photography /  Frances Carter

styling / Rose Morgan

model / Chloe Price @ Red11

With thanks to Vixen Vintage Boutique and 203H

top and shorts, Edward Stothers. backpack, Glassons. shoes vintage.

sweater, Vintage.

dress, Vintage .

top, Vintage. cuffs, Nick Von K.

dress, Edward Stothers. Shoes, vintage

story and pictures / Adeline Tan

The Antlers played an intimate show in Le Poisson Rouge Wednesday 12^th June 2013. It felt like everyone in that room had a personal connection with the band. Maybe it was the intimacy of the setting, the small quarters and brilliant encompassing sound. The Antlers came from the evolution of Peter Silberman’s bedroom recordings to a fully realized band. They are a Brooklyn, New York based indie band that started out as a solo lo-fi folk project and rapidly progressed into an immense sounding chamber rock group. Ambient pop tunes stretched with Silberman’s high falsetto notes and drawn out vocals. The Antlers transported you into a dreamlike state, swaying side to side like you are in a trance. Simply ethereal.

The Brooklyn trio, playing as a quartet, released an amazing album Burst Apart in early 2011 and an EP in 2012 entitled Undersea, both met with great acclaim. Those familiar with Hospice, the group’s breakthrough and perhaps even the best album of 2009, know The Antlers as intimate, heartbreaking, and lyrically driven. While the album was recorded as a three-piece, the songs came from frontman Peter Silberman. The story behind Hospice has been discussed, but Silberman has explained the record as being the story of an emotionally abusive relationship, told through the likeness of a Hospice worker and terminally ill patient.

The Antlers opened their set with “Drift Drive,” a song filled with extraordinarily murky melodies and submerged reverb, the first song off the band’s latest and fittingly titled EP, “Undersea.” The unnerving expressiveness of Silberman’s lush soundscape transformed the apparently ordinary guitar riffs into short, declarative stanzas within a majestic, lyrical narrative. Poetic lamentations seem to be a trend with most of Silberman’s songs.

“Rolled Together,” where cymbal crashes, shimmering synth and guitar lines, and trumpet bursts supplement Silberman’s stunning-yet-absurdly-high falsetto. With opulent, expansive hooks and melodies, but with a faintly deeper focus on instrumentation and sound qualities as opposed to an emphasis in storytelling like in The Antler’s debut Hospice. It was an interesting and perfect intro into a concert that focused on the trippy and extended versions of the majority of songs.

The Antlers incorporate voice and instrument in an abnormal song structure, especially when followed live by the more predictable alternative rock-record structure of Hospice’s “Bear,” it is obvious that the band is moving into much more fascinating terrain musically.

“Wake” was one of the highlights of the concert, showcasing Peter Silberman’s ethereal voice and matchless harmonies that were not on the album version. Silberman then follows with a passionate tortured delivery of “Don’t ever let anyone tell you you deserve that” which sent chills down my spine.

“Zelda,” a favorite from the latest EP was sprawled out and so much more exquisite live. The effervescent harmonies toward the end of the tune were just as effortlessly rendered on stage as they were on the record. They dedicated the song “Zelda” to their friend of the same name, who had a bad week. In the airy “Zelda,” Silberman crooned, “I’m here to tell you we’re not awake.” His statement was a whisper blanketing the junction between our dreams and waking life, where somehow everything made sense, if only for a second in time.

Silberman thanked Le Poisson Rouge (he used to work in LPR) stating that it was a very special place and that he has always wanted to play in that venue. “It was worth the wait!” proclaimed Silberman, “I feel very at home! We are very grateful for being here.” In 2009 when they were putting out Hospice, management had to put up with him leaving on tour while working at LPR. He acknowledged the crowd from the bottom of his heart, “You guys are f-ing awesome!”

