#one of which is the French Lucie version for variety

[vera-dauriac]

I just realized that adding the Lucias from my new Callas box set to the Lucias I already owned, means I'm going to have 6 different Lucias, and you know what? I could not be more OK with that.

[icharchivist]

Weird thought I had today. So, the Tetrarchs are 2 women and 2 men, right? I'm guessing they wanted it to be balanced between the gender, which is fine, but Gabriel and Michael are traditionally male names. Do you think they chose those two to be women because their names have very similar sounding female versions? Gabrielle and Michelle, respectively? I don't think there's female versions of the names Raphael and Uriel

I mean yeah in some level, though i don't think that stopped granblue before. (i mean GBF's Gareth was a woman, even though it was her name when she was crossdressing, and i could swear there's been other instances of that phenomena)

That said: there is no difference in Japanese with the writing of Gabriel/Gabriel (both would be written ガブリエル (Gaburieru), and for Michael it's already it's own can of worm since the name they use is the Hebrew pronunciation as a basis, so not pronounced the english way (would be written ミカエル (Mikaeru)).

In my language, French, "Michael" is "Michel" which is pronounced the exact same way as Michelle. Names deviating from the actual biblical angel have been a thing for a while.

I've met women called Raphaelle, so to me the logic stops there, Uriel is just, not a common name in general (too biblical to be modernized). (also tbh in modern times at least in French, the spelling doesn't really matter anymore, women can be named Gabriel without having to insist on the feminine spelling, so, it's something that genuinely can be heavily neglected)

The difference between el / elle doesn't exist in Japanese, so more than "because there's female versions of the name", it's just a question that they can sound more feminine in general.

I'd also say it's not impossible it would come with the association with the angels themselves, as Gabriel has been known to be, for the Christian, the one to tell Mary she was pregnant, as such, you can link Gabriel to the idea of motherhood.

And it would be completely pointless from the translator perspective to try to feminize the name in a modern fashion since it's all about the Biblical angel being pasted onto the gbf mythos.

But honestly i think like, for the Japanese devs, it's not like it's usual names to start with, they can just as easily have gone with the flow because they don't specifically care about the hard rules of name feminization, which varries from language to language to start with.

Did they just go with associating those names to the girls because of the fact they’re androgynous names? yeah sure why not, i don’t know how much they cared about that but it’s likely a reasoning.

You want something fun though? linked to their name?

i've made a whole post in the way back on how tongue-and-cheek the naming convention of the Luci-faces was, but i'm just going to bring back this bit (the post itself was long and this bit was as well but it might feed your musing aha)

Take care meanwhile ;D

Lucilius’s Japanese name is ルシファー (Rushifaa) and Lucifer’s Japanese name is ルシフェル (Rushiferu).

But the kick is that “Rushifaa” is actually the way you’d write “Lucifer” in Japanese - Not the Feru alternative.

The way Japanese interpret English words is to generally transcribe them in Katakana from the way it’s been introduced to their country. On that case what interests us, is that still they will go with a non-rhotic variety of English.

“Rhotic” English varieties are those that will pronounce the r letter as /r/ no matter where it is in the word. For exemple, Irland’s English is a rhotic variety.  But the English variety that is taught to non-English people is a Non-Rhotic one - non-rhotic varieties doesn’t pronounce the r if it’s in front of a consonance or at the end of a word, usually prolonging the previous vowell.

As such, “er” in Japanese will almost always be transcribed with a “aa-” sound. (see too: Percival = Paashivaru)

So ironically: Lucilius is the one who is supposed to be the Actual Lucifer. He is the one who is named after the biblical angel. 

“Rushiferu” is an alternative way to spell Lucifer’s name, in a rhotic way, that puts insistance on how the word ends if you don’t transcribe the English sound but instead try to read the ending “cifer” with a Japanese pronountiation.

But the other fascinating thing with this choice is that as a result, Lucifer alligns himself with the others angels in a fascinating way.

The suffix of most Angel names, -el or -iel, means “Of God” (note also as i said eariler that El was the name of the God of creation as per the Canaanite). 

But in Japanese you would pronounce “el” “eru”, since they have a sound that is halfway through r and l and as a result is the sound that is always used to transcribe either of those western letters.

So in Japanese, all of the Primarches have their name finishing in Eru: Michael=Mikaeru / Gabriel=Gaburieru / Uriel=Urieru / Raphael= Rafaeru, and so on and so forth.

but therefore, in a weird play on Japanese language: Rushiferu ends up following the paterns of the “-Of God” angels. 

In an interesting way, we have therefore  Rushifaa having set himself as a new god, just like his purpose was all along, and has named his creations in a way that they were his. and that includes Rushiferu, who is a version of “Lucifer”, of himself, but who belongs to him.

food for thoughts? <3

Take care!

[denimbex1986]

'Netflix's "Ripley" has arrived. The eight-episode series premiered Thursday on Netflix and is a fresh take on Patricia Highsmith's chameleon-like conman, who the world was first introduced to in her 1955 novel, "The Talented Mr. Ripley."...

Like Anthony Minghella's 1999 sun-dappled adaptation, which starred Matt Damon in the central role, and the French take on the story "Purple Noon" released in 1960, "Ripley" follows the titular grifter (Andrew Scott) as he ingratiates himself into the life of two wealthy Americans living la dolce vita on a never-ending vacation in Italy.

Critics have praised the series, citing its striking film noir visuals and compelling cast performances. But for some, the pacing of the show is an issue; the slow, almost languid nature of the episodes (the longest of which clocks in at 76 minutes) means it's not necessarily one you could — or should — sit down and binge in one go.

As many critics have pointed out, "Ripley" indulges in every minute of its almost eight-hour run time. It may take a few episodes to engross audience members, but it's well worth the ride.

The Financial Times' Dan Einav noted that the series "takes its time to establish each location with a scene-setting collage of images," pointing out "wonderful details like the liver-spotted hand of a bus driver shifting gear to climb up towards Dickie's village and the bubbles of champagne in Ripley's glass as he acclimatises to a new life."

"The careful mapping of Tom's every move, whether in furtherance of his deceit or the covering up of his crimes, allows the tension to mount exquisitely," Lucy Mangan wrote for The Guardian.

"This kind of meticulous artistry deserves equally attentive viewing," Lena Wilson argued for IGN, adding: "Despite streaming in full on Netflix, 'Ripley' works best when watched in moderation."

However, Aramide Tinubu, writing for Variety, disagreed, arguing that "the episodes are painfully overlong and full of dead space."

"'Ripley' unfolds too slowly — as the trail of events attracts the attention of an Italian detective (Maurizio Lombardi) — while creating the risk that some people will bail out before the series reaches the good stuff," CNN's critic Brian Lowry stated.

In her review of the series for BBC, Caryn James wrote that Andrew Scott "brings a hum of sinister energy to the role of Tom Ripley."

The New York Times's Mike Hale said the Irish actor "does a meticulous job of portraying Ripley's transition from shifty timidity to insolent confidence, from lost boy to aesthete, through subtle shifts of expression and posture."

"Charismatic and scary in equal measure, Scott has never been better, and he's aided in his exceptional cause by Zaillian, whose writing is razor-sharp and his direction just as assured," the Daily Beast's Nick Schager said in his review.

But, as Daniel Fienberg wrote in his review for The Hollywood Reporter, Scott is "too old" to play the fledgling sociopath.

"It's one thing for Tom Ripley to be an unformed if still protean grifter at 21 or 22, but another thing still to be scraping by without an identity at 35," he argued...

"In an era where huge TV budgets often equate to cheap-looking visuals, Ripley is staggeringly, starkly beautiful," John Nugent wrote for Empire.

Cary Darling, writing for The Houston Chronicle, said that Elswit's monochrome palette is "almost a character of its own, one that throws the story into a sharp, film-noir relief."

Writing for Collider, Remus Noronha stated: "Every shot in 'Ripley' is perfectly composed, worthy of being showcased in a gallery as high art."

Ultimately, "Ripley" feels like it has been cut from an entirely different cloth to that of the 1999 film version of "The Talented Mr. Ripley," which is the best-known adaptation. Most reviewers agree that distinction is a good thing.

"The story may revolve around imitation, but 'Ripley' is a show determined to do its own thing," Einav wrote in his review for the Financial Times.

"'The Talented Mr. Ripley' has often been adapted in a way that felt sweaty, hot, and impassioned — this one is ice cold, drained of color and most human emotion. The choice really serves the reading of Ripley as an amoral creature, someone who doesn't cross boundaries of right and wrong as much as he never even considers them," reads the RogerEbert.com critic Brian Tallerico's review of the series.

As many reviewers pointed out, Zaillian's main point of reference for the series may have been the work of Alfred Hitchcock, the filmmaker best known for "Psycho," "The Birds," and "Strangers on a Train" (the last of which was adapted from another of Highsmith's novels).

"'Ripley' plays as if it were a Hitchcock series Hitchcock never made," reads the BBC review.

Rolling Stone's Alan Sepinwall called it "a masterpiece of Hitchcock-style suspense."...'

[aion-rsa]

Best Romantic Movies on Netflix

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Romance movies are not that different from horror movies. Both are incredibly hard to pull off, are heavily watched during a cold time of year, and hopefully end with every character covered in blood.

With that in mind we present to you a list of the best romantic movies on Netflix. Because romance deserves it, damn it. Virtually every song ever written is a love song but poor romance can’t get a fair shake at the movies. Whether it be a rom-com or just a straight-up soul-enlightening/crushing romance, our list of the best romantic movies on Netflix will get you back in touch with your cold, dead heart.

Set It Up

Set It Up is Netflix’s most accomplished original romantic comedy yet.

Zoey Deutch and Glen Powell star as overworked assistants Harper and Charlie. Harper is an assistant to Kirsten (Lucy Liu) the woman behind a sports media empire. Charlie works for finance maven Rick (Taye Diggs). Harper and Charlie realize that their respective workloads might lesson if their bosses were more focused on their love life and less focused on work. So they…set them up.

Set It Up is a fun, novel high-concept romance movie positively filled with chemistry on all sides.

Outside In

We embrace every kind of love on our list of the best romance movies. Sometimes that includes some questionable, and some would say “icky” kind of love. So…Outside In is a teacher-student romance. But don’t panic! It’s ok.

Jay Duplas stars as Chris, a man who was wrongly imprisoned at age 18 and who is relased at age 38. When Chris is released, he immediately meets up with his old high school teacher, Carol (Edie Falco), who was his penpal when he was in prison. He wastes little time before he declares his love for her.

Despite its subject matter, Outside In is a mature, well-handled exploration of love and what it means to love someone for themselves as opposed to what they do for us.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

With a name as long as��The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, the movie better be good to justify how many times we poor cultural commenters must type it out. Thankfully Guernsey is quite good!

Based on a book by the same name, Guernsey is a historical love story set in 1946. Lily James stars as British writer Juliet Ashton. Juliet begins exchanging letters with residents of the islands of Guernsey, which was under German occupation in WWII (so like two years before the movie starts). While there she meets the dashing Dawsey Adams (Michael Huisman) and romance begins to blossom.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is an excellent, watchable classical romance

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before

Oh hey! Another Netflix original with a long title based on a book. Like the Potato Peel Pie Society, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is another effortlessly enjoyable romantic romp – this time of the teen variety.

Lara Jean Song Covey (Laura Condor) experiences every young person’s nightmare when private love letters to five boys she has or has had crushes on suddenly and mysteriously become public. But fear not. This is a romance movie, not a horror movie. So this sudden reveal has to go well for Lara Jean, right? RIGHT?!?

To All the Boys P.S. I Still Love You

The To All the Boys team returns for a sequel that teaches kids the harsh lesson that there’s no such thing as happily ever after! OK, so that’s a bit harsh, but To All the Boys P.S. I Still Love You does bring back its characters for another round of romantic angst.

Read more

Movies

To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You Review

By Delia Harrington

Movies

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before Review: A Pleasurable Netflix Rom-Com

By Delia Harrington

Lara Jean (Lana Condor) is now officially Peter’s (Noah Centineo) girlfriend. But before they can relax and enjoy their lives together, an old flame of Lara Jean enters the frame. That’s right, John Ambrose (Jordan Fisher) is here and he wants to steal your girl, Noah Centineo.

The Danish Girl

2015’s The Danish Girl tells the story of a kind of love nearly unprecedented for its early 20th century time. Eddie Redmayne stars as artist Lili Elbe, who was born Einar Wegener and is believed to be one of the first individuals to receive sexual reassignment surgery. The film follows Lili’s journey and her love with wife Gerda Wegener (Alicia Vikander).

When Gerda asks her husband to stand in for a female subject in her painting, Einar does so and quickly comes to terms with the gender identity he’s been suppressing. The newly confirmed Lili and Gerda navigate this new dimension of their relationship and Lili continues her work as a subject for Gerda’s now very much in demand paintings. 

cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "106e33c0-3911-473c-b599-b1426db57530", }).render("0270c398a82f44f49c23c16122516796"); });

Beauty and the Beast

2017’s live-action version of Beauty and the Beast isn’t the best depiction of the classic fairy tale ever but that’s ok. It doesn’t have to be. All Bill Condon’s Beauty and the Beast really needed to be was a fun little dip into nostalgia with sumptuous visuals and a believable romance. On that front, everything goes according to plan.

