Latest news with #Pendulum
Times
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Times
Pendulum review — blasting their music into outer space
There were moments during Pendulum's biggest show, headlining the 65,000-capacity Tribes Unite festival, when — with sonorous whomp and sine-wave lasers — they seemed intent on turning the Milton Keynes Bowl into a giant satellite dish to beam their new music to distant stars. Because these Australian rave-metallers are about to release Inertia, their first album in 15 years. And one thing they're clearly not going to do is keep it quiet. In a blitz of flames, lights and ear-bursting beats, they arrived with the appropriately titled Napalm, the sound of the Prodigy backing Rage Against the Machine and a fine summation of their wider impact so far. In the wake of the electronic and industrial metal innovations of Nine Inch Nails, Ministry, Enter Shikari and others, in the mid-Noughties Pendulum brought an authentic clubland sensibility to the party: electro-rock gigs that blended and flowed like DJ sets, monster riffs played on squelchy synths, soulful and melodic pop hooks lodged between pounding drum'n'bass onslaughts that felt like going ten rounds with Robocop. • Read more music reviews, interviews and guides on what to listen to next Even after a five-year hiatus after the 2010 album Immersion and a further decade making Inertia, it's a method they still revel in. Witness the frontman Rob Swire mashing the 2007 single Blood Sugar into their remix of the Prodigy's Voodoo People, or crooning and screaming through Save the Cat like a boy band singer with a succubus trying to climb out through his gullet. Weighting their 90 minutes towards the new material, Pendulum swung through the gabba metal gamut, from the hellfire mayhem of Halo to the slick superclub techno of The Island. Even cinematic soul-barers such as Encoder were eventually hit by a truck full of filthy synths, but plenty of variety poked through: Morricone brass on Propane Nightmares, dream pop textures on Colourfast, 8-bit bleeps and Tetris visuals introducing Self vs Self. Watercolour came with a kisscam worthy sway-along section which Swire called 'the closest we come to Coldplay' while, at the far end of the wholesome scale, Silent Spinner was accompanied by grainy antique film of demonic baptisms, torture implements and witches wielding pickled hands, and sounded like Depeche Mode descending a circle or two deeper. They closed with the reggae rave Tarantula, career inertia conquered. The Andromedans won't know what hit them.★★★★☆Pendulum play HERE at the Outernet, London, on Sep 5
Elle
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Elle
The Biggest 'Wednesday' Season Two, Part One Easter Eggs You May Have Missed
If you're the kind of Wednesday super fan who pauses mid-episode to screenshot background details and then disappears down a three-hour Reddit rabbit hole analysing them, then season two of Netflix's gothic phenomenon was made specifically for you. Showrunners Alfred Gough and Miles Millar have transformed the first four episodes of season two (which dropped on Wednesday, August 6) into a masterclass in cultural archaeology, layering references so intricate that even the most devoted fans are still uncovering new details. It's gothic genealogy meets meta-commentary, and frankly, we can't stop mining every frame for hidden meaning. These are the Wednesday season two, part one easter eggs you definitely missed. Let's start with what you probably noticed: Jenna Ortega's Wednesday channels serious Christina Ricci energy throughout these opening episodes, but it's not imitation – it's deliberate homage. The costume department has created looks that feel like natural evolution rather than nostalgic recreation, while Morticia's styling offers subtle nods to Anjelica Huston's iconic 1990s interpretation. Uncle Fester's dialogue deserves particular attention from longtime fans. Listen carefully, and you'll hear echoes of his classic movie one-liners, woven into the script like inside jokes for viewers who've been following this family for decades. The opening six minutes alone contain enough hidden significance to fuel a term's worth of film studies analysis. When Wednesday casts her spell over Goody's book, her necklace turns blood red – a blink-and-you'll-miss-it visual cue that may be fleeting but is crucial to understanding her character's evolving powers. Even more striking are the black tears Wednesday sheds when her abilities start 'glitching.' It's visually arresting and symbolically loaded, suggesting that her supernatural evolution is going to be neither comfortable nor pretty. This season's Nevermore Academy feels like walking through a gothic literature syllabus. Pugsley and Eugene are housed in Caliban Hall, a Shakespeare reference that's both thematically appropriate and slightly tongue-in-cheek. The Da Vinci students crafting a raven-shaped bonfire isn't just atmospheric