Journal
Rules, protocols, accepted conventions, norms... BORING! Whatever your opinion of The xx, they're a 21st century band doing it entirely their own way. Free from the shackles of guitar band ritual, the Wandsworth trio have dared to craft their own...
Journal
We're being shown around Fab.com's new European HQ in Berlin, drinking champagne cocktails, co-founder Bradford Shellhammer is chewing on the ear of an inflatable llama. It feels like an ordinary day at the office. In the midst of a meteoric rise to...
Journal
In the height of Finland's winter months, darkness is something all too familiar to its residents; little surprise then that its artists exercise the right to explore the art world's darker side - something that Kim Simonsson does relishes with open...
Journal
As a nation, we're gripped. Pulled pork is well on its way to replacing the humble curry as our national dish. A hipsters' hipness is now measured in Scoville heat units. Our major cities' most discerning watering holes wouldn't be seen dead without...
Journal
For those still unaware, this year's Manchester International Festival sees the debut of a new audio/visual experience from filmmaker provocateur Adam Curtis and artist/Massive Attack main man Robert Del Naja; under the wordy guise of Massive Attack...
Journal
Juno is Joyce, and Joyce has issues. At war with the everyday pressures of being a woman in the 21st century, Joyce is trapped deep within walls of image and femininity. Setting Joyce, a caricature that she herself admits is increasingly...
Journal
Most people probably don't, or won't, remember their 20th birthday. You'll have been having too much fun. You're young, up on the latest trends, determined to have a fucking good time, at all costs. Fast forward twenty years and you'll probably be...
Journal
Having been regularly attending gigs in Manchester for 22 years (a mixture of showing my age and starting early), there's scant that can surprise in terms of the city's venues. I've encountered the great, the not-so-great and the down-right shoddy...
Journal
It was late-2009, early 2010 when I fell in love. A spiral of bewildering Tumblr blogs, brimming with collages and post-political meanderings led to a sparsely recorded primal scream of a pop song, set to monochrome war footage and a zeppelin...
Journal
100 things you'll never hear a DJ shout during a set #69: "somebody call this party an ambulance"... Ambulances at raves typically mean all's not well, however, the one we stumbled across at this year's Sónar was more about dancing than...
Journal
Charged with the task of creating scenescapes that defy logic, suspend reality, amaze and perplex; most resort to Photoshop, 3D modelling or some other technological somesuch. When asked to create such a visual scenario for a new Ford advert,...
Journal
You think of road trips and you think Route 66, muscle cars and roadside diners. But as long-time believers of doing things another way, Japanese car-connoisseurs Mazda asked us to do what they do; Think Differently. We obliged, and the results were...
Dispatches
With works spanning the design of buildings, landscapes, installations, exhibitions and objects, the projects of Asif Khan MBE explore sites of complex narratives, community empowerment and questions of identity. Collaborating with Canada Water and...
City Notes
Inspired by the golden age of nightlife, Calgary's Sweet Loretta Bar nods to the throbbing energy of 1970s discos and vintage sound studios, the late-night venue situated in the city's design and arts district and offering an inclusive space for...
City Notes
Located within Newson’s Yard — a recently conceived design hub on the Pimlico Road in London’s Belgravia — Wildflowers is a new neighbourhood restaurant, wine bar and deli with a focus on seasonal, high-quality ingredients cooked over...
City Notes
Chef Santiago Lastra's latest venture sees London-based A-nrd Studio create a metaphorical home-away-from-home, where the locally inspired fare and affable atmosphere of family-owned Mexican restaurants unite with a contemporary twist informed by...
Dispatches
Leeds is a vibrant city known for its culture and growth, often regarded as the capital of the North of England. It is a lively bustling hub of activity, filled with friendly and approachable people. The city also offers a healthier, more...
Dispatches
While Louisiana roads aren’t exactly death traps, safety can be an issue. The Pelican State is seeing an uptick in the number of vehicle crashes each year. In 2023, 60 crash fatalities in Orleans Parish were reported and around 7,690 people were...
Dispatches
Spanning 7,500 kilometres of Greece’s 16,000 kilometres of coastline, the Greek Archipelago is vast, with figures on the number of islands it comprises at some 6,000; 227 of which are inhabited. Which is a lot of islands, many of which are packed...
Dispatches
The field of medicine is changing rapidly, altering how healthcare professionals diagnose, treat, and care for patients. Innovations in digital health, artificial intelligence, and personalised medicine are transforming patient experiences and...