For the encore they went into “Corsicana” an impressive slow lullaby combined with Silberman’s falsetto serenade, which brought the song to life. Silberman’s yearning vocals plowed through the crowd and the glowing blue lights only enhanced the overall raw emotion of the song. They ended with “Putting the Dog to Sleep,” the closing track off Burst Apart and one of The Antler’s most arresting tracks as it associates euthanizing a pet to a failing relationship. Silberman’s voice rings out with tender emotion when he sings, “Put your trust in me, I’m not gonna die alone” continually. That truly moved the room. The entire set was expansive, full of emotion and a sense of desolation.

The crowd got their money’s worth, with the band playing for over an hour and half. Overall, this was a wonderful concert showcasing the band’s talents and ability to expand upon their songs, making them more grandiose and musically complex. They weren’t there to just play their songs but to take the audience on a journey through their albums. It eases you into its aquatic bliss. Silberman’s vocals are just as captivating live as they are in the studio, if not more emotionally cutting.

Silberman shouted, “Cheers New York! It has been too long. It’s been a long time since we’ve played a proper headlining show!” as they have been spending a lot of time working on their new record. And with that, we can’t wait!

For more pics go here!

Surfer Blood‘s “Swim” is our song of the week because it makes me feel all 90s nostalgia and fuzzy inside. Plus this is what everyone should be doing all weekend! Hope you had a good week everyone! xx

story + photos / Cristina Leiva

When they played Let’s Go Surfing they left the stage without even saying goodbye, I was still missing their song Down By The Water and thank goodness they were just doing the ‘We are done but we are not’ thing and came back on stage to give us two more songs: Down By The Water and The Future.

Triangle Graphic Tee ,American Apparel. White shorts, American Apparel. Pink Hoodie, American Apparel.

Photography / Rakeem Cunningham

Styling+Grooming / Wilford Lenov

Model /  Liam @ Photogenics LA

Blazer, Dolce & Gabbana ( StyleHouse 13 ). Button Down, Yves Saint Laurent. Shorts, American Apparel.

Graphic Baseball tee , Jeremy Scott (StyleHouse 13). Pants, American Apparel.

Pink Fisherman Sweater, American Apparel. Pants, American Apparel .

cut it out tank, Marc Jacobs.( Stylehouse13). Pink Pull over ,American Apparel. Jeans, American Apparel.

Purple corduroy shorts, monkee genes (Stylehouse 13). Vintage Ramones Tee, (Stylehouse 13 ).Pink Blazer , Dsquared (Stylehouse13).

Mickey Mouse Tee, TopMan. Color Block cardigan, Marc Jacobs (stylehouse13). Pink Pants, Dsquared (stylehouse13).

Button down, TopMan. Graphic Tank, Urban Outfitters. Pants, American Apparel.

images / courtesy of Hello Eliza

story / Koko Ntuen

pics and story / Adeline Tan

Governor’s Ball 2013, a 3 day Music Festival held on Randall’s Island was one of the most anticipated events in NYC: for music lovers, teens who can’t get enough of neon, hipster wannabes, “the Bros” wanting a reason to get drunk, festival aficionados and anyone looking for a reason to party for 3 whole days!! Basically this year’s lineup was incredible! From Kings of Leon, Foals, The Lumineers, Grizzly Bear, The XX to Azealia Banks, Kendrick Lamar and Kanye West. Every single day had a great headliner and awesome bands to look forward to.

Nonetheless on Friday, 7th June nobody predicted that we would be experiencing a tropical storm in the midst of an ongoing music festival. Sure, we knew it was going to rain (a lot) and were warned to wear raincoats, ponchos and water resistant boots, but we were not prepared for the insanity the festival grounds brought along with the storm. Mud pools ankle high, rain and winds constantly falling throughout the entire day. The festival scene was a sea of ponchos from various colors to make shift garbage bags to keep “dry”. You could say we were resilient, but I would like to think of it as a mix of pure madness and insistence. There were still tons of crazy festivalgoers that were dancing in the rain, trudging through fields of deep sticky mud and making the best of the absurd conditions we were in.

