I had my Final collection Photo-shoot yesterday! One outfit made, just five more to go (argh!!) and to celebrate surviving to this point, I thought I’d buy into the new Tribal trend that is currently gracing our high street. Now I must say, I’m not a massive jewellery fan; bracelets, necklaces etc, tend to annoy me no end and I generally end up throwing them somewhere in a fit of rage. But if you want to dabble in the world of the fierce tribal fashion warrior without splashing too much cash, jewellery is definitely the way to go (even I bagged myself a ring and necklace).
Unsurprisingly Topshop Freedom has a fantastic selection right now (FYI there’s also a half price sale on, don’t all rush at once) and geometric, high neck block print tee’s are everywhere. Not a big fan of a sleeved tee? Just cut the sleeves off at the shoulders, and tuck into a pair of high waisted shorts/jeans Ta da! Instant Tribal Queen. Another easy way to tap into this key trend is by getting yourself a pair of this seasons ‘It’ shoe – the super wedge. Yes wedges have been around for a while, and yes some of them do look like hooves; but the strappy, metallic, print confections of S’S 12 are a different take on the traditional trend, and have been seen strutting their stuff in Paris and London Fashion weeks. I’d recommend you walk on even surfaces and avoid cobbles though, these babies are like mini see-saws.
(Julian J Smith for River Island wedges, My Topshop buys, J.W Anderson Spring ’12, Just Cavalli Swimsuit)
21, Contour Fashion student, design lover and Haribo addict.
I’m Sarah, Superfly’s new fashion blogger, and as a relative newbie to the blogging circuit it’s only right I introduce myself…
I’m in my final year of Contour Fashion (Lingerie and Swimwear design), a Guinness lover and mushroom hater. I once turned up a day early to a fancy dress party dressed as a penguin and one day I will own a vintage mustang. Although my days are filled with knickers and bras, I’m going to fight my way through the thongs, find my computer and update you with the latest in fashion. Throughout the entire fashion spectrum, from street style spotlights to trend outlines and news from the latest collections, I’m going to be here to tell you about it, and not going to lie, I’m a little excited!
With the sun making a guest appearance last month, I wasn’t the only girl to don the obligatory summer uniform of a floral summer dress and denim jacket. But sadly it appears the sun has gone back into hibernation for a little while and we’re wearing our coats again. So big thanks to any trend that allows me to roll out of bed at 5 to 9 on a cold morning and wear pyjamas to my lectures.
That’s right – pyjamas (yes, I know what you’re thinking. But bare with me). From Dolce & Gabbanna to Topshop, the fashion sect are falling over their sky scraper heels to wear matching tops and bottoms, and it’s definitely not Noel Coward they’re channelling. Think big, bold, bright, exotic inspired hyper prints and fruit – lots and lots of it. The Prada banana print that made waves in 2011 is where it all began, a print that within minutes of hitting the catwalk spawned an army of lookalikes on our High Street. I’m going to be honest, I wasn’t too sure about pyjamas or bananas (or bananas in pyjamas) until my friend donned a matching paisley set from Warehouse, OK it’s definitely a trend for the fashion brave. You definitely won’t blend in to the background that’s for sure, but walking with her to university one grey day in March, it seemed like the perfect fashion antidote to the sea of winter greys and blacks.
The images… Dolce & Gabbanna, Stella McCartney and Asos channel their inner Sleepover Club
Words and a warm Superfly welcome to Abigail White!
What was once a small, one-day musical event is now an eagerly anticipated and award-winning 3-day musical delight. This year the 7,000 strong festivalgoers can look forward to seeing Jack Beats and Olugbenga to name just a couple, in the dance arena hosted by Superfly and Dbe.
Summer Sundae really is a festival for all music lovers, as there is genuinely something for everyone. However, it is the prospect of seeing a DJing duo that really will whip up the crowds and an artist who is creating a very unique sound which is what I am most excited for.
JACK BEATS
Jack Beats are an award-winning duo, consisting of Niall Dailly and Ben Geffin. Before joining forces in 2007, they had both been part of successful DJ groups but decided to leave and start a new project together. Niall had been part of Scratch Perverts and Ben (Beni G) part of The Mixologists, both of which will have helped the duo become the DJs they are today. They made their mark on the music scene with great speed and were very soon recognised by clubbers and those in the music industry as a winning combination.
They have produced successful remixes for La Roux, Skream, Beyonce, Fake Blood, Florence & The Machine and Passion Pit, as well as producing their very own original sounds. They have had a very distinct and unique sound from the very beginning as they often combine Hip-hop, House, Dubstep, Electro and Drum & Bass into one very unusual but effective combination. Their success is apparent when you see names such as Annie Mac, Zane Lowe and Diplo all praising the work that they are doing.
