The festival has always appealed to a young crowd, and going there in my late 30s (oh no!) I could definitely feel the age gap only growing. The site is still filled with plenty of youngsters who have travelled far and wide, in some cases to experience their first ever festival.

The hotel I stayed in down the road (I am too old to camp now… I need a good night’s rest between donning my dancing shoes) was filled with parents, wanting to give their kids space to enjoy Boardmasters with friends, but not too far away that they can’t pull them out if it gets too much for them.

This year though, anyone who saw the line-up would notice there was a difference. With the likes of Fatboy Slim, Lily Allen, The Kooks and Kasabian all taking the top slots it was pretty clear the demographic best suited for this wasn’t Gen Z. It was a millennials dream, a call to all of us over 30 who wanted to experience a festival in 2026 while we pretended it was still 2006.

So did it deliver?

I would say so yes, and then some. Nothing made me feel this coming together of generations than when The Kooks had a young guitarist pulled up on stage to perform ‘Seaside’ in a moment that brings to mind that Glastonbury moment with Alex performing Thiago Silva alongside Dave. You’d have to be pretty soulless not to be moved by that.

Dizzee Rascal, Example and Fatboy Slim rolled back the years and pulled in huge crowds, as fans new and old joined in to sing the anthems and dance sweaty little socks off to tracks as old as some people in the crowd.

Speaking of crowd, Boardmasters punters were well behaved, friendly, and all seemed up for a good time. The vibes were as they say ‘immaculate’.

If you’re looking for your next festival, then maybe a trip down to the beautiful Cornish coast is in order. Give the surfing a go (or watch the pros), then head up to the main arena and watch some of the seasoned veterans perform hits that can smash the generational divide. Except that Abba tribute. The less said about them the better.

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Instrumental prog/math band Poly-Math’s upcoming EP takes us on an altogether more exploratory journey through a sprawling intricate set of tracks, with a greater focus on improvisational solos and an altogether more dynamic soundscape.

The EP started life as a selection of short drum loops, recorded inbetween takes during recording sessions. The loops were taken and rearranged, before adding layers of intricate percussion, giving the EP a more complex depth.

The Halting Problem EP is the musical equivalent of going on a road trip and picking up the coolest fucking hitchhikers along the way. The drum loops are driving, while we’re in the back seat just enjoying the ride as they pick up a guitar solo here, a haunting melody there. The energy ebbs and flows as instruments jump in and out, it gets noisy, boisterous, and at certain points you think we might all go flying off a cliff in a blaze of glory. Don’t worry this is where Poly-Math excel, and like auditory rally drivers they manouvre through this sonic environment with ease.

Just don’t stop here, this is bat country.

The Halting Problem is a two track EP being released on November 1st 2025, available as a limited edition vinyl record. You’ll also be able to catch Poly-Math on tour throughout November at the following shows:
14th November – BRISTOL – Rough Trade
15th November – LONDON – New River Studios
21st November – NOTTINGHAM – JT Soar
22nd November – BRIGHTON – The Hope & Ruin

Listen to the band and keep up to date on the links below:
Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram

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In this book nostalgia juxtaposes with unknown sci-fi technology seamlessly. Kids listening to cassette tapes on their Walkman ignore the giant cargo vessels harnessing the earth’s magnetic field to hover above their homes – as mundane to them as the microwave heating their ready meal back home.

The other books build on this, with both Things from the Flood and The Electric State showing how this world has evolved. Without spoiling anything there’s plenty of dystopian elements explored here, as all this marvellous technology is left strewn across the countryside, rusting away.

It’s these wide panoramic vistas he creates where Simon Stålenhag really shines for me. He is a master of creating atmosphere, using muted tones and hyper realistic lighting to create compelling visual stories. This isn’t some shiny utopia, it’s rusty around the edges, well worn, and in some places completely broken down. It’s somehow all still so familiar feeling, despite the fact I have never visited Sweden, and only briefly visited west coast USA where The Electric State is based.

Some days in the winter I can look out over a heathland here in the UK, and through the haze see the red glowing lights of some industrial complex in the distance. I can imagine some robot stripped of its parts laying in the marshland, slowly sinking into the boggy waters while giant mag-lev ships haul cargo slowly across the sky before me. Simon Stålenhag has done an incredible job of making this fantasy world so utterly relatable and believable that I think we could all learn a lot from his world building.

