#the composition of that entire set up is so perfect it's literally my most favourite cinematic moment ever

[stabasoccasionserves]

Do you think rajamouli can sleep peacefully at night after fucking with our brains with RRR?

[segenassefa]

6: Brand Focus: Los Angeles Apparel

September – the season of changing leaves, pumpkin spice lattes (those are nasty but if I speak…), and – usually – back to school shopping.

However, now that life has transitioned online, there is no reason to wear anything that is uncomfortable or at least two sizes oversized on a day-to-day basis. But – and don’t fight me on this - there is nothing more satifying than new and quality loungewear.

This is where Los Angeles Apparel comes in.

The brand formerly known as American Apparel rebranded as Los Angeles Apparel – the same basics brand, full of heavyweight cotton, styles ranging from classic to contemporary, and a wide range of colours, everything from neutrals to neon colours.

After bankrupting twice, American Apparel was purchased by Canadian manufacturer, Gildan, in 2017. Gildan went on to rebrand and remove the more notable points of the company’s marketing strategy – namely, the borderline pornographic advertising and sinfully high price range (some AA products can now be purchased on websites such as Wordans and Amazon).

Founder and Montreal native Dov Charney (who has his own demons, including accusations of sexual harassment and mismanagement of funds when he ran American Apparel in 2014*) then decided to take his ideas elsewhere, introducing Los Angeles Apparel.

Now operating out of a south Los Angeles warehouse, LAA poses itself as an ethical, basics, brand, paying workers between $15-$20 USD, as well as overtime pay and benefits, and varies from other fashion retailers in the amount of transparency to behind the scenes of their warehouse and in the production process – many of the brand’s Instagram stories include shots of models, posing outside and throughout the warehouse, and well as videos of various garment and production workers at their daily dyeing, stitching, and cutting tasks. Another plus of this brand is the composition of the garments, specifically their sweatshirts and sweatpants, tops, and bodysuits. Most places do not manufacture goods with 100% cotton - traditional brands either use a 50/50 blend of cotton and polyester, or an 80/20 blend for goods in the heavyweight category. Using 100% cotton leads to a garment that looks even better with wear and tear, as well as prevents pilling, worn out elastic cuffs and hems, as well as less discolouration. Lastly, LAA is mostly devoid of branding – their clothing has no flashy logos or tags, no awkward stitching or excessive distressing, product styles, and unsavoury colour combinations – likely stemming from their roots as a wholesale blanks company. There is a bit of 90’s flavour to the styles shown on the website, included oversized sweats and t-shirts, lots and lots of pleats (pants, skirts, shorts, everything), as well as having more fresh-faced models, both men and women.

I’ve never personally been a huge American Apparel shopper – the original brand was not the most inclusive in terms of sizing as most of their items run on the smaller size (even to this day – their 2XL fits more like a very roomy XL) or were the dreaded “slim fit” (the ugliest cut of clothing to touch down on this face of the Earth, please don’t argue with me). However, since rebranding, Charney and the rest of the LAA team began to embrace more true-to-size and oversized fits. After rebuilding my wardrobe with quality basics, I can say about 80% of my wardrobe is from LAA – the pieces are good quality, minimal, and tasteful. Also, as a person who tries to be as ethical with my spending practices as possible and invest in quality clothing, I feel a bit better knowing the $40 t-shirt won’t be falling apart in the wash or after a few wears. For anyone who has considered dipping their toe into LAA or has been looking for other basics to add to their collection, here is a listed review of my favourite items from Los Angeles Apparel**.

HF09GD Unisex - Garment Dye 14oz. Heavy Fleece Hooded Pullover Sweatshirt

If I had the power to get rid of all of the hoodies in the world and replace them with only one, this would be it. This hoodie is thick as hell to the point where sometimes it feels like canvas, but not in an uncomfortable way. The colours are also super rich – my favourite one is Chocolate (one day we will talk about how brown is the supreme neutral for its ability to be and blend with both warm and cool tone colours, but I digress). Another interesting thing about these hoodies is that they don’t hold smell the way I’ve found polyester blends do and when washed, literally smell like an entirely new garment. This is also one of the products that I found is actually more of an oversized fit, and as with most cotton goods – stretch (but not unreasonably) with wear. It comes in a huge selection of colours as well and the sizing is fairly unisex, as both me and my boyfriend have worn this hoodie and have marveled at the quality. While it is an investment ($100 CAD per hoodie, about double that for the whole set), it is truly the hooded sweatshirt I’ve ever owned.

Size: XL, Colour: Chocolate, Price: $100 CAD

3380GD - Heavy 2x1 Rib Crop Tank

As our beautiful friend who was floating around Twitter not too long ago said, “Get into eeeeet!”. And she was absolutely right. This tank top is made for the people who want to get into the w*fe-beater/undershirt-as-a-shirt trend but don’t particularly enjoy the length or thinness of those traditional tops. This cropped tank is a racerback, but not to the point where it is completely unwearable without a bra, provided you have a convertible bra. This top is also 5% elastane as opposed to polyester (for those who are curious, elastane is a member of the Lycra and Spandex family, so the stretch in this top will also provide some shaping benefits). While it does only come in two colours for the time being, I’m one of those people who owns everything in my closet in both black and white, so this was perfect for me. Another thing to note, all my BBWs, this top does not roll up or require too much adjusting throughout the day, and sits just above the belly button for a cropped look without making you look like Roger the Alien (you know what I’m talking about….). This tank top is relatively affordable, considering the wearability, and the ribbing isn’t too noticeable so if you wanted a nice cropped but semi conservative top, this just might be it.

Size: L, Colour: Black, Price: $30 CAD

1215GD - Heavy Jersey Garment Dye Casual Pants

Ok, you know when you want to wear sweatpants, but you also realize that maybe the occasion is not appropriate, or you just need a little bit of pizzazz without all of the frump? This is these pants. When I first read the reviews, I was skeptical, but after realizing all I own are jeans and sweatpants, I copped a pair. I wore these in 75-degree weather, walked a good three or four miles, and was comfortable all day. Plus, unlike most traditional womenswear pants, these pockets are DEEP. Like Mariana Trench deep, which I love because one thing about me – I’m going to use a damn pocket. I would say to avoid these if you aren’t into the straight leg look because with a t-shirt, they do give very public-school art teacher vibes, but they also come in a huge range of colours. A lot of people complain about the elastic band for a lot of their products (too tight), but personally I prefer that – it provides a longer wear time before you have to wash (since it takes longer for the garment to stretch out) and keeps everything cute and covered. These pants are also a nice alternative to jeans, and even come in the couple shades of blue to mimic the idea of dark/light wash. The price is a little obscene for some casual pants, but I think you’re someone who usually wears pants from Urban Planet, H&M, or even Zara, these will be a nice upgrade, sure to last a very, very long time.

