WRITING

Reviews, interviews and thoughts.

13.12.23
RAY CHU: What’s the T?
 A/W'23 
for Original Magazine
RAY CHU is a Taiwanese brand founded in 2016 that champions gender fluidity, gender equality, and self-expression. "What’s the T" was the name of their Autumn/Winter ’23 collection presentation that took place at mimosa house, London, on Saturday 18th of February 2023. RAY CHU partnered with Japanese adult brand Tenga for this collection. The collaboration signifies a multi-faceted exploration of the idea of pleasure. The collaboration places emphasis on ‘the transcendent nature of desire’, ‘which exists within us regardless of gender identity, race and class’. Mimosa house is a gallery space. Upon entering you were met with white walls being used as backdrops for guests’ photoshoots and the large display windows were plastered with RAY CHU posters. In the next room, you were encouraged to help yourself to seltzer and dance to the music provided by the DJ in the corner. The walls were covered with silver fringe curtains. In the centre of the room stood the models, surrounding a silver platform on which stood a RAY CHU branded jar of Tenga condoms. 
A favourite look of mine was the turquoise shirt and trouser two-piece. The colour popped against the silver backdrop and accompanying silver eye makeup. Another favourite was the oversized off-white skirt and blazer two-piece. The skirt had three high seams separating each panel past the end of the blazer while the blazer had exaggeratedly deep pockets running to the lining. The collection comprised of soft, pastel, and powdery tones that looked beautiful against the silver surroundings. A few outfits incorporated sequins which looked elegant and timeless on the sleek, gender-neutral silhouettes. Each outfit was characterised with silver inflections, some of which was silver hardware in the shape of the signature RAY CHU motif of a lightning bolt. Clean silhouettes and monochromatic colours accompanied vibrant turquoise browns and pinks make for a mature and classic feeling collection from the ‘sexy and disruptive’ brand. ‘This collection is highlighting the sexiness of being independent’, oversized buckles and sequins elevated timeless styles to champion self-expression in a flirty and futuristic way. 
The final piece of the collection was a dress made entirely of pockets designed perfectly to fit the Tenga; RAY CHU deftly executed a playful yet impactful ode to sexual liberation with this latest collection. In line with the same theme, an upcoming collaboration will see RAY CHU and That Gay Creation, a sex positive queer giftshop, launch the brand’s first lifestyle range. RAY CHU is ‘sustainable by nature’, they work with deadstock fabric, organic cotton, vegan leather made from recycled plastics and tea leaves (produced in collaboration with THE LAB 808) and only produces clothing to order. The garments were worn by a diverse array of models, in keeping with the brand’s gender-neutral initiative. This showcase was hopeful and affirming; the dedication to encouraging communication around sex and gender identity through fashion and creative self-expression is admirable. The atmosphere at this presentation was excellent. RAY CHU is an exciting brand to have around!
Yuhan Wang: The Women Who Came Back 
A/W'23
for Original Magazine:
https://www.originalmagazine.uk/lfw-aw23/yuhan-wang
 Pam Hogg: They Burn Witches Don’t They
AW'23
for Original Magazine:
Paolo Carzana
Autumn/Winter ’23 Catwalk Show
for Original Magazine:
Sinead Gorey AW23
 ‘The strip club debut presented a night to remember’
for Original Magazine:
Paul Costelloe AW23
’The Town I Love so Well’
for Original Magazine:
A.S.A.I
‘Can You Take My Breath Away?’
Autumn/Winter ’23 

A.S.A.I is the brand by British-Chinese-Vietnamese designer A Sai Ta. A.S.A.I is to: 

