#sorry I could not get this ep in high quality no matter how hard I tried???

[thedarklinkfell]

[catty-words]

thoughts about the new crazy ex-GF ep?

okay anon. i had to watch the episode a few times to be able to answer this because – as is the case with most ceg episodes – there’s so much! you really have to let yourself sit with each moment to get everything there is to get out of them, you know what i mean?and also? one of the cool things about this show is that episodes don’t feel complete on their own? during one of my rewatches i was struck with how what i was watching felt very much like a chapter in a larger story. we’re missing so much context and i’m sure that stuff we will view a month from now will shed new light on these first couple episodes.

but enough stalling! my inevitably long-winded thoughts below the cut:

paula: we don’t see very much of paula in this episode, but the scenes we do get are so quietly amazing. for example, in the beginning scene with rebecca, she’s so steadfast and draws some solid boundaries about how low she’s willing to stoop for rebecca’s revenge. she’s grown so much since her blind commitment to s1 shenanigans, and this scene really highlighted that development. the shine of getting the daughter figure she’s always wanted has worn off, and now paula’s acting like a much healthier model of a parent, which is great for all involved.

also – the scene at the end with her and tim !! of course the dialogue was amazing and paula’s ‘here’s another disinterested, scathing observation that’ll change the way you think about your entire life’ was hilarious and clever. but what i really loved about the scene was paula studying? i don’t know if i could even really articulate why, but it felt so incredibly refreshing to check in with her working hard toward her goals. she seems so grounded and focused and i’m really happy for her.

tim’s stroyline: of which maya was the hero. i’m totally biased, but maya’s every line and facial expression was amazing (can we talk about how happy she was when paula was like ‘you have never ever ever given your wife and orgasm’? also ‘I DON’T PURCHASE PERIODICALS THAT ENGAGE IN BODY SHAMING’ I LOVE HER SO MUCH) 

*ehem* anyway…it was the perfect balance of funny, light, and educational. it made a great c-plot (c- or b-plot? i’m not really sure if tim or josh got more of the focus. in either case, my point stands) because there wasn’t a whole lot to chew on, but it still amused. plus, it was really great to see mrs. hernandez and maya helping tim out in a really open and non-judgmental way. no matter if they were doing it for him or for a fellow woman who wasn’t orgasming, it was great to see them all working together.

george: he’s baaaaaack! and everyone seems to be remembering his name! good for him, i bet that does wonders for his self-esteem. i wonder, though, if he’ll stick around past the chae won assignment nathaniel hired him for (are we already past that? i know george was in the promo pictures for 3.03 so who knows if that’s going to come up again.)

josh: first of all, rounds upon rounds upon rounds of applause for ‘i’ve got my head in the clouds.’ it stood out in an episode of excellent musical numbers (by the way, i was totally worried when cast members started alluding to the fact that there’d be more music per episode this season because fucking glee’s quality tanked when they did the same thing, but i should have known better than to compare ceg to that shit show. the music was all so good and never detracted from the story…and now that i’m typing this i had a realization that i’ll bring up when we get to the rebecca section of my thoughts ahhh!)

ANYWAY. all the bits about josh not really understanding the basic tenets of his own religion were funny and they all landed, but? idk, they also bummed me out. religion is such a huge thing in josh’s life, and it’s in character for him to not get in too deep to the meanings and practices and whatnot. but still. i like josh and i understand that his Thing is that he’s not big on self-reflection and is therefore in a state of arrested development – which is why him and rebecca bring out the most childlike behavior in each other. but i need it to go somewhere new, you know? 

i feel like everyone has a pretty clear picture of what moving forward and growing looks like for rebecca, but what would it be for josh? it’s something i’ve been thinking about since i saw the episode but don’t really have an answer for yet…drop me an ask if you have any ideas of your own!

nathaniel: him and rebecca made out and had sex and he tucked her hair behind her ear and sfkbslndgg

whew! sorry, the shipper in me can’t resist geeking out about that shit. on a more serious note, i’m really looking forward to the continuation of nathaniel’s struggle to fit into his own picture of (toxic - toxic as all hell) masculinity while also dealing with the fact that his feelings for rebecca have opened up a vulnerable, soft side of him that he really doesn’t know what to do with. i’m also looking forward to dealing with the fallout of his overcompensation to be masculine this episode. (he was gonna have a man killed wtf!!!) but because this episode felt very much like the beginning of the journey, i don’t have much else to say on the subject but BRING IT ON.

rebecca motherfuckin bunch: HOLY MOTHER OF PEARL she went through a lot this episode. and, like, all in the span of the last 15 minutes. that last song is a masterpiece that i have yet to fully come to grips with. because like? rebecca’s in her wedding dress and josh is in his would-be wedding suit and she’s fucking aggressively chasing him down the aisle (hello metaphor for the entire show !!!) and then she gets to storm off. and it is both the most empowering and most unnerving and emotionally raw scene i’ve ever watched. like….FUCK.

what a perfect use of a reprise, right? because, like paula’s initial rendition, there’s so much self-denial going on. the characters are both trying to dress up their unacceptable behavior in such a way that excuses them of contrition. paula wasn’t being fair to rebecca with her sentiments in ‘after everything i’ve done for you’ and rebecca’s not being fair to josh in ‘after everything you made me do’

(i want to say, though, that paula’s version was almost like her rock bottom. with the help of darryl she rises above her perceived high ground, admits that she was in the wrong, and then, a couple episodes later [2.02], steps away entirely from the scheming that put her in the position to do all those terrible things in the first place. i’m hoping against hope that ‘everything you made me do’ will have a similar function for rebecca)

but despite the fact that she’s dressing up her actions in a way that blames josh for her behavior, rebecca’s coming! clean! about! all! the! shit! she! did!!!!!! and that really excites me. all that dirty laundry is out there now. there’s no turning back from this – rebecca has to confront that she hasn’t behaved in an acceptable way. and where can she go from there? THERE’S AN ENTIRE SEASON OF ROCK BOTTOMS TO HIT I’M SURE OF IT. but this still feels like a turning point.

now i’m gonna talk about the promo for next week’s episode and the revelation i had, like, ten paragraphs ago. so, it looks like rebecca’s gonna spend the next episode locked in a downward spiral with her younger self. so far, her younger self has remained fairly contained to musical numbers, flashbacks, and conversations with only rebecca. but the fact that she’s coming out to follow rebecca around in her day-to-day life is a clear sign that adult rebecca’s mental state is worsening. and you know what? THE INCREASED NUMBER OF SONGS IS ALSO EVIDENCE OF THIS I CAN’T BELIEVE IT TOOK ME THIS LONG TO PUT IT TOGETHER kajdfbnsdgb

so…lots of pain to look forward to, clearly. i’ve already gone on for far too long so. [insert abrupt conclusion here!]

[rqs902]

.

This is the strangest and most 隨便 and least emotional ranking reveal ever

What is xikan's weird pink streaked hair

You know it makes no sense for xzx to make it in when cxh is #23 and they're literally the same person except for his connection to gjm... CMON CXH TOTALLY KNOWS ITS RIGGED LOOK AT HIS FACE

so did akey only make it in bc 20boy or did youku add him into top 14 just so it wouldnt look weird for xzx to be the only unexpected one

Wait did we get to see them eat hotpot together or am I forgetting something

Aw all of zlj's group came together except zhan yu bc tyger lol

Ofcourse ycw could get emotional lol

That was a weird transition straight into a shot of douzi lol

Also can we talk about how awkward zry and xzx are on stage LOLLL actually when I think about it, in comparison, ycw being as comfortable as he is on stage is pretty impressive.

Also gz's voice sounds nice! But also theres some weird audio stuff going on with the live and recorded voices not lining up LOL awkward.

Im just watching this perf being like why this song.....

LOL SBR'S MILK TEA SHOP

wait so people who didnt make it in ep 1 just dont exist to this show LOL rip

LOL LI HAOS FACE when syh is talking hahahahhhahahahahha

Lol this second group just standing on stage all bored of waiting lol

Omg lin mos voice

Wat just happened to him lol

Ooof lin rans voice is so fitting ahhhh

So why are they still singing covers during the finale lol

Lol why am I so amused that lin mos interaction with the girl was basically no interaction LOL

Lol feels like they're not singing live

Lin mo has lost a lot of weight

PLEASE LET LIN RAN CENTER PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE HE NEEEEEEDS THISSSSSS

Please please please please please omg this can be it, this can be a lyj moment!!!

LOL WHY DO THEY GET MULTIPLE VOTES lol wasting everyone's time making things over dramatic

I'm sorry I love ycw but lin ran neeeeeeeds this

OMGOMGOGMGOMGMGNGMG YESSSSSSSSSS LIN RAN CENTERRRRRR

Lol they look out of sync and they don't seem to be singing live either?

Man this isnt as satisfying as I thought itd be bc the center doesnt stand out very much?? He doesnt even get a particularly nice outfit.... the camera is also not particularly focusing on him....

This song is okay but why is xzx suddenly a vocal

看我的手段!!!!!!! Tyger!!!!!

Tbh this perf looks messy and the outfits and staging are so mediocre??? This is so far from what I imagined a finale stage to look like.

The top 14 is missing a strong vocal like ZHAN YU lol... even renyu when dancing doesnt sound particularly strong :/

Lol ylq and cyc sitting together lol

Ay Jin fan and zhan yu!!!!!

Gz and zlj are both really good dancers and maybe I'm just biased but I feel like the other group did better, just had more strength? Their friendship is cute tho hahaha

Omg hwx and lm imitating them IM DED

I'm not super perturbed who gets center bc I dont think itll really matter for these kids, they're ranked so safe. But hoping itll be xikan just bc I love xikan :')

Xikan and zuo ye repping IP ayyyy

AY XIKAN but c'mon if it wasnt, it wouldn't make much sense. plus youku owes him LOL

Xse rap a bit messy

But this song and stage is so much more high quality designed than lin ran's smh

Lol did zlj just say "booty" wat

Lol did lin mo mess up

Im just so happy they actually LOOK good, and even tho the prerecorded is so overbearing at least lin mos voice sounds nice on it LOL

When zlj is in a group of strong performers like this, you really notice how much he gets buried...

LUO ZHENGGGGGGG OMGGGG HE LOOKS SO MATURE WTFFFFF I'm so happy he came, what real friendship :')

Lol ycw's mom would be here lol

Awwww luo jie.....

Aww dxy and lxk first meeting and cyc and ycw wow such warm beginnings

Aw Jin fan and sbh friendshipp

LOL LI HAO RIPPING THE CAMERA OFF THE WALL

Ylq crying like a ycw lol

Ayy I hear lin mo cheers :')

Lol they added shoulder pads to their uniforms, is this ytzm style lol

I would not be surprised if star master paid for 2 tygers to make it into the top 14 lol

aw akey's crying.... I'm happy for him, doing so much better this time around. He deserves to have more recognition for all he does

Lol ycw isnt crying??? Loljk and even cyc aw

LIN RANNNNN aw hes crying too... and xue en

Aw gz reminding us that hes really just a smol child inside.

