including the directors Dom and Nic; Radiohead, who provided the soundtrack and Samantha Morton as the narrator, provided their services for free to support the cause.

Shelter_Card_Quilt_web-1

Our submission was entitled Two of Hearts. We asked that it would be made up by contributions from illustrators and received a deluge of submissions. The artwork was put together like a patchwork quilt of cards in many different styles and designs, all depicting the two of hearts. It was big too, A0 size, and perfectly displayed the different styles of our illustrators.

Last Thursday we were finally able to see the fruits of our labour – and of the hardworking illustrators who answered our brief. Held at the Central London art gallery The Haunch Of Venison, the event also served as an auction, with all the artworks available to bid for. All proceeds were to go the Shelter Charity. Given the high caliber of work, and the high profile artists who were involved, its a given that the bidding would have achieved a fever pitch. Lending their names to the exhibition were artists such as Marc Quinn, David Bailey, Damien Hirst, Alexander McQueen, Vivienne Westwood, Jake and Dinos Chapman, Rob Ryan, Giles Deacon and Nick Park, who had all designed a card in either the Hearts, Clubs, Spades or Diamonds suits. All involved were given free reign in creating a new design, and as our pictures show, imaginations ran riot.

Shelter-Auction-Party-2009-0012

                                                 Ace of Hearts by Damien Hirst

Shelter-Auction-Party-2009-0025

                                                   Queen of Spades by Vivienne Westwood

Shelter-Auction-Party-2009-0024

                                       King of Diamonds by Rankin


Shelter-Auction-Party-2009-0045

                                               Eight of Spades by Ben Flynn

The event was filled to the rafters, and it was wonderful to see so many of the illustrators for Amelia’s brief attend. The Two of Hearts submission had a continuous crowd gathered around; a mixture of spectators and proud illustrators. We managed to get plenty of pictures with our illustrators, as you can see.

Shelter-Auction-Party-2009-0000

                                       Emmi Ojala, Thereza Rowe, Sarah Kirk, Rosalie Harris – other illustrator, please get in                                                    touch and remind us of your name!

Shelter-Auction-Party-2009-0002                                       Illustrators include Nozomi Inoue and Chris Cox. Other illustrators, please get in touch                                                and remind us of  your names!

Shelter-Auction-Party-2009-0008

                                       Sina Becker, Jenn Pitchers, Leona Clark                                      
Shelter-Auction-Party-2009-0016                                        Amy Rhian, Louise McLennan, Roberta Boyce

Shelter-Auction-Party-2009-0003

                                        Amelia Gregory strikes a pose

Shelter-Auction-Party-2009-0010                                       I’m fascinated by Polly Morgan‘s Ten Of Diamonds

The auction was held a few days ago, with every piece of art work receiving a bid. Our  Two of Hearts submission, which had been estimated to go for between £1,000-£2,000, ended up selling for £2,200 to a mystery bidder. We are so pleased with the results, especially as that goes towards the £100,000 that was raised for Shelters campaign through the auction.

While the exhibition was only on for a short time, it is still possible to purchase a limited edition A5 replica pack of the final exhibited pack of cards. Only 1,000 packs will be produced, so it is likely that they will sell out soon. Again, all profits will go to the Shelter campaign. The cards cost £70 and will be on sale at the Haunch of Venison gallery, and online, through Shelterhouseofcards.org.uk

Thumbnail Shelter-Auction-Party-2009-0049
Fuck Buttons 050

Ah, page I still get misty eyed when I think back to something I’ve tagged as ‘Errors Fuck Buttons and Mogwai Tuesday’ last year. Sorry 2009, healing but no Tuesday night has come close since. Throbbing electro, adiposity screaming death metal vocals and epic, beautiful, kidney shaking post-rock all on one bill, as they played Edinburgh’s Corn Exchange last October. For a mid-week gig, it was pretty sublime, and the first time I’d seen Fuck Buttons live.

Fuck Buttons 042

Last year’s album, Street Horrrsing was one of my 2008 favourites, and still regularly pops up as a loud, exhilarating, droney soundtrack for my walk to work. On a morning when you can’t quite wake up, it has sort of the same effect as sniffing a Vicks menthol inhaler on a really cold, frosty day.

Fuck Buttons 036

After my very first listen to Tarot Sport, the upcoming album from the Bristol boys – Andrew Hung and Benjamin John Power – it wasn’t quite hitting the same highs as their debut. That’s not to say it’s bad though. It just means Street Horrrsing will take some beating. A swelling fifty-minute roar of pretty bleeps, twinkling bells, shrieking monkey howls and battering tribal drums – sublime!

