Impulse Magazine 2016

8/18/2019 Impulse Magazine 2016

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S/S 16 | FREE

H E C T O R

B I Z E R K

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L U M P E N

A G E N C Y

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V A P O R

W A V E

Y O N D E R

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T R A V E L

J O U R N A L S

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P R I N T M A K E R S

•

M O R E


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IMPULSE

/ˈɪmpʌls/ | noun

1.a sudden and unreective urge or desire to act.

Founded in Edinburgh and reborn every year under a dierent

guise, IMPULSE is a collection of inspired stories that are

scribed by young journalists.

_____________

From underground rap to the most beguiling visual artists,

IMPULSE’s collective set out to bring you the most intriguing

gures from the ARTS world.

While it is all well and good looking to the stars, sometimes the

most interesting folk are those staring right at us. Our

MOVEMENTS writers are the ones at ground level, picking up on the

people who are doing interesting things all around us.

Understanding our wishes to up sticks and escape to foreignlands, the TRAVEL JOURNALS, tucked neatly in the back pages,

unveil an abundance of places that young people could nd

themselves heading to. From rubbing the dust in your eyes one

morning in Berlin to exploring the coastline of Cape Town, our

sumptuously written stories will transport you to the seldom seen

sights of beautiful cities around the world.

EDIOR Douglas James Greenwood | DEPUY EDIOR Kieran Scott | PRODUCION EDIOR Eva

Coutts | PRODUCIO N ASSISAN Viktorija Scerbavoka | SECIO N HEADS Peter Carson, Veronica Jasek, KyleDunn, Sonia Sarha | DES IGN EDIOR Clara Ribera | DE PUY DESIGN EDIOR Ailsa McEwan | DES IGN EAMStacey Drumm, Lauren Buchan, oinon Denoyelle Sauvage, Jessica Mercer, Brogan Howie, Lily Baker | PICUREEDIOR Bruce Watt | PICURE EAM Anna Roos van Dongen, Marit Donders | HEAD OF MARKEINGJennifer Nicol | DEPUY OF MARKEING Craig Leiper | MARKEING EAM Lindsay McEwen, Bine Hubert van Blijenburgh, Siobhan Brown, Rachel Henderson | CHIEF SUB-EDIOR Sean Gordon | SUB-EDIING EAMNatacha Woods, Georgia Downie, Cameron Bark, Andrew Fleming, Robbie Tomson | FAC CHECKERS Dan Smith,Silvio Grocchetti | ONLINE EDIOR Anna-Roisin Seren Ullman-Smith | DEPUY ONLINE EDIORS StuartJohnston, Adam Sturrock | SOCIAL MEDIA Jordan McIntyre, Jennifer Frame | DISRIBUION Fabiana Cacace,Kirsty Rogen

Special thanks to Clare rodden, Derek Allan and J. Tomson Colour Printers.

IMPULSE magazine is produced by BA Journalism students from the School of Arts and Creative Industries, EdinburghNapier University. Te views and opinions within this publication are not necessarily those of the university.


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A letter from our editor

The words in the following pages were thought of, written and

simultaneously loathed and adored by a young creative collective.These writers set out to redene the idea of what it means to craft a

student publication.

For many, the idea of approaching something with a wider scope is

daunting, as if you are setting yourself up for failure a little later

down the line. For this, the 16th edition of Impulse, we cast our nets

further, both literally and guratively crossing continents, rejecting

the instinctive fear that comes with a project like this.

Although not plastered on our cover in bold lettering, the theme

of ESCAPISM runs through every page of this issue. Heading up the

ARTS section, hip hop group Hector Bizerk are proud non-conformists,

showing that Scottish music can escape old-fashioned ties.

Within the forward-thinking, kinetic realm of MOVEMENTS, Russia’s

Lumpen Modelling Agency have lifted the veil on fashion ideals.

Revealing a collection of post-Soviet faces with unique but beautiful

aws, they are trailblazers in an industry dominated by lip llers and

forced, gaunt frames.

Escapism comes naturally in our TRAVEL JOURNALS too, taking you to

cities both idyllic and industrial.

Much like the people and subjects of IMPULSE, the idea of ink on paper

is suddenly slipping from our hands in an elusive fashion. Savour and

appreciate these pages. If not for the words that grace them, for the

simple idea of print publishing surviving in this increasingly digital world.

This means a great deal to us – thank you.

Douglas James Greenwood


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4 5

In this issue

6 5228 ARTS MOVEMENTS TRAVEL JOURNALS

8 Rap in the 131

12 Revolution in Print

16 New Nostalgia

18 Canvas Collective

20 Hector Bizerk

26 Kids of Castle Rock

30 The (Un)usual

34 Hit Like a Girl

36 Yellow Movement

40 Glasgow (Re)Cycles

44 White Horses

46 Factory Woman

48 Yonder

54 Berlin

56 Moscow

58 Cape Town

60 Munich

62 Lille


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8 9 w w w . i m p u l s e m a g - o n l i n e . c o m

When Te Game’s classic, How We Do,

projected rom my Motorola flip phone,

my love or rap and hip hop was pre-

maturely solidified. I was 11. From then on,

LimeWire became my best riend. My iunes li-

brary was filled to the brim afer download ren-

zies, with music rom Missy Elliott to every mem-

ber o YMCMB (that is Young Money Cash Money

Billionaires, obviously).

As a ascination with old school R&B flourished

into an obsession with rap, American and Lon-

don-centric sounds dominated my extensive col-lection. My interest in these genres progressed, as

did the realisation that all o my avourite artists

were situated ar rom my hometown. While men

with Burberry caps and Buckast t-shirts paraded

across the screen, my search or Edinburgh rap was

not quite delivering all I had hoped or.

In the mid-1980s, seeds o the hip hop culture

travelled north and began to take root in Scotland.

Artists such as Loki and Stanley Odd have illus-

trated our country’s own urban identity through

reusing to modiy their voices and rapping about

how the reerendum would affect the northern hip

hop landscape. Despite this, rap north o the border

seems to all short into a restricted category that is

not necessarily taken seriously.

Seeking to ragment the stigma o Scottish rap is

Edinburgh’s latest duo, 131 Northside. Made up o

Will Nicoll-Ford and Billy Keddie, the pair identiy

their resonance as unprecedented in the 131 (Edin-

burgh’s version o the six).

Galvanised by submerging themselves headfirstinto the online hip hop and grime cultures rom an

early age, 131 Northside have outlined both the in-

ternet and music as consistent influences in their

lives and the reason they both thought, “I need to

be creative.”

While the energy surrounding the hip hop cul-

ture retained a hold on them, the duo originally

collaborated on artwork as Will pursued a career in

reelance graphics. Tis led to the pair sharing

Rap and hip hop rom the US are rightly knownas the best in the world, even London has a claimin its own right. But how does urban music romEdinburgh compare?

We werent trying to copy anyone, our own style justcame naturally, through influences from the internet,from looking at blogs and listening to music

Words by JENNIFER FRAME | Pictures by FIONA BLYTH

NEW AGE

RAP IN THE 131

Artists Billy and Will present hip hop’s new wave


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music and, with the help o a drunken night

out, the ormation o 131 Northside.

Over the past year their composition has been

dedicated to producing something current and fla-

vourul, without compromising their authenticity.

Tey aim to produce content that is visually in-

triguing and sonically pleasing. Scenic shots o Ed-inburgh landmarks flicker between piece to camera

raps and meticulously designed logos overlaying

negatives in their debut music video, My City.

Admittedly, their vibe is much more edgy than a

Bucky and Burberry combination.

Will emphasised, “A song can be good, but i you

don’t have a connected visual, it is not as interest-

ing. We have tried to compare ourselves on a global

level to make sure that the taste and quality o it all

is unique to us.”

With fire in their bellies and a resh take on rap,

through researching, being sociable, making con-

nections and ultimately sculpting 131 Northside to

what we wanted.”

Admitting that they are not shy o receiving crit-

icism, Billy recalled others dubbing their venture

into the music scene as embarrassing.

“Seeing people putting time and effort into doingwhat they love and having real drive is what inspires

us. I never listened to anyone apart rom mysel. I

I want to do something, then I can succeed at it.”

In the words o A$AP Rocky, “How can you

knock somebody in the world or actually tr ying to

do something? Since when has it become not cool

to try?” Although we may not all be aspiring rap-

pers rom the 131, there is a deeper message that

can be extracted rom examining the duo’s ethos.

