music – The Orbital

Elitism in the Metal Industry: Are Bands Becoming Pop-ified?

17Nov

By Ruby SaggersNo Comments

Opinion

Elitism in the Metal Industry: Are Bands Becoming Pop-ified?

Written by Ruby Saggers, Editor-in-Chief I love metal; it is, peculiarly, the only genre I have listened to for around ten years. The consequence of this is that I am far too wrapped up in the drama of it all, and the elitism that inevitably formed as a result of old and new fans mixing in a relatively small community (compared to genres like pop, at least). With an increase in TikTok popularity came bands being gatekept and, suddenly, the metal community became dreadfully sour. I can admit, finding one of my favourite songs amidst a TikTok scrolling session often has me feeling confused. Having grown up bullied and being classed as ‘different’ for liking vocalists that scream, I couldn’t quite grasp the sudden growth in popularity. In recent years many of the bands older metal fans...

Harmony in Connection: How Music Brings People Together

4Apr

By Chloe Tiffin-GearingNo Comments

Music, Opinion

Harmony in Connection: How Music Brings People Together

By Chloe Tiffin-Gearing You’re in a crowded festival field, the bass drops, and all of a sudden, you and the stranger to your left are jumping in sync and singing the same lyrics, despite being separated by language. This is what music is about. It’s an invisible thread that can tie people together, transcending social anxieties, backgrounds, borders and beliefs. Whether it be at a sold-out stadium concert or a small club in the backstreets of Brighton, live music will always manage to foster human connection. The energy of being in a crowd and knowing you’re feeling the same pulse of the same song as everyone else in the room can turn strangers into lifelong friends. People across the globe attend events like Lollapalooza, Glastonbury and Coachella, but for a few days, their univer...

11Mar

By Amber BrooksNo Comments

Culture & Literature, Music

Punk’s Not Dead

‘It's weird, on TV I see American high school bullies as the outcast punk kid, but every punk I've met has been the opposite of that. Violence is important, but we pick our battles wisely.’ Punk. It’s a movement that comes all the way from the throbbing heart of underground venues, where music becomes more than aesthetic expression. A culture that uses left-wing lyrics as scripture, and from there political presence as progressive change. Punk dwells loudly on the urban streets of anti-fascist, anti-establishment, and anti-consumerist action – the core values in which its anarchy is borne. It’s been fifty years since Punk became a fundamental part of the alternative scene, and still it resonates within contemporary society. Growing from its neo-liberal roots, Punk has now become a...

26Feb

By Kianna BestNo Comments

Culture & Literature, Music

GGP Hour Has Arrived!

In a time where everyone has an opinion, and no topic is left ignored, unique content can be hard to find within what is constantly being pushed out into the world. With podcasts popping up here and there full of controversial takes and passion filled rants, the range of voices seem to gain their stamp of individuality from that sole aspect. Cancel-culture continues to run rampant, views and opinions are carefully dissected before being put out into the world, and it has become evident that many would rather follow the trend of thinking and appeal to the masses. Unique voices are far and few between. Will Insanity radio’s newest talk show bring about any change? GGP Hour hosted by second year student Kayla Mae Garcia Fernandes is a laid back hour filled with debates s...

Everything You Need to Know About the 64th GRAMMY Awards

29Jan

By Eva Townsend BiltonNo Comments

Culture & Literature, Music

Everything You Need to Know About the 64th GRAMMY Awards

It’s awards season again! Those whose Spotify Wrapped lists were graced with the likes of Billie Eilish, Doja Cat, Lil Nas X, and Olivia Rodrigo may already know a bit about the nominees for the 64th GRAMMY Awards. But if that’s not you, never fear: here is everything you need to know (more or less) about this year’s Grammys. The Grammys is the most prestigious music award ceremony in the world, recognising brilliance every year across almost all genres of music (seriously – there are eighty-six categories). The four main categories are record of the year, album of the year, song of the year, and best new artist. These groups are typically dominated by pop music, and this year is no different, with Taylor Swift nabbing a second consecutive album of the year nomination (she won last yea...

