Category Archives: Trance

Malaki, Lucy McWilliams and Wallice were among the highlights of the first night of The Road To The Great Escape on Monday night.

The first night of The Road to The Great Escape kicked off on Monday evening featuring performances from Wallice, Lucy McWilliams, and Malaki in The Grand Social, Dublin.

Right on schedule, on the stroke of eight, a wave of indie-rock erupted in the tent-like venue. A cohesive, eclectic scene created by Wallice and her band took to the stage, sporting metallic cowboy boots, a chestnut-brown mullet, crimped platinum hair, and a ruby red drum set.

He calls me a wannabe cowboy, said 22-year-old, Punching Bag singer, pointing to her Texan bassist to the left, because Im from California ."

Watching Wallice on stage was like being transported to an intimate, garage-studio rehearsal in her hometown of Los Angeles. The American sensation was undoubtedly comfortable with her bandmates, as they fed off of each other's energy throughout the set. Most memorable for this 19-year-old reviewer was her coming-of-age-angst anthem and final song for the night, 23, which wittingly conveys the melange of feelings that come with growing up and being afraid of what your future will look like.

Next up was Lucy McWilliams, on the keys at nine oclock sharp. Without saying a word the Dublin singer-songwriter took a seat in front of the audience and began playing away at the piano, leading the crowd into a trance that they would remain in for the next thirty minutes.

We love you, Lucy! exclaimed someone in the crowd.

Soft and airy, McWilliams voice provided a cool, dream-like quality that left everyone hanging onto her every word. During the 2020 track, Runaway, audience members decided to take part, singing her words back to her and bobbing their heads back and forth every time the chorus came around.

More powerful yet was the final song, her newly released demo version of The Woman In Me prompting myself and Im sure any other new listener to follow her on every streaming platform right then and there.

Continuing to impress, the night went on with Dublin rapper, Malaki, for the final set. High energy would be an understatement. This performance by the 'Chrysalis' musician was electrifying.

Grand Social, how are we feeling tonight?! shouted Malaki before leading the crowd in yet another swell of shrieks and whistles. Grand Social make some noise!

This performance by Malaki was like hearing poetry. The energy was cathartic and his presence exhilarating.

Every person in the room was bouncing up and down, singing together with Malaki. At first to the track, Scumbag, chanting Hes just another scumbag and later during 46a, shouting out the A! at the end of But I guess Im catchingfeelings on the 46A!

Closing the show on a high note was Malaki doing a split jump into the dance circle he had created in the centre of the audience.

A successful first night of The Road To The Great Escape to say the least...

See the original post:

Live Report: Night one of The Road to The Great Escape with Malaki, Lucy McWilliams and Wallice - hotpress.com

In the wake of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, fans have reignited old theories from the infamous 14,000,605 scenario from Avengers: Infinity War, and theyre now convinced Doctor Strange was lying.

The climactic realisation from Doctor Strange comes after he spends time in a Time Stone trance, working out just how many scenarios exist in which the Avengers can defeat Thanos with the one involving Thanos winning the initial battle, gaining all the stones, and completing the snap. The winning scenario then requires another five years to pass, Iron Man to work out time travel, and then do the sacrifice play to decimate Thanos and his army.

It all seems like a bit of a huge risk for Strange to entirely entrust upon the chaotic elements of chance. So perhaps this wasnt the only one but rather the only one where he still lives? This fan theory posed by jso adds a slight twist to the fairly ubiquitous claims from diehards, with it citing a moment from early in Doctor Strange 2.

During Christines wedding, her partner who is a massive Avengers fanboy asks Strange if there truly was just the one winning scenario to which the Master of the Mystic Arts hesitates to answer.

While this definitely adds some new layers to the Marvel canon, it can also be defused fairly easily by just thinking further about Stranges character and the logistics of him using the Time Stone.

As commenter /u/Killboypowerhed points out, the technicalites of the stone just dont work as easily as that.

Secondly, Strange has learnt the error of his egotistical ways by the time of Infinity War. His entire arc in his solo film is understanding the world does not revolve around him, and that time comes for everyone, despite how much you play with it.

Stranges arc since Endgame has also seen him question a lot of what he believed in, and wondering if the current 616 timeline is truly the happiest one for him, and constantly querying his own choices.

Regardless, its a fun theory that adds some new weight to the decisions in the two-part Avengers arc, and to the personality of Stephen Strange.

Originally posted here:

There Was More Than One Winning Outcome From 'Infinity War', Says Fan Theory - We Got This Covered

Taking on a trance classic is no easy feat, but for Australian producers Achilles and Lister, theyve taken it in their stride and given the iconic anthem a fresh new spin, with help from US based vocalist Jesse Lee Thetford.