Read more

Movies

Emma Watson on Beauty and the Beast: ‘I’m Very Grateful That This Character Exists’

By Don Kaye

TV

Beauty and the Beast Disney+ Prequel Series Set with Luke Evans and Josh Gad

By Joseph Baxter

Emma Watson stars as Belle and Dan Stevens is her beast. Belle heads off from her small French town to the Beast’s castle to rescue her father. What follows is Stockholm Syndrome: The Movie. But sexier. Beauty and the Beast really does look good and Watson and Stevens have just enough chemistry to make this a worthwhile romantic experience.

50 First Dates

50 First Dates has a somewhat disappointing Rotten Tomatoes score. Ignore that. It’s probably partially due to many critics’ distaste for at least one of the actors in the above screengrab. Not that they can be blamed. The presence of Adam Sandler or Rob Schneider in any comedy is rarely a good sign. In 50 First Dates‘, however, it’s not an issue at all. 

50 First Dates is a legitimately funny and romantic romantic comedy. Drew Barrymore stars as Lucy Whitmore, a woman with short-term memory loss. Due to a car accident, every day she wakes up believing it is October 13, 2002. Sandler’s character Henry Roth meets her in Hawaii and the two must overcome this bizarre condition to establish a lasting relationship.

Carol

Todd Haynes, director of Carol and Far From Heaven knows longing. And if there’s an element that makes for an excellent romantic movie experience its longing. That desperate sense is baked into nearly every frame of Carol. Based on a 1950s romance novel, Carol is the story of a young photographer (Rooney Mara) and an older woman going through a divorce (Cate Blanchette) undertaking a forbidden affair.

Forbidden because, you know, ’50s. And that’s where the longing comes in. Nothing is more romantic or sexier than a forbidden romance. Carol channels that romantic energy into something mature, fascinating and heartbreaking.

Silver Linings Playbook

Silver Linings Playbook is all about how generally terrible it is to be a Philadelphia Eagles fan. OK, fine – it’s only a little bit about that. This star-studded 2012 film from David O. Russell is more about the challenges in finding love when one isn’t sure they even love themselves.

Bradley Cooper stars as Pat Solitano Jr., a young man with bipolar disorder living with his parents after being released from a psychiatric hospital. Pat is determined to win back his ex-wife and to that end enlists the help of young widower Tiffany Maxwell (Jennifer Lawrence). The two become closer as they train for an upcoming dance competition and share their respective damages with one another.

Silver Linings Playbook works because Lawrence and Cooper have a real crackling chemistry. And they both just happen to be devastatingly, almost supernaturally attractive.

Runaway Bride

From stars Richard Gere and Julia Roberts to director Garry Marshall to conspicuous usage of enormous cell phones – Runaway Bride is an intensely ’90s film. And to the rightly organized mind, that just makes it the platonic ideal of a low-stress romantic comedy.

Roberts stars as Maggie Carpenter, an alluring young woman who has made a habit of leaving multiple fiancé’s at the altar. Gere is Ike Graham, a New York columnist seeking to tell the definitive story of this “runaway bride.” Runaway Bride is a charming experience that will make you think long and hard about how you really like your eggs prepared.

Loving

It feels reductive to call Loving a “romance” movie, as its more of a historical exploration of the very real, very tragic legacy of American racism. At its center, however, the film is about love.

Loving tells the story of Richard (Joel Edgerton) and Mildred Loving (Ruth Negga), a mixed-race Virginia couple challenging their state’s law against interracial marriage in the Supreme Court. The details of the Lovings struggle for basic human rights are astonishing. Edgerton and Negga’s empathetic performances make sure the film never loses sight of the humanity at play amid all the legal drama.

Always Be My Maybe

Everyone always talks about “the one who got away”, but what about “the one who was always kind of around”? 2019’s Always Be My Maybe tells of one such story.

Ali Wong (who wrote the film) stars as Sasha Tran and Randall Park stars as Marcus Kim. Marcus and Sasha grew up next door to each other and also embarked on a brief, ill-fated relationship in their teenage years. When Sasha returns to San Francisco to open a restaurant, she discovers that romantic energy remains between her and Marcus. But is that enough to spark love in the busy, chaotic adult world?

Always Be My Maybe has a lot to say about family and growth. It also features a truly winning performance from Keanu Reeves playing…Keanu Reeves.

The Kissing Booth

There’s an interesting dynamic at play in teenage romantic comedies. Oftentimes, the worse they are, the more watchable (and rewatchable) they become. The Kissing Booth is a prime example. Based on a book by the same name from Beth Reekles, The Kissing Booth isn’t exactly celebrated for its realistic portrayal of American teenagers.

Thanks to charming lead performances from Joey King, Jacob Elordi, and Joel Courtney, however, that doesn’t really matter. The Kissing Booth is all about how one girl’s first kiss turns into an emotional minefield of teen angst. That alone is enough to support 105 minutes of pure high school drama…and two sequels!

The post Best Romantic Movies on Netflix appeared first on Den of Geek.

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[ellocentipede]

Arcana Craves Strawberries Reviews!

Arcana Craves’ Strawberries Crave Collection has been a favorite of mine since its debut. The collection is currently available again on the Arcana Craves site (link at the bottom of this post). Arcana’s strawberry note works best for my skin chemistry of all of the perfume houses--it tends to be more on the realistic side and less plasticky than others that I have tried, although I know that strawberry is one of those notes that varies wildly. The four blends that I’m reviewing are my very favorites of the Strawberries Crave line (though there are a few others that are on my list to try!), and are truthfully up there among my favorites in my entire collection. <3 

Strawberries Crave Helios

Scent description: Strawberry jam with juicy blackberries, lemonade, limeade, and pure white amber.

In the bottle, this smells like the freshest, tartest, true lemonade with a liberal dousing of sugar. On skin it is the same! It’s a fresh-squeezed lemonade with a squeeze of lime and sticky sweet strawberry jam on the rim. This is a mouth-watering blend, and a must have in my collection as lemonade is one of my favorite things in life. It’s a great citrus scent--happy and uplifting. It retains its juicy tartness throughout wear and is an excellent blend for summer.

Strawberries Crave Lucy

Scent description: Arcana Wildcraft's Surfers on Acid blend (sweet coconut milk, pineapple, and absinthe) with pink strawberry.

The absinthe is in this blend nearly scared me off, but I’m glad that I tried it anyhow, because it’s one of my favorite scents. This is an excellent pina colada blend that has me dreaming of lounging on a warm beach in the summertime. The pineapple smells very realistic, and the coconut milk is sweet, creamy, and gentle--not overbearing. I don’t specifically smell the strawberry, but I think that it is pepping up the tart fruitiness of the pineapple. I smell a hint of something herbal and green, which must be the absinthe. It’s like a sprig of mint bobbing gently in the pina colada. 

Strawberries Crave Summer

Scent description: Tropical blossoms of tiare, tuberose petals, star jasmine, and neroli over melty pistachio and strawberry sherbets.

It’s no secret that I love a good tropical floral blend, and this is one of the prettiest ones out there! This blend is true to its beautifully written description--sweet, waxy tropical petals (realistic and dreamy, not screechy or high-pitched at all) float on a delicious pistachio sherbet with a hint of ripe, red strawberries. This is one of my very favorite blends that is perfect for any occasion--it’s a pretty and effortless floral scent, made unique with the addition of the pistachio and strawberry.

Strawberries Crave Waterfalls

Scent description: Rain, woodland strawberries, fresh water, petitgrain, osmanthus, clover, and smooth amber.

This blend is another stunner! Arcana’s legendary rain and water notes shine here--warm, fresh, beautiful, and atmospheric. The strawberries are of the small and flavorful variety. The petitgrain and clover add a touch of sharp greenness that enhances the atmospheric nature of this blend. It’s sweet and natural--like eating small, pink-red strawberries by a waterfall deep in the woods. So gorgeous.

Strawberries Crave Rococo

Scent description: Tiny strawberries with Madagascar vanilla, Tahitian vanilla, apricot, white musk, and skin musk.

Strawberries Crave Rococo is a pile of tiny, glossy pink strawberries on a fluffy vanilla cake in a dressing room in Versailles. The skin musk is glowing and clean, and with time fades into the background, leaving behind a glowing warmth. This is a wonderful blend that would be equally fitting at a fancy party or picnic outdoors. It's one of my favorites from this collection!

Strawberries Crave Vanilla

Scent description: Strawberries ripened on the vine, Tahitian vanilla bean, the warmth of the sun, and a hint of sugared patchouli.

Oh--this is a lovely ripened strawberry patch in the sun! Green, peppery, sun-warmed vines (I think the warm patchouli is giving the sunny aura!) and squishy, ripe, red strawberries! This is an expertly blended scent that conjures a distinct image of strawberry patch in the summer.

Strawberries Crave Nyx

Scent description: Drunken honey, lavender-laced mallow, soft amber, night musk, and hints of strawberry and nectarine.

This is lovely! Lovely, light honey marshmallows dotted with fragrant lavender buds, slices of firm nectarine, and just a weee fruity hint of strawberry. At first this actually reminds me a bit of Fille de Joie, but with more honey. This is soporific and soothing--I love it!

Strawberries Crave Indulgence

Scent description: French vanilla, white amber, sugared vanilla beans, caramel, lady finger cookies, opium, strawberry creme, and the faintest whiff of tobacco.

Om nom nom. This one smells like sweet caramels and strawberry liqueur on fluffy angel food cake! I think the tobacco (which is ultra light--like the smooth, sweet blond style) is giving the air of "liqueur" here. This truly is indulgent--sugary and rich and fancy! This has a Victorian gourmand feel.

Strawberries Crave Kink

Scent description: Worn leather, black coconut, black musk, skin musk, and wild strawberry.

Oh wow--I like this one a whole lot more than I thought I would! Smooth, soft leather, sweet honeyed coconut, and hints of pink strawberry make up this blend. I love Julia's coconut blends, and this one is a winner! It's a goth coconut delight. I can tell that there's some black musk here lending some dark moodiness, but it's not overwhelming and sharp (as it can usually be for me). Honestly, this is a surprisingly delightful blend, and fans of leather and coconut should give it a try!

Strawberries Crave Baby Goats

Scent description: A frisky, frolicsome mix of bright red raspberries and juicy pink strawberries is sprinkled with sparkling cane sugar crystals and drizzled in vanilla-infused rum. In the background, hints of sweet tuberose petals are entwined in an abundance of soft, musky goat fur.

Ripe, jammy strawberries and raspberries and sweet, tropical tuberose on a cuddly warm background of a gentle fur. It's like a happy day in the sun. With wear the snuggly fur becomes more prominent. I prefer this stage of wear because it's more soothing and snuggly.

Strawberries Crave Botanicus

Scent description: Fresh strawberry, guava, galbanum, basil, green hemp, bayberry, and ruby grapefruit.

In the bottle, I was nearly overwhelmed by the strong scent of basil, but on skin this is a botanical delight! The basil is green and peppery like sun-warmed vines, and blends beautifully with the grapefruit to create a fresh and zesty blend. With time, I get some jammy strawberry-guava, it's sweet and tart and pink and lovely. This is a gorgeous subtopical garden, and I would love to have it in beverage form!

Strawberries Crave Sunlit Paths

Scent description: The happy scent of day-hiking through the dappled sunlight of a coniferous thicket of trees. Sugary red strawberries with Arcana Wildcraft's Her Forest (layers of velvety forest mosses and soft green lichens with wild-harvested Northern fir tips, Bourbon vetiver, black oudh, and a hint of forest floor).

This scent is reviewed in the Daydream Collection post, but I'm including here as well! Her Forest (from the Deer Goddess collection) is a complex, beautiful, and realistic calming forest scent. Combining this scent with strawberry was a stroke of genius--they blend so incredibly harmoniously. This fragrance is much more than strawberry + Her Forest--it has become a magnificent fragrance of its own. This is a happier, more carefree version of the solemn and peaceful Her Forest. It truly does smell sunlit--like walking along a well-worn sun-dappled path in a beautiful old deciduous forest, fingers stained and juicy from perfect, ripe strawberries. Strawberries Crave Sunlit Paths is bottled happiness.

Arcana Craves’ beautiful perfumes may be perused and purchased at https://arcanacraves.com/

[ofmodernmyths]

I love your history sets, you always choose such vibrant gifs for them and I've learned so much from the info you add to every one of them. How do you actually go about them? How do you choose which moments/settings/figures in particular you want to showcase in them - like for example your renaissance gif set - and how do you gather the material for them? Do you use just fictional shows/movies or documentaries too?

Thank you so much for your kind words  (ﾉ◕ヮ◕) I’m really glad you like my gifsets and the info I add to them - sometimes I worry it’s too much but I’m glad it’s not! I too learn from the gifsets made by my fellow history lovers

As to how I go about them... well, usually it’s to shed light on historical figures I like and, for some of my picks, it’s also figures that aren’t necessarily very popular on tumblr... For examples, figures that are less popular in Tudor history, or figures that are not from British history. There are already plenty of very well-made gifsets about Tudor history/British history so I might as well divert from it when I have the opportunity ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. French history on tumblr is often reduced to Louis XIV and Marie-Antoinette (also Reign, but uh... the historical inaccuracy is just a big no from me) so I want to show more of it.

