Childish Gambino - 3005

Childish Gambino - just a guy riding a ferris wheel with a bear. Standard.

Beyonce - Imperfection

FUCK, I LOVE HER.

The best albums of 2013...

The best albums of 2013... according to me. Yadda, yadda, this time again. My favourite albums of 2013 – most random list so far. It has been a very diverse year for music and I like it.

 

1. Drake – Nothing was the same 

First to third listen, I didn’t get this. Fourth to 10^th listen, it was growing on me heavily. Every listen after that, I think it’s his best to date. Absolute well-crafted, well thought-through master-piece.

2. The Weeknd – Kiss Land

Could listen to this on repeat. Always.  

3. Haim - Days are gone

Feel-good album.

4. Eminem - The Marshall Mathers LP2

Rap God.

5. Justin Timberlake - The 20/20 Experience

Some true gems on there, overall a consistently good album.

 

 6. J. Cole - Born Sinner

 Power Trip. She Knows. Runaway. Enough said.

7. James Blake - Overgrown

Boy always delivers. 

8. Childish Gambino - Because of the internet 

It's weird, I like it.

Christmas Wishlist 2013

Please Santa. 

WELL DUNN with Jourdan Dunn featuring 2 Chainz

Randomly came across this "supermodel" cooking class with beauty Jourdan Dunn and believe me, even though I am not into this whole model iconisation, she seems to be a real sweetheart and a true British bird. Well worth checking out her entire series "Well Dunn" also to pick up some first-class cooking tips. Yum.



Another highlight is the episode with Karlie Kloss. Oh sweet cookies.

Sia - Elastic Heart (ft. The Weeknd & Diplo)

Did I mention that I dig this?

A spark is a spark is a spark

I felt inspired to write again. I know this hasn’t happened in a long time. I have only written about music and fashion, which let’s face it, might be better for the Book of Linda anyway. But then it happened – the idea of the spark or lack thereof.

So yes, this is a post about the spark – that little bit of interest that makes you want to know someone more, that slight attraction that you can’t put your finger on and that little promise that goes along with it.

It made me realise that despite how many people you meet, that little special thing that happens between two people is all too rare. I have always thought that I can basically make myself like anybody. I was wrong. I sat there with this really nice and charming guy and the entire time I thought “how can I get out of this politely?” - why? Because straight from the beginning I knew that “it” was missing. That little knee-touching, that little side-smile and most importantly that desire to find out everything that person has to say.

I realised that despite of what you want to make yourself feel, that damned heart of yours has a mind of its own. Literally. What I learned from this?

You know if it’s not right. There is nothing you can do other than try again.

Spark is something that comes as a surprise, so don’t show bias against anyone.

Unfortunately, there can be spark with complete bungholes, consider that too. Head and heart. Always.

Love you always. x

Layz Oaf - Just Another Weirdo

Loving the new promo film for Lazy Oaf winter 13 collection. Moody.

Lazy Oaf Winter '13 Film: Just Another Weirdo from Lazy Oaf on Vimeo.

Celeste and Jesse Forever

How have I missed this movie? It looks superb! 

Casper Interview - BACKSPIN TV

Everything he says makes a lot of sense. No pretense. Very likable. Just sayin'.

 

The Weeknd - Live For feat. Drake

FYI - majorly obsessed with this.

Ta-ku : We Were In Love // I HATE YOU

Digging!

Home Decor Inspiration

Hi lovers, I got my first place and ever since I've become obsessed with interior decoration and cool furniture shizz. I noticed a few things. I love pastel. And pom poms. And globe things. And cute girly kitschy things. Ooops.

Some of my favourites below. My flat is going to be a wonderland of strange objects and colour. I will never have visitors. Ha!

 

 

 

 

Infinity Ink

Great video.

Infinity Ink - Infinity from Sonny London on Vimeo.

New York Fashion Week Spring 2014 - Ostwald Helgason

Ostwald Helgason. Colour - love. Cut - love. Fabrics - love. LOVE LOVE LOVE!

 

All images courtesy of Style.com

Opening Ceremony x Elvis Collection

Little bit in love with this new Opening Ceremony collection and lookbook.

Sam Smith - Safe With Me

He did it again. I love the boy. What a beauty.

 

Hotties in Lisa Frank

OMG blog-lovers I have neglected the blog for too long, so a new post it is for today! Blatantly stolen from Buzzfeed but I love it nonetheless. Your favourite hotties in Lisa Frank. Bradley Cooper takes the crown fo sho... 

ASTR - Razor

Holy mother of God, I'm feeling this tune. ASTR - like the bastard child of Rihanna and Gaga with some bad-ass Diplo beats but better. BETTER!

