#gwenno | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

sloshed-cinema · 11 months

Text

Enys Men (2022)

Apparently there are exceptions to that old adage that no man is an island. Enys Men unfolds as a surreal enigma, often entrancingly hypnotic but occasionally overindulgent. Patterns and repetition are baked into the film’s bedrock. We begin our understanding of life on this island as an endless cycle of identical days, the unnamed Volunteer recording soil temperatures and noting no changes in the flowers she observes, starting up her generator, dropping rocks into a pit, and reading the ecological isolationist think-piece A Blueprint for Survival. The camera cuts metronomically, passively noting small details of the island and her hut. Small queries begin to emerge: why those specific flowers? Why the rock? For what purpose is her work? 1 May becomes an important date, overheard first on the radio (giving a date about a week in the future) but also featured on memorial placards. The number seven appears on her tea tin and in the number of flowers in the cluster she studies. Strange deviations float to the surface in the form of the strange craggy monolith near the Volunteer’s hut and a plank from a ship she finds on the cliffs. It’s eerie and unsettling, but to what purpose.

A break point comes when the Volunteer questions her surroundings for the first time, venturing out in the dark to ask who is singing. The world fractures into a Lynchian nightmare, the Volunteer pulled violently back into her abode, her body vibrating as if she were trapped in the Black Lodge. Nothing is the same from this point onward. Echoes of the past become rendered flesh which were initially just sounds and echoes of ships and mining equipment, whatever the past of the island held coming to the present. Miners grin in the dark. Doomed sailors appear outside when a Boatman comes to replenish the Volunteer’s supplies on a boat bearing the same name as that doomed vessel of some decades ago. The Volunteer is perhaps the vessel of all of this, at once bound to this purgatorial existence and embodying the Stone Island itself. She shares the vibrant red and white colors of the flowers, and the wound slashing across her abdomen grows the lichen which the monolith and the flowers both grow. That wound matches the one of the younger girl we observe. Perhaps this is the Volunteer as a younger woman, or perhaps it’s another woman. It doesn’t matter, really, this woman’s identity subsumed by the island she records and roves. She is its witness. Sailors lost in a tragedy and children singing folk tunes and maids in aprons—always seven—act out the events of the past as her hut becomes overgrown and repaired. Life and permanence and transience are intertwined. We constantly cut to closeups of the Volunteer’s face, intertwining our experience as an audience with her gaze. Now. Does every lichen appearance need a goofy noise sting? Do we need quite that many optical zooms? Does it venture into cornball territory at points? Oh yes. More damagingly, the balance between ambiguity and overemphasizing patterns comes under threat at a few times: you don’t need a closeup of the SEVEN on the tin; just let people get curious and start counting. But it is nice to experience a film that isn’t interested in leading you by the hand to all of the answers, simply content and confident enough to allow the viewer to make connections on their own.

THE RULES

SIP

A rock goes down the well.

Seven of anything appears onscreen at the same time.

Nudity.

More than one Volunteer in a scene.

Someone speaks on the radio.

BIG DRINK

JUMP SCARE MOMENT

That absolute banger “Kan Me” starts to figure into a scene.

#enys men #drinking games #cornish cinema #mark jenkin #mary woodvine #horror #horror & thriller #folk horror #kan me #gwenno

3 notes · View notes

newmusickarl · 2 years

Photo

Mercury Music Prize 2022: Ranking The Contenders

My favourite time of year has arrived – the season of the Mercury Music Prize. Back in July, the twelve albums nominated for the 2022 prize were revealed and, as ever, served up a highly diverse and eclectic list of some of the best British and Irish music released over the last 12 months – some familiar, some not so familiar. Each of these nominated records is now vying for the prestigious title of Album of the Year, the overriding criteria for which has greatly deviated throughout the award’s history.

Traditionally the prize winner would tend to be a lesser-known record, with the judges choosing to highlight the artist and album that may have been overlooked upon its initial release. However, as the profile of the annual prize has grown the judges in recent years have often chosen the album that has been most widely revered amongst music critics as the overall winner.

So, with the likes of Wolf Alice, Michael Kiwanuka, Dave, Sampha and last year’s winner Arlo Parks just some of the acclaimed artists that have taken home the Mercury Prize in recent years, the big question is - who is in with the best shout of being named the overall winner for 2022?

As I do each year, I’ve now listened to all 12 albums and tried to rank them based on what I think are their chances of winning. To be clear, this is not a “Worst-to-Best” countdown – this ranking is based solely on how likely I think they are to win the overall prize.

To determine this, I’ve considered

The impact and artistic achievement attained by the album

The popularity of the artist

The level of critical acclaim the album has received

How similar albums have fared in recent years

All clear? Good!

Without further ado, here’s my final thoughts and analysis on this year’s nominees.