Even i we are deprived o opportunities, should

this define our ability to be successul? // JF

131 Northside have applied art, design and all that

has cultured their minds via the web to their music.

Teir sound is emotionally driven, unconscious

rap, all o which they stress is entirely true to

them. Pushing a new wave, hip hop eel, their mix-

tape, Digital Memories, has six tracks which use

up-tempo raps with slower chill-out jams.Billy adds, “We aim to give people something

they can really listen to while at the same time tell-

ing our story o being rom Edinburgh.”

Being urban artists in Scotland, they admit it

is difficult to gain support rom organisations o-

ering unding. Will described having no financial

backing as an incentive and driving their desire to

succeed.

“We made our own opportunities because there

was nobody handing us a studio and a website or

telling us to ‘dress like this’. We did it all ourselves

A song can be good,

but if you dont have aconnected visual, it is notas interesting

Going visual, the duo are known or mixing music and visual art


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A REVOLUTION

IN PRINT

For many, printmaking has become an outdated

and overpriced commodity. A new wave o urban

creatives partnered with an innovative design

studio in the making looks to revitalise this art

orm and deliver a new artistic culture

Words by

KIRSTY ROGEN

Pictures by

EDINBURGH

PRINTMAKERS

Edinburgh Printmakers’ gallery space


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Edinburgh has no shortage o artistic, creativeand literary brilliance, yet with competition

rom big cultural cities such as London,

Glasgow and Manchester, the creative scene in the

capital is ofen overlooked.

In the past ew years there has been a real rise o

creativity within the city. “Te zeitgeist is changing.

Tere is a reawakening o people’s interest in hand-

made objects and the quality o crafsmanship.”

Sarah Price, CEO o Edinburgh Printmakers, pas-

sionately describes the importance o printmaking

and creative industries in Edinburgh, while also

outlining the need or competition. “I don’t think

there is a risk o over-supplying creative hubs. Ithink the more diverse the sector, in terms o the

range o creative studios or spaces, the better.”

Castle Mill Works – a ormer rubber actory

– was awarded unds rom Te Heritage Lottery

Fund in partnership with Creative Scotland to

transorm it into a hub or printmaking and crea-

tive industries.

Printmaking has seen an unexpected growth in

popularity over the past five years, with hundreds o

independent designers and artists combining their

skills and entrepreneurial ambition to start busi-

nesses in Edinburgh and urther afield. Everything

rom commercial artistic printing services to col-ourul Risograph has experienced a surge in the

design market.

“Ideally I don’t see why anyone who is putting

out bland print promo can’t use a Risograph to

jazz it up a bit,” explains Dominic Kesterton, the

co-ounder o Workhorse Press in Edinburgh.

Situated in Edinburgh’s city centre, Workhorse

Press are an independent printing and publishing

studio. Founded in 2010, they provide printing ser-

vices using a Risograph printer. Workhorse Press

was set up while the two ounders, Dominic Kes-

terton and Orlando Lloyd, were studying at the Ed-

inburgh College o Art. Tey started the printingservice to meet the needs o the art college commu-

nity but now serve a variety o local, national and

international clients.

Yet the Edinburgh Printmakers CEO explains,

“It is difficult [or independent designers and art-

ists] to get visibility, it takes an awul lot o knowl-

edge and commitment and also sustained presence

to build and keep a customer base.”

It seems the promotion o design and craf dis-

ciplines are decreasing in today’s colleges and uni-

versities, making it increasingly difficult or those

pursuing a career in the creative industries. Yet an-

other reason or the Castle Mill redevelopment. Sa-

rah highlights the attention received so ar. “We’vehad increasing interest rom graduates in creative

courses and a broad range o other disciplines. Pro-

essionals are interested in printmaking and want

to come and learn. As the courses are scarce in

mainstream education, there is actually more o a

demand, which is what we are responding to.”

wo independent organisations: Edinburgh Pal-

ette and Edinburgh Design School are both already

successully promoting and supporting design and

craf disciplines.

Edinburgh Palette, based in St. Margaret’s

House, have created studio spaces or artists, craf-

ers and the wider community. Tey provide a placeor artists and designers to not only produce their

specialties but network with like-minded people.

However, the space tends to be limited and can be

costly too.

Likewise, Edinburgh Design School are a small

independent design school in the Arts Complex o

St. Margaret’s House specialising in ceramics, tex-

tiles, print and millinery. Te school offer classes,

workshops and industry-ocused talks.

Te charity behind the whole redevelopment,

Edinburgh Printmakers, also offer an assortment o

classes, sell artists’ work online and promote exhi-

bitions. Tese efforts coupled with the new devel-

opment are hoped to push more people into thiscreative outlet. “We have a gallery here that attracts

10,000 people a year, but in the new space we’ll be

able to double the number o exhibitions we have,”

Sarah adds.

Te work on the old actory will be taking place

as early as autumn this year. While reurbishment

goes on, the boarded-up windows o Castle Mill

Works are being used as canvas rames to display

the work o S cottish artists. Tousands o commut-

ers will take in this display, with over 60,000 people

walking, cycling or driving along Dundee Street

on their way to work. “Our first intervention with

Calum Colvin – Scottish based multi-disciplinedartist – was looking at a retrospective o his lie’s

work that we were displaying at Edinburgh Print-

makers,” Sarah explains. “By putting it on the win-

dows, we were saying this is a building that is going

to be supporting an artist’s lie’s work – here it is,

isn’t it magnificent – you can cover a building with

it and it’s antastic to look at.”

A revolution within Edinburgh’s artistic commu-

nity is taking place, that much is certain. With these

acilities and such strong encouragement o young

talent, it won’t be long beore Edinburgh is seen as

one o the art capitals o the world. // KR

“I don’t see

why anyone who

is putting

out bland

print promocan’t use a

Risograph

to jazz it

up a bit”

Printmaker at work in the Edinburgh studio An example o colourul Riso printing


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V

aporwave is a genre made up o all the old

pop songs you never heard, slowed downand chopped around until they are unrec-

ognisable and dripping in irony. Musically and aes-

thetically, it is characterised by a love o retro video

games, 90s web design, cyberpunk and VHS. Te

style is associated with anti-capitalism; ignoring in-

tellectual property as it spreads a satirical view o

pop culture.

Te name comes rom the tech industry term

Vaporware – a product that generates hype but ails

to make it to release, in tune with the movement’s

aversion towards consumer culture.

Te charm o the movement is its DIY style,

chopping and skewing samples into different orms

while dropping something new into it. VHS L ogos(Jarrier Modrow) ound his voice when produc-

ing Vaporwave tunes, “I’ve been producing house,

hip hop beats and experimental stuff with my own

name and some other aliases or a long time, but

VHS Logos is my most successul project.”

London-based record label AM DISCS releas-

es music associated with Vaporwave and its sister

genres such as Future-Funk, but admires anyone

trying to do something different. “Te label started

back in 2010, but we have been supporters o ex-

perimental, electronic music since long beore that

in an unashamed way.”

Label ounder and owner, Rado Z, expresses

deep passion or new music. “Te way we eel pureemotions is incorporated into sound, [and that]

directly reflects our own creative vision.” Nostal-

gia has steered things in to lo-fi territory or AM

DISCS as they release tapes or their artists. “I we

mutually resonate with the artist and share similar

wavelengths, we are happy to do it. We release the

album beorehand digitally and i there is an audi-

ence that shows an interest, we agree with the artist

on producing the limited cassette edition.”

Although there is a ollowing online or these

artists, Vaporwave hasn’t seemed to transition into

the live music scene. VHS Logos says he has not

done much live, AM DISCS has attempted to host

live events but it has not been what they expected.“We used to do web events where artists per-

ormed live but the recordings we made available

or download aferwards had more listeners than

the perormances themselves.”

