Burial — Untrue
Within the UK’s smorgasbord of urban, bass-driven music, dubstep has so far had to clamor for attention. The apparent lack of it is, in part, deserved: much of it is tedious and unimaginative, moving at a lethargic pace and easily slipping into the realm of background music. Thankfully, however, all flagging genres occasionally spit out an artist who finds a sound somewhere within that genus that quickly forces its critics to swallow their words and return for some re-evaluation. Burial’s Untrue has finally done that. Its carefully sketched imagery brings to the surface the dark underbelly of London, one that has been recomposed time and again by artists who, until now, have lost the real depiction somewhere in the translation. The faceless producer weaves a narrative that is distinctly unsettling yet intriguing, capturing perfectly the imagery of blackened estates and urban decay seldom seen by those outside of it. Its brooding, atmospheric landscape — driven by heavy reverb and tampered, sometimes tortured, vocals — could nearly be a cliche if it weren’t for the exquisite attention to minimalism and stripped-down production that makes the sound unique. Refusing climactic temptations and opting for moody sparsity, Untrue beats out a slow and fractured, yet well-paced, journey; the total effect of which may be lost on those who haven’t walked the streets themselves. At least it begins an introduction.
Listen to the Burial track, Dog Shelter.
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Also by FRANCIS ANDREWS
Irina Werning’s Back to the Future photo series
Argentine photographer Irina Werning has complied this beautiful and poignant collection of portraits of adults re-enacting images of themselves as kids. From what I gather, she has asked people to submit photographs of themselves and then returned with them to these same spots at the same times in their lives. She’ll take this project round the world, from Baghdad to Eurodisney, and is looking for willing participants. Read more
Bug fighting in South East Asia
Of all the little idiosyncratic activities I’ve come across since living in Southeast Asia, this nears the favourite. The bug fights are held in a cemetery about half an hour outside of Chiang Mai late in the year when the stags are at their randiest. It pulls an impressive crowd who bet some hefty dollars on the winner, claimed by the beetle who throws its opponent off the revolving log and struts (or crawls) to victory. Read more
What The Fuck Should I Make For Dinner
All hail the magic 8-ball of cooking; the answer to those painful moments of indecision that plague every shopper at around 6pm on a hectic Monday evening. It’s not the nagging voice that questions every decision you make, but the blunt, obnoxious hollering of an online Gordon Ramsay. The kitchen abides.
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While most of us can successfully fold a paper airplane correctly, and a small percentage of overachievers can actually make an origami swan, Korean artist Cheong-ah Hwang is literally taking paper art to the next level. Read more
Sometimes the truth hurts, but damn it’s way more entertaining that the fiction most people run on their resumes. Our friends at College Humor came up with a series of resumes that showed ‘real’ achievements at ages 6, 17, 22, 25, 35, 55, and 100. Read more
Peter Nalitch is Russia’s answer to Manu Chao. His video for the song Guitar is a Borat-like jab at low-budget, post-Soviet awkwardness — absurd English lyrics, Eurotrash earnestness, bad wipes, and cheap subtitles. But its tongue-in-cheekness is quite apparent, and the song is disarmingly catchy and romantic.
Handmade reconstructed jeans from Nashville. The Imogene and Willie shop is an old service station with no signage. They have great reconditioned leather cafe jackets, as well.
We asked Ham and Pete, from New York band The Walkmen, to give us the rundown on the music that is inspiring them right now and they started off with a track from that elder statesmen of indie folk, Bonnie Prince Billy, Goin’ to Acapulco: ‘He did a remarkable job of putting a unique spin on a classic. It’s no small feat, and it’s a really impressive version’. Read more of The Walkmen’s Secret Playlist.
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Brilliance can be handed down in many ways — through your voice, your hands, your mind. One individual that possesses it in many ways is young French musician, M83. Read more
Love your Converse All Stars? Well, designer Daryl Van Wouw has taken his obsession to the next level, creating an entire pant and shoe configuration. Yes, it’s a very interesting design. But practical? That depends entirely on the whims of the individual.
WE'RE POSTING / SOME OF THE BEST
Pencils made from recycled newspaper
The problem with awesome things like these pencils made out of recycled newspaper is that you almost don’t want to use them.
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Matthew Dear’s Black City album totem
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Pitched as ‘Ulterior Motives in Contemporary Art’, Disorder Disorder is running until November 14 at Penrith Regional Gallery. It’ll be well worth the trip out west of Sydney: the Australian, Japanese, American and European cast reads like a warriors of street art roundup and includes Mike Giant, Ed Templeton, Anthony Lister [artwork above], Ozzie Wright, and Jonathan Zawada. Read more
Get lost in a daydream or a craving for something sweet while gazing at these cool sculptures by Brooklyn-based WiNK WiNK PONY. Made using clay, tree bark, wood, and mossy moss.
Made from 100 percent organic cotton and eco-friendly, this super soft tee celebrates a sinister world of kaleidoscopic colours and ripples of psychedelia, of serenading Queens, of dancing flamingos, of unimaginable euphoria. It’s all the work of Sydney label, Das Monk and it’s available through the Lost At E Minor online store for just US$40. Now, there’s one hell of a Christmas present, even if we do say so ourselves!
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