Wild Flowers: Frank Carter and Supporting the Artists that Do Matter

14Nov

By Amber BrooksNo Comments

Culture & Literature, Literature

Wild Flowers: Frank Carter and Supporting the Artists that Do Matter

Frank Carter has become one of the main spearheads in the rock genre. He is sharp, ballsy and unstoppable. His new album Sticky, alongside his supporting band The Rattlesnakes, is a punchy, liberating, gut-blender of everything that is honest and impactful. This is the soundtrack to a group of underdog misfits who are unapologetically themselves. The album utilises their iconic British sound to piece together a drunken night out with your mates – it has the same warm welcome as a pub carpet. After headlining Download Pilot Festival and smashing a killer secret set at Reading, he is out for blood with a fourteen-date tour across the UK this November and a further European tour in February. If you can't get tickets, you're missing out. As well as the brilliant music and bante...

Girls Don’t Cry Either: Mitski and the Female Experience

14Nov

By Cecilia MunozNo Comments

Culture & Literature, Literature

Girls Don’t Cry Either: Mitski and the Female Experience

There’s a shared feeling amongst women of having something in your chest ready to burst, a rage or emotion so strong and yet so strictly controlled. Often expressing anger, sadness, frustration and even happiness is frowned upon. Artists like indie-rock singer/songwriter Mitski Miyawaki put poetry to this feeling, this quiet desperation, so no wonder she has gained quite the following among women. Playlists on Spotify and YouTube entitled ‘In this life, it’s just you and Japanese-American singer Mitski against the world’ exist for a reason. As a woman, listening to Mitski is a self-reflective emotional experience that will devastate and console you at the same time. She approaches and explores all aspects of what it means to be a woman in the 21st century with a unique musical sound. ‘...

18Mar

By Phoebe HaganNo Comments

Culture & Literature, Music

Punk’s Not Dead: 2019 edition

Well, we somehow we made it to 2019, and I feel like I've been writing list after list for the past couple of months. Lists of the top albums of 2018, the best singles of the past year - if you can put it in a list, I probably have by this point. However, I'm not finished yet. I always bring you some of my favourite tracks in every edition of this column, but this time I'm going one step further: not only am I bringing you tracks I think you need to know about, but I'm going to set out to kick off your new year the right way, bringing you four of my favourite artists and bands that I'm really excited about in 2019. Plus, as this issue of Orbital is themed around the LGBTQ+ community, I'll be including some of my favourite queer artists that I'm a huge fan of, and think you should know abou...

Recharge for the New Year! How to discover new music

17Mar

By Tasmin FatoduNo Comments

Culture & Literature, Music

Recharge for the New Year! How to discover new music

January is the dullest time of the year: Christmas has passed, shop windows are filled with gym wear, and uni deadlines are looming. But fear not, music will be your saviour! Here are five ways to discover new music for 2019: 1. Music Apps • Streaming apps give you access to every song you could ever want to listen to or discover. If you are already subscribed to one, try switching it up! They all have features that work in different, or sometimes better, ways. • Shazam will allow you to identify any song wherever you are, rescuing you from a drought of no new music. My findings: Soul No.5 – Caroline Rose Soberland – Hinds 2. Social media • Using YouTube? Play a song that you like and it will recommend artists that are similar. Subscribe to musicians and channels that post ne...

25Feb

By Phoebe HaganNo Comments

Culture & Literature, Music

Punk’s Not Dead

Well, last time I spoke to you, I was just about to head off to my final two festivals of the season - Reading and End of the Road - and boy, were they brilliant. I caught a number of bands I hadn’t gotten the chance to see before (The Orielles! Iceage! Thee Oh Sees!) and at Reading, we chatted to a huge number of incredible artists including Sunflower Bean, Yonaka, Sports Team, King Nun, and Bad Sounds! But, festival season is now but a distant memory, the nights are drawing in, Halloween has come and gone – but that doesn’t mean that the steady stream of gigs and artists releasing music has stopped. In fact, quite the opposite. I told you in my first column that I’d be bringing you the greatest and latest music news in every issue, and believe you me, I have a whole bunch to tell you....