MAR KE R

ISSUE 01 M A Y / J U N E

GIRLS ON DRUGS

ERIK OLSSON / 24 HOURS IN ROTTERDAM

MUSIC REVIEWS: GRIMES / BEST COAST / POLICA / MAJOR LAZER / SPIRITUALIZED /

SIMIAN GHOST

MARKE R

MARKER magazine is not going to change your life

Welcome to the frst issue of MARKER magazine, I basically started the zine to exibit music and art that I loved and I hope you will to.This month we bring you a great interview with exciting new electronic producer Luke Lounts as Girls on Drugs

Also MARKERs travel cover the city of Rotterdam, we aim to bring you places off the beaten track which you should cosider visiting.The exibition pages where basically one artist, photographer or designer has a few pages to show their work to our readers.We also put some of the new albums and films through their paces in our infamous review section.

Enjoy reading Josh Gabbitas, editor

C O N T E N T S

GIRLS ON DRUGSWe sent Ryan Renolds to speak to new up and coming elctronic producer Luke Lount under the alias of Girls on Drugs. He explains the writing process, future collaborations and also his recent signing to PAN records.15This months MARKER travel section is on the city of Rotterdam, Josh Gabbitas visits the city which was heavily bombed through the Second World War, but has rose from the ashes to become one of the most exciting cities in Europe.20REVIEWS: Full Album reviews of Grimes’ Visions and Polica’s Give You The Ghost. And the return of the readable reviews in a 120 words or less; Best Coast: The Only Place, Major Lazer featuring Amber of Dirty Projectors: Get Free, Simian Ghost: Youth, Spiritualized: Sweet Heart Sweet Light and many more.

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33 FILM REVIEWS: Wow! we are now doing film reviews also, the first film to be put under the miscroscopes is the geekathon that is The Avengers Assemble. But also Salmon Fishing in the Ye-man and the new Bob Malrey docu-film Marley

GIRLS ON DRUGS

words by Ryan Renoldsphotography by Christopher Day

York, February 2012

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is a new musical pro j ect by L uke Lount, M A R K E R sent Ryan Renolds to meet L uke in his hometown of Yor k

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Girls on Drugswords by Ryan Renolds

Hey Luke how are you? First of all tell us where the name Girls on Drugs came from?

I am great! Well, The name was literally something i liked the sound of. I wish i could turn around and say...Yeah it has some deep, interlectual meaning, but it really doesn’t.It just sounds cool.. i guess.

You have a unique music style, which sounds incredibly refined how long have you been making music?

Thanks alot! Probably around.. 4 years ago. I had been producing music a while, with no luck. I found something i enjoyed making through experimentation, and i stuck with it, until it became something i thought sounded.. right.

Where do you take your inspiration from?

Well it takes me up to 3 months just to write one song, so between the point of starting and finishing, i take inspiration from a collection of culture, friends, my daily life at work, people i meet...... recreational drugs (laughs)

When you are producing the music do you have the beat in your head (the songs your going to sample e.g) or is it a complete random creative process?

Well, i lay down the track first, then when it comes to bringing in my chosen sample, i work it in different ways, sometimes it falls into place with what i expected, sometimes it goes a completely other way and i love it

Name two people you would love to collaborate with, they can be dead or alive?

Chino Moreneo of the Deftones and Jeff Buckley.. that would be perfect. For no reason more than I love the music they have made!

Wow! Thats two very different people and musical styles

Yeah well I have always had massive variation in the music I listen to, I listen to songs of all different types of genres I have never really stuck to one type of music. Like a few years ago I was in a metal band and now I’m making electronic music, so you could say I am really open to new music and ideas.

So you have just signed to the Leeds based PAN records, tell us about PAN and how this came about?

I had about 5 songs on my Soundcloud page and they were getting really well recieved and I got an email from Mark at PAN, and he basically told me that they were intersted in publishing an EP with me. So i jumped at the opportunity. PAN is only a real small label at the moment they have 5 recording artists on their books including me. But I love that because we are all friends and the vibes are just bouncing between us. Its great!

When is the EP expected to be out then?

(Laughs) I knew you were going to ask me that, I astually dont know yet my parts are all down and

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You just spoke about Soundcloud, how important are these new tools to establish yourself?