As The Rush Comes, was originally released in 2003 by Motorcycle (trance duo Gabriel & Dresden with vocalist Jes) and was a sure fire hit within the dance music world and beyond, with the original track still receiving attention today, almost 20 years on.

Achilles and Lister inject a vibrant and hard hitting feel into the classic anthem, managing to hold onto the lively, uplifting nature of the original, whilst subsequently polishing the record with their own flavor. Starting off with a hard hitting main room trance drop that perfectly complements Jessies vocal, the break is the zenith of the track, as it builds with the vocal and travels into a goosebump-inducing lead and future rave-esque final drop, resulting in a grand, climactic close.

Achilles and Lister, both being in Melbourne, saw their similarities and passion when it came to music and immediately got working. As The Rush Comes is just the first of many records the talented pair have cooked up in the studio. Between the artists, theyve recently been supported by the likes of Hardwell, Tisto, Armin van Buuren, Timmy Trumpet, W&W and Afrojack.

Go here to read the rest:

Achilles, Lister & Jesse Lee Thetford Link For New Take On Trance Classic As The Rush Comes' - CULTR

Is it still acceptable to be fixated on Donald Trumps iron grip on millions of Americans? While most people seem to have moved on, Id argue that getting to a true understanding of his appeal is still of vital interest. Indeed, peoples lives may depend on it. Election officials continue to receive death threats for challenging his election lies. A large-scale violent insurrection appears plausible if he loses again in 2024.

We should not buy into simplistic explanations like Theyre all racists or He starred in a hit reality TV show. Something much more profound is at work. One half of the country perceives Trump to be an incompetent and psychologically troubled man of dubious achievements. The other half sees him as the only human being on the planet who could ever solve their problems. Many of these appear ready to kill and die for him.

To understand this astonishing perceptual divide, we need to revisit what we think we know about television as a medium. When we talk about reality TV, we owe it to ourselves to investigate our conceptions of reality and TV, both of which have evolved significantly in the last decade or so. Trumps impact on television audiences is related to profound changes in the medium itself. These changes have occurred slowly enough to escape serious notice by people who want to understand how a talented performer like Trump can gain such influence over people. While television is not the only factor that explains Trumps grip on his supporters, it is arguably the most important, especially when assessing his early popularity with voters.

The roots of todays competing realities lie in the evolution of reality television itself and its effects on viewers brains. This is a story that starts in the early 1960s; a story I participated in as my career progressed from producing made-for-TV movies to serving as Social Software Evangelist at IBM.

In the summer of 1960, the French filmmaker Jean Rouch, who had spent the previous decade making documentaries about African tribes, took his portable clair Cameflex 16-millimeter movie camera out onto the streets of Paris to interview real people in their daily lives. The resulting film, Chronique dun t (Chronicle of a Summer) was both a technical and artistic breakthrough. The equipment was revolutionary. No sound camera had ever been so portable. Also revolutionary was the idea of making a movie about regular people just casually talking about the issues of the day, such as the French colonial war in Algeria. It was one of the first cinema verit films.

The whole purpose of cinema verit was to be real. The filmmaker would always have a point of view, and there is no such thing as true objectivity, but the goal was to record reality as it was, with as little interference as possible.

This cinema of truth or observational cinema existed mostly in the realms of public television and art house documentaries, with a few breakouts like Michael Wadleighs Woodstock and PBSs An American Family achieving popular success. At the same time, the verit technique was establishing itself in the mind of the audience as a window onto reality. The effect emerged mostly from the use of the verit style in television news, with portable cameras bringing us film at 11. This perception, that informal filming of real people reflected reality, would have major implications for television as a mediumand also, as we would later discover, politics.

My involvement with verit came 25 years after Jean Rouch hit the streets of Paris with his clair camera. After studying with some of cinema verits most celebrated practitioners, I took a job in primetime television. My mentor was Edgar Scherick, the fiery-tempered former president of ABC. In the 1950s, Edgar had created The Wide World of Sports. He went on to produce dozens of television movies and feature films like The Stepford Wives and The Taking of Pelham 1-2-3. Later, hed brought an unknown 19-year-old New York casting director named Scott Rudin to Hollywood.

By 1988, when I joined his production company as a cigar-fetching assistant, Schericks main gig was dramatizing true stories as made-for-TV movies. This was a format that, in retrospect, was a bridge between traditional, completely fictitious television and what we now consider reality TV.

Though now extinct, the true crime movie of the week was a reliable source of high ratings in the 1980s and early 90s. Every network made it a staple of their programming schedules. No one could adequately explain why the audience was so hungry for true crime docudramas. One theory, which I am skeptical of, was that people tended to feel guilty about watching TV, so they rationalized consuming endless gore and dramatizations of depraved behavior with the excuse that they were informing themselves about the news of the world.

