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scenes: - Groningen: Eurosonic Noorderslag - Words: Chris Beanland Photography: Sander Baks The first must-attend date on every new music addicts annual calendar is Eurosonic Norderslaag, the multi-venue talent showcase that pre-existed behemoths like SXSW and The Great Escape. Our wandering journo CHRIS BEANLAND reports from the Dutch town of Groningen on one of John Peels favourite fests. the south of Holland says to me. She repeatedly showy tells me the name of the town shes from, much outside the station is Groningens weirdest to her amusement, but I cant make head nor building of all the post-modern car crash tale of it for the sonic boom of Norwegian of the Groninger Museum. One of the reasons rockers Deathcrush who are lashing out at their for its pastel-coloured weirdness is that no instruments a few feet in front of us. less than three architects were let loose on The citys university defines Groningen. Its Centraal Station in Amsterdam. And it, one of them Phillipe Starck. the second oldest in the Netherlands, founded Back at the European Festival Awards, the in the 16th Century when the city was at the weirdness continues Michael Eavis looks height of its powers and proved this by building like he might have been designed by three (off the totally phallic Martini Tower a thrusting duty) architects too. But one thing makes church tower which was the tallest building on sense his lifetime achievement award. His earth for a while. Nowadays Groningen is the West Country dialect elicits titters from the Oxford of Holland and all those students drunk audience, not least when he yells See make for a cultured experience about as far you in Two Thirteen! commenting on Glastos removed from Amsterdams Red Light District famed fallow year. as its possible to get. Alberto Guijarro smiles and strokes his beard That student population supports venues like thoughtfully. Ive come here to check out some Vera, run on co-operative principals for decades great new bands, he says. That the director of and the best spot in town to watch live music. one of Europes best festivals the wonderful This is a thoughtful, political city theres Fall in love with DEATHCRUSH two Norwegian girls who make a racket Primavera has come here to scout bands for his a fascinating mural talking about Marx and the akin to all the regular forum contributors on Mumsnet banging line-up says much about the power of Eurosonic. history of the Dutch Social Democrats on the their saucepans in unison while ranting about how crap their their The point of this festival has always been to side of another venue off the main market place husbands are. Icelandic dour merchant Lay Low offers up throaty, showcase new talent. Incredibly Eurosonic began - Huis de Beers. before those other multi-venue festivals like Groningen is flooded with foreigners during Bombay Bicycle Clubs most anthemic, throwaway moments and SXSW and The Great Escape in fact Eurosonic Eurosonic but at any other time of the year is a treat live. LEUVENS SELAH SUE offers a rasping, spine-tingling take on could well have been the first event like this you one girl, one guitar acoustic heartbreak. Shes a better than that in the world where one ticket got you into all coffeeshops with nary a Brit in sight. We the towns venues for a night of bar-crawling love to go where we know and thats why no and musical discovery. British visitors ventures further east than get everyones feet moving. Named for a Melvins song, 2.54 are hotly John Peel loved it here and nowadays tastemakers Amsterdam. But then Groningen does feel a tipped for 2012 theyre cool and their stripped-down aesthetic - as they like to dub themselves - from around the bit out on a limb. Weirdly the airport has wins fans here in Groningen. From Finland, FRENCH FILMS feature world turn up in Groningen every January to see just one flight a day to Aberdeen. If futuristic fanfares and some other things beginning with F; most what bands are going to be big. Thus this little youre not coming from Scotland then the only chocolate box town is flooded with braying hacks, way to get here is to take a lengthy train an incredible band who summon up all the greatest elements