They are so important, a few years ago it seemed to be Myspace but now more and more people are using Soundcloud, its made for musicians by musicians. When I first started out I uploaded songs onto my page and within a week I would a mass over 500 comments mostly just complimentary but some positive feed-back and even offers for colabs! I love it though its almost like a community of loads of different types of musicians.

What artists do you enjoy listening to within electronic music?

Well I have been exposed to alot merely through browsing Soundcloud, but probably stuff like Jacques Greene I like his mellow deep house melodic stuff from the Another Girl Ep, also I like Purity Ring they are cool, and also Jamie XX, I loved the XX and his stuff is just perfect!

Finally Luke, where do you see yourself in 5 years time?

(Laughs) I don’t know what will happen, well hopefully I will be still making music I enjoy to make because at the moment I love what I am doing. The people at PAN are not demanding or anything so when the EP does come out I may take a short break and then work on something new. I want people to pick up my music and just chill and enjoy it thats why I made it and thats how I made it. I hope I will play more shows and maybe even some festivals that would be cool.

MARKER.com

ROT

TER

DAM

THE CITY OF THE FUTURE

MARKER TRAVEL:

Rotterdam, the Netherlands’ ‘second city’, was bombed f lat during WWII and spent the following decades rebuild-ing. You won’t find the classic Dutch medieval centre here – it was swept away along with the other rubble and detritus of war. In its place is an ar-chitectural aesthetic that’s unique in Europe, a progres-sive perpetual-motion ap-proach to construction that’s clearly a result of the city’s postwar, postmodern ‘any-thing goes’ philosophy.After the Second World War the city of Rotterdam had the rare opportunity to re-estab-lish itself and develop the city into a modern and succesful European metropolis.The city has been labelled the city with no heart due to the destruction of the city centre by the Germans in 1939, but this however is no longer true.R’dam as it is known by some

natives, has a thriving culture to rival any European city of the same size. In the centre you will find a vibrant mix of bars, restaraunts, cafes and shops which are set amongst Manhattan like skyscrapers which dominate the surround-ing skyline.

Rotterdam has a crackling energy, with superb nightlife, a multicultural community, a gritty arts scene, and a clutch of excellent museums. It also has a long-standing rivalry with Amsterdam. And when Rotterdam unleashed its extreme form of techno, gab-ber, on the world in the early ’90s, one of its most enduring targets was Amsterdam: an early gabber single was memo-rably titled ‘Amsterdam, Waar Lech Dat Dan?’ (‘Amsterdam, Where the F*** is That?’).

Rotterdam’s infamous‘anything goes philosphy’

I dont know much about city planning but I imagine most city planners would like the situation R’dam had post-war. The citys infastructure is at the very cut-ting edge of modern technology. It doesn’t just boast the second busiest seaport in the world but a fast reliable metro system amazingly inspiring architec-ture which makes cities like Berlin look like a postcard from the past. Rotterdam has always lived in the shadow of Amster-dam but in recent years it has lured more and more tourists to expirience the new cultural capital of the Netherlands and maybe even Europe. The laid back attitude of the Dutch has always allowed the tourism sector to flourish in the country and the city is reaping in the rewards of a new wave of arty folks who seek the same inspi-ration that Willem de Kooning absorbed in the city. Rotterdam has an incredibly bright future.

words by Josh Gabbitas

NIEUWE MOD-ERNE

MARKERM A G A Z I N E

the magazine is now available in all its glory on the new iPad

iPad

reviewsAfter a short and snappily robotic intro reminiscent of something Aaliyah might have recorded with Fever Ray, single Genesis kicks things off. Boucher’s exquisite falsetto rolls over simple synth melodies, thudding bass and crisp beats more at home on a pirate radio station. Oblivion, another brilliant single, is next and is a perfect companion piece to Genesis. It’s got a future-pop beat, a verse melody that sounds like Tiffany’s I Think We’re Alone Now and a whirling synth that could well summon carsickness. Things take a swift left turn on Eight, a terrifying Cocteau Twins-go-dubstep number that will may have listen-ers sleeping with the light on for a fortnight, before hitting the album’s best tune.On Circumambient Boucher sings, “Oh baby I can’t say / That everything is okay,” while a beat seemingly stolen from 90s Prince and echoing, over-lapping synths fight it out for sonic supremacy. Vowels = Space and Time includes more vocal acrobatics , but pulls right back from the darkness