Lin mo's been through all of this before so hes trying really hard to be strong. Ofcourse youku is suppressing his votes to put him at the edge to add drama ugh this is the type of thing that would happen to lin mo.... literally he deserves to be so safe pls

Hwx also just a child inside aw

lol I'm sorry this is supposed to be so emotiona but hwx's foundation is such a weird shade lol actually zuo ye's is too LOL

I'm grateful for the extra xue en footage? Lol seems random but hes so handsome darn

Omg is xikan teaching a bunch of moms how to dance eiei

I love tygers

Omg LI HAO THIS VCR ENDING IS TOP QUALITY HAHAHHHAA

Singapore broooooos

Ofcourse li hao yet again delivering us the eng subs lol

Oh gosh seeing lin mo sing this type of song with this look of sadness reminds me too strongly of the qcyn finale. Oh gosh the hair, the gaze, it's such a punch to the gut

Wow these kids look so uninvested LOOOOLLL but also I'm surprised they let all them back on stage for this and not the theme song?

Oscar comforting a distraught lin ran omg can we pls talk about this

Hm how did they do this part distribution lol

Literally youku keeps using junrong for his voice but gives him no recognition ugh

The crowd cheering for xikan yus

Oh I notice enyu's hair is styled like a wave oo

Why is Jin Fan's hair such a strange color

Lol ycw would be completely ruined

Aw lin mo's little smile at the end of his words

Youku is really bent on making this the longest finale ever lol...... another song???? With everyone??? Uhhh and obviously some people's mics aren't on??? I'm so confused what is happening why cant I hear some of their voices lol

LOL LI HAO RUNNING INYO ENYU HAHAHA

This is really dragging things out lol I'm just doing work while watching bc no ones got time for this much unnecessary build up..... good thing all my meetings are in the afternoon today lol

At least they kinda highlighted xikan more in that last montage... finally

Ugh why did renyu get 6th. I think it means it's over for lin ran. You know I'm not surprised but also I still cant believe youku did this. What a disaster.... I knew I'd be disappointed by these results :( im literally shaking my head.

the rest is gonna be lxk zlj hwx zy lm gz in whatever order youku wants. Well it's over. Thanks for the quick ending to the suspense youku lol

They even had the audacity to put zry 6th.....not even 7th..... is this an insult? Theres no way. It's like they want to make it seem like he was safely at the top but theres no way.

Well I knew not to get my hopes up, gotta be ready for disappointment lol.... lm hasn't been announced yet at #3..... lol is this what star master had to pay to get akey in top 14? Pulling lin mo down. Well I feel like this is gonna be a damper on his career bc the media wont care how high you ranked before, but only where you rank at the end. And the ranking becomes how the media defines you.

How tf would lin mo go from 3rd to 7th wtf. Theres no way. He literally has one of the largest fan bases lol this makes zero sense. Way to play with someone's career for the sake of your dumb drama youku

Why is stanning lin mo always like this...... ugh he always gets stepped on and mistreated

I'm sure hes disappointed, hes supposed to be higher and everyone knows. Theres a reason the fans were demanding 高位, not just debut

Also rip lin ran sigh I'm so sad for lin ran too.... what will lin ran do now... he was so close this time :( is he gonna have to do this again?

and the kid has been so distraught for the better half of this 4 hour show.... you can tell how much this really means to him and how desperate he is and how empty and completely ruined he’ll feel when he realizes hes lost. tbh i dont think renyu would’ve felt that destroyed. but youku is here to destroy lin ran. 

I knew youku would disappoint me

THANK YOU AT LEAST XIKAN IS CENTER. If anything, he shouldn't be so emotional bc he shouldn't have needed to be so worried. He so safely has the largest fanbase, but youku just didnt make it easy for him. The main reason why he has doubt in himself is because of youku, and it's sad bc he deserve to feel safe, he shouldn't have to feel so insecure.

Me still smh to see renyu on the other side and lin ran stuck in the back.

Lol the right side of the debut group (the public's picks) vs the left side (youku's picks)....

Lol SKY could be worse

Lol feels like youku just being like let's pick a random english word

Okay but really, I just really want to know what lin ran will do next

I have zero hopes youku will actually manage this group well. Let's look at new storm or blackace lol

Like we all knew this lineup would happen but it doesnt make me any less sad or disappointed

Welp at least it's over now. Time to continue doing my work lol

renyu makes nice songs

but that doesnt mean he fits in a boy band better than lin ran 

i dont think ill ever get over this

[singingwordwright]

Gorgeous cover art courtesy of @beyondthehunt Originally betaed by @roseglass with some final (eventual) copy-editing by @bonibaru

A Separate Peace (sequel to One Easy Answer) a Malec AU by @maleccrazedauthor

(Also on AO3)

Chapters: 24/28 Word Count: 104,900 Rating: Mature Premise: Arranged Marriage AU, Canon Divergent starting at Ep 1x12

(Please See Chapter List for Notes and Summary)

As the afternoon aged, they chased Clary’s sense of Jonathan through the city on a twisting, constantly-changing path. He didn’t seem to be moving very fast, but they were never quite able to close the distance before they realized he’d veered off in an entirely different direction. Clary’s frustration at her inability to get an accurate fix on him after her confidence that her plan would work might have been amusing in other circumstances.

Finally, Jace had looked down at a sewer grate and cursed. “He’s underground. Using the sewers or the subway and steam tunnels.”

“Without a more accurate signal, tracking him down there will be impossible; even if we can find the right tunnel, he’ll have turned into another one by the time we pick up his trail.” Alec said. “We’ll never catch up to him. Our best bet is to try not to let him get too far away and wait for him to surface.”

Izzy pulled her phone from her pocket. “I’ll call Raphael, have him give his people a heads-up.”

“Why underground?” Clary asked, scowling over the fact that her tracking scheme was only somewhat successful.

Jace shrugged. “Valentine is injured. Could be he can’t handle a glamour rune right now, so Jonathan may be trying to keep him out of sight. They wouldn’t want to draw attention.”

Once the sun set, the winding course stabilized into something more direct, leading them directly to the gates of an historic cemetery.

“A graveyard?” Clary asked skeptically. “What could they be looking for here?”

Jace regarded the wrought-iron fence-work with a grimace. “Is it too much to hope that Valentine saved us the trouble and died?”

“Don’t I wish?” she muttered, then glanced sideways at Jace. “So, Maia huh?”

It was too dark to be certain, but Alec could have sworn Jace blushed. “Well, we do have a history of passionate face-punching.”

She raised her hands and took a step back. “I’m not here to kinkshame.”

“Anything on Jonathan?” Izzy asked, and there was a grimness in her face that quelled Clary and Jace’s banter. Since that moment in the training room earlier, the burden of the grief they carried today had been…lighter, somehow. As though the pain of losing Max and learning about their father’s betrayal was weeks or months old, rather than fresh, jagged-edged anguish they’d felt that morning. But now that they were drawing close to Max’s killer, that wound was starting to ache more intensely, accompanied by a smoldering rage.

If Alec had any say in the matter, Jonathan would pay for all he’d done in blood.

Clary closed her eyes, focusing on whatever pull she was feeling in the blood she shared with her brother. “Only that he’s close. Sorry.”

“We’ll split up,” Alec announced, pulling his bow off his shoulder. “Jace and I will work our way toward the wooded section at the southern perimeter. You two check the mausoleums and the banks of the creek to the west.”

Once Izzy and Clary had acknowledged with brisk nods, Alec pulled out his phone. “Lydia, we’ve tracked them down to a cemetery in Highland Park. Can you dispatch reinforcements to my location? We’re not letting them get away again.”

“That might be a bit difficult,” Lydia said, her voice carrying the echoey quality that told Alec she had him on speaker. “Since the sun went down, our monitors have picked up a spike in demon activity. The demons appear to be moving in the area near you, which suggests Valentine is using the Mortal Cup to create a diversion.”

“Damn. He’s lost his army thanks to Dot, so now he’s reverted back to using demons as cannon fodder. Okay. Get people here if you can, but keeping the demons off the mundanes has to be the priority.”

“We’re on it.” She disconnected before Alec could reply.

Jace didn’t need Alec to explain that they were on their own. “Valentine’s injured, so we have that going for us, but I’ve fought Jonathan. He’s the one we need to worry about. Demon strength and speed, and he was trained by Valentine.”

Alec quirked an eyebrow at him. “Better than you?”

“I wouldn’t go that far.” Jace smirked. “Don’t underestimate him is what I’m saying.”

“Just hope for his sake that we find him before Izzy does,” Alec said darkly.

“None of us are going to let him walk away after what he did to Max,” Jace vowed, tightening his grip on his seraph blade.

Alec looked down at the carefully manicured lawn passing under his feet. “I almost wish you and Clary hadn’t done what you did earlier.”

“The tracking? Why?”

“Not the tracking. What came with it. The angelic power you called up. It makes things…easier. Doesn’t it?”

Beside him, Jace swallowed audibly. “Yeah.”

“This shouldn’t be easier. Not Max. Not yet.” Alec shifted the strap of his quiver on his shoulder. “When we kill Sebastian—Jonathan—that’s when it’s supposed to stop hurting so damned much.”

“I—It still will,” Jace said, sounding flustered. Alec glanced up at him to find him grimacing. “I think. I don’t know how this works, and I’m not used to being the one doing the reassuring. But emotions cloud judgment, right? If we go at Jonathan furious and hungry for blood, he can use that against us. So we take him down tonight level-headed and clear of purpose. For Max.”

Alec could almost wonder at Jace’s calm. Then again, Jace had plenty of experience with personal betrayals, didn’t he? Max’s death aside, what was hitting Alec and Izzy so hard about Jonathan’s duplicity was the way they had been played, the way they’d had their best intentions—the best parts of their natures, really—used against them.

But that was just a day in the life of anyone who’d had the misfortune to be raised by Valentine Morgenstern, wasn’t it?

“What about you and Magnus?” Jace asked. “Did it make that easier, too?”

Alec shook his head and sighed. “There’s nothing to make better there. We’ll get past it. We just…need to work through it. I mean, that’s what’s supposed to happen, isn’t it?”

“How should I know?” Jace scoffed, then frowned. “You really had no idea what he was up to with Dot?”

“I knew something was going on, but he said it wasn’t his secret to share, so I didn’t push.” He skirted an old headstone that slanted precariously into the space between the graves. “He had his reasons, but still. He did all that because he wasn’t sure he could trust me. So that’s all something we need to deal with, but mostly it was just—”

“—one hit too many,” Jace finished for him.

“Yeah,” Alec agreed with a grimace. Something on a nearby gravestone glistened in the moonlight and he nudged Jace’s arm, pointing to it. “Look.”

“Blood. Valentine’s?”