bookers, agents, PRs and assorted neer do wells. journey - just shy of three hours. As you from the dictionary of shoegaze. You probably already know VERONICA It makes you wonder what the citys enormous pass through the never-ending flatness of the student population, the 25 demographic that Dutch countryside, the views blur into one. can drift Eurosonics Best Bands To Watch In 2012 taut folk with a message. DOG IS DEAD are one of the most entertaining Britpop revivalists. The Nottingham lads schtick summons up around its boutiques and offer famous export from her hometown Stella Artois. Norwegians 120 DAYS chart a course between Depeche Mode and Casiokids; their riotous cuts may be frothy but they are also incredibly enjoyable and crucially of all they are a real fist of fun. Also from Finland, MURMANSK are truly inspiring: down-tuned guitars, walls of noise, terrifying vocals FALLS but the English ROFLcore foursome are worth seeing this year if you havent already. Dublins THE CAST OF CHEERS have not only a superb moniker, but also a sound more refined than we have any right makes up the beating heart of Groningen, thinks But the views get more exciting when you of it all? I like it. I like seeing so many arrive in Groningen the station is a handsome Battles-style beats and God knows what else. They sound like bands in one event, a student called Carien from 19th Century beast based on the gigantic, classic era Q And Not U. Which is a very, very good thing. 087 Notion to expect from ones so young: math-rock mixes with distressed L I G H T & D A R K , R I C H & A U S T E R E : H O W D U A L I T I E S C O N S T I T U T E T H E niki & the dove THE POWER OF TWO TYSON X MARGOT BOWMAN SEX IS ABOUT POWER PAINTED TRUTHS COLLABORATION KINDNESS BLOG-POP STARS ACCEPTABLE INTERRUPTIONS NZCA/LINES SYNTH HEROES TAKE US BETWEEN THE LINES A Daimler Brand The new M-Class. Big on power, small on fuel. Seldom do words like 4x4 and fuel efficiency appear together. However, with our new 4-cylinder diesel engine, the ML 250 BlueTEC Sport is every bit as powerful as its predecessor, but 38 more fuel-efficient. In fact, delivering 44.8 mpg m 38.7 (7.2-6.3), extra urban: 42.2-50.4 (6.7-5.6), combined: 39.2-44.8 (8.2-7.3). CO2 Emissions: 165-194 g/km. delivery, 12 months Road Fund Licence, number plates, new vehicle registration fee and fuel). Prices correct at time of going to print. 56 CONTENTS 44 COVER 044 / NIKI & THE DOVE THE POWER OF TWO 32 How dualities contain 068 / SORAPOL COLOURS ON THE MAST 54 038 / TYSON X MARGOT BOWMAN PAINTED TRUTHS An extension of our series of uncategorisable new label Sorapol explains her stirring debut collection 082 / AZEALIA 56 MASTHEAD EDITORS LETTER Were all tired of going through that same hoary old convention: no, not the editors letter, but rather lists of tips for the new year. Endeavouring as ever to offer something a little different, weve teamed up with some of our favourite new stars and offered them the oppor If you were to attempt to fulfil the old book/ cover adage and guess the contents of Gang Colours debut record by looking at its packaging and song titles, you would probably get the wrong impression. The front image is a homely- hued picture of an upright piano with some family photos on top of it; Dialogues Some brief accounts of our recent encounters with artists and other interesting people of note. me is almost like a script for the album. Ill show it to the guys at the label, and theyll be like, Ok, thats great, but how about actually writing the music? I like the way you make a film and FRONT OF BOOK A SELECTION OF IDEAS, IMAGES, INDIVIDUALS AND ITEMS WE HAVE RECENTLY THOUGHT INTERESTING, NOTEWORTHY, OR APPEALING, OFFERED UP FOR YOU APPRECIATION. WORDS: Sebastian Law (SL) / Bronya Francis (BF) / Ailie Robertson (AR) / Frances L. 