In the Seventies, Burdett was a post-boy at Island Records when he came across a dumped tape intriguingly labelled, “Nick Drake, Cello Song. With love.” It was 20 years before he actually listened to it, discovering an earthy version of Drake’s famed song and another few years passed before he decided what to do with his discovery.

Inspiredly, instead of releasing it into the online ether, Burdett  travelled the length and breadth of Britian, stopping some famous people and some not on streets, hills and work places to offer them a chance to hear the song. Each time, he took a portrait of the listener.

The results are now on display at the Idea Generation gallery in East London. The Strange Face Project, takes it’s name from the first line of Cello Song and also refers to the expressions Burdett observed of his listeners and a fitting ode to one of music’s lost talents.

The Strange Face Project is at the Idea Generation gallery until Sunday, February 12.

ideageneration.co.uk

Words by Boudicca Fox-Leonard

Shot in monochrome 35mm film in a cramped photo booth, the video for their song The Last Goodbye is an exploration of Jamie Hince and Alison Mosshart’s ten year working relationship. Mosshart’s luminous beauty, often hidden behind huge hair and glasses is fully exposed, while her voice tilts beautifully at melancholy notes.

While The Kills rarely enjoy the video making premise, the simplicity of Morton’s premise allows Mosshart and Hince’s friendship to be the star.

Watch the video here

Words by Boudicca Fox-Leonard

Francesca Gavin – Art Editor

For me this has been the year of Mark Leckey – both his solo show at the Serpentine and an hypnotic installation at the Printemps de Septembre in Toulouse. I’ve been obsessed by his work for years and think he has a massive influence on a whole younger generation on artists with his fascination with pop culture, technology, music and screens. I like many others wait with excitement at whatever comes next.

In 2012, I’m really looking forward to surviving the apocalypse and visiting the Marrakech Biennial in February. Some really great artists are in the line up including Aleksandra Domanovic, Jon Nash and Matthew Stone and I think its going to be a fascinating trip.

Elsewhere 176 new monthly programme of emerging artists, Yayoi Kusama and Edvard Munch at the Tate Modern, Rashid Johnson’s big shows at Hauser and Wirth NYC and London throughout the year, Urs Fisher at Palazzo Grassi in Venice, and the Berlin Biennial (which can only be an improvement on two years ago which was uber-dull).

Aimee Farrell – Features Director

In terms of writers in 2011 it has to be Caitlin Moran at the top of the list. How To Be A Woman managed to make feminism funny and accessible.

In 2012 I’m excited about Rachel Cusk. Her Granta essay about life after marriage, which throws a feminist light on the institution of divorce has been developed into a major new work of non-fiction, called Aftermath: On Marriage and Separation. Published by Faber the book will be a series of meditations on women’s mid-lives and family life after divorce.

Boudicca Fox-Leonard – Online Editor

Last year marked another 12 months of female dominance in the music industry, whether it was Beyonce at Glastonbury or Adele taking America. There were strong albums from the likes of Feist and a great debut from songstress Anika. For me though, the highlight was PJ Harvey storming the Mercury Music Prize for a second time. Let England Shake easily summed up the zeitgeist for 2011 and proved that there are still important albums being made.

For 2012, there’s a feeling it’s going to be the year of the viral superstar. We’ve already had Azealia Banks’ 212 and Lana Del Rey’s Video Games, now we need to hear the albums.

“My highlight of 2011 was playing inside the I.M. Pei pyramid at Louvre,” she says. “I can’t wait to hear new original music in 2012.”

On New Year’s Eve she’ll be spinning tracks at The Cosmopolitan Hotel in Las Vegas opening for Stevie Wonder. Twin asked Mia for her nine must have tracks…

1/ HOLY GHOST! – I Wanted To Tell Her

This cover of  Ministry’s early 80s hit with both Nancy Whang and Juan MacLean featured on the track (and in the video) is the perfect combination of throw-back jam and nu-disco.  What a way to start 2012, right?

2/ KATE BUSH – Wuthering Heights

A lot of people hate Kate Bush, but I think she sounds like a sweet angel calling from heaven.

3/ STEVIE WONDER - Do I Do

On NYE I’ll be in Las Vegas opening for Stevie Wonder, this is one of my all time favourites.

4/ JESSICA 6 – White Horse

If I had to pick a band of the year, it would be Jessica 6. This track was released in the beginning of 2011, but it is just as current, if not more, than it was a year ago. Its touches of funk, disco-pop, & filtered house make it an instant classic.

5/ MIDNIGHT MAGIC - Beam Me Up (Jacques Renault Remix)

Everything Jacques Renault remixes has a nice disco feel, but this track is especially dancey and extremely catchy.

6/ LITTLE DRAGON – Ritual Union (Tensnake Remix)

It’s the year of the Dragon, so I thought this Little Dragon track was appropriate.

7/ DJ MIA MORETTI & CAITLIN MOE - So Beautiful (Sex Ray Vision Remix)

This is my debut single, it was just released last week. Here’s a sexy remix from a couple of kids that go to Stanford and make intellectual dance music. Just kidding, I made that last part up.