After recently re-reading the 4 artbooks I will try and give you a brief spoiler free review of them individually, and hopefully you’ll be as captivated as I was when I first read them.

Tales from the Loop

Tales from the Loop is the most fragmented of the books in terms of narrative, with each short segment of text used to tell a mini story, contextualising the associated artwork within this world. Each vignette gives an insight into one portion of the world around ‘The Loop’ (think Large Hadron Collider with a splash of sci-fi) with a lot of stories based around the kids growing up in this universe.

There’s some real ‘kids on bikes’ (think ‘The Goonies’ or ‘Stranger Things’) narratives here, and you can quickly see why Free League made it into a TTRPG. I also think the short sweet vignettes leant well to what Amazon Prime did with the TV show, and while it wasn’t the break away hit there were a couple of episodes that gave us fans of the book a little more of this world to explore, and for that I am truly grateful.

This book will hit you with the nostalgia then throw your mind into a curious spiral of intrigue as you try to discover the secrets of ‘the Loop’ and its effects on the local environment.

Things from the Flood

Fast forward to the early 90s and the Loop has fallen into disarray. For the people growing up in the shadows of its cooling towers there’s an element of ‘keep calm and carry on’. The story follows a teenager adapting to these changes, coming of age while a mysterious ‘machine cancer’ ravages the technology. There’s certainly elements of biological horror within this story, and the imagery toward the end becomes more and more haunting and dark.

I loved seeing the evolution of the world here, but couldn’t help but find myself nostalgic for the 1980s of the first book, where things weren’t quite so bleak and terrifying. I can’t help but feel that having us yearn for an alternate history that never was might have been Simon’s intention here all along.

The Electric State

Visually this might be my favourite of Simon Stålenhag’s books. It’s vivid, colourful and filled with fantastic drawings of intriguing craft, drones and robotics. The story follows a young girl and her robot sidekick trying to make their way across the west of the United States.

I love this book for the characters, the bold bright colours and the questions it left me wondering around the war that took place there, the people living on the fringe of it and scraping by, and humanity’s spiral as everyone seems to be glued to their VR-like headsets as they slowly degrade.

Please do yourself a favour and ignore or distance yourself from the movie – it was so loosely based on the original story it’s not even worth comparing. In my opinion the movie did a poor job of recreating Simon’s subtle sci-fi elements.

The Labyrinth

His latest visual novel ‘The Labyrinth’ is the most narratively focused of them all, and feels a lot like one of the more haunting episodes of Black Mirror, where the dystopian world is a mere backdrop for an altogether very human story. It’s dark and gritty, a firm departure from the vibrant colour of his previous book ‘The Electric State’, with its bright blue skies of west coast USA.

The story is gripping, and Simon explored working with a lot more darkness than previous works, both in the text and the accompanying artwork. For me the central focus of it taking place mostly within the walls of one research centre meant it was more limiting in its scope. What I love about Simon Stålenhag’s work is the curiosity his art builds and the way it makes me want to explore those worlds more. The focus in this book helped drive the narrative, but left me wanting to know a lot more about the wider world, both above and below the surface.

Where next?

Ultimately, I think Simon Stålenhag’s work is incredible, and I hope to see more and more of his work, in whatever medium come to light. Can we get a video game please? The closest thing we’ve had is Generation Zero – which was heavily inspired by Simon’s worlds but was essentially just a survival game where you shoot lots of robots. Simon Stålenhag’s worlds deserve so much more than that.

Swedish Machines is the latest book from Simon Stålenhag – recently completing funding on kickstarter and hopefully appearing on our bookshelves very soon!

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SINK is the second album from the Sussex based indie-guitar-wielding artist John Seaton, and explores the literal and metaphorical experience of delving into deep waters.

When this landed in my inbox it piqued my curiosity. There’s something intriguing about an album that launches with a mockumentary created as part of the package (think This is Spinal Tap or The Office) – a sign perhaps that John is taking a more light hearted approach to things than I originally thought when I initially read the press release (It’s an album “loosely themed around the joyous topic of drowning”).