How do you choose which moments/settings/figures in particular you want to showcase in them

For the moments: sometimes I have a very clear idea of the scene I want to use (when it’s from period dramas I know well) so it’s easy to get, and when I don’t know, I just fast-forward until I find a scene I like and think will be easy to colour (which eeh... it does not always turn out to be easy... you would think that after all these years spent giffing, I would now know from the beginning what is easy to colour and what isn’t, but... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯).

For the settings: it’s usually thematic, I know what I want to do so I try to find footage for it. For example, my last gifset of “women who didn’t die a peaceful death”, at first I wanted to do one figure per historical era (ancient, medieval, renaissance, modern, contemporary) but the figures I picked didn’t quite fit so it changed a little (for the men’s version, I have one per era roughly, but I do need to find a good dl of Tut 2015... if someone has a link...). 

For my Renaissance gifset, I wanted to showcase a little bit of everything - military stuff, religious stuff, all the cultural stuff, and the royalty/court stuff - so I went through the various period dramas I have that are set during the Renaissance and picked from there. In the end, I used footage from The Tudors, Borgia and Carlos Rey Emperador. I know The Tudors rather well by now lol so I know what I wanted from it, I was in the middle of watching Borgia so I had ideas about what to get from it, and I finalized with Carlos Rey Emperador.

For the figures: I guess there is some kind of alternance between the very famous ones (like Cleopatra) and the much less known ones (like Mary Tudor, Dowager Queen of France or Anne of Brittany), and also not to have a gifset that would be for example 80% English history and 20% other (unless the theme calls for it!). My gifsets are rarely about a single country so I try to be a bit broad in my choices. It does help that have period dramas that cover various countries and eras. Also, I try to pick figures that have been represented in period dramas, it makes it easier to find footage that is relatively accurate. 

like for example your renaissance gif set 

(I accidentally already talked about it earlier so I’ll talk about my influent ladies of the Renaissance gifset here instead)

Here, I wanted to cover a rather large period, from 1450 to 1550 roughly. I stopped a bit before, as you can see in the years of death, due to the figures I had picked... Here, I had wanted to show women from various European countries; Italy of course, but also Spain (as you don’t see much stuff related to Spanish history on tumblr and yet there were some powerful women during that era), and also France and England. 

As for the fancasts I chose... I didn’t want to have only young actresses in the gifset, because some of the women I picked actually died old and I think it’s important to have older women (in their 40′s and above) showcased. Some of the influential women of Renaissance came in power young, but other came in later, and remained powerful until their deaths. Hence why and how I chose the figures and the footage I used. For Margaret Beaufort for example, I could have used stuff from The White Queen, but I thought it better to use footage from The White Princess for the age of the actress. Same for Louise of Savoy, she was at the zenith of her power during the reign of her son Francis I, so I wasn’t going to use a young actress for her (and she was in Carlos Rey Emperador, so it was easy to find footage).

and how do you gather the material for them?

Period dramas 98% of the time. I try to find period dramas where the historical figure is represented, but sometimes it just doesn’t happen (Mary Tudor Dowager Queen of France, for example) so I have to use a fancast from a period drama set at the same time and relatively in the same geographical zone (for outfits that relatively historically accurate). I kind of worked so far, I have to say. (I do need to find something about Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden though...)

Wikipedia is helpful with that because there is usually a list of adaptations at the end of the page dedicated to a historical figure, so you can pick and choose from there! But when the adaptations are lacking, or when you can’t find a good dl somewhere, it can become difficult to gather the material... hence the laps of time between two gifsets sometimes (that, and the lack of time).

Also, if it’s a gifset that is supposed to be rather general (like the aforementioned renaissance ladies gifset), I try to use multiple sources of footage to get some variety, even though it can end up with me tearing my hair apart trying to colour the gifs lol. Yeah, for that gifset, I had used The White Princess, Isabel TVE, Borgia, Carlos Rey Emperador, the documentary Six Wives with Lucy Worsley and Wolf Half...  but not The Tudors, surprisingly enough. Some variety is always nice! 

Do you use just fictional shows/movies or documentaries too?

Mostly period dramas but I did use documentaries a couple of times. 

For example, for the two gifsets I made about the life of Mary I of England (I & II), I used footage from The Tudors (Sarah Bolger was awesome as a young Mary - during the reign of her father) and from the first episode (called “Battle for the throne”) of a documentary about Elizabeth I from 2017 that had Mary as Queen of England. If you’re gonna cover the complete life of a historical figure and said historical figure didn’t die young, it’s best to use multiple sources (unless you have different actors in the same source, like in my gifset using footage from the Alexander movie of 2004).

Documentaries can be a little tricky if you don’t have scenes of actors acting and it’s mostly the historians talking, but if you have a little footage and the footage is decent, you can make a whole gifset out of it (like I did for Anne of Cleves - all taken from the Six Wives with Lucy Worsley documentary).

I try to use different sources not to always use the same footage, but I also have my favorites, so sometimes I’ll always use the same footage for a specific historical figure because I just love it (and I spend a good time rewatching the show/movie while getting the caps lol). 

Overall, it’s rather time-consuming to make these history gifsets, between deciding on what to make, then finding the footage, getting the caps, making the gifs (I usually have to get new footage for at least one or two gifs when I’m there), and then writing the little texts with Wikipedia and my history books at hand... But I’m very glad you’re enjoying the final result! It’s always nice to know your hard work is appreciated (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)

I hope I answered your questions in any case, and thank you very much for showing interest in the behind-the-scenes process!

[silkscarfaficionado]

INTERVIEW

Cleo Ferin Mercury

Let’s dive right in shall we?! Of all the accessories for your label, why scarves?

I’ve always loved scarves, not only are they are so practical especially in the north of Europe where weather may vary to complete opposites within a few hours! But also I love how scarves are very timeless, and don’t belong to any particular trends, I have a huge collection of them, some I’ve inherited from my grandmothers, some I have bought in second hand shops during my travels etc.

I like the variety of prints you get, from souvenir illustrations, geometrical patterns to figurative prints and photo-montages and collages! I have a small collection (within the collection!) of Corsican themed souvenir scarves which I love as it’s where my family is from, and it’s a very special place!

Describe the Cleo Ferin Mercury wearer.

A fun female, lover of music and the arts, independently minded, that care about quality materials and supports small labels.

You are perhaps most well-known for your signature animal long scarves. Where did the idea for these scarves come from?

When I started the label I really wanted to revisit old accessory classics. I started with the square scarf, then came the 1950’s inspired detachable collars, and then with my business partner and best friend Chris, we got the idea of revisiting the animal fur stole, adored by Hollywood film stars of the 1940s. Only we wanted to make an animal-friendly version that animal lovers like us would like to wear! We had no idea though how popular they would become, it’s been a great surprise!

Whether you want a French bulldog as a reminder of your faithful pooch, a black cat to bring out your inner vamp, or a fox for some fifties glamour; there really is an animal for everyone (and let’s not forget your range of twillys, skinny scarves and carrés too!). Do you have a favourite scarf design from your collection?

Yes I do, totally! Although I do love how you can choose to wear different animals depending on your moods, I have to admit (and sorry to disappoint) I am a Gold Jaguar addict. I am a fan of leopard prints in general - it just adds a touch of cool to any outfit! Having said that, I have just started wearing our Mini Dalmatian Scarf with the bold flower print all-over, and I love it!!

There is this wonderful cohort of young and quirky scarf designers coming out of Britain at the moment, with some of my favourites including Karen Mabon and Silken Favours. Do you have a favourite scarf designer (young or old) or one that you most admire? 

Yes, the scarf world is very exciting at the moment! I am very glad we’re all working towards making scarves popular! I really like the scarves of Bimba Y Lola too, the materials could be a bit nicer but the prints are beautiful.

Saying this, my absolute favourite will have to be Hermes. I’m always amazed by the variety of prints they offer, and they all come in a few amazing colour ways. The silk they use is very special, they have their own weave made for them, and it is all printed by hand, which is really incredible.

As a French girl living in London, is there a difference between designing for the French girl versus the British girl?

I don’t think there is really, our scarves are quite loud but they do appeal to an amazing variety of people, from different countries, and ages, I love that!

You have more recently branched out into clothing, creating a range of silk blouses and pyjamas. Are there any more tricks up your sleeve or tantalising hints that you care to share?

Haha, I think that’s it for now. I find it quite nice to focus on a product at a time to see people’s reactions, and make sure we master the technicality of getting things made etc. As a small label, I think it’s great to take your time, focus and make sure things are done well, Voila!

Cleo, it has been an absolute pleasure to chat to you and find out more about the women behind some of my favourite scarves in my personal scarf collection.

Lucy xx

Be sure to check out Cleo’s website at www.cleoferinmercury.co.uk to discover more about her beautiful scarves. Better still, the summer sale sees many of her scarves currently reduced with 60% off!

[hyaenagallery]

Julian Eltinge part 2 He toured simply as "Eltinge" which left his sex unknown and his act included singing, dancing and quick costume changes in a variety of female roles, including a Gibson Girl-like role called "The Sampson Girl." At the conclusion of his performances, he would remove his wig, revealing his true nature to the surprise of the often unknowing audience. Eltinge's star began to shine on Broadway and on national tours and his name became known worldwide. Indeed, women were so enthralled by his performances that he established the Eltinge Magazine which advised women on beauty, fashion, and home tips. By 1910, Eltinge had reached the height of his fame. Sime Silverman, Editor of Variety, called him "as great a performer as there is today." Eltinge appeared in a series of musical comedies written specifically for his talents starting in 1910 with The Fascinating Widow. His popularity soon earned him the moniker "Mr. Lillian Russell" for the popular beauty and musical comedy star. As many actors began to leave for the silver screen, Eltinge followed and in 1914 he starred in silent picture versions of The Crinoline Girl followed by Cousin Lucy the next year. According to Anthony Slide's The Encyclopedia of Vaudeville, he also had a cameo role in a film entitled How Molly Malone Made Good in 1915. Eltinge's first real screen success came in 1917 in The Countess Charming. His role in the film was again a double role with him playing both a male and said male in female garb. Settling in Hollywood, Eltinge made three films in 1917 and also in 1918. During this time he wrote and produced a vaudeville group called "The Julian Eltinge Players." With this group he returned triumphantly to the vaudeville stage appearing at New York's Palace Theatre in 1918, where he was paid one of the highest salaries in show business: $3,500 a week. The next year he returned again in a new vaudeville review with sets by the French designer Erté. #destroytheday https://www.instagram.com/p/BvUMhBIh1_W/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=na5rr0m0uw6

[noiseartists]

French Shoegaze, Dream Pop & Noise Pop, a quick guide, Vol. 2

In our Volume 1 you discovered / revisited Welcome to Julian (90’s), Dead Horse One, Stuck in the Sound, Venera 4, Soon she Said, Automatic Fiction, Candelabre (see our collaboration) and the Sigh (90’s).

You are here again for a other musical treat, as we continue to introduce you to some of the fantastic bands that France has (had) in our favorite genres. This second volume, like the ones to follow, includes past, present, big and small bands in no particular order.

First a big thank you to Elisabeth (Kill the Moose), Margot (Tapeworms), Michel (Lucie Vacarme), Evol (Dead & Nothing Collective), Yann (Marble Arch), Pierre (Dead Mantra) and their bandmates for taking the time to ensure that their band’s information was accurate.

LUCIE VACARME (90’s)

Lucie Vacarme, from Toulouse, is one of the main and most influential French Shoegaze (called ‘Noisy Pop’ then) band of the 90’s. This the first recorded musical experience of Michel Cloup, known for having worked in one of the major bands of the French scene of the 90s, Diabologum. They disbanded in 1993.

The band was known for their saturated and hazy sound, at the limit of the audible, especially in concert (those of Toulouse and Bordeaux in the first part of Lush were known to have caused tinnitus).

Despite the support of Bernard Lenoir (the French Equivalent of John Peel), Lucie Vacarme did not break through.

All readers of ‘Les Inrocks’ knew the band even if it was not easy to get their CD’s. I for one had the CD’s copied on tape as I could not get the CD proper (always out of stock when I looked). Unfortunately, I have lost the tape since unfortunately.

The band had more influence on the limited ‘Noisy Pop’ French musical scene as the time that they think. Many bands (my band Smiling Marianne, The Sigh, …) knew Lucie Vacarme’s music and we were inspired by some of it, if only to know that French bands could make such great music. Milkyway was to our opinion one of the best Shoegaze album around. Thanks guys.

There is a little story as Kim Gordon (Sonic Youth) featured on the band’s album, as detailed in Michel Cloup’s interview in ‘Soul Kitchen’

“We sent our first EP to Thurston Moore. He sent us a postcard back. We had suggested to Kim, at the time when they recorded ‘Dirty’ to make a featuring on our song "Kelly Kiss". She did it over the phone with a very bad sound and accent. Fortunately, we wrote her name on the booklet and people were able to know she featured”.

One of their songs, ‘Souffle incandescent’ features on DKFM ‘Shoegaze classics and rarities vol2’ that can be found here on Mixcloud.