Fuck Buttons 020

The more I play Tarot Sport though, the more hooked I’m getting. It’s the noise of euphoric, urgent electronica clashing slowly with rolling, distorted squall, that’s got me. And just when I thought the single and album opener, Surf Solar, couldn’t really be improved upon, I saw their video for it – penguins doing frantic laps of an ice-blue, aquarium rave.

Fuck Buttons 039

Fuck Button’s set at Glasgow’s Stereo last Thursday blazed through the first and second albums, in one glowing, unbroken hour. Apart from a quick thank you at the end, the pair of them kept their heads down, standing opposite each other at a table piled high with fluorescent cables, and a suitcase full of pedals, keyboards and gadgets, including their well-played Fisher Price cassette player. Gripping the yellow mic in his teeth, while using his hands to play keyboard and, well, fuck with some buttons, Benjamin screamed vocals through it, while Andrew fiddled with a laptop and lunged and pogoed back and forth at the table. A lot of people find this kind of deep-in-concentration, on-stage behaviour annoying, as it’s not bringing much spectacle to the noise, but personally I think a couple of cheesy Glasgow-aimed gags would kill the mood of their primal, industrial mix dead, and I’m quite happy for them to let the crowd get carried away without interruption.

Fuck Buttons 031

Playing with their love of a slow climax, where they take techno beats and hypnotic, doom-laden rhythms then bring them to a screaming, brutal crescendo. A bit more confrontational than Animal Collective, maybe if they’d hung out with Earth during the heroin years, and listened to a lot of Neu! and (the not yet invented) Andrew Weatherall together. (Weatherall produced Tarot Sport funnily enough.) Colourful, pulverising, beautiful and brutal. Maybe next year I’ll get misty eyed about Fuck Buttons Thursday.

Tarot Sport is released on ATP Recordings on 12th October.

Categories ,animal colectove, ,edinburgh, ,errors, ,fuck buttons, ,gig, ,glasgow, ,mogwai, ,neu!

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Amelia’s Magazine | Fuck Buttons: Stereo, Glasgow: Live Review

DSC_1454

For me, page the majority of fashion week involved being squished like a sardine in regimented rows watching models strut up and down a well lit runway. While this is all well and good, rx sometimes it’s fun to break from the norm…

nasirmazhar2

nasirmazhar

DSC_1458

DSC_1462

from what I can gauge, prescription Nasir Mazhar is a headwear designer, with very theatrical taste.

DSC_1444

DSC_1450

To view his presentation at London Fashion Week s/s10 we descended into the vaults of Somerset House, entering a strobe lit room, where at the end of the corridor a stunning and SEXY model posed around a pole in an almost fetichistic nude mask that covered her mouth and eyes……

DSC_1438

This was the opening taste of the world of Nasir Mazhar that is visceral, amusing, unique and downright hot. As I am predominately a photographer, I feel the images illustrate the experience better than anything I could write!

DSC_1448

nasirmazhar4

All photographs by Elizabeth Johnson
DSC_1454

For me, troche the majority of fashion week involved being squished like a sardine in regimented rows watching models strut up and down a well lit runway. While this is all well and good, website sometimes it’s fun to break from the norm…

nasirmazhar2

nasirmazhar

nm3

DSC_1462

from what I can gauge, sick Nasir Mazhar is a headwear designer, with very theatrical taste.

nm2

To view his presentation at London Fashion Week s/s10 we descended into the vaults of Somerset House, entering a strobe lit room, where at the end of the corridor a stunning and SEXY model posed around a pole in an almost fetichistic nude mask that covered her mouth and eyes……

DSC_1438

This was the opening taste of the world of Nasir Mazhar that is visceral, amusing, unique and downright hot. As I am predominately a photographer, I feel the images illustrate the experience better than anything I could write!

DSC_1448

nasirmazhar4

All photographs by Elizabeth Johnson
DSC_1454

For me, thumb the majority of fashion week involved being squished like a sardine in regimented rows watching models strut up and down a well lit runway. While this is all well and good, viagra dosage sometimes it’s fun to break from the norm…

nasirmazhar2

nasirmazhar

nm3

DSC_1462

from what I can gauge, information pills Nasir Mazhar is a headwear designer, with very theatrical taste.

nm2

To view his presentation at London Fashion Week s/s10 we descended into the vaults of Somerset House, entering a strobe lit room, where at the end of the corridor a stunning and SEXY model posed around a pole in an almost fetichistic nude mask that covered her mouth and eyes……

DSC_1438

This was the opening taste of the world of Nasir Mazhar that is visceral, amusing, unique and downright hot. As I am predominately a photographer, I feel the images illustrate the experience better than anything I could write!