‘Actively Stand Against Injustice

AS A Intention

Activate Spirit Achieve Independence 

AS A Idea

All Souls Are Immortal 

AS A Inspiration 

A Self Actualised Individual’
Upon every seat in the New Gen space was a sheet of paper intended to accompany the showcase of A.S.A.I’s latest collection, titled ‘Can You Take My Breath Away?’ On the paper the scene is set:
‘In 1973 the Paris Peace accords were signed under the ornate chandeliers in Paris. War is over but everywhere is a warzone. You go Dahn Võ and hoist the chandeliers up again. It’s time to dress up-up and put on that gown. We all need decadence. Right?’ 
The signing of the Paris peace accords marked the official end to the Vietnam War. A.S.A.I’s Autumn/Winter ’23 collection evoked balance, yin and yang, decadence and war, contrasting elements that occupy the same space. Against a soundscape of hyper-pop, the models took to the catwalk. Gold and red inflections were consistent throughout the array of garments. The collection was diverse; embellished renderings of traditional formal dresses preceded a dress made entirely of knotted neon tie-dye print fabrics. A sculptural adaptation of army uniform in beige and khaki shredded fabric came before a ballgown created entirely from shredded denim. ‘It’s time to take up space’, read the paper accompanying the show. This notion engulfs the collection. A Sai Ta notes that ‘when all of my other pillars fell down, fashion became the pillar that pushed me forward’. The collection was a vision of abundance, opposites, and extremes. It was entertaining and exciting. As with many of the catwalk shows however, diversity throughout the body types of the models would have improved the showcase. Every model was straight-sized where an array of shapes and sizes would have certainly elevated the representation of the collection. 
Interview with AICK for Broke Magazine:
Courtney Barnett at Pitchfork Music Festival 13/11/22
Courtney Barnett performed at Pitchfork music festival on Sunday 13th November, and this gig changed the course of my life; by which I mean I can’t stop thinking about it. Courtney Barnett is a genius. I can only hope that we would be best friends if life was better because her lyrics are just intelligent, poetic articulations of every thought I’ve ever had.
I first discovered Courtney Barnett in 2015 with the release of Sometimes I Sit and Think and Sometimes I Just Sit, the album for which she was nominated the Grammy Award for ‘Best New Artist’ in 2016. I have a vivid memory of ‘revising’ for my GCSEs while staring at the poster that came free with the album, reflecting upon how, in that moment, I was just sitting and not thinking.
Barnett was on the bill for the last day of Pitchfork music festival with Cate Le Bon, Big Joanie, Léa Sen, Fake Fruit, Gretel Hänlyn and Samia. I arrived just in time to catch Cate Le Bon who I was eager to see; her music was such a source of inspiration and hope during lockdown. She exudes that kind of creativity that reminds you that exciting things are happening even if most things seem bleak. Her performance was transcendental and her stage presence commanded respect, it was a privilege to hear her perform live. The multi-layered, jaunty instrumental intro to my favourite song from her 2019 album Reward: ‘Mothers, Mothers Magazines’ was all the more impressive in real life. Mid-way through her set Le Bon asked the audience if we’d ever had dessert with our mains, before inviting Barnett onstage for a performance of her 2017 song, ‘Rock Pool’. Barnett accompanied Le Bon on guitar; the artists have been friends for a couple of years and their onstage chemistry proved it.
Barnett arrived on stage at 9:30. She was playing the red Fender Jaguar that she got to match the red album cover of her 2018 album Tell me How You Really Feel, and she looked so cool. The genius is in her lyricism, although her delivery was also seamless. It was easy to tell she is a well-versed performer, the whole set was so tight. She played a multiplicity of songs from over the years. I could have cried when she started playing ‘Depreston’, the song about buying a house in the suburbs after living in the city for too long. It becomes apparent throughout the song that the house belongs to a widow. It’s poignant and fantastic. Then came ‘Pedestrian at Best’, the song that Pitchfork describes as ‘a live-and-direct dispatch from the center [sic] of Barnett's considerable brain’, it is loud and chaotic, the audience loved it. The Nirvana influence is notable on this track and it sounds incredible. ‘If I Don’t Hear from You Tonight’ is a song from her most recent album Things Take Time, Take Time (2021). It had passed me by when it first came out, but the live performance was so moving that I’ve listened to it on repeat all week. She ended with ‘Before You Gotta Go’, another new track that felt particularly sentimental given the context. It was the perfect song to close such a memorable show; ‘Before you gotta go, go, go, go/I wanted you to know, know, know, know/You're always on my mind’.