12. Harry’s House by Harry Styles

Having not initially taken to Mr Styles’ third album when it was released earlier this year, I’ve now grown to appreciate it for all its folk and disco-infused pop chic. Opener Music For A Sushi Restaurant is an incredibly fun slice of funk, As It Was remains one of the year’s catchiest singles and tracks like Cinema and Satellite represent some of his most well-crafted solo material to date.

If it was anyone else this album could well be in contention for the overall prize but as it is global megastar Harry Styles, you must think the judges will choose to spotlight one of the other records on the shortlist instead. With Harry starring in Hollywood movies and tickets for his current tour reaching the £200+ mark (come on, sort it out Harry!), he certainly doesn’t need the £25,000 cash prize or the extra attention winning the award brings. Never say never, but this is probably one album you can safely rule out of contention.

11. Supernova by Nova Twins

The debut album from London rock duo Nova Twins was probably the album on the list that caught me the most by surprise. Although when I listened to Supernova earlier this year I enjoyed the duo’s politically charged, chaotic mix of 00s R&B and various threads of alt-rock, I never dreamed it would be an album shortlisted for the Mercury Music Prize. Listening again recently, it still feels out of place as typically the judges have always shied away from recognising any sort of heavy rock record.

Whilst it is refreshing to see a heavier/alternative album get the nod, I can’t imagine the judges going a step further and awarding the overall prize to Nova Twins. This one feels like the first small step in recognising albums from a genre that has often been overlooked by the awarding body, rather than a complete revolution against the prize’s ethos. So again, maybe another one you can mark as unlikely to win on the night.

10. For All Our Days That Tear The Heart by Jessie Buckley & Bernard Butler

A stirring collaboration between Irish actress Jessie Buckley and former Suede guitarist Bernard Butler, For All Our Days That Tear The Heart is an intricately crafted folk record that permeates beauty at nearly every turn. If you don’t believe me, see songs like Seven Red Rose Tattoos, I Cried Your Tears or the album’s title track.

However, whilst undoubtedly stunning, this is another album that seems unlikely to win simply due to its already immensely successful creators. Jessie Buckley’s flourishing acting career has already landed her BAFTA and Oscar nominations, along with multiple Olivier award wins earlier this year too. Bernard Butler is also the only artist on this year’s shortlist to have won the Mercury Prize previously, with PJ Harvey the only artist to ever win the award twice throughout its near 30-year history. With this being the case, I think this is another album that is deserving of recognition through being nominated onto the shortlist, but also doesn’t necessarily need to win the overall prize.

9. Forest Floor by Fergus McCreadie

Let me start by saying that this album was by far my favourite discovery of this year’s shortlist. If I was ranking the records simply on how much I love them, this would safely land in the top five. Drawing inspiration from the landscapes and folklore of his native Scotland, Jazz pianist Fergus McCreadie crafts intricate, sweeping instrumentals that will leave you thoroughly enchanted. Closing piece Glade is particularly gorgeous, but epic compositions like The Unfurrowed Field and The Ridge also showcase the best in what contemporary jazz has to offer.

There is no doubt that this is one of the finest records on the list, the only reason I have it down in ninth is simply because jazz records don’t usually fair too well when it comes to winning the overall prize. Even in recent years when highly acclaimed albums from acts like Sons of Kemet and The Comet Is Coming have been shortlisted, jazz albums have still struggled to get the final nod.

I think the aim is to get more people listening to jazz music that wouldn’t typically, so by simply nominating a record like Forest Floor it generates a wider audience and a bigger spotlight that it didn’t have previously. By this metric, Fergus has already won as more people are hearing his amazing album for the first time thanks to the Mercury Prize. So, although I enjoyed this album immensely, I don’t see it being the jazz record to buck the “nomination only” trend.

8. Tresor by Gwenno

Another one of my favourite discoveries this year is the supremely charming third album from Welsh musician Gwenno. Writing her lyrics mostly in Cornish, Gwenno channels the sonic spirit of previous Mercury nominee Bats For Lashes for a dark yet dreamy art-pop record, centred on her journey into motherhood. With a spellbinding blend of hazy guitars, folky strings, glistening electronics and her own ethereal vocals, it all makes for a truly glorious listen. In terms of highlights there are plenty to choose from too, with An Stevel Nowydh, N.Y.C.A.W and Keltek my personal favourites.

This is one I really wrestled with where to place in the ranking, as again its one of the better records on this year’s shortlist. Additionally, if this was on the shortlist during the late 90s/early 00s, you might say it would have a decent chance of winning as the more obscure records were typically favoured back then. That said, in recent years the judges have leaned more towards better-known records and my gut says that trend will continue this year. Also, if you look at albums of a similar ilk to Gwenno’s that have been nominated in recent years, you’ll find there sadly haven’t been many winners from that group. With this in mind, I think this is another album that you can say has already won through simply being amongst this year’s shortlist.