DSC_1448

nasirmazhar4

All photographs by Elizabeth Johnson
DSC_1454

For me, sildenafil the majority of fashion week involved being squished like a sardine in regimented rows watching models strut up and down a well lit runway. While this is all well and good, sometimes it’s fun to break from the norm…

nasirmazhar2

nasirmazhar

nm3

DSC_1462

from what I can gauge, Nasir Mazhar is a headwear designer, with very theatrical taste.

nm2

To view his presentation at London Fashion Week s/s10 we descended into the vaults of Somerset House, entering a strobe lit room, where at the end of the corridor a stunning and SEXY model posed around a pole in an almost fetichistic nude mask that covered her mouth and eyes……

DSC_1438

This was the opening taste of the world of Nasir Mazhar that is visceral, amusing, unique and downright hot. As I am predominately a photographer, I feel the images illustrate the experience better than anything I could write!

DSC_1448

nasirmazhar4

All photographs by Elizabeth Johnson
DSC_1454

For me, nurse the majority of fashion week involved being squished like a sardine in regimented rows watching models strut up and down a well lit runway. While this is all well and good, health sometimes it’s fun to break from the norm…

nasirmazhar2

nasirmazhar

nm3

DSC_1462

from what I can gauge, Nasir Mazhar is a headwear designer, with very theatrical taste.

nm2

To view his presentation at London Fashion Week s/s10 we descended into the vaults of Somerset House, entering a strobe lit room, where at the end of the corridor a stunning and SEXY model posed around a pole in an almost fetichistic nude mask that covered her mouth and eyes……

DSC_1438

This was the opening taste of the world of Nasir Mazhar that is visceral, amusing, unique and downright hot. As I am predominately a photographer, I feel the images illustrate the experience better than anything I could write!

DSC_1448

nasirmazhar4

All photographs by Elizabeth Johnson
A few months back, price Amelia’s Magazine was asked to produce a piece of artwork as part of a collaboration with the housing and homeless charity Shelter for their House of Cards campaign. The aim was to highlight the issue of Britain’s housing problem; this year alone, salve 65, order 000 people will lose their homes, joining the hundreds of thousands on the streets already. It became somewhat of an in-house event. Amelia’s cousin Simon French, an animator at Framestore, created the hard hitting images of houses and buildings, flimsy as a pack of cards, fluttering away in the breeze. Created in association with the Leo Burnett Agency, all involved, including the directors Dom and Nic; Radiohead, who provided the soundtrack and Samantha Morton as the narrator, provided their services for free to support the cause.

Shelter_Card_Quilt_web-1

Our submission was entitled Two of Hearts. We asked that it would be made up by contributions from illustrators and received a deluge of submissions. The artwork was put together like a patchwork quilt of cards in many different styles and designs, all depicting the two of hearts. It was big too, A0 size, and perfectly displayed the different styles of our illustrators.

Last Thursday we were finally able to see the fruits of our labour – and of the hardworking illustrators who answered our brief. Held at the Central London art gallery The Haunch Of Venison, the event also served as an auction, with all the artworks available to bid for. All proceeds were to go the Shelter Charity. Given the high caliber of work, and the high profile artists who were involved, its a given that the bidding would have achieved a fever pitch. Lending their names to the exhibition were artists such as Marc Quinn, David Bailey, Damien Hirst, Alexander McQueen, Vivienne Westwood, Jake and Dinos Chapman, Rob Ryan, Giles Deacon and Nick Park, who had all designed a card in either the Hearts, Clubs, Spades or Diamonds suits. All involved were given free reign in creating a new design, and as our pictures show, imaginations ran riot.

Shelter-Auction-Party-2009-0012

                                                 Ace of Hearts by Damien Hirst

Shelter-Auction-Party-2009-0025

                                                   Queen of Spades by Vivienne Westwood

Shelter-Auction-Party-2009-0024

                                       King of Diamonds by Rankin


Shelter-Auction-Party-2009-0045

                                               Eight of Spades by Ben Flynn

The event was filled to the rafters, and it was wonderful to see so many of the illustrators for Amelia’s brief attend. The Two of Hearts submission had a continuous crowd gathered around; a mixture of spectators and proud illustrators. We managed to get plenty of pictures with our illustrators, as you can see.