Size: L, Colour: Black, Price: $52 CAD

1406GD - Long Sleeve Garment Dye Mockneck T-Shirt

Another one of my favourite things about LAA is the fact that a lot of their products are unisex (while not explicitly labelled as such, you will see a lot of the same items in both the men and women tabs on their website). I love a good long sleeve shirt, but my proportions were never too forgiving to pull it off without looking like a 1960’s ghost, or like I had gotten dressed in the tent section of Home Depot. This top is more of a boxy fit, but the bottom is cropped enough to make it hit just above the thighs for a nice, slouchy look. The colours in these are also super nice, veering more towards neutrals and pastels. This shirt looks good with bike shorts and tucked into jeans, and (the best part) the white is not see-through at all, which was one of my biggest complaints when buying shirts from brands like Hanes, Gildan, Fruit of the Loom, and Keya. The neckline is a lot higher than most traditional crew necks, but I’m a fan. Plus, I feel like it looks a lot better when you layer jewelry over it. If you’re springing to get a basic colour, I’d say it’s totally worth it, at $41 a pop, considering that it’ll last damn near forever.

Size: XL, Colour: White, Price: $52 CAD

B128CF - Long Sleeve Crossfront Bodysuit

The bodysuit that started it all. Y’all. The number of compliments I get whenever I wear this top is insane, not to mention of all the bodysuits I have purchased from this brand, this one is the most flattering, the most versatile, and the most forgiving, in terms of sizing. The cross-front bodysuit is a happy medium for people who want to get into the criss-cross top look without the hassle of strings and shit like that. Not to mention, many bodysuits in this style tend to be ribbed – and not the good kind of ribbing either *retches*. I own this bodysuit in both a medium and a large, and my advice would be to size down, especially if you’re planning on wearing it without a bra (not much of a choice considering this bodysuit has a deep, deep, V neck) and will definitely add to the effortless look of the whole ensemble. This bodysuit can be dressed up and dressed down, but my favourite way to wear this is with some slouchy ass sweatpants, white sneakers (preferably a little beat up) and a small shoulder bag – ad square or transparent sunglasses for some big 90s energy, like you just left a Bikram yoga class or something. The colours on this could be better – aside from the white, black, and flesh toned colour, I really don’t see a purpose for the coral or blue shade, but I may be biased considering I do avoid bright colours like that. Now, it may seem a little overpriced for what it is, but I promise you – in my years of bodysuit research, the only brand that’s coming close to this, especially for larger chested laydeez, is Capezio, and that’s literally dancewear. Like, industrial ass dancewear. Regardless, this bodysuit is top 2 and it’s not 2.

Size: M, Colour: White, Price: $49 CAD

BD12 - Bull Denim Oversized Bag

If I had to give a name to my aesthetic – particularly when it comes to accessories – I’d say I’m somewhere in between “Bag Lady” by Erykah Badu and first year art student in the Midwest working part time at a dusty bookstore. This bag is more of the latter. For reference on size, it’s about as big, laid flat, as my large Telfar, but when on, doesn’t have the same structure, thus keeping it from looking like a burlap sack (or keeping you from looking like Santa on December 24th). The material is bull denim, which is similar in texture and style to regular denim, however, dyed to give it a rich and uniform colour. Also this bag comes in literally all of the ROYGBIV colours, plus black and white, and in a variety of styles and closures (they have one with a zipper for people who are diligent about things like that, as well as a more standard tote size and shape). This bag is perfect for literally everything – I like it when I go grocery shopping, or even getting from A to B when I have to carry a million things. Another bonus is the construction of the strap is thick without being comical, meaning that you won’t have those nasty lines in your shoulder after a long day, and you won’t have to worry about a strap busting and embarrazzzzing you (Nella Rose voice) when you’re out. In terms of pricing, you could get a little pleather number from H&M for the same price, but if you don’t take yourself seriously, then just say that (kidding!). as someone who loves the look of a good canvas tote, without wanting to look too much like a crunchy granola kinda person, this bag is lowkey one of my favourites (sorry, Mr. Clemens!).

Size: OS, Colour: Navy, Price: $58

Notes:

*= We do not condone predatory behaviour from anyone, but it is important to highlight that just because you love something doesn’t mean it’s perfect. Part of being a responsible consumer is also knowing about who you purchase from, not just what and how things are made. I am aware of this and am taking accountability for not knowing this information sooner.

**= All of these opinions are my own and not sponsored. Product codes will be listed in the title, and sizing, colour purchased, as well as CAD pricing will be listed at the end of each review.

[thesinglesjukebox]

DUA LIPA - PHYSICAL

[7.50]

It's okay! Move that boogie body!

Leah Isobel: It is a dark and stormy night. In a sinister science lab located somewhere in Carmen Sandiego's plush pomo lair, a pop singer plugs in a neon light, shrugs into a next-season Gaultier lab coat and gets to work. In the reflection of her gold-tinted goggles we see her add one (1) part Extract of "Into You," one (1) part Juice of Newton-John, and four (4) drops of Synthesizer Spice into a contoured beaker. She turns on the flame of a Bunsen burner; stream gushes from her concoction like a geyser, emitting a high, keening refrain. She whispers a few luscious words into the steam -- "diamond," "sssimulation," "adrenaline" -- but her experiment still lacks a certain something. Then -- BOOM! -- in a thundercrash of lightning, it hits her. Eureka! She turns and sees her reflection illuminated in the glass of an emergency axe container, kept onsite in case of fire. "Well," she chuckles to herself as she breaks the glass with a four-inch stiletto heel, "I am creating something... hot." Axe in hand, she chops the neon light into pieces and stuffs the shards, now glittering like a million sequined dancefloors, into the beaker. With the addition of this Decoction of Disco, her potion bubbles... it burbles... then KABOOM: it explodes the entire building and half of the surrounding city! She stands in the wreckage as thunder splits the sky above and sirens wail in the distance. We see Dua's eyes glow green before she throws her head back to the sky and screams: "GAY RIIIIIGHTS!" [9]

William John: Probably the best example of what parts of the Internet's stan culture would facetiously refer to as "gay rights" from a mainstream musical artist since... the last Dua Lipa single, or, failing that, "Into You." Like those precedents, "Physical" is camp but magisterial; playful but extremely melodramatic; sweeping, dance floor ready, and dripping with an exultant swagger. Her reminder to "hold on, just a little tighter" at the bridge is, truthfully, a hollow gesture; at that stage, the listener is so deeply embroiled in her glorious disco caprice as to not really be capable of gripping anything at all. [10]

