Sam Hillmer is a musician, curator and more who released an album as Diamond Terrifier titled “The Subtle Body Wears A Shadow” on Terrible Records earlier this year. So far, it has received praise from major music websites. Hillmer’s saxophone and electronic solo are the credible instruments of his garish, nautical sound which would be perfect for the inevitable remake of The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. When his music is described, it is said to be the “solo incarnation which sits at the intersection of ambient drone, world bass and sound system music, and the many great non-western saxophone traditions.” Hear it via this link or the player below.
It’s simply bizarre that ‘normal’ is the new overweight. —The New York Times
If you’re in tune with the world of modeling and the fashion business, you’re probably thinking “Crystal Renn is not an emerging model” but in fact, she is. Since reclaiming a healthy body and stepping away from anorexia, she strutted the catwalk as a plus size model for fashion elites Zac Posen and Jean Paul Gaultier. In addition, she’s posed for many magazine editorials including Festin (Vogue Paris 2010) and covered fashion-forward magazines like Tush, Paper Planes and Vogue Latinoamerica. In the past, her weight fluctuated from 0-16 and according to recent reports, she’s “sample size” again. Aptly, Renn’s new weight and recent accomplishments haven’t gone over well with the plus-size community.
Two years back, we had the chance to see Renn in motion. We covered Glamour Magazine’s Woman of the Year conference at 92Y where she spoke about body image, diversity, and broadening the ideals of the industry in general. In a recent interview for The Edit, she shared, “A big goal for me is to design a fashion line with body diversity in mind.”
Even if it was a promotional stunt for her book Hungry: A Young Model’s Story of Appetite, Ambition and the Ultimate Embrace of Curves, as some have called it, we still admire her courage for speaking out against anorexia and promoting healthier lifestyles.
Psst! We have something awesome to tell you. There’s a super cute British sweetheart named Georgia May Jagger who just walked her way into the hearts of our Editors, and she’s the youngest daughter of two pop icons (Mick Jagger and Jerry Hall) but it doesn’t stop there. She’s smart too. Shorter than her dad, mom and L’Wren Scott it is a wonder how she’s only 5’7”, but that’s okay. Even at said height, she’s unquestionably attractive and flaunts a perfect tooth gap like Lauren Hutton, Jess Hart and Laura Stone. With a fragrance campaign and many advertisement campaign deals under her belt with the likes of Rimmel, Ms. Jagger teaches the general public that being rock royalty also comes with its share of hard work. When she isn’t working, she actually tries her best to be normal.
Among her many accomplishments stemming from 2009, this Summer, she covered L’Officiel and Dazed & Confused (Korea), and walked for Alexander Wang S/S 2014 and Marc Jacobs S/S 2014 runway shows. Outside of counting her mom and sister as her favourite models, she really admires Grace Jones. Jones was her mother’s roommate and disco partner according to her interview with Ponystep. In addition to her larger than life parents, she has designer L’Wren Scott (dad’s long-term girlfriend since 2001) to go to for pointers when it comes to the fashion business which is beneficial and perhaps, better than learning about fashion at school.
We’ve read that Georgia become insecure about her tooth gap. Yes, we think it’s beautiful but in the end, it is her decision and her teeth. Georgia, if you’re out there and you can read this: Just think: If you change your pretty smile, you stand the chance of looking like everyone else.
Open Your Eyes With A Lesson In Subjective Symbolism
London, England’s best kept secret Zomby brings you a dynamically deep sound that is both thought-provoking and well-rounded. Zomby began his journey producing electronic music in 2007. Through out the years, he has learned a few tricks of the trade as well as centered into his own signature style. If you were to ask me to define his music into genres, I would have to say a little acid house with a mixture of jungle-ish drum and bass, a side of break-beats with a dash of dubstep. Earlier this year, Zomby released a double album through 4AD Records titled “With Love”. The 33-track long album features tracks from many different styles of electronic music and also serves as a glimpse inside the eclectic personality of the man behind the music.