Still, he is optimistic about the uture o the mu-

sic they release as it gains recognition. “We rely

only on the support o our audiences, we don’t do

any marketing, but that’s how you do it when nei-

ther sales nor ame are your priority. With relatively

upcoming niche genres like Future-Funk, it is only

a matter o time till the present generation o young

producers will be reflected in the club scene.” // PC

Te Internet has given birth to a movement o music, blendingrecords and layering synths to emulate the warm soundso the 80s and 90s. From the deep web comes a chemicalimbalance pushing boundaries o electronic music

NEW

NOSTALGIAWords by

PETER CARSON...unrecognisable and

dripping in ironyPictures courtesyof AM DISCS

Inside tape artwork or Crystal Surge’s 2016 release, VCR


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18 19 w w w

. i m p u l s e m a g - o n l i n e . c o m

Words and

Pictures by

BRUCE WATT

Conor McAllister has been working

with the club or over six months. As

a young artist, it allows him a place to

work away rom the studio. “I love the

attitude everyone has adopted. It’s not

about money, or prestige. It’s about

coming together, creating and having

un. Tis is why I got into art in the first

place, but with all the deadlines andstresses that come with the job, it can be

very easy to orget this along the way.”

Te charitable and communal ethics

o Te MFC remain a core component.

Artistic Director and ounding member,

om Dutch, believes strongly in this

ethos. “In the uture, we’re looking to

start a community interest company

that offers a range o artistic services

and acilities to artists and communities

alike.”

As a creative group Te MFC is con-

stantly evolving, finding the right artistsand building relationships with various

estivals and organisations. Tey have

ongoing working partnerships or cre-

ating décor and murals at Kelburn and

a series o other estivals, including,

Knockengorroch, Eden, Boomtown and

Audio Soup. Looking to the uture, om

and Te MFC are not planning to slow

down anytime soon. “As a collective, we

have great interest in visual art, illustra-

tion and urban beautification. I hope

that Te MFC will continue to act as

a platorm or artists to collaborate anddevelop.” Te MFC say they aim to “do

great things”, and on the basis o this

evening, it is a hard statement to con-

tend. // BW

An illuminated corner o Edin-

burgh’s Studio 24, surrounded

by samba dancers and pum-

melling drum groups, is where Te oo

Much Fun Club (MFC) can be ound

plying their trade. Teir aim, to bring

visual presence to a charity event.Spread

across the wall, a 12-oot canvas is com-

ing under the sustained attack o several

artists armed with

black marker pens.

Te combinedskill o the artists in

question has shaped

a dense collage.

ropical colours and

trees intertwine through gifed pattern

work. Each individual brings their own

style to the creation, the final piece

flowing into a single, coherent display.

Not bad or our hours’ work.

Tere is a cartoonish eel to this

evening’s work, images leap rom the

canvas with both lie and character.

Among all the un and seemingly

chaotic nature o the creation at

hand, it is important to recognise the

cooperation, accuracy and artistic merit

that is on display. Missed pen strokes

are near non-existent. Artists duck and

weave between each other, layering the

canvas. Te stark, black marker pens

leave little margin or error as they work

at speed. Te end

result is nothing

short o incredible.Te MFC’s

origins began in

nightclubs, so it

seems a fitting place

to witness the current crop at work.

Officially established in 2009, some o

the members have been collaborating

or almost 14 years. Edinburgh based,

Te MFC ormed with the aim o

supporting charity through artwork and

giving artists within the city a platorm

to network and display their talent.

CANVASCOLLECTIVE

As a collective we have

great interest in visualart, illustration andurban beautification

A group o artistic activists are creating masterpieces ina matter o hours. Bruce Watt headed underground tofind out more about this enterprising group

To learn more about The

Too Much Fun Club, visit

their website @thetmfc.

com

Te logo or Edinburgh-based charity REAC, reinvented by Te oo Much Fun Club

A p s y c

h e d e l i c j u n g

l e s c e n e : o n e o f

T e o o

M u c

h F u n C l u b ’ s c o

l o u r

f u l m u r a l s


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20 21 w w w


HIP HOP’SSENSORY

EXPLOSION

WILLIAM TOPPING


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22 23 w w w


Glasgow is one o the greatest export cities

or music in the world, with sonically di-

verse bands coming through the gauntlet

and achieving superstardom on the back o en-thralling live perormances. From the relatively un-

heard scene o Scottish hip hop, Hector Bizerk have

exploded into the limelight – gaining ame across

Europe and the US or their visually stunning per-

ormances and unparalelled talent.

Hector Bizerk began lie in 2011 when Louie

(real name John Lowis), rom Robroyston, and

Audrey ait, rom Rutherglen, began playing to-

gether during lunch breaks at the Impact Arts sum-

mer music workshops in Drumchapel. Teir first

ull album release in 2012 crashed onto the scene,

titled Drums. Rap. Yes. It ocused heavily on the

relationship between Audrey’s drumbeats and the

orceul syllabic sounds produced by Louie’s bars.

Te album was met with mixed reviews, with many

seeing the harsh west coast accent as inappropriate

or the genre.

“Everybody has prejudices in all walks o lie

whether you want to admit it or not. We do not

understand the speed o our own brains; we nev-

er will, so right away we are orming opinions on

things that we don’t want to orm,” explains ront-

man Louie, as he casually sips on an Americano

coffee late one Tursday afernoon. “I you put your

music out there people will critique it – that’s the

way it is – they either like it or they don’t. Tere’s

only two styles o music: there is music that you like

and music that you dislike.”

Audiences soon turned to appreciate the duo as

they caught a lucky break. “We had only written

one song and Radio 1 picked it up and started play-

ing. It wasn’t even registered or PRS or to collect

royalties because it just seemed so impossible, like

just something that wouldn’t happen. Tey started

playing the song and we got booked or the biggest

estival in Scotland so we were like ‘oh sh*t, we bet-

ter get a repertoire together and get some kind o

show that can play at a estival’.”

Trough this endeavour the duo expanded to

eventually incorporating Jennier Muir, on synth,

percussion, vocals, and Fraser Sneddon, on bass, to

the line-up. By the time ollow-up album Nobody

Seen Nothing emerged in 2013, the band sound

was uller and lyrics were more sharply obser-

Hector Bizerk boast o being the proprietors o a vibrant

and unique Scottish hip hop. Kyle Dunn sits down

with emcee and rontman Louie to find out about their

impressive trajectory in modern music

Words by

KYLE DUNN

Pictures by

WILLIAM TOPPING

Frontman Louie mixes poetic bars with a bad-man sensibility


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24 25 w w w


live perormances are restricted to a practised re-cital o their songs. “I don’t want to be that band,”

said Louie. “I want to be the band that you can’t

take your eyes off during the live show, that there’s

always something else going on. It’s that kind o

sensory explosion that I’m looking or when I go

watch a show.” Hector Bizerk reuse to conorm and

showcase every aspect that hip hop culture has to

offer, rom beat boxing and breakdancing, to beau-

tiul visual art being created live on stage while the

band perorms.

For many, the idea o a hip hop band rom Glas-

gow having any success within the music industry

is almost impossible, but the band have proved todey the odds and gather increasing recognition or

a music genre that has been cast onto the “naughty

step” in many areas o Britain, as Louie describes it.

Tis is partly down to the immense passion that the

band has or not just their music, but or all aspects

o hip hop culture.

Hector Bizerk’s new album Te Second City O

the Empire launches this April and will be ollowed

by a live perormance working in tangent with the

Royal Orchestra o Scotland, an effort to push their

creative limits even urther. Te Glaswegian band

are charted or incomparable success within their

genre and we can expect to hear a lot more rom

them. As Louie casually remarks beore disappear-

ing into the Glasgow sunshine, “As long as this bus

is moving, I’m ***ing staying on it.” // KD

“We’re not ever

going to be thetype of band thatis stylised to look acertain way ”

vational, earning it a nomination at the Scot-

tish Album o the Year Awards.

Last year saw the band take on the US as they

were invited by NME to perorm at the annual

South by South West estival in Austin, exas. “It

was really quite daunting going there,” the 28 year

old admits. Te band had worried that perhaps

they were stepping into boots too big or them “be-

cause o the type o music that we make; because

it’s so different and because the NME is so England

centred.” In act, their unusual style and peror-

mance proved to be a major success among the US

audience. “We’re not ever going to be the type o

band that is stylised to look a certain way – we turn

up rough as ***,” said Louie. “We play our song

tight as *** and that’s it. Te crowd went nuts.” Te

journey allowed the band to develop a rapport with

a US-based agency that would go on to arrange

showcases in New York, bringing the Scottish west

coast to an American east coast audience.