Shelter-Auction-Party-2009-0000

                                       Emmi Ojala, Thereza Rowe, Sarah Kirk, Rosalie Harris – other illustrator, please get in                                                    touch and remind us of your name!

Shelter-Auction-Party-2009-0002                                       Illustrators include Nozomi Inoue and Chris Cox. Other illustrators, please get in touch                                                and remind us of  your names!

Shelter-Auction-Party-2009-0008

                                       Sina Becker, Jenn Pitchers, Leona Clark                                      
Shelter-Auction-Party-2009-0016                                        Amy Rhian, Louise McLennan, Roberta Boyce

Shelter-Auction-Party-2009-0003

                                        Amelia Gregory strikes a pose

Shelter-Auction-Party-2009-0010                                       I’m fascinated by Polly Morgan‘s Ten Of Diamonds

The auction was held a few days ago, with every piece of art work receiving a bid. Our  Two of Hearts submission, which had been estimated to go for between £1,000-£2,000, ended up selling for £2,200 to a mystery bidder. We are so pleased with the results, especially as that goes towards the £100,000 that was raised for Shelters campaign through the auction.

While the exhibition was only on for a short time, it is still possible to purchase a limited edition A5 replica pack of the final exhibited pack of cards. Only 1,000 packs will be produced, so it is likely that they will sell out soon. Again, all profits will go to the Shelter campaign. The cards cost £70 and will be on sale at the Haunch of Venison gallery, and online, through Shelterhouseofcards.org.uk
A few months back, there Amelia’s Magazine was asked to produce a piece of artwork as part of a collaboration with the housing and homeless charity Shelter for their House of Cards campaign. The aim was to highlight the issue of Britain’s housing problem; this year alone, this web 65,000 people will lose their homes, joining the hundreds of thousands on the streets already. It became somewhat of an in-house event. Amelia’s cousin Simon French, an animator at Framestore, created the hard hitting images of houses and buildings, flimsy as a pack of cards, fluttering away in the breeze. Created in association with the Leo Burnett Agency, all involved, including the directors Dom and Nic; Radiohead, who provided the soundtrack and Samantha Morton as the narrator, provided their services for free to support the cause.

Shelter_Card_Quilt_web-1

Our submission was entitled Two of Hearts. We asked that it would be made up by contributions from illustrators and received a deluge of submissions. The artwork was put together like a patchwork quilt of cards in many different styles and designs, all depicting the two of hearts. It was big too, A0 size, and perfectly displayed the different styles of our illustrators.

Last Thursday we were finally able to see the fruits of our labour – and of the hardworking illustrators who answered our brief. Held at the Central London art gallery The Haunch Of Venison, the event also served as an auction, with all the artworks available to bid for. All proceeds were to go the Shelter Charity. Given the high caliber of work, and the high profile artists who were involved, its a given that the bidding would have achieved a fever pitch. Lending their names to the exhibition were artists such as Marc Quinn, David Bailey, Damien Hirst, Alexander McQueen, Vivienne Westwood, Jake and Dinos Chapman, Rob Ryan, Giles Deacon and Nick Park, who had all designed a card in either the Hearts, Clubs, Spades or Diamonds suits. All involved were given free reign in creating a new design, and as our pictures show, imaginations ran riot.

Shelter-Auction-Party-2009-0012

                                                 Ace of Hearts by Damien Hirst

Shelter-Auction-Party-2009-0025

                                                   Queen of Spades by Vivienne Westwood

Shelter-Auction-Party-2009-0024

                                       King of Diamonds by Rankin


Shelter-Auction-Party-2009-0045

                                               Eight of Spades by Ben Flynn

The event was filled to the rafters, and it was wonderful to see so many of the illustrators for Amelia’s brief attend. The Two of Hearts submission had a continuous crowd gathered around; a mixture of spectators and proud illustrators. We managed to get plenty of pictures with our illustrators, as you can see.

Shelter-Auction-Party-2009-0000

                                       Emmi Ojala, Thereza Rowe, Sarah Kirk, Rosalie Harris – other illustrator, please get in                                                    touch and remind us of your name!