7. Reason To Smile by Kojey Radical

Almost at the halfway point and this is where the more serious contenders start to creep into the ranking. British rapper Kojey Radical finally delivered his highly anticipated debut album earlier this year, which serves up a captivating mix of hip-hop, neo-soul, gospel and R&B, with lyrical themes touching on family, relationships and racial divide. Helping Kojey out is a whole host of guest stars too, including the likes of Kelis, Wretch 32 and Lex Amor.

Overall Kojey’s debut is a strong outing and typically hip-hop records have favoured well in recent years, notably with the likes of Skepta and Dave picking up the overall prize in recent years. However as great as this record is, Kojey is up against another masterful hip-hop record on the shortlist and ultimately I think it would take a brave judge to give the prize to Reason To Smile over that album. More on that later…

6. The Overload by Yard Act

Leeds-based post-punk outfit Yard Act released their hugely impressive debut album The Overload earlier this year and it was no surprise to see this album nominated, having called it myself at the time of its release. Operating in the sweet spot between Britpop greats and fellow Mercury nominees like Blur and Pulp, as well as more modern contemporaries like Sleaford Mods and Shame, Yard Act have delivered a hugely charming debut that’s political, poetic and hugely imaginative. Built around two central narratives that run the course of the record, enigmatic frontman James Smith delivers his witty and shocking observations on Modern British life through a rags-to-riches-to-rags story with a strong anti-capitalist theme.

It’s an ambitious concept that they make look easy across a tightly controlled 37-minute runtime, with plenty of lyrical mastery and sonic experimentation to keep you well engaged throughout. From the raucous opening title track, the straight-talking funk of Payday, the stripped-back bass-driven single Rich, to the big knees-up anthem Pour Another, The Overload is simply littered with great moments. It is one of the most talked about debuts of the year which I think is a huge positive for it heading into awards night, however my gut says it will follow in the footsteps of Fontaines D.C., Sports Team and Black Country, New Road in just falling that little bit short of the top prize.

5. Skin by Joy Crookes

There is no denying Joy Crookes has an awe-inspiring voice. Drawing shades to the late-great Amy Winehouse, the British singer-songwriter blends together soul, jazz and grand orchestral arrangements to soundtrack her timeless-sounding songs of heartbreak and heritage, with her own breathtaking vocal performances always the star of the show. When all these elements are brought together, it paints a dazzling picture with Crookes always the one carrying the paintbrush – be it on writing, production or singing duties. There’s plenty of gems here that will keep you coming back too, like When You Were Mine, Kingdom or Feet Don’t Fail Me Now.

In terms of Mercury Prize history, Joy Crookes also has a lot pulling in her favour. Firstly, her album is a debut which typically favour well with the judges and, although stylistically different, fellow singer-songwriters like Arlo Parks, Michael Kiwanuka, Sampha and Benjamin Clementine have all triumphed in recent years. In fact, the only thing really going against Joy Crookes is the strength of the other contenders in the list. So, if you fancy a punt on an outsider this year, then lay your bet on this album.

4. Wet Leg by Wet Leg

Into the Top 4 then and I think this is now where we hit what I would call the serious contenders. Although I’ve not completely bought into the hype around them, there is no denying Wet Leg would be a hugely popular winner on awards night. Their self-titled debut album released earlier this year has been one of 2022’s huge success stories so far, with their mix of wit, profanity and infectious melodies garnering them legions of devoted fans across the world. Falling somewhere between indie-rock, post-punk and garage-pop, their massive hits like Wet Dream, Angelica, Ur Mum and, most of all, Chaise Longue have really come to define the past 12 months.

In terms of factors working against them, there isn’t many at all. The only thing you could say is that the Isle of Wight duo are doing quite fine on their own, with their debut hitting the top spot in the UK and Australia, with further chart success right across Europe. That said though, where commercial success would often prevent an album from winning the overall prize, it has not always been the case. For example, chart-toppers like Dave’s Psychodrama and Arctic Monkeys’ Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not have both claimed the prestigious title despite shifting some huge album sales. With this in mind then, I say Wet Leg have a very real chance of walking away the winners next Thursday.

3. Seventeen Going Under by Sam Fender

Although his career is still quite young in the grand scheme of things, there was no surprise to see Geordie singer-songwriter Sam Fender earn a Mercury Prize for his incredible autobiographical second album, Seventeen Going Under. Having already earned an Ivor Novello award and scooped the Brits Critics’ Choice prize in recent years, award success just seems to follow Sam wherever he goes.