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A lot has changed from one album to the next most noticeably, I went to a half-full gig at the Scala around 2009 only to be flabbergasted a FOB H E ATHE SHINS S H MY P E DFLUTTERO C K S R T - MAKE A MISERY S AWAY OR WHY Ive often been perplexed by those people queuing in the cold outside of venues. The instant the doors swing open theyre running in and clinging to that rusty barricade. Others have tattoos of lyrics or album art. Some ev ODE TO A MUSICAL MOTIF #2 THE WHISPER Continuing our look into those recurring little tics that were seeing in music right now, SEB LAW returns with a style of pronunciation thats straight out of stage school pantomimes and harks back to a golden age of chansons...via Björk, of course. Its pretty se FOB ABOUT ME:WILDEFLOWER WILDEFLOWER.CO.UK MY NAME IS MAX, IM 23 AND A SINGER AND SONGWRITER FOR THE BAND WILDEFLOWER. Whilst writing at university I realised that Id made a departure from what I was playing in my band at the time (probably as a result of the albums I was getting into). I wanted to SORTING THE TWEETS FROM THE SPAFF IN THIS NEW COLUMN WE BRING YOU A ROUND-UP OF WHATS BEEN GETTING THE MUSIC BIT OF THE INTERNET AS FAST AS YOU CAN SAY SHIT GIRLS SAY. JUST IN CASE YOURE ALLERGIC TO TWITTER. This month, Black Sabbath announced that they are reforming to play a number of live shows t LUCKY BUGGERS ENTERING COMPETITIONS BY TEXT We will not charge you to enter any of our competitions, just text the keyword to the number stated. Your standard network rate for sending a text message applies. BY EMAIL competitionsatticlondon.com stating the issue number (eg 40) of the magazine where nzca/LINES NOTION FEATURES WORDS: Bronya Francis PHOTOGRAPHY: Rajan Wadhera PICTURE EDITOR: Rebecca Bull Between The Lines Bronya Francis gets a lesson in electronic music from Michael Lovett AKA NZCA/Lines, and producer Charlie Alex Marsh I nterviews are boring. Lets face it, meant to sell yourself nzca/LINES NOTION FEATURES cool collection of original equipment an it decays to a lower level, for how long it recalls a time when he sneakily deleted analogue polyphonic Moog synthesizer from maintains at the same level, and how quickly Michaels version of the new single. Lovett the 1970s, an ana ka nzca/LINES NOTION FEATURES If youre out tonight, Im formatting my hard drive / Into FAAT-32, but baby we could maybe play with the cables time as The Beatles, and he made music that 32, but baby we could maybe play with the album: I knew it would lead me here to you, sounded as modern as minimal Ger NOTION FEATURES Kindness A short few months after his debut track Cyan dropped onto the blogosphere to rapture and delight, Adam Bainbridge is back with his brilliant full-length debut, World, You Need a Change of Mind. With a luscious texture and the ethos of musical connoisseurship, the album has KINDNESS 034 Notion NOTION FEATURES List of acceptable reasons to interrupt recordings : Hangover Holiday Children Girlfriends/ Boyfriends Lunch Afternoon sugar crash DJ gigs Illness Computer melt down Kanye West Beyonce Justin Bieber ka KINDNESS Why Kindness? My Breath by Destinys Child. Why by Carly I was looking around for a name, and it seemed Simon. to be the most contrary concept to everything these would have sounded like they were being else that was happening at the time. As beamed in from another universe the first an artist name i Margot Bowman X Tyson NOTION FEATURES Margot Bowman, 2012 PHOTOGRAPHY: Sarah Brimley MODEL: Tyson Painted Truths An extension of our series of collaborations with the artist Margot Bowman, in which she selects and paints a quote onto the brilliant disco-nouveau artist Tyson. T yson: black-clad, sha Margot Bowman X Tyson NOTION FEATURES N: Thats why Dancing on my Own works, right? gay, Asian, man, woman he KNEW that he sunrise... I sound like him, dont I? Im a Thats her. Shes that psycho dancing all out, made a bridge between everyone. Everyone mimic, I can mimic anyones voice. Im good alone i Margot Bowman X Tyson NOTION FEATURES record, they will know for a fact that its N: What came first? The decision to go wrote is on bass. I dont use anything Tyson. I dont want them to be confused. falsetto, or the decision to pursue that else. Then I add a chord, a sound. But 80s aesthetic complete NOTION FEATURES the power OF two On location in Stockholm and a freezing forest just to the north in the depths of the Scandinavian winter, we meet internet darlings Niki & the Dove for a special cover collaboration. As the BBC Sound Of placed electropop act ready there astonishing debut LP, we unpick the dualities Niki & The Dove NOTION FEATURES