All Entries Tagged With: "Vincent Urbani"

EFTERKLANG/

Efterklang in Danish means “remembrance” or “reverberation” and this word perfectly defines this core three-piece band’s music. The unique mix of indie folk, electronica and synthpop that Rasmus, Casper and Mads perform (with the addition of live band players when they are on tour), makes for a mind blowing experience. Schön! Talks with Rasmus and Casper about inspiration, touring and the future.

Let’s start talking about your new album Piramida. Why did you choose to visit this ghost town and to turn it into the title of your new work? (Piramida is a Russian settlement and coal mining community on the archipelago of Svalbard, in Norway, that was closed in 1998 and has since remained largely abandoned with most of its infrastructure and buildings still in place)

We thought for a long time about the title of the new album, we were not sure we wanted to talk about our trip, ‘cause we didn’t want to make a concept album -we preferred to keep it open. Our idea was to go there just to be inspired and to get started, but then when the project came to an end we looked back to the songs and it made a lot of sense to tell this story and to name the album Piramida

What was your experience like on the trip?

The trip was really intense. They were only 9 days, but full of inspiration. A lot of material came out of that experience. It’s a place that provokes you to think about certain things, like the concept of time, or your own specific identity in your little world. You realize how small you are in the bigger picture. At first you get very scared, but then you become calm and you get used to the idea and it’s a really interesting process.

What inspires you most?

The most inspiring thing is music. We actually picture what we could sound like and it’s an inspiring thought process because you can put so many things in there. Music really edits itself, it’s incredible. We are very lucky ‘cause we are not typecast as a specific kind of band, so we feel so free to experiment. We even like to put ourselves in different spaces and places and think: What kind of music can we make in this hall? Or in this house? Cause we think that music really belongs to a place, so it’s really important for us to find the right place because in this way we get the inspiration we need.

What are the main differences between your previous albums and Piramida?

I think the previous ones were a combination of different layers and in Piramida we gave more space to the individual instruments and used fewer layers. Piramida is a little more focused, condensed and direct. Live performances taught us to give people the opportunity to create their own space into our songs. When we were younger, we just wanted to feel fine and make the craziest record, the most ambitious thing, and that’s what we actually did in our first 3 albums. They are very unique, but I think they are like a perfect sculpture. It’s beautiful to see, but hard to put on as a coat, you know what I mean? So we tried to make something that people could use, it’s a social thing. When you feel the need of making music of course you don’t think of anyone else, but what we are doing now is trying not to overdo it, or make it too nice, ‘cause when you do that you get a little too far from the listeners. We want to create a “space” where people can enter with their own thoughts.

What future projects are you working on?

At the moment many nice people are inviting us to do big and small projects, from an opera, to a tiny music college. We are in contact with a lot of artists from museums, and the theatre and the film world. Music is one thing, but it’s made by sounds and if you take those sounds you can use them in different spaces. We want to make some tests and experiments now. So we will focus on different collaborations, and then we will get back to the studio and make a new album.

For more info please visit: www.efterklang.net

Words / Vincent Urbani
Follow him on Twitter @vincent_urbani

WE ARE STANDARD/

I meet WE ARE STANDARD while the Spanish band are performing the sound check for their concert in Madrid, consisting of four talented musicians, the band begin to rehearse material from their newest album ‘day’. Although the club is empty, the psychedelic vibe of their music is contagious, so I take my camera and recorder and I let go…

Why did you choose the word DAY as a title for the new album?

Well, all the other albums were too much oriented towards night and club culture. We wanted to make a ‘wider’ album with songs that you could listen to during the daytime too. Something good for both your Saturday nights, and Tuesday afternoons [laughs].

How would you define WE ARE STANDARD’S music?

Psychedelic pop for sure, we are more house now than the electro we used to be. Our music is a mix of sixties pop, rock and psychedelia.

Which bands influence your music?

The 13th Floor Elevators, The Stones, The Pretty Things, The Electric Prunes, The Clash, Dead in Vegas and the Manchester scene of Primal Scream and Happy Mondays. The Velvet Underground are a great influence too, I have to confess that we started playing thanks to them.

Is there an artist you would like to duet with?

Mmm, maybe Brian Wilson.

What about your tour?

We are touring in Spain now and maybe after that we will start a European tour too, but I can’t confirm any city yet.

Do you prefer performing in small clubs or in big festivals?

I personally prefer small clubs performances to feel the energy of the crowd very close to me, but the rest of the band prefer festivals [laughs].

Would you like to work on a soundtrack? And if so, who would be the perfect director of the movie?

Oh, it would be nice, even [though] I’ve never thought about that. It would be very cool to work with Wes Anderson, cause his movies are just great.

If you could choose any famous director to work on your next music video, who would it be?

Working with David Lynch or with Quentin Tarantino would be such an honour.

What song will you choose for your next single?

We don’t know yet, maybe ‘Something Bigger’, the track that opens our new album.