The band’s lineup was:

David Amsellem : guitar, voice

Michel Cloup : guitar

Patrice Bellanti : bass

Valery Lorenzo : drums

The music work is as follows:

1990: Metalvox, EP

1992: Milkyway , Album

1993: Audioscope, EP

Some of the songs we love:

ALCEST

The presentation of the band on Wikipedia tells us that Alcest is a French Post-Metal band from Bagnols-sur-Cèze, founded and led by Neige (Stéphane Paut). It started in 2000 as a Black Metal solo project by Neige, soon a trio, but following the release of their first demo in 2001, band members Aegnor and Argoth left the band, leaving Neige as the sole member.

In 2009 drummer Winterhalter from Les Discrets (and formerly Peste Noire) joined Alcest's line-up, after eight years with Neige as the sole full-time member.

Since its creation, Alcest has released five studio albums and a number of EPs and split releases. Their fourth album, 2014's Shelter, marked a dramatic shift towards a distinctly Shoegaze sound, however their latest album Kodama marks a partial return to their earlier Blackgaze sound. The band are widely credited with pioneering the Blackgaze/Post-Black metal genre, particularly through their EP ‘Le Secret’ released in 2005.

Alcest's fourth effort, entitled ‘Shelter’, was released on January 17, 2014 via Prophecy Productions. It features a guest appearance by Neil Halstead (Slowdive). Stylistically the album is a radical departure for the band, dropping all traces of metal from their sound and fully committing to the Shoegaze side of their sound. Neige later said in an interview that

"We are proud of it, but I think it was maybe a bit too influenced by other things. I really was obsessed with Slowdive at that time. Shelter still sounds very ‘Alcest’, but maybe not as much as the other records.”

On January 22, 2019, the band announced that they would start recording their next studio album the following day.

The current line-up is:

Neige – lead vocals, guitars, keyboards (2000–present), drums (2000–2009), bass (2001–present)

Winterhalter – drums, percussion (2009–present)

The current live musicians are:

Zero – guitar, backing vocals (2010–present)

Indria Saray – bass (2010–present)

The music work to date is:

2005: Le Secret (2005, re-recorded version in 2011) EP

2007: Souvenirs d'un autre monde, Album

2010: Écailles de Lune, Album

2012: Les Voyages de l'Âme, Album; BBC live session

2014: Shelter, Album

2016: Kodama, Album

2019: Spiritual instinct, Album

Some of the songs we love:

NøTHING COLLECTIVE

The Nøthing Collective is a Collective of like-minded French bands within the Shoegaze / Noise Pop / Altrock / Dreampop genres. They include an extensive lineup of some of the best current French artists.

They present themselves as follows:

“No matter where, no matter who and no matter how. What matters is the sound. What brings us together is the desire to have one. What binds us is the will to defend it. What we are passionate about is the desire to reveal it to you.”

The bands part of the collective so far are: A V G V S T, Future, Dead, Dead Horse One (see our Volume 1), Marble Arch (see below in this guide), Maria False, Saintes, Seahorse Hunter, Still Charon, Venera 4 (see our Volume 1), Beat Mark, Cavale Blanche, Des Roses, Giirls's facebook, Hermetic Delight, Mara, The name of the band, San Carol, Shadow Motel, Soft Blonde, Volage, Tapeworrm (see below in this guide), La Houle, T/O, Bank Myna, Good morning TV, Big Wool, Soon She Said (see our Volume 1), Brace! Brace!, Son of Fonos, That Green, The same old Band, Boy Head, Soon, Beat Mark, Boreal Wood, Maara, My lovely underground, Shadow Motel, San Carol,

The compilations that include the bands above to date are:

2013: We want nøthing more than nøthing #1

2014: Songs from Nøthing #2

2015:nøthing #03, nothing #4

2018: nøthing #05

There are too many songs and bands to choose from and we invite you to look / listen to their Bandcamp page and enjoy the quality and variety is contains.

Needless to say, Nøthing Collective was one of our main resources to source great bands for this Guide. More bands form the Collective will be included in the next volumes of this guide.

  MARBLE ARCH

As stated on the band’s social media, “Like the white marble monument -located on the West end of Oxford Street- from which the group borrowed its name, Marble Arch was cut for triumph. Having perfectly digested Shoegaze and Dream Pop's secrets, their music has been oriented toward childhood and experimentation.

After the first DIY record, Yann Le Ravazet had some time to think about the musical tone and sounds of his new record. He didn’t want it to be labelled Shoegaze nor Dream Pop. As a matter of fact, we’d be more likely to hear reverberated pop (Remeniscence), saturated pop (the infectious song “I am on My Way”), nostalgic pop (Moonstruck), synthetic pop (Instant Love) or even contemplative pop (Gold).”

The band has indeed evolved between the first and second album, though still into the music world of reverberation.

Les inrockuptibles (the French NME) did a very good interview of the front man from which this is extracted:

"In 2014, we discovered Yann Le Razavet with 'The Bloom Of Division', album entirely designed by the light of his bedside lamp. Under the name of Marble Arch, the young musician flew far away from the noisy shoegaze of his first band, Maria False, and delivered many of titles full of foggy nostalgia and twilight lyricism. Full of an elegance and finesse rather rare in France, 'Children Of The Slump' is without a doubt a very good record, and even when wholly mustering our critical mind, there is not much at fault."  -- Les Inrockuptibles

Band Members are:

Yann Le Razavet, vocals, guitar and keyboard

Thomas Tan, Lead guitar

Adrien Vernet, guitar, backing vocals

Thomas Beilles, Bass

Danny Kendrick, Drums

Music work to date

2013: echidna, EP

2014: The bloom of division, Album

2016: The Sand, single

2019: Children of the Slump, Album

Some of the bands’ songs we love:

KILL THE MOOSE 

Kill The Moose is an alternative rock band, strongly influenced by the British Shoegaze scene of the early 90's.

It was founded in 2015 by Elisabeth and Alex, in Nice, on the French Riviera. Kill the Moose is a concentrate of noise energy mixed with melodies that remain in the forefront. The songs are ethereal, pop and sweet, drenched in a wall of sound, full of reverb and distortion, with the beats of a deep bass and powered-up drums.

Note that the name ‘Kill The Moose’ is not a tribute to Shoegaze's British band ‘Moose’, but a reference to a Monty Python piece.

The lineup is:

Elisabeth Massena, Vocals

Alex Ornon, Guitar

Alexis Fedunizin, Bass

Nicolas Bonnet, Drums

Arthur Arsenne, Guitar

 The music work to date is:

2017: Demo #1

2018: Good Girl EP; The World Is Your Oyster EP; Contented Eye (Adorable cover); To The Moon And Back EP; Suzanne (Moose Cover)

2019: Into My Arms (Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds Cover)

Some of the songs we love:

DEAD

Dead is a Coldwave / Noise / Electronic band from Rennes. Their music errs more towards the Early Cocteau Twins and The Cure (disintegration period). Their combination of synth waves and reverb guitars give a beautiful cold and dark feeling.

The band present themselves as follows:

"What more can you say about a band called DEAD that hasn’t already been made abundantly clear at first glance?

The fact that these French mercenaries of noise can conjure up such a powerfully dark aesthetic before even hitting a note is impressive, but when they finally do, they unleash a far more potent beast entirely. If DEAD aren’t already mapping out the future destruction of the planet, they’ve sure as hell written the soundtrack.

Bleak, confrontational, but with a firm command of rhythm and deep grooves, this might be the dancefloor antidote we’ve been waiting for."

The line-up is:

Berne Evol, vocals

Brice Delourmel, guitars

Bernard Marie, drum machine & keyboard

Musical work to date is

2012: Transmission, EP

2014: Verse, EP

2016: Voices, Album

2019: Dreams, EP

Some of our favorite songs from the band:

TAPEWORMS

Tapeworms is “3-piece rock band, mostly eating French fries, listening to Smash Mouth and watching Evil Dead. From Lille, they're trying their best to produce some noisy, dreamy, aggressive but kind music.”

An interview in Section 26 summarizes the band in a few words: ‘Do It Yourself’ is in the DNA of the band, which is outlined in the former student room of Theo, when they have fun with Margot covering Sparklehorse or Drop Nineteens on an online beat box, with an old cassette player as recorder. Eliott, used to play with his big brother, then started on the drums "We began to rehearse my grandmother’s attic. Tapeworms is really born at that time, fed with her pies and 90’s music. " Tapeworms has a shoegaze sound, noisy pop, immersed in the tradition of the 90's.

The band members are

Margot Magnière: Bass, Vocals

Théo Poyer: Guitar, Vocals

Eliott Poyer: Drums

The music work to date is:

2016: All Stars, EP; Tapeworms, single; macadam star, single.

2018: Everything Will Be Fine, long EP

Some of the songs we love:

DEAD MANTRA

Dead Mantra were created in 2009 in le Mans. The define their music as being “Gregorian Shoegaze”. They are part of the record label Cranes Records with Dead Horse One

The inrockuptibles give a very good overview of the band’s sound

"The maliciously saturated guitars sneak around a powerful rhythmic base. From this wall of sound, a veritable ice-cold and cavernous maelstrom, pierce the dark and delicate dark-pop melodies of The Dead Mantra. Young Manceaux, spotted by the Cranes Records label, stand as worthy French heirs of the Black Rebel Motorcycle Club for swirling psychedelism and The Jesus & Mary Chain for shoegaze violence. Perfect harmony between devastating fury and sinuous writing."  -- Guilhem Denis, Inrocks

The lineup is:

Paul, guitars and vocals

Pierre Hamelin, drums

Louis, guitars

Henri, Bass

The music Work to date is:

2018: Saudade Forever, Album

2015: MXEICO Remixed

2014: Nemure, Album

2012: Split EP with Dead Horse One

2010: Path Of Confusion, EP

Some of the songs we love to discover the band:

For once we include a Music Video as ‘Mxeico’ is a genuine original piece worth watching and listening. As a warning, it contains male nudity.

[gramilano]

Philippe Jaroussky, Ombra mai fu, photo by Josef Fischnaller, © Parlophone Records Ltd

French countertenor Philippe Jaroussky explores the arias of Francesco Cavalli on his new album Ombra mai fu, which was released digitally on 8 March and physically on CD and vinyl on 22 March.

Why Cavalli? Jaroussky says,

Beyond the great musical interest that Cavalli offers, his operas are notable for their richness and modernity, and for the diversity and complexity of their characters. Stage directors and opera houses are increasingly keen to stage his works. His operas are full of fantasy, craziness, humour and emotion. They offer a variety we don’t find in the opera seria of the 18th century.

Italian composer Cavalli (1602–1676) is an important figure in the history of opera and his works, which first experienced a revival in the 1960s, have been growing in popularity in recent years. Cavalli was the most prominent successor to Monteverdi, and active in Venice at a time when opera was moving out of aristocratic palaces and into public theatres.

Philippe Jaroussky, Ombra mai fu, photo by Josef Fischnaller, © Parlophone Records Ltd 04

Philippe Jaroussky, Ombra mai fu, photo by Josef Fischnaller, © Parlophone Records Ltd 03

Philippe Jaroussky, Ombra mai fu, photo by Josef Fischnaller, © Parlophone Records Ltd 06

Philippe Jaroussky, Ombra mai fu, photo by Josef Fischnaller, © Parlophone Records Ltd 02

Philippe Jaroussky, Ombra mai fu, photo by Josef Fischnaller, © Parlophone Records Ltd 10

Philippe Jaroussky, Ombra mai fu, photo by Josef Fischnaller, © Parlophone Records Ltd 09

Philippe Jaroussky, Ombra mai fu, photo by Josef Fischnaller, © Parlophone Records Ltd 07

Musically, his operas are notable for the fluid expression of their recitar cantando (“acting in song”), and dramatically for their variety of tone, combining noble, mythical or tragic drama with teasing or bawdy comedy.

Cavalli played a major role in establishing opera – the new genre created by Monteverdi and others – as popular entertainment. He composed many operas for the Teatro San Cassiano, which was the first theatre in Venice to stage opera.

He was also active in the field of religious music. As a boy, he had sung under Monteverdi’s direction in the choir of St Mark’s Basilica. He went on to become the cathedral’s organist and eventually, in 1668, to follow in Monteverdi’s footsteps and become its maestro di cappella, the equivalent of a modern-day music director.

When preparing Ombra mai fu, Jaroussky was able to study the manuscripts of most of Cavalli’s 37 surviving operas.

I really wanted to use the album’s playing time to show all the variety and all the qualities of Cavalli’s music. It can sometimes appear disarmingly simple, but it has a very special and distinctive melodic and harmonic flavour. The album is designed to illustrate the contrasts in his operas as they move from one scene to the next, where a lamento might be directly followed by something very humorous.

Jaroussky has chosen vocal and instrumental numbers from more than a dozen of Cavalli’s operas, ranging from comparatively well-known works such as Calisto, Ercole amante, Ormindo and Giasone, and Eliogabalo, which was recently staged in both Paris and Amsterdam, to such rarities as Statira, principessa di Persia and La virtù dei strali d’Amore.

Jaroussky is joined on this Erato recording by soprano Emőke Baráth, whose own recent Erato recital, Voglio cantar, highlighted the music of Barbara Strozzi, a student of Cavalli. Contralto Marie-Nicole Lemieux joins him for the comical duet ‘Ninfa bella’ from Calisto.

