It’s one of the singles of the year. Rising dance music star Sofia Kourtesis fuses samples of dialogue with eclectic music and field recordings, and the result is sparse but elegant and urgent. Madres is beautiful, a warm, 3 am embrace in a sweaty club. It’s dedicated to mothers everywhere, in whatever form they take.Continue reading “Lost In Music: Sofia Kourtesis- Madres”
Category Archives: Lorna Irvine
Overlooked Classics: Alice In The Cities
We all love Paris,Texas and Wings of Desire. Ask any film aficionado about European cinema and nine times out of ten, Wim Wenders will pop up as an auteur of choice. But as fond as I am of these two classic films, there’s another one which preceded these that’s also wonderful: Alice In The Cities.Continue reading “Overlooked Classics: Alice In The Cities”
Lost In Music: The Fall- Spoilt Victorian Child
The riff is unmistakably Brix, the snarl typically Mark. One of The Fall’s mid-period gems, Spoilt Victorian Child, taken from fan favourite This Nation’s Saving Grace from 1985 references colonialism, the Cottingley Fairies hoax, the kids’ book The Tiger Who Came to Tea, and typically entitled behaviour of the rich. I’m still not sure ifContinue reading “Lost In Music: The Fall- Spoilt Victorian Child”
A Selfie
I’m interested in photos and filters. It ‘s so easy now to indulge in selfies, but I like more unusual ones! Maybe too many episodes of ‘Twin Peaks ‘ as a teen…
Why ‘Surfer Rosa’ is still the tits!
Never mind Nevermind: for me, the albums that signified that the 90s were going to be musically exciting were by Sonic Youth, My Bloody Valentine and Pixies…amongst others. Everyone raves about Doolittle and it’s perfectly fine, but for me, Surfer Rosa is still perfection. Originally, it was to be titled Gigantic after the glorious songContinue reading “Why ‘Surfer Rosa’ is still the tits!”
Lost In Music: Janet Jackson – Rhythm Nation
Before the all-time conquering Beyonce, there was Janet Jackson. Prior to Rhythm Nation, she’d been something of a sweetie pie, the wholesome, apple- cheeked kid sister to Michael, forever in his shadow. A few good singles aside, she hadn’t really resonated in the UK . But, teaming up again in 1989 with super-producers Jam andContinue reading “Lost In Music: Janet Jackson – Rhythm Nation”
Album Review: Katie Gately- Fawn/Brute
The third album from American experimental artist Katie Gately has an illustration of two characters on the cover reminiscent of a Harlequinade. This seems apposite for a record that’s full of strange characterisation. Each title is one adjective only. Again, fair enough, as there are whispers, whoops and dark, nefarious threats lurking in corners. ForContinue reading “Album Review: Katie Gately- Fawn/Brute”
Just Step Sideways: Conspirators of Pleasure
Jan Svankmajer had always dabbled in the perverse in his short films, but his third feature film, Conspirators of Pleasure from 1996 goes full tilt. It’s hilarious, pointed and downright unnerving, even by his own surreal standards. All of the main preoccupations are present and correct here: bizarre puppetry; food, ritual and the act ofContinue reading “Just Step Sideways: Conspirators of Pleasure”
Aladdin Sane at 50
If Ziggy was Cary Grant, Aladdin Sane was Peter Fonda. Recorded between December 1972 and January 1973, this iconic album, Bowie’s sixth, still feels like a deconstruction of fame and the American Dream from an outsider’s perspective. It’s experimental, as exemplified by Mike Garson’s wayward jazz piano on the wild title track. He goes maniacallyContinue reading “Aladdin Sane at 50”
New Release: PJ Harvey- A Child’s Question, August
Ahead of her forthcoming tenth album, PJ Harvey releases this, her elegiac and beautiful new single, A Child’s Question, August. Working with Flood and John Parish, this bodes well for the album. It’s stunning, with a churning lyricism. The video was created by renowned photographer Steve Gullick, and actor Ben Whishaw provides backing vocals. ItContinue reading “New Release: PJ Harvey- A Child’s Question, August”
Hit The North 