Day 1 included acts by Holy Ghost!, Best Coast, Of Monsters and Men, Local Natives, Feist, Beach House and more. However, due to the high winds and heavy rain Kings of Leon and Pretty Lights had to cancel their shows. Feist managed to get one song out on stage, “A Commotion” as the winds whipped up again, hurling the primal beat of the tune into the storm for the crowd readily waiting for more. Feist praised the crowd and swung around a plastic poncho calling upon Poseidon (Greek God of the Sea) “Is that all you’ve got?” which might have explained why before the song ended, the storm blew back a torrent onto the stage knocking out the keyboards and electronic systems, ending Feist’s set for the day. At least we got to see Feist blow on a conch shell horn, which was pretty badass. Although the weather was not for the faint of heart and weak willed on Friday, the cold and drenching rain did not stop the majority of the crowd from having a fun time.

Day 2, Saturday however brought good weather and great news for the 21,000 people attending the festival as the performances carried on without a hitch and people were ready to brave to “swamp” grounds and mud pools in their wellies and trusty Hunter rainboots. It felt like Glastonbury as the multitudes of people trudged through deep putrid mud to get from one place to another. Nobody’s shoes were safe and I’m sorry but your Frye leather boots or expensive new high-top sneakers are goners. They should have placed a sign before entering the festival, “Entering: Where Shoes Go to Die” which was really accurate. My Doc Martens were essentially ruined (but I wasn’t smart enough to wear some rubber wellington boots). Lesson learnt.

A major highpoint on Saturday was the fact that Kings of Leon decided to stay behind and forego their London flight to perform for us that evening. What I would liberally refer to as “inclement weather” pushed Kings of Leon’s headlining slot to Saturday at 6.30pm. Frontman Caleb Followill joked about being “21 hours late” for their performance. Their surprise set was the first time during the weekend that the crowd around the main stage extended past the concrete pavement and well into the ghastly mud surrounding the area. It was a good thing that Kings of Leon gave a face meltingly good show and gave us reasons to dance our shoes off because if you did not keep moving those feet, you’ll get stuck in the goo. I saw a few too many faceplants throughout the weekend, some I undeniably guiltily laughed at and others, I just felt sorry for those poor souls.

On Saturday, some acts stole the show like the Swedish DJ duo Icona Pop who gave us a reason to check out their entire album not just for that catchy celebrated anthem, “I Love It”. The tent was full of people waiting for Icona Pop to play “I Love It,” the sort of feel-good, jump-up-and-down crossover hit but most left happy that they’d heard 30 minutes more. Which included, “It’s My Party” (as in, “and I can cry if I want to”) a pogoing, Dutch house–touched remix of “We Got the World”; new song “Girlfriend” and even some Reggaeton. Alt-J astounded audiences with the cool British swag and amazing tunes. Cut Copy did not fail to impress either, as they took to the main stage creating that much needed summer vibe with fresh dance beats and indie electronic tunes taking cues from contemporaries like Daft Punk and LCD Soundsystem but drawing from classic radio pop singles from the 1980s. Vintage disco and synth pop that appeals to both song based listeners and the club kids.

Gun N’ Roses however ruled the night, arriving on the main stage on time, they proved to us that they still have that Rock N Roll drive and sex appeal. Flashing the latest and greatest equipment of the festival with pyro, fireworks and the whole shebang. They pulled out all the stops and delivered a memorable show. Bumblefoot rocked his double-necked guitar, keyboardist Chris Pitman used a stand that allowed his instrument to swivel along with him and DJ Ashba had his six-string equipped with a cigarette holder, how much more rock & roll can you get? Axl, the frontman at 51 years old remains more energetic and agile on stage than ever.

