Allie X - CollXtion I [EP Review]

Allie X. The Canadian artist is fast becoming a rising star in the music scene after receiving several tweets from famous Twitter users praising her music, most notably music artist Katy Perry and YouTube personality Tyler Oakley. But it's her new EP CollXtion that we're here to talk about today. You can check out our track-by-track review below: 

Starting off with track no.1 is the rather unsettling 'Hello'. Overall, it sounds a little too candy-coated and uses the type of repetition that will likely become grating after a while. In general it’s not a positive or convincing start, and sounds awfully similar to a multitude of other songs, echoing a twinge of Carly Rae Jepsen (except without possessing the latter’s catchy song-writing). ‘Catch’ is up next, and is a definite step-up from the lacklustre 'Hello'. This one is infectious and it has some fantastic twilight beats that subtly mask the darker lyrics upon first listening. It's the classic contrast between bubbly rhythms and more sinister lyrical content. The breathy vocals that are particularly engaging, especially on the chorus: “Thought you got away with murder/ Left me at a loss for the words/ Just wait until I catch my breath”. Allie X will certainly leave you gasping for more than air with this catchy, atmospheric song.

Track 3's ‘Prime’ is equally as impressive, as a fast paced, confident addition which breaks between each verse give the track the edge that it needs to become unique. Whilst the last 3 lines of the chorus (“Forget what I need/ Give me what I want/ And it should be fine”) are nothing spectacular lyrically, combined with Allie X’s engaging, enigmatic vocals and the solid beat it becomes particular ingenious. ‘Tumor’ benefits from dreamy vocals that soar almost to their full potential, but not in the kind of captivating ways on the memorable ‘Catch’ or ‘Prime’, but it is still an exciting effort.

In case you were in any doubt that CollXtion would suffer the fate of most albums and EP's by peaking too earlier, the next track, ‘Bitch’, shows that Allie X is back on top form. The song draws you in with its intriguing instrumentals and vocals that mimic shouting, which is not dissimilar in style to Charli XCX. The track shows the range of styles of the singer, who can create mysterious music and make it catchy enough for varying audiences who perhaps want a bit more than standard pop fare. The deeply nostalgic ‘Good’ has a solid production, with a distinctly hazy summer aura (perfect in time for the changing season) but also posses a vibrant heart lovingly crafted by Allie X that is at the centre of the song. You can’t help but feel these songs encompass a ‘collxction’ of what she is all about, exploring different styles as well as familiar themes, like “medicine, psychology, and the macabre”.

Drawing CollXtion to a close with a very 80s ‘belter’, is the glorious ‘Sanctuary’. Allie X brings her A-game for this energetic song and flexes her heavenly pipes to execute a triumphant ending for the EP. The song details how Allie has found solace in someone else and they provide comfort from the outside: “there’s a place I know/ I can always go/ to my sanctuary, baby”. It’s certainly apt that Allie X should finish on a high note considering the odd start despite the strength of CollXtion, and she hasn’t disappointed by providing an easy-listening - but not mind-numbing – pop EP that everyone can enjoy.

Shadow and Bone (Grisha #1) - Leigh Bardugo [Review]

Book: Shadow and Bone (Grisha Trilogy, #1)

Author: Leigh Bardugo

Published: Current edition being reviewed - 31st July 2014 (First published June 5th 2012)

Publisher: Indigo

Pages: 308

Rating: 5/5 stars

Shadow and Bone follows Alina Starkov, an orphan, who by all accounts, seems unremarkable. She's shy, insecure and slightly pathetic. She has very few workable skills. Okay, seems simple enough.

However, when her regiment (she's a mapmaker in the army) gets attacked and her best friend (Mal, short for Malyen Oretsev) is critically injured, she discovers that she has a dormant power. She can produce and manipulate light. Pretty cool, eh? As it turns out, no-one else in the land has this power, so that makes her pretty unique. Not at all ordinary.

Also, her power could be the key to defeating the Shadow Fold. What's that, you say? Well it's a pretty creepy fog that has engulfed a significant chunk of Ravka and is filled with vicious, deadly monsters such as the Volcra, which feed on human flesh. Fantastic. 

So of course, everyone wants a piece of Alina with her new sparkly powers, and she becomes essentially the top model of Ravka, and is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha.

The Grisha are a magical elite, each gifted with a power; the corporalki, for example, are considered the most valuable soldiers, and include heartrenders, who can slow a person's heartbeat, or suffocate them by taking the air from their lungs. Pretty serious stuff. Alina is thrust into this world with literally zero knowledge of what awaits her, and understandably, she is completely unprepared for the cut-throat politics of the court. Everyone wants her to do her sparkly light thing and save the land, yet she has no clue how to control her powers or make them work on demand.

Without Mal at her side, she finds herself drawn to the mysterious Darkling, the leader of the Grisha. He's got everything - power, charisma, and of course he's devilishly handsome. He's pretty much the Troy Bolton of the royal court - if Troy wore a lot of black - girls love him, guys want to be him etc. etc.