Jackie Powell: It couldn't be clearer that Dua Lipa had something to prove not only to herself, but to the pop music intelligentsia on her sophomore offering. What has struck me most about the Future Nostalgia cycle is how Dua is executing every facet of it with confidence. On this track, she's not afraid of hitting notes that eclipse the breadth of her previous singles, especially on the bridge. "Physical" is a representative offering of exactly what she's aiming to prove. Each track we've heard so far reflects a different decade accompanied with a modern polish. I don't think I'm the only one who believes Olivia Newton-John's '80s exercise sexual metaphor smash "Physical" deserves the tribute it's getting here. There's a clear homage paid to her and to Patti LaBelle on Lipa's own "Physical." I'm going to interpret her lyric "We created something phenomenal" as a bit of a double-entendre. Not only is it about sex in the narrative of the track, but it's a comment on Lipa's approach to this era and her confidence on every single part of it. The sexual symbolism isn't just in the lyrics, but also in the track's composition and the narrative communicated in the visual treatment. The vocal highs that she hits on the bridge represent a climax musically and sexually. She has so much confidence in the visual treatment, she spends most of it braless. That takes guts. [9]

Tobi Tella: Dua Lipa's perceived lack of personality has turned out to actually be lack of a schtick preventing her from artistically evolving, something many of her peers are plagued with. Also, I've died and gone to gay heaven. [9]

Alfred Soto: The way Dua Lipa's unexpected bon mots and smoky sultriness ride the beat and compete with the strings compensate for a production too dressed up in leg warmers and headbands for my taste -- I mean, her exhortations are more fearsome than erotic. [7]

Julian Axelrod: Pop's '80s revival arms race has escalated to its natural endpoint: the accidental exhumation of Olivia Newton-John. I wish Dua Lipa had used "let's get physical" in a more literal iteration; singing it over hyperdrive synths guarantees it'll be never played in its intended setting, especially when she has half the energy of ONJ. But she hit the mark where it counts: This is going to rule spin classes for the rest of the year. [6]

Brad Shoup: A throwback training-montage track that suggests sex but is really about dancing and Olivia Newton-John erasure. This is Stranger Things pop. [5]

Thomas Inskeep: Sex is natural, sex is fun, sex is best when soundtracked by throbbing '80s synths. [6]

Ashley Bardhan: Okay, fine, I enjoy horny music. Sue me! This song is what would happen if ABBA was brought back to life as a bunch of hot 20-year-olds in little shirts from Fashion Nova. The "let's get physical" chorus feels a little lazy since it's a direct lift from Olivia Newton-John's 1981 hit, but this is a great song to listen to while thinking about that video of Charli XCX holding poppers. No complaints here. [7]

Alex Clifton: I've underestimated Dua Lipa. Her first album had some hits and misses, but Future Nostalgia is shaping up to be one of the best pop releases of 2020 based on the strength of its singles. "Physical" is a cascade of rainbow lights in a roller rink and makes me long to go out to a club, one where I can get down in a huge crowd of people and dance my white-girl ass off poorly. I'm an extreme introvert, so anything that makes me want to leave the house and be around strangers is powerful stuff indeed. It's a little cheesy, but who cares? It's a love letter to the '80s with all the campiness a song citing Olivia Newton-John should have. I'm desperately in love with Dua Lipa after hearing this, and I have a feeling "Physical" will be one of my favourite songs of the year. [9]

Stephen Eisermann: Dua Lipa has quietly become the pop superstar that so many of us wanted Carly Rae to be. Both women make incredible music, but it is Dua who has found commercial success; after hearing "Physical," it seems pretty obvious why. It's a retro-laden, power-pop track that is extraordinary only in the way Dua delivers it. What should be pedestrian instead is hypnotic, infectious, and oh so delicious. [8]

Lauren Gilbert: I promised a friend I'd blurb this song, and now that I've sat down to write it, I have nothing to say. It is a perfect pop song -- Dua knocks it out of the park on this record. I keep getting distracted from writing jamming to the track. I'm dancing while lying down on my couch. She created something phenomenal; we are left with no choice but to stan. [10]

Joshua Minsoo Kim: I've justified Dua Lipa's dearth of personality in years past, but this is where things don't add up: her dead-eyed singing makes no sense during the chorus, whose synths lack the fervor to make up for clinical vocal melodies. Around this time last year, we had Lizzo's "Juice"; now we have "Physical" as an example of '80s pastiche that only feels like it exudes energy and passion and charm. [2]

Will Adams: It's neat to have a single that's its own Initial Talk remix, but the synthpop revivalism is a bit too literal, to the point of putting all its chips on an Olivia Newton-John quote. It's not until the bridge -- "keep on DANCING!" -- where the drama locks in and starts, but only starts, to feel real. [6]

Kylo Nocom: Dua Lipa, determined more than ever to win the Popjustice £20 Music Prize, accidentally transforms into Alice Chater in the process. [5]

Katherine St Asaph: If "Physical" being by Dua Lipa wasn't hypertargeted enough to the Popjustice set, is that the synth progression from Saint Etienne's "No Cure for the Common Christmas" in the intro and beneath the chorus? It's certainly the same height of drama. The track attached isn't quite so charged: a little too Lady Gaga circa "Applause" and a little too Peloton instructor quoting Olivia Newton-John for absolutely no reason besides the culture deciding at some point to make the phrase a permanent, meaningless meme. (The song doesn't even sound particularly '80s; the disco strings are the decade prior, and the vocal squiggles on the verse are so specifically 2016 a time traveler's on their way to erase them.) Dua Lipa only betrays a personality on the spoken-word bridge; ironic how that and the vaporous intro, the least physical things on this track, are the most thrilling. [7]

Vikram Joseph: The intro feels like a prickling at the back of your neck, the one-line pre-chorus feels like plummeting six floors in a broken elevator, and the chorus is such a headrush you can practically smell the poppers: "Physical"'s thrills might be straightforward, but they're visceral as fuck. There are vintage Lady Gaga vibes, the "come on!"s are surely a nod to "We Are Your Friends," and the whole thing reminds me, inexplicably, of Bon Jovi's "It's My Life." But Dua Lipa is starting to make this all seem effortless, and the panache with which she delivers "Physical" easily pulls it clear of the gravitational field of its forebears. [9]

Wayne Weizhen Zhang: "Physical" dares us to be the boldest versions of ourselves. It finds itself at the perfect intersection of confidence and lust. Dua Lipa is flirting with you with a playfulness she can only possess because she already knows you're going home together -- and she won't let you leave until the dancing is done. Dancing here is instinct, it's synths that sound as sweet as they do sinister, it's salty like the sweat that rolls down your forehead after you've been, well, physical. Dua Lipa is crushing the Confessions on a Dance Floor album that I've long been waiting for Lady Gaga to make. Dance floor music has long been my site of refuge and catharsis, so it's refreshing to be reminded that it can still sound so immediately, eminently thrilling. [9]

Kayla Beardslee: This doesn't quite reach the heights of "Don't Start Now," but damn it comes close. "Physical" should, in theory, be a cookie-cutter pop girl release, but Dua proves once again that she is the most important element in her music. The producers are doing everything right too, but who else could pull off her endearing smirk in "common love isn't for us" or that wonderful growl in "follow the noise"? And Dua takes us through a transcendental bridge that highlights the best qualities of her voice: singing simple lyrics that say everything they need to, she's breathless yet confident, desperate for touch yet satisfied with the musical world she's helped to create. Something phenomenal, indeed: this rollout has been a joy to follow. [9]

