The North-South Divide

    Gravy guzzling Northerner? Or stick-your-pinky-out Southerner?┬áAlex Chapman┬ádiscusses the ongoing feud┬ábetween students either side of Watford Gap in ‘The North-South Divide’ University life is never guaranteed to come without its fair amount of trials and tribulations, from the often crippling amount of coursework and revision to the realisation that, after living like kings for the best part of a fortnight after your loan going … Continue reading The North-South Divide

Picture This!

  Kieran Davey┬áinvestigates┬áthe popularity of the photo craze┬áthat is dominating social media in ‘Picture This!’ It was the photo that ÔÇÿbroke TwitterÔÇÖ. The Oscars, the most star-studded of events, had provided the most star-studded of photos which within minutes became a viral internet sensation. Inspired by show host Ellen DeGeneres, TwitterÔÇÖs most retweeted image- or ÔÇÿselfieÔÇÖ- was born as Hollywood greats such as Brad Pitt, … Continue reading Picture This!

Hashtag Foodporn

The ‘food’ hashtag on Instagram has over 90 million entries: thereÔÇÖs no doubt that documenting your meals is here to stay. However, is it a trend worth embracing, or should we shun those who dare whip out their phones at the dinner table? Emma Forbes and Britta Zeltmann investigate both sides of the issue. FOR┬áby Emma Forbes┬á LetÔÇÖs discuss the widespread phenomenon of instagramming food. … Continue reading Hashtag Foodporn

Steaming and Starving

Go large or go home as self-proclaimed drunkfoodaholic Josie Copson brings you her favourite spots to stumble into after a night out in Cardiff in ‘Steaming and Starving’ There are three times in life when calories do not count. these are: number one, your birthday; number two, the entire Christmas season; and finally number three (the one that occurs the most regular for many of … Continue reading Steaming and Starving

Survival of the #Fittest

  As fitness booms throughout social media, Emma Giles questions the development of a new competitive lifestyle, its benefits and possible repercussions in ‘Survival of the #Fittest’ The season of New YearÔÇÖs resolutions and the surge of self-motivational Facebook statuses has (thankfully) well and truly gone. Whilst this is a welcome change to those who realise that they have already broken their resolutions, one thing … Continue reading Survival of the #Fittest

Student-Friendly Beauty – Foundations

Kirsty Fardell gives us a run down of the best foundations on a student budget.┬á M.A.C Studio Fix Fluid -┬ú21.50 at M.A.C ┬á This is a great, flawless foundation for a natural matte finish complete with buildable medium coverage. It helps to absorb and disperse oil for combination or oily skin, as well as containing moisturising ingredients. The colour matches M.A.C provide are also suited … Continue reading Student-Friendly Beauty – Foundations

Student-Friendly Beauty – Powders

Kirsty Fardell talks us through the best powders on the market for a student budget.┬á Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder – ┬ú3.99 at Boots This is a great product to keep a shiny face at bay. There is little worse than seeing club photos with a bright flash highlighting your oily face from the night before, so this saviour is a must-carry product. It doesnÔÇÖt … Continue reading Student-Friendly Beauty – Powders

LFW 2014: Best Collection

Julien MacdonaldÔÇÖs Autumn/ Winter and Spring/Summer 2014 collections both featured many standout pieces. Unlike many other collections, which stuck to simple black and white, Julien injected nudes, gold, silver, green, blue and red tones to make distinctive pieces. He also incorporated longer hem lines with most dresses knee length or full length, with the sleeve length also following suit. The clothes are clearly not designed … Continue reading LFW 2014: Best Collection

Communication Problems

With the image of heads buried in their hand-held screens surrounding us, Andy Love examines the way smart phones have changed our social interactions in ‘Communication Problems’.┬á ÔÇ£This one has a better battery life, better definition screen, better camera…it’s also flatter,ÔÇØ says a girl wearing glasses to two of her peers who listen closely as if sheÔÇÖs a wizard telling a story. Smart-phones progress so … Continue reading Communication Problems

Review: Eagulls – Eagulls

The Leeds-based five-piece will drop their self-titled LP on March 3rd, but is it more eagle or seagull? Perhaps someone has already come up with that, but this album feels like both across its 10 tracks, swaying between a sense of wonderful intrigue and ear-piercing doubt. There is a bunch of mysterious openings and dark riffs to get interested in, with opener ÔÇÿNerve EndingsÔÇÖ suggesting … Continue reading Review: Eagulls – Eagulls