Philippe Jaroussky, Ombra mai fu, photo by Josef Fischnaller, © Parlophone Records Ltd 05

Philippe Jaroussky, Ombra mai fu, photo by Josef Fischnaller, © Parlophone Records Ltd 08

Philippe Jaroussky, Ombra mai fu, photo by Josef Fischnaller, © Parlophone Records Ltd 01

The title track is taken from the opera Xerse, which dates from 1654 and is set to the same libretto that Handel used for his Serse more than 80 years later.

Curiously there are similarities between Cavalli’s and Handel’s settings of ‘Ombra mai fù’ – both are quite short and in triple time.

Did Handel know Cavalli’s Xerse?

It’s a possibility. An interesting difference between the two arias is that in Handel’s version the first violin plays along with the voice. In Cavalli’s version the violin parts are higher and fill in the harmonies, changing constantly and creating a very beautiful effect of iridescence and colour.

On this recording, those violins belong to Ensemble Artaserse, which Jaroussky launched in 2002 in collaboration with other leading musicians in the field of Baroque music.

Ombra mai fu

Ombra mai fu

Xerse, act I, scene 1: Ombra mai fu

Statira, principessa di Persia, act II, scene 10: All’armi mio core

Erismenea, act II, scene 22: Recit. Dove mi conducete?

Erismenea, act II, scene 22:  Aria. Uscitemi dal cor, lacrime amare

Calisto, act I, scene 12: Intreprete mal buona… L’uomo è una dolce cosa

Calisto, act I, scene 13: Ninfa bella

Eliogabalo: sinfonia

Elena, act III, scene 1: Ecco l’idol mio … Mio diletto, mio sospiro

Ercole Amante: sinfonia

Eliogabalo, act I, scene 13: Io resto solo? …Misero, cosi va

Ormindo, act II, scene 6: Che città che costumi

Gli amori d’Apollo e di Dafne, act III, scene 3: Recit. Ohimé, che miro?

Gli amori d’Apollo e di Dafne, act III, scene 3: Aria. Misero Apollo

Orione: sinfonia

Eritrea, act I, scene 8: Ô luci belle

Giasone, act I, scene 2: Delizie, contenti

Doriclea: sinfonia

Calisto, act II, scene 1: Erme, e solinghe cime…. Lucidissima face

La Virtù dei Strali d’amore, act II, scene 4: Alcun più di me felice non è

Pompeo Magno, act II, scene 16: Cieche Tenebre

Xerse, act II, scene 8: La belezza è un don fugace

La Virtù dei Strali d’amore, act I, scene 8: recit. Il diletto interrotto…

La Virtù dei Strali d’amore, act I, scene 8: Desia la Verginella

La Virtù dei Strali d’amore, act III, scene 3: Che pensi, mio core?

Philippe Jaroussky countertenor (Tracks 1-4, 6, 8, 10-13, 15, 16, 18-26) Emőke Baráth soprano (Tracks 8, 15) Marie Nicole Lemieux contralto (Tracks 5, 6)

With the Ensemble Artaserse

Countertenor Philippe Jaroussky talks about his new album “Ombra mai fu” French countertenor Philippe Jaroussky explores the arias of Francesco Cavalli on his new album Ombra mai fu…

[ealinginsider]

You need to taste Lucy’s heavenly chocolates

I am always excited to discover talented people in Ealing and am delighted to introduce you to Handmade in Ealing’s wonderful Lucy Savage – our very own chocolatier.

Read on to find out how you could win a hamper of her delicious chocolates and where you will be able to meet her this Saturday 16th September with samples and special offers! 

How did you start making chocolates?

About 16 years ago I decided I would make my own chocolate Easter eggs so I taught myself chocolate tempering and stocked up on moulds and couverture chocolate from ‘The Home Chocolate Factory’, a start up company selling chocolate to home bakers.

Wow self taught! As a non-expert, is making chocolates hard to do?

If only I had known just how troublesome chocolate making really is! Yes, it is hard. It doesn’t always work, it is extremely time consuming and the science behind tempering must be ‘felt’. You can’t ‘see’ when it is correct. But when it does go right, it makes for unique and beautiful products which are worlds away from high street chocolate. I have been on a variety of courses, including at Barry Callebaut, one of the biggest chocolate companies in the world who have their huge UK headquarters in Oxfordshire.

When did it start becoming a business?

When I heard about the new Ealing Food market, run by Kate McKenzie at EatMeDrinkMe in Autumn last year, I suddenly thought ‘I want to sell at markets’. I had always been a keen baker and all round foodie and thought if I was ever going to produce products for a market, they would be made of chocolate. 

It was super busy in the run up to the Christmas period. I was flat out preparing during the week whilst still trying to work. I generally work a couple of days a week for a film company (my previous working life was in Film Distribution), with a great team. I equally love this work and in truth it is paying for me to make chocolate at present.

How has this evolved?

After a few market appearances over Christmas and a period selling in a local gift shop, Jane West from All Original on Ealing Green approached me to stock some Valentine’s Day Chocolates. Around the same time Kate (EatMeDrinkMe), asked if I wanted to be part of a team of four seller/designers taking over an empty shop in Acton as a ‘pop-up’ for eight weeks.  We spent time working in the shop as well as making products, so I was working non-stop to create Valentine’s Day, then Mother’s Day and then finally Easter products.  I chose this route as opposed to investing in a market stall which I realised I just wouldn’t have the time to do. I also hosted a chocolate and wine tasting event at Abbotshill Wine Bar with the owner Susie. 

Fast forward to summer and my products are doing really well at All Original and I’ve been able to attend quite a few markets, meeting and sharing chocolate with keen local chocolate enthusiasts. I have also graduated from my home kitchen to a commercial kitchen in Park Royal (just two days a week at present) which has allowed me to increase my production level five fold. I am now bursting with products which I need to find homes for!

What’s next for you?

To invest in a market stall and prepare for Autumn and Winter including the Christmas markets.  I love meeting customers and seeing them try my products and then buy them. Customers tell me what they like about my products and I can see what price points work, which adds to the ongoing learning experience. I am also launching in a deli in Ealing in October (watch this space!).

I would really like to get into as many Ealing based food establishments as possible, including coffee shops. I am currently developing bespoke small bars which could contain their own coffee. I look forward to presenting them to our excellent Ealing coffee shops.

I also want to branch out into corporate gifting, creating wedding favours and petite fours for events. 

I am hosting a chocolate making event for the WI and a chocolate party for teenagers and I would like to do some more tasting events or chocolate making classes.  Can you imagine a prosecco and truffle making afternoon for example? [Yes please! – Ealing Insider]

What is the best advice you have had about your business?

It was early on and it was from someone who had set up their own business from a passion like mine and it was to think very hard about whether you just want to turn a passion into a hobby or seriously into a business. Could you live with it 24/7 and can you really make it a viable business. I think I am still questioning this and it will take some time until I can realistically see me making a living from making such an artisanal handmade product.  

What are your favourite chocolates?

There are so many chocolates I love and chocolatiers I admire. My favourite producers include The Chocolate Society in Somerset, Leeds based Lauden Chocolates, Eponine in Cheshire and chocolate God that he is, London based William Curley.  They all create the most amazing flavour sensations and are award winning.  I do a lot of research (!) and am currently collecting ‘bean to bar’ produced chocolate bars in the UK which is a growing part of the chocolate industry.  I’ve also just attended the Speciality Food and Speciality Chocolate show in Olympia and got to meet chocolate couverture producers and chocolatiers.

My base foodie desires involve peanut butter and chocolate, (even spooned out of a jar and mixed with melted chocolate!) or any caramelised nuts mixed with chocolate. I love real fruit purees in silky smooth ganaches like passion fruit which I recently used paired with dark chocolate. Also crunchy poppy seeds and blueberry puree caramel paired with the strong flavour of pine nuts caramelised into a hard caramel and crushed in make a crunchy base layer. Using herbs or flowers, such as lavender or fresh mint and spices from fennel to cardamom, cinnamon and sumac which when paired with different profiles of chocolate can make strangely perfect pairings.

What is your most popular chocolate?

Salted caramel is still very popular and I get asked for it a lot.  I make a milk chocolate based salted caramel chocolate with either a hazelnut paste layer or more recently a chai spiced version.  I also make my own caramelised white chocolate (Caramac anyone?!) but it is darker and richer in flavour (and I am told mine is better!)

Dark chocolate is also becoming more popular with people who see it as a more healthy option for a sweet treat as well as appreciating the deeper and more multi layered flavour profiles you can get. I also think palates are becoming more refined and we are more intrigued by deeper flavours. In the cooler weather my single origin dark chocolate bars, (chocolate made from beans sourced from particular cocoa bean growing area) were popular. This Autumn/Winter I am adding more ‘inclusions’ into the bars.  New flavours include smoked sea salt and green raisins and raspberry oil and crystallised rose pieces.

What is your favourite chocolate?

I can’t choose just one! I love pomegranate molasses (sharp), rose oil (perfume) and pistachio (crunchy aromatic nuts) in dark chocolate. I also really like lime with dark chocolate so I mix crushed cardamom seeds with lime zest which has been steeped in cream for an hour, then mix with a dark fruity chocolate, cream and butter. 

Last week as we officially started Autumn I took my new ‘adult’ toffee apple chocolate to Ruislip’s Duckpond market and it went down very well.  I did a version with spiced honey vodka and another with apple vodka.  The hard caramel pieces mimic the toffee apple biting experience of our childhood.

I like pairing chocolate, whether in a bar or a truffle, with contrasting flavours like sweet white creamy chocolate with finely ground strong almost bitter coffee granules and stringent cocoa nibs or dark chocolate with salted caramel crunchy pieces and candied orange.

Where do you source your ingredients?

I source my high grade couverture chocolate from a French brand owned by a Swiss company. It contains cocoa butter. I also use mainly single origin chocolate from cocoa bean growing areas with varieties in flavour and mouth feel, rather than mass produced chocolate designed to be the same every time. 

I am very keen to use local and UK based products where I can. I’ve made Lavender truffles using Ealing honey (by Clare Vernon).

I have also used Lavender gin from a Yorkshire based gin distiller. Today in the kitchen I made up some mini milk chocolate bars flavoured with real lavender steeped first in cocoa butter. Tomorrow I’ll be using some of my garden mint in a dark chocolate.

I’ve just contacted a gin distillery in Cornwall who have a gin product profile based on clotted cream.  I want to attempt to produce a cream tea based chocolate with a strawberry jam layer, white chocolate ganache and sultanas. If it works it will be on the menu for Summer ’18.

What do you like most about Ealing?

Green open spaces and a feeling of community. After commuting to Soho for so many years Ealing provides a wonderful contrasting place to a hectic work environment. 

It also offers all kinds of inspiration for me, for example the excellent Persian food stores we have around West Ealing with their rich abundance of nuts and other delicacies. I have started using barberries (a very tart fruit often used in savoury Persian dishes which I hadn’t come across before). I add them to dark chocolate, slightly salted almonds and green raisins.  

What are your favouring places in Ealing?

There are so many and most are focused around food! Pitshanger Lane as a whole street as it is a peaceful place to hang out on a Saturday morning after the working week. I love sitting for hours in Oscar’s Café, appreciating the warm hospitality of Ben (don’t tell him I said this) and his team. I like buying the beautiful bread from Pitshanger Bakery. 

Abbotshill Wine Bar, with gorgeous deli food and the best wines, friendly staff and great events. Charlotte’s Place and W5 which are so classy and up there with West End eateries. Beehive Café for healthy food, great staff and excellent coffee, and cakes from 11 Coffee & Co. in North Ealing and Papillion on Northfield Avenue.

Non food related I love the parks, in particular Pitshanger Park for tennis and running. And lastly, the best gift shop All Original who are so supportive of local designers/makers and an absolutely perfect retail partner.

Where can people buy your chocolates?

My chocolates are stocked in All Original at Ealing Green, and this Saturday 16th September I will be there from 11am to 4pm for a ‘Meet the Maker’ session. Please come along and say hello and try some samples of my chocolates. I will also have some special offers. 

You can order any products by sending me a message via my social accounts on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. 

I will be at selected markets from now until Christmas - just see my social pages for market details. I hope to have my website up during the Autumn ready for Christmas orders where I shall be introducing e-commerce so you’ll be able to order direct from the website.  

Facebook competition time!

To be in with a chance of winning a gorgeous seasonal mixed chocolate hamper similar to the one pictured above, simply like or share the original blog post on Ealing Insider’s Facebook (the pinned post at the top). Easy!

The competition is running from Tuesday 12th to Monday 18th September 2017 and the winner will be announced on Tuesday 19th September.

The hamper will be hand delivered to the winner in the Ealing area.

Thanks Lucy 😊

Love, 

The Ealing Insider 

Xoxox

 Competition Terms and Conditions

To enter the competition simply like or share the blog post from the Ealing Insider’s Facebook page (the pinned post at the top of the profile).

The competition is running from Tuesday 12th to Monday 18th September 2017.

All entrants names will be entered in to a ‘hat’ and the winner will be selected at random on Tuesday 19th September.

The winner’s name will be published across the Ealing Insider’s social media platforms and we will contact them directly to arrange delivery of the prize within the Ealing area.

