On the radar
words by Victoria Larsson
rising star
JUVELEN / MUSICIAN
Self-proclaimed “one-man boyband” Juvelen has been setting hearts ablaze and getting bodies onto dancefloors in his native Sweden for a couple of years now. His catchy take on blue-eyed soul has spawned two hit singles: Hanna and They Don’t Love You, from a self-titled 2007 EP. More sparkly soul-pop is on its way in the form of an album out this February.
Jonas Pettersson first began recording his songs as Juvelen in a basement studio back in 2005. The project gained momentum later that year when producer Patrik Berger met him through mutual friends and came on board. “I had been wasting too much time playing in boring pop bands,” says Juvelen, who had played guitar and keyboards. “It was important to do something completely opposite from everything I had done before.”
Juvelen’s well structured melodies are strong enough to be performed on guitar or piano alone, but that’s not the way he likes it. Instead he combines slick bass-lines and funky guitars with drum machines, pre-programmed instruments and other digital sounds. The icing on the cake is his distinctive falsetto voice: “I hadn’t sung much before and happened to find a [vocal] expression that works.” It’s been hard to avoid the Prince comparisons, and Juvelen often cites him as an inspiration. “When I say I like Prince, I mean that I like him because he does his own thing,” he clarifies. “I want to do my own thing. I don’t want to sound like Prince, I want to sound like Juvelen.”
Juvelen is referred to as a MySpace phenomenon, but isn’t sure he agrees. “I think traditional media did just as much for my career,” he argues. “The good thing is that people can read about an artist and then afterwards check out their MySpace. It wasn’t a conscious marketing strategy – someone told me I had to have a page and since it’s easier than building a website I did it.”
He isn’t bothered by increased downloads and dwindling record sales. “I hate the big music industry. I think that if more people have access to more music through downloads it must be good. But if I like an artist I’d like to give something back to them.” Juvelen felt comfortable enough with Swedish indie label Hybris to sign with them in late 2006.
After his single Hanna blew up as a club hit, he did a couple of club tours. “I like [shows] to be short and sweet, to leave the audience wanting more. The other day I went to see Feist, an artist I love and respect. She was good, but the show seemed too long – why?” It’s hard to imagine Juvelen boring anyone with what he calls “songs of the heart, sung from the hip”. This is one Nordic star who looks set to shine more brightly.
Juvelen releases his debut album (untitled at press time) on 11 February
music
Critic’s pick
do you like rock music?
by british sea power
Don’t worry that its title parodies a nerdy backpacker’s chat-up line, British Sea Power’s third album promises grown-up thrills. Once cranky, birdwatching punks, the fourpiece now sounds like an anglicised Arcade Fire. But that’s not surprising, as they worked in Montréal with that band’s engineer, on tracks like Atom, Waving Flags and Down On The Ground. With surging tempos, heart-stopping crescendos and soaraway vocals, the boy scouts have become highway rangers. Join them for the ride. RICHARD CLAYTON
Released 14 January, Rough Trade label www.britishseapower.co.uk
band to watch
puggy
Proving that the peoples of the EU can live in harmony – well, in a landscape of quirky harmonies and taut pop excellence – are Puggy, a Brussels-based trio that hails from Sweden, France and the UK. But they’re not brokering a defence-related treaty – they’re out to seduce you with their acoustic rock. Look for the album Dubois Died Today, released late last year in some countries and out in drummer Ziggy’s native Scandinavia this month. Vocals and guitar are by Briton Matthew Irons and bassist is Frenchman Romaine Descampe. www.puggyband.com
on the grapevine
the cloud room
The eponymous debut album from on-the-up American indie kids The Cloud Room, heirs to what’s left of the fanbase of The Strokes and Killers, is out in Europe this January and February. You’ll find that it’s awash with dark and pretty post-pop.
Single Hey Now Now was chosen to give some fizz to a TV ad for Pepsi, but singer J has revealed that, for him, it evokes memories of an HIV test rather than the sugary drink. The economically
named frontman has explained that before writing the song he had spent 18 days nervously awaiting the test results, and was attempting to “somehow bottle that searing joy” when he found out that they were negative. Easier said than done with a band of Joy Division fans, but it has worked. However, the album’s only available because J managed to escape from a house fire with nothing but the demos. Lucky guy – or is he? www.thecloudroom.com
FILM
words by Richard Clayton & Sophy Grimshaw
Must see be
kind rewind
There are film-makers who have active visual imaginations, and then there’s the magical Michel Gondry. The director of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind infuriates some people with his whimsy and dazzles others with his warm-hearted wit. Can you tell what we think? In Be Kind Rewind, Jack Black works at a video shop, but his magnetised brain wipes all the tapes clean. To fool the forgetful lady (Mia Farrow) who keeps him and his friend Mike (Mos Def) in business, they start recreating all their stock themselves. Cue YouTube-style skits on The Lion King, Ghostbusters, and Driving Miss Daisy plus a whole lot of laughs. Pure genius. In cinemas from 15 February - Pathé/Partizan
Also out now
No Country for Old Men – A psychotic Javier Bardem (pictured), and his creepy curtain of hair, ignites the contemporary western in this Coen brothers adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s novel.