Day 3 provided the sun, which means the opportunity for everyone to express themselves with their wardrobe and take a note out of Coachella music festival outfits and the Urban Outfitters catalog. You name it, cut off shorts, loose white tank tops, feathers, flower headbands, floppy hats, neon tops, patterned 90s shirts and a million ironic tees. Originality was not too present but you can’t blame people for trying to look the part of a hip festival enthusiast. You could find some memorable stylish gems amongst the sea of neon sunnies and high waisted denim shorts. But who am I to judge anyone since I myself wore a wolf motif sleeveless top (like every other hipster accounted for) and Navajo inspired accessories.

The sun dried up most of the damp mud so it was a lot easier to walk across the festival grounds, and it wasn’t as if you were crossing a molting lava pit or quicksand any longer, which was a relief. Some highlights included all girl band Haim, Portugal. The Man, Cold War Kids, Foals, Beirut, Bloc Party, The XX and Kanye West, who ended the festival with a bang!

Probably the only excuse for showing up late for the Kanye West grand finale show was the minimalist dark indie band The XX playing the far side of the festival grounds till 9.30pm, right when Kanye was suppose to arrive on stage. With a weekend full of chaos, The XX set was balanced and tranquillizing and that vanished in the muddy dash that followed their last note towards the main stage to catch Kanye West.

Kanye performed songs from his new album, “Yeezus,” expecting release on the 18th of June. One of them, “Black Skinhead,” he even did twice. All of that attentiveness to design and production detail was part of his stage at Governor’s Ball. There were multiplying black and white and fluorescent projections of him on-stage and visuals of a runway, pilot jets, price tags and angry Rottweilers barking at the audience. Moreover, there was a multifaceted light arrangement in front of the screen with around 40-60 lights that shifted color patterns. Watching the development of his set was almost as unbelievable as watching him perform in the center of the crowd. Kanye West knows how to put on a show.

He also took some time to hate on mainstream radio, which is ironic since it’s the industry that made him wealthy and renowned. Saying “Honestly, when I listen to radio, that ain’t where I wanna be no more,” He told the crowd during his set. “At this point, I could give a f— about selling a million records as long as I put out an album that y’all can rock to all motherf—ing summer. And I don’t give a f— that the label’s saying I can sell more records.” Bold words West, bold words.

We can say one thing about Governor’s Ball this year, The annual New York City music festival definitely wasn’t dull. With pouring rains on Friday which were crazy enough to get headliners Kings of Leon and Pretty Lights’ sets canceled, the once green picturesque field of Randall’s Island turned into an enormous mud pit. That didn’t keep the festivalgoers down. They had on their best impression of Kate Moss’ wellie chic at Glastonbury to get down and dirty! The fearless wore white, the unconcerned went barefoot, and everybody showed off mile-long gams in shorts and short dresses.

For more pics of festival go here!

photographer /SHELBY DUNCAN
story /KOKO NTUEN

French born Soko kissed high school goodbye at 16, left home, and moved to Paris to delve into the acting world. After studying acting for a year, she tried to complete her high school degree but became bored with the educational institution. She began acting in a few films, but more importantly began writing songs. It paid off as she scored a hit single in Denmark in 2007 with her homicidally delightful tune, “I’ll Kill Her”. She soon began touring with M.I.A. She went M.I.A. in 2009 when she declared herself “dead,” announcing her fear of the music industry. She dipped into acting again for a bit and was even nominated for a Cesar Award For Most Promising Actress. In 2011, she made up for her disappearance with the release of her album, I Thought I Was an Alien, which is finally being released in the US! Her often dynamic nature has made her an entertaining live performer, as she never uses set lists and has been known to perform for up to three hours when she feels comfortable.

You are a performer in the true sense of the word; you are an actress, a musician, a writer, a performer, and visual artist, what else do you want to do?

Am I all that? Haha. Damn! The one thing I haven’t done yet that was my dream since I’m a child is doing voices for cartoons/animated
films. I seriously can’t wait for this dream to become reality! I love doing characters voices! And I’m a proper child, so I love kids movies!

