Frank Laws Solo Show

June - July 2011

Pure X - Easy

Pure X - "Easy" from Malcolm Elijah on Vimeo.

Pure X (formerly Pure Ecstasy) is the latest incarnation of a long-standing collaboration between Austin, Texas musicians and long-term friends Nate Grace, Jesse Jenkins and Austin Youngblood. Acéphale is proud to announce the release of their debut album, Pleasure, released August 22^nd.

As a reintroduction to the band, which first caught ears in 2010 with singles “Easy” and “Voices,” Acéphale and Light Lodge have rereleased their first EP, You’re In It Now on 12” vinyl.

Looseness was a key concept for Pure X in recording Pleasure, and all songs were recorded live without overdubbing. The aspiration was to capture songs in their purest form, mistakes and all, as they were being written. Chasing a vibe in the studio allowed the songs to form themselves; structure and formula lost their rigidity as the songwriting process became more about meditative evolution than meticulous intent.

Download “Dry Ice” here:

http://acephalerecords.com/dryice/Pure%20X%20-%20Dry%20Ice.mp3

July Mixtape 2011 by i-D

July Mixtape 2011

With the redesign of i-D online now live, the possibilities opening up to both you and I are boundless. July’s mix-tape has been manufactured to motivate, lock in and switch off.

Inundated by a plethora of fresh artists, DJ’s and singer/songwriters, this month’s run-down of the best beats was a beast to whittle down. Spending our time losing our minds listening to live music at the best of British festivals this summer, each one delivered an assault on our eardrums hefty enough to fuel a new obsession. Enter Kozzie,Com Truise, Semtek, Balam Acab and Lana Del Ray. With Secret Garden Party fast approaching, who knows what fine beats we have yet to unearth. Of course, gigs have not been the sole source of inspiration for our choice du jour. Spending some time down at the local Soho screening rooms, we’re dizzy over Ryan Gosling and Carey Mulligan’s latest cinematic offeringDrive, an 80s inspired tale of love, carnage and fast car chases. Our mix-tape intro is brought to you from the film’s soundtrack, courtesy of College and is an ambient, aural extravaganza caught on loop at the i-D HQ. Whether you’re into electro, alternative, house, hip-hop, grime or garage there’s a slice to please everyone in this casserole of chunky choonage.

The cheeky, felt tip-e-quipped illustrator etching out the cover art for our compilation this month is none other than Kingston graduate Hattie Stewart, the 22-year-old whose trademark scribbles are her elaborate skulls. Commissioned to work on an exciting array of projects from high brow clients including Katie Hillier, Luella, Marc by Marc Jacobs and Creative Review, this little lady is set for big things. Check out more of her work here.

Selection Milly McMahon

Text: Milly McMahon

Don't hug me I'm scared

Time
28 July · 19:00 - 23:30
Location
Old Shoreditch Station
1 Kingsland Road
London, United Kingdom


Take:

A pinch of inspiration
A handful of joy
2 spoonfuls of courage
3/8 of a litre of desire
A splash of pride
3 heaped tablespoons of laughter
A kg of saltwater
A cup of going the distance

You'll know when its ready....

Don't hug me I'm scared - A new film by This Is It

i-Ntroducing Yolanda Kettle

i-Ntroducing Yolanda Kettle

Bright young thing Yolanda Kettle is the LAMDA graduate from the West Midlands who is treading boards and raising the bar with her fluid, feminine theatrical finesse.

First arriving on our radars with an outstanding performance as Nina in Chekhov’s The Seagull, Yolanda is the fresh face fronting tomorrow’s generation of rising British acting talent. Interested only in performing on stage as opposed to in film or on television, she represents part of a brave backlash working against the rise of the disposable celebrity. Uninterested in fame but in love with the art of drama, this bright-eyed, classically trained student of the contemporary arts refined her skills working alongside MYT, a community project focussed upon providing a platform for all-singing, all-dancing talent. Inspired by her idol Janet Suzman, whom she first saw perform as a child, this 24-year-old’s ambitions lie over at the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Under no illusions as to how difficult the industry she is entering into really is, Yolanda is in it purely for the love of the play. Citing fellow graduate Jessica Rain as the one to watch, recently nominated for the Charleston Award, Yolanda’s sweet and spritely disposition is infectious. Nothing is ever set in stone in the world of acting, one can only watch the space and keep an eye out for Yolanda’s pretty face. i-D online rustled backstage at the Arcola to find out what’s keeping this aspiring thespian inspired and how other young actors can keep themselves optimistic.