set dressing, either – it's a love letter to the poet, Edgar Allan Poe, where he is portrayed as a former student of the fictional school. The school's name is even a direct nod to the famous line 'Nevermore' from Poe's poem The Raven. The Poe references didn't stop there. A sword ceiling threatens students in clear homage to The Pit and the Pendulum, while a red-caped figure pursuing Wednesday channels The Mask of the Red Death. Some of the most satisfying easter eggs require serious pop culture knowledge. Thing rolling a clear bowling ball with a rubber duck inside is pure Big Lebowski energy – weird, wonderful, and completely unexpected. Meanwhile, the zombie revived by lightning feels like Tim Burton nodding to his own 2012 film Frankenweenie. Even behind-the-scenes details become easter eggs: co-creator Miles Millar appears as a TSA agent in episode one's airport scene, marking his first on-screen appearance in three decades. It's the kind of insider cameo that rewards the most dedicated fans while adding a playful meta-layer to the viewing experience. Wednesday season two, part one is available to stream now. Part two will be released on Wednesday, September 3. ELLE Collective is a new community of fashion, beauty and culture lovers. For access to exclusive content, events, inspiring advice from our Editors and industry experts, as well the opportunity to meet designers, thought-leaders and stylists, become a member today HERE. Naomi May is a seasoned culture journalist and editor with over ten years' worth of experience in shaping stories and building digital communities. After graduating with a First Class Honours from City University's prestigious Journalism course, Naomi joined the Evening Standard, where she worked across both the newspaper and website. She is now the Digital Editor at ELLE Magazine and has written features for the likes of The Guardian, Vogue, Vice and Refinery29, among many others. Naomi is also the host of the ELLE Collective book club.
Scotsman
01-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
My Festival: Mairi Campbell
With her Pendulum trilogy returning to the Fringe, the Scottish folk musician reflects on the origin of her 400-million-year-old stage companion, winning a Fringe First award, and why her show may be a tonic to the busyness of Edinburgh during the Festival Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter, get the latest news and reviews from our specialist arts writers Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... There are thousands of shows in Edinburgh this month. Please tell us why we should come and see yours. I'm told my show is a tonic if you're feeling somewhat overwhelmed by the busyness and bustle of Edinburgh during the Fringe. I'm a local Edinburgh lass with roots on the West Coast of Scotland. Whether you're drawn by traditional music, environmental themes, ancestral storytelling or visual art, Living Stone roots you back into yourself, all in an hour! Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Mairi Campbell - Living Stone | Julia Fayngruen What will we learn from your show that we didn't know before? You'll learn how to make a stone pendulum should you ever wish to! How a 400-million-year-old stone became my stage companion and exactly how our band aims to sound like Jimmy Shand. Who or what was the biggest inspiration for your show? The stone, which was found at my great grandmother's croft on the island of Lismore. It's been on stage with me since 2016, since the first trilogy show and it's always there when I perform. It grounds us all in the room. The profound quiet on Lismore when I'm living there is pretty inspirational. These shows wouldn't exist without my director and co-creator Kath Burlinson. She's inspired and helped me to do the thing I could only dream of. We did it!! What's the best review you've ever had, and the worst? Best: the Scotsman Fringe First Award in 2024 for Living Stone. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Worst: Guildhall final year recital 1988: nearly failing for playing a piece I wrote myself. They wouldn't mark it because they said it didn't count, but I argued that it was written after 1944 which was the only criteria in that contemporary music category. Anyway, I'm over it. Really, I am. Who or what are you most excited about seeing this year? My run finishes on the 17th August so after that I'm going to see my friend Michelle Burke's show Mind How You Go at ZOO Playground, which is irresistibly described as 'the Angelus Bells meet Murder, She Wrote'. I also want to see the other shows at the Scottish Storytelling Centre. I like the way the show makers in the venue all pull together and support each other. We have WhatsApps and all sorts of friendly communications to keep us afloat. Who do you most like spending time with in Edinburgh? I live in Edinburgh from July to January and I live on the island of Lismore from January to July, so I'm just back. My daughter Ada recently moved back to Edinburgh so I like spending time with her and my other lass Ellen. We recently went to the Granton sauna, which was great. Hope to go there more regularly. I like to swim in the sea at Portobello, but not after the rains! Tell us something about you that would surprise people. I cut my own hair. Actually I don't think you'd be surprised if you looked closely at it. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad What are the best and worst things that have happened to you at a festival? Worst: one year I had to do on-street flyering. It was horrific. I'll never do it again. It was exhausting and way too much rejection for a sensitive person like me. Best: the audience response to the shows in general is wonderful. The cherry on the cake was our Fringe First last year. What's the first thing you do in the morning and the last thing you do at night? Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Well, it's pretty late right now, but I'm listening on repeat to Simon Thoumire's recently written viola sonata played on the concertina. I'll be learning it so it's cool to listen to his take on his music. It's got a very Scottish feel, old and yet new. Love it. Oh yes, mornings and nights…um, I get out of bed and then I get into bed. Thanks for the interview! We'd like to buy you a drink. Where are we going and what are we drinking? We're going to the Espy on Portobello prom and we're drinking cocktails. Gaun Yersel! Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Mairi Campbell performs her Pendulum Trilogy (Pulse, Auld Lang Syne and Living Stone) at the Storytelling Centre, 5pm, until 17 August, with a different show on each date.
The Irish Sun
31-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Grammy-nominated DJ Armin van Buuren releases two new albums like we've never heard him before
FOR over two decades, Armin van Buuren has stood as one of the towering figures in electronic music, a Trance titan, global festival headliner and relentless creator. With a Grammy nomination and as 5-time No. 1 DJ on DJ Mag's Top 100 DJs list, behind the scenes, Armin has undergone a personal transformation that goes far beyond his music. 3 Armin has undergone a personal transformation that goes far beyond his music Credit: supplied That story comes to life on Breathe, his most expansive and genre-defying project to date. Spanning 51 tracks across two companion albums, Breathe In and Breathe Out, the body of work is both a celebration of artistic freedom and a snapshot of transformation. From mainstage-ready collaborations with David Guetta, Bon Jovi and Moby to experimental detours with Pendulum and deep club workouts tested in late-night sets, Breathe is Armin like we've never heard him before. 'Albums are like time capsules,' he says. 'Even in the age of playlists, I still believe in crafting something that tells a story from start to finish.' With Breathe In released first, followed by the sprawling Breathe Out, the complete project paints a picture of an artist who has broken free from creative constraints and personal ones, too. Behind the scenes, Armin has undergone a dramatic shift. After years of nonstop touring, he found himself on the brink of burnout. 'I had a press release ready to announce I was taking a sabbatical,' he admits. 'Then COVID happened and suddenly I had space to breathe literally.' What followed was a total lifestyle overhaul. Armin quit drinking, embraced mindfulness and breathwork, and began a journey inward that would reshape not only his health and mindset, but also his music. 'I used to think meditation was nonsense,' he laughs. 'But if so many high-functioning people are doing it, maybe it's not so stupid after all.' Most read in Showbiz His new routine includes daily journaling, gratitude lists and breathing exercises. The results have been powerful. 'I'm more productive than ever thanks to the sobriety, thanks to looking after my diet, thanks to my sleeping pattern, thanks to finally being able to say no to big shows and big offers' he says. 3 Spanning 51 tracks across two companion albums, Breathe In and Breathe Out, the body of work is both a celebration of artistic freedom and a snapshot of transformation Credit: supplied 3 He's performed at venues across the globe Credit: supplied This personal evolution has poured directly into his creative process. 'DJing still fuels a lot of the music,' he says, explaining how many of the tracks on Breathe were road-tested live before being finalised in the studio. 'You don't even have to fully finish a track or master it to play it out. If I have a short snippet, I can already tease it in my sets. I don't have to finish the tracks immediately, but I can sculpt them, which is different from the vinyl days where you had to cut an acetate.' Collaboration, too, remains central. Whether working with icons like Guetta or the genre-blurring Pendulum, there's no fixed formula. 