They have previously had a residency at Fabric and played to 80,000 people in L.A on NYE 2010. However, this summer is also set to be big for them due to having slots at the impressive Hideout, Sonar, T in the Park, SW4 and of course the Summer Sundae festival. Have a listen to the links below in order to check out their sound and get that little bit more excited about seeing them perform this summer.
Just try sitting still to their remix of ‘Drumming Song’ by Florence & The Machine and if you’re like me and the many other fans, you’ll find it pretty impossible.
See below for a dirtier and bass heavy sound that was one of their first EP’s to create a buzz after being released on Herve’s Cheap Thrills Records.
Finally, for a much newer offering from the talented duo, have a listen to ‘End of Love’ and count down the days till Summer Sundae.
OLUGBENGA
Olugbenga originally became a well-respected name due to being part of the very successful group, Metronomy. However, he is now steadily creating his own following due to a string of well received remixes that he has created himself. Olugbenga can also be found writing music, DJing and having a very sleek and informative blog.
Olugbenga was born to a Nigerian father and Kenyan mother and his African roots can often be heard in the music that he produces. However, with other influences such as Om Unit, MIA, Clams Casino, Plastician, Skepta, Swizz Beats and obviously Metronomy, his sound is both unique and unforgettable.
His fan base is global as his past shows have been in countries such as Australia, the UK and Japan to name just a few. Perhaps it is Olugbenga’s ability to successfully combine Pop, Rock, Hip-hop, Electronica and African sounds that have resulted in a growing fan base and why it is no doubt that he will be a great hit at Summer Sundae.
In order to get a better understanding of what you can expect to hear from Olugbenga at Summer Sundae, have a listen to the links below and become of the many who appreciate his fresh and exciting talent. The EP ‘Uylsses’ is originally by Jim Croft, but Olugbenga has created an unusual combination with a track that is both base heavy and yet also delightfully blissful and chilled.
Olugbenga clearly comes from a talented family as he has recently created a remix of his brother, Seye’s ‘White Noise’ EP. It really is a beautiful offering with the likes of Rob da Bank on Radio 1 giving it a well-deserved play.
You can buy tickets for the Summer Sundae festival very, very soon! For more information on this great varied festival check out the Summer Sundae website
Well what can I say, another year has almost drawn to a close and with it 12 months of amazing music. We’ve had high’s and low’s, thrill’s and spills, but none the less it’s been a hell of a year…
This is the year that we saw a post hardcore front man become the crown prince of dubstep, we lost some of music’s brightest stars (RIP DJ Mehdi, Gill Scott-Heron & the original don Mr. Jimmy Saville) and bass music rocketed into the collective conscious of the nation as both DJ Fresh & Nero secured the covered #1 spot.
Steve Angelo got caught miming, Justin Biebers balls dropped, Korn came out of retirement and Pete tong had to get a restraining order placed on Shara Nelson of Massive Attack after she claimed to be his secret wife…
2011 was an interesting year for me personally also, it saw the start of another musical adventure in the way of joining the Superfy Family which through many influences saw me say goodbye to Drum & Bass and embrace a wider spectrum of music in my club sets that showcases the very best in UK Bass.
With 2012 fast approaching, and my label, Mugen Audio Recordings due to release it’s first ever track in the new year, I can only hope that next year bring as much excitement and change as the last.
So in no particular order here are some of my highlights from the year that was, and those to watch for the year to come…
Deadboy – Wish U Were Here [Numbers]
Spectr – Dance 4 Me [RKS]
Arkist + Kidkut – One Year Later [Hot Flush]
Damu – L.O.V.E [Keysound]
Star Slinger – Elizabeth Fraser (Cocteau Twins Rework) [White]
Mosca – Bax [Numbers]
Joe Goddard Feat. Valentina – Gabriel (Seiji Remix) [Greco-Roman]
Scuba – Never [Hot Flush]
Rustie – Surph [Warp Records]
Bwana – Baby, Let Me Finish [White]
Dusty Kid – Chentu Mizas [Boxer Recordings]
Wishing everyone a happy, safe and enjoyable Christmas + New Year.
Well what a crazy ass year we’ve had. Dubstep went back underground (Well the real stuff did…) I rediscovered house music.. (Or house music got good again….) We lost one of dance music’s finest (R.I.P. DJ Medhi) & Disco edits crashed into specific bar sets I performed with my good friend Sleazy Wonder.