The prize hamper will be similar to, but not exactly the same as the one pictured. It will feature a selection of seasonal chocolates by Handmade In Ealing. 

The competition is open to anyone who follows the guidelines above, except for Handmade in Ealing and the Ealing Insider. 

The competition is not endorsed by Facebook.

[brendagilliam2]

30 beautiful examples of paper art

We may live in a digital world, but our love affair with paper art has by no means diminished. Folded into origami and kirigami, laser-cut, layered and made into sculptures, paper artists can transform a humble sheet of old tree into a spectacular artwork. 

Here are some great of examples of paper art being used imaginatively within contemporary design, giving new life to one of the most ancient arts. You’re sure to find the inspiration you’re looking for…

01. Self Preserving 

This campaign for Lush even moves

The Self Preserving campaign from cosmetics company Lush to promote its use of natural ingredients saw shop windows all over Europe fill with epic paper art. It was a collaborative effort, with artist Charlotte Day creating original illustrations of the natural ingredients found in the product range, which were then brought to life in 3D using textured paper to create shop window displays designed by Owen Gildersleeve.

A special hero installation in Lush’s flagship store in London’s Oxford Street even moved, masterminded by 3D designer Thomas Forsyth. “Many hours were spent experimenting with different algorithms and code structures so that we could give the flowers more believable and animated movements,” explains Forsyth. “We’ve actually ended up creating a program in which the flowers randomly generate their own movements, so when it feels like one of the flowers has turned to look at you, it kind of has.”

02. Circling

Circling is a personal exploration of anxiety and helplessness

Paper art duo Julie Wilkinson and Joyanne Horscroft aka Makerie Studio design and create showpieces for window installations, advertising and editorial clients. “Circling is an extremely personal project, one that came from trying to deal with a period of intense fear and worry,” says the duo. “Bright colours and happy thoughts are usually our driving forces, but some days take their toll, and this was our way of dealing with anxiety. Making something constructive out of a stressful state of mind was a way of feeling less helpless, literally turning darkness into beauty.”

Each piece was handcrafted from iridescent gold and black paper, and features a central creature surrounded by circling predators.

03. Phidala

Eric Standley’s work echoes Islamic art and Gothic architecture

Virgina-based designer Eric Standley takes paper art to a new level with his incredibly intricate, multi-layered creations, often inspired by Islamic or Gothic architecture. 

This detailed design is based around the fractal geometry that occurs naturally in the universe. “When a DNA braid is viewed from the top down, the layered double helix rotation abides by the golden ratio (phi),” explains Standley. “I began applying phi to the drawing processes of Kismet and Phidala.”

Take a look at his website for more breathtakingly detailed creations, or read our article on his laser-cut paper art.

04. Tissue series

Lisa Nilsson’s quilling turns anatomical cross-sections into things of beauty

Lisa Nilsson works in a variety of media, but for us her stand-out work involves quilling. We can’t resist her Tissue series: a collection of anatomical cross-sections rendered in paper. 

Says Nicholls, “I find quilling exquisitely satisfying for rendering the densely squished and lovely internal landscape of the human body in cross section.”

05. Forest Folks

Zim & Zou’s vibrant paper sculptures are featured all over the world

French artists Lucie Thomas and Thibault Zimmerman make up renowned paper art studio Zim & Zou. The duo’s colourful paper sculptures appear all over the world – including in this series of installations in a new Hermès store in Dubai. 

The series is based around the theme of nature. “In this project, spectators have a sneak peek of the curious characters living inside this environment,” the pair state. “This microscopic point of view, where plants… reign as masters, is like a kind of picture, a flash, a precise instant in nature’s unrestrained run.”

06. European Birds 

It’s hard to resist these detailed and colourful paper birds

Colombian-born Diana Beltran Herrera specialises in amazing paper recreations of nature, her work featuring wonderfully detailed flowers and plants and the most incredibly realistic birds of all shapes and sizes. Recently, the Bristol-based artist has also started incorporating insects, butterflies and fish into her work, demonstrating the same level of attention to detail.

07. We Sent Their Briefs Back

This is definitely the best way to approach a brief

South African agency TBWA needed a way of getting clients’ attention, and hit upon this novel way of tackling a brief: taking actual paper briefs and turning them into eye-catching paper art incorporating concepts relevant to the specific brand message, and then sending the briefs back to the client. The project was a huge success, attracting new work within five days.

08. Nissan Juke

This life-size Nissan car was built from foam board and card

Nissan wanted to create a life-size origami version of its Juke car to celebrate the model’s fifth anniversary. Inspired by its Japanese origins and the craftsmanship of UK manufacturing, the company turned to British designer and illustrator Owen Gildersleeve to make its vision reality. As with the Lush project above, Gildersleeve brought in Thomas Forsyth to lend his 3D build expertise to this epic undertaking. The final car was built from heavyweight card over a foam board skeleton.

09. The Tree of Knowledge

This book sculpture represents the Tree of Knowledge

There’s plenty of paper art out there that incorporates books into the design, but Spanish designer Malena Valcárcel‘s designs are particularly magical. “I transform books into a new story in a way to make people stop and appreciate, if just for a moment, the magic of books,” she says. Take a look at the range of book paper art designs in Valcárcel’s Etsy store, along with some delicate paper jewellery.

10. Cut Scene

Paper Dandy’s Cut Scene exhibition recreates Star Wars scenes

Making a living from paper art is a difficult task, but thanks to his talents and enthusiasm, Marc Hagan-Guirey – aka Paper Dandy – has done just that. For his Star Wars-inspired Cut Scene exhibition, the artist create 12 kirigami models of different iconic scenes, each cut from a single sheet of paper. The project received rave reviews.

Hagan-Guirey has also released a book entitled Horrogami, which includes 20 Kirigami projects inspired by cult horror tales such as Dracula, Frankenstein, Sleepy Hollow and King Kong, along with step-by-step instructions to make your own.

11. Decorex Expo

We’re big fans of Hagan-Guirey’s wonderful paper creations

Just one example of Marc Hagan-Guirey’s work in this list would seem like we were short changing you. So feast your eyes on his kirigami design for Decorex International, a company that puts on big interior design expos in the UK. Read more in our article here.

12. Fiat Dobló

D’Avila Studio used overlapping paper to create depth

Brazil-based illustration agency D’Avila Studio created this vibrant paper art piece as part of Fiat Motors’ campaign to promote its SUV, the Dobló Adventure. The team created two prints, both of which placed the paper overlapping on layers to create an impressive depth effect.

13. Paper Dragon

This dragon paper art was a team effort

This majestic dragon was created by a group of artists at INK studio in Belgium. It stands at above knee height and was made entirely of paper – it’s definitely worth taking a look at the studio’s website for some making-of photos. The dragon now resides peacefully – we are told – in the studio’s offices.

14. Day of the Dead

Koleva celebrates the Day of the Dead with intricate masks

This incredible paper art series from Bulgaria-based designer Tsvetislava Koleva celebrates the Day of the Dead with intricate and colourful masks that quite frankly, took our breath away (read our article here). Each creation takes a different theme and a different colour palette (shown here: Lace and Gold). Koleva specialises in paper art creations – her beautiful but slightly unsettling fashion masks are also well worth a look. 

15. 360° Book

Oono’s books open up to tell their stories layer by layer

Japanese artist and designer Yusuke Oono creates books that open up to tell their stories as a multi-layered 3D scene. Each page is a separate laser-cut plane, and together they make up deep and gorgeous 3D images that reveal the story as you make your way from the front to the back of the book.

Next page: 15 more incredible examples of paper art

16. Malmö Festival

This paper art almost looks like it was created with Photoshop

This identity for Malmö Festival was created by Swedish design agency Snask and features some wonderfully colourful paper art creations. Used for the print advertisement as well as huge promotional art installations, this is an impeccable example of what can be achieved with patience and creativity.

17. Women

White’s paper art is incredibly delicate

Artist Maude White likes to do something a little different when it comes to her paper art. She meticulously hand-cuts each piece to create works that are almost like lace. Inspired mostly by nature, and creating pieces that feature birds, leaves and flowers, White also creates beautiful paper art portraits of people. Each piece can take thousands of tiny cuts, with White working for hours on end to perfect each one.

She updates her Instagram feed with all her latest works, and is well worth a follow.

18. Nerd Love

Nerd Love is a collection of cult characters

Meghan Stratman originally started Nerd Love with the intention of creating a new piece of nerdy fan art every Monday for a year, but it turned into an alphabetical series – one geek hero for each letter of the alphabet, from How to Train your Dragon’s Astrid (above) to Tali’Zorah from Mass Effect.

“I like to include bright colours and a sense of humour in my art,” explains Stratman, “and enjoy combining elements to humorous effect, such as badgers sporting fezzes or weasels wearing rocket packs.”

19. Magic Circle

Each of Brown’s paper sculptures is hugely time consuming

The artist Rogan Brown is inspired in part by the tradition of scientific drawing and model making, and particularly the work of artist-scientists such as Ernst Haeckel. He explains: “My work is an exploration and re-presentation of natural organic forms both mineral and vegetal.”

20. Hyundai lettering

Just one of a set of tiny, detailed paper letters made by People Too

This project for Hyundai saw Russian design duo Alexey Lyapunov and Lena Erlich (aka People Too) creating tens of tiny, paper scenes. The concept was based around the slogan ‘Business works better with US in it’, with People Too creating letters representing different types of business (above is the ‘N’ for a care home company). To get a better grasp of the scale of the project, take a look at the duo’s work-in-progress photos.

21. Origami animals

Origami gets a unique twist using handmade Vietnamese paper

Vietnamese artist Nguyen Hung Curong shows off the possibilities of origami in his detailed, lifelike paper art sculptures. Curong took up the hobby when he was just five, and created his first original design when he was just 10 years old. He’s continued to practise the art of origami and is now able to create amazingly detailed and lifelike models, usually from just one square of Vietnamese handmade paper called Dó.

22. Fairy Forest

This magical paper art was featured in the Harrods Magazine

This charming forest series was created by Makerie Studio for Harrods Magazine. The sets were created using layers of iridescent white paper cut into plants, butterflies and miniature mushrooms. Into each was placed a fairy sculpture by Robin Wright , and luxury jewellery.

23. Little Houses

These colourful creations are part of a counting book

Helen Musselwhite is an illustrator based in the UK. A creative with a particular knack for paper art, she’s previously worked with The National Theatre, Nokia and Stella McCartney. For her own book, Little Houses, Musselwhite fashioned several sets of paper dwellings from around the world. Young readers can count their way from one Scottish crofter’s cottage right up to 10 canal-side townhouses in Amsterdam.

24. Paper sculpture

Nicholls’ paper rendering of fur has to be seen to be believed

After being introduced to the idea of paper as a medium at art school, Calvin Nicholls’ first paper sculpture was a collaboration with artist Jonathan Milne back in 1983, and he quickly felt the draw of working in paper. He uses heavy paper stock for structure and lighter paper for fur and fine detail, and he constantly refers to his drawings and study photos to ensure that the assembled pieces are true to the original plan. Read more about the artist in our article on his stunning paper art animals.

25. Myths

Ojala’s creations aren’t strictly paper art

Eiko Ojala’s Myths designs were created digitally but without the aid of 3D software. The illustrator draws everything by hand to create landscapes, figures and portraits that look as if they’ve been cut from paper. His client list includes the likes of ADC, the Guardian, the V&A and IBM. 

26. Continental Breakfast

This paper art is made from old maps

Michaela Mihalyiová describes herself as a ‘freelance pencil holder and Slovakian palm lover’. She creates sweet (and not so sweet… what’s that ocean in the bottom left?) paper art and animations that she shares on her Tumblr site. This design was crafted from 30-year-old maps.

27. Candy Crush

Yulia Brodskaya is one of the most well-known of the contemporary designers working with paper art. She combines classic design principles to create beautiful and thought-provoking visual fusions. “Paper always held a special fascination for me,” says the artist. “I’ve tried many different methods and techniques of working with it, until I found the way that has turned out to be ‘the one’ for me: now I draw with paper instead of on it.”

28. Visit Bristol Christmas Campaign

Pierpoint assembles her nature-inspired art from card and paper, then edits it in Photoshop

Inspired by nature and its never-ending beauty, Sam Pierpoint has constructed a range of colourful, 3D creations that transport you to an entirely different world. This paper art sculpture was part of Visit Bristol’s Christmas campaign, and features some of the city’s most loved attractions. The night-time scene was created with G.F Smith papers and lit with LED lights, which were carefully threaded through the sculpture. Watch the making-of video below.

29. La Siesta

This personal project is all about hugs

In his illustrations and paper art, Juan Carlos Viñas Ballesteros (aka Jotaká) aims to create good vibes. One personal project sure to do just that is ‘La Siesta’ – a series of paper illustrations all about hugs; their importance and the ideal time to receive them.

30. Midnight Creatures

This book has creatures hiding in the shadows

Helen Friel is a freelance paper engineer and illustrator, living and working in London, with clients including Vogue, The Telegraph and Ryan Air. Her book, Midnight Creatures, includes five pop-up scenes full of hidden creatures. To find them, the reader needs to turn the lights out and use a torch to find them in the shadows that appear on their wall.