Strong characters and a somber storyline serve as a perfect frame in capturing the essence of the album “With Love”, the latest release by Zomby. Love or the act of love has many different perspectives as shown in this aesthetically artistic short-film directed by Ollie Evans. This effort features various tracks (Ascension”, “Sunshine in November”, “Overdose”, and “Memories” collectively put together to accompany the ritualistic aspects in the film. The acid house and deep bass undertones in Zomby’s style of music really give dimension to the art-deco cinematography of the music video.
Listening to the song, you can definitely pick up on some of the emotions he is trying to provoke. Opening with a tranquil and light-hearted intro, which smoothly transitions to a murky piano lead piece, following that you’re abruptly thrown head first into a spine-tingling heavy bass record that transforms into a progressive house track. Lastly, the film carries you to a blissful mixture of a tribal-meets-percussion sounds which brings you down to a sweet, sympathetic climax. See for yourself:
Self-taught pianist and songstress BANKS has been steadily unveiling her art, one song and video at a time, and now, her London EP is out and her current lengthy tour opening for The Weeknd applauds her arrival. Already, BANKS has emerged as “one to watch,” as her songs have greedily “swapped hands” and landed at the top of Hypem charts and on critic’s lists.
The four-song London EP defines this budding artist, one whose voice echoes a generation. She writes with a restless urgency, lyrically candid yet relatable, weaving vivid imagery into pop-skewed lullabies. A hypnotic blend of beats, pianos, echoes and an addictive vocal presence, BANKS slips in and out of genres with an ease so effortless, it’s best to leave tags behind.
This week’s model selection was born in a teensy town called Zeven, which is located in the district of Rotenburg in Lower Saxony Germany. It’s population couldn’t compare to that of a metropolis, but it’s his claim to fame.
Raphael Balzer, both of German and Nigerian descent, flaunts a chestnut shell casing that we like to refer to as “transcontinental.” Depending on his pose, he resembles our friends, our African family members, and our Asian coworkers, all at once. In addition, his eye-shapes remind us of almonds. There’s something about him that’s very tropical. We can totally see him modeling in United Colors of Benetton ads or ripping the runway for Desigual 2015. As stated via Models.com, he was scouted by PMA Models and though he’s unsigned outside of Zeven, he will soon join major markets. He’s a unique beauty.
It’s rare that an electronic duo who’re as handsome as the members of VIMES, as talented and as culturally exposed as Azhar and Julian came come together and create something so smooth and astral. Azhar was born in Nigeria to humanitarian workers of Indian descent who grew up all over Europe. When he moved to Cologne, Germany to study visual arts, he met his musical partner Julian. As you can comfortably assume, VIMES was born.
Since, they’ve received international recognition for their unique brand of electronic dance music, combining live instruments with electronic elements and a stirring visual live show made for shaking your bottom nonstop. In just a year’s time, VIMES have supported Hot Chip on tour, headlined sets all across Europe, as well as numerous continental festivals including Dockville, Eurosonic, First We Take Berlin, Reeperbahn Festival and DJ sets at Pop and Melt! Festivals. They were also invited to play at this year’s SXSW and Canadian Music Week, unfortunately neither of these happened due to visa complications. Don’t worry guys. Things will work out next year. We can feel it!
Most recently, Humming Records released their third single ‘Celestial’ and you should listen to it via this link.
As a young performance artist from Baltimore, Maryland making noise as he pushes and slays, Abdu Ali tends to refer to himself as the “King Queen, Banjee Bitch” and he’s got a damned good reason. His music makes you want to flash the world as you stand out of the sunroof of a speeding car! It’s raw. It’s open, and sometimes it’s too real and best suited for the extremely cocky. Needless to say, his latest single produced by James Nasty would probably make Kanye West blush. Watch the official video below:
[quote]
I’m gonna give you what you want
What the fuck you want
I’m gonna give you what you need
Till it fucking bleeds[/quote]
This song may be one of the raunchiest he’s done yet but sonically it’s surprisingly smooth like Jameson Irish Whiskey. Much like the artist imself. He’s growing to become one of the prominent faces in the Baltimore music scene. He’s soft spoken, sexy and very friendly. He also uses his love of expression to motivate all of his listeners to feel their pussy (or dick).