Jacob Sujin Kuppermann: "Physical" takes the opposite approach to "Don't Start Now" -- while that song's studio version swallows up its singer in a beautifully constructed, sterile disco pastiche (the live versions and remixes are much better), turning her into just one more retro cog, "Physical" makes her the center of attention. The production around her is good enough (the synth preset change right before the chorus starts is especially nice), but not particularly coherent or hooky on its own. In the vacuum left, Dua gets to have more fun, charismatically switching between vocal styles and walking around like she owns the place. [8]

Jibril Yassin: A powerhouse vocal colliding headfirst with production that's neither plodding nor limp. It's a song that's meant to feel like a blockbuster and after a few failed tries, it's thrilling to hear Dua Lipa finally nail the landing and sound like the superstar she wants to be. [7]

Michael Hong: "Physical" is magnetic. Its pulse is unrelenting, its atmosphere is shadowy and captivating, and Dua Lipa gives possibly her best vocal performance. There's no sense of the up-and-coming performer who delivered everything with stolid execution, instead, "Physical" is a sly wink of a pre-chorus leading to a forceful command: "baby, keep on dancing like you ain't got a choice." Dua Lipa is at the helm, all thoughts and any other desires are out the window, and the night is neverending. [7]

Joshua Lu: Several of Dua Lipa's past hit songs have relied on a marketable veneer of cool: "New Rules" works because she's the straight-talker friend giving advice, "Don't Start Now" necessitates a stoic character who can't be bothered to fret about her ex, and even on collaborations like "One Kiss" does Dua employ a rather unemotional voice, like she's a blank canvas for Calvin Harris' more playful and engaging production. "Physical" feels like such a departure for Dua not just because of its obvious throwback sound, but because this veneer of cool is completely torn down when the song reaches its rushing chorus. She sounds more and more desperate as her voice climbs and the synths soar above her, and her cries of "come on" ring as desperate instead of dominant. The song is indebted to pop titans of yesteryears (Olivia Newton-John obviously inspired the title, but the theatrics of the song feel more indebted to Bonnie Tyler or Patti Labelle) to the point of it not really feeling like a Dua song, but she sells it all so convincingly that it feels like a natural fit. It's part pop song, part epic showdown, and I look forward to Dua continuing to push herself to the forefront of mainstream pop music greatness. [9]

Scott Mildenhall: Little wonder that Lipa's so keen to get physical, given that she's "dreaming in a simulation" -- her focus seems to be on the former, since the latter exemplifies the aimlessness of the verses in comparison to the locked-and-loaded chorus. That has its thrills, yet never feels as loose as seems intended. "Physical" comes across too in love with the idea of being a kind of Perfect Pop to actually be it; an anthem for kinetics developed via science textbook. [7]

[Read, comment and vote on The Singles Jukebox]

[vsplusonline]

A Guide To How Celeb Couples Are Spicing It Up In The Lockdown

New Post has been published on https://apzweb.com/a-guide-to-how-celeb-couples-are-spicing-it-up-in-the-lockdown/

A Guide To How Celeb Couples Are Spicing It Up In The Lockdown

Highlights

Deepika has been exploring her culinary skills for Ranveer

Saif and Kareena are busy with Taimur

Anushka and Virat have been sharing goofy selfies

New Delhi:

Let’s take our minds off the lockdown for a bit and appreciate all the love that’s painted Instagram red, courtesy some of Bollywood’s most popular couples. Needless to say that celebrities have super hectic lives and hence they are making the most of the lockdown by doing everything couple-y with their better halves and partners. From Kareena Kapoor-Saif Ali Khan and Deepika Padukone-Ranveer Singh to Anushka Sharma-Virat Kohli and Sonam Kapoor-Anand Ahuja – all of them have opened up on social media even more and been sharing slice-of-life glimpses of their everyday life. In case you have missed out on all the happenings in the celeb corner of the recent past, just keep calm and keep scrolling. Also, did you know Sussanne Khan has temporarily shifted to ex-husband Hrithik Roshan’s house so that the kids can be with both the parents? That’s cool, huh?

Kareena And Saif’s Happy Place:

Kareena, who made her official Instagram debut only recently, loves to browse on her phone, especially with a view of husband Saif reading a book right in front of her. When they are done admiring each other, couple things that Kareena and Saif do also include parenting for a large part – while Saif teached Taimur gardening, Kareena loves to click away! In a recent interview, Saif also said that he has been asking Kareena to teach him yoga. Now, we are eagerly waiting for Kareena and Saif’s couple yoga pics.

Deepika, Ranveer Are Couple Goals:

Deepika and Ranveer are on a eat-sleep-repeat kind of a mood. Deepika is literally spicing up the lockdown by creating yummy delicacies in the kitchen with Ranveer documenting each and every moment of Deepika’s culinary skills on Instagram. Nutella is a particular favourite in the Ranveer-Deepika household. When they are done being cute together, Deepika and Ranveer are also trolling each other on Instagram – she posted a photo of him sleeping while his “sweet revenge” came in the form of Deepika sneakily having Nutella. They are also working out together to burn those lockdown calories.

Always Something ROFL On Virushka’s Instagram:

Virat Kohli trusted Anushka with his haircut and she kept her promise. “This is what quarantine does to you. We allow things like this to happen,” Virat said in a video. Anushka is beating Virat at Monopoly like a boss. The couple also spend their lazy days playing with Anushka’s pet and clicking goofie selfies. Take a look.

It’s from our primary care givers – family that we learn how to tread the journey of life, how to walk, how to eat, how to socialize & then face the world. This forms our initial conditioning that has a lasting impact on us. In the world we inhabit today, there is a lot of uncertainty and I’m sure a lot of you have found that solace & sense of familiarity with your families. Stay at home to take care of everyone precious in your lives. And also make the most of these moments … smile, laugh, share, show affection, clear mis-understandings, develop stronger/healthier bonds, discuss life and dreams and pray for a better tomorrow. We all have been moved deeply, we all have been affected deeply and hopefully we will carry forward these lessons in the days to come. And hopefully, we have all conditioned ourselves to relook at the world we inhabited before all of this happened… P.S. : It was a super close game of Monopoly and the competitive side of everyone was out there. Any guesses who won??