I suspect audiences were actually getting trained to view docudramas as inherently true. The barrier between reality and fiction, what I would call the fifth wall of onscreen programming, was beginning to crumble. Most films and TV shows respect the three walls of the stage set, with the fourth wall functioning as an invisible barrier between the camera and the action. Sometimes, an actor will break the fourth wall and speak directly to the camera. This is common in reality TV, but more and more, as time went on, the fifth wall also began to deteriorate.

Probably the first serious erosion of the fifth wall came in 1989 as the cinema verit genre enjoyed its first major primetime hit with Cops, on the Fox Network. Scherick worked on a project with the producers of Cops. It was in this context that I learned Cops was betraying cinema verits most sacred rule of not interfering in the subjects life.

This bothered me, though its hilarious in retrospect that I was upset that Cops was staging confrontations between real people to get tape of entertaining arguments. What did I expect? This was hardly the Cinmathque Franaise. This was TV, produced for commercial entertainment and beholden to no rules about telling the truth.

The problem was that Cops looked like pure, unaltered real life. The audience got to ride along in cop cars and see the police at home with their families. The audience learned that an exciting TV show could be about real people, taped living their everyday lives. The show was trading on the belief that unposed, poorly lit and seemingly unscripted video reflected real life. It had the film at 11 look, so it had to be true, right?

I dont mean to imply that TV viewers are so ignorant that they cant tell the difference between fiction and reality. Subsequent reality programming has been transparently fake, with ordinary people set in highly contrived and obviously scripted scenarios. Its called scripted reality programming, an oxymoron that bothers no one. The audience today knows it is watching real people staging fake scenes. At the level of brain function, however, the distinction has been blurred.

This insight is critical if you want to understand Trumps power over his audience, especially early in his rise. If youve ever felt dizzy watching a car chase scene, youll understand that our brains tend to process events on a screen as if they were really happening to us. This is a well-documented neurological phenomenon. Jean Rouch called it the cin trance a state of mind where your brain is in the scene youre watching. You really are there, walking with him on the streets of Paris in 1960.

The verit trend in reality television also eroded the boundaries of exploitation and voyeurism in the medium. Watching dramatizations of true crime stories whetted the audiences appetite for voyeuristic glimpses through the curtains of their unfortunate neighbors. The reality TV movement served the main dish: a voyeuristic spectacle of sadism. Americans might have once felt guilty about enjoying a show like The Apprentice, which reveled in humiliating people, or American Idol, which glamorized the abuse of the weak. As the reality trend wore on, audiences were given permission to enjoy others misery as entertainment and protagonists like Trump were given a pass for being ruthless and denigrating. Trump is a true master of this art form.

Rouchs cin trance is a nave notion compared with the immersion in manufactured reality that American TV audiences experience today. News channels are designed to entertain. Theyre bracketed by hours of scripted reality on the programming schedule, and its all punctuated by commercials that feature unreal effects like talking batteries. The cin trance has morphed into a permanent TV trancea state of mental suspension in which the action on screen is perceived as reality, and therefore true, even if the conscious mind is aware that its fictionmade up and manipulative.

The experience of watching TV has also fused with reinforcing technology habits such as Twitter and Facebook. Audience members continuously trigger addictive centers in their minds with integrated loops of television programming and follow-on tweets and social media posts. YouTube and Instagrams ubiquitous mobile phone videos compound the effect. Were addicted to media stars we know are fake but neurochemically perceive to be real.

Trump was a force in this trend, as well as one of its main beneficiaries, as are Oprah, The Rock, and other fantasy presidential candidates who present fictional projections of themselves in the media. By 1990, Trump had become interested in being on television. Having gone bankrupt from the failure of his Atlantic City casinos, with creditors and law enforcement nipping at his heels, he needed a new way to make money. It was time for him to become rich by being famous, as he could no longer get famous from being rich.

Trumps attorneys reached out to Scherick, then one of the highest-profile go to people in the industry, and struck a deal for one of Donald Trumps first TV projects. It was to be called Trump Tower, a nighttime soap opera on NBC pitched as Dynasty meets the Algonquin Round Table.

We hired Clare Labine, co-creator of Ryans Hope, to write the pilot, which would take the form of a four-hour miniseries. The idea was to present a byzantine melodrama among sophisticated New Yorkers who lived in Trump Tower: major artists, prominent authors, tycoons...all sleeping with each other while hatching diabolical plots of sadistic revenge and schadenfreude for past betrayals.

In the background would be Donald Trump, playing a fictitious character named Donald Trump. He would be Donald Trump, the well-known real estate magnate, but with his lines written for him. He was envisioned as a sort of quiet Machiavellian character, moving the chess pieces of peoples lives around without their knowing it.

