“MOVE” SATISFIES MY HUNGER!

Afrow-Family, I’m an easily-pleased kinda gal…and so, I write this mini-installment, in the relaxed state, typical of someone who has just had a scrumptious serving of hearty Christmas fayre!

Why? Well, hot-on-the-heels of ‘Fred Astaire’, Mr Hudson has cranked-up his all-singing and, evidently, all-dancing, music-making hit-machine, with new head-nodding, hip-pop track ‘Move’. In stark contrast to the former, which wound its way around the heart-mind with a debonaire downbeat, ‘Move’ sees a ‘ballin’ Ben’, bustin’-out his best one-two-steps, to a bumping bassline in, what is sure to be, an absolute radio-rampaging, dancefloor-filling smash! Being a Hunger collaboration, finesse and easy-elegance is effortlessly aligned, through a stripped-back, black and white aperture, with high-end sports-style and sharp-and-dapper suiting, being ‘Rankin’-file! Oh, and, of course, a chorus of feisty, front-cover-worthy, female dancing sirens, addicted to the singer (think, home-girl homage to Robert Palmer!), who, nonetheless, “know what they want”…! Mr Hudson dutifully obliges, in shooting and scoring a ma-hoo-ssive three-pointer, in true NBA/ Harlem Globetrotter-style! (Check the clip and you’ll see what I mean!)

It all adds up to a win-win combination of Hudson’s quirky and deceptively-intricate production-values, transmuted into mightily memorable-melody lines, relentless, rolling beats-per-minute and a chorus that could hook a killer-whale, plus the undeniable genius of the Rankin/Lawton creative sensibility!

For me, this track totally delivers and, quite frankly, I couldn’t care less whether or not a guy can groove, but I do love to see a man enjoying himself in the attempt! I get the feeling that there’ll be a lot of office-party dancefloors, shaking this Chistmas with “Move”-rs, following suit!

I’ll see you there!

‘MOVE’ IS OUT NOW! BUY IT, LOVE IT, PLAY IT LOUDLY, ON REPEAT! http://t.co/sYbKbwnaGD

WATCH THE VIDEO!: http://www.hungertv.com/feature/exclusive-mr-hudson-move/

©AFROW2013-2019 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

‘MATT FORSTERs A NEW RELATIONSHIP WITH WATERCOLOUR!’

Entering the ‘Über-Painting’ watercolour-world of Matt Forster, is akin to being surrounded by a hall of the most divine mirrors. You’ll find no tricks nor deviations, no jokes at your physical-expense, simply a wall-to-wall reflection of light and shade, masterfully manifested from his soul to your own. Something of the enigmatic follows your every move, at first, present in the means by which the colour seeps into the skin of the paper, then, subtly doing an ‘ole blue eyes’ and sliding beneath your own. In short, his pieces are, quite literally, a breathtaking testament to how intensively enmeshed Matt is with each one and a certain precursor to their effect upon the viewer.

My first Über-experience happened on a day of firsts, at ‘The Other Art Fair’*, whereupon, my inquisitive nature all but galloped a domino-falling tirade of questions, regarding how he did this and why he did that! Indeed, how he managed to answer anything fully, remains a mystery, but answer them, he did…I recall being rather surprised at the candid nature with which he revealed the intricacy of his ever-developing technique…  His website describes it thus, ‘An überpainting is like a silk  screen print in watercolour as they consist of between three and five layers of different coloured paint applied  independently and sequentially darker in tone. I mix colours from a  primary base and it is the application of these successive layers that  provides the images with the startling three dimensional impression.’** In real-time I was becoming further absorbed into the vortex of porous, primary-colour distinctions being reworked and, somewhat, wooed into place by the fluidity of its transparent, watery home. I came away, excited to see a similar aesthetic of simplified line, form and colour, in a new setting, as well as, feeling humbled by such a prolific ability to do so.

My most recent encounter was at ‘The London Illustration Art Fair’, yet another first of its kind! Underneath Hoxton Arches, gorged-to-the-gills with personifications of artesanal collaborations, it was a pleasure to revisit the British Isles through Matt’s viewfinder and, once again, become mesmerised by the works which, this time, seemed more pointedly abstract. But, as I was quickly shown-and-told, there was so much more where they came from, and goodness me, did I see some absolutely incredible examples! Now, I know that you’ll want me to select a favourite…but, quite frankly, I can’t choose just one! Instead, I’ll say that the more abstract, the better, in my book…purely because there is less room for cognitive predictive-processing and rather more space to ‘Sherlock’ the scenes. Just as the white spaces facilitate a void, so too, are you gently guided to feel, think or sense, or not, in your own time…That’s the best you’re going to get!

What I’ll go on to say, however, is that you cannot forego the chance to stand before Matt’s art. It is Über! Not only this, but the guile with which the movement is addressed, from wine-glass (naturally, for mixing purposes), to brush, to full-bleed hue, is so vividly witnessed within each vignette, as to encapsulate the rise-and-fall of a breathing planet. In the Über-painting studies, we have a journal of a Britain which is constantly in flux, thus a keepsake for our unique Isles and an intensely open-book, which grips you, from beginning, to end!

I am truly looking forward, with great expectation, to the next exhibited volume!

**www.mattjforster.com ~ www.facebook.com/MJForsterGallery ~ twitter.com/Matt_Forster/media

 www.thelondonillustrationfair.co.uk/

*afrow.wordpress.com/2013/11/04/an-east-end-love-affair/

©AFROW2013-2019 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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TESTIMONIAL FROM MJ FORSTER

‘Here is a review of an exhibition of mine in London last month. Written by a very talented blogger…Thanks what an amazing article. You really get it! I’ll cut, paste and share it everywhere I can…’