and gleams like a daytime radio hit in waiting, before Visiting Statue is Madonna’s Live to Tell reinter-preted by Little Dragon at their most mischievous. Boucher f reel y ad m i ts t hat Colou r of Moon l ig ht is bu i l t on t he When Doves C r y beat, but i t is a f i ne song i n i ts own r ig ht. Later, N ig ht m usic ( featu r i ng Ma j ica l C loudz , a ka Devon Welsh , Bouch -er ’s boyf r iend ) is big on si n ister at mosphere yet never por tentous. There a re lots of g reat ideas bu rst i ng out a l l over V isions. It ’s a n essent ia l cu l m i nat ion of Boucher ’s ha rd wor k i n creat i ng a myster ious yet d ist i nct a nd exci t i ng m usica l ident i ty. It com bi nes t he voca l a nd tex tu ra l br i l l ia nce of B ra ids’ N at i ve S pea ker a l bu m w i t h t he pu nch of contem pora r y u nderg rou nd da nce m usic.

Grimes: Visions out 09/03/12 in UK on 4AD records.4ad.com/grimes music

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Polica: Give You The Ghost out 12/05/2012 UK on Memphis Industries

POLIÇA: Give You The Ghost (Memphis)Grimes: Visions (4AD Recordings UK)Pol iça — Gayngs prod ucer -i nst r u menta l ist Rya n O lson a nd si nger Cha n ny Lea neag h — get a sh i t load of m i leage out of t hat ver y st ra nge brew. O lson weaves i m pressi vel y psychedel ic synt h tex tu res, a nd t he show - stea l i ng r hyt h m sect ion ( d r u m mers Ben I vascu a nd D rew Ch r istopherson , bassist Ch r is B ierda n ) su m mon t h ick , echoi ng caver ns of g host l y m uscle. B ut G i ve You t he Ghost is on l y as t ra nsf i x i ng as i ts si nger. Lea neag h has a n emot i ve, hea r t - w rench i ng voice, but i t ’s swadd led i n Auto -Tu ne, ha l f - way between a w i n k a nd a revelat ion. Most of t he t i me, i t ’s t he latter : on “ Lay You r Ca rds O ut ” ( featu r i ng backi ng voca ls f rom Bon I ver side - d ude M i ke N oyce ) Lea neag h sou nds l i ke a late - ’ 9 0 s d u bstep - sa m pled d i va g lor iousl y f ig ht i ng for a i r i n a bl i nd i ng weed fog . S he plays t hat role a l i tt le too wel l — a bout ha l fway t h roug h t he a l bu m , her j i tter y sou l r u ns sta r t recycl i ng t hemsel ves,

a nd t he once - spooky Auto -Tu ne loses i ts et herea l l uster. “ Da r k Sta r ” is a v ict i m of melod ic sta lemate, despi te i ts bla r i ng P h i l Col l i ns – esq ue hor n cha r ts a nd N ei l Pea r t tom - tom f lou r ishes. At least i n t h is case, repet i t ion breeds cohesion : even when Lea neag h t reads water, O lson a nd com -pa ny refuse to cease t hei r a l ien son ic st ra ng lehold. The ga ng have prod uced a n a bsol ute gem i n G i ve You The Ghost t houg h i t has ever yt h i ng needed to ma ke i t a successfu l a l bu m to esta bl ish t he ba nd w i t h i n t he overconcet rated a l ter nat i ve gen re. B ut i f you l i ke t h is a l bu m don ’ t ex pect a not her i n q u ick succesion as t h is one took a l most 5 yea rs to w r i te a nd pro -d uc but i t was def i nat ley wor t h t he wa i t, I m ust say t hat.

Grimes at London Brixton, February 16th

Best Coast,The Only Place out now on Witchita Recordings ( US)