“That, or something he’s planning to throw at us got a piece of someone. Either way, we’re on the right track.” Alec took his bow off his shoulder and quickened his pace toward the treeline.

Something was definitely moving within the trees as they approached the wooded copse. Jace raised his sword as Alec nocked an arrow, and a prickle of…something...raised the hairs on the back of Alec’s neck.

“Pay attention to where you’re walking,” he murmured. “I think there might be an entrance to Faerie ahead.”

Jace shook his head. “If that’s how Valentine thinks he’s going to get around the warlocks’ wards, he’s really desperate. The Seelies will tear him apart. He—”

Jace’s words were driven from his throat by a blast of magic that crashed into them like a speeding truck. It tossed them into the air, them slammed them to the ground.

“He’s got a warlock with him!” Jace wheezed.

Alec struggled to his feet, ribs and lungs aching. “Not just any warlock. I know that spell.”

He should have considered before who else might have been imprisoned in the Gard with Valentine. The question was, how willingly was she working with Valentine now?

A figure was limping quickly away from them as they charged into the woods.

“Valentine, stop!” Jace shouted, his blade high and ready.

Alec was too busy scanning the perimeter for any trace of Iris Rouse to get a good look at Valentine, but what he saw was…horrific. Deep, bleeding lesions ran down his face, as though his skin had been melted away in places. His normally erect bearing was hunched and pain twisted his features, edging the calculating madness in his eyes with desperation.

“Hello, son,” Valentine rasped. “Here to stop your old man from seeking healing for his wounds?”

“Don’t call me that,” Jace gritted between clenched teeth, but he lowered his sword. “I’ve seen your real son. Gotta say, I’m noticing a certain family resemblance,” he added, gesturing to Valentine’s ruined face.

Alec clenched his jaw. Jace would literally stand at the gates of hell and sass the very devil, but they didn’t have time for that right now.

“Don’t engage with him. We’re here to kill him, and his son,” he reminded Jace tersely.

Remember Max, he wanted to add, but he didn’t. Bringing up Max would only give Valentine more insight to use against them. He wouldn’t take this kill from Jace; Jace deserved it for all he’d suffered at Valentine’s hands, but they needed to do this and move on.

Jace nodded and brought his sword up again. “Where’s Jonathan?”

“Ah, Jonathan.” Valentine’s face twisted into gruesome smirk. Alec had no idea how he could pull off insouciance looking as wrecked as he did, but somehow he managed it. “He’s a good boy. A bit headstrong, perhaps, but then that’s a trait shared by all my children. Must mean I’ve done something right.”

“Never once in your life,” Alec muttered, scanning the perimeter again. “Iris! I know you’re out there! Show yourself!”

“She’s probably gone ahead to open the way into the Seelie realm,” Valentine said, chucking a thumb over his shoulder. “Normally it’s something I’d do myself, but I’m a bit under the weather. She’s quite eager to lend her assistance. See, I promised her this is the last favor I’ll require before releasing her to reunite with her sweet little goddaughter.”

That’s never going to happen. Alec managed to bite his tongue before the words left his mouth. Of course Valentine would know of Alec’s protectiveness toward Madzie. Jonathan would have reported it to him.

“What, so they can have a touching reunion before you use Raziel’s wish to obliterate them?” Jace asked snidely.

“Knock it off, Jace,” Alec snapped. “Kill him, or I will.”

“You think that’s what I want Raziel’s wish for now?” Valentine asked, scoffing. “Look at me, son. Even if I destroyed the Downworlders and the Shadowhunters who coddle them, what joy could I find in the peace the I created, when I look like this?”

Jace nodded slowly. “The Clave will never hail you as a hero if your face reminds them every day that you’re a monster.”

“You’d think they’d manage to overlook my wounds, considering they were acquired defending all humanity from demon-kind, but human nature being what it is…”

“Enough of this.” Alec drew back his bowstring and released the arrow. It flew straight for Valentine’s heart…and vaporized before it ever reached him.

“What the—?” He and Jace exchanged a look.

“Disgusting as they may be, warlocks come in quite handy, don’t they? Well, you would know.” Valentine’s face contorted into a sneer in Alec’s direction. “See, the problem with my mind-control serum was that it was difficult to be certain when it had worn off, and it offered severely diminishing returns as far as loyalty was concerned. But Iris’s dealings with Clarissa gave me an idea. When I promised to reunite her with Madzie, she was only too happy to give me her blood oath to defend and aid me until my work was done. As long as she lives, the protective spells she’s placed around me will hold.”

“Find her,” Jace growled, advancing until he had Valentine backed against a tree. “I’ll deal with him when you’re done.”

Alec nodded, then grabbed Jace by the shoulder, squeezing hard. “Don’t hesitate,” he hissed in his ear. “For Max.”

Jace met his eyes, his face set with steely resolve, and nodded once. “For Max,” he murmured.

“Now, where is Clarissa?” Alec heard Valentine taunt as he raced off into the trees. “Searching for her brother, perhaps? I worry for her, you know. Jonathan was quite distraught to find she wouldn’t be the adoring little sister he’d imagined…”

Alec clenched his jaw and forced himself not to turn back. He had to trust that Jace wouldn’t hesitate this time.

The prickling strangeness of being on the edge of the faerie lands mounted the deeper he went into the trees. Someone with sufficient sensitivity might wander unwittingly across the divide between the realms, if the Fair Folk wished it—and for the sake of the mischief they loved so much, they frequently did. If the Fair Folk didn’t wish it, only someone of sufficient physical and mental fortitude could pass the barrier between realms, and while Valentine’s mental fortitude wasn’t in question, his physical injuries might pose an obstacle.

Unless Iris managed to pierce the veil for him.

The glow of her magic drew Alec through the thicket until finally she stood with her back to him, her hands radiating power as the barrier between worlds shimmered.

“Iris, stop!” he barked, drawing his bowstring back. “I will kill you.”

“You don’t understand!” Her face was twisted with torment as she looked over her shoulder. “It’s the only way he’ll let me have Madzie back!”

“He doesn’t have her. He’s been in Clave custody for months.”

“His people do!”

“If that’s what he told you, he lied.” He softened his tone, but kept his bow ready. “Madzie’s safe. Catarina Loss has been taking care of her. Iris. She okay. She’s happy. She has a good home now.”

The power around Iris’s hands faded abruptly, though the barrier to Faerie still…rippled. She turned to face Alec, a far cry from the tidily dressed and groomed woman he’d encountered when helping Clary all those months ago. Her clothes were threadbare, stained and wrinkled, her hair unbound and unkempt. “I told her I’d come back for her. She misses me.”

“Yes. She does,” Alec said sympathetically. “It took her a long time to be happy again, especially after what Valentine made her do. Did you know he made her kill people? She still has nightmares, and days where she can’t speak to anyone. He used the promise of you to force her cooperation, and now he’s doing the same thing to you. But Iris…you can’t have her back.”

Iris’s eyes filled with fury, her hands starting to glow again. “You can’t keep me from her. I’m the only mother she’s ever known!”

“You’re a fugitive from the Clave. You were tricking mundane women into being impregnated by demons. That’s not going to go away, no matter what happens here tonight. And Catarina and Magnus will never let Madzie go with you again.” Iris’s eyes began darting from one direction to the next, as though the walls of her cell in the Gard were closing around her again. “Besides, even if you could have Madzie back, if you help Valentine get away tonight, sooner or later he’s going to figure out the location of the Mortal Mirror, and when he does, he’s going to use Raziel’s wish to kill all of you. Every warlock, every Downworlder in existence. Even Madzie.”

Iris closed her eyes, a wave of despair washing across her features. Her entire body slumped in surrender. “He already knows. He has a contact within the Clave who called a few hours ago. He’s trying to get to Idris.”

Panic gripped Alec’s heart in an iron grasp, chilling him from the inside out. “Help me stop him,” he pleaded. “Help me protect her.”

“I can’t.” She shook her head wildly. “I gave a blood oath to aid and defend him until he releases me. It’s binding unto death.”

Power enveloped her hands and Alec drew back his bowstring once more. “Don’t, Iris. Don’t make me do it.”

“I have to. I can’t do it myself. Suicide violates my oath, even passively failing to protect myself.” The shimmer around her hands erupted into a massive wall of energy that Alec barely managed to dodge, throwing himself aside and hitting the ground with a painful thud. He shot at her a split second before impact.

Iris blocked the first arrow he released with another spell, sending it flying wide into the trees.

“Do it!” she shouted.

He rolled out of the way of a ball of magic, reaching for another arrow as he moved. He let it fly in that vulnerable instant while Iris pulled more power into herself.

This one didn’t miss. It pierced her chest dead center, driving the wind from her with an almost surprised gasp. A bloody bubble burst upon her lips as her knees buckled under her.

“Thank you,” she whispered, falling to her side. A tear glimmered in her eye and rolled down her cheek. “Tell Madzie her Nana loved her.”

“I will,” Alec promised, but she was beyond hearing. And surely it must be all the horror and grief of the day that made his eyes burn for this woman whose actions had filled him with so much revulsion.

He didn’t have time to dwell on it. He rolled to his feet and slung his bow over his shoulder, turning back to where he’d left Jace with Valentine.

Something was hurtling through the woods toward him, crashing against trees and stumbling through the undergrowth. It barreled into Alec before he had a chance to pull his bow off his shoulder, knocking him into a tree, and charged through the weakened veil to Faerie.

A moment later, Jace came limping along, clutching his side where his shirt was stuck to him and glistening red-black in the faint moonlight.

“You okay?” Alec asked, reaching for his stele. He lifted Jace’s shirt and activated his iratze.

Jace made disgruntled sound. “Yeah. Caught me by surprise. He must have felt the moment Iris’s protections faded, and stabbed me before I realized he was vulnerable. I’m lucky Valentine’s in such bad condition; I think he was actually going for my heart.” Jace strode purposefully toward the threshold Valentine had just crossed. “Come on, let’s go.”

Nothing happened as he stepped over the spot where Valentine had disappeared. The shimmer in the air was gone, the passage sealed.

“Dammit. The Seelies must have felt Valentine pass through and reinforced the barrier,” he muttered.

“Doesn’t matter. If we crossed into the Seelie realm without petitioning the queen for passage, we’d be in violation of the Accords,” Alec said. “Given the tensions right now, I doubt the Seelie Queen is feeling very lenient, either. I’ll call Magnus, see if he can arrange a meeting with her as soon as possible, maybe he and Luke can get through to her. Besides, Jonathan’s still out there, and it sounds like he’s after Clary.”

“Izzy’s with her,” Jace said confidently, pivoting to head in the other direction. “Let’s just hope by the time we get there, she’ll have left us a piece of him to take a swing at.”

“As long as it ends up with Jonathan dead, I don’t care who gets the last blow in.” Alec said as he followed, but he broke into a jog all the same.

“I’m sorry,” Clary said, apropos of nothing, as they emerged from the third mausoleum they’d searched.