Neurotic Wreck Interview

The other day I received an email from a singer / songwriter that goes under the name of Neurotic Wreck. What can I say - I instantly liked the name. Then I listened to the material and I loved it. Self-proclaimed “standout track” Show Me Who Broke Your Heart is a gem of a song and since the man behind Neurotic Wreck, Dan Shea, explores his obsessions: lost love, conflicted sexuality, half remembered memories with his songs, I thought he’s a top candidate for another emo Q&A. So we talked about romance, bullshit, romance bullshit and whether all this is really complicated. We talked about music too. Enjoy. 

What’s the first thing that attracts you to a person? 

That very much varies person to person. On physical terms, it tends to be eyes and hair. On paper I've got a very specific type, doe eyed androgynes mostly, which could be a degree of narcissism as that phrase'd describe me. Getting past the physical, I can't abide ignorance: I'm attracted to talented people who can blow me away and teach me something new, keep teaching me all the time. It could be a lesson about how to approach life or a new way of approaching art or just interesting trivia, but someone who can shut me up.  

Why is this romance shit so complicated? Is it complicated? 

Honestly, I think it's so complicated because we make it so complicated! On some level, if there's no difficulty along the way we feel we don't deserve to be happy, a lot of the time. It's a very human thing, if there're no problems we'll make some, focus on the minor thing over the major.
Romance is something you either get or you don't, it's something you can't fake (for a long time). You're either a romantic or you're not. Sometimes the complications arise from trying to be something you're not, in that case. See, not the most coherent answer: but that's romance. Messy, incoherent, indescribable but when it's going well it's the best thing in the world. 

 

 Up until now, what’s the most important thing you have learned about relationships? 

I don't know if I've learned anything. When it's over, I always console myself with the lessons I've learned: don't give too much of yourself, don't come on too strong, too intense. Then the next relationship I'm in the problem is I've been too detached. So I change tack and the cycle continues. I would say I've learned to listen but sometimes listening too much can be a problem. So n/a: I've learned nothing. Try again in a few years when I've got a much thicker skin, hopefully the answer will be different! 

How do you know someone fancies you? 

Honestly, I've no idea. If they tell me, it usually comes down to. I lack the confidence to approach people I'm attracted to. One guy in particular I'm mooning over at the moment, there's the possibility he likes me of course but I'm unsure.
So in brief I know someone fancies me when they say "Dan, I fancy you", in terms either more or less vulgar than that. Even then I often suspect they're just joking, and it's going to end in someone pointing and laughing. 

Who or what inspires you? 

Oh, lots of things: my close friends and family. The closed-minded, bigoted outlook of those that surround me in the town I live in, in a negative way, give me something to aspire to: get out of there! Some specific artists across various mediums: Dennis Cooper, PJ Harvey, Jamie Stewart, the list goes on. Beauty inspires me, pretentious as it may sound: anywhere I can find it. 

What life advice would you give to your 16-year-old self? 

Honestly, I think I was better adjusted then than now in a number of ways but: start believing in yourself quicker, keep a bit more of yourself to yourself, read more, don't dumb yourself down to fit in because those people you're hanging out with are poisonous anyway and don't get that stupid bobbed haircut, you look like a dunce. Then I'd ask him for advice on how to get boys. 

What’s the difference between boys and girls? 

Other than physically? I don't think there's a hell of a lot of difference. I think we like to pretend there is but other than biologically people are people (to quote Martin Gore). Lots of people get too hung up on the miniscule differences which're usually socially constructed anyway. I'm more attracted to boys, usually, but emotionally I'd imagine it's all the same stuff. Show Me Who Broke Your Heart off the EP I sent you explains my feelings on this in a snappier, less clumsy way than I could just in cold text. 

 

 What are you listening to right now? 

At the time of writing the window is open and I'm listening to a dog bark, maddeningly. Otherwise, the stuff I'm into at the moment: quite a lot of Death In June and Current 93, Kanye West's Yeezus, Zebra Katz and revisiting the first two Streets albums. Of course, the new Neurotic Wreck + Longdrone Flowers things I'm working on and in the case of The Longdrone Flowers rehearsing for the increasingly frequent shows, but that's not as much for pleasure although I do enjoy it. 

Is there a mantra / belief you live by? What is it? 

"Keep your mouth closed and your mind open" 

Is not playing games the new playing games? Are we tired of trying? Is life too short to play the long game? 

Playing the game is a stupid waste of time but also seems to be the way of getting anything done. Personally, I'm not tired of trying as much as I am being ignored.