Culture

Current Affairs or Current Artfairs?

Words by Tom BennyIllustration by Sahina Sherchan COVID-19 has undoubtedly wrenched us all into a period of global uncertainty. Businesses have been shutting down left right and centre, political leaders have proven to make the situation more complex and convoluted than necessary, and hospitals have been pushed to breaking point, despite valiant efforts. In light of this seemingly ceaseless catastrophe, artists across the world have … Continue reading Current Affairs or Current Artfairs?

Contributing Writer
Clebar

YdyÔÇÖr cysylltiad rhwng Cymru a Phatagonia yn un y dylid ei ddathlu?

Os rhaid ystyried y gwir am ein perthynas efo Patagonia? Mae hanes Cymru a Phatagonia yn un sydd yn ymestyn dros nifer o flynyddoedd a milltiroedd, yn dechrau yn 1865 pan hwyliodd llong (y Mimosa) o Gymru i Batagonia, dros 8,000 milltir i ffwrdd. Er bod nifer eang o Gymry yn falch i ddweud bod yna wlad ar ochr arall y byd sydd yn medruÔÇÖr … Continue reading YdyÔÇÖr cysylltiad rhwng Cymru a Phatagonia yn un y dylid ei ddathlu?

Dafydd Orritt
Fashion

Clean Beauty Makeup Essentials

A beautiful finish and natural ingredients seem like a clear win when choosing makeup products, allowing clean beauty to have taken the beauty industry by storm.┬á┬áWhether it is big name beauty brands realigning to an ethically focused ÔÇ£cleanÔÇØ message or one of the many emerging brands, these are becoming highly popular. Jessica AlbaÔÇÖs Honest Beauty whose original message is grounded in natural clean products is … Continue reading Clean Beauty Makeup Essentials

Rachel Citron
Literature

Self-Publishing 101: Why Is It So Popular and Is It Really a Bad Thing?

Words by Sofia Brizio Self-publishing is the publication of a book by its author without the involvement of a traditional, established publisher. It is a phenomenon that has become increasingly popular in recent years, but why is it so? Where does it come from? What makes self-publishing an often more viable option than traditional publishing and what does it mean for the future of traditional … Continue reading Self-Publishing 101: Why Is It So Popular and Is It Really a Bad Thing?

Contributing Writer
thepaperphantasm sex relationships university
Love

Let’s Write About Sex and Relationships

Words by Laura Dazon & Art by @thepaperphantasm on Instagram Welcome to Spotlight: Sex and Relationships! With this post, we celebrate the start of a new project. This year, Quench finally has a space dedicated to sex and relationships! Up until now, the Cardiff student media has lacked a reliable safe space to talk about one of the most important parts of student life. Spotlight … Continue reading Let’s Write About Sex and Relationships

Laura Dazon
Features, Invisible Illnesses

Invisible Illnesses II: Living with an Unseen Disability

Words by Rhianna Hurren-Myers Illustration by Amelia Field / @amelialfield The Story It was around 1am on the busiest night IÔÇÖd ever seen at CardiffÔÇÖs StudentÔÇÖs Union. Somewhere between the bar and the main stage, I had failed to notice that I had lost the friends I had come out with. Instead, I was preoccupied clumsily tugging on the door of a disabled toilet.  ÔÇ£YouÔÇÖre … Continue reading Invisible Illnesses II: Living with an Unseen Disability

Rhianna Hurren-Myers
Album Reviews, Music

EP Review: ‘Mirror Image’ by KNALLERS

Words by Alex PayneArt by Finn Cleverly Last Friday, the Met Office announced that it was the third hottest day on record, confirming the suspicions of anyone who dared brave the blistering heat for more than a moment. Weather that good is rarely more than fleeting in the UK, so when it is, itÔÇÖs worth celebrating with a classic combination of beach, BBQ and booze. … Continue reading EP Review: ‘Mirror Image’ by KNALLERS

Alex Payne
Download, Video Games

Next Gen Revealed

By Lewis Empson and Marcus Yeatman-Crouch After 7 fine years of service, the Playstation 4 and Xbox One alongside their various Pro, S and X iterations are soon to be put out to pasture; passing on the baton to their more powerful, faster and sleeker successors. The Playstation 5 and Xbox Series X and their upcoming games have all been unveiled in live-streamed presentations spilling … Continue reading Next Gen Revealed