Here’s my take on the records that rocked my world in 2011… (In NO particular order)
DeadBoy – Here 4 U
Lil Silva – Seasons
Sbtrkt – Wildfire
Jon Convex – Convexations
Jamie XX – Far Nearer
Untold – Cool Story Bro
Huxley – Shower Scene
Gonzales – Knight Moves (Lone Mix)
Jacques Greene – Lay It Down
Virgo Four – It’s A Crime (Hunee Mixes)
Scuba – Adrenalin EP (All tracks are killers!)
Addison Groove – This Is It / Make Em Bounce
Xxxy – Kerpow
Blawan – Vibe Decorium
A1 Bassline – Falsehood
Justin Martin & Ardalan – LEZGO
Ben Westbeech – Something for the weekend – Breach Mix
There are so many more records from 2011, but I could literally be here all day.
So onto 2012, and my take on who I’ll be following. Some of the following may not be fresh to the scene, but acts i’ve discovered throughout the year…. I’ve attached the artists Soundcloud so you can check em out.
2011 has been another amazing year for the underground music. weather that be House, Future Garage, post Dubstep (What people label it as. I call it new music, and its bloomin brilliant!
I’ve been out to some ridiculous places as well this year. Warehouse Project Storer Street Car park tops the venues I’ve visited. Greg Wilson at Bestival was a big DJ Set Highlight. Chic ‘Live’ at the Warehouse Project were amazing! Kasabien at Nottigham Trent arena. The Detonate Indoor Festival at Rock City, Stealth & Rescue Rooms was one of the most impressive gigs I’ve ever done, and been involved with…
We are all living in the age, in which the pursuit of all values other than; money, success, fame, glamour, has either been discredited or destroyed.
It’s been a while since the last time I put digital pen to paper and wrote an update for Superfly City. The last few weeks have been interesting if not borderline schizophrenic in nature.
The start of October marked the official beginning to another season of clubbing in our fair city, and with 3000 extra bodies crowding the streets of Leicester there was a lot of hype surrounding the unofficial season launch of Fresher’s Week. Wandering around and engaging with the goings on of various clubs, nights and concepts really hit home a powerful message…
…and how disappointing that message was…
We are suffering hard times as a country, a lack of direction, a lack of vision, a lack of ideas. There is an overwhelming sense of apathy across people of all ages, and it now seems the same apathy has bled across the borderlines and into club land.
It has always disappointed me that concepts like ‘The porn party’ or ‘battle of the halls / sexes / eye colours’ (take your pick) succeed often at the sacrifice of intellectual musical pursuits.
Admittedly it’s not just these drab A-typical student orientated events that are slowly signalling a final curtain call for the underground music scene, but it’s certainly not doing us any favour’s that’s for sure.
From a popular perspective Underground music has never been so widely on the gestalt conscious of the masses, but yet it’s a hollow conscious rooted in lip service ideals.
It’s suddenly cool to like angry dirty dub step, clear cutting house beats, or frenetic drum and bass but no one seems to want to support the roots of this culture.
We are at the stage where a relatively unknown pair of music student’s from Leicester are storming around the official chart like it’s their own private sandbox and yet, how many 18 year olds do you think could accurately distinguish an Amen Break from their breakfast? I’m not a betting man but I’d happily say not many.
Where has the intelligence gone in intelligent dance?
I think it’s time the hive opened up their minds as well as their ears to a whole new world of possibilities and experiences the vast spectrum of music can deliver to you. One day, maybe not immediately, but soon; the scene will go through a down swing and Music will be the order of business as far as the recession chopping block goes.
He who joyfully marches to music in rank and file has already earned my contempt. He has been given a large brain by mistake, since for him the spinal cord would suffice.
- Albert Einstein
To end in true SFC blog style; here are a few tracks that have got my toes tapping recently.
Until next time folks.
Timber x
DAMU – RIDIN’
JOE GODDARD FEAT. VALENTINA – GABRIEL (SEIJI REMIX)
It’s been a few weeks since my last blog but, as has been the way with me this year, a lot seems to have happened in a relatively short space of time. Having worked hard on new music all summer it seems that people have started to take notice of my productions and I have had tracks signed to Sishi Rosch and Diego Moreno’s Barcelona based label, Digital delight
The label is going from strength to strength and is attracting a lot of attention from some of the big players of the house music world. As if that wasn’t enough I have an EP which will see wax early next year on new imprint “Hourglass music”. You can hear the tracks here http://soundcloud.com/hourglassmusic”
Naturally I am really excited about releasing tracks alongside artists such as Rosch and Puente, Wildkats, Julian Sandre, Death on the balcony, Aquarius heaven, the list of peers goes on. Both labels reflect a sound and attitude I both respect and admire and I can’t wait to see my tracks out in the open! Before that happens I have a new job starting at the beginning of November. I am, all of a sudden, going to have an awful lot on my plate but I enjoy being busy. It’s all to easy to relax and feel comfortable with what you’ve got but I have never been like that, I have to follow my heart and do what is necessary. The Job may not have been expected but it feels like the right path to take and we all need to make a little money, right?