Hector Bizerk have set themselves apart rom

others within their musical genre, not just through

the talented and evocative music they produce, but

also in terms o the live show that is delivered to

their audience. “When I go see a live show I want

moments – moments that you remember,” Louie

explains, with a wry smile crossing his ace as he

recalls many o the better moments he has had

while perorming. Te rontman expresses that he

has certain contempt or indie rock bands whose

Pearl Kinnear paints the back drop for Bizerk’s live performances

To learn more about Hector

Bizerk, head to HectorBizerk.com


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“It felt like my own childhood burned

beautifully on to celluloid” THE KIDS OF

CASTLE ROCK

Like a ootprint lef in the soil o Castle Rock, Stand ByMe, a 30-year-old coming-o-age masterpiece, has lef anindelible mark on the soul o every kid who witnessed it

Through the wooden slats o an old-

ashioned railway bridge, the choppy river

that splits the Oregon orest below looks like

unequivocal death to a 12-year-old boy. Strapped

to him his signature comb and crawling on all ours

behind his comparatively confident riends, timidand chubby Vern precariously makes his move to

the other side; unaware o the steam train hurtling

towards him rom behind.

Growing up in a village estooned by woodland

and running rivers that would gleam in summer,

Stand By Me – regardless o its age – elt like my own

childhood burned beautiully onto celluloid. Like

Gordie, Chris, eddy and Vern, better known as the

boys o Castle Rock, my riends and I would spend

searingly hot days wandering the wooded area

that shadowed our village. We hoped to uncover

an urban legend like the tale o Ray Brower – the

Castle Rock resident who, afer leaving home to go

berry picking, never returned. It seemed easible

at the time; as i the idea o mystique could stretch

as ar as our little Scottish village. We remained

unwavered, convinced that something interesting

could happen to us too.

It eels trivial to elaborate on the synopsis o Stand

By Me, perhaps because the film has reached iconic

status or because the story is so wonderully simple.

Four best riends rom different backgrounds, but

with equally rayed amily ties, bond over the

course o a camping trip into the woods. Te aim:

to find the body o a boy who is missing, assumed

dead, rom their sleepy, Oregon town.

What we witness is one o cinema’s most delicate

and accurate portrayals o youth. One that, over the

course o its 30-year lietime, has been emulated,but never bettered. Tose our kids – now grown

rom 12-year-olds to middle-aged men – remain

the most natural o young perormers, bouncing

off each other with the kind o quick-witted banter

that only kids could muster.

Tey were harsh, delightully petty and the

butt o each other’s gags. Corey Feldman’s eddy

depicts the childhood antasist in all o us, while

Wil Wheaton’s Gordie subtly represents the pain o

a child’s over thinking brain. River Phoenix, who

ound his ooting here as the token troublemaker,

is an inspiration to every outcast kid stuck in a rut.

Eight years later, he would die on Sunset Boulevard

at the tender age o 23. He was gone beore I was

even born, yet I manage to miss his immense

talent and charm as much as I miss the rebellious

character that he played.

Much like the boy’s venture into the woods,

revisiting Stand By Me is akin to a childhood

pilgrimage; a reminder o what this sparkling,

humble piece o cinema meant, or rather means,

to anyone who had a childhood brimming with

ambition and adventure. // DG

Words by DOUGLAS GREENWOOD | Illustration by SARA GREENWOOD

Te our boys rom Rob Reiner’s 1986 classic


16/34


17/34

30 31 w w w


not fit within the conventional realms o ‘beauty’.

Consisting mostly o skateboarding youths and

dangerous rebels, they show the world how the

people o post-Soviet Russia really look.

What’s more, most o Lumpen’s roster had never

considered modelling beore being scouted, im-

age seemingly was an aferthought – unorthodox

belies in the ashion world. In an interview with

Dazed & Conused, Alexandrova gave an insight

into her model’s character, “Most o the guys don’t

really want to be shot that much, they are not ob-

sessed with their own appearance. Tey never like

their own photos on social media nor do they post

selfies.”

Age also appears to be irrelevant, with their

models ranging rom 12 years old right up to the

age o 40. Tey are tied together solely by their

striking, unique aesthetic. And or Alexandrova,

that’s the most important thing. “Te agency

THE(un)USUAL

A Russian-based modelling agency’sgame-changing efforts are shaking up the

ashion industry. Pretty, tall, classic modelsneed not apply. Instead, Lumpen Agency

represents the normal people o the world –and that is what makes them ‘abnormal’

Words by

ANNA ROOS VAN DONGEN

Pictures by

LUMPEN AGENCY

In an effort to give exposure to society’s outsiders,

25-year-old Avdotja Alexandrova started Lump-

en Agency in 2014. Previously a film director

and photographer, she was always ascinated by the

obscure looks o certain people, and so created a

collection o the interesting aces she came across

in her home city o Moscow. Enter Lumpen.

She finds her models e verywhere, rom prowling

the streets and nightclubs o the post-Soviet nation,

to browsing her social media sites. Everywhere

she goes, there is potential to discover new aces.

“Te way I select models is very different rom

other agencies,” she tells us. “I have many actors

or critically assessing the model, but usually those

who have interesting aces are interesting people,

and generally, the aces I like belong to people with

character. I think that is the most important thing.”

Unlike the human coat hangers that parade the

catwalks o Milan and Paris, Lumpen models do

Lumpen models. Lef to right: Anka, Dry and Ban / Albus, Burn and Salt / Omam, Lovech and Rob


18/34

32 33 w w w


is a success because we work with unusual peo-

ple,” she tells us. “Tey are more interesting to look

at. Tey stick in your memory; their eatures and

their overall look attract you with their individu-

ality. And or me, that is more important than, orexample, their measurements.”

Changing the landscape o ashion mod-

el-by-model, the Lumpen aces have already ap-

peared in well-known ashion magazines such as

Dazed & Conused, i-D and Vogue. Designers and

ashion houses, such as Balenciaga, Zara and Adi-

das have also taken notice, eaturing them in their

latest campaigns. Tese companies may have done

more than simply select them to represent their

brand, they are helping the world change the way

we think about beauty.

And that is not all. We are starting to see these

models take to the catwalk, despite their ‘anti-run-

way’ body shapes. Te first man to take notice

was Russia’s street wear god Gosha Rubchinskiy,

who requently dresses unusual models in his lu-

ridly-coloured clothes. Previously, he picked his

models rom the Russian streets, making him and

Lumpen the perect fit. But this season, the agen-

cy have crashed the catwalk at both Paris and New

York Fashion Week, thanks to the approval o

brands like Comme des Garçons and Vetements.

Around the world, Alexandrova discovers join-

ers, cleaners and movie theatre workers who look

good in ront o the camera. Her plans or the u-

ture are to explore new cities and start new branch-

es in Russia and across Europe.

“[We] will be mastering the new grounds o

ashion,” the words o Lumpen’s leader, laced with

confidence and conviction. Avdotja Alexandrova

is making us all believe that there could be a seis-

mic shif in the perception o beauty on the ashion

world’s horizon. // AV

“Personality andindividualityare the thingsthat matter”

Metro

Gret


19/34


Alongside her bassist sister Alayna, Miller

plays drums in the alternative band. Jes-

sie Covets joins “Te Rhythm Sisters” on

vocals and guitar. Te Floridian band, founded

in 2013, has already headlined some of America’s

most famous venues including Te Viper Room,

Te Roxy and the House of Blues.

Stereotypes in the music scene are not exclusive

to drummers. For Kim Grant, guitarist and singer

of ‘riot grrrl’ punk band ongue rap, it is common

place for a girl with a guitar to face sexist com-

ments. “Recently a guy commented on a picture I’dput up with me and a guitar, saying, ‘Sweetie, can

you even play that thing?’ It is stuff like that. If it

was a man, his ability wouldn’t even be questioned.”

ongue rap was born in the Girls Rock School,

a musical initiative started to get young girls inter-

ested in rock music. It was there that Grant met her

bandmates, Emma and Sam. Since their formation

nearly two years ago, they have played venues such

as Sneaky Pete’s and most recently at the Glasgow’s

Queerfest event. “I watched this documentary

called Te Punk Singer with [Bikini Kill frontwom-

an] Kathleen Hanna and I was like, I really wanna

start a band. Anybody can do it.”