Izzy gave her a confused look. “For what?”

“For teasing Jace about Maia and acting like this is just another day, when you’ve just lost Max. Everything your family has gone through today…”

The mention of Max was like a knife through her heart, about the millionth knife today, despite the soothing balm of the angelic light they’d all been bathed in earlier. She forced the feeling aside. “If you didn’t notice, Jace was teasing back. It’s okay.”

“I don’t want to be disrespectful. If someone had cracked a joke after my mom died…”

“There will be a time for mourning later,” Izzy said firmly. “We’re Shadowhunters. We’re soldiers. We don’t always have the luxury of putting everything on hold when we lose someone we love. We have to keep moving forward, stay focused on the mission. The banter is part of what we’ve always done, and right now we need things to feel normal.”

Clary nodded soberly, then grabbed Izzy’s wrist. “Over there. By the edge of the creek.”

The pale moonlight showed mounds of loose dirt rising up from the ground, separate from the neatly laid out rows of the modern parts of the cemetery. “Fresh graves.”

“Too fresh,” Clary said with a nod. “There’s three of them, all clustered together. They’re not tidy enough to have been dug by the cemetery’s groundskeepers.”

“Vampires.” Izzy closed her eyes against a painful wave of longing. The bliss of vampire venom would be so good right now. It would make that hollow space in her heart that had once been occupied by Max feel less empty.

The accompanying sense of fear was nearly as strong, as Alec’s warnings about the dangers of being bitten again came back to her.

And anger, at the way Sebastian—Jonathan—had used her addiction to gain access to her and her family.

“No way it’s coincidence that someone is raising vampires in the same cemetery we tracked Jonathan to,” she muttered, her whip slithering off her wrist. “Valentine’s lost his army, and he’s always been more than happy to use demons and Downworlders to do his dirty work.”

“Think these vamps will be the same as the ones who ambushed you and your mom?”

“Trained to fight?” Izzy shrugged. “Maybe. I don’t know if he and Camille have had that sort of time. Still, be prepared.”

Clary pulled her phone out of her pocket. “I’ll call Alec and Jace—”

Izzy caught her hand. “No. I’ve got this.”

“Iz—”

The vampire swept into Clary in a blur of speed. It drove her to the ground, snarling. The dirt of the grave still clung to his clothing, and if he’d fed yet, it hadn’t been nearly enough to assuage his newly-risen bloodlust. Izzy wrapped her whip around his neck, dragging him off Clary far enough for Clary to drive her seraph blade through his heart.

Sheer instinct had Izzy spinning where she stood. A snap of her wrist converted the whip into a bladed staff, which she drove through the heart of an oncoming vamp before she even consciously sensed its approach.

The third vampire was still struggling to rise from her grave. She lunged for Clary and Izzy before she had even fully emerged, and Izzy dispatched her just as quickly as the other two, but while her attention was on it, another blur slammed into Clary, bashing her head against the trunk of a tree on the bank of the creek.

“Clary!” Izzy spun, rushing to Clary who lay unmoving on the ground. The vampire who had tackled Clary had disappeared so quickly Izzy couldn’t even track where it had gone, moving faster than anything she’d ever encountered. “Clary, get up!”

Clary moaned and tried to move, but couldn’t seem to push herself up off the ground. Scanning their surroundings for the final vampire, Izzy cautiously crouched to check on Clary.

Which was when the vampire sped back in. It had her in a headlock before she could even react.

A cloud of vaguely familiar perfume enveloped Izzy, and the skin against her neck felt silken. This was no newly-risen vamp still gritty with grave dirt.

“Camille,” she spat, trying for bravado despite the surge of yearning that swept through her, being so close to a vampire.

“I can smell Raphael all over you,” Camille said merrily. “What a naughty boy he’s been.”

Izzy gritted her teeth. “Not anymore.”

“It doesn’t work that way, sweetie.” Camille’s nose brushed Izzy’s neck along the artery, her cool breath making Izzy’s skin ripple. She could have sworn she felt the points of Camille’s fangs and she wanted it, with a desperation that paralyzed her, made it impossible to move, to struggle. “The older the vampire, the more powerful the venom, you know. Raphael’s practically still a baby. Now me, on the other hand…”

“I wouldn’t be bragging about your age, if I were you,” Izzy snapped. She wished her body would obey, but it longed for the bite Camille kept taunting her with, even as her mind quailed in fear.

“Release her, Camille,” came Sebastian’s clipped command from the shadows. No. Jonathan. He had none of Sebastian’s unassuming humility or gentleness. He seemed so cold and arrogant that Izzy couldn’t grasp how she’d ever once found him warm or kind.

“I don’t think so,” Camille purred. “I’ve never had a Nephilim subjugate before. We could have a lovely time together.”

“Find another Shadowhunter, then. You’ve fulfilled your purpose. Leave, before I forget to uphold my end of our bargain.”

Camille hissed at him, thrusting Izzy away from her. The paralysis of will that had kept her still in Camille’s grasp broke once Izzy had some distance. She rolled to her feet and dropped into a crouch, her whip slithering down her side, as she, Jonathan and Camille all stood against each other in a three-way face off.

Camille’s eyes darted between Jonathan and Izzy, and then she hissed again and sped away in a blur of motion.

Jonathan took a step toward Izzy and she drove him back with a crack of her whip, toward the edge of the creek. She chanced a glance behind him at Clary, who was finally stirring, trying to get to her feet. Blood darkened her pale brow.

Izzy refocused on Jonathan, lashing out with her whip again, forcing him back another step.

“I trusted you,” she snarled. “I trusted you and you betrayed me. You gave me the yin fen. You made me an addict. You murdered my brother!”

If her words truly penetrated, he gave no indication of it. His head cocked to the side, almost studiously. “Yes, Max’s death was…regrettable. I tried to explain to him that I just needed to deal with the warlock girl, but he insisted on defending her. She threatened my family. You of all people should understand why I did what I had to do.”

The end of her whip wrapped around his arm the next time she swung it. He gripped it in his hands, dragging her toward him on the dewy sod. The sound of his skin sizzling and the smell of burning flesh wafted on the night breeze.

Jonathan glanced down, showing no alarm at the way the whip was searing his skin. “Ah. Electrum. When one has demon blood, one tends to have a sensitivity to such things. Luckily my time in Edom taught me to withstand such petty torments.” His smile was chillingly sweet. “Sometimes I even rather enjoy them.”

Izzy planted her feet on the slippery turf, leaning against his pull on the whip. “Why do all this? For Valentine? He banished you!”

“That was an unfortunate incident, I admit,” Jonathan said casually, as though Valentine had done nothing more than step on his toe. “But when he summoned me back, I realized it had all been a misunderstanding. And in the end, well, he’s family. Family stands together.” His eyes narrowed and he looked back briefly over his shoulder at Clary. “A lesson our mother never taught my sister. Valentine tried to warn me that Clary would hate me, but I had hoped… Yet, with our mother dead, she still turns to others rather than choosing to take her place with her family. You wouldn’t do such a thing to your brothers, would you, Isabelle?”

His gaze focused on her with alarming intensity, and the pressure on the whip increased. Her feet slid, the distance between them narrowing an inch and a time.

“My brothers aren’t deranged,” Izzy gritted, pulling away harder as he dragged her inexorably forward.

“Even if they were, you wouldn’t turn on them. I think I finally understand you.” His brow furrowed, as though working out a puzzle. “It’s taken me a while, I confess. So many things about you contradict what my father taught me. When Aldertree made you choose between Alec and Jace, you chose Alec. But eventually, I realized you simply chose the best of an array of bad options to try to save them both. You protected Jace as well as your brother.”

“Jace is my brother.”

“Precisely my point. You stand by him the same as you would your real family. That unshakeable loyalty, that is what Jocelyn failed to teach Clary. She turns against her father and brother for werewolves and vampires and warlocks whom she calls her family, but then she disregards them when she no longer needs them. She spoke of trying to save me, then so quickly decided I was unsalvageable.” His gaze softened as he looked at Izzy beseechingly. “You would never do that. You would never give up or turn away. You, Isabelle, are the sister I should have had.”

Astonishment made her forget to resist the pull on the whip, until they were almost toe to toe, mere inches apart. The scent of his burning skin was pungent between them, and the way his eyes pleaded with her was almost...innocent. As though he had no idea why what he was saying was insane.

That, more than anything, that detached lack of comprehension, was more frightening than anything else she’d seen from him. She tried to jerk away, the whip falling to the ground between them, but Jonathan caught her arm and his eyes held her like a cobra’s mesmerizing stare.

“I could be your brother,” he said, almost smiling at the idea. His voice lilted sweetly, entreating. “You and I could stand together the way family is meant to. The way even my father doesn’t comprehend. He betrayed me. I forgave him when he called me back from Edom, but he betrayed me and he used me and he’d do it again in a heartbeat, I know that. Just like Clarissa and Jace and even Alec would do to you, if you weren’t always available whenever they beckoned, asking for so little in return.”

“You’re wrong. That would never happen.”

“It already has! How many times have you been there for them, but did even one of them see when you were struggling through yin fen withdrawal? You were all alone in it.” His hand came up and cupped her cheek. “I wanted to help you. It’s why I gave you the yin fen, to heal you. And why I came back, to help you overcome it when I realized how destructive it actually was for you.”

Izzy quivered with revulsion. “What was in that tincture you gave me?”

His lips curved softly and for a moment, he was the disarmingly gentle Sebastian who had come to her rescue that day in the infirmary. “Probably nothing. I found it in one of the mundanes’ organic markets. It’s supposed to enhance energy and focus.” He chuckled as if it was all a joke. “You were too glorious to be brought so low. Sometimes knowing someone else can do something remarkable makes it possible to do it yourself, don’t you think? Sebastian Verlac—he wasn’t so fortunate. He was still very much struggling when I located him, the last of Victor Aldertree’s victims. His addiction made it easy to keep him complacent in captivity, at least. Which is why I needed Camille.”

The dismissal of her struggle, and of someone who by all reports had once been a fine Shadowhunter, was infuriating. “I was doing fine until you laid your trap for me and got me bitten again! Why couldn’t you have just left us alone?”

“Because I had to become someone you would respond to. Not an adversary, like Aldertree. Someone who understood you. I had to show you; I can be there for you the way none of them ever have been. And if the tincture hadn’t worked for you, I found a way to make yin fen that doesn’t have the toxicity of so many of the warlock salves and powders with their enhancing agents. You could have bliss with far less danger.”

“You’re insane,” she breathed raggedly, but it was as if he didn’t even hear her.

“I know you miss Max. But I could be your brother. I could replace what I took from you.”

Bile rose in her throat. A flicker of shadow moved behind him and Izzy planted her hands on his shoulders.

“You could never replace Max,” she growled and thrust away with all her strength, pushing herself back so hard she slipped on the wet grass and fell. The force of her shove drove him into Clary’s blade. The glowing point emerged through the center of his chest. Clary wrenched her blade out of his back and he twisted to grab her by the throat.