I don’t expect anything to get in the way of my musical dreams however, I see this path as a path of learning, an attitude I have learnt the late Steve Jobs had when he dropped out of college. His passing earlier this month was not something I expected to be affected by but I watched this video last week and was pretty moved by his words.
If you have ever doubted or doubt what you are doing in life watch this video, it’s incredibly inspiring. The man was a visionary and if you are in any way creative then I am sure you will have had your life somewhat touched by an apple device. No one has changed the world more than this man in the last 20 years.
The weekend of the 21st/22nd of October sees Oxjam smack Leicester around the chops and then saying “It’s okay its for charity”. Two days of events, parties and culture hit the city with everyone getting involved. Sonido will be rocking the warehouse look on the Saturday, guaranteed to be huge and all for a good cause. Save the Pony are no different, we are putting on one last charity hoorah on the Friday (21st October) in Leicester. We have once again enlisted the help of Kubicle and Fabric’s FB Julian as well as support from our residents. Julian’s stock is rising fast and since we last had him down to one of our Pony parties he’s been rocking Fabric on several occasions including last Saturday’s Rebel Rave. A special mention goes out to a début Back 2 Back set from Jack and Lacosta (if he’s still allowed in the club!), definitely not to be missed. The event will be held downstairs at the interlude and we will have collection buckets dotted around the place for donations to Oxfam.
For more details head here
http://www.facebook.com/Savethepony
Now I shall leave you with some more music in the form of a little top 5 of sorts… Enjoy
What do you get if you suppress half of Germany for nigh on half a century, then rip down a wall allowing said half a nation to live in a free democratic state with no censorship of culture? Well lots of things, all good, but in this particular blog I would say you get the magnificent two piece ‘Modeselektor’.
Gernot Bronsert and Sebastian Szary grew up on the bad side of the Berlin wall in east Germany and were coming of age when self-proclaimed communism destroyer David Hasslehoff sang at the final evening of east German oppression under the Commies, single handedly reuniting Deutschland.
(Hasslehoff does actually believe he helped bring down the communist regime, whereas actually 50 years of poor accounting destroyed Russia’s ability to support the east German dictatorship…bit of history there for you…don’t worry there won’t be anymore). So even though the first official music of the newly free country was “Looking for Freedom” mimed by the Hoff, the German people got over that pretty quickly, finding that organising free parties without harassment from the law was easy. So like the rest of the free world electronic music and in particular Acid House took over…Wooo hooo!
So back to the heroes of this tale, ModeSelektor. The duo met in 1995 in a Berlin where all western culture was a preferred alternative to anything that came before. Szary was already playing live Acid House, but not long after the two met they started their musical journey together under the name ‘Fundamental knowledge’. In 1996 the pair changed to ‘Modeselektor’ a name taken from an old Roland analogue effects unit.
They got their first big break in 1999 remixing for Berlin based VJ ‘Pfadfinderei ‘ and then in 2000 signed for Ellen Aliens ‘B pitch control’ label and have never looked back.
Their first album ‘Hello mum’ released in 2005 set the tone for the rest of their musical releases and two years later their second album ‘Happy Birthday’ proved that the modeselektor style was working and would be around for a long time to come. The pair never stick to a distinct style in any of their productions, gliding seamlessly between techno house dubstep and IDM . The only common ground between each track is how different they are from the last yet still intriguing and above all fun, which has made Modeselektor the jokers of the German techno scene.
They have since collaborated with ‘Apperat’ (Sascha Ring) under the name ‘Moderat’ and furthur musical visual projects with Pfadfinderei namely ‘Pfadselektor’ they have even lectured at the ‘Merz Akademie’ in Stuttgart reflecting on their musical journey since the wall fell and how they create their midi based live performances.
The highly respected duo are a big favorite with ‘Radiohead’s’ genius front man Thom Yorke and while not only appearing as remixer’s on his ‘Skip divided’ release but under the ‘Moderat’ collaboration have supported Radiohead at concerts across Europe.
