Fenech-Soler // Rituals

The moment I have been waiting for, for what feels like an eternity, has finally arrived: the release of Fenech-Soler's follow up to their debut self-titled album.

'Rituals' - the second album from Fenech-Soler

From the moment I first heard their debut single 'Stop and Stare' on Radio 1 a good few years ago now, I was hooked and instantly became a fan of the band, listening to their first album over and over and posting their music online... sadly, with not much response as my musically-challenged friends by-passed them for whatever was deemed as popular at the time. But I'm making one more attempt to introduce them into the world and if I can make just one person like them then I'll be happy.

Obviously this post will be completely biased as in my opinion, this band are music perfection but I'll let you decide for yourself. (Note: if you disagree, you are wrong.)

Dance and techno music seems to be making a comeback from the 90s - although perhaps not quite so hard-hitting as it was back then and with significantly less chipmunk-like vocals - with the rise of dubstep over the past few years and artists such as Avicii and David Guetta bringing it into the charts. However, it seems to have died off slightly and the recipe for a successful song these days seems to be anything with a good base line to it and perhaps a bit of synthesizer in there too. Maybe throw some indie lyrics and vocals on top of it all and you're probably onto a winner. With this in mind, Fenech-Soler should be far more known than they currently are.

Their music is never without a bouncy dance track and is definitely what I can imagine being played in clubs to act as a soundtrack to many a drunken fun-filled night. That's what I imagine anyway as I'm sat in my pyjamas with a cup of tea, listening to the album.

As we edge ever-closer to long and dark Winter nights, a personal favourite from the album 'Last Forever' brings a bit of sunshine back into my mind as I listen to it as it just screams out to be used in a montage of teenagers running around at festivals in slow motion, covered in face paints, flowers in their hair and drinks in hand. And as the title suggests, it makes the memories of Summer last forever through their music.

 

It's difficult for me to single out favourites on this album as everything just sounds like perfection to me, the word 'eargasm' is definitely appropriate when used in reference to this album and just the band in general. If you like 'Last Forever' - or any of the other releases: 'All I Know', 'Magnetic' and 'Maiyu' - you will love the rest of the album. They also have a similar sound to bands such as Delphic, Ou Est Le Swimming Pool, Bastille and Passion Pit so if you are a fan of them then check this band out! I promise you won't regret it.

Of course when I found out Fenech-Soler were doing a UK tour, I jumped at the chance to get tickets as their music is just perfect to let loose and jump around to. They're touring all around the UK in November so if you like what you hear, get yourself a ticket!

Review // Collection 'Cream Puff' Lip Cream

'Collection' is a range of make-up I've never really paid much attention to before seeing as it's all pretty low-priced and so I assumed the products would be of low quality.

It's coming close to payday for me so I'm running a bit low on cash but need to refresh my make up so therefore thought I'd swap my usual Gosh and Barry M products for something cheaper.

I got this for £3 since I had saved up £6 on my Superdrug beauty card (it pays off not being able to say no to people when you're pestered to sign up to store cards!) so it was an absolute bargain. Usually it would be just under £9 but even that's still a bargain compared to other products.

I'm focussing mainly on the 'lip cream' for this post since I'm fairly into my lip products and a lip cream is something new to me. 

So it's in the same style as a lipgloss, as you can see. The product itself is very creamy (as you'd guess) and fairly luscious. Not to mention, it smells incredible which obviously doesn't affect the product's use but it's always a bonus! The coverage is equal to that of a lipstick and the end result is similar to a lipstain: the colour stays locked onto your lips with a lack of residue.

To illustrate this point, I tested it out on a piece of tissue paper. I've got a photo of my lips before and after I pressed them against the tissue paper. And as you can see, not much came off in the process and my lips look the exact same.

This is a fantastic product for people who don't like lipstain products and want a matte-lipstick style with that same staying power of a lipstain. 

Try it out and see if you agree! With Collection's price range, you can't really go wrong.

