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H E C T O R
B I Z E R K
•
L U M P E N
A G E N C Y
•
V A P O R
W A V E
Y O N D E R
•
T R A V E L
J O U R N A L S
•
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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10 11 w w w . i m p u l s e m a g - o n l i n e . c o m
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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. 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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. i m p u l s e m a g - o n l i n e . c o m
HIP HOP’SSENSORY
EXPLOSION
WILLIAM TOPPING
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. i m p u l s e m a g - o n l i n e . c o m
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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. i m p u l s e m a g - o n l i n e . c o m
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
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. i m p u l s e m a g - o n l i n e . c o m
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
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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
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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
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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 !
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38 39 w w w . i m p u l s e m a g - o n l i n e . c o m
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
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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
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42 43 w w w . i m p u l s e m a g - o n l i n e . c o m
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
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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
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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
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w . i m p u l s e m a g - o n l i n e . c o m
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
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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
THINGS YOU MAY NOT KNOW
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
THINGS YOU MAY NOT KNOW
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
THINGS YOU MAY NOT KNOW
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
THINGS YOU MAY NOT KNOW
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