QUEEN CRUSH | SHARIN FOO

As I fast approach the big 30 I have found myself nostalgically listening to music from my past (way to go to make myself sound ancient) and a particularly pleasant recent rediscovery has been The Raveonettes.

Those stylish danes had my heart in knots from the very first moment I listened to Sune Rose Wagner and Safrin Rose (those names!). I was captivated by their kinda coordinated and deeply harmonised monochrome cool. Their 60's references and Velvet Underground and Blondie inspo was right up my alley.

Safrin Foo was and still is the queen of the fringe, the super straight peroxide bob and wins every cheekbone game. I was crushing on her so hard back then and not much has changed. She's bloody immaculate, just look!..

MUUUUUUSIC

Let's listen to some tunes and get things started again...

STUFF | SUNNY

So on this sunny Sunday morning I thought I'd make a list of things I am liking a lot this week. The weather's been hot hot hot so I'm feeling all summery. Cue the coconut drinks and Raybans...




Cathedrals hail from San Fran and make the kind of swirly wurly dream pop that makes you feel like you are in a dreamy Baz Lurman film montage.

As is the case with every collection, once again I find myself desiring everything from Lazy Oaf's Summer 2015 collection. Especially this minty tropical dress and cap. How could you not enjoy summer wearing these! 

I've just returned from a very lovely few days on the Jade Coast via Nantes (France) and time on the beach has made me start thinking summer footwear. There will always be my trusty birkenstocks (hippy lesbian shoes as the boyf calls them) and Havaianas but I have been craving something more pump like. This is when the espadrille saves the day.

 These light and chic little rope shoes are 100% natural and date back 4000 years so who's to argue with that length of popularity. They seem to be the shoe of the moment with Chanel bringing out a lust worthy pair.

The other bonus is that if your budget doesn't stretch as far as Chanel (welcome to the club) then if you buy from traditional makers they're super cheap so you can get a pair in every colour here. 

We were lucky enough to be given a very special housewarming present. Two gorgeous printed tea towels by my uber talented friend Natalie Laura Ellen. The prints are so fun they cannot fail to put a smile on your face and they've certainly livened up our apartment! 

Right, now it's time to go out and enjoy the sunshine! 

MUSIC | PINGOUIN

MUSIC | TUNES

MOOD | UPDATE

I was in Berlin last week so will share some stuff about that soon. At the moment I am apartment sitting in Paris and getting some other writing stuff done. Lots of stuff to shove on here but in the meantime here's a list of stuff that made me happy this week (I hope it makes you happy too)....

NEW DEPTFORD GOTH (new album out November)
(Also check out the Jim-E Stack remix of Union)

Films that open with tracking shots from cars and 80's soundtracks aka Polanski's Frantic and Lynche's Lost Highway. The Morricone and Bowie soundtracks help.



Nike's Air Trainer 1 Mid

and sad...

Brand's eulogy for Robin William's is the best I've read: 'Robin Williams’ divine madness will no longer disrupt the sadness of the world' http://gu.com/p/4vkqe/tw 

MUSIC | SWEDEN

There's some great stuff coming out of Sweden at the moment. Just listen...



Will keep adding to it if and when I get chance...

FILM | JOHN HOPKINS

John Hopkins' original score for the film How I Live Now is some of his best to date (in my humble opinion anyway). The film is good and a lot of that is down to Saoirse Ronan who first really impressed in Hanna and is an interesting actress. However, for me the best thing about the film was the soundtrack and I was very pleased to hear that it's set to be released on just music. This is his second soundtrack having previously scored Monsters and it includes a John Hopkins remix of Daughter's track Home and a stunning collaboration with Natasha Khan (Bat for Lashes). Here's a taster...


Kerry

MUSIC | BEYOND OPERA

I was fortunate enough to experience opera from a young age, from a candle lit courtyard in Limousin to Paris Opera House to the Piazza dell’Anfiteatro in Lucca. This may sound boastful but my point is that people are often surprised when I tell them this. A working class northerner with a Manc drawl so greet people with ya arrriyate and have a penchant for a cheeky Greggs pasty (who doesn’t?) likes opera, yup sod the stereotypes, live music is great and opera is beautiful live music with a story. It's all just music at the end of the day from Gold Panda at St John to Smegma at Otto, live music is good whatever the genre (or lack of). 

I am pretty excited about catching LaTraviata at The Kings Head in Islington and tempted by Wozzek at The Royal Opera House but what really turned me on recently was seeing that Ben Frost is composing an opera based on Iain Bank’s The Wasp Factory. What’s not to love about that?!

                      

It’s no secret that I adore Iain Bank’s and previously talked about the effect The Wasp Factory had on my life. The really interesting this is that Ben Frost is composing this so it's likely to be a pretty experimental affair since Frost is influenced by minimal, punk and industrial sounds. For those of you who don’t track his work *cough* Ben Frost is an Iceland (country not frozen food shop) based Australian composer who’s worked with the likes of Tim Hecker and Bjork, composed Music For Solaris with Daniel Bjarnason (based on Andrei Tarkovsky’s rad 1972 film adapted from Lem’s equally rad 1961 book) and he’s currently working on an album that features Swans. Yes, FML! 

Anyhow, I could go on about him a bit more but probably should stop at risk of embarrassing myself. Here’s a video of Ben Frost talking about his work on The Wasp Factory. 

Kerry Flint

                    

VIDEOS | UPDATE

Just a quick check-in at start few days covering London Fashion Week. Will report back soon but in the meantime here are yesterday's new videos from Blood Orange(Dev Hynes)and Kwes. 



Directed by Adam Bainbridge aka Kindness in Guyana this track also features Caroline Polachek from Chairlift. Check out Dev's moves.




Love this dude.

VIDEO | LONDON GRAMMAR

Nerdy film post alert! 625 pinhole cameras and a single strip of 35mm film were used to make this video from wearebison !!! Taken me for bloody ever to post this but here you go. Go forth and marvel...


LONDON GRAMMAR - Wasting My Young Years from Bison on Vimeo.

Behind the scenes.


LONDON GRAMMAR - Wasting My Young Years - Behind The Scenes from Academy Plus (A+) on

MUSIC | JUST BECAUSE

MUSIC | DAVID LYNCH LYKKE LI

This is just so lovely...

MUSIC | SOME MUSIC

MUSIC | KIRSTY MCGEE

Kirsty McGee is a lovely Mancunian singer and musician. You might have already heard her latest song Sandman on the soundtrack to Danny Boyle's film Trance. If you did, you will remember because this song floats around your head long after first play. It's calming, feels familiar and quite sexy too (check out the scene in the film if you don't believe me, it'll also provoke some memories). 

Kirsty's music is a mix of styles, from folk to blues to jazz, but always well crafted and parred back; allowing her soothing voice to take centre stage, where she deserves to be. 

MUSIC | ALMOST THERE

MUSIC | F**CK U BLUE MONDAY

MUSIC | Châteaux

Stonking gig by Châteaux last night at The Sebright Arms. Check these boys out! (I have very talented cousins)

MUSIC | OCTOBER

LIZZY MERCIER DESCLOUX | HARD BOILED BABE

1979!