Related articles:

Why you should make time for creative side projects

How to draw and paint – 100 pro tips and tutorials

Doodle art: 52 great examples

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from Brenda Gilliam http://brendagilliam.com/30-beautiful-examples-of-paper-art/

[wavenetinfo]

This week the Beatles celebrate the 50th anniversary of “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” by reissuing the classic album, Shakira returns with an eclectic and globally-minded, guest-filled record, rapper Lil Yachty drops his proper debut album, alt-country singer Justin Townes Earle releases a new set and indie rockers Pet Symmetry deliver a brief but ever-shifting, attention-grabbing record.

It should surprise no one that the “Sgt. Pepper’s” reissue in honor of the iconic album’s fiftieth anniversary keeps the album at its respected, classic level. In fact, the two disc version not only showcases the original, it also has alternate and deconstructed takes.

The album gets a brand new polish up on its mix and sounds as fresh as ever. The rumble of Paul McCartney’s bass seems to have extra punch and all the album’s orchestral elements sound like they are in the room with you as you are listening. The second disc includes “Penny Lane” and “Strawberry Fields Forever,” which were taken from the same sessions. Both cuts are showcased with additional alternate takes, as well.

I suppose those alternate takes on the second disc are what makes this set the most notable. Some of these versions don’t even have lyrics yet or they have half-formed words so you can get an inside look as to how the compositions evolved. It’s funny, but the additional version of “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” only has Lennon’s verses intact. McCartney’s chorus isn’t in place yet but the backing music is still there. If you are like me, you’ll have to resist the urge to sing the chorus to “Hang on Sloopy” by the McCoys along with the recording. The two songs are very different from each other, melodically-speaking, but it fits perfectly.

The instrumental alternate take of “Getting Better” preserves the original track’s lushness. The keys and buzzy guitars bounce off of each other, while “Fixing a Hole” has an appealing harpsichord practice session before it jumps into familiar territory. The isolated orchestra on “She’s Leaving Home” is a marvel within itself.

This reissue will only be important the kind of Beatle fan who wants to hear everything dissected, although the new, pristine and detailed mix is worth the price of admission alone.

Five decades later, “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” still sounds revolutionary and fresh. In many ways this album finds John, Paul, George and Ringo at the peak of their powers. That being said, they have one of the most consistently stellar discographies of the rock era. This is still an eclectic rainbow of a record, even by 2017 standards.

Focus Tracks:

“Strawberry Fields Forever” (Take 26) This is a faster, more experimental reading of the famous single. This version is much less ominous than the classic single we have heard over the years. Ringo’s drumming here is especially thunderous.

“A Day in the Life” (Take 1 with Hums) This is especially interesting as Lennon calls out instructions presumably to George Martin. This version is also stripped of both McCartney’s vocals and of the orchestration, thus emphasizing the hidden elements of the song. The echo-drenched counting during what would be the orchestral portion is especially haunting.

“Being For the Benefit of Mr. Kite” (Take 4) Lennon, playing the role of the twisted carnival barker has some obvious fun on this alternate, stripped-down take. The way he sings the title in a purposely nasally way at the beginning of the track shows that he’s not taking himself too seriously.

Shakira’s first album in three years sort of finds the Colombian superstar mostly aiming to update her Spanish-language pop roots and she does so with an effective electro-fueled energy, joining forces with an international crew of guests. She sounds great beside fellow Colombian, Maluma, on both “Chantaje” and “Trap,” even if he insists on coating his voice with electro effects and on “When a Woman,” (which counts Julia Michaels among its songwriters) it sounds like she is aiming for Justin Bieber’s “Sorry” territory.

There are some interesting choices along the way, too. The initial verse-section of “Amarillo,” seems to evoke memories of the verse melody of Madonna’s “Papa Don’t Preach,” even if melodically-speaking it heads into a brighter, less earnest direction. On “Pierro Fiel” she is joined by Reggaeton singer Nicky Jam with winning results.

“Comme Moi,” her collaboration with French rapper Black M, gets an “English version” with MAGIC! called “What We Said.” Of course, considering one the English version only really relates to the guests since Shakira’s part on both tracks is in English. The multi-lingual, international tone to the record suits Shakira well and will no doubt lead to global chart domination in some places as she continues to show herself to be a likable presence who can adapt to a number of different sonic backdrops.

It is tempting to call this some sort of return to form, modernizing the sounds that initially made her famous. With the exception of the Prince Royce collaboration, “Déjà vu,” and the Carlos Vives-assisted, “La Bicicleta,” I’d say that classification might be a little hasty. Rather, “El Dorado” finds Shakira continuing to grow as a performer, even if she’s sticking to club tracks and love ballads. She’s developing a fitting, casual subtlety.

Focus Tracks:

“Me Enamoré” This bouncy, electro-tinged opener has enough detail and enough bubblegum punch to win fans across a variety of areas. It’s a slow-burning club monster, even with the digitally-stuttered lyrical breakdown.

“Amarillo” The weird “Papa Don’t Preach” melodic parallel actually provides an accidental hook but the song blossoms into much more as it progresses.

“When a Woman” This is an attempt to conquer the American and British charts and it sounds like a pretty glowing slice of pop. She’s done more insistent tracks in the past, but this is still worthy.

Lil Yachty is only 19, but he’s already caught the ire of hip-hop’s old guard with his “bubblegum trap” and “mumble rap.” Last year the legendary Pete Rock famously called him to task for his lack of skill. From his proper debut, “Teenage Emotions,” it is evident that maintaining a level of lyricism is obviously at most a secondary concern. Mostly he uses his songs to just repeat words over and over in quick repetition. If you guessed that the chorus to the Migos-assisted “Peek a Boo” was the “Peek a Boo” said over and over again, you are right.

“DN Freestyle” is a dreadful example that shows that Yachty has no interest in having any sort of a flow, either. He blathers on over an asymmetrical beat and you are left with your head spinning. The repetition strikes again on both “Say My Name” and “Harley.”

When he’s not attempting to rap, Yachty leans a little too hard on vocoders and Autotune. Sure, with “trap” music this comes with the territory, but it’d be nice if there was more variety and if he’d attempt to sing without any effects from time to time. Perhaps he isn’t doing that because the effects are a crutch.

Of course, the majority of this record is half-baked at best. Listen to the fifty-second sonic atrocity, “Otha S–t” and it might seem amazing that this made it onto a widely-released album. The woozy, electro energy on “FYI (Know How)” and “No More” will prove to be a difficult listen for many. When he tries to rap in a straight-forward way on “Priorities,” it is completely without any sense of charisma, like a kid practicing his lyrics in his bedroom mirror. But he’s way outside of his bedroom and he’s just not ready.

It’s already been pounced on that Yachty uses the phrase “blow like a cello” in “Peek a Boo,” which he has apologized for, because he apparently wasn’t aware of exactly how one plays a cello. I’m all for progressing hip-hop forward and taking it into new, experimental directions, but Lil Yachty showcases no concept of craft here. It often seems like someone turned on a beat, they turned on the vocoders and he walked in cold off of the street and was just told to spit some lyrics and this was the best he gave them. It seems like he isn’t trying.

He can do better. His collaborative re-make of Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock’s “It Takes Two,” recorded with Carly Rae Jepsen and Mike WILL Made-It for a Target ad campaign isn’t great by any stretch but it at least captures a hint of faint ghost of the original classic.

“Teenage Emotions” is a bratty mess of a record and not in a compelling way. It’d be one thing if Yachty were ignoring conventions and pushing the genre somewhere fascinating, but he isn’t. When classic hip-hop artists shake their heads at Yachty for his perceived ignorance of the demands of the genre, that scorn is earned. Hip-hop and hip-hop culture along with the time-tested art of free-styling are sacred to many people. If you didn’t have skills and you didn’t have respect, back in the day you would’ve been booed off the stage. Yachty’s idea of hip-hop is a woozy, electro-fueled, fluttering internet meme in comparison to what used to pass the industry test. His lack of care for the music itself and his lyrics will be offensive to many.

There is potentially room for electro and trap elements in hip-hop but here Yachty is dumbing down a great genre. He’s adding more insult than ingenuity.

Focus Track:

“Running with a Ghost” (Featuring Grace) Honestly, picking a track worth recommending here is a challenging task, but Grace does a good job handling a hook that recalls Tegan and Sara’s “Walking with a Ghost.” Yachty essentially gets upstaged with better results.

The funny thing is about the “alt-country” label is that it often refers to more authentic country in comparison to the polished country-pop that fuels mainstream country radio. On his seventh album in nine years, Justin Townes Earle delivers some straight-forward country ballads combined with occasional shots of boogie-woogie blues. In a different generation, “What’s She Crying For” would have been a landmark hit, as would the opening romp “Champagne Corolla.”

On “15-25,” Earle plays the nefarious rogue quite well while working a formidable blues, while the title-track is a nostalgic trip to his childhood playing with his neighborhood friends. On “Short Hair Woman,” Earle describes his perfect mate, someone who is tall, “sharp as a diamond ring” and not too vain. It’s a winning workout of a track.

“Same Old Stagolee” is an old-time country folk number that no doubt will bring up memories of Lloyd Price’s classic hit “Stagger Lee.” While Price’s “Stagger Lee,” shot a guy named Billy, “Stagolee” here gets into a weapon battle with “Jimmy Brown.” Earle does sound like a throwback to a vintage kind of sound.

It’s no surprise that Earle impresses throughout “Kids in the Street.” He’s had a rather solid career. He also sounds like a smoother and less rugged answer to his famous father, Steve Earle. This is an album with many layers and Earle uses his voice to subtly convey emotion and tell stories very well. This is a rather strong offering that gains momentum with every successive spin.

Focus Tracks:

“Maybe a Moment” With its Ryan Adams-esque energy this will no doubt be a favorite of both alt-country and AAA radio. It’s a slow-burning hit waiting to happen.

“What’s She Crying For” This is a classically-minded, sad country narrative. Earle watches his subject very closely and there is care in his voice as he watches her break down.

“Kids in the Street” This is an ace bit of songwriting. Earle can really tell a detailed story as he laments that “this ain’t the way it was back in 1993.” There’s a palpable sense of lost innocence.

“Vision” is the second album from Chicago band Pet Symmetry. The band is an indie-rock super-group of sorts featuring Erik Czaja and Marcus Nuccio of Dowsers and Even Thomas Weiss of Into It. Over It. This is a brisk half-hour set that finds the trio constantly shape-shifting. Mostly it sticks with a brash, more polished cousin of emo-flavored punk on excellent tracks like “Stare Collection” and “50%.” Elsewhere there are softer moments like the acoustic and beautiful reflection, “Mostly Water” and the deeply resonant “You & Me & Mt. Hood,” which is lifted by its bass-line and its subtle sonic details.

On the flipside, there is the wonderfully destructive bash-fest found on “Eyesores,” a song that will have you pogo-ing across the room and will push your speakers to the limit with some brutal feedback squalls.

This isn’t an album that is easy to pin down. In spite of its brevity, it is a set that tends to reveal new layers and often it recalls the more pensive indie-rock records that emerged between the late nineties and the mid-2000’s. When closing track, “Lint Roller” ends in a complex, multi-part round, it creates a sweeping, enveloping atmosphere.

These 11 tracks pound away, the hit your tender side and they rock with effective force. Pet Symmetry is a tight band that deserves your attention. “Vision” is a commanding, sharp dose of intelligent indie-rock.

Focus Tracks:

“Mostly Water” With the refrain of “this is the me I’ve missed,” this really digs deeply. It is interesting that one of the album’s gentler moments stands out the most, but it makes the most of the quiet atmosphere.

“Stare Collection” This is a hard-hitting rock track with a pop core. It is loudly confident and has a level of brashness that is refreshing, balancing sweetness and instrumental brutality.

“50%” “I’m calling a truce between me and you.” These words begin this track. If most mainstream radio didn’t systematically ignore new rock, this would have some serious crossover potential.

Next Week: New music from Alt-J, Bleachers and more.

Missed last week’s? Get the latest from Snoop Dogg, the “Singles” soundtrack, Linkin Park and Magic Giant.

1 June 2017 | 11:29 am

Source : ABC News

>>>Click Here To View Original Press Release>>>

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[blackkudos]

Seal

Seal Henry Olusegun Olumide Adeola Samuel (born 19 February 1963), better known by his stage name Seal, is an English singer and songwriter. He has sold more than 30 million records worldwide and is known for his international hits, including "Kiss from a Rose", which appeared on the soundtrack to the 1995 film Batman Forever. He was a coach on The Voice Australia in 2012 and 2013, and will be returning to Australia to work as a coach in 2017.

Seal has won multiple awards throughout his career, including three Brit Awards; he won Best British Male in 1992, as well as four Grammy Awards and an MTV Video Music Award. As a songwriter, he received the British Academy's Ivor Novello Award, for Best Song Musically and Lyrically, in consecutive years for "Killer" (1990) and "Crazy" (1991).

Early life

Seal was born Seal Henry Olusegun Olumide Adeola Samuel at Paddington General Hospital in Paddington, London, to a Nigerian mother, Adebisi Ogundeji, and a Brazilian father, Francis Samuel. Seal's first and middle names are in the Yoruba language. He was raised by a foster family in Westminster, London. He received a two-year diploma in architecture and worked various jobs in the London area.