“Always the traitor,” he hissed, lifting her off the ground and cutting off her air. Izzy rolled to her feet and caught the whip up off the ground, but before she could move in, Jace streaked past her, knocking Jonathan away and breaking his grip on Clary. The momentum of Jace’s charge sent them both flying down the bank. Izzy lashed out with the whip, catching Jace around the ankle where it was protected by his boot, stopping his fall while Jonathan plummeted into the creek.

He floated motionless as the water carried him away, no thrashing or flailing. His eyes stared blindly up into the night sky.

“Hail and farewell,” Izzy muttered, turning the hallowed words into a curse with her disdain.

Alec ran up to the edge of the steep bank and helped Jace scramble up.

“You okay?” he asked, glancing over at Izzy as Jace brushed himself off.

She found she couldn’t quite meet his eyes. “Yeah.”

Clary frowned. “You sure? That was…creepy. Finding out that Jonathan’s been fixated on you this whole time.”

“What?” Alec snapped, alarm sharpening his tone.

She shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. He was crazy. We got justice for Max. That what’s important.”

He looked at the water in irritation. “Damn. In half an hour he’s going to be in the East River and we don’t have time to fish him out and make sure he’s really dead. Come on. We’ve got to go, right now.”

“Why, what happened?” Clary asked, trotting to catch up as he pivoted and strode away.

“Valentine escaped into the faerie realms,” Jace explained, fast on Alec’s heels.

“And he has another spy in Idris who told him what the Mortal Mirror is,” Alec added grimly. “Which means if we don’t stop him, my husband and every other Downworlder in existence could be dead by this time tomorrow, and that’s not going to happen.”

Jace clapped him on the shoulder. “It won’t, Alec.”

Alec already had his phone out. “Luke, Valentine got around the warlocks’ wards by passing into Faerie. He knows where the Mirror is. Did you find Robert?” He listened for a moment, then nodded. “Good. Is my mother alright? Okay. Listen, the Seelie Queen isn’t going to want to hear any petitions from me asking her to detain Valentine, but maybe she’ll listen to you, Raphael, and Magnus…”

Clary caught Izzy’s elbow gently, drawing her attention away from Alec’s conversation. “Izzy…Hey, what he said to you, about us not appreciating you. You know he was wrong, don’t you?”

“Of course.” It took a little too much effort to pull her mouth into a confident smile as she recalled those days of withdrawal the first time, alone in her room.

Did even one of them see when you were struggling?

“Nothing he was saying made any sort of sense,” Izzy continued, keeping her tone light. “I wouldn’t take it too seriously.”

It took effort to keep her face neutral, but finally Jace called Clary’s attention to something and she moved on, allowing Izzy to sag with relief.

She wanted a vampire bite so badly she thought she might burst into tears.

On to Chapter 25!

Please, if you’ve enjoyed this fanfic, consider buying some of my books, or buying me a cup of coffee!

[hetmusic]

Cassette Culture | HumanHuman

Many have assumed that the format war ended with the rise and assumed victory of digital media like MP3 downloads, online music videos and streaming services. That isn’t strictly true. In recent years, we’ve seen physical formats like vinyl take hold with audio obsessives and CDs are still a viable source of revenue for major artists. What vinyls, CDs and MP3s have in common is that they are all well within the public mindset of ways to listen to and own music, and yet there’s another access-point that is gradually growing an underground following. It’s a good old friend - the cassette tape.

Artwork by Edvige Valdameri

Once the premise of road trips and radio-ripped mixtapes, this retro bit of technology is now regarded as the last truly alternative format. With so many other options on offer, we want to know why cassette culture exists and if we’ll soon be filling our glove boxes and shelves with these plastic rectangles of sound.

The thing about cassette culture is… it never really went away. Since the 1970s, there has been an admiration for this affordable, high-quality piece of recording technology with DIY bands and even a few established acts, such as Grateful Dead. This band used the format to share their music, interact with fans and have even inspired one avid tape advocate to document his efforts in collecting every Grateful Dead cassette in existence. The tape community appeared to have reached its zenith in the 1980s with a plethora of small labels offering cassette-only releases and music publications like the NME, Sounds, Factsheet Five and Op Magazine running regular features on this growing culture. As we now know, the good times were not to last and with the introduction and increased availability of alternative and arguably superior technologies, the passion for tapes seem to fade, but as mentioned earlier, it didn’t disappear altogether. So, where’s the evidence of this alternative record revival?

For a while now there have been hushed rumours of this fringe culture, many of which have been eclipsed by discussions surrounding vinyl amour and the huge potential of streaming. One of the overriding arguments for the resurgence of vinyl sales is that the sound quality far surpasses that of digital streaming, and by extension the favoured niche format also has that over tapes. However, it’s important to note that cassettes are not the domain of high-fidelity obsessives, instead there are some comments to suggest that listening to music on tape imbues more life into the recordings than their modern counterparts. For example, in one Diffuser article ‘Vinyl revival? Well, I’m more of a cassette man myself’, the writer Chris Kissel cannot help but take on a romantic tone when recalling that “soft hiss in the background, reminding you that behind it all, the album has its own essence, its own breath.” Another perspective for this reanimated sound was explained earlier this year by Esther Ford, owner of Manchester-based store Deco Records, who told BBC Radio 5 that “I’ve also started selling blank tapes to a lot of the bands who just stick a tape recorder in the middle of their rehearsal room [...] I think they feel like it gives them a truer sound than if they just recorded it off their phones.” Even more support for the tape’s unique resonance comes from Island Fox, aka instinctive electronic artist Jessica Bartlett, who released her own Nature EP on cassette via Post/Pop Records:

“For audiophiles like me, listening to lossless audio such as WAV on tapes and vinyls means an influence of the 'art of individual playing' on the physical format. This modifies the sound and adds to that 'beautiful imperfection' and uniqueness, knowing that it would never sound exactly like that if anyone listened to it again.”— Jessica Bartlett, Island Fox

The sound matters, that’s for sure, but it’s not the sole force behind music consumerism. If that was the case, then streaming services wouldn’t be nearly half as successful which rely on lack-lustre laptop and mobile speakers. The rise of streaming has also shown that people are increasingly unwilling to pay out large sums for the music they listen to. It’s the same reason that vinyl is still associated with the niche and hipster markets, because for many the records and the equipment needed to play them are either unaffordable or inconvenient. What cassettes offer is a low-priced, pocket-sized physical medium for people to own music and for musicians to actually make some kind of return on their hard work. In the case of Norwegian Blue Records founder Tyson Weibe, he was led to cassette culture following an EP release for his own band in 2010, whereby they gave away one hundred free download cards for fans to scan, but the heartbreaking reality was that not a single card was redeemed. Looking for a low cost, alternative to digital files, Weibe began by learning about the ins and outs of releasing tapes via acclaimed subreddit r/cassetteculture and soon after launched Norwegian Blue’s first tape, Mormon Girls’ The Farm Sessions. In addition to the economical motivator behind selling cassettes, this Canadian musician-turned-label-owner found the disappointment of digital sales falling flat in the face of tape ritual.

“I think the sheer act of opening the tape, reading the liner, and finding the card is enjoyable to people. I know I used to do the same with all the tapes I bought as a kid. That act is a tiny moment of connection between an artist and a fan, and it's something that can't be reproduced by the best sounding digital file (sorry Pono, et al.)”— Tyson Weibe, Norwegian Blue Records

Value for money is an enormous driver behind the increased interest in the fifty-year-old format. According to Forbes, the average cost for the manufacture of an individual tape is $2, and that figure at least doubles for vinyl production which can cost between $4 and $6. This reduced rate not only means bands and artists can independently put out physical releases much earlier in their careers, but as Tom Palvich (owner of tape label Mirror Universe) explained to Noisey “when you release tapes you can take more risks than you can putting out vinyl because they are inexpensive.” Perhaps this is why tapes continue to be associated with DIY outfits and experimental genres - it’s a format that harbours risk well. British label Blue Tapes is also a fan of this “underrated medium” for this reason:

“... the fact that it can be duplicated in such small runs (editions of 1? no problem!) means that you don't have to worry about appealing to a mass audience to recoup on costs. You can release really bizarre, unique experiments that probably only have a small audience naturally and cater comfortably to them without punishing your finances, as if so often the case when releasing vinyl.”— David, Blue Tapes

However, that fringe culture association hasn’t stopped the mainstream music industry hopping aboard the tape train, as displayed by the exclusive sale of The 1975’s debut album on cassette via retail giant Urban Outfitters. Neither the band nor the company are hurting for money, so why would they chose to promote tapes? Well, aesthetic trends have a leading role here. As pointed out in a New York Times piece titled ‘Hitting Rewind on the Cassette Tape’, the artistic pliability of tapes gave rise to “Prints and paintings of cassettes; pouches, belt buckles and notebooks made to look like cassettes; buttons with little cassette images on them; envelopes, a watch, even a soap dispenser decorated with the familiar cassette shape.” Rob Walker even comments on how designers and artists are paying homage to the plastic mold, such as Brian Dettmer’s skeletal sculptures crafted out of cassettes and thus becoming the perfect symbol of the seemingly dead format’s ability to live on.

The cassettes physicality has more than an artistic advantage on its side. One outstanding argument against digital music is that it encourages a throwaway attitude to listening and while you may dispose of an unloved tape from time to time, you’re much less likely to dump a whole collection. Even if you have no intention of erasing your online music library, the lack of control over digital storage means it could disappear without your consent. As Wired journalist Graeme McMillian puts it, “If you have a glitch with your digital storage, it could be gone. Whereas with tape, it’s tangible. It’s right there.” This tangibility of music on tape is also a recurring point amongst our contributing experts. For example, this is what the owner of Tape Club Records had to say:

“Nowadays, consumption of music/entertainment happens immediately. If you want it, you're hearing it, and you'll likely move on quickly to the next thing. A cassette is simply one of the cost-effective ways to create a longer-lasting tangible relationship with a fan or listener. It can sit on a shelf, or in your car, or on your desk. It's a statement of commitment beyond just a blast of binary digits that makes us feel a little more involved.”— William Evans, Tape Club Records

That is a real issue we have yet to address within the music industry - the sense of the ritual, the sanctity in music ownership is at the risk of being lost altogether. This is why tape labels and cassette culture as a movement is so important, it reminds you that music isn’t some airy substance formulated in an industry machine. There’s real people, real instruments, real thought, messages, feelings behind so much of our modern music. The next generation of music fans surely deserves something more than a clickable download and a pixelated thumbnail of graphic design. As the online world continues to rule over the music industry, there’s already a growing need for this real world reconnection between the artists, the music and the listeners. As Get In Her Ears radio presenter and avid tape promoter Tash Walker explains:

“We live in a world where more and more of our life and frame of reference is becoming digitalised, so what happens? ...we long for something tangible...enter the cassette tape revolution.”— Tash Walker, Get In Her Ears

Contributions

Island Fox

“For audiophiles like me, listening to lossless audio such as WAV on tapes and vinyls means an influence of the 'art of individual playing' on the physical format. This modifies the sound and adds to that 'beautiful imperfection' and uniqueness, knowing that it would never sound exactly like that if anyone listened to it again. The turn around and ease of releasing cassettes vs vinyl, is much quicker and cheaper from what I can gather; I worked with an upcoming independent tape label POST/POP, which involved a really easy and appealing 50:50 physical split of a limited run of 100 tapes and no contracts etc. I think physical releases of limited edition merchandise will always have that 'rare' appeal to collectors and as an artist grows, become more valuable in many ways as well. POST/POP was a great label to work with as the owner, Jed, really loves tapes and has been taking a stall to many independent record fairs and festivals, as well as working with Rough Trade etc to really get upcoming artists' tapes heard. Cassette Culture was actually also something I grew up with owning a Walkman, and so it was great to physically release on a format that meant so much to me as a kid; an achievement which I could hold in my hands.”