After the project began, Scherick got another call from Trumps lawyers. There was an actress named Marla Maples who would need to have a role in the series. The mistress, Edgar had murmuredThe lawyers hadnt said it out loud, but their intent was clear.

The show never got on the air, but from the perspective of 2022, its an informative missing link in Trumps biography. He later landed a hit with The Apprentice, which again featured him playing a fictional version of himself. This characterization of Donald Trump was of a powerful, decisive, and competent leader, a father figure who always knew the right thing to dodemonstrably the opposite of his true nature.

This is the Donald Trump his supporters admire. His characterization on The Apprentice differentiates him from other political figures who perform well on TV but simply cannot muster the audience buy-in that Trump easily commands. Its entirely a false persona, but the audience was never fully clued in on how much of the show was fabricated versus how much of it was real. And given the TV trance that had taken effect, it apparently didnt matter. People loved the show. They loved Trump and the tough, can-do character he played. Whatever their rational minds might have told them, their brain chemistry had them solidly believing he was the resolute, infallible master of their collective destiny. He was real, in their brains, even if they knew he was not. And he delivered the delicious helpings of sadistic voyeurism the audience so craved.

We know what happened next. Today, the country confronts a politician whose base thinks he can do no wrong. I suspect that they are to a large degree in the grip of the TV trance. Their deep brain functions are convinced that Donald Trump, the fictional TV character, is a real person with immense, unique powers, despite what observable reality might tell them.

As to what should happen now, I dont have any clever ideas. I do think that if there is to be any effective movement against Trump, it should consider the brain connection he has with his television audiences. Screaming youre a racist at his followers is not the answer. Instead, it might be more useful to engage and explore why they feel hes real in their hearts while they know hes not real in their heads. Such an approach would at least be moving along a path to the truth and to deconstructing the paradox of Trumps verit.

Hugh Taylor is a technology analyst and author of the book Digital Downfall: Technology, Cyberattacks and the End of the American Republic. Prior to working in the tech field, Hugh was a script development executive in primetime television.He studied filmmaking at Harvard University.

See original here:

Lessons of Trump's Unknown 1st TV Project - The Washington Spectator

Paul Oakenfold recaps his career and the changes in the industry on The Spout PodcastLegendary Paul Oakenfold spoke to The Spout Podcast about his early career and said being challenged by the film industry was a real moment for me.

Paul Oakenfold is one of the most mythical figures in electronic music in the UK and the rest of the world. The three-time Grammy-winner is one of the most relevant players in trance and although he was part of the early chapters of the industry, today he continues to make his mark in the art that he seeks to preserve. Maybe none of this information is news to you, but did you know that it was the movie industry that helped Oakenfolds career to prosper? It was about this, and more, that the legendary artist spoke on The Spout Podcast.

The Spout Podcast is a weekly show where famous people talk about what made them famous and their passions beyond music. Its meaningful conversations that give you close access to the lives and careers of your favourite artists. The Spout Podcast is distributed to every major podcast platform, including Spotify, Google, iHeart, and Apple Podcasts. Paul Oakenfold was one of the most recent guests on the podcast and spoke with host Nick Major about his career, his new album and how he embraces the changes in the industry.

The music industry is where he belongs and where he has built an incredible career as a DJ, producer and trendsetter in dance music. However, the first steps were taken in the movie industry but not as an actor, make no mistake. Paul Oakenfold was challenged to write a song for a film that didnt exist yet and the result was the big hit Ready. Steady, Go which ran in the movies and was part of his debut album Bunkka in 2002:

Its a real moment for me () I was like, let me see if I can come up with an idea that works for a trailer, a film because Im a fan of films. So much so, that song appeared in Bourne Identity. I did a reworking of it for CollateralIts still being played now, and then it was in commercials. It was one of those songs. It just connected and happened.

In this interview, Paul Oakenfold also spoke about his recent album Shine On and how the pandemic turned out to be an opportunity for the British artist to complement his career with another brilliant piece of work. Prior to the pandemic creating in the studio was an almost impossible challenge, but the opportunity came out of the lockdowns:

Theres something positive that you can take from COVID because it was tough for all of us. And for me, it was time I had time to be in the studio to focus and work, and really think because there was nothing else to do.

Oakenfold also revealed some very interesting details about why he called his new album Shine On and much more, If you want to find out all of this, listen to the full interview below.