But with the rock music fan base famous for

its misogyny and scepticism of female musicians,

it can be difficult to stand out. “It’s kind of intim-

idating when you have these male-dominated en-

vironments,” Grant laments. “I do skateboarding

and spray painting which are also male-dominat-

ed things. Where are all the women to show me

that I can do it too?” Miller feels the same way,

even though there is a growing respect for female

drummers, there is still a long way to go. “I do think

we have more to prove, as it is a male-dominated

HIT LIKE A GIRLWhen you hear people say that you play like a girl, mostpeople would take it as an insult. Kayla Miller, from theband rue Violet, takes pride in it

Words by

STACEY DRUMM

JESSICA MERCER

profession. I still hear ‘Wow, a female drummer!’

almost every time we play out. It’s not as common

as it should be.”

For Grant, a strong feminist message has always

been the catalyst. “I think the essence of being a riot

grrrl band is a feminist statement in itself, we’re all

really passionate about it and want to sing about

these things. At our gigs, sometimes we’ll say ‘this

song is about sexual assault.’ We were born out of

Girls Rock School, which is very feminist. Tat’s

still going on. Te plan is to start a ‘riot girl’ rev-

olution.”Grant first identified as a feminist a few years

ago and admits she wasn’t always so aware as she

is now. “Before, sh*t stuff happened to me, and I

didn’t know there was even a movement against. All

I’d heard of feminism was this negativity. I was like,

what is this thing?”

Kaylee Preston, drummer for Rabble Rabble and

Bleach Party, who was a finalist in the Hit Like A

Girl contest last year, looks up to a number of fe-

male drummers with Kiran Gandhi from M.I.A

being her biggest inspiration from women in mu-

sic. “Kiran is a powerful activist for women, a very

creative musician and a great role model for women

and girls.”

In order to even the playing field, Grant believes

there needs to be more creative outlets such as the

Girls Rock School for young female musicians to

thrive. “Once you’ve got that core group of people,

other people will say ‘Oh, I can do that? I never

thought I could’.” I’ve had so many conversations af-

ter gigs where people have come up to me and said

‘I wanna start a band’ and I’m like ‘Just go for it!’ In

your head it feels inaccessible, but it really isn’t – the

future is female.” // SD&JMPictures courtesy of

TRUE VIOLET

rue Violet band members. Lef to right: Kayla Miller, Jessie Covets and Alayna Miller


20/34


PAINT

THE

TOWN

Peace, love and… mustard. A new creative movementis sweeping Scotland leaving a peculiar spatter o

yellow across the country’s estivals and beyond

Words by AILSA MCEWAN

Pictures bySKYE LYON and

MARIN WINDEBANK

Find yoursel at Scotland’s

smaller boutique estivals

and you will be aced with

a sea o yellow. Te past five

years have seen the rise o an

unconventional underground

movement with vibes akin to

the hippie days o the 1960s. Te

Yellow Movement seeks to bring

together creatives and promote

positive change, boasting one o

the most diverse collections o

bands in the country.

Unlike many creative move-

ments, the bands that all under

the collective umbrella o the

Yellow Movement do not all nec-

essarily all into the same gen-

re. No two bands in the group

sound the same, with everything

rom the eclectic blend o olk

and blues courtesy o Have Mer-

cy Las Vegas, to the urban in-

die punk o Edinburgh quartet

Jamie and Shoony.

Colonel Mustard and the

Dijon 5 are the group at the

helm. A genre-deying 15-piece

party band, they have a love or

dancing, shiny disco ball hats

but perhaps most o all, their

ans. Along with their musical

counterparts, Mickey 9s, the

band is responsible or the

birth o the movement. With

energetic dance offs and crowd

surfing grannies common sights

at their live shows, the band

SKYE LYON

YELLOW D a v i d ‘ D i j a n c e r

’ B l a i r s p r e a d i n

g t h e p e a c e ,

l o v e a n

d m u s t a r d !


21/34


epitomise un, capturing

the spirit o the movement

perectly.

Just one o many members

o the Dijon amily, David

‘Dijancer’ Blair both witnessed

and contributed to the Yellow

Movement’s rise to ame. He

sports yellow trainers and aColonel Mustard hoody, beneath

which lies a tattoo paying

homage to the movement he

loves. o David and the rest o

the band, crowd involvement

is a crucial aspect o their live

shows, “I think as a society we’ve

gotten away rom embracing

our inner child. We want to

bring that nonsense back into

the mainstream arena so it’s

important that we get the crowd

involved, whether that’s high

fiving to the beat or having hug

offs. We want to put the peace,

love and mustard out there any

way we can.”

Tis relationship with their

audience is a particularly re-

reshing one. In act, the group

reer to their ans as ‘the 6th Di-

jon’, regarding them as another

essential component o the band.

“We really do have this

symbiotic relationship with our

audience,” David explains. “We

say they are a part o the band

because they get involved in it

just as much.”

Although a passion or the

music seems to come first and

oremost or the 6th Dijon, it is

clear that the Yellow Movement

means so much more; a tight-

knit community has ormed, one

that seems to transcend gener-

ational barriers, with everyone

getting involved rom those

I think as a society,weve gotten away from

embracing our innerchild

crowd-surfing grannies to the

slightly smaller ‘Dijuniors’.

Although much o this anbase

reside in Scotland, Couchsur-

ing has allowed David to spread

their vibrant shade o mustard

across the globe.

“I’ve had over 250 couchsurers

since February last year,” he

tells us. “I take some o them

out while they’re here. Some o

them have come to the estivals

we’ve played at as well and they

absolutely love it. Tey then

go home and tell their riends

and amily.” David regularly

receives photographs o ans

proudly sporting their Yellow

Movement and Colonel Mustard

t-shirts around the globe, rom

as ar afield as Zambia and South

America.

While it seems the main ob-

jective o the movement is sim-

ply to have a good time, this does

not mean the bands involved

avoid touching on more serious

issues in their songwriting.

“Politics can be a topic that

turns a lot o people off but these

things need to be questioned,”

David says. “You can start off

a song on just a comedic hook

but you can put that message in

there as well just to get people

thinking.” Colonel Mustard

and the Dijon 5 are masters

o achieving this balance,

using satire to comment on

matters important to them; the

anthemic Tese Are Not Te

Drugs (You Are Looking For),

or example, argues the case

or drug legalisation. In David’s

eyes the movement is more

relevant than ever afer their

active involvement in Scotland’s

independence reerendum.

“A select ew o Colonel Mus-

tard and the Dijon 5 played the

reedom rally in George Square

in ront o about ten thousand

people the day beore [the re-

erendum] and I’ve never expe-

rienced such tangible positivity

in such a large mass o people.

While the outcome was not what

45 percent o people wanted,

there is still a desire in people to

affect positive change in whatev-

er way they can.”

Te uture is looking bright or

Colonel Mustard and the Dijon

5 and the Yellow Movement as

a whole; group tattoo sessions

with the 6th Dijon lie ahead and

with 22 gigs and estivals already

confirmed, 2016 is set to be the

band’s busiest year yet. // AM

MARTIN WINDEBANK

SKYE LYON

Yellow mania: Colonel Mustard in action


22/34

40 41 w w w . i m p u l s e m a g - o n l i n e . c o mFrom the Gorbals to Bearsden,

an army of two-wheeledwarriors have descended on tothe streets of Glasgow

GLASGOW(RE)CYCLES T

hose in charge of the 2014 Commonwealth

Games would like to think that they are

responsible for the cycling pandemic on

the streets. Te elite riders of the Commonwealth

traversed the streets of Glasgow in blistering fash-

ion, with time to pay a visit to spots such as the

almost unconquerable wall of Montrose Streetand the city’s West End before a run in to Glasgow

Green. Even more so, a purpose-built mountain

bike trail on the city’s south side, at Cathkin Braes,

provided world-class facilities for those probably

not so keen to dodge traffic on the city’s streets.

However, the advent of cycling in Glasgow

can be traced further back than the Games. Af-

ter all, it is not a swarm of lycra-clad road rac-

ers diving around corners, putting pedestrians

in peril; it is the commuters and the shoppers,

those who otherwise would be walking, driv-

ing or using public transport, who are dust-

ing off their wheels for a pedal around the city.