Blue Tapes

“There are still some practical advantages to physical formats. Space on my laptop and other devices is always at a premium, so I'm constantly deleting and losing mp3s. Worse, said devices have a tendency of breaking frequently so it's not uncommon to lose everything. Even when I do have mp3s long enough to listen to them once or twice, I find that digital devices are increasingly glitchy and corrupt and bad at just playing music. Although it's really convenient to have thousands of songs on my mobile phone, it's absolutely terrible at being a music player, and my iPod - when I had one - wasn't much better. I can't listen to music on a computer without also doing other things on the computer (checking email, browsing Tumblr - stuff that isn't just concentrating on the music). These days, myself and most of the people I know tend to use Spotify/Bandcamp for streaming and previewing albums and then investing in the physical when we purchase. It's physically harder to get rid of a chunk of plastic than it is an mp3. Plus they turn up in random places just when you've forgotten about them and you think oh! you! I should put you on and just forget about what I'm doing for a bit. That seems to be harder to do with digital music. There is shuffle, but then you just tend to shuffle through a pre-curated playlist and not really listen to the original album or release in sequence. So that's the case for physical in the digital age, or at least one dimension of it. Of course, there are other physical music formats - LP, CD, 8 track, Mini Disc, etc. Tapes are cheaper than all of these. And they look cooler! Always hated CD packaging. The vinyl boom is making LPs too expensive. Tapes are cheap, convenient and cool, and infinitely customisable. It's hard to do a generic-looking tape these days, and the fact there are so many cool tape labels now really drives people to do ever-more interesting and original designs. So that's why I prefer tapes to other physical formats. Tape is also an underrated medium, sound-wise, and the fact that it can be duplicated in such small runs (editions of 1? no problem!) means that you don't have to worry about appealing to a mass audience to recoup on costs. You can release really bizarre, unique experiments that probably only have a small audience naturally and cater comfortably to them without punishing your finances, as if so often the case when releasing vinyl.” (David)

Tape Club Records

“Nowadays, consumption of music/entertainment happens immediately. If you want it, you're hearing it, and you'll likely move on quickly to the next thing. A cassette is simply one of the cost-effective ways to create a longer-lasting tangible relationship with a fan or listener. It can sit on a shelf, or in your car, or on your desk. It's a statement of commitment beyond just a blast of binary digits that makes us feel a little more involved.” (William Evans)

Norwegian Blue Records

“We can talk about how cassettes are an inexpensive investment, how they are an object that can bring the wonder of new discovery to some people and nostalgia to others, how they are an analog item at a fraction of the cost of an LP, or any of the other myriad reasons that the humble cassette is making a comeback, but to me, the tape is about having something physical in a world of intangibles. In early 2010, my band was about to release a four song EP. Seeing that digital seemed to be the way of the future, we printed up 100 download cards to give to anyone who walked into the venue for our release show. Of those 100 cards, zero were claimed. As an artist, this was heartbreaking. We make our art so other people can interact with it, so to have a zero percent rate was astounding. Even close friends of ours, who played in bands of their own, that attended the show hadn't downloaded it. At this point I started asking people why they hadn't downloaded it. The most common comment was that the card had been lost. The idea that we could put our energy into the EP and people would lose it that easily was so frustrating. So I started thinking of low cost alternatives that people would be unable to lose. After a bunch of terrible ideas (the worst being laser-etching the download codes on rocks. Something I was only ever semi-serious about, no matter what the other owners of Norwegian Blue tell you) I remembered that another local label (Mammoth Cave Records, R.I.P.) had done a sampler of Alberta music on tape. So I started digging into tape culture. From there I found a subreddit (r/cassetteculture) with people who were making tape culture happen. I spoke with them, asked questions and learned about do's and don'ts. Eventually we released our first cassette, Mormon Girls - The Farm Sessions, with a download card included -something we've done with every tape since. That tape has sold across Canada and around the world, but the real kicker is this: for every tape sold, the download card has been redeemed. I think the sheer act of opening the tape, reading the liner, and finding the card is enjoyable to people. I know I used to do the same with all the tapes I bought as a kid. That act is a tiny moment of connection between an artist and a fan, and it's something that can't be reproduced by the best sounding digital file (sorry Pono, et al.)” (Tyson Weibe)

Get In Her Ears

“For those of us who grew up in a world of cassette tapes, our trusty Sony Walkmans were always firmly clipped onto our belts and fed our favourite tunes of the time straight into our ears (my first purchase being Return of the Mac - no judgement). Now over the last couple of years we've seen a resurgence of the trusty tape as more and more bands are releasing their latest EPs in this format. I think it would be hard to argue that nostalgia doesn't have anything to do with this u-turn, but on a more practical note you have the reduction in cost compared to our beloved vinyl, as well as the weight and size of the cassette. There is also the ever increasing demand for the DIY aesthetic that runs alongside the zine, which again has become a lot more popular in line with the 'second wave' of riot grrrl music. We live in a world where more and more of our life and frame of reference is becoming digitalised, so what happens? ...we long for something tangible...enter the cassette tape revolution.” (Tash Walker)

https://humanhuman.com/articles/cassette-culture-renewed-interest-explained

[thesoundthread-blog]

BEST  MUSIC OF JANUARY

With streaming making listening to music so easy and so many artists dropping readily available music every week, it’s sometimes overwhelming. 

That’s what we’re here for. The boys of The Sound Thread will compile a top ten list for you each month with our favourite tracks. We may not always agree, but we will always provide you with quality music. Enjoy our first playlist and Download it directly to your phone below:

Spotify: 

https://open.spotify.com/user/12160583826/playlist/03XVCDQK4Y3WvVqQERMlzT

Apple Music:

https://itunes.apple.com/ca/playlist/sound-thread-january-2017/idpl.65ac9c30dcc44b72b80225987fb51834

Here is our list for the month of January. Let us know what you think!

Agree? Disagree? What would you add or take out?

10. Castle On The Hill - Ed Sheeran

Jeremy: I’ve always been a big Ed Sheeran fan. I feel like he is one of the few guys in the acoustic genre who is blurring boundaries and pushing music forward. He isn’t afraid to be himself and he is definitely not afraid to experiment. On this tune Ed takes you back to his childhood and gives you memories that after listening to this song, you may even feel like you lived yourself. This song is perfect for listening to on a plane ride back home or to make you think of all of the awful life shaping mistakes you made in the 9th grade.

Jared: It is so great to hear from Ed again after his romantically induced hiatus. Out of his two new releases I definitely prefer Castle On The Hill, as it is less pop influenced and more closely resembles some of my favourite songs from him. The line “Singing to Tiny Dancer” also really hits home with me as I can picture myself on numerous occasions screaming Elton John lyrics while driving.

9. Undercover - Kehlani

Jonny: I’m gonna be honest, Kehlani was on my bad side when she cheated on Kyrie Irving. Dude gets buuuuuuuuckets. Anyways, it was hard to stay mad at her after listening to her new album “SweetSexySavage”. Undercover is just the stand out song, there are 3-4 songs that could've easily made this list but Julian is a douchebag so we had to limit it to one. This song takes a page from Akon as it samples the 2006 hit “Don’t Matter”. Do yourself a favour and listen to this album, you will go through the entire emotional spectrum.

Julian: Cheated on Kyrie… WHACK

Jeremy: Okay, so even though this song is only at number 9, this is the most controversial song on the playlist. Jonny and I had to fight pretty hard to get this one on the list at all. You can be the judge after listening to it for yourself, but I think this is forsure one of Kehlani’s best songs overall and one of the best songs off of her (in my opinion) incredible album. Here is where my Bias may be coming in. The song that she samples is “Don’t Matter” by Akon and “Don’t Matter” by Akon was like my theme song in grade 10 when I was dating my sister’s friend because “they didn’t want to see us together - but it don’t matter no cause I got you.” So I may just be getting over-emotional. “One way or another, I’mma” make sure this song gets the love it deserves. Sorry fellas.

Jared: Worst song on the list. Akon is cool though. 8. Tempted - Jazz Cartier

Jonny: I’m getting this out of the way quickly, THIS IS NOT PARTYNEXTDOOR. But if you like PND, Jazz’s style is similar and is also from Toronto. Although this is a love song it also hits hard. Hopefully this jam becoming a consistent go-to track in clubs across Canada. I could easily see myself getting curved multiple times while this song is playing. Can't wait. :)

Jared: Over the past couple years Jazz Cartier, or as he sometimes goes by “Jacuzzi Cartier” has gained clout throughout rap scene. The Toronto artist has made it own his own without a cosign from Drake and has caught the eye of many, ironically including Young Money superstar Lil Wayne. His new track “Tempted” is an absolute banger and is sure to set the tone in any situation that involves getting fired up. 7. Drew Barrymore - SZA

Jonny: This song has nothing to do with Drew Barrymore. Despite the confusion it was my most played song this month for this playlist. Her lyrics: “Somebody get the tacos / Somebody get spark the blunt / Let’s start the night of at episode one.” sounds like a damn good night to me. Taking netflix and chill to a whole new level. Kendrick Lamar found a diamond in the rough in SZA and his a huge addition to the TDE family.

Jared: I have yet to figure out why this song is titled “Drew Barrymore”. Regardless, the track by TDE’s first lady is one of my favourite releases from her thus far. Since seeing SZA perform live at Squamish Valley Music Festival in 2015 while she was sporting a retro Vancouver Grizzlies jersey as if it were a dress, I have been a fan. Although the lyrical content of this song is actually quite depressing, I still enjoy hearing from SZA and am excited for her new project. 6. Saved - Khalid

Julian: My opinion, Khalid has one of the most refreshing voices in the music industry right now. “Saved” has the same ingredients of greatness that has worked on his other singles like “Location.” The song features lyrics that tell a story and an instrumental that is a pleasant change of pace from trap/bass driven tracks lately.