Empire of The Sun // Ice on The Dune

With the sun coming out to play recently, what better way to celebrate than write a review about a band with the word 'sun' in it's name? (Creative, I know).

If I said I'd always been a fan of Empire of The Sun, I'd be lying. I was aware of them, sure, but I wouldn't class myself in that fan category. I enjoyed listening to 'Walking on A Dream', it was heavily featured on my 'Top 25 Played Songs' on iTunes during the Summer of 2009. However, I can't say the same for their other release 'We Are The People' and so chose not to delve any further into their discography. 

I don't know what brought me to take an interest in their newest album when I saw NME tweeting about it. Perhaps it was that techno-indie music fan within me dying for something new to feast on rather than tiring out my playlist consisting of bands such as Delphic, Metronomy, Passion Pit, Friendly Fires, Fenech-Soler and Ou Est Le Swimming Pool. However, I am glad I took that plunge.

Although, I must admit overall I was kind of disappointed by the album. In my opinion, their single 'Alive' is the best thing about the album but there are a few other gems such as 'Ice on The Dune'. 

One thing is clear about Empire of The Sun, they know how to make a Summer anthem. They'd definitely be an essential at any festival and their music makes it clear that their gigs would be a lot of fun.

They've added to my techno-indie playlist but I don't think I'll make a habit of religiously listening to the album. Maybe third time's the charm. 

The Voice // A Talent Show Without The Talent

This morning I caught my first glimpse of the finalists for 'talent' show: The Voice and I'm honestly struggling to find words to express my views on the show as well as the contestants.

Now, I haven't ever actually watched an episode of the show so my opinions and views may be limited and are just coming from about five seconds of clips used on Lorraine this morning and a short interview. But normally if a show is using clips to illustrate their guests, they use something that portrays the show and the contestants' talents well?

What I came across was:

1) A Will.I.Am lookalike, 'mentored' by Jessie J and not the American rapper himself so it raises the question as to why she has chosen to fashion him this way. Maybe an infatuation with the man himself? Play it cool, Jessie.

2) Three other contestants who don't look like a celebrity (although I could argue that one had a striking resemblance to Velma from Scooby Doo but I'm not sure if a fictional cartoon character is valid) so are therefore forgettable, apart from their gruesome murders of some classic songs such as a screachy rendition of talent show audition favourite: Killing me Softly (Really? Way to show originality guys) which I'm sure will haunt me in my dreams tonight. 

Along with some pathetic jokes about how much of a 'legend' John Legend is (yet more originality from these guys) and tiresome anecdotes of a young contestant being awestruck by hanging out with Tom Jones, the interview with the contestants failed to rivet me at all.

I can see now why we hear nothing from the contestants of this show - who won last year's again? - if this is what they have to offer the world. And I certainly won't be tuning in on Saturday to see who wins to then be chewed up and quickly spat out by the music industry monster. I think I'll stick with Modern Family.

Blurred Lines // A Musical Mid-Life Crisis

I never fail to be disappointed by the British public's music taste and once again, I find myself scratching my head in confusion as I listen to 'Blurred Lines'. Most middle-aged men date a younger woman or buy a sports car when they're going through a mid-life crisis but for Robin Thicke, releasing a womanising pop song into the stratosphere seems to be the way to go.

The song also features Pharrell Williams and this was the main reason why I thought I'd see what all the hype around this song was as I am a fan of his work with N.E.R.D as well as his recent hit with Daft Punk but 'disappointed' is an understatement. Not only was I unimpressed by the song as a whole but the lyrics aren't the most creative I've ever come across and are simply crude. 'I know you want it' and 'you're a good girl' being the most apparent lyrics in the song are seedy, not to mention incredibly arrogant. Couple that with the fact the original music video for the song was banned by YouTube for being a bit too 'risqué' and it just says it all.

To add to all this disappointment, as I scrolled through Twitter one evening, a link appeared for a cover version of the song by rock band Queens of The Stone Age. It called out to me like a beacon of hope: 'yes, if anyone can save it, they can' I thought.