To find out more about WE ARE STANDARD visit: www.wearestandard.net

Words / Vincent Urbani
Follow him on Twitter @vincent_urbani

Schön! 20 – The #FUTURE is Now/

Welcome to the 20th issue of Schön! which celebrates the individuals and brands shaping our future. We talk to established labels such as Wunderkind and Longchamp – who show us what they have in store for the new season – billion dollar businesswoman Paris Hilton, and the hottest new design talent, from Iris Van Herpen to David Koma. From grass flip flops at Kusa to hand finished techniques at Ted Baker, innovation in fashion is all around us. Find it on our pages, modelled by the faces of the future: Tian Yi, Chrystal Copland, Baptiste Giabiconi and Francisco Lachowski.

Beyond fashion, we discover developments in fields as diverse as architecture and animation, music, technology and the media. We ask trend forecasters and psychics alike to look into their crystal balls. In The Innovators, we meet the individuals who are changing the way we will think and live. This is not the stuff of science fiction. This is the real future and the future is now. Turn the page for the shape of things to come…

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Meet Jef Barbara/

The ‘new Sun King of Electronic Pop’ Jef Barbara is an enigma. Classing himself as more of an actor than a musician, but one which slips so effortlessly into the category of poet also, this glitter-drenched Canadian offers a whirlwind of dreamy yet up tempo beats and androgynous glamour if you surrender to his whimsy.

Dancing the line between synth-heavy melancholy and pulsing club anthems, whatever the mood of Barbara’s creations the presence of eloquent lyrics is absolute. Uttering in both French and English, depending on his mood, he is commanding yet articulate, the sporadic use of word juxtaposed with abundant electronics wholly reminiscent of sounds from the Eighties.

An overtly sensual individual, sex is at the forefront of all aspects of Barbara’s performance. With those sultry mascara-framed eyes and an aura which fully alludes to fellow gender-bender Grace Jones, even his name intimates dual sexuality. It’s inevitable to compare him to the likes of George Michael, Gary Numan, Marc Almond and David Bowie, but even the names Madonna and James Brown have been banded around.

Popular with the cool kids in France, with a cult following at home, Canada’s Prince of Electro-pop possesses a seedy allure which lends itself perfectly to the covert yet wholly creative environment of the underground club scene – a setting Vincent Urbani emanates here in his portraits.

Embodying this peculiar stream of fantastical pop are Barbara’s strangely compelling videos. A bounty of lo-fi delights; his visual creations are a brouhaha of Warhol-esque colour, cutesy shimmying and photo-montage. But this collage aesthetic does not stop there, the manifestation of pastiche; Jef Barbara is perhaps the most ostentatious bag of sweets one hopes to find.

Jef Barbara has been photographed by Vincent Urbani

Words / Roxanne Golding
Follow @RoxanneGolding

Schön! 20 – The #FUTURE is Now/

Schön!20 – The #FUTURE is now

Welcome to the 20th issue of Schön! which celebrates the individuals and brands shaping our future. We talk to established labels such as Wunderkind and Longchamp – who show us what they have in store for the new season – billion dollar businesswoman Paris Hilton, and the hottest new design talent, from Iris Van Herpen to David Koma. From grass flip flops at Kusa to hand finished techniques at Ted Baker, innovation in fashion is all around us. Find it on our pages, modelled by the faces of the future: Tian Yi, Chrystal Copland, Baptiste Giabiconi and Francisco Lachowski. Beyond fashion, we discover developments in fields as diverse as architecture and animation, music, technology and the media. We ask trend forecasters and psychics alike to look into their crystal balls. In The Innovators, we meet the individuals who are changing the way we will think and live. This is not the stuff of science fiction. This is the real future and the future is now. Turn the page for the shape of things to come…

THE #FUTURE IS NOW!

 

 

 

 

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I WANT CANDY/

Brooke Candy opens the door of her hotel room and it’s love at first sight. Long blonde braids, pale skin, dark lipstick and an amazing orange and pink outfit. The controversial Californian stripper and rapper is best known for her role in the video for Grimes’ hit single ‘Genesis’ and has also supported Azealia Banks. However, having recently releaesd her third music video, she is being noticed in her own right. These are the photos (and words) of one crazy hour with Candy before her show in Madrid. Get ready because, like she would say, “Everything is so f**king next level in CandyLand”.

How did you get started in the music industry?

I have always loved rap music. I started rapping as a teenager, not seriously in the beginning, but then, with time I realised that this was what I was good at and that I could help people with my music. I still receive everyday a lot of emails from people telling me, “Thanks for inspiring me. I was bullied and went through very hard times, but now I don’t give a f**k!”

What is Brooke Candy about right now?

Well, right now I’m touring in Europe, and I love to visit my fans out of the United States. I’m travelling a lot, so I can be seen in different countries, perform there and make myself and my music known, spreading the of word of my modern version of feminism. I’m shooting my next video in March, with a very special secret director, very big deal.. but I can’t say anything yet. It’s gonna be amazing!

