Music – Page 6 of 8 – The Orbital

5Aug

By Joanne ArcherNo Comments

Culture & Literature, Music

Orbital Introducing: masses.

This week Orbital checked out up-and-coming band ‘masses.’ The 4-piece band, based in Leeds, is made up of guitarists Cain Cookson and Jacob Corr, bass player James Grover and George Van Renselar’s electronics. The band have described themselves as ‘a melodic earful of guitars, synths, samples, and affecting four-part harmonies; lyrical disdain and proper songwriting; masses.’ What makes this band so unique is the fact that all members produce vocals, resonating haunting tones. You may wonder what is so diverse about an all-singing boy band, but this is certainly no One Direction. Each member has experience as a professional music producer and just as much expertise with their instruments. The tracks are produced entirely by the band at Peak Studios. The result is a truly unique sound that...

Chase & Status release their latest track ‘Spoken Word’ ft. George the Poet

24Jun

By Joanne ArcherNo Comments

Culture & Literature, Music

Chase & Status release their latest track ‘Spoken Word’ ft. George the Poet

The catchy and uplifting sampling of Rozalla’s 1990s song, ‘Everybody’s Free’, demands dance floors to be filled, whilst George the Poet’s words transport ‘Spoken Word’ to its own genre. Rozalla’s rave tune paired with his inspiring, echoed words, can only really be described as a bit chalk and cheese; a combination that will almost definitely peak in the charts regardless. The track, which is third to be previewed from their latest unreleased album, was first aired by Zane Lowe on his Beats 1 show as a ‘World First’ on the 16th of June. It’s clear to see why Zane chose this track, with its modern poetry and old school vibe creating a blend that feels entirely new. Some listeners, however, feel that the song is not all that revolutionary, citing its likeness to Chase & Status’ previ...

17Jun

By Nebiu SamuelNo Comments

Culture & Literature, Music

Krept and Konan, A Night to Remember

Krept and Konan are one of the biggest names in rap at the moment since the success of their mixtape 'Young Kingz' in 2013. They have worked tirelessly, producing hit songs known across the country. On April 1st, the pair promised a night to remember with the first performance of their spring tour at the O2 Academy Brixton and they certainly delivered. After Ty Dollar Sign had warmed up the crowd, the lights went out, phones were out with Snapchat and Instagram ready, the anticipation of the Duo’s grand entrance grew among the crowd. The screen covering the stage fell to reveal a London underground tube carriage across the stage, followed by the sound of the very familiar underground voice-over which was used throughout the show to introduce special guests. Then the vocals from Konan’s tra...

16Jun

By George SomersNo Comments

Culture & Literature, Music

Fifteenth Annual Eden Sessions Kick Off

‘See world-class bands and artists perform in front of our beautiful biomes with the amazing acoustics created by our natural amphitheatre’. The Eden Project, a conservation project nestled within an abandoned quarry in St Austell, Cornwall, attracts over a million visitors per year. While the tropical bio-domes and artificial subterranean atmosphere attract the eccentric tree huggers and renewable energy enthusiasts, the Eden Sessions have become a hub for rockers and appreciators of quality music throughout the south. While the miniature festival’s initial years saw fledgling recognised names such as Elbow and Supergrass grace their stage, Eden has now boasted some of music’s greatest artists over the course of a decade, including Amy Winehouse, Grammy award winners Muse and 80s deity...

Kygo triumphs with debut album Cloud Nine

7Jun

By Beth CarrNo Comments

Culture & Literature, Music

Kygo triumphs with debut album Cloud Nine

There hasn't been an album in recent years that has surprised me as much as Cloud Nine, the debut album of Norwegian DJ and songwriter Kygo. Having risen to prominence with his single Firestone in late 2014, it is hard to believe that this is only his first album but it is well worth the wait. It captivates from the very beginning with a minimalist track Intro, full of building emotion and repetitive themes that leave you longing for more. More is exactly what the album brings, showcasing his production talent with 14 collaborations with artists including Tom Odell, Kodaline and Labrinth. The quality persists throughout the whole album with each track bringing a different vibe but reflecting the consistency of Kygo's technically complex but audibly pleasing style. A surprise highlight w...