This is probably why I sit here listening to the single ‘Borrowed Time’ (releasing on September 26th ahead of the album’s November launch) and can’t help but think it would have made itself into an episode of The Inbetweeners had it been released in 2008. Move aside Vampire Weekend, this is the new soundtrack to teenagers punching a fish.

I was also given a preview of the second single Electricity (releasing 24/20/25), which infuses a melodic piano with pangs of electrifying indie guitar and some more folky elements. This combines to become the musical equivalent of having a punch up in a ballroom… in a good way of course.

I came to this review for the music, but I’m staying for that documentary. The debut screening is on a houseboat in Shoreham-by-sea on December 4th. Go grab your ticket now.

SINK releases on 28th November.

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The predominant theme of booze is given a colourful and playful coating as artist Matthew Callaby’s anthropomorphic characters come for British drinking culture. This isn’t however a social commentary, MrCallaby’s work is first and foremost about fun.

Bright, colourful and unique characters fill the space at NOHO Showrooms. His focus on bigger works and physical objects really pays off in allowing you to immerse yourself in this cartoon bar. MrCallaby’s signature joyful approach is an absolute delight to get immersed in. There’s something wonderful about heading downstairs and seeing the initial sketches that later formed the large pieces adorning the walls, the playful way the characters interact with one another, and the themes around our cultural alcohol obsessions that inspired these moments.

It’s not all about colour though, as several new pieces created with ink and charcoal form a hazy monotone scene – designed to give the impression the viewer of the work is inebriated or hungover, and honestly if anything matched my mood after the half bottle of whiskey I had the night before then this is it. Very relatable.

MrCallaby has a talent for making his art work feel alive that goes beyond just the adorable faces. The expressions, the jaunty angles, they all make it so easy to picture his art animated, moving around, sloshing various liquids as they clink and clank into each other.

The creation of 3D objects was a welcome move from MrCallaby, who is still cautious in wanting to keep his roots in fine art, while not wanting to shy away from the opportunity to bring his creations to life in new ways. It seems plenty of people agree – all the bottles you’ll see pictured here were sold by the time I arrived on the final day of the exhibition, so you’ll have to keep an eye out on his website or Instagram for more!

The post Review: CHEERS – A solo exhibition by MrCallaby appeared first on art noise..

While Altamotion’s headlining the main room, Ultramotion is down in the basement with ‘one more year’ taking the crowd on an altogether colder, more atmospheric journey.

Inspired by the band listening to liquid drum and bass while taking long summer walks during lockdown, the EP blends existing studio tracks, outtakes and unreleased fragments with their new found love for fluid 160bpm soundscapes. Emerging from those dark days of separation into a world of exploration ‘one more year’ is both a reimagining of the old and a continuation, a true evolution of the Altamotion sound.

parallel is a beautiful meditative track, dripping in atmosphere as it layers synths and guitar loops, shimmering like Aurora Borealis on a star filled night.

version reworks Altamotion’s classic sound with post-rock textures transformed with liquid DnB momentum. It finds its groove and doesn’t let go. One to add to your night drive playlist immediately.

send me home balances ambience with intensity, taking fragments of Altamotion’s old work, resurfaced with new energy. This new beast brings dramatic vibes thanks to a punchy beat, ominous bassline and haunting synths.

one more year is the closing track, brilliantly tying together themes of transformation and passage of time. This is your Delorean to take you back to the future Marty. If my calculations are correct, once this baby hits 170 beats per minute you’re gonna see some serious shit.

Find further information on the links below:

Spotify
Youtube
Facebook
Instagram
TikTok

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Tynerat Creations’ work draws inspiration from the underbelly of British cities and incorporates graffiti strewn walls, along with the grit, grime and nostalgia that comes with it.

Tynerat Creations has been creating graffiti for 20 years, but only recently began experimenting with the inside of old spray paint cans as a creative canvas. The work is wonderfully hand crafted – invoking a sense of adventure and wonder and a desire to explore more of these detailed environments.