What’s the vision for the new sound you’re developing?
I wanted Push + Slay to feel like home — Baltimore — A lot of street, grit, and hardness. And very textual. I also wanted my voice to stand with the beats and not against them. One with the wave. Sounds you’ll here during the magic hour like cop sirens or sounds you’ll here at the clubs. Like, Baltimore club. Very aggressive and tense but through that, a fulfilling release and euphoric pleasure enters the spirit and makes you want to go wild in celebration of this freedom you found through the sounds.
Who are your influences?
Grime and punk have been heavy influences on me to like Tempa T and Annette Peacock. I just wanted the music to sound like my soul and background music to my life. Björk has been on my sound pallet, too. She’s like pop punk. I def[initely] always want the beats to be me straight up. As soon as you here the sounds, you’ll be like that’s an Abdu Ali track. Feel me?
When does the new EP drop?
Sept 13th, hopefully. I’m being mad picky with this one. Not releasing it til it’s right!
Where are you from? And how does that influence your style / sound / voice?
I’m from Baltimore. I grew up in Central Baltimore on Martin Luther King Boulevard and Pennsylvania Avenue. I think that specific locale makes a huge diff[erence] in my taste and flavor. It’s the heart of Baltimore art culture. The Royal Theatre used to be right up the street from where I lived. There were a lot of drugs and crime but a lot of beauty too. From the huge love for Baltimore club [music] to going to Shake & Bake. We always thirst to express [ourselves] and have fun no matter how shady our environment was. Music was a big thing in my elementary and middle school. I use to play trumpet and [I] was in my middle school choir. Everybody was in a marching band or a club dance squad. That bringing up def[initely], obviously influenced my thirst to create and perform.
Guttahball is an idea me and the homie Lawrence Burney came up with to revive Baltimore music culture. We thought the best way to do so was [to] host a party that incorporated diff[erent] Baltimore scenes from rap to punk. Baltimore has mad talent but the scenes here are segregated like shit, and people don’t want to vibe and help others grow — crabs in a barrel syndrome — but Guttahball is about love and giving Baltimore musicians a special platform to go the fuck off!
Scarce details are available online for new face Michal Wojcik. Nonetheless, he definitely knows how to work a curly head, slick style or bouffant hair. Honestly, it is perfect for the genderless craze hitting the runways lately. See Andrej Pejic.
“You never know until you ask and you try” is something Melissa B.’s father taught her.
Aside from growing up all over the world in places like South Carolina to Japan, listening to Donna Summer, and coining her own music style as “electric pop,” Melissa B. — recently, incorrectly referred to as Melissa P. in this MTV VMA video — is a technology geek (formally, a network engineer) that effortlessly intertwines music. She started singing at the age of 5. She’s classically trained and she emerges from a musical family. Dawnn Lewis is her aunt, perhaps best known for her roles on sitcoms such as A Different World. She’s no joke! Subsequently, she is involved with a digital app called Stereotypes that nurtures the void of the MTV VJ and allows you to control your own video rotations like a DJ would do with his or her music. It is available on iTunes, download it here. Aptly, it is “the MTV for the YouTube generation”. She touches on her single “Addicted” and what it is that she finds most challenging as an innovator in the music industry.
Meeting B. Howard, her main producer, through the Internet was one of the best things that happened to her. She actually met him on the Internet a year ago. Isn’t the Internet amazing? Melissa credits the Internet for and calls it “a blessing” and she “loves the way she’s been interacting with everybody”. She stumbled upon B. Howard via a tweet. She looked his stuff up and soon after, she viewed his producer credits. He asked to hear some of her music and she sent it to him.