Paul Oakenfolds career is transverse to the analogue and the digital. The legendary artist has seen major changes in the industry in the last four decades, especially those related to technology. Oakenfold embraces the changes, always defending the importance of keeping the DJ art form alive. Beyond the technological revolution, he supports emerging artists, bringing many of them to his record label. But while change is necessary, one must be careful not to distort the industry:

I think youve got to embrace change. First of all, change is around us every day. Generally, we like to be in our comfort zones and we dont like change. You dont always like whats coming at you, especially technology was, I mean, the true art of DJ, and I always say to the young DJs who are signed producers or who I signed to my label that they really should go out and experience and see some of the greatest DJs out there.

Paul Oakenfold further adds that:

Ive always been about trying to push the boundaries. We can take the music out of the traditional setup. It doesnt just have to live in nightclubs.

Travel back in time with the legendary trance master as Paul Oakenfold recaps his sparkling career here below:

Paul Oakenfold (Press / via Insomniac)

Read the rest here:

Paul Oakenfold: I've always been about trying to push the boundaries - We Rave You

Santiago jazz, proto trance, and a spot of psychedelia.

This weeks rundown is by VFs Will Pritchard, alongside Alice Whittington, Annabelle Van Dort, Emily Hill, and James Hammond.

(Subtext Recordings)

Buy

Marking something of a departure from KMRUs soft soothing outings (see Peel or Jar), this sinewy three-tracker, in collaboration with French sound designer Aho Ssan, leans in a more brutal, even confrontational direction: industrial shimmers, scratchy synths, and a heavy undertow are the order here. Its tense, densely emotive, and utterly absorbing. WP

(Dead Oceans)

Buy

On his seventh album under his Toro y Moi moniker, multi-instrumentalist Chaz Bear trades the ambient electronic explorations of his early records for full-blown psychedelia. In interviews, Bear has spoken about his desire to create a psychedelic record that paints a timeless picture for everyone. Though undoubtedly ambitious, Mahal stands as a realisation of this vision. He sets out his stall on opener The Medium, as the growls of a car engine reverberate with an anticipatory energy and distorted twangs of electric guitar and glimmering Rhodes keys blur into a heady, kaleidoscopic haze. This careful balance of innovation and pastiche continues throughout, as Bear crafts an aural collage of modern psychedelia while retaining that distinctive Toro y Moi flair. AVD

(Timedance)

Buy

Timedance head honcho Batu engages his melodic muscle on this, his debut LP. Breathy vocals and ethereal pads are deployed alongside the immaculate drum punctuation thats made his club sets over the years such a draw, and on tracks like Eolith and Emulsion Of Light organic field sounds and instrumentation take centre stage. This is an expansive, impressive offering from a producer whose sound continues to grow in distinction and singularity. WP

(Blue Note)

Buy

Having honed her craft playing in Santiagos jazz clubs as a teenager, Melissa Aldana, the hugely talented Chilean saxophonist and composer, has joined the legendary Blue Note label. 12 Stars, with its name inspired by tarot reading, explores Aldanas relationship with herself and her gradual acceptance of life-changing events in the last two years. From the recent riots in Chile, to break-ups, and a love letter to an imagined child of hers, its expressed through Aldanas incredible mastery of the saxophone and band leadership. AW

(FXHE)

Buy

Omar S returns with a surprise new album, Cant Change, released via his own FXHE label. On his first album since 2020s Simply (Fuck Resident Advisor), the legendary Detroit DJ and producer is as enigmatic as ever, shifting effortlessly between genres and styles, warping conventions in his wake. From the uplifting gospel house of Start This Over Again, through the disjointed Bmore of Bend Who and high energy ballroom Miss Hunnnay, Cant Change is both a playful and highly disciplined homage to contemporary dancefloor sounds further cementing Omar S as one of electronic musics most uncompromising auteurs. AVD

(Beyond Electronix)

Buy

Beyond Electronix snap up two tracks from a couple of the drumnbass scenes most in-demand acts. Known for both their inventive output and prowess behind the decks, Tim Reaper and Dwarde step up with two high-octane drum stompers. Sweeping liquid synths slide alongside classic breaks for Dwardes Not Afraid, while Reaper experiments with the jungle formula, darting between driving percussion and supple soundscapes. EH

(First Light Records)

Buy

Flora Yin Wong takes a heady amount of Welsh mysticism and mythology as the spark for a transportive collection of spectral field recordings and electronics on this four-track EP. As with her 2020 debut LP, Holy Palm, space and place are at the fore of this work but as the product of an artistic residency in Machynlleth, North Wales, the focus here is more singular. Keeping an abstract lens on the history, folklore and listening environment of Machynlleth, The Sacrifice unveils layers of sound within its field recordings, and isnt afraid to turn up the heat and scorch some of its darkened hues. JH

(Strut)