Monkeytown the latest long player from Modeselektor is a blend of bass heavy tech house, combined with a large slice of non-formulaic dubstep and Bass, with a bit of hip hop thrown in for good measure by collaborating with their friend French rapper ‘Siriusmo’. The album includes two tracks collaborating with Thom Yorke, both of which I would say are more for the bedroom listener than the dance floor; but by far the stand out tune of the album is ‘Black block’ a banging electro / techno monster which is well and truly aimed at blowing your ears off your head.
Modeselektor are on fire at the moment and are truly a positive product of Germany’s inevitable embracing of western culture. Proving the fall of communism did produce a lot of good reactions, unlike say the failing socialist giants’ negative effects on the safety monitoring of Chernobyl, which to be quite frank is a reaction we could have all done without (sorry a bit more history…ish).
Sometimes days come in this industry where no matter who you are, your background, your style, your genre, all differences are put aside to remember fallen dancefloor soldiers, and yesterday was a particularly poignant example of this.
September 13th 2011 marked the 15 year anniversary of the death of one of america’s greatest urban poets; Tupac Shakur. A terrible loss for his family, friends and the hip hop industry, Shakur’s legacy is still ever present today as it was all those years ago. He is one of the few artist’s to sell more records post-humorously then he did whilst alive. Which I guess goes to not only show you something about middle America’s music buying habits, but also the reach of this iconic star and his message.
I was sat at my desk in Superfly HQ pondering the impact of Tupac and other musician’s who have now left us for the great gig in the sky when news began to break across the internet that would turn a reflective moment into something much more bittersweet…
One of the biggest stars in French dance music and lynch pin of the phenomenal ‘Ed Banger’ imprint DJ Mehdi had passed away. The shock hit me like a kick to the chest and reeling I forwarded the information on to rest of the Superfly office crew, who were struck with equal shock and dumbfounding.
‘No way man! I saw him perform with Riton as Carte Blanche not 2 days ago at Bestival!’ exclaimed our head of promotions Pasquale.
Eager for more information I took to the Twitterverse in hopes of mining some more information out of people about the shocking and untimely demise of yet another great musical pioneer. I had not long since clicked the bookmark on my browser before the extent of the news, and it’s reach within the dance music community could already be felt. Names such as Fake Blood and Shy FX, through to the likes of Toddla T & Annie Nightingale were all feverishly posting their condolences, memories and regrets. Away from all the usual bureaucracy and nepotism that surrounds professional artists there was an overwhelming sense of collective loss.
It will never cease to amaze me the effect some musicians can have on there peers, fans and friends alike. So many shining stars fade too soon into their short lives, but the warmth of their light inspires people eternally across generations irregardless.
So in memory I’m going to close the blog post with a dedication to some of music’s brightest stars, taken too soon, but will keep on shining as long as the music keeps on playing…
It was a busy August for me and September is shaping up to be even busier. After Sonido made a brief and honorable retreat indoors, it returns to it’s favoured outdoor habitat this Sunday the 18th September. I am looking forward to playing a rooftop party alongside friends and head liners of the usual quality. Check out the event page for full details but Illusion front man Tom Craven and Cloak + Dagger’s Samu.L are sure to bring the usual quality to Leicester’s premier house event. It looks to be a fond farewell to a summer of great parties, I know everyone will have their fingers firmly crossed for great weather.
As is now routine for myself and the rest of the Save the Pony crew, we are frantically preparing for our end of month party. This one promises to be our biggest one yet. Richy Amhed, fresh from a US tour alongside Crosstown rebel’s, will be bringing the curtain down on our STP events in Leicester for the year. His stock has gone up and up since releasing “Suck it” on the Hot waves compilation. High profile dj sets have followed and his approachable smile, sense of fun and love of the party have lead to well deserved popularity across the world. He also happens to be partly responsible for one of the hottest records of the moment…
and has now been given the honour of a set at DC10 closing. The future is bright for Richy and we are ecstatic to have him out our humble Pony appreciation seminar. Hope you can make it down, it’s free via the guest list, just RSVP on our Facebook event page HERE
That will not be the end of STP though, we have parties lined up for other cities before the year is through, then we will return to our Leicester roots. As long as there is a need to help out all the Ponies in Leicester, we will be there, sound system in tow, providing a welcoming stable and fresh bails of hay…
In other music related Rebel news I have recently put together a podcast for Artful division. You can Listen here
It includes lots of fresh new tunes from me and some other gems…
The website is the brain child of local lads Jon Brooks (Jon Samwell and Will Brooks) who have held down a residency at Sonido and been part of the Leicester club scene for the last couple of years now. They are great dj’s and are currently working hard in the studio to hone a sound they can call their own. I am confident we will be hearing much more from them in the future.