Savoy Kicks Off Half-Centenary with ‘Pirates Of Penzance’

21Mar

By George SomersNo Comments

Culture & Literature, Music, Theatre & Performance

Savoy Kicks Off Half-Centenary with ‘Pirates Of Penzance’

"Everyone we capture says he's an orphan. The last three ships we took proved to be manned entirely by orphans, and so we had to let them go. One would think that Great Britain's mercantile navy was recruited solely from her orphan asylums — which we know is not the case." With Holloway’s oldest society celebrating its golden anniversary, it seems fitting for Savoy to open 2016 with one of Gilbert and Sullivan’s best-known operettas: ‘Pirates of Penzance’. Brilliantly witty, self-mockingly fickle and proposing possibly the most ingenious ‘Get Out Of Jail Free’ card in theatrical history (when in doubt, declare your adoration of Queen Vic), ‘Pirates’ has everything we’ve come to expect from a comic Savoy production: superb vocals, charming silliness and Will Davidson’s amusing variety of...

24Nov

By Nebiu SamuelNo Comments

Culture & Literature, Film & TV, Music

‘Amy’ Documentary Review

Many documentaries struggle to find a cinematic style and voice which warrants it to be released in cinemas however in the case of ‘Amy’, it delivers on giving you an emotional, cinematic and musical experience. The documentary focuses on the rise of Amy Winehouse, through her time in the National Youth Jazz Orchestra and singing in blue clubs in North London to her international success, her problematic personal life and her tragic death. The main feature of ‘Amy’ is how director Asif Kapadia (Senna) and editor Chris King uses Winehouse’s poetic and autobiographic lyrics from songs like ‘Stronger than Me’, ‘I Heard Love is Blind’, ‘What is it About Men’, ‘Rehab’ or ‘Back in Black’ to build the narrative around and is able to make it seem Amy has a voice in the film. Through the documenta...

26Oct

By George SomersNo Comments

Culture & Literature, Music

For The Record: Is Vinyl Back To Stay?

In the not-so-distant future, our children will be jealous beyond belief of our VHS videos and the battered cassette tapes we find in the attic. It's not as bizarre as it may seem. With the surprise resurrection of vinyl, and record sales rising swiftly from the horizon, the ancient relics of our parents' teenage rebellion years are now selling for far more than they were originally worth. The quirky, counter-culture markets of Portobello Road and Spitalfields in London are now dominated by typewriters and polaroid cameras, while indie fashion trends are subtly creeping their way back into mainstream life. How have those retro devices suddenly surged in popularity in our hyper-technological and interconnected era? 'The Guardian' reports that sales are at an 18-year high, which make u...

10Oct

By Laura LawrenceNo Comments

Culture & Literature, Music

Christian Union Acoustic Night

The Christian Union hosted a love-based acoustic night in Stumble Out. (more…)

7Jun

By No Comments

Culture & Literature, Music

Festival Fever

The festival scene in the UK has boomed over the past ten years which means that there are events for all niches. However, if you are still struggling on where to go then we have comprised a list of some of the best festivals in the country for all types of tastes! 1. Unsigned London: Unsigned London showcases unsigned talent across Indie, Rock, Jazz, Folk, R&B, Reggae, Classical and Electronic genres. The festival takes place across four stages in Shoreditch Park on the 4th and 5th of July and is absolutely free! 2. Canterbury Folk Festival: If you are a fan of folk music then the Canterbury Folk Festival is the place to be on the 27th and 28th of June this summer. The festival promotes folk music such as that from Gentlemen of Few and Thomas Ashby, as well as Morris dancers. Best...