We’re looking for a writer to be involved with the DIGS issue of faux magazine! All you need to do is write 250 words about your stay with DIGS and some handy hints for new students. The winning article will get published on our blog, in the special edition of faux magazine and on facebook. Interested? Just submit your response to our facebook inbox by August 15th. Not only will it be great to have your article in print, it’s also a great little snippet to add to your CV!
I’m always trying to find a way to utilise old clothes that have fallen to the bottom of the wardrobe into the “just don’t even think about it” pile but I’m not too brilliant at the whole customising thing, the huge slice in between Morrisey’s eyebrows is testament to that, so “Hello Rewind” seemed like a pretty good idea to me. It works on the basis that you send in old t-shirts and they make you a brand new laptop case which, lets face it, when you throw your favourite Cure t-shirt into the mix is a brilliant idea. The company also stands as a charity, donating their profits in a bid to help those that have been sex trafficked into New York (a shocking 17,000 a year) to learn new skills and get new jobs, many of them working on creating your case so you can enjoy dressing your laptop up like an indie God whilst feeling safe in the knowledge you’re doing some good in the world. Everybody wins.
For more info on Hello, Rewind, check out their site here. They’re currently taking international orders, but it’s best to email them first.
By Sophie Stones
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Poppy? Pretentious? Too chilled, or maybe too damn strange? Accusations against Foals will come from all angles, especially on a new album with such expectation resting on it. It is well documented how Yannis Philippakis felt that Antidotes was not the album they wanted to record (despite being loved by pretty much everybody), so by all rights this album should be absolutely astounding . It’ll have to be to please an audience waiting for a creative and atmospheric experience as much as a pop record.
Where Antidotes was a discussion, Total Life Forever is a statement; better organised, sensibly constructed with good ideas in the right places and a collection of rhythms, riffs and hooks to get you, well, hooked. That slight element of freneticism is gone but in its place is all the proof you need that a lively song needs to rack up the BPM. There are 6-minute singles painting desolate landscapes and shorter instances of angular, maze-like intricacy driven through at a dangerous tempo for the limbs but the satisfaction in them is the time allowed for extravagance. Call it pretentious, but the three minutes of fairly repetitive crescendo at the end of ‘Black Gold’ are what allows ‘Spanish Sahara’ to create such a variety of sound in a much more restrained atmosphere after it, and in turn it is that which opens us up to ‘This Orient’ complete with fully discernible chorus, tick-tock drumbeat and a catharsis of a guitar riff bounding out of restraints. The visual nature of this album, as well as its impressively varied sonic accompaniment, strikes you like a film moving before your eyes; Jimmy Smith’s tidal guitar softly moving up against Yannis’ whispering and howling, all tied up by Jack Bevan’s heart murmur drum kit which beats about in a way to terrify cardiologists nationwide.
It’s kind of hard to know what’s going on at times, distinctly reminiscent of a cool party you’ve been invited to but all the kids are dancing in a pretty strange way. Is this intended? Are they just enjoying being themselves or acting up? ‘After Glow’ is where you’ll fall into the trap and join in. 6:09, a semi-trance synth opening built upon by that same ticking guitar and rolling vocal swinging one way to haunting and back around to comforting, and yes that is your head just nodding along without really knowing why. ‘Miami’ struts calmly along and is the sound of Foals enjoying themselves. ‘Alabaster’ is like an Edgar Allen Poe story interpreted by the Mystery Jets and you want to say on some kind of narcotic but this is far too clever; there is no complacency or room for relaxation. You could ignore the whole album first time and feel like you know each song when it comes back around, but don’t be fooled by the first time listen. There is the temptation to say they’ve relaxed, lost their edge or have even got a bit boring. But those aspects are not lost, they have been reined in and controlled into tense rhythms with actual singing and lyrics replacing the sometimes pointless raving they occasionally lapsed into.
Maybe it’s because I’m a huge fan anyway, there are few live bands who can set off an audience like Foals, but I was sold on the first listen. The second I was interested more and contemplated it. By the third I thought it was brilliant. Where Bloc Party tried to make singles and Editors got far too heavy for their own heads, ‘Total Life Forever’ moves along at its own pace and dictates its purpose to you. It’s essentially something to listen to loud in a bedroom and experience in entirety because, kill me for getting sentimental, it will take you on a journey. Whatever you’re looking for from Foals, this album will bring it to you eventually, but it might not be in the place you expect it.
Total Life Forever is released through Transgressive Records on 10/5/10. You can view the video for lead single ‘This Orient’ below.
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London-based designer Zoe Jervoise has been making waves for a while now with her distinctive range of tapestry-adorned jackets. I caught up with her for a piece in Faux Vol 1.3 (which you can view here), and you can now view the extended version of the interview below. Enjoy!
How did your exposure through the NME Tour come about? Talk me through what happened/special designs/projects? I got the NME Tour exposure as I was friendly with and knew all the bands before. My friend Elisa Aimi was fundamental in helping to organise everything. I wanted my jackets to be closely knitted with musicians and Elisa does Local Natives online PR. All the bands were really excited about borrowing jackets for the tour. Lead singer of Golden Silvers, Gwilym had a jacket that he wore on stage every night and has since commissioned one. My inspiration for this piece was their debut album’s artwork. He says wearing it on stage gives him his mojo.
Marina wore her jacket which had a geometric colourful diamond on the back, which she loves. The shoot we did with all the bands on the roof of the Oxford Academy wearing their Jervoise jackets was truly exciting.
Where do you live? How does it and the scene around you influence you? I live in Ealing, but my inspiration comes from everywhere really. My Mum travelled a lot with my Grandfather who was a documentary film maker so we have many interesting finds all over our home. Right now my main inspiration is Aztec art. love it.
Obviously Marina is massive now, as is Ellie Goulding who you’re linked to. How has their success helped you spread/develop Jervoise as a brand? Marina and Ellie are both friends of mine. They’ve been very supportive of me which is great. They both have special commissions I made them. Marina has got me involved with her merchandise as well; I’m making 50 limited addition t-shirts for her. I have my own Jervoise Jackets: Diamond Series which is inspired by her. Marina gave me a shout out when she was wearing her diamond jacket on stage at Latitude Festival…. Got a few emails after that!
Where do you draw the inspiration for your pieces from? My pieces are based on the style of the 60’s/70’s and psychedelic poster art. Most of my designs feature mythical birds, so Indian, Aztec and Egyptian art have been an inspiration. The intricate designs and patterns inform my work.
Talk me through the latest Jervoise material. Obviously there are the jackets, but what else is in the pipeline? I’ve been focusing on denim shirts and t-shirts at the moment, painting and tapestry. I’m also getting into jeans which bands like Mumford & Sons and Local Natives will be wearing. The colours will be more natural, following the bands innate styles.
How can people get hold of your pieces at the moment? On my website I have jackets up for sale. I’m also doing monthly eBay auctions; a lot of customised vintage things and tapestry denim shirts, if you’re lucky! I’m always keeping people updated with the sales on my website, blog and my Facebook fan page.
Plans for the far future? Where would you like to see Jervoise as a brand ending up being positioned? I’d like to work with a large company and create some limited addition collections. I’ve been in talks with a major denim company, which will hopefully enable the expansion of the Jervoise brand. In the future I would like to have my own ready to wear label. I’m particularly interested in doing menswear.
You can view more of Zoe’s work at her site here or on Facebook here.
By Annabelle Moore
Content provided by Faux Magazine. This article was simultaneously posted on ireadfaux.com. For more information on Faux visit ireadfaux.com or find Faux Magazine regionally throughout the UK