P aradoxes and binaries are Sweden, it may not surprise you to hear, With the increasing attention came well, subjects which come up a lot is cold during winter an insidious slow- yet more attention, or at least the sort of in conversation with Niki & growing kind o Niki & The Dove NOTION FEATURES with the passage of time. The meaning selfish or whatever... but theyre creating o-clock numbers that grab you by the ear of their moniker remains a mystery, something which, if you go into it, you with incredible choruses and satisfying for instance, beyond the fact Niki & The Dove NOTION FEATURES - be on piano and vocals, more traditional. whatever means whatever it is you want to Its very different from song to song. express, that you feel you want to express, I hope I havent given the impression without knowing how to describe it. What we that Gustaf and Mal 060 Notion GREAT SCOTT! The words Jeremy Scott for Adidas put excitement and lust in the hearts of the Notion fashion cupboard; even more so when preceded by the words New Season. The American designers aesthetic embraces bold graphics, pop-art prints and bright colours and were BLOODY EXCITED about the latest 060 Notion 060 Notion SHIRT / Paul Smith TIE / Burberry TROUSERS / Givenchy BELT / Dents WATCH / Gucci GLASSES / Ray Ban BRIEFCASE / Hermes All at Selfridges (Opposite Page) SUIT / Tiger of Sweden SHIRT / Mr. Start TIE / YSL CUFFLINKS / Lanvin BRIEFCASE / Valextra BELT / Tullum & Holt SHOES / Grenson All at Selfridges ME 061 Notion ACQUISITIONS SHIRT / Ralph Lauren TIE / Lanvin SUIT / Yves Saint Laurent COAT / Hugo Boss All at Selfridges (Left Page) BOXERS / Calvin 063 Notion Klein SHIRT / Mr Start VEST / Zimmerli BOXERS / Calvin Klein SOCKS / Falke BOOTS / Loake All at Selfridges (Right Page) SUIT / Givenchy SHIRT / Paul Smith TIE / Lanvin BELT / Dents GLASSES / Ray Ban All at Selfridges 064 Notion VEST / Zimmerli TROUSERS / Tiger BELT / Hugo of Sweden Boss SOCKS / Falke SHOES / Richard James (Right Page) GLASSES / Thom Browne 066 Notion sarapol NOTION FASHION Colours On The Mast The theatrical talent behind uncategorisable new label SORAPOL explains her stirring debut collection to KATHRYN DUNCAN. PHOTOGRAPHER Alexander Jordan STYLIST Alexis Knox HAIR AND MAKEUP Alexis Day using Nars cosmetics and label.m haircare MODEL Isabell sarapol All clothing Sorapol 071 Notion interview Sorapol INTERVIEW Kathryn Duncan F alling madly somewhere in the KD: Your designs hold many elements and influences, entering dreamweavers realm of couture realms of couture womenswear design also with strong elements womenswear, and practically of costume design; in what genre do you see Sergei Grinko NOTION FASHION From Russia With Amore Sergei Grinko has the ultimate in international fashion design pedigree: Born in Russia, trained in haute couture in both London and Dubai, and now showing on the catwalks of Milan. His designs appeal to all the elements of a woman strength, indep Sergei Grinko Sergei Grinko Sergei Grinko INTERVIEW Seb Law Is there a strong music influence on your work what tunes are his theory about the influence of our a strong personality and, importantly, a you loving now? decisions over our lives, and the way our cultured background. I always start each collection w The Real Zoolander NOTION FEATURES The Secret Male Model The second instalment of our new series of exclusive real(-ish) life tales from the pen of someone whose face is all too familiar from editorials, billboards and TV spots across five continents. PART 2: WOULD YOU LET YOUR KIDS DO THIS? I sit a me to breath, I find this a strange request, all out for the cameras, Once theyve seen relieved from the torturous embrace that I will and then he asks me to pull my trousers down a it, they wont want you anymore! Her words sadly never be lucky enough to own again. My next bit. I comply. swill aroun BACK/EN D We hop e you; re enj oying much a this b s wer it of e enjo the ma ying p ever, g as utting its a it tog sweet ether. mix of review As s with short interv those iews a releas music, nd ing wo film, rks of litera brilli ture a under ant nd wha that m tever agical else f , elus well a alls i b/e interview Azealia Banks Who The Fuck Am I? Are you going to ask me why I like