SEE: The Invitation
Our imaginations and paranoias are often more horrific than any boogeyman. This seems the premise of Karyn Kusama’s newest film. Set at a Hollywood Hills dinner party, The Invitation causes us to question whether Will’s (Logan Marshall-Green) ex-wife and her new husband are hiding something behind their serene hospitality or whether we are yoked to an increasingly troubled protagonist. The chills derive from the subtle uncertainty sown in their interactions.
HEAR: Sept. 5th by dvsn
Pronounced “division,” this R&B duo on Drake’s OVO Sound label received a warm, lingering embrace from the music community for their sparse but sultry jams. Echoing rhythms lay the groundwork for a careful crescendo of sound and emotion on songs like “Hallucinations.” Ultimately the seduction of their music rests on its ability to retreat into the background or command attention, depending on one’s mood.
Love Streams by Tim Hecker
Working with Oscar-winning Icelandic composer Jóhann Jóhannsson, veteran electric musician Tim Hecker created a delicate album featuring the sounds of an Icelandic choir, a harpsichord, bass clarinets, strings and electric guitars along with his usual boards and mixers. It’s a pastiche of orchestration, resembling church choral compositions, suitable to a digital age when novelty can derive from our nostalgia.
Ology by Gallant
The debut of another emerging alt-R&B act, Gallant, eviscerates with so many feelings, from the frustrated hopelessness beautifully rendered on “Bourbon” to the bargain striking of “Bone + Tissue.” Gallant’s “Weight in Gold” rightly gained acclaim and some popularity. This collection of new tracks will doubtlessly grant more airtime for his mesmerizing vocal range and to air his fuzzy emotions.
SHOP: PUMA by Alexander McQueen McQ Brace Mid sneaker
Fashion meets fitness in these high-style high-tops brought to us by a surprising collab between PUMA and Alexander McQueen. Somehow, though, the noir bootlike sneaker suits both design houses and promises to pair well with slacks or shorts. Consider it a sleek success.
READ: Tuesday Nights in 1980 by Molly Prentiss
New York when it was New York is a popular topic now that most blossoming artists can’t afford to live in the city. Prentiss’s great debut novel follows a fictional art clique as they strive for recognition, both critically for their talents and personally among each other. The story centers on James Bennett, a New York Times art critic with synesthesia.