Buy

With a career spanning more than 60 years, iconic Brazilian vocalist Flora Purim reminds us of her prowess as she returns with a brand new studio album featuring fellow luminaries such as Jos Neto and her longtime husband Airto Moreira. The album crosses between jazz fusion, classic Latin rhythms, blues and even a little electronica, and fresh compositions find themselves mingling among modern interpretations of some of her greatest songs. Favourite track: Dandara, for that smooth bossanova hit with its satisfyingly harmonised vocals. AW

(Safe Trip)

Buy

Proto-trance fans have been waiting on the edge of their seats for the second instalment of Young Marcos Early Transmissions compilation on his heralded Safe Trip imprint. The latest edition dives deeper into the heady sounds that form the trance genres foundation, casting a wide net and connecting the dots between interconnected styles. Including works from the early portfolio of Sven Vth through to the euphoric stylings of The Moody Boyz and beyond, its an exciting and epic voyage for those dedicated to the sound of trance. EH

(Vampisoul)

Buy

Leading on from their reissue of Bem Vinda Amizade, Vampisoul return with another blast from Jorge Bens early 80s assimilation of samba, funk, disco, and boogie thats packed with ebullient grooves and some neat reworkings of some of his biggest hits. Known for the porous boundaries of his work from embraces of rock and R&B in the late 60s, experimentation in the 70s, and other cross pollinations throughout his career 1983s DDIVA keeps its dancefloor-moving intentions clear from the outset. JH

Go here to see the original:

Our 10 favourite new vinyl releases this week - The Vinyl Factory

Even though Marvel Cinematic Universe movies are now generally made by either big-name directors or young upstarts with an indie hit under their belt, its still hard to discern auteurist fingerprints on any given project. The action scenes always have a directed-by-committee feel, because they basically are: you need serious technicians to orchestrate all those characters flying to and fro, opening portals into new worlds with their laser eyes, or with lightning bolts jabbing forth from their fingertips, or with a can opener, a leaf blower, whatever theyve got handy. Still, there are good reasons for terrific directors to take on these movies, which are the same reasons so many actors want to be in them: theyre the chief currency of the culture right now, and if an artists goal to is to reach people with a work of the imaginationeven if that vision is essentially run through a Play Doh Pumper before it reaches the screenwho wants to be left out?

The best thing you can say about the moderately entertaining, if predictably excessive, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is that if you squint and concentrate really hard, you can tell its a Sam Raimi movie. (The script is by Michael Waldron, the writer-producer behind the Loki TV series.) Theres a scrappy, gifted junior heroine who doesnt yet know how to control her powers: her name is America Chavezshes played by Xochitl Gomez, of the recent iteration of The Baby-Sitters Cluband she wears a jean jacket printed with faded stars. Every time a character utters a line like Weve got to save America! everyone in the audience, regardless of political persuasion, can agree. Still, as over-obvious metaphors go, shes a good one, a representative of democratic principles in sneakers and a ponytail.

Rachel McAdams as Dr. Christine Palmer, Benedict Cumberbatch as Dr. Stephen Strange, and Xochitl Gomez as America Chavez in DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS.

Courtesy of Marvel Studios

And even in the midst of its typically (for Marvel movies) convoluted plot, The Multiverse of Madness has a Raimi-like sense of bleak humor: Dr. Stephen Strange, a flawed superhero who often does the wrong thing for the right reasons, is again played, as in the 2016 movie preceding this one, by Benedict Cumberbatch. Again, he plays the character with one eyebrow perpetually arched, as it should be. This time, our surgeon-turned-superhero learnsfrom an encounter with America, whom he must save from a massive one eyed-octopus who has dropped from nowhere onto the streets of New Yorkthat theres not just one universe, the one we currently live in, but many. Who knew? Thusly, there are many different iterations of Doctor Strange, all of them decked out in the trademark sentient red cloak, but not all of them nice. In the universe in which The Multiverse of Madness opens, Stephen Strange must watch his sometime girlfriend, Christine Palmer (Rachel McAdams), walk down the aisle to marry another guy. With his acerbic temperament, and his unwieldy ambitions, hes lost her. Maybe, in another universe, he can get her back?

Thats not the chief preoccupation of Doctor Strange in The Multiverse of Madness, but it sets the stage for the movies best scenes, the ones in which Cumberbatch and McAdams, both charming and perceptive performers, get to interact with one another as human beings rather than as place markers in front of a green screen. Their finest moment occurs late in the film, a moment of bittersweet romantic reckoning for both of them. But before that, there is much trouble caused by a grim little objet called The Dark Hold, a.k.a. The Book of the Damnedyou know this thing is no darn good. Apparently, Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen), the semi-villainous incarnation of mom and homemaker Wanda Maximoff, has gotten a hold of it and is attempting to use it to control every possible universe, so as to preserve the one in which her two young sons are still alive. Like those moms who spontaneously gain superhuman strength to lift 10-ton trucks off their toddlers, her motto is Im not a monster, Im a mother.