Jared: As of recently I have been religiously listening to Khalid on a day-to-day basis. Although the 18 year old from Texas has only released a handful of songs, he has an extremely bright future ahead of him, in my opinion. His voice is diverse in the sense that each one of his songs gives a different vibe and has appeal for different situations. In this track he discusses how he is still not over his ex and how down that makes him feel, while in other songs such as “Let’s Go” the approach he takes is more positive and results in completely different song. With this track dropping and the announcement of his album (coming March 3rd) it is safe to say that I’m excited about this young talent’s presence on the music scene. 5. Sideline Number – Russ

Julian: While I will probably never relate to Russ's problem of needing another phone number to deal with the group of women who want to have sex with him, I still really enjoyed this song. Out of all the songs released this month I actually think i've listened to this the most. I have no idea why I like this song as much as I do, but it's incredibly catchy. After a few listens you'll be singing along to the chorus every time.

Jeremy: I don’t think there is anyone putting out quality music as frequently as Russ. The guy basically drops a hit record every two weeks. If you’re still sleeping on Russ then you should probably wake up. And if he’s not hitting you back then you may have his wrong phone, try getting his #2 line. 4. Moving on and Getting Over – John Mayer

Julian: What a tune. The vibes on this track are just so happy and bubbly. The outro with 1:15 left in this song could be played at the end of any romantic comedy movie. Every time I listen to it I just picture a scene where Joseph Gorden Levitt – while smiling, crumbles up a picture of his ex and subtly tosses it over his shoulder while walking in public (but deep down inside he’s not actually over her). I love how it sounds like an outro song, HOWEVER, it’s the intro to his EP and it sets the tone perfectly

Jeremy:  John Mayer can have sexual relations with my girlfriend and he may even convince me it was for the best. I think Julian put it best below, but there is nothing that this man cannot get away with after making such beautiful music. He has an angelic voice that comes around once in a lifetime and the guitar picking skills mixed with songwriting that can make a bird with a broken wing fly.. No correction * soar * once again. Love this EP - but I’m not actually in love with John Mayer. I just really really like him.

Jared: The part in the middle of this song where he hits those high notes is bananas!!!! #MayerSZN is in full effect baby. 3. No One Knows Me (Like My Piano) - Sampha

Julian: If you don’t know who “Sampha” is, let me help you… “DON’T THINK ABOUT IT TOO MUCH TOO MUCH, THERE’S NO REASON TO RUSH IT THROOOoOoOough”Yes. That was him on drake’s “too much,” which you’ve probably botched singing at the top of your lungs in your car. This song is just as emotional as that chorus, however instead of him singing gut-wrenchingly about a lover, he is singing about his piano. I haven’t heard and artist sing this emotionally about an object since Queen’s “Bicycle.” To be honest it doesn’t matter what Sampha sings about because his chillingly voice will keep me listening to every song he releases (listen to “Timmy’s Prayer). If you’re looking for a new artist please give him a listen, and add this song to your chill playlist on spotify/apple music.

Jonny: I can’t really express my feelings towards this song more than Julian did. I don’t even own a piano but I can relate to this through my Rock Band 2 drum set. Countless hours of emotion, passion and dedication with an object can become a huge part of your life and when you’re separated from it you just don’t know what to do with yourself. Sampha creates a masterpiece here where you wish you didn’t take things for granted throughout your life. Watch out for him to be a serious threat in the music game for years to come.

Jeremy: My mother does own a grand piano. I have spent some serious hours there. For me to say that no one or no thing knows like that piano would be a flat out lie. However, when Sampha says it, I believe it. I’m almost certain that he had to get a new piano after writing this song because of all of the tears that are left on every key. Listen to this song while driving alone at your own risk and make sure to call your family members and ex girlfriends after this to thank them for getting you to where you’re at today. Good call on the Bicycle reference Julian. Migos and Sampha > The Beatles and Queen.

Jared: Although I had not been listening to Sampha since his feature on Drake’s 2013 hit “Too Much”, it was a delight to hear this beautiful voice again. Considering the instrument I have invested the most time into was the recorder throughout elementary school, I cannot relate to the bond Sampha has with the piano at his mother’s home, nonetheless after hearing this song it was an obvious pick for my list. If Sampha continues to release tracks such as this one, I believe he will gain much more recognition and break the label of “that guy on that Drake song”, which he is given by many people (including myself).

2. T-Shirt - Migos

Julian: Seriously at this point forget Jordan, Pippen and Rodman, the Migos are the most iconic trio of all time. When it's all said and done the Migos will have more hits than the Beatles, and they'll have done it with one less member. All it takes is one listen of this song to have the chorus stuck in your head. The song has a very different vibe to it than other Migos tracks that are very bass heavy and full of interjections and ad-libs. If you take over the aux cord at a house party in the next few months, you have to open with this song.

Jonny: MIGOS CAN NOT LOSE. The group really found their groove on their latest album “Culture”. Easily the best album of 2017 so far in my opinion. My favourite part of this song is Quavo’s extremely catchy hook and subtly saying “Oooooouuuuu” and “Uhhhhhhh” under Takeoff and Offset’s verse’s respectively. If you didn’t think this song could get any better, watch the music video. By far one of the most hilarious things I have ever viewed.

Jeremy:  Now although my mamma never told me not to sell work, it was extremely implied in my suburban upbringing. Sentiments like “don’t do drugs” and “stay away from the bad crowd” still ring in my head when I pass by dark corners. However, if I had listened to this song back in the day, you best believe I would be running every block in the city in my white t-shirt. This song is just so hypnotic that it almost feels like you’re in a trance that could take you back to the middle ages where Quavo is the king of the land and the bass is the wake up call for the town every morning. Or maybe that’s just me.

Jared: STRAIGHT OUT NORTH ATLANTA!!!! As of recently the three boys from Georgia known as the “Migos” have been untouchable. Following the release of their platinum single “Bad And Boujee” Quavo, Takeoff and Offset have been dropping fire left and right. Although there are countless things to say about the Migos, one thing that has always stood out to me has been their use of ad-libs, and at this point I feel as though they have perfected the profound art. The combination of the trifecta’s ad-lib use and melodic flows resulted in the song “T-Shirt”, which in our opinion is one of the best songs to release in January. 1. You’re Gonna Live Forever In Me - John Mayer

Julian: Wow, what can I say about John Mayer’s new EP that hasn’t already been said about the movie “UP.” It had me crying five minutes in, and I told everyone to check it out without giving them a fair warning. I didn’t know how much I needed this song in my life till I heard it. The whistling in the track takes me back to Disney’s “Robin Hood”, and the lyrics took me back to my first break up. If John Mayer cheats on you, all he has to do is play a guitar riff and you’ll be the one apologizing. This is easily the standout track from my favourite project of the month, can’t wait for wave two of his album.

Jonny: Similar to Julian, I was instantly in tears when listening to John Mayer’s new EP, AND THIS IS ONLY PART 1 OF THE ALBUM!! MORE TO COME!!! I couldn’t help but feeling you would hear this track at the end of a Toy Story movie. Imagine this song playing, Woody holding Buzz Lightyear in his arms while he is slowing dying. My heart is shattering just thinking about it. The lyrics to this song are incredible and the whistling behind them is just the icing on the cake for the best song of the month.

Jeremy: It’s 5:00 am. I decide to listen to the new John Mayer. It seemed like a good idea. This song starts playing and I start getting flash-backs of every single girl I’ve dated since I was in middle school. Did I hurt them? Or maybe they hurt me? Either way the memories are overwhelming and I feel the need to text all of them. I group DM my exes - tell them they belong to me that goes on for forever. None of them respond. I’m left with tears and shattered dreams of relationships past. That being said, this song was my favorite experience of the month. John is a legend.

Jared: Do not listen to this song if you don’t want to cry!!! All I can say is that Mr. Mayer snapped on this track. Having been a fan of John Mayer for the last few years, I can honestly say this new EP is up to par with some of his best work. As Julian and Jonny mentioned, this song will make you feel as if you’re a character in Disney’s newest movie. You’re a bad person if you don’t like this song.

Honourable Mentions

Jonny: Running Back - Wale Feat. Lil Wayne

I know what all of you are thinking, Wale? Dude has been struggling since LeBron took his talents to South Beach (remember when all of you conveniently turned Heat fans that year?). I’m gonna be honest, I hated this song the first time I listened to it. But one night I was playing vids with my buddy Steve and he started mumbling the lyrics to this song so I’d thought to give it another listen, and it instantly got stuck in my head. In addition to that, I will take a verse from Weezy F Baby, good or bad, any day of the week. In the opening of his verse he spits: “These bitches sellin they souls / well I want my money back”, which cracked me up. Wale was one of my favourite artists in high school but his last project co-produced by Jerry Seinfeld entitled “The Album About Nothing”, didn’t work out as well as hoped, even though it was a clever idea. This song is a good step forward for Wale to get back to his roots.

Julian: Kelly Price - Migos Feat. Travis Scott

Don’t @ me, this song is an all time banger even though the other guys didn’t agree (these are the same guys who bump Ed Sheeran and Kehlani though). I will say I could easily of picked “Call Casting” as my honourable mention for the month because it’s impossible not to shout out every ad lib and interjection (BEAT IT UP) (EAT IT UP) (YEAH). While I felt this album was half 10/10 songs and half 6/10 songs I definitely feel like Kelly Price is the standout track for me - next to Bad & Boujee (the song of our generation). Travis Scott keeps impressing me more and more every year, just like the Migos.

Jeremy: All Year - Problem

I never really thought about listening to Problem. I don’t know why. But after seeing how cool he was in person I decided to give his music a real chance. And I don’t regret a thing. This song is an absolute BANGER. And after listening to it, you’ll really be questioning why you hadn’t heard it before. I think it’s a fitting way to start 2017. Thankfully Drake didn’t drop this month because we probably all would have had to put one song each from More Life as an honourable mention.

Jared: Electric (feat. Khalid)- Alina Baraz

Honestly the only reason I found out about this song is because of the Khalid feature, but nonetheless the collab between the two singers makes for one hell of a track. Something that really stands out to me about this song is the beat change ups throughout the song, specifically when Khalid starts to sing. This track is sure to take you on a rollercoaster of emotions and is one of my favourites from January.

[technicalsolutions88]

After strong results from Facebook and Snap this quarter, all eyes were on Twitter to see if the other big, publicly listed social network could deliver a hat trick of growth. If we judged the company on financials alone, the company did not disappoint. The company reported Q4 revenues of $909 million (up 24 percent on a year ago) and diluted earnings per share of $0.33 with a net income of $244 million. On average, analysts had been expecting revenues of $859.5 million on an EPS of $0.25.

However! Twitter’s achilles heel remains user growth. It has now slumped to 321 million monthly active users, falling short even of estimates that were expecting a decline. Shares are equally slumping in pre-market trading, down more than seven percent so far.