8/ MAYER HAWTHORNE - No Strings (Classixx Original)

Mayer Hawthorne is also playing the NYE show I am playing with Stevie Wonder. He’s been on tour opening up for Chromeo, his live show is a treat if you ever have a chance to see it.

This remix is by two of my favorite LA DJs, Classixx.

9/ FLEETWOOD MAC - The Chain

I hope that in 2012 you break all the bad chain and latch together all the good chains in your life.

Listen to Mia Moretti’s NYE playlist here

miamoretti.com

Words by Boudicca Fox-Leonard

Twin’s favourite is by Summer Camp, who for a second year running has proffered a special Christmas prezzie to fans.

This year it’s a simply smashing mash up of Paul McCartney’s Wonderful Christmas Time and Mariah’s classic karaoke high-hitter All I Want For Christmas Is You. Featuring Eighties synth and Elizabeth Sankey’s signature cool vocals it’s all we want to listen to on Christmas Day.

Listen to All I Wonderful Christmas Is You here

Words by Boudicca Fox-Leonard

Born out of her love for music and images she says; “There wasn’t a music magazine that I liked, so it made sense to start one.”

While the photography is always striking, it’s Hanna’s passion for sound that’s at BEAT’s core.“Without music my life would be very quiet. And very different. I listen to music constantly,” she says.

Twin asked Hanna to name nine of her favourite tracks…

1/ FEIST – How Come You Never Go There

This is just out and it’s brilliant. I love Feist – I love music that is happy and sad all at once – and this is a particulary good example of that. I will probably listen to this on repeat now.

2/ BLONDIE – Rapture

The best pop song ever written.

3/ BLACK WIRE – Hard To Love

I bought this record in Chicago not realising they were from Leeds…. and I bought it on the merit of the cover alone! It’s so good.

4/ BOWIE – Always Crashing The Same Car

I had a phase of only listening to Bowie. So picking my favourite is always hard. I love Ziggy Stardust, but Low is really my favourite album, it’s so weird.

5/ REM – the sidewinder sleeps tonight

REM was the first gig I went to see. I was 13!

6/ LATE OF THE PIER - Bathroom Gurgle

This is incredible. They were so young when they did it too!

7/ MYSTERY JETS – Young Love

8/ YAZOO – Situation

9/ DIANA ROSS & THE SUPREMES – My World Is Empty Without You (Drop Out Orchestra Remix)

Listen to Hanna Hanra’s Twin playlist here

thebeatjuice.com

Words by Boudicca Fox-Leonard

Painted Love bears their unmistakeable breathy electronic pop, but this is more than just one song. Luxury jewellers Cartier posed them the question “How Far Would You Go For Love?”. This is their answer.

The accompanying film, made by New York based directors Waverly, revisits the myth of Pygmalion and Galatea via down town Manhattan. A young artist searches for his muse, first in his canvas and then in the darkness of New York’s clubs, driven by his obsession to attain her.

“The idea of the muse is very important to me, it is like a driving force. I know that for every album, we have needed a love story as a motivation. Creating art is like a huge need to be loved,” says AIR.

Cartier are set to pose their question to two more musicians and directors in 2012.  But we’re already thinking  how far we’d go. Are you?

love.cartier.com

Words by Boudicca Fox-Leonard

Ever the DIY recording star, the 24-year-old’s self-edited clip of debut single Video Games has garnered over 2 million hits and spawned the album Born To Die, set for release in early 2012.

The New Yorker, whose stage name is derived from a combination of film noir actress Lana Turner and the Ford Del Rey automobile, cites Nirvana and Biggie Smalls as two of her biggest musical influences.

It is through this combination of retro nostalgia and catchy lyrics such as “you fit me better than my favourite sweater” that the artist also known as Lizzy Grant evokes the days of Sixties sirens singing in small jazz club venues, served with a 21st Century twist.

Del Rey kicks off her UK tour on November 4th in Manchester. It will be the chance to prove to her critics what we already know: she doesn’t just meet the hype surrounding her persona; she exceeds it.

The double single Video Games/Blue Jeans is out now.

lanadelrey.com

Words by Carla Seipp

Ten years on and aptly her eighth studio album, Let England Shake, is a conceptual work about conflict and war. “I wanted to make something meaningful not just to me but to other people,” says Harvey. With songs inspired by the WWI battle at Gallipoli the 41-year-old has set herself apart from other musicians as an artist unafraid to address ideas politically and melodiously.

This time around Harvey was very much present at the awards ceremony, dressed in a flowing white dress and feather headdress she looked like a punk-rock angel. And with Patti Smith winning the Polar Music Prize in Sweden, now is clearly a good time to be a woman in rock.

pjharvey.net

Words by Boudicca Fox-Leonard.

A cartoon version of the Bloods and the Crips, Chloe Moretz plays Veronica, a member of a graffiti crew called The Night Creepers, who falls in love with a rival gang member. She’s a tragic Juliet but with more venom.

With their washed out denim and leather jackets Barrymore’s lovers come from the pantheon of Hollywood movies, from Rebel Without A Cause to Eighties teen-flicks. Complete with Hip-Hop choreographed fight scenes, Our Deal is a West Side Story for the post-MTV generation.

Watch Our Deal here

Words by Boudicca Fox-Leonard.