Review: Billie Joe and Norah – ‘Foreverly’

It doesnÔÇÖt seem like the most natural fit at first sight. The idea of Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong releasing an album with Norah Jones may make listeners imagine a strange jazz/soul/pop-punk fusion album, but on ÔÇÿForeverlyÔÇÖ, the woman behind ÔÇ£my heart is drenched in wineÔÇØ and the man behind ÔÇ£do you have the time to listen to me whine?ÔÇØ are paying tribute to … Continue reading Review: Billie Joe and Norah – ‘Foreverly’

Review: MIND Fest, 23.11.13 – Undertone & Four Bars

Is there any better way to raise awareness of mental health than to put on a multi-venue inner-city festival? No, is the answer. So, thatÔÇÖs exactly what Cardiff-based charity MIND did. For over 65 years MIND have been committed to ensuring that those experiencing mental health problems receive the help and support they deserve. Local promoters God Is In The TV Zine, Rockpie and Red … Continue reading Review: MIND Fest, 23.11.13 – Undertone & Four Bars

Cardiff at Christmas

The Christmas holidays. Most students start counting down the days to this frenzy of seasonal television, Baileys and pyjamas as legitimate daywear in mid-October. However, not everyone at university is fortunate enough to be able to go home and re-bond with their family and pets for four weeks over winter. Whether itÔÇÖs because they have to stay to maintain a job, or because they are … Continue reading Cardiff at Christmas

Interview: Childhood

Your music has been described as ÔÇÿThe Stone Roses flapping at Echo and the BunnymenÔÇÖs long coats and mussing Robert SmithÔÇÖs hairÔÇÖ. How close in general would you say critical perception of your musical style has been in relation to the bands you are influenced by? Ben Romans-Hopcraft (vocals/guitar): ItÔÇÖs all over the placeÔǪ I think some elements are correct, bands like The Stone Roses … Continue reading Interview: Childhood

Live Review: Future of the Left – Thekla, 15.11.13

Walking into a venue to see the mass of curly blondness that is Big Jeff in the front row is practically synonymous with great expectations of a night. With a reputation of attending only the best show of the day, Jeff and his unruly hairdo set the mark pretty high Bristol’s ‘most confrontational punksters’ The St Pierre Snake Invasion start the evening off on the … Continue reading Live Review: Future of the Left – Thekla, 15.11.13

Live Review: Akala – The Moon Club – 5.12.13

The Moon Club feels like the queue for a Ryanair flight. ItÔÇÖs rammed, bursting at the seams with a mass of sweaty, excitable people. ThereÔÇÖs a lovely buzz; Rapper Skunkadelic and his DJ are warming up the Moon nicely as it waits for the self-proclaimed Black Shakespeare, Akala. This is, perhaps, the perfect setting. Psychedelic graffiti covers the walls, the stage is close enough to … Continue reading Live Review: Akala – The Moon Club – 5.12.13

Interview: Nai Harvest

SheffieldÔÇÖs emo-rock two-piece Nai Harvest popped in for a chat with Charlie Mock about their new record, Gnarwolves and Twin Peaks. Let’s start by getting down to the meaning behind your name. It’s a reference to the American band Saetia- have they been a big influence on your music?┬á Ben: Not really! When I first started writing stuff for this we didnÔÇÖt really have a … Continue reading Interview: Nai Harvest

Single Review: Gwenno – ‘Chwyldro’

If youÔÇÖre new to music in the mother tongue of Welsh then Gwenno is a great artist to begin and arguably end with, but letÔÇÖs not get ahead of ourselves. ÔÇÿChwyldroÔÇÖ, the first of three singles from the upcoming LP (Welsh for Revolution) is a beautifully relaxing infusion of synth and bass, topped by the angelic vocal acrobatics of CardiffÔÇÖs very own music producer, DJ, … Continue reading Single Review: Gwenno – ‘Chwyldro’

Album Review: Los Campesinos!

You know those albums where every song is absolutely top notch? Those albums that you just canÔÇÖt stop listening to? Yeah? Well, this is one of them. ÔÇÿNo BluesÔÇÖ is the newest release from CardiffÔÇÖs very own sextet and itÔÇÖs a mighty good one, to say the least. DonÔÇÖt let the optimistic title get you too in the mood for the latest bubblegum pop though; … Continue reading Album Review: Los Campesinos!