Best Coast:The Only PlaceWhere Best Coast ’s 2 0 1 0 debut, C raz y for You , stacked fuzzed -out ga rage g u i ta rs a nd g i r l -g rou p voca ls i nto a low - f i blaze, t he i nd ie - pop d uo’s fol low - u p sou nds way r icher – w i t h shades of Patsy C l i ne, Dusty S pr i ngf ield a nd Dol l y Pa r ton i n f rontwoma n Bet ha ny Cosent i no’s voca ls. F iona Apple a nd Ka nye West prod ucer Jon B r ion hel ped t he ba nd ta ke adva ntage of L . A . ’s Ca pi tol stud ios, where ever yone f rom t he Beach Boys to Fra n k S i nat ra cut classic sides. The new sou nd su i ts emot iona l tu nes i ncl ud i ng “ H ow They Wa nt Me to Be ” a nd “ Better G i r l , ” a bout t he pressu res of i nd ie celebr i ty. “ When I f i rst got successfu l, wow – people got mea n ! ” says Cosent i no. “ These songs a re t he sou nd of me picki ng mysel f u p. I wa nted to get t h is off my chest a nd si ng my hea r t out. ”

words by J G

Major Lazer:Get Free feat. Dirty Projects Ma j or Lazer a re st i r r i ng back i nto t he l i fe. D i plo a nd Sw i tch recent l y conf i r med pla ns to record some reggae / Da nceha l l cuts w i t h S noop Dogg , w i t h a n a l bu m sched u led to be released later i n t he yea r. H owever t h is is fa r f rom t he on l y col la borat ion Ma j or Lazer have been attem pt i ng . The d uo recent l y h i t t he stud io to record w i t h D i r ty P ro j ectors’ Am ber Coff ma n , who su ppl ies g uest voca ls over t hei r prod uct ion. And what you get is g reat Am bers voca ls g i ve t he pu nch t hat t hey were m issi ng . Th is relase shows a more matu re a nd proffesiona l side of prod uct ion after steppi ng u p f rom Pon de F loor wh ich was com mercia l l y success -fu l but da maged t he two prod uc -ers reputat ions, who do consider t hemsel ves ser ious a nd t he futu re col la borat ion is where we w i l l t he see t he best wor k f rom t he d uo.words by L E

Major Lazer feat. Amber of Dirty Projectors, Get Freeis out now on V2 Records

Do t he Sca nd i nav ia ns have tech -nology we a re u nawa re of ? Why is i t t hey ca n get such a cr ysta l l i ne sou nd , i t ’s l i ke a ud io i n g lacia l for m. S i m ia n Ghost a re clea r l y pa r ty to t he secret pact, t hei r new record is a w istfu l set of i nd ie tu nes t hat a re clea nsed f rom a ny possi ble pol l uta nts : d istor t ion , feed back , backg rou nd noise, lo f idel i ty. The br ig ht i nst r u mentat ion , wor ked by t he Swed ish t h ree - piece, is often g u ided w i t h t he g l isten i ng elect r ic g u i ta rs w i t h t he t reble on h ig h. Yet however l ig ht l y t hese songs may t ravel, t hey do possess a ref lec -t i ve natu re – i t mea ns t hey sidestep t he twee t ra p more often t ha n not. And when t he m i x is r ig ht, l i ke on t he per fect piece of heaven l y pop t hat is The Ca pi tol, you a re led somewhere q u i te specia l. B rea ki ng between celest ia l ha r mon ies to a sol i ta r y voca l l i ne outf i t.words by L L

Tha n kfu l l y, P ierce isn ’ t bu m med a bout h is si tuat ion. Fa r f rom i t. I nstead , he pushes t h roug h h is pl ig ht, w i t h yet a not her of -fer i ng d rawn f rom h is t r i n i ty of t ra nscendence : love, d r ugs, a nd God. From i ts open i ng moments, i n fact, Sweet H ea r t packs i n one of P ierce’s most i m pressi ve wor ks yet. “ H ey Ja ne ” is a nea r l y n i ne - m i n ute B r i t pop t h rowback i n two pa r ts : The f i rst bi t g rooves u nt i l i t q u ickl y col la pses i nto i tsel f, wh i le t he second pa r t ta kes f i ve m i n utes for a d ra mat ic, Ja mes B rown - sty le r ise f rom t he ashes, w i t h P ierce ha u nt i ng t he t i tu la r woma n : “ H ey Ja ne, a re you gon na d ie ? ” Sweet H ea r t is shot t h roug h w i t h t h is sor t of wooz y awa reness of mor ta l i ty, d ra ped i n P ierce’s sig natu re si m ple - yet - l ush orchest rat ions. words by C D

Simian Ghost:Youth

Simian Ghost,Youthis out now on Playground Records (UK)

Spiritualized:Sweet Hear Sweet Light

Spiritualized,Sweeet Heart Sweet Light is out now on Domino Recordings

in 120 words or less

FILM REVIEWS

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