But no.

Not even Queens of The Stone Age can make that song sound any better to me. And so I came to the conclusion that the lyrics are so atrocious that it just cannot be saved. 

But somehow it manages to sell millions of records and top charts. Whether it's an infatuation for the artist's aesthetics, the reputation of the supporting artists or horny teenage boys needing to see the video, something's working for it.

But it's best to stick to the traditional methods of dealing with a mid-life crisis, Rob.

Peace // In Love

So I haven't written anything about bands for a while so I thought I'd share a new band I've fallen for recently.

Peace are a four-piece Indie band from Worcester, England.

If indie music is your thing, I would quite confidently bet money on you enjoying this band just as much as I do.

They have those staple blunt, melancholic vocals you'd associate with an indie band, which they've coupled with psychedelic guitar riffs and disco-rock drum beats. I almost feel like they could be a bizarre love child between a slight glam-rock and indie band.

Their music has quite an eclectic mix. They move flawlessly between classic hard-hitting indie anthems (such as Bloodshake and the Foals-esque Wraith) and slower, softer ballads with songs such as Float Forever and California Daze so I feel as if their recently released album 'In Love' has something for any indie music fan.

They could easily be on their way to becoming the next big thing in the indie-music scene - or at least I think they should be - and a festival essential.

They're currently touring around the UK and as I've said, their debut album is available to buy, or stream on Spotify, as well as their EP 'EP Delicious'.

Become infatuated.

Review // Kukee

A girl can never have too many accessories so it was a nice surprise to come across a website full of great jewellery that I'd never heard of before.

Kukee.co.uk offers a range of quirky (or kooky) jewellery at what can usually be seen as 'too good to be true' prices. However, don't let the low prices put you off: the cost may be cheap but the quality is not.

After seeing someone I follow on Instagram posting their purchases, I had a look at the website and couldn't resist buying something from it myself.

The website is too good to order just one thing so I decided to buy the rings in the above picture along with a crescent moon necklace and an ear cuff. I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of the items: they feel solid, robust as they're made from a metal plated material and not cheap plastic (which you may assume from how little they cost). As well as this, all the rings are fully adjustable which is a major plus as I've had several experiences in shops, such as New Look or Primark, where it has been difficult for me to find a ring which fits perfectly so making the rings adjustable means they can fit any sized finger comfortably so this instantly puts this website one above other retail stores, for me. But that's not the best thing. If you were to guess how much this haul cost me, what would you say? £25? More? Maybe, if you were shopping at a different store but at Kukee, I spent just £10.50 (plus £2.20 on p&p).

If that doesn't make you want to take a look at the website then I don't know what will.

After receiving this purchase, it's safe to say I've become a Kukee loyal. I wear my rings with every outfit and today, I made my second purchase.

Two rings and two necklaces for £9

The low prices they offer got me thinking: why don't all shops offer jewellery at similar prices? Even Primark, which is probably the cheapest fashion retailer, rarely have jewellery items on sale at £1 or £2. I did a quick search online and came across this:

On the left, a set of rings from Topshop priced at £8.50 and on the right, a ring from Kukee priced at £2.
Now, fair enough you get four rings for your £8.50 but looking at them just from the pictures, there's already - to me - a great distinction in the quality of the rings.
With the ring from Kukee, you get a choice between gold or silver plated and they look of a much higher quality (and like they should cost much more than £2) as well as looking far more representative of a cat than the Topshop items. I have seen someone on Instagram with this ring and they've expressed nothing but joy over it. I know which one I'd choose.
This just shows that although they're a cheap store, they keep up-to-date with the trends and offer good (if not better) quality items.

If you like the sound of Kukee, the owner of the store has recently announced that she is also setting up a vintage clothing shop - called Wild Wolfy - with just as low prices (items at £5, £10 and £15 - stated on the Facebook page). You can find out more about that here and here.

Enjoy!