That may have also not been helped by weak guidance. The company said it expects Q1 revenues to be between just $715 million and $775 million, with operating income between $5 million and $35 million. Even with Q1 seasonal declines, this is a big drop from Q4, also a jump up on financials from a year ago. Twitter estimated that capex for 2019 would be between $550 million and $600 million, which makes one wonder if it has some acquisitions in mind, too.

Twitter’s Q4 MAUs are a decrease of 9 million year-over-year and a down 5 million on last quarter with declines both in the US as well as international markets.

Twitter said the decline was partly due to three areas: “product changes that reduced the number of email notifications sent, as well as decisions we have made to prioritize the health of the service and not move to paid SMS carrier relationships in certain markets, and, to a lesser extent, changes we made to comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Europe.”

The company will stop giving MAU numbers after the next quarter, which is one way of getting the decline out of the conversation.

Advertising revenues were $791 million, accounting for 87 percent of the company’s revenues (more on these below). “Monetizeable daily active users” are now at 126 million up from 124 million in the previous quarter.

To put user growth into some context, Twitter has long-standing issues with user growth that even predate the company going public. In many quarters — such as last quarter, when it also beat estimates on revenues of $758 million and earnings per share of 21 cents; and a year ago, when it also crushed financials but fell on subscriber growth — user numbers, specifically monthly active users, have remained flat or even shrunk.

(Even analysts factor in declines to their own estimates. Analysts had been expecting 324 million monthly active users in Q4, according to a poll from Bloomberg, down from 326 million in Q3.)

Some of Twitter’s challenges on the user-number front have included the fact that despite its almost addictive popularity with some people, a strong showing from very high profile figures “speaking to the people” on Twitter, and the fact that it’s become a go-to for the media both to source news as well as broadcast — the real-time aspect of the feed lends itself well to all of these — it has been hard for it to find that groove with everyone.

Especially for many later adopting, newer users Twitter has proven to be confusing or too much work to use. That’s led to the company regularly tweaking the service to try to make it more user-friendly, with the latest move being that the company is planning a “beta” app to run multiple experiments simultaneously on a live audience receptive to seeing those and giving feedback.

As with Snap’s Snapchat, Twitter has worked to mitigate those numbers another way, too: by focusing and asking others to focus on daily active over monthly active users. That will become an official policy soon: after Q1 it will stop giving out MAU numbers at all.

So why do user numbers ultimately matter? The general thinking goes that, in a business based around advertising and user data, as Twitter is, the larger audience you have the more revenue you can make off them as a product — a turn that Google and Facebook have made to great effect.

So it’s interesting that despite Twitter’s issues with user growth, the company has been coming up trumps (sorry) with its business model, specifically initiatives around advertising and marketing and figuring out more clever ways of targeting those who are on there.

Its ad revenues were up 23 percent, and Twitter said that new formats around video media are in particular showing strong results. Video accounted for more than half of Twitter’s ad revenues in the quarter and for all of 2018.

For any ad-based business — and any investor or analyst of those ad-based businesses — a focus not on volume but on the quality of the audience is an interesting trend and it will be interesting to continue watching how that develops longer term, even if it’s not a trend that’s particularly benefitting Twitter’s own share price at the moment.

Less strong this quarter were the company’s various enterprise efforts. The company said that data licensing and other revenue totalled $117 million, an increase of 35 percent but still a small proportion of overall revenues. 

Facebook’s strong results this quarter came at the same time that the company has been weathering a ton of bad publicity around how its platform has been exploited (seemingly with little resistance from Facebook) to manipulate democratic processes, and how Facebook itself has been exploiting users to extract more data to help it build products.

The fact that one (financials) do not seem to be impacted by the other (bad PR) raises a lot of questions: does the public really not care about all these things, or will the commercial ramifications come down the line as a delayed reaction?

It’s not clear how it will play out, but regardless, Facebook has been taking measures to try to set things aright, both in terms of hiring more people to “fix” some of these issues, and also to reorient its whole staff to prioritise cleaning up the platform both when planning for future products, and in their daily work.

I mention all this because Twitter dedicated some time in its earnings to highlighting how it has been battling abuse. This has been one of the company’s biggest points of criticism from users, both as observers and as first-hand recipients of harassment.

Twitter noted that there has been a 16 percent year-over-year decrease in abuse reports. And it highlighted how it has improved security, updated rules for hateful conduct, and ramped up monitoring “behavior-based signals” to better manage what Tweets are viewed. 

As with Facebook, it’s really not clear yet how this effort, or the frustrating and dangerous presence of trolls, will longer-term have an impact on the company’s bottom line, but we at least have one proof point of the negative impact: it has apparently affected how Twitter was viewed once as an acquisition target. More generally, unless you are a ruthless monster, there is an argument to be made to fix it regardless, because that is just the right thing to do. And that is what Twitter is trying to do.

It said that it will also focus on this in 2019, with a “more proactive approach to reducing abuse and its effects on Twitter, with the goal of reducing the burden on victims of abuse and, where possible, taking action before abuse is reported.” Specifically, it said it would focus on abuse that could cause severe or immediate harm; and a better sign-up process to screen for bad actors.”

In terms of guidance for the year ahead, the company is not giving any user number forecasts but said that it expects Q1 revenue

For Q1, we expect:

Total revenue to be between $715 million and $775 million

GAAP operating income to be between $5 million and $35 million

For FY 2019, we expect:

GAAP and cash operating expenses to be up approximately 20% year-over-year in 2019as we support our existing priorities of health, conversation, revenue product and sales, and platform

Stock-based compensation expense to be in the range of $350 million to $400 million

Capital expenditures to be between $550 million and $600 million

More to come.

from Social – TechCrunch https://tcrn.ch/2SAEq8K Original Content From: https://techcrunch.com

[flymoonstruck]

earworms, #?

Hi, guys! This time, I am hopefully back for real and won’t disappoint, vanishing into thin air any time soon (well, I can’t really promise, I’m sorry). It’s a weird and eclectic list this week, but we definitely have some quite good music.

1. The Streets - Boys Will Be Boys ft. Jaykae

Mike Skinner is back at it again, teaming up with Jaykae. Boys will be boys, charming as hell and well aware of how to cook up a banger.

Boys Will Be Boys

2. Wretch 32 - Affi Me ft. SOS, Culan, Masicka/33 Style

Two brand new entries from Wretch. “Affi Me” is a classic, careless afrobeat party tune, while “33 Style” offers Wretch’s perspective on serious life matters after the age of 33.

Affi Me   33 Style

3. Redinho - Mmm Mmm ft. Vula

This one draws inspiration from the popular recently classic 90′s r&b wave. “Mmm Mmm” reminds us a lot of Aaliyah and Timbaland at his best, and it’s just superb. Redinho himslef is a producer who has worked with the likes of Nao (who co-wrote the song and layered the first take of the vocals for it in 2015), Kimbra, Bonzai, Hudson Mohawke and the Sweat Shop Boys. Featured here is the magnificent Vula of Basement Jaxx and the word is, soon we’re getting another new track with Kimbra onboard.

Mmm Mmm

4. Poppy Ajudha - She Is the Sum

We can no doubt put Ajudha among those young, talented and classy British female singer/songwriters who have opted for the thorny road of jazz/soul influensed music, instead of the glossy, neon pop. “She Is the Sum” reflects on women’s strenghts and qualities, very much in line with the topics throughout Poppy’s new EP “FEMME”.

She Is the Sum

5. Sigrid - Raw

More girl power, this time coming straight out of the Norwegian North. Sigrid drops her new single, once again stripped of any excessive make up or pretention. “Raw” proves Sigrid’s position as the fresh and clean face of the modern pop-music.

6. Pearl Jam - Can’t Deny Me

Rumour has it a new album by the legends of grunge is imminent. Until then, though, we have a brand new track to keep us warmed up and wanting for more. “Can’t Deny Me” is a politically charged tune, which during the weekend Eddie Vedder dedicated to all the victims and survivors of the shooting in that infamous Florida high school. How many more songs like this will it take to actually change someting?

7. Touts - Asleep

It’s SXSW time and Austin, Texas is all music. Touts are part of the British Music Embassy at the festival and as one of the more interesting young and also incredibly good live bands in the UK, they seem to be a logical choice for the British showcase. Besides, what a better way to promote your new song?

8. DJ DANDAMAN, So Solid Crew - Deepa Than Dis

So Solid back in action, in full squad and with a banger, taken out from DJ DANDAMAN’s secret treasure chest.

Deepa Than Dis

9. SOHN - Hue/Nil

It’s time to give electronica (and SOHN’s gentle, ethereal piano-led melodies and graceful voice) its due credit. “Hue” hits you hard, like a wild river, even though it’s utterly minimalistic. The song has one goal only - to make the statement that “I will never find another like you” and thickly underline it sonically. In the end, you even get Burial vibes. “Nil” takes us back to square one, where “you’re not in love” anymore. It sets a scene of inner feverishness, of longing, vulnerability and guilt, painted with a far richer musical palette. SOHN gives us two extremely emotionaly dense compositions; he works immaculately with tempo and melody to communicate some absolutely opposite feelings, which eventually end up as the same obscure but encompassing and hopeless pain.

Hue   Nil

Okay, enough is enough, it’s dessert time! This week it’s a courtesy of another wunderkind in music, who was brought up in Portugal and the US and has Middle-Eastern background.

And because it was my birthday weekend, you get an extra treat. Thievery Corporation are back with new music, a forthcoming album and a tour date in Sofia in the summer.

Among the honorary mentions this week are slowthai with his alien and quite mad and spooky video for “North Nights”, Leon Bridges with “Bad Bad News” and “Bet Ain’t Worth the Hand”, Kim Cesarion with “Call On Me”, The Raveonettes with their “Ghost” and Subculture Sage’s calling for change. Also, you can check George Ezra’s last karaoke gig, accompanied by First Aid Kit. This new double single by Seinabo Sey is worth giving a listen, too.

Among the not-so-honorary-mentions we find Ella Eyre & Yxng Bane, Yxng Bane again, on his own, Jess Glynne & Yungen, Charlie Puth & Kehlani, Kygo & Miguel, Snakehips & St Rulez. It seems we have finally arrived in the candy land of endless collaborations and future summer bangers, eh? Unfortunately, that is where we also find Duke Dumont who, helped by Ebenezer, has crafted something enormously summery, airy and easy breezy in its character - but, I am afraid, not in the good sense of it all. Buried in all these Jamiroquai-esque (or Tom Misch-esque?) funky vibes there is nothing which could make of “Inhale” more than a budget version of “Feels”, trying to climb up the streaming charts as higher as possible.

Albumwise, we are a bit short on numbers but not on quality. Wrap your ears around fresh LPs by Bishop Nehru, Yo La Tengo, The Magic Gang, Fickle Friends, Snoop Dogg and Stone Temple Pilots.

That was that, folks! See ya next week!