A post shared by AnushkaSharma1588 (@anushkasharma) on Apr 6, 2020 at 10:30pm PDT

Every dark cloud had a silver lining. And this time, while it may seem like the worst time and in so many ways it actually is, has also forcefully made us all stop and deal with things we might have been running away from because either we were ‘busy’ or it was convenient to say we were ‘busy’. If this time is respected for what it is, it will enable more light to shine through. This time has also made us all realise what’s truly important. For me just having food, water and a roof over my head and the good health of my family seems MOST important. Everything else is a bonus that I bow my head in gratitude for. But, that which we call ‘basic’ is not so basic for everyone after looking at all the people who struggle for just those few things. My prayers with them and their families. May everyone be safe and secure. This time has surely made me more reflective. This need to stay at home with your loved ones has been forced upon the entire world but there is a deep lesson for us all. There is a lesson to strive for work and life balance ( I’ve valued and strived for this dearly for many years now ), there is a lesson to devote more time in things that actually matter. Today, when I’m surrounded by all the blessings in my life, I just want to tell everyone how much compassion I feel for everyone who I see suffer. I want to help as many possible in the best of my abilities. I feel pride in our resilience to be better human beings. I can instinctively feel this in and around me. We will all have our individual and subjective lessons from this time and hopefully, such lessons will continuously stay with us all.

A post shared by AnushkaSharma1588 (@anushkasharma) on Mar 31, 2020 at 10:29pm PDT

Twinkle’s Funny Tid Bits About Akshay:

Meanwhile, Twinkle Khanna and Akshay Kumar’s couple diaries included a trip to the hospital because Twinkle hurt her foot. Ahead of that, Twinkle was trying to work on her new book but Akshay is just not helping. All Twinkle wanted him to do was to keep Nitara occupied for a bit and all he did was “chatter away” with the little one.

Sonam And Anand’s Everyday’s Phenomenal:

While most celeb couple are in Maximum City, Sonam and Anand are in their Delhi residence. The lockdown was imposed when they were in self-quarantine after returning from London. Now, Sonam and Anand are spending their days talking about their love for sneakers, adorably failing at TikTok videos and posting love-up moments on Instagram. The cute couple are also debating on social media whether or not Anand should opt for a buzz cut (Sonam says no but shhh….).

Shibani Dandekar And Her Foo:

Shibani Dandekar and Farhan Akhtar’s couple activities include cuddling their pets and baking cookies. “I am a baker,” Shibani declared on Instagram recently after a few failed attempts. Since the lockdown started, Shibani and his “foo” often shared glimpses from their couple diaries on Instagram and for one such post, Shibani explained that’s because they didn’t get the social distancing memo. Aww, how cute is that?

Keeping Up With Malaika And Arjun’s Social Media PDA:

New couple on the block Malaika Arora and Arjun Kapoor may be living in separate houses during the lockdown but are setting major PDA goals on Instagram. Arjun and Malaika were spotted together on Janta Curfew, clapping from their balconies, after which they have only been spotted exchanging cute comments on Instagram. “You know I smile in my sleep nah,” Malaika told Arjun when he tried to point out that she’s smiling in her sleep. For another post of Malaika captioned “What to do next”, Arjun wrote: “Thinking where to sleep next.” LOL.

Arjun Rampal And Gabriella Share The Workload:

Arjun Rampal and Gabriella Demetriades, parents to a baby boy named Eric, have divided their work duties. “Who knew how good he was at vacuuming?” Gabriella wrote for a post. They also turned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 9 pm-9 minute challenge into a candlelight date night. Apart from being excellent at vacuuming, Arjun is also Gabriella’s personal photographer during the lockdown.

Meanwhile, Hrithik And Ex-Wife Sussanne Are Lockdown Buddies:

Hrithik and Sussanne may not be couple goals but they sure are setting parenting goals higher every day. Hrithik and Sussanne, who divorced in November 2014, continue to remain friends and their status changed to partners in lockdown only recently. Sussanne not only has shifted to Hrithik’s house during the lockdown period but has also set up office her temporary address. In a recent post, Hhrithik revealed that his interior designer ex-wife has taken up the job of eradicating “design irregularities” in the house. Earlier, Hrithik had shared a thank you note for Sussanne, writing: “Thank you Sussanne for being so supportive and understanding in our journey of co-parenting. Our children will tell the story we create for them.”

My temporary ‘home work space’ was interestingly put together to bring a little element of play while I work. The funny thing is, my time on this ‘put together’ desk (made of flat cushion seats from an existing sofa seating composition that we had in this space, and then we put a low lying coffee table on top and…there it was, my perfect desk!) with a view of the glorious Arabian Sea and an isolated Juhu beach, this is a visual which honestly I shouldn’t get used to! As I sit and ponder over the ghastly effects of what this dreadful virus has had on each one of us, and what it may continue to have on the entire planet in general, I must say I can’t help but feel along with the uncertainty, an inner peace. There will be a diverse amount of good, that its post effects will bring on all of us. The kind that will remind us to grow a little each day, to produce better solutions for our projects, to be more giving for the less fortunate and most importantly, to be better contributors in our daily lives towards this beautiful planet. Stay home, stay safe and design your thoughts. #architecturaldigest #letsmakethiswork #lovewhatyoudo #ADindia #mybestfriendsgorgeoushome #thelabellife #workfromhomewear #designyourthoughts #prayingfortheplanet #stayhomestaysafe #thankfulforhavingahome #oneplanettoprotect credit @hrithikroshan

A post shared by Sussanne Khan (@suzkr) on Mar 27, 2020 at 3:49am PDT

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[un-nmd]

Recent listening—

I was at two concerts recently, both with Sir Andrew Davis conducting the MSO at Hamer Hall. The following were performed in the afternoon of 11/3/17:

Paul Stanhope, The Heavens Declare (1999) A 20th century composition both literally and stylistically, and for other labels try perhaps: post-minimalist, neo-tonal, Stravinskian. Hear shades of Britten too in the harmonic quality—which is unmistakably betrays its modernity just as most contemporary works do (most often you can pick it straight away though the difference is ineffable—and is this change loss? Did music break, music as Brahms, Strauss, Mahler knew it, somewhere between 1910 and 1960?) But the work, yes, what is it like? There are periods of clarity and periods of broadness. In the former there is very little cantabile phrasing; e.g. the choir uttering each syllable isolate, staccato, unpredictably syncopated, recalling Oedipus Rex. And this usually above what seemed to be rapid meter changes plus more rhythmic complexity in the orchestra—could have been describing The Rite here but know that Stanhope’s ode to the cosmos never was jagged or particularly percussive. Neither did it indulge very much in dissonance of any kind (dodecaphonic, Bartókian, Wagnerian). And early cross-rhythm I was so eager to relate to Igor ended up in textures such as you would find in, instead, Adams. (However the shimmering harmonies towards the close did gave shades of The Firebird finale.) Formwise it didn’t give much away after my one and only hearing though it does set a sectioned text, in Latin (”a medium not dead but turned to stone”). And now overall lots to be heard in this; a composition of assured skill that does not resort to German angst or intellectual esotericism in order to prove its worth.

