Hi there everyone, I am pleased to launch our new blog which you can check out here: http://oeozine.wordpress.com/

The tumblr will still be there, but Wordpress will be our main blog and therefore be more regularly updated. We currently have a new article from Issue #1, about the Todd Solondz film ‘Happiness’ available to read over there. 

Nick

As human beings we are inherently shaped by our surroundings. We are constantly absorbing information from the environment in which we live; as we grow, it moulds us into who we are. An example of this influence is Hayato Imanishi. Born in Tokyo, and now spending equal time living in Japan, Thailand and the UK, his unique situation has inspired his musical project Withyouathome.

Natural themes are abounding in Withyouathome’s debut release ‘…And The Moon Still Shines Quietly’, which showcases eighteen minutes of satisfyingly ambient post-rock. Opener ‘Solar’ could not be more aptly named - it feels extraordinarily like a sunrise. Sparse, gentle but purposeful, notes slowly simmer towards an ethereal and gorgeous consummation. ‘Between Dream and Dawn’ offers more sonic beauty, this time easing into the most upbeat and overtly rhythmic part of the EP, with layers of harmonised vocal contributing to a soothing and dream-like tone. Closer ‘Lunar’ acts as the reverse pair of the first track and is immediately more sombre and mysterious. Hayato’s brilliant capacity to evoke the natural world is again evident as dusk merges into night - with the help of a wonderful string arrangement and resplendent electric guitar.

As the last chords of the EP fade and fall away it feels like the end of a journey, as though I have briefly travelled to another time or place. I then experience an interesting realisation. Wherever on this planet I may go, there are two universal constants - the sun and the moon.

Article and artwork by Nick Byrne. To be published in One Eye Open #2, available here soon.

Morrissey raises some interesting thoughts on the Norwegian massacre and how the media treats murderers. Have a read:

Morrissey Statement -  29th July 2011

“The recent killings in Norway were horrific. As usual in such cases, the media give the killer exactly what he wants: worldwide fame. We aren’t told the names of the people who were killed - almost as if they are not considered to be important enough, yet the media frenzy to turn the killer into a Jack The Ripper star is …. repulsive. He should be un-named, not photographed, and quietly led away. The comment I made onstage at Warsaw could be further explained this way: Millions of beings are routinely murdered every single day in order to fund profits for McDonalds and KFCruelty, but because these murders are protected by laws, we are asked to feel indifferent about the killings, and to not even dare question them. If you quite rightly feel horrified at the Norway killings, then it surely naturally follows that you feel horror at the murder of ANY innocent being. You cannot ignore animal suffering simply because animals “are not us.”

(Source: true-to-you.net)

Five seconds of silence. Slowly jangled bells fade in, then a quiet organ, before a violin. A minor key piano melody starts, then a whisper.“Have you got just a minute, are you easily lead, let me show you the backroom, where I saw the dead.” sings Conor O’Brien, an Irish singer-songwriter who performs under the guise of Villagers. This is the first minute of his debut album ‘Becoming a Jackal’. Beautifully dark, sincere and well written - it is easy to see how he was chosen to support Elbow on an arena tour early this year.

Delicate and tuneful yet at the same time haunting, there is a certain poetry to ‘Becoming a Jackal‘. Although songs like ‘Ship of Promises’ are anchored by relentless drums and rhythmical guitar strums, they are equally reliant on vocals. O’Brien’s lyrics articulate to absolute perfection, from a forceful whisper to a wolf-like howl. It is in that element of Villagers’ aural aesthetic that the listener can truly engage.

It is not only the execution of vocals in which O’Brien excels; in the great acoustic tradition, there is some great storytelling on show too. On the most part O’Brien seems to be lamenting his younger years, with themes such as family in the aptly named ‘Home’, fragile relationships in ‘That Day’ and even a bus journey in ‘Twenty Seven Strangers’. Everyday ideas as they are, O’Brien’s pulls you into his experiences with the beauty of his lyrics. Wholeheartedly honest; we cannot help but draw parallels to our own childhood.

And while Villagers can slowly ascend from delightful acoustic (‘The Pact’) to dense instrumental crescendo (‘Pieces’), everything about this album seems considered - nothing out of place or without justification, in the same way fine detail can sometimes bring an illustration or painting to life. ‘Becoming a Jackal’ is a brilliant debut, which throughout it’s duration is enchanting and emotive

Article and artwork by Nick Byrne. Originally published in One Eye Open #1, available here.

One Eye Open Issue #1 is now on sale!

Buy a copy for £2 here: http://oeomagazine.bigcartel.com/

This magazine hopes to provide a range of articles loosely centred around music, film and culture.

Issue #1: Happiness (film), Villagers (music), Mona (music), Xuuki (music), New Sounds (culture/music), Alice Gold (music), Million Dead (music), Alessi’s Ark , Pick Me Up.

Thanks a lot everyone,

Nick

Welcome to ONE EYE OPEN: a new magazine focusing on music, film and culture.

Issue #1 coming soon to print / online.

If you are interested in contributing please get in touch at nick@nickbyrnedesign.co.uk