Tis movement can, in part, be attributed to

community cycling hubs. Certain areas of the city

are becoming awash with these projects such as

Common Wheel in Maryhill and Freewheel North

in Glasgow Green. Te biggest of all the community

cycling hubs, however, is Te Bike Station. Discreet-

ly tucked away in a less frequented corner of the

city’s West End, the converted fire station on Haugh

Road is home to numerous projects that work

throughout the city. Development officer Joanna

Smith explained a little bit about where the Bike

Station has come from, and what goes on in a typi-

cal day there: “Te initial thing that we did was, and

still is, bike recycling. We started out in the Barras

[Barrowlands] market as a little stall. We were just

taking bikes in there, refurbishing them and selling

them until about five years ago. Since then, we’ve

just grown, and grown and grown. We still do a lot

of the bike refurbishing but on a much bigger scale.

“People either drop off bikes here or we do

pick-ups. Te bikes then get stripped down in the

warehouse and built up again in the workshop.”

Sprawling over the floor in the building

Words by

SEAN GORDON

Pictures by

JAMIE DONALDSON


23/34


We do make a big differenceto the lives of the people we

work with, especially the youngpeople who are in the disengaged

bracket

are bikes with modestly marked price tags,

all with Bike Station stickers to denote its past life

in the hands of another owner. But the expansion

into bigger premises is symbolic of the develop-

ment from their past sole function of the business

as a whole: “Our two main projects at the moment

are Uni-Cycle, where we work with all the uni-

versities and colleges in Glasgow, increasing the

number of people travelling sustainably, obviously

by bike, or by walking or using public transport.

“Te other one is Te Bike Station Academy,

which works in six different areas of the city includ-

ing some of the more deprived areas working with

unemployed people and NEEs [a young person

who is ‘Not in Education, Employment, or rain-

ing’], a lot of the people we work with are in school

but not in the mainstream curriculum,” Joanna ex-

plained, “We’re training them in bicycle mechan-

ics, some ride leader qualifications and focusing on

enterprise skills, with the end goal being that they

will set up community cycling hubs in their area.”

When quizzed on the function of the seem-

ingly ‘give give give’ attitude of Te Bike Station,

Joanna said that it is simply to make Glasgow a

brighter place, “Tere’s two aspects: the first is

the environmental aspect, that’s why we do all

the recycling stuff, getting people on their bikes

to reduce carbon emissions and other things.

But the other side is the personal aspect of it, so

improving people’s mental and physical health.

“I feel we make a big difference to the lives of the

people we work with, especially those who are in

the disengaged bracket. You can’t go in and miracu-

lously change everyone’s lives, that’s unrealistic, but

the people we’re working with [leave] knowing that

they are good at something.” // SG

A cyclist makes use o the fix-your-own bike station

A mechanic works on the bike recycling side o the project


24/34

44 45 w w

w . i m p u l s e m a g - o n l i n e . c o m

WHITE HORSES

When we think o stereotypical Scottish

sports, the usual images that spring

to mind are the firm avourites;

ootball and gol. Scotland’s climate means

ofen the players must battle the elements –

as well as their rivals. However, one sport is

finding its home on the wet and windy coasts.

Te international rise o surfing has reached

the Scottish isles, with iree, Dunbar and Turso

(home to the best right hand breaking waves in

Europe) becoming popular wave hotspots. Enticed

by the excitement o it all, many people are trading

in their gol clubs and replacing them with a board

and a wetsuit. Although the question that crops up

when discussing this movement is a predictable

one: ‘Is it not too cold?’

Te trouble is, Scotland’s best waves are in winter,

lasting rom October to March when temperatures

rarely reach above 1°C. As a result, the Scot surers

tend to be seen as the hardiest as they fight massive

waves and the rigid, grey weather. Despite the

extreme temperatures and the increased chance o

catching rostbite over a summer glow, the sport

has become a liestyle to many o its most avid

participants.

Lisa Monteith, ounder o the Edinburgh Napier

Sur Club and manager at Coast to Coast Sur

School (the biggest o its kind in Scotland) talked

to IMPULSE about how the sport has become a

passion or many. “When I first started the sur club

it was daunting. I knew Scotland had a growing

sur culture and was motivated to bring it into [the

university],” she tells us. “Te response we had was

antastic. It was a mix o genuinely cool people who

were either pro surers or had never sured beore.

Everyone had a shared respect or the sport and

ambition to try something new. o be part o it all

is awesome!”

Ever year, the Scottish Sur Championship

comes to Turso. Renowned as one o the biggest

competitions or the sport, people travel rom all

over the globe to compete against the aggressive

waves. As a result, this seaside location once known

or being no more than a small fishing town has

adopted a new persona, becoming the capital o

Scottish sur.

No one claimed that it would be easy: dodging

ice, wrestling with the world’s thickest wetsuits

and lie-threatening waves. Te hardships

created a bond between surers. Jamie Marshall,

coordinator o the Scottish branch o the Wave

Project (a charity which teaches children and

young adults rom troubled backgrounds how to

sur) says the dangerous sport can make a person,

“Scottish people are known or being riendly and

accommodating, and this extends to surfing. We

help teach people about respecting the waves and

the thrill that accompanies the sport. I want to help

surfing in Scotland reach as many people as it can.”

So whether you are the next Kelly Slater or ancy

trying something new, it is well worth surfing the

Scottish waves to experience the new movement

sweeping across our reezing but be autiul country

first hand. // BH

Enticed by the excitement of it all, many people arehanging up their golf clubs and replacing them with aboard and a wetsuit

Words by BROGAN HOWIE | Pictures by ANNA DOIG and COAST TO COAST SURF SCHOOL

Battling against sub-zero temperatures and ferocious conditions,

Scottish surfers are making waves in the sporting world

A emale surer barrel-riding in Dunbar

Whitewash afer a hard day surfing


25/34

46 47

Ashleigh Bell hosting her weekly ‘Meet & Pitch’ event at Factory Berlin

FACTORY WOMAN IMPULSE ollows an ambitious woman romher humble, Scottish beginnings to the buzzingstart-up scene o Berlin

Walking the streets o Mitte, the most cen-

tral borough o Berlin, I approached a

large, modern building. Deep house

music rumbled rom within and neon lights flick-

ered in the windows, I began to doubt i I was in

the right place.

I entered the venue to be greeted by a drinks

cooler. Intrigued, I lifed the lid. A man enjoying

an ice-lolly approached me recommending I get

the Moscow Mule, apparently a avourite in Ber-

lin. Usually a Gin-and-onic girl, I tore away rom

my comort zone and went with his suggestion. We

parted ways merging ourselves with the rest o the

lollipop-licking crowd. Tis did not appear to be

…Ashleigh was invited to

a VIP event hosted by MarkZuckerberg – just another perk

of the job

Words by SONIA SARHA | Pictures by MAX REIBERT

the boring conerence I thought I was attending.

I was at Factory Berlin, the largest tech campus

and start-up hub in Germany. A co-working com-

munity that hosts all kinds o events. Te woman

behind the scenes making it all happen is Ashleigh

Bell. Born in Glasgow, raised in Switzerland, she re-

cently made the move to the buzzing city o Berlin

– I was keen to know why.

“Here in Berlin I am like everybody else. Every-

one has some orm o international story to tell. I

eel totally in my zone.” Many spend a lietime find-

ing ‘their zone’ but it has only taken 26 years or

Ashleigh to find hers. Having been introduced to

the world o start-ups on a work placement, Ash-

leigh knew she wanted to “help entrepreneurs ulfill

their goals and empower them to make an impact

in the world.”

Her role as event manager enables her to achieve

her goal – hosting events that bring entrepreneurs

rom across the country (and beyond) to meet,

pitch and share ideas. “A good event manager

should not have much to do on the day, it should

have all been planned beore.” Everything rom co-

ordinating visuals, lights and playlists, hiring tech-

nicians and equipment, ordering the right number

o pretzels per expected guest and enough beers to

go around – all aspects as important as each other.

As an event manager who is chaotic and always

late in her personal lie, Ashleigh makes up or it in

her social skills. Far rom shy, she ofen joins the

un and hosts the events she creates. One o hermost successul events is her ‘afer-work jam ses-

sions’ where she is known to showcase her musical

talents. She explains that it is the reedom and flex-

ibility to organise events that allows her to combine

personal passions with work.