However, the characters in the book are far from being straightforward; they are three-dimensional, their motives remain hidden for a vast majority of the book and they develop and grow and change. This is especially true of Alina who makes the biggest journey, character wise, out of all, however she still retains some of her vulnerability, which ultimately makes it easier to connect with her as a character.

Shadow and Bone has everything - adventure, mystery, intrigue, and some pretty kick-ass characters. The narrative starts off seeming relatively simple, however this dramatically changes throughout the novel, and indeed there are darker undertones toward the end, marking a climactic start to the trilogy. I thought Shadow and Bone would fall into the same cliches as other young adult novels, however, it really surprised me with the direction it took. I highly recommend this, and the other two books in the trilogy, it honestly just gets better and better.

Marina and The Diamonds - The Top 10 [Unreleased Tracks]

 Continuing with the next instalment of 'The Top 10', we go back to pop artist Marina and the Diamonds (Marina Diamandis). Following the release of her new album, FROOT (you can check out our review of the album, here), it seems only fitting to re-visit the singer and instead of counting down her Top 10 released tracks (pre-FROOT era), we're doing a round for the unreleased songs this time! Starting us at number 10 is: 

10: Perfect Stranger 

Kicking off our list is 'Perfect Stranger' which is a stripped-down piano ballad which is perfect to showcase Marina's exquisite vocal ability, so if you're looking for a song which truly highlights that then this is definitely the one for you. It's a bit more 'natural' than other high-production songs, so you can really feel the emotion bleed through it. As always in our "Top 10's", you can listen to the track below: 

9: Candy

Who better to sing a song entitled 'Candy'? Of course, there's always a bit of a double meaning going on when the Electra Heart singer is at the reigns, and this is no exception. The subtle bass-line and the ever so familiar piano really frames the track and combines with Marina's vocals for a more refined but still pleasing sound. 

8: Troubled Mind

This is possibly one of the more disturbed but intriguing Marina tracks, but it is exactly the reason why 'Troubled Mind' has made its way onto the list. A song that suitably mentions the infamous 'Peter Pan' and his struggles with growing up, citing his 'troubled mind'. Bonus points for containing some of the most memorable lyrics ever: "He hides his dreams deep within a wooden box/ He hides his secrets deep within his woollen socks". 

7: Sinful 

(fan art pic by dead-interface on deviant art)

Picking up the tempo to something a little bit more invigorating is the delightful 'Sinful' which incorporates catchy electro beats and deep vocals from Marina, which give it an addictive edge. We love the build on this track, and the chorus is certainly memorable. If you're looking for a track with a bubblier exterior and a bit of a darker interior then this is probably one you can easily enjoy, and as such, earns its way to number 7 on our list. 

6: Jealousy

Fans of the Electra Heart era, this one is most definitely for you. The pop-tastic 'Jealousy' is at #6 and has that double-edge to it, with sweet sounding vocals but rather dark lyrics; a certain trademark of the singer. The dark but sometimes too often true reality that 'Jealousy' is based on makes this song much more than just your average pop number, and contains some real lyrical gems: "I'll never say a word/ in case I come off needy/ I'll never say a word/ leave you before you leave me". 

5: Hermit the Frog 

Yep. That's a play-on-words with good old Kermit the Frog. And it's everything you ever wanted. Featuring a killer humming opening, this one's a real 'Marina classic' which shows off her sassy and wilder side with notable lyrics: "They call him Hermit the Frog/ He's looking for a dog/ Did you find your bitch in me?". There's not much else to say about this song other than if you haven't got it, add it to your playlist now. 

4: Scab & Plaster 

I stepped into a room of clocks and found...a new Marina and the Diamonds track! (yes, we did just quote actual lyrics from the song). Similar to 'Sinful' in a few ways, 'Scab and Plaster' is the perfect remedy for your boring weekday evenings. This once has a wicked dance and electro vibe and the production is very slick indeed. Combine that with some great, deep lyrics and Marina's vocals and you're onto a winner. 

3: Miss Y

Mrs D, Mrs I, Mrs F, F, I. Mrs C, Mrs U, Mrs L, T, Y. Yes, it can only be 'Miss Y' (and triple bonus points if you know what that is from) from Marina and the Diamonds. Let's give a hand for the great Miss Y in this superb track dealing with being left on the sidelines and feeling out of place. "I walked all night long in the dark just to be standing here/ Only to feel like nobody/ I'm Miss Y am I here?" - we feel you Marina. 

2: Rootless

It was certainly hard to call it between these last two. But just being out-done by our number 1 is 'Rootless' which secures its spot at number two. This track is a real undiscovered gem of Marina and the Diamonds' and it's not hard to see why. Similarly to 'Miss Y', this one's all about feeling 'Rootless' in the sense that there is no space to call 'home', and there is no feeling of satisfaction with your current situation. Throw in some electro-pop and you've got the perfect concoction of simmering sadness disguised as flavoursome pop fare. 