“We’ve been coming up with some great great stuff,” she shared and credited to their chemistry. “We just started working.”
Have you always been aligned in electropop music or is it more of a current thing?
You know what’s so funny? No, I have not. A lot of people put me in between like a Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, Aaliyah and Janet. If they all had a baby, I would be that one.
What an orgy.
I am that R&B soulful singer. I grew up listening to Donna Summer. My parents brought me up to listen to everything. Everyone’s doing this electronic music stuff and all of a sudden, it’s like, it was this voice that was missing.
When she’s in full costume. Designs by Dramatik Fanatik.
[highlight_blue]Listen To Melissa B.’s Addictedvia this awesome link.[/highlight_blue]
Why do you call it “Addicted”? What, specifically, are you addicted to?
I’m addicted to computers. I am addicted to love. I’m addicted to technology. If you look at the cover, it’s actually a circuit board heart. So I am slowly giving hints — even from the beginning — so people can actually identify and know what it is about me.
What do you find most challenging with what it is that you do? Especially, since you are network engineer by day and a musician by night. Do you have any challenges? How do you juggle the two?
That’s a good question. I think the one challenge is juggling both. I’ve been doing it very well but the thing is keeping up with the times. With anything in technology, it definitely changes. It’s like having a doctor’s degree. With the human body, there’s always something new happening. It’s the same with technology. You’re always going to have to keep up with so much at a rapid pace. It used to be where technology was changing every couple of years. Now, it is actually changing every couple of months. Like, even three. It’s even less than that! So these are the things I find challenging. Keeping up with technology and being up to par, or way ahead than anybody else. Thinking way ahead. That’s what I do.
GC: So, that means you’re mind is always working.
Interview Highlights
On Why She Pursued Music
I’m getting a little sentimental now because when I think of Whitney Houston, ever since I was a little girl, I never knew another singer that I could truly identify with, and with her, she resonated to me. That’s what made me want to become a singer. She was the one person like — My parents were like, you know, ‘What do we do with her voice?’ It’s like trying to find yourself. It’s like how Johnny Gill when he was young. He had that voice. The label didn’t know what to do with it and then, he got into his own. I think this is where I am right now. I’m in my lane and I am getting into my own. Slowly but surely, people are starting to hear about it.
GC: Absolutely, because I think that your voice, and it being paired with the electronic sound — it’s — You can’t deny it. No one sounds like that over electronic music, so congratulations. It’s great!
On GrungeCake
I was curious, and I was curious as to what it was about. It’s a unique name, so it intrigued me. I’m the type of person that, when someone gives me a certain name, like if something doesn’t corner my attention, I’m not going to go to it. So when I heard the name, I was like, ‘That’s different!’ I was like, ‘What’s that about?’
GC: It is a dichotomy. I kind of took the Pythagorean theorem approach. Grunge being undiscovered, you know, like you. For instance, you’re a great talent but everyone doesn’t know about you yet. So, you’re undiscovered to the masses. You know, the right people know who you are. It’s about your journey and where you want to go and where you want to take and possibly be someone as big as a Whitney Houston or a Mariah Carey or whoever — That’s getting to the Cake. Also, the grunge being the beginnings being hard and the struggles, not having all of the information, assets or components to your goal. Then, when you get to your goal — That’s the Cake. It’s moreso about the human journey or the artistic journey. That’s what it is.
Okay. I love it!
GC: Thank you.
I love it.
GC: And it loves you!
We laughed.
GC: And you just followed me [on Twitter]. It just told me.
We continue to laugh.
I don’t play. I don’t around. I’m on top. I know what to do.
Currently, she’s working on Electric Love EP, in which she’s been working with different producers. We’ll share the release date with you as soon as we get the information. “What You Started” is her upcoming release. You can watch a snippet of its official video here. For more information on Melissa B., just click here and for more about her non-profit focusing on women in technology in New York City, please click here. It’s awesome!
