One From the Archive: Forever Summertime

. FOREVER SUMMERTIMEJune 26, 2018 • Sofia Coppola’s ‘The Virgin Suicides’: essay by Lorna Irvine. All of my favourite films have an elusive quality to them: so it is with Sofia Coppola’s debut feature from 1999, ‘The Virgin Suicides.’ It deftly captures the nature of ephemeral youth. Air’s gorgeous electronic soundtrack is elegiac, with throbbingContinue reading “One From the Archive: Forever Summertime”

Why The Traitors Works

Warning: spoilers ahead… Farewell then, to the unmissable second series of The Traitors UK. Presented by everyone’s favourite glam auntie type, Claudia Winkleman, it’s the BBC’s biggest cash cow in years, and with good reason. It’s great fun, and very smart. Essentially, a game like Mafia or Cluedo, but framed as a reality show withContinue reading “Why The Traitors Works”

Podcast Review: Things Fell Apart

In this time of noise, overload and division, it’s easy to get deep into doomscrolling and overwhelm. So it’s wonderful that writers and broadcasters like Jon Ronson exist in the world. As with his brilliant books (he’s tackled everything from social !media cancellation, to the roots of psychopathy) his podcast Things Fell Apart, takes on theContinue reading “Podcast Review: Things Fell Apart”

Overlooked Classics: Danny Brown – Atrocity Exhibition

Overlooked may be a strong term, but this album by Danny Brown remains, for me, a trailblazer. There’s an old adage that goes, “you’re only as good as your friends” . I believe this is as true of artists and their collaborative colleagues. Featured here are Kendrick Lamar; Kelela, Be Real, Petite Noir and EarlContinue reading “Overlooked Classics: Danny Brown – Atrocity Exhibition”

Kim Gordon Returns

The mighty Kim Gordon has just released one of the year’s best singles,in my opinion. Takes from her forthcoming second album, The Collective, Bye Bye is a stormer, with ESG influenced noise, trap beats and Gordon’s unmistakably defiant, half sung, half purred vocals. With a video to accompany the single starring her daughter Coco asContinue reading “Kim Gordon Returns”

The Future’s Here Today: Currls

We’re all tired. January is a tough month, and where I am, it’s bloody freezing. So here’s something to warm us all up. Brighton garage rock trio Currls are getting a lot of heat, and rightly so. Beth Molly Moore, Trilby White and Natalie Caushaj are the band in question, and they’re sounding amazing rightContinue reading “The Future’s Here Today: Currls”

Overlooked Classics: Bomb The Bass- Clear

British hip hop took a while to ignite. But Tim Simenon, aka Bomb The Bass,had been doing his own singular thing production wise since the eighties, but the third album Clear felt like a step up from his poppier efforts. Released in the mid nineties, it’s at times more akin to a more oddball PublicContinue reading “Overlooked Classics: Bomb The Bass- Clear”

Lost In Music: David Bowie -Hunky Dory

Hunky Dory is, for me, absolutely peerless. It’s perfection. It’s still overlooked in favour of The Rise and Fall Of Ziggy Stardust, etc, but it never fails to make me feel all warm inside. It’s hard to believe that Bowie was only in his twenties when this masterpiece was created. The songwriting, as well asContinue reading “Lost In Music: David Bowie -Hunky Dory”

Lost In Music: The Sugarcubes-Planet

Bjork’s breakthrough band in the UK and USA (she’d made work with Kukl,Spit and Snot and various others) were a funny hybrid of indie and pop: sometimes,they were on the wrong side of wacky, a la The B52s around the time of Love Shack. Sometimes, as with the gloriously dark Mama, Cold Sweat or Sick ForContinue reading “Lost In Music: The Sugarcubes-Planet”

Happy 2024!

Happy New year to you, wherever you are reading this. May this year bring peace,joy and fulfilment to all, however and whenever it occurs. Lorna x “How happy is the vestal’s lot! The world forgetting, by the world forgot, Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind! Each pray’r accepted, and each wish resign’d…” -Alexander Pope, ‘Eloisa toContinue reading “Happy 2024!”