What projects are you working on now?
I’m getting towards the end of recording my second album. I’ve finally grown to love being a studio nerd. I’m having so much fun with
this one. It’s much more natural and way less painful than making the first one.

When is your next project being released?
I have a movie AUGUSTINE coming out in the U.S. in May I believe. And then hopefully my second album will come out in September. Fingers crossed!

What do you normally do when you wake up?
Turn on the music, listen to my GOOD MORNING playlist of the moment. Hope I can stay in bed all day. Remember my dreams. Write them down. Make herbal tea. Watch cartoons!

Do you smoke or drink?
I was totally straight-edge for about seven years, total squaredo. And six months ago, I realize I was in the middle of my teenage crisis (at 27!) and I smoked weed for the first time of my life. Now I do it occasionally, for writing purposes mostly (but for fun too, let’s not kid ourselves!). And then I started drinking red wine again, but i’m totally drunk with half a glass. Cheap date!

Will you tell us one of the lines of a song you are working on now?
This is from a song called “Ocean of Tears, Ocean of Fears”:

“I thought I was a witch / Was I responsible for the death of all the people that
I love the most? / Try to forgive myself for all the wrong I’ve done /
Oh God has a plan to kill us all. “

Will you tell us a song title you are working on now?
I Come In Peace, Monster Love, Bad Poetry, stuff like that. The album is called My Dreams Dictate My Reality. It’s very much all about dreams.

Do you like acting and singing equally?
I like playing shows the most, then writing and recording, and directing videos. Acting, yes. Only with/for the right people though.

How do you prepare yourself to act or perform and record music?
Hmm… for acting, I only feel like my character when I’m in its clothes.For shows, I drink ginger/lemon/honey tea, give huge hugs to my band, and tell them I love them and jump on stage. For recording, I have a witchcraft table with all my herbal remedies, oils, candles, incense, and I wear red shoes and something turquoise. I’m very superstitious. The red shoes thing is because of my favorite movie The Red Shoes. So I keep passion first, and all the rest comes next while I’m in the studio.

Have you ever been rejected by a boy or girl romantically? Tell us one sad story.
I was absolutely crazy about this amazing artist last year. We spent a month being each others’ muses, making each other feel the best we had ever felt, the most beautiful, the most loved, the most admired, making plans to visit castles in Germany, disappearing in his cabin in the woods, being everything for each other. Between London and Paris. And right before I went on tour, he said he couldn’t be a part of my life and wanted to be alone and live this doomed artist life, never going out of his house and just working on his art. He wouldn’t talk to me or answer the thousands of love letters I’ve sent. I spent all my nights dreaming of him ‘cause that was the only place I could still be with him, in my dreams. I’d wait on his doorsteps in London, until he’d get out of his house and finally smile at me and be happy to see me. Now he’s writing me the most beautiful love songs and poems, playing the victim, like I broke his heart. It still makes me want to cry, and he still refuses to talk to me. I feel like he’s writing a tragedy about our love story that HE ended.

What is the last film you watched?
I went to see SPRING BREAKERS last night, and this morning, I watched this documentary TITUS: THE GORILLA KING.

What do you think of Facebook?
Love it! I’m lucky enough to be able to travel a lot, and when I happen to be in cities I’ve never been before, I love booking last minute shows
and ask help on Facebook and see people actually show up within 12 hours in unlikely places is the best thing ever! THANK YOU Facebook!

If you could cuddle/have sex with anyone in the world right now, who would it be?
Keaton Henson

Tell us three songs to listen to when we really sad.
The Shivers, “Beauty”, Leonard Cohen, “Blessed is the Memory”, Otis Redding, “For Your Precious Love”.

Tell us three songs to listen to when we are happy!
Monochrome Set, “Jacob’s Ladder”, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, “Swim and Sleep”, Jorge Ben, “Zumbi”.

What is the last thing that made you say “WHATEVER!”
Everything! Hahaha.