​​​​​​​Christine and The Queens's 'Redcar': An Exercise In Emotional Exploration
Redcar les adorables étoiles (prologue) is Christine and The Queens’ fourth studio album. It has been marketed as a prologue to the fifth album which is due to be released in early 2023. Redcar, also known as Christine and the Queens (or 'Chris' for short), set himself the challenge of writing and recording a body of work in two weeks: an exercise in creative catharsis. The 13-track long Redcar les adorables étoiles (prologue) is the result of this challenge.
In the run up to the album’s release on Friday, Redcar wrote on Instagram: "This cycle of music that is announcing itself with REDCAR has been the most transformative one of my life so far, and it’s not devoid of pain, for the stretching [sic] is deeply existential". In August of this year Redcar came out as trans, saying "I’ve been a man for a year now"; it was around this time he adopted the name Redcar/Red. He named himself and his album after cars he saw repeatedly following the sudden death of his mother in 2019. He explained in an interview with the Guardian; “Redcar is me, too. It’s me right now. Broken down. [A] suited, demented man, questing for angels”. Referring to his multiplicity of names, he noted, “I just have many names for all the layers.”
The album has obvious 80s influences: it is heavy on the synth, reminiscent of the likes of Les Rita Mitsouko and Sparks, with a definite nod to David Bowie in its theatrical and melodramatic approach to pop music. Track one ‘Ma bien aimée bye bye’ (‘My beloved bye bye’), with its meditative synths and simple yet harrowing refrain: "my wife 'til I die so long, oh, my baby long gone", sets the tone for an album that is preoccupied with love, sex and heartbreak, clouded by grief and existentialism. 'Tu sais ce qu'il me faut' then breaks you out of the trance state established by the prior track, with Red’s chanting chorus and electric guitar solo harking back to 80s boogie. 'La chanson du chevalier' follows; in my opinion, this was the strongest single released ahead of the full album. The horror synths and layered vocals create an overstated and dramatic atmosphere, reflective of the stupor of uncomfortable emotion that the album evokes.
After a strong and atmospheric start, the songs do start to blend into one another somewhat. This is not necessarily a flaw, as it does feel meditative. When appreciated as a challenge in creative catharsis from a grief-stricken artist, this disjointed yet hypnotic mix makes sense.
Speaking to the Guardian, Red reflected on the depth of his new album: "I’m still grieving, [and] I’m changing, and I don’t think society helps at all. Society doesn’t help people connect to a truth that could be out[side] of consumerism. I feel… I feel just very angry."
Redcar les adorables étoiles (prologue) is the work of an artist in an uncomfortable and dissatisfied period, where music has been the medium through which he explores such emotions. Red has been vocal about compromises and disagreements between himself and his record label when creating this new body of work. Consequently, Redcar les adorables étoiles (prologue) is an incredibly raw album that may feel angry and confused at times, but such notions are plausibly intentional. They are reflective of an artist kicking back against societal constraints whilst navigating an intensely personal time in his life.
Sorry Have Nothing to Apologise for With Sophomore Album, 'Anywhere But Here'​​​​​​​
Wednesday the 5th of October was the launch night for Sorry’s second album: 'Anywhere But Here' at the Windmill in Brixton. The event was announced via the band’s Instagram account:
“We kindly request the pleasure of your attendance for a night of decadence with dancing, free tattoos, and the very first playback of our sophomore album…”
It was black tie entry only and tickets were not for sale; rather you had to RSVP through the band’s Discord page and ticket holders were selected at random. My friend Helena won a ticket, and I was her designated plus one.