See more of Tynerat’s work at tynerat.com or @tyneratcreations on Instagram

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Anyone reading this also a huge fan of vinyl and love collecting records? Well this might just be the exhibition you’ve been waiting for…

180 Studios, London, have an exciting new immersive exhibition opening on 23 May 2024, and the celebration of art and sound (obviously) caught our attention. The Vinyl Factory: REVERB is a major multimedia exhibition bringing together over 100 artists utilising a variety of mediums including visual arts, music, film and live performance.

From what we’ve seen from the images and teased videos on social media this is looking like an exciting exploration of audio and visual experiences that are sure to please audiophiles and art crtics alike. We’re especially intrigued by Hi-Fi Listening Room Dream No.1 (created by and programmed with New York artist Devon Turnbull) – that promises “a meditative space within the exhibition to listen to vinyl with an evolving programme of unheard music, including exclusive test pressings and studio outtakes.”

So essentially we get to chill out and listen to some rarely heard before records in a beautiful creative space? How could we possibly resist?!

Of course if you still aren’t completely sold, there’s a wide range of live performances and talks that will sit alongside the exhibition. “A new work by Theaster Gates, Amplified, will exist as a sonic installation during the day and transform into a space that hosts live performances by night, with shows by established and emerging musicians recorded and pressed direct-to-disc on The Vinyl Factory Lathe.” This feels like an exciting opportunity to give a unique platform and space for grassroots music to grow from, and London (and the UK) could always do with more spaces like this – especially with traditional music venues seeming to be closing at a ludicrous rate.

And for the vinyl aficionado you’ll be pleased to hear there’s 100 vinyl records from the likes of Nan Goldin, Arthur Jafa, Pipilotti Rist, William Kentridge, Mica Levi, Marina Abramovic, Grace Jones, Yussef Dayes, Es Devlin, Fred Again, Thom Yorke, Ragnar Kjartansson, Massive Attack, Pet Shop Boys, Maurizio Cattelan, Daft Punk, The xx, Rachel Rose, Kojey Radical, Taryn Simon and many more on display as part of an installation space designed by Ben Kelly.

On top of this a public program of live musical performances will take place during the show with the recordings pressed as limited- edition vinyl records by The Vinyl Factory. So you might be able to grab your own very special piece of this exhibition to treasure as part of your collection.

Book your tickets to The Vinyl Factory – REVERB at 180 Studios and find out more here: https://www.180studios.com/reverb

The exhibition will be open 10am -7pm Wednesday – Sunday from 23 May – 28 September 2024.

For the past 20 years The Vinyl Factory has been at the forefront of fostering pioneering collaborations between artists and musicians, embracing new ideas and exploring new ways of merging art and sound.

REVERB is curated by The Vinyl Factory.

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The result is a beautiful if sombre afair, that lets Eiza’s powerful vocals take front and centre stage for the majority of the track. Only when the chorus kicks in do we get to hear the punchy digitalised beat kick in, backed with a warbling synth that adds the kind of exclamation Eiza was no doubt going for as she sings “you’re just an acquaintance.”

In Eiza’s words:

“This song kind of came out of nowhere. I was sitting in a session when I suddenly felt the urge to write about feelings I hadn’t felt in years. I used to be ina circle of friends who were only held together by their want to go out, and climb social ladders. It got pretty nasty and dark sometimes, and felt kind of lonely. I wrote ‘Acquaintance’ in hindsight, even though I felt all those emotions while in that chapter of my life. This song feels like a long overdue release for me and my younger self, and I think it’s my favorite song yet.“

We think it might be ours too Eiza!

Eiza Murphy is preparing to tour across Europe, supporting NEVE, for the month of May, where she will perform Acquaintance for the first time. After having music featured in Netflix’s ‘Riverdale’ series, Spotify’s ‘New Music Friday’ and ‘Pop Rising,’ charting at #1 on iTunes Ireland three times, and featuring on radio stations such as BBC Introducing and RTE2FM as the ‘Track of The Week,’ Eiza is excited for this next release.

The track releases on April 25th and we will update this article with a link as soon as it becomes available.

The post Single Review: Eiza Murphy – Acquaintance appeared first on art noise..

Our verdict: When Yonaka take the stage they are a force to be reckoned with. They are there to have fun and you can’t help but come along for the ride with them.

Yonaka at Chalk, Brighton 
with support from Noisy & Mimi Barks 
27th March, 2024 
Photos by Gili Dailes

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