Who’s your biggest influence?

Lil Kim, for sure – especially in the beginning of her career – because I’m a strong feminist and she has always been that too, kind of without even acknowledging that.
I remember the big scandal of her banned cover of the New York Times where she was wearing nothing but a tiny bikini. She challenged what people thought about feminine and masculine. One of her songs was “suck my d**k”, so…you know. I love her wild style too, her mix of design and trashy.

As a performer I really love Beyonce. She’s just great. She’s modest and polite
and she’s the best on stage and I’d love to be as good as her one day…I have high hopes!

Do you have any fashion icons?

I like old school icons, but I even like Christina Aguilera’s style, in her Dirrty-LaChapelle’s look, with her sweaty body and lots of facial piercings, or Madonna in her Truth or Dare period. Again Lil Kim and Cameron too. I just love rappers’ style.

Did California influence your style and your music?

Well, Los Angeles is very progressive and it’s the entertainment capital but it’s more of a mish-mash than a fashion center. Maybe what affected my style in LA was the weather, since it’s always very hot. That’s why in my first performances I just wore thong bikinis and very sexy outfits. In northern states I couldn’t have done that obviously because of the freezing weather. Maybe if I was born and raised in New York I would have been one of those very serious fashion persons that wear only black everyday. I always think about that.

The videos for ‘Das Me’ and ‘Everybody Does’ are great in direction and very eye-catching in style. Which directors would you like to work with in the future?

I’m actually in talks with Moca, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, and Meredith Danluck, the director of Sebastian Tellier’s ‘Russian Attractions’ video. The clip is a kind of kaleidoscope made with synchronised swimmers and it’s some of the coolest sh*t I’ve ever seen. I would love to work with Peek, who has made a lot of Eminem videos, David La Chapelle and of course Quentin Tarantino too, like one of these very high budget productions, you know? It would be f**king amazing.

What will be your new song?

The title is ‘Feel Yourself’ and it will be a little different from all I’ve done before because it’s a dark pop song and I’m actually singing and not rapping on it. It will be out in March probably and hopefully it will be followed in April by a mixtape I have been preparing that is going to be available online. I don’t wanna wait any longer to release my music. I just want it to be available to everyone to enjoy it.

Photographer / Vincent Urbani
Interview / Vincent Urbani + Matti Heikonen

Rossy de Palma/

For Schön!’s 19th issue we were lucky enough to have the opportunity to shoot a legend of Spanish cinema: the bizarrely beautiful and considerably creative Rossy de Palma. Shot by photographer Vincent Urbani and styled by Ignazio Arizmendi and Mar Pulido with make up by Elede Lopez, the whirlwind that is de Palma brought LA Studio in Madrid to life in clothes and accessories by Amaya Arzuaga, Assaad Awad and Roberto Cavalli to name just a few.

Photographer / Vincent Urbani
Styling / Ignazio Arizmendi + Mar Pulido
Make Up / Elede Lopez
Talent / Rossy de Palma
Photography Collaborator / Jesus Pedraza
Photography Assistant/ Monica Canepa
Location / LA Studio, Madrid

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Schön! 19 – Isabeli Fontana #EPIC/

Schön!19 – Isabeli Fontana #EPIC

Schön! Studios is Proud to Present…
Welcome to Schön!’s 19th issue, which celebrates the magic of cinema in all its diverse forms. Isabeli Fontana smoulders as a femme fatale in our cover story, while top models Ashley Smith, Codie Young, Eugen Bauder and River Viiperi all have starring roles. Mischa Barton tells us why she loves horror movies, Carmen Electra celebrates the iconic actresses of the 1960s and we catch up with iconic Spanish screen siren Rossy de Palma. Behind the scenes, we speak to the industry’s top talent, from BAFTA winning costume designers to hotshot young directors. So, turn off your telephone, tuck into your popcorn and join us for a cinematic feast.

And….. ACTION!

Special thanks to Andre Birleanu and the team of Supreme Rocket Productions

 

 

 

 

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Accessories with Assaad Awad/

Calling all fashion seekers: those passionate about what they wear, those confident enough NOT to follow the trend, and those willing to be bold with their accessories. We invite you come along with Vincent Urbani as he delves deep into the mind of extraordinary Lebanese accessory designer Assaad Awad to find out the method to Awad’s creative genius.

Awad’s accessories are reminiscent of medieval armour yet they have a highly sophisticated touch. Each piece is uniquely different from the next and inspired by an eclectic range of concepts including sex and religion. There is no telling what this designer could possibly think up next; but whatever it is, it will surely have you gawking in amazement.

Did we mention that he has done work for none other than Lady Gaga?

To view the entire story check out issue 16 of Schön! Magazine.

Words / Vincent Urbani
Photography / Vincent Urbani
Video / Vincent Urbani
Video Editor / Andrea Abbatangelo
Styling / Ignazio Arizmendi and Mar Pulido
Model / Maria Forqué
Graphic layout / Ghassan Salameh

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