Lost AT E Minor

WE'RE SUPPORTING

There’s an ethereal feeling about the music of London-based, Aussie exports Howling Bells. It washes over you in waves of pure melody, always tinged by the faintest whisper of longing. We checked in recently with frontwoman Juanita Stein. Read more

WE'RE LISTENING TO

Why should the devil have all the good music? Finland’s Holy Blood is a great folk-black metal band by any standard, but its horn-raising tunes are all for the glory of the Good Lord rather than Satan or Odin. What would Jesus do? According to Holy Blood, he’d ride through the forests drinking mead and slaying non-believers.

WE'RE THINKING

On my best days I feel just like a great white shark. Not all-conquering and indestructible — though I have my moments — but rather that if I ever stop moving, if I take a moment to correct myself in the full glare of the light, I’ll probably sink. Read more

WE'RE WEARING

Marc Jacobs’ newly unleashed Autumn 08 collection hit the stage this week and if there is an international designer who I couldn’t appreciate any more, then it’s Marc. His signature patent-leather goods are the apple of my eyes and I think my MJ leather-quilted wallet, stam-bag and ballet mouse flats are being overlooked for Mark Jacob’s freshly launched red velvet trimmed pumps. Read more

WE'RE TRAVELLING TO

Last night, I caught Pagan Fest at B.B. Kings in NYC. I missed the band that I was the most excited to see, T˘r, but Turisas and Ensiferum more than made up for it. Americans have been pretty late to warm up to folk and Viking metal, and bands of this sort almost never tour the States, so it was gratifying to see that the show was sold out, and that the crowd was so exuberant. Read more

History is the story of the winners, and western dominated culture recounts few triumphs from the east. Mongol is an effort to correct this balance, and the eastern influence is evident in much more than just the storyline. It is more like a fairy tale or legend handed down through generations, than based on fact, with mythical elements playing a major part, and the character’s motivations remaining simple. Read more

WE'RE READING

DJ Spooky — That Subliminal Kid — is just about the deepest crate digger around, trawling the barrels of long-lost record stores for choice vinyl to spin in his wickedly dubby sets. He gave us the inside word last week on his eight favourite songs right now via our sister website, My Secret Playlist. This is what he had to say about Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry’s Panic in Babylon: ‘If there’s anything that the twenty-first century has told us, it’s that dub is the real original hip-hop. Lee Scratch even had to make it clear in 1965 by adding “Scratch” to his middle name. Take that, Grandmaster Flash!’ Read the rest of DJ Spooky’s Secret Playlist.