I anything, business is about having the right

contacts. As a thank you or hosting an event or

the Geekettes, an organisation o emale innovators

in Berlin, Ashleigh was invited to a VIP event host-

ed by Mark Zuckerberg – just another perk o the

job! // SS

Ashley joining in at one o the afer-work jam sessions


26/34

48 49 w w


A meal or two at Nando’s or a return trip toMilan? wo tech entrepreneurs are hoping to

make a stylish weekend as affordable as a chicken

dinner with their new travel app

KEEPING

YOU ABOVETHE CLOUDS Words by ADAM STURROCK | Pictures by YONDER


27/34

50 51 w w


Jamie Snedden would have rather been sip-

ping espresso in Milan, cycling around Am-

sterdam or drinking in a Dublin bar. But

instead he aced being stuck in Scotland or his uni-

versity break. For the lucky ones with a ew days off,

the last thing you want to do is sit around your flat.Tat is why Snedden and his riend Fifi Kara are

developing Yonder, an app that lets you find flights

to anywhere in the world – always within your

budget.

Te two are passionate about travelling and have

a lot o experience hunting or deals. Afer look-

ing or cheap flights, search-

ing destination afer destina-

tion, changing travel dates and

searching every website known

to Man – they finally realised

what was holding them back.

“You can go onto any trav-

el search engine and the first thing that they will

ask you to do is fill in your destination. We real-

ised quite quickly that in doing so, you as a user are

instantly blind to all but the results that they have

allowed you to see,” Snedden explained.

Yonder decided to remove the destination field.

Just enter your starting location and the dates you

are travelling and the app will help find a cheap des-

tination or you. “Tis may not be to a place that

you will necessarily know, and purposeully, youdon’t have to enter the destination. It leaves you

completely open to whatever happens to be the

cheapest place.”

By not taking location into account, in theo-

ry, you only spend what you’ve budgeted or, and

travel on the days you are available. It also greatly

reduces the amount o time it

takes to plan your trip. Te app

clearly works or students who

ofen have very limited budgets

and little time to plan a holiday.

Prices fluctuate wildly on a day-

to-day basis which means that

being able to pounce on the cheapest flights is key

or those who want to be spontaneous.

Snedden says that or this generation o nomads,

the end destination is the least o the concerns.

Tey can not only travel, but work rom anywhere

i they have a laptop and an internet connection.

“[Tis new way o working] is very real and I think

that is definitely a reality or a lot more millennials.

I’d be really excited i that continued.”

Te pair won a £3,500 grant to develop the approm the London School o Economics’ Gener-

ate’s Entrepreneurship Funding Competition afer

pitching their website through a gruelling process.

“Fifi and I had both done a significant amount

o pitching [prior to the event] but it was the first

time we had pitched or money and we were both

incredibly nervous,” Snedden said. Te new unds

will help push the app towards the finish line, and

go towards marketing their website. A ew o the

ideas in the pipeline suggest exciting things.

“We are going to have a lucky draw and give

one user return flights and accommodation or a

long weekend – destination o their choice – just to

show how accessible cheap travel can be,” he said.

For now, the Yonder team are ocusing on their

soon to be announced launch date, and their uni-

versity work. // AS

Tey searched every travel

website known to man before

they finally realised what was

holding them back

To learn more about Yonder,

visit their website

@ yonder.cm or follow them

on Twitter @theyonderapp


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In February, stars ock from

around the globe to the

Berlinale: Europe’s second

biggest lm festival that

hosts world premieres of

arthouse cinema.

No city takes nightlife as

seriously as these guys.

Stattbad Wedding is a former

swimming pool turned clubbing

venue - and do not even ask us

about the infamous Berghain.

B E R L I N

“I open the doors of AKA to a clean, untouched

oor of white; walls adorned with the kind of

art even the Tate would struggle to swallow”

From beneath the patchwork quilt, all I could

hear was the hollow tip-tap o raindrops

and the unmistakable sound o continental

Europe’s emergency sirens. Eight in the morning:

the city was still in night mode. Te stars had made

way or mist, and the jagged cityscape that usually

sparkled and soared or miles in darkness barely

peeked through the opaque clouds.

Stepping out into the biting wind and rain, I

swifly discovered how easy it was to get lost in this

city. Te invisible boundaries o Berlin stretched

or miles – unlike London that could, in theory,

be conquered in a mere matter o hours. I warmer

weather had greeted me, I would have taken to the

cycle lanes that were ofen crammed with locals ontheir way to work. Even in the middle o the day,

the amiliar sounds o ringing bells and Deutsch

cries o “get out o the way!” were impossible to

miss.

On this particular occasion, it seemed wiser to

take the U-Bahn: Berlin’s underground transport

system that took me rom straße to straße with

comparatively less stress than battling the outdoor

elements. At almost every stop, colourul, kitsch

tiles adorned the walls, blessed too with the

designs o local artists rom the circuit’s post-war

Words by DOUGLAS GREENWOOD | Pictures by CLARA RIBERA and JÖRG SCHUBERT

THINGS YOU MAY NOT KNOW

renovation. In a way, these murals are as beautiul

as the architecture that sits above the ground.

Venturing urther away rom the city’s slightly

clinical entertainment district that sat on my

doorstep, I ound mysel in Rosenthaler Vorstadt,

or the Mitte district. Literally translating as “the

centre”, Berlin’s equivalent o Leicester Square bears

no resemblance to its English sister. A peer inside

St Oberholz coffee house unveiled a new kind o

caffeine-uelled pastime, as creative souls who

work across the city gathered to discuss visions and

ideas over a cup o java; a ar cry rom the hostile

açade o my local coffee chain.

Afer a wander around the nearby markets and

street-wear stores that line the Rosenthaler streets,it was time to jump back on to the U-Bahn and head

south. Situated in the side o Berlin that remains

almost untouched by its glorious urban takeover, I

open the doors o AKA to a clean, untouched floor

o white, walls adorned with the kind o art even

ate Modern would struggle to swallow. Trough

the back, resident tattoo artist Bobby Anders

scribed the last words my mother wrote me on to

my sort-o see-through skin. And with that, I head

off into the night that eventually, turns into my

second Berlin sun. // DG

A

c o l o u r f u l s e c t i o n o f t h e B e r l i n W a l l

Te Fernsehturm tower pierces into the skyline Rush hour at the U-Bahn

JÖRG SCHUBERTCLARA RIBERA


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Communist

revolutionary &

leader, Vladimir

Lenin’s body is

kept in a mausoleum

in the centre of

the Kremlin.

Moscow is home

to a total of 84

billionaires,

leaving New York

in second place

with with

only 62.

Moscow’s metro is

the only one in

the world where

art, statues and

chandeliers are

found at each

stop.

It was nothing like romantic Rome or Paris – this

was the chilly and austere Moscow. I stepped into

Red Square, a place you must visit at least once in

your lietime, to find it was nothing like what I had

seen on the silver screen. Te gracious buildings

were circled by the busy people o Moscow, passing

tiny stands selling souvenirs, pastries and Kvass: a

sof drink with rye bread and some alcohol as its

main ingredient. I bought a bottle, cautious about

the taste o brown liquid bread, but instead was lef

surprised by its sweet and boozy flavour.

Looking up, the sun gently stroked the domes o

St. Basil’s Cathedral, Russia’s most iconic attribute.

Te six, brightly coloured towers overhead

resembled ice cream cones, a golden one above

them all. By now, I had learned that everything that

looks like gold in Russia – was actually gold. Te

mix o colourul architecture danced in my eyes,

the kind o cathedral you simply have to stop and

admire.

Te short walk to Lubyanka Square led me to a

towering nine-storey building steeped in the classic

grandeur o Moscow architecture. It was the ormer

Soviet intelligence headquarters and a prison

rolled into one. Creaking wooden floorboards and

horrific, reezing cells threw me deep in to the lie

o a Soviet prisoner. I looked into the concrete cell:

a metal disk in the middle awoke my curiosity. A

small sign stated that the room used to be filled

with water. A prisoner would be orced to stand

on the disk until he ell asleep, alling into ice-cold

water to wake him up again. Tis was more than a

prison cell, it was a Russian torture chamber. Much

more would go on than brawls and fistfights; they

would slowly break your spirit. Hauntingly, these

cold, abandoned rooms took me through the pages

o the city’s history.

A short stroll past the river Moskva took me to

Bunker-42: an old Cold War era nuclear bunker

that lies 65 metres under Moscow’s city centre.