rapping about sex so much? Ive actually nothing of the sort in mind. After all, if you know anything of Azealia Banks, you know that shes not afraid of the physical act of love. Her breakthrough single 212 is ridden w b/e interview Gonjasufi The Beautiful Shit G: Yeah I just been chopping up drums and working Shifting in and out of focus, theres his voice: a man with a message he wants to tell, yet holding back for your own good, as if hes unsure you can handle the force of his truth. If GONJASUFI seems to you m and pushing myself beyond the parameters that darkness something you have to recognise to be now and those two songs will go together on a I might set for myself, forcing myself into a in the moment do you think? record. Its just piecing puzzles, you know, different space, and... once I come home, a 086 Notion scenes: - Groningen: Eurosonic Noorderslag - Words: Chris Beanland Photography: Sander Baks The first must-attend date on every new music addicts annual calendar is Eurosonic Norderslaag, the multi-venue talent showcase that pre-existed behemoths like SXSW and The Great Escape. Our wandering journo 088 Notion scenes: - Bugging Out - A Weekender in Bognor Regis WORDS: Lauren Down PHOTOGRAPHY: Sonny Malhotra Happiness is... losing yourself in the dizzying, stuttering beats of Hudson Mohawke at 1 in the morning? Discovering yourself in the warm swelling bass of 90s house revivalist The 2 Bears? LAUREN DOWN TEST DRIVING ROCK N ROLL IS DEAD? NO IT ISNT. JUST AS EVERYONE GOT A BIT TOO CAUGHT UP IN THE BEST NEW Bronya Francis (BF) Seb Law (SL) Frances L Beene (FLB) Luke Morgan Britton (LMB) Charlie Clarkson (CC) Michael Lewin (MCL) ELECTRONIC ACTS THAT 2011 HAD TO OFFER, THE TURN OF THE NEW YEAR HAS SEEN Xiu Xiu ALWAYS BELLA UNION / ALT-POP/EXPERIMENTAL The terms art-rock, left-field, avant-garde and experimentalism can be same kind of melodramaticism for which Stewart is dearly loved and as equally bandied about so often that half of what is being described could so sufficiently the source of baff GOOD SHIT / BAD SHIT Charlotte Gainsbourg STAGE WHISPER ITS 2012. NO MAN IS AN ISLAND. EVERY PIECE OF MEAT IS ATTACHED TO EVERY OTHER PIECE OF MEAT BY AN INEXTRICABLE LINK OF EXCLUSIVE BECAUSE MUSIC / ANGLO-FRENCH POP CONTRACTS, SOCIAL MEDIA TIE-INS AND FRIENDS. EVEN MUSIC; THAT SACRED COW OF CREATI THE SOUND-ROBIN A NEW, REGULAR COLUMN AT THE TURN-TABLE: OUR ALBUM THERMOMETER SHOWING WHATS HOT IN A PARTICULAR PART OF THE MUSIC WORLD. TOM HANNAN BANGS THE DRUM FOR ROCK MUSIC. Rock & roll and Margaret Thatcher. At the start of any year, certain groups of people rush to proclaim that both will be S W E AT B O X I N G CLUBS EDITOR KARA SIMSEK OUR NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS DIDNT LAST LONG. BUT, IF YOURS ARE STILL HANGING BY A THREAD, LET ONE OF THIS LOT HELP YOU THROW YOURSELF OFF THE WAGON. KAMIKAZE STYLE. BUT, IF YOUR WILL IS STILL STRONG... WELL, YOURE REALLY NOT NORMAL. Snowbombing 25 Hour Par moh-teef Tempoclash Relay, London Corsica Studios, London 25 FEBRUARY 23 FEBRUARY When we heard that the team at Cable were opening a sister The super-cool Tempoclash crew are out in force to help LA club, Relay, we were thrilled. When we heard they were flying beat maker Eprom launch his new album. FILM EDITOR / MATT HARVEY PROFOUNDLY MOVING PRESENTS THE Greetings Reel Dealers!!!! Good news, the long cold winter is nearly at an end. Spring is just around the corner. Before you know it, the clocks will go forward and then summer will be here! Though after a while, of course, it will be winter a Contraband Headhunters In Darkness CINEMA / WORKING TITLE FILMS / RELEASED MARCH 16TH CINEMA / MOMENTUM PICTURES / RELEASED APRIL 6TH CINEMA / METRODOME FILMS / RELEASED MARCH 16TH So, first of all, Id just like to reproduce The world of recruitment consultancy seems In Darkness tells the true story painted truths End Paper Every thing in the world is about sex, except sex. Sex is about power -Oscar Wilde A very special Painted Truths #6: chosen by Margot Bowman for Tyson Photography: Sarah Brimley Subject: Tyson Margot Bowman 2011 I chose this quote for Tyson because the first thing that stru NOTIONMAG.COM Digital Delight! 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