Music career

Early career

In the 1980s, Seal spent a short time singing in local clubs and bars. In 1987 he joined Push, a British funk band and toured with them in Japan. In Thailand he joined a blues band for a while before separating from the group and journeying throughout India on his own. He returned to England, sleeping on the couch of friend Julian Bunster, then a model. He sometimes asked him "do I sing well?" to which he often received the response that he sang better than most current artists. His break came when he met the producer Adamski. He was given the lyrics of the song "Killer", which was a huge hit in 1990.

Seal (1991)

Seal first came to public attention as vocalist on the Adamski single "Killer" in 1990. The single eventually reached number one in the UK. Seal subsequently signed to ZTT Records and released his self-titled début album (produced by Trevor Horn) in 1991. Two versions of the album are known to be in circulation: the original "premix" version and a second, more common version with an updated mix. This is attributed to the demand for a produced single rushing the final album edit and, as Seal puts it, his and producer Horn's "inability to let go".

Seal was positively received by critics. The singles "Crazy", "Future Love Paradise" and his own rendition of "Killer" performed well on the charts. In particular, "Crazy" became an international hit in 1991, reaching number two in the UK Singles Chart and number seven on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US. Seal stole the show at the 1992 Brit Awards held at the Hammersmith Odeon, London, with the first hat-trick of wins in the history of the event. He won in three categories: Best British Male, Best British Video ("Killer") and Best British Album (Seal).

In April 1992 Seal performed with the surviving members of the rock band Queen at The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert held at Wembley Stadium. Seal performed on his own singing the 1986 hit "Who Wants to Live Forever" and joined the rest of the acts for the all star finale singing "We Are the Champions."

In 1992 Seal appeared on the Red Hot Organization's compilation CD Red Hot + Dance, contributing an exclusive track "Crazy (If I Was Trev Mix)." The album, featuring George Michael and Madonna among others, raised money and awareness in support of the AIDS epidemic by donating all proceeds to AIDS charities.

Seal II (1994)

After regrouping with Trevor Horn, Seal's second album, also self-titled, was released in 1994. A success, the album featured the singles "Prayer for the Dying" and "Newborn Friend", later receiving a Grammy nomination for Album of the Year. "Prayer for the Dying" became a minor pop hit in the U.S., peaking at #21 on the Billboard charts. A third single, "Kiss from a Rose", performed modestly when released but was later featured to much wider popularity when it was remixed for the soundtrack to Batman Forever. "Kiss from a Rose" won a Grammy Award for Record of the Year and Grammy Award for Song of the Year in 1996, becoming Seal's best performing single on the US market (it topped the Billboard Hot 100 in late August 1995) and hit number four in the UK.

Human Being

In 1998 Seal released Human Being. The album was the product of a turbulent time in his life, including a split and later reconciliation with producer Horn as well as Seal's parting with ZTT Records and his signing with Warner Bros. Records in 1997. The record was panned upon its release. It received Gold record certification by the RIAA just two months after its release date. The album provided three singles, "Human Beings", "Latest Craze", and "Lost My Faith".

Togetherland

In 2001 fans awaited the arrival of a new album, announced as Togetherland. After a protracted post-production period the album was cancelled. The official word was that Seal simply did not think it made the grade, although this conflicts with other reports, that said the album was turned down by the label because producers felt the album would not be commercially successful. Even so, one single was released from the album. "This Could Be Heaven" was released in the US and featured on The Family Man soundtrack. Since December 2006, Seal has indicated that he has plans to excerpt cuts from Togetherland and make them available for streaming download. Meanwhile, Seal co-wrote and provided vocals for the hit single "My Vision" from Jakatta in 2002. He also recorded a successful duet with the French singer Mylène Farmer called "Les Mots" during that same period. Also in 2002, Seal lent his vocals to the song "You Are My Kind", the fourth track on Santana's album Shaman.

Seal IV

In 2003 Seal released his fourth album, which was again self-titled, except for Australia, where it was released under the title Seal IV. Although it never achieved the sales figures of either of his first two albums, this release brought him back into the public eye in the United States and continental Europe. Singles from the album included "Waiting For You," "Get It Together," and "Love's Divine;" this last was released in 2004 and was a big hit in several European countries.

Greatest hits album: Best 1991–2004

In 2004 a greatest hits album entitled Seal: Best 1991–2004 was released, including a cover of the Bacharach / David classic "Walk on By" and a cover of Echo & the Bunnymen's song "Lips Like Sugar". An edition of the album was available which included an extra CD with acoustic versions of some of Seal's hits.

Live in Paris

Also in 2004, Seal performed shows at the Olympia Theatre in Paris, France. The 6 July 2004 show was recorded and released about one year after as a CD/DVD package, simply titled Live in Paris.

One Night to Remember

In June 2005 Seal recorded a special concert which was subsequently released in 2006, entitled One Night to Remember, as CD/DVD combination. The DVD includes a special "the making of" documentary in addition to the live performance. Recorded in a historic steel mill, the Altes Kesselhaus ("old boiler house"), in Düsseldorf, Germany, this performance includes a special version of Brahms' Lullaby which Seal sings in German and then in English for the exclusive audience. Unlike earlier recordings in which Seal is accompanied by his band, a full orchestra and choir of 52 musicians accompanies the singer.

System

System was released in the UK on 12 November 2007 and in the U.S. on 13 November 2007. Seal describes the album as more dance-oriented, apparently a return to the roots of his first album. On the track titled "Wedding Day", Seal sings a duet with his wife, model Heidi Klum. The album's first single, "Amazing", was released on 25 September 2007, and was nominated for the "Best Male Pop Vocal Performance" Grammy at the 2007 50th Annual Grammy Awards.

Seal performed "Amazing" and The Beatles' "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" at the 2007 Royal Variety Performance.

Seal also performed "Amazing" at the 2007 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in December, as well as the duet "Wedding Day" with his wife. Other performers at the 2007 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show include the Spice Girls and will.i.am of The Black Eyed Peas. He appeared on the American Idol Season 7 Finale, singing with third-place contestant Syesha Mercado.

Soul

Seal's sixth studio album Soul was released on 3 November 2008 internationally and on 11 November 2008 in the US. It contains eleven soul classics produced by David Foster. The first single was a cover of Sam Cooke's song "A Change Is Gonna Come."

On 14 March 2009, Seal performed a song from the album and coached the participants on the "Top 9-Show" of the sixth season of the German TV show Deutschland sucht den Superstar (German Idol).

Hits

On December 4, 2009, Hits, a compilation album was released. It contains two new tracks, "I Am Your Man" and "Thank You".

Commitment and Soul 2

Seal's seventh studio album, Seal 6: Commitment was released on 20 September 2010 internationally and 28 September 2010 in the US. The first single "Secret" was released 10 August 2010 on iTunes U.S. and in the UK on 13 September 2010. This album was said to be inspired by his wife, Heidi. On 7 November 2011, Seal released his second cover album of classic soul songs, Soul 2 through Reprise Records.

Seal is working on a new album, initially entitled Let Yourself, produced again by Horn. In Feb. 2015, Horn said the album is nearly finished. Seal had re-signed to Perfect Songs and had a two-week writing period in Horn's Los Angeles, CA studio booked for October 2012. Stewart Copeland (formerly of The Police) said that month on his Twitter feed that Horn and Crème are working with Seal on a project. In April 2013, Seal said on Twitter that the new album will be released in about June (which did not happen), and that tracks include "Let Yourself", "Do You Ever" and "Laying with an Angel". The album is now due 2015 under the name Beautifully Scarred.

7

On 10 September 2015, Seal announced that his new album entitled 7 would be released on 6 November 2015.

Other projects

Jeff Beck and Seal performed a cover of "Manic Depression" for the 1993 album Stone Free: A Tribute to Jimi Hendrix. Seal also contributed vocals to a cover of John Lennon's "Imagine" for the 2010 Herbie Hancock album, The Imagine Project along with P!nk, India.Arie, Jeff Beck, Konono Nº1, Oumou Sangaré and others.

In 2012, Seal was one of the four vocal coaches in the first season of the Australian version of the reality singing competition The Voice. He was the coach of the series winner Karise Eden. Seal returned to The Voice season two, which debuted on 7 April 2013, where he became the winning coach once again, coaching eventual winner Harrison Craig. He did not return for the third season in 2014 with the Nine Network stating that Seal "will take a break from the third season of The Voice to focus on music and material for a new album." Channel NINE announced on November 8, 2016 that Seal would be returning alongside Delta Goodrem to The Voice Australia as a coach in 2017.

On 15 November 2014, Seal joined the charity group Band Aid 30 along with other British and Irish pop acts, recording the latest version of the track "Do They Know It's Christmas?" at Sarm West Studios in Notting Hill, London, to raise money for the 2014 Ebola crisis in West Africa.

Seal was cast as Pontius Pilate in Tyler Perry's musical rendition of The Passion, which aired on Fox on March 20, 2016.

Kadyrov controversy

In October 2011, Seal came under criticism from human rights groups for appearing at an event in Grozny, Chechnya, that turned into a birthday celebration for Ramzan Kadyrov, the President of Chechnya. Kadyrov and the militia that he controls have been accused of torture, disappearances and extrajudicial killings of political opponents and human rights workers in Chechnya by Human Rights Watch and other human rights organizations. Also appearing at the event were the actress Hilary Swank, actor Jean-Claude Van Damme and violinist Vanessa-Mae. The New York-based Human Rights Foundation claims that it sent letters to invitees in advance of the event noting Kadyrov's record and asking them to decline the invitations. Human Rights Watch sent an inquiry to Seal regarding his performance at the event and released a statement about the incident which said:

"Ramzan Kadyrov is linked to a litany of horrific human rights abuses. It's inappropriate for stars to get paid to party with him. It bolsters his image and legitimizes a brutal leader and his regime. And getting paid to be part of such a lavish show in Chechnya trivializes the suffering of countless victims of human rights abuses there."

Seal refused to apologise for appearing at the event, sending a message from his Twitter account telling people to "leave me out of your politics". Seal was reported to have made $500,000 for singing at the party.

Personal life

Although there have been rumours as to the cause of the scars on Seal's face, they are the result of a type of lupus called discoid lupus erythematosus, which affects the skin and leaves large scars.

Seal's brother, Jeymes Samuel, better known as The Bullitts, is also an accomplished singer-songwriter.

Seal first began dating German model Heidi Klum in February 2004, shortly after she announced her pregnancy and end of relationship with Italian Formula One team manager Flavio Briatore. Seal proposed to Klum on 23 December 2004 in a quinzee he had built on a glacier in Whistler, British Columbia. On 10 May 2005, the couple married on a beach in Mexico near Seal's home on Costa Careyes. Every year during their marriage, Seal and Klum renewed their vows on their anniversary with close friends and family. About these renewals, Seal said in 2010, "Each year, Heidi and I get remarried. It's a great party, but for about an hour, we go off on our own down to a private beach. We sit there with the kids and read vows to each other as the sun sets. It's a very special moment to us." In November 2009, Klum officially adopted Seal's surname and became legally known as Heidi Samuel.

On 11 June 2009, Seal, on tour with his new album Soul, revealed, "It is nice to be in newspapers and magazines for something other than my marriage". He said his marriage to Klum may take away the attention, but does not detract from what he loves doing: making music. In February 2011, Klum praised Seal for his good parenting skills.

Klum also remarked how lucky she was to have a husband like Seal.

Klum gave birth to Briatore's daughter, Helene "Leni" Boshoven Klum on 5 May 2004 in New York City with Seal at her side. According to Klum, Briatore is not involved in Leni's life, and Klum has stated emphatically that "Seal is Leni's father". Seal is her only father figure and he has praised Briatore for keeping his distance and not disrupting Leni's life. In late 2009 Seal officially adopted Leni, and her last name was changed to Samuel. The couple have three other children: sons Henry Günther Adeola Dashtu Samuel (born 12 September 2005), Johan Riley Fyodor Taiwo Samuel (born 22 November 2006) and daughter Lou Sulola Samuel (born 9 October 2009). On 22 January 2012, Seal and Klum announced that they were separating after nearly seven years of marriage. Klum filed for divorce from Seal on April 6, 2012. She also requested that her name be restored to her birth name of Heidi Klum.

In 2015 Seal began dating model Erica Packer. In August 2015, she was reported to be pregnant.

Charity work

On 10 March 2012, Seal shared the stage with Kanye West, Soul Rebels Brass Band and Snoop Dogg at Brad Pitt’s Night to Make It Right Foundation New Orleans after-party, hosted by comedian Aziz Ansari. The charity event, hosted by Ellen DeGeneres, raised money to build homes for victims of Hurricane Katrina.

Other work

Seal and his then-wife Heidi Klum announced in June 2010 that they would be making a reality series on Lifetime titled Love's Divine (after Seal's song of the same name).

Seal was also a judge for the 10th annual Independent Music Awards to support independent artistes' careers.

Discography

Studio albums

Seal (1991)

Seal II (1994)

Human Being (1998)

Seal IV (2003)

System (2007)

Soul (2008)

Seal 6: Commitment (2010)

Soul 2 (2011)

7 (2015)

Wikipedia