The Bucket List – Jack Nicholson just won’t grow old gracefully with Morgan Freeman in this sentimental hoot of a movie about seizing as many days as you have left. RICHARD CLAYTON
On location athens
A new romantic comedy from director Donald Petrie (whose box office hits include How To Lose a Guy in Ten Days and Miss Congeniality) made history this summer when it became the first motion picture granted permission to film scenes at ancient Greek sites including the Parthenon. My Life In Ruins, due out this spring, stars Nia Vardalos, the actress who shot to Hollywood fame in My Big Fat Greek Wedding, as a demoralised Athens tour guide who eventually re-discovers her mojo.
“After My Big Fat Greek Wedding I spent four years being offered every Greek script out there, but I didn’t want them,” Nia explains on set. She’s dressed in costume for the film’s final scene in an aqua dress and a pair of towering cork wedges – not ideal for walking on the uneven rocks at the Parthenon. “When this fell into my lap I thought the script was so appealing.” Plus: “I’ve got this nose, I might as well admit I’m Greek!” As for director Petrie’s take? “I don’t want to say I’m making a chick flick…” he protests.
Sterling inflight movies / trivia
Throughout January and February, Ratatouille and The Heartbreak Kid are being shown on selected Sterling flights.
Test your knowledge on our inflight movies here!
1. Who voices Skinner
in Ratatouille?
a. Ian Holm
b. John Goodman
c. Peter O’Toole
2. The Heartbreak Kid is directed by the Farrelly brothers. But
which of their films first gained the siblings worldwide attention?
a. Titanic
b. Saving Private Ryan
c. Dumb & Dumber
Answers 1. a – Ian Holm 2. c – Dumb & Dumber
ART
words by Sophie Griffiths
china’s terracotta army / london
until 6 april
An invasion by China’s Terracotta Army has made the British Museum one of London’s hottest attractions this winter. It took five planes to transport the 20 precious 2,000-year-old figures and other artefacts in what is the biggest loan of Terracotta Army items yet outside China. The warriors, from the tomb of China’s First Emperor Qin Shihuangdi in Xi’an, are considered to be among the greatest archeological discoveries of the 20th century. The 8,000-strong army was created by some 700,000 craftsmen over a period of 40 years and was buried with the emperor to protect him in the afterlife. Also on display are some of the more recent discoveries unearthed on the site, including finds never before seen in Britain.
Adults: £12 (€17.44), children under 16 free. Open Monday-Wednesday 10am-5.30pm, Thursday-Sunday 10am-9.30pm
The British Museum, Great Russell Street, London, +44 (0)20 7323 8000 www.britishmuseum.org
DESIGN
words by Petra Sjouwerman
YAK wool tea and coffe cosies
by inge lindqvist / denmark
As the comedian Billy Connolly once said, "Never trust a man who, when left alone in a room with a tea cosy, doesn’t try it on". Whe were tempted by these.
DKK 385 each (approx. €52)
Available in selected shops in Denmark and Germany, including Contrast, Hovedvagtsgade .6, Copenhagen. Or order online trought www.tablemastters.dk
Ceramic lemon squeezer
by britt villadsen / denmark
This back to basic lemon squeezer is simply too lovely to stash away in your kitchen drawer.
DKK 375 each (approx. €50)
Buy online at www.brittvilladsen.dk
NO WAY lacquered metal clothes hanger
by alexander lervik / sweden
Designer Alexander Lervik conceived the idea for this remarkable sign-post of a clothes hanger during his travels around Asia.
3600 SEK (approx. €387) for 6 arms
3900 SEK (approx. €419) for 8 arms
Order online or see showroom addresses at www.johansondesign.se
STYLE
words by Josh Sims
Accessories
battle of the bags
Two key trends now vie for your money. On the one arm, the mini-handbag is big, so to speak – its shrunken proportions dainty if not exactly practical. And on the other, the more literally big bag is now positively outsized. Totes and shoppers keep selling because they’re functional, trends aside. The mini-bag may work wonders for a posh evening out, but there’s not much room for the wet-wipes, old bus tickets, phone, dog-eared novel, diary, lipstick… The solution this season is, of course, to buy both little and large. But any self-respecting Bag Lady knows that already.
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Large Tote bag |
Bownight Luna Bronze clutch bag |
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Chain Drops bag |
New Yorker Croco bag |
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Ivory bag with jewels |
Garden of Love canvas bag |
BEAUTY
words by Sophy Grimshaw
Make-up
1940s glamour is back
To get the look, start with a doll-like base. Lancôme’s Adaptîve foundation, in a shade such as Porcelain (depending on your natural colouring), is excellent for achieving even, flawless skin. Or, for stronger coverage, try Bobbi Brown’s new Moisturising Cream Foundation, which is packaged in a retro black compact. Set it with a loose powder, preferably applied with a fluffy puff. Joan Collins once said of women who didn’t like red lipstick, “woe betide you, you will never be glamorous”. So show the world you mean business with a bold scarlet mouth or, for daytime, a more subtle liquid lip and cheek stain like Benefit’s famous Benetint. To hange your look, create dark, feline eyes with an old-fashioned cake liner applied with a brush such as DuWop’s Eyeshadow Duo in Black and Gold. Don’t forget to ink on a beauty spot.
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Bobbi Brown Moisturising Cream Compact Foundation |
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Lancôme Adaptîve liquid foundation |
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Lipstick Queen |
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17 By Jonathan Saunders |
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DuWop Eyeshadow Duo |
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Powder puff, |
FOOD+DRINK
everyone’s talking about
geranium / copenhagen
Copenhagen’s reputation as a trailblazing gastronomic destination is soaring higher than ever – no wonder Michelin rates it as one of the hot culinary capitals. The latest talk of the town is Geranium restaurant, run by double Bocuse d’Or winner Rasmus Kofoed and Soren Ledet, former head chef at Noma. It’s a gorgeous light filled room (once a Royal summerhouse) with funky leaf-green lighting, Fritz Hansen leather chairs, a large terrace and views to Rosenborg Castle. Food is ultra-sophisticated yet breathtakingly pure. Kofoed affirms he is devoted to using strictly seasonal, all organic and biodynamic New Nordic produce: “quite simply the taste is incomparable”. Stand-out dishes include barely seared scallops with rye barley, fennel juice, green plums and purslane (like a Scandi risotto); tenderloin of pork with dried lingonberries, chanterelles, carrot and sorrel; and an aromatic dessert of buttermilk and blueberries with geranium flower and tarragon oil. Tasting menus paired with fruit juices as well as biodynamic wines make it a perfect spring detox treat.
SUDI PIGGOTT835 DKK per person for a seven-course tasting menu without wine.
Geranium, Kronprinsessegade 13, Copenhagen +45 3311 1304, www.restaurantgeranium.dk
season’s eatings at the kitchin restaurant, edinburgh
January/February is a great time for… Venison (deer meat)
What’s on the menu? Roast loin of wild Scottish venison, which comes in a pepper sauce with caramelised pears, celeriac purée and chestnuts.
Who’s cooking? Tom Kitchin, the youngest Scottish chef to be awarded a Michelin star. He has trained with the best, including Pierre Koffman, Guy Savoy and Alain Ducasse and is now making a name for himself cooking seasonal Scottish produce in a classic French style. Tom runs the restaurant with his Swedish wife, Michaela. The Kitchin, 78 Commercial Quay, Leith, Edinburgh +44 (0)131 555 1755 www.thekitchin.com
#1 drinking habits german toasts
The basic German equivalents of Cheers! or Your Health! are Prost! (for beer) or Zum Wohl! (for wine). But personalised toasts may be longer or more formal: Ich möchte einen Toast auf Hermann ausbringen! (I’d like to propose a toast to Hermann). More elaborate toasts are used on special occasions and may include humour: Hundert Jahren sollst du leben und dich freuen, und dann noch ein extra Jahr – zum Bereuen! (May you live a hundred years, with an extra year to repent). Or Das Leben ist bezaubernd, man muss es nur durch die richtige Brille sehen! (Life is wonderful, you just need to see it through the right glasses).
Excerpt from Going Dutch in Beijing: The International Guide to Doing the Right Thing by Mark McCrum, published by Profile Books (¤14.35). www.profilebooks.com
bar hopping in…
varna, bulgaria
For the local tipple… No trip to Bulgaria is complete without eating shopska salad (with feta) and drinking rakya, the local spirit made from either grapes, apricots or plums. The best place for this traditional fare is Hashove, where there’s also live folk music.
Hashove, Osmi Primorski Polk Boulevard 54
For cocktails by the sea… Go for a stroll in the Sea Gardens, the huge part-manicured, part-wild park that stretches along the seafront for more than three miles. Then sip a sundowner at the Makavely beach bar to the sound of the house band.
For a business drink… Try Pench’s with its wood-panelled, member’s club-style rooms and leather sofas you sink into. The bar holds the world record for the biggest cocktail list – 1,009 at the last count. For a more informal chat, Tari Beer House offers 30 brands of beer, including the local draught Zagorka. It’s a great place to meet the locals and kick off your evening.
Pench’s, Lawyer’s Square Tari Beer House, Slivnitsa Boulevard 22
For live music… The Alibi Club is Varna’s main venue for visiting bands. Stuffed to the laser beams with noisy gig-goers, it’s also a bit of a pick-up joint and love – oh, all right, lust – hangs in the air. If you prefer a more mellow scene, pop into the Partners Club piano bar, where the lights are dimmed, and live soul and jazz continues into the small hours.
Alibi, Chataldja Boulevard 22 Partners Club, V. Levski Street 33
For clubbers… The newest and most talked about club in Bulgaria’s party central is Arro Dance, a glittering warehouse where homegrown DJs like Emotion (urban party), Tony (retro classics), and Teddy (new hits only) share the seven-nights-a-week programme.
Arro Dance, Tzar Osvoboditel Boulevard 25,
Eat My Blog
blogger: Eddie Lin, Los Angeles
“Odds are I eat things you won’t — that’s because I eat the odd. In fact, the odder, the better. I’m a guy who grew up with exotic foods like chicken feet and fish eyeballs.
Now I share adventures from this kinky culinary crusade on my food blog Deep End Dining, which is dedicated to exploring the food uncommon, cuisine exotic and entrées less ordered.”
Bizarre bites I’ve had in Europe…
1. Gordon Ramsay’s ‘tongue ’n’ cheek’ is on the menu at his Maze restaurant in London. Cooked with caper raisins and ginger carrots, my own tongue and cheeks were happy to welcome them.
2. Champor-Champor, also in London, serves up a duck breast in a sauce derived from palm civet cat droppings. Ironically, there’s a clean aftertaste.
3. Oslo’s Lofoten offers whitefish reconstituted with caustic lye – yes, lutefisk! – and it’s tasty.
4. The gnocchi is sweeter in Verona – thanks to the horsemeat ragú at Ristorante Greppia.
5. In France, the most savoury songbird – ortolan – can be eaten. It’s illegal and that’s all I can say.
Books for cooks
the axis of evil cookbook
What is Kim Jong-il’s favourite soup? And what should you never serve President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad? If questions like these keep you awake at night, you may want to invest in a copy of The Axis of Evil Cookbook, a new tongue-ink cheek recipe book for the unpolitically correct host. From how to make a Cuban hamburger to the ingredients of Korean kimchi, you’ll never be unprepared should a dictator drop in for dinner. Published by SAQI books, €16 www.saqibooks.com
TASTEMAKERS
words by Bethan Ryder
q&a
gil carvalho / shoe designer
Your killer heels are worn by Madonna, Kylie and J-Lo, to name a few. What attracted you to become a shoe designer?
I started off studying architecture but in the back of my mind I always knew I wanted to design shoes. The perfect balance between form and proportion is vital in architecture and this same principle can be applied to shoe design. It’s just on a smaller, but equally interesting, scale.
You’re based in London. Where do you live and why?
Hyde Park; it’s the perfect location. It suits my hectic lifestyle as it’s just a short cab ride from Selfridges and the exuberance of the West End, and yet when I return home I’m greeted by the tranquility of a quiet residential square. Who could ask for more?
What do you miss most about your home country of Portugal?
I know it’s a cliché but the sun and the sea. No matter how long I live here I just can’t get used to the unpredictable climate. Still, with the South of France only a short plane ride away, I have learnt to live with it.
What object couldn’t you live without?
My Mac of course!
Which fashion designer do you most admire?
Hedi Slimane because his style is sharp and distinct. His work has an identity that is easily recognisable and, even more importantly, it has a style that I find very easy to wear.
Which female icon would you most like to design a shoe for?
It would be difficult to choose just one, but whoever she is, she is supremely confident with an experimental and eclectic taste. Always conscious of her image, she has the style and confidence to wear GC for absolutely any occasion. She is utterly fabulous and she knows it.
Do you have a favorite restaurant in London?
Amaya (Halkin Arcade, Motcomb Street, London, +44 (0)20 7823 1166). The food is divine and the space a wonderful fusion of East meets West, where the clientele still dress for the occasion – something that is becoming rare in London restaurants.
Which six people would you invite to your dream dinner party?
Madonna because she has had such a successful and interesting career. Marilyn Monroe because she was so beautiful and would have complimented my shoes so perfectly. Andy Warhol because he was fabulously creative and controversial. Stanley Kubrick because his work ethic was insane but he inspired brilliance in others. Karl Lagerfeld simply because of his fashion genius. And finally, Tamara de Lempicka because she was famous for her beauty and bohemian lifestyle and would complete my dream guest list.
What’s your philosophy for life?
Work hard, play harder.
For more information on Gil Carvalho’s shoes, visit www.gilcarvalho.com
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