Tracks on repeat right now

Alt-j - Every Other Freckle
Alt-J seem to be releasing little nuggets of delicious music, prolonging the anticipation their new album daily. Their new single release is 'Every Other Freckle' which I literally cannot stop listening to, hence why it had to top my tracks on repeat list. Newman has a type of vocal I can't get over. It has this inner depth which is able to evoke so many emotions at once. Which kind of relates to the teenage psyche, unable to pinpoint exactly what they're thinking... or feeling.. or want. A standout lyric has to be, 'Turn you inside out and lick you like a crisp packet'. As British as dirty talk can get really.

Jessie Ware - Tough Love
I previously mentioned a track of Ware's before but this track has captivated me from first play and is really different in my opinion to anything she has released before. It has sonic pulsations of synth and vocals which stir, 'You got me crying out for more/That's called tough love'. It's full of emotion and Ware puts across real emotion through her vocals and lyrics. Enchanting.

Airhead - Hundred Years   
1-800-Dinosaur are a brilliant label with alternative god, James Blake at it's helm and producer Rob McAndrews otherwise known as Airhead one of it's artists. 'Hundred Years' is simply a great track due to its broken beat structure and overlapping vocal, 'What you know about love/What you expect me to do'. The rest of the Believe EP is great with 'Shirin' being another favourite, but this is a standout for me.

FKA Twigs - 'LP1' Album Review

FKA Twigs otherwise known as Tahliah Debrett Barnett has been slowly up and coming from the depths of the underground scene into the more mainstream and well known scene of British alternative music. She's back with her follow up album 'EP1' which takes a slight detour however manages to stay on a steady track.

The album stays true to Barnett's style with introductory tracks 'Preface' and 'Lights On', 'When I trust you/We can do it with the lights on' to 'Two Weeks' 'Pull out the insides and give me two weeks/You won't recognize her'. Unusual lyrics compressed into much more unusual beats. With the middle of the album taking a more fleshy turn with 'Pendelum' and 'Video Girl' being less disjointed and more emotional and contemplative. If you've been lucky enough to see her live, you immediatley conjour up her writhing and bopping to these tracks. If you haven't, watch here. She somehow manages to ooze her physical idiosyncrasies through her vocals seamlessly.

'Numbers' takes a step back to the break beat R&B feel, with a soaring vocal, 'Was I just a number to you' shows her vulnerability and her inner desires combined with heartache. Following on with 'Closer', it has a strangely gospel vibe mixed in with a 80's electronic undertone rounded up with broken synth beats. Only FKA twigs. Closing up with 'Give Up' and 'Kicks', it's her instrumentals which really seem to pay testament to her imprint in the scene and the power of great production. 'Kicks' is a haunting, rousing conclusion to the album, 'What do I do when you're not here?' It leaves you in the dark, in silence, wondering when your hair will stop standing on end and the bumps on your arms would go down.

There's something so sensual yet disturbing about FKA that entices you track after track. The enigmatic nature and the broken beat of her music underpins the character of a girl seemingly highly inspired by trailblazers in the past like Bjork and Kate Bush. It's breathtakingly refreshing when an artist is willing to push the boundaries and surpass expectation. The disturbing yet highly enticing theme of Barnett's persona of the 'submissive ragdoll' (reference to that 'Papi Pacify' video) carries forward from not only her lyrics but to the cover of her album where she appears waxen and manneqin-esque. It then poses the question whether Barnett is trying to pose a deeper question of her position in the industry. Is she merely a puppet trying to break free or submit? It seems like her music is the only answer to that question. 


9/10

Standout tracks: 'Two Weeks', 'Pendulum', 'Kicks'

Streets of East

Today was a beautiful Summers day and I thought it'd be great to do a little OOTD! I'm all for items which are breathable and bright for the summer so I threw together a simple outfit which keeps you cool and also keeps you comfortable too.

A simple white top is the equivalent to the staple Little Black Dress. As I've got older I've started to deviate from the slogan tees and more towards block coloured items so this crop top from ASOS is becoming a favourite of mine to pair up with high waisted jeans and skirts. I'm also always in Converse. They're comfy, versatile and also affordable.

             

Mustard is such a favourite colour of mine! If you looked inside my wardrobe and my shoe collection, you'd see that too. It's such a beautiful colour which makes your skin pop, especially if you've got dark skin or a tan! 

All the pieces I'm wearing are from ASOS, so definitely watch out for their own brand items.

Crop top: ASOS

Skater skirt: ASOS

Trainers: Converse

University: Is it really worth it?

A question that has been spiralling round and round my brain for years increasing in volume...

'Is it really worth all that money to go to university?'

With a lot of my peers deciding to postpone university to 'find' themselves, take a gap year, pursue careers or internships or just skip uni altogether, I look into myself and my plans. I question whether I'm going into something which will waste 4 years of my life and my money. 

I'm going on to study PR and it has been a keen interest of mine for the past few years. I love the medium of social media to promote my friends who are artists in music or in theatre and I love working and advising friends on how they can improve their public image as professionals. I believe PR is definitely a real necessity in our everyday world. From Obama to Beyoncé, everyone in the public eye needs crisis management. However, after doing placements and small stints in offices, it kind of... scares me. After being in the cocoon of the BRIT school for years transitioning into the less forgiving world of work, I feel the difference. So, what about those who really aspire to be successful and earn the big bucks working in the city or doing their dream job but just aren't ready yet?

University.

The bridge that fills the gap between that annoying uncertain stage in life. That extra time to build more foundations for the future instead of floundering in the big pond which is called 'the real world'. Being able to meet new people and build more exciting and fun experiences. And partying! You can't have all work without play... I must admit, 30k is a lot to party and 'discover' yourself without the safety net of your parents but it has been proven that those who go into higher education do go on to earn more in the long run that those who did not. 

Either way, whether you've decided uni isn't really your thing or you've bagged a place at your dream uni.. 

Be sure to make the most of it.