Shelter-Auction-Party-2009-0002                                       Illustrators include Nozomi Inoue and Chris Cox. Other illustrators, please get in touch                                                and remind us of  your names!

Shelter-Auction-Party-2009-0008

                                       Sina Becker, Jenn Pitchers, Leona Clark                                      
Shelter-Auction-Party-2009-0016                                        Amy Rhian, Louise McLennan, Roberta Boyce

Shelter-Auction-Party-2009-0003

                                        Amelia Gregory strikes a pose

Shelter-Auction-Party-2009-0010                                       I’m fascinated by Polly Morgan‘s Ten Of Diamonds

The auction was held a few days ago, with every piece of art work receiving a bid. Our  Two of Hearts submission, which had been estimated to go for between £1,000-£2,000, ended up selling for £2,200 to a mystery bidder. We are so pleased with the results, especially as that goes towards the £100,000 that was raised for Shelters campaign through the auction.

While the exhibition was only on for a short time, it is still possible to purchase a limited edition A5 replica pack of the final exhibited pack of cards. Only 1,000 packs will be produced, so it is likely that they will sell out soon. Again, all profits will go to the Shelter campaign. The cards cost £70 and will be on sale at the Haunch of Venison gallery, and online, through Shelterhouseofcards.org.uk

Thumbnail Shelter-Auction-Party-2009-0049
Fuck Buttons 050

Ah, page I still get misty eyed when I think back to something I’ve tagged as ‘Errors Fuck Buttons and Mogwai Tuesday’ last year. Sorry 2009, healing but no Tuesday night has come close since. Throbbing electro, adiposity screaming death metal vocals and epic, beautiful, kidney shaking post-rock all on one bill, as they played Edinburgh’s Corn Exchange last October. For a mid-week gig, it was pretty sublime, and the first time I’d seen Fuck Buttons live.

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Last year’s album, Street Horrrsing was one of my 2008 favourites, and still regularly pops up as a loud, exhilarating, droney soundtrack for my walk to work. On a morning when you can’t quite wake up, it has sort of the same effect as sniffing a Vicks menthol inhaler on a really cold, frosty day.

Fuck Buttons 036

After my very first listen to Tarot Sport, the upcoming album from the Bristol boys – Andrew Hung and Benjamin John Power – it wasn’t quite hitting the same highs as their debut. That’s not to say it’s bad though. It just means Street Horrrsing will take some beating. A swelling fifty-minute roar of pretty bleeps, twinkling bells, shrieking monkey howls and battering tribal drums – sublime!

Fuck Buttons 020

The more I play Tarot Sport though, the more hooked I’m getting. It’s the noise of euphoric, urgent electronica clashing slowly with rolling, distorted squall, that’s got me. And just when I thought the single and album opener, Surf Solar, couldn’t really be improved upon, I saw their video for it – penguins doing frantic laps of an ice-blue, aquarium rave.

Fuck Buttons 039

Fuck Button’s set at Glasgow’s Stereo last Thursday blazed through the first and second albums, in one glowing, unbroken hour. Apart from a quick thank you at the end, the pair of them kept their heads down, standing opposite each other at a table piled high with fluorescent cables, and a suitcase full of pedals, keyboards and gadgets, including their well-played Fisher Price cassette player. Gripping the yellow mic in his teeth, while using his hands to play keyboard and, well, fuck with some buttons, Benjamin screamed vocals through it, while Andrew fiddled with a laptop and lunged and pogoed back and forth at the table. A lot of people find this kind of deep-in-concentration, on-stage behaviour annoying, as it’s not bringing much spectacle to the noise, but personally I think a couple of cheesy Glasgow-aimed gags would kill the mood of their primal, industrial mix dead, and I’m quite happy for them to let the crowd get carried away without interruption.

Fuck Buttons 031

Playing with their love of a slow climax, where they take techno beats and hypnotic, doom-laden rhythms then bring them to a screaming, brutal crescendo. A bit more confrontational than Animal Collective, maybe if they’d hung out with Earth during the heroin years, and listened to a lot of Neu! and (the not yet invented) Andrew Weatherall together. (Weatherall produced Tarot Sport funnily enough.) Colourful, pulverising, beautiful and brutal. Maybe next year I’ll get misty eyed about Fuck Buttons Thursday.

Tarot Sport is released on ATP Recordings on 12th October.

Categories ,animal colectove, ,edinburgh, ,errors, ,fuck buttons, ,gig, ,glasgow, ,mogwai, ,neu!

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