Ultra Mono sees Idles at their most politically provocative, cutting through the chaos to deliver an album that’s strong in both message and sound

Idles’ third album Ultra Mono is knowingly sincere. Its anti-war, sexual harassment, and racist sentiments are, (like the album artwork), aggressively hurtled towards you like a giant pink inflatable ball. Even the album title itself Ultra Mono (which refers to a mix that has equal volumes in both channels) reinforces Idles’ head-strong, unwavering message on…

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Album Artwork: Is it really that important?

By Alastair Bailey Phone screens, televisions, posters at the train station, cereal boxes, logos, the artwork on the front of an album; in twenty-first century life, we are bombarded with visual imagery. Designed to maximise an engagement the list of visual items we consume is endless. All of these pervade our daily lives. Yet, our…

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Witches Gone Wild: The feminism behind witchcraft

Witchcraft, with its traditional practitioners generally being women, has many ties to feminist concepts. In European history, we see that witchcraft (and often herbal healing) was a way for women to have agency over their own lives, livelihood and beliefs. However, as always, nonconforming women were and still are threatening to patriarchal power structures. Subsequently, the whole…

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Cyprus’s “golden” passport scheme awarding EU citizenship to wealthy fugitives

By Sacha Perera Earlier this week, two prominent Cypriot government officials resigned following the release of Al Jazeera’s The Cyprus Papers Uncovered, a documentary exposing a corrupt citizenship investment scheme which sold EU passports and protection to convicted criminals and fugitives from around the world. Between 2017 and 2019, over 2,300 passports have been issued…

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Covid-19 and Cuffing Season: When two worlds collide

It’s officially cuffing season: The time of year where singles couple up to keep warm during the cold winter months. But unlike previous years, cuffing season and a global pandemic converge – and the pressure is on for people to lock down with a partner before the days darken and the temperature drops.  Definition, please?…

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ENERGY: Disclosure’s unlikely affinity for West Africa takes centre stage

The two brothers, known synonymously as Disclosure, have a success story that seems fantastical. Their debut album Settle (2013) almost immediately established their status as a driving force in UK house music. They didn’t need to climb ranks, they jumped into the upper echelon of critically acclaimed and huge mainstream success, gaining membership to an exclusive…

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Could Rishi Sunak’s ‘retraining’ advice cause more harm for the arts and performance industry?

On Monday this week, “crass” Cyber First adverts surfaced on Twitter, sparking outrage in the creative industries. It followed the initial outcry from those working in the arts, after Chancellor Rishi Sunak apparently stated that they should retrain given the current economic climate. Georgia More reports. On Tuesday 8th October, ITV released a quote from Chancellor Rishi Sunak on Twitter…

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‘Is that Supreme?’ Are football shirts being taken a step too far?

The football shirt has become a designer’s playground and the 2020/21 kit release has been no exception. From ombre sunsets to cobalt paisleys, this season’s drop has cemented the football shirt as much more than a piece of sportswear, but rather a fashion staple. Over the last few seasons, the kit release campaigns have partaken…

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Blinded by diet culture

I’ve been blinded by diet culture since my early teenage years. Throughout the years, I realised that it deprived me of meaningful relationships and personal development. I know that I’m not the only one under the influence of this toxic culture which limits personal development. I’m pretty sure we are all on the same page…

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