Gustav Mahler, Symphony No. 7 (1905) Tenor horn cracked its opening note in an opening phrase that was unexpectedly legato as Sir Andrew Davis begun the Langsam slightly quicker than what is typical—but the former was soon forgotten and the latter was soon reconciled as the mastery of all involved (including of course Mahler) took hold and never let up. Most astonishing were the note-perfect solos of the principal horn—such accuracy in such exposed lines is almost superhuman. The section tuttis were equally fine (bells up on numerous occasions). The horn writing itself is one of the primary reasons Mahler 7 (or really any Mahler) remains a concert favourite, with the triumphant finale being another. As always with Mahler it is triumph well-earned, owing to the length of the work, and yet while knowing that they contribute to this effect I still don’t know what to make of the middle movements. Are they genuinely frivolous or ironically so? The latter option is the obvious and accepted answer for the Ländler of the 9th but for the 7th’s central trio the question remains open.

And these last three were performed on the evening of 17/3/17:

Richard Strauss, Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche (1895) Definitive early Strauss this; exuberant, virtuosic, thrilling and likewise a fitting rendition last night, a perfect opener with a perfect opening from principal horn, and on that, well played by the whole section (many a difficult figure sounding with impressive precision which actually clarifies how challenging the parts really are). In general Strauss comes alive (or let me qualify with: even more so) in concert due to the intricacy of the writing; plenty to miss in a one-dimensional playback—however in the concert hall there’s a visual element that helps with the complexity, e.g. you can tell for sure whether a certain line was played by cor anglais or oboe just by looking, or horn vs. trombone, or contrabassoon vs. bass, or when strings contrapuntally divide you can literally see the movements of each of the parts, or when a percussionist picks up cymbals and the entire brass section lifts mouthpiece to embouchure you prepare your ears for something massive, and so on.

Sergei Rachmaninoff, Piano Concerto No. 1 in F-sharp minor (1891) With soloist Daniil Trifonov. There’s a logical difference between the actual performances of piano concertos and the recordings thereof which I didn’t expect or prepare for: heard live in a large concert venue the piano sounds so much smaller than the orchestra, resulting in either the piano figurations being muffled out or the orchestra having to be overly accommodating with tuttis. Nevertheless, Trifonov remained utterly convincing throughout, carrying himself with a serious theatricality, painting resonant melodies, gliding over technically difficult passages with (yes I know its cliched) utter ease—and he was willing to play silence, to prolongate, not with a charlatan’s exploitation of an audience’s sensibilities but with a mature patience and knowing, never excessive. He played one encore. I suspect the piece, a brief, Romantic fantasy, was of his own composition.

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Symphony No. 6 in B minor (1893) After resuming the podium Sir Andrew Davis picked up not baton but microphone, turning not to the orchestra but to the audience: as difficult as it might be, he said, to keep from applauding after the tremendous, tumultuous third movement, I must request that you refrain from doing so that we might properly enter into the final movement’s cry of anguish. And when the moment came audience complied. We were left in equal silence at the finale’s close—it was beyond all doubt the end (of the evening, of Tchaikovsky, or whatever you saw it to be) and yet, spellbound, we hung in a rare, eloquent delay before rightful applause filled the hall once again, for Sir Andrew Davis and for the MSO but most of all for the fragile, misanthropic, emotional, hypochondriac, depressed, homosexual Russian whose cry of anguish still reverberated 125 years after his death.

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[bromadblog-blog]

Jurassic Karp Summary

Here I will be summarizing the process and difficulties I encountered in making my 2 track EP titled “Jurassic Karp” and we are all going to pretend anyone that isn’t the lecturer is actually going to read this. So buckle up kiddies, because here we go!

This trimester I chose to do a 2 track EP incorporating Dubstep and Electric Guitars on Ableton. Creating a Rock/Metal/Alternative Dubstep hybrid which I personally feel brings a more human element to electronic music as a whole.

Throughout the entire process of this EP (planning, recording, producing and mixing), I truly came to appreciate how big a task it was, but I learned a lot of things I did not know previously. For example how to hybridize the mixing styles of electronic music (a genre I have vast experience in mixing) and rock/metal (a genre I have NO experience in mixing).

Whilst I have recorded guitar using a DI combined with Guitar Rig, I have never recorded electric guitar using a pedal board, mic and amp before, which definitely was a challenge but with a rewarding sense of accomplishment once the task was completed.

Some problems I encountered in making the track was getting the right tone of the guitar that I wanted. As both songs are fairly diverse, this required me to play around with a lot of playing around with the different effects and presets on the pedal board until I finally found the tone that I wanted. In the end I ended up recording the same riff 8 different times and combining (and creatively EQing) some of the different guitar tones I had, in order to get the EXACT tone that I was looking for and in all honesty, playing around with different sounds and effects is probably one of if not my absolute most favorite things about music production. 

Of course I quantized the timing as well. Whilst one could argue this defeats the purpose of using instruments to make the song more “human”, it is a necessary evil due to the face the drums were made and arranged electronically as opposed to a human drummer. This obviously required the timing to be more or less perfect in order to maintain a professional sound.

Time management was something I definitely struggled with with this task. I made the mistake of thinking we had a week longer than we actually did and I realized this when we only had two (what I thought was THREE) weeks left of the trimester. This obviously (in my head) pushed my deadline forward by a whole week, which definitely doubled my workload. Of course after that we were told we had till Friday to finish our final products and then that was pushed forward a day by our lecturer as he gave us the wrong due date by accident, which made the deadline Thursday morning. Obviously I couldn’t show a half finished product at a presentation, so I decided to knuckle down and spend all day and all night (more literally than I would like to admit) finishing and producing both mixes. In fact on the night before our presentations were due, I didn’t go to bed at all. I mixed all through the night (which yes yes, I KNOW is a BIG no no, but hey! I was on a tight schedule!). I was successful in meeting my deadline however and I am very pleased with the quality of the products I handed in.

Another challenge was the vocals. Whilst they sound fantastic now, this of course was not an easy process. It involved, recording, tuning, EQing, Compressing, Melodyne (on MY vocals anyway), bleeding, crying and wondering why my dad still hasn’t come home from buying cigarettes 16 years ago. All jokes with a concerning level of realism hiding under them aside, tuning the vocals and placing them correctly in the mix proved to be my biggest challenge (besides pulling an all nighter) in my honest opinion. However remembering all the lessons in EQing that my sexy, handsome, rugged, manly and better human being than I could ever hope to be lecturer Stevie taught me (please give me an HD), I was able to overcome these obstacles by applying what he had taught us.

But yes, time management was definitely something I fully intend to improve on next trimester as I cannot put myself through such a lack of sleep as not only is it emotionally exhausting but as a result there-of, it can come dangerously close to impacting the QUALITY of the work I hand in as well. Of course juggling 2 completed mixed songs and a CIU course which you could liken to a Piano Teacher that weirdly has this obsession with seeing you try to better yourself and become a better person when... you’re just there to learn piano, proved to be pressing you for time too. 