Darwin Deez // Songs For Imaginative People

Fan of Darwin Deez? Can't wait another two days for the release of his new album?

Then you're in luck!

Soundcloud have kindly given us an exclusive stream of the full album to banish those withdrawal symptoms and sense of anticipation.
It can be heard here or here.

Enjoy!

Songs For Imaginitave People is released on February 11th 2013.

Reality TV // The Rise of The Fickle Public

Love it or loathe it, reality television is fast becoming one of the most popular television genres within Britain.

The entertainment industry has a great power to make and break humans: one second you can be on top of the world and within an instant, you're.. sorry, who are you again?
And from this, my attention has been brought to the amazing fickleness that we, as the British public, seem to have.

The most recent example in the British reality tv world is someone I'm sure you all have some sort of opinion on: Rylan Clark. His appearance on the 'talent' show: The X Factor caused much controversy within the industry as well as the public. Every Saturday night I'd sign onto Facebook, as well as Twitter, to see my homepage filled with status after status such the like of: "Can't believe Rylan is still there! It's a fix!" or "Get Rylan out!". So it would be safe to presume that he was hardly the most loved contestant on the show.
However, with a new year comes a new series of Celebrity (should that word be there..?) Big Brother and with the amount of controversy caused by him, the producers jumped at the chance to get him on the show. His 'lovable, genuine character' being portrayed to the public night after night, along with his disputes with 'villains of the house' Heidi and Spencer Pratt, have (surprisingly?) resulted in cheers from the audience on eviction nights and suddenly my newsfeed is full of status' stating: "Rylan to win!"

Are we really that much of a fickle nation? It would appear so.

A similar story to that of Rylan's is Frankie Coccozza's stint in the 'celebrity' world. Also appearing on The X Factor, he was regularly bombarded with abuse for having no talent. Although, unlike Rylan, he had an entire nation of teenage girls behind him as he had a generic 'rocker' look. He was compared to Pete Doherty in his sleazy nature as well as regularly being photographed drunk, not to mention his recreational cocaine use which then resulted in his departure from the show. All of this led to his unpopularity within the general public.
That is, until he also decided to enter the Big Brother house. And, just like Rylan, became a beloved character with people suddenly rooting for him to win.

On a different note - recent stories surrounding the lead singer of rock group: Lostprophets have left me slightly uneasy towards claiming to be a fan of the band. Although his actions clearly do not affect the rest of the band members or the music they made, why is it that I feel like I would be attacked for listening to them?

And, after all of this, I present to you to Queen of the fickle reality tv world...



After being shot into the public eye from being in the band: Atomic Kitten, there has rarely been a time when Kerry Katona has not featured somewhere in a magazine or newspaper and I'm sure the above clip is nothing new for you.

We've all been made aware of how much of a rollercoaster her life has been: from being a young and naive pop star, seeming to have it all whilst married to Brian McFadden from the boyband Westlife and once they had split, her life took a drastic turn. And, of course, the industry - as well as the nation - disowned her.
In 2004, she took to the reality tv world (in an attempt to reboost her career - it seems to be the foolproof plan) when she entered 'I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here!' in which she won and became Queen of The Jungle - also resulting in her winning over the public perception of her.
Although, her life wasn't rosy for long, as once her second marriage had broken down, she spiraled out of control once more which resulted in undercover footage from News of The World showing her snorting cocaine while her children were preoccupied. And of course, that infamous 'This Morning' interview.

Following that interview, she was shunned by the nation - branded a slurring mess. However, after a few cheap magazine and newspaper interviews claiming how much she has turned her life around (for the 100th time) along with the odd "I've lost 2345654 pounds on this fad diet!" declaration and multiple reality tv show appearance - also including Celebrity Big Brother (what is it with that show?) she has managed to claw her way back into the nations heart to become a Z-List nation treasure once again.

She really is the ultimate victim of this fickle world.
But I'm sure we'll have another reality show ladder for her, as well as everyone else, to make their way up once they have been kicked back down to the ground.