1: The Outsider

"Don't get on my bad side, I can work a gun." Yes, we're channelling our inner-Marina with our 'Top 1', in the form of 'The Outsider'. This one pretty much combines everything you could possibly love about the singer: wacky sense of humour, originality, sense of isolation, sassiness and just a twinge of solemness. Also working the piano again as well as multiple other instruments, 'The Outsider' is the track you don't necessarily want but need in your life. Get ready to hit the repeat button multiple times. 

BONUS TRACK: Just Desserts

OK, OK, OK. This one isn't exactly an 'unreleased' track, but it's still pretty darn awesome. Combining the talents of both Marina and Charli XCX, this one should have been the new 'Fancy', as both singers are spectacular together and it's just a whole heap of fun. Who knows when we will see our next Charli and Marina collab? 

A Court of Thorns and Roses - S.J. Maas [Review]

Book: A Court of Thorns and Roses

Author: Sarah J. Maas

Published: 5th May 2015

Publisher: Bloomsbury 

Pages: 416

Rating: 5/5 stars 

From the author of the Throne of Glass series, A Court of Thorns and Roses had a fair deal of hype surrounding it before its release. This can either set up the book for great success, or ultimately secure its failure by promoting unrealistic expectations concerning the book's content. In the case of A Court of Thorns and Roses, the book truly did live up to the hype. 

The book focuses on the story of 19 year old Feyre (pronounced Fey-ruh, as the pronunciation guide at the back tells you). Feyre's life has taken a turn for the worst since the death of her mother, and pretty much her entire remaining family members (2 sisters and father) do absolutely nothing to help her when it comes to, essentially, surviving. They do not simply refuse to help her forage for food, it never even occurs to them to actually ask if Feyre needed any assistance (which she could definitely do with). Basically, they need to get a clue.

Things go from worse to god-damn-dreadful when she must pay for killing a wolf in the forest whilst hunting - with her life, as it turns out. 

So she is hauled away by Tamlin, a faerie, whose kind Feyre despises since they ruled her human world a time ago, wreaking havoc and enslaving and killing her kind, the usual. 

A Court of Thorns and Roses initially follows the framework of the  Beauty and the Beast fairy tale, (similar to Cruel Beauty), however, the narrative develops into so much more than that. At the core it is a tale of romance, but doesn't fall into the trap of *insta-love*, unlike so many novels. There are also strong elements of action, horror and violence, which drive the story along, making it impossible to put down. 

The characters are interesting and complex; Feyre is strong-willed and determined (even if she is slighly dense at times, but not enough to make her unlikable), Tamlin is mysterious and brave, and Tamlin's emissary, Lucien, is quick-witted, multi-faceted, but also guarded. Additionally, across the narrative, characters develop, they adapt and change, the writing stops them from remaining completely static, predictable and boring; Feyre grows as a person as she interacts with her new acquaintances and explores her new surroundings. At most importantly, no single character is *perfect* - they all have individual flaws, which makes the writing far more believable, and the narrative far more human, even if the story does center around faeries. 

Ultimately, if you've been toying with reading this book, I'd thoroughly recommend you do. The story is gripping, exciting and climactic, and the main characters likable and complex, therefore making this book far more than just a fairy-tale adaptation.

Muse - Dead Inside (Official Video) [+ Review]

That's right. Muse are back, and gearing up to release their seventh studio album, Drones, and so begins the standard release of a few songs from the album. So, as accustomed, the influential Rock band offer up 'Dead Inside' to satisfy your ears. Taking the classic relationship track and putting a particularly dark spin on it, 'Dead Inside' is the beginning of the album's 'journey' and a suitable start to the no doubt dramatic album. The song highlights the toxicity of a rather horrific sounding relationship with suitably significant lyrics: "Your lips feel warm to the touch/ You can bring me back to life/ On the outside you're ablaze and alive/ But you're dead inside".  

With elements of horror and incredible bass line, all mixed together with Bellamy's signature vocals, you have all the components of a great track - and it actually delivers. 'Dead Inside' lays a solid foundation for the Drones album with an over-laying theme already developing and becoming apparent. But what style of music video would be a suitable match to the song? An interpretive dance one of course! With the success of Sia's interpretive 'Elastic Heart' and 'Chandelier', we were bound to get several more videos adopting the dancing style for the aesthetic of their music videos. 

Muse follow suit with employing Kathryn McCormick and Will Wingfield to act out the emotions and narrative of the song through striking dancing, and the result is quite a bold, dusty affair (watch the video and you'll see what we mean), with a hint of Supernatural (black demon eyes anyone?). In the background, of course, Matt Belamy, Christopher Wolstenholme and Dominic Howard rock out in full force, whilst covered in what appears to be chalk. It's all very odd but very Muse, and we kind of love it. 

Check out Muse's latest effort below: