Jul 16, 2020
Issue №13 | 13 May 2019 | ‘A bit of erry-ting’
Issue №13 | 13 May 2019 | ‘A bit of erry-ting’
It’s been a bonkers fortnight of food, fun and frivolities. Freya spent a memorable night in Soho devouring one of the best pasta dishes ever created at Lina Stores, a delight wholly undermined by the consequent consumption of too much whisky at The Vault. Alex, meanwhile, discovered the optimum coffee order: a cortado. Smaller than a cappuccino, but with more milk than a macchiato. It’s been life altering.
Our cultural intake has been diverse lately, with Alex skipping along to his first Mixmotel night at a Dalston kebab shop and Freya losing her mind at the Wardrobe Ensemble’s new play 1972: The Future of Sex. You can’t say we don’t keep things eclectic. Alex and Freya
Read
A book..
All That Man Is by David Szalay
Shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize in 2016, All That Man Is is a series of punchy, easy-to-read vignettes exploring 21st-century masculinity, written through the lens of nine men across nine short stories set in various European cities. The kaleidoscopic approach explores the many layers of men at different stages of their lives.
Male-female dynamics and the role of sex in relationships is placed at the centre of these stories, with vibrant, all-consuming results. Szalay is a chameleon in his writing style, and this novel will gobble you up. It’s taken over as my top recommendation for a sweltering hot summer read. Freya
An article…
The world is my office: why I chose to be a digital nomad worker by Greg Lea for The Observer
As we both ascend further up the enigmatic ‘career ladder’, the pains of working in an office — aka, the endless hours spent at a desk — can be a bit foreboding.
Writing for The Observer, Greg Lea knows all about it. And did something about it. He’s one of millions around the world who identifies as a ‘digital nomad’ — a person who uses the internet to work remotely — without having a fixed home base.
He and others give a fascinating insight into this ultra-modern way of working, while presenting some interesting facts along the way. Get me to a WeWork in the Bahamas. Now. Alex
Hear
An album…
Have you ever wondered what the love-child of a pioneering electronic musician and her self-built AI machine sounds like?
Look no further than Proto, the second full-length release from the experimental whizz-kid Holly Herndon. Sure, it’s not exactly music for the climax of a house party alongside Britney bangers, but if you want to get a glimpse into the future sound of pop music, this is well worth a listen.
Standout tracks: ‘Alienation’, ‘Frontier’, ‘Godmother’ Alex
A playlist…
At The Noiseletter, we like to be right on the button when it comes to new music releases.
That’s why we’ve updated our SoundsGood. playlist with our favourite tracks from May. Updated fortnightly, this carefully curated selection of tracks is the best way to hear something fresh and breathe new life into your music. Alex
Do
A film…
After what feels like upwards of a million years (only marginal hyperbole here), comedian Bo Burnham’s debut film has reached the UK. To describe it as a coming-of-age flick feels inaccurate. Visions of stubbly midwest Americans finding themselves at a bottle of whisky spring to mind. Instead, Eighth Grade shows the life of a teenage girl facing the exquisite pain of growing up.
Burnham’s done his research, and it pays off. He won the WGA Award for Best Original Screenplay, the first writer to do so without also earning an Oscar nomination for the same film. People kicked off about this lack of recognition by the Academy, and rightly so. Why should an incredible film about the teenage female experience be any less respected than yet another epic about a middle-aged white guy? Freya
A play…
Barber shops have long proved trusting places of discussion, particularly for African men. Barber Shop Chronicles is set in barber shops across the world — Peckham, Johannesburg, Lagos, Harare, Kampala and Accra — and we are privy to the men’s discussions on race, masculinity and modern day. It’s a vibrant, colourful romp, while also touching on profoundly important subjects, all set against an early-2010s soundtrack that is sure to get you grooving.
It’s currently touring the UK, so find your nearest performance here. Three margaritas consumed beforehand are recommended. It’s a total hoot. Freya
Odds and Ends
Because she’s a child, Freya find this absolutely hilarious. Some great book recommendations in there though as well, my darlings.
Comics in the form of swipe-through Instagram posts are fast becoming Alex’s new favourite thing. Especially when they involve toxic masculinity.
#Capitalism
Totally affordable, totally attainable. Freya’s already planning for her first Victorian town house purchase with this. So GP chic.
Alex fell in love with these sunglasses over the weekend. Mum, if you’re reading this — my birthday is fast approaching…