Both domineering and seductive, Scarlet Witchwho spends part of her time trance-floating in the Lotus positionis using a forbidden technique known as Dreamwalking to further her aims, and she must be stopped. The usual. Meanwhile, Doctor Strange faces off against numerous adversaries, like his old nemesis Mordo (Chiwetel Ejiofor), and another who shall not be named. In the movies most exquisite, inventive action scene, these two pluck glowing musical notes from the air and hurl them at one another; minims, crotchets, and semiquavers zing back and forth like Ninja stars. Now and then, reigning Sorcerer Supreme Wong (Benedict Wong) shows up with a dry wisecrack, but the movie could use more of him.

Benedict Cumberbatch as Dr. Stephen Strange in Marvel Studios' DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.

Courtesy of Marvel Studios

Because not even a Sam Raimi Marvel movie can be an actual Sam Raimi movie, in which all the available tools are used to best advantage. The tools arent the problem; its the requirements for using them, which are limiting to any director. Raimis long and robust resume includes three more-or-less delightful Spider-Man movies, a spicy western starring Sharon Stone (The Quick and the Dead), and the justly legendary zombie movie Evil Dead (1981), which has spawned several sequels and a remake. Among Raimis numerous gifts as a filmmaker is his sardonic touch, though he never gives in to empty cynicism. That vibe, at least, permeates this Doctor Strange, even if most of the actionextravagant, messy, so over-the-top crazy that it ceases to be amazingis business as usual in the Marvel world.

The studio behind Doctor Strange in the Multiverse, Disney, has strongly cautioned those writing about the film against revealing spoilers, cameos, character developments and detailed story points, with the aim of giving audiences around the world the opportunity to enjoy their movies to the fullest, as opposed to just enjoying them moderately, which wouldnt do at all. At the risk of angering the dark overlords who rule every conceivable universe, and even some inconceivable onesIm talking more about Marvel fans here than I am DisneyI shall reveal to you, with the imperious solemnity of Scarlet Witch meditating upon her invisible cushion, that one of these secret cameos belongs to Bruce Campbell. Those who know know. Everybody else is living in another universe, presumably the wrong one.

More Must-Read Stories From TIME

Contact us at letters@time.com.

Here is the original post:

'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness' Is Extravagant, Messy, and Over-the-Top Crazy - TIME

Jono Grant & Darren Tate team up for new JODA projectActing as two of the most influential acts within the dance scene, Jono Grant and Darren Tate have joined forces once more, as they bring to life a brand new and fresh project, entitled JODA. Debuting on Anjunabeats, We Find Ourselves marks the beginning to something special.

Bringing fresh new energy to the table, Jono Grant and Darren Tate have teamed up for a musical project like no other, entitled JODA. Having impacted the dance scene in more ways than none, both when venturing together, and of course in their solo endeavors, this latest pairing is one for the history books, as fans alike are more than set on embarking on the the most thrilling of journeys, courtesy of our scenes most influential of acts. Best known as one third of Above & Beyond, Grant has left a lasting impact as part of one of the biggest electronic groups, whilst Tate has been elevating trance music through a variation of projects during his prosperous career.

Having blessed us all back in 2003 with their joint venture(s), tracks such as Let The Light Shine In and Nocturnal Creatures, act as a clear indicator of what we should be expecting now that JODA has been brought to life, with this project more than set on leaving a lasting legacy of its own. With their musical chemistry proven on numerous occasion(s), it only makes sense that both of these legendary acts would be joining forces, and in turn, writing yet another golden chapter for not only themselves and their personal careers, but also for the dance industry as whole. Hitting the studio during the early days of the pandemic, the JODA project was well and truly in the works, with Grant stating the following on the main inspiration behind their reunion;

Darren had the idea of using the Arp Odyssey for the bass sound and it sounds very retro. We were listening to stuff like the Drive soundtrack by Kavinsky. So the tempo of the track actually comes from that style of music. We wouldnt have ended up at 110 BPM if it wasnt for listening to that kind of music.

Recently, Darren Tate also participated in our recent We Rave You Classic Mix Marathon series, and you can replay his unforgettable set below.

Debuting their project in the most spectacular of fashions, the pair have released a brand new track on Above & Beyonds very own label, Anjunabeats, as We Find Ourselves, is the beginning to something more than special. Be sure to check out this certified hit in all its glory below, and we will most definitely be keeping a close eye on the JODA project and all the future endeavors that await. Enjoy!

Image Credit: Above & Beyond (via Instagram)

Read more:

Darren Tate and Above & Beyond's Jono Grant unite for new project JODA - We Rave You

Hes better known for stepping out on stage and providing some of the most memorable British pop moments in recent memory, but now Robbie Williams is swapping the microphone and the spotlight for an easel as he presents his first ever exhibition.