The Windmill is a distinguished venue, it is very cool and intimate. The amount of people with mullets and/or bleached hair holding pints and wearing bow ties made for a very entertaining aesthetic, especially against the backdrop of the dimly lit, bit gross (in a good way) venue. The combination of the venue and the dress code made me feel like I had fallen into the ‘Bugsy Malone’ cinematic universe, a feeling I couldn’t quite shake throughout the night.
'925', Sorry’s debut album was released on the 27th of March 2020. It is eclectic and experimental, exciting in the way it frustratedly jumps between genres. I considered it an encapsulation of the general mood of 2020 and listened to it obsessively that entire year.
'Anywhere But Here' is the perfect follow up. Produced by Portishead’s Adrien Utley, it is the sound of catharsis and it was so fun to listen to in the garden of the windmill in my fanciest dress. The opening track ‘Let the Lights on’ is hopeful in the face of heartbreak; it is a reckless declaration of love and an ode to dancing. Track 4, ‘The Willow Tree’ is my favourite from the album, it captures the mood of the launch night. Immersed as I am in the Bugsy Malone vibes, I think ‘Willow Tree’ is Sorry’s answer to ‘Give a Little Love’. The rhythmic, toe-tapping beat accompanies vocals that range between whispers and warbles. It sounds like a dark, red washed venue where everyone is wearing bow ties.
After the band ended the night with some Alex G karaoke, Helena and I, elated from the launch, went home listening to the Bugsy Malone soundtrack from my phone speaker. 'Anywhere But Here' is an incredibly enjoyable and atmospheric second album from Sorry.
An Experiment
to Check if I Have Any Thoughts
I leave to ring Lily.
Lily doesn’t pick up.
The woman from the bakery just put a few loaves of bread outside for people to take free of charge. This reminds me of work. We sometimes leave bread outside free of charge if we have it left over. There is a woman with light grey hair, very straight, that reaches the small of her back. She has a denim waistcoat on with nothing underneath, it matches her denim flares, she has an XR Ukraine badge on the left breast of her waistcoat, she’s wearing small dark sunglasses and enthusiastically grabs an armful of loaves before shouting
“you’d only get this in Hastings wouldn’t you!”
I just stand there while my mouth is a bit open, I don’t know what to say because today is my first day in Hastings. I have so far spent the whole day in one room. I was literally mid-thought about how much like my work in Camberwell it was.
I know that it doesn’t matter if I lie because she was just saying a passing comment so it’s fine if I just agree with her, but I wrestle with the morality of it for so long that by the time I’ve decided I will agree she’s halfway down the road anyway so then I probably just looked really rude because I stood there with my mouth a bit open while she tried to be friendly.
Lily calls me back on the dinner break and we talk ardently about the law and feeling disrespected.
Somehow, while in the passionate flow of vitriol I become distracted after seeing my legs through the window of a four-panel glass door that has a mirror or some kind of reflective surface behind it. I am struck by how great they look; they are so lean; my calf muscles are way more defined than I realised. I decide it’s because I do walk pretty much everywhere, it looks nice especially with my new camper shoes with red laces that I got for £40 in the sale. Everyone says they look like clown shoes; I think I actually really like that look for myself especially now I’ve seen how they look from that angle.
The poet is talking about Rembrandt and things, maybe himself, being made in the image of God and I keep having intrusive thoughts, so I scratch my face really hard and say ‘shut up’ inside my head. This technique works in a few different ways, I use them all while the poet is speaking. You can press down really hard on a hard surface while you think ‘shut up’ to yourself or you can press your finger nail in your arm until it makes a little horseshoe shape on your arm while you think ‘shut up’. If you are walking (which I am not) you can stomp down hard while thinking ‘shut’ ‘up’ with each footstep. They are the best ways to stop intrusive thoughts coming true that I’ve found.
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