'Sometimes it starts with a loop, sometimes a vocal or a chord progression. Every session is different and that's what makes it exciting.' But perhaps the biggest shift is Armin's relationship with success. 'There was a time when I took gigs purely for the money,' he confesses. 'But now, success is being present, going to my son's football game instead of chasing another big show.' That doesn't mean he's lost the fire. Armin's still innovating, still pushing boundaries. At his A State of Trance festivals, which continue to sell out worldwide, he's introduced new formats like 'face-to-face' DJ sets, where two artists perform from separate decks, locked in a kind of sonic duel. 'You can't touch each other's mixer. You use hand signals like boxers,' he says. 'It's nerve-wracking, but it brings a real human element to the performance.' The face-to-face sets are just one of many ways he's reinventing the live experience. At this year's A State of Trance Festival in London recently, his second in the UK capital, Armin brought a more diverse lineup with more underground names sitting comfortably alongside traditional heavyweights. 'There's a real resurgence of Trance right now,' he says, noting how classic Gatecrasher-era records are finding their way back into sets sometimes even in their original, unedited forms. 'All the tracks we played in 1999, 2000, 2001, they're all coming back in different shapes or form. I mean, obviously, the sound quality is a lot better. You know, the kick hits harder, the drop hits harder, but the melodies are still the same. It was funny because I remember at the time, we didn't have a clue what we were doing. I guess the groundwork was done by people in 1999, 2000, 2001. And there was something golden in that time, but then after that, for a while Trance became a bit of a dirty word. It definitely feels to me now that Trance is not a dirty word anymore.' Ibiza also still holds a special magic for him. 'It goes back to the Balearic spirit of '88 with Oakenfold, Sasha, Digweed. Ibiza is unique. There's something in the air there.' Armin continues his residency at Ushuaïa this summer but, that said, he's taking a break this August in line with his new approach to looking after himself. 'No decks, no phone, just family. That's my summer plan.' In an industry that has too often glamorised excess and punished vulnerability, Armin's honesty is refreshing. He's not just talking about mental health, he's demonstrating what a healthier version of success looks like. 'Take care of your balance,' he advises younger artists. 'Once the train gets going, it's easy to say yes to everything. But it's okay to say no. It's okay to rest. You're no good to anyone if you lose yourself in the process. We've only got to see the downsides recently, you know, particularly since the passing of Tim (Avicii). There was a dramatic shift in the electronic music world.' Read more on the Irish Sun For Armin van Buuren, this isn't a detour, it's the destination. The music is still euphoric, still anthemic, still packed with the uplifting energy that made him a global force. But now, it's grounded in something deeper. He's breathing. And in doing so, he's showing others how to do the same. Read the full interview with The Night Bazaar
Scottish Sun
31-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Grammy-nominated DJ Armin van Buuren releases two new albums like we've never heard him before
TRANCE TITAN Grammy-nominated DJ Armin van Buuren releases two new albums like we've never heard him before FOR over two decades, Armin van Buuren has stood as one of the towering figures in electronic music, a Trance titan, global festival headliner and relentless creator. With a Grammy nomination and as 5-time No. 1 DJ on DJ Mag's Top 100 DJs list, behind the scenes, Armin has undergone a personal transformation that goes far beyond his music. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 3 Armin has undergone a personal transformation that goes far beyond his music Credit: supplied That story comes to life on Breathe, his most expansive and genre-defying project to date. Spanning 51 tracks across two companion albums, Breathe In and Breathe Out, the body of work is both a celebration of artistic freedom and a snapshot of transformation. From mainstage-ready collaborations with David Guetta, Bon Jovi and Moby to experimental detours with Pendulum and deep club workouts tested in late-night sets, Breathe is Armin like we've never heard him before. 'Albums are like time capsules,' he says. 'Even in the age of playlists, I still believe in crafting something that tells a story from start to finish.' With Breathe In released first, followed by the sprawling Breathe Out, the complete project paints a picture of an artist who has broken free from creative constraints and personal ones, too. Behind the scenes, Armin has undergone a dramatic shift. After years of nonstop touring, he found himself on the brink of burnout. 'I had a press release ready to announce I was taking a sabbatical,' he admits. 'Then COVID happened and suddenly I had space to breathe literally.' What followed was a total lifestyle overhaul. Armin quit drinking, embraced mindfulness and breathwork, and began a journey inward that would reshape not only his health and mindset, but also his music. 'I used to think meditation was nonsense,' he laughs. 'But if so many high-functioning people are doing it, maybe it's not so stupid after all.' His new routine includes daily journaling, gratitude lists and breathing exercises. The results have been powerful. 'I'm more productive than ever thanks to the sobriety, thanks to looking after my diet, thanks to my sleeping pattern, thanks to finally being able to say no to big shows and big offers' he says. 3 Spanning 51 tracks across two companion albums, Breathe In and Breathe Out, the body of work is both a celebration of artistic freedom and a snapshot of transformation Credit: supplied 3 He's performed at venues across the globe Credit: supplied This personal evolution has poured directly into his creative process. 'DJing still fuels a lot of the music,' he says, explaining how many of the tracks on Breathe were road-tested live before being finalised in the studio. 'You don't even have to fully finish a track or master it to play it out. If I have a short snippet, I can already tease it in my sets. I don't have to finish the tracks immediately, but I can sculpt them, which is different from the vinyl days where you had to cut an acetate.' Collaboration, too, remains central. Whether working with icons like Guetta or the genre-blurring Pendulum, there's no fixed formula. 'Sometimes it starts with a loop, sometimes a vocal or a chord progression. Every session is different and that's what makes it exciting.' But perhaps the biggest shift is Armin's relationship with success. 'There was a time when I took gigs purely for the money,' he confesses. 'But now, success is being present, going to my son's football game instead of chasing another big show.' That doesn't mean he's lost the fire. Armin's still innovating, still pushing boundaries. At his A State of Trance festivals, which continue to sell out worldwide, he's introduced new formats like 'face-to-face' DJ sets, where two artists perform from separate decks, locked in a kind of sonic duel. 'You can't touch each other's mixer. You use hand signals like boxers,' he says. 'It's nerve-wracking, but it brings a real human element to the performance.' The face-to-face sets are just one of many ways he's reinventing the live experience. At this year's A State of Trance Festival in London recently, his second in the UK capital, Armin brought a more diverse lineup with more underground names sitting comfortably alongside traditional heavyweights. 'There's a real resurgence of Trance right now,' he says, noting how classic Gatecrasher-era records are finding their way back into sets sometimes even in their original, unedited forms. 'All the tracks we played in 1999, 2000, 2001, they're all coming back in different shapes or form. I mean, obviously, the sound quality is a lot better. You know, the kick hits harder, the drop hits harder, but the melodies are still the same. It was funny because I remember at the time, we didn't have a clue what we were doing. I guess the groundwork was done by people in 1999, 2000, 2001. And there was something golden in that time, but then after that, for a while Trance became a bit of a dirty word. It definitely feels to me now that Trance is not a dirty word anymore.' Ibiza also still holds a special magic for him. 'It goes back to the Balearic spirit of '88 with Oakenfold, Sasha, Digweed. Ibiza is unique. There's something in the air there.' Armin continues his residency at Ushuaïa this summer but, that said, he's taking a break this August in line with his new approach to looking after himself. 'No decks, no phone, just family. That's my summer plan.' In an industry that has too often glamorised excess and punished vulnerability, Armin's honesty is refreshing. He's not just talking about mental health, he's demonstrating what a healthier version of success looks like. 'Take care of your balance,' he advises younger artists. 'Once the train gets going, it's easy to say yes to everything. But it's okay to say no. It's okay to rest. You're no good to anyone if you lose yourself in the process. We've only got to see the downsides recently, you know, particularly since the passing of Tim (Avicii). There was a dramatic shift in the electronic music world.' For Armin van Buuren, this isn't a detour, it's the destination. The music is still euphoric, still anthemic, still packed with the uplifting energy that made him a global force. But now, it's grounded in something deeper. He's breathing. And in doing so, he's showing others how to do the same. Read the full interview with The Night Bazaar HERE. Stream or buy Armin van Buuren's Breathe HERE.