The production of the songs, making the synths, arranging the composition and the over all making of the song (and I think I can speak for all [electronic] producers when I say this) was easily my favourite part of this entire project. But whilst i do for the most part view it as a chore, mixing has a weirdly cathartic feeling tranquility to it. I find that mixing drums is the easiest part of mixing for me as the premise is simple. Boost the resonant frequencies, excite/compress the transients and don’t let it clip. It’s simple.. Although I think we can all agree that trying to eliminate unwanted frequencies from a “moody” hi-hat can be an absolute wank puffin at the best of times. 

So yes, this trimester certainly was a challenge (although the Ableton tasks proved to be very easy as I already had prior knowledge of how to use it). Although, despite the fact I did enjoy the tasks as I thought they were extremely fun, it was challenging trying to channel my creativity into a brief with a time frame which admittedly I did thoroughly enjoy, but proved challenging none the less.

In summary, whilst this was unarguably the most productive trimester yet (providing me with two new tracks ready for mastering and release), it unarguably was the most challenging. 

https://soundcloud.com/bromadmusic/sets/jurassic-karp-ep/s-ZTVuT

http://www59.zippyshare.com/v/eYpCorkw/file.html

[theseventhhex]

Benjamin Wallfisch Interview

Benjamin Wallfisch

‘A Cure for Wellness’ is the new psychological thriller from visionary director Gore Verbinski. The music to the film was written by acclaimed composer Benjamin Wallfisch. Wallfisch, fresh off a Golden Globe nomination along with Hans Zimmer and Pharell Williams for ‘Hidden Figures’, is an Emmy nominated composer who has worked on more than 60 feature films over the last decade, composing music for such legendary filmmakers as Steven Spielberg, Rupert Wyatt, Gore Verbinksi and Lars von Trier. His projects have been recognized with multiple awards and nominations at the Academy Awards, Golden Globes, BAFTAS, Ivor Novello and World Soundtrack Awards. Throughout the soundtrack for ‘A Cure For Wellness’, Wallfisch’s compositions evolve immaculately as the story takes shape. Benjamin conceives a narrative opera that informs the film with an exceptional and inspiring outcome… We talk to Benjamin Wallfisch about being an observer, having Hans Zimmer as a mentor and the Golden Globes…

TSH: Talk us through the primary framework for your approach whilst working on the excellent soundtrack for ‘A Cure for Wellness’…

Benjamin: This movie forces the audience to confront difficult existential questions about the nature of our reality in the modern world. It pushes so many boundaries, both in terms of the brilliance and boldness of the filmmaking, the inner-workings of the story, and also the psychological thriller genre itself. It’s almost as if the film diagnoses the audience, and then offers a cure. But a cure with a terrible secret. I hadn’t come across any other film like it when I started the scoring process and as such it was a liberating, dangerous and exciting experience. In the end the primary framework was finding two character themes, strong enough to sustain the entire score and malleable enough so they could effortlessly evolve and metamorphose with the unpredictability and mind-bending nature of the narrative.

TSH: Was it particularly challenging to deliver the human truth of what these characters are experiencing in the movie?

Benjamin: Yes, but as ever it was about deciding from which character’s point of view the music was being told. For example, when Lockhart finds himself in an almost unimaginable predicament towards the end of the film; does the score support his own emotional experience at that moment, or that of the doctor responsible for his situation, or neither? Those kinds of decisions were sometimes made to completely disorientate the audience.

TSH: You’ve previously mentioned ‘being improvisatory and raw’ is really important. To make the music match the thriller, did you look to incorporate much of an improvisational outlook?

Benjamin: Whenever I write a film score, story is king. And to be true to that, it’s important in the first stages of the music’s development to almost be an observer of my own emotional response to the story and characters, and what that might sound like in music. So, my initial approach is often to put myself in the shoes of one or more of the characters, or focus on a particular story or mythology point, feed in the director’s overall vision for the tone and feel for the movie, and then just play; see where my musical instincts are through improvisation at the piano. Sometimes the central idea comes straight away, other times you have to ‘creep up on it’ as my mentor Hans Zimmer often says. For ‘A Cure for Wellness’, the process was the same, the only difference was I was working out of Gore Verbinski’s cutting rooms during the entire composition process from start to end, so I was in the fortunate position of being able to get immediate feedback on my ideas from Gore, and be guided by him at every turn. It was an incredibly inspiring experience.

TSH: Let’s talk about some of the top music on this body of work. Firstly, ‘Bicycle’ – the track resonates so infectiously. What were your intentions as you fleshed this piece out?

Benjamin: This is literally the singular moment in the entire movie where there is a sense of hope and freedom for our two main characters. Putting that into context: Lockhart is plagued with a childhood trauma he feels responsible for, and has channelled those energies into driving himself ruthlessly up the corporate ladder. Now he is unexpectedly in a strange environment with a broken leg, trying to fulfil what should be a simple task, were it not for the mysterious unfolding of the reality of his new environment. Hannah, is a girl in a woman’s body - a mysterious, fragile muse, with a kind of deceptive innocence. She has also gone through childhood trauma she can’t recall, and has been in the confines of the castle for as long as she can remember. So here there is a beautiful moment in the film where, just for the sheer adventure of it, they take a bike ride together away from the castle - Hannah pedalling, Lockhart precariously balancing himself on the back. The way it is shot and the energy of the cut gives the audience a moment of uplifting reflection and the score needed to support that emotion. I used rising melodies played by a full string orchestra to project a sense of hope, and driving harp and cascading piano figures to drive the physical energy of the scene. Gore often spoke to me about the concept of a ‘bicycle with the chain off’, not just literally as in this scene, but also in the sense of unrelenting inevitability the characters feel as they hurtle through the unimaginable truths of this place - the lack of control. So, this bicycle cue also had to reflect the hidden subtext of this bicycle ride, and that happens in the second half of the track, where the harmonies get darker and the orchestration moves into the lower strings.

TSH: ‘Clearly He's Lost His Mind’ is harrowing and daunting. What sort of ideas did you have in mind to capture such energy?

Benjamin: This cue is heard over a sequence of scenes where Lockhart is first briefed on his mission at the beginning of the movie. The setting is an elevator and then a stark boardroom, the photography and performances always gives the feeling of silent confrontation, perhaps the atmosphere every day in a high powered financial corporation. You hear the voiceover of a letter being read by Pembroke, the company’s CEO Lockhart has been tasked to bring back to New York, diagnosing his new view of the human condition. At the end of the letter Lockhart is asked what he makes of the letter: “clearly he’s lost his mind” is his response. Gore and I spent a lot of time together honing this particular cue, getting the exact degree of erosion of reality that is communicated in Pembroke’s letter, together with the stark tone of the scene’s setting. We chose strange mono synths that slide between notes, dark strings and cold harmonics as the sound world, and there are very subtle hints of Volmer’s theme in the string harmonics, which echoes the setting in which the letter was written.

TSH: What was the experience like in collaborating with Mirel Wagner on the album closer ‘I Wanna Be Sedated’?