Williams and his creative partner, Ed Godrich, are presenting an exhibition of their black-and-white paintings and curating a sale at Sothebys that will feature some of their favourite artists, including Jean-Michel Basquiat, Grayson Perry and Damien Hirst.

The pairs love of street art, which created their bond and inspired their paintings, is the thread that runs through their exhibition and the sale.

Godrich and Williamss Black and White Paintings exhibition will be on show at Sothebys New Bond Street galleries from 13-25 May, while their Contemporary Curated sale runs from 22-28 April and includes works by graffiti writer turned art world star Basquiat, and street artist Richard Hambleton.

The pair describe the Canadian-born New York-based Hambleton who uses brushes and black paint in pots to create immense human shadows as the daddy of them all and a huge influence on their work. He was at the forefront of a revolution that has continued to this day. To own a Richard Hambleton, acknowledges your deep understanding of street art, they said.

Williams and Godrich, who co-founded the interior architecture studio Godrich Interiors, said they went into a meditative trance-like state when they created their own work, and that it was not uncommon for them to forget painting certain parts of the canvas.

There are references to so many things buried in the layers of each work, some private, some not. On closer inspection each viewer will perceive the content in a totally different way, they said.

In total, 14 of the duos works will be on display at the exhibition, with Williams and Godrich creating the paintings while listening to music (often Annie Macs DJ sets) in their Los Angeles studio that they share.

Other work in their curated sale includes the spot painting, 2- Hydroxypyridine by Damien Hirst, whom they describe as a mischievous scamp, and Grayson Perrys self-portrait ceramics piece Him and Her. The intriguing thing about this piece is it covers so many areas of Graysons creativity. We all need a ceramic of Grayson and a pink creature in our lives, they said. Without Grayson, it all feels a fraction normal.

Williams, an early investor in Banksy, has dabbled in the art market before. In January he put up three works by Banksy from his private collection for a combined estimate of 10m. At the time he said the aim of selling Girl with Balloon, Vandalised Oils (Choppers) and Kissing Coppers was to free up space to be able to buy new art from new people and help fund his own work.

The former Take That singer first told fans about his love for art in 2011. In a blog post on his official website, he said that he was inspired by Jackson Pollock and Andy Warhol and had taken up the practice during the groups down time.

Williams reportedly created 40 large works during the Covid-19 lockdowns, and recently sold greetings card-sized artworks to help promote his new gallery, which doubles as a nightclub that he described as the opposite of Studio 54, which was exclusive and pretentious.

Godrich and Williams said: We are proud of what we have created and it is time to share what has been coming out of our brains for the last few years. Doing an exhibition gives the work a chance to breathe outside of the studio.

The rest is here:

Robbie Williams to exhibit his paintings for first time - The Guardian

Read Time:1 Minute, 36 Second

Today we are debuting a mesmerising new remix of Bleu Noir the lead single from Amine Mesnaoui and Labelles forthcoming debut album African Prayers, by Hong Kong-based trio Blood Wine or Honey. Listen below.

The duo display a thrilling dexterity and adventurousness with cut-up rhythms, inventive percussion that jags from Latin flavoured to organic techno, jazzy pianos and radiant melody, Bleu Noir is a refreshingly remixed by Blood Wine or Honey. They create distinctive hypno-tropicalia sound in the industrial warehouses and hidden rural settlements of Hong Kong, surrounded by the low-end throb of heavy machinery, the lingering scent of hand sanitiser and the humidity of the South China Sea.

Amine Mesnaoui and Labelles debut Long player African Prayers is a collection of seven new compositions that aims to bring a contemporary and fresh interpretation to the Lila Ritual of the Moroccan Gnawa masters also known as the Ritual of the Seven Colors.

With a firm belief they can deliver a sound that finds its anchor in heritage and yet escape folkloric clichs and stereotypes, the two musicians have strived to make something that is rich in meanings, minimal but complex, simple but deep. This is a record that is universal and invites the listener to the depth of meditation, to the dance, even to the spiritual state of trance.

Mesnaoui plays a prepared piano that is modified by different objects, which are inserted into its strings while Labelle simultaneously plays electronic instruments and further processes the piano sound. These instruments are not native to the traditional context and their choice allows for a new perspective on the Lila Ritual. By pushing the boundaries of what those tools usually offer, the sound explores yet untapped territories. Each piece on the record refers to a specific colour and its associated symbolic realm in the ritual.

Related

Continue reading here:

EXCLUSIVE: Amine Mesnaoui & Labelle 'Bleu Noir' (Blood Wine Or Honey Remix) - God Is In The TV