Te realisation that Russia is probably the only

country in the world that teaches tourists how to

assemble and disassemble a Kalashnikov hit me

as I held the reezing cold, metal components o a

gun in my hands. Dim light crept behind me as I

explored the quiet catacombs; intrigue pulling me

urther and urther through the dark underground

tunnels. It elt like a video game, except this was all

uncomortably real. // VS

M O S C O W

“By now, I had learned that everything that looks like

gold in Russia – was actually gold”

Words by VIKTORIJA SCERBAKOVA | Pictures by NIKITA GOLOSHCHAPOV


Te breathtaking view o Moskva river at night

Red Square is a symbol o Russia’s beauty and history


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C A P E T O W N


Woodstock is home

to an eclectic

mix of people,

despite the recent

gentrication of

other areas.

Forget biltong –

a picky eater’s

paradise. A

phenomenal choice

of interesting

places to eat.

If the bustle of

the city gets too

much, get yourself

along the coast,

the beaches are

idyllic.

“The iconic Table Mountain and Lion’s Head hikes are

obvious must-dos, but before sleepy residents have

awoken, climbing Red Hill feels like a well-kept secret”

A salty breeze lapped through the window

and licked the sheet I had wrapped my

jetlagged body in. Early mornings usually

required some cajoling, certainly quiet time beore

being ready to ace the world, but the sun on my

ace eventually tore me rom my bed.

I turned and caught my sister’s eye, her ace said

everything. “I haven’t elt this rested in months,” she

told me. As I clambered rom the lof into the beach

house (an Airbnb gem), I glanced at my Burkies -

discarded on the floor afer a stolen, midnight walk.

With my sights set on South Arica’s peaks, I wore

my runners instead. Afer all, this was not a climb

built or sandals.

We scrambled our way up Red Hill, going off

piste; all part o the un. Te iconic able Mountain

and Lion’s Head hikes are obvious must dos, but

beore sleepy residents have awoken, climbing Red

Hill eels like a well-kept secret.

Scratchy bushes and sunburned long grass

tugged at our bare legs, but we giggled our way to

the ridge and turned to ace the view. Waves played

with the shoreline, crashing onto miles o white

sand. Te eager surers were already bobbing about;

simple specks rom our dizzy height.

Afer making our way downhill, the quest

or breakast supplies brought us to Te Hub.

As expected, it is perect or grabbing coffee or

groceries, listening to music and just generally

hanging out. Community run, it also has the perect

surer vibe or the town’s inhabitants.

Everything has been considered or the people it

attracts. A rack or cycling shoes awaits adventurers,

arriving in packs to re-energise with steaming cups

o coffee and honey-inused almond cake. Water

bowls or urry riends are requently replenished,

while their owners hydrate on reshly squeezed

juices and minted water.

February is the end o summer in Cape own.

Fruits, sweet and sticky, beg to be eaten. We

grabbed figs, passion ruit, bread, local honey and

that prized packet o coffee. Giddy rom the air,

delighted with our oraging, we returned home and

spread everything on the sun-drenched table. Te

others awoke and we ate like kings.

We spent the afernoon paddling, sand duning

and galavanting along the beach until our rumbling

tummies lead us to Hout Bay Market. Cape own

has a plethora o markets but we trusted the locals

to take us to only the best. Everything about the

warehouse-set market is immediately, utterly

delicious: the smells, the sounds, the people. But it

has got nothing on the ood. We do ‘amily style’,

sharing, grabbing, dipping and slurping resh

raspberry mojitos that cooled the lavish amount o

chilli in every dish.

Our designated driver, valiant in her duties, took

to the wheel again, returning us to our little hut in

paradise. We grabbed our cameras and raced out to

catch the last o the rays, the dappled ading light

skimmed the beach. Te tingling o salty skin and

rum-induced laughs linger in my memory. // EC

Words and Pictures by EVA COUTTS

A shop corner on Long Street, Cape own

Te ragged shoreline at Scarborough


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Waking up on a lusciously bright and

sunny morning, I knew where I was:

Munich. It seemed however, that my

soggy bottom was firmly plastered to the grass

and not to the hostel bed I had paid or. Te damp

ground helped me confirm my whereabouts:

Eisbach, a place where the drunk find peace at

night (not to be recommended.)

Te flickering shadows between the branches

above me cast memories o people dancing,

drinking and singing rom the previous evening.

I looked around and remembered the state o

the Englischer Garten. A truly beautiul paradise

where teenagers mulled around in emerald water,

drinking beer and listening to a concoction o

reggae and Chris Brown. Te afernoon had started

off well but had ended in a blur o lager, skinny-

dipping and a hal-eaten Bratwurst.

I had cycled through the old town, past

Odeonsplatz and the LMU University, seeking out

a slice o vegan paradise by the name o ‘Ignaz’.

Tere I indulged in a very un-Bavarian meal o

cream, tou and vegetables, ollowed by a slab ochocolate udge cake. Te meal cost me the same

as last night’s mattress, but gave me infinitely more

satisaction.

Escaping the stifling hot sun, I took shelter at

the ‘Haus der Kunst’, where they were exhibiting

Louise Bourgeois’ work. In the cooler hours o

the afernoon, I set off along the river back to

Marienplatz, climbing the 299 steps o the St.

Peter’s Church to see Munich rom a height. It was

a beautiul sunset.

On the look out or more ood, I spotted a

market in ront o the church. I was devouring

a measly and odd combination o grapes and

urkish olives when I miraculously stumbled

across a little bakery serving the best carrot cake

in the city. As I sauntered through the old town,

through the bustling, busy streets and out past the

crazy crowds to the Isar, I realised that although

the city centre was mobbed with people, somehow

it was also homely and calming.

I sat by the river with a bottle o Pilsner beore

heading out to Wombat’s, the bar closest to

my hostel. Te clientele? Sweaty men drinking

expensive cocktails around a pool table. It may

not sound like the place to be, and yes, it might be

located at the dodgiest end o town, but the drinkswere cheap and the streets were filled with vibrant,

drunken, interesting people. I became more

Bavarian with every pint I drank. // RH

Royal Kebabhaus at

Hauptbahnhof serve

the best vegan

doner.

Sausalitos serves

two litre cocktails

for 10€ during

happy hour.

Steinsee is the

best lake for

cooling of with a

summer swim.

M U N I C H


Words by RACHEL HENDERSON | Pictures by DOUGLAS GREENWOOD

“A truly beautiful paradise where teenagers mulled

around in emerald water drinking beer and listeningto a concoction of reggae and Chris Brown”

Eisbach river at Englischer Garten the perect place or a summer swim Night-time in Munich


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“The outdoor neon signs had warmed up, hinting at

the imminent start of happy hours. Perfect timing”

This French city is

less than two hours

from London and an

hour from Paris by

train.

The biggest ea

market in Europe

takes place on the

rst weekend of

September.

La Piscine de

Roubaix is a 1920s

art-deco swimming

pool converted to

an art museum.

L I L L EWords and Pictures by TOINON DENOYELLE SAUVAGE


Lille had finally awoken. Overjoyed by the

sight o the aintest sunlight, tourists and

locals slowly filled the maze o pedestri-

an streets; stopping now and then to take a peek

through shop windows. I wandered between the

old brick houses, some red, some white and some

adorned with golden rames making the neigh-

bourhood look like an upscale Amsterdam. Te

luxury boutiques seldom suit a tourist’s budget but

the picturesque buildings have always been a de-

light or architecture aficionados.

Trough cobbled street afer cobbled street, my

stomach groaned in despair or a snack. My morn-

ing stroll at the market afer grazing on ood sam-

ples ailed to satisy my cravings. I made my way to

Lille’s most amous patisserie Aux Merveill eux, the

only shop I could afford in the neighbourhood. Sell-

ing almost exclusively local pastries, Aux Merveil-leux, the tiny patisserie, ofen turns the narrow

pavement into a human traffic jam. A single gl ance

at the window filled with unique desserts made my

mouth water. Te rounded meringue covered in

chocolate sprinkles pleased my eyes as much as it

was about to please my stomach. But such a deli-

cacy needed the perect setting. ake-away box in

hand, I abandoned the quietness o the old Lill e or

the rumble o cars that packed the city centre.

Afer a short walk I had reached my destina-

tion. Away rom touristic attractions, Gare Saint-

Sauveur, a decommissioned train station is now a

shooting up gallery or cultural overdose. Cinema,

exhibitions, bars, the place likes to remind outsid-

ers that there is more to Lille than just its obsolete

coal mines.

Te hipster headquarters were glowing beore

my eyes, dazzled by the sunset. Te outdoor neon

signs had warm

Impulse Magazine 2016

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