Benjamin: Mirel is a wonderful artist, with such an evocative sound - she has a kind of strength and vulnerability intertwined in her vocals. Gore approached her to sing an acappella rendition of the classic Ramones song for the movie’s first trailer, but with a totally different energy from the original. Almost like an anthem for the patients at Volmer’s wellness centre, maybe even an anthem for modern society, the way 24 hour news, the advent of disorientating ‘fake news’, social media ‘curated reality’, relentless corporate advertising etc - can create a feeling of disconnect from the world - a form of sedation almost. Her first take was the one we used in the trailer - it was perfect, so we were done pretty fast with the recordings. So almost for fun she also did a version of the full song with guitar, and it was beautiful. We decided to turn it into a full track for the album.

TSH: Do you still feel that your job is to try to find ideas that surprise the director, in the right direction?

Benjamin: There’s always that first moment with any director where you play them your ideas for the very first time, and the ideal outcome is they feel you have engaged with their vision, the tone and emotional intent of the movie, and set up real potential for story development through the score, whilst also leaving some unanswered questions. If you can pleasantly surprise them whilst doing all those things, with an approach they might not have expected, it brings another layer to the storytelling, which is normally a good thing to shoot for. The bottom line is, whenever you start a new movie score - it’s always a blank sheet of paper. Each movie demands something completely musically bespoke and unique to exactly what the director intends, so that process of discovery of musical colour, theme, approach, energy is always something I try to approach as collaboratively as possible.

TSH: Your OST for ‘Summer in February’ received many kind words and was highly rated. What resonates with you most about this collection of work?

Benjamin: Alongside Beethoven, Stravinsky, Mahler, Bartok and many others, one of my absolute favourite composers is Vaughan Williams. This movie, set in Edwardian England, in one of the most beautiful parts of the country, was just crying out for a score that celebrates that lush and deeply emotive language which Vaughan Williams pioneered. Alongside Britten and Elgar, he really is the great hero of British music and in many ways I wanted to pay homage to him with this score. The narrative, which ultimately ends in real tragedy despite a pervading feeling of hope through much of the film, needed strong character melodies, and also a theme for the place - Lamorna, Cornwall. It’s a drama with a heightened sense of emotion throughout, a feeling of desperately wanting a resolution but never quite getting one. All of this motivated the score.

TSH: How inspiring is it to have someone like Hans Zimmer as a mentor?

Benjamin: Hans is without doubt the most generous artist I know, both personally and in terms of his ideas and concepts. Working with Hans is like walking into an high octane tornado of ideas and sheer force of creativity. I am constantly learning from him. With Hans, the project almost always starts with discovering the ‘big idea’ - what is it this movie has that no other film does, and how can that be manifested in music? How can that be done whilst living dangerously? How much risk can we take to maximize the creative reward? He has an uncanny ability to come up with an over-arching concept and musical ideas that will somehow be in such perfect sync with the movie's story, characters, subtext, rhythm, that it’s almost like that music has always existed for that particular movie. With Hans there is always the sense of a great musical adventure, driven by story, that elevates the film to a whole new level. Collaborating with Hans and being guided by him is a masterclass and I’m very grateful to count him as my mentor and good friend.

TSH: Furthermore, what were some of the highlights in working with Hans and Pharrell on the excellent ‘Hidden Figures’ film?

Benjamin: It was such a huge honour to be a part of this incredible movie: the opportunity to collaborate with incredible artists, creating a score that supports such an important story is truly something I will always treasure. To collaborate with Pharrell means truly examining a creative idea, no matter how challenging it may be. He looks beneath the surface of a creative dilemma, whether it’s a chord progression that doesn’t quite add up, or a story point that hasn't yet found the perfect musical analogue, and he goes inside, takes a walk. As a result, he makes the most difficult creative decisions feel easy, because they are truly considered. The end result is the music feels effortless, weightless, free, positive and joyful. He is a true artist - his love for his art shines through his incredible generosity of spirit. He has a way of making every interaction, whether it’s personal or creative, inclusive, benevolent and inspiring.

TSH: What do you miss most about London?

Benjamin: Mainly my family and friends there. Certain venues, museums, art galleries and orchestras, but honestly I really do love living in LA. Apart from all the obvious benefits professionally (and the incredible sunshine), there is a certain feeling of optimism and openness which I feel has been lost from London in recent years, especially since the financial crisis (which the UK is still very much recovering from) and of course more recently Brexit. With the new art galleries and museums being opened around LA, I think it’s an incredibly exciting time to be a resident here. I love visiting London which I do so regularly for recordings, but I’m not sure I can truly call it ‘home’ anymore.

TSH: How much did you frustrate your piano teachers as you’d never practice the music they set you to learn?

Benjamin: A lot! But they were very patient, and I’m grateful for that. For me, I’ve always been more at home improvising and inventing on the piano than learning someone else’s music. As a kid I’d sit down for 5-10 minutes learning what I should be learning, but then discovering a chord sequence in the piece which was really intriguing, and then spending about 3-4 hours improvising around it, figuring out what was going on, trying to understand it and internalize it. I come from a family of classical musicians and my Grandfather Peter Wallfisch was a great concert pianist. I think as a kid it’s most natural to follow in the footsteps of those you are closest to and for a while I found myself deeply immersed in the world of classical music - not just as a pianist, but as a conductor. I’ve been completely obsessed with film music from the age of 6 (it helps growing up in the 80s during the incredible heyday of the Williams/Spielberg collaboration), and began writing my own little piece of music at a young age. I was a teenager when my piano teacher at the time Ronan O’Hora pulled me aside and basically said - ‘what are you doing trying to be a pianist? You’re a composer!’ From that moment onwards everything changed.

TSH: How is time spent for you when you’re not immersed within music?

Benjamin: I’m lucky enough to have a wonderful and incredibly patient wife and any moment I can spend away from the studio, it’s with her. We love cooking together, going for long walks on the beach, and we also both share a passion for photography.

TSH: What were some of the highlights as you attended the Golden Globes ceremony earlier this year?

Benjamin: It was such an honor to be nominated alongside Hans and Pharrell for our ‘Hidden Figures’ score, and I just felt very fortunate to be in the room with such an incredible group of actors, film makers and artists. I think a particular highlight was meeting one of my director heroes, JJ Abrams on the red carpet, and having the opportunity to speak with him briefly. Also seeing Meryl Streep’s powerful and moving acceptance speech. I’ve never experienced such potent energy in a room as she was speaking. Again, a real honor to be there.

TSH: Finally, heading forward, what sort of opportunities do you want to explore?

Benjamin: I try to keep my main ambitions simple, which are to write better and better music, become the best storyteller I can be, and to collaborate with film makers where there is a real creative synergy. I love being challenged by new genres and approaches and one of the most exciting things about being a film composer is you never know what’s next. So it’s all about making sure your craft is evolving, developing and improving, so you are ready for whatever might come your way.

Benjamin Wallfisch Ft. Mirel Wagner - “I Wanna Be Sedated”

A Cure For Wellness (Original Soundtrack Album)