Category: Blog

Tainted Love: Alex Coles & Savvy in Conversation

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A few snaps from the talk & launch of the new book by Alex Coles entitled "Tainted Love" From Nina Simone to Kendrick Lamar out now on Sternberg Press .

Titled after Soft Cell’s version of the original 1965 Gloria Jones track, Tainted Love is the first book-length inquiry into the subject of the twisted romantic ballad, giving a sense of both its history and contemporary currency. Sometimes extreme, this twist to the conventional romantic ballad spans across gender and generational boundaries to subvert our understanding of both the genre’s function and its behavior. Each chapter of Tainted Love takes a deep dive into a single twisted ballad, examining both its inner workings—lyrics, melody, and vocal approach—and its broader cultural resonance.


Featuring an analysis of songs by Kendrick Lamar, Nina Simone, Roxy Music, Joni Mitchell, The Velvet Underground, Frank Sinatra, Soft Cell, Paul McCartney, Charlotte & Serge Gainsbourg, PJ Harvey & Nick Cave, and Little Simz, this book turns on the question: What compels songwriters to compose—and us to listen to—these warped songs?

Everything Everywhere All At Once

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Most definitely worth a watch!

I’ll get straight to the point films like these come along along once or twice a decade, theres so much to say but at the same time I really don’t want to spoil the film for anyone thats yet to see it. However the basic premises is that an Asian immigrant mother along with  her family are merely just trying to pay their taxes and just find their way though life when the fate of the multi-universe rudely interrupts. 

The film is mad cap & goofy and totally absurdist at its highs & lows. But at the core of this film is a heart, depth of thought & so much love….. you could say this film is about the state of the world, connection, family, disconnection, generational trauma, self belief, nihilism, the plurality of morality, mental health & more.. but I’d just say enjoy the wild wild ride..

Written and directed by Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert. they guys that made Swiss Army Man and the Turndown For What music video.

The film stars Michelle Yeoh, Stephanie Hsu, Ke Huy Quan, Jenny Slate, Harry Shum Jr., James Hong, and Jamie Lee Curtis. Though I get the feeling this film will be a career defining role for Michelle Yeoh. Don’t get me wrong the whole cast brings their A-game but this role seems somewhat meta and deeply meaningful to Michelle personally.

I give this film a 8.7 out of 10 it truly is great piece of work,  I recommend it anyone that look for something fresh and interesting to watch Dan Kwan, Daniel Scheinert really have caught lighting in a bottle with this one… I look forward to seeing what they come up with next.

So now we’re rolling!

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Welcome yall!

Ez now everyone,

I’m pretty excited to finally share my new website with you!

As an ever evolving multimedia creator, its been quite the conundrum to work out the best way to collate & present my work.  The main focus has been usability, structure  and a neutrality to that i’m able to present various forms of work clearly.

My creative roots lay in music production & performance. Under the moniker Savvy aka Asaviour I built a name within the Hip Hop / Rap scene in the UK, gaining national & international recognition for my work over 3 LP releases from DJ’s & stations including Gilles Peterson, Radio 1, 1Xtra, BBC Radio Leeds, Radio X, BBC Asian Network, Capital Xtra. My work has been widely reviewed in UK/international press inc. Q Magazine, Mojo, THE, DJ Mag, Vice, NME.

Over the years I’ve mutated into a multi-discipline artist designing for web & print and evolving in 2D & 3D design & animation and most recently Augmented & Virtual reality Development. I’m also the owner & founder of Saving Grace a crative brand consisting of Saving Grace Music, a creative imprint/platform producing, releasing, marketing, promoting & distributing music from both established artists as well as mentoring aspiring artists. 

And finally..

Equally important to my practice has been community building & collaboration: In 2012 I expanded Saving Grace to form the Saving Grace Collective, a non-profit social enterprise working with artists from a wide variety of backgrounds and circumstances, to recognise a lack of support for aspiring & independent artists in West Yorkshire and Kirklees. It has since delivered a range of partner projects including;

  • Lotherton Hall/Lindley Infant School Choir for O2 Thinkbig (2014),
  • The SIREN Project (O2 Thinkbigger 2015)  
  • Live From The Hostel with Connect Housing (2014)
  • Roots To Inspire with Huddersfield University/Kirklees council Huddersfield Community Gospel Choir/The Huddersfield Mission (2019).