VIDEO: DEPECHE MODE & DIOR Secret Garden - Versailles' x Enjoy The Silence

So you might have seen a version of this video on the TV or the internet lately. I love the Dior art direction and combination of the classic Depeche Mode track 'Enjoy the Silence'. We featured 'Enjoy The Silence' as our OldSkool Track of the Day back in January but to be honest I prefer this contemporary video version. It's not often that an advert has the power to hold my attention for over 3 minutes but this evoked an ethereal post new romanticism feeling in me perfectly combining the old with the new. It's not hard to see why the Dior video has over 6 million hits already.

FEATURE: Top 5 Albums of 2011 - Contributors Choice

I'd like to thank everyone of the 18 people who contributed to this feature over the past few weeks. It's been a blast and I don't know about you but I've certainly found out about some great acts that I'd missed this year thanks to these knowledgeable people and their lists. So a big thanks out out to the following:

Simon from Sonic Emporium Becki B from OhDearyMe.com
Isaac Ashe from Sound Advice Jerome from Desire Records Simon from People Get Real Piper from Puro Instinct Stephen from WeAreHunted.com ZanitaNico De Ceglia from BBC Radio 1 Jamie Moffett Film DirectorHayden Black from Goodnight Burbank Michelle from Audible Treats Lana Mir Eriin Dhesi from Vainzine Terence Teh from Dazed & Confused / Earnest Endeavours Louise from A Band Called Quinn Tasha from Demain Magazine Maxime from Kitsuné

So based on repetitions in everyone's contributions here are the Top Five Favourite Albums of 2011.

1. New Look - New Look (4 Repetitions)
2. Girls - Father, Son, Holy Ghost (3 Repetitions)
3. Washed Out - Within and Without (2 Repetitions)
4. Bon Iver - Bon Iver (2 Repetitions)
5. Foster The People - Torches (2 Repetitions)

All other entries received no repetitions except Shabazz Palaces that got an honourable mention but was not in a top 5 more than once.

FEATURE: Fave Five Albums Of 2011: Tasha from Demain Magazine

Tasha Lovecity is Editor in Chief at Demain Magazine and well, she knows her music. Check out her list for the proof and don't forget to check out the superb Demain too.

New Look - New Look
I’ve been waiting for a record from these guys for a long time. Something really endearing about the sparse beats and Sarah Ruba’s voice really reminds me of loads pop stars I loved as a kid in the 80s. ‘The Ballad’ is so beautiful I could almost cry.



The Strokes - Angles
The Stokes were largely panned for this record, as people felt they were not trying anything new. I remember when I was very young, I found it harder to take when my favourite band had a ‘new sound’ on every new record they put out and found it hard to adjust. It’s hard to deny the jovial and uplifting chorus of ‘so long, my friend’ on ‘Caffeinated Consciousness’ and the band’s signature droll lyrics on ‘Taken for a Fool’. This was an album for fans of The Strokes, and I love the fact it didn’t break any boundaries.



TV on the Radio - Nine Types of Light
There is little this band can do wrong. My stand out track on this has to be ‘Will Do’, it’s like a gloriously haunting words of advice.



Girls - Father, Son, Holy Ghost
A very emotional record full of different shades.. from the wonderfully chipper ‘Honey Bunny’ which kind of makes you want to run through the nearest field with all of your friends to play Frisbee to the Love is Like a River which could almost be a doo-wop song from the 60s. However, the song which fascinates me the most is ‘Vomit’; though it’s the most sparse track on the album, it’s probably the most enigmatic.




Cold War Kids - Mine is Yours
Up till now, Nathan Willett’s voice was always quote weathered and blues-y, which is great but on this record it’s quite smooth and poppy. The guitars and arrangement on the single ‘Finally Begin’ remind me of The Smiths, which I always find a good thing. A really uplifting album.



Check out the previous Fave Five Albums Of 2011:

1. Simon from Sonic Emporium
2. Becki B from OhDearyMe.com
3. Isaac Ashe from Sound Advice
4. Jerome from Desire Records
5. Simon from People Get Real
6. Piper from Puro Instinct
7. Stephen from WeAreHunted.com

8. Zanita
9. Nico De Ceglia from BBC Radio 1
10. Jamie Moffett Film Director
11. Hayden Black from Goodnight Burbank
12. Michelle from Audible Treats
13. Lana Mir
14. Eriin Dhesi from Vainzine

15. Terence Teh from Dazed & Confused / Earnest Endeavours
16. Louise from A Band Called Quinn

FEATURE: Fave Five Albums Of 2011: Eriin Dhesi from Vainzine

Merry Christmas peeps, tweeps, fb's, bloggers and net heads! Eriin is the newest member of team vainzine. She's done a few things already but this is her formal introduction, not that we're very formal 'round here but you get the picture. In here own words she's A 17 year old from Warwickshire, stuck in a woeful sixth form, surviving the middle class suburban landscape by attending gigs, listening to music, reading obscure things and watching Newsnight. All conglomerating in lots and lots of writing with almost there journalistic flair. Here's her top 5 for 2011.

Anna Calvi - Anna Calvi
The most booming and captivating voice I've heard in a while. 'Jezebel', even though it's a cover, gives me goosebumps. She's like 2011's little Siouxsie Sioux.



Metronomy - The English Riviera
Pretty much nothing like their last indie nu rave stuff, which if regurgitated again in 2011 would've left them in that forgotten ditch of the Klaxons. (No matter how much the NME are bloody touting them). It's chilled out and quietly pretty. 'She Wants' is a god damn fave.



The Kills - Blood Pressures

Tbh, I wasn't sure how they would top their previous album cos I loved it so much. But even with the duo veering off with models and Jack White's side project (you can a bit off Mosshart's Dead weather-ness in there) but as a whole, the album still has the trademark sleaze and swagger just more refined.



Girls - father, son, holy ghost
It annoyed me when critics dumped them with Beach House and Waves on their debut album, when their work had tons more depth. This album takes a couple of listens to get into to realise how consistently strong it is. 'Vomit' is the most striking.



Nicola Roberts - Cinderellas eyes
*cheesy name barf* - even though it sounds like a poor man's early M.I.A that would be on repeat in New Look, she's the only girls aloud member to do a solo album that doesn't sound completely like a soulless profile booster i.e she's not twattin' around with 'messy fucking raindrops' like Cheryl the mofo Cole.



Check out the previous Fave Five Albums Of 2011:

1. Simon from Sonic Emporium
2. Becki B from OhDearyMe.com
3. Isaac Ashe from Sound Advice
4. Jerome from Desire Records
5. Simon from People Get Real
6. Piper from Puro Instinct
7. Stephen from WeAreHunted.com

8. Zanita
9. Nico De Ceglia from BBC Radio 1
10. Jamie Moffett Film Director
11. Hayden Black from Goodnight Burbank
12. Michelle from Audible Treats
13. Lana Mir

FEATURE: Fave Five Albums Of 2011: Stephen Phillips from We Are Hunted

For those of you who don't yet know what WAH is then check out the little widget on the side bar. You wont be disappointed! If you want the long story visit the Wikipedia page here. Stephen Phillips is one of the co-founders of We Are Hunted and he took time out of his busy schedule to gather up the thoughts of the whole WAH crew on their Top 5 for 2011. Enjoy.

Youth Lagoon - The Year Of The Hibernation



Toro Y Moi - Underneath The Pine



Big Scary - Vacation



Washed Out - Within And Without



Girls - Father, Son, Holy Ghost



Honourable Mentions:

Bill Callahan - Apocalypse

Destroyer - Kaput

Shabazz Palaces - Black Up

The War On Drugs - Slave Ambient

Check out the previous Fave Five Albums Of 2011:

1. Simon from Sonic Emporium
2. Becki B from OhDearyMe.com
3. Isaac Ashe from Sound Advice
4. Jerome from Desire Records
5. Simon from People Get Real
6. Piper from Puro Instinct