Whether it’s confronting the memory of supporting his sick mother in her battle with the Department for Work & Pensions (Getting Started and the record’s incredible title track), disclosing his inability to effectively communicate with his father (Spit of You) or highlighting important issues of mental health and male suicide (The Leveller, Paradigms, The Dying Light), Fender’s exceptional talent for storytelling shines through with both grace and honesty, making for an utterly engrossing and heartfelt listen.

His debut made him a star but this album catapulted Sam into another stratosphere, solidified by his reception at this year’s Glastonbury Festival. In a short space of time, he has evolved into one of the country’s most prolific songwriters and I really wouldn’t be surprised if the judges choose to recognise and cap off his incredible year by presenting him with the 2022 prize.

2. Prioritise Pleasure by Self-Esteem

In all honesty, I do think this year really is a two-woman race. The final competition for me is really between this duo of outstanding, hugely acclaimed records and either one would be a massively popular winner within the music world. The first of these is of course the amazing second album from Rebecca Lucy Taylor, aka Self-Esteem.

Rightfully receiving widespread critical acclaim, Taylor’s aim for Prioritise Pleasure was quite simple – build on her debut album, Compliments Please. In her own words, she wanted everything to be “bigger and bolder” in the production of this new record, turning strings into orchestras and back-up singers into choirs. The result? Undoubtedly the finest pop record of 2021.

There was no doubting Prioritise Pleasure was a mightily impressive and utterly intoxicating listen, with Taylor exploring themes of love, self-care, sexuality, misogyny and toxic relationships across the album’s grand 13 tracks. The lyrics are meaningful, the instrumentation is extravagant and most importantly the songs are just downright excellent. After 2020 and the COVID pandemic had given everyone’s mental health a battering, this was the open and honest pick-me-up record the world needed. Lifted by empowering anthems like the album’s title track, Still Reigning and, of course, I Do This All The Time, Prioritise Pleasure is a daring and exciting pop masterpiece that has plenty of wit, words of encouragement and moments of sonic splendour.

Most importantly though, this is an honest, unconventional pop record that says the things other modern pop artists might be too afraid to say – and for that, Rebecca Lucy Taylor would be a very worthy Mercury Prize winner. From her interviews and reaction to her nomination, you also get the impression that the award would mean more to Rebecca than possibly anyone else on the list – this is something she has wanted for a long time and to see her finally win and fulfil a dream would be a special moment indeed.

1. Sometimes I Might Be Introvert by Little Simz

However - there is one woman that stands in Rebecca’s way. A previous Mercury Prize nominee who must’ve missed out on the top prize last time by the slimmest of margins. The most critically acclaimed album on the list and my own runner-up Album of the Year for 2021. That’s right, the album I think is most likely to win the Mercury Prize next week is (unsurprisingly) Little Simz’s Sometimes I Might Be Introvert.

Having transported listeners to the top of North London high rises where she grew up on her outstanding breakout and Mercury nominated third record, Grey Area, Simz now brings the listener into her world today on SIMBI, where she is found navigating an industry that isn’t built for a naturally shy person like herself. Where there is still the dazzling whirlwind of fierce lyricism and exciting eclectic sounds that made Grey Area such a success, here Simz also puts greater focus on the production and narrative too.

Much like her contemporary Dave, the introspection and sharing of personal experience from Simz is gloriously backdropped by some stunningly ambitious cinematic presentation. This is highlighted in both the grand, orchestral moments found scattered across SIMBI, but also from the album’s interludes where The Crown actress, Emma Corrin, occasionally turns up to play a sort of Fairy Godmother role to Simz.

It is no secret that spiritual title track Introvert has been one of my favourite songs of the last 18 months, and indeed the same for many others as well. You will really struggle to find a better opening track on any album in the last year and, at six minutes in length, it is an epic, triumphant and utterly majestic personal anthem. Outside of that track, the album is simply littered with more career highlights such as Woman, Speed, Protect My Energy and Point and Kill, to name just a few.

Grey Area was a special record, however with SIMBI Simz has surpassed even that amazing record. The scope, ambition, artistry and lyricism have all been elevated to another level, helping her to tower over the other nominees on this year’s shortlist. I said in my Album of the Year review that I fully expect Simz to land her first Mercury Prize win for this record next year and I haven’t changed my mind on that.

Winning this year’s prize would solidify Little Simz’s position at the top of the musical mountain and help her to shake the “best female rapper” tag she has been given, allowing her instead to finally be recognised for what she really is – one of the best working artists, man or woman, making music today. Period.

So fingers crossed for Simz and best of luck to all the nominees – I will be watching!

#mercury prize #mercury music prize #little simz #self esteem #wet leg #sam fender #yard act #joy crookes #kojey radical #fergus mccreadie #gwenno #harry styles #nova twins #jessie buckley #bernard butler #new music #best new music #album of the year

0 notes