Contributing Writer
Film & TV

Behind The Lens: HORROR

By Phoebe Bowers Categorised often to be corny, clich├®d or formulaic, the horror genre has been overlooked in terms of its sustainability and versatility. Horror over the years has spawned itself into several sub-genres from gothic, to silent, to slasher, to supernatural, to ÔÇÿfound-footage.ÔÇÖ It has birthed some of the most iconic film scenes to-date. We┬á donÔÇÖt even need to name the film where the … Continue reading Behind The Lens: HORROR

Contributing Writer
Fashion

Interview: Katie Wray on Depop and Upcycling Clothes

We interviewed Cardiff University student Katie Wray about her Depop account, upcycling and how she’s used this to raise donations for Anti-Racism charities. Why did you start selling clothes you’d made on depop? I really wanted to take advantage of all my spare time over lockdown and focus on my creative hobbies more. IÔÇÖve always hoped to improve my sewing so that I could make … Continue reading Interview: Katie Wray on Depop and Upcycling Clothes

Henry Bell
Literature

Science Fiction ÔÇô More to the Story than You Might Expect

by Daniel Brown. When you hear the words ÔÇ£science fiction,ÔÇØ it is incredibly likely that you will end up thinking of something like Star Wars or, since this is a literary article, possibly a book by Asimov. Sci-Fi is commonly put into the same category as young adult and teen fiction, and Sci-Fi novels are very rarely put on the same level or considered comparable … Continue reading Science Fiction ÔÇô More to the Story than You Might Expect

Contributing Writer
Features, Invisible Illnesses

Invisible Illnesses I: Living in the Shadow of Dementia

Words by Sasha Nugara Illustration by Amelia Field / @amelialfield Dementia is such a complex disorder and despite it not being labelled as a mental illness, the effects it has on mental health are undeniable. Whilst my dadÔÇÖs disease has forced him into a never-ending bout of depression, it has dropped my entire family into a whirlpool of sleepless nights and constant worry.  Although many people … Continue reading Invisible Illnesses I: Living in the Shadow of Dementia

Sasha Nugara
Music

Won the Battle But Lost the War? Grangetown Venue Narrowly Avoids Closure

Words by Alex PaynePhoto by Nathan Roach via TEG MJR CardiffÔÇÖs musical pedigree is indisputable. In the final days of 2017 a formidable team composed of Radio 1 DJ Huw Stephens, the CEO of Sound Diplomacy, and the leader of Cardiff Council, Councillor Huw Thomas, formalised it by declaring that Cardiff was ÔÇ£the UKÔÇÖs first music cityÔÇØ. A powerful statement that confirmed a reality that … Continue reading Won the Battle But Lost the War? Grangetown Venue Narrowly Avoids Closure

Alex Payne
Clebar

Barti Ddu a’r Oes Aur o F├┤r-Ladrata

Yn yr oes a fu, ydi hiÔÇÖn dderbyniol i glodfori’r hyn a wnaeth Barti Ddu, sydd yn cael ei ystyried yn un o f├┤r-ladron fwyaf llwyddiannus y byd, neu oes rhaid dysgu ein Cymry ifanc am y caethweision roedd Barti Ddu yn ei drin yn wael? Diffiniad ‘M├┤r-leidr’: Yn ├┤l geiriadur Caergrawnt, diffiniad o ÔÇÿf├┤r-leidrÔÇÖ ydi unigolyn sydd yn ymosod ar longau er mwyn eu … Continue reading Barti Ddu a’r Oes Aur o F├┤r-Ladrata

Dafydd Orritt
Download, Video Games

Review: The Last of Us Part II

By Evie Nicol |ÔÿàÔÿàÔÿàÔÿà | The Last of Us Part II is a masterpiece that, like itÔÇÖs predecessor, sets a benchmark for storytelling in gaming. Taking the player on a complex, intense and often heart-wrenching journey centred around humanity, it presents profound moral questions and bold twists on what appears on the surface to be a typical revenge tale. Naughty DogÔÇÖs highly anticipated sequel has … Continue reading Review: The Last of Us Part II

Contributing Writer
Film & TV

Netflix’s Love Affair With K-Drama

Words By Catarina Vicente Photo Illustration by Sangsuk Sylvia Kang It was during  the 2000s that K-pop created such a big reaction from Western audiences that the market for Korean exports boomed. Soon, there was a growing buzz surrounding everything Korean-related, dubbed the ÔÇÿHallyu WaveÔÇÖ, which included  skincare, music, foodÔǪ and K-Dramas.  Western audiences fell in love with K-Dramas, and with growing accessibility to┬áentertainment media … Continue reading Netflix’s Love Affair With K-Drama

Contributing Writer