Text: Milly McMahon

College feat. Electric Youth - A Real Hero

Soundtrack to forthcoming epic feature film 'Drive' starring Ryan Gosling and Carey Mulligan

i-Ntroducing: Damon Baker

i-Ntroducing: Damon Baker

Vibing off vanity, working tirelessly to inject more sex, glamour and spice into the fashion world, twenty-year -old photographer Damon Baker is the ostentatious talent, proving age ain’t nothin but a number.

Reservations about the relevance of age and experience pail in significance when confronted by pure, unadulterated beauty. Bare skill opens doors. Jed Root’s latest signing, a small, ambitious lad with a big lens, grew up in the idyllic, rural Worcestershire countryside before making a name for himself in the big city. Describing himself as ‘the odd child’, unsure of how his outlandish appearance allowed him to fit into the small town mentalities he came up against within his hometown, Damon quickly left the West Midlands far behind him to discover the bright lights of NYC. Spending his time sipping on skinny vanilla lattes, in-between shooting celebrities and prestigious models, Damon’s book has filled-up fast since Mr Jed Root himself came across this spritely fashion enthusiast’s Facebook pages. Now equipped with a portfolio jam-packed with elegant and accomplished images of Leah Weller, Cara Delevingne, Lola and Tali Lennox, Summer Rayne Oakes and Clara Paget, Damon’s destiny looks littered with exciting opportunities. Bezzie mates with some seriously beautiful folk, Damon likes to party with Andrej Pejic and Eliza Cummings, when he’s not shooting them that is. i-D Online caught-up with the self-professed Momma’s boy to find out what success means to him and what other fresh talent he’s getting excited about right now.

How do you describe your photography? I would like to think of my work as raw, sexy, youthful and fresh!

How do you try to capture a person’s character and sense of self in your images? Characters and personalities are so important to me, people are so interesting, why photograph a mannequin when there are so many issues to explore. I don’t intentionally work out how I am going to capture the character, I guess it just naturally happens; I am always interested in knowing the subject and playing with them.

What elements of your own character do you try to express through your photography? I’m a little bit of a wild child, I’m kind of insane and dark. I guess you can always see the darkness and the wild-side of the kids in my work. I think it’s important to capture the energy and moment. People have said I personally dress as if I were in my own photo shoot. I think it’s important and fun to dress up in the morning, to express yourself, no matter what, where or who you are. Be creative all the time!

What up-and-coming young talent would you is exciting you right now? I’m the biggest believer in young talent, I think it’s time for the industry to be owned by fresh minds, to bring back the glamour, the sex, the lifestyle you crave, everything it should be seen as. My best friend is set designer Luke Abby (also at Jed Root) who is incredible, he designs the most incredible headpieces and sets. He’s just 18 years old with no experience, no training, no assistants running around for him. What he can create is out of this world, I find him special.

Where do you see yourself in five years time? I never aim. I take it as it comes and enjoy every second of it.

Who is the most beautiful person you have ever shot? My mum.

How does it feel to see your work published in a magazine?It’s just so surreal, the paper, the credits, everything! Amongst some of the greatest. I feel incredibly lucky and grateful.

Who would you shoot and who would you select to style your dream editorial? Wow, so much choice, I can’t even decide! (haha) I am in love with Eliza Cummings & Frederik Tolke. Anna Trevelyan is also, genius!

Whats next for you? Wait and See! xoxo

damonbaker.com

All Images courtesy of Damon Baker

Text: Milly McMahon
Models: Andrej Pejic

HEIDI plays DARIUS SYROSSIAN Remix of HECTOR COUTO 'Creampie' on BBC RADIO1

HEIDI plays DARIUS SYROSSIAN Remix of HECTOR COUTO 'Creampie' on BBC RADIO1 (out 11th July 2011) by DariusSyrossian

Whilst sitting in for Pete Tong on BBC RADIO 1 in June, HEIDI plays Two of my tracks on her show whilst sitting in for Pete Tong.

this one which is my forthcoming remix of Hector Couto on PURA MUSIC, and another track later in the show which is my new one on Get physical, which is my original called 'i am the creator of jack' that came out this week

Wretch 32 ft Josh Kumra - Don't Go (OFFICIAL VIDEO)

Pre-order on iTunes now: http://bit.ly/DONT-GO
This is the brand new single from Wretch 32, 'Don't Go', featuring vocals from Josh Kumra.
'Don't Go' is forthcoming on 14th August 2011 on Ministry of Sound/Levels Entertainment.

http://www.wretch32.com
http://www.facebook.com/wretch32music
http://www.twitter.com/wretch32

adidas Y-3 Autumn / Winter 2011-2012 Campaign Film

For Autumn/Winter 2011-12, Y-3 hits the road with a collection inspired by the nature of escape—on horseback, on foot, and into the hills. The season's campaign follows this theme which ultimately is about the journey and not the destination. Artist Collier Schorr created images as well as the campaign's mood video titled: Beneath, Between, Beyond by contrasting hyper - colored landscapes by the photographer David Benjamin Sherry with two figures who likewise seem otherworldly.

i-Produce: Slime

He met mate and fellow musician ‘Vondelpark’ in Wetherspoons. He locks the door and eats cereal whilst producing music in his self assembled Brixton bedroom studio. And he’s pretty fit. He’s Slime.

Listen to Slime’s exclusive mix-tape here.

Quietly going about his business, the man behind Slime (Will Archer) would pass time growing up learning how to play instruments. Struggling with the saxophone and enjoying the drums Will quickly recognised his own aptitude and decided to experiment with some solo work. Intrigued by the depth of sound he began to create alone. The personal, ambient tones this electronic mixing one-man machine resonates are layered, complex and atmospheric. Wanting to transport his audiences to a place of higher relaxation and inner peace, Slime’s slow-pulsing beats and haunting vocals are unnerving, unsettling and ingenious.

Constantly questioning his own methods, humbly stumbled across and discovered by a blog, Slime harbours the grand ambition to one day enjoy more luxury branded cereals but he’s not in it to win it; he makes music for his love of decent beats. Read all about it…

When did you first become interested in making your own music? Since I knew what music was, I’ve always had an interest. Kylie Minogue’s ‘Can’t Get You Out of My Head’ was a huge influence. I initially hated any kind of dance music when I was younger because it never seemed real. But I remember hearing ‘Tocas Miracle’ on the radio and then I was like “yeah, I get it now”.

What music did you listen to growing up? Far too much Led Zeppelin. Is there such a thing as too much? Probably.

What was the first gig you ever went to? Alice Cooper with Twisted Sister supporting. Intense metal cabaret.

What artists would you like to collaborate with in the future? Love the sounds in Colin Stetson’s second album. Like to get a part of that.

What producers do you admire? Martyn, Caribou, RJD2, Quincy Jones. And the guys who produced the Bee Gees. Whoever that was.

How do you describe your sound? A beautiful place out in the country.

Why did you decide to name your music project Slime? Started as a massive joke. It’s such a shit name that it’s almost good. And it’s a strange contrast to the music.

What are some of your most prominent references and inspirations? John Bonham helped in a lot of ways. Mainly old stuff really.

What are your aspirations for Slime? An album in the short term, further down the line getting a live interpretation thing together. And then ultimately hopefully not have to do an unenjoyable job in order to pay for chronic and cereal.

Who are your top five 5 up and coming producers to watch out for?

1. Vondelpark
2. Young Montana
3. Mr. Blazey
4. Seams
5. Cloud Boat

All Images courtesy of Slime.

Text: Milly McMahon